Tuesday, May 31, 2011

I Am Number Four

If you could have supernatural powers, what would you choose to have? I posed this question to my boyfriend and got quite an earful. He is a Heros and Marvel comics fan...big time. His list was not short, but not too long either, but he did put quite a bit of thought into which super powers he would love to have. Invincibility, super strength, and telekinesis were his top three, he named so many that I can't remember what all he said now. :)

My powers would be 1.) Telekinesis 2.) Mind Reading and 3.) Teleportation (no longer have to drive anywhere, just snap my fingers and BAM! I'm there.)

Have you seen I Am Number Four yet? I just watched it today. I decided to watch it because of the paranormal features it has. It's about a boy who is one of nine people from another planet, living here on Earth. His kind is being killed off, one by one, in order. He, of course has supernatural powers that he as to learn to control. He develops feelings for a girl, which goes to show that love truly is a universal, all consuming, and mind altering emotion. Having a human experience in an inhuman body, he chooses to stop running from the beings that are killing his kind off. Three of his people have died, thus the title of the movie, he is number 4. Without giving away too much of the story, check out the trailer... you may find that you want to watch it. (I watched it on Zune through my Xbox 360).


I give this movie a definite 5/5 stars!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Intimate Betrayals Blog Tour Stops/Video


Hi All,

Check out my brand new trailer for the tour! I had a blast creating it! I hope you enjoy! (There will most likely  be more during the tour too! I love creating them). I'm very excited to be doing a blog tour and want to especially thank all of my hosts and others that have eagerly participated and helped me put this whole thing together. I could not have gotten through it all without your expertise!

So the following stops are below:

6/19  - Shameless Romance Reviews
6/22 - Passion Reads
6/23 - Getting Naughty Between the Stacks
6/24 - Passion Reads
6/25 - Mello & June, It's A Book  Thang!
6/26 - Literary Marie's Precision Reviews
6/27 - A Novel Life...Shawna Hill's Blog - Chat @ 9:00 EST
6/28 - Literary Marie's Precision Reviews 
6/29 - Black Diamonds Book Reviews
6/30 - Write to Make a Living
7/1 - Good Choice Reads
7/1 - Write to Make a Living
7/2 - Sinfully Tasty Reads
7/3 - Book Lovers Hideaway

Please stop by! There will be giveaways (ebook and hard copies), gift cards, etc.

For more up to date information, click here..

Friday, May 27, 2011

Another Awesome Review for Intimate Illusions..extended version!

From Ms. Tipstress

My Thoughts:  Naomi, Naomi, Naomi…. or should I say Mystique.. Um, Um, Um…. Shawna had done it again. With this second novel fresh right after the first… Who couldn’t put this down.. Im still waiting for more. Shawna has this way of her writing, makes you feel like your right there in all the scenes. You could cry with the characters and laugh when they laugh..
This one was far better then the first… Everything was pulled right into place. (Well as right as it can be). Sometimes sequels and scorned lovers gets old.. but this one brings it to the new. I was so shocked with some of the things that happened.. (Gosh I wish I could say it)

With everything that Kevin and Savannah has gone through anyone could guess what wold happen next… Hm well that is for you to find out. Can love conquer it all?? In my world, Hell No.. not one bit whatsoever. But that sexy Naomi, sometimes she can be so so … demanding. She is the type of chick that gets what she wants, when she wants it. (with a huge evil smile on my face) She reminds me so much of.. you guessed it. ME! She will stop at nothing.. and I mean nothing!

I could relate to all the characters and their situations many times over in Shawna’s Erotic Thriller.. and a thriller it is. There were times I was speaking out loud ready to fight the next person that walked into my reading office.. I just had to find out what happened.  Scene after Scene had me dieing for more..
This one is heart wreching, thriller packed, keeps you guessing and on your toes.. and you will never ever look at a revengeful lover the same again.

Oh, the things that people do. Is it all worth it? and never forget to “Watch your back”
Hands down 5 chocolate strawberries…. I hope there is another sequel??

