**Permission to forward granted and encouraged**

Wine Country Romance Writers is proud to present their online
workshop for November.

Workshop title: Covert Operations for Writers: How to Set Them Up,
Bust Them and Barely Live Through Them

Instructor: Lucinda Schroeder

Date: 11/3/08 to 10/28/08

Description: This class presents a rare opportunity for writers to
learn first hand how federal agents and other law enforcement
officials develop targets and set up covert operations to catch them.
Students will also learn how covert agents establish a cover and how
covers are often blown.  All undercover operations have problems, and
there is no better way to create trouble for a character than to have
him involved in some type of covert mission.   All this, including an
analysis of several actual undercover operations that were busted and
how the protagonist survived the meltdown.

Even if a writer isn't writing about covert operations, this course
will spark great ideas for extraordinary creativity.

About the instructor:  Lucinda Schroeder
Lucinda Schroeder
Lucinda Delaney Schroeder has a BA in Criminology and is a retired
federal agent who during her thirty-year career conducted numerous
undercover investigations and was the only female member a
specialized undercover unit.  She has taught undercover techniques to
other agents at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in
Glynco, GA and continues to train law enforcement officers through
her private business "Bulletproof Covert Identities."  She lives in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Lucinda is the author of "A Hunt for Justice," (Lyons Press) a true
story of one her undercover cases in Alaska, in which clever
deception was her only protection.

Deadline to register: 11/03/08

Fee: $20 WCRW members; $25 non-members.  RWA Membership isn't
required; anyone can take our courses.
Where to sign up: You may register online at
http://www.winecountryromancewriters.com/workshops.htm . Please click
the Pay now button and follow the instructions for pay pal then EMAIL
Winecountryromancewriters@...
Thank you for considering our workshops!!

Sandra Marlow
Vice President WCRW

Wine Country Romance Writers
www.winecountryromancewriters.com

**Permission to forward granted and encouraged**

Wine Country Romance Writers is proud to present their online
workshop for November.

Workshop title: Thrillers with Heart

Instructor: CJ Lyons

Date: 11/3/08 to 10/28/08
Description: Thrillers are hot! And romance thrillers, Thrillers with
Heart, are sizzling! What is the difference between mysteries and
thrillers? How to add romance without slowing the pace?  Explore the
fascinating world of thriller fiction with award winning author CJ
Lyons.

About the instructor:  CJ Lyons
Trained in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, CJ Lyons has assisted police
and prosecutors with cases involving child abuse, rape, homicide and
Munchausen by Proxy. She has worked in numerous trauma centers, on
the Navajo reservation, as a crisis counselor, victim advocate, as
well as a flight physician for Life Flight and Stat Medevac.
A finalist for RWA's prestigious Golden Heart and winner of the
Golden Gateway award, CJ has received numerous accolades for her
writing.  Watch for her debut medical suspense novel, LIFELINES,
coming from Berkley in March 2008!

Deadline to register: 11/03/08

Fee: $20 WCRW members; $25 non-members.  RWA Membership isn't
required; anyone can take our courses.
Where to sign up: You may register online at
http://www.winecountryromancewriters.com/workshops.htm . Please click
the Pay now button and follow the instructions for pay pal then EMAIL
Winecountryromancewriters@...
Thank you for considering our workshops!!

Sandra Marlow
Vice President WCRW

Wine Country Romance Writers
www.winecountryromancewriters.com

I wanted to but don't have time. It does sound like fun to see how much
someone can write without having to worry about spelling, grammar and
style. It's fun to just cut loose sometimes and just flow.

~ Amber

Hi All...
I've been gone for a long while, but I'm finally back.  You don't know how I've missed being on all the loops.  I had to take a huge break because I chaired the haunted house for the 8th graders this year and whew, let me tell you, it's a chore....

Anyway, I'M BACK with great news....."The Fury", Book One of My Time Walker Series, was released on October 28, 2008 at Samhain Publishing, http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-fury.

BLURB: 

From the Heavens comes a hero who will take your breath away.

Reese Whittaker dreams of falling for a man who shares her love of archeology and ancient civilizations. But being attacked by a horde of demons and rescued by a Sumerian God—a well-armed, gorgeous Sumerian God—opens up a whole new world she never knew existed. And awakens a mysterious power within her that attracts all kinds of supernatural attention.

Dagan, son of the Air-God Enlil and a Time Walker, is sworn to protect the human race in general, and one young woman in particular—Reese. He's not the only one mysteriously attracted to her powerful life force. Underworld leader Kur craves it for the untold power it will give him to strike a blow at the deities of Dilmun.

Dagan is forbidden by law from interacting with Reese, but from the moment he sees her, the fury—an intense sexual need for bonding—blinds him to all the rules. Should the pantheon discover he has fallen for a human, the punishment could mean suffering beyond imagining for him…and death for her.

EXCERPT: 

The weather broke and a blanket of snow fell hard from the dismal clouds.  Through random flakes, Reese Whittaker thought she saw two shadows by the building up ahead, but when she blinked, they disappeared.  An eerie chill snaked up her spine.

She'd just left her archeology team at The Bistro.  The back street had a couple of food places crowded with patrons and an occasional car drove by looking for a good parking spot.  Music drifted from the pub on the corner every time someone opened the door, and two winos on the stoop were having a heated debate about fish.   

She stopped at the corner before crossing the street.  Even though this wasn't the hub of the city, Friday night brought out its share of party-goers and drunks, those who would not be paying attention to a lone woman stepping into the street.   

