Given that Seduction's Stakes is just re-released, and the fact I'm once again forced to be somewhere else during race day (this time soccer), I thought I'd share my picks with you for the Preakness.  In case you're unaware, the race is today, and we're discovering who, if anyone, will have a shot at the coveted Triple Crown.

ORB: Preakness Favorite, 2013 Kentucky Derby Winner

McCleery Racing didn't become a Thoroughbred racing powerhouse by betting on longshots. Maddie McCleery made it a multi-million dollar player through hard work, logical decisions, and a commitment to never involve herself with men who lived on the sport of kings. But when she sets her sights on a two-year-old colt her rival owns, she never imagines the lengths she'll go to, to bring the future champion home.

Riley Jennings wants unobtainable Maddie almost more than the Triple Crown. After his Kentucky Derby win, however, he sees a way to sure-fire victory. His proposed wager stacks the odds in his favor - if her horse wins the Preakness, he'll accept her terms. If his horse comes in first, they'll negotiate his way.

When the dust settles on the wire, will love claim final victory, or will unexpected tragedy stop them in the gates? 

Hi all!  I had a wonderful time at RomCon 2012, met a lot of great authors and readers, bloggers and models, and reconnected with some old friends I haven't seen in way too long.  (And according to a few I got married there too, but that's a story for a different day.)

I have passels of stuff to share about RomCon and pictures to upload.  All of which I'll begin doing tomorrow.  And I came home with two amazing things:

1.  A new assistant -- oh thank the powers above now there is someone to keep me organized.  I'm so very excited to work out all the technical requirements and get her rolling.

2.  Remember this book?

I opened my email tonight and found a wonderful surprise. Particularly after a long, harrowing day with my children cooped up indoors and driving me rather batty.

As you know, I sold the first short story in a new paranormal series, Inherited Damnation. The first book, Cursed to Kill, is still pending a release date and cover, but as a teaser, here's the back cover copy:


One of eight children born to an ancient Celtic priestess and sired by a demonic incubus, Cian McLaine suffers from a centuries old curse. Though his immortality allows him to enjoy the pleasures of mortal life, he is plagued by the desire to kill. As long as he doesn't fall in love he can keep the compulsion at bay.

When Cian walked into her rare bookstore months ago, Miranda Phillips never imagined she'd lose her heart to the handsome playboy. Her reward for doing so was abandonment. Cian left as mysteriously as he appeared, in the middle of the night with no explanation, no goodbye. Now he's back, and passion flares just as hot.

But Cian has secrets. If Miranda is to survive, she must uncover the truth and free his darkened soul.

I'm so excited about this series! I think you'll enjoy it too -- particularly fans of dark paranormal.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Hi all! I'm super-duper excited to announce this, as it's been a coveted project for a while now. A few months ago, The Wild Rose Press put out a call for short works within their Black Rose line, revolving around the Pagan Sabots.

After obtaining the necessary permissions, I submitted, Cursed to Kill, the first in my Inherited Damnation series where eight siblings were born to a Celt High Priestess mother and an incubus father.

I received word that the short story has been accepted!

More to come on this project as we go through the editing stages. But look for it to kick off this fall!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

I have news to share on the Templar series, my paranormal series coming through Tor in January, 2012.

I'm super excited to share the cover -- yay!! and the back cover copy.

Immortal Hope, The Curse of the Templars, Book I

CENTURIES AGO,

Templar knights defied the archangels and unearthed the copper scroll, revealing the gates to hell. Cursed for their forbidden act, they forever roam the earth protecting mankind from evil. But darkness stalks them, and battles they fight bring them ever-closer to eternal damnation. One promise remains to give them salvation – the return of the seraphs.

Embittered by his purpose, Merrick du Loire must honor an ancient pact and bring peace to his cousin’s soul. When he stumbles upon history professor Anne MacPherson, he discovers she possesses a sacred artifact that marks her as a seraph. Duty demands he set aside his personal quest and locate the knight she’s fated to heal. As he struggles with conflicting oaths, Anne arouses buried hope and sparks forbidden desire that challenges everything he’s sworn to uphold.

