Marvelous Monday Reads: Untangle Me
Hello, and welcome to this holiday edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Let’s warm up the last Monday before Christmas with the smouldering paranormal erotic romance Untangle Me by S.J. Maylee. This is what S.J. has to say about her book, its hero and the pleasure of little luxuries:
The hero of Untangle Me is a successful businessman. With all his wealth, extravagances are easy to come by. I believe luxuries don’t have to be costly or out of reach. Here are my top five inexpensive favorite things:
- Spritz of lavender water on my pillow. Certain smells can take my stress away. There’s nothing like my mom’s cooking or a fresh cup of coffee, but when I need to quiet my mind and breath deep, a simple spray of lavender can help my mind let go and relax.
- Chocolate. Any kind of sweet yummy chocolate is an indulgence. It doesn’t take long to enjoy a little morsel either, but they take me to a happier place.
- A snazzy drink. For me it will probably be a cup of coffee from my favorite local coffee joint. I make an excellent cup of coffee at home, but there’s something about going out and having it done for me that makes it better.
- Watch something funny. It doesn’t matter if it’s an old favorite or something new. Every week, I take the time to sit down, put my feet up, and laugh.
- Call a friend. I have several friends that live several states away. Although I might not have seen them this year, a few minutes on the phone will bring us right back together and will do wonders at stripping away my stress.
These are just a few of my favorites. One of them is Ivy’s favorite too. She’s the heroine in Untangle Me. You’ll have to read the story to find out which one and the heart breaking reason why she needs it. I wish I could talk about it more. I love this story and I hope you will too.
Ivy’s revenge on the people behind her family’s downward spiral is simple and it’s working. There’s no need to long for help from the wealthy business owners who turned their backs on her father. Ivy may be worn out, but she’s finding herself again after joining the local BDSM club.
Seth has it all. He has homes around the world and the little red speedster he dreamed of as a little boy, but none of the things he can buy satisfy him, not the socialites hanging on his arm or the submissives falling at his feet. Then, he hires Ivy to plan his next event.
Seth and Ivy enjoy each other’s company in and out of the planning stages for Seth’s charity event. Their playful bets lead them to a first date. When their secret kinks are revealed, the pair fall deep, but it’s not meant to last. Past hurts come back to haunt Ivy. Now, it’s time for Seth to use all he’s learned, regardless if he can win back the girl.
Story Excerpt
Where was Seth?
Once in the center of the dance floor she turned in a circle, looking every direction.
There.
From the center seat at the bar, Seth’s direct stare held her captive. A new song excited the crowd and cheers surrounded them, but neither of them paid it any attention.
His jacket and tie were gone, giving her a closer look at his all-male body. The top button on his white shirt was undone. She wanted to undo the rest and get a glimpse at what lay underneath. Round shoulders tapered to his waist. She bit her lip as she imagined his length.
He made no move to come to her, his elbow still rested on the bar. He was a man waiting for the world to come to him.
Not the world. Her.
The comfortable confidence and the heat shining in his eyes turned her on. She swayed her hips to the hypnotic beat. Her hands felt their way up her thighs, around her hips, and an inch past her waist, he got up and walked towards her.
In no time, his feet stepped in between hers and together they rocked to the music. The drums and base from the band pushed a rhythm into her body, driving her desire. Their fingers interlaced. She snuggled closer and breathed in his clean musky scent.
She wanted to touch him, but he kept a hold on her hands. He pushed them both behind her, causing her back to arch and her breasts to press deliciously into his hard body. Heat rolled through her. She let her head fall back, exposing her neck.
His lips brushed across her collarbone. They continued to rock back and forth, their hips swaying and rubbing together. He took her wrists in one hand and his other stroked down her neck, over her shoulder, caressed the side of her breast, and around her waist to land on her butt. He squeezed her ass and pressed her into the hard ridge of his cock. She lowered her chin and moaned as she took in his expression filled with raw desire. A slow devilish smile lit his features and sent a tremble through her.
The song ended and another began while they continued their dance. He let go of her hands and she wrapped them around his neck. Both of his hands molded her ass. She nuzzled his neck, taking a nibble and a few kisses as she breathed him in. She wanted more.
Lots more.
She made her way closer to his mouth. Before she stole a kiss, she looked into his eyes. His brown eyes had darkened to the color of night, matching his hair. She sucked on her lower lip.
“You know what you’re doing, right?” he asked.
“I know I want you.”
“The Masters work the back rooms on club nights. But we can stay on the dance floor all night, if you want.”
“You’re talking about the one on one rooms?” She sucked in a breath.
“I don’t think this crowd is prepared to see what I want to do to you.”
“Can we go back there? I want to go back there.” She looked directly into his eyes.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About S.J. Maylee
S.J. Maylee fell in love with storytelling at a young age and with it came a deep-seated desire for everyone to find their happily ever after. She’s finding the happy endings for her characters one steamy story at a time.
