WINNERS of Contest 3

Wow! You ladies commenting in this blog made out like bandits in this drawing!! Every single winner is a recent commentor here. Way to GO!



Thanks go to my DH, who did the drawing for me this week, again. He's such a big help! Plus, it gives me a reason to post this picture--probably my favourite one of him :P



Okay, so here's how it shakes down:

1.) Annalisa (a newcomer) gets a copy of NUERMAR'S LAST WITCH

2.) Sue A gets a copy of SPELLBOUND

3.) Jennybrat wins the necklace

Ladies, please email me at AERought@gmail.com You lucky book winners will need to give me their email address, and Jennybrat will, of course, need to give me her postal address.

*Next week, if I haven't heard from Contest 2's winners, I will once more offer those prizes--gotta be fair to everybody, giving time to the winners, and giving another opportunity to those who didn't win the first time around.*


I'm waiting on you!


Smooches~


AE

CONTEST*CONTEST*CONTEST #3

Alright, Gentle Readers, I am having a prize basket blow out this week in celebration of the blessed Yuletide season! Not just one, not just two, but THREE different prizes! (Other authors are welcome to join in the fun, btw)

1. A copy of NUERMAR'S LAST WITCH, the e-book fantasy novel that is heralded as, "a wondrously magical adventure in a battle against good and evil, A.E. Rought has created a fantasy world that opens the door to love and passion. Readers will be able to experience a world like no other filled with amazing creations that will leave them in awe." (Anita of The Romance Studio)

2. A copy of SPELLBOUND, the e-book anthology published by Aphrodite's Apples, which contains my short horror story, PAST MIDNIGHT. PAST MIDNIGHT is a story of karma come full circle, a short story which Jennifer of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques says, "those of who love a good story that unravels naturally with an intriguing twist will surely enjoy Past Midnight."

3. This gorgeous hand-strung necklace of AB crystal, pressed glass, silver and hematite beads! (The picture just does not do these icy beads justice, People, it's a very pretty, sparkly piece, not matte like this picture.) It is not a choker, but lays just nicely on the neckline. The focal point has a silver charm dangling that simply reads, "Love," which is the highest power.

AND, to make it easier on those who have trouble leaving comments on Blogger, I am adding another way to enter the contest. You can 1) leave a comment here, 2) leave a comment on my MySpace blog, 3) email me at AERought@gmail.com, or 4) join my Yahoo! Group, Dark Ink, and leave a comment on the messageboard.

As addendum... There are two unclaimed prizes from last week. :( Amy, and Becky please contact me AERought@gmail.com so that your prizes can be sent out.

Best of luck to all of you!

AE

EXCERPT: Nuermar's Last Witch

**Blog exclusive excerpt**

Here's a little taste of my villian for y'all...

He felt the earth around him, cold and unforgiving through his blood-soaked tunic; his cheek came to know every grain of dirt, every pebble and piece of debris. He could smell the musty dung of animal scat mixed into the loam, even over the bitter scent of his own blood. He felt his heart beating, the interval between each heartbeat growing longer until his pulse all but stopped and Daysen knew he would live no more.

The assassin prepared himself for the gods’ final justice. But instead of blackness and eternal punishment, Daysen felt the edges of his belly wound begin to burn. His heart picked up an erratic beat. He unearthed himself, and pulled up his shirt; an apparition of one of Lord Nemenon’s demons rode the ragged edges of his raw cut. Needing contact with flesh to solidify, the creature dug its claws into Daysen’s skin, pulling the edges of his wound together.

The instant it touched Daysen’s flesh, the creature transformed from spirit to being. The demon’s black eyes pierced Daysen with its gaze.

“Your job is not finished,” it hissed, its forked tongue fluttering. “You will live only as long as I permit. If I leave your body, I will once again become a spirit and will take yours with me. Should you fail to do my bidding, you will face my punishment…”

The demon’s sentence trailed off. It began to fade again, like a shadow dissipating in sunlight, filtering through the assassin’s flesh until only it glittering black claws remained solid, cinching Daysen’s wound closed like crude stitches.

Daysen lay still in shock, his chest heaving with new life even as the crimson welt left in the demon’s wake wept dark blood and pus, as though infected. He was infected, he realized―with evil. He felt the demon inside his body. Even Daysen’s heartbeat was quick and shallow, echoing that of the creature. The solider even felt the demon in his mind, its talons digging into his brain and its snarling lips whispering over his lobes evil things beyond imagining.

