Author: Kelly

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Interview & Giveaway with Rebecca Zanetti

Books-n-Kisses is so excited to have the 
wonderful Rebecca Zanetti on the blog today.

BIO:  Rebecca Zanetti is a college professor by day and romance author by night.  Currently she’s busy writing the sexy Dark Protector Series from Kensington Brava, which has received excellent reviews.  Publisher’s Weekly declared FATED a ‘recommended spring read,’ and CLAIMED to be a thriller with “true strengths: sizzling sex scenes and a memorable cast.”   To find Rebecca on the web, drop by her website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/

Books-N-Kisses:  HI Rebecca, How are you today?  Can I get you anything before we get started?  Coffee, Tea, Soda, food?  

Rebecca: Well, it’s morning here, so how about coffee?  I try to limit myself to one coffee and one soda (diet coke) a day and drink plenty of water.  One day my New Year’s resolution will be to give up diet coke…but not today!

Books-N-Kisses:  I have to say it was so great to meet you up at the Emerald City Writers Conference in October.  I am so excited to share you with my followers.  Shall we get started?
Rebecca: It was so wonderful to meet you, too.  That was my first Emerald City Writers Conference, and I loved it.  Hope to see you there next year!  So, yeah, let’s get started.

Q1) Let’s start by learning a little more about you.  Please tell my followers who is the famous person you interned for in college!!  I think this is pretty awesome!!
Rebecca: I interned with President Reagan in California.  It was after he was President, but he still gave 3-5 speeches a week.  Our offices were in the penthouse of the Fox Plaza Building (the building that pretty much gets blown up in Die Hard.)  I saw him every day, and he was hilarious.  Told great jokes.  Nancy Regan’s offices were just down the hall, so we saw her a lot, too.  They really seemed happy together.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author? 
Rebecca:  Sure.  I’ve always wanted to tell stories.  But there have been many things I wanted to do, like practice law, study art, travel a bit.  So far…so good.  Now that the writing bug has caught me, I plan to keep at it. 

Q3) Who do you feel has influenced your writing style?
Rebecca:  Well, the first romance I ever read was a MacGregor story by Nora Roberts, and I was hooked on romance forever.  So, as cliché as it sounds, Nora Roberts.  But, I also think that practicing law as a trial attorney has really influenced my style.  A good book is like a good trial – fast paced, full of interesting characters, and the goal is a good result.  (A happy ending, if you will).  J

Q4) Are you a plotter or panster?
Rebecca:  Panster.  I discover as I go, just like a reader does.  I’ve tried to plot, usually get to the second paragraph, and then have to go write just to see what happens. 

Q5) Tell us what a typical writing day for you is like.  
Rebecca: I don’t think I have a typical writing day, though I do write every day.  Sometimes it’s at night, after work, basketball practice for the kids, homework, dinner, etc.   On Fridays I try to write all day because I don’t teach at the college on Fridays.  I’ve been known to sketch out a scene during half-time of my son’s football game.

Let’s talk about your Dark Protector Series

Q6) Fated is book one in your Dark Protector Series. Tell us a little more about this book.
Rebecca:  Fated features Talen Kayrs, the strategic leader of the vampire people, and his mate, Cara Paulsen, a single mother and plant physiologist.  The bad vampires (Kurjans) want Cara’s daughter, Janie, who’s the key to the entire series.  Talen is an Alpha, without question, and Cara’s scientific mind isn’t quite sure what to do with him.  Especially after he marks her for all time.

Q7) How did you come up with the idea for this series?
Rebecca:  When I start something new, I write a scene for a story and then everything unfolds from there.  So for Fated, I wrote a scene just after Talen had kidnapped Cara and they were looking at each other in a private jet.  He turned out to be a vampire, and the entire series unfolded from there.  Plus, I wrote the vampires the way I’d want them to be.  Hot blooded, dangerous, and not afraid of the sun.  The bad guys are afraid of the sun.  So, in order to do this, I had to delve into science and make vampires just another different species on earth – genetically.

Q8) Claimed is book two, please tell us more. And I just have to I love the covers of your books.
Rebecca:   Thanks!  I love the covers, too.  The graphic arts department at Kensington has very talented people.  It’s always a huge, pleasant surprise when I get a new cover.  Claimed is about Dage Kayrs, who’s the king of the vampires, and his mate, Emma Paulsen, a brilliant geneticist who has NO time to deal with an Alpha-male of a vampire.

Q9) Up next I see you have a Novella coming out April 1, 2012 called Tempted (book 2.5).  Can you share a little about Max & Sarah?
Rebecca:  I had a lot of fun writing about Max and Sarah.  Max is a huge, quiet, dangerous type of a guy—a great bodyguard for little Janie.  Sarah was a teacher who ended up in an insane asylum after seeing a Kurjan kill somebody.  There’s a fun courtroom scene to prove her sanity toward the end…with a lot of romance, sensuality, and action as well.

Q10) Hunted (book 3) is scheduled for release on April 24, 2012. What can expect from Connlan & Moira’s book?
Rebecca:  Moira is the first heroine in the series who isn’t human.  Not only is she a witch, she’s THE witch.  The seventh sister of a seventh sister—they use quantum physics for witchcraft.  Connlan Kayrs is the ultimate soldier for the Realm.  There’s a lot of action, some wild sex, and some surprisingly tender moments.   The two accidentally mated a century ago, and Conn gave Moira time and space to grow as a witch.  Time is up.

