Doing some Disney Dreaming

I’ve decided, as a change of pace, that every Sunday I’ll be using the Believing is Seeing blog for a little bit of Disney Dreaming.

In recent days, I’ve been longing to go back to Walt Disney World, especially since it’s been so cold here in Indiana. A Disney fix call help.

So, it’s a good thing the hubs and I have finally booked our 2010 vacation! We’ll be leaving Thanksgiving weekend and staying a full week in the World. I’m so excited! We’ve selected the Boardwalk Inn as the place to rest our heads, which is great because we’ve stayed there twice before. It’s hubby’s favorite resort and he likes the fact we can walk into Epcot for dinner or snacks.

For your enjoyment, here are so of my favorite pics from our last trip, in August 2009:

We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and actually this was our second stay here. It’s a great resort. In the summertime, it can get a little crowded at the pool, but you can’t beat the close proximity with the Magic Kingdom.

And speaking of the Magic Kingdom, here’s a great shot of Cinderella’s Castle.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is goof around at Downtown Disney. Best to get there in the morning to mid-day because after that, it’ll be a nightmare trying to find parking. Especially if it rains LOL

Tune in next week to see how the vacation plans are progressing!

Design your own hero contest!

Don’t forget! Time’s running out on this a unique opportunity.

In a writer’s life, characters are always around: primary, secondary, stand-ins, but have you ever read a book and been disgruntled with how a characters is portrayed or how they look?

Now’s your chance to do something about it.

From now until the end of the month, I’m running a contest that will allow you to design the hero in my next book.

All you have to do is either post here in the comment section or email me at sandrasookoo@yahoo.com the specs of the man. Physical description, personality, quirks, scars, tats, idiosyncrasies, etc. February 1st, I’ll choose a winner and you’ll get a free copy of an e-book of mine published in 2009 along with a goodie bag and your name in the acknowledgment section when the book is published.

So, get those creative juices flowing and let’s see what you’ve got!

Interracial Romance in the Old West by Gem Sivad

Today, we’ve got talented Gem Sivad guest blogging with us today!

Interracial liaisons are not foreign to any culture, but historically, they have been frowned on. 1880 Texas was no different. In a time when Indians and whites had recently fought over land, accepting a mate from the other side was perceived as almost treasonous. Besides that, the intermingling of the races was seen by both cultures as a dilution of pure blood.

In my Eclipse, Texas series of western romance novels, I have written two interracial stories. In each case, the hero is part Kiowa, Apache and the heroine a woman of European descent. I like to play the, what if game when I write.

Wolf’s Tender ~ What if an independent and practical teacher needs help saving eight young girls entrusted to her care? Would it matter if the help came packaged in a muscled suit of bronze skin?

Naomi Parker doesn’t think so. All males, white, brown, black, or red are an irritant to Miss Parker. She’s been on her own long enough to resent a man’s take-charge attitude.

But, when Naomi must save her students captured by Comancheros, bounty hunter, Charlie Wolf McCallister seems like the answer to her prayer.

Charlie Wolf McCallister has been on the fringe of two worlds all of his life. In his experience, most white women find him a little too savage for their taste. Not Naomi Parker. She stands toe-to-toe (and hip to hip) with Charlie as he dictates terms. When the bossy school teacher sees him as a man, not a half-Kiowa man, Charlie knows he’s found his mate.

Wolf’s Tender – Available now @ Liquid Silver Books.

Breed True ~ What if a woman’s children were threatened and her only choice to save them was marriage to a man of another race? Would it be a fate worse than death or an adventure as she explored a new way of life?

Julie Fulton is alone and without a person in the world to ask for help. What’s worse, she has twin daughters to protect as a charge of murder threatens her freedom.

When Grady Hawks finds the gambler’s widow in distress, he sees opportunity. He is about to lose his 10,000 acre ranch because his neighbors fear that he’s too Indian to be trusted.

Want plays a poor second to need. Grady doesn’t want to dilute his Kiowa blood and Julie doesn’t want to marry again, but need forces them into a year’s bargain. Julie gets the protection she needs for her daughters and Grady gets the chance to produce a white heir to secure his land.

Soon though, skin color is forgotten and passion gives new meaning to want and need.

Breed True ~ Available Feb. 1 @ Liquid Silver Books.

