(This is x-posted from my blog today over at The Romance Studio on Wednesday. I posted here in case Blogger doesn’t allow you to view the movie trailer. Enjoy!)
I was sitting in my room bugging the hell out of my daughter to help me come up with a blog subject. And guess what? Neither of us could come up with a single thing to talk about. So my next natural train of thought was, ‘what new book do I have coming out’ in hopes of coming up with a loosely related subject to blog about. No luck…sort of.
Death and Roses is releasing next month from Ellora’s Cave as part of the Hunters for Hire Sci-Fi continuity series. Death and Roses is an erotic romance about a female Super Soldier who meets up with the soldier she believes killed the only man who’s ever loved her. There’s more to every author than just writing, writing, writing, right? *say that 10 times really fast* And since I really don’t like talking about my books all the time, I wanted to think of something ‘not’ bookish. My upcoming sci-fi led me to another thought: FUTURISTIC MOVIES!
I am absolutely thrilled that Resident Evil 4: Afterlife is coming out on September 10th in 3D and Imax 3D! *tj dancing around doing a very high pitched squeeee!* I’m totally excited because I like series. Love them, in fact. It doesn’t matter whether the series is done in film or book form, I totally heart them. To be honest, my wallet takes a bit of a beating because when I buy a book in a series, or watch a movie in a series and I love it…I gotta have the whole darn thing!
If you’re not familiar with the Resident Evil franchise, it started with the first movie where Alice (Milla Jovovich - remember her in Fifth Element? No? <---Here’s a picture of her in that movie from 1997) is an amnesiac who doesn’t remember that she works as an operative for a nasty bio-agent manufacturer called the Umbrella Corporation. Then she gets her memory back. That’s real bad news for the bad guys considering her character kicks major ass. I think that’s why I love Alice – any book I write has to have a heroine that can hold her own, which Alice does in spades.
Each Resident Evil movie carries along that same story line of ‘get the bad guys’, but if that’s true, what makes me anticipate this new one? Well, the last movie not only killed off the gorgeous Oded Fehr (gorgeous guy to the right—>), but pretty much made it look as if no one exists on Earth but poor Alice. Her last line in movie number three to the bad guys who’d gone underground to hide was, “Hello boys. I’m coming for you. And I’m bringing a few of my friends.” A few of her friends turns out to be a room several stories high full of clones…of herself.
Hell, one Alice is hard enough to deal with. I’m wondering what they’re going to do with hundreds of her…or will they do anything at all?
Now, I don’t know if Blogger will let me do this, so if it doesn’t work, hop over to my personal blog to take a look at the trailer at TJ Michaels dot com.
See you at the movies!
TJ is an award winning multi-published author of contemporary, paranormal and multicultural romance who’s even managed a couple of CAPA nominations from The Romance Studio!
This week’s Snippet is Vacations or Exotic Locations. I love this excerpt from Egyptian Voyage. The story is exotic and takes our hero and heroine, and their resident bad guy, on a trip through the Mediterranean to Egypt. Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit all of our fabulous Snippet authors via the links at the end of this excerpt.
“Mah, come to me,” he whispered around his toothbrush. At least his eyes were open and he was beginning to recall how to focus. Damn, he was tired. Mahpiya eased to the forefront of his mind, the slabs of dense muscle under her tawny coat flexing as she moved. He closed his eyes a second and grinned when the great cat flopped down on her stomach, raised her amber eyes and waited for him to speak.
Glad no one was around, so that he could speak out loud, Rahn jumped right in and said, “I wonder what the hell happened to Chrysalyn, Mah. I mean, the last time I saw her, she was engaged to that asshole, Kevin or Calvin or something like that. What the bloody hell went down? It’s times like this I wish you could pop over to wherever she is and read her mind.”
Shaking his head in wonder, he was still unable to believe the one woman he knew he couldn’t live without was somewhere around this sprawling apartment. And she was available. Heading for the shower, he stopped short at Mahpiya’s next words.
*There is no need for mind reading. Chrysalyn Geyer is your mate.*
Whoa! Back up. Rahn spun around so fast the clear glass door to the huge stall he’d just opened smacked him soundly on the knuckles. Rubbing the now-tender skin, he reached into his mind, demanding an explanation.
