In A Memorial Tribute To Gwen, Reprinting Her February Interview - Along with some comments of my own.

In light of Gwen's untimely recent passing earlier this month, I wanted to reprint the interview I did with her back in February regarding the writing of The Kabrini Message.  Gwen had a lot of insight on the book, a lot of which we had not yet even gotten into.  

There were some awesome things she relayed to me, that we did not put in this interview, that I wanted to delve into more deeply in the future, but now that will never happen.  Things about the actual inspiration and origin of the book and answers to my questions regarding why the word "Kabrini"?

I had asked Gwen to try to put together as much information as she could with regard to what she did tell me and we agreed we would explore and release that later, "when the time seemed right".  I guess that was not meant to happen.  But here, again, is what we do have - the interview from February, right after the initial January release of The Kabrini Message.  Perhaps the rest of the story was not meant to be told, at least not quite yet.  

Check out the quotes Gwen hand selected for this piece at the end of the interview, which seem even more poignant now.

Interview With Gwen Jones, Wife of Author J.R. Egles

Joe and Gwen
Taken around the time of the writing of The Kabrini Message, c.1987
Surf City, NJ
Notice the ham radio equipment on the left and the telescope on the right!

Today we have a Special Guest with us, Gwen Jones, wife of Author J.R. Egles, who has a unique point of view of The Kabrini Message as she was there during the entire time it was written.

Thank you so much for being with us today, Gwen and for sharing some of your insights with us.  Tell us a little about your involvement during the writing of The Kabrini Message and the process itself.Joe always wanted me to read what he had written each day and to hear what I had to say about it.

What are some of your fondest memories from the time of the writing of The Kabrini Message?Joe always asked my opinion about his writing and after listening intently, he would ignore all of it...LOL

Did Joe always want to write a book?

Joe was always a creative person and I think he was looking for an outlet to show his creativity.

Did he do much other writing in addition to The Kabrini Message?He wrote some short stories and music lyrics. 

How did you feel about the character of the news reporter being named after you and do you remember how that came about or have any special memories regarding the writing of that character?Actually, I asked Joe to put me in the book and he loved the idea. I think he nailed it...LOL

Who would you want to play “Gwen Jones” in the movie version?Hmmm...Kate Hudson
What character, dialogue, or parts of the book in general seem the most like Joe?I think the book as a whole is Joe.  Reading it I can hear his voice saying the words. 

Can you think of anything in particular that may have inspired all or parts of The Kabrini Message?

Joe had many different theories on many different subjects and was open minded to unlimited possibilities.  There are messages all around us; some people are just more tuned in than others.  The main character in the book, Jeffrey Driscoll, has that in common with Joe.  Jeffrey always sensed when he was looking through his telescope that someone or something was looking back, which is why the Kabrini chose him to get their message out. 

Do you know where the word “Kabrini” came from or why that particular name? 

That’s just their name.  Just like it says in the book, that’s what they call themselves.

Did Joe ever speak about perhaps writing a sequel to The Kabrini Message or what he felt happened to the characters beyond where the book ends?I think there would have been a sequel to it.  Joe had a lot more to offer.

What “message” would Joe most want us to take away from The Kabrini Message?I think Joe made his message clear in the book.  It's all in there and he said it best.

What else would you like people to know about Joe? 

There was so much more to Joe than most people ever realized, I hardly know where to start, but I'll try.

One thing that comes to mind was his ability to reinterpret something difficult to comprehend - anything from bible verses, Shakespeare, complicated scientific theories – anything at all really, and restate it a way that was easily understood and suddenly made perfect sense.  He was great at teaching.

Also, he was very interested in reverse speech and the messages within. He did a lot of research in that area with fascinating results.  That’s just another, separate example that messages are all around us and we are all capable of receiving them…ifwe listen. But to certain individuals, it just seems to come naturally.  Joe was one of those people. 

In closing, is there anything you would like to add? 

I think we lost an amazing man way to soon, as he had so much more to offer.  I miss him everyday.

And finally, here are two of my favorite quotes I'd like to share.

