Why Scotland?

Anyone who knows me, knows I talk about Scotland, Scottish history and, of course, men in kilts. I was sitting here thinking about why I have such an obsession with all things Scottish. To be honest, I really can't say. I suppose my writing could be to blame partially, but I'm pretty sure my obsession with flash-backs on Highlander the series (the flash-backs in which Duncan was wearing a kilt and using that brogue), came way before I started writing seriously.























I'll start with my childhood. When I was three or four, my first dog was a Scottish Terrier named Sammy. Next comes the Irish Setter named Rusty. Of course, at the young age of five, I hardly had a say in dog breeds, nor did I have any concept of geography....but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Aside from the dog choices my parents made, I'm not sure my childhood contained any foreign influences until I turned about 12. I discovered a brown paper sack in my mom's closet. In it was a treasure. Book after book of historical romances a friend had given her. I would sneak them out and upstairs to read one at a time. Lords, Knights, Pirates and of course Highland Rogues. Looking back, probably wasn't the best way to form my outlook on relationships and romance, but it's a bit too late to undo that now!

So as my 40th year comes to an end, I have to ask myself this, "What makes me happy?" ROMANCE of course! I'm a hopeless romantic. There, I said it. Whew. It's like an alcoholic admitting they're a drunk. First step I suppose. 


Next step? I think it should be to find a Scottish man and just get it out of my system. Yeah, that's exactly what I think (although the spiced rum I'm drinking Christmas Eve may have something to do with my frame of mind).

So if you're single, Scottish, halfway intelligent, like American women (i.e. ME), by all means leave me a comment or better yet, email me. I'm also not opposed to referrals, so if you know someone, send me his info.

Happy holidays to you all!


I forgot to add that if Gerard Butler reads this, I am MOST definitely interested.

Blog Chain Blatherskite

I’ve often wondered how everyone else comes up with their blog chain topic. As for me, it usually falls into the category of what’s foremost on my mind. With that being said, here's the question:




Do you focus on one project at a time, or do you have many irons in the fire at any given moment?



When I was working on my first MS, it was my sole focus. I didn’t worry about query letters, or writing a synopsis, or plotting out any other work. I finished it at 95,000 words. I had big plans to work on the second book, and even have a folder with notes for it and a third also. All relating to the first MS. Then I started revisions. Being my first work, it wasn’t really revisions, but a complete rewrite of the first half. Saying it was bad is an understatement. It was awful, the writing that is.




I got very frustrated, and I had many people suggest I start on another project and go back to revisions after a break.

So I wrote a few short stories that I was lucky enough to get published. I plotted and started on several new works. I have never been back to visit my original MS. Not once. I have started referring to it as “my sock drawer book” (thanks Don). The only problem is this…I can’t seem to stick with one idea long enough to make any headway.





I guess the reason for the question is to get different perspectives. I do know a few of the chain gang are always multitasking. I’m trying to find my way back from too long off, and am looking for suggestions with this question that can help steer me in the right direction (rather selfish way to come up with a topic, huh?).






I’m the first in this go around, but be sure you visit Sandra ( http://ulbrichalmazan.blogspot.com/ ), who’s up next.

Blog Chain Blatherskite

Annie(http://anniewritesaboutwriting.blogspot.com/) chose this two part topic. Cole

(http://colegibsen.blogspot.com/) went right before me in the chain and Sandra (http://ulbrichalmazan.blogspot.com/ ) will be next.

I took off a few months from the blog chain, so I’d like to say welcome to our new writers. If your link is not to the left with the rest of the chain gang, please let me know and I will be happy to add your link. And away we go…..

Do you ever get inspired by a real-life event or news story and fear you're ripping off the story too much?

Yes and no. On more than one occasion, while doing historical research, I have run across some fabulous tid-bit, and just run with it. I’ve never worried about ripping off a story, as I always put my own spin on events, so much so, that they often don’t resemble the initial occurrence. I have also read quite a few authors that not only bring up an event, but will it will be a pivotal part of their plot.

Do you ever get inspired by a song or poem or line from a book and worry you're stealing that original person's idea?

I wouldn’t say that I’m inspired by a song as much as it sets the mood. I have an extensive library of music that I listen to while writing. I could give you a soundtrack to my first completed work, a historical romance. There is a different song for almost every scene. From what I’ve gathered, I’m far from alone in this writing quirk.

