Our First Winner!!

Congratulations to our winner from Monday's contest, the winner of the e-book copy of Diary of a Demon Hunter 1: Death Unwept by Michele Bardsley!

Monday's winner is...Ivette (aka Phoebe Jordan)!

Congratulations Ivette! We hope you enjoy your free book.

To receive your book, please email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com with your e-mail address.

Thanks for participating in our blog and congratulations again! Don't forget to check back each Saturday for a new contest!

Please note: New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one (1) week from today's drawing.

The Deadly Vixens

Day Eight and Still Going!

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Michele Bardsley's ebook "Wizard's Moon"! This is the eighth of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, answer the following question. Name one time period Sierra likes to read about. (The answer can be found in today's blog post titled "Time After Time".)

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Time After Time

This week we're discussing our favorite time periods. Well, I have to say that when I write, I usually write contemporaries. I enjoy other time periods as well, but I don't feel like they're my strong suit when writing. Now to read about, that's a different story. I love to read other time periods. I like to read historicals, but I honestly don't know the difference between the time periods in the stories. I enjoy reading about them, and learning the different way of life back then.

I read one story where the time period was set during the Salem Witch Trials. It was very interesting and I'd love to read more from that time period. It was a fascinating and tragic time when people were condemned out of ignorance. Thankfully, that time period has passed, but it is still an interesting time to read about.

I also like reading about other worlds. Although, this isn't technically another time period, it's a different perspective than the normal world we live in.

Do you have a favorite time period you like to read or write about? I'd love to hear it. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Day Seven of our Contests

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Sage Burnett's ebook "Virgin Thief"! This is the seventh of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, answer the following question. How did Sierra's family finally get the Ouija board to burn? (The answer can be found in Sierra's blog post titled "Ouija Boards-Game or Not?" from Monday June 9th)

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Day Six of our Contests! More Freebies!

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Sarah Makela's ebook "Melody of Love"! This is the sixth of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, answer the following question. What does Sarah think of reincarnation? (The answer can be found in Sarah's blog from Wednesday June 25th)

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Weekly Contest!

Welcome to our weekly contest on The Deadly Vixens blog! The winner will receive a free e-book copy of A Little Slice of Heaven by Gina Ardito. Thanks again to Gina, our guest blogger this week.

Here’s the question that needs to be answered: Name one thing other people enjoy, but Gina doesn't. (The answer can be found in Gina's guest blog from Thursday June 26th)

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, July 1, 2008. Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

What Life Is This?

Hi, all! *waves* It's Gracen here for my Friday chatter. *wink*

I have heard that we are born in the generation we could do the most, be the most effective. These words keep resonating through my head as I am faced with the ramifications of a lightening storm that has knocked out my Internet and telephone service. Ugh! Strange how I lived 28 years without any form of Internet service and now I feel disconnected from the world without it because I cannot talk to my forum buddies or surf the web. I cannot even pay my bills without my Internet. I feel like I’m stranded on a deserted island. I know, that is a bit dramatic, but it is true nonetheless. I am forced to write this blog from my wifi connection at my son’s karate school. It’s terribly inconvenient. I cannot even get my five minutes of news without turning on the television or opening a newspaper. But then, why would I want to use this ancient technology, right? ;-)

So, this makes me wonder…if I have lived before what might it have been like without the basics like electricity or running water? We take it all for granted. Even my cell phone should be backing me up with telephone service right now, but it refuses to cooperate and receive a signal at my home. *crosses my arms over my chest and makes an angry face* My technology has failed me! But I know I will eventually be able to plug back into the matrix at some point in the near future.

Can any of you imagine talking to your buddies only through the pony express? Me personally, I am thankful for all my cyber buddies and cannot imagine life without you all! I’m missing all of you, especially my Supernatural Bust Dean Outta Hell Brigade buddies! *whimper…sniffle…whimper* Okay, I’ll stop the whining now. ;-)

But what if I could reincarnate into the future? How different would the landscape look? Will our roadways be in the sky and in spaceships? Will we still be dependent upon gas or will we be using the natural free air to power our motorized vehicles? Will we have destroyed our atmosphere or learned how to clean it up? Will we have colonized space…or maybe Mars? LOL. Maybe we will be befriending aliens through a Stargate program? What? It could happen…couldn’t it? Is any of this even possible?

The possibility of future advances is one of the reasons that make the idea of reincarnation so fascinating for me. Another is being able to reinvent myself over and over again with differing outcomes, like I do when I write characters in my books. Speculating that reincarnation is real, how many times are we reborn? Is there a limit? I wonder how it would work, or if it is at our discretion?

I do not have any personal experience with reincarnation myself. I’m on the fence whether I believe in it or not. I like the idea and the possibilities of it, but any solid belief is lost out there in limbo land.

Someone commented to Sierra’s blog on Monday that recurrent dreams could be past life memories. I mentioned my recurring tornado dream. Man, I hope that I didn’t die in a tornado, but I’ve had it so many times, I guess if reincarnation exists, then it would be plausible that I’ve experienced a tornado in a past life. Another recurring dream is where I am calling frantically for my son. Sometimes I find him, sometimes I do not, but each time I find him, it is the current real-life child I am looking for. Even in the dream, however, I know that he is my son. Is this a past life regression or simply real life fears?

I have a girlfriend that is on the fence about reincarnation, but her son asked her—about six years ago when he was five years old—if she would be his mother in his next life. She asked him why he thought he would be reincarnated and he said he knew how things worked.

Talk about from the mouth of babes…

Have a great weekend everyone! :-)

Day Five of our Contests!

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Michele Bardsley's ebook Bride Portal! This is the fifth of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, just read Gracen's blog post today and leave a comment to her post.

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Please welcome author...Gina Ardito

What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love

A couple of decades ago, The Police had a hit song with When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around. I don't know about everyone else, but with all that's going on these days: soaring gas prices, global warming, endless war, I sometimes feel the world is running down. So how do I make the best of what's still around?

I reach for a romance novel. Now, contrary to popular belief, I don't read romance because I'm some desperate housewife who believes that someday her white knight will pop off the Ajax bottle and whisk me away to a land of endless sex, wine, and chocolate. Though the idea does hold some appeal...

...Where was I? Oh, yeah, right. Romance novels amid the world's turmoil.

I've never understood the derision the genre creates in non-readers. There are plenty of things I don't enjoy that others do. The Three Stooges come to mind. But I don't automatically consider Stooge fans so out of touch with reality, they believe it's perfectly acceptable behavior to smack their friends on the heads with a ball-peen hammer.

Some of the greatest stories and legends in the world have a romance at the core. Ditto the most popular movies, theatrical productions, and songs. Yet the snark level is much lower in those versions of media. So why is romance acceptable in every other forum except printed on pages?

Is the cover art to blame? Then how do you explain advertisers using clinches and bare skin to sell everything from cars to cologne to sports drinks? We still buy the products, don't we?

Maybe it's the love scenes. After all, no one makes love, right? Okay, scratch that.

What could the naysayers know the rest of us don't?

Is it so totally unbelievable that two people might meet, overcome an obstacle or two, and become a united couple after the experience? God, I hope not. Because I think I've just described how most of us came into existence.

