Sharknado, Alpha men, and Hot Mojave Knights by ML Guida

Hello Everyone,

I’m M.L. Guida and I’m so excited to be on the Hot Mojave Knights’s blog. Can you believe it? The conference is only a couple weeks away.

Do you like things that go bump into the night? Or drawn to scary movies? Or even campy Syfy movies? Yes, Sharknado is one of my favorites. Have any of you seen it?

Alpha men rule my family. I’m Italian. So, it’s no wonder I write about them. Supernatural’s Dean and Sam Winchester are the epitomny of alphas. I’m a Sam girl. And you?

I love the supernatural and grew up reading mysteries and horror. Alfred Hitchcock used to write a children series called Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators and I read everyone of them. The Mystery of the Green Ghost was a big hit in the third grade.

I write paranormal romance and it leans toward the dark side. I like to torture my characters before they reach their final goal.

Recently, I released a new series called Legends of the Soaring Phoenix. The first one is called A Pirate’s Curse and I will be bringing copies to Hot Mojave Knights.

Here’s an excerpt from A Pirate’s Curse:

Captain Kane O’Brien peered through his spyglass aboard the deck of the Soaring Phoenix. “Bloody hell.” 

The waxing moon and blazing firelight lit up the black ocean. The cursed Fiery Damsel loomed over a burning, half submerged flute ship, slowly circling its broken mast. Water spilled into cannonball-size holes. Fire licked the white sails, and wood crackled and snapped.

He gritted his teeth. A red-headed giant towered over the terrified sailors. His beard hid his face and his eyes burned red. Quinton Palmer. The sailors had the same look of horror when he met Palmer. ’Twas during the Irish Confederate War. He’d have been sixteen years old, a whelp, when Quinton Palmer forced him to become a man.

Kane’s hero had always been his father, Finn O’Brien, an honorable and courageous man. And Finn O’Brien relished freedom. When the British approached their home town of Wexford, burning their fields and homes, taking their livestock and raping their women, Finn rallied the men in the village to fight.

Kane and his father had hid behind an overturned wagon. Shells exploded around them. Kane shrank. Smoke stung his eyes.

He peered around a spinning wagon wheel. An Irish setter limped out onto the road. A beast of a British soldier, Palmer, held a bayonet in his hand and a sick smile crossed his face. Ten years old, Michael O’Shay, ran over to the dog, screaming. He wrapped his arms around the dying dog’s neck.

Palmer stabbed little Michael in the shoulder. Michael yelped, releasing the dog. Blood streamed down his chest. The dog snapped and growled. Palmer flicked the bayonet, slicing the dog’s throat and the animal collapsed onto the road, blood pooling around him.

Palmer’s cruelty had sickened Kane and bile rose up his throat. He gripped his sword, but his legs refused to move. His heart pounded and sweat drenched his back.  

“Kane,” his father ordered. “I want you to remain here. Do you hear me, lad?” He gripped Kane’s shoulder and shook him. Kane nodded as shells exploded around them, ringing his ears.

Kane had swallowed his fright. “Aye, Pa.”

Raising a cutlass over his head, Finn O’Brien charged Palmer.

Palmer took a step back, but whipped out his pistol and fired. His father staggered, but regained his step. Palmer was almost a head taller than his father, but Finn O’Brien never shied away from a fight.

Palmer fired again, but this time, Finn spun around and fell on his knees.

Palmer raised his bayonet. 

Kane had forgotten his fear. He screamed a war cry, running with his sword high over his head. But his legs failed to move fast enough. The blasts of cannons blocked out his yells. Sweat dripped in his eyes and bile burned in his gut.

 Palmer stabbed his father in the heart. Eyes wide open, Finn collapsed onto his back. Palmer smiled and threw his bayonet onto Finn O’Brien’s lifeless body.

He jerked out the embedded sword and lunged at Kane, knocking Kane’s sword out of his hand. Kane clenched his fist and swung, but Palmer grabbed him and threw him down next to his dead father. He raised the bloody sword. Kane sucked in his breath. He was dead.

“Something to remember me by boy,” Palmer promised. He slashed Kane’s face. Pain slid over him. He’d never forgotten Palmer’s promise, or his cruelty, or his smile.

Kane fingered his bumpy scar on his left cheek. Hate boiled inside him as Palmer spoke to a man. The terrified lad shook his head. Angered, Palmer slammed the man into the nearest mast. The poor fellow slapped at Palmer’s hands, but Palmer crooked the man’s head to the side and sank his bloodstained teeth into his throat.

Kane shoved the spy glass back into his breeches. “What the devil are you up to Palmer?” 

“Och, may the devil take Palmer, but I don’t have to tell you that Capt’n.” Kane’s best friend and boatswain, Sean Mallory, slapped the railing. He’d been with Kane through the Irish Confederate War. Despite his angelic face and long blond hair, his towering stature intimidated Sassenachs, like an avenging archangel. 

“He wants something.”

“How do you know?”

Kane gritted his teeth. “Because Palmer never asks his victims anything before he kills them. Prepare to board ‘er. Ready the guns.”

 “Aye, aye, Capt’n,” Sean called over his shoulders. “Ready the guns. Prepare to board ’er.”

Footsteps pounded on the deck as Kane’s crew rushed to their stations. Kane gripped the bow railing. Acid pitted in his gut. “Revenge is mine, Palmer.”

The Soaring Phoenix sailed steadfast and true, the crew ready to board the Fiery Damsel. Kane pulled out his sword and pistol. “Fire!” Kane shouted as the Soaring Phoenix closed in on the Fiery Damsel. Cannons thundered and hit the hull of the Damsel’s starboard side. The circling bats sped toward the Phoenix, but then landed on the Damsel, changing back into men.     

