Come and Meet Meet the Muses @ Carolina Con May 30-June 1st
The time is here ladies and gents where The Midnight Muses will be guests at the Con Carolina 2008 here in Charlotte!
Join myself (Dahlia Rose) Crymsyn Hart and Sabrina Luna at The Marriott Hotel on North Tryon for booksignings and where we shall be speaking on a few panels on all three days!!
So how are you to find us? Well here is our schedule :) We hope to see you there!!
Friday
4:00PM-7:00PM – Signings/Book Sellings at Hallway Table 2
7:00PM – A Rose By Any Other Name – Magnolia
10:00PM – Erotica, The Art of Writing Good Sex - Dogwood
Saturday
12:00PM-3:00PM – Signings/Book Sellings at Halway Table 2
6:00PM-9:00PM – Signings/Book Sellings at Hallway Table 2
9:00PM – Vampires and Zombies in Literature - Magnolia
Sunday
9:00AM-12:00PM – Signings/Book Sellings at Hallway Table 2
12:00PM – Books for Lunch - Dogwood
1:00PM – Urban Fantasy – Main Programming
2:00PM – Creatures of the Night - Magnolia
Don't these panels sound hot? We have a packed schedule, all our books in print to sign and goodies to share! We plan to have tons of fun! Look out for great pictures coming soon!! (well after the weekend..LOL)
Linnea slowly opened her eyes. She prayed everything that had happened to her today was a dream. If it wasn't, her life had just been turned upside down. She was not expecting to wake up and find she could hear ghosts, see people's auras, feel the energy from crystals, and see a man holding the head of an old hag in her best friend's torn apart apartment. The image had stayed with her as she struggled up through the darkness. Something about it made her soul shiver.
A handsome man, at least six foot tall, dressed in black, with alabaster skin, chiseled jaw line, aquiline nose, and long black hair pulled back in a ponytail stood in Maili's apartment. In his left hand, he clutched the head of a hag whose mouth was petrified in a wicked grin showing small, yet sharp rows of teeth. A long, pencil thin nose with hairy warts on the end of it pointed at her. Dark enchanting eyes pulled her in even though the thing was dead. White wispy hair was what the man clenched. In the other was a smoking silver sword with black liquid dripping off it. The thing's body had fallen backward. A pool of what appeared to be black blood collected around the stump where the head had been. She didn't think she could ever forget the scene. No matter how much it affected her, the gorgeous stranger intrigued her more. She had never seen anything like him. Are you Maili's knight with a shining sword? It would be nice if you were mine, but why would you want to look at me at all? Then the shock of it all had overwhelmed her, and she had passed out. She had only done that once before when her grandmother had told her about her parents' death. It had stuck with her along with the idea she was not going to be eating anything blue.
Finally Linnea opened her eyes. Her head throbbed. She must have hit the hardwood floor pretty hard. Her hand rubbed over the spot. A knot was already forming on her skull. It was going to be tender until she could put something on it or at least took some aspirin. However, as she opened her eyes, she saw the intruder in Maili's apartment staring down at her. His intense eyes were wrinkled at the edges. He seemed to examine her like she was a science experiment. His demeanor was rather cold. But no matter what his appearance hadn't changed. He was still a dangerous dish. When he realized she was awake, he didn't move away from her. From her vantage point, she saw the fine make up of his lips. They were slightly pink with deep lines etched into them, but ever so soft. She found herself wanting to meet them with her own to see if they were as luscious as they looked. His cheekbones were sharp and he was clean shaven. The aroma about him reminded her of the forest. Clean and vaguely of mint. A bolt of heat went through her and settled between her legs. She would love to pull this man down on top of her and make him see what kind of a woman she truly was. It had been a long time since she had anyone in her bed, and he was scrumptious. So not her type, but very delectable. No matter what though, he was probably Maili's. She always got the good ones. Mentally, she slapped herself at thinking about a man when her best friend was missing and strange things were going on.
"Hello," she smiled. Heat flushed across her cheeks as she realized where her thoughts were heading. Linnea wanted to get him naked and have her way with him. Now is not the best time for that. But damn. Can't a girl have any fun?
