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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Howling Good Blog Hop

Have you checked out The Rending series yet?

Here's your chance to grab the first book of the series. Hell's Playground kicks off the Rending Series.



Book 1 - Hell's Playground -- in Under A Wolf Moon Anthology

Mira grew up in a savage tract of existence known as Hell's Highway--a parcel of land of genetically impure humans (Impures) cast out during a savage battle between humanity's government, the NAH and the Paraspecies. When a cease fire was declared, the two opposing sides retreated, regrouped, but the fight for survival had just begun for Impures forced to exist within a kill or be prey for the succubae existence.

As a runner for The Alliance, Mira had run messages and provisions back and forth between her camp and Redemption—a bartering outpost created by the Paraspecies to help Impures within Hell’s Highway. But for the past two years Mira has been a prisoner of war, detained and tortured in an unsanctioned NAH facility within the lawless lands of Hell’s Playground. Now free, she must risk her life to fulfill a promise made to a fellow prisoner—travel to Redemption and enlist the aid of the Paraspecies running the borderland trading post. Returning to the outpost, though, means reuniting with the Alpha wolf she’d once hoped to have a future with.

As Quadrant Alpha of the most dangerous section of Paraspecies land, the last thing Adrik needs is the Impure from his past suddenly returning after two years. He’d ripped apart Hell’s Highway searching for her two years ago, and his pack reaped the consequences of his shattered soul. Now, with a civil war threatening on his southern border, the constant battles with the succubae on his eastern border, and the latest command from Headquarters to assume the role of Alpha Commander, he doesn’t have time to wander around Hell’s Playground searching for a secret facility no one believes exists.

But the temptation to spend time with the Impure he’d once intended to mate proves too tempting.
Together they must heal the wounds their time apart created and find a way to survive the dangers awakened within Hell’s Playground.

Book 2 - Redemption's Forgiveness

Felicity was a child when The Rending began and she was pulled from the pack she loved by a father who reviled her existence. Surviving as an Outsider was tough but the harshest battle begins when she stumbles across a plot to overthrow her old pack’s trading post, Redemption.

Marek will do anything to protect his pack and their land, including executing any Outsiders who dare enter pack lands. Once a betrayer, always a betrayer. There’s no soft in war—until a curvaceous wolf with more sass than sense limps into Redemption with an impossible tale of betrayal.

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1.Ellis Leigh2.Heather Long Author
3.The Snarkology4.Anna Lowe Books Blog
5.Brandy Walker Blog6.Lynne Stevie
7.Lashell Collins8.Author Crystal Rister
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25.Christy Gissendaner26.The Besitary Parlor
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29.Crystal Dawn Author30.Bethany Shaw Novels
31.Andrea R. Cooper 32.TF Walsh
33.Lori King34.Michelle Fox
35.Book Revue36.Sedona Venez
37.evanleas bookshelf 






Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Spotlight: Lea Barrymire and Coyote Bluffs

Hi, everyone! I'm thrilled to have Lea Barrymire on my blog today. Not only is she a fabulous author with a fantastic, smexy new series, but she's a wonderful friend.

Accidentally Yours is Book 1 of the Coyote Bluff series. 



What's Coyote Bluff, you ask? Well, Coyote Bluff is a small, quaint town in the mountains of Virginia. With its diner run by Mama, the police force of one and a single stop light it's much like every other small town in America. Well, until you take a closer look.

Feel free to come visit Coyote Bluff... but keep an eye on the wildlife.

Author Q&A:
Do you see writing as a career?
I do. One that I will someday be doing full time. I love writing for the outlet of emotions and creativity, but I don’t get to spend as much time as I’d like doing it. My five year plan, which I made three years ago, has me writing full time by year five. I’m still looking at that as the goal. Until then I spend my dayjob hours digging through Excel sheets and being a database queen. :)

Is there a message in your novel you hope to convey to your readers?
A message? Good question. I guess I always try to show that all of my characters, flawed or not, are redeemable and that love can truly conquer all. Oh, and that love and sex should be fun. Really, really fun.
How did you come up with the title?
LOL If I tell you that it tends to be a brainstorming session between myself and readers will you laugh? I usually need a title by the time I’m half way through writing. Sometimes it’ll just pop into my head, but other times I have no idea and I ask my author-sister Danica Avet for help.
What’s your favorite sub-genre (contemporary, sci-fi, etc.) to write? To read?
I LOVE paranormal and sci-fi. Both to read and to write. I would say paranormal tends to be my favorite to write, but only because alpha shifters are yummy.
What new stories are you working on?
I’m actually working on book 2, “Tempering Steel”, of this series. Connor and Margie and two firecrackers who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. It should be releasing mid-November. Hopefully. :)

Okay, so let's talk about this extremely hot book, Accidentally Yours.

