Tiana Laveen - Hot, Seductive Romance

 I am happy to welcome Tiana Laveen to the Writer's Blog who writes hot romance centered on provocative themes and it appears her two latest works are no exception. Meet the author and discover her talent for delivering heart pounding, seduction.

                                 About the Author

Tiana Laveen was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and now resides in Kentucky with her husband and two children. She enjoys a fulfilling and enriching life that includes writing books, drawing, painting, listening to music, cooking, and spending time with friends. Tiana Laveen is a uniquely creative and innovative author whose romance fiction is geared towards those who not only want to temporarily escape from the daily routines of life, but also delve into social taboo as it pertains to interracial relationships. Tiana creates a painting with words as she guides her reader into the lives of each and every main character. Her first book series entitled "Cross Climax" tackles interracial dating, marriage, and sexual relationships head on without any false bravado. "Cross Climax I" and "Cross Climax II" allow the reader to dive headfirst into short stories that are packed with seduction, romance, and heart-pounding punch. The two novels in conjunction lead to a surprising, but fulfilling conclusion. Her third novel, "The Slave Master’s Son," transports readers back to a time and place where interracial relationships were not accepted by the dominant society. The novel delivers a scintillating, historical account of one family’s struggles to deal with love, lust, and consequences. Her fourth novel, "The Naughty Sins of a Saint," tells the story of Dr. Saint Aknaten, a sex therapist and public speaker who preaches his controversial philosophy – that all non-Black men should pursue Black women. Along the way he finally meets his “queen.” All is good until those threatened by his ideologies take action to permanently stop him. Saint must confront both personal secrets and his nemeses if he is ever to live peacefully. If you wish to contact Tiana Laveen, please contact her at www.facebook.com/tianalaveen.

NOVEL: THE NAUGHTY SINS OF A SAINT
WARNING – This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable.
Dr. Saint Aknaten is anything but ordinary. From his unique ethnic makeup, the product of a North Korean mother and Egyptian father, to his career as a sex therapist and public speaker, his life is filled with excitement, tragedy, oddities, and lust-filled company. He hails from New York City, but his influence doesn’t stop there. Saint is internationally known. Toggling between holistic ideologies and gritty X-rated teachings, he captures male audiences everywhere as he preaches his controversial, racially driven philosophy – that all non-Black men should pursue Black women. Regardless of his magnetic ability to attract droves of women wherever he steps foot, Saint is desperately on the hunt for just one whom he has pet-named his “goddess.” His search comes to an unanticipated end as he conducts an interview with the outspoken and beautiful radio personality, Xenia Donnellson, an air-waves sensation from Los Angeles. Making Xenia see things his way becomes a challenge that he is more than willing to accept. Xenia succumbs to the hypnotic charms of Saint’s addictive essence, but not without invisible nemeses hanging in the wind, waiting for a chance to strike. Saint will do anything and everything to protect his “queen” including confronting his suppressed fear that he possesses unwanted psychic abilities. Can Saint overcome all and finally obtain the peace he has long sought after? Only time will tell.

NOVEL: WHEN SAINT GOES MARCHING IN (sequel to "The Naughty Sins of a Saint")

WARNING – This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable.
It is six years later and Saint and Xenia have two beautiful sons and are enjoying their lives in sunny California. Having started a new leg of his career, Saint takes on innovative responsibilities, relishing the excitement of his job—from wealthy Rainbeau men hiring him for sexual assistance with their wives, to planning to snare a prolific, insane, and hate-filled killer on the loose. Still doing conferences, Saint is distracted by recent harassment and tortures that target Rainbeau men and their spouses in a small town in Missouri. Asked by the White Knights of the Round Table to assist in the troubling case, Saint uses his mental agility and psychic abilities to help capture the man responsible and bring him to justice. Just when he thinks the drama is over, another predicament arises in the form of Saint’s sultry ex-girlfriend who has an axe to grind. She is a blast from his past but she won’t disappear without wreaking havoc. As their lives unfold, revenge is served to Saint in a manner that is of nightmarish proportions, demolishing his personal life irreparably. Saint is forced into a new life that becomes an emotional roller coaster as he chases a serial killer while simultaneously trying to regain the love and trust of his soulmate. Will Saint be able to outsmart a sociopath? Will Xenia and Saint survive this true test of their union? March with Saint and come find out.

Find this author and her books on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/Tiana-Laveen/e/B004KIKI2I/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

Authors Guide to Self Publishing, Guest Blog By Dawn Binkley

Reading between the Lines: How to submit a story.

Included is a message for those of you that are considering self-Publishing.

Hello, I am Dawn Binkley, owner and Executive Editor of Hellfire Publishing. I am also a writer, so I can provide you with a unique perspective from both sides.

