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Monday, April 18, 2011

Put your hands together for Author Extraordinaire Mahalia Levey!

I’m thrilled to introduce my special guest today. Author Mahalia Levey joins us to talk about what’s in a name. With a new release out now from eXtasy Books, Mahalia Levey is the author of multiple titles including her latest, Matters of the Heart. Leave Mahalia a comment today and hurry over to eXtasy Books to check out Matters of the Heart!



Take it away Mahalia!!!

Mahalia Levey Bio


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Being smart and sassy with a great sense of humor comes easily for Mahalia Levey. An avid reader of books, she found herself enchanted with disappearing completely into the worlds authors created. One day she vowed to herself she'd be one of them. Then family life came, and college right after. Swayed from her childhood course of action, it took many years for her to get back to that place she held dear as a child. Now she is running full steam ahead to keep up with the many ideas flowing freely. She plans on taking her work to higher levels and expanding her genres. Her main focus is giving her readers variety. Her works in progress include paranormal, fantasy and mainstream romance. Taking characters and watching them grow past what she’s imagined is her true passion.

What’s in a Name?

Definition Dictionary.com says-a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.

So then how do we pick a name for our characters? Are there rules to picking names in writing?

Me? I either string letters together or go to a name search engine for mine. An example would be, 20000Names.com. I really enjoy reading the significance in names and the way different cultures alter their spelling. I could scroll for hours looking at names and their origins, surnames, and names linked with mystic properties, fabled legends, and historical significance. Epic names, never forgotten in time.

I put up a status about remembering all works written and was surprised when friends stated they kept a huge spreadsheet of names used and series in. Upon their answer I realized that at I have used the name Donato twice. Once as a first name and once as a last name and didn’t even notice it, so now I have a spread sheet.

In coincidence, if you believe in that, I’ve also found that at times my heroine and hero might have names that start with the same letter.
Whatever the case, I enjoy picking them and making them fit not only the personality that I see, but the story line and or significance of the story.

In Matters of The Heart a tarot read, I took the meaning of the particular card and created a short contemporary novella. Playing on the naivety of the young actress before she embraces womanhood and meeting for the first time the hero, a college athlete with high aspirations, a captain of every team he played on. I saw a more laid back name for the hero that inspired strength and would fit in with the man he would grow into.

From this…Madeline ‘Eden’ Jenning’s came and Tanner James Thornton.

Maddy and TJ for short.

Matters of the Heart

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Queen of Cups

The Queen of Cups is the quality of a woman’s kind nature to others. Inside, she is at constant odds with self-love and often is troubled by insecurity. She is a provider to others, her chalice always overflows. Her cup in a situation symbolizes that the virtue of true love is unconditional. It is a calling for growth in emotional fulfillment. All one has to do is reach out and accept it. We can only hope she will see for herself that she is worthy of having what she bestows on others to herself.

Blurb

Madeline ‘Eden’ Jenning’s life is in upheaval. Growing older is perilous for her career. Aging gracefully does nothing for her if it means losing out on all she’s worked for. Plastic surgery becomes her obsession— finding the fountain of youth, a way to hold onto the persona she’s emulated for three decades. Desperation makes her beg her dearest friend for the best surgeon known in their area. She doesn’t expect him to be someone from her past.

Tanner James Thornton, a well-known plastic surgeon, takes only the worst of all cases, those needing his skilled hands to give them a semblance of normalcy once again. When he promises a friend he’ll assess a new client, immediately he knows being her surgeon won’t work. Not only is he attracted to her, but he remembers who she was before the glam. He has the answers she needs that don’t revolve around Hollywood’s superficial reasons for body augmentation.

Spicy Excerpt

Pure magnetism, Tanner walked in and sat down behind his desk. There were no family pictures or photographs gracing the polished cherry wood, and no ring on his ring finger. She observed it all with her first glance. “This is awkward.”


“You look beautiful Maddy,” Tanner complimented, taking the forms from her hands, setting them in front of him.


She watched him rove over her from head to blocked view. “You knew.” A rush of anger flushed her face, her embarrassment growing.


“Of course, I knew the moment Theresa called the office.”


“You agreed to see me, knowing how unethical it is,” her voice hit a high-pitched octave.


Tanner shrugged. “I can refer you to someone equally as good.”


“Sixteen years and now you decide you want to see me? You should’ve done us both a favor and cancelled as soon as you saw my name.”


“The same way you should’ve left me in peace in college instead of slumming?”


“Slumming? How dare you,” she said on a hiss, clamping her mouth shut, tearing her eyes from his intense glare.


“I wasn’t the one who lied for a year, I’m not the rich it girl who ran away, took a different name and decided to play with other people’s affections.”


“This meeting is over. Goodbye again, Tanner.” Eden stood, heading for his door.


“Sit down.”


The vehemence behind his voice startled her. “For what? To be your whipping post? I had enough of that sixteen years ago.”


“Damn woman, you still make me crazy. Just sit. I want to know why you want surgery.” He sighed and backed off.


