Two Terrific Things to Share!

I'm excited to share my first review from Long and Short Reviews. Cupid's Arrow received a 4 book rating! I really had fun writing this paranormal romance and if you haven't read it yet, you should! Romantic suspense with a surprise ending you'll love! You can check out the review here and Cupid's Arrow is available for purchase now with Noble Romance Publishing!
Read an excerpt and see the book trailer on my website: www.angelanichelle.com ;)
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Don't miss the Long and Short of It Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt starting March 29 until April 3rd. To play all you need to do is find as many colorful eggs (like the one on my blog) on other participating blog sites. Be a part of the fun and you could win goodie bags, ebooks, gift certificates and many more amazing prizes! Find out all the information and who's playing here!


Have a great week!

~AN

One Disney Classic That Always Inspires Me...

Today, I watched Pocahontas for the third time with my kids. Now, they don't like the fight scenes but whenever Pocahontas is on screen, singing and interacting with John Smith they're entranced and so am I.

I love this movie for so many reasons. First, the music is incredible! The songs have heart and soul and I can't hear them without feeling goosebumps. The Color of the Wind's lyrics are so beautiful and poetic I truly think it's one of the best Disney songs ever created.

The imagery of Pocahontas and John Smith running in the forest, jumping into lakes and rolling around in the grass are amazing. This isn't in 3D or Pixar's new animation but it doesn't matter this film delights the eye.

Pocahontas, for me is the most beautifully drawn Disney character. She's sexy and shy and her eyes . . . my goodness! The looks shared between her and John Smith take my breath away. No words are needed, you feel exactly what the two of them are feeling by their intense gaze. If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about. The first time John catches a glimpse of Pocahontas makes the movie for me.

This is a movie I don't mind watching over and over again. I love the challenges these two lovers face. I love the wonderful depiction of her people and her determination to find her own path despite possibly displeasing her father. Above all this story had magic from beginning to end and it makes me disappointed and sad The Princess and the Frog didn't grab my heart in the same way.

~AN

Ahh! Spring is Coming!

This weekend it reached almost 50 degrees in Chicago and after the cold we've had it felt like a summer heat wave! I can't wait for the warmer, longer days coming ahead. The kids are itching to go outside and play and I'm ready to shake off the winter chill too. It seems like someone in my family has been ill since Halloween rolled by. Yep, this was the worst winter as far as colds go in our household and as the snow melts outside, I'm hoping the lingering sniffles around me disappear too.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons because of what it symbolizes...Renewal! Who doesn't need a new beginning in at least one area of their life? I love hearing the twittering birds chirping in the morning, watching the trees bud and the flowers slowly emerge into the warming sunlight. Birds and butterflies begin to take flight and I'm ready to spread my wings with them!

~AN

(photo courtesy of Tinneketin)

Book Trailers 101

Last week I figured out how to create my own book trailer! This is something I did not think I could do on my own. I'm lucky to have a sister who is a professional graphic designer and willing to lend her awesome talent to design my web pages, banners and logos. I'm extremely thankful for her help and I know she'd pitch in and do more but I wanted to see what I could do with this book trailer business solo.

I hadn't a clue where to begin. I knew of software I could purchase, looked up a few to see what they offered and at what cost but spending extra money wasn't an option right now. So, I goggled how to make a book trailer and came across another author's blog in which she talked about using Windows Movie Maker. I blinked and realized . . . "hey, I've got that!" I read about her experience using the program and immediately opened up the application.

At first I was apprehensive if I could figure out the details and make a trailer that would be worth my time and decent enough to share with the world. I plowed through the instructions but soon decided to simply dig into the process and I'm happy to say after several attempts and a few technical glitches, I made my first book trailer!

Better yet, I enjoyed this new creative outlet. I am a heart a creative person and finding just the right photos and text to go with it all was fun albeit a little time consuming. Both me and my husband are musicians and creating the music for the trailer together was something I'll always remember and treasure. He created the music and I improvised on the vocals and when it was finally finished I was happily surprised with the end result.

