Winner of our Holly Jolly Blog Tour!

Well, it seems incredible, but our Holly Jolly Blog Tour has come to an end - for this year anyway! Thank you so much to everyone who visited my blog and took the time to leave a comment - it was great to hear from you and thank you for being part of such a fun, successful tour.
The winner of our drawing for a $50 gift card is: Joye. Congratulations, Joye!
Again, thanks to everyone for getting in the holiday spirit of the Holly Jolly Blog Tour. We hope you'll keep visiting our blogs and reading our books! Happy 2013!

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com
Regina Andrews -  http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 6 with Ann Tracy Marr

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Ann Tracy Marr. Ann writes paranormal Regency romances—a fascinating genre.

Blog buddy Ann Tracy Marr writes paranormal Regency romances. She may pretend to be a Christmas bah humbugger, but if she had $150,000 floating around, she would give the twelve gifts of Christmas as prizes for following this blog tour. (She would keep the ten lords a'leaping for herself.) Anyone up for French hens?

Visit her at http://www.AnnTracyMarr.com

So now it is June 2013: what have you accomplished since Christmas 2012?

I am a breast cancer survivor. I had my mammogram and PET scan in April and continue to be cancer free. Chemo brain (remarkably similar to menopausal brain but worse) has gone away. I can remember my phone number now!

Three of the books I have been marketing have been accepted by publishers. One of them is lauded in reviews as more brilliant -- better written -- more insightful -- a better read -- than The Da Vinci Code.

What would you give Santa for Christmas other than cookies and milk? Idea, a heated sleigh blanket.

Let someone else get the blanket. I found this cookie jar for Santa. It will be the star of his collection.

 

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate!

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts

Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com

Regina Andrews -  http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/

Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

Ann, Thank you for visiting my blog.

I am over at Regan Taylor’s blog this week: http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

 

New Year’s Blog Hop: The New Year’s Kiss

My favorite part of a New Year’s Eve celebration is the kiss. It’s all about who you are standing next to when the clock strikes twelve. Stand near the wrong guy and the first kiss of the New Year will be less than spectacular. Stand next to a hottie or someone special and the New Year is off to a heart pounding bang.
 
It seems the New Year’s Eve tradition is more than crushing lips and dizzying sparks. Of course, the kiss loving Romans started the tradition of a kiss at the stroke of midnight. The Romans included kissing at their Solstice and Saturnalia celebrations, which spread to welcome the New Year.

Yes, it really does matter who you are standing next to when midnight arrives on New Year’s Eve—the kiss sets the tone for the New Year. Pick a loved one or someone that will welcome that lip lock. Awkward may not be the best way to start off the New Year. Tip: Alcohol can help loosen up those lips and nerves. So, down a big glass of champagne and plant yourself next to that hunky guy—and pucker up!

Happy New Year!


Blurb:
Two mortals are caught in the midst of the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.

Becuille is a Daughter of Night, servant to the Great Goddess and wielder of Her vengeance. Callileon is a prince of the Hatti, and may be the one she was sent to punish.

When love finds them, they are cursed by the gods and surrounded by tragedy, which even the Fates are powerless to change.

Can two mortals fight the will of the gods?

 

Very short excerpt:

With the servant's help, they dressed Inaras in a warm tunic. He carried her to bed and covered her with warm blankets, stroking her cheek. She closed her eyes, falling asleep. He left her side and sat near the fire to dry his wet clothes, shifting to accommodate his aching balls. The kick she had delivered to his sensitive man parts had been like a kick from an untamed horse. He could not help smiling at her unbridled spirit. The smile faded and he stared into the fire, brooding.

“My lord, I found the pipe.” Zunia handed it to him.

“You may go now, but return at daybreak.”

“Yes, my lord.” She left the room.

He held the smooth clay pipe, feeling rage at the instrument that threatened to destroy the one he loved, but he knew the pipe was not his true enemy. Whatever had driven Inaras to hide behind the poppy demons was the true enemy. Clutching the pipe in his fist, he threw it into the fire. The pipe broke in two pieces. He watched with satisfaction as the flames consumed the evil pipe, crackling and spitting.

