Christmas--Less than a week away

With Christmas now looming very close, I've been focusing more on my actual job (in retail) than on my writing. Hopefully once January hits I'll be able to get back into my writing since I have a lot of in-progress works. I'm thinking about joining a romance writers' critique group on writing.com in January, so that should keep me focused on my own goals.

Upcoming works:
Fallen Angel--a free short story that will only be available to my Yahoo! Group subscribers. Sign up now if you wanna make sure you get the freebie right away. It's a prequel of sorts to Avery and the Devil, featuring the Devil (of course!).

Black Wolf--a werewolf short story that I'm working on for an anthology contest Samhain Publications is holding. As a young werewolf Brock has led a sheltered life, knowing better than to get close to anybody, until he meets Rissa, a woman that fits so naturally into his life that he thinks he might have found his mate.

The other things I'm working on now are novel-length works and are too far away from being finished, but I hope to get as much work done on them as possible within the next six months.

Work in Progress

I'm currently working on a free read to promote Avery and the Devil. It details Lucifer's fall from Heaven and his role as the reluctant devil. It will only be available to members of my Yahoo! Group, so if you want a copy be sure to join!

The story's name is Fallen Angel, and--fair warning--it will contain an erotic scene.

Blurb:

Lucifer refuses to bow to God's greatest creation: Man. For his sinful pride God casts him far from Heaven, changing him and his followers into demons and granting them domination over Hell. As Lucifer grows accustomed to his new life, he grows more jealous and bitter and vows to introduce Mankind to sin as well--a petty thing to do, and one for which he feels guilty for centuries later. He buries his guilt in any way he can.

Sale at Ellora's Cave

I'm all about helping out my fellow authors, so even though I'm not published with Ellora's Cave (and probably never will be since I don't write a lot of erotica), I still wanted to spread the word about their great holiday sale.

Right now they're offering 80% off on a huge selection of print books. And if your order totals $35 or more--and you live within the 48 continental states--you also get free shipping. I've already taken advantage of this great offer. I'm getting 10 books for $36. Not a bad deal at all. Here's the link: Ellora's Cave Sale.

Avery and the Devil

Avery and the Devil is my next paranormal romance scheduled to release through Forbidden Publications. The edits are now done for it, so I thought I'd share the official excerpt.

Blurb:

In a moment of weakness and to save her dying boyfriend's life, Avery sells her soul to the Devil. Once she realizes what she's done, she fights to get out of her contract, but it's unbreakable and she soon finds herself in Hell, dealing with demons, impure souls, and a temptation impossible to resist.

The Devil hides behind the cool facade of Quinn Deville, a successful businessman in the mortal world--a man who has everything he could ever want. But when he realizes that what he really wants is Avery, he struggles with himself to push her away, not wanting to corrupt her innocence and sentence her to an eternity in Hell.

Warning: Avery and the Devil contains a couple adult scenes, including the start of one in the excerpt below.

Excerpt:

"Someone here to see you, Avery," Trace's deep voice announced.

Avery looked up from her computer monitor, where she was busy retyping a letter for Haiden. Trace filled the doorway, but when he moved aside, a new figure stepped into the room.

Avery gasped and jumped to her feet. “Quinn!” Remembering herself at the last minute, she refrained from leaping into his arms. She felt relieved to see his familiar face. Though more reserved, he looked glad to see her too. A muscle jumped in his cheek.

“We need to talk,” he said without preamble.

For a moment, Avery was at a loss for words. Now he wanted to talk? After ignoring her for nearly three weeks?

He held a hand out to her. “Come, Avery.”

“Um, okay.” She forgot all about her job as his fingers closed over hers, but she managed to ask Trace to inform Haiden that she would be out of the office for awhile.

To Avery's surprise, Quinn led her upstairs to the penthouse, giving them complete privacy. Settling herself on one of the sofas, she gave Quinn her undivided attention. Her heart gave a funny little flip at his presence as he prowled around the sitting room. Folding her hands in her lap, she forced herself to calm down. He looked good. Too good.

His mahogany hair had fallen over his forehead in a disarrayed mess, as if he'd been running his fingers through it. The suit he wore was as immaculate as ever, but without a tie, and with the collar loosened, he looked positively devilish.

“So what's up?” Avery asked when the silence stretched on a little too long. She had the irresistible urge to run across the room and run her fingers through his unruly locks, but she restrained herself. What was wrong with her?

Quinn drew in a deep breath and then crossed to stand in front of her. Slowly, he sank to his knees and placed his hands on the sofa cushion on either side of her knees. “I'm prepared to answer any questions you might have about the next eleven months.”

