Cindy Miles

German Copies of Thirteen Chances and MacGowan's Ghost!

2012-02-02T07:49:00.000-08:00

Arent these covers GORGEOUS?!!!! The lovely green one is THIRTEEN CHANCES, and the beautiful blue one is MACGOWAN'S GHOST! How awesome are they? So...would you like to win a copy of each? Just leave ONE comment per commenter here, and Sunday night at 11pm Eastern Time I will randomly choose a winner! Good LUCK!

A short HELLO and FALL is almost HERE!!!

2011-09-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! Just a short note here--I've been horrible at checking in and posting, especially since I haven't had a good ghostie romance released in some time. BUT....I will be posting more soon! I've sold a Young Adult Ghost Romance to Scholastic Books that I'm SO excited about, entitled FOREVERMORE. Haunted Scottish Castle. Spunky young violinist. Handsome young ghost. Love. Mystery. And all that jazz! This title releases next Fall, and I will be writing under Cindy Miles! I will have another Cindy Miles website, specifically for young adults, but I'll be keeping this one alive and well. Hopefully, one day, I'll be able to work on a few more ghostly knights!

Here I am claiming the Highlands! I had a wonderful trip to Scotland with my daughter and a dear friend of mine, author Leah Marie Brown. I'll post more Scotland pics later. ON DEADLINE NOW FOR FOREVERMORE!!!!

Check back soon, I hope Fall has befallen everyone (my FAVE time of year!!!) and is enjoying ghosts, vibrant leaves, and chilly weather!!!! (not so much here in the South! Phooey!)

Hello out there!

2011-01-31T06:20:00.000-08:00

Wow--it's been a LONG time since I posted here. I'm sorry! It's hectic like crazy keeping up with two personalities! Lol! Apparently, I'm not very good at it! I do apologize, folks.

I hope everyone had fabulous holidays, a super-start to a great new year, and everyone's reading superb books!

Savannah, GA has been hit with some seriously cold/wet weather this winter, so I thought I'd post a nice beachy scene to warm us all up ;)

A little update: Unfortunately, I don't have news that a new Cindy Miles novel is in the works, BUT--for those of you who read MacGowen's Ghost and Thirteen Chances, you may remember Captain Justin Catesby? I've given him a little happy-like ending in a short story that will release via The Mammoth Books in October! The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romances! I don't have a cover yet, but I will post it on the website as soon as I get it. My short story is called THE HEART THIEF. More updates on that one later!

What I'm working on: Well...I'm not only working with a new agent, but a new editor, as well. :) I'm THRILLED with both! The super-talented, highly-energetic and just plain NICE, DEIDRE KNIGHT, from The Knight Agency, is representing me now, and we are excited about a number of projects! My new editor at NAL is the lovely and enthused Jhanteigh Kupihea, and I'm so happy to be on her list of authors!

I'm on the last installment of the Savannah Vampires series, The Dark Ink Chronicles. Book Three, EVENTIDE, is due to release March 2012. That deadline for that book is March 1st, so I've been busy on it!! At the same time, I'm changing gears a bit and working on some younger projects that I'm SO excited about!!!! The second I can divulge the info, I will!!!

Meanwhile, THANK YOU, Readers! The Cindy Miles books are still selling, and as you know, they are my HEART. I really miss writing them, and hope to one day get the chance to work on them again--especially Jason's story. :) I love him!

And thank you to all the new readers of Cindy Miles books, for sending me the greatest emails! I really appreciate them!!!

On a personal note...my baby (well, 17 year old daughter!) graduates high school in May (SOB!) and we are headed to Scotland for 3 weeks for a pre-college trip! I hope to gain inspiration for new material, stomp around some old castles, and hit a few new places that I haven't been to before, like the Orkney Isles. So excited!

Well I hope all of you are staying warm, reading lots, and keeping healthy! I will try my best to post at least once a month here, so check in, leave me a comment, and enjoy the site!

Happy 2011!!!!!

SILENCE: BROKEN! The Secret is OUT!!!! ;)

2010-10-22T20:35:00.001-07:00

Okay, guys! I know I've made you wait a long time for this (and hopefully there are still a few of you around to read this!!!) but honestly--I was literally given the OK by my publisher to "let the cat out of the bag" earlier today. So here goes!!!.....

New pen name: ELLE JASPER

New series: The Dark Ink Chronicles

Book One: AFTERLIGHT

Release date: November 2, 2010

Website: http://www.ellejasper.com/

Content: VAMPIRES in SAVANNAH!!!

!!!!!!!!

Now...most of you who've read my books love the low-impact sex (ie: usually ONLY in the last chapter, and after the vows have been said!!!) as is the nature of my light ghosties! I shall give you all fair warning: The Dark Ink Chronicles are wicked-sexy, gritty, with occasional BAD LANGUAGE. EEK! Some of you use to write and tell me MORE SEX!!! Lol! Well you'll find it in this new series for sure. my hero and heroine, Eli and Riley, are wicked crazy about each other, and they don't play games!

I completely understand different tastes in reading, and I know not all of you will like/be interested in my new work. I LOVE my Cindy Miles books, and I LOVE the characters. I hold a special place in my heart for them all and would LOVE to work on those stories again. But, I had to flex my versatile muslces and swing a little with the market, and The Dark Ink Chronicles definitely reflect that! While my new characters are alot different than my ghosties, I love them just the same. To me, they're real, they're deep, and I'm very attached to them!

But if you do take a chance and buy the book, I hope hope hope you totally enjoy! There's a contest running, and if you're already a subscriber to my Newsletter, no worries--you're already entered! If not, then visit the website www.ellejasper.com and take a look around. Join my Newsletter! And check out my character bios/portraits of my hero and heroine! And definitely send me a shout-out via email! elle@ellejasper.com

Thanks to all of you, and now that I'm able to Break The Silence, hopefully I'll be able to stop by here a bit more often!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!

Great News!

2010-06-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! I just found out that we have sold German Foreign Rights for MACGOWAN'S GHOST! How cool is that? :) THANKS, GERMANY!!!!!

For those who may not know how it works, the book will be translated in German and given a new cover. Cool! As soon as I recieve the cover I'll post it! I'm anxious to see what they come up with. I love my present cover for it though! :)

Small update (since I'm so bad about jumping on here!): I am busy at work with not only Captain Justin Catesby's story, but a Young Adult novel as well. It's not sold yet but I plan on completeing the manuscript by September. Wish me luck!

I hope everyone's staying out of the heat (if you live in it!) and having a wonderful summer! I love the 4th of July--the whole Sandlot, fireworks, hotdogs, homemade icecream thing! But once it's over I'm then ready for FALL!!! :) It has been blazing hot here lately (Savannah, GA) but we get storms every evening and it seems to cool things off. My daughter and I set the tripod up last night and took some really cool pics after the storm, of the moon and weird clouds. I'll have to upload them and post! :)

ALSO! For those of you traveling or living in the Orlando, FL area, plan to stop by the Romance Writers of America Convention July 28th through the 31st. I will be there signing copies of THIRTEEN CHANCES at the big Books for Literacy Signing. Go here to check out details: http://www.rwa.com/

Okay! I miss all of you and hope you're all having a fab summer! Stay cool!

Captain Justin Catesby! :)

2010-06-02T04:55:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone!

WOW! I know it's been a lonnng time since I posted. So busy these days! I hope everyone is having a super summer! So far, not sweltering here in Savannah, but I know it's coming!

So! FINALLY! Justin Catesby (for those who may not remember, he was the ghostly young, flirty sea captain introduced first in MacGowan's Ghost!) is getting his own story! I am in the process of plotting it out now, but it will be included in another great collection of short stories in the Mammoth Books, by editor Trisha Telep! As soon as I get the details, I'll post them. I'm not even sure when the deadline is for it! I'll keep you updated, and as soon as I get my story together I'll give you guys a little peek! :)

I'll post more soon! Lotsa movies to chat about, and books. :) Has anyone seen Letters to Juliet? OMG, that movie is FANTASTIC!!!! Went with super-girlfriends and we had a blast. LOVED the movie!!!

Okay! Catch you soon!
Cindy

Breaking Benjamin

2010-03-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Breaking Benjamin! Check them out! http://www.shallowbay.com I think they're so COOL!!! And CUTE!!!! Their song I Will Not Bow is my ring tone, and I listen to them while writing my new stuff (OOPS! CLUE!) :) They're going to be in Atlanta in April. I think I wanna GO!!!! :) Do they sell hot dogs at concerts? Pretzels? The last concert I went to was Michael Jackson's THRILLER concert and lemme tell ya--that thing ROCKED! (I was in HIGH SCHOOL. EEK!) I don't remember hot dogs though. Hairspray. Lotsa lotsa hairspray. HA!

So Spring is trying to weedle its way into the coastal south, and we've had a few days of springish weather--complete with a dusting of YELLOW JUNK from the pine trees. Ah-CHEW! Allergy time! But yesterday it all faded away, back to gloomy, dark, and chilly willy. I worked on a new (ANOTHER!) young adult outline and finished it. I ADORE it and can't wait to start writing it! Believe it or not, it's a straight young adult/teen contemporary romance--no paranormal! WEIRD! I'll let you know how it all works out. :) This one's set in North Carolina's Outer Banks, and I'd like to go there this summer. We'll see!

