Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Feel the Heat--Guest Desiree Holt!


Desiree is a fellow Samhain author who was a music rep, which of course piqued my interest :) USA Today says, "Desiree Holt is like the Nora Roberts of erotic romance". She writes several enormously popular series including Samhain's Naked Cowboy series (new release coming August 27). Today she's sharing her latest Phoenix Agency release with us--despite an unexpected surgery. Please join me in wishing her a speedy recovery. Enjoy Feel the Heat!

Lauren Cahill lives as quietly as she can, protecting her ability as a psychic healer. But danger brings Troy Arsenault into her life—along with scorching sex and intense emotions. Resisting him isn’t even a question, in or out of the bedroom. He protects her from the evil stalking her even as he teaches her what erotic sex is all about. When she’s kidnapped, his world is turned upside down and he employs all the resources of The Phoenix Agency to rescue her. He won’t rest until she’s back safely in his life—and in his bed for the rest of their lives.
Enjoy an excerpt from Feel the Heat (Phoenix Agency)

When the doorbell rang, she was gripped by a sudden attack of nerves, her palms sweating for no reason. She wiped them on her jeans and looked through the peephole. What she saw was an identification folder with a photo ID and Troy Arsenault, Phoenix Agency, in black capital letters, along with the Phoenix logo.
“It’s me,” he called through the door. “Maybe you’d better let me in before your friends out here decide to join me.”
Friends? What friends?
She cracked the door a little, and her heart sank when she realized some of the reporters and photographers had wandered back closer to the house, apparently hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Or to get a quick shot at her before the cops chased them away. At least they were staying off of her lawn. A cruiser would be driving by again before too long and they’d get chased away. She swallowed hard against the sudden rise of panic.
I won’t give in to it. Everything’s going to be fine. They’ll go away, and I can have my life back.
Summer slid off the safety chain and opened the door just enough for Troy to slip through. When she closed it, she hooked the chain again and turned the deadbolt. Then she turned to the man in her foyer.
She was prepared to be polite, let him do his thing and send him on his way. But when she looked at the man standing there, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and all her breath was trapped in her lungs. Faith had told her Troy Arsenault was a former SEAL and as far as Summer was concerned, he could have been the poster boy for recruiting. He was as tall as Mark, with a lean runner’s body and deeply tanned skin. His light brown hair was just a tad long, curling at the neck of his shirt, the kind of hair a woman wanted to run her fingers through.
But it was his face that was the most arresting. Ruggedly handsome, like Mark, high cheekbones were slashes on either side of his nose and eyes the color of melted chocolate studied her from beneath unexpectedly dark eyebrows and lashes.
Holy crap!
Her reaction to him was hot and totally unexpected and she made a deliberate effort to tamp it down. For one thing, he was only here to make sure she was safe. For another, her history with men was so unpleasant that she’d decided to swear off them completely. The last thing she needed was to have her ruthlessly controlled hormones decide to take a walk on the wild side. How terribly inconvenient that those hormones chose this particular moment to start galloping through her system again. Maybe she should have insisted harder to Faith that she didn’t need anyone.
“Looks like you’re pretty popular with the folks out there.” His mouth curved in a smile but his tone was dead serious. When she didn’t comment he asked, “You okay?”
Summer gave herself a mental shake. What was going on with her? She had a problem here and this man had kindly agreed to come check it out as a favor to her friends. This was business, not pleasure. She’d hoped for someone at least appealing to look at but Troy Arsenault had danger written all over him.
“Sorry.” She didn’t know if her hands trembled because of the mob outside or the nearness of this man. She shoved them into the pockets of her jeans.  “Thank you for coming over here, although I don’t think it was really necessary.”
“From what I saw outside, this may be a little more serious than you think.” He held out his hand. “Troy Arsenault. But you already know that, right? Nice to meet you, Summer.”
“Same goes. And the idiots outside will probably go away the next time a police car comes by.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Yeah? Doesn’t look like it to me.”
She suddenly found herself tongue-tied. What happened next? “Um, would you like some coffee? I made a fresh pot.”
“Thanks. That would be nice.”
She led the way into her kitchen and motioned for him to have a seat at the table. Figuring the first rush of phone calls would have subsided by now, she picked up the receiver from the counter and replaced it in the cradle. Her hand hovered over it a moment as she waited to see if it rang. When it didn’t, she breathed a sigh of relief and turned to occupy herself taking down mugs and filling them. As she poured the coffee, she tried to focus on the situation and not the man. Troy Arsenault had an electric magnetism about him that made the air sizzle and scrambled her brain. And that was the last thing she needed right now.

