Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Sweet and Sensual Boxed Set on Sale

ONLY $0.99 from December 23-29
(Digital List Price: $5.99 US)
US readers & UK readers

SWEET & SENSUAL contains 6 complete romance novels by award-winning and international bestselling authors: Cheryl Kaye Tardif, Chris Redding, Kat Flannery, Melodie Campbell, Alison Bruce and Catherine Astolfo.

Read More


Monday, December 22, 2014

Fallen Leaves

Fallen Leaves Blurb

As autumn comes to the Winston estate in Ohio, Amber Harrison learns further lessons in her new position as keeper for the spirits and ghosts who haunt the estate--and further lessons in love, too. She and her love, Carter Miller, grapple with the fears and passions of new love, while caught up in the storm of ancient family drama.



This is the second book in the unfolding saga of the psychics and talents associated with the Winston estate, a sheltered place where past, present, and future are woven into a single dramatic tapestry of love and desire. The tale spans multiple generations, multiple eras, and offers something special for all ages of reader. A sexy, erotic winner, with an assortment of couples to appeal to most tastes.

Excerpt:

“How long before you install the new cabinets?”

He turned on the ladder. His dark brown eyes captured her, engulfing her in an encompassing warmth. She melted under his heated gaze, which ran from the top of her head to the white socks on her feet. He lifted a brow at her attire, but he didn’t comment on her pink sweat suit.

“With the old cabinets out of the way, I need to knock down this wall and tear up the flooring. The electrical work is next on the agenda.” He climbed off the ladder, yanked off his gloves, and slid a hand through his thick, wavy hair.

“It might be awhile before we install the new cabinets. Right now, we’re simply working to remove the old stuff so we can start fresh.” He smiled, which didn’t hide the dark circles under his eyes or the fatigue in the slump of his shoulders.

“There’s no hurry. If you’re busy with something else, this can wait until your Dad and Mattie come home next week.”

“No, Dad doesn’t want her dealing with this mess.” Carter unbuckled his tool belt and placed it on a workbench. “I promised him I’d have it done.”

“Is Grant helping?” Amber stepped around several pieces of sheetrock and stray bits of wood, to the bottom of the stairs.

He walked to the backdoor. “Friday, his classes are over at noon.”

With his hand resting on the doorknob, he appeared anxious to leave. “I’m headed to lunch, and then I need to drop by the office for a while. Are you sure you’re okay here by yourself?”

Amber toyed with the idea of saying no. She missed the taste of his lips and the strength of his arms, but she nodded instead. “Yes, I’m fine.”

After opening the door, he paused. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

She waved and turned to head to her room, satisfied she’d at least gotten him to talk. Her leaden feet trudged up the steps. Unexcited, she contemplated her latest assignment from the family council. How could she achieve such an impossible task of convincing her great grandmother’s ghost to cross over?

Purchase links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOTY270
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/428955
allromanceebooks https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fallenleaves-1479048-140.html
About Tina Gayle

Tina Gayle grew up a dreamer and loved to escape into the world of books.

After years of working in the business world doing a variety of jobs, she decided to try her hand at writing and hope to incorporate the joy of being a mother into her books.

Currently working on a series about four executive wives, she is excited about combining elements of women fiction with the passion of romance. The first three books have been released and the last one is coming out in 2014.

She’s also started a paranormal romantic mystery series called the Family Tree series. With a family of spirits guiding the lives of their keeper, Amber has a number of tasks to accomplished like solving a two hundred year old mystery.

Married twenty-five years, she and her husband love to travel and play golf. She can’t wait for Mike to retire so they can do more of both.

Read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website.

Find Tina everywhere
Home - www.tinagayle.net
Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
Google + - https://plus.google.com
Linkin - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759

Friday, December 19, 2014

SHROUDED IN SECRETS EXCERPT

Light filled the grotto, temporarily blinding Pete. A thin woman stood, staring at him with haunting green eyes and a confident smirk. Ebony hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, she wore a black thigh-length diving suit that clung to her ample breasts and accentuated the gentle curve of her hips and trim waist. In her hand, she clutched a glistening dagger. But, what kept Pete transfixed were her eyes. The unique and beautiful shade of green didn’t exist in nature. Their almond-shape held ice and evil, and the soulless chill in her stare made him shudder.

Pete detected another figure filling the tunnel behind the woman. The person remained hidden from his view as he continued to contemplate his odds of surviving. He observed her graceful and confident movements with morbid fascination as he visualized his pending death at her slender fingers, making his pulse race. Despite squeaking through all of his CIA training, nothing had prepared him for an encounter with a creature so enchanting and deadly.



The woman said nothing as she snatched a cloth sack from the hand of the hidden person without a backward glance. Her eyes never wavered from Pete’s face, nor did her amused expression change. She quickly transferred the object from the gold box into the bag, pulled the drawstring, and took several steps back. She handed the package to her colleague crouched in the shadows, and finally spoke.

“I’m disappointed. I hoped to have the opportunity to test my new fillet knife on Cash,” she said as she turned the dagger’s hilt in her hand. “Men, should I gut this thin man and feed him to the sharks, as he tried to do with us, or let him live long enough to tell that egotistical traitor how he lost the prize and was beaten by a ghost?”

Silence filled the room. Pete felt powerless to pull his gaze from the green-eyed devil. A sliver of hope trickled through him, mixed with a lot of confusion. She knew Cash. Though Pete heard nothing, the woman responded as if she had received an answer to her question from the person behind her.