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Intimate Betrayals Book Blog Tour!


Hi All,

I am so excited to announce that I will have my first ever Book Blog Tour. It will run from June 19th through July 3rd. I have some really cool blog stops and want to thank them for participating and allowing me to take up their space for a moment. There will be some great prizes, giveaways, etc. so please be sure to stop back for the tour stops, dates, and info to follow along.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Ebook Winner!

Congrats to Orsayor Simmons, the winner of both copies of In Between Lies and Intimate Illusions... Even though he wasnt able to post his comments here (for some reason, the comments section wasn't working), he hit me up on FB and left left his comment there... Thanks for showing interest and taking that extra step to communicate with me. Much appreciated!

Please send me our email address so I can tell you how to claim both books.

Thanks!

Monday, May 23, 2011

1000 Words A Day Habit

Ok, so you may or may not know that I am working on the third installment of the "Naomi Series". I call it this right now because I didn't intend on making this a trilogy..and it may be even more than that. I know that there were will be some spin offs from some characters from both books.  For example, for those of you that have read my books, Jazzy will have her own story as well as Lenora (Savannah's sister) since people have expressed an interest in their stories as well. Shaylynn may have her own as well.

You know it takes 21 days to create a habit.. so my goal is to create my writing habit to write at least 1K words per day. Even if it isn't something that will be included in my books.. just write..

Other habits that I am trying to create and adhere to (or already adhere to):

Workout at least 4 days a week... check
Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day .... half a check  :)
Do something everyday, at least one thing to market my books .... check
Since I am not a regular blogger, try to do an entry at least 3 times a week.... well still working on that one :)
Tweet on twitter... I'm not a real tweeter, so I am working on that one too!
Be an excellent mom to my kids...check



Anyway, I am trying to really commit to at least 1K words a day at the minimum....anyone want to join me for some accountability? Afterwards, we can break out the virtual cheese, crackers, and wine to celebrate our competed works.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Getting Naughty Between the Stacks: Guest Post by Shawna Hill and Giveaway

Getting Naughty Between the Stacks: Guest Post by Shawna Hill and Giveaway: "The Dangers of Love There was a time when I would sit around gabbing off with my girlfriends about you guessed it! Men! We would kick back, ..."

Be sure to hop on over and check out this great blog! I'm sure you will find something of interest. Also, be sure to leave a comment on my guest post that enters you in a drawing to win free copies of both In Between Lies and Intimate Illusions!

See ya there!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Friends with Benefits, the Benefits of Friends

Crossing that line of just being friends to friends with benefits is a tricky thing. Is it beneficial to both parties? Maybe, if they both agree. But even if they both agree on this type of arrangement, there is always one that is going to get hurt or get more than they bargained for.

The gray area that it is, is undefinable and yet still just as much there as your hand is attached to your wrist. So you both agree that you can remain friends. Once this line is crossed, more likely than not, one will develop deeper feelings and want more. What if the other doesn't want more? Can you stand to see him/her go out and date others, knowing that eventually it may get deep...thus moving your friendship to the back burner?



Can you really say that you could stand by and watch and listen to him/her talk about their budding friendships, knowing that sex is probably involved.. and if not, it will be sooner or later...unless you speak up and voice your concerns or opinions. But wait... you two are just friends with benefits. No strings attached, no commitments...Isn't that what you agreed to? Yes, and now you are regretting it. So what do you do?

In Between Lies examines this type of relationship and more, bringing you drama with every turn. After many hours of talking with people, this book is the result of those conversations, ideas, and imaginations.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Sunday Special

I don't know about you but Sunday is a workday for me (at work now) so it's a Monday instead of Sunday. So to get me through my blah first day of the work week feeling, I like to have something to have something to look forward to...like take a longer than normal lunch.. LOL... just kidding. But serioulsy, I love treats and today I'm offering a treat to everyone!

You can get ebook copies of both In Between Lies and Intimate Illusions for only $.99ea.. good through the end of this month!

