Winter Heat Blog Hop - Take care this holiday season

Over forty authors and bloggers have joined together to provide some great posts and giveaways at most every stop, The Naughty Pages included. There are even prizes on the main blog for awesome goodies including jewellery! For the details, just follow the link here, and go win yourself some awesome prizes!

I'm getting a little crazy with activities at the moment. I guess the holiday crazies are hitting me early, as I'm currently involved in two blog hops! This one, and Cranberry and Spice blog hop. But it's all in good fun, and is about supporting other authors, gaining new readers and bringing in the holiday season with cheer. 

So while I discussed how to help others in my Cranberry and Spice post, and asked people what their favourite part of the holidays is, I think here I'll talk about how busy we can get, and how important it is to take a moment, step back and try to remember the little things, in our rush to make this year the perfect year. Really, all we need for a perfect year is to be with those who are still with us, who can be with us, and remember those who can't, and celebrate what we have while we still have it. It's so easy to get caught up in the planning, the shopping and all the excitement. But make sure that you do take a moment to step back, appreciate what you have already, but most importantly, just breathe! Stress is another thing that's rampant this time of year. Try to avoid those holidays blues with some quiet time to yourself, breathe, and let your mind relax. Just a couple times a week, not even for more than 5 minutes if you're that pressed for time. Just be sure to do it. And even in the low temperatures currently hitting America with winter time, keep up your fluids, and don't skip a meal just to save time! It may be the silly season, but

we still need to look after ourselves!

So, on that topic, tell me: what is your favourite way to relax during the festive season? Reading is an all time favourite one of mine. Something I don't get to do anywhere near as much as I'd like to. Reading with a hot cup of tea or coffee (even in the often crazy summer heat we get over Christmas in Australia!), maybe some chocolate, and some peace and quiet. Or some of my music. Can't be beaten. Though swimming comes a close second!

Two lucky commenters will get a copy each of one of my books; The Wolf in the Neighborhood, or The Return of Their Master. Winner's choice. I would also love it if people could go like my Facebook pages, Phoenix Johnson and The Naughty Pages of The Phoenix. If I can hit 400 likes on Phoenix Johnson then I'll be giving another randomly chosen person a copy of their choice of one of my titles as well. So plenty of giving with Christmas just a month away!

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!

 I'm wondering how many of you read the title to the tune of the Welcome Back Kotter theme song? I know I did, and I haven't even seen the show. I just know the tune. 

So I'm finally reopening The Naughty Pages after a hiatus of a year. Almost to the day, actually. Almost. It's taken me this long to get even close to back to normal after a family tragedy last year that is still taking its toll. It's just one of those ones that I won't ever totally "get over". So I do ask for patience because sometimes, posts may be sporadic. I will try my best, though, to keep posting regularly. 

This time around, I'll be doing things differently. I'll be doing 2-3 posts a week, sometimes promo for others, sometimes guest posts, maybe the occasional review, or snippets from WIP's, or discussions of interesting topics. I want to keep the content fairly relaxed. So I will be open for suggestions on what readers want to see. I will be trying to keep the days the same, however. That may take a couple weeks or so to sort out and settle into. 

To kick the blog back off, I'd love to talk about The Return of Their Master. My second title, it was released in April of this year. A first peek at a different world of vampires, it's a chance to dip your toe into new waters. The Return of Their Master is stand alone at the moment, and follows Angie, her three sisters and the man she wishes she didn't love, Jake. Angie doesn't want to put Jake in danger, yet her choice is taken when her Creator, Vitalis, tracks her and her sisters down. She is forced to tell him her secret, and it's not as simple as "I'm a vampire."
When Mary, the oldest sister, is taken, Angie and her two remaining sisters are forced to team up with Jake, who is also a weapon enthusiast, to take on their Creator and get their sister back. Things aren't as simple as defeating their dark father, however, and Angie gets more than she bargained for. Can she forgo her future with Jake, or will she throw caution to the wind and risk dooming vampires and mankind alike?

Phoenix Johnson is an Australian author who has always had the passion for the written word. She had her nose in at least one book ever since she could read and would even scrutinize the back of the cereal box every morning at breakfast. It was only natural she take up writing.
After reviewing a few delicious titles for Naughty Nights Press as she wrote her first title, The Wolf in the Neighborhood, Phoenix was of one mind to submit it to NNP, and she hasn't looked back. The Return of Their Master now joins her first title for sale, and both books are receiving great reviews. Phoenix feels that being invited to write for the NNP blog is a great honour, and loves being part of the team!
You can get in touch with Phoenix on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr or view her website here, or buy her books direct from Naughty Nights Press, or other good ebook distributors.

Hump Day Hook Feb 13

This is a hook from my short/novellette (depends what happens during edits because it's right on the border word count wise), The Return of Their Master. Haven't thought about this one for a while, it's waiting for edits so thought I might slip a hook from it in. 

It was my turn to grab his wrist, dragging him behind me as I marched to the corner up the back for some semblance of privacy. “I can’t,” I whispered loudly. “I can’t explain why but I just can’t. We can’t be.” I regretted my harsh tone but I knew it was necessary. He was better off without me in his life, no matter how dangerous even that was.  Tears threatened to well in the corners of my eyes but I fought them off, knowing it would demand an explanation I wasn’t ready to give.

Jake stared at me as though daring me to hold by my refusal before bowing his head and stepping back. “Alright then, if that’s what you want.”

“It’s not what I want, believe me, but it’s the way it has to be. I’m so sorry Jake.” It was getting harder to fight back to tears. I knew it was a losing battle so I had to get him to leave before I lost the fight. “You have to go, Jake. Please, just go.” I lowered my head, hiding my face as tears started to win. 

For other Hump Day Hooks, check out the "home" page here.