Romance By Catherine

Tour

2012-02-01T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here is just a simple heads up for those of you who are in the LA area. I'll be doing a book signing and book talk in mid February at my local libraries. Where is that? Why in Santa Clarita about 40 miles north of LA.

So keep an eye to my blog for details. If you comment below I'll be sure and send you the dates when they are finalized. Just be sure and leave an email addy for me.

TTFN

Life

2012-01-31T21:44:00.000-08:00

I sit hear staring at my disorganized desk and thinking of all the things I need to do before I turn in for the night. I have a few edits to go over to send to my editor... my tax form for 2011 that I need to complete...and a shiny new potential contract staring me in the face.

2011 was an amazing year for me as an author. Well, the end of it anyway. Keep in mind that before the publishing world opened up for me I was a small press author who had yet one more rejection to add to her name. But then I decided to self publish a book... a good book. But self publish none-the-less. Said book went on to make the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller list... not to mention it hasn't left the #1 or #2 position in romance on Amazon since Thanksgiving. I've had a couple of agents contact me... an audio publisher...a foreign rights publisher...

Who knew?
I didn't.

The fact is I managed to write a romance that resonated in readers minds. A romance that helped them forget about their world and escape into mine for a few hours. You couldn't have told me I'd be where I am today this time last year.

As some of you know, before I started writing romance full time I was an Emergency Room RN. There were days I saw the worst...and the best in people. Days I left my work with faith in humanity and days I thought we were all going to hell. I think because of those days I'm now dedicated to making people smile. I write because I have to. Like many authors I can't 'not' write. It's not possible for me to go along in my day and not explore stories in my head.

Today I learned that a friend of mine has a new diagnosis of breast cancer. I think back on my education... of my years of being a nurse and wonder if I'm in the right job. Should I be writing books about fractious people living a life that we won't? Is there something else I can do to be helping others who are sick... who need care?

I firmly believe that things happen for a reason. Five years ago an injury kept me from returning to a job I loved and forced me to stay home. I took that lemon and made lemon aide. Yet I would have never met my friend who has a new challenge in life with a diagnosis that would make most of us cringe. I may have been placed in her path for a reason I don't yet know. Or maybe I needed to know that to reach people I needed to be a writer and not a nurse.

Every rejection may be a silver lining.
Every diagnosis may be a salvation
Every bad turn may be what saves your life.

Six Sentence Sunday from Highland Shifter

2012-01-29T03:38:00.000-08:00

I'm but a couple of weeks from releasing Highland Shifter... so how about a lil' taste.

“You’re not crazy, lass.”

She voiced a short humorless laugh and brought her glass to her lips. “Sanity is being able to judge and reason sensibly. I’m not falling into that category. Against all sensibility, not to mention everything I’ve ever been taught in life, I’m starting to believe everything you’ve been telling me since we met.” She took another swig from her glass and squinted her eyes as the amber liquid went down. “And you just jumped into a cage with wild gorillas. That’s not sane, Simon! Not sane at all.”

Highland Shifter, Simon's story, will be here by mid February. Be sure and read your way to this book starting with Binding Vows...

Avery Flynn Blog Tour Stop

2012-01-26T02:35:00.000-08:00

Please make welcome Avery Flynn on her blog tour for her latest release, A Dry Creek Bed. Today she's talking about family and how she explored what family means to her.

The Meaning of Family

By Avery Flynn

More than seven million women in the United States have an impaired ability to have children.

Slightly more than two million married women between the ages of fifteen and forty-four are infertile.

Nearly twelve percent of women between the ages of fifteen and forty-four have received infertility services.

Many women are childless by choice and I say more power to them. However, there are millions of women out there who are unable to conceive despite it being their greatest wish and they report often feeling alone in their struggle. My heart breaks for them.

I have three rugrats of my own, but spent quite a bit of time researching infertility issues before writing A Dry Creek Bed, the second in my hot and steamy romantic suspense series. With A Dry Creek Bed, I really wanted to explore the idea of family and what the word parent really means.

Beth Martinez is the heroine of A Dry Creek Bed and she’s recently had a hysterectomy because of a fibroid tumor. This has rocked Beth’s world. Her parents died when she was eight, the grandparents who raised her have passed on and now she won’t be able to have children of her own.

To twist the knife even more, she’s been in love with Dry Creek County Sheriff Hank Layton for most of her life. Hank wants Beth, there’s no doubt about it, but he also wants to start a family and Beth’s emotions are so tangled ups she’s not sure if she ever wants to adopt. Not wanting to force Hank to give up his dreams of a family or make him feel obligated to stay with her, Beth keeps her infertility a secret and denies she has any interest in him.

Hank can’t stop thinking about Beth to the point where he’s afraid of becoming permanently bowlegged. And even though the sexual tension between them is thick enough to trip over, she runs every time he chases.

But when a mysterious developer forces her neighbors off their land, Beth becomes the one person standing between the scoundrel and millions of dollars. Only Hank can help her uncover the truth. Together they risk their lives exposing decades-old secrets and learn that everything is not as it seems in their rural Nebraska town.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Dry Creek Bed

By Avery Flynn

Book 2

Blurb

"I do believe I can arrest you for looking at someone like that. You've got to be breaking some indecency laws."

Taking a deep breath, she recovered her bearings. Mostly. "You're out of your jurisdiction, sheriff."

Dry Creek County Sheriff Hank Layton is the stuff of dreams. Nasty, steamy, delicious fantasies that leave Beth Martinez weak-kneed and desperately wanting the man she can never have.

A Dry Creek Bed Excerpt - The Kiss

She stopped with her back to him. "One kiss?

“One little kiss.”

A fall breeze brushed the tips of her mahogany hair across her back and she straightened her shoulders. Spinning around, she made her way back to him with a fuck-you strut. Stopping just short of his feet, she dropped her gym bag. It hit the pavement with a thud, the whole world seeming to have gone silent around them.

"Let's get it over with."

Something primal inside of him howled its approval. He wanted to devour her full lips then and there.

Stick to the plan, dude.

He held firm. Barely. "OK, you can kiss me."

"Wait a minute -"

"You're the one who says there's nothing between us, so I figure you should set the tone of the kiss. It's up to you to disprove my theory."

"Of all the stupid things." She huffed out a breath. "Fine."

Hank held his breath, hoping all his bluster would pay off. God, this woman undid him.

She laid her soft hand against his chest. There was no way she could miss the hammering behind his ribs. Navy blue nails shone bright against the red of his cotton shirt. Her shoulders twitched with a shiver. A flicker of doubt shook him. Maybe she'd ignored him after the party for a reason.

Then her lips touched his. Chocolate and caramel coffee teased his taste buds as their tongues twisted around each other.

His hands roamed to the bottom of her soft, wool sweater, snuck underneath the hem and caressed the soft skin above the low waist of her jeans.

Her vanilla perfume surrounded him as he lowered his mouth to taste the sweetness of her neck. He lost himself to the hungry lust streaming through his veins and the moaning woman in his arms. There was no street, no gawking neighbors, no one else in the world.

"Hank, stop." Beth's breath brushed against his cheek.

More plea than demand, her words sliced through his euphoria. Unwilling to let her go yet, he lifted his head but kept his fingers tucked into her waistband. Still tasting her on his lips, he couldn't form any words.

A flush pinked her cheeks as she pursed her kiss-swollen lips. "So ... that's ... out of the way."

Her hand shook when she patted him on the chest, her fingers lingering for a few seconds over his pounding heart. With a sigh she pulled out of his embrace and trudged up to the house, never looking back.

She thought this was over? After a kiss like that? His balls couldn't be any bluer if they were made of blueberries. For a smart woman, she sure wasn't thinking straight.

About the Author:

Avery Flynn, the author of UP A DRY CREEK and A Dry Creek Bed, books one and two in the Dry Creek series set in Nebraska, grew up in a small town in the western part of that state, a far cry from her present day home just outside of Washington, D.C. It was no accident that she went back to her roots for the small town setting for her romantic suspense.

“When I graduated high school,” she says, “I couldn’t cross the state line fast enough. The older I got and the farther I moved away, the more I realized what a wonderful place Nebraska had been to live. I swore I’d set a novel there as a way to give people a look into the amazing folks that live in my home state.”

The name Avery Flynn is a pseudonym for the author who, at least for now, prefers to remain behind the scenes. She believes having Avery as her alter ego is a very good thing because, as she says, “Pen name Avery is way cooler than me. Her favorite color is hot pink. She drinks single malt scotch on the rocks. She loves the Argentinean tango and stays at Iceland’s Ice Hotel.”

Author Avery has been writing since she was a child and her father gave her a baby blue Brother typewriter. She couldn’t read but nonetheless wrote numerous stories about her stuffed animals in gibberish. She hasn’t stopped since, though she maintains that her spelling has gotten much better and she now prefers to write in English.

Today she’s enjoying her own happily ever after with her dashing husband, three crazy kids and two arthritic dogs. She dreams of one day having a floor-to-ceiling library à la Beauty and the Beast and is working to perfect the coffee IV drip.

http://www.averyflynn.com

http://www.evernightpublishing.com

Twitter: @averyflynn

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Avery-Flynn/177161972329973

Time for a sample of Highland Shifter~

2012-01-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

Highland Shifter

By USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

Catherine Bybee

Helen Adams has a knack for finding lost objects, but the Simon McAllister she finds isn’t what she expected. The missing California teen is now a grown man—a kilted, sword wielding, Highland warrior.

A mysterious Druid book and Helen’s sixth sense send her to Scotland in search of a missing boy. After being attacked by strange men dressed in medieval garb, a handsome, desirable hero answering to the boy’s name rescues her. No one is more surprised than she to find herself in sixteenth century Scotland. Unable to deny the reality of time travel, Helen discovers smoldering passion with a man destined to leave her.

Simon has lived his Druid life in two very different worlds, two vastly different times, and when Helen practically lands in his lap, he knows his life is about to change forever. There are enemies in California lying in wait for her, and an army in Scotland closing in on his family. Simon is the only person who can protect her. But when she learns his most guarded secret, will she still want him? Can Helen love a Highland Shifter?

Excerpt:

Simon stepped closer and felt the heat of her skin. She smelled of the strawberry shampoo she used in her hair. Helen’s hands slid from her hips and fell to the side.

“’Tis time we clear up a few things in your lovely head about me.”

He stepped closer, and Helen, the wise girl, took a step back until her bottom met the edge of the desk. She reached behind her to steady herself and keep from falling.

Like a predatory cat cornering his prey, Simon towered over Helen, watching her body twitch as her eyes travelled over his.

“Really?” Her voice wavered. After clearing her throat, she asked. “Like what?”

Simon licked his lips and glanced at hers. “I’m not evil.”

“Uhm….” Her eyes never left his mouth while he spoke.

“And I’d never lure a child into my presence.”

Simon leaned into her, their thighs touched and Helen’s breathing started to quicken. He placed one hand on the table beside her, leaving her very little room to escape should she want to. From the hunger in her gaze, and the heat coming off her body, he didn’t believe she would.

“A woman, however, might tempt me to entice her attention.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be released in February 2012

Paperback

E-Book

Highland Shifter Cover Art!

2012-01-20T15:17:00.000-08:00

Here is is... the next book cover and the first with those nice lil' letters next to my name... you know... USA Today Bestselling Author - Whoot

Well... talk to me? What do you think?

Snack Happy with Rebecca J. Clark

2012-01-19T01:33:00.000-08:00

When I ask authors to do a guest blog I let them talk about anything... so here is Rebecca talking about something she understands all to well... Snacking! Now don't get all huffy with me, Rebecca is one physicaly fit woman who prides herself on her exercise routine and healthy eating habits. I wish I could say the same. This blog comes at a time where I've already forgotten that Jan 1st plan.

So, without further delay... Rebecaa................

You’ve probably heard the suggestion to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your blood sugar levels even and to keep your metabolism stoked, right? This doesn’t mean you should be eating huge meals every 2-3 hours. You can either eat small, hand-size meals throughout the day, or you can do like I do and eat three square meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and two snacks.

So, what constitutes a healthy snack? Ideally, you’ll mix a protein and a carb. Here are some ideas:

· Two rice cakes smeared with almond butter

If you really want yummy, sprinkle 5-6 dark chocolate chips on top

· Sliced apple with peanut butter

· Plain Greek yogurt, berries, a sprinkling of lowfat granola or Grapenuts

· ½ cup of cottage cheese mixed with ½ cup of sugar free yogurt

· ½ cup of cottage cheese, ½ sliced apple, 1 tbsp chopped walnuts, cinnamon

· ½ cup of cottage cheese with pineapple, 5 walnut halves roughly chopped

· Hard-boiled egg, piece of fruit

Eating like this will give you tons of energy and you’ll avoid that 3 p.m. afternoon slump.

Happy snacking!

Buy links:

http://www.bookstrand.com/her-one-night-prince

http://tinyurl.com/6u2sec4 Amazon

http://tinyurl.com/7m8y8wz Barnes & Noble

Find Rebecca online:

http://rebeccajclark.com

http://rebeccajclark.blogspot.com

http://shywriters.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/#!/rebeccajclark.author

Twitter @rebeccajclark

Rebecca J. Clark works as a personal fitness trainer and group exercise instructor when she’s not writing romance novels.

News and Updates

2012-01-11T11:08:00.000-08:00

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS!

I'm home from our winter trip in the RV... aka The Big Rolling Turd... we had a great time traveling the southern section of the western states. We visited the snow, let the kids get good and wet, then moved to the dryer claimant of the southwest. All in all it was a nice vacation without a lot of drama or frozen pipes. Good times.