Joe in 2006

"In my  solitude I have pondered much on the incomprehensible subjects of space, eternity, life and death."

                                               - Alfred Russel Wallace

"We love our dear ones deeply and miss them when they leave us.   But we know that the bond of love is greater then death."

                                               - Harold Klemp

Contributing Astronomy Editor, Dan Matlaga: OF DAYS GONE BY

Welcome back, Dan!  Today Dan will delve into the details and significance of June 21st, once considered mid-summer, now regarded as the start of summer.

Of Days Gone By...

It passed with little notice.  Another fact no longer holds for us from the varnished classroom of days gone by. 

 If you marked March 21 as the beginning of spring on your multiple choice science tests in 5th grade you were given credit for the correct answer.  Certainly the beginning of spring can, on occasion begin on March 20, but that was not available as a candidate of possible answers.  We have to keep it simple and direct.  After all, these are 5th graders.

What passed with little fanfare was March 21, 2007 Universal Time.  That was the last time for us that the beginning of spring fell on March 21.  The next time March 21 marks the beginning of spring will be in the year 2102 Universal Time.

How is this so?

The number of days in the year is 365.24218967 days.  Note the fraction.  The .24 is a quarter of a day, so to keep up the calendar in step with the seasons we have to add an extra day every four years.  The added day of the year is called a leap year.  Note however, that part of the fraction after .24 (the 218967 part of the number) also requires attention.  The rules to keep the wall calendar and seasons in agreement must change slightly.  The rule for the 218967 part of the fraction calls for a leap year whenever a whole number results by dividing the year by four (leap year) except for years which are both divisible by 100 and not divisible by 400.  This means the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years but the year 2000 was a leap year.

This change is minor compared to changes in "the good old days”.

What can the fifth grade student tell us about the upcoming June 21st? 

"It is the beginning of summer”, is the most common reply.

"It is the longest day of the year”, is next in line, with nothing to follow.

If you lived in the United States prior to 1900, the beginning of summer was not June 21st but May 1st.  This is why there are so many May Day celebrations to this day in Europe.  August 1st marked the end of summer, while June 21st was the middle of summer.

June 21 is the traditional longest day of the year.  What is almost never mentioned is that it is consequently the shortest night.  The magic of an entire night must be squeezed and compressed into just a few short hours.  In St. Petersburg, at latitude 60 degrees north, there are 19 hours of daylight but just a few hours of dusk.  In fact it is called the "white night" for the lack of truly dark hours.

William Shakespeare thought the magic of the June 21 night was so powerful he decided to write a play.  The play is titled: "A Midsummer Night's Dream”, which centers on the activities of several lovers caught in the forest on the night of June 21st. Surrounded by the magic of nature, away from the social graces of city life, the inner forces of their psyche takes hold. How many of us place our heads down on our pillows the night of June 21st and realize we are about to enter a midsummer night's dream?  Can you experience that level of romance for an entire night and be sane the next morning?  If your response is disbelief, you are the one who loses because you have lost the opportunity to dream.

Even Shakespeare's play is but a faint echo to the white night activities surrounding St. Petersburg.  On the night of June 21^st, from teenagers to senior citizens, it was off with all clothes and then they entered the forest for the entire night.  There was...well, you can use your own imagination.  Suffice to say nine months later around March 21st there was a considerable increase in the number of births.

With the advent of Christianity old observances were dropped.  With new ideas, dates were changed to June 24, the feast day of John the Baptist.  Gone were the old ways, in with the new.  Communism put an end to both the old and newer ways.  With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of communism, today there is noted a slight increase in births in St. Petersburg about March 21st.

Very enlightening and entertaining, as always!  Thank you very much Dan and Happy June 21st everyone!  As Dan pointed out, today is the longest day, but shortest night of the year - make the very most of it!!!

Contributing Editor, Dan Matlaga: YOU ARE SURROUNDED

You are surrounded by four simple words.  Four words probably picked up sometime between third and fifth grade.  The words are: West, South, East, and North.

