L. Shannon

2009-11-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 21: Have a timer.

Use an cheap kitchen timer to control your working or break times. Plan to write for a certain block of time, say 20 or 30 minutes and during that time do not open any other window or check your email or feed the cat. That time will fly by and no one will starve until the dinger goes off.

Days 12-20 Have focus

2009-11-20T12:45:00.002-05:00

Days 12-20: Have focus and fight distraction. This middle of the trip is where many people disappear. During these hard times stay away from distractions like the web or specifically blogs which you don't have time to write on anyhow. lol.

2009-11-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 11: Have Snacks

Did you notice that every time you interrupt your writing to go make a meal it’s that much harder to get back lost momentum? If you have a supportive better half he or she will sneak in silently and place easy finger food within reach (but not in the way) of your flying fingers. But if such isn’t happening you may have to take matters into your own hands. Plan ahead and before you settle in for your scheduled writing, make a couple small snacks, sandwiches or chicken nuggets, leftover Halloween candy… something that you can eat without leaving the moving story you’re creating. Also set up your liquids. I tend to have my usual drinks as well as a couple bottles of water as back up. Anything that keeps you typing and undistracted for even a few extra sentences is well worth the effort.

2009-11-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 10: Have Caffeine

Or some other means of staying energized. By now you’re probably feeling the strain of the breakneck pace. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably fallen behind your big dreams of hitting daily goals. Don’t panic. Just adjust your way of attacking the problem. Maybe sketch out your next couple scenes and see if you can write them bare bones style. Nothing but the essentials to be filled in later. There is no right path to get to 50k. Any path that gets you there is a good one.

2009-11-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 9: Have An Ending

This isn’t right for everyone but for me I need to know where my story is going before I can focus on the path to get there. Sometimes I even write the last scene or ending before I hit the midpoint. Taking this idea a little bit further you might find it useful to write little bare bones snippets of the big turning points in your story. These aren’t made in stone and can be changed, edited or even cut later, but can help you keep on track and running ful speed when you need it most.

2009-11-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 8: Have Conflict

Conflict is the thing that will keep your characters at odds in the story. Try not to think of your conflict as a single problem, think of it more as a ladder. Your conflict should have several rungs the characters have to overcome. Each one higher and further from the last. If they don’t make it then the fall becomes more deadly as the story progresses.

2009-11-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 7: Have Motivation

Motivation is tied into goals for each character, similar but not quite the same. For instance the hero’s goal might be to stop the bad guy. But his motivation is the why that gives the goal purpose. So why does your hero need to stop the bad guy? Maybe the bad guy is trying to kill him? Kill the heroine? Steal a precious gem? Take over the world?

2009-11-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 6: Have Goals

Not only should you set monthly, weekly and daily goals for yourself, but your fabulous characters need goals too. Not just hero and heroine, but every character in your books needs to want something. They should have a goal, something to reach for and hopefully attain by the end of your book. Don’t forget the villain, sometimes his/her goal is the one that will drive the story.

2009-11-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 5: Have Character

Bet you thought I meant don’t lie and be nice to stray animals. Nope, this is about Having strong bigger than life characters for your novel! Yep a lot can be said for strong characters. Sometimes they can carry a soft plot or weak story further than you can even imagine. Best part of all, if you love your characters you’ll actually want to spend time with them. And that means you’ll spend even longer in your chair telling their stories. Which will lead directly to more words and eventually to a complete novel!

2009-11-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 4: Have Support

Yes even though writing is a solitary sport it is important to have the support of family and friends. Especially when undertaking something like Nano. Hopefully you warned everyone in your family of your intended insanity and they know better than to interrupt your writing time. If they really get your needs during Nano they will also airlift in meals without uttering a word and celebrate every day’s success with you once you actually come out of your writer cave and speak directly to them.

2009-11-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Day 3: Have A Schedule

Not everyone can write only when the mood moves you. Some like me make our living by writing and that means sometimes writing when totally not in the mood. Not an easy thing to do. Accept that times like this may prove not as productive as the good days when the muse is on your side.

Still even when it’s hard, plan ahead to put your time in and spend your “writing time” actually writing. Some of you may have heard the acronym BICHOK, but if you haven’t it means Butt In Chair-Hands On Keyboard. Simple as that you will increase your output. No, this doesn’t make it easier. And it won’t improve the quality of what you produce but it will put words on the page. And sometimes that is the best we can hope for.

2009-11-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

Day 2: Have A Plan

Okay so now you’ve decided to try your hand at nano and are sitting there panicking over how on earth you can manage to write 50,000 words in one month without losing your mind. The good news is it can be done. The bad news is few actually succeed without losing their minds.

But really who needs a mind in December anyway? You won’t, not if you have a new complete novel to hug and to hold.

So to improve your chances make a plan and stick to it. NANOWRIMO has it all broke down into how much you need to write in a day to do the 50000 in 30 days. 1660. You can do this. It is achievable.

30 days of NANOWRIMO

2009-11-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

On the first day of nano…I give you tips for surviving nano.

Day 1: Have A Dream.
Yes, in October I dreamed of finishing a novel in November. I knew it was a crazy dream, but I clung to it anyways. After all a novel, a little novel all my own. I could see the cover with its beautiful images and best of all with my name blazed across it in all my glory. I can do this. I can write a novel in one month.