Now, onto Bybee news:

I'm working quickly on edits for Highland Shifter. And yes, I'm working with an editor. I learned with Wife by Wednesday to always have a third and forth set of editorial eyes. I missed a few things in Wife by Wednesday and many a reader has let me know it.

Live and Learn!

The cover for Highland Shifter is AMAZING! - Once the final tweak is done I'll post it here for all to drool over.

NEW NEWS:

I have pulled Before the Moon Rises and Embracing the Wolf away from the publisher. It's all amicable, but the bottom line in my world is a cover sells a book. I think BTMR is judged by the sweater vested man on the cover and I think that has kept this short werewolf novella from readers hands. The cover for Soul Mate is amazing and this book has done very well since its release. As for Embracing the Wolf... again, this cover doesn't scream paranormal romance and it should. I'd also like to put this book in print. It will be a shorter print book, but maybe after I revise it a little I can give it the glory it deserves. So, dear reader... these books will be reissued as self published work sometime in the early spring.

MEET THE AUTHOR NEWS:

I'm going to the Romantic Times Convention in Chicago this April. Because of policy changes with The Wild Rose Press I won't be able to sign my time travel books at the 'big book' signing, but I will try my best to sign books at the ebook / indie book signing. And I will have table time at Club RT. So, don't be shy and come on over so I don't look like a geek all alone! LOL

No update yet on Married by Monday... I'm still working on Carter and Eliza's story which has a ton more meat than Wife by Wednesday. I hope to make this book a little longer as well.

Over at Blame it on the Muse

2012-01-05T04:47:00.000-08:00

I blog in different places from time to time and today I'm over at Blame it on the Muse. I've been asked a bunch of questions about how I managed to make it onto the USA Today Bestseller list with my Indie Title Wife by Wednesday ~ So I'm sharing my insight.

Come on over and wave ~ I do believe we still have a giveaway going on.... hint, hint.

Click HERE

In the Rolling Turd ~

2012-01-03T01:34:00.000-08:00

I know... I know... I'm crazy. I'm back in the "Big Rolling Turd" again. The family RV is rolling down the road right now to destinations unknown. Our goal is to find some snow for the kids to play in and see a thing or two we haven't before.

My goal is to still love my family when we get home after being in the "Turd" for over a week.

I'm a twitter-holic these days so please log on and follow me at @catherinebybee and stay in tune with the never ending drama that follows us around the country.

Our goal is Colorado... maybe Utah. Of course that means driving through Nevada and Arizona... maybe a little New Mexico. The weather and road conditions determine if we hit the mountains or drive all the way around.

I'll try and post a facebook picture once in a while. So click on over if you're board stiff. LOL

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T12:56:00.000-08:00

So many times we look back on the previous year and run away from it. With the world in such turmoil, and people out of work, it's hard to look forward and not see dark skies. However, I've always been one to believe that we get out of this life what we put into it. My mother was a waitress the majority of my growing years, and we survived on very little. I know what plain pasta and a can of stewed tomatoes taste like. Nasty stuff that! Still, I think back on those times and the love we often had in our home and am thankful for what we did have.

I'm always thankful each and every year for the overall health of my family. Of the love we have for each other... I look to the next year with hope that the things that are beyond our control will work to our advantage or that we find a way to gain control and shape our future.

2011 has been a great year for me personally. My family is healthy... and that is the most important thing ever.

The hours that I spend writing are finally reaching an audience of unbelievable proportions. Each day I open up my browser and see Wife by Wednesday on the first page of bestsellers on Amazon is a very good day. Each review I receive means another person has read my work and took the time to tell me about it. I particularly like the reviews that say "This book was predictable but I couldn't put it down... I fell in love with these characters." I guess in ways Wife is predictable... but the fact that so many of my readers fell in love means they'll come back for more. Maybe Carter and Eliza's story will hold more mystery... I know it does for me.

Thank you 2011. You've been a great year.
*cracks knuckles* Okay, 2012.... show me what you got!

I tell you what I have for you, my loyal readers...
I have:

Highland Shifter (Simon's Story) coming before Spring
Married by Monday (Book 2 in the bride series) coming before Spring

Fiance by Friday (Book 3 in the bride series) coming by Fall
Not Quite Dating (Christmas contemporary) TBA

Oh... and... at least one more full length novel in the mix for this year.
Yeah, I'm that busy.

The Last Awakening ~ Rachel Firasek ~ Promo Stop

2011-12-29T02:36:00.000-08:00

I have the pleasure of hosting a promo spot for Rachel Firasek on her blog tour.

CURSE OF THE PHOENIX - Book Two

Title: TheLast Awakening

(Curse of the Phoenix, #2)
Author: Rachel Firasek
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: December 2011
ISBN: 978-1-937044-44-1

Book Description:

For three hundred years, Arabella’s life has been one meaningless death after another. In a cruel twist of fate, Osiris–god of the Underworld–gifts the phoenix her mortality and returns her voodoo magic. If she fails to harness her wayward magic and save a man worthy of a second chance, she’ll forfeit her power and her soul–forever.

Ex-soldier Greyson Meadows desperately wants to be freed from the nightmares and guilt that haunt him after the tragedy that brought him and Ari together. Confronted by the waif of a woman who forces him to face his worst fears, he resists, fighting the need to keep his personal demons hidden instead of setting them free.

When Ari becomes the target of her own magical blunder, it’s not just her life in danger, but now the one of the man she loves.

Excerpt - Chapter One

A snow-sleet mix pelted the flapping windshield wipers and doused the inside of the cab with a bone-freezing chill. The driver ignored any discomfort and even cracked his window to belch through the seam, then took a drag off his cigarette.

Mon Dieu, she had to pick this taxi. Arabella Durand shifted away from the smoke that mixed with the irritating atmosphere. A more perfect mood couldn’t have been staged for her pending death.

The driver belched again, filling the car with his noxious stench. Much more of him and she’d find a way to hang herself now and hope her next soul found his or her own way to survive—to hell with Osiris and his orders. But she couldn’t. She was only allowed to die for him, the Egyptian god of the Underworld, and who knew what he would test her with if she failed? Probably another three hundred years of purgatory.

She had only one option: find her mark and die. It was a cruel trick of nature, and in all the years she’d been at it, she’d never understood. No one had been there to save her people—from her. No. The god obviously hadn’t thought them worthy of a second chance. And he sure as hell didn’t think she’d learned enough to find peace in death.

The cab rolled to a stop in front of the flickering Country Store sign that highlighted the cabbie twisting in the seat. Thank the Loa for answering her prayers to end the torturous ride. Long strands of hair fell against his face as he draped a beefy arm over the back of the passenger-seat headrest. He resembled Popeye with his bulging muscles and too-tight shirt—but instead of a pretty sailor tattoo, he had a dagger piercing a skull surrounded by snakes inked into his arm. The warning didn’t go unnoticed. Ari believed in the signs the deities chose to bless on her.

The driver grunted. “Lady, are you sure?”

Sure that she’d suffer? Yes.

Sure that she’d die? Yes.

Sure that what she was about to do mattered to someone else? Yes.

Would it be enough? She paid a price with each death, but she didn’t know if she’d ever forgive herself. Too many sins laid their heads at her door.

“Yes.” She passed him a hundred—twenty more than the ride deserved—which was the last of her hard-earned cash. She’d spent the past few months as a nanny for a temp agency—not the highest-paying job around. Soon she wouldn’t need it anyway. Scooting across the seat, she held one hand to the scarf wrapped tightly around her hair. In this weather it would curl into an untamable mass and she wanted to look her best when she met the afterlife. The trip to the sun, Osiris’s home for now, would take its toll. No reason to help it along. Besides, she’d never hear the end of it if Sadie—her sister phoenix—saw her looking less than perfect.

To the women she’d spent the last three hundred years with, she was the strongest in the group. They gravitated to her whenever there was a problem, believing she would fix it or that she’d offer up some bit of wisdom to either make them laugh or cure their worries. Evidently, practicing voodoo and acting as the priestess to her village made her “all knowing.”

She’d never shared the deep sorrow she lived with, and she wouldn’t. This was her penance, her problem. She’d never tell them that she was a murderess who couldn’t face the pain of her past. She’d never see the disgust pass over their faces when they learned she’d wiped out her family and friends in one spell gone bad.

The driver cleared his throat, drawing her back to the problem at hand. One bushy eyebrow rose. “You staying or going?”

“Going.” She scooted to the edge of the seat and called back, “Merci.”

The passenger window hummed, lowering and allowing the man’s bellow to catch her while she picked her way across the frozen ground. What now?

He leaned forward with one arm planted across the back of the seat. “It’s a long way back to town. Should I wait?”

Ice droplets slapped against her slim-fitting, white leather jacket. Despite the misery caused by the rain, she couldn’t ignore him. She hadn’t expected concern from the man who hadn’t said more than a handful of sentences during the half-hour drive here. Hoping the smile she plastered on her face didn’t show the pain shuddering through her, Ari shook her head. “No, thank you.”

Wouldn’t do any good—after the god was done with her, there wouldn’t be anything left.

She spun back around and hurried toward her target and the shack/station/grocery. The store’s crack-riddled bricks supported a wavy roof. One corner of the metal topping smacked against the building with the rhythm of the wind. A few more cadences and she’d have all the makings of a good ritual beat. How many hours had she danced in front of a roaring fire to heal her people?

Let it go, girl. You can’t help them now.

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/the-last-awakening/

About the Author:

Rachel Firasek grew up in the south and despite the gentle pace, she harassed life at full steam. Her curiosity about mythology, human nature, and the chemical imbalance we call love led her to writing. Her stories began with macabre war poems and shifted to enchanted fairytales, before she settled on a blending of the two.

Today you’ll find her tucked on a small parcel of land, surrounded by bleating sheep and barking dogs, with her husband and children. She entertains them all with her wacky sense of humor or animated reenactments of bad 80’s dance moves.

She’s intrigued by anything unexplained and seeks the answers to this crazy thing we call life. You can find her where the heart twists the soul and lights the shadows… or at www.rachelfirasek.com .

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

Chris

I know... I'm a day late. But give a girl a break. I had 20+ people at my home yesterday with several overnight guests the night before. I have such a lovely family and am truly blessed but boy is it exhausting to have so much going on all around you. I can see how this torch is going to be passed on to the young once the time comes.

I do hope the holiday spirit stays with all of us throughout the year. It's often that once the decorations are put away and the house is clean... and the diets begin that we forget about being kind to each other.

I'm thankful for many things this year but mainly the health of my family and friends. It wasn't long ago that our holidays were clouded with the threat of cancer... and loss. The year none of those things darken our door and I couldn't be happier for it.

Merry Christmas

Catherine

Interview and giveaway with Clarissa Yip

2011-12-22T02:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my corner of the blogging world.

It’s great to be here!

Let's get a little of the formalities out of the way.

Tell us a little about your self and the genre you write.

I’m Clarissa Yip. I write contemporary romance mainly, but I do at times dabble in suspense. I enjoy scrapbooking, reading, video games, trying new foods, and I’m also a cupcake addict. Oh, and I need coffee all the time.

Love to scrapbook, but don’t find time to do it much these days. And who doesn’t love cupcakes? Tell me, Clarissa, what do you love about being a writer?

Good question! Lol. I love losing myself in another world, being someone else even if it’s for a little bit, and allowing my muse to run free, even though she does drive me nuts at times. I love most of all being able to work in my pajamas and not have to answer to anyone but myself. I set my own schedule, make my own plans, and write whenever I please. I love seeing words appear on paper. (Yes, even if it’s crap. But it’s better than nothing!) I enjoy watching stories form, seeing my characters come to life, and just being able to share my stories. I want to make people happy!

What do you hate about being a writer?

Writer’s block. It’s my worse friend. When I’m itching to write and be productive, something has to come along and push me off the cliff and then I’m totally clueless as to where I’m going with the story when I’ve spent three days plotting and getting to know my characters. I feel ingenious for the first three chapters, then everything after that I get frustrated because the story decides that it needs to go another direction. It’s irritating. You think you know your characters, then they decide to be bipolar or that they want to be someone else who they’re not!

I get that! If there was one thing about the industry you could change, what would it be?

For it to make up it’s mind! You hear these fad trends and what’s popular, then by the time you finish the book because you know everyone is asking for such, you and your story are old news. But I guess it’s all part of the game. Markets evolve, new innovations come in, and it works for some and not so much the other. There’s no such thing as consistency in this industry. But there’s always a demand for romance! Write from the heart! There’s no better advice than that.

So true. You can’t write for the trend, it doesn’t work.

What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook? Why?

Wow. I feel like I’m back in Marketing Class. All these questions on industry and social networking. I think Twitter and Facebook are awesome! I started with Facebook when it used to be only for college students and no one who didn’t belong to an organization was allowed to sign up. Now seeing it evolve with the new technological innovations, it’s pretty amazing. News and communication travels so much faster. Twitter is pretty cool. I love the apps that utilize Twitter and allow for calculations of statistics and for a company/business to know their reach and influence. But most of all, I love that it’s such an easy way to market and communicate with the public without leaving the comfort of your own home.

I do tend to ask questions about how authors market themselves because in my personal experience, without a marketing platform an author won’t find readers. And I’m always interested in what is working for each author.

But since I don’t want you to think you’re back in school… for the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet paper over the roll or under the roll?

