Thirteen books I reread last month

Thirteen Books I reread last month.

1. Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

2. The Beast Within by Lora Leigh

3. Wyndham Werewolves by Mary Janice Davidson

4. The Knights Elemental by Sahara Kelly

5. Road to Rapture by Marilyn Lee

6. Forever Enchanted by Maggie Shayne

7. Enforcer by Lauren Dane

8. Single White Vampire by Lynsay Sands

9. Charming the Highlander by Janet Chapman

10. The Blue Viking by Sandra Hill

11. Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd

12. You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister

13. Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Thirteen Reasons I Love Dogs

1. Dogs love to play.

2. They always know when I’m upset and offer comfort.

3. Dogs never judge you.

4. They never lie.

5. Dogs never cheat.

6. They are usually happy.

7. Dogs eat whatever you make for them without complaints.

8. They are always there when you need a friend.

9. I love the way they beg for ‘cookies’.

10. They shake my hand. (sometimes over and over again)

11. They kiss my cheek when I hug them.

12. They'll play fetch till they drop.

13. Unlike a cat they poop outside. If you’re lucky they do it in the neighbor’s yard, so there’s no hands-on crap handling.

Thursday Thirteen

In an effort to find a way to post at least once a week, I decided I'd try a Thursday thirteen. At least this way you'll learn a bit more about me if nothing else. LOL So here goes...

Thirteen things I love about writing Paranormal romantic erotica:

1. I get to tell outrageous stories and no one ever calls me a liar.

2. Research ::waggling brows::

3. I get to dream up yummy vampire and shifter type men.

4. People tell me they blush when they read my books.

5. All the friends I've met.

6. My man never accuses me of being a prude.

7. No one ever accuses me of being a prude... LOL

8. Meeting my readers.

9. Signing autographs. I don't know that it will ever get old.

10. Embarassing my kids.

11. Writing awesome sex scenes.

12. Dreaming up inventive ways to do a menage.

and last but not least...

13. Being able to get paid to do something while sitting on my ass. (usually at the top of anyone's list)

Until next time...

Tianna

Nice Guys?

Those of you who know me or have been to my Yahoo group know that my day job is as a technician in a photo lab. I'm working toward being a specialist but that's for another post...maybe.

How strange is it for a customer to drop by just to say hello? Should I be worried about what goes on in that customer's head or just chalk it up to he thinks I'm nice and leave it at that? I wouldn't really worry about it much but I have several customers who do this. I've even been told they sing my praises to other associates... Should I be worried?

For example, one middle aged man visits and tells me his life story. I'm talking his sex life story. Another just drops by to say hello and let me know how his son is doing. Another, professional photographer, has actually asked me to model for him. I've seen his work. Can I keep my clothes on? That's the first question that popped into my mind. Normally I wouldn't question this since I usually only get one or two of these types a week. This week I've been getting two or three a day and now I'm wondering why I seem to stand out in so many people's minds.

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm being too nice to people now. Should I change, be less personable or should I stay the same and not worry about how many people come into the store then smile and wave as they pass? Actually, it's not the smiles and waves that bother me. It's the, "Did I tell you I have a penile implant and my doctor also prescribed viagra" comments that creep me out.

Until next time

Tianna

Cell Phones

Sometimes cell phones suck. We've lived in Michigan for almost seven years now. When we moved here in July of 2002, we had our phones switched over to Michigan. Three years ago we noticed that the cell phone company was still billing us for Virginia Beach city 911 tax and Virginia state sales tax along with the taxes for the state of Michigan.

We went on happily with our lives paying our bills and generally noticing the bill wasn't as expensive as it had been. Then a year and a half ago, suddenly our bills seemed more expensive again. The taxes were back or, according to their customer service never left. They were just hidden deep within the bill where we couldn't easily see them. We called again and asked them to remove the charges. They did.

Tonight, we looked at our bill on the internet and what do we see? Virginia Beach 911 taxes and State of Virginia sales taxes. Now they don't want to credit these monies to us because we should review our bills better and notice these things the month they happen. What? Whatever happened to customer service? And businesses wonder why the economy is so bad... I don't wonder. I know.

I don't look at my bills unless the charges are more than what I expect. So I guess a little of this is my fault but still, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that phones being used in Michigan shouldn't have any Virginia taxes on them. And the problem should be fixed the first time the customer calls and complains about it.

I hesitate to mention the company's name here. I only know I'm going to run very fast to the nearest cell phone kiosk and see which company will give me better service. Anyone have any suggestions?

