A Wicked Welcome to Donna MacMeans!

Hello you wicked writers and wicked readers!


Big thanks to Casey Daniels who invited me here today to talk about my latest release. It hasn’t any paranormal elements to it - no one with powers - no one with horns - but it is wicked nonetheless (wiggles eyebrows).

You see, I write historicals - sexy, fun Victorian historicals - but this one has some elements that make it a little different from the norm. The Casanova Code launches a new series called The Rake Patrol and evolves around Victorian personal ads - man seeks woman - woman seeks man - yes, they had those back then but they were much more nicely written than today’s counterparts. Sometimes personal ads were written in code. Given that the newspapers were the only means of public communication, a private message might be written in code to prevent an unwanted participant - say a spouse - from “listening in.” My heroine, Edwina Hargrove, can break code. She reads the personal ads looking for those sorts of private communications that others skim over.

Here’s the blurb:



“A refined gentleman, age 25, of wealth and education, seeks the acquaintance, with a view to matrimony, of a high-minded, kind-hearted lady who prefers an evening of quiet conversation to the lively demands of society.”

Edwina Hargrove knows that this “gentleman” was, in fact, Ashton Trewelyn, a rake notorious for seducing the young and naive. In fact, five decent women have already been tricked and bundled off to the continent for scandalous purposes. There was a way to thwart his scheme though—by shadowing this devilishly handsome Casanova and warning his prey. If only it were that simple.

The closer Edwina gets to Ashton, the more she is pulled into a web of intrigues, secret societies and coded messages. Uncovering Ashton’s secrets arouses temptations only Ashton can satisfy. But at what cost? Can she gamble her reputation and secure future on an enigmatic code and a lust for adventure?



Have to tell you - I had great fun writing this book. Yes, there’s a mystery thread (how could I have coded mesaages without a mystery - grin). But there’s lots more as well. Things that can be very shocking indeed for a young Victorian miss. Even one that claims to be a “modern woman” in the 1890s.

While the Casanova Code has a release date of June 5th, my publisher sent me some early copies - one of which I’m happy to give away to someone leaving a comment. So let’s chat a bit. My heroine is something of a closet adventurer. She longs to float down the Nile on a barge, or explore the Steppes, or do just about anything that will take her out of London. If you had the means and the time - where would you like to explore?

You can read an excerpt of The Casanova Code on my website www.Dmacmeans.com. While there you might want to sign up for my newsletter and thus be eligible for a May and June drawing for a cherry blossom pendant necklace from the Smithsonian. (Cherry blossoms play a part in the book). But in the meantime - Let’s chat!



How well do you know your friends?

A few days ago, I got a call from the US Government. Not totally unusual, since every few years, they do a background check on a good friend of mine. She works for the diplomatic service and is always at one embassy or another. I'm one of her "links" to the United States.

As far as links go, I'm a pretty good one. We've known each other since freshman year of high school. They'd seat us alphabetically in homeroom. She was Crowe. And since we had a small school (and very few "D" and "E" names), I (Fox) was seated right behind her. We got to be friends and the rest is history.

Very detailed history.

You see, when the federal agents want to know things, they want detail. And I should know lots of things because, well, I still see my friend whenever she's in the states, and I visit her in whatever country she's in (a little less now with kids and book contracts). Unfortunately, I am not a real detail person. As evidenced every time the agents knock on my door to talk about my friend.

Agent: How well do you know this person?
Me: Very well. I met her in high school and she was even the maid of honor at my wedding.
Agent: You knew her in high school.
Me: Yes.
Agent: Where did she work in high school?
Me: You've got to be kidding.
Agent: You know this person?

Who remembers where their friends worked in high school? Not me. I did manage to stumble out something about a summer camp where my friend taught gymnastics. Naturally, the agent wanted to know the name of the camp. But really, who keeps track of these things? (Note: If you're one of those people who does keep track of things, you can pipe down right now.)

They also had questions about my job.

Agent: What do you do for a living?
Me: I write books.
Agent: That people read?
Me: Not all the time, no.

I thought that was pretty funny. Turns out, federal agents have no sense of humor.

