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Alexis Morgan’s Paladins of Darkness Series

Dark Protector (Paladins of Darkness #1)

Devlin Bane:
Born a Paladin, he is a member of an ancient band of warriors locked in a centuries-old war against evil.
His destiny: To die over and over again to protect mankind from the Others, only to be revived each time by his mortal Handler.
But his fierce strength and courage cannot save him from gradually becoming one of the monsters he was born to destroy.
Dr. Laurel Young, who has spent years training to become a Handler, must remain detached from her patients. But each time she revives the darkly compelling Devlin Bane, he claims a little more of her soul and incites in her desires that grow wilder and wilder — even as he inches closer to losing his humanity. As the war against the Others grows more desperate, Laurel and Devlin can’t help but give in to the fierce hunger that’s sizzled between them for so long. Now they’ll face the ultimate battle together — to save a dark, passionate love that goes against every rule as they join forces to fight an enemy who is closer than they ever imagined….

Dark Defender (Paladins of Darkness #2)

Alexis Morgan continues her dazzling paranormal series about larger-than-life warriors and the women they love….
As a Paladin warrior, Blake Trahern fights and dies again and again to keep mankind safe from the Others. Sensing his humanity slipping away with each battle, he retreats from the world…until the one person who still has a claim on his soul needs his help. It’s been twelve years since Blake vanished from Brenna Nichols’s life, years that have turned her from a love-struck teen into a headstrong, sensual woman. He’ll fearlessly give his life to protect her — yet he dare not risk his heart.
Brenna is stunned by Blake’s reappearance, and by a shocking discovery about her father. Everything she has ever believed is thrown into question — everything except the desire that Blake still ignites. But as they search together for a traitor among the Paladins, danger looms: the next battle could tip Blake into madness, destroying his life, his soul…and the only woman he has ever loved.

In Darkness Reborn (Paladins of Darkness #3)

Alexis Morgan continues her red-hot paranormal series with a mysterious warrior and his forbidden love for a woman who’s allegiance lies with his sworn enemy. . . .
Once a warrior for the Others, Barak q’Young is caught between two worlds — exiled from his homeland, and a pariah among his enemies, the Paladins. While hunting a betrayer who’s selling the precious blue gems that light the Others’ world, Barak must aid geologist Lacey Sebastian in her research for the Paladins. Barak is instantly drawn to the fiery, beautiful woman, but Lacey initially despises the enemy intruder. Soon she sees beyond his violent past, though, finding the dark warrior intriguing — and extremely sexy.
Though neither can resist the passion that blazes between them, Barak is torn between loyalties, hiding a secret gift that could prove useful to Lacey’s research, at the sacrifice of his own people. But when Lacey is kidnapped and held hostage, Barak realizes he will do anything to save her . . . even risk his own life.

Redeemed in Darkness (Paladins of Darkness #4)


Alexis Morgan’s sizzling paranormal Paladin series continues with a courageous female warrior who can’t resist the man of her dreams — even if he is her sworn enemy….
A fiercely beautiful female leader from the Other world, Lusahn q’Arc can’t forget the Paladin warrior she met in battle — his chiseled body and piercing, thoughtful eyes still haunt her dreams. While investigating the smuggling of the mysterious blue stones used to light her shadowy world, Lusahn receives word that her missing brother, Barak, is alive — and working with the Paladins. Although angry at his betrayal, she arranges to meet him. But at the appointed time it is not Barak who arrives, but Cullen Finley — the enemy warrior who torments her memory.
Intense attraction immediately burns between Lusahn and Cullen despite their rival loyalties, and they can’t help surrendering to passion. Their time together is limited, though, for soon Cullen must return to his own world — with or without Lusahn. But when carefully laid plans go awry, together they must fight to keep their forbidden romance a secret — and keep each other alive.

Darkness Unknown (Paladins of Darkness #5)

Gwen Mosely’s life changes forever when she stumbles across a handsome stranger, bleeding and left for dead in the woods behind her farm. But the real shock is how his wounds heal overnight — a trait he shares with Gwen’s teenaged half-brother Chase.
Jarvis Donahue can’t keep his eyes — or his hands — off the sexy redhead who rescued him. Gwen’s warm smile and lust-filled eyes are impossible to resist…but Jarvis immediately recognizes Chase as a fellow Paladin, a warrior born to defend mankind in the relentless battle against the Others. Although Gwen may hate Jarvis for it, he is dutybound to introduce Chase to the Paladins’ dangerous lifestyle.
As the barrier between the two worlds weakens, the threat grows perilously close to Gwen’s farm. Jarvis is determined to protect his lover — but if he reveals his identity, he not only betrays his people’s secret, he risks losing her forever….


Defeat the Darkness (Paladins of Darkness #6)


Hard-eyed and hard-bodied, Hunter Fitzsimon isn’t what Tate Justice expected in a tenant for the apartment above her garage. Terse and intensely private, Hunter’s mission is to protect a narrow stretch of the barrier between Earth and Kalithia against the Paladins’ ruthless enemies — a job that would be much easier without his sexy landlady nosing around. So when she follows Hunter into the woods late one night, he decides to teach Tate a lesson with a passionate kiss that brings her to her knees…and unexpectedly ignites red-hot desire deep in his soul. But the warrior’s dark and dangerous world is no place for his fiery lover. Does possessing Tate mean turning his back on his brethren…or will Hunter forsake the woman of his dreams for the harsh duty he’s always known?

