Midnight Moon Cafe

When Midnight Comes: Neat Dragon Goodies

2012-02-06T00:12:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Neat Dragon Goodies: Getting ready for the fun party and book launch (Feb 19th) of my latest ebook, Open Season. I've got several goodies planned to give away an...

Free Read: Under A Midnight Moon on Kindle

2012-01-13T13:13:00.001-05:00

Cora Zane's Under A Midnight Moon {2007, part of the Werekind series} is now available on Kindle, and is currently #11 on the Amazon Top 100 Free List for Erotica.

About the story: Betsey broke up with her boyfriend, Jonas, and this time it's for good. Now she's a single werewolf and plans to stay that way...until she takes one glance at the new handsome biker in town. She knows Chase Tillman is a hellraiser, but can she resist the havoc he's playing on her emotions? For readers 18 and older only. Graphic sexual content, and some violence.

You can pick up a copy for your e-reader here:
http://www.amazon.com/Under-Midnight-Moon-Cora-ebook/dp/B006M6P6N2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326339712&sr=1-1

When Midnight Comes: New Releases: Naughty Little Secrets is Out!

2012-01-01T01:58:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: New Releases: Naughty Little Secrets is Out!: So very excited to let ya'll know that my novella Naughty Little Secrets is available now! Naughty Little Secrets by Cassandra Curtis R...

When Midnight Comes: Open Season Slated for February Release

2011-12-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Open Season Slated for February Release: I received a very welcome email in my inbox this morning from my publisher. My novella, Open Season (part of the upcoming Dragon Pax from A...

When Midnight Comes: NaNoWriMo Workshop Updates!

2011-11-17T09:17:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: NaNoWriMo Workshop Updates!: Deepening Characterization Workshop update!!!! If you planned to go to my NaNoWriMo workshop in SL tonight, the time had to be changed due ...

When Midnight Comes: 11/11/11 Numerology and Superstition

2011-11-11T10:04:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: 11/11/11 Numerology and Superstition: Only once in an entire century will this auspicious date and time occur. According to folklore, it's said to be a time of magical possibil...

When Midnight Comes: Guest Author Dee Carney's Intimate Whispers

2011-10-28T17:27:00.000-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Guest Author Dee Carney's Intimate Whispers: Please welcome guest author Dee Carney! Creepy Romance. But in a good way. Do you remember that whoa movie, The Entity , from waaaayyy b...

When Midnight Comes: Lady Cass at Salty Bob's on Thursday Night

2011-10-26T11:40:00.000-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Lady Cass at Salty Bob's on Thursday Night: I'll be at Salty Bob's Restaurant on October 27, 2011 from 5-7pm SLT doing free tarot readings. Drop by if you're online and would like to ...

When Midnight Comes: Tis The Season: Top 10 Fright Movies To Watch Cont...

2011-10-19T09:54:00.001-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Tis The Season: Top 10 Fright Movies To Watch Cont...: I love scary movies, even if I do watch them through my fingers, lol. So I thought I'd gather up a list of my ten top movies I love to watch... drop by my blog (When Midnight Comes) and see if you agree and you just might win a free pizza!

When Midnight Comes: Interview and Storytelling Events Today

2011-09-24T12:02:00.000-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Interview and Storytelling Events Today: Netera Landar will be interviewing me today for her *live* show starting at 11am SLT . I'll discuss my most recent release as well as upcomi...

When Midnight Comes: Where Are the Furry-chested Male Models?

2011-09-23T12:07:00.000-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Where Are the Furry-chested Male Models?: There is a trend I can't stand and it's been going on too damn long! I'm talking about the de-nuded chests of the male romance cover models....

When Midnight Comes: Tarot Reading Tomorrow in SL

2011-09-09T12:30:00.000-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Tarot Reading Tomorrow in SL: Free readings by the ladies of the Midnight Moon Cafe Join RL authors Cassandra Curtis and Cora Zane for a fun, free tarot reading! ...

When Midnight Comes: Zombie Posters and Other Oogly Stuff

2011-08-11T09:13:00.000-04:00

When Midnight Comes: Zombie Posters and Other Oogly Stuff: "Inside Slum Manor Apartments (I swear this place looks like my old dorm room! Freaky-dink, ya'll!)

Cass and Cora doing a bit of slumming..."

A New Direction and Fond Farewells

2011-02-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Going Dark

It's with a heavy heart I must announce that the Midnight Moon Cafe blog is going dark.

When we founded the blog five years ago, I had no idea the MMC would grow to be what it is today. The site has gone above and beyond my every expectation. I am honored that so many loyal readers have stuck with us from the beginning to the end. I can't tell you how much you are appreciated.

Cass and I have worked very hard to keep the Cafe fresh and exciting while maintaining the original idea of creating a home for all things paranormal. We wanted to create a fun, friendly place where we could share our love for the genre with other like-minded souls. I feel we've done that.

As you can probably imagine, it takes a lot of work to keep the MMC running - many hours of planning and preparation. Cass and I have enjoyed many late night "chat and plan" sessions, but we have ultimately come to the decision that if we are to continue working as authors, we must make the time to write. To do that, we have to let the Cafe go.

We are not going away entirely. The website www.midnightmooncafe.com will remain active, albeit as an event board for our new releases, personal contests, upcoming events, and speaking engagements. The blog will still be here, but only as an archive to our past high jinx.

To keep track of what we're up to, feel free to follow us on our personal blogs:

http://cassandracurtis.blogspot.com/

http://corazane.blogspot.com

You can also look us up on various social networking sites, such as facebook and twitter.

Once again, I want to thank our readers for five years of blogging fun. You have made this an incredible journey. Thank you for the memories! ~Cora Zane

When Midnight Comes: Faery Fun Stuff

2011-02-27T09:40:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Faery Fun Stuff: "I love the talismans created by my good friend Storm Eldermoon. You can use these as true talismans, or wear them as object d'art pins. This..." ::contest::

Etched In Bone/Adrian Phoenix Contest Winners

2011-02-27T09:17:00.000-05:00

The winner of Contest One in Ms. Phoenix's Etched In Bone Book Release Day Celebration is:

Jolene Allcock

You've won a signed copy of Ms. Phoenix's latest book Etched In Bone! Congratulations! But that's not all! So please email us at midnightmooncafe@ gmail. com (no spaces) and tell us which other book of hers you'd like signed and sent! Woohoo!

The winner of Contest Two in Ms. Phoenix's Etched In Bone Book Release Day Celebration is:

Dee Battle

You've won a signed copy of a book from Ms. Phoenix's backlist! Congratulations! Please email us at midnightmooncafe@ gmail. com (no spaces) and tell us which backlist book of hers you'd like signed and sent! Awesome!

Both winners please remember to include your full name and mailing address in your email to us, so we can send your books.

Don't forget, the next book in Ms. Phoenix's Hoodoo series comes out in July 2011, and I know you'll love it, so pre-order it when you can. Mojo rulz! :)

Special Featurette: Etched In Bone by Adrian Phoenix

2011-02-22T00:07:00.054-05:00

Hot New Release today from author Adrian Phoenix! The fourth book in her Maker's Song series is now available...

SON OF A FALLEN ANGEL.
FORGED IN VAMPIRE'S BLOOD.
SWORN TO A MORTAL WOMAN.
IF DANTE FALLS, THE WORLD FALLS WITH HIM. . . .
THREE LEGACIES ETCHED IN BONE

THREE LEGACIES ETCHED IN BONE

More beautiful and powerful than any creature the world has ever seen, Dante Baptiste has become the supreme target of the three worlds that spawned him. The mortal agents of the Shadow Branch have tried to control his mind through psychological torture. The vampire elders who guide nightkind society have plotted to use him in their bloodthirsty bid for power. And the Fallen have waited for millennia for Dante to claim his birthright as their Maker. But Dante belongs to no one—except the woman he loves. . . .

ONE PASSION SWORN IN BLOOD

Determined to face the Fallen and the world on his own terms, Dante hopes to piece together his shattered past and claim his future, with FBI agent Heather Wallace at his side. But in Heather’s human family awaits an unexpected enemy. One who could rip Heather from Dante’s heart and fill the holes with bullets. One who could force Dante to choose his darkest destiny—as the Great Destroyer. . . .

Read the book that started it all!

A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
Book One in the Maker's Song series

"Hard-charging action sequences, steamy sex scenes, and a surprising government conspiracy make this debut, the first in a series, engrossingly fun."
–Entertainment Weekly

HIS NAME IS DANTE
Dark. Talented. Beautiful. Star of the rock band Inferno. Rumored owner of the hot New Orleans nightspot Club Hell. Born of the Blood, then broken by an evil beyond imagination.

Tracking a sadistic serial murderer has led FBI Special Agent Heather Wallace to New Orleans, Club Hell, and the man known as Dante.

But the dangerously attractive musician not only resists her investigation, he claims to be “nightkind”: in other words, a vampire. Digging into his past reveals an extensive juvenile record, but no known birth date or social security number. In and out of foster homes for most of his life, he was eventually taken in by an equally mysterious man named Lucien De Noir, who tries to shield his ward from Heather’s investigation.

Heather is sure, however, that Dante is linked to the murderer–and could be the next target. Now, she must unravel the truth about this sensual, complicated, vulnerable young man–who, she begins to believe, truly is a vampire–in order to bring the killer to justice. But what Heather doesn’t know is that Dante’s past holds a shocking, dangerous secret, and once it is revealed not even she will be able to protect him from his destiny . . .

In The Blood by Adrian Phoenix
Book Two in the Maker's Song series

DANTE LIVES
Vampire. Rock star. Begotten son of the fallen angel Lucien. Dante Baptiste still struggles with nightmares and seizures, searching for the truth about his past. It is a quest as seductive as his kiss, as uncontrollable as his thirst, and as unforgiving as his determination to protect one mortal woman at any cost.

KNOWLEDGE KILLS
FBI Special Agent Heather Wallace now knows the extent of the Bureau corruption that surrounds her, but worries that she is losing the battle. And when Dante and his band Inferno come to Seattle on tour, Heather can’t help but be drawn back to the beautiful, dangerous nightkind. But what Heather and Dante don’t know is that new enemies lurk in the shadows, closer than they think . . . and even deadlier than they fear.

DESTINY UNFOLDS
Shadowy government forces have pledged to eliminate all loose ends from Project Bad Seed–and Heather and Dante are at the top of the list. Elsewhere, the Fallen gather in Gehenna, intent on finding their long-awaited savior, the True Blood nightkind whom Lucien De Noir would die to protect. And a damaged and desperate adversary, with powers as strange and perilous as Dante’s own, plots to use Dante as a pawn in a violent scheme for revenge. But only one of these lethal forces holds the key to Dante’s past–a key that could finally unlock the secret of his birth and the truth of his existence . . . or destroy him completely.

Beneath The Skin by Adrian Phoenix
Book Three in the Maker's Song series

CHAOS CONTROLS HIS FUTURE.
ONE MORTAL WOMAN COULD BE HIS SALVATION.
THE COUNTDOWN TO ANNIHILATION WILL BEGIN WITH DANTE’S CHOICE . . .

