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A Reason to Believe

Diana_Copland | October 24th, 2012

 Being haunted is a fascinating thing.

I don’t mean by a ghost, necessarily.  It could be a scene from a movie, or a section from a novel.  It could even be the lyrics of a song, or a sweet memory.  Sometimes I think we’re all haunted by something, whether it’s childhood memories or a lost love.  And in some cases, I really do believe it might just be… by a ghost.

I grew up with a healthy respect for the paranormal.  When I was a kid, we had something going on in our house. A Poltergeist, I guess you’d call it.  Things that go bump in the night.  Pictures would lift and fall off the walls but the nail would remain, things would disappear from one place and turn up someplace else later. There were whispers in empty rooms, or a whiff of cigar smoke when no one was smoking. Nothing huge or overt like having a ghost materialize, just enough that couldn’t be easily explained.

But I’m not sure I ever really understood being ‘haunted’ until a character named Matthew Bennett came to life in my head.  Matt had been whispering through my thoughts for about five years, but his voice got loud enough about two years ago that I just couldn’t ignore him any longer.

In my new novel, ‘A Reason to Believe’, Matt is a police detective who is still recovering from the tragic death of his lover, a man who was his partner in both life and his work.  He’s hanging on, functioning, but he’s haunted by what was, and what might have been.  Then he’s called out on a missing child case early on Christmas morning, and being haunted takes on a whole new meaning.  Little Abigail Reynolds appears to him and leads him down to her parent’s basement.  Thinking he’s found the child alive, he really isn’t prepared for the shock of finding her body, instead.

Writing this was both a labor of love and an occasional pain in my butt.  Matt isn’t particularly happy in the beginning, and I wanted to find the balance between his understandable sadness and the reader feeling like he needs extensive therapy.  And when he’s introduced, Matt’s unexpected and startling new love interest, psychic Kiernan Fitzpatrick, is a man brimming with life and joy and energy, but he couldn’t seem so peppy and obnoxious that Matt would want to smack him.  I found it to be a delicate dance these characters performed: Matt taciturn but attracted in spite of himself, Kiernan filled with an infectious sense of humor and an uncomplicated delight in life that pulled Matt along, even with his reservations about what Kiernan does and what he believes.  Kiernan could reintroduce Matt to love if he’d let him, but Matt is understandably hesitant to risk his heart again.

Add to that the mystery surrounding the murder of little Abby, and this was one of the most complex plots I’ve ever cooked up.  I wrote myself into corners and fought the urge to pound my head into my keyboard so many times I can’t even tell you.  Finally, my agent Saritza said, ‘stop limiting yourself with the tangible.  This is a ghost story, right? Chase the intangibles!’

I think it was the advice  that finally made ‘A Reason to Believe’ come together. Then Editor Deb Nemeth came on board, helping me trim and tighten a very long manuscript to one I believe now thrums with tension.  I’ll never be able to thank her enough.

A Reason to Believe is the result. I’ve never written anything that felt as ‘real’ to me, which is interesting considering it’s a ghost story.

But then, who said ghosts aren’t real?

So, what haunts you?

 

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“Copland’s writing is sharp, heartfelt and thoroughly entertaining.”

Bestselling Author Josh Lanyon

A Reason To Believe

Detective Matthew Bennett doesn’t believe in ghosts.

So when the spirit of a murdered child leads him to her body, he’s shaken to the core—and taken off the case. Unable to explain his vision, or to let go of the investigation, Matthew turns to renowned medium Kiernan Fitzpatrick. Though he has doubts about Kiernan’s claims to communicate with the dead, Matt is nevertheless drawn to the handsome  psychic, who awakens feelings he thought were long-buried.

Haunted by the lingering spirit of the little girl, Kiernan is compelled to aid in the search for her killer. The chance to get closer to the enigmatic Matt is an unexpected bonus. Although Kiernan’s been betrayed by people who turned out to be more interested in his fame than in himself, with Matt he’s willing to risk his heart. As the two men grow closer, Kiernan helps Matt rediscover that life offers no guarantees—but love offers a reason to believe…

 

 

Diana Copland’s first brush with writing the paranormal began when she was twelve and she combined the most overwrought elements of Jane Eyre and the television soap ‘Dark Shadows’ for a creative writing assignment. The result earned her an ‘A’, mostly, she thinks, because the teacher couldn’t believe she had the nerve to turn it in! She now lives in Spokane, Washington with her daughter and their demanding, obnoxious, incredibly spoiled cats.

You can contact Diana and read more about her writing at her webpage, Diana Copland.com, her blog, Diana on Live Journal, and her twitter, @dianacopland. She’d love to talk with you!

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Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press, Cover Art | 4 Comments »

Seth and David

LB_Gregg | October 16th, 2012

My third Men of Smithfield book released yesterday from Carina Press. Formerly titled Happy Ending, Seth and David anticipated the passing of my home state of Connecticut’s same-sex marriage law in November of 2008. I wanted to write a story for my readers that showcased the family values I’ve always appreciated–love, acceptance, strength, commitment, generosity, integrity, and forgiveness chief among them. I didn’t want to tell a story about the struggle to be accepted–that struggle continues across the country. Instead, I wanted to celebrate family in which ever form it takes. I wanted to showcase Seth’s  fragile family, David’s crazy one–and the family they could become together.