Bound by Darkness (Paladins of Darkness #7)

Caught between two worlds, a powerful warrior must choose between impossible destinies when he meets a woman whose love will either make or break him. . . .
As the daughter of a Regent, Sasha has long known about the secret underworld of the Paladins and their work protecting her kind from the dark forces on the other side of the energy barrier. So when she is sent on her first solo investigation, on the path to becoming the first female Regent, she is determined to get the Seattle Paladins in line. Offering sanctuary to their Kalith enemies is simply unacceptable But when she meets Larem, she is inexorably drawn to a dark and valiant warrior who is not at all what he appears to be. As the power struggle between Regents and Paladins rages on, someone starts making attacks on her life. Sasha must choose between loyalty to her own kind and the warrior she loves . . . with the very fate of humanity hanging in the balance.


The Darkness Beyond (Paladins of Darkness #8)

An online game of cat and mouse leads a Paladin warrior on a deadly rescue mission to claim the irresistible lover who should be his greatest enemy.D.J. Clayborne has finally met his match. After weeks of playing cyber tag, a mysterious hacker bests D.J. at his own game. His nemesis downloads a top-secret history of the Paladins, forcing him to go on the hunt. The trail leads D.J. straight to Regina Morrison, a woman who is as sexy as she is talented in the cyber world.Reggie has been working around the clock to stop a legendary computer hacker from accessing her clients’ files, but the last thing she expects is to have D.J. show up at her door. Or that he’s even hotter than his evasive avatar. Soon they’re flirting with a dangerous line between duty and desire.Now, Reggie’s investigation gets her kidnapped by the Others and forced across the hostile energy barrier into an alien world. And it’s up to D.J. to track down the captivating woman whose ability to break through his firewalls is also breaking through to his warrior’s heart.

Darkness on Fire (Paladins of Darkness #9)

A warrior in need of a battle he can fight . . .

Penn has struggled for years to overcome a devastating injury to his sword arm. He’s been forced to sit on the sidelines and watch his friends fight and die while all he can do is watch.

Then Devlin offers him a mission: a mysterious woman called to warn them that someone is threatening the stability of the barrier near the Yellowstone caldera, which could destroy both worlds. Penn packs his guns and his sword and heads for Wyoming to assess the situation.

Brought to our world as an infant, Jora b’Larth has spent her entire life living in fear of being discovered by her people’s enemies, the Paladins. But now the stakes are too high to worry about her own safety.

Penn and Jora join forces to face a common enemy. To save their worlds, they’ll risk their lives-and their hearts.  


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Spotlight Feature of Play Me by Jennifer Probst

Play Me
Jennifer Probst

Professional gambler Sloane Keller is tired of dating weak willed men and longs to meet a man who challenges her dominant personality and forces her to submit. As the Queen of Cards, she’s used to making her own rules, and craves the excitement of Vegas. But her inner heart cries out for someone who can be her match, both inside the casino and in the bedroom.
As the new dealer in town, Roman Steele is burnt out on women looking for a quick penny and a man to follow. He craves a woman with fire in her soul and a keen intellect who can challenge him. When his brother recruits Madame Eve to help, Rome is amazed at the complicated woman he gets to spend the night with. But when the evening is over, will she be gutsy enough to offer him forever?
Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.
She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons, one 4 and one 6, keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.
Her publications with Red Sage include “Masquerade” Secrets Volume 11,  The Tantric Principle, and Sex, Lies and Contracts. Her 1NightStand series include Catch Me and Play Me in The Steele Brothers series with Decadent, and her #1 Barnes and Noble bestseller, The Marriage Bargain, from Lori Wilde’s Indulgence line at Entangled. She has also written a children’s book, Buffy and the Carrot, co-written with her twelve year old niece, along with a short story about a shelter dog, “A Life Worth Living.” All of her books are available at her website or Amazon.
Website / Facebook / Twitter


Excerpt:
Walking past the bar, he headed toward table six. He needed to loosen up and not take the encounter too seriously. His older brother had bought him an evening with a woman—hopefully one he was compatible with. No reason to bitch and look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth.
He stopped dead and stared at the woman in black at table six.
Her name suddenly rang through his head in a symphony of clanging bells. Sloane Keller. Champion of the World Series of Poker. The Queen of Cards.
His mouth snapped shut. Was this a joke? A revised version of Candid Camera? He’d been half in love with her since she’d stumbled on the card scene with a cold confidence that pissed everyone off. She’d come from behind and won her first poker championship with the big boys. An unknown, unnamed long shot everyone laughed out of the game. With icy deliberation and a talent that blew him away, she blew every other player off the table and never batted an eyelash with victory.
Shit. She’s gorgeous.
His gaze swept over her with a greediness he’d never experienced. The woman practically exuded I dare you to any guy within her distance. Her hair shimmered under the lights, an exotic black cherry, falling pin straight to brush the top of her shoulders. Longish bangs hid most of her features until she turned her head, and he caught a whirling impression of strength. A stubborn chin. High cheekbones. Arched dark brows. Thick eyelashes. Her lips were ruby red and not overly puffy like the normal Botox look. No, they were perfectly sculpted with just a hint of plumpness in the lower lip. Her outfit added to the impression of lean power—a sleeveless black silk blouse, dark trousers, low-heeled sandals. She perched on the chair as she stared at her cards, her blood red toenails tapping on the bottom rung. Her fingers were lightning quick, the nails matching the color of her toes.
Suddenly, she paused. Her shoulders tightened and she swung her head around with a hint of annoyance.
Her gaze slammed into his with a fierceness and challenge that singed his nerve endings and his cock. Eyes a deep violet sucked him in as deep as he imagined her wet pussy would welcome him. But it wouldn’t be easy. Everything about the woman screamed the need for an alpha to take her under him. Figuratively and literally.
He met her stare dead on and refused to back down. A few beats passed. Then she turned away with a dismissive shake of her head, obviously irritated she’d lost the skirmish. Satisfaction thrummed in his veins. Finally. A woman he could sink his teeth into without worrying. I’ll bet this woman would bite back.
Why the hell had she signed up for a 1Night Stand? She had her own groupies—men who’d line up to take her to bed. Vegas looked upon her as a literal rock star.
He took stock of the situation. There must be a damn good reason she used a dating service to get laid. Her dismissal told him she cared less if he’d been bought and paid for. She refused to stroll off with any man, even if Madame Eve arranged it. The deliberate action told him he’d need to earn his time with Sloane Keller.
A smile played about his lips.
Game on.
He closed the distance between them.
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Kelly’s review of Dark Marcy by Zoe Winters

