Tonya's Ramblings

A Christmas of Our Own by M.S. Spencer

2011-12-14T09:20:00.000-05:00

When I was ten years old my father landed a job with UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, at it's headquarters in Paris. Our family of five took the Queen Mary first class across the Atlantic, but that's another story for another time. We moved into a house in a suburb of Paris called Palaiseau. The town happened to be run by Communists, who, in order to prove how wonderful their system was, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, built a beautiful stade (recreation facility) and other amenities. What they didn't deliver was enough coal to heat the houses in what turned out to be the coldest winter since 1923. We lived in an ultramodern house reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's less comfortable designs. It consisted of a square concrete block on stilts with large, uninsulated windows, so the cold wind not only swept around the house and through the windows, but underneath it. After a freezing night, we'd step from bed into icy puddles on the floor. To keep warm we used layers. And layers. And layers. So many layers that one night I heard a screech from the bathroom. My mother stood there, still in her underwear, soaking wet. She figured after shedding two sweaters, four shirts and five trousers she was clear and only learned her mistake when she stepped into the shower. To make matters worse, our trunks took six months to arrive, leaving us with only a few clothes and utensils, and of course none of our Christmas decorations. Us children (6, 10 and 12) figured whining would help and made a serious attempt to keep it up well into Christmas week. When even that failed we tried moping. My mother walked in two days before Christmas to find us in full mope mode. Without a word, she laid on the table several rolls of construction paper and glue, together with sparkly sprinkles and other small ornaments. "We're going to make our own decorations," she announced cheerily. A few hours later we'd made enough ornaments to cover the tree. My father found some real candles with little hinged holders and we attached them to the tree. It was magical! Little green paper pines with red polka dots, yellow stars, sparkly with silver sprinkles, and popcorn chains covered the little tree, all of it lit by golden light. At last we began to feel the Christmas spirit and went to bed with visions of roast chicken (no turkeys in France) and pain au chocolat (no Hershey kisses) in our heads. By the morning I was so excited my stomach hurt and I had to hold a gallon jug (no hot water bottle) on my lap. Despite-or perhaps because of-the absence of our store-bougth,factory-made, cookie-cutter American trinkets, it was the best Christmas we'd ever had. If you liked this story, please leave a comment. I will be giving away a lovely Christmas ornament to the first person who joins my blog site and can name all four of my titles! Merry Christmas, M.S. Spencer My Latest Release: Take lost masterpieces, brilliant inventors, and stolen prototypes. Add Three Sisters, Indian spirits who guard the Potomac River. Stir in three sisters and their lovers. Result? Jealousy, sex, genius, larceny and love. Who will end up with whom, and will the Three Sisters take another life as the legend demands? Triptych, by M. S. Spencer Released November 9, 2011 ISBN: 978-1-61885-064-5 68,00 words, M/F, Contemporary romantic suspense, 3 flames (erotic) Blurb

Both Miranda Cabot and her sister Honor prefer their solitude to romance, Miranda having watched her husband die in flames on the Potomac River rocks called the Three Sisters. Not so the youngest, Sybil, who invites a mysterious Frenchman calling himself the Chevalier du bon Arnaque to stay with them in their mansion overlooking the Sisters.

Misgivings about the stranger’s intentions lead Miranda and Honor to ask their neighbors Dieter Heiliger and his grandson Corey to chaperone. Three beautiful, strong-willed women living in a house with three handsome, virile men results inevitably in an intricate web of jealousy, sex, and intrigue. Add in long-lost master artworks, stolen prototypes and a resident genius and you have a recipe for romance. Who will end up with whom, and will the Three Sisters take another life as the legend calls for?

