Gianna Bruno

Discounted Holiday Gift Packages and Stocking Stuffers

2011-12-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

Eternal Press is offering a 25% discount on any book downloaded from their website. Use coupon code 12AR0CYRCSTY until 12/31/11.

Might I suggest one of my Eternal Press titles?

Hot Chocolate Kiss is a perfect stocking stuffer: short, sweet, and sexy. Guys love it, too, thanks to the sports both on and off the slopes.

The Journey is a great story for those who love historically based plots, a love story, and lots of magic and intrigue.

As always, contact me if you'd like a personalized note or signed print copies of either or both stories sent out in time for holiday gift giving.

The blonde perched on a stool wore boots that looked like she’d strapped a husky dog to each leg. Keela doubted she had ever skied in her life. That sleek blonde ponytail wouldn't fit under a helmet, and she'd freeze her perky tits and tight ass off wearing that pink fleece jacket and black spandex pants.

She prattled out the usual disclaimers while processing the credit card transaction. "No refunds for conditions. The gondolas are closed due to high winds. Only the open chairs are going to the summit, and we might have to close them as well. The ski patrol has put up an extreme weather alert: no exposed skin, take frequent re-warming breaks."

Keela tried not to sound bitchy. This wasn't one of Ken's girlfriends. The kid was just doing her job. "Thanks for the tips."

After securing the $75.00 ticket on her parka and putting on every piece of protective equipment in her pack, she waddled out the door like a stuffed pig, sweating like one, too.

She knocked the ice off the bottom of her boots with her poles and clicked into the bindings. No matter who I’m with, it’s always me against the mountain—alone.

Keela skated over to the lift where the same guy she’d met outside the can was working. "It’s the Tuckerman lady." He winked and guided the chair under her butt.

She couldn't see the rest of his face but imagined him licking his lips.

The lift swept her up, and he called out, "Seriously, be careful. I’ll buy you a Hot Chocolate Kiss when you come down from the summit, sister."

I don't think so, dude. No more being treated like a buddy who happened to have a receptacle instead of a plug. No more schlepping boots and ski equipment, plus a backpack full of camping gear to the summit of Mount Washington , dodging rockslides and avalanches, to ski Tuckerman Ravine. No more romantic nights crammed into a lean-to, surrounded by a unisex cadre of other idiots, with a sleeping bag, thermals, and Gore-Tex to light her fire. View the Trailer

An excerpt of The Journey

Villagers swarmed around the dappled gray stallion to obstruct her passage. They buzzed like flies on dung. Since the day Milena stumbled dazed and disoriented out of the Swampscott forest, and Hecabe'slair, they'd branded her a sorceress. Thomas found her huddled near the docks, knowing little of the world and nothing of her origins, surviving only by an innate ability to forage and perform simple magic. He transformed her from an illiterate, illegitimate enigma with his love and attention, teaching her numbers, letters and the ways of the civilized.

If not for the laws on the books, and the protection Thomas provided, Milena would have been hanged. Being shunned was the extent of her punishment. And for that she owed him her loyalty and fidelity. Perhaps the winds of war blowing since Lincoln 's election and the Southerners' secession now occupied the Northerners' attention, but Milena knew prejudice to be a blinder as effective as those used on skittish work horses.

"Go back into the woods where you belong, witch." A woman reached up and tugged Milena's ebony plaits. "Immodesty in dress and action. No cap covering your hair, devil worship at the full moon."

Greystone reared. The crowd fled the horse's shrill whinny and pawing hooves.

The woman spat on the ground. "Good riddance, demoness. Ride your ghost mount back whence you came."

Milena clutched the horse's middle with her legs, regained her balance and continued on to the docks. The gray, sticky aura of the sea's wrath shrouded everything in Milena's sight. Whitecaps frothed on the bay. Plumes of sea spray surged through the planks with each swell the agitated waters. A steady wind dispersed black clouds over the town.

Hateful eyes glared from a safe distance. She tethered Greystone and walked into the shipping company office. Her footsteps echoed in the room. The workers fell silent.

She approached the purser's desk. He surveyed her from the neckline of her sackcloth dress down to the battered boots on her feet. "What business have you here, witch?"

"To inquire after Thomas Harper." Milena ignored her heart pounding and stared directly into his eyes. He would not intimidate her.

"And of what interest is he to you?" A smirk spread over his face.

The vision of Thomas headed into the forest on the day he left flashed through her mind. Milena's voice quavered despite her effort. "He's my husband."

Unmoved, the brute spoke with the venom of a poisonous snake. "His ship was last seen leaving Cay West on two months ago. The ship went down, but no one knows where." His crooked smile indicated perverse delight in delivering the news. Despair surged through Milena's body like lightning. Her heart trembled with grief, the empty pit in her soul ached. Why had the spirits not spoken the truth? She would not show any vulnerability, she would not react, she would not give them the pleasure of seeing her cry.

View the Trailer

Gianna Bruno and Friends Pre Thanksgiving Chat On November 19 1-3 pm

2011-11-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

Andrew Richardson and Alice Gaines will be joining me on the Coffee Time Romance Erotic Loop Saturday November 19 from 1-2 pm.

We'll start off by talking about our favorite holiday memories and who knows where it will go from there.

You have to register for the Yahoo Group in advance.

There will be some holiday goodies.

Andrew Richardson lives near Stonehenge and other ancient places. The feel of these sites often provide inspiration for novels set in Britain’s legendary past. His novel The Wood and erotic short story "The Shoot" have been listed on the GLBT bookshelf.

Alice Gaines writes erotic and historical romance for Carina, Harlequin Spice Briefs, Changeling Press, and Red Sage Publishing. In December, she'll have a new release from Changeling, Sinful Wager, and from Red Sage, Nightwatch.

Besides writing and reading, Alice loves pet reptiles, cooking, and funky soul band Tower of Power.

Inside the Mind of a Paranormal Author

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

So, I'm kicking off the holiday season early this year. The weather has been wintry, and I'm looking forward to trick or treating with my kids on Halloween, as well as celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family.