So did anyone see Gerry Butler's new movie? Bounty Hunter? I have not but it looks fun! I'm still reeling from Wolfman and Shutter Island--man, those were fantastic!!! I love Leo! He has another movie coming out that looks pretty awesome, in July I think. Gotta check it out!

Alrightythen! :) Off to do a little writing! I hope you all have a great week!!!

xo!

I'm BACK--and with STUFF to talk about

2010-03-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

Hey guys :) I know it's been quite a while since I've been consistent with blogging, and I mean to rectify that! But first, there are a few things to chat about. :)

Firstly, I hope everyone had super holidays and a wonderful entry into 2010! It's so busy around the holidays, and then they zoom right by! I LOATHE Post-holiday aftershocks. Lets just say it was the LAST weekend in January before my dry, dead, brittly Frasier Fir Christmas tree was undecorated and hauled out side. YIKES! Truly a sad moment (and a serious fire hazard!). Needles everywhere! I'm still finding them!

Okay, down to the STUFF. I've had many, many wonderful readers email asking about my next project, and I so very much appreciate how interested you are in my stories. I LOVE my stories, the characters, and it makes me so happy to know there are those who've enjoyed them just as much as I. I've got a stack of ideas for characters/their stories that one day I truly hope to write one day. But here's the thing: The Market. Right now, dark, sexy paranormal romances and urban fantasies are HOT and flying off the shelves. It's what the majority of the public demands. My books are light paranormal, and overall the light stuff's sales are "soft". So for now, I'm sorry to say, my stories are on hold, and I say On Hold because I hope the market eventually swings back in the light paranormal's favor. Don't get me wrong--I love the dark stuff too. But the truth is many, many people, due to economy and etc., either check out books in the library or buy books used. Unfortunately, neither of those methods work in an author's favor as far as keeping the books on the shelf, or their books continuing, or further contracts from the publisher. If an author's book isn't bought new, they don't get "credit" for that sale. The publishers have no idea who checks out books at the library, or who purchases used books. So therefor, the author's sales don't speak a whole truth as to how many readers and fans they really have. I know because I get super emails nearly every day from you guys! And I LOVE them. THANK YOU! Bottom line is this, unfortunately: if you have a favorite author and you want to see his/her books continue, buy the books new if possible. I am NOT a salesman (I couldn't even sell Girl Scout cookies well!) and I don't like bringing business into it, but some people have no clue that a used sale doesn't give the author and his/her book count credit. I know times are tough economy-wise, but if it's possible, buy the books new.

WHAT I'M DOING ABOUT IT: First off, I'm persistent, if anything. It took me 8 years to make my first book sale. It took me 4 times to pass my nursing state boards exam (what a stinker!). So its just not in me to give up. I have story ideas for 2 guys in particular: Jason and Captain Justin Catesby. I think I could write a story for almost all of my secondary characters--I love them all! But Jason has always been one of my favorites, and Justin fast became one! :) When the market does a turn-around for light paranormals, those two will be my first stories pitched.

Until then, I can only say this: I am excitedly working on a new contract and have to be totally mute about it until the first book releases. YIKES! I honestly can't even breathe a peep about it! But I PROMISE, as soon as I'm given the OK, I will share it in its entirety. The full deal. The skinny. The low-down. LOL! I will tell you this--you'll hear about it before this year is up. :) They will be written under another pen name so keep checking back and I SWEAR, I'll update you ASAP! :)

Other stuff I'm doing: I do have a short story in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romances entitled Nia and the Beast of Killarny Wood. :) Check out the cover at the right! :) That was a fun story to write--but it has no links to any of my previous books. I'm just sayin'! :)

I'm also working on some Young Adult ideas, and actually I may very well work Jason's story in as a Young Adult. I mean, he IS young. :) I need the perfect heroine for him, though, so my mind is working in that direction. I'm really excited about this other young adult project I've been working on, and if I make the sale (I'm working on edits right now) you guys will be the FIRST to know! :) I may even use Cindy Miles instead of taking a pen name.

I've really had a hard time deciding how to come out and say all this without SAYING all this. LOL! But it started making me avoid the blog, and I didn't like that at all. So I'm BACK, this is what I can tell you about it, and I hope you guys keep coming by! While I'm sad that I don't have any more Cindy Miles books on the way in the near future, I am VERY excited about the new stuff, and I can't wait to share it with you all! I will start back my blogs here--you know me, mostly I just chat about movies and trips and new books and stuff. But I promise--I'm not going ANYWHERE! :) I will be doing some book signings and conferences/workshops throughout the year, as well as some guest blogs, so I'll post them all on my News page once I get them organized. :) Okay! So that's all the heavy STUFF--now onto some fun stuff! :)

Erin Hart http://www.erinhart.com/: My pal Leah Brown (she is a wonderful writer of French historicals and has a super-great blog: http://leahmariebrown.blogspot.com/ )turned me onto this author years ago when her debut book, HAUNTED GROUND, released. It is one of my all-time favorite books to date. Her second novel, a continuation of Haunted Ground, soon followed: LAKE OF SORROWS. Now, several years later, (well, a few) her third and continuation novel has just released: FALSE MERMAID. I am ON my way to get that book! I've been waiting and waiting for it and FINALLY! It's here! Erin's books are these phenomenal crime/mysteries with a speck of romance set in IRELAND, and she does Ireland PERFECTLY! I was SO hooked! If you've never read any of the books before, and you'd love to sink your teeth into some kinda good Irish mysteries, start with HAUNTED GROUND. You have to read them in order!

MOVIES: Oh my lucky stars, the movies! I've squeezed in TWO that I absolutely had to watch on the big screen: The Wolfman and Shutter Island. GOOD LAWD, they were both FANTASTIC!!!! Benecio Del Toro is SO COOL as the wolfman! :) I'd honestly never watched him work before, but man--he's superb in this movie! A remake of the 1941 version, it has that Old Hollywood feel with today's modern cinemetography. So freaking awesome! I loved loved loved it! Here's something funny--my best pal, NAL Author Kim Lenox http://kimlenox.com/, looks JUST LIKE (to me!) the heroine, Emily Blunt. (Kim has a new book releasing in April: Darker than Night, the third installment in her Shadow Guard series set in Victorian London!) :) Both Kim and Emily are GORGEOUS! :) And of course, Sir Anthony Hopkins was kick-butt in it as well!! :)

SHUTTER ISLAND: Oh my word, that Leo DiCaprio just gets better and better looking as the years tick by! He was cute in Titanic. I mean CUTE! With that adorable floppy hair darling smile. :) Now? Good sweet Muther! Hot! I said HOT! Blood Diamonds, hello? EEK! Well he really outdoes himself in Shutter Island! If you 've not read the book the movie is going to shock the pants off you! (so wear clean undies with no holes please!) Me and my daughter BAWLED! Oops--don't want to give anything away, but come on--if you're a Leo fan you KNOW he always bumps into tragedy! And he does it so WELL!!!! :) I will be buying both of those movies when they come out!

I also want to see Alice in Wonderland (helllloooo, Johnny Depp!!), Percy Jackson and the Olympians, CLASH OF THE TITANS! (woohooo!) and of COURSE, the Bounty Hunter! (WOOOP! Gerry Butler!!!) Those are all next on my list!

Okay, guys! I know that was a load to dump on ya! Trust me--I've been fighting with how to say it without being down or gloomy. All I can say is I truly love my Cindy Miles books, settings, characters, and stories. I will not give up! :) And I hope, once I'm able to announce the new stuff, you might give it a shot, too!

Have fun at the movies, check out Erin's books, Kim's new release, and Leah's blog! FUN! And I'll see ya here again soon! :)

XOXOXOXXO!!!!!

I'm a CAVE DWELLER!!!!

2010-01-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!!!! I am sorry for being so absent! Holidays plus deadlines equals INSANITY!!! :) I do hope everyone had a super Christmas/Holiday and fabulous New Year. WOW! It's 2010! I cannot believe it!!!!

My status right now is still CAVE DWELLER! I'm on serious deadline and will check back with updates and a new contest and STUFF after February 1st!

Meanwhile...check out the next Mammoth book: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romances. I have a short story in there entitled: Nia and the Beast of Killarney Wood. It was so fun to write! :)

Take care, I've been thinking about all of you, and I look forward to seeing you again in a couple of weeks!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

November Contest Winners!!!

2009-11-30T05:17:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Jill, Lisa, and Susan! You are the three chosen winners for the November contest! You've each won a signed copy of my anthology, A Highlander Christmas! Yay!

I've sent all of you private emails, so please respond with your mailing address and I'll get these copies out asap!

THANKS to everyone who participated! And I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I've been out of town visiting family and have only just returned. Now...time to shop for Christmas!!!! EEK!

I'll be posting a Holiday Contest here soon, so check my website and here for details!

Thanks everyone!

How big is YOUR stack?

