This week on Dragon Tip Tuesday…

Tip #31 – When dealing with a bronze dragon, well…don’t even try it. Save your breath. Gage’s subset of Dragonkind are notoriously fractious, ridiculously difficult, and stubborn to the point of self-destruction. You’ll have better luck getting blood from a stone than changing his mind.

 

DRAGON TIP TUESDAY…can you believe we’ve reached thirty already?

Tip #30 – When faced with a fire dragon, offer him a spicy treat (perhaps a bag of Hot Tamales or Atomic Fireballs). Fingers crossed, it’ll appease him. Otherwise start praying…and get busy running.

 

The playlist I listened to while writing today. A great one to play when hanging out the imaginary realm.

All I Want to Do – Sugarland
Safe and Sound – Captial Cities
Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men
Where You Wanna go – Mischa Daniels
If I Lose Myself – Alesso & OneRepublic
Rhythm Is a Dancer – Snap!
Titanium – David Guetta
Sugar – MC Joe & The Vanillas
The Night Out – Martin Solveig
Geronimo – Stereo Hearts
Stay – Miley Cyrus

It’s a fun playlist to walk–or run–to as well. Happy listening. Have a super Saturday everyone!

 

 

So today I head off to Kansas City and the RT convention. Which naturally got me thinking about flying. So this week on Dragon Tip Tuesday, I though I’d give you a pointer about dragon flight…

Tip #28 – If invited for a mid-night flight, bring goggles. Going Mach 1 through cold air and cloud cover on a dragon’s back is bound to make your eyes water.

 

This week on Dragon Tip Tuesday….

 

Tip #27 – The rumors are true…Dragons do love sparkly things. So next time you hit the town, dust on a little body glitter. He won’t be able to resist the sparkle, and you’ll have his attention in no time.

 

 

 

I never used to listen to music while I wrote. Silence suited me just fine as I sank into the imaginary worlds I put on the page. All that changed when my husband received a promotion and started working from home. Now his home base is literally 20 feet from my office door. I didn’t think it would make a difference to my muse.

 

Turns out I was WRONG. I couldn’t write for days after he moved in and my muse moved out.

 

It isn’t that he’s disruptive or noisy. Quite the opposite, acutally. But that made no difference. The vibe in the house changed with him in it during the day, and honestly? The small shift completely distrupted my flow. So…in a desperate attempt to regain the momentum on the book I was writing at the time, FURY OF DESIRE (Dragonfury series, book 4), I dragged our compact Bose sound system out of the kitchen, set it up in my office, and put the sucker to work.

 

Now I wonder why I didn’t do it sooner. And I have favourites too.  I listened to Imagine Dragons a lot while writing FURY OF DESIRE…Carrie Underwood’s Blown Away album too. Now though, I’ve graduated to creating playlists (depending on my mood and the story’s vibe) that I listen to while writing. Today, I thought I’d share the playlist I made and listened to yesterday while working on my latest project.

 

Coreene’s Writing Playlist:

1. Hall of Fame – The Script
2. Forever Now – Ne-Yo
3. Catch My Breath – Kelly Clarkson
4. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
5. Slut Like You – P!nk
6. Mary Go Round – Serena Ryder
7. Two Black Callillacs – Carrie Underwood
8. Circle of the Sun – Serena Ryder
9. Outsiders – Needtobreathe

 

So there you have it. The list that supported my muse yesterday…probably today too. Why not give it a try and see if it works for you. I plan to put it on my musical rotation for my daily walks too. And why not? Music is, after all, good for soul.

 

Dragon Tip Tuesday…here again!

Tip #26 – Charismatic and debonair, silver dragons are tremendous negotiators. So if you need a mediator, ask Haider to sit in on the meeting. He’ll get you what you want, then stick around and seduce you with his infamous charm in the aftermath.

 

This week on Dragon Tip Tuesday….

 

Tip #25 – Before you decide to have some fun and tweak a dragon’s tail, have an pre-planned escape route and an ironclad alibi. Giving the undertaker a heads up might be a good idea too.

