New video

I'd kind of expect to show this off at RomantiCon, but it feels nice and cozy to share it with you. This is the trailer for the lastest release, Jewels of Ursus. The book is a compilation of the the three novellas I wrote surrounding the Ursine family, a family of shape-shifters who transform...naturally, into Bears.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I enjoy the process of making these trailers, but it can turn a bit obsessive. I get lost in the amount of time that has passed.

Today was the first day back at school for the kids in the county where I teach. They had been out all last week because of the damage from the floods. We still had no drinkable water in the building and our PTSO provided bottles of water for the students to carry about with them since they can't use the water fountains.

I admit I'm exhausted today. So exhausted that I'm hoping I'm going to be forgiven for falling asleep.

Z and I have routine. His last nap time comes right about the time he and I get home for the day. I give him a bottle and lay him down. Then I get comfortable and take a few minutes to read or just rest. This afternoon I fell asleep and Z slept too right up until K got home. The dear let me sleep and I snoozed until about 11pm and will be going back to bed momentarily.

Problem?

It's our anniversary. I found a card waiting for me on the computer when I woke up. Crapmonkeys.

We have a date weekend this weekend. A friend is keeping Z for the day on Saturday so we can have some couple time. I'll have to make up for it then.

Bears in Print

My Bears have been set loose. Jewels of Ursus was released today, in print, from Ellora's Cave.


This is a compilation of the three books in the trilogy by that name:


Mating Stone
Sarah has found the perfect man and best of all, he loves her deeply. Before introducing her to his family he proposes and presents her with an amethyst pendant, a stone she doesn't realize is more than symbolic. When his brother reveals Mark's secret, Sarah must decide if she loves him enough to accept him even if he's not exactly human. And Mark must decide how far he'll go, how much he'll give up to claim Sarah as his mate. Is he willing to abandon his birthright? Is he willing to kill his own brother to keep it and Sarah?

Lovers’ Stone
Luke Ursine is drawn to the most sacred place in his clan’s lore. There he finds a woman who touches him like no other, and his own mating stone. Not a common mating stone, but a lovers’ stone that declares he has only one true mate, one great love who will claim him body and soul. Anna is the most inappropriate of all mates. She’s a hunter and they are sworn to destroy the Weres. Even if they can set aside generations of hate and murder, will their families let them live long enough to enjoy the promised destiny?

Soul Stone
He is physical perfection. He is sex personified. He is an incubus. All his life Tarris has followed the rules that would keep him from transforming into the dark soulless predator who feeds on the sexual energies of women, draining them to madness or to death. But now that he can no longer feed in a safe and controlled way, he faces a choice—hunt or starve.

Callista is quiet and reserved. Her restrained exterior hides an astonishing passion and vivid imagination that have captured him. Who knew that a creature who had no soul could love a woman so deeply? Tarris must now find a way to control the change he feels coming and defeat the hunter who pursues him, obsessed with possessing Callista and destroying the incubus.



Praise for the books in this series:

"...the men in this book are to die for...Elyssa Edwards has done a great job with Mating Stone. She has written a unique shapeshifter story that any paranormal fan will enjoy." -Ashley, Fallen Angel Reviews


"Elyssa Edwards offers a erotic tale of fantasy. Mating Stone is a very dark story. Her approach to shapeshifters is unique." -ReviewYourBook.com


"Mark Ursine and Sarah are well rounded and enjoyable characters and you do find yourself rooting for their seemingly impossible relationship." [Mating Stone] -Simply Romance Reviews


"Mating Stone... is a wonderful story with humor and sensual love play. Elyssa Edwards displays a very creative talent in this surprise saga. Mark is every woman’s dream man, caring, gorgeous and considerate ...This is a remarkable read that I enjoyed." -Literary Nymph Reviews Only[Lovers' Stone]