“Are we leaving today?” she asked, surprised.

“No. I am here merely to prepare you. I will be back for you in three days.”

Giving in to the urge to touch him, she reached out to brush a lock of hair out of his face. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. His hands moved to her knees, clutching at them.

“Oh, Avery,” he said with a shaky sigh. “I've missed you so much.”

Is this emotion I suddenly feel even real? Avery wondered. She realized she had missed him too, but was it just the Devil's temptation that caused her to react this way to his presence? She wanted to run her fingers even lower, but didn't dare. Could she trust herself to behave? I miss Lucas, she reminded herself. And she did, but Quinn was right here, and starting to moan under her ministrations.

Avery jerked her hand back and Quinn opened his eyes, looking up at her with a heat-filled passion. His gaze smoldered with an intense desire, but he didn't move. He was waiting for her, she realized.

But she couldn't do that. Her loyalty to Lucas was important, although she was finding it difficult to remember why. She swallowed hard and decided to ask another question.

“What is Hell like?” She couldn't resist touching his smooth forehead, running her fingers through his hair.

He laid his head on her lap. “It's a horrible place. It's never-ending torment that saps your will and makes you go crazy. And I'll never be free of the place.”

“What's happened to you?”

His fingers traced circles on her thighs. “I spend so much time trying to be good—not committing any sins—just in the small hope that someday I can ascend to Heaven, just like everyone else. I know it's a hopeless dream, but a part of me still refuses to accept that fact, even after all these centuries.”

“Oh, Quinn,” she breathed. “I had no idea.”

“What am I supposed to do?” When he glanced up, his eyes shone with unshed tears. “I set high standards for myself, but my punishment must last for an eternity. Why do I torture myself like this?”

Avery wasn't sure she completely understood what he was talking about, but she smoothed his hair back, trying to soothe him.

“I drive myself crazy,” he whispered. “I work hard because it's a sin to be lazy. I push you away because it's a sin to feel lust. But I want you so badly. I can't help myself.” His hands settled on her hips.

“Why?” she asked. That one word held all her questions, and she knew he'd understand.

He focused his gaze on his hands as they slid along her thighs. “I've spent your whole life watching you, hoping you'd become the person you are today. I need you, Avery, in more ways than one.” He licked his lips. “I've tracked everything you've ever done. Every triumph. Every defeat. I needed to. But I never realized that I'd fall in love with you along the way.”

Gripping her hips, he raised his head. “I know you think you're just an unwanted orphan, but that's not true. I've been trying to tell you all along that you're special. I just wish you'd realize it.”

Now Avery found herself choking back tears. His touch felt good, but his words brought harsh memories to the surface. “Ever since my parents died, people have looked down on me. I've never been good enough for anything.”

“I know.” He took her hand, his warmth sending a tingle through her.

“You're the Devil,” Avery said, awe in her voice, as well as a quiet acceptance. “How could you be interested in me at all? I'm just a mortal.”

“You're everything I wish I could be,” he said, rising up enough to brush his lips across hers. “Someday you'll find ecstasy in Heaven. I just wish I could be there to see it.”

Something broke in Avery at the soft touch of his lips to hers. Suddenly, she wanted him. Badly. All thoughts of Lucas flew from her head. Not even Lucas had ever looked at her with such longing. And his very touch sent heat shooting through her until she just wanted to drag him into bed and never let him go. His earlier words, spoken to her three weeks ago, echoed back to her. The devil leads to temptation. But right now she didn't care. She didn’t want to care. She kissed him back.

Quinn growled and rose to sit beside her, deepening the kiss they shared until Avery couldn't breathe. When he relented, his lips blazed a trail across her cheek and then down her neck, leaving heat in their wake. She gave into the sensations coursing through her body, wanting to give in. She needed this. She deserved it. It felt too good to tell him to stop.

She urged him on with little moans. He nipped at her ear lobe, his skilled hands seeking the buttons of her blouse. His fingers slipped each button free, leaving her shirt to gape open. Once done, he stood, and then lifted her easily. His warmth enveloping her, he carried her to the bedroom, and laid her gently on the bed where he continued his careful exploration.

The End of NaNo

Another National Novel Writing Month has come to a close, and as you can see, I'm a 50,000 word count winner. Woohoo! That deserves a cheer. It was a real struggle at times for me, but I persevered and I'm proud of myself. I managed to push myself over the line on the evening of Nov. 30th. I'd like to continue working on my NaNo project now that the month is over, but I find I have other writing obligations at the moment. I need a little writing break anyway. I know that soon enough I'll have to force myself to sit back down at the computer to pick up where I left off, but at a much less mad pace.

