Welcome! Please note this site deals with adult themes.
This blog is the often amusing, sometimes dangerous den of two British writers of contemporary and paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. Most of our stories are based in the UK and our heroes and heroines are passionate Brits - yes, passionate Brits exist! Come on in out of the cold, pull up a chair and see for yourself...
Showing posts with label paranormal romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paranormal romance. Show all posts

Friday, 7 February 2014

The Spell of Summer update at 26,800 words in.

I LOVE this story!!! When I got the idea for The Spell of Summer, I loved it then, but it all seemed to change when I started writing it and the vision altered and it wasn't what I thought it would be. That infuriated me a bit, but in the end I went with it, and I'm now in a place where I'm in love with what's happening. It's soooo very different from writing my paranormal stories and I feel I'm growing as a writer through this, solely because stretching yourself is necessary for learning and growing.

I've mentioned before that it reads a bit like women's fiction - it does, but it also reads a bit like a contemporary romance and it does have a paranormal flair to it, although nowhere near as much as my other books. This story is not only about a woman's journey - it's a journey for all the characters. I tried to keep it just about the hero and heroine - honest I did! I failed. It's just not me. I have to write about all the people - they are all so interesting, they all feed the hero and heroine's stories, and their stories will also unfold over the next few books...

Oooo ... did I just say that? Yes, I did! I envision, currently, four books in the Once Times Thrice series - all of them standalones, but with characters that overlap. And I am so over trying to 'categorise' this book and series now (even though I'll need to when to comes to publishing it) - it just is what it is.

Here is the latest visual teaser, as I am now 33% in - I am one third of the way to completing this book :D

(Click image to enlarge.)






















Lastly, if you have not yet read my Witching Pen series, please grab it right now. For the first time ever, the entire series is available in a boxed set for ONLY $0.99 / £0.77 until the 17th February, and this offer is exclusive to Amazon. Here are the links:  AMAZON US   AMAZON UK

Have an awesome Friday and weekend!

Dianna xxx

Friday, 31 January 2014

The Spell of Summer update at 18,000 words

Okay, yes, I have another update for you and boy, I didn't realise things could move so quickly. I felt like I didn't get anything done this week, but it turns out I have :)

Firstly, because the story is evolving in surprising ways (it sometimes happens), there is a blurb change for the book, which I'm posting below with the cover, and below that, you'll find visual teaser number two (click to magnify). Enjoy!

The Spell of Summer

Meredith is leading a straight-laced life in London with her straight-laced fiancé, determined to forget her reckless, wild-child past. They're about to get married.

Jamie is an old, poetic soul with a broken heart returning home to Cornwall to get his life back in order.

What binds them?

One chance meeting thirteen summers ago; one innocent spell spoken after one perfect night...

And now history is unravelling; the past and present, merging...

Words can change everything, but can it change your destiny?

And in the messy world of magic, what part does love play?

It's summer all over again, but the spell has only just begun.

Pre-order from: AMAZON (UK ONLY) / BOOK DEPOSITORY (WORLDWIDE)


Visual Teaser #2


Monday, 1 July 2013

Favourite Genre/Sub-Genre to Write

As some of you may know I often struggle to find a topic for my Monday posts. It is somewhat irritating and I don't wish to ramble on about nothing just for the sake of posting something. So, Dianna and I have decided that we will choose each others topics each week in the form or questions - unless we have something we wish to talk about - but we also want to invite all of you to ask us questions, which we will answer the following week in our blog post. So, please do feel free to use the comment section below (and on any post) to pick our brains. :-)

So, my topic for today is on which genres I prefer to write. Main genre would be romance.

I have yet to have an idea which has not involved romance. It's not purposely done, but at the heart of it I am a romantic and no matter what I read or watch I find that I am drawn to any sprinkle of romance that appears. I have always enjoyed the little moments between the hero and heroine. I love the details, the glances, the small touches, I find I crave those moments in any story. So, I guess it would make sense why I enjoy writing romances. I like being able to help two people find one another. Sure some of my characters have rockier roads and bigger challenges than others, but I enjoy going on their journey with them. I want happy endings. I want hope and passion and fulfilment.