Reality check: In real life, I've never seen men who fight crime dressed as bats or spiders. Last I heard, no planes have gone down on a deserted island, stranding dozens of passengers (or just one passenger who likes to talk to a volleyball.) There has never been a dragon, an alien invasion, or a zombie. Except in our imaginations. And the advertisements on the back of comic books do not accurately depict the sea people you can buy and grow in your own sea-quarium.

But love? Love is what makes us people rather than humans. Love is what binds us one to another. Love is our creation, our ultimate gift, our hope, our future. Nowhere is love depicted better than in the wide spectrum of romance novels. And when the world starts running down, it's the best of what's still around.

Naysayers, take notice.

Fall in love...with your laugh! www.ginaardito.com
THE BONDS OF MATRI-MONEY available now!
A LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN available 6/27/08

* * * * * *

Disclaimer (because we don't have a choice): The views expressed by the guest blogger do not necessarily reflect those of The Deadly Vixens.

Day Four of our Contests!

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Jennifer Shirk's ebook The Role of a Lifetime! This is the fourth of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, just read the blog by Gina Ardito, our guest author today, and leave a comment to her post.

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Reincarnation

Hi everyone! I'm back to my Wednesdays for certain now. *winks* No more time away from y'all.

My thought on reincarnation is that it might be possible, but I but haven't really contemplated it much. I've seen movies and TV shows dealing with it. There was an episode of Blood Ties that had about a guy and a woman that had so many lifetimes together, and in each life they would find each other by going back to a certain tree. In the current life, she was older than him and had gotten married, but he was insistent on them being together to the point that he was trying to mess up her marriage. It was romantic at first, but then it turned into downright creepy. With that in mind, I think I prefer the concept of living out my life and then having my soul move on to the "afterlife." This world can be challenging enough with the thought of living in it once, let alone an infinite amount of times! LOL

Plus, if you think about it, in my personal opinion, if reincarnation was real then why would there be a such thing as ghosts and spirits trapped here on earth? They would go on to their next life right? Hmm... never say never though. I think I have reached my fill on philosophic ponderings for these wee hours of the morning.

Now, tell me your thoughts on the subject! What do you think about reincarnation? Do you believe in it, or do you hold some skepticism to it like I do? *smiles*

Day Three of our Contest!! More FREE ebooks

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Michele Bardsley's ebook Candy for Valentine! This is the third of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, just read todays blog post by Sarah Makela and leave a comment to her post.

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Day Two of Our Contests!

Here's your chance to win a free copy of Teresa D'Amario's ebook SheWolf! This is the second of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, answer the following question. What is one reason Cynthia Rayne believes we like bad boys? (The answer can be found in her blog post from Thursday June 19th here on The Deadly Vixens)
Please leave your answer in the comments section of this post.

Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Congratulations! New Winner Announced.

Congratulations to our winner from Saturday's contest. The winner of the e-book copy of Bewitching the Faerie by our guest blogger, Cynthia Rayne.

This weeks winner is...scorpio1311.

Congratulations Scorpio! We hope you enjoy your free book.

To receive your book, please email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com with your e-mail address.

Thanks for participating in our blog and congratulations again! Don't forget to check back each Saturday for a new contest!

Please note: New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one (1) week from today's drawing.

The Deadly Vixens

Free Ebook!! Enter to Win!

Here's your chance to win a free pdf copy of Michele Bardsley's ebook Diary of a Demon Hunter 1: Death Unwept! This is the first of over a full week of contests, so be sure to check back daily to see if you're a winner. We will be giving away one free ebook everyday from now until Tuesday July 1st.

For your chance to win, just read Sierra's blog post from today titled "Have I Walked These Streets Before?" and leave a comment and you'll be entered in the drawing. Winners will be announced one week from the date of the contest. So Mondays winner will be announced the next Monday, and so on.

Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

P.S. Don't forget our weekly contests on Saturdays! Every week we give away a new prize so check back often for your chance to win!

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and agree that you are at least 18 years of age. Thank you.

Have I Walked These Streets Before?

I have no idea, but I’d like to find out!

Reincarnation is a very controversial topic and I honestly don’t know which side of the fence I fall on. I can’t say that I believe in it, because I honestly haven’t given it a lot of thought. Recently, however, I’ve started wondering about it.

It all began a few weeks ago when my mother and I were talking and she told me about a show she watched where reincarnation was discussed. I believe it was an episode of Oprah, but don’t quote me on that, LOL. Anyway, we got to discussing the subject and I started getting curious. She had recorded the show, so we sat down to watch it. It was actually quite interesting.

My mom then told me a story about when she was a child, how she used to have a recurrent vision of herself that must have been a past life experience. She told me about the experience and said it was something she wouldn’t even have known about at her age. She was 3 years old at the time. She said she’d never told another person about this, but she can remember it to this day, because it was so traumatic to her.

I’ve never had any experiences like that, but as I said, I was interested. So, I did some research online. I found this one site that had a video you could watch to self hypnotize yourself and find out who you were in a past life. I tried, but was unsuccessful.

I do not disbelieve in the concept, but I have no proof either. I’d like to find out if I’ve lived before and what my life was like, but at this time, that hasn’t happened. If anyone has links or ideas of how you find out online, let me know. I’d love to try it out.

If you’ve had an experience with reincarnation or learned that you’ve lived in a past life, please share your stories. I’d be interested in reading them.

Weekly Contest!

Welcome to our weekly contest on The Deadly Vixens blog! The winner will receive a pdf e-book copy of Bewitching the Faerie by Cynthia Rayne. Thanks again to Cynthia, our guest blogger this week.

Here’s the question that needs to be answered: Name one person Gracen used a picture of to create a character. (The answer can be found in yesterday's blog titled "The Voices in Gracen's Head")

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 24, 2008. Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

The Voices in Gracen's Head

Hi, all! *waves* I hope everyone has had an awesome week. Mine has involved two family surgeries, one friend surgery and my ten-year-old son being away at football camp for four days. I did not handle the camp as well as I had hoped. Trusting total strangers with my child was not an easy feat. I managed, he managed, but ultimately he did miss me and was ready to come home. Score one for the home team! ;-)

So, while it may not have sounded like it, I did plot out those sentences above. I wish I could plot out my storyline like Sierra, I really do. It would annihilate those moments of “writer’s block” because I’d always know where I was going next. But I do not outline anything. And while I think plotting can be a tricky business, it’s not something I am capable of doing at the beginning of a book. I enjoy learning about the characters as I write them. It’s a learning experience for us all because it’s almost like we’re new friends getting to know one another.

Basically, I know who the characters are, what they’re like, and what their major flaws or strengths are. I even know what their bare core personality traits are—their deep dark secretes, so to speak—but the rest works itself out as the storyline progresses.

Sometimes I surf the web looking for a particular physical trait that expresses the outward characteristics of my character. I keep a copy of that picture until I finish the book to give me inspiration. For instance, I have one character that was modeled after Brad Pitt in Troy, except I added a goatee to the character (another picture I found of Brad Pitt). I have another modeled after Michael Greyeyes in Stolen Women, Captured Hearts, which I believe was a Lifetime Movie Network original movie. But those were easy because the characteristics were given to me by Mother Nature’s brush strokes.

Typically, the women are created in my head, given details as those features come up. And like Sierra, I save a folder with physical traits and other pertinent facts about the characters. I forget throughout the course of writing if I gave them green or blue eyes or if they have golden blonde or golden brown hair. Truly the physical characteristics are not that important to me. Instead it’s all about the storyline, the heat, the conflict and how it’s all going to be resolved—so, basically, it’s all about the plot.