Go to my profile on smashwords here and use coupon codes:

In Between Lies: NS78B
Intimate Illusions: GR89Z

That's it! Enjoy!

Review for In Between Lies

Another shout out to a great reviewer! Ms. Tiptress of PassionReads.com had some great things to say about In Between Lies! Thanks so much for yor support!

Actually, I want to thank all that have reviewed, are in the process or reviewing, and the ones that I haven't yet reached out to, for reviewing my books and helping me spread the word about them! You guys are PRICELESS!

Check out Ms. Tiptess take on In Between Lies on her good reads page! Her review is also posted on my blog here under the Reviews section.

A Great Review for In Between Lies

I just wanted to drop in a note about a great review that I just received from Literary Marie's blog! She was so kind to review both books and has included In Between Lies in her Sunday Series meme. So, be sure to check out her site and participate in her meme this week and also catch the review for the sequel, Intimate Illusions, next week at Marie's Literary Blog!Thanks to Marie for taking the time out to review them both.

Here is what she had to say about In Between Lies:

This is the debut novel to a drama-filled, erotic romance series. Author Shawna Hill's writing style is easy to follow. Despite my sensitive eye to mechanical errors in the text, I was still lost in the realistic story line. In Between Lies is not your typical romance. The scenes are just as hot as the cover portrays. Twists in the plot, fatal attraction moments, and a jaw-dropping cliffhanger clearly separates it from the rest in its genre. Thank goodness I had the sequel readily available to continue the story.


Check back here next Sunday for the review of the sequel. And a huge thank you to the author, Shawna Hill, for reaching out to me. Otherwise, I may not have discovered this good, steamy series.


Title: In Between Lies
Author: Shawna Hill
Published: June 2009
Pages: 113
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Sneak Peek of Dark Whispers- coming TBA

Here's another sneak peek at a WIP (work in progress) ... for Dark Whispers


Sweat poured profusely from her forehead as she clenched her chest in agony. Sharp pains stabbed at her stomach causing her to thrash back and forth in her sweat soaked bed. Void of a distinct form, a dark, silhouetted image appeared and flashed in front of her before she was able to clearly focus on his face. A face that she somehow instinctively knew was male. He had haunted her in the past few months. The pace of these recurring visions seemed to pick up, throughout the weeks and it plagued her more often than not…at least twice every other week.      
            Mya Jackson darted to an upright position in her bed, snatching herself from the nightmarish dream, but not before she got a glimpse of the distraught woman. She looked to be about twenty five. Beautiful, but very pale complexion, and fire red loosely, curled hair. She also appeared to be dressed in what looked like a stripper’s outfit…garter and all. Not able to hear her, she saw her mouth moving, forming words. She was holding her stomach as if to try to keep her insides from flowing out. Mya saw the agony in her face and knew that her voice was laced with fear before she slumped over and took her last breath.  Then the horrid vision faded just as fast as it had appeared.
 Now, unable to calm her trembling nerves, she cursed the strange gift of vision that she had acquired. She never fully developed it, nor had an inkling of how to use it. Although she’d experienced its strange sensations numerous times throughout her life, she still had yet to understand it or use it to her advantage.  The gift was left almost completely untouched.
As far back as she could remember, her mother always stressed that she wanted her to have a normal life without the disturbing visions. She did nothing to help her understand them, just completely ignored it. When she had visions, they were easily dismissed as if they didn’t exist, leaving Mya feeling helpless and winding up not wanting it herself.  Maggie Jackson, her favorite aunt, was the outcast of the family, was the only one that really wanted to try to make Mya understand how special she really was to have it. Against her sister’s wishes, she’d secretly advise Mya of her power and remind her of what good it can bring about, if used correctly. So here she was left with this under used gift, to either nurture or continue to ignore its presence. She sat in the middle and chose to do nothing…that is until now.
  It hadn’t taken her long to realize that her dreams were coinciding with the strange happenings of late, and the killings that had taken place just recently. On a couple of occasions, she could swear the faces of the victims in her dreams were the same ones that she reported on as well. It was an eerie feeling that crept through her whenever the pictures were thrown across her desk, leaving her to wonder if they were really dreams and if she was hallucinating it all.  
It was now after midnight she noticed, so she decided to listen to the radio and catch her best friend, Candace Stone, for the Dark Whispers broadcast.

