Thursday, June 30, 2011

My Personal Review for The Love God of Indian Frybread by AJ Llewellyn

First I got to say A. J. Llewellyn is one wickedly wonderful author. He has humor, sex and romance all rolled up with a pretty bow for his legions of readers. I love this author's work and when I found out I won his latest book, The Love God of Indian Frybread, I jumped around like a loon on crack in glee.

Ever Beleno loves Hollywood Memorabilia and Mummies. When he gets a chance to go to the sold out Mummies of the world exhibit at the local museum, he jumps at it...even if it with handsome but aggravating Chris Coelho. When he gets there, he finds himself coming back to one particular mummy....one that looks so lost.

He was enjoying himself until he feels someone touching him but when he looks, there is no one around. Could it be Chris doing the groping? Ever isn't sure and that is only the begining of Ever's night. Now the craziness continues when he gets home and Ever has to figure out what happened to Chris, because this sweet, sexy man isn't the annoying one he went on a date with. Could Chris really be who he claims to be-The Love God of Indian Frybread?

A. J. Llewellyn scores another hit with this latest book of his. Pure combustion is in these pages and I caution-don't be drinking anything when you read this...I guarantee you will be laughing too hard at times to swallow anything. The Love God of Indian Frybread is more than a romance but one with friendships, family and the desire for the perfect romance. Ever gets more than he bargains when Chris comes into his life. Love, chaos, mysteries and scorching hot sex. Ever has never had such a wonderful time nor just as confusing. With each page, I was drawn more and more into Ever's world and with this wonderful cast of characters, I felt the story only got better. I wanted to know more once that last page was read. Did Jhonny find a new man? Will Jhonny's sister Vanessa get her HEA? These questions and more peppered me when I flipped that last page.


The Love God of Indian Frybread is a fun and charming tale of two people finding they are meant to be with one another and add in some scorching hot sex scenes, a twist even I didn't see coming and some secondary characters I so want to read m ore of in the future, you get the makings of a wonderful book that you will not want to put down.

Looking for the perfect beach read? Then grab A. J. Llewellyn's The Love God of Indian Frybread and settle down to soak some rays and laugh as you read Ever's adventures with Chris. I guarantee you won't want to miss this one or any other books by this author.

Now to check out the back list of AJ's to see what I can grab next.

My rating- 4 1/2 Stars

Buy The Love God of Indian Frybread at Amazon and Amber Allure

WRITER'S WRITE...WRITING PARTNERS FEUD

EVEN AN ARMADILLO NEEDS LOVE
By:
Angelica Hart and Zi



The singular most important emotion a human spirit craves is to be loved. It seeks it out. It needs it. It craves it. Walk into any book store and check out the romance section, it dominates. There is a reason for that which isn't just about sensual romance. It goes back to that basic need that we long to be loved. There are many romances that play down the aspects of sexuality, take that of a story about a boy and his armadillo, a generational family saga, even a story about war, all play the emotional gambit yet somewhere in each, you will find love, be it for a pet, a child, or your country.

The further we are from love, of feeling loved, of being loved, the more isolated we become, cynical sometimes, and at its worse a life without being loved can poison the body. The closer any emotion comes to love, the more that emotion vitalizes and nourishes the body. Negative emotions seep into our spirit and spread emotional distress that could actually make us ill. Therefore, it is empathically accurate to say that love can cultivate well-being, and in well-being there is joy.

The human spirit constantly searches for that connection, that cannot be found in a new electronic toy, although, one wouldn't mind having that, or a cruise, or a piece of pecan pie. Ok, maybe, the latter is true love. Seriously, no material or emotional love in this world can touch us, encourage us, protect us, fulfill us, strength us, bless us, provide for us, care for us, feed us, house us, clothe us, or heal us like love that comes from inside us, love that we wish to share.

As authors, we choose to share our love with the world though our writing. In our books from Champagne Books, starting with KILLER DOLLS, the love is more mature, more dynamic, more intense, that snap that comes with instant attraction all centered around the possibility of loss and death. Whereas, in SNAKE DANCE, the love is fresh, new, just as instantaneous but with a connection born from something mystical. CHASING GRAVITAS cuts into the ache and desires of the heart, a yearning that might not be realized, a mysterious truth that might destroy. Yet, in each of these stories there is one truth, the characters have a basic to love. It isn't just the sexual attraction, or the culmination of that passion, but about the real reasons one loves, about see the soul and knowing that soul melds perfectly, that the yin of one cannot exist without the yang of the other.

Some say the romance genre is just a disguise for soft porn. We strenuously disagree, reading romance is partnering with love, championing it, recognizing the fact that love will win out, every time. Maybe, that isn't always the truth of reality, but dang, isn't it wonderful that there is a place where we can play and know for certainly happily-ever-after does exist?

