Thursday 30 August 2012

Hot Summer Sands - the reviews are coming in!!


Buy Link:

http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=895

The release of a book is a mixed bag of emotions for an author - euphoria that it's done, it's out there and there is nothing for you to do but to promote your baby from the rooftop...or laptop! Of course, the other thing that comes with it are the dreaded reviews. Lord, the trepidation is horrible!

So HOT SUMMER SANDS was released August 17th...and the first two reveiws are in. I am happy to say, I am no longer hiding under my pillow or Googling my name like a maniac. They're good, people, VERY good and Rachel is a happy, dancing girlie!

What do you think??

http://lynelleclarkaspiredwriter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/hot-summer-sands-my-review-5.html

http://manicreaders.com/index.cfm?disp=reviews&bookid=27485

Thanks to everyone who has already bought a copy and said how much they enjoyed it - I am hoping to have novella number four queried to my editor by the end of September. Watch this space!

Love
Rachel x

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Welcome erotic romance author, Ava Archer Payne!




Hi Ava! Let’s get started right away: When and why did you decide you wanted to be a romance author?
Well, I’ve loved reading romance all my life, so I guess it was only natural I would want to write one. I was lucky: I picked up an agent right away, and she sold my first novel to Berkley. That was over fifteen years ago, and I’ve been writing ever since. I write under a variety of pseudonyms and have been published by several mainstream New York publishing houses. Ava Archer Payne is not my real name, but a combination of family names.

What genres do you normally write in?
I normally write traditional historical romance, but with the advent of ebooks, I’m trying something new. I’m writing ‘hot historicals’ and loving it! These are steamy, lush reads, featuring a sexy hero, feisty heroine, zippy dialogue, and intelligent plotting. They’re truly a cross between erotic romance and historical romance, combining the best-loved elements of both!


Can you tell us a little bit about your book, Out of Her League?
Out of Her League is set in Victorian England, one of my favorite time periods to write about. I love playing with the exquisite manners of the day. What does our heroine do when she finds herself completely in lust with an utterly unsuitable man? That creates such lovely sexual tension.

What kind of hero is James Lancaster?
James was one of London’s most notorious rakes. He grew up privileged, pampered, devil-may-care. A man blessed not only with good looks and wealth, but devastating charm. His life is forever changed, however, when he is wounded in the Crimean War and must come to terms with his new physical limitations.

As an author and essentially the “creator” of your hero, did you find yourself attached to him in a personal way?
I did, indeed. James is an Alpha hero who Fate has chosen to take down a notch. I love watching him struggle as he falls head-over-heels for Katherine Riley (his nurse) and grow from a shallow charmer to a man of true substance. 

What was the craziest thing you’ve ever done when it came to a storyline in your book?
Actually, there’s one scene where James and Kate make love in outdoors in a public park. It’s secluded, but the risk of discovery remains—a risk that only serves to heighten their arousal. James and Kate are kindred spirits in that sense. They are both very sexually adventurous and love to push each other to the limit.

If you could sum up your new release with three words, what would they be?
Steaming hot historical!

Can we expect more novels from you in 2012?

Yes. Please look for The Wedding Bed, another hot historical set in Victorian England. Due out in October / November 2012.

Thanks so much for letting me visit your fabulous blog. Happy reading to all!

Title: Out of Her League
Author: Ava Archer Payne
Publisher: AAP Hot Historicals
Length: 40,000 words
Genres: Erotic Historical Romance
Heat Level: Sizzling

AVAILABLE AT:
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008MNQXNK

BLURB:
Captain James Lancaster, formerly one of London’s most notorious rakes, returns to England a broken man after a brutal tour in the Crimea. He is wounded in body and spirit, his badly injured leg leaving him unable to walk without crutches.

Nurse Katherine Riley has spent her entire life caring for others, but lately she finds herself longing for more. On a whim she indulges in a secret cache of provocative lingerie—just a little something to make her feel beautiful beneath her drab gowns, even if no one else can see it.

When James glimpses the erotic beauty hidden beneath Kate’s prim and proper façade, he introduces her to a sensual array of forbidden delights. Healing takes on an entirely new meaning. As Kate nurses James to a full recovery, their liaison opens her eyes to an enticing new world. How will she ever return to the staid life she once knew?  