Something buzzed past her ear and the speed limit sign next to her pinged, as if being hit with a rock.  Before she could react, a large male body flew through the air and tackled her to the ground.

Reese couldn't breathe.  Every rock-hard inch of him pressed against her.  She struggled, but her arms were held tight by his well-muscled chest.  Was she being mugged?  Would he waste time lying on top of her if he were a purse snatcher?  Oh,God!  Maybe he'd drag her behind the nearest dumpster and rape her, then leave her lying in the garbage ravaged or dead.  

With a rush of adrenaline, she vowed she wouldn't go down without a fight.  "Get off me!"  She tried to scream but couldn't suck enough air into her lungs with him lying on top of her. 

"Are you hurt?"  His deep voice whispered softly in her ear.

Was he kidding?  "A total stranger jumped on me and is crushing me into the cold pavement," she managed in staccato breaths.

His stubble scratched her cheek as he turned to look back the way she'd come from.  Wicked chills congaed up her body.

She struggled again.  "Get the hell off me!"

His jaw clenched as if he were warring with himself.  Deftly jumping to his feet, he held out a hand to help her up.  She grabbed it and he jerked her flush against his body with hard impact.  Reese immediately stepped back but he still held her wrist.  He reached down and picked up something from the street to examine it. 

"Excuse me," she said, jerking the wrist still in his grasp. 

He ignored her.

Mr. Personality was tall, at least six-four, dressed in black jeans, a black turtleneck and a leather duster that barely reached his calves.  He had a strong jaw and high cheekbones.  In the dark, she couldn't tell what color his eyes were, but his body was lithe, solid muscle.  He had a wild, dangerous look like Mel Gibson in the first Lethal Weapon movie.

"What is that?"  She leaned closer to get a better look.

The stranger held some kind of dart between his fingers.  "This is a melari."

"A melari?"

Her attacker gritted his teeth and shoved the object in his pocket.  "Come on," he mumbled and started across the street, dragging her with him.

"Let me go," she yelled and tried to disengage her wrist from his grip.  She raised her foot to kick him, but he side-stepped it, and she almost toppled over because he kept moving.

"Stop fighting me, woman, unless you want to die."

That statement hit her like arctic water on a winter day.  "Don't hurt me," she pleaded.

He stopped and glared at her.  "I am not going to hurt you.  I am here to protect you."

He had a funny way of showing it.  "Protect me from what?"

Exasperation laced his sigh.  "From the death squad that's after you."  He pulled the dart from his pocket and waved it in front of her face.  "What do you think this is for?"

She narrowed her gaze on him.  A hormonal surge of courage pumped through her veins.  "I don't know what that is, but the only thing I've seen threatening around here is you."  She couldn't be sure but she thought she heard him growl. 

An aura of danger surrounded him.  He moved like a graceful predator, and oozed raw sexuality.  Her mouth suddenly went dry at that thought.  She needed to find a way to get away from this he-man.  Her attacker palmed the object and hid it away. 

The sound of a car backfiring jolted her.  He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her behind him.  "Shit," the stranger said and touched his hand to his shoulder.  "Which one is your vehicle?"    

Reese saw blood seeping into his coat.  No dart caused that wound, someone was shooting bullets at them. 

Another gunshot pierced the night and shattered the window of a nearby car. 

She screamed. 

The stranger turned to her.  "Which one, dammit?"

"That blue one there."  She pointed to her Chevy Malibu.

Courage and strength poured from him along with his blood.  They ran for her car, with him right on her heels.  He grabbed the keys out of her hand.  "Get in."

"Hey!" she protested, until a dart whizzed very close, banging into the car door.

Without another word, Reese scrambled into the passenger side as he revved the engine to life.  The minute she was in, he slammed his foot down on the gas and sped away.

Hi All...
I've been gone for a long while, but I'm finally back.  You don't know how I've missed being on all the loops.  I had to take a huge break because I chaired the haunted house for the 8th graders this year and whew, let me tell you, it's a chore....

Anyway, I'M BACK with great news....."The Fury", Book One of My Time Walker Series, was released on October 28, 2008 at Samhain Publishing, http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-fury.

BLURB: 

From the Heavens comes a hero who will take your breath away.

Reese Whittaker dreams of falling for a man who shares her love of archeology and ancient civilizations. But being attacked by a horde of demons and rescued by a Sumerian God—a well-armed, gorgeous Sumerian God—opens up a whole new world she never knew existed. And awakens a mysterious power within her that attracts all kinds of supernatural attention.

Dagan, son of the Air-God Enlil and a Time Walker, is sworn to protect the human race in general, and one young woman in particular—Reese. He's not the only one mysteriously attracted to her powerful life force. Underworld leader Kur craves it for the untold power it will give him to strike a blow at the deities of Dilmun.

Dagan is forbidden by law from interacting with Reese, but from the moment he sees her, the fury—an intense sexual need for bonding—blinds him to all the rules. Should the pantheon discover he has fallen for a human, the punishment could mean suffering beyond imagining for him…and death for her.

EXCERPT: 

The weather broke and a blanket of snow fell hard from the dismal clouds.  Through random flakes, Reese Whittaker thought she saw two shadows by the building up ahead, but when she blinked, they disappeared.  An eerie chill snaked up her spine.

She'd just left her archeology team at The Bistro.  The back street had a couple of food places crowded with patrons and an occasional car drove by looking for a good parking spot.  Music drifted from the pub on the corner every time someone opened the door, and two winos on the stoop were having a heated debate about fish.   