"This was an intriguing twist on the Were legends, or at least a variety I have never heard before. I really liked the way the author set polar opposites to attract and be mated. I really enjoyed the erotic passages and each of them was well thought out. I love the tenderness and compassion in this story as well as the passion. Each character's take on what was happening was thoughtful as well as thought provoking. I would love it if this story was a little longer, but I guess I'll just have to wait for the next installment of the story." - Dawn Epton, ParaNormal Romance[Lovers' Stone]


"I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of suspense, romance and eroticism, ...I thought the story well-written. The romance and meeting of the main characters was magical, and the conflict needed for a short story such as this was indeed present. The author created a universe I want to read more about, and if you choose to read this installment, do yourself a favor and be sure you have the previous ones as well." -Christine, Simply Romance Reviews


"LOVERS' STONE pairs together two lovers who were supposed to be enemies and at the same time proves that love can help conquer any obstacle. It will provide a sensual treat for paranormal fans." -Lori, The Romance Reader's Connection

Growing up.

*Sigh*

My munchkin is six months old now. He’s transitioned from infant to baby. This three day weekend we are taking the next step in growing up. Going to bed by himself.

We started last night. We have a routine that we’ve started. At bedtime we go upstairs, we get in pj’s, and while his has a last little bottle we sing a specific series of songs. Then, while he’s still awake, we put him down in the bed and say good night.

Last night he cried. After five minutes, we checked on him reassured him I was still here. Five minutes later I went in again. This time after patting his back and assuring him I was still here and he was okay, I started playing his heffalump (a stuffed blue elephant) and left the room. In less than a minute he was asleep.

Tonight, I started Heffelump immediately upon putting him down and he didn’t cry at all.

I can’t believe this will go this smoothly from now on. I’m sure he has a few more cranky crying bedtimes in store for us, but I can’t believe I forgot about his heffelump that first night.

The soft blue elephant (called Heffelump for the Winnie the Pooh song “Heffelumps and Woosles”) was the first gift I bought for Z. It was on impulse. We would play the heffelump for him before he was born. My SO was skeptical, but I had faith. We discovered immediately in the hospital that it had worked. (see pic) The singing of his heffelump calms him down within seconds unless he is in the midst of a full blown melt-down.

Someone recently suggested buying another heffelump and changing them in and out so that if one is damaged and has to be thrown out, there is still a heffelump. That just seems so wrong. Like having a spare SO that you change in and out incase something happens to the original.





I've been making plans for the coming RomantiCon. It will be my first convention as an author. It will also be my first signing unless Jewels of Ursus is released before hand. Even then I'm nervous about setting up my own signings.

I've also been giving some thought to podcasting. Wondering if it might be a good idea to offer some of my work as audio books through podcasts. I'm looking into the idea.

Coming this Summer

I received good news recently. Ellora's Cave is planning to release a print anthology of the Jewels of Ursus series this summer. There is no date yet, but the three stories will be combined into one print book. The current plan is to release it under the Jewels of Ursus title.

I had the afternoon off today due to a small case of eating something that did not agree with me the night before. So Z and I went to the mall to walk about and look for Mother's Day cards for grandmas. Unfortunately it turned into a traumatic experience for Z. Right out side of the Sears is a pet store. This pet store has been trying to sell this batch of bunnies since before Easter. A few weeks ago I took one of the bunnies out and held it down for him. So I had no reason to think there would be any problem with seeing the bunnies again.

The little rabbits were chasing each other around the cage so I picked Z up to see them. As soon as we get next to the cage he starts to scream in terror. My son...scared of the bunnies. He was probably more afraid of the bouncey, jumpy things but that they were bunnies is the makings of a story that will embarass him greatly in upcoming years.

And I must say, with pride, my son has decided he prefers Mom's cooking to the jarred baby food. We'd started him on sweet potatoes and bought a small jar of organic prepared food to let him try it. He was less than thrilled, but today when he ate the momma prepared sweet potato (a baked sweet potato, sans peel, pureed with a bit of water) he got very excited. He's been trying the sweet potatoes for a week so we will be trying carrots next.