“I want better parts, my career is slowing down. I need it to jump start.” Eden kept her distance from him. “Why do you care?”


“Because, darlin’, I remember your body and your curvy contours can’t be mistaken for anything less than perfection.”


Eden snorted. “You know how the biz is.”


“Which is why I don’t perform plastic surgery for starlets.”


“That’s rude, and pretentious.”


“My decision to perform on people who need help is not pretentious.”


“You never were going to help me so why am I here?”


“We have unfinished business.”


His matter-of-fact statement offended her. “What could we possibly have to say that wasn’t said?”


“Who said anything about talking? My cock is so fucking hard I could screw through steel.”


Eden rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her puckered traitorous nipples. Her pussy sluiced juices, dampening her panties at his declaration. She should be mad at his rude behavior and crass words, but she couldn’t be. His attitude always came out when he was too horny to think straight.


“I’m not interested in a tawdry affair, Tanner.” I’m going to go to hell for lying, I know it. She bit her lip to keep from speaking. The twinkle in his eye sent a flutter of anticipation through her body. If she uncrossed her legs, he’d for sure hear the pulsating charge happening at the apex of her thighs. Damn, she hadn’t felt so delicious in a long time.


“How dramatic of you,” he said, rounding on her.


“I’m an actress who’s good at her job.” She feigned lack of interest by playing with her French manicured acrylic nails.


“You’re good, but not that good.”


“Are you sure?” She let the implication fly. His eyes narrowed on her, stealing her breath away. Body heat from his close proximity and spicy cologne overwhelmed her. A tremor of trepidation surged within her. The boy she knew, the man, not so much so. Eden’s body burned poker hot, and Tanner James stared her down with the intensity of a predator. His sensual lips held a mocking smirk, as if any moment he’d spring on her.


Thinking quickly, she judged the distance to the door and his closeness and teetered between running home to use her toy or giving in to experience the greatest fuck in the last decade. Decision made, she put her purse down and met his hawkish gaze with a challenging one of her own.


Damn if his swagger wasn’t impressive. Eden groaned as he closed the few inches between them.


“I’m going to kiss you now,” he rasped and then touched his lips to hers.



Available Now at http://www.eXtasybooks.com

I hope you enjoyed my steamy tidbit and please come and visit me at!
www.mahalialevey.com
www.twitter.com/hales3000

www.hales3000.multiply.com

Facebook- Mahalia Levey

Good Reads- Mahalia Levey

7 comments:

Hales said...

Thanks for Having Me!

Destiny Blaine said...

Thanks so much for being here today, Hales. When you drop back by, tell us what inspires you. Do you listen to music while you write? Do you write on location or do you have a particular area of your home designated for writing? Have you ever thought about co-authoring a book with another writer? What do you like most about being a published author? What would be the perfect writing day? What can we expect to see from you later this year? Give us your opinion about the writing industry today. What has changed about the publishing industry since you became a published author? What changes do you expect to see in the future?

Thanks for being here, hon. You're one of my favorite people and I'm glad to host you today at It's Only a Matter of My Opinion!

Love,
Destiny

High Five Bakeshop said...

Great post. ladies!! Sounds like a delicious read, Hales! ;-)

Sarah J. McNeal said...

Good idea about keeping track of names you've used so you don't repeat them. Names are important to indicate the essense of a character, too. I don;t think Willard would be a good choice for a hero. Wonderful blog, Hales. I like the title of your new book, Queen of Cups and it looks like a juicy read. I wish you all the best, Hales.

Hales said...

Yes I listen to music huge play list

I write either on my bed on top of my red with white polka dots bodypillow, at the desk, or outside on the deck

The DH won't give me the den the kitchen table is in there

I enjoy all the people I work with to make the books shine


Perfect writing day is a day with no teens home and No DH home

I have few things in line. Makhi will b coming soon from LSB

Inscribed Love from SCP

Burn Me if You Can from Decadent

Working on getting Demonic Warrior put together :) and finishing The Price of Defiance!

I think the writing industry has grown in technology and that it's given a whole new venue for more writers to persue a profession.

Not much has changed since I've become an author :) more digital companies are cropping up though

I'm not sure. I don't tell the future well but I see great things!

Hales said...

Thanks Robin and Sarah!!!!!

Teresa K. said...

Hales,

Your pretty smart. I like how you come up with your character names.
I especially like the excerpts from the book.

Very spicy. This is going to be a great read. Wishing much success for you.

Teresa K.
tcwgrlup41@yahoo.com

Welcome to Destiny Blaine's Online Journal

Welcome to Destiny Blaine's Online Journal
"An Award Winning Bestselling International E-book and Paperback Author, Destiny Blaine and her pseudonyms top the charts at Amazon, Bookstrand, Barnes and Noble, ARE, Mobipocket, and other retailers online and off. Scroll down for a list of available titles, works in progress, and coming soon dates for debut titles.”

Author Bio

An award-winning, international bestselling erotic romance author, Destiny Blaine writes under several pen names. She lives in East Tennessee and spends a lot of time in Connecticut and Virginia, where her granddoll resides.