Heather Beck In The Spotlight

Twenty three-year-old 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, Heather has written several more well-reviewed books. Although university keeps her busy, Heather is adamant about making time for her writing career.
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.

Visit http://heatherbeck.tripod.com Author of "The Paradise Chronicles" and the "Fable Farm" Series

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

Purchase link: http://romancedivine.com/WhatLegendsAreMadeOf.html

Excerpt 1:

The Sir Tristan 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.

Thank you to Heather Beck! Don't Forget to check her out!

Changes at Dark Diva Reviews

Please take note that our Interviews and Spotlights will no longer be posted at this blog. Please visit us at our new blog.

Dark Diva Reviews

Author Interview: KIERNAN KELLY

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Kiernan and welcome to the Dark Divas’ Den! You are very prolific, but my first question would have to be about your new book, Outland, which has had great reviews. It’s also an interesting subject matter. You tackle gay love in the bible belt and, something I find absolutely fascinating, your two leads are in their 50’s! You don’t see that much in gay erotic fiction. Where did the idea come to you for this book?

Hi, and thanks so much for the opportunity to interview here! The characters in Outland, Hank and Beaver, were inspired by a pair of real life partners I met two years ago during the Gay Days convention in Orlando. The men were older, in their late fifties or early sixties by my estimate. They stopped by my table and when we got to chatting, I discovered they’d been together twenty some-odd years. I remember thinking how awesome it was that they’d remained together for so long, and wondering about the challenges they must have faced in their lifetime, and how interesting it would be to base a pair of characters on them. The opportunity arose when I sat down to write Outland.

I realized when I wrote the book that using a pair of silver foxes was taking a chance (I’m as guilty as the next writer of using hunky stud muffins as my characters), but truthfully, I think there’s something incredibly sexy about mature, experienced men. I don’t think my readers were disappointed.

2. Your reviews always say that in spite of the high ‘heat’ level of your books, that your story development is excellent, that you don’t have your characters jumping into the sack on page one. Is this a deliberate choice on your part?

Absolutely. I think that if the characters have the time to invest emotionally in one another, then the sex is hotter and more fulfilling. Plus, I like the reader to feel like they’re right there in bed with the characters, and the only way I’ve found to do that is to vividly describe the setting, and let the readers inside the characters’ heads before diving between the sheets.

3. Are any of your stories based on your actual experiences?

I haven’t written any “true” stories, but I’ve often pulled bits and pieces from my life, experiences, and my personality and infused the stories with them. The character closest to being me is Beaver from Outland. The dedication in the book reads, “This book is for my husband. He tolerates my odd hours, encourages me always, and most of all, believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself. Hon, we are Hank and Beaver.” It’s true, we are, right down to the aching joints and gray hair. LOL

4. I know you live in Florida. Whereabouts and are you juggling a dreaded day job as well as your prodigious output of fiction?

I’m in Central Florida, land of the Mouse. I love it here, actually, even when it’s six degrees hotter than hell. I even love the kitschy tourist traps. I was fortunate enough to be able to leave my day job two years ago to write full time. Believe me, writing is the hardest, most time-consuming job I’ve ever held. I put in far more hours at my computer now than I ever did when I worked a day job!

5. As far as I can tell all your books are published by Torquere Press. How has your experience been with them and will you be working with other publishers soon?

Actually, while my novels are all held by Torquere, and I’ve written numerous short stories for them (and will continue to do so as long as they’re willing to publish them!), I’ve also written shorts for several other houses as well, including Cleis, Starbooks, Aspen Mountain Press, MLR Press, and coming soon, Circlet Press.

My experience with Torquere (pronounced “Tork-AH-ray” by the way) has been wonderful. They took a chance on me when I wrote my first title, Riding Heartbreak Road, and have been instrumental in helping me develop my craft.

6. There is a raging debate on the web about women writing gay erotic fiction. Do you think it matters and can you personally tell if a book’s been written by a man or a woman?

Personally, when I pick up a book to read (which I do often, having always be an avid, near-rabid reader), it never occurs to me to question the plumbing of the author. All that ever matters to me is the story. If it’s good, I treasure it, and look for more by that author. If it’s bad, I put it behind me and move on. I think that gay erotic fiction is the only genre where people seem to question whether the author has an “innie” or an “outie.” In my opinion, a good writer should be able to get inside anyone’s head, -- male, female, gay, straight, or other.

