Book blurb for Fire on Ice by Dakota Madison

Today is a book blurb blitz tour stop for Fire on Ice by Dakota Madison. This contemporary romance book is available from Short On Time Books.

Dakota will be awarding a backlist e-book to three (3) randomly drawn commenters during the tour, and a grand prize of a print copy of After Alex Died (US ONLY) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered to win one of these prizes, leave a comment below. And if you'd like to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb:

He’s Fire on Ice and she’s afraid to get burned again…

After Taylor Thompson’s heart was completely shattered by her high school’s most popular jock, she vowed never to date another athlete. She keeps that promise through her first three years of college. But after a chance meeting with a star hockey player, the charming and irresistible Kian Kavanagh, Taylor’s carefully constructed walls are in serious danger of being burned down by Mr. Fire on Ice.

Excerpt:

I shook my head and glanced around the club. Runt was right about one thing: the kids who frequented this place were loaded. Most of them were wearing top notch designer clothes and sporting hundred dollar haircuts. I grew up dirt poor, lucky to have second hand clothes from the donation bin and the occasional coupon-day haircut at Super Cuts. Even now, I didn’t like to waste money even though I was earning good coin. I knew there was a big chance my hockey career could be cut short, so I saved as much as I could for my future, which I hoped would someday be a sports bar, if I saved enough and was smart with investing.

As I glanced around the bar at the sea of perfect young faces, I spotted a girl sitting by herself at a small table in the corner. She was looking in my direction but when our eyes met, she quickly looked down and started reading a book.

What the hell?

Who reads a book in a bar, I wondered. I was intrigued.

The first thing I noticed about her was her beautiful wavy brown hair. The long waves were tucked behind her ears, which were decorated with a single pink pearl in each center. She was wearing a flowered blouse tied over a black tank top and a long black skirt. It was such an odd outfit to be wearing at a bar. She looked like she was ready for a stroll through a museum or art gallery. Most girls at bars tried to show as much skin and body parts as humanly possible. They left little to the imagination. But this girl had her arms and legs completely covered.

I could tell she was different and I wanted to know why.

I tipped back the rest of my beer, put the empty glass on the bar and made my way over to the girl. I just couldn’t get over the fact she was reading a book in a bar. It was such a strange sight. As I got closer, I noticed the book was a lot thicker than I initially thought. A textbook? Who studies at a bar?

She didn’t even have a drink in front of her. She was just intent on reading her book.

I stood next to her table and cleared my throat to get her attention. When she glanced up at me, her expression was neutral.

“Hey,” I said and gave her a quick smile.

She just stared at me. I have to admit, it kind of freaked me out. I was used to girls doing most of the work. Usually all I had to do was decide if I wanted to take them home or not.

Her hazel brown eyes were completely captivating. I felt like I was swimming in the deep end of two delicious pools. I gulped and suddenly couldn’t think of anything to say. The girl made me nervous and I never got nervous. All I could do was stare into her beautiful brown eyes.

“What do you want?” she said finally. The question wasn’t mean; it was like she was really curious why I was standing there.

“I was just wondering what you were reading.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew I sounded like a complete asshole.

And why was I second guessing myself? That was not like me at all. From the time I was fourteen, and started to really show off on the ice, girls dropped their panties for me with little more than a wink and a winning smile on my part.

But this girl was different. When she looked at me, it was like she was looking right through me, like she could see into every part of my mind and soul. And that scared the hell out of me because there was a lot going on in there that I never wanted anyone to see.

Author Bio and Links:

Dakota Madison has been writing since she learned to read and fell in love with books. When she's not at her computer creating spicy new romances, Dakota is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

Amazon | Smashwords | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

Book blurb tour stop for Beside Your Heart by Mary Whitney

Today is a book blurb blitz tour stop for the new adult novel, Beside Your Heart, by Mary Whitney.