For excerpts and author events, visit Gem’s Place

Interview with author Linda Swift

Please welcome author Linda Swift to the Believing is Seeing blog!

SS: Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

LS: I am a native of Kentucky but my husband and I now live in Florida. I married and had two children, then went back to school when they did and became a teacher, counselor, and psychometrist. All of these jobs were fulfilling but writing was always a part of my life, too. I have been writing since I was ten, first poetry, then short stories, articles, plays, and finally I realized my dream of writing books.

SS: Wow! You’ve been busy! What genre do you like to write best in and why?

LS: Fiction of any kind is a joy to write. Most of my work has been contemporary but I am focusing more on historical books now, probably because I’m pretty historical myself!

SS: How do you find ideas for your books?

LS: There are many different ways that I get ideas for my books. Some come from a memorable image, others from an unforgettable character. Sometimes an incident will take on momentum and develop into a book. The characters will usually live in my head for a while until they are fully developed and ready to tell their story.

SS: How difficult is it for you to get into “writer’s mode”?

LS: Getting into “writer’s mode” sometimes takes hours, depending on what distractions I have. Or I may want to write but not be able to put anything on the blank page. But often I am in the mode long before I have a stretch of uninterrupted time to actually write. And once I get going, the words usually flow with few revisions.

SS: Tell me a little about your new book.

LS: I have two new books, both released in December but I am going to talk about Single Status. It is a contemporary romance set in St Croix, in the Caribbean. I wrote it when I was living in Northern England while my husband was a consultant for a power plant being built. I sat at my desk in a second floor flat overlooking the muddy River Humber during a cold winter and wrote of tropical seas and sand and palm trees. The contrast couldn’t have been greater.

SS: A tropical island sounds good right about now. How did the inspiration for this work come to you?

LS: My husband had worked in St. Croix on a single status job, sharing a villa with a male co-worker. I was able to visit there for a week when the man took home leave. The setting was perfect for a romance so I had a location. I knew the hero had to work in a power plant and my husband could give me any information about the subject that I needed. Then I remembered an earlier job when I had seen a female engineer leaving work with a group of men one day. Why not have a heroine who worked there, too? And through a mix-up have the two share a condo on a single status job. My agent said the story wasn’t plausible and discouraged my writing it. But I knew such a thing was possible so I continued to write the story without his blessing.

SS: Do you identify with the characters you write about?

LS: I always identify with my characters, both the good and the bad. I may not have had the experiences they have, but I only have to ask myself what they are feeling about their experience in order to write their story. There are a limited number of emotions common to us all and we can always identify with those in another person if we try.

SS: You have several books in print/e-print. Is there a favorite among them? Why?

LS: Like having more than one child, you love each one in a different way, not really better.
My favorite is always the one I am currently working on. And when I go back after a period of time and read it again, I get caught up in the story all over again because my characters are very real to me.

SS: How many books do you have in print/e-print now? Do you have a favorite?

LS: I’ve sold five e-books so far, four have been released, two of which are also in print. I am currently still working on the sequel to my first contracted historical. And I have three other finished books I am eager to send out for consideration. All three would be labeled mainstream or women’s fiction, not romance. And I have some characters living in my head, waiting to have their romance stories written.

SS: Wow! That’s great! What do you love about your editor or publisher?

LS: I have found e-publishers and editors to be so much more accessible than those in NY
with whom I had earlier experience. They offer greater support and I’ve been given more input in the production of the books. But the downside is that I’m making less money.

LS: Do you have a specific place where you write?

LS: I am fortunate to have a room I call my study which contains all the equipment I need and is in a quiet location. However, we live in a condo and the room also serves as a guest bedroom. But that is not a problem for when guests are here, I don’t have time to write.

SS: What piece of advice do you have for aspiring writers that you wished someone told you when you started?

LS: Don’t try to write to “what is selling.” Don’t try to make your story fit “The Hero’s Journey” or use the phrases guaranteed to please a romance editor, including the accepted names for all the body parts. I’m embarrassed to admit I’m guilty on all counts!

SS: Good advice! What is your next project?

LS: I want to get my unaccepted manuscripts sent out. They can’t be accepted (or rejected) if they are not read. And if you don’t submit, the outcome is always rejection. Then I want to do some new kinds of promotion and arrange some book signings. And finish the book I have started. So that’s projects, plural, isn’t it?. Multi-tasking with a one track mind as usual.