Whew! Now it's time to step back, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy what I've accomplished.

Sale at Fictionwise!

If you buy books with a credit card at Fictionwise from now through Nov. 30th you'll receive a 40% discount. This brings Demon's Torment down to $3.59! It's a great deal and if you belong to the Fictionwise club, it's even cheaper--$only 3.05!

Discover a demon's dark desires.

Daemon is tied to a mortal woman. He can't live without her, but in her past lives she's always rejected the demon. Will he finally be able to convince her that they belong together?

This is a paranormal romance. Of course, if you'd prefer to have it in paperback, it's available in that format too for only 9.99 at Lulu.com.

NaNo Week 4

The homestretch is upon us. This is the last week of NaNo. Hopefully by the end of it, my latest book will be mostly done. I've tentatively decided to call the new book Immortal. Once November is over, I'll be starting work on my edits for my next two Forbidden Publications books, Avery and the Devil and Bounty Hunter: Thief in the Night. I can't wait! Well, I better get back to it so that I'm that much closer to the 50,000 word finish line.

New blog look coming soon

At one of Bitten by Books' recent Bloggy Carnivals, I managed to win a prize for a free blog customization. It's in the creative process right now, but it's something to look forward to. Anyway, I spent a couple hours today searching through other blogs, trying to get ideas for what I might want for my own. My time is limited, so I didn't spend much time looking through each one--there are hundreds, maybe even thousands out there, and I focused mostly on the blogs of other romance writers, but I found one that stuck out. I read the first two posts I found on there, just because they were a hilarous commentary on writers. Check it out and make sure to read up on The Devil's Dictionary to see what a writer really means when s/he uses literary lingo:

http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/

Are the Amazon Kindle and the Sony e-book Reader too expensive for you? EBookwise is currently running a sale on it's own ebook readers. Get an ebookwise-1150 with a 64 MB SmartMedia card for only 119.95. Check out that and other deals at eBookwise.

Twilight has officially opened in movie theaters nationwide today. Early critics reviews are mixed, and based on the trailers for the movie, I have to say this looks like a disappointing adaptation to a wonderful novel. The characters look wooden and apathetic, the vampires aren't nearly as beautiful as they're described in the book, and the entire thing seems flat. At first I was really looking forward to seeing this movie. But now I'll probably wait for it to come out on DVD.

NaNo Week 3

Well I started out thinking I would work almost exclusively on my paranormal ghost romance, Haunted by the Past, but a different muse completely blindsided me, expecting me to spend most of November telling his story. And I've been catering to him. He's a vampire! I don't want to get on his bad side. His story also took an unexpected detour. Apparently there's a lot more to his story then I first realized. His book doesn't have a name yet, but I've got a couple different ideas that I've been tossing around. Hopefully he'll keep telling me his story until NaNo is done, because I've had no problems escaping back into his world and writing until I run out of time. It's helped my word count, even though I'm a little behind right now--the work thing really gets in the way. I'll have time to write during the coming weekend though, so I should get caught and maybe even jump ahead. *fingers crossed*

Here's a little bit about the untitled book:

Elliot is young, successful, rich, and handsome. There's only one thing he desires, something that may never be his. He craves immortality--to be young forever. His wish comes in a form he didn't expect. A beautiful temptress with fangs. It isn't until after he wakes up a vampire that he realizes Victoria isn't all she seems. And the vampiric lifestyle doesn't agree with him.

Week 2 of NaNo

I've added another book to my NaNo word count and it's actually helped give me a little bit of a boost. I have a very limited amount of free time, so anything that helps me out is welcome. As of right now it's an untitled vampire story that I started not too long ago. The words have been coming easily for this one, so I'm going to continue with it for as long as I can until the inspiration dries up and I have to start struggling for words for that one too. I'm only about a half a day behind on my word count right now, but I've been making it a point to attempt to write every single day this year. I didn't do the same last year and I failed miserably. It's paying off for me. My word count isn't as high as others' but I'm determined to reach 50,000 this year. I just have to keep at it.

NaNo update

I'm right on schedule so far for my word count. It was looking a little iffy for a couple days there, but I've managed to catch up. I'm working on three different books right now.

Haunted by the Past is the furthest along. Cassie finds herself torn between two men, the handyman she first met when she moved into her new Victorian-style house, and the ghost that's inhabited the house for the last hundred years.

