Gamble's Game by Tara S Nichols

"One is fun, two is company, three is not always a crowd, but four is more, and more, and more! The idea for Gamble's Game came to me one day while I ate my lunch in a local grocery store. Inspired by my surroundings, I saw erotic potential in a stereotypically sterile environment (excluding the produce aisle, of course). " ~Tara ~

Gamble’s Game

by Tara S Nichols

Now Available at Siren Publishing

Sensuality Rating: SCORCHING
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance with elements of Ménage a Trois M/F/M and Ménage a Quatre M/F/M/F
Length: 33,814 Words

A notorious player, Desiree Jones resists all attempts to trap her in a relationship. According to her, it's what made her parents miserable, and therefore, it is what would make her miserable.

Once a lover of Desiree's, Andrew Gamble doesn't agree and it is his hope to be the one who makes her see reason. Smitten from the first kiss, Gamble has not touched another woman since, so a bet to go without sounds more like an opportunity to seduce her to him.

Desiree's other competition is Joshua Tully, perpetually single and harmless, until the temptation of two week's wages are up for grabs. After that, it is open season, and the three of them do what ever it takes to push their pals over the sexual finish line. A parade of firemen visit Desiree's cash counter, a pretendsbian tryst is performed for Gamble, and a date is arranged for Tully.

Released December 1st, 2008 Siren Publishing!

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Here is a recipe for a sinfully luscious dessert. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE KAHLUA CAKE
1 Duncan Hines cake mix
1 sm. pkg. chocolate instant pudding mix
1 pt. sour cream
4 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1/3 c. kahlua
1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil and kahlua. Mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into well-greased bunt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until tests done. To frost, sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool.


Thanks for stopping by.

Her Knight Before Christmas by Debora Dennis

ISBN Number: 978-1-897560-10-5
Genre: Time Travel Romance
Length: Novella

Heat Index: Hot with Explicit Language

Read excerpts or buy it here!



Dreaming of the past.

Hannah Falcon loves her job cataloging medieval artifacts and setting up the displays at the Natural History Museum in New York. What she doesn’t love is her father’s steadfast refusal to let her go on any of his archeological digs, or her friends insisting she date more. When a man dressed as a medieval knight shows up in the museum, Hannah mistakes him for her friend’s latest attempt at a blind date.

Sent into the future:

Sir Gavin of Rogueforth is a battle-hardened twelfth century knight, having seen and caused his share of death in the crusades. He expects nothing more from life than to live and die by his sword. After Gavin rescues a woman and her daughter from a band of highway thieves, she sends him through time to protect another Hannah, claim her as his own and fulfill his destiny. He doesn’t expect a woman who refuses to be protected.

Timeless passion:

Can a man in chain maille convince a twenty-first century woman to follow her heart? Can a modern day woman show a medieval knight there’s more to life than being a protector? When two people from two different times explore Manhattan during the holiday season will time be an obstacle or will they find the magic to span centuries under the mistletoe?

I Need a Drink!

I've been having issues with my car, or should I say ex-car. Anyway I haven't had the money to get everything fixed at one time so I've been doing it bit by bit.

Well I finally got the chance to take it into a shop last week. At first they told us it would probably be about $1000 between engine work and transmission work. I was ecstatic. This is a huge deal for a Cadillac SLS. Everything is expensive on that freakin' car. Anyway, they thought it would be done in a few days.

Well surprise they call The Man back to tell him it was much worse then they thought and due to all the parts it's now going to cost $4000+, do we still want to get it fixed?

Heeeeeeeell no!! Crazy people. I didn't even spend that much for the car. So now, I am somehow going to have to find the money for a new car because the old one is no longer worth it. *sigh*

Thanks for stopping by.

Carnal Desires by Crystal Jordan

Centuries after the destruction of earth, several species of altered humans still survive. These shape-shifters are exciting and exotic creatures, and their human forms do little to mask their most primitive and passionate instincts...

IN HEAT
Mahlia is a snow tigress in heat and now that her tiger king has returned to rule the planet Vesperi, she can no longer deny her desperate need to mate. She greets him as a woman, but their desire for sex is uncontrollable as they come together with a primal passion.

IN SMOKE
When Lady Katryn is called back to her home world to join Lord Nadir's harim, she is curious to learn more about her weredragon nature. What she discovers is a scorching eroticism that consumes her all over.

IN MIST
Dr. Sera Gibbons is one of only two human survivors after a five hundred year cryogenic freeze. Save by the merman Bretton Hahn, she savors the way her caresses her and makes her live out her wildest fantasies.

And if you want to get it online rather than going to a brick-and-mortar store, here are the links:

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Chapters.ca

Green Beans

I haven't tried this one yet but I like the looks of it so I'll be making it tomorrow. Try it and let me know what you think. ;)





SLOW COOKER HAM, GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES*

2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
1 large onion, chopped
3 ham hocks
1 ½ pounds new potatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
ground black pepper to taste
Halve beans if they are large, place in a slow cooker with water to barely cover, and add onion and ham hocks. Cover, and cook on High until simmering. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until beans are crisp but not done.
Add potatoes, and cook for another 45 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, remove ham hocks from slow cooker, and remove meat from bones. Chop or shred meat, and return to slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, bouillon, and pepper. Cook until potatoes are done, then adjust seasoning to taste.
To serve, use a slotted spoon to put beans, potatoes, and ham into a serving dish with a little broth.



Thanks for stopping by.

Since it's November...

How about some recipes for the holidays. One of my favorites is collard greens. I know that you can eat them at any other time of the year but I especially look forward to making them on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here is the recipe. Enjoy.

COLLARD GREENS (CROCK POT)

3lbs Collards
½ cup Vinegar
2 Cups water
Seasoning salt
2 Smoked turkey wings or legs
Pepper

Wash green thoroughly pull leaves off the stems
Roll greens and cut them to desired size
Then wash greens again
Place 1 wing at bottom of Crock Pot
Put a little seasoning at bottom of crock pot
Stuff a layer of greens in and season and repeat until all greens are added
Place the other wing on top and season
Pour in water and ¼ cup vinegar
Cook for 11-12 hours
Stir greens add more seasoning and ¼ cup or more vinegar as needed to taste



Thanks for stopping by.

Cara's Christmas Fantasy is Now Available!

Cara's Christmas Fantasy by Lauren Murphy

Genre: Contemporary Big Beautiful Woman

Heat Rating: Bonfire

Length: Long Story-17,000 words

Price: $3.75

With their marriage on rocky ground, will Mike’s passionate plans reignite Cara’s love?


Plagued by her weight gain, Cara’s self-esteem has taken a downward spiral. No longer feeling attractive she unknowingly pushes away the one thing she truly wants; her husband’s affections.

Mike considers himself to be an understanding man but enough is enough. He wants his old Cara back--the wild, vivacious woman he met and knows is waiting to be revived. His desire for her compels him to create a plan that will bring them closer together emotionally and sexually. But will Cara be able to open her mind and body to the man she loves or will she push him away for good?

Read a full excerpt here!

Available now here!

Foreplay

Is it necessary or overrated?

This question came to mind as I was writing a nice hot scene from one of my recent WIPs. The hero gets the heroine all worked up until she is dying for him to lay it on her. She quivers with need, moans his name and begs for him to put her out of her misery and this is all before he even penetrates her. I'm warm just thinking about it. *fans*

Sure it's nice to read about it or think about it but is it always necessary? Sure sometimes I like to go slow and take my time but sometimes I am just ready to hop to it. What do you think? Is it something that's better off in books or our imaginations or is it something that needs to happen on the regular? Shy people I see you out there. Please come play with me, you know I really want to know. ;)


Until next time.

