Author: Kelly

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Winner

 The winner of Pamela Palmer’s Hunger Untamed 
is
Laura H

Laura, Please email me your snail mail address to 
books.n.kisses(at)gmail(dot)com

winner was notified by email and has 72 hours to respond or new winner will be picked.
winner picked by Random.org
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Guest Blog & Giveaway with Casey Sheridan

Hi everyone!
I’m so happy to be here on Books-n-Kisses today because I have something exciting to tell you.
First, I want to thank Kelly for letting me take over her blog today so I could make my announcement. Thank you, Kelly (hug)
I’d like to let everyone know I SOLD my erotic novella, NUMBER 69, to Breathless Press! I think that calls for a group happy dance, don’t you?
To celebrate, I’m giving away some goodies to one lucky commenter (US only. Must be 21 yrs or older). My little gift package contains a $10 Amazon gift card, a RUBY RED METALLIC keychain, and a fun, little mini-bullet vibrator keychain. The mini-bullet does have something to do with my book, NUMBER 69 *grin*.
Since I’ve only just signed my contract, I don’t have a book cover or a release date yet, but I do have an unofficial blurb:
A matchmaking party was not Melodie’s idea of fun and wearing vibrating panties to boot was just plain weird. Or was it?
Should she go to the party? After all, she just might meet Mr. Right. And if he doesn’t show, she has the vibrating panties to keep things interesting.
I’m very exciting about NUMBER 69 and I can’t wait to see what the artists at Breathless Press come up with for a cover.
Now, be sure to leave a comment along with your email address in order to enter the drawing. I’ll be choosing a name later tonight using random.org and will contact the winner tomorrow.
Let’s have a bit of fun: have you ever been to an adult store? I’ve never been in an actual brick-and-mortar store, but I have looked around at various online adult stores. Some are female friendly (that’s important to me) and informative while others are not so much. What has been your experience, and do you prefer to shop online or do you prefer to shop at your local adult store?
xoxo,
Casey
Giveaway Time: 
If you want to be entered to win Casey’s prize pack. 
You need to answer Casey’s question:  
Have you ever been to an adult store?
Leave your email address: 
Casey will be picking the winner later tonight.
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Guest blog with Liz Borino

Straight Woman’s Perspective
When Kelly asked me to write about what it’s like to write M/M romance from a decidedly straight woman’s perspective. I was at first perplexed. Yes, two of my boys (my name for my characters) are gay. And, yes, they have beautiful, also hot, sex. But coming from a straight woman you’d think it would be hard, giggle, to write. You know what? It’s not. How is possible, you might ask. Or you might not care. I’m going to tell you either way.
I treat my characters the way I treat people because to me they’re very real. So, like people, they aren’t just gay/straight/bi/or whatever else you can come up with. There’s so much more to their personalities than that. Alright, so Chris loves and desires Aiden in a way he never could with his ex, Ally. Good. Now I have additional plot points. Anyone who’s read my books would hate for Chris to be with anyone except Aiden. The reason is simple. Their relationship, much like yours and mine, is about much more than sex. It’s about acceptance for who they really are. It’s not who they are. Argue with me, go ahead. I’ll send them to come talk to you.
Also, being a straight woman. I love men. Really, they’re what do it for me. So, two men together? I struggle to understand how a straight woman could not like that. Okay, sure, I’m not entirely familiar with the physicality of it, but that’s the least of what I write about. And such things can be observed. I don’t tend to play any of the usual M/M tricks with them. Chris is not Aiden’s sub, neither of them would tolerate such a thing. The concept of using torture or pain just doesn’t even come to mind.  The love they have and share, both physically and emotionally, is dependent not on ‘normal conventions’ of the romance genre, but who they are as people. Every word I write about them I consider their histories and genetic makeup.
So, is it difficult for me to write M/M romance? No, not at all. Besides, they annoy me far less than Matt’s girlfriend, Carley does. Why does Carley annoy me? Read What Money Can’t Buy and find out!

EXPECTATIONS depicts the struggle between what we desire for
ourselves and our familial obligations. The struggle is personified by Chris and Matt Taylor, identical twins, who are trying to win their overbearing father’s approval and acquire their trust funds. Love, money, and desire collide as Matt and Chris decide what’s really important to them.



Order HERE








What Money Can’t Buy, the sequel to Expectations, finds the two couples, Chris and Aiden and Matt and Carley, eagerly anticipating parenthood. However, their personal struggles continue. Though Matt overcame his dependency on alcohol, new temptations present themselves. And with Carley on bed rest, these temptations put a greater strain on their relationship. Chris continues to deal with issues regarding his father. These issues increase with greater proximity. When tragedy strikes, the best and worst in everyone is revealed. Can they stick together, or will their reactions tear them apart?


Order HERE


Find Liz here

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WINNERS

Lots of winners to announce
#1
The winner of Kathleen Gallagher book Echoes at Dawn
 is: _yay_ 
Please send me an email with your snail mail address

#2

Autumn Harvest: Fall Between the Pages Blog Hop 

Tour Winners (x4)

I want to say a HUGE Thank you for all that entered.  111 comments total.  

The winner of your choice 2 of Cari Quinn ebooks 
is
#98 NIKKI 
(viajeradelman (at) aol (dot) com)

Nikkie please swing over to Cari’s website (HERE) and look at her back list of books and let me know which 2 you want. 


Winner of the Larissa Ione Swag pack 
photo doesn’t guarantee what will be in this pack
is
#24 Patti
(musicalfrog(at)comcast(dot)net)
Patti, please email me your snail mail address


The winner of 2 signed Laurie London books 
is
#101 Megan 
(meganski216(at)yahoo(dot)com)
Megan, please email me your snail mail address

and because we hit 100+ comments
The winner of the signed Jessica Anderson book & 2012 Calendar
is
#73 Renee Rearden
Renee, please email me your snail mail. 


#3
Winner of an e-copy of Gabriel’s Inferno 
is 
#1 Victoria
(vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com)
Victoria, please confirm email address 
and you wanted a kindle verison


All winners please send requested information to 
books.n.kisses(at)gmail(dot)com

Winners have 72 hours from this post to respond or new winner will be drawn. 

all winners picked with Random.org
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KLB Blog Tour Presents The Renfield Syndrome

Vampires, and werewolves, and demons, oh my. 

Rhiannon thought facing off against a deranged child vampire was the most dangerous task she would ever have to undertake, but she’s about to discover making a deal with a demon is far, far worse. Sent forward into another reality, one in which vampires are now dominating nearly extinct humans, she realizes the sooner she returns to her vampire lover, Disco, the better. 

Unfortunately, time changes a lot of things; including those most trusted around her. When she’s faced with a loss and betrayal unlike any she has ever known, her focus shifts from severing the debt between the demon that wants to kill her, to exacting a revenge that will bring forth consequences she never could have fathomed. By reaching out to the darkness lingering within her, she’ll find the strength to push forward despite the circumstances that would see her dead and buried. 

After all, when it’s all said and done, all that she has left to lose is her soul

Paperback/Kindle/Ecopy
212 Pages 
Published Aug 23 2011 

ISBN
1606592661 (ISBN13: 9781606592663)




SCHEDULE:
Larissa’s Bookish Life Feature Sept 27 
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Interview & Giveaway with Gena Showalter

Books-n-Kisses and The Qwillery are happy to team up to bring Gena Showalter to both of our blogs. Gena, we are both extremely excited to have you here today.  Happy Release Day Gena!!!

Gena:  I’m so happy to be here! Thank you so much for making it happen!

Q1)  What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Gena:  I wouldn’t say ‘interesting’ so much as ‘frustrating.’ *g* I am over the top OCD about my books. Once I start one, I can’t stop. I eat, breathe and totally live the characters and their story. Seriously, I don’t think about anything else until the book is done. And yes, I’ve even called family members by character names. A terribly unbalanced way to live, but I honestly adore my job—even when the characters are naughty. Okay, especially when the characters are naughty.

Q2)   Have you always known you wanted to be an author?

Gena:  Actually, no. I played around with nursing for a while, but I had a terrible bedside manner so . . . that was a no go. But I had always loved to read romance novels, and I was always picturing scenes in my head, so ultimately writing seemed like the better fit.

Q3)  Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Gena:  Pantser. I like to find out what happens when the readers finds out.

Q4)  Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Gena:  I adore Kresley Cole, Karen Marie Moning, PC Cast, Jill Monroe, Nalini Singh, Larissa Ione, Jeaniene Frost, Meljean Brook, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Deidre Knight, Jessica Andersen, Shannon Butcher, Shelly Laurenston, Jennifer Cruise, JR Ward, and so many more! But my early influences were Johanna Lindsay, Julie Garwood, and Linda Howard

Q5)  Gena, you have so many great series. How do you come up with so many great stories?

Gena:  Something I hear, see, or read will cause me to say “What if.” With the Lords — what if men opened Pandora’s box? Alien huntress – what if (sexy and, okay, predatory) otherworlders walked among us? With the Intertwined series – what if a teenage boy had four human souls trapped inside his head? Everything grows from there.

Q6)  Do you have a favorite character out of all your series? If so who & why?

Gena:  I have several favorites J From the Lords, I am head over heels for William. He’s a narcissistic womanizer who thinks torturing his enemies is fun, but oh, is he sexy! I can’t wait to see him tamed. And by tamed I mean just as naughty but in love. From Alien Huntress, I want to run away with Hector. He’s as badass as a guy can be, with arms that morph into flame-throwers (literally), but when he falls for his woman . . . shiver! There is no one more loyal, no one more determined to protect.

Q7)  One of your newest releases is Dark Taste of Rapture (Alien Huntress Series 6) Can you tell us a little more about this book?

Gena:  Would love to! Here’s the blurb:


With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure…or unending pain…
Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped — and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.
When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

Q8)  Another new release is Lord of the Vampires. Which is the 1st book in a 4 author series titled Royal House of Shadows. The other authors include Jill Monroe (The Lord of Rage, Sept 27), Jessica Andersen (The Lord of Wolfyn, Oct 25), and Nalini Singh (Lord of the Abyss, Nov 27). Can you tell us a little about your book.


Gena:  Once upon a time, the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with a need for vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.

Nicolai the Vampire is renowned for his virility, but in a cruel twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” has become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remains is a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who can help him.
When the wanton vampire summons Jane Parker, she is helpless to obey. She’s drawn to his dark sexuality and into his magical realm. But for this human, all is not a fairy tale. For saving Nicolai could mean losing the only man she’s ever craved…

Q9)  You have a great explanation on the Royal House of Shadow’s website of how the four of you came up with this idea. Would you like to share that idea with us?

Gena:  We wanted tell our favorite fairy tales with fun new (and sexy!) twists! Jill Monroe retells Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jessica Andersen retells Little Red Riding Hood and Nalini Singh retells Beauty and the Beast. Me? I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Alice in Wonderland. A young girl wakes up in a whole new world, with no idea who (or what) to trust, fantastical magic around every corner, and her curious nature getting her into all kinds of trouble. I used to put myself in Alice’s place, wondering what I would do, where I would go. And of course, anytime I insert myself into a scene, I also insert a very sexy guy.
But I digress. This time, when I sat down to retell Alice, it wasn’t myself that I saw but Jane Parker, a studious scientist with a haunted past. One morning she wakes and finds herself trapped in mythical realm with Berserkers, shifters, and evil sorcerers. But the most dangerous creature of all? The vampire prince who has an insatiable hunger for her blood. Yeah, this wonderland has fangs—and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Q10)  What is next?

Gena:  I have a bang, bang, bang of releases! There’s Dark Taste of Rapture, my sexiest Alien Huntress novel yet (Aug 23rd), Lord of the Vampires (Aug 23rd), Twisted, the darkest of the Intertwined novels, (Aug 30th, and it’s about a human boy who finds himself crowned king of the vampires), The Darkest Surrender (Sept 27th, Strider’s story and my personal favorite of the Lords of the Underworld novels), and Dating the Undead (co-authored with Jill Monroe, coming Jan 2012) This book teaches women how to date creatures of “myth,” and we had such a blast writing it!

Q11)  Is there anything else you would like to add?

Gena:  Thank you so much for having me! This was a blast!

Huge thank you to Gena for stopping by Books-n-Kisses and The Qwillery to talk about her newest releases.
About Gena’s Latest Books

The Darkest Surrender

Lords of the Underworld
(HQN, September 27, 2011)
Possessed by the demon of Defeat, Strider cannot lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain. For him, nothing stands in the way of victory. Until Kaia, an enchanting Harpy, tempts him to the razor’s edge of surrender.
Known among her people as The Disappointment, Kaia must bring home the gold in the Harpy Games or die. Strider is a distraction she can’t afford because he has an agenda of his own—steal first prize, an ancient godly artifact, before the winner can be named. But as the competition heats up, only one prize will matter—the love neither had thought possible.…
Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million



Twisted
Intertwined 3
Harlequin Teen, August 30, 2011

Sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has had a hell of a week. He’s been:
Tortured by angry witches. Hypnotized by a vengeful fairy. Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence. And, oh, yeah, killed—twice.
His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he’s never felt more out of control. There’s a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.
Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.
Life couldn’t get any worse. Could it?
Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million


Lord of the Vampires
Royal House of Shadows 1
Harlequin, August 23, 2011
Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out….
Nicolai the Vampire was renowned for his virility, but in a twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” had become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remained was a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who could help him.
In her dreams, a wanton vampire called to Jane Parker, drawing her to his dark sexuality and his magical realm. But for a human, all was not a fairy tale in Delfina. Jane was the key to Nicolai’s memory…but exploiting her meant dooming the only mortal he craved.
Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million
Dark Taste of Rapture
Alien Huntress 6
Pocket Star, August 23, 2011
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter captivates with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, and a powerful AIR agent consumed by his desire for a woman he can never have. . . .
With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure . . . or unending pain. . . .
Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped—and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.
When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .
Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million

The Giveaway
THE RULES
What:  One commenter at Books-n-Kisses will win a signed copy of  The Darkest Surrender from Gena Showalter. Head over to The Qwillery and enter for a chance to win there also! Two copies of the book will be given away – one at each blog. US mailing addresses only.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:

What is your favorite book by Gena 
or 
which of her books are looking forward to the most?

Please remember – if you don’t answer the question your entry will not be counted.
You may receive additional entries by:
1)  Being a Follower of Books-n-Kisses.
2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter and/or your blog. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter or your blog multiple times.
Note:  It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.
There are a total of 3 entries you may receive: Answer the question (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter and/or personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.
Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.
Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 4, 2011. Void where prohibited by law. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.
*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*
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Guest Blog & Giveaway with Virna DePaul

A few weeks ago, I attended a bridal shower for a friend of mine.  In the usual tradition, we played games, offered standard advice like “never go to bed angry,” and made the bride-to-be wear one of those ridiculous hats made out of ribbons, bows, and a paper plate.  The maid-of-honor even distributed a list of Good Housekeeping guidelines, originally published in the early 1950s, for being a “good wife.”
“Make sure your children are clean and quiet when their father gets home. They are his little treasures and you want him to see them as such.”
“Don’t ask questions if your husband is out late or even all night.  Remember he is the master of his domain.”
            Seriously, we had a great laugh over those little gems.
            As a modern woman and romance writer, it’s hard to imagine anyone ever coming up with that advice let alone believing it.  In half a century, things have certainly changed; in my opinion, definitely for the better.  Yet, beliefs and customs are different all over the world, within the United States, and even within neighborhoods.  I’m sure there are people who even today would sing the praises of the same guidelines I laugh at.  I would find it difficult to relate to such people, but I hope I’d be tolerant and open-minded enough to listen to their opinions while still keeping true to my own.
           
           In Chosen By Blood, Book 1 in the Para-Ops series, I deal with themes such as cultural differences, opposing beliefs, tolerance, and change.  The series opens in a post-war world and centers around a team comprised of different races that are trying to understand and accept one another.  Of course, these races have different beliefs, customs, religions, etc, but they must unite in order to help the nation heal as a whole.
            In my series, Otherborn are sick of hiding or taking second place.  As FBI Director Kyle Mahone recognizes:
“The times had changed.  The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness no longer applied just to humans.  Wraiths had the right to vote.  A court had just ruled that a mage’s right to practice magic was akin to one’s right to worship. And vamps, both full vampires and dharmires alike, couldn’t be denied health coverage based on ‘malnourishment’ being a preexisting condition. The Others were demanding their due and making their presence known.”
In the midst of this complicated world, Book 1 opens with a controversial hero. In the world of this series, vampires are NOT monogamous and the males are duty bound to marry and procreate with vampires. Yet even though the hero, Knox Devereaux, feels genuine affection for his married-for-convenience wife, Knox loves a human, Special Agent Felicia Locke.  Because of her strong human morals, she tries her best to stay away from Knox, and he lets her, until that is, they both join the FBI’s first Para-Ops team.  At that time (which is Chapter 1 of the book), he’s widowed, but he still has plans to marry another vamp.  Felicia’s bound and determined not to be his mistress on the side, however.  So what will they do?  The issue is really about how soul mates fight hard to do the right thing despite a powerful and constant pull to be with one another.
  I didn’t set out to make Knox controversial; he simply developed that way.  The difficult decision was whether to keep him true to character or change him (or his marital status) in order to play it safe.  I kept him how he was.  First, because I don’t want to be known as a writer who plays it safe.  And second, because I like pushing boundaries, and exploring humanity and the complicated issues we face.  I don’t want to be controversial for its own sake, but in order to challenge myself and others to think about what they really believe.  Part of the reason I love writing is to create and explore worlds, characters, and issues that push the envelope.  All I can hope is that readers will be interested enough to take the ride with me!
Author Bio:
Virna DePaul is a former criminal prosecutor and now National Bestselling Author for Berkley (paranormal romantic suspense), HQN (single title romantic suspense) and HRS (category romantic suspense). Her recent and upcoming releases are Dangerous To Her (HRS, August 23, 2011) and Chosen By Fate (Para-Ops Novel 2, October 4, 2011). www.virnadepaul.com

United by fate. Bound by desire.
Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn— humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.
CHOSEN BY BLOOD
Leader of an Otherborn clan, half-breed vampire Knox Devereaux would do anything to find a cure for the anti-vamp vaccine slowly starving his people into extinction. When the FBI contacts him about leading a team of hand-selected Others on a mission to reclaim the stolen antidote, Knox accepts. His new assignment places him in direct contact with Special Agent Felicia Locke, the beautiful human he’s craved since their very first meeting.
Giveaway Time: 
Virna is offering up a copy of Chosen by Blood (paperback) to one of my lucky followers. 
To Enter: 
Please leave a comment or questions for Virna. 
Please leave your email address (No email, No Entry!!)
Being a follower of my blog will get you an extra entry.
+1 if you share this post on Facebook, Twitter, your Blog or good reads, extra points.  
Giveaway will end on Oct 1
Winner will be announced Oct 3rd. 
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Winners

We have winners

The winner of Liz Crowe’s eBook The Rookie is: 
Linda
Please confirm your email email address and I will forward it to Breathless Press. 


The winner of my 300+ followers Winner’s Choice is 


Michelle O’Boyle

Winners have been notified by email. 
winners where picked with Random.org

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My Review of The Storm that is Sterling by Lisa Renee Jones

The Storm that is Sterling 
by Lisa Renee Jones

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

November 2011 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN 1402251599 (ISBN13: 9781402251597)
Zodius Series #2

Sterling Jeter, Renegade Super Soldier, is fearless, powerful, and wildly unpredictable. His life-threatening mission is to save the beautiful, brilliant astrobiologist Rebecca Burns from ruthless villain Adam Rain. But their immutable mutual attraction threatens to put them in the path of death… or worse…


Preorder here
Amazon| Barnes & Noble


The Storm that is Sterling takes us on a wild ride of love & lust, betrayal & trust, misunderstands and a very uncertain future. 

My Summary:
The Storm that is Sterling is perfectly named and poor Sterling is in for the ride of his life.  But let me back up a bit and give you a little history.  The Storm that is Sterling is book 2 in Lisa Renee Jones Zodius series.  Book 1 is The Legend of Michael (my review of Michael) in which we are introduced to the world of the Super Soldiers, soldiers who have been injected with an experimental Alien DNA.  With this change in their DNA the soldiers are gifted with more strength, speed and other special gifts.  Becoming a Super Solider comes with a great responsible to protect and keep the world safe.  But not all of the soldiers are out to keep the world safe, some feel that it is their right to be better than others and therefore feel they should rule the world.
The Storm that is Sterling
When Sterling is asked by Cabel (his leader) to go get a scientist to help find a cure for ICE (their enemy’s newest weapon to try to take over the world), his world is forever changed by two words.  Rebecca Burns.  Becca is the sweet, innocent, little future NASA scientist he was forced to walk away from fourteen years ago.  
When Sterling show up at Becca’s house to ask for her help; everything falls apart.  The next thing Sterling knows they are being attacked at all sides. The last thing Sterling remembers is handing Becca off to Damion his teammates only to see Damion hand Becca off to the enemy.  When Sterling wakes he finds that he has been captured by his enemy also.  Then he learns that his enemy has forever changed Becca’s life by forcing her to become addicted to the very drug they were seeking her help to find a cure for. 
My thoughts:
I really, really enjoyed Sterling and Becca’s story.  I have to admit that even while reading Michael’s book I wanted to learn more about Sterling. So when Lisa gave me the opportunity to read The Strom that is Sterling there was no way I was going to say NO.
Lisa did a great job of showing the struggle that Sterling goes through to realize what and who he needs in his life.  Sterling is a man who has always thought that he didn’t need people in his life. His motto was ‘live life fast and hard’, that was until Becca came back in his life. Only to learn that life has other plans for Becca.
Becca on the other had has always had the support and love of a family, until death took them away.  Not wanting to be a burdened to anyone with her health issues she runs away to hide. That is until Sterling walks back into her life
Lisa sucked me back into the Zodius world with a heart wrenching story of a young love lost before it was ever explored, only to be found again under dire circumstances. And with time is quickly running out can these two find a way to save the world and each other
A Huge Thank you to Lisa for allowing me to read Sterling.  I enjoyed very, very much. 

What is next? 

Damion’s book *sigh*

will be out Spring 2012.

Want to learn more about Lisa?
Check our her website HERE
On Facebook HERE
Twitter HERE

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Gena Showalter’s Lord of the Underworld Series

Dark Beginnings (Lords of the Underworld 0.5, 3.5 & 4.5)
This title includes three new stories, Lords of the Underworld, from “New York Times” bestselling author Gena Showalter.
“The Darkest Fire” – He is the guardian of Hell, more monster than man. She is the goddess of oppression, more angel than woman. Together they will enter the flames to battle a horde of demon lords – and discover a passion unlike any other…Discover the origins of Pandora’s box and the demon spirits trapped within.
“The Darkest Prison” – passion and danger collide in this brand-new Lords of the Underworld adventure! Once, Atlas, the Titan god of Strength, was the Greek goddess Nike’s slave. Now, he is her master. And soon these sworn enemies destined to destroy one another will be forced to risk everything for a chance at love.
“The Darkest Angel” – An iron-willed demon assassin, the angel Lysander has never known lust – until he meets Bianka. Spawned from the bloodline of Lucifer, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the purehearted Lysander into temptation.
The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)
His powers — Inhuman
His passion — Beyond immortal . . .
All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she’ll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member — a man trapped in a hell of his own.
Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction — and a soul-shattering test of love . . .

The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld #2)
She has tempted many men…but never found her equal. Until now.
Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death–a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.
But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining.