Plotting out the storyline is never done. I start with a general concept and have no idea where it’s going when I start fleshing out the story. Things happen all the time that I could not have conceived of in the beginning. I’ve mentioned before that I say I “channel write” because I get so involved in the storyline that it simply flows from my brain to my fingers as I type. Sometimes there is very little thinking involved, so it just writes itself or it seems to anyway. As crazy as it may sound, I listen to the voices in my head and I write what they tell me to write. That means that by the time I get to the end of the story, I typically have to fix at least one plot line basic because it started out with one concept, but by the end was something else entirely. Typically, however, I do not have too many plotlines to fix because it generally flows from the original thought.

Because I listen to the voices in my head, I sometimes write stories that I intended to write in a different sequence. For instance, I am writing book two to my witch/vampire story, which was about sister “A”. I had intended to write the second book on sister “B”, but sister “C” wouldn’t shut up about her story. Seriously, “C” was keeping me awake at night with her storyline. It was frustrating, but she was determined. Needless to say, she wore me down and I am now writing “C’s” story because the crazy witch did not give me a choice. And since it doesn’t change the storyline left hanging from sister “A’s” storyline, it did not matter that I am writing them out of order. What it means is that sister “C” had a louder voice than sister “B”.

So, that’s my plotting style. As disorganized as it seems, it strangely works for me. And now that you think I’m a little bit crazy, or as Margaret Leigh suggested—schizophrenic—tell me what you think, how you write your plots, your characters, how you create your characters, their traits, and personalities—whatever? Or tell me something else about your plotting when you’re writing. And if you’re not a writer, tell me what you like best about the plotting in the books you read. Or tell me something else entirely different…I’m listening.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Please Welcome Author...Cynthia Rayne

The Deadly Vixens would like to welcome guest author Cynthia Rayne. Thank you, Cynthia for joining us this week.

Without further ado...


The Appeal of the Bad Boy

Romance novels are peppered with bad boy heroes. I think it may have started with Jane Austen's Willoughby. Technically, he was the villain, because he leaves the heroine high and dry but sometimes men like this can be irresistable. Willoughby had several bad boy characteristics: charm, recklessness, unpredictability, and a wicked sense of humor.Remember though, he ultimately wanted to marry her, but he would have been cut off completely. What kind of bad boy could do without his family fortune? Don't tell anyone, but I much prefer him to the dry (and let's face it) kind of boring Colonel Brandon. I always thought she should have had an affair with Willoughby at least.

Note: Now, I know to many Jane Austen fans, those are fightin' words, but it is just my opinion. :)


This bad boy phenomenon happens across the board in the romance genre. Most historicals are peppered with reformed rakes, lecherous lords, and irrepressible highwaymen. Paranormals have vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural studs that are brimming with bad boy behaviors (including some killers -- with a purpose of course!). This list goes on and on.

So why do we like these bad boys?

1. They don't make you fall asleep (see above!). Things are always exciting with a bad boy. Now, this excitement may include running away from the police, but...hey, at least you won't be bored, right?

2. Alpha Male Characteristics. They are "mad, bad, and dangerous" to know, just like Lord Byron (who is another bad boy) and he still thrills women today (just read his poem, "She Walks in Beauty, Like the Night" to find out why). They don't always do the right thing. They are aggressive, a little domineering (but in a reaaaallly sexy way), and do whatever the hell they went to do.

3. They Need You. Underneath all of this masculine behavior is a deliciously soft and almost completely hidden vulnerable side. Maybe they were hurt in the past by some woman (mothers, lovers) and are wounded. Nothing brings out a woman's nurturing side more.

The downside? They don't call when they say they will, they may not bring their wallet with them to dinner, and they may make "booty calls" late, late at night. Not to mention the risk of a heartache for you.

Maybe that is why women are so fascinated with them (safely within the pages of a romance novel of course). It is good to observe them from a distance and see a heroine ultimately reform them.

So...what about all of you? Who are your favorite "bad boy" heros? Why do you think women are so captivated by them?"

* * * * * *

Disclaimer (because we don't have a choice): The views expressed by the guest blogger do not necessarily reflect those of The Deadly Vixens.

Please Welcome Author...Margaret Leigh!

Thank you for taking the time to interview with us! We're excited to have you!

Margaret’s newest release is Coffee Kisses, which came out in April 2008, her full length romance novel, “The Heart Divided” will be available in paperback and e-book in July, 2008! She also has a m/m novella: The Keeper due to release in July 2008.

Personal website: http://margaretleigh.com
Blog: http://margaret-leigh.livejournal.com
My publisher:
http://www.torquerebooks.com/zencart/index.php?manufacturers_id=128&zenid=ae5b5457e50a5f1a9ec9177d81b2ab99&main_page=index

1. When/how did you know you wanted to write?

MARGARET: I’d been making up stories since before I learned to write. My grandfather was Welsh and came from a family with a strong ‘oral tradition.’ He would tell us stories, sitting around camp fires at night when we went to spend summer holidays with him. I learned the craft of storytelling from those nights. When I learned to write, I would just write down the stories I thought of. I didn’t show them to anyone other than my sisters, though. When I had children of my own, I continued the oral storytelling tradition and would tell them stories my grandfather told me, or make up my own stories for them. I guess, there was no particular moment I knew I wanted to be a writer, because I have been a storyteller all of my life.

2. How long did it take you to become published?

MARGARET: Oh years and years! I didn’t have a lot of faith in my stories or my writing early on, so my first publishing successes didn’t come until I was well into my thirties. I probably could have been published much sooner with a little encouragement. Sadly, that was lacking and so I wrote and wrote and kept the stories hidden away. It wasn’t until my eldest daughter was born, and I wrote a story of her birth and sent it in to a magazine which accepted it, that I started to think that maybe I could get other things published. I started small and got non-fiction filler items and letters to editors published at first. My first fiction story that was published was a short story titled “Time and Motion” which was accepted by a guy who ran a website featuring fiction by new writers. He didn’t pay, but that didn’t matter. What mattered to me was someone else liked my story enough to publish it.

3. Who are some of your favorite authors?

MARGARET: Gosh, that’s always such a hard question to answer, because my tastes change a lot, and I am pretty sanguine so my latest favorite author might turn out to be whoever’s book I am reading now! Authors I keep coming back to, though, are Jodi Picoult—especially when she writes paranormal: “Second Glance” is wonderful. I also like Bryce Courtenay, (“The Power of One”) and Colleen McCulloch (“The Thornbirds,” “Angel Puss” [paranormal]).

4. Who do you count as your literary influences?

MARGARET: Definitely the three authors I mentioned in the previous question. Bryce Courtenay taught me that it is okay to write a book in the same way you’d tell a story orally, using plain language, simple phrasing and a warm voice to carry your message across to your ‘hearer’ because even when we read, I think we tend to ‘hear’ the voice of the book in our heads. So, I developed my own voice based on his example. Colleen McCulloch influenced me to write what I felt compelled to write and not worry that it is too farfetched. Nothing is farfetched if the writer believes in it and can make it real for the reader. Jodi Picoult did the same.