When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her caring for her garden, laughing with her two young sons, or dancing to her husband’s music. She’s a PMP (Project Management Professional), Nia instructor, and coffee addict.
As a writer she has a tendency to break hearts, but she always glues them back together.
Where to find S.J. Maylee
So, it’s December…wait. it’s DECEMBER?
Aw, crap. What with the plague knocking out most of November and then getting sucked into the Plushie-Making Hellmouth (one more to do and then I’m finally free, and dear Lord I have GOT to learn how to say no), I don’t have a lot of time to finish Two to Tango and Breaker Zone before the end of the year, but I’m going to do my damnedest to get them finished and out.
In the meantime, since I apparently like pain, I was thinking of doing a Christmas free read about Paul, Rory and Tim, my menage from Vanilla-Free Christmas: Manlove Edition and “Tied with a Bow.” Well, it is their first anniversary as a triad, and I’m sure I could get them into some entertaining trouble if I put my mind to it, plus I’m wondering how Amira is doing and if Paul’s hired any new staff for the bookstore during the Christmas rush. If this is something that would appeal to you, let me know downstairs in the comments and I’ll see about getting it cranked out this weekend.
Speaking of writing, as you may know (Bob), Breaker Zone will feature a pair of mermen as major characters. In fact, the Christmas ornaments at right are my present to myself this year to celebrate Aidan and Liam (I know that technically Nick is a human, but I couldn’t pass up the doctor merman), so, yeah, I’m rather fond of fishy hunks at the moment. That being the case, I would like to tell you all about a very nifty Kickstarter project called Myth as Object by sculptor Cameron Stalheim. This is what he has to say about it:
This project aims to realize a monumental work of sculpture for my MFA graduating thesis at the Maryland Institute College of Art. I will be creating a massive, thirty-foot long merman. I have enlisted adult film star Colby Keller to model for the life cast that will become the base for the sculpture. Using skin-safe silicone, a three-dimensional replica of Colby’s body will be made and cast into plastic. The cast will then be transformed into a merman, lying serpentine in the middle of the gallery floor.
Stemming from my experience as a gay male from the Midwest and transitioning into the gay culture of the east coast, this sculpture, the first in a new series of work, questions the relationship between fantasy, reality and the objectification that happens in between.
We Camerons have to stick together, and Mr. Stalheim is only a measly $170 short of making his goal, so if you have a few extra shekels in your pocket I urge you to consider donating. It’s going to be a gorgeous sculpture (unsurprising, considering that the brilliant and delightful Colby Keller is the model), plus you’ll become a patron of the arts, which is always nice.
Mid Week Tease: A Boon by Moonlight
Happy Hump Day! Let’s celebrate it with a Mid Week Tease, courtesy of the lovely and talented Sandra Bunino. This week, I’ll be sharing a teaser from my Romance on the Go story A Boon by Moonlight, which has been nominated for a Evernight Reader’s Choice award this year in Best of Category: Erotic. So if you like Zach and Jerrek, please do go vote for them here!
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Ex-Marine Zach Mayhew is willing to do anything for his dying grandmother, even find a fairy ring and beg that she be allowed to spend her last days in Faerie. But when a gorgeous Sidhe noble demands a night in his bed in return, Zach learns that a boon asked by moonlight can have unexpected consequences for his heart.
###
“I swear to Danu,” Jerrek huffed, “I’m going to wake the Sleeping King himself if you don’t get up here and fuck me.”
“All right, fine.” Zach crawled back up his body, only pausing long enough to give the sidhe a sizzling kiss before flopping to the side and rooting around in his nightstand.
He finally fished out the small plastic bottle of lube and a condom, when he noticed Jerrek’s frown. “What’s wrong?”
“What are those?” the sidhe asked, nodding at the items in his hand.
Zach blinked at the question. And then a horrible thought occurred to him. “You — look, you do use some kind of lubrication when you fuck a guy, right?”
“Of course,” Jerrek snorted. “I’m not a barbarian. I always use saliva, or sometimes oil if it’s handy.”
“Oh, my God.” Safe sex lectures tumbled through Zach’s mind, and he shook his head. “Welcome to the 21st Century,” he said, clicking open the top and squirting out a healthy dollop onto his fingers. “I think you’re going to like this.”
Nudging the sidhe’s leg over his hip, he reached down and massaged the lube into Jerrek’s rim, gently pressing. The muscle twitched, then let in his fingertip.
The sidhe’s irritation drained away, and he wriggled. “Oooooh. That’s much better than oil,” he gasped.
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Slowly, Zach added another finger, and then a third, working Jerrek open and driving the tall sidhe out of his mind in the process. When Jerrek started panting loudly, he pulled his fingers out and fumbled for the condom packet. Ripping open the foil, he rolled on the latex, adding more lube before scrambling between the sidhe’s splayed thighs. “Is this position good for you?”
