DARK MAGIC by Cheyenne McCray

Here's another book I'm looking forward to.


DARK MAGIC by Cheyenne McCray

THE WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL
Jake Macgregor has his hands full. As San Francisco’s Captain of the Paranormal Special Forces unit, he and his team are facing a powerful enemy that threatens to bring down the city. With the weight of the world already resting on his broad shoulders, the last thing Jake has time for is romance. So why—after a long, hard day’s fight against evil—are his nights filled with dreams of Cassia?

IS ABOUT TO GET A WHOLE LOT HOTTER…
Cassia is a D’Anu witch whose birthright ensures power and honor beyond imagination. It also forbids the one thing Cassia wants the most: the love of mortal Jake Macgregor. When she intervenes in a skirmish to save his life, the consequences are inescapable—even though the magic they make together is too luscious, and potent, to resist…



Cover: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/27710000/27715251.JPG

Excerpt: http://cheyennemccray.com/books/magicseries/darkmagic-exc.html

ABOUT CHEYENNE McCRAY

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Cheyenne McCray has a passion for writing urban fantasy, paranormal, and suspense novels. Among other accolades, Chey has won the prestigious Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for “Best Steamy Romance of the Year.”

Chey penned her first poem in kindergarten, and has been writing ever since she can remember. She always knew one day she would write novels, hoping her readers would get lost in the worlds she created, as she did in her favorites.

Now, she gets to write full time and loves what she does. For St. Martin's Press, she writes the bestselling "Magic" series. She also writes suspense novels, including the upcoming “Lexi Steele” series, starting in February 2009 with The First Sin. In June 2009 Demons Not Included blasts off a new urban fantasy series.

Chey has three sons, three dogs, a messy house, and she will do anything to get out of cleaning, which may be why she writes so much.


REVIEWS for Dark Magic

4 ½ Star TOP PICK!
“McCray does a stellar job layering the danger, passion and betrayal. Awesome!”
~Romantic Times BOOKreviews.

5 Stars “What an absolutely stunning conclusion Cheyenne McCray has penned for her ‘Magic’ series. “Dark Magic” is everything I would have wished for and couldn’t have imagined!”
Goodreads

“[McCray]…delivers in a spectacular way.”
Night Owl Romance


Website: http://www.cheyennemccray.com

Oh Canada

I’m just back from a fabulous two-week trip to Canada–which ended with some spectacular wildlife viewing at an isolated lodge above Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world.

But my adventure started in Calgary in the midst of an Alberta chinook which delivered sixty-five degree weather in October. That was the perfect temperature for a tour of the city with members of Calgary Romance Writers and then a Friday book signing with some of the chapter authors.

On Saturday, I got down to brass tacks, presenting two in-depth workshops: TENSION–KEEPING THEM ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS and THE MARRIAGE OF PLOT AND CHARACTER. After that, Harlequin Intrigue editor Allison Lyons gave a rundown of some Harlequin lines, answered questions and took appointments with chapter members. While members pitched their book ideas, the rest of us gathered in the bar to relax after a long day of focusing on the writing craft.

Throughout the weekend, the warm and welcoming members of CaRWA were wonderful hosts. Everyone was great, but I particularly want to mention president Tawny Stokes (who writes as Vivi Anna), treasurer Astrid Theilgaard, program chairman, Moira Stelmack, and Vicki Chatham, who drove me and Norman to the book signing. You can see many of the pictures that CaRWA took during the event at http://www.calgaryrwa.com/york-pics-2008.html .

After the working weekend, Norman and I drove to Banff. CaRWA members had recommended that we stay at the historic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, which is built like a stone fortress. It’s situated to take maximum advantage of a breathtaking view down a mountain valley, as you can see from this picture.


We drove around the area
to the Columbia icefields and Lake Louise

and took the Banff gondola ride to a high mountain peak, where the wind chill was eight degrees. That night we warmed up over a pot of cheese fondue in the hotel’s cozy wine bar.



Then it was on to the most exciting part of the trip–at remote Seal River Lodge, where we spent four days having a unique wildlife adventure with hosts Mike and Jeanne Reimer and a cast of obliging polar bears. These great white beasts are so innocent looking. But you have to keep remembering that they’d eat you for lunch if they got the chance.

With eight of them hanging out in the vicinity, ready to pop out of the bushes or around the corner of the storage building, we weren’t allowed to go outside (except in the chain link fenced yard) unless we were accompanied by naturalists Terry Elliott and Andy MacPherson, who always carried shotguns. The hungry–or maybe just curious--critters pressed against the fence and peered in the windows of the lodge at all hours of the day (being careful to avoid the nail-studded sheets of plywood on the ground). At night, big plywood shutters and an armed guard kept us cocooned.



It was supposed to be a three-day stay, but the only way to reach the lodge (except when Hudson Bay is frozen) is by small plane or helicopter. The morning we were scheduled to leave, the wind was too fierce for us to fly out. Our only option was to hunker down for an extra day. That was no hardship because it gave us more time to dodge the polar bears who gathered around the lodge, no doubt drawn by the tempting cooking aromas. And yes, we loved those extra helpings of the chef and baker’s tasty treats.

The weather was cold for visitors from Maryland. (In the 30's some of the time and as low as eight with the wind chill.) So we had to bundle up when we went outside–where we saw two big male bears fighting to the point of drawing blood. Long walks on the tundra were part of the daily program, and one afternoon when we went out, a bear followed us down the gravel road. Two more circled around to cut us off at the pass. Luckily they ran away when the naturalists threw stones at them.


If the rocks fail, the guys carry pepper spray, noisemakers and the shotguns I mentioned. On another afternoon, Norman got some great shots of two big males fighting


and this wonderful shot of an unskilled furry mechanic making an unscheduled inspection of a plane.


As you can imagine, all those bear encounters made for an exciting few days. Now I’m wondering how I can set a suspense novel at a remote tundra lodge.

Rebecca