Buy links: http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

For a chance to win a $5.00 Mundania Press gift certificate from me, leave a comment with your email and the correct answer to this question that can be found in the short excerpt above: What did he throw in the fire?  
Below is the list of grand prizes. Leave a comment on this post with your email for a chance to be included in the grand prize drawings. Please note: The large swag pack prize can only be shipped within the U.S.

The link back to main blog hop site where you can find links to all of the participating blogs:
http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

Holly Jolly Blog Fest week 5 with Angie Dobson

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Angie Dobson. Angie is a reviewer for Love Romances and More.

Hey Kelley,
Thanks for playing and being part of the blog Tour! I love getting to know
new readers and telling them more about me as a person and reviewer. I
review for Love Romances and More and have for more than a decade. I am
a dedicated reader, who has great plot ideas but not the talent and
attention span to put them down on paper. I love a print book - I am too
easily distracted for an e-reader - plus my 9 month old daughter LOVES
electronics and I would never get to see it! I am from York, PA and have
one little girl. My husband I both work full time and our life is
currently a chaotic scene that often feels like a sitcom as we adjust from
being a middle age couple to a family of three.

Are any of your books centered around Christmas? Tell us a bit about them
please.

As a reviewer I don't get to pick my topics so much as when and where. If
I were to write a book, I would more likely center it around Easter
though. I love spring and no one else writes about it nearly as much as
Christmas. The other night at dinner they were playing Christmas Carols.
Why do we not have nearly so many for other holidays? As a romance lover,
I would love to have a great Valentine's Day song.

And for the New Year, of course: what are your 5 New Year's
writing/reading resolutions?

Do New Year's Resolutions ever stick? For me 2013 is going to be about
making myself and my daughter happy.
I have a few resolutions, but nothing is set in stone. Today I began
working on one by downloading an app on my phone - I am determined to run
a 5K. I shall try the Couch to 5K program - has anyone done it? Anyone
want to try the program along with me?
I am also resolving to watch a British Television Program called
Eastenders that I love - my husband is British and we live in the States.
I fell in love with the show years ago, and we kept up, but the past 2 years it has
gotten pushed aside as our lives become busier and busier… but I am
determined!! We will get the time and such to watch the recordings my
in-laws help us to get via the Internet!
Lastly I will spend more time working on my career as an Independent
Chocolate Advisor with Lindt Chocolates - probably why I need to learn to
run!
That is it for me folks. Don't forget a comment on the post gets you a
chance to win a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!!

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors.

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts

Christine London – http://christinelondon.com/

Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Thanks, Angie. It was a pleasure having you on my blog.

I am on Angie’s blog this week at http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 4 with Regina Andrews

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Regina Andrews who is one of the nicest people I know and a talented writer whose inspirational stories remind people that there can be happy endings.

Hi Kelley, and thank you so much for having me visit your blog this week.
Thanks, everyone for stopping by Kelley's blog to spend a bit of time getting to know me. I am Regina Andrews, Inspirational Author - but that sounds kind of stuffy, don't you think?
Let's try this -- everyone calls me Gina and I love happy endings, I love writing, I love romance and I love God, so naturally I write romance novels with an inspirational point of view. After all, what's life without a good dose of faith to carry us through those times when things are not exactly going the way we'd like them to be? I know I need it, most definitely.
During the day I am lucky enough to have a full-time writing job at a national jewelry company, specializing in high-end designer and Estate pieces - I'm the one writing what you read about all these one-of-a-kind treasures! Just last week, I wrote for a 7.45 ct. t.w. diamond engagement ring priced at $143,000! Now THAT'S a stocking-stuffer! I can only imagine the look on that very lucky lady's face when she opens the box...but I digress, sorry!
In my off time, I volunteer for the blind, work at the local children's hospital and sing my heart out in the church choir. My hubby and I are proud 'parents' of a semi-feral cat named Queenie who really is in charge of the whole house. She loves Christmas -- especially tinsel! -- and so do I, so let's get to the questions and kick off Week 4 of this fun and fabulous "Holly Jolly" blog tour!
How do you manage your writing/reading schedule with all the other activities around the holidays?
That's a wonderful question. I guess first of all, even though I am a disciplined writer, I have learned through experience that, personally, my creativity can't be scheduled. By that I mean while I keep my goals realistic and set deadlines for myself, I also know when to quit if it's just not there. Instead of forcing myself and getting exhausted and frustrated, that time is better spent, for me, daydreaming, re-charging my battery and enjoying life at the moment. So I'll go to a Christmas concert, for example, and thoroughly cleanse my writing palate for one evening, and return the next day (or later that night, usually!) completely renewed. As you can tell, then, I am not the type of writer who sets a daily word count quota. Oh, no.I'm not linear like that - although there are many days when I fervently wish I could be!! For instance, sometimes I'll write a scene, or even a few scenes, and then use them at another point in the book as the plot evolves from my basic outline. From my point of view, I draw a lot of energy and emotion from this time of year and all the activities. They are not distractions, rather, they are inspirations to me. On the one hand, it's such a frenzied, hectic time...and yet, it really is a time for inner reflection. Finding an individual balance between these two extremes enriches the whole season, for me; by extension, my writing also becomes more productive, efficient and enjoyable. I think a motivated writer will get it done, no matter what. It's interesting to hear how others get their work finished. Thank you for asking. :-)