We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at writingteamcw@yahoo.com with blog in the subject line and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ SNAKE DANCE ~ CHASING YESTERDAY
www.champagnebooks.com

STEEL EMBRACE by Vixen Bright and Zachary Zane
August 2011 http://www.carnalpassions.com/


THE FABLE OF SIN-SIN CINDERELLA Series
angelicahartandzi.com








Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Meet Sandy Sullivan/CONTEST

CONTEST: One lucky person who leaves a comment along with their email address, will be entered in to win a pdf copy of Love Me Once, Love Me Twice from Sandy. Contest runs till July 2nd with winner announced July 3rd on the blog.


Why don't you start us off by telling us how you discovered/decided you wanted to become a writer?

I've always been a storyteller. I used to make up things all the times as a kid. I've read romance novels since high school. My mom never really said much about me reading them so I devoured everything I could find. In 2008, I was between jobs and this story kept tapping at my brain so I sat down and wrote it. The book is titled Texas Lady. After several friends read it and told me I needed to get it published, I figured what the heck.

Do you have a favorite TV show you can't miss?
I rarely watch television these days, but one show I like is Ghost Hunters. I'm a sucker for ghosts.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? All of my writing is done by the seat of my pants. I never outline, but sometimes I will write down the basics of a storyline if it comes to me. Never has an entire story smacked me in the face. It's usually bits and pieces.

So what is your latest or upcoming book about? Give us all the details behind this masterpiece. My last release was Before The Night Is Over (Montana Cowboys 2). It's the story about one of the characters in Montana Cowboys 1, Kale Dunn, and his road to happiness. He doesn't know which way to turn when he's confronted with an enticing red-head with a mean right hook. I'm currently working on the third of the series and it's called Two For The Price of One. I do have a couple of Cougar stories coming out in the meantime.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write? Sometimes they can be difficult for me. It depends on the mood I'm in. I know, that sounds kind of weird. I do have to have it quiet when I'm writing a love scene. Noise distracts me and it's noisy I'll mess up the feelings going on between the characters.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader? Some of those I read a lot of are Tonya Ramagos, Lily Graison, Delilah Devlin Lorelei James. If a book catches my eye, I'll read it so there aren't really any authors that are an autobuy for me.

If you could date any character from any book, who would it be and why? I can't think of anyone off hand. I fall in love with all of my heroes while I'm writing them. I feel like if I'm not in love with them, what is going to make my reader fall in love with them.

Could you tell us about any work-in-progress, current projects, what we can expect from you in the future? More cowboys, of course. LOL I have two Cougar stories coming with Secret Cravings Publishing's Hot Flash Series. One is Country Minded Cougar and it's about a woman who is a talent agent in
Nashville and she is one of the best. Her boss gives her a raw, new, but hot and sexy cowboy newcomer to mold. Being attracted to the younger man wasn't in her plans. The second one in the series is called Taming The Cougar and it's about a women who is in a bar with her daughter Andrea, and her daughter's friends to celebrate her upcoming wedding. After a few too many drinks, Marla finds herself in the arms of a much younger man, swaying to the music on the dance floor. Other than those, I have several WIP"s in various stages of completion.

A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be? The boring life of Sandy Sullivan. LOL I'm very much a hermit type person. I spend most days in front of the computer working on one thing or another. It's probably a good thing I have to go out and get groceries or I'd never leave the house.

Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that? Sometimes, I guess. If I don't like one of the main characters at first, it's usually because the storyline has them being stupid, stubborn and rotten before they make us fall in love with them.

What do you do to unwind and relax?  Ride my horses, read and travel.

 Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future? I wrote a small shifter piece last year and I think I'd like to do one of those, but I haven't done it yet. A couple of my fans are bugging me about writing a cowboy shifter who is a panther. LOL

W
hat was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? That there are people out there willing to pay to read what I've written. It still amazes me when someone sends me an email and tells me how much they enjoyed a book.

What is your favorite candy bar? I think a few but my all time favorite is Mounds.

When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought? Ohmigod, what is up with that hair?

What is your favorite pizza? Canadian Bacon and pineapple or what the people is the south refer to as Ham and pineapple.

What genres and authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing? I read cowboys. I love their stories and even though I write them, I like to read them. I also like BDSM stories and Cherise Sinclair is one of the best authors to do BDSM.

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why? Probably Wild Wyoming Nights (Wilder Series 1). It's got the hot cowboy, the feisty heroine, a little paranormal and a whole lot of hot action.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work? A big question we authors get asked a lot is where do we find our inspiration. I know for me, I can find it in anything around me, people I see, a song I hear, etc. It's kind of cliché, but it's true.

Where to find Sandy Sullivan on the 'net:

Home. They say home is where the heart is, but can coming back to Red Rock, Montana really be home? Natalie Bennington is about to find out.

Finding herself in a blizzard and stuck in a ditch, the last person she expects to rescue her is gorgeous ex-high school jock, Cade Weston. His light brown hair and baby blue eyes had many a teenage girl all a twitter including her, but being the shy band girl didn't garner attention from his type. When Cade's best friend Kale, and ex-
football jock shows up, the stakes have just shot through the roof. Both men want her and she can't understand why.

Cowboy and all around good guy, Cade Weston is a born and raised Montana boy. Yes ma'am, no sir, hold the lady's chair, open her door—those things were ingrained in his upbringing, but every man likes a pretty woman.  Natalie Bennington has grown up into one gorgeous female and he can't get her out of his mind.