5. How long does it usually take for you to research a book?

MARGARET: As long as it takes me to write it. I tend to research as I go, because I am what I call a ‘seat of the pants author.’ I know the beginning, have a sketchy idea of the middle and hope that by the time I get well into the writing, I will have the ending sorted out. It’s not a style that a lot of writers would be comfortable with, but I find this works better for me than trying to plot and outline before I write. Usually about four or five chapters into a new work, is when I start to develop the beginnings of a synopsis, so research is done as needed throughout the writing.

6. Many authors are doing strictly e-books, do you think this is just a trend, or does it spell the end of real books?

MARGARET: I don’t think that there will ever be a time when books will go out of fashion. I think that people like the connection that holding a paper and print book in their hands gives them. One of the things I love about Star Trek, for instance, is that Captain Kirk shuns reading on data pads and likes to hold a real paper book in his hands to unwind. Because we use PDA’s and computers every day in work situations, I think that books will always have a place, because they are a break away from reading on screens. I might be wrong, but I don’t think I am.

7. How long does it take for you to write books?

MARGARET: Ever since getting my first novel “The Heart Divided” accepted, I have been telling myself I need to learn to write faster. It took me about eleven years to write that, and I will need to be a lot quicker with subsequent books if I want to keep my name ‘out there’ on the bookshelves. I recently started another novel and am hoping to finish this one in a few months. I think my first novel took so long to write because of my self-doubt more than anything. That’s no longer such a problem, with a few short stories published, and a novel coming out, I know I can sell my writing now, and that’s been an enormous boost to my confidence.

8. Is there any character in your books that you can really relate to?

MARGARET: I usually have at least one person in all my books that I can relate to. I don’t think I could write believably using a character I didn’t relate to and care about. Even my ‘villains’ will have some small aspect of their character that I can at least feel empathy for. No one is all bad, or all good. People are a mixture of both.

9. Do you see yourself writing in the same genre in 10 years? If not then what?

MARGARET: I love what I am doing now. I write a mixture of Historical and Contemporary, GLBT, and het, with a smattering of sci-fi and paranormal thrown into the mix, so I don’t think I will ever get bored. If I tire of one kind of story or genre, I can switch to another.

10. What advice do you give to those who are just starting out or trying to become published?

MARGARET: Well, the most often quoted piece of advice given young or beginning writers, is to write what you know. I say that’s not necessary. Rather, write what you love! If you love paranormal romance, write that—love historical or time travel, or steam punk? Write that. What you don’t know, you can research and learn about but if you’re not writing what you love, that will come through in your writing voice and make your stories lackluster.

11. What do you do when preparing to write a story?

MARGARET: I day dream. Lots! The preparation for writing, for me, lies in opening myself up to hear the voices and the stories of my characters. I literally hear them talking, and moving around in my head and playing out scenes. I don’t even write notes at this point, I just listen. This is where my sister—she’s a psychic—thinks that I am actually listening to real people who have a story to tell. She and I are not entirely in agreement or disagreement on that. My partner thinks that I am just a schizophrenic who has learned to channel the voices into a creative outlet. *giggle*

12. Where do your story ideas come from? Do you use people you know as characters sometimes or even sometimes a certain event from real life happenings?

MARGARET: I have never deliberately used anyone I know in a story. I can see aspects of people I know in some of my characters, but they’re not the actual person. My ideas come to me from who knows where. Sometimes I just get a snippet of dialogue, or a flash of a scene and start thinking on that, and a story develops. My short story, Coffee Kisses came from a discussion on a mailing list I am on. “The Heart Divided” was inspired by real events that took place in the history of my state. Originally, I set out to write that historical event as a fictional novel, but found myself taking so much poetic license that it was better to call it a novel inspired by real events.

13. What is your favorite part of writing?

MARGARET: The writing. Sitting down with my characters and letting the words come out onto the page. It might start of a little stodgy and slow, but then I get into the ‘zone’ and it flows and there’s rhythm and magic and life in the words and that’s when I am at my happiest. My heart sings then.

14. Do you have any projects you are currently working on?

MARGARET: Whew! Several! I don’t often just write one story and stick to it till the end. I have usually got two or three on the go at one time because of my short attention span. When I peter out of steam on one, I will switch to another. The one that is flowing best at the moment is a paranormal m/m romance which is actually a prequel to my short story “Hunter’s Kiss” which is in the anthology “Another Fine Mess” and is available now from Torquere Books.

15. Did it take a lot of rejections for you to finally get published or was it pretty easy for you?

MARGARET: I think I was very very lucky. I managed to strike publishers when a particular idea was hot and so I got accepted very easily. I did get my fair share of rejection slips back when I was writing non-fiction and trying to sell fillers to magazines, so I guess I served my apprenticeship there. As far as fiction goes, I think I am blessed and just happened along at the right time.

16. Do you write your stories out with pencil and paper first or do you work straight on the computer?

MARGARET: I used to write exclusively on the computer, because I felt that I could work faster that way, but in actuality, I wasn’t connecting with my craft as well then as I do when I write with pen and paper. I went back to the pen and paper method late last year and I find I am much more productive and connected to my work when I write that way. I have my own desk in a study where I can lock myself away from the computer and the internet and just let the magic happen. I think my writing is the better for it.

17. You just recently were published. How does it make you feel?

MARGARET: Being published is the most amazing thing! I danced on air for hours after I got the acceptance email for my novel. I still dance around and giggle and have fits of insanity any time something I submit gets accepted. I don’t think the shine will ever wear off!

18. Getting back to your books coming out soon. Tell us a little about what to expect from them.

MARGARET: I have two new releases coming out in July. The first one is my novel which I have mentioned a couple of times in other questions. As I said, it is inspired by actual events back in the 1860’s in Queensland Australia. It tells the story of Abigail Pheeney, who meets and marries Robert Forester. It is a marriage of convenience. Rob needs a wife in order to get a job he wants, and Abbie needs to get out of town, basically, so they form this relationship based on all the wrong reasons. Abbie was working as a prostitute when she met Rob and was also on the run from a man in her past that she’d rather forget. Of course it all goes pear shaped when that man finds her, and all kinds of mayhem ensues. It’s not a paranormal story, although there are hints of the paranormal in it, with Rob being haunted by ghosts surrounding his actions after the stalker finds Abbie. I have made a trailer for the book, which you can view at http://www.youtube.com/user/Pheebleminded

The other July release is a m/m novella which is a complete flight of fantasy. Set in England in 1772, it is the story of an apprentice boy named Thomas, who is kidnapped and sold into the household of Frenchman Leon Chambellan.

Thomas was raised in a sheltered household by his Quaker master and dame, and has experienced very little of the real and often gritty life of London in that time period. Now, he finds himself thrown into a situation where young men are taken and ‘groomed’ for pleasure. For love—l’amour du greque, as his new master refers to it. Thomas must work through his horror at being party to such wickedness, whilst also fighting an undeniable attraction to the charismatic and sexy Chambellan. It has all the makings of a ‘breeches ripper’ as I have heard some people describe m/m historical fiction—Kidnapping, pirates, betrayal, love, jealous rivals and nefarious villains—quite a lively romp if I say so myself.