“Yes. We might as well kill him. I would rather see the expression on my old friend’s face when our paths eventually cross than to have him forewarned. ..”

BIO

Kim McMahill started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival against the odds, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense and adventure fiction. Along with writing adventure novels she has published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel anthology, and a cookbook.



BLURB

When the massacre of an unarmed South American village, destruction of one of the greatest manmade wonders of the world, and multiple museum thefts occur, an international team is assembled to locate a deadly group of terrorists. The team led by CIA agent, Cash Luker, scours the globe in an attempt to keep ahead of those striving to bring thirteen mythical relics together. As Cash’s team closes in on those responsible for the devastation he must conquer past demons in order to save the woman who has captured his heart, and prevent destruction of legendary proportions.

Links
Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Shrouded-in-Secrets-ebook/dp/B00EIS74BI/
Website: http://KimMcMahill.com
Blog: http://KimMcMahill.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill (@kimmcmahill)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

HolidayRecipe for Super Easy Fudge

1 (8 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand milk
1 tsp. of instant coffee
Dash of salt
1/2 to 1 c. nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt bits in milk over low heat, remove from heat and instant coffee, nuts and vanilla. Spread in lightly buttered 9 inch pan; chill until firm, cut.

Remove from pan. Store at room temperature.

Better after 24 hours.



Deputy’s Bride is an erotic, historical western that is a stand-alone story with a satisfying HEA. Texas Deputy Bo Kildare is looking for a special kind of lady, one that is willing to meet his special requirements. No sweet little virgin will do, he wants a woman who knows how to please a man, perhaps two.

Recently widowed, Sarah Elizabeth Foster-LaFever has lived in the public eye for the last few years and wants out. Her reputation as Micah LaFever’s wife has left her penniless and without many viable options until Bo comes calling. Now, she believes she found the perfect man until her past rears its ugly head.

Can murder and corrupt dealings keep these two lovers from making it to the alter?

Excerpt

“God, when is he going to get here,” Sarah muttered and strolled to the freestanding, oval mirror in the corner.

Critically, she examined her silk dressing gown’s high collar. Unable to breathe with every button running down the front of garment secured, she’d only connected a few at her waist. The dark red robe highlighted her creamy complexion and light blonde hair.

Through the open at the top, she viewed the curve of her breasts and the tight fit of her corset. The cream color almost matched her skin, creating the illusion that she was nude underneath. Tugging aside her wide skirt, she examined the long line of her legs. She’d opted to omit her bloomers. One, because with the fire raging in the fireplace, she was hot. Two, because she thought Mr. Kildare should get a glimpse of what he’d receive if he decided to make her his wife.

Granted from what Madeline had told Sarah, the man wanted more than a dutiful wife. He sounded as if he were more like her deceased husband. Micah enjoyed playing extreme bedroom games.

She frowned, thinking how much she’d missed sex in the last year. Not because she hadn’t had the chance to indulge. More because she hadn’t wanted to fall victim to the same power hungry crowd that Micah had belonged. She’d done enough for those bastards and she had no intentions of doing...

Knuckles hammered against her door.



Brushing a nervous hand over her hair, she offered up a silent prayer that everything would work out before she rushed back to the doorway. After a quick breathe, she asked, “Who is it?”

“Bo Kildare, I was sent by Madeline Cowden.”

A masculine tone rang from the other side.

His voice alone sent shivers racing over her skin. She flipped back the lock and inched open the door. “Yes, she said you might be stopping by.”

Bio for Anita Philmar

Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.

Influenced by sci-fi programs, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where erotic moments come to life in a great read.

Naughty or Nice?

Read her books and decide.

Website: http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/anitaphilmar
Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Shadows of the Past

Shadows of the Past
Excerpt

"Come, we should leave at once," she said and glanced nervously over her shoulder. "Something terrible happened after you left for town. I think the Abbess found out about us. Our meeting in Uncle Ryan's cabin is no longer a secret. We have been overheard. For all I know someone spies on us even as we speak. I think the Abbess, or one of her 'friends,' is hovering somewhere nearby and listening to every word."

Andrew pulled Genevieve to his chest. "Do you regret you've come with me?"

Passion smothered Genevieve's doubt and guilt. "Never," she answered, aware of her body's response to his touch, and she succumbed to his embrace.

Calming the gnawing unease in her mind and the thought of Sister Dominica guessing she was the dough of a sinner, Genevieve repeated, "Never."

With her eyes closed and their bodies touching she became, for the very first time, simply a woman. She melted in his embrace in spite of the invisible vicious threat breathing around them. Aware they might never be alone again, she fought hard to silence the voice of conscience berating her.

"Oh, God. Please forgive me," Andrew muttered under his breath when he bowed his head to kiss her. Their lips met in a passionate first kiss.

Genevieve's spirits fell and her heart skipped a beat when, a couple of seconds later, she opened her eyes and her gaze fell on a knot strangers.

… . . .

Tears welled in Anne's eyes, blurring her vision. She couldn’t explain them, or the sudden sadness seeping into her heart. This should’ve been a moment of happiness or, at least, contentment. She was with Neil again, and the outcome of their trip together should, very likely, bring their reconciliation. Why then did she seem detached from where she stood?

Anne shivered. Why the deep feeling of having seen this place, this forest before? And why the eerie sensation of being present here only in the body, while her mind was far away?

Away from the forest.

Away from Neil, the man who'd betrayed her trust and her love.

An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her.



