Being Bonnie Vanak

A special thank you to readers...

2012-01-17T11:28:00.000+01:00

I love to read books and I'm grateful to all the readers who have read mine. Books are important to me, both writing them and reading them. They provide an escape, allow me to dream of possiblities and expand my horizons.

So as a special thank you to readers, I'm giving a gift for the month of Valentine's Day.

Nightly Special is my short story from the anthology, Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies, Oh MY! The anthology was penned by a few authors from Florida Romance Writers to raise money from our chapter.

Nightly Special is now available as a stand alone story and absolutely FREE on Smashwords. I had a new cover designed and had the story formatted.

Click here to find out.

I hope you enjoy! And thank you for all your support and your love of romance novels.

Seduced by the Wolf available for pre-order!

2012-01-11T00:38:00.002+01:00

SEDUCED BY THE WOLF, my March Nocturne Craving, is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

Jarrett Lawson can't fall in love—but he needs a woman. Pack rules dictate that as the alpha male, he must mate before the rest of his shifter community can. But after losing his cherished wife, Jarrett has vowed never to risk his heart again. A vow that is tested when Ariel Abidos reenters his life.

Jarrett and Ariel once shared an explosive sexual chemistry, but Ariel left him with no explanation just before they became lovers. So when the sexy Lupine Fae needs his help to investigate why her people are vanishing on his ancestral land, he asks one thing in return: that she become his new mate....

Click here to order!

Now available on Smashwords and Kindle...

2012-01-09T11:53:00.002+01:00

The Cobra and the Concubine, from my Khamsin Egyptian series! I had it reformatted. Next up will be The Scorpion and the Seducer, and then all seven of my Khamsin Egyptian historicals will be available.

The Covert Wolf, my August book, is finished and turned into my editor. Right now I'm working on the next Nocturne Craving, as well as a proposal for the next Nocturne.

To read a preview and order Cobra on Smashwords, click here.

To order Cobra on Amazon, click here.

New cover, New Year and contest winner!

2012-01-03T16:51:00.000+01:00

Here's the cover for SEDUCED BY THE WOLF, my Nocturne Craving for March. It's another short story in The Ancients line. The reason why she's lit from within? When she gets sexually excited, she glows. I mean, REALLY, glows.

SEDUCED BY THE WOLF is the sequel to HUNTED BY THE JAGUAR. Wolf features Jarrett, the werewolf. I liked his character so much I decided he needed his own story, especially since he had lost his mate and child.

It's a new year and I'm pleased to announce the winner of my contest from last month is Cathy (Caffie!) Cathy please email me for your prize.

In other news, I finished the book! Yay!!! The Covert Wolf is scheduled for release this August. I wrote the book in three months. It was very, very tough, with working full-time and traveling for the day job, plus the holidays, but I did it.

It's not easy being an author, whether you work a day job or your FT profession is writing. Deadlines must be met, and then life happens. 2011 was a tough year. We lost my beloved father-in-law, and had lots to deal with in a haze of legal paperwork. It's not over. But we are blessed with good family and friends to help us through.

For Christmas, we went to Tennessee, and had a lovely time with my great brother and his very sweet, very fun wife. It was good to get together with family. And it was cold!

Just as cold as South Florida promises to be tonight. In celebration of finishing the book, we'll probably have a fire in the fire pit, and toast the New Year with a bottle of red wine.

Here's hoping 2012 is good to you, and brings you and yours plenty of blessings, and everything your heart desires.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

2011-12-22T23:49:00.002+01:00

From sunny and warm Florida, wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!

And best wishes for a peaceful, happy New Year and a wonderful 2012!

The Empath and new website

2011-12-18T15:46:00.000+01:00

The Empath has been released by Mills and Boon in the UK! Enemy Lover will be released next month by Mills & Boon.

In other news, I finally have a new website. You can check it out here. I wanted a darker look to reflect the dark paranormals I'm writing.

My wonderful designer organized the books page to make it easier to access all the books, and there's a new releases page and a page for international editions. This will make it much more user friendly. If you want to know the latest books, you need only click on the new releases page.

In other news, I'm busy trying to finish the Nocturne due the end of this month, getting ready for Christmas and sorting through a lot of projects at the day job. The book is close. Almost there. Almost. Speaking of which, I'd better get back to work because if I make the rum balls first and then write... not a good idea!

My mom

2011-12-15T02:30:00.000+01:00

She was a very special person, a best friend as well as my mother. Mom enjoyed reading romance novels. It's because of her love of the genre that I started reading them as well.

We took many wonderful vacations together. Sometimes we visited states like Montana, where she would sit on a bench reading a book while I went hiking in Glacier National Park.

This photo is from our last vacation together, the year before DH and I got married, and the year before she died from cancer.

It was a dream trip for both of us. I'm very thankful we were able to take this vacation, and I feel blessed with all the memories I'll always cherish of our times together. This weekend it will be 16 years since we lost her. Some days, it feels like yesterday. Mom adored Christmas. It was her favorite holiday. She'd spend weeks getting ready, from making cookie press cookies, to decorating the house and shopping. She created a wonderful tradition. We had to give away some of our toys to poor children before Christmas, because before we could get new toys for Christmas, we had to share what we had with children who had nothing.

When she was dying from cancer, my brother bought her a little Christmas tree with lights, so she could look at it from her bed. I still have the tree, and when I put it out, I remember my mother and the joy she brought to us all during the holiday season. We buried her 3 days before Christmas, three months after Dh and I married. She hid her illness from the family, along with her pain. It was only after we returned from our honeymoon and she collapsed that we discovered she didn't have long to live.

I think she wanted to make sure I was settled, and happy, before passing on. That was the type of woman she was - always putting others before herself.

Miss you mom, always. Thank you for everything you did for all of us.

Technology and the holidays

2011-12-12T17:06:00.001+01:00

Confession time. I'm tech-challenged. Can't keep up with all the changes. Just when I was comfortable with Blogger, they changed the template and the browser settings. I'm finally learning FB. And my phone is hooked up to Twitter, but sometimes when I message a friend, I almost end up tweeting. Um, hello world, I did NOT mean to tell everyone that I was so tired that I brushed my teeth with hemorrhoid cream instead of toothpaste...

Dolce also prefers books and toys to computer wires

So if you want to send me a message either through Twitter, Facebook, send a direct message through the Networked blogs (I still am trying to figure that one out, I think I pressed a button and now I'm networked), or Goodreads (I'm not signed up on Goodreads and don't always go to that site) or send up a smoke signal, and I don't always answer, it's because I'm tangled in a wired world and don't know how to find my way out. The best way to contact me is email. Bonnievanak@aol.com

Busy with the holidays, trying to finish the new Nocturne due the end of this month and working at the day job. I am also working with a terrific designer and hope to launch my NEW website by January 1.

Happy holidays, and may the stress of the season stay far from you!

In memory of our Tia

2011-12-07T21:02:00.001+01:00

Tia, our beloved Shih Tzu, died Dec. 7, 2006. She had liver cancer. She was a wonderful dog and a friend as well. Miss you, sweetie. I hope all dogs do go to heaven, because you sure deserve to be there.

Tia, Christmas 2004

New release, new contest

2011-12-01T15:43:00.004+01:00

Today is the release day for HUNTED BY THE JAGUAR, the third novella in The Ancients!

Stranded miles from home, Ariana Fuller has few ways to protect herself from the enemy hunting her—except to let her demon side take control over the angelic half of her soul. The last man she wants to come to her rescue is jaguar shifter Daimon Nelson, the man who claimed her virginity and still tempts her like no other.

Though Ariana fears giving in to erotic abandonment will free her inner demon, Daimon's scorching kisses and wicked aura of sensuality make her forget all common sense. She tries to resist his allure, but Daimon is equally resolved to complete his mission of seduction. He must mate with Ariana to absorb her dark powers before they are unleashed—and before the enemy can claim her for himself....

Click here to order HUNTED BY THE JAGUAR on Kindle.

To celebrate, I'm giving away a copy of MATED TO THE WOLF, my second novella in The Ancients series.

Just leave a comment on this blog to enter, or email me at bonnievanak@aol.com. Contest ends Dec. 30. Good luck and happy holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:00:00.002+01:00

Back from Honduras, thankful I live in the USA. I'm thankful for my home, that has real walls and a roof and solid floor, running water and a low enough mortgage. I'm thankful for DH, friends and family, and our dogs.

I'm thankful for a new book contract, the chance to put my imagination on paper to hopefully provide readers with much-needed escapes.

I'm thankful for my readers, and my writing buddies.

And I'm thankful for the chance to be able to help the poor through my writing, and my day job, which I've done now for 18 years. Eighteen years of traveling to poor countries has given me the chance to meet some amazing, wonderful people who give true meaning to the ideals of faith and trust in God, and the compassionate, generous people who help them.

And last, but not least, I am very thankful to all who serve in our armed forces. To all the US troops, at home and overseas, who put their lives on the line each day. A very special thank you, and blessings for the holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Contest next month!

2011-11-08T01:18:00.006+01:00

Watch this blog for details. I'll be giving away an electronic copy of one of my novellas in my new series, The Ancients!

Still busy writing the Nocturne that is slated for release next August. I really love how these characters have taken on a life of their own. Matt is very sexy, very handsome and very dangerous, more so than the average Draicon werewolf. He's courageous and loyal and would die for the woman he loves. And at this point in the book, he's ready to make that ultimate sacrifice, if necessary.

Next week I'll be offline and in Honduras for the day job. Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Hunted by the Jaguar

2011-10-26T16:27:00.003+02:00

Now available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle.

Stranded miles from home, Ariana Fuller has few ways to protect herself from the enemy hunting her—except to let her demon side take control over the angelic half of her soul. The last man she wants to come to her rescue is jaguar shifter Daimon Nelson, the man who claimed her virginity and still tempts her like no other.

Though Ariana fears giving in to erotic abandonment will free her inner demon, Daimon’ s scorching kisses and wicked aura of sensuality make her forget all common sense. She tries to resist his allure, but Daimon is equally resolved to complete his mission of seduction. He must mate with Ariana to absorb her dark powers before they are unleashed—and before the enemy can claim her for himself….

This is the third story in my series, The Ancients, for Harlequin's Nocturne Cravings line. Another novella, Seduced by the Wolf, is a sequel to this story and will be released in March, 2012.

In other news, I'm hard at work writing the Nocturne that will be an August 2012 release. Nearly halfway there!

Mated to the Wolf cover!

2011-10-13T11:36:00.004+02:00

MATED TO THE WOLF is my November release from Nocturne Cravings. It's the second in The Ancients series. Maybe it's because I enjoy writing werewolves, or because the hero is scarred emotionally and physically, but this story was the most fun to write out of all three.

I love this cover. The colors are sultry and evocative, and having his face cast partly in shadow is reflection of his inner torment.

Here's the blurb:

Grayson Adler—lone werewolf, powerful Ancient and empath Healer—has never lusted after prey before. As a paranormal bounty hunter, he's duty bound to capture Samantha Fuller. She's half demon and half angel, with deadly powers emerging and a vendetta against the hunter who killed her parents. Yet Grayson aches to touch her and let her angelic half soothe his hurts, his longing for a connection as powerful as his sexual need. Then he gets a new assignment: to absorb her evil powers and tame her by becoming her mate before she turns demon…

I got the idea for the opening scene of this book when DH and I were dining at a neighborhood bar. It was a unique place, because the dining room was separated from the bar area by a wall and several windows. It was a cool place to go after work and grab a meal and have a glass of wine or a beer. We'd slide into one of the wooden booths, order and talk about our day. That night, I was gazing at the bar and the scene suddenly came to me. I always carry a small journal with me should ideas strike, and I jotted down the images I had for Grayson and Samantha's story.

Sadly, that bar/restaurant closed a few months ago. Like other businesses struggling to make it in this economy, they had to shut down for lack of sales. But for me, they'll live on in this story.

You can pre-order MATED TO THE WOLF on Kindle here on Amazon.

Or here on Nook.

Happy reading!

In memory of Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T14:08:00.003+02:00

Thank you for all you did. The world has not only lost a true genius, but a man who truly understood the importance of creative vision.

“Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - Steve Jobs

New release!

2011-10-04T11:52:00.003+02:00

Bitten by the Vampire is the first novella in The Ancients series by Harlequin's Nocturne Cravings line.

Vampire Lucian Marcello knows it's his destiny to claim Mara Fuller as his own. She is a Darklighter, half-demon and half-angel, and has sworn to destroy the man who almost killed her. If she succeeds, her demon side will take over and she will turn evil. The only way to save Mara is for Lucien to mate with her and absorb her dark powers. But though tempted by a shared erotic vision, Mara is resistant to his charms. It will take all Lucien's powers of seduction to make her surrender to his dominance and desire. For if he fails, her life will be forfeit…

You can purchase it here on Amazon...

Or here on Nook.

Next month is Mated to the Wolf, followed by Hunted by the Jaguar. And in March of 2012, look for Seduced by the Wolf!

Advice to authors

2011-09-27T02:43:00.002+02:00

This November marks the 9th year I've been a published author. So, for debut authors out there, I have a little advice for when you're faced with a bad review and want to say something to the reviewer.

Don't.

Bad review, snarky email, it comes with the business. Some people will love your books. Others will scratch their heads and think, "WTH?" And the public criticism of your books will come. It might be a small suggestion, or something large and very snarky on a popular romance blog. You'll want to fire off a response about your book, the one you sweated blood and tears over.

Don't.

Here's the best advice I can give you, and it applies to the corporate world as well. Don't ever write an email when you are upset/angry/want to hold the critic's head under water until you hear a gurgling sound. Write a letter to yourself instead.

Get on your computer and fire off everything you feel inside. Get out all those feelings, frustrations, etc.

Keep that letter in a safe, password protected file. Wait 48 hours and cool down.

Then delete it.

Time and again it's been shown that authors, even superstar ones, who take on their online critics, pay for it. The payment may not be lost sales. But it can be something everyone needs these days..something very precious...

Time.

Why waste time responding to online criticism of your books, unless you are correcting a misconception about your book? (For example, if you wrote a romantic comedy about pigs and included the fact that a pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes and the reviewer said, "She is ridiculous! Whoever heard of a half-hour orgasm?" Then you can send a polite email to the reviewer and point out your research. You were not pulling this out of thin air, or your butt. You know the facts. BTW, pigs DO have 30 minute orgasms. Seriously. Lucky pigs!)

You'd be better off spending your time writing another book and therefore, collecting another advance and more money! If the criticism really gets to you, get together with friends, have a drink and commiserate. Then get back to what you do best...writing!

Criticism comes with this business. Readers also change their taste. So someone who loved your books a year ago may be snarking about them tomorrow with their online friends. It happens. It does NOT mean you are a poor writer. Remember, you got published. Your book resonated with an editor! Be proud of that.

And keep all your positive reader emails in a file. When you feel a little down about a bad review, pull them out and read them for reinforcement.

Be proud of yourself and your work. You're an author. Congratulations! You persevered and you made it.

Now go out and show the world what a professional you can be.

Now available from Ellora's Cave...

2011-09-21T20:36:00.004+02:00

From author Blair Valentine...

When Nicolas Hoffman wakes up naked, chained to a wall and ordered to give three orgasms in a row to a rival pack’s heiress, the sexy werewolf thinks his worst nightmare has come true. He vowed he’d never again be used for sex, but he is the last resort for the lovely and emotionally cold Jessenia Drake. She needs Nicolas’ hot touch and passionate lovemaking to break the curse that keeps her frozen.

The sex is sizzling and intense and Nicolas suspects someone wants to keep the heiress on ice in order to seize her power. But Jessenia has an additional concern. As her emotions return, her greatest fear isn’t remaining encased in a world of emotionless ice, but losing her heart forever to her handsome werewolf lover. Reader Advisory: Contains brief m/m and group-sex scenes.

You can purchase it on Amazon Kindle by clicking here.

Why I love werewolves

2011-08-24T11:42:00.003+02:00

Need I say more? Howl!!!!!!!!!!

They run hot. Very hot.

My newest Nocturne, THE SHADOW WOLF, is now in stores! And I have news about a new release.

On the run from authorities, gutsy Megan Moraine knows shadow wolves like herself have no place in this world. But she's still prepared to do anything to protect her young charges. That resolve is tested when the trio is captured by Gabriel Robichaux. Everyone knows that Gabriel is a ruthless bounty hunter, a member of an elite group called the Enforcers. Why then is Megan so attracted to her enemy—a wolf who hunts his own people? A wolf whose languid, sexy drawl makes her dream the impossible?

You can purchase it from Barnes and Noble by clicking here.