19. When and where can we purchase your books?

MARGARET: “The Heart Divided” will be available in paperback and eBook from Amazon.com, fictionwise, all romance e-books and others. “The Keeper” will be available from Torquere Books, Amazon, fictionwise, all romance e-books etc. My current releases with Torquere Books can be found at http://www.torquerebooks.com/zencart/index.php?manufacturers_id=128&main_page=index

20. How do you feel about fans doing fan fiction and/or roleplaying on the web based on your or other author's works?

MARGARET: I think that fan fiction is pretty much a fact of life nowadays. People like a character or a setting, and want to explore it and play with it. They want to interact with that character and his/her world and I don’t see any harm in that, so long as they are not trying to pass the characters and settings off as their own, or make a profit from them. I have had a few giggles myself over the possibilities for m/m slash from some of the scenarios in “The Heart Divided.” If I, as the author can see subtext—and it wasn’t deliberate at all—then who am I to complain if the readers see it too, and run with it? If they do, I would like to hope they might send me the links! *giggle*

Winner Announced!

Hello everyone!

I'm proud to announce the winner of the e-book copy of The Vampire Oracle: Hunger by our guest blogger, Sophie Athens.

The winner is...drum rolllllllll please....Susan!!!

Congratulations, Susan!


To receive your book, please email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com with your e-mail address and the title you wish to recieve.

Thanks for participating in our blog and congratulations again! Don't forget to check back each Saturday for a new contest!

Please note: New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one (1) week from today's drawing.

The Deadly Vixens

The People in my Head

Creating characters can be a tricky business. I usually start with a character chart that lists physical and emotional traits. I’ve used long ones and short ones and I’ve found that the answer lies somewhere in between. You can put down too much information for your characters in my opinion.

I usually start with looks, it’s the easiest to figure out. Hair color usually comes first for me. I have a mental picture in my mind of the character I’m working on and I fill in the information as I see it. Once in a while my mental picture is wrong, and the character lets me know about it, but I’m usually pretty close where looks come in.

After I get the looks down, then the trickiest part comes into play…personality. I try my best to figure out as much as I can at first, but I have been known to leave some of it blank and work on the story. After I’ve written a bit, their personalities really come to life and I learn a little more about them as I go. Then once I’ve come to a better understanding of their personality, I go back and fill in the rest.

I think it’s important to know your characters traits because this helps prevent you from having flat characters. The more you know about them, the more three dimensional they are in the story. That’s what really makes a story come to life for me. Interesting characters.

This is how I create my characters. I’d love to hear what everyone else does. Leave a comment and let me know what your tricks are.

GRACEN'S APOLOGY

It has come to my attention that some may have been offended by my "Gracen's Ouija Hell" blog on Friday, June 13th.

I apologize to anyone that may have been offended by my comments regarding the Ouija. This was my experience and I in no way meant to indicate that I believe or have ever believed that witchcraft was evil. When I referred to the Ouija as the "Witchboard" it was strictly because I have heard the Ouija referred to that more than once. There was a movie back in the 1980s named Witchboard and it was about the Ouija board. I do not even remember if this movie had anything to do with witchcraft at all.

Either way, please accept my humble apology to anyone I may have offended. I certainly do not believe witchcraft is evil and that is not what I intended by my blog on Friday. For me the Ouija was evil, but as I mentioned in my blog "...I also think it is a doorway to a world that should not be tapped without the right knowledge. We did not have that knowledge. Still don’t." In the right hands, the Ouija may be a very effective tool. In the hands of two teenagers who knew nothing about the doorway that was being opened, it was a very ineffective tool that managed to terrify us. That was all this story was about, my personal experience with the Ouija board.

I acknowledge that others may have a very positive Ouija experience. If you did, I would LOVE to hear your positive experience because all of us have different viewpoints on every topic. I realize that and I believe that is what makes all of us unique. I enjoy hearing similar and differing viewpoints. It's what makes a great discussion.

So, again, I apologize and am very sorry for offending anyone. Please feel free to e-mail me at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com if you wish to discuss this further with me or post your reply here as a comment.

Gracen Miller

Weekly Contest

Welcome to our weekly contest on The Deadly Vixens blog! The winner will receive a pdf e-book copy of The Vampire Oracle: Hunger by Sophie Athens. Thanks again to Sophie, our guest blogger this week.

Here’s the question that needs to be answered: What was the name of one of the spirits that spoke with Gracen through the Ouija board? (The answer can be found in yesterday's blog titled "Gracen's Ouija Hell")

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 17, 2008. Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

Gracen's Ouija Hell

Hi, everyone! *waves* I hope everyone has had a wonderful week. Mine has been eventful, but I won’t go into it. That is not the topic.

Ouija…that is the topic. May I have a show of hands how many have participated in a Ouija séance? Unfortunately, I have.

I was sixteen and my best friend, Angie, and I decided to try out her new Ouija board. It was a novelty and I don’t know that either of us really thought it would work.

She came to my house. We turned off the lights, lit candles and placed the board between us on the floor. Obviously, we had seen too many horror movies. *wink* But we wanted the mood set just right.

We put our hands on the plastic locater, what I have heard called a planchette, although the spelling may be completely off. I think our first question was, “Is anyone here with us?” It began to move slowly at first, almost dragging to the word “yes”. We both yanked our hands off the planchette and asked if the other had moved it. Both of us denied moving it.

We had two spirits we chatted with. One claimed to be a servant of God and claimed to love us…in retrospect it was a stalkerish kind of love though, nothing healthy. His name was Drake (names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent). The second one was Jason (again names have been changed to protect the evil and because I do not want to give him power by saying his name—I truly believe he was evil or demonic) and he admitted to being an axe murderer. Jason wanted us to die. Sometimes he would spell the word “d-i-e” over and over again until we just ditched the Witchboard all together to shut him up. All he ever did was spew evil and filth. He had a son named Nate. We finally had to have a secret code with Drake to make sure we had the so-called good spirit instead of the evil spirit. In reflection, the moment Jason arrived we should have tossed the Witchboard straight into the garbage, but we did not. Being teenagers, we didn’t have the good sense to realize we were playing with fire. We were fascinated by the paranormal also, so I think this helped lure us into the Witchboard’s web of deceit.

I became obsessed with it. I’m quite serious. I’m not sure that Angie ever knew how obsessed I was with it. I’m not sure about Angie, how she really felt, but every weekend was spent on the Witchboard. Sometimes we would meet in the park and talk with the spirits.

I had a cousin that came from the West Coast. Her name was Shawna. She was younger than me by a few years, but I was determined to introduce her to the Witchboard and its fascination. The first night we got on the board, Shawna yanked her fingers off after a few minutes and said the planchette had burned her fingers. Now, I was thinking this was drama at its finest. So, I begged her to try it again. My motives were selfish. She was very hesitant and did not want to get back on it. Certainly that should have told me something, but I ignored her needs because I felt like I needed to be on that board. Like I said, I was obsessed with it. It was driving me crazy not being able to talk to Drake. Finally, after hassling her until she gave in, she got on the Ouija with me a second time. Again she said it burned her fingers. But this time, she was acting funny afterward. I SWEAR her eyes turned a dark color, almost black and her voice was somehow different, deeper, with a raspy scratch to it. It freaked me out, but not as much as her grabbing a teddy bear and singing a lullaby to it—“Hush little baby, don’t say a word…”—while she petted it.

It was creepy.

I remember sitting there staring at her not sure how to process what she was doing. We were both way beyond the years of baby dolls.

