Saturday Promo - Nona Raines...

First of all, Rachel, I'd like to thank you for letting me share your blog today. It's great to be here!

                                                                                                            ***

Some enchanted evening…you may see a stranger across a crowded room…

The lyrics to "Some Enchanted Evening" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein paint a picture of two people fated to meet who fall instantly in love. Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Romeo and Juliet fell in love immediately, needing only a little wooing from a balcony to seal the deal. King David knew he wanted Bathsheba when he saw her bathing, and the Little Mermaid fell for the Prince when she rescued him from drowning. Narcissus found his soul mate when he gazed at his reflection in a pool of water! Literature, songs and films l give us plenty of examples of this phenomenon of love at first sight.

But does it exist in real life? Some anthropologists believe that it's a matter of evolution. The "urge to merge" goes back to human beginnings. Our ancestors didn't have long lives, and they needed to pass on their genes. Of course, they knew nothing about genetics, but having healthy babies that would survive to the next generation was paramount. They needed to quickly size up potential mates, good partners to make babies with. (Source: Is love at first sight possible?)

Scientists also believe that when we fall in love, all kinds of chemicals are released in the brain that make us euphoric. It takes only a fifth of a second for us to fall in love, and for those chemicals to flood our brain. Then we're lighter than air, walking on clouds, and looking the world through rose-colored glasses. (Source: Falling in Love Only Takes About a Fifth of a Second, Research Reveals)

The two women in my newly released erotic short story Irresistible Impulse fall in love at first sight. Not across a crowded room, but across a steam table in a Chinese restaurant. Though they immediately feel a connection, they don't have a chance to follow up on it until they unexpectedly meet again at a speed-dating event.

Ordinarily, Tania Talcott wouldn't be caught dead at a speed dating event, but she lost a stupid bet. Checking out the slim pickings, she's convinced the evening will be a total bust--until a classy, sensual, African American woman enters the room. A woman Tania met briefly once before and never forgot.

Latisha Hobbs is only attending this event to support her young cousin, who's ready to start dating again. Latisha's heart has been on ice for quite some time. But she finds herself immediately--and strongly--enticed by the friendly overtures of a vivacious redhead. Or are they more than friendly?

Fueled by an irresistible impulse, Tania wastes no time getting to know the beautiful woman. Latisha is drawn to Tania as well, but memories of an unhappy love affair make her reluctant to act. These two opposites definitely attract, but will their differences be too much to overcome?

Here's an excerpt:

As they chatted and laughed Latisha again felt that sensation vibrate through her body, that combination of nerves and sexual longing. She was light-headed with anticipation and weak with fear.

Of course, the alcohol didn’t help. But as Tania shared some funny stories about her experiences working with the public, all Latisha could think about was leaning forward and pressing her lips to Tania’s pink mouth.

Don’t go there.

Tania grew blurry as Danielle’s face floated in front of her. “I’m not in love with you.” The words echoed in her memory.

Tania’s voice brought her back to the present. “Latisha? You all right?”

“Excuse me.” Latisha stood so abruptly she bumped the table and made the glasses jiggle. “I need to use the bathroom.”

“Is everything okay?” Tania’s eyes were wide with concern. “These drinks are delish, but they pack a pretty good kick.”

“I’m not drunk.”

“I never said—”

She had to get away. “Excuse me.”

She brushed past a waitress with a tray of drinks and several others in her rush to the Ladies’ Room. Once there, she washed her hands and patted her cheeks with a damp paper towel, trying to collect herself.

The bathroom door opened, and Tania entered. “Tisha, I was worried…”

Latisha turned away to grab another paper towel. “No need. I’m fine.”

“Have you been crying?”

“Of course not.”

Tania stepped closer. “Yes, you have.” She gently cupped Latisha’s face and turned it toward her. At Tania’s touch, a thrill zinged through Latisha.

                                                            ***

These characters appeared as an established couple in my first two books One Good Man and Take This Man. It was great fun to tell the story of how they first met—and fell in love. I hope readers enjoy it, too.