Available now at Amazon, BN, All Romance Ebooks

Desiree Holt has lived a life of excitement that brings the color to her writing. She was a summer fishing guide, a summer field hand where she was one of only three women working, a member of a beginning ski team that skied in competition (and no, no broken bones!). She spent several years in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio, and is published by four different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”

Website
Blog
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The Phoenix Agency on FB thephoenixagency
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Thursday, July 25, 2013

My Author Tool Bag

The US Copyright Office on pen names:

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl101.html

My Author Tool Bag features sites I use in writing, editing, and marketing. It's stuff I've found online. The usual caveats apply--no recommendations either expressed or implied, don't click on blind links, have a good antivirus, etc. You know the drill.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Three for Hide and Seek--Guest Joy Daniels--plus Giveaway!

Joy Daniels is a fellow Samhain author who writes steamy romance that's "smart, sexy and down-to-Earth". She's here today to share her first ménage à trois novella--check out the hot hot cover--and a giveaway :) Please welcome Joy!


Hide and Seek, by Joy Daniels

Lured by the promise of a family mystery, art historian Evangeline “Evie” Ryder agrees to attend a house party in a rambling Pennsylvania mansion once owned by her great, great Aunt Eva, for whom she was named. As Evie investigates the past, each clue brings her closer to learning her aunt’s secrets – and discovering the passionate promise of love with two men.


EXCERPT:  
Suzie was pointing at a black-and-white photo mounted on the wall. Aunt Eva sat on a low couch between two incredibly handsome men. The one on her right had dark hair, dark eyes, and a piercing gaze. His arm circled her shoulders. A tall blond man with pale blue eyes sat on her left, his hand resting on her thigh. From descriptions, I recognized the dark-haired man as Uncle Bertie. I assumed the other man was Reginald Cartwright. All three subjects looked happy and relaxed.

“Hey,” Melina said. “That’s the couch in the picture.” She pointed at the Art Deco couch, the one in the room I’d been trying to avoid looking at.

Suzie looked between the photo and couch, delight dawning on her face. “Drew and Sebastian could be the two men in the picture.”

It took me a moment to see where Suzie was going with that. I started to back away but it was too late. She waved a hand at the couch. “Evie, go sit with them and I’ll take a picture of the three of you. It will be just like this one – two Evas with their men, past and present.”

The group laughed at her words. I swallowed, trying to will down my fierce blush, then I turned to face my fate. Drew patted the space between them. I risked a glance at Sebastian and saw a single eyebrow raised in challenge. There was no way to get out of this so I slunk over to the couch and perched between them, on the very edge of the cushion. Every nerve in my body could sense the men sitting behind me, from their unique scents to the heat coming off their bodies. My inner muscles clenched.

Oh God, let me get through this without embarrassing myself.

Suzie picked up her cell phone and I plastered a smile on my face. She sighed with exasperation. “Evie, that’s not how the picture looks. Sit back. Get comfortable. Sebastian put your arm around her, Drew move in close.” She shook her head at me “Relax, Evie, they won’t bite.”

Even with our limited acquaintance I could guess the words going through Drew’s mind: not unless she wants us to.

I scooted back until my butt met the cushion behind me. Sebastian looped an arm around my shoulders and I felt the muscle in his bicep tighten as he pulled me to his side. Before I could protest or scoot away, Drew closed in on the other side. He put his hand on my thigh and heat flared like I had been branded on that spot. My heart rate accelerated and I was sure the two men could hear it pounding through my body. I pressed my thighs together in an attempt to control my reaction but the movement only increased my arousal. I took a deep breath. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could put some distance between myself and these inhumanly attractive men – a floor and a few doors at least.

A half-dozen people pointed cell phones at us. I swallowed and at the last moment remembered to smile. When the clicks and flashes ceased, Sebastian removed his arm. Unlike at the table, I felt heat and more radiating from both sides, and knew it was time to get away before I got any crazy ideas.


Now available!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hide-Seek-Joy-Daniels-ebook/dp/B00D6W65JY/
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hide-and-seek-joy-daniels/1115480914?ean=2940016621678

Comment to be entered in a giveaway for Hide and Seek in ebook!


Joy Daniels writes erotic romance because she likes to expose her characters completely: strengths, flaws, and scars. A native New Yorker, she now makes her home south of the Mason-Dixon line and her stories bounce between the two locales. In 2012, she contributed an essay to the non-fiction compilation “Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey,” and her first novella, “Revving Her Up” – the first in the Full Throttle series – was released by Samhain Publishing in January 2013. She is currently working on the next Full Throttle story, a paranormal series, and a MMF novel that takes place in Nashville.

She can be found online at:





Thursday, July 18, 2013

My Author Tool Bag

Twelve social media tips:

http://almakatsu.blogspot.com/2013/05/social-media-news-for-writers-bakers.html

My Author Tool Bag features sites I use in writing, editing, and marketing. It's stuff I've found online. The usual caveats apply--no recommendations either expressed or implied, don't click on blind links, have a good antivirus, etc. You know the drill.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

3T Writing Tidbit AND FREE Biting Nixie BOOK!!

FREE! Red-hot vampire romance Biting Nixie is free for a limited time. Get yours today!
Amazon, BN, Samhain

Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.

Get extra power for a character by discussing them or showing an aspect of them before they actually enter.

-Have others talking about the character. ("Did you see HERO save that puppy?")

-Pick some element you want to show about your character. Show another character exhibiting that trait first. Then show your primary character trumping the secondary character. (BAD guy threatens NICE person for money. BIGGER bad guy shows up and beats up BAD guy, really threatens NICE person. HERO shows up and creams BIGGER bad guy.)

Biting Nixie (Biting Love Book 2)
Nitro? Meet glycerin...

Punk musician Nixie Schmeling is a hundred pounds of Attitude who spells authority a-n-c-h-o-r and thinks buying insurance is just one more step toward death. So she really feels played when she’s “volunteered” to run the town’s first annual fundraising festival. Especially when she finds out it’s to pay for a heavy-hitting, suit-wearing lawyer—who’s six-feet-plus of black-haired, blue-eyed sex on a stick.

Attorney Julian Emerson learned centuries ago that the only way to contain his dangerous nature is to stay buttoned up. He’s come from Boston to defend the town from a shady group of suits...and an even shadier gang of vampires. But his biggest problem is Nixie, who shreds his self-control.

Nixie doesn’t get why the faphead shyster doesn’t understand her. Julian wishes Nixie would speak a known language...like Sanskrit. Even if they manage to foil the bloodthirsty gang, what future is there for a tiny punk rocker and a blue-blooded skyscraper?

And that’s before Nixie finds out Julian’s a vampire...

Warning: Contains more eye-popping sex, ear-popping language and gut-popping laughs than can possibly be good for you. And vampires. Not sippy-neck wimps, but burning beacons of raw sexuality—this means passionate blood-heating, violent bloodletting, and fangy bloodsucking. Oh, and cheese balls. Those things are just scary. (This title contains explicit sexual language.)
**Fallen Angel Reviews Recommended Read; Joyfully Reviewed Joyfully Recommended; Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews A True Gem

Nixie's slang isn't always found in Websters. Read some here.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Stop the Presses! New Romantic Comedy coming July 17!

Can tripping over your own feet lead to falling…in love?

Media superstar Zan Sinclair runs with a rich, exclusive set, thanks to his hit communications show, Revealing Secrets. But he’s tired of high-gloss, meaningless dates. He just wants to meet a nice girl—like shy Dr. Vicky Brooks, sister of his international model ex-girlfriend, Ronnie.

He texts Ronnie to arrange a casual meeting at the CommuniCon convention in Kansas City. Problem is, Ronnie gets the wrong idea. She thinks Zan wants to get back together with her.

When Vicky’s twin wants help winning back an ex-boyfriend, kindhearted Vicky can’t say no. But Ronnie’s ex is Vicky’s longtime crush, smart, sexy Dr. Alexander Sinclair. Now the safe-from-afar crush is shockingly real, making her heart pound, making her want…more.

How can Vicky and Zan finally meet…and more…without sending Ronnie into a jealous rage? Worse, will Zan’s posh friends ever accept shy Vicky?

 
Thanks to EJR Digital Art for the beautiful cover and Blue Otter Editing for the final polish!

 

My Author Tool Bag

This is for indie publishers. Lori Devoti has a number of articles but these are the ones I use.

Formatting your ebook in Word http://howtowriteshop.loridevoti.com/2010/11/how-to-format-ebook-word/
and a must-read update http://howtowriteshop.loridevoti.com/2012/03/microsoft-word-tip-how-to-save-those-italics/

My Author Tool Bag features sites I use in writing, editing, and marketing. It's stuff I've found online. The usual caveats apply--no recommendations either expressed or implied, don't click on blind links, have a good antivirus, etc. You know the drill.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Tiger Tiger--guests A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder are fellow Samhain authors; based in Chicago, IL, Catherine writes a combination of "fantasy, humor and erotica"--my favorite! In their Chicagoland Shifters, Catherine and Rachel have created a passionate world that draws the reader in. Welcome Catherine and Rachel!

Thanks, Mary, for hosting us on your blog today!  We’re thrilled to be here.

We’ve been poking around on Mary’s blog for ideas of what to share, and came up with two things:  a tip and a snippet.

The tip is for you writers out there.  I don’t know about you, but I get intimidated by the idea of writing synopses.  I’m told that others are too.  One of the best articles on the subject is over at Writing World, edited by the awesome Moira Allen (took a class from Ms. Allen a few years ago and she is absolutely fantastic).  The article is “Writing a Synopsis from the Ground Up” by Dee-Ann Latona LeBlanc.

In it, Ms. LeBlanc counsels you to write a one sentence synopsis, then a one paragraph one, then one page.  I tried doing it her way, grumbling quite a bit, and to my surprise by the time I got to the one pager, it was easy-peasy.

Now for the snippet: 

Neal found a parking spot near the soccer field where Felipe said to meet him. His russet long-sleeved T-shirt and gold hoodie looked good against his skin and Sasha admired his profile. “You set?”

Neal nodded. “Ready when you are.”

Sasha gazed out at the grass, full of cavorting children, their mothers and relatives, and something else.

Jaguars.

A whole lot of jaguars, as a matter of fact…

“Doc?”

“Are you sure about this?”

Neal frowned and let go the door handle. “Why?”

“There are a lot of jaguars in the field.”

Neal surveyed the lawn from where they sat, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You think it’s too many?”

“You’re asking me?”

Neal shrugged. “I’m fine either way. They’re not going to pick a fight with me in the middle of the day in a major public park.”

“You sure about that?”

Neal snorted. “No. There are no guarantees. But I am pretty solid on it.”

“Okay. That doesn’t reassure me at all.”

“Either get out or don’t. Your call.”

Sasha let his eyes follow random movement in the park. A little girl chased a ball almost as big as her torso, laughing and carrying on. Her brother, judging from his identical facial structure, waited as she raced after it, stubby legs pumping. Not much bigger than the little girl, his haughty, watchful expression made it seem like he had decades on her. She chased it down and carried it back, a gleeful expression on her face.

That, more than any earlier assurances from the jaguars, made him willing to get out of the car. “All right.”


Now, a question for you: what’s your favorite dish to bring to a barbecue?

Preorder now from Samhain and get 30% off (limited time)
Also available at Amazon, BN, Kobo and more

Tiger Tiger coming July 23

When you grab a tiger by the tail, sometimes he bites back.

Chicagoland Shifters, Book 2

Veterinary trauma surgeon and animal empath Sasha Soskoff has found everything he ever wanted with his new partners Neal, Steve and Carlos. Life feels as safe and secure as it can be among a group of ex-Marine tiger shifters. Until a homeless man is found, gruesomely mauled and murdered, near Neal’s BDSM club.

When it’s determined a rogue tiger did the deed, the jaguars’ accusing eyes turn toward Sasha’s lovers. The precarious balance of peace tips dangerously toward war.

Neal knows damned well none of his tigers committed the crime. Someone must be in Chicago without his knowledge or permission, and they’d better find him fast before uncertainty and conflict rip the tight-knit band apart from the inside.

As Sasha struggles to heal the stress fractures forming among his tiger family, he begins to wonder if his dreams of a home, and love, were too good to be true. And it’s precisely that moment the killer strikes at the heart of the tiger clan—Sasha himself. 

Product Warnings
This continuing story contains more hot man-on-man and men-on-more-men ménage action than you can shake a cat at.  


For author and textile artist A. Catherine Noon, it's all about the yarn, both metaphorical and literal - spinning a yarn, knitting with yarn, weaving, sewing, painting, sharing stories and good times over a cup of coffee with dark chocolate.  She teaches creative writing, creative expression and textile arts. 
 
Explore the worlds of A. Catherine Noon:
 
My links: Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | LinkedIn | Pandora

Thursday, July 4, 2013

My Author Tool Bag

I collect blurb writing tips. I'm not a natural-born blurb writer but each tip helps.

Here's one I've seen in various guises across the Internet.

https://www.createspace.com/en/community/docs/DOC-1462?sitesearch_query=description&sitesearch_type=SITE?ref=822525&utm_id=5889&cp=70170000000bgWg&ls=Email&sls=KDP_NL

My Author Tool Bag features sites I use in writing, editing, and marketing. It's stuff I've found online. The usual caveats apply--no recommendations either expressed or implied, don't click on blind links, have a good antivirus, etc. You know the drill.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

July 1T Olio

Quick update time! Here's what I have in the works for the next couple months.
  • Downbeat (Biting Love Book 7)--is in my wonderful/amazing editor's hands for pre-edits
  • Beauty Bites (Biting Love Book 6)--releases next month, August 27, so excited!
  • Biting Oz (Biting Love Book 5)--now out in paperback!
  • Camp Nano--I'm camping this month, to finish Murder at Chipmunk Lake (A Nixie and Julian Story)
  • Lots and lots of parties and events. Check out my NEWS page.
  • Aiden's story (Biting Love Book 8)--I'm starting the prewriting phase
  • A Billionaire for the Wrong Sister, an indie romantic comedy, is in the edit and rename phase
  • Alphas Don't Wear Bows--is up next, for finishing the mega-edit process I started in January with Savvy Authors' EditPalooza
  • My Savvy Authors' blog post for August--Synopsis in a Snap!
  • Hot Chips and Sand is winding up its free run on my Sidetrips blog