Samhain Publishing

I recently discovered the "Stats" widget for my blog–delight! Now I could see what was popular with readers.

But the results shocked me.

Not the #1 position–my monthly giveaway is always fun, and of course all-time top honors went to Vivi Andrews's guest blog. But #2 for both 30 days and overall was a writing post from 2009 entitled A Pearl for Your Fantasy. A writing post. Not juicy news, not sexy pics. A writing post. So of course my big burning question was–

Why?

A Pearl for Your Fantasy. The words are powerful. Pearl, a gem, conjures glossy images of beauty and prestige. Fantasy is a word sparkling with potential, a golden-sanded beach, a bearskin rug in front of a roaring fire, a sleekly muscled torso on a favorite romance cover. (Here's my favorite :)

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If you've been waiting for Logan's story — or if you just like golden graceful vampires Biting Me Softly is now available in paperback!

He’s a candy box of sex appeal wrapped with a golden bow. She’s on a diet.

Blood, sex, violence. Blood, okay, but computer geek Liese had enough S&V when her cheating ex fired her. Now security expert Logan Steel saunters into the Blood Center, setting fire to her libido. And threatening her job.

Centuries old, Logan’s mission is to fortify the Blood Center’s electronic defenses against a rogue vampire gang. The biggest surprise? Liese, who slips under his skin, laughs at his awful puns, charges beside him into dark, scary places—and tastes like his true love.

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The first Biting Love story (red-hot romance, acid humor, and alpha vampires) is out in paperback! Elena O’Rourke is an Irish-Latina cop in the small town of Meiers Corners, Illinois, USA. Elena is hungry for two things—her detective’s shield and a good lay. Big blond master vampire Bo Strongwell is perfect for the lust, but is actively interfering in the case that would cinch the badge.

Bite My Fire is also my first story title to riff a song title.

As a musician, I’m a huge fan of songs, of the lifetime of meaning sung in a few stanzas. Meaning is compressed even more into the song title, so each word must do double, triple, even quadruple duty. That sets up resonances and echoes and cross-echoes—yeah, like floating in a water park tidal pool, it’s pretty cool.

• Bite-vampires and the type of humor
• My-Elena, taking a bite of her world, and being delightfully bitten by Bo
• Fire-her gun and the heat level of the romance

Warning: Jammed with hot explicit sex, graphic fanged violence, and acid cop humor. May contain donuts.

Mary Hughes
MaryHughesBooks