In between answering the door for the little ones (and some of the big ones), I am hosting a Spooky Stories blog at Coffee Time Romance on Halloween. Please stop by and share some of your experiences. I will be giving away one of my holiday packages, which includes an electronic copy of Hot Chocolate Kiss and The Journey, with a personalized note, to one lucky responder on the CTR site. But you'll have to answer an easy question, which I will post on CTR Halloween evening. You can find the answer in the excerpts below.

Here is a reprint of a post I wrote for Whipped Cream Reviews last summer, just after I photographed a spectral orb (be sure to blow up both the pictures of the cemetery or you will not be able to see it). Just so you know where I get my inspirations.

I once sailed out of Camden, Maine for a four day Windjammer cruise--no electricity, no running water, a marine "head" that you have to pump to flush. I had to help hoist the sails, drop the sheets, and even got to sit next to the captain at the tiller. The Windjammer I sailed on dated from the late 1870s, so it was easy to imagine it was the 19th Century. And perhaps because I grew up on and around sailboats, the sensation of walking the decks early in the morning or late at night, alone, seemed familiar, like I'd been there, done that. Those experiences helped me write The Journey-a love story with an action/adventure plot featuring a witch and a sailor just before the Civil War.

This year, we took a two-hour cruise out of Provincetown, Massachusetts, on the Kalmar Nyckel, a three masted (with three crow's nests) replica of a 1625 Dutch Pinnace. I again got to help hoist the sails of my imagination and time travel back to the days of the pirates. That was topped off by a visit to the Pirate Museum at P-town's Macmillan Wharf, where artifacts from the slave ship/pirate vessel of Black Sam Bellamy, Captain of the Wyhdah, are on display. Blackbeard was one of Bellamy's apprentices and the displays are appropriately creepy enough to have lit a spark for me to write a pirate yarn—with a female captain, of course.

Provincetown, as many towns on Cape Cod, was colonized in the 1600s, and a ghost tour of the labyrinthine streets lined with quaint historic inns, taverns, and haunted mansions was the perfect ending to the night. I've never been afraid of ghosts, and maybe that's why they allow me to feel their presence in such a real way. We weren't disappointed, and photographed an orb over a gravesite in one of P-town's five cemeteries, and noted a lot of electromagnetic activity on a cool (free) application Paranormal States.

So, that's a glimpse of how the mind of a paranormal author works—and how I do my research. It might be my imagination that allows me to conjure the images, emotions, characters and eventually the plots that go alone with them, but outdoors, on the sea, on the shore, in the woods, and on the mountains where nature is in her full glory-both beautiful and terrible, the boundary between the real and surreal, between the natural and supernatural, between the worlds, time blurs, morphs, expands and contracts, trapping me in a very special place. One I hate to leave.

Check out my pictures on Facebook

The Journey

Hot Chocolate Kiss

Read excerpts

Contact Gianna for print copies in Holiday Gift Packages, which include either or both The Journey and Hot Chocolate Kiss, plus a box of chocolates.

My Belated Appearance at The Book Boost: A Paranormal Author Goes Straight

2011-08-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

I just got my power back after Hurricane Irene so my posts about an appearance on The Book Boost are a little late. Thankfully, all my extended family is fine.

Please stop by and read my thoughts about writing my latest story, At Home With Peter and Sandra, which contains no fantasy and no science fiction. Unless you consider the orgasm meter, but that probably already exists. Anyone know where they're selling them?

There are excerpts, prizes and I'll be around all week to chat and answer questions.

Inside the Mind of a Paranormal Author

2011-08-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

Please join me this week for a daily post on some aspect of my writing life. Whipped Cream Reviews has been kind enough to offer me an author spotlight, and I'd love to chat with both new and old friends. There will be a grand prize for one lucky reader.

My favorite post: "Inside the Mind of a Paranormal Author." I've set up a corresponding photo journal which chronicles my research, including sailing on a replica of a 17th Century pirate ship, a ghost tour of Provincetown, Massachusetts, during which I photographed a spectral orb, and images from Salem and Sturbridge that I took when writing The Journey.

All the previous posts can be accessed here, but you must leave a comment there to be entered to win the prize package.

Hope to see you here, there, everywhere.

Holed Up Writing

2011-07-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

The only way I'm going to get anything done is to pull the shades down, ignore the outdoors and write. But I hope to be coming out again soon. My upcoming appearances include an author spotlight on Whipped Cream Reviews on August 8 and another on The Book Boost August 29.

Will I have anything new coming out soon? Still at work on "At Home With Peter and Sandra" and still researching my sexy seasons sequels to Hot Chocolate Kiss, so the answer is no. Back to work.

In the meantime, tell me what you're reading and what's on your wish list in the way of stories. I was even thinking of trying a Western.....

Book Signing at Fiction Fest, May 14

2011-05-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

I'd like to invite anyone who lives in the Northeast to my book signing tomorrow at Connecticut Fiction Fest. It's being sponsored by the Connecticut Romance Writers Chapter of RWA at the Holiday Inn in North Haven from 4-6:30 pm on Saturday May 14, 2011.

Print copies of Hot Chocolate Kiss and The Journey will be for sale, and I have special goodies for anyone who has already purchased one of my books in print or electronic formats.

Stop by and say hi!

My Interview with Desmond Haas of Romance Radio Network is Live

2011-03-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

Please tune in to hear our conversation, and Desmond's glowing review of The Journey.

Join Gianna At The Borders True Romance Blog Today!

2011-03-16T03:01:00.001-07:00

I'm at the Borders True Romance Blog today, talking about how and what I write. Please join me for another chance to win a gift package. Hope to see you all there!

Vote for # 15 in the You Gotta Read Trailer Contest

2011-02-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a long, hard winter here in the Northeast. I've spent it on a whirlwind virtual book tour for The Journey and it's been great to have met so many new readers and writers.