Does it grate to list these four words with West as the first on the list instead of North?  Have no fear.  It will not be part of your permanent record if you do not list north as the first on the list.

If asked what these four words mean, nearly everyone from grade school through graduate school will answer "directions”.  If you thought "directions”, you must understand when you were in school you were taught definitions not meanings.  Directions are the definition of the four words, but not the meaning.

What do we put in bread dough so instead of the dough remaining flat it gets taller?  The answer is Y-E-A-S-T.  Note the word east in the word yeast.  We put yeast in bread dough to make the dough "rise”.

Esther

The word East means to raise, after all the sun, moon, stars and planets all seem to rise in the East.  You knew East means to rise even before breakfast this morning.  You have heard of the word "Easter”, which means to rise.  If you lived in Europe several centuries ago, there was a goddess named Esther.  It was Esther's job to make the plants rise from the ground each spring.  An observer can determine if the goddess pictured in the painting before them is the goddess Esther because she is always depicted either holding or surrounded by rabbits.  These animals were known as Esther's rabbits, the origin of the modern symbol of Easter rabbits.

Wikipedia Info. on Goddess Esther (Eostra)

If "east" means to rise, "west" means “to go down.”  The meaning of these two words simply reflects what is happening in the sky.  Celestial objects appear to rise in the east and go down in the west.

South has the sense of “the place of the sun”.  When the sun is in the south it is as high as it can be for that day.  Instead of writing “the place of the sun” on our maps, it is easier to write south. 

Of the four words north is perhaps the most interesting.  If we translate the word “north” into English, it means “left”, as in left and right.  In order for north to be on your left, you must face the east.  The Latin word for “left” is the word sinister, which means evil.

Why is north thought of as evil?

To understand this you have to pay attention to the daily weather report. When cold arctic air moves out of Canada and quickly heads south creating snow in Louisiana, citrus crops freeze in Florida, this cold weather front is known as the Arctic Express.  This is not just an American phenomenon.  Several decades ago hundreds of Europeans died when an Arctic Express covered much of Europe.

Picture This:

It is a dark and stormy night 9^th century in Europe.  You want to find directions. What can you do?  The magnetic compass hadn't reached Europe yet.  It is dark and stormy so no hint from the stars.  You can find north by looking for the local church.  Back in “the good ol’ days”, churches had their front doors facing east.  Well, not exactly east.  If the church was dedicated to St. Sophia, the patron saint of wisdom, for example, the church would be

shifted slightly north of east.  This to allow on August 6^th, the feast day of Saint Sophia the first rays of the rising sun to pass through a special window and illuminate the center of the alter on the other interior side of the church.  Another word for east is “orient, this slight shift of the church known as its orientation, is how the word “orientation” entered the English language.

It is difficult not to notice we are dealing with opposites.  Not just in the words, but their meanings as well: North (cold), South (hot), East (rise), and West (set).  The question is: “Where do these opposites meet?”

It must be a difficult question to answer with our Western civilization view of things because having given this topic in over 700 lectures, there was only one student who was able to answer correctly.  The student was from the Navajo reservation, well steeped in Navajo traditions.  He explained it was an easy question to answer because the Navajo sees himself or herself as part of nature. 

He went on to explain Western minds see themselves above nature so no doubt students might picture a map, or the Earth suspended in space. 

What answer did the student from the Navajo reservation give?

Without skipping a beat after the question was asked “Where do these opposites meet?  His answer was: “They meet wherever you are.”

Something as simple as West, South, North, and East… words learned as “directions” sometime between third and fifth grade have a considerable cultural slant once you decide to put your curious mind to work.

Thank you so much, Dan.  Another fabulous, thought provoking and educational post.  Really, can't thank you enough for sharing this with us.  Your vast knowledge is truly awe inspiring!

So Happy To Be A Part Of Michael Bray's World-Wide-Book-Tour!

Author Michael Bray Is Visiting Us On His Book Tour Today!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Michael!  If you would, please share a little of your advice and experience for anyone wishing to begin a writing career, that may not be quite sure where to begin.  

Just Do It!