Home Sick

My Home Town


My New Town

I’m going to let you all in on a little secret. I don’t currently reside in my home town. I live in TN but I was born and raised in Chicago. I have to tell you that initially coming here was like culture shock. The people the atmosphere the scenery is all different and it really took some getting used to. I mean I had to drive through like two states and two cities just to get here.

Now that I've been here for a while I have grown to like living here but I will always miss the city life. I guess you can take the girl out of the city but you can't take the city out of the girl. I've been here for eight years and people can still tell that I'm not from here.

Though Chicago (for the most part) is a beautiful city, surprisingly that's not what I really miss. I miss my friends and family. My friends that still live there, some of them I have known since I was a toddler (no kidding) and some since grade school. I don't even consider most of them friends anymore now they are more like my family. I wish I could see them more often. Sometimes I feel really torn. When I visit Chicago I miss TN and when I come back to TN I miss Chicago. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever find the right balance.

Am I the only one out there who's homesick? Does anyone else live a double life or should I be going out to look for therapy lol? Talk to me, you know I want to know.


Thanks for stopping by.

Let's Talk About Sex!

No, seriously let's talk about it. :P

There are many things that I love to talk about (as you all know from my previous ramblings) and sex is definitely high up on that list. What does it feel like? How good does it feel? How and when and even where do you like to have it (Oooooh)? All of these topics, and more, are fascinating to me.

However, among some of the women that I’ve come across sex seems to be a taboo subject. We don't want to talk about it, or maybe we don't want people to know that we talk about it. We act like we don't think about it but is that really the case? I am always hearing about how it’s not the physical act that makes sex special for us but the emotions behind the act. Is that really true for all of us?
Why do some women act like something is so wrong with being into just the physical act. Maybe not all of the time but surely some times it’s okay, right? It feels good doesn’t it? Hell sometimes for me it's so mind numbingly awesome I just want to sit in the corner and suck my thumb. *fans*

Oops sorry I got distracted by the thought of mind numbingly good, thumb sucking sex. Anyway, I personally am a fan of both. Sometimes I want the sweet romantic type but sometimes (okay most of the time) I want the earth shattering climax from an intense session. Am I alone?

Women of the world please tell me what you think about sex. Is it all about the emotion or the physical feeling for you? Or is it a bit of both? Do you shy away from talking about it or do you just let it all hang out? Don’t be shy here. Drop me a line and tell me how you feel.



Thanks for stopping by.

Lemon Chicken (Yes this really is a post about food.)

I've realized that I would like to share more of my loves with my readers. You know about my writing but you really don't know much else about me. I love all sorts of things but on the top of list is cooking and sex. Yes, I know what an interesting combination.

I'm sure that it may be fun to combine the two and some people may cook while having sex but that is not my intention. I can't imagine hot grease flying all over the kitchen and me covered with flour while I’m trying to get my groove on. That image just does not appeal to me.

So, *cough* *clears throat* as you will notice there will be some posts about cooking (but not while having sex) and there will be posts about sex (but not about me having it and certainly not while cooking). But, in my short little existence I have noticed some very interesting topics about sex and I would dearly love to discuss those. I like a little (ok a lot) of spice in my life and what better way is there to add some than by talking about cooking and sex (again not together).

Now that I've gotten that nice ramble out of the way (you know I have to do it some time) here is what I'm cooking today.


CROCK POT LEMON CHICKEN

1 chicken, cut in pieces (sometimes I just use legs or leg quarters
¼ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. oil
1 (6 oz.) can lemonade, thawed & undiluted
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. vinegar
¼ c. catsup
Combine flour and salt and coat chicken. Brown on all sides in hot oil. Put in crock pot. Stir lemonade concentrate, brown sugar, vinegar and catsup. Mix well. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.

This is not my own personal recipe (though I do have many). I found this wonderful dish on Cooks.com.

If you like to cook you should definitely check them out. There are all types of wonderful goodness there. I particularly like this recipe because it's in the crock pot. That means that I dump everything in and don't have to touch it again until it's done! Woohoo! Freeeedooooom! *clears throat* Sorry I got a bit carried away there.


Now, don’t just take my word for it. Try this most wonderful recipe and let me know how it goes for you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Kicked the Crap out of Writers Block. HA!

For months I have struggled with WIP after WIP and let me tell you, it's been so discouraging! But, the good news is that it's over. Last week I added 15K to my latest WIP. OMG I haven't done that in so long I'd forgotten what it felt like.

I used to be a writing machine and then one day I just couldn't write anymore. *gasp* Terrible, I know. Very recently I realized that I had stopped writing for the love of it and was letting all of this other stuff cloud something that once brought me such joy. Once I understood that this was the case I immediately set out to change my outlook. For me writing is all about enjoying the journey of the story and the characters.

It was difficult getting back to the mindset I wanted to be in. There were a lot of doubts and the writing progress just inched a long, so slowly that I wanted to yank out my hair. Finally I asked a group of friends to participate in a challenge with me. It’s called Book in a Week (BIAW) and we all set the goal we wanted to reach by the end of the challenge. Mine was 15K. I knew it would be difficult but also I knew that if I wanted real progress I was going to have to push myself. This was by far my best idea ever because in order to reach my goal I really did have to let go and just write it. No agonizing over this word here, or that phrase there. I just had to let it be and it turned out wonderfully! I reached my goal and the story is moving along swimmingly.

Now I have challenged myself to finish this first draft by the end of this month. Yes, I am a fan of torture. Wish me luck. I’m going to need all the help I can get!


Thanks for stopping by.

Excerpt for Cara's Christmas Fantasy Available from Shadowfire Press Novemeber 7th

Cara's Christmas Fantasy by Lauren Murphy

Genre: Contemporary Big Beautiful Woman

Heat Rating: Bonfire

Length: Long Story-17,000 words

Price: $3.75

Coming November 7th from Shadowfire Press

"I didn't think you were ever getting out of that shower." Mike's deep rumbling voice said from behind her. Her breath caught in her throat as she whirled around and spotted him standing at the door. Stuck. She hadn't brought a towel with her when she came out of the bathroom figuring that she was still alone in the house. This situation gave the deer in the headlights saying a whole new meaning.

"Well aren't you going to speak to me?" His eyes roamed over her body slow and sure. His voice curled around her like silk drawing a shiver from her naked form. All thought fled her mind until her brain was empty of everything but the sound of his voice and the heated look in his deep brown eyes.

"Hi," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the nerve racking silence hovering about the room. His foot steps echoed in her ears as he made a slow, purposeful advance toward her.
"Cara," he said against her parted lips once he'd finally reached her. He pulled her against him, touching her with his erection through his thin slacks, creating a pool of heat deep in her loins. Damn, he was hot!

She had never seen him like this, all raw and shaking with desire. Desire for her, really? His generous hands roamed over her body. When he reached her hips and ass her body involuntarily stiffened at the contact, but he pressed her closer and growled into her ear, "Mine."

Lust crashed over Cara like a tidal wave hurdling toward land. With just one single word he had stripped her of everything except the need for him and his possession of her. And God help her, she loved it. Like warm butter she melted under his artful touch. He knew exactly what to do to get her juices flowing and it had been so long, all he had to do was just look at her with those hooded eyes and she was lost.

Coming November 7th from Shadowfire Press

I Got A Contract!!

As most of you know I've been writing for about ten years and I've been working on becoming published for about a year. Well finally the day has come. I signed a contract with Shadowfire Press (www.shadowfirepress.com) a new e publisher on Sunday for my Christmas Novella. I am so freakin excited! A dream come true. The release date is set for November 7th. Check out the cover and the blurb below.




Plagued by her weight gain, Cara’s self-esteem has taken a downward spiral. No longer feeling attractive she unknowingly pushes away the one thing she truly wants; her husband’s affections.

