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Marvelous Monday Reads: Club Beam (Beyond Fairytales)
Yeah, yeah, I know — it’s Monday. Again. But all is not lost, as today we’re taking a look at Erzabet Biship’s gorgeous new book Club Beam, now available from Decadent Publishing and other purveyors of erotic romance. Take it away, Erzabet!
When I first contacted Decadent Publishing to inquire about their fairy tale line I was assigned a story called “The Beam.” I looked it up and found out it was about a wizard who is bested by a woman and he exacts his revenge. Whenever I encounter a new project like this, I have to sit down and think about what all the moving parts mean. In this case, how to turn a story like this into a modern romance that readers would find appealing. Since I tend to write urban fantasy slanted pieces, I immediately laser beamed in on the wizard and witch part. I mean, how cool is that to have a ready-made story ripe for the picking? I just had to add some modern twists. What would be more modern than a witchy karaoke event and fairy tale fetish night?
The process of writing for me is an organic one. It begins with a legal pad and a series of colorful sticky notes and a foam board. I start thinking about the chapters and what needs to happen to make the story move and there you go-plot points on sticky notes I can adjust as needed. It works too. Sydney had lots of thoughts on where she wanted to go and believe me, she is still in there talking. The second book in the Shadow World series is already writing itself (think dragon shifters and a psychic) and I can see the fireworks shaping up nicely.
Check out further adventures with Master Gideon and Sydney in Sci Spanks 2015, now available on Amazon. You might just get invited for a session behind the Red Door. Master Gideon has a paddle and he’s ready to play. There will be more where that came from, you can count on that…
I hope you will enjoy the introduction to my Shadow World series and return to Club Beam for many more adventures. I am happy to share that the audio book is now in the works.
In the Shadow World, nothing is as it seems.
Detective Sydney Marr is having a very bad day. Her boss is on the warpath, she’s being treated for a werewolf bite, and her current case has hit a dead end. When her friend Erika talks Syd into going with her to Club Beam, she jumps at the chance, even if it means spending an evening without her spell arsenal. A high-class vampire bar and fetish club, Club Beam is fantasy made real.
Club owner and Dom Gideon Raines spies the red-haired beauty and is transfixed. A fight against a skillful murderer brings war for fae and vampire alike. Sometimes when you play with monsters, the monsters play back.
Story Excerpt
“Once upon a time….” Erika sang and waggled her eyebrows. “Come on, Sydney. Live a little. This club is smoking hot, and you’ll love it.”
Sydney grumbled under her breath and watched the club-goers parade past, each dressed like a fairy-tale character. The Little Mermaid trounced by in a see-through, diaphanous gown revealing too much in the way of personal attributes. Sleeping Beauty sashayed down the sidewalk with a leash around the neck of her Prince Charming. A woman in a way-too-short Red Riding Hood outfit approached. Her arm was wrapped around a seductress dressed in wolf ears, a tail, and a skimpy thong-style bikini. Red carried a basket full of what looked like pink fuzzy handcuffs and a can of whipped cream, which she swung into Syd.
“Hey!”
The red-cloaked vixen sent her a wink and traipsed on by, joined by a near-pornographic version of the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. Any shorter and the skirt would show her naughty bits. Or maybe that was the plan.
Syd had just gotten off her day shift as a detective, and the last thing she wanted to do was be around more people. Especially people with more skin showing than on late-night cable shows. Her head hurt from the lights and the pulse of the music, and her stupid witch costume was pinching her toes. Erika’s scant fairy costume hugged all her curves, her breasts bursting from the bodice. The skirt barely covered her backside, and the strappy silver sandals showed off her silver-glitter nail polish.
The building loomed next to them. A giant warehouse-like structure, it was large enough to house all manner of mischief, and Syd was itching with the desire to get inside and find out just what was going on behind its doors. The sidewalk was flagged by trees lit up with twinkly white lights, adding an upscale ambiance to the area. What in the daylight looked like an industrial area gone to the dogs had been transformed into an attractive and well-attended venue.
She didn’t have the heart to tell Erika she’d been here once already today for the case she was working on, but the entrance had been sealed up tighter than a drum. Sydney’s recourse was to infiltrate Club Beam by night as a patron. Her sergeant, Debra, would kill her if she realized Syd had even considered going in without backup. So would her partner, James. Erika had asked her to come so she wouldn’t be alone, and, despite herself, Syd couldn’t resist. To catch a vampire, you had to go out at night, and Club Beam was the hot spot. After last month’s fuckup, she had to do this and do it right, even if it killed her. James was on medical leave, and it remained up to her to get this guy before someone else got killed or turned furry.
I will not think about becoming one of the terminally furry. It’s over. Move on. Take the pills the doctor gave you and freaking pray.
“Oh look. I think I see Snow White.” Erika stood on her tiptoes and craned her head along the huge expanse of line they still had to navigate to get inside.
Syd peered into the crowd and grimaced. Hairy legs. More makeup than a Mac commercial. “Nope. That was a guy in drag.”
Erika narrowed her eyes. “God, Syd. You’re the world’s biggest wet blanket ever.”
Sydney shifted her weight and moved another two steps toward the door as the line inched forward. “I told you, I’ve had a hard day. We had a homicide case come in, and I’ve been out beating the street. I want to go home and bury my head under my pillow. But, no. Out of the kindness of my heart, here I am standing in line at a vampire bar with a bunch of overgrown kids playing dress-up in fairy-tale fetish wear.”
Where to Buy
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
iBooks
Google Play
Kobo
About Erzabet Bishop
Erzabet Bishop is the author of Club Beam, Sigil Fire, Written on Skin, Tethered, Pomegranate, Temptation Resorts Jess and Marnie interactive choose your own adventure romances and more. She is a contributing author to The Big Book of Submission, Slave Girls, Hungry for More and many other anthologies. She is a winner of two 2015 Goldie Awards for her work in anthologies and an active member of the Romance Writers of America. She lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and is often playing at local bookstores.
Where to find Erzabet Bishop
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Bad Alpha @evernightpub #badalpha #eroticromance
Bad Alpha and Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition feature a select collection of stories with shifters so ruthless they will stop at nothing to protect their pack. These aren’t sugar-and-spice heroes. Our alphas are feared, inked, and don’t ask questions first. They take what they want, never give in to their enemies, and think love is for the weak—until they meet their mate. Are you ready to learn how to tame a savage heart?
Hey folks, Nicola here! I am extremely delighted to host both of Evernight Publishing’s newest anthologies today (and not just because I have a story in one of them). I asked some of the authors to tell me what inspired their stories about bad alphas and the mates who love them.
Doris O’Connor
From the minute the submission call for the Bad Alpha Anthology went up, I knew I would have to write something. I love shifters and bad boys. Combine the two…yes, I could not resist that, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when I woke up one morning with bear shifter Zayden growling in my ear.
He was a sought after assassin, and he came to me mid kill of his latest assignment. Cynical, deadly, this killer for hire has no time for tender feelings, let alone a mate, so when he finds out that the Alpha he’s been hired to kill, is his mate.
In his words…
Quinton Thorn was his fucking mate. The universe was having a great big laugh at his fucking expense. He’d come here to kill his mate. His bear roared at the mere thought, and Zayden shook his head. He could no more kill the man than he could have killed his own mother. He wasn’t a complete fucking animal, but the new tender feelings that had coursed through him when he’d shaken Quinton’s hand meant he felt like a fish out of water. He knew how to kill and fuck, but he had no idea what to do about these emotions.
Such a delicious conflict. What would Quinton do when he finds out that his mate is a killer?
L.D. Blakeley
When the call for submissions was announced for Bad Alpha: Manlove, I mulled it over for approximately 10 seconds before deciding, “Yep! It’s time to throw your hat into the horror/supernatural ring.” Later that evening, while picking out a movie to watch, my husband mentioned that the myth behind the 2001 French movie Le pacte des loups (Brotherhood of the Wolf) might be fun to somehow incorporate into a story. So off I went, down the Google rabbit hole. There is a ton of info out there with regard to the Beast of Gévaudan. And with so much actual fact mixed up nicely with the fiction, the idea became all that more appealing. My story, “Destined”, didn’t take long to work its way onto paper (especially with Joe Manganiello and Gaspard Ulliel taking shape in my head as Marick and Caleb, respectively!)
Where to Buy
Bad Alpha
Evernight | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand
Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition
Evernight | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand
Bad Alpha
“For Blood” by J.R. Gray
The only way to end the war and stop the bloodshed is to marry the enemy. Every fiber of Roman wants to hate Victoria, but the more he sees, the more he craves her. Can he fight their past demons to be with her?
“Destiny Realized” by Khloe Wren
Leonardo has been the clan’s alpha for 300 years. Ruling his people has always been his one and only priority. Until he, along with his brother and sister, stop at a broken down car near their home in the Flinders Ranges on the edge of Outback Australia. The woman they rescue turns both Leo and, his brother, Valentino’s lives upside down. A mate was the last thing Leo wanted, and everything Val had ever hoped for.