How about traveling during the holidays: do you go visiting or have you in the past? What has that been like? Have there been any absent family members during the holidays ? How has it effected your writing; have you used any of that in your stories?


Oh, this question brings back such wonderful memories. When I was a youngster, we'd have a big Christmas dinner at our house, and then everyone would leave. My parents and sister and brother and I would clean up as dusk fell and then it would get dark (4 o'clock in the afternoon, but it felt like midnight). When everything was all set, my father would pile us all in the car and we'd drive all the way over to my aunt's house across town. This was quite an adventure, because we didn't go out much at night at all. It seemed like it took us forever to get there when I was little...but it not even a ten minute ride! The child's perspective is so different from the adult's, isn't it? Then, when we arrived at my aunt's, there was more feasting, all the cousins and aunts and uncles you hardly saw through the year...and singing around the piano and more silly fun and games. The worst year was when my brother was away in the Air Force in Taiwan. We waited all day for him to call, and when he finally did all we did was cry.
Now, we still stick close to home; my sister and I and our families live very close to each other, just like my mother and her sister, my aunt that we visited. But my parents are gone now, so is my brother, so are my aunt and uncle...yet they live on in our memories and our traditions. I have, in fact, used the theme of absence at Christmas in one of my books, "Glory of the Heart", which is Sterling Lakes Book Four and will be re-released very soon by WEE publishing as an ebook and in print. This book tells the story of how my father was away from my mother during WWII in a fictionalized account of letters found in an attic. Book five of the series, "Reflections of the Heart", which I am completing now, is also set at Christmas and deals with two sisters who are reunited after many years apart.

Thank you so much for hosting me, Kelley! You can find out more about me and my list of published books at: www.reginaandrews.com and
http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Light of the Heart is now available in Print here: http://www.writers-exchange.com/Light-of-the-Heart.html
* * * *
Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be automatically entered to win a fifty dollar AMAZON gift certificate!
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com
Christine London -- www.christinelondon.com
Thanks for reading. Now leave a comment and then hop over to the other author's sites. Every comment gives you one more chance at winning that 50 dollar gift certificate!!

Thanks, Regina! I can be found over at Ann Tracy Marr’s blog this week.

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 3 with Sharon Poppen

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Sharon Poppen who is a talented author and also a good friend of mine. We live in the same city and belong to the local writers group. I have had the pleasure of reading Sharon’s stories.
 
