New Release and Giveaway!!

Now Available!

Buckle Down

• File Size: 161 KB
• Publisher: LazyDay Publishing
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00AI508AE

Tess Reilly is home from college for the summer. Being the little sister of Memory Grove’s local hero isn’t easy, especially when she falls for his number one rival, Shane Wyatt. To fund his spot in the next big rodeo where he intends to upend Luke Reilly, Shane lives and works at Sarafina Ranch where a fling with the bawdy owner throws a wrench into his developing relationship with Tess. With mounting disapproval from Tess’ family, will Shane prove himself to be worthy and win Tess’ heart or will she give up and move on?

The idea for Buckle Down started with a conversation between my friend, Bells, and I. Both of us are fans of hot cowboys and, at her urging, I decided to write the fourth book in my Seduction in Memory Grove series. I wanted a different kind of love story with a little more conflict and it turned out just as I had hoped.

Writing has always been an outlet for me; therapy, if you will. This was particularly true while writing Buckle Down. There was more turmoil in my life than I care to recount but it did fuel my creativity and led me to invent Phoebe, a character I love to hate. She embodies characteristics from different people I don't particularly like to make for one interesting antagonist. You know what they say about writers: Don’t piss us off because we may not say a word to you but we will fuck you up in a story. *sweet smile*

On that note, Buckle Down is now available from LazyDay Publishing and to celebrate the new release, I’m giving away a digital copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card.

To enter the contest, please leave a comment (with your email address) telling me who your favorite book villain is. The winner will be chosen randomly, from all comments, on December 21, 2012.

As always, thanks so much for all the support.  

For more info, visit my website www.MelissaEcker.com and follow me on Twitter @MelissaEcker

Fuck Crow's Feet

Today marks 10 years since I stood by my father’s bedside, my hand resting gently on his leg, as he took his last breath. That was nine days before my 30^th birthday. I ventured into my thirties with a heavy heart and a profound sense of loss. Little did I know that this was just the beginning of a decade of life changing experiences.

Three years later, at the age of 33, I sat in a hospital waiting room, holding hands with my brother, while my mother slipped away on the other side of the wall. Six months after that, my grandmother died of a broken heart, never having gotten over losing her daughter.

In 2008, at the age of 36, I uprooted my family and started a new life in a new place. For the first time, I was really a mom to my kids. I wasn’t just the parent who picked them up from day care and fed them McDonald’s before kissing them goodnight.

I gave up a lucrative full time legal career and downsized myself to a part time independent contractor and began writing. I mean really writing. I made sacrifices to follow my dream and I published my first book in 2010 at the age of 38.

Now I sit on the brink of turning 40; nine days from today to be exact. It’s a bittersweet feeling. I don’t fear wrinkles, saggy boobs or gray hair. After the pain, struggles and epiphanies of my thirties, I don’t live my life so shallowly. I know what's really important. 

I treasure my family and the support they’ve given me. I’m in awe of the friendships I’ve made, some of which were forged from shared grief, pain and understanding. I value the people who’ve walked beside me in both the good times and the bad. I give thanks for all the love I’ve known, even the love that’s been lost.

Fuck crow’s feet and laugh lines. Who cares? They’re just evidence that I’ve hurt, that I’ve laughed and that I survived. I made it. So, 40? No sweat. Bring that shit on.

Lucky 7: Peek At A New Story

The Rules:

1.      Go to page 77 of your current MS.

2.    Go to line 7.

3.    Copy down the next 7 lines/sentences, and post them as they’re written. No cheating.

4.    Tag 7 other victims…er, authors.

****

This is from a paranormal story I’ve been working on FOREVER that remains unfinished. Perhaps looking at it again will get the creative juices flowing. Or not. LOL. Anyway, here’s my Lucky 7. Enjoy.

Carolina stared at the light blue casket surrounded by sprays of flowers and pushed away the thought of what the box contained.

“Hey.”

Carolina looked over her shoulder. “I was wondering where you were.”

Mallory took a seat beside her. “What do you think of my casket?”

“It’s pretty.”

“I think so, too. That’s my mother’s favorite shade of blue.”

“Looks like a good turn out,” Carolina remarked, scanning the rapidly filling church.

“Most of these people didn’t like me. They’re only here because my murder was on the news.”

###

Now for the next Lucky 7!

Show us what you got!

Melissa

FREE! FREE! FREE!

We all like free stuff, right? And who doesn’t like the edgy, scary stories encompassed in the paranormal/urban fantasy genres? So, check this out, you can get two bangs for zero bucks. Both Giving Up the Ghost and Blood and Fire are free for a limited time! No strings attached, no tricks. Just click on the titles above and you’ll be magically transported to their respective Amazon pages.

Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman are two very talented writers with a penchant for the darker stuff. And, well, you all know me. *smiles* I like to mix up the scary and the dirty. Without further delay, let me introduce you to these  books.

Giving Up the Ghost

Author: Melissa Ecker

Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press (April 23, 2011)

File Size: 756 KB

Free: February 10, 2012

Kylie McAllister has it all until her world is shattered by the death of her husband, Jackson, in a car accident. After a year of grieving, Kylie uses the proceeds from Jackson’s life insurance to purchase a plantation home on the outskirts of New Orleans to start over with their daughter, Abby. Confirmed bachelor, Ryan LaCroix, has no intentions of settling down with anyone, let alone his best friend’s widow, but somehow Kylie and Abby find their way into his heart.

After discovering an old Ouija board in the attic of her new home, Kylie unwittingly opens a cosmic door to an incubus who pretends to be the dead husband she is so desperately struggling to let go of. She falls deep under his potent spell of delicious sex and malevolent obsession while he gradually drains her life to fortify his own. By the time she realizes he’s an imposter, she is powerless to stop him. Together, with Jackson’s subliminal guidance and the help of a kind voodoo practitioner, Ryan and Kylie wage a fight for her life against the evil entity.

Blood and Fire
Authors: Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman.
Publisher:  Dark Continents Publishing (January 1, 2012)
File Size: 205 KB 
Free: February 10-12, 2012

Bassist and all-round slacker Xan Marcelles spends his nights at a remote tavern in Pinecliffe, Colorado. But there’s something else, he’s also a vampire, and although he reckons he has a handle on this secret, he’s not prepared for the day when people he thinks are the FBI drug him and haul him away.

Ashton Kennedy isn’t human anymore and, as a member of a race of beings known simply as Inkarna, exists through the aeons by stealing bodies. At first his mission seems simple enough: break into the stronghold of a rival Inkarna House and liberate an artifact. He doesn’t bank on discovering a vampire, bound and tucked away neatly in a sarcophagus.

The two unlikely allies are thrown together in a house of mysteries, and have to battle overwhelming odds against an implacable enemy. The question is, can they overcome their differences long enough to make it out alive, or undead? 

Are you intrigued? So, don't wait! This is a limited time offer! Go get them! Skedaddle!

To learn more about Carrie Clevenger, follow her on Twitter @CarrieClevenger and check out her website http://www.carrieclevengerstories.com/

To learn more about Nerine Dorman, follow her on Twitter @NerineDorman and her blog http://nerinedorman.blogspot.com/

And, don't forget to follow Xan on Twitter @CrookedFang and go subscribe to his newsletter http://www.crookedfang.com/

You can find me at www.melissaecker.com and on twitter @MelissaEcker
Thanks for checking in and come back soon!

Authors Helping Harry

"Britain's Kindest Kid," Harry Moseley, was more than a nice kid with a big heart; he was a real life hero.

A  hero with an inoperable brain tumor who raised over £500,000.00 for Cancer Research UK. Sadly, he lost his battle with cancer at the young age of 11 years old.

Continuing Harry's quest for research funds, are an amazing group of 19 romance writers, along with a wonderful cover artist/graphic designer, who have come together to support Harry's charity, Cancer Research UK, in his memory.

"Author Moments" is a collection of essays written by these talented writers. *As a bonus, each author has included an excerpt from one of their current, or upcoming, releases.

Click Here to Help

From the New York Times bestselling lists to the writer who is just beginning their quest, you will find this anthology filled with generous writing advice and anecdotes.

It won’t matter where you are on your road to publication or even in your life journey, Author Moments will fill you with love, laughter and a renewed hope that all things are possible when you care enough to come together and make a difference.  Like real life hero, Harry Moseley.

The Authors Helping Harry invite you to pitch in and help find a cure simply by purchasing a copy of this wonderful anthology.  

The heartbreaking news came down the wire on October 8, 2011. I was in no way or form prepared to hear that Harry Moseley had lost his battle with cancer. This brave and selfless little boy did more good and accomplished more in his short life than most of us could ever dream of.

It’s sad that sometimes it takes a tragedy to make us step back and take a look at what’s really important. That night, I spent more time with my daughter and made sure I told her that I loved her. I reflected on the things I take for granted. Namely, that tomorrow is never promised. Life offers no guarantees on time.

Take a moment to make sure the people who are important to you know how you feel about them. Tell them you love them. Say you’re sorry if you’ve hurt someone. Forgive that transgression that you’re still holding a grudge for. Life is really too short to harbor ill feelings.