Felicia is on the run. Again. Her baby’s daddy broke her daughter’s arm the last time he caught up with them so she’s desperate to stay ahead of him. But her car breaks down and trouble finds her. A killer takes advantage of her failing vehicle and she fears all is lost for her and her little girl, until another car stops and she finds herself in a whole new world where she may just have found the future she’s always wanted but never dreamed she’d have.
“Exiled Alpha” by Amber Morgan
Rachel Jacobs is a wolf on a mission. To save her pack from destruction, she’s turning to the werewolf who nearly destroyed it once before. Arkady Gusev is everything her father ever warned her against – so why does she find him so irresistible?
Arkady Gusev isn’t looking for a pack or a woman. But when Rachel walks through his door, she throws down a challenge he can’t resist. Is this exiled alpha about to come home?
“Drakon’s Prize” by Moira Callahan
Being the Alpha of a misfit clan of Dragons comes with its share of troubles. When the supernatural Council comes to Drakon Blackwood with yet another false claim against his clan he knows it’s time to make someone pay. Preferably with their life.
Allegra Hanson doesn’t work for the Council, and yet she’s been roped into assisting them in their investigation into the Blackwood clan’s supposed activities. Against her better judgment she goes to the clan’s lands to do what she can. What she never planned on was her visceral reaction to the Alpha.
The Blackwood clan land is valuable. Not for its location, but for what lies beneath the earth’s surface. Many will do anything to get it, one will stop at nothing, and is willing to kill Drakon’s woman to get it. Allegra is his, and there’s no way Drakon will lose the most precious prize of all.
“Tiger’s Mate” by April Zyon
Streak politics, and differences in opinions forced Kurt Owens to choose his own path. While it may be outside of the law in many regards he sees it as ensuring justice for the true victims of crimes when the system fails them. It’s his way of seeing the guilty pay, and keeping his own inner beast in check with the violence, and blood it craves.
Everyone thinks having a super power would be great. Alexa Harold would beg to differ. She’s been cursed to see ghosts, the dead not yet having gone to their final resting place, or judgment, or wherever they belong. They track her down, and harass her until she’s ready to go mad. Learning early in life what she needs to avoid has been the only saving grace in keeping her sanity intact.
Kurt never thought he’d find his mate outside of the streak, or streak functions. While those of a supernatural inclination aren’t exactly rare, they have had to be careful and keep their population down. Alexa is the woman for him the only one he could ever want or need. And when her life is put in danger by his own past Kurt won’t stop until everyone understands to get to this tiger’s mate, they’ll have to get through him.
“Dark Heart” by Elyzabeth M. VaLey
Ten years ago, Daryl Jones lost his pack to a group of demon vampires. Since then, he not only lost his will to battle for good, his life has become a spiral of drinking, fighting and fucking anything in sight. In his opinion, a pretty perfect existence. Until, he meets the new SOA representative sent to convince him to go back to the lab. With mile long legs, a tight little ass and a smile to kill for, when she offers him a bargain, how can he possibly refuse?
Silvia Adams, has one mission: convince Daryl Jones to work for SOA again. The agency needs him to get back into the lab and help develop a serum to neutralize the growing number of vampires. She knew it wouldn’t be easy task, but with her job on the line, she’ll do anything it takes, including, bargaining with the shifter and surrendering to her deepest desires. Only problem is, she might have bartered for more than she can handle.
“Resisting His Mate” by Lynn Burke
Warrick Keaton eludes a forced pairing with one of his kind. No one is going to choose his mate for him, not when he wants nothing to do with being tied down to a woman. He never expects fate to intervene in the form of a freezing, barely alive female. With his independence in jeopardy, Warrick fights his inner hawk’s desire to stake a claim on her.
Clare Byron longs to escape her domineering ex-husband, a jealous bear shifter determined to keep her prisoner. She seizes the opportunity to run and lands in the arms of another alpha—exactly what she doesn’t want or need.
For Warrick, Clare is everything he’s ever wanted in a mate and all that he’s run from. For Clare, Warrick is freedom in a way she never dreamed possible—the one man who will own her heart yet give her wings to fly.
“Alpha’s Vixen” by Jocelyn Dex
Dax is overwhelmed by desire when he catches the white fox trespassing on his land, and that totally pisses him off. He refuses to mate, no matter how much the fox inside him wants it, Dax definitely does not.
Opal is instantly enamored with the menacing black fox, but isn’t surprised when he chases her away—no one ever wants her, the freak-of-nature albino.
When theft and violence bring them together again, will they give in to passion, or will their hang-ups force them apart?
“Always Midnight” by Ashlynn Monroe
Taryne Michael is all her younger brother Travys has ever had for stability. When fifteen-year-old Trav doesn’t come home after he fights with her she spends the next week searching for him. He finally comes home he’s not the same boy who slammed the door the night he left. Something is very wrong and when she discovers he’s been transformed into a werewolf she’s at a loss as to what to do. The violent, angry boy isn’t the little brother she knows how to deal with. Teenage hormones are nothing compared to the animalistic young man emerging from the boy she’d raised.
Ax Greyson is a lone wolf, an alpha without a pack. He enforces laws non-shifters don’t know about. Celo Valley, is a place where two species co-reside. The werewolves keep the humans blind to their existence by being careful. Someone isn’t following the rules. Someone is killing, with no regard for secrets. When killing the woman seems like the only way to keep his people’s secret until Ax’s instincts find another way.
Mate…the word is the only thing that can scare a man like Ax.
“Becoming His Mate” by Harper Shaddock
After escaping an abusive ex, lone-wolf Brenna is looking for a fresh start. She never expected to stumble across a pack’s territory, or that the Alpha would claim her for a mate. Remy had enough on his plate dealing with a rival pack, but it was love at first howl and he’s not about to lose his mate…even if it means fighting her past her fears.
Bad Alpha: Manlove Edition
“Bully Boys” by Nicola Cameron
When Victorian solicitor Arthur Finter is forced to cut down a dangerous London alley after work, he stumbles upon pit bull shifter Alpha Gunner Jones in the middle of a dogfight with a rival shifter pack. The hard-nosed bully boy scents Arthur and recognizes him as his mate, but will events orchestrated by the other pack separate them before Gunner can lay final claim?
“The Alpha’s Assassin” by Doris O’Connor
Bear shifter Zayden Reid makes his living doing what he does best—killing people. The sought after assassin doesn’t have to think twice when he’s offered a lot of money to kill the Alpha of a wolf pack, until he scents his mate.
As the Alpha of his pack Quinton Thorn is used to giving orders. He may be gay, but that doesn’t mean he’s weak, and he’ll squash any challenge to his leadership with ruthless efficiency. When the threat comes from a source he trusts, however, can he afford to give into his feelings for his mate, knowing that he’ll endanger everyone under his protection?
The mating bond cannot be denied, no matter what the consequences, and they might well kill.
“Discarded Pup” by Angelique Voisen
Betrayed by his beta and abandoned by his pack, Cole Reyes wasted the last ten years of his life rotting behind bars. A cage is no place for a wolf, and wounds left open, fester. Cole has zero tolerance for mercy. The time Cole spent in prison didn’t just bleed out all the decency he once possessed. It broke him. Made him hard and unforgiving. Cole’s vengeance starts now, beginning with his beta’s new toy.
“Yellow Eyes” by Gale Stanley
The brutal war between shifters and humans is over, but each side still sees the other as a threat. The only thing they can agree on, is that they can’t agree. Humans live east of the bridge, shifters live west. Camden is a halfbreed, the product of a rape that happened during the war. Neither side wants him, but he lives with his human mother. The night she dies, Camden goes west looking for revenge. He knows he won’t find his father, and he’ll probably get himself killed, but he doesn’t care. As long as he takes a shifter with him, he’ll die happy.
Wyat is alpha of the pack living in the west. He’s a warrior who believes in separation of the races. Then on the night of the full moon, he discovers a half-breed hiding in the alley. The man’s scent makes him burn with lust, and against his better judgement, he takes him home—and discovers that sleeping with the enemy might just lead to a better future.
“Destined” by L.D. Blakeley
Caleb Stokes has had a shit night. Too bad catching his boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the club DJ isn’t the worst thing he’ll witness before the night is through. Marick Gevrees has no time for romance. He has even less time for a tipsy twink looking for a man to fill some Daddy fetish. But what the hell is he supposed to do when said twink wanders headlong into the middle of a bloody vendetta that could result in the exposure of his clan?
“Trouble” by James Cox
Tremarc is sleeping his way through the entire Bear Shifter Clan. He’s sent to the moon, under the colonized dome to stay out of trouble. When he meets sexy alpha Lyon and his mated human, Quinn his life takes a sharp turn that may just find him his happy ending or get him kicked out of yet another bear shifter clan.