Until next time...

Tianna

In Memory of Prince

If I had to choose a favorite breed of dog I think it would be the German Shepherd Dog. Of all the working dogs I've ever been in contact with they are the most versatile, loving and hardworking animal. I haven't met a great many working dod breeds, however, so I could be wrong.

I had a German Shepherd Dog named Prince Albert, Prince for short. He was a large boned German Shepherd (also known as Shiloh Shepherd) who looked just like Rin Tin Tin of TV fame. I didn't know this when we acquired him just outside an animal shelter where his previous owner was about to drop him off outside the closed shelter in a crate.

It seemed the man's new wife had a grown Doberman that didn't like my little Prince. The man had the puppy wrapped in a blanket, his papers tucked inside the box. Apparently the man had only had Prince for three weeks when they'd gotten married and the Doberman was an adult. The woman wanted the messy puppy out of her house so there we were looking at this purebred puppy that looked more like a husky mix than a German Shepherd Dog.

Little did we know when we took this small puppy in that we would end up with a large dog that, when he stood on his hind legs, would be as tall as my husband who is six feet tall, by the way. He saved my life at least twice and was the best babysitter I ever had.

I'm writing this today in memory of his generous nature and love of life because today was his birthday. He crossed over in June of 1988 a victim of a sick individual's poison. The exboyfriend of a neice decided he shouldn't live because he'd protected our neice from the same man's rage.
I know you're waiting for me at the rainbow bridge, Prince and I can't wait to see you again.

Happy Birthday.

Until next time...

Tianna

Blog Post Winner

As many of you know, I had a blog post contest last week through Author Island. I meant to announce the winner last night but I had a migraine and, truthfully, forgot to choose and post the winner.

Martha E is the winner of a free download of The Prophecy. Martha E, if you could contact me at tianna xander @ yahoo.com (minus the spaces of course) I will send a copy right to you. You have your choice between a PDF and Microsoft reader.

Congratulations!

Tianna

Groundhog Day

Almost everyone knows that February second is Groundhog Day. It's the day when most everyone gets up early to watch the morning shows to see if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or if we'll be lucky enough to have a short winter and an early spring.

By the way, he saw his shadow today so I guess we're going to be cold for a while longer yet -- if you believe the prognostications of a little fat rodent.

Very few know the ancient meaning of this day. In the Pagan world it has a variety of names but most commonly it's called Imbolc, prounounced im-bolk. It's a festival. You know, back in the anceint times they had little to do in the winter so a party or celebration was something taken very seriously. Especially if it marked the halfway point between winter and spring. They were halfway there! Winter was on the downward spiral and warm weather would come again soon.

Imbolc, the fire festival, marks the point halfway between the Winter Soltice and the Vernal Equinox with roughly six weeks between the two. This time is also known as Solmonath or Candlemass depending on tradition.

To the Romans, this holiday was known as Lupercalia. Ancient Egyptians called it the Feast of Nut after the mother to the sun god Ra. Her birthday was February second. Christians celebrated this as Candlemass, the purification of the virgin. Many religions celebrate something on this day. Was it because there was nothing else to do in the dead of winter? Was it to celebrate surviving the first six weeks of winter or was there some other more mystical reason most religions had a celebration on this day and in fact have many holidays that coincide?

I fear no one will ever know the correct answer but it's fun to learn about and fun to wonder. And the celebrations aren't too shabby either!

Until next time...

The Prophecy

The Prophecy

By Tianna Xander

Copyright 2009

Now available at http://tinyurl.com/8rps79

Niklas Voortag, High King of Terrna lives his life for his people. His own needs are unimportant. Driven by the words of an ancient prophecy, he searches far and wide for the woman who can save his world. Now that he's found her, can she also save his heart?

Kidnapped from her world and everything she knows, Brianna O'Neill finds that she is The One bound to save an entire world. A trip through space, an acquaintance with a faery and an ancient sorcerer was never at the top of her list. Now she must come to terms with the fact that she is the only one with the power to thwart an evil plan.

Excerpt:

A slight movement in the corner startled her and she shivered with fear. Swallowing thickly, she tried to talk around the giant lump in her throat. “Is someone there?” She sat up, pulled the sheet up to her chest and squinted into the darkness, trying to see around the shadowy shapes she knew was her furniture. The sound of breathing from the corner made her heart pound faster.