For the budding author, the idea of taking the plunge into tackling writing a book can be a daunting task. I should know, it took me 14+ years of indecision before I convinced myself that it was something I wanted to try. In hindsight, I hate that I wasted so many years chewing over it, because as I write this now on an icy March morning in the UK, I can hand on heart say it was the best decision I ever made. 

Is it hard work? Of course it is. But that only makes the rewards for completing the book all the sweeter. A few people have said to me recently that they don’t think they could ever write a book for their own, and have even offered me their ideas to turn into stories.

Universally and without exception, I decline, and advise the person to at least give it a go for themselves. If they need assistance, I’m happy to share what I know (even though as writers we never stop learning), but that they should at least try.  Make no mistake, it won’t be easy. Completing a novel is an exercise in discipline, commitment and patience. But when that time comes, be it months or years down the line when you look at your work and can proudly say to yourself that it’s finished, it is a feeling unlike anything else.

A few years ago, I could never imagine being able to write a book, and yet here I am now with Three already released (including my first feature length novel WHISPER) and another two in the pipeline. Yes it takes dedication, and yes its hard work, but when you reach that place where the story is writing itself, and you become something of a passenger as the story unfolds, is the greatest feeling in the world.

In closing, to anyone reading who thinks they have an idea but not the confidence to write it, I say: YES YOU CAN! Turn off the TV, ignore the phone, lock yourself away and start writing. You never know, you might surprise yourself.

Good Luck!

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself and your books?

My latest novel, Whisper, is out now in both paperback & Kindle through Amazon, Smash Words, Barnes & Noble etc. also, I am always looking to speak to people who like my work, so drop by on Facebook and say hi if you like J

Book Blurb:

It was supposed to be a fresh start, a place for Steve & Melody Samson to start their new life together away from the noise and crime of the city. However, their new home an idyllic cottage nestled deep within the dense solitude of Oakwell forest has a disturbing history, hidden for generations by the local villagers, who are desperate to keep their sleepy town free from

potential media attention. As Steve and Melody begin to notice the strange and bizarre things that are happening to them, they begin to unravel the complex web of lies and deceit perpetrated by the locals. Told both in a modern day narrative and flashbacks to the Buildings construction in the 1800's, we learn of the terrible things that reside within Hope House, and

the reasons for the history of murder, suicide and insanity for the previous owners of the house.  As Steve and Melody delve ever deeper, they are plagued by not only the malevolent forces that reside within the house, but also the very real attention of the increasingly unstable realtor Donovan, who has horrific secrets of his own that he will go to any lengths to keep a secret.

Where can people learn more about you and your books?

I tend to post a lot of my news over on Facebook

My works are also available through my Amazon author page, which can be located here:

U.K: Amazon UK

U.S: Azazon US

Thank you so much for stopping by today Michael and best of luck on Whisper, your world-wide-book tour and all of your upcoming projects.  We will be sure to look for you and keep in touch!  

Welcome Guest Author, A.J. Locke!

Today we welcome this week's Guest Author, the lovely and talented A.J. Locke!  Thank you for joining us today A.J.  We are anxious to hear all about your novel, Affairs of the Dead and your very interesting main character, Selene.

I’d like to thank you, Marie, for having me on your blog today. 

I thought it would be fun to do a short character interview with Selene, the main character of my novel, Affairs of the Dead, so you could get to know her a little bit. Here goes!

   1.      A.J.:  What do you do on your days off?

Selene:  This would be assuming I have days off! Lately even my weekends are swallowed up by work, but I’ll tell you what I’d love to do on my next day off, hit up that strip club Bump and Moan with a few girlfriends. This time it will be for non-working reasons.

   2.      A.J.:  If you weren’t a necromancer what would you be doing for a living?

Selene:  Becoming a working necromancer is actually what gave my life some direction after my grandmother died, so I think if I hadn’t gone down this path I’d probably be working in the Underground doing illegal things. Or I’d be a circus clown in a traveling show.