Seth Weston is a bastard. He’s been kicked around by life a bit, but he’s tough. He’s rigid, he’s opinionated, he’s secretly vulnerable, and David Cooke comes along and basically unhinges Seth. This is really a story about hope. And of course, it’s damn sexy.

I hope you enjoy Seth and David this time around as much as I enjoyed re-writing it.

Happy release day to me!
gregg_MenSmithfield_SethDavid_FINAL.indd

Here’s the blurb:

He’s everything I’ve never wanted—too young, too weird, too wild.
I wasn’t impressed that I had to get my weekly massage from a guy with a toe ring. But when I discovered David Cooke’s skills as a masseur were literally orgasmic, I couldn’t stop thinking about him and his amazing hands, day and night. Especially at night.
He’s full of surprises. And despite my bad behavior, David’s just as eager to explore this chemistry between us. Turns out, there’s a lot more to him than hemp pants and tattoos. If he’s so wrong for me, why does being with him feel so right?

L.B. Gregg writes m/m romantic comedies for fun and profit and is deliriously happy to have her Men of Smithfield books coming out bang, bang, bang, four in a row from Carina Press. You can find L.B. at her preferred social media, Facebook or follow her sporadic appearances on Twitter. Visit her website for more info.

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Posted in Carina Press | 1 Comment »

Three Top Tips for Co-writing from Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane

Heidi Belleau | August 8th, 2012

Hi, Carina blog readers! I’m Heidi Belleau. My co-writer Violetta Vane and I are the authors of the M/M urban fantasy The Druid Stone, which is out now from Carina Press. We’re often asked about how we co-write, from the nitty gritty of what programs we use through to how we settle disagreements. So here’s my top three tips for co-writing. If you’re co-writing a novel or are considering co-writing, I’m hoping this helps you get a grip on things! If you’re not a writer, I hope you enjoy this inside glimpse into the making of The Druid Stone.

1. Learn the tech

If you’re writing solo, chances are you have a preferred method of getting those words down. Maybe you like to handwrite in a notebook, then transfer to a computer. Maybe you use the classic Microsoft Word or the writer-friendly Scrivener. Maybe you prefer Write Or Die because it gives you extra motivation. Whatever choice you make, you came to that decision based on what works best for you. Co-writing is no different, except now your priorities have changed. The number-one most important feature becomes, “how do we share our work?”

For many authors, writing on Word with the “Track Changes” feature enabled is their go-to for co-writing. Write a bit, save the doc, email it to your co-writer when you’re done, and then they download it, write a bit more, save and email it back to you, rinse and repeat. Maybe one of you is responsible for a point of view each, or maybe you’ve planned things out and assigned each other chapters, and that’s how you determine when to trade off.

Violetta and I understand the appeal of that approach, but that’s not our thing. We like to write together in real-time, right down to editing each other’s sentences as we write them and finishing each other’s paragraphs. For that, we like Google Docs. In fact, we’re writing this blog post in Google Docs!

So how’s it work? We create a document that we then share. Sometimes we give beta readers access later on. Once we’ve done our pre-planning, we do a point by point breakdown of the chapter we’re working on and just start writing! The important thing is, Google Docs works for our purposes. We like to share, rather than delegate (although we do a bit of that, too), so e-mailing back and forth really doesn’t work for us. There are other programs for writing collaboratively, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Give them a try and see what works best for you!

And just as a side note, no matter what program you use initially, your eventual editors will be sending you a Word document with Track Changes on, which you can’t upload to GDocs or other collaborative services intact. So at some point, you’re going to have to work in Word (or a similar one-person-at-a-time processor). You can either email back and forth, taking pieces of the editing separately, or you can use a screensharing program, like we do. We like Teamviewer 6 (which is a bit laggy, but functional enough) or the built-in screensharing that comes with iChat if you have a Mac.

2. Communicate

I wrote a whole post on this for my individual blog, but the jist of it is this: co-writing is a creative and professional relationship. It’s taking something very personal to you (writing a book) and inviting another person into that sphere. If books are an author’s baby, then you are now co-parents. Congratulations! Now comes the hard part.

To mix my metaphor until it’s frothy, I want you to think back to… oh, every group project you ever did in school. Remember that feeling? Wondering who you were going to get paired with, wondering who was going to flake, dreading the thought that you were going to do all the work but your group members were going to get the same grade as you? Co-writing’s a little like that, except now money is involved. Luckily, unlike many school projects, you get to pick who you work with. You’re also both adults. Unluckily, adults can also be flakes or not do their fair share or be difficult to work with, even when it’s not intentional.

I can’t promise you’ll never have conflict or never pick the wrong person to co-write with, but I can give you advice to set you on the right track. Keep the lines of communication open from start to finish. Lay out your expectations. Ask questions. Talk about how you’re feeling. Set boundaries. Be open when something’s not working, but also be sure to compliment each other when something is. Co-writing comes with unique challenges, but it also comes with fantastic rewards. Being open and honest lets you make the most of both.