Kelley, Thanks for letting me stop by and share some thoughts on your blog this week. It’s always nice to get the opportunity to reach out to new potential readers.
A little about me, usually I write historical romance novels. My first three books focus on strong women in the old west. However, my latest novel ‘Regardless’ is a step in a new direction for me into the sci-fi/gay genre. It’s the story of two men in the future who, against all odds, find themselves in love. As with all my novels, it is very character driven. These characters have many good points, but they can also be very human. By human, I mean they often follow their hearts versus their minds. And, this sometimes brings them to do some naughty things, which make my books adult reading. They are not of the ’50 Shades ….’ naughty, just true to adult relationships.
Now, on to our questions of the week.
Which charity is most deserving of your holiday generosity and why?
I’m probably an old scrooge about holiday generosity when it comes to anonymous donor groups. The word ‘deserving’ makes me curious, so I do a little research before I donate. Almost always, I find that I have friends, friends of friends and sometimes even relatives who need a little boost around this time of year and that is when my holiday generosity kicks in. I’ve needed help in the past and it was always a friend or a relative who came to my rescue so I feel honored to be able to play that help forward now that I’m in a position to do so.
What is your favorite holiday tradition in literature?
It would have to be ‘the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there.’ poem by Clement Moore. Those sentiments always bring back happy memories of Christmas Eve’s during my childhood, my children’s childhood and now Christmas with my grandchildren. Every Christmas Eve, I still hang the stocking ‘Santa’ brought me when I was a child and every Christmas morning I find it filled with lots of sweets and several carefully chosen items that ‘someone’ has taken the time to learn that I would enjoy getting.
So, thank you, Kelley, for letting me stop by this week. On my blog www.poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com , I am hosting Regina Andrews who has some lovely thoughts on the above questions. You’ll really enjoy meeting this inspirational author. Be sure and leave a comment both here on Kelley’s blog and at my blog to get your name into the drawing for the end of tour $50 Amazon gift certificate.

Other blogs on this Holly Jolly Blog Tour can be found at:
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

I am over at Regina's blog this week. Thanks, Kelley

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 2 with Regan Taylor

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Regan Taylor who writes historical romance, everything from hunky cowboys to gallant knights in shining armour.

What is your favorite holiday food and why?

Someone is going to gag – fruitcake. Aside from the fact that I just like the taste, especially dark fruit cake and particularly the candied cherries, it reminds me of something or rather someone from my childhood. Close friends of our family moved from New York (where I grew up) to Washington and one year Aunt Audrey sent me some fruitcake. I was hooked. Maybe it’s more the memory of her than the cake itself but I do enjoy it.
You can have any person in history over for your holiday dinner. Who do you invite and what do you talk about?
Demetrius of Phaleron. I know I usually say Alexandre Dumas but recently I needed to redo my will and trust and the subject of my library came up. History tells us that Demetrius of Phaleron organized the great library at Alexandria and since my own is a pretty decent size (over 20,000 print and 5,000 ebooks at present)I’d like to talk to him about what led him to his work on the library and why he chose the books he chose.
Regan's Published Novels

• The Spell - Book 1 of the McKenna Crime Series
• The Glass Cage - Book 2 of the McKenna Crime Series
• Indentured Bride - Book 1 of the Bride Series with Awe-struck Books
• Ghost of a Chance - Cafe Nowhere Anthology with eXtasy Books
• Four of Cups - Tarot series with eXtasy Books
• Her Knight in Shining Amour - The Knight of Pentacles
• Jason's Accord - Book 1 of the Descendants of Earth series with eXtasy Books
• Michael's Flight - Book 2 of the Descendants of Earth Series
• His Eyes - with Bookstrand

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate! I can be found over at Sharon Poppen’s blog this week.
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Christine London - http://christinelondon.com/
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://reginaandrews.wordpress.com
Angie Dobson – http://loveromancesandmore.com

Winter Blog Hop Week 1 with Christine London

Welcome to our winter blog hop. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.

This week, my guest blogger is Christine London who writes spicy romance and has a fascination with all things British.

Thanks so much for hosting me Kelley. Some fun questions to chat about this week!

What is my favorite Christmas Novel?
The classic and perfect, timeless tale, Dickens A Christmas Carol. Wikipedia states that Dickens was : "generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian Period". Whether that be true or not, his tale of life lived as a miserly old man versus the joy of giving will stand for all time as one of the best pieces of storytelling.  How many times has this tale been made and remade by Hollywood? What child in the English speaking world does not have fond memories of one or the other rendition? Bursting with comedy, unique characterizations, and social criticisms it is to what most authors aspire- entertaining, uplifting, educating and inspiring their readers.