In response, Jerrek hitched his hips up, wrapping long legs around Zach’s waist. “What do you think?” he gasped.
“Got it.” Angling his pelvis, Zach pressed against the slick rim, feeling the loosened muscle stretch around the head of his cock. And then he was in an intensely tight, hot squeeze that made him want to roll his eyes back in his head from sheer pleasure. Despite his brain screaming at him to bottom out in the sidhe’s body, he forced himself to pause, trying to give the other man a chance to get used to him.
Jerrek had other ideas, and tried to thrust his hips up. “Gods, what are you waiting for?” he demanded.
“For you to loosen up, goddamn it,” Zach said through gritted teeth. “If I start moving now, I’m going to hurt you. Push back against me, from inside, and take a deep breath.”
The sidhe muttered under his breath but obeyed. The clamping sensation around Zach’s cock loosened a bit. “When was the last time you bottomed, anyway?” he asked.
“Decades, possibly centuries,” Jerrek panted, licking his lips. “I’m starting to think—ah!—such a long interval might have been—hah!—a mistake.”
“You think?” Zach held himself up, trying not to think of the incredible heat and tightness of Jerrek’s body around him. “Just try to relax, okay?”
Almost infinitesimally, the sidhe’s muscles eased, and Jerrek began to rock back and forth, eyes closed as he concentrated. Finally, he was sliding freely on Zach’s shaft. “I — yes, I think you can try moving now,” he said shakily.
“Okay.” Zach tried a short, shallow thrust, watching Jerrek for any signs of pain. The sidhe’s eyes flew open and his face lit up in surprised pleasure.
All right, then. He started a slow, easy pace, letting Jerrek get reacquainted with the sensation of having another man inside him. Fucking the tall, handsome sidhe wasn’t a hardship at all. He loved the heat and the tight flutter of Jerrek’s inner muscles, massaging his cock on every stroke. And when he leaned down and claimed Jerrek’s mouth, the sidhe eagerly opened to him, tasting like sunshine and spring and sex.
###
A Boon by Moonlight is available from the following retailers:
Evernight / Amazon / All Romance eBooks / Bookstrand
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Mid Week Tease: A Boon by Moonlight
Happy Hump Day! Let’s celebrate it with a Mid Week Tease, courtesy of the lovely and talented Sandra Bunino. This week, I’ll be sharing a teaser from my Romance on the Go story A Boon by Moonlight, which has been nominated for a Evernight Reader’s Choice award this year in Best of Category: Erotic. So if you like Zach and Jerrek, please do go vote for them here!
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Ex-Marine Zach Mayhew is willing to do anything for his dying grandmother, even find a fairy ring and beg that she be allowed to spend her last days in Faerie. But when a gorgeous Sidhe noble demands a night in his bed in return, Zach learns that a boon asked by moonlight can have unexpected consequences for his heart.
###
“I’ve never had anyone talk back to me the way you do,” Jerrek breathed. “It’s really very refreshing.”
Zach grunted at that, focusing on what was in his hand. Skin so soft it almost didn’t register against his fingertips, and beneath that hardness and a heat that pulsed against his palm. He stroked up, letting his thumb brush across the tip, and felt a bead of wetness there. “I think you like it,” he murmured. “You need someone who isn’t going to stand still for your shit.”
“I would hardly call it—” Jerrek’s complaint was cut off as Zach kissed him again, luring his tongue out and sucking on it. Jerrek moaned into his mouth, then again as he pulled away, laying a trail of open-mouthed kisses along the sidhe’s jaw and down his neck. “Oh, that’s nice. Don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Zach laid a kiss in the notch of his throat, then down his sternum, using his tongue to outline the firm pad of each pectoral. The sidhe tasted like salt, green growing things, and sunshine. Like spring.
With a happy sigh, Zach took one dusky pink nipple in his mouth and sucked until it pebbled up against his tongue. He kept up his teasing until he felt Jerrek move restlessly under him, then gently bit down. A sharp gasp made him smile. He turned his attention to the other nipple, his fingers playing with the abandoned nub.
“Evil man,” Jerrek moaned, running his fingers through Zach’s short hair. “You evil, wicked man, you.”
“And you love it.” Zach brushed his lips along the central crease of Jerrek’s abs, flicking his tongue into the little divot there.
“AH!” Jerrek flinched away, cackling. “No! Ticklish!”
“Evil man, remember?” But Zach stopped, satisfied with having made the sidhe giggle like a six-year-old girl. Instead, he focused on kissing the pale skin that arrowed down toward the other man’s groin.
An utterly smooth, hairless groin. He couldn’t help but notice that the area around Jerrek’s now-erect cock was absolutely bare, with no evidence whatsoever that hair had ever grown there.
He glanced up at the sidhe, who was watching him with merry eyes. “Okay, I’m guessing your people don’t have body hair?” he asked.
