Welcome to The Knight Stalker; a blog where PNR Author Shelbie Knight chats about what she loves most - reading and writing!

Do you have a specific Author that you would like to see featured, or a book you would like Shelbie to review? Or possibly you would like to hear occasional updates on Shelbie's own personal journey on the road to publishing? Feel free to email any requests - it's all fair game!

On these pages, Knight rules and brings to life the sexy supernaturals from your wildest imagination!



May 28, 2013

A note of gratitude

I wanted to take a moment to briefly thank an individual who has been a huge support to me during the last months.  She worked with me, in a professional capacity, but has become so much more.
To start, her name is Rae Monet.  She was, at one time not long ago, a Romance Author.  She has taken her skills of this trade and now applies them to another; working in support of Authors, such as myself, to design websites that speak not only for the Author, but display who the Author is and what their work represents to them.
Rae Monet with her adopted wolf, Wana Chikal
 
I met Rae through a referral from another favorite person of mine, Paranormal Romance Author J.K. Coi - I heart me some J.K!  During one of our many conversations, I asked her who designed her website because I loved the design.  www.jkcoi.com  She told me of Rae, who I then performed an internet search on, examined all of her work, and contacted her.
She has been a dream to work with from day one.  I felt an instant kinship with her, like you would your best girlfriend - you know....the one who is willing to tell you the green dress makes you look fat, but loving enough to immediately buffer the blow by handing you the black one with a smile on her face?  Yeah.  We instantly struck up a lengthy conversation and it took me no time at all to hire her to design my first Author website.
Through the entire process, which is very detailed, she has always been a wonderful support.  Never tiring of patience, even when I likely asked her to move something one too many times! =)  The end results?  To say I was stunned would be mild - I was absolutely in love!  She, and her wonderful partner, managed to take ideas of mine and create something stunningly beautiful, tailored just to me, and a place I felt would be my home for years to come.  A place where I would proudly display my work, a place where people could learn about me and what I do.
Wolf Mountain Sanctuary
Lucerne Valley, CA.
As if this is not enough, she has always been there for me as a wonderful support.  Whether I simply needed to run an idea past someone "in the know," sought knowledge, or simply to chat about a new experience, she has always come through.  Like I said earlier, she treats you as if you are a long lost friend.
So far, while my experience may be limited in the publishing industry, I am learning there are wonderful individuals about - Rae Monet is one such individual.  Not only would I highly recommend her to anyone needing website, blog or the like, work/design, I would stand by her as a personal reference as well.   Without question.  Without delay.
In this world, there are far too few people such as Rae.  The ones who are deserve any and all recognition they can be afforded - professionally as well as personally.  A flower arrangement saying my thanks and appreciation seems meager in light of all she has done for me, the positive impact she has reflected in my life. 
Unfortunately, at this time, flowers, along with my friendship, loyalty and words of praise are all I have to offer.
If you are seeking someone to design an amazing website (or blog, etc.), or know someone who is, I can place no higher recommendation than Rae Monet. 
I have placed her contact information below.  If you visit her website, you will see examples of many of the websites she and her team have built and designed.  They are truly a work of art and trust me when I tell you, she more than earns every penny and then some!!
Thank you Rae.  You are a gem!
With Warm Regards,
Shelbie Knight =)
 
For examples of her work, or to contact her:
Rae Monet Inc.
To see my website, designed by Rae:
And of course, the blog you are currently reading:
 

