Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Eve Langlais to the blog.

Eve, can you please share with us a little about yourself.

I am a masked avenger with skin tight, hot pants! I wish lol. In reality, I am a housewife with three ankle biters and a hubby determined to drive me insane J

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes and no. In my teens, I loved to write, fiction mostly which used to throw my teachers for a loop when they gave me assignments. However, I gave up writing for a while to be a grown up. The real world needed my attention as did my family. But a few years ago, after reading a really bad story, I decided it was time to write again. I might have been somewhat influenced by hubby who dared me to do better! Lol

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

I love a whole bunch of writers for different reasons. Heck, it changes monthly even depending on who has caught my attention with their prose. One all time favorite is still Stephen King. His are some of the only books that survived my bookshelf purge. As for influence, having read so many books that didn’t quite make it for me, I don’t try to follow any particular style. I just write what I want to read. Lucky for me, there’s other readers out there that share my twisted sense of humor.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

I love writing sci-fi and paranormal romance, especially with humorous overtones. The creativity aspect with those two genres can’t be beat. I have dabbled a little into magical fantasy, light BDSM and contemporary, but I find I really flow best when I’m writing about aliens or werewolves lol.

What are some of your writing rituals?

Closed door. A general idea. A bag of almonds to snack on. Oh, and some 80’s music in the background. J

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

A Demon And His Witch is my newest story. Based in Hell, it features a reader favorite Lucifer, who decides to pair up an incorrigible demon with a witch, just so he can watch the sparks fly. It is highly humorous, completely irreverent, and sexy!

 

How did you come with the idea for this story?

A while back, I wrote a trilogy entitled Princess Of Hell. In this series of books, I created a paranormal world where Hell was a real place with a society and set of rules. The world and hierarchy I created fascinated me. I just couldn’t resist going back to visit.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I’m working on Furry United Coalition, book 3. Readers have been eagerly awaiting this sequel, centering around Viktor and the mysterious woman he found locked in the mastermind’s dungeon. I can’t say too much yet, because the story is still in progress, but I’m of course aiming for laugh out loud moments, unique characters and of course some story progression, and perhaps even a revelation of who the mastermind is.

What would you be if you were not an author?

What I still am since I can’t quit my day job lol. A website tech support person.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I am dying for Illona Andrews newest Kate Daniels book. I read that series over the winter and love, LOVE Curran.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you! Thank you for having me visit and thank you for reading my stories. I hope to interact with you in the future either through my site, FB or Goodreads. It’s always great to meet new people.

Eve’s Web: http://www.evelanglais.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eve-Langlais/107381705952783?ref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3431194.Eve_Langlais

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome 1st time guest Heather Lin to the blog today. 

Heather, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I am an avid fan of romance, adventure, fantasy, and science fiction. I read and write several genres, but I’m most known for my foray into erotic short stories and contemporary romance. I’m twenty-three, just married my husband in May, and we have a house and cat together in rural Delaware. Five days a week, I nanny for an adorable eighteen month-old girl, and the rest of the time I hang out with friends and family or, of course, write! I also run a blog here: http://heatherlin88.blogspot.com/

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes, definitely! I’ve been writing since I could pick up a pencil. My mother read to me constantly, and the stories she chose sparked my imagination and inspired me to make up and write down my own. The very first thing I wrote was a story about my new bike when I was five. At ten, with various video games and Harry Potter going to my head, I decided I was going to write the next great fantasy novel. I didn’t, but I gave it a pretty good go. Around the age of fourteen, I delved into the world of fan fiction, and by the time I was seventeen, I was ready to write an original story of my own with the intention of having it published. That’s where The System started, actually.

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

I’ve always adored J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien. The fact that they could create such amazing, new worlds in their writing is fascinating and something I aspire to. But I do feel that my love of the romance genre, and Carly Phillips in particular, has influenced my writing the most. These books taught me the general arc a romance should follow, and I learned what I like and dislike in a relationship between two characters.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

The mixed genre of sci-fi romance came naturally to me. When I was younger, I was obsessed with Star Wars and the Jedi Apprentice book series that supplemented it. Firefly came along and took my breath away, and although I wasn’t an avid fan, I caught the odd Star Trek episode here and there. With all of these futuristic images and ideas in my mind, I always leaned towards the sci-fi/fantasy genre in my writing. And I’m pretty sure most people who know me would agree that I was born with boys on the brain. So when I finally sat down to write my first novel, it had to have the excitement and intrigue of science fiction along with the emotion of a good romance.

As for writing in a different genre, I do have an interest in writing a young adult novel or series one day. But even then, I feel like it would still have some kind of romance involved!

What are some of your writing rituals?

I write best on the couch with my laptop. I save my work after every sentence I write because I’m paranoid I might lose something. And, as with most writers, I tend to do my best work when I have a good cup of coffee in one hand. J

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

I’d love to! My latest (and favorite) book is a science fiction romance novel called The System.

Blurb

Capri is an alluring young prostitute with a painful past; Brody is a ruthless mercenary for a crew of thieves from the spaceship Gypsy Lass. When he enters her brothel, the attraction between them is instant, electric, and too much for him to handle. After a robbery gone wrong, the crew takes Capri hostage, forcing her and Brody to remain in close quarters until they see fit to drop her on another planet.

But Capri’s plight and the intense feelings between her and Brody turn out to be the least of their problems. Together—whether they like it or not—they uncover a secret no one in the whole System could have expected.

Excerpt (Unedited)

Year 564 after the Migration

Brody walked along a quiet street on the outskirts of New York on Earth one. A car zoomed by every few minutes. The newest ones were held aloft over the street by opposing magnetic charges; others were navigating themselves as the drivers fixed their hair or ate their lunch; and the cheapest ones necessitated the driver to attempt to handle the controls while fixing their hair or eating their lunch. He glanced over to admire a new Ford Mustang before opening the door to a small, neatly-kept building.

On the outside, it looked like a nice, upscale bar, but the inside would have shocked any upper-class drink connoisseur. There was loud yelling and catcalling, beer splashed out of mugs, and scantily-clad girls sat around, waiting for their turn to dance on poles. Brody grinned and rubbed a hand over the stubble of his chin. This was his kind of place.

