It's all about the books

Tired of alleged romance books "chat groups" that are really little more than venues for drive-by promo and contest junkies? Searching for a true chat group where the subject is books, books, and nothing but books? Search no more.

www.ireadromance.com and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/i_read_romance

Grand opening is Friday, Jan. 30. Stop by to chat with J.C. Wilder about her latest releases!

My "Charming" Weekend Project

So I was at RT earlier this year, and noticed that my friend J.C. Wilder made a distinctive rattling noise whenever she set sail with her entourage of fans on their way to the bar. Which happened a lot.

Turns out it was an impressive charm bracelet, with a charm for each of her titles. And the girl has lots 'o those! I thought it looked like fun so I set off to look for the perfect charms.

I had no idea there were so many choices! I don't do well when presented with too many choices. But it was fun, like a treasure hunt! The ladies at my local bead shop got as excited as little kids when I came in and told them about my project. Soon they were all helping me poke through their selection, and giving me advice on how to put it together, selecting the right chain, etc.

The result is pictured here. The Civil War cavalry kepi was the hardest to find; I almost gave up, but finally found one at The Jeweler's Daughter. ArtBeads was the source for the lightning bolt and the "water" charm.

Clockwise, from top:

A book and miniature heart to anchor the end.

The "water" charm represents Abhainn's Kiss, where the heroine is a water-bonded faery.

The motorcycle represents Wildish Things, with it's Harley ridin' hero, Kel.

The kepi is for Beaudry's Ghost.

The lightning bolt is for the BG sequel, A Ghost of a Chance.

The cat is for Touch Not the Cat, part of the free Dunvegas anthology.

Congratulations, Jody Wallace!

Mega congrats to one of my sistahs in crime, Jody Wallace, on the release of her latest book! Click the book cover to find out more.

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Abhainn's Kiss has a song!

Click on the book cover to go to a MySpace page to hear a song that was inspired by my book, Abhainn's Kiss!

Thanks, Vaerna! I couldn't have asked for a higher compliment. :)

Sequel, Sweet Sequel

As you regular readers may have noticed, I've been a bit MIA for the past few weeks. I've been writing.

Yes, you may all pick your jaws up off the floor now. I'll wait. :)

Beaudry's Ghost finally, finally has its sequel. I just turned it in to my editor today. Yeah, that would be Friday the 13th. That's as good a deadline as any, isn't it?

This book has been too long in coming. I knew I wanted - needed - to write Troy's story, the brother of the heroine in Beaudry's Ghost. Readers were demanding it. But I was at a bit of a loss. A ghost romance is a tricky thing in which the author dances a razor thin edge. When you're dealing with a relationship between a living person and a spirit, readers are only willing to suspend disbelief so far.

I'd turned myself inside out making Beaudry exciting, compelling, romantic - and believable. I was out of ideas for Troy, who was the secondary ghost character in that book. How to write another one that I felt carried on the Beaudry legacy, one that readers will happily go along with me on that ride and think "Yeah, that could happen."

Well, my newest baby has taken its first steps out of the nest - to my editor's desk. Now it's nail-biting time. I'm too close to it; I have no perspective. This past week I've swung wildly from absolutely loving this story, to staring at it in despair, sure that a drunken monkey could have written it better. Every author hits that wall during the birthing process.

Now without further ado, I'd like to share a short, unedited excerpt from the sequel to Beaudry's Ghost, "working title Dark Side of Light" "A Ghost of a Chance". Enjoy!

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Copyright 2008 Carolan Ivey, All Rights Reserved.

He’d never stayed in a materialized state for this long. The strain tore at him, threatened to separate the layers of his energy field and send them flying off into space like water rings from a dropped stone.

It had taken every atom of his strength to make the 3,000-mile spatial jump, on top of staying solid long enough to rescue the woman from the flooded cave. He’d intended to bring her all the way to the top of the cliff, leave her there to be found, and be on his way about finding John.

But the effort had cost him.

Troy glanced down at the face of the woman in his arms, grit his teeth and held on. If he lost control of his energy and faltered, she would die.