We have changed from being open to submissions to not accepting unsolicited subs. However the following advice is pretty much the same for most independent Publishers. 

I thought this would be a good time to talk about how to submit a story to a publisher and what that means. This will be in two parts and I hope this helps you know what a publisher wants. Below are our previous guidelines and then under each section I will break it down to what it means for you, the struggling writer.

Note: Hellfire Publishing is not accepting unsolicited Submissions. This is just a template to help you.

Hellfire Publishing’s previous Submission Guidelines
Formatting Requirements Please make sure that your manuscript is traditional print size, double or 1.5 spaced, 12pt, Times New Roman and that each page has a header, except the first.
Example of a great slugline: Smith/HellDay/2
The first page MUST contain all of your contact information, EXACT GENRE, completed manuscript word count and whether or not this is a simultaneous sub. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but you must let us know immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere while we are reading it. Also, please include a website, blog or Facebook address.

Between the lines: The above guideline is very loaded. If you didn’t place in a header or the genre on the top of your manuscript, would the publisher really hold that against you? Yes and no, everything has to do with time crunch. The above guidelines are an absolute in our manuscripts, so if you don’t do it we have to. So if two people turn in a manuscript, that are close in caliber and we are torn between the two, guess what!  WE WILL PICK THE ONE WITH THE PROPER HEADING!

Side note: Personally I wouldn’t take the chance of sending in work to a publisher that didn’t meet their guidelines exactly, because you don’t know who is reading your manuscript and what kind of day they are having. So, it is best to follow the guidelines to give your manuscript the best chance.

I like to anticipate your questions and I imagine that you’re wondering why a staff member would read a story, if they were busy or in bad mood. Well, because it’s their job so they have to read every manuscript that comes in whether they feel like it or not.

Slush readers, acquisitions and executive editors have one agenda on their mind and one agenda only, and that is the good of the company and what their particular publisher is looking for in that exact moment. Publishing is a hard, fast paced world where when something is hot you have to strike at the moment. So in the case that there are ten manuscripts that fit perfectly for what the pub needs, but they only need one, someone will take over. In our case, the executive editor goes through and does the process of eliminations starting with what submission rules have been broken.

Acceptable manuscript word count ranges from 3,000 up to 70,000. If you come close, either over or under, please inquire.

Between the lines: This we mean, exactly. Please ask first. If you don’t, there is 90% chance you will be told no.

#1 When you have your story perfected to the best of your ability, send it as a virus-free attachment in an e-mail.

Between the lines: Perfected is the key word here. We mean that!

#2 A query introducing yourself, your story plot, and any accomplishments. If you have not been published, let us know that, too.

Between the lines: This is my favorite part, because I don’t just take stories, I take the writers as well. Some work has been so outstanding I have overlooked the lack of query, but I sure do like to see it.

#3 A synopses of at least two pages, single-spaced. (Not required for less than 10,000 words)
Between the lines: The synopsis had better be there if it’s over 10,000 words or you can just forget it! If writing a synopsis, makes you want to put on a pretty dress, swallow a bottle of pills and lay on your bed with a note pinned to your chest, here is a link that helped me write my first one http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml

Note: All attachments must be a word document or an RTF. No PDF, please.

This gets down to simple instructions, if you can’t follow simple instructions. What kind of time will we have to put into you to explain things? We would rather spend time working with you on editing your manuscript and your PR campaign. 

I am a writer, that struggled, so you probably wonder how I could be so cold and calculating when it comes to rejecting writers that worked so hard—so easily. First, it’s never easy, we won’t talk about my manic ritual when I have to send out no’s. Some HP staff members, (I won’t mention Jen by name, lol) won’t even do it. So I am on my own when it comes to the rejection letters. But as an author, I understand that a writer has a job to do. You don’t accept employment at McDonalds and expect your manger to do parts of your job for you. Editors and Publishing staff are very busy and don’t have time to do the writers job. Would you honestly turn to your boss at Mickey D’s and say, “but I am an artist and without me to flip your burgers your company would fail?” *Dawn snickers* I don’t think so, but yet I hear it all the time.

To those of you that have opted to self-publish, I of course being a publisher don’t necessarily agree with it. But I respect how tough it is to make the decision to do it on your own. My advice to the self-pubbers is, please don’t forget you are just that, a publisher. It is imperative that you see that your work is edited, copy edited and proof read by a fresh pair of eyes. And of course write the best story that you can. You may not be trying to win the affection of a publisher, but you have the daunting and wonderful task of winning over the reader. So give them the best that you have to offer.

FAQ’s

It’s imperative that you look for FAQ’s on any publisher website, this is very personal to the publisher and lets you know what it is they require or might be looking  for, exactly. This is also helpful to the writer to better understand, what will happen to them after they are published with this particular publisher.