She stopped at the corner before crossing the street.  Even though this wasn't the hub of the city, Friday night brought out its share of party-goers and drunks, those who would not be paying attention to a lone woman stepping into the street.   

Something buzzed past her ear and the speed limit sign next to her pinged, as if being hit with a rock.  Before she could react, a large male body flew through the air and tackled her to the ground.

Reese couldn't breathe.  Every rock-hard inch of him pressed against her.  She struggled, but her arms were held tight by his well-muscled chest.  Was she being mugged?  Would he waste time lying on top of her if he were a purse snatcher?  Oh,God!  Maybe he'd drag her behind the nearest dumpster and rape her, then leave her lying in the garbage ravaged or dead.  

With a rush of adrenaline, she vowed she wouldn't go down without a fight.  "Get off me!"  She tried to scream but couldn't suck enough air into her lungs with him lying on top of her. 

"Are you hurt?"  His deep voice whispered softly in her ear.

Was he kidding?  "A total stranger jumped on me and is crushing me into the cold pavement," she managed in staccato breaths.

His stubble scratched her cheek as he turned to look back the way she'd come from.  Wicked chills congaed up her body.

She struggled again.  "Get the hell off me!"

His jaw clenched as if he were warring with himself.  Deftly jumping to his feet, he held out a hand to help her up.  She grabbed it and he jerked her flush against his body with hard impact.  Reese immediately stepped back but he still held her wrist.  He reached down and picked up something from the street to examine it. 

"Excuse me," she said, jerking the wrist still in his grasp. 

He ignored her.

Mr. Personality was tall, at least six-four, dressed in black jeans, a black turtleneck and a leather duster that barely reached his calves.  He had a strong jaw and high cheekbones.  In the dark, she couldn't tell what color his eyes were, but his body was lithe, solid muscle.  He had a wild, dangerous look like Mel Gibson in the first Lethal Weapon movie.

"What is that?"  She leaned closer to get a better look.

The stranger held some kind of dart between his fingers.  "This is a melari."

"A melari?"

Her attacker gritted his teeth and shoved the object in his pocket.  "Come on," he mumbled and started across the street, dragging her with him.

"Let me go," she yelled and tried to disengage her wrist from his grip.  She raised her foot to kick him, but he side-stepped it, and she almost toppled over because he kept moving.

"Stop fighting me, woman, unless you want to die."

That statement hit her like arctic water on a winter day.  "Don't hurt me," she pleaded.

He stopped and glared at her.  "I am not going to hurt you.  I am here to protect you."

He had a funny way of showing it.  "Protect me from what?"

Exasperation laced his sigh.  "From the death squad that's after you."  He pulled the dart from his pocket and waved it in front of her face.  "What do you think this is for?"

She narrowed her gaze on him.  A hormonal surge of courage pumped through her veins.  "I don't know what that is, but the only thing I've seen threatening around here is you."  She couldn't be sure but she thought she heard him growl. 

An aura of danger surrounded him.  He moved like a graceful predator, and oozed raw sexuality.  Her mouth suddenly went dry at that thought.  She needed to find a way to get away from this he-man.  Her attacker palmed the object and hid it away. 

The sound of a car backfiring jolted her.  He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her behind him.  "Shit," the stranger said and touched his hand to his shoulder.  "Which one is your vehicle?"    

Reese saw blood seeping into his coat.  No dart caused that wound, someone was shooting bullets at them. 

Another gunshot pierced the night and shattered the window of a nearby car. 

She screamed. 

The stranger turned to her.  "Which one, dammit?"

"That blue one there."  She pointed to her Chevy Malibu.

Courage and strength poured from him along with his blood.  They ran for her car, with him right on her heels.  He grabbed the keys out of her hand.  "Get in."

"Hey!" she protested, until a dart whizzed very close, banging into the car door.

Without another word, Reese scrambled into the passenger side as he revved the engine to life.  The minute she was in, he slammed his foot down on the gas and sped away.

Congrats! That is fantastic!!!

Original Message:
-----------------
From: sloan_mcbride98 sloanmcbride@...
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:50:05 -0000
To: HRCRomance@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HRCRomance] Exciting News!!!!!


I know I'm a little late but my debut novel, "Highland Stone", won the
October Covey Award for most eye-catching cover.  It's an outstanding
cover (even if I do say so myself).   [:D]

SLOAN MCBRIDE
~~Love Spans All Time~~
www.sloanmcbride.com <http://www.sloanmcbride.com/>
http://www.myspace.com/sloan_mcbride
<http://www.myspace.com/sloan_mcbride>
Join my newsletter at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SloanMcBrideNewsletter/join
<../../../../SloanMcBrideNewsletter/join>

THE FURY ~~ New Release Now Available at  Samhain Publishing
HIGHLAND STONE ~~ Debut Novel Now Available at  New Concepts Publishing
TOGETHER IN DARKNESS ~~ Now  Available at New Concepts Publishing



--------------------------------------------------------------------
myhosting.com - Premium Microsoft® Windows® and Linux web and application
hosting - http://link.myhosting.com/myhosting

http://www.awe-struck.net

Title: SECOND CHANCE
Author: Janis Susan May
Genre: REGENCY Romance

Description:
Years ago, Verity Morrison betrayed her childhood friend and only
love of her
life Bradford Pemberton. In disgrace, Bradford left England to make
his fortune in the
tropics. Verity hid herself away in the country and devoted her life
to helping raise her niece Lisbet. Although they found some solitary
happiness apart, neither married.