Mary will be awarding one big package of 3 signed paperbacks of her books to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. If you'd like a chance to win, leave a comment below. If you'd like to increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb:  

"It's an emotional story that will take the reader back to those feelings that made the late teen years such a powerful time."

Late one night Nicki Johnson plays with emotional fire and Googles her high school love, only to find his name splashed across the British gossip columns. Back in his native England, Adam Kincaid is successful and dating a woman from an aristocratic family like his own. With a career in politics, Nicki’s no slouch, but she knows Adam is living a world away from her life.

Yet there was a time he was no farther than the next locker. Nicki will never forget their year together in high school—the year of her sister’s death, the year her mother checked out. Adam helped Nicki through suffocating grief, and she led him through a coming of age. Was it just high school, or was it something more?

Excerpt:

“No British literature. Isn’t this supposed to be an English class?” Adam asked.

“Uh.” My ancestors would’ve been proud of the jolt of American patriotism that hit me.  “There was a revolution two hundred years ago. We write our own books now.”

He leaned back in his seat with a smile. “I think I heard about that.”

“We still share the same language.”

“Sometimes I’m not too sure.”

“I bet not.” I could imagine what he thought of a Texas accent.

 He picked up the list of books again. “What about Catcher in the Rye?”

“I read it a long time ago when I was, like, eleven.” I laughed a little as I remembered how I’d first come to read it.

“Is there something funny about that?”

“Yeah. My father had suggested I read it then. The book is the classic coming-of-age story. Clearly, he wasn’t really thinking about whether or not it was appropriate for an eleven-year-old.”

“Really? Why?”

“Well, for one thing, the main character is a guy who swears a lot.”

“I suppose I swear a lot.” He cracked a sly smile. “At least compared to you Yankees.”

“Yankees? You’re in the South.” I laughed.

“What else is inappropriate about the book? Now I’m interested. It can’t only be a few swear words.”

“No, it’s not just that. It’s…” I hesitated for a moment as I realized I was about to bring up the topic of sex with Adam Kincaid. What the hell, I thought. I should be matter-of-fact about it. He had a girlfriend and would never want anything with me. I could hide I thought he was hot, so I shrugged. “Holden, the main character…he’s a little sexually frustrated.”

His eyes twinkled, and it felt as if my words hung in the air. I wanted to squirm in my seat. ‘Sexually frustrated’—like me checking out Adam Kincaid.

His proper upbringing showed again as he sidestepped the issue, yet he smirked. “That sounds like an adventurous book to be on an American high school syllabus.”

“Like I said—it’s considered an American classic.” I laughed. “I guess some things are sacred.”

“But of course.” The gleam appeared in his eye again, and he turned toward me in his seat. “Teenage sexual frustration is sort of a rite of passage, if you will.”

There went the good-English-boy manners out the window. His tone, the look in his eye, his body language—was he flirting with or taunting me? I decided the former was impossible, and if the latter, I wasn’t going to back down. With two parents who were lawyers, debate was a family routine.

“A rite of passage? More like a biological fact, isn’t it?” I asked, casually clicking my pen. I raised a brow. “Especially for guys.”

“You’re right about that,” he said with a grin.

Author information:

Even before she graduated from law school, Mary knew she wasn’t cut out to be a real lawyer. Drawn to politics, she’s spent her career as an organizer, lobbyist, and nonprofit executive. Nothing piques her interest more than a good political scandal or romance, and when she stumbled upon writing, she put the two together. A born Midwesterner, naturalized Texan, and transient resident of Washington, D.C., Mary now lives in Northern California with her two daughters and real lawyer husband.

Website | Twitter 

Book blast tour stop for The Last Straw by Nia Simone

Today is a book blast tour stop for the debut romance novel The Last Straw by Nia Simone. 

Nia will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter during her tour. To be entered to win, leave a comment below. And to increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb:

Ally Tobin left New York after one too many bad dates, determined to rebuild a stable life and career as a private investigator in Silicon Valley. But when the man she knew as one name walks into her office with another, will her curiosity once again lead her to risk her heart?