Dark Mercy
AUTHOR: Zoe Winters
PUBLICATION DATE:   03/02/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Angeline has been on the run from her sire, Linus, for centuries. She’s tired, and she’s lonely. High from mescaline-induced blood, she sees a sign—a church that seems to glow in the distance—and she knows. Her future mate is in that building.


Important Author’s Note:

Dark Mercy is the beginning of Hadrian and Angeline’s story, not the end. Their HEA will happen later in their own full-length novel. This story is important both for the overall series and for this couple, but it’s not their HEA. Just a mild disclaimer so no one goes in with false expectations for this story.


REVIEWED BY: Kelly            
5 Stars

REVIEW:
I won’t give you too much because this was a novella.  A very short insight into Angeline & Hadrian’s story.  

Zoe sucked me into this novella and then totally killed me with the ending.  MAJOR CLIFF hanger.  I loved learning about Angeline & Hadrian.  Both are very damaged in very different ways and in all ways perfect for eachother.  But now I have to patiently wait for the answers to all my questions.

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Guest Blogger: Danielle Blanchard

How to Create a Cool Vampire series!
I hope no one gets this post twisted and thinks it is only for writers or would-be writers. I am an avid reader and I love to read as much as I love to create characters of my own.
Like most readers who have an electronic readind device (Kindle, iPad, Nook, Sony, et cetera), I find myself going to a website (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Smashwords—take your pick) and I usually decide whether or not to buy a book based upon the cover (is it professionally done or at least attractive), the blurb (I cut some slack on this one as some people just don’t know how to write effective blurbs), reviews (I am quite morbid as I go to the lowest rated reviews first) but more often than not, what will make the decision for me will be reading a sample of said work.
Okay, so what the hell does this have to do with creating a kick ass vampire series? Quite a bit to be honest. The paranormal market is saturated but there are more tales about werewolves and vampires than any other kind of supernatural creature (I’d hazard to guess zombies come in a close third but they are mostly relegated to horror and not paranormal or urban fantasy).
That is a lot of material to peruse and to be honest, who has the time?
Of course there are short cuts to finding a new and interesting book or author. Amazon has created popularity pages and a top one hundred for ever genre and sub-genre. That means for vampire lovers, they can simply peruse the top 100 in vampire novels/novellas to see if there is anything they like and buy.
That must be great if you are on the top 100 but since I haven’t gotten there—yet—checking the top 100 to see what is popular can definitely give you a good idea in what direction you want to go but first we should lay down some ground rules:
·         The lethal vampire hunter genre is oversaturated and unless your name is Laurell K. Hamilton or Jeaniene Frost then I would stay away from this sub-section.
·         Bad ass, hot vamp guys to base a story upon…great idea but that market is cornered severely by J.R. Ward and Lara Adrian so just…stop, don’t do it!
·         Somewhat innocent mortal females who are dragged into the vampire world…nope, no, nein and non! Please, please don’t embarrass yourself. One word: dignity. Remember Stephenie Meyer, Charlaine Harris and Kresley Cole (gotta love how she combines super bad ass supernatural villains and somewhat spit-fire innocent females…classic)!
There is a reason while all the authors above along with a whole host of others are a mainstay in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre, especially when young paranormal romance junkies are looking for their fix. Don’t bother poaching on territory that is perfection, especially if you don’t have a publishing contract and your name isn’t one with any real weight behind it.
Believe it or not, my series, The Vamp Saga, slowly came to me. I wanted to create a whole new breed of vampire where they didn’t have to hide in the shadows and they ran everything. Mortals aren’t exactly vamp food in my books as they don’t have to be…they have their blood beverages but nothing beats a tasty old human…unless you are a Day Walker and then mortal blood doesn’t do anything for you.
One of the best compliments I have ever received came from a blog reviewer who asked me how much research I did for my novels. The answer is tons and although she noticed, it doesn’t bother me the least bit when someone doesn’t notice either.
So, to recap, The Vamp Saga doesn’t encompass any of the above as the main character, Manon, is a half-vampire who doesn’t know it. She falls for the ultra suave Mikkel, and sparks fly. But—and there is a huge BUT—is he the love of her life and were they ever meant to be?
The story had to be a series because the plot was too intricate and too complicated to shove all in one novel but for those who want to read about their story, there is Death Wish; for those who want to read what happened before that night and how all the chess pieces were put into place, there is a novella I wrote after Death Wish, Death Lair. And lastly, for those who just want to see what happens when one must reap what they sow, there is Better off Dead.
Although it is book two in the series, Better off Dead won’t be the latest in The Vamp Saga for long. Book Three, Queen of the Undead, is finished and will be released at the end of June or early part of July this year. I can tell you BODdoes not end on a cliffhanger (my editor abhors them and won’t let me so I stopped trying… *sigh*) but that isn’t the purpose. So much is going in, I just thought I would treat the readers out there who have discovered my different vampire series and actually like it.
Do I crave J.R. Ward and Charlaine Harris status? Of course I do…but I won’t ride their coattails to do it. They created some damn good characters and I hope one day someone is writing a blog post and mentions me in a list like this as well.
The Vamp Saga novels can be found and purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Smashwords.

