Samhain Publishing Ltd. Weblog

The stigma of romance…

As a fulltime writer, I tend to live in a self-made plastic bubble most of time. I work from home, so I don’t get out and socialize a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not quite a hermit (I don’t have the ZZ Top beard or anything yet), but I am a rather solitary creature. Other than the many people I chat with online, and my husband, I don’t talk to a lot people on a daily basis.

The Writing Life

What is the typical life of a writer like?

Overnetworking

I recently blogged about a flood of e-mails I receive from a Yahoo group to which I belong. Switching it to Web Only didn’t work, but I think I finally worked it around so I’m only getting Special Notices.

Yes, it did take me several months to a) finally get around to doing this and b) figure it out. There’s a reason I’m not an IT kind of person.

But as it dawned on my how annoying this flood was, I started to look around at all the e-mails that I get. Very few individuals actually e-mail me, but I receive, not counting this particular group, well over 40 e-mails a day from various legitimate entities and groups.

How Do You Make A Baby Story...Sexy?

My latest offering in the Rough Riders series, Tied Up, Tied Down, is a secret baby/cowboy story.

Yes, you read that right—a secret baby/cowboy story. To be honest, it also has that kooky ‘mistaken twin’ plot device thrown in for good measure. And yes, I’ll admit I purposely chose what some readers and critics refer to as an old, tired storyline.

Why?

Signings - Love 'em or Hate 'em?

I thought I’d ask a few questions of you today… in particular about signings. See, I’ve been doing a bunch of signings all over the place over the past year – I have one coming up this Saturday, as a matter of fact, at the Barnes & Noble in Newburgh, NY. I’ve learned a lot and laughed a lot, but still wonder if signings are something people are really interested in. If you’re an author who wants to share his/her experience or a reader who has an opinion either way, please leave me a comment! I’m all ears!

A Desperate Journey Released Today!

Debra Parmley
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN: 1-60504-074-6
A Desperate Journey

Sometimes a journey of the heart is the most dangerous journey of all.

Sally Wheeler learned the hard way that men aren’t always what they seem. Now she will stop at nothing to track down the bigamist husband who stole her child and abandoned her on their failing Kansas farm. Even if it means traveling with a handsome maverick who could change her mind about men.

Free after spending seven years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Rob Truman aims to balance the scales of justice on the man who sent him there—Luke Wheeler. His quest doesn’t include falling for the one woman who will lead him to his quarry, but Sally’s courage in the face of her fear touches his soul.

Through dangerous days and nights on the trail, neither Sally nor Rob can ignore their growing feelings for each other. Yet both are haunted by the poor judgment that, in the past, led them down the wrong road. Love—and trust—are luxuries neither of them can afford.

But as the bullets start flying, love may be all that saves them—and Sally’s son.

Warning:This title contains ornery mules and ornery men. Get ready to see how the West was really won – one relationship at a time!

Paradox Series Release

Ah yes…it’s that time again. The first two Paradox titles are now available in paperback. Woot!

So what are they about?

I’m so pleased you asked. These books are the brainchild of Rosemary Laurey and myself. They are super sexy fantasy romances (think Conan the Barbarian) each with an interesting twist…and no I’m not tellin’! Here are the blurbs from each title:

Sacrifice – Book I
“Heart of the Raven” by J.C. Wilder
Sold into slavery to an Overseer of the Realm, Dani is determined to win her freedom and make sure her heart is possessed by no man.

For Haaken, time is running out. A family curse already condemns him to the form of the Raven and when he can find the one woman meant for him, only then will he be free.

Too bad for both of them that this woman is determined to belong to no one…

“Fly With A Dragon” by Rosemary Laurey
A virgin sacrifice, a not-so ravening dragon and a happy ever after.

Selected as the virgin sacrifice to the ravening dragon, Myfanwy awaits as Arragh, the fiery Dragon of Calder Bala, approaches across the sacred grove.

But Arragh comes not to destroy. Instead he carries Myfanwy off to his domain in the far mountains, and a fate far, far better than death.

Deep Waters, Book II

“Nova” by J.C. Wilder
In the sequel to Heart of a Raven (Paradox I), Nova is on the verge of seeing her life’s ambition come true when she wins a Merman in a card game. Now she’s on the run with her unwanted companion, and with her future in the balance, she finds that the pursuit of her goals could cost this man his life.

“Adriana” by Rosemary Laurey
A lifelong vow of revenge, magic and a love that transcends both.

Adriana has dedicated herself to the destruction of the invading Astrians who murdered her family and destroyed her village. But when she meets an honorable Astrian, she is torn between her lust for revenge and the unexpected love for her a avowed enemy.

Ask Adam: Print release

Just the other day I had to pinch myself. After waiting since about forever, I received a package in the post. Not just a regular package. No. This one was filled with books. My books. My author copies of the print version of Ask Adam. Forgive me. I have to write that one more time. My author copies of the print version of Ask Adam.

See, even after having taken out one of the copies, and reading it from cover to cover, I still have difficulty believing I am a print author. But the exhilarating truth is I am, and if you like the look of Ask Adam, you can buy your own copy on the 29th of July when it becomes available.

ASK ADAM:
Can one wild night of passion turn into the romance of a lifetime?

Lexi Tanner’s got a major problem: AJ Riley, the man she’s about to approach for a hefty donation, turns out to be the stranger she shared a night of steamy sex with less than a week past. She’ll do anything to raise money for a children’s charity – anything except sell herself. Now how can she ask AJ for money without it seeming like he’s paying for sexual favors?

If there’s one thing the past has taught Adam “AJ” Riley, it’s that loving someone can only lead to pain. He knows he shouldn’t feel so attracted to Lexi, and he definitely shouldn’t trust a woman who’d sleep with a man one week and approach him for money the next. Yet somehow Lexi breaks through all his barriers. His instincts tell him to run but his heart wants to give Lexi – and love – a second chance. How can he let go of his tragic past and still protect his battered heart?

Warning, this title contains the following: steamy sex, graphic language and red-hot romance.

Ask Adam has received fantastic reviews, including recommended reads at: Joyfully Reviewed, Fallen Angel Reviews, Cupid’s Library Reviews and My Book Cravings.
You can see all the reviews here.

For more info about the book, check out my website, or my author page at Samhain

Jess

A lunchbox made me cry

I’m not having a psychotic break. And no one hit me on the head with a lunchbox either. All I did was look at the lunchbox, and I burst into tears. Just stood there crying in the middle of the kitchen.

The thing is, my daughter is starting college next month. She’ll only be four hours’ drive away, but that’s far enough that my husband, my son and I won’t see her for weeks at a time. She’ll no longer be a daily part of our lives. I’m excited for her; she’s starting what should be a wonderful chapter in her life, a time of experiencing new things, beginning to learn who she is and what she is capable of. Not having her around the house is going to be hard, though. Little things keep reminding me of how much I’m going to miss her. Thus the shedding of tears over a lunchbox.

I know some of you have been through this before. If you have any words of wisdom, any advice (especially on how to keep from sobbing and making her worry when we have to leave her at the school) I would be most grateful to hear it :)

Poetry - my food for the soul

With my time so limited, I try to grab little moments of soul food when I can, and for me that is poetry. I’ve always written poetry and had my first poems published in my school’s creative writing journal. At the time I wrote about nature and animals. Then I wrote poems about personal things I was going through and a lot of heartache.