Read Across America

I'm at Killer Chicks talking about what inspired me to become a reader and a writer. Come tell me what inspired you.

For those who asked...

For everyone who's asked about a sequel to my Free Read at Smashwords...

if you've read Fresh Blood and enjoyed it and you'd like to revisit my vampire world, you can get another taste in La Vida Muerta available at Amber Quill Press.

Elena Talbot betrayed her sister for a chance at immortality. Now, ensconced in the dark world of Chicago’s undead, she clings to the person who helped her find herself and her sanity after the gut-wrenching, soul-stealing transformation from human to vampire.

Vampire investigator Lucas Vitale has gotten used to having Elena in his home and in his bed. She’s always ready for his lusty games, but she’s still afloat in a sea of self-doubt and confusion about her new existence. She wants the one thing he can’t give her, a purpose.

When Elena’s quest for fulfillment brings her too close to Lucas’s long-hidden secret, he casts her out. Only after she’s gone does he realize there’s no point in living “the dead life” without her...



Trending now: Zombies

I'm over at Killer Chicks today talking about how much I'm over zombies. Come tell me what you think about the walking dead.

Hunting for good reads...

I did it again. I uploaded more of my 'out of print' titles to Smashwords.

He’s never been with a human female, she’s never been with a man she can trust. Alliana and Adam are from two different worlds and when he’s stranded in hers, she begins to realize it might be time to take another chance on love.

Hunter's Moon at Smashwords

When she’s chosen for an alien breeding program, Victoria Cambridge finally meets the mate she’s been longing for. Unfortunately, his mission is to prevent the consummation that could join their two races

Hunter's Mate at Smashwords

The Nature of Work

I'm over at Killer Chicks today trying to figure out how to define "work". Stop by and bring your dictionary.

Got Blood?

My vampire novella Fresh Blood has been available as a free read from my wedbsite in .pdf format for a while now, but this weekend I uploaded it to Smashwords, so now it's available in the e-reader formats as well.

Visit Smashwords for your FREE copy in html, JAVA, mobi, epub, pdf, lrf or Palm.



A desperate call from her missing sister sends Erica Talbot on a dangerous rescue mission. Determined to prevent her twin from becoming a feeder, Erica steps out of her quiet, lonely existence and into a dark underworld where vampires make the rules.



Maxwell Hart is a vampire investigator. Part of his job is to protect humans. The moment he lays eyes on Erica, he knows she doesn’t belong in his world, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her there.


With Max as her guide, Erica descends into a world where humans willingly give up control to their vampire masters. Posing as Max’s submissive feeder, Erica discovers a strange freedom in relinquishing her hard won self-control to Max.

After just one taste of Erica’s blood, Max finds he hungers for no one else. How can he possess her when drawing her deeper into his dark world will change her forever?

Battling addiction

Today I'm over at Killer Chicks talking about my latest addiction. Come help me kick the habit.

Farewell to an old friend

Saber

1998-2011

Five stars for Icarus Unbound!

Vixhen at The Romance Reviews had this to say about ICARUS UNBOUND:

This was a novella that quickly grabbed me, pulling me into the story. Ms. Gardner's writing was so descriptive that I could actually picture the Icarians flying around with their beautiful wings as I was reading. I got a complete sense of the entire Icarian world in all its glory. I found Jarad and Lara suitably matched, which made for a great love story.

Read the rest HERE!

Adventures in self-publishing

Today I'm filling in again for Joann Swanson over at Killer Chicks where I'm talking about self-publishing. Fasten your seat-belt. It may be a bumpy ride!

A smashing re-release!

I did it. All by myself.

I re-released one of my 'out-of-print' titles on Smashwords yesterday, and I didn't even cry once.

FLIGHT OF THE VALKYRIE- with stunningly gorgeous new cover art by diva designer Dara England - is the first second novel I wrote and the first one I ever submitted anywhere.

Here's the blurb:

Arrested for the murder of thirty members of the High Council of the planet Carnelia, Sienna McCade could face a hundred years in cryogenic suspension, the maximum punishment allowable by Galactic law. Jordan Dane is the Courier assigned to transport Sienna’s cryo-stasis tube to a prison ship, where she will remain until her trial.




When his ship crashes and Jordan is injured, he finds himself at the mercy of the beautiful assassin who has managed to escape from the broken stasis tube. He knows he owes her a debt of gratitude for saving his life, but he can’t ignore his mission. Should he deny his growing feelings for her and turn her over to the authorities, or risk everything to help her prove her innocence and spare her a hundred years in cryo sleep?

Publishing on Smashwords was surprisingly easy...so I have no doubt I'll be doing it again. Look for more of my out-of-print titles coming soon.

In the mean time, for more information about FLIGHT OF THE VALKYRIE - and to read a sample - visit my page at Smashwords!

When Writer's Block is a Cat

Today I'm over at Killer Chicks talking about the evolution of writer's block in my life. Come visit.

Bloggin' in Style!

I've been given a Stylish Blogger Award by Cora Zane!