Luckily, (and probably despite me) my friend has managed to keep her security clearance. So far. Good thing, because she really is great at what she does. After all, she kept me from getting arrested in Mexico City over a slight mis-understanding with la policia. They wanted a bribe. I wanted to see how well I could get by on high school Spanish (Hint: not that well).

And as far as I'm concerned, friendship is more than remembering the address of my friend's place in grad school. Instead, I remember crashing on the couch of said place. Oh, and the time she visited St. Louis and her grandmother took her to the store to buy batteries for her alarm clock. Aileen is legally deaf, so she has one of those alarm clocks that shakes instead of buzzes (hard to hear a buzz when your hearing aids are out). So naturally, her grandmother asked the sales clerk for "batteries for her granddaughter's vibrator."

But do the agents ask about that?

No.

They don't ask the important things. Not that I would tell them anyway. Some things are better left to friends.

Happy Memorial Day and Coveted Updates

Happy Monday and Happy Memorial Day, everyone! I'd like to say thank you to America's service women and men. Thank you to the families as well! I am grateful for your service to your country and will remember you today. :)

So far my Memorial Day weekend has been good. I spent the majority of the day yesterday reading a great book and today I plan to spend quality time with my family. I also had a nice long bike ride in the early morning before it got too hot! Oh man, I can't wait for the 90 degree weather to go away. Even though I bike in the morning, I've practically melted into a puddle of goo by the time I get home.

Tomorrow is a great day as well. The UK edition of Coveted from Piatkus Entice will be available tomorrow! Woo hoo! I'm on the Piatkus Entice blog today talking about how I love underdog stories. Stop by and say hello! I'd love to know about your favorite underdog books or movies.

Five copies of Coveted are up for grabs for Romance at Random's Diamond Jubilee Blog Hop. Stop by and enter before May 31st. Just a few days away!

Hope everyone has a safe week! Take care. :)

Good Ol' Summertime

No doubt about it—getting ready for summer is a lot of work!!! The past couple of weeks, I’ve been up with the chickens cleaning up the yard, planting grass seed, pulling weeds, planting flowers, and  painting. I don’t mind doing the work—it’s not all that hard and it does give me a sense of accomplishment when the task is finished, but I am ready to kick back a little and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

So I decided to make a list of a few of the things that I look forward to the most in the summertime:

1.       Early morning coffee and/or an evening libation out on the deck. Recently I discovered that all the flowers I’ve been planting are drawing hummingbirds and it’s kind of interesting to watch them flit hither and yon as I sip whatever it is that I’m drinking.

2.       Backyard barbeques. Although most of my kids live close, they all have very busy lives (which is good!) and it seems that we get together more in the summer than at any other time of the year.

3.       The 4^th of July.  In fact when I was a kid, it was my favorite holiday! (I know…weird! Most kids pick Christmas, but not me! I think it had something to do with things exploding in the air and the excitement of carnivals!)

4.       Vacations. I love to travel and it’s always interesting going new places and seeing new things. As I’ve said, this year I’m headed to Tennessee and Kentucky for a couple of conferences, so it will be a “working” vacation, but my youngest daughter and one of my grandsons are going with me, so we’ve planned to squeeze in a few side trips…Graceland, Dollywood, The Hermitage, and of course, a ghost tour!

5.       Hanging out around the pool. I don’t know if being a Scorpio (one of the water signs) has anything to do with it, but being around any body of water has always been extremely relaxing for me.

6.       Reading.  Okay…I do this year round, but it seems that I do more of it in the summer.

7.       Outdoor concerts…much more of a party atmosphere than ones held inside of an event center.

And last but not least, the food!!! BLT’s with homegrown tomatoes, sweet corn, home-made ice cream, fresh strawberries, watermelon, hamburgers and steaks done on the grill…the list goes on and on. Good thing that summertime gives me the opportunity to work off all those calories!

Well, that’s a few of the things that I enjoy the most about summertime. How about you? What are some of your favorite things to do this time of year?

Best,

Shirley

Not Ready for Summer

Happy Monday, everyone! I was missing in action last week since things didn't go as I planned! A cold slowed me down and made working quite difficult. But I'm back in the game and working hard to catch up on things.

