2013 in Review

It's that time of year again--time to look back on the past 12 months of my writing career. It was a busy year and I had 7 new ebooks and 4 print books released! I'm hoping 2014 will be just as exciting.

Thank you to all of you who have ever bought and read one of my books. I can't thank you enough. You're allowing me to live my dream of being a full-time writer. You're the best!


--January 1st, Quinn's Quest was released in print!

--Stroke of Sapphire was released by Ellora's Cave on January 9th.

--Night of the Tiger was released by Samhain Publishing on January 15th.

--April 2nd, Finding Chrissten was released in print!

--Mark of the Bear, the second book in the Hades' Carnival series, came out on April 16th!

--Strands of Love, the final Tapestries book, was released on May 10th.

--May 21st, Out of Shadows was released in print!

--Pride of the Lion, book three in the Hades' Carnival series, was released on July 16th.

--Double or Nothing, a hot western ménage a trois, came out on August 7th.

--September 3rd, Damek's Redemption was released in print!

--Howl of the Wolf, book 4 in the Hades' Carnival series, was released on October 8th.


I also wrote a lot in 2013 and have a brand new werewolf series starting in April 2014 with Samhain Publishing. (The first three books in the series have already been written and contracted.) But first, a new Legacy book, Craig's Heart, will be released on January 21st.

With Ellora's Cave, watch for Debt of Honor (a western Quickie) on January 17th. I also have two more books contracted with EC (contemporary) and will hopefully have dates for them soon.

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL! 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Happy December 24th!

 

A Visit from St. Nicholas

by Clement Clarke Moore

 

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

 

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

 

"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

 

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

 

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

 

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

 

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

 

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

 

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

 

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

 

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

 

Thank You!

It's Christmas Eve Eve and many of you will be travelling or very busy over the next few days. I just wanted to take a moment to thank all my amazing readers for making 2013 a wonderful year. I have the best job in the world and it's all because of you! I've never met any of you in person, but you make me smile every day and you've all impacted my life.

 

Happy Holidays to you all! Stay safe, have fun and I hope you have the best Christmas ever.

 

HUGS
NJ

Happy Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. From here on, the days get longer. Take some time today to stop and simply be. There is so much rushing around during the holiday season that we sometimes don't stop and breathe.

Happy Solstice! Blessed Yule!

Laurie Roma December Symposium: The Best is Yet to Come

For a special December symposium, Laurie Roma asked her friends and fellow authors to give a recap of 2013 and share some of their most memorable moments with all of you! I stopped by and shared some of my best moments. Be sure to check it out.

LAURIE ROMA'S DECEMBER SYMPOSIUM: THE BEST IS YET TO COME

The Smutketeer's 12 Days of X-mas Celebration

Want to join in the fun and have a chance to win some cool prizes? I'm part of the Day 11 fun, and I'm giving away a PDF copy of a book from my backlist...winner's choice. So be sure to stop by and leave a comment. There are tons of prizes to be won, including a Grand Prize of a $300 gift card to Amazon or B&N from the Smutketeers!

 

Click here:  SMUTKETEERS 12 DAYS OF XMAS CELEBRATION

 

From R.G. The Xmas Elf: Is it that time again already? I gotta be honest, the Elf got a little behind on the big performance this year. The male models were no-shows, the unicorn masks never arrived, and don’t even get me started on the tutu situation. So we may have to make do with stringed popcorn and paper hats, but we made it! Another year! Another 12 days of authors and goodies and X-mas!

 

This year is all about you. Don’t look over your shoulder, I’m talking to you. The Smutketeers and TONS of our author and blogger friends would like to thank you for another year of being the best readers in the universe, and give you their own special holiday message. Each day will bring another post full of friends and giveaways…and occasionally singing and dirty limericks.

 

***CONTEST***IF you hang with us until the end, comment every day and maybe let your friends know about our party, you have the chance to be one of 12 winners (a winner for each day) and you’ll also be entered to win The Smutketeers grand prize…a $300 gift card to Amazon or B&N!!

New EC Quickie Coming in January!

I just found out that my Ellora's Cave western Quickie DEBT OF HONOR will be released on January 17th!

Watch for a cover coming soon!


BLURB:

“One night in my bed.”

That’s what Derek Montague wants from Kaitlyn Jacobs in order to pay off the debt her younger brother owes. Now she has a choice to make.

Derek’s wanted the standoffish Kaitlyn for years. Using her brother’s debt as an excuse to get closer to her, he gives her one option if she wants to settle it—spend one night in his bed. He expects her to throw the offer back in his face, but she agrees.