“Mm, not as such. Why?”
“Just curious. You didn’t strike me as someone who goes in for Brazilians.” He shrugged. “It does make certain things easier.”
“Such as?”
In answer, Zach slid down and ran the flat of his tongue along the seam of Jerrek’s heavy sac and up the underside of his shaft. Jerrek let out a wordless noise somewhere between a moan and a gasp, and Zach grinned. “No hairballs. Sweet.”
###
A Boon by Moonlight is available from the following retailers:
Evernight / Amazon / All Romance eBooks / Bookstrand
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Bad News, Good News, and a Request
The bad news — after returning from our absolutely delightful 20th anniversary cruise at the beginning of the month, Ramón and I were felled (almost as soon as we exited the airport) with bronchitis, which has lingered ever so delightfully for the past two weeks. Feh. I’ve done my best to get some work done during this time, but to be honest trying to write when all you want to do is cough up your lungs (non-medicated) or stare at the wall (medicated) is a bit of a challenge. That being said, the Muse seems to be poking at me again, so I should get back on the horse by tomorrow or so.
The good news and the request — I just found out that A Boon by Moonlight is a finalist in the First Annual Evernight Reader’s Choice Award for Best of Category: Erotic. Woohoo! My deepest thanks go out to everyone who nominated it — y’all are the best! Now you want it to win, just head over here and vote. No registration or other flummery is required.
And with that, I shall return to my WriterCave and see what I can come up with next.
So, yes, I’m back
And I must apologize for the radio silence, but as it turned out Ramón decided to sweep me away on a Disney cruise for seven days to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary (why, yes, I’m old).
And yes, I know — an erotic romance writer on board a Disney ship. It is to laugh. Except that it wasn’t. Disney cruises cater just as much to non-parental adults as they do to families, and we had an absolute ball on the cruise. Plus I wound up being seated at dinner with ANOTHER writer who is currently working on an erotic romance novel (hi, K!), and everywhere I turned it seemed that there were erotic romance readers and fans.
For example, I decided to pamper myself and get a facial (no, not that kind, get your mind out of the gutter, that’s my spot) at the on-board spa. As it turned out, my aesthetician (hi, Cheryl!) was a huge FSoG fan and wanted a list of my books when she found out I wrote erom. She mourned the fact that she hadn’t brought her copies of the Grey saga on the ship with her, so while I was in Key West I hunted down a set and bought them for her because I gotta be honest, this woman worked miracles on my crocodile-like skin. I later found out that she was sharing them with the massage therapist who did my chair massage (hi, Emily!).
Which just goes to show that smut is the gift that keeps on giving.
So, yeah, Disney cruises are not just for kids. I had a wonderful seven days at sea, went snorkeling (research for Olympic Cove, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it), visited Nassau and bought a ridiculously expensive but very pretty pendant, enjoyed the musical stylings of an utterly charming Canadian pianist (hi, Tim!), worked on Two to Tango and Breaker Zone while I was out there, and started my NaNoWriMo project which is finishing Behind the Iron Cross. My friend Michelle said, “NaNoWriMo while still on vacation? That’s hardcore.” I explained that I had to raise the money for the next cruise somehow. I also promised that I’d dedicate a book to Cheryl for her masterful work, and I may well just put her, Emily, Tim, and a few other people into Olympic Cove #4. Already came up with a great sequence set on a cruise ship, heh, heh, heh…
Mid Week Tease: Behind the Iron Cross
Happy Hump Day! Let’s celebrate it with a Mid Week Tease, courtesy of the lovely and talented Sandra Bunino. This week, I’ll be sharing another teaser from my WIP Behind the Iron Cross.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
###
It took a few stops and some money exchanging hands, but they were finally led to the hallway deep in the bowels in the club that housed the performers’ dressing rooms. A dancer wearing strategically placed straps and nothing else pointed out the door at the very end of the hallway as the Siren’s dressing room. Kat led them down to it, knocking on the green-painted wood.
One of the tall, muscular dancers answered. His grey eyes swept over Kat’s fur coat and jewels, and he gave her a short, ironic bow. “Good evening, madam,” he said in a smooth baritone.
Kat nodded graciously. “Is Signorina Manente seeing visitors tonight?”
He gave Sam and Friedrich an evaluating look, followed by a slow smile. “For you and your companions, madam, she is.” He stepped back, swinging the dressing room door open and letting them in.
Kat noted the unusual size of the room; it was obvious the Siren was one of the more valued performers at the Eldorado. The usual smells of an artiste’s dressing room hung in the air — perfume, face paint, powder, old sweat, and dust. In addition, there was a faint, medicinal undertone that she assumed was some sort of intoxicant. All the performers used them — gossip had it that Anita Berber’s favorite indulgence was to mix ether and chloroform, then swirl the petals of a white rose in the brew and nibble off the frozen petals.