When I asked her what she was doing, she gave me this look that said she wanted to rip my heart out while informing me that she was singing to her son. I tried to explain it was just a teddy bear, but she insisted it was her son. I gave up because she was spooking me so bad. I talked her into going to bed, but she refused to give up her “son” the teddy bear. The next morning, she remembered none of it, other than the burned fingers.

So, I could not leave it alone. I’m telling you, I was obsessed with this Witchboard. I was definitely under its spell.

I dragged Shawna to Angie’s house and told her what Shawna had done the night before. We got Shawna back on the board and again the same thing happened, only this time, the planchette flew across the room. When I went to pick it up, Shawna started cackling and her foot was bouncing up and down very agitated. She caught sight of a teddy bear Angie slept with and she clutched it to her and started singing to it like the night before. Angie and I shared a glance. My eyes were saying, “see!” Hers were still pondering the validity of what was happening. Shawna’s eyes were full of hatred and vehemence. The very presence in the room was dark and ominous. I know that sounds dramatic, but it is true. So, Angie asked who the teddy bear was. Shawna informed us it was her son. When Angie asked her what her son’s name was, Shawna said it was Nate.

Oh…my…God!

I still get chills thinking about it. That was Jason’s son’s name. We had not told her Jason had a son, much less told her his name.

When Shawna became herself again, she flopped onto the bed and started crying. All she could remember from the event was being in a black void, with a pinpoint of white light that she kept struggling to get to.

Now, as an adult, I question the validity of everything that happened those two days. Was Shawna playacting? Was everything valid? I know a few things for certain…Shawna changed, her eyes changed, her voice changed, her demeanor changed, there was hate reflected in her eyes and she knew things we had never told her. It was that defining moment that had us pushing the Ouija out of our lives. One thing that lingers in my head…if Shawna had become possessed—even temporarily—by Jason, then I had slept beside a professed axe murderer that first night.

In the end, Angie and I have come to believe Drake and Jason were the same spirit toying with us. It lied to us, but it also told us things that came true. But I also think it is a doorway to a world that should not be tapped without the right knowledge. We did not have that knowledge. Still don’t. And I’ll admit, I sometimes still wonder what would happen if I got back on it? That one thought terrifies me. It gives me chills. It still has sway over me after almost twenty years, even though I haven’t given into it and given it any more control.

Believe me or not, it does not matter to me. I know what happened and I can easily remember how I felt…the terror, the fright, and the knowledge that we were way over our heads. I truly felt like we were being sucked into some dark void of no return and it was so strangely alluring, even as frightening as it all was. No question, I do NOT want my sons touching one of those hellish so-called “games”.

So, tell me what you think. Are you a believer? Did you participate in a Witchboard? If so, what was your experience?

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Please welcome author- Sophie Athens

The Deadly Vixens would like to welcome author Sophie Athens as our guest blogger today!


THINGS THAT PUT ME IN THE MOOD TO WRITE

As a writer, I'm always desperate for new things to put me in the proper mood, whatever it may be. Here are some tips and tricks I used when writing my novella The Vampire Oracle: Hunger. These helped me evoke the atmosphere I needed to put pen to paper (or more appropriately, fingers to keyboard):

1--scents are often one of the most overlooked senses, and yet the human mind has scads and scads of memories associated with scent. Think of an emotional memory that ties in with a particular scent (perhaps one that makes you laugh, cry, or long for someone), and use that scent when writing to evoke those particular feelings in yourself. You'd be amazed how much easier it is to transfer those emotions to the page. For example, if you're trying to evoke a feeling of home, maybe pop some chocolate-chip cookies in the oven (then bonus, you have cookies to reward yourself, too! hah)

2--candles (scented or unscented). I love the flickering of candles off the objects around me. When I'm trying to write something dark or romantic, I find candles help pull that mood out of me.

3--music. If there's a mood you're trying to create, there's a song that can help. Some people love music without lyrics, while others love the lyrics. Play around with it and see what works for you.

4--sexy clothing. If I'm trying to write a love scene, I find I feel more confident and aware of my own sexuality if I dress in a more provocative manner.

5--watch a movie that has a similar feel to what you're trying to evoke before writing. Visual stimulation is a fantastic aid when going to write a scene. It helps make things more tangible in your mind.

6--act out a scene before writing it, whether just in your mind or with someone else. This can apply to sex scenes, as well as any other. Go through the dialogue in your mind and let yourself feel the emotions so you can accurately transfer them to the page.

7--a little alcohol can help. I love sipping on a glass of wine while writing. Too much will make your writing sloppy, but just a little bit can help relax you enough to let you tap into your sensory emotions.

If anyone has any good tips or tricks, please share them!

You can find the Vampire Oracle cards at http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/line/vampireoracle.htm -- to learn more about me, visit http://www.sophieathens.com.

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Disclaimer (because we don't have a choice): The views expressed by the guest blogger do not necessarily reflect those of The Deadly Vixens.

Ouija boards

Hey everyone. Peeking my head up to do my Wednesday post. I hope y'all haven't missed me too much. *smiles*

Ouija boards. I haven't really had experience with them besides from watching television (also fictional shows and reality/news) shows and movies that have Ouija boards used in them. I guess I have been curious about them, especially when I occasionally watch a show like Most Haunted where they are trying to communicate with what is in the house with them as opposed to some demon or spirit somewhere in the galaxy.

I don't know if I would ever want to use one though since I believe things like Sierra mentioned on Monday how when you have something connected to that Ouija board, or whatever else you're using, then it's not easy to detached yourself from it. I wouldn't want to open myself up to any kind of demonic attack, which I think is a possibility with them. I'm not scared of them by any means, but I think I have a rather healthy respect to stay away from them as Sierra also stated.

I'm curious to see what you all have to say about Ouija boards, so let me know what you think!

Ouija Boards- Game or Not?

Do you believe in the power of the Ouija board? Well, I have to say that I am a believer. Growing up, I was around the “game” on occasion. When I was little, my family had one that they swore was evil. Every time they pulled it out and tried to “play” with it, it would curse at them and use words that were never used around that home. It would tell them terrible things. They finally decided to get rid of it, but every time they threw it away, it would strangely show back up in the basement of my grandma’s house. Everyone denied getting it out of the trash and no one could explain how it arrived back in the basement.
Finally, someone decided to destroy it completely. They tried to burn it. It wouldn’t light on fire. They could have a large flame and pieces of wood burning like crazy, but the board would not catch. It actually sat in the flames for over half an hour and it hadn’t even singed. That’s when the family really started freaking out.

One of the men decided that it would take more than that to destroy it. So they took it out and used it for target practice. When they finally returned the board, it was full of holes. Once again, they placed it in the fire, and this time, it burned. Not great, slowly and not completely, but it burned enough that it was unusable. It was left in the fire pit and eventually did burn to nothing. It took a good while for that to happen, though.

My mother was strictly against the Ouija board. If she heard that we’d played it, she would throw a fit and tell us we were never to use one again. Of course, that didn’t stop me. My friend and I played with it occasionally when I would spend the night at her house. We asked it the same old questions…Who are we going to marry? At what age will we marry? What kind of job will I have when I grow up? Just ordinary questions. I don’t even remember the answers so I have no clue if it was right or not, but we had fun with it anyway.

