Spotlight Feature of Hidden Gates by DT Dyllin

HIDDEN GATES

 Book one of the P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy

D.T. Dyllin

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For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.

To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.

As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

Author Bio:

Cynical-Optimist. Chocolate-holic. Sarcasm Addict. Paranormal Believer. Self-Imposed Insomniac. Sci-Fi Geek. Animal Lover. Writer…are just a few words to describe D.T. Dyllin. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two very spoiled GSDs.

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Interview & giveaway with Lia Davis

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Lia Davis to the blog for the first time.

Lia, can you please share with us a little about yourself?

Hi! Thanks for having me over today. I’m Lia, paranormal author and loving it. I have a degree in business accounting and currently work in the finance/accounting department of a software company that uses the ‘other side’ of the brain. LOL. I’m a mother of four (two human, two kitties) and a wife to my soul mate and best friend.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I think so and just didn’t realize it until late in life. I always loved creative writing and making up stories. And I’ve always been a romantic and lingered for the HEA.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Hmm…I can be a little random and a little ADD. Many times I write in layers, which I’m trying to change. By layers, I mean I’ll write the main plot point, then go back and add in additional, but related subplots during the revision stage.

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

I started a new series called Ashwood Falls. The prequel, Winter Eve released in December and Book 1, A Tiger’s Claim, released last week.

Ashwood Falls is a community made up of two Packs—wolves and leopards—that merged together after a rogue Pack attacked their dens, killing most of the members. The wolves and leopards set their differences aside to live together as one Pack to bring down the rogues.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Like a lot of my story ideas, it just came to me. I wanted to write a shifter series. I’m a cat person, but I also love the wolves. So my muse is like, “So, um, what if leopards and wolves lived together?” LOL. The tension that could arrive from that thought was too tempting so I started plotting and found a whole new world.

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

Sure! I just finished book 2 of Ashwood Falls, A Mating Dance. It’s Blaine and Cameron’s story and my first ménage. They will meet their third, Graham. He’s Nevan’s stepbrother.

Right now I’m writing The Dark Divine, book 3 in my Divinities series and plotting with my writing partner, Carrie Ann Ryan, on a four book angel series we are writing together.

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

There are too many. I’ve already meet so many wonderful authors via Facebook, and it would be great to meet them all in person.

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

Write, write, write! Don’t let anyone tell you can’t do And join a critique group. There are many of them online.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

I want to travel and live on a mountain! LOL. I’d love to travel Europe and Ireland, as well as the places I’ve haven’t been in the US. My dream house is a cabin in the mountains.

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

Lover at Last by JR Ward!! I think everyone is waiting on this one. LOL And the next Psy-Changeling book. Is it June yet?

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you, again, for having me.

A Tiger’s Claim

Ashwood Falls, book 1

By Lia Davis
Publisher: Fated Desires Publishing

As the Alpha’s only daughter Shayna Andrews has always been treated like a rare gem, protected like royalty, and she’s suffocating. Her longing to be independent has driven her to sneak out one evening after dinner. After relishing in being able to run free without an escort, she finds herself face-to-face with the enemy, miles from home, and nearly loses her life until a lone wolf comes to her aid.
Travis Hunter’s main objective is to destroy the Onyx Pack—a group of drug using, murdering rogue shifters. His seek-and-destroy plans are put on hold when he rescues a female from a brutal attack. The beautifully exotic tiger shifter, Shayna, stirs a passion he thought died with his long-lost mate.
When Shay’s first heat cycle slams into her, Travis has no choice but to submit to her needs—and his own. But there is always a price to sleeping with the Pack princess. Not only will they have to face her Pack, Shay and Travis will have to deal with a mating that is beyond a single night and could have consequences more than either of them had thought. And when Travis finds out Shay wears the enemy’s brand, things will go from bad to worse.
Warning: One alpha female who doesn’t take no for an answer, a wolf with more on the line than just his heart, and a combustible attraction that’s sure to cause more than one sweaty night.

Find it on:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo

Find it in Print (also includes the prequel, Winter Eve):

eStore | Amazon

Excerpt:
It took ten minutes too long to reach his small one-bedroom cabin. Once inside, he carried her straight to the bedroom, flung the comforter back, and laid the female on his bed. As soon as her leg touched the mattress, she groaned in pain. Frowning, he walked to his dresser, grabbed a pair of joggers, and put them on.
He went back to the bed and sat down next to her, jarring her hip. Another painful groan made him pause. He lifted her sweater to undo her jeans so he could look at the wound. When he touched the button, she flung opened her eyes, screamed, and swung her arms wildly.
Damn it.
He fought with her for a few seconds before he got hold of her arms and pinned them to the bed. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Her eyes held a wild fear he hoped never to see in a female again. The claw marks etched into both her cheeks fueled his fury more. He breathed in then out slowly.
Calm down before you scare her more than she already is.
“My name is Travis Hunter. You’re safe.”
She blinked then looked around the room. “Where…am I?”
He growled low in his throat. The tremor in her voice cut through him. “My home.”
She tried to break from his hold, and he tightened his grip. “You’re safe. I killed the rogues.”
The woman stilled and searched his face, the wildness still heavy in her blue eyes. “You’re a wolf.”
He smiled and nodded. “And you’re a tiger.”
“A white tiger.”
To match her white-blond hair. “And a beautiful one.”

A little more about the Author:
Lia Davis is a mother to two young adults and two very special kitties, a wife to her soul mate, a paranormal romance author, graphic designer, and co-owner to Fated Desires Publishing, LLC. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers. But it’s her home and she loves it!
An accounting major, Lia has always been a dreamer with a very activity imagination. The wheels in her head never stop. She ventured into the world of writing and publishing in 2008 and loves it more than she imagined. Writing and designing are stress relievers that allow her to go off in her corner of the house and enter into another world that she created, leaving real life where it belongs.
Her favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties.

