Samhain Publishing Ltd. Weblog

Why She Was Almost Only In His Dreams

Delayed gratification has its place. This wouldn’t be it.

The story behind Summer-set

He was hunting a man into exile when he first saw her.

This was the first sentence I wrote of Summer-set, and the story should have sprung out full-fledged from there — how the hunter becomes captivated by the woman he comes across, the danger he brings to her, and the consequences of failing to banish the man he originally sought.

Nope. I wrote that sentence in 2000, and then it just sat there. I didn’t figure out what happened next until nine years later.

The gears started turning when I decided to make the main character a hunter in the most primal sense: a wolf-shifter, one isolated from others of his kind. So when he finally finds someone who accepts his nature, it’s a glorious discovery. And when he loses her, it’s a rending loss.

Because this story isn’t just about the romance that first blooms between the hunter and the woman. I knew they would be together as soon as I wrote that first sentence, and you probably did too as soon as you read it. What Summer-set is about is how they shape that love into a bond that outlasts a bloodthirsty heritage, an ancient vengeance, and a wall of secrets.

You can read the first chapter here (just so you know, the above sentence now leads off Chapter 2), or buy the e-book at My Bookstore and More. I hope you enjoy it.

Karalynn
http://karalynnlee.com

A Long Awaited Release

Brody and Lana’s story available today!

Brody Nash has been in my head for a long time. He started off as the ex-boyfriend and occasional lover of the female lead in a book that went nowhere. Then when I needed a second man for my menage novella Chasing Sunset, I decided to bring him in. Really, I was quite happy to have him, so to speak.

ALL JACKED UP -- by Lorelei James -- Releases TODAY!!!

The 8th book in my Rough Riders series, ALL JACKED UP, releases today from Samhain Publishing — check it out!

ALL JACKED UP
Lorelei James
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Red Hots!
ISBN: 978-1-60504-684-6
Publication Date: November 3, 2009

Pulling off the ultimate con…if they can keep from pulling off their clothes

Rough Riders, Book 8

Keely McKay knows Jack—and Jack Donohue is a certified pain in her Wranglers. The lone girl in the prolific McKay family, Keely needs another man giving her orders like she needs a hole in her boot. What she does need is a restoration specialist so she can open her physical therapy clinic—and prove she’s left her wild-child days behind. That means dealing with buttoned-down, uptight Jack.

Jack is this close to securing a career make-or-break project, until he learns his lack of marital status puts him out of contention. When the notoriously hot-tempered and hot-bodied Keely begs him for help, he proposes a crazy idea. He’ll oversee her project—if she acts the part of his loving fiancée.

Their sizzling lust makes it all too easy to go from butting heads to knocking boots—but outside the bedroom they’re as mismatched as ever. The McKays remind Jack of the humble upbringing he left behind, and cowgirl Keely feels she doesn’t measure up to Jack’s big-city lifestyle.

When the dust settles, Jack and Keely must face the fact they’re not fooling anyone but themselves—or they’ll risk losing the real deal.

Warning: this book contains one hot-blooded cowgirl and one cool-headed businessman in a stripped-down, revved-up game of sexual truth or dare.

For more information on Lorelei James books, including additional excerpts, author notes, family trees and a link to Lorelei’s yahoo group the wild and crazy James Gang, visit: Lorelei James’ Website

Werewolves & Witches & Vampires...oh my!

Nothing is quite so fun for me as the evolution of a series. It doesn’t matter if I’m reading it or writing it—though I won’t lie…most of the time I’m reading it because I am a sucker for a series!—nothing is as interesting as watching it grow over time.

A year ago I was on this blog nervously cheering over the release of the very first book my writing partner and I sold to Samhain: Cry Sanctuary, a little tale about werewolves hiding away in the woods where no one else could find them. Back then it was all about the werewolves, and though we knew there were wizards and witches and, yes, even vampires, they weren’t important to the story. The werewolves mattered, and in some cases even the werewolves didn’t know what lay beyond their quiet little world.

Then came the next book in the series, Sanctuary Lost, and with that book came the first intrusion into the werewolves’ ordered life. An apprentice witch upset the balance of their tiny little world, and let me tell you, being the instrument of change isn’t always comfortable!

