I have a Christmas Tree

On my MySpace page!

It's a fun idea! Hope you'll stop by....

http://www.myspace.com/dianacastilleja

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

A little note from Candy Havens

It's difficult for me to believe that I just turned in my fifth book, "The Demon King and I," in five years, and now "Charmed & Dangerous" is coming out in mass market on Dec. 4. I still remember sitting on my bed at two in the morning, the night before my very first meeting with an editor. Another writer friend told me I needed to have more than one idea to pitch to the editor, and I was frantically trying to make something up.

It was a strange feeling when I finally wrote about a character who had been dancing around in my head for some time. I'd just heard that "Buffy" was going off the air, and I was angry with creator Joss Whedon for not going one more year. In retrospect they ended at the right time, but back then I was mad. What would I do without my weekly dose of "Buffy?"

That night before the meeting I put pen to paper and created a character who had the attitude of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) but the power of Bad Willow (Alyson Hannigan). She would use that power to protect important people, and to save the world. I can't remember how I came up with the idea for the prime minister, but I wanted a really powerful, cool leader. So of course I had to make one up. (Smile)

That one-page synopsis became a book just a few months later, and crazy stuff happened along the way. A love triangle between Sam, Bronwyn and Sheik Azir developed out of thin air one day. Azir met the Prime Minister in what was supposed to be an information finding expedition, but as I described Azir, I fell for him. Funny how that happens when we least expect it.

The powerful wizard Garnout came from the need for Bronwyn to have some sort of mentor. I love Garnout. He's one of my favorite people. I also wanted to create my dream town. A place where magic abounds, but overall people are friendly with one another. And of course, great food can be found on every corner in Sweet, Texas.

Even though I've moved on to new characters that crazy witch Bronwyn is still dancing around in my head. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever run out of stories for her, and I hope to write many more. It still freaks me out a little when I realize these funny stories have turned into very real books. I'm so grateful to Bronwyn and to all the adventures we've had together. - Candy Havens

New book trailer

I've posted a new video for A Stroll In The Park.

http:://www.myspace.com/dianacastilleja

Let me know what you think!

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

A little football humor

Brett Favre, after living a full life, died. When he got to heaven, God was
showing him around. They came to a modest little house with a faded Packers'
flag in the window.

"This house is yours for eternity, Brett," said God. "This is very special;
not everyone gets a house up here."

Brett felt special, indeed, and walked up to his house.

On his way up the porch, he noticed another house just around the corner. It
was a 3-story mansion with a blue and silver sidewalk, a 50 foot tall
flagpole with an enormous Dallas Cowboys' flag, and in every window a
Cowboys silver star.

Brett looked at God and said, "God, I'm not trying to be ungrateful, but I
have a question. I was an all-pro QB, I won 2 Super Bowls, and I even went
to the Hall of Fame."

God said, "So what do you want to know, Brett?"

"Well, why does Tony Romo get a better house than me?"
 

God chuckled and said, "Brett, that's not Tony Romo's house; it's mine

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Posting an excerpt

Here's an excerpt from my latest Dark Castle Lords release,  A STROLL IN THE PARK. Enjoy!

She mounted the stairs and setting the bag down, knocked before she lost her nerve. She picked the bag up again as she heard steps near the door. She lifted her lips into her best smile and waited.

The sight that met her when the door opened was indescribable. He stood there in his jeans and nothing else. No shirt, no shoes and his hair was mussed. A lot. Like she had pulled him from a nap. Her smile fell like a stone.

"Oh no! I didn't mean to wake you. I'm so sorry."

His eyes narrowed as she tried to back away. "I wasn't asleep," he told her in a flat tone. That didn't make her feel any better. If she didn't know any better, he had been in bed. She gulped and paled as the thought of what he had been doing hit her. He opened the door a little wider and moved to the side. "Would you like to come in?"

"I'm sure I can come back some other time," she offered trying to back up, wanting to escape in the worst way. She shook her head trying to hide her embarrassment.

"What's wrong with now? You're here." Her eyes closed as she remembered to breathe. His voice was gruff and deep again. When she opened them, he was just staring at her, and it wasn't a terribly welcoming stare, either. She took a step inside and waited in mortified silence while he shut the door.

She avoided his gaze, staring at the wall behind him. She felt the heat on her face; she didn't need a mirror to see her embarrassment. "I didn't mean to interrupt. If you're busy, I can just leave this. It's what I had intended to do anyway. I'm sure you have better things to do. You don't need me to hang around. You can eat this whenever and I'll just pick up the pan. No rush."

She stopped her rambling when his thick laughter finally cut her off. His eyebrow raised in a sardonic taunt as his mouth lifted. "I wasn't doing that either. I was beating my head against my computer. A repetitive argument, I'm afraid," he said in a droll way. "It thinks I should work, and I'm telling it, it doesn't know one thing."

She felt as his eyes swept over her, could feel him as delicate as a butterfly's kiss on her skin as he swept from her hair down her legs and back again.

"So what did you bring, that was so important you had to interrupt my daily rant?" As he relaxed again her smile was reborn, relief calming her racing heart. "I made this for you."

She pushed the pan toward him. "It's lasagna. I brought a salad with peppercorn dressing and breadsticks. I hope you like it."

He took it from her slowly, holding the warm pan in one hand and the bag in the other. His eyes narrowed again. "And for what do I receive such generosity?" She was struck to the bone by his tone, so cold. His eyes were nearly slits.

She lifted her chin to look him in the eye. "Look, I just wanted to say thank you. You don't have to eat it, but if you don't, let me take it to the shelter. I'm sure they'll appreciate it." She crossed her arms, challenging him. She waited as he appeared to consider it. He looked from the pan to her, from the pan to her.

"You don't know who I am?" His voice was incredulous and doubtful.She tossed her arms with impatience.

"Mrs. Fillipo said something about a Dr. McKenna when I asked if she knew how to find you, but I don't know who that is. I was looking for Drake and that seemed to satisfy her." She returned his glare. "There. Does that answer you or do I need to take a lie detector test too?"

She watched as his eyes lightened and his lips lifted in a smile. He shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be rude."

"But you do it so naturally," she came back, her chin still lifted at him.

That made him laugh again, a little lighter, a little kinder. He looked at the pan once more before he caught her gaze. "I hope you plan on sharing this with me. I can't eat but about half of this by myself."

"Half!" She took in his lean form, his trim waist defined at the top of his jeans. "Where are you going to put it?"

She laughed herself when he wiggled his brows at her. "I have my ways," he told her with an evil tremor in his voice. He turned and hooking a shoulder, led her into his kitchen.


Thanks for reading! To find out more about this book visit my site, or go hereto purchase this romantic tale!

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com