I've got something fun to share today! A deleted scene from Coveted! Back when I was writing the story before it sold to Random House, I often gave into the muse to go whatever direction I wanted to write. A few times I let go and the scenes in this document are the result of my  "Oh, look, that's shiny" moment. For those of you who have read Coveted, you'll like the outcome of this outtake. ;) If you haven't read Coveted yet, check out this two chapter excerpt.

Deleted Scenes from Coveted by Shawntelle Madison

Now that I'm heading back to work, of course my kids' last day of school is today. I'm already in mourning and preparing for battle. My quiet days working on my source code have come to an end and soon I'll be fighting for words and trying to keep the kiddos from fighting from each other. Anybody got any chocolate to share?

I am trying to think of the positives: I can sleep in during the mornings, I can take the kids to cool places like the zoo and such, and I get a break from making sack lunches. ;)

In terms of my writing, I have two ideas I'm plotting out right now--which means I'll be back at the computer again soon, pounding away at the keyboard to bring a story to life. I've got some cool ideas and I hope to be able to share them with you soon.

There's several giveaways for Coveted going on:

On Goodreads you can win one of 30 copies! Enter before the contest ends on the 23rd.

I'm participating in Romance at Random's Diamond Jubliee Blog Hop. Stop by my blog to enter to win one of 5 copies of Coveted.

Have a great week, everyone!

Darkness Surrendered Giveaway Winners & New Cover!!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway for Darkness Surrendered! We had so many great comments and enough entries to get up to two prizes, but since everyone is so cool, I'm going to throw in an extra one just to say thanks for visiting!

So, the winners are:
gngrlwrreck
Jennifer Mathis
shaggydragon

Please email me from my website with your choice of which book of mine you would like!

And now, in a special, world-premiere launch, here is the cover of my new small-town, heart-warming contemporary romance, coming June 15, called DAWN AT BIRCH CROSSING (Birch Crossing Series, Book One). 

The Zone

So today I had the coolest writing session - I basically forgot about everything but the story for hours. It doesn't always happen that way, to get in the zone, and it was a lot of fun. And it started me thinking about my brother and how when he runs, he gets into that same kind of rhythm, where you forget were you are and just focus on the moment. It's a neat place to be.

I only wish I could do it while running. My latest attempts at getting ready for the Run for Your Lives Zombie 5k basically consist of me, half-bent over and panting after the first mile, then making deals with myself to finish the next half-mile, then walking the rest. Afterward, I complain to my husband and tell him how hard it is and he tells me how he ran five miles every morning when he was in the army.

Show off.

But I do hear that with dedication, practice and love (that last one will never happen with me on a track), it is possible to find a running zone. Maybe some day it will all click. In the mean time, I'll stick to writing.

Darkness Surrendered Release Party & Giveaway!

I'm so excited! Darkness Surrendered, the third book in my new Primal Heat trilogy is finally here, and I'm giving away prizes to celebrate! This trilogy has been an exhilerating ride for me, putting out the three books in back-to-back-to-back months! Reader reaction has been amazing, with so many people falling in love with the awesome, tortured Caldyon warriors of the Order of the Blade.  I'm thrilled to announce that the series will be continuing with Darkness Reborn, coming this summer. After launching the Order of the Blade series with the trilogy, the rest of the books will be standalones. Kane's book is up next, and his story is so heart-wrenching and beautiful it will touch your soul and inspire you with his courage. I'm so excited to share it with readers!  

But first, let's have some celebration for Darkness Surrendered! Come join me for a little trip into the Elijah's world...

About the book

Six hundred years ago, Elijah Ross was tortured into insanity and thrust into a mental hell that no living creature has ever survived…except him. Now, that ancient evil is back, and it is far more deadly. Elijah is all that stands between it and the destruction of all of humanity, but each step he takes drags him ruthlessly back into the nightmare that once consumed him. Elijah's only chance is Ana Matthews, whose sensual kisses and passionate fire thrust hope and light into his blackened heart and fragmented mind. But Ana’s deadly past could be the final trigger for Elijah's descent into irretrievable madness and the destruction of his soul, humanity and what is left of his heart.

Excerpt

Ana felt Elijah tense beneath her. He was awake.