His superb sense of balance, an asset in life and still now in the afterlife, didn’t fail him now as he crouched on the narrow rock ledge, braced so the woman’s body wouldn’t slide off into the roiling sea that pounded at them, seemingly from all sides. Rain slapped them from above, and the wind and waves clawed at them from everywhere else.

Risking precious balance, he used one hand to gently unwind her long, matted black hair from around his arm and away from her face. Her lips were blue and slack, her eyes partially open and dull. He lowered his face to hers, checking for breath. Nothing. He let her head roll to one side and slid his fingers to the pulse point on her neck. If any life throbbed there, he couldn’t feel it for the vibrations of wind and storm.

“Oh, no you don’t. Don’t do this to me, lady...” He tilted her head back, filled his chest with air and covered her mouth with his.

He blew once, then swayed, dizzy, feeling his grip on his materialized state slipping dangerously with the extra effort it took to breathe for her. He clenched his jaw, tilted his head back and growled deep in his chest, willing his form to stay together, just a little longer. Just until help arrived. He’d seen two people poke their heads over the cliff edge above them, so he knew it wouldn’t be long.

“Not yet,” he muttered, using the vibration of his voice to send binding messages throughout his energy field, reminding it that no matter what the laws of physics said, he was in charge, here. Never mind the fact that before now he’d only managed to stay solid for a few minutes at a time, and only in dire emergencies. The last time he’d done it was for the lives of his sister and Beaudry, and for his effort he’d earned a bullet in his shoulder to keep company with the gaping hole he carried around in his chest.

He lowered his mouth and breathed for her again, turning his head to feel her automatic exhale, this time accompanied by a gush of water.

Yes! Another breath into her lungs. Were her lips slightly warmer? He left his own there for a second or two longer than necessary, testing. A faint green color flickered in front of his eyes, like the brief flash of a hummingbird, there and gone. He tore his mouth away from hers and looked up to see what kind of strange lightning this could be, then he ducked and pressed her body tightly to his as a heavy wave broke over them. The water lifted them both off the ledge, and only by sheer will did he manage to bring them back onto the ledge safely. How much higher was the tide going to rise?

He shook water from his face, pressed the woman’s body firmly between himself and the cliff wall, and bent his head to hers once again. She had to start breathing on her own soon. He couldn’t keep this up.

A movement off to his right snagged his attention. A glowing figure, winged and silent, stood on a nearby ledge, observing, not moving. Her guardian angel, clearly. He spared the being a two-second glare, then lost patience.

“Hey! Aren’t you going to do anything, here?”

The guardian’s expression grew thoughtful, then regretful. But it didn’t move, either to help or to hinder.

“Thanks a bunch,” Troy growled, and ignored the creature, turning back to the task at hand.

Breeeeeeathe...

Without thinking what he was doing, he willed life into her. Closed his eyes and focused his energy inside her body, targeting her lungs, her barely fluttering heart.

This time, he felt her jaw move under his mouth, and her body flex in his arms. The weird pale green lightning flickered around them again. Her first strong heartbeat resounded like a bell throughout his being, her first voluntary breath sucking in what he’d given her.

Then, before he could lift his mouth from hers, she breathed into him.

Troy nearly lost his balance, and flung out one arm to find a fingertip hold on the rock. Her breath filled his mouth, his chest, and even with his eyes closed he saw the faint green flickers of light strengthen, steady, intensify into a solid glow greener than any brilliant shade Ireland had to offer on its best day. Heat rushed through him, and it took him a moment to register the fact that he felt it at all.

As a ghost, normal physical sensations were foreign to him. Now every drop of rain hitting his skin felt like a needle. And his wounds, normally painless, were now screaming him.

He tore his mouth away and stared down at her. Her eyelids trembled, opened, light grey irises expanding as her pupils focused on his face. The fiery light burned in their depths. Even with their mouths now separated, her strengthening heartbeat echoed through his being, rushing around him as if he were a child enveloped in her womb.

What the hell is happening to me?

If he were anywhere else but perched on a narrow ledge, an inch from losing her to the maw of the sea, he would have done a quick about face and put as much space and time between them as possible. But stay he did, her life force growing stronger and flowing like a river under his hands, into him, through him, and back to her. She seemed to be studying him, her mouth moving slightly as if trying to form words. But if she made any sound, it was swallowed by sea and storm. Then her eyes slid closed and her head rolled to nestle against his chest, fitting perfectly under his chin.