May 22, 2013

Lessons Learned? To Never Repeat.....Oklahoma

It may seem, especially during times when we get wrapped in our own lives, it is all we care about. Things like what recently occurred in Oklahoma bring home for me the importance of life to me.
Thinking about all of these Families, who are homeless with not a damned thing to their names. 
Think about it.  Everything they owned - Family pictures, treasured keepsakes, items their children made when they were younger, pictures of Family long past - all gone in the blink of an eye.
Added to this, there are those who lost loved ones.  It never ceases to amaze me, the power of the human soul, the power of healing.  Most of us, when we experience a terribly tragedy or loss, have a place to park our weary bodies, a place to rest our weary minds.  We have a place where we feel the comfort of home, where we can release and let it go.  The people of Moore, Oklahoma have lost even this basic healing necessity.  They have NOTHING. 
I have always been, what my Family calls, a "weather nut."  I am the one on the radar, half the US away, watching, tracking, storms, wind sheer, you name it.  I love the power of Mother Nature.  Love it.  I love the power of a super cell storm.  I love to get right under it, as safely as possible, looking up into the incredible cloud structure, at times getting blown over by RFD's.  I love any kind of storm; I have had an affinity for chasing storms since I was a young girl.  I can literally "feel" it in the air, when the electricity increases, when the pressure drops - I am right there.  My Mom calls me a "human barometer."  She is not far off.  It's a horrible feeling to love something so much, to have a passion for it, yet to hate it at the same time.  This is the case with tornadoes.
Needless to say, as you can imagine, with my love of storms, I was all over this one.  I was watching this storm long before it formed into a massive, power-of-God F5 tornado, knew it was an F5 simply from watching it's development, spawned from a super cell so strong, it was as if it was created in the depths of hell.
This is what, no doubt, the people of Moore, Oklahoma (and the surrounding communities) were thinking, as they saw this monster headed their way.
Imagine this scenario - you live in a community where storms are the norm.  You are even accustomed to a super cell rolling through, dropping golf-ball sized hail, denting everything you own, shooting lighting from the clouds as if the God's were in battle.  So, even though watches and warnings are firing off, in increasing intensity, you keep your awareness about you, but continue on with life.  You have no other choice, as you live where, during the late Spring and Summer months, this is life.  If you shut down, hid inside, every time a watch or warning was issued, you could very well be living inside for months.
Then, you notice this storm, the one creating the watches and warnings, is getting mighty strong.  You have lived here long enough to know what this means; you might very well have to count on something today, something other than a violate storm.  Still, you are ever more aware, but continue with your day - until the sirens start blaring.
The minute you hear the sound, the horns blaring across the plains, you know something bad is on the way.  Your first thoughts?  You want to know if there is something headed your way, so you check the news, or you have already been listing to NOAA on your emergency weather radio. 
Once you find out it is in fact in your area, what are your thoughts then?  What goes through your mind in those split seconds of indecision?  Maybe they could be where are my kids, where are my animals, where is my Family, what is most important?  Where do I go?  Where can I hide?  Where are my neighbors? You might be one of the (fortunate ones) <see below> and have a storm/tornado shelter, so you think fast on who you need to get into it.  You might not be so lucky, instead grabbing your children, running to the bedroom, stripping the mattress off the bed, dragging it into the bathroom, placing your children in the tub, laying down with them, and then dragging the mattress over you and holding on for dear life. 
Look at the amount of steps involved in this!  Look at the sheer panic this person would likely be feeling!  Then, as you lay there, listening to the storm, hearing it's increasing intensity, feeling your ears "pop" as the pressure drops as the storms nears more.  This entire time, you are praying, you are talking to your children, arms wrapped around them, so tight they almost cannot breath.  But, no matter what, you are going to hold on to them with everything in you.  You will not lose them.  They will not be ripped from your arms.  You know the storm is almost upon you now.  There is nothing left to do but hold on and pray.  The noise is so deafening you can no longer hear the voice you know you are speaking to your children.  You keep talking.  You are their Mother, their Father, their Grandparent, and it is your job to keep them secure.  No matter your words, your children are scared for their lives.  They are crying, tears streaming down their little faces, buried under the mattress.  They may be young, but they KNOW this cannot be good.  The noise increases more, so much so it is actually causing pain to hear it.  The pressure drops more, so low that your ears actually rupture from the intensity of it.  
All of this and then - sheer terror.  Everything is out of your control.  There is nothing you can do.  Things are flying over, around, on top, under you.  You have your arms wrapped tightly around your children - you did.  No matter how tight you held on, no matter how much you prayed, they were stripped from your arms.  There is not a damned thing you can do, against everything in you, you want to fight this.  You want to fight this fucking storm and get to your children!  There is naught you can do.  For the storm is in control now.  You are merely along for the ride.  A ride you might not survive.
As quickly as it started, it's over, but to you it seemed like it lasted years.  There is no sound.  It is deathly quiet.  Wait.  I can hear something.  What is it I hear?  The sound of "drip-drip-drip-drip" is the only sound registering in your ears.  You are laying somewhere.  You don't know where and for a minute, you don't know why.  It comes to you!  My God, a tornado, my babies!  The minute you try to move, you are assaulted by pain.  Gut wrenching pain.  You can't move against the pain, it is so severe in it's intensity.  You have to move - against anything, you must find your babies the storm ripped from your arms.  As gingerly, but as quickly, as you are able, you stand, un-burying yourself from a pile of rubble that has landed on you, around you, under you.  Looking around, you see nothing put piles.  Your mind cannot possibly register with what it is seeing - it simply cannot process it.  You look around, searching for your home, looking for anything familiar.  There is nothing.  Everything has been destroyed.  The trees, houses, cars and other objects that you used to familiarize yourself are all gone.  There is nothing left but piles of rubble and splinters of trees. 