Today, the snow melted enough that I could start to take down some of the outdoor Christmas decorations. Spring was in the air, the birds were singing--but I feel like we're going to get more snow before Mother Nature gives us a break.

And there are still a few stops left on my itinerary before the tour winds down as well and I can get back to writing in earnest.

Voting is open from February 21-26 in the You Gotta Read Trailer Contest, and The Journey leads off at #15. Take a look at it and see if you agree that Nick Virzi's gorgeous symphony complements the images he put together with me. If so, I'd love your vote.

Order Holiday Gift Packages of My Eternal Press Releases

2010-12-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

Hot Chocolate Kiss

Extreme weather, three witches, two skiers fighting their own demons...and each other. Who wins?

This fast paced, sexy read is a great stocking stuffer or Valentine's Day gift. Guys will love this one for the sports--on and off the slopes.

The Journey

As the North prepares to battle the South a witch, a sailor and escaped slaves discover the journey is not about a destination.

Email Gianna for personalized gift packages including chocolates and a gift note

PDF Dowload

Print/Kindle
Fictionwise

An excerpt of Hot Chocolate Kiss

The blonde perched on a stool wore boots that looked like she’d strapped a husky dog to each leg. Keela doubted she had ever skied in her life. That sleek blonde ponytail wouldn't fit under a helmet, and she'd freeze her perky tits and tight ass off wearing that pink fleece jacket and black spandex pants.

She prattled out the usual disclaimers while processing the credit card transaction. "No refunds for conditions. The gondolas are closed due to high winds. Only the open chairs are going to the summit, and we might have to close them as well. The ski patrol has put up an extreme weather alert: no exposed skin, take frequent re-warming breaks."

Keela tried not to sound bitchy. This wasn't one of Ken's girlfriends. The kid was just doing her job. "Thanks for the tips."

After securing the $75.00 ticket on her parka and putting on every piece of protective equipment in her pack, she waddled out the door like a stuffed pig, sweating like one, too.

She knocked the ice off the bottom of her boots with her poles and clicked into the bindings. No matter who I’m with, it’s always me against the mountain—alone.

Keela skated over to the lift where the same guy she’d met outside the can was working. "It’s the Tuckerman lady." He winked and guided the chair under her butt.

She couldn't see the rest of his face but imagined him licking his lips.

The lift swept her up, and he called out, "Seriously, be careful. I’ll buy you a Hot Chocolate Kiss when you come down from the summit, sister."

I don't think so, dude. No more being treated like a buddy who happened to have a receptacle instead of a plug. No more schlepping boots and ski equipment, plus a backpack full of camping gear to the summit of Mount Washington , dodging rockslides and avalanches, to ski Tuckerman Ravine. No more romantic nights crammed into a lean-to, surrounded by a unisex cadre of other idiots, with a sleeping bag, thermals, and Gore-Tex to light her fire. View the Trailer

An excerpt of The Journey

Villagers swarmed around the dappled gray stallion to obstruct her passage. They buzzed like flies on dung. Since the day Milena stumbled dazed and disoriented out of the Swampscott forest, and Hecabe'slair, they'd branded her a sorceress. Thomas found her huddled near the docks, knowing little of the world and nothing of her origins, surviving only by an innate ability to forage and perform simple magic. He transformed her from an illiterate, illegitimate enigma with his love and attention, teaching her numbers, letters and the ways of the civilized.

If not for the laws on the books, and the protection Thomas provided, Milena would have been hanged. Being shunned was the extent of her punishment. And for that she owed him her loyalty and fidelity. Perhaps the winds of war blowing since Lincoln 's election and the Southerners' secession now occupied the Northerners' attention, but Milena knew prejudice to be a blinder as effective as those used on skittish work horses.

"Go back into the woods where you belong, witch." A woman reached up and tugged Milena's ebony plaits. "Immodesty in dress and action. No cap covering your hair, devil worship at the full moon."

Greystone reared. The crowd fled the horse's shrill whinny and pawing hooves.

The woman spat on the ground. "Good riddance, demoness. Ride your ghost mount back whence you came."

Milena clutched the horse's middle with her legs, regained her balance and continued on to the docks. The gray, sticky aura of the sea's wrath shrouded everything in Milena's sight. Whitecaps frothed on the bay. Plumes of sea spray surged through the planks with each swell the agitated waters. A steady wind dispersed black clouds over the town.

Hateful eyes glared from a safe distance. She tethered Greystone and walked into the shipping company office. Her footsteps echoed in the room. The workers fell silent.

She approached the purser's desk. He surveyed her from the neckline of her sackcloth dress down to the battered boots on her feet. "What business have you here, witch?"

"To inquire after Thomas Harper." Milena ignored her heart pounding and stared directly into his eyes. He would not intimidate her.

"And of what interest is he to you?" A smirk spread over his face.

The vision of Thomas headed into the forest on the day he left flashed through her mind. Milena's voice quavered despite her effort. "He's my husband."

Unmoved, the brute spoke with the venom of a poisonous snake. "His ship was last seen leaving Cay West on two months ago. The ship went down, but no one knows where." His crooked smile indicated perverse delight in delivering the news. Despair surged through Milena's body like lightning. Her heart trembled with grief, the empty pit in her soul ached. Why had the spirits not spoken the truth? She would not show any vulnerability, she would not react, she would not give them the pleasure of seeing her cry.

View the Trailer

Release Day for The Journey-Blog Tour and Chat Schedule

2010-12-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

As the North prepares to battle the South a witch, a sailor and escaped slaves discover the journey is not about a destination, but rather overcoming the obstacles along the way.

View the Trailer

Here are the blog tour dates so you can put them on your calendar. All will be a little different. Some are interviews, others posts I'll do on a specific topic, and there's even a couple of live chats. I hope you'll be able to make some of them. Subscribe to the 24-7 forums on Eternal Press and Coffee Time Romance.

