Annie Nicholas's Blog

Let me introduce Tom Sitter!
If you haven't realized yet, I love stand-up comedians. Tom won open mic night with his Love Hurts story. I came across him on Facebook over the summer and it still sticks with me.







I cried, I laughed so hard after the next one.  Then I watched it four more time.




I live in an area with lots of bats. Ever Fall, one gets inside the freaking house. I'm no better than this guy's son commenting. 

#AuthorsInPink Roses are Pink
Our books are too
We're fighting breast cancer,
With a little help from you!
Nine sci-fi/paranormal/fantasy romance authors have banded together to fight against breast cancer. Ten percent of any of the following pink-covered books sold during the month of October will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Please join us in the fight, by reading your way into the future where everything is pink!
Alora’s Love Potion by Rosalie Redd
Salvation by Lea Kirk
Building a Hero by Tasha Black
Crazy for Carly by Crystal Dawn
Captive by K.M. Fawcett
Avenger Mine by T.M. Slay
Terran by Cara Bristol
Bound by Water by Monica La Porta
Not His Werewolf by Annie Nicholas
See all the books here: http://www.tashablack.com/pink.html

Why Do We Like Paranormal Romance?By Jeri Westerson



What is it that buffs up Buffy? Why do we root for Sookie’s vamps? Why do we care that Bella goes bat instead of wolf?
We do care. We like our fiction fictional, and romantic, and magical. We like it to have adventure and a twist of the supernatural. These hunks are special in a way our mundane beaus can never be. And they are also oh-so-romantic.
Some have traced the history of paranormal romance to gothic romances, with a dark and brooding protagonist and a vulnerable female lead who must survive by hiring herself out to be a governess out on the moors, with some mystical element hovering over the proceedings like a cobwebbed shadow. But I think it goes back much farther. Even biblically. When angels mated with Man and created the Nephilim. But the first identifiably paranormal romance—that is, a feisty young woman who falls for a supernatural or beastly hero—must be the tales of Beauty and the Beast. It’s a tale as old as time…and stop me if I rhyme. (Oops. Too late.)
Actually, it’s at least as old as 1740. In French it’s known as La Belle et la Bête, and is credited to French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, where created her own “modern” fairy tale when she published her version in La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins(The Young American and Marine Tales).
This is not to be confused with someone like The Wolfman, the Lon Chaney movie written for the screen by Curt Siodmak, who invented the scenario of the Gypsy, the full moon, etc., taking the idea of a werewolf from older sources and creating the mythos for werewolves that writers have stolen ever since. Because, you see, his love interest didn’t love the wolf, nor did Chaney’s character Larry Talbot learn to love the wolf, either. In Beauty and the Beast, the beast is obviously someone we all like much better than some snooty prince. We root for Belle and the Beast; not so much Belle and the Prince.
Even Bram Stoker’s vampire in his novel Dracula, written in 1897, wasn’t the sexy vampire we’ve all come to know and love…until the stage version in 1924. Then the monster became a refined undead man in a tail coat and boiled shirt. He got sexier with every new iteration. It took a while for audiences to get with the program, but they did, and some fifty years later, Anne Rice gave us Interview With A Vampire, and we haven’t looked back since.
BUY/Pre-OrderIn my new series, BOOKE OF THE HIDDEN, Kylie Strange unwittingly opens an ancient book she finds bricked up in her new herb and tea shop, and unleashes supernatural creatures into the world that she is tasked with returning to where they belong. But she also releases the Guardian of the Booke, a demon called Erasmus Dark, a brooding and sexy fellow who claims he’s here to help her…but that might be a lie.

Why is supernatural sexy? Well, who wouldn’t want one’s boyfriend to have special powers? It also makes him strong and able to kick ass. But it also makes him broody, and somewhat unhappy with his lot in life. Who’s gonna make him feel better? Why, that feisty young woman in the tale, that’s who. Now these days, she kicks as much butt as the hairy-faced protagonist, with not only the inner strength of a Belle, but with the fighting fists of a Buffy or Laurel K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake. Maybe these tales aren’t quite as old as time, but romance is. And when boy meets girl in a paranormal romance, we know—and love—that the fur is gonna fly.
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Award-winning author Jeri Westerson likes to make a little magic with her new paranormal series, BOOKE OF THE HIDDEN, the first of which will be released on Halloween! See her “booke” trailer, her Pinterest page, friend her on Facebook, or read an excerpt on her website BookeoftheHidden.com 
BOOK TRAILER








Bio:Los Angeles native JERI WESTERSON is the author of ten Crispin Guest Medieval Noir novels, a series nominated for 12 national awards from the Agatha to the Shamus. Her first in the series, Veil of Lies was named Editor’s Choice by the Historical Novel Society Review, her third The Demon’s Parchment received a coveted starred review by Library Journal, and her sixth, Shadow of the Alchemist, was named Best of 2013 by Suspense Magazine. Also in 2013, her fifth novel Blood Lance was named one of the Ten Hot Crime Novels for Colder Days by Kirkus Reviews. For her debut urban fantasy series, Booke of the Hidden, releasing this Halloween, Jeri was invited as a paneled author to the upcoming Dragon Con. Jeri was featured on two local NPR shows, ‘My Awesome Empire” and KVCR-Arts. She has served as president of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, as vice president for the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and twice president of the Orange County Chapter of Sisters in Crime.  She frequently guest lectures on medieval history at local colleges and museums, and lives in southern California with her home-brewing husband, a complacent desert tortoise, and 40,000 bees. See more about Jeri at JeriWesterson.com or visit BOOKEoftheHIDDEN.com for exclusive content about her new series and a fabulous “booke” trailer.