Author website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | G+

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

Lia is giving away a $25 Amazon GC and a swag pack to one commenter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight feature of Accidental Romance by Jessica E.Subject

Accidental Romance

Jessica E. Subject

 

At twenty-two, Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?

Available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.

More information and Buy Links

Excerpt:

A million needles pierced her wrist. She had to get away from the fire. Leanne flicked open her eyes, screaming, longing for the agony to stop.

White walls surrounded her. Machines beeped. Taking in the new scenery, she closed her mouth, the pain forgotten. Bags filled with clear liquids as well as blood hung from a metal pole. She followed the tubes from the bags into her left hand. Was that where the burn came from? She glanced at the other arm, the end of which was wrapped in thick bandages. The image of spinning blades and her mangled flesh flashed before her eyes. She screamed again, tears falling down her cheeks. This can’t be happening.

Bodies rushed into the room, many in scrubs. With her vision blurred, she didn’t recognize anyone. All strangers. She was in the foreign place by herself. A nightmare. Has to be.

“Shh, calm down, sweetie. You’ll be okay.”

A familiar voice. She glanced to her other side to see her mom standing beside her, her eyes glassy. She held her hand, but Leanne couldn’t feel it, only the throbbing which had returned to her other one, the one that was…gone? She groaned, turning on her side, and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Mom, is it really…?”

She brushed her fingers over her forehead. “Don’t worry about it right now. You need to rest.”

“It hurts so bad.”

“I know.” Her mother stroked her face again. “But the nurses will help it go away.”

“Leanne,” one of the nurses hovering around her said. “I want you to take deep breaths and count backward from ten.”

“Ten.” She sucked in air and cried out in agony.

Between clenched teeth, she continued. Anything to stop the pain. “Nine.”

Ice traveled through her veins. “Eight.”

The throbbing slowly ebbed away. Seven.

Darkness swept over her and pulled her down with it.

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn’t reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Website/Blog |Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

Interview & Giveaway with Sara Walters Ellwood

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Sara Walter Ellwood to the blog today

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

Thank you so much for having me today! I was raised on a small farm in West Central Pennsylvania and now live about 25 miles north of Gettysburg. After deciding teaching high school social studies wasn’t for me, I went back to school and became a medical assistant. I’ve worked for a large hospital in Harrisburg and currently work for the US Army as a medical secretary. I’ve been writing forever. For years I wrote Star Wars fan fiction until 2008 when I decided to write my first published novel—A Hunter’s Angel. Heartstrings (then titled “The Long Road Home”) is my second written novel, but my fourth one published.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

If someone would have told the pre-teen me that I’d grow up and become a published author, I probably would’ve told you to stop smoking crack. The first book I read on my own was in eighth grade. Shortly after that, I couldn’t stop thinking about a story that was circling around in my head. I eventually wrote that story in eleventh grade for a journal-keeping assignment in English. That’s when I caught the bug and decided I wanted to become an author.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I’m not really sure I have any. At least nothing interesting.

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

Heartstrings is a contemporary western romance. The hero is a superstar country singer and the heroine is half Native American.  Here’s the blurb:

He’s determined to set things right, no matter the cost.

The last person Abby Crawford wants to face down is country music superstar Seth Kendall. Last time she did, she flat-out lied so he’d go to Nashville without her. She’s never understood why their mutual best friend proposed, but she went with it so her baby wouldn’t be fatherless. Now she’s a divorced mother of a teenager, and secretly Seth’s biggest fan.

Seth is home in McAllister, Texas for his father’s funeral…and a chance to meet the daughter he’s never known. He’s willing to face the music of his own making and admit he’s known about his little girl all along. For fifteen years he’s kept his distance because Abby told him to follow his dreams without her, insisting she didn’t love him. But now he won’t leave until he knows his daughter and she knows him, even if it means facing the woman who broke his heart for good.

Confessing she’s lied about her daughter’s paternity all these years won’t be easy for Abby, especially with her ex blackmailing her to keep the secret. And Seth doesn’t know the hardest truth of all: Every love song he plays on his guitar still plucks her heartstrings.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Well, this is a long and complicated answer. Let’s just say it has very convoluted beginnings. I got the original idea from a Star Wars fan fiction that I wrote about five years ago, which in turn got its inspiration from the Rascal Flatts song “God Blessed the Broken Road.”

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

Sure. I only have three of them. The first one is a contemporary western romantic suspense I’m hoping to finish by June 1st called Saving the Lonestar Princess, which is targeting Entangled’s new suspense line. I also am working on another country singer suspense, A Family for Jesse, which I may also pitch to Entangled, especially if they take Princess. The last book I’m hoping to finish this summer is Gambling On A Dream, book three of my Colton Gamblers series, which is with Lyrical Press.

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

Linda Lael Miller. I’d love to meet her because she’s been called the queen of the western romance genre and because I love her stories. The other author I’ve always wanted to meet and got the chance two years ago at the New Jersey Romance Writers “Put Your Heart in a Book” conference was Rachel Gibson. She and I have a lot in common such as we both hated to read when we were younger and were both in special education for learning disabilities.

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

Learn all that you can, not only about writing, but also about the business of publishing. Don’t think you can start networking after you get the contract. Start immediately by joining writer’s groups. As hard as it is, try to see a rejection from the editor’s POV, especially when your rejections go from form letters to helpful. If an editor tells you why they rejected the book, take that into consideration—particularly if you start getting more than one similar rejection. And finally the most important thing is to NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

I’d love to take a road trip through every state. Yeah, I’m one of those people who’d love to give up my house for a RV in my retirement years… But the problem would be convincing my homebody hubby….LOL

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

I have so many books on my TBR pile, I don’t even know how to answer this question. I’m really looking forward to JR Ward’s next Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, which comes out at the end of March. And the next book from Rachel Gibson, which I think comes out in May. But I can’t wait to read some of my friends’ books either.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for having me here!

