Tuesday Tease! Plus, ELYSIAN e-book giveaway!

First, I want to extend my prayers to those in the path of that devastating tornado in Oklahoma. My thoughts are with you and my heart is heavy. Please stay safe.

**

Welcome back to the Tuesday tease~ Enter below to win e-copies of ELYSIAN the second I have it available! I’m gifting 5 copies to 5 different winners!!!

If feels like more than a week has drifted by since the last tease. I’ve been submersed in ELYSIAN and it’s finally at the very end stages of edits. I’ll be contacting my formatter today and making arrangements for next week. I have one more beta and the final portion of edits yet to get back to me but I expect both by Wednesday. There is only one more read-through I need to do. (Yes, just one!!!) Since the book is very long this is more time consuming than it sounds, but I love me some Paragon so it’s a total labor of love.

There are a few mysteries I open up at the end of ELYSIAN that will segue into Skyla’s new series. The storylines that are left open are for the NA series or have to do with the Countenance. I sifted through all of your questions (thank you for letting me know your thoughts!) and made sure to tackle those in the book. The revelations—the reveals of how and why are given in parts throughout the book. As the book draws to a close the answers become clearer. The answers do not appear on the last page nor are they in the final chapter. It’s more of a progressive reveal. There is one storyline that gets answered in the final book of the Countenance, and that is the ever-elusive question: Why do Wesley and Gage look exactly alike? Since that’s not pertinent to Celestra I don’t give the answer in this book but it will be revealed in Skyla’s new series as well.

Contests: Would you like to win a copy of ELYSIAN the second I have it available? Sign up below and hop over to Delphina’s blog where there are two additional copies up for grabs. Also there is an exclusive scene from ELYSIAN that has a few familiar cameos from The Countenance over at her blog and I hope you enjoy them!

In other news: Pre-Orders for the paperback and audio version of SOMEONE TO LOVE, are available on amazon!! YAY! Right??? I’m over the moon excited. Here’s the link to Amazon. My wonderful publisher, Skyscape, is putting out the new edition in late October. SOMEONE LIKE YOU, the follow up, will be available after the New Year. Exciting times!

And one more little bit of book news. THE SOLITUDE OF PASSION is coming along great. This is a book I wrote forever ago. It’s a contemporary romance and the story has gripped me and never let me go. I’ve got a ton of novels collecting dust, but this one, it ate my heart for breakfast and I wanted it to. I wanted to marry both Mitch and Max. This book lives in me and plays itself over and over in my heart like a love song I never tire of hearing. I hope you’ll enjoy it to. I’m hoping for a June release.

Enjoy the teasers!

THE SOLITUDE OF PASSION (Written in 3 POVS Lee, Mitch, and Max)

(Lee’s POV)

*Lee sits with her sister, Katrice, and watches as her husband Mitch plays an unfriendly game of tennis with his longtime nemesis Max Shepherd.

I slept with Max.

Just once in high school.

Katrice bows her lashes trying to hide a smile. She’s the only living soul that knows what happened that night. Not even Mitch knows about that explosive night I shared with his adversary. Of course back then they were anything but.

“You ever tell Mitch?” she whispers.

“I’d die before I told him.”

Those two were closer than brothers until Mitch’s father and Max’s mother flaunted their infidelity for the world to see. It was treason in both the bedroom and boardroom. Split two families in half, reduced their friendship to cinders.

“Lee,” Max shouts, waving his racket. His black hair gleams in the light. He’s so cuttingly handsome, but it’s Mitch who’s my golden Adonis. “You see that? Your husband cheats!”

I wasn’t paying attention, so I just shake my head and round my hand over the curve of my swollen belly. I’m hardly five months and already I’ve morphed into a beach ball. 

“Leave him.” Max grins before serving the ball with bionic force. “I’ll help you raise the baby.”

“Leave him?” Kat’s face pricks with mockery. “I’ll help raise the baby? He is so still in love with you.”

“Shut up. He’s not in love with me. He’s in love with making Mitch miserable.”

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the Young Adult series.

*(Skyla and Mia in the backyard during one of Mia's parties)

Mia races up to me in a short mini-dress and heels. My heart nearly stops as I take in her bare shoulders, her miles of long, thin legs.

“You’re practically naked!” I cry. “And what’s with the evil meet and greet?”

“Skyla”—Mia averts her gaze—“I can’t tell you. We’re diabolical enemies.” She giggles as Melissa crops up.

“We are not enemies. We are sisters,” I hiss. I spot Chloe and Pierce heading in this direction, and my heart starts in on a series of unnatural thumps. “Get inside and tell all your little friends to leave.” Good God. I thought Chloe was getting it on with Ethan. But, then again, that was probably a two-minute endeavor.

“We can’t tell these people to leave.” Melissa shoots daggers at me as if she’s ready and willing to take me on.

