Christi Barth has taken over the blog today……..

As you grow up, you learn the basic ingredients for Christmas: decorations, presents, family. Kind of assume everyone does it the same way. So imagine my surprise when I went off to college and discovered that all of America didn’t watch the Hollywood Christmas Parade on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. For me, that parade was the iconic kickoff to the holiday season. It was cheesy, full of B and C list stars, and I loved it. We’d watch it every year while decorating the house.

Then I kept moving across country, and learned the delights of the local flavor of Christmas. In Minneapolis, they are all about the Holidazzle Parade. That’s right – even when its waaaay below freezing, those hardy Minnesotans stand outside (at night, even!) to watch a parade of elaborately lighted and animated floats. In my current hometown of Baltimore, we don’t light a city Christmas tree. We have an elaborate ceremony to light the Washington Monument (that’s right, we’ve got the first one. That famous one down in DC happened afterwards). Ooh, and in Key West, instead of a ball drop on New Year’s Eve, they drop a huge lighted conch shell.

Chicago has loads of special Christmas displays. One is the ChristKindlmarket – a German inspired outdoor market full of shops, lavish Christmas trees and live performances. And to learn about lots more special Chicago holiday spots (far from subtle hint here), you can read my novella, Ask Her At Christmas. When two friends decide to come up with a Christmas themed proposal, they take readers on a tour of every famous Chicago Christmas tradition.

There are lots of sections of the country I haven’t made it to yet. What are your favorite local holiday traditions?

Ask Her At Christmas

Purchase at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Carina Press

Caitlin McIntyre’s heart stops when her best friend drops to one knee and proposes. Kyle Lockhart never once hinted over the years that he has any idea she’s in love with him. Not wanting to jeopardize their friendship, she’s never let it slip. Good thing, too, since it turns out he’s only practicing—he’s about to propose to someone else.

A business merger might not be the most romantic reason to propose to a woman he barely knows, but Kyle’s determined to win the respect of the dying father who’s never seen him as quite good enough. Kyle’s always depended on Caitlin’s friendship, while trying to ignore the physical response she arouses. So he turns to her when it comes time to craft his proposal, not realizing his decision will affect their relationship, forever.

This Christmas, Kyle and Caitlin get one last chance to admit their feelings for each other, and find a mutual happily ever after, before he commits his life to another woman and Caitlin leaves town and him…for good.

Find out more about Christi here:

Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Ask Her At Christmas is part of a Christmas Anthology

Want to check out the whole book?

Amazon | B&N

We wish you a merry Christmas…and a happily ever after!

A memorable three-night stand gets rekindled in a cabin in West Virginia. An office romance is sparked by an impulsive holiday kiss. And two best friends scout locations for a marriage proposal and discover that they make a perfect match. ‘Tis the season for laughter, love and a lifetime of happiness.

Edited by Angela James, this anthology includes:

We’ll Be Home for Christmas by HelenKay Dimon
The Best Thing by Jaci Burton
Ask Her at Christmas by Christi Barth

Stories also available for purchase separately.

Too Much Emotion

I remember the first time I sobbed reading a book. I won’t tell you the book, but I remember crying so hard late at night that my mom woke up and had to console me. Yet I loved it. Makes me weird right? I love getting invested in a book so much that I sob.

I never thought I’d do that as an author.

I mean, I thought it would be nice if someone connected to it, but I thought that was just a long shot.

Well, I sobbed writing Enforcer’s Redemption. Freaking sobbed like a baby. I have no idea why this book tore at me like it did, but it’s my favorite book I’ve ever written. I mean, Adam and Bay hurt me so much that I had to write a happy Christmas story featuring an elf and the sexy Cooper bothers in Santa’s Executive in the Holiday, Montana series next.

I needed a break from the emotions.

Though I still chocked up in the Santa story, something must be wrong with me.

Now, just because I cried as an author, doesn’t mean readers will. Though from the emails I’ve already receive, apparently Adam and Bay’s story will make you cry.

Sorry?

Sometimes we all just need a good cry. Which sounds odd, but I know a lot of people to it. I can read a happy book, a funny one, a suspenseful one at any time.

But sometimes I need the one that tugs at the heartstrings.

What about you? Do you need a book to do that to you sometimes?

 A little about Carrie Ann:

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is an bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website | Facebook  | Goodreads | Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan |

Enforcer’s Redemption

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo

            Adam Jamenson has suffered through the worst loss known to man. The only reason he lives day-to-day is to ensure the safety of his Pack. As the Enforcer of the Redwood Pack, it is his job to protect all in his path, though he was unable to protect the ones he held dear. The war with the Centrals is heating up and Adam must try and grit through it in order to survive. Though the broken man inside of him may not want to…

Bay Milton is a werewolf with a past. And a secret. She’s met the Redwood’s Enforcer only once, but it left a lasting effect. Now she needs to find him or everything he had thought he lost, may be lost again.