Mike considers himself to be an understanding man but enough is enough. He wants his old Cara back--the wild, vivacious woman he met and knows is waiting to be revived. His desire for her compels him to create a plan that will bring them closer together emotionally and sexually. But will Cara be able to open her mind and body to the man she loves or will she push him away for good?



Thanks for stopping by.

Fantasy Workshop at Romance Divas

Please join us at Romance Divas THIS WEEKEND!

Friday October 10th and Saturday October 11th, we will be joined by some huge names in fantasy and fantasy-romance for a workshop on what the difference really is between the two genres.

Got another R...

But it wasn't as bad as I thought. In fact it wasn't bad at all. The publisher thought my story was charming and sexy and she also said that she hopes I'll send in another story for consideration. I squealed with delight when I read that last part and scared the hell out of everyone in the apartment.

Anyway now I have to polish something else to send to her but I have to wait on my CP to send it back to me first. *Sigh* And the waiting continues.

The name of the story is called Cara's Christmas Fantasy. I really enjoyed writing this baby and I really hope I can find it a home... next year. Check out the blurb below. Thanks for stopping by.

Plagued by her weight gain, Cara’s self-esteem has taken a downward spiral. No longer feeling attractive she unknowingly pushes away the one thing she truly wants; her husband’s affections.

Mike considers himself to be an understanding man but enough is enough. He wants his old Cara back--the wild, vivacious woman he met and knows is waiting to be revived. His desire for her compels him to create a plan that will bring them closer together emotionally and sexually. But will Cara be able to open her mind and body to the man she loves or will she push him away for good?

Oh Me, Oh My...

Today, as I was organizing my writing folders, I discovered that I have eight unfinished WIPs. Yes count them eight! Holy crap what is a girl to do? When I first began this writing journey I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to come up with enough ideas but now it seems as if I have so many they are overflowing...I'm not complaining about this BTW just sayin. ;)

Anyway, this prompted me to organize my files so that I could get a better understanding of how I wanted to proceed. I made a folder for the all of the unfinished stuff and then updated my submissions spreadsheet. I have subbed three works for publication so far this year. This really amazes me because when I was first starting out I couldn't finish anything. Now I have reached the point where I have enough confidence in something to send it off to be considered for publication. Yay! Yes this excites me.

This is part of the reason I love to write so much. There are so many surprises around every corner and every one of them is essential to my journey. *happy sigh*

Well, I think I've gone on long enough about my revelations in writing. It's time to work on my WIP so I can decrease the number of files in my unfinished folder.


Thanks for stopping by.

The Rapture by Missy Lyons

The Rapture
Missy Lyons
Price $2
September, 2008
ISBN 978-1-60659-030-0

The lure of a demon lover is difficult to resist, and impossible to leave, because sex is highly addictive. Sex with a demon is known as the rapture, since it brings absolute pleasure so intense that it is almost painful. But is the price worth gambling your life and your freedom?

Now available exclusively at Phaze Books. Click here to purchase.


You can read more at Missy Lyon's webiste.

Piercing the Veil by RG Alexander

PIERCING THE VEIL, Available September 17th from Ellora's Cave
Genre: Paranormal erotic romance/menage



Here's the blurb:
Twins Hawk and Val are Fianna warriors under the vengeful curse of a scorned goddess. Following the prophecy in the Book of Veils, they search for the one who can help them retrieve the Claiomh Solais before their enemies get the chance. Their quest leads them to Linnea. One touch and there can be no doubt that they have found their match. But will she accept them once she knows the truth?

Linnea is no one special. So why is she on the run from evil faeries and her egotistical ex? Why is she suddenly spending time in the company of dragons, druids, and one kinky Viking with a split personality? All she knows is she has to keep her daughter safe from those who hunt her, and her heart safe from another betrayal.

To protect one gifted child and all of humanity from the dark god that seeks retribution, they must learn to trust each other. To have a future together, they must find the perfect balance.

***

Purchase at Ellora's Cave and don't forget to visit RG's website.

The Fallen by Gwen Hayes

 

“The Fallen” by Gwen Hayes

ISBN: 1-60504-196-3
Length: Short Story
Price: 2.50
Publication Date: September 16, 2008
Cover art by Anne Cain

Love will redeem them…or damn their souls.

As Darkfall gains a foothold in the small coastal town of Serendipity Falls, Bridget, a witch and healer, fights a battle on two fronts. Against the chaos bleeding through the fissures of a cracked portal between realms, and against her attraction to a fallen angel with his own agenda. Talon’s dark ways and mysterious magics go against everything she believes in, but he’s the only man she’s ever loved.

Talon, forever haunted by his fall from grace and his ceaseless desire for the headstrong Bridget, longs for what he can never possess. Though he is no longer her guardian, she tempts him with pleasure he can never touch and emotions he can never reveal.

Caught on opposite sides in a war between good and evil, they struggle against their mutual passion. Then an ancient prophecy points to the one who will break the portal wide open and shift the balance of power: Bridget. She has no choice but to turn to Talon, and the love that will damn their souls—or save the world.

Warning: Contains graphic sex worth falling from grace for. And a dark, fallen angel with voyeuristic tendencies—if you’re into that sort of thing.

Read An Excerpt Online

Buy from MBaM!

Song of the Sea by Cassandra Curtis

 

Song of The Sea
by Cassandra Curtis
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-379-5 (Electronic)
Available September 14, 2008

Sequel to Amber Heat best-seller Shifting Tides: Beneath A Midnight Sea…

 

When a mafia don’s bride-to-be goes missing, Peter Varien is hired to find her. Varien, an ex-cop turned private eye, takes the job despite the warning bells going off in his head.

He manages to track down the missing woman to a nightclub in Memphis, where she’s belting out jazzy torch songs with the boys in the band. She’s every man’s desire, with a body born of sin and a voice that enthralls, putting men under a sexual spell.

But it’s a spell under which Peter is determined not to fall.

Vivilyn Ondine is having the time of her life, given the power over human men through the control she wields as a sea siren. She’s never fallen in love, never truly surrendered–until she meets the handsome private investigator.

Soon, Peter and Vivilyn are in a race against time, and must join forces to defeat a dangerous enemy who will stop at nothing, even murder, to capture Viv and force her to reveal the location of the magical pearl known as the Soul of The Sea.

Genres: Shapeshifter / Fantasy / Witchcraft / Magic / BDSM (Light) / Action / Adventure / Mystery / Detective / Romantic Comedy

Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (26k words)

To purchase go here: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/SongSea.html

Got My First R...

But it was a good one. On April 2, 2008 I sent in my first story to be considered for publication. After impatiently waiting for months (Sorry I just wouldn't even know what patience looks like as I've never seen it before in my life) I was starting to give up hope. You know I'm dramatic. Well last night as I sat at my computer putting absolute dreck on paper (ok so it's really not terrible it's just a first draft) I saw an email notification pop up from said publisher and immediately went to check it out.

Inside was a nice R for yours truly containing the good and the bad. I mean not only did it include what was good it also told me what I need to work on, which is really the most important part if you ever want to improve your writing and get published. I was totally excited and I haven't even made it to the best part yet. She went on to say that I have a lot of potential and that she hopes that I’ll send a another story for consideration in the future. OMG YAY!!

Seriously I am so siked! The only thing better would have been to have received a reply saying that my story was the best thing since sliced bread and they couldn't wait to sign me. OK so since that didn't happen I will be more than happy to take what I got and use it to make this story the best thing I've ever written and get it out there for all of you to read. ;)

The story I subbed is tentatively called When Darkness Falls. Here is the blurb:

It has been too long since Hawk has fed and the thirst for blood has taken over. But, the delicious sent wafting from Liya's soft body stops him dead in his tracks. There is something about this woman that can make him forget even his most primal needs, and he has to know what is.

