So today is July 3rd (in case you lose track like I often do). Someone recently asked me if I was excited about the RITA awards at the end of the month. Honestly, I haven’t thought much about it. Between a deadline (two, really), kids home for the summer, thoughts of moving (a whole other story) and the release of ENTWINED coming up, I haven’t had a lot of time to get excited–or nervous–about the RITAs. I have ordered my dress and got the call that it came in, but I haven’t picked it up yet. And I did buy a really pretty necklace to wear with the dress, but I still don’t have shoes or earrings nor have I even thought about a speech in the event I win. My hubby asked me today if he needs to have a tux. “For what?” I asked. “Your awards,” he said. When I gave him the perplexed expression, he added, “I’ve seen your dress, remember?” That drew a chuckle out of me, followed by a gasp. OMG…there are only three weeks to RWA Nationals!
The hubby is flying in for the awards. It’ll be his first full-on RWA experience. Oh, he’s met local chapter mates of mine, been to some book signings, but he has no clue what the national convention is really like. I think part of me is more interested in seeing his reaction to 2000+ women writers all gathered in one place.
For those who are interested. Here’s the dress I’ll be wearing the night of the awards. Imagine it in persimmon, which is a soft orange:
Okay, on to the fun stuff…
I’m organizing my release contest for ENTWINED! In cast you didn’t hear (and how could you not?!) Book 2 in the Eternal Guardian series releases on July 27, 2010! RT BookReviews just gave it 4.5 stars and top pick status and said…
“This second in Naughton’s Eternal guardians series has wonderful characters. The combination of old world gods and modern technology is fascinating. Violent and bloody, it’s action packed and exciting with a cliffhanger ending.” –Susan Mobley
That’s my first top pick review from RT so I’m pretty happy. They also labeled it “scorching” which is a new “heat level” for me. All my other books have been labeled “hot”. I’m not sure what to make of that. I don’t think it’s any more “scorching” than the rest of my books but maybe I’m not a good judge because I’m so close to it. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what readers think.
As for the contest…I’ll post all the really fun stuff later this week – prizes, authors,etc. – but mark your calendars. The contest will start on July 12th and run through July 27th, when ENTWINED hits store shelves. And I have some really cool authors and giveaways lined up so you don’t want to miss it!
Happy Reading, and have a fabulous 4th of July holiday!!
And I keep meaning to post this but have been distracted by all the fab GH spotlights. Anyhoo…here’s the widget for my July 27th release, book 2 in the Eternal Guardians Series – ENTWINED! I’m thinking a contest is in order (I haven’t done one in a while), so if you’d like to win a $25 gift card to the bookstore of your choice, simply past this widget on your blog sidebar, FB page, etc and tell me in the comment section of this post where you posted it. I’ll draw a winner in the next couple weeks.
Three days left and still so many great prizes to win!
(FYI: I’m going to be reposting the contest rules every day, so if you just want to skim to the bottom to see the new daily questions…go for it.)
For those of you new to the contest, here are the official deets:
Okay, this is how the contest is going to work: Each day from now until April 26th, I’ll be posting at least two questions for you to answer. Post your answer to THE DAY’S QUESTIONS in the comment section of that day’s post.You have to answer ALL QUESTIONS to be entered. And the really cool part? I’ll be choosing AT LEAST two winners per day as well.
