Sex, Sin and Surf by Lauren Fraser

Sex, Sin and Surf by Lauren Fraser

Holidays are all about relaxation. And what better way to relax than with a hot holiday fling?

On vacation in Mexico with her two best friends, forty-one-year-old Celeste Kopp vows to break out of her middle-aged rut and live life to the fullest. Taking surf lessons is on the top of her to do list. However, when she meets sexy surf instructor Ben, the idea of a holiday fling with a younger man becomes the only thing on her list.

Ben is more than willing to live out Celeste’s fantasies as well as a few of his own. But their holiday romance turns out to be more than either of them bargained for when the connection between them deepens. Being with Celeste forces Ben to deal with his own baggage in a way he never expected.

As the vacation draws to a close, Celeste realizes she wants so much more from Ben than a holiday fling, but can she convince him that their future together is worth the risk?

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For more info on Lauren visit her website http://www.laurenfraser.com

Starch

This is not a post about health and wellness or changing my diet. I am talking about the stuff they put on your clothes at the cleaners. Now I am certainly a fan of clean clothes and I am an even more of a fan of anyone who will clean them for me… even if I do have to pay them. What I want to know is what is the deal with the starch?

Last week I dropped off my clothes at the cleaners, a pair of jeans, a few shirts and a sweater. The very friendly lady at the desk asked if I wanted starch and I gave my usual response, “Light starch on the jeans please.” The next day I went to pickup my clothes (they do have very fast service) and decided to put my clothes away immediately rather than procrastinate until later (which is what I usually do).

I successfully managed to get everything in the closet one by one, but stopped when I got to the jeans. They felt like cardboard. Out of curiosity I decided to put them on. I had to practically peal the pants open and jam my foot into the pant legs to get them on. Geeze, and this is what they call light starch? I wonder what’ll happen if I ask for heavy. Will my pants break when I try to pull them apart? Will they become ornamental jeans like those framed jerseys you see on people’s walls? I mean really, how much starch could one pair of pants need?

Editing… How I Love Thee?

As most authors I know, I used to loath and despise the editing process. In my opinion (this was then of course… and by then I mean three weeks ago) editing was evil and cruel. Now I look forward to it in a way I never thought possible (Dramatic much? So unlike me, I know.) The more I’ve gone through the editing process I’ve really come to appreciate it. I have learned to be patient and take it page by page, word by word and really make each aspect of the story shine. I often surprise myself with how much I’ve learned and how much better I’ve actually become. I’m sorry to all those who loathe the editing process (probably still with good reason) but I am now crossing over to the dark side. Please don’t hate me. *ducks rotten fruit on the way out*

Carolina Pearl by Sela Carsen

Carolina Pearl

A family legend could lead to a treasure more precious than pearls…or get them killed.

Between babysitting her very pregnant sister-in-law and fending off her mother’s nagging about her marital status, Blair Moreau is going insane. Her only hold on sanity is her daily walk for a guilty peek at her crush, the sexy neighbor who’s fixing up the old Cotesworth place.

Conn Lucas, the bastard son of Culford’s leading family, got way out of town a long time ago. When the only relative who didn’t despise him leaves him her 250-year-old house, Conn plans to refurbish it, flip it, and get back to Connecticut as soon as possible. Until a local beauty with a rare talent for DIY gives him a hand with some stubborn siding.

When he makes her mad enough to swing a two-by-four at his head, he realizes Blair is better than perfect. Especially when his efforts to keep her from killing him explode into an erotic rush of adrenaline that unleashes desires they’ve both kept hidden.
Breaking through Conn’s tough shell isn’t as difficult Blair’s next hurdle—telling him she’s a werewolf. First, though, they’ve got to deal with meddling ghosts and a bad ol’ boy cousin who isn’t above taking what he wants at nail-gun point…

---

Product Warnings

This book contains a smokin’ hot werewolf chick with serious DIY know-how and a man who thinks that’s sexy; illegal use of nail guns; things to do in a claw-foot tub; pirate references; piddling Dobermans and meddling ghosts. Which is better than meddling Dobermans and piddling ghosts.