Sub-genres . . . Erotic romance would be the main sub-genre that mingles in, because sex is a part of life and of any relationship. It's the conclusion of chemistry, caring, and opening up to someone; trusting them.

Although we can all understand love (to some degree) it's very different for all of us. We each feel it differently and can do on many occasions, but it can be confusing. So can sex, but it is something that we can all understand biologically. We can all relate to sex. We have all had sex.

I actually prefer Erotic Romance to Romance, because although romance is lovely, and sweet it is very innocent. I am of course talking in the sense of the Romance genre when both books and films close the door on sexual side of the relationship. You just know those characters are going to be ripping each others clothes off at some point, but to push that side of the relationship out kinda makes the genre seem like a fairytale. Not that there is anything wrong with fairy-tales (I'm a huge fan of fairy-tales) and not that there is anything wrong with closing the door and keeping a story sweet. Sometimes a story is sweet, or has to be because there is a bigger plot going on. (I have written a sweet romance, so I'm really not against them, I promise.) But we have hormones; we lust, we crave intimacy and that physical, deep connection. I just personally feel that erotic romance makes the relationship a little more real.

Otherwise the Paranormal Genre would be the sub-genre I tend to lean toward the most. I grew up loving fairy-tales, and stories to do with the supernatural. I found the Greek Mythology fascinating due to the idea of these gods and goddess, Hades and the underworld, and creatures like Medusa, Scylla and Charybdis etc.

I believe that every creature that has every been placed under "supernatural" or a being of "myth and legend" did actually exist at some point in time. Perhaps that makes me sound crazy, but I really don't care. Everything starts with a grain of truth, and the idea that magic is truly alive and real just makes the world and existence that extra bit interesting.

The paranormal genre is a playground of endless possibilities. So many creatures to choose from. So many ways to view each of those creatures. So much you can create with them. They will never get old.

The above three tend to be the genres I stick to the most. Contemporary is a fourth component as every story I have written so far - even if it contains a supernatural being - has always been modern; it's always been set around this year and time zone.

But I don't plan to stick or even limit myself to these particular genres. I enjoy reading period stories, steam-punk, fantasy, and futuristic and would like to at least write one story in each of those particular genres at some point in my life time.

So, my question to you (readers and fellow writers) which genres (and sub-genres) do you enjoy reading and/or writing?

Friday, 2 November 2012

An update on current happenings.

So much has happened in a short space of time that I thought I'd do a quick update here on this blog for my Thursday post, and I promise to think of an actual subject for next week!

1. The Witching Pen is FREE to download at the moment across retail sites. It's free until at least the 8th November, but depending on the feedback I get, I may keep it free until the end of the year. I've never offered an entire book free before - a short story, yes - but not a whole book, so this is a bit of an experiment. I have to say that at the moment, the feedback is wonderful :D Here are the download links:
2. I've redesigned my website :D Always fun!!! If you've read The Witching Pen series and watched the trailer for The Last Dragon, you'll know who that couple represent in the header ;)

You can view my site HERE and while you're there, I'll add that I've updated my FAQ page. I've added what is hopefully a useful "Will I Like Your Book?" answer, among other things, but I may as well paste it here - it's a hint at my writing style for anyone who isn't familiar with it:

ANSWER
I have no friggin' idea! I find it impossible to know who will like my books and who will not. My books tend to be a lot lighter in tone than people expect, and they can find that weird because I touch on very dark, sometimes taboo, subjects. From what little I can gather, those that like my work most tend to be those that love fast-paced stories that "feel a bit YA" in writing style, although please don't take that as read - you may still not like it, and the guy down the road with a Masters in Biochemistry may love it. Who knows. Reading is subjective.

Avid romance readers should take note of this: I don't write to a formula. There are no rules. My books contain multiple characters and each book is not just dedicated to one hero and heroine, and the "happy" may not happen until the very end of the series. The romance may also not be seen as "traditional". Please consider yourselves forewarned ;)

Oh, and my books are not recommended for those under 18.

3. I'm hosting a giveaway right now for a bunch of SWAG and a signed Demon Bride paperback. It's on Facebook and you can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=464195380285720&set=a.321274827911110.72074.144058758966052&type=1&theater

4. Lastly, I'm 71% into writing Releasing The Wolf... and still going ;)

Hope you all had a great Samhain / Halloween!