The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld #3)
Reyes is a man possessed. Bound by the demon of pain, he is forbidden to know pleasure. Yet he craves a mortal woman, Danika Ford, more than breath and will do anything to claim her—even defy the gods.
Danika is on the run. For months she’s eluded the Lords of the Underworld, immortal warriors who won’t rest until she and her family have been destroyed. But her dreams are haunted by Reyes, the warrior whose searing touch she can’t forget. Yet a future together could mean death to all they both hold dear.…

The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld #4)
He is the keeper of Doubt and his entire world’s about to be rocked.
Bound by the demon of doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers. So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern…until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more.
Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she’d fall for a kind human who wouldn’t rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling their enemies for the claim to Pandora’s box turns out to be nothing compared to the battle Sabin and Gwen will wage against love.

The Darkest Passion (Lords of the Underworld #5)
Aeron, keeper of the demon of wrath, finally meets his match…
For weeks, the immortal warrior Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence. An angel–demon-assassin–has been sent to kill him. Or has she? Olivia claims she fell from the heavens, giving up immortality because she couldn’t bear to harm him. But trusting–and falling for–Olivia will endanger them all. So how has this “mortal” with the huge blue eyes already unleashed Aeron’s darkest passion?
Now, with an enemy hot on his trail and his faithful demon companion determined to remove Olivia from his life, Aeron is trapped between duty and consuming desire. Worse still, a new executioner has been sent to do the job Olivia wouldn’t.

The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underworld #6)
Gideon, keeper of the Demon of Lies, fights to uncover the truth….
Forced to his knees in agony whenever he speaks the truth, Gideon can recognize any lie—until he captures Scarlet, a demon-possessed immortal who claims to be his long-lost wife. He doesn’t remember the beautiful female, much less wedding — or bedding — her. But he wants to . . . almost as much as he wants her.
But Scarlet is keeper of Nightmares, too dangerous to roam free, and a future with her could mean ultimate ruin. Especially as Gideon’s enemies draw closer . . . and the truth threatens to destroy all he’s come to love.

The Darkest Secret (Lords of the Underworld #7)
Keeper of the demon of Secrets, Amun can manipulate the darkest thoughts of anyone nearby. But when new demons possess him, the immortal warrior must be chained and isolated to protect those he loves. Death is his only hope of release—until he meets Haidee, a fellow prisoner whose beauty and hidden vulnerability draw him into a reckless test of his loyalty…
Haidee is an infamous demon assassin, raised to despise Amun’s kind. Yet how can she hate the man whose touch sets her aflame? But to save him, she must give herself body and soul…and face the wrath of a powerful adversary sworn to destroy her.
The Darkest Surrender (Lord of the Underworld #8)
The Lords of the Underworld return in this enthralling tale of an immortal warrior determined to win and the beautiful seductress he can’t resist.
 Possessed by the demon of Defeat, Strider cannot lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain.  For him, nothing stands in the way of victory.  Until Kaia, an enchanting Harpy, tempts him to the razor’s edge of surrender.
 Known among her people as The Disappointment, Kaia must bring home the gold in the Harpy Games or die.  Strider is a distraction she can’t afford because he as an agenda of his own – steal first prize, an ancient godly artifact, before the winner can be named.  But as the competition heats up, only one prize will matter – the love neither had thought possible…

The Darkest Seduction (Lord of the Underworld #9)
This is Paris’s story.  (Look for a two chapter excerpt in the Jan, 2012 release of Dating the Undead!) 
Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price.  Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die.  And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now.  
Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet, in Paris’s arms the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up.
Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally– or tear them apart?
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Winner

The Winner of the Leslie Dicken book is 
Amanda W
Amanda please confirm email address along with which of Leslie’s ebook you want. 
here is the link to the list of Leslie’s books
winner picked using Random.org
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Guest Blogger David Hulegaard