3. Be flexible – Conflict is good!

We create and design people from the ground up: their personalities, their appearances, their relationships. We control their every move. We may even muck about with their sex lives. Is it any wonder that authors might be a little bit… controlling? Like any artist, we often have a “vision”. We’re passionate about what we create and how. But unless you’ve hired out some kind of word-sandwich artist to write to your exact specifications, co-writing involves compromise. It involves disagreement. Sometimes passionate disagreement.

Now since you’re following tip two of this list and communicating effectively and respectively with your writing partner, you know that a clash of egos where you both go in intending to give no quarter isn’t gonna get anything written. You’re willing to hear each other out… but now what?

Did you know in an early draft of our novel The Druid Stone, the big Galway finale was meant to include a car chase? Violetta was absolutely mad about the idea. She had all these big grand plans and maps and, because she’s so very very visual, a big cinematic concept for the scene that could easily fit right into a blockbuster movie.

…And then I said no. No, that would take way too much explanation and logistics to get the car from Point A to Point B. No, have you ever seen an Irish city street. No, I just don’t think it fits the narrative as we’ve established it. Not surprisingly, she wasn’t too terribly pleased with my shutting her down, just as I haven’t been terribly pleased with her turning down my ideas. So she replied with “Well, we still need a big showpiece scene, so what do you suggest instead?” We talked it over, going back and forth on lots of different ideas, and eventually settled on the scene that’s in the final version.

Arguments and disagreements, as long as you both approach them professionally, can improve your writing. Only the strongest ideas survive. You work hard to convince the other person, and all that hard work shines through for the readers, too. A lot of the time, you come to a consensus or middle ground which is smarter and more unexpected and just plain better than what one person could come up with alone.

Sometimes you give up control. Sometimes you stand by your vision. Sometimes you fight it out until something new and brilliant emerges. Co-writing is chemistry. Sometimes your reactants just fizzle out, sometimes they explode, and sometimes they combine in that perfect way to make something really amazing (like chocolate chip cookies). It all comes down to what you’re mixing and how.

How about you? Have you ever co-written or considered co-writing? If you have, do you have other tips to share? And if you haven’t, why not? And readers, have you read any co-written novels you absolutely love? Ones under a single penname that you were surprised to hear were co-written after the fact?

About The Druid Stone

Sean never asked to be an O’Hara, and he didn’t ask to be cursed by one either.

After inheriting a hexed druid stone from his great-grandfather, Sean O’Hara starts reliving another man’s torture and death…every single night. And only one person can help.

Cormac Kelly runs a paranormal investigation business and doesn’t have time to deal with misinformed tourists like Sean. But Sean has real magic in his pocket, and even though Cormac is a descendant of legendary druids, he soon finds himself out of his depth…and not because Sean’s the first man he’s felt anything for in a long time.

The pair develop an unexpected and intensely sexual bond, but are threatened at every turn when Sean’s case attracts the unwelcome attention of the mad sidhe lords of ancient Ireland. When Sean and Cormac are thrust backward in time to Ireland’s violent history—and their own dark pasts—they must work together to escape the curse and save their fragile relationship.

The Druid Stone is available from Carina Press, Amazon, B&N and ARe. For other retailers and links to other stops on the blog tour, please visit knockmanovel.com. You can can also get in touch with Violetta and Heidi at their websites, or add us on twitter: @HeidiBelleau and @ViolettaVane.

 

Win a sterling silver Celtic triple spiral pendant!
The Celtic triple spiral is an ancient Irish symbol and an important recurring motif in The Druid Stone, and we’ve got a lovely silver version to give away to one lucky Carina reader! Leave us a comment here with your email and we’ll randomly select a winner on August 24th. We’ll contact the winner by e-mail on the day and arrange shipping to a mailing address of your choice to anywhere in North America. Bonne chance!

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Posted in Authors, Behind the Scenes, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway, Writing/Submissions Advice | 16 Comments »

Writing Blind

Hunter_Raines | July 24th, 2012

When I first came up with the premise for Sight Unseen, I stared at the one-sentence log line for a long, long time. Then, having convinced myself I could never write this book, I slid it away into a drawer. The next day, I pulled it out again and stared some more. I read it, re-read it, tried to tweak it… then slid it inside the drawer again. This went on for about a month.

Why was I so reluctant to tell this story? I was clearly excited about it. The idea kept tugging at my heartstrings, and even woke me up in the middle of the night a time or two. But the main character was blind. What did I know about being blind? Absolutely nothing. I was terrified I couldn’t do the story justice. And worse, that I couldn’t do Danny justice.

But Danny wouldn’t leave me alone. His story continued to build in my mind. I found myself thinking about him when I washed dishes, or vacuumed, or hiked in the mountains. Eventually, I had no choice but to give in. I spent months researching blindness. I read books, talked to a mobility instructor, and interviewed people who’d been blind from birth, as well as a couple who’d gradually gone blind. I even wore a blindfold around the house for an entire day. I have a scar on my leg to prove it.

When I finally started Danny’s book, I wasn’t any less scared. But armed with all the information I’d gathered, and driven by this idea that just wouldn’t leave me alone, I set to work.