Liya encounters Hawk, she discovers the streets are no longer safe at night for humans. Even more dangerous than his fangs is his alluring male beauty and magnetic sexual appeal, awakening deep dormant desires within her. But before a love can blossom between the two, events will unravel that will test their strength and desire for each other and a dark secret that just might tear them apart.

Thanks for stopping by.

Come Join Us for a Workshop at Romance Divas!

Kick A$$ Characters By Authors Who Know How To Kick A$$

September 12-13 at Romance Divas

Featuring:
Bob Mayer
Lori Avocato
Maggie Price
Lindsay McKenna
Barry Eisler
Linnea Sinclair
Larissa Ione
Merline Lovelace
Want to know how to write authentic action, suspense, law enforcement, and military romance? Ask authors who know firsthand! Romance Divas is hosting a 2-day workshop with some of the hottest names in the genre. It will take place at the Romance Diva Forum. All are welcome. To get access to the forum you will need to register by entering the site and clicking on Forum.

Working on Something New...Kind of

As you are all probably aware I have been wrestling with this 60K+ story for quite some time now. Well, recently I decided to give it a rest, put it to the bottom of the stack and work on the something new. This was when I realized that I had a story sitting on my hard drive that needed my attention. I started writing this one right before I went on my editing frenzy so it was only about 5K when I went back to it.

I am usually not one to toot my own horn (ROFL) but this story is much hotter than I remember. Yes it is erotica. It seems that I have trouble writing anything that's not. Hm, perhaps this is why one of my fellow writing friends refers to me as "The Erotic Wonder." I really must ponder this later on in my spare time; you know when I'm supposed to be doing all this writing.

Anyway I feel like something has magically come over me. For at least a month I've felt stale and unmotivated but since I started working on this story (ok since yesterday) I've been feeling refreshed. Like this is something I can really do. In some ways this alarms me. Don't get me wrong I love, love, love erotica but I do want to be able to try other things. But so far if it hasn't been erotica then I haven't been able to write it. *Sigh* I must ponder this as well.

Moving right along I'm not going to turn a fairly upbeat post into something dark and depressing, Ack! So, on that note I'm going to write.

Thanks for stopping by.

In Ice by Crystal Jordan

IN ICE

SEXY BEAST V anthology -- Kensington Aphrodisia -- Genre: Sci-Fi/Future; Paranormal; Shifter

ISBN-10: 075821989X -- ISBN-13: 978-0758219893

Order NOW: Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Chapters.ca


Read an Excerpt






They're primed and primal, untamed and unstoppable, always ready to go further, harder, longer to bring a woman pleasure that's wild, fiery, and out of this world.



When Jain Roberts' ship crashes on a distant, futuristic planet, she's rescued by Kesuk, the lusty clan leader of the Arctic Bears. This magnificent creature with white-blond hair and a potent masculinity haunts her dreams--dreams he intends to make deliciously real, as he draws her into a realm of complete sexual abandon.

Where is My Muse?

I have never been so unmotivated in my life. I think maybe it's the story. I thought I was ready to work on it but I think I was wrong about that. (That's three sentences in a row starting with "I"... sheesh)

Anyway I think I am going to work on something else. Something that doesn't weigh me down so much. I have a story that needs some editing and another that I had just started writing when I began these edits so maybe I'll work on those.

Off to work on a new project. Yay!

Kamikaze (Last Call Book #1) by Moira Rogers

	Zoe Bennett is an inexperienced werewolf in the grip of her mating cycle. With no pack and no mate, Zoe must brave the supernatural crowds of Last Call, the bar where your drink order tells everyone what you need. Kamikaze: Werewolf in heat, looking for a temporary mate. The chase is on, and security specialist Connor O'Malley intends to win, if only because the sweet young woman at the bar looks unprepared for what the night might bring, in and out of the bedroom. Little does he know that, when he catches her, he may not be satisfied being just a temporary mate.
Read an Excerpt Online for Free

Poem Time

I love poem time, don't you? This one is full of angst because that was what the contest called for. *g*

It won honorable mention in two contests. Let me know what you think.


To Die

Clouds cross my eyes salty rain begins to pour
Sliding down my cheeks hitting the ground
Puddles of sadness appearing around me
Drowning in defeat why did he leave
Pools of blood follow in his wake
As he drags the remains of my torn dying
Heart out of my bruised battered chest
His Smile filled with cruelty, red demon eyes
Bore into me as he begins to extinguish
My light, the very essence of me, my mind draws a blank
Stealing away my breath with stinging, slashing words
Hate echoes in my ears, he strips my soul bare
Ragging storming words roll off his tongue
Attacking me from the earth to the sky, lightening strikes
My legs begin to carry me safely away
Wishing to Escape this constant onslaught of evil
"You aren't worthy of love" shoots from his mouth
Flying through the air, an arrow taking flight
Piercing my flesh, with one final blow
I fall to the ground, pools of blood envelop me
Alone, cold, dying...dead.

© Lauren Murphy, All rights reserved

Par for the Course by Jenna Bayley-Burke

Magazine columnist Jillian Welch has one assignment to show her readers the golf course is the news single’s bar, and show an old flame all the ways she’s changed. Unless she hasn’t changed at all…Warning: Fore! This title contains explicit sex, and a love story hazardous to your hankie supply. Oh, and exploding toads.

PAR FOR THE COURSE

by Jenna Bayley-Burke

Samhain Website excerpt

Click here for a special blog-only excerpt!

I Sure Hope My CP's Are Ready!

So, I have spent so much time editing my latest Novella that I could just die! I can't even remember which month I began editing this story in but the fact that it's been more than one is enough for me. At this point I am just ready to throw in the towel and toss the story out the window... but I can't since I've spent all this time on it already. So now that I've gotten sick of it (as it usually happens) I have decided that I am going to look over these last 10 pages then say the hell with it. I am sending this story to my CP's whether they are ready or not. Get ready girls! You know I love you right?

Not Going to Conference Conference. What's Next?

The Romance Divas annual Not Going to Conference Conference will make you feel a bit less deprived! Amazing workshops, a star-studded guest list and awesome giveaways, all on the Diva forum! Don't miss it!Coordinated by Workshop on What Happens After the Contract (aka Editors are People Too!)*Thursday July 31Joyce Hart, Hartline LiteraryQ&A on Inspirational Romance Stories and the Inspy MarketSandra Schwab, Historical Romance AuthorWorkshop on Historical Accuracy and AnachronismsFriday, August 1Yolanda Sfetsos, Author of Guarded by StoneQ&A on Paranormal and Urban Fantasy World BuildingKatie MacIver, KatieDidDesignWorkshop on Website Design and Color SelectionSaturday, August 2Joey W. Hill, Erotica AuthorWorkshop on Plotting Erotica and Erotic RomanceRhonda Stapleton, Editor and AuthorWorkshop on Style and Voice

Excited yet?

How about if I list some door prizes?