American Vampire is a different take on vampires. Once a vampire lives to be a certain age, he/she starts entering what's known as the feral change, losing all sense of self until they become mindless monsters. Now Dmitri is on the hunt for one of the most dangerous vampires of all time.

And finally Black Wolf is an intended short story. Brock reveals his true werewolf heritage to a lost and frightened girl he finds in the woods, having no choice but to trust her with his secret while he attempts to save her life. I have a publisher in mind for this one already, and it will need to be submitted by March 31st, so at the last minute I've decided to try finishing this one up during NaNo.

Congratulations Barack Obama!

America has made history tonight by electing its first black president and I could not be more excited for what this might mean for the country's future. I am only disappointed that I live in a state that is so decidedly Republican, because I've been an Obama supporter ever since he first started his campaign. He's intelligent and charismatic, something the White House has been lacking in the last eight years. Hopefully he will be able to start digging America out of the hole it finds itself in after a shaky leadership.

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

For writers everywhere tomorrow is the first day of NaNo 2008! Good luck!

And everyone don't forget to vote on Tuesday!

Bloggy Carnival week is here!

Here's all the info you need to get started enjoying Bitten by Books' Bloggy Carnival:

Welcome to the Bitten by Books Haunted Bloggy Carnival Spooktacular event! The carnival starts at 8:00 am Central time October 27th ALL WEEK and ends on November 2nd at 11:59 pm Pacific time. Comments will be enabled at that time so you won’t be able to post until then.

The winners will be contacted and announced sometime the week of the 3rd. You will have to give us some time to sort through all of the hundreds of entries. Thanks for your patience on this.

Hang on to your seats and keyboards because we have a line up of prize contributions like we have never seen before. Right now we have over $3865.00 in prizes up for grabs!! AND another $2330.00 in prizes at our sister site Weird Stuff In My Desk! Check those prizes out here: http://weirdstuffinmydesk.com/?p=176. If we don’t have enough prizes for your blood, remember to visit all of the other participating blogs at the main Bloggy Carnival page here.

Keep checking back here, because the list will GROW eerily larger as more companies join in on the Haunted Blog Carnival fun! If you would like to contribute a prize and promote your books or business, please email us through our CONTACT FORM.

Now I bet you are wondering just how you can win some of this spectacular loot! There are a TON of ways to win. Do to different states laws you MUST be 18 to enter. You do NOT have to have a blog to participate.

OH!! and if you like FREE STUFF, be sure to stop by our Freebies Page!

Check out Bitten by Books to find out all the great ways to be entered into their giveaways!

Nano, Goodreads, and ARe's giveaway

I've officially signed up for another great year of NaNo. During the month of November, writers from all over the world will be participating in National Novel Writing Month, each writer striving to write at least 50,000 words, no small task, especially for those of us that have plenty of other commitments.

Both Demon's Torment and Avery and the Devil were products of NaNo and after this year I hope to have most of another novel completed, although I've decided to try working on two or three different projects this year. I'm excited to get started since it's been a while since I've forced myself to sit down and write. I'll be spending the last week of October working on my outlines, since it's much easier to write quickly if I have some idea of where the story is going.

I've also recently become a member of Goodreads. Visit my page there if you want to become my friend:

http://www.goodreads.com/profile/racheldthompson.

One last piece of big news. All Romance E-books is giving away a free downloaded e-book to every registered customer. So if you still haven't picked up Demon's Torment, this is as good a time as any to discover a demon's desires. You have to register on their website before November 1st to receive a coupon for a free download. Check out their site for all the details: http://allromanceebooks.com/birthday.html.

Interview

I've been interviewed by Tara S. Nichols! Stop by her blog to find out more about me and my writing style.

Upcoming Interview

I've been interviewed by Tara S. Nichols, another Forbidden Publications author. The interview will appear on her blog this Friday, Oct. 17th, so check it out if you want to learn a little bit about me. You can find her blog here: http://tarasnichols.blogspot.com/.

Halloween contest

From now through Nov. 15th, Romance Junkies is holding a fun Halloween contest with lots of participating authors giving away great prizes. Head on over to explore their Haunted Mansion and answer each author's question to be entered into a drawing to win that prize. For my part I'm giving away an e-book copy of Demon's Torment, a Demon's Torment magnet, and a scented candle.

Book Trailer

I finished my book trailer for Avery and the Devil this weekend and uploaded it today. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would to make, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Go ahead and view it and feel free to let me know what you think.