Q11) I am super excited to see on your blog that you have book 4 & 5 listed as coming soon. Do you see the series going beyond book 6?
Rebecca: Yep.  There will be between 7 and 9 books.  Two of those may be novellas, so there would be 7 books and 2 novellas – or just 9 complete novels, depending on what Kensington wants.  The last book is Janie and Zane’s book—and it wraps up the entire series, also answering why Janie is so darn important to everyone.  I won’t go past that for this series – at some point, it has to wrap up.  Of course…there are several spinoffs possible…

Q12) Do you ever see yourself writing in a different genre?
Rebecca: Sure.  I have a romantic suspense series my agent will be sending out early next year.  I also have an upbeat women’s fiction series (formerly called ‘chick lit’), but I haven’t had time to work on it.  Maybe toward the end of next year? 

Q13) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Rebecca: Ohhhh.  This is such a tough question!  I love so many authors.  Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Dean Kootnz, Cynthia Eden, J.R. Ward, Janet Evonovich, Sayde Grace, Erin Kellison…and I could just keep going!

Q14) I love to know what is in your to read pile that you are dying to get to?
Rebecca: Well, I have a book due at Kensington February 1st, and then the next book due May 1st, so I’m struggling to find time to read.  (I do love to read, though.)  There’s actually a pile on the table behind me:  Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evonovich, Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden, New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  There are more around here somewhere.  J

Q15) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Rebecca:  You know, as my first year as a published author comes to an end, I’d like to thank everyone for their support.  From the readers to other authors to wonderful people like you who take time to learn about our worlds, I really appreciate it.  This is the frosting.  J

Books-n-Kisses:  Rebecca, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so very very much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to sit down with me and chat.  I am looking forward to the next time we meet up.  Also so looking forward to Hunted.
Rebecca:  You bet!  Let’s plan to meet up for coffee in Seattle next year.  Or diet coke, because there’s no way I will have given it up yet.  Thanks again and everyone have a truly awesome 2012!

Want to learn more about Rebecca? Check her out here:
Website | Facebook  | Twitter | Goodreads 

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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~30

Welcome to Day 30 of Winter’s Favorites
And the second to last day of our month long giveaway.  Today we have the WONDERFUL Kallypso Masters sharing her favorite thing about winter.
I’ve had a wonderful holiday season already and hope you and yours have as well. We celebrate Christmas in my family and this year’s was especially poignant because one of my older sisters, who has been battling cancer for two years, was given the news on Dec. 20 that there is hope and her surgeons expect the radical surgery she’ll undergo Jan. 12 will eradicate the cancer from her body. What a Christmas blessing!
Now, I know this blog is more about winter, but since the holidays fall during the winter and a big part of my latest book, Nobody’s Hero, they sort of all get wrapped together in my head. One of my favorite things to do in winter is get together with family and friends and play games. You know, the silly “party” games. I even wrote two of my favorite games into Thanksgiving Day scenes in Masters at Arms and Nobody’s Hero—Quiddler and Apples to Apples, respectively.
On Christmas Eve, we also played Eye to Eye, which is great fun when you have multiple generations playing, because, boy, can’t predict or imagine how different people think based on age! One card said to name three convenience stores. We older members were writing “Seven-Eleven, Convenient, and Speedway.” The under-25 set wrote “Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target.” But at least they matched with each other, so they got their points!
This year, Santa brought us a new game called Say Anything. Yes, this one’s destined to become a favorite. I discovered some interesting trivia about two of my sisters—that Paul Revere and the Raiders was their favorite band of all time. Never know when that information might come in handy (and it’s a little embarrassing—I thought my music tastes were off the wall).
At Thanksgiving this year, we also were playing Apples to Apples (just like Karla’s family and Adam do in Hero!) and discovered that it is even more fun when a couple of the people playing are having a bit too much to drink. As you will see in this example, though, it doesn’t take much alcohol for some bizarre responses. One of the adjective cards played was “Violent.” So, the four of us playing that round chose the noun card that best conveyed violent. One of my heavily-drinking sisters played “Midwest.” When the cards were revealed, I asked, “What’s violent about the Midwest?” My inebriated sister who had played the card said, “They’re always fighting over there.” I said, “No, that’s not the Midwest—that’s the MIDDLE EAST!” Then the sister judging that round, who wasn’t really drinking much at all, chose Midwest as the best match for violent. Huh? She said, “Because of tornadoes.”
I laughed so hard my sides hurt. And that’s the point of these silly games, really. To just act like kids and laugh until you can barely breathe. (Works the abs better than a personal trainer can, too!)
I hope the rest of your winter months are filled with side-splitting laughter, whether it’s with games like these or whatever it is you and your family and friends enjoy laughing about.
Have a happy and healthy New Year!
Kally