Q- How long will I have to wait for a response? Answer – One to six months.

Between the lines: It closer to 6 months and don’t bother us before then! We are busy enough without having to answer queries. The snotty or threatening inquires go directly to the slush pile. This sounds harsh but we are busy and we have the horrible sleep depriving task of determining whose dreams come true and whose doesn’t. And we need time to think, not more added pressure.

Q- What are the terms of the contract? Answer - Our contract is for three years. It requires full rights (digital and print) and is negotiable. We pay royalties of 40% of the cover price sold through Smashwords only and 35% of the cover price on single-author E-books sold through all other third-party vendors. We also pay 10% of the cover price on single-author print books.

Between the lines: We ask that you read your contract over thoroughly, we work hard to have a smooth environment and nothing is more frustrating than somebody that agreed to something and didn’t realize it and then have a fit after the fact. So please, please read your contract and it is partially negotiable at almost every house I know of. But only before it’s signed.

Q- How soon after I sign a contract will my book be released? Answer - Release dates are dependent upon a number of factors. Availability of editors, the extent of manuscript editing required, and the publishing schedule for other books in the same genre or by the same author. After our Grand Opening, Hellfire Publishing will make every effort to release accepted work within three to six months.

Between the lines: Pay close attention to words like, factors and effort, these are vague words, and the publisher has to use them. Because writers hold their publishers true to their promises and they should. So in cases that the publisher can’t make a promise they will use those words and of course there is the dreaded ‘subject to change’.
Q- Do I need an agent to submit? Answer - No. There is nothing wrong with having an agent, but we don’t require one.

Between the lines: What ‘I” said.

Q- May I send several submissions, at the same time? Answer- No. One at a time, please.

Between the lines: This goes back to the simple instructions. But I have over looked this one on several occasions especially when someone has a complete series done. But again you should ask permission before bending the rules otherwise the publisher will wonder what other rules you might bend.

Q- Does the book need to be print ready? Answer – It depends what you mean. Should your book be error free to the best of your ability? Yes. Should your book be ready to be sold when you send it? No, our editors will take care of that kind of editing. Any changes that need to be made would then be diverted to you.

Between the lines: This is pretty clear. But be careful—we are a stickler for the polished book, as is any good publisher.

Q- Does the erotica need to be about humans? Answer – As per our guidelines, sexual activity must be between two human beings, vampires, shifters, werewolves in human form or zombies.

Between the lines: Don’t be gross, we don’t like gross! Unless it’s zombies feeding on the bones of a virgin. That we like J

Q- My manuscript is unfinished/unpolished. May I send it anyway? Answer- If we have a prior relationship, you can feel free to mention anything that you are working on. But, no, we would never accept unfinished, unpolished work from anyone.

Between the lines: Don’t you dare send unedited work!
Q- Do you accept work that is being read by other publishers? Answer- Yes, just keep us abreast of what is going on.

Between the lines: Yes, we highly suggest this.

Q- If Hellfire Publishing accepts my manuscript; will it be published as a print book, as well as an e-book? Answer - If your manuscript is greater than 40,000 words, is part of a series of smaller novellas/short stories, the answer is probably. Approximately three months after its release as an e-book.

Between the lines: This is true, but pay attention to the word count.

Q- Do I have to send at least a two-page synopsis with a short story? Answer- Over 10,000 words, Yes.

Between the lines: As mentioned prior, yes you have to send in a synopsis along with the completed manuscript.

Q - I don't have a synopsis. May I send an excerpt instead? Answer- No. We need to know if your story has the elements we are looking for before we venture into your entire manuscript. A synopsis gives us that information.

Between the lines: Dear God, yes please. We need to know before we read an entire manuscript if the novel is not going to reach our readers desired end.

Q- I previously submitted my manuscript to Hellfire Publishing and it was rejected. May I resubmit it? Answer- We probably sent you a letter explaining the reason for the rejection. If you were able to fix the problems, then yes you may resubmit it.

Between the lines: What I said was correct—but—only if we did send you a letter stating how to correct it.

Q- How will you promote my books? Answer – Since we are a small company, getting the word out will be a creative, cooperative effort between author and publisher.

Between the lines: What this means is that every bit helps and when it comes to marketing a book, it’s like the old adage of, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, well it takes everybody you know day and night reminding others that you have a book for sale.

There is an unwritten code of conduct and ethics that writers used to go by and still should. But that is another blog, so for now, I will leave you with this…follow each publisher’s guidelines to the letter and most importantly write a great story and your name will be in lights before you know it. However, these guidelines are not just for new or unpublished writers; these guidelines apply to everyone that submits to a publisher.

I hope this advice will help you on your path to a long and happy career in writing.