Book trailer coming soon

I've started working on my very first book trailer. After reading info about how to do it (it took one author 40-60 hours to do a trailer) I was a little daunted, but it was nowhere near as difficult as I expected. It's mostly done now, but I still need to try and find some fitting music to go with it. That's proving a definite challenge so far. I'll post it here as soon as it's completely done.

Torment Released Today!

The paperback edition of Demon's Torment is officially available to purchase through Lulu.com.

Discover the deep bonds between a demon and a mortal woman. You belong to me, the demon promises. He haunts her dreams, but soon he'll haunt her waking hours too.

Pick it up here: http://www.lulu.com/content/4112009.

Goodbye September

It's the last day of September and that means this is your last chance to get your entries in for The Forbidden Hunt and TwoLips Reviews Two-year Anniversary Hunt. I know the Forbidden Hunt has received quite a few entries, so good luck to all the contestants!

The paperback edition of Demon's Torment also releases tomorrow! If you've already read the book and want to add it to your real bookshelf, or if you want to experience the demon for the first time, please check out my Lulu store tomorrow and get your very own copy! I personally love this book, but I'm probably a little biased. So if you don't want to take my word for it, check out what others have said about Demon's Torment:

Rachel D. Thompson brings a different kind of tale and this tale will touch your soul and satisfy your desires.

--Bitten by Books

This is an extremely thrilling tale that will send chills down your spine. Exceptionally written, you will be ensnared from the beginning and clutching your seat by the end.

--Coffee Time Romance

This is sure to please those looking for a light sensual content with dark undertones.

--PNR Inklings

It's a step into purgatory, into the heart and mind of a demon, an escape you will not forget.

--Anastasia Rabiyah

Another new cover

As promised, here is the proposed cover art for Bounty Hunters: Thief in the Night.


Blurb:

Lydia's parents were horribly murdered and she's been searching for their killer ever since. The only clue she has to go on is a playing card that belongs to a thief, but members of the Thieves Guild aren't in the habit of killing their victims.

Drake will admit that the card is his, but he refuses any knowledge of the murders. He has his own strict code of honor and he doesn't remember killing anybody although he has a hard time convincing Lydia of that. Can Lydia trust a thief long enough for her to discover the truth?

New cover art

I've just received the proposed cover art for my next book, Avery and the Devil.


The book hasn't undergone edits yet, so I'm not posting an excerpt, but here's a blurb:

Desperate to save her dying boyfriend's life, Avery will do anything--even sell her soul to the devil. The contract she signs only lasts for one year, but all she can think about is getting back to Lucas. The devil is nothing like she expects however, and she soon finds herself torn between her old life and a new future.

The devil has kept tabs on Avery ever since her birth, hoping that she would one day have the strength to handle one of the most important jobs in Hell. To his pleasure she does, but when he finally meets her in person, he finds himself drawn to her. He'd prefer to keep her at arms' length, but when she starts showing an interest he can't stay away. Will the devil claim her innocence or can she restore Lucifer to his former glory?

I should hopefully have cover art for Bounty Hunter: Thief in the Night by the end of the week.

Coming in October

To celebrate Halloween and all things paranormal, I'm releasing a paperback edition of Demon's Torment through Lulu.com. It will be available October 1st, for only 9.99, featuring brand new cover art. I'm very excited about it. Here's the new cover:

I also expect Demon's Torment to be reviewed by the book girl in October. I'll be doing an interview for that as well. It will be my first interview, so that's something to look forward to as well. I'll post the Lulu link on Oct 1st for those that would like to pick up Demon's Torment in print.

TwoLips Scavenger Hunt

Okay, a lot of people have entered Forbidden Publications' September scavenger hunt so far and that's great. I don't have any idea how many people have joined the TwoLips Scavenger hunt though. So I did some searching and found their official contest page with all the rules, prizes, and participating authors. It makes things easier for everyone: Scavenger hunt contest page.

Jon Michaelson is giving away a free mini-read to everyone who enters. I counted over 80 participating authors, which means a lot of great prizes and a lot of scavenger hunting fun.

When you stop by my site searching for icons, don't forget to check out my free reads section where you can pick up Demon's Witch, the short story prequel to my novel, Demon's Torment.

Save money on a Kindle

For those of you interested in purchasing an Amazon Kindle, now is the time. Through a partnership with Chase, Amazon is knocking $100 off the Kindle...making it slightly more affordable. While you're picking it up, you can also purchase Demon's Torment. Check out Amazon's terms and conditions here.