Nobody’s Hero is the third in my debut Rescue Me series. The books are not stand-alone novels, though, so if you haven’t started the series yet, please accept a free copy of Masters at Arms, the introduction to the series (with prequels for the romances of the three Doms who own the club). Use coupon code AL47T (not case-sensitive) at Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80282); coupon good through Jan. 6. The Rescue Me series also is sold at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006PA7UJS/) and Barnes & Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nobodys-hero-kallypso-masters/1108057218?ean=2940013874121), and Nobody’s Angel (Rescue Me #2) also is available at All Romance eBooks. (Nobody’s Hero will be published there in January.)
Please follow the instructions below and leave a comment with your e-mail address for a chance to win a copy of Nobody’s Hero. (About 1,000 copies already have been sold, though, so if you already have a copy, I’ll add you to the list for a free copy of Nobody’s Perfect when it’s published this coming spring.)
I love having readers help me with the writing of my stories and development of my characters, so I often ask questions on my Facebook Kallypso Masters Author Page (https://www.facebook.com/KallypsoMastersAuthorPage) seeking advice. The answers often become part of the current or future books and sometimes my readers know the characters better than I do! I invite you to “like” my author page and send a friend request to my personal Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kallypsomasters), if you’d like. (I get a little more “personal” there.) I’m also on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/kallypsomasters/) and Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5130089.Kallypso_Masters).
To enter for a chance to win an ebook. Please leave Kally a comment, tell her what some of your favorite things about winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Review of Power Play by Eliza Gayle

Power Play 
by Eliza Gayle
Publisher: Loose Id
ISBN: 978-1-61118-663-5
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Pleasure Playground Book #2, Book #1 is Midnight Playground
Themes: Bondage, Dominance, Submission, Voyeurism
Format: eBook
Length: Novel
Order Here

She wants the escape. He wants control. They both need love.
Jennifer Croft is at the peak of her career. As a bondage model at Altered Ego, she’s become the crème de la crème of the fetish world, ensuring herself a top spot in her profession. The world is her oyster. Her personal life on the other hand… It’s not pretty. Only her fascination with pain play keeps the ghosts of her past at bay.
After tragedy sends Daegan McKenna to the South for a much needed change of pace, the last thing he expects to find is a closet submissive hiding in plain sight. She’s hot-tempered and in denial — a heady combination that brings out the dominant looking for a challenge. He’s already loved and lost more than one man should, but the haunted look in her eyes prompts him to make her an offer. He’ll indulge her darkest fantasies, if she’ll agree to give up control. Then he’ll let her go.
Unfortunately, the past never stays in the past and old insecurities cause complications neither of them wanted. Now temporary is not enough.
Excerpt http://elizagayle.net/books/power-play/
My thoughts:
Jennifer appears to be a very strong person on the outside but deep down she is scared and unsure of herself.   Jennifer has never learned how to rely on anyone but herself for most of her life.  When Daegan shows up at Altered Ego everything that Jennifer knows and feels about trusting someone will be tested.  But is she strong enough to handle the changes?
Daegan is trying to run from his past.  But when he sets his eyes on the beautiful bondage model at Altered Ego he knows he can no longer run from how he feels or the things that he wants out of life. And now he wants Jennifer.  But will Daegan be able to tame the wild, hot tempered temptress without losing himself in the process?
This was a great story of finding out who you are and what you need.  Even if it is the last thing you ever thought you needed, is what you need the most.  This is a great love story between Jennifer & Daegan with a hint on BDSM.  There is not a lot BDSM which is great, because it doesn’t take over the story.  I really enjoyed the struggle that Jennifer & Daegan go through to understand each other.  Both have secrets that they are afraid to share.  But in the end if you don’t have trust you don’t have anything. 
If you are looking for a great BDSM story, I would recommend you check out Power Play. 
I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Christine & Eliza for allowing me to read and review this book.  I look forward to reading more of Eliza’s stories. 
  

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Interview with JL Oiler


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome JL Oiler to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about JL and her book Four Beneath the Mistletoe.   
JL: Thanks for having me it is truly an honor.

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
JL: Certainly, I live in the mountains of West Virginia with my family and a very spoiled boxer. When not writing I love to read and spend time outdoors. Besides being an author, I work as a teacher and hold a masters degree from BSU.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
JL: I get home from work and after dinner head to my place. I write in one spot, the worn corner of my living room loveseat. After I fire up the computer and I reread anything I recently wrote I then attempt to rouse my muse from some words. At least once during my hour or two, which I dedicate to writing, my son will come in with an end of the world question (“Mom what channel is Scooby doo on?”” and I am force to take a momentary break to save the world. Ater which I return to my spot and begin the process anew.

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
JL: My father was a reader and I learned from him the freedom of ideas and dreams that come from a great book. In my youth, I read book after book and decided I wanted to be the one deciding where my stories went.

Q4) Tell us a little about your book Four Beneath the Mistletoe:
JL: Four Beneath the Mistletoe is a Holiday Sci-Fi romance where readers get to meet Federation Officer Sara Yeager who is disenchanted with her duties and longs for fulfillment of a different sort. Three magnificent aliens come to the station to gather insight into some of the more common traditions and with a sprig of mistletoe offer a cosmic Christmas surprise and a future she never imagined.

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
JL: I was actually looking through a book with my son about different holidays and traditions that surround each and wondered what someone who had no idea about any of them would view such things. That was the base line and the rest just sort of fell into place.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
JL: I am finishing up a Cowboy ménage story and another paranormal shape shifter piece.

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
JL: Krelsey Cole, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine Feehan,

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
JL: The Guardian by Kenyon, and Three For Keeps by Lila Munro

Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
JL: It has truly been an honor to be here with you and readers can see more of what’s going on in my world on my web site www.joiler.weebly.com please drop by and let me know what you think!

Books-n-Kisses: JL, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books
JL: Thank You so much for having me here and I hope all the readers enjoy my visit as much as I did!