Winners will get to choose their prize from the list below:
Erin Kellison - Arc of Shadow Bound – Won by Amy (Day 1 winner) Melina Morel - Smolder/Prey – 1st combo won by Colleen (Day 1 winner) Nina Pierce - Promo pack of goodies - won by Stacey (Day 2 winner) Anita Clenney - $15 Borders Gift Certificate - won by Donna S (Day 2 winner) Helen Scott Taylor - The Phoenix Charm – won by Pam P. (Day 3 winner) Larissa Ione - Desire Unchained- won by Delitealex (Day 3 winner) Vivi Anna - The Vampire’s Quest – won by Karin (Day 3 winner) Juliana Stone - His Darkest Hunger- won by Christie (Day 4 winner) Vivi Andrews - The Sexorcist – won by Joder (Day 4 winner) Lucy Monroe - Moon Craving – won by Julie (Day 4 winner) Annette McCleave - Bound By Darkness – won by Melissa (Day 5 Winner) Alix Rickloff - Dangerous as Sin – won by Cybercliper (Day 5 winner) Jess Granger - Beyond the Rain – won by Sue A. (Day 5 winner) Joan Swan - Custom 1.0L SIGG water bottle – won by Jane C. (Day 6 winner) Donna Grant - Dangerous Highlander – won by Missy B (Day 6 winner) Melina Morel - Smolder/Prey Combo – won by Phyllis (Day 6 winner) Barbara Monajem - Sunrise in the Garden of Love & Evil – won by Arantza (Day 6 winner)
Once a prize is chosen, it gets crossed off the list, so pay close attention to what gets claimed so you have your 2nd, 3rd, etc. choices mapped out.
That’s it. Super easy. I ask, you answer, YOU WIN!
(Winners will be chosen at random, must be 18 yrs old to participate, yadda yadda yadda. Winners will be contacted by email, when a prize is chosen, it’s crossed off the list and the winner’s name is listed next to their prize.)
Also, don’t forget part two of my awesome contest. I have THREE $25 gift cards to the bookstore of your choice to give away. To enter this portion of the contest, simply email me at elisabeth@elisabethnaughton.com to tell me where you posted about either this contest or the release of MARKED. Simply put “MARKED Release Contest” in the subject line of your email. (If you post the above MARKED widget or book cover somewhere you get entered twice!). You can enter as many times as you like. The more times/places you talk up MARKED, the more chances you have to win.
Got it?
Let’s keep going…
***
Okay…DAY EIGHT QUESTIONS: (FYI: the number of questions equals the number of prizes being given out that day. And if you haven’t already figured it out, question one will ALWAYS have something to do with Greek mythology.)
1) Who is your favorite Hero (we’re talking Greek myth here, folks) and why?
It’s spring break here, which means my gremlins are home 24/7 until next Monday. I’m trying to get some writing done while they’re home, but it’s a struggle. Over the weekend we were here (see photo on right) at Black Butte Ranch in Central Oregon with friends who own a house there. Saturday the guys took the kids golfing (it was 66 degrees). Sunday my girlfriend and I took them snowboarding 15 miles up the road at the Hoodoo Ski Area. Where else but in Oregon can you go golfing one day and skiing the next, all within 15 miles of each other?
This week is a wild one for me. On top of writing, I’m speaking at the PLA Conference in Portland on Thursday with John Charles from the Chicago Tribune/Booklist, Elizabeth Boyle, Christina Dodd & Nicole Burnham. My editor’s flying in for the conference as well, so she and I are gonna grab dinner one night, which I’m really looking forward to. Tomorrow I have an “online appt” to get my computer fixed (grrr…it’s still giving me fits) and I’m hoping that takes care of my tech issues. And somewhere in there I promised my kids I’d take them to see the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie, which opened last weekend.
I also have some good news, but I can’t share yet. Kinda waiting for the official announcement. Will let you know more when I can (hopefully soon!)
In the meantime, if you’re browsing for something to read, I’m over at the Bradford Bunch talking about reviews. And if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet, go do it. I still have MARKED ARCs and I’m going to draw a name from my newsletter and send someone a lucky book. Friday. Let’s say I’ll do it on Friday! So go sign up!
Excerpted from: ENTWINED Eternal Guardians Book #2 Release Date: August 2010 ISBN: 978-0-505-52822-3
“Where do you want me?”
Callia turned away from the window without meeting Zander’s eyes, dropped her arms and pointed toward the end of the king’s now-empty desk. “There. Sit.”