Wow, I must be a slob, because I really don’t think about such thing. I’m going to assume over because having it under would annoy me with the way the extra sheet falls and sits. *Runs to the bathroom to check *

Pulled you attention right out of the classroom and to the toilet! LOL My work here is almost done.

Tell us about your latest release and were we can find it.

My new release is Silent Night’s Seduction. It’s a 1 Night Stand holiday story that takes place in Alaska at one of the Castillo resorts. Lily is literally kidnapped, shoved on a plane, and flown to the lodge for a one-night stand. Only her date ends up being her ex-husband, hot DA Rafe Martinez. Sparks fly. Desire strikes. And a second chance may be in store! It’s also part of the Madame Eve 1Night Stand Holiday Anthology by Decadent Publishing! You won’t be disappointed!

Here’s the blurb:

Stubborn and proud cowgirl, Lily McCormick, is finally coming to terms with her quiet life on her parent’s ranch, until her older brother, as payback, signs her up for 1NightStand. Kidnapped and forced onto a plane to a foreign location, she faces the dreaded cold and an unwanted tryst, until her ex-husband appears before her…as her date.

New York City District Attorney, Rafe Martinez, would do anything to get his ex-wife back, even if it meant taking drastic measures to pretend he was there for another woman. When jealousy and rage surfaces and Lily’s tough demeanor wanes, desire and lust sparks their once powerful connection as truths unfold. Will Rafe convince her to return to him or push her further away from giving their love a second chance?

I'm all about twitter and facebook, so can you be sure and add your handles and links here....

I’m also having a party at Romance Author Hotspot! (http://romanceauthorhotspot.com ) Everyone is welcome to come! There’ll be publishers, your favorite authors, and also romance book vendors hanging out from Dec. 24^th to Jan. 1^st! We’re giving away a Kindle Fire and over 40 prizes, so it’s going to be a blast! I’ll be there too!

One lucky commenter will win any e-book from Decadent Publishing’s book catalog at http://www.decadentpublishing.com

You HAVE to leave a comment to enter and please leave your .com so we can notify you of your win.

Thanks for being here, Clarissa and best of luck with your latest release.

Interview and giveaway with Rebecca Royce

2011-12-20T02:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks for coming today, Rebecca… and thank you for offering a download from you backlist. So, dear blog readers, see details at the end of this post.

Let's get a little of the formalities out of the way. Tell us a little about your self and the genre you write.

My name is Rebecca Royce. I write mostly paranormal romance with occasional delves into fantasy romance, science fiction romance, and contemporary romance.

What do you love about being a writer?

I love telling stories. It’s such a gift.

What do you hate about being a writer?

When a story isn’t going well. And sometimes promo can be a challenge too.

If there was one thing about the industry you could change, what would it be?

I’m not sure. That’s a good question. I’m pretty happy in my little corner of the world. I’m not sure I want to make changes…I’d be concerned about fallout that I couldn’t anticipate. (I do write science fiction. LOL)

What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook? Why?

Twitter somedays and Facebook somedays. I don’t like how Facebook is always altering.

And the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet paper over the roll or under the roll?

Under. LOL

Tell us about your latest release and were we can find it.

I’ll Be Mated For Christmas is a Decadent Publishing 1NS novel. If you are unfamiliar with the 1NS series, it is a multi-authored series that features one night between a couple set up by the mysterious Madame Eve who run a dating service. Each book is a short story that features one night and how it changes the couples life.

Here is a blurb for I’ll Be Mated For Christmas.

Bethany Johnson grew up one of the only humans in a pack of werewolves. She didn’t have an easy time and her self-confidence was almost non-existent. Finally, after some serious psychotherapy and the help of weight-loss surgery, she is feeling like the Bethany she has always wanted to be. But now she has to say goodbye to the werewolves in her life. Out with the old and in with the new this year…

Luke Denarius is the new Alpha of the Delta pack. He’s never met Bethany but the second he scents her he knows she is his. No way is she going off to Italy for adventure and hot sex with other men.

With the help of Madame Eve these two will find that a mating is in the works for Christmas.

I'm all about twitter and facebook, so can you be sure and add your handles and links here....

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/rebeccaroyce

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-Royce/172551376131638?sk=wall

Thanks for coming today Rebecca – Rebecca is giving away a copy of one of her other Decadent Publishing books and will do so on Jan 2^nd. So anyone who comments here will be eligible to enter this contest through Jan 2^nd. You must put your .com in the comment or I can’t let you know if you won.

USA Today Bestselling Romance

2011-12-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Wife by Wednesday made my debut on the

USA Today Bestseller List this last week.

Merry Early Christmas to me!

Hellsbane Book One by Paige Cuccaro

2011-12-17T02:09:00.000-08:00

A quick shout out to Paige on her latest release ~ Love this cover!

Title: Hellsbane (Hellsbane, #1)

Author: Paige Cuccaro

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel

Release Date: December 2011

ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-64-0

Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-65-7

Books 2 and 3 coming May 2012 and January 2013!

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/hellsbane/

A HELLSBANE BOOK - Book One - by Paige Cuccaro

Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human—or, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.

Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.

No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.

Excerpt:

“So you’ve been doing this, hunting demons, since high school?”

“Demons and the fallen angels who called them up to do their bidding.” He exhaled, as though suddenly feeling the weight of the past eight years. “I tried to forget. Tried to pretend it didn’t happen. But they wouldn’t let me. They kept hounding me, bugging me to fight.”

“Demons?”

“No. Angels,” he said. “The ones that will talk to us...incessantly. They’re called magisters. They wanted me to train. To pick up the fight where Coach Clark left off. I didn’t want to. I didn’t know what it meant. So I ran. It was six years before I saw my parents again. They’d thought I was dead. Wanted me to move back home. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t expose them to the kind of life I had.”

“They don’t know?”

He shook his head. “They’d never believe me if I tried to explain anyway. They’re safer this way.”

“Must be nice.” He couldn’t have given me the same protection?

Tommy looked away. “If there’d been anywhere else safe I could’ve gone today, I swear...”

He looked at me, and I could see in his eyes he meant it. He hated what he’d gotten me mixed up in. Trouble was, I still wasn’t sure exactly what that was.

“What do they want, the demons? Why are they trying to kill you?”

“Us.” He winced, hugging his arm around his belly, holding his side. “They’ll be after you now, too. And they want us dead. They want to kill us before we kill them and send their fallen masters to the abyss.”

I laughed. Not because I thought anything was particularly funny, but because my brain had finally reached its capacity to accept the unacceptable, and no other reaction occurred to me. “You know how insane this all sounds, right? This can’t be for real. It can’t be. I mean, I don’t even believe in this God and angel junk.”

“Yeah?” He sucked in a sharp breath and used the doorjamb to leverage himself up to his feet, holding his side. After a second or two, he straightened. “Well, you’re about to become a believer, real quick.”

“You can’t make me.” Geez, I sounded like an eight-year-old.

“That’s what I thought. And then the demons came, and came, and came. And Eli kept dogging me, saying I had to train.” He stepped around me on his way to the door, limping, moving slower than he had when he’d come in. “The demons can find you anywhere, Emma Jane. They feel you the way you and I can feel each other when we first come together. You know, the way your stomach rolls?”

“The rollercoaster thing? You feel that too?”

He smiled his star-jock smile. “Yeah. I feel it, too. That’s how I knew you were nephilim in high school. I felt it. Felt it around Coach Clark, too. ’Course, I didn’t know what it was until Eli explained it. Before that it was kind of...confusing.”

“That explains a lot,” I said. “Who’s Eli?”

He turned and opened the door. “Eli will keep you alive. Unfortunately, if I don’t get to some holy water soon, I won’t survive to introduce you.”

Holiday Fun with Maeve Greyson

2011-12-15T02:55:00.000-08:00

Join me in a warm welcome for Maeve Grayson ~ Let's talk a lil' holiday chaos and books... shall we?

Holy Crap! It’s only TEN days ‘til Christmas…

I mentioned that fact to a co-worker and I was promptly told to shut up. Hmm…it appears some folks have reached “Holiday Critical Mass”. That uncomfortable state where you realize in order to get everything ready for the perfect celebration, you better gear down and haul ass.

Clark W. Griswold of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation immediately comes to mind when it comes to “Holiday Critical Mass”. If you’ve never enjoyed that holiday classic, I highly recommend it. A good laugh relieves holiday stress and you’ll be surprised how much you can relate to everything that happens to poor old Clark.

I’m also going to let you in on a little secret: no matter how much money you spend, pre-cooking you do, or pre-planning you chart and diagram…something is going to go wrong and you know what? It won’t matter. Christmas will still come. The only thing that truly matters is that you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by people who love you –even if you do occasionally screw something up. Reference the Who’s in Whoville and how the Grinch couldn’t steal their Christmas. Love is all that really matters. Don’t you agree?

And since we’re in the middle of this season of giving –one lucky commenter will be selected by Jasper to receive either a print copy or an ecopy (pdf format) of BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER –commenter’s choice− and I’ll also include a sweet packet of some of the promo stuff I’m taking to RT in April. Neat stuff like a cover flat of ETERNITY’S MARK, a rack card with eye candy, ink pens…you know –the kind of goodies that make reading romance just a little more fun. And if you go to my website (www.maevegreyson.com) and sign up to receive my newsletter, your name will be entered in the drawing twice! (And don’t worry – I only send newsletters when I have NEWS – I promise I won’t over-stuff your inbox and I will NEVER share your email.)

All my best to each and every one of you and may your holidays be filled with warmth, laughter and above all: may your days overflow with love.

Maeve’s books:

Beyond A Highland Whisper – Out now from The Wild Rose Press

Can love prevail over the dark magic of a woman scorned?

The last time Latharn MacKay walked among his kinsman was in Scotland of 1410. Sensuous and charismatic, all the women wanted him, but none could capture his heart. Latharn's charm became his curse when a dark sorceress didn’t take rejection well. She snared his soul into a crystal globe until the one woman destined to be his love whispered his release. Now all Latharn has to do is find her and guide her to him without speaking a word.

One of the youngest archeologists in St Louis of 2010, Nessa credits one thing for this achievement: the recurring dream of a heart-stopping Highlander since the summer she turned eighteen years old. Little does she know, he's not some fantasy cooked up by her subconscious. He’s a trapped soul determined for Nessa to end his six centuries in hell.

The Highlander's Fury – March 2, 2012 from The Wild Rose Press

An average day in the life of an immortal Fury?

Flex powers. Locate evil. Administer justice.

Until Ciara’s goddess mothers convince her to seduce a brooding mortal and bear the man a gifted child. All she has to do is swap places with his betrothed. A simple task−become the seductive wife, bear the man a child and train the young one in the Ways. Once the boy reaches seven years of age, they’ll swap her back with the wife Faolan thinks he selected and Ciara can resume her job of rousting wickedness from the world.

Faolan MacKay’s advisors plague him daily about his matrimonial duties as laird, dragging prospects from across the Highlands: plump dowries attached to each one.

Faolan’s lost everyone he’s ever loved. He’d rather go straight to the fiery pits of Hell than down the wedding aisle. Out of desperation, a plan takes seed. He’ll select a wife he can ignore. There’s just one problem with this foolproof theory. Nobody ignores Ciara.

Against his better judgment, he’s enthralled with the woman and to Ciara’s surprise, this strange thing called love burns hotter than her hunger for vengeance.

At the end of the seven years the ruse is up, all will return to as it was. Can the bond of love overcome the mandate of the ultimate powers?

Eternity’s Mark – March 27, 2012 from Kensington Brava

A sexy Scot. A mystical inheritance. What could go wrong?

Veterinarian Hannah MacPherson knows better than to believe in love at first—or any—sight.

True, being swept away by Taggart de Gaelson to the vast Scottish castle she’s mysteriously inherited is uber-romantic. The legacy is totally legitimate, and its messenger is big, broad-shouldered, and smokin’ in more ways than one…

Too bad Taggart forgot to mention that Hannah’s also a Guardian of magical dragons called the Draecna. And as Hannah’s sworn otherworldly protector, Taggart is honor-bound not to lay a hand on her, no matter how close he gets…

But turning duty into pleasure is just too tempting. And for Hannah, mastering her powers and saving two worlds from evil will be way easier than showing one hardheaded warrior that breaking all the rules means they are eternally made for each other…

Maeve’s Bio:

Maeve Greyson writes paranormal romances with a Celtic twist from her cozy little home not too far from Kentucky Lake. Tucked away in the middle of nowhere, Maeve listens to the wind whispering through the trees and hears the voices of her characters.

Her debut novel, BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER is available now from The Wild Rose Press and other online retailers. March 2012 will see two new paranormal romances from Maeve. THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY releases from The Wild Rose Press on March 2^nd and ETERNITY’S MARK releases from Kensington’s Brava line on March 27^th. ETERNITY’S MARK was the winner of Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews 2011 Writing with the Stars Contest.

Maeve can also be found procrastinating in these corners of cyberspace:

Website: http://www.maevegreyson.com/
Blog: http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson OR http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson#!/maeve.greyson.page
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/maevegreyson

Author Keri Ford with a Tuesday Tip

2011-12-13T02:44:00.000-08:00

Today I have the lovely and talented, Keri Ford giving you a quick Tuesday Author Tip.
Take it away Keri.

Don’t be afraid of the giddy.

Thanks for having me today Catherine! It’s kind of funny. Before becoming a new author, I probably could have told you several tips about being a new author. Things that I had read about it, tips I’d picked up from other authors. What to expect.

Things like have your website up-to-date! Be active on your social media, but don’t flood your avenues with a constant stream of buy-my-book! Be creative! Do giveaways! Be different! Blog everywhere!

