The winner of the Kindle Paperwhite is…Lori McNeill!! Congratulations, Lori!! I sent you an email about your prize, but if you did not receive it, please contact me at info@cynthiaeden.com.

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway! I plan to do a newsletter giveaway each month as a “thank you!” to my subscribers.

I hope that you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Today is the release day for my latest paranormal romance from Kensington Brava–ONCE BITTEN, TWICE BURNED is out!

Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 x 12 cell, it’s not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival–and revenge–are worth waiting for. Until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special: a woman, with a soft Southern accent and a scent like flowers. Sabine.

Sabine Acadia didn’t volunteer to be dinner. She was kidnapped and tossed into the cage of a monster. A monster with fierce green eyes, a body that speaks of ruthless power–but a touch gentle as a caress. Ryder knows things about her, secrets Sabine needs to learn fast. Because while they might soon escape this prison, she’s fighting an urge to set all her desires free. . .

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And here’s an excerpt from the book for you:

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She shook her head, sending the heavy curtain of her hair— brown but shot with red highlights—over her shoulders. “Mister, you’ve got some real big teeth, and I’d appreciate it if you kept them away from me.”

Her voice was husky, low, and sexy. It whispered with an accent he’d heard before, down in New Orleans. Smoky. Rolling.

“Please,” she said again, as her hands pushed against his chest.

But he couldn’t let her go. Ryder inhaled again. She smelled so good. He knew she’d taste even better. “Just a few sips,” Ryder told her because he was past the point of pulling away. The hunger was too strong. It wasn’t the man who wanted her blood. It was the beast who had no control.

She yelped and kicked out at him.

He barely felt the blows.

“Take as much as you need, Ryder,” the doctor’s satisfied voice told him. “She’s all yours.”

He grabbed the woman, twisted, and forced her back against the right wall. They were across from that damn two-way mirror, and his bigger body easily shielded hers, blocking her from Wyatt’s view. “I’m . . . sorry.” He barely managed to grit the words, but he had to say them. He hated her fear. Hated that he was the one who made her afraid.

She stopped struggling. “Don’t be sorry, just let me go.”

The thunder of her blood was the best music he’d ever heard. “Haven’t . . . fed . . . too long.”

“I’m not your midnight snack.” Her words were brave, but he saw the fear in her eyes. “I’m a person, dammit! Now let me go.”

He couldn’t. His head lowered toward her throat. “I’ll hold on to my . . . control.” Ryder hoped the words weren’t a lie. “I just need a little . . . blood.”

***

Have a great day!!!!

Hi, everyone!! I hope you are having a great Thursday!  Today, author Khelsey Jackson is taking over my blog–she’s got a hot new release, and she wanted to share an excerpt with us.  (Thanks for coming by, Khelsey!)

Excerpt from SKYLER TOWER:

He went in the house and as soon as she couldn’t see him her phone went off. She glanced down at the screen and frowned. An unknown caller was calling her, normally she never answered unknown or blocked numbers but with everything that was going on she did.

“Hello?” she answered and prayed her voiced didn’t waver.

“Hello my dear Evangeline.” The other voice changed a few different times, and she knew the other person was using something that morphed their voice. “I took care of one of your men, and have another at my disposal. I wonder what I will do with your sweet Italian.”

She felt her blood drain from her face because this psychopath had the man she loved. She thought of his tender smile and all of the affection he had given her. He was the best thing that had happened to her, and she would die before allowing anything else to happen to him.

“Please don’t hurt him, I will do whatever you want.” Evangeline knew what this person wanted from her, and if it meant Angelo would live then so be it.

“That’s what I was hoping you would say. Meet me at your precious Skyler Tower on the twenty-ninth floor.” The line went dead, and she stared at her bright screen. The twenty-ninth floor was going through a total remodel for her new legal team. She and Hayden had decided to close it down a few weeks ago in order to get everything ready for the lawyers that would handle everything in their company.

She opened the car door and hurried to the driver’s side. James had taken the keys, but she had a spare to all the cars in her purse. She reached in the back and pulled out the set of keys, and started the car. As she pulled out she saw James and Axel running out of her house. A little relief went through her seeing Axel wasn’t hurt but she needed to get to Angelo.

She drove as fast as she could without getting pulled over, and her cell phone rang over and over. She knew Axel was calling her, and he was most likely tracing her but didn’t have time to deal with that. Hopefully, he would make it to her before her crazy stalker killed her.

She parked the car in front of the tower and rushed to the front doors. She pulled out her keys and opened the door. Briefly she wondered how the psychopath got into her tower because she had the best security system money could buy.