SS: Now for a little fun! If you could interview any of the characters in your books, which one would it be, and why? What shocking thing might that character say?

LS: I would interview the Civil War surgeon in my yet unpublished historical. Phillip Burke had all the qualities of a perfect hero. He was intelligent, educated, skilled, passionate, handsome. But he was torn between love and honor and no matter which choices he made, he stood to lose something he treasured. I would ask him if he ever regretted his final choice and I’m not sure what his answer would be.

SS: Who was the most entertaining character you’ve written?

LS: I loved writing about Jondalar Wykham, a castle guard in my historical set in 1573 in Yorkshire, England. He was so different from any character I’d written before and it was a challenge getting inside his head–and heart. He was ambitious to a fault but his love for a comely maid finally saved him.

SS: What else would you like to share?

LS: I would just like to thank you for the opportunity to visit today and talk about my writing and especially Single Status. This was a book I loved writing and I think anyone who reads it will find it amusing but sometimes serious, a reflection of real life and emotions. If you like gutsy women, you’ll like B.J. If you like golf, you’ll surely like the game she played with Dana. Add a pompous ex-husband, an interfering mother, a sex-pot sister, a wolf in engineer’s clothing and I think you’ll keep turning pages to the end.

SS: Thanks for being here, Linda!

Blurb: A handsome man. A beautiful woman. A secluded villa in the Caribbean. A perfect setting for romance? Nothing could be further from their minds.

B.J. is a woman with a mission–to show that she can handle a start-up engineer’s job as well as any man. Then maybe she can prove to her ex that she is not the helpless wife he left for another woman. Dana is a man grieving the deaths of his wife and young son in a terrorist plane crash. Through a mix-up at stateside headquarters, they are forced to share a villa in the single status job in St. Croix. B.J. is the scapegoat when things go wrong at work and Dana becomes her reluctant defender when he is not defending himself against her unjust conclusions about him.

Despite their attempts to prove otherwise, the powerful attraction between them grows. B.J. is blamed for a bad accident at the plant and her job is on the line. When Dana is almost killed trying to find the real culprit, will B.J. finally admit that the love they have found together is the most important thing of all?

Book trailer of Single Status:

To buy Single Status and The Twelve Days of Christmas, visit Awe-struck:

To buy Circle of Love and Let Nothing You Dismay, visit The Wild Rose Press:

Interview with Pamela Hearon

Today, I’m welcoming author Pamela Hearon to the Believing is Seeing blog!

SS: Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

PH: I’ve been writing stories since as far back as I can remember. My parents recognized the talent and encouraged me to major in journalism in college. I balked at that idea. Not being able to embellish the facts didn’t sound like much fun to me. I wanted to tell the story my way, which might not necessarily be the way it actually happened—if it happened at all.

So, yes indeed, I’ve always wanted to be a writer, have always thought of myself as a writer. Becoming a published author was something I dreamed about but kept in the dream category until a few years ago. When I had that first completed manuscript, I began to believe it was a dream that could come true.

SS: What genre do you like to write best in and why?

PH: I’m bi-genred . I love writing both romantic fantasy and romantic single-title contemporary. I enjoy being able to let my imagination run wild with elements of magic. If I can think it, I can make it real in some alternate universe, and that is a heady experience.

But life itself is a heady experience, so writing about experiences that could actually happen is intriguing and fun as well. I love coming up with interesting, quirky characters and dropping them into situations that take them out of their comfort zones. Then, I just sit back and write what I observe—from the vantage point of my imagination.

SS: How do you find ideas for your books?

PH: Sometimes a picture or a statement will set my mind whirring, connecting idea to idea. I’ve always had an overactive imagination, so it doesn’t take much to get it revved. The idea for The Timestone Key came to me during a vacation in England. I’ve always loved the legends of King Arthur, so I convinced my husband we should build a vacation around Arthurian sites. As we traveled from one ancient site to another, a story started germinating, then growing in my mind. By the time we were on the flight back to the States, I had the basic story plotted in my head. I wrote the first draft in about six months, and then I rewrote … and rewrote … and rewrote … and …

SS: How difficult is it for you to get into “writer’s mode”?