Anne has six weeks to complete her thesis on the Knights Templar. When Merrick takes her to the Templar stronghold, he presents her with all she needs—and awakens a soul-deep ache, he alone can soothe. Yet loving Merrick comes with a price. If she admits she destined for him, her gift of foresight predicts his death.


I'm so excited this is really almost here! Can't wait to have the book in my hands!

~Claire

http://www.claireashgrove.com/

I love new covers!

A little story about this one -- designed by the fabulous Rae Monet. I didn't really provide a lot of detail on my cover thoughts with this one, and left it pretty much up to Rae. Lo and behold... she tapped into some higher frequency and pulled some things out of my head.

First, at no time did I mention the couple was dancing in the book -- lo and behold, my cover has a dancing pose.

Second, at no time did I mention what my hero was working on -- in the first scene he's "working" he's drawing a dragon. Lookie at that little dragon on the computer desk.

Third, I'd thought to myself at one time, "Something in blue would be nice. I don't have anything in blue. If even just the text."

And we have blue!

So congrats Rae on having a metaphysical link with my brain.

Enjoy the cover, folks, for Misunderstanding Mason

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Well, I have some wonderful news on the heels of my newest release!

If you've signed up for my newsletter (Here) you already know most of this. But that's why I have the newsletter, a little bonus for those of you who take the time to read it. For those of you not subscribed...

I'm pleased to announce that the two novellas I submitted to The Wild Rose Press were both accepted. Look for Misunderstanding Mason and A Broken Christmas later this year.

Also, my first romantic suspense endeavor went on to sell in Turkey as a straight thriller. Untrustable will be released sometime next year in hardback. While I won't be able to read a word of it, I'm uber-excited to get my hands on that book and put it on my shelf. Turkish covers -- can't wait to see what they do with it!

On that vein, you may have noticed I quietly added a new page to my blog -- the tab marked Tori St. Claire.

The same romantic suspense prompted the creation of a new pseudonym. Evidently, my sexy romantic suspense was just a tad bit sexier than I realized, and Berkley has taken me on as a member of their HEAT (erotic) line. It will not hit the shelves as "Untrustable". Right now the title is still being bantered around. And I do caution that this book -- and those to follow under Tori St. Claire -- are very hot. But this has been a phenomenal experience for me so far, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to join the ranks of authors I adore!

This adds another title to my January 2012 releases, as the erotic romantic suspense is scheduled to release then as well as Immortal Templar Knights.

As you can see, April has been an exciting month. More to come, on more mundane subjects, as the week goes by.

~Claire

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Well, it's that time again -- I have a new release available!

Waiting For Yes, is available in both print and electronic formats, through The Wild Rose Press, and can be ordered through any bookstore.

Here's the fun stuff:


Waiting For Yes

Gabrielle Warrenton gave up everything to pursue her dream of a first-class Egyptian Arabian breeding farm. Her future lies in her new stallion’s success. Though she possesses an exceptional eye for horseflesh, she lacks the training knowledge, and Bahadur Mamoon has a date with the nation’s most affluent show in three weeks. Nothing that would present a problem given his previous credentials. Only, the sellers disguised one critical fact—he’s crazy.

Jake Lindsey-Sullivan was once part of an exceptional Arabian training team. Under his mother’s guidance, he developed an instinctual talent, but she was the star, the cornerstone of his life. Until she met a premature death. Grief-stricken and plagued by guilt, Jake abandoned the world of horses. Now an over-the-road truck driver, he evades the memories.

When a snowstorm throws two Arabian professionals into close-quarters, they discover an engulfing passion. But will Mamoon rip open emotional scars, or forever seal them shut?

Excerpt:

In slow motion, he leaned forward. One thick palm framed the side of her face. His eyes searched hers, emotion flickering behind their sky blue depths. Sorrow, regret, and affection stared back at her as his thumb caressed her cheek. “Be safe, Gabrielle,” he whispered.