She went to the elevator, and it opened right away for her. She got in and pressed number twenty-nine and the closed doors button. Since her car accident, she knew her stalker wasn’t going just to take things easy with her things easy with her. She started to carry pepper spray in her purse, she reached in her purse and put it in the largest pocket. She wanted it to be easy accessible

The doors opened, and her heart raced because she might not make it out of her tower alive. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the metal box and started to walk towards the bare floor. She saw someone standing with their back towards her. They were wearing a dark hoodie and dark pants.

Slowly the person that had been making her life hell and tried to kill her turned around. Her heart dropped when she saw who it was. “I’m glad you came alone.”

***

SKYLER TOWER is available at Amazon, B&N, and iBooks.

Bio

Khelsey hails from the Sunshine State (California) but moved to Minnesota when she was 11 years old. Her grandmother raised her and her brother. When she was 18 she did what any sane teen would do and moved to the city of sin, Las Vegas NV. There she met her handsome husband and the rest is history. She loves to read, and will read almost anything guess when you have read just about everything, the only next logical step is to write

Author Khelsey Jackson

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Book news! Kensington Publishing has re-released WHEN HE WAS BAD–the book is now available in mass market form (and it has a shiny, new cover!). WHEN HE WAS BAD features a paranormal novella from me and a novella from the amazingly talented Shelly Laurenston (her stories always make me laugh!). WHEN HE WAS BAD was actually the very first anthology that I ever completed for Kensington (the book was originally released in 2008).

Kensington is planning to re-release more of my older titles–you can look for mass market versions of I’LL BE SLAYING YOU and ETERNAL FLAME later this year.

And, hey, have you visited my Facebook Fan Page lately? Cause I’m doing a week of giveaways there–don’t miss out on the fun!

Congrats to Barbara Elness & Brittany! You were are the winners from our recent giveaway! Michelle will be contacting you with prize information.

Hi, everyone!! Today, I’m excited to have guest author Michelle Diener with us today–and Michelle is talking about one of my all-time favorite topics: strong heroines. Strength…it can come in so many wonderful forms. Michelle is also offering two copies of her great new release to commenters.

Welcome to the blog, Michelle!

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Kick-butt heroines who don’t actually kick butt

There are many ways to skin a cat, as the saying goes, and it’s one I’ve taken to heart when writing kick-butt heroines. I write historical fiction as well as fantasy, and while I really love strong female characters, when I started writing my historical novels, I had to accept that to accurately portray a historical heroine, most likely, they wouldn’t have had too many kick-butt moves.

But I found ways to work around that. If the brain is the most important muscle in the body, then my Regency and Tudor heroines flex their brains a lot. They use their ingenuity and their courage to come out on top. They generally have a muscle-bound hero to hand, as well, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that when they are in a sticky situation, they can get themselves out of it, without help from anyone else.

The Golden Apple, my second fantasy novel, released on March 24th, and I have the usual release-day excitement and nerves. But one thing I’ve found with branching out to write fantasy as well as historical fiction, is that the world building skills I’ve developed for my historical novels are very handy for fantasy as well, and also, because my fantasy novels are retellings of old fairy tales, that they are historical fantasy to an extent, set in a world reminiscent of 16^th and 17^th Century Europe. That has meant that some of the same restrictions apply to my fantasy heroines as my historical ones. Most likely, they didn’t attend karate classes, or learn self-defense down at the local gym.

Kayla, the heroine of The Golden Apple, is actually a princess. She’s not a fragile china doll, but she hasn’t had the opportunity, or the social freedom, to learn how to handle a weapon or take down an attacker. But I have found a real sense of satisfaction in giving Kayla the intelligence, courage and cool head she needs to get out the situations she finds herself in. Kicking butt without actually . . . er . . . kicking an actual butt.

About The Golden Apple:

Kayla’s world has been turned upside-down . . .

Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.

Rane’s honor is torn in two…

In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to–including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.

Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together . . .

Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla’s actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.

 ***

I’d love to hear about kick-butt heroines you really love. Whether they kick butt literally or figuratively. Two randomly drawn commenters will win a Kindle version of The Golden Apple.

Thank you so much for having me, Cynthia!

Best wishes,

Michelle

***

Thanks for being here, Michelle!

And hey, here’s a bit more inform about our awesome guest:

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction and fantasy. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King’s Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle’s other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky,The Emperor’s Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor’s Conspiracy).

Michelle’s first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, was published on December 19th, 2013 and her second fantasy, The Golden Apple, is due out on March 24th, 2014.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her blogging at Magical Musings, or online at Twitter, at Google+ and Facebook.