“Mah, how the hell can you know that?” When she didn’t immediately reply, he summoned the feline onto this plane so he could look her in the eyes. “Mahpiya, come to me. Right now.”
The sleek African lioness disappeared from behind his eyes and shimmered into her corporeal form right in front of him. Damn, she was huge—four feet tall and almost four-hundred-eighty pounds of raw power. At the top of the food chain, her earthly cousins were the perfect hunters. And Mahpiya was no less formidable. With the ability to speak mind-to-mind with those in her care, Rahn tended to forget how majestically imposing Mahpiya was. He immediately lowered his head and asked her forgiveness for his impertinence. After all, she served him at her pleasure. He was blessed to have such a wise companion.
Stepping into the shower, he dunked his head under the lukewarm flow and exhaled sharply. The scent of his favorite sandalwood soap filled the oversized stall.
“Okay, Mah, what do you mean, Chrysalyn is my mate?” Could it be? Chrysalyn, the woman perfect for him? He should have been shocked, so why wasn’t he? Because Chrysalyn had been everything he’d ever dreamed of in a woman, a real class act. All he’d had to do was pursue her. But noooo, he’d been an idiot and allowed himself to be, uh, distracted by woman who’d chased after him instead. He’d learned later that same woman not only pursued him, but any other cock she could get her hands on. Hell, she had even slept with his best friend. Claimed it was all part of the job as an undercover. Yeah, right.
Obviously, their relationship hadn’t lasted, but by the time he’d pulled his head out of his ass, Chrysalyn had moved on to someone who treated her like she deserved. The two had been engaged to be married and the woman seemed happy enough. So what happened?
He was snapped out of his musings by Mahpiya’s sharp words and sultry voice.
*Get dressed,hoksila. You must be about your business. Your mate awaits you.*
With that, Mahpiya herded him out of the shower and back into his room with an urgency that had him moving double time. Was something wrong? Was Chrysalyn in danger? And where the hell was the woman, anyway? And hadn’t Mah mentioned a spirit guide before?
*If you stop thinking, you can move faster,* Mahpiya growled before swatting him across the backside with a large paw.
“Ouch! Damn it, that hurt,” Rahn yelped, hoping the impending welts didn’t cause him too much discomfort later. A faint sound caught his attention as he fished around for underwear and a pair of sport socks in his dresser drawer. Lifting his eyes toward the quiet splash, Rahn spied an unlikely vision through the glass doors leading out to the deck.
Holy shit! Chrysalyn basked under the early morning sunshine, her body partially hidden by the swirling rush of hot water in the oversized hot tub. Arms spread out to her sides, the swell of her breasts was just visible above the waterline. Her delicious, cinnamon skin gleamed enticingly, wet from the steam and droplets peppering her beautiful body. The leopard-print swimsuit plastered to her curves sent a rush of heat straight to his cock. Her hair was loose and little curls framed her
strong jawline as she laid her head back, eyes closed and…puffed? On a cigar?
His cock screamed as he stood there, mute and unable to get a single muscle in his body to move. She was so damned sexy. And here he stood with another chance to have her and he couldn’t draw his eyes away from the window.
Another swat across his buttocks took care of that.
“Okay, already! I’m going, Mah.”
*Excellent,* she purred as her corporeal form shimmered away.
This week’s theme is, “Is this a date?” I guess sometimes we wonder, don’t we? And in the case of successful executive, Sydni Cannes, she’s not sure what to make of this first, er, second meeting with a man hot enough to burn butter. The problem is…that same man just got her out of jail after a case of very mistaken identity. So, what’s he doing here?