Your hearing comes back little by little, and now in the distance you can hear the storm, still eating a pathway across the plains.  Oh God!  Where am I?  Where are my babies?  Searching with your eyes no longer works.  Not only are they filled with grime and grit, so your vision is impaired, but of everything you see, none of it makes sense.  So, you must move.  Move.  Get out of wherever you are, no matter the pain, and move!  
This entire time, you have heard nothing but silence.  As you lay on the ground, on a pile of rubble, wet, cold and dirty, in the dark, alone, alone with the silence.  Now you are starting to hear sounds.  Sounds of a neighborhood coming back to life, sounds of sirens in the distance.  Oh Thank God!  Help is coming!  You try to yell out, so someone can hear you, so someone can find you, but your throat is clogged with dirt and debris.  Not only that, but in the minutes before the storm hit, you were having to yell so loud, so loud so your babies could hear you - your throat is gone, nothing more than a croak comes out.
At least help is on the way.  I have to get out of here and find my babies.  That is the prevalent thought, the only thought, at this point running through your disorientated mind.  Your priority is finding your children - you cannot fail them.  Oh God, please let them be alive.  Please, please, please, please let them be alive.  You pray.  Pray more.  Shivering, laying in the waste of homes, cold, alone, dirty, shocked and hurt - you pray, not for yourself, but for someone else.  
Is this an experience you think anyone in the US should rightfully have?  If this was your Family member, what would you think?  Hundreds, thousands, of Families go through similar tragedies across the United States every year.  This is wrong. We should take care of our own.  We may not be able to control the storms - but we sure as hell should have control over mitigating the damage to human life.  To ignore this further is wrong.  Our climates are changing, like it or not.  Global changes are occurring and with them, more frequent, more severe and more hand-of-God storms will touch down.
Then, there are the <fortunate ones> You might be one of the "fortunate ones" in Oklahoma, and anywhere in tornado alley; you might have a storm cellar.  There are so many who don't.  Why you ask?  Because they cost thousands of dollars, plain and simple - the American life is not worth more than the all-mighty dollar.  I ask myself all the time why, in an area which is tornado-prone, should a house be built WITHOUT a tornado shelter?  As far as I am concerned, this should be a MANDATORY, government building regulation - so the builders cannot weasel their way out of it.  If a house is being built on property deemed "likely to have tornado activity", then there should be no question.  I am tired of money being worth more than life.  If it was you, what would you say?  If you were the one in horrific pain, having lost a child, a loved one, what would you say?
Now, this is not to say tornado shelters will prevent ALL death, but damned!  For real?  Anyone with a brain cell firing in their head can see the loss of life FROM THIS ONE EVENT ALONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH A STORM SHELTER!
If the government has certain regulations in place for building in flood-proned areas, why do they not do the same for tornado-prone areas?  Some may say this is impossible, since "tornado alley extends from the border of Mexico all the way up to the border of Canada. You can't possibly build storm/tornado shelters in ALL these homes!"  I've thought about this as well; yes, tornado alley does extend all across the United States.  But, here is where we make it a government mandate on where to build storm/tornado shelters - the government, NOAA, NSSL (National Severe Storm Laboratory), and many more have exact dictation on EACH TORNADO that has touched down in the Continental US - no question.  
Here is where the "studies" come in.  As far as I am concerned, and I am by no means a scientist, but if there is an area that is prone to regular or repeated tornadoes, over an F3 on the Fujita scale, then these should be areas where a storm/tornado shelter is mandatory during building.  There should be NO QUESTION of this if the rebuilding is as a result of TORNADO DAMAGE to begin with.  It is crazy to re-build a home, in the exact location where it was destroyed, and not build a storm/tornado shelter on the property.  Does Moore, Oklahoma need to be more evidence of this?  An F4 destroyed Moore, OK on May 3, 1999.  Leveled the entire town.  They rebuilt, only to have another tornado do massive damage in 02'.  Now, here we are, years later and we have complete devastation - but worse.  We have a community demolished with a staggering loss of life to go along with it.  Unacceptable.
I ask you - think about this.  Think about the people.  Think about the suffering.  Think about the loss of life.  And most important....think about that Parent/Grandparent who, after getting up against all odds, searching everything around them, only to have someone else find their child a mile away, carried by the winds.  They will live with the ramifications of this storm for the remainder of their lives - and each and every time they hear another storm, see lightning flash across the sky, hear the rumble of thunder - they will remember the storm that took everything from them.
Please reach out and help the people of Moore, Oklahoma.  Donate to your local Red Cross.  They need anything and everything we can offer.  Do not forget this tragedy.  This is the way, we as humans, tend to think.  When a tragedy occurs, we are there and one-hundred percent engaged (which is beautiful).  The problem is - once this has passed, there WILL be another, as it is only a matter of time.  Preparing now means saving lives later.  
Even if every person in the Continental US had to chip in five dollars, to build the storm/tornado shelters for every person who needs one, would it be worth the five dollars to you?  Would it be worth it to our government?  Would it be worth it to the insurance agencies?  After all, money talks and bullshit walks, right?  More important - it would be worth it to me to save ONE PARENT the loss and forever grief of ONE CHILD, who lived their last minutes in terror.  This is not how we support our fellow Americans.