Anne edged cautiously closer to the rim of the bare cliff. Her foot tapped the edge. It seemed solid. She stared into the darkness of the abyss at her feet. It echoed the shadows in her heart. An unusual curiosity took hold of her. Should she step ahead? What was down there? Other human bones? Another mystery? The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. The vines of fog folded around her, dragging her to the depth. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.

Megan's face contorted, the voice no longer pleasant. A hoarse gurgle, spluttering distorted words, "Yes, come... I'm waiting... I've been waiting for you for such a long time..."

Shadows of the Past
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: paranormal/light romance/light horror.

Blurb

Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?

A touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss and the power of endless love and good magic.

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

Author bio:

Carmen Stefanescu resides in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.



Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books.

She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989, and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Sanguinary

Blog Blitz Banner nd

Sanguinary, by Margo Bond Collins
A Night Shift Novel

 



 


Buy Links

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Sanguinary-Night-Shift-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00MR5VGV8/



Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Sanguinary-Night-Shift-Novel-1/dp/0990743322/

  _____________________________________________



Only fifty years left before vampires rule the world.


When Dallas police detective Cami Davis joined the city's vampire unit, she planned to use the job as a stepping-stone to a better position in the department.

But she didn't know then what she knows now: there's a silent war raging between humans and vampires, and the vampires are winning.

So with the help of a disaffected vampire and an ex-cop addict, Cami is going undercover, determined to solve a series of recent murders, discover a way to overthrow the local Sanguinary government, and, in the process, help win the war for the human race.

But can she maintain her own humanity in the process? Or will Cami find herself, along with the rest of the world, pulled under a darkness she cannot oppose?


_____________________________________________

Excerpt 

"Ooh," the taller woman said, "your friend doesn't like it when you flirt."

I glared at her. Vampires should not know more about me than I do.

"I'll have to see that she gets over it," a voice drawled from behind me. I whipped my head around in time to see a man standing up from a barstool behind me. I hadn't even noticed he was there

God knows how I could have missed him.

He wore jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt. He had on dark brown cowboy boots, and as he turned away from the bar, he picked up a black felt cowboy hat from the seat next to him, placing it on his head. On anyone else, I might have assumed that the hats and boots were an affectation. On him, they looked perfect. He was utterly beautiful, with bright green eyes, and dark hair that curled down to barely brush the back of his collar.

I am undercover, I reminded myself sternly. Here to do a job.

When Garrett caught my gaze in his, flicking his glance toward the cowboy vamp, it was all I could do to keep from sighing aloud.

Would it have killed my partner to be a little more descriptive when he briefed me?

Of course that was the vampire cowboy I had to get close to tonight.

No making eyes at the informants, Cami.

But damn, he was hot.

"Nice scars," he said, sliding his gaze along my bared shoulder.

"Thanks," I said, almost breathless.

"But I thought you didn't do Un-Claimed strays, Reese," the short woman said, managing to both pout and smile at the same time.

And I am absolutely not attracted to vampires.

I could keep telling myself that.
 

 
_____________________________________________

About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them.

_____________________________________________

 
Connect with Margo





Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin


Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy



_____________________________________________

Join the Sanguinary Blog Blitz:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RLYDdWUKApxPKO5D8-hAQ8p4_EuXrqmSQJBw7OxWWfw/viewform?usp=send_form

 _____________________________________________

 

Friday, December 12, 2014

The Christmas Lights

Excerpt:

“Because your father requires…a dowry, of sorts. A guarantee you’ll be well taken care of.”

Emmy’s hand turned sweaty. “Oh, Louis. What does that mean?”

I swallowed the sour taste at the back of my mouth, nerves trembling in my fingers. “Our engagement lasts until December twenty-fifth. If by that time I’ve not returned—”

“Returned?” Emmy’s gaze burned me. “Louis, where are you going? Won’t my father give you a job?”

I didn’t move and barely opened my mouth to let the words escape.

“He’s got me a job.”

“What?”



I loosened my shoulders and shrugged. “Marks Brothers pays their floor workers very well.”

“Who?”

“I’d stack inventory outside, in the clean air, and I’d work with a few fellows who’d watch out for me…”

“Louis!”

“…I hear factories in London are much safer than here.”

“London! Louis, Louis, what are you talking about?” Emmy grabbed my face.

I squinted at two sparkling brown orbs. Was she crying?

“No.” Emmy covered her mouth with a hand. “No, you aren’t going to London. How could you? No one loves you there. No one knows you there…”

Your father seems to think it is my home country. “Emmy. Emmy Emmy Emmy.” I held her close, stroking her hair. “I don’t plan to work there.”

She sat back. “What?”

“I’ve heard Mr. Godfrey talk about them. A London factory is the last place I should work. Your father means well, but I can’t do that. They wouldn’t take a blind boy.”

“Wh-where will you go, then? How on earth will you make money?”

“I have family in Paris. Mother says they have wine vineyards. I’ll work for them.”

“That…” Emmy’s fingers traced the veins on the back of my hand. “That’s much safer.” She was silent for the longest time. “You’ll be safe? And come home quickly?”

I pulled her hands away and stood, playing with the ring on her finger. “I will. I love you.”

“Louis…”

“Emmy. I don’t have a choice. You want to marry me, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. But, Louis…”

“Yes, love?”

“How long will you be gone?”

How long? How long to board a ship, to find a place I’d only heard about, to earn and save an impossible amount of money? How long, indeed.

I set my expression. “I’ll be home by Christmas.”

