Busy, busy...

Yep. It's that time of the year again when writers of all descriptions and from all over the world attempt the beast that is NaNoWriMo. I'm glad to report that the moment of, "Yikes! What am I DOING??" has been and gone, and I'm really enjoying the journey. And the story I'm writing has some great potential too. I think/hope. Of course, it will need a LOT of re-writes and polishing before it is even close to being ready to be read by my beta-readers, but it is still fun. I'm seeing the story and scenes in my head like a movie which for me tells me its working. Then again - it could just be madness caused by sleep deprivation that is telling me that. Anyway - this is the sequel to Affinity, my favourite book, tentatively titled, "Synchronicity". I'm not sure if yet if the title is a goodie or if it's a clanger. Time will tell - and things should become a little clearer with a bit of sleep! 

November is a busy month for me. I'm also eagerly awaiting the worldwide release of my first full-length book, Beyond the Shadows. I'm gearing up for the online Facebook party and getting the goodies sorted out for giveaways. By the way - they are international. Here is the link if you want to check it out and join in the fun. 

Beyond the Shadows - FB online release party

November also means the annual A&P show (Agricultural and Pastoral) where the local branch of Greyhounds As Pets (or GAP for short) have a stall to show off our gorgeous doggies and to entice others to adopt one. I mean - who wouldn't fall in love with these gorgeous, elegant speedsters? 

Hmm...lets try another one....

Ahh! That's more like it. As I was saying, gorgeous and elegant! :) This is our Jazzy. She has been the most delightful and loving addition to our family and while time spent elsewhere when I could be working on my Nano novel isn't usually ideal, helping GAP find new families for the recent retired racing hounds is the very best use of that stolen time. It is a sacrifice worth making.

I'm also working to reach the coveted 50,000 words on November 27 as my hubby and I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary on the 28th. My father is flying down to Nelson to look after our children and then we're off to enjoy the weekend footloose and fancy-free! It has been years since we've gone away just the two of us, so it will also be a weekend of rediscovery and fun. We can't wait!

So - lots of things on the go and to look forward to this month. How about you? Have you got a busy one?  

Darkness Series - Lilly Gayle and Giveaway

I'm so excited to have Lilly Gayle guest blog on my site today! Lilly's Out of the Darkness was one of the very first TWRP books I'd read. Quality writing, sexy and intelligent reading, I was hooked from the very first page. This lady knows how to write a FANTASTIC story. I remember pestering her to hurry up and write the next book in this series. I wanted Gerard's book so badly (you will too once you've devoured OotD) so I was shameless, even though I didn't know her so well then. Then, one day I got an email from TWRP (I'm signed up as a first-reader for them) to read and evaluate a manuscript that had just come in. I do believe I screamed a little and did a little jig in my excitement when I saw the title and author :) Okay - enough of me and my girl-fan squealing. Lets hear from Lilly and how she came to write the Darkness series.

When I first decided to write about vampires back in 2005, I knew I wanted to stick closely to some of the original legends. No glittering vampires for me! I also wanted my hero to have a conscience. In my opinion, a heroic vampire wouldn't want to be a vampire. So, I had him searching for a cure, and Out of the Darkness was born.

The book wasn't published until 2010, but it gave me my start as a published writer.

The legend I followed in Out of the Darkness was a Hebrew legend about Adam's first wife, Lilith.

Hebrew legends say God created man and woman together and in the same fashion. The first female was Lilith. She saw herself as Adam’s equal, but Adam wanted a helpmate. Lilith refused

to be subservient and left Eden. That’s when God created Eve from Adam’s rib. Lilith later became a succubus, seducing mortal men while they slept.

According to vampire lore, after Cain killed his brother, Able, God cursed him to walk the earth in darkness for eternity. The myth also claimed God cursed him with an eternal craving for blood because he craved the blood of his brother. After Cain left Eden, Lilith went to Cain, gave him her blood, and awakened him to his immortal nature.

In the sequel to Out of the Darkness, Embrace the Darkness, Vincent's friend Gerard wants more than just the cure Vincent sought in the first book. He wants answers.

In the second book, I further explore  vampire myths and legends. And my favorite—and  the one I think best fits my series—dates back to Mesopotamia around 4000 B.C.

The ancient Sumerians ruled Mesopotamia. They built a dynasty; the first cities,  city and state religions, and civilization. But war, death and disease was rampant.

Young men died in the prime of their life, suddenly and unexpectedly on the battlefield or from diseases caused by war and destruction. Legend claimed that by dying under such extreme circumstance, the spirits became conscious in the grave, their desire to live so strong they rose up from the grave.

In Embrace the Darkness, I explore this legend further and hope that it brings the myth of vampires into a more believable, fictional world.

I had a lot of fun writing these two books and hope to write at least two more in the series. I hope that you will check out either or both of my books and let me know what you think.

Leave a comment for me today, for a chance to win a digital copy of Out of the Darkness, the first book in my Darkness Series.

Lilly Gayle~http://lillygayle.com

Author of paranormal and historical romance:

Helpless Hearts- a western historical romance: Can a former gunslinger find redemption through love? Available now on Amazon and B&N.

Embrace the Darkness-a paranormal romance: To find their way into the light, they must first EMBRACE THE DARKNESS. Digital copy available now on Amazon. Available through other retailers in digital and print formats 6/21/2013.

Back list available on Amazon.