To end my month dedicated to dogs...

Not all special relationships are between people.





Who saved who?

Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2
Anyone who follows me on Facebook knows that I love animals, especially dogs. So when I came across this boxset, which is offering 10% of profits to Hero Dogs, I had to promote it.



The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!10% of all the preorders and the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.Preorder links (release Tues., 10 October):AmazonKoboBarnes and NobleiBookGoogle Play

Happy Hug Your Hound Day!Anyone who follows me on Facebook or Twitter, knows that I'm a huge dog lover. As long as I can remember I've had a canine companion. Presently, I have a Great Dane named Peanut (She really does think she's the size of a nut) and my year old pup, Sadie, who is a mix breed of kissy-kissy and waggy tails. Both are rescues. Both are very much part of our family.Now, this holiday was created by Ami Moore, the “Dog Whisperer of Chicago” to remind people of the importance of the relationship you share with your pet.So, hug your animal today.What does this have to do my latest release, Not His Werewolf?I can tell you it has nothing to do with being a wolf shifter!
More On This Book

The main character of book 2 of Not This Series runs an animal shelter. After being disowned and labelled human because she can’t shift to wolf form, Betty Newman rescues unwanted dogs to fulfill her need for pack. Her dogs are family. She's emotionally dependent on them and will go to great length to save her shelter.
Of course, things go wrong when Ken Birch wakes in her kennel still in wolf form and declares she’s his soul mate. His presence wakes her feral heart and makes her long for a life she can’t have. Old wounds are opened and she refuses to listen to instinct.
How can you celebrate Hug Your Hound Day?
Love your furry ball of joy. Maybe take a special walk with them or take them on that hike you've always wanted to. Spend some time looking at the world from their point of view and understanding their behavior.
For me, I plan to spend time showing my newest pup how to swim.
Have a happy holiday!
I'm Annie Nicholas, signing out.
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I'm dedicating my posts of September to dogs/pets.



These are my dogs. Both are rescues.The grey and white dog is my Great Dane, Peanut. The brindle demon next to her is Sadie. 
Wonder what has their attention?


This little guy. Our cat Tic Tac.

Yes, they have their own couch.

 They are inseparable.

It's that time of the year again, where I give away a ton of books for my birthday!

Contest ends August 7th!


CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Good Luck Everyone

Book 2 of Not This Series
It's release day!

After being disowned and labelled human because she can’t shift, Betty Newman rescues unwanted dogs to fulfill her need for pack. Being rejected by her birth pack was enough pain for a lifetime and she’ll do anything to avoid subjecting herself to their prejudices.

Things change when Ken Birch wakes in her kennel still in wolf form and declares she’s his soul mate. His presence wakes her feral heart and makes her long for a life she can’t have. Old wounds are opened and she refuses to listen to instinct.

But only a shifter can be a soul mate and now her life is in danger by New Port’s pack. Either Betty learns to shift or she dies. Problem is the only one willing to help is Ken, the last person she wants.

BUY NOW


P.S.

Book One,  Not His Dragon is on sale for 99 cents



Eoin Grant hasn’t encountered a female of his race in decades, and this crazy person’s scent declares her unmated. Fate set her in his path, and he won’t let this opportunity slip through his claws. No matter how wary she is of him. After all, how many chances does a dragon have at finding love? But fate can be a crueler mistress than his perfect mate. Of all things, she thinks she’s human.

Business is taking off for Angie Weldon. She put her freakishly sharp nails to good use when she opened her back-scratching spa in downtown New Port. The local shifter community pounced on her skills and she’s knee-deep in shed fur. By the end of the year, if lucky, she could afford to move out of her crappy apartment. 

Dollar signs flash before Angie’s eyes when a dark, brooding stranger books her solid for a week but she notices the possessive fury in his glare. She’s been around enough shifters to know the look, and she won’t go down that road again. Angie is literally swept off her feet by the intense shifter and he wants more from her than she’s willing to give. She figures it’s best to avoid eye contact and back away slowly. Until he changes her life by insisting she’s a dragon.

BUY NOW 99 CENTS!.

Game of Thrones starts again next week. 

(July 16th, 2017 on HBO, for those wondering.)

I've been a fan since day one. We were in hotel in Florida on vacation. We didn't have HBO at home so hubby and I curled up to watch whatever was on.

Boom!

Episode One.

Hubby is not a fan of fantasy. He went to change it. I beat him to the remote and threatened bodily harm. At that time, it was so rare for me to find a television show to connect with. This was pre-Netflix addiction. ;)


Here is a Beginner's Guide narrated by Samuel L. Jackson.






Here's a trailer for season 7.