Category: Giveaway/Contest

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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~17

Welcome to day 17 of Winter’s Favorite.
Today I have two totally Awesomely Rad ladies sharing their favorites.  Please welcome the Awesome Erin Quinn and the Rad Michele Hauf…

Erin Quinn’s favorite thing about winter:      
I live in Arizona where it’s always hot, so my favorite thing about winter is the cold.  I love sweaters and sweats, fires and hot chocolate.  I love to be all warm and toasty inside while it’s storming outside, put in a good movie and bake something while watching.  To me, paradise!
To learn more about Erin please find her here
Website http://www.erinquinn.info/
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/ErinQuinnAuthur
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/ErinQuinnAuthor
Michele please tell us your favorite thing about winter:
My favorite part of winter is snow.  Having lived in Minnesota all my life, I don’t have much choice.  Either embrace the stuff or move.  While you’ll never hear me claiming to love the cold (Florida, anyone?) I do love snowflakes.  I love to watch the snow flutter from the sky on big downy flakes and softly hit the ground without so much as a sound.  I have a magnifying glass I keep by the door in the winter to study snowflakes.  Seriously!  They are the most gorgeous creations.  Winter’s jewels.  I’m a huge fan of Kenneth Libbrecht’s snowflake photographs, and have this print framed in my living room.  Stop by his website and just get lost in the beauty of nature for a while!  snowcrystals.com

To Learn more about Michele please find her here

Website http://www.michelehauf.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michele-Hauf-Author/84169458804
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/michelehauf

To enter for a chance to win an e-book of Erin’s Kissing Kris Kringle or a signed copy of Michele’s novella found in A Vampire for Christmas. Please tell Erin & Michele your favorite thing to do during winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~16

Welcome to day 16 of Winter’s Favorites.
Today we have two wonderful authors sharing their favorites. So I will stop taking up your time and let W. Lynn Chantale & JM Kelly take over…..
Brrr, It’s Cold
by
W. Lynn Chantale
Oh what I wouldn’t give to be in the tropics or some place equally as warm. Let’s face it, Michigan is downright frigid in the winter. So far temps have hovered in the 20 to 30 degree range. Well no wonder Delia didn’t want to leave the sunshine. That hunk Jace wasn’t a bad reason to stay either.
Since I’m stuck in snow country and can’t get away to a tropical cruise, I have a hottie of my own who keeps me warm at night. Hmm, one out of two ain’t bad. 🙂 What can one do to chase away the cold winter’s blues?
Besides a steaming mug of hot chocolate, how about a loaf of fresh bread? Courtesy of my good friend Betty Crocker.
Until next time, Indulge Your Inner Romantic
Website: http://wlynnchantale.com
Blog: http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/wlynnchantale
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/W.LynnChantaleAuthor


6 to 7 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour* or Better for Bread® bread flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4 cups very warm water (120° to 130°F)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, if desired
1.       In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
2.       Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3.       Grease bottoms and sides of two 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
4.       Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18×9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
5.       Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
6.       Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.
Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices each

Please Welcome JM Kelley 

This December marks my one-year anniversary as a South Carolina resident. Living so far south of the Mason-Dixon line, I realize my winters will be vastly different. It saddens me, ever so slightly, to know that I have little-to-no use for the shovel collecting dust in my car’s trunk.
I grew up in Pennsylvania. The state in which, every five years or so, we have one of those cataclysmic snowstorms that dump multiple feet of snow on our delicate heads. But the snow has magical properties, the kinds that wipe out our memories mere days after the last dirty clump has melted away from the landscape. The minute that record snowfall is gone, we’re convinced it never happened. And the next time the weatherman excitedly declares the storm of the century has us in its sights, we’re wringing our mitten-clad hands, wondering how we will ever survive.
In Pennsylvania, survival comes in the following forms: Toilet paper, eggs, milk, and bread. Stores drag out displays of Wonder Bread and Charmin to pile up next to the shovels and ice melt. Which brings me to another Keystone State anomaly: How does a store in a small town manage to sell two hundred shovels every time it snows? The numbers simply don’t compute. If you do the math, you’d see that statistically, every person in a fifteen mile radius must own around eight shovels.
Snow makes Pennsylvanians crazy. I suppose, if you’ve grown up in a state where all four seasons can make an appearance in a twenty-four hour timeframe, there are good reasons.  I mean, as a child, I remember those mythical snowstorms that would close down the school district for a week. Snow would drift so high, I could craft a complicated and completely unsafe network of tunnels all over the front and back yard, and never disturb the snows surface. I’ve slogged through waist-deep snow. Done 360s in a car that would make Michele Kwan jealous. I’ve stood at the top of a sloping driveway and made it down to my car without taking a step because of conveniently smooth and even-layered ice.
Snow is a big deal in that state.
Pennsylvanians know that snow is hard work. But even so, in all the winters I’ve weathered there, I’ve never once eaten more than half a loaf of bread in any given snowstorm. Personally, I think winter storm warnings are a marketing ploy. The makers of the Big Four of Snowstorm Survival are giving the weathermen a cut of the profits if they adequately scare viewers into stocking up in anticipation of the next Snowmageddon. A bloody conspiracy. I guarantee it.
About two weeks after I arrived at my new home in South Carolina, wonder of wonders, we had a snowstorm. The place shut down for over a week. Literally. It was like the End Times had begun with a fanfare of trumpets and an terrifying four inches of snow.
I laughed. I mocked. I stayed home because I realized the only thing more dangerous than say, nuclear weapons in the control of madmen, was an untrained South Carolinian on unplowed roads. I valued my life. And while I waited for the nimrods in control to allow the sun to take control of cleanup efforts, I hauled my trusty little shovel out of my trunk and shoveled out my parking space.
The residents of the apartment complex were confused. They watched me shovel. I think some had popcorn. I was asked why I’d do such a thing. When replying that physically removing snow was an actual option, they laughed and shook their heads. And went back inside, like hibernating bears, waiting to reemerge once the snow had all melted away.
I kind of miss Pennsylvania winters now. Not in the sense of welcoming another chance to embrace the exhilaration of below-zero wind chills and exploding frozen water pipes. But it would be nice to walk down the street again, in freshly fallen snow, enjoying the soothing roar of plow-trucks as they mosey on by, burying every curbside car they pass. Then I’d go home and make some toast and scrambled eggs. Put those survival supplies to good use one more time.
Want to learn more about JM or her books?
Check her out here
Website http://www.jmkelleywrites.com/
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/pages/JM-Kelley/108021242585994?sk=wall
Twitter https://twitter.com/#%21/AuthorJMKelley
To enter for a chance to win a Chrsitmas Stocking full of goodies from W. Lynn or an Ebook of Drew in Blue by JM Kelley. Please tell W. Lynn & JM your favorite holiday tradition.. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~15