One of my favorite songs for writing is The Gael, which is the theme song to The Last of the Mohicans. I looked and looked for just the right video and low and behold…Scottish scenes! Now, if you listen to the song, there are so many emotions that it can evoke.

I would love to hear what everyone feels when they listen to this song. I think it will enforce previous posts about giving a group of ten a topic for a story, and all ten stories would end up being very different. No cheating though, just post what emotions you felt and then go back and read what others have said.

Interview with Nina Bangs about Eternal Craving

I was lucky enough to receive an advance reading copy of Eternal Cravings, the second in the Gods of the Night Series, by Nina Bangs, available April 28, 2009. The easiest way to sum up the book is Jurassic Park meets the X-Men and Underworld with a dash of Lord of the Rings thrown in.

As if getting an ARC of the book wasn’t good enough, Ms. Bangs agreed to answer a few questions about her latest book and the series for me.


Terri: “Eternal Cravings is the second in your Eleven Gods of the Night series. What inspired the use of the Mayan calendar ending December 21, 2012 as a catalyst for your series?”

Ms. Bangs: “People have always seemed to find doomsday predictions fascinating; hence the world’s continuing interest in Nostradamus and others like him. After noticing the growing number of people discussing the end of the Mayan long count calendar in 2012 and its apocalyptic implications, I decided it would be a perfect “ticking clock” for my series. During my research, I found other aspects of the Mayan civilization that I could use. The Mayans were masters of numbers, so I created a mysterious leader, Fin, whose existence revolves around numbers. He even calls the immortal villains by numbers rather than traditional names. And since the Mayans gave special significance to the number zero, I named the leader of the immortal bad guys Zero. Aspects of the plots will also revolve around Mayan creation gods. All in all, the Mayans contributed a great deal to the series.


Terri: “It seemed to me that in Eternal Craving, some of the dialogue was a bit "amped up" compared to your past work. It made me wonder if you had been censored by editors, publishers, or even yourself in the past?”

Ms. Bangs: “I intentionally put a lot more dark intensity into Eternal Pleasure and Eternal Craving. I wanted a raw and edgy feel to the series, so I decided the tone warranted moments of almost savage emotion. On the other hand, I always had to remember that my lighter romances were meant to be humorous, so I couldn’t include some of the dark elements that would distract from the feel of the books. I have to admit that I’m really enjoying cutting loose in the darker books. And it’s nice to take a break from always focusing on being funny.


Terri: “ Will you be doing a book tour to promote Eternal Craving, and if so, will there be dates and locations listed on your site http://www.ninabangs.com ?”

Ms. Bangs: “Unfortunately, I won’t be doing a book tour. I can barely meet my deadlines now, so I have to stay focused. That means no play time. Which is a shame, because I love to meet readers. I will be signing at the Romance Writers of America Conference this year, though. So if you’re in the Washington, DC area, please stop by to say hi.”

I want to thank Ms. Bangs for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions.

Now on to the book itself…if you like powerful immortals, vampires, werewolves and testosterone driven men with endearing character flaws, you’ve got to check out Eternal Pleasure (http://terrirainer.blogspot.com/2008/07/nina-bangs-does-it-again.html) and Eternal Craving. The complexity of her characters and the research that went into this book is immediately apparent.

I am always amazed by Nina Bangs and her ability to weave a story around characters and circumstances so well, that you completely suspend disbelief and can’t put her books down.

Eternal Craving was no different. She has definitely stepped up not only her conflict and action, but the sexual heat that emanates from her male characters is YUMMY!

Dangerous and flawed men have always been on the menu with a good romance, but Ms. Bangs’ unique spin on the men in this series leaves me shaking my head in wonder and awe. Caveman mentality doesn’t even scratch the surface of what her male characters have to overcome; prehistoric dinosaur mentality is more accurate.

I would highly recommend Eternal Craving, not just for those who like romance, but paranormal too. I also think this is not your “momma’s romance”. I could easily see men enjoying this just as much as any woman.

