As a single gal, reading a steamy romance book while drinking wine and eating chocolate is my ideal way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours and Kiki Howell I'm about to show you a better way to celebrate. Learning about books and big giveaways! So be sure to read this whole post to see what's up for grabs and how to enter. And now, here's Kiki....
What A Cover Says by Kiki Howell
We hear all the time as authors how important our covers are. And in the past four years that I’ve been published, I have been so lucky with all of my book covers. Of course, covers are a very subjective thing. Personally, I like the ones that are more collage-like, with people or places over a background, beautiful scrolling title, etc.
When I got my two covers for my Valentine’s Day stories this year, I could not have been more thrilled. Both not only sum up the elements of the story but they capture the setting and tone as well. There is just so much that I like about each of them. Someone asked me why, and as I tried to analyze it, I decided to write up a post as I did so. Thought it might be fun to give my opinion or commentary on why these two covers of mine are so perfect for the stories.
Cover #1 for Love, Creativity & Magick, A Steampunk Valentine’s Day Tale
Of course the clockwork style gears show the steampunk element, and the red on them a nice touch for the holiday. The clothing on the couple is so right. I love that the female’s dress is red and black. The female in this story really is a sassy witch, one with power and confidence. But, when the vampire comes to her, a dark and mysterious being, hence the robe, she is for the first time in her life in awe of him, gives into her feelings and passions. So I was thrilled with the way she looks up at him, and the way he holds her, because he does support her in the story, everything about her.
Check out the blurb, and let me know what you think…
Love, Creativity & Magick, A Steampunk Valentine’s Day Tale Blurb:
All acts of magick take on shades of gray in the end, especially for Emma, one of four females witches who by birthright belong in the social circles of the privileged upper ten thousand in London. Yet, by rumor of the unknown and the misunderstood, she stands apart, cut by her peers along with her cousins, because they hold a secret—each is gifted with magick.
Their elders had taught them respect for their powers even when mixed with a spanking amount of fanciful mischief. On the other hand, if a lesson was warranted, then white verses black magick could be hard to define. Nowhere was the color of steam more evident than in the matters of justice, a slippery term to define. Yet, they’d made breaking the laws of society their mission. Most of their nights at parties and balls were spent creating a magickal comedy of errors, helping the uptight aristocracy side step their fastidious standards.
Only this year, days before Valentine’s Day, a damnable day for women without suitors, Emma is not quite sure what is happening to her. Something dark and seductive, something not of this world, is luring her, possessing her, and she has no comprehension of what or who the presence really is. But, when he does show his face finally, and she feels him to be a nightwalker, she must fear not only the threat he poses to her blood and to the energy or magick he can suck from her, but also the danger he poses to her heart. After all of these days feeling him, wanting him, she has to wonder if her feelings are just a matter of his compulsion, if she is under this vampire's own type of magick.
To complicate matters further, the vampire’s propositions are as exciting as they are scandalous, to teach her how to power her magick with the overabundance of sexual energy she bears. But, how he knows such things he remains elusive about. And there is the added attraction that this vampire was a failed inventor in life, one with a basement full of contraptions she finds she can power through the use of her sexual energy. Valentine’s Day seems like it could be all kinds of fun this year now.
Yet, in these days of social unrest and out-of-control creativity, what is a witch to do with a vampire? When Valentine’s Day rolls around, and a secret is revealed, what will be left for her?
Cover #2 is for Sacred Sex:
This story is contaemporary, and I think the different style cover portrays that. Here though we have a couple tore apart by modern day woes, and I love how that shows in their faces on the cover. I must say that the title scroll in gold says “sacred” to me. The key to capturing the mood of this story in this cover though is the flickering candle and the flower petals. Both are used in the sex magic ritual the couple does. The colors are soft and say tenderness, the added touch of the coiling vine just wraps around you…I get the warmth, the tenderness, the depth of feeling whether despair (I see this in the black and white tint over the couple) or love with this one.
Check out the blurb and see what you think. A perfect match?
Sacred Sex Blurb:
Just a few days before Valentine’s Day, Margaret visits her aunt’s craft consignment shop hoping for a spell or oil, and any advice on how to re-connect with her husband, Michael, who has become distant since losing his job. Determined to save her marriage, she gets more than she bargained for from Aunt Minny, a practicing witch. Armed with recipes to enhance love, a massage oil type love potion, a new Valentine’s Day candle and a book on Sacred Sex Rituals, Margaret prepares to seduce her husband.
But, his initial reaction is not what she planned for…
Follow Margaret and Michael on a holiday of love journey, a throwback to the kinky pagan sex rituals once practiced long ago on this day before it was named after a saint. You may want to take notes to enhance your own Valentine's Day this year!