Later, when we were teenagers, we played with the Ouija board more and asked it more in depth questions. Many of those answers were dead on. I have a tendency to believe that it depends on the spirit you contact when you use the Ouija board how accurate the response will be. I do believe that it’s possible to contact spirits by using them. I believe that you run the risk of contacting bad spirits as well as good spirits when you do use them. Ouija boards scare me a little, for that specific reason. I think it would be great to use if I knew I would reach a good spirit, but I don’t want to risk reaching one that isn’t, so for now, I’ll take my mom’s advice and stay away from them.

Have you had an experience with the Ouija board that you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Ouija Right or Ouija Wrong?

Molly sat in the floor, her legs crossed Indian style, and stared at her best friend, Janna, sitting across from her. Their arms were stretched out in front of them, their fingertips resting gently on each side of the planchette in the center of the game board. Molly’s blue eyes were wide as she sat in awe of the answer the Ouija board had spelled out in response to their question.

“Did you do that?” Janna asked.

“No.” Her lips trembled as she spoke, giving her words a slight echo. “I thought you did.” The planchette vibrated against the board as her fingers shuddered on the edge of the game piece.

“It wasn’t me.” Janna took a deep breath and blinked back the tears forming in her eyes. “Please tell me you’re kidding. It’s not funny.”

Janna stood up and pushed the board away from her. The coffee table slid closer to Molly.

“I told you it wasn’t me. What more do you want me to say?” She watched Janna pacing the hardwood floor, her bare feet slapping against the smooth wood.

“I’m scared. Aren’t you scared?” Janna stopped pacing long enough to watch Molly, her hands pressed against her hips.

Molly stood up and blinked. “No. There’s no reason to be scared. It’s just a silly game. You can’t possibly believe it?”

“Yeah, I believe it. You said you didn’t move the thing and I know I didn’t move it, so something did. How can you not be scared? It just told us that we were going to die tonight!” Janna heaved a breath, whooshing the air out of her lungs.

“It’s just a game. It’s not true. I don’t know why it moved, but it’s not really a ghost.”

“Then you tell me how it moved? Explain it to me.”

Molly pursed her lips as she tried to think of a reasonable explanation for what happened. She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s magnets or something. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.”

Janna stared at her, her breath coming in short rasps. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she bent forward as if she was in pain. Molly rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Janna’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to happen.”

A heavy knock on the front door had them both jumping, clinging to each other for dear life. They stared at each other, neither moving to answer the door.

“What do we do?” Janna stared at her, waiting for a response to her question.

Molly’s jaw dropped open as she waited, speechless. Her heart pounded in her chest. She closed her eyes and shook her head side to side. She didn’t have a clue what to do. They were alone in the house, her parents were not due home for hours. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Sweat beaded on her forehead and she felt the clammy cold wash over her.

“Who is it?” Molly barely got the words out of her mouth before her throat dried up. She swallowed.

“I need to use the phone. My car broke down and I need to call a tow truck.”

Janna’s fingernails pressed into Molly’s arms, cutting off the circulation. Molly pressed her eyes shut and tried to force a calm appearance.

“I’m sorry. Our phone isn’t working.” She shook her head at the ignorance of her statement. What if it was some lunatic and she just told him they had not contact with the outside world? What kind of idiot was she?

“Look, I’m really in a bind. I swear, I’ll be on my best behavior. I’ll use the phone and leave. I promise.” The voice on the other side of the door sounded like a rational human being.

She felt bad for the guy. After all, she wouldn’t want to be stuck outside in the dark with no way of getting help except for the mercy of strangers. But they were just two teenage girls stuck at home alone on a Friday night, they couldn’t be letting strange men into the house. That would be crazy.

Molly stepped closer to the window and edged the curtain back enough to get a peek at the stranger. He stood outside the door with his head slightly lowered. Short brown hair topped his head in a neat feathered cut. His squared jaw and cleft chin gave him a ruggedly handsome look. Wearing a dark business suit, his clean-cut appearance relieved some of her fear. She glanced down to see his briefcase held firmly in his hand.

She frowned. Why would he carry his briefcase to the door? Why not just leave it in the car? A shiver ran down her spine and she shook it off. Maybe he just had valuables in it and didn’t want to leave it alone in the car. She was just freaking herself out.

Janna wasn’t helping. She remained glued to Molly’s side, her hands still held their death grip on Molly’s arm. Molly took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, sir. You’ll have to try the next door neighbor. Maybe they can help you.”
Peeking out the window again, she caught the frown on his face. He opened his mouth to speak again, when a pair of headlights splashed across the front of the house, illuminating his silhouette.

Stepping away from the door, the stranger disappeared into the shadows and Molly felt her heart beating double-time. She watched as two teenage boys strolled up to the door as if nothing had been strange at all. Had they not seen the man dash away? How could they not be concerned?

Molly pulled open the door and sucked in a deep breath of the cool night air. “Jason! Trey! Thank God you guys are here. Hurry up and come in.” She glanced around to make sure the stranger was not hiding in the shadows.

“Hey girls. What’s up?”

Molly grabbed Jason’s arm and pulled him inside. Trey picked up his step before she grabbed him too.

“What’s the matter with you two?” Jason pulled Molly into his arms and placed a small peck on her forehead.

“Nothing, now. We’re fine. What are you doing here?” Molly glanced at Janna who was holding on to Trey as if he was the only think keeping her alive. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she whimpered against his shoulder. Molly shook her head. “Didn’t you see the guy standing outside the door when you guys pulled up?”

Jason flashed Trey a look that set a weight on her chest.

“What?” Molly glanced between the two boys, whose expression had suddenly taken on a serious tone. Her eyes darted between them, hoping one of them would answer her question. “Tell me!”

Jason grabbed her arms and held her in front of him, his lips pursed tight in a frown. “That’s why we came over here tonight. We heard on the radio there’s an escaped serial killer on the loose and they think he’s in the area.”

Molly blinked as reality set in. If they hadn’t showed up when they had…the Ouija board could have been right. She turned to face the game and stared up at Janna. “Should we ask?”

Janna nodded in acceptance.

Molly took a deep breath. “Lock the door, Jason.”

Weekly Contest!

Welcome to our weekly contest on The Deadly Vixens blog! The winner will receive a pdf e-book copy of CAPTAIN SINISTER'S LADY by Darlene Marshall. Thanks again to Darlene, our guest blogger this week.

Here’s the question that needs to be answered: What was the name of Gracen's first female villain? (The answer can be found in yesterday's blog titled "Gracen's Villainous Plotting")

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 10, 2008. Be sure to check back and see if you have won. If your name is drawn as the winner, you will need to email us at thedeadlyvixens@yahoo.com to claim your prize. Include your email address within the email when you claim the prize to ensure delivery.

New winners will be chosen from the remaining entries if prizes are not claimed within one week of drawing.

Best of luck!

The Deadly Vixens

Gracen's Villainous Plotting

Hi, everyone! It’s Gracen here.

Plotting…first off let me say, I do not outline my story before writing. I tried it and I ended up never writing the story. My attention span is not long enough for outline development. I get too impatient not writing the story and lose interest. So, I guess that makes me an “organic” or a “pantser” writer.

Generally, I start with a basic thought about a story. I generate how I want the hero/heroine to look and what their personalities are, what makes them special to the storyline. For instance, I just finished writing a book where my first concept of the book involved two points only:

1) The heroine would loosely be considered a “wicked” witch; and
2) The hero was a good vampire. (I know, typically speaking good and vampire do not belong together in the same sentence).

