Have you read the prologue and first chapter for THE HIGHWAYMAN? Read it here.

I just put up the first chapter for the second book in the Wicked Games series, MOON KISSED. Read it here.

If you're in Spain you can now find His Forgotten Forever. Does anyone know what the Spanish title, Maldicion Eterna means? I'm guessing Forgotten Forever.

Note: SciFiGuy says it mean "Eternal Curse" I hate it when vampirism is referred to as a 'curse', but whatever.

M

Here's a picture of Aby, the heroine of THE HIGHWAYMAN. In cat shape, of course.

M

Pick up a copy of KISS ME DEADLY this month if you live Down Under.

M

Cheri

Had to chat a bit about this movie I saw yesterday because I think I dreamed about it all night.  The story is adapted from a Colette novel.  It was fine.  What was really exciting about this flick was the costumes and sets.  Set during the Belle Epoque in France (they don't quite tell us where it's located, or I might have just missed it; I looked for recognizable scenery but didn't have a clue).  During the height of the Art Nouveau art style, which featured artists such as Klimt, Lalique, and my favorite, Mucha.

It was utterly delightful to roam across the screen and just admire the house and interior shots.  There was a scene where a Mucha lithograph hung on the wall, but it was out of focus because the actress was speaking, and I just wished they would have zoomed in on it.  Sigh...  All the furniture had the curvy design and floral motifs.  The lush fabrics and airy rooms that were not so stuffy as Victorian era and more about design.

And the costumes.  Michelle Pfeiffer was the perfect model for the clothes.  The one green dress (couldn't find a full length pic) was so simple and pretty, but it just mesmerized me to admire it.  One scene she entered a restaurant in a hat that had this big round black lace thingie going on.  Again, mesmerized.  

There were a few scenes in the garden and it just made me long for a lush, simpler time.  Oh, the story was fine, as I've said.  It was about an aging courtesan who comes to the realization she is much too old now for what she once did, and must accept that.  Touching at times.  The pairing of Kathy Bates as Pfeiffer's foil was delicious.  And Rupert Friend, while almost too gorgeous to look at, played the dull, ineffectual playboy almost too well.  He bored me.  :-)

If you're in the mood to be dazzled by a movie and like the time period, I'd suggest you see this one if you can.  Pfeiffer has never looked more stunning.  She absolutely glowed.

M

THE HIGHWAYMAN

It should be hitting shelves right now! And it's only out there for a month, so go get it!

So instead of summarizing the story (you can read the back blurb at my website) or putting an excerpt here (that's at the website too) I'll list a few tidbits about the story that may or not be in the actual book.

-- Well, we all know about the lace. I love lace on a man, but it's not exactly 'hero' stuff. So I restrained myself in this book. But I purposely put a line in there in a flashback about the hero hating lace. (But he doesn't, really.) :-)

-- The heroine started out as a white Persian cat-shifting familiar. Halfway through the book I thought "I so cannot see a fluffy white persian kicking butt" so I switched her to an Abyssinian, which, through research, I learned was a breed that is very chummy with dogs. Worked out perfect because her best friend is a werewolf.

-- This was originally a love triangle story, featuring Max, Aby and Severo. I wanted Aby and Severo to have had a sexual relationship. But, you know, after you've written a good part into the story, you can see the forest for the trees. Or is that the trees for the forest? Anyway, it was best she didn't have that kind of relationship with the wolf.

-- If you've read any number of my paranormal Nocturne stories, you may realize by now that I do love a dance club scene. In fact, I have scenes in clubs so often, I've quit trying to think of great names for the club and just started giving them colors. I think I've done Crimson, Blue, Vert, Silver, and Violet so far. I had a dance club scene in The Highwayman, but I forced myself to take it out. I didn't want to be too redundant and have people start complaining that I never have original scenes. :-)

-- I was going to buy absinthe (for research purposes) but do you know a bottle is like $80? I decided to just imagine, and Google it.

-- Max drives a Mustang because I wanted to somehow work in the image of a highwayman riding a horse (mustang; horse; get it?) I know. Don't complain, just accept it. :-)

-- Harlequin actually made up a nifty little graphic of Aby's tattoo (how it looks at the END of the story) and was going to insert it on the last page. It got missed, and instead it's just depicted using regular text. Here's the actual graphic that should have been in there. The text should have been a sans serif, but still, it looks great.


-- The name of the dude at the beginning who gets wasted... That's my hubby's first and middle name. Hee. I like to use names of people I love for the dead guys. Used my son's name for In The Event Of My Death, a Harlequin Audible read.

-- I was never really sure what kind of demon shadow was living inside my hero. Changed it many times over the course of writing the book. Made the final decision like a week before it was due.

-- Will I ever tire of setting stories in Paris (even if only for part of the story)? Nope.

-- The apartment Max and Aby stay at in Paris is my dream apartment. A chaise, a bed, a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower. That's all I need.

-- Thanks to the copy editor for catching my huge mistake in Paris. I had the hero and heroine running around on the right bank, but in my mind they were on the left bank, so I got all my landmarks confused. I know, the average reader would have never noticed, but I got it corrected.

Ok, that's good for now. Read the book. Love it or even just like it a little bit. But I hope it takes you on an adventure!
M

Find me blogging about my favorite kind of hero at Embrace the Shadows today.

M

Guest what?

So I was just reminded that I usually do 'guest' something or other in the summer. I've done guest toes a couple times. Guest gardens. Guest desks. What would be something fun that you'd like to see your favorite author guest with? Guest computer desktop? Get a peek at their screensavers or current work in progress? Guest book shelves? Get a glimpse of their favorite reads?

I'm open for suggestions!
M