Andrew Richardson previewed The Journey. The contest is still open.
I was interviewed on Rachel Leigh's blog and the contest is still open.
Check out the month long festivities and big give aways at Fang-tastic Books

Use the EP discount code (listed above) for 25% off all EP titles purchased through their website.

Contact me for holiday gift packages on both Hot Chocolate Kiss and The Journey.

Release Day December 7: Take your pick or make the rounds!

I've been interviewed by Dawn Roberto for the Love Romances and More Blog

There will be an all day release day party at the Eternal Press Readers Group and Eternal Press Fever Loop

Check out my Coffee Time Romance Cafe Corner Forum-Open 24 hours!

Join me for a live chat at 7:30 pm MST/ 9:30 pm EST December 7 on the Eternal Press website

On December 22 meet me at Beyond Romance, hosted by Lisabet Sarai

January 2011:

Celebrate the New Year with a month long contest on Coffee Time Romance. There will be give aways of both print and electronic holiday packages for Valentine's Day gifts. Details TBA

My guest blog on Saavy Authors will discuss the trials of being something you're not: Confessions of a Reformed Panster

February 2011:

Night Owl Romance will host me and three other EP authors for a live chat. Start Time by Time Zone: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8 EST. There will be door prizes and loads of give aways.

I hope to see you somewhere along this exciting journey!

Gianna

Happy Thanksgiving--And My Pre-Release Day Blog Tour

2010-11-24T16:01:00.000-08:00

I'm busy cooking up my contribution for tomorrow's feast (Italian antipasti and stuffed artichokes). Then Friday, I'm back to get ready for a big week of appearances.

November 28: Andrew Richardson will release his preview of The Journey. Join us for a discussion about what inspired me to write this story.

November 30: I'll be continuing the conversation at Rachel Leigh's blog.

December 1: Roxanne Rhodes will host me at Fang-tastic Books.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hope to "see" you next week.

Welcome to Michal Scott-Author of Christian Erotic Romance

2010-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

I met Michal Scott at a writer's conference last September, and all the writer/participants had the same reaction: "Christian erotica and Christian erotic romance? They let you do that?"

What impressed me so much about Michal is her engaging, down to earth personality and absolute joy and commitment she has to her work—no matter what form it takes—and to life.

Now, I'm Catholic (stop laughing) and my erotica is generally of the pagan variety. I don't think any traditional religion would appreciate my writing, and in fact, they'd likely banish me to eternal damnation.

But as with many vocal religious figures who strayed from the righteous path, the realities of their life and life experiences are much different than what they would have us believe. Witness the scandals facing the Roman Catholic Church as well as those of numerous Christian denominations.

So I applaud Michal for acknowledging that men and women of any faith, or no faith, can rejoice in the pleasures of sexuality without denying it's a basic and necessary human need--and write about it in a frank and realistic manner.

I've read some of Michal's stories. She was a finalist in the RWA Passionate Ink Chapter's Stroke of Midnight Contest, and I think it's safe to say we're going to see more of her work in print and on line. Go to her website and see read samples of Michal's truly inspired and poetic prose.

Welcome, Michal!

Can you tell us something about your background and how you define Christian erotica and Christian erotic romance?

Hi Gianna,

I'm an ordained United Church of Christ minister and have been in ministry for thirty years, first as an ordained Presbyterian elder in 1980. I've been a member of Romance Writers of America since 2003.

I define Christian erotica as writing which explores the connection between our spiritual selves and sexual selves. The seeds for my Christian erotica were planted during my seminary days when because of feminist theology I discovered Christian mystics like Julian of Norwich and the love mystics of Begijns. In Christian erotica the partners are the protagonist and God. Because my goal is to achieve in my fiction the same ecstatic level conveyed and experienced in the prayers of these mystics only an erotic heat level will do.

Christian erotic romance is more than an inspirational romance with sex. When I write a Christian erotic romance it's always (or at least) a threesome. The partners are hero, heroine and God (or any others if you're writing about a ménage.) Again the spiritual dimension (or faith arc) is the driving force in the story. The sex is an indicator of the depth of the connection to God, i.e that procreative energy defined in the Christian New Testament (I John 4:8 - Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.) And again, for me only an erotic heat level does justice to the sexual/spiritual journey of my hero and heroine. In execution the difference between my Christian erotica and Christian erotic romance is the context. The hero and heroine's faith journey is always centered in/through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

What are the markets available for these genres, and is it a new phenomenon or one that has been operating under the covers for a while?

I belong to a group called Christian Erotic Romance Writers. Looking at their titles and the markets they sell in I would say it's been a phenomenon that has been operating under the covers for a while. Erotic publishers like Red Sage and Samhain are publishers I'm targeting. But I get surprises too. I got a request for a full from Harlequin Blaze, a line I would have thought too tame for what I write. We'll see.

Are your readers older, younger, in between, or both?

I'd say both. Possibly my age fifties and younger. But I have to admit it was one of my shut-ins (a woman in her eighties) who turned me on to romance.

Do you write in other genres, and if so, which. What is your favorite thing to write?

I write inspirational romance and have a book with White Rose Publishing entitled Through A Glass Darkly. I also write gothic romance and have a novella entitled Haunted Serenade coming out in Red Rose Publishing's Shadowed Hearts series. I must say erotic flash fiction is becoming my favorite thing to write.

Which piece of your writing is the most important or emblematic for you and why?

I have to say the erotica because I get to delve into the types of questions that called me in to ministry in the first place, namely, the journey to become ourselves and reconnecting that self with others and with the love that created the universe.

How do your family, friends, and associates feel about you writing in these genres, if they even know?

Everyone knows I write inspirational and gothic romance and are quite proud of me. I'm particular about who I share my erotica/erotic romance with. My female clergy colleagues get it right away and love it. My husband gets red in the face when he reads over my shoulder, but cheers me on. His qualm isn't with the heat level. It's the spirituality he can't buy into. (He's an atheist.)

You are a clergywoman who writes erotic fiction, and you're married to an atheist. Is this a function of your denomination being more accepting and permissive than most, or just a tribute to your personal strength ministerial abilities?