He crossed the floor silently in bare feet and eased a hip onto the end of the king’s long desk. He tested the piece of furniture for stability, and when he was sure it wasn’t going to collapse under his weight, scooted back until his legs were hanging over the edge and his bare feet dangled inches above the floor.
She didn’t say anything about the fact he wasn’t completely naked, and he wasn’t about to bring it up again. To distract himself, he stared down at his toes while she moved around the room. She pulled a small side table with her supplies next to her. Seconds later he felt her hand land on his back and couldn’t stop the way he arched in response. When she said, “Deep breath,” he forced himself to relax as she moved the stethoscope around, obviously listening to his lungs.
The metal against his skin was cold, but her fingers were warm and silky—too warm and silky. His blood was already heating just from being this close to her, and every time she brushed his skin, it set off tremors deep in his body. He focused on his breathing—on the steady in and out—in an attempt to stay calm. When she moved around to stand in front of him, repeating the order, he averted his eyes from her face and focused on the fitted white sweater she wore instead.
Her gasp brought his head up. “What happened to you?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“That’s not nothing.” She focused on his shoulder as she looped the stethoscope around her neck, reached for her bag and came back with gauze and supplies.
“Leave it,” he said before she could touch him. “It’s just a flesh wound.”
She dabbed at the dried blood with a wad of gauze. “The muscle’s torn. You need this stitched closed before infection sets in.”
“It’s already healing.”
“I see that but—”
He grabbed her wrist, stilling her motion. A jolt ran through him at the connection, but he ignored it. The last thing he needed was her hands on his body more than was already necessary. “I said leave it.”
Her eyes slid from the wound to his face and held. And before he realized it, he was staring into eyes like a Caribbean sunset in the human world. Eyes he’d looked into countless times before as they’d made love. Eyes he’d dreamed about numerous times in the years since until he’d woken in a cold and aching sweat.
Thoughts vanished from his mind. The connection they’d had from the first sparked deep in his chest, burned in the bottom of his soul. Tempted him to reach for her and find out if she felt it, too. He couldn’t be the only one who remembered, could he? She had to feel something when she saw him. When she stood this close. When she touched him.
Thoughts, memories, feelings he’d kept buried for a long time pushed in as he stared into her gem-like eyes. A movie of their time together flickered in front of his face. And then when he got to the part where she betrayed him, that blaze went out. Leaving behind nothing but charred ash and ruins.
It didn’t matter what she felt. Their past was over and done with. The Fates had screwed him in more ways than one. There wasn’t anything about her now that could change what had happened back then.
He dropped her hand as quickly as he’d grabbed it. Then glanced back at her sweater. “Finish the exam.”
***
Now check out these other fabulous Saturday Snippets!
ZANDER – The most feared of all the Eternal Guardians. It’s rumored he can’t be killed, and he always fights like he has nothing to lose. But as a descendant of the famed hero Achilles, he’s got to have a vulnerability…somewhere.
Forces of daemons are gathering and have broken through the barriers of the Underworld. Now more than ever the Eternal Guardians are needed to protect both their own realm and the humans’. Zander can’t afford to think about what might have been with the bewitching physician he once regarded as his soul mate. But with eternity stretching before him, he also can’t fathom spending his life without the one woman who makes him feel most alive. Perhaps he’s found his weakness, after all…
I’m hard at work on book three in my Eternal Guardians Series – TEMPTED. And I gotta have a theme song. Or something I can listen to that puts me in the mood. So far, this is it:
And finally, now that I’m home my focus is trained on finishing the 2nd book in my Eternal Guardians series. It’s due soon so I may be in and out. But don’t forget to check back soon for deets on my upcoming contest. STOLEN SEDUCTION, the third Stolen book, releases December 29, 2009. It seems so far away, but really it’s not. It’s right around the corner!!
“This second in Naughton’s Eternal guardians series has wonderful characters. The combination of old world gods and modern technology is fascinating. Violent and bloody, it’s action packed and exciting with a cliffhanger ending.” –Susan Mobley