I’m surprised, delighted, and amazed by the end result. Danny and Logan still haunt me, as does their story, even now, more than a year after I finished writing Sight Unseen.

I’d love to read more books featuring blind characters. Have you read any? What about books featuring main characters with another handicap? Do you typically enjoy these types of stories?

* * * * *

Daniel Van Doren was once a renowned writer, until he was blinded in the car accident that killed his lover. Now, all he sees are ghosts in need of help. They follow him everywhere, and the only way to be rid of his ethereal visitors is to help them resolve their unfinished business here on earth so their spirits can find peace.

Ghostwriter Logan Riley is assigned to pen Daniel’s biography. He plans to reveal him as a fraud, but when they meet he’s struck by Danny’s quiet sincerity—and a growing attraction. Which makes sticking close to Danny to find out the truth more than a little distracting.

When they are attacked by a violent poltergeist Logan begins to believe Danny’s not just telling the truth, he’s in grave danger. A spirit has learned how to harness the energy of the living to break through the barrier between worlds to harm Danny. And Logan may be the one to blame……

“This book had me hooked right from the first word… genuinely refreshingly different. I devoured it in one sitting.” — Ciara Ní Ghabhann – Caveat Lector

* * * * *

About the Author
Hunter Raines is the author of numerous short stories and novellas, and holds an Honors B.A. in English Literature. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found curled up in her library of more than four thousand books, or playing video games with her husband. Find her on her website, Twitter, and Facebook, or join her Yahoo Group.

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Posted in Authors, Books | 1 Comment »

Shy Guys and Giveway

Dev_Bentham | March 21st, 2012

What is it about a shy guy that’s so appealing? Maybe we empathize. Who among us hasn’t felt awkward, afraid, even terrified, in the presence of someone we’d like to impress? Maybe when we encounter shy guys, with their hemming and hawing and shuffling feet, the sweet way their eyes skitter across our face, it brings out our inner nurturer. Or perhaps we sense that shy souls are more interesting than their more gregarious counterparts.

Mark Apostopolopos, the main character in my debut novel, Moving in Rhythm, suffers from pathological shyness. It’s a serious condition and in his case, means that he has a full blown panic attack in the presence of any man he finds attractive.  Imagine that when it counts most, your heart pounds, you hyperventilate, your mind goes numb and you can’t utter a single cohesive statement. It would put a serious crimp in your love life. Click here for the blurb or to read an excerpt.

I think what makes Mark so appealing to me, is that he works hard to get his life to make sense. Although he hasn’t told his family he’s gay (he thinks, what’s the point if he can’t manage a relationship?), he knows himself. He’s afraid all the time, and yet, when it’s important, he works through his fear as best he can. He’s a nice guy living with a terrible condition. It’s almost impossible not to root for him to find love.

Comment on this blog for a chance to win a copy of Moving in Rhythm. What do you find appealing (or unappealing) about shy guys?

Buy Moving in Rhythm from Carina

Connect with Dev:

Twitter: @DevBentham

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dev-Bentham/227931843928203

Webpage: www.devbentham.com

Dev Bentham lives in Northern Wisconsin where she spends long cold winters at her kitchen table dreaming of heart-warming romance and hot, passionate love.

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Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway, Excerpt | 22 Comments »

Striker by KyAnn Waters

KyAnn_Waters | January 11th, 2012


Do you have a favorite sport? A favorite player? I do. I have a serious love for soccer…and soccer players. From MLS to our local neighborhood team, my family and I love soccer. Indoor is fast and aggressive and there is nothing better than a summer evening watching an MLS game. The crowds are loud and the excitement is addicting. And we haven’t even talked about those hard calves, long sinewy thighs, muscular arms, and corded abs. Forwards sprinting down the field, intricate footwork, scoring by the strikers and impossible saves by the keepers. Not sure what a striker, sweeper, stopper or keeper is? Here are the basics.

Striker – A team’s power scorer.

Forwards – Players who score goals – the power scorers are called Strikers

Midfielders – players between the forwards and the fullbacks

Stoppers – The stopper is good at stopping attacks. The stopper is strong and tough and helps defenders mark the opposing teams striker.

Fullbacks – defenders closest to their goal

Sweepers – Sweepers are aggressive defenders. The sweeper stops breakaways and “sweeps” the ball, clearing with long kicks.

Goalkeeper “keeper” – defends the goal

Now for the story. Hot soccer player meets up and coming sport’s writer and there is more than scoring on the field.

Blurb:

Sports writer Max Myers just discovered he lives next door to the hottest soccer player to hit the field. If he scores a coveted interview with the reclusive striker for the Denver Blaze, he could take himself from sports blogger to mainstream sports authority.

Riley Grayson has no interest in interviews or in outing his private life to the public. He wants to be known for the scoring he does on the field and not in the sack. But Max is a temptation he can’t resist. Taking a chance, Riley and Max discover they have more in common than passion for soccer and hot sex between the sheets.

Just as they begin to trust each other outside the bedroom, Max is put in a no-win situation: write an article about Riley exposing accusations of drug use, or risk destroying his own credibility. If he does, he’ll lose Riley. If he doesn’t, he’ll lose everything he’s worked hard to achieve.