THE FATE OF THREE WORLDS . . .
The dark pieces of vampire rock star Dante Baptiste’s past are violently emerging, and it is only a matter of time before the Fallen discover he is the creawdwr they have sought for thousands of years. The destruction he left behind in Oregon threatens to reveal his identity as Fallen Maker and True Blood, exposing the young nightkind to shadowy predators–mortal and supernatural–who will do whatever it takes to win his favor . . . or destroy him.

RESTS IN DANTE’S HANDS.
When beautiful FBI special agent Heather Wallace went AWOL on assignment, she chose irresistible Dante over the shady government forces that now stalk them both. Heather has her own secrets of the past to uncover, but she is also the only one who can hold her nightkind lover together when his dangerous quest for the truth threatens to send him over the edge. And as she and Dante fight for their survival, she realizes they must work together to protect their future–before his mysterious destiny tears them apart . . .

Black Dust Mambo by Adrian Phoenix
Book One in the Hoodoo series

“There will be times, girl, when all your magic ain’t going to be enough, times when it will seem to dry up like mud under the noonday sun, or even make matters worse . . .”

Kallie Riviere, a fiery Cajun hoodoo apprentice with a talent for trouble, finds herself smack-dab in the middle of one of those times her mentor warned her about when she visits New Orleans to attend the Hecatean Alliance’s annual carnival: her hard-bodied conjurer hookup ends up dead in her blood-drenched bed. And he was killed by something that Kallie would never dream of touching — the darkest of dark juju, soul-eating juju — a black dust hex that may have been meant to kill her.

Now Kallie has to use every bit of hoodoo knowledge and bayou-bred mojo she possesses to clear her own name and find the killer even as that dark sorcerer hunts Kallie and her friends. But Kallie’s search for the truth soon leads her in a direction she never anticipated — back home to Bayou Cypres Noir, and to Gabrielle LaRue, Kallie’s aunt, protector, and hoodoo mentor . . . who is looking more and more like she just might be the one who wants Kallie dead.

And coming this July...

Black Heart Loa by Adrian Phoenix
Book two of the Hoodoo series will be released July 2011.

While searching for her missing bayou-pirate cousin, Kallie Riviere, a fiery Cajun hoodoo apprentice with a talent for trouble, finds out the hard way that someone’s undoing powerful gris gris down in the bayou and changing the very nature of magic. Suddenly working magic is like rolling a handful of dice—random and definitely not what you planned.

Now the wards woven by conjurers to protect New Orleans and the Gulf coast are in danger of unraveling, leaving the city and the coastline vulnerable just as the deadliest storm—an unnatural storm—in a century is born. And aims for the heart of New Orleans.

As Kallie races to uncover the random magic’s source and restore the wards, she learns a dark and unsettling truth: she might be the source. And she and everyone close to her—including a certain sexy nomad who can wear wet boxers like no other man—are being hunted.

Then Kallie steps right into the most dangerous trap of all, a trap set just for her in the form of a tall, dark, and grumpy loup garou designed to steal her heart. Literally.

Read our February 2011 Midnight Brew interview with Ms. Phoenix!
Simply click on the Midnight Brew Interviews tab at the top of our page.

::WIN THIS::

Two Incredible Contests For Our Readers!!!

Contest One: Leave a comment and let us know the name of the anthology and the name of the story Ms. Phoenix wrote for that book. (answer is on her website home page).
The prizes–One winner will receive a signed copy of Etched in Bone along with their choice of any one of her other books: A Rush of Wings, In the Blood, Beneath the Skin or Black Dust Mambo. Contest ends midnight February 26, 2011. Winner will be announced on February 27.

Contest Two: Email us at midnightmooncafe@ gmail. com (no spaces) and tell us if Ms. Phoenix is a new to you author or an author you've read before. Please let us know which books of hers you've read. The prize: Your choice of one book by Ms. Phoenix. Contest ends midnight February 26, 2011. Winner will be announced on February 27.

Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. We strive to make our prize winners happy! However, as with all our contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize.

Etched In Bone
ISBN-10: 1439137307 • ISBN-13: 978-1439137307
Amazon Buy Link!

About the Author

ADRIAN NIKOLAS PHOENIX has had stories published in several magazines and anthologies. She currently lives in Oregon (with three cats, of course), but travels to New Orleans, the city of her heart, whenever possible.

For more information about Ms. Phoenix and her books, go to her website: http://www.adrianphoenix.com

To purchase Inferno merchandise, click HERE.

Drop by her forum or
VISIT HER AT:
MYSPACE
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
GOODREADS

Storytelling Time With Cassandra

2011-02-21T00:09:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

6pm - 7pm SLT (pacific time)

MMC Reading Spot,
Elementals Underwater Mall, Meleda

http://slurl.com/secondlife/0%200%20Meleda/125/136/3

*Fins and tails optional*

Join Cassandra Curtis as she reads from her book, Shifting Tides! Action, adventure, and sizzling hot romance await three woman, each with a destiny to fulfill and a passion to embrace.

The reading will be in voice/talk so remember your headphones if you use a laptop. :-) Must be 18+ to attend.

After the reading, there will be a brief period for discussion.

Hope to see you there!

Monsters and Humans: Where to Draw the Line in Fiction

2011-02-20T04:17:00.000-05:00

One reoccurring theme in urban fantasy, dark fantasy and even some paranormal romance books is the separation or lack of separation between the humans and the monsters.

Many series start out with a clear line of separation between the monsters and humans- at least according to the main character’s point of view. But as the series goes on the lines tend to blur, especially as the character grows closer to or even becomes “one of the monsters”.

Take for instance the Anita Blake series by Laurell K Hamilton. In the beginning Anita was very clear about who was a monster and who was not. Then she gets pulled deeper into the supernatural world. The men she falls in love with turn out to be monsters. She starts sleeping with the enemy. Then the closer she gets to them the more she becomes like them- with her powers and her thinking. It gets to the point where she actually has to face “human monsters” and it bothers her that the line is not so clear anymore.

Similar changes happen with Cat in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. Ct starts out with a hatred of all vampires. Then she comes across Bones who shows her not all vamps are bad.

In Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampire Series the vampires are always the bad guys (up until the very end when some things change - but if I say too much I may spoil it for you). Victoria’s line is clearly drawn and this stays so throughout the series- Victoria kills the vampires but the humans that help the vampires she will not kill. Why? Because that would make her a monster.

That I don’t agree with. If they are bad, if they act like monsters, if they are evil they should be stopped- permanently. Why should the poor pathetic humans be spared the fate of the monsters. What is it about being human that makes them unaccountable for their actions? What- the devil made them do it? Bullshit. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions and if that means a death sentence then so be it.

But the characters in many series struggle with this notion thinking that it will make them the bad guy. Look at Clark Kent’s refusal to kill Lex Luther in Smallville- same thing he doesn’t want to be the bad guy. But yet sometimes you have to fight fire with fire to win. You have to become a monster to fight the monsters and that’s what has happened to Anita Blake in her series. She has become more and more “monstrous” to be able to fight the truly evil.

What do you think? Should there be a line between the monsters and humans or is the underlying love of these genres that theme that everyone is so different yet deep down we are the same. Monsters can have human hearts and humans can be more evil than the monsters.

In my newest release, An Unexpected Evening, vampire Samuel has withdrawn from the world because he thinks of himself as a monster- but the evil he did was long ago and he's been trying to make up for, or hide from it, for centuries. He doesn't want to hurt anyone else so he avoids humanity. Then a witch comes along and makes him believe redemption could be possible- if only he would come out of the shadows and live again.

Here is the blurb for the book:

Samuel is a centuries-old vampire who prefers to be a recluse. He is always afraid of losing control and becoming the monster he once was. Falling in love with a young witch has pushed his boundaries and pulled him out of his comfort zone.

Katerina always encourages Samuel to be more open, to let loose, and to really "live" instead of only existing in the shadows.

One night, he finally grants her wish . . . in ways she never imagined.

Warning- this is a steamy paranormal erotica ebook with a slight touch of kink

You can purchase An Unexpected Evening

at Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, and Noble Romance

Vampires and Sex: Guest Blog with Theresa Meyers

2011-02-19T01:44:00.000-05:00

When it comes to two things, vampires and sex, most people think they’ve seen or done it all. But in my new Sons of Midnight mini-series for Harlequin Nocturne, I’ve tried to do something a little different with vampires and create a new mythos of my own.

You see not only can the vampires in my world smell different emotions, they can also have sex without even being in the same room as their partner (and no, it’s not via the phone with the help of toys) or cause their partner to experience things you normally wouldn’t with their minds. I laughingly referred to it with my editor as “vampire mind-sex” but in reality that’s what it is.
Psychologists have long told us that most sexual appeal happens in the brain, especially in women. So it wasn’t a large stretch for me as an author to see how my vampire characters, with mind manipulation, could in the midst of a heated kiss cause their partner feel kisses and intimate touches in multiple places at once, not limited by one mouth and a set of two hands, time or space. And why not? If you’re going to make up a world, I thought I might as well make it fun!

In my vampire world sex and feeding are independent activities, both of which that can cause lots of pleasure, but when combined causing a totally different kind of bond between the couple, one that can last beyond life and death.

Of course there’s much more that gives the world in The Truth About Vampires a different spin than your average vampire tale. Fact one, while my last name is spelled almost identically to Stephanie Meyer, my vampires do not sparkle. They do avoid sunlight because it gives them migraines (kind of like when you get your eyes dilated at the eye-doctor) and a serious sun-burn. Fact two, vampirism in my world is virus induced-and there is no cure…yet. Fact three, in my vampire world, they aren’t just a few hundred years old – some of them date back to the earliest cultures on earth and they occasionally have to deal with the ancient gods and goddesses. Fact four, my vampires scent changes to suit the fantasies of their prey, so in the case of my heroine who’s a bit of a chocoholic with a sweet tooth, the hero smells to her like dark chocolate. Fact five, if my vampires want to eat chicken garlic alfredo, they can. Garlic isn’t a problem. Neither is holy water. But silver and dead man’s blood can be debilitating. I could go on, but really it might just be easier if you discover the differences for yourself.

So what is The Truth About Vampires?

All her life Seattle reporter Kristin Reed sought her breakout story. She never thought she’d find it in the crimson lair of a real life creature of the night. Kristin never believed vampires existed—until with dark brooding eyes and a decadent chocolate scent, Dmitri Dionotte called out to her….

Dmitri and his clan’s true nature was cloaked in secrecy until a warring vampire order threatened their existence. Kristin was just the woman he needed. She couldn’t resist their story…or Dmitri. Her blood pulsed hot and furious when he touched her, and with his kiss, all logic fled. But each night she spent with her vampire lover brought her closer to death and destruction. A death not even an immortal could triumph over.