Sincerely,

Dawn Binkley

Executive Editor

Hellfire Publishing

www.hellfirepublishing.com

Also known as:

Keira Kroft

www.keirakroft.blogspot.com

Dark Paranormal Romance from Karli Rush

Karli Rush is a new and upcoming Dark Paranormal Romance author. Please welcome her to the Writers' Blog and comments are always welcome!

Her first book and series is entitled Crescent Bound.  In Crescent Bound the protagonist, Alyssa, came to Karli with the teasing memories of a dream.  Alyssa is a witch and in her dream a witch is connected deeply with mother earth, so much so that each witch has an affinity to an element, earth, air, water, fire.  Karli let her imagination soar as the secret world of witches was born.  Karli weaved the world of witches and mundane humans together with realism that makes you look around your own world for signs of it.

With a modern day setting for the world of Crescent Bound Karli brings aspects to bear that you would not expect in a world of witches.  Drag racing is a focal point to the story and Karli brings this off without a hitch.  She continues her love of cars throughout the first three books.  

The characters of Crescent Bound are strong, entertaining, lovable, and Karli puts you directly in Alyssa's mind as you experience everything as it happens.  From the quirky random thoughts about life to emotions she has yet to understand fully.  The story of a young witch discovering herself and love is remarkable in its own right but then she takes you deeper into the dark side of the paranormal.  Gripping, heart-pounding, fun and enjoyable, Crescent Bound is a must read.

Karli is Cherokee and lives in the heart of Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.  Her love for nature is a driving force behind aspects of her writing along with her experience and connection to the paranormal.  Karli currently has Crescent Bound (book one) and Raven Bound (book two) published on Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and many other ebook retailers.  Book three, Demon Bound will be out around Halloween this year with Shadow Bound due hopefully by Christmas and then the final addition to this series is Ice Bound which is book one told by the point of view of the leading man, Marc.  The final book twists and turns within the story of Crescent Bound but brings a different perspective and new aspects of the story not seen in Crescent Bound that it is a fitting last book for the series.

Karli is currently working on a new series that she may preempt book three in the Crescent Bound series with the release of Pine Needles sometime in September.  This near future novel brings to life a completely unique and terrifying world where a mysterious Veil rips a city in two.  One half suffers the devastation of an earthquake while the other is thrust into another Realm, one filled with deadly being, plants and creatures.  Standing on one side of the veil is Rayden, he is safe and unharmed by the giant earthquake.  He stares at his love and fiance, Selene who is trapped inside the veil and running for her life.  She begins a fantastic and horrific journey of survival, discovery and understanding.  Selene will show you what it takes to discover who she is and that life is more than just surviving.

I hope each of you takes the opportunity to help Karli grow and share in her world of Paranormal Romance.

Special note these are best suited for 18+ readers.

Contact Karli: crescentbound@yahoo.com

Author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/karli.rush1

Crescent Bound Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crescent-Bound/248279951917028

Website: http://www.crescentbound.wix.com/karli-rush#!home/mainPage

Smashwords site: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KarliRush

Hoping you enjoy a good read real soon!

A Close Look at Gary Starta's Demon Inhibitions | Target Audience Magazine

A Close Look at Gary Starta's Demon Inhibitions | Target Audience Magazine

A Close Look at Gary Starta’s Demon Inhibitions

by Target Audience Magazine on July 6, 2012 with 0 Comments in Book Reviews

“A mix of sci fi, paranormal suspense, urban fantasy, mystery and romance, “Demon Inhibitions” takes the Caitlin Diggs series in a new direction with first person narrative.” -Gary Starta, author

From the Inside Flap:
Chasing a soul stealer in her reality, psychic investigator Caitlin Diggs inadvertently travels through a portal to another reality and witnesses her fugitive kill her alternate self in “Demon Inhibitions.” Assuming her alternate’s life as an agent of the FBI’s Preternatural Crime Division, Diggs believes… her position might help her capture the soul stealer until she finds he may be part of a sinister terrorist plot to keep humans and demons living in segregation. A girl, whose singing inhibits the evil urges of demons, is on the terrorist’s hit list and Diggs will ultimately learn her fugitive is neither supernatural nor demon, but a genetically engineered hit man incapable of being enthralled.
I thought I’d list what Amazon has listed on “Demon Inhibitions” in case you’re not familiar with Starta’s Caitlin Diggs Series. I’ve been a fan of Caitlin Diggs’ intelligent, spiritual and compelling, kick-ass style since I started reading the series (which includes “Blood Web,” published in 2007).
Plus, being a fan of the television series “Fringe” with its FBI agent Olivia Dunham and co-workers who, on some episodes travel to a parallel universe, I was super eager to see what Starta did with his character, FBI agent Caitlin Diggs, when she traveled to a parallel universe.
Well, I certainly wasn’t disappointed, as it’s one step beyond the “Fringe” episodes, in my opinion, as the characters aren’t as similar to their counterparts in the other dimension that Starta created. For instance, in the protagonist Caitlin’s universe, Celeste is her domestic cat, who happens to be attuned to protecting Caitlin; whereas, in the other universe, Celeste is Bastet who is able to morph into a big, non-domestic cat, who actually attacks Caitlin at their first meeting.
Also, Starta has done a great job of showing different values in his alternate universes. For instance, in the universe the original Caitlin we’re introduced to is not from, about six out of 10 beings is a demon.
Demons are classified as vamps, lycanthropes, incubi, goblins, etc. and most of them mind their own business, without causing harm to others. So, full-blooded humans are certainly the minority there, and therefore so are their values to some degree.
Aside from interesting plot lines, there is the attention to detail in his descriptions that Starta always manages to bring to the plate—even in a fictional world, and I can’t help thinking that this may spring from his having been a journalist at one point. It probably also aids in his writing of believable, non-stilted dialogue.

Kristine Cayne's Deadly Obsession...Sizzling Suspense

The Writers' Blog welcomes...Kristine Cayne who presents her latest in the Deadly Vices series...Deadly Obsession

Kristine Cayne is fascinated by the mysteries of human psychology—twisted secrets, deep-seated beliefs, out-of-control desires. Add in high-stakes scenarios and real-world villains, and you have a story worth writing, and reading.

The heroes and heroines of her Deadly Vices series are pitted against each other by their radically opposing life experiences. By overcoming their differences and finding common ground, they triumph over their enemies and find true happiness in each other’s arms.

Today she lives in the Pacific Northwest, thriving on the mix of cultures, languages, religions and ideologies. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching, imagining entire life stories, and inventing all sorts of danger for the unsuspecting heroes and heroines who cross her path.

Enjoy an excerpt...
Lauren rolled her eyes. “Fine. Do it."

Nic bent down and brushed his lips against hers. For the first few seconds, she didn’t kiss him back, but she didn’t push him away, either. Then, on a sigh, she leaned into him and her arms locked around his neck. His tongue darted out to taste her bottom lip. Mmm… cherry—his new favorite flavor. When her mouth opened, he didn’t hesitate.

He dove in. And drowned.

He’d meant this to be a quick kiss, only now he just couldn’t stop. His lips traced a path to her throat. Cupping her bottom with his hands, he lifted her up, grinding against her. She moaned. It was a beautiful sound, one he definitely wanted to hear again.

A loud noise pierced the fog of his lust. He raised his head from where he’d been nuzzling Lauren’s apple-scented neck to tell whoever it was to fuck off, but as the sexual haze cleared, he swallowed the words. The paparazzi had gathered around, applauding and calling out crude encouragements. Some snapped photos while others rolled film. Shit. He’d pay for this fuck-up and so would she.

Deadly Obsession

Deadly Vices Book 1

"Stock up on ice cubes because this is definitely one sizzling debut. Readers will be hooked from the first sentence - on the book and on Nic! As rich as a white chocolate cheesecake, Cayne's entrance into the suspense genre is invigorating, explosive and simply intoxicating." - RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars Top Pick)

When an Oscar-winning movie star meets a department-store photographer…

Movie star Nic Lamoureux appears to have a playboy’s perfect life. But it’s a part he plays, an act designed to conceal a dark secret he carries on his shoulders. His empty days and nights are a meaningless blur until he meets the woman who fulfills all his dreams. She and her son are the family he’s always wanted—if she can forgive a horrible mistake from his past.

A Hollywood dream…

Lauren James, a widowed single mother, earns barely enough money to support herself and her son. When she wins a photography contest and meets Nic, the man who stars in all her fantasies, her dreams, both professional and personal, are on the verge of becoming real. The attraction between Lauren and Nic is instant—and mutual. Their chemistry burns out of control during a photo shoot that could put Lauren on the fast track to a lucrative career.

Becomes a Hollywood nightmare

But an ill-advised kiss makes front-page news, and the lurid headlines threaten everything Nic and Lauren have hoped for. Before they know what’s happening, their relationship is further rocked by an obsessed and cunning stalker who’ll stop at nothing—not even murder—to have Nic to herself. When Nic falls for Lauren, the stalker zeroes in on her as the competition.

And the competition must be eliminated.

http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Obsession-Vices-ebook/dp/B006SP32Q0 

 

Summer Demon Reading

Demon Inhibitions - OmniLit


Come find a great paranormal summer read!

I tend to write mix genre, or, what I dub fiction on the fringe of genre.

My new release, Demon Inhibitions, threads sci fi, urban fantasy, suspense, romance, horror and mystery.