Welcome to Day 15 of Winter’s Favorites Giveaway.
I am pleased to welcome the WONDERFUL Stephanie Julian to the blog to share her favorite thing about winter.
My favorite thing about winter… A lazy Sunday spent by the fire with my feet up and my Nook in my hand. A day where I have nothing to do and nowhere to be. I feel no guilt as I snuggle into my chair, a throw over my legs and my feet so close to the fire they’re almost too warm. If it were summer, I’d feel guilty sitting inside, especially if it were sunny and warm. But when the temperatures below freezing and the sky is a sullen gray and I don’t have anywhere to be, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
Find Stephanie Here: Website| Facebook | Twitter 
To enter for a chance to win an ebook from Stephanie’s backlist. Please tell Stephanie your favorite thing to do during winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~14

Welcome to Day 14 of Winter’s Favorites Giveaway.
Today we have the Beyond Awesome Larissa Ione and the Super Sweet Leslie Dicken sharing their favorite thing about winter.   And now I give the ladies the floor… Ladies…

Larissa’s Favorite thing about Winter:
My favorite thing about winter: Snow! And hot toddies. And Christmas decorations. And did I mention the snow? I love winter so much that I even made Immortal Rider a Christmas book (okay, Christmas is mentioned, anyway!)
Find Larissa here: Website | Facebook | Twitter 


Leslie’s Favorite thing about Winter:
I’ve thought a lot about what would be my favorite thing about winter. It’s not the cold and most definitely not the shorter days. I’m not much on skiing, snowboarding, or other winter sports and activities. Yet, I do like living in a part of the world where we have a real winter. I think that’s because I love to watch the snow fall.  Not to be out in it where I will be cold and wet, but to be inside where it is toasty warm. I love to see the pretty white flakes, large or small, float gently or blow wildly through the trees. Whether it’s a dusting on the ground or a foot accumulation or more, being inside a warm house while the snow drifts around outside is my favorite part of winter. I’ve included a picture of our first snowfall this year which happened the last weekend of October.
Find Leslie here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
To enter for a chance to win a Tote-bag & Swag from Larissa and an ebook from Leslie’s backlist please tell Larissa & Leslie your favorite thing about the snow. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~13

Welcome to day 13 of Winter’s Favorites. On the blog today I have JK Coi sharing her favorite thing about Winter.
My favourite thing about winter is the food. I know, sounds crazy, right? But there are certain foods that make me feel warm and protected, and they all come in winter.
1) Clementines. Have you had these tiny oranges before? They’re so sweet and juicy, and the citrus smell sticks to your fingers after you peel them. It’s cozy and invigorating at the same time, as impossible as that seems.
2) Specialty coffees. There are so many different coffees that come out just for the holiday season. After playing with my son outside, or when it’s snowing and I’m stuck at the computer, the flavoured coffees make me feel just a little bit happeier. Starbucks has an AMAZING egg nog latte that I cannot get enough of. When I bring my laptop and hunker down in one of their corner couches to try and write, it’s the perfect drink to keep me focused.
3) Turkey. Man, I love turkey. And in our family, we have turkey on Christmas day. When I make it at home (depending on who is hosting the family dinner that year) I always get an extra big bird because I love to have leftovers for making sandwiches with in the week after Christmas when you’ve gorged yourself for so long you can’t bear to make a real dinner until the new year.
4) Nuts. Why is it that nuts are a holiday snack, but it’s true. For some reason I only buy them at this time of year. Cashews and walnuts, and chestnuts. Oh, chestnuts. I like roasting them and serving them nice and hot.
5) Cookies. My grandmother makes the best cookies, and only at Christmas. Lemon cookies, almond half-moon shaped things, shortbreads, gingerbreads, sugar cookies in the shape of cute Christmas trees. I gain 10 pounds just because of these, but it’s completely worth it!
What are your favorite treats of the holiday season? Does your family have a recipe that only comes out at this time of year?
Thanks to Kelly for giving me the opportunity to be a guest today! To say thank you, I’d like to offer a copy of my holiday steampunk novella from Carina Press, FAR FROM BROKEN, and a set of romance trading cards featuring all of the novellas in A Clockwork Christmas.
Far From Broken 
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 322 KB
Publisher: Carina Press (December 5, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B005Z1CTZI
27,000 words
Order HERE
Blurb:
Soldier. Spymaster. Husband.
Colonel Jasper Carlisle was defined by his work until he met his wife. When the prima ballerina swept into his life with her affection, bright laughter and graceful movements, he knew that she was the reason for his existence, and that their love would be forever.
But their world is shattered when Callie is kidnapped and brutally tortured by the foes Jasper has been hunting. Mechanical parts have replaced her legs, her hand, her eye…and possibly her heart. Though she survived, her anger at Jasper consumes her, while Jasper’s guilt drives him from the woman he loves. He longs for the chance to show her their love can withstand anything…including her new clockwork parts.
As the holiday season approaches, Jasper realizes he must fight not just for his wife’s love and forgiveness…but also her life, as his enemy once again attempts to tear them apart.

To enter for a chance to win JK’s Steampunk novella & trading cards please tell JK your favorite holiday food. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Eve Langlais Giveaway Blitz

How can she make him stop thinking of her as a freakn’ sister?
Jealous and Freakin’
Book 2 in Freakin’ Shifter series
by Eve Langlais
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (November 17, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1467957526
ISBN-13: 978-1467957526
Order here:  Amazon | B&N

Blurb: Francine’s loved Mitchell, a wolf like herself, since she first set eyes on him back when they were just kids. However, Mitchell’s never seen her as more than another annoying sister. Determined to make him realize she’s all grown up, she enlists the aide of Alejandro, a gorgeous cat shifter. She never counted on wanting them both.
Alejandro knows Francine is special from the first moment he meets the fiery plump wolf, which is why he suggests she use him to make Mitchell jealous. A great plan, especially if it means getting to kiss those luscious lips. One taste though, and he’s addicted, but how does he make her see past the man she loves to realize she’s also meant to be his mate.
For a long time now Mitchell’s been running from Francine, certain she’s mistaken that their destiny’s lie together. However, the little girl he remembers is all grown up, and when he sees her in the arms of another, a need to claim her overrides all his common sense. But, he’s waited too long and fate has decided that he’s going to have to share. Can he bend enough to accept Francine and another man, or will his jealousy keep him freakn’?
Warning: Excessive amounts of heat may be generated when reading this story. Do not sit or stand near flammable objects unless they happen to be your partner. Please note, that while the heroes sustained injuries during the course of the story, Francine did eventually kiss them all better, naked of course. This is a ménage romance, with heavy emphasis on the romance. It does contain multi partner, sexual situations that some people may find titillating. Reader discretion is advised.




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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day 12

Welcome to day 12 of Winter’s Favorites.
Today I have 2 of my absolute favorite authors on the blog today.  I have had the great pleasure of meeting both of these wonderful ladies and spend a great deal of time with each of them.
So without further ado please welcome the Super Sweet Laurie London and the Scandal Queen Delilah Marvelle.

Please welcome Laurie London:
Thanks, Kelly, for having me on today!
I wanted to share with your readers a very special recipe I make for the holidays.
If you’ve read my books, you’ll notice there’s usually an important scene that revolves around food. It might be a sexy scene, one where secrets are revealed, or just two people getting to know each other. For instance, in Enchanted By Blood, my story in the anthology A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS, Trace and Charlotte first talk at an all-night diner over coffee and stale doughnuts.
Food connects us to our past and helps keep memories alive. My grandma used to make this wonderful Eggnog Pie for the holidays. I’m thankful she contributed her recipe to the Cedar Creek Grist Mill Cookbook, published in 1991, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have had it.

Several years after she passed away, I was missing her and made the pie for my grandpa at Thanksgiving, using my own chickens’ eggs. It made him so happy that I started making it for all the holidays.

Gommo’s original recipe calls for making a regular pastry crust. I did that at first but found we all preferred a graham cracker crust. Sorry, Gommo! (Even Poppo liked it this way too.) It’s even easier.

1 tsp. Knox gelatin
1 Tbsp. water
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. heavy cream, whipped
Nutmeg
1 graham cracker crust pie shell

1. Soak gelatin in the water to soften. Set aside.
2. Scald milk in top of double boiler.
3. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add to scalded milk and cook until smooth, stirring constantly.
4. Stir small amount of hot mixture into the eggs to temper them, then return to the double boiler and cook three to four minutes longer, stirring constantly with a whisk.
5. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture and butter. Whisk till smooth. Cool.
6. Add vanilla. Fold whipped cream into custard mixture. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle with nutmeg. Chill pie until ready to serve.

Enjoy!
You can find Laurie here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Please welcome Delilah Marvelle:
12 Things I Love about Winter
Born and raised in Chicago where winter not only nips your nose but your ass straight through your jeans, you better believe a girl like me has to find joy in
winter or just altogether die from it.  I prefer to find joy in it and what better way than by sharing it with the world.  So in honor of what we know to be the 12 days of Christmas,
I’m doing my own version of 12 Things I Love about Winter.
1.)  I can stay in the house, remain dressed in flannel Pj’s, write and drink tons of hot chocolate spiked with hazelnut and vodka without coming across as a slob, a recluse and an alcoholic.
2.)  I can wear a warm, fuzzy hat on my head so I don’t need to spend time straightening my hair or messing with it.  I stay warm AND look good with no hassle.  Imagine that.
3.)  Boots, boots, boots!!!  I’m a boot girl and I get to pull out all 10 pairs of my boots that sit in my closet and wear them all (though not at the same time….obviously).
4.)  I get to bake.  Gingerbread girls with short skirts and gingerbread men with buff arms (you think I’m lying?!).  I loooooove baking.  As a culinary chef who worked with a top notch pastry chef before my writing swept me away from it, I learned how to do everything from ganache to apricot glazes sage cookies to glass windows for ginger breads houses made out of sugar.  I love how my house smells like cinnamon and sugar cookies naturally, instead of those plug in wall thingies that would kill you if you tried to lick it…
5.)  I get to buy sweaters!  Every winter, I buy two new sweaters to snuggle into.  Call it a winter tradition, but I love nestling into a sweater when the cold rolls in.
6.)  Sledding.  Omgosh, as a girl, I loved tugging up that sled and feel the rush at the cost of nothing but my sore legs going up and down the hill.  And I still love it!!  Only now, I get to do it with my kids (and realize I’m getting old when they beat ME up the hill…)  Sadly, in Portland, Oregon snow is rare, but we have mountains we can hunt down within an hour’s time.  AND it does snow on occasion.  When it does snow, I love running out with the kids and feeling like I’m in the movie Edward Scissorhands and seeing snow for the first time.  It feels new every year I see it, especially with me now living in Portland, seeing snow is rare.
7.)  I get to make stews and soups galore and no one complains about it (because they all want comfort food right along with me!).
8.)  Winter means my favorite holiday is coming: Christmas.
9.)  I get to ice skate, ski and snowboard!  Ice skating I’ve done in downtown Chicago since I was old enough to walk, but skiing?  The first time I ever hit the slopes was when I came to Oregon and hit up Mount Hood at the age of 23.  We don’t have mountains in Chicago and they don’t let you ski off the Sears Tower (Sigh.  I know.).  My first experience was…scary as hell.  My husband (Mr. Ski pro) bought me skis and together we took the lift up the mountain (because I’m like ‘Bring it.’  Heh).  That’s right…no ski experience whatsoever and I decided to take on Mount Freakin Hood like some city girl wearing heels on ice.  And I not only took on Mount Hood but I did the BLUE run instead of the easy Green.  Because I just had to impress my husband.  It took me over an hour to get down that mountain (it took my husband 15 minutes).  Every breath I thought I was going to die or that my legs were going to snap and when I saw a guy in front of me lose control and disappear off somewhere, that’s when I took off my skis and trudged down the mountain before I ended up like him.  But guess what?  I put those skis back on and went up again…and again…and again until I no longer took off my skis but actually went down the mountain.  I’ve been hooked ever since.
10.)  Seat warmers in the car go on.  It sounds totally stupid but having the seat warmer on in the car makes this girl HAPPY.  Who knew having a warm butt could bring so much joy?
11.)  The skies at night look so much crisper and cleaner.  I don’t know why, but I get this “I’m alive feeling” when I walk around at night and it makes me SO happy.
12.)   And my favorite…I get to bundle up in bed with my hubbie. I love bundling up with him in bed. The guy is like Jacob from Twilight, he’s always unusually warm at night (high metabolism). During the summer, it sucks, and I roll away from him because I’m trying to stay cool, but during the winter? You better believe I get in extra snuggle time. He keeps me warm alllllllll winter long and that alone is why I love winter 🙂
You can find Delilah here: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Laurie is offering a signed copy A Vampire for Christmas. 
Delilah is offering a signed copy of her upcoming release Forever & a Day. 
To enter please tell Laurie & Delilah your favorite thing about winter and then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorites page (<<—– click link) and enter on the main page. 
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Book Spotlight Feature of Unwrapped by Cari Quinn & a giveaway

Thanks to Kelly for allowing me to tell you all a little about my brand spanking new Christmas release, UNWRAPPED, which came out 12/6 from Loose Id! The blurb and a short excerpt are below. Leave a comment answering the question I pose to you and you’ll be in the running for your choice of ebooks from my backlist!


UNWRAPPED
By Cari Quinn

Caitlyn Sachs has a great life. A family she loves, check. An incredible design job working with her best friends, Tristan and Matt, check. An amazing home she shares with the guys, double check. But her upcoming twenty-fifth birthday and the desire to shed the burden of her virginity have spurred her to consider something shocking. All she wants is one uncomplicated night with one of her best friends, no strings attached. But how can she choose?
Except there’s another problem. Tristan and Matt are already involved sexually with each other, much to Cait’s shock. And both men have long harbored feelings for Cait that go way beyond friendship. When they whisk her away for her birthday to a cabin in the mountains, she discovers the extent of their lust—and her own. The gift they give her is one she’ll never forget.
But when the weekend’s over, will she retreat to the safety of the status quo, if they’ll even let her? Or will she finally embrace what she’s secretly craved for so long?
http://www.loose-id.com/Unwrapped.aspx
Excerpt:
Cait strolled down the hall that branched off into three sections. Matt’s was first, hers in the middle. But instead of heading straight for her set of rooms, she hesitated.
It was too quiet. Unnaturally so.
A line of sweat trickled down between her shoulder blades. Slowly, she unwound her scarf. She’d forgotten to take off her outer clothes. No wonder she was hot. She had no reason to be nervous in her own house.
Did she?
Then she heard a heavy scraping sound, like furniture being moved, and she pressed her back to the wall. Oh God. She’d known something was wrong. The lights were off, so who the hell would be moving furniture? Maybe someone had broken in and overpowered the guys. They could be tied up even now or worse. Maybe the serial killer was rolling their bodies up in the rug in Tristan’s living room.
She shoved her fist into her mouth to keep from making a noise. The smart thing to do would be to run downstairs and get help. Maybe the police would arrive in time.
A groan ripped through the air, disturbing the silence so fully that the sound echoed. And it sure didn’t seem like pain. Well, not regular pain. She’d heard that particular sound before when guys —
Again. A long, low sound of pleasure. She bit down on her knuckles, forgetting the cheese puffs she held under her arm. The bag clattered to the floor, but whoever was boinking in the bedroom couldn’t hear. Not when they were now screwing so loudly that the bed was moving. Tristan’s bed. That had been the noise she’d heard. They were going at it so hard that the frame kept slamming against the wall.
Creak. Creak. A pause. Slam.
Her stomach twisted, hard. The beer suddenly tasted rancid on her tongue.
Why should she be jealous? Stupid. He was a talented lover. Of course women wanted him. Matt too. Women wanted Matt, she amended, only half-aware that her feet were carrying her closer to the bedroom instead of away.
The door to Tristan’s section was shut. Though this level had been split equally into three distinct areas, the doors that separated them from one another were usually only closed when someone had a girlfriend or boyfriend over. Even then Matt in particular could be counted on to leave the door cracked, as if he got off on the idea of making his roommates listen to his bedroom antics. He was noisy as hell in bed, grunting and yelling with the best of them. Honestly, she envied him. She sure hadn’t ever experienced anything to elicit sounds like he regularly made. Moans, sure. But grunts wrested from the depth of her soul?
That would be a no.
She stopped, her throat convulsing at the new groans reverberating down the hall. That wasn’t Tristan. No way. Matthew was in Tristan’s apartment, but why? Did they have a girl in there? Were they having a threesome? They’d never told her they did stuff like that, but single guys in their late twenties were apt to do any damn thing.
More than ever, her virginity felt like a giant weight pressing down on her chest. And other overstimulated parts of her body.
If they were having a threesome, why hadn’t they asked her? She was their frigging best friend. The one who cleaned them up and dumped them into bed when they’d had too much fun on Saturday night, the one who picked out presents for Matt’s mom because he hated to and sent out office Christmas cards because Tristan’s handwriting looked like a mass murderer’s. They were a trio, and as such, if they’d progressed to ménages, it only made sense that she be the third spoke of their sexfest.
She rubbed her knuckles against her hip and inhaled deeply. Wait, what? What in God’s name was she thinking? She didn’t want to have a threesome. With them or anyone. Ordinary twosome sex was vexing enough.
Fisting her hands, Cait continued on until she reached Tris’s door. She pushed it open as quietly as possible and stepped inside the darkened living room. Silence prevailed but only briefly. Then the bed banging erupted again, more violently than before. The moans that sliced through the night mixed and mingled, though each was distinct and completely recognizable.
Jerks.


So tell me…do you enjoy m/m/f romances? Why or why not? A random commenter will get their choice of ebooks from my backlist (including UNWRAPPED!)
Visit Cari Quinn at www.cariquinn.com

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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day 11

Welcome to day 11 of Winter’s Favorites.
I have the very Spunky Maggie Wells sharing her favorite (and very naughty) thing about Winter…. Take it away Maggie.
What do I love most about winter? Body heat, baby!
Is there anything better than a little shared warmth? I think not. Cold, dark mornings are made for snooze buttons and snuggling up to my own personal human oven. My hero’s hands are always toasty, no matter the temperature, but more important; he’s willing to share the sizzle. I don’t mind winter’s fast approach. There’s nothing better for chasing away the worries of short, chilly days than long, red hot nights!
Cuddle up, Buttercup!

Maggie’s Bio:
By day Maggie Wells is buried in spreadsheets. At night she pens tales of people tangling up the sheets. She’ll tell you she’s a deep down dirty girl, but you only have to scratch the surface of this mild-mannered married lady to find a naughty streak a mile wide. The product of a charming rogue and a shameless flirt, she just
can’t help herself and that’s part of her charm. Learn more about Maggie at: www.maggiewells.weebly.com
Maggie has offered me an e-copy of Seducing Steve to giveaway and after twisting her pal Margaret Ethridge arm she convinced Maragaret to donate two of her ebooks to the Winter’s Favorites Giveaway.  Below you will find a description of each of the books. To enter for a chance to win one of these wonderful books please leave Maggie a comment and let her know your favorite thing about winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<<—-Click on link to take you there) to enter.

Seducing Steve by Maggie Wells
Erotic romance novelist Sara Wright yearns for passion that leaps from the page. After a marriage that proved to be more fizzle than sizzle, Sara’s writing reflects her growing frustration and also her secret passion for her best friend and muse, Steve Larson.
Steve Larson is anything but your typical romance hero. A redheaded computer nerd with a slow, southern drawl, Steve is neither a cattle baron nor a titan of industry. The one thing he does have going for him is that he has loved Sara from the moment he met her.
When she confesses that he has long served as her inspiration, Steve leaps at the chance to take things to the next level. Determined to be the man to make her fantasies come true, he takes a page from Sara’s own books and plots a passion so intense it threatens to consume them and the friendship they both cherish.
When friends turn into lovers, love can get lost in the shuffle. Fact becomes tightly cocooned in fiction as both Sara and Steve learn to balance their desires with the needs of their hearts.
Paramour by Margaret Ethridge
Two men: one living, one dead, and both vying for her love.
Camellia Stafford has never been alone in her room. For twenty years, she’s been engaged in a fierce power struggle with her bedroom’s previous tenant, Frank DeLuca, the ghost trapped in the light fixture above her bed.
Caustic and cranky, Frank has one soft spot—Cam. Over the years, their feelings for one another have evolved from grudging friendship to an enduring love that burns white-hot until Frank puts his feelings for Cam on ice.
When she suffers the loss of her beloved father, Cam returns home to say good-bye, and confront her feelings for Frank. She finds an unexpected shoulder to lean on in neighbor, Bradley Mitchum. Cam falls hard and fast for the handsome ad man’s charming smile and passionate nature, but Brad’s easy-going exterior masks a steely backbone tempered by adversity.
Now Cam must choose— Is her heart strong enough to determine which dream could lead to a love that will last a lifetime?
Contentment by Margaret Ethridge
Tracy Sullivan seems to have it all, a handsome, devoted husband, three beautiful children, a steady career, and the perfect suburban home; but she isn‟t happy.
The petty resentments that have built over fifteen years of marriage surface when Tracy tells her husband, Sean, that she is no longer interested in sex, and their marriage threatens to implode.
For the sake of their children, Tracy and Sean agree to lead separate lives under the same roof. With the help of a healthy dose of adult-rated fiction and some gentle prodding from a good friend, Tracy begins to rediscover who she is, what she wants, and the reasons she fell for Sean once upon a time.
After two years of soul-searching, Tracy is finally ready to embrace her happily ever after having learned that while happiness may be fleeting, contentment can last a lifetime.
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day 10

Welcome to Day 10 of Winter’s Favorites
I have the Wonderful Patrica Leever and the Very Talented Jaci Burton on the blog today talking about their favorite thing about winter.  
Ready Ladies?   Take it away Patty….

Hidey ho-ho-ho my little snowy love monkeys! I’m here at Book-N-Kisses to share with you my favorite things of winter.
Now, as a born and raised Southern Californian, my scope of winter may be slightly skewed. I know not of this fluffy white stuff called snow or this slippery business known as ice. I’ve heard stories from some of my wonderful friends across these great United States about snow days, ice scrapers and salt trucks. These are concepts that are completely lost on me as I’m still not 100% certain what a salt truck is and/or what it does. And you know what I’m perfectly fine with that. So I guess you could say that one of my favorite things about winter is that I live in Southern California.
However, my most favorite thing (well, things if we are going to get technical) about winter is that every one of my four children were born in winter. They may drive me bonkers on the regular but they are my greatest accomplishment and my greatest love and by far my most favorite things about winter!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Patty <3
Find Patty here WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Jaci, Please tell the peeps your favorite thing about winter…..

Winter is not typically my favorite season. I’m not a fan of cold weather at all. I love summer. Flip flops and tank tops and riding on the Harley with my husband.

But there are some advantages to winter. First, all the bugs die—especially the flies. I hate flies with the passion of a thousand suns. So in the winter, after a few hard freezes, they’re gone, and I have a few months bug free. Win!
The other thing I love about winter is the food factor. In the summer it’s all about showing skin, so you have to watch what you eat. In the winter, everyone’s bundled up, and we all tend to eat a little more to stay warm. Or at least that’s what we do at my house. I make a lot of chili, stew and chicken and dumplings in the winter. Nothing like a little comfort food on a cold day, is there?
Hope you all stay warm this winter!
Jaci
Website: http://www.jaciburton.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jaciburton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJaciBurton
All She Wants for Christmas
Book One in the Kent Brothers Series

Big Star, Small-Town Christmas
Country singer Riley Jensen would never have returned to her small Missouri hometown if her publicist hadn’t come up with the scheme to tape a Christmas special there. So she never would have known that the man who broke her heart at eighteen—causing her to flee to Nashville—was now a widower with a seven-year-old daughter. Riley has ten years of angst-filled hit songs and Grammy awards to prove she doesn’t need Ethan Kent. But suddenly, she can’t help thinking of all she gave up by running away…
Ethan Kent knew Riley had the talent and the drive to make it as a singer. He also knew she wasn’t going anywhere if she stayed in their nowhere town for him. Then one night and one huge mistake sent her running on the road to fame. Which doesn’t mean he ever stopped loving her…
But with so much separating them, can Riley and Ethan find their way back together one magical country Christmas?

Patrica is offering an e-book of Cat O’Nine Tales and Swagbag
Jaci is offering an e-book of All She Wants for Christmas…. 
So to enter, Please tell Patty & Jaci your favorite thing about Winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorites page (<– Click the link it will take you to the page) to enter.  
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day 9

Welcome to Day 9 of Winter’s Favorites
I have one of my all-time favorite authors Laura Wright and a new to me author that I freakin’ love Eliza Gayle. 
I will stop talking and let the ladies take over. 
Christmas Eve; The First Kiss
By Laura Wright
I’ve always thought that there was nothing more sacred, more special or more holy than Christmas Eve night. It’s my absolute favorite night of the season. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas Day. But the two occasions have such completely different vibes, and I seem to gravitate toward the still and silent night.
I’ve had many amazing Christmas Eves in my forty-one years, but this one is etched in my memory forever because it was spent with my first official boyfriend instead of my family. And it was when he told me he loved me. We were both sixteen and wild about each other. I spent more hours in that boy’s home on any given week than in my own, and when I was invited to Christmas Eve dinner, I well, jumped at the chance.
*Side Note: At this dinner I tried steamed artichokes dipped in butter for the first time too, and that love affair is still with me today.
Anyway, the dinner was absolutely lovely, but it was the walk afterwards that made that Christmas Eve so special. Picture it: A Minnesota night that wasn’t frigid, but perfectly cold, a tree-lined street frosted in that morning’s new fallen snow. The pale, ethereal light of the street lamps interspersed with the charming, homey glow of the neighbors house lights. And the hand of the boy you’ve had a crush on for two years reaching out to hold yours.
Then it starts to snow.
Gently, sparsely at first. Perfect little miniature doilies falling all around you, and the he stops and turns, and with those killer blue eyes looking into yours, he says two things…
Merry Christmas Eve, and I love you.

Laura’s Quick bio:
I was born and raised in Minnesota. It’s where my love of all things green, wet and grown in the ground comes from. Before writing I was an actor, singer and dancer, specifically a BALLROOM dancer – an instructor and competitor as well. That work took me to many places like New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. I live in Los Angeles now, but I’m always thinking about greener pastures – literally.


Find Laura here: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
           



Eliza Gayle’s Favorite thing about Winter:
Winter Is All About The Hot Cocoa
Living in the South, I yearn for the cold, crisp air of winter and an escape from the oppressive heat. That first cool, clear night where I can go outside and smell winter in the air is heaven. The first thing I have to do is pull out my special winter mug reserved especially for the dark chocolate hot cocoa I love. To me the cold air enhances the flavors and aroma of what you’re drinking. J The next thing is the purchase of a brand new pair of warm, fuzzy slippers. This year it’s a pair of purple furry booties that make me smile when I put them on.
Unfortunately, I am not a coffee drinker so a warm drink on a cold winter morning is a special treat for me. Often times my schedule precludes me from taking the time to bake and cook all the fun things I enjoy, but I can always afford a few minutes to make a simple and delicious chocolate treat. Since I love to share I’ve included a quick recipe for you all to enjoy along with me.
Sinless Dark Chocolate Cocoa
1 c. skim milk
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 tsp dark unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp warm water
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 dash chili powder (optional)
8 mini marshmallows
In a mug, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and water. Heat the milk and the cinnamon stick until slightly bubbling. Remove the cinnamon stick and add the milk to the mug. Combine and add the vanilla extract and slight dash of chili. Top with mini marshmallows.
Coats, hats and gloves, oh my.
Back to winter, and all her glory. Where I live we don’t get snow very often so when we do it’s something to be savored. Kids haul out the heavy coats and gloves and start cutting up cardboard to create makeshift sleds. It’s pretty funny to watch. But when it comes to snow there is one rule that can never again be broken.
Eliza is not allowed to drive.
Seriously. Every single time I try to drive in the snow I wreck a car. It’s pretty cringe worthy. I blame it on the fact that I am a Florida native born and raised. So now, I walk outside, I make snowballs and play with my husky as he frolics and rolls but under no circumstances may I drive. Lol
My love of winter doesn’t end there. I live away from most of my family, but every year my mother knits me a fabulous new hat and scarf to brighten up my winter. I LOVE these. I have several colors and varieties to choose from and I cherish wearing them.
Nobody is a stranger in wintertime.Winter in the South also seems to change more than just the climate. With the heat temporarily gone, neighbors wander out of the house to enjoy the cooler air, people linger in the winter sunshine and we gather in coffee houses and cafes for good cheer and good food. In fact, here in Charlotte we have the ultimate French bakery that is open twenty-four seven, 365 days a year. Somehow I always end up there more often in the winter to people watch, write and savor the amazing treats.
Eliza’s bio:
Eliza Gayle lives a life full of sexy shapeshifters, blood boiling vamps and a dark desire for bondage…until she steps away from her computer and has to tend to her family.
She graduated Magna Cum Laude (which her husband translated into something very naughty) from Park University with a dual degree in Human Resource Management and Sociology.  That education, a love of the metaphysical and a dirty mind comes in handy when she sits down to create new characters and worlds.  The trick is getting her to sit still.
…Join her in her world.  The door is always open and the next red hot adventure is just a page away.
Find Eliza here: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Laura is offering an Audio of Eternal Hunger (bk1) & 
a Mark of the Vampire Swag bag. 
Eliza is offering up one back list book.