Bio:

Rachael Kosinski decided at a very young age that, if she never became a writer, she would simply die. Seven years later, she now possesses a quirky knowledge of world mythology, an addiction to coffee, and a penchant for making over-expressive faces at her laptop. She can found playing with gifs or writing about her books at http://the-doodling-booktease.tumblr.com.

Blurb:

“Where do Christmas lights come from?”



Those tiny bulbs of color that burn on a Christmas tree, Or outside a house to shine in the night.

Does anyone really know where they originate?

What if someone told you they weren’t intended for Christmas at all, but really for a miracle?

That they were for love, a desperate idea, to light a boy’s way home?

In that case, you must have some questions. What boy? What love?

Have a seat. Allow me to tell you a story.

Links:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OMFS0S8
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-christmas-lights-rachael-kosinski/1120609560?ean=2940046293258
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/the-christmas-lights/atAzy8BDVUOzqfSxguMmlg?MixID=atAzy8BDVUOzqfSxguMmlg&PageNumber=1
https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/romance/historical-romance/the-christmas-lights-detail
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/486267

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

The Saffron Crocus

A historical mystery for young adults
Synopsis

Venice, 1643. Isabella, fifteen, longs to sing in Monteverdi’s Choir, but only boys (and castrati) can do that. Her singing teacher, Margherita, introduces her to a new wonder: opera! Then Isabella finds Margherita murdered. Now people keep trying to kill Margherita’s handsome rogue of a son, Rafaele.

Was Margherita killed so someone could steal her saffron business? Or was it a disgruntled lover, as Margherita—unbeknownst to Isabella—was one of Venice’s wealthiest courtesans? Or will Isabella and Rafaele find the answer deep in Margherita's past, buried in the Jewish Ghetto?



Isabella has to solve the mystery of the Saffron Crocus before Rafaele hangs for a murder he didn’t commit, though she fears the truth will drive her and the man she loves irrevocably apart.

Who knew a singing career would be this much trouble?

“Rafaele!” She flew into the garret. “Piero, it was so wonderful, wait until I tell you!”

The stool next to the bed was knocked over. The tray with the genepy bottle was on the floor, one of the cups broken. The fat candle that had been burning next to Rafaele’s bed had been flung to the other side of the room.. Canvases were strewn all over the floor, some of them slashed, and many of Master Strozzi’s jars of paint elements were broken.

Did Piero and Rafaele have a fight? She quickly suppressed the thought. Who would get into a fight with a man who was already injured?

Something else must have happened.

She walked across the garret. “Piero? Rafaele, are you here?”

Rafaele was not in the bed. The sheets and blankets she had piled on top of him were strewn everywhere. Blood-stained sheets spilled over the edge of the pallet. There was a pile of clothes on the floor.

She walked around to get a closer look.

Not clothes. It was Piero. Face down, one arm stretched out before him, as if in supplication.

A puddle of blood under him.

Dead.



BIOS
MISHI BELLAMY, (Cover Artist) bio

The cover is the work of fabulous artist Mishi Bellamy. Mishi divides her time between India and France, where she has her own art gallery, the Atelier des Colombes.

www.MishiBellamy.com
www.Atelierdescolombes.n
et ALISON MCMAHAN BIO

Alison McMahan chased footage for her documentaries through jungles in Honduras and Cambodia, favelas in Brazil and racetracks in the U.S. She brings the same sense of adventure to her award-winning books of mystery and romantic adventure for teens and adults.

She loves hearing from readers.

Webpage for Saffron Crocus: www.TheSaffronCrocus.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/alisonmcmahan/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alisonmcmahan
Twitter: @alisonmcmahan
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/almcmahan/the-saffron-crocus/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alison.McMahan.Author
Alison's webpage: http://www.AlisonMcMahan.com

Monday, November 24, 2014

DO NOT PAY to SELF-PUBLISH

Don't Pay to Self-Publish

My name is Joe Konrath, and I write fiction.

I've sold over a million books by self-publishing.

You probably were searching for "how to self-publish" or something similar and my blog came up.


Read more

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Perilous Play

by Suz deMello

from #WTRAFSOG (#BDSM #memoir @fetlife @goodreads)

I’m so honored to be a part of the eighth What to Read After Fifty Shades of Grey boxed set, which includes squirm-inducing, edgy erotic fiction. My fictionalized memoir is part of this set.

Check it out:

One woman’s journey into the contemporary kink underworld, Perilous Play is Suz deMello’s explosive personal account of her experiences with BDSM. Engaging and honest, this groundbreaking memoir will grab you and never let you go.

Excerpt:

Trapper and I spent the rest of the day together. We went to a vegan restaurant and two bars, including one dive so obscure that even Trapper got a little lost in the vast transit system despite his wealth of knowledge about the east bay. As we went back to school so he could pick up his bike, he started a conversation about sex.

Bondage sex.

BDSM sex.

My heart raced. I said I was interested.

He wanted to know what role I preferred.

I said I thought I tended toward submission while trying not to squirm too obviously.

I found some courage and asked him out Saturday night. He said he wanted to go to his condo at Sea Ranch, a beautiful beachside getaway on the Sonoma coast.

I tried not to be too disappointed.

Later in the week he clarified—he wanted me to go with him.

I was stunned.



I was actually considering going with a man I barely knew to his condo, alone, a hundred miles away from my home, where I would have BDSM sex with him as his submissive.

Had I lost my mind?