Lisbet is now about to make her London debut, under the not-so-
watchful eye of
Verity's gambling addicted sister. Her neighbor and ardent swain
Charlie Pemberton,
Bradford's nephew, is to accompany her to the city. He plans to meet
up with the newly returned
Bradford.

When Verity hears of her sister's fall into disgrace and that Lisbet
is hovering
on the brink of social disaster, she rushes to London. Is history
destined to repeat itself or will
this be a happy ending for one, if not both couples?  Readers will
fall in love with them. Second
Chance is a delightful and unique Regency romance.
From a Five Angels review by Fallen Angels Reviews

Release date: Friday, November 21, 2008
Isbn: 978-1-58749-697-6
Retail price: 4.99
Download formats: Adobe pdf, html, Sony compatible, Microsoft Reader,
Mobipocket, Palmreader,
and Kindle

All new titles are on sale for 4.29 for two weeks after release!
Visit our site
to see other titles on sale as well!

Regency Romances are very popular reading and to meet the 'demands'
from our
customer, here
comes another one! We hope you will post information about this new
title on
your site, pass it
along to friends, or post it on your favorite website. If you like
ebooks and
Regency, this is your
book! Janis Susan May writes a beautiful novel. This novel is
available for
review. Please contact me
if you wish to review it and I'll send you a pdf or html file,
whichever you
prefer. Thanks for
supporting ebooks!

Kathryn--
Watch for November sales!
Detour Ahead by Amanda Burns;
Dulsey by Mary Benton; and
Second Chances--Regency by
Janis Susan May

Hellooo! Hope everyone is having a good Monday (if that's possible).  I've had 2 cups of coffee and feel like I can at least focus on the computer a little bit.  The weather here in Indiana really bites.  Cold rain.  Nothing I hate more.  I'd prefer it to snow. 

Anyway, just wanted to post a quick note to let everyone know that my November newsletter is out, and list my upcoming chats for this/next month.  My newsletter is intended to keep my readers up to date on new reviews, releases, sneak peak excerpts, contests, etc.  No cluttering of inboxes, just a once a month letter.  If you enjoy paranormal romance/erotica that “pushes the envelope” so to speak, then I invite to sign up and take a peak at my paranormal world.

Shannon’s Newsletter:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shannon_Leigh_Newsletter

Shannon’s Chat Schedule:

Love Romances Cafe:

Date: TODAY (Nov 24^th)

Time: 9 am ET to 9 p.m. ET

Place: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe

Subscribe: LoveRomancesCafe-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

ARe Radio Interview

Date: December 1^st

Time: 9:30 p.m.

Place: Here is the link to the show where you can listen the podcast            http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whats-hot-in-romance

Love Romances Café Holiday Party:

Date: December 2^nd

Time: 9 am ET to 9 p.m. ET

Place: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe

Subscribe: LoveRomancesCafe-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Beth Wylde’s Yahoo Group

Date: December 8^th

Time: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. EST

Place: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/

Subscribe: bethwylde-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

World Romance Readers Yahoo group:

December 15^th

Time: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. EST

Place: World Romance Readers Yahoo Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/World_Romance_Readers/

Subscribe: World_Romance_Readers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Cata Network Readers Yahoo Group

December 18^th

Time: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. EST

Place: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CataNetwork-Readers/

Subscribe: CataNetwork-Readers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Amber Quill Heat Blog

December 22^nd

Time: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. EST

Place: http://aqpauthors.blogspot.com/

Love Romances Cafe:

Date: December 30^th

Time: 9 am ET to 9 p.m. ET

Place: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe

Subscribe: LoveRomancesCafe-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

What a fantastic tool for new authors.

PDF is fast becoming last year's news; our customer have hinted
heavily that they want a better formatted system for their PDAs as PDF
is just too wide and cumbersome for viewing. Since most folks are
switching from average cell phone to PDA, we decided to go hunting for
an eBook service/software that could format our books into PDA
compatible files.

We found MobiPocket… a French-based company that had the foresight to
be new/unpublished author friendly not only in categorization but in
their software. Its free to download, fairly straight-forward to use
and they provide their customers with free reader software that is
highly customizable.

As a result, they have thousands of quality, single-format eBooks on
their site (mobipocket.com); I was so impressed with the quality of
the cover graphics presented that I re-did a few of our just to put
them up alongside and not look too shabby. They do take a percentage
of the book's sale revenue, so figure that into your price when you
are configuring your upload.

How it works: if you use Word it will be easier. You download their
publisher free software and upload your Word file. It converts your
book into a Word html file which you can edit a little in Word as well
(to space out your chapters. It tends to lump them together a little.)
The wizard then walks you through uploading your cover, tweaking the
settings, compression and encryption. You also get the option of
putting in a synopsis or free chapter, along with any reviews you want
to include. Then you set up a publishers account with user name (still
  free), upload and activate your books individually. Your books show
up on their site within seconds.

Here are some of our book listings: (We'll have all seven up by Sunday.)

http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=126601
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=125156
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=125165
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=125162
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=125182


All in all we give this site two thumbs up, considering the small
percentage taken, the broad category ability, the fairly equal
advertising and that it connects to your PayPal account, for free.
Good luck writers. May you reach all available PDAs worldwide.

Meredith Greene

Hello everyone!

I'm happy to announce that the latest issue of Historical Romance Club has just been posted to the website!

Romance News; Author Interviews; Book Reviews; and more...

