Happy Birthday, Samhain!

The Authors and Staff of Samhain Publishing would like to thank you for your support during the last year. So, this November 1st Please come by the Samhain Cafe so we can thank you in person. Excerpts from your favorite authors, fun for all, and of course, prizes to be had. Every post you make will get your name in the drawing for two ten dollar gift vouchers from My Bookstore and More. And there are many more giveaways throughout the day from your favorite Samhain authors. One gift voucher will be awarded on Thursday morning so our friends around the world get a chance to win. So no matter what time zone you are in, come on by and post.

Please Join:
Maya Banks
Ally Blue
Lauren Dane

Kate Davies
Alexis Fleming
Rebecca Goings
Tilly Greene
Ingela F Hyatt
AnneMarie McKenna
TJ Michaels
Marie Nicole Ryan
Melissa Schroeder
Beth Williamson
and so many more.....

Be sure to wear your favorite outfit, bring some friends and get ready for an excellent time. Cake and punch will be served along with the fun, so make sure to come with an appetite:) We look forward to seeing you at the Cafe.

It's Live! It's (A)LIIIIIVE!!

Okay, had to go for the classic horror movie line there, even though it didn't actually fit. LOL

So what am I doing a bad Dr. Frankenstein impression for?

Ritual Love is now up on the Samhain site! (Scroll down to see the really cool sparkly red box with all the anthology stories in it. Pretty!)

Yes, you too can stop by My Bookstore and More to pick up your very own e-copy of this Samhain-themed story. Perfect for Halloween reading! :)

And thanks to everyone who's purchased a copy of Strip Tease as well. It's currently holding steady at #8 on the My Bookstore and More bestseller's list, and considering the other books on the list, I'm thrilled!

So happy Halloween/Samhain/All Hallow's Eve, everyone -- and many wishes for wonderful reading!

Par-TEE! Par-TEE!

Just wanted to invite everyone to this fun paranormal-themed online party, just in time for Halloween/Samhain...

Click here to Join

I'll be participating, and giving away a copy of Ritual Love. Hope to see you there!

Now Available...

Strip Tease is now on sale at My Bookstore and More.

Just thought y'all might like to know.

(Now, I'm off to go jump up and down and celebrate. Carry on.)

Won! Won! Won!

No, I didn't forget -- just ultra busy!

But in my time zone it's still Friday, so that counts, right? :)

The winner of a free download of one of my two upcoming books is...

Jen in WA!

Congrats, Jen!

And because I'm a Libra, and we like to have all things in balance, I picked another winner, too!

So congrats to you, too, Phyllis! (And happy birthday!)

I've used up my daily allotment of exclamation points, so I'll just ask that you two e-mail your choice of book and format at kate@kate-davies.com, and I'll send the book your way.

Congrats again! (Whoops, I'll have to deduct that exclamation point from tomorrow's stash. LOL)

Number one Gift? Travel!

I noticed something interesting in reading the responses to my "Perfect Gift" question. Topping most lists -- either as something you'd like to give, or to get -- was the gift of travel.

I, of course, agree. :)

I've always loved to travel, whether on my own or with friends or family. When I was a kid, my parents used to take us camping, which was great fun. I loved exploring the campsites and getting "back to nature". (Although the memory of watching the shadows of the banana slugs as they crawled over the tent all night long is still a bit too vivid, if you ask me.) Sometimes we'd go boat camping, throwing our tent and sleeping bags in our 15-foot bowrider and heading off to some tiny island with pit toilets and not much else.

I, uh, prefer a little more in the way of modern conveniences these days.

One trip that really stands out for me was my trek through Europe after I graduated from college. I'd worked three part-time jobs my senior year to save up for the trip; several friends and I had been planning it for quite some time.

And then, one by one, they all dropped out. I think they assumed I would cancel, too, but instead I spent three months wandering Europe on my own with a backpack and a Let's Go travel guidebook. It was an amazing experience.