Troy swallowed, trying not to breathe in any more of the living energy that still enveloped them both. Something about it was as seductive as it was disturbing, and all his instincts screamed to get outside it and look at it from an objective distance before deciding what to do about it, if anything at all.

He took her cold hands, intending to tuck them inside her coat, when he caught sight of the diamond sparkling on her left ring finger.

She belongs to someone. Absurdly, the thought felt like a sucker punch to his solar plexus.

He looked up, and finally, finally, he saw two people rappelling down the cliff, red-and-black jumpsuits making ripping sounds in the wind, a metal litter dangling between them.

“Take her first,” he yelled above the crashing tide as the rescuers reached them.

Their reply was lost in the noise, but they quickly assessed the situation and expertly relieved him of his burden.

The instant body separated from his, he felt himself dissolving, the last of his strength leaving as the green light faded. One of the rescuers cried out in alarm, but could do nothing as Troy’s grip on the rock slipped, and the icy grey sea closed over his head.

Copyright 2008 Carolan Ivey, All Rights Reserved

www.carolanivey.com

It's HERE!!!

My paranormal romance Beaudry's Ghost is now available for sale!

Click here for blurb and an excerpt!

Want to chat live with me tonight (Jan. 4) about my books? I'll be in the Raven Happy Hour chat room from 9-10 p.m. One lucky chatter will win a free download! Hope to see you there!

"In The Gloaming" Trailer

It's Release Day!!

Join me and my fellow Love & Lore authors Gia Dawn, Sela Carsen and a few special guests at the Samhain Cafe for a full day of excerpts, contests, prizes and general mayhem. Unruly faeries be afoot, and you never know what's going to happen! Hope to see you there!

Love & Lore now available for pre-order!

Love & Lore is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com! Order early and get the sale price. :)

Blurb:

Journey to the heart of Celtic myth and legend...

Samhain is pleased to celebrate its second anniversary with three novellas that will lure you into the labyrinth of Celtic myth and legend.

In WILDISH THINGS, Carolan Ivey brings together an artist who is wounded in both body and spirit, and a sexy Irish bad boy on a Harley. Their whirlwind fling across Ireland takes a dangerous turn when their sexual chemistry awakens the deadly lust of an ancient goddess.

Gia Dawn's offering of A FAIRY SPECIAL GIFT has it all: A woman who can see fairies and wishes she couldn't, and a man who promises to help her with her "problem"—for the price of a kiss. Stir in the Celtic god Lugh who wants the woman for himself, rowdy flock of untamed pixies, and a pining Banshee in need of a makeover, and let's just say there aren't enough fairy traps in the world to control the chaos.

THE HEART OF THE SEA beckons in Sela Carsen's take on the Selchie legend. When a woman accidentally falls into the sea and turns into a seal, her lover believes her drowned. Seven years later, she rescues him from a shipwreck and for one blissful night, she returns to her human form. But only for a night. Can true love overcome the Selchie curse?

Warning: This book contains, graphic language, explicit sex, mild bondage, wildly unpredictable gods and goddesses, unruly fairies, wet Selchies, and loads of fun.

Thirteen Lines From Beaudry's Ghost

Thirteen lines from my upcoming paranormal romance novel, BEAUDRY'S GHOST. Enjoy!

1. “And they say the ghost of Union soldier Jared Beaudry rides the coast of the Outer Banks to this very day, looking for his lost arm, leg, and head.”

~

2. “I’ve heard that it helps if you have full cooperation. But, failing that, it can be done. But I wouldn’t recommend it.”

~

3. “Whoever got you in the shape you’re in, I hope she was worth it, Billy.”

~

4. “So,” she said companionably as she worked. “This is your first re-enactment?”

A long pause. “Not… exactly.”

~

5. “If that was a love tap, Leon, remind me to stay out of your way when you get really pissed off."

~

6. If this woman was a key to regaining his honor, God help him, it was one key he was going to turn.

~

7. “Ye’re just beggin’ fer a firin’ squad, ain’t you boy?” he growled. “Ain’t nobody in my platoon as troublesome as you.”