We can all learn from this child who was so pure of heart and intentions. Be kind. Be compassionate. Be a little more like Harry and this world will be a much better place.

Today, I dry my tears and put a smile on my face. I am grateful to be part of this project and to help keep Harry’s dream for a cure alive. I hope you’ll help, too. Godspeed, Harry.

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” ~ Dr. Seuss

Writing is...

So, my friend wrote a blog post entitled, “Writing is…” She tagged me, which means I have to write a post on the same topic. It’s kind of like a chain letter. *Note to self: Slap @WookiesGirl next time you see her* Just kidding. I’m glad she did because my blog is woefully neglected. Here it goes…

Writing is…in my blood. Today, for the first time, it dawned on me where my love of writing came from. My mother kept journals religiously and wrote about everything. Did she ever write a book? No. But she penned the story of her life. I inherited boxes full of her journals after she passed away. Someday, when I’m ready, I will read her stories and get to know her all over again.

Writing is…who I am. I write when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m angry and when I need to get something off my chest. I write to remember and I write to forget.

Writing is…my self help for what might be termed as schizophrenia by a professional. I’ve heard the voices in my head for as long as I can remember. These people, these characters, talk to me and tell me their stories. They tell me of their broken hearts, broken spirits and broken lives. They tell me of their joys, their loves and their accomplishments. I’m a literary medium of sorts for these lost fictional souls. They tell me what they need to move on and I help them by writing their tales; releasing them from the captivity of my brain.

Writing is…my salvation and my damnation, my pleasure and my pain, my fantasy and my fear, my dream and my nightmare, my best friend and my worst enemy, my love and my abhor, my shelter and my escape, my lust and my disgust.

In short, writing is…me.

Time to tag the next batch of writers I hope will participate!

@AvaRileyRomance

@MonicaKaye

@Peterkoevari

@CactusJacktus

@GPWriter

Until next time…

Melissa

Saying Goodbye...

I know that this is a far departure from what I generally post on my blog, but I needed to write this.

It feels like yesterday that we brought home our Neapolitan Mastiff puppy. He was the goofiest, most lovable, uncoordinated dog. I can’t tell you how many times he knocked me over because he’d run and not be able to stop himself before barreling into the back of my knees. A couple of months ago, he was so excited to see me that he head butted me in the mouth and busted my lip.

His clumsiness was endearing and no one could stay mad at him. I once threatened to turn him into a dog skin rug after he turned my couch into a chew toy, literally. I remember the other dog sitting far away from him as if to say, “I had nothing to do with the destruction of that couch,” while Sirus proudly sat on the heap of foam he had torn to shreds.

At times, he was a 150 pound pain in the ass but mostly he was just adorable and loving, a true gentle giant. He was a good watch dog and loyal companion. He wanted nothing more than to be with his people. So, when I went outside to feed him a month ago and he didn’t get up to greet me, I knew something was terribly wrong.

I loaded this moose into the backseat of my Nissan and drove him to the vet. His fever was high and chest x-rays revealed pneumonia. We put him on antibiotics and hoped for a quick recovery. Over the next week, his condition worsened and he stopped urinating. After several more trips to the vet and a host of tests, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. I was stopped in my tracks by the word, “untreatable.”

However, it was possible to treat the symptoms and buy some time. He was prescribed a medication that could possibly shrink the cancer enough to allow him to urinate. We tried this for three weeks during which he seemed to feel better but still wasn’t urinating regularly.

This past weekend he took a turn for the worse. Saturday night, his fever spiked and he became particularly needy. He wanted to be close to me. I sat with him for hours that night, petting him and talking to him, reassuring him, or more like reassuring myself.

The next morning, he wasn’t able to get up and his body wouldn’t stop shaking. I phoned the vet who advised it would be best if we put him down and that he would be on his way over. To say I was devastated would be a gross understatement. I knew we were putting off the inevitable with the medication but I wasn’t ready to let him go. As selfish as it sounds, I wanted just a little more time.

This was one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever had to make but we loved him too much to let him suffer. He was surrounded by the people he loved and who loved him when the vet administered the shot that put him to sleep. We buried him in the northwest corner of our property.

As much as this hurts, I have no regrets. We had eight wonderful years of love and devotion. When spring comes, I’m going to plant flowers over his grave. Vibrant, colorful flowers to remind us of all the brightness he brought into our lives.

Godspeed, boy! You were, and still are, loved and will be missed beyond measure.

SIRUS

10/21/02 – 02/06/11