 

Lyrical Press | Amazon |  B&N |  iTunes

He’s determined to set things right, no matter the cost.

The last person Abby Crawford wants to face down is country music superstar Seth Kendall. Last time she did, she flat-out lied so he’d go to Nashville without her. She’s never understood why their mutual best friend proposed, but she went with it so her baby wouldn’t be fatherless. Now she’s a divorced mother of a teenager, and secretly Seth’s biggest fan.

Seth is home in McAllister, Texas for his father’s funeral…and a chance to meet the daughter he’s never known. He’s willing to face the music of his own making and admit he’s known about his little girl all along. For fifteen years he’s kept his distance because Abby told him to follow his dreams without her, insisting she didn’t love him. But now he won’t leave until he knows his daughter and she knows him, even if it means facing the woman who broke his heart for good.

Confessing she’s lied about her daughter’s paternity all these years won’t be easy for Abby, especially with her ex blackmailing her to keep the secret. And Seth doesn’t know the hardest truth of all: Every love song he plays on his guitar still plucks her heartstrings.

CONTENT WARNING: Spicy sex.

Excerpt:

Seth leaned in. His lips were close enough to kiss, and his scent of sandalwood and something exotic enveloped her, taking her back to that night on the beach. His eyes flashed with the dangerous fire of his temper. It was similar to the flame of the passion she’d once seen in the green depths. Abby didn’t expect or want the heat curling in her belly, and shivered with a sudden and fierce desire.

“I’m her father, Abigail. I wanted to be her father after she was born. It was you and Mike who insisted I had no business messing things up.”

“I never said any such thing. You never tried. You just left.”

He pounded a fist on the counter top so hard she jumped. “Yes, I left! I wasn’t welcome at home. Dad ran me off with a shotgun. Mike wouldn’t even let me see my daughter. He made it quite clear you and he were happily married, and I had no place in your life. I was under contract to be in Nashville to start recording my first album.”

What did he mean, Mike wouldn’t let him see Emily?

Before she had a chance to voice her question, his eyes darkened as the pupils dilated, obscuring the stormy green. “But I’m no longer nineteen and scared shitless. I could make things very rough for you and this fantasy you’ve got working.”

A cold lump quickly replaced the tangle of heat in her belly. “What-what do you mean?”

He backed off and tapped the countertop. “I’m talking a custody battle. I could have a judge order a paternity test. I think we both know the media hoopla the results would cause.”

Her heart slammed into her chest wall. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“Try me. Now that I’ve met Emily, I want to get to know her.” He walked over to look out the kitchen window. The hard line of his jaw melted, and he swallowed so hard his throat moved up and down. “I was a fool when I let Mike talk me out of being in her life after she was born.”

“What do you mean?”

He glanced at her. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

The strings of guitar music provided a soft counterpoint to the hard tension in the kitchen. Emily was outside on the patio playing around with her guitar, waiting for them to finish with the dishes she and Seth had insisted on doing.

“All I want is to have some time with my daughter. That’s all I’m asking for.” When he looked over his shoulder at her, sadness replaced the anger in his eyes. “I’ll keep your little secret. I’ll just be her favorite singer. The family friend who made it big in Nashville. I don’t want to hurt her. As much as it galls the hell out of me, I see what Mike means to her.”

He moved toward her and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Besides, I don’t want to hurt Carolann or Frank any more than you do.” He glanced outside again, his voice husky as he spoke. “But I’ll sue you if I have to.”

A part of her wanted to give in to him, but a larger part wanted to punish him. Let him take her to court; she’d make sure the world knew what kind of jerk Seth Kendall really was.

She gritted her teeth and fisted her hands by her sides. “I’ll let you have tonight, Seth. But don’t ask for more.”

She turned away and strode through the French doors.

 

Bio:

Sara Walter Ellwood is an award winning author whose novel Gambling On A Secret was named by bestselling author Carolyn Brown in the Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today as one of her favorite romances of 2012. Although Sara has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her stories. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for nearly 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia.

She also writes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name of Cera duBois.

Author Links:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |  Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway:

***Please leave your email address to be eligible***

~~Sara is giving away two ebook copies of Heartstrings at the end of each week of the tour, so make sure you leave your email address.

~Tour Grand Prize is a swag pack full of goodies! A signed copy of Carolyn Brown’s Just a Cowboy and His Baby, an ebook copy of my last release Gambling On A Secret, a notebook, a pen, custom jewelry set, $5 Starbuck’s gift card—all tucked into a keepsake box.

(Sorry, only US residents are eligible. Comparable International Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card.)

*Swag pack(gift card) is for the entire two-month tour. Winner will be announced on June 1, 2013

Guest Blogger: Lindy S. Hudis

Weekends by Lindy S. Hudis

Guest blog – A Fantasy Come True!

Ahhh…..romance. I must confess, I am hopelessly addicted to it. There is no feeling as exciting, no rush more exhilarating, and nothing I can name that gives an energy boost like that of a romantic and hot encounter. I seem to get quite a bit of inspiration from that, the real and the imaginary.