Together, they must struggle and find a way to fight their pasts and present in order to protect their future. But the Centrals have a plan that might make their path one of loss and destruction.

Excerpt:

The scent of ice and berries filled Adams nose. He loved the way it made him feel at home, like he belonged. A warm body lay flush against him, and he smiled. His Anna. She’d come home. He rested his hands on the swell of her belly, feeling their child. He inhaled that ice and berries scent again as the fog lifted, and he froze.

His Anna did not smell of those things. No, his Anna smelled of oranges and cinnamon. He cracked open his eyes, ignoring the dull throb in his temples and behind his eyelids, and bit back a curse. Bay lay snuggled in his side, and his erection strained his jeans, rubbing against her. He stopped the movement of his hips and bit back another curse. Flashes of the night before came back to him. Images of Maddox dragging him back to his home and throwing him on the bed mixed with images of the red-haired stranger taking care of him.

She whimpered in her sleep, and instinctively he cradled her face with his hand to quiet her. She rubbed her cheek against his palm and quieted, her body sinking into his like it had a right to be there.

***Giveaway***

Carrie Ann is giving away a swag pack to a commenter.
Be sure to leave your email!

Giveaway ends 12/1

My favourite scene: Alice’s Wonderland by Allison Dobell

Moments later, the brassy blonde was prowling into her office, her long, long legs shown off to full advantage in a micro leather mini skirt and a fresh spray tan. She was the only woman that Alice knew who could wear high-heeled gladiator sandals with the straps wound all the way up to her knees. On most, the effect reminded Alice of a whole lot of B words including ‘bondage’, ‘bulgy’ and ‘big mistake’.  But Tanja looked like a Roman goddess in hers – and she knew it. Her hair was long and peroxide white, her sunglasses oversized and movie star, her leather vest tiny and only just containing her spectacular bosom. If her face was no longer quite young enough to pull off such an extreme look, most men didn’t notice.

I can’t say there was a particular scene in Alice’s Wonderland that was my favorite to write, but any scene with Alice’s business rival, Tanja Thompson (aka the ‘brassy blonde’), was a real highlight for both my co-author and myself.

Every so often, you meet a character who is just a true pleasure to write – a character who makes you laugh out loud with every twist and turn. Tanja is one of these characters (though they’re not always brassy blondes, I had one once who was a very large, very drooly Irish Wolfhound). Tanja is the kind of girl we all wish we could be at some point. Not looks-wise (frankly, peroxide blonde hair and high-heeled gladiator sandals aren’t really for me), but attitude-wise. Tanja is smart and sassy and street-wise and will tell you what she thinks. Every single time. She’s a shrewd businesswoman and cuts a mean deal. But she’s also decent and, when it comes down to the line, fair and kind. Most importantly, she gets all the good lines.

So, were there fisticuffs between my co-author and I about whose turn it was to write a chapter when Tanja was about to make an appearance? Well… if I told you that, we’d be giving all our secrets away, wouldn’t we now?! I think we’d both agree, though, we’ll be writing more Tanja Thompson-types in the future.

Allison Dobell is the pseudonym of two Australian writers – both Allisons (Dobell, get it? Double? Huh? Huh?! They’re nothing if not hilarious). Find out more at allisondobell.com.   Allison Dobell’s first novel, Alice’s Wonderland, is out now:  Here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Typical Writing Day for Author Elisabeth Naughton

A typical writing day for begins with a mimosa. Fresh cut strawberries on a tray. Breakfast in bed. A masseuse rubbing my feet as I lie there thinking about my book characters. Then, when I finally decide to roll out of bed, I type away all day long in my office with its private view of the rolling Pacific and finish 50 pages before it’s time to load into my limo and head out for dinner on the town.

Okay, that’s the dream. Reality isn’t quite as glamorous.

Even when I’m not writing, I’m thinking about my characters. So I usually go to bed trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with a particular scene. Sometimes I dream about my characters. Sometimes I dream of murdering them. In the morning, I’m often more frustrated than I was the night before, but because I have kids who always need to be fed (why do they want breakfast EVERY morning?!), I roll out of bed and trudge through the morning routine while I look forward to (or dread, depending on the day) the hours I’ll be writing once they’re off to school.

When the house is finally quiet I’m usually faced with two decisions: 1) shower and work or 2) go for a run. Depending on my mood (notice my day is filled with “depending on…”???) I either jump in the shower or throw on my running shoes. Running helps clear my mind, and if I’m not able to work out a scene in my head, running often knocks something loose. When I’m done with one (or both), I head down to my in-home office where I spend the morning doing busy work like answering emails, organizing promo materials, sending out books and the ever-present time suck: posting on Facebook and Twitter.

FB and Twitter are necessary evils, I tell you.  I love interacting with readers on both, but I’m a procrastinator by nature so I can easily waste HOURS here if I’m not careful. I have to physically turn them both off and prepare myself to write or I’ll look up from the clock to find it’s 3pm and I’ve gotten zero words in for the day.