Kale Dunn can't get over the changes in the shy band girl he remembers from high-school. Natalie sure turned into one hot woman. All legs, gorgeous body and breasts big enough to fill a man's hands. Would she be willing to share? He and Cade liked to partake in threesome's on occasion, but from what he remembered of Natalie, he didn't think she'd be the type. Was he wrong?

Wined, dined and loved by two men. Can she make the decision to love only one or will their possessiveness drive her back to Oregon?


Small town America. Laurel Hayes, Homicide Detective from Los Angeles. What  the hell was she doing in Red Rock, Montana?

Trying to convince her sister Elizabeth it wasn't normal for a husband to beat the shit out of her until bruises and welts formed, she decides to take matters into her own hands and lay the man out flat in the middle of the local honky-tonk. What she wasn't prepared for was for devilishly handsome Kale Dunn to step into the fray.

The mass of red hair and big blue eyes stopped Kale in his tracks as he watched the gorgeous woman deck one of his ranch hands. When he heard her accuse the guy of abusing his wife, he couldn't help but admire her grit. Thoughts of harboring all her fiery passion in bed, keeps him in a constant state of arousal every time he runs into her.

Laurel is harboring her own wounds and he must decide whether he wants to attempt to overcome her mistrust of men and she has to decide whether she can put his past ménage with Cade and Natalie behind her.


Wild Wyoming Nights (Wilder Series 1) - www.bookstrand.com/sandy-sullivan.html

Abigail Carter lost her firefighter husband on September 11th. On a mission to heal her heart, she starts a new life in the prairies of Wyoming. Her neighbor, hunky rancher and quarter horse expert Chase Wilder, makes her heart race for the first time in years, but will she let him get close enough to warm the cold winter nights?
Chase rescues Abby from her overturned car in an accident similar to the one that took his wife. His dormant libido goes into overdrive when he looks into Abby's beautiful green eyes. Unfortunately, she's still struggling with her grief, and Chase doesn't want to push her. Can the two find a way to overcome the past and have a future together?

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Guest Author Day with Lorelei Confer

Why don't you start us off by telling us how you discovered/decided you wanted to become a writer?  First let me say thank you for having me here today. I first started writing when I was in the fourth grade and had to write a play which the teacher thought was so good she produced it for parents, etc. I have written short stories since then.

Do you have a favorite TV show you can't miss? I love Criminal Minds and NCIS. I usually have to DVR them and watch them later.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? I do a little of both. In the beginning I outline and describe my main characters then start writing the book. The characters and their alter egos usually take over from there.
 
So what is your latest or upcoming book about? Give us all the details behind this masterpiece. Deadly Revenge is the second book in the series about human trafficking. It begins with the heroine going home to the North Carolina Mountains for the summer after leaving her fiancé at the altar two years before. She has an auto accident on the way into town and meets the hero. Sparks fly. They become involved with each other. The heroine feels like she is being followed everywhere she goes and is continuously looking behind her back. She coincidentally finds four murder victims; all assumed to be suicides but were actually murdered. Her home is ransacked and she realizes someone is trying to kill her. She is finally abducted by traffickers who know it is easy to ‘traffic’ throughout North Carolina because of the highway system and its close proximity to Washington. She is frightened beyond words and the hero must find her and rescue her before being transported to be sold into slavery. The stalker and murderer are then found out and the hero and heroine must separate to go back to their original lives. He doesn’t want to leave and she can’t stay.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write? I think love scenes are essential to any book. It’s a part of life. I like them to be intimate and detailed but sweet. Not necessarily erotic. I love to write them just because it really gets me thinking because each scene in the book is different. The characters and their relationships have grown throughout the book and you need to reflect that into the scene.


Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?  You would find Johanna Lindsey, Mary Jo Putney, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Harlan Colban, Andrew Gross, Mariah Stewart, and most of the classics.

If you could date any character from any book, who would it be and why?  Shannon from Kathleen Woodiwiss’s book of the same name. They, the hero and heroine have so many coincidental meetings that are so meaningful it is uncanny. Shannon is so against a relationship with the hero that she thwarts him at every step yet cannot control her own emotions when he touches her or kisses her or makes love to her.

Could you tell us about any work-in-progress, current projects, what we can expect from you in the future?  I am currently working on the third book in the series entitled Deadly Deliverance, and hope to be finished in the next couple of months and released early next year. I have a number of short stories I’ve written along with a Christmas Anthology (available at Amazon) and a list of story ideas I want to write about.

A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be? The Life of a Wanna-Be Nora Roberts???????
 
Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?  Yes and I make them redeemable, give them a reason to be likeable, or I have even thrown them out and started fresh.
What do you do to unwind and relax?  Spend time with my family in the North Carolina Mountains every couple of months.
 Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future? Possible Fantasy in a make believe world with make believe characters, making them come alive sounds intriguing.

W
hat was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?  I love it. I love to write and watch the characters take over and come alive.