These are the rules for accepting this award:




* Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award. Thanks, Cora!
* Share 7 things about yourself.
* Award up to 10 great bloggers and contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.
 
Seven things about me:
 
1. I'm a hopeless fan of British sci-fi. The cheesier the better. Ask me about The Tomorrow People and Blake's 7. [On second thought, don't].
 
2. 2nd to romance, I like reading adventure stories. If someone is exploring something and bound to find something scary and/or weird, I'm in.
 
3. My favorite color has been and probably always will be purple or any shade thereof.
 
4. My favorite flower/scent is lilac.
 
5. I've been known to hug trees.
 
6. I will fly [in a plane] but I despise it.
 
7. If I surf onto a website that has music, I immediately surf away, because sound from my computer always attracts people at home to look over my shoulder which I can't stand.
 
Awesome bloggers:
 
Kristen Painter
LK Campbell
JB Lynn's Confessions of a Crime Writer
Hyperbole and a Half

Excerpt Friday

I'm filling in for Joann today at Killer Chicks - come read an excerpt of UNCROSS MY HEART.

The Writer's Workout

Today I'm over at Killer Chicks talking about how to stay in shape while keeping your Butt in the Chair.

Come on over and do a few reps with me.

New release day! [Yes, again]

Available today from Liquid Silver Books

The only full-blooded human member of the winged population on Icarus, Laramee Faulkner has longed to be accepted as one of the tribe. Since childhood, Jaran, the adopted son of the Icarian leaders, has never let Lara forget that she’s different. As a boy, he teased and taunted her. As a man, he has the power to give her everything she’s always desired, or tear her away from the world she loves.


When Jaran chooses Lara as his mate, she’s certain his plan is only to humiliate her, but his passionate kisses and sensual commands ignite her long-suppressed desires. Will she be able to resist the erotic temptation and make him pay for all the years he tormented her, or will she give in and claim her birthright as a member of the Icarian race even if it means giving herself to the man who made her feel like an outcast?


For more information on ICARUS UNBOUND and to read an excerpt visit Liquid Silver Books today!

Uncross My Heart

Now available!

Magick made him human. Only love can keep him that way.


After a century of living Magick made him human. Only love can keep him that way.


After a century of living la vida muerta, Julian Devlin’s closest ally casts a de-vamping spell that leaves him defanged and demoted from his hard-won place in Baltimore’s vampire hierarchy. Disoriented by his transformation, he can’t even find his way home.

The indignities don’t end there. Before he can explain to the quirky consignment shop owner why he’s hiding in her basement, she’s punched the newly re-acquired breath out of him and smacked him upside the head with her knock-off purse.


Zoe Boyd’s scream could have peeled paint from the walls—if she could get her heart out of her throat. Common thugs aren’t supposed to have a smile so panty-melting that she finds herself apologizing for scaring him.

She’s also too busy managing her friends’ love lives to take on an ex-vampire with revamping and revenge on his mind. Until she guides him home and ends up neck deep in his world of trouble.

As Zoe risks her life to give him back his death, she warms the soul Julian never thought he’d own again. And when he tracks down a devilish witch who can reverse the spell, immortality without Zoe suddenly seems like cold comfort…

Warning: This novel contains sensual love scenes between a fashion-forward hero and a fashion-unconscious heroine, abuse of Italian loafers, and a few love bites. Don’t worry, freshly sharpened fangs don’t hurt. Much…

For more info visit Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com or your favorite ebook retailer.

PS: I'm also over at Killer Chicks today, talking about my hero, Julian Devlin.

Wide or narrow reading?

What kind of reader are you? Tell us about it over at Killer Chicks today where JB Lynn is asking about how you read.

I'll be over at KC on Wednesday giving some pointers on a Writer's Workout and how to stay in shape while your Butt is in the Chair.

In the meantime, I'm on cleanout duty at my old house - yep, we're FINALLY selling it. So this week I'll be running around doing real estate related errands while I attempt to work on a new novella.

The number to beat

is 72.


I read 72 books in 2010. That does include books I've edited and does not include mulitple reads of the same book.


For Christmas I got a Kindle - and I love it! I've read three books on it already [including the instruction manual, though I don't think I'll add that to my Books Read list for 2011.] I'm looking forward to seeing if I'll read more books or less in 2011 because of that. I can already tell I will probably spend more money on books this year, because it's so easy to buy Kindle books. As a consumer - I have to worry a bit, because whenever it's too easy to spend money, well, that's what we consumers do, but as an author I'm thrilled.
Making books easier to buy and easier to read can only help authors everywhere - so maybe the publishing industry, which has suffered just as much as any other industry in our dismal economy, will actually have a bright future.


How many books have you read in 2010?


Were most of them print or digital?

If you get a chance hop over to Killer Chicks for Joann Swanson's post about scary things. What scares you? I'm always afraid of running out of books!

I'm a Killer Chick!

On Wednesdays from now on you can find me over at Killer Chicks where I'll be blogging with fellow authors JB Lynn and Joann Swanson. Today I'm talking about me - come find out stuff I bet you never knew.