   3.      A.J.:  Favorite time of day?

Selene:  Any time I don’t have a whiny ghost harassing me to track down his stolen body. So I guess I don’t have a favorite time of day at the moment.

   4.     A.J.:  If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you bring?

Selene:  I’d bring one thing: a boat. Then I’d row home.

   5.     A.J.:  Boxers or briefs on men?

Selene:  Neither ;)

   6.      A.J.:  Best date you’ve ever been on?

Selene:  I’ll have to get back to you on that one. You know, when I actually have a good date to talk about.

  

    7.      A.J.:  What do you love most about your job?

Selene:  There’s never a dull moment with working with ghost clients, the things I end up doing to settle their affairs are always different, even a little bizarre sometimes. I love working at a job that’s challenging, even if those challenges can be a real bitch sometimes.

Hope you enjoyed that little insight to Selene!

Yes, very much so!  Now let's take a look at Affairs of the Dead!

 

Cover

Blurb

Help ghosts, stop a thief, and try not to die…

Necromancer Selene Vanream helps ghosts settle their affairs so they can move on. But when breaking the rules gets her in trouble, she’s bumped down to tracking ghosts trying to avoid the afterlife. Ghosts like Ethan Lance, who claims he was kicked out of his body when someone else jumped in. Which might be plausible—if such a thing were possible. And if Micah, Selene’s partner, didn’t pull her into an investigation of brutal murders that lead directly back to Ethan.

But when the whole mess puts Selene’s life in danger, she suddenly has very personal reasons to get Ethan’s body back. Between her uncomfortable relationship with Micah, and problems with her boss, Selene learns just how much trouble it can be when you don’t follow the rules…

Excerpt

I was in a strip club trying to help a ghost get laid, which was challenging, but not impossible. It was just extremely taxing on the necromancer extraordinaire (me) who had to channel energy into the ghost to make her corporeal enough to entice one of the stripper boys. Technically what I was doing was illegal, but it was my job to help ghosts settle their affairs so they could move on to eternally ever after, and Julia’s unfinished business was that she’d died a virgin. I’d made it as easy as I could for her by starting at a strip club; if she couldn’t get some here, I wasn’t sure how much lower I could scrape the barrel.

Julia’s prolonged virginity was an enigma to me, even though she told me that she’d been waiting for her soul mate. I just didn’t understand why that meant she couldn’t hit up a bar, get drunk, and have a fun, regret-filled weekend that included the walk of shame. At least she’d have been in better shape once soul mate came around.

 “What do you think about him?” I asked, pointing to one of the three oiled up men who were gyrating for the benefit of all the screaming women. He had blond hair and green eyes, and wasn’t overly muscular. Julia looked at him then quickly looked away. I took that as a sign of approval.

“I think this was a bad idea,” she stammered.

“This was a fantastic idea,” I said. “And it will work, don’t worry.”

“No, I mean, I don’t think I can do this. I waited my whole life for my soul mate and now you want me to just—” she stole another quick look at the stripper, “I don’t think I can do this with some random…stripper man. It’s so indecent.”

I rolled my eyes. “Julia, you’re a ghost; you no longer have the option of being discerning. And if you don’t wrap up what’s keeping you around, you run the risk of turning into a monster. Then it’s an even bigger pain in the ass to get rid of you. So let’s call our efforts here at Bump and Moan choice A, and murderous monster choice B. Which choice would you like to make?”

“A,” Julia said, but she didn’t sound happy about it. I smiled, and grabbed a couple drinks off the tray of a passing waitress. I set them down in front of Julia.

“Drink,” I said. “This will help.”

“I’m a ghost,” she said. “I thought I was unable to eat or drink.”

 “You can feel the effects of the alcohol since you’ll be working off my energy, so drink up. I’ve pegged you as a light weight so I think two drinks will be enough.”

“But how is this supposed to help?” she asked, frowning.

“Because its job is to help,” I said.

Thank you again for joining us A.J. and the very best of luck to you (and Selene) with Affairs of the Dead.  Please come back and visit again anytime and in the meantime, we will keep up with you on your blog and other links.  

Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance E-books

Kobo

Author Links

Blog: Blog
Twitter:  @maqueripe
Goodreads: Goodreads

Welcome Guest Author, Shehanne Moore with "The Unraveling of Lady Fury"

Good Morning Shehanne and thank you for joining us!  I love the book cover for "The Unraveling of Lady Fury" and can't wait to hear all about the story that goes with it!

Dae it wi yer buits oan.

    “I don’t know. Ma always said—”

     “Ma? What is this, old wives tales now? Next you’ll be telling me that if you’d kept your boots on, or I stood on my hands in the washbasin there, it would be a boy. Ma. Excuse me, I’m getting—”

   “She was a midwife—before she was a whore,””

Firstly I want to thank Marie for asking me here today. Secondly l I swear to behave. Thirdly I want to say what a truly inspirational person Marie is. That her brother’s book is out is down to her in the first instance and I applaud that.

Okay, so...secondly? Well, secondly maybe I should substitute swear for try.  I don’t know if it possible given what I’ve just said about daeing it and buits if it is possible to fully behave. Not when the translation of these words is doing it and boots. I am sure you can guess what the oan is.  The yet too. Since my new release The Unraveling of Lady Fury centres round the heroine desperately needing to conceive an heir, it’s not hard to guess I will be looking at old wives tales. 

 Lady Fury actually has a thing about the hero’s boots ruining her lovely 

silken damask bedcover. It’s enough to make her consider reviewing her rules on being fully clothed. Had she lived in my native city, that’s the advice she would have been given re the boots. . Although she’s not bothered whether it’s a girl or a boy she has, keep ‘em on and apparently a boy results. Yes. 

How’s this from Hungary?  Having sex on the night of a quarter moon guarantees a boy. I wonder what a full moon guarantees there? A were-wolf?

Or from Greece? Eating honey guarantees a boy.

This one from nowhere in particular was probably written by a man. Seduce him.

Flint, in a bid to elevate himself to grander accommodation and get Fury to renegotiate that ten rule contract, she slaps on him, starts spouting old wives tales he could have read straight off Google. Things about getting on top to have a boy. And getting particular food to eat.  He’s starving nothing more so he makes things up on the spot. Dare she disbelieve him though? Even though she wants to.

Let’s face it; people can get really nervy about conceiving. It’s a primal thing close to the hearts of most human beings.  And they can get desperate enough to believe, to try anything.—although Fury is just desperate to get rid of Flint.  But it gave me the idea as the book progressed to have a bit of fun. How far would you go? How much would you believe?   

And actually some of his old wives tales, about lying down afterwards are common sense. So obviously the old dearies weren’t as daft as all that!

Extract:

   She held up a hand. “Before you say another word, as I know you’re going to do, I know how much you dislike me. How much you pretend. Since the feeling is mutual, I think it’s best.”

    In some corner of her soul, that wasn’t all that far, she knew this wasn’t the way to proceed and hope she would keep him, with his mile-high pride. But it was astonishing to think he believed he could do all that to her and she would still hold a candle in her heart for him. It didn’t matter he didn’t know all he’d done to her, which was maybe why he thought certain flames still burned.

  “What about you getting on top?”

   “Oh, I’ve been doing some research into that.”

  “And?”

  “And do you know—I never would have believed it—but it transpires that lying on my front is as good a way as any to conceive a boy. So long as you don’t stand up.”

Where she got this from she didn’t know. But she thanked heaven for it anyway.

  “You saying Ma was wrong?”

  “I’m not saying anything. I’m sure she was right, a knowledgeable woman like her. But, as you always used to say to me aboard the Calypso, there’s more than one way of being right.”

Blurb:

Rule One: There will be no kissing. Rule two: There will be no touching…

Widowed Lady Fury Shelton hasn’t lost everything—yet. As long as she produces the heir to the Beaumont dukedom, she just might be able to keep her position. And her secrets. But when the callously irresistible Captain James “Flint” Blackmoore sails back into her life, Lady Fury panics. She must find a way to protect herself—and her future—from the man she’d rather see rotting in hell than sleeping in her bed. If she must bed him to keep her secrets, so be it. But she doesn’t have to like it. A set of firm rules for the bedroom will ensure that nothing goes awry. Because above all else, she must stop herself from wanting the one thing that Flint can never give her. His heart.