To celebrate my new release, I'd like to offer a giveaway of Irresistible Impulse. Please just leave a comment telling if you believe in love at first sight. Has is happened to you or someone you know? Don't forget to include your email address!  I'll select a random commenter on Monday.

Thanks again. Rachel, for letting me be here today!

Irresistible Impulse is available from The Wild Rose Press

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

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The Pirates of Vampire Island by Phoenix & Lover Boy...

Title: The Pirates of Vampire Island, A Paranormal Romantic Thriller

Series: Steamy Voyages, Series #1

Author: Phoenix and Lover Boy

Publisher: Self (Amazon and B&N)

Length: 61,700 words

Genres: Paranormal Romance (Adventure)

Heat Level: Sizzling

AVAILABLE AT:

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Paranormal-Romantic-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0090OOOX6

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pirates-of-vampire-island-a-paranormal-romantic-thriller-steamy-voyages-1-phoenix-and-lover-boy/1112584812

BLURB:

Pretty Jane O'Doherty always chooses the wrong kind of guys. Her specialty seems to be guys who have serious flaws and who break her heart.

Her last breakup was a year ago and still she can hear his final words, "I'm sorry, Jane. I've found someone else."

A 30-day cruise through the exotic Indonesian Islands with her best friend seems like the perfect distraction to mend her broken heart.

On board, she meets devastatingly gorgeous Nick, who attracts women in droves, including our lovely Jane.

And she meets Peter, who is the cute geek with puppy dog eyes. 

Will either one just lead to another broken heart?

Should she run the other way from them both and just enjoy the cruise?

But before Jane can decide, the ship is attacked by modern day pirates.

Unlike the pirates of old, these guys are vampires and are more interested in human treasure than gold and jewels.

They take over the ship and take twelve women hostage.

And the handsome pirate leader—with eerie chalk-white skin, and red eyes, is looking for a special prize. He wants a woman for his mate and queen . . . 

Jane catches his eye, but she, along with Nick and Peter, manage to escape in a lifeboat and onto the open sea.

They drift for fourteen days before finally finding an island.

But the fates are cruel, and their island turns out to be the home of the pirates and the lair of the Vampire.

The Pirates of Vampire Island is non-stop action . . . filled with adventure, suspense . . . and steamy romance.

Excerpt

As we approached the outdoor swimming pool on the top deck, I saw dark clouds threatening a storm. My hair was whipping in the wind. I shivered. Bad idea. But Remy was undaunted. She immediately ran and did a cannonball. As I stood wondering if I should just go back to the cabin, a waiter came up, a small, dark boy about sixteen, probably a native of the area. He wore a short white jacket with epaulets and black pants.

"Would you like a drink, mum?"

"How about a snow suit?" I laughed. "Just kidding. No, I'm good for now." I surveyed the sunbathers and swimmers. There he was. As usual, he was surrounded by women. He was dressed in a simple white pullover sweater and tan slacks, but the cut and fabric screamed money. His luxurious, curly black hair whipped in the wind, making him look very unkempt, rugged, and nonchalant, as if fine grooming was so not important because he was stunningly handsome no matter what he wore or did.

"Excuse me, sir?" I said.

The waiter turned.

"What's that guy's name? The one with the black curly hair."

"Nickolas Angelopoulos." He stood for a moment. "Anything else I can help you with?"

"Nope. Thank you," I said, not taking my eyes off the amazing-looking man.

"You're gawking."

I shook myself and looked down. Remy was hanging on the side of the pool. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Enough of that.

"I'm coming in." I walked over to the diving board and performed a perfect dive. I had always been very athletic, and I knew my body showed it.