EXCERPT:
Thunder rumbled and the rain that had been threatening all morning began to pour down in earnest. Kate watched the heavy droplets strike the glass panes, softening and blurring the outside world. She tried to focus on the storm, but that proved impossible. Every fiber of her being was attuned to the overwhelming presence of man beside her. His scent, his height, the broadness of his shoulders, the rich timbre of his voice. Alone with James in the large room, she felt enveloped in a cocoon of strained intimacy, caught in a current that swept her inexorably toward him.

“Something wrong?” His voice was a low murmur in her ear.

“You need drapery,” she blurted inanely, just to have something to say to break the tension that hung between them.

“True.” He cocked his head to one side, considering the room. “I was thinking of scarlet.”

“Scarlet?” she choked out, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. “Surely that’s an odd color to suggest.”

“Is it?” He studied her with a playful smile. “But it’s such a passionate color, don’t you think? Brazen, bold, irresistible. In fact, now that I’ve considered scarlet, I can’t seem to get the color out of my mind. These past few nights, it’s all I could think of as I was falling asleep.”

She squared her shoulders and brought up her chin. Even leaning as he was on his crutches, he was still a full head taller than her. “If you’re referring to what I think you’re referring to, a gentleman wouldn’t refer to it.”

His lips quirked. “That’s a lot of referring. Are you certain I’m not simply inferring?”

“You’re interfering, certainly.”

“Must be infuriating.”

He was teasing her, and she was determined to resist him. Resist his smile. Resist the twinkle in his deep blue eyes. Resist the urge to lift her hand and push back the chestnut curl that fell so appealingly over his forehead.

 “A gentleman wouldn’t mention what he saw.”

“True. A gentleman wouldn’t. Therein lies the problem. The glimpse I had of your breasts in that scarlet corset was the loveliest thing I’ve seen since my return to London. Hell, that’s not accurate. The loveliest thing I’ve seen in years.” He watched her for a moment in silence, then reached out and softly stroked her jaw. “It’s not my intention to embarrass you.”

“What are you intending?”

“Damned if I know.”

“This certainly isn’t proper.”

“Damned if I care.”

To her utter astonishment, Kate wasn’t entirely certain she cared, either. She’d played the part of dutiful daughter, dutiful sister, and dutiful nurse her entire life. Now, at the age of three and twenty, she was coming to the realization that the role didn’t entirely suit her. She’d lived her life as though crammed into a pair of shoes that had been pinching and cramping her for years. Here was an opportunity to try something scandalous and new. An invitation to see what she’d been missing, if only she had the courage to reach for it.

She moistened her lips, tipped back her head, and closed her eyes.

For a fraction of a second time stood still. Kate was overwhelmed by the horrifying certainty she’d misread his intentions. Then James’s lips brushed hers. The pressure on her mouth was light and gentle, allowing her the opportunity to change her mind, to slip away if she wanted to. So, a gentleman after all. The gesture, touching as it was, was wasted.

Kate stepped closer.

Q&A WITH AVA ARCHER PAYNE:

Q:  What exactly is a ‘Hot Historical’?
A:  A ‘Hot Historical’ is a classic historical romance—only shorter and steamier! Hot Historicals are perfect for fans of traditional romance who occasionally like to spice things up. One of my readers calls them a secret indulgence ;)
Q:  Many of your novels are set in Victorian England. What attracts you to that time period?
A:  I love playing with the exquisite manners of the day. What does our heroine do when she finds herself completely in lust with an utterly unsuitable man? That creates such lovely sexual tension.
Q:  How long have you been writing romance?
A:  I’ve been writing historical romance for 15 years under a variety of pseudonyms. I’ve been published by several mainstream houses, but with the advent of ebooks, I’m able to place my work directly in the hands of readers. What a fabulous privilege for an author!

Author Email - AvaArcherPayne@gmail.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/avaarcher.payne

Thanks for being here, Ava! Here is the link for Ava's contest and ongoing blog tour - be sure to comment!

Link to contest information:


Link to schedule:


Monday 27 August 2012

Erotic Romance Promo with Mysti Holiday...