For those brave souls who have done nano before you may be thinking like me, of course it can be done. I’ve done it in the past. Just last year I won Nano. Of course I can do it again. Or for any newcomers to Nano, look at the list of winners and know that this year you can be among them.

Now, quit reading blogs and go write.

Do you NaNo?

2009-10-27T19:32:00.003-04:00

Stay tuned.

I'm gearing up for November's big challenge, National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. If you've never tried it, maybe this is the year to give it a go? Nothing else like it. This big challenge is a push beyond all pushes. Time to pull on the big girl panties (or in some cases big boy boxers) and see if you're made of the stuff or not.

Sound grim? Well it isn't. Even if you don't make the 50,000 word standard goal, or even if you don't make your own personal goal... if you write more in November than you usually do any other month then it is a great success!

My big goal will be to complete Dead Men's Nails: Kindred Spirit, but if I have time I want to push on to see if I can complete even more than just one story. KS needs 40-50k to finish. I've added my goal meter to the blog and will be posting regular updates throughout the month.

Wish me luck, or better yet, join me in November and sign up for your own goal over at the official website, http://www.nanowrimo.org/ Feel free to friend me there. I'm user: L.Shannon and always glad to share in success or commiserate with the bumps in the road.

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

It's BIAWE time!

2009-08-20T14:21:00.002-04:00

Yep, starting tomorrow it's time to write! Not sure of the exact start time yet. That will depend on who ends up joining in, but if you'd got words that need to be written (like I do) then join in. We'll write like mad until we all collapse on Sunday night.

Soo... stock up on what you need, sharpen your virtual pencils or even your real ones and chime in here or IM me if you're joining us for the AUGUST BIAWE!

Shannon

New Release: The Vixen Files!

2009-08-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

The Vixen Files
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-556-0
AUGUST 09, 2009!
Cover: Trace Edward Zaber
(isn't that cover great?!)

James Smith is a notorious spy, selling his skill to any power willing to pay his steep prices. Smith’s lack of loyalty is the only consistent intelligence Agent Mae Vixandra can gather on this mysterious man. Now it’s fallen to her to capture him once and for all, and if possible, convince him to finally use those impressive skills for something more worthy than a quick buck.

If flipping a rogue spy were the only purpose, Mae would have the job tucked to bed without a second concern. She’s spent a couple centuries protecting her adopted America. Now she does so with the backing of a secret agency and a team staffed by her own six werewolf daughters. Together or apart they can handle about any job sent their way. But capturing James Smith offers Mae a very personal agenda. If her premonition is right, he’s her mate, and she’s been a widow long enough that even a traitorous spy is a risk worth taking...

If you love fanged or furry heroes and tough girls in ass-kicking high heels, don't miss out on this exciting new story! Go here http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/VixenFiles.html and buy The Vixen Files today!

L. Shannon
www.lshannon.net

Get Hooked on a Series Contest

2009-05-18T15:06:00.003-04:00

Check out this fantastic contest over at the Moira Rogers website! http://moirarogers.com/?q=node/347 Seriously those girls are crazy over there and why shouldn't we all benefit from the insanity? Get this... 50 books from 50 series with 50 WINNERS??? Don't miss out on this great contest. Run, don't walk, click your way over there right now! http://moirarogers.com/?q=node/347 Contest ends June 1st.

My books that you could win include:
Anom'tan 1: Walking with Synn - "Hot and steamy" RRTErotic
Acacia 1: Abducting Aeron - "L. Shannon has an awesome new series on her hands" FAR
Division 8, book 1: Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover (YES, You could win my brand new book!)

So what are you waiting for? Go already! http://moirarogers.com/?q=node/347
Shannon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net ~ Dark Paranormal Romance
Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - AVAILABLE IN PRINT NOW
Nothing but Ash - 4/20/09 - Liquid Silver Books
Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover - 5/17/09 - Amber Quill Press
FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html

Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover

2009-05-17T12:00:00.003-04:00

Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover
A Division 8 novella by L. Shannon
Finalist in the Brava Novella Contest!
Release: May 17, 2009 - Amber Quill Press
http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/ZevenWays.html

BLURB
Zeven had a simple plan. Get the contract, kill the mark and protect werewolves from being exposed to the humans and hunted to extinction. But when the mark turns out to be the woman who stole and then broke his heart, everything changes. With Harley back in his sights, Zeven has a whole new plan—keep her from running, keep her alive and convince her to accept werewolves and be his mate.

To Harley, nothing about Zeven or his life is simple. And the possibility of a future for them together seems impossible, especially since the local clan of werewolves wants her dead and Zeven is all that stands between her and her escape from the Las Vegas territory. The stubborn homicidal shifter is determined to be heard out even if it costs them both everything.

But if there is a chance for them, Zeven and Harley will have to take on the whole rabid clan and settle a lot of history between them. But will he be able to forgive her for abandoning him ten years before? Or will she run again, unable to face the killer he’s become?

EXCERPT

Harley Lex knew she was in shock and was completely helpless against the biological response. Her breath came too fast, too shallow. Her heart raced. Her vision tunneled down to just the gruesome picture in her shaking hand. For a long second, she stared, gradually making sense of the image. It showed the brutalized remains of the two people she'd left behind to be killed the night before. Two friends from the hospital who'd been murdered in cold blood.

On the back were two words.

You're next.

Dizziness dragged her down. She fought back the panic attack. Later. I'll break down properly later. But at the moment that kind of weakness would just get her killed. One deep breath, then another. After a long sleepless night, debating if she should report the attack or not, then she'd found the picture and she'd ditched work, bolted out the door. She needed focus and motion, to pack and run.

At least this time she'd pack.

She grabbed her UCLA duffel bag and stuffed in jeans and T-shirts. What do I need? Where will I go? She had an aunt living in Michigan, but she couldn't risk endangering her. Where she ran to wasn't important. All that really mattered was getting her ass away from Vegas.

At the bottom of her closet she saw the black bag and grimaced. Damn thing would finally come in handy after sitting ignored for more than five years. She jerked it free. How many times had she settled somewhere new and carefully repacked her escape bag, just to feel safe? Now she felt damn lucky for the paranoia.

The two thousand in the bag would get her out of town and she'd worry about the rest later. All that mattered now was staying alive. She headed for the door, gripping both bags in one hand and opening the door with the other--

--and was slammed back into the wall with a crash.

Sunshine outlined a huge man, combining dark shadow and blinding light. Her heart thundered once before she was heaved off her feet, pinned to the wall and confronted by black wraparound sunglasses that reflected her own terrified face.

She clawed at the thick arms and kicked against the huge body. But the man's weight crushed her to the wall.

The pressure changed, loosened. The man's honey brown skin came back into focus.

"Oh, fuck." The voice was familiar, from a past she'd left behind. He slammed the door and threw the wraparounds across the room with a vicious snarl of fury.

She met the man's cold, pale gaze. Dear God, how did he find me? "Zeven?"

Her former lover fell on her once more, claiming her mouth, demanding the response that was too damn easy to give. She kissed him back, matching his passion, pouring her stress and emotion into the wild contact that she'd craved for so long.

Then Zeven ripped away from her lips. "What the fuck did you see?"

That brought Harley back to the moment, back to the stupidity which giving in to animal attraction would be. "Shit. I need to get out of here." She struggled, jerking in his grasp. Zeven showing up took her terrifying day straight into FUBAR range. Now it wasn't just the ones behind the threatening note. She had to escape Zeven and his homicidal family, too.

His hands tightened on her arms, holding her in place, when she should be running. The ravaged look in his eyes tore open a wound she'd thought was healed or at least scabbed over. Why was he here? Why now, after ten years?

For one second she imagined saying, Zeven, come with me. Then her survival instincts kicked in, and thumped her ass awake. "I've got to get out of here."

But Zeven, her long-lost lover, wasn't moving.

Almost visible memories passed between them. Memories she'd love to linger in, try to reclaim if only she had more time. If only being with him wasn't such a deadly mistake.

"They sent me to kill you." The growled words shattered the chemistry and memories.

The irony forced a choking sound from her suddenly dry throat. "No, it's not possible. It can't be your pack." It couldn't be the same werewolves... But same or different didn't make much difference. It must be her fate to be killed by werewolves. Zeven's pack hunted her for being human, knowing their secret, and loving Zeven. After five quiet years, she'd witnessed a werewolf bar fight and was back on the most wanted list. But why did it have to be Zeven?

The emotion drained from Zeven's expression, leaving him still and cold, a killer. Completely different from the man she'd known.

Oh shit. "Are you going to kill me?" Getting killed by werewolves would not be a surprise, but dying at Zeven's hands would be hell...for them both.

END EXCERPT

Zeven Ways to Kill Your LoverAvailable now at Amber Quill Press!
http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/ZevenWays.html

Shannon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net/ ~ Dark Paranormal Romance

Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - AVAILABLE IN PRINT NOW

Nothing but Ash - 4/20/09 - Liquid Silver Books

Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover - 5/17/09 - Amber Quill Press

FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html

Nothing but Ash

2009-04-20T12:07:00.001-04:00

Nothing but Ash

A Midnight Ridge novella

by L. Shannon

Release: 4/20/09

Liquid Silver Books

ISBN 978-1-59578-538-1

Owen’s life is in shambles. His wife is missing and presumed dead. His daughter is running wild and considered the worst criminal in Midnight Ridge. The sheriff, his former girlfriend, expects him to get his act together and “find his balls”. It couldn’t get any worse. Until his wife’s ghost shows up, determined to lead them to her killer, a wolf hiding among the sheep, picking them off one bad seed at a time...

EXCERPT

Chapter One

“Your daughter is locked up in my jail again.” Sheriff Erin Walker hated these calls with a passion. In a town of under two hundred with the people scattered spaciously around the forested base of Midnight Ridge, crime was rare. This was the third time this week she’d hauled Sienna Sinclair in and put her teenaged ass behind bars.

“Again? What has she done this time?” Owen Sinclair sounded tired, beaten down by the reality of raising a troubled kid alone.

She sighed. The answer didn’t really matter. The girl was just as messed up as her father. The difference was, Sienna was striking out at a community that had failed to save her mother. She couldn’t blame Sienna, not one bit. Every second of the two years since Cindy Sinclair had gone missing and then been presumed dead had been hell for them all.