Author bio:

The progeny of a slightly mad (NASA) scientist and a tea-drinking bibliophile who turned the family dining room into a library, Theresa Meyers learned early the value of a questioning mind, books and a good china teapot. A former journalist and public relations officer, she found far more enjoyment using her writing skills to pen paranormal novels in the turret office of her Victorian home. She’s spent nearly a quarter of a century with the boy who took her to the Prom, drinks tea with milk and sugar, is an adamant fan of the television show Supernatural, and has an indecent love of hats.

You can find her dabbling online on twitter at www.twitter.com/Theresa_Meyers or at http://www.theresameyers.com/

The Truth about Vampires
by Theresa Meyers
Harlequin Nocturne
Mar 2011
Miniseries: Sons of Midnight
Category: Paranormal Romance
Paperback
ISBN: 9780373618545 (#107)
Read an excerpt here

Hot & Hairy

2011-02-17T18:36:00.001-05:00

When hunter becomes hostage, the only question is: Death by bite, or by bullet?

Cannon Pack, Book 3

At night, Lauren Kade trades her white coat and dental drill for a black uniform and a gun. But not to hunt the shifters she once swore to eliminate. Driven by lingering guilt for killing a female shifter a year ago, she covertly throws other hunters off the trail. She’s good at it, too…until she’s taken hostage by a sexy werewolf whose thirst for revenge is even bigger and badder than his attitude.

Daniel Cannon tried everything to outrun the pain of his mate’s murder, but when hunters take down another pack member, it’s more than he can stand. Now that he’s got one of them at his mercy, though, something strange is happening. Her day job may set his teeth on edge, but her luscious curves make him salivate. In spite of her past sins, she insists she’s reformed into some kind of werewolf guardian angel.

Worse, his heart wants to believe her, and his body aches to mark her as his. Yet going against his instincts could turn him from lover to prisoner. Just when his pack needs him most…

Be advised. This is not a test. Your limits are about to be pushed. Your desires will be met. Your heart will burst with pleasure and your dreams will be fulfilled. Prepare yourself for sex hotter than the sun on the driest desert. And if you dare, then run with the pack.

For more info and to purchase, click HERE.

Cassandra's Birthday Picks

2011-02-17T01:28:00.001-05:00

Hey ya'll! Had a great time on my birthday, catching some waves! Thanks to everyone who dropped by to wish me a happy b-day! :) Now for the winners. I had someone else give me numbers and I counted down the list of comments! So scientific, right? lol.

Winner of the mermaid prize pack is... # 9.) Lil!

Winner of the E.L.F. make-up kit and the Gossip watch is... #4.) I *Heart* Book Gossip!

Congratulations, ladies!

::smacks fins::

Please email me at cass (at) cassandracurtis (dot) com with your name and mailing address so I can send these nifty prize packs to you. :-)

Happy Birthday, Cassandra!

2011-02-16T00:00:00.016-05:00

to...Cassandra!

♥

Hurray, hurray, it's Cassie's birthday! I hope your day is filled with love and laughter, my friend. ((Hugs))

Oh, hey, you know what else? Cassie is giving away two very cool prize packs to celebrate her special day. Check out the awesome goodies below...

Prize one includes a very cool Gossip Girl watch with red leather band, a bookmarks and more goody bag, E.L.F. eyes make-up kit, and a unicorn and butterflies talisman pin

Prize two includes a mermaid tote bag hook, fun fishy earrings, legend of the sand dollar with genuine sand dollars, and a bookmarks and more goody bag.

Don't forget to leave a comment by midnight tonight to be entered for your chance to win! Two winners will be drawn at random. Cassie will be drawing the winners - one for each of her prize packs - as soon as she returns from her yearly dip in the mermaid sea. :0)

Cassie de Mer waves a fin! ^_^

Discovery of Witches Winner

2011-02-15T09:19:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day. The deadline for one of our contests has passed, so now it's time to announce the winner for the print copy of Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness!

And the book goes to...

annalisa

Congratulations, Annalisa! Please contact me at corazane @ aol [dot] com without the spaces with "Harkness Winner" in the subject line to claim your prize. Be sure to include your mailing address in the email so I can send the book to you. :*)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T00:47:00.003-05:00

((hugs)) and xx *smooches* xx from Cora and Cassandra.

Since today is all about love, we'd like to
highlight a few of our free reads along with a few others
written by friends of the Midnight Moon Café. Enjoy!

The Ghost of Goodacre Hall by Cassandra Curtis

Matthew Lambert tried to run from his past, but when he decides to renovate an old house, he is forced to resurrect more than ghosts. Intrigued by the paranormal, Cadence Martin always loved Goodacre Hall. When she gets an invitation to attend the Victorian house's grand opening, she decides to see if the new owners are aware they just inherited the resident ghost, her great-aunt Miriam.

More free reads from Cassandra can be found at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CassandraCurtis

Heart On Fire by Cora Zane
Hallie Richmond never would have guessed she'd be spending Valentine's Day working overtime with her sexy boss. However, Mitchell Draven is interested in more than company spreadsheets. He's in love with Hallie, and he's finally ready to confess face-to-face that she sets his heart on fire!
More free reads from Cora can be found at Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CoraZane

Jax Cassidy
Free reads from Ms. Cassidy can be found at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaxcassidy

KJ Reed

Jill is pissed. For once, she finally has a guy for Valentine’s Day, and he’s stuck in another city because he missed his flight. Unfortunately, Otis doesn’t seem to understand what the big deal is, and lets Jill know. So now she’s with her best gal pals, drowning her sorrows in wine and Oreos.

Otis has been planning this for months. Though he doesn’t pretend to understand his girlfriend’s fascination with being together on Valentine’s Day, he’s prepared to make it the most special night of her life. But will Jill appreciate the surprise? Or will she give him the heave-ho for the deception?

http://www.authorkjr...home-free-read/

When Midnight Comes: Mix Tape

2011-02-11T08:59:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Mix Tape: "Writing chapter four of my as yet untitled paranormal project. Not sure if that's a bad omen, that I can't think of a decent working title f..."

When Midnight Comes: Last Night's Storytelling Fun

2011-02-11T08:58:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Last Night's Storytelling Fun: "Cassandra Curtis at Reading Event 2/9/11 These pics were taken by bff and crit partner Cora Zane last night at my Storytelling With Cassandra..."

Storytelling With Cassandra - Shifting Tides

2011-02-09T00:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Storytelling with Cassandra.

Cassandra reads from her book, Shifting Tides.

Second Life. 6-7pm SLT. Elementals,

Meleda region. http://slurl.com/secondlife/0%200%20Meleda/114/146/1

This event is in voice.

Hope to see you there!

Special Featurette: A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness

2011-02-08T00:10:00.004-05:00

It begins with absence and desire.

It begins with blood and fear.

It begins with a discovery of witches.

When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer.

For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume.

Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well.

A Discovery Of Witches

by Deborah Harkness
published by Viking Press
ISBN-10: 0670022411
ISBN-13: 978-0670022410

Read an excerpt:

The leather-bound volume was nothing remarkable. To an ordinary historian, it would have looked no different from hundreds of other manuscripts in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, ancient and worn. But I knew there was something odd about it from the moment I collected it.

Duke Humfrey’s Reading Room was deserted on this late-September afternoon, and requests for library materials were filled quickly now that the summer crush of visiting scholars was over and the madness of the fall term had not yet begun. Even so, I was surprised when Sean stopped me at the call desk.

“Dr. Bishop, your manuscripts are up,” he whispered, voice tinged with a touch of mischief. The front of his argyle sweater was streaked with the rusty traces of old leather bindings, and he brushed at it self-consciously. A lock of sandy hair tumbled over his forehead when he did.

“Thanks,” I said, flashing him a grateful smile. I was flagrantly disregarding the rules limiting the number of books a scholar could call in a single day. Sean, who’d shared many a drink with me in the pink-stuccoed pub across the street in our graduate-student days, had been filling my requests without complaint for more than a week. “And stop calling me Dr. Bishop. I always think you’re talking to someone else.”

He grinned back and slid the manuscripts—all containing fine examples of alchemical illustrations from the Bodleian’s collections—over his battered oak desk, each one tucked into a protective gray cardboard box. “Oh, there’s one more.” Sean disappeared into the cage for a moment and returned with a thick, quarto-size manuscript bound simply in mottled calfskin. He laid it on top of the pile and stooped to inspect it. The thin gold rims of his glasses sparked in the dim light provided by the old bronze reading lamp that was attached to a shelf.

“This one’s not been called up for a while. I’ll make a note that it needs to be boxed after you return it.”

“Do you want me to remind you?”

“No. Already made a note here.” Sean tapped his head with his fingertips.

“Your mind must be better organized than mine.” My smile widened.

Sean looked at me shyly and tugged on the call slip, but it remained where it was, lodged between the cover and the first pages. “This one doesn’t want to let go,” he commented.

Muffled voices chattered in my ear, intruding on the familiar hush of the room. “Did you hear that?” I looked around, puzzled by the strange sounds.

“What?” Sean replied, looking up from the manuscript.

Traces of gilt shone along its edges and caught my eye. But those faded touches of gold could not account for a faint, iridescent shimmer that seemed to be escaping from between the pages. I blinked.

“Nothing.” I hastily drew the manuscript toward me, my skin prickling when it made contact with the leather. Sean’s fingers were still holding the call slip, and now it slid easily out of the binding’s grasp. I hoisted the volumes into my arms and tucked them under my chin, assailed by a whiff of the uncanny that drove away the library’s familiar smell of pencil shavings and floor wax.

“Diana? Are you okay?” Sean asked with a concerned frown.

“Fine. Just a bit tired,” I replied, lowering the books away from my nose.

I walked quickly through the original, fifteenth-century part of the library, past the rows of Elizabethan reading desks with their three ascending bookshelves and scarred writing surfaces. Between them, Gothic windows directed the reader’s attention up to the coffered ceilings, where bright paint and gilding picked out the details of the university’s crest of three crowns and open book and where its motto, “God is my illumination,” was proclaimed repeatedly from on high.

Another American academic, Gillian Chamberlain, was my sole companion in the library on this Friday night. A classicist who taught at Bryn Mawr, Gillian spent her time poring over scraps of papyrus sandwiched between sheets of glass. I sped past her, trying to avoid eye contact, but the creaking of the old floor gave me away. My skin tingled as it always did when another witch looked at me.

“Diana?” she called from the gloom. I smothered a sigh and stopped.

“Hi, Gillian.” Unaccountably possessive of my hoard of manuscripts, I remained as far from the witch as possible and angled my body so they weren’t in her line of sight.

“What are you doing for Mabon?” Gillian was always stopping by my desk to ask me to spend time with my “sisters” while I was in town. With the Wiccan celebrations of the autumn equinox just days away, she was redoubling her efforts to bring me into the Oxford coven.

“Working,” I said promptly.

“There are some very nice witches here, you know,” Gillian said with prim disapproval. “You really should join us on Monday.”

“Thanks. I’ll think about it,” I said, already moving in the direction of the Selden End, the airy seventeenth-century addition that ran perpendicular to main axis of Duke Humfrey’s. “I’m working on a conference paper, though, so don’t count on it.” My aunt Sarah had always warned me it wasn’t possible for one witch to lie to another, but that hadn’t stopped me from trying.