And, I've been quite hooked on the trailer maker from one true media. It's been a blast playing with the options.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jewels of Ursus

Five more days to the release of Soul Stone. This is the final book in the trilogy that began in February ’08 in Mating Stone.

Jewels of Ursus

The Ursine men are many things a woman wouldn't expect to find walking through her door or through her dreams. They are tall, gorgeous and powerful -the consummate lovers. They just happen not to be human.

Mark Ursine and his twin Luke are Weres. Shape-shifters who transform into large brown Bears, the brothers are the grandsons of the Amar, the leader of their clan. Twins reared together, but what they bear for each other is anything but an abiding fraternal love. Between these two men, one of whom will one day rule the other, is an animosity, rivalry and hate that goes back over a century. Neither can forgive the other nor himself for what took place the night the hunters-humans sworn to destroy the dark creatures- last raided the Bears' compound. Not even Tarris, an incubus rescued from death in his infancy by their father who is more than brother to them both, can bridge the gap that separates them. A gap that threatens to erupt into a bloody confrontation.

If the hunters don't kill them, they just might kill each other.

Mark and Luke have had their stories told, now it is Tarris’ turn.

But before Tarris starts his journey, I’m giving a reader a chance to read Luke’s story for free. To win Lovers’ Stone, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog. Then come back on November 19th to celebrate the release of Soul Stone, check out the contest that will debut on that day and find out who wins the free copy of book 2.

And don't forget to check out the blogs on the left, especially Anny Cook, Kelly Marstad and Sandra Cox.

Chicago- Yesterday and Today

Last night as I watched election returns I got a chill that ran up my spine and gave me gooseflesh. It had nothing to do with the actual election itself. It had to do with the large gathering in Grant Park in Chicago.

Any large political gathering in Chicago can’t help but bring up memories of 1968. The Democratic National Convention was held in the city that year and the iconic and infamous Mayor Daley was not going to be made to look like he couldn’t control his city. The police response to the riots after the assassination of Dr. King had infuriated the Mayor. He was quoted:

"I said to him [the Chief of Police] very emphatically and very definitely that an order be issued by him immediately to shoot to kill any arsonist or anyone with a Molotov cocktail in his hand, because they're potential murderers, and to shoot to maim or cripple anyone looting."

Daley later backtracked on this saying it was taken out of context. However, it was a very "Daley" thing to say.

But 1968 was the year of severe disenfranchisement among large groups of Americans. Blacks were pushing hard at the chains of segregation and the drive for Civil Rights was reaching its boiling point. That April Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had been assassinated. The young people of America were protesting the war in Vietnam in increasing numbers. A voice that harkened back to the days of the early sixties with the promise of change, of hope and of the dream of Camelot had also been silenced. Robert Kennedy had been assassinated. Both groups wanted their voices to be heard by the Democratic party and the merging of the two groups during the 1968 convention and the typical ball-breaker attitude of Mayor Daley placed a lot of kindling, a lot of accelerant and a lot of matches in one place.

And it exploded. Chicago became the site of a clash between protestors and police. It was violent on both sides and the amount of hatred that filled park was enough to poison everyone. The curfew imposed by Daley was ignored and when the police tried to enforce it, the crowd began to throw rocks. Tear gas and batons were used to subdue protestors. What ensued would later be characterized by the U.S. National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence as a “police riot”.

The trials that followed for the protestors who became known as The Chicago 7 (it was originally the Chicago 8 but Bobby Seale, the only Black defendant, had his trial severed) brought a great deal of unwanted attention to Chicago and so did the arrests of eight police officers for their actions. In the end two were acquitted and five found guilty of crossing state lines to incite a riot. All convictions and most of the contempt charges were tossed out. The trial is remembered as much for the outrageous behavior of activist Abbie Hoffman as the content of the trial. He told the judge "you are a shande fur de Goyim [disgrace in front of the gentiles]. You would have served Hitler better." He later added that "your idea of justice is the only obscenity in the room.”