            “Welcome to Dark Whispers…This is Candy and you are live on the air on the one and only station where you can be you….the place you call to free your mind, speak about your inner most inhibitions, your fantasies, and your heart.” Candace Stone flipped her headphone and mouthpiece around to fit her head more snugly and continued, “It’s now the close of the midnight hour and I want to know what’s on your mind…So, Joe is it?” she questioned, “What’s on your mind at this hour?”
            “I just really wanted to say that you are doing a good job here, Candace. I listen to you every night.”
            “Thanks, Joe. Is that what you really wanted to say? Or are you being a little shy?” she asked.
            “…Um, no… I, uh… I uh,” his voice grew deep with courage and mischief at the same time. “I just cheated on my wife and I actually don’t feel bad about it!”
            “How do you feel, Joe?” Candace replied, not in the least bit shocked at his revelation. She’d been on the air as the host of Dark Whispers long enough now that not too much of anything shocked her.
            “I feel exhilarated…alive… whole again.”     
            “Why did you cheat on your wife, Joe? Is she cheating on you?”
            “I don’t care if she is. As a matter of fact, I hope she is because I sure am,” he remarked. “I want her to have as much satisfaction as I am.”
            “What if she is listening right now, Joe. What would you want her to know? What would you say to her?”
            “Um, something like…Sorry babe, but I got another piece somewhere else. She don’t talk back, she don’t ask questions, and she says that I actually please her and she definitely pleases me…and that is a whole lot more than I can say for you.”
            “Like I say to Joe and all my other listeners out there… Free your mind and live your life…Good luck Joe in your little adventures. I wish the best for you.”
            Candace flipped the switch and disconnected the line. “That was the last call… I want you all to have a good night, take care, be safe and be happy…Until tomorrow, good night.”
            Candace slipped out of her headset, placing it in the holder right beside her and reached for the phone. She’d been ignoring the menacing red light that indicated she had a voicemail for the past week.  It was her personal line to the station and only select friends had the number, except for the person that kept calling and breathing heavily into the phone and then hanging up. No message was ever left, just a complete deafening silence or ragged breathing. The calls had been coming at a steady rate though, at least three times a week at random times while she was on the air.  Since that particular phone did not have a caller ID display, she had no idea who it was, nor did she care to find out.
            The only thing at that moment that she cared about was getting out of the small, downtown radio station. The thought of her slipping into her cozy, warm, and inviting brand new condo she called home was her driving force.  Newly single and free, she’d purchased her condo in the exclusive Rolling Acre Hills area that was located just east of downtown in a small and tightly knit community. Rolling Acre Hills was Columbus, Ohio’s best kept secret. It was her haven, and she thoroughly enjoyed it.  Being the last to leave, she turned out the lights and headed for her car.

Candace slipped into the hot, bubbling Jacuzzi that she’d just recently had installed. The warmth enveloped her as she sank in deeper, enjoying its effervescent feel, and sighed in relief. Soft jazz filled the candle lit air giving it just the ambiance she was looking for to wind down her long evening. Her hair, pulled up into a tight bun above her head, revealed a perfect oval shaped golden brown face. 
She reveled in the fact that she had finally succeeded at getting her own place, now on her own. Her not so long ago divorce had left her penniless and she knew she had what it took to make a new life for herself, and she set out to do it. She was pretty much forced to quit school because her divorce took every dime she had. In little than less than a year she’d found a niche for herself and forged her own way into broadcast radio.
It originally started out as a little call-in show where people could ask their questions to the small panel of professionals that she’d gathered. The professionals ranged from doctors and nurses, accountants, psychiatrists, and even parapsychologists. It so happened that the ratings didn’t shoot up until she got the great idea.  Why not let people free their minds anonymously? Thus Dark Whispers was created and she hadn’t looked back since.
Dark Whispers was an instant success. Her listening base grew exponentially as her topics became more and more bold. She gave the audience what they wanted to hear, and it was all about the ratings that kept her in the spotlight. Her listening audience saw to it that her ratings stayed on top.         Although she was seemingly adored, there were quite a few that didn’t like her, and complained about her topics, questioning her morality and decency. Where was her conscious? How could she allow people to call in and say the things they said? Candace didn’t mind, however, though she knew she had morals and great character. It was all about the show. Or was it?   
            She raised her dripping body from the tub and headed for bed.  The full moon shone through her blinds as the cool air chilled her still damp skin. She slipped on her silk camisole top, then bottoms. She parted her sheets and quickly jumped in and relaxed; comforted by the full moons gaze upon her shoulder.