Blurb:
Cammie has had one hell of a night. Her long-time abusive boyfriend pushed her to the limits and then a freaking wolf hit her car. While clutching a bag of frozen peas to her swollen eye she manages to rescue the animal and make it home. But what’s she do with it after that?

Ian can’t believe his luck. After a stupid decision he’s been run out of every shifter territory he’s entered. Hoping Coyote Bluff would be different seems to have been his downfall. After a bunch of coyotes chase him through the night he finds himself being coddled by a tempting woman. His canine half is already in love with her.

Cammie’s ex comes calling, Ian’s found out by the local Alpha and the town seems bent on keeping them apart. Can they fight against everyone at once to find happiness together? Better question would be will Cammie accept Ian once he admits to being the wolf she so readily confided in and nursed back to health?

*sighs wistfully* This sounds SOO good. But it's even better when you read it. Trust me. It's great! Not convinced? Hmm.... how about getting a taste of the first kiss between Cammie and Ian?

Excerpt:
“Do you want me to kiss you? Is that why you’re staring at me, Cammie?” He shifted slightly on the seat and a zing of lightning shot up her leg when his brushed hers. He breathed his next words across the small distance between them. “I want to kiss you. I want to taste you on my tongue. Will you let me do that?”

Did she want to kiss him? Yes. Should she? That was a completely different question. She knew this was a dream, accepted it as truth. If she woke with a lingering affection for her dream man she’d be a depressed pile of goo for days. Keeping her distance was probably the right thing to do, but she really, really, didn’t want to do the right thing. She wanted to climb into his lap, and dig her fingers into his hair while sucking on his lower lip. She wet her lips in anticipation and almost groaned as the tingling intensified. Screw it, live in the now.

A moment after her tiny nod she was wrapped in strong, warm arms. She hadn’t seen him move, hadn’t felt his body shift, but both must have happened for her to be on his lap, straddling his thighs. Her eyes closed and she tilted her head back in acceptance. She’d force her mind to not dwell on the kiss she was going to get. She could do that, it was her dream, right?

There's nothing like a first kiss and, yowza, this was a HOT one.

Oh! And check out this link for the entire first chapter!!!

Accidentally Yours is available now! Get your copy:
Links:

PRINT:
CreateSpace https://www.createspace.com/4964721



Author Bio:

Lea lives in Western New York with her hubby, three children, and miscellaneous critters. Before the rug rats, she lived a life of adventure, following her husband all over Europe with the US military. She's slept in a car outside Paris, drove six hours just to see tulips in the Netherlands, and knocked ash from her shoes at Pompeii. Now she spends her time in life's adventures at soccer games, PTA meetings and school plays.

Lea has loved reading from a very young age, spending many sleepless nights devouring books. Science fiction and paranormal were her favorite genres to read as a teenager, and that love bled into her adult life. She started writing during a bout of insomnia, to fill time, and found it filled a creative void. Now she communes regularly with the characters in her head and tries not to laugh out loud when they say something funny.

When Lea isn't reading, writing or corralling kids, she enjoys watching movies and sciencey shows, or just kicking back and listening to some music.

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=573665449341875
Twitter- @leabarrymire
Blog- http://leabarrymire.blogspot.com/
Website- www.LeaBarrymire.com
Newsletter Sign-up- http://eepurl.com/qajLn




Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Release Day - Delicate Ink (Montgomery Ink, Book 1) Carrie Ann Ryan



On the wrong side of thirty, Austin Montgomery is ready to settle down. Unfortunately, his inked sleeves and scruffy beard isn’t the suave business appearance some women crave. Only finding a woman who can deal with his job, as a tattoo artist and owner of Montgomery Ink, his seven meddling siblings, and his own gruff attitude won’t be easy.

Finding a man is the last thing on Sierra Elder’s mind. A recent transplant to Denver, her focus is on opening her own boutique. Wanting to cover up scars that run deeper than her flesh, she finds in Austin a man that truly gets to her—in more ways than one.