Favorite Holiday movie?
"Love Actually" So many wonderful charactizations, so well acted. Full of humor and social criticism. It is timeless too. Oh, can I mention more than one? The Holiday. *sigh* But then I am an Anglophile and a sucker for a story that, you guessed it--uplifts, entertains and inspires.

My favorite holiday tradition(s):
... start before Christmas. In the States we celebrate Thanksgiving about a month prior to the holiday madness. No presents expected or required, family and friends gather to commend the goodness of the previous year. In my family we go around the table as we hold our forks, poised over our freshly piled plates of deliciousness and say what has touched us, inspired us, educated us or uplifted us most that year. (Hmm..am I seeing a theme here? lol.) Time enough for the shopping, decorating and visiting to come, it is one day that always warms the heart.
I admired people who manage to maintain traditions year to year. It is often the simplest things that stick with a child throughout his lifetime. So many of my memories revolve around music, often choral music that is plentiful during the holidays. Perhaps as the universal language, it is music that makes every holiday special including tunes from around the world. I am a member of an eight person vocal pop/jazz group who performs every Christmas. Singing in front of hundreds of smiling appreciative listeners, faces glowing with delight, is magic.
When families grow to unwieldy numbers, it is fun to conduct a Chris Kringle gift exchange. In our extended family when we get together with all the cousins, aunties and uncles on Christmas eve, each one brings a simple inexpensive gift. Numbers are drawn and the picking begins. One may 'steal' a previously opened gift or chose an unopened gift from beneath the tree until all gifts are gone and/or any one gift has been 'stolen' three times (and is thus 'dead' and owned by the last stealer). It makes for lots of fun and laughter without burdening anyone with the monetary avalanche of buying gifts for all.
When the nieces and nephews were small, we put out graham crackers, a vast candy assortment and special white frosting that dried hard as a rock. Gingerbread houses were THE event of the season for these kids. They will and do remember constructing , display and eating them—always.

Nottinghill Christmas A Short Story in the 55 Portabello Road Series

Sara Wright’s holiday job at Nottinghill’s historic nineteenth century cinema should have been easy tuition money, but her handsome new boss Robert is a thorn in the side of every usher who breathes. She knows there must be more to a man who could bark orders one minute, save a child the next. Can she figure out the puzzle before he and his staff self-destruct?
You can find Christine London:
London Blog & Website: www.christinelondon.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-London/71009389201?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineLondon
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/christinelondon/
Christine At Amazon Author Central :  https://www.amazon.com/author/christinelondon

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate!

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – http://loveromancesandmore.com
You can find my answers to the holiday quesions over at Christine London's blog http://christinelondon.com/

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!

Are you curious about the next big thing that your favorite authors are working on? Well, here is my next big thing, my work in progress. I have answered 10 questions and then I will post links to some other authors who will post their next big thing questions and answers next week. Read on to find out how you can win a copy of my latest release, Daughter of Night.

1. What is the working title of your book? The Wolf Queen
2. Where did the idea come from for the book? I wanted to write a Beauty & the Beast story with a twist.
3. What genre does your book fall under? Historical fantasy romance
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I envisioned my beast as looking like Joe Manganiello before his curse. I think that seeing this actor as a werewolf, and a really hot one, inspired that image for me. The actress that I’d like to see play my heroine is Kristen Stewart. I don’t know why but I really like her. She has this cool vibe going on.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Beauty may be the real beast.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Not sure yet.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I’m still working on that. I have two different versions that I am trying to decide between.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I guess Beauty and the Beast, but I think mine is different. Of course I think that.      
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book? I have been interested in ancient Arcadia and wanted to write something set there. I’m actually working on a 3 book series. The Wolf Queen is part of that series, but the stories are about different characters and different aspects of Greek mythology.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? I think this is also a different take on the werewolf tales.


These authors will be sharing their next big thing next week, November 14. Be sure to stop by their blogs for a chance to win some cool prizes.
http://heatherhambelcurley.wordpress.com/
www.susanroebuck.com
http://tiaera.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment for a chance to win a pdf copy of my latest release, Daughter of Night. Thanks for stopping by!