“Good evening, sir.” At the intrusion of the male voice, Brody tore his eyes away from the dancing girls. “Will you be needing service tonight?”

“Yeah, how much?” Brody replied to the short, well-dressed man.

“Depends on who you like. Sit down and have a drink.” He smiled accommodatingly. “There isn’t any hurry to decide.”

Brody gave a short nod before heading to the bar. He watched the girls for a while, took in the scenery. There were older girls who were too faded for his liking and younger girls who were too fake. He was well into his second beer before he saw one that really made him want to open his wallet.

She was coming out of one of the side rooms, tugging a heavy-set, bald-headed man by his hand. They were laughing and chatting, and by the flush of their cheeks, they had just finished something hot and heavy. The girl was a young one, barely old enough to be called a woman, with a slim figure and long chestnut curls that were scattered with braids and beads. She must have felt Brody looking at her and met his gaze for a brief moment. Brody gave her a grin and signaled to the brothel’s manager. He came over to the bar with the scheduling window already up on the screen in his hand.

“Have you come to a decision?”

“Yeah. That pretty brunette there.” He waved a hand in the girl’s direction.

“Capri. She’s a very good choice. But I’m sorry to say that was her last customer. Our girls only take five per day. They need their rest. Would you like to choose another one or make an appointment for tomorrow?”

“I think I can handle another one, Guy,” said an alluring female voice.

Capri had escorted her last customer to the exit before approaching the bar. The barkeep handed her a glass of water, and she kept her eyes locked on Brody as she took a sip, examining him, sizing him up. He was keenly aware of his unshaven face, ratty jeans, and the gun strapped securely to his hip. But he was unapologetic. He might not be one of her upper-class clients, but he had the money for her. For now, she was his, whether she liked him or not. And by the way she’d jumped to get his pay, he doubted she was fazed by his rough exterior.

“I like the looks of this one,” was all she said to Guy by way of explanation before beckoning to Brody and heading back to her room.

“That’ll be five hundred,” the man told him.

Brody took out his wallet and opened it. A pocket on one side held blank cash cards and the other side held a small scanning device with a numbered keypad. He entered his password and the amount of money and swiped a card. Then he handed it to Guy and followed Capri into seclusion.

She was sitting on the edge of a double bed, her long, smooth legs crossed, waiting for him. Dark curls fell elegantly over the satin fabric of her red dressing gown, and her hazel eyes gleamed green in the overhead lighting. She was the image of perfection, and Brody could feel desire pulsing within him. He sat next to her and fingered the smooth fabric of her outfit.

“Red’s my favorite color,” he said.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Capri smiled and reached up to touch his face. He sucked in a breath at the tender gesture.

“It’s been a while for you, hasn’t it?” she asked softly.

“Don’t get the company of women much in my career.”

“What career is that?”

“There ain’t one in particular,” he replied, trying to focus on what he was saying as her fingers traced the muscles of his chest and abdomen. “The crew I run with just does… sorta odd jobs.”

“Sounds exciting,” Capri murmured, raising her eyes to meet his. “So how about you tell me your name before we get started?”

“Shots,” he answered.

“Is that your real name?”

“That’s what the boys call me.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m not one of the boys.” She gestured to her modest, but all-too-appealing curves.

“Brody,” he answered after a moment.

“Brody,” she repeated softly, grasping the bottom of his shirt and sliding it up over his head.

The System is available for purchase here:

https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/products_id/924/

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I had the characters figured out before I built the world and decided on the full plot. I knew Brody would be “a grumpy hero” as one of my editors put it, and I knew Capri would need to balance him out and help endear him to readers. They would be part of a crew of thieves in space, have a turbulent romance, and live happily ever after. Or at least happily for now. Over the six years it took to complete the story, my writing skills and the plot evolved until The System became more than just a simple, futuristic romance, but a well-planned story with action, adventure, and a passionate relationship at the center.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I have two stories I’m working on at the moment, and I’m very excited about them both! One is a sequel to The System. I fell so in love with this new world and these dynamic characters that I couldn’t let them go just yet. So, with any luck, there will be more! The second is a contemporary romance inspired in part by the Robsten scandal.

What would you be if you were not an author?

I’m so happy being a nanny. I would probably just stick with that. J

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’m in the middle of A Game of Thrones right now, and I can’t wait to read the last two books in The Hunger Games trilogy. I’m also excited to read Riding the Night by Jaci Burton. If you want to keep up with my current and TBR lists, check out my Goodreads page here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4862021.Heather_Lin

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Everyone who comments today and leaves their e-mail address will be entered to win a $5 Starbucks gift card!

*giveaway ends 8/24*

Anyone who comments is also automatically entered to win a custom-made bracelet engraved with a quote from The System.

Winner to be announced on my blog September 1^st!

Okay, I have to start this interview by letting everyone know that I am a Beaver fan and Kendra over there is a Duck fan.  

Benny & Ducky

What does this mean to you?  Well, we are in state rivals and will let’s just say Beavers don’t like Ducks and Ducks don’t like Beavers…  Still don’t understand why I am telling you this?

Kendra’s 1^st book in the Bone Secrets Series “Hidden” is set at Oregon State University home of the Beavers! But that doesn’t always mean that it is a good thing.

Kendra:   I was the first duck in my family. My parents, older brother, and older sister all went to OSU. The youngest sister fully rebelled and went to the University of Utah.

So now that we know all that.  Let’s begin.

 

Amazon | B&N

Eleven years ago, the Co-ed Slayer murdered nine female students on the Oregon State University campus. Lacey Campbell barely escaped his attack, but lost her best friend whose remains were never found. As the sole surviving victim, Lacey helped send the sadistic serial killer to prison for life.

Now a forensic odontologist examining teeth and bones for the state Medical Examiner, Lacey is devastated when she arrives at a crime scene and identifies the skeletal remains as her college friend’s.

The remains are discovered on the land of ex-cop Jack Harper. Sparks fly between him and Lacey, even as they realize that the prosecution’s witnesses from a decade ago are now being murdered one by one. All the evidence points to the Co-ed Slayer as the culprit—only, he’s long since dead. So who’s the new killer? And is Lacey next in line to die?