Want to know about one of my romantic fantasies? I am sitting on a beach at an exclusive California beach resort, listening to the sound of the waves and sea gulls, all while sipping a Pina Colada. I am sitting in the warm sand, covered with coconut scented lotion, watching the palm trees sway in the cool ocean breeze, and lusting as the smoking hot, scantily clad men walk by. Living in California, I have participated in similar activities, but more along the lines of the Santa Monica Pier than at the Bel-Air Bay Club.  However, we all have fantasies, I know I do….and mine get pretty vivid and sensual. Being a fiction author I find that the more fantasies I have, the more material I have to share with you! So, here is the deal – “Weekends” was inspired by a sexual fantasy that caught on fire. One day, many years ago, I met this gorgeous, hot, sexy, blonde dude named Joe. He was a struggling actor living in Los Angeles (like I myself was at the time) so we met up and had a brief fling. He turned out to be nuttier than a can of Planters, but that is beside the point. (A nutty person in LA???? What????)

So, Joe and I didn’t fall in love and run away together. He was just a “man from my past” who I still think about on occasion. However, his looks were the inspiration for the character “Joe” in “Weekends”. Joe is a fantasy, as is most of the romantic and sexy fiction that I write.  I took the crazy, hot man and, instead of being in a relationship with him in real life, and the fruitless task of trying to change him, I just made who I wanted him to be a character in my romance-suspense novel.  I fell madly in love with Joe, the one I created, not the real one.

So, what was the real inspiration behind “Weekends”? I must confess, I live in a fantasy world, however, I take a very spiritual approach to my daydreams and fantasies.  On some level, I believe that a person’s idle thoughts and daydreams are actual realities in another dimension.  Vivid imagination have I? You bet!

As a fiction author, I tend to live in my imagination. I become very emotionally close with my characters (I cried one time writing a scene where one of my characters gets fired), I live vicariously through all of their circumstances, and I tend to see parts of myself in every one of their situations. No, I’m not a nutcase- just a fiction author. Because of this, I create little worlds in my imagination. That is what I do, I create, and sometimes live in, these little worlds. Sometimes these little worlds become published works of fiction for different readers to enjoy, sometimes they just live in my crazy noodle. However, what if there is some truth to this theory? What if, as Mark Twain once said, truth is stranger than fiction?

What does this have to do with writing? Plenty! Fiction is my forte, my strong point. I was not destined to write anything else. ( I don’t have the knowledge or experience to write non-fiction. I can’t compete with all the doctors out there.) My stories come from the little people who live in my head. They come from my imagination. That is what fiction is, plain and simple. To invite a reader into my story, and to keep them there, I have to create another world for them to enter into. As the risk of repeating myself, I create worlds – and perhaps those worlds exist somewhere else? Somewhere far, far away?  As a creative person, (that is the kind of mind I was blessed with. Anything technical would confuse the hell out of me…) I feel at my best and most fulfilled when I am doing just that – creating. What am I creating exactly? Only my higher power seems to know for sure, but I have a hunch!

Perhaps I am writing my next life as I am thinking this? Maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic? Both? I just happen to love what I do, and I hope that many readers feel the same.

Buy Links

An innocent-sounding family reunion at an exclusive California beach resort turns into a weekend of murder, deceit, exposed secrets and unexpected intimate encounters. John Peterson has it all: He’s a respected, successful Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer with a loving wife and grown son, the strikingly handsome young film director Joe Peterson. John also has a secret and he decides to gather his disparate family members at the elegant Hotel Del Moor in picturesque Linda Bella, California for some luxurious fun, togetherness and re-connecting before revealing his secret. Unbeknownst to the family, a brutal serial killer is lurking in the midst of all the wondrous festivities.

 

About the Author:

Lindy S.Hudis is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied drama. She is a former actress, having appeared on such television shows as “Sunset Beach” and “Married with Children”. Her romantic murder mystery, Weekends, is currently available from Lachesis Publishing. She is also a filmmaker, her independent short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival. She is co-owner of an independent production company called Impact Motion Pictures. She and her husband Steve, a Hollywood stuntman, have just completed the screenplay adaptation of Charmaine Hammond’s best selling book, “On Toby’s Terms.”  She lives in California with her family.

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Book Blitz: Jessica by Laura DeLuca

Website|  Free buy Link

Wilbur was used to going to his college formals alone. He thought the Halloween Ball would be no different. He’s amazed when a beautiful girl in a Victorian costume displays an interest in him and even more amazed to find himself alone with her on one of the campus nature trails. What Wilbur doesn’t realize is that another woman has her eye on him too. The White Lady returns every Halloween to take revenge on the men of the campus for her brutal murder. She has chosen Wilbur as her next victim.

Excerpt:

Wilbur thought he was going to collapse when Jessica wrapped one arm around his waist. He could feel her fingers, soft as silk, touching the nape of his neck with her other hand, and it made his flesh tingle. She even went so far as to lay her head on his shoulder. Her hair brushed against his cheek and the fresh, flowery scent made his vision blur. At first he thought it was just his allergies, but then the whole room and all the people in it seemed to change. The woman all wore full lacy gowns with their hair piled up in fancy up dos, while the men waltzed beside them in tailored suits with long tails and top hats. Even the music had changed from the typical sappy love song to a classical ballad played by a string quartet. He swore he saw the musicians in the corner; their bows sliding effortlessly over the strings of their instruments while their fingers pulsated in perfect vibrato. Even the floor under their feet had changed from the faded gymnasium floor, marked with the lines and circles of the basketball court, to hand laid tile in intricate patterns reminiscent of a Victorian ballroom.

As they circled the dance floor in an oddly quickened pace, the faces of the dancers started to transform even more. The beautiful nineteenth century ballroom aged and decayed, as did the men and women that surrounded him. Grotesque monsters with bloated skin and empty eyes dragged their decaying limbs in slow motion. Wilbur watched them with growing horror, almost forgetting about the girl in his arms. The monsters noticed the stranger among them. They reached for him with fingers green from rot. Catching his breath in fear, Wilbur pulled away from Jessica and very nearly stumbled to the ground.