Check it out: www.HistoricalRomanceClub.com

ifhmanager

What Legends Are Made Of is a collection of short stories that range
within the genres of romance, horror, and fantasy. Each story takes
the reader into a realistic world where unbelievable events occur.
Have you ever experienced a story filled with so much suspense,
terror, and romance that you couldn't get it out of your mind? Be
prepared to feel all of these emotions because author Heather Beck
is about to take you on a journey that you won't soon forget.
           You're personally invited to tour the halls of Sir
Tristan's Estate, a place where ghosts roam freely and fill your
dreams at night. Following your stay at the estate, you'll cruise on
the Blue Oceana, a perfect ship for sightseeing. With patience and a
careful eye you might see the merman that lives in the crystal clear
ocean. If you enjoyed watching the odd ocean creature while aboard
the ship, you'll love Frank Stanford's Freak Show. There you'll see
a unicorn with wings and a talking tree. However, it's the freak
show's horrifying main attraction that shocks everyone who sees it.
If you can stop shaking after your encounter with freaky Frank,
continue on to Karyn and Max Shield's Costume and Magic Shop; just
be careful of what you purchase there since the merchandise at the
Shield's shop is perhaps too realistic. Some stories make your heart
soar, while others make you scream aloud; these stories will make
you do both. They'll leave you spellbound and yearning for more.
Ready to find out what real legends are made of?


Excerpt 1:

Sir Tristan's Estate

       "What's going on?" As she continued to stare at the picture
intensely she shook. "I have to get out of here. There's no way I'm
spending another night in this estate."
       Images of her strange dreams featuring Tom filled her mind.
They had been so realistic that Skye began to believe they were more
than just dreams. "They're waking nightmares," Skye realized in a
shaky voice.
       Her hand reached for the telephone. She was going to request a
taxi come immediately. Before Skye had the chance to dial the
telephone number, her body suddenly froze in terror, at the ethereal
voice.
      "Don't leave," Tom begged from behind Skye. With Tom's hand on
top of hers, Skye shakily placed the telephone on its receiver.
      "How…how did you get in my bedroom?"
      Tom gave a gentle laugh, "That wasn't much of a problem."
      He's acting as if this situation is normal! "How did you get in
my bedroom?" Skye repeated, her voice steadier, her tone firmer.
      "I used the door; what a concept, huh?" Tom took his hand off
of Skye's and sauntered to the bed. He sat at the edge of the bed
and smiled.
      Skye cast a glance at the bedroom door then did a double take.
The door was locked; her slippers lay in front of the door untouched.
      "That's impossible!" Tom let out a gleeful laugh and then fell
backwards on the bed.
      Skye knees went weak and her breath stopped when she saw Tom
literally disappear into the bed. With slow, shaky steps, Skye
looked under the bed. Tom lay under the bed, a smile on his face,
his eyes locked on hers.
      "Surprised?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
      Skye stumbled backwards then fell to the floor.
      Tom crawled out from underneath the bed and offered his hand to
Skye. She stared at his hand but didn't make any attempt to touch it.
      "That wasn't an illusion…was it?"
      Tom shook his head. He suddenly looked sad.
      "What's going on?" Skye demanded. "If you don't tell me the
truth, I'll scream so loud that Mrs. Bradford will come to my aid in
a second."
      "That's an exaggeration," Tom said with a weak smile as he sat
down beside Skye. Her body tensed in response. "Besides, your
screams wouldn't yield any results. I've fired all the staff. The
last employee, the woman from the gift shop, left the estate just
minutes ago. We're alone."
      Skye's terrified eyes darted around the room; she bit her lip.
      "Don't be afraid," Tom gently urged. "I'm not going to hurt
you."
      "Tell me what's going on," Skye begged.

Excerpt 2:

