Who Would You Choose?

By Mina Carter

I’m a fairly active pinner. Actually, yeah, I love Pinterest. I’m a very visual person (I’m also a cover designer and photographer) so the hoard of pictures appeals to me in many ways. I use it for my own book covers, cover’s I’ve made, cover I wish I’d made, photos I’ve taken…and of course, pictures of hot men. What, every girl’s gotta have a bit of inspiration, right?

So, that got me to thinking I should share the inspiration for my Lyric Hound heroes with you all. Now, because of that pesky little thing called copyright, I can’t post images so let me paint you a picture with words here…

Aaron Rixx from Melody’s Wolf is the big guy, the head honcho of the Lyric Hounds. When the buck stops, it stops with him. He’s a man with the weight of the world, and the success of the band, on his shoulders. Long haired, lean and sexy as hell, he’s got everything going for him, as well as a kick-ass voice. Now, normally I’m not particularly a Tom Cruise fan, but have you heard the guy sing? Hell, if you haven’t, then you have to go check out Rock of Ages and his portrayal of Stacee Jaxx. Then have a quick google for images. Squint a bit, yeah…there you go, that’s Aaron ;)

For Barrett we take a step to the side, like a loooong step. Barrett’s former Special Forces, and he’s broken, to put it mildly. Losing the woman of his dreams in combat, then being medically discharged from the military means he’s lost his way. Head of security for the Lyric Hounds, he doesn’t let being plain old human stand in his way. And he certainly won’t let it stop him reclaiming his woman when Madame Eve manages to pull a miracle. I based Barrett on one of my go-to favourites. Seen The Hobbit, then you’ve seen Barrett. I based him on Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin. Need a bit of time to google? A bit more, no problem? Back with me? Yes, you’re welcome. Nice, isn’t he? If you caught the ones with the buzz cut and the short beard, then you’re looking right at Barrett.

Now, Karlan Rixx is Aaron’s twin but they’re not identical except in wolf form. He’s the quieter twin, but hell when he gets fired up, people know about it! With Sav on the drums, Karlan provides the musical weight to the Lyric Hounds sound. He’s nothing short of a musical genius on the strings but happy to stay in the background and let his brother take centre stage. Time’ll come though when he needs to step out of the shadows. For K, what can I say? I like British men, like REALLY like British men. Crane, Ichabod Crane…or more precisely, the Tom Mison version of him became the base for Karlan Rixx. *whistles while I wait for you to google*

And here’s the double whammy. The third Lyric Hounds book contains not one but TWO heroes. Trent Savage, commonly known as Sav, is totally alpha. Dominant as all hell, gruff, brash, abrasive…he has an ego a mile wide and the cocky attitude to pull it off. He starts the book the typical long-haired rocker but reinvents himself after a heartbreak. His story is the ultimate in sacrifice and reinvention until Madame Eve steps in. So…I have one word for you about Sav. Crixus. Need a few more? How about these two? Manu Bennett. No others needed. That’s Sav right there on the screen ;)

So, now that you’ve had a little peek into my head and haven’t run away screaming (I hope), tell me… Which delectable specimen would YOU pick for your own 1NS? Leave me a comment and I’ll pick a random winner for an ebook from my backlist!

***

Mina was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spend her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days.
So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all...
(But she keeps that sword sharp, just in case the writing career is just a dream and she really *is* an adventurer.)

The boring part: A full time author and cover artist, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She's addicted to coffee and would like to be addicted to chocolate, but unfortunately chocolate dislikes her.

Website: http://mina-carter.com

Facebook Profile: http://facebook.com/mina.carter

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/minacarterauthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/minacarter

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Mina-Carter/e/B002BOH5R4/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2920063.Mina_Carter

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/minacarter77

Sex, Wolves & Rock 'n Roll

by Mina Carter

I’m fortunate enough to work from home. Peace and quiet, coffee on tap and internet...it’s quite a cushy number really. As I go about my daily writing, very often I like to play music, and each story gets its own playlist. Sex, Wolves and Rock n Roll was no exception. So here it is...

Feelin’ Way Too Damn Good - Nickelback
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Without You - Three Days Grace
Someone That You’re With - Nickelback
Closer - Nine Inch Nails
Bad Girlfriend - Theory of a Deadman
Animal I have Become - Three Days Grace
See You at the Show - Nickelback

As you can see, there’s a lot of similiar sounds in there, but they all fit (for me) with the story. Have a listen, see what you think...are they the soundtrack to K and Sav’s story?