“Signorina,” the grey-eyed dancer announced. “You have some intriguing visitors.”
At the other end of the room, the Siren herself sat in a lushly upholstered chair, head tipped back. She still wore her heavy stage makeup, but was dressed now in a violet silk kimono and nothing else. She hadn’t bothered to fasten the little belt, and an expanse of smooth ivory skin was visible from her collarbones to just below her navel. Another of the dancers, still in costume, stood behind her and carefully brushed her long, wavy hair, while the third dancer attended to her discarded mermaid finery.
The woman raised her head, studying Kat, then the men behind her. “Intriguing,” she said in a throaty purr. “Oh, yes. Benvenuto, signora.”
“Benvenuto, Signorina Manente,” Kat said with a nod. “I hope we’re not interrupting. We just wanted to come back and congratulate you on your show — your voice is astounding.”
The Siren gave her a slow, languorous smile. “Grazie. I trained in Naples, you know. Six years at the conservatorio there.” She rolled her head in time to the dancer’s brush strokes. “They wanted me to sing in church. I wanted more. And here I am!”
Kat glanced around the dressing room, crammed as it was with bouquets, souvenirs, and bottles of champagne and cognac. It was a huge improvement on some stuffy church choir. “Naples — but your last name is Sicilian, yes?”
Manente gave a languorous shrug. “Mama was German, Papa was Sicilian. I am, how you say, internationale.” She sat up in the chair, dismissing her dancer/servant with a wave. “Mattina, fetch our guests chairs. Pomeriggio, cognac and glasses.”
“At once, signorina.” The two dancers moved to obey as the third dropped to the floor at the chanteuse’s feet, resting his head against her knee. He turned an angelic face up to her, seeming to plead for something.
She stroked his cheek, running one slim finger around the cup of his ear, and he shivered. “Soon, Notte,” she crooned. “I promise.”
He sighed in acceptance, pushing his auburn curls into her hand.
“Mattina, Pomeriggio, Notte,” Kat said, half to herself. “Morning, noon, and night.”
Manente laughed. “Si! You speak the beautiful language, signora.”
“Only a little bit, I’m afraid. And it’s signorina.” Kat nodded at Sam. “My fiancé.”
“Ah.” The chanteuse’s knowing eyes studied Sam. “Congratulations — he is a handsome man. Too dark for me, alas.”
“Yes, I noticed you prefer redheads. All genuine, I assume?”
With a sly smile, the Siren snapped her fingers. Obediently, Mattina put down the chairs he carried and untied the knot at his shoulder, letting his chiton drop to the floor. He was nude underneath, and posed so that they could see his lean, muscular body, slightly sheened with sweat, and the soft puff of deep auburn curls nestled around a very impressive cock.
“All of my men are redheads — I insist on it.” Manente said. “I’ve had blonds and brunets, of course,” she nodded at Sam and Friedrich, “and even the occasional silver fox when I took a fancy to one. But in the end I prefer my own kind — I’ve found that they’re much more delicious and inventive.”
Once they were all seated and the cognac poured, the Siren reclined in her chair like the throne it was, effortlessly claiming the center of attention. “You’re on the right track, darling, but you need another man,” she chided. “Every woman should have three men — one for mornings, one for afternoons, and one for evenings. That way, you’re never bored.”
“I see your point, but I’m rather busy with the ones I have now,” Kat said, tossing Sam and von Bader a teasing look. Sam grinned back, while the German simply grimaced. “Adding another might upset the balance of things.”
“Pah. That is easy enough to fix.” The chanteuse leaned forward, a wicked twinkle in her blue eyes. “You simply strap on a cock and take them from behind like a woman, as I do. It does wonders for any problems of attitude.”
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Marvelous Monday Reads: Night of the Horse
Welcome to Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Enjoy an entirely pumpkin spice-free Marvelous Monday Read with the delightful new paranormal erotic romance Night of the Horse by Elodie Parkes. This is what Elodie has to say about her book:
Hi Nicola,
Thank you for inviting me here to talk about my hot new Evernight release, ‘Night of the Horse.’
The inspiration for the book came from seeing a paddock with more than thirty horses grazing in it. I have to travel sometimes with my job, and there’s a particular route I need to take to get to one part of the county. It takes me through beautiful countryside and past what I believe is the back of a horse stud. The first time I saw the paddock full of horses they were dotted about grazing. It’s a massive grassy area that slopes upwards to a hedgerow. I slowed my Jeep right down to look at the horses, but another vehicle suddenly came along on the country road and I had to drive on. On my way back, I hoped to see the horse again, but they were gone.
When I was asked to go that way again for work, I took my camera, hoping to photograph the horses, because they are all different colors and sizes, and very lovely.