            Clanging sounds invaded her peaceful sleep. She turned over, shaking away the intrusive sounds, knowing that she was just dreaming. Candace pulled the covers up further and covered her head to block out the sounds. Suddenly, she sat up, realizing that she was not dreaming and knew that someone was in her house.
            Candace tip toed down the stairs, nervous and not knowing what or who would be right around the corner. She held her breath as she turned. A figure was bent over her small desk in her spare bedroom that she’d turned into a study. The figure turned to her as her motion made her noticeable, shining a bright flashlight in her face. 
            “What are you doing here?! How did you get in here?” Candace screamed.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Sneak Peek of The Ladies Club... coming July '11

           
            He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and brought her even closer than she’d imagined he would. He wasn’t still mad? She wondered. Had he finally accepted that she was the mother of his child? His lips lightly caressed her neck. Falling into him even more, she sighed softly then inhaled and closed her eyes.
“I wanted so badly to be there with you when you had our son”, Kevin whispered, his voice like smooth silk.
“Don’t worry about it, baby. That was five years ago, you are here now. It’s all behind us. We can move on from here.”  She broke the grasp he had on her waist and pulled him towards the bed. Seems the more she pulled him towards the bed, the further he really was. Her head spun and the room got smaller. His warm, chiseled body was now a blurry dark form in the doorway, threatening to move away even further. “Wait, baby, where are you going?” she asked. “Come back! What about me? What about our son? You can’t leave us! You can’t leave me again!” she yelled, terrified that this time he would not be coming back.
  Naomi Saunders lazily turned over in her bed to meet the morning sun that shown through her horizontal blinds.  Shaking her head, remembering remnants of her recurring dream, the abandoned wound resurfaced, as it always had before. But now, not abandoned, she would always have a piece of him. She had a five year old son to prove it.  She glanced at her clock and had yet again overslept.
 If she was to get a legitimate job and quit The Ladies Club, the late night on call hours would have to stop.  The fact that she was paid an outrageous amount of money to cater to men’s needs and was highly requested didn’t help matters at all. Now partly taking on clients and responsibilities along with Lady Dane, Naomi had accumulated a nest egg of money and was well off.  Why quit a job like that and get a normal hum drum job when you could have it all?  Truth was she loved the game and using her body to get what she wanted just as much as the men loved using it. Most of the time, all that was required was her company, but on occasion, she was asked to do more, but always had a workaround besides the actual sexual act. That is where her negotiating skills and tact came into play. That is also why Lady Dane had approached her, seeing she had the “gift” of persuasion, and offered a partnership in her seedy business as a Co-Madame.
  Turning to look over her shoulder, Jace Lane, her now high profile, attorney sometimes boyfriend, slept peacefully. Jace wanted more from the relationship. But most of all he wanted to be with his son.  Not that his opinion weighed heavily on her or her actions, she’d agreed to slow her nocturnal activities, promising that her outings were purely entertainment and not sexual at all. Jace didn’t like the fact that she was still “one of the girls” because he’d wanted her to stop a long time ago. Plus now that she had his child, it was the suitable thing to do.