But last night I watched a different face of political Chicago. And I'm not so sure it had as much to do with who won, but with how invested we became as citizens in this last election. A massive crowd of people gathered. The group was as diverse as the face of America. As they stood clustered together to hear the speech of the President Elect, there was a sense of hope and a sense of peace that our country hasn’t seen since the days of Kennedy and his Camelot. And that gave me a proud sense of national self and hope for what we can accomplish as a people. Not what the politicians can accomplish, but what we the American people can bring to fruition.

Okay folks, now go check out Anny Cook, Kelly Marstad, Sandra Cox, Jenny Beans and others listed to the left who have lots to say.

Don't forget to make sure you come back by on November 12th. I will be launching the first of two Soul Stone contests to celebrate the release of the last book in the Jewels of Ursus Trilogy.

Where Have They Gone?

George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln. Theodore Roosevelt. Woodrow Wilson. Dwight D. Eisenhower. John F. Kennedy.

Does anyone else remember the days when the men who held the office of President of the United States were people we could be proud of? Men who were a long way from perfect, but there was an honor and integrity in our political system? These were men we could respect as leaders despite their human flaws; enough so that we carved their faces into mountains, built monuments to their accomplishments and bestowed upon them a level of respect and consideration once they left office.

Now I’m not naïve. I’m perfectly aware that part of the reasons that the populace of the United States was able to do this was two fold. First of all we didn’t see the actual political infighting that occurred. The in-party disagreements about who should or shouldn’t represent the party were kept in backrooms and private conferences. So we didn’t have months of candidates from the various parties slinging mud and insults at each other before the real election ever actually began. Secondly the lower levels of media technology meant that we didn’t have the candidate’s entire lives, good and bad, blasted into our living rooms and flying about the internet to the point of absolute saturation.

This yet another example how our sophistication as a society has robbed us of the innocence that once gave us our heroes and our icons. Should we trade it? Should we go back? Probably not. It’s tempting to want things to be simpler, to be easier. But we also have to remember that simpler and easier, that age of innocence was used against us all as a way of perpetuating institutions in our nation that we as an ethical and enlightened people cannot accept. Innocence, simplicity and ease were used to propagate slavery—not just on the basis of race but the enslavement of multiple sectors of society—and its progeny segregation, gender based discrimination, bias in housing, bias in the work place and more.

But that doesn’t mean that we have to lose that which was good from those times. We can have leaders that are worthy of respect and admiration. But I truly believe that it is up to us as the citizens. We simply have to make it clear that there is behavior we won’t accept. It doesn’t have to do with political or social positions. It doesn’t have to do with the foibles that these people may have. It has to do with refusing to accept people who cannot lead without showing respect, dignity and class.

Ping!

Yes, this is me pinging off to another topic again.

We are eight weeks and counting. Momma is getting more and more nervous. But I have to tell you I work with the greatest bunch of people in the world.

I work in a small school system that is in the Metro Atlanta area and we are getting more and more Metro all the time. But what makes this particular middle school special is that we are a family. We don't always agree with each other, we argue and we huff but we get over it and move on. We support each other and it has been wonderful. My school is such a special place that I drive an hour and a half in the morning and two hours in the afternoon to work there.

My family situation is not exactly traditional. Ward and June Cleaver we aren't. I'm not even sure we qualify as Mike and Carol Brady, though considering the current state of my house I really wish I had an Alice around to help out. But the people I work with have been tremendously supportive of me as a writer and in this journey to enlarge our family. One co-worker has already raided the sales racks at Kohls and given us a sack full of clothes sized to fit Z during the summer months. When I shook my head and told her she shouldn't have, she grinned and said they were on sale. And that was that. They are all eager and supportive of this pregnancy, asking regularly how things are going. Another lady has brought me fabric to make sheets for our Moses basket and covers for the changing pad.

And my students are also excited, but not very happy at the prospect of a long term sub. They've been making suggestions for what work I should leave them and what subs are "nice". Now I have to seriously start planning for when I'm out. What do you leave your students to do for several weeks under the teaching of someone else?

