Showing Off The Rusty Nail
I received word from Rebel Ink Press that my novella, The Rusty Nail, will be released on March 3rd. I am both excited and nervous!
Over the course of March, I’ll be visiting a few friends around the internet to promo the book, and to share some personal and perhaps embarrassing details about little ol’ me.
If you would like to join in the fun, here is what I have scheduled so far:
February 29th – Rynne Raine’s blog
March 3rd – Kristabel Reid’s blog, Wickedly Wanton Tales
March 4th – Tara Lain’s blog
March 6th- Adriana Kraft’s blog
March 9th – Luisa Bacio’s blog, Experience the Erotic
March 16th – Erica Lucke Dean’s blog
March 23rd – Kenra’s Daniels’ blog
March 30th – Kayelle Allen’s blog, Romance Lives Forever
Of course, I am open to visiting a few more blogs. Please contact me if you would like me to stop by and reveal way too much about myself and the novella, The Rusty Nail.
(dc.mcmillen.author at gmail.com)
Friday Spotlight with Melisse Aires
We have the talented Melisse Aires stepping into the Friday Spotlight today!
Melisse, welcome to the Spotlight! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
In grade school I was an underachiever because I spent a lot of time day dreaming stories and drawing illustrations. My favorite teacher told my mom not to worry—someday I would find something that mattered to me and I would excel. Finally, with my children nearly grown, I’ve found something that matters to me, scifi romance. I want to write stories that take readers away from our ordinary lives to places distant and exotic, where a man and a woman face unusual challenges as they fall in love and learn to build a life together.
Where are you from?
I was raised in Montana and now live in Wyoming.
How do you name your characters?
Some names I make up. I also search baby name sites.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I wrote poetry and plays in college, tried some short mysteries and children’s books when my own kids were small, then got involved in fanfic for a few years. By then romance e-publishers were getting online, so I started submitting romance fiction.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I write sensual romance that include family and friendships. I like to write good and honorable characters in unusual circumstances.
Where do you find inspiration?
I’m visual so I look at lots of graphics on places like Deviantart, or click through wallpaper/desktop sites. Every thing gloms together and I start asking “What if…?”
What books and/or authors have most influenced you?
Zenna Henderson, Anne McCaffery, Andre Norton, C.S. Lewis, Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle, Julia Quinn, Loretta Chase, Elizabeth Phillips, Peirs Anthony, Robert Heinlein, Terry Brooks, Stephan King are all on my keeper shelf.
What book are you reading now?
Taunting Krell, Laurann Dohner, SF romantica
Can you share a little of your most recent work?
This is my latest release:
Blurb: A steampunk spacewestern romance in the Starlander Frontier series.
Asteroid miner Jack Starlander stumbles upon the illegal sale of a woman and child with unusual abilities. In the ensuing shoot out, two important men die. Jack, Sophie and her daughter, along with Jack’s close neighbors, are forced to flee to safety. Their journey takes them into deadly danger. Sophie is a creature from myth and she recognizes the mythic thread in Starlander’s family legend. Perhaps his family legend can save them.
That sounds awesome!
Let’s switch it up a bit and ask a few fun questions.
What is your favourite guilty pleasure?
Days of Our Lives
Camping in the great outdoors or resting at the spa?
Spa! Though I camped all over Montana and Wyoming as a child and loved it.
Favourite childhood movie?
Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson
Finally, do you have anything specific that you want to say to your fans?
I have an exciting SFR release in April and am planning a blog tour and a contest, so check out my blog!
Where can we find you?
Bonus Question:
Who should I include in my next Threesome Thursday?
Hmmm. Some one from the SFR Brigade!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Melisse! I hope you stop by again in April, and I hope everyone reading this will commence stalking you…now!
Threesome Thursday: Hot Picks
My Friday Spotlight guest, Lorca Damon, picked two of the three hotties in this week’s Threesome Thursday. Can you guess which two she picked?
Six Sentence Sunday: The Rusty Nail
I am very excited to reveal the cover art for my soon to be released novella, The Rusty Nail. *drum roll, please*
Now on to Six-Sentence Sunday!
~ The Rusty Nail – six sentence excerpt ~
Softly, I trailed love bites across his skin. His breathing became more rapid and his grip on my shoulders tightened. I looked up as he finished pulling off his shirt for me and I pulled my own over my head in response. My skin warmed under his gaze as if his eyes were two little suns casting rays over my body. I wanted to be in his arms again, I wanted to be on my knees in front of him. I wanted – he reached out and pulled me towards him.