Click here to read an excerpt

To Purchase Striker click here

Visit me at www.KyAnnWaters.com

on facebook at www.facebook.com/kyannwaters

or chat me up on www.groups.yahoo.com/group/eroticcravings

If you would like to win a copy of Striker, tell me about your favorite sport.

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Posted in Carina Press | 14 Comments »

Escape Velocity: Falling In Love All Over Again

Dianne Fox | January 4th, 2012

On the product page for Escape Velocity, beneath the blurb, is a short sentence in italicized type:

First published as Runaway Star, newly revised by the authors.

We first wrote Runaway Star in…probably 2006, and it was first published in January 2008. That was a long time ago, in e-publishing years. This business moves at the speed of light, bringing us new romances as fast as we can read, and we love it.

It was a long time ago in terms of character creation too. When we started talking about revising the novel, using what we’ve learned in the years since it was first written to make it better, we were both a little nervous about it.

It wasn’t the idea of putting all that work into an old manuscript that seemed daunting. No, what made us nervous was one question: Would we still love the characters?

We would be diving headfirst into another year of commitment to these characters, getting inside their heads, living their lives from the inside out, and we’d both grown and changed a lot as writers since 2006, so the question wasn’t an idle one. The most compelling reason we had to go back to the book was to share Elios and Sender with the world one more time. We had to fall in love with them all over again if we were going to write their story.

At first, we decided to read through the old manuscript independently, and we’d report back our findings—Was the old work still good enough to rework? Were the old characters still interesting?

Not a week later and we had our answer: a resounding YES. We were both excited to start, to jump in and get to work on the story. We had so many ideas, and most importantly, we still loved Elios and Sender as much as we ever had. While we gave their story new spark and excitement, we didn’t have to change a thing about our heroes.

We hope you love them too—so much that we’re giving them away to launch them back into the world again!

One commenter to this blog post will receive a copy of Escape Velocity.

And, to spread the love, another commenter will receive a copy of our previous Carina Press book, One Real Thing.

—Anah Crow & Dianne Fox

Websites: www.anahcrow.com & www.foxwrites.com
Twitter: @anahcrow & @diannefox

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Posted in Authors, Books, Contest/Giveaway | 14 Comments »

Men Under the Mistletoe – Christmas Yet To Come

Josh_Lanyon | December 7th, 2011

If you’ve already read the stories in Men Under the Mistletoe, you know that there are happy endings ahead for some lovely lads this year. But what about next year? Will the magic of Christmas last or will it melt away with the spring and the return to regular life? We thought it would be fun to take a peek at what our characters are doing come next holiday season.


Harper Fox:
It’s great to be part of Carina’s M/M holiday anthology again this year, and I loved writing my contribution, Winter Knights. My first topic for today’s blog – where will your heroes be this time next year – is an interesting one for me, because it sends me deep into “what happens after happy-ever-after” territory, and I really like that. It kills me to part with my protags at the end of a novel, and I welcome the chance of a speculative return visit! And I’ve got a little competition challenge for you too, details at the end of this post.

Gavin and Piers got their HEA after a short but very intense struggle. They’d been together for three years at the opening of Winter Knights. Gavin had created a world in his head where everything was okay in their relationship, and it took the shock of Piers breaking up with him to make him re-evaluate. So I left them at the end of the story passionately reconciled, but with a whole world of loving work to do. They were definitely just at the end of their beginning.

Christmas 2012 sees Gavin and Piers again in the snow up near Hadrian’s Wall. They won’t be staying in the dreadful backpacker’s hostel this time – no need for that; Gavin’s new theories in Arthurian folklore will be selling his latest book like hot cakes, and as for Piers, his compassionate nature and struggles with his own religious beliefs will have led him to a counselling post at a Catholic seminary. So materially they’re flourishing, and as far as their romance goes, they’re about as close as two such wildly different men can get. I reckon they’ll have spent a whole year arguing, adoring one another, having hot sex with and without the aid of love beads, and sitting up all night in ferocious debate about all those issues they kept locked up for their first three years. So they’ll have taken a room in a really nice Northumbrian hotel, and I’m not at all sure I’d want the room next door.

This year they’re doing the full romantic thing, and it’s Piers who’s fearlessly booked the double room and given stare for bold stare to the desk clerk who might have liked to make something of it. (You’d think there’d be no need in this day and age, but sadly around here you’d still get the odd surprise.) It’s an important anniversary for him and Gav. They’re getting everything right they got wrong before, and Gavin is on a pilgrimage. Last year at this time something extraordinary happened to him up here among these hills. He found out the benefits of having a man of faith as a partner when Piers believed unquestioningly in him, but all through this past year he’s thought about his encounter with the ghosts of Hallow Hill. And Piers has suggested that they walk up onto Sewingshields Crag late at night on Christmas Eve, just to see what will happen.