UPDATE:  Mayor Glen Lewis (Mayor of Moore, Oklahoma) announced he is seeking an ordinance to place storm shelters in the every multi-occupancy home!  Just announced on The Weather Channel.  Good Mayor Lewis!  I support this one hundred percent!!  =)

May 21, 2013

NEVER BEEN SO ANGRY - PLEASE WATCH AND READ


Many of you who follow my blog will remember yesterday, how excited I was, how excited my kids were.  Things should have been handled far differently then they were; this angers me more than anything!
I understand a "free contest" is exactly this, it goes without saying.  But, if you consider the circumstances, and watch the video I took, then I am sure you can see my outrage - on behalf of my children.
Yesterday, less than an hour after this announcement, I called Q13 FOX, our local channel that ran the contest.  A very nice young lady answered the phone and I explained to her that my name was announced as the winner, and I wanted to confirm it.  She asked for my information, name, numbers and address, telling me she would pass it along to a Producer and have them call me.  I never heard from a soul.  
This alone should have worried me, and it did somewhat, but through the excitement (it's been YEARS since I have taken a vacation with my kids - YEARS!!), I thought it was possible they were simply busy.
Today, when I still had not heard from anyone at Q13 FOX, I called again, speaking to the same lady I did yesterday.  I told her I still had not heard from anyone.  Her response was "they told me they were going to call you, that's strange", and she guaranteed she would again get the message through and have someone call.  Still nothing.
So, today my Son came in (both of my kids have been harassing me since, wanting to start planning our "vacation." Yeah.  Sorry kiddos.) and again asked me "Mom, have you heard from them yet?"  This was at 2pm PST.  I responded that I had not, picked up the phone and called Q13FOX again.  
This time a man answered.  I explained the situation to him.  He told me he would have someone call me; little did I know the news I would be receiving within mere minutes, or how it would effectively crush my kids.
He called me back approximately 10 minutes later, telling me it was someone else, with the same name, living in the same city, who won, sorry.  You're kidding me, right?!  I have been calling for two friggen days, my kids are beyond excited to FINALLY get to go on a vacation with Mom & Dad...and you are "sorry."
When I told him this, and explained how much I had pursued this, all it would have taken was one damned call - just one friggen call, that would last all of two seconds - to inform me I was not the winner...his response?  "What did you think that you are the only Kimberly in Lynnwood?"  WTF?  I am sure you can imagine my response to that.
I told him he could come here now, tell my children our Family was not the ones that won, some other person, again same name, same city, won.  Yeah.  As if THAT will make it all right in the end.
So, I place this video here for you to see.  I give you the details of exactly what occurred.  Do you think that Q13, once they realized I was calling claiming the same prize, should have taken all of two damned minutes to call and inform me different?  Two days.  They never called.  I had to pursue them.  Shame on you Q13FOX.  If any of you have kids - come to my house tonight.  Look into my children's faces.  Because of Mom pursuing her writing career, there has been no extra anything, let alone for vacations!  This was, and is no longer, the win of a lifetime for my Family.  A Family that desperately needed time away, time together, time to bond once again.
So much for Silverwood Theme Park - they have no idea the storm raging, to no fault of their own.  They simply gave away a neat vacation.
And to the "correct" person that won, with the same name, living in the same city, I say "Have a blast!  I sincerely hope you and your Family have a lovely time." =)
Thank you for your time everyone!  Thanks for coming to my blog to read, to listen, to support, to...just be.  
Big Hugs,
Shelbie =)
Q13FOX:  http://q13fox.com/   Twitter:  @Q13FOXSeattle
Silverwood Theme Park:  http://www.silverwoodthemepark.com/  Twitter:  @Silverwood4Fun

PLEASE READ!!!

I wanted to remind everyone of a wonderful event taking place right now, Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research.  http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/
This is a wonderful cause, one that is near and dear to me, and a disease that affects millions of men, women and children across the states.  It does not discriminate against age, gender, or sex; it takes, ravishes, weakens and kills.  Please, help if not by bidding, then help by passing the blog information to another.
Authors from all around the country have placed incredible items for auction, and all of the proceeds go to where they are needed most - research.
Please, come and visit the auction.  Even if you do not bid, no biggie, but please spread the word around to others.  I think, once you see some of the items up for bidding, you will be doing as I have - bidding a lot!
Thanks for your assistance in helping and God Bless all of those fighting for their lives daily against this horrible disease, including my Husband.  I know some of the hell you experience daily and I pray for your well being.
Shelbie =)



Tina's Guide to Writing Romantica
By Tina Engler, 2002

1. During "forced seductions", redeeming the hero is crucial - nobody wants to read about a rapist.  Make sure that the heroine clearly wants the situation to occur by the time there is penetration.

2.  Strong heroines are a must.  Women are much more interested in watching an independent female give a hero a run for his money, and then submit, rather than reading about a weak creature who is a pathetic, empty vessel, waiting to be filled.

3.  This is a take-off point on 2:  "brave resistance" = money for Author, "petulant heroine" = negative reviews.  There is a fine line between brave resistance, giving the alpha male a run for his money, etc. and having the heroine be cruel, vicious, petulant and unwilling to give the hero a break.  Said heroines are trying to the nerves, induce gritting of the teeth, etc.

4.  Monogamy = good, faithlessness = bad.  This rule is for the protagonists only/  The beauty of erotic romance is your secondary characters can get away with anything, so if a particularly kinky idea occurs to you, have the secondary characters indulge in it.  But for a protagonist....be careful!  The hero and heroine cannot have sexual penetration with anyone else once they have met.  If you allow that to happen, you will receive angry emails from women all over the world.

That said, you CAN get away with sexual touching in sci-fi so long as it's done properly.  In the Trek Mi Q'an series, for instance, there is something called a "Consummation Feast" where the heroine is brought to orgasm by the hands and mouth of five of more warriors before she's given to her mate for penetration.  In the Oath series, there is the "linking" ritual which requires a male close to the hero to rub all over the heroine's naked body while she's orgasming.  (You gotta love sci-fi!)  If the otherworld you build for your fantasy/futuristic setting includes multi-partner relationships, that is not "cheating."

5.  Don't always write the perfect heroines.  I can't stress this enough.  The occasional "babe" is okay, but they should be more of the exception to the rule than the rule itself.  Write chubby heroines, passingly pretty heroines, average heroines, etc., but not too many drop-dead gorgeous heroines.  Remember that your readers include every race, every culture, every body type.  Never refer to body fat in a bad way, for instance.  Call it "pleasingly fleshly" or something of that nature.

6.  Heroes are always tall, masculinely handsome (never pretty), muscular, and well-endowed.  It doesn't matter who his heroine is....the hero is always yummy.  Best selling heroes are also slightly obsessive - women readers love territorial ales who stake claims right off the bat and focus their energies on one woman.