PH: I usually wake up in writer’s mode. Figuring out plot points during my sleep seems to be a major part of my process, and my best time to write is as soon as I get up. If something deters me, my CP gave me a creativity CD that I keep close at hand. It works for me every time.

SS: Tell me a little about your new book.

PH: The Timestone Key is a modern twist on the King Arthur legend. A present-day heroine unwittingly accepts a mysterious family legacy that has been passed through her family for fifteen hundred years and leads directly to the Pendragon himself. Arthur is alive in Avalon but teetering on the brink of madness. Only the secret that Halley bears can heal his mind. She has to gain entrance to Avalon, but first she must find the two halves of the Timestone Key.

SS: Do you identify with the characters you write about?

PH: While not based on me, I think all of my heroines have parts of me infused into them. It may be one of my quirks, a habit, a favorite food, an interesting perspective, but it helps me identify with them and therefore write them more intimately.

I have a V-shaped birthmark on my forehead. My mother told me it was the sign of a Healer. I gave Halley Winsted, heroine of The Timestone Key, the same birthmark. It kept me connected closely to her throughout the writing process.

SS: What piece of advice do you have for aspiring writers that you wished someone told you when you started?

PH: Get involved in a writing organization such as Romance Writers of America. Join a chapter that meets your needs. Being in contact with other people who are as passionate about writing as you are will keep you sane. Then go a step further and connect with a critique partner or a writers’ group.

Writing can be a frustrating existence, and there are some aspects of the experience that only another writer will understand. With the availability of the Internet, even those of us in rural areas can surround ourselves with like minds.

Many writers are introverts. Don’t let your shyness keep you from your dream.

SS: Thanks so much for joining me today! I love getting to know a writer’s process!

THE TIMESTONE KEY

Can a modern heart entwined with an ancient mystery prevail against a terrifying future?

When she was three, Halley Winsted was given a mysterious family legacy and told to follow her heart. But now that she’s thirty-three, love and commitment don’t come easy, even in the arms of sexy Tom Rutledge. A trip to England seems the perfect chance to sort out her feelings, and to indulge her obsession with the Arthurian legends.

But the legends are true. Arthur is alive in Avalon, teetering on the brink of madness, unable to fulfill his role in mankind’s terrifying future. Can the legacy Halley bears heal Arthur’s mind in time? Can she trust her heart to lead her to her destiny?

Content warning: This book contains sensual descriptions of consummated love scenes. Not for those under 18 years of age.

To purchase this book, visit Lyrical Press, Inc.

To find out more about Pamela, go to her website

Interview with Darcy Campbell

Please help me welcome author Darcy Campbell to the Believing is Seeing blog.

SS: Hi Darcy. Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

DC: I’ve been always starting to write, getting sometimes as far as 10 or 15 pages before I lost interest or the story line. Finally about three years ago, I found a niche that seemed to work for me and I wrote my first short story, Twisted Reality. Strangely enough, most of my initial stories were written as short stories (3,000 words or less) for contests or anthology submissions that were turned down. I expanded on the stories, resubmitted them to other publishers and now I have four books and a series published.

SS: That’s great! What genre do you like to write best in and why?

DC: I started writing erotica with a lesbian theme, because this type of genre is sadly lacking in the marketplace. I have since written one gay focused short story and my new series is heterosexual only.

SS: How do you find ideas for your books?

DC: Lots of places. I might see something on TV or on a billboard that gets me to thinking. Most are ideas that were created with the thought of “what would have happened if they turned left instead of right, or if this happened instead of that?”

SS: Interesting! How difficult is it for you to get into “writer’s mode”?

DC: I write in various pieces. Since I’m on the road so much with my day job, I use a digital recorder to do the first draft. When I began transcribing, I flush out the story and combine the pieces. I need quiet to do the transcribing since I need to get deep into the story and the mind of my characters

SS: Wow! I’ve never heard of anyone transcribing a book before. Tell me a little about your new book.

DC: My book releasing today is the third book in the Arienta Guardian series. The series is built around jewels, the powers they contain and the guardians that were chosen to protect them from birth.

In The Warrior, Book 3, Cado is a merman that discovers a secret about himself as well as the power he seems to have over women. Haunted by a woman he’s only seen in dreams, he goes on a quest to discover her identity and the truth about himself.

SS: Nice! How did the inspiration for this work come to you?