“Outlaw Wolf” by Elizabeth Monvey
Dekker ran away from his pack in an order to protect his lover and Alpha, Grey, when he overheard two higher ranked wolves talk about killing him.
When Grey finds him six months later, Dekker tries to convince the man he loves to go away. But Grey won’t take no and as the two talk it out, their mutual attraction overwhelms them.
In desperation, Dekker renounces Grey as his Alpha. But when another force tries to punish Dekker by silencing him forever, Grey must choose which stand he’ll take…being the alpha for all his pack, or being the man Dekker needs, even if it means breaking the rules.
Marvelous Monday Reads: The Rhythm (Living Victorious Book 1)
Yes, it’s Monday once again! But let’s turn that work week frown upside down with Moira Callahan’s hot new book The Rhythm (Living Victorious Book 1), now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of erotic romance. Take it away, Moira!
Jennifer Mitchell has only one goal in mind—she must get an interview with the band Victorious. It’s a task many journalists have attempted over the last ten years, only to be shot down by the band’s manager. The fact she desperately wants to meet their drummer has absolutely nothing to do with it.
Being the drummer for Victorious allows Lance West to remain out of the spotlight, and still have an important role in creating the music their fans clamor for. Then he meets Jennifer. While she may be focused on an exclusive interview, Lance has other ideas for the sexy woman.
Screaming fans and thunderous applause might warm his blood, but Lance only wants one woman to warm his bed night after night. She is everything to him, the rhythm that soothes his scarred soul, and he’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.
Story Excerpt
His hand moved to wrap around her throat forcing her chin up. She didn’t feel threatened. It had her knees wobbling, and her pussy throbbing in need. “I actually do need to say them, Jennifer. It’s a driving need to try and explain to you what I’m thinking and feeling.” He stroked his thumb over her pulse tenderly while staring down at her.
Swallowing, she pressed her hands lightly to his chest, her fingers stroking over the tight muscle until she settled them on the waist of his jeans. “Why?” she asked. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was asking either. Popping the top button loose, she worked her way down the line of buttons until his jeans gaped open. She quickly discovered he was going commando under his jeans when she rubbed a finger to the short curls at his groin.
At her throat, his hand flexed. His pupils dilated, and his breathing turned sharper. “Because we’re connected. On a level I can’t begin to describe, in a way I’m not sure I can comprehend. All I know is that you are important and that means you need to know exactly how I feel about you. All of you.”
His words hit her hard. No one had said anything of the sort to her before. There was a deeper meaning behind them. She wasn’t ready to dissect them yet, but later she knew she would. All she could do right then was fist the front of his jeans and push to her toes to kiss him. She didn’t have any words to give back, her mind, and tongue too tied in knots to try. But she could maybe make him understand that she got it with a kiss.
The hand at her throat slid around into her hair as he deepened the kiss. His tongue slid over hers to tangle with it. Moaning into the kiss, she pushed at his jeans until gravity took over.
She felt him shift to kick them away, and then his body was pressed up tight against hers. With the hand in her hair and the other that landed on her ass, he began to move her. Until she felt the bed at the backs of her legs, she hadn’t cared where he was guiding her. In that moment, she needed him with a growing ferocity that scared her.
Twisting, she pushed him to his back on the mattress. A knee next to his hip helped her up to straddle him. Then their mouths were fused together again. Another moan tore from her as he rolled, and pushed them further up on the bed. The sensations bombarding her when he settled his body to hers nearly had her coming apart at the seams.
It had been too long since she’d had the intimate touch of a man. But never, not once, had she truly felt this in tune with another person as she did with Lance. Both a terrifying and extremely liberating sensation. Now if only she could convince him to move things along.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About Moira Callahan
Moira Callahan is a Canadian born and raised author. She loves to write, and only has a few select criteria that have to be in each of her books. A great story, steamy romance, and a HEA ending. The sub-genre isn’t as important to her as making whatever she writes feel real, and in the moment to her readers.
To that end she insists her characters be as real as everyday folks, even if they are blessed with a little fictional fairy dust to make them anyone’s personal fantasy. They must have faults, they must have a weakness, and they must have soul. To that end she writes her characters with a mixture of traits – a dash from herself, and something borrowed from a friend. This way the character is as perfectly imperfect as any other person on the planet.
Where to find Moira Callahan
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Tsu
Amazon Author Page
Evernight Publishing
Finally
At 2:46 AM this morning I finished the second round of edits on Deep Water, wrote up the synopsis, and sent it off to Evernight. This was after a MAJOR restructuring of Act II that made the book much better but required one hell of a lot of cutting/pasting/tweaking/patching/rewriting/etc that took up a goodish chunk of last week.
See, for me writing is actually the easy part. I turn off my internal editor and just splash words on the page. It’s the editing stage where I actually have to make those words make, you know, sense, that things get hairy and my housekeeping falls by the wayside while I try to figure out how to fit this 98K word puzzle together in a way so that you actually see the story.
But it’s done and off. And yes, this is going to be an MMF story with MM, FF, and MF scenes in it. I never claimed to color inside the lines. Hopefully I’ll hear from Evernight sometime in the next few weeks or so; in the meantime I still have to finish the short story for their Alpha Shifter antho, finish and polish Iron Cross for RT2015 next week (I have an appointment with an editor and an agent and need to have a completed manuscript waiting at home in case they say, “Why, yes, this sounds fantastic, send it to us right now”), then finish the Trickster sequel, then start plotting Olympic Cove Book Four (working title Cross Current).
Sleep? What means this word, sleep?
Marvelous Monday Reads: Journey Across Time
Hello, and welcome to this holiday edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Let’s warm up the last Monday before 2015 with the smouldering time travel erotic romance Journey Across Time by C.R. Moss. This is what C.R. has to say about her series:
Hi all! Thank you for having me here today! 🙂
I’m pleased to share information about my new release, Journey Across Time, and the first book, Dream Across Time, with everyone. Journey Across Time is the second book in a renewed series of mine, which is now called Raritan Manor Ranch.
Many years ago in a state far away (Texas at that time), I started to write romance. Before that, as some of you may already know, I’d been into writing horror. Still am, but that’s a tale for another day under my other pen name. Anyway, at that time, I came up with ideas for a few stories that revolved around a particular family and a matchmaking cat who all lived in New Jersey. New Jersey is where I’d been born (even more years ago) and raised.
There was a house and piece of property up the road from my family’s place that I’d been enamored with and considered buying if it were ever to find itself on the market. Obviously, I never did make that particular real estate purchase since I live over two thousand miles away from it now, but I did the next best thing. I used it as the house in the series, though please note, I’ve taken artistic liberties with its architectural plans. 😉 The house on the cover does resemble what it looks like in real life. One of the pics I’ve included for this post is a blurry one, taken when hubby and I drove past it one day.
Some of you might notice that the first two stories (and the third one once it becomes available) seem familiar. The first three books in the Raritan Manor Ranch series had found a publishing home once upon a time, but alas, as some relationships go, that wasn’t meant to be a lifetime one. Back in their ex’s home, they had different titles and a different series name. Now the books have been given new life through Evernight Publishing. The fictional house and family in the stories have relocated to Nevada, word count has been added, the stories have been re-edited, and the current series title pays homage to a river in NJ that I grew up near. And, yes, the cat (who is modeled after my own fur baby) still plays a part in the stories.
Thanks for giving me a few minutes of your time! I do hope you’ll check out this series and my other books. 🙂 You can find the first book, Dream Across Time, here: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dream-across-time-by-c-r-moss/
There is magic on the ranch.
A woman examining life. A man on a quest. Time restores his spirit and her love.
Trent, a man in the past on a mission to discover where he belongs, embarks on a spiritual journey. His spirit guide, to his dismay, is a frisky feline named Myrddin. During a ritual, the cat brings the soul searcher forward into Julie VanAlder’s world.
Julie is attracted to the newcomer on the ranch, but his strange mannerisms and speech dictate she use caution, especially when she learns where he’s from. A botched relationship, supposed time travel, spiritual mumbo jumbo…it’s almost too much for Julie to take.
Can Trent make her believe in destiny and win her love before it’s too late?
Story Excerpt
But now Trent doesn’t even look like he was ever affected by the car ride. Amazed at how much energy he had, she sat up and crossed her legs. Boy, what a sight he is.
Trent, shirtless and showing off his built body, strolled from the water, moving with precision. The women around her tittered, whispering fast and lewd phrases about “the hunk.” Her gaze swung to one group of females whose attentions and words confirmed their obvious appraisals of the man. She looked back at Trent. His quadriceps rippled with each stride, fighting against the sand’s resistance. He stopped and wiped his forehead. Beads of water trailed down his light brown skin, glistening on him like pixie dust. He bent over, then quickly straightened. His long black hair made an arc in the air, casting off the seawater. Trent ran his fingers through his slick and shiny locks.