His body hadn't so much as twitched, his breathing hadn't changed, and his heart rate hadn't sped up. But there was a vibrating tension about him, a readiness.... A warrior in battle, not giving away anything.

She lifted her head to look at him, trying to move slowly so as not to trigger him into another manic episode. His scarred brown eyes were glazed, unseeing, but they were focused on her face, as if he could see her through some deeper force than his vision.

Her heart started to race and she hesitated, not sure what to do. Was he about to freak out again? Or was he sane? "Um..." She licked her lips nervously. "I'm Ana Matthews... but I guess you already know that."

Elijah blinked several times, the movement awkward and jerky, as if his eyelids were rasping painfully over his damaged eyes. Her heart ached at the sight of all those raw scars on his face, as if he'd tried to claw out his own eyes rather than see the hell he'd been facing. Was she responsible for that? Had it been her illusions that he'd tried to defend against by blinding himself?

Tears filled her eyes, tears of guilt, regret and empathy, and she instinctively laid her hand on his cheek. "Oh, Elijah," she whispered, forgetting to fear him, ignoring all Gideon's warnings about how Elijah might be so violent and insane when he finally awoke from his coma. "I'm so sorry."

He blinked again, wincing at the agonizing movement as he tried to see her.

"No, no," she whispered. "Don't torment yourself. Here." She clasped his wrist and placed his palm against her cheek. "See me this way."

He closed his eyes and let his hand drift across her face. He moved his fingers over her skin, over her cheekbone, her eyelashes, the bridge of her nose, his callused fingers so light against her skin.

Elijah touched her mouth, tracing the outline of her lips. Heat began to swirl inside Ana as he gave a small nod. "Good." The word came out as a grinding noise, and her heart tightened at the grimace of pain on his face.

But God, to hear his voice again, his real voice, not the whisper in her mind. It burned right to her soul, like the forbidden heat of a sensual danger designed to strip her defenses and possess her completely. She swallowed, suddenly nervous, no longer feeling like a woman trying to protect a man. Instead, she felt like a female being drawn ruthlessly into the spell of the male destined to consume her. "Elijah—"

His arm snaked around her, trapping her he pulled her down against him. He buried his face in the curve of her neck with a deep groan of contentment that made desire pulse through her relentlessly.

Ana froze as he inhaled deeply, and she knew he was examining her scent, memorizing every detail about her body. "It's me," she whispered. "You know me."

He blew out, his lips feathering her neck with heat.

Her skin felt like it was on fire. She became aware of his scent, the raw, fierce pulse of danger and death, mixed with something softer. Vulnerability. Fear. Desperation. Dear God, his suffering was so intense, filling her with the agony of his despair, of his confusion. Had she done that to him? Was all of that her fault? How much worse would she make it if she stayed with him, if he realized who she was? "This really isn't a good idea." She set her hands on his shoulders and gently tried to push him away. "It's the sheva bond making you want me. You actually hate—" She stumbled over the words, regret thick and bitter. "You hate me, Elijah. As soon as your mind settles again, you'll remember."

His hands snapped to her hips, trapping her against him. "Mine," he growled. His eyes were still closed, unable to defeat the pain of the scar tissue, but his hands were burning over her, as if he were stripping her clothes off and branding her with every touch.

"Oh, God," she whispered. "Don't pull me into this. I don't have many defenses left." Her heart had bled for this man so many times, and now he held her like she was his salvation, his anchor, the only thing he had to hold onto.

She'd already seen the way he looked at her, with pure revulsion for who she was and what she'd done to him. She knew it would come again the moment he regained his senses. She couldn't let herself fall into his touch, into his need, and then survive it when he took it away from her. He wouldn't survive it either, being sucked into her nightmare. "We can't lie to each other," she whispered as she grabbed his wrist, trying to stop him. "This isn't real. Please, don't do this to me. To us."

"Real," he whispered, sliding his hands beneath her shirt, flattening one palm over her belly. "You're not real?" His voice cracked, and he gripped her sides with sudden intensity. "You have to be real—"

"I am, I am," she soothed quickly. "You're not having illusions. I'm right here." She knew he'd been tormented by illusions. He'd been thrust mercilessly into the world of uncertainty, unable to know what nightmares were real, and which were fake. Men had died from the insanity the illusions caused, from the inability to know truth from delusion, and she knew Elijah's greatest tool right now was reality. She couldn't take that away from him. "I'm not your imagination," she said.