 

 

 

I started Dragon Tip Tuesday last fall just for the fun of it. Your reaction to the tips has been amazing (a huge thanks for that!), and now every Tuesday, I post another Dragon Tip on my Facebook page. But today, I thought it would be fun to list the first ten tips for those of you who missed them.

Enjoy!

 

Top Ten Dragon Tips:

1. Dragon-shifters are notorious pranksters, so be careful—you start it, they’ll finish it…every time.
2. Never piss off a frost dragon. You’ll end up in a cryogenic deep freeze.
3. Never interrupt a dragon while he’s counting his treasure trove…unless, of course, you bring beer. Guinness is always welcome.
4. Never lend a dragon-shifter your car…unless you never want to see it again. Dragons love to drop things from tall buildings, just to see them go crunch.
5. Breaking News: Obama Cancels Campaign Visit to Seattle due to Strange Paranormal Activity. New sighting suggests dragons really do exist.
6. Plug important electronics into surge protectors. Lightning dragons can control electricity and love to make things go POP when they fly over your house.
7. Out for a night of Trick or Treating? Always pick “treat”. You really don’t want a dragon-shifter to play a trick on you. No telling what will happen (or whether you’ll survive).
8. Invite a dragon-shifter to diner. He’ll not only cook for you (flambéed entrees in an instant!), but bring an excellent vintage from his wine collection too. Serve up hot, sprinkle on some sexy, and enjoy HIM along with the meal.
9. Dragons fear water. There is, however, one exception to the rule…Mac. So before you drop the towel on the deck to take a midnight dip, check the bottom of the pool. Mac’s been known to “borrow” one every now and again.
10. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire…which probably means Wick is in the area. Stay inside and away from the windows. Hiding under the bed is a good idea too. Wick finding you? Not so much.

I just received some great news! Fury of Seduction (Dragonfury series, book 3) is nominated for 2012 Best Paranormal Romance at The Romance Reviews. Super exciting!  But here’s the catch…I need VOTES to win!

 

Voting goes through to March 31st, 2013. You need to login to vote, but it’s easy to do. So if you have a minute, head over and vote. I would really appreciated it!

 

Clink on the button below. It will take you to the voting page.

Thanks a bunch!
Coreene

 

 

Great news! I’ve got a giveaway for KNIGHT AWAKENED (Circle of Seven series, book 1) on the go from March 18th through to April 19th! Hop on over to Goodreads and enter for your chance to win one of three autographed copies!

Good luck everyone!

 

 

 

I love this Quiz. I first put it together for Under The Covers, a great book blog that I really enjoy. But since the New Year is upon us, I figured why not share it here. I hope you have a blast with the Dragonfury Quiz! The objective is to find the Dragon-Shifter best suited to you. But hold on…hold on just a minute. I know you want to Find Your Dragon-Shifter Love Match, but there are a few ground rules before you begin:

 

1. Answer the questions in the Dragonfury Quiz.
2. Tally your score to Find Your Dragon-Shifter Love Match and read the results.
3. Comment below, tell me which dragon is your love match and be entered to win a signed copy of FURY OF SEDUCTION (Dragonfury series, book 3).
4. Don’t forget to grab your Love Match Button when you’ve finished (copy and paste it to your website, blog, post it on Facebook and Twitter to show your friends…display your button wherever you’d like!) and be proud of the match you’ve made!

 

All right? All good? Okay, then…let the love connections begin!

 

*****************************************************************************

 

DRAGONFURY QUIZ:

~ Find Your Dragon-Shifter Love Match ~

 

1. You’ve been invited to an up-scale Dragon-Shifter cocktail party. Do you wear:

 

A:  A black leather miniskirt with a silk blouse and sexy boots?

B:  A little black dress with red patent leather stilettos?

C:  A body-hugging velvet gown with a slit thigh-high?

D:  A sexy silver sequined cocktail dress?

 

2. At the bar, you spot an über-hot Dragon-Shifter. You get his attention by:

 

A:  Buying him a drink and asking the bartender for extra ice.

B:  Treating him to a sultry glance every 30 seconds or so.

C:  Asking for Tabasco sauce to sprinkle on your hors d’oeuvres when he’s

within earshot.