I think that's part of what I love about writing -- the chance to explore new places, even if I don't get to go there physically.

One place that's really special to me is the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. I fell in love with it on that long-ago trip to Europe, and have always vowed I'd go back someday. And by setting Ritual Love on that wonderful island, I've had the chance to spend some more time researching and reminiscing about it. I still want to go back, but in a way, writing the book gave me the chance to do just that.


Speaking of Ritual Love, I received my first review for it this week, from Rites of Romance Reviews. Adra gave it four half-moons, and I'm OVER the moon at the write-up! A snippet:

"Ms. Davies’ story is full of magic and wonder. The pace is quick and the writing is smooth and crisp. ... Ritual Love is a perfect choice for a short, entertaining read."

Thanks, Adra!

And thanks to all of you who took the time to respond to my last post.

Tonight's question: What settings do you love in books? Is there a place you wish someone would write about?

Win! Win! Win!

I've got lots to celebrate this month -- two new releases, my birthday, the end of soccer season (which I love, but it's getting *cold* out there!)...

So I want to keep the celebration going. To that end, I'm going to be giving away a free copy of one of my two upcoming releases from Samhain. Since I'm a Libra, I'm pretty much incapable of picking between two choices, so I'll leave that up to the winner. Will they choose:

Strip Tease, my October 24th release? This is the follow-up book to Taking the Cake, with Caroline's story. Here's the blurb:

It seemed easy enough. Hit the local all-male strip club, pick a likely target, and hire him for her best friend's bachelorette party. But the stripper who catches Caroline's eye has a different agenda. He's an undercover cop, and Caroline ends up under arrest – for solicitation!

Tony DiMarco realizes too late that he's made a mistake. Caroline's reputation and business are suffering, and he feels responsible. He feels something else, too – the pull of red-hot desire. He wants Caroline, but she's afraid that he's just trying to make up for his mistake. Can this determined vice cop teach her to trust again?

Or what about Ritual Love, my first paranormal romance? Part of the Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology collection, it's coming out in e-book form on October 31st. Here's the scoop:

Scientist Moira Sinclair doesn't believe in magic. Or at least she hasn't since childhood. She's only come to Iona in remembrance of her long-deceased grandmother—the last person who encouraged her fanciful side. But now she's stumbled onto a secret druid ritual—and into another time.

Aedan Ap Crannog is furious to discover an outsider spying on their sacred, banned Samhain rites. With her strange garb and stranger mannerisms, Moira is unlike any woman he's ever known. But she could cause trouble for him and the people who follow him in the ancient ways. To prevent her from sounding the alarm, he takes her captive, hiding her in the labyrinth of caves along the far shore.

Despite their differences, sparks burn between them as brightly as the Samhain bonfire. Now captive and captor must find a way to bridge the centuries before the magic disappears with the dawn...

I'll choose a winner from all the posters between now and 5 pm PST Friday, October 20. And if you want to double your chances to win, sign up for my newsletter! One member of my newsletter group will win a free copy of one of my two October releases.


Click to join KateDaviesUpdates

And to get the discussion started, here's a question for you...

What's the best birthday present you ever received? Or, what would you love to give someone if money were no object?

Best. Birthday. Ever.

(photo by Grant Haller, Seattle PI)

I almost feel sorry for my husband.

After all, how is he ever going to top this year's birthday celebration?

The Rolling Stones concert was, in a word, amazing. Our seats were great (200 level, perfect view of the stage), the weather was wonderful (cool but dry, and the clouds only rolled in later in the evening), and the performances absolutely blew me away.

Opening act The Dave Matthews Band was energetic, creative, and fun to watch. We both went into the set fairly neutral about DMB and ended it as fans.

And then, the Stones. I'd never seen them perform before; my husband's been to two concerts previously. In a way, it was like Springsteen for me -- liked the music, but not a rabid fangirl until seeing it performed live.

I was blown away.

