Jennifer Jakes has brought a few friends with her today...

When Jennifer sent me her post along with the accompanying pics, I was happy. In fact, I took longer than strictly necessary to save and close down these lovely specimens. Men. Love 'em, hate 'em, we all got to have 'em!

Over to you, Jennifer!

Macho, Macho Man...........

Now that I've got you all singing along with the Village People (LOL) ............

How about those Alpha Males? Love 'em? Hate em? Love to hate them? Or do you love them on paper and film but in real life not so much?

This week we're discussing Alphas and their counterparts, the Beta Male.

I'm sure all of us have a favorite Alpha. Maybe he's your guilty pleasure at the movies. Or perhaps the Dom in the BDSM book you just read. Just thinking about him curls your toes. But............

What about a man with feelings? A sensitive man who makes you laugh, listens to your concerns, dresses in something besides torn jeans and a leather jacket.

Why do women tend to forget the "good guy"? Or worse! Why do we always tell him: "I just want to be friends?"

Are we gluttons for punishment? Or does it go back to cave man days -- or *gasp* even further? High School? Are we still "wired" to look for the strongest, best-hunter of the group? When maybe we should have looked at the nerdy cave man figuring out how to make fire? (I'm sure he died a billionaire once he got that first patent going.) Are we still looking at the football hero when we should be looking in the computer lab? (Bill Gates. That's all I'm saying.)

OK, here's the really deep part. I think we write romance because we can create the perfect blend. The perfect BALPHA MALE. He's strong and stubborn, but he's sensitive and can cry. He will fight to the death for us, but let us drive his sports car. He can cook. And willingly washes the dishes.

He's perfect ........and he only exists on paper.

So what do you think, ladies? Do you find yourself drawn to Alpha or Beta males in movies or books? Action hero or Romantic Comedy? Rouge or guy next door?

Love to hear your thoughts!

He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

Loving the sound of this book, Jennifer and I know it has received rave reviews. In fact, what the heck am I waiting for....

Waiting to hear your comments on the alpha/beta male, folks!

Welcome my online friend and author Rhonda Lee Carver!

Great to have you here, Rhonda! Through Facebook and online chatting I feel as though I have got to know you so well with your lovely and often inspirational musings and pics of your beautiful family.

You seem so busy most of the time I am surprised you manage to write at all but your backlist is growing all the time, lol! Let's get on with the interview because I can't wait to hear more about your latest release...

1) When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Upon receiving the first contract. Until then I felt like I was a child staring in through the window until the door was opened and I was invited in.

2) Describe your writing space?

A mess !!! Seriously. I have a laptop and I plop down in the family room where my wee one enjoys making a disaster but doesn’t find it so entertaining to clean it up.

4) How many books have your written? Which is your favourite?

In total I have written 10 books. 5 are published. 1 is with the publisher now. 1 I am currently working on. Which leaves 3 more waiting the last polishing. My fave? Wow. I wouldn’t say I have a fave. I have a fave scene or aspect about each book I write. I must say though that I’ve enjoyed writing paranormal romance.

5) What comes first, plot or characters?

Plot. It’s amazing how a story can be created from a sentence you here at the grocery store, a picture on a billboard, a headline in the news, even seeing an argument in the park. From there the story snowballs and the characters come alive. I never sit and plan anything though. My first sentence on chapter one of a work is literally my first sentence. I let things just happen.

6) Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Hell yes. Lots. Lack of motivation too. Sometimes it lasts for a few hours, sometimes for days. I also have a tendency to be too hard on myself. I set high goals and feel disappointed when I don’t meet the deadlines.

7) What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I spend a lot of time with my kids. From sports to park visits to family movie night. My life is pretty ‘normal’ if there is such a thing as normal. Sometimes in all of the chaos of life I am able to unfold a hot sex scene in between loading the dishwasher and cleaning up cat puke.

8) Tell us about your latest book?

Delaney’s Sunrise is releasing on June 20, 2011. It is about a woman who is engaged to Jacob but is in love with his brother, Abe. Sounds sticky, doesn’t it? Well…it is. And the suspense builds as lies and secrets unfold. There are a few twists in here that will keep readers on the edge of their seat.

9) What’s next for you?

I am finishing up an erotica and would like to start on the sequel to Second Chance Cowboy before the summer is over.

Blurb for Delaney’s Sunrise

“You can’t chase me away from where I belong, Abe. This is our farm. You can’t just do anything you please.”

Abe said nothing. His gaze dragged over her, roving from her mouth and down her body with an insolence that made her want to scream.

Rage flushed through Dee like fire, shooting from her pounding head down to her pulsing, tingling center. “You can go to hell is what you can do, Abe Delaney.”

“Was that supposed to hurt my feelings?” Abe’s smile crawled across his lips, a slow and knowing thing.

Desire moved through Dee’s blood, hot and slow as molasses. Anger snapped through her, turning her arm into a whip, her hand into its stinging lash as she slapped him hard across his stubbled jaw. His head jerked to the side. His hand shot up and locked around her wrist, capturing her in a grip made of coarse-hewn rock. SSSlowly he turned his head back, working his jaw. His eyes found hers, smoldering with slow-building anger beneath flash-fire lust.

“Well now, darlin’,” he whispered, and his voice thrummed through her, rumbling deep in his chest. “Don’t think that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever done.”

My Bio:

About Rhonda Lee Carver

http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=authors&authors_id=120

Suffering from years of hopeless romantic notions and sexy, sassy heroines and bad-ass

heroes taking up residence in her mind, Rhonda decided to write and bring the stories to life.

With baby on hip and laptop on the other--and two years later--Rhonda has published five

eBooks with a handful of spicy love stories waiting for the final touches.

When Rhonda isn’t crafting edge-of-your-seat, sizzling-ink novels, you will find her with

her children, watching soccer, watching a breathtaking movie, doing (or trying) yoga, and

finding new ways to keep her smile bright. Rhonda thrives on making her readers happy. She

believes everyone deserves romance--one page at a time…

Rhonda‘s Website:

www.rhondaleecarver.com

Reader eMail:

Rhondaleecarver.author@gmail.com

Great interview, Rhonda and I am gobsmacked you suffer from writer's block - it doesn't seem that way at all! Beautiful cover by the way, who was the artist?

Comments?

Novella Number Three is off to a flying start!

Okay, the planning for novella number three has been completed so the writing will begin tomorrow, yay!! This story was the result of a contest I ran a few weeks ago where I gave you guys a list of hero occupations, heroine occupations and settings.

So time to share the working title, the blurb and a pic of a sexy couple just for the hell of it....welcome to 'Greek Gratification'!

Blurb:

Michelle Hutton leaves everything behind and flies from the UK to Greece in search of a new beginning. Her first encounter is with a sexy, pro-bono lawyer with a body that demands to be bitten and a face that could adorn the cover of Playgirl. He tells her where she use her catering training and find a job as a chef and a cheap place to stay. Sam Clarke is too good to be true. And Michelle doesn’t trust men – or anyone else after being let down time and again by the people she loves. Including the parents she left behind. But damn, he’s hard to resist…

Sam Clarke is a busy man – a man on a mission to help women in jeopardy. Women running for their lives or trying to start new ones. So when a woman with hair like a sheet of black velvet and eyes bluer than ocean walks into the bar, asking for help, what is he’s supposed to do? The electricity between them is hotter than a live wire and Sam knows this woman could distract him from his work. He needs to stay away…yet time and again he goes back for more.

What do you think?

R x

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press writer, Randi Alexander!

Thanks so much, Rachel, for interviewing me on your blog today.

Welcome, Randi!

I am really excited to have you here as I have to admit, i am yet to read any cowboy erotic romances but it is high on my 'to do' list! There is something super sexy about a cowboy and I really need to correct my mistake of not picking up a couple of stories before now.

Let's get started, I'm looking forward to hearing about your releases!

1) What is your writing routine?

I'm a stay-at-home writer, so I jump into writing as soon as I get my hubby off to work in the morning. I also like to write in the evenings, after he's hooked on TV or deep in a good book. I don't do much writing on weekends, mostly social networking and finding creative-but-free ways to market my books.

I usually outline longer books and do extensive backstories for the characters, but for shorter books, I will keep the outline and backstories in my head while I'm writing. I like to write the first draft fast, and I can shoot out up to 4,000 words a day. When I finish the first draft, I set it aside for a week then come back to it to revise with all those wonderful layers that make a book interesting.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write?

I love reading Nora Roberts' romances. She's always been an inspiration. And if you haven't read the Bride Quartet novels, I encourage you to do so. I think they're her best work yet. When I'm writing an edgier novel, I immerse myself in JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood to get that snappy flavor.

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

I like to read contemporary in spicy romance and erotic romance. For sheer pleasure, I love Lisa Kleypas' historicals. They relax me and send me back in time when the world wasn't so complicated. I'm a contemporary writer. I've tried historical (and I was boring) and I've tried paranormal (and I was just laughable.) So I'll stick to what I do best.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

Red wine and dark chocolate. And the knowledge that I'll never fail if I never stop trying. I just have to hit the right editor or agent with the right manuscript. But that means submitting like crazy, and receiving more rejections than contracts. But the contracts will come, and I am always thinking positive thoughts.

5) What do you expect from an editor?

My editor at The Wild Rose Press (Hi Trish!) is amazing. She sent back my first submission with suggestions for a rewrite to better align my manuscript with the Cowboy Kink line. You could say she 'whipped me into line.' After my contract was signed, she edited the book carefully, giving suggestions for adding emotion and strengthening my plot points. I've truly learned a great deal from her.

6) Tell me about your latest release

I'll let my blurb tell the story. Country music superstar/actor Chase Tanner has yet to be denied anything–and he’s never wanted anything or anyone more than gorgeous screenplay writer Reno Linden. So when the film they are working on is finally finished, Chase decides to turn up the volume on seducing Reno.

Reno Linden lived a quiet, rural life until she was thrust into the Hollywood scene when her book was adapted to film. Chase Tanner is larger than life, sinfully sexy and hell-bent on getting her into bed. Skittish after a failed wedding engagement, Reno risks the plunge into Chase’s arms, and is surprised that her good girl self can keep up with bad boy Chase.

Though Chase returns to his cowboy roots often, and Reno cherishes the time spent with him on his ranch, the two find their careers pulling them in different directions. Will their attraction survive the glitz and stress of fame?

7) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt

EXCERPT: Over 18 only

Chase grabbed Reno’s arm and rushed her out of the building. As the door closed behind him, he said, “I get damn uncomfortable when women cry.”

Reno kept her head down and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

He stopped and bent to look at her face. “Aw, not you, too!”

She giggled. “It was just so touching.”

“Baby, you’re a sensitive soul.”

“Me?” She smiled. “I’m sensitive? You’re the one who did all this.” She gestured to the bar. “Singing and giving the hat off your head to people you don’t know—”

He shook his head and started walking. “It’s the least I could do. It was nothing.”

She jogged to catch up. Was he embarrassed to be caught doing something nice? He did a lot for others. She read a story about him, way back when they were casting the movie, that talked about the domestic shelters Chase sponsored. Hundreds of them in cities across the US, in honor of his mother. Lacing her fingers into his, she said, “I was proud to be with you tonight.”

He ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. “I’m glad you came with. People treat me different mostly, and it gets old.”

“Lonely.”

He unlaced their fingers and put his arm around her. “Yeah.” Helping her into the truck, he kissed her fingers. “But not anymore.” Their gazes fused, and Reno felt her chest expanding, as if her soul linked with his.

As he closed the door and walked around the hood, she whispered, “And never again, Chase.”

8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why?

Chase has to be my favorite, but just by a nose. Reno's a great, strong character, as well, but I just can't help loving Chase. He's got everything: looks, money, a voice, fame, and the smarts to manage his own career. But he's still not convinced he's good enough for a woman like Reno. And a lifetime of feeling unworthy is difficult to overcome.

9) What are you working on right now?

I'm working on another manuscript for the Cowboy Kink line. About a bull rider and a nanny. It's set on Florida's beautiful Sanibel Island, and I just might have to take a working vacation there to soak up the atmosphere. Woot!

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

Learn as much as you can about the craft of writing. Having a good knowledge base is so important. There are so many things that make a manuscript marketable, and understanding how to build a solid book is imperative. Oh, and you don't have to do it alone. Find a critique group or partners to help you. One of my critique partners just received her first book contract this week, so finding the right support network is helpful.

11) Where can readers find you?

RandiAlexander.com

WildAndWickedCowboysBlog

You can buy Chase and Seduction at The Wild Rose Press Wilder Roses

To celebrate the release of Chase and Seduction, I'm giving away, to one lucky *commenter, an e-copy of my novella Her Cowboy Stud. Just leave a comment today and we'll choose a winner tomorrow. *Commenter must be 18 years of age or older to win.

I'm also giving away a cowgirl hat to one subscriber to my newsletter. For more details, and to sign up for this contest, please go to my website, RandiAlexander.com And while you're there, you can read the first chapter of Chase and Seduction.

Good luck, and thank you!

Randi

LOL! We could be identical people, Randi! You write in the exact same way as me (quick first draft and then layering afterwards) and Nora Roberts is my romance writing idol. The only difference between us is I'd swap the red wine for white and the dark chocolate to milk. I have yet to read the Bride quartet but now you've mentioned it, I am rushing out to buy it...just don't tell my husband! ; )

Randi is waiting for your comments & questions!

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Tarah Scott!

Welcome, Tarah!

Really looking forward to this interview and hope you tell us more about working with a writing partner. I don't know how you do it, I'm assuming you can't write 'by the seat of your pants' but have to take the other person's feelings and wants into account. Thinking I might be a bit too selfish for that, lol!

Let's get started...

Rachel, thanks so much for having me. Your blog is beautiful!

1) What is your writing routine?

I’m a small business owner, which makes my schedule unpredictable, so I make a weekly schedule for my writing. If possible, I like to get up early before my daughter gets up for school. Even an hour in the morning before I gear up for the day can be very productive. I shoot for a minimum of 30 writing hours a week. Anything over that is cake.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write?

Oh, quite a few authors have inspired me. I love the classics, Dickens, Austen, Bronte, even Georgette Heyer and Zane Grey. Modern authors are Stephen King and Anne Rice.

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

Favorite romance subgenre to write? ROFL. That’s like putting a kid inside a candy store and asking them to choose one favorite, Wow! That’s a toughie. My first love is historical romance. That’s what I started out reading and writing. I spread my wings to various forms of suspense, which invariably found its way into my historical romance. Heh heh.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

Lots of tequila. HA! No, seriously. When first starting out, criticism and rejection were very tough. Of course, we never love rejection—or criticism—but you do learn they are part of the business. One of the ways I console myself is by remembering that the rejections I get today are very different than those I got when first starting out. These days, any personalized feedback I receive is more along the lines that the piece didn’t work for the editor, or maybe they didn’t like an aspect of the story or character. For the most part, it’s subjective elements that one editor doesn’t care for, while another loves. My earlier submissions were riddled with comments about how the writing wasn’t compelling, or how I could improve the story.

5) What do you expect from an editor?

I expect an editor to understand my story, but help me make it better. That makes an editor worth their weight in gold!

6) Tell me about your latest release

7) My latest release is Double Bang! a short ménage/romantic suspense written in collaboration with KyAnn Waters. This little hottie was so much fun to write! (We have more planned in this series.)

8) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt

Sara Martin has a problem. And it’s not the attraction she has for her co-worker Devon Curran…or the lust she feels for her sexy neighbor, Rigg. Yes, those are problems. But she has bigger issues. There’s been a security breach in the impenetrable computer system at work. Suddenly Devon doesn’t look happy. And that is a gun in his pocket!

Devon is working undercover…and Sara is about to blow his case. He’d rather she blow him. She’s as smart as she is beautiful. But he’s lied to protect her. What will she do when she discovers he works with a partner? Tonight, they are going to keep her close…very close…in their protective custody.

9) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why?

While I think Sara is a fabulous character, the men are pretty amazing. This is a ménage, but Devon is the love interest. He’s solid and knows what he wants, Sara Martin—permanently. Rigg, on the other hand, is the ultimate bad boy. He’s an undercover cop working the toughest assignments. He also knows what he wants: an erotic interlude with Sara. How can a woman not want both these men?

9) What are you working on right now?

I’m currently working on a paranormal/fantasy suspense. My heroine is a Mississippi Deputy Sheriff who goes to Scotland to prove that her best friend killed her husband four years ago. What my heroine doesn’t know is that her friend wants her in Scotland to break a three hundred year old spell cast on the eighteenth century lord of the castle.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

Learn your craft—then practice night and day.

11) Where can readers find you?

My website is http://www.tarahscott.com/

Also, for anyone who would like to connect with me at twitter

http://twitter.com/TarahScott

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tarah-Scott/154741501255577

Thanks so much for having me, Rachel. It’s been a real pleasure!

Great to have you hear, Tarah - your story sounds delicious! Looking forward to my visitor comments...

The cover for novella number 2!!!!!

I am so happy to be able to unveil the cover for my next novella 'Coming Back'!! I have not received a release date yet but I am hoping it will be around late Summer. What do you think??

Blurb:

Kelly Hampton loved once...and lost. After two years of looking for Sean McKenzie in other men--and failing miserably--she takes a vow of celibacy. No sex until she finds love. Then Sean strolls back into her bar, reigniting old flames. No one has come close to understanding or satisfying her like he did. Her body burns for the passion they once shared, but her heart still remembers the pain.

Sean escaped Jessop Hill and his father's fists in the middle of the night without a word--even to his love, Kelly--to protect his battered mother, but he never forgot the explosively erotic relationship he left behind. Now his father is dead and Sean is back for the only woman he's ever wanted. Their reunion is full of fire – but can sexual attraction and noble intentions overcome years of heartache or will Kelly walk away to protect her heart this time.

As soon as I have a release date, I'll let you know!!

Rachel x

Welcome Muse It Up Publishing author, Lisabet Sarai!

Welcome, Lisabet! Until you contacted me for a spot on my blog I had never heard of Muse It Up Publishing and I'm sure my visitors will want to know as much as you can share about them as I do. How did you find them? What are they like to work with?

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to reading your post...

Culture Clash

By Lisabet Sarai

If you've ever traveled outside your own country, you've probably experienced culture clash. What do I mean by this term? Differing assumptions between individuals from different cultures. Disparate behaviors in response to the same stimulus. Values and priorities that don't agree with those that are typical in one's own country. Culture clash can produce both humorous and dangerous consequences, depending on the situation. At very least, it can make you feel insecure and uncomfortable.

You're strolling by yourself down a quiet cobblestone lane in some Tuscan village. A swarthy, muscular guy with a hairy chest and tight jeans passes you going in the other direction. He gives you a very obvious once over, then lets out a low whistle. "Ciao, Bella!" he calls, moving closer, giving you a smile that bares his intensely white teeth.

If you're American, as I am, you probably feel concerned for your safety. That sort of blatantly sexual overture seems like a threat. In Italian culture, though, this is a common way for a man to express his appreciation of female beauty. You might be flustered, but you should probably feel flattered too. Certainly, you shouldn't be worried that the guy is going to attack you. Culture clash.

You're touring Japan, struggling with almost complete absence of English. An older couple sees you trying to figure out the train schedule and offers their help. You start to converse, intensely grateful to be able to use your own language. After a while, the couple invites you to their home. Embarrassed and sure that they're only trying to be nice, you decline. You don't want to inconvenience them. Most likely, they will continue to smile, but in reality, they feel offended and hurt. You've scorned their hospitality and also robbed them of the "face" they'd gain from having a foreign guest. Culture clash.

In a "third world" country, culture clash can be even more extreme. A traveler from the wealthy west may feel that every individual who approaches has some monetary agenda, when in fact the local person is offering friendship or is simply curious. The opposite occurs, too. Innumerable men have visited Thailand and fallen deeply in love with some elegant Thai beauty. The women of their dreams may claim to love their new boyfriends, but what they're really seeking is financial security in a world where it's often difficult to survive.

My new release, Citadel of Women, is partly about culture clash. Doa George is a bisexual graphic designer from New York City. She and her lover Laurel have long been looking forward to their journey to Cambodia, to visit the ruins of the Angkor empire. When Laurel severs their relationship just before they're scheduled to leave, Doa stubbornly decides to travel alone, but the marvelous sights of the ancient Khmer empire do little to heal the rift in her heart. Che, the mercurial Cambodian tour guide, senses her loneliness and offers her comfort and passion. Their connection is far more than physical – but the vast gulf between their two worlds makes that connection difficult to maintain.

Doa thinks she knows something about Cambodian history and culture, but she reads Che wrong almost from the start. Meanwhile, Che is sensitive to his status as a impoverished denizen of third world, and misinterprets Doa's reactions as well.

Here's a brief excerpt (explicit) which highlights the clash between their respective cultures.

***

His arms snaked around me, pulling me to his chest. He was stronger than he looked. He nuzzled my neck, licked his way up to my ear lobe and flicked at it with his tongue. A bolt of pleasure shot through me, targeting my pussy. He silenced my moan with his mouth, capturing mine in a wet kiss. I tasted the beer we'd drunk, the chiles he'd eaten.

I let my arms clasp his slender body to my riper one, accepting what he offered. My rational self warned I'd regret this. When I grasped his rigid cock through the well-worn shorts, his groan drowned out the voice of caution.

As I stroked his hardness, he unknotted my sarong. His hands sought the weight of my breasts. He cradled them, kneading my ripe flesh and tracing voluptuous circles around my nipples. Warm honey flowed through my limbs. I pulled the boxers down over his lean hips so I could sample his nakedness.

A musky funk rose from his privates. His cock was long like his fingers, slender and graceful as the rest of him, and harder than the stones of the ancient city. Wrapped in skin as soft and delicate as a baby's, it pulsed in my hand, alive with need.

Che played with my tits, twisting my nipples between his fingers. Every touch traveled straight to my pussy. He flicked his thumbs over the twin nubs, plump and sensitized from my fantasy play. My clit jumped in response, aching for more direct stimulation. I squeezed his cock, trying to get the message across, but he seemed mesmerized by my breasts. Urgency overcoming shyness, I grabbed one of his hands and dragged it to the hungry cleft between my legs.

“Here,” I whispered. “I need you here.”

He spread his fingers, opening my soaked folds. One digit stroked my clit. Another penetrated deep into my slit. Exquisite sensation washed over me. I ground my pussy against his hand, trying to force him deeper. He rubbed his cock against my thigh, painting it with his pre-come.

We managed to stagger over to the bed without letting go of one another and tumbled onto the mattress, Che on top. He weighed no more than Laurel. His cock fit neatly between my thighs. The bulb mashed against my pubis, sending shock waves rippling through me. Braced above me, he bent to kiss me while his cock tried to work its way into my pussy.

“Wait!” This time I listened to the inner voice, despite my arousal. “Do you have a condom?”

He sat back on his haunches, looking miserable and needy. “No. Don't you?”

“I'm a lesbian, remember?” I regretted the words as soon as they left my lips. Especially since they weren't strictly true.

Che's face turned bitter. “I'm sorry. I misunderstood. I shouldn't have bothered you.” He started to disentangle his limbs from mine. I grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer.

“No, don't go. I want you, really I do...”

“You don't trust me. Because I come from a poor country you think I'm diseased.”

“Baby, it's not you.” I brushed his hair out of his eyes. “It would be the same with anyone. But look, even if we don't have a condom, you don't have to leave. Turn around. Let me suck you. And you can lick me. God, I'm so horny, just the thought is almost enough to make me come.”

“I don't know... are you sure?” Che's uncertainty made him look young again.

***

Quite a few of my stories are set in foreign locales, and they often highlight the clash of cultures. For several examples, visit the Free Reading (http://www.lisabetsarai.com/freereads.html) page on my website. Both "Vows" and "Butterfly" deal with the gaps in expectations and values between characters from different countries. And if you like what you read, you might want to pick up a copy of Citadel of Women, which will be released by Muse It Hot Publishing on June 16th!

BIO: A dozen years ago LISABET SARAI experienced a serendipitous fusion of her love of writing and her fascination with sex. Since then she has published two single author short story collections and six erotic novels, including the BDSM classic Raw Silk. Dozens of her shorter works have been released as ebooks and in print anthologies. She has also edited several acclaimed anthologies and is currently responsible for the altruistic erotica series COMING TOGETHER PRESENTS.

Lisabet holds more degrees than anyone needs from prestigious universities who would no doubt be embarrassed by her chosen genre. She loves to travel and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her highly tolerant husband and two well-traveled felines. For more information on Lisabet and her writing visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory (http://www.lisabetsarai.com) or her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com).

Great blog (and excerpt!), Lisabet - really enjoyed it as I love experiencing different cultures and when you throw sex into the mix...all sorts of discovery to be had!

Comments?

Welcome Cobblestone Press author, Miranda Stowe!

Hi Miranda, great to welcome you here. First things first, I love your cover, who was the artist? I don't think the cover artists of our books get enough credit most of the time and they do a fantastic job.

Okay, let's get started!

1) What is your writing routine?

Oh, no. Am I supposed to have a routine?! Right now, I’m kind of like, whenever I can slot in writing time, I steal it.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write?

Suzanne Enoch, Suzanne Brockmann, Julie Garwood, Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, and too many more to count.

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

To read? Depends on the day. This week I’m a historical romance junkie. Last week, I was all about paranormal romance. It’s the same with writing them. My last story was a paranormal romance. My current WIP is romantic suspense.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

Tears, alcohol and chocolate. Actually, no, I don’t think I’ve cried over a rejection since I received that first dozen of them! And I’m not much of a drinker. So, I’ll go with chocolate! Then a week or so later, I’m back at the keyboard to revise and resubmit!

5) What do you expect from an editor?

A miracle!! Honestly, though, I do like editors that are a bit picky. I groan and complain more, but the story feels better after a challenging edit job!

6) Tell me about your latest release/

CAUGHT IN HEAT came from my paranormal romance-writing era. It’s number one in my Half-Shifter Series books and is about Riley Bane, a shapeshifter who is about to experience her first mating heat. Not wanting to get all horny and accept just any ol’ male to take her. She dashes off, hoping to make it to a female sanctuary that’ll drug her up to appease the need for sex during her heat. But along the way… oops, she’s caught in an ankle trap set by human shifter-hunter Shaw Griffin, and that’s when the real fun begin. **wiggling eyebrows**

7) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt

A need unlike any she’d ever experienced before possessed her, pulsing through her pussy until she growled low in her throat. She struggled to concentrate. The sanctuary was purposely well-hidden. It was nearly impossible to locate when one was working on all four cylinders. With the roar rushing through her veins and muddling her thoughts, though, she’d require a miracle to find it.

She’d already stopped three times to massage her pussy to the point of release, but that only seemed to double the strength of her yearning when the fever returned. If she’d stayed home, she probably would’ve climaxed her way through a dozen males by now. And loved every second of it. The need to come again grew and expanded inside her; she just wanted to—

No! She would not let the fever consume her. She’d prevail. She’d find the sanctuary and—

The ground under her hind leg gave way. Riley twisted to compensate and pull herself free of the hole, but sharp teeth clamped around her ankle, biting all the way to the bone.

She howled. Her earsplitting yet scratchy cry that pierced the night could no doubt be heard by every predator within a five-mile radius. Not that she cared. The agony was brutal.

As her body went into distress, she shifted into her natural shape, and the hairy paw caught in the trap turned into a smooth, human female foot. Naked, drenched in sweat, and panting, she curled into the fetal position until she could focus past the pain.

8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why?

Shaw, the hero. He’s just so sexy, I love him to death. And he’d passionate about what he feels is right and wrong…even if I personally think he’s wrong.

9) What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a new series: The Snatcher Series (erotic romantic suspense). I just sold the first book, Taken by a Killer, to Liquid Silver Books (woot!), and have completed book two.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

Never ever give up!

11) Where can readers find you?

Website & Blog : http://mirandastowe.blogspot.com/

GoodReads : http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4741738.Miranda_Stowe

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Miranda-Stowe/100002055561651

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mirandastowebks

Fabulous sexy excerpt, Miranda! I have never read or written paranormal but I know they are hugely popular and I am determined to read at least two or three this year. Maybe it should be yours! ; )

Comments/questions?