Here is a little more about The Rusty Nail:
The Rusty Nail is a novella about a diverse group of characters who somehow find themselves acquainted with a dive bar in the wrong area of town. The entire novella takes place in the span of a single day, and I hope you will be entertained (and turned on) as each character discovers the good, the bad, and the ugly about their partners, themselves, and their hidden sexual desires.
This novella contains blatantly erotic, sexy and graphic M/F, M/M, F/F and even a couple of solo scenes. In other words, this novella is totally hot. 
Friday Spotlight with Lorca Damon
We have the fabulous Lorca Damon is stepping into the Spotlight this week. For those of you who do not follow Lorca’s blog, you are seriously missing out. Her razor-sharp wit has caused me to snort my morning coffee through my nose and onto my poor laptop, on more than one occasion. Thank goodness I work from home. So, folks, grab a cloth (just in case) and read on!
Welcome to the Friday Spotlight, Lorca. I am so happy you’re here!
Thanks for having me!
Where do you find inspiration?
It’s so weird. I keep this notebook of Awesomest Book Titles in the Universe, and then I build a whole story around the title. My most recent completed project is titled The Bone Road, and I had to figure out how to build the entire plot based on why a road would literally have crushed human skeletal remains scattered all over it. So fun. For my humor writing (LorcaDamon.com), it’s really sad that people think my writing is funny, because it’s all actual true stories from my own life and they’re all laughing at my pain.
Do you travel much for your writing?
I feel like that girl who becomes a stripper to work her way through medical school, only she becomes a really good stripper and never finishes school. I took a staff writer position with GoodEReader.com to get a feel for the publishing industry and get to work in the business, but now my own fiction writing takes a back seat sometimes to the exciting world of writing about books. I travel to New York a few times a year, I attend the ALA Conference, I’m even slated to go to Frankfurt Book Fair this year to cover the news on New Zealand’s emergence as an ebook power player. It’s really a great way to learn so much about how books become what they are while getting to go places and meet amazing people.
What is the favorite thing you have written?
I have several unloved YA novels tucked safely inside a flash drive at the bottom of my purse, so it would be too easy to say that the writing I’m most proud of is the non-fiction book that I wrote basically out of spite. I wrote a book about the things we did to help our autistic daughter and published it as an ebook on Kindle. I was so tired of reading fluff-books about how great autism is (not to put down the work of other writers, of course), so I wrote this one about how hard we’ve worked to bring our daughter to a more solid level of normal. And it’s selling really well, which makes me think that other parents don’t want to hear about how great autism is, they just want to know how to potty train their child and how to survive in public school with them. If it helps one person out there, it will be the best thing I ever write.
Tell us about your current work.
My current work is a novel I actually finished and started querying last year. It’s found a little bit of love here and there from agents and publishers and has won a contest, so I’m hard at work now on edits. It’s involving a complete rewrite because my feelings about one of the undercurrents of the book—literally, something that shapes everything from the main character’s actions all the way down to the title of the book—have changed. And that’s one of the cool things about writing…it reflects who the author is as a person and changes as that author grows.
What books are you reading now?
I read a ton of YA books, sometimes so much that I’m almost ashamed of not being a grown-up. I couldn’t name four people running for President right now, but I know the names of every one of the characters who plays football with the protagonist in Geoff Herbach’s Stupid Fast. Some would call it sad, but I would actually call it market research for my career. See? It’s all how you look at it.
I read and write so much YA because it’s what I was reading when I first figured out that I loved to read. I still have the very first “big book” that I read all by myself. It was called Morris the Moose Goes to School, and I read it in first grade. It wasn’t long before I plowed through the Nancy Drew series, then on to Sweet Valley High before getting serious about reading and switching over to sci-fi and fantasy because it felt so much more “grown up” than silly high school romance stories. Madeline L’Engle, Andre Norton, Robert A. Heinlein, Ray Bradbury…keep it coming!
I’ve just finished Touching Spirit Bear, Hunted, and The Help (even though I’m probably the last person in America to have started reading that last one, a little late there). I am not to be trusted in a book store because I hog all the books and don’t let anyone else have any.
How do you name your characters?
I think my biggest flaw as a writer is naming my characters. I used to just pick something, then I started to notice how other characters in other stories kind of just made sense somehow. It made me realize that there’s actually thought put into it! I’m getting better at it. For now, I’ve started going to the nearest cemetery and at least looking for names on the tombstones that fit the time period of my story.
