It's Reincarnation!

Have you ever met someone, a complete stranger, and instantly connected or hated them? Have you ever thought you know someone intimately but had never actually met them before? For some it's just coincidence for others like me, it's fate. It's Reincarnation.

Reincarnation is a big belief in my life not only as a normal everyday person but as an author. The instant I met my husband wayyyy back when we were teenagers I knew him instantly. I knew the good hard working honorable man he was even though he didn't see it himself.  Writing within the bigger genres of Sci-fi and Fantasy I believe there needs to be an instant connection between the hero and heroine, just like with us. My heroines always sense the good in the hero even when the hero can't see it himself and my heros always see the beauty in the heroine even when she doesn't see it herself.



Reincarnation gives me the attraction while giving me the availability to have different characters from the past to the present. It also gives me an added conflict in that maybe something in a past life has been influencing decisions or viewpoints even when there is no logical reason for them. Writing main characters that have extended life spans gives me the room for missed opportunities to be repaired. Just like my last blog post said, Love Conquers All, including time.

 Artwork copywrite 2014 Ellie Thiebaud

Love Conquers All

Love conquers all. Such a cliche right? As romance writers this is our motto. We can't write, or sell, without this cliche taking form. As humans we want to know that the world isn't as harsh and cruel as it seems. We desperately want there to be something that can swallow up the cruelty of the world.


Personally, and in my career, love really does conquer all... If your willing to fight for that love. The characters I write have their flaws, including some of them not believing they are worthy of such all consuming love, but they are all willing to fight for it. Weather it's against the outside world, against each other or themselves, they end up thriving in that love.

Take for instance my first novel, Key of Time. My heroine, Imogen, had been in love with the hero, Blaise, for years. Even though he didn't feel worthy of her adoration almost loosing her taught him that he had to fight for the love he desperately wanted.

In my personal life, I've watched my parents fight against illness while proving to themselves and each other how much they love each other. My husband and I have had out tough times, but without the fight for that all consuming love we would never be where we are today.

What is something in your life that you feel is cliche yet is completely true?

 Artwork Copyright 2014 Ellie Thiebaud

Summer Read

The sun warms the skin, the scent of roses and vegetables mix with the buzz of honey bees and dragonflies. In my hands sit the world I've currently lost myself in. It's that time of the year. Summer. With the breeze blowing my hair I suddenly find myself surrounded by misty clouds and airmen shouting out commands. Key of Time is the first book in my Phoenix Warrior's series.

Imogen has spent the last twenty-one years yearning for Blaise's love because he is the only person that makes her feel safe, but he's never around.

Blaise has spent every waking moment the last two decades working towards a Council position because it's the only way he can give his soul companion the life she deserves, but that life is threatened by the Vampire Nation and the machine they plan to activate.

Imogen holds the key to the machine. Blaise holds the key to Imogen's memory. Together they must find each other and stop the doomsday device.

Join Imogen and Blaise on the adventure of a lifetime while soaking up the summer rays. Available on the Kindle.

Key of Time Excerpt

Chapter One

Maen growled low in his throat at the approaching hooves. Never a good sign. Imogen sighed taking a quick second to look up from the mare struggling to birth her foal. Through the stable doors she caught a glimpse of riders and the Amhearst carriage approaching. Her heart beat erratically while sweat poured down her mostly bare back. Grimacing she pulled her attention away from the new arrivals and back to the life or death situation before her.

"That's it my girl. Sweet and easy now." she cooed sending waves of reassurance and warmth to the mare.

This wasn't her first foal and hopefully it wouldn't be her last. Maen let out a brief yap of joy and took off. The mare's stomach clenched, but nothing happened. Bloody hell!

Reaching her small hands inside she discovered the problem. The foal was backwards and stuck. She bit her lip sending a quick look around the stables. Just her luck. Empty.

The room spun as she stood up too fast. The lack of sleep and the heavy work load today was finally taking it's toll. Shaking her head to clear it she went into her Veterinary Surgery and pulled down the heavy chains. She dumped them at the mare's hind quarters startling the poor thing. Sending more reassurance out she leaned out of the stable doors. Imogen frowned.