Although wary, they embark on a slow, tempestuous burn of a relationship. When blasts from both their pasts intrude on their present, however, it will take more than a promise of what could be to keep them together.
http://carrieannryan.com/delicate-ink/
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18584406-delicate-ink

Get your copy now

About the Author


New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.


Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.


Get in touch with Carrie Ann Ryan!

Contest Time
This giveaway will be a Carrie Ann Ryan signed paperback and a $15 Amazon gift card



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday, October 6, 2014

RELEASE - Phoenix Rising

Yay! It's release day. Woot! 





Phoenix Rising is a special one for me because it is the first paranormal I've released in a very, very long time. It's also the first new adult I've done. 

I've got a few blogs up featuring Riles (the heroine) (Check out Julie's Book Review TODAY). Her real name is Riletta, but Macen (the hero) takes exception when people use that name. She's Riles now, plain and simple. I've also got one up featuring Macen. He's fierce, protective, smoking hot and pure Alpha. 

I was thrilled to be a part of the ROAR line. It's a shape shifter new adult line of books being released through Decadent Publishing. Mine is the third book out. 

So... Let's see what I can share about Phoenix Rising that you won't find anywhere else. :)

If you're in Pinterest, check out the board I have over there for it. It's a growing work in progress, so when you read the book, make sure and suggest pins you think are a good fit. I'd love to hear from you all about it. :) 

One of the things that sets this book apart from the other ones I've written, I think, is the heroine. She isn't my typical kick ass, in your face sort of girl. She's broken. She's alone. She's cautious. I could spend a lot of time and words talking about her and how Macen works so well for her. BUT I think the best thing is to simply give you a sample of the first chapter. 

Excerpt:
    Pain streamed through my core, radiating from my face when I slammed into an unmoving object—a massive chest adorned in a crimson T-shirt with a black-and-white snapping wolf. My throat constricted for a moment as I studied the muscular flesh beneath the shirt. He was huge.
    “Slow your roll there, mouse.” Warm fingers wrapped gently around both my arms, holding me up for a moment as my limbs forgot how to work. His full lips turned upward into a smug grin before he shoved me backward. My pulse slammed into overdrive as I met a metallic gray gaze. A rugged jaw line drew attention from his gorgeous face to the wavy mass of thick, black hair, longer than fashionable, which flirted with his shirt collar.
    This was someone who realized the effect he had on girls like me. I studied his shirt for a moment, reining in my riotous body. My lungs burned for breaths I couldn’t remember to take; something within me rubbed against my skin.
    The sensation made me gasp. What the hell was that?
    Could it be…?
    No. There was no way. I’d been tested. Repeatedly.
    I was inherently damaged beyond repair.
   Defective.

  “Breathe, little mouse. Nice and deep for me.”





Monday, August 25, 2014

New Review for Eostre’s Baskets: Stacking the Deck!

New review for Stacking the Deck OUT from Loose Id
“For a moment his brain stuttered in its function, and all he could do was stare. Her face was framed by tousled waves streaked with red, her wide brown eyes filled with awareness. His heart flipped once again, and his arousal grew. So much for being quiet.
“Hey, minx. Why are you awake?” He set his bags down once more and made his way to her side. He knew the answer but couldn’t help but ask. Maybe his stupidity hadn’t woke her up.
“’Cause you’re loud as hell.” She gave him a wide smile that showed off bright white teeth, but the gesture didn’t reach her eyes. “No kiss hello?”

Review from Long and Short Reviews: “Carrie and Dean had some rough patches to work through, and this story shows how important communication is to any relationship. Once these two got into the spirit of the Truth or Dare cards, there were many possible outcomes, and this book explores the many options open to Carrie and Dean to bridge the difficult times and make their lives what they wanted. This is for those who like romance, magic and lots of heat.”- Foxglove
Rating: 4 Stars
Check out the full review at Long and Short Reviews

Buy Links:
Loose Id
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

ARe


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Cover Reveal - A Shadow's Embrace

I'm thrilled to reveal the cover for my upcoming release from Fated Desires Publishing. A Shadow's Embrace is a psychic covert operations paranormal. I'm looking forward to sharing this world with you. It's been one I've wanted to delve into for a long time. The phenomenally talented Syneca did this cover. I love it so much I want to have its babies. To celebrate it's beauty, I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card via Rafflecopter. Contest ends on Thursday, so sign up ASAP! Good luck :)