About The Author
Danielle Blanchard Benson is a world traveler and author of several different series.

Ms. Blanchard Benson is the author of Beginnings: Book I (The Plague), Death Wish: Book I, Better off Dead: Book II and Death Lair: A Novella (all from The Vamp Saga), The Catalyst: Book One (The Pop Stars) and The Beautiful People series.
She is currently working on Queen of the Undead: Book III (The Vamp Saga) Hart Attack: Book I (The Hart Family Saga), Apocalypse 2012: Book II (The Plague), Love Voodoo: Book I (DeGeneration) and The Making of a Star: Book Two (The Pop Stars).
Ms. Blanchard Benson has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Blog:http://thebeautifulpeopleawritersjourney.blogspot.com/
Follow Danielle Blanchard Benson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dblanchbenz007
Like Danielle Blanchard Benson on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/Author.Danielle.Blanchard.Benson

Email Me: mzdanibee007@gmail.com

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Interview with S.Evan Townsend

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back S.Evan Townsend 
to the blog to talk about his newest book Rock Killer

1.     Can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m a 51-year-old writer living in central Washington State.  I’ve been writing since I was about 12 years old when I taught myself how to type on a typewriter (this was decades before home computers).  Since January 2011 I’ve been writing exclusively, giving up my day job.  I have been doing freelance for local publications and for websites in addition to marketing my own books published by World Castle Publishing.  In my spare time I enjoy reading, driving (sometimes on a racetrack), meeting people, and talking with friends. I’m in a 12-step program for Starbucks addiction.  I live with my wife of 30 years, and two sons (one in high school, the other in college) and I have a son attending the University of Washington in biology. I enjoy science fiction, fantasy, history, politics, cars, and travel.  

2.     Have you always wanted to be an author?
Well, except when I was five and wanted to be a fireman, yes, I always wanted to be an author.  I taught myself to type on a typewriter and started writing.  I assume what I wrote when I was 12 was very jejune.  But over the past 39 years I’ve gotten better.

3.     Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?
There really isn’t a typical day of writing.  I tend to write in spurts and when inspired.  I’ll start writing at 10:00 A.M. and write until 2:00 A.M. some days or I might not write for a few days in a row.

4.     Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The most challenging, and rewarding, part of writing (not marketing, publishing, etc.) is finding new ways to describe mundane things.  Not every hero can be saving heroines all the time; he needs to get out of bed, shave, shower, get dressed, and drive to work.  And a lot of times you just skip that but sometimes you can’t and it’s a challenge to write it in such a way that it is interesting for the reader.  And when you manage to do that, it’s also rewarding.

5.     Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
My latest book is Rock Killer.  It’s a science fiction novel set in the not-too-distant future when asteroids are being mined for their valuable metals without degrading Earth.  But some are even opposed to that and they resort to violence to reach their political ends.  That is, they are terrorists.  Alexander Chun, literally a million miles from help, and without armaments, must stop them before they kill him and his multi-national crew.

6.     How did you come with the idea for this story?
In the early 2000s there were eco-terrorist attacks in the Pacific Northwest where I live.  Luckily there was only property damage and no one was hurt.  But I wondered what motivated such people and I decided that it wasn’t that they were trying to protect the environment, but they were trying to stop human progress.  And what if in the future there were still people who had this idea that human progress is bad and they acted on it.

7.     Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Right now I’m working on a third book in my Adept series.  These are urban fantasy novels set in the recent past.  In this third novel, set in 1968, I am bringing in necromancy, nuclear weapons, the Prague Spring and subsequent Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and my character has to stop a plot by rouge KGB agents to destroy America.  At least that’s my plan.  It may change as I write it.  I’m about half-way through it.

8.     Who are some of your favorite authors?
My favorite fiction writers are Robert A. Heinlein and Poul Anderson.  I also enjoy early Larry Niven.  Heinlein always told a great story but had a message behind it.  Poul Anderson makes up worlds that you think you visited, they are so detailed.  And Larry Niven came up with some amazing ideas such as Ringworld.

9.     Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style? 
Oh, yes.  In writing Rock Killer I was trying to write a Niven-esque hard science fiction novel.  And my tendency to have strong women characters is at least partially from Heinlein and Anderson.

10.  What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I have a thing for old science fiction.  So my TBR pile is mostly old science fiction.  Someone is reprinting all of Poul Anderson’s short stories in many volumes and that’s on my TBR pile (I’ve bought most of them already). 

11.  Is there anything else you would like to add?
I don’t know about other writers but I find there is a dichotomy in being a writer.  Writing is a solitary, introverted pursuit.  You sit alone at a computer and your “friends” are your characters.  But marketing a book is just the opposite.  You need to “network” and get out and meet people and be engaged in all sorts of social media.  It’s just the opposite of writing.  The successful author can do both.
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Spotlight feature ofChicks in Charge by WJ Craft


WJ Craft
Chicks In Charge

An Erotic Short Story Collection

Over 20,000 words of intriguing and playful delights where women come out on top in a variety of ways!

Chainsaw Chicks of Chinese Camp: Are the legends true? Are four amazons lying in wait in this tiny rural town for their perfect boy toys to come along and play with them?

Zap: While researching a possible preventative for epileptic seizures, a scientist stumbles onto a very interesting use for her new app.

Take Me To Your Leader: In this 1940s retro tale, a military translator gets up close and personal with some newly-landed alien emissaries.