Yes, but not completely. I might not have known Trapper well, but I saw where he hung out. As far as I knew, few serial killers were bike-riding, Birkenstock-wearing Berkeley-based vegans. In fact, even though I had a legal background and an interest in true crime news, I had never heard of a bike-riding vegan serial killer.

So I figured I’d be okay.

Here’s where you can buy this excellent boxed set:

Kindle US - http://amzn.to/1BS3Q3L
Kindle UK - http://amzn.to/1zHXlM5
iTunes - http://bit.ly/1zHXjnr
Nook - http://bit.ly/1BS3Q3N
Kobo - http://bit.ly/1yvWnBC


About Suz deMello:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms as Totally Bound and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.


A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip. /

--Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com
--For editing services, email her at suzdemello@gmail.com
--Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suzdemello
--She tweets @Suzdemello
--Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzdemello/
--Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SuzATGoodreads
--Her current blog is http://www.TheVelvetLair.com

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Interview with Robert Walker

1. What do you know now that you are published that you didn’t know pre-published that you wish you knew?

I understand far better what the word commercial fiction means. As an upstart writer, that is hard to grasp. You want to do YOUR story, your fiction, your way, but if it is to sale well or at all, you have to be extremely mindful of the readers out there. They love romance, so even in a crime novel, I work in a romance—more commercial, you see. The plot too must appeal to a wide audience for it to be commercial.

2. How many rejections have you received?

I had amassed a file drawer full over the years; it is or was part of the game. Since I now am an Indie published author, guess what – not a single title of mine has faced rejection. HA!>

3. What was the best writing advice someone gave you?

From Dean R. Koontz, many practical tips on remaining determined, and for me to move out of horror and into suspense and crime writing. I never looked back, but yes I have since I still do the occasional horror title along with historical titles and romance and YA and alternate history, etc. But my biggest money maker has been my medical examiner titles – the Instinct Series.>

4. What was the worst? Did you know it at the time?

5. Yes, limit yourself to writing about what you know about. How damn dull is that? Write about people, places, and things that challenge you to find out more, and then write about what you can RESEARCH. Setting a book in Cuba is a challenge, writing 13 books from a female medical examiner’s POV is a challenge, and it keeps me engaged rather than bored with “what I know”.>

6. If you could ask your readers one question, what would it be?

Why not follow me into every genre I write? Don’t limit yourself to just my crime novels. There is crime in history, crime in romance, crime in YA stories, and definitely so in alternate historicals with a pinch of science fiction.



7. If you have a day job, what is it?

I have always maintained a teaching job, professor of English, college level primarily for a steady income and a daily dose of youth.

8. Describe your book.

My latest creation this year – there have been three, so I will discuss the most recent – The Red Path – a romance set against the Civil War when it comes to Indian Territory in 1861-65. I had a passion for this story for years, and after completing my Annie’s War, I figured out how to best tell this important story. It’s really about the crime against the Five Civilized Tribes of Indian Territory with a love story weaved in.

9. What do you consider your strengths in terms of your writing?

Iwork with all five burners, all five senses to craft the most visual scenes I can; I want them to be as ear-popping as they are eye-popping. To this end, I triangulate 3 to 5 senses in every scene and sometimes strive for that 6th sense to creep in.

10. What is your favorite writing reference book and why?

Jerome Stern’s small but powerful Making Shapely Fiction. It is an amazing compendium and no other book explains how we writers work so well as this. Best discussion on point of view and voice I have ever read anywhere, and I have read most all of them.

Author Bio:

Robert W. Walker earned a full scholarship to Northwestern University based on his writing a first novel while in high school. Since graduating with a Masters in English Education from NU in 1972, Robert has published 40 books with NYC publishers, and adding to these, he has 57 Kindle ebook titles listed on Amazon. Robert lives with his wife, children, and pets in Charleston, WV where he continues to teach at WVSU, and he is completing his 58th novel. He writes in a variety of categories, some of which he’s redefined.



Book Blurb:

Caught up in drama & intrigue of a nation torn apart—The Indian Nation—Cherokee spy Jessie Longbow & news reporter Raven Ross try to maintain a romance they believe bigger & stronger than the war. But when hostilities in the Civil War come to Indian Territory, Chief Stand Watie stands with the Confederacy & Southern Indian Brigades are quickly established. Chief Ross, President of the Cherokee Nation, pleads a Neutrality Policy, circulated to all tribes, while a third Chief, Opotheleyoholo, follows his own path, leading 9000 from Indian Territory to Kansas to become the Northern Indian Brigades.

Buy Link
http://www.amazon.com/RED-PATH-Indian-Brigades-Civil-ebook/dp/B00MR281VO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1415551618&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Red+Path
Website
WWW.RobertWalkerbooks.com

Monday, November 17, 2014

Chances Choices Changes Death

Chapter 3

Janet drove Danny and me to my cottage in Yorktown. Danny kept quiet during the ride. After we told Janet goodbye, and walked from the car to my front porch, I asked him, “Do you want to come in for a while? We can have a cup of coffee, and then I’ll drive you home.”

Danny nodded gratefully. Once in the house, I led us into the living room. I settled down in a comfortable cushioned chair, and Danny chose a spot on the sofa. He leaned forward, facing me, twisting his hands, but he didn’t say anything.

“So, Danny, how can I help you?”

Danny took a red bandana from his back pocket and wiped his forehead. “You probably know some of it. Myra’s telling me I’m the father of Scott and wants me to acknowledge it. She wants me to arrange monthly payments for child support.” He made a face and wiped his forehead again.

“Scott’s about eight years old. Has this come up before now?”