Blurb:
On the run from evil, her only hope is the Shadows.
Devyn James escaped hell once. Kidnapped from foster care at seven and raised in a psychic genetics testing facility, she survived by hiding her ability. A rare technopath, she eventually broke out of the facility with the help of the Shadow Elites—General Conver’s super soldiers, who rebelled and now fought to protect psychically enhanced humans. Determined to help the cause, she formed Indigo Order—a foundation focused on providing food, shelter, medicine, training and support for the displaced lower level psychics, especially the children tossed to the streets by Conver years ago.
For the past few months Devyn, or Indy as she’s known on the street, has covertly passed intel to the SEO. Even though the street doesn’t trust the Shadows, she does. They rescued her once and she knows they’re the only ones who will be able to save her from Conver and figure out what she uncovered.
Dagan is determined to save the female being chased by Conver and his squadron. He soon discovers her identity and vows he’ll do anything to keep her protected—even if it’s from herself. But the sultry female proves to be a handful when her team is in the crosshairs. When one of them is captured, he must prove she can trust him and all he offers, even though he may not believe someone as good as her should be with a Shadow.

Together they discover everything is possible when you trust A Shadow’s Embrace


A Few of My Favorite Quotes from A Shadow’s Embrace

“I’m not a dog to pat on the head, you condescending ass.”—Devyn, A Shadow’s Embrace

“We don’t have time for a conversational fuck right now. We’re three against nearly a hundred. Those aren’t good numbers. Please tell me it isn’t just you two.”—Devyn,  A Shadow’s Embrace

“Because every boat, airplane, bus, vehicle, horse cart, and bicycle is under scrutiny, and unless you can sprout wings and fly our asses out of here, we don’t have much of a choice.”—Dagan,  A Shadow’s Embrace

“Ease off the pissed just a little, babe, because I’m hanging on by a thread. I’m having a real hard time remembering you aren’t mine to protect. The more you argue, the hotter I get to prove exactly why I have the right to handle you.”—Dagan,  A Shadow’s Embrace

“You are everything strong and true. You are our sword, our freedom, our justice. What you are not—can never be—is a freak. Because if a Shadow Elite like you, the best of our kind, is a freak, then what the hell does that make the rest of us?”—Devyn,  A Shadow’s Embrace


“Thinking I need to stake me claim and give you a reason not to crush so easily, little bit or not,”—Dagan, A Shadow’s Embrace

Contest!!!!!! Winner receives a $25 gift card from Amazon. Contest ends Thursday, so sign up ASAP. Good luck :) Click on the link below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, August 11, 2014

Summer Heat – 10 Sizzling Romances for 99 Cents

Do you like it hot?  Crimson Romance just released a new 10-book box set of their steamiest titles for only $0.99.  You heard right!  These aren’t short stories or novellas but ten full-length romances all in one big bundle for less than a dollar. Bought separately, you would pay over $40 for these same books.  This collection will be available for a limited time , so don’t miss out!

On an even tighter budget? Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow all the individual titles FREE as part of their subscription. Just click the Free on Kindle Unlimited links under each title below to download.

Blurb:
When the summer sun beats down on the beach, Crimson Romance turns up the sizzle between the pages. From hot bikers to powerful venture capitalists and those oh-so-sexy military men in—and out—of uniform, these ten books put the spotlight on the heroes who make us melt.

Where to Buy:


Summer Heat includes all 10 of the following titles:

The Wicked Bad by Karyn Gerrard
Is Veronica a good girl who longs to rub against...The Wicked Bad?

Infamous by Irene Preston
Hollywood's favorite wild child moves to the 'burbs in this heart-warming romance that reviewers call fun, flirty, and 10 kinds of hot.

Prelude to a Seduction by Lotchie Burton
Can an unexpected romance develop between an over-confident, on-the-prowl playboy and his unsuspecting and uncompromising prey?

Inventing Sin by Alicia Thorne
Dumped by her ho-hum boyfriend, English professor Gabriella Kurtz invents the perfect imaginary man to replace him . . . and gets the surprise of her lifetime when a real flesh-and-blood hero takes advantage of her little white lie.

His Fantasy Maid by Susan Blexrud
Dr. Amy Maitland is a first year resident physician, but she leads a double life...as a fantasy maid.

Island Pursuits by Heather Rodney-Diaz
Adrian and Cory begin a sizzling affair in their island paradisebut what they both discover about the past threatens to destroy any chance of a happily ever after.

Dangerous Love by Lilou DuPont
In Prague, Laura explores her sexuality by embarking on an erotic love affair that challenges her deeply held beliefs.