Ex-privateer Flint Blackmoore has never been good at following the rules. Now, once again embroiled in a situation with the aptly named Lady Fury, he has no idea why he doesn’t simply do the wise thing and walk away. He knows he’s playing with fire, and that getting involved with her again is more dangerous than anything on the high seas. But he can’t understand why she’s so determined to hate him. He isn’t sure if the secret she keeps will make things harder—or easier—for him, but as the battle in the bedroom heats up, he knows at least one thing. Those silly rules of hers will have to go…

Buy links:

Amazon.com

All Romance eBooks

Barnes and Noble

Amazon.co.uk

(extracts copywrite Shehanne Moore, Etopia Press.)

Welcome Back Guest Author Milly Taiden!

We are thrilled to have our good friend, Guest Author Milly Taiden back with us again!  Milly's Latest book, Wolf Protector, sounds fabulous and today she will tell us all about it along with quite a bit about the recent Birthday-Girl-Author herself...AND her awesome Birthday Bash Blog Hop and Contest featuring fantastic prizes such as a Kindle Paper White, Swag and more!!!  But the Birthday Bash Blog Hop and Contest ends on 4/30, so don't delay...be sure to scroll down and enter today!

Take it away, Milly...

My Hobbies

A lot of people ask me when I find the time to write. I have a full time job, a family and a very demanding social life. Yes, shoe shopping can be a full time job too! When I’m not writing, working or being mommy, I am usually out with my sister. We take part in various charitable walks each year. One of my favorite is the Central Park Walk for Autism. We fundraise through the month of May and in June we do the walk. We always include our kids and family. It’s an annual event and we have been doing it for almost eight years. I’ve also taken part in the Breast Cancer fundraising. My favorites are children’s charities: March of Dimes and I’ve also done Light The Night. I LOVE to read. I am the world’s biggest book worm. My kindle has over 1500 books and I have read most more than once. I tend to stick to Erotic Romance, but have a love for the horror/suspense. You will find anything from Thomas Harris and Stephen King to Julie Garwood and Nora Roberts. Another passion is watching scary movies. I’m such a horror buff. I love watching anything scary and creepy. My all time favorite is Aliens. My other passion is as mentioned above. Shoe shopping. I am a closet shoe addict. I have bought so many shoes and don’t even wear most more than once. I have very picky feet and end up having to give some away. I don’t mind. There’s so many less fortunate that I just pass them down.

Why I love romance

My parents had a very strange marriage. They weren’t the most romantic couple, but my mom loved reading romances. I think it was her way of filling the missing romance in her life. She loved reading Harlequin presents and the other tamer romances. Once she was done with them, she’d let me read them. She knew I loved reading and I guess since I went through books like they were chocolate bars, she figured I’d read through them in no time. With each romance, I fell in love with the idea of a couple having a happy life at the end of each book. I was a very icy teen. Not very emotional outwards, but when I read a book? I would smile, laugh, cry and lived in the fantasy of the story. I felt the same way when I made up stories and wrote them down. At first, they were kid stories, but as I grew up they resembled some of those romances I read with the Alpha man and the corageous heroine. I turned into an absolute romance-a-holic. I love all things romance and one of them is romantic comedies. So I try to make my books romantic, funny and interesting. Romances have been a part of my life since I can remember. They made me smile when nothing else would and they helped me realize what I want out of my writing. 

Animal Appeal: Why I Love Shifters

The biggest reason I love shifters is because they are human but also have that wildness about them. Come on you know it’s true. The entire growling, snarling and danger is oh so sexy. I admit I may have issues, I do love me some shifters, the more dangerous the better.  I also like the fact that a shifter can be a regular human on the outside, hiding a wild beast inside. To me, that’s just hot. I like that they fight to protect their mates and their families. My werewolf shifters mate for life and are so sexy that any woman would want one. Shifters have this aura of sexy danger. It calls to the animal inside every woman. Makes us want to be bad with them. Plus, each one of us wants to know if sex really is as wild as we think. Is there biting? Is there snarling? Is there growling? LOL. In my books there is. So I make shifters my own and turn them into my fantasy come to life.

