Archive by Author

Remembering the Topaz Man

12 May

steve-sandalis    If you’ve been reading romances for about 20 years, you undoubtedly remember the gorgeous and oh-so-gentlemanly cover model, Steve Sandalis. That’s him there, on his knees before Me (dressed as one of my time-traveling heroines) at an RT Booklovers Convention. In my Pirates! blog last month, he was the hot hunk with the eye patch on my original “Stardust Dreams” cover.

     Steve graced the covers of 6 of my Penguin Topaz books, but only on one did they graphically alter his image to make him a curly-haired blond to fit the story. That book was #4 of my futuristic Innerworld Affairs series. It was originally released in 1994 as “Stolen Dreams” but I’ve now updated and revised it to be released as an e-book with the new title, “FINDING TIME”. stold-cover

     All the new covers will be ready shortly and I promise to share them as well as let everyone know when the series is available for download, but for now you can check out a teaser on my websiteFinding Time.

And, oh yeah, have a lovely Mother’s Day y’all!

May all your reads be Passionate,

Marilyn Campbell

http://www.marilyncampbell.com; FB: AuthorMarilynCampbell; Tw: marilyncampbel3

SexyScopes for May, 2013

28 Apr

taurus symbolNews for all signs:

***Sun in Taurus thru 5/20 supports being more grounded, less impulsive, but watch out for increased appetite for gourmet food & beautiful objects;   ***New Moon in Taurus 5/9 w/annular solar eclipse, is a good time to make a practical, long-term plan to achieve a major goal;   ***Full Moon in Sagittarius 5/25 w/penumbral lunar eclipse, urges risky business & frisky moods;   ***Saturn retrograde thru 7/7, easing the Karmic Lord’s “lessons”, Scorpions in particular should feel some relief    (info on eclipses and retrograde planets at http://www.marilyncampbell.com/id2.html)

 The forecasts below involve two of my passions – astrology and tarot. The first card is a general message, the second is about love & relationships (sexual, romantic, friendly, familial). The interpretations are from my book, “Tarot of The Lotus Circle”, but you’ll have to use a little intuition to determine what it means to you personally. Have fun!

ARIES – March 21 to April 19

2 of Cups: Listen to your heart at this time. Your conscious mind will only confuse the important issue. However, try to remember that there is still a world beyond the two of you.

10 of Wands: All the relationships around you right now appear to be exhausting. It’s time to take a hard look at how much work you’re having to put into them and whether the work is worth it.

TAURUS  – April 20 to May 20

Wheel of Fortune: The energy of change is all around you. Ready or not, a major change is about to occur in your life, but you probably already sensed that. Instead of fretting over it, welcome it with open arms and the transition will go a lot more smoothly.

Princess of Swords: Be on the lookout for a younger female, either dark in coloring or nature, most probably in a career involving law, law enforcement, or military. She will be relevant to the change mentioned above. Continue reading 

Pirates!

21 Apr

Capt HookI don’t know about you but I simply cannot resist a pirate. Most recently I’ve added Captain Hook of Once Upon a Time to my ship of wicked, sexy bad boys.

So naturally, when I originally wrote my futuristic romance series set in Innerworld, I allowed myself the guilty pleasure of having one of my heroes be a space pirate. His name was Gallant Voyager and I’ve included the original cover of his book (the new one’s not ready yet) so you’ll see why I would have willingly gone off to a barbaric planet with him. My heroine wasn’t so thrilled with being kidnapped by him however.stard-cover

As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I’ve been having a great time revising and updating the Innerworld Affairs books and “FIERCE VOYAGER” (originally “Stardust Dreams”) reminded me how much fun it is to play with pirates. The release of the series as new digital books is still about a month off but in the meantime, you can get a look at the blurb and excerpt here.