Poseidon come to life. Beautiful Greek god incarnate. Julie sighed. No wonder he’s making the women flap their lips. If one of her girlfriends were nearby, she’d be chatting up a storm with them about him too.
Her pussy warmed, as did her breasts. He seemed to be a heady dose of sizzling hormones just by looking at him, making her body flush with desire that rolled into a burning need.
She shook her head. Stop thinking about how handsome he is! Just friends. That’s all it can be. With him or any man since I don’t want my heart broken again.
He sauntered over and retrieved a bottle of water from a cooler. After taking a long draught, he proceeded to dump the water over his head. He ran his fingers through his wet hair again. A mischievous glint twinkled in his eyes. His gaze traveled over her, then to the other sunbathers around them. A smile lit his face and faint lines creased around his deep brown eyes, slanted provocatively.
She lifted an eyebrow. “What’s that look for?”
He chuckled. “I am astounded by all the scantily clad women…showing much more than just an ankle.” He watched a tall, thin blonde dressed in a bikini walk by, his head turning as she passed. “How decadent and scandalous…arousing, actually. I may not be able to contain myself.” His gaze whipped back to Julie and he winked.
Drawn to him by his charm, Julie rolled her eyes and smiled back. She couldn’t help it. Talk about arousing. His six-pack abs were right there, two feet from her face. All she’d have to do was lean forward, extend her hand, trail a finger along the dark divots of the muscles.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About C.R. Moss
An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers Worlds of Possibilities.
So what does she write? She writes stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly with varying degrees of sexual heat. Writing as C.R. Moss gives her and her muses the freedom to explore worlds of possibilities when it comes to love. And where does the tag line “Love & Lust in the Wild West” fit in? Well, for one, she lives in NV. Two, her stories take place, either in part or in full, in and around the Las Vegas area. In fact, even this website sports “a look of home.” The background picture was taken in an area just a few miles west of Las Vegas and happens to be the inspiration for the setting of the Double D Ranch Tales saga.
She also has a passion for penning dark fiction. Writing under the name Casey Moss allows her to slate other stories under Horror ~ Paranormal ~ Suspense ~ Thriller ~ Urban Fantasy. Visit: http://caseymossbooks.com
Where to find C.R. Moss
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest
Romance Readers’ Conference in Las Vegas, NV! – HMK October 2015 – Come see C. Moss & other wonderful authors – http://www.hotmojaveknights.com
Marvelous Monday Reads: The Bear Treatment
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, pumpkins! Today I’m featuring Doris O’Connor and her yummy bear shifter novel The Bear Treatment. And now, here’s Doris!
Thanks so much for having me here today with my new release The Bear Treatment.
There is nothing worse than being dumped by your boyfriend is there, even if that person turned out to be a right schmuck. Louisa doesn’t have much luck in the boyfriend department, mainly, because the one man she really wants is way, way, way out of her league—or so she thinks.
In her words…
He was so way out of her league it wasn’t even real. Not only because he was very much a Dom, but also because Louisa didn’t have the first clue how to be what he looked for in a woman. After all, he would no doubt want to settle with another shifter like himself.
Somehow she didn’t think a smart mouthed, overweight, thirty-something, fresh out of yet another failed relationship, screw-up like her, would be his idea of the perfect submissive.
Little does she know that this Dom has just been biding his time and when she turns up in his spa, ready to experience a taste of the lifestyle, she is in for the bear treatment…
There’s nothing quite like being dumped by another good-for-nothing boyfriend to focus a girl’s mind. Fun has been missing from Louisa’s life for far too long, and a bit of wax play at the spa-with-a-difference is just what she needs to take her mind off her birthday.
What can possibly go wrong? It’s not as though the man she’s been secretly lusting after for years would turn up and see her in all of her wobbly bits glory, or give her one mind blowing orgasm after the other, is it?
That would mean she is getting the bear treatment. You know the one—ends up being mated to one droolworthy, dominant, bear shifter—and ticks off the council no end. One thing’s for certain. After this birthday nothing will be the same again.
Story Excerpt
When he bit down on her clit her orgasm rushed through her with so much force that she screamed and bit her lip hard enough to taste her own blood, in an effort to muffle that scream.
They were on top of a crowded restaurant, for God’s sake. If she turned her head she could see the people dining below. All it would take was for one of them to look up and they would see her sprawled along the table with Luke once again lapping at her cream as she gushed her juices into his waiting mouth. The thought that one of the diners would look up, made her orgasm burn hotter, and with her body still shaking in delicious aftershocks she almost didn’t notice the slight pressure against her little puckered hole until Luke slipped a slick finger wet with her own arousal knuckle deep into her ass.
She would have bowed off the table had his hot hand on her tummy not held her down, and she lost herself in the heated stare of his golden eyes as their gazes connected.
“That’s my girl.” His voice had dropped an octave, dripping in lust, and her body went limp under his possession. “This ass and this pussy are mine to do with as I please are they not, my sweet Lou?”
He pushed deeper into her butt, and she gasped at the burning pain of another finger slipping past that ring of muscle. Discomfort gave way to heat when he started to thrust those two fingers in and out of their tight confines, and added the thumb of his other hand to her clit and rubbed that sensitive bundle of nerves in small circles designed to push her over the edge once more.
The strange sensation in her ass awakened unused nerve endings, and she clamped around his digits, increasing the heady sensations bombarding her.
“That’s it, my sweet. Ride those fingers. I can’t wait to see your little hole stretched with a butt plug to prepare you for my cock, and you will let me take you back here, won’t you?”
The veins on his neck stood out, his smile showed his fangs, and with the eyes of his bear looking down on her he never looked more the wild animal he had inside than right now. The thought should have terrified Louisa, but instead it had the opposite effect on her. She was his prey, his for the taking, and the thought turned her on even more.
“Yes, yes, God yes, I’m yours to do with as you please, Sir.”
Her whispered answer made him step up his assault on her senses, and everything inside of her drew tight as she climbed up those rungs of lust until the world narrowed to just the feel of his fingers in her ass, and his big body covering her.
Luke bent closer, not once slowing his fingers as they fucked her into another orgasm, and then he kissed her. His tongue mimicked the action of his digits, and she kissed him back until her lungs screamed at her they needed air, as her body shook in the grip of the tremors wracking through her. She winced when he withdrew his fingers from the tight clasp of her ass, and then gasped when he shrugged out of his shirt. The man’s torso was magnificent and sprinkled with liberal amounts of hair that she wanted to run her fingers through. His pectorals flexed as he threw the shirt across the room, and she let her gaze admire the play of muscles. The way his hair thickened to a dark trail that acted like a beacon to his magnificent cock. Despite her earlier attention to that particular body part, he was once again erect. Veins ran along the length of the impressive organ, and the thick mushroom head glistened in the muted lighting of the room. Louisa licked her lips, suddenly desperate for another taste of his salty musk, and Luke laughed. Low and menacing, the sound was more animal than human, and set her arousal to fever pitch.
“Not this time, my sweet. This time I want to bury my cock into your tight cunt. I want to see your lips stretched around my girth, as you struggle to take all of me, but you will, won’t you, pet? You’ll milk my cock like the good little subbie you are, and you’ll gush your cream all over my dick again and again, won’t you?”
“Yes, Sir.” How she managed to force the words past her kiss swollen lips she would never know. Her gaze was riveted to his cock, where Luke was fisting himself slowly. He squeezed the tip of his dick until his pre-cum slid on his fingers and with a wicked grin held those digits up to her mouth.
Louisa opened up eagerly, only too willing to taste him again, and she groaned when he hooked those fingers inside her mouth holding her in place while he ran the tip of his erection through her wet slit repeatedly. He bumped into her clit at every upstroke, sending jolts of electricity through her system, and her nostrils flared as she tried to breathe through her nose.
“Look at me, pet.”
His rough command made her eyes snap to his again, and she swallowed hard around the digits in her mouth. The intensity of his golden gaze was hard to take, as he pinned her in place with the sheer force of his will.
“You’re mine, and when I sink my cock into your cunt, I’m going to sink my fangs into your flesh and mark you as mine.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About Doris O’Connor
Glutton for punishment would be a good description for Doris… at least that’s what she hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of nine children, ranging from adult to toddler and lives happily in a far too small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies, and one very understanding and supportive husband. Domestic goddess she is not.
There is always something better to do after all, like working on the latest manuscript and trying not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the voices in her head. Her characters tend to be pretty insistent to get their stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet and besides, sleep is for wimps.
She likes to spin sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, BDSM to F/F, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.
Where to find Doris O’Connor
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance E-Books
BookStrand
Barnes & Noble
Marvelous Monday Reads: A Second Chance
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Iyana Jenna and her smoking new Romance on the Go story A Second Chance, now available from Evernight Publishing. Read on!