7.  Vamps, futuristic/sci-fi, and MaleDom bondage sell the best.

8.  Always have a plot.


**I felt this was great information, in a quick, easy to understand format.  Many of you may know Tina Engler as the Founder of Ellora's Cave www.ellorascave.com while many more of you may know her by her Pen Name, Jaid Black www.jaidblack.com.  Either way, she is a leader in our industry, with years of experience, and valuable information to offer.  

**The information is taken directly, word for word, from: Ellora's Cave Publishing, Author Information and Submission Guidelines

A little something yummy and fun!

Even though this has nothing to do with writing, other than the fact I am writing it, I had to pass this along.
This is a wonderful, fun, easy recipe for all; my kids absolutely loved it!  It is so easy, your younger children can handle it, with a little assistance, and thrill in the end results! This gives them a chance to make a loaf of bread all by themselves, and better yet, using their favorite flavor of ice cream! =)
Another thing I love about this recipe is that you can customize it to your desires - or your children's.  All you do is change the flavor of the ice cream!  
Here it is, for all to enjoy!  Please let me know, or send me a picture, of your end results!

Ice Cream Bread

Ingredients:

-2 cups of any flavor ice cream
-1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour  (Note: You must use self-rising flour)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Prepare a loaf-sized pan, greasing the bottom only
-Allow ice cream to (somewhat) melt to a soft consistency
-Mix ingredients together in a medium sized bowl
-Take mixture, which will be the consistency of a thick goop, and fill the bottom of loaf pan
-Bake in the oven, on 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes until lightly brown on top
-Remove from oven, let sit for 5-10 minutes, eat and enjoy!
**The wonderful fact about this recipe, other than how basic it is, is you can change the taste of the bread with the flavor of the ice cream!  You can use any ice cream in this recipe.
I hope you have as much fun with this and my children and I have!
We have made everything from Chunky Monkey to Reece's Pieces bread - and it is soooo good!  Enjoy!  =)

May 14, 2013

Just a few thoughts on being an Author......
As an Author, there is one goal we all have - one event that makes our dreams come to life.  The dream of being published.  To say that we are a "published Author" is the ultimate goal.  Working as hard as we do, having a medium with which to show and distribute our work is the ultimate fantasy.
Since I started writing full-time, my goal has been just this.  First and foremost, my goal has been to write a good story.  A story that people will be drawn to.  Characters people will love and those they will love to hate, all within a world they want to live within.  This is what I work on daily.
There is nothing that makes us more proud than to have someone read our work and love it!  To have someone say "When are you writing another?" is the best compliment a Author can receive.
I have always believed in my writing ability.  Since I was young, I wrote to escape, to hide pain, to bring myself into another reality.  There were times, when I was younger, where writing saved my sanity; it was that important to me.  I always knew that I would be a writer, an Author.
I have no doubt that I will be successful at reaching my goals.  There is nothing in this world that can stop me from writing, including my brain!  My thoughts go day and night, non-stop, with ideas filtering through me for the current story I am working on, as well as new ideas.  Always new ideas; so many of them I could not possibly write them all in the years to come.
I have heard people ask "How do I know if I have the potential to be an Author?"  I think the answer to that is two-fold.
One, do you actually like to write?  There is nothing sexy or dramatic about what I do on a daily basis, hour after hour (well, to me it might be).  During these hours, you can either find me sitting at my computer, or you will find me with a note pad in my hand planning, sketching, writing.
Two, does your mind continually think of alternate ideas?  Do you look at a situation and have an idea for a story "pop" into your head?  I think this is the mark of a naturally skilled writer, someone who has a natural talent for writing, as I believe I do.  My brain is always ON.  I think it is likely that when I believe I am sleeping, that my brain is still in high gear.  It is the only way I can explain waking up with the ideas that I do.
My Husband says that he knows he is truly married to a writer because on my nightstand is a notebook and a pen - rather than a vibrator.  He thinks that is funny.  HA!  He is a comedian - NOT.
I say this - what do you have to lose?  If you love to write, then SIT DOWN AND WRITE.  Do not let anything stop you.  When you are done, after you have re-read, and re-read again catching mistakes, then give it to someone you know and let them read it.  Remember, when you give someone your work, for an honest opinion, you can not attack them when the critique your work!
Also, talk to other Authors and see what they have done.  Try not to be offended if some of them are wonderfully open and friendly and others are not.  Unfortunately, that is one thing that I learned immediately.  Success does not make the Author, rather it ruins some of them, but this is the minority.
On the whole, writers are an amazing group of people who will answer your questions and help you if they can.  I for one believe in "passing it along" for once you have reached success, it is your duty to be a guide to others.  After all, it is unlikely that you reached success alone, without the aid of many others - pass it along.  Don't become too good for yourself.
Read their work as well, observing how they build their story, how they build their characters and the world they live within.  I read non-stop, literally thousands of titles.  If I am not writing, I am reading.  Of course, you have to maintain a balance with anything, and that is where my Family comes in.
Well, I simply wanted to splurge.  This is helpful to me, before I sit down to write, to be able to get all of the ideas out of my head.  At least the ones that have nothing to do specifically with my story!
I hope that you all have a wonderful day!  Keep a smile on your face and a rainbow in your heart.
Shelbie =)

May 13, 2013

Author Interview: J.K. Coi


Author, J.K. Coi
J.K. Coi is in a league of her own in the Paranormal Romance genre.  Her writing is descriptive, provocative, inspiring and steamy.  Reading her work did more than simply entertain me; it engaged and enraptured me.