Sugar Walls
by Mysti Holiday



BLURB:

When Emilie is dumped by her boyfriend, best friend Jack Voss offers a shoulder and a place to live--the other side of his duplex. He’s always there, fixing her problems, her car, her sink. Emilie doesn’t know what she’d do without him, or with the feelings she’s having for him. His shoulder doesn’t just offer comfort anymore; his touch is a turn-on. Their shared wall is the only thing keeping them from sharing a bedroom—and fanning the flames might risk breaking something that Jack can’t fix.



EXCERPT:

A glance back down at the man who was driving her crazy nearly made her moan. He shifted, his ass moved and his thighs flexed as he crawled forward a few inches. The denim of his worn jeans hugged him as tightly as Em dreamed of doing and, before she had time to think about it, she took a step Forward, hands outstretched to snatch hold of the prize. She stopped herself just in time and tucked her hands behind her back to keep from doing something stupid.

“So, Jack?” Her voice was tight with desire and discomfort.

“Hmm?” He peeked at her over one shoulder, a smile in those midnight blue eyes, then quickly returned his attention to the pipe.

“Almost done?” She hoped so, because at this rate, she’d come just from thinking about him.

“Nearly there. Leak’s almost plugged.”

I’ve got a leak you can plug. Her panties soaked with more cream than any one woman should have when she envisioned him plunging into her, filling her pussy with his hard cock. Heat rushed up her neck, and her heart pounded so loudly, surely he could hear it. Dear God. She tried to picture herself in a cold shower to kill some of the heat but cursed again when he joined her there in her mind and slid soapy hands over her damp skin, across her breasts, and down her—

“There.” His voice jolted her out of the hot daydream, and she jumped an inch off the floor. He backed out from the cupboard and turned to smile at her. “All fixed.”



AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Mysti Holiday is the pseudonym of a very busy SAHM who dreams of warm climes and hot bodies.  Most people know she writes, but not what she writes about:  sexy men and the wanton women who love them.
She's married to a wonderful man who happily sacrifices himself for research, and she spends most of her days dreaming of interesting and unusual situations in which to place her characters.  But most of all, she's a sucker for a happy ending.
Publisher:  http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=89
Website:  http://www.menagerieauthors.com/

Mysti will be giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one random commenter and to one random host at the conclusion of the tour.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/07/virtual-book-blast-tour-sugar-walls-by.html

Saturday 25 August 2012

Saturday Promo - J J Ranger...


Blurb:

With parents who own a Vegas strip club, elementary school teacher Sara Piermont has always steered clear of kinky. Now she's ready to sow her own wild oats and give in to the sexual fantasies taunting her. Her cousin's bachelorette weekend at an all-inclusive dude ranch seems the perfect place to let her hair down. And Dane Dumen is the rugged cowboy she has set her sights on for a weekend of uninhibited passion. 

Dane loves to walk on the wild side, and sexy Sarah is the perfect muse for a fantasy weekend filled with restraints and other naughty things. Though he's never stepped over the line between a fling and commitment, Sarah proves to be a lure he can't resist. Dane quickly finds he's playing with fire and has to decide...rein in his heart or risk a permanent brand.

Book Four of the Dume Ranch Series

Excerpt:

It took Dane less than thirty seconds to decide to follow her. He slipped through the door and checked to make sure they were alone.

Her reflection frowned at him. “You realize this is the women’s restroom, right?”

Her eyes were suspiciously bright. Had she been crying? He felt like an ass for upsetting her, though he wasn’t really sure what he’d said to cause her angst.

Those pouty lips and come-hither bedroom eyes just begged for attention, and he’d be damned if he let any of those jokers in the bar near her. Not when she was wedged so firmly under his skin already. He hadn’t been kidding when he said it’d be safer for her back at the ranch. There he could keep an eye on her, make sure she didn’t end up with some guy who could really hurt her.

And why the hell did he care about her getting hurt? She wasn’t his anything. Damn, listening to Dustin wax poetic love for Shannon was starting to rub off on him and turn him into a pussy. He didn’t care how many grandchildren his mother wanted. He wasn’t ready to get married.

Realizing she was waiting for him to speak, he gave a lazy grin and lifted his shoulder. “I’m up for an adventure.” And he hoped she was, too.

Sara grinned, and the brilliance took his breath away.

She locked the bathroom door, barring anyone else entry and crooked her finger. “Well, let’s get to exploring.”

Shit, yeah. Let’s go exploring.

Buy Link:


Tuesday 21 August 2012

Welcome Loose Id author, Rachell Nichole!



 Hi Rachell! Welcome to my blog. First things first - what a fabulously gorgeous cover! You must be thrilled, so eye-catching :) Who is the artist? He or she definitely deserves a mention - beautiful. Looking forward to getting to know you better, Rachell. Let's get started with the questions...

1)   What is your writing routine?
I’m really bad about that… I don’t do routines J A lot of writers say they write every day, but that doesn’t work for me. I write when I can. I like whole days or really big blocks of time to sit and write, and write, and write. And then suddenly it’s sunrise and I can’t keep my eyes open any longer. Or it’s 9 p.m. and the manager of Barnes & Noble is looking at me funny and thinking to himself, hasn’t she been here since we opened?

2)   Which author/s inspire you to write?
The first adult romance I read was Christine Feehan. She really helped pull me into the genre and now I read everything from Suzanne Brockmann to Maggie Shayne and Gayle Callen. I’m obsessed with the way Brockmann creates characters, and I’m trying to expand my erotic romance and historical authors, so if you’ve got recommendations, I’d love to hear them.

3)   Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?
This one’s really hard. I read almost entirely paranormal romance for 2 or 3 years. And then I started branching out and reading other subgenres. I still have a special place in my heart for paranormal, but I’ve also come to completely adore romantic suspense and erotic romance. I also write in all three of those subgenres.

4)   How do you deal with criticism/rejection?
I’m really good at ignoring things I don’t want to deal with. When criticism is constructive and comes from someone I trust, I almost always take it and revise based on it.  Rejection doesn’t faze me very much.

5)   What do you expect from an editor?
Unconditional love and support… just kidding. I expect an editor not to pull any punches. To tell me where and when something is wrong and suggest a way to fix it.

6)   Tell me about your latest release
My first book, an erotic romance called An Affair Across Times Square is about two lawyers who start an affair through the windows of the Marietta hotel and his law office, eighteen stories above Times Square. The book comes out today, August 21, through Loose Id, LLC.

7)   Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt
Ooh, I do love a good tease…
Layla Morgan is tired of getting into trouble, and getting hurt. And she fears her wild nature is going to strike yet again. But maybe this time, she’s finally met the guy that can stand close enough to touch her inner flames, and not get burned. The man across Times Square seems enthralled by her wildness instead of scared in the face of it. He can’t seem to look away as she shows him just how much fun she can have… with herself.

After one glance of silky skin and talented fingers, Tyler Lachlan doesn’t stand a chance of resisting the delicious distraction of the mystery woman from the Marietta Hotel. He’s sure there’s more to her than her sultry voice and mahogany thighs, but he doesn’t know if he’s willing to risk his career to find out.

Could what began as a voyeuristic affair across Times Square develop into something more?


And here’s a little taste from the first chapter. It’s Tyler’s first glimpse Layla.

TYLER LACHLAN COULDN’T believe what he saw through his office window. A woman across Times Square, eighteen stories high, scantily clad in the middle of her hotel room, pleasuring herself. And here he sat, staring at her like some sick Peeping Tom. His mother would be so ashamed, but he couldn’t look away. He could feel the way his body reacted to the sight of her. When he looked up from that morning’s briefing documents and gazed across the way to the hotel, he’d never expected to be greeted with such a sight. The minute she had started unbuttoning her blouse, his gaze had followed her every movement, his pulse increasing with every step. Blood pooled low in his groin. He was lucky no one else was in the office at six a.m., or he would have been interrupted.
And wouldn’t that have been a shame.
Now she sat there, her hands still between her legs, frozen. He’d never realized how close together the buildings in the square were, too busy focusing on what happened inside his office rather than through the window. He could only make out some her facial features from this distance, but her body language was clear. He imagined her eyes were dark behind her thick-rimmed glasses. Probably brown, a few shades darker than her decadent mocha skin.
She’d become coiled like a cat the moment she realized she was being watched. He had the sudden desire to lick his lips. What a pervert! He tried to force his eyes closed, tried to spin his chair to the side or look away. He should look away, but he couldn’t move. Apparently neither could she. He stared at her beautiful, brazen body as she did the unthinkable. She smiled at him. She spread her legs wider, and he found himself leaning forward in his desk chair, waiting for more.
She looked right at him as she pulled her hands free from between her legs, gliding them up her mahogany stomach and higher to cup her barely covered breasts. Her bra and panties were darker than her skin—black, perhaps. She maintained eye contact as she moved her hands around her breasts. His cock hardened at the sight. What the hell are you doing?
She didn’t stop, and he couldn’t look away. She pushed a finger into her mouth, sucking it, then trailed a wet path down her chest and slipped it into the front of her bra. She didn’t seem inclined to remove the fabric, and he couldn’t care less. She dipped another finger into her mouth, and he watched, mesmerized, as her other hand slid down her abdomen and between her thighs. He gripped the edge of his desk, desperate for her to continue, though afraid it might kill him if she did.
She didn’t close her eyes this time as she pleasured herself. He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and bit it to keep from reaching to relieve his aching cock. It seemed wrong somehow to gain so much pleasure from what she was doing, but he couldn’t help himself. The muscles in his body grew tight in anticipation, his cock throbbing. And still he did nothing but watch until her body shook with her release. She looked at him as she licked her fingers clean. As she stood and walked to the window, pressing her body against the glass, she gave him another smile. Then she kissed the window and closed the curtains.
And he’d never been more turned on in his life.



8)   Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?
I really love Layla, my heroine. She’s got quite a bit of damage and some issues that Tyler helps her work through and put to rest in this book. There’s a lot of my personality in Layla, or my alter ego’s personality. She’s empowered and brazen in the areas I’m pretty shy, and she’s terrified of some things that make me shine.

9) What are you working on right now?
     I’m always working on a few things. Right now, I’m looking for an agent for my paranormals, I just finished plotting a new erotic romance and I’m mulling over the idea for a sequel novella about Tyler’s sister, Mandy, who we briefly meet in this book.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?
     Never, EVER quit. Sometimes you get characters or stories that aren’t ready for the world, so you put them in a drawer or a file for a while. Someday you might go back to them, or you may not, but whatever you do, keep writing.

11) Where can readers find you?
     I’m almost everywhere nowadays. I have a group blog with two other erotic romance authors at www.DivasofDesire.blogspot.com. I also have a personal webpage www.RachellNichole.com, and I’m on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RachellNichole. And you can always check your local B&N… who knows, you may find me squirreled off into a corner with my laptop working on the next book.


Thanks so much for having me stop by, Rachel. It was such a pleasure to share a little bit about me and my book. And thanks to your readers for dropping in to give it a read. Also a quick thanks to my cover artist Valerie Tibbs.  

LOL! Glad you mentioned the artist - great job, Valerie!

 Comments??

Saturday 18 August 2012

Saturday Promo - Lacey Wolfe...




Title: Tempting the Manny
Author: Lacey Wolfe
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Length: 20,000 words
Genre(s): Romance
Sub-Genre(s) Contemporary
Sub-Categories: Erotic
Heat Level: Sizzling (Highly explicit sex scenes/language)

AVAILABLE AT:
Amazon / Nook / AllRomance / Secret Cravings / Bookstrand



BLURB:
Olivia’s world is torn to pieces when her boyfriend leaves her for a younger woman. But she has no time to dwell on it, she must pick-up the pieces for her children. And the first thing on her list is hiring a sitter. In return though, she gets a very unexpected surprise.

Jamie loves children. He comes from a big family and can’t wait to start his own one day. From the moment he meets Olivia and her children, he feels like this is where he’s suppose to be. But he mustn’t act on how he feels and does his best to stay professional, even with Olivia making it very difficult for him.

As Olivia and Jamie try their best to fight the way they’re feeling and figure out of it can work, her ex-boyfriend shows back up to complicate things. After a string of her own lies, can Olivia figure out what it is she really wants?

ADULT EXCERPT:
Jamie’s gaze followed Olivia’s ass as she walked toward the fridge. She bent slightly over reaching for the ketchup, and he was worried his erection was going to burst out of his pants. The way she looked at him as she headed back to her plate of food, he wasn’t sure if she was hungry for those fries or him. He had never met a woman with so much sexual desire, it was almost pouring from her veins. He wasn’t sure about the story with the ex, but that man had to be crazy for leaving.

Ketchup was on the corner of her mouth. Instinctively, he grabbed the towel, leaned forward, and wiped her mouth. Her eyes locked on his and, before he could even think twice, his hand wrapped around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Her mouth met his just as fiercely and opened, letting his tongue slide in. The taste of ketchup met his taste buds and the need to taste more of her sprung through his body.

Olivia gripped his shoulders and pulled him closer. His free hand took hold of her waist. His erection shoved into her stomach. The kiss was like fire and even though he knew he should be resisting, he had to keep playing. Turning his head to the side, he deepened the kiss. She tasted so good and felt even better in his arms.

Pushing her back slightly against the counter, he nudged her legs apart with his knee, pressing his thigh tightly between. His dick was so hard now, it hurt.

Her mouth left his and for a moment he almost had time to stop and think about how wrong this was, but then her tongue swirled around his ear lobe and he was gone again.

His aching hands found her breasts, full and large. He cupped them, but imagined his face pressed between them instead. Licking his lips, he couldn’t wait to taste them.

“Mr. Jamie.” A little girl’s voice called from the living room.

Frozen, he took a step back from Olivia.

“Just a minute,” he called back.

Olivia’s eyes were full of passion. She bit her lip and he could tell she was nervous, but not for a second did she regret what happened. He knew this had been very wrong and he hated what he had to say. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

A smile crossed her face when he had expected something different.

“I don’t think you are.”

Her hand reached down, touching his erection. He sucked in, now biting his lip to try a push away the urge to grind into it.

Letting her hand drop, she strutted past him to go to her daughter. His gaze once again followed her round little ass in her pencil skirt. She was right. If Morgan hadn’t interrupted them, he would have been finding out what it was like under that skirt.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has the time to work on making her dream come true.

Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter, their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.

You can find Lacey at the following places:
Website | Facebook | Facebook Page | Twitter

Friday 17 August 2012

RELEASE DAY!!!!!!!


Yay!! It's finally here - HOT SUMMER SANDS IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD TODAY!!

I feel as though it has been forever since my last release so today is going to be a good day. This is my longest story so far so I've got everything crossed that readers and reviewers enjoy this story as much as my others.

Here's the blurb and a sneaky excerpt:


Chef Michelle Hutton flees her controlling mother in the UK for the sun and freedom of Greece, longing for a new beginning and maybe just a bit of Zante’s local heat. Sexy, pro-bono lawyer Sam Clarke might just be the one to teach her to let go. He's sexy, capable, and totally in control. And too damn hard to resist.

Sam Clarke and his best friend had once been the baddest boys to hit the local party scene— sex, booze, and more sex—until his friend is killed. Sam turned his back on the blatant sexuality of the island years ago, but can’t resist Michelle’s desire to bask in the sun and explore the need that grows between them.

 Excerpt:

Swallowing hard, she hesitated for an imperceptible moment at the periphery of the bar entrance before stepping from the tiled corridor to the bar’s wooden flooring. Without making eye contact with a single patron, whose gazes she felt boring into her temple, breasts and denim-clad ass, she headed straight to the bar.
With the bravado of a woman used to frequenting such places alone, a welcome and heated cloak of sexy confidence settled like a new friend around her shoulders. She slid onto one of the stools and leaned back…then realized there was no back.
“Oh, God.” She tilted backward and reached out toward the bar. Too late. She was going to land right on her ass.
A clammy hand caught her elbow before she could fall. “Hey, pretty lady, don’t worry I’ve got you.”
Michelle gripped the bicep of the tattooed arm that grabbed her.  She inhaled the guy’s scotch and cigar tainted breath as it blasted her face, making her want to gag. Her stomach dropped to her shoes as she looked up into his bloodshot, leering eyes.
She forced a smile. “Thanks.”
“Hey, thanks buddy. But I got this.”
Michelle’s heart stopped as a very different hand slapped onto the bar, the arm tanned and strong and very male. His other hand brushed and stilled against her butt as he steadied the stool that wobbled precariously beneath her.
“Are you okay, sweetheart? I turn my back for a second and you get yourself in a load of unwanted trouble.” His voice was deep, husky, and dark. “You trying to dance with that stool?”
Michelle’s cheeks burst into flame even as icy-cold perspiration broke out on her upper lip. She felt like a side of beef at a meat market. Could she have looked any more stupid? Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to ignore the image of her mother’s disproving face that filled her mind.
She should be grateful. There was absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. She opened her eyes and faced the second man.
Her stomach tightened. Could anyone possibly look that good?
Michelle stared as words lodged painfully in her throat and her heart picked up speed. He winked, his dark, midnight blue eyes flashing a silent “trust me.” He turned to Scotch Breath. “Thanks for saving my wife from landing on the floor, buddy. You want a drink?”

Buy Link:

I am visiting at Gotta Read Reviews all day today - pop along and keep me company :)


Love,
Rachel x

Thursday 16 August 2012

Welcome Samhain author, Robyn Bachar!



 Welcome to my site, Robyn! I don't think we've met before so I'm really happy to get to know more about you and your work. I have heard endless good things about Samhain so I'm sure you are more than happy with your publisher - I'd love to hear more about them!

Let's get started with the interview...

1)   Did you set any goals for 2012?          This year has been filled with very dramatic changes for me, and I didn’t set any writing goals other than to write when I can. Plus my muse tends to rebel when I give her demands for daily word counts other than in November (National Novel Writing Month). She’s very temperamental.

2)   What is the best part of the writing process for you?         It’s that aha moment when I realize something about a character or plot point and everything just clicks. I love that moment.

3)   The worst part?         Writing the dreaded synopsis. Blurbs are even worse, but I have a special hatred for the synopsis. I don’t have a talent for summarization, and trying to boil down my novel into a few paragraphs is a special kind of torture.

4)   What is the book you wish you’d written?         Right now I’m very jealous of Tiffany’s Reisz’s The Siren, because that book is sooo good. I couldn’t put it down, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out.

5)   Favourite author/s & book/s?         My all-time favorite romance author is Nora Roberts. She brought me back to reading romance, and I’m very grateful for that. My favorite book is hers is Dance Upon the Air, the first in the Three Sisters Island trilogy. I try to read it every fall, and I love it more with each re-read.


6)   Tell us about your latest release?         Nightfall is a space opera erotic romance with a M/F/F ménage. It has a bit of everything—epic space battles, laser gun fights, galactic political intrigue, and steamy love scenes. I had a blast writing it, and I’m working on the sequel now.

7)   Tease us with a blurb/short excerpt.         Here’s the blurb, but really I think the warning does it best. Writing the warning is one of the most fun parts of being a Samhain author.

When a wounded runner stumbles into her workshop, sculptor Talena Spenser’s comfortable, quiet life is shattered. Aiding the escaped slave risks losing more than just her freedom. She is in phase, when Cy’ren females are overwhelmed by the drive to mate.
Mordacki Loren, shadow sword of House Nightfall, knows the pain of losing a mate. He never intended to take another. But Talena, raised by humans with little knowledge of Cy’ren ways, leaves him no choice. As the mating lust consumes them, Dack promises to honor her wishes—even if that means letting her go.
Scarred and hardened by a munitions accident that sent her Alliance career up in flames, Carmen Hawke joined the Cy’ren resistance as captain of the flagship Talon. When old flame Dack returns from a mission with Carmen’s childhood friend and first love, Talena, in tow, the temptation to allow someone—or two someones—close to her again cracks her emotional armor.
Pursued by an unknown enemy, the trio works together to discover the secrets of Talena’s past, and to uncover a threat that could destroy the fragile peace of the Cy’ren homeworld.
Warning: If the epic space battles, gunfights and swordplay aren’t enough to get you going, strap yourself in for a male-female-female threesome that’s scorching enough to fire your engines into overdrive.

8)   What is your favourite attribute of the hero and heroine?         Dack, Talena, and Carmen are all survivors. They’ve been through tough times, but they never give up. Together the three of them are a force to be reckoned with.

9)   What’s next?         I’m working on Morningstar, the next book in the Cy’ren Rising trilogy. In November Fire in the Blood, the next book in my Bad Witch urban fantasy romance series, will be out in ebook. I’m also continuing to work on more books in that series as well.

10)                  Tell me where you write?                  Anywhere there’s noise. Silence is distracting to me, so I’m happiest in a busy coffee shop, or at home with the TV on.

11)                  Where would you like your career to be in 5 years?                  I’d love to be able to write full time. Also, my mom recently visited a psychic who told her that my books would get a big movie deal, which would be awesome. But I’ll only agree to a movie if Joss Whedon directs it, and I suspect that after Avengers he’ll be a tad bit busy. Just a smidge. (I saw Avengers three times, by the way. I’m an addict.)




Nightfall
by Robyn Bachar

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Her heart says “never”. Her body says “now”.

When a wounded runner stumbles into her workshop, sculptor Talena Spenser’s comfortable, quiet life is shattered. Aiding the escaped slave risks losing more than just her freedom. She is in phase, when Cy’ren females are overwhelmed by the drive to mate.

Mordacki Loren, shadow sword of House Nightfall, knows the pain of losing a mate. He never intended to take another. But Talena, raised by humans with little knowledge of Cy’ren ways, leaves him no choice. As the mating lust consumes them, Dack promises to honor her wishes—even if that means letting her go.

Scarred and hardened by a munitions accident that sent her Alliance career up in flames, Carmen Hawke joined the Cy’ren resistance as captain of the flagship Talon. When old flame Dack returns from a mission with Carmen’s childhood friend and first love, Talena, in tow, the temptation to allow someone—or two someones—close to her again cracks her emotional armor.

Pursued by an unknown enemy, the trio works together to discover the secrets of Talena’s past, and to uncover a threat that could destroy the fragile peace of the Cy’ren homeworld.

Warning: If the epic space battles, gunfights and swordplay aren’t enough to get you going, strap yourself in for a male-female-female threesome that’s scorching enough to fire your engines into overdrive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

The bridge crew stared at the chronometer as it ticked down the last seconds until the Talon pulled the slaver ship out of lightspeed. Though it had started life as a simple passenger transport, the Talon had been torn apart, rebuilt and modified to ambush slaver ships. If they calculated it right, the slavers would appear within firing range, and the Talon would disable their engines before the slavers even knew what happened.

If they calculated it right. A few meters off and the ship would slip their net, or crash into them. Fortunately, none of the previous missions under Carmen’s command had gone horribly awry. Her navigator, Rizzoli, was retired Alliance military, and he knew his craft. They’d pulled ships a bit too far out of range before and had to chase them down, but the Talon was faster than it looked.

The chrono hit zero, and the slaver ship appeared off the Talon’s starboard bow, right on schedule.

“Fire,” Carmen ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” Jace replied. Four beams shot from the Talon’s cannons, but instead of impacting against the hull, the energy dissipated as it hit the protective wall of an energy shield. “Weapons ineffective.”

Carmen cursed inwardly. Slaver ships almost never had shields—this was a bad sign. “Raise our shields and fire again. And broadcast the boarding warning.”

“Aye.”

The automated message warning the slavers to surrender and prepare to be boarded droned from the Talon as it fired. Again their weapons hit the slavers’ shields, and this time their target returned fire. The deck rocked beneath Carmen’s boots as the Talon shuddered, and she turned to Sam’s station. “Damage report?”

“Minor damage to the starboard engines. They’ve got upgraded cannons. Cut right through our shields. If you’d let me modify our cannons—”

“Not now, Chief. I want to know why that ship’s still moving, Lieutenant Commander Harrow.”

Jace glanced at her, his brow creased with annoyance. “I’m not familiar with their shield configuration. Our cannons aren’t affecting it.”

“Charge the EMP,” she ordered.

The crew paused around her, and she noticed their hesitation with another silent curse. Using the EMP was risky, because it drained their ship of almost all their power for a few minutes. The slaver ship would be dead in space, but it put the Talon in danger if reinforcements arrived. Carmen was already concerned about the situation, because a ship that should have been a nice, fat transport was showing teeth. She’d risk it.


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Robyn Bachar was born and raised in Berwyn, Illinois, and loves all things related to Chicago, from the Cubs to the pizza. It seemed only natural to combine it with her love of fantasy, and tell stories of witches and vampires in the Chicagoland area in her Bad Witch series. As a gamer, Robyn has spent many hours rolling dice, playing rock-paper-scissors, and slaying creatures in MMPORGs. Her new series, Cy’ren Rising, was born out of a lifelong addiction to space opera movies and TV shows.



Robyn will be awarding $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-nightfall-by-robyn.html
 
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