Yikes! That’s a lot to do. And those things are important, but don’t forget the most important part. HAVE FUN.

I mean, you’ve worked for The Release Day for how long? Mine was about five and half years from day one of writing to release date. Don’t waste the whole day or week stressing on promoting your book. Be sure to sit back, take a moment and smile at your book out there for sale at different places. Don’t be afraid of the giddy.

Enjoy it.

Don’t overwork yourself. Just because you write a thousand words every day, skip it your first release day. Grab take-out for dinner or go out to dinner to celebrate! Because that’s what your first release, a celebration!

***

Keri Ford is the author of six sexy contemporary novellas set in the small town of Apple Trail, Arkansas. She’s got 3 more novellas currently scheduled for 2012 and a series of single-title romantic mysteries coming 2013.

To keep with the latest on Keri, check out her website (http://KeriFord.com).

Twitter (http://twitter.com/KeriFord)

Facebook (http://facebook.com/AuthorKeriFord)

Wall Street Journal Bestseller List

2011-12-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

It's always nice when people buy your book. It's always nice to make a bestseller list... But did I ever think my name would pop up on a Wall Street Journal List? No! This came as a shock to me this morning.

Check it out: Wife by Wednesday is #4 on the Fiction E-Book list ~

Click HERE to see the list.

The Twelve Gays of Christmas

2011-12-09T03:32:00.000-08:00

I just love this.

Author Lacey Wolfe

2011-12-08T02:51:00.000-08:00

Today I have a new to me author, Lacey Wolfe talking about her up-coming release.
Thanks for being here today, Lacey...

Thank you so much Catherine for having me here today. And a big congrats on all your book success.

Today I wanted to talk about my new series I have been writing. The first book in the series will be out on December 19 and its titled Fool Me Once. The series is called Hot Bods. So, what is Hot Bods?

Hot Bods is the gym in the fictional town the series takes place. I actually had no idea what to call this series. When I started Fool Me Once, I was once again writing an erotic novella and I didn’t actually intend for it to be a series. Skylar, the heroine works at a gym that is called Hot Bods. For a long time the book was nicknamed hot bods until I decided on its name. As I wrote this novella, I fell in love with Skylar’s best friend, Amy and I just knew she had to get her own story too. Then there were several other women in it, and I thought they should all get their story too. Even Francesca, who you will meet in each story and will get her story in the fourth. I hope by the time we make it to her story, my readers like her.

The decision was made, I was writing a novella series. It was time to name it. Which was a lot more difficult than I expected it would be. I asked my publisher what she thought, and she said to look for something that is going to be central in each book. Well, I knew the gym would be and maybe Hot Bods could be the title. I thought maybe it was catchy. I guess we will see.

I have been having fun with this series. Like I mentioned, the first book will be here on the 19^th of December and the second, More Than Useful will be here early 2012. I’m still working on the third, but having a lot of fun with it.

I hope that if you like contemporary romances with an erotic touch, that you will keep me in mind.

Thank you so much for having me today Catherine.

About The Author

Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has the time to work on making her dream come true.

Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter, their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.

You can find Lacey at the following places:

Website: www.LaceyWolfe.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorLaceyWolfe

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LaceyWolfe

Fool Me Once – Available December 19, 2011

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…

Drew is the last person Skylar wanted to see across from her at a local bar. A month ago he'd wined and dined her all weekend, leaving her feeling fully in love, but then she awoke alone in an empty hotel room and she hadn't heard from him since.

The weekend Drew spent with Skylar was phenomenal. There had never been anyone who made him feel as complete as she did. He shouldn't have disappeared, he should have called, but his feelings for her scared him, so he distanced himself. But when he saw her again, he knew he couldn't stay away any longer.

Skylar's determined not to give Drew another chance to hurt her, but he's just as determined to win her back. Although it won't be easy, he's up to the challenge, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal.

NYT Bestselling author Caridad Pinero

2011-12-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

Today's Tuesday Tip comes from New York Times Bestselling Author Caridad Pinero...

Take it away Caridad~

First of all, I want to thank Catherine for having me with her today! I am so glad that we’ve been become friends.

This month is a very special month for me as it marks a first ever in my career: I’ve written an erotic paranormal romance! AMAZON AWAKENING is my latest release from Nocturne Cravings and it’s…hot. It’s also a novella and romantic.

You see, for me the physical intimacy that happens in an erotic story isn’t enough all by itself. For me to be really involved in a story I need to see an emotional connection between the hero and heroine as well as a growing romance in addition to the growing physical intimacy between them.

So I guess that leads to today’s Tuesday Tip: How can you build a romance arc and create believable intimacy when you are writing a short work of fiction?

The first rule is: Writing short fiction is not much different than writing long fiction.

The second rule is: There are really no rules. What works for one story may not for another because each story is unique and has its own needs.

But there are some hints I can provide despite the above.

First, make sure that your first chapter establishes the “ordinary world” of both your hero and heroine. We need to know where they are emotionally and how that relates to your storyline.

Next, ask yourself where you want the hero and heroine to be at the end, namely, what will be there happily-ever-after.

Third, be sure of what doubt/emotional wound/hesitation the hero and heroine have in the “ordinary world” and what they will have to overcome at the “black moment” of the story in order to have their happily-ever-after.

That’s it. That’s what I ask myself before I start each and every story, whether short or long.

The one big difference is that the shorter the work, the more important it is that you have a believable reason for the immediate attraction of the hero and heroine. This may mean that the hero and heroine have known each other in the past. It could be that something else, like a paranormal element, connects the two. This will let you deepen the emotional and physical intimacy faster while still keeping it realistic.

Thanks for dropping by! I hope you’ve found these tips helpful.

The Joy of a Back List!

2011-12-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

With the success of Wife by Wednesday I've had the joy of seeing my back list start selling again. Everything you hear about how an author with a back list and a runaway hit is very true. I've seen all of my time travels hit the time travel romance bestseller list on amazon for the last few weeks. Which is beyond awesome.

Soul Mate, a short female werewolf story is in the top 1,000 in books and my reviews are growing.

And then there are what I call my 'sleeper' stories. Before the Moon Rises and Possessive are finally getting read... these are short stories but fun reads nonetheless. What I'm most happy with is seeing Embracing the Wolf have it's day. This is a little longer 'category length' paranormal romance that I think any 'mother' and lover of romance and werewolves will love. ETW has been out for quite some time but simply didn't see to many ereaders upon it's release. Now I'm selling more copies. And that my friends makes this author very happy.

So, what's with the picture for this brief blog you ask?
Duah! Eye Candy is a very important part of any Monday.

A lil' classic holiday eye candy

2011-12-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early for me this year - Wife by Wednesday has made the #1 spot on Romance on Amazon and ha stayed there for over a week now. I've hit #2 on all of Amazon E-Books - and let me tell you something... it's fan-freaking-tastic to be here. I've had lots of wonderful reviews and feedback from readers. And yeah, the paycheck is gonna be nice when it comes. I never thought I'd see my name on the top of these lists.

Thanks to everyone who read Wife and who took a few minutes out of your day to tell me or Amazon or Goodreads your thoughts. I am hard at work on Carter and Eliza's story Married by Monday and hope to have it out there in a couple of months. So no worries there!

A print version of Wife by Wednesday will be available in a few days on Amazon. Trade Paperback for under 10 bucks. xoxo

Catherine

An Interview with Rachel Brimbel

2011-11-28T03:03:00.000-08:00

Today I have a special guest, a twitter friend and fellow author, Rachel Brimbel. Welcome to my corner of the blogging world, Rachel. Let's get a little of the formalities out of the way.

Tell us a little about your self and the genre you write.

I live in South West England with my husband of 14 years, our two daughters (12 & 10) and mad black Labrador, Max. I have been writing seriously since 2005 and have six novels published. I write across the sub-genres of romance from straight contemporary, to Victorian historical to suspense and comedy. I like to keep it fresh, lol!

I do too… such a bore writing the same genre day in and day out.

Tell me, Rachel, what do you love about being a writer?

Everything! I love the creating, getting those initial words on the page. Especially when it’s flowing and I’m the characters’ narrator and just writing what they tell me to write. I am also one of those annoying writers who relishes editing. Nothing better than having words already written and the opportunity to make them better.

You had me until the editing thing. I try to edit as I go to minimize the pain of edits.

What do you hate about being a writer?

If I had to choose, I would say the initial plotting. Come up against problems that take time to figure out. My solutions tend to come to me when I am lounging in the bath with a nice glass of wine. No hardship ;)

Now you’re talking my language. A glass of wine ets the words flowing.

If there was one thing about the industry you could change, what would it be?

I would change the perception of romance. People (especially the men in the industry) tend to see it as a lower form of writing than say, thrillers or literary writing. I don’t agree. There are as many badly written thrillers and literary novels as there are romances. Romance runs through every story and movie – believe me.

*shakes head* I hear ya.

What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook? Why?

I have my Twitter account linked to my Facebook so there isn’t any difference to me. Any comment I make on Twitter (which is a lot!), automatically posts on my Facebook.

As far as I’m concerned Twitter is a great innovation that has not only re-connected lost family and friends but serves as a great promotion and social tool.

Twitter is the bomb, and facebook the mini blog.

And the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet paper over the roll or under the roll?

Under, lol! I’ve never been asked that before. Can you tell me the significance? Does that indicate my mental stability? : )

I recently posted this question on a guest blog and had so many interesting answers I thought it needed to be a trademark question on my blog. And lets face it… it’s a funny-ass question.

Okay onto the details on your latest release and where we can find it.

Payingthe Piper is my latest release, available to buy now from Lyrical Press. It is a contemporary romance set against the backdrop of UK nightclubs and pubs. I loved writing this book! Here’s the blurb:

Nightclub manager Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother's ashes are scattered but the owner wants to sell to anyone but her. And that owner happens to be her father...who has a secret she will do anything to discover.

Social worker and all around good guy Jimmy Betts needs funds to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. Time is running out and he's desperate for cash. He agrees to a one-time 'job' for bad-man Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl's beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace.

Their lives couldn't be more different, yet one thread binds them: they're both trying to escape the bonds of their fathers. Maybe the only way they'll be free is by being together, instead of alone.

BUY LINK for Paying the Piper

I'm all about twitter and facebook, so can you be sure and add your handles and links here....

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

A Turkey Tip

2011-11-24T01:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. For those of you outside of the US, cook a bird, eat too much and try not to fight with family... yep, that's Thanksgiving.

Here is a Turkey Tip I thought you'd all enjoy.

I thought this sounded good!**

Here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of
Popcorn as a stuffing ingredient -- imagine that!
When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for
People like me, who just are not sure how to tell when
Turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out.

Give this a try.

1 - 15 lb. Turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good)
1 cup un-popped popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT IS
BEST)
Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with
Melted butter, salt and pepper.
Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking
Pan making sure the neck end is toward the front of the
Oven, not the back.
After about 4 hours listen for the popping sounds.
When the turkey's BUTT blows the oven door open and the bird flies across the
Room,.... it's done.

And you thought I didn't cook!!

*If you try this, don't blame me... it's a joke*

I'm over at... giving away a....

2011-11-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

I'm over at NYT Bestselling Author, Caridad Pinero's Blog today...
Giving away a copy of Wife by Wednesday...

And

Daily Cheap Reads is profiling Wife by Wednesday with a steller review.

Amazing Indie Tips from Sky Purington

2011-11-22T02:57:00.000-08:00

Today for Tuesday Tips I have the amazing Sky Purington. I have watched her time travel series dominate the charts this last month and I couldn't be happier for her. She is going to give us her tips on what has made her books so successful. To top that off, she'd giving away a couple of books to one lucky person. All ya got to do is comment below to enter the drawing.

Take it away Sky...

Hey All! It’s wonderful to be here at Catherine’s blog this week. She’s such a talented author so I’m truly flattered to be invited. Thank you. What I’d love to chat about this visit is a topic many authors, both published and un-published have pondered. Should I self-publish?

It’s a hard and very personal decision.

In my case, I’ve been with a wonderful publisher for years. The Wild Rose Press is top-notch and I would highly recommend publishing with them to anyone. In fact, my latest release, The Victorian Lure, was published through them on November 11^th and I intend to publish more.

So why did I self-publish my MacLomain Series? Well, I wanted the world to read a newer version of this series. Brilliantly edited through my publisher originally, I knew that readers expected a different sort of writing style than what I’d produced in 2007. I had grown and changed with newer releases. I knew that it was time for a refresh.

It’s an unimaginable feeling when you stand at the threshold of self-publishing. I was both excited and petrified. There existed nothing between me and the reader but my words, my story. It’s a raw and vulnerable sensation. Yet it’s also a very gratifying feeling.

The MacLomain Series consists of one short story and three full length novels. The King’s Druidess (The MacLomain Series- Prelude), Fate’s Monolith (The MacLomain Series- Book 1), Destiny’s Denial (The MacLomain Series- Book 2), and Sylvan Mist (The MacLomain Series- Book 3). This romance time-travel series follows a medieval Scottish clan from its birth in ancient Ireland to medieval Scotland and its connection with colonial and present day America.

The series has maintained top 10 in Time-Travel Romance and Fantasy/Futuristic Ghost for almost a month now. I wish I could dish out a magical reason why but I can’t. I can tell you what I did first and foremost as an Indie writer.

The most important thing… I provided quality content.