Brianna’s hands fisted in her sheets, she hadn’t been this frightened in her own bedroom for years. The old fears and insecurities rose up, bound her to the bed, making it nearly impossible to move. She was torn between running and pulling the covers up over her head like a frightened child.

She inhaled sharply when a person stepped from the shadows, even opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Reaching for her throat, she wanted to claw at the slim column and force it to comply. She tried again, still nothing.

Is this another dream? The intruder stepped fully into the moonlight and she could see him, or her, very clearly now. Whatever it was, it couldn’t possibly be human. It was tall and thin, with long silver hair and long pointy ears. Brianna resisted the urge to giggle. Hysterics were not an option. She needed to keep her wits about her.

“I would appreciate it if you did not think of me as an it or as a female.” The creature straightened. “I am Larin of the Fey. Messenger of Morgaine.”

“Huh?” Brianna sat up, holding the sheet to her chest. Now that she knew she wasn’t looking at a specter, whoever it was, had to be human. Fear came bounding back. She cast furtive glances around the room, hoping to find something she could use as a weapon. What the hell, if she was going to die anyway, she was going to go out with a bang. Maybe literally. “First of all, how did you know what I was thinking? Two, how did you get in here, and three, just who in the hell are you?” Brianna waggled three fingers, glaring at him. She didn’t give a crap if he was gay. She just wanted him out of her house.

He sighed. “I am most certainly not gay. Not in the manner you mean at any rate.” He hedged. “I am gay, meaning that I am happy.” He smiled and spread his arms wide, his hands palms up.
Like that was supposed to clear things up? Brianna slid backward across her bed to put more space between them. Turning her back, she dropped the sheet, grabbed her robe and put it on. Maybe he was a weirdo surgically altered to look strange. One who needed to make the acquaintance of the guys who wore the white coats?

She held trembling hands in front of her, in what she hoped resembled a placating manner. “I’m glad that you’re happy being gay,” she smiled. “Really I am. I just don’t know what it has to do with me or why you’re in my house.” She blinked and eyed the telephone, wondering if she would be able to dial nine-one-one before he could take it from her and make her eat it.

Larin closed his eyes, running a long slender finger up and down the most perfect nose Brianna had ever seen. He smiled and opened his eyes. They had the most devilish twinkle.

“I am pleased you like my nose, madam, but it is far from perfect.” He leaned back and sighed.

“Ah. Now, my Queen, she is another story. She is perfection.”

“Will you stop that?” Brianna shook a finger at him. “Just stay out of my head! You weren’t invited.” She glared at him, furious, her eyes becoming slits. “How do you do that anyway?”

“Do what?” Larin asked, feigning wide-eyed innocence. The glacial blue of his eyes was prismatic, reflecting what little light there was back at her.

“Ack!” Brianna threw her hands in the air. She was never going to get a straight answer from him. The creep was more slippery than a politician.

His silvery white brows drew down in a fierce scowl. “I beg your pardon!”

“If you don’t like my thoughts, stay out of my head.” She said with a smirk. There! That got him. What in the world did the guy want anyway? And why aren’t you scared out of your wits because he just popped into your house? The strange thing was that she really wasn’t scared of him. She felt more like sticking her tongue out at him than running for her life.

Biting her lip, she eyed the phone and frowned. Why should she care if he’s gay? That was his business, not hers.

“I am Larin of the Fey! F.E.Y. You know, the faeries.”

Now available at http://tinyurl.com/8rps79

Finally! After months of attempting to sign in to this blog, I'm able to post. I can't tell you how frustrating it's been to not be able to sign in to my blog. I got so desperate I even changed the blog on my website to reflect the fact that I could not blog here. Admittedly I've never been a frequent blogger but I've been know to blog more than once every year or so.



I will strive to blog more frequently.



Until next time...



Tianna

Disposable Society

There are so many things today that are considered disposable like paper towels, paper, plastic and Styrofoam cups, plates and bowls. TVs, DVD players and MP3 players are all designed, not to last but to fail so ultimately you must purchase another. Cars don’t even last as long as they used to. My father had a Chevy Impala he got over a million miles on before it finally kicked the bucket.

What ever happened to caring what happened to the earth or to others? What happened to being proud of a job well done and building things that last? Instead, that philosophy has been pushed to the wayside for looking out for the bottom line.

My father worked for a company and a city that cared about its people. They worried that their employees weren’t paid enough or had no family time. Instead, in this new world of super corporate dealings, we have very many who look out only for themselves.