Two mortals are caught up in the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.
http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Winners of the Friday the 13th Blog Hop

I want to thank everyone who participated in our Friday the 13th Blog Hop, all the authors and readers. I especially want to thank author Susan Claridge for putting the blog hop together and making it such a success. We had 201 entrants to win the Kindle e-reader.

Here are the winners:

The winner of the Kindle e-reader is Michelle Bledsoe.

The winner of the PDF copy of my historical fantasy romance, Cat's Curse, is Savannah.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

Friday the 13th Blog Hop! Writing romance—Creating sexual tension

Keep reading until you get to the links to your next blog hop stop.

Most people like sexual tension, the sparks that fly when meeting that special person for the first time. For romance readers, sexual tension between the hero and heroine is necessary for an enjoyable reading experience.

As a romance writer, I have a duty to create sexual tension between my characters. It sounds easy enough, but writing those scenes can be tricky. How much is too much time to wait before the hero and heroine actually sleep together? Before erotic romance, this used to be easier to work with—usually they didn’t sleep together until almost toward the end of the book. Now a lot of romance readers expect sex to happen sooner and they want hotter sex scenes.

  

Another issue is moving the story along and having the two main characters start to fall in love much sooner than people normally would in real life. Unless, of course, you are Kim Kardashian. I had to throw that in. Dragging the story on to fit reality will bore the reader. Romance readers want romance and they don’t want to wait half the book to find it. 

So, what is a romance writer to do? It’s not rocket science—I go with my gut feeling and stay true to my characters and plot. If my characters are the type to jump into bed together, then I go for it. Sometimes it feels right to have them sleep together within the first few pages, but then pull them apart by having something get in the way of their relationship. I am working on one story with a virgin heroine. There are reasons why she can’t lose her virginity until the end of the book. To make up for it, I need to have that sexual tension and at least have them kiss to give the readers something to look forward to.

One of my favorite ways to show sexual tension is to have witty banter between the hero and heroine. I like to create heroines that have a sharp tongue. Gee, I wonder where I got that idea? My husband is familiar with my sharp tongue. Anger turns into passion and well, passion turns into love. It happens all the time, especially in romance novels. Ah, if it could only be as perfect in real life. We can only dream. And I can only do my best to create that sexual tension in my books that romance readers crave. 

************ 

Welcome to the Friday the 13th Blog Hop. For a chance to win a Kindle e-reader, please follow the links to all the author blogs to the end where you will fill out an official entry form.
I am giving away a PDF copy of Cat’s Curse, a historical fantasy romance. It’s the first book in my Dark Goddess trilogy.
Available in Print and Ebook

http://kelleyheckart.com/cats_curse.html
Cat's Curse, Book One: Dark Goddess Trilogy, Celtic historical romance/fantasy
Enter Dark Age Scotland—a mysterious, dangerous & exciting place…
Blurb: Cardea is cursed to live an eternity as a blood drinker. Aedan mac Gabrain, prince of Dal Riata, trusts no one after suffering a curse that keeps him from touching any females. Can two tortured souls find love while battling a dark goddess determined to destroy them?

Good luck!

Here is your next blog hop stop             
Click on the link below or on the graphic:
www.harveyle.blogspot.com (Lauren Harvey)


Please note: In case the link to the entry form doesn't work on the next blog, here it is:
Prize Entry Form: www.authorsrclaridge.com/bloghopprizeentry.htm

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

New Year's Blog Hop

I hope you have a great time during the hop. Book mark sites you want to return to, then head out to enter on all the other hops so you get your contest entries in on all the blogs! Good luck everyone!

PRIZE:   One winner - PDF file of my new short fantasy romance titled The Enchanted Meadow!

MY Contest Rules: 3 things to do:

Leave a comment

Include your email addy (santa.claus at yahoo dot com)

Like my Facebook page at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

You're done!

Nothing difficult and not a bunch of hoops to jump through. (I don't like it when I have to visit other sites to enter a contest either!) Leave your comment here then begin the hop! Leave my window open, right click on the next blog and open in a new tab. Close that window after you've finished their contest requirements, come back here and right click the next blog.

http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=119669

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

   Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

   http://www.kelleyheckart.com