What you publish should be your very best. After all, your readers deserve nothing less. You know how many hours you’ve put into your manuscript. You know how many critique partners have read over your work. You know how many have helped edit. You know what you’re willing to sell to your readers. If you gave your all, your readers will know it and they will appreciate it.

But… you can’t please everyone.

If you’re going ‘Indie’ you’re offering prices most likely unavailable to publishing houses so you had best be prepared for an expanded readership and an exposure level that invites added reviews. Some may be bad. I can’t stress this enough… Internet Etiquette. If you receive bad reviews and want to respond, always be gracious. It’s all about respect. You are, as an Indie writer, much more of a ‘product’ than you ever were before. If people don’t like your work, don’t get mad at them for it… but appreciate. Learn how to invite feedback and turn it around to the positive.

What have I done to make my MacLomain Series successful?

Here are my top five rules of thumb…

#1- I used my best marketing tool. My website. I pumped up my series at my website and provided easy-to-find links to purchase. Your top two tools? Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. Make sure you’re available on Smashwords as there are more downloadable formats.

#2- Cover all your networking sites. Blog. Facebook. Twitter. Don’t get wordy. Just pack a punch with your title for promo, that you’re out there with new books and provide purchase links. Always refer readers back to your website where they will, of course, find all links to everything most important about you in cyberspace.

#3- Take a ‘you’ night on the internet and TARGET your audience. I can’t stress this enough. One night I took four hours and simply surfed out sites devoted to my genre, whether they were blog listings, website listings or random sites. You’d be amazed at how many sites exist on the net that would love to share links with you. Those that would love to list you for FREE. They’re eager to make their place in the ‘wild world of the internet.’ I totally get it. Lord knows, I am too. Just be sure that you remember to ‘pay it forward’. That means you link back or brag about them on one of your social networks. After all, we’re all in it to succeed and to do so we need to help one another out.

The next day I sold over 1,000 copies of my books. Time well spent.

Coincidence? Maybe. I don’t think so. Karma.

#4- If you’re an Indie author it’s a good idea to learn everything about those who sell the most for you and how you can best utilize what they have to offer to ‘get out there’. My thought is Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Love them. Worship them. They are not only your ‘boss’ in a sense but they’re really great companies. Be a good person. Be a good seller. This refers back to Internet Etiquette which I really can’t stress enough. If dealt with in a courteous fashion, these companies will bend over backwards for you. They’re hard at work just like you and I. Treat them as such and they will treat you the same.

A HUGE thank you to both Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s rep’s. You’ve been beyond wonderful.

#5- I saved the best and most important for last. Take the time to hire yourself a good cover artist. Your cover WILL grab the reader’s attention even before your blurb. Your cover marks your, “Get Ready, Get Set…. Go!!!” moment.

Do it right.

My short story and novels aren’t sitting on top because of potential readers checking out the blurb. Nope. They saw the cover first, clicked through, and then learned more. A HUGE thank you to my cover artist, Tamra Westberry (www.tarawest.com.). You’ve been with me since the beginning and have never let me down. Your work is, indeed, proof in the pudding.

I hope everyone enjoyed the post today. There’s a ton more I could say but I think if you follow these basic guidelines as an Indie writer, you’re off to a super start.

Wishing you many, many sales!

Sky

Purchase The MacLomain Series. .99 cents per title. Kindle and Nook

Visit Sky’s Website ~

Sky’s Blog ~ A Writer’s Mind-
Sky’s Character Blog ~ Paranormal/Syfy Romance-Deep, Dark and Delicious-

Facebook ~

Twitter @SkyPurington

Time to Celebrate

2011-11-20T04:13:00.000-08:00

This has been one of the most amazing weeks in my writing life. I clicked online and found Wife by Wednesday in the top #100 in contemporary romance last Friday. And in that same week I found Wife in the top #100 of all Kindle eBooks. And #4 on Amazon Contemporary Romance.

It's just crazy how Sam and Blake have taken off.

I am in the process of putting Wife in print - Isn't the whole cover lovely?

Did you notice the 'Book One' thing?

So thank you all, dear readers, who are making Wife by Wednesday such a wonderful success.

Want a lookie at Married by Monday?

Here is my Six Sentences for this Sunday ~ Unedited and RAW - Carter is waiting for Eliza to show up for a press conference, when she walks in the room he doesn't recognize her at first...

“Jay, what’s going on, where’s…” Carter’s voice trailed off when Eliza lifted her eyes to meet his.

His jaw dropped and his words dried up. Shock, admiration, and desire flashed in his eyes. “Eliza.” Carter’s voice was breathy.

A wave of feminine power tugged at her pride as he stood there speechless.

“Hey, Carter,”

Blog Tour with Rebecca Royce ~World Building ~

2011-11-19T03:38:00.000-08:00

Today I have Rebecca Royce on tour with her new release, Embraced. Great cover, BTW ~ I asked her to talk to us about world building.

Take it away, Rebecca.

World Building

When writing a book, like Embraced, World Building is actually a little bit complicated? Why, you might ask? Well because Embraced is a world that is now but not actually our now. Have I confused you?

Starting in the world of Eye Contact, I created a world where people with psychic abilities exist but are locked away in Institutions to keep the general public safe. This idea continues in Embraced.

So right away we have certain truths and certain things that are the same. There are still countries. They still exist. Laws in those countries are the same as they are today except for additional laws handling the Conditioned. The USA still has the Constitution but there are amendments excluding the Conditioned from The Bill of Rights.

There are still things like cell phone, Swiss Bank Accounts, fast cars, and restaurants. There are shopping malls. But there are also hidden societies helping to free the Conditioned and groups out to find them where they hide.

So, for me, creating Embraced wasn’t so much about what was different as much as what was added. It had to work within the confines of now. If this was possible, if it could happen, then it had to work logically. Everything had to be the same except for what was an additional element.

I hope I’ve made sense and that you might like to spend some time getting to know the world I’ve made up. Or have I made it up? (wink-wink)

Buy Embraced

Website ~ Blog ~

Make Welcome Cari Quinn

2011-11-17T03:45:00.000-08:00

Today I have the pleasure of bringing to you Cari Quinn. Her hot, erotic romances are loved by many including me. She's talking about a break from the normal hero we see in romance... and she's been kind enough to offer a free copy of one of her books from her backlist. Just read her post and answer the question at the end.

Take it away, Cari.

The Non-Traditional Hero part 2

Thanks so much to Catherine for allowing me to blog with her today!

I wrote a post a few weeks ago at Denise Agnew's blog (http://deniseagnew.com/blog/?p=1765) about non-traditional heroes and why I enjoy them. Today I'd like to discuss another aspect of that. As women, many of us have felt objectified at different times in our lives and I know I've rued the emphasis placed on physical attractiveness. Yet when you read most romance novels, the heroes are usually studly McStudlys with six pack abs and buns of steel. That's not to say there isn't ever any variation. Some of my heroes have worn glasses for example - because sexy is smart! - or they might have some other aspect to their looks they feel insecure about. But by and large, the expectation is for heroes to be sexy and virile because, well, it's fantasy right?

This past summer, I was plotting the novella I'm working on now and considered doing a hero with weight issues. I figured he could have a few extra pounds and still be sexy...heck, I've seen a lot of big guys who definitely work for me! But when I did an impromptu Twitter poll, almost everyone who responded didn't think an overweight hero would work in a traditional romance. Especially an erotic romance, which this book happens to be. While I tabled the idea for now, I haven't abandoned my idea of having a hero with weight issues...or maybe something else potentially disfiguring, like scars. And not small scars here and there that make a man look "edgy". I'm talking serious scarring from a major event. I like the idea of pushing the envelope and I'm going to keep doing it, one book at a time. I think there's a whole segment of the population that's not accurately represented in fiction and I'd like to explore that in some small way.

In my recent EC release, Hot Text, the hero's pretty average - which to me makes him kind of unusual too. He has a nice body and nice eyes, but he's not super ripped and he's not six-foot-five. He's an ordinary guy who's really good in bed (yeah, couldn't skimp there) and likes to swear a lot. And when he cares about someone, watch out. He'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Here's the buy link with blurb and excerpt if you're interested in checking it out: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9687-hot-text.aspx

How do you feel about perfect heroes, physically or otherwise? Would a hero with weight issues or scarring turn you off as a reader? I'll pick one random commenter to select their choice of an ebook from my backlist.

Visit Cari Quinn at www.cariquinn.com

Michael Rivers and his Amazing Cover Art

2011-11-16T04:29:00.000-08:00

Have I told you how much I'm loving Twitter? I met the wonder woman, Shannon Mayer, and she decided last month to do an impromptu cover art poll of Indie authors on her blog.

Wife by Wednesday was in the mix this month and I had some great support, but Wife didn't win... but that is totally okay with me. I just love it when people get together to admire each others efforts in this crazy-ass world.

The winner of the cover art poll was Michael Rivers and man this is some amazing cover art. ~

You can learn more about Moonlight on Natahala by clicking HERE.

Here is Michael's links so you can follow him on twitter and facebook.

http://www.michealrivers.com/

The Black Witch

Moonlight on the Nantahala

Ghosts of the North Carolina Shores

Please Welcome Beth Trissel

2011-11-15T03:02:00.000-08:00

Please Welcome Award Winning, Beth Trissel

Today she's going to talk a little about the importance of dreams and how a dream can become a book. She is graciously giving away a copy of her latest release to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment below to be entered to win. If you tweet about this post, and tell us about it, we'll enter your name in twice to the drawing.

Take it away, Beth...

Years ago I had a dream on New Year’s Eve, a highly propitious time for dreamsand the second instance when one on that particular eve led to my writing a story. The first book resulting from this source of inspiration was historical romance novel Red Bird’s Song. The second instance eventually evolved into myrecent release, vintage American Christmas ghost story romance Somewhere the Bells Ring. The dream that inspired this story took place in the beautiful Virginia home place where my father grew up and I often visited over the years, a graciousGeorgian style brick home, circa 1816.

In my dream a young lady dressed in a long gown for a holiday party entered the room without a name. All the rooms in this big old house have names except for this one. Instead of the room appearing as it did in my day, it had transformed into an old-fashioned gentleman’s bedchamber with a fireplace, bookshelves lined with leather-bound volumes, high-backed armchairs, and an antiquated bed. I later learned from my father that this is much how that room used to be in his grandfather’s time. But I didn’t consciously know that.

In the room, slumped on his knees before the crackling hearth, was a handsome dark-haired young gentleman attired in a suit that struck me as early 20^th century style, but what impacted me most about him was his sadness. The young woman, a guest in the house and in far better spirits than he, had unwittingly intruded on his grief. aIn her hands she held a dusty champagne bottle with a note affixed to it, seemingly left for him by his late wife. The newcomer had discovered it tucked among bottles in the wine cellar and thought it might cheer him. It didn’t—at least, not at first. But he read the note and took some comfort from that. If I tell you what the missive said I might spoil the story so I won’t. But his profound grief, the note, andthe vividness of this dream, affected me so deeply I pondered what story might come of it for a very long time before undertaking the writing of Somewhere the Bells Ring.

The other greatest influence on this story is my nostalgia for the late 1960’sand fond memories of Christmas’s spentin that home. The story is set there in 1968 with flashbacks to an even earlier era, 1918 and the end of World War 1. As to the ghost, well, I always wondered if that house was haunted.

Blurb:

Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative's ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn't so bad.

To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope––until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy.

As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe––in Bailey and the ghost––before the Christmas bells ring?

Excerpt:

“Bailey.” He spoke softly, so as not to startle her.

She turned toward him. In her long, white nightgown, hair tumbled down around her, wearing that lost look, she bore an unnerving resemblance to the mysterious woman in Wilkie Collins’ classic mystery, The Woman in White. Eric fervently hoped the similarity ended there. As he recalled from the novel, that unfortunate lady had been unhinged.

Leaving the door ajar, he stepped inside. “We missed you at breakfast.”

She answered distractedly. “I wasn’t hungry.”

He limped to where she stood, the hitch in his leg a little less pronounced today. Maybe he was getting stronger. “Why are you here, looking for ghosts?”

“Or a door to the past.”

He tried to coax a smile to her trembling lips. “Did you check inside the wardrobe?”

“Eric, I’m being serious.”

“That’s what worries me.” Leaning on his cane with one arm, he closed his other around her shoulders and drew her against him. Such a natural act, and she accepted his embrace without pulling back. She smelled of flowers from her perfume and wood smoke. “Mercy, child,” he said in his best imitation of Ella, “it’s as cold as a tomb in here.”

“It wasn’t last night.”~

Somewhere the Bells Ring is available in various eBook formats at The Wild Rose Press,Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nookbook, and other online booksellers.

Follow Beth on
Twitter
Facebook
or check out her website

The Hunger Games

2011-11-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

Sadly, my kids have read this book and I have not.
Must.
Fix.
That.

How... Why... What are you doing?

2011-11-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

Today when I climbed out of bed... before I even started that pot of coffee... I jumped online to see where my numbers stood with Amazon for Wife by Wednesday. I know, I'm a total geek and completely obsessed. Wife is my 10th published title and never before have I seen an audience gobble up a book faster than I can hit {refresh} on my computer. Binding Vows / Silent Vows and Redeeming Vows have done amazing... but I never went under #1,000 in the ranks of Amazon with them. Now maybe when Highland Shifter comes out that will change... but that's for a different blog.

Today my lowest rank on Amazon has been #602 - the lowest that I've seen anyway. I had another 5 star review posted and just a ton of hits on this blog.

And... to top that off I've had two complete strangers send me an email seeking advice.Hence the title of this blog - How... Why... What are you doing?