Enjoy a snippet from Caramel Kisses, available for Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and directly from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave ;D (links are in the snippet)
NOTE: Some sites, like Amazon, won’t display the book flipper. If you have trouble viewing the pages, please visit my site directly at TJ Michaels dot com
Was pretty much what I expected from a Breeds book. I did like the suspense in the plot and the fact that we FINALLY get to understand just who Jonas Wyatt is. Also, the insight into the supporting cast, such as the Leo and Elizabeth Vanderale was notable. On to the next one… ;D
There comes a time in every hero or heroine’s life that their mate does something stupid. And stupid requires an apology…well, unless you’re just a jerk, right? Luckily, our guy, Kenoe Hatsept, isn’t a jerk. And eventhough his sweetheart is angry and upset, he’s so good at making up, she may just decide to pick fights on purpose ;D
Enjoy this Snippet from Hatsept Heat – Vampire Council of Ethics Bk 2
This week’s Snippet Saturday theme is secondary characters. I must admit, I love secondary characters, whether they are friends or family. They make a story feel ‘big’ and well-rounded. I’ve picked a snippet from Caramel Kisses (forgive me for the cover – I know it looks like our leading man can’t even grow a beard yet ;D but I promise he’s in his 30′s and, er, nicely proportioned). Here, Syndi has just gotten out of jail (total case of mistaken identity) and it’s all her sister’s fault, of course.
Click the Full Screen option to enjoy this ‘flippable’ excerpt from Caramel Kisses (if you have trouble viewing the excerpt from Amazon or other sites, visit my site directly, ‘kay? ;D
I’m trying a new bookflip software to share my excerpts with you all. Let me know what you think of this excerpt of my latest release, Shards of Ecstasy.
This week’s Snippet Saturday theme is a hard one. There are some books I like more than others in regard to novels I’ve penned, but I must admit that they ALL have a favorite scene.
The following scene is from Egyptian Voyage, a book with two snarky spirit guides who are responsible for two bone-headed human undercover agents. The story takes place mostly on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Enjoy the banter!
With a smile at the light banter going on in her head, Chrys followed an immaculately clean waiter through the restaurant. Rice paper lanterns sent a gentle glow from the center of each large circular table. Japanese kanji symbols strategically placed along the walls and the rich red cinnabar ornaments here and there, gave a feeling of “rightness” to the atmosphere. She wasn’t really into Feng Shui, and doubted the decorators of this Japanese restaurant were either, considering the art was of Chinese origins. Either way, her spirit guides seemed to love the energy of the place.
Chrys settled down in her chair, sat back and allowed a sense of peace and relaxation to envelop her—something she hadn’t felt since she learned of the case Rahn was working.
The Mastersens were seated and already sipping on frozen, delicious-looking green cocktails. Several couples Chrys didn’t recognize were in the middle of ordering the same thing when Mrs. Mastersen spoke to her.
“Chrysalyn, dear,” Mrs. Matersen beamed. “I’m so glad you could join us for dinner. You must try one of these. It’s a Midori Sunrise and tastes like tropical paradise.”
Mrs. Mastersen was an all-out chatterbox. On the way back aboard ship on Ibiza, the woman had amused Chrys when she’d spotted the bag of specialty cigars she’d purchased. She’d introduced herself and her husband, then asked to try one without an ounce of shame. Gray-haired, feisty and carefree, the two were enjoying their retired years sailing around the world. Chrys had loved them on sight.
“Your dress is downright sexy, young lady. Now where is that delightfully handsome beau of yours? And he let you out looking like that? He’d better be careful or Harold here might put the moves on you. Mr. Mastersen was quite the rake in his day. Still has great skill…”
Chrys wondered if the woman had taken a single breath.
“And even after all these years, he still makes sure I come before he does.”
Chrys coughed on the iced water she’d been sipping. Way more information than she needed to know. Clearing her throat, a quiet giggle escaped between words.
“Thank you for the compliment on my dress, ma’am. As for Rahn, an earlier outing took a bit longer than he thought.”
Captain Laurens sat down at the head of the table and said, “That would be my fault, I’m afraid. Hope we didn’t put too much of a dent in your plans.”
Chrys smiled and said, “When I left, Rahn was getting ready. He sends his apologies and should be walking in the door any minute now. So, I think I’ll order his drink for him. Waiter?” Chrys called, and another smartly dressed young man headed her way. “I’d like a glass of your best chilled rice wine for my, er, friend. And I’ll have one of those green things, please.”
“Friend, eh?” Mrs. Mastersen gawked excitedly. “How fabulous for you, my dear. You’ve dated a while, have you?”