Eternal Craving can be preordered through:

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Craving-Leisure-Paranormal-Romance/dp/084395793X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239644672&sr=1-1 )

Barnes & Noble (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Eternal-Craving/Nina-Bangs/e/9780843957938/?itm=1 )

Borders (http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=084395793X )

Blog Chain Blatherskite

This go around is not only exciting for me, but I have great news to share! Elana, who was before me in the chain (http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/ ) is a quarter finalist in the Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award Contest! And guess what? So is another of our talented Blog Chain members, H.L. Dyer! Talk about being surrounded by talent! You can read an excerpt and leave a review (which can help them in the final judging) by following these links :

http://www.amazon.com/Control-Issues-Amazon-Breakthrough-Novel/dp/B001UG3BNG

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UG3AYQ

Okay, back to our blog chain. I was a bit over-excited this time around. Author of the soon to be released The Hollow, Jessica Verday (http://jessicaverday.blogspot.com/) started this chain and uber talented Mary (not sure how much I can say about her current project) Lindsey (http://marylindsey.wordpress.com/) will be the next link in this chain.

Here's our task:

WRITE! I want a short story people. 100 words, 300 words, 500 words, 1,000 words - whatever you're comfortable with! The only requirement I have is that the theme of the story have something to do with HEARTS. Someone stealing someone else's heart. Someone pining away for true love. A thief of hearts... Go wild!!

So here is my contribution...

Lissette watched the couple walk down the lit path through the park. She could smell them; each human had their own distinct perfume. Hiding in the shadow of a large Oak she licked her lips. It would be nothing to take them both, to feed on their warm pulsing blood until their heart stopped pumping. She knew he would come then.

A thrill ran through her cold body. It was as close to being alive as she’d been for centuries. The mere thought of the Gede made her feel. She hadn’t felt anything, aside from the hunger for blood, in so long. It was foreign, yet not unpleasant.

Unsure why the council of elders had an interest in this particular Gede, a God of death and libido, Lissette knew better than to ask. She had not survived alone in the dark underworld this long without learning to watch and listen. She had made herself an asset to the elders, but she also knew they felt no loyalty to her or any other of their underlings.

Deciding on an easier kill that would draw far less attention, Lissette scanned the vast park for a random homeless person. In a far corner of the park, about two hundred yards away, she could hear a man’s voice. She listened intently as he bragged to his companions about beating a woman and leaving her for dead. She could hear the man’s heart race as he relived the violation that he had inflicted before the beating. Just retelling it excited him. His two companions didn’t seem to share his rapid pulse. She could actually smell the fear emanating from one of them.

“Nothing like a bit of street justice to make a girl feel better” Lissette murmured to herself. Not that she really cared about the woman he had spoken of, she had done worse herself. She knew that this would make for a very angry ghost, one that she could easily control to draw the Gede to her.

It was over before either of his companions realized what was happening. She had started to drain the man before he could even register her presence. The other two men ran without looking back. Warmth flooded down Lissette’s throat. She could hear the man’s heart pounding in his chest. She listened as she drank, waiting for it to slow.

Seconds before she completely drained him, forcing his heart to stop pumping, she reached down, shoving her hand through his shirt, entering his humanly frail skin. Reaching up behind his rib cage, her hand instinctively found his heart, her fingers wrapping around the moist organ. She gave a quick yank and the arteries tore away. Pulling it from his body, she held the heart in front of his face. Lissette spoke to the man looking into his dimming eyes, “You belong to me now”.

She would wait; wait for Gerard, the strongest of the Gede, to find her. She knew he would come and she wondered what his blood would taste like. She had smelled it. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, the blood of a God. It made her light headed just thinking about it. Someday, she would grasp Gerard’s heart, beating and strong, unlike the slippery useless flesh still dripping in her fingers.

Preview for tomorrows blog chain post...

I usually tend to half way dread my turn in the blog chain. It's a tad bit daunting being in a chain full of VERY talented writers, and I always feel a bit intimidated by most of them. This time around, I have found myself so excited by our topic that I not only wrote the post days early, but I am having issues with patience about posting it!

That being said, I ran across the best pictures and decided I would post them today as a type of segue for tomorrows blog chain...and yes, they are a bit of a hint too! Be sure that you come back tomorrow and if the **Haitian Voodoo Priestess is reading this, I'll apologize in advance...

** http://terrirainer.blogspot.com/2008/09/open-apology-to-vodou-priestess.html

My First Book Trailer

Okay, after the last blog chain post, I felt the need to create my own book trailer. Here's my second attempt, hopefully I'll get better at it!