That said, I can’t always tell who wrote what. It depends on the person’s writing style. I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I’m a woman. People who haven’t read my webpage, or any of my interviews still often address me in emails as “Mr. Kelly.” I take that as a compliment.

7. You have a fondness for ice cream (even if crazed supermarket workers like to challenge your determination to eat it – yes, I read your blog!) what do you eat and/or drink when you’re writing?

Coffee. I’m a diehard coffee drinker. I would set up an altar and worship the beans in Starbucks if they’d let me.

Wow, you read my blog? Thank you! Yes, that was some adventure I had trying purchase ice cream at Publix. Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh, or go crazy, you know?

8. I know what you mean! Kiernan, do you read much and which authors and what genres do you enjoy the most?

I am a voracious reader, always have been. I ‘m pretty eclectic, too, reading everything from horror, to romance, to thrillers, to historicals, both straight and gay. As I said before, what really matters to me is the story. I love Stephen King, especially his early work, when his novels were set in or around Castle Rock. I adore Jean Auel and her Earth’s Children series. I would read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s laundry list. I loved Milton Stern’s On Tuesday, They Played Mahjong.

9. As an author, which words or phrases do you find you most overuse?

I am forever looking for new and inventive ways to say “penis,” without resorting to stupid euphemisms like “greased love pole.” Seriously, there are only so many times you can use the word “c**k” in a paragraph, particularly when both parties involved have them.

10. How old were you when you learned there was no Santa Claus? How upset were you?

Wait…what? No…oh, no.

Seriously, I was eight when a horrible boy (whom I hope grew up to have terrible acne and is still a virgin living in his mother’s basement) in my class told me. I didn’t believe him.
Still don’t.

11. Another tough question: What was your favorite toy growing up?

My absolute favorite toy when I was growing up was a ratty old pair of roller skates. Mind you, this was before rollerblades -- these were bare-boned, metal skates that had a key that you needed to use to make them fit over your shoes. My parents’ basement had a tile floor, and I had a ball skating around down there like it was my own private rink.

12. Please tell me about your upcoming books.

My next novel releases in October, I believe, from Torquere Press. It’s the second book in my In Their Own Skins shapeshifter series, called The Mark of Cain. This one picks up several years after the first book ends, and continues the story of the shapeshifters at the Shifting Sands Ranch. I’m also working on a pirate novel, a vampire novel, a young adult series, and plan to begin writing a sequel to Seti’s Heart this fall.

13. If you weren’t a writer, what talent would you most like to have?

In an alternate universe, where I was not a writer, and was thin and graceful, I’d be a dancer. I always wanted to learn to dance, especially tap, but considering how clumsy I am, how uncoordinated (I barely qualify for having opposable thumbs at times), and how frequently I trip over my own two feet, the chances of my being a dancer have always been slim to none.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Kiernan Kelly for stopping by today. To learn more about Kiernan's work, please check out these links:

http://www.kiernankelly.com/
http://kiernankelly.livejournal.com/
www.myspace.com/kiernankelly