I usually anchor my novels in science fiction but find it fascinating and almost impossible not to blend these other genres into the mix. You could compare it to a meal. While there's nothing wrong with eating a piece of fish by itself day after day you might find it more tasty to add broccoli (horror), rice (mystery), salad (romance), bread(fantasy) and dessert (suspense).

To be more precise, Demon Inhibitions consists of:

Sci fi: Agent Caitlin Diggs believes a genetically made soul stealer is responsible for recent murders.

Horror: The soul stealer has escaped custody and crosses a parallel universe dragging Diggs with him via wormhole.

Urban Fantasy: Diggs is assisted by a Wiccan investigator and a succubus. In her parallel universe, demons outnumber humans and a preternatural branch of the FBI deals with their crimes.

Romance: Diggs enters an altered reality and a love triangle emerges. Her new boss Charles Grant is beyond handsome but the other version of her friend Stanford Carter is stirring feelings she never had for his alternate.

Hitches: Grant doesn't know 'his' Diggs has been killed by the soul stealer. Alternate Carter has been turned into a demon. Would romance with Carter change her as well?

Mystery: Why is the soul stealer hell bent on eradicating a teen whose singing voice inhibits demon violence?

Suspense: Diggs faces the prospect that conventional weapons will not subdue her fugitive. Can her newly acquired paranormal abilities give her a fighting chance?

I'm sure we've all read great stories that brought some or all of these elements together. They usually get boxed under one category for sales purposes. Maybe someday a multiple-genre tag will be born. After all, paranormal romance is still a fairly young genre and is ever growing. Change does happen.

Please read on for an excerpt
Demon Inhibitions is out in June. Please stop by my FB page for updates! http://www.facebook.com/GaryStartaSciFiFanPage

Demon Inhibitions Excerpt

When she found I had visited Manners, Briana began scurrying about her house, scooping up a pair of scissors and a red candle. Before I could speak further, she came at me. I backed away from her in fright. Her placid face revealed nothing malevolent. But the shears were headed right for me. I tried to dive away from the contradiction. Who was the real Briana? The sweet woman who made cookies for me--or her shears wielding maniac counterpart now standing before me? She screamed not to worry. I heard a snip. I felt a strange sensation. Not pain. But something was no longer attached to me. It was a piece of my hair. She caught the floating lock in her hands as if it were a runaway feather.

“It is very important we get to work, Caitlin.” Too stunned to process the weird moment, I could barely utter a groan.

Then she explained how she must protect me. “He’ll surely make a visitation now that he has met you.”

I tried to explain it was a good thing. I would probably get a vision of him and then I could determine his part in the slayings.

She interrupted. “A visitation is what he’ll do to you. I don’t know how to break this to you but the cat judge is an incubus. He’ll surely come to you in your dreams. And in case he is our murderer, you’ll need a protection spell, pronto.”

I reminded her I carried a firearm. I had worked in the FBI.

“No earthbound weapons can harm the judge once he joins with you. An incubus enters your dream world.”

“How do you know this?” My tone grew edgy. She had obviously withheld knowledge of Manners. Maybe the two were friends or even lovers. And she just admitted an incubus could have committed these crimes without fear of being harmed or caught.

“I know things because I’m a witch, Caitlin. That explanation will have to suffice for now.”

“If you’re truly a witch, Briana, you must know he’s our best suspect.”
She had me there.

I settled in for the spell.

“I will create a mind shield for you, Caitlin Diggs.”

She began to chant, inviting me to join her.

“I call upon the helpful powers of my ancestors. Please protect and shield me from harm. By the ancient ancestral power, blessed be!”

Briana played soft Celtic music for me as we waited for the spell to take effect. I tried to distract myself with the lovely dulcet tones of harps and violins. It almost worked until my stomach rumbled--again. We never had supper. Briana was too intent on saving my ass. For what seemed hours we held hands waiting for the candle to burn down. I had plenty of time to drink in the ambience of the McFadden household. Floral print furniture and lacy doilies surrounded me. But most disturbing, a poster of Cher is depicting the actress as a witch in the film Witches of Eastwick, hung right before my eyes. When the candle finally expired I yawned and thanked Briana.

“Don’t thank me yet. The night is now upon us. We must return to your house if we hope to engage the judge.”

“Won’t your presence discourage Manners from coming?”

“No.” She paused to smile. “You could have twenty police armed to the hilt and he’d still come. Nothing from the waking world can harm him.”

I muttered something unintelligible even to me.

“I’ll be in the next room to supervise so to speak. When he comes I’ll sense it. I will then cast a binding spell so he can’t attack you – or worse, drain you. Now the spell won’t last indefinitely so you won’t want to waste time with small talk. Hopefully you’ll be able to determine his innocence or guilt in your dream.”