D:  Trailing your fingertip around the rim of your glass while holding his

       gaze.

 

3. A Dragon-Shifter is taking you out on a date tonight. When he asks where you would like to go, you say:

 

A:  A trendy restaurant.

B:  The new, ultra-hip aquarium.

C:  Ice skating outdoors.

D:  The movies.

 

4. Your favorite vacation must-bring accessory is:

 

A:  A beautiful bikini.

B:  Lip balm and polar fleece.

C:  Anything electronic and portable.

D:  A cocktail dress paired with stunning stilettos.

 

5. He invites you back to his place. You:

A:  Suggest a nightcap at your place instead.

B:  Give a resounding “hell yah!”

C:  Ask “why not?” He’s got a hot tub!

D:  Play hard-to-get. The longer you make him wait, the more he’ll

      want you.

 

Scoring :

1. a—1, b—0, c—2, d—3    2. a—2, b—3, c—1, d—0    3. a—3, b—1, c—1, d—3    4. a—0, b—2, c—3, d—1    5. a—0, b—0, c—0, d—1

 

10 TO 12 POINTS

Lightning Queen

Always quick with a witty comeback, you are

the life of the party. There is never a dull moment

with you around. You electrify whatever room

you enter with your super-charged personality, and as

such, will draw a LIGHTNING DRAGON’s interest like no other.

 

7 TO 9 POINTS

Frost Vixen

Once frostbitten, twice shy, you are always cool under fire.

Determined and self-confident, nothing stands in your

way when you decide you want something. Never a pushover, your

willingness to put a man in his place—by giving him the

cold shoulder when he deserves it—makes you irresistible to a

FROST DRAGON.

 

4 TO 6 POINTS

The Firebrand

Passionate about righting wrongs, your protective nature

makes you the ideal champion of those in need. Never one

to shy away from difficult situations, you charge into

the unknown, always keen for the next adventure.

Sassy and free-spirited, you use your charm to effect

and often talk your way out of trouble.

No FIRE DRAGON alive can resist your fiery allure.

0 TO 3 POINTS

Water Nymph

 

A smooth operator, your charisma is undeniable.

The sheer force of your personality makes you an

attractive companion. Men are drawn to you.

Women want to be your best friend. But as always, you

remain affable and kind to all. Easy going and fun, you are

a WATER DRAGON’s dream-girl.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to take the Dragonfury Quiz! I hope you enjoyed making your Dragon-Shifter Love Match. Happy Holidays everyone!

 

 

All right, so I normally don’t post reviews for my books in “Latest News”.  But I’m so excited about this review for KNIGHT AWAKENED (Circle of Seven series, book 1) from the Library Journal that I just couldn’t resist sharing it with you!  Incredible!

 

Callahan, Coreene. Knight Awakened. Montlake Romance. (Circle of Seven, Bk. 1). Dec. 2012. c.452p. ISBN 9781612183039. pap. $14.95; eISBN 9781612188119.

 

HISTORICAL PARANORMAL On the run from evil Vladimir Barbu, who needs her in order to be crowned Transylvania’s king, high priestess and healer Afina Lazar and her orphaned niece, Sabine, have so far eluded capture. Now hired killer Xavian Ramir is on her trail. Yet when he catches up with Afina, Xavian discovers a truth he never expected, and his plans change abruptly. He knows he can never hand Afina over to Barbu. A reluctant heroine who finally embraces her powers and a hero in need of redemption find healing
and love in this complex medieval fantasy that has a foot firmly in both fantasy and romance camps. VERDICT Assassins, shape-changing dragons, and plenty of action drive the plot of this magical romantic fantasy that will keep fans of the subgenre on their toes and nicely launches a seven-book series. Callahan (Fury of Seduction) lives in Canada.

 

Isn’t that fantastic? I’m so happy that the Library Journal not only chose to review KNIGHT AWAKENED, but that it garnered such amazing praise. I hope you’ll think about picking up your copy of Knight Awakened today!