I swam several laps, trying not to look at this guy named Nickolas, and climbed out of the pool, dripping water, and squeezing it out of my thick mane. I shivered a little in the cool wind, and as I finished drying, I saw out of the corner of my eye that Nicholas was staring at me – well, at my chest anyway. I looked down to see that my nipples were perfectly erect through my black bikini. I quickly draped my towel around my shoulders so it covered my breasts and was suddenly looking for a quick way to exit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and grew up in California. I came from a long line of Americans who were pioneers and individualists. The family tree is filled with rugged people: rough coal miners, pioneers, and farmers living in log cabins in the early west. I wrote A Whisper from Eden, A Historical Fantasy, but like to write in several genres.

Lover Boy (aka my husband) was born and raised in Anaheim, California and wishes to remain anonymous because he doesn’t want anyone to know he likes to write romance novels. (Let's keep his secret.)

We wrote THE PIRATES OF VAMPIRE ISLAND, A Paranormal Romantic Thriller (Steamy Voyages #1). And we are working the sequel to Steamy Voyages and a dystopian thriller, The Trash Pile People. We live in Hollywood with our ornery tomcat, Snickers.

Website: http://www.fictionbyphoenix.com

E-mail: read@booksbyphoenix.com

Twitter: @PhoenixRead

Goodreads: Phoenix Reads

Facebook Page: Fiction by Phoenix

Facebook Profile: Lee Jordan

Pinterest: Lee Jordan

Amazon Author Central: Amazon.com/author/phoenixread

Amazon Reviews by Phoenix Profile Page: http://amzn.to/P8T5QD

Post and giveaway with Laura Browning!

Hi, Laura! Welcome back to my site, clearly you've been busy since your last visit. I cannot wait to hear about this book, the cover has completely drawn me in! Who was the artist? He or she deserves a mention, SO eye catching :)

Looking forward to reading your post today - wishing you lots of sales. Look out for Laura's GIVEAWAY at the end of her post. Good luck!

Honey, I’d be Happy to Help

Writers are often asked if they just imagine everything they include in stories, or (wink, wink) is it from practical experience? Of course when romance is what you’re writing, especially steamy romance, that can get a little awkward. Then there’s always the “What does your husband think about what you write?” question.

As a general rule, my husband doesn’t read what I write and has that rather condescending “it’s just romance” attitude. Boy did that change when I asked for his assistance in doing  research that went into my latest release, Balancing Act, and the next in the series, Remember Me, tentatively scheduled to release early next year.

You see, my heroine works a short stint as a waitress in a strip club, and Lucy, the heroine of Remember Me is the headline stripper at that same club. Now, I don’t consider myself sheltered.  Over the years, I’ve been in car accidents, decked a guy on a train while traveling through France, slept in houses built before Columbus sailed to America—and I’ve even been airlifted off a mountain in Switzerland. But I will admit, I had never been to a strip club.

To begin, I turned to my friend the Internet. I researched laws regarding strip clubs for this particular geographic area, read as much as I could about salaries and pay. I watched videos on the Internet, including how-to videos for pole dancing—yes, they’re out there(yawn)—but I was still not quite comfortable with the results because, unlike much of what I do write about (blush), I’d not actually been to a strip club. I needed a feel for the atmosphere.

There was no way around it. I needed to go, and I sure as the devil wasn’t going alone. That’s where my newly helpful research assistant, and in this instance, highly motivated husband, finally comes in. His checkered past did include personal experience with strip clubs (gasp!), and he was more than willing to make the sacrifice by accompanying me to one. Suddenly, his attitude wasn’t quite so condescending. Hmm.

It was an experience I will not soon forget.

I learned several things:

There aren’t many women, other than employees, in strip clubs.

Men really do walk right up to strange women on stage hoping to have breasts and bums flashed in their faces (very closely, I might add).

After the first couple of dances, I was more interested in the dancers’ tattoos than the jiggling T and A.

No one should try to walk far in the shoes strippers wear, but they will make your legs look about eight miles long.

The whole pole dancing thing requires an amazing amount of upper body strength. The stripper I talked to had biceps to rival most guys.

If you’re a woman in a strip bar—the dancers will hit on you instead of your husband. Okay…that was an eww factor, but funny nonetheless.