~

8. “If you hurt one hair on any of these men’s heads, Harris can watch while I take you apart myself.”

~

9. “Damn. You’re lucky he didn’t slice your head off.”

“I doubt he’d do that. It’s his head."

~

10. “What?”

“Nothing. Just don’t look down”

~

11. She sniffed delicately. “Even if the water does pass right through, anything is bound to be an improvement.”

~

12. "I’m willing to bet this is a first for any of you people."

~

13. "Oh, lord, Miss Taylor, don’t look at me like that."

Visit my Wordpress pages for an excerpt!

See more Thursday Thirteens!

New Love & Lore Book Trailer

Many thanks to our editor Angela James for putting this together for us!



Click here for information! :)

Lookee My Purty New Cover!!

We interrupt the regular Scotophile Monday post (it's the next one down) with...THIS!!



The ebook cover for Wildish Things (Nov. 1), art by the fabulous Anne Cain. When I finally meet Anne in person, I'm sure I'm going to be one of dozens of authors standing in line to kiss her feet, give her flowers and chocolate, stuff dollar bills into her thong... er, sorry, wrong fantasy. [blowing kisses toward Anne]

Gia Dawn and Sela Carsen are my partners in this anthology. Their covers is just as purty!

Thirteen Books I've Read (or Re-Read) This Year

A friend pointed me to this interesting article and AP Poll about the "amazing disappearing book" in America.

So what books have YOU read this year? I'm not talking about your TBR pile!

Here are a few of what I've read:

1. Red Haired Girl From The Bog by Patricia Monaghan

2. Crossing to Avalon by Jean Shinoda Bolen

3. Celtic Tree Mysteries by Stephen Blamires

4. Katie by Dominique Adair

5. Prayers to the Goddess by Galen Gillotte

6. Celtic Religions, a Project Gutenberg book

7. With Nine You Get Vanyr by Jean Marie Ward and Terri Smith

8. Scottish Girls About Town anthology

9. eBook novellas by Gia Dawn, Sela Carsen, J.C. Wilder, Isabo Kelly and Bronwyn Green

10. Celtic Inspirations by Lyn Webster Wilde

11. Firelord by Parke Godwin (re-read)

12. Mists of Avalon by M.Z. Bradley (re-read)

13. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein

View more Thursday Thirteens!
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I've been D.A.'d!

Jayne at DearAuthor.com read one of my books and liked it! Yay! Check it out...

Thirteen Lines from Wildish Things

13 random lines from my upcoming novella, Wildish Things:

1. Satisfied that events would now unfold as they should, the Hag spread her bare arms and legs wide to the sun. And awaited her pleasure.

2. “Indeed. Kellan O’Neill at your service for the next t’ree weeks, miss. You can be callin' me Kel, if you like.”

3. Grow some balls, woman.

4. Patrick: “Which brother, Declan? Tell me it wasn’t Kel.”

5. Declan: “Okay, I’ll tell you it wasn’t Kel, if that’s what you want to hear.”

6. Patrick: "Shit."

7. Where had she been living that she’d willingly walk off with a stranger without demanding so much as an ID card? In a cave?

8. “She has no clothes,” murmured Fionna.

9. "If the only reason you’re carrying on with this is to pull something over on Declan, back out now."

10. She wondered if she might be able to quietly enjoy an orgasm without him noticing.

11. “Take a breath.”

12. “You feckin’ owe me for this one.”

13. "And that makes her a little wild. Unpredictable, because no one knows what will displease her."

Bonus:
14. Long have I waited for such a man to lie on my belly.

Wildish Things, Nov. 1 (eBook and the trade paperback anthology Love & Lore) from Samhain Publishing Ltd.

See more Thursday Thirteens!

Pre-Order IN THE GLOAMING on Amazon!

My trade paperback anthology, IN THE GLOAMING, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com!

Order now and get the sale price!






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"Beaudry's Ghost" - The book that refuses to die!

I'm pleased to announce that SamhainPublishing.com has contracted for my paranormal romance novel, BEAUDRY'S GHOST. Release date is Jan. 28, 2008, the day before my husband's birthday! EDIT: Just got word that the release date will change - either Jan. 4 or Feb. 1.