I think it's more a function of being in love. But I do know that being in a denomination that cares as much about "doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly before God" (Micah 6:8) as it does about saving souls didn't hurt.

What I mean by this is, how do you capture the attention of those whose beliefs are so different than yours without alienating them?

By really taking Micah 6:8 to heart. You can't walk humbly before God if you're looking down your nose at other people or deciding their worthless because you don't agree with them. The core message of the gospel of Christ is it's all about love. Not judgment.

Do you think your newfound interest in erotic fiction is a function of being "older and wiser" as evidenced by the influence of your elderly shut in friend? Which, by the way, makes me think of Ursula LeGuin who wrote of "luxury love" in her collection Changing Planes.

Most definitely. When we're young and dumb we think we know it all, but as we experience more of life, we learn there's more to life than we'll ever know.

LOL! Young and dumb. I remember being worried how my grandmother, who was a devout Catholic (lighting candles, praying to saints, etc) would react when I told her I was getting divorced. She was so incredibly supportive. I think we underestimate the wisdom and insight that living instills in us.

Can you tell readers what is the best way to stay up to date on what you're writing and new releases?

Right now signing the guestbook on my website is the best way. I hope to launch a Facebook pan page and a blog after Thanksgiving.

Thanks for being here today, Michal. And for a fascinating look at a genre I had no idea even existed. And I thought I was brave writing a five flame novella.

Cover Art for The Journey- A Countdown to Release Day

2010-10-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the cover, and it's gorgeous. Thanks to Amanda Kelsey for all her hard work. She truly captured the essence of the story.

As the North prepares to battle the South a witch, a sailor and escaped slaves discover the journey is not about a destination, but rather overcoming the obstacles along the way.

Here are the blog tour dates I've got set up so far so you can put them on your calendar. All will be a little different. Some are interviews, others posts I'll do on a specific topic, and there's even a couple of live chats. I hope you'll be able to make some of them.

November 30: I'll be featured on Rachel Leigh's blog

December 7: Take your pick:

I've been interviewed by Dawn Roberto for the Love Romances and More Blog

Don't forget the All Day Release Party on the Eternal Press Readers Group and Eternal Press Fever Loop

Live Chat: Time to be announced for the evening (EST) of December 7 at the Eternal Press website

December 22: I'll be featured on Beyond Romance, hosted by Lisabet Sarai

February 7: Live Chat on Night Owl Romance, Start Time by Time Zone: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8 EST

There's more to come, I've just booked a date with Savvy Authors for January 14, 2011 but don't have the details yet. And Andrew Richardson has written a preview. Just a little more than a month to release day. Back to edits!

The Journey's Progress

2010-10-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

First edits are done! I've seen the cover art draft courtesy of Amanda Kelsey, and it's gorgeous! Just about two months to release day. I'm working on my book tour schedule and Andrew Richardson is writing a preview.

Stay tuned for the latest updates.

I'm was a featured author at the Coffee Time Romance Book Brew on October 4. Check out the interview by AZ Gaye. It's one of the most interesting one I've ever done--not your usual questions. There's another excerpt of The Journey coming as well.

Please stop by, anytime. Remember my Coffee Time Romance Forum is always open as well.

The Journey: Coming to Eternal Press December 7 2010

2010-08-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to announce that Eternal Press will publish The Journey, my erotic paranormal novella with historic elements on December 7 2010.

Just in time for holiday gifts!

I'll get a blurb and excerpt and of course a cover out as soon as it's available. Meanwhile here's a teaser:

They don't hang witches in Salem anymore, but Milena's punishment is being shunned. When her lover Thomas' ship is lost at sea, she fears he perished with the rest of the crew leaving her alone in a town bracing for a war over slavery, but still rife with an older form of prejudice.

Milena travels into the Forest and Sea Otherworlds to search for him. On the long journey, Milena learns to use her powers in ways she never imagined and discovers surprising truths about her own past. Left questioning everything she has ever believed, she must make the choice whether to return home with Thomas or stay in the Otherworlds forever.

Put December 7 on your calendar for the release party!

My Spotlight Day is Here!

2010-06-28T05:10:00.000-07:00

Join the discussion on my personal Coffee Time Romance Forum. We're starting off discussing writing sex scenes from the point of view of the opposite sex. Who knows where that will lead?

Andrew Richardson and other Eternal Press Authors will be stopping by. There will be previews, prizes.....

I'll be in and out all day.

June 28 Is My Spotlight Day on Coffee Time Romance

2010-06-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Please join me at the June Jubilee Celebration on Coffee Time Romance.

On my personal forum we're discussing the merits of shorter length stories versus longer ones. I just finished The Scandalous Tale of Agnes Biggenbotten by Christopher Newman, a delightful novella whose pages turned themselves. Yet, I love to get sucked into novels like Angel of Windword by Maggie Dove, or I Came Upstairs: A Victorian Courtesan's Memoir by MC Halliday.

Then there are novelettes like The Shoot by Andrew Richardson and mine, Hot Chocolate Kiss.

Plus all the newest releases. So many books, so little time....

All are available at the Eternal Press Website

There is a cool special interests forum where you can jump into discussions on authors' hobbies.
My spotlight day on Coffee Time Romance is June 28. Andrew Richardson will be stopping by to chat about his work, our collaborations, and how to write great sex scenes from the point of view of the opposite sex.

Previews, prizes....

New Eternal Press Website Link

2010-05-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

Eternal Press has a new website so the buy link for Hot Chocolate Kiss has changed.

My Eternal Press Author Page has changed also.

It's still the same short story, with a series of great reviews on Amazon.com

I'm busy writing, not blogging these days. Hope to have more news about The Journey shortly.

Trailer for Hot Chocolate Kiss Featured As One Of The Best In Romance

2010-04-02T06:14:00.000-07:00

The trailer made a very respectable showing in the You Gotta Read Contest. Thanks to all my fans who voted.