 “Ahoy, Capt’n, off the starboard bow. ’Tis a lad and a man!” Amadi shouted. Kane glanced up at the crow’s nest where Amadi pointed. Night or day, he swore Amadi possessed eagle eyes whether man or vampire. Amadi pointed at some broken wood, but Kane peered closer. Two figures clutched two pieces of drift wood. Palmer must be losing his touch.

Palmer ran to the side of the sinking ship. He jumped into the air and dove toward the man and the lad. Without thinking, Kane called upon his vampire powers, leaped into the air and the condensing sensation of his body shrinking, his muscles contracting and his bones shortening, shot through him. Kane’s arms transformed into wings, his vision grew keener, and his body shifted into a large bat.

Lucky he was able to transform. Sometimes the waxing moon allowed him to use his vampire powers. If it had been a crescent moon or a half moon, he’d never been able to call forth his powers and the victims would be good as dead. Although he was immortal, he didn’t have the ability to fight Palmer when Palmer was at full strength. 

“Capt’n,” Amadi yelled. “No.”

More crewmen joined in the protest, but Kane ignored them. He wanted to foil Palmer’s bloodlust.

He sped toward Palmer. The lad ducked under water, but the larger, swag-bellied man remained slumped over a piece of wood. Inches away from the man, Palmer skimmed the water and soared into the sky. As he whirled around, Kane collide with him, wrapping his wings around Palmer’s body, trapping Palmer’s wings. Kane bit the back of Palmer’s neck. Palmer screeched and arched his back, but Kane held on. The ocean, night sky and ships swirled around as they plunged into the warm water the way sea eagles clash over prey. Palmer arched again and broke free. He whirled around and bit Kane’s wing, tearing his flesh. Pain seized Kane and he sucked in sea water.

Palmer soared out of the water. Ignoring the blinding pain, Kane darted into the air and pursued him. Cannons thundered. A cannonball whisked toward him. Kane darted to the left, narrowly missing the shell. 

“Captain,” Amadi shouted.

“What the blazes are you doing?” Sean cried.

Others joined Amadi and Sean into yelling at him to return to the Soaring Phoenix.

Palmer glided toward the Fiery Damsel. Blood dripped onto the ocean. Damn! If Kane chased him onto his ship, Palmer’s men would not hesitate to sever his head and he’d join the floating corpses.

A movement in the water caught his eyes. Damn sharks.

The pain throbbed in his wing. He turned around and headed back to the Soaring Phoenix. Kane spread his wings wide, landed on the deck, and transformed back into a man. He half smiled at the holes marring the hull of the Fiery Damsel as she turned and headed back out to sea.  

Sean stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. “Capt’n, what the devil were you thinking?”

Kane rubbed his throbbing shoulder. “Denying Palmer his pleasure.”

Yes, Kane is my version of an alpha male and hope you liked the excerpt. I look forward to meeting all of you at the conference.

ML

About ML Guida:

You can contact me at my website: http://www.mlguida.com.  

Why Authors like Conventions: Books by Silver James

Hi, everyone! I’m Silver James and I like to walk on the dark side. Since I love the dark, why am I coming to Hot Mojave Knights in Las Vegas, the city of neon lights? Because I can’t wait to meet the readers and other authors who will be in attendance. Oh, yeah. And the knights. ;)

I do have a confession to make. I’ve never actually been to a reader event, much less been a featured author and I have this secret fear that I’ll be sitting in the room for my “personal” chat all by myself. I’m bringing some special swag as a bribe to get people to my room. Shhhh. Don’t tell. Just come. At least with the panels, I’ll have the company of some amazing authors. I’m sitting on the Otherworldly Panel and the Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Panel.

So here’s my question to the folks who will be coming. What would you like to hear us talk about in the individual chats? Do you want to know about process? About the books we’ve written? About characters? Setting? Plotting? Trust me. You don’t want me to get up there and just “wing it.” You’re liable to get a song and dance and for anyone who has ever heard me sing….well, let’s just say they paid me to stop. ;)

I know why authors like to come to these events. We get the chance to meet readers and talk about books we love—yes, authors are readers, too. We have our own favorite authors and books. I’m guessing that’s why readers like to come too. Did I mention the knights? That’s another reason for coming. And the banquet costume party on Saturday night. And the gift basket raffle for charity during the book signing.

Do you have your costume ready? We went shopping for my daughter’s last weekend. Yes, she’s coming with me for a girls’ working weekend.  She’s a professional photographer and will be there to capture all the terrific moments at the panels and parties. She’s coming as Major Hannah McIntire,  heroine of BLOOD MOON, the first book in my Moonstruck series. I’m coming as an “older” version of Sade Marquis, the heroine of my new Urban Fantasy series, the Penumbra Papers. Sade’s a kick-ass FBI agent and I get to wear a long, black leather coat. I’m dying to see what costumes the other authors are wearing. And the knights. Will they come dressed for court?

Who’s going to Hunk Mansion for the male review? Who’s going to stay at the hotel for the wine tasting? Who’s going to bed early? No you aren’t! There will be too much fun going on. There are books to talk about. New friends to meet and get to know. There are knights to visit with.  And books. There are a couple of book signings going on in addition to everything else. What more could you want for a weekend filled with fun?

If you haven’t signed up yet, there’s still time. If you have signed up, what are you most looking forward to during the weekend? I’ll see everyone there in just 18 days! Come get your fun on!

