Daffodil Lusciousness

Daffodil lusciousness...Big Kitties, beneath the leaden skies. The Kougar's daffodils are exploding, their spring yellow flowers and green leaves strikingly beautiful. Definitely heaven sent.
Moi blogged on Title Magic today. Thus that is the meow offering for the private and privileged viewing of Big Cats only!
Ah, yes, yesterday, the wearing of the green ~ and the first magic kiss of spring for me. The wee leprechauns are dancing jigs around their pots o’ gold, laughing like naughty fiends as the humans greedily seek them out, following the proverbial rainbow. Call it too much corn beef and cabbage, or the misty enchantment of St. Patty’s day still coiling around me...like all those snakes chased off the emerald isle...but the fanciful lore of the Irish, of Shamrocks has always tickled and teased my imagination. Having some Irish roots doesn’t hurt, either.
For a deeper perspective, the wearing of the green, or the wearing of Spring, signals the emergence of new growth, a revitalization of the land for planting. And signals for all of us ~ it is time to revitalize our live, to begin anew. This theme is continued by our traditional celebration of Easter. Eggs, new life. Bunnies, chocolate or the little furry hopping critters ~ quite happy to regenerate their kind with nests full of baby bunnies. *If only chocolate would magically renew*
In the spirit of new beginnings, and in the spirit of kissing, definitely a favorite romantic activity of mine, I asked Renee Lyons, founder of the new e-publishing company, Lyrical Press, Inc., to blog with us today.
Hello everyone. Savanna was kind enough to allow me the privilege of
hijacking Title Magic and write a bit about mine and my husband's
venture, Lyrical Press, Inc. I think, coming from the other end of the
pen, so to speak, we have a fairly good idea about what authors want in a publishing house (I write under the name Rene Lyons, although I have recently retired from writing to devote more time to Lyrical). A solid and fair contract. To be treated with respect. Good and hard-working editors and publishers who are personable and professional and willing to work just as hard as our authors to turn out quality books. Appealing covers an author can be proud to 'show off'. And most of all, on-time payment of royalties. These things can be banked on at Lyrical. We want everyone to have an amazing experience with us and will work ourselves to the bone to deliver on that promise.
Frank, Emma (our Editor-In-Chief) and I are shameless fans of American
Idol. One morning Emma and I were brainstorming about a contest. We were
also chatting about the previous night's Idol show. Next thing we knew,
Lyrical Idol materialized. Okay, so it was more the brainchild of
Emma...but I was at least part of that conversation! What came of
bouncing ideas back and forth was Lyrical Idol: Season One. Best First
Kiss Contest.
Each entry must be limited to a 350 or less word count, contain a 3 word
tag to describe the characters and a slight alteration to set the scene
up. All entries must be sent in by April 5th. The best entries (think
first-round judging done by Simon, Paula and Randy) will be posted
unedited on the Lyrical Press, Inc. blog, where we will open judging to
the readers on April 15th. Yes. The readers. *insert evil laughter here*

The winner will receive a contract with Lyrical Press, Inc!
Savanna asked what appeals to me in a paranormal romance. That's simple. We'd love a Gothic/dark ghost or vampire story to get lost in. Something that will shut out the 'real' world and transport the reader to a different world. We'd love richly fleshed out characters and a detailed world that leaps off the page. We'd also love anything that has to do with faeries or elves. Yes, elves. If we're going paranormal, why not shift to the side a bit and go magical as well! My husband has an aunt from Ireland and her accent captivates me. To get a submission set on the Emerald Isle that involves some of their amazing folklore would be a dream come true. Oh! And did I mention selkies? Yes. We'd love to get a story about those Scottish creatures as well, as you rarely come across them.

We're also set to host a second contest. This one involves a cover I
created that has no book to go with it. It's a Gothic/Medieval cover and we'd love to get our hands on a book to fit it. So, if anyone is writing an historical set in the medieval age.... ;)
Savanna, and all the ladies at Title Magic, thank you for allowing me to talk a while with your readers.
Thank you, Renee, for blogging with us. I'm excited about what Lyrical Press, Inc. has to offer. And I love that cover! The details are below for the ‘first kiss’ contest. This could be your big chance at that first contract.

Daffodil lyrical kisses from the Kougar...