After one long, hot night of loving, Kaitlyn discovers everything is not what it seems. She’s not sure if Derek has made a fool of her or if this debt of honor could be something more.

A Romantica® western erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Christmas Quickie only 99 cents!

We're all so busy this time of year. There are halls to be decked, food to be prepared and presents to buy. Then there are all the social obligations, Christmas pageants and the like to schedule in. There's not much time for reading.

But there's always time for a Quickie. No, not that kind of quickie. (Although that's not a bad idea either.) But a quick read. Something you can pick up and read in one sitting while you're relaxing after a hard day of work or shopping.

 

Right now, JESSAMYN'S CHRISTMAS GIFT is only 99 cents at Amazon and Ellora's Cave. Be sure to treat yourself this EC Christmas Quickie.

BLURB:

It's Christmas Eve and Jessamyn Parker waits by the fireside in her boyfriend's house. She expects him home any minute after being away for three months on business. Clad only in a slinky teddy and sprawled beneath the Christmas tree, she plans to surprise him. But instead of her boyfriend, a complete stranger surprises her.

Caleb Morgan is the new sheriff, and unbeknownst to her, he is also the new owner of the house. Jessamyn flees back to her own home, determined to forget not only her boyfriend's betrayal, but also the heated desire that Caleb has sparked within her.While Jessamyn is shocked by his appearance, Caleb is enthralled by her. But Jessamyn has had more than enough of men.

Now, one year later, it's Christmas time again, and Jessamyn is still swearing off men. But Caleb has other ideas. The only thing he wants for Christmas is the same thing he wanted last year and didn't quite get — Jessamyn Parker under his tree.

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Countdown to Christmas--Favorite Holiday TV Shows and Movies

Throughout the entire month of December, I watch as many of my favorite and classic holiday movies as I can. The movies and TV shows I enjoy tend to be the ones that say something positive about life or humanity. At Christmas time, I just like to feel good.

10. Little Women (The Winona Ryder version.)
"I'm so desolated."

9. Scrooged (Bill Murray)
"It's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer."

8. A Christmas Carol (Alistair Sim)
"Humbug!"

7. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (The animated version. A mean one, but a great one.)
"You can't stop Christmas from coming!"

6. A Charlie Brown Christmas (I never get tired of watching the dust rise off of Pigpen when he sings or seeing that little, scrawny tree grow into a veritable forest.)
"Can somebody please tell me the true meaning of Christmas?"
"Sure, Charlie Brown."

5. It's A Wonderful Life (This one makes me cry, especially at the end.)
"To my big brother George, the richest man in town!"

4. A Muppet Family Christmas (Swedish Chef meets the Bird of his dreams!)
"Be careful of the icy patch!"

3. A Muppet Christmas Carol (Gonzo the Great plays Mist-uh Dickens himself)
"Darkness was cheap, and Scrooge liked it."

2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Not mean, just nutty.)
"That tree will never go in our yard, Dad."
"It's not going in our yard, Russ. It's going in our living room."

1. Scrooge (The Albert Finney version).
"You wish to remain anonymous, sir?"
"I wish to be left alone!"

 

 

A newer favorite is the movie Arthur Christmas. And, of course, I have to watch Frosty the Snowman. What are some of your favorite holiday television shows and movies?

Final Winners in 9th Anniversary Contest

The ninth and final winner in my 9th ANNIVERSARY CONTEST is Joanne Balinski. Congratulations! Joanne has chosen a print copy of Damek's Redemption as her prize.

This contest was open to International Readers, but no International name was chosen during the contest. So...I pulled all the names from people outside the USA and Canada and drew one. The Bonus Winner is Elizabeth Dougan of Scotland. Congratulations! Elizabeth has chosen a print copy of Quinn's Quest as her prize.

Thank you to everyone who entered my 9th Anniversary Contest! Keep watching my website for a new contest coming soon.

Countdown to Christmas--Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

This flashmob happened three years ago, but it's one of my favorites.

Tuesday Teaser: The Gift of Shayla

In keeping with the season, the Tuesday Teaser this week is from my Carina Christmas novella THE GIFT OF SHAYLA. This is a true M/M/F ménage a trois and a story that will touch your heart.

Right now, you can buy it at Amazon for only $1.89!

TEASER:

Fuck, he felt like an idiot for lusting after not only his friend, but also his friend’s wife. Not that he’d ever do anything about his fantasies. Not only no, but hell no. He treated Shayla with the utmost respect and kept his distance. She was Rob’s wife and no way would he ever do anything to hurt Rob.