The demon arrested his death, and now Daysen was in its clutches, forced forever to do its bidding. Such was the price of continued existence. He was a puppet suspended on strings of death. As the demon invaded the assassin’s soul, Daysen’s human form changed―he began to resemble his internal tormentor. Daysen was now little more than a vessel, filled with something malevolent. As a glass bottle displays its contents, so, too, did Daysen. His lips curled in a nasty sneer; his eyes sunken, piercing and black. Whatever remnant of humanity remained within Daysen lay buried deep in his heart, a place the demon considered useless to invade.

WINNERS of CONTEST 2 !!

Okay, dear Contestants, my kids are both gone this weekend, so my DH was kind enough to draw the names. And, in case you're wondering what my DH looks like, here he is in all his glory...

*wg*

So... This week's winners are:

Becky, from Samhain Cafe -- BOOK!

Amy, new comer to the blog -- the necklace!

Congratulations, Ladies!! *throws streamers*

Amy, I will need your postal addy, so please email me at AERought@gmail.com so that I can get your necklace out to you.

Becky, email me (same email addy), and let me know what format you want your book in!

And, to everyone else, thanks for coming back and for putting up with Blogger's snit-fits. We've still got two weeks to go, which means more e-books and other prizes! Plus, there will be a new excerpt up, too, so I hope to see you all again, soon! :)

CONTEST*CONTES*CONTEST (2)

PRIZE 1:
That's right, Everyone, this necklace will be this Friday's prize! And, yes, as with the bear, I made this piece. It's a gorgeous necklace of black Czech glass, and red crystals with antiqued silver accents. Great for Holiday wear, or that vampire/werewolf look!

PRIZE 2:
Another copy of Nuermar's Last Witch will be given away this Friday! People need to read this story that The Romance Studio calls, "A spellbinding fantasy," that is "an exciting action-packed adventure that will enthrall the readers. A familiar plot where the hero and heroine set forth on a quest in search of objects of power to save the kingdom is made new by the exciting action and the surprising magical elements described in the story."

Same rules as last week, just post a comment, and if you'd prefer one prize or the other, please let me know so. :)

Love and Light and best of luck!
AE

EXCERPT: Nuermar's Last Witch

Maybe you've read this posted elsewhere, but I still think it's one of my favourite scenes...

By the fourth night, she was captive to her fatigued petulance, and as the sun set, she scrambled from the bushes, spoiling for a fight.

She stalked over to the fireside, and dropped gracelessly to the dirt. She took the mug of tea that Joran offered her, but she met his evening salutations with little more than a grunt. Maelis’s mind buzzed with angry, ugly thoughts, as though everything came to crash in on her at once and Joran’s pleasantries and attempts at soothing only made her feel worse.

“Is something wrong, Maelis?”

“You tell me,” she growled. “My village was destroyed, my grandmother was murdered, I had to leave Ke’sair’s when it was beginning to feel like home, I’m on an impossible quest and I’m traveling with a man who wanted to kill me!” She glared at him, aiming her frustrations at the face across the flames. “Tell me how you would feel!”

Maelis flung her cup at Joran and then kicked at the fire, sending up a shower of sparks.

Joran rose, as much to defend himself as from anger. He pointed a warning finger at her and shouted, “Stop it!”

“What if I don’t?” she snarled. “Are you going to kill me, like you did the people in my village?”

“That’s not fair, Maelis.”

“Calling you a ‘killer’ isn’t fair?” Her words dripped venom. “Why not? It’s the truth.” She looked at him with searing green eyes. “Killer! Killer! Killer!”

Joran closed the distance between them, bristling, his fists balled up at his sides. He grabbed Maelis by her tunic collar and raised the other hand as if to slap her.

He inhaled. She exhaled.

“Killer,” she growled one last time.

There was no hesitation.

Her taunts had found their mark in a man easily given to violence; his hand arced down in a vicious swing. A resounding crack stung them both as Joran’s callused hand struck Maelis’ cheek. As soon as he slapped her, he regretted it. He saw the wounded look in her eyes and reached out to console her.

“The old nature lies just beneath the surface,” Maelis whispered. “And you expect me to trust you?”

copyright 2006

WINNERS!!

Alright, Ladies. This is my daughter Kat, and she's holding the hat your names have been added to. Kat and her brother Kyle drew the names this week. *drum roll, please*

THIS WEEK'S WINNERS ARE:

Billie I--free copy of Nuermar's Last Witch!!!

Loretta--teddy bear!!!

*throws confetti* Yay! Congratulations!!!

Now, Ladies, I need your contact info, so please email me at aerought@gmail.com Loretta, I will need your postal addy. Billie, I need your email addy and which format you would like to receive your free copy of Nuermar's Last Witch.