Her New Worst Enemy by Christy McKellen
Ellie's no-strings weekend fling with her brother's best friend should be the easiest thing in the world to walk away from, so why is she finding it so difficult? 

Blitzkrieg Love by Livia Olteano
Ellie's no-strings weekend fling with her brother's best friend should be the easiest thing in the world to walk away from, so why is she finding it so difficult? 

As If You Never Left Me by Katriena Knights
Rey wants Joely back, But will his carefully laid plans disintegrate when she finds out what really brought him home to Colorado?


Still not sure? Here are a few excerpts to help you make up your mind!


The Wicked Bad by Karyn Gerrard

Blurb:
Dark and brooding, Nick Crocetti is a bad boy in looks and demeanor. Veronica Barnes needs a new start, and Nick is a complication she doesn’t need.
Can they break down the barriers of past heartbreak, or is Veronica just a good girl who longs to rub against “the wicked bad”?

Excerpt:
She followed him toward the beach. The shoreline wasn’t very big, but private, as you couldn’t see the road or much else from their vantage point. Wonder how many other women he brought here, she thought cynically.

He spread the blanket and assisted her in sitting down. Again, the touch of his hand made her face flush as well as parts further south. Nick sat next to her with one leg bent and he rested his arm on the top of his knee. They sat quietly and gazed out over the water. The waves caressed the sand with a serene almost hypnotic sound.

“I saw you talking to that wuss, Jake Spooner, as I left the other day. I can imagine what he said about me,” Nick said in a voice so soft, she hardly recognized it as his.

Veronica cleared her throat uncomfortably.

Nick laughed. “I see. Go on, amuse me, what did he say?”

“Um, he said you were in prison—” she began.

“Jail. Not prison,” he retorted.

“There’s a difference?”

“You’ve got the cop for a brother, you tell me,” Nick snapped. He shook his head, more gently he said, “Sorry. It’s a touchy subject. City jail, for assault and destruction of property. Prison usually means a state or federal beef. Mine was local and a long time ago. I did my time and it’s over. I don’t like talking about it.”
“He called you a thug and said you deal drugs among other things.” She shouldn’t be telling him this, but the words tumbled out of her.

“Really? And still you went out with me? Are you some thrill seeker, one of those good girls eager to rub up against some wicked bad? Is that why you’re here? I’ll be as bad as you want, just say the word.”
His voice grew tight and edgy. Barely restrained anger simmered below the surface, she could hear it.

“I’m just telling you what Jake said, you asked.”

Nick stared at her for several moments. “Yeah. I did. Sorry. I haven’t been out on a date in awhile.”

“You haven’t been with any women...”

“Oh, I didn’t say I haven’t been with women, just haven’t been on a date.” The right corner of his mouth twitched in what Veronica supposed was amusement.

About Karyn:
Karyn lives in a small town in the western corner of Ontario, Canada. She wiles away her spare time writing and reading romance while drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey tea. Tortured heroes are a must. A multi-published author with a few best-sellers under her belt, Karyn loves to write in different genres and time periods, though historicals are her favorite. As long as she can avoid being hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise she assumes everything is golden.

Karyn’s been happily married for a long time to her own hero. His encouragement keeps her moving forward.



Infamous by Irene Preston

Blurb:
Jessica Sinclair is Hollywood’s favorite wild-child, so what’s she doing burning cookies and playing house in the 'burbs?  Conservative soccer dad Morgan Riley can’t figure it out but he’s happy to have her home and heating things up in his bed.  Then Jessica finds herself back in the tabloids…with Morgan’s teenage daughter right next to her.

Excerpt:
In the elevator, he fumbled for the room key that would allow them access to the suites on the top floors. His hands felt big and awkward as they swiped the key through the reader. If you stripped me naked on the hors d’oeuvres table. . . .Christ. She always had a way of knocking him off balance, of peeling away every last bit of self control. She had thrown the words out so casually, and as soon as she said them he had pictured doing just that—imagined shoving aside the crudités and shrimp cocktail and spreading her out like his own personal feast.

The doors closed and she was in his arms. He pushed her against the elevator wall, his tongue thrusting urgently into her mouth. She wound around him, humming incoherent words of encouragement. They weren’t nearly close enough. She tilted her head back, inviting his tongue deeper. He was drowning in the taste of her when he felt her hands slide down between them. His body jerked.