It looks like Hurricane Irene will miss us here in Florida. While I'm breathing a sigh of relief, I am keeping those further north on the east coast in my thoughts. Nineteen years ago today, Hurricane Andrew came on shore. My friends and I volunteered in Homestead, helping to clean up. It was horrific.

Stay safe, everyone.

In other news, my evil twin, Blair Valentine, has an upcoming release. Blair writes erotic romance for Ellora's Cave. Her newest book, The Ice Queen Cometh, will be out Sept. 16! Details to come.

Happy Hump Day!

The Shadow Wolf and Hurricane Irene

2011-08-22T17:39:00.004+02:00

Tomorrow The Shadow Wolf is out! Yay!

Thursday we here in S. Florida are supposed to get Hurricane Irene! Boo!

My heart is beating fast, but it's not because The Shadow Wolf will be in bookstores tomorrow. It's because Irene, a Cat. 3 hurricane, is supposed to either brush our coast or have a direct impact.

I haven't gone toe to toe with a hurricane since Wilma in 2005. Score on that one? Wilma: 1, Bonnie, oh, about $50,000 in damages. Wilma dropped a tree on our roof and two others in the yard. I've posted a photo of what Wilma did to our back yard here... one of the trees crashed through the Florida room, where I had been, stupidly, standing 5 minutes earlier watching the winds pick up.

I've never taken hurricanes for granted after that.

So as excited as I am about The Shadow Wolf, I'm too focused on Hurricane Irene and what we have to do to protect ourselves from the storm.

Ironically, there is a hurricane in The Shadow Wolf. Gabe and Megan and the twins ride one out that's barely a Cat. 1. And Gabriel has a built-in generator that automatically transfers power when the electricity goes out.

Gabriel, can I move into your cottage with DH and the dogs?

Trains!

2011-08-18T20:06:00.004+02:00

Earlier this month we were on vacation and missed the train meet at the park. DH is a member of the Tradewinds and Atlantic RR club. They have riding trains for children and adults and DH and his friends built a model railroad track to run their G-scale trains. The new layout was a lot of work, and the results are gorgeous. Kids love seeing the trains, like this one, which is called a Triplex. Many of DH's trains have sound systems. He even has cattle and sheep cars that feature animal sounds!

It's a great hobby.

Our vacations are usually spent at locations that offer old-fashioned steam train rides. One of our favorites is Chama, New Mexico. They have a narrow gauge railroad, one of the last remaining ones in the country, and the railroad yard is an open train museum. We spent a few delightful hours combing through the yard, looking at locomotives, parts, tankers, you name it.

One of my favorite ways to relax when I get home from the day job, when the weather gets cooler, is to sit outside on our patio with a glass of wine and watch DH run the trains in our back yard. Our layout runs the length of the patio. On holidays, when his dad came over, we'd have dessert in the backyard or his dad would sit and watch Frank run the trains. I miss my FIL...the holidays are going to be a little rough this year without him. But at least we have lots of good memories to keep him in our hearts.

Great review of The Shadow Wolf

2011-08-06T22:06:00.007+02:00

This review is by Xeranthemum from The Long and Short of It Reviews. Five books! Yay! The Shadow Wolf is out August 23, but available for pre-order on Amazon, B&N and eHarlequin.

"On the run from authorities, gutsy Megan Moraine knows shadow wolves like herself have no place in this world. But she's still prepared to do anything to protect her young charges. That resolve is tested when the trio is captured by Gabriel Robichaux. Everyone knows that Gabriel is a ruthless bounty hunter, a member of an elite group called the Enforcers. Why then is Megan so attracted to her enemy—a wolf who hunts his own people? A wolf whose languid, sexy drawl makes her dream the impossible?

I bit my nails, ground my teeth and flipped through the pages at a furious clip because I never knew what was going to happen next and the suspense kept me glued to my chair. The Shadow Wolf has the emotional punch to make what happens to the hero and heroine matter to a reader.

Right off the bat, Ms. Vanak introduced characters that would appeal to a reader. She painted a scene of despair, hopelessness and fear while showcasing the heroine’s determination, strength and loyalty. The first chapter presented the main players who have the most to lose and gain during the course of this story and sets up the initial conflict between the hero and heroine. And wouldn’t you know, just as I’m writing this I realized something about one of the characters that I read about early on. I’m in shock. Oh, my gosh! I didn’t catch it on the first read through. That really twists the knife. And now I understand all the ramifications. I’m officially blown away. Oh poor, Gabriel.

Yes, Ms. Vanak created characters I cared about. Once the hero, Gabriel bared his heart, there was only one option open to me and that was to fall in love with him too. I wanted to hug him, care for him and wanted him to be happy. He eventually gets all those things from Megan, the heroine but not without some seriously suspenseful and heartbreaking moments along the way.

Megan has had to fight tooth and nail to get where she is and to get where she’s going. She has been hurt so much and so badly, trusting someone else is a huge stumbling block for her. And yet, for all her doubts and fears, she tentatively reaches out to Gabriel and the action begins.

The twins are adorable and important. They are little kids who’ve seen too much and yet still retain some of their innocence and charm. They are the glue that holds the little group together initially until the bigger picture gets painted for a reader and the scope with which they’re up against is revealed.

The suspense of not knowing who to trust, why what is happening is happening and will they get away and survive intact is a constant. Not knowing if both Gabriel and Megan can get beyond their own fears and reach out to the other is another effective hook in this story. What is really going on and why everything is so perverted is another question to be answered. So many threads weave through this book and Ms. Vanak didn’t let one dangle. Eventually everything comes to light in a spectacular confrontation.

There are different levels of secondary characters and some are more important than others. The most fascinating for me was Tristan. He can be a cool dude one second and the other, he’s popping footballs. Amazing man with a hint of omniscience, I’d love to know more about him. The others have supporting roles or shed light on the hero. The heroine doesn’t really have any friends so that’s an emotion tugger.

The conflicts are many but the solution comes down to a decision that only Megan and Gabriel can make. Once they do, it was thrilling to see the intense and volatile scenes that followed. And it was a WOW! moment when it was revealed just what Gabriel really was. Never saw that coming and it made me wonder why they were hunted in the first place. Something tells me it was the other nasties that arranged it all those many years ago. Interesting thought and it makes sense.

The happily ever after is tender, sweet and well earned. In fact it was the icing on the cake. Right before the charming part, their coming together was its own happy ever after and it was sensual, poignant and well written. If a reader is looking for well written physical expressions of love, they’ll find it here.

The Shadow Wolf is one heck of a ride that will leave a reader breathless. I think my TMJ got a workout from all the teeth clenching I did during the suspenseful parts – of which there were many. At one point I thought the heroine was spiraling down into a cliché but no, she dodged that one with style and true grit. This story has dark depths and a meaty plot sure to appeal to paranormal romantic suspense readers who look for a quality written story. The editing is perfect, the characters extremely well formed and the dynamics between the hero and heroine are wonderful. I was thoroughly entertained and can say with all confidence that readers are in for a treat and a great read when they pick up their own copy of The Shadow Wolf."

Rest in peace, LA Banks

2011-08-02T18:46:00.003+02:00

I'm just back from vacation and heard the news this morning. The talented, awesome and all-together wonderful human being and author LA Banks has died.

She had late stage adrenal cancer. A group of friends and authors had held fundraisers to help pay for her medical bills.

To celebrate her life, and her talent, I'm providing a link here to her latest book.

Rest in peace, Leslie, you were an amazing person.

The Panther and the Pyramid now on KINDLE

2011-07-13T12:56:00.008+02:00

Graham Tristan has been tormented too long. He is physically strong: during his childhood exile, he rode with the Khamsin - Egyptian Warriors of the Wind. He has learned their code, is called The Panther. Now he has returned to his rightful place as the Duke of Caldwell. And there is a new face - that of a woman - that haunts his dreams.

Hair the color of blood. Eyes the color of emeralds. The memory threatens to consume him. In his dreams, this woman threatens all he seeks to protect, all he thinks to hide. She is more perilous even than the ancient treasure that draws him back to Egypt. This woman will uncover his heart.

Click here to buy on Amazon Kindle.

In other news, I've accepted an offer to write two more Nocturne Cravings, which hopefully will be out next year, and my evil twin Blair will be publishing another erotic romance with Ellora's Cave. I'm very grateful to both my editors for being so understanding with the recent illness and death of my beloved father-in-law, Frank. It's been a very emotional time for my husband and myself, but we are slowly healing. Thank you everyone who sent condolences and expressed sympathy.

Taken by the Alpha Wolf now available

2011-06-26T22:53:00.003+02:00

On Kindle and Smashwords, a new, original Draicon werewolf story for only 99 cents. This is Etienne's story, the eldest Draicon brother.

From the moment he saw the pale-haired beauty, Draicon werewolf Etienne Robichaux vowed to claim Cindy Parker as his mate. Nothing will stand in his way. After learning she’s targeted by a Columbian drug mob, the former Navy SEAL will do everything in his power to protect her.

His touch ignites her passion and his tender concern touches her soul. But Cindy has a deadly secret she hides from Etienne, one that not only risks losing her heart to handsome shifter, but her very life.

Buy at Amazon.

Buy at Smashwords.

How to plan for RWA in NY

2011-06-17T16:33:00.007+02:00

RWA is a week away and what have I done to prepare? I've printed business cards with the cover to The Shadow Wolf. That's it.

And then I look at the calendar and realize I have one week left to get my act together before leaving for RWA. I have a blizzard of meetings at the day job next week, and two ART fact sheets to fill out for Harlequin for my upcoming stories, Hunted by the Jaguar and Mated to the Wolf. I need to get organized. Now.

So this blog post is devoted to advice on planning for national.

First, take a deep breath. Breathe. Just breathe. You can do this.

Now, budget a few minutes to make a list of things you must take care of before you leave your family/responsibilities. Children, husband, pets, etc.

Make another list of essentials for the conference to pack (here's a little trick I learned from traveling internationally...take a backpack to carry on and pack with essentials such as a change of clothing, business shoes, etc. you'll need if your checked luggage gets lost.)

Comfortable shoes
Business attire and some casual outfits for lounging
List of nearby restaurants that are affordable
Granola bars or snacks (come in handy for quick energy in pricey NY city)
Print out of RWA schedule
Airline tickets, car rental info, etc.
Other personal essentials (such as laptop, if you are bringing one)

Next, preprogram important cell numbers into your phone: ie: agent, editor, roommate, friends, etc.

Now for the schedule. It looks daunting. So much to do and so little time. Here is where you narrow down your choices.

Set your priorities for this conference. Ask yourself, "What do I need to get out of this?"

If your goal is to meet with a particular agent or editor, make that the Number One priority and schedule that accordingly. If your goal is meeting friends or critique partners to discuss the market and upcoming projects you have, make that your Number One priority. It's your conference.

For myself, my priorities are always meeting with my agent and my editor. Business first. Then I schedule workshops and time for lunches/meetings with friends/fellow authors. I look at the RWA schedule of workshops. To access, click here.

Pick workshops that feature areas you wish to hone. Are you weak on plotting? Select a plotting workshop. Need to learn to write a stronger heroine? Look for those. Yes, there are lots of booksignings where authors give away free books. But what will serve your writing goals more...getting autographed books or attending a workshop?

You can buy the workshops on tape, but let's say you don't have any time when you return home to listen, because your editor appointment resulted in a request for a full manuscript. Now you have to polish that book. And if you get such a request early on in the conference? Look for a workshop that can aid you in polishing your book. Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge before you.

It all comes down to prioritizing. You are the only one who can pick and choose goals for yourself at this conference. Align your schedule according to those goals. And don't forget to make time for friends at the bar. The bar is always where the action is at; where news is exchanged, market updates are provided, where you learn the real nitty gritty of what is going on.

When you have the list of workshops and appointments, program them into your phone for quick reference.

If you're shy and don't know many people, remember there are probably a lot of conference attendees who are the same. You are not alone. Force yourself to pick a table at a luncheon filled with strangers. Start a conversation about how they are enjoying themselves, if this is their first visit to NY. You never know who you'll meet.

Now, go take another deep breath, relax and say to yourself, "I can do this!"

And have fun in NY!

The Shadow Wolf

2011-06-06T13:24:00.002+02:00

Here's the cover. This book includes Darkness of the Wolf, my Nocturne Bite that was previously released in ebook form.

The cover is the scene where they first make love by the lake.

In writing news, my muse has awoken (yay!) and I'm coming down the home stretch with a new short story. Details to follow!

Reflections

2011-06-03T18:37:00.003+02:00

This week, I've been thinking about the day job. I guess it stems from meeting new people at work and having their eyes nearly pop out of their head when they discover I've been doing this kind of work, traveling to poor countries and writing about poverty, for more than 17 years.

One country that I frequently travel to is Haiti. Haiti and I have a love/hate relationship. One guy I know said it best. "Haiti's she's a bitch, but you have to love her. "

One of the love aspects is getting to help children who are in dire need. A girl from one of our orphanages recently graduated from college in the US. She's a success story that always makes me smile. Smart kid, I know she will go far.

And then there are the girls who were rescued off the street, and were in desperate need of hope. Merline, featured in these photos, was one of them.

I met Merline on a trip to our girls orphanage in 2002. It was the first year I got published. I remember seeing her expression. As if she'd lost all hope. She was skinny, had suffered from parasites and was starving. The home's administrator told me she'd been found wandering the streets of Cite Soleil, a huge and grim slum.

Cite Soleil is rough, violent and no place for an innocent orphan. Merline was hungry, homeless and afraid. She was unresponsive to questions, to smiles, to coaxing a smile from her. Still, I sat next to her, chatting in English, hoping for some kind of response from this girl who had already, at 7, experienced far too much pain.

I remember how she didn't say anything, didn't react and then all the sudden, she rested against me and slipped her hand into mine.

It broke my heart. Without words, she told me, "I need to know someone cares."

The rest of our visit, I held her in my lap, chatting with her. She never did smile. But I had hope.

Two years later, I was visiting our girls orphanage and asked about Merline. I found her. This time she was dressed in a pretty gingham school uniform. And she was smiling. A big, beautiful smile from a lovely girl who received a chance to start over in life.

The kids in Haiti, they are the ones who always tug at my heart. They are a reason I keep returning to Haiti, hoping that the future will be brighter, and better for them.

Sex with Oded Fehr...

2011-06-01T19:05:00.006+02:00

To mark the first day of the 2011 hurricane season, I'm reposting a blog from 2005, the year my house got clobbered by Hurricane Wilma and a tree punched through our roof. This post still makes me laugh, and these days, while we are currently "weathering" a family crisis, all laughs are much appreciated. It's titled, "Sex with Oded Fehr."

Last night I dreamed I had sex with Oded Fehr. (See photo at right. He's begging me, "Please, Bonnie, have sex with me now!")

We were married and he came home from work in this funky red jacket, dark trousers, white starched shirt and red silk tie. He threw down his briefcase and said, “I can’t wait to make love to you, right now.”

Oh. Okay.

But trouble was, it was … meh. I couldn’t climax. He asked me what was wrong and I told him I was tense.

Then all the sudden, he shapeshifts. Changes before my eyes… and changes to…

Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel. Complete in his raingear, talking about hurricanes. I screamed, “noooooooo!”

It’s not a deep dream, I know what it means, See, Jim Cantore has the knack of picking areas to broadcast from that get slammed by hurricanes. So what does all this, and my dream mean? Simple.

If Jim Cantore shows up anywhere near you, you’re f**ked.

Haiti

2011-05-22T14:15:00.005+02:00

People frequently ask me, especially after I return from a trip for work, "Has Haiti improved any since the earthquake?"

Good question. My quick answer is, "Yes, the rubble is mostly gone."

And the long answer is, "The people are still suffering, but there is hope."

But last week I visited an area that I saw days after everything collapsed and killed more than 250,000 people, and it's like a knife to my heart.

It was in downtown Port-au-Prince.

Downtown is where much of the colossal damage took place. By that I mean, five-story buildings pancaked, entire government buildings destroyed. The presidential palace with its pretty wedding cake cupolas.

And the nearly 100-year-old cathedral, with its beautiful pink stone and soaring arches. I was there, long ago, for a prayer service. The cathedral was a peaceful place in a heavily populated city, a landmark for all who lived in PAP and a stronghold of religion for many. I remember seeing the elderly homeless on the steps. I also remember how my NGO built them a village where they can live out their last days with dignity and comfort.

I've been traveling to Haiti for nearly 18 years. I visited the cathedral days after the earthquake, and saw the bodies crushed by falling debris.