2009-11-10T16:59:00.000-08:00

Lol! Get your minds out of the gutter! I'm talkin' about your TBR stack! Well...this isn't exactly MY stack. Mine is double that! Two big fat tall, teetering piles of fabuloso books to be read! They all look so darn good and junk! (this is totally random, but have you seen that Pot Hole commercial? The pot hole is a southern belle with a TWANG and JUNK--lol!) Anyway.

I think I have started nearly every book in my two TBR piles, but something always drags me away, and I haven't finished one of them yet! Including SHUTTER ISLAND--and it is DARN GOOD! I'd told my pal Kim Lenox about it, and that Stinker has already finished it! (I'm shaking my fist at you, Kimbo) But where do you find the time to read?

I swear, time DRAGGED by when I was a kid. It took FOREVER for Christmas to roll around, and summertime lasted a lifetime. Now....ZIP! It all flies by! BOOHOOO!

Okay! What's on your TBR pile? Here's just the top of mine:

Shutter Island

Dreamfever

Marked

The Shining (again! I have read this one, but it's GOOD!)

Sunrise Song (again--one of my favorite Kathleen Eagle books!)

The Ghost Huntress

Frankenstein

At Dawn We Slept (Pearl Harbor)

So...what's in YOUR stack??? :)

ALL HALLOWS EVE!!!!

2009-10-31T09:06:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone! What a fun time of year! I ADORE Halloween and all that comes with it. We have a few must-do, must-see favorites around our house! Two are Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein, and Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow. Johnny Depp is an all-time favorite of mine anyway, but his portrayal of Ichabod Crane is THE BEST EVER!

Love me some Trick-or-Treaters, too! And what's Halloween without Lou and Bud running into three of Hollywoods greatest monsters ever? Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman! We can't forget about Casper, or Stephen King's SILVER BULLET (love me some Corey Haim in that one!) (or Stephen King's ANYTHING, really!), and we add Edward Scissorhands into the mix as well. You HAVE to have a good haunted house thrown in, and since my kids are too big for me to follow them around and trick or treat, I mooch off my friend's kids (this year we have Superman, Buzz Lightyear and WOODY!)

I remember when I was a kid, our Halloween costumes came in those flimsy white boxes with a see-through plastic top. You had your choice of Casper, a monster, a princess, and a few more. FUN DAYS INDEED!!!!

Gotta love Edward Scissorhands' hair! Sort of looks like Edward Cullen's!!! Ha!

We are SO watching Abbot and Costello, and Sleepy Hollow TONIGHT! Yay! "Heeey, Chick! Whoooa Chick!" LOL! That is some classic funny stuff!!!! And with Tim Burton, you can't go wrong!

I just finished putting candy in little Halloween bags for Trick-or-Treaters, and while I've had my front porch decorated since the first of October, I'm doing the final spooky touches tonight. I'm terrible about uploading pics, but I'll take some and post!

Happy Halloween, and BEWARE OF THE HARVEST MOOOOON..........

WINNERS!

2009-10-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hey, Christina and Armenia! CONGRATS!! You have won a signed copy of A Highlander Christmas! :)

Just email me your full name and mailing address to hauntedromances@yahoo.com, subject line: HIGHLAND WINNER

THANKS for everyone who commented, and your chance to win is not over! During the month of November I'll be collecting names for 3 drawings for a signed copy of A Highlander Christmas. If you're seeing this here, you can go ahead and email me early (before I have it listed on my Contest page!) at hauntedromances@yahoo.com subject line: NOVEMBER CONTEST.

Good luck, and congrats to the winners!!!!

A Highlander Christmas CONTEST!

2009-10-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

While I'm not quite finished enjoying my favorite month (OCTOBER!) or holiday (HALLOWEEN!), A Highlander Christmas, my Christmas anthology, will hit the shelves November 3rd, so I thought I'd better hurry up and get a contest rolling! :)

Dawn Halliday and Sophie Renwick are the other contributing authors, and their stories are fabulous! Mine is, of course, ghostly, and involves a Munro ancestor! :)

A CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: Paige MacDonald's Highland tour takes a surprising turn when a storm forces her to seek refuge in a forbidding castle already inhabited by the dead-sexy spirit of Gabriel Munro...

So! All you have to do is simply comment here, and tell me your favorite holiday! I'll randomly select two winners TUESDAY, OCT 27th. The winners will recieve each a copy of A HIGHLANDER CHRISTMAS!

Good luck!

OCTOBER!!!!!

2009-10-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

Hey! Do you see a resemblance here? LOL!
I ADORE Christopher Walken, especially as the Hessian Horseman in Tim Burton's, Sleepy Hollow (I'll blog about that later!~LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!)

And how freaking cool is Martha Stewart as the GHOSTLY EQUESTRIENNE! BOOHOOO! I wanna be the GHOSTLY EQUESTRENNE!!! Lol! She looks so COOL! Wicked contacts in her eyes and a nice oogie scar on her pasty ghost face! And her top hat ROCKS! :) This Halloween issue of her magazine rocks, too. Lots of great recipes and other cool stuff!!!

More later! I'm off to Georgia Romance Writer's Moonlight and Magnolias Conference in Norcross, GA (outskirts of Atlanta), so if anyone is close by, come on over on Saturday for the literature book signing/sale and say HI!!!!

And PS...THANK YOU EVERYONE for all your wonderful fine comments on Thirteen Chances! You're so sweet! I loved writing Christian's story! He's always been one of my favorite characters!!!! :)

See ya'll soon!

FIRST DAY OF FALL IS HERE!!!!

2009-09-22T04:07:00.001-07:00

Wow! Can you believe the first day of fall is already here? This year has flown by so fast! But today and the entire month of October are my favorites of the year. Here on Georgia's coast, it doesn't get nearly as gorgeous as this picture, but a short drive north takes us to the North Georgia and Tennessee mountains--VERY PRETTY! I would love to do a New England drive this year, and we might since my daughter has a Fall Break!

So now it's time for pumpkins! Pumpkin bread! Apples! Apple...anything! I Fall'd out my house this past weekend, so the Fall flag is flying and the wreath is hung! I do need to still go get some Mums, though!

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!

SHUTTER ISLAND~Leonardo DiCaprio!

2009-09-10T05:13:00.001-07:00

Oooh, MAN! I love me some Leo DiCaprio, and in Februrary his latest releases: SHUTTER ISLAND. YIKES! Set in 1954, Leo (along with Mark Ruffalo) plays a pair of US Marshals in the novel-made-for-Big Screen movie by Dennis Lehane. (I just bought the book and started reading it last night--WOW!)

Bare-bones plot: In 1954, two U.S. marshals investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane on an island in Massachusetts. They run into trouble when they are deceived by the hospital's chief administrator, a hurricane hits and an inmate riot traps them on the island.

You've GOT to go to the official ShutterIsland website and watch the trailer--it is freaky-spooky, and man--Leo is HOT! Lol! I can't wait for this movie! Release date Feb. 19th, 2010:
http://www.shutterisland.com/

WINNERS--THIRTEEN CHANCES!!!!

2009-09-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll! WOW! What great posts! Thank you ALL for joining in!

The winners are: from the Blog: Razlovers Book Blog, and SueG!!! You can email me at hauntedromances@yahoo.com along with your name and mailing address!

From the email entries: Charyn, from Frisco, TX, and Debbie, from New Orleans, LA!!!

Congrats to all of you! I truly hope all of you who pick up a copy of Thirteen will enjoy Christian and Emma's tale. They've become some of my favorite people!

NOW--KEEP ENTERING! For the entire month of September, I'll draw a name from emailed entries WEEKLY to win a copy of Thirteen Chances. If you've already entered, you are ENTERED for the month! If not, send an email to hauntedromances@yahoo.com subject line 13Chances! :) Leave your name and city, as well. Winners will be posted in a new blog, and emailed of their win as well.

THANKS everyone! And HAPPY SEPTEMBER!!!!!!

XOX!

THIRTEEN CHANCES IS HERE!!!!!

2009-08-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

Although copies are already circulating through the stores, Thirteen Chances officially releases TOMORROW!

I've been giving away copies of Thirteen Chances throughout August, and I'm about to give away MORE!

Starting now, throughout Thursday evening, I will draw 2 names from the entries I already have from the previous drawings. ALSO...COME BY AND COMMENT HERE! Thurs evening I will pick TWO more names--of commenters to this blog. So come by and get the chance to win a book! :)

And thanks to all of my readers! I really appreciate all the support and wonderful emails you've sent!

Now, a little about the book (from book description at Amazon.com)....

Christian is a fierce Welsh Crusader who's vowed to wait for his true love, Emma, forever. Eight hundred years later, he's still walking the earth as a spirit, thanks to a mangled magic spell. Now, three witches are determined to bring Emma's and Christian's souls together for all eternity. But if they fail, Christian and Emma's love will be lost forever...

Christian is one of my favorite heroes yet. He is (in my opinion) JUST RIGHT! Chivalry mixed with the wisdom of someone who has seen and lived (or unlived!) it all, with a bit of modernism to keep things interesting. That poor guy has had to wait 72 years in between encounters with his true love, Emma, and then, after making her fall in love with him each time, watches her die. Sob! It's not until the Ballaster sisters--a foursome of white witches--vows to concoct the most chanciest of spells to bring these two souls together for all eternity. They've only got one chance left--the Thirteenth!