To the rest of my entrants, your names will stay in the hat, because next week I will have another great prize. I have more free books, and hand beaded jewelry, and possibly...another bear! (gray this time, antique rescued fur)

So... check back Monday for the next CONTEST posting. Until then, you can enjoy my normal pith and blather LOL, and an occasional excerpt from Nuermar's Last Witch, or up-coming works.

THANK YOU ALL!

CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST

Greetings, Dear Readers, and Happy Holidays!

All this month, I will be holding contests to win e-books and other great prizes!! Every Friday I will give something away. Downloads. Awesome prizes. What could be better?!?

This week, to kick things off, one lucky commenter will win a copy of Nuermar's Last Witch, my high fantasy novel at Samhain Publishing. AND one commenter will win this adorable, handcrafted pink teddy bear!!

Isn't she sweet?? Goddess knows, I almost hate to part with this bear. And, in case you're wondering out there, YES, I made her. Here's another pic of her precious little face...

And, of course, there is the download of Nuermar's Last Witch, my fantasy novel. Here's the blurb to whet your appetite...

Nuermar’s history is whittled in ruins, its prophecy carved in stone. Maelis, child of the Prophecies, is the last of her kind — a green-eyed witch, and the only one whom the stones of Nuermar say can channel the Elements. She alone has the power to vanquish the evil that reigns over her land. But without the greatest element of all, she has no hope of winning such an impossible battle.
A turncoat-assassin holds the key to her ultimate triumph. Yet the destruction of her village and the brutal slaughter of Maelis’ family lies on Joran’s hands. Can she overcome her hatred in order to fulfill the Prophecies and channel the ultimate Element – Love?

So what do you need to do to win? Comment here, and tell me where you heard about the contest and which prize you'd like to win. Simple enough? Friday evening, I will post the name of the winner here, so you'll have to check back and exchange contact info, and all that jazz. :)

So, come on, speak up and say 'Hi.'

BEST OF LUCK!!

MY NEW COVER!!!

NUERMAR'S LAST WITCH

She controls the Elements, but he controls her heart.

OMG!!! It's so pretty I could just pinch myself!! Anne Cain is the cover artist and she did such a fabulous job--she gave me just what I asked for. You can check out Anne's other works at her Deviant Art site or her website for her collaborative effort Dragon's Disciple

And, you can check out the coming soon page for my fantasy novel Nuermar's Last Witch by clicking on the link.

Go. Read. come back and tell me about it! ;)

SPELLBOUND RELEASE DAY!

Just in time for Halloween!

That's right, folks, my first horror short story is available today! Just click HERE to check out a witch's brew of wicked stories and naughty fun!

My story is Past Midnight, and it's a tale of karma come full circle when a young woman heeds the beckons of a haunted house...

Also included are tales by Katrina Strauss, Candice Gilmer, H.S. Kinn and more!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLE!!

He's 13. He's cute. He's smart. And, I'm so proud he's my son. Mine and my husband's, that is...I can't take all the credit. *wink*

(And, yes, I do feel really old now. I'm the parent of a teenager!)

Blessed Autumn

The first round of edits for NUERMAR'S LAST WITCH are completed (Thank the Goddess!) and I sit at this window, south of Summer, and watch the leaves ripple in a growing gold and russet cascade. It rained yesterday, and for a few days before, the air tepid and humid with moisture--yet I yearned for the feel of flannel. Today, the air is cooler, the tea in my mug is hot and my mind drifts the pleasant taste and texture of hot cocoa on my tongue.

I love Autumn.

This Summer had so many ups and downs, joys and heartbreak; truly the most tumultuous time I think I have ever endured. I am glad to have come out of it intact, to be me. Galadriel's line in LOTR's comes to mind, where she pleased in the fact that she resisted the Ring's temptations and remained simply Galadriel.

From it all, I have learned that the best lessons learned are those hardest taught, that the rewards are sweeter for the suffering endured, and that some losses go soul deep. I've learned to be damned grateful for what I do have, and for that which I have not. I am truly Blessed with good friends, a loving family (even if some of them drive me insane), and a budding writing career. And as to the writing career, I am further than many, but not further than most and I know I have a hellish struggle to get where I want to be--but I am ready and willing, and embrace that challenge with arms wide open.

I look forward to long talks with my friends, walks with the dog, carving pumpkins and toasting the seeds. I look forward to chilly days with music streaming from my speakers, fingers dancing across the keys as a waft of steam from my cup drifts past my screen. And, so I ask, what are you looking forward to doing this Fall? Will you be reading, or writing? Will you be out in the crisp Autumn air? Or, will you miss Summer?