Read an excerpt!

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It's been a while since I've shared a poem...

For The First Time
By. Lauren Murphy

My eyes connect with the sky
On this starry night.

Enfolded in darkness
My weary soul rests.

Images of my life
Slowly swim by.

Running around wild with boys
Innocents gone, forever lost.

Carrying other peoples burdens
Doing their work for nothing.

Treating me like milk gone sour
When they get what they’re after.

Tears from my eyes fall freely.
False friends cause my suffering.

Putting a knife to my wrist enters my mind
Who would really care if I live or die.

I put my hands together knees to the ground.
Ask for guidance, a new place, a new home.

For days I had thought my prayers
Unheard unanswered

Once again played to the side
Cast aside like an unwanted child.

A new day arises the sun shines down
showering me with a new vision.

I begin to see the truth about me maybe
I don’t have to be somebody else’s plaything.

Maybe I should look no longer
For acceptance from others.


I begin to see the value
Of my own self worth.

More valuable than the most precious stone
Not to be left unseen loosing it’s luster, dull.

No longer capable of letting
Myself wallow in self pity

I close my eyes and hold myself tight.
And feel the warmth of self love for the first time.

© Lauren Murphy, All rights reserved

Back to Work

About two weeks ago I finished a naughty little story I'd been working on. While I'm letting that story rest I decided to take out another that's been resting for far too long. My favorite thing about letting stories rest is that I get to come back and see the good and not so good in my work. I think I'm going to have some fun revising/editing this one. It's so naughty, you know how I like them.

Some Like it Hot Writing Contest

Announcing Tawny’s Taylor’s “Some Like It Hot” writing contest!

Starting October 25th, 2010, Tawny Taylor will be hosting a writing contest.
The final judge is an editor from Ellora’s Cave.

The Prizes? Read on!

All SubGenres of erotic romance accepted, including:
~Contemporary~Fantasy~Futuristic~ Shapeshifter/Vampire~BDSM~

*You may submit one chapter--not to exceed 5000 words. Stories must be complete and unpublished.

*Each Monday, two stories will be selected by an Ellora's Cave editor who is actively acquiring. At the end, six weekly winning authors will submit a partial (first three chapters, last chapter and synopsis) to the final judge for ranking.

The first place winner will receive ...

A critique of the full winning manuscript by EC editor Grace Bradley!

The second place winner will receive...

A critique of the partial manuscript by EC editor Grace Bradley (first three chapters, last and synop).

The third place winner will receive...

A critique of the first chapter by EC editor Grace Bradley.

Details at: http://www.tawnytayl...ingContest.html

I am back FOR REAL this time!

Boy have I got some explaining to do. Yeah, I know. I’ve been gone for a nice long time, with no explanation as to my whereabouts. *hangs head in shame*

Well life went nuts, I got horribly blocked and my writing took a dive for a moment (a really, really long moment). But, the good news is that I really am back. I am no longer blocked (after a writer’s version of a 12 step program don’t judge me) and I have been a writing machine. I actually finished the first draft of a story I’ve really put a lot of energy into AND I have a totally amazing idea to rework a story I have worked on in the past.

I have to go have family time now *grumbles* but I promise never to disappear again… at least not without a damn good explanation.

Bye for now.

What do you think?

Apparently it’s common knowledge that as people grow older they are supposed to mature. In theory the idea sounds great, but is that always the case? We’re supposed to learn lessons from our experiences that lead to richer more fulfilling lives, right? Perhaps this isn’t happening as much as we’d like to think it is.