Amidst the wooing you'll find all of my previous heroes and heroines coming together for several chapters! It's always fun to bring boisterous ole Tristan back, and the modern world just hasn't been the same since the Munro clan gained mortality!

I hope you all enjoy this tale. It was, for me, a tale from the heart. :)

Now don't forget to stop by here between now and Thursday! I'll pick two names to recieve a book each!

XOXO!

Another Winner!

2009-08-24T03:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, GINA, from SACRAMENTO, CA! You've won an advanced copy of Thirteen Chances!

One more week until RELEASE DAY!!!! I'll choose TWO winners this week, so if you've already entered, YOU'RE ENTERED. If not, drop me your name and city to hauntedromances@yahoo.com with the subject line: 13CHANCES!

Thanks to everyone for their interest in my stories!

Week 3 of ARC contest!

2009-08-17T18:10:00.001-07:00

Congrats, Shelly, from Houston, TX! You've won an advanced reader copy of Thirteen Chances!

Okay, guys--TWO more weeks of contesting left! If you've already entered, you're ENTERED for the next two weeks! I'll randomly draw a name next Monday, and the following Monday!

Thanks for entering!!

13Chances-Week 2 Winner Announced!

2009-08-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! Thirteen Chances release date draws closer and closer! And here's Week #2's winner: Patty, from Mankato, MN!!! Congrats, Patty! I hope you enjoy!

I will draw another winner next Monday NIGHT (I will be out of town and wont return until then) for another Advanced copy of Thirteen Chances. If you've already sent your name in for an entry, you are ALREADY ELIGBLE to WIN! :)

Thanks, Everyone! And I hope you're enjoying this hot summer!!!!

First Winner Announced!!!

2009-08-03T06:23:00.001-07:00

Hey! Congrats to Chelsea, from Meridian, MISSISSIPPI! You are the first winner of my Thirteen Chances contest!

Now--those who have already entered, no need to re-enter for the next ARC to give away. ALREADY ENTERED! I will select another name next Monday, AUG 10th. :) Check back here for winners! And remember--THIRTEEN CHANCES will be available on the shelves on September 1st!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Ethan and Amelia!

2009-07-30T04:44:00.001-07:00

Check out the wonderful surprise I recieved yesterday when I opened my reader email! 16 year old Alisa from Idaho created these after her mom gave Alisa the OK to read my books! She was inspired after reading HIGHLAND KNIGHT and is now Hooked on Highlanders! :) Aren't these great? If you can enlarge the pic with Ethan and Amelia you'll find quotes from the book in the background. Too cool!!!

She is a fantastic sketch artist as well. Check out her art gallery! http://www.alisaklingler.webs.com:80/ethanandamelia.htm

Thanks, Alisa! This was a great surprise and I've got both printed out to save!

THIRTEEN CHANCES--ETA!!!

2009-07-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! How's the summer going for you all?

Well...Sept. 1st is the release date for my fifth novel, THIRTEEN CHANCES! And to celebrate the upcoming release I will be running a few simple contests. I am announcing it here first, followed by my Contest page on the website, www.cindy-miles.com .

All you have to do is send your name and city/state to hauntedromances@yahoo.com, with the subject line: 13Chances. The first winner will be chosen August 3rd, and the prize: An ARC (advanced reader copy) of Thirteen Chances! Now--these ARCs are slightly unconventional. They are larger than book size--larger than my usual ARCs (the pink ones). These are bound copies my editor was kind enough to print up for me, and they're more like a bound manuscript, with a full color cover (as pictured above).

You can begin entering now!

And I hope everyone's enjoying their summer! I've been busy working on new project ideas, and will update you ASAP!!!!

Good luck!

Happy Summertime!!!

2009-07-02T08:17:00.001-07:00

How's this for a great picture? This is Kirsten, my Name that Character winner from The Netherlands! Isn't she gorgeous? She was kind enough to send me this pic with her prizes included, and permission to post her on my blog. She is super-nice and a wonderful reader! Thanks so much, Kirsten!!!!

So how is everyone's summertime going? It is HOT and MUGGY here on Georgia's coast! But fun! My daughter says I've been going down Memory Lane, because for the 4th of July we're doing everything I did as a kid. What fun memories they are! We're cooking out, making pulled pork bbq, potatoe salad, Brunswick Stew, boiled peanuts, shooting off fireworks, and making home-made peach ice cream! I think we'll wrap the night up by watching INDEPENDENCE DAY and THE SAND LOT!!!! :)

So what are YOU doing for the summer? :)

I'll post again later! MESSY HOUSE TO CLEAN!!!!

Shadow Guard/Scotland Contest Winner!!!!

2009-06-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

CONGRATS, CHRISTINA JOHNSON, FROM VACAVILLE, CA!!! YOU ARE THE WINNER OF MY SHADOW GUARD/SCOTLAND CONTEST!!!!

As always, I appreciate everyone's participation and readership! Ya'll are the best! If you haven't checked out Kim Lenox's Shadow Guard series, hurry and get both Night Falls Darkly and her latest release, So Still the Night! It's a breathtaking trip through spooky, foggy, murderous Victorian London! :) In my opinion, no one does it better than Kim!

I will be working on another contest soon, in honor of my Sept. 1st release, THIRTEEN CHANCES. Keep an eye out on my Contest Page on the website for more details!

Thanks again, guys, and congrats, Christina!

I'm still in Florida visiting my mom and sisters, so once I return home I'll blog some great pics!

I hope everyone's enjoying their summer!!!!!

Rainy Day in Savannah!

2009-05-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

Well I've tried to upload a great rainy-day pic of Savannah, but Blogger is being DIFFICULT! How's everyone's May going? It has been raining here for at least a week, and we had a cold snap a few days back. All GREAT for me! I love rainy days! Not easy to grill weenies and burgers in the rain, though (for Memorial Day!).

So do any of you have MD plans? Me and my daughter are headed down to Florida (where it's raining!) to visit my mom, dad, sisters, and bro-in-laws! Baby sis is PREGGO--the first baby since MY baby Tyler--and that was 16 years ago! YIKES! So we are very excited to have a new little baby in the family! :) I'm ready to go spoil that kid sister ROTTEN! :)

And I just recently bought a fantastic new SLR digital camera--Nikon. It takes GREAT pics, and boy--I wish I'd had it when in Scotland! Well--maybe it's a good thing I didn't have it, or it'd be smashed like my other digital from The Fall! YIKES!

Okay--check back here on June 1st where I'll announce the winner of the Shadow Guard/Scotland Contest! :) And if you haven't entered, HURRY! Go to my Contest page, or send an email, subject line: Shadow Guard/Scotland, to hauntedromances@yahoo.com and give your name and location (city/state/country). :)

Thanks, and have a great Memorial Day!!!!

Kim Lenox' SO STILL THE NIGHT Released!!!! And a CONTEST!

2009-05-08T03:51:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to my best pal, Kim Lenox! The second novel of the Shadow Guard series, So Still the Night, has just RELEASED!!!! This is another fantastic jaunt through fog-laden Victorian London, and you will LOVE Mark, the hero! He is SEX-AY! (and ain't Kim purty? :) *Hi Kim!!!!*

Here's the back-cover blurb:

Marcus Helios was a member of the Shadow Guard until one reckless act changed it all, bringing him to the edge of madness. His hope for salvation lies in a cryptic message contained within two cryptic scrolls he believes to be in the possession of an enigmatic beauty named Mina. And Mina is not about to hand over the scrolls' secrets to a total stranger. But someone else has designs on the mysterious relics, and on Mark: Jack the Ripper's jilted bride. Her malevolent embrace will trap everyone within reach, and her dark plans will challenge the powers of all she is destined to destroy.

CONTEST INFO: I lifted this from my last post, so forgive the repetitiveness!

I'll be running one more contest before the summer arrives, and this will be during the month of May. In honor of my best pal, Kim Lenox's May 5th release, So Still the Night, book two in her Shadow Guard series (AWESOME, by the way!!!) I am going to give away a signed copy of So Still the Night, a signed copy of one of my back list books, as well as a few things I brought back with me from SCOTLAND: a nice lamb's wool plaid (of course!) scarf, an Edinburgh Castle magnet, and a collection of note cards with the beautiful Bamburgh Castle sketched on the front! :) I'll have more details on my Contest Page for this, but for now, send your name and location in an email, subject line: Shadow Guard/Scotland, to: hauntedromances@yahoo.com . I'll select a winner May 21st!

You can visit Kim's website at www.kimlenox.com She has a beautiful website with lots of cool things to check out!

I'll be posting the contest officially on my Contest Page ASAP!

And thanks to everyone who has posted about my trip to Scotland! It was a TOTAL BLAST and I couldn't have found a better travel partner than my daughter Tyler. She is so much fun to be with, and is excited to see any and everything! Once I get caught up with my new proposals I'll post more pics!

Thanks again! You guys are the best!

TWO SPRING CONTEST WINNERS!