DC: The storyline of the jewels was originally for submission to an e-publisher focusing on monthly stories of birthstones. The stories just grew too detailed to fit into the 3,000 word count so I gave up on that submission and let the stories be told to completion.

SS: Do you identify with the characters you write about?

DC: I think all authors include pieces of themselves in their characters. Many of my characters have evolved from what I originally planned on.

SS: How many books do you have in print/e-print now? Do you have a favorite?

DC: I have three short stories, three stories in an anthology and the Arienta Guardian series currently in either electronic or print format. There was a fourth short story published by a e-publisher which closed its doors last year. I’ve yet had a chance to submit that story to other publishers.

My favorite is probably the one I’m currently in the process of completing. It is book four in the Arienta Guardian series.

Blurb for The Warrior: How far will a lonely merman walk for true love?

Merman Cado has discovered just how much fun he can have with human women. In fact, they’re lining up to service him because this is something he’s very, very good at.

All is well until he begins dreaming of a woman he’s never met and his search for true love and his destiny as the Guardian of the Aquamarine stone send him on a quest far from familiar waters to another world.

Pursued by relentless enemies, can Cado save his lover, master his powers, and return to his home?
Warning: Explicit Sexual Content

To purchase The Warrior, visit the Lyrical Press

To learn more about Darcy, please visit her website

Insight into my characters’ minds…

I originally had this post up at another blog site last week, but I like it so much I’m re-vamping it here (pun intended!)

I’m talking about my recently released paranormal book entitled The Art of Fang Shui.

Sandra: The great thing about writing this book was that, since it was my first foray into full-length paranormal,

**banging on the door**

Sandra: Just ignore it. They’ll go away eventually. Probably some Girl Scout or something. Anyway, I loved the freedom it brought in creating a world and populating that world with pretty much whatever I felt like throwing in.

And I…

**insistent banging now**

Sandra: Sorry, apparently the moron assaulting the door is going to bash it down if I don’t answer.

**opens the door**

Sandra: Oh look, folks, it’s Edwin Mason and Hannah Weybourne, the couple whom The Art of Fang Shui revolves around. You two might as well come in and get comfy. At least then you’ll stop committing crimes against real estate. I don’t want my living room messed up.

Hannah: That would be Edwin’s fault. He has no patience and doesn’t like to be kept waiting.

**she runs her hands through short, spiky red hair. Petite and curvy, don’t get her mad or she’ll chew you out**

Edwin: I merely assumed that my knock would be answered in a timely manner.

**he wears a fierce frown and his long, dark hair is tied at his nape like a Revolutionary war hero. He’s the tall, dark and sexy type**

Me: **rolling my eyes as the pair seats themselves on a sofa** What do you guys want? Shouldn’t you be out trying to save the world from some oversexed forest witch or an obnoxious demon lord? I mean there have been rumors…

Edwin: People will always talk, Ms. Sookoo. You should not believe everything you hear.

**snorting**
Hannah: Oh please! Don’t listen to him. He’s too modest for his own good.

**she gives him a good-natured shove on the shoulder**

Edwin: I was simply stating the facts.

Hannah: We’re in-route to Indianapolis. We’ve gotten a good lead on where to find Andre and hopefully take him down.

Sandra: I see. Sounds like a war is imminent. From the looks of your muddy, stained clothing, it would seem you’ve been camping

Hannah: Ugh! If it weren’t for the fact that Edwin kidnapped me and dragged me into some stupid forest—

Edwin: **interrupting** Except for the goblin you attracted. I would remind you, once again, that I did not kidnap you. You came willingly.

Hannah: Willingly is a relative term. You pretty much told me I had no choice and that you needed my Enhancer powers to save the world.

Edwin: This is the truth. You are one of an extremely tiny minority with such energies. You are obligated to help.

Hannah: Don’t remind me. Because of Mr. Cranky Pants here, I’d be safe at home, tucked away in my bed—

Edwin: Not a bad suggestion. You, in bed with something sexy on or not on, however you’re more comfortable…

**heated, intense looks are exchanged between the two**

Sandra: Settle down, kids. You’re liable to burn a hole through computer screens everywhere. What’s an Enhancer?

Hannah: **sighs**Edwin explained to me it’s like a supplemental power pack to someone who already has mind powers. Apparently, I’m in high demand by him and the criminal element in the paranormal world.