As a reader, one of my first introductions to Paranormal Romance was made through reading J.K. Coi's My Immortal; her first title in the Immortal Series.  I was hooked from the start, and continued reading the remainder of her available series - Immortal Kiss and Dark Immortal.

I am thrilled to announce that, finally, there is another addition to this wonderful series!  J.K. Coi's newest release, Forever Immortal, is due to for release Wednesday, May 15.  

Even more exciting is J.K. has agreed to sit down with me for a detailed interview to discuss her upcoming new release, as well giving you the opportunity to learn a little something about her! 

Today, I am displaying Forever Immortal and here is my amazing interview with Paranormal great, Author J.K. Coi!


Q:        What originally inspired you to become an Author; did you always want to be an   author?  Why did you choose to write in the genre of Paranormal Romance?

A:       I’ve been a huge reader my entire life, and I started writing way back in high school. I won my first literary contest when I was in grade 10, with a story about a rabbit in the forest. I guess it was about six years ago when I decided to try and take a lifelong love of writing to the next level, by submitting my work to publishers.

And I’ve just always gravitated to paranormal and horror because those are the genres I read and feel most comfortable with—although I do write a lot in other genres as well, including contemporary romance.

Q:       Which Author has offered the most inspiration to you, in your writing?  Why?

A:     I take inspiration from many different places, and all of the authors on my “keeper shelf” inspire me with their fantastic stories. I also greatly admire the authors in the Toronto Romance Writers who are very generous with their time and experience, and are always willing to lend a hand to new authors with questions. Kelley Armstrong is one of those authors, and she has truly been my inspiration. Not only is she wildly successful, but she’s also one of the most genuine and giving authors I have ever met.

Q:        If you could work with any Author, who would it be and

A:     I do not know if I would be able to work with another author, LOL. I am pretty anal about my work and it is very hard to find someone who shares your process enough to make it work together in the same project. I envy those writers who have found a co-writing partner because if you can make it work, that would be a very rewarding partnership.

Q:      What is a typical working day like for you?  When and where do you write?  Do you set a daily writing goal?

A:      I do set a word goal every day, which can be flexible depending on the amount of time I have to my deadline, or the amount of writing time I am going to have for the day. Since I work a day job, I write a little bit on my lunch hour, and then I will do most of my writing in the evening after kiddo has gone to bed. I do not often get a lot of writing done on weekends, since I spend that time with the family. This makes me a very slow writer, but I balance everything the best I can.

Q:       What advice could you offer to someone who is interested in becoming an Author?

A:      I have been asked this a lot and my opinion is not to rush it. I know that with the easy availability of self-publishing many authors are jumping into the publishing arena with both feet—and that’s not a bad thing at all—I just want to urge writers to do everything they can to ensure their very best work is being put out there. If that means taking some writer’s courses, then great. If it means revising and revising and revising again, then do it. Because if writing is going to be your career, you have a reputation to protect. For an author, reputation is at least 80% about the quality of books they offer to readers.

Q:      You have written three books so far in your Immortal Series - Immortal Duty, Immortal Kiss and Dark Immortal; which book did you enjoy writing the most? Why?

A:       I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of them. I think Immortal Duty will always have a special place in my heart because it was my very first book. However, I loved the back and forth between Max and Baron in Immortal Kiss, and the emotional punch of Dark Immortal. The last book in this series, Forever Immortal, is the book I HAD to write because Gideon was always in the back of my head, whispering to me. Having said that, now that I have written Forever Immortal, I am excited to write the next story too.

Q:       Of all of your books, which did you find the hardest (or easiest) to write?  Why?

A:      Every book is difficult for me. When I am in the middle of a writing project, I get really caught up in it. I am a worrier, and I worry that the conflict is not dark enough, the motivation is not deep enough, and the plot is not fast enough. If I did not have the support of awesome critique partners who keep me going, I would probably never finish anything.

Q:    Can you please tell the readers something about your upcoming book, Forever Immortal, due out May 15? 

A:      As soon as I finished writing the first book in this series, Forever Immortal was going to be book 2, but then I realized that Gideon was not quite ready for his own book and there were a few Immortals who had to come before him. However, from the very beginning, I knew what his story was going to be and I even wrote half of it before I started Immortal Kiss or Dark Immortal. When it was finally time to write this book, Forever Immortal was supposed to be the last book in the series, but everything was twisted and now I know there has to be at least one more.

In the meantime, though, here is the blurb for Forever Immortal

Eight years ago, science and reason ruled Gideon Bennett’s life. Until the death of an Immortal triggered a physical transformation, forcing him out of the laboratory and into a world of violence for which he was ill prepared. Now a seasoned warrior, he is still haunted by his one massive failure—and the face and body of the woman he could not save.

Lyssa James was not looking for trouble when she set out to enjoy a night on the town. Instead, she got a first-class ticket to a demon Hell dimension where she was trapped for eight long years. Now she has finally escaped…only to run into the man who failed her. The passion between them is instant and irresistible, but neither of them is the same person they were eight years ago. In addition, even as they battle with their desire, one of the nastiest demons from the Abyss is on the loose, threatening not only their lives but also the future of humans.

Q:       What is your favorite part of the book?

A:     Gideon and Lyssa have such a tortured relationship, I wanted to make sure there were some lighter moments between them, and those ended up being my favorite parts!