About Silver James: BIO

Silver likes to take walks on the dark side and coffee. Okay. She loves coffee. LOTS of coffee. Warning: Her Muse, Iffy, runs with scissors and can be quite dangerous. She’s the author of the best-selling Moonstruck series and new urban fantasy series, The Penumbra Papers. She's been a military officer's wife, mother, state appellate court marshal, airport rescue firefighter and forensic fire photographer, crime analyst, technical crime scene investigator, and writer of magic and mystery. Now retired from the “real world,” she lives in Oklahoma and spends her days at the computer with two Newfoundland dogs, the cat who rules them all, and myriad characters all clamoring for attention. She writes dark paranormal thrillers, time travel romance, and light contemporary with a kiss of suspense. To find out more about Silver, visit her WEBSITE, like her

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE, and follow her on TWITTER.

About SEASON OF THE WITCH (advance copies will be available in limited supply at the book signing):

Welcome to The Penumbra Papers, the exciting new Urban Fantasy series from award-winning author Silver James. Fans of her Moonstruck series will love the Penumbra Papers. These "Cases from the Shadow's Edge" explore the forces of light and dark as they dance through shadows humans barely glimpsed prior to the Big Rip. Since then, all manner of preternatural magicks intermingle with humans in ways mysterious, magical and, in some cases, criminal. Much to humanity's surprise, there really are monsters under the bed and the things that go bump in the night are bigger and scarier than anyone ever imagined.

SEASON OF THE WITCH

__________________________

Sade Marquis. Her best friend turns furry. Her godfather’s a master vampire. Her mother was once a mistress of the King of the Faerie Court.

After the Veil rips, FBI Special Agent Sade Marquis is picked to head up the newly-formed MAGIC unit. When magic’s in the air, Sade is the agent FBI Director George Bailey wants in the trenches. She's savvy, snarky, and sexy but she may have met her match when she's sent to Chicago to investigate the murder of a congressional aide.

Is the vampire, Kristian St. John, guilty as sin? Once a Templar knight, Sinjen now teaches history at the University of Chicago. He must rely on Sade to clear his name and track the real culprit.

Together, they unravel a thousand-year-old mystery. If they don’t solve it, the world—human and magick—will suffer the consequences unleashed by evil incarnate.

Also available in all digital formats now: THAT OL’ BLACK MAGIC – A Penumbra Papers Novella

Along with her FBI partner—and werewolf best friend—Caleb Jones, Sade is sent to New Orleans to investigate the murders of several high-ranking magicks. The Big Easy is neutral territory so Sade must find and arrest the culprit before war breaks out between the Realms. Things look up when the gargoyle Sentinel, Roman, a permanent fixture in Sade’s childhood, arrives to keep the peace. Maybe.

The investigation is hampered by Sade’s faerie nemesis, Ariel—the King’s Seducer. Oh, and then there’s the new dragon in town, Nikolas Constantine. Sade can’t decide whether to arrest his ass or admire it.

When guilt and innocence come to play in the French Quarter, it’ll take Sade’s brand of crazy to sort it all out.

AMAZON | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS | GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | Now available on iTunes and more sites coming soon

Hot Mojave Knights! by Maureen O. Betita

Hot Damn!

I’m sure hopin’ there be pirates in this here devil isle known as Las Vegas… I’m lookin’ fer some nice seasoned pirates, some muscles on them, silver woven hair and a flash a’ knowin’ what they be doin’ in their eyes.

I don’ mind some scars and lines, means they been at this few awhile and know what ta do…wit’ booty, bounty and babes. (Or those not so in the thrall of babedom.)

Aye, I be lookin’ forward ta Las Vegas and Hot Mojave Knights…

I hopes ya be searchin’ fer adventure! Romance! And Pirates!

And if’n ya leave Las Vegas hungerin’ fer more…then look no further than me pirate themed books… The Kraken’s Caribbean be featurin’ pirates, Steampunk and kraken. Why? Why not!

The series I call me Caribbean Spell Series features pirates, time traveling sexual witchery and an alternate Caribbean ta mess with. Oh, and Merlin – eventually… This be a 30 volume series, so ifn’ ya love the love haul…I be the ship ta sail upon!

Look fer me in Vegas…I’ll be wearin’ the pirate hat!

And a hearty good day ta ya, wit’ good luck fillin’ yer sails!

Cap’n Maureen O. Betita, pirate wench a’ the cyber seas!

www.maureenobetita.com

I be on FB as Maureen O. Betita Author and simply Maureen O. Betita

I tweet but not terribly often

Me books be at Amazon.

Knights in Vegas—What Else Can They Be But HOT! by Lizzie T. Leaf

When I was asked if I’d attend Hot Mojave Knights I went to their website to see what the conference is all about. What did my wondering eye behold, but HOT men! It took me all of two seconds to say yes.

That was earlier this year and I’ve been anxious for October to get here since then. But, it’s not because of all the hot men. I love conferences! Meeting new friends, catching up with old friends and all the fun activities puts a spring in my step, even at the airport on the day I leave.

Though now I have problem. What to wear for the King's Coronation and Masquerade Ball?  Should I go in character from one of my books? If so, which one. The options are several. Witch? Vampire? Cougar? Or do I get my sexiest voice on and go as a phone sex operator? Then again, there are the characters in future books. Oh, do I have a headache!!! And like me, you’ll have to wait to see where this ends up.

Plus, there are the Saturday events. Somehow, the Powers at Hot Mojave Knights, (I think after a few glasses of wine), decided I should be on panels. That being said, Vixens (and you know who you are), don’t make me track you down and hurt you if I don’t see your smiling face at the Humor in Romance Panel and the Rejection and the Bad Reviews roundtable.

As you can see, excited as I am for October to arrive, I still have decisions and homework to be done.  That being said, I’m going to stop my wanderings here.  Now back to pondering and researching.