Dianna xx

Monday, 17 September 2012

Cover Reveal: Charged & Tainted (Generation Breed)

I have my cover for "Charged" and I have to say I love it as much as the pre-made cover I purchased in March for it's partner, "Tainted." Just look how smexy they are. Elaine Lee did an amazing job!

These two books are the first in a new series, which I have dubbed "Generation Breed."


"Charged" and "Tainted" are two interlocking stories 
(Meaning they are two sides to one big story, both featuring a different hero and heroine. If that makes any sense?)


The idea for these particular books came about due to a anthology submission call for superhero novellas.

Having spent every weekend of my childhood and early teenage years at my fathers with my younger brother, I had to watch what I guess a lot of females would class as "guys" tv. I grew up watching the spiderman, X-men, and fantastic 4 cartoons. My father took us to see every Batman movie that came out at the cinema etc. I used to watch "The New Adventures of Superman" every weekend with them both; it was are weekly programme.

Needless to say I grew up to respect and love comic book figures. I remember wanting to be "Black Cat" and "Bat Girl" at one point. I was completely - and still am - very much in love with Rogue and Gambit from X-men, they are my all time fave superhero couple and they both helped shape my vigilante superheroine.

So, naturally when I saw this submission call I thought "yeah, I want to write and submit something for that." Unfortunately I was unable to. Last year was bad for personal reasons and I didn't get an awful lot written, and because of that I missed the submission deadline.

Nevertheless I continued planning this world, and the story. I can't say it was easy, because it wasn't. I kept throwing ideas away. I wasn't happy with what I was coming up with, or stuff didn't feel right, or didn't fit with the parts and ideas I liked.

Finally by the end of 2011 I had a story, which I soon discovered would be in two parts. I began writing both of these interlocking sides of this story at the beginning of the year, then I hit a block. So, I had to push it to one side - as you do - and then I ended up becoming somewhat distracted by another two ideas, which I wrote. And then they were followed by edits, promotion etc.

Needless to say that I am turning my attention back to this world and these two stories. I hope very much to have them finished before the end of the year so that I can have them ready for publication in 2013. *Fingers crossed* I'm actually planning to self-publish this series, which I'm excited about it. A little nervous, but excited. I'm not a hundred percent sure what anyone will think of these stories, and this world in general. It's got a grunge type of feel to it; dystopian futuristic. I was going for a gotham city/metropolis type feel. Hopefully I have achieved it.

So, I guess the big and most important question is; what the heck is the Generation Breed Series?

Well, you have a city with high crime rate, crooked cops, and vigilantes taking the law in to their own hands because of all of it. Very hero like.

After the most obvious story ingredients we then have to imagine a scientific version of a shapeshifter, but without the actual shifting. Think traits, and features, and senses, because first and foremost this is a world where genetically altered human beings exist. Not only do they exist, but they are segregated despite the fact they live as part of society. They are known as Gene-Breeds; human with animal alterations.

If you're a Gene-Breed you are screwed. You can't get work, unless it is through pro-gene-breed organisations. People fear you, and that is only because you grandparent, or great-grandparent made the idiotic choice of letting some nut job doctor try his new miracle cure out on them.

Life is hard. You've been tagged. You have a life expectancy on your head so people will know when your sanity will start to deteriorate so you can be put down like the animal you are. You either blend in to society and hope for a quite life, or you join a pack and go all out; embrace what you are and revel in the fear that your kind creates.

That is the basics of what the Generation Breed Series is; two types of people living along side each other. People fighting for justice and equality in a fearful and screwed up world, while the rest are out to slit each others throats.

I have to say I do like this world. I like the characters, and I like the possibilities. I expect "Charged" to fall around 40,000 words, and for "Tainted" to be around 30,000, but I have a tendency to go over my set word-count. I guess we shall just have to see what happens.  I just have to get my butt in gear, because I desperately want to finish these first two stories and see what y'all all think.