The Gnome World Order: Find out what really goes on underneath those seemingly innocent pointed red hats.

Little Shoppe of Enchantments: Augustus Pound takes a wrong turn with some rather questionable results. This version includes the longer alternate ending, not available anywhere else!

Cowboy: They seemed like ordinary women in the greasy spoon in town, but they had plans for Jack Barnes and his equipment.

Rosa Erotica: Lyrical and touching. A 500-word ode to the spirit of the rose goddess and a warrior’s epiphany.

Website / Twitter
Excerpt
The Zap App
The next day, she made a few alterations to her application, reversed
a few things, and then waited for Richard to make his morning
appearance. She didn’t have long to wait.

“Good morning,” he said, right behind her ear.

“Good morning, Richard,” said Veronica, then she tapped the button.

Instantly the sound of coffee splashing all over the floor met her
ears, and she turned to see her nemesis staggering backwards until he
crashed into the cubicle wall, which threatened to topple into the
next space over. His eyes were partly rolled up into his head and he
was moaning and gasping, his twitching body slowly sinking
horizontally onto a filing cabinet. With a grin that was triumphant,
surprised and slightly sadistic, she tapped the button again to see
what would happen when she turned the app off.

A noticeable wet stain at the front of a medium-sized pants tent
caught her attention. Had the poor man wet himself?

“Ohgod,” was all he could manage for at least five minutes as he
recovered. Veronica began to wonder if she should call a medic, and
coworkers started to crowd in her doorway to see what the hell had
happened.

“It’s all right,” she reassured them. “Still working on that epilepsy
app. Must have reversed something.”

“That was… that was…” Richard spit out, trying to regain the gift
of language. “Fucking incredible…”

Confused, Veronica stared at him.

“What?”

“Incredi… mind-blowing. Best orgasm ever…”

Now that, she hadn’t expected. But something about it sounded vaguely
familiar. She turned her back on her human lab rat as the embarrassed
coworkers made themselves useful elsewhere. A quick search on
“epilepsy” and “orgasm” brought up research on the phenomenon known as
the “orgasmic aura,” a state of spontaneous climax that some epilepsy
victims experienced at the onset of a seizure. She could hear Richard
slowly collecting himself behind her.

“Again,” he finally moaned.

“Fuck off.”

“Do it again!” His hand gripped her shoulder and she turned, finding
herself face-to-face with a pair of desperate, lust-filled eyes. His
other hand shot out and gripped her throat. Unable to cry out for
help, she did the only thing she could think of to incapacitate the
madman – she hit the button again.

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Guest blogger: HelenKay Dimon

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to let HelenKay Dimon take over the blog today to tell us her favorite book she has written… Or try to tell us.  🙂 

Which one of your books do you like the best?

I always freeze when I get this question.  It’s a great question.  Perfectly legitimate and it’s usually asked with the best intentions.  Sometimes a reader who has never tried one of my books is trying to figure out where they should start – single titles, Intrigues or shorter stories. Since I’m grateful whenever anyone anywhere shows an interest in my books, I try to stumble through an answer.  The problem isn’t the question.  It’s figuring out how you answer that when all the books come out of you. It kind of seems wrong to pick just one.

I know we’re not supposed to have favorites.  The proper public relations answer is probably something like, “all of them!” or “whichever one just came out!”  Those are legitimate but this month I have a PR no-no answer.  It goes like this:  my May release, .  And I really mean it.

This is my 9th Intrigue and something like my 26th book over all. I love writing (and not being a trial lawyer anymore). The Intrigues are different from my other books because they’re such a mix of suspense and romance.  When it comes to Intrigues, I do have to admit I have a soft spot for this one. I really do love it. I was trying to figure out why and came up with this:

1.     Courtney, the heroine, has a tragic backstory that might emotionally cripple most people, but she’s strong and determined.

2.     Jonas, the hero, has had some bad luck but, despite his grumpiness and tendency to control everything, he respects the heroine for who she is.



It’s so simple, isn’t it?  Sure, it’s a plot I had been thinking about for a long time and wanted to write. Sure, writing the suspense parts makes all giggly and happy because I love things that explode. But I think this one is special to me because of the characters.  They surprised me as I wrote. Jonas turned out to be mushy under all that toughness.  Courtney proved to be stronger than I ever thought she would be.  Basically, they’re perfect for each other.



SHE WANTED TO TRUST HIM WITH HER SAFETY-BUT NOT WITH HER HEART…
No woman could deny the appeal of the sexy deputy sheriff Jonas Porter. But to Courtney Allen, Jonas has one major flaw-his badge. Years ago, Courtney’s father was wrongfully convicted of a crime and she vowed to never trust a cop again. But when Jonas becomes the only man to believe in her father’s innocence, Courtney begins seeing the brooding lawman in a whole new way.
Jonas knows in his gut that the real killer is still out there and determined to finish what he started long ago. To protect Courtney and bring the criminal to justice will require all the skills he can muster. And that means focusing on the job. Not the woman who makes him forget his troublesome past and arouses in him a passion that is anything but professional.

Want to learn more about HelenKay?  Find her here: 

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Guest Blogger: Margaret Ethridge

Margaret Ethridge is taking over the blog today to talk about Love and Chickens????

Margaret Ethridge lives in Arkansas with a sweet-talking Southern gentleman who claims to be her lawfully-wedded husband. She is the (not-so-wicked-but-she-has-her-moments) step-mother to their two children, the adoring mistress of three spoiled dogs, the food purveyor to eleven hungry goldfish, and the comic foil for one rather impertinent house rabbit who thinks he rules the roost.
When she isn’t tapping away at her keyboard, Margaret engages in an epic battle against her never-ending laundry hampers, cajoles the flowers in her yard, sings into her hairbrush, and holds entire conversations speaking in movie quotes.

“Te amo”
“Je t’aime”
“Ich liebe dich”
“I brought you a Route 44 Diet Coke from the Sonic.”
There are hundreds of ways to say “I love you”, but if you’re not paying attention they might get lost in translation. Learning to speak each other’s language is one of the most intriguing aspects of falling in love, and the things we don’t say speak even louder than ardent declarations. It took a long time to become fluent in my husband’s language of love.
You see, like the characters in my latest novel, Spring Chickens, he’s a southern man and I’m a Yankee girl. Technically, we both speak English, but they are radically different dialects. When the air turns cool and damp, I may say, “It’s going to rain”, but my sweet talking southern man would tell you, “It’s fixin’ to come a storm.” When we go shopping, he pushes a ‘buggy’, but I use a ‘cart’ to carry my groceries.
Like any dedicated couple, we say the words every day, but they don’t always come out in the form of “I love you.” Most days they go something like this:
“I mailed your package.”
“Thank you. I thought I’d make that pasta thing you liked for dinner tonight. That sound good?”
“Great. I’m gonna pull the washer out. Your pink socks fell off the pile, and I think I saw you Steak ‘n Shake shirt back there.”
 “I’ve been looking for that shirt!”
“I figured there was a reason you were rooting through my drawers.”
“You love it when I root around in your drawers.”
“I do.”
“I do. too.”
In Spring Chickens, Bram Hatchett declares his intentions by giving Lynne Prescott a pair of baby chicks. Lynne reciprocates by making him pot roast. I can’t think of a better way of saying, “I’m falling for you.”
What about you? How do you and your loved one say I love you?
Spring Chickens
You don’t have to be a spring chicken to fall in love.
The residents of Heartsfield, Arkansas think Lynne Prescott has it all. The wealthy suburban divorcee captures everyone’s attention when she blows into town to dispose of the family farm. But her nosy new neighbors don’t know she ran away from home.
Bram Hatchett’s interest in buying the land adjoining his farm is yesterday’s news, but the handsome widower’s inability to contain his attraction to the land’s beautiful owner quickly becomes fodder for the local gossip mill.
A rickety old porch and a disturbing decrease in the poultry population bring them together—but with wagging tongues and grown children against them, Lynne’s inclination toward flight comes smack against Bram’s aversion to fight. Can they whittle away the secrets of the past in order to scratch out a future together?
Excerpt:
The photograph of her aunt with his uncle served as an easy out.
 Lynne laughed and shook her head. “I found something I wanted to show you.” She offered it to him with a sheepish smile.
Bram took the snapshot, shooting her a wary glance before lowering his eyes. The glimmer of a smile twitched his lips then blossomed. “This is them,” he said in a soft, reverent tone.
“I know. Look at how happy they were.” He squinted and stretched his arm, leaning back until he could focus. “Wanna borrow my glasses?” she asked, waving the drugstore readers in his direction. His glare might have leveled a lesser woman, but she figured she’d already shown him her worst. She flashed her biggest grin. “Need longer arms? Want me to hold it over here?”
He snatched the glasses from her hand and slipped them onto the end of his nose. “Hell to get old,” he grumbled, moving the photo closer until he found the right spot.
She leaned against the doorframe. “Tell me about it.”
Bram whipped the glasses from his face and handed them back to her with the photograph. “I usually don’t need them. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Chirping keep you awake?” she asked with a wry smile.
He chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t keep my chickens in the kitchen.”
“Smart man.”
Buy link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=4835
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Ethridge/e/B004CSGWZI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Want to learn more about Margaret?  Check here out here: 
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Interview with April & Danielle


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome April Fifer & Danielle Hylton-Outland to the blog today.

Danielle Hylton-Outland was raised in Virginia. She grew up having a huge appetite for daydreaming; always wanting to live in the spectacular worlds she created in her mind. She now lives with her husband and dog where she is pursuing a degree in literature. Danielle is a strong animal activist. She is currently co-writing the second book in the Flesh Series, “Flesh and Flames”.
April Fifer grew up in a small town in Virginia, where it was common practice believing that dreams could only be found in stories. At the age of seven she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She was told that she would struggle through life and would never pick up a book to read for pleasure. Although school was hard, she was able to find her way with the help of two teachers who taught her self-discovery. Ignoring what she was taught growing up, she turned it around and found that your dreams could become stories.



1.    Can you please share with us a little about yourself
April and Danielle: We are two book junkies who love chocolate, strong coffee and hot characters in stories. Woo hoo. We started writing together about two years ago and have loved every minute of it. It’s been quite the ride.

2.    Have you always wanted to be an author?
April and Danielle: Well, we’ve wanted to be Wonder Woman, then a veterinarian, then we wanted to be a trapeze artist and then we realized writing was more our thing.

3.    What is your most interesting writing quirk?
April: I actually have no idea what I’m going to write until I start typing. It’s the weirdest thing.
Danielle: I have to write the outline to the chapter on actual paper before I begin typing my story.

4.    Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
April and Danielle: Flesh and Feathers is a story about a girl who falls for an angel. Only she doesn’t know he is an angel. There is action, adventure, love triangle and much more. And we hope our readers are surprised by the turn of events. We also just released Love, Lies and a Bloke. This is a 20,000 word Contemporary Romance/Erotica. It’s about a girl named Katherine Thomas who thinks her life blows. In the midst of her life crisis of boredom, she hops a plane to Australia where she meets the man of her dreams. Only she starts her relationship off with a lie and has to suffer the consequences.

5.    How did you come with the idea for this story?
April and Danielle: Flesh and Feathers was a long thought out process. It started with just wanting a girl to fall for an angel. But it ended up becoming something else altogether. It is not at all an angel love story. It has so many mythical aspects to the story that it evolved into a whole other world. As for Love, Lies and a Bloke, we wanted to do something fun! The story came together so easily with its fast pace plot. We’ve all had that, “our life is boring” feel. So we played off of that feeling.

6.    Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
April and Danielle: Heck yeah! We are working on The Witch and The Werewolf… oh my! This is another story we really tried to make different from the world of werewolves and witches. The storyline is not just based on these creatures but more like how they play a role in average people’s lives.

7.    Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
April and Danielle: Stephenie Meyer! We love her work and the worlds she creates.

8.    What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
April and Danielle: Don’t give up! Don’t let bad reviews get you down! Drink as much coffee as your body can stand and if you start giggling at what you write when it’s funny… that’s totally normal.

9.    Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
April: I want to live out Katherine Thomas’ life in Love, Lies and a Bloke.

Danielle: To go to Namibia and volunteer at the wildlife reserves.

10. What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
April: Grave Mercy!
Danielle: Fifty Shades of Grey!

11. Is there anything else you would like to add?
April and Danielle: We have really worked hard at trying to start a career in writing. We’ve made mistakes, had pitfalls, had great and exciting moments and we wouldn’t trade any of it. We have met some really great people and some we like to call friends. And we want to thank you for letting us be part of your blog. J
Contact information:
http://www.fiferhylton.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/FiferHylton
http://fiferhylton.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flesh-and-Feathers/149542115115597



Flesh and Feathers:
Blurb
Azaleigh’s life is simple until, by chance, she meets Kale. Charming and handsome, Az is immediately drawn to him. But long kept secrets lurk in the hearts of those Az holds most dear, and dangerous plans are unfolding around her. As her life begins to crumble and Kale disappears, Gage, charismatic and striking, arrives, providing a calm port in an increasingly violent storm. But with every narrow escape from a far from human bounty hunter who’s after her life, Az begins to unravel a secret with the power to change her forever. In an increasingly hostile world of Angel and Fallen, Azaleigh must navigate her own path, chose her own side, and ultimately protect her heart. Faced with two gorgeous men, an enemy she doesn’t know, and a future she cannot understand, Az must make a choice—the man she loves, or the man she cannot live without.
Available for purchase @ Silver Publishing | Amazon

Flesh and Feathers Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os6HvdUibrc
Love, Lies and a Bloke
Amazon  
Facebook:
Blurb:
Katherine Thomas is a lackluster kind of girl who refuses to bend the rules. Until one day she loses her job and is forced to reevaluate her life. One trip to Australia changes her world forever. Katherine leaves her hometown of Fleming to find herself, however she ends up finding love, lies and a bloke.

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Cover Reveal of BEG FOR IT by Stacey Kennedy

BEG FOR IT
Pact of Seduction Book Two
Publisher: Loose Id
Release date: May 29, 2012

The Pact of Seduction has one rule—fulfill your ultimate fantasy. Bella’s problem, she can’t live up to her vow. But her failure spins events that lead her into unknown territory. Kole, a Dom at the sex club Castle Dolce Vita, wasn’t part of her fantasy, but he’s about to show her he should have been.
Kole is more than willing to introduce Bella to BDSM since he’s held an interest in her for some time. But the feisty woman isn’t easily tamed and her strong personality proves to be difficult. While she might be determined to keep him at a distance, Kole has other ideas. He won’t allow her to shut him out.

A pact between best friends brought them together, emotional barriers tear them apart. Kole skillfully reminds Bella through pleasure and punishment that she is now his submissive, and her place is under his command.

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Lila DiPasqua’s husband has taking over the blog….

Mr. D interviews Simon Boulenger –Hero in UNDONE!

I’m honored to be here at Books-n-Kisses.  As many of you know, I’m the host of the popular, Mr. D’s Romance Husband (RH) interviews. I started them last year and well, I do intend to get back to them on a regular basis in the near future.  Thanks for all the requests for more!  In the meantime, I’m here chatting about my dear wife, Lila DiPasqua’s latest release in the Fiery Tales series, UNDONE. It’s hot, sexy, steamy—did I mention hot?  A historical romance. A spin on Rapunzel.  And yes, I read every luscious word in this wonderful book.  🙂

By the way, if you’re wondering why I would submit the photo of me you see here, allow me to explain briefly. This photo was taken of me this winter. I bought this hat for ice-fishing, and though I’m not much of an ice-fisherman, (stop snickering Lila), I’d announced I was going to wear it more often. My wife and kids laughed—until they realized I was serious.  Then, strangely, the hat went missing. If anyone has seen my missing hat (not pointing any fingers at who might have taken it—cough…Lila&kids…cough), please let me know.
I have with me today Simon Boulenger, the hero in UNDONE.  In keeping with my RH interview style, please welcome Mr. Boulenger!

Mr. D: Can you tell us who you’re married to?

Simon: I’m not married, but I am rather taken by Angelica, a ravishing green-eye beauty with chestnut-colored hair. Though, I must admit, she is as alluring as she is maddening.

Mr. D: Readers would like to know the hero behind the heroine. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself? Scholar? Artist?

Simon: I’m of common birth and had aspired to be ennobled by my King for my naval successes. I have elevated myself in the merchant class, currently commanding 14 privateer ships. Most of my education was learned on the decks of warships, and my achievements have been attained by the tip of my sword—though I do write and read extensively, and have amassed wealth. As for an artist…let’s just say that I’m well versed in the carnal arts.

Mr. D: Where did you and Angelica meet? What convinced you she was THE ONE?

Simon: We met outside a convent at midnight where she knocked me off my feet…literally.  Thereafter, she simply took my breath away anytime she entered the room. And ultimately, this incredible woman stole my heart.

Mr. D: If she were to call you her hero, how would she describe you?

Simon: I think she’d find many reasons to dislike me. At least at first. But neither of us can dispute our emotional connection, or our intense mutual attraction.

Mr. D: On the first night you met Angelica were you most like:

a)     Prince Charming;
b)     Prince (bad boy) Harry;
c)      The Artist formally known as Prince;
d)     Prince, the family pet.

Simon: I don’t know who they are, but on the first night I met Angelica, I’m afraid I’d have to say I kept to my rakish nature.  Upon seeing her beauty in the moonlight, I was undone, losing all sensibility and reason. For the first time in my adult life, I acted on impulse. I survive based on instincts. On well thought out plans. And it isn’t as though I’ve never seen a lovely face before. Yet, upon meeting her, I found myself acting completely out of character. Again. And again.

Mr. D: when you hear the work “ball” what do you think of:

a)     Baseball
b)     Basketball
c)     An uncontrollable weeping reaction of fans upon meeting your wife in person? 
d)     A gathering of lords and ladies.
Simon: While I have no idea what the first two are, it has been said that our tale has been known to bring a tear to the eye of many a reader. I have no time to attend balls.  I’m too busy trying to break the hold some powerful men have on me—get out of this situation alive and spare the lives of the men I command. If only this one green-eyed woman wasn’t so desirable and distracting.

Mr. D: How long have you been a hero and what advice would you give to heroes in the making?

Simon: Hero is not a word that one can use to describe oneself. I believe that there is a selfless quality that comes with the word. Giving of oneself in battle, or in love. I feel that Angelica is the truly heroic character, (though I can’t say why without giving anything away), and I love her for that. I can only hope that all of my selfless acts are perceived as heroic by her.

Mr. D: Okay, you know I have to go there…Jules de Moutier, the hero in A MIDNIGHT DANCE is in UNDONE and asked you whether you “sampled Angelica’s charms” while you were on the sea voyage with her…Did you?

Simon: Mr. D, the kindness I’ve afforded you will surely come to a violent halt, if you continue to follow that line of questioning. Have I made myself clear?

Mr. D: Yes!!! Absolutely! Just get that sword away from my neck and back in its sheath!! Simon, you are clearly an alpha male (as I’ve just personally witnessed), strong, a commander of hundreds of men, yet some say you have a hidden vulnerability…

Simon: I’d like to deny it, but I do have some difficulty trying to master my emotions towards Angelica, who is clearly out of my reach.  A son of a fisherman is not a suitable husband for a woman born into privilege—no matter how untamable the allure and emotions are between us.

Mr. D: Simon can you share with me something about Angelica that her readers would be surprised to know?

Simon: I wish I could, but she’s a rather mysterious beauty with many secrets.  You’ll have to read the book and find out what they are.  Let me say, that I had the devil’s own time just trying to learn just her full name.

Mr. D: Simon thanks so much for coming here today.

Simon: You’re most welcome. May I ask you a question or two?

Mr. D: Given your hand is on you sword, I would have to say, I’d love to be interviewed by you…

Simon: Good…I understand that you and Lila are of different opinions as to who would play us if this book were made a play.

Mr. D: You mean movie?
Simon: Are you interrupting me?
Mr. D: Ah, no.  Not at all. *wipes sweat*
Simon:  Lila selected Emily Blunt and Henry Cavill. Who would you chose?

Mr. D: Simon, I’m smart enough to know that despite that sword drawn on my throat, there’s no disagreement between Lila and I!  That said, I’m happy to hear what the readers have to say.

QUESTION: Got any favorite actresses (brunette) or actors (dark hair) you, the readers, think would make a good Rapunzel movie (without the insanely long hair)?
Giveaway:  One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of A MIDNIGHT DANCE *and* a signed copy of Shana Galen’s A ROGUE PIRATE’S BRIDE!

Mr D: Thank you, Simon. Dear readers, I hope you’ll indulge in this book. You won’t regret it!


UNDONE
A Fiery Tale
Lila DiPasqua
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
April, 2012
Inspired by the tale of Rapunzel, Lila DiPasqua offers a new steamy, emotionally charged historical romance in the acclaimed Fiery Tales Series . . . Rescuing this beauty from the ‘tower’ is only the beginning . . .

Maintaining her ruse as a commoner, and trusting no one has kept Angelica safe. But a chance encounter with a handsome stranger lands her right where danger lies. Now, this sinfully handsome man with arresting blue eyes and a polished manner thinks he’s saved her life, when in fact he’s placed her in great peril. She’s intent on keeping him and everyone else at arm’s length. Yet, the smoldering attraction between them is difficult to deny. And impossible to ignore . . .

As commander of a number of privateer ships, Simon Boulenger dresses and speaks like an aristocrat, and has obtained wealth. But he is still not a noble. Or an officer in the King’s Navy. His lifelong dream to elevate himself from his station of birth and attain a respectable place in society is dead. Worse, he’s ensnared in a deadly scheme, and must get out. But how is he to stay focused on his dangerous mission when the mysterious beauty has him utterly intrigued? He can’t afford the distraction any more than he can resist the carnal hunger she stirs. Simon soon discovers that she’s not only a passionate soul mate, but a woman born into privilege. A woman he can never have. But they’re in too deep. Their hearts are at risk . . . as well as their lives.
Visit my website for more info on other books in this series: www.LilaDiPasqua.com 
Buy on UNDONE:  (Coming soon on B&N and in print!)

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