The paddock was full of them again and they were running, galloping around and around as if they were in some mysterious race only they knew about. I found a place to take my Jeep off the road and walked back to photograph them. I’d only taken a few minutes to do it, but when I reached the paddock where the fence allowed access, only two horses were left, a white one with a long flowing mane and a tall glossy black one. Who knows where the others had gone, maybe over the hill through a gap in hedgerow I couldn’t see.
I stood by the fence and both horses walked down to me. I had climbed onto the bottom wooden bar of the fence and balanced there. The black one came right away up to me and nudged my shoulder. Then the white one pushed his head away turned back to me and nodded. I think they were used to someone coming along with apples or carrots, but it was funny and so nice to have those two gorgeous animals communicate with me like that.
On my way back home after work the paddock was empty. That night I started writing, ‘Night of the Horse.’
A lonely young woman signs up for dance lessons. Two gorgeous guys find her as fascinating as she finds them. On the country road where she lives, she hears horses in the night, and opens her bedroom window to watch them gallop. They’re beautiful, a silver white horse and tall black horse…they turn to stare at her. Had they heard and understood when she sighed over them?
Story Excerpt
She gazed at Jude. When he opened his arms to her, she went into them. He held her close, a hand in her hair and an arm around her waist, cradling her against his chest. She raised her head, and Jude bent his, until his lips were so close to hers it was agony as she craved his kiss.
“Kiss me,” she whispered, unable to stand the wait.
Jude kissed her. A wave of desire started in her stomach and reached to between her legs, where she pulsed with need. He kissed her and she clung to him, kissing him back eagerly. Jude held her head and moved his face against hers as they caught their breath. His eyelashes brushed her cheek.
“Do you want more?” His voice was velvet, dark and enticing.
Where to Buy
Evernight
Amazon
Amazon UK
All Romance eBooks
BookStrand
About Elodie Parkes
Elodie Parkes is a British author writing romance, erotic, contemporary, and often with a twist of mystery, paranormal or suspense. Her books are always steamy, cool stories and hot love scenes.
Elodie lives in Canterbury with her two dogs. She works in an antique shop by day and writes at night, loving the cloak of silent, darkness that descends on the rural countryside around her home.
Elodie writes for, Hot Ink Press, Moon Rose Publishing, Eternal Press, and Evernight.
She has also released titles as an individual indie author.
Where to find Elodie Parkes
Blog
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Facebook
Twitter
Google +
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Amazon USA
Amazon UK
Smashwords
KOBO
SONY
Barnes and Noble
All Romance eBooks
Elodie is giving away five copies of the book Night of the Horse. Enter the draw via the Rafflecopter with just a comment on the blog.
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Jewel Quinlan
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to Jewel Quinlan, whose hot new erotic romance Rock Star Ex is now available from Evernight Publishing and other retailers of fine erotic romance.
Hi Nicola! Thanks for having me on your blog J and hello to your readers!
Wow, Nicola, you’ve been a busy girl. So impressed by all the work you have completed and all that you have in progress. I LOL’d at the title at the top of your Works in Progress page “Sleep? What means this word, sleep?” I can totally identify.
Where Jewel Gets Her Writing Inspiration
I think all kinds of artists are asked this question and I’ll have to listen more carefully next time I hear someone answer it. For me, inspiration seems to be coming from everywhere. I’m lucky, I suppose, because I never seem to lack for ideas. It’s just the finishing-the-story aspect that I used to struggle with until this year. Anyway, I continue to be surprised by the sources of inspiration. One time I went to see a movie and, during the previews, they showed clips of fireworks in trailer. From that I had an awesome flash of an idea for a post-apocalyptic story I’ve been dying to write. Just from that, I had a fabulous notion on how to upheave the normal story world. I immediately pulled my cell phone out and furiously typed notes in the dark theatre while people nearby glared at me. Jeez! Don’t they know inspiration striking when they see it? LOL.
Another time I was on a long drive through the desert and a whole bunch of super plot points for a story struck me. Luckily I had a note pad and pen handy so I could scribble notes in my lap as I drove. (Don’t ever do this, it’s very dangerous) Thankfully there were only the tumbleweeds around that day who could have been victims of my distracted driving. From then on I have been practicing using the dictation feature of my iPhone. However, the sound of my own voice is so distracting, it’s taking some time to get used to it. But then, I had a hard time getting use to my laptop as well. The sound of typing and a blank white screen is enough to wipe any writer’s mind clean, in my opinion.
I also had a flash of inspiration while re-watching Bedazzled for the hundredth time. I was never inspired while watching it any of the other 99 times, why now? But you learn not to question it. Whenever I have an idea I immediately write it down somewhere; leftover tissue, napkin, bubblegum wrapper, whatever. The important thing is that I don’t leave it to my shoddy memory. Inspiration is as flighty as a feather in a hurricane. It’s cut from the same cloth as dreams. So, when it comes into view, you have to latch tightly onto it.