About Lizzie:

Award winning author, Lizzie T. Leaf, writes Paranormal Romance with lots of spice and humor.  When she needs to get in touch with the mortal world, her stories cross into Contemporary Erotic Romance. And check out her newest title.

Find Lizzie at: http://lizzietleaf.com

Blurb: Emerging Magic

Emerging Magic is the second book in the Magical Love series and the Cailleach has a dilemma on her hands.

Against her will, the Cailleach puts into play the magic to unite another pair of soul mates.

Loneliness drives Cori Sparks to chocolate. The fledging witch's desolation also compels her to attempt using her emerging magic in the quest for love. Unsuccessful, she turns to a dating website and discovers what may be her perfect match.

Rob Vesha is tired of the money hungry women he meets in his social circle. Given his gene pool he doesn't think the real 'him' would excite them as much, but he can't share enough to find out for sure. On impulse he turns to the internet and discovers Cori.

Can their love survive his family reunion in Transylvania?

Who Will You Be at Hot Mojave Knights? by Siobhan Muir

"Who Will You Be Now?" Okay, so it's a little play on the title from Men at Work, but with Hot Mojave Knights coming in less than two months-Can you hear the clock ticking down?...tick...tick...tick-it's time to get your thinking caps on.

I'm so excited to see everyone at the event. There will be wine meet & greet going on Friday night and we'll have local wines from the Pahrump Valley Winery to enjoy. Trust me, they're all really good. Plus the Knights, Sir Scott Nova, Sir Scott Roahrig, Sir DeLonn Donovan, and Sir Benny Bekro will all be there to schmooze and talk with everyone who isn't attending the Hunk Mansion Girls Night Out. Whichever event you choose to attend, it's going to be a blast. And handsome men to talk to, as well.

But my favorite thing will be the King's Coronation and Masquerade Ball on Saturday night. The idea is to dress up as your favorite literary character, whether Alice from Alice in Wonderland or Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. Heck you could probably dress like Master Chief from Halo if you're so inclined. For myself, I'll be dressed as my heroine Sabrina Foxglove from The Beltane Witch, and if we're really lucky, Darius Winterbourne just might stop by. ;)

In the meantime, check out the Facebook pages. There's all sorts of news and announcements that come through.

Hot Mojave Knights Facebook
Hot Mojave Knights Event

And if you haven't signed up for Hot Mojave Knights Romance Reader Event, you can always jump over to the website and get your spot. If you're local to Las Vegas, there are a la carte options as well as the full weekend tickets.

It's going to be an amazing time with great authors, hot men, and fun costumes. I'll be the one in the glasses (oh, wait, most of us wear glasses) and the big grin. I can hardly wait to meet all of you and I hope to see you there.

All the best,

Siobhan

About Siobhan:

Siobhan Muir lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband, two daughters, and a vegetarian cat she swears is a shape-shifter, though he's never shifted when she can see him. In previous lives, Siobhan has been an actor at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, a field geologist in the Aleutian Islands, and restored inter-planetary imagery at the USGS. She’s hiked to the top of Mount St. Helens and to the bottom of Meteor Crater.

Siobhan writes kick-ass adventure with hot sex for men and women to enjoy. She believes in happily ever after, redemption, and communication, all of which you will find in her paranormal romance stories. She loves to talk to readers.

You can find her here:

http://siobhanmuir.com

Hot Mojave Knights - I Can’t Wait! by Elaine Levine

There’s something magical about meeting up with other like-minded worshippers of the male physique for an entire weekend away from the families we love and the stresses of our daily routines. Not everyone understands the mania that romance fiction engenders, but I do.

We can giggle as we compare book boyfriend fantasies. Falling in love is ageless, timeless--a truth shared by all of us who need an infinite supply of happily-ever-after endings.

The authors attending Hot Mojave Knights represent a wide range of romance sub-genres, from different epochs in history, young adult and new adult, romantic suspense, paranormal, time travel, and so many more. If you’re looking to find a new favorite author, you’ll have many new-to-you authors to meet!

There are several different panel discussions you can attend, each with its own focus area. I’ll be on one Saturday afternoon along with Lexi Ryan, Deborah Coonts, and RM Sotera chatting about New Adult and Contemporary Romance. If you’re a reader wanting to know the stories behind the stories, come listen as we reveal our story secrets. If you’re an aspiring author, take advantage of the casual environment to ask authors your burning questions. That relaxed setting is what I love best about romance reader gatherings like Hot Mojave Knights.

I write both historical westerns and contemporary romantic suspense stories. I’ll be giving books and ebooks away at the Sunday morning booksigning and at my intimate chat 9:00 am Saturday, so be sure to come meet me to take home a signed a story from my new romantic suspense series, the Red Team!

BIO: Elaine Levine lives on the plains of Colorado with her husband, a middle-aged parrot, and a rescued pit bull/bullmastiff mix. In addition to writing the Red Team romantic suspense series, she is the author of several books in the historical western series, Men of Defiance. Visit her online at ElaineLevine.com for more information about her upcoming books. And join the Red Team Readers Group or the Men of Defiance Readers Group to chat about either series!

Wish List by Deborah Coonts

When I was approached about being a featured writer at Hot Mojave Knights this October in Vegas, well, I needed convincing. Just coming off a grueling book tour, I was toast and had no intention of signing up to do more book stuff. I needed a break. No more talking about books. No more talking romance. No more Vegas.

And then I saw the men.

And a trip to Hunk Mansion.

I was in.  I am sooo easy….but don’t tell anyone.

Who could resist the chance to vote on Mr. Mojave Knight? I’m assuming there is pre-judging and all that implies, right? I’m really looking forward to that part.