Interview & giveaway with Elle James

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Elle James to the blog today

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

Elle James spent twenty years in South Central Texas, ranching horses, cattle, goats, ostriches and emus. A former IT professional, retired Army and Air Force Reservist, she’s proud to be writing full-time, penning intrigues and paranormal adventures that keep her readers on the edge of their seats or laughing out loud. Now, living in northwest Arkansas, she’s given up wrangling cattle and exotic birds to wrangle her muses, a malti-poo and a yorkie. When she’s not at her computer, she’s traveling, out snow skiing, boating, or riding her four-wheeler, dreaming up new stories.

ELLE JAMES

….escape with elle

VOODOO ON THE BAYOU (Cajun Magic) – Entangled Suspense

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I don’t think I really considered being an author as a full-time job or lifestyle until I turned forty. All my life, I dabbled at poetry, wrote some short stories for fun and plays for fun at work as an IT Professional. I grew up with a pretty strong work ethic and knew I would work to support my family no matter what I did, thus the IT profession. When I about had my children grown, I started thinking about what made me happy. My sister and I joined forces and started on the path to becoming published authors and there’s been no turning back.

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

I start my day with a good breakfast, feed my dogs, grab my Diet Dr. Pepper and the mini Milk Bones (for the dogs) and head to my office. I go through emails and social media for about an hour then get started writing and go until 5:00. Sometimes it’s more, sometimes less. Depends on how well the story is coming along. And there are lots of interruptions—dogs need to go out, dogs need to play, dogs need more treats—you get the picture.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

Challenging – writing when the story isn’t gelling.  Usually because I don’t know enough about my characters. I go back and dig a little deeper into who they are.

Rewarding: When my readers feel the same emotions I do when I’m writing the story. I love it when my readers laugh when I laugh, cry when I cry, or sit on the edge of their seats when the action is crazy intense.

Can you please tell us about your latest book?

Voodoo On The Bayou (CAJUN MAGIC Series Book #1)

A frog by day, man by night, a cursed, cynical lawyer hopes to break a voodoo spell by making a lovelorn scientist fall in love with him before the next full moon while helping her unravel the mystery of swamp pollutants.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I’m sure you recognize the fairytale in the story. It’s the Frog Prince told with a different setting, a different magic (Voodoo) and a suspense twist.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

The Cajun Magic Series continues with VOODOO FOR TWO, Lucie Le Bieu and Benjamin Franklin Boyette’s story of a love potion gone wrong. Then DEJA VOODOO Alexander Belle Boyette and Ed Marceau’s story where Voodoo goes to the dogs.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Michael Crichton, James Patterson, Stephanie Bond, Jennifer Cruisie, Sandra Hill, Jane Anne Krantz and Delilah Devlin

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

I think they’ve inspired me to write what I love writing. My favorite author, Delilah Devlin (my sister) inspired me to reach for this dream. Without her love and continued support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.

My heroine scientist, Elaine Smith, entered the marina’s bait shop and encountered a naked man behind the counter (Craig Thibodeaux). She’s a bit flustered…

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

The Athena Project by Brad Thor

Looking forward the action!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I loved writing the Cajun Magic Series and hope to write more in the series soon. Look for the three books in the series:

VOODOO ON THE BAYOU (Feb 2013)

VOODOO FOR TWO (April 2013)

DEJA VOODOO (Jun 2013)

Any ideas title ideas for the next Voodoo book?

Leave a title suggestion for a chance to win a copy of THE WITCH’S INITIATION

Make sure to leave your email address too.  We have to be able to contact you.

Giveaway ends March 29

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About Voodoo on the Bayou:

“By day a frog, by night a man, ‘til de next full moon…”

At first, lawyer and ladies’ man Craig Thibodeaux thought Madame LeBieu’s chant was a strange bayou joke. But the voodoo worked and Craig is spending his days as…well, a small green frog. Now he has only two weeks to find love, or his new froggy transformation becomes permanent.

When she receives the anonymous toxic water sample from Bayou Miste, research scientist Elaine Smith decides a trip to the bayou is the perfect excuse to escape the lab, and forget about her cheating ex-fiancé. Then she accidentally stumbles upon Craig’s oh-so-fine naked form, and her science-nerd brain is overrun with naughty thoughts about her new gorgeous night-time bayou guide.

But there’s more to Bayou Miste than voodoo curses and sexy late-night trysts. Dark secrets threaten the delicate ecosystem, and there are those who would do anything to keep those secrets hidden. Even murder…

Tour Stops:
3/12 – The Romanceaholic
3/14 – Book Lovers Inc
3/19 – Feeling Fictional
3/21 – Paranormal Haven
3/26 – Books-N-Kisses
3/29 – Cocktails & Books
4/3 – Just Romantic Suspense
4/4 – Froggarita’s Bookcase

Spotlight Feature of Her Passionate Protector by Dilys J Carnie

Her Passionate Protector

By Dilys J. Carnie

Secret Cravings Publishing / Barnes & Noble / Amazon UK / Amazon US /  BookStrand

Erotic Romance

Secret Cravings Publishing

November 12, 2012

When Lucy meets Alex the owner of the new company her cleaning business has just picked up a contract for, her hard won self-preservation and quiet life flies out the window.

Smoldering heat ignites every time Alex comes near her.

He is confused by this independent, yet vulnerable woman and when her ex-husband returns, determined to hurt her, Alex fights for her life and their love.

Excerpt

“Give her time, Alex. She’s been through a lot.” The pressure of his friend’s hand was reassuring on his shoulder and he just nodded. It would take more than time. It was going to be one hell of an uphill battle.

At that point, Jack came wandering into the kitchen, rubbing himself around Alex’s legs.