For me inspiration comes from continuing to living a fabulous life and having great new experiences while exploring this awesome world. Yeah, except for the sleep deprivation aspect, writers have it pretty good.
Now, on to details of Rock Star Ex which is currently available…
Social media consultant Eve Everett is less than thrilled when her business partner hooks them up with a job covering celebrity rock band Arsenal. Their new lead singer, Devon Quinn, is the man who broke her heart five years ago. But there’s no way Eve can turn down the assignment. It’s the big break their fledgling company needs.
To boost Arsenal’s social media presence the band’s manager wants intimate coverage, especially of Devon, which means traveling with the band in their tour bus while they promote their new album. It’s not long before Devon tries to rehash the past but Eve would rather leave it buried where it is.
When Eve is asked to be part of a music video, she decides it’s a great opportunity to reap some revenge by showing Devon what he’s missing. But soon she’s the one losing control. Will Devon once again claim her heart as well as her body?
Story Excerpt
Excerpt:
“It’s good to see you again, Eve,” he said softly so the others wouldn’t pick up on it. He knew she wouldn’t want to hear it. It couldn’t be helped, but it just had to be said.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide.
“That’s what I wanted to say the other night, but you didn’t give me a chance.”
Big mistake.
Her eyes narrowed. “I didn’t give you a chance? Then I’d say we’re even.”
“Look, Eve, things didn’t happen the way you’re thinking. It wasn’t like that.” He set the bottom of Tommy’s guitar on the floor, his hand on the neck, and leaned closer in to talk to her.
“The way I’m thinking?” she repeated. Standing up straight, she stuck one foot out to the side and said in a low hiss, “Look, Devon, the facts are the facts. You left and I never heard from you again. Not once. It has nothing to do with the way I’m thinking.”
He tensed. It was happening again. She was misunderstanding him. “No, look, that’s not what I mean, okay?”
“Oh, then what do you mean?” She cocked her head at him and waited.
“It’s…it was hard on the road, to keep in touch with anyone, for a lot of reasons. You don’t know what it was like. I mean we were bouncing around from place to place, driving for long periods of time and then having to work until really late at night. It was pretty much impossible to communicate. Besides, you had no answering machine back then, remember?”
She visibly puffed up. “I see, so it’s my fault you couldn’t communicate with me?”
“I’m not saying it was anyone’s fault, Eve. Just that there was no way to call.” He felt relieved. He had finally been able to tell her, to explain. Maybe now she would understand. Well, when she calmed down at least.
“And you couldn’t write a letter?” She spoke quietly but the words dripped acid.
She had him there. Even though she was several inches shorter he suddenly felt very small. He looked down and stuck a hand in his pocket, not knowing what to say. That was an even more complicated topic.
Her cold eyes were on him. The silence stretched on for another moment. Before he could gather any other words to try to explain she turned and headed back up front, her ponytail slapping him in the face as she went.
Where To Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Bookstrand
All Romance eBooks
Goodreads
About Jewel Quinlan
From a young age, Jewel Quinlan had an abundant imagination and strong desire to write novels. She particularly enjoys writing paranormal and fantasy romance. An avid traveler, she has visited fifteen countries so far (which she enjoys using as settings in her novels) and has plans to see more of the world. She has a particular fondness for Bavaria and studies the German language as one of her hobbies. During the day, she works as a pharmaceutical sales representative and, at night, she writes romance. She currently lives in Orange County, California with her two dogs; Shimmer and Penny.
For more information visit www.jewelquinlan.com, or you can follow her on Facebook, and Twitter.
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Fabulous Friday Reads: Goddess of Legend
Welcome to the weekend, and let’s kick it off with the fabulous new fantasy erotic romance Goddess of Legend from Erin Ashley Tanner, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. As you know (Bob), I’m a big fan of Greek gods, so when I saw this I knew it was going to be a good one. Here’s a little background from Erin:
I have always been a fan of Greek mythology, particularly the myth of Hades and Persephone, but what really spurred me to write Goddess of Legend was reading Aimee’ Carter’s Goddess Legacy series. She did such an amazing job bringing the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone up to date while not being afraid to push boundaries and do something different. After reading the series I wanted to take a stab at modernizing the Greek myths as well. Since I’ve always believed Hades got a bad rap so to speak, I decided to do my best to finally give him a happily ever after. From that desire, Goddess of Legend was born.
Cameryn Kane is a Private Investigator with a spirit problem. She can talk to spirits, solve any homicide and has no love life. When an unexpected death sends her world into a tailspin, Cameryn finds comfort in the arms of a talk, dark and handsome stranger, Hades, God of the Underworld.
When Hades promises to bring her loved one back from the dead if she allows him the chance to woo her for six months in the dark Underworld, Cameryn readily agrees. While fighting her growing feelings for Hades, Cameryn must deal with the return of his ex-wife, Persephone, who is determined to get her husband back.