Janet Mullany In The Spotlight

BIO
Janet Mullany grew up in England and has worked as an archaeologist, performing arts administrator, classical music radio announcer, bookseller, and editor, and unexpectedly became a writer eight years ago. Her first book, DEDICATION (2005), was the only traditional Signet Regency with two bondage scenes and she continued to break conventions with her Regency chicklit book THE RULES OF GENTILITY (2007, HarperCollins and 2008, Little Black Dress, UK). She’s currently writing another book for Little Black Dress, an alternate historical-paranormal about Jane Austen joining vampires to battle a French invasion (HarperCollins, summer 2010), and pursuing another existence as a writer of erotic contemporaries for Harlequin Spice. She lives outside Washington, DC and is a voracious reader. Find out more at http://http://www.janetmullany.com/ and enter Janet’s contest.
LINK TO BUY WITH FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE:
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9780755347797/ref/janetmullany.aff
BACK COVER BLURB
1822, England. Young, beautiful Lady Caroline Elmhurst is down on her luck. Twice-widowed (once is unfortunate, twice just looks like carelessness...), pursued by creditors, she needs to get back on track before the world realizes just how desperate she's become.
But she's optimistic about finding a new husband and when she meets handsome, mysterious Nicholas Congrevance at a houseparty in the country, she sets out to entice him. For his part, Nicholas simply sees Lady Caroline as just the sort of woman he's used to exploiting--rich, available, and gullible. Neither realizes the other is penniless--and neither has any intention of falling in love...
EXCERPT
After fainting with hunger at an inn, Lady Caroline Elmhurst, traveling with her maid Mary, meets a handsome stranger and discovers they are both on their way to the same house…
I am not so much of a fool, or a hypocrite, to deny the carnal interest that hums between me and Congrevance. He has done nothing but sum up my various parts since our first meeting, and I must admit I have given him every opportunity to do so. My lawn scarf is too creased to wear at my neckline and I cannot help if my skirt pulls up a little as I enter the trap. I study him with equal interest. I was not entirely unconscious when he carried me inside the inn; I heard the pleasing thud of a man’s heartbeat close to mine, and had the opportunity to examine the cloth of his coat (a very fine wool). An excellent sign, as is his absence from London, for chances are he has had little opportunity to squander his money there, or to know the most sordid details of my fall from grace.
Being pressed against his warm, hard person (his chest, that is) almost made up for the distressing weakness and sickness that assailed me, but happily that was dispelled shortly after by toast and tea (paid for by Congrevance) and now I feel quite restored to health.
He travels simply, but the quality of his clothes, his air, speak of breeding and undoubted fortune. He is accompanied by a manservant whose ugly face and squat build I find repulsive, but with whom Mary, the shameless slut, flirts and giggles as the trap bowls along the country lanes.
“I have missed this,” Congrevance says, gesturing in a foreign sort of way.
“Cows, sir?”
“No.” He shakes his head, smiling. “The countryside. It is so very green and soft.”
“You are a great traveler, then?”
“I was most recently in Italy.”
He doesn’t seem inclined to chat, which is as well--for gentlemen, I find, gnaw upon topics that are of no interest whatsoever like a dog upon a bone: Bludge (politics), Elmhurst (horseflesh), Linsley (cricket, surely the worst of the lot), and Rotherhithe (military maneuvers, a close second). So I am quite content to watch Congrevance, and a beautiful creature he is, with his long elegance of bone and dark gray eyes--a surprise, for I should have thought he would have blue eyes. However, I do not wish to appear a mindless ninny who cannot carry on a conversation, and I like to watch his mouth when he speaks.
“Do you know which part is yours in Otterwell’s play, Mr. Congrevance?”
“His play?”
“Yes. Has he not invited you to be an actor in his, or rather Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
“Ah. Otterwell did not mention anything of the sort to me when we met in Italy earlier this year, although one cannot help but notice how much he admires Shakespeare. And you, Lady Elmhurst? What part is yours?”
“I am to play Hermia.” Hermia, in my opinion, is something of a tediously virtuous ninny, but she fits quite well into the impression I intend to make on Congrevance--that of a respectable and modest widow. How very fortunate that he has been abroad, and how relieved I am to find that my reputation has not crossed the Channel. If he had been in London, it would be an entirely different story. Indeed, it is a miraculous stroke of luck that he is a blank slate upon which I can rewrite myself, provided he does not listen to vulgar gossip from his fellow guests.
“You enjoy the theater, Lady Elmhurst?”
“Oh, I adore it.” I clasp my hands to my bosom (he watches) and sigh deeply (he blinks). “It is tremendously diverting. It is one of the great pleasures of town.” I do not mention that cards and flirting and activities well beyond flirting behind closed doors are what I really prefer. “And of course I enjoy music; I play a little upon the pianoforte--my friends say I am not totally devoid of taste--and I have a very small skill with watercolors.”
“Otterwell has some very pleasing prospects on his estate. I expect you will wish to sketch them. Perhaps I might be permitted to accompany you, Lady Elmhurst.”
“That would be delightful, Mr. Congrevance.”
The question, of course, is whether I should take him as protector or husband. As enamored as he seems to be of the countryside, there is a good chance he will want to settle on some tedious estate and commune with his cows. He might expect a wife to slop around there with straw in her hair and breed! But I am sure that if Congrevance wished to amuse himself in town he could keep me in the manner to which I am accustomed (or, to be honest, unaccustomed of late). Mary, whose knee is now pressed firmly against that of that ruffian of a manservant, can find out the extent of Congrevance’s fortune well enough.
However, there is no great rush to entrap him. I should wait and see who else Otterwell has invited; for although I cannot deny the attraction I feel to Congrevance, it would not do to sell myself short. How would I feel if I, for instance, missed a duke?