The performance was exceptional, the energy onstage put my 37-year-old self to shame, and the crowd was in the palm of Mick's hand.

Before the show, we were talking about what songs we really wanted to hear them perform. I said my number one choice was "It's Only Rock and Roll".

It was the second song on their playlist. (DH turned to me and said, "Wanna go home now? They played your song!")

In fact, here's the whole playlist from the evening:

Jumpin' Jack Flash

It's Only Rock and Roll

Let's Spend the Night Together

She Was Hot

Let It Bleed (with special guest vocalist Dave Matthews, having his own fanboy moment)

Streets of Love

Midnight Rambler (my husband's favorite performance of the night)

Tumblin' Dice

You Got the Silver

Little T & A

Under My Thumb

Oh No Not You Again

Start Me Up

Honky Tonk Woman

Sympathy for the Devil

Paint it Black

Brown Sugar

Encore:

You Can't Always Get What You Want

Satisfaction

What's the best concert you've ever been to?

Happy Birthday to Me!

I know, it's only Rock and Roll, but I like it!

I'm in a fabulous mood today because last night I won tickets to the Rolling Stones concert! We were driving home late last night when the local classic rock station announced that the tenth caller would win a pair of tickets to Tuesday's concert. The DH and I both began calling on our cell phones, redialing with each busy signal. Two or three calls in, it started ringing, so I held my breath until the DJ answered, saying, "You're the tenth caller!"

I've never seen them before, though my husband has been to two of their concerts, and I'm really looking forward to it. What makes it even better is that Tuesday is my birthday, so we can celebrate in style!

Take Me -- My New Fave!

I've never made it a secret how much I love Lucy Monroe's books. Every one of them, in my mind, is a keeper worthy of being read again and again.

But as of this weekend, Take Me has jumped to the head of my All-Time Best Lucy Monroe Books list.

I loved, loved, LOVED this book. The characters were well-drawn and engaging; the plot was great; the story itself was such a page-turner I found myself wiping down counters, doing laundry, even vacuuming while reading it. I literally could not put it down.

Take Me is the final book in Lucy's historical trilogy, and a worthy conclusion to that series. I recommend all three books, but Take Me most of all.

Buy it. Read it. You won't regret it.

Wow. Just....wow.

So I'm wandering the web tonight, checking out some of my favorite sites, and I stop by Powell's, the internet home of my all-time-favorite bookstore. (If you're ever in Portland, you MUST stop by there. It will blow you away.)

Anyway, I already knew Taking the Cake was available for purchase there as a Microsoft e-Reader file. But tonight I found out that it's number 4 on their e-Reader bestseller's list, right behind Ladies' Man by Suzanne Brockmann and one spot ahead of -- er -- the Bible.

Yeah, that's right. The Bible.

Pretty wild, eh?

I can't figure out how to get a screen cap of the Top Ten list, but here's a link to the Microsoft Reader page. Who knows how long it'll be up there, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts! :)

What's Your Fantasy?

No, not that kind of fantasy. :)

I'm talking about the perfect day fantasy. The day without work obligations, family obligations, time to be just yourself and do what you want to do.

For me, and for many other moms of young kids, I suspect that time alone is a popular one. I dream about having time to read a book without interruption, to take a bath without one or more kids wandering in to ask if I can get out the Play-doh for them, to go to the bathroom without company. To sleep all night long without a kid crawling over my face at three am because she had a nightmare and can't get back to sleep unless it's in my bed.

Not every day. I love my kids and my hubby, and wouldn't trade them in for anything. But once in a great long while, I'd love a night like that.

Which is why I was so impressed when a friend told me her husband had given her just that. He'd taken her and the kids out to dinner at a hotel restaurant, and at the end of the meal, handed her a room key and taken the kids home. They picked her up the next morning, refreshed and rejuvenated.

Does he know what a wife and mother needs, or what? :)

So what's YOUR fantasy? If you could have a day or night all your own, what would you do?