Do you have a thing for pirates too? Do you have favorites, movie or book characters? I leave you with a couple more of mine -

Capt Jack     Errol FlynnJack SparrowWishing you many exciting voyages,

Marilyn Campbell

http://www.marilyncampbell.com; FB: AuthorMarilynCampbell; Tw: marilyncampbel3

SexyScopes for April, 2013

30 Mar

Aries symbolNews for all signs:

***Sun in Aries thru 4/19 urges aggressive action, impulsive decisions; ***New Moon in Aries 4/10 is a good time to launch a new life adventure; ***Full Moon in Scorpio 4/25 w/partial lunar eclipse, stirs sexual passions, kinkier the better;***Saturn retrograde thru 7/7, easing the Karmic Lord’s “lessons”, Scorpions in particular should feel some relief; (info on eclipses and retrograde planets on my Astrology Basics page.)

 

The forecasts below involve two of my passions – astrology and tarot. The first card is a general message, the second is about love & relationships (sexual, romantic, friendly, familial). The interpretations are from my book, “Tarot of The Lotus Circle”, but you’ll have to use a little intuition to determine what it means to you personally. Have fun!

ARIES – March 21 to April 19

The High Priestess: Your intuitive abilities are at an all-time high. Your guides are ready to assist you at your slightest request. This is a time to keep your own counsel, however. Share your wisdom and secrets sparingly.

3 of Wands: You’ve put work into your relationship and will finally be reaping the rewards. It’s exactly what you had hoped for. Enjoy! If single, romance is likely at an office party or work-related conference.
TAURUS  – April 20 to May 20

8 of Coins: Be open to learning more about psychic realms, spirituality, predictive tools. Something is missing in your education that is vital to your growth.

Ace of Wands: Someone new is attracted to your passionate nature and will be entering your life either through a work situation or a co-worker. An existing relationship will get a chance for a fresh start.
GEMINI – May 21 to June 20

2 of Coins: You are trying to justify your spiritual beliefs with what you were taught as a child. Stop “thinking” and just “feel”. There is a blend you can live with. Remember that you can be good at several things but to be really great, you need to focus on one.

Prince of Cups: A transition is in progress in a relationship very important to you, probably involving an attractive male under 40 with a creative or dramatic leaning.
CANCER – June 21 to July 22

The Emperor: Masculinity and connection to technology are your sources of power. Analysis, ambition and aggression are your tools—use them wisely.

Nine of Wands: Regarding all relationships, extreme patience is being called for. If looking for love, you’ve got a bit longer before the ideal mate is in your field.
LEO – July 23 to August 22

9 of Cups: Your wish is coming true, though it may not be as you expected. The Universe really does know best. Remember to say thank you to your Spirit Guides and human supporters. Take the time to celebrate with them.

Ace of Swords: Be cautious in new relationships, especially where the chemistry is very strong. There are strings attached, possibly another, pre-existing relationship. Ongoing relationships are about to be unexpectedly shaken up, but it will be for the best in the long run.
VIRGO – August 23 to September 22

5 of Coins: The urge to relocate is strong. Meditate on what is causing the urge. Is it intuition about a pending beneficial move or are you wanting to escape a situation? Answer honestly. If it’s an escape you want, meditate further on a realistic solution.

King of Swords: A male, over 40, usually dark in coloring or very serious in demeanor, possibly in a legal or military field or a CEO, will play an important part in a close relationship issue.
LIBRA – September 23 to October 22

King of Coins: A male, over 40, often with gray to reddish blond hair, who is either wealthy or handles other people’s money (accountant, broker, agent, banker), will be a key player in a matter of utmost importance to you this month.

10 of Swords: You’ve reached the end of a relationship as it has been. Either work together to figure out how to rejuvenate it or let it go and move on.
SCORPIO – October 23 to November 21

7 of Cups: You have the gift of productive dreaming, but the handicap of being a daydreamer. Make sure you are using your imagination to flesh out creative ideas and not just spacing out.

