Hello!  I’m off to Vegas with twenty other women for a weekend of fun.  Yes, 20 other women!  We’re surprising our friend, Brandie, with a birthday weekend in the city of slot machines, shopping, and shows.  And sin.

I haven’t mentioned it before now because it’s a surprise, and it has been SO difficult to keep quiet.  But, we headed off early this morning to the airport, so I can finally say something.  I’ll try to take a before and after picture of the group, but we all promised that no pictures would show up anywhere (especially FaceBook), so I’ll have to make sure it’s okay.

Debbie (my sister) organized the trip, and we have goodie bags with itineraries.  We’ll be at the piano bar, Thunder Down Under, and the spa.  As well as shopping.  And gambling.  Last I heard Brandie was going to wear a tiara and we all have sashes.  Those poor people on the airplane have no clue what’s coming their way.  But no matter what… Lucky Sevens, here I come!

We get home late Sunday night, and then I leave for New Orleans and the FF&P conference on Thursday.  I’ll blog about that as well.

For now, wish me luck!

Hi all!  It’s Presidents Day.  As you may know, I worked as an intern with President Reagan’s office in California, after he was President.  (I was too young to vote—by FAR—when he was President).  Anyway…when I was in college, he still worked really hard.  So, I thought I’d throw out some of his quotes today.

1)                  The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest.   Normandy, France, June 6, 1984.

2)                  We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them — this morning, as they prepared for their journey, and waved good-bye, and “slipped the surly bonds of earth” to “touch the face of God.”   Speech about the Challenger disaster, January 28, 1986

3)                  Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

4)         Going to college offered me the chance to play football for four more years.

5)         Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.

6)         Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They’re just braver five minutes longer.

7)         I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there’s purpose and worth to each and every life.

8)         Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

9)         Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S. was too strong.

10)       Some people wonder all their lives if they’ve made a difference. The Marines don’t have that problem.

Hi there!  Welcome to the Naughty after Dark Blog Hop!  Click on the linky thingy above to jump back on the hop.

We’re supposed to give away something naughty, or slightly so, for the hop…so I’m giving away a signed copy of one of the Dark Protector stories (FATED, CLAIMED, OR HUNTED) because, hey, those vamps can get pretty naughty. 

Now, to make things interesting and to give me a very brief break from the next book in the series, which is due on May 1st, I thought I’d show a very cool picture I found awhile back.  At some point, I’d like to write a scene about this one…but as it’s Valentine’s Day right now (although not by the time you’re reading this), I, uh, have a hot date with Big Tone.     But…isn’t this a cool picture?

I promise I’ll draft a quick scene about it sometime in the near future.  For now, just enjoy the hop and good luck with winning the prizes!  Please leave a comment below for a chance to win from me – did you have a nice Valentine’s Day?  Or…any big plans for the spring/summer?  Or…is it spring or summer where you are?  (Not here – it snowed today).  Thanks for popping by!  Click on the cute linky thing above to get back on the hop!

UPDATE:  Contest open until 2/22

Happy Valentine’s Day! I write about love. Okay, I write about darkness, vampires, demons, and sexy situations. But love is in there, too! To celebrate love and the rest of it, I’m holding a contest for the next couple of days. The winner gets signed copies of all three books (Fated, Claimed, and Hunted).  Right now I only have ARCs of Hunted, so the winner can either take an ARC, or if you want a copy of the finished book, I’ll send that as soon as I get my promo copies.  There are different ways to enter the contest. You can do just one or all of them for more chances to win.

1) Leave a comment at the end of this blog for one entry into the contest.