Being inside a strip club is like being inside a Casino—no windows, no clocks and an atmosphere where smiling people want to make sure you’re having a good time while they suck the money out of your pockets.

So, in the end, I learned my Internet research had been pretty solid. And hey, let’s not forget that year’s membership I now had at the strip club…lol

Please check out Tessa and Seth, the hot couple in Balancing Act. She’s like a match to his firecracker! 

Here’s a short excerpt:

“Are you tired?” Seth asked.

“Not really.” Tessa’s nerves tightened. Sleep would be elusive tonight.

“Join me out on the terrace? I think the lights and the view from there are something you won’t want to miss.”

He held the door open in invitation, then stood next to her, one arm thrown around her shoulders. There didn’t seem to be much to say, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. They both watched the lights twinkling below them. When Seth turned her toward him and tipped her head up, it was the most natural thing in the world. Then he kissed her.

Tessa’s experience with men was limited at best. She’d been sheltered through her teens, and attending an all-women’s college hadn’t given her the constant male contact many women took for granted. Seth’s stroking tongue startled her into opening her mouth to him. Heat spiraled through her body as he held her close.

“Tessa,” he murmured before pulling her even closer and plundering her mouth with his tongue. He smelled of shampoo, soap, a citrusy cologne that tickled her nostrils…and Seth. She leaned into him, giving herself over to his teasing, tantalizing kisses.

She heard a moan and realized it came from her. As he continued his toe-curling kisses, Seth kneaded her bottom, pushing the silky material of her skirt higher until he rested one hand above the lace of her stocking on the bare flesh of her thigh, then cupped one round cheek of her ass. With his other hand, he drifted up over her waist until he stroked her nipple through her dress with his thumb. Heat burned her, not just where he touched but everywhere. Arousal made her ache.

Tessa sighed as he lifted her, holding her tightly, and lowered his head to the swelling globe of her breast. “Seth, I…”

“Shh,” he soothed as he traced the neckline of her dress with the tip of his tongue. “Ah, Tessa,” he mumbled and pushed her breast upward until it spilled onto his waiting lips. “Mmm.”

Check it out at Lyrical Press.

Website: http://www.laurabrowningbooks.com/

Thanks for having me, Rachel. Happy reading everyone!

Great post, Laura! You are very brave - I have a friend who went with her husband to a strip club and is disgusted I write erotic romance and haven't been. She said the girls are amazing at what they do and hugely personable. I will get there one day - I'm sure, like yours, my husband will be more than willing to accompany me! Bit scared about the girls showing me more attention than him though...

Laura is giving away a ebook copy of "Balancing Act" to one lucky commenter - I will draw the winner on Saturday so comment away!!

Comments?

Saturday Promo - Melissa Snark...

Blurb:

Cassandra Claeys is a bohemian artist with a passion for shoes and architecture. Her past wasn't pretty and she's got the scars to prove it, but she's determined to live and love again and she's hoping her newest client is just the man for the job. But the crazed serial killer that once held her captive escapes from prison, willing to kill again to make his manical fantasies come true.

Architect Kyle McCloud hires the fiery redhead to illustrate his latest project, never dreaming that she would bring passion and danger to his door. Cassie is easily spooked and as flighty as one of his injured birds, but he's willing to work overtime to make her soar for him alone.

Excerpt:

“You’ve only had two lovers?” Tension hit him again between the shoulder blades and shot to his crotch. He had expected a woman of her age and beauty to have had more than a couple lovers.

“Yes, two.” Her expression turned teasing. “Do I want to know how many lovers you’ve had?”

Thank God, he didn’t blush. “Not if you want to respect me in the morning.”

Cassie laughed, relaxing in his hold. “Maybe not discussing it is for the best then.”

He needed to get out of her bed before the gentle rocking of her pelvis against his cock caused him to embarrass himself. Kyle kissed her forehead and eased away. “It’s late. Try to get some sleep.”