She closed her eyes against a storm of sorrow. Instinct filtered through her hope, and in the halfsecond of time that passed before his other hand came up to join the first, she knew. This wasn’t a temporary goodbye. Jake intended on driving away forever. A sob bubbled in the back of her throat, threatening to strangle her.

Before it tore free, Jake’s mouth settled against hers. He nudged her lips apart, inviting himself inside. Softly, slowly, he explored. Roused her awareness until the reality of his departure gave way to striking tenderness. She responded to the familiar feeling he awakened, her body tightening with an anxious surge of energy.

He held her in place, seemingly content to kiss her until time stood still. In the quiet, she caught the hard fall of his breath. Beneath her fingertips, his heart hammered fierce. His mouth took on a more demanding quality as he slid one hand into her hair and curled his fingers against her scalp.

A sound of pleasure vibrated in his throat, and Jake drew the kiss to a lingering close. He touched his forehead to hers, then sucked in a deep breath. “Win for me, sugar.”

Before she could gather her senses and respond, the passenger’s door slammed shut. Panic flooded her. He couldn’t walk away. That kiss alone said things she’d longed to hear. He cared for her. She loved him. He couldn’t just turn his back on all that.

Jamming her hand against the handle, she shoved open the door and jumped out. “Jake!”



To find out whether Jake turns his back or not, buy the book!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

I'm guest blogging today.

I’m blogging today at several places in prep for my new book release April 20th with Waiting For Yes …


First up – Dear Linda Kage is interviewing my hero, Jake Lindsey-Sullivan for Waiting For Yes.


Second Run – KNM Books has an interview with me, and a giveaway for a signed copy of Waiting For Yes


Third – This week I’m the spotlight author at Long And Short Reviews, and have daily posts there through Friday. They are also doing a book giveaway for me too.


Hope you’ll stop in and say hi!!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Several years ago I learned that there are certain imprints, certain publishing houses in entirety, that solicit authors to write for them (or authors volunteer) and the author is then given a Canon or Bible for the series, often a trilogy. He--the author--has set parameters he must stay between, certain character traits, for that matter a list of characters, and so forth. This is commonly done with series fantasy where you see a lot of authors writing for the same on-going series. Harlequin, I've been told, also utilizes a bible for some projects.

At first, my gut reaction was, "How terrible." About five minutes later, when I finished digesting the information, I decided that wasn't so bad. In fact, it sounded rather exciting. Challenging too.

I got to give collaborating a shot with the Three Kings series, and A Christmas To Believe In. Dyann Love Barr, Alicia Dean, and I weren't given parameters, but we sat down and established them together. The resulting books had to fit those parameters. And, oddly enough, all the authors had to be equally comfortable with all the other authors' characters.

Sometimes we wanted to bang our heads. Sometimes we didn't have a choice to do anything but groan and erase words we labored over. Sometimes we came up with something really cool that the others' leaped to incorporate it. All in all though, it was extremely challenging. But it was an experience that was very rewarding as well.

So much so, that this year I've decided to do it again. I'm collaborating with my critique partners, Dyann Love Barr and Kimberly Kennedy, on another Christmas trilogy. This time, it's going a little more smoothly because two of us have been there before. But we're still in the initial phases and all of us know the true work is yet to come -- the part where we have chunks of our own stories and now we have to make sure we haven't run down the wrong path.

It really is an experience I'd encourage all of you to try at least once. Pick a writing partner you're comfortable with. Someone you can be honest with and can listen to with just as much honesty. Sit down and brainstorm an idea together and see if you can pull off two or more books in parallel. It will absolutely teach you to write within constraints. While most authors might shudder at the idea of being confined at all, really, it's not so bad.

It can also be a great way to practice writing to a deadline, because, you'll find that you almost have to set time frames to pull a collaborative effort off. You'll end up either waiting on someone, or someone waiting on you, if not.

