Halloween? It’s all about the costumes!

Buy A Scent of Longing HERE!

by Cara Bristol

The best part of Halloween for me always has been the dressing up. I love getting into character and becoming somebody different. I think I can remember every costume I’ve worn, from my very first one,  a bunny rabbit -- to my last one, a hooker. As a child, I enjoyed the scary part of Halloween and usually chose my costumes to reflect that. I was a witch, a devil, a vampire.

Once in high school, I cut two eye holes into a sheet and went as a ghost. Not creative, but great fun as I refused to reveal who I was and had all the kids guessing.

In college, my boyfriend and I dressed up as a caveman and cavewoman. I purchased some faux fur and sewed a dress for me and a loincloth for him. We went to a party, and then to The Rocky Horror Picture Show afterwards with him wearing only his loincloth (my recollection is that he did have shorts on underneath).

At one place I worked, the staff dressed up every Halloween. One year I went as a housewife – I put my hair in curlers, carried a skillet, and wore my robe and slippers to the office. Other costumes were more detailed. As an alien, I was silver from head to toe:  – my wig, antenna, face paint and clothing.

My most favorite costume ever was the hooker one; it unleashed my inner vixen. I wore fish net stockings, a micro mini, a lacy nothing-there top and heavy makeup. I have some great photos (which are currently in deep storage or I would have shared them). I hosted a Halloween party that year and two friends also dressed as hookers and two others as pimps. My husband, who I was dating at the time, came as tourist. He kind of looked like a john. My party had an unintended theme!

What were your favorite Halloween costumes? Leave a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of my book, A Scent of Longing. Don't forget to leave your email address too!

A Scent of Longing:

Lily Dansen refuses to date vampires. The last time she trusted a one, he turned her. She agrees to a date arranged by 1 NightStand,believing that a quick tryst is all that’s left for her.

A 376-year-old half-vampire, half human Luc Fortier can’t continue to satisfy the vampire fantasies of young ladies while his dreams go unfulfilled. He vows to bedazzle one last date before he calls it quits.

Neither Luc nor Lily expect more than an evening of passion, but they haven’t counted on Madame Eve’s superior matchmaking skills.

Friendship in romance stories…

By Cara Bristol

In a romance, the relationship between the hero and heroine is primary. That they ultimately come together and find love is the focus of the story.

I’ve always believed that no single person can provide all the emotional connection that one needs, so while a spouse or partner can be primary, other relationships fill the gaps and round out our lives. And unlike family, we get to choose our friends.

Although friends don’t play a role in all my books, they do in some, and friendship in A Scent of Longing plays a special role, both in the story and in my personal life.

In the story, Lily has been turned into a vampire against her will. The only person she shares her horrible secret with is her friend Roxie, who becomes concerned that Lily is becoming reclusive. It’s Roxie who signs up Lily for Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand matchmaking service, and Roxie who stands by her at the end when Lily fears she’s lost everything.

On the personal side, I dedicated the book to “Catherine,” a friend who was like a sister to me. It was Catherine with whom I first shared my shocking secret – that I was writing erotic romance. Her response was, “it might not be my cup of tea, but you are.” She was an artist as well as a writer, had an upbeat personality and a wonderful sense of humor.

Catherine loved cozy mysteries. But she also liked the paranormal. And although I think we both agreed she might want to pass on some of my racier stories, she was looking forward reading A Scent of Longing, which is erotic, but “vanilla.”

But she never got to read it. While A Scent of Longing was in editing, Catherine was diagnosed with cancer and died.

The release of the book has been bittersweet for me.

The Healing Power of Aquamarine and Vampires…

By Cara Bristol

For some people into New Age spirituality, crystals and gems are imbued with healing powers that affect the wearer. For others, the effect is symbolic. Either way, crystals and gems have specific properties applied to them.

In A Scent of Longing, my 1Night Stand pararnormal romance, heroine Lily Dansen wears an aquamarine pendant. It serves as a good luck charm, and one that she uses to calm herself. When she’s nervous, she touches it.

As I was writing the story, I chose aquamarine because it mirrored the color I envisioned for the hero’s eyes. After I finished the story, I looked up the meaning of the stone. Guess what? As a healing stone, aquamarine is said to be effective for soothing anxiety and fear, reducing stress, quieting the mind and promoting meditation!