I was there a few days ago, and except for the fact the rubble is now gone, the structure is still the same. Still standing as an eerie skeletal frame, a pink scar on the downtown cityscape.

It was painful for me to see the church still standing as if the earthquake were last month, not last year. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it is for Haitians. A constant reminder of that horrific day.

How can you push on and forge a future when the wreckage of your past still stands like a tragic moment suspended in time?

Haiti has a new president now. I am cautiously hopeful. Not because of the new government, but because I have seen the resilience and courage of a beleaguered people who have suffered much, and keep going.

And enduring.

Again.

And again, against all odds.

The Cobra and the Concubine now on Kindle

2011-05-16T13:05:00.004+02:00

I uploaded THE COBRA AND THE CONCUBINE to Kindle this weekend. This is the third book in my Khamsin Egyptian romance series.

Click here to order.

Last week I was in Haiti and offline. I'll be posting an update on my trip, soon as I catch up.

Nook, Kindle book updates

2011-05-07T16:46:00.003+02:00

The Sword and the Sheath is now available on Kindle. This is the romance between Jabari's son, Tarik, and Ramses's daughter, Fatima. Fatima is psychic and assigned to guard Tarik, the sheikh's proud heir. Tarik wants her removed and in a different position... in his bed.

Click here to order.

Also, The Falcon and the Dove, my first Khamsin Egyptian romance, is now available on the Nook! Click here.

I was hoping to finish formatting The Cobra and the Concubine and upload that to Kindle, but too much happened this week. Now I'm packing for Haiti, another day job trip. I'll be offline all next week as there is limited internet access where I will be traveling.

Have a great week! I post if I can.

The Tiger and the Tomb now available on KINDLE!

2011-05-03T12:28:00.003+02:00

Click here to order.

Next up is THE SWORD AND THE SHEATH. This is the love story between Jabari's son, Tarik, and Ramses' daughter, Fatima.

Hoping to format and upload THE COBRA AND THE CONCUBINE by the time I leave for Haiti next week.

Would you care if his mom wrote erotic romance?

2011-04-29T02:47:00.006+02:00

This is Edgar. He's three months old, weighs 6.5 pounds, lives in Guatemala and as I rocked him in my arms today, realized he may die.

Edgar's mother is very poor. She lives in a mud house with a dirt floor. Her husband used to get drunk and beat her with his fists. She has no job. No hope. She came to the nutritional center hoping for help or milk for her baby as she could not breast feed.

As I held Edgar in my arms, thinking of all the starving babies I've met in my travels, some who have died, some who made it, I got pretty upset.

And angry. I got angry thinking about how some people chose to get upset over things that aren't worth getting angry about, how it is none of their business.

I thought about the whole Judy Mays craziness, over a woman who is said to be a great teacher and yet, is lambasted for writing erotic romance in her spare time. I don't know Judy, only that she is a fellow romance author and like me, she works a full-time job in addition to writing romance. She's a high school teacher. Unless you have lived under a rock, you must know how challenging it is these days to teach high school kids.

Judy writes erotic romance under another name. Some of those parents found out, started going a little nuts and suddenly, there is a hue and cry.

As I sat rocking Edgar in my arms, wondering if he would live or die, I wondered why there isn't a hue and cry over things like babies starving to death in other countries.

Do we care? I know Americans do, we are very generous. I'm always humbled and hopeful when I find out how very generous Americans are when it comes to helping the poor.

Yet when I hear of parents complaining about things like Judy writing erotic romance, under ANOTHER NAME, and teaching their children, I wonder.

Edgar's mother is poor. She has no job, bruises from her abusive husband, no money, a starving baby and little hope.

And I wonder... would you care if his mother wrote erotic romance? Would you care if she did and it saved his life?

On the road again...

2011-04-25T19:38:00.003+02:00

Looks like I'll be in Guatemala this week on a last minute work trip to visit starving children in a clinic. Thus this quick catch-up...

The price of Falcon and the Dove is back up to $2.99 on Kindle. The sale is over. Sorry! However, I do plan to discount my books once I get more backlist books uploaded, hopefully in the next 4 weeks.

I'll be making up ARC's of The Shadow Wolf, my August Nocturne, in PDF form. If you are a reviewer or a book blogger and would like one, please email me at bonnievanak@aol.com I hope to get these done by the end of next month to email out.

Although my schedule has been hectic lately, one of my goals is to complete a short story I want to self-publish in the next 6 weeks. Soon as it's completed, I'll announce it here.

That's it for now... I'll be going offline so if you email me and I don't get back to you right away, please be patient. When I travel to these countries, I seldom have internet. Have a great week!

Contest winner and new cover

2011-04-20T03:46:00.004+02:00

Hi all, due to some unexpected, last minute issues that popped up this week, I'm announcing the contest winner early.

It's Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews! Please email me at bonnievanak@aol.com with your snail mail so I can mail you IMMORTAL WOLF.

Also, here is the new cover for THE TIGER AND THE TOMB, which I hope to upload to Smashwords and Kindle in the next two weeks. This week, I'm running a special 99 cent Kindle sale on the first Khamsin book, The Falcon and the Dove. Click here.

That's it for now... I'm a bit swamped and need to get things done before my birthday, so I can spend the day, at last, having a little fun! If you email me and I don't respond right away, please be patient. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Have a great week!

The Lady and the Libertine now on Kindle

2011-04-09T02:05:00.004+02:00

The seventh book in my Khamsin Warriors of the Wind series is now on Kindle! Click here.

My next project is to upload the other five books onto Kindle, and to upload all seven of the books onto Smashwords.

My goal is to do this by RWA the end of June.

New contest!

2011-04-02T14:26:00.006+02:00

April! The month of my birthday and the first month THE SHADOW WOLF, my August 23 Nocturne, is available for pre-order on Amazon. Click here.

DARKNESS OF THE WOLF, my Nocturne Bite, will be an added feature to this print book. In other book news, I've been informed that BITTEN BY THE VAMPIRE, the first short story in my trilogy of sexy Nocturne Cravings, will be released in October.

It's due to be followed in November by MATED TO THE WOLF and in December by HUNTED BY THE JAGUAR. All three Cravings are about three triplet sisters who are half-demon, half-angel. Ancient warriors, a vampire, a werewolf and a jaguar, are assigned to mate with them to tame their dark halves... or they will be forced to destroy them.

To celebrate, I'm holding a contest and giving away a copy of my last Nocturne, IMMORTAL WOLF. Gabriel, the hero of THE SHADOW WOLF, makes an appearance in this book.

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post or pop on over to my Facebook fan page to say hello. Or if you wish, you can email me at bonnievanak@aol.com

The contest will end on my birthday, April 23.

Pre-order The Shadow Wolf

2011-03-30T13:13:00.007+02:00

Now available for pre-order on Amazon! Click here.

And here's some cool news... DARKNESS OF THE WOLF, my Nocturne Bite that was released in 2009, will be an added feature to this print book! Nice bonus!

In other book news, I've been informed that BITTEN BY THE VAMPIRE, the first short story in my trilogy of sexy Nocturne Cravings, will be released in October. It's due to be followed in November by MATED TO THE WOLF and in December by HUNTED BY THE JAGUAR.

All three Cravings are about three triplet sisters who are half-demon, half-angel. Ancient warriors, a vampire, a werewolf and a jaguar, are assigned to mate with them to tame their dark halves... or they will be forced to destroy them.

The Shadow Wolf will be available on August 23. I've posted an excerpt below. Happy reading!

THE SHADOW WOLF. (copyright 2011 by Bonnie Vanak)

"The roar of a powerful motorcycle drew her attention to the hotel entrance. A man parked the Harley, drew off a black helmet and swung a muscled leg over the saddle. Megan’s heart raced. The rider’s face was permanently stamped into memory from the photos circulated among Shadows of their worst enemies.

Black liquid sloshed as she slammed down her coffee cup. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for oxygen. Gabriel Robichaux. Oh God. She’d walked straight into a trap.

Immobilized, she searched for an exit as he entered the garden’s stone pathway leading to the terrace. Megan looked around, desperate to escape, but it was too late. If they left now, surely he’d see them. She slid down her seat.

The power and raw charisma he exuded felt like a tornado as he ambled onto the terrace. Tight black leather pants hugged each inch of his rock hard thighs and taut buttocks. A Harley Davidson T-shirt and steel-toed scuffed boots gave him a dangerous air. Stubble shadowing his angular jaw contrasted with his classical good looks, like a biker with the face of an angel. Dark brown hair curled down to his wide shoulders. His mouth was sultry and mobile.

Four women sitting at a nearby table gave him the twice-over. If they only knew what exactly he was, they’d run away screaming. Draicon, like her. Only not like her. Not Shadow, outcast and shunned. He was an Enforcer, who returned escaped Shadow Wolves to their island prison. "

To read the entire excerpt, click here.

New contest in April

2011-03-25T22:45:00.003+01:00

April, ah April, month of my birthday! To celebrate, I'm going to hold a new contest and give away one of my backlist Nocturne books.

I'm thinking it just may be IMMORTAL WOLF.

This contest will be a little different.

To enter, you'll post a comment on my Facebook fan page. Click here to access.

I am trying to get more FB people to "like" my fan page.

If you are not on Facebook, it's okay. I'll be running the contest here on my blogl

And all you need to do is leave a comment.

The contest will start April 1 and run through the entire month. I will be posting that blog for contest entries soon.

Have a great weekend!

Photos from Honduras

2011-03-23T11:41:00.013+01:00

A little about our journey there... this is the second most dangerous airport in the world to land, according to the History Channel's program, Most Extreme Airports. Tegucipgalpa, Honduras. One runway, surrounded by mountains, and a very short runway. To land, the pilot does a corkscrew, dips and suddenly drops. There had been a plane crash there just a few weeks before we arrived. It's an "interesting" landing...

This is a fruit stand we stopped at on the way back from San Lorenzo to Tegus. There's a certain type of mango that grows in that area that is very popular.

This is a shop wall in Valle de Angeles, a tourist destination. We stopped there on the way back to Tegus, since we could not make it into the city. There was a teacher's strike in the city that turned violent. One person was killed. It was only later, when the military came in, that we were able to make it back to the hotel.

This is a happy dad with his son, who lives in one of the houses we built in Valle de Angeles. The people there love their new homes. The houses are built on the side of a mountain and the climate is cooler up there.

The restaurant where the team ate lunch. We seldom eat lunch while working in the field, as it takes up too much time. Our usual method is to get on the road around 7 - 7:30 and work through lunch. We bring snacks in the car and eat in the field. So lunch is a rare treat.

This is the boat we took to cross the Gulf of Fonseca to get to El Tigre island. The Gulf is surrounded by El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras.

Fishermen in the gulf.

El Tigre island, Amapala. Very pretty, and quite poor. Population of about 2,400, they see about 200 cases of malnutrition a month.

Honduras trip

2011-03-17T23:04:00.006+01:00

Still in Honduras. It's been a successful trip, with good stories and very sad cases, like this child here, whose parents had a cup of rice in the house to eat for the week.

Yesterday we went to an island to see some cases and how we can get food there, as there is a high rate of malnutrition. It was a lovely boat ride across the Gulf of Fonseca, a bay shared with El Salvador and Nicaragua. The turquoise water sparkled, the sun beat down hot as a breeze from the Pacific rippled across the waters.

And on the island, I got sick. Oh boy. Not fun.

I'm a little better, taking it easy and not eating during the day just in case. Being sick on an island in the middle of nowhere when the only nearby bano is a latrine is not fun...

We also met this mother, who could not stop crying because her little girl, whom she is holding, is very malnourished and ill. She needs an operation to save her as she keeps losing weight, but she's been on a waiting list for free surgery from the state since she was born. In the meantime, she keeps getting thinner and thinner and her mother keeps crying and praying.

There were some uplifting moments as well, such as seeing Naomi again. We met her last year when she was 2 months old and in danger of starving to death. We got her enrolled in a nutritional program, got her milk and this is Naomi today, nice and chubby! I didn't even recognize her! It was quite gratifying to see her and her mom so happy.

All week we have been south in San Lorenzo and Choluteca. Today we headed back to Tegucigalpa to fly out tomorrow, but there was another strike by cab drivers and this one started turning violent. They were throwing rocks at cars.

Police advised people to avoid the area near our hotel.

So while the military was moving into place to quell the violence and open the roads, we spent part of the morning at Valle de Angels, which is a tourist spot. We did some shopping, had a lovely lunch (well, the rest of the team did!) of pizza. I took my slice of pizza, cut it up and fed one of the many stray dogs in town. I usually never do that, but today I just felt like it.

Now I am waiting for a ride by our guide's friend to the local church, where I am having a Mass said for my cousin, Margi. She was buried today and because of this trip, I didn't have a chance to attend the funeral. So I'm having a Mass said this afternoon for her. It was so sweet of our hostess, she made a few calls and the arrangements. It's a little comforting for me since I couldn't be at Margi's funeral Mass.

Flying back tomorrow, hopefully no more cab strikes and good weather and I'll be feeling better. Until then, adios!

How to donate to Japan

2011-03-12T15:49:00.004+01:00

Many of you know I've worked for a large international charity for more than 17 years. I've seen my share of disasters, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake. My organization does not help Asia, but I wanted to share advice about donating to victims of the horrific Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

First, beware of scams. Many NGO's (non-governmental organizations) may claim to help Japan. Check to see if they are legit organizations by checking them out on these two websites:

Charity Navigator (their website is down at the time of this posting, but keep checking back)

Guidestar

These are two sites in which you can type a charity's name and see where they work, and how they are rated in donor efficiency.

Beware of phone calls from organizations purporting to be with a legit. charity. Ask for the name of the charity and call the charity's regular phone number to check and make sure it's not a scam. Also, I'd avoid giving to anyone collecting money on street corners. Yout cannot be sure where the money is going. If a friend or group is organizing a drive, that's different.

Here are some links on good articles on giving to Japan.

Boomer Consumer

How to avoid charity scams

How to help Japan

PART TWO: What's needed?

After a catastrophe such as an earthquake, victims need food, water, blankets, tents, generators, temporary shelters, tarps, medical assistance and much more. It's best to give to an organization that is either sending these items or better yet, is already on the ground and stands ready to help.

Do not give old clothing! It only clogs up the warehouses for the more important items needed by victims.

After the Haiti earthquake, I went to a large staging compound where many NGO's were forming teams to help. We had donated a 10,000 gallon water purification unit to The Red Cross and wanted to see how it was functioning. Teams were going out into various areas and assessing needs of victims. The strongest needs where at the time for clean water, medical help, food, and shelter. But larger items to AID these organizations were also needed... such as generators, gasoline, etc. These too, are important.

PART THREE: Whom to give to?

These are organizations that say they are helping. You may check them out on Guidestar or Charity Navigator.

AmeriCares

The Red Cross (you can text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to relief efforts. The charge is added to your cell bill). Personally, I'd rather send in a check and write in the memo: JAPAN RELIEF ONLY because this earmarks the money. I like the Red Cross, I've seen what good they do in disasters, but they are a large organization helping many countries and you want your donation to help the afflicted country). Visit this link to donate online directly to Japan. You are giving to the American Red Cross, but they are saying they are in direct contact with the Japanese Red Cross to see how they can help.

Here is a link, translated, to the JAPANESE Red Cross, for anyone interested.

International Rescue Committee

Save the Children

One of my personal favs is Doctors without Borders (I saw the amazing work they did in Haiti). They have teams trying to reach the hardest-hit areas in Japan. Here is their Guidestar report; they come highly recommended.

I'm sure other charities are mobilizing and seeing how they can help. Again, check them out with Guidestar or Charity Navigator before donating.

Good luck and thanks for helping! I'm leaving for Honduras for the day job and will be offline, as we will be in very remote, very poor areas. Please keep the people of Japan in your thoughts and prayers.

New story alert!

2011-03-10T13:58:00.002+01:00

I've been informed that Bitten by the Vampire, the first short story in my Ancients series, will be released in August by Nocturne. Woo hoo!

In other news, I'm busy trying to write a new proposal and getting ready to leave the country next week for the day job. I'll be in Honduras in remote areas without internet. Have a great week, all!

Primal Bonds releases tomorrow!

2011-02-28T13:51:00.006+01:00

MMMMMM!!!!

Primal Bonds
by Jennifer Ashley
Berkley Sensation

When half-Fae, half-Shifter Andrea Gray flees an abusive would-be mate, the only way she is allowed to relocate to the Austin Shiftertown is if a Shifter there claims her as mate.