Sometimes I think I was born a little too late. I think the world would have been better off had it remained the huge world it used to be. I can remember when businesses cared what happened to their people, when they remembered that it costs more to train new people than it does to keep the older, more experienced and savvy people happy. As technology makes the world smaller, so it makes the hearts of the worlds corporate giants smaller – along with their fists and wallets tighter.

Am I the only person who thinks that no one in the world needs to make thirty million dollars in a year when there are so many people homeless and starving? Perhaps I’m stepping over the line here but I have to believe that the world has really gone to Hell when the very people everyone depends on (because we ARE interdependent) become just as disposable as a burger wrapper at your favorite burger joint.

Just a little rant.

Until next time...

Tianna

Pirating of E-Books

When people pirate e-books, they think "I'm not hurting anyone". When in essence you are hurting the Author whose ideas, time and effort went into it. I'm out of work right now because of a neck injury. It wasn't really something I wanted to go public with on my blog, but since the people who are pirating my books also have a google blog, I thought it appropriate to blog this.

I have no income now other than my royalties and this IS hurting me. I have counted on my royalty check to pay my bills which, due to some pirating, I am not able to pay this month. Now I'm faced with feed my kids or pay my house payment. I am NOT rich.

What would you do if someone mugged you after just having cashed your check? What if someone hacked your bank account? Would you consider that a crime? Well, pirating e-books, music and movies is like doing the same thing. Sharing once does it hurt the author probably not. A web site set up to sell or share such things over and over again is STEALING thousands of dollars from the author, actor or musician. These things can and are traced by law enforcement. Don't think you're annonymous because you are on the internet. IP addresses can be traced. Fake IP addresses can be traced. Everyone leaves a footprint. How do you think they catch the kiddie porn sickos?

New from Cobblestone Press ~ Narian Summer

Narian Summer:

The summer heat on Naria used to be a welcome time–a time of fertility and bounty. A time where the Narians celebrated life and everyday worries could be easily tossed aside for momentary pleasure. After three millennia of cultural and scientific stagnation coupled with a blatant disregard for their home planet, the summer heat is now deadly.
As Naria’s citizens prepare to leave their world in search of a new home, three Vampyre find that love can happen in only one day’s time. Lania Cadmus meets her mates, Nicolaos Konstantinos and Herodes Kreios, aboard their ship, The Poseidon, and quickly realizes they are determined to make her their mate.
With only one day to get to know each other before the fleet departs, the men must not only get past Lania’s fear of intimacy, but prove to her that love is all they’ll need to take with them on their journey to a new world.

Sex Me Up has been reviewed!

Sex Me Up, one of my newest novellas written with my best friend and critique partner Bonnie Rose Leigh has been reviewed by Amanda H. at Romance Junkies!

Here's a portion of what she had to say:

SEX ME UP is hot, emotional, tense and erotic. I just flew through this story. I had to find out what was going to happen next. This is going to be a phenomenal series. Jaynee is sweet, innocent, and beautiful both inside and out. Luc is the more dominant male, at least in my opinion. He was sexy, gorgeous and determined to get his woman, even at the cost of possibly losing her. Dare was my favorite. He was just as sexy, though a little less dominant, but he had a little more compassion in him. All three of these characters were superb together. The plot line never dwindled at all through this story. The sex scenes will definitely get you hot and bothered. They were absolutely explosive. I liked how Tianna Xander and Bonnie Rose Leigh wrote the sex scenes; they weren't too hard core but had enough BDSM to make your mouth water at the thought. Romance Junkies and Amanda H. for such a wonderful review.

Click here to read the entire review.


Until next time.
Tianna ~ Join me Where Romance Meets the Paranormal

I must apologize

I've been so busy over the last few months the last thing on my mind was trying to figure out how to get into the new blog. I've had a few new releases since my last post. I'll list them here.

Sexy Santa Dreams, a Winter Holiday short story.

Thor's Hammer, a novella in the rune series at eXtasy Books released in January. Also in January, my critique partner and I had a short story menage accepted by Cobblestone Press, titled Narian Summer release date TBA.

In March, What to do with a Naked Leprechaun. Also in March, Sex Me Up, another menage written with my best friend and critique partner Bonnie Rose Leigh.

I hope you can forgive me for neglecting my blog, but as you can see, I've been a very busy girl.

Tianna ~
Thor's Hammer now available at fictionwise.

I want to post more often, I really do.