The last thing Special Agent Jared Green needs is "security risk" stamped on the resume of his latest undercover identity. Especially by the woman his job forced him to leave in New York without any explanation. She may threaten his cover, but it's his heart on the line.

He's good at playing a part. She's good at catching a fake. Can they trust enough to give love another chance?

Excerpt from The Last Straw:

He sauntered through the door, a white, button- down shirt tucked into belted khakis. When his dark gaze found her, he stopped. Stared. Her throat dried and a rustling motion stirred in her abdomen.

“Hi. I’m Darren Ray.”

Keep your cool, she commanded herself, standing and reaching across the desk. His hand was rough.

She yanked her hand back and waved at the chair. “Please, have a seat.” He waited for her to sit before settling in the visitor’s chair. “So, Darren, according to this, you’re being considered for a programmer position in the IT department. Tell me about your background.”

A professional mask settled over his features. “As you can see on my résumé, I have several years of consulting experience.”

“Tell me something about your experience as a mechanic.” Working on his prized old Mustang had been a favorite hobby.

The corner of his mouth twitched. “What do you mean? That’s not in my résumé.”

“You don’t have the hands of a programmer. More of a mechanic.” Oh, his hands.

“Okay, you got me.” He was going to confess. This should be good. “When I’m not programming computers I’m working on my car.”

“And what were you doing in New York City?”

He reached across her desk for a piece of paper, plucked a pen from its stand and scrawled something.  When she took the note their fingers brushed. Meet me for dinner at Pico’s at 7. I’ll explain everything. Can’t talk here.

Author information:

Nia Simone grew up on the side of a ski slope in Squaw Valley, USA. Later, while learning the craft of story writing, she worked in nonprofit and then high-tech.

The best part of working in the computer field was meeting her husband. He took up skiing and she helped him document his computer inventions! They live in "Silicon Valley" in California where their favorite thing to do is cook together for friends. Nia’s specialties are dessert and veggies while her husband’s are entrees and sourdough bread.

Their only pet at the moment is the sourdough starter, which lives in the fridge and requires bi-weekly feeding.

Nia blogs every day about travel, food, writing, books, skiing and photography at niasimoneauthor.com (where she won the Versatile Blogger Award and Inspiring Blogger Award).

Buy link: The Last Straw (http://amzn.to/164srhC)

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Book blurb blitz for Cape Cursed by Janice Lane Palko

Today finds the romantic suspense novel Cape Cursed in the spotlight. This is one of several stops on the same day to share a book blurb for this novel by Janice Lane Palko. 

Janice will be awarding a $25 gift certificate to the OBXstore to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and enter there, too.

Blurb:

Bliss Sherman doesn’t believe in curses—that is until she arrives at Cape Destiny, North Carolina. Bliss comes to the cape determined to make a name for herself and her new firm by accomplishing an incredible engineering feat—moving the Cape Destiny Lighthouse inland before it's swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean.

Bliss, who has struggled with dyslexia, discrimination, and betrayal by her ex-husband and former business partner, Jonathan, faces her greatest challenge when she falls in love with the handsome, mysterious descendant of the lighthouse keepers, Parker Swain, who is vehemently opposed to the lighthouse’s move.

When someone targets Bliss, she begins to wonder if the curse that is rumored to be attached to the lighthouse may be true. Who is sabotaging her dream? Who is trying to harm her? Who wants to kill her? When all clues point to Parker, she dismisses her suspicions, deciding to trust him and her heart. But as the evidence mounts against Parker, she begins to doubt not only herself and her heart, but also Parker.

Can she trust her judgment? Can she trust Parker? Most importantly, when she is trapped inside the lighthouse with him during a raging hurricane, can she trust Parker with her life?