To enter please leave a comment for Laura & Eliza about your favorite thing about winter.  Then head over to the MAIN Winter’sFavorite page and enter for a chance to win. 
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Interview & Giveaway with Kiru Taye

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Kiru Taye to our website today. 

Kiru: It’s great to visit Book-n-Kisses on this beautiful day. Thank you for inviting me.

Q1) Can you tell us a little about yourself
Kiru: My name is Kiru. I was born and grew up Nigeria but now live in the UK.  I’m married to my very own alpha hero. We have two your children – my daughter is 6 years old and my son is 4 years old.
I write romance stories—contemporary, historical and paranormal—set in Africa. My stories feature dark tortured heroes and strong sassy heroines.
When I’m not writing, you can find me reading – romance, thriller, fantasy fiction novels. I also love travelling and fashion. Most of all I enjoy spending my time with close family and friends.
Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Kiru: As a child I wanted to be an Engineer because my father was one. So I studied Electronics Engineering at Uni. Plus my parents are Africans. African parents are mainly only interested in the professions – law, medicine, finance, business, etc. So doing the Arts was never really an option for me as a child.
Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Kiru: Writers who have influenced me mostly include James Clavell and Jacqueline Susann. I read their books as a teenager and wanted to write like them.
Q4) Can you tell us what a typical writing day for you is like. 
Kiru: My writing day starts at 9am after the morning school run and ends at 2.30pm before the afternoon school run. I sit at my desk in the upstairs study and work on whatever new story I’m writing. On a good day, I can write anything up to 6000 words. But my writing day isn’t just about writing. It’s also about communicating with people – my editor via email, my readers via blog posts and friends/other writers via facebook and twitter. So some days I don’t get to write at all, especially at weekends.
Q5) Let’s talk about your new book His Treasure.  Can you tell us a little about it
Kiru: His Treasure is a historical romance novella set in medieval West Africa. It’s about a man who loves his wife unconditionally and would do anything to keep her; and a woman who is determined to make her own choices, though she’d been coerced to marry a man she knew little about.
In this story I wanted to write about an alpha hero who didn’t stump about demanding his rights a husband but through consistent measured actions, won his wife over.
Here’s the blurb:
In a time when men ruled their households with firm hands, can a quiet man tame his rebellious wife with persevering love?
Angry at being forced to marry a man not of her choosing, Adaku stubbornly shuns her new husband on their wedding night. However, she soon discovers there are worse things than giving in to a man whose touch awakens her deep desires. In a land where fruitfulness is celebrated, she could soon be labeled a barren woman.
Obinna knows there are several ways to tame a rebellious woman. Patience and perseverance are two of them. Adaku is his treasure and he will never let her go. When her fears push her into his arms, will he be able to convince her to stay with him forever by unleashing the passion within her?
Q6) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Kiru: I love reading historical romance especially those set in medieval times.   I especially love reading the sensual Historical Undone line by Harlequin. Most of it is set in Europe and America. But when I read a story by Jeannie Lin set in ancient China, I thought why not write a historical romance story set in Africa. That’s how His Treasure was born.
Q7) What is up next for you?
Kiru: His Treasure is part of a series titled Men of Valor. Book 2, His Strength is currently going through editing and will be out February 10, 2012. I’m currently writing Book 3, His Princess. I also recently completed a contemporary romance novella which will be out in February 2012 as part of an Anthology for Romance Writers of West Africa.
Q8) What is the best piece of advice you would give to a buddy author?
Kiru: Write what you love, write what you know. Be professional.
Q9) What is the next book on your To Read Pile that you are dying to jump into?
Kiru: There are four books waiting for my reading attention as soon as possible. A Touch of Crimson by Sylvia Day, Hardware by Jayda McTyson, Fallen by Elise Marion and Scandinavian Scandal by Doris O’Connor.
Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Kiru: I’d like to say a big thank you to Books-n-Kisses for hosting me on this beautiful day. I’d also like to thank all the readers for stopping by and leaving a comment.
I’m giving away one electronic copy of His Treasure to one random commenter who answers this question correctly. Remember to leave your email address so you can be contacted.
Question: Apparently, I write like a very famous fiction writer. Who is he? The correct answer is shown on the left-hand bar of my blog.
Kiru again thank you so very much for making Books-n-Kisses a stop on your book tour.  I have enjoyed learning more about you and your book.  I look forward to reading and see what you come up with next.
Kiru: His Treasure published by Breathless Press is out now on eBook.
You can buy it via http://www.breathlesspress.com/his-treasure and other online book retailers.
Kiru Taye can be contacted via her blog: http://kirutayewrites.blogspot.com

To enter for a chance to win an ebook of His Treasure please use the Rafflecopter form below.