Chance Devereux and Ryder Adkins have worked on the same TV series for three years and share a house near the set. Yet Chance can only watch from afar when Ryder gets engaged. Even though Chance is still deep in the closet, he can’t help be jealous.
Since the first day of shooting, Ryder has had his sights on his costar, but Chance has a girlfriend and Ryder thinks Chance is straight. After years without a concrete result, Ryder decides to forget his desire to be with Chance and go back to Mike.
During a hiatus, Chance does an interview with journalist, Sebastian Vanderbilt. Sebastian opens Chance’s eyes, and he decides he needs to make Ryder his. Can they work it out, or are they all out of retakes?
Story Excerpt
Without waiting for Mike’s answer, he slid his phone open and scrolled down to Chance’s number. Ryder glanced briefly at Mike, who simply nodded and turned away to give him a semblance of privacy. Ryder turned his attention back to the call he was making and nearly jerked in anticipation when it was answered.
“Hey. Chance, it’s—”
“I’m sorry, but Chance can’t answer the phone right now.”
Ryder’s eyes bulged. Taken aback, he swallowed. “W-what? Who is this?”
“May I ask who’s speaking, please?”
“It’s, uh, Ryder. I’m his, his best friend—”
“Oh, Ryder. Sure.”
Ryder lifted an eyebrow when the man laughed a little.
“Chance talks a lot about you,” the man went on.
“Thanks, but….” Ryder’s eyes flickered to Mike, who was observing him closely. His mind began to wander to places he didn’t want to go. How could he not? The man had Chance’s cell. “Where is he? Do you mind if I talk to him?”
“No, of course not.” The man sighed. “But he really can’t.”
“What? What happened? What have you done to him?”
“Whoa, wait a second. I’ve done nothing to him. But he’s asleep right now. He hasn’t been able to sleep for some time. He’s been in so much pain he couldn’t even rest.”
Ryder slumped in his seat, rubbing his face. “Oh, God.” Mike had been right. Feeling lightheaded, Ryder whispered into the mouthpiece. “What’s wrong with him? God, is he okay now?”
“Yeah, I truly hope so. He’s much calmer now. He caught a stomach bug a couple of days ago.”
“And you’re—you’re Sebastian, right? Sebastian Vanderbilt? I saw the pictures.”
“That’s me. Oh, and Ryder?”
“Yes?”
“I heard about your engagement. Congratulations, man.”
“Well, I don’t—”
“Hey, look,” Sebastian cut him off. “I’d love to talk to you, but I really have to go. I’ll tell Chance that you called, okay?”
“Wait, Sebastian. I’m just… you know, I—” But it was too late. Sebastian had hung up. Sucking in a breath, Ryder could only gawk in disbelief.
****
Sebastian didn’t know for sure why he felt reluctant to talk to Ryder. He had no reason to feel threatened by him, though if the way Chance talked about Ryder in the interview was anything to go by, Sebastian might have to consider how he felt toward the guy. This was such a new thing for him, feeling insecure. He wasn’t that kind of guy. Sebastian wondered what Chance had done to him.
Back in the guestroom where Chance was resting, Sebastian found him awake. Chance’s gaze wandered, his expression half-studying his surroundings, half-wondering how or why he was there in the first place. He turned to Sebastian only when he heard him clear his throat. Warmth surged in Sebastian’s heart at the fleeting blush on Chance’s freckled face. He wondered what Chance thought about the room. Sebastian loved his place, but perhaps it was childish to want to hear what Chance had to say about it.
Sebastian went to sit next to Chance, reaching out to feel his brow.
Chance groaned, shying away. “I’m not a child, Sebastian.”
“No.” Sebastian smiled. “But you gave me quite a scare.”
“Sorry.” Chance looked down.
“Hey, that’s not your fault. You were sick and obviously you hadn’t fully recovered when you left the hospital. How are you feeling now?”
“Much better.” Chance licked his lips.
“Water?”
“Please.”
Sebastian watched Chance drink slowly, and when he pulled back, some drips still clung to his lower lip. Sebastian knew he’d been staring, and he completely ignored the glass shoved back into his palm. Finally, he chuckled, put the glass away on the nightstand, and took off his shirt.
Chance’s eyes widened before they darkened a bit.
“May I?” Sebastian gestured toward a space on Chance’s huge, fluffy pillow.
Chance shifted a little to give him more room, much to his delight. He slipped under the cover and could feel Chance stiffen slightly. His face—mere inches from Sebastian’s—was taut before he relaxed and snuggled into Sebastian’s bare chest. Chance’s body felt sleep warm under his thin T-shirt, and Sebastian braved Chance’s reaction and slid a hand under it. He palmed Chance’s flat abs and up to his muscled torso, sighing appreciatively at the deep moan wrenched out of Chance’s throat.
“Beautiful,” Sebastian said huskily. “Very beautiful.” He tweaked a nipple and was rewarded with the stretched column of Chance’s smooth neck as he threw his head back, lips parting, his guttural growl sending Sebastian’s blood to his groin.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Bookstrand
Barnes & Noble
All Romance Ebooks
About Iyana Jenna
Iyana writes M/M short stories and novellas. Her works have been published by Evernight Publishing, JMS Books, Books to Go Now, Torquere Press, Bitten Press, Leap of Faith Publishing, Breathless Press, and Alfie Dog Fiction.
Iyana lives in Jakarta, a city famous for its traffic jams, a lot of cars and motorcycles, and people selling stuff on the roads. You can spend two hours on the road going to a place you can reach in half an hour in a normal situation. Thanks to the traffic jams, though, Iyana can come up with a lot of stories, mostly shorties, as she prefers to spend the time during her trips writing into her cell phone rather than sleeping.
Another thing Iyana loves is kitties. Right now she has three of them. Their names are Cil, Horus, and Betsy, and one kitten. When she doesn’t write, she plays with them, or they would play with her when she writes.
Where to find Iyana Jenna
Marvelous Monday Reads: The Beginning (Witches of the Bayou)
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Cherrie Mack and her delicious Free Read The Beginning (Witches of the Bayou), now available from Evernight Publishing and other fine retailers of erotic romance. Read on!
First, I would like to thank my hostess for having me as a guest today. I am thrilled to be here.
My newest read is free, courtesy of Evernight Publishing. This paranormal romance is based on a character from A Late Summer Bloom. It occurred to me, Cecily Jareau, needed her story told. Why was she so jaded? What caused her to hate her royal coven? Why did she want to walk away from her power and her witchhood?
Because her story comes to a satisfying conclusion in A Late Summer Bloom, I thought it would be fun to go back, just a little and tell the story of how it all began. After all, don’t we all love to fall in love? That no holds barred, can’t keep our hands to ourselves, butterflies in the belly kinda love?
Yeah, me too. My hope is you take the time to download and read, The Beginning-Witches Of The Bayou and love it as much as I loved writing it.
A young and powerful witch of royal birthright longs to be human. When she meets a human man who gives her the love she’s never known, her decision to renounce her heritage is an easy one. But, not everything is what it seems.
This exciting, short story is a prequel to A Late Summer Bloom—Witches Of The Bayou.
Story Excerpt
Cecily sat at Al’s House of Blue’s for the fifth night in a row. She sat in the same seat sipping the same drink and watching James play his trumpet. Having a date afterward had become a welcome routine. She was falling hard for the dashing, swoon-worthy musician and her libido had suddenly awakened from its life of hibernation. Wanting him on every level, not just physical, had her worried.
Did she dare to dream he felt the same way? He certainly gave off a territorial vibe when it came to her. And although being human was James’ advantage, it served as his drawback as well. The fact remained, she was a witch—a witch of royal status. The covens wouldn’t allow her to renounce her origins so easily.
She sighed. James hadn’t even kissed her yet and here she was thinking of a life outside the boundaries of magic.
“You look far away tonight. Everything okay?” James stood near, his aftershave soothing her anxiety.
“I’m fine.”
He pulled a chair up close to her and sat down, taking her hands in his. “No. You were thinking about something that made you sad. I could see it in your eyes.”
“And that bothers you?”
“It bothers me a great deal.”
She stared at his mouth, licking her lips. “Why?” And why haven’t you kissed me?
Without warning, swift and certain, James leaned in and kissed her lips. The contact surprised her, making her pull back. But as she leaned away, he leaned forward, not allowing her to move out of his reach. His lips claimed her, branding her with a fiery passion she never experienced. The crowd was no longer a consequence as she returned his affection. Their tongues entwined in a blistering exchange sending a mass of intense impulses bolting through her blood.
The velvety texture of his mouth was more than she could stand. His tongue, hot and slick, moved in a sinuous rhythm, owning her, imprinting his being within her heart. This wasn’t a kiss—this was a declaration. And Cecily wanted more of it. When he pulled away, she felt exposed, like a raw bundle of nerves left unprotected in the smoky atmosphere.
Applause could be heard from behind her, the audience clapping at their display. The glorious feeling disappeared quickly when Cecily recognized Brigitte standing at the back of the room. James leaned over to whisper in her ear. “After this set is over—I wanna do that again.”
She gave him a nervous smile. “Yes. I’d like that. But right now, I need to use the powder room.” She fanned herself, gave him a wink and rose up on wobbly legs. When she headed for the ladies room she saw Brigitte fall in step behind her.
After they waited for it to clear out, Brigitte leveled a stern look at her. “A human man? Really?”
Cecily stood with her hands on her hips. “James. His name is James. And yes I want a human man because ultimately, I want to be human.”
Brigitte’s eyes widened as if Cecily had committed the worst of sins. “They are unworthy. Not just of a witch but—but you? You have aristocratic blood in your veins. You can’t be serious.”
“Oh I’m serious. Neither you, nor Percy and his band of blue-blooded bullies are gonna change my mind.”
Brigitte’s facial features relaxed. “We’ll just see about that.” Cecily panicked. She’d been living as a human for over a week, performing no spells, no magic. She washed dishes and clothes and floors. She purchased food at the market, she cooked. And she was comfortable doing all of it. Now, about to embark on a human relationship, so close to a physical, loving connection, an obstacle was thrown in her path.
Just like always. Her life was one big hurdle after another. Happiness was a breath away and once again she was faced with a complication she never saw coming. That kiss should have been one of her happiest moments but was ruined by the mere presence of another of her kind.
Where to Buy
About Cherrie Mack
Cherrie Mack is a multi-published romance author who grew up in Flushing Queens NY, the youngest child of six. The city’s diversity gave her a great appreciation for many different cultures and lifestyles. After love finally claimed the girl from the city and dragged her to the suburban madness of Long Island, she settled into a quiet life with her new husband. Two children and one mini-van later, the family found themselves moving towards the sunny skies of Florida where they currently reside. When she isn’t writing, she is busy chasing her children around, laughing with her husband, struggling to learn meditation and hanging out with her best friend–a mutt named Bailey.
Over the last year, Cherrie has continued to flourish, writing contemporary erotic romance, romantic comedy, urban fantasy and her latest, paranormal romance. Her ability to cross genre’s fuels her imagination and gives her the desire to continue to push her boundaries and branch out as a writer. Although she hasn’t settled into any given sub-genre, she is confident her ability will lead her down the right path.
A member of Romance Writers of America, Cherrie is slowly spreading her wings as a romance author. Look for her books at all digital bookstores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookstrand, ITunes, Nook, Kobo and many more.
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Ela Stein
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to Ela Stein, who is our twofer for the day — not only is her debut novel Love’s Labyrinth available from Evernight Publishing and other retailers of fine erotic romance, but she also has the free read Pleasure Android 7.1 available at Evernight. Here’s what Ela has to say about her new publications:
Hello, everyone! I’m here today to talk about my two new releases with Evernight Publishing, but first of all, a very huge thank you to my blog hostess for having me. These are my first publications, so I am excited and a little scared 🙂 Writing has always been a part of my life, and getting published a dream and a goal, so it’s a cool feeling to have two books for my very first release date.
First, a little bit about my Free Read because… well, it’s free. So you can try out my writing at no risk, and I hope you enjoy it. This is a quick and short read, at a little over 5,000 words. “Pleasure Android 7.1” came about as the result of the eternal “what if” question. With all the advances we’re making in artificial intelligence and robots, it seems almost inevitable that this will be our future. I saw a video about the robots they are creating in China… they look like people, they talk, they make eye contact. It’s exhilarating, the progress we’re making, and a little creepy at the same time. Nico, the hero of “Pleasure Android 7.1” is definitely not the least bit creepy. He was created to be every woman’s fantasy and has the database to deliver (wink, wink).
Zola is dismayed to discover that for her 40th birthday, her friends teamed up to purchase her a hot sex droid. She refuses to let herself get attached to a machine, and tries her best to avoid the temptation. He is programmed to overcome such resistance and knows how to wear down defenses and sell himself like a pro using his perfect charms and impeccable skills. Though she suspects it’s nothing more than a sales pitch, she begins to question whether beneath his perfect manufactured exterior can lie genuine feelings and desires.
Story Excerpt
What the fuck.
A seven-foot-tall box occupied the middle of my living room. I stared at the prime male specimen behind the clear front panel. Well over six feet tall, with dusky skin, dark brown wavy hair, broad shoulders, aquiline nose, full lips—basically, he looked like a model, the kind you’d drool over in an ad for high-end products.
With his eyes closed, his long, thick lashes grazed his chiseled cheekbones. He looked as though he slept—an illusion of the most expensive kind.
I sighed, hands on my hips. My best friend, Lexia, had done it. For my fortieth birthday, she got me a sex droid. She’d joked about it, but I never thought she’d actually follow through. It had to be her—she was the only other person who had access to my apartment.
On the box, in large, blocky print, it proclaimed “Domestic Android 7.1” and underneath it, in fancy script, “For Your Pleasure.” Alrighty then. And what if it was my pleasure to get rid of it? I stalked to the box and circled around it. The back and both sides were solid panels of striking red. If it was supposed to be romantic, their marketing department missed the boat. I wasn’t a big fan of Valentine’s Day, and this was even cheesier than a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
Although, I could remember a time when chocolates, roses, and a little stuffed bear made my heart skip a beat. I had grown a bit jaded over the years, which was probably why my friends decided to gang up and torture me with this… thing. It stood there, like the proverbial elephant in the room. There would be no vid watching on my birthday, cuddled up with a bowl of ice cream. No relaxing in the tub with a good romance novel. Now I was too distracted, and I wasn’t going to be able to enjoy myself until I got this thing out.
A plan formulated: get the box outside and message his creator, Atlas Robotics Corporation, to come pick him up. No, not him. It. I studied the box. At five foot five, it had well over a foot on me. I tried to tilt it to the side, planning on then pushing it out the rest of the way. The damn thing was heavy. So heavy, it didn’t even wobble when I gave it my all.
Exhausted, I plopped down on my yellow pleather couch to glare at the box. I refused to build up a sweat today of all days. What a disaster my birthday was turning out to be. There was no getting the box out until Atlas Robotics agreed to stop by. Since they had no incentive to be eager to process a return, it could be days. Maybe even weeks, I thought miserably.
Not fair that here I was, suffering, while he—it!—stood there, all serene and peaceful. I jumped to my feet and approached the box. There was an easier way to do this. Turn him on and order him to take a hike on his own two legs. The more I considered it, the more I liked this plan. Quick, easy, smart.
Okay, I hope you liked the beginning of my free short story. Now, onto my novella, “Love’s Labyrinth”. I am a huge fan of fantasy, and this novella is very close to my heart. It’s set in the far future, on a colonized planet. Humans weren’t doing too well with surviving on it after a crash landing, but the Gods took mercy and intervened, helping them figure it out. The Goddess of Love left behind her magical Labyrinth, where once a year, those who participate get to meet the ones they’re fated to be with. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) the ratio of men to women is skewed, so it’s not uncommon with a woman to find more than one mate. As everyone knows, the Goddess makes no mistakes.
Auria enters the magical Labyrinth on New Year’s Eve, and its halls guide her to the two men she is fated to be with. Brener has loved her from afar since they were children, and Jhennen is a Warrior-Guard, commanding in personality and intimidating in physical presence. They share a life-changing, passionate night together, but come morning, they must decide if their one-night menage can be the beginning of something new. When trouble threatens to tear Auria away from her life and the two men she is starting to develop feelings for, their connection just might be her only hope for salvation.
Story Excerpt
Brener’s tongue flicked masterfully on my clit. He knew what he did to me. I held my breath, feeling my insides begin to gather, ready for that final moment.
But just before it came, Brener stopped and jerked back, leaving me alone. My pussy protested, my clit throbbing almost painfully. My eyes flew to him in protest, in supplication, but then my whole being froze.
Brener was sitting back on his heels, his lips wet from his ministrations, his body stiff with shock. The same shock I myself felt, as I stared up at the stranger that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
He was gigantic, appearing to loom like a mountain from my prone position. Whereas Brener had an athlete’s body, this stranger had a warrior’s body with a broad back and wider hips and his entire physique encased in bulky muscle. Blond hair, almost white, was pulled back in a long ponytail—I could see its bottom reached to his lower back. My eyes flew to his face, his cold, pale blue eyes. He seemed to regard me with some measure of amusement. A long pale scar saved his face from being almost pretty, as did the rough bump in his aquiline nose. Leaning against the green wall of the Labyrinth with one shoulder, his relaxed stance was at complete odds with the tension that gripped me.
I gasped and used my hands to cover my breasts, while drawing my legs up to cover my splayed pussy.
Seeing this, he chuckled and shook his head. “No need to cover all the loveliness,” he said, and his words held a hint of an accent, the difference in inflection conveying he was not from our village. It sounded like a northern dialect.