2009-05-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

OKAY! I have to first say, THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Spring Contest/Name that Best Friend! You all had some fabulous entries, and it was SUPER HARD to choose a winner--which is why I had to choose TWO winners!

So! The winners are...Lisa Grey, with her name choices as Marresol for the girl, and Dylan for the guy, and Kirsten Steins (of The Netherlands!), with her choices as Philomena for the girl, and Nathaniel (Nate) as the guy.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! You each get one of the above tea sets shown above, plus a signed copy of my 2010 release that will have your character names in the book!

Thank you again for all who participated! Now, I'll be running one more contest before the summer arrives, and this will be during the month of May. In honor of my best pal, Kim Lenox's May 5th release, So Still the Night, book two in her Shadow Guard series (AWESOME, by the way!!!) I am going to give away a signed copy of So Still the Night, a signed copy of one of my back list books, as well as a few things I brought back with me from SCOTLAND: a nice lamb's wool plaid (of course!) scarf, an Edinburgh Castle magnet, and a collection of note cards with the beautiful Bamburgh Castle sketched on the front! :) I'll have more details on my Contest Page for this, but for now, send your name and location in an email, subject line: Shadow Guard/Scotland, to: hauntedromances@yahoo.com . I'll select a winner May 21st!

GOOD LUCK, and once again, Congrats to Lisa and Kirsten!

SCOTLAND! LOTSA PICS!!!!

2009-04-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

Okay. I'm just going to get these horrible pics of my broken face out the way right off the bat! This is about 6 hours after The Fall. "Ally" our super-cute James McAvoy-ish tour guide took us to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where I was x-rayed, broken nose affirmed, paper stitched, and my big goose egg forehead bandaged. FUN! The black eye was just starting up at that point.

Ahhhh, here we go! This is actually post-fall day 3! You can't really tell the greatness of the black eyes, but there ya go!

Here's our room! Nice tea making stuff that we utilized every morning and every night! We also went down the street to a little market and bought sleeves of Digestives-grainy/sweet type cookie. YUM!

Just beautiful scenery, and then me, by....THE KEEP! Lol! That's at Alnwick Castle in Northumbria, England, home of Hogwarts and Harry Potter!

This beauty is one I've not visited before until this trip--Bamburgh Castle, also in Northumbria, England. Perched on volcanic rock overlooking the North Sea, it is one seriously amazing castle. The view from the battlements overlooked the ocean, and what an image of knights keeping watch it conjured up!

Here's my travel buddy and daughter, Tyler, standing next to a medieval door at Bamburgh!

Here's me, standing on the battlements. See? Gorgeous North Sea view!

Here's the Forth Bridge, or Forth Railway Bridge, which crosses from Edinburgh over into Fife. Such a cool bridge!!

I just loved this sign! Galashiels, Jedburgh, Leith--oh my!

DEFINITELY one of our trip highlights! This beautiful 15th century ruin is Kilchurn Castle in Argyll and Bute. I've always wanted to go here but this was the first time I've actually visited. You walk out quite a ways once you park, and you can climb all through the ruins. An amazing structure, and it's been photographed quite a lot from the OTHER side of the loch (Loch Awe), with the castle and mountains reflecting into the water. It was very inspiring!!!

Here's Tyler at the base of Kilchurn. It was just amazing! And COLD!

GORSE! It was EVERYWHERE in full bloom! This was taken on Easter Sunday, and I found something out about gorse that I never knew. Not only is it very prickly, but the blooms smell like...COCONUTS!!! It's true! I sniffed them! And it was like smelling an open bottle of suntun oil! Cool, huh?

Here's a shot from the side of Alnwick Castle. (Have you noticed yet how my pictures are SO out of order and disorganized? EEK! I can't figure out this picture loading stuff for nothin'!)

Hamish the "Hairy Coo"! Just like the ones Rob Roy MacGregor used to rustle! Only the original shaggy cows were all black, unlike Hamish who was a lovely ginger color!

This guy in Edinburgh (in Old Town, on the Royal Mile) was playing the HECK out of his bagpipes! Cool!

Here's Tyler on the battlements at Bamburgh Castle!

This is a view from an arrow slit in Kilchurn Castle. I thought it'd be cool to look out and see just what the archer saw!

Kilchurn Castle again! I loved it! I would have loved it MORE had we been there all alone! Or maybe at 6am, or maybe at 8pm! But my daughter informed me that the castles were there for EVERYONE to enjoy! (bossy kid)

This is just some amazing dramatic scenery, with the impending storm. We never did get heavily rained on, although that would have been totally fine!

A shot of Edinburgh, from the Royal Mile. That pointy, darker structure in the middle that looks like a rocket is the Scott Monument.

One of my favorite pics of Ty--this is on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, and a great pub! (with great food!)

Tyler with the beautiful green scenery behind her! If you look hard, you'll see a fuzzy structure in the back. A beautiful inhabited castle! (wish it was MINE!)

Another shot of Kilchurn Castle!

This place had some wicked good breakfast!

Beautimus scenery in the Highlands!

Another bird's view from the battlements at Bamburgh Castle.

One of the many wicked cool "closes" (very narrow alleys) in Old Town Edinburgh. Notice the wagon marks in the cobble! (next to the very modern, unattractive but necessary TRASH CANS!)

Here's Tyler, again in....KILCHURN!!! Lol!

Here is just some dude in a kilt with (I don't think you can see it here) tattoo on his calf!

Here's me (obviously, post-fall, hence the glasses) on the path to Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts!) The daffodils were in full bloom, and unfortunately all I had left at that point was black and white film! EEK!

Here's just a random shot in Old Town Edinburgh!

The Highlands, still with snow at the tops!

Ahhh. I took this especially for my best pals Kim Lenox, Rita-Marie Hester, Betsy Kane, and my editor, who have all grown hungry with my descriptions of fish n' chips in my stories. MY GOSH! It's almost a sin! The BEST I've ever had, and it was at a little small chip shop run by these two wiry-haired old gals who could FRY LIKE THE DEVIL! This at Loch Ness, JUST before The Big Fall. Lol!

Here's Tyler, about to dig in!

Here's part of the desolate Rannoch Moors!

Here again at this little town on Loch Ness!

Here we are, just after leaving Loch Ness and The Big Fall had already occurred! You can't see it well in this pic, but I've got a bandage on the bridge of my nose, and it just wouldn't really stop bleeding! Nasty! (but we finished the tour!)

Another cool close in Edinburgh!

Wow! A pic of me without my broken face! :) See my castle in the background? :) (wish wish!)

Here's a misty shot of Edinburgh Castle. Some of the pics I took that day won't even scan because the mist is so heavy, it comes out nothing but white!

Misty Edinburgh!

This gorgeous Celtic cross is actually complete--but my goofy ole scanner won't recognize the rest of the pic because it's so misty white!

Tyler by Alnwick Castle!

Me beside Kilchurn Castle!

Beautiful Highland loch!

Sheep! They were everywhere! And...it was lambing season, and cute adorable little lambies were frolicking and bouncing all over the place. They were so CUTE!!!!

DOUNE CASTLE! If you've ever watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, THIS is the castle used. It is a really neat castle, and as you can tell it was gloomy this part of the day. Gloomy and WONDERFUL! We didn't get to go inside. Maybe another time! (when I get brave enough to DRIVE again!)

MY FAVORITE PLACE--GLENCOE!!!! I took so many shots here, I just couldn't post them all, but here are a few of my favorite. It's hard to have a bad shot of this haunting setting. This place hums with history and an eeriness that no other place does for me. The Big Massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells in 1692 (Feb) is chilling and still felt in this craggy landscape and town to this day. In Gaelic, it's referred to as Mort Ghlinne Comhann, meaning Murder of Glen Coe. You can read about it here: http://www.rampantscotland.com/features/glencoe.htm

The dark stuff? That's OLD HEATHER! :) It normally blooms in its full, beautiful lavender color in July/August. It starts fading in September, turns a brown first, and then really dark. Sometimes it's burned off. To me, it's beautiful no matter what color! :)

OKAY! Now that's not even 1/3rd of my pictures! But I'm pooped out! And I bet you're tired of scrolling through and looking at pics! I'll leave these up for a bit and then scan some more (and I'll try not to be repetetive!).

Don't forget! TOmorrow I'll announce the Spring Contest Winner! So check back here to see if you've won!

BACK FROM SCOTLAND/RT ORLANDO!!!

2009-04-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! How's that for a gorgeous view? :) Here's me and my daughter Tyler in the Glencoe area. This was our first full day in Scotland, taken on a Highland tour just a few short hours before....

I fell and broke my nose on a boat tour on Loch Ness!!!!

YIKES!

Yes, oh yes--I have plenty a picture of my broken face. Two nice purple and black shiners and a giant goose-egg on the forehead for the rest of the trip. It stopped throbbing after about an hour, so we finished out the tour, our adorable tour guide Ally (think JAMES MCAVOY!!!) took us to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where I was x-rayed, paper stitched across the bridge of my nose, and...that's that! The next day we were up bright and early for our Borders tour, where we explored Bamburgh and Alnwick Castles in England! FUN FUN FUN!

