The Tryst

Yup, still talking about my free short story, Dark Desire of the Druids: The Tryst. Why? Cause, it's free! But I'll talk a little about the overall universe.

It's still Victorian London/Philadelphia as we know it. Nothing there has changed. However, there is one very significant difference: Magickers exist and Witch Hunters are hunting them.

In Murder & Magick, Raven and Malcolm must deal with the fanatical Sir John Corwin, baronet, who's out to expose Raven and kill them both.Hunters are on the rise in England, seeking out any who display even a modicum of magick and arbitrarily murdering them. (Book trailer)

In Sex & Subterfuge, Morgana and Lucien are forced to confront reality: Bringing magickers into the open would only cause war between those with magicks and those without. In Philadelphia, things haven't reached the fevered pitch Corwin has stirred up in England. Yet. They have other problems there, not the least of which are magickers after power for themselves. Magickers who believe they're superior and should rule those with no magick.

Free short story!

From Ravenous Romance, my short story The Tryst is available for free! This is the immediate prequel to Dark Desire of the Druids I: Murder & Magick; and check out my book video for Murder & Magick.

And remember, until March 31 Ravenous is doing a Buy 1 gift certificate Get 1 free!

Blurb:
From the moment he sees her, Malcolm Wargrave, Earl of Preston wanted Raven Drake. On a secluded estate in England, he sets out to seduce the very willing miss. Though she returns his passion, she belongs to another. Will this stop their rendezvous?

Raven Drake knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. In this case, after him. Though she's a virgin, she sees this time with Malcolm as her one chance to experience unbridled passion. And she intends to take it.

But will their tryst be enough for either of them? Or will they be caught in a web of their own making, drowning in desire? In this exciting prequel to The Dark Desires of the Druids: Murder & Magick, Isabel Roman explores the passion of giving into one's deepest desires.

Dark Desire of the Druids II: Sex & Subterfuge

New ideas

I have a short story to polish this weekend, a day-job related conference next week, and my as-yet-named Book 4 of my Druids Series to finish and polish by April 15. But I have some new ideas for stories I can't wait to write!

The History Channel is good for new ideas, but the I tend to write historicals. Also the news. I read my news online, I can't stand to hear journalists speak, and prefer to skip what doesn't interest me. Sometimes a totally unrelated topic will spark a idea, but then my mind works in strange ways. Some might say twisted...

So here I am, under contract and deadline, struggling with the beginning of Book 4 (the middle and end work nicely...pft) and all these new nifty ideas floating around. I need more time in the day!

Today I'll be at...

Slip into Something Victorian blogging on women's rights during the Victorian Era and how they changed and how they sometimes just didn't.

Today is also the last day to leave a comment on either of my 2 Coffee Time Romance posts: Win a copy of Murder & Magick on that thread, and either Complicated Courtship or Wanton Woman on that thread.

To Do List

I have to:

• Do a blog for Unusual Historicals on fashion
• One for tomorrow for Slip into Something Victorian
• Finish my latest short story for Ravenous
• Pack for my work conference Sunday--Wednesday,
• Clean out my living room for the contractor who's doing my cathedral ceilings
• Find something my brother's birthday Sunday
• Get my stupid wireless working again
• I was going to add in something domestic like file but who's got the time?

Keta's Keep

Join me at Keta's Keep today! I talk a little about the first 2 books in my Druids series: Murder & Magick and Sex & Subterfuge.

Battlestar Galactica

So the finale was last night. I love and adore this show, even through the big JUMP between the first half of season 2 and the second half, and the political dreariness of season 3. The characters were flawed, making them more human--even the cylon ones were different. There may be many copies but each one had a distinct personality based on experience just like humans.

The final episode was 2+hours...AND NO ANSWERS! OK, fine...you don't want to answer everything, your prerogative. Your show after all...but What The Frak? I can't even begin to wonder why so many interesting threads from seasons 1 & 2 were dropped. Why entire basic premises were ignored.

Sure last night's episode was entertaining, visually magnificent, happy and sad. But where are my answers?

Shadow State

My Wild Rose Press Got Wolf? short story winner is now officially being published in October 2009 to coincide with Black Rose month at TWRP. I just set in the first round of edits last week and remembered why I loved the story so much. Werewolves, 1934 Germany, Hitler on the rise, panic in the streets. I love it all.



