One of the things that fell by the wayside over the last couple of years has been reading. I haven’t done enough of it. Writers need to read, it’s part of refilling the well of creativity. Over the last year, my productivity has slowed considerably. I used to be able to write 30 pages a day with ease. This last year, a 5-page day was a great one. That’s a major slowdown.

So this year, I’ve made a resolution to read one book a week — 52 books. Last year, I started a bunch. I skimmed through most of them. All together, I believe I started and finished less than a dozen books from cover to cover. I acquired a bunch of books, because I can’t not buy books. I must have books. But I always end up feeling guilty when I read, thinking that I really should be writing instead. Not this year.

Book One of 2009 — UNDERCOVER by Lauren Dane.

Presently, I plan to post my book of the week on Sundays. If I slack off, smack me.

I hope that all of your dreams come true in 2009! ((hugs))

Here is my release schedule, for those who are interested.

I soooooo LOVE this cover!!

Lady Pelham could not have designed a husband more suited to her needs than the Marquess of Grayson. Their union is solid; their hearts safe from one another. But every marriage has its surprises…

THEY WERE TOGETHER FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS…
They are London’s most scandalous couple. Isabel, Lady Pelham, and Gerard Faulkner, Marquess of Grayson, are well matched in all things—their lusty appetites, constant paramours, wicked wits, provocative reputations, and their absolute refusal to ruin their marriage of convenience by falling in love. It is a most agreeable sham…until a shocking turn of events sends Gerard from her side.

Now, four years later, Gerard has come home to Isabel. But the boyish rogue who left has been replaced by a powerful, irresistible man who is determined to seduce his way into her affections. No, this is not at all the man she had married. But he is the man who might finally steal her heart…

Coming August 2009 in mass market paperback – with bonus scene!

“Azazel” by Dawn McClure
Genre: Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 978-1-60504-266-4
Length: Category
Price: 4.50
Publication Date: November 25, 2008
Cover art by Natalie Winters

Being dominated was her secret desire…

Alexia has no complaints about her job as an assassin in the Alliance, battling rogue vampires and demons. However, on a personal level, she has hit a sexual hiatus. Men from every race, every continent and every skill level have tried to bring her down—and turn her on. All have failed. Until a man with a body made of sin stirs her blood for the first time in over two hundred years.

Azazel, a demon of the First Angelic Revolt, is one of Lucifer’s most prominent—and dominant—assassins. His current mission leads him to Alexia, a fighter like himself who lives in the moment with no promise of tomorrow. A sexy vampire assassin whose secret sexual desire is a perfect match for his…skills.

His decision to give her exactly what she wants leaves them both hungry for more. But to delve into desires that might be best left unexplored, they’ll have to overcome a pack of rogue demons—and possibly Satan himself.

Warning: This title contains graphic language, graphic sex and naughty fantasies of the sexually depraved.

Read An Excerpt Online

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Hi everyone,

This is Marie-Claude. Welcome to my interview with my favorite character from ANCIENT WHISPERS.

But before I start, I have a winner from last Monday ……..Keli Gwin!!! Congratulation Keli !!!!

So now I sit on a boulder, with sand under my feet. It’s cold on the town beach of Langdon RI in December. The icy wind blows all around me. My full length wool coat and mile-long scarf is not enough to block entirely the frigid air.

But I’m excited. Sorcerer Gabriel Callan, my hero, has agreed to meet with me. I’ve dreamed about him, spent months writing about his smoky green eyes and long dark curls. And today I get to meet him in the flesh. My heart thumps at the thought.

The ocean waves before me crash in a low rumble and I can taste the salty air on my lips. The long stretch of sand is practically empty but at the corner of my eyes, I catch something.

It’s him. The long black coat, the curls blown by the wind. Apparently immune to the cold, he strides with purpose towards the rocks where I sit.

My breath is a little short now. Oh boy, I can’t wait to talk to him. But I am a little scared too. Even at a distance, I can feel his raw power. If I didn’t know he would never harm me, I might even be slightly fearful.