Simple answer - How the {F} do I know. No, wait... I do know a few things, and I don't think my sudden popularity is completely by chance.

1.) Wife by Wednesday is $0.99. Believe me, that was a hard decision to make. See, Amazon likes a little more money from authors selling their books for .99 - So in turn, I don't make that much. I started out a $2.99 and after almost two weeks and a ton of research I decided to lower the price. (not something you can do unless you're self publishing) - I now needed to sell 6 books to make up the money for 1 book with my new price.

But you see, reaching readers is my goal here. Wife is my first contemporary romance where no one travels back to the 16th century or sprouts fur on a full moon. So $0.99 it is.

2.) And this is going to be a self answered tip - Dear Blog Reader {[ YOU ]} Glance over to the right side of this blog and take a look at the poll question. Take a half a second to answer the question. And if I didn't put your answer in the multiple choice answers, take a second and answer the question bellow. HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT ME?

Twitter
Facebook
Previous Fan of my Work
Writer Forum (HQN - CTR)

or

Saw me on a blog
Loops

If you google 'Catherine Bybee' you are going to come up with nearly 100 pages of me. Sad, it means i have NO life off the Internet (not true but it seems that way) - My readers are e-book readers. E-readers are online.

3.) Product - Yeah, that's right... I think the last reason people pick up my work is because of the product. Don't get me wrong... I work hard to put out stellar stories that entertain you and help you escape into someone elses world for a short time... or in terms of the time travels, capture and makes you read book after book until you're finished with the series.

However, even with a stellar book cover (thank you Crystal) and wonderfully edited content (thank you Sandra aka, the best CP ever) - And then lil' ole' me... A decent storyteller who has a voice lots of readers relate to. But before you glanced at the first few pages of my book to decide if you liked my work I had to get your attention.

So dear weekend blog reader... Take a half a second to answer that poll. If you make a comment here I'll be happy to put your name in the cyber hat and at the end of the day I'll draw a name and give away one PDF copy of Wife by Wednesday. If you've already read Wife - I'll sweeten the pot and give away a PDF of Binding Vows.

Top 100 Baby!

2011-11-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

It's official... Wife by Wednesday made it to the top #100 in Contemporary Romance on Amazon yesterday. Exactly 35 days after her release.

o #100 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

I'm bopping in and off the list right now, but with any luck I'll get in and stick there over the next week. Even if that doesn't happen, I'm super jazzed at how many people want to read my first contemporary romance.

Thanks so much to all of you who have bought Wife, and who have taken that extra minute to rate it or give it a review.

A video tip from 2 years ago

2011-11-10T02:18:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday S.G Robers was here talking about social networking for the new author. Two years ago I set up a series of vlogs on the subject and I think it's time to sprinkle them into the blogging mix - So here is one of my favorites.

Where is Catherine today?

2011-11-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

Blake is being interviewed over at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read today... not to mention there is an amazing review of Wife by Wednesday for you to take a look at.

Check it out.

Make Welcome S.G. Rogers

2011-11-08T03:18:00.000-08:00

Today I'd like all of you to welcome S. G. Rogers. I've met Suzanne on Twitter and invited her here today to offer a Tuesday tip.

Suzanne is graciously offering a free download of her YA Fantasy novel to one lucky winner. All you have to do to be entered into the drawing is post a comment and answer one question.
Are you ready for the question...
Wait for it...

What was your favorite YA novel you read growing up?

Now, for Suzanne's words of wisdom.

Pass It On – A Word to the Wise

“I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.”
- Oscar Wilde

I wish someone had told me when I decided to be a writer that there was more to being an author than a skillful turn of a phrase. I was so laser-focused on improving my craft I didn’t think about building an audience for my work beforehand. You DO have to focus on your craft, and there are many classes, books, workshops and critique groups that will help you with that. But I’ve discovered that the publishing industry is a business—a terribly competitive one. Getting published is only the beginning of promoting your work as an author…and promote you must.

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

- Dale Carnegie

To advance your writing career you have to be willing to join groups and be genuinely supportive of others. Find quality places to lend your time and talent and you’ll make the kind of friends who will be there for you when your book comes out. I’ve seen people use a Facebook page or their blog to build a following—by offering recipes, book reviews or a forum of some sort. Writers’ groups, online or otherwise, are always great places to give and receive support. If you are already a member of a group, let everyone know about your goals, and be prepared to help them with theirs. Twitter can be a very useful tool, particularly when you give fellow authors a pat on the back or retweet their links. When you support your fellow twits, they will tend to repay the favor.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
- Benjamin Franklin

Keep in mind the end goal is not just to get published…it’s to sell books. A publisher, particularly a small one, can only do so much to push your title. Although they may have a list of reviewers they usually send advance reading copies (ARCs), do your own research and compile a list of your own. You should plan to send review requests out ahead of time—sometimes months before the book is released. It’s optimum to have book reviews come out to coincide with the publication of your book. Keep strict records on these reviewers and their policies (some won’t review e-books, for example). Send polite thank you emails to each one who reviews your book (good or bad). Remember, you’re building relationships with these ‘gatekeepers’ and you want to stay positive. You should also plan to have a blog tour set up ahead of time.

Although I’ll be in a much better position with my next title, I was caught somewhat flat-footed when “The Last Great Wizard of Yden” was released. I’ve quickly learned some hard lessons, and for better or worse I can now give good advice. Pass it on.

~S.G. Rogers

OMG, S.G. I completely agree with everything you've said. I think an author needs to build a platform long before they finish their first book.

Here is a blurb of The Last Great Wizard of Yden

After his father is kidnapped, sixteen-year-old Jon stumbles across a closely guarded family secret--one that will challenge everything he has ever believed about his father and himself. A magical ring his father leaves behind unlocks a portal to another dimension, but in using it, Jon unwittingly unchains the forces of evil. A crisis develops when a malevolent wizard transports to Earth to kidnap one of Jon’s friends. With the help of some unlikely schoolmates, and a warrior princess from Yden, Jon embarks on a dangerous quest to free his friend and his father from the most vicious wizard the magical world has ever known. In the end, Jon will be forced to fight for his life as he attempts to rescue the last great wizard of Yden.

Be sure and follow Suzanne on twitter @suzannegrogers

and her Facebook page by clicking here

Remember to leave a comment and answer the question.

A little eye candy and info.

2011-11-04T03:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, Henry... how I want to... *sigh*

I'm very excited to be blogging over at Cocktails and Books today. So come on over and meet some new peeps online.

Be sure and join me here next week on November 8th. I have the lovely and talented S.G. Rogers giving a Tuesday Tip to authors... and she's giving away a copy of her YA Fantasy novel to one lucky winner.

Opening up my blog for YOUR promotion

2011-11-01T03:34:00.000-07:00

Hey happy writers and readers... As some of you know I've been on a blog tour for Wife by Wednesday... which BTW reached a low Amazon rank of 2,300 over the weekend. Therefore, I'm keeping the sale price of .99 cents for a while longer...

Anyway, I'm on tour and because of that tour I've met some great bloggers and new friends on the net. That said, I'm opening up my blog for tour dates for tours and individuals who want to meet new readers.

I'm booking Tuesday and Thursday dates for November and December. If you're interested in blogging here on Romance by Catherine please comment below and leave me your email address so I can contact you with what I have open.

Tuesdays will be dedicated to Tuesday Tips - where authors will share their writing, promoting, or any tip they think is worthy of attention to share

Thursdays will be Anything Goes - Ranging from promo's, pondering life, maybe even an interview.

The lovely and talented Beth Trissel will be here on November 15th and Erotic Author Cari Quinn will join me on November 17th.

So please let me know if you'd like a bog date, and lets meet some new peeps.

Today I'm blogging at Sarah Ballance's blog and I'm giving away a copy of my latest release

Six Sentence Sunday ~ Soul Mate

2011-10-30T05:45:00.000-07:00

I'm shaking things up a bit... going to talk a little bit about Soul Mate. Kari is my werewolf heroine, trying to remain unattached while she protects innocent children from the boogieman... Nick is an FBI agent who has every desire to learn all of Kari's secrets... In the scene below Kari and Nick are inside a cave behind a waterfall in the Sequoias where they plan on staying the night. You'd think the big, bad FBI agent would be prepared like a good scout... he isn't!

“Do you have any matches in there?” He pointed toward her bag.

“I have a lighter.”

“Even better.”

He lifted the bag and opened it up, pulled out her novel with two half-naked people on the cover, turned it over in his hands and narrowed his eyes at her.

Her face grew hot.

“I would never have guessed.” He laughed.

Soul Mate, Fictionwise and ARe bestseller is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Wild Rose Press

Why, Catherine, Why???

2011-10-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

I've been asked this question a lot lately... Why? I've been asked why I'm selling Wife by Wednesday at the low price of .99 cents... and how long will that price last?

So here it is: Wife by Wednesday is my 1st contemporary romance. Well, my first published contemporary romance. It is also my first Indie published book and I actually have a say as to the price my readers pay for the book. So before you ask, NO, I can't lower the price on any of my other titles. I have several other contemporary romances coming, and I'd like to find readers in this genre, hence the low price of the book.

My thoughts are this, I'd love to find more readers, more people out there that get my voice, like my writing, and want to read more of what I have out there. At .99 cents they aren't investing a lot to see if they like my style. They might not. Which is completely fine with me. There are plenty of authors who people love out there that I just don't 'get'.

How long will the under a buck price last? Two answers to that. If - IF Samantha and Blake's story catches a cold... goes viral and loads of people gobble it up, then I'll simply leave it at .99 cents... no need to change it. If I hover where it stands right now, I'll bring the price back up to $2.99. As much as I'd love to write books and give 'em all away for free I do need to make a little money to pay for my expenses.

So, the .99 cent price will go on through Nov 1st at which time I'll decide if I need to bring the price up or leave it where it's at.

In the meantime - I'm blogging over at Simplistik today about the power of Twitter - and Lisette wrote a wonderful review for Wife by Wednesday there as well. So come on over and visit... and be sure and follow us on twitter. @catherinebybee

Interview on Blog Tour

2011-10-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

I'm tour continues with a wonderful interview from Lisa Sanchez. She asked some great questions about the difference between contemporary fiction writing and paranormal writing. Come on over and wave.

Click HERE

On tour with Blackraven's Erotic Cafe + Free Books

2011-10-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... Wife by Wednesday isn't erotic... but I do have some yummy things to say on the subject of erotic vs. mainstream love scenes.

And, the lovely people at Blackraven's are giving away three copies of Wife by Wednesday to those who stop by and comment.

So go HERE and comment!

$0.99 - Wife by Wednesday

2011-10-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Yep, you've read that right. Wife by Wednesday is temporarily set at under a buck to buy. So what are you waiting for... go forth and buy. *sprinkling fairy dust*

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

Six Sentence Sunday ~ Wife by Wednesday

2011-10-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Okay... so it's more than six sentences... sue me!

“Tell me, Samantha… why would I be wasting my charm on you?”

He pronounced her name like a lover’s caress, smooth and silky. She heard a hint of an English accent. An accent she thought would be thick on his tongue because of his title.

“We’re here to discuss your pending marriage to one of the three women from my service,” she reminded him. “I’m not sure how charming me can work to any advantage for you.”

“Does everything have to have an angle?”

“In business, yes.” In her world anyway.

“What about in your personal life?” He sat forward, his jacket opened as he did and she noticed for the first time that he wasn’t wearing a tie. His dress shirt’s first two buttons were undone and his bronze skin underneath caught her eye.

“We aren’t here to discuss my personal life.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that."

$2.99
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

Wife by Wednesday Blog Tour Continues

2011-10-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

I'm over at The Phantom Paragrapher today with a blog dedicated to the books I grew up with.

Come on over and *wave*

Another 5 Star Review

HERE is the link.

Up for 5 Heart Sweetheart Vote

2011-10-10T01:55:00.000-07:00

The Romance Stuido recently reviewed Soul Mate for me and gave Kari and Nick 5 Hearts! Because of this Soul Mate is up for the 5 Heart Sweetheart Vote over on their site. Voting happens between 5 and 7 EST and I'd love to see Kari and Nick win. Hint, Hint!

So go on over to TRS by pressing HERE and vote! Go... what are you waiting for? LOL

Six Sentence Sunday Wife by Wednesday

2011-10-09T02:53:00.000-07:00

This little snippet if from Wife by Wednesday... my newest contemporary romance release.
In this scene Blake and Samantha are discussing the pro's and con's about having an affair.

“I’ve never embarked on an affair with an end date in mind.”

“Neither have I.” As he spoke, he moved closer, his hand coming to rest on the counter beside her.

“Right! Then why is it your relationships never last longer than six to nine months.”

“Coincidence.”

“Liar.”

His eyes widened in fake horror. “You wound me.”

“It would take more than that to wound you.”

Sizzling Hot Book Reviews ~ 5 Stars

Manic Readers ~ 4 1/2 Stars

The Romance Studios ~ 4 1/2 Stars

Amazon LINK
Smashwords LINK

For the first three people who comment here on this post I'll send you a 1/2 price code for Wife by Wednesday via Smashwords. That makes is a whole $1.50. Coupon good for one week.

Another great review for Wife by Wednesday

2011-10-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

The Romance Studio gave Wife by Wednesday 4 1/5 hearts.

Here is what they had to say...