Elijah opened his eyes again, straining to see her, but there was no recognition in those scarred eyes. "I can't see you," he croaked. "You're not real—"

"I am!" Ana grabbed his hands and squeezed. "Feel my touch," she ordered. "Hear my voice. I'm here, dammit! You're not being messed with anymore!"

"You're real?" His voice softened with awe and disbelief. "This is you?" He ran his hands over her stomach, her ribs, and desire leapt through her.

Ana leaned her head back and closed her eyes, her body trembling at the sensation of his hands on her body. God, how long had it been since a man's hands had touched her with kindness? Not just kindness. Reverence. Adoration. Callused hands that would never hurt her, no matter what she did. Hands that would wrap around her at night and keep her safe. Strong, masculine hands that would seduce her until she was his, forever…

Oh, God. What was she thinking? She couldn't do this, not to him, not to herself. Her only job was to help him regain his sanity, to bring him back so he could fulfill the mission he was meant to do. She had to stop him from weaving this web around them, from drawing them both into the dangerous attraction between them, the one that was only about their sheva bond, not reality, not the truth about how much damage there was between them.

"Elijah! We don't have time for this. Your team needs you upstairs. You have to save the damn world." She winced at how she sounded a little too breathless and sensual. Desperate and panicked, yes, but also... intimate. She cleared her throat and leaned back, away from his face still nuzzling her throat. "If you were in your right mind, you'd never touch me like this. You despise me and I—"

"No," he growled. His hands slid up her back beneath her shirt, and he pressed against her bare shoulder blades, pulling her toward him. Toward his mouth.

Anticipation hummed through Ana even as she stiffened, fighting the urges racing through her. God, how she wanted to lose herself in him. "Dammit, Elijah. Stop!"

Her body was trembling with desire, with nervousness, and the need to leap off his lap and bolt. But she knew he'd snap if she broke physical contact with him, and she didn't know if she'd be able to bring him back from his delusions and insanity again. She owed him, and she knew that her soul was already too black to survive causing Elijah's death for a second time. "Elijah—" Her palms went to his bare chest to try to block him from pulling her any closer, and the heated spark was almost instant.

They both froze, and she could feel his heart pounding beneath her palms.

Mine. His possessive growl echoed in her mind, sending spirals of fire and heat racing through her.

Yours. The word popped into Ana's mind before she could stop it.

The moment the word formed in her head, Elijah jerked upright and yanked her against him. His hand roughly palmed the back of her head to bring her down at the right angle, not giving her a chance to resist or to stop him. He sank his mouth onto hers, and her lips parted instantly for him... and then she felt the beast consume him. His need pulsed at her, shredding all her resistance in a heartbeat.

She barely stifled a scream as Elijah shifted and rolled her beneath him, covering her with his body. His kisses were frantic, his mouth almost violent in its assault on her. His hands were all over her, her stomach, her breasts, his fingers bruising and desperate. She could feel his desperation for her, and she knew he might hurt her.

And she didn't care.

Hot desire rose hard and fast inside her, and she threw her arms around his neck, holding him tightly as her own need met his. God, she'd needed this for so long. Not just any touch. His touch. She knew it in every fiber of her being that he had been inside her soul since they'd met. We will destroy each other. The thought was like a cold hit to her gut and she tried to break the kiss. "I can't—"

He tugged her shirt up and caught her breast in his mouth, a decadent, raging kiss of desperate desire that eviscerated her resistance to him. His fervent passion for her was tearing at her soul with every kiss.

Darkness slithered along the edges of her mind, a danger so vivid and poisonous that her soul recoiled and she tried to pull back. Elijah growled and deepened his kiss, and she realized that the hell she'd sensed was in Elijah's mind, a demonic darkness trying to overtake his sanity. She knew Elijah was trying to outrun it by sinking himself into her body and her mind, seeking solace in their touch, in the kisses.