But until then, I'll continue working on my Druids series. Murder & Magick, Sex & Subterfuge, Desert & Destiny, and Book 4. Which isn't named yet...gotta work on that!

Hot Sex & Historical Accuracy

I'm over at Coffee Time Romance again today with a piece about writing erotica for the historical market. (Try this link.)

Check it out, leave a comment, I'll be giving away a copy of either Complicated Courtship or Wanton Woman...the lucky winner's choice!

Starlet

1930s Hollywood. Pre-code. Prohibition. Gangsters. Speakeasies. Starlet.


My new short story from Ravenous, Starlet, is set in 1932 Hollywood. There is no Hayes Production code, alcohol is illegal, gangsters are prevelant. And the sex is hot.

Grant Hayden can have any dame he damn well desires. The instant Collette Morel, the newest starlet at Warrick Studios, appears in his speakeasy, he's captivated. When she approaches him, it isn't long before they make tracks for a
more private venue. The sex is hot, intoxicating, made all the better by the instant heat between them.

Tired of the same-old same-old to be found on the Hollywood lots, Collette Morel hit the speakeasy in search of someone new. Someone who could make her blood heat. She found Grant, and wanted to know what it was like to be the gangster's moll for just one night.

What she found was more than a single night could hold. But will anything develop from it?

Curses, love, sex, oh my!

The curse. It's a long standing tradition among many cultures. Many believe in it's power while others believe it to be superstitious nonsense. There are those that say if you do not believe in the curse's power it can have no hold on it's target. In a paranormal story, the curse can be used to instill fear, seek revenge, separate lovers, even create comical effects. It is also an extremely effective plot device.

In an upcoming story I'm working on; a curse is placed on my heroine. This is for the last of the "Druid" series - The Dark Desire of the Druids - Book 4. This series has utilized Magickers, mystical artifacts (Book 2: Sex and Subterfuge) and witch hunters (Book 1: Muder and Magick). It's wrought with paranormal elements, so adding a curse seemed natural.

James, my hero, will witness the invoking of the curse onto Isadore, the woman he loves. Should he believe in it's power? Will he consider it superstitious nonsense or will his own magickal abilities lead him to believe it will come true?

Those are questions he wrestles with while coming to terms with his own feelings and desires. In the end will it become a self fulling prophecy? Or is the power of the curse real?

Sex & politics

Sunday March 15 The History Channel is showing Beltway Unbuckled. I love sex scandals as I'm sure many of you do, come on, don't be shy. I know you do!

Sex has played a role throughout America's history. Did you know an
extramarital affair was one of the causes of the Civil War? Or that one of the
things that made George Washington so appealing as a presidential choice was his
sterility? This special takes a serious but highly entertaining look at the
fascinating ways the sex lives of our nation's leaders have impacted American
history and shaped the country we live in today.

Some of the stories uncovered: how J. Edgar Hoover used his secret sex
files to become one of the most powerful figures in Washington; although Woodrow
Wilson may have won World War I, his wife Edith may have caused World War II;
why FDR's dreams for the post World War II world were contained in the long lost
diary of one of the women who was with him when he died; and how JFK's fling
with an East German beauty nearly ended his administration.

Sounds great doesn't it! I know, I'm a nerd. What does it have to do with Ravenous' Power Plays, anthology very little but the theme is the same!

My story, Whispers, is in it:

Olivia Adair is a junior senator having an affair with the Department of Justice liason, Ryan Granger. Neither want to give up their careers, but aren't willing to give up each other, either. Leaving her senate office late one night, Ryan overhears an aide talking about the death of a senior senator. He investigates, but when Olivia is hurt in a car accident, he wonders if the aide is now after her. Will he give up his position to save her life or is already it too late?

POWER PLAYS is a collection of twelve stories that explore the timeless connection between sex and political power. As Henry Kissinger famously said, "power is the ultimate aphrodisiac", and the twelve authors contributing their hot stories to this anthology know that better than anyone. In POWER PLAYS, the intersection of sex and political power takes many forms-----including a threesome in Congressional chambers, a female President-elect who finds a boy-toy while traveling abroad, and a den of urban werewolves who fight to restore their rightful alpha male leader. These and many other erotic tales of sex and power make up this red-hot collection, which will capture your imagination and leave you thirsty for more.