He sits beside me and I am surrounded by his masculine scent.

[I swallow. Okay I can do this.]

Marie-Claude: Gabriel. How are you? [I try not to stare at his wide shoulders and feel hotter suddenly to have him so close]

Gabriel: Marie-Claude. [He nods. Why am I surprised that he pronounces my name the French way? Of course, he’s Acadian.]

Marie-Claude: Thanks for meeting with me. I’m so excited, this is so great. [Oh man, am I talking too much?]

Gabriel: Sure. No problem. [He looks at the ocean. Oh no, he doesn’t like me.]

Marie-Claude: Well. I just wanted to know, Gabriel. Can you tell me and the readers a little about you?

Gabriel: What? [He raises his eyebrows at me then looks back at the stormy sea.]

Marie-Claude: Oh. Okay. Let me asks specific questions then. Tell me. Are you happy now? After all these centuries, you finally found her. You’ve spend a whole week-end with her.

[He glances back at me. A faint smile curls his lips.]

Gabriel: Evangeline.

Marie-Claude: Well, I meant Lily.

Gabriel: Same thing.

Marie-Claude: Of course. Lily is Evangeline reborn. But she doesn’t remember.

[I hear him sight briefly as he stare in the distance again]

Gabriel: I know. She doesn’t know about me either.

Marie-Claude: You mean your magic.

[He looks at me fully now and his features harden.]

Gabriel: The whole thing. The power, the immortality. I don’t want her touched by this. Morag is a monster for having trapped Lily into this.

Marie-Claude: Yes, Morag is the one who forced Lily to your bed with a spell.

[He winces.]

Gabriel: I didn’t want it like that. Lily deserves more. More time.

Marie-Claude: But now Gabriel, you’ve slept with her. She has to mate with you at Beltane. Or you’ll lose your soul.

[His gaze turns dark]

Gabriel: I don’t care about my soul. Only her.

Marie-Claude: But she has powers. Don’t you think Morag has to train her, make Lily a priestess of the Coven?

[He looks at the ocean again and I feel I went too far. I know how he hates Morag who controls him. I’m losing him now.]

Gabriel: I don’t know. I don’t know if I can tell Lily about me, about us, the Priory. But, I also can’t live without her.

[He grabs a rock at his feet, stands up and in one mighty swoop throws the stone in the ocean. Then he drops his dark gaze down at me]

Gabriel: Time’s up. Got stuff to do. A plus, Madame l’Auteur.

[I feel a little sad inside. I guess I won’t get any more from him.]

Marie-Claude: Au revoir, Gabriel LaJeunesse Callan.

He walks away now. His dark and dangerous figure gets smaller and smaller. His black coat, which I know is full of spell components, flaps in the wind behind him. He’ll jump on his motorcycle now, probably go for a long ride down the New England coast, as he always do when he’s bothered.

My heart feels for him. I want to call him back and tell him all will be fine, eventually. That he’ll let go of tragic past, find happiness with Lily, that he’ll save his soul from Theuron Keir’s dark forces.

I want to tell him, but I know I can’t. He has a lot to learn on his journey and has to figure it all out, by himself and with the love of his soulmate.

Hopefully, we’ll all get to read how he gets there in ANCIENT WHISPERS.

And as I said goodbye to Gabriel Callan, I also say goodbye to all of you who came along to our American Title V series of interviews.

Very warm thanks to you Sylvia for giving me the opportunity to come here and tell your readers all about us finalists.

We hope you will continue to participate in the contest by voting until the end of March. The winner will be announced at the RT conference in April.

On Monday Dec 15^th, mosey over to the Romantic Times website:

http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle.php

You’ll find out who the remaining 7 finalists are. You can also read the description of their heroes and heroines and vote for your favorite entry.

And please, add your comments today for your last chance to win!

Brightest holiday blessings to all,

Marie-Claude Bourque

www.mcbourque.com