After a snack (or lunch depending on how much I’ve been stuffing my face through the morning), I dive into my current book. I’m a one-step-back-two-steps-forward writer, so this often starts with rereading what I wrote the day before, then moving forward. My goal is 2,000 words per day when I’m not on deadline, closer to 3K when I am on deadline (or 4K or 5K, depending on how much time I’ve already wasted). Sometimes 2,000 words flow from my fingers, and other times every word is painful. I live for the painless days. I run because of the painful ones.

My kids get home around 3:30, so my day is shot then. If I’m on deadline I’ll often escape the house before my afternoon writing session and go to a coffee shop where I can stay as late as I want without being interrupted. (They’re building a Panera Bread near me and I can’t wait until it opens. It’s going to be my new office!) After the kids get home I can edit, FB & Twitter again, but any new words that flow from my fingers at that point are usually garbage. To say my kids mess with my writing mojo is no joke.

In the evenings, if I’m watching TV, I always seem to have my laptop. I’m usually not writing then (even after the kids go to bed…too tired), but I do research and fact check at that time.

And then, around 11pm (or 12 pm or 1 am depending on how wired I am), I shut off the light, think about my book and drift to sleep with my characters foremost in my mind.

The next day, I start all over again.

It’s a viscous cycle. But one I absolutely love.

ENSLAVED

BY ELISABETH NAUGHTON

IN STORES NOVEMBER 2012

“Do not miss this series.”—New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione

GRYPHON—Honorable, loyal, dependable…tainted. He was the ultimate warrior before imprisonment in the Underworld changed him in ways he can’t ignore.

She calls to him. Come to me. You can’t resist. But Gryphon will not allow himself to be ruled by the insidious whispers in his head. And there’s only one way to stop them: kill Atalanta, the goddess who enslaved him. But with so much darkness inside, he can’t be sure what’s real anymore. Even the Eternal Guardians, those who protect the human realms and the gods, want to exile him.

Finding Malea is like a miracle. Somehow he doesn’t feel the pull of the dark when she’s near. And he’s determined to keep her as near as possible, whether she wants him close or not. But she’s a temptation that will test every bit of control he has left. One that may ultimately have the power to send him back to the Underworld…or free him from his chains for good.

Praise for Elisabeth Naughton:

“Entertaining and smoldering.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review of Tempted

“Creative worldbuilding and ever-present danger pull the reader into this mesmerizing tale.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ star review of Enraptured

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test-tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full-time from Oregon, where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards, including the RWA RITA© Award, the NJ RWA Golden Leaf, and the RWA Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ball park, or dreaming up new and adventures. Visit her at www.elisabethnaughton.com and follow her on Twitter, @ElisNaughton.

The Lure of Fallen Angels

There are lots of different types of heroes; tortured, alpha, bad boy, warrior (one of my favorites). These can overlap and sometimes a hero won’t fit into a neat little box. Sometimes it’s easy; a Vampire will often be a tortured hero, my goblins (http://www.amazon.com/Goblin-King-ebook/dp/B005EU50BK/) are warriors (for the most part).

In Saved by the Trickster I wanted to play with something different. Generally a bad boy hero is one who is a cad and has to be tamed by the heroine. But I tend to think fallen angels can be bad boys—at least temporarily after all if they were good they wouldn’t have fallen.

A fallen angel isn’t bad all the way through which means he is redeemable. He has often made a mistake, which also makes him relatable (after all who hasn’t made a mistake they regret later). These two characteristics are key in a fallen hero as opposed to a bad boy.

Fallen angels are good guys going through a rough patch. My fallen Celestial Warrior is no different. Cast out of heaven for getting addicted to ambrosia he has a month to get himself sorted and get back or be stranded in a mortal body on earth. Finding redemption isn’t as easy as he thought it would be and being stuck on earth isn’t the punishment he was expecting either—once he finds a Trickster and she teaches him all the fun he can have in a mortal body J

While a fallen angel can also be a tortured hero (because of his failure), it his struggle for redemption that drives him. He wants to do the right thing, he wants to make amends…and even if he doesn’t always succeed that drive to do the right thing regardless of the personal cost is very heroic.

Saved by the Trickster

(14 Novemeber, Ellora’s Cave)

Ellora’s Cave

In a world of cold and Darkness, Lysanna is Trickster, a demi-god charged with making people believe in Light and hope. She travels the world creating magic and wonder, taking human assistants to help on stage and warm her bed. Somehow they always betray her, and they always leave.

Zander is a fallen Celestial warrior. Cast out of heaven, he has been given one month to earn his way back. When he meets Lysanna he knows what she is. What he doesn’t expect is to discover the pleasures of being human and the burning lust he finds in the Trickster’s bed. Returning to heaven begins to lose its appeal, but he has a duty to fight the Darkness and he can’t let it consume the world. He may have to choose between duty and Lysanna.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Page | Ellora’s Cave Page |

Tasting Fire is a sexy, adventure filled paranormal romance unlike any other.  Many thousands of years ago, an infection caused by bacteria that live only in hot springs all over the planet resulted in the merging of human and animal DNA.  For self protection they have allowed their very existence to become the substance of only myth and legend.  The story begins as advances in modern genetics are about to reveal them to the world.

