Angela Steed | The Road to…Time Travel?

Her footsteps go where no other woman has walked before. Through a doorway our heroine treads into a fracture in the universe, and empty space becomes a walkway to her destination. Stonehenge is the beginning of her journey; a renowned world is the end. And everything else between is…nothing?

Science is an ingredient I really wanted to add to The Sea’s Embrace, but only as much as I could get away with in a romance novel. I managed to throw in enough to make it work, excluding a short prologue divulging the secret behind the mysterious floating orbs lighting the way. (You’ll have to read the story to find out about them.)

The true science comes with time travel. I’ve always been fascinated with the Bermuda Triangle. Ever wonder why things go missing there? Did you know there’s a similar phenomenon off the coast of Japan? Some scientists believe these two locations are connected beneath the earth by a black and white hole. Though it hasn’t been proven, and has caused a bit of controversy within the scientific community, most gurus would love to believe in this fantastic theory.

Think time travel. Not in a sense you can travel back in time and play lottery numbers already played. Wouldn’t that be nice? Think traveling from one place to another in the blink of an eye, think wormhole. Though in the case of my book, a short walk between the sea and sky takes our travelers to a legendary world as well as a different time.

So back to the book: I sent my characters into more chaos than one can endure, leaving science somewhat in the backdrop. After all, it’s a romance novel, so everything is centered around love. The story is adventurous, mind-boggling and dark, and in one reviewer’s words, “mentally exhausting.” No, it’s not the simplest romance novel to read, and there are several traumatic life or death scenes. But I believe anyone who wants something different and loves unusual sci-fi, fantasy love stories might actually enjoy it.

You can find more information, as well as an excerpt, at www.angelasteed.com/. I’m also on Myspace at www.myspace.com/angelasteed.

The Sea’s Embrace will be out at www.blacklyonpublishing.com/ sometime this month as an e-book. It’ll be available everywhere else on the official release date of November 1st.

Angela Steed

Brenda Joyce | Masters of Time

Everyone fears the shadows of the night. No one likes walking down a deserted street after the sun goes down, not in 2008—and not in 1508. Of course, we think we’re being silly to start at every little sound we hear—when we know nothing is lying in wait for us out there in the dark. And violence and crime is on the upswing because our society has broken down—and not for any other reason….right?

Welcome to the world of the Masters of Time.

The Masters of Time are Highland warriors sworn to protect Innocence through the ages. They do not choose their destiny—it is chosen for them. The Masters are medieval men to the core—savage in war, ruthless in outlook, totally sexist in nature, and impossibly powerful—after all, they are descended from the old Celtic gods. And one of their greatest powers is the power to leap through time…

And then along comes a very modern and independent woman…

The romantic conflict is instantaneous. Imagine turning your street corner and coming face to face with the medieval hunk of all time—a Highlander who has more power than any mortal, a mandate to save the world, the knowledge he’s a cut above-- and he wants you, big time! Passions arise, worlds collide, cultures and ideas clash! This is romance the way it should be!

Dark Embrace is the third book about the Masters of Time, following Dark Seduction and Dark Rival. Aidan of Awe has fallen. Once a Master, he is furious with the gods and he has forsaken his vows, abandoned the brotherhood, turning his back on everyone— family, friends, and mankind. He walks alone and wars alone, lusting for power and revenge. He is a Highlander without a clan, feared by all and trusted by none. And the evil that he is hunting, the evil that destroyed his son, is now trying to destroy him…

By day, Brianna Rose fights evil from the safety of her laptop on the basement of CDA, a government agency. But she is a Rose, and the Rose women have been fighting evil with their gifts for generations. By night, Brie wages the war on evil with her two cousins, Tabby and Sam, using her vision to defend and save the innocent. But Brie has a little secret. She met Aidan once briefly, when he was a Master, and has had a mad crush on him ever since. Which is fine with her—a crush is really safe. Because Brie is a computer geek with no interest in a real relationship—men never look at her and she doesn’t expect them to. Brie is also highly empathic. And then one night she wakes up consumed with Aidan’s pain, hearing his screams of anguish—in spite of the gulf of centuries which separate them. And she knows he is in danger.