Cameryn will soon experience love and betrayal while discovering powers she never knew she had. Along the way she will also learn that she is at the center of a prophecy that could cost her, her life, while contending with the emergence of a mother who will stop at nothing to see her destroyed.
Story Excerpt
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said lazily.
“I think we should talk,” she said cutting right to the chase.
“Okay. I’m all ears.”
“What happened between us was extraordinary. You made me feel like I was special, and I will always treasure that.”
“But?” H asked, prodding.
“I’m a mess right now. My sister was killed in an accident yesterday. That’s why I was at the bar last night. It’s also why I brought you home with me. I wanted to forget about my pain.”
“I can sense your heartache. I would never want to do anything to add to it.”
“You’re not. You’ve been so sweet. Any other guy would’ve probably run away as fast as he could if he woke up next to a hysterical female.”
“I’m not like most guys. What is it, Cameryn? Tell me.”
“I think it’s best if we don’t see each other again.”
“I see.”
“I’m not trying to hurt you. It’s just I have a lot to deal with right now, and I can’t devote myself to a relationship. I’m sorry.”
“What if I want a relationship with you?” he asked quietly.
“I can’t, H.”
“If you weren’t grieving for your sister would you consider giving us a chance?”
“I’m not sure,” she said honestly.
“You’d give anything to have your sister back, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I would. Anything. But death is final,” Cameryn said climbing out bed and grabbing her robe.
“No, it isn’t. You can have your sister back.”
“Are you out of your mind? Deena’s dead, and nothing can bring her back,” Cameryn said as tears started rolling down her face.
“I can.”
“You can’t. Nobody can. Just go … please.”
“Not until you listen to me,” he said getting out of bed and walking over to her.
Cameryn tried to ignore his nakedness as he stood in front of her.
“I know this is going to be hard for you to believe, but I’m not really human. I’m Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, and I can give you back your sister,” he said softly touching her face.
Cameryn laughed. A deep bellyaching laugh. He was out of his mind. Trust her to pick up a crazy one night stand. What a waste.
“Listen, H, or whoever the hell you are, I’m not sure if you bumped your head or something, but clearly you have some mental issues. I really think you should go now.”
“Cameryn, I can assure you that I’m in complete control of my mental faculties, and I’m more than willing to prove it you,” he said smiling.
“Go ahead. Knock yourself out,” Cameryn said now fully convinced her dream lover was certifiable.
She crossed her arms and watched as he closed his eyes. He seemed to be concentrating hard. Cameryn couldn’t stop the gasp that came from her throat as she watched his naked body become magically swathed in black robes. She blinked rapidly, just to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. Nope. He was still standing in front of her wearing dark black robes. She started to shake when she saw a bright blue light surround him. When he opened his eyes and stared at her, she could see flames dancing in his eyes.
“Okay. You’re a magician, but you’re going to have to do better than that,” Cameryn said brazenly refusing to believe what she was seeing.
“Very well,” he said in a voice that now boomed.
Since when had his voice boomed? Cameryn screamed as he disappeared right before her eyes. When he reappeared in front of her a moment later, black clouds swirled around him. What had she gotten herself into?
“What are you?”
“I’m Hades, God of the Underworld.”
“You mean as in Greek god Hades? No. That stuff is only a bunch of myths.”
“And yet I stand before you now. You of all people should know that everything is not as it always appears, Cameryn.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You can talk to the dead. You find their spirits that cry out for rest.”
“How do you know about that?”
“I know a lot about you,” he said staring at her intently.
“What do you want?”
“A chance.”
“A chance for what?”
“To woo you. Come to the Underworld with me.”
“Huh?” Cameryn asked too dumbfounded to believe what she was hearing.
“Come to the Underworld with me. Give me six months to show you that I can love you the way that you deserve. I want to make you immortal and have you rule at my side as my wife and queen for all eternity.”
He wanted her to be his wife! She had to be hallucinating. Maybe he’d drugged her last night when she wasn’t paying attention.
“If I agree to this, what happens at the end of six months?”
“Your sister will be returned to life, regardless of whether or not you decide to remain with me in the Underworld. It is my sincerest wish that during our time together you will come to love me as I already love you.”
“And if I stay with you, I’ll become immortal?”
“Yes. You will never grow old. You will never die. You will be eternally beautiful.”
“This is a lot to process. I don’t know what to say,” Cameryn said plopping down on her bed.
“I don’t expect you to make a decision right now. I’m a patient man. Take as much time as you need,” he said starting to fade away.
“Wait. How do I reach you?”
“Just call for me, and I will come. Farewell, beloved,” he said caressing her face.
And then he was gone.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About Erin Ashley Tanner
Erin Ashley Tanner is currently a graduate student in her last semester at Florida State University. When she is not being forced to read boring materials for class, she enjoys leisure reading in all genres, as well as writing until her fingers hurt. She dreams of building a career as a best-selling author.
Nicola Cameron Writes 