Nothing does, of course. They’re a bit shamefaced, wandering about through the snowdrifts, looking for an entrance into a magical cavern in the earth. But at least they’re together this time, and properly equipped with food and a nice hipflask. They find a sheltered spot among the rocks and one thing leads to another, as it generally does with these two extended honeymooners. They curl up together and talk for hours, about everything they’ve been through, Gavin’s fears about a recurrence of illness, the prospect of maybe one day adopting a kid. It’s a magical night, but only in a very earthly, human way, and Gavin is certain that the double set of hoof prints he sees freshly made in the snow on the way back to their hotel is probably only a pair of riders out to enjoy the Christmas dawn. Probably…

So, about this competition! Gavin didn’t do too well with his Christmas gift to Piers in Winter Knights. An engagement ring and a sex toy sent mixed messages, I would say. Do you reckon he did any better the year after? What do you think the long-suffering, lovely Piers should get in 2012? It would be my pleasure to send an ebook from my backlist – Life After Joe, Driftwood, The Salisbury Key, Nine Lights Over Edinburgh, Last Line, A Midwinter Prince or Winter Knights – to anyone who comes up with the best idea, and these will be judged on… er… the one I like best. Whichever makes me smile most, or touches me, or makes me snort with laughter. Further, I faithfully promise that if I ever write a sequel to Winter Knights, and I’d love to do it, I will include your suggestion!

I’m sure you’ll love reading about what the guys from Josh, Ava and KA’s books will be up to this time next year, so check out our other great Men Under The Mistletoe holiday anthology blogs, and all the best for a wonderful festive season to you all.

KA Mitchell:

“A Really Late Epiphany”

A cup of Kona coffee steamed on the table on the balcony, the rising sun turned the waves into a million diamonds, and Bryce’s arms slid around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder. It was a perfect morning. Beautiful. My schedule for the day consisted of tanning, brunch, a surfing lesson and a Catamaran cruise. And my stomach had more knots than a third grader’s attempt at a macramé snowman because it was so horribly wrong it was for December twenty-third.

“So. Your first Christmas off. What do you think?” Bryce stepped away, slurping his own coffee.

A year ago, I would have sworn I’d give anything to find myself somewhere but the tiny Pennsylvania valley that held my family’s tree farm. In fact, last year I’d had my whole escape to St. Thomas planned out. But I couldn’t seem to get in the spirit of Mele Kalikimaka, despite the battery operated Christmas lights Bryce had hung on the headboard in our suite at the Kahala Resort. It was just wrong.

I turned away from the sparkling ocean and sand, thinking of the frozen slush I’d be facing at home and pasted on a smile. “It’s amazing. Thank you.”

Bryce smiled back, then stared like he was reading the thought bubble he always claimed popped up over my head. He sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll call the airline and get us a flight back. You realize we’ll probably end up snowed in in Chicago.”

“I love you, too.”


Josh Lanyon:
When we last left Web and Mitch in Lone Star, Mitch had a decision to make regarding the guest artist role with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. Web isn’t sure they can survive a long distance relationship. It’s never an easy situation, and to compound matters, Mitch is both highly ambitious and at the peak of his career. It’s a lot to ask someone to give up everything they’ve worked for.

Mitch admits he’s not sure a long distance relationship is a great idea either, but he badly wants the role of the Swan in Bourne’s Swan Lake. In any case, he can’t just up and quit, he has a contract with American Ballet Theater and he doesn’t want to jeopardize his entire future in ballet — nor does Web want him to. They’re both trying to be very logical but, having lost ten years, the idea of further separation is excruciating. They go back and forth, but in the end Mitch decides to take the guest artist role in Canada and he flies back to New York on New Year’s Day.

But this time it’s different. They’re not boys, they’re men and they’ve both learned the hard way that a healthy relationship takes work. Work as in patience, understanding, and commitment. They talk every night on the phone, no matter how late. And when spring comes and Mitch is dancing with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Web takes his vacation and spends his two weeks in Montreal.

By the time December rolls around again, Mitch has packed up his New York brownstone, and negotiated his way out of his ABT contract. He’s agreed to act as lead instructor and liaison for the summer training course held by ABT in conjunction with the University of Texas in Austin. And he’s joined Austin Ballet Company as a principle dancer. He dances in the Nutcracker all season to great acclaim and sold out audiences. There’s something to be said for being a big fish in a little pond.

Meanwhile Web has moved out of the family homestead and into the Evans’ ranch and when he’s not working, he’s overseeing the renovations he and Mitchell have planned which include a dance studio for Mitch.

There are no performances scheduled on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Mitch and Web spend Christmas Eve with Web’s folks, but Christmas Day is spent together on their own. They sleep late, have breakfast in bed, sleep some more, and then finally **open presents beside their first Christmas tree. Later they prepare their Christmas feast together and both eat until they’re ready to explode. In the evening they take a long walk beneath the frosty bright stars, and when the wind rustles the brush, Web reminds Mitchell about the reindeer he thought he saw the previous year. Their laughter turns to kisses and they return to the house, holding hands and still smiling.

(**In the comment section tell me what presents Mitch and Web gave each other Christmas morning, and whoever I pick as coming up with my absolute favorite choice may pick any ebook from my backlist.)

Ava March:

With My True Love Gave to Me, it feels rather odd to think of a Christmas yet-to-come. Thomas and Alexander’s next Christmas is almost two hundred years ago, but to them, 1823 is ‘next Christmas’. Since it’s the past for us, I can tell you exactly how they spent their holiday as it’s already happened (the space-time continuum aside, I can also impart this little bit of info because, well, I’m their author and therefore their next Christmas went exactly how I say it went…or will go, depending on how you look at it).