Gillian made a sympathetic noise, but her eyes followed me. Back at my familiar seat facing the arched, leaded windows, I resisted the temptation to dump the manuscripts on the table and wipe my hands. Instead, mindful of their age, I lowered the stack carefully.

The manuscript that had appeared to tug on its call slip lay on top of the pile. Stamped in gilt on the spine was a coat of arms belonging to Elias Ashmole, a seventeenth-century book collector and alchemist whose books and papers had come to the Bodleian from the Ashmolean Museum in the nineteenth century, along with the number 782. I reached out, touching the brown leather.

A mild shock made me withdraw my fingers quickly, but not quickly enough. The tingling traveled up my arms, lifting my skin into tiny goose pimples, then spread across my shoulders, tensing the muscles in my back and neck. These sensations quickly receded, but they left behind a hollow feeling of unmet desire. Shaken, I stepped away from the library table.

Even at a safe distance, this manuscript was challenging me—threatening the walls I’d erected to separate my career as a scholar from my birthright as the last of the Bishop witches.

About the author:
Deborah Harkness is a professor of history at the University of Southern California. She has received Fullbright, Guggenheim, and National Humanities Center fellowships, and her most recent scholarly work is The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution. She also writes an award-winning wine blog.

http://deborahharkness.com/

Win This Book!
Leave a comment on this blog post to enter for your chance to win a copy of Ms. Harkness' stunning debut novel, A Discovery of Witches!

Contest ends at midnight, February 14, 2011.

Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. We strive to make our prize winners happy! However, as with all our contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize.

Any prizes that go unclaimed for 30 days after the close of a contest will be placed back into the MMC prize vault, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

Stranger Things Happen

2011-02-07T09:54:00.005-05:00

All Friday nights should be this good…

Computer programmer Anna Walton is lonely and facing a dry spell of epic proportions. Tired of the dating scene, she decides to spend her Friday night testing the Reality Suite, a program she and her friends have developed. She orders up some lighthearted flirting and energetic dancing with a fruity drink or two on the side, but what she gets are three hot cowboys with sex and mutual pleasure on their minds.

Dante Rosetti, his brother Gabriel and cousin Cayle take one look at the curvy Anna and decide exactly how their Friday night should play out. Lots of naked bodies, sensual sighs and hot, belly-clenching pleasure.

Once she’s adrift in a stormy sea of fantasy sex with three strangers, will Anna ever want it to end?

Purchase Stranger Things Happen from All Romance eBooks

Ashmole 782 Button Contest Winner...

2011-02-07T00:01:00.002-05:00

The winner of the Ashmole 782 collectible button from author Deborah Harkness is...

Meredith!

Congratulations, Meredith!

Please email us with your full name and mailing address so we can send your prize!

The discovery is only 2 days away!

I don't know about you, but I can't wait!

The MMC will be giving away a copy of A Discovery of Witches, so stop back by and enter...

who knows—you just might win!

When Midnight Comes: February Love Contest

2011-02-05T08:44:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: February Love Contest: "I love February and not only because Valentine's Day and my birthday are this month. To me, February is all about romance and I imagine many..."

When Midnight Comes: Soda Pop With a Pump

2011-02-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Soda Pop With a Pump: "Last holiday season I wasn't overly festive. I just wanted to get the holidays and the gift shopping over with, so I made a quick list and d..."

2011-02-02T07:26:00.000-05:00

If you're one of our fans in Second Life, drop by our virtual Midnight Moon Cafe in Awen and while you're there, check out the book fayre and the booth we set up for our author of the month, February's Midnight Brew guest, Adrian Phoenix. Pretty nifty. :)

The Month of Love at the MMC

2011-02-01T10:05:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the month of love—February. You're sure to see Cupid as he takes aim with the many wonderful books coming out this month. Speaking of which...

Our Midnight Brew featured author this month is Adrian Phoenix, her latest book in the Maker's Song series—Etched In Bone—releases on February 22. To learn more about Ms. Phoenix and her spectacular book, click on the Midnight Brew tab at the top of our page.

We've also got Deborah Harkness dropping by on the 8th with a contest for our readers to win her thrilling new book, A Discovery of Witches. Plus guest bloggers popping in to talk about their books and more.

Speaking of more, our own Lady Cassandra will be in the virtual reality world known as Second Life, reading from her books and sharing some sizzling details about her upcoming stories.

Dates, times, and locations will be announced in our calendar (on our website) as we have them. Don't forget, we also have a virtual 3-D home in SL! We hope you'll be able to stop by our Midnight Moon Café in Awen. We have lots of fun stuff there to look at and most of it is FREE! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/196/225/22

Here at the MMC, we like to help our authors celebrate their birthdays, so we hope you'll be able to attend Cassandra's birthday bash at the MMC and on her personal blogs! There will be cake (we won't say how many candles, lol) and ice cream, plus door prizes for all attendees! The party starts at 1pm est.

We hope to see you there!

When Midnight Comes: Storytelling with Cassandra

2011-01-31T18:12:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Storytelling with Cassandra: "I'll be reading from my erotic paranormal ebook, Cup of Fate, Tonight from 6pm-7pm SLT (Pacific time).This event is in voice (I hope), so ..."

The Discovery...Where is Ashmole 782?

2011-01-31T00:05:00.002-05:00

The time grows near. Are you prepared?
Stake your claim and name your clan.

Leave a comment to enter and win the collectible button pictured above.
Contest ends midnight, February 6, 2011.

When Midnight Comes: Canceled, Rescheduled, and Free Falling

2011-01-27T13:54:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Canceled, Rescheduled, and Free Falling: "Last night's event had to be canceled because SL had an issue with their voice/talk feature and no one could listen or hear in voice chat. S..."

Storytelling Event with Cassandra Curtis

2011-01-27T11:02:00.001-05:00

Due to a problem with SL's Voice/talk feature,

last night's event had to be canceled.

However, the event has been rescheduled for:

Monday, January 31, 6pm - 7pm SLT (Pacific);

Excerpts from the book, Cup of Fate by Cassandra Curtis will be read, followed by a brief discussion with readers and fans.

Location: Elementals, http://slurl.com/secondlife/0%200%20Meleda/129/160/23

I hope you can make the event. It's sure to be naughty good fun! ;-)

Food For Thought: Feeding A Vampire

2011-01-25T10:47:00.000-05:00

I'm A Witch Collectible Button Winner is...

2011-01-25T01:38:00.031-05:00

The Winner of the Witch

collectible button is...

yadkny

Congratulations!

Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail. com

(no spaces) with your name and mailing address, so we can send your prize!

More contests and games on the way, including your chance to win the last of the Discovery of Witches collectible buttons—The Ashmole 782! So remember to check back and see what we're cooking up in our cauldron o 'fun, here at the Midnight Moon Cafe!

When Midnight Comes: Storytelling with Cass

2011-01-24T11:22:00.001-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Storytelling with Cass: "Encore performance!
I'll be reading from my erotic paranormal ebook, Cup of Fate, this Wednesday, January 26, from 6pm-7pm SLT (Pacific..."

Coming Attractions: The Rite

2011-01-24T00:04:00.002-05:00

No matter how many times we watch Anthony Hopkins in a movie, we keep expecting him to rip someone's face off and eat it with fava beans and chianti. The Rite is 'inspired' by author Matt Baglio's nonfiction book of the same name. The movie's theatrical release is set for January 28, 2011.

Beat the Chill With Hot Reads!

2011-01-23T00:07:00.066-05:00

There's nothing better to beat the snowy chill of winter than snuggling beneath warm blankets and reading a sizzlin' romance.

Check out these burning hot new releases!

This novel contains sensual love scenes between a fashion-forward hero and a fashion-unconscious heroine, abuse of Italian loafers, and a few love bites. Don’t worry, freshly sharpened fangs don’t hurt. Much…

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

ISBN: 978-1-60928-327-8

Magick made him human. Only love can keep him that way.

After a century of living la vida muerta, Julian Devlin’s closest ally casts a de-vamping spell that leaves him defanged and demoted from his hard-won place in Baltimore’s vampire hierarchy. Disoriented by his transformation, he can’t even find his way home.

The indignities don’t end there. Before he can explain to the quirky consignment shop owner why he’s hiding in her basement, she’s punched the newly re-acquired breath out of him and smacked him upside the head with her knock-off purse.

Zoe Boyd’s scream could have peeled paint from the walls—if she could get her heart out of her throat. Common thugs aren’t supposed to have a smile so panty-melting that she finds herself apologizing for scaring him.

She’s also too busy managing her friends’ love lives to take on an ex-vampire with revamping and revenge on his mind. Until she guides him home and ends up neck deep in his world of trouble.

As Zoe risks her life to give him back his death, she warms the soul Julian never thought he’d own again. And when he tracks down a devilish witch who can reverse the spell, immortality without Zoe suddenly seems like cold comfort…


This book contains explicit sex, graphic language, and M/M/F love scenes between a Sidhe lord, a vampire and a leprechaun. And no, that’s not the start of a dirty joke no matter what my Beta readers said.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

ISBN: 978-1-60928-332-2

Nobility has its privileges…and its price. Sometimes it just sucks.
The Gray Court, Book 2

For Lord Duncan Malmayne, it was love at first sight with his true bond, the lovely half-Sidhe, half-leprechaun Moira Dunne. Yet something is missing from his relationship with the fiery redhead, something that prevents him from completing the Claiming and making Moira his forever.

As problems multiply in what should be a magical, idyllic time, the depression weighing on Moira’s Sidhe heart signals a potentially devastating condition. Mate sickness. Her instinct tells her what’s missing: Jaden Blackthorn, Gray Court vampire, Duncan’s bond brother and closest friend—who tactfully withdrew from their lives after Duncan declared his love.

Jaden is both heartbroken and elated that the two people he loves most in the world are together. It’s best he cut off all contact to give them space to complete the Claiming. But trouble is brewing in the Malmayne clan, and when Jaden’s forced back into their lives by the Hob, their extremely rare tribond clicks with a reaction that’s swift, sensual and all-consuming.

But not everyone looks upon it as a blessing. In fact, the price of their love could be a potentially fatal shift of power…

Liquid Silver Books

ISBN 978-1-59578-791-0

After a failed rescue attempt, Aidan Ghallager has been captured, unable to shift into his Dragon form. Rowan Stone, daughter of megalomaniac William Stone, has become his unlikely nurse. As they work together to find a way to escape her father’s nefarious plans and insidious torture, they try to fight the attraction between them--and fail. For Aidan and Rowan are mated--meant to be together—but only if they can stay alive long enough to escape.

This book is a molten silver book and contains: interspecies sex, violence

Read An Excerpt here!

Claiming The Evil Dead Winner is...

2011-01-22T00:18:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to....

Elaing8

Who won a copy of Claiming The Evil Dead by Mary Abshire. Please email us with your name so we can forward your information on to Ms. Abshire.

Happy reading!

The Discovery Draws Closer...