What is your favorite candy bar?  Milky Way

When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?  Where did all those shadows, dark circles and wrinkles come from? They weren’t there yesterday or so it seemed.

What is your favorite pizza?  Hungry Howie’s ‘the works’ with sesame seed crust.
 
What genres and authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing?  Mostly romantic suspense or thriller, not horror but a suspense that keeps you turning the pages, i.e. Harlan Colban.
 
If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why? Deadly Deception, the first book in the series. Although they are all stand alone books but Deadly Deception looks at human trafficking in a different way and really has a message to tell.
 
What else would you like readers to know about you or your work? I am an advocate of stopping human trafficking and have done a great amount of research and study in this arena. I have worked with the Sheriff’s department and our local detectives assigned to the human trafficking task force and attend their meetings so I can be as accurate as possible in my books.
 
Please share any links you would like listed in the Interview. Website, Myspace, blog, facebook, yahoo group etc.  www.loreleiconfer.com, www.loreleiconfer.blogspot.com,
  
Sneak Peek into Deadly Revenge by Lorelei Confer
Available at Siren-Bookstrand
Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Tory Richards returns to North Carolina to help her mother set up a B&B, never expecting to stumble across several murder victims, fall in love, or get abducted by human traffickers.
Fortunately, when she’s run off the road on her way into town, Dave Miller, who is working undercover on the task force for human trafficking, comes to her aid. She blows off the near fatal accident as just that—an accident—but she rethinks her position once events escalate.

Someone is trying to kill Tory. Failing that, she’s being set up as a suspect in four murders. As Dave falls more deeply for Tory, how will he tell her who he is and what he does? Will she ever trust him?

Trust becomes a moot point when Tory is abducted and everything points to the group of human traffickers Dave’s had under surveillance. He calls in the task force, but will they reach Tory before she’s used as a sex slave?

Sneak Peek Excerpt:

Well, well, well, Tory Richards coming back to town after all these years. I wonder what she wants. Or better yet “who?” This can’t be good.
 
Twenty-six-year-old Tory Richards’s white-knuckled fingers gripped the car’s steering wheel, as she drove around the sweeping mountain curves and switchbacks. Out of practice driving on narrow curvy roads in the North Carolina Mountains, she dreaded the trip home, and approached the challenge with caution. I could do without any additional tension. But when she partially rolled down her car window and took a deep breath of the fresh, woodsy, pine-scented air, she remembered how much she loved these mountains.
On this cool spring day, the age-old trees swayed in the light breeze, some just budding, others in full bloom. Blossoming Dogwood, Mountain Laurel, and apple trees peaked in all their glory among the majestic pines and oaks.
She dreaded the inevitability of running into Matt. The fear of facing the truth, the past humiliation, and deceit wouldn’t go away. Explaining her reasons for leaving Matt at the altar two years ago would mean closure for her. She’d face her demon and finally move on. The thought of seeing him again brought back familiar panic. Her heart pounded in her chest, constricting her breathing, and the lingering ache became almost uncontrollable.
Suddenly, a large black car with dark, tinted windows sped from behind, passed her, pushing into her lane of the road. Tory slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel to the right to avoid being sideswiped. Her car bounced over and onto the berm, slammed into the side wall of a drainage canal running along the side of the road, finally coming to a stop in the shallow ditch.
The force of the crash whipped her head left, hitting the edge of the open window and then backward, hard against the headrest. Stars filled her eyes. A slow stream of something warm and wet trickled down her left cheek from somewhere above her left eye dropping onto her blouse. The pain started high on her forehead and radiated down the whole left side of her face.
Laying her head back against the headrest, she drifted down a dark tunnel. When she heard someone talking to her from a distance, she turned to the open window and looked into a man’s fuzzy, fish-bowl-like face. She blinked once or twice, and the man’s concerned expression came into focus.
She didn’t know him, but she’d like to. He had an attractive face, a strong jaw. He looked dependable, a take-charge kind of guy. He must have pulled off the road behind her to help, she thought.
“Do you need an ambulance?”
She shook her head and winced when a wave of dizziness along with nausea washed through her.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Dreamspinner Press New Releases for Week of June 27th

Sleuth, LLC: Birds of a Feather by Etienne
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, M/M/M
Length: Novel
Buy E-book HERE
Buy Print Book HERE


Can Quentin and Nate use their telepathic gifts to build a relationship that will survive an unfriendly world?

Quentin Quasar has found that being a telepath is a mixed bag: it’s great when he’s catching an unfaithful spouse or tracking down a thief, but it’s horrible when his bedmate is thinking unflattering thoughts during sex. It’s no wonder that instead of saying his prayers every night, Quentin sends tendrils of thought out into the world, looking for another telepath to ease the loneliness. Imagine his surprise when he finds one—and the young man needs help!


Nate Braddock was plenty panicked at being kidnapped by fanatics who planned to “beat the devil” out of him. With Quentin’s help, and then his partnership, Nate finds the courage to take a stand against his mother’s religious intolerance and together they’ll confront an uncomfortable truth: telepaths may not be devils, but not all of them are angels either. Quentin and Nate will need their combined gifts to tell the difference.