Here is a short excerpt from one of those moments that shows both the light and the dark

Gideon stalked over to the refrigerator and pulled it open. “What would you like to eat? I can make pretty much anything.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” She had not eaten a real meal in over eight years. How was she supposed to make a choice like that?

“Look,” he told her, his tone very serious. “You tell me what you want, and I’ll make it. Anything you want.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Yes,” he interrupted, “I do.”

She looked into his eyes and sighed. Nyx did not like that he felt responsible for what had happened to her, especially when she wasn’t even sure that she blamed him.

She wished that she did, because not hating him meant that maybe they did not have to be enemies, that she might start to let her guard down.

That made everything more complicated. Why couldn’t he be a cruel and ruthless warrior who wanted her dead? Her own choices would have been so much simpler.

“Do you have any lettuce?” she asked, suddenly knowing exactly what she wanted.

Lettuce?” He looked incredulous. “I’m offering to make you absolutely anything you want, and you ask me for lettuce?”

“No. Not just lettuce.” She could picture the salad in her head and her mouth started to water in anticipation. “What I really want is a salad. A salad with crisp, fresh lettuce, maybe some baby spinach and bean sprouts, pine nuts and mandarin wedges thrown in, with a raspberry dressing.”

Gideon stared, his mouth hanging open. “Um…that’s actually pretty specific. I was thinking you were going to say you wanted a nice juicy steak and maybe a baked potato. You know…for the protein and energy.”

Nyx laughed—a real laugh. “Only a guy would come out of hell and ask for a steak. Do you know what kind of plants grow in a place like that?” She raised her eyebrows at his incredulous expression. “None. The only bio-matter comes from the stunted, scraggly weeds that push their way through the dry cracks in the rocks and dusty earth every once in a while. But then the air is so hot and dry, and there’s barely any water, so even those poor withered stalks die within days. And forget finding any fruit or vegetables.”

“Then what did you eat?”

Nyx was suddenly ashamed. She didn’t want him to know the animal she had become in that place. Gideon’s expression was inscrutable. She thought she sensed a trace of disgust in his voice, and it hurt to think that he might disapprove of how she had been forced to survive.

Then came anger. She’d like to see him to do any better faced with the same set of circumstances.

Gideon must have sensed her discomfort, because he let the matter drop without another word, easily moving back to her dinner request. “Well, if it’s a salad you want, I can definitely do that.” He turned to the refrigerator and started pulling things out and setting them on the countertop. “I should have everything except for the raspberry dressing. Since when did raspberry become a salad dressing anyway? Whatever happened to plain old ranch dressing? And what’s with the oranges? I didn’t even know you could put fruit in a salad.”

He sounded so normal, mumbling to himself like that, so much like a typical man. Maybe she could do this. Maybe all she had to do was pretend to be normal too, and eventually it would be true.

Q:        What question have you most wanted to be asked in an interview?

A:       “Do you want to know the winning lottery numbers?”
My answer – “YES!” LOL

Thanks Shelbie for the great interview!! I have had a ton of fun with your questions!

JK Coi



My sincerest thanks to J.K. Coi for taking the time to share with us!  I am anxiously awaiting the release of Forever Immortal

If you are interested in learning more about J.K. Coi, her Immortal Series, or any of her other work, below are links where you can find it all!

Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing this wonderful experience with me!  Please excuse the errors in the formatting - no matter what I did, I simply could not get things to line correctly!

Shelbie =)

Website: www.jkcoi.com
Forever Immortal:  http://www.ellorascave.com/forever-immortal.html



Images provided by, and property of, J.K. Coi


May 11, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

I wanted to take a moment to wish all of the wonderful mother's a beautiful day!  I would also like to share with you my experience, my feelings about my mom, as well as being a mom myself; what the word "Mom" means to me.

Our Mother's inspire, teach, love, mentor, critique, scold, support, prepare, inform, nurture, empathize with us and so very much more!  Our moms teach us, whether it be from love, fear or excitement, from the day we are born unto them.  Our moms offer us endless, never wavering, unconditional love from the day we are born.  No matter our age, their hearts and minds are always engaged and focused on us, their children, as their first priority.

I am fortunate myself in that I speak from direct experience; I have a mother who is God's blessing to me.  From day one she has been there for each and every step, whether direct or indirectly.  She has supported me in my dreams, always encouraging me.  She shows me the meaning of unconditional love on a daily basis.  No matter my life's current events, my mom is always within reach, whether in person or phone.  I have never felt alone.  I have never felt abandoned to life.  I have never been abandoned to life.  I have always been supported.

Now that I am a mom myself, my mothers role has evolved - not changed, as in her heart, no matter my age, I will always be her child.  It is an amazing experience for me, as a grown adult woman, to see my mom's mothering, nurturing ability from an observation point.  To see how, from the day they were born, though not of her body, rather her child's, her instinct to nurture and love kicked in just the same.

Having our roles not changing, but adapting, maturing and growing is an learning experience.  To see her, without question or pause, jump into her new role as not only a parent, but a grandparent, was a beautiful event to witness.  While embracing her new role as a grandparent, she supported me in my new role as a parent.  It has shown me that a mother's ability to love truly is endless.  She has continued her tradition, in that she is now a wonderful grandparent to her two beautiful grandchildren.