September scavenger hunts

I'm participating in two scavenger hunts for the month of September. I'm donating free copies of Demon's Torment and Avery and the Devil to each one. Check them out:

The Forbidden Hunt: Participating Forbidden Publications authors have hidden a treasure chest somewhere on their websites. Prizes will be awarded to random participants, including a grand prize treasure chest full of goodies sent straight from Forbidden Publications! Check out the official Forbidden Hunt website for all the rules and information you need.

TwoLips Reviews Anniversary: TwoLips Reviews is celebrating its two year anniversary. Participating authors have hidden a TwoLips anniversary banner somewhere on their websites. The official rules aren't posted yet, but here is the link for TwoLips Reviews. I'll post more info at the end of the month.

I've already hidden both icons! If you want a jump-start on the competition, check out my website and see if you can find them.

Vampires and werewolves and witches, oh my!

I have a pet peeve--okay I have a lot of pet peeves, but I've noticed something happening in a lot of paranormal books these days. Instead of focusing on one kind of supernatural creature (writing a vampire book about only vampires, for instance), some authors just lump all paranormal creatures together in the same universe and let them loose. As far as I'm concerned this rarely works out.

I recently read Stacia Kane's Personal Demons. Her universe contains demons, witches, and vampires at the very least, although no vampires appear in this story. Thankfully her book sticks to demons. For me, demons and witches go hand-in-hand. Witches summon demons, etc. This book didn't grab my imagination as others have, but at least it didn't throw a bunch of different rules at you for a bunch of different monsters and then expect you to keep up somehow.

It depends, of course, on how well a book is written as well. In L.J. Smith's Night World series (a new personal fave), she has vampires, werewolves, and witches all co-existing in the same world, but each story focuses almost exclusively on one type of those creatures, making it a more enjoyable experience for me. Plus her writing just draws you into the world and into the characters' heads.

For the most part though I prefer my vampires to remain separated from my shapeshifters, and for my demons to stick with their witches. I know I for one will never want to create a world where they all coexist--that's just not a world I would want to write about.

LASR winner and new review

Congrats to my winner for Long and Short Romance Review's Anniversary giveaway. I've already sent her the free copy of Demon's Torment she won, plus she's entitled to a free download of Avery and the Devil once it's released.

I spent the morning catching up on email--since I've been feeling kind of under the weather lately it's been piling up. Bitten by Books reviewed Demon's Torment August 6th, so I finally got the chance to read what they had to say and was pleasantly surprised. Their reviewer loved my book.

Here's what she had to say:

Absolutely fantastic! Demon's Torment is a book where you can never guess the direction of the story. It is wonderfully written book, filled with suspense and sweet moments. It is an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it to others who love a story that stands out like none other. Rachel D. Thompson brings a different kind of tale and this tale will touch your soul and satisfy your desires.

You can read the full review here.

Contests around the net

I felt bad about the short post I wrote this morning and the fact that I don't know when I'll get my next entry up, so I thought I'd share some ongoing contests. I scoured the web for these, choosing the top five that I found and I probably didn't even scratch the surface.

1.) It's Bloggy Carnival week at Bitten by Books. There are lots of chances to win lots of great prizes, including entries to win prizes just by signing up for their newsletter or adding them as a friend on MySpace. Check out their website for all the contest details and discover all the chances to win. This opportunity only lasts through the end of the week which is why I'm posting this notice today.

2.) Midnight Seductions is hosting a Summer Bash August 1st through August 4th. They're giving away a whole basketful of goodies, including a $40 Fictionwise giftcard. Join their Yahoo! group for more information.

3.) For erotic romance readers, the Wild Rose Press is giving away digital downloads every day in August. Just head over to their blog each day and post a comment for your chance to win.

4.) Of course I don't want you to forget Long and Short Romance Review's one year anniversary party. It starts August 1st and runs through August 27th, and involves a scavenger hunt, featuring a different author each day. Make sure to stop by their contest page on August 18th to win the two free e-books I'm giving away.

5.) And finally, the greatest prize of them all. St. Martin's Press is giving away a Sony Digital Reader and a Sony giftcard. The entry deadline is August 5th and you can read all the official details here.

Scavenger hunt starting soon

Readers, remember Long and Short Romance Review's scavenger hunt starts on Friday, August 1st. Go to their contest page for details on how to enter and win. I hope to see lots of people participate.

I'm heading out of town this weekend to visit family, so I probably won't be able to post another entry on Friday. I also don't know when I'll have August's free read up, but I'll have it up as soon as I can.