Blurb:

A woman with a secret…
The Federal Paranormal Unit is an elite squad of supernaturals dedicated to solving missing persons cases. Erica’s gift allows her a special connection with the crime, but it comes at a deep personal cost… Until now, she’s kept her gift a secret, even from the other members of the team. But this case will throw her together with Agent Trent Buchanan. He’s the object of her secret desires, but he’s also a cocky womanizer. She’d rather swim in shark-infested waters with a paper cut than admit she has feelings for him.

A man with one desire…

Wolf Shifter Trent wants Erica more than he’s ever wanted any woman. He’s spent years patiently waiting for her to admit that she wants him too. Working one-on-one in a race to find a serial killer, Trent’s patience and Erica’s resolve wear thin. When Trent discovers the truth about Erica, will he accept her for who she is? And can he protect her from the horrors that her gift brings?

A case that pushes them to the edge…
Erica will have to risk it all if she wants to stop the killer, and when she does, Trent may have to put his own life on the line to make sure his mate is protected…

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Short Excerpt:

“Brock, he’s doing it again!” Erica glared at the Casanova walking beside her, hating how good he looked in his black T-shirt and ass-hugging jeans. Trent Buchanan. He was her daily temptation and ultimate fantasy. And she’d rather wax her nipples in public than admit it to him. Butterflies swarmed her stomach, twisting and twirling her into one giant, aroused mess.

“What’s Buchanan done this time, Villa?” Brock, their team leader, asked without looking up from the papers on his desk.

“He’s staring at me.” She growled and dropped in one of the empty chairs, huffing out a breath.

Buchanan, The Bastard, as she liked to refer to his cute ass, grinned at her. His full, sexy lips caught her immediate attention. “Excuse me, I can’t help it if it’s a beautiful day, and I’m glad it’s Friday. You’re a grump, Villa.”

It was so unfair that she had to keep pushing him away when her body wanted to curl around his big frame. But if she ever did that she’d turn into another Trent groupie, and that was not her thing. She’d seen the other women in the department walk after him, ogling and almost drooling, as if he were the lead singer in a rock band. Pathetic.

Buchanan folded his arms over his massive chest. Erica’s entire body throbbed every time she looked at him. She drank in the inciting vision and argued with her lust for dominance. Disgusted with her body’s responses, she glared at him again. Her eyes strayed to the scar on his upper lip. She gulped and curled her fingers into her palms, digging her nails deep. Whenever she glanced at the tiny scar, she wanted to nibble and run her tongue over it. It was driving her insane. Thankfully he couldn’t read her mind, or he’d be having a hell of a time making fun of her tough talk.

“Villa, just look at me.” He opened his muscled arms wide and did a full circle for her. Once he was facing her again, he leaned on the wall. He winked at her. “If you didn’t have a stick the size of Texas up your ass, you’d realize what a catch I am.”

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Author Bio:
Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.

She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

Contact Milly:
Email: millytaiden@gmail.com
Website:  http://www.millytaiden.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fansofmillytaidenaprilangel

Books:

As Milly Taiden

Wolf Protector – Federal Paranormal Unit – Book 1

Wynter’s Captive

Halloween Heat III – Mate Event

Fate’s Wish

Sharp Change – Black Meadow – Book 1

Coming Soon:

Caged Heat – Black Meadow – Book 2 (New)

Fever

As April Angel:

Party Crasher

Wicked Valentine – Sizzling Encounters – Book 2

Stranded Temptation

Mr. Buff – Sizzling Encounters – Book 1

Coming Soon:

Lucky Break – Sizzling Encounters – Book 3

A Hero’s Pride

Thanks so much for joining us today, Milly.  Happy Birthday and come back and see us again soon!!!