2011-01-20T00:48:00.000-05:00

The time grows near. Are you prepared?
Stake your claim and name your clan.

Leave a comment to enter and win the collectible button pictured above.
Contest ends midnight, January 24, 2011.

Featurette: Claiming the Evil Dead by Mary Abshire

2011-01-18T00:19:00.041-05:00

She's a hot-blooded half-demon.

He's a cold-blooded vampire.

Sending evil souls to hell has
never been more dangerous,
or steamy.

Claiming The Evil Dead is the first book in Ms. Abshire's Soul Catcher series! Get it Now!

Half-demon Jessie Garrett is searching for an evil vampire that's been preying upon children. She wants to claim the rogue vamp's soul and send it to hell. To find the dead man walking she must partner with another bloodsucker, Drake, even though she doesn't trust him. While Jessie works with Drake, she learns not all vampires are killers and discovers the cold-blooded vamp is a temptation too difficult to resist.

After the fiend abducts another child and Jessie has a near fatal experience with vampires, she turns to Jeremy, a demon she bumped into at a club, and makes a deal with him for his help. Drake disapproves, and Jessie soon finds herself wedged between two volatile creatures.

When the chance comes to save the child's life and claim the evil vamp's soul, she must decide whom she can trust—a vampire who cools her feverish desires, or a demon hell-bent on seducing her.

Excerpt from Claiming The Evil Dead by Mary Abshire:
©2010 Mary Abshire

"Jessie Garrett," he said, capturing my attention. His eyes remained pointed at the
road. "Twenty-four, single, computer technician, paranormal investigator. . . ." He paused,
directing his attention to me.

Maintaining my composure, I stared back at him and waited for him to say the word.

"Demon." He finished.

"That's not on my birth certificate."

His lips twitched. "You're a mystery to me."

"Let's keep it that way," I replied smugly.

I shifted one leg over the other. From my peripheral vision, I saw him watching me. I
wore a knee-length, black skirt with small, blue floral designs and three-inch black sandals. I selected the skirt thinking I would stay cooler. Now that I realized I had exposed my bare legs to his eyes, I wished I'd selected jeans.

"I have met a few demons in my existence, and I have to admit that none
compare to you."

What a sweet compliment, I thought. Maybe he has a warm personality hidden within
that cold body of his. Maybe.

"Tell me, Jessie Garrett, where have you been hiding all these years."

"You followed me and seem to know a lot about me. Why don't you tell me?" I pressed
my lips shut and stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"How about a deal?" he asked.

"Another one?"

The veins in his hands rose as he gripped the wheel. "Consider it an exchange. You tell
me about yourself, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about me."

His proposal appealed to me, considering I was stuck in a car with him for the next
three hours, and I had limited knowledge of vampires. With the opportunity to learn more
staring me in the face—literally—how could I say no?

"Okay," I said with a shrug. "But I get to ask the first question."

He grinned."Always a concession with you," he said, while he set the cruise
control at eighty-five.

I flashed a smile at him. He should have known that bargaining with a demon was
never easy.

About the author:

Ms. Abshire is a part-time Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy author living in Indianapolis with her husband, witty daughter, and ridiculous cat.

The paranormal world has always been an interest of mine. I grew up watching Sci-Fi and Horror shows. As a teenager--many, many years ago--I read Anne Rice and wrote to pen-pals (stamps were cheap and computers weren't in every household). Though I dropped the pen for a while, my love for the paranormal continued. I started writing full length novels a few years ago and haven't stopped. Not only do I love stories about vampires, I enjoy books with demons, werewolves, shapeshifters, dragons, and just about any supernatural creature.

Visit her website!

Win A Copy of Claiming The Evil Dead!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post. Winner will be chosen at random from all entries received. Contest ends Friday, January 21, 2011 and winner will be announced Saturday, January 22, so remember to check back and see if you've won!

Stars Will Cry: Double Trouble and The Vampire Tarot

2011-01-17T15:03:00.000-05:00

Stars Will Cry: Double Trouble and The Vampire Tarot [author photo] "Here we are - Monday again! I dreaded seeing..."

I'm Human Collectible Button Winner is...

2011-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

MARY

Congratulations! You're obviously human. lol. Please email us at midnightmooncafe@ gmail .com (no spaces) with your name and address.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness comes out February 8th, from Viking Press. To learn more about this amazing book, go to: http://deborahharkness.com/discovery-of-witches/

When Midnight Comes: Redecorating with Ms. Cora

2011-01-15T07:40:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Redecorating with Ms. Cora: "We did some redecorating at the MMC in SL again, but I think you'll agree it was well worth the effort. The place is really eye-catching fro..."

The Discovery Heats Up...

2011-01-13T00:06:00.001-05:00

The time grows near. Are you prepared?
Stake your claim and name your clan.

Leave a comment to enter and win the collectible button pictured above.
Contest ends midnight, January 16, 2011.

When Midnight Comes: Typing One Handed

2011-01-12T05:22:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Typing One Handed: "I used to be so good at multitasking. Not sure when it changed. All I do know is yesterday morning I decided to make a large pot of homemad..."

Cassandra's Virtual Book Tour and Reading Events:

2011-01-12T00:10:00.010-05:00

Tonight at 6-7pm SLT (Pacific); Excerpts from the book, Cup of Fate by Cassandra Curtis will be read, followed by a brief discussion with readers and fans.
Location: Elementals, http://slurl.com/secondlife/0%200%20Meleda/129/160/23

If you miss my reading event tonight, I'll be reading from Cup of Fate again on...

Wednesday, January 26, 2011; 6-7pm SLT (Pacific); Excerpts from the book, Cup of Fate by Cassandra Curtis will be read, followed by a brief discussion with readers and fans.
Location: Elementals, http://slurl.com/secondlife/0%200%20Meleda/129/160/23

Discovery Daemon Button Contest winner

2011-01-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

The winner of Ms. Harkness' collectible Daemon button is...

van_pham!

Congratulations! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @gmail. com ( no spaces ) with your name and address so we can send your prize!

Thanks for playing and remember to stop by again for a drink and a bite!

Another button contest is on the way! So watch and win!

Being Human

2011-01-09T18:12:00.001-05:00

This may be worth a look. The premise is interesting, but I wonder how they'll deliver the story and characterization to make it work.

The series premiere airs Monday, January 17th at 9/8c on Syfy.

When Midnight Comes: Upcoming Reading Events

2011-01-08T12:50:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Upcoming Reading Events: "I have several reading events scheduled this month and in February, so if you would like to give SL a try, come by and say hi and attend. S..."

The Midnight Brew for January 2011

2011-01-07T18:51:00.004-05:00

The Midnight Moon Cafe welcomes
Tonya Renee Callihan
our featured author for January 2011.

Read our interview with Ms. Callihan by clicking on the 'Brew feature tab at the top of this post or by going to our website at http://midnightmooncafe.com/featured.

The Discovery Continues...

2011-01-07T00:51:00.003-05:00

The time grows near. Are you prepared?
Stake your claim and name your clan.

Leave a comment to enter and win the collectible button pictured above.
Contest ends midnight, January 10, 2011.

Congratulations To Our Tarot Deck Winner!

2011-01-04T18:08:00.000-05:00

The MMC congratulates the winner of our Tarot Chat door prize —Ivelisse! Your Witchy Tarot deck is on its way and should arrive in your mail soon. We hope you enjoy using your new deck and learning the meanings behind what they reveal.

Discovery Vampire Button Contest winner

2011-01-03T00:03:00.000-05:00

The winner of the Discovery of Witches collectible Vampire button is...

Meredith!

Congratulations, Meredith! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) with your name and mailing address so we can send your prize!

* * *

Watch for your chance to win other collectible Discovery of Witches buttons this month, here at the Midnight Moon Cafe, then join us on February 8, 2011 as we highlight our special featurette with Discovery of Witches author Deborah Harkness.

Winner of December's MMC Monthly Contest is...

2011-01-02T00:30:00.004-05:00

The winner of our MMC Monthly Contest for December 2010 is...

::drumroll please::

Chelsea B.!

Congratulations, Chelsea!

You've won the paperback anthology Haunted By Your Touch!

Please email us with your name and mailing address so we can send your prize! Woohoo! Nice way to start off the New Year, huh?

Don't despair if you didn't win. We have more contests in store this month, along with a new 'Brew interview, interesting guest bloggers, and a Tarot Chat on our website tomorrow night 8pm CST. The door prize is a cool Witchy tarot deck! So join us for fun and virtual drinks at the bar.

Tarot for New Year's Contest

2011-01-01T11:00:00.004-05:00

Join us in the MMC Chat Pit January 3, from 8pm-8:30pm CST, and chat about the everything woo-woo as we explore the supernatural in our books. Could Werekind really exist? Where are the most likely places to find mermaids and selkies? Louisiana vampires making sexy advances on you? *wink*

Then from 8:30pm-9:30pm CST, join us for all your tarot related questions. The first five MMC reader/fans will receive a free New Years tarot reading. Everyone who stops by the chat will be entered into a door prize that will include bookmarks and more, and a new tarot deck by Lo Scarabeo, entitled: The Witchy Tarot. This mini-deck (also sometimes known as the Teen Witch Tarot), includes 78 elegant cards showcasing some beautiful artwork.

So mark your calendars for Monday, January 3 and stop by our Chat Pit for a drink...and a bite!

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

From all of us here at the Midnight Moon Cafe to all of you! Happy New Year 2011!

The Discovery Begins...

2010-12-31T00:03:00.000-05:00

The time grows near. Are you prepared?
Stake your claim and name your clan.

Leave a comment to enter and win the collectible button pictured above.
Contest ends January 2, 2011.

Looking Forward - A Holiday Notice, Plus Books!

2010-12-30T00:01:00.045-05:00

2010 is coming to a close, and we are looking forward to a bright new year in 2011. The staff at the Midnight Moon Cafe will be on holiday until Monday, January 3rd.

In the meantime, we hope you will check out the latest releases from our Midnight Moon Cafe authors. If you haven't entered our MMC Monthly Contest for December, you have until New Year's Eve to enter.

See you in 2011! :*)

The Deal Breaker, by Cassandra Curtis
Eccentric recluse Athena Thanos owns Archimedes Island, a tropical paradise she can never leave. Cursed by the Goddess Hera, the moon and tides control her prison. Corporate player, Ryan Palmer is sent to negotiate a huge deal. But Ryan doesn’t know the hand he’s been dealt by fate or that he is the key to breaking Athena's curse. Will he agree to her demands once he understands the risks?

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16538

Connection, by Cora Zane

Gage is a cyber vampire, an AI being who feeds off energy, sexual and otherwise. Kiri loves that they can feel each other's pleasure during sex...during those electric moments when Gage slips his fangs into her neck ports.

Kiri knew from the start Gage wanted a no-strings relationship. But she hadn't realized his bite would grant him full access to her heart. Didn't count on being so lost to pleasure that she lets loose her innermost desire. Now Gage knows her secret, and Kiri can't bring herself to face him.