Wish me luck! :-P

Monday, 10 September 2012

Custom made jewellery

This week I am taking part in the "Bitten by Paranormal Romance & Gabrielle Bisset" blog hop! The hop runs from September 13th - 16th and I'm going to be giving away two different sets of swag including one of these very beautiful, custom made "Blood Series" necklaces.

The tag says "I run with Werewolves."
Don't you just love it??
(Both of these pictures were taken by Ashlyn and were sent to me so I could, naturally, see her beautiful work. I'm posting these pictures because the only camera I have is on my mobile and the silly thing really wont do these beautiful pieces any justice. Plus, they are currently in the mail, and I desperately wanted to show these beauties off.)

The wonderful Ashlyn Chase made both of these necklaces for me after I gave her an essay in regards to The Blood Series. I really wanted to have series themed jewellery. The problem was that naturally there are a lot of hit paranormal series out there at the moment, and all of them have jewellery made.

I desperately wanted something different from all that merchandise, and Ashlyn has done a really fab job in achieving that. Thank you so much, Ashlyn! :-D

Technically, these are the only two necklaces made at the moment. I decided I wanted to purchase some every now and again for competitions, but I have to say I am totally in love with them and actually want some for myself. Ha. For now I plan to buy a couple - or so - a year and give them away in big competitions.

I love the black moon, and blood drops. So yum!

One of these necklaces will be up for grabs in this weeks blog hop, and the other I am saving for the Halloween blog hop I am involved in next month.

I do hope you will join me - and all the other authors participating in the hop - this Thursday to Sunday. I'm going to be talking about the heroes from all three of my paranormal books, and sharing excerpts from each book as well as giving away some goodies. Plus, there are a lot of awesome prizes to be won from each of the blogs. So, definitely worth a look. :-D

Ashlyn's Etsy Shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/AshlynsImagination?ref=top_trail - She really does some beautiful pieces and at fab prices.

Monday, 2 July 2012

Feature: Cranberry Blood by Elizabeth Morgan


Cranberry Blood
(Book 1 in The Blood Series)
by Elizabeth Morgan

Cranberry Blood has been released! This is the first book in The Blood Series and the sequel to last year’s release, She-Wolf (The Blood Series Prequel.)

Now, for those of you who are new to the series, it doesn’t matter if you have read She-Wolf, you can read Cranberry Blood first. Yeah, I mean it, the events in She-Wolf are linked to Cranberry Blood, but book one isn’t dependant on its prequel.  

The order in which you read these two books is completely your choice, either way, welcome to the world of The Blood Series.

~ * ~

Blurb:

Killing Vampires? Easy. Tracking someone? Simple. Helping, and protecting a Vampire slayer... Bloody hard work!

Thirteen years ago, Brendan Daniels made a deal with a psychic. In exchange for information on the whereabouts of a Rogue Werewolf, he promised to help and protect Sofia's granddaughter. Unfortunately, he had no idea what he was getting himself, or his Pack, into.

Nothing about Heather is simple, from her weird dietary needs to her life’s mission. The girl can handle herself, but the promise to protect her soon becomes a need, and one that he can't fully understand.

Vampire Slayer. Born Infected. Blood addict... but not by choice.

Heather Ryan is the most recent slayer in a long family line. Like all before her, she has spent her life searching for her ancestor, Marko Pavel, the Vampire her family has sworn to kill. If that isn't complicated enough, Heather is also a born "Infected", and to keep her from becoming insane or giving in to her darker side, she is on a very strict diet.

Grandmother Sofia has passed, so now it is up to Heather to take the family legacy into her own hands, all alone: or at least, it would have been, if her Grandmother hadn't sent a Werewolf to help her.

What is the irritating Brendan supposed to help Heather with? Sofia never told either one of them. But it doesn't take long for Heather and Brendan to find out that the Vampires have big plans, and that the fiends have waited a long time for them both.


~ * ~

Excerpt:

(Taken from Chapter One)


The sudden sound of rustling paper snapped me from my thoughts. I tensed, the awareness crackling sharply beneath the surface of my skin.

Someone is in my house.

I walked through the open living room door. A new scent invaded my nostrils. Tangy, manufactured, smelled like expensive cologne. An unfamiliar, black, travel bag sat tucked away between the red leather sofa and TV stand. The papers rustled again. I stepped lightly toward the archway that lead into the dining room, my sword still gripped comfortably in my right hand.