 

It’s been a busy week, and as Friday folds into the weekend, I know next week will be even busier. Exciting too! The first book in my historical series, KNIGHT AWAKENED, will be released on Tuesday, December 4th. After FURY OF SEDUCTION’s (Dragonfury series, book 3) launch just weeks ago, it seems a little strange. An author rarely, if ever, has two books release within three weeks of each other.  Still, despite surviving a busy blog tour and all the launch day hooplah, I’m an undeniably excited about it.

 

I’m incredibly proud of this book. Knight Awakened is one of the most powerful novels I’ve written to date. And guess what? I put a book trailer to bring my vision to life. It’s a snapshot, but a fun one. I hope you enjoy KNIGHT AWAKENED’s video as much as I did putting it together for you.

 

Happy Weekend all!

 

I wrote this article last spring for a friend of mine. She’s the executive editor of webmagazine called  The Bridge Post. It’s all about family empowerment and a great place to go be uplifted, get advice and find solutions when we feel overwhelmed by our busy lives.

 

With the launch of my third novel, FURY OF SEDUCTION (Dragonfury series), and the upcoming release of my paranormal historical KNIGHT AWAKENED (Circle of Seven series) on Dec. 4th, it’s been a busy few weeks for me. So in an attempt to mitigate some of the stress that comes with putting a new book into the world, I revisited this article. It helped me reconnect to what’s truly important…family.  I hope it does the same for you.

 

How To Find “Us” Time When There’s Nothing But “Kid” Time:

 

As a parent of three very active girls, some days I don’t know which way is up. Most of the time, I find myself caught in the crosshairs, a bull’s-eye on my forehead as I try to balance a busy career with the demands of motherhood. Toss in the house, the dog, and all the extras, like birthday parties, homework, soccer practice, art class and. . .yeah. You guessed it. The “us” time my husband and I need gets shoved onto the back burner.

 

Oh, I start out with good intentions. Schedules taped to the refrigerator door. Blocks of time crossed out in my iPhone agenda, and still, date night never seems to happen. At least, not with any regularity. Which is a problem. A big one, considering my husband and I are the foundation upon which our family is set. A foundation that needs to be rock solid if our children are to continue to thrive.

 

So what does that mean exactly?

 

Let me put it to you this way. A relationship is like a living thing. If you don’t feed and water it—take time to nurture it—the relationship will eventually wither and die. So, when I talk about “us” time, what I really mean is “vital” time. Those precious few hours set aside every week for just one person. . .your partner, lover, and best friend.

 

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. “Us” time looks great on paper. An excellent theory with nothing but feel-good intentions when in reality, your days are filled with to-do lists a mile long. But here’s the thing. Finding time for your significant other is easier than it sounds.

 

Sometimes, it’s as simple as turning off the T.V., talking instead of watching. Sometimes, it’s about dusting off the cribbage board (or whatever game you both enjoy playing) and laughing as you try to best each other in a game of chance. And sometimes, it’s all about the kiss and cuddle in front of a who-the-heck-cares movie after the kids have gone to bed.

 

I learned this the hard way, because like or not, my husband and I can’t always splurge on an exclusive restaurant or expensive trip. We have a young family, and let’s face it children aren’t cheap. So, in the spirit of keeping my budget-minded man happy, I started to get creative with not only our time, but our money as well.

 

For instance, the other night we played a crazy game of Scrabble after our girls went to bed. And by crazy, I mean wildly competitive. Sound boring? Not even close. I had the best time. We talked. We laughed. We tried to beat the pants off each other, and by the end, I felt closer to the man I love. But even better, I remembered why I like him, too. It didn’t take much but the simple willingness to sit down at the table and purposefully ignore the clamor of our busy lives, if only for a little while.

 

Another thing we do is baby sit for another couple. Our children call it a play date. We call it “kid swap”. So while they enjoy a quiet evening or afternoon together, we enjoy a house full of craziness, and in return, they do the same for us.

 

So, “vitual” time doesn’t need to be complicated or fancy. It doesn’t always mean hiring a baby sitter or spending a fortune at an upscale restaurant. You’ve got no one to impress but each other, so hey, have fun with it. Stay home, reinvent date night, and try something new. Sit out on the back porch star gazing with a glass of wine. Cook together. Heck, make him the sous chef if you want to, but DO spend time with each other. Just the two of you, no kids interrupting, cell phones chiming or work files open on your laptops. Make the investment in your relationship and future happiness. Your spouse is worth it, and so are you.