2) Follow me on twitter and tweet the following for three entries into the contest:

Enter for a chance to win all 3 print books from Rebecca Zanetti’s Dark Protector series:  http://wp.me/pyBVu-Rc

3) Follow me on FaceBook (see facebook button to the side) and put this on your wall for three more chances to win:

Like vampires and sexy books? Rebecca Zanetti is having a contest this week and the winner will receive signed copies of the print books from the Dark Protector Series. Go here for details:  http://wp.me/pyBVu-Rc

So, that’s it. Enter any way that works for you. Don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post. Some people like a prompt question, which I’m happy to throw out there. Any plans for Valentine’s day? What about spring break? If you had an entire day all to yourself, what would you do? Any great traveling plans coming up? (You can answer one, all, or just say hi!)

HERE’s my snippet:

The astronaut was too intelligent to be so damn curvy.  Supple even.  Brilliance lit her sapphire eyes, while sin cascaded off her in strong enough waves to have the werewolf deep inside him howling.  Damn, he was horny.

Blaine forced down need and grabbed Callie’s arm, leading her onto a trail most people couldn’t find.  The thick forest surrounded them in an odd silence.  Yeah, the damn billionaire was near.  The guy could track anybody…and this time, he wanted the woman.  The astronaut who’d returned to earth with magical skills nobody could explain.

Well, most people couldn’t explain.  Blaine knew exactly what had happened…a werewolf could sense another were.  He needed to get the woman to safety before the full moon arrived.  Who knows how the virus ended up on Mars…but it had and she’d been infected.  “Good thing I need a mate,” he muttered, his groin tightening.

The billionaire rushed out from behind a wide pine tree, gun in hand.  He was sweaty and way too red in the face for good health.  “Please stop running.  I’ll find you anywhere.”

Callie took a step back.  “Why?  Why won’t you leave me alone?”

Insanity glowed in the man’s odd eyes.  “I know what you are…what happened to you.  The moon is coming, and you’ll be mine.”

At the claim, something calmed in Blaine.  Quick as a whisper, he struck out, grabbing the gun.  A swipe of his claws, and the nutjob stopped breathing.  Forever.

Callie gasped, stepping away. 

Blaine grabbed her arm, tugging her deeper into the forest, deeper into coolness.  The heat was boiling in the woman too fast.  The moon would rise in less than an hour, and then it’d be too late to stop.  Hell, it was already too late.  He could only hope to help her through the change.

She yanked away, leaning against a tree, her face flushed.  “I’m feeling odd.”  Her gaze raked down his chest, and a feminine growl rumbled from her sexy lips.  “Very odd.”

He flashed his canines, biting back a laugh at the alarm in her pretty eyes.  “Just wait.”

So…thanks for reading my snippet.  Do you have any plans for Valentine’s day?  How about for the weekend?  Do you think there’s life on Mars?     Remember to click on the guy angel above to return to the blog hop.

The voice is a powerful thing…

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who’s lost faith in his purpose. So when he’s charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it’s the red-headed beauty who’s been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian’s Mark.

He soon realizes she’s been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate, mute beauty, to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon—her voice.

Add Awaited to your Goodreads to-read shelf.

With her father’s gambling debts about to ruin the family ranch, Saige Thomely is determined to do whatever or whomever it takes to cover the debts. Unfortunately for her, one man is a sure bet, the one cowboy she’s tried to ignore for six months. The same cowboy who makes her body and heart flame to life with each look. Saige is prepared to offer herself in exchange for the money to cover the debts, but what she’s not prepared for is losing her damaged heart to another cowboy.

Night after night, for half a year, Chet Haskins has dreamed of having the blonde and sexy as sin Saige Thomely in his bed, writhing under him. At long last his dreams might become reality, only Chet’s heart wants more than just a few nights of steamy sex. But will the ghost of past relationships come between them? Or can Chet show the passionate Saige he’s truly the one to save her ranch and her heart?

Click on the book cover for more info and for a buy link!

Welcome to the Book Boyfriend Blog Hop!  I will be giving away a signed book to one randomly drawn commenter on my blog.  The winner can choose Fated, Claimed, or an ARC of Hunted.  This contest is open internationally.  Leaving a comment on the blog gets you one entry, “liking” me on facebook gets you another entry, and following me on twitter gets you a third entry.  You can do just one or all three…totally up to you!  Good luck!