“No! No! I’m not the father. Myra never asked me for any help before.” Danny’s voice cracked; his tone reflected anguish. “See, I used to love her. Back in high school, she was my girl, and after graduation we kept on seeing each other. What spoiled it is she started telling me we ought to get married. She wouldn’t let it go, but I could never say yes. I lived with Grandma, didn’t have a job, and didn’t see how I could support Myra. Especially if we had kids! How could I take care of Myra and a kid?”



His face flushed; once again, he wiped it with his bandana. “I couldn’t find an answer to the problems about getting married. Finally, Myra broke up with me. A couple of weeks later, I found out why. She was going out with my best friend, Richard Hurst.”

“Oh, no.”

“Richard was working on his daddy’s farm, and he could have married Myra. He could have supported a family. But he changed his mind.”

“Why did he do that?”

“He and Myra were going to get married, but Richard started to feel like it was a wrong thing to do. Like Myra belonged to me, his best friend, and he shouldn’t have taken her away.”

He looked at me to see if I understood, and I nodded at him.

“So he came to me and tried to apologize. I wouldn’t have none of it, and I told him so. The woman I loved, and my best friend—the two of them together broke my heart, and I didn’t want to see either of them ever again.”

Brief bio and links:


Connie Knight’s interest in Texas history is reflected in Cemetery Whites. Murders in 1875 and 2010 are solved, with the detective’s family history unraveling to reveal information. Knight’s hobby of gardening produced the title Cemetery Whites. The victim’s body is found sprawled in a patch of white irises in an old family cemetery. The flowers with that name still exist today, at old homesteads and in current gardens, including Connie Knight’s.

Connie Knight now lives in Houston and has just finished a second mystery, Chances Choices Changes Death, a sequel to Cemetery Whites. She is now working on her third mystery novel in the Caroline Hargrove Hamilton Mystery series.


https://www.connieknightmysterywriter.com/blog/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/connieknightauthor?ref=br_tf
Twitter @conniejs59

Buy links:
Chances Choices Changes Death
http://www.amazon.com/Chances-Choices-Caroline-Hargrove-Hamilton-ebook/dp/B00JDPX9II/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408548260&sr=8-1&keywords=chances+choices+changes+death

Cemetery Whites
http://www.amazon.com/Cemetery-Caroline-Hargrove-Hamilton-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00CIB2PYS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408548303&sr=8-1&keywords=cemetery+whites

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Sweet Karoline

Catherin Astolfo


I met Ethan on the day that I killed Karoline.

Other than a few minor adjustments, I believe that I have handled her murder exceedingly well.

The state of my car, for instance, has become something of a nuisance. Bits of tissue, used napkins, paper cups and pop cans litter the floor at my feet or fly out the window as I drive along. I am invariably subjected to a barrage of honking whenever I reach a red light.

People these days have no patience. They ought to understand that I am busy examining the stray bits in my car. Some of them are works of art. I don't notice the change to green because they are so infinitely interesting.

This study of creative possibilities has become somewhat of an obsession. In the back of my mind I know that all I have to do is clean it up. Yet the thought of actually tackling the onslaught of debris leaves me inert and helpless.

Ethan offered recently to take me to the car wash. He'd help me dump the debris and vacuum the inside, but I have seriously considered the idea that I may be destroying a future Picasso. I have thus far refused his proposition. Not that I have shared my vision of a Picasso with him, of course. I just say that I never have time.

I have acquired a habit of going shopping. I make lists of things in my mind—groceries, toiletries, cosmetics, medicines, vitamins or clothing—that seem absolutely essential to the arrival of tomorrow. But once inside the pharmacy, the clothing store or the shopping center, the bright lights mesmerize me. My eyes blur and I can't for the life of me remember what I have come for.

When I do buy something, I am left vaguely dissatisfied, certain that I could have gotten a better bargain somewhere else had I only looked a little longer. Depressed because I had to use my credit card again and this purchase will become just one more thing to do. Write the check. Buy the stamp. Walk to the post box. Mail the envelope.

The little, unfinished things do sometimes bother me. Dirty laundry is piled up in the closet. The bed is always unmade. In the bathroom, the ceiling is slowly cracking from some unspecified leak that I have failed to report to the superintendent.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Release Day!

Today is release day for the Sweet and Sensual Box Set from Imajin Books.



Friday, November 14, 2014

UNDER A TEXAS STAR

UNDER A TEXAS STAR
By Alison Bruce


Disguised as a boy, Marly joins a handsome Texas Ranger in the hunt for a con man and they must bring the fugitive to justice before giving up the masquerade and giving in to their passion.

When Marly Landers is fooled by con man Charlie Meese, she's determined to bring him to justice―even if it means dressing up as a boy and setting off across the plains to find him.

Texas Ranger Jase Strachan is also after Meese, for crimes committed in Texas. He joins forces with the young boy in a journey that takes them to Fortuna, where a murder interrupts their mission. Jase is duty bound to find the killer, no matter the cost.

Under the Texas stars, Marly and Jase are drawn together by circumstances beyond their control, yet fate plots to tear them apart. Will Marly finally get her man?

Under A Texas Star, by Alison Bruce, Imajin Books (www.imajinbooks.com)
Available at Amazon Kindle Store for only $3.99.
The trade paperback is available in paperback for $14.99
http://www.amazon.com/Under-a-Texas-Star-ebook/dp/B00501H6YM http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-a-texas-star-alison-bruce/1103948703

Excerpt

They travelled in easy stages and made the quiet town of Coldwater by evening. Not used to riding all day, Landers was practically dead on the hoof. Jase had to force him to stay up long enough to have something to eat.