But the best part for an author who's struggling to make a name for herself, is that once the books are out there, the promotions get a whole lot easier. You can split advertising costs and buy space for the project, not just one book. Every blog post that your writing partners do is one for you as well. Vice versa. Someone is almost always shouting out about their book, and all collaborators see a benefit in this. For instance, right now in this post, I've promo'd Dyann and Alicia. And since we don't all frequent the same stomping grounds, that's a broader base we're covering.

So, writers, band together. Give it a try. If nothing else, you'll have a phenomenal learning experience.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

I'm so excited to share my new book trailer for Waiting for Yes! Thanks to the ladies over at Long and Short Reviews, this was put together faster than my usual procrastinating approach on it. (By the way, great set of folks to work with for advertising opportunities, fellow writers!)

But before I show it off, I want to talk about creating this particular trailer. With my other ones, I've been able to go into stock photo sites and find what I needed. But when I'm trying to promote a book about the Straight Egyptian Arabian, going into a generic site isn't exactly helpful. Yes, there are beautiful stock photos there... and of Arabians... but there's a "distance" that I didn't particularly want -- in so much as these horses are strangers to me, and this book is very intimate to me.

I did use a few of my own horses in it, and am excited to have a chance to show them off, but that still left me with a lot of holes to fill. And I'd much rather give credit to people I know in the industry as opposed to total strangers/unknown equines.

So, I reached out to some fellow breeders I know, and asked for some help. In the resulting trailer, 3/4 of the horses exhibited here are horses I "know" -- they aren't just models. These people are folks who have a passion for the breed, and spend their time in the trenches doing everything they can to share their passion with others. They are some of the best horsepeople I've had the pleasure of meeting, and some of them are good friends.

I'm proud to have the opportunity to promote their special equine friends.

So, with much ado --



If you'd like a closer look at the horses within, please check out the Meet The Horses page on my website, where you can see who's who. For those of you who are active in the world of Arabians, or horses period, if you want further information on any of the showcased horses, website information is available here, and if not, I'm happy to network you appropriately.

Waiting For Yes will be available April 20, 2011.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

There are three things I love most about writing, in this order:

1. Sale Announcement Day
2. Release Day
3. Release Date Day

After almost a year I received a release date for Waiting For Yes!

It seems like I've been waiting forever. The book was contracted before A Christmas To Believe In, but with that release having a firm scheduling day, and the business with Tor, my editor and I collectively agreed Waiting would be a bit delayed.

With much ado:

Waiting For Yes, releases April 20, 2011.

A winter snowstorm. A horse with a past.
A woman who has everything riding on the line.

Well, here she is, my personal Best Horse of the Century bid.

Her name is Zenyatta. But hold on folks, bear with me, we aren't talking about horses today. Not... exactly.

For those of you unfamiliar with horse racing, Zenyatta went into this past weekend's Breeders Cup Classic undefeated, 19 starts, 19 wins. Her racing record is simply unheard of, and her career on the track brought life to a sport that long needed someone to rally behind. She ran against the boys for the second time (having won last year), on dirt for the second time (California circuit is all synthetic track). She may not have been the most favored when looking at records, etc, but she was, hands down, the crowd's favorite.

And she lost. By a head. But her race is still being talked about because of the heart she put into it.

To think... this 19-1, near perfect, crowd favorite mare who's earned over six million dollars in purse money, was purchased for a mere (yes mere) $60,000 and reportedly was "considered a good-for-nothing horse at one point because she had ringworm."

Someone believed in Zenyatta. In return, Zenyatta gave everything she had.

Which is a bit like Clint King's struggle in my new release, A Christmas To Believe In.

Clint's racing stable is struggling. Every dream he owns is in his prize mare who's due to foal before she should, in order to grant him a foal worthy of competition. All of his adult life he's struggled with living up to his father's expectations.

Clint's only ever needed someone to believe in him.

Now, don't get me wrong, Clint's not wallowing in his circumstances, and he's not full of self-pity. He knows what he wants, he knows how to get it, and nothing's going to stand in his way.

A bit like Zenyatta knew how to get over that wire 19 times, when starting at dead last.

It just goes to show what a little love can do. And for Clint, love becomes more priceless than any gift he's ever known.