Kai Tenzin is the self appointed leader of the Pari people.  He and his kind evolved from the most reclusive predators on earth, the Asian Snow Leopard.  They live and hunt in the most fearsome and rugged terrain known to man, the Himalayas.  Kai leaves his small village where the mountains touch the heavens, determined to do anything to protect his people.  He is forced by circumstances to enlist the aid of the beautiful American scientist Dr. Rae Hales, the last thing he expects to find is a woman who will ensnare his heart and endanger them all.

As a life long reader and lover of mythology and folklore, I decided to take the plunge and try my hand at writing a paranormal romance last March.  I knew from the beginning I would be competing against hundreds of other similar books and to succeed, I had to write a very different type of story. I decided on using the Asian Snow Leopard as my shape-shifter in part because it had rarely been done and also the animal itself is the most exotically beautiful and powerful high altitude predator on earth. (What can be sexier than that?)

Thanks for inviting me on Books n Kisses today to share my experiences of writing Tasting Fire with you.

 
Amazon

Blurb: 

Shape-shifters have always walked the earth. Shrouded in myth and folklore, hiding in the shadows, watching and waiting. Advances in modern science are now about to reveal them to the world. Kai Tenzin is the self appointed leader of the Pari people. He and his kind evolved from the most reclusive predators on earth, the Asian Snow Leopard. They live and hunt in the most fearsome and rugged terrain known to man, the Himalayas. As a young man, Kai left his small village where the mountain touches the heavens, determined to do anything to protect his people. When he is forced to enlist the aid of the beautiful American scientist Dr. Rae Hales, the last thing he expects to find is a woman who will ensnare his heart and endanger them all. Their action-packed adventure will take them around the world to discover the truth behind the legends and reveal the future of humanity.

Excerpt: 

 Rae took an admiring look at the vista below as she dropped her heavy pack on the ground.  The mountains in the distance looked purple and the desert brush spread out below them like a master oil painting.  It was awe inspiring to human eyes.  Rae wondered what would it look like to a snow leopard.  She suddenly realized many a biologist would sell their very soul for the opportunity she had at that moment.  Rae turned to Kai who had been sitting on the ground with his pack and fishing around for lunch and asked him  “what is it like when you’re in your Shan form out in country like this?”  Kai rewarded Rae with the most brilliant smile she had yet seen to grace the handsome shape-shifter’s face.  He seemed truly delighted to discuss the subject with her.  Kai stood up to answer Rae’s question.  He addressed the human scientist.  “It’s like nothing you can imagine Rae.  Every sense is in tune with the planet.  See that tree over there” he pointed a few yards away at an ancient gnarled pinyon.  “Yes”  Rae replied.  Kai walked up behind Rae and put his hands on her shoulders and directed her to look even closer at the tree.  He whispered intimately in her ear as if they were in a church or another sacred space “when you look at that tree with your limited human vision, the average person can certainly appreciate its form and color.   A biologist like yourself would ask what type of tree is it and how old it is.   A philosopher might ask who may have sat underneath it in the past or who might sit underneath it in the future.  All of you might even wonder when will it die.  That’s the limit of your human perception.  When you’re in Shan form every single leaf will bid you a glorious greeting as you walk up to the tree for the first time.  Every drop of sap tells you the history of the tree’s life like an intimate biography written in the utterly sensual language of scent.  The tree itself will tell you if it’s healthy or sick.  You can smell if the water that nourishes it is bitter or sweet.  If you deeply pay attention you can smell every animal that has ever been there.”  Kai looked to Rae like he was experiencing a spiritual moment and Rae suddenly realized he was.  The enthralled shape-shifter continued to explain to Rae the nuances of the animal world  “when you are ready to move on to another place you reach up with your powerful claws and dig deep into the bark to mark the tree with your scent.  It’s added harmoniously to the scent of hundreds of other animals.  You do this not just to mark your hunting territory, but to tell every animal after you have left this world that you lived and breathed here at one time in the great mystery that is life.  That is your only immortality in the animal world.  There are no monuments to mark a man’s ego, or family albums for a mother to remember her children by, but neither is there hate, nor fear of the future or regret of the past.  You are fully alive in each and every moment.  It’s a wonderfully free existence.  I wish I could truly share it with you… words, words pale in comparison.”   Kai looked so happy at that moment.  Rae was so moved by what he had just shared with her that all she could do was reach out and touch his wrist. “Thank you!” she whispered.  Kai nodded at her in acknowledgment, but he was too emotional to even speak.

BIO

 My name is Shelly Holt and I live in the middle of the harsh and unforgiving Mojave desert. I write my stories looking out of a window that shows sweeping desert views. Outside is a barren and severe landscape, yet inside my head lives a world filled with exotic shape-shifters come to life, pulled from the pages of myth and legend, ready to entice and seduce any reader brave enough to take them on.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shelly-Holt/443904305648848

Twitter : https://twitter.com/ShellyHolt9

What are Episodes?

episodesplural of ep·i·sode (Noun)

Noun:

1. An event or a group of events occurring as part of a larger sequence; an incident or period considered in isolation.
2. Each of the separate installments into which a serialized story or radio or television program is divided.

Well there you have it… The definition of Episodes… And that’s exactly what Romantic Tales: Bedtime Stories are mini episodes/installments to a serialized story. Three separate stories! These books have something for everyone! Do you want some paranormal in your life? Yes? Well then check out Ty Langston’s Crave! Do you want some futuristic-post healing Earth, that are ran by Parasites? But with Erotic Overtones? Yes? Well be sure to read, The Genesis Project by Tigris Eden… And what about some Contemporary romance that is definitely erotic, but has good drama, and a happily ever after? Yes again? Well be sure to check our Riley Ross’ The Getaway!

Episode 1 is already receiving great reviews on Amazon and Goodreads! And each episode is only .99cents. Both books will be available at amazon! Episode 2 will be crashing at Barnes and Noble this October, and episode 3 will be coming to an ebook store near you in November! Season one will be in print this coming December with all three episodes! Quick, easy reads right before bedtime… What more could a reader ask for!

Thank you Kelly for having me on the blog!

Also look for the Author’s cut of Enslaved in Shadows in 2013 which will release along side its sequel Burned In Shadows in February 2013

Romantic Tales: Bedtime Stories has a little of everything. From your everyday Contemporary Romance (The Getaway) To your Hot and Heavy Rockers turned Werewolves (Crave) and your Sci-Fi/Paranormal with Erotic overtones…. (The Genesis Project) Each Episode will entice its readers, draw them in. A quick Bedtime story before they dream, keeping them pleasantly satisfied while peaking their interests for next month’s installment. All for 99 cents. During the interim there will be previews of next month’s Episode…

Episode 1 Out Now!

Buy Here:

By Author Ty Langston: CRAVE
As a reporter for the Wakefield Post, Harper Erkstine has seen everything. From murders to robberies, all of her recent stories have ended with tragic consequences so great, that she began to question if she made the right career choice for herself.
While all of her friends were dating, or going to clubs, she was winning journalism awards for covering the latest drive-by shooting or a home invasion that cost someone she knew, their lives.
She loved her job, it was rewarding to be a crime solver and get to the truth of the matter. As much as she loved her job, but the hours of a Metro beat reporter began to descend her into burn out mode.
She craved balance. A break, a welcome distraction every now and then. She forgot what it was like to have fun, to take a breath, smell the roses.
Was it wrong to want a great career and to have some kind of a personal life? She couldn’t remember the last time she had a date or danced with someone from the opposite sex.
In the middle of working on a missing person’s story that has rocked her town to the core, Harper decides as a favor to her friend and colleague to do a feature on local an up and coming rock band, called ‘Crave.’
It was a break from her routine, but Harper soon discovers that this band may have ties to the missing person, not only does she question why, but she also finds there is more to this band than just their music.
By Author Riley Ross: The Getaway
The Getaway isn’t your typical romance woman meets man of her dreams, loses him and then they get their happily ever after. It’s a romance story with hints of drama and plenty of comedy. Mike and Juliet have been dating for about four months. Juliet is madly in love with him but has never shared her feelings.
Mike hasn’t said those three magical words so she doesn’t even know if they are on the same page when it comes to their relationship. Mike takes Juliet on a two week vacation, so she can escape her family drama and stresses from her job. He has romantic surprises planned and there are several unexpected surprises for them both. How well do Mike and Juliet really know each other especially when an explosive secret from his past is revealed? Will their relationship survive a visit from his family and his ex-girlfriend? Will the secret destroy them or make them stronger as a couple? His mother has made it clear to everyone that she wants Mike back with his vile ex-girlfriend?
Will his mother sabotage her son’s relationship with Juliet? Juliet does have an ally in Mike’s father. Will Juliet fight for her love? Or will she let him go without exposing his mother for her dastardly schemes? How far will his mom go to ensure she gets what she wants for her son?
By Author Tigris Eden: The Genesis Project
Old earth has been deemed unsuitable for life, New Earth is home. With the Uni-War over, races have joined together in order to sustain their way of life. All life was deemed worth saving, but only one race failed to submit. Humans.
Now extinct, humans are a thing of the past, or at least their way of life. The people of New Earth won’t acknowledge their hand in the human’s eradication, but they have benefited from it. Dr. Vaggo Blackmore has found the answer, he’s restored his races way of life- sustenance through farming. The one thing that will give them back their long lives….. Blood: human blood.
Biologically engineered in a lab, Genesis Blackmore has always been different. Her father has told her it’s due to her enhancements, the Federated Council sees her as a genetic mutation; and her fellow peers see her as the shiny new toy. Gen has had better days.
Everyone on New Earth has milky white skin, platinum blonde hair, and electric blue eyes. It’s the norm. Genesis’ glossy, black hair, ice blue eyes ringed by gold, would have almost made her socially acceptable- if it wasn’t for her honey, almond skin and blue, gold veins. In a sea of milky white she alone is the dark anomaly.
All Pars get their life’s nourishment through blood plasma. All Pars find their match through the tasting. Gen can do neither, forbidden by her father to do so. She can neither taste, nor be tasted. Something that’s never bothered her until now.

Episode 2 Out October 27th

available at Amazon,Barnes and Nobles,

Author Ty Langston’s: CRAVE

Exhausted and burnt out due to a mix of long hours and a steady diet of working hardened news stories, left Harper at a loss when she met the magnetic and mysterious lead singer of Crave, Cass St. Marie.
She was drawn to him, yet frightened. What was he? Who was he? Did he have anything to do with Darien’s disappearance?
Desperate for the truth, the more she talked with him, the more attracted she became. Did he really have the answers she sought or was he a distraction of something more sinister.

Author Tigris Eden’s: The Genesis Project
Xander Treegold sees something in Genesis that he can’t explain. Is it her oddity that captures him or her innocence? Xander’s never taken no for an answer when it comes to getting what he wants and at every opportunity that is given to him Xander seems to fail miserably. That is until he pulls Genesis into a dark alcove in the Great Hall where others are preparing for their journey back to New Earth for Luna.
Will Genesis succumb to his attentions or will she once again deny him the only thing he’s ever truly wanted…. Her.
Politics and other’s seem to get in the way of his every intentions and as Luna approaches so does the private tasting he’s invited Genesis to. Will she indulge like the rest of them, or will she stand in the back, watching, wanting, and needing to be tasted as much as the next female.
Gen is happy to finally be back home with her father Vaggo, and as short as this homecoming is, she is determined not to let the outside influence of Xander Treegold convince her of his intentions. With Adam constantly showing up at her door step, attempting to sway her away from his soon to be brother –in-law she finds that Professor Aylet is correct in her assumptions. There are two males that make her question her every feeling.
Adam’s sultry scent and Xander’s fire.

Author Riley Ross’: The Getaway

Mike and Juliet deal with the repercussions of his mother and Brooke’s actions. Juliet and Elaine come to an uneasy truce to appease Mike.
A surprising secret involving Brooke and a member of Mike’s family threatens to ruin a relationship. Will a surprising proposal shatter their unholy alliance or bring them closer together?

Enslaved In Shadows out Now!

Buy Here

Author’s Cut coming in 2013 with new material and deleted scenes.

A man’s Past leads to his Future……
Agent Stone of the Shadow Unit’s job is simple, most days. Work in the Shadows, police his own Kind.
When an unwanted assignment turns out to be his darkest fantasy from the past, Draven can’t help but be conflicted by the memories of the past and his responsibilities in the future. But his decision has been made.
The Heart of a woman is Tested……..
Jes can’t let the tall dark agent back into her life.
How can she trust any man after what she’s endured. Years of abuse have broken her down and she doesn’t have room for more. The man she turns to for help hasn’t abused her physically but he’s tormented her emotionally. A past betrayal left her scarred, but also brought her life.
Can she accept him into her heart and trust him again?
One will survive and adapt, the other will realize hearts can be mended even if it’s a bit too late.
The road to forgiveness sometimes only brings more pain. Unexpected events set their lives on two separate tracks leading to one outcome. Lives will be changed and an emotional battle to save their souls will leave them both trapped and enslaved in their need for one another

Burned In Shadows Coming February 2013

Royce Zarides has accepted his hand dealt by fate. He’s loved and left far too many women, in the bedroom that is. But one kiss from Belinda Raine Ignis was all it took for his eyes to open. Is she really the woman meant for him and his brother Ronin? Or will history only repeat itself? That’s the million dollar question he doesn’t want to answer.
Ronin does not believe that Belinda is for him and his brother. But one night with her isn’t enough. Even when he sees her for who and what she really is, Ronin still has a hard time expressing his fears and emotions where Belinda is concerned, and time is running out now that she’s to ascend to the status of Matria of the Phoenix Enclave.

Belinda (Bells) Ignis is good at ignoring men. She’s had her share of heartache. Jilted at the alter by her first love, she’s sworn all men off for good. Her mother and Matria of her community has other plans in mind, as well as the Zarides brothers. When faced with the heated glances of Ronin and the smooth tongue of Royce, what’s a girl to do?
The clock is ticking down for certain members of the Shadow Unit. Draven assumed dead, leaves a sour taste in every ones mouth. Jes’ new found abilities make for a great addition to the team. But when things seem to settle, they only get worse, as the team sets out to discover the origins of Mr. Black and the notorious Red Sun Organization. Secrets are uncovered and deals are made that result in a deadly blow to all involved.

Places you can find Tigris Eden.

Website/Blogs

Goodreads

Shadow Unit Group

Romantic Tales: Bedtime Stories Group

RTBS Facebook Page

Facebook Page

Amazon Author Page

a Rafflecopter giveaway

9-1-1—Help, Someone Killed My Muse!

When I first noticed my muse had gone missing, I figured she’d been working hard, she needed a vacation, give her a break. When she hadn’t returned a week later, I wondered if she was delayed somewhere due to bad weather or a flight cancellation, which often happens to me. Two weeks later, I sat in front of my computer staring at a blank page, in total panic mode. I needed to start a new book. Where was she? Granted, she’d been complaining about needing a better work environment—more vacation days, weekends off, shorter writing days, etc., but she’d have given me a chance to provide her with some benefits before quitting. She wouldn’t desert me after 10 years and 11 books. No way.

So what had happened to her? Had she been abducted? Who would have done such a thing? A writer friend playing a sick joke? My cats, because I’d been working too hard and ignoring them? Frantic, I did everything I could to find her. I started reading like a maniac. Reading inspires me to write and helps fill my well. But no matter how much I read, no muse. So, I conducted research for a new book idea I was throwing around. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t Google out. Except my muse.

Unable to start a new book without her, I rewrote books, I entered contests, I queried agents, and I found a teen group to critique my young adult book. Yet, I still wasn’t motivated to start writing a new book. I finally had to face the fact that someone may have killed my muse. She might never return. Disheartened, I needed a diversion from my writing, so I started tracing my Irish ancestry.

Two years went by, then one day my muse returned, speaking Irish slang, bubbling with enthusiasm over a new idea for a women’s fiction book set in Ireland. She’d been off in Ireland visiting her rellies and friends. Her ideas were flowing faster than Guinness in an Irish pub. I filled an entire journal with ideas and wrote the first three chapters of a new book. I was still upset she’d ditched me without a word, yet I couldn’t blame her entirely, and I was so happy she was back, I never mentioned it again.

Moral of the story:  you can’t force your muse. She’s a very fragile and moody thing. I had written 11 books in 10 years and I was burnt-out. I promise to take better care of her and myself. Now that we’ve sold, she promises to stick around and not leave me high and dry again.

Please answer the below question or leave a comment about my post to be entered to win an e-copy of Under Her Spell or a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificate.

Have you ever lost the desire to do something you’re passionate about? Were you able to reignite your passion? If yes, how did you accomplish this? If you become burnt-out, what do you do to rejuvenate?

I would like to thank Kelly and Books-n-Kisses for helping me celebrate the release of my debut contemporary romance, Under Her Spell. And thank you to everyone who stopped by today. Please check out future stops on my blog tour, ending November 27. I’ll be giving away a variety of gifts, such as e-books, writing journals, and Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificates. If you comment on 5 stops, and are a Facebook fan, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win one of two $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificates at the end of my blog tour. Winners will be announced on my website’s news page the end of November.

 Under Her Spell

 Under Her Spell is available at Amazon, iTunes, Google Play (Nook compatible) and Barnes & Noble (coming soon).

Book Blurb

When a series of failed relationships and business ventures have Monica Jackson doubting her self-worth, she turns to spell casting to attract positive energy and the opportunities needed to achieve her goals.  But can Monica’s belief in spells restore her belief in herself?

Monica creates a spell to find her soul mate, and one to ensure the success of her new romantic event planning company, Enhance Your Romance.  Monica is confident she has found her niche until divorce lawyer Reed Walker opens a practice next door to her office.  The anti-marriage slogan plastered on his office window, and his down-on-love clients, quickly prove detrimental to Monica’s business.  When his arrival appears to trigger a string of bad luck, Monica fears one of her spells sent negative energy into the universe and it has returned to her threefold.  Although Reed is beyond sexy, and she admires his self-confidence, she’ll do whatever it takes to get the universe back on her side, and Reed out of her life. No way is she losing another business.

Reed finds himself attracted to Monica’s beauty and her optimism. His job and his parents’ divorce have made him a pessimist, especially when it comes to love. However, he soon finds that Monica’s pro-love attitude is rubbing off on him, causing him to lose his edge.  If Reed doesn’t distance himself from Monica, he’ll likely destroy his reputation as a pit bull divorce lawyer.

Can Monica and Reed look past what they might be losing to realize the love they have found?

Author Bio

Eliza Daly’s first attempt at creative writing was in fourth grade. She and her friends were huge Charlie’s Angels fans and she would sit in her bedroom at night writing scripts for them to act out at recess the following day. She was Kelly Garrett. Fast forward to the present, she’s still writing stories about beautiful women who always get their men. The journey from fourth grade script writer to published author wasn’t an easy one, but it was always an adventure and the final destination was well worth it.