A romantic suspense with all the seaside moody romance of du Maurier’s Rebecca and the spine-tingling thrills that keep you turning the pages, Cape Cursed casts a spell of sensuous deception and seductive danger. A Category 5 of a romantic suspense novel, Cape Cursed, barrels in packing a surge of suspense that knocks you off your feet and a blistering romance that sweeps you up and carries you away.

Excerpt:

When Bliss cleared the copse of trees towering over the parking lot, she walked out across the broad lawn. Stars were beginning to appear. It was so beautiful here. How could this place be cursed?

Bliss looked over at The Keeper’s House. It was dark. She walked up onto the porch, and called Parker’s name into the screen door. No answer. Perhaps he’d gone out for dinner.

Disappointed, Bliss walked back down the porch steps and headed toward the Explorer. From the direction of the ocean, she heard a faint barking. Parker and Beau must be down on the beach.

She quickened her pace and headed down the path that led over the dune, toward the pounding surf.

Bliss trudged in her heavy boots through the sand, and as she stood atop the dune, she saw Parker and Beau swimming in the frothy sea. They were gray figures in an inky ocean, and she could barely make out Beau, his snout pointed in the air, as he paddled parallel to the shore.

The white cap of a large wave barreled in, and Parker standing in waist-high water joined his hands together and dove into the bottom of it, letting it wash over him. He rose, his back to her, as the wave crashed upon the beach. As Bliss was about to call his name, the words caught in her throat. The wave spent itself on the shore and rushed out quickly, leaving Parker in thigh-high surf. Naked.

Silhouetted against the darkening sky, she could make out the carved muscles of his back, the narrow waist, and his chiseled butt perched upon his strong legs. The same dark shade of the ocean, he looked like some water-God rising out of the waves. She stood there mesmerized by his unbridled masculinity, her mouth agape, admiring him. If he was cursed, every many should be so unfortunate.

Author Bio and Links:

In addition to Cape Cursed, Janice Lane Palko is the author of the romantic comedy St. Anne’s Day and the Christmas novel, A Shepherd’s Song. She has been a professional writer for nearly 20 years. During her career, she has written everything from greeting cards to web content and has taught several classes at the local community college, including Building English Skills to Creative and Memoir writing.

She is currently on the staff of the website Popular Pittsburgh and has been the executive editor of Northern Connection and Pittsburgh 55+ magazines, where she also contributed to the editorial content, writing her own column and numerous features. Palko has also been a columnist with the North Hills News Record.

Her work has appeared in publications such as The Reader’s Digest, Guideposts for Teens, Woman’s World, The Christian Science Monitor, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and her essays have been featured in the books A Cup of Comfort for Inspiration, A Cup of Comfort for Expectant Mothers, and Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul.

A graduate of Union Institute & University with a B.A. in Writing & Literature, Palko has won several awards for her writing including the prestigious Amy Foundation Award of Merit. Her writings have also garnered accolades at the Kent State Writer's Conference, and she has been selected as Writer of the Month by Oatmeal Studio greeting cards.

She is at work on her next novel, another romantic suspense entitled Most Highly Favored Daughter.

Sign up for her newsletter by visiting her website or blog.

Keep in touch by following or contacting her at:

Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Twitter 

E-mail: janicelanepalko@gmail.com

You may purchase her novels at: Amazon Author Page | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

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Book excerpt for Sweet Sexy Sadie by Christine Young

Today is a book excerpt tour stop for the paranormal erotic romance, Sweet Sexy Sadie, by Christine Young. 

Christine will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered to win, leave a comment below (and a way for Christine to get in touch). To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb for Sweet Sexy Sadie:

From the first time Sadie’s eyes met those of Brody McKenna in the hot Sierra Madre Mountains, theirs was a potent attraction—not gentle, slow, and easy, but hot, hard, and all-consuming. The daughter of a dysfunctional family, Sadie had dreams no man could wrench from her with hot sex and an all-consuming passion. She’d challenge this alpha male with all the strength she possessed. But her red hair, fiery temperament, and indomitable spirit obsessed Brody...and he knew he had to find a way to show her he was more than he appeared and convince her to make a life with him.