Anyway, much like you I love my men and my novels hot.

And, if you want romance that sizzles, where else should you be in October but Vegas at Hot Mojave Knights?

The chance to mingle with similarly afflicted story lovers. The chance to pick writers’ brains. A trip to Vegas in October where the weather is sublime, and the air like wine. The chance to see hunky guys without their shirts. All this a legit business deduction to boot? What’s not to like?

As a writer I’m looking forward to chatting with readers too because, even though I write for a living (actually I just write for a living so I can explain all those write-offs for evenings at male strip clubs to the IRS) I am at heart a reader. And I love to hear from other readers about what books they are enjoying, what types of stories they would like to see more of, and what they think is being overdone…if there is such a thing.

And, then there’s the costume ball. I come from a long line of adults who loved to play dress-up. Don’t ask, but suffice it to say my grandmother went to a party once dressed as Carmen Miranda with about forty pounds of bananas on her head. The next party she went in full Geisha regalia and she couldn’t take a stride longer than six inches—I would’ve loved to see her dance in that get up. My 6’4” grandfather was not amused. Anyway, I don’t know what I’ll wear for a costume…. it could be anything. Hey, I live in Vegas where a g-string, pasties and some Saran Wrap qualifies. But don’t hold your breath....

And Vegas is the perfect venue to talk romance, whatever your concept of it might be—trysts measured in hours, or a relationship spanning decades. Hot or not. And that’s what I want to do at Hot Mojave Knights. I want to hear what your concept of romance is.

Of course, I also want to talk about humor in romance novels—I mean sex is pretty funny after all. What? You say it’s not? Hmmm…well, it certainly is in my household. Anyway, I need to get that straightened out—perhaps you can help me.

And I want to ogle the romance novel cover models in the flesh.

Don’t you?

Then join me, sign up, and come on in…the drinks will be cold, the men, hot, and the conversation…stimulating.

Deb

About Deborah Coonts

My mother tells me I was born a very long time ago, but I’m not so sure—my mother can’t be trusted.  These things I do know:  I was raised in Texas on barbeque, Mexican food and beer.  I currently reside in Las Vegas, where my friends assure me I cannot get into too much trouble.  Silly people. I am the author of WANNA GET LUCKY? (A NY Times Notable Crime Novel for 2010 and double RITA™ Finalist), LUCKY STIFF, SO DAMN LUCKY and four digital novellas, LUCKY IN LOVE, LUCKY BANG and LUCKY NOW AND THEN, Parts One and Two.  The fourth Lucky novel, LUCKY BASTARD was just released May 14^th in hardcover. I can usually be found at the bar, but also at www.deborahcoonts.com.

Vegas and Authors and Knights, Oh My! by Emerald

Hot Mojave Knights (HMK), scheduled to take place October 18-20, is an event devoted to readers, writers, Las Vegas, and hot men. That’s pretty much enough to get me there (or almost anywhere) all on its own. Incidentally, if you feel the same way, by all means stop reading this and register now to join us there in just a couple short months!

If you’re already signed up (yay!!) or want to hear a bit more about the multitude of additional plans that make this event one I’ve been looking forward to all year, I’m happy to share a little more about it.

I was (and still am) honored and flattered to be asked to be one of the Authors of the Court for the inaugural Hot Mojave Knights romance reader event. My invitation came from the ever-so-lovely SiobhanMuir (one of the HMK organizers whom I met at the Erotic Authors Association conference in Las Vegas in 2011). Though I was thrilled when she asked me, I felt some apprehension that I might seem a bit out of place. I have the impression that the work of most of my fellow Authors of the Court differs from mine in that 1) they all have at least one book of their own (you know, with their own name on the actual cover :) ), and 2) the work they’ll be featuring at HMK has no trouble falling into the romance genre.

My work is a bit outside of these lines; for one thing, I work in the short form currently, so I do not (alas, yet!) have a book of my own to feature. Rather, I’ve written stories that have been included in a number of anthologies alongside many of my venerable colleagues in the erotica genre. Which leads to the second slight contrast between my work and that of most of my HMK colleagues: I don’t really write romance. While some of my work has been categorized and published as erotic romance, I generally consider myself an author of erotica.

That being said, my plan is to stick to featuring and speaking about my stories that have been published as erotic romance at HMK. It is, after all, an event for romance readers! And I will say that in the face of the obvious excitement building among my fellow authors and the attendees, as well as the plans and events the extraordinary HMK coordinators have come up with, my enthusiasm about the weekend soon trumped any initial concerns I experienced about my inclusion.

In short—I am so excited! Las Vegas is one of my favorite places. I love dressing up, and I can hardly wait for the chance to at the Masquerade Ball, which takes place on Saturday night. As both a writer and a reader, I love being surrounded by writers, and the opportunity to meet readers is of course something I invariably look forward to. In addition, for me a stay in Las Vegas isn’t complete without a trip to see strippers (of the male persuasion, of course), and HMK has this covered, too! Friday night will include a trip to Hunk Mansion for a male review.

Seriously, does this weekend not sound like a dream in the making?? I can hardly wait! And you don’t even have to plan any of it for yourself—the amazing Hot Mojave Knights organizers have taken care of it all. (See the schedule for the weekend here, and book your hotel room at the conference site here.) All you have to do is show up!

I very much hope you will, and if so, I look forward to meeting you. I, the acclaimed group of authors I am alongside on the Court, and a number of hot, lovely men will be eagerly awaiting your arrival! ;)

Love,

Emerald

About Emerald:

Emerald is an erotic fiction author and general advocate for human sexuality as informed by her deep appreciation of the beauty, value, and intrinsic nature of sexuality and its holistic relation to life. Her work has been featured in anthologies published by Cleis Press, Mischief, and Logical-Lust, and she serves as an assistant newsletter editor for Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW).