Sean Morrissey, the Guardian of his clan and all of Shiftertown has a tough job--to send the souls of deceased
Shifters into the afterworld. He volunteers to claim her, but doesn't realize that one look at the gray-eyed, dark-haired Andrea will stir the mating frenzy in him. Even though the mate-claim isn't finalized, Sean will do anything to get Andrea into his life and keep her there, forever.

To read an excerpt, click here.

Excerpt to THE SHADOW WOLF

2011-02-24T18:27:00.004+01:00

Here's a sample of my next Nocturne, in bookstores August 25. This is Gabriel's story, THE SHADOW WOLF. (copyright 2011 by Bonnie Vanak)

"The roar of a powerful motorcycle drew her attention to the hotel entrance. A man parked the Harley, drew off a black helmet and swung a muscled leg over the saddle. Megan’s heart raced. The rider’s face was permanently stamped into memory from the photos circulated among Shadows of their worst enemies.

Black liquid sloshed as she slammed down her coffee cup. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for oxygen.

Gabriel Robichaux.

Oh God. She’d walked straight into a trap. Immobilized, she searched for an exit as he entered the garden’s stone pathway leading to the terrace.

Megan looked around, desperate to escape, but it was too late. If they left now, surely he’d see them. She slid down her seat.

The power and raw charisma he exuded felt like a tornado as he ambled onto the terrace. Tight black leather pants hugged each inch of his rock hard thighs and taut buttocks. A Harley Davidson T-shirt and steel-toed scuffed boots gave him a dangerous air. Stubble shadowing his angular jaw contrasted with his classical good looks, like a biker with the face of an angel. Dark brown hair curled down to his wide shoulders. His mouth was sultry and mobile. Four women sitting at a nearby table gave him the twice-over.

If they only knew what exactly he was, they’d run away screaming. Draicon, like her. Only not like her. Not Shadow, outcast and shunned. He was an Enforcer, who returned escaped Shadow Wolves to their island prison. "

To read the entire excerpt, click here.

More photos from Haiti

2011-02-17T11:38:00.008+01:00

From my trip last week. They include a mother living with her children in a tent in the Central Plateau, an area far from the earthquake's epicenter, a modern and sparkling two-story supermarket that had me nervous riding in the elevator after I saw what the earthquake did to the Caribbean Supermarket, where hundreds died, a destroyed building that still lingers like a painful scar in the capital city of Port-au-Prince...

A little girl holding a sapling that is part of a reforestation project, a typical street scene in the city, a child in a warehouse that now serves as a school after the school was destroyed, and a peaceful farming scene in an area where we will be helping farmers with irrigation during the dry season.

Just another crazy day in Haiti...

2011-02-12T05:05:00.003+01:00

We started out on the road at 7 a.m. Drove 3 hours north to Grande Saline, visited communities, a water project we installed to combat cholera, talked with families who will be receiving houses from us. One mother watched her house get swept away by last year's hurricane Thomas. Her entire house was swallowed by the ocean and now she lives in a tent.

Drove all over, visited the Central Plateau. We were on so many bad roads and bouncing up and down for so long that I joked that I felt like a pin ball. sprong, sprong, sprong!

That is the key to Haiti. A sense of humor. Haitians have it and use it to survive. And you do it as well when you are on the road, in the field, visiting families, seeing the suffering and the seemingly overwhelming problems. You have little light moments in which you laugh and joke because the work is so hard and the days are so long and you have to laugh. Especially when you return to your hotel 13 hours later and grab a late dinner, after eating nothing all day (when I know I will be on the road in remote areas I do not eat) only to find out the chicken resembles something that was run over by your 4x4 and the french fries are cold.

So you laugh, eat the cold, dead chicken and remember how grateful you are to live in the United States and have a job where you try, not always succeeding, but you try, to make life better for people who only want the same things everyone else has. A decent life, a job, a solid home in which to raise their children, enough to eat, education for their kids, and hope for the future.

Haiti

2011-02-10T13:22:00.002+01:00

Been reports of aftershocks, but we haven't felt any. This week we visited a community in the Central Plateau that suffered earthquake damage. People are still living in tents as this area has received little attention.

There are several sand pits used to quarry sand for concrete. During the earthquake, there were slides and 9 men were buried alive.

We will be building houses in one community. The entire area has no water, except for the rainy season when they catch the water in barrels. They have to ride to the next town to purchase water for about $1 for five gallons. The area we visited where one family lives is covered in white salty dust. It looks like snow and creates this eerie vista of dry, ghostly shrubs and trees.

We also visited a reforestation project where they are growing moringa trees, great trees that are being cultivated globally to combat poverty and malnutrition. The leaves can be crushed into a powder and used for baking to increase the nutritional content of food, as they contain vitamins a,b,c and protein. The people maintaining the nursery are all volunteers who want to save their crops and homes from floods. They understand the importance of reforestation.

Today we are going about the town to do food and medical distributions. Saw the palace yesterday, it's still crumbled and leaning, a sad reminder that many things have not changed since the quake last year.

A plane of starving children in Haiti

2011-02-08T00:42:00.006+01:00

Leaving for Haiti tomorrow. I have to get up at 3 a.m. to catch the early flight. Gulp.

One thing on the agenda, we are returning to the area in the Artibonite region where the cholera outbreak first began. This photo is a graveyard with unmarked graves of some of the cholera victims.

A relative asked me this weekend what good I have accomplished in my 17+ years of helping Haiti's poor? Why do I keep working at this day job? The country looks like it's getting worse and worse.

I honestly had no real concrete answers. It's a question that haunts me each time I return from a trip. All I could say was that I have to keep trying. For every starving child I meet who ends up dying soon after I leave, there is a another who IS saved.

Someone, I forget whom, put it this way... the amount of children in this world who die from hunger equals nearly 200 plane crashes per day. Can you imagine 200 plane crashes a day? The media would crawl all over the story. Yet each day, airplanes filled with starving children crash all over the world and they die in silent suffering. We can't save them all. But we can save some.

Even one is worth the effort, isn't it? If you were the mother of that child, I know what your answer would be.

Have a good week, all. Also, if you are in the Boca Raton area, be sure to check out a terrific booksigning by authors in my Florida Romance Writers chapter this Saturday, Feb. 12. Glades Road Branch Library, 20701 95th Avenue South, Boca Raton, FL. The event starts at 12:30 p.m.

Authors include Heather Graham, Allison Chase, Nancy Cohen, Linda Conrad, Marcia King-Gamble, Traci Hall, Karen Kendall, Michael Meeske, Aleka Nakis, Kathy Pickering, Sue Peek, Mary Ricksen, Mona Risk, Carol Stephenson, Cynthia Thomason, Jan Washburn, Patrice Wilton and Pearl Wolf.

For more information, click here.

The "Lost" manuscript

2011-02-03T04:12:00.002+01:00

Finished with my deadline, woo hoo! Turned in all three Nocturne short stories yesterday. Three connected stories written in three months. Now I understand and empathize with authors who write back to back books.

I'm taking a writing break, and went through some computer files. I found an old manuscript of an Egyptian historical never published before. It's called The Lynx and the Lost Mummy. The hero is Lord Smithfield, Katherine's father from The Tiger & the Tomb. The heroine is a secondary character in The Tiger & the Tomb.

Reading over it now to make revisions and trying to decide what to do with it. I'll let you know when I do!

Help Egyptian author Olivia Gates

2011-01-31T11:51:00.014+01:00

As you know, protests are taking place in Egypt and the government has shut down internet communication. Author Olivia Gates, who lives in Egypt, has a February 1 release by Harlequin Desire called To Tempt a Sheikh. We'd like to get out the word about her book since Olivia cannot.

Please help us by posting the information below on your blog, your Facebook page or by tweeting a link to Olivia's home page. Just copy and paste the text below and this cover by right clicking your mouse. Let's support an author who cannot access the internet to promote her book.

To Tempt a Sheikh by Olivia Gates

He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family's rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom…and she had every reason not to trust him.

Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn't resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart's greatest mistake…but she feared it was already too late….

In stores February 1!

Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Books A Million and bookstores everywhere. Also available at eharlequin both in print and as an ebook.

To read a first chapter and visit Olivia's webpage, click here.

Quick update

2011-01-26T01:40:00.003+01:00

My apologies for neglecting this blog. I'm on deadline with three new stories for Nocturne Bites, but these stories are much sexier and longer and may be slotted into the new Nocturne Cravings line. The heroes of these stories are a vampire, a werewolf and a jaguar. All three are Ancients, powerful warriors engaged in the fight against evil, who are assigned to mate three sisters who are half-demon, half-angel.

After I turn in these stories, I'm taking a break from writing for a little while and paying attention to various housekeeping issues, such as updating my website. Also, I plan to put THE TIGER AND THE TOMB, my second Egyptian historical, on Kindle.

That's it for now. Back to the writing!

Excerpt to THE FALCON AND THE DOVE

2011-01-06T01:11:00.005+01:00

The Falcon and the Dove, copyright 2002 by Bonnie Vanak

Egypt, 1892

Across the flat plain she saw a distant bustle of activity at the dig site, like black ants crawling over white frosted cake. She frowned. Black ants? Workers usually wore white . . . not black . . . and the sounds coming from the site echoed with frantic screams, not the singsong rhythm of picks and axes.

What in the name of heaven was going on? At the dig's perimeter, Elizabeth jerked the reins, bringing her slow progress to a complete halt. Her jaw dropped at the chaos erupting before her. Dozens of indigo-robed men yelling blood-curdling cries trampled over the site.

Veils draped across their faces, they overturned wheelbarrows of dirt and tables holding artifacts. A paraffin lamp slid to the ground, splotching the tawny sand with oozing fuel. One warrior brandishing a long sword hacked at earthenware jars, sending precious quarts of fresh water gushing out. Stunned archaeologists scrambled out of their determined paths. Terrified diggers ran screaming from the fierce
desert warriors. "Run for your lives," one yelled. "The Khamsin!"

Her mouth went dry as she wildly surveyed the scene, looking for Uncle Nahid. Nervous fingers twisted stray locks that escaped the loosely pinned chignon at the nape of her neck. Earth flew up in miniature sand tornadoes, dogging her nostrils and making her sneeze. And then she saw it and her heart stilled. The palace floor.

The delicate plaster Flinders had preserved flew in a dusty cloud as a warrior pulverized it with his horse's flaying hooves. A shorter man watching from horseback twirled a long scimitar in the air, hooting with glee as he did the same.

This deliberate, malicious destruction infuriated her. How dare they? They were destroying history! Useless now to sketch it for nothing remained. The one chance she had to prove herself to Flinders disappeared under the pounding hooves. This last thought made her kick the donkey into action. It gave a protesting bray, but trotted toward the taller raider. Elizabeth stopped short of the pavement, sliding off the donkey and running up to the warrior with white-knuckled anger.

"Stop!" she screamed in Arabic "What in the name of Allah are you doing? You are destroying the pavement! Oh, stop!"

The indigo-robed man whirled his mount around to face her. Probably he never had anyone, let alone a woman, tell him what to do before. Good! It's about time someone did!

The indigo veil hid all but his eyes, black as the desert night. Elizabeth recoiled, flustered. She had never seen such intense, penetrating eyes before. For a minute she stared into them and felt as if she glimpsed a mirror into her own soul.

Then she saw the destroyed floor. Deep gouges scarred the beautiful design. Elizabeth sank to her knees with a loud wail. "Oh, look! It is all ruined! Ruined!" She sifted through the crumbled plaster.

The sword-wielding warrior leaned over his saddle, pointing, his long, wicked blade at her. "Jabari, what do you want with this woman? Shall I take her captive? Or at least gag her mouth shut?" The man sounded bewildered yet menacing.

"No, Nazim, leave her be." His deep, sensual tones caressed her.

Elizabeth shivered at the raw power and command in that husky voice. The leader. Which made him responsible for this barbaric act. Her temper sailed out of control.

"How can you do this? Stupid, senseless destruction! Weeks of work, ruined! Haven't you a brain in your head? Don't you realize this is your past?" Arabic tumbled out of her mouth in a steady stream.

Then with a loud curse, she broke Uncle Nahid's Rule Number Four. The leader's dark eyes widened. Finely arched black brows rose as if her words bemused him.

"Jabari, did she just call you a donkey?" the one called Nazim asked in a wondering voice.

"No, I called him an ass!" she said in English. Elizabeth recoiled as Jabari fixed her with a steely look. Several warriors rode up, surrounding her like wolves salivating for a fresh kill. Suddenly she felt very small and very alone.

Then she looked at the ruined floor. Elizabeth picked up fragments of plaster. Hot tears stung her eyes. "How could you do this? You have no right invade and destroy this find," she whispered, cradling the shards in her palms.

"No, my lady, you are wrong. We have every right, for this is our ancestors' sacred city. You are the invaders." Jabari stated with quiet dignity.

She looked up at him, frustrated grief mixing with a mystical sense of awe. There was something about the proud way he sat upon his horse, his long ebony hair spilling almost halfway down his back—as if he once ruled the sacred city with a firm hand. And the archaeological team was a horde picking everything clean like vultures tearing apart carrion. His erect posture reminded her of a powerful king capable of destroying enemies with one uttered command to his men.

Piqued by her odd reaction, Elizabeth stood and flung the plaster at him. It sprayed a white cloud over his blue robe. She lifted her chin skyward, daring him to react.
His piercing black eyes narrowed, but he snapped an order to his, men and they whirled their horses around, racing away. The leader's mount snorted and danced with impatience.

Elizabeth's courage wavered as he withdrew his sword. He twirled it gracefully, then lowered it to her. Sharp steel kissed the air near her face. She stood motionless, not daring to breathe as the blade's dull edge stroked her throat. Then he drew his sword back and rumbled in a low threat. "Beware. You have not seen the last of us. I, Jabari bin Tarik Hassid, sheikh of the great Khamsin warriors of the wind, leave you with this warning. Leave our holy city now, or you will suffer the consequences. This I promise."

Elizabeth watched him ride off into a cloud of dust, then vanish, like a hot, dry desert wind.

Click here to purchase The Falcon and the Dove on Kindle!

The Falcon and the Dove now available on KINDLE!

2010-12-30T21:46:00.005+01:00

Success! The Falcon and the Dove is now for sale at the low price of $2.99 on Kindle. Click here.

This was a year-end goal to upload my first Egyptian historical onto Kindle and I'm so glad I accomplished it. Thanks to friends who helped out a great deal!

The process made me return and re-read some of those original Egyptian historicals I wrote, and I got a hankering to write ONE more... to wrap up the series. I always felt The Lady and the Libertine would not complete the series.

Instead, I wanted to write a love story between Nadia from The Sword and the Sheath, and Kareem from The Lady and the Libertine.

And that is my plan for 2011, after I finish with my latest Nocturne deadline. I'm going to write The Lover and the Legend, an Egyptian historical set in 1923 that surrounds a mysterious golden dagger, reincarnation of two tormented lovers, and Kareem the sheikh abducting Nadia, Jabari's beloved daughter and Tarik's sister.

The story revolves around the historic opening of King Tut's tomb... and the finding of a golden dagger that has not seen the light of day in thousands of years.

I'll keep you posted!

The Falcon & the Dove on Kindle!

2010-12-28T14:19:00.008+01:00

Coming soon! Hopefully this week, when I upload THE FALCON AND THE DOVE to Kindle! Here is the cover.

Email me at bonnievanak@aol.com to let me know what you think. I wanted a sexy cover to show off Jabari's great bod. I think it works!

How to wrap a Shih Tzu

2010-12-24T02:42:00.001+01:00

From our house to yours, Merry Christmas, happy holidays and all the best for a peaceful, healthy and joy-filled New Year!

The story of Lady the Christmas dog

2010-12-21T14:40:00.003+01:00

She was cold. Thin. Hungry. Her fur was matted, and she’d spent the night on the street, in a manure-filled pasture in Davie, Florida, shivering and afraid. The nice warm home, the dog bowl with food, the toys were all gone. Once she’d had a litter of puppies. They were gone, too.

Somehow she made it to the parking lot of a store. Christmas was in one week and many people busy with last minute shopping passed by. She wagged her tail, hoping for a little food, a little warmth and kindness, but no one wanted to get near the dog covered with manure.

A man in the pickup truck saw her, tossed her in the bed of his truck. She was friendly, wagging her tail. She bounced up and down and then THENICELADY saw her and asked the man in the truck where he was taking her. The man said to a shelter known as a high kill shelter. The NICELADY said she would die there. The man shrugged and thrust the dog at her. “Then you take her. She stinks.”

The NICELADY took her home, bathed her twice, tried to comb the mats out of her long, silky fur. Her tail was still a mess. She gave her food and hugs, a warm bed for two nights and called SOMEFRIENDS.