Blue Water

      "The ocean is so beautiful," Mandy gushed, while looking upon
the crystal clear water.
      "I agree." Ed put the boat's gear into neutral and joined
Mandy. Everything seemed so quiet and peaceful as Ed slipped his arm
around Mandy's waist and pulled her closer to him. She giggled, but
willingly stepped closer to Ed. Their lips were about to meet when
the boat suddenly surged forward.
      Mandy had been standing next to the boat's railing a second
ago; now she was half way over it. She let out a scream as she felt
herself going overboard. All Mandy could see was the light colored
water rocking furiously and her shadow being cast upon it.
      Shocked and frozen in fear, Ed had never felt the boat shake so
fiercely. He quickly got over the surprise as he reached for Mandy.
As he grabbed the back of her t-shirt and prepared to pull her back,
another bump against the boat made him lose his grip.
      "Damn!" Another blow from the side of the boat made Ed tumble
forwards then fall backwards. He bashed into the wall then landed
hard on the boat's floor. The fire extinguisher, which was hanging
on the wall, fell from its latch and hit his head. He groaned from
the sharp pain that traveled throughout his whole body.
Nevertheless, he shakily got back on his feet and staggered towards
Mandy.
      Mandy cringed as the boat was bumped harshly for the fourth
time. She could hear a lot of noise from behind her, but couldn't
figure out what it was.
      "Hold on!" Ed tried to reach Mandy. However, the sudden and
fierce bumps tossed him back to the floor.
      Mandy clutched onto the boat's railing, but the bumps and waves
were too violent.
      "Mandy!"
      Mandy fell overboard, her shrill scream rising over the
crashing waves.
      The boat continued to shake as Ed crawled to the edge of the
boat. Using all of his strength, he grasped the edge of the boat and
peered overboard. Ed almost choked on his fear at what he saw.
      The light colored water vibrated harshly as the silhouette of a
large shark swam from underneath the boat. Ed instantly recognized
the silhouette as belonging to a hammerhead shark. "Get out of the
water!"
      The current was too harsh for Mandy to swim in. She felt her
heart race as she thought about her demise in the water. I'm going
to drown, Mandy thought in fear. "Help me!" Mandy could see The
Swordfish bouncing furiously up and down, but she couldn't see Ed.
She was about to call for help again but stopped instantly when she
saw a dark shadow approach her. Oh dear, God, Mandy prayed as she
realized that the shadow was a shark. She tried to swim but it was
useless. Mandy could hardly tread water in these conditions, far
less swim in them. She began to shake as she thought about her
impending doom.
      The hammerhead shark swam closer to Mandy. The shark splashed
its tail, causing more waves to rock the boat. Although the water
was choppy, Ed finally managed to get on his feet. He watched in
horror as the hammerhead shark circled a helpless Mandy. Ed shook
his head, trying to release himself from the feeling of shock. He
ran shakily to the side of the boat and opened the box
marked "emergency". Ed searched through the box in a fury then
grabbed a long rope. He ran back to the edge of the boat and,
leaning over, let out an earth-shattering cry. The shark had
tightened the circle around Mandy and was going in for the kill.
      Ed threw the rope into the water, praying that it would somehow
either distract the shark or benefit Mandy. He was in so much
physical and emotional pain that he was no longer thinking straight.
      Despite the salty water splashing into her eyes, Mandy could
see the shark's dark outline coming towards her. Trying to stay as
still as possible, she prayed that the shark would bypass her. Mandy
began to sink into the water but she dared not to move.
Just as the hammerhead shark appeared to be moving in for the kill,
it turned around suddenly and snapped at something else in the
water.
      Through tear stricken eyes, Ed watched as the shark whirled
away from Mandy and began to chase a fast moving object.
      "Grab the rope!"
      Ed's voice snapped Mandy back into reality as she tried to make
her way towards the rope. The water was still very choppy, but
within a few minutes, Mandy grasped onto the lifeline with trembling
hands. Ed pulled her in with his entire might and didn't stop until
she was back on the boat.
      "Oh my gosh!" Mandy said breathlessly, flinging herself into
Ed's arms. "What just happened?"


To purchase: http://www.romancedivine.com/WhatLegendsAreMadeOf.html
or wherever books are sold!

About the author:

       Heather Beck was born in Canada. She currently attends
university where she studies English and a vast array of other
disciplines.

       Heather began writing seriously at the age of sixteen.  Her
first book, The Paradise Chronicles was published when she was only
nineteen-years-old.  Since then she has written several well-
reviewed books. Although university keeps her busy, Heather is
adamant about making time for her writing career. What Legends Are
Made Of is her first book for Romance Divine LLC.

     Besides writing, Heather's other passion is the outdoors.  She
is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Heather also
enjoys swimming and playing badminton and tennis.

Website: http://heatherbeck.tripod.com/

"I'm Detective Lancaster," a haggard-looking man said as he came toward her.

Allison raised her eyes and with a tentative smile. "Hello, Detective." She rose. "I would like to speak with you about the recent murder."

"Yes, ma'am. Do you have some information?"

She fumbled with her purse, suddenly nervous now that she was here and angry with herself for it. "Can we speak privately?"

"Okay." Detective Lancaster motioned her to the door and held it open. Carefully avoiding any physical contact, she followed him down a slim, dismal hallway.

Allison entered the conference room and found another man sitting at the table. She stopped short, causing the detective to bump into her and almost knock her down. He peered over her shoulder and cleared his throat.

"This is Special Agent Jake Austin. He's with the FBI. We're working together on this case. I thought it best that he be in on any conversations."

Allison's gaze shifted between both men. The younger man had a vibrant aura, an intensity that shook her nerves. Dark features so compelling they stole her breath and green eyes so deep in color, they were hypnotic. Dangerous came to mind. "I understand." Did it suddenly get twenty degrees hotter in the room?

The agent rose and gestured to a chair he'd pulled out. "Please have a seat, Miss."

"Allison. My name is Allison Brody."

"Okay, Ms. Brody. What can we do for you?"

He moved back, but didn't sit down. She hesitated a moment. "Thank you for seeing me. I—I want to offer my assistance."

"What kind of assistance?" Lancaster asked. He took a seat at the end of the long table.

Allison clasped her fingers to steady her hands and kept her head lowered, unsure of what to say next. Deciding to just spit out the truth, she said, "I've been having visions of the murders."

A quick look passed between Austin and Lancaster, not totally unexpected. She glared at the federal agent, sensing doubt strongest in him. Their doubt radiated through her like a sickness. She remained remarkably calm while saying, "Think what you like gentlemen, but it will not change the facts."

"Not to be disrespectful, ma'am, but I'm sure you understand our skepticism." Lancaster smiled, as if to take the sting from his words.

Allison sighed heavily, far too familiar with the cynical minds of people, especially those in the police department.

"Yes, Detective, I do. It's not the first time I've dealt with it."

Austin remained stoically silent, but studied her with cynical eyes. She felt like a freak under his incessant stare.

"What is it you think you've seen?" the detective asked.

She forced herself to go on. "I've had flashes of places I recognize and a…a woman's face."

"What did this woman look like?"

"Reddish hair, brown eyes, young."

Massaging his neck with one hand, Jake Austin finally spoke. "That could describe anyone."