So, we are eight weeks from launch. The next couple of months will see two of my "children" meet the world. November 19th will be the release of Soul Stone, the final book in the Jewels of Ursus trilogy from Ellora's Cave and my dear little incubus Tarris will be learning to fly solo. Then, a matter of a couple of weeks later, my little Z will make his appearance.

I had the most amazing dream last night. I dreamt he was already here, I was holding him and talking to him. It was such a sweet and warm feeling to hold him. It may sound odd, but I read to Z almost every night. I read picture books. We've read Have You Got My Purr; The Monster at The End of This Book; Chrysanthemum; Llama, Llama, Red Pajamas; Don't Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus and many more.

Okay, now head on over and see what Anny Cook, Kelly Marstad and Sandra Cox have to say. And be sure to check out some of the other blogs to the left and the ones on these ladies reading lists as well. There's a lot of good stuff out there.

Lovers' Stone

Wednesday, July 9th, is the release day for Lovers' Stone, the second in the Jewels of Ursus trilogy. Lovers' Stone is the sequel to Mating Stone and focuses on Luke Ursine, the bad boy and black sheep of the Ursine family. Luke doesn't do things the easy way or the nice way. He does them his way.

To celebrate the release I'm holding a contest where the prize is a genuine diamond and ruby pendant with matching ruby stud earrings. The delicate pendant is a small circle of gems set in gold, of course, on an 18" chain. Entering to win this prize is easy. All you have to do is visit this blog and leave a comment. Each day's comment will earn you a slot in a drawing for the necklace. All entries must be received by midnight, July 11th (Friday) EST. The winner will be announced on Saturday (7/12).

Blurb:

Luke Ursine is drawn to the most sacred place in his Were clan’s lore. There he finds a woman who touches him like no other and his own mating stone. Not a common mating stone, but a lovers’ stone that declares he has only one true mate, one great love that will claim him body and soul. Anna is the most inappropriate of all mates. She’s a hunter and they are sworn to destroy the Weres. Even if they can set aside generations of hate and murder, will their families let them live long enough to enjoy the promised destiny?

Tomorrow's blog will feature a profile on our bad boy Were-Bear and an excerpt from Lovers' Stone.

I was watching bits and pieces of a movie today to inspire my attempts at JulNaNoWriMo. I'm sadly and pitifully behind on the goal targets. I've added a bible and 4,000 words to my WIP since the 1st. Truly a sad beginning. The movie I popped in is one where the dynamic between the hero and his sidekick remind me of the dynamic I'm creating between the hero and his second in my WIP. Not to mention that one of the actors fits the model of one of the characters, or at least closely anyway.

I do believe that part of my stall has come from the deviation from the original story I had thought to write. This deviation was absolutely necessary and not my blasted idea. One of my characters decided to reveal something rather surprising to me about himself and it has forced me to redirect the entire story. I do believe it was calculated on his part because it has earned him a reprieve. He was supposed to die to spurr forward the big confrontation between hero and heroine. Their mutual grief pulling them together. But his little bombshell would have made his death such a cliche that I refuse to do it. And he knows it, the irreverent and impossible little scamp. Well, not little. He's 6'5".

6'5" is tall. It is very tall. This has caused my little ADD brain to ping off in a new direction today. Why are all romantic heros over 6' tall? What is so magic about that number that we have set it as a measuring bar for romance. Would the hero be any less sexy and appealing if he were 5' 10"? I mean, as a slightly below average height woman, 5'5", the prospect of a tall man is appealing, but in real logistics of kissing a 6'3" man (I read somewhere that that was the average height of a hero in a romance novel- wonder who did that study?) would not come easy. For either of us. Women are often quick to say, size doesn't matter, but really now... come on, be honest... how short is too short? how tall is too tall?

Stop by and visit the blogs of Anny Cook, Amarinda Jones and Kelly Kirch. Anny is writing about comfort and Amarinda is taking on controversy. And Kelly...well, stop by and see for yourself.