Take the Lead by Johnny Diaz

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel
Buy E-book HERE
Buy Print Book HERE


Can Gabriel navigate the challenges of a new crush and an ailing parent? 


Popular college professor Gabriel Galan has a job he adores in Boston, a hot young lover, and a buddy who goes along on pub crawls and Star Trek nights alike. But Gabriel wants more.


When Gabriel's stubbornly independent father needs help managing his Parkinson's disease, Gabriel takes on more than he bargained for, and his smooth-cruising life is about to take a sharp turn as he teeters on the edge of a new crush on Adam, his father's physical therapy dance class instructor.

Gabriel has always yearned for a co-pilot on his journey through life, but first he needs to take the lead and navigate the troubled waters of his own heart.



As Seen on TV by Rebecca Leigh
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story
Buy E-book HERE

Graham Britner has never been one for travel or vacations. Work has been his life, but lately, life as a Fortune 500 stockbroker has gotten overwhelming, and he figures a trip to Hawaii will get him as far away from New York as possible. What are the odds that his fantasy man, hunky television actor Bruce Newsome, will be vacationing at the same resort as Graham? Probably only slightly greater than the chances that Bruce will want Graham as much as Graham wants him.









Bicycle Built for Two by Jeff Adams

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella
Buy E-Book HERE

Can Jason and Ben overcome distance to make a relationship work? 


While on a three-day charity bike ride from Boston to New York City, Jason Karn makes an unexpected stop to help a fellow rider having trouble with a flat tire. Ben Stewart is new to long-distance rides, and Jason takes him under his wing. The mutual attraction is obvious even before they make it to New York City, but there’s a minor roadblock: Ben lives in Chicago. Flying back and forth seems like the only option until Jason comes up with an idea that will bring them together permanently—if they can work out the details.





Raincheck by Sarah Madison

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Length: Novella
Buy E-book HERE

Will David see past Rodney’s gargoyle shape, or will he let love pass him by? 


Rodney isn’t like other gargoyles. No doubt it’s because of his fascination with humans and their culture. For decades he’s been content to observe from the shadows, but then a lonely human wanders onto Rodney’s rooftop one night and turns his world upside down. David Marshall is everything Rodney has wanted in all his years of solitude. Rodney manages to keep his crush and his identity a secret until David needs a gargoyle’s protection more than late-night conversations with a reclusive friend. Will David be able to see past the monstrous exterior to the true person within? Time is running out, and Rodney must try to grab onto life—and love—before it’s too late.




Dirty Kiss by Rhys Ford

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Length: Novel
Buy E-Book HERE
Buy Print Book HERE

Can Cole protect Jae-Min from the violence that threatens him? 

Cole Kenjiro McGinnis, ex-cop and PI, is trying to get over the shooting death of his lover when a supposedly routine investigation lands in his lap. Investigating the apparent suicide of a prominent Korean businessman’s son proves to be anything but ordinary, especially when it introduces Cole to the dead man’s handsome cousin, Kim Jae-Min.

Jae-Min’s cousin had a dirty little secret, the kind that Cole has been familiar with all his life and that Jae-Min is still hiding from his family.  

The investigation leads Cole from tasteful mansions to seedy lover’s trysts to Dirty Kiss, the place where the rich and discreet go to indulge in desires their traditional-minded families would rather know nothing about. 


It also leads Cole McGinnis into Jae-Min’s arms, and that could be a problem. Jae-Min’s cousin’s death is looking less and less like a suicide, and Jae-Min is looking more and more like a target.  Cole has already lost one lover to violence—he’s not about to lose Jae-Min too.

Sneak Peek into Static by L. A. Witt

Static by L. A. Witt

Buy HERE

Damon Bryce is worried sick when he doesn’t hear from his girlfriend after she visits her estranged parents, but when he checks up on her, he’s in for the shock of his life: She’s a shifter, part of a small percentage of the population who can shift genders at will. Thanks to her parents, though, she’s been forcibly given an implant that leaves her static – unable to shift – and male.
Alex Nichols desperately wants the implant removed, but getting it out isn’t nearly as easy as putting it in. The surgery is expensive and dangerous. Left in, the implant carries its own set of risks, with the potential to cripple or even kill him. On top of that, he’s carefully kept his identity a secret from more people in his life than just Damon, and his parents aren’t the only ones appalled by shifters.
Stripped of half his identity and facing serious physical effects and social ramifications, Alex needs Damon more than ever, but he doesn’t see how their relationship can get through this unscathed.
Especially if Alex is a static male permanently.