So, all that said, everybody has dreams that we hold dear. Secret fears, hopes, and aspirations we share with only a select few. I truly believe that A Christmas To Believe In is one every reader can relate to. There might be a horse on the cover but it's not about horses. It's about love, and how important it is. Not just to Clint, but to Jesse, and to Ethan, Jesse's foster child, as well.

Please check it out! It's available for pre-order now, and will release in digital and print on November 24th!

In the meantime, here's a bit from the book:

OFFICIAL BLURB:

Struggling Thoroughbred breeder, Clint King, hasn’t been home for Christmas in five years. Like his brothers, Alex and Heath, life has kept him away. Clint’s farm is barely hanging on. His prize mare's due to foal any day, and in the wake of his father’s death, Clint can’t stand the idea of returning. The memories are too much, let alone his father’s imposing shadow. Except, Alex is getting married on Christmas Eve, and their mother’s put her foot down. She’ll have her boys at home. With his mare in tow behind him, Clint prepares to meet a sister he’s never known and Alex’s unexpected triplets. The one salvation he looks forward to is childhood companion, tomboy Jesse Saurs. Yet when he reunites with Jesse, he uncomfortably discovers she’s become all woman.

Jesse Saurs has everything she needs – financial security, a home, and a foster child who’s about to become her son. She’s spent two years breaking down Ethan’s emotional barriers, and with the final hearing scheduled just before Christmas, this year promises to make his dreams come true. When she learns Clint and his brothers are returning, she anticipates a holiday reunion that’s sure to entertain Ethan. But on the night of Clint’s return, the ‘brother’ she expected leaves her trembling after just a single hug. Even worse, Ethan makes it clear Clint's not welcome.

Will this Christmas destroy what's left of hopes and dreams, or will it give the three the gift they've all been longing for?

EXCERPT:

“You’d like him, Ethan. He was a lot of fun when we were younger."

“Uh huh.” Noncommittal, he answered in a flat tone.

Jesse lapsed into silence, sensing she walked a thin line. Still, she couldn’t let the subject rest. There had to be a way to convince Ethan that Clint wasn’t a threat to his stability. Until she achieved that, she couldn’t just let go and let him harbor hate. Clint didn’t deserve it. Cautiously, she ventured, “Horses could be a lot of fun.”

Ethan snorted.

“You might give it a try. Something new and different. It can’t hurt, at any rate. If you don’t like Angel, well, then you’ve at least given it a shot.”

He tossed his controller in front of him, his interest in the game lost. She braced herself for the inevitable, knowing full well, whatever came out of his mouth next would hurt.

“Give it up, would you? I don’t want to know him. I don’t have to like your friends.”

“But Ethan-”

He scooted away like she’d cracked a whip in his face. “Enough! Don’t you get it? I don’t give a fuck about him.”

“Ethan Scott!”

“What? Too crude for you, Jesse?”

She flinched, drew in a deep breath and held it. Jesse. He hadn’t called her by her first name for over a year. Exhaling slowly, she set her controller down and slid off his bed. Though she knew in her heart, too many years of pain drove his emotions, the barb stung. On the same hand, she’d pushed. Ethan couldn’t tolerate pushing. He had to come to things on his own time.

Foregoing the lecture, she crossed to the door. “Goodnight, Ethan.”

He said nothing. Merely picked up his controller and set the options back to one-player.On a heavy sigh, Jesse left his room.

Inside hers, she clicked on the lamp by her bedside and reclined against her pillows. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She closed them to keep the salty flow at bay and curled her fingers into the sheets. In a thousand years, she never would have imagined that the only man she’d ever truly wanted would be Clint. In his arms, she felt safe. Protected. Undefeatable. He lit her up in ways she had only begun to comprehend, and it seemed as if fate determined to work against her.

If she weren’t careful, she’d lose Ethan. Every agonizing step she’d made would crumble under the weight of his fears. He’d close up, inevitably turn back to the life he’d known before he entered hers, and she couldn’t stomach the thought of where that would lead him. Jail, if he were lucky. Dead, if he wasn’t.