Yet the feelings still lingered. There was something wrong with him. Had to be. He plowed his fingers through his hair. He was a fucking mess.
“Adam.” There was an edge to Rob’s voice now. Adam knew his friend too well to think he was going to drop whatever was on his mind.

“Where’s Shayla?” He desperately tried to divert the conversation. It was strange he hadn’t seen her. She must be out somewhere, but he couldn’t imagine where she’d be. Not at eight o’clock in the evening on Christmas Eve.

When Rob didn’t answer, Adam finally turned his face toward him. His friend’s expression was more serious than he’d ever seen it. Shit. He picked up his glass and gulped down the rest. A waste of good scotch, for sure, but he needed the hit. Not that one drink would have much affect on him, but it was better than nothing. He needed something to dull the coming pain.

“I’ve seen how you look at me,” Rob began.
Adam closed his eyes and swallowed hard. The liquor he’d just drunk burned in his gut. He could still salvage this. He had to. The alternative didn’t bear considering.

He opened his eyes and chuckled. “Of course I look at you. I see you all the time.” There, that sounded casual enough.

“I’ve also seen how you look at Shayla.”

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Decking the Halls...

Finally put ornaments on the tree yesterday so the halls are decked for the holidays!

 

The stockings are hung. We don't have a chimney so I put them on the wall. :)

The archway between the kitchen and living room.

 

It's a small space, but it's cozy.

The tree!

Countdown to Christmas--Only 17 days!

I remember when this song and video was released and it's still a favorite of mine.

Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid.

9th Anniversary Contest--Eighth Winner!

The eighth winner in my 9th ANNIVERSARY CONTEST is TinaMarie Rumpel. Congratulations! TinaMarie has chosen a print copy of Legacy Found Quest as her prize.

The next prize will be drawn on December 13th, so if you haven't already entered, you should. There are still 1 more book to be given away.

 

 

CONTEST

It's hard to believe that my first book was published on October 27, 2004. It's crazy how fast the past nine years has gone. To celebrate my 9th anniversary as a published author I'm giving away 9 PRINT BOOKS! 

 
You heard me right. Starting October 18, I'll be giving away a print book every Friday until December 13th! Winners will be able to choose between Legacy Found, Quinn's Quest, Finding Chrissten and Damek's Redemption.

For details on how you can enter for a chance to win, check out the "Contests" page of my WEBSITE.

Countdown to Christmas

The countdown to Christmas is on. Only 19 days until Christmas. If you're looking for suggestions for the booklover in your life, be sure to check out 24 INSANELY CLEVER GIFTS FOR BOOK LOVERS over at Buzz Feeds.

Of course, gift cards for bookstores work good too. :)

 

These teacups are so cute.

 

I would have loved this when I was a kid.

Tuesday Teaser: Jessamyn's Christmas Gift

The Tuesday Teaser this week comes from my Christmas Quickie  JESSAMYN'S CHRISTMAS GIFT. All Caleb Morgan wants for Christmas this year is Jessamyn Parker.

You can buy it on Amazon right now for only $1.49.

TEASER:

Gathering her courage, Jessamyn cleared her throat. “I’m in here. Come and get your Christmas present.”

The footsteps stopped at the sound of her voice and then she heard them moving closer. Her eyes were glued on the entranceway, which was surrounded by greenery and white twinkling lights. He moved into the light and every cell of her body went on alert.

Her gaze moved slowly upward, over a pair of faded jeans that molded to strong legs. A blue flannel shirt was tucked in, emphasizing a lean waist. His shoulders were wide, straining at the seams of his shirt as he fisted his hands at his waist. Hair the color of mahogany fell carelessly across his forehead. His face wasn’t handsome, so much as strong. His nose was prominent, his lips thin, and his jaw was shadowed with stubble.

But it was his eyes that pinned her to the spot. Amber, they seemed to glow as they watched her. The eyes of a predator. He was a prime male standing in front of her, studying her almost-naked form.

Her nipples tightened, pushing against the thin fabric and Jessamyn knew he could see them in the firelight when his eyes lingered there. She moved her legs restlessly as the ache between her thighs grew. Cream flowed, dampening the thin piece of satin between her legs. Every hair on her body was standing on end as her entire being clamored its need for this man.

There was only one slight problem. He wasn’t Bennett.

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December Newsletter is now Available!

The December 2013/January 2014 issue of Awakening Desires—the Newsletter of Romance Author N.J. Walters—is now available.

Be sure to check out all the latest news, contests, an excerpt, and this month’s interview with the wonderful Claire Thompson. 

  As always, some lucky newsletter subscriber wins a prize. All you have to do to be eligible to win is go to Awakening Desires Newsletter and join. While you’re there, you can check out back issues of the newsletter.