Edwin: It is extremely annoying that she has an elementary grasp on her powers. More often than not, she creates havoc around her which I have to rescue her from.

Hannah: I do not! Some of those episodes were your own fault. Remember the goat man?

Edwin: I choose to never think of the goat man, thank you.

Hannah: Besides, you like rescuing me because there’s always a reward.

Edwin: Speaking of which—

Sandra: **interrupting** So it’s safe to say that over the course of your travels you’ve encountered a good faction of paranormal life? That must be fascinating.

Hannah: **an indignant snort**Fascinating? I doubt it. Living day after day in a forest with these freaks is stressful, especially if your traveling companion is too anal for his own good. I mean, hello, he won’t unbend enough to allow me to call him a nickname.

Edwin: I would caution you once more that Snookums is not a pleasant moniker any man wishes to be known by.

Sandra: Actually, I’d have to agree with Edwin on this point.

Hannah: **green eyes flash in a glare** You’d better watch it, author lady. He may be a flawed half-vamp but he’s mine.

Edwin: **a grin lifts his well-shaped lips** I appreciate the defense, Hannah. As you can see, Ms. Sookoo, Hannah fits in with the Prophecy quite nicely.

Sandra: Wait, there’s a Prophecy, too? Can you tell me about that?

Hannah: What did I just tell you? **she stands and yanks Edwin to his feet** Since the woman obviously can’t keep her eyes to herself, we’re leaving.

Edwin: **rolls sparkling blue eyes**You will need to excuse Hannah. She is extremely jealous of any woman I talk to, although I will say, the feeling is mutual, especially when she shows an unhealthy interest in that poor excuse of a blond werewolf…

Hannah: Do you see what you did? Now he’s all hot and bothered and it will take me a good half hour of kisses and reassurances to calm him down. Like I’ve got time for that while we’re supposed to be saving the world.

Sandra: Oookay. Thanks for dropping by. Good luck with that whole demon lord thing.

Edwin: You are most welcome, Ms. Sookoo. I regret we have no time for a proper conversation. My Hannah is under the false assumption I am interested in any woman beside her, even though I show her on every occasion how sexy I think she is.

Sandra: I’ll take your word for it.

**the two finally leave, bickering back and forth**

Sandra: Well, there you go, folks. If you’d like to know exactly how Hannah and Edwin came together and into this mess, and if they’ll live to tell anyone else about it, I invite you to pick up a copy of The Art of Fang Shui. It’s a long story and best told in book form.

Here’s the blurb: Hannah doesn’t believe in things that go bump in the night – until they start accumulating on her doorstep. A Power Enhancer, her gift jumps to the forefront of her life, and she has no choice but to take notice when dishy, arrogant Edwin attempts to kidnap her as part of a covert mission to save the Eight Realms.

Edwin is a half-vamp, intent on collecting the bounty on errant paranormal beings. His best-laid plans go awry when he meets stubborn Hannah. He needs her energies in order to vanquish the power-hungry Demon Lord, Andre who’s bent on destroying the world. He’s thrown off guard as she bewitches him with her sarcastic nature as well as her tempting curves.

Together the unlikely duo finds themselves flung into a sticky web of supernatural foes and dark deceit in their quest to protect the world’s magic. If they’re lucky, love will meet them on the other side.

The good folks at Eirelander Publishing can be reached here: www.eirelander-publishing.com

Or please drop by my website for more information on this and all my other books: www.sandrasookoo.com

It’s burning love in here!

Welcome to the Believing is Seeing blog! I hope you found me as part of the Fill Your E-Reader Blog tour with the Liquid Silver authors. It started with Paige Tyler. If not, welcome anyway! I’m glad to have you here! Remember, to be eligible for the grand prize, you must comment on all the blogs!

We’re setting the place on a slow sizzle that will burn a hole in the middle of winter.

First item for your consideration is this guy:

I’m thinking he’s a good candidate for my hero Darren in Safe from the Flames.

Hmm, but maybe this guy?

Here’s the blurb. Does he fit? Darren Kaestle wants nothing more than to do his job. Putting out fires and keeping the community safe is his idea of a good time until he finds an unconscious woman in an abandoned house fire. Only then does he get a glimpse of her paranormal abilities.

Hadyn Bernson has harbored anger and fear deep inside herself until it manifests in a rare phenomena. She can burst into flames whenever her emotions get out of control, and they threaten to do just that when she opens her eyes and finds a sexy firefighter staring back.