Excerpt:
After almost turning back twice, I made myself get all the way on to the front porch, and before I could find another reason to talk myself out of it, I knocked. Waited. I craned my neck a little, listening for movement on the other side of the door.
Nothing.
My heart beat faster. I knocked again, harder this time.
Still nothing.
I rocked back and forth from my heels to the balls of my feet, staring at the door and wondering if I should give it one more try or leave. In my coat pocket, my keys ground against each other as I ran my thumb back and forth over them. Her house key was on the ring. I could let myself in. Damn it, where was the line between caution and intrusion?
One more try, and if she doesn’t answer, I’ll go.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Silence.
I exhaled hard, a knot twisting in my gut. She wasn’t here. Or she wasn’t answering. Whatever the case, I wasn’t going to stand here all night, so I turned to go.
Movement inside the house stopped me in my tracks. I froze, listening, and the muffled sound of approaching footsteps sent a cool rush of relief through my veins.
The deadbolt turned. I exhaled.
Then the door opened, and that relief turned to something else. Something much colder.
“Who the—” My breath and voice stopped in my throat. Confusion and fury slithered through my veins as I stared at the man on the other side of the threshold. He leaned on the door and rested his arm on the doorframe. Vague surprise flickered across his expression and straightened his posture, but the heavy fatigue in his eyes kept his reaction subdued. I wondered if he was drunk. Or maybe he’d been asleep. In my girlfriend’s bed. That was all too likely, I realized. He was pale, sleepy-eyed, dressed only in a pair of gray sweatpants, and his short hair was disheveled enough to imply far more than I ever wanted to know.
Alex, baby, tell me you didn’t…
I finally found my voice again. “Who the fuck are you?”
Barely whispering, barely even keeping his eyes open, he said, “You might want to sit down for this. Come in and—”
“Just tell me what the fuck is going on,” I snapped.
He flinched, closing his eyes. “I can explain.” His voice was quiet and slurred. “Please, just—”
“You can explain?” I snarled. “Yeah, please do, because—”
Flinching again, he put a hand up. “This isn’t what it looks like. Not even close.”
I laughed bitterly. “Oh, I’m sure it’s not.” With every word, the barely contained fury rose, as did the volume of my voice. “I suppose you’re just keeping her company? Where the fuck is she? Where—”
Damon.”
“You…you know who I am?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, I do.”
The anger swelled in my chest. “But you’re still—”
“Please.” His hand went to his temple, and he grimaced as he whispered, “Don’t shout. You’re upset, I get it, I understand, but…” He winced. “Please. Don’t. Shout.”
I furrowed my brow. Anger made me want to grab his shoulders and show him the meaning of the word “shout,” but I held back. Quieter now, I said, “What’s going on?”

And coming July 6th, Trust Me...

Want more information about L. A. Witt, find her at the following places:

Website: http://www.loriawitt.com
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
Twitter: GallagherWitt
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction/187063289526

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Author Dee Brice Needs Your Help-CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT

Author Dee Brice is asking for readers help in naming the next Virtual Seductions Series book.

Do you want to name the next title in Dee Brice's acclaimed Virtual Seduction series? Then now's your chance.

The contest dates are July 1-July 31, 2011

The title may be either Her or His Virtual ???

The third word must begin with an E (Her/His Virtual Evenness for example)

Submissions must be emailed to deebrice@sbcglobal.net and received not later than midnight (PDT) July 31, 2011. Please put Dee’s Contest om the subject line.

The eXtasy publisher and editor-in-chief will select the winning title

If there are duplicate submissions of the same title, each winner will receive one (1) PDF download of any eXtasy Books Dee Brice title and one (1) copy of the winning book.

Dee will dedicate the book to the winner(s)

**~~**
The Virtual Seductions Series is....

Virtual Virgin Virtual Assassin     Virtual Consort     
 
 
 
Virtual Bride Virtual Consort 

More information on Dee's Virtual Seduction Series is HERE or at eXtasy Books HERE

Friday, June 24, 2011

Guest Author Day with M. S. Spencer

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

I have been writing since I could hold pencil to paper (incorrectly as it turned out, which is why I still have a callus on my right ring finger).  As an adolescent I of course wrote interminable sappy poems, some of which were actually published.  I turned to stories as a young adult, and even a couple of novels.  But I suffered from “submission anxiety” and never got beyond sending queries.  Then a few years ago I had the luxury of a six-month hiatus when I was laid up and finished, sent, and sold my first book, Lost in His Arms. Thank God for on-line submissions!

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

First, characters must be believable—by which I mean characters who don’t act out of character and who have a modicum of intelligence so you don’t spend more time rolling your eyes than reading.  Second, description must be fresh, rich, and integral to the action (i.e., no long-winded paragraphs as the sun sloooooowly sets while the characters sit inanimately). And third, an excess of dialogue over than narrative and action over introspection to maintain a fast pace and the reader’s rapt attention.

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

I usually start with the setting and the plot before the characters evolve as real people.   By about the third chapter they are fully formed, at which point they acquire their proper names and leave my little brain nest to wend their independent way through the story.  Some secondary characters may materialize on their own. I try to be as hospitable as possible, although my editors aren’t always so welcoming. As to physical description, I like each heroine to have a completely different one—it’s so much fun to dress them!

Favorite character? Michael Keller, hero of my first book, Lost in His Arms.  He’s my perfect man—comfortable with himself, master of many skills, funny, and capable of deep, quiet love without a lot of slobbering.
  
Most challenging character? Probably Rose Culloden, heroine of my second book, Lost & Found. She’s so unsure of herself, so lacking in self-esteem that she suffers unnecessarily. And gets herself into pickles.

Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?

Maybe Rose, but there’s not much I could do to change her, any more than you can fix all the flaws in your friends. Her insecurity, which comes with growing up very privileged, is not one people often find sympathetic, so I had my work cut out showing my readers that she strives for perfection and wants to do the right thing as much as anyone else.

If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do?

I would have submitted any and all pieces of writing I’d ever done.  I would not feel guilty about writing during the day. I would have married someone rich so that I could afford to hire someone to do my publicity.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

Losers Keepers, due out July 27 from Secret Cravings, is a full-length contemporary romantic suspense novel, M/F, 3 flames. Unfortunately we’re still in the editing stage and I can’t provide an excerpt here.  But I can offer you the blurb:

Dagne Lonegan expected that spending a year in Chincoteague to write a novel would clear her sinuses, if not her heart, of any feelings for Jack Andrews, erstwhile lover and long-time jerk.  It's just her luck that her first week on the island she's in the right place at the right time to be involved with a murder.  Only she doesn't know it.  Unfortunately, the murderer doesn't know she doesn't know.  Strange and dangerous things begin happening to her, interfering with her new romance with Refuge Manager Tom Ellis.  It gets even more complicated when her Jack arrives to take charge of the murder investigation.
Will Dagne stick with the tall, cool glass of a wildlife manager or fall back into the arms of her first tempestuous passion?


Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

I have written several children’s stories, as yet unpublished. The adventures of Edward the Fly are Disney-like stories pitched to a late elementary/early middle school reader. Edward travels to places like the Wild West, Antarctica and Atlantis, where he uses his fly powers to rescue humans from peril. Other stories resemble parables or Aesop’s Fables—fantasies with a lesson that are wonderful for reading aloud. My favorite is called Lila’s Island, which relates the story of the dove who Noah sent to seek dry land. I would like to see them published and write more of both.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

Jane Austen, Winston Churchill, Calvin Trillin, Douglas Adams, Dorothy Parker.  I think all would contribute to the conversation in very different ways, but all with a sense of humor.  They are/were all extremely articulate, imaginative, well-read, funny, and not too cynical (except for Ms. Parker, but I believe underneath that cynicism lay a kindness that matched Jane Austen’s).

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

No, I don’t listen to music when writing—I’m not very good at multitasking I suppose. If I were to listen to anything, it would have to be Mozart.  Studies show his music actually makes you think better—plus he’s so cheering!

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

Not really.  The trick is to find new words to describe ancient feelings and behavior.  When writing a scene I might close my eyes and try to feel what the heroine feels—how would she describe it? What words would she use to explain the sensation of a loved one’s lips on hers? 

What are some of your favorite things or hobbies to do?

I love to swim, kayak and bird watch. I love to eat and drink. I love to stare out my study window at the wildlife in the meadow rather than settle down and work. I am a news junkie, absorbing everything C-Span has to offer, and then like to debate politics as reasonably gently as possible.

What do you have coming up next for you? Care to share any details with us?

Triptych, a novel set in Washington DC, has just been accepted by Secret Cravings. It’s a tale of three sisters and their lovers, of the famed Three Sisters Rocks in the Potomac River (the stuff of legend), and lost masterworks of art (the stuff of intrigue).  Here is the blurb:

Miranda Cabot lost all interest in love after her husband Edward crashed into the rocky islets called the Three Sisters in the Potomac River. Her sister Honor likewise prefers her tower and her writing to romance.  Not so their sister Sybil, who longs for a dashing Frenchman to sweep her off her feet.  Being a modern woman, she advertises for him on Craig’s List and is rewarded with the Chevalier du Bon Arnaque, who comes to Washington from Alsace on mysterious business.

Believing the Chevalier is a crook, Miranda and Honor ask their neighbors Dieter Heiliger and his grandson Corey to act as chaperones. Three beautiful, strong-willed women living in a house with three handsome, virile men results inevitably in an intricate web of jealousy, sex, and intrigue. Add to that long-lost master artworks and stolen prototypes. Who will end up with whom, and will the Three Sisters take another life as the legend calls for?


In addition, I have just finished the draft of a fifth romance, a fun one set at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  The heroine, Georgia Delaney, is an artist in love (reluctantly) with a lawyer whose goal is to transform the Torpedo Factory into a box store. Several murders and accusations later, all is resolved in a satisfyingly dramatic fashion. Here is a rough blurb:

Waiting out the rain, Georgia Delaney takes stock of her widowhood and the handsome man standing in the door to the bar.  Little does she know she will meet that man again and again under both passionate and terrifying circumstances.

Hugh Brody waits for his date, too conscious of the beautiful woman sitting by the door. Little does he know that she will hate him for trying to destroy her beloved art center, and even suspect him of murder. Nor that she will be drawn inevitably into his arms.

Little do either of them suspect they will be embroiled in not one, but two murders, in which the fate of the Torpedo Factory, an art center housed in an old munitions factory on the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria, will be decided.




Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?