5 of Cups: Someone has left you and it really hurts. Take a little time to review what went wrong, but only for the sake of not repeating mistakes. Then put the experience behind you and move forward.
SAGITTARIUS – November 22 to December 21

The Sun: This is a time of enlightenment for you. What was hidden or unknown will be revealed. Childlike joy is yours for the cost of a smile. Like the song says, “Don’t worry; be happy”.

3 of Swords: Love hurts, at least this time around. A separation is coming. All you can do is acknowledge that it is time, retain only the positive memories and move forward as soon as possible.
CAPRICORN – December 22 to January 19

Ace of Cups: The Universe is a generous parent, always willing to give more than you need. All that is required is your faith and love in return.

Death: You need to clear away the remnants of an old relationship. As long as you keep looking backward, you won’t notice who is coming toward you.
AQUARIUS – January 20 to February 18

6 of Wands: It hasn’t been easy, but you trusted your Guides and went the distance. Success is assured. Don’t give that negative thought any space in your mind. Be appreciative and humble.

The Lovers: Opposites attract, but respecting the differences makes the relationship work. As to love, the sexual magnetism is strong, but is it worth the price? One of you seems to be committed elsewhere, forcing the relationship to remain in the dark.
PISCES – February 19 to March 20

Wheel of Fortune: The energy of change is all around you. Ready or not, a major change is about to occur in your life, but you probably already sensed that. Instead of fretting over it, welcome it with open arms and the transition will go a lot more smoothly.

7 of Coins: Make a list of the qualities important to you in a relationship, then compare it with what you have. If single, use the list to define what you really want. In a family situation, analyze the balance of giving and receiving and insist on an adjustment if necessary.

For an introduction to astrology, including eclipses and retrograding planets, tarot and numerology, I invite you to visit my personal website, www.marilyncampbell.com.

Facebook–AuthorMarilynCampbell; Twitter–marilyncampbel3

Risky Business

17 Mar

SkydivingFirst a shout-out to my BFF & sister Bitch Goddess, Shannon Emmel – HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You are still one super-sexy broad!

My question to everyone today is…do you tend to take the road less traveled or stick to the familiar path?

I consider myself a “controlled” risk taker. For example, I’ve jumped out of an airplane, but I was firmly strapped to a younger, stronger pro all the way to the ground. I went on a solitary vision quest around the U.S., but I was in my car (with a coffee pot that could be powered by the cigarette lighter) and never ventured far from civilization.

I’m a firm believer that great rewards—whether money, love or memorable experiences—require some level of risk. Though “luck” and “serendipity” can certainly play a vital part, the individual still has to take the chance on whatever falls in her lap. The easy, rational route is to ignore the whisper of an enticing yet risky opportunity if one is in a fairly stable or comfortable situation.

When it comes to writing, I’ve had my share of taking risks as well as taking the “safe” road and I’ve had successes and failures both ways. But honestly, the risky ones were the most fun for me. Believe me, I know how hard it is to work on a story that doesn’t have a fixed market. I received 79 rejections on my futuristic romance novels before finally getting PYRAMID OF DREAMS published in 1992. A number of respected editors and agents repeatedly told me I had to write category or historical romances if I ever wanted to break into publishing. But I wanted to write a cross-genre series even if everyone insisted that was completely unmarketable. And so I ignored all the good advice and broke a barrier.

Twenty years later, I was still receiving letters from readers about those books and this year, I was finally convinced to convert them to e-books. I just finished updating and revising all four of the original books and, once they are uploaded, I plan on working on the fifth, which never made it to bookstores.  Blurbs and excerpts for the first two books, retitled FEVERED (Pyramid of Dreams) and FALCON’S RUN (Topaz Dreams), are available on my site now and I’ll soon add teasers for FIERCE VOYAGER (Stardust Dreams) and FINDING TIME (Stolen Dreams).

FEVERED – http://www.marilyncampbell.com/id72.html

FALCON’S RUN – http://www.marilyncampbell.com/id73.html

Hoping all your reads are Passionate,

Marilyn Campbell

www.marilyncampbell; FB: AuthorMarilynCampbell; TW: marilyncampbel3

Signs, Omens or Story Triggers?