August celebration

Long and Short Romance Reviews is celebrating its one-year anniversary during the entire month of August with book giveaways and a grand prize drawing for a $50 Amazon.com gift card. Each day starting on August 1st and extending through August 27th, a different author will be featured. My day is August 18th, so be sure to check out LASR's contest details on that day for the chance to win a copy of Demon's Torment and a future download of Avery and the Devil when it releases from Forbidden.

The Dark Knight

I didn't get a chance to post an entry on Friday because my brother came to town, and since he had to drive seven hours to visit me, he had my undivided attention for most of the weekend.

On Saturday night we went to see the new Batman movie. We have two theaters in town, a nice theater--very clean, nicely decorated--and a not so nice theater--dirty, sticky, boring. Unfortunately the movie, one of the biggest movies of the summer, somehow landed in the not so nice theater.

I thought the movie was very good. I'm not a huge Batman fan, but I like Heath Ledger, and I really wanted to see his performance in his final movie--I wasn't disappointed by the movie by any means, but I was disappointed by the whole movie-going experience. I used to love going to the theater, but now I only see an average of two movies a year in theaters, and I think The Dark Knight will probably be my last. For three tickets plus snacks it cost me nearly forty dollars for a night at the movies. Snack prices have just gotten completely out of control. It was $7 for a large popcorn. Last summer I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3 in the movie theater at the Mall of America and I thought their snacks were expensive. By comparison they weren't that bad, which is just crazy because everything at MoA is more expensive.

We have a pretty nice theater setup at home, so from now on we're just going to have to make do with that. I'd rather watch movies in the comfort of my living room anyway--I won't be spending $7 on a bag of popcorn anymore.

Paranormal Quiz

This paranormal quiz was posted at The Muses Three and let me tell you, some of the questions gave me the shivers. Not a good idea to take it at midnight with all the lights off. But since I'm all about the paranormal, here's the link:
http://paranormal.about.com/library/bl701_quiz.htm

I've also gone ahead and posted a sneak peek excerpt for Avery and the Devil on my Yahoo! group, so you have to sign up if you want to read it.

Party with The Muses Three!

For the whole month of July The Muses Three Yahoo! Group is hosting a birthday party for Anastasia Rabiyah, so the month is filled with fun contests and of course excerpts! Paranormal week starts on July 14th, and of course this is my favorite week. I'll be stopping by Monday afternoon to post excerpts from Demon's Torment and my new paranormal romance, Avery and the Devil, so if you want to be one of the first to see what Avery's all about, visit The Muses Three to sign up. I won't even be posting an excerpt for the book on my website until the book has been through edits, so this really is a sneak peek!

You could also win books or prize packs for answering Ana's silly questions, so there's no reason not to check it out.

Also if you want other exclusive info and contest news, you can sign up for my brand new Yahoo! Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/racheldthompson/. Other authors are definitely welcome and encouraged to post news and reviews about their own books.

Free Read

I've added a free read section to my website. I hope to add a new free read once a month. July's is Demon's Witch, a short story prequel to Demon's Torment. The story takes place in a small New England town during the infamous witch hunts.

Blurb:
Allison tries very hard not to attract attention to herself, wanting to avoid being accused of witchcraft, but she can't hide her escalating craziness for much longer--especially when she starts speaking to demons.

Follow the link to download it for yourself!

July's Free Read

Contest winner

Congratulations to word crafter for winning the free copy of Demon's Torment. And thanks to everyone who posted comments. I can't wait to look into some of these other paranormal authors and characters. I hope you all consider checking out my next paranormal romance, Avery and the Devil, when it releases from Forbidden later in the year.

Don't forget to enter my contest

Scroll down to the previous blog post to see how to enter my contest for a chance to win a copy of Demon's Torment. The deadline is Saturday at midnight (central time).

I thought I'd let everyone know that St. Martin's Press is giving away a free e-book copy of Seize the Night, one of the first books in the Dark-Hunter series, by Sherrilyn Kenyon. All you have to do is sign up to receive it. I got my free copy and read through it in two days. It's a very good book. I guess I must not read as much as I used to because I've been discovering a lot of great authors lately that have apparently been around for awhile. This free giveaway is to commemorate the next release in the Dark-Hunter series, Acheron. Yes, I will be going to Barnes & Noble to see if I can pick up some of Sherrilyn Kenyon's other books. If you want a free copy of Seize the Night, just follow this link: http://yearofacheron.com/ebook.html. This is a good book for all you vampire lovers out there--I swear I'm obsessed.