 

Kendra, can you please share with us a little about yourself:

I live in the Pacific Northwest and am married to an amazing man. I have three daughters, two odd cats, and an adorable Pomeranian who has us all wrapped around his little paw. I was a dental hygienist for many years and quit last spring to write full time. I have a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon and used it extensively to write brilliant notes in dental charts.

Who has the better school colors?  You have to know Orange and Black is better than Yellow and Green any day right???

Let’s just say both sets of colors really suck. I mean, who wants to look like they’re wishing for Halloween all the time? And the yellow and green is simply too much bright color together. Someone should have used purple.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

God, no. Who’d want total strangers reading your work and telling you what was wrong with it? It wasn’t until about six years ago that I decided to write. I loved to read and after reading Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER for the tenth time, I decided to give writing a try. I had no visions of publication, I just wanted to know if I could write a book.

Are you a plotter or a panster? And you explain the difference?

I’m a little of both. A plotter plots every twist and turn in the book. A pantser writes by the seat of her pants, going where instinct drives her as she types. I’m naturally a major planner and assumed I would be a plotter, but I’ve found some of my best writing occurs when I’m simply forcing myself to sit down and write. I’ve been bogged down with plotting to the point where I’ve wasted weeks not writing, because I couldn’t plan where to go next. A great tool for me is #1K1HR on twitter. It puts you with other writers who are racing to get 1000 words on the page in an hour. You just start pounding away at the keyboard. My stories take great unplanned turns during these sessions.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I like silence while writing. No music. I write my notes on graph paper—the stuff with the tiny squares. I don’t like lined paper, especially yellow legal pads. And ink must be blue, not black. Wow. Those were really boring quirks.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

For HIDDEN, I had an image stuck in my head of a woman’s corpse buried in the foundation of a house. I think I picked it up from watching an episode of CSI. From there it just grew, incorporating aspects that I wanted to write about. Forensic dentistry, serial killers, and a clash between the hero and heroine.

For CHILLED, I attended a writing workshop led by a forensic nurse who volunteered with a search and rescue team. She was utterly cool and a fantastic inspiration for the heroine of a book. I later interviewed her and used several of her experiences in CHILLED.

Amazon | B&N

For BURIED, which comes out in 2013, I walked around for weeks with an idea of a group of children on a field trip who simply vanished long ago. I decided to make Michael from HIDDEN the hero of the story and have one of the missing children be his brother.

Why did you pick OSU as your setting for Hidden?   

My heroine competed in college gymnastics. OSU has a program, I don’t think UofO ever did.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Hmm. I’d have to say Diana Gabaldon or Robert Crais. I’ve met most of the authors I love at conferences or signings, but these two have been avoiding me for some reason.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write and read lots. Repeat. Continue until luck happens.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Mine is pretty short. I want a quiet home on the water somewhere where my husband and I can walk on the beach, talk, and write. I would like to see Machu Picchu and spend some time in Italy touring and eating.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I can’t wait for Lee Child’s A WANTED MAN in September. I buy all his books in hardback. Recently I discovered Lisa Unger. I want to read her backlist.

What is the best and worst thing about living in the Pacific Northwest?  For me it would be that it is so green and the worst would be lack of sunshine.

I like the rainy days. I don’t have to shave my legs or water the lawn on those days. Best thing would be simply quality of life. I know that is general, but the air is clean, crime is low, the people are friendly, and it doesn’t cost a fortune to live here. Worst would be it needs more snow!

What is your favorite time of year & why?

Fall. The kids go back to school and I have a quiet house for several hours of the day. And I love gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve learned that getting ready for the holidays is usually more fun than the holiday itself. I usually make a list of things I want to do with the kids. Cookies, shopping, decorating and simply enjoy them.

Who is your Celebrity crush?  And what would you do if you ever meet them?

George Clooney. I would smile, forget all words, and wish I’d worn something different.

I would say that this interview went really well, despite the fact that you are a Duck and I am a Beaver. Is there anything else you would like to add?  

Yes. I’m very sorry your Beavers have not won a Civil War football game since 2007.

 

Giveaway Time:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Sinead MacDuglas to the blog today.  

Sinead, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Sure. I’m a born and bred Canadian with deep Irish roots, a bit of a cynic who still believes in magic, and I talk way too much, especially when I’m nervous. I’ve always been a late bloomer, and a horrible procrastinator, so it’s no surprise that I’m just now getting to publishing my writing, after over 30 years of dreaming about it. The only things I ever started early were talking, reading and writing.

Have you always wanted to be an author?
Just about as long as I can remember. I also wanted to be an astronaut, an anthropologist, a veterinarian, a doctor, a rock star, a teacher … well the list is incredibly long. Being an author is the only one I really stuck with though.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know about interesting, but maybe weird. I absolutely cannot read a novel when I’m writing one. I can read short stories, articles and blogs, but I have to set aside longer works when I’m writing. See, I tend to get right into a novel I’m reading, and then the piece I’m working on gets, well, for want of a better word, tainted. It’s like I absorb the personalities of the characters, and their emotions, and then I catch myself drifting out of character in my own writing

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
My first full-length novel just released through Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. It’s a contemporary crime fiction novel with some really dark overtones.

The main character, Emily O’Shea, is working two part-time jobs, and struggling to keep her marriage together. She writes a column for the local paper, on exceptional teens in the community, and she has her eye on a spot in the news department. Just an average woman, living an average life, but there’s more to Emily than she’s letting on. She’s been running from her past, and hiding from the truth of it for a long time, and the reader meets Emily just minutes before her entire world begins to fall apart.

Someone abducts a young friend, and past subject for the column. Emily starts getting creepy phone calls. The most terrifying monster from her childhood is on the loose, and her deepest secrets are about to be exposed. When she gets pulled into a murder investigation, and her ex-lover is one of the lead investigators, things really go sideways!

The main story takes place in, mostly, just six days, in the summer of 1995.

How did you come with the idea for this story?
The original Learn To Love Me was supposed to be a Women’s Lit. book, actually. I stalled in the ninth chapter and, at a friend’s advice, scrapped the whole thing, except for a few of the characters. Emily was such a deep, troubled soul, I just couldn’t abandon her. See, my friend, (and cover designer for the book), just couldn’t believe that one woman could go through so much and keep her sanity. I made a flippant remark about having her “snap and start taking people out”, and he thought it was a great idea for me to write a murder mystery.