“And what do you want, little one?” Alex picked up the cat, its purring hum showing he had settled down quite easily.

“Do you want some cream, buddy?” He poured some into a saucer and put it down, watching as the cat lapped greedily.

“Let’s take the coffee out now.” Alex picked up the try and followed Simon.

After they went out on to the balcony, and he set the tray of cups and coffee on the table, Nic got up from where she had been sitting with Lucy on the wicker sofa and put her arms around Simon.

Alex looked over at Lucy, her body hunched, the pain and sadness evident in her chocolate brown eyes.

More excerpts can be found at Dilys WattPad

 

A little about Dilys J. Carnie:

I’m just an everyday kinda girl and I have lived on the Island of Anglesey in North Wales for thirty nine years. I have two grown up children Emma is a teacher and Christopher is involved in the family commercial business. I have three sisters; two of them live close by as does my mum.

I am an avid health freak, a vegetarian who is manic about working out in the gym and doing Pilates classes. I love clothes, makeup, having my nails and hair done. I’m just a girl’s girl.

If I am not in my office pounding the keys I’m sitting in my favourite chair reading on my new Kindle.

Author Links

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Pinterest / Twitter

Spotlight feature of Immortal Prophecy by Samantha Adams & Kay Fry

 

 

Immortal Prophecy

The Immortal Prophecy Saga, Book 1

by Samantha Adams & Kay Fry

YA, Paranormal Romance

 AmazonUS / Amazon UK

The prophecy has been foretold…
Her destiny has been written…
Her fate has been sealed…

Alessandra Decosta was just your average sixteen year old girl,
until she took a fateful visit to a fortune teller. What happened that night would alter the course of her life forever…

Five years later, Alessandra, now a private investigator,
was doing what she thought was a routine stake out…It was to become anything but.

Without any real warning, she found herself in the clutches
of the evil vampire, Vincent.

Just as she expected to die, James Carlisle, the smouldering
immortal that had haunted her dreams and thoughts for the last five years saved her from certain death with only a moment to spare.

Her memories of the horrifying encounter are removed and its
only when she meets James again at a masquerade ball, does she begin to have flashbacks of her brush with Vincent and the intoxicating Immortal that saved her life.

Alessandra is the only thing that stands between the immortals, the guardians of the human race and the vampires, the destruction of all mankind.

 

Excerpt

“Alessandra,” Madame Isabella began, the tone of her voice becoming ominous and foreboding. Ally felt a shiver of dread run through her body. She should have listened to those instincts and gotten out of here, but no…

“You are a hunted woman, Alessandra. Two men are bound to you by destiny, but both have very different purposes. James Carlisle has been sent to protect you. Trust him with your life, he is your guardian and soulmate. Vincent, the other man, wants you dead…” She paused as she looked into the crystal ball, her eyes widened slightly and her lips parted in surprise. “Someone you love is keeping a secret from you that will shatter your world and change your life in ways you cannot imagine. You are not who you think you are, Alessandra.”

Ally, was vaguely aware of Kathryn’s arm around her. The feeling of dread had completely absorbed her to the point that she was paralyzed with fear.

“Are you ok, Ally?” her friend whispered, while giving her arm a squeeze.

Ally’s only response was a vague nod.

Madame continued, “Two people close to you will die, you cannot stop this. It is all meant to be and will mark the beginning of the prophecy…the prophecy you were born to fulfil.”

Ally’s breath caught in her throat. “Prophecy? What prophecy?”

“You were born to save an ancient race and kill Vincent. He will die at your hand if the prophecy is fulfilled.” The fortune teller paused for a moment, feeling desperately sorry for the sweet innocent girl sitting before her, but she knew that hiding the truth from her would ultimately lead to her demise. She leaned over and grabbed Ally’s hand in an effort to offer her some comfort. “The destiny that has been chosen for you will not be an easy one, but you were born to do this. No matter what do not lose hope, if you lose hope, then you have already lost, and you will die. Vincent will win, and the human race will be slaughtered with no one to protect them.”

Ally snatched her hand back as if it was burned. With a deceptively calm voice she said, “I want to go home, Kathryn. Now!”

 

Samantha Adams

Kay Fry

Samantha Adams is a young stay at home mum to her son, and is lucky enough to be married to her very own soulmate, Scott.

She lives in a leafy suburb of Melbourne with her family and two dogs, Coco and Ellie.
Coco was the inspiration for Alessandra’s dog in her debut novel, Immortal Prophecy, which she wrote with her mum, Kay.

She loves dogs, adores horse riding, is absolutely addicted to reading YA paranormal romances and historical romances and would love to live in England one day.

Kay never thought she would find herself writing a novel. It was a secret dream she thought wouldn’t come to fruition.

As for life outside of writing, Kay lives in a leafy Melbourne suburb, loves walking around the local lake and has a desire to travel the world. Her favourite authors are Dean Koontz and Victoria Holt. She loves dancing, getting creative and of course, shoe shopping!

Author Links

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Author Links

Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Book Blitz: Bound by Seduction

 

BOUND BY SEDUCTION

Amazon  | Barnes & Noble

Standing in the middle of the room, Jacob let the whip crack. He loved how it sounded hitting the tile floor, the hiss it made as it flew through the air, the crack it made when it hit its target. Feeling himself get hard, he adjusted his cock, cursing his uncomfortable jeans. Could he get Isa to feel the same way he did about the whip? He’d know soon enough since she was on her way over and he’d already decided tonight was the night he was going to be honest. He’d hidden this part of himself from her for a year already. He liked her, maybe even loved her, but if she couldn’t accept everything, it was time for them to both move on. Would she accept what he was about to tell her?