I've been a bit slow in posting, but as soon as we got home from Scotland I went to work for a couple of days, then drove down to Orlando, FL to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. Just got back yesterday! So...I still haven't unpacked, much less uploaded my pics! But we've some fantastic shots (thank GOODNESS I brought my film camera, because my digital went flying and BROKE! Sob!) and as soon as I catch my breath, unpack, and STUFF, I'll upload a bunch of pics for ya'll to check out.

The weather was GORGEOUS--sunny and crisp on most days, mixed in with some moody cloud coverage. Our last day in Edinburgh was covered in a wonderful mist--we could barely even see the castle! I took some photos in black and white and I swear, they look as though we stepped back in time. I can't wait to show you all!!!!

So! I just wanted to say HAALLOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! We're home, still on the go but trying my best to slow down and catch up with YOU! :)

I hope everyone had a great Easter!!!

Au Revoir, PeeWee!

2009-04-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

Well guys, I'm PACKED and READY to GO!!!!! Me and Daughter are headed out tomorrow to Edinburgh, Scotland! I've got tons of film, extra pic cards and batteries, camcorder (thanks Betsy!--she let me borrow hers!), UK converter (thanks Karol!--she let me borrow hers!) and my LAPTOP! Looks like I'll be working a little while I'm there! I'll be finishing up my Christmas Anthology, A Christmas Spirit, in Edinburgh! :) What fun! I'll also be working on my young adult ghost romance, also set in the Highlands and tenatively titled IVY (more on that later!) and a few more ideas I've got brewing. :)

I'll also be visiting the Borders Books in Edinburgh at Kinnaird on Monday, April 13th, so looking forward to meeting the staff there and bringing them some promo items, and a few books. :)

Saturday we'll be taking a one-day tour to Loch Ness and Glencoe! Sunday (EASTER!) we'll be taking a one-day tour to northern England to check out Bamburgh Castle and Alnwick Castle (home of Harry Potter!) and a few other cool drive-bys along the way. Tuesday we'll head back to the Highlands for a 12 hour tour, hitting a few other spots that the Loch Ness tour didn't cover. I'm hoping to make it up to Stonehaven/Dunnottar Castle, but I've got to figure a way to get up there! :)

I think we're in for some rain, but WHO CARES??!!!! :) Moody pictures are what I'm after, so I'll be taking loads and loads!

Ya'll have a nice Easter weekend, and I'll see ya when we get back! :)

And don't forget--if you haven't joined in for my Spring Contest, go to my Contest Page on the website and enter!

See ya soon!

April Fool's Day!

2009-04-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a fantastic, moody picture? I took it in the Scottish Highlands in 1997!! Gosh, what a gorgeous place! I use this pic frequently to set my mood for writing, and I'll usually sticky-tac the original to my storyboard. :) MOODY MOODY MOODY!

So me and Daughter are on the Count-down until Scotland departure: 8 days!!!!! We're so excited! I can't wait to take pictures galore, then come back here and share them all with you! Not to mention I'll be picking up a few special gifts for my next contest, AFTER the Spring Contest is over. :) I have NO idea what yet--I'm hoping I'll see it and it strikes me! :)

I am busy working on my Christmas Anthology, A Christmas Spirit. I'm turning it in the day before we leave for Scotland. Wish me luck! I'm having a BALL with Gabe Munro! :)

Hope ya'll are enjoying the Spring!

FINALLY!!! My SPRINGTIME NAME THAT FRIEND CONTEST IS HERE!

2009-03-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

How's that for a contest prize? :) Cute, huh? :)

OKAY! Since some of you follow this blog and would check here faster than my Contest page, I'm listing my new CONTEST INFO here! :) Really, I'm pasting the same info I sent to my web designer :), and while I'll leave this post up for a few days, the Contest Page will have the same info until the end of the contest! :) So make sure and check it out! Also (in a day or two!) check out my News Page, with updated appearance info! Until then...

HAPPY SPRING, Everyone! Finally, the new contest information is here! Whenever I think of Spring, I ALWAYS think of that scene in Walt Disney's Bambi, where everything is so fresh and new and...SPRINGY, with that cute little music! I love it! Flowers blooming, dew everywhere, afternoon rain showers, and love is in the air! Thumper finds a girl, Bambi finds a girl, Flower finds...is Flower a boy or a girl? LOL! You get the picture! Flower finds LOVE!

So! In honor of Springtime and Love, I'm running a contest where YOU will name my next hero/heroine's BEST FRIEND (who may possibly wind up becoming a main character somewhere down the road!)! Here are the rules: Each contestant will enter ONLY ONCE both a male and female name. If there is a meaning behind the name, share it with me! If it's a family/generation thing, share that, too! The contest will run through April 30th, and on MAY 1st I will announce FIRST on my blog, then here, the name of the winner AND the names chosen. The book the names will appear in will be a 2010 release ( because Thirteen Chances is finished!), and the winner's name will be listed on the Acknowledgements Page! The winner will also recieve a signed copy of the book, as well as the lovely prizes shown above: a tea-for-one set including 1 teapot with lid, and 1 cup in a cute Freesia print; 1 box of 19-count GODIVA chocolates; and a tin of Harney & Sons tea, with 20 sachets of Citron Green tea. !!! Plus some promotional material (bookmarks, magnets, etc.) WOW! Cool, huh? :) Now--the prizes above, as well as promo material will be awarded immediately. The signed book, of course, will be in 2010!

Remember: You may enter one male name AND one female name, in ONE email, ONLY ONCE. Please send entries to hauntedromances@yahoo.com with the subject line: SPRING CONTEST.

AND...MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the end of the contest and be sure and check if you're the winner! I've had winners in the past not respond to my winning email announcement, had a faulty email address, and/or never checked back with my blog/contest page. YIKES! I will send an email, but check my sites, as well. Just to be safe!

Thank you for your readership, and thanks for entering! GOOD LUCK! And I look forward to your names!!!

Things I'm Doing

2009-03-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

Lol! This pic has nothing to do with what I'm doing! I just love it! I LOVE Brendan as Link! :)

Okay! Just to get you all up to speed on what's coming next: Thirteen Chances is DONE! Hooray! I have only a final read of the copyedited manuscript, and then it's all in the hands of the marketing dept. at NAL. Release date is September 1st! This may be my favorite story to date. :)

My new contest! I'm working on the details today! I'll be uploading the details and a nice pic of the prizes onto my Contest page--that will take a day or two. But I'll also upload the details here. I think it's going to be FUN!

My Christmas Anthology: I'm writing that now, and am having fun already with Paige and Gabriel! :) I will turn it in the day before we leave for Scotland. :) Woohoo! The anthology releases this November!

My next project: Well...I can't give details exactly yet, since the idea hasn't been approved by my editor. But I will say this: my next hero is going to be Captain Justin Catesby. :) Woohooo! I had quite a few readers email to ask for his story, and so I'm doing it! :) He's one of my favorite characters, too. I'll keep you posted! The next book (after the Christmas Anthology) tentatively has a release date of May 2010. :)

Other projects: I've been working on a Young Adult for a while, so cross your fingers this one gets under way! I absolutely love it, and as fast as I can, I'll share the premise with you! :)

My Scotland trip: Boy! My daughter and I are so geared up for this! 21 days and counting until Departure Day! :) What fun! My daughter's never been before, and she is some kind of excited! :) We have day-trips to the Highlands planned, and besides boating Loch Ness, we are scheduled to make a few stops, including Kilchurn Castle, Doune Castle, and Stirling Castle. :) I can't wait to get there, wallow in all that ATMOSPHERE, gather some new inspiration, and take LOTS OF PICS!!! :) Oh--and eat some mouth-watering fish 'n chips! Deelish! I think we're going to take a bus out to the Borders one day. Melrose Abbey, Jedburgh Abbey, Dryburgh Abbey. Gorgeous! Here's a link for pics: http://www.discovertheborders.co.uk/search/type/Abbeys.html

I'd REALLY love to train up the east coast to Dunnottar Castle: http://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/ but unsure of time-tables and such. If I weren't such a CHICKEN when it came to driving over there, I'd rent a car. But I LOATHE driving over there! Not so much in the country, but in the city? EEEEK! Of course my overly-confident daughter Tyler says "Mom. Seriously. I'll drive. I'm not nervous like you are." SNORT! Cocky little kid! (she's 16 in May) Those roads are NARROW, and if any of you recall any of my heroines driving in my books, that came from ABSOLUTE experience! Bumper-eating sod and rock and ALL! LOL! But if we don't make it to Dunnottar, I'd like to visit Crichton Castle, just outside of Edinburgh. http://www.aboutscotland.co.uk/crichton/castle.html I'm hoping a bus will take us there! :)

We plan on returning to the UK when my daughter graduates highschool (in 2 years--SOB! My baby is getting OLD!) and taking a good 3 weeks to explore England, Wales, Scotland, and maybe Ireland, too. We'd love to take the Chunnel to Paris for the day, but we'll see about that. :) My daughter wants to be a wildlife researcher specializing in Whale Sharks, so I thought we'd spend the summer together before she (SOB!) leaves me for school!