Last Christmas, Thomas replaced Alexander’s dark memories of the holidays with a new one filled with hope and love. And next Christmas Eve, they go back to the place where the pain and heartbreak began, back to Alexander’s father’s hunting lodge in the country. A night together, a morning together, and a simple Christmas dinner. Just the two of them. And Christmas becomes Alexander’s favorite time of year.

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Posted in Authors, Behind the Scenes, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 18 Comments »

The Visions of Sugar Plums Cookie Exchange

Josh_Lanyon | December 7th, 2011

Hello there!

K.A, Harper, Ava, and Josh here. We wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season. Of course we’re staking out Carina real estate today to promote the Men Under the Mistletoe anthology, but since the season is already ringing with sales calls and marketing messages, we thought maybe we’d take this opportunity simply to say thank you to all of you who’ve bought the book or plan to, or even just popped by the blog out of curiosity.

To that end, we’re sharing our favorite holiday cookie recipes, and if you’d like to chime in with your own favorite holiday cookie recipe, we’ll put your name in the Santa hat for a $20 gift certificate to Stahl’s Famous Original Bakery. Remember to leave your recipe in the comment section before Midnight EST on December 8th.
Harper’s Favourite Holiday Cookie Recipe – Yule Log Cinnamon and Orange Crisps

Well, here it is, and I can tell you it’s Harper’s favourite because she never makes it herself. That would spoil it – for Harper and for everyone else, but in the hands of the talented SO it’s divine, and she’s kindly agreed to share the recipe. She assures me it’s so easy that even my Winter Knights Gavin could learn it as part of his campaign to fatten up his lean and hungry Piers. And it’s clever and Christmassey because you roll the dough into a log before slicing it up to make about cookies! The cinnamon is warming and the orange zesty and fresh.

So, here we go. This makes about 30.

You need:-

225g/8oz butter, softened
200g/7oz caster sugar
grated rind of one orange
4 tsps orange juice
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
280g/10 oz plain flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 baking sheets
Roll of baking parchment

And this is how you do it:

Put the butter, 140g/5 oz of the sugar and the orange rind into a bowl and mix well, then beat in the egg yolk and tsps of the orange juice. Sift the flour and salt into the mixture, then add the rest of the sugar and stir that in too. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for half an hour to an hour. (You can use this valuable time to reflect on your culinary genius. I’d be in awe of myself for getting this far.)

Roll out the dough between the sheets of baking parchment into a 12-inch-ish square. Brush with the rest of the orange juice and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Give it all a light roll with a rolling pin and roll up the dough like a Swiss roll. Now it’s back in the clingfilm, I’m afraid – the roll, not you – and you fridge it for another half hour.

Fire up your oven to 190C, 375F or Gas Mark 5. Line your two baking sheets with baking parchment. Now (this is the fun part) get a good sharp knife and cut your roll into thin slices. You’re getting about 30 out of the roll so they should be fairly skinny, to make little crispy biccies rather than wodges.  Put them on the baking sheets, spacing them well apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Leave to cool on the sheets for 10 mins more, then use a palette knife to transfer them onto wire racks to cool completely. Well, actually, I recommend snitching a couple while they’re still warm, if you don’t mind getting your hands slapped by the cook.

Happy holidays, and enjoy! I’d be delighted to hear about any favourite festive cookies you like to bake, buy or steal around this time of year, so do leave a comment and tell me all about them.

Ava’s No Muss, No Fuss, No Baking Holiday Mints

There are those who are blessed with talent in the kitchen and those that are not. I fall into the latter group. About a month ago, I would have said my favorite holiday cookie recipe involved a box of Pillsbury cookies, the ones available in the refrigerator section of the grocery store and that only involve opening the package, turning the oven on and popping them in. They come in Santa, reindeer or tree varieties. But after a little incident involving charred-to-the-point-of-smoking jack-o-lantern Halloween cookies and a burnt cookie pan, my favorite holiday yummies recipe no longer involve an oven.

Holiday Mints:
1 tsp peppermint
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup butter
½ tsp salt
Green and red food coloring

Mix corn syrup, butter, peppermint, salt and sugar until smooth. Divide into thirds. Knead 1 drop of red or green food coloring into each third. Shape into small balls. Flatten on waxed paper. Let dry several hours. Then enjoy the minty, no-risk-of-charring goodness.

Josh’s Instant-Family-Tradition Rugelach (Filled Cream Cheese Cookies)

Confession time. I’ve never tried this recipe, although this might be the year. Usually I’m rushing from deadline to deadline and Toll House chocolate chip cookies are as exotic as I get. But my Irish granny used to bake these every holiday season. She believed the recipe was Italian, but it turns out Rugelach has Jewish Ashkenazic (Polish) origins. The name means “little twists.”