"Your breakfast is getting cold, Heather. I suggest you stop trying to sneak in here and just come in so that we can get this over and done with," said the deep male voice in my kitchen.

What the hell is going on? Who is he? Why is he in my house? How does he know my name? And why the hell has he cooked me breakfast?

I took a deep breath, then exhaled. I slowly walked through the archway into the empty dining room and turned my head to the left to see a strange man seated at my kitchen breakfast bar. He sat casually, in jeans and a forest green T-shirt that clung to his broad, sculptured back and defined biceps. The sun flooded into the kitchen through the side window and glinted off his copper-blond hair, which brushed his shoulders.

"Are you going to come in to the room or stand there drooling all day?" He turned a page of his newspaper.

I inhaled again; nothing new amongst the scent of dog, pine, bacon, and coffee, which meant he wasn't a Vampire. I knew because leeches smelled like mouldy, wet earth; not an overpowering smell, but hidden underneath the products they wore. A huge part of me felt relieved he wasn't a Vamp. A Vampire couldn’t get in here, anyway. They could only come in with a personal invite, and since they all wanted me dead . . . . No matter what state I'd been in last night, I wouldn't have invited one in. So, who the hell is this guy?

I walked toward him, my sword glinting in the sunlight as I gripped the hilt firmly in both hands.

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house?" I stopped three feet behind him.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"Wrong answer." I pressed the tip of my sword into the firm space between his shoulder blades. "I said who the hell are you and what—"

"Killing me isn't going to help." He turned another page of his paper.

"I disagree. I think killing the stranger who broke into my house is a very good idea."

"I did not break in," he replied calmly. "My name is Brendan and I'm actually here to help you."

I snorted. "Like I believe that."

"It's the truth. Besides, if I really wanted to hurt you, I would have. I also wouldn't have left your weapons with you."

"Well, you're obviously an eejit."

He laughed. "You have serious trust issues."

"Trust issues? Says the complete stranger who broke into my house and—"

"I used your house keys. They were in your jacket pocket," he said. "And yes, trust issues, says the stranger. The stranger who promises he isn't here to hurt you."

"Just because you say you're not here to hurt me doesn't mean it's the truth."

"True. But why go to the trouble of killing you when I could have left you lying in the car park the other night and let the seven greedy leeches looking for you find you and bleed you dry."

~ * ~

Bio:

Elizabeth started life wanting to be an actress because she loved entertaining people. She enjoyed nothing more than being able to make people laugh and to help distract them from reality for a few hours.

She studied Musical Theatre in college, but during her second year, her mind started to overflow with story ideas, so she began writing plays. Slowly, over the following three years, she was writing more and more, channeling every ounce of her imagination into the written word.

Now here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit in her little cottage in Cheshire, England, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it.

~ * ~

Elizabeth Online:

Thursday, 21 June 2012

The Demon Bride: my own personal Hell.

Paperback edition,
released 31st Oct, 2012
I am potentially about 15,000 words away from finishing The Demon Bride. OR... I'm 25,000 words away, because it could be stretched into an 80,000 word novel. We'll see... but it's all taking off and I'm scared as hell. Can it live up to the first two books? It's darker, it's deeper, it's ... so much more complicated, and definitely more abstract. And although the romance aspect of the trilogy (boy meets girl and overcomes obstacles to be together) ends with this book, not everything will be wrapped up in a nice little bow, because we will be entering the sexy world of urban fantasy in the spin-off novel The Last Angel, and this novel will continue to take these characters forward... the ones left standing, anyway...

So I'm left with having to wrap up enough, to keep readers who don't want to continue to The Last Angel happy, but to keep those that do, on the edge of their seats.

I am mad. I must be. This book is driving me into certified lunacy.

It's gotten to the stage where I'm promoting The Demon Bride and the Omnibus Edition (well, I have to start now to get people interested), and I'm quaking in my boots, terrified that I can't do the series justice.

Anyway... deep breaths... why don't you come join me? There's enough room in Hell for everyone...

Sporting the eBook cover, released 31st August, 2012