On Monday she went to the home of SOMEFRIENDS, women who rescued abandoned Yorkies. She settled in with the Yorkies, ran and played and listened to Christmas music and this pine tree that danced and sang when you barked at it.

Later, the BONNIEPERSON came and took her and brought her to the WARMHOUSE, which had a big Christmas tree and trains and lots of colorful decorations. She ran around the house, sniffed at the trains, and then the BONNIEPERSON opened a door and two Shih Tzu dogs, one bigger but with the same coloring, ran out. She sniffed them and ran away, afraid of COOKIE and DOLCE, and jumped into a rocking chair in the Florida room to get away.

When DOLCE came near, she growled at him. The BONNIEPERSON petted her and reassured her it would be okay. She snuggled into the BONNIEPERSON’s lap, a little afraid of DOLCE. Then she paced through the house, sniffing and examining it. There was a nice, soft couch and chairs and the BONNIEPERSON let her jump up on all of them. Then the FRANKPERSON came home and petted her and scratched her and talked to her. She liked the FRANKPERSON.

It was dinnertime and the FRANKPERSON was making something delicious that smelled like tomato sauce as he and the BONNIEPERSON talked. The BONNIEPERSON got dog food out of a green container and fed it to COOKIE and DOLCE. She hung around the kitchen, looking hopeful. She knew the kitchen, knew about good things to eat. The BONNIEPERSON gave her a bowl, but she didn’t like the smell and wouldn’t eat. Then the FRANKPERSON got a different can and the BONNIEPERSON said, “This is good for your digestion.”

It was good food and she gobbled it down. The BONNIEPERSON said, “You’re so thin, but don’t eat too much or you’ll get sick.”

After, the BONNIEPERSON went into a room and shut the door because of something called a NEWBOOKCONTRACT and a deadline. The FRANKPERSON cleaned up and gave her a dog biscuit. She buried it in the couch in the Florida room and came back into the living room.

DOLCE and COOKIE weren’t as scary now. And there was a nice warm chair with a new red blanket to lie on.

The BONNIEPERSON said, “Tomorrow you’re going to see the NICEVET to see how you are and if you have a microchip. You’re such a sweet dog, you must belong to someone. Then we’ll see about getting you groomed.”

She spent the night in the nice, warm bed, her belly full, near COOKIE AND DOLCE, whom she realized was just curious and wouldn’t bother her. The BONNIEPERSON said, “We have to give you a name. Let’s call you Lady.”

Lady the dog slept that night in the soft bed knowing she was warm and no one would hurt her or yell at her, make her shiver in the cold. As she fell asleep, her tail wagged. Christmas promised to be good.

At last, she was safe.

Brrrrrrr, is this Florida?

2010-12-08T02:02:00.004+01:00

This is what we did tonight.

Temps are 44 and dropping to 38 tonight. First real cold snap of the season. So DH built a fire in our fire pit and we sat outside, playing Christmas carols on my iPod. Very relaxing, peaceful, fun.

What can be better than snuggling by a fire during the holidays with the one you love? :-)

Happy holidays, everyone.

It's that time of year again...

2010-12-03T12:25:00.003+01:00

When the dogs decide to be helpful and help me "decorate" by pulling the toys out of the boxes. Happy December!

Time for some holiday Hump Day cheer!

2010-12-01T05:08:00.001+01:00

Ho, ho, whoa!!!! :-)

The baby died...

2010-11-23T01:32:00.002+01:00

Word today from Catherine, an update from Haiti. Fritznel's wife is out of the hospital and doing much better, but sadly, her baby died.

She was full term. The baby was a sweet little boy. Probably cholera victim Number 1,251.

Each day, the death toll from cholera mounts in Haiti.

Have a good Thanksgiving, everyone who lives in the States. and all you ex-pats abroad. Give thanks for your blessings, large and small.

Haiti during the time of cholera

2010-11-20T14:38:00.025+01:00

"Momma, momma, I want my momma." The plaintive cry from the little girl lying in the quarantined tent soon gave way to soft snuffles. Then she dozed again, her thin arm hooked up to an IV dripping lifesaving fluids into her dehydrated body.

Suddenly she began coughing, leaned over the side of her cot and threw up on her pair of sandals.

Haiti, during the time of cholera.

My visit this week was my first trip back to Haiti since February. The images of rubble and destruction have faded, replaced by the white tents tucked away in the back of hospitals. The misery is worse.

We met these two children, in the photo, at a hospital our organization has helped extensively over the years. To get inside the quarantined area, you step on a dirty sponge soaked in bleach. The tent is behind the hospital building, away from prying eyes and other patients. You wash your hands in a bleach solution, don a disposable gown to gain access.

The father of the two children was coaxing his son to drink the serum that rehydrates. The father's name is Fritznel. His pregnant wife, due any moment, also contracted the disease and was in another clinic across town. Fritznel's house was destroyed during the earthquake and he lives in a tent city. Two older children were at home, watched by neighbors.

Fritznel has no job. No home and no money. He was extremely worried about his wife, who was very ill. When I asked him what he was going to do, what he would eat tonight and feed his healthy children, he began to weep.

In all my 16 years of traveling to Haiti and talking with dozens of poor people, I have never seen a Haitian man cry.

Later in the week, Fritznel took us to visit his tent. The tent city, near the half million dollar flagpole Artistide had erected in Cite Soleil, but never added a flag, is called Aviation Field Number 3. The thousands of residents here came after their homes were destroyed because it was the closest open field they could find.

The original tent where he lived is abandoned. He sleeps at a neighbor's tent because he worries the original home is contaminated with cholera. Behind this tent is a deep gully filled with trash and excrement. There are few latrines in Aviation Field Number 3. There are gullies and an overpowering stench.

It doesn't take much to see how quickly cholera can spread among the people.

We then visited Fritznel's wife in another cholera clinic. The same procedures of washing your hands, having your shoes disinfected. Patients lie on cots listlessly. Some had IV's attached to their arms. Fritznel tenderly helped his wife sit up, got her cot out of the sun. His worry was a living thing, eating at his face with deep lines much like a freshly plowed field.

His wife complained her belly hurt. The doctor told us she could go into labor any day. There had been a fetal heartbeat, but it was faint. There was some question about if the baby would live, since the mother had been dehydrated and on an IV for more than 3 days.

At night, I'd lie on my hard mattress at the small but clean motel and think about Haiti since the days of the earthquake, and Haiti now during the time of cholera. Much of the rubble has been cleared, but you still see buildings tilted crazily on their sides like lurching drunks. Our motel is next to one building. It still tilts at a dangerous angle, as if it would come crashing down with a hard shove. In the morning, I'd get up and nod at the Russian aid worker sharing a room with his colleague, both with the World Food Programme. He'd sit on a lavender chair, shirtless, and chain smoke.

The heartland of the outbreak is the Artibonite Valley. As we visited villages in Grande Saline, which is fed by the now-famous river filled with Vibrio cholerae, we drove alongside a canal the color of milk chocolate. Vibrio cholerae is probably present in this canal as well, as it's fed by the river.

It's the only water the villagers have to drink, which is why our organization installed a water purification unit.

Mounds of rocky brown dirt cover the graves of a few cholera victims buried in the local graveyard. The simple mounds, covered with memorials of plastic flowers, are a sharp contrast to the surrounding stone mausoleums. Children following us to the cemetery recited the names of those buried. "Madeline. Titi."

The small government hospital in Grande Saline had only 5 patients when we arrived. "Four," the medical assistant corrected. "One died this morning."

The man had been brought into the hospital on a bed. He lived only an hour away, but they had to find a boat to cross the river. By the time they reached the hospital, he was dead.

This is why there are so many dead bodies in Gonaives. Doctors told me people live so far away that by the time they get to the city, they drop dead in the street. Cholera can kill in 4 hours if not treated.

In the morning, the city dump trucks come by and pick up the dead bodies and burn them, salt them with lime so they decay faster.

The hospital is small and usually quiet. It wasn't when the cholera first arrived. The assistant said she knew the exact date when the sickness started. "October 20," she recalled. "Hundreds of patients began arriving. We had people all over, in beds, on the floor. I've never seen anything like it in 14 years."

On the first day, only a few died, but then the death toll started multiplying. Five a day. Fourteen a day.

On our way back to the city, we passed by the black smudges of burnt tires. There had been protests and blockades. Most of the violence was centered downtown by the still-crumbled presidential palace.

All over the city, the country, were posters of the 19 presidential candidates. One of them, with a white gleaming smile, sharp as a shark's tooth, is wealthy. Very wealthy, I was informed. He has 80 million dollars for his campaign.

Eighty million dollars.

The thought circled in my head like a buzzard. Eighty million dollars, while the streets of the city are potholes, the cholera clinics are filled with the sick, and the tent cities are filled with potential victims. If he gets elected, will he effect change?

Doubtful. The only certainty these days in Haiti is that cholera is here to stay, it's getting worse and spreading fast, and the death toll continues to rise.

As I write this, cholera is now in the largest prison and it's infested Cap Haitien, the port city where we have a large operation. They are putting patients in a gym because there is no more room.

This is Haiti, during the time of cholera.

Excerpt from my December BITE

2010-11-02T13:00:00.008+01:00

Courage of the Wolf, copyright 2010 by Bonnie Vanak

Just another day in a tropical paradise filled with demons. Right. If only it was just a typical day and not the very one he’d been dreading..

Ambling backwards on the roadside, Michael Anderson scanned Florida’s Alligator Alley for a silver Lexus. As always, Sabrina Kelly was late. The Draicon werewolf would be late for her own funeral.

The thought sobered him.

Minutes later, Michael pushed a hand through his long, ragged hair as Sabrina’s car pulled off the road. He breathed in her scent of fresh lavender as the Draicon werewolf hurried toward him.

Dressed in a pink sweater set and a floral skirt, she looked like spring. Cut razor straight, her black hair swung just below her jawline. Wide, sea-green eyes shone with intelligence.

When she threw herself into his arms, he hugged back, feeling a lump rise in his throat. The vision came to him again. Blood. Death. Sorrow.

Michael set her back down on her feet. As much as he wanted to use his powers as an Immortal Justice Guardian to direct destiny, he could not. Punishment would be severe if he broke Guardian laws. He’d already broken a big one to buy Sabrina time.

Years ago, when he was still a Draicon werewolf, he’d made a promise to keep her safe. The burning need to protect her had never stopped. It wasn’t love, but a fierce admiration of her strong spirit and honoring the deep friendship they’d shared in the past.

“Why did you want me to pick you up on this road? Forget how to dematerialize?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I like walking. And I thought it would be nice to ride with you in the Lexus to your grandparents’ anniversary party.”

“You knew I was taking the Lexus and not the Expedition? Oh, of course, you know everything.” She shook her head. “Even what type of underwear I have on.”

“I don’t know everything.”

When she turned, he flicked his fingers. A microburst of air sent the fabric swirling upward.

“White lace,” he noted with a grin. “Very nice.”

“Michael!” she scolded him with a smile.

A faint blush raced across her cheeks. It was like watching the sun chase away the night. Enchanted, he watched her moisten her pink lips. What would her petal-soft mouth feel like beneath his as he took her, hard and fast?

He swallowed hard at the startling, sexual thought. Sabrina was off-limits.

He was a Phoenix, an Immortal Justice Guardian who’d died and been reborn to his powers. Michael patrolled the earth, doling out justice and destroying predators of paranormal creatures.

He’d succeeded at his job until a year ago, when the Hellfire demon Ambrosis slaughtered Sabrina’s parents and five siblings as Sabrina tried to save them. Her family had been heading to visit her grandparents when the demon attacked them as they took a brief respite from driving.

If he could, he’d die to keep her safe. But he couldn’t die again. Sabrina had to face her own demon. Guardian laws demanded he must not interfere.

“Let’s go,” he muttered.

The sun sinking toward the horizon warned they were running out of time.

Inside the car, his senses drank in her scent as if he were still a Draicon werewolf. Trees, palms and scrub brush passed in a blur as the car sped toward Florida’s west coast.

“Michael, you’re the only friend who still bothers with me. Thank you,” Sabrina told him.

“I’m not just your friend, Brie. I’ve watched over you since I became a Justice Guardian. You’ve shut yourself off from the world.”

She blinked hard. “If not for you, I’d never have done this. I can’t bear the memories.”

White showed on her knuckles as her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “All I can recall is fighting. Pain, and then nothing. Nothing except waking up to see my family was dead.”

“You still don’t remember what happened to you?”

“It’s a blur, except I have the scar to remind me. I have nightmares about Ambrosis, and this voice keeps telling me I must have the courage to face him again. But ever since I lost my family, I’m terrified of something else happening.”

Michael looked away. “You should pay attention to your dreams. Often, they contain messages.”

She inhaled deeply. “Dreams are just dreams. Let’s not talk about it. It’s hard enough for me to drive on this road again. I haven’t been this way since Ambrosis killed my family.”

A fist of guilt slammed into his guts. He stared out the passenger’s side window.

I’m sorry, Brie, but I must do this. It’s my duty as a Justice Guardian.

Familiar landmarks appeared on the roadside. Sabrina’s hands shook. “This is the place. If I’d never insisted on Dad stopping so we could hunt in the swamp, they’d still be alive. I’m going to speed up .…”

“Pull over,” he told her.

“Here?”

“Now.”

Blood drained from her face, but she steered the Lexus onto the narrow shoulder.

“Stay here,” he ordered, hating her fear, smelling it like burnt wood.

He got out. Clouds the color of lead hung low in the gathering dusk. He breathed in the fertile scent of dank earth. The task before him lay on his wide shoulders like twin weights. A haunting loneliness gripped him.

He hated this part of the job.

In the canal paralleling the Alley, an alligator swam by in silence, its eyes peeking through the dark brown water in cool indifference.

Michael vaulted over the chain link fence, and walked a path through cypress and pine trees until he reached a tree island surrounded by shallow swamp water. At the northwest side, he touched the earth where a great battle had raged. Sorrow squeezed his insides.

From his backpack, he withdrew a single white gardenia, the blossom fresh and preserved by magick. He laid it on the ground where the blood of Sabrina’s family had been spilled.

A mocking crow cackled overhead. Michael fisted his hands as he walked to a small pool. No animals ever drank from this vile water — the home of Ambrosis. Michael had imprisoned him here after the battle that claimed Sabrina’s family.

Hellfire demons were attracted to paranormal beings possessing enormous integrity, strength and courage. They siphoned off those qualities for energy then killed the victim.

Beneath his palm, the dark water rippled. His immortal senses “saw” Ambrosis. With his index finger, Michael traced a sacred pattern in the muck below the shallow water. The ground vibrated.

An eerie, haunting scream rent the air. Disturbed by the sound, a great blue heron resting in a nearby cypress tree flew off.

The face of Sabrina’s nightmares appeared in the pool. Nasty laughter echoed through the swamp. The demon vanished below the water.

It was done, consequences be as they may. His duty as a Guardian was fulfilled.

“Forgive me, Brie,” Michael whispered.

He stood, dusting off his hands on his jeans. Shouldering his pack, he headed toward Sabrina’s car, but not before the earth gave a mighty shudder and the demon’s triumphant roar echoed through the silent clearing.

CLICK HERE to buy Courage of the Wolf on Kindle.

News

2010-10-06T16:54:00.004+02:00

Some news to share. First, this is the Slovak cover to THE FALCON AND THE DOVE, my first Dorchester Egyptian historical. My books have now been translated into 10 languages, not including English. A nice accomplishment!

Second, this book will probably be my last foreign translation for my Dorchester books, because this week I got the rights to all SEVEN Egyptian historicals back.

This is great news for me, although bittersweet that it is the end of an era.It also means these books now will be out of print, so if you are planning on purchasing any of my Egyptian books new, please don't. I have to request now that Dorchester takes down the books from all the online sites.

I plan to put the first two books, The Falcon and the Dove, and The Tiger and the Tomb, up on the Kindle, soon as I finish with my current project.

Right now, Bonnie is taking a rest and letting Blair, her evil twin, write a new project. Blair hopes to have the new erotic romance ready to send out by the end of the month. It's a fun project and very, very sexy. If you have read Captive Mate, the heat level is along those lines.

My next books out will be in December, when Harlequin releases CHRISTMAS WITH A VAMPIRE in an HQN paperback, and COURAGE OF THE WOLF is released as a Nocturne Bite.

Thank you to all those who have read my Egyptian historicals. It's been quite a ride, and I hope you have enjoyed being with me on this special journey.

Where did the time go?