The first thing that comes to mind, for me, is the in crowd. In high school there were popular kids, bookish kids, mean kids, jocks (I could go on and on listing different ways kids classified each other) and there were also the kids that just didn’t seem to fit into any particular category and paved their own way while sharing in one of the groups above. There was one thing that most students wanted (even if they tried to act like they didn’t care) and that was popularity. To be part of the in crowd was huge. But then on the other hand there was a feeling of exclusion amongst those that didn’t quite make the cut. I will say that some of the popular kids where nice and seemed to care about their fellow peers. On the other hand some were just plain mean, but they got away with it because they were popular. They said and did whatever they wanted and for some reason it was acceptable. On the other hand if someone who hadn’t reached that elevated status did something considered “out of line” the other kids made them regret it.

Fast forward to today and I see a lot of this same behavior among the adults I run into from time to time. I’ve seen people at work (and other professional settings), in restaurants and social situations who think that it’s okay to treat others badly because they are “better” than them. For some reason I was under the impression that the age of “let’s be cruel to other people because we can” should have been over once we reached adulthood. Maybe my expectations are too high but I’d really hoped that our life experiences would help us to understand the lessons most of our teachers and parents tried to drill into us as children. Treating others the way we want to be treated and learning to make decisions because they are right for us should be norms but too many times it feels like they aren’t.

What happened to common courtesy? Am I an old fashioned hopeful or am I just missing something?

Now let me just say that I certainly don’t believe all people (or even most) are thoughtless or uncaring. I really just want to know why unkind behavior seems to be more acceptable (or over looked like with celebrities) if the person is well liked and unacceptable if the person isn’t. Shouldn’t we all be held to the same standards? Talk to me.

Controversial Topic (Watch Out)!

Lately I’ve seen quite a bit of discussion regarding people’s taste/disgust/opinion regarding the sizes and shapes of models/women. I personally have been hearing or seeing a lot of comments that basically say “smaller” is bad and “bigger” is good. This train of thought is a bit disturbing and here’s why. To uplift one group of people by degrading another is just plain mean. Comments stating that women/models that are a certain weight or not over a certain weight are “skinny” or “anorexic” while women/models that are over a certain weight are what “real” women look like is rather insulting.

Women come in all shapes and sizes and shouldn’t be considered “less than” because they don’t meet a certain criteria. Often it is stated that a slimmer woman who doesn’t have curves is unattractive or looks unhealthy. I used to be one of those girls and I can tell you that size discrimination goes both ways. The fact that I wasn’t considered a real woman because I didn’t have many curves and wore a size four still irritates me. For the record I couldn’t help my weight. I ate more than my grown father (and husband) and had a healthy active life. I can’t tell you how insulting it was when people insinuated that I was starving and insisting that I couldn’t have been eating enough. As a matter of fact I know some tall sized one women who can’t help their weight either and they can throw down more food than a football team and no they do not have eating disorders. But because I didn’t have a pudge here or a roll there people insisted that something had to be wrong with me. In fact maybe there was something wrong with me. All those people insisting that I needed curves and more weight to be attractive gave me a freakin’ complex. So I over-ate to try and gain weight so I could be beautiful. It’s not to say that I don’t think curves are beautiful, they are. But, it was hurtful that people looked down on me because I didn’t have curves. You know some women just won’t have them no matter what they do and there is NOTHING wrong with that.

After I had my first son I finally got some curves and little “roundness.” It has taken me a while to get used to my new sized ten shape but I like it. Now that I am a little bigger I don’t look at “smaller” women and assume that they are anorexic or unattractive because of their lack of curves or body weight. Just as I don’t look at “larger” women and assume they overeat or are lazy. We are all built differently and I see a huge variety of women every time I go outside and a lot of them can’t help the way they look. Sure there are things a lot of us could do insure that we are as healthy as we can be but some people are just stuck with the body shapes they have. It’s really unfair to make certain assumptions based on just how people look because we really don’t know their story.

Often it is said that the media pushes weight loss and being super skinny into our faces. That may be true. But is it the women’s fault or should the blame be placed more on the industry that tries to force people into a certain mold. I really don’t think it’s fair to insult these women because we don’t know their story. People say that these women set impossible standards for women and girls to live up to. My question is why are we trying to look like them? If we don’t like the way they look then why try and emulate it? I wonder if we were truly happy with ourselves would any of this really matter?
What is my point, you say?
Why can’t we all just get along? There is so much beauty in each and every different type of woman in the world and it should be embraced and cherished. To degrade one group of women (or even people) in order to uplift another is filled with negativity and is on the opposite end of the road to acceptance. Discrimination is discrimination no matter what end of the spectrum it comes from.

Just a little something to think about.

Double Dare by Jeanne St. James

Today is release day for my first m/m/f interracial menage a trois, Double Dare from Loose Id!

BUY HERE!

What could be better than waking up next to a hot guy? Waking up sandwiched between two of them.

Quinn Preston, a financial analyst, is not happy when her friends dare her to pick up a handsome stranger at a wedding reception. What better reason to give up men when her previous long-term relationship had not only been lackluster in the bedroom but he had cheated.

Logan Reed, a successful farmer and business owner, can't believe that he's attracted to the woman in the ugly, Pepto-Bismol colored bridesmaid dress. And to boot, she's more than tipsy. After turning down her invitation for a one-night stand, he finds her in the parking lot, too impaired to drive. He rescues her and takes her home. His home.
The next morning Quinn's conservative life turns on its ear when Logan introduces her to pleasures she never even considered before. And to make things more complicated, Logan already has a lover…

Tyson White, ex-pro football player and Logan's business partner, is completely in love with Logan. He has mixed emotions when Logan brings home Quinn. But the dares keep coming and things heat up with the three of them. Nevertheless Ty wonders: will adding Quinn to the mix end up enhancing or destroying Logan's and his relationship?

Double Dare is an interracial ménage a trois (m/m/f) erotic romance that is sexually explicit, including light BDSM, anal sex, homosexuality, multiple partners, role playing and more.

Read Excerpts Here:

http://jeannestjames.blogspot.com/2009/12/double-dare-coming-january-5th-from.html

http://www.jeannestjames.com/bookshelf/double-dare-excerpt/

Available NOW here:

 http://www.loose-id.com/Double-Dare.aspx

Compromising Positions by Jenna-Bayley-Burke

Compromising Positions releases today!

Falling in love is the last thing on his busy agenda…but compromising positions can lead just about anywhere.

David Strong knows how to do a lot of things—run an international fitness company, finesse stock portfolios and stay out of emotional entanglements. That is, until he gets tangled up with Sophie Delfino and her Sensational Sex workout. He’s supposed to help her demonstrate Kama Sutra positions for her couples’ yoga class. The rigorous postures require more than just physical control. And his co-instructor unexpectedly tests his control to the limit.

Sophie’s been fantasizing about David since her teens, but she never dreamed she’d actually be expected to run through her intimate desires—with an audience! The class is very professional, tame even—or it would be, if she’d been in any of the positions before. But she hasn’t—except in her wildest fantasies about David. Sophie knows she wants David in every way, and she’s flexible enough to use whatever she has to get him.

David can’t afford any unexpected distractions. Besides the sensual positions he has to endure without embarrassing himself in public, there’s an embezzler stealing from his company. And then there’s Sophie—who is well on her way to stealing his well-guarded heart.

Warning: This is one exercise program you won’t need to consult your doctor before beginning…unless he’s hot and available for house calls. The Kama Sutra isn’t for the prudish or faint of heart, and neither is this story.

Read An Excerpt Online

REVIEWS

“With sensual love scenes, flirty repartee, and a man and woman clearly meant to be together, you get everything you could ever want in a romance novel. Overall, I have to say that Compromising Positions is a must read!”
~ Long and Short Reviews

"Compromising Positions would have to be one of the best contemporary romance novels I have read in a long time. Jenna Bayley-Burke delivers it all, romance, humor, and great chemistry between her hero and heroine. It is so well written. The pace is great, and the story line fantastic."
~ Fallen Angel Reviews

"This thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy has likable characters and a smart, spitfire heroine...Bayley-Burke delivers a really fun read. "
~Romantic Times

Question of the Day (Week, Year even)

When was the last time you gave yourself an actual compliment and meant it? I mean really said (thought) something nice about yourself? Why do I want to know, you ask? You mean aside from the fact that I’m really nosy?