When Eliza isn’t traveling for her job as an event planner, or tracing her ancestry roots through Ireland, she’s at home in Milwaukee working on her next novel, bouncing ideas off her husband Mark, and her cats Quigley and Frankie.

You can find Eliza on the web at Website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

From Public School to Published Author

Hey, everyone! I’m debut author Macy Beckett, and the lovely ladies here at Books-n-Kisses have asked me to share my journey to publication with you. So without further ado, let’s hop into my figurative time machine—watch your step!—and take a trip back to November 2009…

I’d resigned from teaching four years earlier to stay home with my babies, and I was officially going insane in the membrane. Yes, my kids are awesome and all that, but I missed the intellectual stimulation and the creative outlet that teaching had given me. I tried filling the void with reading, but it only left me hungry for more. That’s when a group of internet friends told me about NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month: a challenge in which participants write 50k words toward a novel in 30 days.  I decided to go for it. What did I have to lose?

Folks, that was one of the most EXHILARATING months of my life! The writing bug bit me—hard. Everything changed after that. I rewrote the manuscript (Alienated, a sci-fi romance for young adults) four times over the next year and a half before I was ready to query agents. By that time, I’d also written Sultry with a Twist, but I didn’t think it was ready to submit, so I focused on the YA project.

Most writers talk about querying like it’s a death march, but I found it addictive. Each time I clicked the “send” button, I felt a little thrill…and as a result, I queried way too many agents. Oops. But that’s okay, because within six weeks I signed with the remarkably savvy Nicole Resciniti.

Remember when I said I didn’t think Sultry with a Twist was ready to submit? Well, I had it backwards—it was Alienated that needed another rewrite. Nicole loved Sultry, and after a brief round of revisions, she sent it out to editors where it sold in a three-book deal. Yay! I rewrote Alienated, and Nicole sold it in a two-book deal to Disney! Double yay!

So here I am now, a debut author in two genres. Sultry with a Twist is currently in stores; book two, A Shot of Sultry, is now available for pre-order; book three will follow next year, and Alienated will launch in February 2014. I’m one busy mama. Not to mention incredibly lucky. 🙂

***

AMAZON | B&N

Welcome to Sultry Springs, Texas: where first loves find second chances…

 Nine years after June Augustine hightailed it out of Sultry Springs with her heart in pieces, one thing stands between her and her dream of opening an upscale martini bar: a bogus warrant from her tiny Texas hometown. Now she’s stuck in the sticks for a month of community service under the supervision of the devilishly sexy Luke Gallagher, her first love and ex-best friend.

 If Texas in July wasn’t already hot enough, working side-by-side with June would make any man melt. Luke wants nothing more than to strip her down and throw her in the lake–the same lake where they were found buck naked and guilty as sin all those years ago. In their heads, they’re older and wiser. But their hearts tell a different story…

***

Macy Beckett writes hot and humorous romances set in Sultry Springs, Texas: where first loves find second chances. Her debut novel, SULTRY WITH A TWIST, is now available in stores, and two more Sultry Springs romances will follow in 2013. Macy loves to hear from readers, so feel free to say hello on Facebook  or via her website.

What rings your bells?

First of all, I want to thank Kelly for having me visit today!

As an author, I try to keep a balance between the stories I feel compelled to tell and my audience for them. If I wanted to write about pink monkeys who dress up like Elvis, yes, there just might be readers for that sort of book, but I’m not sure I could continue coming up with stories in that vein to entertain them.

On the other hand, I love erotic romance. I fell into this segment of my career by accident when a former CP of mine mentioned that she thought my writing was gravitating that way naturally, so why not give it a try? I’m so glad I did! Erotic romance feeds my soul in a way that goes way beyond sex. I often like to explore darker themes in my work and I feel sex that’s a little more dirty and raw somehow seems to fit those sorts of scenarios. Plus…sex is fun! How can reading about something so awesome ever be anything but a rockin’ good time?

Even so, we all have our personal preferences. For example…there’s something about a man coming up on a woman (or another man) from behind that really does it for me. That inherent sense of vulnerability just from having your back turned to another allows for all sorts of delicious possibilities. If we’re talking tropes, I love many of them. Friends to lovers is definitely a favorite, but for sheer sexy, decadent eroticism, my favorite is boss and employee. That subtle—and sometimes not so subtle—power struggle really works for me.

Now it’s your turn! What rings your bells as a reader? Tropes, kinds of characters, sexual positions…bring it on! Two commenters will win their choice of my ebooks (any of them except Cowboy Lust, including one of my latest releases, No Flowers Required) and a third person will win a signed print copy of my erotic contemporary romance, Insatiable (it’s a friends to lovers story!) Open internationally for the ebooks and United States only for the print book.

Can’t wait to chat with all of you! J

Visit Cari Quinn at www.cariquinn.com