The book trailer for Cupid's Arrow ended up being just as important as the story itself. I worked hard on it and I'm proud to say, well, I'm proud of it. I'm looking forward to making many more in the future, honing my craft and maybe investing in more sophisticated software in the months ahead.

See the trailer for Cupid's Arrow!

Two New Releases from Noble Romance's Sweetheart Line!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are two sweet romances sure to put a smile on your face and warm up your heart!

Cupid's Arrow
By Angela Nichelle
Genre: Paranormal/Sweetheart Line
Length: Short Story

About the book:
Safina Ralph is single on Valentine's Day. She's determined to have a good time in L.A. away from her home in Chicago with her friend, Lynn. The two of them have exclusive passes to Red, the hottest nightclub on Venice Beach. Just as the festive atmosphere begins to coax Safina into the party mood, she notices someone, or something in the rafters, shooting arrows into the crowd of unsuspecting partygoers below!

Chaos erupts as Safina races to stop the attack. When she confronts Kal, one of the club's sexy owners, Safina's sure he's the attacker despite his warm reassurances and her body's hot response to his touch. Consumed with overwhelming feelings of déjà vu and desire, Safina is relieved to get back home but she can't shake unsettling questions and Kal's handsome face from her mind.

After their encounter at Red, Kal tracks Safina down in Chicago with questions of his own. And the answers for them both could be the key to everything they've wished for, but will Safina accept the truth and can Kal trust his heart?

Special Content Alert: None.

Ghosts of Valentine's Past
By Rie McGaha
Genre: Paranormal/Sweetheart Line
Length: Short Story

About the book:
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. That’s Twyla’s philosophy ever since she found a pair of thongs in her fiancé’s car the day before their wedding. Now it’s Valentine’s Day and her roommate is all about the hearts and chocolates, but Twyla isn’t going for it. That is, until a few ghosts drop in to show her the error of her ways.

Special Content Alert: None.

Both titles available now with Noble Romance Publishing!

Cupid's Arrow Available on Valentine's Day with Noble Romance Publishing!

I'm so excited about this sassy short story! When Noble Romance Publishing announced the submissions call for a sweet Valentine's Day themed story, Cupid instantly popped into my mind. I wanted to write a fantasy story that would take readers into the private world of erotes.

Eros has always been the most famous of these beings, known as the god of love, lust, beauty and of course sex! Eros, often called Cupid, may be the most well known but he was actually part of a group erotes. These handsome winged gods and demi-gods have been described as having influence over all matters of the heart in Classical mythology.

Well, once I had my subject, the love story quickly took shape. I think this short story has it all: humor, love, suspense, and of course an HEA! Check out the blurb below!

Blurb:
Safina Ralph is single on Valentine's Day. She's determined to have a good time in L.A. away from her home in Chicago with her friend, Lynn. The two of them have exclusive passes to Red, the hottest nightclub on Venice Beach. Just as the festive atmosphere begins to coax Safina into the party mood, she notices something . . . or someone shooting arrows into the crowd of unsuspecting partygoers below!

Chaos erupts as Safina races to stop the attack. When she confronts Kal, one of the club's sexy owners, Safina's sure he's the attacker despite his warm reassurances and her body's hot response to his touch. Consumed with overwhelming feelings of déjà vu and desire, Safina is relieved to get back home but she can't shake unsettling questions and Kal's handsome face from her mind.

After their encounter at Red, Kal tracks Safina down in Chicago with questions of his own. And the answers for them both could be the key to everything they've wished for, but will Safina accept the truth and can Kal trust his heart?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Quirky Queries

I love writing. I hate writing queries! It's amazing how long I can stare at one waiting for the just the right phrasing and tone. Each one is different and each one takes work. I keep thinking the process will become easier but it hasn't.

Maybe that's a good thing. I know queries are super important and because they take so much effort to write, I respect the work needed to write a good one. And I'm not even sure I do know how to write a good one. But I'm determined to become multi-published, so I will keep chugging away at these queries and hopefully find the right home for my stories.

The following links are great resources:

http://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/the-complete-nobodys-guide-to-query-letters/

http://www.charlottedillon.com/query.html

(photo courtesy svilen001)