He'd loved Karlan forever. Now he must face forever without him...
Karlan Rixx is the epitome of the playboy rocker. Sexy and gorgeous, with that feral edge that marked a werewolf, Sav's been in love with him for years. The trouble is, Karlan's Mr. New girl every night, as straight as they come, and Sav doesn't stand a chance. Unable to bear it anymore, he makes plans to leave the band, even though it will break his heart in the process. But anything's better than seeing the man he loves and not being able to touch. Ever.
K loves being a Lyric Hound. The only time he truly feels alive is on stage, a guitar in his hand and the beat of Sav's drums flowing through his veins. Despite his image as a womaniser, it's the other wolf who makes his heart pound and his body ache. Before K can admit his feelings though, Sav leaves and rips his world apart.
Enter Madam Eve and a very special 1NS date. Can she succeed where so many investigators have failed and find K's lost wolf?

Available from: Decadent Publishing | Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | ARe

Mina was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spend her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days.
   So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all...(but she keeps that sword sharp, just in case the writing career is just a dream and she really *is* an adventurer.)
   The boring part: A full time author and cover artist, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She's addicted to coffee and would like to be addicted to chocolate, but unfortunately chocolate dislikes her.

Find Mina on the web:
Website: http://mina-carter.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/minacarterauthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/minacarter
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2920063.Mina_Carter
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/minacarter77
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Mina-Carter/e/B002BOH5R4/

Love and Loathing the Holidays

By Mina Carter

Holidays. I both love and loathe them.

On the one hand I love having my family about me and all the festive cheer, but… on the other hand, they’re loud. I’m a creature of quiet. I work at home, alone, with just my music, one sleeping cat and occasionally an irritating furby (that quickly gets put in a cupboard) for company. I’m also a quiet sort of person. Generally people have to tell me to speak up, and I’ve been told I have the quietest knock (as in, knocking on a door) ever.

Not my family. Oh no. My daughter, bless her, is just like her father and both like to have conversations at the tops of their voices, while in the same room. Wince for my poor delicate ear-drums with me, would you? My husband has conversations (yelled usually) with the TV when the rugby is on. My daughter sings along with whatever she has on her tablet and the Furby just talks to anyone. Even our cat is loud. So loud in fact, that we call him shouty cat because he likes to complain about the least little thing.

All in all, its chaos, and I have to work in the middle of it. Which, when you’re trying to write a sex scene can be interesting. Here I am tapping away about…yeah, you know, and there’s a tap at my elbow.

“Mummy, can I have a drink?”

Have you ever seen an author squeak and slam a laptop closed while trying to cover a notebook at the same time? It takes some dexterity, let me tell you. You see, little Miss Carter can read. Well. And spell. Excellently. Certainly well enough to read certain four letter words in certain scenes in my manuscripts that I don’t want her learning.

Okay, we get that sorted and she’s playing in the front room. I start again, tapping away happily as my husband does paperwork for his job (he’s a plumber).

“Sweetheart, how do you spell vent?” (he’s dyslexic)

On so many occasions I am tempted to spell a different four letter word for him but I’m not that evil. Yet. Tap me up at the end of the holidays and see how that’s going ;)

So…generally by five o’clock I’m frazzled, need earplugs and a vodka (although I rarely drink holidays bring that out in me!) but then we’ll sit down and watch a movie together as is a requirement on holidays in our house, Miss C and I on the sofa all snuggled up in a blanket (we fight over them). Often she goes to sleep across my lap.

It’s then that I realize that without the shouting and the questions, I wouldn’t appreciate the quiet so much and I wouldn’t change my family for the world.

So what do you love and loathe about the holidays? Do you have any rituals for the festive season?

***

So, 2014 is rapidly approaching, which means the release of Sex, Wolves and Rock N Roll is nearly upon us. To celebrate, I’m giving away a copy of the first in the Lyric Hounds series, Melody’s Wolf! Enter below for a change to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mina was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spend her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days.

So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all...

(But she keeps that sword sharp, just in case the writing career is just a dream and she really *is* an adventurer.)

The boring part: A full time author and cover artist, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She's addicted to coffee and would like to be addicted to chocolate, but unfortunately chocolate dislikes her.

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