He didn’t count on sleep so much as a cold shower as he attempted to ease the ache her nearness caused. Cassie caught his arm, preventing him from leaving the bed. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“Cassie, I need some space.”

“Oh.” Her face fell and she looked down, conveying hurt and disappointment.

Kyle didn’t want her feeling rejected. “I only meant—I’m human. Physically, I can only take so much. I get hard just being this close to you. When I should be supportive, I’m distracted by your scent and your mouth. I want to taste your breasts and—” Fuck you until you wrap your legs around me and scream.

Buy Link:

http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=88&products_id=898

Books, books and more books!!

Book fanatic? Me??

As a writer, I have a natural (almost unnatural!) obsession with books and my home as well as my office is overflowing with them. I am a self-confessed bibliophile and despite having over 200 books waiting to be read, I still buy more. This backlog of books are all hardback and paperbacks, by the way – it doesn’t include the 40 + I have downloaded onto my Kindle.

It is usual for me to be reading three books at any one time – a hardback, a paperback and an ebook. Makes complete sense, right? No? Let me explain. The hardback is for reading in bed, the paperback is for reading in the bath or when I am walking the dog (I kid you not) and the ebook is for when I am waiting to pick up my kids from one club or another, or waiting at the dentist/doctors etc. Simple.

Okay, so as you can see I LOVE books with a passion so it is darn near impossible for me to choose a single favorite title – so I’m going to cheat and name my all-time favorite author instead….

It has to be the fabulous Nora Roberts every time.

Now I know there maybe some moans and groans out there, but I seriously don’t know why so many people seem to have such a gripe with the fabulous Nora. She writes fantastic stories, with fantastic characters and most of all a fantastic romance. For me at least, she delivers each and every time. I am yet to be disappointed by any of her books and I’ve read a lot – and yes, I still have a lot to read too!

As for erotic romance I enjoy far too many authors to list but the romances I love to read, even though I don’t write them, is any featuring a hunky cowboy, yum! If you like a bit of erotic Western naughtiness too, I cannot recommend the Cowboy Kink series from The Wild Rose Press highly enough ;)

What are you waiting for??

Rachel x

I'm missing a guest so I thought I'd add a bit of eye candy...

Blurb:

Love sucks. Relationships suck. But Hale Reston loved Jesse Whitfield anyway—until he left without saying goodbye and without an explanation. Hale was going down…going down hard. Braden Owens picked him up and showed him loving someone doesn’t have to hurt. Just as Hale has convinced himself what he has with Braden is just sex, Jesse returns and Hale must accept that his emotions run deep, but not just for Braden. He’s still in love with Jesse, too.

Excerpt:

Hale couldn’t turn away from the intensity in Jesse’s brown eyes. Those lashes and the dimples in his clean-shaven face. Sharp angles carved his square jaw. In the months he’d been gone, he’d gotten his hair cut. Now short on the sides and longer on the top, Jesse had lost the rancher edge and taken on a city sophistication. Damn, but it looked good on him.

Jesse leaned in closer. “I’m not walking away from us.”

The subtle scent of Jesse’s cologne reminded Hale of the intimate moments he’d spent kissing Jesse, of touching him and rubbing against him until they’d both come in their jeans. The bittersweet memories were more than Hale wanted to remember. “You already did.”

The barn door swung open, flooding the area with bright sunlight. Cowboy hat, worn jeans hugging slim hips, long legs and cowboy boots. Hale swallowed hard. Braden always had the same affect on him. As beautiful as Jesse was, Braden was rough and rugged. Jesse carried the scent of fine cologne…Braden smelled like sweat and man. He was hard, lean and tough as nails. And he wanted Hale.

“Hey, stranger,” he said to Jesse as he came into the barn, his determined gait eating up the distance between them. Braden’s friendly smile stretched across his tanned face, and his blue eyes sent heat into Hale’s groin. These were the two men he wanted, but only one could he have. Braden. And he needed him.