And away we go!

Goddess, lend me your strength and guidance through the coming trials!

I received an email from my Samhain editor today--she's one-third through with the edits for Nuermar's Last Witch. *gasp*

I don't know if I should be excited or scared. I know my writing style has evolved so much since I penned that first novel, years ago. How bad will the edits be? I should find out in about a week.

Pray for me, Y'all!

I shall prevail. The book will be awesome. Abundance will abound. So mote it be!

Enough said...

Write through it?

I am very much a 'feel it' kind of writer. I need to feel it to write it, even if it's a superficial connection.. But, now that there's actually demands on my writing (of a sort, I ain't that famous yet) I'm trying to write when I don't feel any attachment to the character, or any immersion in the story.

(This is not a pity party, but a way of explanation) This summer has been particularly rough. A fair bit of drama around my penname's release, including the original cover artist renigging due to rights issues, and scrambling last minute to get new artwork. Preparing for, and taking two trips to Chicago. Add to that, personal life issues with friendships, and two of my siblings' marriages imploding. It makes for a poor writing atmosphere.

My question is, how do you drag yourself out of such a funk? Or, do you write through it? I know what my writing is like if I force it--it sucks. I don't want my writing to suffer for my mind and heart not being in it. There are moments, like brilliant flashes of light, when inspiration strikes and I run for the keyboard. But, it's not a sustainable drive--when the scene is typed, things seem to dissolve.

Maybe when the kids go back to school, I'll be more on top of my game. A little normality might be nice. At least things will be quieter.

Quiet is good. :)

20 THINGS I HATE

**Sister, please! Just twenty??**

1.) Busy-body Bitches. STFU, keep your nose in your own shyt--it's smelly enough that you don't need to dig into mine, or anyone elses for that matter.

2.) War protesters. Just because you have the right to free speech doesn't mean you need to use it. Keep your black t-shirts and fucking signs out of our parks. PEACE THOUGH SUPERIOR FIRE POWER

3.) Arrogance. Ain't nobody perfect, Honey, everybody's got a skeleton.

4.) Feeling pushed. Never, ever push me.

5.) Back stabbers. Smile when you hold the knife--et tu, Brute? In case you're wondering, yes, it is familiar to me.

6.) Cartoons. Okay, honestly I used to watch them with the kids *gasp* Now they bug the shyt out of me...unless my caffeine levels are low.

7.) Homie swagger on a white boy. STFU, pull up your pants and speak clearly--your momma didn't raise you to be a hood rat. (Nothing racial here, it's the attempting to be something you're not)

8.) Anorexic bitches in Hollywood. Please, woman, have a damned sandwhich--we don't need to see your bones. That shyt ain't natural; women are made to have curves.

9.) People who glorify those hated in #8. Every heard of enabling? Quit treating them stickbitches like the goddesses they aren't!

10.) Tardiness. I try my damnedest to be on time, so should you. Unless you can't, then have the curtesy to call.

11.) Rude cashiers at the drive-thru. Hello? You choose that job, be nice or GTFO. It's called "customer service" for a reason.

12.) Activists--political, religious, what the fuck ever otherwise. Keep your opinions to yourself.; I don't push mine off on you. You might have the right to free speech, but the pursuit of happiness comes first, and your yapping pisses me off.

13.) Getting lost. Hate it; it scares me, and I am loathe to show fear.

14.) Unacceedable expectations. Be realistic, be forgiving when expectations aren't met.

15.) My own tendancy to take on too much. Yeah, I hate that in myself. I've gotten my ass into more ringers than I care to think about.

16.) Hot weather. Enough said...

17.) People who have no imagination.

18.) People who condem those who do.

19.) Noise. Music is great, I'm addicted to that, but that superfluous noise drives me nuts.

20.) My own ability to be so easily distracted.

I tag Candice! :P

BRAINFRIED

Yup, that's me. Brainfried and it's only Tuesday. Yippee. Too many WIPs, too many if-than's, too much hurry-up-an-wait. I sit here thinking, 'I need to write.' I don't write well when my brain is mush.

Add to that, so serious disappointment in Dysfunction Junction, otherwise known as my family, and well *sigh* I don't feel like ME. I feel like the main heroine for my penname. I think I might have to change hats and just surrender to that bitch inside.

Yup, mayhem and coffe sound good in the morning...

Starting a new one

*sigh* Is my head sccrewed on straight? I wonder some times. I mean, OMG I must be nuts to get another blog. But the one I had previously was dead, defunct--road kill and smelly.

So, yeah, time to start fresh, so look for more coming later :)