I just got word that it was selected as one of the Best In Romance trailers at Seriously Reviewed

Check it out! Woo Hoo!

Vote In The You Gotta Read Trailer Contest

2010-03-21T05:12:00.000-07:00

Voting opens today in the You Gotta Read Trailer Contest

Hot Chocolate Kiss is #16. Check out the great music Nick Virzi composed, which perfectly fits the mood. You can't lose this one as you peruse some great titles out there for your reading pleasure.

Don't forget about my Website Forums. Rick and Keela are looking forward to answering your questions.

Why Do Olympic Athletes Push the Limits?

2010-02-28T17:36:00.000-08:00

I've been staying up far too late for the last two weeks watching the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. I love winter sports (having lived in Vermont) and am thrilled to finally have a winter in New York City which has allowed me to get in some skiing in the park, as well as sledding with my kids. Having snow on the ground cheers me up-when it's cold at least it can be bright.

You might not share my love of the white stuff and the cold. What makes people crave outdoor adventures? And what sets athletes apart from the rest of us who dabble in their sport rather than make it a lifelong obsession?

Here are a few questions bumping around in my head:

Do women approach extreme sports differently?

Are they trying to keep up with men, prove they're as good, or is the younger generation who grew up after the feminist movement gender blind and buying into extreme sports for the same reasons as their male counterparts?

And how does all this related to the heroine, Keela, in my story Hot Chocolate Kiss?

For anyone that grows up in the Northeastern United States (like me and Keela) winter sports are a way of life. Kids spend half a day a week while in school in Vermont on the slopes. Parents put them on skis when they walk-and have often carried them in backpacks before that.

Skiing began as a means to get around in the winter, nothing more. Men and women strapped boards to their feet and used one long pole for balance and to help on the uphill climb. Not until skiing (1950s) and snowboarding (late 1980s) became a sport were feet fixed to the skis in special boots.

The birth of skiing in the Northeastern United States is documented in thebtiny New England Ski Museum at the foot of Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire (there is a rock formation at the summit which looks like a cannon).

Just down the road, in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire a plaque commemorates the site of Peckett's Inn where Nordic skiing mutated to what is now known as alpine skiing, bindings that hold the entire foot onto the ski. Norpine skiing, or telemarking is a holdover variant where the heel of the boot can be released when ascending (think cross country) and fastened when descending.

The tradition of hiking up the mountain and skiing down instead of using automated lifts still continues on the other side of the Presidential Range where a hardy and fit bunch (some call us nuts) hike from Pinkham Notch, NH, from a base camp run by the Appalachian Mountain Club, nearly to the summit of Mount Washington (which is legendary for its wild, wicked, unpredictable weather).

We wear hiking boots and carry their skis, boots, and poles, plus essential camping and survival equipment to a bowl known as Tuckerman Ravine.

The headwall of the ravine is almost a sheer drop, so this is not for the amateur skier or hiker. In addition, the severe weather which can blow in at a moments notice has claimed more than a few lives by disorienting the hikers/skiers and exposing them to extreme wind chills. There is so much snow that the risk of avalanche exists, as well as rock slides during times of thaw.

Keela and I are far from Olympians: not good or not driven or not crazy enough to push the limits.

So, now you know the background. Please ask Keela any questions you might have about why she took the risks she did--braving the extreme weather to prove herself and pull out of a particularly troubling emotional state.

She's shy, but getting used to the limelight, as well as the fact that she has been getting in touch with her new paranormal abilities and met a hot guy with whom she'll be sharing more extreme adventures.

The conversation with Keela started on Andrew Richardson's Blogand will continue March 3 with Annie Alvarez. And it will be ongoing, with Rick included in the fun, on my website forums.

There will be prizes!

Celebrate Valentine's Day and the Winter Olympics with a Hot Chocolate Kiss

2010-02-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

Looking to banish the mid-winter blues?

Valentine's Day is next week.

How about a Hot Chocolate Kiss for your special someone?

The Winter Olympics start on February 12.

Lindsey Vonn made the cover of Sports Illustrated and will surely dominate the women's ski scene at the Games in Vancouver.

How about an intimate look at the downhill ski scene-both on and off the slopes?

My fast paced, winter love story has gotten five-star reviews on Amazon for being " a good paranormal yarn spiced with love interest" and "a great book for curling up in bed with on a chilly day."
Guys love it, too!

Hot Chocolate Kiss is available in as a PDF dowload at the Eternal Press website and in print and for Kindle at Amazon.com

It's sure to get you in the mood for some extreme sports, both indoors and out.

I'd be happy to send a personalized message to any one who purchases Hot Chocolate Kiss. Contact me at gianna@giannabruno.com

Live Chats This Week

2010-01-31T12:45:00.000-08:00

I have two live chats this week to promote my recent Eternal Press release Hot Chocolate Kiss and tell you more about my upcoming stories.

Romance Junkies on Wednesday February 3rd at 9 pm EST

Romance Junkies Chat Room

And the Love Romances Cafe Chat Loop on Thursday February 4 from from 7-8 pm EST

There will be trivia contests and the winners will recieve a free PDF of the story.

If you've read Hot Chocolate Kiss, or if you're curious about the story, please check in to the character blogs with Rick and Keela on my Website Forums

Here are the clues you'll need to answer the trivia questions:

needle
Lord of the Rings
Bewitched

Hope to see you there!

Hot Chocolate Kisses,

Gianna

A Whirlwind of Interviews

2010-01-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

I feel like a superstar. In addition to having a packed chat room and lively discussion at the Launch Party on January 7, I've been the guest on several blogs over the last few weeks.

Kayden McLeod led off, followed by Andrew Richardson who also interviewed Keela.

Ginger Simpson hosted me "the day after" while I was cleaning up the confetti.

And today, I'm a guest at Love Romances and More

So, for more about me than you probably want to know, check out any or all of these and say "Hi!"

And once you've finished reading Hot Chocolate Kiss, be sure to stop by my website forums to ask Rick and Keela anything you'd like to know about them.