“We have to do something about her, Owen. This can’t go on.”

“I know, Erin. I know.”

She’d grown up with Cindy and Owen. She wasn’t just the local sheriff. She was also one of Owen’s closest friends, Sienna’s godmother, and worried sick about both of them. Hearing the defeat in Owen’s voice broke her heart. “Come on down to the station. We’ll talk.”

“I’ll be there in twenty or so. I need to get Henry to watch the store.”

“We’ll be here.”

He answered with a grunt that might have been, “Okay,” before the phone clicked dead.
Erin dropped the department phone back into its cradle. It tore at her how little she could do to help them. But this time she was going to be blunt and lay it out. If she and Owen couldn’t get through to Sienna, then... well, they’d have to get serious.

The teenager had flattened James Marshal’s tractor tires, burned a few corn stalk pyres, stolen from her own father’s store, taken joyrides in Miss Carolyn’s old Caddy and tried to hotwire Erin’s Jeep... but this time was worse. What the girl’d done this time wasn’t just a prank. It was... disturbing.

Smoothing back her wind-tangled hair, she retied it into her usual ponytail. She reached halfway to her desk drawer for the lipstick she kept there but halted. No, she wasn’t going to spruce up. No need. It was just Owen and he didn’t even know women existed. His whole heart had died when Cindy disappeared. Shame too. He’d always had Erin’s heart firmly in his pocket if he ever cared to look.

Never mind that.

She left her tiny office to check the front desk. “Everything good here, Irma?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s all good, all quiet.” A sweet little mouse of a secretary, Irma Parson pushed her glasses up and fussed with a vague attempt to hide her fresh pink nail polish. Not that the girl would get in trouble for it. No, it was more likely Irma was just being shy about the new, more feminine color on her normally bare nails.

Did Irma have a date? If so, it was about time. “Go ahead home, Irma. I can handle Sienna myself.”

With a single nervous glance at the clock, Irma snatched her purse and nearly darted for the door. “Thanks, Sheriff Walker.”

The door slammed shut and left the quiet moving through the room like a dangerous shadow holding the unknown. It was silent enough to raise the hair on the back of her neck.

Had Sienna ever been that quiet in her whole life? Not that Erin had ever seen. Rushing back to the lock up, she turned the corner and found the girl standing in the center of her cell. One hand rose and held out like a mime, pressing against a wall ... or perhaps something soft.

“Momma?” Sienna’s whispered voice carried on a tremble of air. Hesitant, yet flushed with the deepest of emotions. “Oh, Momma, I’ve missed you so much.”

Pain closed Erin’s throat. Dear God, please don’t let the girl go on like this. It was too terrible, too cruel, far too much to ask her to bear. “Sienna, are you all right?”

Sienna didn’t look her way. Her hand stayed up, but her fingers closed over like she was holding someone’s hand. “You see her, don’t you? Momma’s come back.”

Shit. Erin unlocked the cell and moved around the girl to face her. The look of joy on Sienna’s face was beautiful and terrible. “I don’t see anyone, Sienna. Just you and me.”

“But she’s right here. Reach out and you can touch her too.”

After seeing the crazy graffiti Sienna had painted on the water tower, she’d wondered if maybe the girl had gotten a hold of some drugs. Now, drugs seemed like the better of two awful options. “She’s not here, honey. She’s gone.”

“She’s not! She’s right in front of me. Momma’s here.” Tears welled up in the girl’s wide eyes. Her body began shaking. Her hand finally lost its surreal handholding shape and slowly fell to her side.

Erin caught her even as the girl’s knees buckled. “Easy, honey.” Curled into her arms, Sienna’s sobs were soft and wretched. Erin moved them to the bench and cradled her, holding Sienna through the emotional storm. With fingers to Sienna’s wrist, Erin checked her pulse. She was pretty sure this was just wild emotions, but if there were drugs involved, better safe than sorry.

Her pulse was a little bit fast, but not dramatically so considering the rush of tears. Gradually the shaking subsided and Sienna pulled back, wiping at her face with her overlong sleeve.

“Sienna, I’m worried about you.”

“I’m okay.”

Right. “I’m worried enough right now that I’m considering dragging you down to Black Mountain Medical to have you drug tested.”

“What?” Sienna laughed, but the sound grated on the edge of hysterical. “I don’t do drugs. You can’t even get drugs here in Midnight Ridge.”

“I just saw you talking to thin air--”

“No, you didn’t. I was talking to my mom.”

Owen’s shadow cut across them. “Your mother is gone, Sienna.”

“Mom’s not gone. She’s dead, but not gone.” Sienna shot to her feet and stomped across to face her father through the bars. “She’s dead, but she was here. I talked to her ghost. She talked back.” Sienna’s voice rose on every word.

“Sienna, don’t...”

Hands fisted around the bars, tears streaming down her cheeks, Sienna shouted. “She’s dead. Mom’s dead. She didn’t leave us. She’s dead and someone here in Midnight Ridge killed her!”