 

Happy. Healthy. And whole. That’s what each of us is meant to be. Stepping away from the rat race once or twice a week doesn’t seem like such a huge sacrifice. Especially when you consider that giving the one you love the gift of your time will only strengthen the underpinning beneath the busy lives we lead, and maybe. . .just maybe. . .with a little effort you’ll come home to find refuge in the midst a fast paced world.

So I was tidying my office yesterday. You know, hunting for dust bunnies, rummaging through boxes, reorganzing…all that good stuff.  While I was at, I discovered that I have two (2) ARCs of Knight Awakened left. This is the first book in my paranormal historical series called the Circle of Seven, which will be released on December 4th, 2012. Yes, in just two weeks! Boy, time flies, doesn’t it?

 

Anyway, I decided there was one thing I could do with my unexpected, but serendipitous find. Give the books away, of course! And that’s just what I’m doing. It’s all set and ready to go on Goodreads, but the giveaway is only open unitl December 1st, so…QUICK! Enter for your chance to win an advanced readers copy of Knight Awakened.

 

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Enter to win

 

Good luck and happy reading everyone!

Today is a really exciting day for me. It marks the release of FURY OF SEDUCTION, the third installment of my Dragonfury series. But I figured instead of writing about how exciting it is, I’d tell you myself…

 

 

So there you have it! Direct from the source. And for some more fun, stop by  the book blogs and review sites I’ll be visiting over the next couple of weeks. I’ve got a Dragonfury Quiz making the rounds, some delicious recipes I’m sharing along with antidotes and other fun stuff about the Dragonfury warriors. I’ve got it all listed for you below.

 

So stop by, hang out and say hello!

 

Dragonfury Blog Tour:

Nov. 13th – Under the Covers

Nov. 13th –  The Book Tart

Nov. 14th – My Secret Romance Book Reviews

Nov. 15th – Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust

Nov. 16th – All Things Urban Fantasy

Nov. 20th – Fade Into Fantasy

Nov. 20th – Preternatura

Nov. 22nd – Monster Book Reviews

Nov. 22nd – Literal Addiction

Nov. 27th - Bitten by Paranormal Romance

Nov. 29th – Tynga’s Reviews

Dec. 3rd – The Qwillery

Dec. 4th - Vampires, Werewolves, Fairies, oh my!

Dec. 7th – The Book Tart’s Merry Menage Hop

Dec. 18th – Catherine Bybee’s Blog

 

All right, so I’ve never done anything like this before. “What’s  that?” you ask. Post an excerpt from one of my books in advance of the release date. But honesty, I’m so excited about FURY OF SEDUCTION (Dragonfury series, book 3) coming out on Tuesday (November 13th!) that I simply couldn’t resist sharing a little of Mac and Tania’s story with you ahead of time. If you like the sneak peek, let me know, and I’ll continue to do them in advance of my books becoming available.

 

So without further ado…here we go!

 

A Dragonfury Excerpt:  FURY OF SEDUCTION

 

“Tania.” Mac’s deep voice rumbled, lapping at her like gentle waves. Dragging her attention away from the water, her gaze landed on the man she yearned to know without understanding why. Well, all right. The why wasn’t hard to figure out. Any woman in her right mind would want him. He was just that hot, but her want went deeper than the physical stuff, crossing into must-have territory. And as he made eye contact, she gave up trying to resist. “I want you to watch.”

 

“What?”

 

“Me.”

 

Not hard to do. Standing shirtless in the moonlight, the ocean a magnificent backdrop behind him, he looked like a Greek god. Powerful. Irresistible. Golden skin poured over hard muscle and long limbs. Gorgeous with a capital G, even now with his glowing gaze fixed on her.

 

Electricity crackled, raising the fine hair on her nape. Mac transformed, shifting into a blue-grey dragon. Her jaw dropped and shock bit deep, clipping her reflexes. With a yelp, Tania scrambled backwards and lost her footing. Her butt collided with solid stone. The stinging thump barely registered. She was too busy staring…being mesmerized by the whole man to dragon switcheroo.