“Oh yes you can. Do it or I will.”

“Chloe was right,” Mia barks. “You Celestra think you’re the boss of everyone.”

*Skyla in Marshall’s class. (Repeat?)

I glare at him from over the top of my lab manual. I’m still not used to him as my chemistry teacher, not that I ever fully accepted him as my “math” teacher. He’s more of an inter-dimensional stalker who has conveniently landed a job as a person of authority just to be near me. Actually, now that I think of it that way, it sort of endears me to him.  

*(Skyla with Logan and Gage)

Logan wraps his arms around me from behind, bowing a kiss into the nape of my neck, and I blush from head to toe while locking eyes with Gage. Sadly, I found the moment far more erotic than disturbing, and this unnerves me in more ways than one. 

*Skyla talking to Brielle (My favorite tease!)

“I don’t know,” I sigh. “It’s just hard to believe senior year is over. Life just seems like its on fast-forward. One day we’re going to wake up and we’ll be old. The sad part is we probably won’t even notice. I mean, how the hell are we supposed to know we’re old?”

“We’ll know we’re old when we start adding the words better than sex to our favorite desserts.”

Remember to enter below to win an e-copy of ELYSIAN and be the first to read it! (Amazon copies will be gifted immediately. All other formats as they become available or a Smashwords copy can be gifted immediately—winner’s choice!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tuesday Tease~!

Welcome back to the Tuesday tease!

As we begin the long goodbye to Celestra I thought I’d pepper the Tuesday tease with some fun facts, mostly random stuff, I find amusing regarding the series and my time writing it in general.

First, ELYSIAN edits are going great. It’s a large book so my editor has chopped it in half just for edits.   She’s finished the first half and now I’m combing over it in final read-throughs (yes, final!). I expect the rest either later this week or early, next. *somewhere Sarah cries* As for the unusual girth, I’m sure some will say why is this book so damn big? And others will say, hey this book isn’t that big at all! Where the hell’s rest of it? Whichever camp you find yourself in just know each word was born of love and perhaps a little too much lust on Skyla’s part, but I won’t take credit for that.

5 random Celestra confessions!

1. Since I began the series over two years ago I've gained what I not-so-affectionately call the Celestra 15. (I completely blame my addiction to Nutella.)

2. My house looks wrecked twenty-four seven, unless company is coming then I put in a manic cleanup effort. But in my defense that’s exactly how I operated before Celestra, so there’s that.

3. I never made it a practice to drink caffeinated coffee before writing the series and now I can’t even look at decaf. What’s the point?

4. I’ve convinced myself that it’s OK to live in the alternate world of Paragon. Only half of the stuff that actually goes on in that island ever makes it into the books. ;) True story.

5. While penning ETHEREAL, out on the patio, an overgrown crow (a raven perhaps?) made a concerted effort to hop around my laptop until finally I gave in and put him in my book. While penning ELYSIAN an overgrown crow (could it be the same freakishly large bird?) has been hovering around the house. When I take my laptop out back, he joins me. I think this proves that indeed, Nevermore lives.

I’m going to do my best to get a cover for ELYSIAN this week. I’m crazy deep in edits so if I’m slacking on anything, please forgive! And as soon as my betas read “the end” and let me know their thoughts, I’ll share them with you (albeit vaguely ;)

So soon you’ll have all the answers! West High and its relatively psychotic student body will be but a memory. But, we’ll always have Paragon.

On to the teasers!

THE SOLITUDE OF PASSION

*(Mitch saying goodbye to his pregnant wife, Lee, at LAX before departing for a business trip to China. He’s taking his brother Colt’s place on the trip.)

Lee swoops in and shoos Colt away. Her face is blotched, and her eyes stained with large, dark rings from crying. It’s a haunting image that sears itself into my mind before I can stop it.

“Love you.” I press a kiss into her, deep and lingering, as if we were alone. I don’t usually make it a practice to make out with Lee in front of my mother, but this is an exception. I fight the urge to start breaking all sorts of carnal rules like taking off her clothes—having her right here at the baggage check in.

“I can’t do this without you.” The words strangle out of her, broken in pieces, as she glides her hand over her stomach.

My hearts breaks just witnessing all of the misery I’ve caused, and I haven’t even left yet. I sweep my thumb over her cheek and press in a kiss to her forehead.

“I’ll be right back.” Made it sound like I was going to the refrigerator.

“What if you’re not?” Her eyes are on fire with grief, her lips quiver with fear; although, I’d like to think it was the kiss I just delivered that was making her tremble.

We hadn’t entertained the theory of anything tragic happening until now. Something tells me it’s too late to explore the concept, so I nip it.

“But I will be,” I whisper. “I promise you. I’ll be okay. Don’t fall in love with Colt while I’m gone.”

She shakes her head like a frightened schoolgirl. I want to add, if I don’t come back it’s okay to fall in love with Colt. Something tells me to say it, but I don’t.