• What Gwen said" mug donated by Gwen Hayes
• 3-chapter critique of a YA by Simon Pulse author Rhonda Stapleton
• 3-chapter critique of a YA, chick lit, or rom com by Golden Heart Finalist Amanda Brice
• An ebook of your choice from Nell Dixon's backlist
• An ebook of either Second Sight (paranormal romance) or Dragons' Choice (fantasy romance - dragon-shifters) from Debbie Mumford
• Ten dollar Amazon gift certificate from Jodi Henley
• Lush stuff from Seeley deBorne
• e-book copy of Chasing Shadows from Erin Richards
• Paperback copy of Iron Horse Rider OR Smiling Eyes from Adelle Laudan
• Book thongs from Angeleque Ford
• 3 chapter critique from Sela Carsen
• winner's choice of ebook copy of "Not Quite Dead" or "Heart of the Sea" by Sela Carson
• e-book copy of HEATWAVE by Eden Bradley
• e-book copy of BREAKING SKYE by Eden Bradley
• a box of goodies, trade and paperbacks, bath products candles, etc... All for a fun and relaxing home spa day treat. courtesy of The Midnight Moon Cafe
• 1 download each of Natasha Moore's Samhain books, The Ride of Her LIfe and The Passion-Minded Professor
• a copy of "Painted Soul" by Mary Quast
• e-book copy of HER CINDERELLA COMPLEX by Jenna Bayley-Burke - Samhain
• e-book copy of PAR FOR THE COURSE by Jenna Bayley-Burke - Samhain
• e-book copy of FOUND by Jenna Bayley-Burke - Wild Rose Press
• e-book copy of NIGHT OF INSPIRATION by Jenna Allen - Phaze
• e-book copy of ON AGAIN by Jenna Allen - Phaze
• $10 gc to Amazon from Kendal Corbitt
• ebook Vampire Oracle: Harmony by MG Braden

Plus a lovely bar of wonderful Chagrin Valley hand made soap, Caramel Pralines jar candle, handmade jewelry, Tarot readings, a Lush box for European Divas/Dudes, a $10 fictionwise gc and much more!

It's Time for Another Poem! (I Like to Say That)

Here is the first poem I wrote for a poetry class in college. The class changed my life!!


The Door Way
By: Lauren Murphy

Standing in a door way of a smoky room
I watch three women play cards
Cigarettes in hand
Trying to hold on to a little bit of their past.
Taking just a second to look at me
With intense dark brown eyes
Run fingers through coarse black hair
And smile with full dark lips.

They go back to their game
And begin to reminisce
Frowning
With looks of longing
On their beautiful mahogany faces.
As they sit in rickety plastic chairs
They put their cards down
On the old elm table
And begin to talk about the days of their youth.

I stood in the doorway
And heard about civil rights
And how they would boycott
And go around with picket signs
Demanding to be heard.
I heard about the lost
Uncles, brothers and cousins
That where punished
Because they wouldn’t back down
From what they believed in.
I heard about how they where attacked by dogs
Run down by fire hoses
Thrown in jail
Like they where criminals.

They paused for a second
To wipe the sweat off of their ageless faces
And rub arms with worn used skin.
Then went on to talk about husbands
That had made a midnight trip to the store
And had yet to return.
I learned about children
That had never made it to this world
Sometimes by choice and sometimes not.

They had been to a place where
it seemed that all were against them
And still remained strong their heads never hung low
They stopped to look at me with hope in their eyes
That day I decided not play with the kids outside
Instead I stepped through the door way and sat at the table
I wanted to play cards with my new favorite people.

© Lauren Murphy, All rights reserved

On the Run by Judith Rochelle (Re released)

On The Run
$6.00
When Robin Fleming witnesses the murder of her sister, Jamie, her only thought is to grab her nephew and run, from her vicious brother-in-law. Running and hiding, covering their tracks, they eventually settle in Memphis to begin a new life. Robin, now Laura, though still grieving for her sister, is determined to make a good life for her nephew. Then illness hits Andy, and while Laura is dealing with that crisis, bad luck and unfortunate circumstances bring all the players together again and endanger everyone’s lives. Can Dr. Gage Hollander, who has fallen in love with Laura, find a way to save them?

All proceeds of this title will be donated to Victim’s Advocacy Office of SAFamilies, San Antonio Police Department.

Rose PRINT ISBN 1-60154-214-3(240 pages) Sensual Read An Excerpt

A copy of the book can be purchased here.

*Permission granted by Rhonda Penders to post this message.

I Hate To Repeat Myself, So Why Do I Keep Doing It?

Seriously this is beyond ridiculous. I can't stand when I have to repeat myself over and over to someone (especially when I feel they aren't really listening.) It drives me up a wall! But lately I have come to realize that I have a horrible habit of repeating myself in my stories.

Every time I get a story back from one of my CP's who I love and cherish :) the remarks share a certain resemblance. "You have already made this point twice you don't need it here." "You have this same word five times in one sentence, you should consider reworking it." The comments go on and on.

Don't worry it's not all bad. From this I have learned what a lot of my problem words are. "As" and "was" are the two worst offenders followed by "sigh"... *sigh* lol! Anyway having this issue pointed out to me made me want to pull out my hair at first. Have you tried writing a sentence without "as" or "was"? OK maybe I'm the only one that struggles with this (God I hope not or I'm going to need therapy.)

Luckily in the wonderful world of the World Wide Web there are many websites that have a thesaurus which I can peruse to help me find substitutes for those pesky words that keep popping up all over my MS. Thank God!

So how about you? Yes I'm talking to you. *points*
Do you have a word that follows you all over your MS? If so what is it and how do you manage it?

Between Good and Aevall by Dayna Hart

A cult of sex faeries start taking men hostage…including Claire’s boyfriend.

Book Two of the Curtain Torn Series

When Myrna Terrence’s husband is abducted from her dream by fairies, she asks Claire for help. Claire investigates and discovers other married men of Four Corners have been kidnapped. Men who share enough similarities to suggest the kidnappings may be related.

She learns the abductions are the work of The Aeval, a cult of sex faeries whose mission is to ensure women are pleasured by their husbands. Dell decides he and Claire should go under cover—under the covers. By pretending to be a married couple who are having trouble in bed, they hope to lure The Aeval to them.

The plan works almost too well. They don’t have to fake the chemistry between them, nor the resulting frustration when they stop themselves from going too far. The Aeval take the bait, and Claire must confront a goddess, the truth, and her fears about Dell in an effort to save his life.

But if she succeeds, those same truths may be what sends him out of her life forever.

Warning: this title contains the following: hot nekkid men with wings, regular nudity, and prolonged sexual tension followed—finally—by explicit sex. And the faeries who punish husbands for not “pleasing” their wives are entirely fictional (sorry!).

Excerpt available...here

And you can buy it here

"Ms. Hart has created a beautiful, romantic love story set within a magical world that is both whimsical and crystalline pure. The chemistry between her two main characters is spellbinding and ethereal." - Cerri Ellis

Progress is Wonderful!

Well as you may recall, I hit a big ugly snag in my writing journey and wasn't able to get anything done for about a month...well that seems to be over. As of right now I have the first draft of a full length story finished, the first draft of a novella and short all completed. *Takes deep breath and mops brow* I've been busy. Now I'm starting another full length and I think the idea has a lot of promise and now all I have to do is pull it off.

So after I finish this last, first draft I am going to enter the world of edits Ack!! I am both excited and freaked out at the same time since I both love and hate edits. Sure it's fun going back and tweaking passages and adding bits and pieces here and there, but after the 15th time of your CP saying, "Close but just fix this." I want to bang my head into the wall. (Please note that I do love my CP's very much and wouldn't trade them for anything in the world!)

Now that I've rambled on much longer than necessary I'm off to write. Wish me luck!

Dark Master by. Tawny Taylor

DARK MASTER is officially released today. At last! You can buy your copy from online retailers (Amazon, Barnes and Noble) or at your favorite brick and mortar store today!SURRENDERING COMPLETELY ALWAYS LEADS TO...

Completely broke, Regan Roslund is stuck selling bondage gear to a kinky clientele in order to pay her bills. She has no interest in her salacious merchandise until she feels a leather choker tight against her neck--and gets a glimpse of the muscular, model-gorgeous man who holds her captive. Suddenly, temptation ignites...

THE MOST INTENSE PLEASURE...

Newly crowned king of the undead, Shadow Sorenson knows he can protect himself by taking a wife. He hopes Regan, with her new-found curiosity, will be unable to resist obeying even his most deviant demand. But Shadow would prefer she surrender willingly. For thirty nights, he'll show Regan what it's like to lose control as he explores every inch of her naked flesh, leaving her hungry for release--and moaning in anticipation of an ecstasy she never knew existed...