Brie is instantly obsessed. She has to find him, help him, and when she does, she is unprepared for the near immortal facing her—a man so dark, so heartless, he doesn’t think twice about using her. And it doesn’t matter. Brie finds a courage she never knew she had, and she will do anything she has to in order to redeem him.

Dark Embrace is a story of fury, desperation, loss, and revenge—and love, and the redemption that can come from it. It is a story of faith—Brie never loses her faith in Aidan. It is also Book One of the Rose Trilogy, because every Rose woman has a destiny, and Sam and Tabby have their destinies, too, and their destiny is not exactly what either woman is expecting! Dark Victory is on sale in March 2009, followed by Sam’s story in September, Dark Lover.

Welcome to the Masters of Time!

Brenda Joyce
http://www.brendajoyce.com/

Cindy Miles | Ghosts for the Holidays

Hi Everyone! First off, I'd like to thank Faye and everyone at Fresh Fiction for having me here here today. It's such a wonderful site for readers and authors alike. Thank you!

Now, onto ghosts for the holidays! Ever since I can remember, I've loved ghost stories. From Charles Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge to Abbott and Costello, I've loved them. The quirkier, the better. At Disney World, my favorite ride was always the Haunted Mansion--especially near the end, when you ride past the tall mirrors and see a wispy spirit sitting next to you. All of those great things combined has inspired my writing, and in particular my November release, Into Thin Air. When I first began writing the book, several of the secondary characters sort of just happened, and they turned out to be some of my favorite, most endearing folk. And to have them interract with the live characters, in a very familial, ordinary way, as if it's a natural occurrance and happens to everyone really made it fun to write. My hero, Gawan, has lived with them for centuries, and they're more like family than anything. I wanted my heroine, Ellie, to experience the same sort of joy I think I would have, should I fall into the arms of a sexy, once-warrior knight turned Earthbound Angel. :) Within the story, those of you who read my debut, Spirited Away, will encounter those once-ghostly characters, as well. I hope you find them all fun, enlightening, and a joy to read and remember. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and here's hoping you bump into a ghost or two during this cheery, special season!

Happy Reading,
Cindy Miles

http://www.cindy-miles.com/

Kimberly Adkins | Is there a mystical connection between lost loves?

My hands were clammy and the nervous feeling in my stomach felt like it was trying to work its way out as I dialed the numbers on the telephone.

“Hello?” he answered, and I was immediately taken off guard.

“I…I am sorry, I didn’t expect you to pick up the phone,” I stumbled over the words, desperately thinking about what I could say. After all, he hadn’t actually answered the phone for years; how could I have predicted that he would now!

“I dreamed about you all night last night,” I decided to go for broke with an honest explanation.

“And I tried to call you yesterday,” he said quietly, like the words might betray some emotion. “Most of your old numbers don’t work, but I left some messages at the one that did. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

Has something like this ever happened to you? I am a firm believer in the magic of love. Whether it is the science of chemical reactions or an attachment on a spiritual level that we can’t explain, I can honestly say that it is the last true magic I see in the world

I once had a friend tell me that we are all attached to the people in our lives by little psychic threads, and the thread to our soul mates is a beautiful, shining silver. At the time I considered it to be a lovely statement, prompted by fantasy and passion and I accepted it in an abstract fashion, but I have grown quite fond of the thought.

Do you believe the force of love can connect you to someone you haven’t seen or spoken to in years? What unusual things have you experienced with someone you are apart from? I’d love to hear some stories from the folks out there, and see what everyone thinks about it!

Thanks for sharing, and thanks for all your time :)

Kimberly Adkins

Author, The Medallion of Solaus

You can visit me at a couple of places, if you’d like to keep in touch or see what I’m up to:

My main website http://www.kimberlyadkins.com/

Come on over to Myspace and meet my wonderful friends! www.myspace.com/solaus

I have to travel out of state for a book signing on Nov 10th, but I’ll be checking in to see what everyone has to say!