Allison ignored his comment and spoke directly to Detective Lancaster. "It was here, in Gloucester. I recognized the buildings. I saw things through his eyes."

"His?" Austin's voice sounded suspicious, with an undercurrent of anger that sent shudders across her shoulders.

"The killer." She gave the outward appearance of being calm but butterflies were like dive bombers in her stomach. Something about the agent unnerved her. It almost seemed...familiar.

Austin moved to the windows. "Can you tell us where he is, what he looks like?"

Allison's narrowed gaze settled on him. He didn't trust her. She frowned. "No. I told you, I see things through his eyes."

"Do you know what his plans are? What direction he's heading? Who his next target is?" Austin fired off the questions fast, like he wanted to shut her up or maybe scare her away.

Allison knew the killer's future plans. He was scouting out his next victim. That's why she'd come to help, but she couldn't give them anything…yet. How could she hope to explain when they already thought she was batty? "I can't."

"Then I think we'll stick to good old-fashioned police work," the younger man said with a sneer. "You know, looking for leads, evidence, using instinct."

His arrogant attitude pissed her off. She clenched her teeth and hands, praying for strength. "Yes. I can see you've done real well so far. Sixth time lucky!"

Startled by her outburst and a little disconcerted, Allison jumped up; certain no more could be accomplished here. "I can see I've made a mistake in coming. I've taken up enough of your time." While reaching for the door, the bulb in the lamp next to her popped. Both men looked from her to the lamp. Not fast enough for her raggedy nerves, Allison threw open the door and hurried out before something else exploded.

"Arrogant, jerk." she fumed, pushing out the door of the police station and heading up the street.

Her step faltered as she ranted, immune to the stares of a few passers-by. Who cared if she talked to herself? It was a free country. She slowed her pace and concentrated on her breathing.

"Find your center. Relax." She fingered the smooth stones in her pocket; blue sapphire to promote mental toughness, sugilite for courage of conviction and uncomfortable situations like the one she'd just had, and citrine to prevent her from stifling her feelings. "Closed-minded Neanderthal."

Her temper gradually subsided so she could think clearly again. His superior attitude had distracted her, and she needed to focus. Her skin, juiced by the electricity Jake Austin put off, still tingled.

It happened before. The words of the killer were loud and clear. What did it mean? She had to find her quiet place and recall every word he'd spoken. It meant something and she needed to find out what.

Don't miss these exciting new books from Lyrical Press, Inc.
http://www.lyricalpress.com/

Discover More Lyrical Titles: http://www.onceuponabookstore.com/

ELFING AROUND by J Morgan
http://www.lyricalpress.com/elfing_around.html

Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Length: Short
Price: $2.50

Making the Naughty List is an Elfing good time!

It's December 23rd and Essie is far from the North Pole. She's an elf
outta' luck: Her equipment fails and she's arrested by the local
Barney Fife. She's willing to risk making Santa's Naughty List if it
nabs her the sheriff of her dreams.

The only way out of trouble is through it, and Essie's elfish mix of
nice and naughty can make it happen. Love, North Pole style, would
wrap this adventure up with a shiny red bow. It'll take a holiday
miracle to bless the by-the-book sheriff and a down-on-her-luck elf.

Warning: comedic sex, smoking hot elves and hunky men may land you on
the Naughty List, but don't let that stop you!

***

ELLA THE VAMPIRE by Barton Paul Levenson
http://www.lyricalpress.com/ella_the_vampire.html

Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novel
Digital Price: $5.50
Digital Publication: December 1, 2008

Ella went from victim to vampire…The price? Watching friends and
civilizations grow old and die.

Ella spent her youth in a nightmare of abuse. Ever the victim, she
ultimately turns to prostitution. Life changes quickly when the undead
give her immortality.

Now, she walks the earth with wealth, power and time at her
fingertips. Watching loved ones and civilizations age and die, she
must grapple with the question: Why was she chosen?

Warning, explicit Language, Graphic and F/F Sexual Content, Violence
and Alternative Religious Concepts.

***

FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Linda Lattimer
http://www.lyricalpress.com/family_for_the_holidays.html

Genre: Romance/Contemporary
Length: Novel
Price: $5.50
Publication: December 15, 2008

How can she give away her heart with family on her mind?

The ring looked familiar, very much like one Vicky had admired before.
She'd seen it only through glass, but now it was held out before
her…and a man was on bended knee. Hesitation can kill the greatest of
moods, and perhaps even a marriage proposal.

Josh stood, heart hanging in the balance, waiting for Vicky to accept
his ring, or deny him again.

One man's question could give them both the gift of love and family
for the holidays.

***
A PIRATE'S HELLION by Jaden Sinclair
http://www.lyricalpress.com/a_pirates_hellion.html

Genre: Erotica/Historical
Length: Short
Price: $2.50
Publication: December 1, 2008

His by the turn of a card. Hers after a turn of a heart.

Lost in a card game, Isabella's life was a debt her father refused to
pay. But for two years, Captain Dantel Le Serpente has hunted for the
prize he was denied. One look at Isabella turns the heat of vengeance
into searing passion.

Snake has a score to settle with the man who cheated him out of his
winnings, but now that he's claimed his booty all bets are off. Games
of cards forgotten, love is a gamble a pirate and his hellion may be
willing to take.

Warning, this title contains explicit sex, graphic language.

***

CANDLELIGHT GHOST by Ellie Moonwater
http://www.lyricalpress.com/candlelight_ghost.html

Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Length: Novella
Price: $3.50
Publication Date: December 1, 2008

A flickering flame represents a spirit at rest, yet one candle will
not light.