That’s why I’m so happy today to be celebrating the release of the third book in the series today, and the first book with a protagonist who isn’t a werewolf. Sasha Wallace is a witch in a werewolf world, but she isn’t going to let that stop her. In Sanctuary’s Price she not only overcomes prejudice and hardship to find love with that special werewolf fellow, but they both go on a cross-country adventure that throws another wrench into the works: the series’ first vampire!

I think the warning on Sanctuary’s Price says it best, so I’ll leave you with that and let you decide if a Werewolf, a witch and a vampire might make your Halloween season a little more bewitching!

Sanctuary’s Price (Red Rock Pass Book #3)
Warning: Contains dangerous magical binding spells, a flannel-wearing vampire lumberjack, paranormal road-trip hijinks and a quietly brilliant werewolf willing to defy his society and his past to protect the witch he loves.
Book #1: Cry Sanctuary | Book #2: Sanctuary Lost

Arwhoooooooo

Have you ever heard it? It’s powerful enough to send shivers down your spine, even months later.

A wolf call.

Some claim it’s a lonely sound, but there’s a passion and fire it in, no matter how frigid the night. And when the stars are blazing in a northern winter sky, the fading echoes make you need a double shot of something bracing in your hot chocolate as you sit on the porch, wrapped up against the cold.

Welcome back to the North. Welcome back to Granite Lake.

Book two in the Granite Lake Wolves, Wolf Flight, releases today. I hope you enjoy an excursion to Alaska and the Yukon.

They’re calling you…

————-

An untriggered werewolf. A runaway Omega. It’s not easy fighting destiny.

Warning: Contains nasty Alphas, secret Omegas and werewolves acting raunchy on the dance floor. Sarcasm, wilderness cabins, and hot nookie back by popular demand.

————-
Vivian Arend is still surprised that the wolves popped off the snowy slopes onto the written page. You can visit her website for more information about the wolfies, and a fun contest.

Do Opposites Really Attract?

Some of my favorite stories are the odd couples of romance. Vivien and Edward from Pretty Woman. Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown from Guys and Dolls. What about Shrek and Fiona?

I love the love stories where the couple in question couldn’t be more different on the surface, but as the movie (or the book, or the play) develops, you see how perfect for one another they really are. Sometimes our polar opposite can shake us out of our comfort zone and show us what we’ve been missing.

After 10 years, THE PROMISE OF KEIRNA'RHOAN in PRINT!!

Yes that’s right, THE PROMISE OF KIERNA’RHOAN has been in and out of print for more than 10 years now, but this is the first time it’s appeared in paperback and I’m just thrilled. Especially since Samhain gave me such a lovely cover—it looks gorgeous in a bookstore :) The book has been updated and added to for this version, and I’m really pleased with the outcome. I hope readers are too!

Below is a little excerpt. This starts where the excerpt on the book’s Samhain page (http://samhainpublishing.com/excerpt/the-promise-of-kiernarhoan) leaves off (with a little cross over). Here you’ll get to meet Kira Farseaker’s ex-husband (he’s the bad guy). Enjoy!

The Countess Lends a Hand in print

Now in print. The sequel to The Countess Takes a Lover.

The man of her dreams is a nobleman. What’s a poor ladies’ maid to do? Reinvent herself, of course.

La Comtesse de Chevalier is back! This time Meredith, the heroine of The Countess Takes a Lover, helps her maid, Cecile Lambeaux pass as a gentlewoman in order to gain the attention of Sir Nathaniel Covington.

For the first time in her life, reserved Cecile has fallen madly in love…with a man she’s only seen from a distance. She’s willing to have even a brief affair with Sir Nathaniel, whose haunted face touches her heart across the social chasm separating them.

Many burdens and secrets weigh down Nathaniel’s lonely soul. He goes to the countess’s house party to take a break from his troubles and finds a woman who stirs him deeply.

As Cecile and Nathaniel’s connection grows stronger, Cecile’s lie hangs over her head. Meanwhile, Meredith and Chris work through their own relationship issues regarding trust. Will both women learn their lesson about keeping secrets before they ruin their chance at love?

Read more….

Satin Spar releases today

Satin Spar is one of those stories that every writer has. It’s bugged me, lurked in the back of my brain and would not go away. Seriously, Scar and Tyler have been in my head in some form for more years than I want to admit. I’ve toyed with them, given them different settings, lifestyles, endings…and then finally, probably out of sheer desperation, I gave my heroine, Scar, a tail.