Warning! This is a REALLY HOT book (Sexually Explicit)

"A thoroughly entertaining tale by a talented new voice." Kate Douglas

Read a HOT excerpt at: www.tawnytaylor.com/darkmaster.htmlTawny*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*DARK MASTER A penniless bondage shop owner finds herself wed to a vampire king against her will. She wants to leave. He’s determined to convince her to stay… and in this game of seduction, he’s not going to play fair. Wicked-Hot Erotic Fiction

It's Time for Another Poem!

This poem won gold in a poetry contest called: Angels and Demons. Which one do you think this one is about?

My Future

By. Lauren Murphy

I bow before him, trembling, terror racing through me

Turning the liquid in my veins into cold blue ice

Frozen, head low touching the ground heated by the red-orange

Flames leaping off his smoldering heated breath

I dare take a glance into cool gray eyes, receiving a frost biting blast

For my troubles, captivated I can't bare to part gazes

With this powerful creature, in wolf form, enticing as he is deadly,

Tail of a serpent following behind as he begins to pass

Back and forth as the four times ten Legions of spirits

He is lord over wait in strained silence as he considers my request

Finally he comes to a slow pause in front of me

And with a great howl the fur covering his massive body

Dissipates his body straitening standing tall

His muscled form magnificent and on his broad muscular shoulders

The head of raven, he places his hands at the side of my face

And begins to gaze into my eyes, suddenly falling

Into a pitch black pit of oblivion I land hard

Abruptly in a sunny field of flowers.

He gracefully nods his dark feathered head

Toward the small wood cottage across the wildly growing fields

A young woman stands on the front porch,

Lovingly rubbing her rounded belly, glowing with a knowing smile, content.

He grabs my hand, pulling me away, interrupting my thoughts,

I gaze in to his eyes and realize that our journey has ended

My request granted, he has shown me what I wished to see...my destiny.

© Lauren Murphy, All rights reserved

New Releases from Aislinn Kerry

Psyche, by Aislinn KerryAvailable April 22nd from Loose IDAfter months of text messaging, Psyche has fallen in love with a man she's never even met, so when she finally gets the chance to see him face-to-face, she leaps at it. However, their meeting doesn't turn out quite the way she expected. E hides in the dark and refuses to let her turn on the lights. Psyche's startled at first, but willing to overlook a few idiosyncrasies while they get to know each other in person. Their relationship flourishes--until the night Psyche's curiosity gets the better of her. Light reveals that E is Eros, the Greek god of love and desire, and he is furious that she broke her word. She begs for forgiveness, but he won't give it. In breaking her word, she broke his trust. She must seek help from a goddess and brave the dangers of the underworld in order to prove herself and win back the man she loves. Read an excerpt! ***All that Glitters, by Aislinn KerryAvailale April 22nd from Samhain PublishingKynan Pritchard has come to Paris to start a new life, one free from the gruesome nightmares--and the accusations of insanity--that have plagued him from childhood. He's used to a hard-luck existence, but when a stranger comes to his aid, he thinks maybe that luck is changing. Aneirin is strong and brave, everything that Kynan wants to be. And Kynan falls for him. Hard.But Kynan's nightmares are about to become reality, and not even Aneirin can protect him from the monster who's stalked him across the continent. The gwrach-y-rhibyn threatens everything--Kynan's life, his sanity, even his love for Aneirin.To defeat her, Kynan will have to risk becoming the very creature he hates. Read an excerpt!

Why Me?

I've been tagged. *Is so not friends with MJ Fierstein anymore*

You’re feeling: Tired and I want to go home. I'm at work.
To your left: A lamp that I never turn on and a flower pot.
On your mind: What's for dinner tonight? I really wish I knew.
Last meal included: Fried rice, beef, onions. Can you guess what it was?
You sometimes find it hard to: Not get irritated with people who are trying to irritate me.
The weather: Now that the tornado watch has ended bright, sunny and warm.
Something you have a collection of: Books and Cd's.
A smell that cheers you up: The smell of summer. Mostly freshly cut grass. (I guess I'm only cheery in the summer time)
A smell that can ruin your mood: Burnt anything.
How long since you last shaved:Like I'm gonna tell you.
The current state of your hair: Very large Afro puff.
The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): The dry erase board.
Your skill with chopsticks: Is non existent.
Which section do you head for first in a bookstore: Romance then fantasy.
Something you’re craving: To leave work right now!
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: I wish it was over.
How many times have you been hospitalized this year:None
Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: I don't get quiet moments. Have you met my son?
You’ve always secretly thought you’d be a good: Singer...OK but I actually am. Does that count?
Something that freaks you out a little: Gee that's really a tough one.
Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: Snickers. Damn those things are good!
You have never: Been skinny dipping. But I really want to go.
You never want to: Give up on anything. Even when everyone else thinks I should.
The four people I’m tagging: They'll all hate me but hey...Diana Castilleja, Jodi, Katie Reus, Traci Flowers.

So...

Yesterday I wrote a four page love/sex scene! *shock* Good God I couldn't believe it when I was done. It took me like two days to write the damn thing. I have to admit that I'm a little perv and the love/sex scenes (especially the really HAWT ones) are my favorite part of most romance...or any books that have high emotional content. But I sometimes have a hard time writing them. I mean seriously how many times can you use the word hot, or heated, or throbbing. *wags eyebrows* It gets tough trying to make it sound good, hot and interesting. I do have to say that after all that work the outcome was well worth it. I needed a cigarette when I/they were done (and I don't smoke). *wink* *wink*

Anyway, how do you guys feel about love scenes. Do you love it, hate it or does it really matter to you?

Come, come now. Don't be shy I really want to know. *Is seriously waiting for you answer.*

Well...

I've decided to put the 50k+ story to the side after all. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get into doing the stupid edits. Blah!!

So anyway I've decided to start a new project. Another erotic short (I really like those *wink*) and it's really coming along. I'm totally loving these characters. I don't have a target length because, well...I always go over since I tend to be a bit long winded. I figured that I could just go ahead and write and see where it ends up. Probably no less than 11k though.

I'm off to do some work now! Wish me luck.

My New Header

I just want to thank the Lovely Haven from Divas for my brand new header! I love it!!! Haven you're the bomb. Yay!

Procrastination

Oh God, the procrastination has hit. I have been on a roll with my word count. I worked and worked on my short until I was finally convinced that it was greatness lol. I blew through the first draft of a 50k+ story...and now that it's time to do the edits, I'm stuck.

I think I'm intimidated by the story. I've never worked on anything this long before and I am having serious doubts. I'm sure the plot is full of holes and the ending reeks! OH God what was I thinking?! *ok, ok calm down. breathe*

I am going to try and get some editing done tomorrow and Sunday, I really hope I actually make some progress. *eek*

Ok, I'm done the whining is over.

All the Trees in Pearl by Emily Ryan-Davis

She believed the man didn't matter as long as he said yes - until the wrong man vowed to love her beneath....

All the Trees in Pearl
by Emily Ryan-Davis

Available March 21 at Ellora's Cave



Signed and paid for by one brother.

Ethan Carver didn’t order a wife, but he couldn’t turn away from Margaret Redde’s lush mouth and proper manners. Could he keep up his brother’s deception and make her stay?

Set on fire by the other.

She wanted security and didn’t care where it came from - one brother was as good as the other - until Ethan touched her. One night in his arms changed everything. His hot kisses sent her up in flames and taught her desires she didn’t know she possessed.

Read an excerpt today!