"What are you doing here?" he asked. He sat on the arm of the couch she was lying on. He crossed his arms and stared at her like she was really the intruder and not him. Linnea sat up slowly as she glanced around the room. The body still lay there. The head now sat on the kitchen counter staring at her. His sword leaned against the edge of the counter nonchalantly like it was a wet umbrella. Its blade was pristine, showing he took good care of his weapon.
What else does he take good care of? He can certainly have any woman he wants with just a look. God, I have to think about something else.
"I should ask you the same thing," she snapped back. She tried to get up, but her legs were wobbly, and she fell back down into the tattered sofa. God, her head hurt.
She felt the slight burn of the crystal in her pocket. Suddenly her head did not hurt so much. Hmm . . . I didn't know quartz had healing properties. I have to look into that when I get back home. Grammie should have had it in her Book of Shadows.
"What I am doing here is none of your business. I suggest you get out of here before you get yourself into any more trouble."
Linnea turned toward the arrogant strange crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't have to explain myself to you. I have a key to the door. I wasn't the one holding a sword and a severed head of—whatever that thing is!" She pointed to the hag head which she swore was grinning at her. She glanced away from it since it was creepy. However, she had a feeling she had seen that somewhere before in one of her grandmother's books. She just couldn't recall which one. The stranger got up and stood over her trying to be daunting. Linnea recognized he could be dangerous. He had that kind of vibe flowing off of him, but she also sensed something— he didn't fit in. It was the only way to describe it. He did not belong, not just in the apartment, but in the world. Gathering her temper, she closed her eyes. Inhaling, she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Maili was not here. Her fear was rising. The dressing room had looked just like this. Whoever was after her friend was looking for something. The witch feared her friend was in grave danger. Linnea had to figure out a way to contact her best friend's mother. She had no idea of even where to start. Maili described her mother as a globe trotter with no permanent address.
"Look, I don't have time to argue or ponder why there's a dead whatever it is in the middle of Maili's living room. Get the hell out of my way so I can look for my friend's mother's phone number. I'm sure it's around here somewhere." Linnea tried to stand once again. This time her legs were not wobbly, and her head not so achy, but he still blocked her way. He stood as still as a statue with his face blank and his arms crossed. Linnea heard the bell-like giggle of the ghost boy who was now standing in the doorway. He had a large smile on his lips and stared at the two of them. She looked back at the gorgeous stranger and saw his gaze move from the door to her. He had seen the ghost too.
"You saw the little boy too? Didn't you?"
"What little boy?"
"Whoever you are! Why the hell are you in my friend's apartment? I know you saw the little rascal. Do you know anything about Maili's disappearance? If you do, I swear—"
A cold smile curled on his lips. "You'll what? Harass me to death about invisible boys? Like I said before, who I am and why I'm here is nothing of your concern? Maili doesn't need your help. You'll only get yourself killed. Now go back to your safe little house and normal life and let me take care of it. This isn't the place for you, Linnea." He grabbed her elbow and began to drag her through the debris toward the door.
Linnea was not about to go anywhere. The flautist was not going to abandon her friend. She had to find Maili. This guy was the only lead she had at the moment. And how did he know her name? She dug her heels in letting herself only be taken halfway across the room, where she yanked herself out of his grasp. Without thinking, she spun around with an open hand and slapped him.
We're very excited! The Midnight Muses have received nominations from Love Romances Café for their Best of 2007 awards!
Sabrina Luna's received two nominations!One for Best Historical with A WARRIOR'S HOPE and a second for Best Anthology with SPELLBOUND, which features her story, APHRODESIA!
Dahlia Rose and Crymsyn Hart are both nominated for Best Paranormal Author!Also, two of our epublishers, Phaze and Aphrodite's Apples are nominated for Best Publisher 2007!
The polls open on January 1st and close on the 20th. Be aware that you MUST be a member of the yahoo group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveromancescafe Love Romances Café, in order to vote. They will be announcing the winners on January 21st –so mark your calendars & place your votes!
Midnight Encounters Receives Another Awesome Review!
