February 2005, I submitted a paranormal novella to several online publishers. At that point, I was a seasoned collector of rejections, fully expecting to add a few more to my growing stash of “thanks, but no thanks” letters. But two weeks later, to my utter shock, I was offered my first book contract. That was twenty years ago. That’s 140 in dog years! Back then, I was thirty-six, juggling a full-time nursing career while pursuing a second degree in English. My son had just turned ten, my father-in-law was terminally ill, and my world felt like a whirlwind of responsibilities. …
My Favorite Winter Blahs Binge-Watches
I am a TV watcher from way back. I am unapologetically thrilled when a new show catches my fancy or an old show I loved gets renewed for another season. I have old completed series that I will watch and rewatch, and sometimes I will watch a show simply for inspiration. What I watch depends on my mood and whether I want to keep it or change it. Here are my favorite binges based on the mood. Need a laugh? Comedy Faves. Current: Past: Need a Pick Me Up? Heartfelt Faves. Current: Past: Need a Murder to Solve? Mystery Faves. …
Just Me and My Witches – Author/ Character Interviews with Iris Everlee, Marigold Everlee, and Hazel Kinsey.
Renee George: Welcome, Iris Everlee, her sister Marigold, and Hazel Kinsey! Three witches who are the heroines of three different series I write. While they all have a lot to say, it doesn’t always help with getting them to the end of their stories. Even so, they are a pleasure to write, and I’m excited to sit down with them today and talk to them about what makes them tick, what advice they have for other witches, and what advice they might give to an author who is thinking about writing their own unique witches. Now, on to the interview. …
Backlist Blitz: Witches, Shifters, and Psychics, Oh My!
Hi, everyone! Welcome to my Backlist Blitz. I’m thrilled to share my book series with you today! I love writing urban fantasy, cozy paranormal mysteries, paranormal romances, and supernatural whodunits. My stories have a dash of humor, a bit of edge, and plenty of heart—centered around strong female friendships, supportive heroes, and tight-knit communities. Whether it’s a 50-year-old psychic solving crimes with her BFFs and a dashing young detective, a 40-year-old single mom discovering she’s an elemental witch, or a 30-something werecougar navigating life (and love!) in a human town, all my books share one thing in common: they’re here …
Cold Blooded or Hot, Hot, Hot? How did they become so appealing?
My first taste of vampires were old black and white movies like Nosferatu (some seriously ugly vamps) and Bella Lugosi’s “Dracula” (1931) (not so ugly vampire, but creepy all the same). For some of us, it was our first introduction to bloodsuckers, but these creatures of the night began in ancient folklore as twisted, terrifying beings. The idea of blood-drinking or life-draining creatures can be traced to early civilizations. Ancient Mesopotamian and Greek legends spoke of demonic beings that feasted on human life forces. For example, the “Lamia,” who I wrote as one of the villains in my book Burning …
My Familiars Own My Ass
Yep, I have said many times that I like animals better than people. LOL And I stand by my words except when my dogs get skunked and my cats bring me gifts. Sadly, the dogs don’t understand that sniffing a skunk’s butt repeatedly ends in multiple baths and lots of swear words from Mom. The cats… forget about it. A gift is a gift even if it causes me to scream and run. I love them even with their smelly and unappetizing habits. First thing you should know about me… besides being an author I’m also a collector of stray …
Ooo-Spooky Reads
Oh the classics, some were so dry and difficult to get through. But the paranormal has a long history in literature, and today I’m going to explore just a few of those classics that stayed with me (bear in mind, some are modern classics). First on my list is the ultimate spooky book: Dracula. Bram Stoker upped the ante on spookiness with the dark, brooding grandfather of all vampires. This is the book that made vampires sexy, that turned Vlad the Impaler into a sexy nightmare monster. If you haven’t read the book that inspired the likes of Lestat, Spike, …
My BFF Bigfoot!
What is a best friend? To me, it’s someone with whom you share your deepest secrets. Someone who has your back no matter what. Like when you wore gauchos to a housewarming party and no one would make eye contact with you except for your BFF. Who, I might add, complimented your heinous fashion faux pas multiple times. Or the time you ate so many hot wings and drank soooo many Mike’s Hard Lemonades that you were able to belch half of the alphabet making everyone leave the table… except for your BFF. In fact, he ripped a belch in …