Contest Giveaway

I'm holding a contest this week to give away a copy of Demon's Torment. Entering is easy. I want to know who or what your favorite paranormal character is. Be as general or as specific as you want. Leave a comment telling me all about it. My personal favorites are vampires. I specifically enjoy Stephanie Meyer's take on vampires, as well as Tanya Huff's. Interesting fact: I'm not even halfway through writing my own vampire novel: demons, the devil, and a restless spirit have all demanded my attention first. But I want to know what readers think. I'll randomly choose one entrant at the end of the week so get your answers in no later than midnight (central time) on Saturday, July 5th.

Demon's Torment Available Now

I thought I'd start off by posting information on my current release, my paranormal romance Demon's Torment, available in e-book format at Forbidden Publications.

Blurb:

Lately Ally's been haunted by disturbing dreams of women being chased by an unseen demon, leading to their violent deaths. When she learns of her father's grave illness, she heads for home, not knowing she’s heading straight for the demon of her dreams.

Somewhere in purgatory, Daemon awakes. He has pursued Ally in each of her reincarnations, only for her to choose death rather than open her soul to save him from his endless torment. He knows he must tread carefully if he is to have a chance at saving her immortal soul.

Excerpt:

Ally stood in front of the house, staring up at it. Only the attic light was on; the rest of the house stood dark. She reached back into the car, popping open the glove compartment to grab the heavy duty flashlight her father insisted she keep there. She felt grateful for it now. She didn't plan on waking the Masons to demand time with Daemon.

She flicked the flashlight on, testing it. It cut through the darkness. Ally trotted to the porch, hoping to find the door unlocked. It was, so she pushed it open, trying to be quiet. The door's hinges squeaked.

Ally slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She swung the flashlight around, peering into the living room on her way past it. The beam of light glanced off the picture of young demon-child Daemon. His malevolent, hate-filled stare caught her attention. She almost screamed when she saw what looked like fangs in his wide open, grinning mouth.

Ally's heart jumped into her throat. He really didn't want her here, did he? Funny, he had been so insistent before. Well, parlor tricks weren't going to scare her off.

She moved forward with determination. The kitchen loomed on her left. Ally glanced in. The shadows danced around her flashlight beam, making the furniture look sinister.

She came to the door at the end of the hallway and pushed it open. The darkness here was complete; she couldn't even see her own hand held in front of her face. Ally kept her flashlight beam trained on the steps that rose up in front of her, moving forward with caution. The door slammed behind her.

She whirled, almost losing her grip on the flashlight, her hand sweaty. She fumbled with it for a moment before regaining control. Nothing stood behind her. Trying not to let her fear overwhelm her, she turned back to the stairs. She didn't like this one bit.

"I know you're a demon," she called to the surrounding darkness. "You don't have to scare me half-to-death." Her voice echoed back to her, mocking her.

Ally gasped and came to a stop at the sharp right turn. Bloody footsteps appeared before her. They headed up the stairs in the direction she was going. She placed her own foot next to one, comparing sizes. The footsteps were a little smaller, a woman's. Was this just another scare? She hoped it was an illusion.

Ally kept an eye on the footprints, not wanting to step on them. Something below her creaked and she raced up the last few stairs, throwing herself at the door that stood at the top of the stairway.

It was locked.

Fear consumed her. She screamed and turned back to the groaning darkness. The flashlight's beam bobbed crazily, revealing slavering jaws and a demonic red-eyed gaze. She shrank back against the door, shutting her eyes, not wanting to see any more.

A moment later she fell backward, caught up in strong arms that lifted her into the attic room.

Ally kept her eyes shut tight, tears leaking from beneath her lids. She didn't know whether she was safe or not.

"I'm sorry about that, Ally," Daemon murmured.

She felt a soft surface beneath her. The strong arms disappeared. She dared to open her eyes, her heart returning to a more normal beat.

Daemon looked down at her with concern. "You didn't tell me you were coming."

Sweat made her damp hair cling to her forehead. He brushed some away, out of her face, his touch lingering. She didn't trust herself to speak just then. She breathed deeply to calm herself.

"What was that?" she demanded once she got her breathing back under control. She felt calmer now, in his presence.

He glanced away, frowning. "This house is a hotbed for demonic activity. When you were here before, I kept it at bay, but I didn't know you were coming this time." He moved closer, reaching out for her. She let him pull her into his arms. "I'm sorry it scared you. If I had known you were coming, I wouldn't have let that happen."

"I thought you wanted me to stay away," Ally said, fresh tears appearing. Something terrible could have happened to her. She couldn't stop the shudder that racked her body.

Daemon held her tighter, soothing her fears.