They were still in the elevator. He was damned if he was going to make love in a public elevator. He managed to wrest her hands away from him and anchored them above her head with one of his own.

Not here.” Could she hear the desperation in his voice?

About Irene
Irene Preston has to write romances-after all, she's living one! As a starving college student, she met her dream man who whisked her away on a romantic honeymoon across Europe. Today they live in the beautiful hill country outside of Austin, Texas where Dream Man is still working hard to make sure she never has to take off her rose-colored glasses.

Monday, July 21, 2014

RWA Nationals

Wow. I can't believe it's time for Nationals already. I'm looking so forward to this year's conference. Fortunately it's in San Antonio, which means I didn't have to get into a micro-sized sardine can and fly anywhere. :)

Many of my long distance friends will be there. Getting a chance to see them is worth it alone. When I add in the many, many fantastic workshops and events happening, this is going to be one of the best conferences yet.

Things have been very well writing wise. I've completed three of my WIPs in the past six weeks and am now neck deep in my contemporary. This project is different from my previous releases. The fact we as authors have the freedom to write across the genres and heat levels is one of the things I love the most about writing.

If you're in San Antonio for Nationals, then please look me up. I'd love to chat or have a drink.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Big Cocks and Broomsticks Blog Hop



It's that time again. The Cabal are unleashing the crazy yet again in another huge blog tour. The fun begins Oct. 21st. Come and join the fun and enter for a chance to win:


Grand Prize: $100 amazon or b and N choice!!
2nd place: $50 amazon or b and n card
3rd place: $25 amazon or b and n card

Comment here for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Amazon or B&N. :)







To Enter:
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Saturday, April 6, 2013

Pleasure Brigade Series Tour -- Someone unleashed the Masters

Several very brave souls have allowed the Brigade Masters to take over their blogs and discuss their submissives, The Brigade, the books and anything else that crept into their minds. More importantly, the guys are sharing exclusive excerpts from the books at each stop.

AND there are prizes... a copy of each book will be given out randomly at the conclusion of each "leg" of the series tour. That's FOUR books total going out.

In addition.... there's a $50 GC drawing at the end as well as a copy of the latest release, Passion's Trust.
If you haven't picked it up already, it's now available at Ellora's Cave and Amazon and will be available soon at Barnes & Noble, aRe and all the rest of your favorite ebook providers. :)

I hope you all enjoy this tour. It should get interesting...

Passion Next Door: Book 1

4/8- Mon
4/9- Tue
4/10- Wed

Passion's Claim: Book 2

4/13- SAT
4/14- SUN
4/16- Tue
4/17- Wed


Passion's Training: Book 3
4/19- Fri
4/20- SAT
4/22- Mon
4/23- Tue

Passion's Trust: Book 4
4/24- Wed
4/25- Thur
4/26- Fri
4/27- SAT
4/29- Mon

Tour Rafflecopter:
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Saturday, March 16, 2013

Big Cocks and Shamrocks....Oh My!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!!!!

I hope you remembered to wear green cause you're hanging with The Cabal today and we do pinch. Just saying. :)

If you're pausing at my blog that must mean you've made it through most of my cohorts in mania -- aka The Cabal of Hotness. I've gotta say these ladies are some of the nicest, craziest and most talented writers I've had the pleasure of hanging with. I feel truly blessed to be amongst the insanity on a daily basis. I never know what is going to hit my inbox--and that makes the duty of checking email worth doing. Every. Single. Day.

In case you don't know, I'm Kinky Hotness within the Cabal. We formed at RomantiCon this past year and have had a blast writing the Fondled & Gobbled stories. Because of prior commitments I didn't have a story in the first set of books, but no worries. There's a wild one coming your way in the next round. :)

I could rattle on for quite a while but I think I'll just ask y'all a question instead. hehe....

My 40th birthday is coming up in a few days. Yeah, I know. I'm not looking forward to it either. I've already partied an entire weekend and gallivanted across Texas while doing so. That was fun. But...any thoughts on how to spend the actual day? Other than the evil day job that must suck its 8 hours from my existence. hehe

Have a great one!