END EXCERPT

buy Nothing but Ash at Liquid Silver Books

http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=Nothing+But+Ash&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

Shannon

http://www.lshannon.net/

dark paranormal romance

Chances 5: Chance of a Lifetime

2009-02-24T17:31:00.000-05:00

Chances: Chance of a Lifetime
ISBN: 978-1-60521-144-2
Erotic Urban Fantasy
L. Shannon - http://lshannon.net
Changeling Press - http://changelingpress.com
February 24, 2009

Blurb
The perfect gift, one hunk of an ex-lover wrapped in cuffs and a red leather bow set in a snow-filled corner of hell...

But will the gift be accepted in the spirit it was given? Or will the gift tear their love apart?

Excerpt

Josh leapt backwards when the hotel TV melted into an inky black hole and out stepped a business man in a smooth gray suit. With a deepening glare, the guy strode forward and grabbed Josh in one arm. "Chance owes me big time for this errand boy nonsense."

Before he could do more than drag his feet, they were both through the portal and stepping into a tidy looking hallway in front of an obnoxious red door. And just as quick, the man in the suit was gone again, leaving him alone.

He swallowed back the wave of fear. If Chance had sent for him, then surely he was supposed to open the door. After a light tap, he pushed the door open.

What the hell? He tried to say the words, but no sound emerged from his slack mouth. The decorations from his house were arranged around the cozy room. White candles danced on every surface. Red, white and gold streamers and roses in the three shades were all over. Two ice buckets with chilling champagne sat on the counter. Across the floor, which was covered in snow white confetti, dark red petals made a trail to a huge bed and on the bed…

Josh’s heart stopped and then thundered with the impossible thrill laid out before him. A very sexy man bound with his head covered kneeling in the center of the bed covered in white satin. Dressed in nothing but leather straps, he held an arched position that pushed his thick erection out in front like a flag waving surrender.

Blood rushed through Josh’s body.

The red leather straps across the man’s chest formed a bow. As in… a gift?

Heat flared behind him -- Chance’s heat. "You like your gift, love?" Chance’s warm breath feathered over his ear with every caressing word. "One of a kind. If you like him, you can keep him."

He turned, pulling Chance into an embrace. "Damn, I’ve missed you so much." He brought their lips together and set about devouring Chance the way he’d been dreaming of for the past week. On and on he kissed him, relishing the joy of just being with him again.

Then Chance’s words sank in… He pulled back "What do you mean, ‘keep him’?"

"He’s a gift. What kind of Indian giver would I be if I didn’t let you keep him?"

END EXCERPT

Buy Chance of a Lifetime at http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=77

Check out the other Chance books at http://www.lshannon.net/Chances.html
A Snowball's Chance
A Second Chance
Another Chance
A Chance Encounter
Games of Chance
Chance of a Lifetime

Shannon~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net ~ Dark Paranormal Romance
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LShannon/ for contests & freebies
Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - now available in print!
Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover is a Brava Contest Finalist! Available at Amber Quill Press!
FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html
Find more L. Shannon books at Amber Quill Press, Changeling Press, Cobblestone Press, Liquid Silver Books & Noble Romance

Chances 4: Games of Chance

2009-02-20T12:20:00.001-05:00

Chances: Games of Chance
Erotic Urban Fantasy
L. Shannon - http://lshannon.net/
Changeling Press - http://changelingpress.com/
February 20, 2009

Blurb
What does a demon give his mortal lover for their one-year anniversary? Chance knows exactly what Josh wants -- his former lover, Brandon. The three can be happy together, but only if Brandon is willing to share… All Chance has to do is push Brandon to the limits -- and prove he’s worth the risk.

The perfect gift. That’s what Chance needs. And in this case that elusive item would be a silly, reluctant mortal gift-wrapped with a big bow.

Excerpt

Chance couldn’t believe his luck. Not only was Brandon on the verge of agreeing to give this a try, but he did it looking damn attractive. He wasn’t model handsome or anything. It was the determined look in his eyes and the stubborn set to his jaw.

More than that, it was the reason for that determination. The willingness to fight for Josh the only way he could.

Oh, but forcing Brandon to endure wasn’t his idea of a good time. No, he needed to make the mortal enjoy, and if that meant playing sex games that pushed the limits… so be it.

He backed away from Brandon. "I already know you want me to play the big bad demon, forcing my will on you, but there will be rules to these games."

Brandon’s gaze finally met his. "What rules?"

"I don’t do rape." At least not off the job. "You’ve never dipped your toes into this water before, so we’ll only make one rule. I expect you to be willing, even when you play at being a victim. If you can’t handle it or want to stop, say your safe word. With one word, whatever game we’re playing ends. That’s it. That’s the one rule, the only rule."

Brandon’s adam’s apple bobbed.

"Do you understand?"

"What if… what if I can’t say it? What if I’m gagged or something?" Brandon’s question was accompanied by the vivid image of his mouth stuffed full of flaming cock.

Chance nearly laughed at the image. Would have laughed if it hadn’t sent all the blood in his body racing to the cock in question. Through a grin, he reassured Brandon. "Just think it. I’ll hear and know you want to stop."

The terrified look was fading from Brandon’s face, leaving behind mixed curiosity and determination with no more than a dash of fear.

The change was more than he’d hoped for this soon. Maybe Brandon’s fear of things nonhuman would be easier to conquer than he’d first thought. Once the fear was gone, this game would be so much more fun. He could hardly wait to get started. "What will your safe word be?"