2010-09-26T23:42:00.002+02:00

So, DH and I are at a home improvement store, scouting for blinds for the new windows because now that we have some hurricane impact resistant windows, I realized we have old blinds. Can't have new windows and old blinds. As we are touring the mile-long aisles, DH remarks, "I saw Christmas decorations in Target today."

I shake my head. "Yeah, Christmas in summer. Go figure."

And then I realized, douh. It's nearly October.

Whaaaaa? Where did summer go?

Summer in Florida means heat, more heat, a/c bills and hurricane season. Yet this summer has slipped through my fingers like sand. Today I finished writing a Nocturne proposal and proudly sealed the envelope to mail to my editor. And then I checked the calendar.

Why did it take me all of summer to write this?

And I realized, no, I only started concentrating on this project three weeks ago. With a demanding day job, finishing a proposal in three weeks is pretty good for me.

My sense of timing is all screwy because when I get buried in a project, in life, in whatever, I lose track of time. Next thing I know, my neighbors have Halloween decorations out and I'm shell-shocked to realize it's past Labor Day and the stores down here all carry the fall sweaters, even though it's 92 degrees out.

So, for now, I'll take a break. This weekend I'll be at Moonlight and Magnolias. Immortal Wolf is up for a Maggie award. I doubt I'll win, but it's such an honor to be nominated. And I'm really looking forward to Michael Hauge's workshop Saturday. Have a great week!

Catching up

2010-09-13T16:22:00.005+02:00

Quick catch-up... finally have emerged from a couple of projects. My zombie/werewolf story has been edited and turned in. This is the short story I wrote for my chapter's anthology that will be for sale on the Kindle later this year.

Then I made my writing goal of 18,000 words on another project, finished that proposal and sent that in. It's a paranormal erotic romance under my evil twin's name. Blair was nagging to write a story, so I gave her free rein.

Now it's time to return to writing another proposal. I'm also doing edits for my December Nocturne Bite, Courage of the Wolf.

Saturday at my chapter's meeting, we were treated to the delightful, acerbic wit of author P.J. Parrish. Actually, our speaker was Kristy Montee, one of the sisters who writes the thrillers.

Kristy gave an excellent presentation on putting suspense in your novel. It wasn't merely for crime and thriller writers, either, as she gave excellent tips on how to structure a novel. As she put it, "Suspense is simply the need to know what happens next."

Here's the link to her website.

To my readers...

2010-08-26T21:25:00.004+02:00

This is a difficult post to write. Earlier this month, Dorchester Publishing announced they are transitioning from mass mark paperbacks to ebooks and trade. For reasons of my own, I haven't said anything on this blog regarding this issue, but today a reader expressed alarm when I told her my backlist with Leisure Books is going out of print. Already on Amazon, my first two Egyptian historicals are out of stock. That's it. When the paperbacks are gone, they are gone.

I thought it best to notify you that if you are interested in getting these books in paperback, it's best to do so now. I have seven Egyptian-set historicals published with Dorchester and the reading order is listed on my website.

As an author who has been deeply proud of her historicals published by Leisure Books, it saddens me greatly to see them go out of print. However, times in publishing are changing, and with change, comes sometimes painful and necessary adaptations. If you have any questions regarding my Egyptian-set historicals with Leisure Books, please feel free to contact me at the email address listed on my website. Thank you for all your support and understanding.

#RWA10, Linda Howard talks about sex

2010-08-04T20:38:00.006+02:00

I had to attend Linda Howard's workshop at RWA last week. You see, I've always wanted to listen to Linda Howard talk about intimacy and sex. Because she does it so well.

Writing wise, I mean. Hey, she could be great in other arenas concerning that venture, but I'm interested in how she does it between the sheets... of her books.

So it was with a heaving breath (I was running late and couldn't find the room, which was the biggest challenge for me at RWA last week) that I ended up in her workshop. Settled down into a chair, opened my notebook and fished out my shiny new blue RWA pen to jot notes.

The fabulous Linda started off talking about prehistoric man, apes and sex. Fascinating. Then she mentioned a fact that was biologically interesting.

"The human male has the largest erect penis of all the primates."

So I tweeted this fact.

Now, for me, RWA was the first conference in which I tweeted. I'm interested in social media, and have finally linked my Twitter account to my phone. So texting a Tweet was easy!

Then I sent the tweet and realized, "I have probably just issued an open invitation for porno followers. Or zookeepers. Or both."

Oh dear.

I continued to take notes. Linda's talk is well worth it, if you've never heard her give this workshop before. She goes into the twelve steps of intimacy, the stages of attraction.

But what I liked best about what she said was how she mentioned the emotional bonding that takes place between a man and a woman. And how she gently, but firmly, advised all in the room to treat sex with the respect it deserves.

Thank you Linda for your workshop and for all the great books you write. Your workshop was one reason I'm glad I made it to RWA2010.

#RWA10 New cover!!

2010-08-01T14:41:00.005+02:00

This is the Mills and Boon version of CHRISTMAS WITH A VAMPIRE, my HQN anthology coming out in the UK this November.

It will be released in the United States in December.

Wicked eyes, huh? I love the dark intensity.

I'm still in Orlando, got a late check out so I can relax a little before heading back home. After the RITA and Golden Heart awards, I went to Kimono's to hook up with Piks, Traci Hall, Kathy Love, Heather Graham & Co. again for karaoke.

It was lovely seeing all my peeps like Jennifer Ashley, CL Wilson, Cindy Holby, Renee Ryan, and Nocturne buds like Caridad Pineiro and Pam Palmer, and so many more people my tired brain can't recall right now.

RWA was great, lots of interesting things on the horizon for publishing, will do another blog later on what I learned. It's a fascinating time to be in publishing.

#RWA10, Karaoke with Heather Graham

2010-07-30T14:28:00.004+02:00

Exhausted, but having a great time! Last night karaoke with Heather Graham was so much fun. Here they are, members of my chapter, some of whom braved the stage. Not moi.

The workshop Jennifer and I did on writing the novella went well. I was shocked at all the attendees. I had printed 50 handouts thinking we'd need only 25 and we ran out. I will be putting the handout on emotional conflict in a nutshell on my website.

Then it was dinner with the lovely Tara Gavin, Harlequin editor and director of the Nocturne line, and fellow Nocturne authors Barbara Wallace and Cindy Cooke. I was good and stuck to the grilled salmon, though the hazelnut crusted chicken sorely tempted me.

After, went to karaoke at the sushi bar, listened to Heather sing "House of the Rising Sun" and then left with Linda Conrad and her editor to attend the eHarlequin PJ party. Met Jayne from eHarlequin wearing the cutest sushi roll PJ's, and hung for a while. Saw Winnie Griggs and Margaret (can't remember her last name, but I'm sure she writes for LI) in matching Mickey PJ's. I hung for a while, then returned to karaoke.

I knew it would really be swinging by then. And I was right. I didn't brave the stage, but sang along with everyone else.

Now it's time for coffee and today I'm hitting a lot of workshops, including one Linda Howard is doing., R

#RWA10, I need a golf cart

2010-07-29T15:00:00.002+02:00

Arrived at the Yacht Club around 5 last night. Wow, great hotel, very posh. Love my room and its quietness. I unpacked and then went to the Dolphin to register. It was a short walk, I was told by the front desk.

Ten years later, I arrived at the Dolphin, registered and then went to the booksigning. I ran into Sharon Hartley and she was sitting on a bench, a glorious bench! My tired feet joined her and then some of my chapter mates like Kathy Pickering, Ona Bustos, Debbie Andrews and Susannah Gautier came along.

Then I went into the booksigning to find a few specific people. One is Claudia Dain, whom I adore and is extremely smart. I always have to find her at RWA. I remember my first conference when I was newly published with Dorchester and she acted like a "mom" and invited me to lunch with herself and few others. I listened more than talked at that lunch, and learned about the business.

I also saw Susan Squires and a few others and then returned to my room to get ready for my little wine and cheese party. A few people I had invited couldn't make it because of awards or agency book dinners. But those that came had a great time! To name a few, Piks, Aleka Nakis and her son, Rose Letson, my fellow Chatelaine CL Wilson and her friend Kelly, Mike Meeske, Linda Conrad, Heather Graham, and I finally got to meet Marianne Strnad who is on FB with me.

Some left after a couple of hours to get dinner, and then Linda, Marianne, Aleka and her son and me went to find food at around 11:15. It's Disney. They shutter most restaurants at 11 so we ended up having pizza on the boardwalk. We took the boats. Boats are slow, but good.

And now the Disney birds are chirping, the sun is shining and I have a white wine hangover. Which is what happens when you stop drinking and then have three glasses of white wine.

Today I'm chilling by the pool, which looks like its own attraction, and this afternoon I'm giving a workshop with Jennifer Ashley on writing short stories. That's at 4:15. After, it's dinner with Tara Gavin, HQ exec. editor, and then after it's hitting the sushi bar for fun times.

Good news, just in time for RWA!

2010-07-27T22:43:00.003+02:00

My editor at Nocturne loved The Shadow Wolf and it's scheduled for release September of 2011! Woot!

The Shadow Wolf is the fourth Nocturne paperback about my Draicon werewolves. The Empath was the first, followed by Enemy Lover and then last year's release of Immortal Wolf (which finaled in this year's Maggie Awards).

The Shadow Wolf is Gabriel's story. Gabriel is one of five Draicon werewolf brothers (Damian, Raphael, Indigo, Alex are the other four). He is the most dangerous of all the brothers, and hides a terrible secret. Gabriel meets his match in Megan, an outlawed Shadow Wolf who turns invisible to hide from enemies pursuing her.

When I return from RWA, I'll be tackling a new proposal for Nocturne. This proposal is about Alex, the widowed brother who lost his mate and child in a terrible tragedy. Alex finds a new lease on life and facing a ticking time bomb from a demon threatening to destroy those he loves.

Tonight I'm packing and trying to figure out how I can get everything into a single suitcase. I solved the problem of walking back and forth from the Yacht Club to the Dolphin with a pair of white flip-flops, and will change into "professional" shoes when I get to the Dolphin. I've worked out my schedule and I'm pretty sure I know where I should be at what time.

First on the agenda after tomorrow night? Poolside at the Yacht Club! I'm taking Thursday morning to relax and recharge after Honduras last week.

Then Thursday at 4:30 I'm helping the multi-talented, best-selling Jennifer Ashley present a workshop on writing short stories. Look for me there if you don't see me at the pool!

Back from Honduras, packing for RWA

2010-07-27T01:06:00.006+02:00

Home and getting ready to leave again for RWA. Exposed to dengue fever (big outbreak there) and TB, but I feel good and healthy! Just tired. Honduras was a tiring trip, spent each night in a different city.

I'm leaving Wednesday to drive to Orlando and I have a list of stuff to pack, things to bring, and stuff to do. It's a weird transition, going from a developing country and visiting poor villages to the fun and frantic pace of a national romance writers convention.

Here are some photos from Honduras. This photo is of a woman and her children standing before the "house" they lived in for more than 15 years. They couldn't afford anything else. We are building them a new concrete home. The entire community is so excited about getting houses.

"The donkey's hideaway" is the name of the community. Very nice people, they hold church services in each others' homes twice a week. We stopped to see their outdoor service held on the foundation of the house we are building for them. As I stood in the road, a herd of cows started coming toward me. Running fast.

"Stampede!" I had to get in front of the truck to avoid getting run over. By cows. Like I was an extra in a Wild West movie, lol.

This is a mother and her severely malnourished baby whom we are helping. The mom got a supply of formula and the baby is being enrolled in a nutrition program at the local hospital. Honduras has a lot of caring, committed people determined to help those who are poor.

My next post will probably be from RWA or just before I leave.

A mother's tears

2010-07-21T19:11:00.004+02:00

5:30 a.m. I sat in the lobby of our hotel in Tegus, waiting to ride to the city garbage dump. Last time I went to this dump it was about 5 years ago, and men doped up on sniffing glue chased us out. They dumped on the car and pounded on it, screaming at us in Spanish.

Today's visit was different.

I met Angela, 57, and her daughter Reyna, 9. Angela was kicked out of her house years ago when her husband died. His parents threw her and the four young children out on the street to fend for themselves. Angela had no where to go, slept at her cousin's home at night and needed to find work for her children.

She began picking on the garbage dump. For years, this is how she has lived. She sorts through the garbage, looking for items to recycle. Plastic, cardboard.

It's dangerous work. Tears began streaming down Angela's face as she told me how she was nearly raped two days ago. Two men approached her and her friend (the women work in pairs for safety) and one had a butcher knife. Angela barely escaped.

She shakes in fear as she relays the story and glances at her daughter. Yesterday, Reyna, who goes to the dump to help her mom after school, pricked her hand on a syringe filled with blood. She didn't see it sticking out of the trash.

Angela is desparate to get Reyna out of this lifestyle. She even tried giving her away to an orphanage so Reyna could receive a good education. But since Reyna is not an orphan, they turned her away.

We took Angela and Reyna to the dump so they could show us how they work. As we stood watching, the priest we are working with explained there are 70 to 200 children at a given time working in this dump. "Newborns to teens," he said. "The women take the babies to the top of the hill so there is less danger from the trucks and one woman watches over them while the others work. They take turns."

I glance at the top of the hill and see a row of black vultures surveying the scene below. A group of men pick through the garbage, some distance away from Angela.

Four children approach us and begin to talk. They mug for my camera and then Besy Yolanda, who is only 9, tells me how she wants to go to school. But her mother is too poor this year to afford the registration fee. So Besy works in the dump starting at 7 a.m. and goes home at 5 p.m.

They work among the men who get high on glue. The children sniff glue as well, some of them. The hungry ones sniff it because it eases the pain of an empty stomach.

Reyna climbed into the back of the pick-up truck as we prepared to leave. I took this photo of her, a solemn portrait with the hard granite rock wall behind her. Little girl between a rock, and the hard place of the garbage dump.

The children climbed into the bed of the pick-up as well. As we drove off, the two younger boys dipped dirty black rags into a small bottle and began inhaling the rags.

They were sniffing glue. Just like the men today, and the men who chased us years ago.

I bite my lip to keep my emotions from showing.

Generation next.

The fine art of kidnapping

2010-07-21T00:06:00.004+02:00

Here I am in Honduras. Been an interesting trip so far and it's only Tuesday.

Today we went to an area by a river that floods at least once a year. The woman driving us had a bullet-proof SUV and two armed bodyguards. We talked as she drove. Seems the violence has grown increasingly worse in the city and you have to be extremely careful. One of her friends and her toddler were killed as they were at a shopping mall in a robbery that went wrong. This was only last week.

Kidnapping is also on the rise. You have to bargain with the kidnappers because if you don't, chances are the loved one will be killed even if you pay the ransom. The professionals are the ones who usually don't hurt the victim because they are all business. They are in it solely for the money and the victim is their commodity.

When the gangs kidnap, they are more desperate and more violent.

On the way back from visiting this community by the river that had flooded three days ago and dumped more than two feet of mud and water into people's homes, the air conditioning in the SUV quit. Since the front windows don't roll down for security purposes, it started to get pretty steamy inside. Fortunately, it wasn't too long of a ride.

Where we are headed tonight there has been a huge outbreak of dengue fever. If it's not caught in time, your blood platelets drop and you go into shock and can die in 2 days. Note to self: Get mosquito repellent.

The talks about the women's program have been good and informative and I have a good feeling about all of this. The group we will be working with are dynamic and very dedicated and into women's rights and training women to become self-sufficient and financially independent. The biggest thing they do is give the poor women self-esteem so they believe, finally, in themselves.

That's something you can't put a price on. Or list as a budget item.

More later, including photos, when I get the chance to post.

Immortal Wolf is a Maggie finalist!

2010-07-18T18:19:00.005+02:00

My Nocturne, IMMORTAL WOLF, is a finalist in the paranormal category of the prestigious Maggie awards!

I'm thrilled at the news. This book was special to me, because I wanted to write Raphael's character after he appeared in ENEMY LOVER.

Ok, off to finish packing for my Honduras trip tomorrow. We're meeting with the president of a small, very resourceful and dynamic NGO about starting a new women's program to give indigent women a chance to become self-sufficient. This idea has been a dream of mine for two years, and I'm so happy it's finally coming full circle.

I'll try to post from the field if I have internet. Have a great week!

News

2010-07-16T15:24:00.005+02:00

I've received word that COURAGE OF THE WOLF is officially approved for publication. Woot! This story is the first featuring my immortal Justice Guardians. Michael, a Phoenix, must convince Sabrina, a Draicon werewolf, to fight the demons that killed her family.