I crash my lips into hers instead.

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series

*(Skyla at the senior rally)

I tried to find Marshall before the rally began but he was nowhere to be found. He’s faculty, and perverted—he’s practically required to attend all events that star teenaged girls in their skivvies.  

*(Brielle giving Skyla advice on her love life while getting ready for Halloween)

 “Hey you just called yourself his girlfriend. I think that’s a part of the problem. You think each one of them is your boyfriend. You’re going to have to deal with the fact that you need to let two of them go.” She dots my forehead aggressively with a charcoal finish. “I know! Why don’t you envision them each with another girl, and the one you’re the most pissed at for cheating is the one you can’t live without.”

*(Marshall, Skyla, Candace, Logan)

“Marshall,” I say it breathless. “That was so incredible.”

A gavel sounds, and I look in the direction of the clatter to find my mother seated with the Justice Alliance. The erotic rooms filled with our love are all but gone, replaced with the Elysian Fields. My mother and her panel are seated high over a lake that reflects the lavender sky.

“What was so incredible, Skyla?” My mother rises to greet me.

“Yes, Skyla.” Logan pops up beside me and reels me in. “What was so incredible?”

Hope you enjoyed the teasers!

Remember Ethereal Knights is live if you haven’t checked out what the boys have to say yet. They’re a little naughty but oh so delicious.

Also, there’s Laken!

Happy reading!

The Tuesday Tease! WINNERS! And new book/cover reveal!!!

Welcome back to the Tuesday tease! SOOO much fun stuff to cover. First, I’m going to give my editor and betas the rest of Elysian this week! Second, WINNERS!!! Winners for the Amazon cash and Kindle Fire HD are listed at the bottom of this post in the rafflecopter widget. And get this! The winner of the Kindle Fire HD, her name is Celesta! Get out! Right? As soon as rafflecopter spit it out I couldn’t believe my eyes. Awesomesauce!!!  So big congrats to the winners. If your name is in the widget down below, I’ll be contacting you soon.

Book News!

Cover and title reveal for new contemporary romance coming summer 2013 (I’m allergic to due dates)

Check out this cover!!!! Does this rock or what? I have to give a serious shout out to the amazingly awesome, patient as Job (and believe me when I say that because I was the affliction), SUPER, SUPER talented, rock star cover designer, Sarah Hansen! You seriously do rock Sarah! I’ll heart you forever for talking me down from a few cover mishaps and dealing with my incessant indecision. But look! It all worked out beautifully~

THE SOLITUDE OF PASSION is a Contemporary Romance, with mature content due to sexual situations and strong language. This book is actually a steamy, heated read I initially wrote forever ago (still drowning in edits). And yes, Mitch and Max may have been predecessors of Logan and Gage. Written in three perspectives: (I’m loving the POVs, especially the boys ;) Here’s a quick rundown;

Beautiful Lee Townsend loses her husband while he’s away on a business trip to China. Unsure of how to run the family’s vineyard she calls on her old childhood friend Max Shepherd to help out.

Mitch Townsend evades the tragedy that befalls the team he’s assisting and lands in a reeducation for labor camp—dead to the rest of the world.

Max Shepherd owns one of the most successful vineyards on the planet and he’s just made his longtime love, Lee Townsend, his wife. Life couldn’t be better.

Five years sweep by before Mitch comes home. He’s lost both the vineyard and his wife to the man he hates most, and he’s determined as hell to get them back.

Lee has a choice to make.

Mitch can’t figure out how to win.

Max never loses.

Worlds collide in THE SOLITUE OF PASSION

I’ll tease the book next week! Mitch and Max are two of my favorite boyz. I can’t wait until you meet them. Lucky, lucky, Lee…

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series

(Skyla and Chloe)

“What’s the matter, Skyla? Disappointed I’m in on your little secret?”

“Not at all. It’s my birthday, and I’m not going to let anything or anyone get under my skin, least of all you.”

“It’s sort of my birthday, too.” Her lips curve with a malevolent satisfaction. “In fact, I believe I was your big gift last year. Chloe Bishop with a bow on top.” She gives a little curtsey.

(Marshall and Skyla)

He slips his arm around my waist and pulls me in. My entire body sighs into his.

“Why don’t we delve a little deeper just this once,” he whispers.

“Just this once,” it quivers from me.

(Skyla and Demtetri)

“Well done. I think you were impeccable.”

“You can stop kissing my ass.” I avert my eyes. “It’s not like my mother is here to witness it. Or wait, maybe you’re taping this so you could play it all back later. Oh look Lizbeth, I tried to be nice but your daughter is just such a little bitch she wouldn’t have it.” I stick my finger down my throat and gag.

Hope you enjoyed! Hopefully I’ll get ELYSIAN’s cover reveal to you soon!!! Enjoy your week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway