Clarissa Yip Interviewed by her Muse. Beware!

Interviewed by My Muse

Annoying muse: So why do you write? Might as well give everyone the whole hoorah!

Clarissa: As a child, I’ve always wanted to be a rock star, a doctor, a linguist, and a wedding planner. You thought I was going to say author, right? Yeah, no. I’m no Nora Roberts and writing romance didn’t come to me until later. I did pick up my first Harlequin at age nine. My sister’s fault, really. She thought I didn’t know what she was reading and I kept stealing them and hiding in my room to read…It was quiet sad. You can only imagine her reaction when she found out. * gasp * “There—there’s sex in them!” she sputtered. “Not kid books!” But that was only because I had read all the Babysitter’s, R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, and Beverly Cleary books already. I was a vicious, avid reader. Yes, I said vicious.

I fell in love…

Annoying muse: Yeah, whatever. You fall in love with everyone!

Clarissa: *glares *

Annoying muse: Talk to me. Tell me more about me.

Clarissa: *lifts eyebrow* You really want me to talk about you?

Annoying muse: Maybe not. You do tend to go off on tangents… How about when you first started writing? How did you go about putting a story together?

Clarissa: I’ve been penning stories since I was a kid, but who knew about goal, motivation, conflict, or character arcs? I was smitten with the people on the pages and the voices in my head kept talking to me. (Not those voices that would put me in the psych ward, but you—my loving muse who never leaves me alone and throws temper tantrums when I don’t write.) It’s relaxing. No one told me writing was suppose to be so technical… But usually, I like to plot out my hero and heroine and you tell me what to write most of the time.

Annoying muse: * snicker * That’s what you get for waking me up in the middle of the night. I can’t help it if I have to boss you around sometimes. It’s good for you.

Clarissa: Don’t push it. You drive me nuts as it is.

Annoying muse: Okay, enough chit-chat. Let’s talk about these people you make me hang out with all the time.

Clarissa: Well? Which ones? I make you socialize with all of them.

Annoying muse: Pfft. How about Jenna and Cade? Or Lily and Rafe? They’ve been on my nerves since—

Clarissa: And they’re all sweethearts!

Annoying muse: * mutters * That’s what you think…

Clarissa: Anyway, Jenna and Cade from One Chance was released on November 18^th. Jenna is sick of being a tomboy and when she hears that Cade plans to marry the wrong woman, she feels the need to step up her game and save him! Cade is her best friend, by the way, and he’s just ready to get a move on on his life.

Annoying muse: That’s cuz he’s being a turd for even thinking to marry th—

Clarissa: Don’t ruin it for everyone!

 Annoying muse: Okay, okay. Chill out! Let’s talk about Rafe and Lily.

Clarissa: Rafe and Lily are actually from Silent Night’s Seduction, which was just released November 28^th. It’s a really sweet story. If you’ve heard of 1Night Stand Series from Decadent Publishing, then you should be familiar with Madame Eve and her services. Lily is literally kidnapped and thrown onto a plane by her older brother and is forced to Alaska to meet her mystery date…except her date turns out to be her ex-husband, Rafe. Sparks fly and—

Annoying muse: Yeah, yeah, stop your gushing. I hate when you get into these moods.

Clarissa: *glares * What kind of interview is this?

Annoying muse: Forget it. Continue. * waves hand *

Clarissa: Anyway…what was I saying? Oh yeah, Rafe and Lily just have a lot of surprises in store for them and it’s heartwarming to watch what loops they have to overcome with each other. I don’t want to spoil it all for everyone. Silent Night’s Seduction was released in e-book, but it was released in print just a few weeks ago in a print anthology called Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand Holiday Anthology. *chuckle * Yes, the title is a little original, but it’s a great book to pick up! There’re stories from many other popular authors, too! You need to check it out.

Annoying muse: Definitely! * whispers * Should you mention Evan and Sarah?

Clarissa: *sigh* I love Evan and Sarah. They’re the cutest couple ever from Tempting a Prince. If you’ve read Tempting a Cowboy, then you’ll be familiar with their story. Obviously Sarah is looking for a prince and when her childhood crush shows up as her date…well things just get complicated. How can anyone resist a Prince Charming? Tempting a Prince comes out December 23^rd.

Annoying muse: * looks at watch * Did you know that this is the longest I’ve ever seen you not reach for the coffee mug?

Clarissa: * picks up cup* You’re right. Maybe we need to go get coffee.

Annoying muse: Yay! * turns to audience * Nice seeing you all. Please come back Dec. 14. We’ll both be back here again!

Clarissa: Have a great week! *whispers * Don’t let my annoying muse get to you…she’s annoying.

Annoying muse: * glares * I heard that.

Clarissa: * looks innocently * I don’t know what’s you’re talking about. If anyone wants to go hangout for coffee. Please come along. Check out my website at http://clarissayip.com. Lots of free giveaways and chances to win prizes! Or just come and hang out with me. (*points at muse* Not her.)

Thank you so much for joining me here today! If you have a funny muse story, please share! Mine drives me nuts as it is! 

Blurb:

Stubborn and proud cowgirl, Lily McCormick, is finally coming to terms with her quiet life on her parent’s ranch, until her older brother, as payback, signs her up for 1NightStand. Kidnapped and forced onto a plane to a foreign location, she faces the dreaded cold and an unwanted tryst, until her ex-husband appears before her…as her date.

New York City District Attorney, Rafe Martinez, would do anything to get his ex-wife back, even if it meant taking drastic measures to pretend he was there for another woman. When jealousy and rage surfaces and Lily’s tough demeanor wanes, desire and lust sparks their once powerful connection as truths unfold. Will Rafe convince her to return to him or push her further away from giving their love a second chance? 

http://clarissayip.com

Twitter: ClarissaYip

Facebook: ClarissaYipAuthor

http://clarissayipblog.com

http://romanceauthorhotspot.com

The Eyes Still Have It

Stephen King knew a bouncer who could distinguish a kid with a fake ID from a legal adult with  a careful moment of scrutiny.  "It's in the eyes," the bouncer had told King, "in the way they look at you."  King in his 40s interpreted his friend as saying that older eyes "lost" something.  I'm sure the 60-something King would now see it differently. 

It always annoyed me, in my teenaged years, when my mother called me a kid.  I didn't understand the perspective of age.  I didn't realize that being considered a kid could be anything other than a social status putdown by a haughty old-timer.  There are many benefits in youth. I didn't "get" that age gives us more than wrinkles -- that it also affords us certain scars upon the soul.  Scars build up through time, and may limit us in ways, but time also provides us calluses, like the ones built up on an expert guitarist's fingers, that enable him to play a jazz riff.  Younger players can't play that long since their fingers are still soft.  Maybe older eyes, with their different vision, can see things younger eyes can't -- and vice versa. 

The eyes are the windows to the soul, as the Latin statesman Cicero first said, and as way too many people have quoted.  It bears repeating if only for the point -- the difference in the eyes may not be the loss of something but a necessary change of vintage --- a deepening, a broadening of vision.  As we get older, nearsighted people often become farsighted.  Maybe that's more than an optical phenomenon.  In what seems like a matter of weeks, we become our parents in many ways, even if only to stand in contradiction to them.  We lose something that youth retains, but we gain something, too.

I first started writing my novel erotic romane, Defining Moments (MC Books), when I was 41.  As I wrote it, I feared the couple was too idealized and, well, old to be an acceptable erotic romance couple.  I've now published the novel as my hour is  about to strike 52.  I know now that fifty-somethings are just twenty-somethings with whiter hair.  My only worry was that an audience in the twilight of Twilight romantica couldn't embrace my fiery-hearted late-blooming lovers.  I'm happy to say that reviews suggest I was wrong.  Young people see the same things we do, just in different ways.

Perhaps Stephen's door guard friend couldn't see what was there because he didn't have a sufficient range of sight.  The older eyes weren't missing anything.  They just weren't focused on him.  Us oldies know the future belongs to us and that our hours won't go on forever.  We're closer to the end than we are the beginning.  We direct our eyes to the future, to the days beyond, and we don't worry about the reaction of the doorman.  That's something the young might learn from us, just as we could learn from the young.

The Anticipation of Christmas (Make That My Christmas Novel)

As a child, waiting for Christmas to arrive seemed both exciting and arduous.  The days after Thanksgiving's leftovers vanished into memory stretched into December with slow precision and my anticipation grew with each passing day.  By the time the fresh cut Douglas Fir arrived to claim a place of honor in the living room's alcove, bringing the wonderful aroma of pine into the house and a few bright packages appeared beneath its branches, I would be in such a dither I imagine I drove my parents almost out of their minds.

Although I never did outgrow either Christmas or the magic of the season, I did learn to temper my excitement and anticipation with a small measure of patience.   Patience, however, as I often tell people is a virtue I have yet to perfect.   I still count the days to Christmas and celebrate the season of Advent in my Catholic faith which is about waiting too.

This year, however, I'm counting down the days with a remnant of my childhood joy and glee to December 3.  The date looms large on my calendar because it marks the release date for my first ever Christmas release, Sing We Now of Christmas from Rebel Ink Press.

Sing We Now of Christmas came out of my own love of the holiday season (like my heroine Jessica) and also from one of my favorite carols, Sing We Now of Christmas.  It just happens to be Jessica's too.  My very favorite Christmas carols are the oldest - this as a 15th century French carol and What Child Is This? to the tune of Greensleeves, an old English melody.   The French carol is haunting and poignant so when I decided to write a Christmas themed novel, it seemed the obvious inspiration.  And my desire to write a novel about a missing person came into play as well.

So during one of the worst heat waves in decades across the United States, I sat down in bare feet and shorts to write this novel.  When I stared out my window lost in thought I didn't see the browning grass or the shimmering heat in the air or the relentless sun but beautiful snow and evergreen trees.

I'm excited about the debut this week of Sing We Now of Christmas  so I'd like to share the blurb and a brief little excerpt:

When Jessica Martin met Johnny Devereaux that December, holiday magic filled the air but their love was no enchantment….he was, without doubt the love of her life and by summer, they were happy newlyweds with all their life and holidays ahead.

But when he failed to return home from a fishing trip on the Fourth of July, Jessica’s world is rocked to the foundation and when the authorities tell her that her husband is missing, presumed dead, she refuses to believe it.

As the months and seasons pass, no one else holds out hope but Jessica believes.

She knows he’ll be home for Christmas no matter what.  Her family calls her crazy, Johnny’s family tries to help her find closure but Jessica’s heart refuses to surrender hope.

When Christmas comes, the truth will come out to shock them all.

Excerpt:

After the storm  passed, the air felt sticky and hot.   That heat made her almost sleepy and to stay awake, she reminisced about the night last December that she first met Johnny, at Rusty’s Nail in Joplin.

            She got up to leave, unhappy because her friend, Susan, spent all her time with the lead singer of the band, and backed into someone.   In her haste she almost lost her balance.  Strong arms caught her and held her upright as a voice said, audible above the music but not loud,

           “Whoa, there honey, take it easy.”

             Jessica whirled, embarrassed, to mumble an apology.  All her words faded away when she gazed into his eyes, dark brown and richer than sweet chocolate.   He looked back with interest and she felt a strong sense of attraction.  He wasn’t the kind of guy she would give a second glance under any other circumstance but tonight she couldn’t look anywhere else.   Everything about him was opposite of what she liked in a man – she liked tailored, Brooks Brothers business charm and he radiated country cowboy.

             He fit into his faded Wranglers as if they’d been made just for his long legs and his pearl snap button blue patterned Western shirt suited him.   He towered above her, taller by several inches even without the worn cowboy boots he wore.  She inhaled his scent, a potent mixture of musky cologne, tobacco smoke, and beneath it all, Irish Spring soap.  His hands, still holding her arms, were warm against her bare skin and she was glad, now, that she’d worn the black silk halter top despite the cold instead of the red sweater she’d worn to school. Jessica made her voice work with effort, “Thank you.”

             “No problem,” he said and she drank in his voice, strong and comforting with just enough Oklahoma twang to make it interesting. “Would you care to dance?”

“I’d love it,” Jessica said as he released his grip on her arms to grab her hand instead. “My name’s Jessica Martin.”

             “I’m Johnny,” he said and she committed the name to memory, “Johnny Devereaux.”

            He led her onto the tiny dance floor just as Mark began to sing the softer, sweeter vintage country song, Lookin’ For Love.  The old Johnny Lee song she remembered from that movie, Urban Cowboy, now felt like a theme song.  She recalled watching it one late night in college, hating the boot scooting dance moves and the mechanical bull riding but loving the scene where Debra Winger danced to this same music with John Travolta.  Such a coincidence she mused, Johnny Lee, John Travolta, and Johnny Devereaux. 

              Johnny put his arms around her and she cuddled close against him for the slow dance.  They swayed together, their easy motions in time with the music, and she felt safe.   Jessica’s head fell short of his shoulder and so as they danced, she could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.  Above them, the stationary silver ball that must have once spun reflected the colorful Christmas lights strung above the bar and Jessica felt the strangest sense of coming home in his arms.  She wanted to stay there forever, wrapped in that magic cocoon of his embrace, and hold this moment close to her heart.

              Jessica savored that memory, just as sweet now as it had been on that incredible night.  Sometimes she couldn’t believe it had just been not quite seven months ago, that until that December evening her world didn’t include Johnny Devereaux.  Until then, she never believed in love at first sight but after that dance, they were together and in love.   They never doubted the reality of it and by the time they married, down at the lake over Memorial Day weekend, neither did any of their family or friends.  They were meant to be together, Jessica and Johnny like Lucy and Ricky.

Christmas is coming - and so is my first Christmas novel release.  I hope you'll join me in celebrating this season of anticipation, hope and joy!

Catch the book trailer, a Murphy Girls (my teenage daughters) Production here:

http://youtu.be/mLQBf90xFMM

Just About A Year Ago....I Set Out On The Road To Becoming An Author

 Old habits die hard and I still listen to a lot of the music I loved in my youth, even in my childhood.  One of my favorite groups remains Credence Clearwater Revival and one of the songs I love most is “Lodi”. That song opens with the lines, “Just about a year ago, I set out on the road, seeking my fame and fortune, looking for a pot of gold.”  That ballad seems not just a favorite these days but somehow prophetic for my career or so I hope.

http://youtu.be/vxO_FHR5U_A

 A year ago, I had two signed contracts for my novels and I wanted  readers discover my work and enjoy it.  I wanted to write fiction that would engage people’s imaginations

Last November at this time I was deep into my first edits for Wolfe's Lady, a paranormal romance released at the end of December 2010.   My other contract - signed first - was for a novel Kinfolk with a targeted release from Champagne Books for July 2011.  That seemed so very far away as I worked hard on those first edits, learning to use track changes and other Word options.  During the process, between the first round and second round of edits, I came down with some gnarlybug and was so sick I could hardly stumble to the computer.  That's rare for me - I'm seldom sick but it happens to the best of us.

A year ago I couldn't imagine I would have eight novels out this year with two more coming out before the end of 2011 or that I'd have six more signed contracts thus far for 2012.  I had no clue two of those novels would be in paperback as well as eBook form or that I'd gain readers and some fans aloong the way.  In additon to the novels I have several novellas and short works out plus my number of anthology appearances shot up from eleven or so to twenty five and counting.


http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Ann-Sontheimer-Murphy/e/B004JPBM6I

My second release (also from Evernight Publishing) Love Tattoo led to a sequel called Love Scars and then became a series, The Love Covenant Series, with Love Knots.  The fourth volume in the series, Love Shadows also will be out in December 2010.

Early in 2011 I made one of the best decisions I've ever made and submitted a novel to Rebel Ink Press.  That novel, Love Never Fails, became my first Rebel Ink release and also my first novel to also come out in paperback.  My second Rebel Ink release, Witness Protection Program came out in early October and flirted with the Bookstrand bestseller lists in a way I liked.  My upcoming Christmas release, Sing We Now of Christmas due out in just a week is another Rebel Ink Press title.  In 2012, I have two Rebel February releases, A Patient Heart and In Love's Own Time, along with others which so far include Miss Good Samaritan (April), Guy's Angel (June) and In The Shadow of War.  I'll also have a shorter work as part of a special Father's Day release with the characters borrowed from Love Never Fails.

There's also my other Champagne Books release, a time travel romance  A Time To Love that came out on the heels of Witness Protection Program in October

Now I write full-time but most of life has changed very little.  In this turbulent economy I'm far from rich - I still struggle to make ends meet (and sometimes they don't quite and I have to push and force to get it to work)

      I still like the same things and have much the same routine.  I go grocery shopping in my worn-out blue jeans, worship at church with my family, sit out on the porch in the cool of the evening, and doing the things I’ve always done.   I just spend more time promoting, sometimes very long hours, and do a lot more web appearances through interviews, guest blogs, and such.  Last year I had one blog - I now have five and do so many guest blogs I often lose track of them all.

      I attract some attention with my prose and my fiction but I don’t know if I can call it “fame” just yet but I like the recognition for my writing.   I hope that at least a little of the “fortune” drifts my way with each royalty quarter but for now, my pleasure comes from reader comments, from those who like my stories and remember them.

      A lot can change in a year’s time, though and I adapt to the changes.  And I look forward to next year with eager anticipation because I've learned you never know just what can happen.

Visit me at my main blog A Page In The Life
http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com
or my website at http://leeannwriter.weebly.com

If you like book trailers come by my You Tube Channel to view them all:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJoetowngirl

THE FINE LINES OF LOVE, PASSION, & LUST!

Dictionary.com defines lust, passion, and love as the following:

LUST~ noun
1. intense sexual desire or appetite.
2. uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite; lecherousness.
3. a passionate or overmastering desire or craving (usually followed by for ): a lust for power.
4. ardent enthusiasm; zest; relish: an enviable lust for life.

PASSION ~ noun
1. any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate.
2. strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor.
3. strong sexual desire; lust.
4. an instance or experience of strong love or sexual desire.
5. a person toward whom one feels strong love or sexual desire.

LOVE ~noun
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like).

As you can see, they all elicit very strong urges and emotion. Is that why the fine lines between them blur so easily? Can you have one without the other? Personally, I don't think you can. Not if the relationship is a healthy one.

My hero, Firefighter Jett Avery thinks he can keep his own personal demons at bay with lust, denying his own need for love. When he pursues my heroine, Nurse Roxanne Carter, there is plenty of passion and lust, and he falls head over heels. He is so shocked by the L-word, he can't even bring himself to admit that he's in love with her, not even to himself. Jett has beat himself up for so long, he doesn't believe he deserves happiness and love in his life.

BLURB:
Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?

EXCERPT:
She held up her hands, palms facing toward him. “Stop. This is a hospital. Not some stupid television show where the medical staff is always making out in a closet. I work here. Don’t even think about it!”

Jett closed the distance between them until her hands pressed against his chest, searing their imprint through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. He grasped her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, licking the sensitive tips with his tongue one by one. Heat filled her eyes and she trembled.

“You feel the pull, too. Don’t you?” he asked, dropping her hand.
Jett slid his hands to her waist, and molded her against his erection. A perfect fit. Her sharp intake of breath as she shook her head told him all he needed to know. He smiled. Satisfaction filled him.

“Liar. Shake your head in denial all you want, but I can see the reflection mirrored in your eyes, and feel the powerful draw when I touch you,” he said in a husky tone. He rubbed his stiff cock against her stomach. The intensity of his desire eliminated all reason.

Jett buried his face in her neck and breathed in her sweetness. “Hmm. Today you smell like chocolate.” His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear as his hands stroked her bare arms. “But you taste like honey.”
Her knees bent and he placed his leg between hers to support her. On the brink of total insanity, he continued his light exploration. His hand skimmed her torso, and skirted the side of her breast. With slow, deliberate care, he let his fingertips graze her collarbone on the way to grasp the back of her neck. Another tremor rippled through her.

God, she felt so damn good.

She tilted her chin and her head rested in his open palm. “Jett,” her sultry voice caused his penis to throb. “This is not a good idea. Anyone could come in here and….”

He pushed his thigh against her crotch. She inhaled sharply, desire deepening the blue of her eyes. “You were saying?”

Her brow furrowed. “And…”

“Intoxicating being a little naughty, isn’t it?” he rasped. He gently tugged her face closer to his. “Hmm. I believe you mentioned the other night that your most recent sexual exploits have been lacking. Let’s add something of interest for your science venture.”

Available now at Evernight Publishing at this link:
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

To find out more about Kathleen Grieve and her books, you can stop by her blog, Keeping A Pulse On Life & Romance http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com

Her website: www.kathleengrieve.com

Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kathleen-GrieveAuthor/251669291518939

Follow her on Twitter: @KathleenGrieve

SEAL Obsession

For years I’ve been fascinated by SEALs. Amazed, awed, filled with admiration and respect for these elite warriors, the best trained force on the planet. I’ve probably read every single book out there on SEALs. I have The History Channel’s DVD series on the Class 228 and re-watching for the nth time never fails to still astound.

What motivates these men? The training is brutal, the odds of completing the course and earning the pin dismal – out of a beginning class of 230 trainees only approximately 40 will graduate, and not all of those will go on to become SEALs. And that’s just the beginning of more training. Most SEALs won’t see active duty for six months to a year after finishing BUD/ s or Basic Undewater Demolition/Seal training.

The grit and determination, the no man left behind motto, the sheer beauty of the execution of an operation, it boggles my mind. Easy to see where my motivation for writing The Hades Squad series came from – obsession. Too bad there aren’t any female SEALs and I wasn’t a good tw

o decades younger. Hah! Dream on, Jianne.

I’ve taken liberties with The Hades Squad – particularly by making the squad master parachutists as well as SEALs. But, I really wanted to use the title A Paratrooper in a Pear Tree, and thus, Lincoln Abraham Chapman aka Sinner was born. To this day, Sinner’s one of my favorite characters.

It took me around six weeks to write Deviant Devil. The minute I penned the first chapter, his character flew off the pages. With a nickname like Devil, aka Dominix Alexander Zubiri, this warrior walks to the beat of a different drummer. He’s a tad on the deviant side. And ornery and stubborn.

So, his mate, Jessica Blaine, had to be a strong, no nonsense woman. Jess and Devil have been fighting their mutual attraction since Lucifer’

s Choice. When Devil spots Jess in a BDSM club – up for auction – that’s it. No prisoners taken. No holds barred she’s his.

I’m celebrating Deviant Devil’s release with a contest. Visit my site and answer these questions and you’re entered in a drawing for a restaurant

gift certificate and a copy of Deviant Devil.

What’s Sinner’s real name?

What shape is Nalini’s belly ring?

What’s the name of the private BDSM club where Devil wins Jess in an auction?

Here’s a small excerpt from Deviant Devil:

It hadn’t been Dominix.

Jess’s stomach lurched into her throat.

She’d spent three entire nights tossing, tu

rning, berating herself, and praying.

Praying it hadn’t been Dominix in Bacchanal’s private room.

Praying it had been Dominix in Bacchanal’s private room.

Not knowing which would be worse, being turned on by a complete stranger or finally surrendering to her morbid Dominix fantasies. Though her Bacchanal escort had worn a mask, she’d glimpsed his hair, and those black locks plus his

build and gait had convinced her he was Dominix.

Until he spoke.

Who was she kidding? Even after hearing his Texas twang, she’d held on to the forlorn hope that the stranger who’d brought her to the first explosive climax of her life had been the one man she’d been fantasizing about for over nine months.

She couldn’t have been more wrong. For Dominix stood in the entrance to the Hades Squad’s conference room. And the shock of inky waves that had once brushed Dominix’s shoulders, blue-black locks that would’ve been effeminate on any other man, had been replaced by a buzz cut.

Dominix Alexander Zubiri wore a b

uzz cut.

Green couldn’t begin to describe the nauseous bile doing a jig in her gullet.

How had he found out about the meeting? She had checked with Destiny, her best friend, to ensure Devil would be out of town before arranging this meeting. Jess glanced at the two Hades Squad members seated across the table. Both men looked as surprised as she felt.

An impending sense of doom weighted her shoulders.

She couldn’t keep her gaze off him

. The buzz cut had sharpened his features and added a harshness that hadn’t been there before. A dangerous edge she wanted to ride more than ever.

“See something you like?”

Dominix’s menace-laced tone belied words she once would’ve interpreted as cocky and flirtatious. A tarantula pirouetted up her spine. For no devilish smile lifted the corners of his mouth, those onyx eyes didn’t glint with mischief, and

he returned her stare with an intimidating intensity.

“What the frick?” Lorcan McGillycuddy, aka Satan, president of the Hades Squad security firm, twisted to confront Dominix. “What are you doing here?”

“The meeting was cancelled.”

“Obviously.” Satan’s glance raked Dominix from head to toe. “Has hell frozen over? Did the poles reverse? Am I hallucinating?”

“Nope. It’s Devil. In the flesh.” Sax Anders, the Hades Squad’s information specialist, shook his head and grinned.

“Can’t be. His girlie hair’s gone.”

Satan rolled his eyes.

How could such an austere style serve only to enhance Dominix’s wicked allure?

Jess refrained from banging her he

ad on the table.

Ever since her parents’ death decades ago, she’d been relentless, ambitious, and industrious in her pursuit of one goal: self-reliance. No man is an island, but the woman she’d become was one. She ran her own business, towed the social morality line to keep the client roster satisfied, and avoided emotional entanglements. If it hadn’t been necessary to ply the New York social scene for her business, Jess wouldn’t have made the effort to date.

She’d tried sex.

The smells and sweat of intercourse offended her nostrils, the conversations necessary afterward proved awkward, and for the life of her, she couldn’t understand the feminine need to cuddle. Being celibate proved less stressful. It wasn’t as if she had a high sex drive; her vibrator went unused for months at a time.

It had all been working perfectly

.

Her carefully crafted solid-and-dependable-girl-next-door reputation kept even the most ardent males at arm’s length. Then she’d met Dominix, and in less than nine seconds, any illusion of normality had been shattered.

One night. One meeting. One dance.

Poof!

“No way he’d cut his hair voluntarily.” Satan studied Devil and then shook his head. “Payback? A jealous husband?”

A tiny unladylike snort escaped her nostrils. Dominix’s screw ’em and lose ’em philosophy meant oodles of jealous husbands existed.

“No obvious bruises, so he wasn’t ambushed.” Sax crossed his arms and lifted one gold-dusted brow. “Did you know that shaving the head is a common sign of grieving for the dead?”

Release Date: 08/23/11

ISBN: 978-1-61

118-511-9

Publisher: Loose-Id

Publisher Link: http://www.loose-id.com/Hades-Squad-3-Deviant-Devil.aspx

Buy Link: http://www.loose-id.com/Hades-Squad-3-Deviant-Devil.aspx

Genre: Contemporary suspense

Pages: 215

Word Count: 62,224

Hope you enj

oy!

Cheers,

Jianne

Tara Fox Hall - Fall Releases + Intro to new shorts for Christmas anthology!

Hi My name is Tara Fox Hall. My second contemporary paranormal romance e-novella, Return To Me, published in late October 2011.

Here is the blurb:

Determined to find the source of the nightly creaking she alone can hear, Sam Reading discovers Harrison Benning, a ghost who becomes corporeal for one night of the year; the summer solstice. Their warm friendship soon becomes powerful love that lasts through decades, tragedies, and even beyond death.

My first novella, Surrender To Me, a historical paranormal romance, published in September 2011. Here is the cover and blurb:

Former aristocrat turned lowly vampire Devlin Dalcon gets by on his supernatural charm, swindling others for money and goods. When Devlin encounters bride-to-be Annabelle—another potential victim—he finds the tables have turned as he falls in love with her.

Buy links:

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/tarafoxhall/returntome.html

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/tarafoxhall/surrendertome.html

Also, just in time for Christmas! The hot romance anthology, Wicked Christmas Wishes, will publish on 12-4-2011 from Melange Books. Here is an excerpt from Kink, one of two stories I have featured in this anthology:

KINK

Another new message blip appeared at the bottom right hand of the screen, before fading and disappearing. Paul blinked, then rubbed his left eye with his hand. That one had been from the VP, asking again where the status report was. He was working on it, Damn it, but he could only work so fast, especially with all the emails that kept appearing…
“Lunch!” came the urgent call.
Paul paused, considering his options. If he stayed to work on his report, his boss might not ream him out Monday morning. Yet if he didn’t come eat in the next few moments, his wife, Joy, would not only be irritated, she’d likely come up here and give him both barrels. It was a no brainer, really. She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed was the clear choice.
He pushed back his chair, then stood up, stretching the kinks out of his muscles. Maybe he could convince Joy to give him a quick massage after lunch. His wife had the most skill of any masseuse he’d ever visited. He’d only had to feel her hands on him once to know he wanted them again, and soon. She’d ensnared him just like a hapless fly, and he’d never been so happy to be bedazzled.
He walked towards the kitchen, sniffing the air. It smelled like cookies, not lunch. Maybe she had been baking? Christmas was less than a week away. “Joy?”
He turned the corner, then blinked, his eyes widening. There in the kitchen stood his wife, her beautiful dark blonde corkscrew curls buoyant, her eyes lowered, a sultry smile on her face. She was dressed in red velvet panties, trimmed in white fluff, her creamy breasts flushed, the nipples covered by small red velvet circles trimmed in lace. On her head at a jaunty angle was a santa’s hat. In her hands, she held a gingerbread cookie, one of his favorites.
“Santa’s got a treat for you,” she purred. “Have you been a good boy, Paul?”


Thank you, and happy thanksgiving!

PS: If you are interested in receiving updates on my new works, please sent me an email at tarafoxhallATgmailDOTcom requesting to join my mailing list. You can also enter my contest on my website at www.tarafoxhall.com - each month, a winner from the mailing list is selected to recieve an e-copy of one of my books, or anthologies I contributed to. I also blog at goodreads, and am on facebook :)

Building it

One of the things I enjoy is building fictional town or communities. When I build I get to following various characters on their journey to find love. I love creating towns and various types of families. In building towns or communities they all have there own idiosyncrasies that make them unique. You build it with many layers that not only include the setting but the people, sights and sounds that make a place.

If you think of your own hometown there is no place else in the world like it. There might be similarities but there are things that make it uniquely your hometown. This is what I go for when I write any story. Making it familiar like someplace you have been but with differences that make the town special. It is an amazing thing building a place from scratch. Creating the people that inhabit it. Making them live to those reading. The sights that make you know that you are in this town with these people. The sounds that capture you if you walk down the street.

With any good structure all the pieces must be laid together to create a mosaic that tells a story. I want to take you on a journey that engages all the senses. Building it so you can feel like you are part of it. There is nothing better to me than that.

McKenna Jeffries
http://www.mckennajeffries.com/
…. sensual, edgy, unexpected

Blog: http://www.mckennajeffries.com/blog
Updates Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/McKennaJeffriesList
Free Reads Site: http:/ /www.satinnotes.com/

Conquering Jazz - What’s a woman to do when she unwittingly makes a tantalizing proposition to her best friend?

Be brazen, bold and set some ground rules. Her offer. One night of carnal bliss. No emotion allowed.

His counter offer. A continued affair to fulfill all their sexual cravings.

His hidden agenda. Conquer to make sure their affair never ends.

Buy here at Liquid Silver Book.

When You Touch Lives Through Your Novels - It's Amazing.

When you touch lives through your novels, it's an experience like no other.

Rewind my life about three years and you'd find me in the classroom at the local high school almost every day.  At that time I worked as a substitute teacher, almost exclusively at the high school level, and I enjoyed it.  Most of the students liked me and they nicknamed me "The Awesome Sub".  Most of my former students have graduated now and my career focused on writing so much that I'm seldom at school these days.  Some of my students though managed to work their way into my heart forever and some are even friends.  Now instead of being a sub at the high school level, I have two daughters in high school.

My life in a year's time shifted dramatically from local columnist and freelance writer to romance author.  Back in the heyday of my subbing years I often talked to students about my writing, sometimes sharing a story found online or in an anthology.  Most of the kids found my other occupation cool and intriguing.  More than I can count confided their own aspirations in writing and several penned their own novels. 

Of all the kids, some connected with me on a deeper level.  One girl, unhappy in foster parent care, considered running away until I spent a long hour talking to her in a blunt, straight way about her life.  Months later, she saw me somewhere, ran to me and hugged me to say "You gave me hope when I didn't have any left."  I comforted another young lady who'd lost her virginity to another student who didn't want any more to do with her after the deed was done.  I wept with kids who lost a loved one and when I came back to school after losing my own dad unexpectedly, the outpouring of hugs and sympathy from teens all but overwhelmed me.

I think I made a positive difference in some young lives and realized just this last week that I still am, through my novels.   With eight novels out, ten by the end of 2011 and signed contract for another five so far in 2012,  it's not uncommon for former students to offer me congratulations or mention it.  On a spring day last year, subbing I overhead a high school girl whisper that I now "writes dirty books".  That's one of the few comments I didn't like.

But one student, one now a friend and an adult warmed my  heart this week when he finished reading Love Never Fails, a second chance at love romance novel out in both ebook and paperback from Rebel Ink Press.  He texted me.   He phoned me.  And we messaged back and forth because he loved the story.  For him, it resonated.  The novel is set in the same small town where I live and he liked that.  Familiar places appear in the story and he found that "cool".  Most of all, he identified with the hero, Reid.  Like Reid, this young man lost his mother as a teenager and he's a poor kid from the "wrong side of the tracks".  He showed the book to his father,who said, "Your teacher wrote this?" and proceeded to read enough to recognize his own hometown.  He showed it to his new wife and between them, they were wowed by the imagery of the local scene.  My former student shared all this with me and I wanted to either dance for joy or weep with emotion.

This student in high school didn't like to read.  He never cracked a book of any kind willingly.  He didn't enjoy any of his required English or Lit courses.   I don't think he'd ever considered reading a book for pleasure.  Music was his thing and we often talked about our shared musical tastes back then.  But now what music did and does for him, he's found out reading can do that too.  He never imagined books existed about "people just like him".  Now that he has, it's opened up new worlds for him with the written world.

His former English instructors would faint if they knew but I'm happy I helped him find something new to resonate.

I write stories because I like stories.  I read because I enjoy the escape, the involvement, the entertainment.  But when I touch lives, I am humbled and grateful that somehow my words, a story I spun makes such a difference.

Love Never Fails.  
My other novels include Witness Protection Program, Kinfolk, A Time To Love, The Love Covenant Series (Love Tattoo, Love Scars, Love Knots and coming in December 2011 Love Shadows) and more.

Sing We Now of Christmas my first Christmas release debuts on December 3 from Rebel Ink Press.

Coming in 2012 look for A Patient Heart (Feb 3, Valentine's release) In Love's Own Time (Feb 17 ghost/time travel/romance) Miss Good Samaritan (April 3 sweet suspense novel), Guy's Angel (June 3 historical 1920's romance), and In The Shadow of War, (World War II historical romance),all from Rebel Ink Press.  Also look for my novella Long Live The King coming in May 2012 from Champagne Books.

Visit me at http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com A Page In The LIfe
http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
http://leeannwriter.weebly.com my website
Follow me on Facebook: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy or Twitter @leeannwriter

Errands Galore

With the colder weather I do my outside errands once a week. That way I can be in the cold one day getting everything done instead of daily. Yes I'm in the cold longer but since I am on the move going here and there I don’t feel it as much. I’ve come up with an organization to get everything done in a timely manner.

Well yesterday was errand day and I was up and out of my house at the crack of dawn. Had to take the train to most of my errands. As I went from place to place and things I had to do I was pleased with my progress of what I got done. By the end of the day I was burnt out. Dragging hard. But I was pleased that all my errands were done. My organization worked. Yay.

I was so pleased and surprised at how things went. Got more done than I usually do when I spread my errands out. I think I’ve found the way I’m going to do my errands.

Taige Crenshaw
http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/
…increasing the sizzle factor

Blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog
Chat Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crenshawcafe
Newsletter: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/newsletterandgroups.shtml
Free Reads Site: http://www.satinnotes.com/

Power of Instinct - A woman does whatever is necessary to protect the man who is hers but once he finds out he goes with his instincts and makes her his.

Buy here at Total-E-Bound.

Time to Give Thanks

Time to Give Thanks
By
N. J. Walters


It’s almost time for people to celebrate Thanksgiving in the USA and it’s a great time of year to stop and take stock of what you’re grateful for in your life.

For me, the list of what I’m grateful for is endless. I feel lucky to have a brother and sister who I actually like. Not everyone is so fortunate. I lost my father to cancer twenty-nine ago when I was only eighteen so I’m very grateful that my mother is still alive and in relatively good health. My family might be small, but it’s incredibly important to me.

Every day of my life I give thanks for my husband. We’ve been married for over twenty-four years and together for twenty-eight, but it still feels fresh and new. He’s my best friend, an amazing man and husband and I’d marry him again in a second. He’s my biggest fan and supporter and makes me laugh every day.

Then there is my career. My first book was published seven years ago by Ellora’s Cave. Little did I know when Annabelle Lee came out that in less than a year I would quit my day job in retail and start writing full time. And now all these years later I’m making a living doing something I love.