Make sure to check out the next ladies on the hop. They're wild, crazy and a blast to hang with. I'm #10 in the list in case you've lost your place. Take a few drinks with you for the road. *tosses green margaritas, green mojitos and green apple martinis. Sorry, I know it should be beer but I'm a liquor sort of gal :)

Make sure to come back soon! I've got a release coming out April 3rd and will have a huge giveaway going on. Once I figure out what to give away. Let me know if you have suggestions. :)

Oh! Speaking of prizes...I'll give away one copy of any of my releases to TWO people who leave a comment. And there's a $30 GC and a bag full of naughty to one lucky winner of the rafflecopter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Taking Control Back

Now that 2013 is well under way it occurred to me that in my daunting list of typical goals and objectives I'm bound to fail at miserably that I failed to grasp exactly why so many of those rather innocuous things were on the list. This upcoming year is a rebirth or rebuilding of sorts for me that came about as a result of a late-night break-in and assault which occurred toward the end of 2011.

While I've been told everyone handles these sort of situations differently, I know the way I chose to handle mine wasn't optimal. Far from it. I was emotionally dead and for at least a year didn't really give a darn what happened around me. I did everything conceivable to make myself unapproachable and uninteresting. I was dutifully trudging through life as though it were a list of things I had to do. I breathed, but didn't live.

One of those chores was the 2012 RomantiCon event thrown by my publisher, Ellora's Cave. I arrived ready to smile when spoken to and more or less lurk within the corners and wait for Monday morning to arrive where I could go back to my safe sanctuary and lock myself away for another year.

Ha.

Anyone who's ever been to RomantiCon can probably confirm one thing I learned real quick--there is no shadow to hide in. They might as well hold it in a circular room because once you step into the hotel you enter an environment where you're immediately immersed in friendships that hadn't existed before. More importantly, you realize that you aren't alone in the writing bubble.

Thanks to the friendships formed over the course of those few days I'm finally chipping away at the walls I'd erected. They stood no chance of surviving. I knew that the moment I dove head first into the craziness that is The Cabal of Hotness.

2013 is 1/4 completed but it's time to re-situate my priorities and take a firmer control over the course my life has taken.

Brace yourselves because something tells me the rest of 2013 is going to be awesome. :)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Writers Don't Write...That Much of the Time

I've learned something absolutely terrifying the past couple of months. The hard, gut-punching reality is that I now irrefutably believe that authors don't write as much as we manage piles of things to do. Shocking, I know.

Way back when I had this grandiose vision of becoming a writer, I envisioned myself in front of a keyboard hammering away madly at my precise prose. There were never any edits to contend with, never any emails, Facebook accounts, twitter accounts, group blogs, personal blogs, promotional materials to order, local chapter responsibilities. I could go on and on and on.

The sad reality is that I have recently studied how much time I actually spend writing versus how much time is spent doing other things related to the writing I've already done. Let me tell you, it's easy to become depressed as the responsibilities mount and you find yourself sitting before a behemoth mountain of stuff to do that doesn't remotely resemble what you want to do.

Write.

So what do you do? Well, this is when we need to get our big girl and big boy panties on, tuck in our lower lips and suck it up. All this shit that we cringe when faced with handling is part of the business. Sure, some people love edits. Some adore blog hops and social media schmoozing. I do too.

To a certain extent.

But it's easy to lose track of what's the most important thing, IMHO. The writing. The stories. The readers.

So, if you find yourself drowning in a sea of shit you don't want to deal with, look around. I guarantee you aren't floating alone in the muck. Take a deep breath, smile, pull your big girl britches up and get back to work. I'm gonna have to put that last sentence on my monitor. Maybe it'll make it easier to remember. :)

Take care everyone!

Oh! And if you haven't checked out my Pleasure Brigade series at Ellora's Cave, Book 1--Passion Next Door--is up for FREE at Barnes&Noble right now. Check it out!  

Saturday, December 22, 2012

On the Writer's Resource Bookshelf: The Emotion Thesaurus

I suffer from acute blog phobia. Seriously. I never know what to write and I certainly lack the whimsical, fun attitude of some of my fellow writers. So, since my New Year's resolution (one of many, I might add) is to actually blog more frequently than the 12th of never every other decade I've decided to enter the geek sanctuary of my office and share with you all my take on writer's resource books.

I know. This may make many of you yawn, but you'd be surprised what I consider a "resource." A conversation with one of fellow writers in my local chapter (ARWA rocks!) made me recall a book I'd bought a while back and promptly shelved after thumbing through it.

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression is chocked full of some wonderful assistance on how a character could/would/should respond physically, internally and mentally to an emotion. It also delves into cues for acute or long-term and suppressed instances of the emotion.