Let’s ask you some weird questions. What’s the weirdest foods you have eaten?
That one’s almost too easy, because I have a lock on eating weird stuff. My family lived all over the world when I was growing up, so I’ve eaten just about every delicacy imaginable. If it’s made out of meat, I’ve eaten it. The worst was live octopus. The best weird thing was the kangaroo steaks.
What is your favourite smell and what smell do you hate the most?
The best smell is hyacinths. The worst smell is nail polish. Ugh.
What’s your oddest quirk?
I can’t drive my car over train tracks unless I’m hitting them perpendicular. Sometimes I even have to wait until it’s safe then drive in the other lane, just to make sure I hit the tracks at a ninety-degree angle.
That is a little odd. 
Now, do you have anything to say to your fans?
For fans of my autism book, thanks for trying to make the world a better place for autistic people by learning all that you can. For fans of my bizarre humor blog, I’d just like to say I’m sorry that they don’t have television where you live and therefore you have to keep reading my stuff.
Where can we find you?
GoodEReader.com
Bonus Question: Who should I feature on my next Threesome Thursday?
For your next Threesome Thursday, that depends. Are we talking about writers, or are we gonna have an actual threesome? If it’s an actually threesome, I’d like to be sandwiched with that teacher from Glee (if he promises not to sing the whole time) and Dwayne Johnson. If it’s writers, I’d love to hear more from Cheryl Rainfield and Solomon Inkwell. Woot!
Lorca, thanks again for stopping by! Come back anytime.
The Funniest Valentines I Could Find
Let’s all celebrate V.D. with a little humour, shall we?
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Music Monday: Let’s Get It On
I am not here today.
Where am I, you ask? I am in Niagara Falls with my guy enjoying an extended, extra cheezy Valentines weekend. We left on Saturday and we won’t return until sometime Tuesday night.
The thing about my boyfriend and I is that we don’t take Valentines too seriously. Sometimes he buys me flowers, sometimes I get him chocolate. If he is extra lucky, those chocolates will even make their way into his hands before I have unwrapped them and shoveled all or some of them into my face. He’s not usually that lucky but that’s okay because he gets lucky in other ways. Double entendre, of course, intended.
So what’s with the several days of celebration in hotels? Well, a long while back the boyfriend, clever boy that he is, realised that I like to get my sexy on on Valentines Day in adventurous ways that I may or may not be too inclined to do on just any other old day of the week. He has used that discovery to his (and my advantage) by extending the Valentines thing this year by an extra three totally cheezy, fun filled days and super hot nights in Niagara Falls.
So what, besides the obvious, of course, are we doing to occupy our time in the Niagara region? Well, we plan to do some ice skating by the falls (hopefully not in the falls), we’ll definitely get our skee ball on at the Midway and Dave & Busters, we’ve booked a wine tour so I can drink copious amounts of wine and steal other tour-goers’ chocolate, starting with his. Aside from that, a spa visit may be in order and some calorie-filled meals will likely make their way onto the agenda. Sounds like fun, right? So, in keeping with the Valentines Day theme, let’s play some super cheezy, sexy tunes to get us all in the mood the special day.
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That sums up my collection of cheezy, sexy songs? I would love to know your faves.
Friday Spotlight with Wendi Zwaduk
I am so excited about this week’s Friday Spotlight! We are shining the light on Wendi Zwaduk.
Wendi, thank you so much for stopping by, Tell us a little about yourself.
I always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I earned a BA in education at Kent State University and currently hold a Masters in Education with Nova Southeastern University.
I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I’m published with Total-E-Bound, Changeling Press, Liquid Silver Books and The Wild Rose Press. Come join me for this fantastic journey!
Wendi, I am a very happy girl today because you agreed to take part in a flash fiction challenge. For those readers who don’t know the rules, Wendi was given a photo prompt and finished a two hundred word flash fiction piece in less than 24 hours
So lets get on with the challenge!
Goldilocks and the Bear
“I told you not to visit me here.” Goldilocks crossed her arms. “He was my boyfriend.”
“He looked tasty.” I licked my paws. Young, tender human male was one of my favorite delicacies. “I guess you shouldn’t have picked a blonde.”
“You broke into my house.” Her bottom lip stuck out. “I didn’t even know you were here.”
“Imagine that. I didn’t think a 300 pound bear could be so quiet. Score one for me.” I licked my paw and slicked the remnants from my muzzle.
“Is this punishment?” Her shoulders sank and she puffed out a breath. “Trying to get me back for something?”