Website: http://www.thegreenlightdistrict.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Emerald_theGLD (@Emerald_theGLD)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmeraldAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/652859.Emerald

A (K)Night in Vegas by Sir Scott Nova

Well, it’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and I just got back from the gym, my son is napping upstairs and I’m on the PC trying to catch up with all my duties here. Don’t get me wrong though, I honestly love how busy I am and how in-demand I’ve become in a short period of time. Speaking of...

A few months ago Siobhan Muir messages me on facebook to ask me if I’d be interested in joining their inaugural romance oriented convention that they are hosting in Las Vegas. I was immediately intrigued because I’ve never been to Vegas. It’s just never presented itself to me as an option and so I haven’t made it there yet. Needless to say though, I’m going in October, 2013.

They are hosting a cover model contest and it’s called The Hot Mojave Knights cover model contest and it will showcase 4 of us guys who all have some experience in modeling and/or fitness. Some of the guys are aspiring cover models, some are vets. I’m incredibly excited to be going as I will undoubtedly make some new connections, and life long friends. I’m rooming with one of my original boys of romance, DeLonn Donovan and we can be found on the dance floor each and every night, ladies, so bring your dancing shoes.

I am extra excited about HMK convention because Siobhan has been so accepting of suggestions and questions. I KNOW this convention will be for and by the readers/authors. NOT to make a dime. The making of money is an after-thought for Siobhan on the convention. And I appreciate that greatly.

I myself am incredibly excited to sit and talk with some of my good friends at this event; Jade Lee, Kelly Oaks, Wendy Maples, and Jodi Redford to only name a few. Jodi will possibly be debuting a new release with yours truly on the cover. :) Jade Lee doesn’t love me enough for a cover. LOL I’m just kidding.

The events all take place at the Sunset Station Casino in Henderson, NV and go from Oct. 18th - 20th. Us guys will be on “display” the entire convention and will also be escorting all of you at the night time events, and especially the Masquerade Ball on the 19th. There, we all will be vying for your attention as we try to complete certain tasks to quality for the grand prize given out later that night. So ladies, pay attention to the guys who are opening doors, pulling out chairs and fighting evil at every turn.

Want to take a gander at the models attending ladies? Follow this link below:

http://www.hotmojaveknights.com/the-knights-of-the-mojave.html

Well, I got so much to do today, I better get a move on. I’ve got an interview to write for BTS Magazine and also a shoot to organize for Horny Devil Publishing as I’m now the face of their brand, so I gotta make good on my shoot.

Take care ya’ll!

Scott

About Scott:

Scott has a 17yr background in IT, that has found a passion in modeling/acting which is enhanced by his love for fitness. He's represented by The Talent Group of Pittsburgh. He is also a freelance cover model/physique model; he has an level of energy that allows him to work diligently to get the shot you need. Martial arts has been a part of his life in some form since he was roughly 9 years old. So you can expect nothing less than total professionalism, and positive energy.

You can find Scott on Facebook.

The Wild West Way with C.R. Moss & RM Sotera

Hi all! Get excited! The Hot Mojave Knights Readers’ Conference is coming up quick! :)

Today I’m here to talk about co-authoring the Double D Ranch Tales series and the special event my writing partner, RM Sotera, and I will be hosting at the conference.

During an interview, we were once asked about co-authoring and what drew us to write a Contemporary Erotic Western Romance. The following are our answers.

C.R.: I thought it'd be fun…sexy cowboys, rugged terrain, hot nights… ;)

RM: I agree. I mean, who doesn't like a man who can tie you up, lay you down, and basically keep you in any position he sees fit. :)

C.R.: What also drew us into writing the first and subsequent stories and dipping our feet into the genre(s) was a trip I went on where I stayed on a working ranch. There were ranchers/cowboys who actually wore the hats and chaps. There were horses, trail rides, campfires, cattle and food cooked outside. My muse started asking, "What if?" When I returned home with a handful of ideas, I went to RM and said, "Guess what we're going to write about."

RM: Yeah, that was an interesting conversation. I was a bit worried about writing it since I hadn’t been there in person, but C.R. had taken lots of pictures and shared them with me. We'd written another set of books together, and co-authoring this project just seemed like the logical thing to do once we did a lot of brainstorming and started verbally laying down the first story. We had a blast dreaming up the Dougan brothers, and then, adding two heroines that could bring the men to their knees or kick some ass, was an awesome feeling. And, it’s just grown from there.

C.R.: Speaking of co-authoring… It’s amazing when something clicks and our teaming up together did just that. RM defines our partnership best…

RM: Many people have asked me what it's like to work with a co-author. I do believe my answer surprises many. One would think that two authors, both striving for creative freedom, would find it difficult to work together. I am happy to say that I've found the opposite to be true. The creative relationship that I share with CR Moss is what I believe to be a once in a lifetime occurrence. As soon as we are in a room together or on the phone and we start brainstorming ideas for stories, the creative sparks fly hard and fast. Sometimes, I'm unable to process as fast as we spit out the ideas for stories. We just have that connection. We respect each other, and when an idea doesn't work, we file it for another time. Value and respect, commitment and willingness to accept change - this is our mantra. When the idea of Wild West Weekend (the first story in the Double D Ranch Tales series) came about, excitement drove us to pump the story out. It went through many revisions before we both knew it was ready. We had a blast dreaming up the awesome characters and the magical place they call home. I know we are extremely humbled and happy by the positive reviews and comments that have come our way - both about the book and our writing styles. I know, and I believe I speak for both of us, we have so much more planned for our readers and the Wild West/Double D Ranch Tales series.