Kiki Howell
~where love is a mystical thing~
Love, Creativity & Magick: A Steampunk Valentine’s Day Tale –
A Novelette by Kiki Howell
A Novelette by Kiki Howell
All acts of magick take on shades of gray in the end. Especially for Emma, one of four females witches who by birthright belong in the social circles of the privileged upper ten thousand in London. Yet, by rumor of the unknown and the misunderstood, she stands apart, cut by her peers along with her cousins, because they hold a secret—each is gifted with magick.
Their elders had taught them respect for their powers even when mixed with a spanking amount of fanciful mischief. On the other hand, if a lesson was warranted, then white verses black magick could be hard to define. No where was the color of steam more evident than in the matters of justice, a slippery term to define. Yet, they’d made breaking the laws of society their mission. Most of their nights at parties and balls were spent creating a magickal comedy of errors, helping the uptight aristocracy side step their fastidious standards.
Only this year, days before Valentine’s Day, a damnable day for women without suitors, Emma is not quite sure what is happening to her. Something dark and seductive, something not of this world, is luring her, possessing her, and she has no comprehension of what or who the presence really is. But, when he does show his face finally, and she feels him to be a night walker, she must fear not only the threat he poses to her blood and to the energy or magick he can suck from her, but also the danger he poses to her heart. After all of these days feeling him, wanting him, she has to wonder if her feelings are just a matter of his compulsion, if she is under this vampires own type of magick.
To complicate matters further, the vampire’s propositions are as exciting as they are scandalous, to teach her how to power her magick with the overabundance of sexual energy she bears. But, how he knows such thinks he remains elusive about. And there is the added attraction that this vampire was a failed inventor in life, one with a basement full of contraptions she finds she can power through the use of her sexual energy. Valentine’s Day seems like it could be all kinds of fun this year now.
Yet, in these days of social unrest and out-of-control creativity, what is a witch to do with a vampire? When Valentine’s Day rolls around, and a secret is revealed, what will be left for her?
Genres: Valentine's Day 2012 Theme, Paranormal (witches and vampires), Steampunk (Victorian England), Erotic Romance from Naughty Nights Press
Sacred Sex
A Valentine’s Day Short Story
A Valentine’s Day Short Story
by Kiki Howell
Just a few days before Valentine’s Day, Margaret visits her aunt’s craft consignment shop hoping for a spell or oil, and any advice on how to re-connect with her husband, Michael, who has become distant since losing his job. Determined to save her marriage, she gets more than she bargained for from Aunt Minny, a practicing witch. Armed with recipes to enhance love, a massage oil type love potion, a new Valentine’s Day candle and a book on Sacred Sex Rituals, Margaret prepares to seduce her husband.
But, his initial reaction is not what she planned for…
Follow Margaret and Michael on a holiday of love journey, a throwback to the kinky pagan sex rituals once practiced long ago on this day before it was named after a saint. You may want to take notes to enhance your own Valentine's Day this year!
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Wiccan/Pagan, Holiday - Valentine’s Day from Rebel Ink Press
Ever since she was young, Kiki Howell has loved to listen to a well-woven tale with real characters, inspired plots, and delightful resolutions. Kiki spend hours lost in books and soon knew creating lives, loves, and losses with just words had to be the greatest thing she could do. She’s now had over twenty stories published and couldn’t be more thrilled or grateful to see her creations polished and out in the real world.
www.kikihowell.com
Bewitching Valentine’s Day Blog Tour Prizes – 5 Winners Total
-Physical Prizes Open to US Shipping
-Enter using THIS form.
-Giveaway ENDS 2/13
Prize #1 - Fashion Heart Necklace and Earrings
Prize #2 - Steampunk Necklace
Prize #3 - eBook Erotic Romance Short Story Bundle: Includes Love & Marriage Cures, The Healing Spell, Rituals and Working Out the Kinks For more information on these stories go to: http://www.kikihowell.com/2010/06/stories.html
Prize #4 - Print Book Sweet Romance Bundle: The Sorcerer’s Songs Novella with Weathervanes CD - For more information on this story and the CD that inspired it go to: http://www.kikihowell.com/2010/06/sorcerers-songs-trade-paperback-novella.html
Prize #5 - Print Copy of Torn Asunder Erotic Romance Novel - For more information on this story go to: http://www.kikihowell.com/2010/09/torn-asunder.html
I want to know more about what happens with Margaret & Michael!
ReplyDeleteI've read some of Kiki's works and enjoyed them. I look forward in reading more.
ReplyDeleteTracey D
Thanks for visiting ladies and good luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDelete