Hello Followers.
I am taking today off. But don’t forget to check out the current giveaways. We will be back tomorrow.
♥
Kelly
Eternal Blood by Laura Wright (& giveaway)
What better way to start off the New Year then with a new Mark of the Vampire novella? Will your dreams have come true!!!! Laura Wright has a new MOTV coming out tomorrow (Jan 3rd). So to celebrate we are giving you a sneak peek of chapter one. Oh and a giveaway too!!!!
Eternal Blood: A Penguin eSpecial from Signet
(Mark of the Vampire #2.5)
File Size: 124 KB
Publisher: Signet (January 3, 2012)
Sold by: Penguin Publishing
Language: English
Gray Donahue is crippled by the guilt he feels for his father’s death. An Impure vampire cursed with the ability to hear the thoughts of others, he indulges in blood and sex to stave off the pain of his existence. He is then abducted by the Eternal Order of Vampires, who subject him to a nightmarish ritual. But when he is rescued by the icy pureblood vampire Dillon, he finds something that is worth living for, dying for, killing for…
Excerpt: Chapter One
It was like being back in the hospital again, this feeling of deep and overwhelming intensity—an intensity he had no control over. And the images that flickered through his mind; he couldn’t hold on to them in any real way, get a fix on them. Then there were voices. Three voices at once, and all coming fast.
Fast and furious as fuck.
With instructions he couldn’t comprehend, demands he wasn’t certain he wanted to give in to, and a pressure inside his skull to open wide and receive, Gray Donohue slammed open his eyes and hissed a fierce, “Stop! Christ. It’s too much.”
The quick images and harsh demands ringing inside his skull suddenly evaporated and he could breathe once again, focus again—even with the irritated and disappointed glares of the three Impures who encircled him.
“What’s the problem?” came the gruff voice at his shoulder.
Eyes narrowed, Gray turned to regard Riordon James, the massive Impure male with night-black eyes who had served most of his life in the human armed forces until he’d been caught bunking with a couple of his superior male officers.
“I thought you liked threesomes,” the male added with a growl of insincerity.
“I do,” Gray returned darkly. “Unfortunately this one lacked the dirty talk I need to get it up. All that angel white noise you tossed my way really turned me off.”
Gray watched the male’s mouth thin even further than normal. One bullshit joke deserved another, didn’t it? Besides, his idea of a threesome was naked, sweaty and mutually pleasurable. It sure as hell wasn’t obliging three fully clothed Impure warriors who were attempting to drill his brain for answers—find out if he was the missing piece to their puzzle.
Per usual, Riordon wasn’t giving up or moving on. His nostrils flared as he said, “You want dirty talk, do you, Impure?”
“Come on, Rio,” Piper Leigh, the blond female Impure across from Gray, said quickly and calmly. “Not necessary.”
But her words were lost on the tank-like male, and in seconds his eyes narrowed and a wave of intensity shot through Gray’s mind like an emotional bullet along with the words:
YOU KEEP THIS UP, I’LL CUT OFF YOUR COCK AND EAT IT FOR BREAKFAST.
It was like audio feedback times a thousand and Gray grit his teeth against the assault. The feeling of the words themselves inside his head weren’t clear and present like Alexander’s were, like anyone he could hear in his mind. No. These words slammed into his very being and ricocheted off his bones and muscle—it was like freaking God’s voice booming around in there, and he tried not to jerk in response as he stared back at Riordon.
“Dirty enough for you?” the male asked, dark amusement glittering in his black eyes.
Gray choked out a bitter reply, “Not exactly what I had in mind, but I respect the effort.”
Realizing he hadn’t killed Gray’s pluck as he’d hoped, Riordon snorted with disgust and turned away. “This is bullshit. He’s bullshit.”
“How about a break?” Piper asked, her pale lavender eyes bright with concern.
“We don’t have time for breaks,” said the male to her right—and to Gray’s left. “This needs to get done, get settled so we can continue our fight.”
The third member of the small but powerful vampiric coven was nearly as intense as the first, but where Riordon was powerful and solid, milk-white skin over icy hard muscle, Vincent Seal sported long, lean athleticism wrapped up in dark caramel skin, eyes and hair.
“I think we all need to chill out,” Piper said, her eyes still connecting with Gray as though she were trying to read his mind, though her gifts were more akin to changing the thoughts of others. “He’s just getting his feet wet here.”
His feet, Gray thought bitterly, glancing down. Where his feet had once been planted in the posh living quarters of the Roman brothers’ household, they were now uncertainly tap dancing around a circle of red color and interwoven lines; the symbol of what he had come to realize was the Impure resistance, inside a sparsely furnished, unromantic warehouse space in the Bronx. It was the real deal here. No Ethan Dare plotting and sex parties—no Impures laid out on cushy mats and pillows as they attempted to bump and grind their way to respect and equality with the Pureblood communities they served. This was real . . . and raw, and blatantly stated that there was work to be done.
After leaving the Romans, Gray hadn’t gone looking for these three gifted Impure warriors. He had been on the hunt for a purpose to his life, true—but he had been hoping to find a group of similar minded Impures, ready to band together and plan for the future. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on the outcome, Piper, Riordon and Vincent had found him first, convinced him that he belonged with them, to them—and to the cause he truly sought.
Granted, the three of them had mental gifts that Gray could understand and relate to, but he wasn’t altogether certain he wanted a part of whatever they were planning.
He stared at the symbol carved into the floor at their feet. Four coiled snakes with fangs extended. They had used their own blood to paint the symbol. It was their talisman, they said. It helped them both invoke power and calm their minds.
These three vipers.
And he was supposed to be their fourth.
A force that may be able to withstand the powers of the Order.
You want to know about the giveaway do you? Well here it is. Laura has offered up a swag bag to one lucky follower. How do you enter?
Leave a comment for Laura, tell her how excited you are about Gray’s novella.
Did you buy Eternal Blood yet?
If not swing over to Amazon | B&N and preorder then email me with a copy of your receipt and earn an extra entry.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
Happy New Year to all my wonderful follower
and totally awesome authors!!!!
Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunters Series
Book 1
Amazon, B&N, BookDepo, B-A-M, Chapters, IndBnd, Powells, B-On-B, Diesel, Kindle
, Nook, Penguin, Sony
Amazon, B&N, BookDepo, B-A-M, Chapters, IndBnd, Powells, B-On-B, Diesel, Kindle
, Nook, Penguin, Sony
USA Today bestselling author Nalini Singh introduces a world of beauty and bloodlust, where angels hold sway over vampires…
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she’s the best—but she doesn’t know if she’s good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option…even if the task is impossible.
Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad.
The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…
ARCHANGEL’S KISS
Book 2
Amazon, B&N, BookDepo, B-A-M, Chapters, IndBnd
Penguin, Powells, B-On-B, Diesel, Kindle, Nook, Penguin, Sony
Amazon, B&N, BookDepo, B-A-M, Chapters, IndBnd
Penguin, Powells, B-On-B, Diesel, Kindle, Nook, Penguin, Sony
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her world of angelic rulers, vampiric servants, and the woman thrust into their darkly seductive world…
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…
They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…
ARCHANGEL’S CONSORT
Book 3
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Nalini Singh steps back into the shadows of her “heartbreakingly original”* world where angels rule, vampires serve, and the innocent can pay the greatest price of all…
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…
A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.
The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.
An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…
ARCHANGEL’S BLADE
Book 4
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh is back in the shadows of a deadly, beautiful world where angels rule, vampires serve, and one female hunter must crawl out of the darkness to survive…
The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past…but Dmitri’s need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.
Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel’s right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality…the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.
As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting…and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more…
Novellas
All the novellas were written to stand alone, so you can pick them up at any stage in the series.
2. “Angels’ Judgment” in Must Love Hellhounds anthology
MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS
Amazon, B&N, BookDepo, B-A-M, Chapters, IndBnd, Powells, B-On-B, Diesel, Kindle, Nook, Penguin, Sony
Four big names in paranormal-four adventures starring man’s worst friend…
In these four original novellas, readers follow paranormal bodyguards into Lucifer’s realm, where they’ll encounter his fearsome four-legged pets; seek out a traitor in the midst of a guild of non-lethal vampire trackers, one who intends to eradicate the entire species of bloodsuckers; find out why the giant three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades has left the underworld for the real world; and embark on a perilous search for the kidnapped niece of a powerful vampire alongside her blind-and damn sexy-companion and a hellhound.
3. “Angel’s Wolf” in Angels of Darkness anthology
ANGELS OF DARKNESS
My novella will feature Noel, the vampire who was badly injured in Archangel’s Kiss, and an angel you haven’t yet met.
4. “Angels’ Dance” in Angels’ Flight Anthology
ANGELS’ FLIGHT
March 2012
March 2012
This anthology was originally going to feature the print edition of Angels’ Pawn, a reprint of Angels’ Judgment, plus a brand new novella, Angels’ Dance. However, my publisher has decided to make it a complete GH collection, so as a bonus, they’ll be including Angel’s Wolf as well (releasing as part of the Angels of Darkness anthology in October).
So, you can choose to wait and get Angel’s Wolf in March 2012 when Angels’ Flight releases. But, if you want my opinion, I would very much recommend you get the Angels of Darkness anthology. The lineup is incredible – I’m hanging out to read the other novellas (by Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook, and Sharon Shinn) myself!
ANGELS’ FLIGHT
In Angel’s Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.
In Angels’ Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all…
Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT
In Angels’ Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless…
And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
In Angels’ Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.
Find Nalini here
Final day of Winter’s Favorites
Today is the final day of Winter’s Favorites Monthly Giveaway.
I want to thank each and every one of my followers and authors for all your love and support this year. I would be nowhere without you. So since I have asked everyone to share their favorites here are mine
Snowboarding
Hot chocolate
Fireplaces
Holiday lights
Sweatshirts
Warm socks
And of course any excuses I can have to sit down
with a good book and read.
Again thank you so very much for everything,
so to sweeten the pot:
so to sweeten the pot:
I have 2 prize packages that I am going to be giving to of my followers filled with a bunch of stuff (open to everyone).
No I am not going to tell you what is all in them.
But I can say there will be a book or two or three..
And to make it even sweeter!!!!! I had a few authors that donated books who were not able be part of the Winter’s Favorites due to writing deadlines.
Lila Di Pasqua has donated a signed set of her Feiry Tales series (books 1-3)
Adrian Phoenix has donated one signed book from her back list
Emma Holly has donated two signed books
(Angel at Dawn & Devil at Midnight)
Rebecca Zanetti has donated two signed books (Fated & Claimed)
To enter for a chance to win one of my two Thank you Packages. And the 4 extra author prize packs, please leave me a comment, tell me if you enjoyed this monthly giveaway, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
Interview & Giveaway with Rebecca Zanetti
Books-n-Kisses is so excited to have the
wonderful Rebecca Zanetti on the blog today.
BIO: Rebecca Zanetti is a college professor by day and romance author by night. Currently she’s busy writing the sexy Dark Protector Series from Kensington Brava, which has received excellent reviews. Publisher’s Weekly declared FATED a ‘recommended spring read,’ and CLAIMED to be a thriller with “true strengths: sizzling sex scenes and a memorable cast.” To find Rebecca on the web, drop by her website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/
Books-N-Kisses: HI Rebecca, How are you today? Can I get you anything before we get started? Coffee, Tea, Soda, food?
Rebecca: Well, it’s morning here, so how about coffee? I try to limit myself to one coffee and one soda (diet coke) a day and drink plenty of water. One day my New Year’s resolution will be to give up diet coke…but not today!
Books-N-Kisses: I have to say it was so great to meet you up at the Emerald City Writers Conference in October. I am so excited to share you with my followers. Shall we get started?
Rebecca: It was so wonderful to meet you, too. That was my first Emerald City Writers Conference, and I loved it. Hope to see you there next year! So, yeah, let’s get started.
Q1) Let’s start by learning a little more about you. Please tell my followers who is the famous person you interned for in college!! I think this is pretty awesome!!
Rebecca: I interned with President Reagan in California. It was after he was President, but he still gave 3-5 speeches a week. Our offices were in the penthouse of the Fox Plaza Building (the building that pretty much gets blown up in Die Hard.) I saw him every day, and he was hilarious. Told great jokes. Nancy Regan’s offices were just down the hall, so we saw her a lot, too. They really seemed happy together.
Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Rebecca: Sure. I’ve always wanted to tell stories. But there have been many things I wanted to do, like practice law, study art, travel a bit. So far…so good. Now that the writing bug has caught me, I plan to keep at it.
Q3) Who do you feel has influenced your writing style?
Rebecca: Well, the first romance I ever read was a MacGregor story by Nora Roberts, and I was hooked on romance forever. So, as cliché as it sounds, Nora Roberts. But, I also think that practicing law as a trial attorney has really influenced my style. A good book is like a good trial – fast paced, full of interesting characters, and the goal is a good result. (A happy ending, if you will). J
Q4) Are you a plotter or panster?
Rebecca: Panster. I discover as I go, just like a reader does. I’ve tried to plot, usually get to the second paragraph, and then have to go write just to see what happens.
Q5) Tell us what a typical writing day for you is like.
Rebecca: I don’t think I have a typical writing day, though I do write every day. Sometimes it’s at night, after work, basketball practice for the kids, homework, dinner, etc. On Fridays I try to write all day because I don’t teach at the college on Fridays. I’ve been known to sketch out a scene during half-time of my son’s football game.
Let’s talk about your Dark Protector Series
Q6) Fated is book one in your Dark Protector Series. Tell us a little more about this book.
Rebecca: Fated features Talen Kayrs, the strategic leader of the vampire people, and his mate, Cara Paulsen, a single mother and plant physiologist. The bad vampires (Kurjans) want Cara’s daughter, Janie, who’s the key to the entire series. Talen is an Alpha, without question, and Cara’s scientific mind isn’t quite sure what to do with him. Especially after he marks her for all time.
Q7) How did you come up with the idea for this series?
Rebecca: When I start something new, I write a scene for a story and then everything unfolds from there. So for Fated, I wrote a scene just after Talen had kidnapped Cara and they were looking at each other in a private jet. He turned out to be a vampire, and the entire series unfolded from there. Plus, I wrote the vampires the way I’d want them to be. Hot blooded, dangerous, and not afraid of the sun. The bad guys are afraid of the sun. So, in order to do this, I had to delve into science and make vampires just another different species on earth – genetically.
Q8) Claimed is book two, please tell us more. And I just have to I love the covers of your books.
Rebecca: Thanks! I love the covers, too. The graphic arts department at Kensington has very talented people. It’s always a huge, pleasant surprise when I get a new cover. Claimed is about Dage Kayrs, who’s the king of the vampires, and his mate, Emma Paulsen, a brilliant geneticist who has NO time to deal with an Alpha-male of a vampire.
Q9) Up next I see you have a Novella coming out April 1, 2012 called Tempted (book 2.5). Can you share a little about Max & Sarah?
Rebecca: I had a lot of fun writing about Max and Sarah. Max is a huge, quiet, dangerous type of a guy—a great bodyguard for little Janie. Sarah was a teacher who ended up in an insane asylum after seeing a Kurjan kill somebody. There’s a fun courtroom scene to prove her sanity toward the end…with a lot of romance, sensuality, and action as well.
Q10) Hunted (book 3) is scheduled for release on April 24, 2012. What can expect from Connlan & Moira’s book?
Rebecca: Moira is the first heroine in the series who isn’t human. Not only is she a witch, she’s THE witch. The seventh sister of a seventh sister—they use quantum physics for witchcraft. Connlan Kayrs is the ultimate soldier for the Realm. There’s a lot of action, some wild sex, and some surprisingly tender moments. The two accidentally mated a century ago, and Conn gave Moira time and space to grow as a witch. Time is up.
Q11) I am super excited to see on your blog that you have book 4 & 5 listed as coming soon. Do you see the series going beyond book 6?
Rebecca: Yep. There will be between 7 and 9 books. Two of those may be novellas, so there would be 7 books and 2 novellas – or just 9 complete novels, depending on what Kensington wants. The last book is Janie and Zane’s book—and it wraps up the entire series, also answering why Janie is so darn important to everyone. I won’t go past that for this series – at some point, it has to wrap up. Of course…there are several spinoffs possible…
Q12) Do you ever see yourself writing in a different genre?
Rebecca: Sure. I have a romantic suspense series my agent will be sending out early next year. I also have an upbeat women’s fiction series (formerly called ‘chick lit’), but I haven’t had time to work on it. Maybe toward the end of next year?
Q13) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Rebecca: Ohhhh. This is such a tough question! I love so many authors. Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Dean Kootnz, Cynthia Eden, J.R. Ward, Janet Evonovich, Sayde Grace, Erin Kellison…and I could just keep going!
Q14) I love to know what is in your to read pile that you are dying to get to?
Rebecca: Well, I have a book due at Kensington February 1st, and then the next book due May 1st, so I’m struggling to find time to read. (I do love to read, though.) There’s actually a pile on the table behind me: Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evonovich, Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden, New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. There are more around here somewhere. J
Q15) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Rebecca: You know, as my first year as a published author comes to an end, I’d like to thank everyone for their support. From the readers to other authors to wonderful people like you who take time to learn about our worlds, I really appreciate it. This is the frosting. J
Books-n-Kisses: Rebecca, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so very very much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to sit down with me and chat. I am looking forward to the next time we meet up. Also so looking forward to Hunted.
Rebecca: You bet! Let’s plan to meet up for coffee in Seattle next year. Or diet coke, because there’s no way I will have given it up yet. Thanks again and everyone have a truly awesome 2012!
Want to learn more about Rebecca? Check her out here:
Review of Power Play by Eliza Gayle
Power Play
by Eliza Gayle
Publisher: Loose Id
ISBN: 978-1-61118-663-5
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Pleasure Playground Book #2, Book #1 is Midnight Playground
Themes: Bondage, Dominance, Submission, Voyeurism
Format: eBook
Length: Novel
ISBN: 978-1-61118-663-5
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Pleasure Playground Book #2, Book #1 is Midnight Playground
Themes: Bondage, Dominance, Submission, Voyeurism
Format: eBook
Length: Novel
She wants the escape. He wants control. They both need love.
Jennifer Croft is at the peak of her career. As a bondage model at Altered Ego, she’s become the crème de la crème of the fetish world, ensuring herself a top spot in her profession. The world is her oyster. Her personal life on the other hand… It’s not pretty. Only her fascination with pain play keeps the ghosts of her past at bay.
After tragedy sends Daegan McKenna to the South for a much needed change of pace, the last thing he expects to find is a closet submissive hiding in plain sight. She’s hot-tempered and in denial — a heady combination that brings out the dominant looking for a challenge. He’s already loved and lost more than one man should, but the haunted look in her eyes prompts him to make her an offer. He’ll indulge her darkest fantasies, if she’ll agree to give up control. Then he’ll let her go.
Unfortunately, the past never stays in the past and old insecurities cause complications neither of them wanted. Now temporary is not enough.
My thoughts:
Jennifer appears to be a very strong person on the outside but deep down she is scared and unsure of herself. Jennifer has never learned how to rely on anyone but herself for most of her life. When Daegan shows up at Altered Ego everything that Jennifer knows and feels about trusting someone will be tested. But is she strong enough to handle the changes?
Daegan is trying to run from his past. But when he sets his eyes on the beautiful bondage model at Altered Ego he knows he can no longer run from how he feels or the things that he wants out of life. And now he wants Jennifer. But will Daegan be able to tame the wild, hot tempered temptress without losing himself in the process?
This was a great story of finding out who you are and what you need. Even if it is the last thing you ever thought you needed, is what you need the most. This is a great love story between Jennifer & Daegan with a hint on BDSM. There is not a lot BDSM which is great, because it doesn’t take over the story. I really enjoyed the struggle that Jennifer & Daegan go through to understand each other. Both have secrets that they are afraid to share. But in the end if you don’t have trust you don’t have anything.
If you are looking for a great BDSM story, I would recommend you check out Power Play.
I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Christine & Eliza for allowing me to read and review this book. I look forward to reading more of Eliza’s stories.
Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~30
Welcome to Day 30 of Winter’s Favorites
And the second to last day of our month long giveaway. Today we have the WONDERFUL Kallypso Masters sharing her favorite thing about winter.
I’ve had a wonderful holiday season already and hope you and yours have as well. We celebrate Christmas in my family and this year’s was especially poignant because one of my older sisters, who has been battling cancer for two years, was given the news on Dec. 20 that there is hope and her surgeons expect the radical surgery she’ll undergo Jan. 12 will eradicate the cancer from her body. What a Christmas blessing!
Now, I know this blog is more about winter, but since the holidays fall during the winter and a big part of my latest book, Nobody’s Hero, they sort of all get wrapped together in my head. One of my favorite things to do in winter is get together with family and friends and play games. You know, the silly “party” games. I even wrote two of my favorite games into Thanksgiving Day scenes in Masters at Arms and Nobody’s Hero—Quiddler and Apples to Apples, respectively.
On Christmas Eve, we also played Eye to Eye, which is great fun when you have multiple generations playing, because, boy, can’t predict or imagine how different people think based on age! One card said to name three convenience stores. We older members were writing “Seven-Eleven, Convenient, and Speedway.” The under-25 set wrote “Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target.” But at least they matched with each other, so they got their points!
This year, Santa brought us a new game called Say Anything. Yes, this one’s destined to become a favorite. I discovered some interesting trivia about two of my sisters—that Paul Revere and the Raiders was their favorite band of all time. Never know when that information might come in handy (and it’s a little embarrassing—I thought my music tastes were off the wall).
At Thanksgiving this year, we also were playing Apples to Apples (just like Karla’s family and Adam do in Hero!) and discovered that it is even more fun when a couple of the people playing are having a bit too much to drink. As you will see in this example, though, it doesn’t take much alcohol for some bizarre responses. One of the adjective cards played was “Violent.” So, the four of us playing that round chose the noun card that best conveyed violent. One of my heavily-drinking sisters played “Midwest.” When the cards were revealed, I asked, “What’s violent about the Midwest?” My inebriated sister who had played the card said, “They’re always fighting over there.” I said, “No, that’s not the Midwest—that’s the MIDDLE EAST!” Then the sister judging that round, who wasn’t really drinking much at all, chose Midwest as the best match for violent. Huh? She said, “Because of tornadoes.”
I laughed so hard my sides hurt. And that’s the point of these silly games, really. To just act like kids and laugh until you can barely breathe. (Works the abs better than a personal trainer can, too!)
I hope the rest of your winter months are filled with side-splitting laughter, whether it’s with games like these or whatever it is you and your family and friends enjoy laughing about.
Have a happy and healthy New Year!
Kally
Nobody’s Hero is the third in my debut Rescue Me series. The books are not stand-alone novels, though, so if you haven’t started the series yet, please accept a free copy of Masters at Arms, the introduction to the series (with prequels for the romances of the three Doms who own the club). Use coupon code AL47T (not case-sensitive) at Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80282); coupon good through Jan. 6. The Rescue Me series also is sold at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006PA7UJS/) and Barnes & Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nobodys-hero-kallypso-masters/1108057218?ean=2940013874121), and Nobody’s Angel (Rescue Me #2) also is available at All Romance eBooks. (Nobody’s Hero will be published there in January.)
Please follow the instructions below and leave a comment with your e-mail address for a chance to win a copy of Nobody’s Hero. (About 1,000 copies already have been sold, though, so if you already have a copy, I’ll add you to the list for a free copy of Nobody’s Perfect when it’s published this coming spring.)
I love having readers help me with the writing of my stories and development of my characters, so I often ask questions on my Facebook Kallypso Masters Author Page (https://www.facebook.com/KallypsoMastersAuthorPage) seeking advice. The answers often become part of the current or future books and sometimes my readers know the characters better than I do! I invite you to “like” my author page and send a friend request to my personal Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kallypsomasters), if you’d like. (I get a little more “personal” there.) I’m also on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/kallypsomasters/) and Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5130089.Kallypso_Masters).
To enter for a chance to win an ebook. Please leave Kally a comment, tell her what some of your favorite things about winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
Interview with JL Oiler
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome JL Oiler to the blog today. We are looking forward to learning a little more about JL and her book Four Beneath the Mistletoe.
JL: Thanks for having me it is truly an honor.
Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
JL: Certainly, I live in the mountains of West Virginia with my family and a very spoiled boxer. When not writing I love to read and spend time outdoors. Besides being an author, I work as a teacher and hold a masters degree from BSU.
Q2) Tell us a typical writing day for you
JL: I get home from work and after dinner head to my place. I write in one spot, the worn corner of my living room loveseat. After I fire up the computer and I reread anything I recently wrote I then attempt to rouse my muse from some words. At least once during my hour or two, which I dedicate to writing, my son will come in with an end of the world question (“Mom what channel is Scooby doo on?”” and I am force to take a momentary break to save the world. Ater which I return to my spot and begin the process anew.
Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
JL: My father was a reader and I learned from him the freedom of ideas and dreams that come from a great book. In my youth, I read book after book and decided I wanted to be the one deciding where my stories went.
Q4) Tell us a little about your book Four Beneath the Mistletoe:
JL: Four Beneath the Mistletoe is a Holiday Sci-Fi romance where readers get to meet Federation Officer Sara Yeager who is disenchanted with her duties and longs for fulfillment of a different sort. Three magnificent aliens come to the station to gather insight into some of the more common traditions and with a sprig of mistletoe offer a cosmic Christmas surprise and a future she never imagined.
Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
JL: I was actually looking through a book with my son about different holidays and traditions that surround each and wondered what someone who had no idea about any of them would view such things. That was the base line and the rest just sort of fell into place.
Q6) What is your current work in progress?
JL: I am finishing up a Cowboy ménage story and another paranormal shape shifter piece.
Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
JL: Krelsey Cole, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine Feehan,
Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey. That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
JL: The Guardian by Kenyon, and Three For Keeps by Lila Munro
Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
JL: It has truly been an honor to be here with you and readers can see more of what’s going on in my world on my web site www.joiler.weebly.com please drop by and let me know what you think!
Books-n-Kisses: JL, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books
JL: Thank You so much for having me here and I hope all the readers enjoy my visit as much as I did!
Four Beneath the Mistletoe Excerpt:
“The guy in the big red suit is Santa Claus,” Sara Jean informed them as one of the serving staff brought around cups of some frothy sweet crème for them to enjoy.
“We have heard of your Saint Nicolas. He travels with flying animals and visits all the children in a single night,” Pharos said as he took the drink offered him and made a face at the taste. Sara laughed aloud before covering her mouth and apologizing.
“An apology is not needed. Your laughter is every bit as sweet to our ears as the children’s below.” Azek’s words brought a bright flush to her face, making her even more luminously beautiful then before, something he thought impossible.
“How could one man possibly be so many places so quickly? It is illogical,” Turku
“It’s all just part of the magic; on Christmas all things are possible,” Sara Jean replied with a twinkle in her eyes.
As they stood to depart this area, the scene made Azek wonder what magic it would take to put the sexy woman in their bed.
“Perhaps you will show use more of your human traditions tomorrow evening, once I have completed my meetings with the commander?” Azek asked her, leaning forward to run his fingers across the bare skin of Sara Jean’s arm.
“We’ll all go to the Holograph deck around six tomorrow evening, then.” She swallowed hard but did not move away from his touch. “I thought I might show you a few different celebrations taking place around the station before we parted ways.”
“If you wish.” Azek licked his lower lip, thoughts of tasting her dancing in his head.
Sara Jean’s heart pounded so loudly in her ears she felt certain everyone in the room could hear the rapid thumping. The intensity of Azek’s gaze coupled with the sensuality of his touch put her in a state of meltdown. His powerful omegas were looking at her with a mirror of the same intensity. At this rate, Sara thought she might need to stop somewhere on the way back to her quarters later this evening and wring out her undies. One thing was for certain: BOB, her battery-operated boyfriend, would be paying her a social visit tonight.
After a quick trip down two floors to deck three, Sara Jean led the group into yet another crowded common room. This one contained several large fans angled upward to cre
ate a steady wind current in which the room’s occupants flew numerous, colorful kites.
“This is all part of the Hindu Makara Sankranti, celebrating the movement of the sun during the winter solstice. Traditionally it was held around January 14th, but the federation felt it was in the best interest to combine all the various religious holidays into a single timeframe lasting about a week. I think they might have been worried about constant disruptions to the normal function of the stations,” Sara told her guests as they watched the vibrant kites dance above them.
“These are very beautiful,” Pharos said appreciatively as the group turned to depart. “Nearly as lovely as our hostess.”
A heated blush spread across Sara’s face and she stumbled a moment to respond. “Th-Thank You.”
Review of Seducing the Myth (anthology)
Seducing the Myth: Myths and Legends with an Erotic Twist is a collection of 24 tantalizing tales that lead you on a decadent journey through mythologies the world over. As well as stories from the popular Greek and Roman periods, this anthology will also delight you with Arabian, Arthurian, Hindu, Jewish, Norse, Slavic, Sumerian and Welsh myths and legends. Add in a delicious sprinkling of fairies, mermaids and ancient fertility rituals and you have a recipe for a wickedly erotic read!
Natasha’s Thoughts:
Holy bonkers!! These stories are seriously HOT, I think I burned myself multiple times, and had to take many cold showers; then get back to reading! Ever have a really, really sizzling scene in a book that you bookmarked so you could easily find it again for a quick refresher (I can’t be the only one)? That’s all these stories are! Great, short reads that get straight to the point and turn up the heat. Very fun and wicked read!
Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~29
Welcome to Day 29 of Winter’s Favorites
I have the most Awesome Laura Kaye sharing her favorite things about winter…
10 Favorite Things about Winter
By Laura Kaye
Thanks so much to Kelly for hosting me as part of this great winter celebration! She asked me to share my favorite things about winter, and I’m delighted to, especially as I’m currently celebrating a winter/holiday-themed book based on Greek mythology! My contemporary fantasy romance, North of Need, features a long-exiled snow god who falls in love with a grieving widow, so winter’s been on my mind! Here are ten of my favorite things:
Scarves – I am the hugest fan of scarves. I easily have 15 in all different colors and fabrics. I love how cozy and warm they keep you, and how comfortable they are on a cold day. Plus they come in so many colors and patterns, you just can’t have enough!
Christmas lights – Christmas lights still have the ability to make me feel like a kid. I love seeing houses that go all out, and I love driving through big displays of Christmas lights, which is a Christmas Even tradition in my house each year.
Snowmen – And not just because of my book! LOL Seriously! I’ve always loved seeing snowmen after a snow fall. They’re everything playful about winter. I even have a huge collection of snowman figurines, some of which my mom gave me as Christmas gifts when I was a teenager.
Hot chocolate – which lots and lots of whipped cream, natch. In fact, I’m totally okay having a skewed whipped-cream-to-hot-chocolate ratio: in favor of the whipped cream. Winter’s the only time of the year I drink hot chocolate, and it’s just part of the season for me.
Christmas carols – Somehow, they get old fast right after Christmas, but I really enjoy them in the weeks leading up to the holiday. They just make me feel festive and nostalgic.
Snow on the Bay – I live right on the Chesapeake Bay , and I love when it snows or gets cold enough to freeze the little inlet on which we live, and the Bay just sparkles with the wintry mix. It’s completely gorgeous and one of the things I love about winter on the Bay.
Tree light ceremonies – Standing in a crowd of people, everyone anticipating the big moment, counting down from ten: I love the atmosphere of a tree light ceremony!
The Abominable Snowman – I actually love all the characters in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and have eyed the figurines from it on many an occasion! LOL But the Abominable Snowman is just the awesomest. Poor guy just needed his tooth pulled. Come on!
Sleigh rides – I have always been a total horse nut. I don’t ride—though I always wanted to learn, but I still think horses are beautiful and majestic. So, put that together with a totally fun sleigh and a crisp winter night and jingle bells and a blanket to cuddle under, and I’m there!
Christmas morning – I don’t care how old I get, Christmas morning will always feel full of magic to me! And, now that I have small children, that feeling is multiplied tenfold at least. I love the anticipation of it, the just sheer and utter joy, and the kids’ total belief that Santa brought them presents.
So, those are some of my favorite things about winter. What’s yours?
Thanks for reading!
Laura Kaye
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Paperback Dolls called North of Need THE romance read for holiday gift-giving!:
Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves…
Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she’s recreated the very thing she’ll never have.
Called to life by Megan’s tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.
Megan is drawn to Owen’s mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration–before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow’s grief and learn to trust love again, or she’ll lose Owen forever.
About Laura Kaye:
A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura is the author of the bestselling contemporary romance and award-nominated HEARTS IN DARKNESS and the bestselling and award-winning paranormal romance FOREVER FREED (NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011), as well as an erotic romance novella, JUST GOTTA SAY. Her fourth book, contemporary fantasy romance NORTH OF NEED, is the first in the 4-book Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
To enter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon e-gift card. Please leave Laura a comment, tell her what some of your favorite things about winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
Because it is the season of giving. I am giving you another chance to win Laura’s book…North of Need is up for Sizzling Read of the Year and Eight GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards–Please consider voting by 12/31. Sizzling Hot Book Review also is giving you a chance to win Laura’s book too, click HERE
Because it is the season of giving. I am giving you another chance to win Laura’s book…North of Need is up for Sizzling Read of the Year and Eight GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards–Please consider voting by 12/31. Sizzling Hot Book Review also is giving you a chance to win Laura’s book too, click HERE
Spotlight Feature of Snowy Fate by Marissa Dobson
I am so excited to have my girl Marissa on the blog as one of my Spotlight Features this month. I had the great pleasure of reading this book early. It is a great, fast and lovely novella. I hope that you enjoy too. So with out future ado I present to you Snowy Fate…
Fate always knows when you’re ready for love.
The past is catching up with Aspyn Layton. The father she never knew passed away and she is left to deal with his estate. An unexpected snowstorm has her stranded at the one place she didn’t want to be—her father’s house—with a naked man.
Damon Andrews has a secret, one he shared with Aspyn’s father. He must convince Aspyn there is more to life then what she knows. How will she react when she finds out he is a mountain lion, and she is his mate? Their fates are intertwined.
Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, I now reside about an hour from Washington, D.C. I am a lady who likes to keep busy, and am always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, I believe you are never done learning.
Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave me the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read I have always had my nose in a book. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I started writing down the stories I came up with.
I am blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He is my other half and allows me to stay home and pursue my writing. My writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to me bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.
Excerpt:
She picked up the fire poker as she looked at the naked man before her. “Who are you?” Even though she was startled by the man who stood before her, she had a feeling that he meant her no harm. A man that sexy couldn’t harm anyone; except to break a girl’s heart. He looked as though he should be posing for Playgirl instead of standing in the cozy living room.
“The better question is who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked as he shook the wet snow off his body. He stood there, not the least bit concerned that he was naked, nor that he was wet from head to toe. Her heart was fluttering, and desire was heating her cheeks. She wanted to explore his toned body with her hands, and her tongue. His dark hair was wind blown into disarray; that served to make him look dangerous, and that much sexier.
“The name’s Aspyn. Now who are you?”
“You’re his daughter,” he said more out of shock, then in question. “I’m Damon Andrews. John, your dad’s lawyer, didn’t think you would be coming to the house, or I would have left.”
Once she heard this man was a friend of her father’s, she quickly squashed the attraction that was building inside her. There was no way she could pursue someone who knew her father. She didn’t want to know any more than she already did about the man who ran out on her and her mother.
“It wasn’t the plan. I agreed to sell the place and his things. I planned to head straight home, but the storm rolled in, leaving me no time to get out of town. I didn’t have anywhere else to go and I didn’t think anyone was living here. The lawyer mentioned the key under the rug if I wanted to stop.” She lowered the weapon as she spoke.
He nodded in understanding. “If there is anything of his you want, please feel free to take it. There are lots of pictures of you.”
“He never gave me anything while he was alive and I don’t want anything now.” The first tear was threatening to fall.
“Hey there, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry,” he said, crossing the room in two strides.
“It’s not you. It’s just being here, around all this. It’s more than I can handle now. I’m not a woman who cries at the drop of the hat, I don’t know what is wrong with me. All the years he missed, and now it’s too late. This is like crying over spilled milk.”
He gently laid a hand on her shoulder. “He wouldn’t want you to be upset. He did what he thought was right when you were a child. It might not have been the best decision, but he felt it was the only way. It was the only way to give you a semi-normal childhood, and he regretted that decision every day.”
She looked him in the eye and with fire in her eyes, she lashed back. “I know this is going to sound childish and ungrateful, but then he should have come back for us.” She shook off his hand. “But none of that matters now, it’s too late. What are you doing here? Better yet, why are you naked?”
Taking a step back, he nodded to the cot made in the corner. “I’ve been staying with your father. I’m building a house on the other side of the lake and was living at the hotel. On your dad’s better days, he would come over and helped with the construction. The heat and plumbing aren’t finished yet because of the freezing weather. Your dad invited me to stay until it was finished. When he passed and I found out you didn’t want the house, I put the offer in to buy it. I couldn’t see it sold off to someone who wouldn’t appreciate the beauty of the area. As for my lack of clothing, well that is a long story. Why don’t I make us something to eat? I’m sure you’re starving.”
“That would be great.”
“On one condition … you must read your father’s journal. You need to understand why. It will affect you more than I can explain.” Before she could object he added, “Please. There is stuff in there that you really need to know. I told him time and time again that he needed to find you before it was too late and tell you. But he didn’t listen. The first page is all I am asking. After that, if you don’t want to read any more, I won’t pester you anymore today.”