"Can the safe word be Josh?"

"I don’t think that would work too well. Frankly if you don’t think of him often during this little experiment of ours, I don’t really see the point in bothering. Just so we’re clear on the facts, I’m doing this, offering you this opportunity, as a gift for Josh."

Brandon’s back straightened. "Well, just so we’re completely clear. I think that if you cared for Josh ,you’d get the hell out of his life. Or better yet, make him forget that you even exist. Whether I’m in his life or not, being tied to a demon is never going to be in his best interests."

"Good. We understand each other. Now, what is your safe word?"

"Banana split."

"Don’t forget it." The anger and challenge dancing in Brandon’s eyes was very enticing. They might not ever get to the point where he could trust him, but these tests might be a hell of a lot of fun anyhow.

"Now what?"

"Into your bedroom and strip."

Brandon’s jaw fell open. "Now?"

"Now. Get out of those clothes and show me what you’ve got." His mind shot back to Christmas Eve. He hadn’t seen Brandon naked then, but he’d felt those lips around him. More of that would be good, but considering the fear coursing through the mortal, he’d have to go slower. At least until Brandon conquered that bigotry.

Looking deeper into Brandon’s mind, he examined that dark desire that he denied so vehemently aloud. It was a glimpse into being dominated, but Brandon had never so much as dipped his toes into those waters. Even now with a simple command like "strip" Brandon rebelled, fought against the desire to submit and obey.

Chance chuckled and then laughed harder when Brandon jumped at the sound.

This game of submission Brandon wanted to try would let Chance take control of the play, and help Brandon feel like he had no choice. Relieving the mortal of all the self-recriminations and guilt. Chance could understand and accept the excuse. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have his own agenda here. He crowded the mortal backwards across the small living space and into the bedroom.

Brandon pushed down his slacks, stepping free of the legs before sinking onto the bed.

"Lay back and relax. I just want to explore your body this time."

"Explore?" Brandon hesitated for a second then reclined slowly.

"Yes, explore. Touch and taste you. Learn what you like and don’t."

"Taste? I… I don’t want you to bite me or drink my blood or anything."

He didn’t bother to reassure Brandon this time. The fool was in for a surprise, because if Chance wanted to bite or nibble he wasn’t going to ask permission. And considering the way Brandon’s eyes had flashed inhuman gold during their last meeting, it was past time he got over the bigotry he’d been spouting. "Some things will be your choice, but most of this game will offer you only one decision. Either give in or use your safe word."

Chance threw energy into the exposed sheets on the bed. Within his power the simple cloth simulated life and twisted on the bed, forming long ropes. They wrapped around Brandon’s wrists and pulled him more firmly onto the bed.

With a burst of fire, he dissolved his clothing and advanced on Brandon in nothing but flames.

"Ugghh!" Brandon jerked back, pulling on the restraining rope sheets.

Banking his flames, he slowed his approach, reaching for Brandon’s long, tense thigh with one hand. Nearly all his demonic characteristics were in check. He didn’t hide his flames, but kept them tight and hot against his skin.

Brandon’s leg stayed whipcord tight, but his head fell back against the pillow. Through barely parted lips he whispered, "For Josh."

For Josh.

God, they were a pair, weren’t they. Neither completely willing, but both trying so hard to find something that would work… for Josh.

END EXCERPT

Buy Games of Chance at http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=77

Check out the other Chance books at http://www.lshannon.net/Chances.html
A Snowball's Chance
A Second Chance
Another Chance
A Chance Encounter
Games of Chance
Chance of a Lifetime

Shannon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net/ ~ Dark Paranormal Romance
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LShannon/ for contests & freebies
Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - now available in print!
FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html
Find more L. Shannon books at Amber Quill Press, Changeling Press, Cobblestone Press, Liquid Silver Books & Noble Romance

Words in Motion Online Conference

2009-01-10T11:29:00.001-05:00

***Permission to Forward***

Cobblestone Press is hosting the 2009 annual Words in Motion Conference Jan 9-11 (Fri, Sat, and Sun) at in the Community Forums at http://www.cobblestone-mainstreet.com

Attendance and participation is free.
Theme: Sci-Fi, fantasy, and urban fantasy romance

Presentation Schedule includes:

January 9th, Friday
· Character Development for Urban Fantasy by Yolanda Sfetsos
· Creating 3 Dimensional Characters for Paranormal Worlds by Patti O’Shea
· Developing Believable Wolf-Shifting Heroes by Loribelle Hunt

Saturday, January 10th
· World Building for Paranormal Romance by L. Shannon Woohoo! Come on by and join me. :D
· Writing Science Fiction Romance by Kayelle Alan
· Your Underwear is Showing: How to Prepare for Online Events By Alice Anderson

Sunday, January 11th
· Creating Super Hot Super Heroes by P. Andrews
· Top Mistakes that Authors Make When Writing Paranormal Romance by Cobblestone Press Managing Editor, Brandi Loyd
· Designing Covers for The Darker Side of Romance

Other Events during the 3 day conference is an Author Parade that runs Friday-Sunday – Authors post their contests for readers to enter.
Also Publishers will have a Publisher Panel for Q&A throughout the conference.