“Who are you?” I could think of nothing else to say in that moment. My heart jumped to action, pounding away like crazy with a surge of adrenaline.
“Jhennen,” he replied, as though we were out to tea, having a pleasant chat. As an afterthought, he added, “Jhennen Vayment.”
“What are you doing here?” Brener almost growled, coming to his feet now, bristling. With them standing, it was clear Jhennen was a couple heads taller. All the more sweet that Brener thought to protect me from him, dwarfed as he was by this man, who looked battle-trained and used to combat.
“I suppose the same thing as you are,” Jhennen drawled out almost carelessly. His stance was nonthreatening, but his eyes glinted with definite danger. “The Goddess brought me here, same as you. So stand down, and either watch or participate, your choice.”
Outraged, I sputtered, and would have flown at him to slap that presumptuous smile off his face, but remembering my complete nakedness, I stayed put. “What do you mean, participate?”
“Is it the word or the concept you’re not clear on?” He turned to me now, his tone light.
“You’re not participating in anything here, or with anyone here. Feel free to turn about and go back the way you came,” I shot back, angry now.
“I think not. The Goddess doesn’t make mistakes, and to be honest, I hoped we’d cross paths here.”
Where To Buy
Pleasure Android 7.1
Evernight Publishing
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
Love’s Labyrinth
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
About Ela Stein
Reading was my entertainment and salvation as a child, and it transferred into a passion for writing. I am still very much a reader, and love many different genres, from erotic romance, to fantasy (and dark fantasy… Game of Thrones, anyone?), to historical fiction, and that love is reflected in my own writing as well (I don’t do contemporary very often). If you’d like to learn more about me, or chat about books and life, you can find me all over the web. I’d love to get to know all of you, and even though my blog is new, I post regularly and update on life and my writing progress. Thanks so much for stopping by today and reading.
Where to find Ela Stein
Marvelous Monday Reads: Unholy Matrimony
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m participating in a blog tour for Roane Publishing to promote their latest publication Unholy Matrimony by Sonny Zae.
To celebrate the release, Roane Publishing is giving away an eCOPY of UNHOLY MATRIMONY, as well as a $10 Amazon Gift Card. To enter the raffle, click here.
And now, here’s an interview with the main character supplied by Roane Publishing — read on!
What do you look for in a woman?
Interviewer: Tell me, Sonny, as an infamous lover, what do you look for in a woman?
Sonny: The word is notorious, as in Sonny the Scoundrel, the notorious lover. As a lover, I am both infamous and notorious. Have you never done an interview before? Did you not hear the stories about me? As to what I look for in a woman, she should be lovely, of course, tall and willowy, with long, cascading hair. But she should also be able to work and cook and clean, so she can have big, muscular arms.
Interviewer: Ah, I think I know where this is going. You like a big, strong woman who can slap you around a little, don’t you.
Sonny: No, do not be ridiculous! It is only so she can work hard, supporting me if necessary.
Interviewer: Fine, I’ll take your word for it, for now. But I know what you like, and know your penchant for falling for women who keep a tight rein on you.
Sonny: Contrary to the ugly rumors that persist about me, no woman has ever put a bridle on Sonny the Scoundrel.
Author: What about a riding crop?
Sonny: No comment. What happened to your questions about the women I prefer?
Author: Right. So, tall and with long hair and big biceps is how you like your women. What else? A good sense of humor?
Sonny: No.
Interviewer: Wealthy?
Sonny: Certainly. That goes without saying.
Interviewer: What about personality?
Sonny: Optional.
Interviewer: Come on, that is the most important part of finding love, isn’t it? What was it about Ariella that drew you to her?
Sonny: Fair enough. Ariella has personality, and loads of it. She is a very smart girl and knows how to get the better in any business deal.
Interviewer: And your respect that? Admire her for it?
Sonny: Of course.
Interviewer: But could you trust her?
Sonny: Certainly not!
Interviewer: Then how could you find her so attractive?
Sonny: It is … I suppose because she is so much like me, both strikingly beautiful on the outside, and ruthless and calculating on the inside.
Interviewer: So, what is the probability of impending marriage?
Sonny: Pretty good, if she plays her cards right.
How will you survive on your own once Grandpap is gone?
Interviewer: Sonny, how old is your grandfather, the wizard Zuthar Zaeffom?
Sonny: Older than the oldest tree in the forest.
Interviewer: And how old would that be?
Sonny: He must be drawing up on one-hundred and fifty years of age.
Interviewer: That old? How old are you?
Sonny: Thirty-three.
Interviewer: So then, hold on, if your mother was thirty when she gave birth to you, then at the time you were born, Grandpap would be around one-hundred?
Sonny: If you say so. I never engage in tasks so mundane as mathematics. It is quite beneath me.
Interviewer: Have you never wondered how old your grand-sire was when he begat your mother?
Sonny: No.
Interviewer: So, in your world, it is of no concern to bear a child out of wedlock?
Sonny: It is considered most inappropriate.
Interviewer: Then how did your Grandpap avoid being punished by the villagers?
Sonny: He is a wizard! No one talks back to a wizard. He can do what he wants, when he wants.
Interviewer: Then what about you? What will you do when he is dead and is no longer around to protect you whenever you get your … tail feathers in a trap?
Sonny: It will be a problem, I am sure. No one in the village cares overmuch for me. When Grandpap kicks off, I will not have a champion here.
Interviewer: What will happen?
Sonny: The villagers will likely chase me into the woods with torches and scythes.
Interviewer: What is your plan for that day?
Sonny: Plan? I have no plan … save running for my life.
If you could have only one wizarding power, what would it be?
Interviewer: Sonny, if you could have only one wizarding power, what would it be?
Sonny: That is the most difficult question you have asked me. There are so many magical powers I have coveted. Let me see. Of course, my first thought is that I crave the desire to turn objects into goald.
Interviewer: Alchemy?
Sonny: Yes, most definitely. Then I could glamour any number of stones or twigs to look like goald, and I would be able to drink for free every day for the rest of my life.
Interviewer: What about the ability to mesmerize?
Sonny: True, that would be a wonderful magical power to wield. But at times it could be a bothersome amount of work to push people around. I would much rather they anticipate what I wanted and do it without needing to be compelled by me.
What is your most outrageous secret?
Interviewer: Tell us, Sonny the Scoundrel, what is your most outrageous secret?
Sonny: What secret do I harbour that I would never want anyone to know? Only that I am a warm, sensitive, and caring person deep inside.
Interviewer: Oh, come on! I read the story.
Sonny: What do you mean?
Interviewer: I suppose there could be a good person hidden deep inside of you, but no one has ever seen that side of Sonny Zaeffom. Seriously, what would shock the people who know you if they were ever to find out?
Sonny: Truly, I have no secrets.
Interviewer: I could interview everyone in your village and dig up some dirt.
Sonny: Oh, very well. My shameful secret is that I once tricked a visitor to our village into dressing up as a … no, that was not a secret. Ummm, you will tell this to no one?
Interviewer: Of course not. What?
Sonny: Strange, as I have never told this to anyone, and have buried it so deeply in my memory that I have not thought about it in years.
Interviewer: Go on.
Sonny: As the grandson of a wizard, it is no secret that I have a pedigree that shames every other person around me. I never violate my station in life by doing common labor. Work is for peasants and dull-witted clods. But despite that, I once … umm, this is very hard for me to talk about.
Interviewer: Take your time. Would you like a cup of tea?
Sonny: Do you have any ale? Tea does not loosen tongues. As I was saying, I had occasion to visit a distant relative several years ago, who lived in a distant village. Hagan was a cooper in the village of Trowspood, widowed and with a small daughter. His daughter was exceptionally cute, only five years old, with curly brown hair and the most serious eyes I had ever seen. When I arrived, he was finishing an order of oak barrels. Hagan’s customer had arrived with a wagon and waited for Hagan to finish the last barrel.
Interviewer: What did you do during this time?
Sonny: I … played with the child. I entertained her, played games with her, and kept her busy and happy until Hagan had finished his business. There was not much day left. Hagan cooked an evening meal and we talked and downed a few ales, then went to bed. By the next morning, when I set out to walk home, she was calling me “Da-Da.” Is that not the most wonderful thing you have ever heard?
Interviewer: So your deep, dark secret is that you once spent a day with a young child and actually didn’t hate the experience?
Sonny: Umm … yes. Do not think me a monster.
Interviewer: Well, as sordid as that all sounds, you haven’t answered my question, haven’t admitted to some dark, hidden personal shame. What is so bad about being tricked into doing manual labor? Or amusing a small child for a few hours?
Sonny: You really expect me to answer that?
Interviewer: Yes, I do. Or I shall not give you this shiny, new quarter, as promised.
Sonny: Oh, very well! Why is it painful to talk about? Because I actually enjoyed it! I labored with my hands, cleaning the child’s face when she was covered in food, and carrying her around like a mere pack animal. Several people in Trowspood saw me do so. At least they were not aware of how I debased myself, did not know who I was or where I was from. There, are you happy now?