Excerpt from Sweet Sexy Sadie:

Brody stood at the top of Infinity Cliff, Sadie at his side. He'd wrapped his arm around her as if the gesture would keep her with him for eternity. She didn't lean into him as she usually did. The physical separation didn't alarm him as much as the emotional distance. Day by day they should be growing closer, melding as one.

Instead there was a chasm between them as deep and as wide as the Grand Canyon. A shield so thick even superman's x-ray vision wouldn't be able to penetrate its depth. He sought answers but none were forthcoming. For each step forward he took two backwards.

The sky stretched on forever. Stars blinked in the evening light and a soft wind blew across his face. He closed his eyes, letting the atmosphere settle inside and allowing his soul to cleanse.

Sadie stood stiff and tall against him. When he looked at her, her face was pale and she trembled. He didn't want to do that to her. He needed to make her happy.

"I don't get why we're here." She sounded petulant and irritable. He had hoped she would see the significance and the astounding beauty of Infinity Cliff.

"You need to see where I came from and the journey through time we travel together." He should have bit his tongue before he finished that sentence. With his words, she shifted farther away. A frigid cold swept through him. It was not the chill of the Chullachaqui but a coldness he had created.

"Brody," she turned toward him, "we've had this conversation. It isn't going anywhere. I'm not staying. I might return if this is where my team decides to study, but we might never see each other again."

For a while at least, he could ignore the negativity and think only positive thoughts. Compromise meant a great deal to him. He was more than willing to do his part. And what she didn't know was that he wouldn't rest until he called Sadie Monroe his wife.

He pointed toward the vast emptiness in front of them. His words were spoken softly and with a reverence that came deep within his heart. "The McKennas lived in the highlands of Scotland. How they came there no one knew. Some say they arrived after a long journey across Pangaea."

He inhaled a long deep breath for courage. What he was about to show Sadie could set back their relationship, could put them in jeopardy of ever moving forward.

"More folk legends?" She stepped toward the edge of the cliff then peered over it. "My God, there is no bottom."

"That is why we call this place Infinity Cliff." He wanted to laugh but held his breath instead.

"I see." She leaned farther.

Author Bio and Links:

Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor, and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

Blog | RoguePhoenix Press Author page

Buy links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | All Romance eBooks | Rogue Phoenix Press

Book blurb tour stop for Along Came Pauly by Chris Redding

Today I'm hosting a book blurb blitz tour stop for the contemporary romance novel Along Came Pauly by Chris Redding.

Chris will be awarding a $10 Amazon Gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment below (and a way for Chris to get in touch with you). And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb for Along Came Pauly:

A contemporary romance about a dog that brings two people together who don't want to be. She's a vegetarian veterinarian who needs cash for a no-kill shelter. He's the heir to a hot dog fortune who must give away money before he gains his inheritance. Sounds like a perfect match. It isn't.

Excerpt from Along Came Pauly:

She took a deep breath before launching into her story. “The animal control officers found a large group of dogs in an apartment. The owner died in the hospital and there were no living relatives. The landlord had been on vacation, so no one checked on them.”

           

“What are we going to do with them?”

           

“This shelter will euthanize most of them. We’re going to save them for adoption.” She hoped. Adoption was not a guarantee, but euthanasia was final.

           

“Are you sure you have homes for them? What if they aren’t adoptable?”

           

Having encountered this argument before, she crossed her arms. “No animal is unadoptable. It’s a matter of finding them a home.”

           

That might take time.

           

“What’s Shelley’s role in this?”

           

“She’s one of my foster moms. If I don’t have room, she takes in some animals. Mostly dogs but some cats. She has a farm.”

           

“Oh.”