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 ounces chilled cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons cherry preserves
8 tablespoons dried tart cherries
8 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
8 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup (about) whipping cream

Preparation For dough:
Blend first 3 ingredients in processor. Add butter and cream cheese and cut in using on/off turns until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

For filling:
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 9-inch round. Spread 3 tablespoons cherry preserves over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dried cherries, then 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons walnuts. Press filling firmly to adhere to dough.

Cut dough round into 8 equal wedges. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up tightly. Arrange cookies, tip side down, on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart and bending slightly to form crescents. Repeat 3 more times with remaining dough disks, preserves, dried cherries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar and walnuts. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush cookies lightly with whipping cream. Bake frozen cookies until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.)

Makes about 32 cookies
Helpful hint: Freezing the rugelach before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape.

K.A.’s Chocolatey, Christmas Crumble

Though neither Mel nor Bryce is particularly useful in a kitchen, this has become a holiday favorite at my house.

**Note from Josh** If this recipe is half as good as K.A. closely guarded ginger snap recipe, these will be a surefire hit at any holiday gathering!

CRUST

1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 TBS sugar
6 TBS unsalted butter melted

Heat oven to 350.  Combine ingredients and press into a buttered  9″ glass
pie pan. Bake about 5 min.  Cool on rack.  Maintain oven temp.

(You know, they sell those already made at the grocery store, too. Just saying. Chocolate crumb crusts, too.)
FUDGE LAYER

6 TBS flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c unsalted butter (cut in pieces)
4 oz  semisweet choc. chopped
1 oz unsweetened choc. chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 lg egg
1 lg egg yolk
1 tps vanilla extract

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.  Combine butter and
chocolates in a double boiler and stir until melted and smooth.  Cool
slightly.  Using an electric mixer beat sugar, egg and egg yolk in a
medium bowl until slightly thickened.  Add vanilla and cooled chocolate
mixture and mix until well blended.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just
combined.  Pour into crust and bake until almost set ( about 17 min.)  Cool
on rack for 10 min.

(Yes, you can totally lick the bowl. In fact, have a few spoonfuls. There’s plenty.)

Cut up about 8 1/2 oz Snickers bars and place on fudge layer. (Hey, go ahead and press them in a little so you can jam on a few more.)

CREAM CHEESE LAYER

10 oz cream cheese, room temp.
1/3 c sugar
1 lg egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

With an electric mixer, combine cheese and sugar, add egg and vanilla and
beat until smooth.  Spread mixture over Snickers and bake for about 15
min. or until set.  Cool on rack.

(If you’re not getting a little queasy by now, you’re not sampling enough. Go back in there and lick the beaters.)

Melt 2 oz milk chocolate and 2 TBS whipping cream to drizzle on top.  Ref.
and serve chilled.

(Or, develop firm biceps just by doing curls with the pie as a free weight. Can also be eaten directly out of the pie pan. Just pass out forks.)

Thanks again, everyone! And enjoy!

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Posted in Authors, Books, Carina Press, Contest/Giveaway | 41 Comments »

The Girl Who Loves Wish Lists

Tara Stevens | November 28th, 2011

by Tara Stevens, Carina Press acquisitions team

With Christmas upon us and a good chunk of my shopping for other people done, I finally have time to revel in a recent addiction of mine: wish lists. I don’t know about you, but with so many fabulous books popping up every day all over creation, it’s hard to keep track of everything I want to devour in words.

Wish lists were probably invented by a Virgo, but sometimes Virgos invent useful things, especially if they’re also geeks. Having your heart’s desires at the ready is especially handy when your parents or partner want a gift idea that doesn’t involve stone-cold cash or a frying pan. I mean, they may know you’re generally a literary type who likes losing herself in other people’s stories, but they don’t necessarily know what particular book you’re craving at the moment. So why not help them (and yourself) out?

Besides being the more prepared way to go, I also think wish lists are a more polite approach to consumerism. (Maybe they were invented by a Canadian Virgo?) In light of recent “competitive shopping” incidents involving pepper spray south of the border, taking the civilized route not only nets you better karma (important at this time of year), but also increases your chances of actually getting what you want without landing yourself in prison.

The good and bad thing about wish lists (specifically book-related ones) is that they can be constantly updated and have the tendency to grow wildly out of control (like your bevvy consumption in December after one too many holiday parties).

Another neat thing about wish lists is that they’re so easy to set up online. With the advent of the interwebs, you just browse, pick and click to your heart’s content. The best part is that you can share your consumerist longings with those closest to you with a few taps on your keyboard. In my experience, you’ll quickly find out that some people know how to follow directions (i.e., keep you happy), while others don’t like being told what to do and go rogue with the nearest catalogue.

While most of my wish list this Christmas is populated by actual books (Blue Nights by Joan Didion, Then Again by Diane Keaton, The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, anything I haven’t gobbled up by Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb), there are some other book-related things I also covet.

As part of the Carina Press acquisitions team, I’d love to see more male/male and witty contemporary romance submissions in my stocking this year. It would also be cool to get more connected editorial in 2012, so that when I find a story or character I love, I know there’s more guaranteed awesome to be had in the same vein coming my way soon.

But enough about me and what I want. What’s on your Christmas wish list (books or otherwise) this year?

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Posted in Books, Carina Press, Random conversation, submissions | 17 Comments »

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