She was the oasis, the sanity, the beauty that could bring him back from his insanity, from the demons in his mind. A sense of absolute rightness filled Ana with heat and warmth at the realization that she could help him. The hell she would face later didn't matter anymore. Elijah needed her, and as his soul mate, she could help him. I'm here for you.

His energy reached for her through the nightmare that beat at him. His soul wrapped itself around her as he fought for his sanity and control. His relentless need for her consumed both his mind and hers...

Yes, Elijah. Take me. Whatever you need from me, it's yours. She wrapped her arms around his neck, gasping as he kissed her breasts. A growl ripped from this throat, an untamed sound of possession and domination as he lowered his hips between her thighs. His hips began to pump, his erection slamming into her through her jeans.

Desire raged through her, sweeping her up and away from all the anguish she'd been carrying for so long. In his arms, there was nothing left of the woman who'd hurt so many people. Gone was the debilitating guilt and grim awareness of the monster she was. The aching loneliness, the constant fear, the incessant terrors…all gone, cradled in the strong palms of this courageous warrior. Instead, there was simply beauty and passion, a sense of being loved and desired, of being treasured. Yes, she whispered, her heart too full of emotion to dare stop him. She wanted more of this moment, even though she knew she didn't deserve it, even though she knew it would all be torn apart the moment he recovered enough to remember who she was.

His body was rigid under her touch, and she felt every cut, every wound under her hands. There was nowhere to hold him without hurting him more. He shouted and thrust harder, and suddenly she couldn't think anymore, his need for her calling out an answering yearning in her. His body was so hot, his skin serrated and broken, his muscles rock hard beneath her touch, sliding under his skin.

Ana arched her back, her body reaching for him, for his touch, for the heat in his hands and the fire in his kisses until it wasn't just about his desperation, but hers as well. His hand went to her jeans and he fumbled with them, trying to get them undone as his thrusts grew more frantic, more forceful, his erection slamming through the denim into her most sensitive spot.

Utter rightness swelled inside her, consuming her, until the fire began to lick down her limbs, igniting every inch of her until the sensations exploded, overwhelming her soul and her body. She screamed Elijah's name and his deep roar mixed with hers, his body convulsing against her as he drove again and again, his hands braced on the floor by her head, his attempt to get her pants off lost in the blazing inferno consuming them both. He went rigid above her, and then he collapsed, his body sinking onto hers, his chest flush against the bare skin of her breasts, his hips stilled between hers, his breathing raw and harsh on her neck.

She locked her arms around his shredded back and entwined her feet along his thighs, holding him as tightly as she could as the final tremors faded.

Elijah shuddered against her and then his body finally went quiet.

Neither of them moved or spoke, though she was certain he was awake. They just lay together, intertwined, on the steel floor, recovering.

After a moment, she rested her elbow on his shoulder and pressed her hand to her eyes. Dear God. What had she done?

Elijah shifted suddenly. He rose swiftly to his hands and knees, his body going rigid. He straddled her, his palms braced on either side of her head, his legs outside hers. It was the position of a male defending his woman with his body. He stopped breathing, going utterly still, a predator waiting for the enemy to attack.

Ana froze, her heart pounding. What had he seen? Had his mind snapped? Elijah? What's wrong?

They're coming. His head was up and he was staring blindly past her with the intensity of an assassin who had targeted his mark.

Who? Demons? Some figment of his ravaged mind? Ana carefully twisted her head to look where he was looking. Relief rushed through her when she saw Quinn and Gideon standing inside the door. Elijah wasn't imagining things. He was all right! "I'm fine," she quickly told them, her cheeks heating with embarrassment at being caught in such an intimate position. Her pants were still on, but it was obvious what they'd been doing.

Neither warrior moved, and Elijah lowered himself slightly, his chest resting protectively against hers. She noticed then that Gideon and Quinn had their weapons out, and they were pointing them at Elijah. Oh, crap! No wonder Elijah was on the defensive. "Put your weapons away," she said quickly. "He's—"

Elijah's hand went to her mouth, silencing her.

Gideon swore and didn't sheathe his weapon. "We're going to grab you and pull you out from under him."

Oh, Dear God, that would make Elijah snap if they went after her! "No! Don't touch me! Don't take me away from him!"