 

 Website |  Blog

Interview & Giveaway with Laura Lee Nutt

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Laura Lee Nutt to the blog for her first visit.  

Laura, can you please share with us a little about yourself?

Sure, but first, let me say thank you, Kelly, for having me today. I really appreciate the opportunity to be here. Now, let me give a few interesting details you won’t find in my bio. I am 4 feet 8 inches tall and love being short except for the need to hem pants and skirts. I have two rambunctious boys and am about to try for a third or, if I’m lucky, a little girl to spoil with pretty things. I was born under a crescent moon but not so secretly wish it had been a full moon. It seems a full moon would have been more romantic and haunting. And finally, the evening my husband first told me he loved me and we shared our first kiss, the sun was setting beside us, further feeding my affection for special moments in life that hold true romance.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I have always wanted to write stories, but no, it was not always my goal to be an author. For several years, I thought of other occupations such as paleontology or chiropractic, seeing them at the time as both fascinating and more financially practical. However, deep down, I think I always wanted to write. Eventually, I accepted the fact rather than fighting it. I’m much happier I went into storytelling.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

My characters, at least most of them, literally develop minds of their own. If they are not leading the story off in one unexpected direction or another, I’m not listening to them hard enough. Sometimes, my husband will inform me of something a character feels, thinks, desires, or is planning that I consciously had not realized. A few years ago, he flat out told me that a villain, Emile Benderique, in one of my books was lying to me about his motivations because he was uncomfortable with anyone knowing his true desires. I started to argue, then stopped and gaped because my husband was absolutely correct. This may sound a bit schizophrenic, but rather, I think it’s the mark of characters well and truly developed.

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

Red and the Wolf is about Little Red Riding Hood grown up and how she overcomes the terrors the childhood “wolf” attack inflicted on her. She must accept herself, including the curse left on her from the attack, and the love of the huntsman who rescued her long ago. But she has to manage all this before the local nix, a German-style freshwater merman, takes over her village and before a heroic hunter of all things monstrous and unnatural executes her and the huntsman. Only then can she truly gain her real happily ever after.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

In January of 2011, I was sick for about two weeks. To keep myself from going stir-crazy, I wrote the first draft of Red and the Wolf. I no longer recall what the initial idea that started the whole story was, but I’ve always loved fairy tales, which frequently influence my writing. This time, though, I did not want to just retell the story. Plus, it made no sense to me how a child of ten or twelve could undergo such horrors and not come out emotionally scarred. Thus, I sought to tell a story that had a touch more realism for all I included werewolves in this one. I was in the mood for romance and wanted the wonder of fairy tales and fantasy.

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

Right now, I’m working on the sequel to Red and the Wolf. Currently, it’s titled Gretel and Her Ghost. Like Red and the Wolf, I took a well-known fairy tale and extrapolated into the future, asking what would happen if there had not really been a happily ever after? How would these characters deal with the logical difficulties they faced from their childhood fairy tale encounters, and how might they find happiness in the end? In this case, Gretel is desperate to marry and have a normal life, but Hansel, who never truly recovered from nearly getting eaten by the witch, sabotages her every attempt. When a mysterious man comes to town to seek her aid in rescuing other children trapped in the candy house, she must make some of the hardest choices of her life, but ones that have the possibility to at last set her free.

I also recently finished a novel starring Karl Kaismann, one of the antagonists from Red and the Wolf. It’s a historical urban fantasy that I will soon start shopping around among editors and agents. In this novel, I drew upon the haunting legends of the Lorelei Rock on the Rhine River in Germany about a beautiful maiden deprived of her true love and a nixie, a sort of nymph-like creature, who causes ships to crash beneath the rock’s deadly foot. Karl naturally gets caught up in the legend and must save a town that despises him, choose between his heart’s desire and the lives of thousands, and come to terms with his destiny.

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

Peter S. Beagle. His book The Last Unicorn is my favorite of all time. Each time I reread it, it recaptures my heart with its beautiful language, fantasy, heroism, tragic love, and contrasts of light and dark. It encapsulates so much of what I love most in stories.

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

Beyond the obvious “write and keep writing,” there is no right way to write or get published. There are some ways that are less effective and some that are dangerous–check out Predators and Editors for some of those–but don’t let anyone tell you that you have to get into the business or write one specific way. Educate yourself about the industry and craft, and always keep learning. Be humble. Take chances. Be patient and persistent. Don’t let opportunities slip by. But above all, do your best and be true to yourself, whatever that is.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

Tour Europe, and I don’t mean one of those two or three week tours. I mean I want to take at last three months, maybe a year, and really experience it. I want to visit all sorts of historical sites, soak in the culture and the countryside, and perhaps find a ghost or two as long as they’re not too frightening. I want to see where my ancestors came from, and there’s a castle in Scotland that used to belong to my clan, MacNaughton, that I’d like to see in person.

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

Oh, wow, that’s a big list. Let me name a few off the top of my head. Both my critique partners, Jessi Gage and Mae Clair, have books coming out this year that I’m looking forward to. I can’t wait to see how Jessi’s Road Rage has changed since those first initial idea talks we had, and I have not yet had the pleasure of reading Mae’s Twelfth Sun. Stina Leicht should have a new book soon, though I don’t know exactly when. I’ve been reading her The Fey and the Fallen series and enjoying it immensely. Peter S. Beagle’s stort story collection Sleight of Hand is also on my list as well as anything by Patricia Briggs or Jim Butcher. Amy Raby’s Bronze Age fantasy Assassin’s Gambit, which comes out in April will soon join that pile of to-reads. Cecilia Grant’s A Lady Awakened was absolutely superb, probably one of the best romances I’ve ever read, so I have high hopes for its sequel, A Gentleman Undone.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes. First, thank you so much for hosting me today, and thank you to all your readers who stopped by and stayed to learn a bit about me and my new release, Red and the Wolf. Second, everyone make sure to stop by my blog to get the full details of my Release Week Giveaway.

Learn more about Laura here: website  | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Amazon Kindle | Barnes and Noble Nook |   I-Tunes |  Lyrical Store

They said Little Red Riding Hood lived happily ever after. They lied.

Six years after the attack at her grandmother’s cottage, Blanchette still wilts at the sound of a wolf’s howl. The scent of pine rising from the Black Forest surrounding her home is a constant reminder of the beast’s assault and the injury it left on her finger. After years spent hiding away, Blanchette’s world tilts when she wakes–naked and without memory of the previous night–in the forest, instead of behind the safety of her closed shutters.

Since rescuing Blanchette and her grandmother, huntsman Heinrich has befriended her family by day, and keeps watch as a powerful wolf over his territory by night. Sinister otherworldly creatures constantly threaten his domain and the human village he protects.

When the emperor sends a hunter to investigate the attack and slay any inhuman beings, Heinrich must tread carefully and protect not only himself, but his newly-discovered mate, who prowls the moonlit nights alongside him. He must also determine who is responsible for a string of murdered villagers, proving he can control his lupine nature and offer protection to the village, rather than danger.

CONTENT WARNING: Vengeful fae, dark magic, vicious murder, moral quandaries, explicit sex, and tragic honor.

Giveaway 

For Red and the Wolf’s release week, Laura is  hosting a giveaway.

There are several ways to earn chances to win one of two prizes, an e-copy of Red and the Wolf and an adorable Annette Funicello Collectable Bear Co. Little Red Riding Hood valued at $105.

You have from Monday, March 4th, 12 AM central time through Sunday, March 10th, 11:59 PM central time to get as many points as you can.

Each point equals an additional time your name gets entered in the drawing for these prizes. Laura will announce the winners on her blog Monday, March 11th.

To begin with, you will earn your first point for the drawing by commenting on today’s post.

For more ways to earn points see Laura’s blog. Good luck!

Interview with Lindy S. Hudis

Can you please share with us a little about yourself

First of all, thanks so much for having me today. Well, I am a wife and mother of 2, a boy who is   5, and a girl who is 10. My husband is a stuntman who crashes cars for a living, so I lead a pretty exciting life.  Right now  we are producing our first feature film, a dark drama called “SkateGod”. We own a film production company, so we are plugging away right now.  www.ImpactMotionPictures.com

Have you always wanted to be an author?

No, I actually wanted to be an actress. I studied drama at NYU, and came out to Los Angeles to try my luck. I wrote a book about that experience too…but you’ll just have to wait for that one to come out….Then I went into film distribution for a little  while, then had my babies, then got back into film production again. Writing has always been a fantasy of mine, so one day I just did it!

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

I write when it’s quiet, seriously. I wait for the kids to be at school then I can write. Sometimes I have a bit of music, but very softly.  I have to be in the right  frame of mind to get writing, then I can’t stop.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing.

Staying focused, and not letting myself get tired.  Sometimes I just become a bit lost in the characters, or sometimes I can’t seem to focus at all – I guess  that is called writer’s block? I try to avoid that. Sometimes my brain just goes  into total sensory overload.

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

“Crashers” is a work of crime fiction about a trio of young people who get caught up in the seedy world of auto insurance fraud by staging car accidents.

“Weekends” is a romance/suspense about a family who gathers at a beautiful beach resort for the weekend while a deranged killer is on the loose.

“The S & M Club” is an erotic short story anthology about a beautiful lesbian couple who experience the pleasures and forbidden world of bondage.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

For “Crashers” I was a victim of auto insurance fraud, so I came up with that idea. I learned that there are criminals out there who do this kind of thing for a living.  So I wrote about those people, who must be horrible desperate. “Weekends” and “The S&M Club” were actually just fantasies of mine, however I did work in a bondage club in Los Angeles for a short while.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

“Skate God” our feature film – it’s about a skateboarder who lives in a frightening, dystopian world who discovers he is a Greek God. That has been taking up most of my energy. I also have my next novel, “City of Toys” that I wrote about my life as a struggling actress in Hollywood.  Here is a link to an announcement in Daily Variety about our film “Skate God”. This is what has been keeping me busy.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064993/

Who are some of your favorite authors?

There are so many – it is hard to choose.  For fiction I am a huge Stephen King fan, and for non-fiction  I would have to say Norman Vincent Peale – I am a big believer of the power of positive thinking.  It has gotten me through some pretty hard times.

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

I love how graphic Stephen King is, yet he lets the reader use his or her imagination as well, he is just so prolific and creative. Although I don’t write horror, I do admire his style.  He can be very gritty and emotional, and I am very inspired by that.

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

My “To Read” pile is so huge right now.  I just finished a wonderful book called “The Spring of Unexpected Circumstances” by Charles Shea LeMone.  I am a big fan of Charmaine Hammond and her delightful book “On Toby’s Terms.” Our company is planning on making that book into a film too.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Keep writing, don’t stop! Please visit my website at

www.CrashersBook.com or find me on Facebook  & Twitter. Thank you for having me….

 

Two beautiful women explore the sadistic and sensual world of bondage and discipline at an exclusive Los Angeles underground bondage club. Devon is a Mistress, Desiree is a novice Submissive. When Devon meets Desiree sparks fly between them as they embark into uncharted territory—each other. Devon makes Desiree an offer she can’t refuse—to travel around the world living out all of her sexual fantasies. But first things first. They have to get to know each other and find out their deepest desires. In this first installment—fantasy and reality blend as Devon and Desiree share their erotic exploits and naughty secrets.

 

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