Together, these two people from opposite ends of the spectrum must find a way to settle their differences and quench the flames inside before the real terror of a dangerous blaze ends one, or both, of their lives.

Still undecided? Well maybe you can help me pick from these three?

If you want to pick up a copy of the Safe from the Flames novella, go to the Liquid Silver Books site.

Next blog on the tour is Juniper Bell .

Happy hunking!

Talking with author Sandra K. Marshall

SS: I’m thrilled to welcome author Sandra K. Marshall to the Believing is Seeing blog!

SM: First of all, I want to thank you for having me here today. There’s nothing more I enjoy doing than talking. Wink!

SS: Welcome Sandy. Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

SM: LOL Never in a million years did I dream of being a writer. I knew it would be a lot of work, but I’ve been writing seriously for twenty one years this February 1st. If it weren’t for my husband convincing me that writing a book would be more productive than reading them I would never have started. The poor man didn’t have any idea what he was getting me into. I’m sure he wishes he hadn’t started me down this path because there isn’t any quitting now.

SS: What genre do you like to write best in and why?

SM: I like mystery romance because I grew up reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, then graduated to Agatha Christie and other adult mysteries.

SS: Mystery writing is tough. How do you find ideas for your books?

SM: The ideas for my books come from real life. All I have to do is read the papers, watch the news, observe and talk to people, and something will spark an idea to be used for a book.

SS: How difficult is it for you to get into “writer’s mode”?

SM: Sometimes, it’s very difficult because you have life’s problems on your mind. If I can block everything out of my mind, then I can get in writer’s mode and stay there until I’m interrupted.

SS: I heart that! Do you have a specific place where you write?

SM: I like to write on my laptop sitting in my recliner. That is fun. My PC is for the real work, promoting.

SS: Tell me a little about your book.

SM: My most recent book, ADDICTION, was released November 6, 2009 from Eirelander Publishing.

It’s primarily about a young woman battling addictions and trying to stay ahead of a serial killer who is after her. The killer wants to punish her for her addiction to alcohol, although she actually represents someone else in his mind. Jolene has self-esteem issues, but our hero, Jake makes her face these problems and makes her realize she’s worthy of love.

SS: Very interesting! How did the inspiration for this work come to you?

SM: I wrote an earlier book titled, The Catalyst, set in the riverboat gambling casino industry, and Jolene was a secondary character in it. As I was writing that book, I realized Jolene had a story that needed to be told.

SS: Those darned secondary characters. They’re always wanting their 15 minutes! LOL Do you identify with the characters you write about?

SM: There is always something about them that I can relate to but not everything. The characters I write about or made up of people I may know or have known. They may have traits that I’ve observed in someone but may not even be acquainted with that person.

SS: Tell my about your publisher.

SM: I love talking about my publisher. Eirelander Publishing is new, but I have great faith in the owner of this publisher. Lee Morris started this company in 2009, and if anyone can make a success of an e-publisher/small press company she will. Originally, a sci-fi author, when sci-fi fell out of favor, she decided to cross over to romance. Now, sci-fi is back in favor so you’ll find lots of science fiction at Eirelander Publishing along with everything else.

Eirelander Publishing is a great place because the editors there are first and foremost, teachers. If you have a great story, they’ll work with you to make it better. They don’t write your story for you, but they’ll help you sort out any problems you have with it. For that reason, you’ll get wonderfully rounded reads from all the books you buy at their site. It’s a great site to browse around.

SS: Awesome! What do you love about your editor?

SM: I love my editor because she doesn’t rewrite my story. If my pacing is slow she lets me know and makes suggestions how to fix it, and I can follow one of those ideas or come up with one of my own.

SS: What piece of advice do you have for aspiring writers that you wished someone told you when you started?

SM: Aspiring writers need to know that there will be better writers than you who will quit because they didn’t get published in a year or two. They need to know that they can get published if they keep learning and never quit. Once, I started writing I was too stubborn to quit. If I can make it anyone can. Just remember there is a lot to learn.

SS: That’s very true. What is your next project?

SM: My next project is The Deceived (title subject to change), and it will be released in May. It’s actually the third book in this series, and it’s about Jolene’s sister, Melanie. Melanie has been a spoiled brat in the previous books, but she grows up in her story. For a young woman who thinks she knows everything, she is easily deceived.