He paid for a room over Coldwater's only saloon. The accommodations weren't fancy, but the place was clean. Like most rooms, it was supplied with a double bed. This one also had a cradle.

"I can use the mattress in the cradle," the boy said. "I'll put it on the floor."

Unbuttoning his shirt, Jase sighed. "Kid, you're exhausted. You need to rest or you're gonna slow me down tomorrow."

Landers paused for a moment, then reached for the mattress.

Jase cleared his throat. "Do you like crossing wills with me? Or don't you trust me?"

"I trust you, sir. I never meant to imply that I didn't trust you and I don't mean to be contrary. I'm very grateful for all your help and―"

"Never mind. Sleep where you like."

Jase readied for bed. Gun and holster were hung on the bed post. He draped his outer clothes over the bottom post, with his boots tucked within reach. When he was stripped to his socks and long underwear, he climbed into bed. All the while, Landers held his bedroll in one hand and the cradle mattress in the other.

When the candle was extinguished, sounds in the dark told Jase that Landers was getting ready for bed. The mattress shifted as the boy crawled between the covers, keeping to the edge of the bed.

"Night, Marly."

"Good night, sir."

"Friends call me Jase."

"Good night, Jase."

The bed, like many old spring beds, sagged in the middle. Once they were no longer capable of consciously keeping to their sides, they met in the middle. Instinctively, they took advantage of each other's body heat as the night grew colder. It wasn't the first time Jase had shared his bed with a fellow traveler and ended up back to back, sharing warmth.

He woke the next morning with his arm about Marly. The boy's head was on his shoulder and one hand rested on his chest near his heart. It felt so comfortable that it might have worried him―if he had not just discovered that Marly Landers was a girl.

About the Author

Alison Bruce has had many careers and writing has always been one of them. Copywriter, editor and graphic designer since 1992, Alison has also been a comic book store manager, small press publisher, webmaster and arithmetically challenged bookkeeper. She is the author of mystery, suspense and historical romance novels.

Website: http://www.alisonbruce.ca
Blog: http://alisonebruce.blogspot.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alisonebruce
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisonbruce.books

Thursday, November 13, 2014

LANCELOT’S LADY

by Cherish D’Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif)


Rhianna noticed Jonathan's scowl.

He looks like he's swallowed a fly.

"My employer is the most wonderful person I've ever met," she stated. "He thought I needed a break, so he made all the arrangements and gave me this trip as a birthday present." She snorted. "If he'd known I'd be stranded on your island, I'm sure he'd be mortified."

Jonathan stared at her, his eyes aglow like flames.

Was she the moth?

Watching him, a strange tingle coursed through Rhianna's veins. The intensity of his gaze seemed very personal, as if he'd skimmed the surface of her skin with his fingertips instead of his eyes.

She shivered. Why did her body feel so inflamed?

Jonathan took a sip of wine and licked his lips. Then he smiled, a satisfied gleam in his sapphire eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat.

He knows I'm attracted to him.

The heat rose in her cheeks and she prayed that the soft lighting of the room would hide her reaction. She mentally cursed her sudden weakness. What the hell had gotten into her? She never reacted this way to men. Ever. All the men she'd met were uninteresting and forgettable. She could shrug them off because she never allowed them to impact her emotions. Or her life.

But how many men like Jonathan had she met? She'd spent years holed up with old people―dying people. She'd cut herself off from the world of dating and romance. She didn't want or need a man to complete her, and she certainly could live without physical intimacy.

Yet, here she was wishing Jonathan would kiss her.

She had to think of something else. Anything else.

Higginson's face came to mind. How would he react if saw her stretched out on a sofa, sipping wine with an extremely attractive man? A man who oozed sensuality and made her want to―

Don't think of that, Rhianna!

If Higginson could see her now, he'd probably faint.

She giggled at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Jonathan asked softly.

"I, um, was just thinking about someone back in Florida. He'd have a fit if he knew I was stranded here."

Another warning flashed in Jonathan's eyes.

Oh for crying out loud, she thought. What's he ticked off about this time?

"You were given a holiday," he said in a tight voice. "If I were you I'd take advantage of it."

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Author Rock Star Roundup

Busy week last week for me so no roundup. This week I have one rock star on another's blog. Like getting a buy one get one free offer.

David Gaughran was on J.A. Konrath's blog talking about authors embracing change. We have to do that in every part of our lives, not just our careers. Some good advice.


Embrace Change – Guest Post by David Gaughran

Writers have it better than any other creative profession right now but it feels like we don’t appreciate our good fortune and haven’t adopted the mindset where we fully embrace change. The transition to digital is hugely disruptive – and not always in positive ways – but it’s solving a number of long-standing problems, particularly the issue of author earnings.

It’s easy to forget how bad things were before the digital revolution made self-publishing viable and gave us all more options. I was at the International Women’s Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy at the end of September. It’s a great conference in the most beautiful location and very well run, with all sorts of interesting panels and talks. It’s also refreshingly small and you get to meet everybody.

Read more



The Amazon/Hachette dispute is often characterized as David V. Goliath. But which party is David? Hugh Howey talks about that.


Who is David?by Hugh Howey

The negotiations between Amazon and the Big 5 publishers is often framed as a war between David and Goliath. What’s strange is that who gets to play David depends on who you’re talking to. Both sides claim him. The rare moments when people equivocate between the two parties, they state that this is really a case of Goliath vs. Goliath, which is far closer to the truth. We’re talking about multi-billion dollar corporations on either side.