A few weeks ago The Man and I were at a forum. Sadly I can’t remember the main topic (kids kill your brain cells) but I remember we ended on a very crucial subject. A friend of mine, who happened to be at the forum, mentioned that she didn’t feel beautiful if her husband looked at any other woman other than her. She had to be the only woman he noticed or in her eyes he was putting her down and silently saying that she wasn’t good enough. Now I know them both personally and I know for a fact that he does not think this (he does not hide his thoughts) nor would he ever mention, murmur or mumble anything so ludicrous. So where was she coming up with these conclusions, if not from her husband? My answer, her own mind.

She has some self esteem problems (I know because I can sense them but also because she told me). She has an issue with self love and until she can come to grips with this fact and try to overcome it she will continue to have these issues no matter who she is with. Who he does or doesn’t look at is not the real issue it’s about how she sees herself. The most disturbing thing about this conversation was that she was not the only female with this point of view.

My question is, why are people (because this isn’t just woman thing though I do see it most often in women) putting their self worth in someone else’s hands. If we truly loved ourselves then we wouldn’t need verification from someone else of our greatness, smartness or beauty... would we? If we really knew it in our hearts then no one could tear us down.

The reason I am able to recognize these things in my friend is because I was once the same way until I understood what I was doing to myself. I believe that everyone wants to be loved and desired by their significant other and there is nothing wrong with that. What concerns me is how we are so willing to look to someone else for verification of these things instead of to the person who matters most. I think that self love can be a hard journey to follow but I also think it is one of the greatest. If you haven’t already started the journey then let’s do so now. Think about yourself, the real you, the one that no one else knows but you. Give yourself a real "feel good" compliment and bask in the glory that is so wonderfully you. I’m going right now!

LONE WOLF, book 2 of the Maxey Wizards by Teresa D'Amario

LONE WOLF, book 2 of the Maxey Wizards by Teresa D'Amario Tease Publishing LLC. ISBN: 978-1-60767-082-7 EBook Buy Now AllRomanceEbooks Excerpt

Once the victim of scientific experimentation by the Government Control of Supernatural Activities (GSA), Damon doesn't have a past, and he isn't sure he has a future. He doesn't even know if his ability to change from human to wolf is a virus, or magick.

But the instant he lays eyes on the pretty cop from the local
police force, he knows he has to learn the secrets of his past
before they destroy her future.

Krystal is the best animal cop on the police force, hiding
magickal talent beneath layers of excuses and quick thinking.
For five years she's tracked Peter Burke, a butcher who
steals any form of canine to supplement his dietary needs.
The day she saves a wolf from losing his head at the sharp end of an axe, her entire life changes. And then there is Damon, the mysterious, sexy ex-soldier with no memory of his past who awakens fantasies of dark and sensual nights.

But the GSA isn't finished with Damon, and when the shadowy
government agency joins forces with Burke, Krystal too finds her life in jeopardy, the target of men and women led by their own desires. Damon and Krystal must work together to stop evil and destroy years of illegal research. But can their budding love survive when experiments distort Damon's shifting skills, creating a monster?

EXCERPT

Giving in to instinct, she licked her bottom lip, then teased it with the edges of her teeth, trying to ease the burning sensation of need. The need to press her mouth against his.

His eyes followed the motion. The sound of a soft growl rolled on the night’s breeze. Her body gave an unexpected shiver.

The wolf. The wolf must be able to smell them and didn’t like being left alone. Odd how the growl had echoed around them, giving the impression it had come from Damon.

She shook the thought away and motioned toward her door, breaking the connection of his gaze. “There’s my house.”

He turned and escorted her to the door, his arm never leaving her waist.