If you need to jump back on the blog, or go back to find all the links, just click on the hot guy to the left.  He’ll take you wherever you want to go. 

So, TEMPTED will be available on March 27th, and I thought I’d post a new excerpt.  Here it is:

Biting back a sigh, Max stalked over uneven concrete and deep puddles. Maneuvering around to the rear of the paint-chipped building, he found his prey.

Two long legs led up to a heart-shaped ass trying to wiggle out a window.  He let her drop to the ground, waiting until she turned around.

“Please don’t run.”  His boots were made for kicking down doors, not running.

Sarah yelped, pressing back against the worn shingles, hand to her chest.

It was the worst self-defense move he’d ever seen.  “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Eyes the color of deep chocolate widened.  Dark circles marred the smooth skin over her delicate features.  Running had taken a toll.  Sandy-blond hair framed her classic face.  She stood much taller than Cara and Emma, the new mates of his friends and the only human females he’d been near in over a century. 

This woman, the one he hunted, she stood tall with legs long enough to give him pause.  Yet, even at about five foot eleven, she was several inches shorter than him. 

Something sizzled along his spine.  His body reacted to the gentle vibrations cascading off the woman.  Instinct honed his focus on her.  Special.  He should’ve known by his obsession with her picture.  The woman was a potential vampire mate.  Enhanced.  Maybe an empath?

He waited as she settled her stance.  Then went for a knee shot.

It was the worse side kick he’d ever seen.  Her worn tennis shoe bounced off his knee, causing no more hurt than a breeze.  She stumbled, and he reached out to steady her.  His hand easily wrapped around her bicep.  “Where the hell did you learn to fight?”

“The internet,” she gasped, trying to jerk away.

That explained it.  “The knee shot was a good move. You just didn’t aim the kick right.”  He was a big guy.  If she dropped him, she’d be able to run. 

“Should I try again?”  Fire lit her eyes while a small smile flirted with her pink lips.

The humor caught him off guard.  He matched her smile.  “You’ll just hurt your foot.”

My Book Boyfriend Giveaway Hop Hosted is by Reading Between the Wines Book Club & As the Pages Turn Giveaway.  The hop will run from 12:01 AM February 1st through to 11:59 PM February 5th, 2012.   Remember:  If you need to get back on the hop, click on the hot guy in the picture.

ALSO- I’m over at the Book Boost talking about my recent tumble down the stairs and giving away books – drop by and say hi.  CLICK HERE   AND:  now I’m at the Brava blog giving away books (yes, I’m almost out of books):  CLICK HERE.

So…leave a comment for a chance to win.  Feel free to just say hi.  Or, if you’d like to answer a question, go ahead and pick one of the following:  Have you ever climbed out a window?  How about in a window?  Any great plans for Valentine’s day? 

Hi all.  First, a hearty congratulations to Megan and Shelley for winning the ARCs of Hunted.  The rest of you — Stay tuned for more contests to come.  (In fact, on Friday, I’ll be giving away an ARC on the Brava Blog).    ALSO:  today I’m guest blogging over at Close encounters of the Night Kind.  Please drop by and say hi.

A lot of writing has to do with good dialogue – often dialogue that is completely opposite to what a character is actually thinking.  Here are eleven great movie lines – how many do you know?

1)    “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

2)    “I’ll have what she’s having.”

3)    “You can’t handle the truth!”

4)    “I’m not bad.  I’m just drawn that way.”

5)    “Face it, girls, I’m older and I have more insurance.”

6)    Are you crying? There’s no crying! There’s no crying in baseball!”

7)    “…That they may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom.”

8)    “I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper?”

9)    “Show me the money!”

10)           “Fish are friends, not food.”

11)           “Of all the gin joints in all the world, she has to walk into mine.”