What is the most dastardly deed you have ever done?
Interviewer: Sonny, what is the most dastardly deed you have ever done?
Sonny: Oh, I cannot pick a single favourite out of all of my achievements.
Interviewer: It doesn’t have to be the worst thing you have ever done, just one of the many really terrible things you have done.
Sonny: Very well, but it is still a difficult choice for me to make. Let me see. Once, when Abnelius and I went to Cappersham’s tavern in the early afternoon, Abnelius drank so much that he fell over outside the tavern and I could not rouse him, he was so besotted.
Interviewer: So the dastardly deed was that you were a bad influence on this Abnelius fellow?
Sonny: Oh, no, I was not the bad influence, Abnelius was. That is not what the story is about. Abnelius is as old as Grandpap, but much shorter and scrawnier, with skinny little bow legs. But he can put away the ale, he can. But on this particular evening, he did not hold it well, and staggered outside to relieve himself and did not return. When I found him, I could not get him to wake up.
Interviewer: That sounds like a problem.
Sonny: Surely it was! He was buying. And without him, Capper would not let me back into his tavern.
Interviewer: What did you do?
Sonny: What could I do? I waited for him to revive, to regain his senses.
Interviewer: Are you telling me that you waited patiently for him to sober up?
Sonny: Of course not! I searched his pack until I found one of his energy slugs. They can revive a besotted man quite quickly. You just slip one up–
Interviewer: No! I don’t want to hear any more, not about the slug. So then, when he revived, you two went back to drinking?
Sonny: Yes. But before I administered the slug, I … ummm, changed his attire a bit.
Interviewer: I’m afraid to ask, but … what did you do?
Sonny: Dressed him up like a girl. He did not notice. But the men in the tavern did. They thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen. I had a fancy bonnet on his head, and nicked Roswitha Ulver’s bloomers, the bonnet and bloomers where the only clothes on him. And I rouged his lips up to a bright red.
Interviewer: What happened then?
Sonny: A fight, of course. Abnelius may not have been alert enough to tell what I had done to him, but he had enough wits to lose his temper. Abnelius is always able to lose his temper. So when the mule drover laughed at him, he lit into the drover like a rooster after a bull.
Interviewer: Was he injured?
Sonny: Abnelius? No. He may be a scrawny old wizard, but he is still a wizard. And he fights dirty. It was one hell of a scrap, it was.
Interviewer: What were you doing during this time?
Sonny: I did the only thing I could do, under the circumstances. I slipped around and drank every cup dry as the other people in the tavern watched the fight.
What is your most secret ambition?
Interviewer: Let’s talk about your future. What is Sonny Zaeffom’s one secret ambition? What is the one thing you would most like to do in life?
Sonny: One thing? Hmmm. Well, this may sound rather bizarre to you.
Interviewer: Go on.
Sonny: I was once told a crazy story by Grandpap’s best friend, Abnelius.
Interviewer: Who is that?
Sonny: Abnelius is a wizard from a nearby village. He specializes in healing. He and Grandpap have been best friends forever—and Grandpap is very old, one-hundred forty-five, I believe. Anyway, Abnelius comes by on occasion to visit Grandpap, to eat and drink and share an evening. Abnelius is even stranger than Grandpap, which is quite a feat—though all wizards are mighty strange. Anyway, one night when Grandpap had to go and do some magical chore for a neighbor, Abnelius and I had a good time, drinking all the ale in our house. Just for fun, I asked Abnelius to tell me about alchemy, and he told me about Grandpap’s younger days, when he my grandsire was considered the most likely up-and-coming wizard, the wizard most likely to solve the riddle of alchemy. Abnelius told me all about Grandpap’s alchemy wand, how it seemed to actually work, and how a rival wizard caused it to be destroyed.
Interviewer: This is all very interesting, but do you have a point? What does this have to do with your secret ambition?
Sonny: Do have some patience. Abnelius claimed that Grandpap had figured out the secret of alchemy and was on the cusp of becoming the most successful and acclaimed wizard of his generation. But then it was ruined by a rival wizard, supposedly when that wizard was under the influence of … too much ale. So, in jest, I said to Abnelius, would it not be most wonderful if one could use a magical wand to both conduct alchemy and stir up a fine drink?
Interviewer: What did your friend Abnelius say?
Sonny: He gave me a sideways look and asked how I had heard such a strange tale. I told him it was not a tale, but just a thought that had come to me in the moment. Abnelius grew serious and informed me there were rumours in the wizarding community that such a thing was possible, that it was possible to construct a wand which could create both spirituous drink and goald.
Interviewer: What is your secret ambition?
Sonny: I would do almost anything to have such a wand, to be able to sit back, wave a wand, and create a fine drink at a moment’s notice. One would not even need goald, then, would one?
Interviewer: That is tremendously ambitious of you.
Sonny: Indeed! But I have even more ambition than that.
Interviewer: Do tell.
Sonny: You will wonder why you did not think of this. What would you do if you had a wand, a wonderful and powerful magical implement, wherein you did not even have to go through two separate incantations to make goald and fine drink?
Interviewer: I have no idea what you are talking about.
Sonny: Of course not! You are not the genius that I am. But I suppose you want to know what I am hinting about?
Interviewer: I suppose I can’t end this interview until you tell me?
Sonny: Very well, if you insist. My secret ambition, what I would do if I had such a wand, is … please, remain seated for your own good. I would be able to mix up a fine drink with the wand, then after I tossed it down, the magical wand would do its duty and strange things would happen inside me, just as you must suspect by now.
Interviewer: I have been suspecting strange things going on inside you since the beginning of this interview. What, pray tell, would be the result?
Sonny: The drink would produce goald in my bowels. What do you think of that?
Interviewer: Your secret ambition is to, to—
Sonny: Yes. I would be the first person to have shat out goald.
Interviewer: This interview is over. Does your Grandpap have any potion that could wipe the last few minutes from my memory?
Sonny is so handsome, he doesn’t need magic to get what he wants, except when he gets into trouble. And, he’ll do anything for love or money, except work. So, the thought of marriage represents the worst of all possible worlds, a danger he avoids at all costs.
His plans for getting rich the easy way—by stealing—go awry when he meets Ariella. She is not only lovely to look at, but just may be as slippery and greedy as he. Better still, she becomes highly stimulated at the prospect of helping him hijack a treasure.
But, in addition to helping him steal “goald”, the cunning Ariella might just steal his scoundrel heart.
Story Excerpt
“Tell me where you hid the amulet.” Her lips touched my ear lobe and I almost lost control of my spleen. “Confess your theft, and I will reward you, will complete the passionate interlude left unconsummated last night.”
“For you, my dear, I would confess anything.”
“Go on, do tell.”
“I confess my desire for you, my passion is aroused by your touch.”
“That is not what I want to hear. Confess you took the amulet, and tell where you hid it.”
“I will.” My heartbeats pounded in my ears. “But first, caress my trouser weasel, stroke it as you were doing last night.”
“Oh, no,” she cooed into my ear. “You tell me where the chicken foot is, and then you will be rewarded.”
I smiled to myself, despite my predicament. Such moments in life were few and far between, moments when fools thought they had the better of me, then discovered they needed to curry my favour, instead of the other way around. “My dear, I will confess nothing. Abler men than you—well, men, at least—have tried to break my spirit, and all have failed.”
“Where is the chicken foot?” she hissed, grasping my ear and twisting it. The pain was sharp and delicious.
“I do not know!” Strangely, it was true.
“Liar! Tell me, or I shall kick you.”
“Kick me if you must, but I refuse to tell you.” I fervently hoped she would carry through her threat. “What will you do with the wedding gifts? I shall tell the people of your village it was all your idea.”
“Oh, my! Dear me!” Ariella responded, mock fear dripping from her lovely lips. “Do you think they will believe you, a stranger, over a beautiful and innocent young girl?” She punctuated the question by kicking me in the gut.
“That did not hurt,” I lied. “Throw your whole body into it. Do you have a pair of pointy shoes? Kicking me with pointy shoes might at least discomfit me…while you are kicking, at least. The pain fades almost immediately and you shall never get the truth out of me at this rate.”
Where to Buy
Roane Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble (Coming soon)
KOBO (Coming soon)
Smashwords
Bookstrand
Goodreads
About Sonny Zae
Sonny Zae lives in a small town on the edge of reality. His only remarkable characteristic is imagination. He ignored his grade school teacher’s repeated admonitions to stop daydreaming and get to work.
Sonny’s book WIZARD SEEKING TROPHY BRIDE, is also available on Kindle. It is a story about the exceptional difficulties involved in finding love and happiness for an elderly and strange wizard, not to mention the difficulties of dealing with an elderly relative—an elderly relative who is also a wizard.
Nicola Cameron Writes 