Yet, shouldn’t she be allowed some personal happiness as well? There were so many unwritten rules to parenthood – sacrifice for the children, put all personal goals aside, give up everything to see to their happiness. She’d exchange her life for Ethan’s in a heartbeat, but Clint offered something no child could. Even if it was only temporary, and this giddy feeling that brimmed in her soul would end when he left, he promised fulfillment of a need that ran so deep she couldn’t name it.

A tear slipped between her eyelashes and trickled down her cheek. She sniffled to hold the rest in check. She never should have let him kiss her a second time tonight. The first had been catastrophic enough. The second…

She wouldn’t be satisfied with anything but all of him after that second kiss. Instinct demanded she leap at what lay in front of her. Hang on to it until it burned itself out with his inevitable departure. Logic, on the other hand, warned her that if she did, she’d lose the one thing that mattered most – her son.

So last week I mentioned I couldn't go into specifics about a contest. This week, I can, and I'm super happy to be able to share.

I entered SOLA's Dixie Kane Memorial Contest, a contest that I really enjoy the feedback in. After much nail-biting, they posted the Official Winners List, and I found my name in there... three times:

1st Place Paranormal -- Seduced By Fire
2nd Place Historical -- Bound By Decency
3rd Place Single Title Contemporary -- Love's Redemption.

I kermit danced for a while (only now my chapter members are asking me to demonstrate that one.) We'll see how The Suzannah plays out. I entered two pieces, one not in the above list.

Also, in exciting events, I decided to give both online workshops and conference workshops a go for the coming year. I've received word that my online workshop for Digital Publishing was accepted through both Black Diamonds RWA and Lowcountry RWA. I'll be teaching those workshops in February and August, respectively -- hope you'll come!

I submitted a different proposal for a couple conferences (one being RWA Nationals) and fingers crossed that they will go. I really would like to present. Really, really.

So it's been fun and exciting this week on my end. Other news to come next week. Anybody else have any fingers-crossed stuff they can talk about? Or achievements? I'm anxious to hear.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

I'm sharing two reviews that I received this month:

Both reviews were conducted by Marissa at Sizzling Hot Books.

The first is for Seduction's Stakes, my Contemporary romance centered around a passionate race for the Triple Crown.

FOUR STARS

"Seduction's Stakes is full of unforgettable characters, and an amazing love story. The story between Riley and Maddie is amazing, and like a fairy tale come true."

In 1117, nine knights rode with Hughes de Payens to the Holy Land, becoming the Knights Templar. All were bound by marriage or blood. Eight were recorded over time. The Ninth vanished into history.

Beneath the legendary Temple Mount, the knights uncovered holy relics, of which included the Copper Scroll – a document written by Azazel’s unholy hand. For their forbidden digging, the Archangels exacted a sacrifice. The knights would spend eternity battling the demons of Azazel’s creation. With each vile death they claimed, a portion of darkness would enter their soul. In time, they would transform into Knights of Azazel, horrific warriors destined to fight against the Almighty.

A promise remained to give them hope. When darkness raped the land, the seraphs would return. Female descendants of the Nephilim who carry the light to heal their dying souls.

Centuries have passed. Azazel’s might grows to intolerable limits. With the acquisition of nine holy relics, he will gain the power to eradicate the Almighty.

Six Templar stand above the rest in duty, honor, and loyalty. But each is haunted by a tragic past, and their darkened souls rapidly near the end. As they battle both the overwhelming power of evil and the nightmares of lives they left behind, the seraphs are more than tools to victory.

They are salvation.

Stay tuned to my website for more details and additional teasers.

Well everyone, it's August already. I have trouble believing that, but it coincides with the fact that the older I get the faster the years pass. Boy how I wish I could go back in time some days!

But since we are in August, that means my Christmas In July contest has come to a close.

I'd like to congratulate Judy Cox! She's won a Borders gift card and a signed copy of her choice of one of my Christmas romances.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com