“We’ve worked together for more than six years and know each other well.” The rest of it was none of anyone’s business. Out of nowhere, the image of Rahn in the shower burst into her thoughts.
*I am sure my charge would blush if he knew what you were thinking just now. Can you think of nothing but his cock?* Mahpiya whispered to Chrys, her tongue lolling to the side.
‘Oh, hush up, you. You’re not supposed to tell all my secrets, and I can tell from the way the bond feels that Adonei is listening in.’
*Of course I am listening in. It is my job, is it not?* Adonei sniffed indignantly, then turned to Mah, fussing. *And do you have to speak so boldly regarding your charge’s private parts?*
Chrys almost laughed out loud. Didn’t the big cat know by now not to set himself up like that? Before she could form a single smart-assed response, Mah was all over him.
*My dear Adonei, I believe you are in need of schooling, and given your old age,* Mah paused for dramatic effect, *you know I certainly do not have to use the word cock. I have been a spirit guide for eons. There are many other ways to express myself, mate.*
Chrys clamped her lips together, picked up her water and sipped, trying to hide the smile at the corner of her lips. Oh, boy, here it comes.
*I could have called it by some of the other words I have heard over the years, like bacon bazooka…*
*Bacon what?* Adonei queried, his brow pulled down in a confused frown.
*Do you not like that word? ‘Tis much better than cock, don’t you think? No? Perhaps pork sword?*
*What is it with you and pig meat?* Adonei groaned, clearly wishing he hadn’t said anything.
*Fine. No more pork. So what about tally whacker? Tickle-gizzard? Wanker? Tube steak?*
Chrys’ own eyebrows flew up at that last one. Tube steak? Eww. Adonei swiped a huge paw at Mah, but the lioness dodged it with a laugh and simply kept right on.
*Maypole? Meat whistle? Milk bone? Mr. Happy?*
Adonei rolled his eyes and grumbled something about the Great Spirit’s sense of humor and boneheaded mates.
BLURB: De’alla Isaacs is a typical businesswoman in Seattle, but away from the day job she lives another life. She is Chosen. Her job—carry and protect a precious jewel. Each Piece of Eight is part of a key, the only thing standing between this world and complete demonic devastation. Dee’s job would be easy except for one problem—Faison Dow, R&B singer, celebrity playboy and all-out dog has appeared on the scene.
If he’s such bad news, why does he make her heart pound, body temperature soar, set her crystal buzzing and send her mind on a one-way trip to Gimme Some? Is it his sultry voice? His pursuit of her as if she’s the only woman for him?
Whatever it is, they’d better hurry and figure it out because the Prince of Hell has arrived.
* * * * *
But why? Devon was any woman’s wet dream. Tall but not overly so, the perfect height for kissing. His skin was a deep, deep tan and his features evident of a mix of cultures. Midnight black hair shot through with hints of chocolate brown. His eyes were dark, exotic, the irises rimmed with dark gold that projected intelligence and wit. The shorts and tank top he’d been wearing on his unfortunate jog had shown off a long, lean body cut with muscle. He was a well spoken geeky type, brilliant actually. Yep, right up her alley. Damn gorgeous. Even his teeth were perfect. So why the aversion to him?
Was it the fact that he’d managed to “run into her” almost every day over the past week? Or that her eyes enjoyed the view but her spirit was less than happy to see him? And she didn’t even want to think about the images that flashed behind her eyes when in his presence. Lust-filled, but not in an inviting or arousing way. It was as if her natural enjoyment of sex was sucked out of her and replaced with dark, depraved thoughts, and all against her will. Like being mind raped by the most perverted creature on earth. It was unwelcome and both scared her and pissed her off at the same time.
It hadn’t made sense the day she’d met Devon on the beach, nor the last four or five times she’d seen him around town since then. And, damn it, it didn’t make sense now.
“Can I buy you a drink or something, Dee?”
He smiled and her stomach lurched again.
“No.” Gasp. “Thanks.” Gag. She felt too sick to drink anything. Even water probably wouldn’t stay down at this rate.
“I was hoping to see you again. I didn’t know you would be here tonight. We could have ridden together. I really enjoyed our coffee time together the other day.”