The carriage was definitely Lord and Lady Amhearst's vehicle. The black machine was lined with royal purple velvet and silk inside. It was the same carriage that had delivered her to the estate twenty-one years ago. Imogen scanned the motley crew of men with a judicial eye for a strong man. The similar coppery tan skin and various cuts of black hair proclaimed them all to be of the Ettarian race. Perfect.

"You! Sir! Give me a hand, will you?" Imogen shouted out to the nearest one who'd just dismounted. Without seeing if he would accompany her, she turned back to the labor in progress.

The heavy chains rattled as she pushed them aside to kneel down. Thankfully on the next push a hoof appeared. Slowly so as to not frighten the mare she wrapped the chains three times around the hoof. Looking up to double check someone had arrived to help her she groaned. Her head pulsed in time with her heart beat. She winced at the sign of a headache emerging. Of course no one had come to help. What was it with men? Why did a woman asking for help always scare them off?Especially the Ettarian males.

Grumbling under her breath she wrapped the chains around a hitching post. It wasn't the most ideal way to get it done, but it would do. Hopefully.

"Alright Sweet Lady. I need you to push." The mare who lifted it's head as if to say are you insane. Smiling she whispered encouraging words until the next contraction hit. At the same she pulled on the chains making them tighter around the post. She grunted with the enormous effort it took. The hoof moved an inch.

The next contraction hit and again she pulled the heavy chain as hard as her weak human body could. Another inch. At this rate the mare and the foal would both die in labor. Tears burned. She wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't! Imogen dug her feet into the straw laden cobblestone and on the next contraction pulled. As if she had suddenly grown wings she jerked backwards and landed solidly against a man's muscled chest.

Power zapped through her at the immediate contact. She held her breath tilting her head back. She blinked. The horse screamed at the same instant pain slammed into her own stomach. She fell to her knees not expecting the sudden connection. Nausea burned. Large familiar hands wrapped around her upper arm and pulled her to her feet. The jolt of awareness from their contacting skin jerked her heart against her ribs. A shiver chased down her spine leaving a tingling pleasure in its wake.

Blaise.

The mare screamed again. Swallowing Imogen turned away from him to check on the mare. Only the lower section of one pair of legs were out.

"Tell me what you need me to do to help."








You can find Key of Time on amazon.com for $3.99.
Copywrite 2013 Mae Pen

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Celebrating Romance

Open the champagne! Pop the cork and save it. I want to scream to the world, "I'm Published!" Yes, I finally took the plunge and self-published two of my short stories on Amazon. For this week these two short stories will be free, so please download read and share with others. Since May is the Genre-ista's Blog-O-Versary and we're all about celebrating this month I thought I'd share a little of the giddiness every author feels when they see their covers on a website or in a bookstore.

For each writer their current work in progress is like their baby. It's a product of love and sometimes it grows to be frustration or hate, but that love never goes away. We like to shout to the world when we sign a contract, or do a happy dance when someone posts a good review. In my RWA chapter, Rose City Romance Writers, we even celebrate the rejections and the bad reviews because it means someone saw our work and it made an impact whether good or bad. When I received my first rejection from an agent, I have to put in here that I was expecting a rejection at the time, it was both exciting and nerve racking. My kids and husband bought me a bottle of sparkling cider to celebrate. I was giddy for a week.

The day I published my first short story butterflies attacked my stomach. I couldn't sit for more than a few minutes and I had to email my husband I had done it. When my kids came home I had to tell them. When my kids went to school the next day they had to brag that their mom was published. Catching? Oh yeah. And next month I'll be self-publishing my first novel length book.

Key of Time will be book one of my Phoenix Warriors series set in 1880 ranging from London to Egypt with inventions and mythic beings and abilities and most important of all, Love.




What do you celebrate in your life? Is there a project close to your heart that gives you the giddy stomach butterflies?

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