Wife by Wednesday is a very catchy title, and one of the many reasons I had to read this book. Besides, it's by this incredible author whose books I happen to have all of. The plot was fantastic, and I really enjoyed the opening line because it captivated my attention and had me wanting to know more. The dialogue was great, and I really liked the secondary characters, such as Blake's sister and his best friend, Carter. Hopefully those two get a story of their own, or they end up together. The sex scenes were perfect, and suited the story, although Samantha said she was never going to be involved with Blake in that way when they first agreed to marry. What I really enjoyed about Samantha was her willingness to accept Blake's proposal, because it benefited those she cared about. Since no one is more important to her than her sister. While with Blake, I liked that he pushed Samantha out of her comfort zone, making her realise that they were good together.

Overall, this was a great story that I hope is the start of a new series for this author of whose stories I hope to read more of in the future.

Available on Kindle and Smashwords...
Coming to Barnes & Noble soon.

Interview at WereVamp Romance

2011-10-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

I'm over at WereVamp Romance today... Check it out.

Random Muse

2011-10-06T02:26:00.000-07:00

I joined a highly talented group of authors today over at Blame it on the Muse.

So come on over and wave. http://blameitonthemuse.com/?p=4675

Release Day for Wife by Wednesday

2011-10-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's party time~ Wife by Wednesday, my first completely contemporary romance is here!

I cannot wait to hear what everyone thinks about Blake and Sam's ten million dollar romance.

Here is a quick blurb, in case you've forgotten:

Blake Harrison:

Rich, titled, and charming… And in need of a wife by Wednesday so he turns to Sam Elliot who isn’t the business man he expected. Instead, Blake is faced with Samantha Elliot, engaging and spunky with a voice men call 900 numbers to hear.

Samantha Elliot:

Owner of Alliance, her matchmaking firm, and not on the marital menu... That is until Blake offers her ten million dollars for a one-year contract. All she needs to do is keep her attraction to her husband to herself and avoid his bed. But Blake’s toe-curling kisses and charm prove too difficult to combat. Now she needs to protect her heart so she can walk away when their mercenary life together is over.

Amazon Download: http://amzn.to/pus1jM

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/osnki3

Life is a first draft: FRIDAY FIRSTS with Catherine Bybee

2011-09-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Life is a first draft: FRIDAY FIRSTS with Catherine Bybee: First five sentences of... Wife By Wednesday “I need a wife, Carter, and I needed her yesterday.” Riding in the back of the town car en...

Going on tour

2011-09-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm going on tour! A book tour that is with Sizziling Hot Book Reviews. Wife by Wednesday will be here October 5th and I will be jumping from one blog to another to tell the world about Blake and Samantha.

October 4th I'll be at Clare Revell's blog for my first interview. As my schedule fills, I'll post the tour dates and links here.

Where is Catherine today?

2011-09-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

I'm being interviewed today over at Nocturnal Readings. We're yakking about Soul Mate, writing and whatever comes up.

Come on over and wave.

http://nocturnalreadings.blogspot.com/2011/09/author-interview-catherine-bybee.html

What makes a writer smile...

2011-09-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

As a writer, one of the biggest thrills, for me on any account, is when someone is interested in your writing enough to want to meet you. My fist book signing in May of 2010 arguably was full of people I knew, friends in support of my passion, acquaintances who heard through the PTA gossip chain that I was a published author, and a few complete strangers. I was jazzed beyond jazzed at the faces who came that day and asked me to sign their books. Wow, me... someone though I'd done something interesting enough that they wanted a tiny piece of me.

I've done a couple more signings since May of last year. Each one I met many people I've talked with online. Twitter, Facebook and many online forums affords us all the ability to connect. Up until recently an author couldn't sign your book unless she/he sent you a copy of said book, sent a bookplate, or met you at a signing.

Not anymore. Kindlegraph has made it possible for authors to personalize their books for each reader. And all the reader has to do is click a few buttons online to request an authorgraph. For those of us who love our e-readers, this is a huge step. Most of my readers own a Kindle so this feature is perfect. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Barnes & Noble has their own version of Kindlegraph, so don't worry... we're getting there.

So, here is how it works. Follow this link ~ http://kindlegraph.com/authors/catherinebybee
And it will direct you right to my kindlegraph page. You have to sign in with your twitter account, then simply let me know which book you'd like me to sign. Then like magic, I can personalize your copy of my book.
Easy Squeezy.

So, all you Kindle lovers, go forth and let your favorite authors know you care and ask for a kindlegraph from them. It will make their day.

Reviews of Soul Mate are in!

2011-09-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, Soul Mate has the unique twist of having a female werewolf leading the story. This picture inspired the novella ~ Nice huh?

Anyway, here are what the reviewers are saying about Soul Mate. Which BTW has reached the bestseller lists on Bookstrand, ARe, Fictionwise and Amazon under Anthology's.

Coffee Time Romance 4 Cups ~ Soul Mate is a great read! I enjoyed Ms. Bybee’s approach, having the female shifting forms instead of the male. I also enjoyed the history behind her shifting abilities. The details were explained well and the story was easily believable. The characters were well written, and I liked their interaction with each other, as well as their inner thoughts, especially those of Kari. This book is one you will definitely not want to pass up.

RT Book Reviews ~ The writing is very well done and the dialogue realistic...

Sensual Reads 4.5 Stars ~ Catherine Bybee knows how to weave a tale of mystery and adventure flawlessly with a love story. The passion between Nick and Kari is undeniable...

Download your copy of Soul Mate today~

Amazon
The Wild Rose Press
Barnes & Noble
Fictionwise
ARe
Bookstrand

Simon, Simon, Simon

2011-09-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

For my time travel readers out there, I know you'll know who I'm talking about. As some of you know, I'm about 3/4 of the way through writing Simon McAllister's story - That would be book 4 in my time travel series. He's a tough one, I tell ya. Unlike the other three books, which really worked as a trilogy, this book has an entirely new 'bad guy' and a whole new set of characters that my readers will get to know. Don't worry, I can't leave the MacCoinnich's in the dust. I love 'em all too much for that.

However, Highland Shifter, the title of Simon's story, will be worth the wait. I want the next three books in this series to stand alone but connect enough so that those of you who love series romance will pine for the next book. Nothing tickles me more than to have readers send me an email, or comment on my blog, facebook, or twitter to let me know they look forward to more from these characters.

The challenge of this story for me is removing the image I once had of Simon... ie, the picture I added to the top of this blog, and growing him up to be a hero fit for a romance novel. Same thing with Amber, to the right - and Cian ie, picture at the bottom of the post. ~ They were kids in the last book. Now they're adults. They all have a story to tell.

There will be some surprises in this story, some familiar faces from the past and the present. Most of all, you'll be able to fall in love with every page.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Lauri gets "The Call"

2011-09-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, THE CALL - Every author out there knows what THE CALL is... it's that one phone call you wish for, hope for, barter for, from the first moment you send your manuscript to a publisher to read.

Lauri Robinson is a very talented author I've had the pleasure of getting to know through author channels and she has agreed to come onto my blog and share her 'Call' story with us. Lauri is now part of a huge romance family... one of the first... Harlequin.

Take it away, Lauri.

Hey, Catherine, I love reading your blog and am so honored to be here today.

Everything in life begins with a dream, a single, perhaps fleeting, thought that builds and builds. For me that dream was becoming a Harlequin Author. I’ve always loved their books, (I blame that on my dear mother, her bookshelves were full of Harlequin books) and over the years, used them as a stress relief. At the end of the day (or the middle of it sometimes) I could forget about all my ‘to do’ lists and immerse myself in once upon a time and happily ever after. Soon I was imagining myself writing for them, and started penning stories. After many years of re-writes and rejections, I had a book published, then another, and though I love writing for other presses, my dream remained to write one for Harlequin.

When Harlequin announced their Undone line, (short, sensual, historical stories) several writer friends and I decided we should each write one and sub it to them. I was so shocked, honored, and disappointed when almost a year after I subbed my story, I received an email from HQN saying they were interested in my story. The problem was, since I hadn’t heard from them, I’d assumed they weren’t interested and sold it to another publisher. HQN asked if I would write another and sub it. Of course I said yes, and eventually sold that story to them, and over the course of the next year sold them four more Undone’s. Yes, it was awesome, exciting, I was finally writing for HQN, yet, my dream was a full-length book.

In June of this year, hubby and I had just returned from a ‘ten states in ten days’ road trip, and I slept in one morning. When I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the coffee pot, I picked my cell phone off the counter to thumb through emails. To my surprise, there was an email from HQN, asking if they could call at 3:00 pm UK time, that’s 9:00 am my time, and it was then 8:45! I quickly sent an email from my cell, telling them that would be fine, and barely had time to brush my teeth before the phone rang.

With my coffee cup in hand, I sat on my front deck and accepted their offer for both a full length story and a shorter story for their Christmas anthology. The stories are western historicals and will be released in 2012. Tentative titles (title changes are very common) are Unclaimed Bride and One Wish.

Okay, so long story about my dream, what about yours, right? Well, I’m telling you all this to assure you dreams to come true. If you’ve subbed a story to your dream publisher, just hold on a bit longer, you will hear from them. If it’s not what they want, don’t give up, try again. THE CALL will be worth all the time, efforts, and waiting!

Ultimately, if you believe in yourself, others will, too.

Cheers,

Lauri

Lauri Robinson’s chosen genre to write is western historical. When asked why, she says, “Because I know I wasn’t the only girl who wanted to grow up and marry Little Joe Cartwright.” She lives in rural Minnesota where she and her husband spend every spare moment with their three grown sons and five grandchildren. Visit Lauri at www.Laurirobinson.blogspot.com or view her books by clicking HERE.

New Review for Soul Mate

2011-09-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sensual Reads for the 4.5 star rating of Soul Mate!

Here is what they had to say ~

Catherine Bybee knows how to weave a tale of mystery and adventure flawlessly with a love story. The passion between Nick and Kari is undeniable, but outside forces and Kari’s private life could tear them apart. Ms. Bybee makes the reader feel Kari’s struggle to keep the truth from Nick. Kari is sure no one could ever love a werewolf. Can Nick convince Kari that she belongs with him?

Facebook and Fan Page

2011-09-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

The other day I was yakking with someone on Facebook about fan pages, and I thought... what a great topic for a blog.

About six months ago I heard an author moaning about how facebook cuts you off at 5000 friends. I've no idea why they do this, but they do. As an author, I want to keep in touch with other authors, my readers... but my fan page simply doesn't get that much traffic. Probably because I update my personal Catherine Bybee page more. I tend to keep my fan page more for 'News about me...'

So, why the blog? Well, I thought I'd give a heads up to authors, such as myself, who are working the social network and suggest that they not wait to start a fan page. And when people friend them, go ahead and direct them to their fan page. That way, when the day comes when 5000 people have friended them, they aren't stuck in a position where they can't direct traffic as easily. For every ten friend requests, I end up with about five fan follows/likes.

In the interest of this blog, at the bottom of this page is a Like button for my fan page on Facebook. Go ahead... click it. You know you want to.

Oh, and... blogger - BTW Facebook is a word and is spelled correctly and friended is a word now too. Update your spell check!

Thanks to everyone who played...

2011-09-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

Jennifer won the drawing and picked a copy of Possessive to read. I hope you enjoy it, Jennifer.

Thanks again everyone who stopped by.

Happy Labor Day

Time for a FREE book!

2011-09-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Fall... Ya, for those of you looking forward to Labor Day weekend this is a bit premature, but what the heck. My kids are back in school (and all the world said, Amen!) - And my Facebook Fan Page has reached 801 fans. Because of that, it's time to give away one free download to a lucky winner.

"But, Catherine, I have all of your books."

Don't worry, Debbie Doubter, I plan on launching Wife by Wednesday in early October and if you have my complete back list then I'll be happy to send you a PDF of Wife by Wednesday when it's out.

"Awesome, Catherine, what do I do?"

So, glad you asked, Debbie... Pay attention now... this is gonna be hard.

I'm working on building my Twitter @catherinebybee and Facebook Fan Page - So all you have to do is follow me on twitter and facebook and then leave a comment on this blog. Then you'll be entered into a drawing for a free download. This will put your name in the drawing Three Times.

Now, you want your chances to double? Well, I'm going to tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag of
#BybeeBooks - If you retweet one of my tweets I'll put your name into the again for your retweet.

Confused yet?

Here is the short list

Follow me on Twitter - @catherinebybee
Join my Facebook Fan page - Click HERE and LIKE ME
Retweet any #BybeeBooks @catherinebybee
Then leave a quick comment here so I know you're in.

This will go on through Saturday September 3rd.

So go forth and follow and tweet -

Here is a back list for you to consider:

Erotic
(Voted LASR Book of the Week) Kilt Worthy
Kilt-A-Licious

Amazon Best Selling Time Travel Trilogy
Binding Vows
(Award Winning ) Silent Vows
Redeeming Vows

Ritter Werewolf Series
Before the Moon Rises
Embracing the Wolf

Short Ghost Story
Possessive

Werewolf Novella
(NEW Re-Release) Soul Mate

Once Written, Twice Shy.

2011-08-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

I have a quick interview up over at the shy writers blog today. Come on over and share some love.

http://www.shywriters.blogspot.com/

Time to share...

2011-08-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is, the cover art for Wife by Wednesday. You know, the book I was asking everyones opinion about titles.

Isn't it lovely? Crystal Posey, my webmistress now cover art designer did an amazing job. I'm so lucky to have her virgin cover. LOL

Here is the blurb:

Blake Harrison:

Rich, titled, and charming… And in need of a wife by Wednesday so he turns to Sam Elliot who isn’t the business man he expected. Instead, Blake is faced with Samantha Elliot, engaging and spunky with a voice men call 900 numbers to hear.