That was it. No other plot lines or ideas when I started writing the novel. I had some basic concepts that I wanted to happen, so I wrote toward those goals and along the way discovered he depths of their lives and how entangled those lives were from the beginning.

I “channel write”. At least that is what I call it. I will write storylines that I never planned, had not even conceived of, until they wrote themselves into the plot. It is intriguing and a bit spooky. Truly, I almost feel as if I am in a hypnotic trance. When I get in this mode, I will go back and reread what I wrote and sometimes I think, “Wow, I wrote that!” This “channel writing” really excites me because that is when I seem to be the most creative and most likely to have thought outside the box.

My favorite plot theme: Supernatural characters. I’m currently writing book two to the witch/vampire story mentioned above. The hero is a god from a different dimension and the heroine a witch and sister to the first character (she is not bad though). Seriously, that is fun stuff with the sky as the limit (or rather my imagination as the limit). Paranormal plots are fun for me because there are no boundaries, no society rules (except for the ones I create) and the path is not straightforward.

I like my characters to be a bit villainous too. It spices things up for me and it is a scream to write. To me it is so much more fun to watch the character go from bad to, well…not so bad. Like a real person, I do not allow my villains to completely reform by the end of the book. (I think Molly can attest to that. She read my first book, The Devil’s Den). Rather, they have to be accepted by their love interest with their flaws intact, much like we want in real life. So, I guess it is more about watching the anti-villain adjust and accept the villain. Either way, all my monster villains get their happy ending. Even bad boys and girls deserve love.

Okay, for an example of bad, Aysha, the “wicked” witch mentioned above, here is a snippet of the first time you see her in action (please note, this is unedited):

“Let’s go,” Aysha said without glancing at Brok and stepped over the edge of the cliff into the darkness below as if she were stepping onto solid pavement.

For only a brief moment she felt the dead-drop, but acclimated herself to the free-fall without effort. A moment later, she landed on her feet with a soft thunk and then walked leisurely into the doomed Compound.

All around her, Dogfaces killed the humans. Some lay on the parched earth, bemoaning their imminent death. Others, the earth was already soaking up the blood from their mutilated bodies.

With a flick of her left wrist and a twirl of her index finger, blood spiraled from the dead and splattered across the walls in her unique style of graffiti. None of the Compound would be burned this time. It would prove to the vamps how easily she could victimize her prey. No one matched her at her game or in power.

Except for him. That little voice inside her head wheedled. Damnit, she would destroy him! And soon before he realized his own power. The same latent power he had utilized to try and protect this Compound.

“No,” she said again, harshly, as a gleaming silver knife appeared in her hand. The handle was jeweled with twinkling gems. Its blade serrated for maximum damage.

Strolling to the Dogface, she held his eyes, while he held the sobbing human beneath him with little effort, a single hand pressed to the woman’s shoulder. Calmly, Aysha flipped the blade into her palm and handed it to him, the jeweled handle sliding coldly into his hand.

“Finish it,” she said coolly, glancing at the woman mouthing ‘please’ like a broken prayer beneath him.

Without a single sound, the woman died as he savagely slit her throat. Aysha cocked her head at the deceased woman as she watched the life fade from the human’s eyes. With her expression belying no emotion whatsoever—especially not remorse for an innocent human—she turned away to finish her bloody spray-paint.
Copyright © 2008 Gracen Miller

Aysha is bad, really, really bad, with a huge ego to go along with her power trip. In a lot of ways, though, she has reason to be so egotistical. There have been centuries of attacks against the witches and they have won every skirmish. So, now when threatened by a new stronger power, she is not about to sit back and let it rip apart her clan. Thus, she goes on the attack.

Aysha was the first time I have ever written the heroine as the villain and let me just go ahead and say, Aysha and I had a blast writing her storyline.

By the end of the book is she redeemed; a little yes, a lot no. We are dealing with supernatural forces here and the supernatural does not spawn massive redemption—at least not in my opinion and not in my books.

So, tell me what you like to read, what you write and even what you want to read? What is your favorite plot line, your favorite genre? What are the traits of your favorite characters? Tell me whatever, just so long as you talk to me. ;-)

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend! Take care and be safe.

Please Welcome Author...Darlene Marshall

WHAT YOU DIDN’T LEARN IN SCHOOL

I’m the first to admit that I’m a history wonk. I used to bore my children silly by insisting on sharing with them tidbits I’d run across while researching. To this day, the now-grown young men will be sitting at supper with me and one will go, “Say, did you know Alexander Hamilton founded the U.S. Coast Guard?” and the other will reply, “Why, no, tell me more, but please wait while I get a knife and slash my wrists before total boredom sets in.”

I’m leaving all my money to the dog.

My area of particular interest, though I claim no expertise, is the early American republic from the founding of the nation until about 1850 or so. I like the overlap with the English Regency period because I read so many regencies, but it’s always puzzled me that American readers love the Regency. How quickly we forget that Britain was our enemy during that period, and the War of 1812 can better be termed “The Second War of American Independence”! Evidence is strong that Britain would cheerfully have taken over parts of the fledgling republic to establish a presence here and disrupt a potential trade rival and ally of France–

I’m doing it again, aren’t I? Anyway, before you start reaching for a knife, I’ll get back to how history relates to my writing.

It relates in the most obvious way, in that my historical romances are set during the period from 1800 to 1845, and they’re largely set in Florida. Some of the fan letters I like best are from readers who say they didn’t even know Florida had a history prior to Disney and Miami Beach, with the possible exception of the Civil War. And some of these letters come from Floridians!

It relates in a less obvious way in my own leisure reading. I especially enjoy how a good history–not historical fiction–makes our Founders come alive and step off the page as living, breathing people.

Right now I’m reading Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts. It follows on the heels of her Founding Mothers and focuses again on the women who helped build the republic, sometimes in less than obvious ways as social hostesses and sounding boards for their husbands and fathers. The women come alive through their letters, talking about fashion, family and politics. They’re not stiff portraits in the National Gallery, they’re women like us who care about work (don’t ever think we’re the first generation of career women–it was Abigail Adams and Martha Washington and women like them who ran the farm while their husbands were off Thinking Deep Thoughts), food (guests are coming to supper, what shall I serve?), shoes (yes, shoes–but hats more than handbags), family, war, and other important issues of their time. They also made time to found social service agencies that fulfilled many of the functions now handled by the state.

The danger you run into as a history wonk, and I learned this from my sons, is that what you find fascinating may make someone else’s eyes glaze over. It’s important to reach a balance, especially as a novelist, in working detail in without becoming pedantic.

So I toss this question out to the readers: Do you have a favorite period of history you like to read about, or a favorite historical figure? I admit to a sneaking fondness for Alexander Hamilton, who usually ends up getting short shrift in the history books, but who accomplished an amazing amount in a life that ended too early.

And I love to pass along book recommendations! If you’re looking for a good history of Florida, or some recommended reading on the early American republic, I’d be happy to share my opinions.


Darlene Marshall is the author of Pirate’s Price and Captain Sinister’s Lady, both winners of the 2007 Eppie Award for Best Historical Romance, and Smuggler’s Bride, finalist in the 2006 Lories for Best Single Title. Her books are available in print, ebook and also in German and Estonian.



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Disclaimer (because we don't have a choice): The views expressed by the guest blogger do not necessarily reflect those of The Deadly Vixens.