To attend, you only need to register at the Mainstreet Forums and you will be allowed access. (Registration is required to reduce the amount of spammers to the site)

We hope you will start off the New Year at Words In Motion Conference!

-Sable Grey

Sable Grey
Publisher
Cobblestone Press, LLC
www.cobblestone-press.com
sable@cobblestone-press.com
Yahoo ID: sable_grey

Shannon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net ~ Dark Paranormal Romance
Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - AVAILABLE IN PRINT NOW
Chances 3: Another Chance - 12/08 - Changeling Press
ACACIA III: Cravings 12/22/08 - Changeling Press
Nothing but Ash - TBA - Liquid Silver Books
FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years!

2008-12-27T13:08:00.002-05:00

The end of another year...

It always makes me sit back and evaluate my yearly goals. Did I meet them? Did they flop? Are they even relevant anymore? Yes, I do get a little deep in my head this time of year, which is not my usual style. Normally I'm more of live in the present kind of gal, but December rolls around and suddenly I'm thinking about my life and if I'm where I need to be.

And more importantly where I want to be next December. Yep, some people call them resolutions but my life is too fluid for a ridged word like that so I think I'll still with calling them annual goals.

2008 goals
1. lose weight & get in shape. (check - I have a shape. its round)
2. advance my writing career (check - I wrote lots, subbed lots, pubbed lots)
3. fix my personal life (snort - I mean... CHECK!)

2009 goals
1. diets suck. (I'm going to focus on being more active)
2. writing = good! (with focus on the other parts of publishing)
3. hey hubby? can we go to shogun tonight? (life is good - enjoy it)

Seriously for all you folks that break your own hearts with big resolutions... remember that they are meant to improve your life, not destroy your happiness. Whatever your goals, include the live-laugh-love philosophy and have a great 2009!

Shannon

ACACIA III: Cravings

2008-12-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

ACACIA III: Cravings
Erotic m/f/m Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1-60521-146-6
L. Shannon - http://lshannon.net
Changeling Press - http://changelingpress.com
December 2008

Blurb

Hate crimes against vampires pose a rising threat to the moon colony of Acacia. Subversive attempts to destroy the colony are almost certainly being directed by the human purists on Rahla. Acacian agents have been murdered, and now their blood supply has been tampered with.
Counterintelligence operations have led to the capture of two werewolf warriors, more dangerous than anything either side has ever seen before. With their worlds on the brink of war, Queen Caitlin will do anything to protect her people, even if it means bartering her body to a pair of killers. But will her submission buy their loyalty?

Excerpt

Chapter One

Queen Caitlin stood behind the inch-thick plas-glass security panel and waited for the slaves to come into the exercise room. It had been months since she’d had time to watch them on seventhday. This more relaxed side of them was a balm on her overly controlled life. The entrance opened and in came the boisterous group. There were no guards to direct them, no orders given or followed. Today they came here to play.

Several of the males headed for the floor mats and began sparring. Their glistening bodies held perfect balance between tense muscles and relaxed poise. As the sex slave class all did, they lived mostly naked. The men wore nothing but loose-fitting, nearly transparent pants and armbands which declared their owner’s house, family and status. The armbands these men and women wore were gold and studded with diamonds and Acacia’s rarest stone, the iridescent black ruby. No other vampire in all Acacia would so much as touch these slaves.

They were hers.

There were only five women among them. She looked at each and saw herself in their places. Like her, they were all tall and well formed with long black hair. Her men were more varied, but the women had each been chosen because of their resemblance to her. Their purpose was to enjoy the physical love which she could not. Through them she could experience everything without risk.

One girl caught her attention. She wasn’t with any of the others, not playing or talking or interacting. She was among them, but almost as if she was unseen. She walked across the room with purpose, moving toward a private chamber, one often used for sex.

Caitlin followed, moving into the connecting viewing chamber. This one looked directly into the bedroom. Although she had entered the chamber alone, the girl wasn’t alone now. Two men, great hulking warriors, stalked her around the bed.

The men… they were not hers. They shouldn’t be in there.

Caitlin’s feet refused to move. The scene held her entranced as she watched the men catch the girl between them. Eyes wide, the girl didn’t struggle. Too terrified? Perhaps. But their hands made short work of her thin dress, tearing it from her flesh like animals.

The girl was so much like her. She leaned against the glass. “Fight them. Get away.”

Looking her way, the girl said, “Acacia needs them.”

No, that wasn’t right. How could the girl see her? The plas-glass only worked one way.

It didn’t matter. The girl was being ravished, her body stroked and fondled roughly. The men were both so huge. Every part of them. At some point they’d removed their clothes. Each sported terrifyingly large genitals, erections so thick they would surely leave the girl bleeding.

One pulled the girl across the bed, holding her down and kissing her thoroughly. The other male dragged her legs apart and knelt between her pale thighs. His silvery gaze turned toward Caitlin, as if he, too, could see the observer. “I’d die to protect what is mine. Her world becomes mine to protect.”

The first male abandoned the girl’s lips to add his own affirmation. “As would I. Nothing will cause her harm.”

The silver-eyed one lifted the girl’s hips and drove into her body in one long stroke. All the while his gaze never left Caitlin. He made love to the girl, but every motion, caress, declaration was for Caitlin. Over and over they took the girl, using her roughly, but also bringing her to one climax after another, until she was too spent to do more than accept their bodies.