*Sigh* I love poetry (Warning Erotic Content)

I love poetry so much. The way it moves and flows across your mind as you absorb the words that were lovingly placed upon the page. So with that in mind I have decided to post some poetry. This peice was one of my most liberating pieces. I didn't think that I could write HOT, but I wanted to give it a try anyway and it turned out to me a sucess...or so I'm told. So here it is. Let me know what you think. :)


Making Love
By. Lauren Murphy

Floating down a river of sinful ecstasy my mind floating away from reality
Feeling myself slip deeper and deeper into mindless nothingness
Your sweet caress grazing my body your lips ignite an inferno inside of me
As they find their way from my neck to the soft chocolate filled mounds juts bellow
Making a trail down the center of my belly making me melt from the heat
Writhing in sweet agony as you place smoldering wet kisses down the inside of my thighs
Making me quiver with anticipation you slowly make your way back up
Your head between my thighs gazing into my lust filled eyes
You begin to slowly caress my sweet spot with the tip of your tongue
My body tingles with intense pleasure soft moans escape my lips
As you gradually begin to increase your speed my breath coming in rough ragged breaths
Sweat beads appear on the surface of my body
Clouded, no longer able to form coherent thoughts, floating further away
You slowly make your way back to the top teasing my lips with yours flicking your tongue
Around and inside of my mouth slowly you slide your love inside of mine
Our bodies move in their own natural rhythm
Our voices rise together in perfect harmony slow deliberate strokes make my body shiver slowly
I begin to loose control staring into your deep mahogany eyes,
Tasting your smooth creamy lips your thrusts become deeper, harder, faster
Chills race down my back I grab handfuls of my hair you drive me deeper
Into uncontrollable ecstasy you lay your head next to mine
As we finally loose all control my body spasms shakes shivers
Tears roll down the side of my face my body explodes with pleasure
My mind floating in the emptiness of space
Barely able to comprehend these feelings I have within.

© Lauren Murphy, All rights reserved

The Lotus Blossom Chronicles

Check out Jax Cassidy's New release, available March 17.

THE LOTUS BLOSSOM CHRONICLES
an anthology with Simone Harlow
Paperback: 250 pages
Publisher: Parker Publishing, LLC; First edition (March 17, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600430341
ISBN-13: 978-1600430343

In Jax Cassidy's
SIREN’S SEDUCTION ...

Niko Chow craves solitude. Only fate won't leave him in peace. After losing his wife and unborn child in a car crash, he slips into the dark world of alcoholism. His desire to overcome his addiction leads him to a promise made to a dying friend and into the arms of a seductive chanteuse. Donovan Matthews ignites a passion within him he has long denied. The more time he spends with her, the more Niko finds her spitfire determination and generous heart as sensuous and exotic as the Lotus Blossoms that bloom in his garden. Can she end his internal war and help heal his aching soul?

In Simone Harlow's
CONCUBINE ...

In the new world order, New Africa bounty hunter Nyssa Farris has only one goal…to get her daughter back from the woman who snatched her out of her arms as a baby. But to do that, she must break her one rule: never hunt a slave. Once a pleasure slave to a king, Nyssa understands how the loss of freedom can scar a person’s soul, and for her daughter she will pay the price.

Prince Asad Kuba is a man on the run. Escaped from the wicked queen, he will do anything to stay out of her clutches. He doesn’t expect a beautiful, determined woman to capture him, bed him, and take him back in chains.

Progress, Have I Made Any?

Well, this week was a challenge. It seemed that no one, including me wanted me to be able to write. The boy wanted to grab at my keyboard, mess with my mouse and soil his clothes every chance he got (he's one). The man just started a second job working two days a week and when he's not here there is no one to distract the cute little monster that parades as my son, from harassing me. Somehow with all of the craziness going on I have managed to make it through rewrites and edits to my short and I'll be ready to send it to my CP tonight! Woohoo! *sniff* I thought it would never happen. *sigh* Now I'm off to finish it up and send it away. *crosses fingers* I hope she likes it!

Double Take by Tawny Taylor

Double Take
by
Tawny Taylor
(BDSM/Menage a trois/Gay)

Fallon dreamed of a dominant lover for years. Giving it all to a man who can master her sexually. What she never imagined was not one, but two dominant lovers, determined to make her wildest sexual dreams a reality. But perfect lips and to-die-for bodies aside, the identities behind her new Masters’ masks aren’t the only secret they’re keeping.

As Fallon is pulled further into the erotic web they weave, she realizes that being submissive to two dominant men isn’t just about the sensations they can rouse in her, but the emotions they unleash.

The biggest surprise is yet to come, the one that can either set her free to share a love and a life she never dreamed possible, or break her heart forever.

Read an excerpt/Buy

70 Day Challenge/I've Lost My Mind!!

Seriously (I say that a lot) I must be fifty cents short of a dollar. What was I thinking when I agreed to sign up for this challenge. Holy Crap! Then to add icing on the cake, did I start on March 1st like I was supposed to? No! I didn't even open my WIP until today. *shakes head* I am such a lost cause. But I am still going to try this out. I figure I can't be any worse off than before started. *shrug* Anyway, I know there are other people who have signed up for this huge challenge. Let's have some fun!! Woohoo! *has totally lost it*

The Mask She Wears by Jennifer Leeland

In the BDSM lifestyle, Catherine Lanyard is an extreme submissive with serious baggage. For years, she’s avoided her pain and hidden dark secrets. Now, an experienced Dom has broken through her barriers and forced her to face her fear. Sex was always a give and take for Justin Travers. He’d always kept his “lifestyle” practices separate from real life. But when Catherine blurs that boundary, he must decide what he really wants.

BUY IT HERE

Take Me As I Am

Sometimes mending a broken heart can lead to love...

Take Me As I Am by Angeleque Ford
Cover art © 2007 Debi Lewis
Edited by Stacia Seaman
Genre(s): Contemporary, Male/Male, African American
ISBN: 978-1-59426-850-2
Price: $3.00

Jay Black is one of 90.5's WKBL Detroit's most popular late night radio jockey's. And he's used to taking some interesting and bizarre calls. So it's not surprising when Jay's personal life becomes the topic after seeing his ex-boyfriend, Darrius Stone is back in town. When a caller suggests Jay get over his broken heart by starting on a new one, Darrius sees it as the perfect opportunity and phones in with a proposition… a one night stand.

But when he finds out who the caller was, he's furious and informs Darrius sex wasn't the problem between them acceptance was. And while he won't give him another chance to break his heart, he will agree to one last f**k. Can Jay accept Darrius' new life? And will Darrius' be able to accept Jay's choices? Or will the past get in the way of their future together?

Read an EXCERPT
Read a STEAMY EXCERPT

Click to BUY

So Depressed

I'm having a down day today. I wanted to have my short polished and ready to sub by the end of the month (meaning next Friday), but I can't stop re writing the first half long enough to get the edits done to the second half. Why does this have to be so hard and why do I have to be such a perfectionist? It's making me all gittery and I feel like I have butterflies in by stomach. Am I ever going to get to the point where I like a story enough to sub it? *sigh* These thoughts run through my head all day long. Please tell me that I'm not the only one going through this! I need some encouragement. *sniffle*

*Please excuse any spelling errors. The spellcheck seems to be out of order. ;)

For Kicks by Jenna Bayley-Burke

For Kicks isn't scheduled to be released until March 1st...but...you can snag it now on the publishers website in paperback or ebook! It won't be on the main sites (Amazon, Fictionwise) until the release date, but if you just can't wait...

Author: Jenna Bayley-Burke

ISBN: 978-0-9793252-7-4

$14.95 paperback

$6.00 Ebook (PDF)

He’s about to show her ...

On the management fast-track, Breeze Cohen has no time for family. No interest in love. No inclination toward romance, lust, dating—or anything that doesn’t include retail business strategy and cornerstone client Nitrous’ most important product launch ever. No way is she going to let a live-for-the-moment, life-is-only-about-fun guy like Logan Chandler tarnish her professional reputation and derail her career.

... his plan for her isn’t just for kicks.