“Yeah,” she said, trying not to squirm in her seat. “Minus the face plant, eh?” She tried to laugh. Really tried. But the sound stuck in her throat as it closed up and refused to let any air through.
“You know, you’re really something special, Dee. So ambitious, honest. Real. No pretention, yet you’re classy and beautiful. I’ve been searching for a woman like you for too many years to count.”
Hmm. How could words sound so true yet ring so hollow? Not to mention the strange chill emanating from her crystal. The thing was so thoroughly icy it was as if her own irritation reached through the stone, passed through the silk pouch it rested in and slithered up the silver around her neck to sink into her skin. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Well, hell. She was having all kinds of new experiences lately. First the blazing heat of the stone in Faison’s presence and now the chill of the same crystal while in Devon’s.
And She was screaming again, or trying to. Dee sensed the frustration of her guide’s sudden inability to communicate across their well-established bond. Knowing the spirit struggled to warn her of something, Dee instinctively slipped her hand beneath her wrap and fingered the chain of her necklace hidden beneath her clothes. She
discretely stripped the pendant of its protective little pouch. The second the stone hit her hand the grave-like cold dissipated replaced by peaceful warmth. The stone filled her with strength and clarity of mind. And she knew it was time to go.
Suddenly a voice burst forth as if it had forcibly freed itself from a miring pit of smothering clay or quicksand. Along with the clarity of mind induced by the stone came the clear bell of She’s voice in Dee’s mind.
*RUN!*
And Dee knew better than to hesitate. This very same voice with this very same insistence had saved her and her sisters’ respective asses too many times to count when they were growing up. But was it Asmo? Was it really him? Damn it, she couldn’t fight the demon now. One, there were too many people around. And two, she hadn’t yet joined with her mate, still wasn’t sure if it was Faison or someone else. Crap, she had to get away and right now. She had to protect the crystal, protect her Piece of Eight.
“Uh, excuse me, Devon. I’ve got to be going.”
“Aren’t you staying for the after-party?”
And just how did he know about that? Faison had told her that the after party was for special guests only and that the public didn’t even know where it was going to be held. Interesting.
“No. No party. Sorry.” She eased from her seat and pulled her soft pashmina wrap even closer around her shoulders, gripping the crystal underneath like a lifeline.
“Ouch!” A rock in her shoe caused her to stumble but she quickly righted herself. A glance up and her temper simmered. Her shawl had slipped and Devon eyed her cleavage. Correction, eyed her crystal! The man watched the flex of her fingers, the lift of each knuckle as Dee grasped the bright shard of lemon yellow quartz, hiding it from view. His gaze practically bored through her skin at the very spot where her hand rested against her chest with the stone tucked safely against her palm.
But Devon hadn’t moved to try to take the stone from her. Maybe he wasn’t old Asmo? Besides, he appeared to be too nice, too…geeky. Certainly not demon-like enough to be Asmodeus, right?
Well Dee didn’t have time to figure it out just now. She was losing it big-time and insisting that Dee go find Faison. Nope. No way. Her emotions already spanned the globe—she was physically ill, her crystal and She were both off kilter. The very last thing she needed was to add Faison and his lust-inducing, manly goodness to the mix. So she would just head up the beach and go home instead. A nice bath, a glass of sake. Her gut lurched when she glanced at Devon again. Gack! Perhaps a pitcher of Pepto?
“Take care, Devon. Nice to see you,” she lied. “Bye.” And hustled as quickly as the ridiculous high heeled sandals she wore would allow. Who the hell wore high heels to a beachside concert anyway? It was times like this she actually hated being an elemental since certain lapses into flighty fickleness were their nature. Sigh.
At not quite four awkward steps an iron band clamped around her wrist. What the hell?
Not an iron band, but Devon’s hand. And his body language said he wasn’t inclined to release her anytime soon.
“Devon?”
“Come on, Dee. It’s early yet.”
Dee tugged. He didn’t let go.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure I’d see you again. When can we get together? Can I get your number?”
“Sorry, Devon. You’re nice and all but I’m just not interested.” Well, not in you anyway. But all-out giddy over a snarky-assed, too-full-of-himself pretend playboy R&B singer from Japan? Yeppers.