She searched for something to say, but the blood in her body was definitely not reaching her brain. They arrived at her door and she turned to face him. “Thanks for walking me home.” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat.

He moved a step closer, crowding her against the hard, cold wood of her door.

“My pleasure,” he murmured.

The sounds of the night disappeared, with only the beat of her heart echoing in her ears. Damon’s molten eyes rested on her lips and he dipped close. Heat from his body burned every where he touched, filling her with an aching need deep in her very core. Her muscles turned liquid, waiting. Hoping. He leaned in, one hand rested on the door beside her head.

“Definitely my pleasure,” he murmured again. He nuzzled her cheek, the soft edge of the day’s beard brushed against her skin.

She tipped her head back, savoring the sensual touch, ignoring the shiver travelling through her body.

His breath feathered across her face, hot and inviting. His masculine scent rolled over her, the same as the wolf’s growl had. Low, soft. Hot.

He closed the last excruciating inches, and when his lips finally touched hers, she almost moaned with relief. His first touch was gentle. His mouth was hot, burning her with his soft, sensuous touch. She’d expected hot, maybe even hungry. This romantic, almost worshipful kiss destroyed her reason. A soft whimper rose in her throat filled with craving. More.

At long last, he opened his mouth, as though sipping a rare vintage wine. He tested, tasting. She groaned, opening to him, wanting more. His tongue delved in and his taste exploded inside her. Wild, masculine, hungry. Their tongues tangled in unison, and she tasted his power, his masculinity. It was a part of him, deep inside. A power she knew had to be magick. It swirled around her, inside her, stealing every vestige of her reason and breath. Her head spun, sensations exploding throughout her body. She arched toward him, needing, aching. One large hand burned at her waist while the other still rested on the door by her head.

More. Please more.

Her own magick pushed inside her, hungry to escape, to wrap him in its touch, to own him and mark him as hers. Mark him? Something about this kiss wasn’t normal, but her fogged brain couldn’t make out what it was. For this single moment in time he was her one and only reason for being. He was her breath, and her heartbeat. And she liked it. No, she loved it, and needed more.

Damon slid his hand from the door, tangling it in her hair, angling her head to go even deeper. He hadn’t intended to kiss her, but the instant he’d seen her teeth teasing her lip, he’d lost all control. Now, her heated body pressed against his, driving the animal inside of him wild. The more he touched her, the more the wolf inside growled, demanding more. Her taste drove him to the very brink of control, exploding along his taste buds, drugging him with an insane need to drink more of her. He felt her knees buckle and he yanked her close, her body now flush with his.

Mine. The thought whispered in his mind.

From him? Or the animal?

For the first time since he’d awakened in that dank cell, he wasn’t sure there was a difference.

Her scent wrapped around him, like a gentle mist. Soft and sweet, hardened with the sharp edge of desire. Her breasts pressed against his chest, teasing him with their softness, dragging a moan from his throat. She was so beautiful. So soft and feminine, her body molding to his as though built for him. He slid his hands down her back, cupping the soft muscles of her rear. He let his fingers tease and massage her, holding her close to him. He wanted more. He wanted to crawl inside her, to be a part of her. He wedged one knee between her legs, pushing her thighs apart. She moved willingly, groaning her desire when he pulled her tight against his thigh.

His lips left hers, trailing down her cheek, burying his lips against her neck. Yes, hissed the wolf instincts. His gums itched and his fangs descended. Damon tried to shove the instincts back, to fight his thirst for her kiss, the thirst for her taste. He scraped the tips of the canines against her flesh and she moaned, tipping her head back. Such sweet submission.

A growl rolled from his chest. Hunger twisted inside him as his lips closed over her throat. An image of his teeth slicing into that sweet flesh flashed in his mind, blood oozing from the wound. He needed her, wanted her, was starved for the sweet wine of her blood.

Blood?

Horrified at the thoughts in his mind, he yanked away, releasing her so quick she stumbled against the door. He spun away, dragging his hands through his hair.