But Gage has a secret of his own. He's found more than sexual satisfaction with Kiri. He's discovered the ultimate connection - and he'll prove it the second he's back in her bed.

http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8754-50-connection.aspx

Dead Sexy's Erotic Exposure Contest Winner

2010-12-29T15:12:00.005-05:00

The winner of Paige Tyler's ebook, Erotic Exposure is...

Jamie Colette!
Congratulations, Jaime! Please contact us at
midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com ( no spaces )
so we can make sure you get your prize.

Tarot Chat and Free Readings at the MMC in SL

2010-12-28T00:04:00.005-05:00

We've decorated the Midnight Moon Cafe in Second Life and want to show off all our hard work. Stop by Thursday, December 30, 2010 for a free tarot reading from 6-8 SLT (Pacific time zone), at our place in Awen. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/196/225/22

Love life, career, prosperity...
What does the future hold for you?*

*for entertainment purposes only.

When Midnight Comes: Tarot Event in SL this Thursday Night!

2010-12-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Tarot Event in SL this Thursday Night!: "Your evah lovin' shifter writer is having another tarot reading event in SL, just in time for the new year. My partner and pal at the MMC wi..."

Happy Yule 2010 Contest Winner

2010-12-26T09:15:00.002-05:00

Hey ya'll! Didja have a Cool Yule and a Merry Christmas? We sure hope so. I'm happy to report I snagged some cool swag from my hubby and from Santa. Ya know, except for the length of his beard, Bear is starting to look a lot like Santa for reals. rofl.

Umm, where was I? Oh oops, I meant to do a drawing for the winner of this contest. Okie doke. ::grabs scrumpled paper with name on it from my newest find, a wicked-looking black crystal goblet, and draws out a winner::

Celtic Dragonfly!

Congratulations, you've won our Happy Yule Contest! Please contact us at midnight mooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) with your full name and a mailing address in order to receive your swag.

Thanks to all our readers for stopping by and entering our contest!

More cool interviews and fun stuff coming your way, so drop by again for a drink...and a bite.

Cass
The Midnight Moon Cafe

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2010-12-25T00:25:00.000-05:00

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
from your friends at the Midnight Moon Cafe.

Cass & Cora
and the MMC staff

Happy Yule!

2010-12-21T01:10:00.001-05:00

Yule is here and we've even ordered up a wicked cool lunar eclipse! *wg*

To celebrate, Cass and the staff have gathered some neat things for a Cool Yule Contest!
To enter, leave a comment on this post for your chance to win!*

Prizes include: Backlist books by authors Justine Musk (Lord of Bones) and Cindy Miles (Highland Knight); Super LED Lighted Wallet Magnifer, Gift bag of sampler goodies from Estée Lauder (includes jar of Time Zone anti-wrinkle cream and Anti-aging pearls, perfume, and lip pencil sharpener), sparkly glitter tweezers, Holiday reindeer earrings, bookmarks, temporary tattoos, silvertone seahorse necklace and dolphin surfboard necklace from Cassandra Curtis, holiday erasers and notepads, and an apple cider scented votive candle.

Contest ends midnight, Christmas Eve.
Winner will be announced here on the blog December 26, 2010.
GOOD LUCK!

*Due to shipping regulations regarding some of the prize contents, this contest is open only to U.S. residents. Must be 18+ to enter.

Contest void where prohibited by law. We strive to make our prize winners happy! However, as with all our contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize.

Any prizes that go unclaimed for 30 days after the close of a contest will be placed back into the MMC prize vault, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

Show a Zombie Some Love...with Paige Tyler's Dead Sexy

2010-12-20T00:50:00.003-05:00

SHOW A ZOMBIE SOME LOVE!

Thanks so much for letting me guest blog today!

Readers often ask me how I come up with ideas for my books, so I thought I'd give you a little behind-the-scenes peek at how I came up with my new release, a paranormal erotic romance from Ellora's Cave called DEAD SEXY.

Before I say anything else though, isn't that cover too hot for words?! When the art department sent it to me, I probably gazed at it for a good ten minutes in mouth-drooling appreciation before I could email them back telling the artist it not only rocked, but totally fit the book. The hero is "Dead Sexy," after all!

Okay, back to the story and how I came up with it. First, to set the stage, I need to share a little something with you about myself. Well, about my hubby and me, actually. We love zombie movies, from the George Romero gems to Shaun of the Dead and everything in between, including "Walking Dead," the new series on AMC. You just can't go wrong with a movie full of walking dead people, can you? Well, if you've ever seen a zombie movie (or even you haven't), then you know the creatures aren't the heroes of the film. I mean, how can they be, right? They're all dead and decayed and downright unattractive, not to mention pretty damn scary.

Which was why you can imagine my surprise when my hubby suggested I write an erotic romance about a zombie hero. I was like, you're kidding, right? What woman in her right mind would fall in love with a dead guy? No way could that possibly work, or so I thought.

Turns out, my hubby wasn't kidding. In fact, he started working up ideas for the story.

"The hero didn't have to be a zombie all the time," he told me. "Think outside the box - take a little literary license!"

Okay, I thought. I suppose I could be open minded.

My hubby told me that in his out-of-the-box world, the hunky hero got cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess and only turns into a zombie sometimes.

"I'm listening," I said.

"And when he does go zombie, he doesn't have to be like the kind in the movies," my hubby added. "Well, he has to look like one, you know all dead and stuff, but he doesn't have to be a mindless creature or attack humans or eat anything gross."

So, brains are completely out, thanks goodness!

"Think Jensen Ackles or Jared Padelecki, with a really, really, really dark tan - (yes, my hubby knows I've got a thing for the Supernatural hunks!) - well, maybe more gray and black than tan, but you get the idea."

I thought about that for a minute. "So, the hero's dead, but he's still sexy, is that what you're saying?"

"Exactly," he said, giving me a grin as my eyes lit up with understanding.

By that point, my hubby had pretty much sold me on the idea. Of course, I knew if I ran with it, I was going to have to sell it to a publisher, and I knew that could be tough since the hero is a zombie.

But I ran with it anyway and ended up with a full-length novel. And it came out pretty damn good, if I do say so myself! I still had to find a publisher for it, though.

About this same time, It just so happens that several of my other books were in the process of being picked up by Ellora's Cave and I thought what the heck? Why not pitch it to my editor there and see what she thinks? So I did, and she told me to send it to her. She was interested to see how I handled the whole zombie-thing. Well, long story, short, she liked it. A lot! My zombie romance with it's dead-sexy hero had a home! I was thrilled and my hubby walked around for a week with a smug, "I-told-you-so" look on his face.

I've been getting the word out there about DEAD SEXY ever since I signed the contract for it and I'm thrilled with the interest from readers who can't wait to get their hands on it! I can't wait for them to read it, too!

Now that I've revealed the story behind the story, I thought I'd share the blurb and an excerpt just to whet your appetite for more!

About the book:

Romance author Simone Kent thinks she might just have found the most perfect guy in all of New York City - in bed and out. But Drake Parrish is about as far from perfect as any man can get. Eight years ago, he was cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess to live part of his life as a zombie. Since then, he has lived like a recluse on New York’s Upper East Side, afraid to go out for fear he’ll suddenly turn into one of the walking dead.

The sex is the hottest either of them has ever experienced and Simone discovers just how naughty she can be with Drake, while he finds himself feeling things for her that he hasn’t felt in a very long time. When the Voodoo priestess learns of their relationship, however, she comes after him again. She is determined to make sure he won’t have a future with Simone, even if that means killing both him and the woman he loves.

Dead Sexy Excerpt:

As she led him up the steps to the second floor, Drake found himself wondering if she would ask him in. And wondering what he’d say if she did. When they came to a stop outside the door to her apartment, Simone turned to give him a smile.

“I had a great time tonight.”

“Me, too.”

She caught her bottom lip between her perfect white teeth and chewed on it thoughtfully as if unsure what she wanted to say next. It was probably an unconscious gesture, something she did whenever she was thinking, but to him, it was sexy as hell and all he could think about was kissing her.

Surely, one kiss couldn’t hurt. He desperately wanted to. He hadn’t kissed a woman in so long. It would be nice to see if he still remembered how.

Before he could stop himself, Drake tilted Simone’s face up to his and pressed his mouth to hers.

She tasted just as sweet and delicious as he thought she would. Her lips were soft and pliant under his as she kissed him back, her tongue eagerly seeking his out.

Drake groaned and slid his hand into her hair, deepening the kiss. Simone sighed into his mouth, running her hands up the front of his shirt to grasp his shoulders. The feel of her touch was like a tonic to his deprived soul and he let out another groan, deeper this time.

He ran his free hand up her side and around to her breast, cupping it through the soft material of her dress. He couldn’t stop himself and apparently, Simone didn’t want him to. She moaned and arched against him. He could feel the heat of her pussy through their clothes as she pressed up against his hard cock. Damn, she felt good.

Drake drew her bottom lip into his mouth and gently suckled on it before slowly kissing his way along the delicate curve of her jaw. Simone clutched his shoulders and tilted her head back. He eagerly trailed a path of hot kisses down her neck, then back up, his mouth finding hers again. Simone looped her arms around his neck, pulling him in even closer as their tongues met.

Down the hall, a door slammed, reminding him where they were.

Drake dragged his mouth away from hers, his breathing ragged as he tried to regain control. He had to get it together because he was about five seconds away from doing something really stupid. Like taking her to bed. “I should go.”

Her lips curved into a sexy, flirtatious smile. “Or you could stay.”

God, how he wanted to. But as much as he’d love to spend the rest of the night exploring every inch of her body, he couldn’t take the chance he might go zombie on her right in the middle of sex. Talk about coitus interruptus, And it had already been almost four days since he last turned, which meant he was already pushing his luck.

“You don’t know how much I want to,” he groaned. “But I can’t.”

Simone looked up at him with those big, blue eyes. “Why not?”

“Because I…” He hesitated, trying to come up with something that would sound believable. “I have a column due in the morning and I haven’t even started on it yet.” She knew all about deadlines, so she would understand that. Besides, he did have a column to write, it just wasn’t due until next week. “Rain check?”

She looked disappointed, but she smiled anyway. “Absolutely. How does coming over for dinner tomorrow night sound?”

It would be crazy to agree when he could be so close to having an episode, but he couldn’t say no. Not when she asked in that soft, sultry voice. “Sounds great.”

“Good. Be here at seven.”

“Seven it is.”

She pulled him down for another long, slow kiss on the mouth. “Don’t be late.”

His mouth twitched. “I won’t.” He bent his head to kiss her again, then groaned. “If I don’t go now, I’ll be here all night.”

Simone laughed. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

“Not to me, but my editor at Money Issues might not be too understanding when he doesn’t find my column sitting in his inbox tomorrow.”

She sighed. “Deadlines can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. Okay, go home and write your column. I’ll cuddle up with a bowl of ice cream instead.”

He chuckled. “Sounds better than taking a cold shower, which is what I’m going to be doing when I get home.” He closed his mouth over hers once more. “See you tomorrow night, beautiful.”