Sandi at Romance Junkies says, "Join four wonderful authors for a tempting collection of paranormal romances that are sexy enough to warm the cockles of your heart. Visit with witches, vampires, werewolves, sorcerers and other things that go bump in the night. You won't be disappointed!"
I spotted the vampire who faced us. The woman looked to be no older than twenty. Her hair was the color of a streaked sunset. She had a drink in her hand. I wondered how old she actually was. My shields wavered a moment as I lost my concentration, and it was then she stopped in mid-sentence and stared at Veronica and I. My breath caught in my throat. This was the test. If she found out, then I'd be bait, and Veronica would—well, I didn't know what would happen to her, but it'd be bad.
The other vampire raised her glass and motioned for us to join her. The gesture reminded me of the very same one I had used to acknowledge Veronica just two weeks ago. How fast things had changed.
Veronica looped her arm through mine as all the muscles tensed in my body. I felt like I had been spiked into the floor and there was no way anyone could move me.
Just relax. Don't let her sense your fear or she'll be curious. Let her think you're my child and just learning to be what you are. It'll explain a lot. Now smile, Veronica whispered in my mind.
I nodded internally, allowing my muscles to relax as we crossed the room. I plastered a huge smile on my face, hoping it would hide the uncertainty that burned inside me. I had no idea how long the ruse would work and my energy would remain smooth and not falter, revealing what I truly was.
"You must be new in the city," the other vampire said. Her voice held no hint of an accent. Her lips were as red as her miniskirt. The lipstick contrasted with the olive tone of her skin. The energy around her was ancient, older than Veronica. Outwardly, she was younger than I first thought—eighteen, sixteen even. Her eyes told a different story. This woman had seen centuries, millennia even.
"Yes," Veronica answered. "Raven thought this would be a good place to observe the meat."
The ancient vampire's gaze fell on me. Her mind sliced through mine. She knew everything about me in a second. I didn't think she sensed I was a phony, but assumed I'd just been turned because of the humanness about me that she couldn't stand. She hated the cretins she fed on, fucking and playing with them. The image of the beast within her flashed in my mind. It was twisted, everything Veronica was not. This ancient one could not stay in the daylight more than half an hour or she'd ignite like dried wood. Her mind left an imprint as she withdrew from my thoughts. I assumed I'd passed the test because I was still breathing.
"Yes, this place has a certain atmosphere that draws many of us. It's neutral territory. We do not fight here, and many mortals are already marked, so you must be careful not to take one that is."
"We'll be careful. Come, Raven." Veronica tugged on my arm, steering me through a small passageway and into another dance room. This one played music I was more used to. Good old fashioned goth.
Veronica grabbed a stool at a side bar and I sat next to her. She gazed around the room and then back at me. The muscles in her face relaxed. I could almost see the tiny hairs along her arms lying down.
"She's old. She's a bitch. She almost didn't buy you were just a youngin. I thought she'd tear you apart for a second."
"Maybe we should go then. I mean, if you think it's not working?"
"Nonsense. I think your disguise will work on many. Most others don't inspect minds unless you're considered a threat. I don't know why she did that to you. Those that are possessed by the beast can do strange things. Especially vampires that only crave power and domination. I didn't expect that she would do that. Most of the others couldn't care less about you. They just want blood. She's right; this place has an atmosphere that draws others of my kind here. I wonder why? How did you know about this club, anyway?"
I grinned. "It was a frequent hang out of mine in college."
"I'm surprised you weren't picked off."
I hit her hard on the shoulder. "Hey!"
She laughed. Her laughter was genuine. It was the first time I'd known her to be completely comfortable in public.
Her hand came to rest on my knee. I glanced down at it, hoping there was something more to the gesture.
I traced the veins of her wrist, admiring all the differences about her, remembering when I first met her. The attraction I held for her was nothing sexual. She intrigued me more than anything. I deeply wanted to help her, but after seeing inside her soul, things had changed. I had changed. I caught myself falling in love. Veronica caught my finger with her other hand, applying some pressure to my knee with the other. Her eyes swirled, going from black to red to something in between. They pulled me in. They weren't hypnotic, just alluring. At first I assumed it was her other half close to the surface that made her eyes dance, but it was all the emotions surging through her. They overwhelmed her senses now that many of her walls had come down. So much had changed in such a short time, I didn't want to hurt her, but I wanted her.