The two were without mercy. Surely they would be sated soon. How much longer could they continue?

Forever.

Caitlin’s body throbbed with need. She felt their touches, enjoyed their pleasure. But release hovered just out of reach. She parted the folds of her robe, reaching down to her slick cleft. So close. Leaning against the glass she rubbed her thumb and fingers over the swollen nub of her clit. Pleasure rocked through her. Rotating her hips, she held to a controlled rhythm, forcing her body to go slow.

Inside the chamber, the second man took the girl, almost as if he were keeping to the same controlled rhythm. His cock plunged deep and withdrew over and over, in perfect time with Caitlin’s fingers.

Silver-eyes now stood at the glass, one hand resting over where she leaned. That huge hand, so close to hers… His other hand moved up and down his erection. He parted his lips, panting. His hand sped over the tip and slowed over the length. Over and over.

The waves of pleasure knifed through her and as her climax hit and stole her strength, they joined her. Both men found release with her. She sagged and would have fallen…

But the glass was gone. Both men caught her in their arms.

She should have been afraid, but she wasn’t. She felt safe. Which was ridiculous. “You can’t protect me.”

Silver-eyes tightened his arms around her. “We can if you’ll let us.”

The other one pressed his head against hers and whispered, “War is coming for you and yours. Only we can stop it. Only we can save you.”

She pushed at their heavy bodies, needing space. She didn’t need them. No. There had to be another way. Had to. Pushing… pushing…

Caitlin woke tangled in her blankets, pushing at the plush bed covering, desperate to escape the dream, the nightmare… the prescient vision.

END EXCERPT

Buy the book at http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=77

Shannon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net ~ Dark Paranormal Romance
Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - AVAILABLE IN PRINT NOW
Chances 3: Another Chance - 12/08 - Changeling Press
ACACIA III: Cravings 12/22/08 - Changeling Press
Nothing but Ash - TBA - Liquid Silver Books
FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html

Chances 3: Another Chance

2008-12-08T13:25:00.000-05:00

Gingersnap (Chances 3): Another Chance
Erotic m/m Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1-60521-143-5
L. Shannon - http://lshannon.net
Changeling Press - http://changelingpress.com
December 8, 2008

Blurb
Worlds apart… It’s stupid to want to spend Christmas with a demon, right? Even if he is your lover. Trouble is, Josh is an incurable romantic -- at least when it comes to this particular demon. All Josh wants for Christmas is another chance…

Excerpt

The moment he touched Josh’s mind, Chance knew he was in trouble. The lingering, sexy, teasing bend of his lover’s thoughts offered no details besides the not so surprising news that Josh wasn’t at home.

Of course he wasn’t. Chance was standing in Josh’s empty condo.

Hello, my demon lover…

Where are you? Why are you not here, waiting for me?

It’s been ten months since we met. This will be our first Christmas together. I wanted it to be special.

I’m sure it will be. He’d been looking forward to this visit for a while now, since their last date almost three weeks ago. The thought of holding Josh and quenching some of his fire in his lover’s passion kept him going.

The image of Josh stretched out naked on a bed tickled through his mind. Well, hurry up and get here. The directions to the cabin are on the fridge.

Sure enough, there were directions. Not that he needed anything as mundane as street directions to find his lover. Oh no, simply touching Josh’s mind was enough to get him there.

I’m on my way. Rather than go to the effort of moving through mortal space, he dipped back into Abaddon and took a shortcut, arriving on the small porch of a rustic cabin a few seconds later.

The door opened at once. Josh dragged him into a scorching embrace and even hotter kiss. Josh wasn’t naked but only a burgundy-colored robe interfered with the earlier image branded on Chance’s mind.

For a moment Chance was too overwhelmed to react. Then he caught up with reality and accepted the kiss and the welcome that was more than he’d ever have hoped for. He pushed Josh back, fully into the cabin, slamming the door behind them.

Holding Josh wasn’t enough. Kissing him wasn’t… Touching him…

He needed more, so much more. He shoved the robe off Josh’s shoulders, letting the material fall. Only then did he leave Josh’s lips to trail fiery kisses across to his ear.

Desire flared, not only to kiss and fuck but for something more. He needed to mark Josh, to show the world who he belonged to. For the first time in his life, he envied his cousins who had fangs enough to bite. He scraped his boring teeth over Josh’s neck. Fangs or no, his fire did what he needed so badly. His nibbles left dark scorch marks trailing down Josh’s skin.

Growling happily at the marks, he couldn’t help but return there over and over again. Josh was his now, his for as long as he wanted. Mine.

END EXCERPT
Buy the book at http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1038
See all L.Shannon's Changeling books at http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=77

Shannon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.Shannon ~ http://lshannon.net ~ Dark Paranormal Romance
Eagle Clan: Father of the Wolf - AVAILABLE IN PRINT NOW
Chances 3: Another Chance - 12/08 - Changeling Press
ACACIA III: Cravings 12/22/08 - Changeling Press
Nothing but Ash - TBA - Liquid Silver Books
FREE BOOK (Welcome Home) at http://www.lshannon.net/SCV.html