I love British fiction, including the old murder mystery writers like Christie, Marsh and Allingham. Since I recently moved from my house of 25 years I have had to seriously downsize (from 3 floors of floor-to-ceiling books to 2 small bookscases). (Urp.)  On the upside I now have a Kindle!

 On my meager current shelves you’ll find some classic science fiction/fantasy (Tolkein, Adams, Azimov), piles of history and biography, and some hilarious novels of Christopher Buckley.  And of course my collection of Wizard of Oz books.  And cookbooks. Lots of cookbooks.

If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?

I can’t decide between these two, both movie characters, but perhaps our readers can: (1) Shirley Valentine because she broke free and found herself again; or  (2) Auntie Mame (the late great Rosalind Russell’s Mame) because she was willing to open her heart to any idea and embark on any adventure, wings unfurled.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Contacts: 

                     
Amazon Author Page:

All Romance E Books Author Page:


Book Information and Purchase Links:

Lost in His Arms, by M. S. Spencer
Published 2009 by Red Rose Publishing
eBook, 61,000 words, ISBN 978-1-60435-375-0
Contemporary Romance, Action/Adventure; M/F; 3 flames

Lost & Found, by M. S. Spencer
Published 2010 by Red Rose Publishing
eBook, 69,000 words, ISBN 978-1-60435-707-3
Contemporary Romance, Action/Adventure; M/F; 3 flames




COMING SOON:
Losers Keepers, July 27, 2011, from Secret Cravings Publishers, www.secretcravingspublishing.com

And

Triptych: Three’s Company, also from www.secretcravingspublishing.com

Sneak Peek into Lost in His Arms by M. S. Spencer
Published 2009 by Red Rose Publishing,
eBook, ISBN 978-1-60435-375-0
Contemporary Romance, Action/Adventure; 3 flames

In an era electric with possibility and peril Chloe Gray, political writer, and Michael Keller, CIA troubleshooter, meet under curiously conventional circumstances. Despite the instantaneous sparks, they both sense there is more between them than physical attraction. Chloe's professional detachment from the dramatic world events of the 1990s—a disintegrating USSR, Middle East peace talks, and Vietnam's reemergence on the world stage—dissolves as their love affair intensifies. Michael appears and disappears at unpredictable moments, leaving her limp and lovelorn. Is he using her or protecting her? In her quest for answers, she is yanked into the dangerous world of Michael's work—in Washington, DC, in France, and in Spain. Looking for safe harbor (for her emotions? or her body?), she submits to the advances of a dashing French diplomat. Will she embrace the luxury and comfort of Emile and his chateau or the romance of international intrigue with Michael? 
        
EXCERPT
Chloe pulled his arm closer.  "It is not just a cut.  It's a gash.  Look at all the blood you’ve dripped on my floor!  Come here."  She held his arm under the faucet and carefully washed the grit out of the wound.  "Now just stay there.  Press this paper towel against the cut.  I'll go get some Neosporin and a bandage."  She slipped up the stairs and through her bedroom to the bathroom.  As she came out with the supplies she stopped short.  He was sitting on her bed.
  "I thought I would save you a trip." He spoke diffidently.
  "Oh…that's…okay."  Chloe willed herself not to touch his thigh as she sat down on the bed next to him (too close?).  She applied the ointment and bandage, trying to keep her hands from trembling.  He must have noticed anyway, because he put his larger one over hers and gently squeezed.             
"Is the blood bothering you?"           
She hesitated, breathless.  He looked into her eyes, and before she knew it his arms went around her and she was kissing him.  No, he was kissing her.  She lost all sense of time and place and clung to his mouth as though she were drowning and it was a lifeboat.  She felt herself falling, landing on his chest.  He held her tightly, squeezing the life out of her.  Or was it her soul he was drawing into his own?  How could she tell him it was not his blood that was bothering her but her own, boiling up in waves of desire?  He let her go reluctantly, but she held onto his buttons, tearing them off.  She opened his shirt and buried her face in the soft black hairs of his chest.  His hands went to her arms and gently moved her off him to the side.  Slowly he undid her blouse, unhooked the bra and brushed each breast with his lips.  She lay back, her eyes unfocussed, waiting for the touch, living for the scent of his hair.  He looked up through his bangs and blasted her heart out with a glance of those azure eyes.           
"May we?"           
She did not need elaboration.  She nodded mutely. He kissed her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, and down her stomach.  A thousand butterflies fought to escape from her belly.  He pulled down her zipper and tugged at the skirt.  She still lay quietly, lost in pleasure.  It all seemed to pass in slow motion.  Everything felt perfect.  Then he stopped.  She opened her eyes.  "What?"           
His expression had altered.  He was glaring at her, his face only inches away from hers.  "What the Hell am I doing?  This is nuts!"  He sat up, facing away from her. She saw that she had taken his shirt off and his belt and zipper were undone.  For some inexplicable reason his shoes were neatly arranged at the foot of the bed.  She put a hand on his back.  He stood up abruptly. 
A sudden flash of panic hit her. He couldn't leave.  Not now.  






Book Blast and Giveaway: Fox Hounds by Lia Connor

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