           

She didn’t think he understood but chose to humor her.

           

Shelley had convinced her saving animals would be a good cause. At that point Daria was already a vet so Shelley didn’t have to work too hard on her.

           

“We aren’t stealing the animals, are we?”

           

“No, one of the animal control officers called Shelley to see if we could take some of the animals. He’d rather not kill them, but that’s the policy of the shelter. It’s a small place and can’t handle too many dogs.”

           

Paul drove on, nodding as if he were digesting all of the information.

           

“But what if you can’t find homes for them?”

           

How could he think that? She put her hand on his arm. “We will.”

Author Bio and Links:

Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, two sons, one dog and three rabbits. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. When she isn’t writing, she works for her local hospital. Her books are filled with romance, suspense, and thrills.

Links: Website/blog | Facebook | Twitter

Book blurb blitz tour stop for A Tumble Through Time by Callie Hutton

Today is a book blurb blitz tour stop for Callie Hutton’s time-travel/western novel A Tumble Through Time.

Callie has a couple of giveaways during her tour:

--an e-copy of Emma’s Journey to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop

--and a grand prize of a $25 Amazon or BN.com gift card to a randomly drawn commenter

To be entered to win, leave a comment below (and a way for Callie to get in touch). And to increase your chances of winning, you can visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Blurb:

Anna Devlin, a recently jilted bounty hunter is a modern woman from the twenty-first century. She is anxious for the hearing that will reinstate her law enforcement career, but an encounter with a strange Native American woman sends Anna back in time to the year 1870.

Federal Marshal Wesley Shannon of Denton, Kansas, has no idea where this woman with the strange clothing and way of speaking came from. Since he fights his own inner demons, the last thing he needs is an attraction to a woman who has given him no clear idea who she is.

But when danger arrives in the form of stagecoach hold ups where drivers and passengers are being killed, Anna torments Wes with plans to help him bring in the outlaws.

Will Wes be able to keep Anna out of harm’s way, or will his attraction to her distract him enough that they are both in danger?

Excerpt:

She hurried down the boardwalk, head lowered, deep in thought, when she ran smack into a wall of muscle.

“Whoa.” Wes captured both of her arms as she slammed into his warm chest. “Where you going in such a hurry?” The moonlight caught his expression as he frowned. “And what are you doing out on the streets this late at night?”

Anna bristled. “Is there a law against it, marshal?”

He grinned.

Why did she always feel like a little girl when she locked horns with this man?

“No, ma’am. I’m just trying to protect the people of the town. Especially from women who can clobber a fella without raisin’ dust.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

He held both hands up in surrender, his lips twitching. “Not me.” He cupped her elbow. “Allow me to escort you to the hotel, Miss Devlin.”

She slanted him a glance. “My, how chivalrous.”

Slowly, he slid her arm into the crook of his elbow and rested his hand on hers. “Seriously, Anna, you shouldn’t be running around town after dark. Life can be dangerous. You never know . . .”

Something in his voice made her look sharply at him. The lines bracketing his mouth had tightened, and she could feel the tension in his arm. What secret memories did this man harbor? Or was this merely the male protectiveness of a lawman in the eighteen seventies?

Author Bio and Links:

Callie has been making up stories since elementary school, and writing gave her a way to turn off the voices in her head. After having a number of articles and interviews published in newspapers and magazines, she took on what she’d always dreamed of. Writing that book. She currently has a number of both historical and contemporary romance books published. Visit her website for more information. 

She currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband and adult children who move in and out with alarming regularity. Add three rescue dogs and the household is complete—and full. She enjoys hearing from her readers, and would love to have you visit her on Facebook.

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Buy links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Interview with historical travel guide author Christy Nicholas

Today’s guest is Christy Jackson Nicholas. She’s at the front-end of a virtual book tour where she has a different stop every Monday for her mystical, historical travel guide Ireland: Mythical, Magical, Mystical – A Guide to Hidden Ireland, now available from Tirgearr Publishing.