Join me for a post release day chat

2010-01-08T03:16:00.000-08:00

I'll be at Ginger Simpson's blog today for some post-release day conversation.

Suffice it to say the party was rocking and I had a full chat room, as well as lots of discussion on the Eternal Press Readers Group.

Pick up the threads there while I clean up the empty cups and confetti

Release Day Tomorrow! Here's the Schedule

2010-01-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

I'm busy with all the last minute details for the launch party and the live chat tomorrow, January 7 from 8-9pm on the Eternal Press website.

Just to to the Eternal Press Website and log into the Meebo chat room. No need to pre-register.

I hope to see some friends during the day tomorrow on the Eternal Press Reader's Group (free subscription to Yahoo Groups is required).

Or, if you prefer read the story and jump into my website forum where Rick and Keela have agreed to answer your questions.

Today, Andrew Richardson posted an interview he did with me to celebrate the release. Thanks, Andrew.

And Friday, January 8, I'll be a guest on Ginger Simpson's Dishin' It Out.

Please stop by and say hello.

Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this page and sign my guest book.

Watch the video trailer for Hot Chocolate Kiss and order a copy here.

Whew! I think that's it for now!

You're Invited to The Lauch Party and Live Chat

2010-01-04T16:52:00.000-08:00

Two days to go until release day

January 7, 2010

Well, the weather around here has been cooperating. Yesterday it felt like I was at the summit in a snow squall. Better to get you all in the mood for a little Hot Chocolate Kiss.

Please join me on the Eternal Press Readers Group. I'll be lurking there all week to answer questions and maybe even give some clues for the New England Ski Trivia Contest.

January 7, at 8-9pm EST, I'll be at a live chat on the Eternal Press Website. It's easy to log on (if you're over 18) and no need to pre-register. I'll be giving away some free copies of "Hot Chocolate Kiss" so please stop by and say hi.

In case you didn't see it, Andrew Richardson wrote a preview of Hot Chocolate Kiss

And now, without further ado, an excerpt:

The blonde perched on a stool wore boots that looked like she’d strapped a husky dog to each leg. Keela doubted she had ever skied in her life. That sleek blonde ponytail wouldn't fit under a helmet, and she'd freeze her perky tits and tight ass off wearing that pink fleece jacket and black spandex pants.

She prattled out the usual disclaimers while processing the credit card transaction. "No refunds for conditions. The gondolas are closed due to high winds. Only the open chairs are going to the summit, and we might have to close them as well. The ski patrol has put up an extreme weather alert: no exposed skin, take frequent re-warming breaks."

Keela tried not to sound bitchy. This wasn't one of Ken's girlfriends. The kid was just doing her job. "Thanks for the tips."

After securing the $75.00 ticket on her parka and putting on every piece of protective equipment in her pack., she waddled out the door like a stuffed pig, sweating like one, too.

She knocked the ice off the bottom of her boots with her poles and clicked into the bindings. No matter who I’m with, it’s always me against the mountain—alone. Keela skated over to the lift where the same guy she’d met outside the can was working. "It’s the Tuckerman lady." He winked and guided the chair under her butt.

She couldn't see the rest of his face but imagined him licking his lips.

The lift swept her up, and he called out, "Seriously, be careful. I’ll buy you a Hot Chocolate Kiss when you come down from the summit, sister."

I don't think so, dude. No more being treated like a buddy who happened to have a receptacle instead of a plug. No more schlepping boots and ski equipment, plus a backpack full of camping gear to the summit of Mount Washington , dodging rockslides and avalanches, to ski Tuckerman Ravine. No more romantic nights crammed into a lean-to, surrounded by a unisex cadre of other idiots, with a sleeping bag, thermals, and Gore-Tex to light her fire.

For Immediate Dowload

Countdown to Release Day for Hot Chocolate Kiss

2009-12-29T10:47:00.000-08:00

Less than two weeks to go. Here's what's new this week:

Check out this preview by Andrew Richardson

I have a new forum linked to my website. Rick and Keela have agreed to answer readers' questions. They'll be hanging around until you get to finish the story!

Chat with Rick and Keela

Be sure to sign my new guestbook. Scroll down to the bottom of this page and tell us we're you're from.

Stay connected via my Twitter for news about excerpts. interviews, and an invitation to the live chat on January 7.

I'll always hanging around on the Eternal Press Readers Group. Join now so you don't miss a thing.

January 7 is the Release Date for Hot Chocolate Kiss

2009-12-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned for more information about the launch party and live chat.

Video Trailer for Hot Chocolate Kiss

An Interview with erotic romance author Kayden McLeod

2009-12-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

I'd like to welcome fellow Eternal Press author, Kayden McLeod.. Her latest story, "Jezebel's Article," is being released by Eternal Press on December 7. Be sure and join us on the Eternal Press Reader's Group, and tune in for the live chats Monday night with Kayden and the other EP authors who will be hanging around.

Eternal Press Readers Group

She was one of the first EP authors to extend a hand when I joined the group in preparation for the launch of my first story with EP in January 2010, hosting an interview with me on the Eternal Press Paranormal Blog. I'd like to return the favor and have Kayden tell us a little bit about herself and her writing.

Kayden, you have three releases coming out between now and early spring, plus you just released a free short story in November. Where do you find the time to write?

I’m a creative person by nature, and most content when creating, spending late nights, very early mornings and entire weekends doing so. Every available moment I have, I’m attached to a computer…my daytime job has me at a computer all day, and when there isn’t much else to do, I’m writing, promoting or just discussing books and ideas with my writing crew.

I've read an excerpt of Jezebel's Article, and the heat level of your stories seems to be as hot as molten lava. Most contain vampires, and "Deep Water Legends" is cross-genre: paranormal science fiction with both witches and vampires. Do you write only erotica and paranormal stories or have you dabbled in other genres?