And that brings me to our special event: The Wild West Way

RM & I are developing a sub-series for the Double D Tales, and we’re inviting the HMK attendees in on it! You’ll get to meet us and learn about us in a more intimate setting. There will be an interactive section of the event where you’ll help us write another Wild West story, and there will also be music and prizes. For more information, please visit: http://doubledranchtales.blogspot.com/p/hmk.html

We hope to see you there!

C.R.
Love & Lust in the Wild West ~ http://crmoss.com

About CR Moss:

C.R. writes stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly with varying degrees of sexual heat. Writing as C.R. Moss gives her and her muses the freedom to explore worlds of possibilities when it comes to love. And where does the tag line “Love & Lust in the Wild West” fit in? Well, for one, she lives in NV. Two, her stories take place, either in part or in full, in and around the Las Vegas area. In fact, even this website sports “a look of home.” The background picture was taken in an area just a few miles west of Las Vegas and happens to be the inspiration for the setting of the Double D Ranch Tales saga.

Midwestern Writer Tries Vegas by Lexi Ryan

I was born and raised in Indiana, and I’m raising my kids here. In fact, I now live in the house right across the little cul de sac from the house I grew up in. I’m a Midwestern girl in so many ways, and 90% of the time, I’d just as soon set my books in the Midwest. It’s comfortable to me, and I like exploring my home and its intricacies in my writing. When I wrote Text Appeal, however, I knew I needed to leave my comfort zone and set the book in Vegas—even though I have never been there (but—yay!—we’ll remedy that in October).

The hero of Text Appeal is a professional poker player, but I knew I wanted to set the book in Las Vegas before I even knew much about Charlie. My reason was simple: I feel like there’s this misconception that people who live in “exciting places” have lives very much different than the rest of us. As if geography might change how we fall in love or deal with heartbreak (or might save us from mundane chores like grocery shopping). Same thing with people who live privileged lives—it’s easy to think the money that makes their lives financially easier makes the rest of the issues in their lives easier too—as if an heiress doesn’t have to come into her own and find herself the same way the rest of us do. With Text Appeal I wanted to play with both ideas and show that someone who should ostensibly have an “easy” and “exciting” life doesn’t necessarily have either. So I set my book in Vegas and made my heroine a hotel heiress who is trying desperately to do all the right things and be the perfect daughter.

Vegas was the perfect backdrop for Riley because it symbolized everything she denied herself and was missing in her life—fun, excitement, reckless abandon.

***

“What’d he buy you?” Lacey’s gaze shot to the nondescript, eco-friendly canvas shopping bag on the couch. “Is it in there?”

But before Riley could respond, Lacey was pulling out sexy, sexy leather and Riley’s Inner Naughty Girl was squirming impatiently, saying, Let me try it on. Now!

Lacey’s jaw dropped. “Oh. My. God. This is so hot.” She laid it out on the back of the couch and looked at Riley. “Do I even want to know why my brother bought this for you?” She smiled. “Charlie’s always been sweet on you. If he weren’t my brother, I’d tell you to go act like the young woman you are and have a wild affair.”

Riley thumped her friend’s arm. “I’m with Chaz.”

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” Lacey said with a shrug.

“Yeah, but I have to live here.”

***

Riley denied herself all the fun things we people who don’t live there think Vegas is all about. And in Text Appeal, she experiences those things not because of where she is but because of who she’s with. Romance doesn’t need a fancy backdrop. It just needs the right guy.

And you know what? I loved writing about Vegas. I spent way too much time online looking at pictures and going to the websites of the hotels and restaurants in the area. I spent a ton of time researching casino security (SO COOL!), drooled over menus and read reviews. It was an amazing secondary experience. I can’t wait to try it first-hand!

Hope to see you there! J

~Lexi

Bio:

NewYork Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Ryan writes adult and new adult romances with humor, heat, and heart. A former college English professor, Lexi now writes full time. A proud member of Romance Writers of America, she lives in rural Indiana with her husband and two children.

Find Lexi Online:

http://lexiryan.com

Facebook: facebook.com/lexiryanauthor

Twitter: @writerlexiryan

Whirlwind Year to Bestselling Author by Raine Miller

So my name is Raine and I write sexy books. I’ll be heading out to Hot Mojave Knights in October for a fun weekend of romance book loving with other like-minded individuals and couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of the event as an author, because just a year ago my writing life was very different from what it is today.

I ’m a former teacher who used to spend all her spare time writing those sexy stories and keeping it a secret when I wasn’t teaching 1st graders how to read. *winks* You can probably figure out why I kept it a secret, can’t you.

So just one year ago something happened that eventually changed my life.

My husband took our two sons away on July 17^th, 2012 for a week at Boy Scout Camp. I love that week every summer when they all go to Boy Scout Camp. It’s my favorite. I love the solitude and know I’ll get a lot of writing done. House stays clean. I don’t have to cook anything unless I want to eat. I can swim in my pool without children splashing around in there. I get to stay up late watching HBO and Showtime without worry that a kid will see what I am watching. *everything I like to watch is inappropriate for children* Basically, I am a very happy woman alone with my free time.

I got right to work with a manuscript that needed some attention. I wrote during the day and then in the evening I combed over stock photo online sights and looked for images that could go onto my book cover. On the second night of my domestic freedom, I found an image that changed everything. It was a beautiful picture of a naked woman posing in an unconventional way but so perfect everything just clicked into place all in an instant. A serendipitous moment. I thought about the picture and what it would be like to be a nude model and meet the man who bought your portrait. My first indie published book was born in that moment with just the seed of an idea and a picture. Naked, The Blackstone Affair Book 1 was that story. I sat down and wrote the opening chapter right then and set aside the other manuscript I was working on. I wrote like a fiend for three weeks until it was done. I couldn’t stop writing and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The whole idea and story pretty much took over the creative writing part of my life.