Christy will award a $20 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter. To be entered to win, leave a comment below (and a way for Christy to get in touch with you). And to increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there too.

Welcome, Christy. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon. I do many things, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing and photography. In real life I'm a CPA, but having grown up with art and around me (my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected me, as it were.

I love to draw and to create things. It's more of an obsession than a hobby. I like looking up into the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset, or a fragrant blossom, a dramatic seaside. I then wish to take a picture or create a piece of jewelry to share this serenity, this joy, this beauty with others. Sometimes this sharing requires explanation – and thus I write. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. I do local art and craft shows, as well as sending my art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad.

Please tell us about your current release.

This book is a guide to help others to have the chance to be part of the magic that is Ireland. I have included some myth and history to give readers a context, some practical tips about the culture and the planning of the trip, and then a huge section of hidden places to find. I’ve also got it chock full of photographs I’ve taken on my own travels.

What inspired you to write this book?

I am enchanted with the land of Ireland, and I think everyone should experience this magical place.

Excerpt:

The Mythological Cycle

The Mythological Cycle is mostly comprised of a set of tales known as Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Book of Invasions or the Book of Conquests, and is, like the other tales of Ireland, filled with politics, battle, love, magic, and outrageous tales of feats of strength and revenge. It recounts, via myth and story, the invasions of the different peoples of Ireland over the course of its history. How closely these invasions are rooted in reality we may never know. However, once we reach the invasion of the sons of Mil (some time before 100 BCE), we start getting into territory which is corroborated by archeological evidence; these are the Celtic tribes who migrated from northern Spain. The earliest renditions of these tales seem to have come from the 8th to 11th century, and are therefore heavily influenced by this later Christian ideal, but still manage to retain some of their pre-Christian magic.

Other parts of the Mythological Cycle are made up of the Metrical Dindshenchas, or Lore of Places, and other stand-alone tales such as The Dream of Aengus, the Wooing of Etain, and The Tragedy of the Children of Lir. If you want a delightful rendition of these tales, I highly recommend the Celtic Myth Podshow. Hosts Ruth and Gary Colcombe create many engaging dramatizations of these tales on their show, and bring the stories to life.

But let us go back, back into the mists of time before time, of land before remembering, and tales before writing. I have included a small list of names in their English versions and Irish versions in the appendix, for easier reading later on. Go back . . . back into the mists of time, a time before writing, a time before people, a time before the island of Ireland had seen its first people . . . the mists start to rise, showing the green, rolling hills, covered in trees, deer and nothing more.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I've just started working on a similar guide to Scotland – stunning, strange, and secret!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I made a horrible attempt at fan fiction when I was in 4^th grade, and abandoned hope of being a professional writer then. However, I’d always enjoyed writing reports in school, and have written articles, essays, trip reports and the like all my life. However, until I actually had a book that was not self-published, I figured I was just an amateur. Now, with this book, I feel like a real writer!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I do not – I am an accountant during the day, and an artist and writer in my free time. I usually sit in front of the computer in the evenings while I work on my craft, with the TV on in the background.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I am horrible at self-editing, and I write in frantic spurts. I’ve written 20 pages at one sitting, and then leave it alone for days, as if my muse has other things to attend to.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

That changed with my mood. At various times I’d wanted to be a travel agent, a famous artist, a policewoman, an astronaut. When I was in high school, I was determined to become a Systems Analyst, as I loved computers. However, not being able to pass Physics threw a monkey into that wrench, so to speak, so I switched to accounting.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Someday I hope to actually run mystical tours to Ireland and the United Kingdom. Stay tuned!

Websites: 

www.greendragonartist.com

www.facebook.com/greendragonartist

www.facebook.com/greendragontravel

Twitter: greendragon9

http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Nicholas_Christy/ireland-guide.htm

Thanks, Christy!