I’m so very grateful to all the readers who have ever purchased one of my books, who have generously spent their hard-earned money on something I created and have supported me over the past seven years. I cherish every email, every Yahoo and Facebook message I have received from all of you letting me know you’ve enjoyed my books and asking me for more. It’s a gift I never take for granted.

I’m also thankful for all the wonderful friends I’ve made online during the past seven years. I’m not able to travel to writer’s conferences and such, but that hasn’t stopped many wonderful women from reaching out to me and becoming good friends. Thank you one and all! Romance writers are by and large an incredibly giving and generous group of people and I’m honored to be a part of that community.

There is so much more I’m grateful for from the roof over my head to the food in my cupboard. I try to give back, especially this time of year, by donating to the local food banks because I know that many people are finding it tough to make ends meet.

I could write a wish list of things I wish I had, we all could. But that does not detract from the millions of small and large blessings I have in my life each and every day. May you spend Thanksgiving with your family and friends counting the blessings in your life.

Me, I’ll be giving thanks that I sat down about fifteen years ago and, with my husband’s encouragement, wrote my very first book. It wasn’t the first book I had published, but Discovering Dani eventually found a home after many, many rewrites and submissions. Thank you Samhain Publishing for making that dream come true back in 2006.

BLURB:

Dani O'Rourke has had the responsibility of raising her two brothers, Patrick and Shamus, since the death of their parents. As sole owner and operator of O'Rourke Cleaning Services, she is no stranger to hard work, but she is a beginner when it comes to men.

Burke Black is a very rich and successful businessman whose brush with death has made him question his priorities. He’s traveled to Jamesville for peace and quiet while he plans the rest of his life.

Their lives collide when Burke accuses her of breaking into his cabin to steal from him. Their attraction to each other is immediate and after a series of misunderstandings, he finds himself caught up in the lives of Dani and her brothers.

But can this gentle, giving woman get a man as hard and cynical as Burke to believe in the power of love? Or will Burke leave town without ever discovering the wonders of life with Dani?

Check out Discovering Dani.

Happy Thanksgiving!



N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at:
Website
Blog
Newsletter Group
Facebook

The Enchanted Hawk is back up on Kindle

By Janet Quinn

The Enchanted Hawk is the next one of my books to be re-released on Kindle with a brand new look. Lex Valentine made me another great, sexy cover.

Brylyn, of the Hawk Clan, is drawn into the intrigue surrounding Thom McGarrety, when his brother is to wed Anna from another domain. Brylyn faces the danger of the feonds, the humans who rule the area where her people used to live. They would see her and her people dead because they are shape-shifters.

When Anna’s family wants the McGarrety castle, Brylyn must trust her secret to Thom. Thom, believing that the shape-shifters are nothing but myth, must learn to believe in Brylyn and trust her to help save his life and his domain. Together, can they save the castle, untie their people and find lasting love?

If you like shape-shifters and sexy heroes, you will find this to be a fun book. Brylyn turns into many different animals, but the red hawk is her favorite form because she can fly free. She also has a short romance with as a red rat and much attention as a red cat.

I am working on a new western time travel set in Nevada on a horse ranch. Turner and Rebecca are having a not so wonderful adventure as Turner tries to figure out how to get back to his own time and if he can leave Rebecca behind.

Torn Between Two Lovers

by Sharon Lathan

“Torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool. Loving both of you is breaking all the rules.”

OK, raise your hand if you remember that song by Mary Macgregor? Yes, it means you are old and, if you can sing all the lyrics, probably that you weren’t very hip. Does it help if I tell you that the song was inspired by the novel Dr. Zhivago and written by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary? Yeah, I thought it might. I know it helped restore a modicum of my dignity when the song popped into my head for this blog, and I found I could sing the entire chorus! I couldn’t remember the whole song, or the artist, so perhaps that means I was moderately hip when a teenager.

Nothing in the prior paragraph has anything to do with my novel, by the way. Utterly pointless. The song’s lyrics, however, do strike a nerve and capture at least a portion of the plot in Miss Darcy Falls in Love. I don’t suppose having the heroine of a romance novel finding herself drawn to two men is all that unusual. I am certain it has been done before, by someone. The fun is in how uniquely an author weaves the similar plot lines.

In the case of my story, I presented Georgiana Darcy with two decent men who love her. It wasn’t about discovering who the “bad guy” was since neither gentleman possesses major faults. Instead this is a tale of a woman learning to understand her own heart, in many different ways aside from who she loves, and then making the correct choices. Not that arriving there is easy----

Georgiana rose and began to walk about the room at a slow pace. Her eyes were clouded and her hands clenched before her breast. “Maybe I should have foreseen his declaration. I certainly was aware of his regard, so a wiser woman would wonder at my surprise. But our acquaintance is of such short duration that I never anticipated matters moving so swiftly. I did not expect it, Amanda, that is true, but if asked, I imagine I would have expressed happiness at the idea of courting him.”

She turned to her companion. “I felt the lightning bolt the first moment I saw him. My breath was squeezed from my lungs. Our hours together since have been very pleasant. I like him, I truly do. Maybe I even love him. What better way to discover the depth than to engage in a courtship? But I could not agree. And then he…” 

She sighed and quickened her pace. Her eyes flashed and voice rose angrily. “It should not be so complicated! Should it? I know I am only twenty, but why is it that every time I think I am in love something muddles up? It feels wrong while also feeling right, which makes no sense. Why must affection be false or misplaced or weak or not returned? Why do you fall in love with the one man who does not love you back?” 

She halted as if slamming into a wall. Her breathing came in harsh spurts and her cheeks blotched red. Frustration registered upon every aspect of her being as she stared blankly out of the window into the darkness. 

What will Georgiana do? Which man will she choose? Baron Caxton - the alpha male extraordinaire - or Sebastian Butler - the handsome composer? Well, I can’t tell you, now can I? Hopefully I have piqued your interest, but while waiting for your copy of Miss Darcy Falls in Love, share with me your favorite “torn between two lovers” novels. 

Comments will earn you an opportunity to win a copy! Sourcebooks has offered one copy to a lucky person (US and Canada only) picked from among those who leave a comment. The deadline is 11/12. Be sure to leave your email so I can contact you. 