“You can get out now,” he said to Jesse.

Braden slapped Jesse on the shoulder. “You look good.”

“Fuck you,” Jesse spat and stormed out of the barn.

****

Hale’s gut clenched as the barn door slapped the wall hard, bounced back, then swung on its hinges.

Braden leaned against the beam and cocked an eyebrow. “So much for a quiet Sunday morning. Do I need to ask how it feels to have him back home?”

Hale didn’t want to feel anything at all, but he did. Seeing Jesse again hurt like hell. He knew it would because to see him was to want him. Nothing had changed. Except that this time, Hale had turned Jesse away. “I couldn’t care less.”

“You’re full of shit.” Braden tossed off his hat and closed in tight, pushing Hale against the stall wall.

Hale couldn’t speak. Desire coiled in his gut and threatened to snap. Need of Braden and want of Jesse. Braden’s whiskered jaw rasped against his cheek as Braden kissed his neck with his hot, wet mouth.

“I know you too well.” Braden nipped at Hale’s mouth. Fine lines creased the corner of his blue eyes. Braden was a few years older than Hale, but thirty looked good on him. Bronzed by the wind and sun. Hard from work. And he was experienced—skilled in everything from ranching to sex. “You do care.”

He slammed his lips onto Hale’s. Firm and demanding. Together their passion was explosive, consuming, and mutual. But more than that, Braden did know Hale. When Hale was going down—going down hard—Braden was there. He watched Hale crash…then picked him up.

Buy Link:

http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=187&products_id=818

Saturday Promo - Mia Downing...

Blurb:

Lifeguard/artist Gavin White has been holding the ripped shreds of his life together by the seams. Facing the anniversary of his sister's death, he fights the dark call of dependency and is at the edge of succumbing when his best friend since preschool returns to his life. Handsome geek-turned-hunk, Erik Clarke, wasn't afraid to come out and had been bold enough to kiss Gavin the last time they were together. Damn that kiss. Gavin wants more. So much more, but he was never brave enough to tell Erik his dreams. With his future hanging by a tattered thread, Gavin must trade one temptation for another or risk ripping his life apart.

Excerpt:

“Erik. Kiss me,” Gavin whispered, almost a plea.

Knowing this was probably the worst thing he could do for their friendship, Erik leaned in and let his lips touch Gavin’s. He sighed against those firm lips and gentled the pressure of his mouth, slanting over Gavin’s, hesitant to explore the lines he’d memorized, embedded in his brain over the years. So good. He savored the sensation a moment more and started to draw away.

But Gavin surprised him. A firm hand slid to the back of Erik’s head, and Gavin tugged him closer, his tongue touching the seam of Erik’s mouth, gently prying. Erik moaned and opened. Gavin’s tongue twined with his, and electricity shocked through Erik’s veins, sizzling his blood to a boil.

The kiss changed, and Gavin kissed him like a starved man, his lips biting, tongue darting and stroking, tangling with his.

Erik shuddered. How many nights had he dreamed of this, Gavin painting him then coming to him, unable to hold back the passion, taking him here, on this bed?

Tentatively, Erik reached out and touched Gavin’s chest. God, he was hard, his chest sculpted, with just the lightest dusting of dark hair. Erik kneaded Gavin’s wide shoulders, the muscles tight under his palms.

Bolder, Erik roamed lower, down the dip from his ribs to the abs. This is why men and women alike drooled over Gavin, these gentle valleys in his deeply tanned skin. But Erik wanted the whole package. The body and the brain. Gavin’s brain worked in a different way than his, in colors and patterns, where his worked in computer code. Maybe they had patterns in common, but Gavin’s were beautiful.

Gavin slid his lips along Erik’s jaw, sliding his tongue along the crease between bone and neck. Then he pulled away to meet Erik’s gaze. So much heat in one look. Heat and a plea, one Erik didn’t understand.

“I can’t make love to you,” Gavin said.

Buy Link:

http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=897