In between ALL of that planning, writing, contesting, I'm also attending a few conferences this year, which I'll be posting on my Appearances section on the website. April 22-26 I'll be at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Orlando. In September I'll be at Dragon Con in Atlanta, and in October I'll be in Houston at the Buns and Roses Literacy Tea, followed by Georgia Romance Writers Moonlight and Magnolias Conference. :)

Somewhere in between all of THAT my baby sister is due to have her first BABY. EEEK!

Okay! That's it for now! I'll be posting later about the contest, and check the website for pics on the Contest Page!

Fun!

The Jackman!

2009-03-10T11:38:00.001-07:00

Who has seen AUSTRALIA? :) Good LAWD, that Hugh Jackman (and Nicole Kidman!) was fantastic! (and CUTE!) He's always been one of my favorites, but his Wolverine character has always been at the top. He's just so...GRRRR! :)

Did you see Kate and Leopold? :) LOVED Kate and Leopold! My daughter and I are now on an ennormous HJ kick, so we're watching them all. I really wish I could get a copy (in US format!) of Paperback Hero. THAT sounds FANTASTIC! :)

The Wolverine character will be revivied May 1st on the big screen, WOOHOOO! Here's the movie trailer! http://www.x-menorigins.com/ I can't WAIT! :)

More to come soon on my big character naming/spring contest!

Happy March!

2009-03-05T11:27:00.001-08:00

Dogwood, Azeleas, and Wisteria--OH BOY! :) Although...these were taken last year. LOL! Spring is in the air, though--and some Azeleas have started blooming here and there. We went from the low 20's a couple of days ago, to (now) a very Springy 60! :) So sunny and nice! NOT my favorite time to write, though! I love rainy and thundery and gloomy!

But...I've got to have my Christmas Anthology, A Christmas Spirit, turned in April 1st, so after taking a nice long walk this afternoon, cleaning the house and running some errands, I'm now settling down to write.

I'll have to hurry though--CSI comes on at 5pm. LOL! Love that show! :)

So this is the first Saturday of the month, and every first Saturday of every month the historic district's River Street in Savannah has all the vendors pull their stuff out on the sidewalk, there's performers and all kinds of cool stuff going on, so I think me and my daughter are going to head down there for the day. Woohooo! :) Lots of fun!

So is it springy at your house yet? Or are you still shoveling your way out of the driveway? :)

I am gearing up for a brand-new contest, so keep a close eye out on my Contest page. I'll announce it here, too. Here's a hint: be thinking of some really great names for BEST FRIENDS of the hero/heroine. :) I think I'm going to do a Secondary Character Naming Contest! :) I've got to think more on it, so once I get all the stats down I'll announce it in full detail. :) Your secondary character name could be chosen to appear in my next NAL novel! (after Thirteen Chances and A Christmas Spirit!)

Happy March, Everyone!

FEBRUARY MacGowan's Ghost Contest--WINNERS ANNOUNCED!!

2009-03-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

HEY! Because I had SO MANY wonderful entrants for my contest this month, I decided to choose TWO winners, and here they are:

Kathy Collupy, from Massachusetts, and Gina Johanson (not sure where Gina's from!) Email me at hauntedromances@yahoo.com with a mailing address, purty please! Kathy, you've already given me yours, so thank you! :)

CONGRATULATIONS, guys! You've both won a signed copy of MacGowan's Ghost, some promo material (bookmarks, etc.), a tea cup with a box of specialty tea!

I'll have the winners announced on my Contest Page on my website soon.

Now...for those of you who entered...THANK YOU! I really appreciate your support!

And...the contests are NOT over! :) Keep checking my blog and Contest page. I'm cooking up a brand-new contest to post! I'm thinking along the lines of a Name That Character contest! So keep a look-out!

THANKS, guys! And congrats again!

My Christmas Anthology!

2009-02-26T18:13:00.001-08:00

What about this cover, guys? This is the Christmas Anthology I'm participating in, releasing this November! You can read the small blurb on my Books page. I really love it!

WHATA BAND!

2009-02-25T09:31:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one (besdides my daughter!) who loves these guys? They are so cool! And adorable! I had to do a look-up to see if they were in fact a true band and that I'd just missed 'em. Nope! They are actors--and the lead is Canadian/Frenchman (and cutie!) Eric Violette. He has a (sexy!) French accent, so his lyrics are dubbed over for an American version, but he is in fact a singer/actor/guitar player. Not so sure about the other guys but I LOVE their commercials/songs! My favorites are the Seafood Restaurant/Pirate and the Renaissance Faire. LOL! Gosh, no matter what we're doing in the house (almost!) we hear that crazy thing and stop to run and listen/sing along! You can (if you're obsessive like me!) go to this website, listen/watch the commercials and sing along with the lyrics! Love that Eric!!! http://www.freecreditreportband.com/

TESTING!

2009-02-24T13:34:00.001-08:00

Okay guys--I think I'm having problems with my blog, so if you could take sec and just post--anything--even if it's just HI! I'd appreciate it! If you can't post, then please send me an email at hauntedromances@yahoo.com !

THANKS!

TRAVIS FIMMEL!

2009-02-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

Travis Fimmel looks rather young here, (I'm not robbing the cradle TOO much--he was born in '79!) but I absolutely ADORE him in A&E's The Beast (along with kick-butt Patrick Swayze!)!! My LORDY, that Travis is cute! His character, Ellis Dove, is a deep-undercover cop, and he has that Billy-Bad-Butt attitude, like no one intimidates him, and nothing scares him. Like there's nothing he cannot do. Yet he also has a soft side--he is really protective of Patrick's character and looks up to him.

LOVE THAT! :)

I've not been able to find much on Travis--including pics from The Beast. Hopefully, soon! He also played in a WB series, TARZAN--something else I can't find much on, other than YouTube. I think the production was stopped on that one, but if I can get ahold of what bit of the series was aired, I'll buy it! He's a fantastic actor who hides his sexy Australian accent pretty good. :) (that always fascinates me--the hiding of one's true accent!)

If you haven't watched an episode of The Beast, give it a go! It is PHENOMENAL! :)

Heroines and Cool Careers!

2009-02-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I'm not very good at alligning my pictures! Sorry!

Heroines are a fun, challenging entity for me. I don't like them too "In Your Face", I certainly don't like them wimpy, but best of all, I love them to have a cool and unique career. They have to have the just-right balance of sweetness vs. aggressiveness--not an easy balance!

I'm sort of dragging up the back of the line here by JUST NOW jumping on the CSI bandwagon. Oh my GOSH! I LOVE LOVE LOVE CSI! Miami is my favorite. My daughter and I will watch episode after episode! (ahem, when I'm not writing!) Calleigh (the top picture) is one of my favorites on CSI: Miami. She's cool, knows her stuff, and yet has that great sweet/I-can-kick-your-butt type attitude. LOVE CALLEIGH!

One of the fun things about writing is this: ALL the cool careers that I'm too old to pursue? I can now simply live vicariously through my heroines! FUN! Take for instance, Rachel Weisz (pictured in white shirt and with BRENDAN FRASER!). WOW. Not only is she a cool archaeologist (AFTER she was a Librarian, of course!) and gets to smooch her super-cool and sexy archaeologist (AFTER he was a treasure hunter!) guy, Rick O'Connell (sigh, Brendan!), but she is again, that perfect mixture of sweet/kindhearted vs. "don't make me come in there!" I love her character as Evie. One of my favorites!

But there's also the very cool career as a demon hunter, as Rachel showed us in Constantine (pic in white shirt). LOVED her in that movie (as well as Keanu!).

I've had one of my heroines be a mystery novelist( Amelia from Highland Knight- (see pic of Kim Lenox! Ain't she gorgeous?!!!), a forensic archaeologist (Andi from Spirited Away), a geneologist (that was Ellie, and for the most part her career didn't surface during the book), a professional ghost-ouster (Allie in MacGowan's Ghost), and lastly Emma (from Thirteen Chances) who is a wedding photographer. Lots of neat careers! And these are just to name a few.

You may be wondering about the super-hip and adorable violinist (last pic). I stumbled across Emilie Autumn while researching another heroine (I'm keeping that one a secret for now!). She is a PHENOMENAL violinist who mixes the classicals with modern-day rock. It is AWESOME! And her music is totally an inspiration for a character I'm working on...

What sort of heroine do you like to read? Are there certain careers that really pull you into a story? Let's hear some of them!

Better yet...what do you want to be when you grow up? :)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!!!!

2009-02-15T19:38:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone! Here finally are the winners of my Blog Valentine's Day Contest and my Big Valentine's Day contest!

For the Blog: ABBERS! Congratulations! You've won a signed copy of MacGowan's Ghost and another of my releases, your choice! Or if you've already read MacGowan's Ghost, but prefer 2 of my others, just let me know! Send me your preferences, name and mailing address to: hauntedromances@yahoo.com CONGRATS!

And for my Big Valentine's Day Contest! The winner is...Emmy Maguire! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You've won my big V-Day contest! Send me your mailing address to: hauntedromances@yahoo.com . Humongous congrats!