Read more.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Subtext: Beyond the Mechanics of Dialogue

By Melissa Snark
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
~The Princess Bride

Do you remember this bit of dialogue from The Princess Bride?

Of course you do. Now, I want you to do something for me. Close your eyes and recall the scene. Summon it forth into your imagination and absorb all of the vivid details. Live it.

Got that?

Good. I'll explain why in a bit.



Let's talk about dialogue. It is one of the most challenging aspects of writing a scene between two or more characters. Good dialogue is snappy and flows. It seldom sounds like actual speech, which is layered with 'ums' and 'ohs'. Wouldn't it be incredibly annoying if your characters fell into the repetitive use of words such as "like" the way real people are prone to do?

Dialogue serves several functions, including defining the relationship between characters, advancing the plot, and building tension. Language quirks such as slang, accents, regional phrasing, and speech impediments influence what your character says and how she says it. If dialogue sounds natural, then the more dramatic speech tags such as "shouted" and "bragged" become repetitive and unnecessary.

There's an added layer to dialogue that goes beyond the simple mechanics. It is deeper than the actual words on the page. In skillfully written dialogue, there is always an underlying subtext. It's not only what is said, but how it's said.

According to Gotham Writers—Ask the Writer by instructor Brandi Reissenweber: "Subtext is the meaning beneath the dialogue; what the speaker really means, even though he's not saying it directly.

"

Done properly, subtext becomes a powerful tool for plotting. Beneath the dialogue, emotions such as joy, love, anger, disappointment, and fear await discovery by the reader. The subtext communicates the deepest desires and drives of your characters to your audience.

Subtext in dialogue adds to the whole of the story, and it is what speaks to us on a primal level. Even when we aren't consciously aware of it, subtext influences our reaction to scenes, characters, and entire works. It tells us what the character is thinking or feeling. It's not the words themselves that matter, but what lurks below.

In the Princess Bride, the subtext is not Inigo Montoya's statement. It is the fearsome gleam in his eyes, and the thick curl of emotion in his voice. The character embodies a grown man who grew up fatherless, nurtured for a lifetime not on love, but rather a relentless determination to seek revenge. His gaze, his face, his passion are evocative–and inspire your empathic rush of sympathy. That is what you recalled when you closed your eyes.

Subtext is a powerful factor in television and films where visual imagery communicates underlying meaning. However, authors face limitations because they work only in words. Now, writing is a craft. If your tool of choice is a hammer, then you bludgeon your reader over the head, telling him exactly what is thought, felt, seen, etc. You not only tell it like it is; you tell how it is.

If there's anything we've learned as writers: telling bad. Showing good.



What then is your tool? How do you show the reader what the characters are feeling? The tools in your toolbox should include the following:

• Context. Dialogue doesn't happen in a vacuum. What is going on around them?
• What are the internal influences acting on the character? Are you effectively communicating your character's desires and drives to your audience?
• Describe the external forces at work on the character.
• How are internal and external factors balanced? Which are the least important? Which are the strongest?
• Have you missed any opportunities to help your reader fully grasp your character's background and motives?

Once you're mastered the art of subtext in dialogue, your readers will no longer be as clueless as Princess Buttercup. Your audience will realize long before she reaches her epiphany–

"As you wish" really means "I love you."


Battle Cry Kindle Scout Giveaway



1. Nordic Lights Jewels of the Moon Pendant Amulet Talisman for Psychic Ability by Maelstrom Odssonn
2. (3) Signed Paperbacks of HUNGER MOON
3. (2) $10 Gift Cards to Amazon
Rafflecopter HTML:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rafflecopter direct url:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjkwNjI0Nzk0NTYxZDE3MDFkNGY3NWJlNDc3MjlmOjEx/

Nominate BATTLE CRY to Kindle Scout
BATTLE CRY
Book #2 in the Loki's Wolves series
Melissa Snark
Genre: Norse folklore fantasy
Number of pages: 375 approx.
Word Count: 95,000
Cover Artist: Farah Evers

Monday, November 3, 2014

How to Plot

Award winning author and editor, Alicia Dean, shares her process of creating a story, along with bonus tips in Find The Magic – How to Plot a Story in 10 Easy Steps.

*** ON SALE - 99¢ through November 15, 2014 ***

How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.



Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!


Kindle:
http://amzn.com/B00OR0IY0W
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/find-the-magic-how-to-plot-a-story-in-10-easy-steps-alicia-dean/1120638115?ean=2940150382169
Find Alicia Here:
www.AliciaDean.com

Alicia Dean lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. She has three grown children and a huge network of supportive friends and family. She writes mostly contemporary suspense and paranormal, but has also written in other genres, including a few vintage historicals.

In addition to being an author of more than twenty published works, Alicia is both a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, under the name, Ally Robertson, in their suspense line.

Other than reading and writing, her passions are Elvis Presley, MLB, NFL (she usually works in a mention of one or all three into her stories) and watching her favorite televisions shows like Vampire Diaries, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Haven, The Mindy Project, and Dexter (even though it has sadly ended, she will forever be a fan). Some of her favorite authors are Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Sharon Sala, Jordan Dane, Ridley Pearson, Joseph Finder, and Jonathan Kellerman…to name a few. Find Alicia here: Website: http://aliciadean.com/ Blog: http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008364070487 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_ Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aliciamdean/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/468339.Alicia_Dean