3 Mar

Baby OwlThe other night, this baby owl landed (or fell out of a tree) onto our patio and made enough racket for us to investigate. A cat had the poor thing cornered. My daughter’s reaction was to rush out and chase the cat away, then stand guard in the shadows until the mama could safely rescue its chick. My reaction was to rush for my “Animal Speak” book to check out what the owlet’s appearance meant.

As a student of metaphysics, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. Unfortunately, no amount of studying guarantees being able to come up with what that reason is. So was the owl’s appearance a sign of expanded wisdom and perception? An omen of a death or ending? Or was the entire event a trigger for a new story?

As an author, my mind always leaps from an image or event to a story idea. Sometimes those ideas turn into books. In this case, I immediately recalled the Barbra Streisand/George Segal romantic comedy, “The Owl and the Pussycat”. Sure, I could write that love story with a different angle but I realized I was more interested in the cat’s motivation than the adorable but helpless bird. The yellow cat had looked more curious than aggressive and it was too plump to be hungry. Suddenly I was imagining an alien falling out of the sky and though it was totally harmless, the natives wanted to poke and prod it— Oh wait, that’s been done too.

So maybe this one wasn’t a story trigger after all. Maybe it was a sign of something unusual and interesting about to come into our lives. Then again, maybe it was telling me to write a story about a woman who lets signs and omens control all her decisions, until one day…

Whether you’re a writer or believer in signs, I hope you never stop letting your imagination run amok when a trigger appears!

Marilyn Campbell

www.marilyncampbell.com; fb: authormarilyncampbell; tw: marilyncampbel3

More “F” Words

17 Feb

FThose following my blogs know I have a fondness for “F” words. Let’s face it—whether noun, verb or adjective, they add a frisky facet to the action. Thus, when it came time to retitling my four Innerworld series books in connection with giving them a complete overhaul and converting them to digital, choosing “F” words naturally flowed from my fertile little brain.

“Pyramid of Dreams” is now FEVERED, which really fits since it introduces the Noronian mating fever.

“Topaz Dreams” became FALCON’S RUN because, well, Falcon, the felan/human half-breed nearly stole the first book away from the true hero, Romulus.

The third book, “Stardust Dreams”, left Earth for barbaric worlds, so with a hero named Gallant Voyager, I went for FIERCE VOYAGER.

And finally, “Stolen Dreams” has been renamed FINDING TIME, which is terribly logical since it is both a time travel from the future back to Atlantis, as well as the problem Shara and Gabriel are having finding the time period they’re aiming for.

All four have been updated, revised and, in some cases, rewritten. One still needs a final proofing and then they’ll be ready for cover designs. Once again I am working with the fabulous team at ePublishing Works! to get these books uploaded.

Meanwhile, here’s the blurb and a little excerpt from Book 1, FEVERED –

Blurb:

When a yacht is hijacked and taken into the Bermuda Triangle, the passengers and pirates are catapulted into a futuristic world in the center of the Earth. Though others have been pulled through the doorway in the Triangle, one of these New Arrivals, Aster Mackenzie, challenges two of their primary laws—no Terran may return to Outerworld, and Noronians and Terrans are not permitted to mate. 

The heart cannot always heed the law however. When Aster unexpectedly triggers the powerful Noronian mating fever in Romulus, they must risk everything, even life itself, to be together. But their personal needs are put on hold when Innerworld’s advanced technology reveals that a planetoid is heading directly toward Earth. The solution to both dilemmas marks the beginning of change for both Innerworld and Outerworld.

Excerpt  http://www.marilyncampbell.com/id72.html

Stay tuned for teasers from Books 2, 3 & 4 in the weeks ahead!

Hoping all your reads are Passionate,

Marilyn Campbell

www.marilyncampbell.com; fb: AuthorMarilynCampbell; tw: marilyncampbel3

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