I finally finished Alicia: The Awakening and got it published. If someone would have told me that being an author was such hard work a few yeares ago, I never would have believed them. Oh, I knew the writing aspect wasn't easy, but after that, there's editing the copy, at least twice then you have to edit the galley at least once. By the time you get finished with it, you don't ever want to see it again, let alone do anything else with it.

But here I am, telling the world that it is finally finished and hoping that it doesn't take me nearly as long to finish the edits on my new novel.

It seems funny to think of my self as a multi-published author already, when less than a year ago I almost quit writing after a particularly callous rejection. I have a few close friends to thank for that. You all know who you are.

Until next time, remember to visit my website at www.tiannaxander.com check out my excerpts and my yahoo group, but most of all, have fun.

Tianna
www.tiannaxander.com
Where Romance Meets the Paranormal

I Don't Believe it's Been So Long.

I've just checked my blog and I only have one thing to say.

Wow! has it really been that long since I posted here? So much has been going on, I don't know where to begin. I've almost finished my sequel to Virgin's Blood, titled The Awakening. I've written a short story that, as of today, is on the best seller list at eXtasy Books. I suppose it helps that it's only 1.59. But hey, it is a short story, after all.

I'm under deadline for a book in the tarot card series. I have a card from the Major Arcana ~ Death. And I'm still trying to finish Man of My Dreams. I've been a busy girl.

My first novel, Virgin's Blood is now available at Fictionwise.com and is under the new and featured novel section at Readerwise.com. I'm just so jazzed, I don't know what to do.

Wish me luck finishing with The Awakening and I'll try to post more often, I promise.

Ta ta for now,

Tianna

www.tiannaxander.com

Where's Your Erotica?

The RWA Conference and returning to work.

Hello everyone.

I'm plugging right along on The Awakening. I wrote the prologue today. It was something I should have written a while ago but just never got around to. I've added another four pages to the manuscript and feel pretty good about it.

I went back to my day job yesterday. It was both good to be back and a disappointment. Like all writers, I would love to be able to write fulltime. I do realize this is a dream and while it may, one day, come true I still need to continue on with my other career.

The path to success is a crowded space. I just hope I can stay on the path and not kick people as I pass or - shudder - as they pass me. I hope to one day, catch up to those authors whom I hold in such high esteem.

As Christina Dodd said so well in Atlanta, I'll "just keep walking."

Tianna
www.tiannaxander.com
Where Romance Meets the Paranormal

Vampires, Werewolves, other Were-beings Fairies, Witches or a Time-travel?

Like I said last night, I just got back from the RWA conference in Atlanta and I'm Jazzed. There are a lot of great publishers and editors out there who are looking for paranormal romances. Since it's what I love to write, I'm going to go for it and submit to a few of them.

I have several ideas waiting impatiently for my undivided attention. My only dilemma is what do I write first? I have outlines for seventeen new novels. Ten of them are sequels to three of the books I've already finished. My problem is, which one do I work on after The Awakening? Anyone want to challenge me? I'm at page 113. Anyone think I can do it? I hope so. I work so much better when I'm under pressure.

Man of My Dreams, which is the working title for my new time-travel is near the half finished mark. I stopped working on that to start The Awakening. My editor wants it ASAP. I can't complain and I won't. Like I said I work better under pressure. Besides, it's a major compliment to get a phone call from your editor because she wants to tell you about how she kept forgetting to edit because she got dragged kicking and screaming into the work. Who in their right mind would complain about that?

Certainly not me.

I'm going to be running a contest on my site soon. If you're interested, please check back regularly as my site grows. Don't forget to visit www.extasybooks.com to see an excerpt from Virgin's Blood my new erotica \ vampire romance. If you haven't already visited my site, please go to www.tiannaxander.com.

Until next time.

Tianna

News on my trip and work in progress

I just got back from the RWA conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I had a blast. I think everyone did. I met a lot of great writers there, published and unpublished. They were some of the nicest, down to earth people I've ever met.

On to business. I'm chugging right along on the sequel to Virgin's Blood titled The Awakening. Even with the activities of the last week I was still able to add forty pages to the manuscript. Though, to be honest, I did that in about six hours. I didn't have a lot of free time. Now that I'm home I plan to go back to it full time and finish it in the next couple of weeks.

With that said, I'm going to toddle off to bed since I've been up nearly twenty-four hours and get a little cuddle time with the hubby.

Check back often. I'll try to post here a few times a week to give news and updates and info on the contest I'll be running shortly.

Until next time.

Tianna

www.tiannaxander.com