She is against riverboat gambling even though she owns a portion of her family’s company. She joins a group that is picketing the riverboat casinos. The FBI has been watching them for several years. The agent has been working undercover at The Odyssey riverboat casinos as a board member. Mike is attracted to the spirited young woman and intends to keep her safe even though he is using her to find out what is going on inside the group .

SS: Well, that’s all I’ve got for you this time around! Thanks for letting me interview you!

SM: Thank you for having me today, Sandi. I have to admit I’m just about talked out. lol I never thought I would see the day that happened.

Book video for Addiction

Blurb for Addiction

Two men are after the same woman but for very different reasons.

Dark-haired beauty, Jolene Dubois has a serious problem, and it’s not just battling alcoholism. Late at night, she receives whispered calls. “Jolene, I want you. I’m coming for you.” Shivers climb up her spine and ice flowed in her veins. What does he want? Who is it? She must figure it out before she trusts the wrong person.

Jake Farrell, the handsome rogue is an operator with women, but is he hiding something dark and sinister under his cheery facade. The detective, Andy Martin, who investigated her father’s murder, continues to ask her out. Les Voodré, an alcoholic she met at AA follows her everywhere, and Ron Keisler, her AA sponsor is always there when she needs him. Could her caller be one of these men?

To further complicate her life, she fights a host of addictions, alcoholism, smoking, gambling and sex. Jolene is determined to beat the alcohol and to stay out of the clutches of the fiend who phones her.

You can buy Addiction at the Eirelander Publishing site.

To learn more about Sandra, visit her website or her blog!

Angel’s Master is now available!

Today’s the day! Angel’s Master is here and waiting for you to pick up your very own copy!

If you love pirates, history, love, romance, a battle on the high seas then this story is for you!

Blurb: The year is 1822 and life on the high seas just became more complicated for Ethan Williams. He’s a pirate with a conscience, and even though killing and plundering are his way of life, he’s searching for much more—and he’s tired of being alone.

Jacqueline Massey is connected with the American Navy. It’s her job to trick men into revealing they are indeed pirates. The guilt she feels about sending them to their doom is equaled only by her longing to be loved. But Jacqueline has a secret—one that has intertwined her fate with Ethan’s for longer than he’s known.

Can destiny bring together a pirate and an angel during the season of miracles, or will a watery death by Davy Jones locker drown their love?

Excerpt #1

“Enough violence.” Jacqueline ripped the weapon from his hand and laid it carefully on one of the only intact tables. “You need a doctor.” The metallic smell of blood made her stomach pitch. “Let me run for Doc Allenson, and–”

“I don’t think so, ma’am.” The pirate interrupted her. He holstered his pistol and dagger with a wicked grin on his lips. “You will accompany me instead. And I always get what I want.”

The excitement from earlier turned into a cold panic as he advanced upon her. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.” She scrambled to her feet. Her knees shook so badly, she thought she might slump to the floor. “Stay away.”

“Come willingly, and your grace and dignity will remain intact, or I can take you kicking and screaming, but either way, you leave with me.” He held out a hand, and the long, slim fingers beckoned with their offer of freedom or ruin.

Jacqueline couldn’t determine which she craved more. She swallowed and looked to Alexander for help.
“We will come after you, Jackie.” He winced and pressed his hand to his wound. Blood oozed around the fingers. “I’d rather you be alive and in need of rescue, than dead before me because of stubbornness. At least this way, we have a chance.”

Coward. Her stomach pitched at the fact Alexander took a bullet for her, but his smug, arrogant smile killed the emotion. Jacqueline itched to slap his face, but doubted it would do any good. She glanced at the pirate, and the mocking glint in his dark eyes made her heart race. She glared. “I’ll come with you, but if you lay a hand on me, you will be sorry.”

His bark of laughter unnerved her. “We are well beyond that, my dear.”

As she backed away, he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a down-filled pillow. “Put me down!” She beat her fists against his back, noting with alarm that he was indeed as well muscled as she thought.

“All in good time.” With those parting words, he carried her through the maze of broken furniture and into the humid night.

Book Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhDhYTImA8M

Publisher Website: http://tinyurl.com/ygej64a

My website: http://www.sandrasookoo.com