***
            Smoke circled his head as he inhaled one last draw from a half smoked cigarette. Kevin Styles sat in his small office. It was a huge difference from the spacious office space that he’d had six years ago. Of course, his situation had changed a lot in that time, from bad to worse; as if there was no alternative.
 He was cramped in his tiny office space, but thankful he had finally landed a halfway decent job after his fall from grace with WMMT, as the famed newscaster.  The drab, dark brown walls had a way of draining his spirit, pulling him further and further away from any light that managed to shine in from his tiny office window. Finding a decent job was a daunting task, as Kevin moved from place to place, trying to make his ends meet. Wanting to stay in his field of profession, he’d applied at practically every radio and television station, only to find that he’d been black-listed from them all.  A small, third rate cable station was his last interview that he’d gone on as a last ditch effort to land a job before he resorted to a career of unfavorable consequences. Although he considered himself an upstanding citizen, he was from Chicago’s Southside and had connections to things that he’d turned away from many years ago and preferred to not look back.
His face, sunk in as a result of his long hours that he’d put in at the station. His eyes had developed dark circles, which were signs of weariness, and his attitude was just as bleak to match. Although he tried to remain upbeat and face the fact that he brought on all his misery himself, he was still upset at how his life was ruined…all by one woman, and in turn lost the one woman and child he loved at the same time. Replaying the horrific wedding day in his mind, Kevin’s stomach lurched at the thought of seeing his image on the huge screen before everyone there. There was nothing he would have loved more than to strangle the life from Naomi’s vindictive body; if he could have just gotten a hold of her that was precisely what he would have done. She’d put the last nail in his coffin and sealed it shut.
If only he’d not went to that stupid bachelor party that Giovanni, his partner and best friend, set up for him…none of this would have happened. He placed his hands over his face and wiped it as if he was wiping away a film of residue that was out of place. 
 Hope you enjoyed! More to come soon!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Music as Inspiration

When it comes to writing, especially when it comes to steamy scenes, or any scene for that matter, I like to listen to music that sets that particular tone. It helps to visualize what is happening at that moment. And if you have read either of my books, I mention a couple of songs in each of them and the characters react to the music as well. Music is a very powerful tool for envisioning. I guess it could be considered the same as day dreaming because that is exactly what I end up doing....just consciously and writing.  I can see whole scenes, colors, feel feelings, etc. with music and I'm sure you can too.





This song, Stolen Moment, by Alisha Keys is one of my favorites. I thought I'd share this with you. The lyrics are really nice...and it's perfect for writing to.I do all the time.

Here is another of my favs... Musiq Soulchild's So Beautiful...enjoy!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Coming Very Soon... The Ladies Club

Happy Sunday!

I hope that everyone had a great weekend, because we are coming to a close. Actually, I work on Sunday, so my weekend is cut short anyway.

I thought that I would share my "tentative" book cover for the follow up to the much anticipated third installment of the "Drama Series". I call this the generic name of the drama series because I don't have a name for a series that I had no intention of writing. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that people are absolutely loving In Between Lies and Intimate Illusions. And if people are loving what they are reading and I'm having a blast writing about my characters, then onward we go and I will continue to bring them to you.  So here is the cover. It's posted on my Face Book page as well.



If you've had the opportunity to read the drama filled books, then you know they have drawn a crowd that can't seem to get enough of ...you guessed it, Naomi Saunders. And I can't lie, she speaks to me all the time about her desires, dreams, loves, lusts, and what she can't seem to have, most of all...Kevin Styles. The one that got away! She stays into something and is a regular walking soap opera all in one. Well, rest assured she is at it again in The Ladies Club.


I am also working on a paranormal titled Dark Whispers as well. This is the cover for that one (tentative cover).. still needs some finishing touches, but it definitely is inspiring to look at, I must say. Enough to get your juices flowing... LOL!!

I will post excerpts of them both shortly and give story descriptions. I hope to be completely finished with them both by the end of June or maybe mid July, but no later.  For now, enjoy!