Author Interview: MARC JARROD

1. Hi Marc and thanks for coming into the Dark Divas’ den…don’t get too many other guys in here, so this ought to be fun! Okay, my first question is, apart from being an author of romantic fiction, you’re a UPS driver. What’s the weirdest thing that ever happened to you in the course of delivering a package? Ever had a woman open the door naked?
Well, I hate to say this but, even though, I do work for UPS, I am not a driver. I am sorry I misled anyone. I think what it is, is that when I tell somebody I work at UPS, they immediately think I am a driver. What I do is work inside the building. I sort packages to their destination and I am also a clerk, doing address corrections. However, I was a driver at one point. One of the most humorous comments I would get from people receiving packages is when I would knock on the door and say UPS, I have a package, I would hear from the other side, Is it paid for? I don’t want it, if it’s not paid for. In other words, if it was a COD, they wouldn’t even open the door. (Okay, you had to be there.) LOL

2. Your books are intriguing because you seem to understand women very well and tell the stories from their POV. They all have quirks though, such as Charlie Jackson from One Dangerous Woman being a very violent, dangerous assassin. You know many women like this in your every day life?
Well, I hope not. LOL I love reading about the underworld— Demons, vampires, etc. I also love mobster novels, such as the Godfather. So, I incorporated the two genres into one. What I loved about One Dangerous Woman, especially from the woman’s perspective is that though Charlie was a cold blooded assassin, she also had a human side in that she loved children and she could also be in love as in loving Dexter.

3. If I were to describe your books, I’d say they were twisted romances…with demons, Satan and vampires running around in them. What books do you have coming out next? Will you continue in this paranormal realm?
As a matter of fact, next release will be in that genre. Last Christmas I wrote Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish, which was a vampire story. I had never written vampire before, even though I love that genre in that I have seen dozens of movies dealing with vampires. My favorite is Interview with a Vampire. There will be a sequel to the Ferver story, titled, Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish…Return to Darkness.

4. I know you are tackling M/M for an anthology…how graphic will it be and ahem…how much research is involved here?
Just like my Ferver story, this will be my first attempt. Luckily because it will be an anthology, it will be short so I wont have to stretch my imagination. J I believe it will be a love story. More like a male who thought he was straight, and a gay male who brings him around and shows him the joys of the gay life style. Because it will be his first time, it won’t be very graphic, but there will be some sex involved. I did my research from reading your stories, AJ. You are a master storyteller where, though your characters are vampires, you also make them human in that they laugh, cry, joke around etc. I love that. That is why I believe you are so successful.

5. Wow, thanks, Marc! You live in St. Louis, Missouri but moved there from Italy when you were a child. Do you remember much of Italy? Have you been there since?
Not a whole lot, I must admit. When I came here, which was July 4th, 1959, I spoke fluent Italian. Unfortunately, I went straight to school that September. I was able to speak some English but not a whole lot. So when a nun would tell me to color the drawing of a boat, blue, I would color it another color because I had no idea what she was talking about. LOL. I am thinking of perhaps traveling there when I retire from UPS.

6. What are the best and worst things about living in St. Louis?
The best things— along with the Arch, I would say it is truly a sports town what with The St. Louis Cardinals and Rams and the St. Louis Blues. When it comes to the Cardinals, people and even other teams say St. Louis is one of the best sports towns in the country because of the support we give our team. I was also proud that St. Louis was the host of the All-Star game in which we were able to showcase our city. The worst part is, because of the economy, two of our major auto plants—Chrysler and Ford have down. They were major employers for the city.

7. What is your writing routine like? With three books published (that I know of, including One Dangerous Woman, Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish and A Heavenly Christmas, you are pretty prolific. Do you write every day?
Well, not as prolific as you, AJ. LOL but thanks for the moral and morale boost. I try to write everyday even if it is in small spurts. Sometimes, just as every writer goes through this, I hit writer’s block. When that happens, I watch TV, take a walk or go to a movie. Believe it or not, I also get inspiration when I work. Sorting packages can be boring, so I would kind of daydream, thinking how I could write a scene. When it hits me, during lunch, I take pen in hand and start writing the scene before I forget it.