A Thousand Words for Aspiring Authors
By: David K. Hulegaard
Technology is an amazing thing, right? It’s mind-numbing to think about what we can do today that wasn’t quite yet possible even ten years ago. Take the iPod for example. If a time traveler had gone back to 2001 and told me that in just a few more years I’d be able to hold my entire CD collection in the palm of my hand, my head would’ve exploded.
The advancements in technology have also greatly benefited wanna-be authors. The days of polishing up your query letter for “the big six” just to have your heart smashed into a million pieces by the rejection letters are long over. Thanks to the creation of self-publishing services, getting your masterpiece out into the world is now easier than ever.
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Note that I said “getting your masterpiece out into the world” was easier than ever, not getting your masterpiece read. That part still requires a lot of hard work, research, and most of all, luck. Did you know that over 27,000 new self-published books are released on Amazon each month? Multiply that by twelve and you’re starting to get the picture of what the competitive landscape looks like for your book.
Now, now, don’t get too discouraged. Most avid readers can chew through several books a week, so even if they don’t choose your book today, there’s always tomorrow. While retail books typically follow a traditional sales curve, that really only applies to known authors. If you’re an unknown, those same rules don’t apply. Take self-published author Michael Hicks for example. He’s published seven books over the past three years, but was only “discovered” this year. He just quit his day job a month ago and can now afford to live off of book royalties alone. How amazing is that?! It’s the goal that we all strive for as independent authors.
Getting to that point is a long road, however, and if you’re the instant gratification type then you’d best turn back around now. There are many mistakes you can make on that path that could be devastating to your dream, so it’s important to have a plan long before you even publish your first book. Believe me, I know that which of I speak.
When my company went bankrupt last year, I was laid off after fourteen years. I had no idea what to do next. The job market was atrocious and I had a lot of time on my hands. I decided to fill that time by writing, which was something that I’d always wanted to do. I had an idea for a story—a mixture of Lost, the video game BioShock, and a pinch of The Mothman Prophecies. I wrote the manuscript in under six months.
As a first time writer, I made literally every mistake that a person in that position could make. I was impatient and just wanted my book out for sale without fully understanding how to go about it. I had a friend draw the cover for free, which was great, but his style didn’t match my book’s content. A lot of people assumed my book was a graphic novel, or a comic book series. Being as that I didn’t have a lot of money, I skipped the professional editor route and had a group of friends proof my story for free. Even though they caught a lot of little mistakes, they weren’t able to catch some of the bigger ones—the type of errors that a professional editor is paid to find and help you fix. To top it all off, I paid a PR agency $5,000 to promote my brand, which resulted in accruing seven followers on Twitter. That is not a typo. I paid $5,000 for seven followers on Twitter.
Despite all of that, I was very lucky. My book received rave reviews and actually sold pretty well. However, in my mind, I still felt like I had cheated my readers. They were paying for something that was not the best representation of my writing ability. So, to rectify that, I am currently in the process of re-editing my book—with a professional editor this time—and will be releasing a second edition this holiday. I have learned much in the year since the original was published, and I am blessed with a second chance to make a first impression—one that I will not take lightly this time around.
Since that time last fall, I have published a new book called The Jumper. Every mistake that I’d made with my first book only served to help me create a much better second. I worked with an actual cover artist. I hired a professional editor. I have spent less than $100 in marketing and have had better success then I did after having thrown away $5,000 a year earlier. To be clear, I am nowhere near ready to retire and live off of book sales, but after a year of trying, I’m one step closer. They say that it can take an author as many as 4-7 books before they become noticed, so I will keep working to reach that goal. It’s not a guarantee that even then I’ll catch fire, but to me, I was satisfied after the day I sold book number one. Why? Because one sale was all the validation I needed to feel as though my time and creation was worth something to someone.
So, aspiring writers, please read my words and take them seriously. I have managed to escape from my mistakes without doing too much damage to my career, but every day is a reminder of how much worse it could have been. Take your time, do the research, and if nothing else, hire a professional editor. Even if cash is tight, the two areas of book publishing that you absolutely cannot afford to skimp out on are your cover and your editor. I promise you that there isn’t an author alive that would tell you any different.
Web: http://davidhulegaard.com
Twitter: @HulegaardBooks