As soon as I hear of a publication date, I'll post it here and on my Facebook page. Here's the link to my FB page. I've been updating it on a regular basis with news of projects and information like links to the free online read I did for Harlequin, so FB is a good way to get news from me the fastest on current writing projects.

I'm also finishing a short story for my chapter, Florida Romance Writers, to raise money. Our brilliant former president, Kathleen Pickering, came up with a great idea that has some of us writing stories. More later on this as details emerge. My story is a werewolf/zombie short.

Short stories dovetail nicely into the workshop I'm helping Jennifer Ashley present July 29 at RWA. It's titled "Put on your shorts" and it runs from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Jennifer's a fantastic, talented and NY Times best-selling author who has all sorts of wonderful advice on writing shorts. I'll be presenting tips on emotional conflict for your characters.

All next week I will be in Honduras for the day job and after that, off to Orlando for RWA! Honduras promises to be very interesting. The region we're visiting on the second half of the trip is a remote, mountainous area that promises to be very very hot. Jungle-like. I am most excited about the women's development program we are finally going to launch. This has been a dream of mine for two years since I first came up with the idea, and it's wonderful to finally see it come full circle.

RWA National in Orlando, bring an umbrella

2010-07-08T21:32:00.003+02:00

In three weeks, I'll be at RWA in Orlando, helping Jennifer Ashley present a workshop on "Putting on your shorts." No, it's not a workshop related to the image here, but we'll be talking about writing short stories for publication.

The workshop is 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

RWA was a last minute decision for me. I was saddened to hear of the tragic flooding in Nashville, but when the conference was moved to Orlando, I gave it a second thought. And made a decision. Mickey World is only a three-hour drive, so no plane fare, no struggling with baggage and trying to pack light.

If I truly wanted, I could pack a U-haul and take it with me to the Yacht Club where I'll be staying.

However, the one essential I plan on tucking into my purse is an umbrella. You need this during Florida summers. Every afternoon, rainstorms gather on the horizon and the downpours start.

I'm in the middle of organizing my schedule of where I need to be, and need to do, and need to pack (comfortable shoes for the walk to the Dolphin, where the workshops will be). It will be a bit hectic the week of RWA, because the previous week I'll be in Honduras for the day job. I'm excited about visiting Honduras, because the first half of the trip will be to set up and outline the parameters for a new women's program that's been a dream since I came up with the idea two years ago.

The program will not only provide food for poor single mothers and their children, but teach the mothers skills and give them their own businesses so they can become self-sufficient.

So I'll be in Honduras, come home, and barely be unpacked before packing again for RWA. Should be an adventure!

TGIF Hunk

2010-06-11T14:59:00.004+02:00

In celebration of the opening day of the World Cup.

Happy Friday, everyone!

No oil here in Key Largo!

2010-06-10T17:33:00.003+02:00

The beach at Pennekamp Park in Key Largo. Dh and I went there Sunday and the water was gorgeous. Fish swam right by our feet and we even saw tarpon leaping!

No trace of oil here reported by vigilant Floridians. It was refreshing to finally get to the Keys, one of our favorite places for a day trip. As soon as you cross into Key Largo, you can feel the tension slide away, as if someone were removing a cloak from your shoulders.

We ate lunch at our favorite Key Largo restaurant, Snappers, and watched enormous tarpon hanging out by the pier. It was a wonderful, relaxing day.

The BP oil spill has left me sickened and grief-stricken. As a Floridian and a nature lover, I fully understand the importance of the fragile ecosystem, marine and bird wildlife. But at least in the Keys, I didn't see any evidence of tar balls.

We didn't have enough time get to another favorite place, the Dolphin Research Center. This is a wonderful organization where you can swim with the dolphins or just watch them play. They also do important manatee rescues and this is a place where injured manatees and dolphins are tended and brought back to health.

The entire oil spill crisis has left me feeling powerless, but I realized this week as an individual I do have the power to make a small change. I can't volunteer, but I can donate.

CNN has a good article on one organization helping oil-slicked birds such as pelicans.

Here's another article on how you can help.

Contrasts

2010-05-27T11:39:00.009+02:00

This is a crocodile head from the ruins in Honduras. His teeth are pretty good shape for being nearly 3,000 years old.

This is a church we visited last week in Honduras that is associated with the orphanage we are helping. The church is Greek Orthodox but the founders are of Arab descent, so the murals are written in Arabic. A Greek Orthodox church in a predominantly Catholic, Spanish-speaking country. How cool is that?

And this is the dancing Jaguar from the Jaguar Plaza. Love the grin. He looks like he's doing a 70's disco move a la John Travolta.

Here's a grandmother we met in Suyapa, a small village where we'll be building houses. I loved her careworn face. Behind her is the kitchen of the house. They cook with clay stoves.

And this is a little girl who received a pair of tennis shoes we gave out at a school in a very poor neighborhood. The past, the grandmother, and the present and future, the little girl.

Breath of Heaven

2010-05-25T14:09:00.002+02:00

Cindy Holby has a new release!

Breath of Heaven is about a knight who has known honor but never love; a mysterious huntress with a closely guarded secret; a long-standing feud between rival lords; an arranged marriage with a surprisingly sensual consummation.

It's a fantasy spin on historical romance. I love this cover.

You can buy BREATH OF HEAVEN here at Amazon.

Next time I complain about laundry...

2010-05-19T02:17:00.002+02:00

Someone please remind me of Luz Maria. This is her washing machine; a stack of rocks she built and an oil drum filled with rainwater.

She does laundry by hand to support her children.

She's 43 and looks ten years older. She Lives in Honduras with her six children, all of whom she is raising alone. Her husband abandoned her years ago.

Her house is nothing more than a shack made of clay and straw.

She does laundry to support her children, and earns about $10 a week. Her greatest hope is for her daughters to find easier work.

Luz has been doing other people's laundry by hand for 15 years.

"My hands get numb because I have to scrub the clothing, and my back hurts from bending over," she said. "Mine is a killing job."

Her greatest desire is to grow old enough to see her children become adults and have good lives, and be able to provide for them until they do.

"I have ages of washing clothes so I can provide for my children," Luz said.

Ages, indeed.

Now what?

2010-05-14T13:18:00.006+02:00

Gabriel, my Draicon werewolf whose eyes turn a gorgeous shade of amber when his wolf emerges, has reason to to celebrate.

He finally got the girl, had wild and crazy sex, resolved all his problems and is living happily ever after.

Yes, his book is DONE and was mailed off to New York this week.

Can I shout with relief and giddy joy that I finally finished the book?

YAY!!

It wasn't an easy book to write. Back in January, when I got final approval on the synopsis and the green light to write the book, a terrible catastrophe happened. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti diverted all my attention. I worked long hours at the day job, took nearly back-to-back trips to Haiti, and struggled with my own emotional response to the disaster.

I've worked in Haiti for 16 years and what I saw broke my heart.

I also could not write romance for two solid months afterward. So I took a vacation to recover from the turmoil of Haiti, and to make a good, solid effort in writing Gabriel's story for Harlequin.

It worked. During the two-week vacation, I finished and turned in a Nocturne Bite. I also wrote an amazing 20,000 words on Gabriel's story, thanks in part to spending three days at a neighbor's cottage they kindly loaned me. I worked from morning until late night, concentrating on my writing.

When I returned to the day job, I finally had recovered my writing stride and was able to stay productive.

For three years, I've worked at a demanding day job, traveled, and had numerous deadlines and author responsibilities. And a home life!

And now, for the first time in three years, I'm without a contract.

It's a feeling of relief, not worry. It means it's time for me to take a break.

When you work at a day job and you're an author, you have different demands and different issues than when you write FT. The benefits of having a day job are simple:

Money!

A steady paycheck and benefits like vacation time mean you're not relying on contracts to pay the mortgage. I can honestly say I don't know one single author who writes FT who doesn't work extremely hard for every single dollar she earns. I have lots of respect and admiration for their productivity and talent.

The down side to working a day job, especially when you travel like I do, is time.

You must effectively budget your time. It's not easy, especially when life has a habit of interfering. Family health problems, job demands, sudden twists of fate, they happen. But the deadlines remain.

Writing is hard work. If you want to publish books, you must treat writing like any other demanding career. Publishing is unpredictable at best. But it's an amazing feeling to walk into a bookstore and see your name on a book where your ideas and imagination took flight...

or having readers tell you they loved your work. And receiving a check for the work you did and realizing you are being paid to do what you love.

I honestly don't know what's next. The fact that my brain is saying "Beats me, Bonnie" is a sign it's time for a break. Already I started playing around with two new story ideas, just for fun and because I'm a writer.

I can't stop writing!

But for now, I'm sitting back and not worrying about what comes next. Instead of spending the weekend writing and editing and gulping down caffeine, I'm going to the gym this morning. DH has obligations with his club, so I'm meeting a friend for lunch I haven't seen in way too long.

Next week I'll be in Honduras for the day job. It will be the first trip in three years I've not had to worry about writing in the hotel at night, or having a deadline hang over me.

I'll take my netbook and write for fun if I feel like it. But at night, if I'm too wiped out from the day's visits, I'll set it aside.

The other day I told a friend that every time I pick up The Falcon & the Dove and read a certain scene, I don't envision the desert and the hot sand and the handsome sheikh.

I see the hotel room in Haiti where I wrote that scene years ago at night, while visiting that country for the day job. I still can see myself sitting on the bed, typing like mad.

It's freeing knowing that I have no more writing obligations. It's a good thing as well because it enables me to visualize new ideas, have fun with my imagination and envision new possibilities.

I don't know what the future brings. What I do know is I've published more than 12 romance novels and short stories in the past 8 years, had a great time doing it, met lots of wonderful people and readers and publishing professionals, made some terrific friends, and achieved a dream I've had for years.

I'm grateful for the opportunities given to me, I've worked extremely hard once granted those opportunities and now...

I'm taking a break!

Saturday in Sedona

2010-04-24T16:28:00.006+02:00

Last night and what was left over after the chocolate truffle dessert at the Barking Frog in Sedona. I had the shrimp tamales. Yum!

And this morning, finally, the weather broke and it was a gorgeous 72 degrees. DH had to drive back to Phoenix, so he left it to me to finish the champagne left over from my birthday last night. He found me a little chocolate cake and we celebrated with cake and champagne after dinner last night.

Sedona is beautiful and filled with good energy and tranquility. I made a good choice to celebrate my birthday. This has been a great vacation. New Orleans for the first half, Sedona, AZ for the second. Some day we hope to return and spend a few days in the Grand Canyon as well.

Friends of ours recently remarked, "You love to travel, don't you?" I didn't realize until they said this that yes, we do! And we have had some splendid vacations, from last year's jaunt to Washington State, to other trips to Colorado, Tennessee, New Mexico, California and other places.

And the best part of a vacation? It's finding a new place to explore and knowing that if you like it, you can always return.

In Sedona, we ran into a couple we know, at the airport cafe restaurant. It was amazing to see them there. They were vacationing with friends. We only see them about once a year at Christmas when they come to visit her parents in Florida.

So it's home tomorrow and then in a couple of weeks, I'm off to Honduras for the day job. An easier trip than Haiti, I'm looking forward to seeing and working with Linda, a wonderful, energetic woman who founded an NGO in Honduras to empower indigent women and encourage them to become self-sufficient.

What I did on my birthday

2010-04-24T01:40:00.005+02:00

No hot air balloon ride on this special day. Too cold. Thought about a helicopter ride to see the red rocks from the air, but it was overcast. Instead, I had the yearning to hike and explore... and write.

It was 32 degrees this morning. Our hotel room's heater was broken. Brrrrr. We had to buy sweatshirts when we arrived to wear as jackets, but we didn't care.

Today we visited the shrine of the Red Rocks, just above our hotel at the Airport Mesa in Sedona. It's so quiet there, the wind sweeping up the mesa, alone with your thoughts and dreams. The Airport Mesa is supposed to be a powerful vortex. I did feel something.

Then we went to Bell Rock, another vortex area. Hiked around the mountain and then while I sat on a flat area of sandstone, Frank climbed around and shot photos of a bald eagle soaring high above us.

I wrote. Not the book due soon, but a new story I started working on three days ago when we arrived in Sedona. The idea just came to me and I let it soar like the eagle. Sitting on the rock, with my Alpha Smart, I wrote for fun. It was my birthday treat. I let the positive energy flow over me and did something that made me happy.

And I was happy.

Writing for fun. It's not a hot air balloon ride, but it's something I'll always cherish and remember doing on my special birthday in Sedona. If I had one piece of advice for anyone, after my years on this planet, it would be to keep searching for the dream that makes you happy. It's out there, somewhere. You may not make money at it, it may be elusive, you may not have much time to devote to it because of other responsibilities, but never give up.

Find your joy in life and go after it.

Where I am this morning

2010-04-20T16:00:00.004+02:00

It's noisy here this a.m. Trucks and cars rumbling past, street sweeping machines, a man restoring the original brick facade on the building across the street. Love it.

This is the view from my balcony, where I'm writing. DH went walking and exploring, giving me time to write. I have my coffee and my netbook and I'm writing Gabriel's story. Made a lot of progress. We're leaving tomorrow for Phoenix, so I hope to get lots of work done today.

I love this city.

Our dogs are home with the petsitter, decided to get a housesitter instead of boarding them. I have cool temps, my netbook, coffee and atomosphere. What more could a writer want for finishing a book due in three weeks? :-)

Coming to the finish line

2010-04-18T01:59:00.003+02:00

Three weeks to go until I turn in my next Nocturne. I'm getting there. It's close. Very close. Made some tweaks today that make the story stronger. Interesting how changing a couple of minor things can change the story.

I'm growing more and more fascinated by Tristan, the immortal Justice Guardian who makes an appearance in this book. He first appeared in Darkness of the Wolf. Kind of a rough around the edges guy who can kill you with a single thought. Wonder what his first dates are like? ;-)

"Mommy, what's a nigger?"

2010-04-16T20:18:00.003+02:00

I hate that word. It’s one of the most disgusting words in the English language. Pardon me for writing it.

Nigger.

I heard it used today by two old white men sitting on a couch in a public gym, talking loudly. Talking as if they don’t care who hears them. Talking about how that one politician is working for the “niggers” and not for “people like me.”

I went to my local gym to work out and as I headed toward the treadmill, two elderly men were talking politics. One liberally used this word. I heard him quite loudly.

I should have reprimanded him, didn’t. I was in a hurry and could barely squeeze in a workout. Minutes later, a mother and her young children came into the workout room. I don’t know if the two obnoxious men were gone. I hope so. Because it sickens me to think of these two young kids, probably around the ages of 4-6, asking, “Mommy, what’s a nigger?”

“People like me.” That’s another phrase I hate. Because it sets you aside, as if you were unique and deserving of special attention and everyone else is below you. Thinking like that, dividing everyone into classes and races, is where hate starts.

Hate like racial discrimination, ethnic bigotry and religious intolerance can lead to genocide of entire races. It happened during WWII. Rwanda. Bosnia. So many other examples.

Peace will never be possible when words like nigger are still liberally sprinkled into conversation, like salt on meat.

It got to me especially today because I read this gripping article about a young woman from Kosovo who is advocating peace. Her village was targeted by Serbian paramilitary units who were rounding up Albanian Muslims for execution. Her brother and sister are still missing.

Read it and see if it doesn’t move you to tears.

Discrimination. Prejudice. Hatred. Sometimes as a regular working Josephine, I feel like there is little I can do to combat them and make the world a more peaceful place.

Maybe that’s why I’m tackling these subjects in the Nocturne I’m writing that’s due in three weeks. A wolf with unique abilities is shunned and hated for the magick she wields. She is feared because she is different. She’s not seen as normal.

I feel pretty strongly about this book and after looking over what I wrote, can see the underlying social theme in it. Oh it’s entertainment and romance and all works out well in the end. But the theme is there just the same.

It’s a theme close to my heart. When the hatred and fear end, and understanding and tolerance replaces them, maybe then we will have peace.

I complained at the desk after my workout, but there’s nothing that can be done. Nothing unless I run into those men again. Next time, I’m not keeping my mouth shut, no matter how little time I have.

I’m saying something to them. Because in a way, I’m just as guilty. When we keep quiet about discrimination, and hated words, we enable the hatred to continue.

Maybe, someday, in this world, the hatred will stop. Until then, I have to become an active participant in stopping it.

By starting with confronting people who use words like that.

New video, bath time for dogs!

2010-04-07T19:00:00.002+02:00

Aftershocks, romance writing and the Hughie

2010-03-02T18:46:00.008+01:00

Back from Haiti again. Trying to find a sense of normalcy. It was a very productive and tiring trip. We had to change hotels as we didn't feel safe in the first hotel and they had no water one morning. When the water pump finally worked, the water was ice cold. I discovered the trick to washing your hair in ice cold water and it involves something like a yoga pose.