Samantha Elliot:

Owner of Alliance, her matchmaking firm, and not on the marital menu... That is until Blake offers her ten million dollars for a one-year contract. All she needs to do is keep her attraction to her husband to herself and avoid his bed. But Blake’s toe-curling kisses and charm prove too difficult to combat. Now she needs to protect her heart so she can walk away when their mercenary life together is over.

Wife by Wednesday will be here in a month. Whoot!

Blogger is ticking me off!

2011-08-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what the heck the problem is... I've been on Blogger now for a few years, everything seems great, the all of a sudden logging in and leaving comments on other's blogs isn't doable. I'm not hacked, my account simply won't let me leave comments. My sign in doesn't stay... etc, etc.

So, dammit... for those who know how to fix this issue please let me know. I hate to have to move over to a different blogging site, but I will if I have to. ugh

On Tour

2011-08-22T04:19:00.000-07:00

I'm on tour today... a virtual tour that is. Claire Ashgrove has graciously asked for me to come on over to her blog for a chat. Claire is a multi-published author with a very exciting 'coming soon' list of titles.

So stop on over and wave.

Re-Release Day for Soul Mate

2011-08-17T00:29:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to see Kari and Nick get back out in the world to make people happy again. As some of you know this novella, Soul Mate, was previously released with a different publisher. After some time and effort I received my rights back and asked my publisher over at The Wild Rose Press if they would re-release it. So now, with a very hot cover and a couple of added scenes I present to you Soul Mate...

Kari Pearce lives the life of a lone werewolf. No one knows of her affliction, not even her sister. When she hears of a missing child up in the Sequoias, Kari goes on the hunt to find the child and her abductor before tragedy can occur. Saving the child is easy, avoiding the FBI agent associated with the case is not.

Agent Nick Murdock knows he's seen Kari before, but damn if he can remember where. There's one thing he knows for sure. Kari Pearce, with her blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, is hiding something. And Nick is going to find out what.

Download your copy today at: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

***Dark Diva Reviews 5 Delightful Divas and Top Pick from Original Release

"...Ms. Bybee has a definite winner on her hands with Soulmate."

***4 1/2 Bitten By Books Reviews from Original Release

"...For a novella, Soul Mate delivers a knock-out punch."

Title Help Please!!!

2011-08-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

So here is the deal... I'm going to jump into the world of self publishing a few of my stories. My contemporary and sassy heroines don't all jump back in time. Some of them stay right here in the twenty-first century and don't have one paranormal bone in their body.

As I push my way into the contemporary romance market, I need amazing titles for my books. That's where you come in. I'm going to give you a blurb of the book, give you titles I'm considering, and ask for your feedback. If another title comes to you as you're reading my blurb, shout it out. If I use your title I'll send you a free download of said book when it's published.

Okay, here we go. The working title for this book has been Ten Million Dollar Bride - But I'm not sure that's working for me.

Here is the blurb:

Blake Harrison, the Duke of Albany, needs to secure a bride to inherit the bulk of his father’s fortune. The last thing he wants is any emotional attachment so he hires a match making firm to find a suitable wife for a year. When Sam Elliot turns out to be Samantha Elliot, engaging and spunky with a voice men call 900 numbers to hear, Blake offers her marriage in return for ten million dollars.

Samantha is responsible for her younger, disabled sister, and ten million dollars will take financial care of things for years to come. All she needs to do is keep her attraction to her husband to herself and avoid his bed. But Blake’s toe-curling kisses and charm proves too difficult to combat, now she needs to protect her heart so she can walk away when their mercenary life together is over.

Now, here are some title ideas:

Ten Million Dollar Bride
Temporary Bride
Temporary Duchess
The Duchess Wore Sweatpants
Bride For Hire

I need more ideas.

I haven't fallen in!

2011-08-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Such a quite blog... I'm so sorry folks, but I've been stupid crazy. The kids are on their final week of summer break and we're trying to push a few things in.

Not to mention that I'm working on some revision requests that Harlequin asked of me. Hopefully I'll have some good news to share with all of you soon on that front.

I do have a re-release of Soul Mate coming next week. I'll be blogging more then and will keep you posted of that schedule.

Stay cool out there and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Caridad Pinero's The Lost

2011-07-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm giving a shout out to my friend and fellow author, Caridad Pinero on her latest release, The Lost. If you're a paranormal fan, and I know that many of you are, and you're not familiar with Caridad's work, you soooo need to check her out. And isn't this a yummy-ass book cover? Yum!

I had the pleasure of meeting Caridad last spring at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in LA and can tell you she's as genuine in person as she appears online. I'll be having Caridad over here on my blog for a little chat very soon.

The future of print books.

2011-07-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

As I walked around Barnes and Noble today I asked myself if I’d be doing this again a year from now. All those lovely paperback, hardback, and coffee table books tucked into every square inch of the store put a smile on my face and a twinkle in my heart. (Not sure what the heck a twinkle in my heart is… but it sounds good) Still, with the closing of Boarders, and the utter devastation of all the Mom and Pop bookstores of years gone by, I wonder where the future of bookstores is headed.

I know first hand the digital market is where we are right now today…and where we will be in the future. Hell, my 12 year old son said and I quote “Books are soooo 3000 years ago, Mom.” Smart A$$...still he has a point and a very perspective view on what’s going on, even when the big publishing world doesn’t. B&N tapped into the Nook long after the Kindle took off. One has to wonder if Borders would have had a different outcome had they not placed their heads in the sand years ago when digital was in its infancy.

If a 12 year old isn’t inclined to pick up a paperback to get his information, chances are he isn’t alone. When he goes to college… “Please, Lord let him go to college.” His textbooks will be on a Kindle or a Nook and his newspaper will be delivered automatically to the same digital format or directly to his inbox. Either way, the paper trail is ending my friends. I think we’ll always see ‘some’ books in print. A coffee table book about our National Forests simply wouldn’t be the same if not in print… thought even I have seen those futuristic coffee tables at Disneyland where they have pictures and a touch screen below your coastered drinks. Those blockbuster authors will have books in print… but have you noticed how many of said authors are self-publishing (taboo until the last couple of years) their books via the digital format? Who knows, maybe even they won’t have print books 10 years from now.

As an author, I hate to see print go. I love holding my own books… probably because this is what I grew up with. I’d imagine a musician my age misses vinyl. Kinda hard to picture a platinum hard drive framed and hanging on a wall. LOL - *sigh*

The big six publishers are cutting back, (can’t blame them when they aren’t making the money) and not signing back their mid-list authors… said authors are self-publishing the work their publishers won’t buy and making a good living for the first time ever. And you, the reader, are able to eat up books for under a buck on your e-readers.

Where are we going to be a year from now?

*sigh*

My Blog and My Website---

2011-07-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

I'm a matchy kind of girl. I like my earrings and my necklace to look like they were bought with the other in mind. I like my book covers for my trilogy to have a similar look... And I like my blog and my website to appear married.

Now they do!

Thank you Crystal.

www.catherinebybee.com

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-07-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

I wanna play... I wanna play... Here are my six sentences from by novella Before the Moon Rises

Max Ritter wakes up naked in an Emergency Room...

“Maybe I can explain my, er, situation over eggs benedict.”

She was tempted, even dressed in a hospital issue gown open in the back, she was tempted. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not? You said yourself I’m good looking, and I know you’re curious about why I ended up here.”

Janet slid the paperwork she held in front of him and handed him her pen. “Even if I wanted to, I make it a rule not to date my patients.”

“Humm...” He took the paper and signed his name, then pushed it in her direction. “I’m no longer your patient.”

Silent Vows 1st Place

2011-07-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

I won, I won.... I won...

Silent Vows won 1st place in the Paranormal category of the More Than Magic RWI contest. It's the first and only contest I've entered on this level and couldn't be happier with the results.

Home!

2011-07-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

Sixteen days away from home, traveling this vast country in an RV... Yep, I'm crazy!

I didn't get online very much during my journey, at least not to blog. I did keep my facebook pics flowing, and a few bits of 'Where is Catherine Now" going on. Stop by my facebook page and glance at some of the pictures I sent along the way.

I'm a west coast girl. I was raised in Washington State and transplanted back to So. California after High School. Washington is a very green and wet state where California is very brown and dry. I take for granted the dry heat of So. Cal. and it isn't until I'm surrounded by humidity that I realize how lucky we in California are for our weather.

State by state... lets go over the highlights:

California - Needless to say driving through the California desert is as boring as it comes. And don't do it on an empty tank of gas, cuz the stations in places like Ludlow are really going to 'sock it to ya'! I read A Tale of Two Demon Slayers by Angie Fox and glanced up from my seat...

Arizona - We found the heat... dry heat, but things started to heat up in Arizona. Once you've driven Arizona... you've 'done' Arizona. I finished A Tale of Two Demon Slayers here and moved on to High Octane by Lisa Renee Jones. I figures since we were headed toward Texas, reading a Texas Harlequin would suit.

New Mexico - There is a little more to see in some places of New Mexico... but again, dry, hot and I've so 'been there - done that'!!!

Texas - Sorry, but I don't get Texas. Okay, it's big... but the humidity started to climb yet there wasn't as much green as you'd think. The drivers here were rude, sadly, and stayed that way throughout our journey. In fact, while on the East Coast when someone would cut us off, they had Texas plates on their car. The rest stops were huge, and amazing... and as we drew closer to the East of Texas, they doubled as tornado shelters. Which is weired for a California girl to see. The Alamo was an interesting piece of history, but I like the Missions of California better. The river walk in San Antonio was worth the stop. We ate Alligator, and yes, it tasted like chicken. LOL. We started to hear the Southern accents which made us smile. Read Taming the Texas Playboy by Crystal Green

Louisiana - OMG... what a green and beautiful state. Yes, the humidity stuck to your skin, but it was worth it for the landscape. Note to all RVers... Don't try New Orleans in an RV. There is no place to park. Fork over the bucks to stay in the only RV park close to the French Quarter so you can see that city. I wish I'd known before making it to New Orleans that the majority of the Plantations proceed the Big Easy on the 10 freeway. When the day comes to go back, I'll definitely book tours of the old Southern Plantations and spend the day in the city. We went on a swamp tour and learned a lot about the culture there. The bugs weren't even all that bad even though it was hotter than hell.

Alabama - Sneeze, there it goes... Beautiful state, but didn't see much of it along the 10. Fireflies! I know, those of you who live with them think what??? But we don't have them here so when I see them I go all mushy and watch them for hours. Read To Save the Devil by Kate Moore

Mississippi - I'm always in awe of the big river as we cross it. The swamp land is king along the 10. The bridges going over the bayous run for miles and provide plenty of pictures for the scrapbooks.

Florida - The pan handle is long and wet. We decided to move north on our trip instead of hit the Florida beaches. We didn't think this would be a problem... Oops!

Georgia - I was shocked to see the large clear cutting of trees throughout the south. And the drought going on has water levels in the lakes and rivers at a low. No, I didn't eat one peach in Georgia... bummer! Bugs! OMG the bites on all of us where crazy here. We visited Fort King George and just about lost a pint of blood each.

South Carolina - The Texas drivers are having a run for their reputation with the drivers of So. Carolina. We stayed at Hilton Head in an attempt to get to a true Atlantic Coast beach... what we didn't know is that the east coast beaches aren't a lot like those in California. There is a lot of marsh land that follows the coast and it isn't easy to access the sandy beaches in an RV. Still, this was a beautiful state even if they have road signs posted that you'll go to jail for 30 days if you speed inside a work zone. WHAT? Crazy that, huh?

No. Carolina - Finally the heat started to fade and a few showers started to follow us around. We went to the Baltimore Estate. Home of the Vanderbilt's. Wow! This is a must do for anyone visiting here. The house was amazing, the grounds spectacular. The library alone is a place this author could stay for a month... or a year!

Tennessee - Dodging lightening and distant tornadoes.... Dorothy, where's Toto? When the weather is blazing hot one minute, and coat-worthy the next, I get scared. I felt relatively safe in the Great Smoky Mountains but as we started down them I started to stress. Memphis looks like it's a dying city. Sad, but so much of it was abandoned and boarded up. We took a 'riverboat' on the Mississippi and stayed along the banks of the muddy river over night. The Tom Sawyer campground had recently opened back up after the flood. Nice people everywhere! I'm not a big Elvis fan, so we skipped Graceland.

Arkansas - This is one of our favorite states. The people are friendly and the state is beautiful. My husbands family is from that part of the world so he has many fond memories of trips there.

Oklahoma - Big, flat, and full of lightening while we drove through. Oz started to look good. Read Ransom for a Prince

Then Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and home. Read In Good Hands by Kathy Lyon

So, that's six books and 5372 miles.

So, dear reader... do you RV? What do you love about it? What do you hate about it?

2nd Update of

2011-06-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

A few days in… So, what’s up with Texas? Okay… this is one big-ass state. It’s dry – huge and I really didn’t see a whole lot to write home about. And I know I’m gonna hear a bit of slack.. but the drivers were rude on the road. Coming from a California driver, that’s saying something… “baging on myself here” –
Sooooo… Louisiana is one beautiful state. I have my kids on gator-watch 2011. Water is everywhere… bayous and rivers. We ate alligator… fried, and yes, it tasted like chicken. It’s hot… humid, but so amazing to see. Now we need to find a place to park our RV so we can see the city on New Orleans.

1900 miles from home in only 5 days... yeah, we're crazy!
Follow me on facebook and twitter for pictures and updates on our road trip of 2011.