I thought about it afterward, and realized that years of reading true-crime and profiling books, and religiously watching shows like Law & Order, CSI Vegas and Criminal Minds, had given me a pretty solid base for mystery writing.

I decided to give it a shot, and began an outline for the new Learn To Love Me.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I have three projects I want to work on, but only two I’ve begun. One is the story of a woman who has a car accident and wakes up in limbo. She finds that the world of mythology and religion is a lot more connected, and a lot more complicated, than she ever believed. Before she can move on to her next destination, she’ll have to defend every major decision she made in life, and negotiate the terms of her continued existence.

The other project I’ve begun is somewhat a sequel to Learn To Love Me. I say ‘somewhat’, because this book is a dark paranormal fiction, but at least three of the characters from Learn To Love Me will play a role in it. It takes place in 2025 and up,  and involves cults, psychic abilities, soul mates and Native American culture, in a strange mix of the past and future.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I always answer this the same way, and this is no exception. I want to meet Richard Bach. His book, “The Bridge Across Forever” is the first modern novel to really get into my head and under my skin. I can’t even remember the character’s names, details of the story, or progression of the plot, but even after over 20 years, I can still remember how it made me feel to read it.

I want to know how he did that!

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
I have a long answer, but I’ll keep this one short. Just write. Observations, musings, feelings, write it all down. The more you do that, the more you’ll get comfortable with your voice. The technical stuff can suck the life out of your writing like a starving vampire. Find your style and voice before that happens.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
Go to Ireland. and see the places my Nana and Papa were born and raised in.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I`m absolutely dying to get my hands on a paperback copy of Beyond the Never. It`s an anthology by the five ‘first wave’ authors at CH&BB. The cover is gorgeous and the concept behind the stories has me in awe. Unfortunately, my TBR pile is somewhere around 45 books deep already, so even when I get a copy, it’s going to be a while before I get to read it.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Two things, if I may.

For the readers: If you pick up a copy of Learn To Love Me, please let me know what you think. I live for feedback! In fact, one of my favourite things to hear from readers, is their guesses on the ‘bad guy’ while they’re still reading, and if they change their mind as the story progresses. Reviews are always appreciated, of course. I think the same goes for any writer, really. I have yet to meet an author who doesn’t pray, every day, for a new review.

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Marie-Nicole Ryan to the blog for her first visit.

Marie-Nicole, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I’m an old broad, and many times I’ve wished I’d started writing in my twenties instead of my *clears throat* forties. Okay, so I didn’t start until I was in my fifties.

I live alone except for my precious Sheltie, Cassie. I sold my house in Nashville in October of 2010 and moved back to western Kentucky to help out my mom who can no longer see well enough to drive. I’ve really enjoyed reconnecting with my old friends from high school and nursing school.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes. Actually, I started my first book back in the late Seventies, but that was still in the days of typewriters. My hat’s off to all those who persevered and wrote on typewriter.

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

I love Annie Solomon’s romantic suspense novels. Janet Evanovich I read for the pure entertainment. I love the Late Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Jesse Stone novels. As for influence, I think every author I’ve ever read has influenced me in some small way.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

Currently I’m writing in two genres: spicy romantic suspense and erotic historical western romance. I love putting suspense and romance elements together, and that’s what I read more of. My foray into historical western romance was influenced by HBO’s Deadwood. I loved that series and was really PO’d when it was cancelled with so much more story to tell.

What are some of your writing rituals?

For serious writing, it’s a candle and classical music in the background, and of course, my butt in the chair.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

That would be Taming Talia (released on 8/14/12). It’s an erotic historical western set in 1889 New Mexico Territory during the blizzard of 1889. It’s the second book in my Loving the Lawman series. Seducing the Sheriff was the first.

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Jared Fields, the Pinkerton agent, was a secondary character from the first book in the Loving the Lawman series. He was such a compelling character that he demanded his own story and heroine, of course.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

Currently, I’m supposed to be working on the third in the series, Mastering the Marshal.

What would you be if you were not an author?

Retired!

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I have literally dozens of books to read on my Kindle Fire. So many books, so little time. I’m waiting, because I have no choice, for B.J. Daniels’s Justice at Cardwell Ranch, her October release and follow up to Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch, which is the first book of hers I read.

Learn more about Marie here:

Web site: http://marienicoleryan.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/marienicoleryan.author

Twitter: @marienicoleryan

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1166849.Marie_Nicole_Ryan

 

Giveaway:

Two winners: two sets of romance trading cards for Seducing the Sheriff and Taming Talia.

Just comment with email address to win

*giveaway ends August 27th*

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome first time guest Carol Cassada to the blog.  We are chatting about her new book “Westmore: Broken Ties” 

Carol, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I come from Ringgold, VA and I have a very supportive mother and two brothers, who love to tease me. I’m a romance writer; most of my books are inspired by soap operas. I’ve been writing for about three years now, I’ve done both traditional and self-publishing, although I prefer the latter.  During the night I write, but during the day I work a number of telecommuting jobs.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

It wasn’t until my final years of high school when I became interested in writing, and I loved it so much, that I decided this is something I’d like to do with my life. At first, I thought about becoming a journalist and working for the local newspaper, but in the end I decided to jump ship and write novels instead, and I’m happy I went in that direction.

Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?

I used to write during the day, but with my busy schedule I switched my routine to the night time, which is great because my family’s asleep and I have privacy. I usually start at around ten or eleven, and work for about two hours or until I get sleepy. The only thing I have to have while writing is peace and quiet, although occasionally I’ll put on my headphones and crank up the tunes.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

The most challenging part is writing itself. I’m the type of person who gets an idea in her head and just goes with it; I type whatever I think of. Then when I go back to read the manuscript, it looks messy and I have a lot of editing to do. I usually do revision about two or three times to make sure everything looks good. I admit it’s a hassle but in the end when you see your finished product that’s the most rewarding part.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

Amazon | B&N

The Westmore series is what I call a romance novel meets a soap opera, the books focus on the lives of three families: The Greens, The Braxtons, and The Reynolds. The first volume was an introductory to the characters, and the second volume had an accident which caused a feud between The Braxtons and The Greens. The third volume is called Broken Ties; in the book the families and some of the couples are dealing with relationship issues, which threaten to tear them apart.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Soap operas inspired me to write the series, I got my dose of romance from the shows. Years ago I wrote ideas for a soap opera in an old notebook, but with my busy schedule I never got a chance to do anything with it. Then I was looking for inspiration for my next book and I found the soap opera ideas and decided to turn it into a book series.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

Next, I’ll be working on volume 4 of Westmore which I plan to release next year. Aside from that I’m working on other writing projects, including a paranormal romance novel.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins are two of the biggest romance writers in the world and authors who I admire. One day I hope to achieve the success they have.

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?

I feel that my writing style is different from most romance writers, because I don’t write love scenes. I’ll have couples kissing or making out, but as for sex scenes, I have it happen behind closed doors. I like to leave it to the reader’s imaginations.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I have a shelf full of books that I haven’t even touched yet, they’re mostly ghost books and I try to read one at a time. Right now, I’m reading a book about the most haunted places in the world.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I want to thank you for hosting me. I love doing interviews and connecting with readers. And I hope you’ll check out Westmore.

Website  | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Carol is giving away one E-copy of Westmore: Broken Ties. To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome back Sandra.  For those who missed you the first time you were on the blog can you please share with us a little about yourself

I’m getting ready to turn forty, I live with a computer/gamer geek husband and I write romantic fiction. Plus I’m a foodie, a Disney nut and a lover of tea.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Ever since the day in the fifth grade I decided to either be a writer or a cake decorator. I completely fail at decorating cakes LOL

Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?

Well, usually I start writing around nine a.m. That is unless I have errands to run in the morning. I strive for 1-2K a day but don’t sweat it if I don’t hit that goal.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

Hearing from readers is the best part of writing.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

My latest story is an erotic Regency-era pirate story called ACT OF PARDON. It’s a story about a disenchanted missionary’s daughter who’s out to kill the pirate she thinks killed her father and fiancé. Captain Westerbrooke sails the seas on the Lady Catherine. He’s a hard man working a harsh profession, but when he meets Sarah at the gallows, his interest is captured. The bad thing? They’re both very stubborn and their viewpoints often clash… out of the bedroom.

Here’s the blurb: Retribution and sorrow can bring redemption and salvation if you look hard enough.

The year is 1814 and piracy is drawing to an end in the Caribbean yet Sarah Covington, a disenchanted missionary’s daughter, has a plan to kill the pirate who murdered her father and fiancé. When the assassination attempt goes horribly wrong, she’s taken aboard the Lady Catherine as prisoner. Though she’s forced to embrace a life of degradation and subservience by the very pirate she tried to kill, he stirs passions she never knew she harbored.

Adrian Westerbrooke captains the Lady Catherine but not by choice. Officially a privateer under England’s protection, he has his own agenda and will take down targets for the highest bidder. The only problem is the beautifully flawed Sarah. He’ll try everything in his power to break her spirit and make her bow before his. At sea, his word is law, no matter how much she intrigues his mind and inflames his body.

Yet Sarah possesses a stubbornness that matches his own, on deck and in the bedroom, and a battle of wills begins. As trust grows, so does their desire–whether they can survive the threats at sea while working through their differences is up to faith… and perhaps love.

Excerpt:

She shook her head and swallowed to alleviate her dry throat. He didn’t deserve her lustful curiosity or approval. He was evil and a murderer. She wanted him dead.

Again, her elbow was jostled.

“‘e’s a looker, ain’t ‘e miss? Cap’n knows ‘is way around a woman’s body, true.”

“Ain’t that a fact?” Another deeper, and no less smarmy, voice said from her other side.

The first man gave a bark of laughter. “Not’n gets a lady more filled with desire than seein’ a real pirate. Seems they all fantasize about the masters of the seas and bein’ takin’ by ‘em jest the same.”

“What I feel for him is not desire.” And why am I talking to either of these men anyway? Yet warmth ebbed over her skin. Her gaze slid down his torso, past the ragged red sash around his waist, to his tight-fitting breeches tucked into dusty boots. She frowned, as much from the flutters filling her stomach at seeing the faint outline of his manly parts as from the recognition of the excellence of his clothes. What quality fit and expensive Hessian boots for a pirate to own. Of course, he’d likely stolen them.

She tamped her response, angry that her body betrayed her so badly. He deserved to have the clothes and boots stripped from his dead body for all the crimes he’d committed. She closed her fingers around the dagger’s hilt. Almost time.

On the platform, the Spanish general read out what she assumed was a list of charges in his heavy, lyrical language. He paused as the British counterpart translated the charges: treachery, thievery, murder, treason, and a host of others.

John Westerbrooke—pirate—and a captain no less. Sarah bit her lip. An alias no doubt. She narrowed her eyes. Titled or not, he’d swing the same as any man. Once he was finally dead, she could begin to put the pieces of her life back together, such as they were. Perhaps she’d sail to a far-flung country. That thought garnered another snort. And do what? I’ve never been anywhere outside America, never had an adventure of my own. She shook her head. It did not matter. Even if she did manage to travel, she had no survival skills. Hadn’t her father told her time and again she needed someone to look after her? Her stomach pitched. While her future would be bleak, there’d be small comfort in the fact the pirate wouldn’t have one.

As the list of charges concluded, the British general asked, “Do you agree with these accusations?”

One of the pirate’s full eyebrows inched toward his hairline. “I disagree inasmuch as I had no choice with the bulk of them, but on a gentleman’s grounds, I would say yes, I am guilty.”

A collective gasp rose from the crowd.

A strained smile lifted the pirate’s lip. “However, these crimes do not fall squarely on my shoulders as a pirate never acts alone.”

Several nods and verbal affirmations circulated through the gathering.

The hangman touched the pirate’s shoulder. “Captain Westerbrooke, would you like the courtesy of a hood?”

The pirate glared at each man on the platform. “I refuse to assuage your consciences. If you wish to put me to death by hanging, then you can watch the proceedings in all their gruesome color and detail. May God have mercy on your souls.”

Sarah gasped at his daring. Put in the same position, wouldn’t she feel the same way? There was always a chance—however slim—the man wasn’t guilty. A snort escaped. If that were true, then why was he here, since he’d all but admitted to some of them? There must be too much truth that balanced the lies, yet she hated the tiny niggle of compassion she felt. I cannot forget he murdered my father. Ruthlessly ignoring everything except the bite of the metal in her palm, she concentrated on the activity around the pirate.

The hangman took a position near the lever that would release the trapdoor. The crowd strained forward, once again hushed. The other men on the gallows resumed their previous military posture; their gazes focused on the pirate. The olive-skinned priest opened his Bible and began to recite the Twenty-third Psalm in accented English. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

Now!

Her heart lodged in her throat, Sarah raised her hand, and with a quick flick of her wrist, she let the dagger fly. The morning sun glinted off the blade as it arced sure and steady toward the platform. Any second now I’ll have my vengeance fulfilled. The priest chose that moment to move in front of Captain Westerbrooke. While he made the mark of the cross over the pirate, her blade embedded deep into the priest’s back. He staggered. The Bible tumbled to the wood as he fell to his knees.

Dear heavens, this wasn’t supposed to happen.

Pandemonium erupted, robbing her of the ability to think. Their sabers drawn, the men on the platform plunged down the wooden stairs. With nowhere to hide and no open path to flee through, she attempted to shrink within the confines of her cloak. Her heart slammed against her ribcage. I killed the wrong man.

 

You can buy the book at Amazon, All Romance e-books and Smashwords, or visit my website to be connected with buylinks.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Probably because I’ve always been fascinated with pirates. Part of the fun of writing pirates stories is doing the research. I love all the stories and legends.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

Right now I’m working on a sci-fi piece when I’m not finishing off shorter pieces. I’m kinda taking it easy for the month of August and letting my brain have a break.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’m actually waiting for the last book in the Wicked series by Gregory MacGuire. Such a great series.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for having me back on your blog. It’s always a great time when I’m here. Also, I’m offering a $10.00 (ten) Amazon gift card plus book swag to a random commenter. Please remember to leave your contact information.

Want to connect with me online? Find me here:

Website:  http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Believing is Seeing blog:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo

To enter for a chance to win the $10 Amazon gift card please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Lillian Grant to the blog today to talk about her newest book Male Review.  Lillian can you please share with us a little about yourself

I grew up in the UK and after meeting and marrying my lovely husband we emigrated to Australia. I have a very uptight boring day job but escape in the evenings and on weekends to the world of romance. I’ve done many creative things as a release from my everyday world, including singing in a band, but writing is it for me. Tapping away on a netbook bringing people and places to life is the biggest adrenalin rush I ever had, other than the time I almost threw up after going on Space Mountain at Disneyland, but I don’t plan to repeat that particular experience anytime soon.

Learn more about Lillian here:   Website / Facebook

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I never knew what I wanted to be but I always believed everyone had a book inside them. I often wondered if I could ever write anything but never tried until about six years ago. Now I am completely hooked.

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

I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, JD Robb’s In Death Series and I have just got hooked on JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Series.

I think Janet Evanovich has been a big influence. She showed me that people who write comedy can be real writers. I thought I should be struggling to write something deep, dark and meaningful but actually it is perfectly fine to write something funny and still be an author..

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

I love comedy. I love stories that make me laugh out loud. I have always had an ability to make people laugh so I think it was only natural my writing would lean toward the funny side. I have tired writing something darker but my characters won’t behave and the humor slips in even if I don’t want it to.

What are some of your writing rituals?

Music. I love to listen to music. I usually chose one song and put it on repeat. Different story, different song but always something to stir the blood and create the right mood.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

My latest book is called Male Review. It’s book two in my Reigning Men series. Each book can be read as a stand alone even though they all contain the same core characters.

If I had to sum this book up in a couple of lines I would say.  A nymphomaniac octogenarian great aunt, a frigid mother and a BDSM themed male strip club, what could possibly go wrong?

How did you come with the idea for this story?

For book one, Male Order, I got to wondering one day what would happen if a girl got involved in a male escort business without ever realizing it was a front for prostitution. I added in a great aunt obsessed with sex, a mother who didn’t believe in sex and a male flat mate, Sam, willing to show Meg how great sex could really be.  Then I tossed in a male stripper and newly hired prostitute, Michael, who takes a more than passing interest in my heroine.

I loved writing book one so much I wanted to see where the story went so I wrote book two, Male Review. The book shows the fallout from Meg’s arrest for pimping Michael and her desperate attempts to clean up the mess and prove her innocence. It also takes her and Sam’s relationship in a kinky new direction.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I have another book coming out in August called Go With the Flo. It’s a humorous romantic suspense set in the 1990’s.  When Florence notices her eccentric ex-boyfriend, Eddie, isn’t putting on his usual show in the front window on Friday night she decides to investigate.  She asks her best friend, Nelson Tyler, to help but he seems more interested in seducing Florence than in finding her personal flasher. Florence has no idea when she embarks on the adventure she will accidentally shoot an undercover policeman, or that her actions will lead to Nelson’s kidnapping.  Now with two men missing she has no choice but to continue and thwart the plans of a psychotic soon to be divorcee.  She needs to rescue Nelson because life without him is unbearable, especially since she’s discovered his long sensitive fingers are far more erotic than scissorhands.

I am also working on the sequel to Male Review. This is really Michael’s story and I am loving finding out more about him.

What would you be if you were not an author?

I’m only an author in the evenings and on weekends. During the day I’m a senior tax manager in an accounting firm. So, I guess, as there aren’t many openings for four foot ten super models, accountant would be it. Boring, but true.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I still have a few more JD Robb books to read and I am only three books into the JR Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Oh and I can’t wait for the next Stephanie Plum book.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Only to thank you for taking the time to interview me and for letting me loose on your blog.

Amazon | B&N 

Sam Stephens and Meg Riley are in love, and finally on the cusp of sex anytime, anywhere, anyhow. That is until Meg’s Great Aunt Maud, the octogenarian nymphomaniac, gets tossed out of the old folk’s home and moves in with them, closely followed by her polar opposite, Meg’s scarily frigid mother.

Meg’s best friend Laura convinces Aunt Maud to invest in Male Review, a BDSM-themed male strip joint. For Meg, it’s just one more step along the path to disaster, made even worse when former prostitute Michael is hired as the bar manager. After all, Laura’s last venture ended with Meg being arrested as a pimp. And Michael’s to blame for the crazies invading Meg’s home, and even worse, he still has the hots for her.

If she wants to get her life back, all Meg needs to do is find a new home for Maud, resolve the dispute between her warring parents, keep Michael at arm’s length, and rescue her relationship with Sam before it disintegrates completely. Male Review appears to be just one more problem to deal with, but perhaps it could provide an unexpected solution.

 

Excerpt: Chapter One

Meg rolled her eyes as a loud snort rent the air. She lifted her head, smashed a fist into her pillow, and glared at the comatose old woman lying next to her. This wasn’t how things were supposed to work out. Once Sam declared his undying love for her they should have ridden off into the sunset together. Instead, they jumped into her compact Korean car and hustled around to the old folk’s home to meet her mother.

Clearly it wasn’t her fault that St. Andrew’s had tossed Aunt Maud out. The whole disaster had been down to Laura and her stupid idea to start a male escort business. Meg went to the hotel to try and fix things. Given a few more minutes she would have un-cuffed Michael Monaghan from the bed and persuaded Aunt Maud elderly ladies had no need to use the services of a male prostitute. She might even have recovered Michael’s clothes so he could get dressed. Thank God her mother arrived at the old people’s home after the police left and she never got the whole story behind Maud’s eviction. Although, having her mother yell and show disappointment in her debauched daughter might have been a quicker and less painful punishment than agreeing to let Aunt Maud move in with her and Sam until she found a new home. To date, every old people’s home in Sydney, Australia had turned the crazy old lady away.

Meg’s mind turned to her new beau. They’d been on the cusp of sex any which way, anywhere, any time, and then, when Aunt Maud showed up, the sex fest was over. She couldn’t sleep in his bed because Maud would know what they were doing and Meg would be horribly embarrassed. How was he coping? Sam had needs. Big needs. Often needs. She hadn’t heard yips of “yee-haw” coming from his room since Aunt Maud moved in a month ago, so either he was suffering from a case of blue balls, or he’d learned to jack off quietly. The thought of him lying in his reclining chair naked with his fist wrapped around his hard, hot, heaving cock sent a heat wave through her body and a definite dampening in areas that had no business being damp when you shared a bed with your eighty-something great aunt.

Another loud snarl made Meg sigh loudly and check her alarm clock. She hadn’t planned on getting up until after eight as, on top of everything else, she didn’t have a job to go to, but sleep was impossible. Maybe an early morning snack would help. Yes, she was on a diet, but everyone knew calories consumed before seven in the morning didn’t count. Besides, she might check out the gym where Sam worked later, purely for exercise purposes. The thought of Sam and exercise wouldn’t cool her down, but Ben & Jerry were more than up to the job.

She climbed out of bed and dragged on her robe. One last look at Sleeping Beauty, sans teeth and wig, assured her Maud was dead to the world and she should get going while the getting was good. The door squeaked on its hinges, but Aunt Maud continued to saw logs. Meg pulled the bedroom door closed behind her and relaxed. In the last thirty days the only time she’d been without Maud was when either of them went to the bathroom. Except the hour she left her with Sam while she went to buy groceries. That hadn’t ended so well. She’d found Sam’s whimpering and begging never to be left alone with Maud again quite disturbing. The old girl seemed to think men were game for sex twenty-four seven, and Sam usually was, but not with octogenarians who had a penchant for pinching butts and ripping towels off freshly showered men.

Meg crept down the hall, through the living room, and into the kitchen. The place shone. No one would fault Maud on her work ethic. She had cracked the whip for hours, only stopping her nagging when Meg had cleaned every surface until they could eat off it. So, she was a bit slap dash about housework, and Sam was no better, but who cared. Now the place didn’t feel like home at all.

After retrieving a large spoon from the cutlery drawer, Meg opened the freezer and bent over to find her favorite flavor made by her favorite men. Just as she reached inside to pull out a tub of Chunky Monkey, two hands splayed across her back and something rigid buried itself in her arse crack.

She’d recognize Sam’s particular brand of foreplay anywhere. He had a thing about bending her over and taking her from behind, but she wasn’t so hot on the idea with her head buried in the freezer and Maud likely to walk in at any moment. The old lady would never believe she had a platonic relationship with Sam if she found him buried up to his testicles inside Meg. Once her mother found out she had taken up sleeping with her male flat mate Meg would be moved into a nunnery, or Sam tossed out on his ear before either of them had a chance to explain. Her mother didn’t do sex, and neither did the rest of the family, if she had anything to say about it.

*

God, Meg was beautiful. How she could think otherwise escaped him. The sight of her abundant curves sent Sam’s already thumping pulse rate higher. Unable to believe his luck at finding her alone, and in such a seductive pose, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her still bent form. He slipped his hands inside the front of her robe. The fingers of his left hand edged inside her panties on a seek-and-plunder mission between her thighs, while he used his right hand to tweak her left nipple into surrender.

Maud was a pain in the arse. All his good work at not only finally seducing Meg, but getting her to lose her inhibitions, was coming unraveled. He missed her. His cock missed her. The bed felt empty when she wasn’t in it. Never before had he felt this way about a woman, but Meg was the one. He’d fallen hopelessly and passionately in love with her and he wanted to show her … hard and often.

Heat spread through his body. Oh, she felt so good. He fingered the dampness between her thighs and brushed his thumb over her nipple. Her breast was heavy in his hand. Her womanly curves sent a rush of desire straight to his already straining dick. She was his perfect wet dream. Warm, soft, and the girl had a mouth to die for, but that could wait for next time. He had no idea when he would get another opportunity like this. He growled in her ear and tugged her robe up the back of her legs, desperate to bury himself inside her.

“Sam. Stop!”

She wriggled out of his grasp and he groaned his disappointment. His stallion bucked at the gate waiting for the starter’s orders. The feisty bugger would put an eye out if it broke free of his very tight white boxer briefs.

He took a deep breath. “I’m dying here.”

Meg glanced at his bulging erection.

“We can’t. Maud might come through.”

Sam growled, “Fuck Maud.”

A giggle escaped Meg. “I’m sure she’d be a more than willing partner and at least you could get some relief.” She popped the top off the ice cream and filled the spoon. Maybe she hoped the cool dessert would bring them both back to their senses. She offered him the first taste. “Here, have some ice cream instead.”

He took the spoon from her and slipped it seductively between his lips then pulled it back out and slowly licked the remaining dessert from the stainless steel surface. The way she licked her lips and swallowed showed his actions were getting the desired reaction. Encouraged, Sam reached out, took the tub, and refilled his spoon. He leaned forward and brushed his ice cream cooled lips against hers as he whispered, “Coming?”

Meg squeaked out, “Not yet,” then followed him as he disappeared through the house.

 

 

 

When Gray Met Styx.
Or When Hardhead Meets Hardass.

Time: 4:30 a.m.
Place: Atlantic City Boardwalk
Reason: Vamp Territory Meeting

*It’s after hours – even for vamps. All the blood suckers in attendance have returned to where they came from. Well.. all but two. Maybe they wanted a look at the ocean. Maybe they wanted to see what all the fuss was about regarding that salt-water taffy shit. Whatever it is, they can’t avoid each other. As they each claim a small section of boardwalk, both smell blood in the air. Not with confrontation, but with a curiosity about one another..

Gray: <leans back against the bench> So – you up for a little, ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,’ Anasso?

Styx:  Oh, it’s on.

Gray: <laughs> After the night we’ve both had, all the fang gnashing and aggressive hot air, a friendly little sparring session might be just the thing.

Styx:  When I spar there’s nothing friendly about it, amigo.   Of course, if you impress me I might let you live.

Gray: Mmmm – someone did mention you had a big sword to play with. <grins> Maybe it was the human woman who writes all those pretty stories about you.

Styx:  I’ll show you mine, if you’ll show me yours.  <smirk>

Gray: <laughs> Mine is pretty tied up and twisted in a lot of political bullshit. Trying to sort it out, do what’s fair, take what’s ours by right. And by ‘ours’ I mean the Impures. I’m the leader of the Impure vampires in my world, by the way. <cocks his head> Any opinions on non-pure bloods?

Styx:  A vampire is judged on actions, not bloodlines. <runs finger down the edge of his sword>  Cross me and I’ll lop off your head.  Stand at my side, and you have my loyalty forever.

Gray: I’m the same way. You sound like a real upstanding asskicker. You have a mate?

Styx:  Darcy.  She is the reason I was created.  She is my heart.

Gray: My female’s name is Dillon. She’s beautiful, sexy and impossible. <runs a hand through his hair, frustrated both in mind and in body> Females of any species are impossible to understand, but the one I’m bound to is particularly problematic.

Styx:  I feel ya, brother.  I’ve come to believe that mates are fate’s way of humbling an arrogant man.

Gray: How did you tame yours?

Styx:  The question is:  How did she tame me?   I was the biggest, baddest thing going, then a tiny pureblooded Were smiled at me and I was putty in her hands.  Pathetic.

Gray: <laughs, glances out at the ocean> Then we’re both pretty fucking pathetic. My jaguar’s smile takes me to my knees – literally. I tried to threaten her with a leash and collar, but I think she liked the idea.

Styx:  Ha.  A female who can stand up to you.  She sounds perfect for you.

Gray: Maybe not perfect, but right. You know? My blood and her blood are meant to fuse. Chemistry…it’s a wonderful, frustrating and hot headed bitch. <lifts his chin in Styx’s direction> I hear through the Vein Vine you’re a pretty loyal bloodsucker?

Styx:  I’ve learned the hard way that no man, no matter how powerful, can survive without a family he can trust.  I would sacrifice anything, even my life, to protect them.

Gray: I would die for my Impure brothers and sisters, so I understand.

Styx:  With strength comes responsibility.  We may not always want to shoulder our duties, but we never turn away.

Gray: <nods, then catches sight of something in the distance> My ride’s here. Unless you’re up for a double date, I’m going to split. Take care of that scowl on my female’s face, if you know what I mean.

Styx:  Tell her I have a leash and an extra set of handcuffs if she wants to do a little taming of her own.  <wink>  Oh, and if you need a gargoyle, I have a three foot pain in the ass I’m trying to get rid of.   Just saying…

Gray: <laughs and offers the male a quick fist bump> Good to meet you, brother. If you’re ever in town, look me up. Impure blood goes down smooth and easy – and I’m buying.

Styx:  You’re on, brother.  <low chuckle>  Especially the part of you buying.

 

Eternal Beast

A Taste of Blood

Ever since his abduction by the Eternal Order of Vampires, Gray Donohue has finally found his true calling: vengeance. He will stop at nothing to bring his fellow Impure vampires the freedom they deserve. Now if he could just release his primal need for the beautiful vampire who saved his life—and rules his thoughts and desires…

After nearly killing the senator she was assigned to protect, Dillon is now in mortal danger. The jaguar within her has been unleashed, and she can no longer control it. Sex is the only thing that can tame her shift. And Gray is the only man who can make her surrender to a passion strong enough to overpower her inner beast. But she doesn’t want to surrender—she wants her life back. Because she is determined never to belong to anyone, especially not Gray—the male whom destiny claims is her mate

Darkness Everlasting

Darcy Smith always sensed she was different from everyone else – if only she knew how different. Possessing a secret strong enough to end an entire race of demons, Darcy unwittingly becomes a pawn in an epic battle between the vampires and the weres as she discovers a new world filled with ecstasy-and dark passions.

Consumed with lust for Darcy, Styx – the Anasso of vampires – will do everything in his power to keep her out of the lair of Salvatore Giuliani, the deadly leader of the weres. But protecting the woman he loves could cost Styx the ultimate price.

Salvatore Giuliani knows time is running out for the weres. Pushed to the brink of extinction, he will stop at nothing to make Darcy his ultimate conquest and queen – for she alone holds the key to his survival. But which of these men can Darcy truly trust? For all it takes is one bite to plunge her into a lifetime of servitude – or a lifetime of pleasure.

 

Giveaway:

Laura  is give away a signed book of winner’s choice, either EH, EK or EC plus some swag,

and  Alex is giving away reader’s choice of an ARC of Fear the Darkness or any of her backlist

To Enter please fill out the Rafflecopter from below

a Rafflecopter giveaway