I had once interrogated an evil man named Crowley in a dream state. It didn’t go so well. But at least he didn’t threaten to harm me. Maybe he couldn’t. I still don’t know; but I was sure of one thing if the judge threatened me in any way I would defend myself. I didn’t care what Briana said about the dream and waking worlds. I went to bed packing a handgun.
~ * ~
A full moon bathed my bedroom in bluish haze. It kept my eyes from closing. Normally I would have drawn the curtains on the nocturnal intrusion, but tonight I was hosting so to speak. I felt I was setting a better trap or “invitation” to Manners if I left the light on. Briana would have probably scolded me if she were capable of listening to my silent ranting. She had explained to me several times Manners would not be traveling via car, plane or broom for that matter. His appearance would be completely ethereal to all waking humans. He would meet me via an altered state of mind, in a dream or alpha state, where his thoughts and presence could transcend any physical traps an overly anxious former FBI agent (me) might feel compelled to set. It wouldn’t matter if I shined a lantern in my window or posted Rottweillers on around-the-clock guard duty, Manners would be oblivious to it. Briana stated this very emphatically, employing wild gyrating arm movements that nearly had me fearing she would turn me into a rat if I didn’t give her my undivided attention. So I sat and listened to her for an hour after we completed the spell. When my eyelids began drooping, she ordered me to bed. She took up residence in the adjoining guest room with Celeste. With a click of a doorknob, Briana could be at my bedside in seconds. But when I finally began to absorb the notion that Manners would not be using the front door to meet me, fear began to take hold. How would her presence help me? She could monitor my dreams all she wanted, but ultimately it would be up to me to break free of Manner’s paranormal grip-provided one: he was an incubus and two: he would still deem an appearance necessary to either protest his innocence or quiet my suspicions of him once for and all. My mind finally began to drift into that sleepy state where your thoughts start running into one another. How would I converse with him in the dream world? And would my gun be at my bedside in this dream? My brain felt like rubber. My eyelids finally shut. A faint hint of blue light seeped through them and then the next thing I knew…

“Who, what…what do you want?” I sat straight up and stammered as a presence took shape over my brass four-post bed. At least I determined I could talk, albeit not very intelligently in my dream state. The shape continued to hover over me, within arm’s reach. I twisted in my covers, attempting to lunge towards my dresser drawer where I kept my gun. As my hand continued to fumble for the dresser knob, coldness brushed against my backside. At that instant, I gave up my hunt for the gun and reverted to my backside, hoping confrontation might keep the invading demon at bay. I shouted. “Back off and identify yourself.” I felt silly. I couldn’t very well command this thing to put its hands behind its back--if it had hands--let alone expect it to adhere to laws and protocols devised by those living in the real world.

The thing, best described as a floating transparent body of liquid, actually started to comply. It reversed itself away from me, about a yard or so. Now it hovered over my Victorian vanity chair. I seriously hoped its liquid makeup wouldn’t drip all over my prized antique. It began to glow blue, probably because it was in the direct path of a moonbeam.

“Now tell me who are you.” Hoarse and raspy, my voice no longer sounded like mine. I tried to recall my vision where I had been speaking to the spirit of Alastair Crowley. My voice had sounded like mine then. In fact, I’d felt no different in that dream state whatsoever; I had classified that experience as a vision. But now, as I sat cowering in my bed, I felt more as if in a dream. I willed my legs to move, but like in a dream, they were uncooperative as if an iron vise was keeping them in place. As I struggled to escape my covers, the thing spoke to me in a whispered voice. Whatever it was, it was now inside my head!

Tour Angelhaven and Enter Raffle for Particle Horizon

Come take a tour to Angelhaven and then go to the link provided below for a raffle of the sci fi novel PARTICLE HORIZON!

Welcome to Angelhaven.

As your ship emerges from the particle displacement portal, the first thing you will undoubtedly notice is the overwhelming presence of our host planet and great benefactor: Hades. This gas giant monster is almost twice the size of Jupiter and provides us with all the raw materials for our survival and industry. Within its upper cloud decks, a great AI-controlled cloud scoop ship ploughs a furrow day and night. It farms water, oxygen, carbon, ammonia, silicon and hydrocarbons amongst many other elements which are sent up to Angelhaven through a 3,000 mile-long umbilical. Do not be alarmed by the aurora-like firework display you see through that observation-deck window; the waves of light you are witnessing are created by Hades' vicious radiation battering against the ships' protective magnetic shield. You are quite safe.

As you round the horizon-spanning curve of Hades, the ice-moon of Clara will come into view. A lifeless, insignificant moon with few resources of any use. Uncharitable gossip amongst Havenites suggest these qualities inspired the discover of this star system to name the moon after his late wife. Yohannes Phillips' wife was indeed called Clara, but the board of AngelCorp can assure you that all founding members were fine, upstanding members of the Union of Free Worlds and her contribution to early colonisation efforts will be long remembered.