8. You were in the middle of edits on a book called Time Eternal when the publishing company went under. Will you ever resurrect that? The premise sounds so intriguing!
I am glad you asked that. Time Eternal—now renamed, Imagine because I felt it fit the story line better and the title to me, was exotic—is just about finished. I am very proud of this story because it was my first effort as a writer. To show how naïve I was a writer, the first thing I did after finishing the story, was to look for a literary agent to hawk my masterpiece. LOL I had no idea epubs were out there. Then I came across some epubs on the internet and after getting rejected a number of times, StarDust Press took me on. That is where I met one of my colleagues Stephani Hecht. Imagine is a time travel book but it will have a twist in the end and of course a HEA.

9. I know you are a big football and baseball fan. What other interests do you have? Do you read a lot and who are some of your favorite authors?
My favorite author is James Patterson who writes crime novels. I love his books because he is a fast read. His chapters are like only 2-3 pages long. What I love about his works is he is an author who cuts to the chase, without giving vivid descriptions of scenery or minor characters. Another favorite leisure time is Trivia. I occasionally go to Trivia Night gatherings and more than once, my team has won first place.

10. Now for a tough question. You ready? What was your favorite toy growing up?
The old Etch A Sketch and yo-yo’s. I loved doing, walking the dog, rock the cradle, around the world etc. on my yo-yo. I loved drawing landscapes on the Etch a Sketch. OMG, I am truly showing my age now. LOL

11. I know you like classical music and oldies rock. Do you listen to music and what kind when you’re writing? What about when you’re having sex?
I listen to oldies rock when writing. But if I am struggling, I will listen to classical to help me relax. Music while having sex? I don’t usually have music, but if I did, it would be classical because it would be so relaxing.

12. Which living person do you most admire?
My next door neighbor. She is close to 90 but has the energy of a 20 year old. I could only hope I have even half that energy if and when I reach that age.

13. Which living person do you most despise?
Osama Bin Laden. He is the true antichrist. And any dictator who is guilty of genocide.


On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Marc Jarrod for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author’s work, please check out his links:
www.myspace.com/marcjarrod

Cindy Jacks : Point of Distraction

Blurb:

Ever dreamed of leading in a glamorous, sexy, and extravagant life? Experience it all vicariously through Ana Welsh in these dynamic chick-lit stories. In the third collection in the Point of Distraction Series, Ana's back -- and as bad as she wants to be!

In Ghosts of Ana Past, Ana reconnects with an old flame who stirs up memories of a more carefree time in her life. Now that Eli's set this fire, it's up to Ana to contain the blaze.

Misadventures in cougar-ing plague Ana in Boy Toy. Jake's hot, bold...and only twenty years old. But in the midst of a premature mid-life crisis, what's a girl to do?

Friends with Benefits finds Ana reeling from a family emergency. When Nikhil provides a strong shoulder to cry on, it's all too tempting to toss out that pesky platonic relationship and give in to romance.

Excerpt:


My eyes drank in the expanse of his mocha skin. I’d suspected since I’d met him that underneath his clothes lay a body of exquisite muscle tone. Now, faced with his taut abdomen and sinewy arms, I was taken by his form. The desire to touch every inch of him struck me, but before I could act, he reclined me and covered my neck with his mouth.

I relaxed into his caresses. His lips, his tongue, his fingertips seemed on every inch of my exposed skin. Urgency existed in his embrace and yet he did not stray from my neck, my breasts and abdomen. He spent untold time there as if he were making a careful map of my body.
Though I was enjoying his sweet attentions, my natural impatience flared. I reached for his belt buckle, but his hands diverted mine and set them back onto the blanket. He stretched out one of my legs, untied my shoelace, and slid the boot off along with the sock. He repeated this with my other boot. His fingers strayed to the zipper of my jeans and unfastened it with apparent care. He slipped my pants over my hips and off my legs. His hands stroked the length of my bare legs, varying the pressure of his fingertips. His thumbs hooked the waistband of my panties and inched them down, over my knees, past my ankles, and laid them to rest on the growing piles of my clothes.

Buy it now link: http://www.lyricalpress.com/cindy_jacks

Web link: http://cindyjacks.com/

Bio:
Cindy Jacks worked for ten years in the corporate arena, but left the boardroom at the age of thirty-three for a more fulfilling existence. Three years later she is happy to be a full time writer. Her characters are usually strong women, but with real insecurities and concerns of universal to all women. Recurring themes in her books include the sensuous qualities of food, the identity struggles we all experience, and pushing the boundaries of traditional femininity.

She lives in Northern Virginia, a stone's throw away from Washington, DC. When not writing or chasing after her four year-old son, she makes jewelry, practices belly dancing, and experiments with international cooking.