I purchased mine from Amazon. www.amazon.com/The-Emotion-Thesaurus-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958

The emotions run the gauntlet of what we as writers take our characters through all the time. Adoration, anger, anguish, desire, fear, envy, embarrassment, gratitude, guilt, happiness, impatience, loneliness, surprise and wariness are just a few of the many emotions found within the book. The authors, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have done a very good job, IMHO, at having a very eclectic array of potential emotions.

The positives of this resource are obvious--it's a treasure trove of not-so-hidden cues and brainstorming nudges for you to seize and run with while writing. The hesitation I have is the potential for falling into cliched responses if you don't pressure yourself to delve a bit deeper and make what you take from this book your own.

Like any resource, you should assign your own voice, world and subtext to it in order to make your story truly shine. No two characters should ever respond to a situation the same. They have different levels of investment in each situation they undertake. They also have different backgrounds, ambitions and fears which are all pertinent ingredients to what I consider a soup of emotions that are present in any scene. Whether it's gritty, hard-core sex or a fight to save a planet there will always be multi-layered emotions at play.

This book is a marvelous resource for beginning your delve into your character's responses. Just remember that the deeper you go the more realistic it will be.

On the Geeky Writer scale of 1-5 pencils, I'd have to give this one a firm 3. A great start that requires considerable creative input by the user.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Partying Ellora's Cave Style...

Well those who may know me will probably be shocked to hear that I braved not one but FOUR sardine cans with wings for the sake of what has got to be the BEST conference I have ever gone to.

Ellora's Cave held their RomantiCon this year and I was thrilled to attend. Since this was my first I was a bit more reserved than I probably should have been, but nonetheless had a blast hanging out with my fellow authors and the AWESOME readers.

Oh, and did I mention the Cavemen? Well, I'd post pics, but I think that nothing could do them justice because they truly did a wonderful job entertaining everyone their with their charisma, energy and killer performances.

I also did my very first signing. Again, those who may know me that I don't do crowds well at all. But Ellora's Cave had an awesome setup and I loved, loved, loved getting the opportunity to meet and speak with so many lovely readers. It truly made my weekend. Hell, my month.

The icing on the cake? Well, Passion's Training, the third book in my Pleasure Brigade series won a Kinkiest Choreography award. Yay! This was the 2nd for the series, so now I truly have a high, high bar for the fourth book, which is almost ready to turn into my editor, btw. I know some have been asking. :)

Okay, I'm off to get some rest and wash off the millions of recycled germs that have probably infested me from my time in the sardine cans with wings. I've gotta say, though. This conference made me willing to ride in ten times more of those planes if I had to.

I hope to see you all there next year!!!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Structure

I grew up on a small town in southwest Texas, the heart of ranch and farm land. Structure wasn't simply engrained within me, it was woven into my marrow from an early age. By the time I was four I knew that Monday through Friday I would leave the ranch at 6:00 a.m. and ride standing in the center of the truck between my grandpa and my uncle. Yes, I know. I'm showing my age because things like that get CPS called on you now. But it was life as I knew it.

I knew I spent half the day with strangers supposedly learning important stuff for later on. Naps, opening the milk carton, folding my blanket. God how I wish those were truly the only things I ever had to know.

The real education began when I was back with my grandpa, who would spend hours crouched on the floor of the shop with a piece of broken chalk. There I learned the power of words and what they could do when strung together.

Before I hit kindergarten I could read and knew most of my multiplication tables. Now before you go and think I was smart, I really, really wasn't.

It was structure and I thrived on it.

I'd memorized everything about each day. The patterns were my marrow, the tendons holding my existence together. It shouldn't surprise you that I became a financial analyst. Patterns, structure became my existence.

But it left me longing for the simpler times when I'd play with doodle bugs in the backyard or listen to wild tales about bears in trees and pixie dust.

Now that I've been writing while attempting to maintain my dreaded day job, those tendons are giving way to a brave new world where futures are uncertain and structure isn't really possible.

The creative side of my brain loves the fact that the world has become dynamic, breathing and flowing with unknown and untapped potential. As the world of digital publishing evolves and the throngs of authors press forward into new arenas, the little girl who crouched beside her grandpa and proudly quoted times tabled that she had no freaking understanding of can't help but cower in the corner.

Structure is what I've fought my entire life to sever. Determined to strike out and be the creative individual that I want, I can't help but realize now that it has become my crutch.

My goal for the next year is to press harder to move toward the creative grounds and slowly let the structure go, strand by strand.

May we all find that sliver of structure we wish to sever and let it ride the wind.