I’ve written a number of pets into my books. In part, because, well, I love animals.  But also because I think animals bring an interesting and fun element to the stories and insights into the characters. There is only so much we, as writers, can show of a character through introspection or even action.  It’s often in their interactions with other characters that the readers come to know them best.  The interaction between the hero and heroine is what the story is all about, of course.  But secondaries bring so much to the story. They are the confidante, the sounding board, the challenger or possibly the instigator that give the reader that extra peek into just what this character is made of. Does the big, bad, tough cop melt over a cuddly cat—but only in secret? Does the heroine have a fear of dogs brought on by a bad experience, but tries to hide it so the hero doesn’t think less of her?  Does one of the characters kick at an animal, treating it badly?  All of these actions give us an instant snapshot into what kind of person that character is.  Yes, we can definitely use other methods to…

Warriors of the Mist #2 March 2013 On Sale: March 5, 2013 Featuring: Duncan; Lady Lavinia 338 pages ISBN: 0451239598 EAN: 9780451239594 Kindle: B008UCJ6E6 Paperback / e-Book $7.99 Add to Wish List Romance Historical, Romance ParanormalBuy at Amazon.com Mixing up historical with paranormal, one of our favorite combinations Her Knight’s Quest by Alexis Morgan Can she trust her heart and trust to a mysterious warrior? They are cursed by the gods, and war is their salvation. Love is their deliverance. For centuries, five legendary warriors have braved battles shoulder to shoulder. But now they must divide and conquer as lone champions against evil. Duncan, a scholar at heart, is drawn to an isolated abbey rumored to hold the answers to countering the terror unleashed by Duke Keirthan. Inside the cloistered walls lies the hidden collection of forbidden lore on dark magic. But the real key to the salvation Duncan seeks-both for the people of Agathia and his soul-is the abbess herself, Lady Lavinia. Hunted by the duke, who seeks to harvest her powers, Lavinia knows Duncan wants to help her. But can she trust the tortured warrior with her secrets? In the end, it is only by joining forces that…