Within a few moments, Angelhaven itself will come into view. From the outside, it looks like a fairly unassuming asteroid. 15 miles-long and a shade over 4 wide, you will notice the various exterior domes and projections that give a glimpse of the class-leading industry within. From the north end cap you will see the umbilical connection to the cloud scoop thousands of miles below. At the southern end which you are now approaching, you will see the docks that lead to Angelhaven's interior.

After passing biometric and DNA security profiling, you will attend a day-long AngelCorp security briefing. As you are by now undoubtedly aware, we go to great lengths to keep Angelhaven's industry and location a secret. The captain of the ship that brought you here did not even know the displacement coordinates; these are kept on highly-encrypted keys managed by the ship AI. As you begin your new life on Angelhaven and start your illustrious new career working for AngelCorp manufacturing, you will begin to learn the importance of these measures and why your particular skills in nano-engineering and magnetic forge programming caught our recruiter's attention.

As you board your complimentary AngelCorp taxi, prepare for a somewhat disorienting spectacle! People from conventional terrestrial worlds often experience an unusual form of acute claustrophobia. The 'horizon' of Angelhaven curves upwards until both 'ends' meet, 4 miles above your head. If you feel any kind of nausea, please ask the onboard AI and you will be given an appropriate retch-suppressant to inhale.

You will be flying along the central axis of Angelhaven where a bottled sun runs the full 15-mile length of the world. Around it is a sleeve of cloud which casts shadows and rain (strictly on tightly- managed agricultural schedules) on cities and farmland 2 miles below. Angelhaven rotates to create centrifugal force sufficient to approximate one Earth gravity. You will notice that the 'gravity' is strongest on the ground and decreases to nothing the closer you get to the axis.

As you cruise within the cloud tunnel, the AI controlling your taxi will rotate your cabin to shield you from the glare of the light tube and give you the best view possible of our beautiful world overhead. Through the gaps in the cloud the first thing you will surely notice is the apparently solid band of green taking up almost a 5th of our available landmass. This seemingly solid green ring is made up of a new Union-designed wonder-crop you may have read about; Longwheat is a genetically modified alien plant making life possible on dozens of distant worlds whose hostile native biology doesn't want us there. Each long, fibrous stalk is a factory of proteins, carbohydrates and oils and almost every part of it can be synthesised into various foods or plastics.

Your taxi is now approaching the great city of New Chaldea. Perched on the northern shore of Lake Clara, it is dominated by the central, winding spiral which houses Angelhaven's most prestigious hotel for visiting VIPs and the main offices of AngelCorp. As part of your induction you will have the opportunity to sit in the low gravity board room on the 312th floor and take in the breathtaking vista whilst meeting the current board.

As you approach the northern end of Angelhaven, you will see the loading docks and a cluster of unusual-looking modules attached to the light-tube itself. This is the high-security zero G lab complex and is strictly out of bounds to all employees and citizens below alpha-level clearance.

You may also have noticed one of Angelhaven's best-kept secrets as you travel through the cloud tunnel; the teenagers flying past your window like birds are 'gliding the tube' an extreme sport pioneered by the industrious youth of our world. Using custom-designed flight harnesses, they use the peculiar centrifugal rotation and low gravity within the cloud-tunnel to perform regular acrobatic displays. These surfers of the skies are most active during the low-trade seasons when axis-traffic is lowest - wait a moment…

Wait a moment... Please forgive this interruption to your tour but an emergency announcement has been relayed across Angelhaven's network. A pair of Alliance-registered heavy freighters docked this morning have broken security protocols.

Wait a moment… You are being taken immediately to a secure location.

Wait a moment… We are being invaded...

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SYNOPSIS:
From the blood and dust of New Jerusalem, the Legion of the LightBringer wages a galactic war against those who would replace their god. Now, the time has come for the Union of Free Worlds to make a stand. The front line is the idyllic asteroid world of Angelhaven, where the greatest mind in human history has discovered an elemental power with far-reaching implications. A power that both sides will do anything to harness. Marine commander Gomes leads the crack Union task force. An unrelenting warrior driven by revenge and a need for answers, he hides a strange ability neither science nor religion can explain. On the other side of the war, Aja is forced to fight for a cause she doesn't believe in to protect her own secret. Caught between them is Una, a living machine who battles for her humanity as her world falls apart. Outnumbered ten to one and stalked by a mysterious nemesis, all three will play a role in unraveling Angelhaven's enigma. As the Legion invasion begins, unknown eyes watch with interest...

Particle Horizon is a fast-paced, gritty space opera. For more information or to leave comments for the author, visit: selsoxisto.wordpress.com