Now don't ya'll forget--I still have my February Contest running for MacGowan's Ghost's release. If you haven't entered, go to my Contest page, follow the directions, and ENTER! :) I'll be running this contest through the end of the month! The winner will be listed on this blog, as well as my Contest Page.

CONGRATS AGAIN TO THE WINNERS! And thank ALL of you for playing along! I love hearing your favorite movies/quotes/scenes!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!! And a Contest!

2009-02-14T04:52:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

A reader recently wrote to me to say Brendan Fraser (up) was one of her favorite actors, and another wrote to me and asked what/who gave me inspiration for my hero (Christian of Arrick-by-the-Sea) in Thirteen Chances.

Well...Christian sort of took on a look all his own, but THIS particular picture (of Brendan and Alicia lip-locked) is what inspired me throughout the writing of Thirteen Chances. I enlarged it and had it centered on my story board, which sat right in front of me while I wrote. I don't know...I think it is just the sweetest, sexiest kiss picture! Sigh! I love Brendan Fraser! :)

In my second novel, Into Thin Air, I had a small internal scene with the heroine, Ellie, who was recalling the Best Kiss Ever in the History of Kisses. It was recently pointed out to me that I left one very important kiss out: the kiss between Wesley and Buttercup! Doh! How could I? I just recently watched The Princess Bride and man--I love that movie! :)

So even though I have a Valentine's Day contest running from my contest page, I'll run another small one right now: Post a comment to this blog and let us know your favorite couple or kiss scene! I'll run this contest through Sunday, and Sunday evening I'll post the winner. I'll offer a signed copy of MacGowan's Ghost and any of my other novels. Woohoo!

Okay, and for those of you who have entered: My February Contest will run through the end of February, and my Valentine's Day contest will run until midnight TONIGHT. Sunday morning I'll announce the winner here, and it will also appear on my Contest Page. :)

Good Luck! And Happy V-Day!!!!

Busy, Fun, and General Stuff!

2009-02-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Just checking in with a few things here: My fabulous editor has just finished the edits on Thirteen Chances (due to release in September). Hooray! They're to be finished and turned in by Feb. 23rd, so over the next week or so I'll be working on that, and I can't wait! I really had a lot of fun with this book. I won't give anything away right now, but here's just a tidbit: you'll get to revisit all of my previous heroes/heroines! I'll have more on that when it gets closer to release, and I'll soon be posting an excerpt on my website. Busy busy busy!

Also, MacGowan's Ghost has had great reviews so far! Double hooray! It is such an enormous sense of satisfaction when I know someone thoroughly enjoyed my story. Thanks to all of you!!!! Such great reader fans!

Here's some fun news: Me and my daughter are headed to....SCOTLAND in April!!! Whoop Whoop! She's never been before and is super excited (she's 15!). So we'll be digging around old castle ruins, abbeys, and stomping about in our Wellies while taking loads of pictures (and doing double-loads of research for future books!). I thought it'd be fun to have a neat contest, too, where the winner will win a Scottish Souvenir Basket! I'll get more details on that as the trip grows closer (April 9-16), and I'll post it on my website, so be on the look-out! This contest may involve a bit more than entering your name--but I promise, it'll be FUN!!!! :) *note castle on Thirteen Chances cover art is Dunnottar Castle--one of my most favorite! I hope to make it back to that one!*

Stuff: I'm dying to see TAKEN (thanks to my best Californy pal, Rita-Marie's recommendation!). And that Leonardo DiCaprio one, too. I can't recall the name of that one. But man, it looks good! I love his movies!!!!

We watched Ghost Hunters International tonight, which, to be honest, I prefer the original hunters Grant and Jay and the crew. But they weren't on tonight. :) So we went to see some spooky places in the Phillipines, as well as Slovenia. They visited Cachtise Castle, and if you've ever heard of Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess, this was one creepy place! She supposedly tortured/murdered 600 + girls to bathe in their blood with the belief that it kept her young-looking. EEEK! Here's a pic of Lizzy, and here's a piece of her story from Wikpedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory Bluululululul! CREEE-PEEE!!!! :)

More stuff: Have you ever tried those flat breads? After work this morning (still nursing!!!) I went grocery shopping and found them in lite Italian flavor, came home and made the BEST wraps with turkey, shredded lettuce, shredded cheeze, tomatoes, onions (pee-u!) sliced avacodoes, mushrooms (by now it's hard to even take a bite it's so big!) and topped with ceasar dressing. Yummy!

Okay! I'll shut down for now. I'll see ya'll later in the week, and I hope everyone's doing well!!!! And oooh, boy! Tomorrow is CSI night! :)

LATER!!!!

MacGowan's Ghost Book Trailer!

2009-02-04T04:33:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! Check this out! It's short and sweet, but COOL!!!

MACGOWAN'S GHOST RELEASE DAY!!!!

2009-02-03T03:54:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone! MacGowan's Ghost officially releases TODAY! :)

Those of you who have decided to add it to your TBR pile: don't forget to keep in mind that GERARD BUTLER was my inspiration for the hero, Gabe MacGowan. Woohooo!

If you haven't checked out the CONTEST on my website, run on over and add your name in! http://www.cindy-miles.com/contest.html A winner will be chosen at the end of February!

And, I'm continuing my blog contests as well. Add your favorite quote/character for a chance to win a signed copy of MacGowan's Ghost!

To celebrate the release, my crazy bunch of pals and I are headed to Molly MacPhearson's in Savannah: http://www.macphersonspub.com/

We thought a Scottish Pub would be perfect since the story takes place at Odin's Thumb Pub and Inn! :)

I'm also guest blogging today at You Gotta Read, so stop by and say hello! http://yougottareadguest.blogspot.com/

Ya'll have a great day!!!

WINNER!!!!!

2009-01-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

Congrats, ANGIE! You are the winner of the signed copy of MacGowan's Ghost! Email me at hauntedromances@yahoo.com with your full name and mailing address!

Not to worry, other commenters! I am having another drawing! And DON'T forget to check out the contest on my website, as well!

Okay, here's what we're going to do with this week's drawing: I like the quotes! Ya'll did a fantastic job of it last time! So comment on this blog, leave a favorite quote from a favorite character from any on my backlist, and next Monday I will announce a new winner! This time the winner will get a signed copy of MacGowan's Ghost AND another from my backlist, their choice!

So hurry and post!

And THANK YOU EVERYONE for playing along! Also...if you're new to my books and haven't read any yet, you can still play along! Just visit my Bookshelf on my website www.cindy-miles.com and you can read the excerpts/choose a quote!

Thanks!

Blog Contest!

2009-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Anyone interested in winning a signed copy of my February 3rd release, MacGowan's Ghost? :)

I will take comments on this post and the one below, through Monday, Jan. 26th. A random name will be chosen (only comment ONCE!!!!) and I will announce the winner Tuesday, Jan. 27th!

Hurry and comment!

Welcome to my new Blog!

2009-01-21T18:57:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! As you can see, I've been VERY busy (well, my fabulous new web designer has been VERY busy!) creating a brand-new look for me on the web! Didn't she do a super job? Rae Monet is an absolute ARTIST! Thanks, Rae!!!! (and you can check out her other work at www.raemonet.com . I loved the map, but it really just wasn't what I was looking for. Then I found Rae, and WHACK! It's PERFECT! It's a "soft" launch, so I'll be making changes to the existing pages as I wanted all new info! So keep checking back!

So! I've quite a lot to share, as so much has been going on since the first of the year. Some great, some sad, and somehow I've still managed to work myself through it all.

First, the sad: I just lost my aunt recently, and she was a fun, slightly quirky, giant piece of my childhood. She's always been supportive of my writing, even when others may have thought it was 'just a hobby". Her nieces and nephews (I'm the oldest) were her kids, and we all loved her. She will be sorely missed, but has left a lifetime of memories. She used to take me crabbing in the rivers near Savannah when I was a kid, and during the summer Jaws was the big Block-buster, I thought I was SO cool for daring to still get in the water (even if it was in a boat!). I will always remember the great childhood I had with her. She seriously touched a lot of lives.

Now, for the fun stuff! My publisher has asked me to participate in a Christmas Anthology! Woohooo! I will be one of three authors writing A Highlander Christmas, releasing THIS November! My novella is A Christmas Spirit, and here's the intro:

And the haunts of the past bring new meaning to the holidays in Cindy Miles’s contemporary A Christmas Spirit. Paige MacDonald’s Highland tour takes a surprising turn when a storm forces her to take refuge in a foreboding castle—already inhabited by the dead-sexy spirit of Gabriel Munro.

How much fun is all that? :) I'm totally thrilled to be given the chance to participate, and I'll have more updates for you on it on the News page of my website. :) Keep checking back! And YES--Gabriel Munro IS related to the Munros of Highland Knight! :) FUN!

MacGowan's Ghost releases in under TWO WEEKS! :O Good LAWD! So I'll be posting contests all throughout February to launch the book! Check back FAST on my Contest link, which you can find on my homepage! (look for the cute little pink fedora!)

Next in line is THIRTEEN CHANCES, and that one releases in September! I'll have updates for all releases ASAP!

Thanks for putting up with me through all this website-changing stuff! So take a look around the Homepage, follow the links, and check back soon for more updates!!!!