Well, hell.
“Excuse me, but take your hand off me.” Dee’s words were deliberately quiet. She was pissed that the idiot dared touch her but she didn’t want to make a ruckus. After all, this was Faison’s gang of groupies. The concert was over but the venue was packed to capacity and the media were everywhere. The last thing she wanted was to end up on the front page of the local gossip rag.
Dee pulled on her wrist again but Devon still held on. If anything he stepped closer, never taking his eyes from hers. Strange. His eyes were brown and gold the other day. Now they looked…black? Flat. Dead. Ewww.
“I said. Let. Go.”
This time Dee felt the power of the stone simmer and flare just as her own innate ability moved to protect her. If this asshole wasn’t careful, given the fact that Puget Sound was spittin’ distance away, he’d find himself dealing with a full-blown thunderstorm compliments of Hurricane De’alla.
“Why don’t we go walk on the beach, Dee?”
And while his tone was nice enough, the steely cold flatness of his eyes belied the illusion.
“If you don’t take your hand off me I’m gonna have to kick you’re a—”
“Excuse me, but I believe the lady wishes to leave.”
In this Snippet, Dr. Carinian Derrickson is convinced she’s lost the one man that ever truly moved her. She’s dead wrong, but it doesn’t keep her from feeling the loss considering she doesn’t know he’s hasn’t dumped her.
Other than a glimpse of him from a distance around the facilities, Carin hadn’t seen Bix in three days. Why she’d expected him to pop up everywhere, she had no idea. Even at the gym she’d looked over her shoulder every now and again, hoping. Finally, she’d reprimanded herself for refusing to accept she’d been the recipient of a one-night stand. Okay time to forget him.
She was almost home when a sharp jolt of pain shot through her lower back as the muscles spasmed. Thoughts of Bix’s strong hands kneading the tension away popped into her head. So much for the two grueling hours spent throwing herself through every lower body exercise she could think of, all in an attempt to get her mind off the man. Obviously it hadn’t worked.
Rolling her eyes at her own ridiculousness, she screeched to a stop in her driveway and dragged herself into the house. She’d been alone for years, but she missed this man so much the only word she could think of to describe it was hollow. All this drama for a man she knew nothing about, other than he was a great lay? Yeah, a great one-time lay.
“Now see, that’s exactly what you get,” Carin grumbled to herself as she kicked off her tennis shoes inside the front door. “Getting all worked up ‘cause you thought that damned man was serious about you. Now look at you, feeling all stupid and disappointed.”
After a quick wash up she settled back in the thick, overstuffed cushions of the couch. A plate of untouched food congealed on the coffee table while her thoughts flew all over the place. One second she was thinking about the next steps for her serum, then her head filled with the images of a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous manly-man who’d put it down on her in the bedroom at the back of her labs earlier this week. She didn’t like it at all.
Carin sat up on the couch, snatched out of a comfortable doze by the ring of the doorbell. Startled, heart in her throat, she glanced towards the unlit fireplace at the clock over the mantle. Eight fifteen. Who the hell would come by her house after dark without calling first? Moving with silent caution she rose, grabbed the sturdy baseball bat next to the door and peeked through the viewing hole.
familiar with the Resident Evil franchise, it started with the first movie where Alice (Milla Jovovich - remember her in Fifth Element? No? <---Here’s a picture of her in that movie from 1997) is an amnesiac who doesn’t remember that she works as an operative for a nasty bio-agent manufacturer called the Umbrella Corporation. Then she gets her memory back. That’s real bad news for the bad guys considering her character kicks major ass. I think that’s why I love Alice – any book I write has to have a heroine that can hold her own, which Alice does in spades.
f that’s true, what makes me anticipate this new one? Well, the last movie not only killed off the gorgeous Oded Fehr (gorgeous guy to the right—>), but pretty much made it look as if no one exists on Earth but poor Alice. Her last line in movie number three to the bad guys who’d gone underground to hide was, “Hello boys. I’m coming for you. And I’m bringing a few of my friends.” A few of her friends turns out to be a room several stories high full of clones…of herself. 