Recovered from a near-fatal bus accident, Logan has successfully moved from professional athlete to key player for Nitrous Kicks athletic shoes. Only one woman is capable of managing his project the right way, but the proper kind of management will take time together. And that’s exactly what Logan Chandler is counting on to help him get close to her heart and stay close—if he can ever catch up with her.

Reviews:

"This story served as a helpful reminder to me to cherish the moments I have each day with family and friends, living with the knowledge that I might not have them with me in the next moment. The dialogue and writing are quick, short and snappy... It is a wonderful read."Long & Short Reviews

"I found For Kicks by Jenna Bayley-Burke to be a charming and lively read about two of the most interesting and engaging characters I've read about in a very long time."Kasey's View

"Jenna Bayley-Burke brings readers a hot and sensual romance full of the flavor of love – a little spicy, a little sweet, and very fulfilling." Romance Divas

Read an excerpt

I Hate Rewrites!!!

So now that I have completed the first draft of my 50k WIP I am putting it aside for about a month so that I can look at it with fresh eyes when I start the rewrites. In order to keep myself occupied in the mean time, I am polishing my short so I can stop procrastinating and sub the thing already.

On Monday I began the rewrites to the short and it's like pulling teeth! I don't think I've successfully edited three pages yet. This is going to take forever! I really do try to have patience but I just don't see how that's going to be possible! Patience what's that? *sigh*

Does this ever happen to anyone else or am I just a lone duck swimming in circles in an empty pond?

Anyway I just needed to get that off my chest before I blew up from all of the nervous energy that can't seem to stop bouncing around in my over active brain. Thanks for listening. *waves*

Woohoo!!

Today is a good day! The sky has opened, the heavens are smiling down and the angels are singing. Why, you ask? Well, after plugging away for years and years trying to complete a manuscript I have finally done it. Yes ladies and gents the first draft of my MS has been completed. *happy sigh*

I was filled with such a wonderful feeling of well being that I had to go out and celebrate. So I went and picked out new funiture for the living room that we've been wanting to redo since who knows when. Then we went to pick out new appliances for the new kitchen that we will one day have. Later on, me and 'baby daddy' had a coffee date. I love coffee. *sigh*

And now after having shared my happiness I would like to know how many of you have shared in this wonderful experience of having finished a WIP? Come on now, don't be shy. I would love you hear about your own personal experiences.

Thanks for stopping by. XOXOXOX

On the Run by Judith Rochelle

On the Runby Judith RochelleRosePRINT ISBN 1-60154-214-3(240 pages) Sensual

When Robin Fleming witnessed the murder of her sister, Jamie, her only thought is to grab her nephew and run, from her vicious brother-in-law. Running and hiding, covering their tracks, they eventually settle in Memphis to begin a new life. Robin, now Laura, though still grieving for her sister, is determined to make a good life for her nephew. Then illness hits Andy, and while Laura is dealing with that crisis, bad luck and unfortunate circumstances bring all the players together again and endanger everyone’s lives. Can Dr. Gage Hollander, who has fallen in love with Laura, find a way to save them?

Available now from The Wild Rose Press....ALL Proceeds going to ST. JUDE'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

From Rhonda Penders, Editor-in-Chief, The Wild Rose Press:

Judith Rochelle, is one of our multipublished authors at The Wild Rose Press. In late summer, 2007 I approached her with an idea of a project that would enable RJ and me to give something back for all the wonderful things that had happened to us since we opened in May 2006. I wanted to find an organization that I felt everyone, everywhere would care about and really embrace. While many qualified, the one that kept coming back to my mind was St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

A few days later, Judith created a synopsis and a proposal for a book incorporating romance, suspense and St. Jude's. It took my breath away at what she'd come up with. Judith wrote the book, RJ and I edited it, and Kim Mendoza did the beautiful cover. None of us, including the publishing company, will receive any compensation; every penny will go to St. Jude's. Children's Hospital.

The result of this, is the amazing Crimson Rose book called "On the Run" by Judith Rochelle. The book will be offered in both print and electronic format. The amount raised will be announced on our web site twice a year. The first report to be posted at the end of June 2008.

If you've purchased this book, thank you for your contribution to St. Jude's, if you haven't purchased it yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. The download is $5.00 and will go into a special fund to be donated to St. Jude's twice a year.

I've been very very blessed to have not only three very healthy sons, but cousins and nephews and nieces and children in my life who have been healthy and happy and strong. Sometimes we all have to take a reality check and realize that there are families out there truly suffering due to their children's long term illnesses. Maybe some of these children are in your family and circle of friends. St. Jude's is an amazing hospital in Memphis, TN that supports and helps families and children of long term illnesses.

If you would like more information on this project, you may contact Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildros epress.com. To learn more about the author, please visit www.judithrochelle.com. To see the amazing work St. Jude's does, please visit their web site at www.stjude.org

Thank you for your support of this important project.

Rhonda Penders

Writing With a One Year Old

My son is the most precious person in the world to me, but I have to say...he drives me nuts! I am in the process of finishing the first draft of my first full length novel (50k words). This is, of course, easier said then done. I have given myself a goal of 1k a day during the week and 2k during the weekend. So far I have been successful at maintaining my goal, but I'm starting to feel like a character in a book. It seems as if the universe is throwing random crap in the way to make me trip all over myself and fail. The biggest hurdle seems to be my twelve month old son. He is perfectly fine until I plant my bum firmly into the computer chair and then all hell breaks loose. He hangs all over my chair, moves my keyboard around, switches my screens, hits the caps lock key and most annoying of all is the playing with the mouse. OH MY GOD!! Arrrggggg! Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out and run down the street screaming. So with that being said, I'm curious...

How do you guys juggle writing around your kids or do you?

Tag You're It!

So I got tagged by some very mean and evil people. Just kidding. My dear friends wished to torture me with this tag game. I got hit not once but twice, how nice. First I got hit by AJ Chase. As if that wasn't enough I also got hit by Jodi. Thanks guys! So here it is.

The rules:
Link to the person who tagged you;
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;
Post the rules on your blog;
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
Include links to their blogs;
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


Seven things about me:
1. I am totally obsessed with video games.
2. I love anime.
3. I am addicted to the internet (mostly just Divas).
4. I am originally from Chicago, IL but now live in TN.
5. My favorite color is sky blue.
6. I am a martial artist.
7. I grew up and remain a tom boy.


I'm going to tag...Diana Castilleja, SpydurPoet, Eden Bradley, Sela, Magenta Infusion, Tammie (trenae), Teresa D'Amario

My First Time!

Well, I am brand new on the scene and finding my way from a to b. I love sharing my thoughts with others (OK what that really means is I just like to run my mouth). I enjoy good conversation and a sense of humor is a must.

My hobbies you ask? There are so many, that I have trouble figuring out where to start. There are video games. I have been an avid gamer since birth and there is nothing that I can do about it now. And I really can't say that I want to. Singing, yes I can sing but don't ask me to because I won't unless you pay me. Reading is excellent. When I was in college I had to ban myself from reading during the semester. I felt that reading was more important than studying and the professors seamed to disagree. I can't see why. Writing has been my companion for about ten years. It is my outlet when I can't find any other way to express my feelings. If some one has wronged you, it is wonderful therapy to put them in a work of fiction and then do horrible things to them. Just kidding.

In the ten years that I've been writing I have always wanted to submit my work to a publisher. But I have been allowing fear to hold me back, until recently. The decision to pursue my dream was difficult but satisfying. Since I have been on this journey I have already received many bumps and bruises and I show them with much pride. I am willing to do the work, and yes it is very hard work, and I plan to see this through. I have many people who support me and without them I don't think that I would have made it as far as I have. Hi Divas!

I'm taking off now but I'll be back. Thanks for stopping by!


Lauren