Wanton Woman & Scandalous Victorians

I'm over at Slip into Something Victorian today blogging about Professionalism.

My short story, Wicked Seductions: Wanton Woman is the Book of the Day on Ravenous!

The celebrated young widow, Lady Abigail Ash, possesses a pristine
reputation. A reputation she detests. Needing passion in her life, she turns to
the one man she believes can keep a secret and still make her blood burn.

Jonathon, Earl of Braden, has always wanted her but believes she's only
interested in marriage. Married once, he's vowed never to marry again, yet can't
resist Lady Abigail when she proposes an alluring assignation.

The more he has of her, the more Braden wants her. He's captivated by
her body and charm. When another man enters the picture, will it be the end of
their affair? Or Abigail prove to be more than a wanton woman?

Don't forget to join all the Scandalous Victorians at Coffee Time Romance. Give aways all month and long and indepth discussions about writing, reading, and hunks.

Ravenous Romance has extended their Buy 1 gift certificate Get 1 free until March 31!

Win a copy!

I'm over at Coffee Time Romance today with an excerpt of the first in my Druids series, Dark Desire of the Druids I: Murder & Magick. Leave a comment to enter into a randomly drawn contest for a free copy! (You have to be a member to leave a comment.)

It never ends

I'm on vacation! I'm in Puerto Rico! Ok, ideally I'm here to write (I have 10 days, 3 short stories, 1 set of edits, and 1 longer story to get through). But it's sunny! And warm! With a pool!

So why did I just spend 4 hours on various sites sending out review requests? Because I’m a glutton. There's no other way around it. It has to be done, and I have to do it. Yes, I'd like reviews, sure they're cool and all, but on the other hand there's that bad review. I can probably deal with that - I say so now when I have no bad review to spoil my mood not that I have any reviews! But to spend hours in front of the computer with a gorgeous view and NOT be outside?

These pictures probably won't help any sympathy you're remotely willing to offer, lol.
But I do enjoy the view. If I could sit on the beach all day and write, I would. I love the beach, I love the sight and sound and scents. And it's all conducive to writing. Which I'll be getting back to once I finish sending Dark Desire of the Druids I: Murder & Magick out and finish Star Wars: A New Hope. So I've seen it 1000 times. Your point?

Your Blog is Fabulous!

I've been nominated for this award by Angela Cameron. Thank you!

And don't forget to check out her March Scavenger Hunt.

Also, I'm still over at Coffee Time, I think today is a Civil War time travel book giveaway. I'll be giving away a copy of my first full length novel, Dark Desire of the Druids I: Murder & Magick on Monday.

Book giveaway!

As part of the Civil War Anthology some fellow Scandalous Victorians and I are a part of, all today we'll be giving away a copy of the anthology, due out from The Wild Rose Press in July 2009. My story, In the Shadows is unusual for me: Absolutely no sex. I haven't a clue how it happened, I'm not sure I've ever written a story with no sex, but there you have it.

Check out the Coffee Time link and leave a comment!

Snow, shoveling, blogging, oh my!

I've had a busy day already. Luckily, work is closed today and I got to go back to bed. AFTER I'd already cleaned off the car, showered, and dressed. But hey, bonus day!

I'm blogging over at Unusual Historicals on Colonial American Food.

Also, all this month on Slip into Something Victorian anyone who leaves a comment is automatically entered into our Victorian basket giveaway.

And on Coffee Time, all this month I'll be with my fellow Scandalous Victorians talking about the era and romance...specifically how to write historical erotica on March 18, but there are lots of giveaways there this month, too.

Coffee Time & Slip into Something Victorian

All this month my fellow Victorians from Slip into Something Victorian will be over at Coffee Time discussing romance, the Victorian Era, writing, the pains and joys of being an author, and pretty much anything else we decide. (There tend to be tangents when we're all together.)

So click here to join us! There will also be contests and books giveaways every week.

Also, over at Slip into Something Victorian, we're doing a month long basket giveaway with a B&N gift card, chocolates, a beautiful Victorian-like purse, and a couple Victorian era etiquette books. Leave a comment to be entered! Click here to see the basket.