“Hmm.” I tilted my head. Punishment? I don’t punish. Get back at her. Yes, yes I was. “I seem to recall you breaking into my house and not only eating my porridge, but breaking my chair and sleeping in my bed. You didn’t even have the decency to make the bed when you got up.”
“Oh my God.” Goldilocks frowned. “Give it up already.”
“Well, kid, consider the playing field leveled. You took my food, my chair and my bed for six hours. Who takes a six hour nap? Besides, he He smelled like feet.”
Fantastic, Wendi! You are both brave (for taking the challenge) and talented. If you don’t mind, I would like to ask you a few questions so we can get to know you better.
First, where are you from?
The great state of oHIo. Lived here all my life and wouldn’t go anywhere else. Why? I love the smell of cornfields and soybean fields. And hey, farm hands make a darned good landscape feature.
What genre/s do you write?
Contemporary, erotic, romance, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy and I dabble in historical. Call me a Jane of many genres.
How do you name your characters?
They name themselves most of the time. They tell me what their name will be and I run with it. Only once did I have a character that I said, wow, I want to write this name a story. What name was it? Sully.
When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing because I’d read a Harlequin novel with a sport theme involved. NASCAR. I love racing so mixing romance and racing seemed cool. But I didn’t like how neatly the ending came together. Life isn’t neat. So I thought about how I’d rewrite it. That’s when the characters started talking. I wrote it, sent it out and got the story royally rejected. But I didn’t give up. I learned the craft, realized that just because you can talk well doesn’t mean you can write well, and learned how to sell myself. I’m still learning, but I’m hoping I’m getting better.
Tell us all about your latest news!
I’m taking part in the Heart Attack collection with Total-E-Bound. Four authors, four heart pounding stories of mystery and suspense with a healthy dose of sex involved. My story, Over My Head is about a stripper and a cop. I know, I know, it’s been done, but I’d like to think this is my take on the topic.
Can you tell us a bit more about Over My Head?
Here’s the blurb!
What happens when two opposites realise they have more in common than expected?
I’m a dancer…and a damn good one. I work at the Silver Steel Gentlemen’s Club. My hard and fast rule? No freebies and no office dating. Except for Slade. Hard, fast, slow, gentle…I don’t care. I’ll take him any way possible. But he’s not that into me.
Or so she thinks. I’m a bouncer at the Silver Steel. Astra doesn’t realise I see her—I can’t help myself. She captivates me every time she’s on the stage. I want her, but I have a…problem. I’m not at the Steel to pick up chicks or even work the room. I’m there to stop the influx of drugs into the community. Yeah, I’m a cop. But if the job means sampling the dancers… Well, as long as I keep my heart out of it, I’ll be fine.
I hope.
Reader Advisory: This book has a kick ass hero, a dancer with all the right moves, hot sex, a little mutual anal play for good measure and mention of drug use.
Awesome! And hot cover. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your fans?
Thank you for reading and thank you for the comments. I appreciate the ratings, even when they aren’t the highest and wonder why you felt the way you did about the book. I’m very eager to learn from what my readers have to say and encourage them to email me (theauthorwendizwaduk AT gmail DOT com) and tell me what they think.
Finally, where can we stalk you?
Site: http://wendizwaduk.com/
Blog: http://wendizwaduk.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendiZwaduk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wendi.zwaduk
Thank you so much for stopping by Wendi. I hope you had as much fun with this Spotlight as I did.
Threesome Thursday: Hot NFL Players
In honour of last week’s Superbowl, which I didn’t watch because we don’t get all the fun commercials here in Canada, I am giving this Threesome Thursday an NFL theme. Fortunately, there are so many hot NFL players to choose from that my imagination went into to hyper drive as I tried to imagine which trio I would like to see rolling around together. Finally FINALLY I came up with what I thought would be a very impressive threesome of hotness.
First up is New England Patriots Quarterback, Tom Brady
tom brady
Next up we have Cincinnati Bengals – Wide Receiver, Terrel Owens.
terrell owens
And finally we have this smoking hottie, Free Agent Will Demps.
will demps
Oh my!
Music Monday: Shatner Covers
I’m in an interesting mood. That kind of mood when I just need to hear some William Shatner covers.
Here’s my favourite:
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Of course, I love his version of My Way in honour of George Lucas:
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Most people know this one:
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Finally, here’s Shatner having some fun. Too bad it’s bleeped out.
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Oh wait! Here’s the uncensored version:
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