I was scared to self-publish Naked, because I had only written books for small press publishers and knew next to nothing about how to go off independently all on my own. But I was blessed with the wise words and helpful encouragement from a dear friend and fellow author, Belinda Boring, who got me to press ‘publish’ on KDP back in August of 2012. What happened next was a whirlwind roller coaster ride of crazy that didn’t really stop until after the holidays. The books became bestsellers, landed me the perfect agent, and eventually a traditional publishing contract with Atria Books. It’s all a blur to me now. A crazy, scary, unbelievable blur with Christmas decorations mixed in.

Naked went on to make the New York Times and so did its sequels, All In and Eyes Wide Open, books 2 and 3 of The Blackstone Affair. Nobody was more surprised than I was, and nobody could have told me then, that one year later I would be a full time writer going to book signings and conventions like Hot Mojave Knights for my day job! True Story.

Never give up on your dreams and do those things which make you happy. Meeting readers and sharing the love of a good story is something I will never grow weary of. I can’t wait to meet you in October!

xxoo R

All About Raine Miller.

Raine is a New York Times bestselling author who has been reading romance novels since she picked up that first Barbara Cartland book at the tender age of thirteen. She couldn't stop reading if her life depended on it.  So much so, she turned to writing those sexy books herself.  Granted, Raine's stories are edgy enough to flip Ms. Cartland in her grave, but to her way of thinking, a smoking hot hero never goes out of fashion. Ever! Writing books pretty much fills her days now and she can be found just about anywhere that has white mocha coffees and wi-fi.

Raine Miller
Raine Miller Romance

www.RaineMiller.com

Hot Mojave Knights from Sir Scott Roahrig

I’m so excited to be a part of the Hot Mojave Knights convention. This will be a weekend filled with Authors, Knights and Readers from all over joined in one place to enjoy the passion of the Romance industry and get up close and personal with Authors and entertainment. From Friday night entertainment to meet and greets with the Authors to the Banquet Saturday night it looks as though good times are not sparse at this event. I look forward to competing with my fellow knights to earn your hand with kind gestures and I welcome you to approach me with the utmost confidence. Til we meet in October, I say to you, “Be brave, be confident and keep the passion alive!”

About Scott M. Roahrig

Scott was born in Mesa, AZ. Lived there until he was 8 years old. Then he moved to Colorado where he currently resides on the Western slope in Grand Junction, Colorado. He's a single father of three little boys ages 11, 10 and 7 and a career Firefighter with the City of Grand Junction. His favorite outdoor activities include snowboarding, hiking, camping and much much more. You can usually find him at the gym, playing at the pool with his boys or enjoying the beautiful landscape of Colorado.

You can find Scott on Facebook.

Oh Slutty Me by Jade Lee/Kathy Lyons

I am a conference slut. Yup, that's me. If an event has readers and writers, I want to be there. I'm one of those rare creatures: an author extrovert. As a kid, "class clown" was one of the nicer labels applied to me. As an adult, I want to be where the people are. And if it's not a party, I will do everything I can to make it one. Drinks -- yup. Goofy antics? Count on me. Funny anecdotes? I've got a million.

When I was asked if I wanted to attend Hot Mojave Knights, I said, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! It was only later that I managed to justify the business expense. After all, I have books to promote! New fans to connect with! And let's not forget the Chippendales party--which is now Hunk Mansion--but as long as it's got hot men dancing, I want to attend!

So fair warning! If you find me at an event, prepare to par-tay! Or just sit around talking books! (Can I have a fruity rum drink while we do it?) Tell me about your favs, and I'll tell you mine! (Elizabeth Hoyt just fined me for too many exclamation points. *everyone's a critic*)

Okay, this is a blog and I'm supposed to tell you about my books. Most people know me as Jade Lee who writes SEXY historical romances. [cover of Wedded in Sin pix] Wedded in Sin is up for a RITA award! Here's that book in a nutshell: I fell in love with Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock. (Not as Kahn!).

Watching it, I thought, “I have to write a love story for this man!” I just wanted to see him knocked on his butt by love. So I moved him to the Regency era, named him Samuel Morrison, and proceeded to completely confuse him with love. Talk about fun! Check it out here: http://jadeleeauthor.com/books/bridal-favors-series/wedded-in-sin

My other book right now is a contemporary by Kathy Lyons. Dream Nights with the CEO. Imagine a boss/assistant who start sharing erotic dreams. Isn't that always the way? You go to sleep one night, then start having hot dreams about your boss. Turns out he's having the same dream about his amazing secretary.

Okay, so it's possible that has never happened to me, but here's why you might care: this book is the funniest thing I've ever written. I knew the shared dreams would be hot (that was the premise of the book), but I had no idea it would be so funny. Since the hero has a comic book obsession, the dreams started taking on an unmask-the-superhero tone. And wow, was that funny. Don't believe me? Check out the excerpt here: http://kathylyons.com/dreamnightsceo.html

Okay, that's it for me today. I've run out of room. But never fear, I'll come back in a couple months to say hi again. And I can't wait to hang with you in Vegas! WOO HOO!

Jade Lee/Kathy Lyons

All about Jade Lee/Kathy Lyons

KATHY LYONS writes light, funny, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze.  She loves the faster pace of category books and that her humor can shine through.

She leaves the dark, tortured love stories to her alter ego, Jade Lee.

www.JadeLeeAuthor.com / www.KathyLyons.com