 

“Holy jeez,” she whispered, taking in his scales, horned head, and killer claws. A dragon with Mac’s aquamarine eyes. The stuff of fairy tales and little girls’ dreams. Surprise circled into awe, making her forget to be afraid. “Mac…you’re…wow, just crazy beautiful.”

 

He snorted. Steam rose from his nostrils. His mouth tipped up on one side, revealing a razor-sharp row of teeth and one huge fang. “I prefer lethal.”

 

No kidding. And he was that…deadly with an extra helping of vicious. The moon came out to play again, making the blade along his spine gleam like a razor-sharp sword edge. Tania pushed to her feet. Flexing her fingers, she chewed on the inside of her cheek, wondering if…maybe…she could…

 

Screw it. He looked too incredible standing there, and she was too curious not to ask.

 

“Can I touch you?”

 

“Please.”

 

He rolled his massive shoulders. Smooth scales clicked together as she approached. Heart hammering, each breath coming in frosty burst, she swallowed her apprehension and stopped in front of him. Warm, mint-favored breath rushed over her, ruffling the hair on top of her head. Tania smiled a little. Jeez, it really was Mac. He smelled the same, like the man she’d woken up with, not the dragon she stood next to. Moving slowly, she raised her hand, and reaching up, laid her palm flat against his scaled chest. He growled. She jumped, but stayed true, lifting her other hand to join the first, spreading her fingers wide to touch more of him.

 

Incredible. Way beyond weird in a really cool way. “You’re so warm.”

 

“Dragonkind is hot-blooded.”

 

“No relation to the reptile family then, huh?”

 

He huffed. More steam rose, flirted with the breeze before drifting away. Shifting his weight, he turned one of his paws palm up, showcasing the tips of his claws. “Ready?”

 

She hesitated. Ready. Huh. Really good question. One she wasn’t sure she could answer. At least, with any amount of intelligence. The strange factor was just to, well…let’s put it this way. She was touching (and talking) to a dragon. A dragon! So, yup. Strange, surreal and crazy all qualified in the screwed up situation department. Ocean waves crested, rushing sound up the clip face. His chest rose and fell beneath her hands. Chewing on her lip, she glanced up. Familiar aquamarine eyes met hers. “We’re not doing the air bubble thing again, are we?”

 

“No. I’m going to fly you home.”

 

Oh. Well, all right then. Flying was good. Much better than—

 

Tania blinked, cutting of that thought. Good lord, she really had lost her mind. Hello Crazytown. Goodbye sanity. But even as the realization registered, Tania pushed it aside. Despite his rapid change, the man-dragon (dragon-man…whatever!) was undeniably Mac. And she trusted him. To keep his word. To keep her safe. And take her home to Myst.

 

So, instead of fighting, she added faith to her list of accomplishments and slid into the middle of his paw. Huge talons closed around her. She squeezed her eyes closed and held on tight as he unfurled his wings and dove over the cliff edge into the night sky.

 

Mac set the chainsaw down on the antique tabletop. Steel touched wood. The quiet thump joined the snap’n-crackle in the wide-faced hearth as the blade’s jagged teeth bumped a bowl of Cheesies. He gentled the landing, releasing his grip on the handle one finger at a time. No sense borrowing trouble. One scratch on the high-gloss finish and Read more

Have you ever done something you weren’t sure you should? Okay, hit the pause button. That’s a bit of a dumb question, because…well, I imagine everyone has leapt into a situation then said, “Oh, crap. What did I just do?” But whatever. Let’s just go with it for a minute and ignore the blantant duh factor. Why? I did something a while back that I wasn’t convinced I should do.

“Go on,” my friend said.

“Oh, I dunno,” I replied, uncertain, a little queasy at the thought.

She huffed. “Stop being such a pansy, for heaven’s sake, and take a chance!”

All right, granted…my friend doesn’t mince words. Or have any patience for vacilators. Normally, I’m the same, but when it came to entering Fury of Fire (my debut novel) in a published authors contest, I have to say, my courage departed for places unknown. Read more

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