Synopsis--

Noble young ladies were expected to play an instrument, but Georgiana Darcy is an accomplished musician who hungers to pursue her talents. She embarks upon a tour of Europe, ending in Paris where two very different men will ignite her heart in entirely different ways and begin a bitter rivalry to win her. But only one holds the key to her happiness.

Set in post-Napoleonic Empire France, Miss Darcy Falls in Love is a riveting love story that enters a world of passion where gentlemen know exactly how to please and a young woman learns to direct her destiny and understand her heart. 

Sharon Lathan is the best-selling author of The Darcy Saga sequel series to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Her previously published novels are: Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, Loving Mr. Darcy, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, A Darcy Christmas, and The Trouble With Mr. Darcy. Miss Darcy Falls in Love is Georgiana’s tale of love and adventure while in France. Complete with a happy ending. In addition to her writing, Sharon works as a Registered Nurse in a Neonatal ICU. She resides with her family in Hanford, California in the sunny San Joaquin Valley. Visit Sharon on her website: www.sharonlathan.net and on Austen Authors, her group blog with 20 novelist of Austen literature: www.austenauthors.com

So, what's new in my authorly world?

Autumnal greetings, everyone.

Recently I’ve been searching out artistic pictures of Autumn Fairies for my blog simply because they enchant me. This one is a future heroine.

So, what’s new in my authorly world? After my last release, Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds, I came to an unexpected crossroads. I won’t go into all the angsty details -- suffice it to say I needed to decide on what direction to go next in this fast-evolving world of ebooks and print-on-demand.

Unlike some authors I have no interest in being published by a big New York company. This is purely a personal preference, and not a recommendation for anyone else.

Since short stories and novellas have become more popular with the rise of ebook devices, and I needed a break from writing a novel, I thought, hey, why not? I have a few short stories already written that need a home. Plus, I asked for and received the rights back on two of my novellas with the idea of writing the next sequel, then finding them a new home.

Okay, the first problem, my main publisher currently doesn’t publish short stories. So, I began looking at Indie publishing or self-publishing. Geez Louise! What a learning curve for me because for one thing I’m tech-challenged.

Still, I began working on one of my previously published ebooks, enriching the story because I no longer had to be concerned about word count, all while learning about Indie publishing from the fabulous authors at ~ IndieRomanceInk@yahoogroups.com ~ groups.yahoo.com/group/IndieRomanceInk ~

Then, I remembered a Christmas Flash Story I wrote several years ago starring a small town heroine who is unbearably curious and attracted to a man who has mysteriously arrived and restored one of the town’s old Victorian houses. At the time I felt inspired, and just for fun I wrote five hundred words a day, ending up with a total of 9500 words.

What could be more perfect for the upcoming holiday season? And that’s my challenge currently. Will I be able to revise [going well so far], find cover art for my short HEA Christmas story, then actually manage to Indie publish in a timely manner, despite my tech limitations?

I don’t know. But why not try? And if I do succeed, you can bet I’ll be promo-shouting about my ‘untitled’ paranormal Christmas romance. Yeah, I’m stuck on the title, too. I think I need some of Santa’s magick in advance.
~~~~~~


At the SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS blog we authors write Flash Scenes that take place in our weird and wacky werewolf, all-things-paranormal town of Talbot’s Peak, Montana.

Here’s a snippet preview of the past week’s Flash-scene blogs ~

Monday ~

The Midnight Ride of Ravi Khan
by Pat Cunningham

“Have we got everything?” Jazzed on caffeine but far more on nerves, Merry darted about her office, cell phone at her ear. She’d held the Haunted Hay Ride and Corn Maze After Dark at her dude ranch before, but this was the first year for the Haunted Trail Ride. Trying to co-ordinate everything perfectly was worse than managing a fractious bronc. Just because she personally hadn’t arranged the trail ride didn’t ease her worry about it. Exactly the opposite, in fact.

Dash, the mastermind behind the trail ride idea, entered the office without knocking, as usual. Merry waved distractedly at him and continued speaking into the phone. “Spare batteries,” she said. “We’ve got spare batteries, right? And extra flashlights? Somebody always forgets.”
~~~~~~

Tuesday ~

Waking Up to a Man-Wolf
by Savanna Kougar

Still deep in slumber-landia, but beginning to awaken, Shauna rubbed her cheek against thick luscious fur. The warm silky fur coat felt delicious against her skin. Shauna smiled as she snuggled the side of her face deeper, and continued rubbing.

Hearing a rumbled groan that reminded her of low thunder, Shauna stilled. The hair on the nape of her neck stood on end. She raised upward, her eyelids popping open, wide open.

With the dregs of sleep hampering her voice box, Shauna could only gasp. Staggered, she stared as a shriek of terror froze in her throat.

A real live wolf met her gaze, and sleepily regarded her with dark amber eyes...
~~~~~~

Wednesday ~

Winter treats
by Rebecca Gillan

The slobber snow had turned to fairy snow by they time Mooney pulled into Talbot’s Peak, just as the radio announce said it would. Mooney, amused by his own addition to the list of odd names for snow fall, turned off his windshield wipers and turned down the heater in the cab. He had needed the heater running full-blast while the thick snow was falling but as a wolf, he really hadn’t appreciated all the extra heat.
~~~~~~

Friday ~

Five Guesses Why? Editor Nick
by Serena Shay

Ziva crossed the last T and dotted the last I on this week’s Friday Five before hitting publish. All that was left now was to sit back and wait for the bellow sure to come from down the hall.

“Zeeeeeee!”

Right on time.
~~~~~~

Saturday ~

Getting Her Land Legs
by Solara

Castella lay on her back wrapped in the sheets Tessa and Sandra insisted she use along with a covering they called a nightdress. Through the open window, sounds of the surf reached Cateslla's ears. So close and yet so far away her former home called to her. Would she ever be able to return?
~~~~~~

Have a Lovely November!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Savanna Kougar is the best-selling author of twelve ebooks, with six books in print. She pens love stories because that’s her deepest heart. She writes in the futuristic/fantasy/paranormal subgenres because that’s her fiercest passion. And, she writes erotic romance because she ferociously enjoys ripping the damn doors off.

You can find her at her personal blog ~ Kougar Kisses ~ and at the following blogs as a contributor.

SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
LINDSAY’S ROMANTICS
Romance Writer’s Behaving Badly
TITLE MAGIC
Siren-BookStrand Authors’ Blog