To date, I’ve written paranormal everything, fine tuning a world I created almost ten years ago, building on it and making it better. One day that may change, but for now everything in immersed in this, or just has a touch here or there. My erotica, romance and science fiction are all in the same world, just different facets, situations, characters/races. Though I haven’t touched much on them with what is currently out, there are also demons, angels, deities, shifters and much else you would expect to find, and some not so much .

I see. So you write a lot of series in the same world. Makes sense. Where do you get your ideas and inspirations?

I’ve always been told I have a very vivid imagination and would guess it helps a lot. It allows me to think up some of the most strange and wonderful things in the most unlikely of places. I never know when/where/why I will get an idea, it just happens.

When you sit down to write, do you have your plot and characters mapped out or do you begin with an idea and see where it takes you?

It really depends. I write a lot of different series, and those are a process unto itself. It always starts with one book, and while I draft that one, thoughts of the next one appear, sometimes even further than that. Most times only half-thoughts, and they may start the next book, but by the time I’m done with it those ideas are normally better or replace the originals.

In the few single titles I’ve written, I sit down with nothing and the book will take me where it will. There is a gothic romance I’m also tinkering with right now (very early stages), and it was one of the first books I actually wrote out a proper outline to build the idea before I even started.

Can you tell us about some of your other works in progress?

But I have so many!!! I have a Paranormal Romance series consisting of five books I’ve been working on forever, which is vampires (sigh, my obsession), another Coven in British Columbia and their story of how they started in 1904 and worked its way forward until present day Canada.

I’m in the middle of two more full-length paranormal erotica stories with the Cornwall books (Deadly Fetishes), and their continued adventures at the RedLine and beyond. This is such a fun series for me, as these particular characters are a wide variety of insanity I adore, always doing the least expected and creating ideas that blow my mind, lol.

And Sara’s Story isn’t anywhere near finished yet. Right now there are books one and two, with three coming out next year. I have so many plans for Sara and her growing crew of delectable men.

What is one thing everyone probably already knows about you and one thing that would surprise us to find out?

I have a dirty mind (or so many have told me)!

I have two miniature pinchers and a pit-bull-Rottweiler cross, eight rats (right now anyway, since they will have wee-ones), two ball-pythons, and very soon to have a cat (haven’t decided breed yet). I’m having a protest to name him/her Bob…but so far no luck! Tehe.

Thanks for stopping by, Kayden. How can readers connect with you?

Here are all the the links:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Kayden-McLeod/1848048830

https://twitter.com/KaydenMcLeod
http://www.myspace.com/kaydenmcleod
http://kaydenmcleod.blogspot.com/
http://www.kaydenmcleodparanormal.blogspot.com/
http://kaydenmcleod.com/

"Jezebel's Article"

December 7, 2009
Eternal Press

Jezebel has a new job, writing a sex column article for a small specialty interest paper in Vancouver British Columbia, and has decided to join her best friend Jade in attending a very specialized party…a sex party in fact, where she meets two of the most tempting men she could’ve ever imagined.

Deadly Fetishes

Eternal Press
February, 2010

If you could have immortality, would you take it? Running in fear of her life, and that of her best friend’s, Kelly would definitely say no to such an age-old question. Kelly is a quiet conservative woman who is prone to panic attacks. Marcus is a walking manual on sexual pleasure that just happens to work in a fetish club, and takes full advantage of every perk of his job. He is captivating and dangerous, and knows exactly what he wants.

"Deep Water Legends"

Moongypsy Press
January, 2010

The ruling body of vampires have let loose their top Hunters to get back an artifact. Their mission: retrieve the Dragon Stone, exterminate the Rogue and rescue the innocent human witch. Once a mission has been sanctioned, there isn’t a way to go back. Fernando was a Council employee and researcher, who stumbled upon a document suggesting a whole other race existed out there somewhere. He was tired of getting laughed at for what he sincerely believed in. No matter what risk lay ahead of him, he will prove his findings.

PREVIEW: "The Shoot" by Andrew RIchardson Will Be Released by Eternal Press December 7

2009-11-29T05:51:00.000-08:00

Next Monday, December 7, Andrew Richardson's short story "The Shoot" will be released by Eternal Press. If you like mainstream women's fiction, the kind you see read in literary magazines, check it out.

Kath Mahoney only attends her friend’s first glamour photo shoot because Pippa needs someone to drive her there. Kath expects to find the day boring, but her interest is stirred when the photographer, Rob, turns out to be a sexy, blonde, former glamour model called Robyn.

Kath allows herself to be talked into posing with Pippa. She warms to the sexy poses, and enjoys the photographer’s attention. When Robyn invites Kath back for a solo shoot, Pippa is crushed. Even before Kath steps into the studio, though, Kath suspects that neither she nor Robyn will be particularly interested in taking photographs.

I met Andrew Richardson a while back on critters.org where I workshop my urban fantasy and science fiction. I've always enjoyed working with him and our star charts crossed when I found myself part of the Eternal Press Author’s group, being welcomed by none other than Andrew who now has two stories out with Eternal Press. The Wood is supernatural horror with a Celtic theme, and hold onto your skirts lassies, it is not for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, I couldn’t put it down, even though I knew I’d lose a few nights of sleep.

No worries with "The Shoot’ though. Even though it features some of the same characters as The Wood, this is mainstream, F/F erotica with not one scary moment. I was moved by the sensitive portrayal of female friendship and a woman’s struggle with her sexual identity. These characters are so real, it made me think of friends I haven’t seen in a while that I really need to re-connect with. By the final paragraphs, which I will not share here and spoil the read, I had tears in my eyes.

If you've ever had a girlfriend to see you through the dark moments, you'll appreciate

The Shoot

A New Blogsite

2009-11-21T18:10:00.001-08:00

I've been on Livejournal and Yahoo for awhile, but since joining the Eternal Press network I've decided to create a blog here so I can easily follow all my new friends and access all the loops.

For now, I'll be cross posting on LJ and eventually move everything over here.

Please check out my website for all my contact information and be patient while I get this site up and running.