Resisting the urge to pull her into his arms again, Drake turned and walked down the hallway toward the stairwell. At the top of the steps, he glanced over his shoulder to see Simone standing where he’d left her, a sexy curve to her lips.

It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to go back and pin her against the door for one more long, lingering kiss. God, what he wouldn’t give to spend the night with her. Man, it was going to take more than a cold shower to get her out of his head.

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt and that you can't wait to read more! You can get DEAD SEXY from Ellora's Cave at http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8917-50-dead-sexy.aspx

You can also check out the trailer here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5D_YH6bYrE

If you decide to pick up DEAD SEXY, let me know how you like it!

*hugs*
Paige

http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com

http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com

::WIN THIS STUFF::

Paige has graciously donated an ebook from her backlist to giveaway here at the Midnight Moon Cafe. For your chance to win a copy of Paige Tyler's Erotic Exposure, leave a comment in this thread between now and midnight CST Sunday, December 26th. One winner will be chosen at random and announced here on the blog Monday, December 27th. Good luck!

Behind The Throne: Maggie Berkley Contest Winners!

2010-12-20T00:36:00.001-05:00

Cass misplaced her witch's hat and Cora's Oogly Boogly fish bowl got broken, so the staff-in-training (Liam, Rex, and the ever sexy Darius) found this adorable kitten rooting through a trash can and adopted him. We looked inside and found all these names! So we picked out three names and three items... and the winners & their prizes are:

RACHEL445 -
EBOOK - BEHIND THE THRONE!!!
FROM MAGGIE BERKLEY!!!

ANGEL - Ball Cap!!!

Wolfie53 - T-Shirt!!!

Congratulations to all our winners!*

More Yuletide and Christmas goodies to share,
so stop back by for more MMC fun this coming week!

*Winners, please contact the Midnight Moon Cafe at midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) within 30 days of this announcement posting date in order to receive your prizes or they will be forfeit and another winner or winners will be drawn. When contacting the MMC, please use the subject line: Behind the Throne Contest winner. Include your name and mailing address so we can send your prizes!

Featured Guest: Maggie Berkley talks about First Loves

2010-12-16T00:01:00.008-05:00

First Loves

Hi, just like to give myself a quick introduction. My name is Maggie Berkley and I’m a wife, mother and writer. What I wanted to blog about today is first loves. I’ve been married so long now (20 years this year) and its hard to remember the feelings and what-dos that go on during first loves but I get the pleasure (and worry) of seeing it through my son.

My son is almost 17 and this summer he met his first girlfriend. She’s a few years younger and lives in another city, which, from a protective mother’s point of view, is a good thing. It’s hard to let go, to see my baby grow up and become a man. It was hard when he was 6 and went to his first sleep over, hard when he was 10 and went on his first camp out for Cub Scouts, hard when he came home after his first week of high school and told me he had his first fight (he won…one good thing). But now this? A girlfriend? How do I keep my baby boy safe from girls and heartbreak? Argh.

Now don’t get me wrong, I went through my share of crushes and broken hearts but well, that was me, I could deal with it. But my son? Poor defenseless teenage boy with no experience in the real world? (I can hear the sigh and eye rolls) I know, I know, I need to learn to let go and believe me, I’m trying, but its hard, hard to see him grow up, to see him so serious with a young lady who still doesn’t know what she, herself, wants in life. To hear his ideas and plans for his future with her, how he feels and how he hurts when her friends don’t like him (they say he’s too intense like Edward from Twilight). My son has his heart on his sleeve and I can’t keep it from the pain of heart break I know will happen one day. Does this worry ever go away?

Yes, I’m trying…hard (my fingernails show the proof), to loosen my hold for how can he become the man I see him becoming if I strangle him with my concern and protection? He at least has sense of humor about my situation, pats me on my head and gives me a hug while muttering, “Love you too, mom.” One thing for sure though, is he is a gentleman; treats her with respect, is offended by songs that put women down and are sexually demeaning, and is not thrilled with her wearing short skirts. I can look back and know he was raised well and know, in return, he will raise any children he has (whether with her, or another future love) with the same love and worry he had.

(slowly unclenching my fingers from him) Well, I had to get that off my chest. If you want to check out my website (http://www.maggieberkley.viviti.com ), connect to me on facebook (http://www.maggieberkley.facebook.com) or twitter (http://maggieberkley.twitter.com )or just follow my blog (http://maggieberkley.wordpress.com ) fill free. Now…to my book.

Here’s a brief excerpt from my new book, Behind the Throne: Book Two of the Morgan Crowe trilogy. Hope you enjoy.

Excerpt:

The glare Ty shot at Morgan from across the table was priceless. Dark and icy, it was filled with enough anger to make a normal person quiver in their seat—but to someone in her line of business, having lived a lifetime in bloodshed and war, she thought it was more adorable. He was definitely taking his job serious with guarding her. She chuckled at the thought and dipped her French fry into some hot fudge before lifting it to her lips.

“Are you sure you don’t want some, Ty? It’s delicious,” Morgan teased before popping the thin slice of chocolate-covered potato into her mouth. The response she received was equally amusing, a deep grunt with a slight up-curl of his lip as he turned away. Taking the moment to cast a quick glance around the all-night diner, she noted that other than Irene, the waitress, and the cook that occasionally popped his head out of the back, there were only three customers in the cafe. Aware of her surroundings, she turned her attention back to the grumbling young Werewolf.

Ty shook his dark, shaggy head and drained his Coke from a straw as he continued shooting her dirty looks. Under the florescent lights, the shadow of a beard clung to his jaws, accenting his lean face and high cheekbones and giving him more of the scruffy bad boy look. Even the waitress heading over to them watched him as if she expected trouble to soon jump out.

“You like a refill on that, hun?” she asked Ty.

“Sure.” He held up the red plastic glass, and then looked out the window, the glass reflecting the scene inside the diner as life outside in the dark city continued on. The light twinkled off the small gold hoop he wore in his left ear, catching Morgan’s attention briefly as he looked back at the laminated table. Snapping his thumb ring sharply on the tabletop, Ty sucked on his teeth, his eyes flickering to the plate in front of Morgan.

“And you, sugar? Anything else?” the waitress asked Morgan.

“No, I’m fine.”

“When are you due?”

Morgan glanced up at her. “Any time now, I hope, Irene.”

“Well, congratulations. Is Daddy excited, too?” Irene’s eyes went to Ty. He was still busy pretending to be mad and avoided looking at them. At her words, however, his eyes widened as he opened his mouth, only to be cut off by the mother-to-be.

“The ‘Daddy’ took off, Irene. Could you please go get the gentleman his Coke?”

A pitying look came over the waitress’s face before she reached over to squeeze Morgan’s shoulder. “We have some really good brownies. I’ll bring you one, all warm with a scoop of vanilla. On the house, dear.”

Morgan looked at her from the corner of her eyes as she shoved a few more French fries into her mouth. “Thanks.”

After the waitress left, she continued to eat, studying the grumpy Werewolf and the various expressions crossing his face. “Look, sweets, you didn’t have to come with me.”

Ty’s gray eyes flashed to hers. “You didn’t have to try and sneak out. Damn, what does it take to get you to understand, woman?” He glanced around the diner, then leaned forward, his arms resting on the table. “You came to Viv’s seeking sanctuary, yet you constantly fight anyone who wants to protect you. You yourself said assassins were after you.” He leaned back and ran his fingers through his hair. “Grant and Hank are gonna kill me. Damn, they think I’m a screw-up as it is. This only cinches it.”

“I’ll make it up to you later.” Morgan looked up as the waitress headed back to their table, carrying soda and a small plate with brownies and ice cream. She thanked the lady, then looked back at Ty as the waitress left.

“Here, sweets, for you.” She pushed the plate over in front of him.

Growling, Ty moved to push it away, but stopped. Then, picking up a fork, he dug into the warm, moist square of chocolately goodness and rich vanilla ice cream. Taking a bite, he closed his eyes, as if to savor the taste, and opened them to find Morgan watching him with a slight, almost seductive, smile on her lips.

“Don’t do that,” he whispered, his voice low and husky. Then he drained his glass, shifting uncomfortably.

“Do what?”

“That. Watch me while I eat.” Clearing his throat, he glanced up at her again.

Morgan picked up a spoon and scooped up a little of the ice cream before licking it off the tip.

“But you look so cute when you eat. All mmm’s and ahh’s.”

Running her tongue along her bottom lip, she put the spoon down, enjoying the teasing she gave him. The fact he was so flustered by her, even though she felt as huge as a house, made her feel good, flattered—so much, she was unaware when the attack first happened.

(The Morgan Crowe trilogy is avaliable Red Rose Publishing (http://tinyurl.com/Maggies-Books ) and at Amazon.com

Maggie Berkley
http://maggieberkley.viviti.com/

(Available at Red Rose Publishing)
Diary of A Vampire
Enter the Night: Book One of the Morgan Crowe Trilogy
Behind the Throne: Book Two of the Morgan Crowe Trilogy

Out of the ShadowLands: Book Three of the Morgan Crowe Trilogy (coming soon)

::WIN THIS STUFF::

UPDATE: Maggie has generously added to the prize vault for this week's giveaway! She has donated a T-shirt, ball cap, and an e-book copy of Behind the Throne to be given away here at the Midnight Moon Cafe.

The rules are simple, leave a comment in this thread no later than Sunday, December 19th, 2010. Three winners will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, December 20th here on the blog - one winner for the cap, one winner for the shirt, one winner for the e-book. Good luck, everyone!

One entry per person. This is strictly enforced. We like to give everyone an equal opportunity to win. People using multiple usernames in order to generate additional entries will be disqualified.

When Midnight Comes: Holiday Stocking Winners!

2010-12-14T08:42:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Holiday Stocking Winners!: "The winners of my Christmas Stocking Contest are... ::drum roll please:: Moonsanity and Pam K. Congratulations, ladies! Please email me at c..."

Winner of Sherrilyn Kenyon's No Mercy

2010-12-13T09:36:00.000-05:00

It's time to reach into my magical bag of stars and pick a winner for Sherrilyn Kenyon's No Mercy.
If you posted before midnight last night, you were automatically entered for a chance to win. With no further ado, the winner is...

Keta Diablo

Congrats, Keta! You've won the hardcover copy of No Mercy. Please email Cora at corazane [at] aol [dot] com (no spaces) with No Mercy Winner in the subject line. Be sure to include your snail mail address so I can send you your prize.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check out our featured book. We're always brewing up something new at the Midnight Moon Cafe. We hope you'll drop by and visit us again.

Ode to the Magical Oogly Boogly Fishbowl

2010-12-13T08:14:00.000-05:00

Alas, today marks the end of an age. My first contest has passed without my oogly boogly magical fishbowl. I accidentally broke it yesterday. Knocked it right off the edge of my desk. If it's okay with everyone present, I'm going to blame Mercury retrograde. After all, it had nothing to do with my forearm, or reaching across my desk and not really paying attention to what I was doing.

Long time readers of the Midnight Moon Cafe blog know I've been using the magical fishbowl for years. Literally.