This mom and her daughter we met at a tent city in Port-au-Prince. My friend Ginny's pre-school class had collected stickers for Haiti and she sent them to me.

I passed them out to kids I met. Some of the kids plastered them all over their faces, and laughed. It was good to see the kids being normal, playing, flying kites, making toys out of stuff that most of us throw away. I saw a milk bottle with bottle caps on it that a child put a string on and was pulling like a toy truck.

Many of the tent cities in Port-au-Prince now have tarps, like these. They also have sanitation, which was wonderful to see. But in the country, in areas hit hard like Leogane, there are many more tent cities that still have only bedsheets. No.
protection from the rain.

The rainy season is here, and I fear for what will happen in Haiti.

Anyway, I'm home and it's good to be home. I'm trying to adjust and rest, but not possible yet. I'm waiting for next week when I start a vacation, and I'll get to stay home. I plan a full day of doing nothing but watching stupid TV on the sofa with the dogs.

I'm also planning to write the book due in May. I need to write again. It's been two months since I wrote and I'm off kilter, though I did write a little in the airport in PAP while waiting for our flight.

That is, until we felt the aftershock. My co-worker and I were sitting on the bench and felt this small shake. It was very odd. It was the same morning the 4.7 aftershock woke me up out of a dead sleep. I felt the bed moving from side to side and wasn't sure if I was dreaming of an earthquake or it WAS an earthquake.

It was very disconcerting, as I thought I was losing my damn mind. Was quite relieved to find out it was an aftershock.

In other news, I got a very nice surprise ... the ladies at RBL Romantica nominated The Lady and the Libertine for a Hughie! I am very honored by the nomination. This book is one of my favorites and it was nice to find out others thought highly of it. Thank you everyone!

So next week it's back to the world of romance writing. I need to shift gears, but ever since Jan. 12 my gearshift has been rusty and not quite so easy to make the transition. I guess I just need a mental tune up.

The silence

2010-02-23T01:55:00.002+01:00

Sometimes Haiti is a quiet sweep of a dry, dusty breeze over barren hills. Patches of black scorched earth stand out starkly against the dry brush and piles of rubble. Just outside the city is a narrow dirt road where trucks have traversed, with their cargo from the remains of the earthquake.

This is where some mass graves are, where thousands of earthquake victims were buried.

You travel down the dusty dirt road, the parched mountains rising in the background observing the valley below like silent sentinels. Piles of garbage line the way, flanking the road like snowbanks of crushed plastic and broken green glass. The road winds and curves and dips behind the first hill seen from National Road number 1, and then the highway vanishes and you are overlooking the valley below. Dotting the ground are simple handmade white crosses. When you reach the bottom of the hill, you come to a small clearing where there are about four or five large mounds of rubble, each marked with a white cross made from what looks like white metal chair legs. Go further down and you arrive at the pauper’s graveyard. Here, two cows graze peacefully among the graves, each plot unmarked but for a white wood cross or a tin cross painted hospital green. Some green crosses have names scratched on them, rust staining the edges.

A man we picked up to escort us to where they dumped the bodies after the earthquake tells us that these are the individual graves of those too poor to be properly buried. They were dumped here by a city hospital. They now rest among the victims of the January 12 earthquake. He points to a small grave marked by a white cross, a grave that has rubble piled atop it. “These are earthquake victims,” he says of the rubble.

The larger mass graves are around the bend, where small mounds rise from the dirt, each marked by a white metal cross. Mothers, fathers and children are buried here, poured into deep pits like refuse when trucks dumped the bodies. No names. No records. No one mourns here. No one knows who they are, where they came from or who loved them and who misses them. No flowers or flags or little mementos such as a child’s truck or a sister’s favorite hairbrush.

Nothing but crude white crosses.

There is no closure here for the living because there are no names. I wonder if here is the final resting place of the husband of a woman I met on my last visit to Haiti. The woman, whose home was destroyed and who lives in a tent city with her three children, told me her husband was buried in a mass grave. He was a stone mason who was at work during the earthquake. “He would have found us by now,” she insisted. She had checked all the hospitals in a vain search to find him. “They threw him away.”

It’s so quiet here compared to Port-au-Prince with its blaring horns, people singing gospel in makeshift churches beneath blue tarps, determinedly cheerful radio music urging people to unite and rise up above the tragedy, and the chatter of street vendors trying to reassemble their shattered lives.

There is only the hush of a breeze sweeping down the mountains to the turquoise ocean below, and the dry whisper of dead leaves stirring in the air.

And the silence.

Report from Haiti

2010-02-19T13:27:00.002+01:00

Internet is finally back up. Our trip got off to an auspicious start when the car in the DR broke down and we had to wait two hours for a new one. But we made it, and yesterday spent a good day in the field.

We went into the countryside and visited a couple of tent cities. The damage in the country, which I haven't seen until this trip, is extensive. There are lots of smaller tent cities along the roadside.

At our last stop, where we're feeding the residents of a tent city of about 1,000, things got a titch ugly when the crowd started growing restless. There's just so much need and people are living in conditions that no one should have to endure.

Today we're sticking to the city and tent cities we've visited before.

Our hotel yesterday had no water in the morning, but when they finally did, it felt great to wash my hair. I've discovered the trick to washing your hair in ice cold water in the a.m. It involves something like a yoga position and a glass to dump over your soapy head.

Leaving for Haiti

2010-02-16T03:05:00.001+01:00

Leaving for Haiti tomorrow. Difficult trip, but I do what I must. I may blog from the road if I can. The hotel we are staying in is supposed to have wi-fi, though it's closing when we leave because they need to make repairs due to earthquake damage.

I'm really really going to miss my DH on this trip.

Darkness of the Wolf wins CataRomance Reviewers Choice

2010-02-13T14:50:00.007+01:00

DARKNESS OF THE WOLF, my Nocturne Bite, has won a CataNetwork Reviewers' Choice Award for 2009.

This personally means a lot to me, as that story was set on a fictional island meant to resemble Haiti, and one of the hotels was modeled after the Hotel Montana, the hotel where I wrote part of the story while in Haiti.

The Montana was my "home" in Haiti for 16 years. That hotel collapsed during the earthquake and several people were killed.

I'll be back in Haiti next week, touring tent cities and areas where my organization is building about 300 houses a month. Another 100 homes will be built in northern Haiti to accomodate families with relatives who fled Port au Prince after the earthquake. We're also building pit latrines in camps.

In other news, Jennifer Ashley and I will be presenting a workshop at RWA National called "Putting on Your Shorts." Jennifer is the NY Times-best selling author of Pride Mates. WOOT! Congrats Jennifer! Pride Mates is one of the books I'm taking to Haiti to give to friends who asked me to bring them romance novels.

Here's an excerpt from Darkness of the Wolf.

They could kill him. Now. Or wait. He’d gone past caring.

No one would mourn his death. Guy Laurent was alone in the world. The thought made him ache. In his world of Draicon werewolves, anyone who used to know him thought he was already dead.

Huddled in a corner of his cage at the Savage Kingdom Zoo, he lay with his head between his paws. He stared at the steel bars prohibiting escape. Disguised as a real zoo, the facility was a prison for werecreatures who were forced into their animal forms during the day for unknowing human visitors.

A little girl licking an ice cream stopped before his exhibit as her mother sat on a bench feeding a toddler. The child looked upset. “Please don’t be sad, wolf.” She held out her cone. “You can have my ice cream.”

No one ever gave him anything without a price. But he still had a soft spot left for children. Guy loped toward the bars, wishing he could smile at her.

His keeper approached, knocked her hand away, sending her ice cream toppling.
“Hey, you stupid kid, don’t feed the animals!”

The girl started crying.

A low growl rumbled from Guy. He glared at the demon and charged the cage.
Electricity zapped his powerful body. Uncaring, he pawed through the bars, wanting to hurt the demon for upsetting the child.

The little girl screamed. “Mama, the wolf’s going to hurt me!” Guy watched in pained bewilderment as she ran off. I was only trying to help you.

When would he ever learn that nothing good came of helping others?

The demon pressed a box on his belt. The Ident chip buried beneath Guy’s skin sent painful pulses through him. He yipped, shaking his head, trying to get rid of the agony.

Later, they came for him. In human form now, he was naked. Using the Ident chips injected into each werecreature, their demon keepers restricted their magick and forced all the prisoners into their human forms long after the zoo had closed.

The garrote around his neck choked him as they paraded him off to the shed. The demons stretched him out as they tied him to the punishment posts. The leather whip cracked through the air. Guy tensed. Salt on the whip’s silver studs ensured his wounds would scar.

A cold night wind whistled over his body as they dumped him into the cage after his beating. The winter chill infiltrating central Florida felt like needles stinging his shivering flesh.

“Rough day?”

At the sound of that familiar, deep voice, Guy raised his head and snarled.

“Come to finish off what the demons didn’t, Phoenix?”

The tall, dark-haired man standing before him raised every hair on Guy’s nape. Tristan was a Phoenix, one of the immortal Justice Guardians who oversaw all werecreatures.

“If I were, I’d have given you to the Draicon executioner instead of confining you here.”

“Fine. Now get the hell out of here. You’re blocking my view,” Guy muttered.

“How would you like to be free?”

Agony flared on his back. “I’ve been tortured enough today. Save it for tomorrow, when the demons get bored.”

“I never torture. Not my style. This is legit,” Tristan sat cross-legged before him.

“They told me the only way I’m getting out of here is in a coffin.”

“I have final authority here. How does visiting Ile a Sanglier in the Caribbean sound?”

Wild boar island. “Why, they have a new zoo they want to display me?”

“You have a friend there. Bernard Belizaire. Bernard acts as sort of a resource coordinator for Draicon on the island and keeps tabs on everything that happens. He helped several Draicon packs settle on Ile a Sanglier years ago. Recently, the oldest pack vanished.” Tristan’s green gaze met his. “They were slaughtered by Morphs.”

Guy swore softly. Morphs, former Draicon who turned to evil for greater power by killing a close relative, were their race’s greatest threat.

“The Quartermaines left the States, but their alpha, Dell, kept tabs on them through Bernard. Dell wants Brianna, the youngest Draicon. She managed to escape, and make it to a Draicon safe house. Your job is to be bodyguard for Brianna and help Kayla Morris, the woman hired to find and bring Brianna back to Dell. We need a Draicon who is a good fighter and will keep Brianna safe until her return to the States.”

“Why can’t Bernard do it himself? Or this Kayla person?”

Tristan’s jaw tightened. “He admitted he can’t protect her from Morphs. He has a rare condition and his senses, especially hearing and smell, are failing. Kayla lacks Draicon powers. She’s been hired because Brianna only trusts females. If you do this, you can go free.”

“And you’re offering me this out the goodness of that black ice you call a heart?”

His windpipe compressed as Tristan squeezed a fist, clutching nothing more than air. “Watch it, wolf.”

Tristan released him. Guy rubbed his aching throat.

“And why should I trust you when you put me in here?” he demanded.

“You’re here because you killed your pack alpha.”

“I’m here because of Anne. I warned her Simon was turning evil and I was going to take him out. So she told Simon. He went after me, I killed him and then Carl, Simon’s beta, took over. Carl got leadership and I got prison.”

He’d foolishly warned Anne to keep her safe, failing to see her blind loyalty to their leader. He should have known better than to put a woman’s needs before his own.

Tristan stood, shadowing Guy with his tall body. “Because you saved the pack by killing Simon, you’re here instead of six feet under. You knew the rules. You should have told Carl, who would have alerted the Kallan to execute Simon. The Kallan is immortal and the pack would have respected his authority. Instead, you killed Simon and nearly involved your pack in a brutal war over who believed you and who didn’t. You’re a rogue who can’t follow orders.”

“And you think I can follow rules now?” he taunted. Damn, he still had freshly bleeding stripes on his back to prove otherwise.

“I’m giving you this chance to see if you can.” The Phoenix flashed him a dark smile.

Freedom. So close he could taste it. Guy squeezed his aching fists. “I’ll do it. What about the Ident?”

“It stays in until you deliver the girl to Dell. A little insurance in case you take a detour.” Tristan looked impassive. “I’m deactivating it, but in five days, starting it up again unless you deliver the girl.”

The thought of the chip still buried inside him rankled Guy. He took a deep breath.

“Just remember deliver Brianna to Dell or you’re back here. And you won’t leave until you’re in a coffin.” Tristan paused. “When she shows up tomorrow, go easy on Kayla. She usually avoids Draicon.”

“Sure, I’ll take it easy on the human.”

Tristan smiled. “I never said Kayla was human.”

“What the hell is she?”

“Your destiny.”

Fear and rage roared through Guy. “The hell with destiny, Phoenix. I’ve spent 30 years locked up because a woman betrayed me. You call that my destiny, too?”

“Kayla isn’t Trish, Guy. She has no pack loyalty.”

Guy shook his head. “Every wolf for himself.”

“We’ll see,” Tristan murmured as he vanished.

Courtney Hayes

2010-02-11T01:50:00.001+01:00

The first of the Lynn University students missing from the Hotel Montana has been positively identified.

This sucks, and yet the family can finally have closure and grieve.

Article

I'm so sorry, Hayes family, for your enormous loss.

Stuck

2010-02-10T18:32:00.002+01:00

I find myself sinking into a depression lately. I can't sleep, which is part of it, and when I do, wake exhausted. Sleeping pills aren't cutting it. The nightmares aren't scary, just very disturbing. I wake up at 3 a.m. shivering and not wanting to fall back asleep and when I do, the nightmares begin again.

Next Tuesday I'll be back in Haiti. The hotel we are staying at is closing the day we check out. It's too badly damaged to stay open. How weird is that, that we're staying at a hotel that has earthquake damage and must close?

I know what I'll see and I'm not looking forward to it. But it's my job and what I must do.

Friends tell me, "Did you see the news about how there are still dead bodies down there that haven't been buried? That there's still rubble on the streets?"

I want to tell them, "No s**t." Do they honestly think that a disaster of this magnitude, with a government that had little capacity to handle any KIND of crisis, would be totally cleaned up in one lousy month?

They're STILL recovering bodies from the Hotel Montana and will be for a long time.

Then there are the well-meaning, but clueless people who tell me, as if they are experts, "Oh it was all shoddy construction down there, that's why those buildings collapsed."

Ah, no.... The Hotel Montana was solidly built. So was the Cathedral. Those buildings became rubble. It was a freaking powerful earthquake, people. Why must you try to put blame somewhere?

I just walk away from those comments before I blow my cool. Then there are the people who don't ask, don't care, and act like everything is "normal" for me. Right.

The only encouraging thing I'm looking forward to seeing is that our NGO is building pit toilets at one of the camps. Sanitation is so important now.

Haiti cancelled Carnival. First time ever. I think of the mocking, scary masques at the Cap Lamandou hotel in Jacmel I saw last February while we were there. The hotel is destroyed now.

One day at a time. I keep telling myself, one day at a time.

A normal day

2010-02-07T13:36:00.003+01:00

I am so grateful for yesterday.

It was the most normal, relaxing day I've had since my return from Haiti. DH and I went to breakfast and talked about vacation, the house, relatives, everything but Haiti. Then while he was at his train store, I sat outside and actually WROTE a little of Gabriel's story. I'm still a long way off from my usual writing pace, but just writing a little was very encouraging.

In the afternoon, we went to The Home Depot and finally bought a new rug for our bedroom, one that is stain resistant. Take that doggies. Ha! Then it was off to my romance chapter's library event. Fourteen authors, most from Florida Romance Writers, had a discussion panel and then signed books. There was a raffle as well and I won a massage pillow. I bought books, all autographed! for my friends in Haiti who asked for romance novels as an escape.

Then we went to Rose's house for a little while.

DH and I went to dinner later, and made plans for our Super Bowl get together at his dad's house tonight.

It was a normal, relaxing weekend. I didn't realize how much I sorely needed it until last night when I finally fell asleep without the help of a sleeping pill.

I'm returning to Haiti in about another week. It's hard for me to talk about Haiti with anyone. I find myself trying to steer away from the conversation. I can write about it, but I just don't want to discuss it. I don't want to answer questions, try to explain some things that can't be explained, or tell people what I've seen.

I'd rather just leave it at, "It was very very bad and the people are in desperate need of help."

Today we may go to an antique fair or ride our bikes before the Super Bowl. I'm going to try to write a little more this morning while doing chores. Maybe I can finally get back to multi tasking again.