Elijah tensed at her sharp tone, and he immediately shifted his weight to free his right arm. "No, Elijah." She fought to keep her voice calm. "They're your friends—"

He called out his throwing star with a crack that reverberated against the steel wall, and she knew they were a split second away from a full battle, a battle which she knew would end only in death.

Sound cool?

Check out Darkness Surrendered on Amazon!

Check out Darkness Surrendered on B&N!

Do you have a favorite Order of the Blade warrior? Or is there another series with an immortal warrior who melts your heart? Tell me about the hottest paranormal warriors you've read about, the ones that make you sigh and get all dreamy, or leave a comment on any topic, and be entered to win your choice of any of my books (e-book or print, depending on which title you choose). I'll add another book to the pot for every 20 comments, so spread the word! Let's give away TONS of books! Contest ends Thursday May 17 at midnight eastern, and winners will be announced here next Friday!

Coveted Winner!

Hey all - the random number generator has spoken and the winner of Coveted is BW. Congrats! Email me at angie@ angie fox.com (no spaces) and I'll get that book out to you!

Coming up this weekend, the Ohioana Book Festival, and I've got plenty to do leading up to the event.  This year, I'm one of the Festival's Featured Authors and I'm heading down to Columbus, Ohio on Thursday to start the festivities.

Tomorrow (Thursday) from 11-noon, I'll be a guest on an WOSU radio program and then in the evening, I'll be signing both my Pepper Martin and my Button Box mysteries at the B&N at Lennox Square from 6-8.

Saturday, the Festival start at 10 and goes until 4:30.  Lots of authors, lots of panels and interviews and programs. 

The Festival is free and it's located at:

Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center

546 Jack Gibbs Blvd.

Columbus, Ohio

For more info, check out http://www.ohioanabookfestival.org/

Coveted book giveaway!

You know, I try to be smooth. I try to look like I have it all together, that I know what's going on every day and heck - that I always know what day it is. But today? Well, you've found me out.

Despite writing all morning on a super sekrit project (hope to tell you about it soon), then playing copious amounts of Words With Friends in the afternoon (it's crack for wordies like me), I just now realized that I didn't blog today.

Bad, bad Angie. But hey, even though I'm not all that smooth, I do have lots of books in my office. Uh huh - I saw you perk up. Post below and tell me what you tend to forget, misplace or zone out on and you're entered to win a brand spanking new copy of Coveted by Shawntelle Madison! I'll even have her sign it for you.

Winner for Copy of Tricked

Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you got a chance to enter before the deadline! And now the winner of a copy of TRICKED:

(6) So Long Kate

Congrats to you! Just shoot me a message from my website with your address and I'll send you a copy!

My weekend was great! On Friday, I learned that COVETED was picked by B&N Romance buyer Jules Herbert as one of B&N Bookseller Picks of May!

There is another Goodreads giveaway for COVETED for 30 copies! Be sure to check it out!

Darkness Seduced Winners!

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm so sorry I didn't post the winners to the Darkness Seduced giveway last week, but I was buried in edits for Darkness Surrendered, which is coming out in less than ten days! But all is well and the edits are done (hurrah!), so I'm finally back in the land of the living! So, without further ado, here are the winners of the giveway:

Deanna
CrystalGB

Please email me from my website and let me know what book you want as a prize!

And get excited, because Darkness Surrendered is coming soon!!!!

Six hundred years ago, Elijah Ross was tortured into insanity and thrust into a mental hell that no living creature has ever survived…except him. Now, that ancient evil is back, and it is far more deadly. Elijah is all that stands between it and the destruction of all of humanity, but each step he takes drags him ruthlessly back into the nightmare that once consumed him. Elijah's only chance is Ana Matthews, whose sensual kisses and passionate fire thrust hope and light into his blackened heart and fragmented mind. But Ana’s deadly past could be the final trigger for Elijah's descent into irretrievable madness and the destruction of his soul, humanity and what is left of his heart. 

The Calydons are a race of ancient immortals cursed with a dark side. Each Calydon is destined to meet his soul mate, to be so drawn to her that he is unable to resist bonding with her through the rituals of his race, but their destiny is to destroy each other and all they care about the moment their bond is complete.