Lily has hardened her heart against vampires because she was turned against her will. She desperately wants to make a connection with someone, but is adamant: no vamps. Aquamarine is said to evoke tolerance of others and overcome judgmentalism, something she needs when she meets Luc, because he’s a Half Breed, part vampire.

Did I pick the perfect stone, or what?

Aquamarine is a relatively hard gem in the Beryl family. Its hue ranges from almost colorless to blue green. Most of ones I’ve seen are ice blue. It’s the birthstone for March and is sometimes given for 16^th and 19th wedding anniversaries.

As it happens, this year – the year A Scent of Longing was published, my husband and I celebrated our 19^th anniversary – but I didn’t get an aquamarine.

AScent of Longing:

Lily Dansen refuses to date vampires. The last time she trusted a one, he turned her. She agrees to a date arranged by 1 NightStand, believing that a quick tryst is all that’s left for her.

A 376-year-old half-vampire, half human Luc Fortier can’t continue to satisfy the vampire fantasies of young ladies while his dreams go unfulfilled. He vows to bedazzle one last date before he calls it quits.

Neither Luc nor Lily expect more than an evening of passion, but they haven’t counted on Madame Eve’s superior matchmaking skills.

Leave a comment about your favorite gem and why. One commenter will be picked to receive a copy of A Scent of Longing or another ebook of the winner's choice from Decadent Publishing!

The Seductive Lure of Vampires

By Cara Bristol

I’d read Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, but never gave much thought to vampires until Moonlight appeared on television.

Alex O’Loughlin played Mick St. John, a vampire who worked nights (for obvious reasons) as a private investigator. He’d made it his mission to protect Internet news reporter Beth Turner, played by Sophia Myles. They had chemistry up the yin yang.

S-E-X-Y.

Something about Mick’s power (super strength, exceptional speed, immortality) combined with his vulnerability (his angst at having been turned, his need to feed and his near-miss encounters with death) grabbed me by the throat and hooked me. I never missed an episode. It was a sad, sad day when CBS cancelled the show.

For me, a vampire hero embodies the same traits that make a contemporary or paranormal hero appealing: a strong alpha male who has a soft spot. The contrast of strength with weakness seduces me every time.

Once I got hooked on vampires, I started reading other paranormal books. I prefer paranormals in which the characters are more humanlike such as vampires or psychics to non-humans such as elves, fairies, extra-terrestrials or shape-shifters.

It was only matter of time before I was compelled to write my own vampire romance – A Scent of Longing, a 1Night Stand story released today. The heroine, Lily Dansen, longs for everything “normal” that she lost when she was betrayed and turned by a vampire lover. Luc Fortier yearns for the life mate he’ll never have because he’s a shunned vampire Half Breed. Neither one imagines that a 1Night Stand date could lead to anything more than a single night of passion.

Here’s the scene when Lily and Luc first meet:

 “Let me help you with that.” His voice reminded her of dark chocolate—rich and smooth, with an underlying bite.

She stared, mesmerized into immobility by his seductive tone and aquamarine eyes that matched her pendant. Short, thick hair, as stark as a moonless night, swept back from his forehead. He wasn’t a pretty man, or even a handsome one; life had hewn the angles of his face roughly, almost brutally, but he exuded an indefinable allure. Stubble fashionably darkened his square jaw, although she had a hunch he followed no fad—nor any man’s dictates.

Despite her high heels, his height forced her to tilt her head back to look at him, a circumstance that made her feel both overpowered and protected. Lily swallowed. “I’m sorry…for screaming.”

“No, it’s my fault. I startled you. I should have made my presence known the moment you walked in. I’m Luc, by the way.”

“Li-Cherie.”

“Chéri.” He pronounced her name with a French accent, although he sounded American. She rather liked how her fake name sounded on his lips, but wished she could hear him utter her real one.

 “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His bittersweet voice stroked her like a rough caress.

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Nice? Perhaps in a dizzying, room-spinning way.

He took her hand in his. Like velvet over steel, beneath the gentleness lay a bone-crushing strength. Luc did not seem feverishly hot the way other humans did to her now. She, however, did feel flushed—could vampires blush?

Her temperature spiked when he brushed his lips over her skin, and she could have sworn he’d licked her, though she immediately dashed the notion as silly. But, no man had ever kissed her hand, and her heart fluttered.

I’d like to know what you like about vampires. Tell me what you like to see in a vampire romance, I’ll pick my favorite comment and Decadent Publishing will award the winner a free ebook copy of A Scent of Longing. Be sure to leave your email address so you can be contacted!