For Helena, lighting a candle is a way to honor the dead and their
passage into the next life. But when she flees an ex who wants to
exploit her abilities to see and speak with spirits, she finds a
stubborn ghost and a candle that will not light.

The ghost has a final request not so easily answered when its
surviving husband and child disturb more than Helena's peace.

Torn between the child's steadfast belief in her mother's ghost, and
the husband's equally adamant denial, Helena must find a way to
reconcile her new life with the ghost's wish and evade the darkness in
her past.

Warning: Within you will find a child who believes in ghosts, a father
who doesn't, a ghost with an unusual wish, a lady who lights candles
and one very bad man.


***

DAX RIGBY, WAR CORRESPONDANT by John B. Rosenman
http://www.lyricalpress.com/dax_rigby_war_correspondent.html

Genre: Science-Fiction/Adventure
Length: Novel
Digital Price: $5.50
Print Price:
Digital Publication: January 5, 2009

Trapped on the savage planet Arcadia, can Dax Rigby stop World War III
on Earth?

To stop WWIII on Earth, Dax Rigby must travel 900 light-years to the
savage planet Arcadia. There, he fights not only to save two
intelligent alien species from extinction, but also to rescue a dying
human outpost.

Facing assassination attempts, seduction and his own mysterious powers
of resurrection, Dax struggles to maintain his loyalties and complete
his mission. The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. Will he find
a way to redefine both his identity and his destiny in time?

Warning,  this novel contains explicit sex and unconventional
religious concepts.

***

New eBooks release the first and third Mondays of the month. Watch for
them on sale at Once Upon A Bookstore!

http://www.onceuponabookstore.com/

http://www.awe-struck.net

New Release Title: OAKS OF LINDORES
Author: New! Lori Shimer
Genre: Victorian Romance

Description:Each suitor tries to win Tammy's hand and fortune in his
own way, Sir Francis by forceful seduction, Captain Montrose by
pleading he was her deceased father's choice and Tom Autrey with
boyish charm. Only Rowan of Lindores admits he needs to show credit
to his bankers and asks for a wedding in name only.

Release date: Friday, December 5, 2008Retail price: 4.99--All new
releases are on special for 4.29 for two weeks after their release!
Formats available: html, pdf, Palmpilot, Mobipocket, Kindle, Sony
Compatible, Ms Reader and Pocket pc

It's great to have a Victorian romance to offer--a little change from
Regency--but just as fascinating. We hope you will share this
information with others, pass it on to your favorite listserve, and
visit our site to see the other historical romances we carry. Enjoy
reading e-books! Kathryn

Hey, just wanted to let everyone know that I'm having an author chat
at Beth Wylde's group today and I've inviting all AQ authors to join
in. There should be a variety of genres represented so you're bound
to see some really great excerpts.  This is an all day event with the
authors posting at their leisure so stop in for a bit and join the
fun.

Beth Wylde yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/?yguid=266164552

Subscribe:
bethwylde-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

***

Shannon Leigh
"Giving readers the O in their erOtica."
Website: http://www.shannonleigh.org
Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shannon_Leigh_Newsletter
My Space: www.myspace.com/author_shannon_leigh

We're proud to present to you Yosemite Romance Writers (formerly Wine
Country Romance Writers) and we have moved to Fresno, California.

But a name nor a location change will alter our terrific lineup of
online workshops that you've always enjoyed with us.

Our 2009 schedule is now up on our new website at
http://WWW.YosemiteRomanceWriters.Com, and the selection is varied so
that everyone should be able to find something they're interested in.
  Please drop by and take a look!

Another of our three January workshops is below.


**Permission to forward granted and encouraged**


Yosemite Romance Writers is proud to present their online workshop for
January.

Workshop title: Writing the Authentic Western

Date: 1/5 - 1/30/09

A fascinating look at how physical, chronological and social histories
of the American West apply to westerns. Whether we are writing
paranormal, romantic, historical or YA genre, this class will lend
authenticity to our writing. (Course taught at the Women Writing the
West conference in Colorado Springs.) This is not a stuffy social
studies class; it's a must for authentic paranormal, romance,
historical and YA western writing.

About the instructor:  Anne Schroeder

Anne Schroeder has had over forty published short stories and essays
in national print markets. She edited Scent of Cedar: Promising
Writers of the Pacific Northwest for Russell Dean and Company.  She
evokes the drama of her close-knit Southern California farming
community in her memoir, Branches on the Conejo: Leaving the Soil
after Five Generations, which earned a William Saroyan Persie Award.
Her 2008 release, Ordinary Aphrodite, is a "Love Goddess-meets-Bridget
Jones's-Diary" memoir for today's women as seen through the heart and
eyes of a non-status-quo woman coming of age in the '60s Social
Revolution.

Anne edits and teaches creative writing through community college and
writing conferences. Professional affiliations include Women Writing
the West, National Association of Baby Boomer Women, and National
Association of Women Writers.



Deadline to register:  1/4/09

Fee: $20 YWR members; $25 non-members.  RWA Membership isn't required;
anyone can take our courses.

Where to sign up: You may register online at our website.
Please click the Pay Now button and follow the instructions for
Paypal, then EMAIL us at Workshops@... to confirm.

You may also YRW at YosemiteRomanceWriters@...
for any other questions.


Thank you for considering our workshops!!

Sandra Marlow
Vice President, YRW


Yosemite Romance Writers
WWW.yosemiteromancewriters.com