It was magical because Mr.Yugi Fish, the last male Betta Splenden we had as a pet, came home from the aquarium store in it. Of course, in my opinion, the bowl was far too small for any fish to live in comfortably, so I bought him his own mini aquarium with plastic grass, bubbles, rocks, etc. He was quite the pampered fish in his heyday. Yet even after he moved into the fishy manor, I kept the small bowl, and had been using it for all my contest things.

It made me a little heartsick when I broke it. I'm sure there's karma attached to breaking a magical fishbowl, but I'm going to try not to think about that!

Anyway, until I find another fishbowl that's just as magical - they are quite rare, you see - I will be using my bag of numbered stars to pick winners. If you are the 1st poster, your number is 1. If you're the 2nd person to post, your number is 2. If you're the 3rd person to post, you're 3...you get the idea. The stars are all numbered, so drawings will be easy peasy and fair - and more than likely, they'll be just as magical as when I was using Yugi's fishbowl. :*)

Yule Contest on Cassandra's blog

2010-12-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

When Midnight Comes: Stocking Stuffers Contest: "Win one of these cute little Yuletide stockings. To enter, leave a comment on my personal blog. Two winners will be chosen. Contest ends Monday, Dece..."

Featured Book: No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon

2010-12-09T00:01:00.016-05:00

A Midnight Moon Cafe Recommended Read

No Mercy, by Sherrilyn Kenyon

The Daimons are no longer tied to the night. They are gearing up for a full fledged war, and the Sanctuary bar in New Orleans is no longer an official safe haven. If the Dark Hunters die, no one will be able to protect humanity from the hell that awaits...

About No Mercy:

Live fast, fight hard and, if you have to die, then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she’s ever faced before.

Shapeshifter Dev Peltier has stood guard at the front of Sanctuary for almost two hundred years and in that time, he’s seen it all. Or so he thought. Now their enemies have discovered a new source of power--one that makes a mockery of anything faced to date.

The war is on and Dev and Sam are guarding ground zero. But in order to win, they will have to break the most cardinal of all rules and pray it doesn’t unravel the universe as we know it.

BUY LINK: No Mercy on Amazon

No Mercy is one of Cora Zane's Recommended Reads:

I can't get enough of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. The action in No Mercy is non-stop. Dev is a bear shifter, and Samia, a Were Hunter - two enemies drawn together by an unlikely attraction for one another. A fan of the series from the very first book, I've been looking forward to Dev's story, and I wasn't disappointed. No Mercy is a must read for Sherrilyn Kenyon fans. I couldn't put it down.

::WIN THIS BOOK::

Cora has a hard cover copy of No Mercy to give away to one lucky reader! All you have to do to be entered for a chance to win is leave a comment on this thread no later than midnight CST on Sunday, Dec. 12th, 2010. One winner will be chosen at random and announced here on the blog Monday, Dec. 13th.

One entry per person. This is strictly enforced. Posting entries under multiple usernames will get you disqualified, so don't do it. We do our very best to deliver all prizes in a satisfactory way, but understand it is the responsibility of the winner to check back and claim their prize. If we do not hear from the winner within 30 days of the contest end,we will offer the prize in a second chance drawing. ALL prizes must be and will be given away, so make sure to check back to see if you are a winner!

Cheyenne McCray Contest Winner

2010-12-06T08:37:00.000-05:00

The winner of Cheyenne McCray's No Werewolves Allowed is none other than...

Crystal GB

Congrats Crystal! To claim your prize, please email Cora at corazane [at] aol [dot] com with No Werewolves Allowed in the subject line. Be sure to enclose your mailing address since this is a print copy of the book.

Many thanks to Cheyenne McCray for visiting us at the MMC, and to everyone who dropped by to leave comments. We appreciate you! Keep checking back for more chances to win hot paranormal romance titles.

Book Feature: Cheyenne McCray - Vampires Not Invited

2010-12-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

Nyx is back, and the stakes are higher than ever.

Vampires Not Invited
Vampire attacks are on the rise in the city that never sleeps. So why is half-human, half-Drow private eye Nyx tracking down Sprites? Sure, these “young bloods” are causing mischief all over town—like painting the Statue of Liberty’s toenails neon pink. But it’s not until Nyx finds herself at the Pit, Manhattan's hottest nightclub for paranorms, that she understands what she’s really up against…

Seems Master Vampire Volod has a plan—and the Sprites are in on it. By targeting the weaknesses of every paranorm in the city, from Elves to Shifters to Zombies, Volod and his fang gang aim to rule the night once and for all. Over Nyx’s dead body. She loves a good challenge—and she will seduce danger at every turn to throw Volod off course. It’s time for Nyx to enter the beating heart of this dark conspiracy…before driving a stake through it.

BUY LINK for Vampires Not Invited

Cheyenne McCray is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. For more information about her Night Tracker Series as well as her other books, you can visit her website at http://www.cheyennemccray.com/

::Win This Stuff::

Ms. McCray has generously donated signed author bookmarks and a copy of No Werewolves Allowed for giveaway at the Midnight Moon Cafe. To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment in this thread no later than Sunday, December 5th at midnight. (CST) A winner will be chosen at random and announced here on the blog Monday, December 6th. This book is a tasty treat not to be missed, so good luck!

The remaining rules are as follows: one entry per person. This is strictly enforced. People using multiple usernames to enter will be disqualified. We do keep track of these things, so please be aware of that. The winner has 30 days to respond to us in order to claim their prize. We strive to deliver all our prizes in a satisfactory way, but ultimately it is the responsibility of the winner to claim their prize. If we cannot reach you/do not hear from you, after 30 days the prize will be offered in a second chance drawing. ALL prizes offered must be - and will be - given away. So please, check back to see if you've won.

NO WEREWOLVES ALLOWED

As a half-human, half-Drow private eye, Nyx is the go-to girl for tracking Demons in the night. So when several of New York City’s Werewolves go missing, Alpha Werewolf Dmitri Beketov hires Nyx for the job. But this time, she must leave the dark alleys and bright lights behind…

Nyx’s sixth sense tells her that life in the slow lane is a lot deadlier than it appears. Though she usually prefers to work solo, with this case she’s going to need all the help she can get. Enter Detective Adam Boyd: he’s watching her back, but is this human too sexy for his—and her—own good? Meanwhile, a powerful, malevolent force is exterminating paranorms and “unworthy” humans alike…and Nyx, still trying to get a foothold in her new surroundings, finds herself facing danger at every turn.

BUY LINK for No Werewolves Allowed

The MMC Monthly Contest for December

2010-12-01T07:54:00.003-05:00

Hi there MMC Readers!

Starting Wednesday, December 1 - Friday, December 31 comment on any post at our blog during the contest period, and your name will be tossed into the hat for a cool prize drawing. One comment equals one entry into the hat. So the more comments you make throughout the contest period, the more your chances to win!  

The prize for December is an author bookmarks and more packet, and the paperback anthology, Haunted By Your Touch by Jeaniene Frost, Shayla Black, and Sharie Kohler!

Contest ends midnight, December 31, 2010. Winner will be announced at the MMC blog.

Good Luck! 

ISBN-10: 1439166765

ISBN-13: 9781439166765

USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost seduces readers into a forbidden new world as she teams up with romance stars Shayla Black and Sharie Kohler for a sizzling collection of original novellas featuring fallen angels, anarchistic demons, warrior wizards, and irresistibly dangerous creatures of the night.

Enter the dark realm of Nocturna in Jeaniene Frost's redhot tale, where blisteringly sexy Raphael dominates the demons of a lawless dimension and tries to help a beautiful young woman avenge her cousin's disappearance. In the shadowy world of Shayla Black's Doomsday Brethren, magical warrior Raiden vows to protect his woman and their unborn youngling from evil—and deliver her safely to another man. But once he's saved her, can he let her go? Lycans rule the night in Sharie Kohler's suspenseful story, as a fiery woman stalks mysterious Luc, the undeniably hypnotic being she believes can save her from turning . . . if she kills him. Danger beckons in these captivating paranormal tales that will tempt readers to the edge and leave them begging for more.

Congratulations to November's winner, Mariska, who won the book: Scorched by Sharon Ashwood.

Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law.

We strive to make our prize winners happy! However, as with all our contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize.

Any prizes that go unclaimed for 30 days after the close of a contest will be placed back into the MMC prize vault, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

Monthly Contest Winner is...

2010-12-01T00:03:00.001-05:00

Mariska!

Congratulations, Mariska! You've won the MMC November Contest and prize, the

paperback Scorched by Sharon Ashwood and a goodie bag of author bookmarks and more!

Please email us with your full name and address so we can send your prizes!

Midnight Moon Cafe

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Special Featurette: Etched In Bone by Adrian Phoenix

ADRIAN NIKOLAS PHOENIX has had stories published in several magazines and anthologies. She currently lives in Oregon (with three cats, of course), but travels to New Orleans, the city of her heart, whenever possible.

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Monsters and Humans: Where to Draw the Line in Fiction

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Hot & Hairy

Cassandra's Birthday Picks

Happy Birthday, Cassandra!

Discovery of Witches Winner

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When Midnight Comes: Mix Tape

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Storytelling With Cassandra - Shifting Tides

Special Featurette: A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness

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The Month of Love at the MMC

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When Midnight Comes: Canceled, Rescheduled, and Free Falling

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Claiming The Evil Dead Winner is...

The Discovery Draws Closer...

Featurette: Claiming the Evil Dead by Mary Abshire

He's a cold-blooded vampire. Sending evil souls to hell hasnever been more dangerous,or steamy.

He's a cold-blooded vampire.

Sending evil souls to hell hasnever been more dangerous,or steamy.

Stars Will Cry: Double Trouble and The Vampire Tarot

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When Midnight Comes: Redecorating with Ms. Cora

The Discovery Heats Up...

When Midnight Comes: Typing One Handed

Cassandra's Virtual Book Tour and Reading Events:

Discovery Daemon Button Contest winner

Being Human

When Midnight Comes: Upcoming Reading Events

The Midnight Brew for January 2011

The Discovery Continues...

Congratulations To Our Tarot Deck Winner!

Discovery Vampire Button Contest winner

Winner of December's MMC Monthly Contest is...

Tarot for New Year's Contest

Happy New Year 2011!

The Discovery Begins...

Looking Forward - A Holiday Notice, Plus Books!

Dead Sexy's Erotic Exposure Contest Winner

Tarot Chat and Free Readings at the MMC in SL

When Midnight Comes: Tarot Event in SL this Thursday Night!

Happy Yule 2010 Contest Winner

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Happy Yule!

Show a Zombie Some Love...with Paige Tyler's Dead Sexy

Behind The Throne: Maggie Berkley Contest Winners!

Featured Guest: Maggie Berkley talks about First Loves

When Midnight Comes: Holiday Stocking Winners!

Winner of Sherrilyn Kenyon's No Mercy

He's a cold-blooded vampire.

Sending evil souls to hell has
never been more dangerous,
or steamy.

Sending evil souls to hell has
never been more dangerous,
or steamy.