I leaned in for a kiss, her breath hot upon my lips, but a song come over the speakers that drew my attention away from her.
The lyrics were about vampires dancing in a moonlit garden. I smirked and watched as people gathered on the small dance floor. I grabbed Veronica's hand, pulling her from the stool before she could protest. If she didn't want to dance, she'd have stopped me with a minute portion of her strength. She didn't. She came with me, joining the small throng of people. She looked at the others dancing, not knowing what the moves were. I laughed and gave myself over to the beat.
The fogger filled part of the club with smog as it mixed with the already thick cloud of cigarette smoke and sweating bodies. I twirled, ignoring the boning in the corset and the fact I wasn't able to breathe. It had been a long time since I just enjoyed the music. Opening my eyes, I checked on Veronica and saw she had also fallen into the beat.
Dancing in a goth club was not the bump and grind of regular clubs, nor was it the jumping of the rave scene. It was melodic and slow. The hands and body told a story as music filled the senses, caressing the insides, infiltrating the brain, and ruled for the duration of the song. I lost my balance a few times, but caught myself, falling into a belly dance step. It didn't matter what I looked like. No one watched me.
I shifted through one song and into the next, as the number of people dwindled from the dance floor. The beat of the next song moved up a notch. It was harder to find a rhythm in it. Some dancers decided to take their one-man show to the top of the stage or inside a small cage on the outskirts on the dance floor. The ancient vampire set her drink down and came to the floor, her movements pointed and exact. She'd heard this music before and knew how to manipulate it and those around her. She pulled the tune into her, drawing attention to herself, and drew focus from those humans in the crowd who might become her next meal. I was spun into her web, but Veronica grabbed my hand and gave me a sharp yank. I looked into my companion's eyes, finding the strength not to lose myself again.
Rules: 1. Have to answer all the questions and email the answers to me. (crymsyn@ravynhart.com) 2. There were will be three winners*. 3. If you need a hint, again email me and I'll be sure to give you a nudge in the right direction. 4. Contest runs from 12/14-12/22. *If winners are not within the US, then an alternate prize will be considered.
Prize: Home made gingerbread men that were made and decorated by me, Dahlia Rose, and Sabrina Luna.
Questions: Sabrina Luna's ?s 1) What is the name of the goddess on my official website? www.sabrinaluna. com 2) Who created all my Video Book Peeks? www.sabrinaluna. com 3) Who does the webdesign for my website? www.sabrinaluna. com 4) What's the GLBT anthology my story will be appearing in? www.sabrinaluna. com 5) On my MySpace profile, what's my latest guilty pleasures? myspace.com/sabrinalunaauthor 6) On my Myspace profile, how many top friends do I list? 7) On Thursdays, what do I post? http://sabrinaluna.blogspot.com
Dahlia Rose Questions 1) On Dahlia's myspace blog... Where did she find the perfect cheesecake? 2) On Dahlia's website Bio... Name two of her kids? 3) Name Dahlia's Most recent release? 4) On Myspace blog "The men in my ife"... Name her top three favorite guys? 5) What is one of Dahlia's favorite hobbies?
Mightnight Muses Questions.... www.myspace.com/themidnightmuses 1) On The Midnight Muses my space site. What is Dahlia's nickname for her kids? 2) What is the main Genre the midnight muses write under?
Crymsyn Hart's Questions 1. What are the three books Crymsyn has coming out in Dec, Jan, Feb 15th with Cacoethes Publishing? 2.What wound is on the gingerbread man on How to Ruin Xmas for a Vampire? 3. How are the main characters in Cemetery Ties? 4. What is the name of Crymsyn's husband? 5. On Crymsyn's blog what are the latest two Excerpts I posted?
Midnight Muses Questions: 1. Name all four Stories in our Midnight Encounters book? 2. Name the books available from the Muses?
triumphant