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Four Beneath the Mistletoe Excerpt:
“The guy in the big red suit is Santa Claus,” Sara Jean informed them as one of the serving staff brought around cups of some frothy sweet crème for them to enjoy.
“We have heard of your Saint Nicolas. He travels with flying animals and visits all the children in a single night,” Pharos said as he took the drink offered him and made a face at the taste. Sara laughed aloud before covering her mouth and apologizing.
“An apology is not needed. Your laughter is every bit as sweet to our ears as the children’s below.” Azek’s words brought a bright flush to her face, making her even more luminously beautiful then before, something he thought impossible.
“How could one man possibly be so many places so quickly? It is illogical,” Turku said, sipping his own cup.
“It’s all just part of the magic; on Christmas all things are possible,” Sara Jean replied with a twinkle in her eyes.
As they stood to depart this area, the scene made Azek wonder what magic it would take to put the sexy woman in their bed.
“Perhaps you will show use more of your human traditions tomorrow evening, once I have completed my meetings with the commander?” Azek asked her, leaning forward to run his fingers across the bare skin of Sara Jean’s arm.
“We’ll all go to the Holograph deck around six tomorrow evening, then.” She swallowed hard but did not move away from his touch. “I thought I might show you a few different celebrations taking place around the station before we parted ways.”
“If you wish.” Azek licked his lower lip, thoughts of tasting her dancing in his head.
Sara Jean’s heart pounded so loudly in her ears she felt certain everyone in the room could hear the rapid thumping. The intensity of Azek’s gaze coupled with the sensuality of his touch put her in a state of meltdown. His powerful omegas were looking at her with a mirror of the same intensity. At this rate, Sara thought she might need to stop somewhere on the way back to her quarters later this evening and wring out her undies. One thing was for certain: BOB, her battery-operated boyfriend, would be paying her a social visit tonight.
After a quick trip down two floors to deck three, Sara Jean led the group into yet another crowded common room. This one contained several large fans angled upward to cre
ate a steady wind current in which the room’s occupants flew numerous, colorful kites.
“This is all part of the Hindu Makara Sankranti, celebrating the movement of the sun during the winter solstice. Traditionally it was held around January 14th, but the federation felt it was in the best interest to combine all the various religious holidays into a single timeframe lasting about a week. I think they might have been worried about constant disruptions to the normal function of the stations,” Sara told her guests as they watched the vibrant kites dance above them.
“These are very beautiful,” Pharos said appreciatively as the group turned to depart. “Nearly as lovely as our hostess.”
A heated blush spread across Sara’s face and she stumbled a moment to respond. “Th-Thank You.”
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~29

Welcome to Day 29 of Winter’s Favorites
I have the most Awesome Laura Kaye sharing her favorite things about winter…
10 Favorite Things about Winter
By Laura Kaye
Thanks so much to Kelly for hosting me as part of this great winter celebration! She asked me to share my favorite things about winter, and I’m delighted to, especially as I’m currently celebrating a winter/holiday-themed book based on Greek mythology! My contemporary fantasy romance, North of Need, features a long-exiled snow god who falls in love with a grieving widow, so winter’s been on my mind! Here are ten of my favorite things:
Scarves – I am the hugest fan of scarves. I easily have 15 in all different colors and fabrics. I love how cozy and warm they keep you, and how comfortable they are on a cold day. Plus they come in so many colors and patterns, you just can’t have enough!
Christmas lights – Christmas lights still have the ability to make me feel like a kid. I love seeing houses that go all out, and I love driving through big displays of Christmas lights, which is a Christmas Even tradition in my house each year.
Snowmen – And not just because of my book! LOL Seriously! I’ve always loved seeing snowmen after a snow fall. They’re everything playful about winter. I even have a huge collection of snowman figurines, some of which my mom gave me as Christmas gifts when I was a teenager.
Hot chocolate – which lots and lots of whipped cream, natch. In fact, I’m totally okay having a skewed whipped-cream-to-hot-chocolate ratio: in favor of the whipped cream. Winter’s the only time of the year I drink hot chocolate, and it’s just part of the season for me.
Christmas carols – Somehow, they get old fast right after Christmas, but I really enjoy them in the weeks leading up to the holiday. They just make me feel festive and nostalgic.
Snow on the Bay – I live right on the Chesapeake Bay, and I love when it snows or gets cold enough to freeze the little inlet on which we live, and the Bay just sparkles with the wintry mix. It’s completely gorgeous and one of the things I love about winter on the Bay.
Tree light ceremonies – Standing in a crowd of people, everyone anticipating the big moment, counting down from ten: I love the atmosphere of a tree light ceremony!
The Abominable Snowman – I actually love all the characters in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and have eyed the figurines from it on many an occasion! LOL But the Abominable Snowman is just the awesomest. Poor guy just needed his tooth pulled. Come on!
Sleigh rides – I have always been a total horse nut. I don’t ride—though I always wanted to learn, but I still think horses are beautiful and majestic. So, put that together with a totally fun sleigh and a crisp winter night and jingle bells and a blanket to cuddle under, and I’m there!
Christmas morning – I don’t care how old I get, Christmas morning will always feel full of magic to me! And, now that I have small children, that feeling is multiplied tenfold at least. I love the anticipation of it, the just sheer and utter joy, and the kids’ total belief that Santa brought them presents.
So, those are some of my favorite things about winter. What’s yours?
Thanks for reading!
Laura Kaye



Buy Laura’s Books
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp
Paperback Dolls called North of Need THE romance read for holiday gift-giving!:
Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves…

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she’s recreated the very thing she’ll never have.

Called to life by Megan’s tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen’s mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration–before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow’s grief and learn to trust love again, or she’ll lose Owen forever.

About Laura Kaye:
A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura is the author of the bestselling contemporary romance and award-nominated HEARTS IN DARKNESS and the bestselling and award-winning paranormal romance FOREVER FREED (NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011), as well as an erotic romance novella, JUST GOTTA SAY. Her fourth book, contemporary fantasy romance NORTH OF NEED, is the first in the 4-book Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
To enter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon e-gift card. Please leave Laura a comment, tell her what some of your favorite things about winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.


Because it is the season of giving.  I am giving you another chance to win Laura’s book…North of Need is up for Sizzling Read of the Year and Eight GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards–Please consider voting by 12/31. Sizzling Hot Book Review also is giving you a chance to win Laura’s book too, click HERE

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Review of Seducing the Myth (anthology)

Seducing The Myth – Multiple Authors
Seducing the Myth: Myths and Legends with an Erotic Twist is a collection of 24 tantalizing tales that lead you on a decadent journey through mythologies the world over. As well as stories from the popular Greek and Roman periods, this anthology will also delight you with Arabian, Arthurian, Hindu, Jewish, Norse, Slavic, Sumerian and Welsh myths and legends. Add in a delicious sprinkling of fairies, mermaids and ancient fertility rituals and you have a recipe for a wickedly erotic read!
Natasha’s Thoughts:
Holy bonkers!! These stories are seriously HOT, I think I burned myself multiple times, and had to take many cold showers; then get back to reading! Ever have a really, really sizzling scene in a book that you bookmarked so you could easily find it again for a quick refresher (I can’t be the only one)? That’s all these stories are! Great, short reads that get straight to the point and turn up the heat. Very fun and wicked read!
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Interview with Lila Munro


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Lila Munro to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Lila and her book Three for Keeps. 
Lila: Thanks so much for having me over today. I’ve been looking forward to being here and sharing my new release with your readers. I love to chat, so don’t be shy readers, chat away.

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
Lila: I’m a forty-something empty-nester military wife residing on the coast of North Carolina with my very own hero and our two doggies. I love bubble baths, museums, the beach, and I am a certified Kindle addict.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
Lila: Short answer, there are no typical days. J My other job as VP of Business Affairs at Rebel Ink Press usually takes up my morning hours then once I’m caught up there, I’m transported into my fantasy world where Doms, Mistresses, Marines and damsels in distress run amok. My muses are pretty fickle. Depending on their moods that day dictates what I work on and for how long. Now I was asked recently if I have any strange rituals—the answer is a resounding yes. Well, some may not find it strange. I have a habit of going to the think tank—ie bubble bath—whenever I’m struggling with a scene. Time of day is no deciding factor and I’ve been known to sit in the blessed thing more than once a day if need be.

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Lila: I’ve always known that on some level from the time I could say the ABC’s and I memorized The Little Red Hen. At that point I couldn’t write down stories, but I was really good at making them up. I had a very vivid imagination. When I was in sixth grade we traded teachers once a day in our teeny country school (I graduated in a class of fifty-two) and I was introduced to the world of creative writing by Mr. Trokey. I was very much taken in when he told me I had a knack for carrying a story line and that someday he knew he’d get the first signed copy of a book I’d written. I really doubt he thought that book would come in the form of an erotic romance. From there I tinkered with writing off and on until my muses went dormant when the children arrived. Apparently crying, screaming babies tend to terrify muses and they flee for the hills at the sound. Then one day I looked up and figured out I had turned forty and my dream was yet to be realized. It was at that point I dusted off the old notebook, found an idea or two and turned them into The Executive Officer’s Wife.

Q4) Tell us a little about your book Three for Keeps:
Lila: My latest book debuted November 17 from Rebel Ink Press, Three for Keeps. It’s an erotic contemporary romance encompassing ménage and BDSM. It’s a story about a woman named Zoey who is a product of the social services system and the three men she’s known from childhood, whom she’s in love with. They have quite the struggle to find harmony.  
Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Lila: Here’s a bit of Lila trivia. I have a degree in sociology and I simply love figuring out sub-cultures. Polyamory fascinates me. And to be honest, once Zoey popped up and started chatting I had no choice but to tell her story.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
Lila: I’m finishing up books three from two different series: A Slower Lower Leap and Assumed Identity. I’ll also be working with my writing partners after the first of the year on the third installment in the Force Recon series. I’ve also got a new series in the works for 2012, The Sergeants of Echo Co. I’m very excited about that one as it’s taking me back to my first love, military romance.

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Lila: I get asked that a lot and to be honest the answer is I have many. My tastes are all over the place. For a short list we’ll go with this: Maya Banks, Cherise Sinclair, Loralei James and Julianne MacLean for my historical fix.

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Lila: I have several Tymber Dalton reads lined up. Squeee! Yes, that came with a bit of jumping up and down. J I also have lined up some Eden Bradley, KA Mitchell and I’m a Kitty Thomas slut. Love, love, love her style and she really explores the darker side of kink unlike anyone else I’ve discovered yet.

Books-n-Kisses: Lila, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books. I am looking forward to reading Three for Keeps.  
Lila: Thanks again for having me over, and thanks to all the readers that came out today. I hope you enjoy reading Three for Keeps as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Zoey Matthews is in love. She’s been in love since the day she was dropped off by a social worker at yet another foster home on a back country road miles from nowhere, Missouri. At age ten, she met the men of her dreams. Over the course of sixteen years, Dane Cardwell, Jack Devereux and Ryan Wilkins fell in love with her, too. They’ve each told her they love her, they’ve shown her and each man has gone so far as to ask her to marry him. But what they don’t know is Zoey loves them all.

Her game of kiss and not tell all comes crashing down around her the night of her graduation from veterinary school and Zoey runs for the mountains. Of Colorado. Hoping to outrun her obsession with three men and forget them all together, she stays gone for ten years. But the wound has never healed. In fact, it’s done nothing but fester. Needing to clear the air, Zoey agrees to spend a few days back home with the boys never imagining it would turn into a week filled with comparison sex as Dane, Jack and Ryan each try to get Zoey to choose between them and their varied tastes.

When she finally tells the truth, a truth only one of them has known all along, Zoey fears the foursome will never be able to make a sharing relationship work. After all, aren’t there just too many personalities and desires to sort through? Add in the kink factor and things get really complicated. Zoey’s not convinced the truth has any merit, but there’s one thing she knows for sure…this time she’s playing for keeps.

Purchase Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-threeforkeeps-641736-144.html
My Links: 
Wedsite: http://lilamunro.weebly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000962603050
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Spotlight Feature of Snowy Fate by Marissa Dobson

I am so excited to have my girl Marissa on the blog as one of my Spotlight Features this month.  I had the great pleasure of reading this book early.  It is a great, fast and lovely novella.  I hope that you enjoy too. So with out future ado  I present to you Snowy Fate…

Fate always knows when you’re ready for love.

The past is catching up with Aspyn Layton. The father she never knew passed away and she is left to deal with his estate. An unexpected snowstorm has her stranded at the one place she didn’t want to be—her father’s house—with a naked man.
Damon Andrews has a secret, one he shared with Aspyn’s father. He must convince Aspyn there is more to life then what she knows. How will she react when she finds out he is a mountain lion, and she is his mate? Their fates are intertwined.
Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, I now reside about an hour from Washington, D.C. I am a lady who likes to keep busy, and am always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, I believe you are never done learning.
Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave me the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read I have always had my nose in a book. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I started writing down the stories I came up with. 
I am blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He is my other half and allows me to stay home and pursue my writing. My writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to me bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Ruby Lioness Press / Kindle / Smashwords /

Excerpt:
She picked up the fire poker as she looked at the naked man before her. “Who are you?” Even though she was startled by the man who stood before her, she had a feeling that he meant her no harm. A man that sexy couldn’t harm anyone; except to break a girl’s heart. He looked as though he should be posing for Playgirl instead of standing in the cozy living room.
“The better question is who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked as he shook the wet snow off his body. He stood there, not the least bit concerned that he was naked, nor that he was wet from head to toe. Her heart was fluttering, and desire was heating her cheeks. She wanted to explore his toned body with her hands, and her tongue. His dark hair was wind blown into disarray; that served to make him look dangerous, and that much sexier.
“The name’s Aspyn. Now who are you?”
“You’re his daughter,” he said more out of shock, then in question. “I’m Damon Andrews. John, your dad’s lawyer, didn’t think you would be coming to the house, or I would have left.”
Once she heard this man was a friend of her father’s, she quickly squashed the attraction that was building inside her. There was no way she could pursue someone who knew her father. She didn’t want to know any more than she already did about the man who ran out on her and her mother.
“It wasn’t the plan. I agreed to sell the place and his things. I planned to head straight home, but the storm rolled in, leaving me no time to get out of town. I didn’t have anywhere else to go and I didn’t think anyone was living here. The lawyer mentioned the key under the rug if I wanted to stop.” She lowered the weapon as she spoke.
He nodded in understanding. “If there is anything of his you want, please feel free to take it. There are lots of pictures of you.”
“He never gave me anything while he was alive and I don’t want anything now.” The first tear was threatening to fall.
“Hey there, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry,” he said, crossing the room in two strides.
“It’s not you. It’s just being here, around all this. It’s more than I can handle now. I’m not a woman who cries at the drop of the hat, I don’t know what is wrong with me. All the years he missed, and now it’s too late. This is like crying over spilled milk.”
He gently laid a hand on her shoulder.  “He wouldn’t want you to be upset. He did what he thought was right when you were a child. It might not have been the best decision, but he felt it was the only way. It was the only way to give you a semi-normal childhood, and he regretted that decision every day.”
She looked him in the eye and with fire in her eyes, she lashed back. “I know this is going to sound childish and ungrateful, but then he should have come back for us.” She shook off his hand. “But none of that matters now, it’s too late. What are you doing here? Better yet, why are you naked?”
Taking a step back, he nodded to the cot made in the corner. “I’ve been staying with your father. I’m building a house on the other side of the lake and was living at the hotel. On your dad’s better days, he would come over and helped with the construction. The heat and plumbing aren’t finished yet because of the freezing weather. Your dad invited me to stay until it was finished. When he passed and I found out you didn’t want the house, I put the offer in to buy it. I couldn’t see it sold off to someone who wouldn’t appreciate the beauty of the area. As for my lack of clothing, well that is a long story. Why don’t I make us something to eat? I’m sure you’re starving.”
“That would be great.”
“On one condition … you must read your father’s journal. You need to understand why. It will affect you more than I can explain.” Before she could object he added, “Please. There is stuff in there that you really need to know. I told him time and time again that he needed to find you before it was too late and tell you. But he didn’t listen. The first page is all I am asking. After that, if you don’t want to read any more, I won’t pester you anymore today.”
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Review of Echoes of Magic by Donna Grant

Echoes of Magic
Book 2 Sisters of Magic 
By Donna Grant
Hiding a secret so awful that his only hope for survival is to remain hidden, Grayson has lived most of his life pretending to be someone he isn’t. After years serving as a commander to his lord and friend, Grayson can no longer hold back the past. He leaves in search of answers only to find evil awaits him. Until he discovers an achingly beautiful woman who stirs his deepest passions and all-consuming need.
Adrianna knows what her future holds for her as a witch – loneliness and heartache. She has accepted that. Until she discovers Grayson near death in the forest. Saving him is her only choice, and even as she falls deeper into the attraction surrounding them, can her magic be enough to stop Fate or the evil that awaits them.
My thoughts:
In Echoes of Magic we continue the adventures of the bana-bhuidseach (or witch).  But this time we follow Grayson & Adrianne (who we met in book 1) on an adventure to find answers to the many secrets that Grayson has been keeping.
Once Grayson & Adrianna met it is clear to each of them nothing will ever be the same for them.  Each step of their journey turns up a new secrets and surprises.  But when faced with the biggest challenge of their lives only true love and undying trust will be enough to overcome the evil that has them in its sights.
I really enjoyed this second installment of the Sisters of Magic series.  So far this is my favorite book to the trilogy. Grayson tries so very hard to be the person that everyone else wants him to be.  But when he learns that he needs to be that person for himself he finally learns how to live and love.  Adrianna is a very strong witch and know the pain of loss but is still willing to risk it all for Grayson.   I really loved Grayson & Adrianna. 
I am looking forward to third and final book of the Sisters of Magic series:  Dangerous Magic.  Jump in to the world of the bana-bhuidseach and learn that sometimes that magic of love is more powerful than any other form of magic. 
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~28

Welcome to Day 28 of Winter’s Favorites.
I am pleased to welcome the wonderful Kaye Spencer to that blog.  Kaye wrote a flash fic story just for us.  Take it away Kaye.
Romance Valley by Kaye Spencer
Last week he’d had an epiphany: Wife-napping was the solution to his dilemma. She’d never agree to his plan anyway, so for him, it was a reasonable strategy, especially since he wasn’t willing to begin another new year—only three days away—with the same regrets that had followed him into the current year.
He watched the main road from his sofa in his second story den, his attention fixed on the car coming slowly up the half-mile, winding private driveway. The antique clock in the hallway chimed a reminder that she was later than usual. Naturally—Murphy’s Law. Tonight of all nights, when he didn’t have time to spare, she’d stayed even longer at the office…again. For the past month, he’d worked in collusion with her administrative assistant and paralegal team to rearrange her schedule so they could cover her work until the end of January—if it took that long. He’d encouraged and supported her on her way to the full partnership she’d earned, but on Thanksgiving when her workaholic schedule had found her at the office and not at the family dinner, he knew he had to do something.
It was the proverbial now or never moment. Standing, he shrugged into his heavy coat then made his way in the dark to the balcony doors and onto the wooden deck. He paused to breathe in the cold December air as he looked up at the blue-white brilliance of the stars shining in a moonless sky. They used to take walks together on nights like this. Sadly, they’d lost that connection somehow, and he wanted it back.
Slipping down the stairs to ground level, he took his predetermined position in the shadows at the corner of the garage. The automatic doors rolled up, and she coasted into the garage. He was already on the move when she turned off the motor then was standing beside her door when she opened it and stepped out.
“Hello, babe. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“What—?”
Before she could grab her purse—and more importantly—her cell phone, he snatched her from behind and heaved her over his shoulder with enough force that it broke off her gasping protest for a few seconds—but only for a few.
In a half-dozen long strides, he made it to the rear of his pickup truck with the garage door lowering behind them. With their nearest neighbor a mile away, he wasn’t concerned that anyone would hear her railing outrage and come to investigate, and he dumped her literally kicking and screaming onto the foam mattress he’d laid out in the back of his pickup. He’d practiced closing the tailgate and slamming the camper shell door down until he could do it in one fluid motion, so he smoothly locked her in before she had the opportunity to escape.
Sliding behind the wheel, he started the engine, put it in gear, and headed toward the main road. He adjusted the rearview mirror in the center of the windshield until he had a clear view through the back window and into the pickup bed. The cab light gave off an adequate glow to see her sitting amidst their luggage, her back against the tailgate, arms folded across her chest, and glaring daggers at him. He chuckled. At least she’d settled down and wasn’t cussing and calling him names anymore.
Glancing at the speedometer, he backed off. Granted, he was on a little-traveled back road, but he couldn’t afford the delay of being pulled over. As it was, they’d barely arrive at the rendezvous location on time. Besides, he didn’t doubt for a minute she’d pitch a fit to be set free, and he knew her influence with the local police trumped his ability to fast-talk his way out of what would likely appear as a suspicious situation.
All things considered, his plan was unfolding with proverbial clockwork precision. In a few hours, he’d have her to himself. No phone calls, no text messages, no computers. No interruptions at all. That’s when they’d begin negotiations. He’d already determined his bottom-line, so the outcome of this excursion really depended upon her. It was long past time to reassess their priorities. Not so many years ago, they’d talked of having children, but somewhere along the way, life and ambition had interfered, and they’d lost sight of that part of their lives.
Satisfied and just a little smug, he patted the brochure on the seat beside him. He knew the content by heart.
Yearning for a vacation with that special someone? Needing to breathe new romance into a stale relationship? Wanting private time together to rediscover why you fell in love? Romance Valley is the perfect, intimate and secluded mountain valley haven for a couple’s retreat. Whether for a long weekend tryst or for an extended holiday, your personal Romance Valley planner will assist in designing an ultimate romantic getaway experience that not only meets your budget, but also fulfills your deepest desires. Your personal planner will handle all the details so you don’t have to.
It was a drastic move, but their marriage was teetering on the ragged edge of death-by-neglect, and one or both of them would likely succumb to infidelity-out-of-loneliness if something didn’t change soon. In his mind, there was no way to repair a relationship once the cheating line was crossed. Broken trust was a wound that would never truly heal, but only fester.
With a quick check on the time and another glance in the mirror at his disgruntled captive, he pressed his foot on the accelerator. The optimistic hope of rekindled love arriving with the New Year welled in his heart. For better or worse…Romance Valley, here we come.
Romance Valley © 2011 by Kaye Spencer
Find Kaye here:
Website: http://www.kayespencer.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000877686603
To enter for a chance to win an E-book of one of Kaye’s back list books. Please leave Kaye a comment, tell her what you are most looking forward to in 2012, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Review of Making Waves by Tawna Fenske

Making Waves
by Tawna Fenske
File Size: 571 KB
Print Length: 349 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (August 1, 2011)
When Alex Bradshaw’s unscrupulous boss kicks him to the curb after 20 faithful years as an executive with the world’s largest shipping company, he sets out to reclaim his dignity and his pension. Assembling a team of fellow corporate castoffs, he sails to the Caribbean to intercept an illegal diamond shipment. None of them counted on quirky blonde stowaway Juli Flynn, who has a perplexing array of talents, a few big secrets, and an intoxicating romantic chemistry with Alex…

My Thoughts:
In Making Waves we meet Juli Flynn.  She has been asked by her late uncle to spread his ashes out at sea.  Only problem is that Juli’s hates the ocean.  But being the ever good niece,  Juli’s sets out on the adventure to fulfill her uncle’s wishes.
Alex finds himself staring at his pink slip not knowing what just happened.  While drinking and brain storming with his fellow fired co-workers they devise a plan to get back at their former employer.   One thing Alex never planned on was the beautiful stow away sleeping in his bed.
Juli’s & Alex find them self on the adventure of a lifetime in Making Waves.  But will these two survive the adventure or will one of them have to walk the plank?

OMG!!! Let me tell you first I had the great pleasure of meeting Tawna over this past summer.  She is so much fun and her book Making Waves was just as much fun.  I am so glad that I meet her and pick up this book.

I could not put this book down and was laughing the whole time.  Let me also tell you that Jell-O salad and cheese doodles will NEVER be the same after you read this book!!! 
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Review of Shadow Magic by Donna Grant

ShadowMagic
Book 1 in Sisters of Magic Trilogy
By Donna Grant
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 376 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0060LL9NA
Magic. Long has it been debated on whether it truly exists. Yet, exist it does, and in the most noble of women.
With a past soaked in sin and darkness slowly closing in around him to claim his soul, Drogan only wants to live his life in solitude. Years in the king’s service and his numerous deeds directed by the crown have left Drogan with horrendous nightmares and immeasurable guilt…
Serena is a witch, cursed and forever alone. She accepts her future. Until she meets Drogan. With Drogan a passion deep and unyielding awakens inside her. She is willing to sacrifice herself for his love, but can he put his past to rest and embrace the future?
My Thoughts:
In Shadow Magic we are introduced to the world of the bana-bhuidseach.  A bana-bhuidseach is a witch, but these witches have been cursed to forever be alone.  If a witch ever allows herself to love she will lose that love forever.
We met our first witch Serena in Shadow Magic.  She is a very loved and cared for witch in her community, but she longs for something that she can never have.  Love.  The one thing that she will never allow herself to do.  She saw what loving and losing did to her mother and vows to never fall in love.  But sometimes fate has other things in mind.
Lord Drogan of Wolfglynn has come to visit one of his very best friend to help him celebrate his new child.  Drogan is extremely happy for his friend, but can’t keep the darkness at bay even with the happiness for his friend.  That is until he meets the amazingly beautiful Serena.  She changes everything.
Drogan and Serena set out on a journey of a life time in order to help keep their friends safe.  The only goal is to get  friends  and infant child safely to Wolfglynn where they will be better protected from the evil that is after them.   But even as they fight the evil after them Drogan and Serena can’t fight what they feel for each other.
I am so glad that Donna re-released her Sister of Magic Series.  I really enjoyed learning about this new world of good vs. evil.  This was a really good book.  I am looking forward to book 2 Echoes ofMagic and book 3 Dangerous Magic.