Observing her interactions with my children, I am able to experience a further life-changing event; I am able to see how to be a balanced, effective, loving parent from an observation standpoint.  For even though she is my children's grandparent, she still utilizes the same methods pulled from her heart and spirit that she did to be a parent to me.

One of the most important lessons I carry with me and utilize daily, is my mom has taught me how to be a mom myself.  I have always highly valued and respected my Mom, but with motherhood I have had an enlightening.  I now see why she did this or that.  I now see why she may have said something I chose to disagree with.  Being a mother is a full-time, never-ending, always worrying, all-consuming and sometimes thankless job.  I did not understand then; I now know.

My mother has given me the gift of life, that she nurtures with all her heart to this day.  She has given me the gift of understanding, compassion and empathy, that I remember to utilize everyday in my interactions with others.  She has given me the gift of confidence, that I carry within me through my life.  She has given me the gift of knowledge, as I do my very best to put to action daily.

Of most importance - she has given me the gift of her life.   She is as dedicated to me today as she has been the last forty-four years of my/her life.  I thank God daily that I was born to her, as many have not been as fortunate.

On this one day, when we officially recognize the contributions our mother's make in society, I say this - while this one day may be named after you, you are in our hearts and thoughts all the remaining three-hundred sixty-four days of the year.

God Bless all of you and Happy Mother's Day!
Shelbie  =)
   My Mom, her grandchildren and her Daughter, me. You can see her heart in her smile.

   



May 10, 2013

REMINDER: Author J.K. Coi

Remember, Monday J.K. Coi will be visiting my blog!!  We will learn about her upcoming new release, Forever Immortal, and she will answer any questions that you may have.

If you have a question that you would like J.K. to answer, please email it to me:  shelbie@shelbieknight.com
You can also leave a comment here on my blog for her to read.
So, please come and visit my blog on Monday and learn more about a great Paranormal Romance Author!!

Best Wishes,

Shelbie =)

Title & release day:
Forever Immortal; Wednesday, May 15
Author:  J.K. Coi
Publisher:  Ellora's Cave -

May 8, 2013

UPCOMING - Paranormal Romance Author, J.K. Coi

Good evening!

I have some great news to report!  One of my favorite Authors, one of the few who originally inspired me to write, has agreed to a question and answer session with me on my blog!!

J.K. Coi is a wonderful Author, a true Paranormal Romance gem, and I cannot wait for you to meet her and learn about her newest release; I have been anxiously waiting for this one myself!

Also exciting is that her blog interview times perfectly with her long awaited new release!!  Make sure to check back to learn more exciting information about her newest release, expected to drop Wednesday, May 15th!

If you have any questions for J.K., please email them to me at shelbie@shelbieknight.com and I will try to get them answered!  Our blog interview is scheduled for Monday, May 13th, so please get your questions to me as soon as possible!

For more information on J.K. Coi, check her website: http://www.jkcoi.com/

I look forward to this most exciting event and hope that you will join with me to welcome J.K. and celebrate her new release!

Sincerest wishes,

Shelbie =)

May 6, 2013

Good Afternoon!

As you can see, my Blog is going through some changes.  I would be honored if you would take a moment, peek around, and give me your input.  

What do you like to see in a Blog?  What do you want to be informed of?  Do you like to read interviews with other Authors?  If so, who would be on your wish list?  Would you rather hear a description of my current work, or read a page or two?

My desire is to have a Blog that you enjoy reading, that you enjoy visiting.  This Blog is simply another means for me to stay in contact with you, to hear from you, to answer any questions you may have.  Since the aim of my Blog is you, it is important that I hear your desires.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my Blog.  In the coming weeks and months, I will be listing Author interviews for your information.  I plan to list the interview date with enough advance time to allow you to submit any questions that you have for that Author.

I am in the process of editing an example of my work to be sent to a top Publisher!  This particular Publisher is one that I have wanted to have my work with from the start; if accepted, it would be a dream come true!  Please, cross your fingers for me & wish me luck!  

Have a great day, good reading & big hugs!

Shelbie =)

May 5, 2013

Welcome to The Knight Stalker Blog

Hello everyone and welcome to my new Blog!  Please be patient while I get things up and going.  I have a lot of exciting events that I will be listing in the near future, so please keep an eye out!

I also plan to have interviews, with several of my favorite Authors, and I will announce the dates once available so that you may have a chance to submit any questions ahead of time.

I will also update you on the status of my novels, if and when I have a publisher and any other news regarding my writing.  Of course, you can always check my website www.shelbieknight.com for updates as well.

Works in Progress:

The first, The Agency, is a Contemporary Romance.  I am working on the final stages of this Novella (20-25k word count) as we speak.  

The second, Dragon Rising: A Supernatural Order Novel, is a New Adult/Paranormal Romance.  I am still in the building phase of this Novel (80-100k word count), and plan to return to it when I have completed The Agency.  I am at a word count of 26,800k right now and it is coming along beautifully.  

The third, Corrupted: A Pride Creek Novel, is a Paranormal Romance.  I am in the beginning phases of building this Short Novel (60-70k word count) right now.

Thank you so much for visiting my Blog!  Please feel free to contact me any time! I have listed all of my social links below. I am happy to answer any questions that you may have and I love to hear from fans of Romance!  I am anxious for the time when my work will be available to you so that I can receive your input.

Have a great week!

Shelbie =)