This award-winning book of my heart has been through two previous publishers that went belly-up before it got any kind of momentum going. In Samhain, though, I think this time we've found a winner!

Thanks a million to Samhain for giving Beaudry one more chance. :')

Irish jigging like mad...

I'm pleased to announce I've made another sale to SamhainPublishing.com!

My next release will be a novella called WILDISH THINGS, a sexy contemporary steeped in Celtic mythology. Ebook release date will be sometime this summer. The story will be part of a Samhain's annual Celtic anthology, called "Love & Lore", to be released in paperback late in 2007 or early 2008. My partners in mayhem on this project are Sela Carsen and Gia Dawn!

Here's a wee blurby thing for WILDISH THINGS:

Beith Molloy, a famed wildlife artist, is traveling to Ireland to put her career back on track after spending a year recovering from a badly shattered leg, suffered in a freak accident with a motorcycle. But when she lands in Dublin, she discovers that her friend and traveling companion, Kemberlee, suddenly got ill and didn’t meet her as planned. Kemberlee didn’t leave her stranded, though, and called on an old friend to send Beith a tour guide.

Although uncertain about being alone in a strange country with a bad leg, one look at the hunky, auburn-haired, green-eyed Kellan O’Neill, and she changes her mind. Even when she finds out that he intends to ride her around Ireland on a motorcycle, she quashes her fear and hops on. And quickly discovers Kel is possessed of more than a little of the daredevil. All she can do is close her eyes and hang on for dear life.

Kel congratulates himself for pulling off the caper of a lifetime, right under his big brother Declan’s nose. One look at Beith’s photograph (which Declan attempted to hide from him, knowing his little brother’s impulsive ways), and he’s determined to have a fine summer fling with her. Before Beith’s real escort meets her at the airport, Kel slips in and spirits her away.

Little do they know, the Cailleach has plans for both of them. The Cailleach – the restless and lustful Hag – the most ancient goddess of Ireland, lies in wait in the Burren. She knows what Beith and Kel are both wildish things, destined for each other. But first they must both overcome their demons.

And the Hag knows just how to make that happen.

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I'm doing revisions now and giggling like a madwoman. This is a fun one, folks! I look forward to sharing it with you!

What I'm Reading

I love it when I finish a manuscript! I get my brain all to myself for a little while - until the next story and characters take it over again.

During these rare, brief respites, I go on novel-buying sprees. Here's what's fresh in my TBR pile:

DANGEROUS TEMPTATION, Kathleen Korbel (Silhouette Nocturne)
MY WICKED HIGHLANDER, Jen Holling (Pocket)
OVER THE MOON, anthology, Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Virginia Kantra, et al) (Berkeley)

I've been a fan of Kathleen Korbel since forever... her amazing WALK ON THE WILD SIDE is still on my keeper shelf, and inspired me to write my first novel, BEAUDRY'S GHOST. The genres were completely different, but WILD SIDE takes place over just a few days, and so does BEAUDRY. She showed me it was possible to develop a compelling romance in a very compressed time frame. :) All you need are the right characters!

Jen's book is draped in Scottish plaid, so what's not to like? CATCH THE MOON contains two other favorite writers, Angela Knight and Virgina Kantra. Plus I like those quickie anthologies.

The thing I noticed that all these books have in common, is a paranormal element. Ghosts, witches, werewolves, oh my!

With my own Celtic and Southern heritage, ghost stories, legends and myths have always been a natural part of my life. So it's only natural that I'm drawn to these kinds of stories, and write them myself.

I have a pot of chicken/sausage/veggie soup simmering on the stove right now, and it smells sooooo good! Time for me to go pop some rolls in the oven to go with it. There's something about bubbling soup on a cold snowy day that makes everything right with the world.

PS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAT! DAMN, YOU'RE OLD! ;)

First review for Abhainn's Kiss!

This tale was a real page turner. The story was so engrossing that it could easily stand alone, but this reviewer has no doubt that it will sell the anthology as well. This fantasy was well worth losing sleep over. If you enjoy fantasy, legend, and star-crossed romance you are sure to enjoy Abhainn's Kiss.
--Leslie Tramposch, PNR Reviews

Thanks, Leslie!