Buy Links: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=171 All Romance E Books: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-triptych-641725-148.html Book Strand: http://www.bookstrand.com/triptych Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Triptych-ebook/dp/B0067MSSO0/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321481301&sr=1-4

Excerpt: "That's the car, Sybil! The plane must have arrived early. Go open the door." Miranda heard the pounding of excited feet on the stairs. She checked her hair and dress and prepared herself not merely to meet the Chevalier du Bon Arnaque, but to dislike him intensely. She called to Honor and stepped sedately down the long formal staircase to the centeral hall where Sybil was taking the coat of a very tall, black-haired gentleman. As she stood on teh last step, he turned and glanced up at her. A long pause ensued. Did my heart just stop beating? The house, the hall, Sybil, everything but the man faded into the background. She examined his face minutely, as though she had all the time in the world. ringlets of thick, glossy black hair twined over his forehead, the light catching highlights of silver at the temples and deep in his ebony eyes. Tanned skin stretched tight over his high cheekbones, reminding her of the portrait of a Highland chieftain that hung in her study. She could just make out a tiny upturn at the end of his nose that lent a fanciful air to his appearance. Perhaps not a clan chief but an elvish prince? Slowly she grew aware of Sybil's chattering. "Monsieur le Chevalier-see how well I pronounced it, monsieu? I've been practicing. I promise to be your best student ever! Oh, and this is miranda, my sister. Honor? Honor! Are you coming down?" Miranda took the last step into a new world. She faltered before this man who turned her inside out with a single look, and words failed her. As she struggled with an unaccustomed shyness he held out a friendly hand to her. She mustered up a firm shake from somewhere, noting the hard calluses that lined his palm. A work-hardened hand. Could it be he's not a leisure-loving gigolo after all? CONTACTS: Website: www.MeredithEllsworth.com Facebook Author Page:www.facebook.com/M.S.SpencerAuthor blog:http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor Author Pages: Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1277387999&sr=1-2-ent All Romance E Books Author Page: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=M.S.+Spencer

The Gift of Belief with Willa Edwards

2011-12-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

My mother loves to tell the same Christmas story over and over. Every time she tells it, it makes me cringe. I know it’s not that bad. I was only five or six at the time, and my excitement can be understood, but still, now in my late twenties, when she tells it I want to hide under the table.

Since this is one of my mother’s favorite Christmas memories, it’s also become a long standing tradition that we hear the story at least once, and definitely several if we have guests over or attend a few Christmas parties.

So I decided today to share it with all of you. This is the way she tells it each year. I have very little recollection of the night myself.

One Christmas Eve, while in pajamas and being obstinate about going to bed (I was a night owl from conception). I was sitting on the bench we kept in the living room by the big bay window, looking out to the front lawn and the open sky above us. A red light blinked from the sky, and I became convinced I’d seen Rudolph’s red nose. A few minutes after I heard the bang of Santa’s Reindeer hooves on the roof.

As all parents do on Christmas Eve, my mother was eager to get me into bed. She played along with my fantasy. And being the oldest it wasn’t hard for me to convince my two years junior brother that he’d heard it too. We scampered to our beds, quickly got in, and tried to go to sleep; convinced if we didn’t Santa wouldn’t leave us our presents. She always says it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen.

My mother’s version of the story ends here, and since I don’t really remember it myself, I don’t know if we actually went to bed or merely lay in bed so excited for Santa we couldn’t move.

Now do you see why I cringe?

In my defense, I will say we lived by the airport. So I probably did see a red light in the sky, though it’s more likely it was the light of a commercial plane than a reindeer. And I probably did hear noises after seeing that light, though it was probably the sound of the plane overhead like I’d hear on any other day Jolly Old Saint Nick wasn’t supposed to stop by.

And even though I cringe at this memory every time my mom tells the story, I know I should be proud of it. After all it’s that over active imagination that allows me to do what I love most, write. If I didn’t have the imagination to believe a red light in the sky was a reindeer or that Santa was on his way each year, how would I have the strength to believe in true love or that love conquers all, as it does in the books that I write. It’s that writers imagination that allows us to not only dream up these stories and characters that readers can relate to, but to believe they could actually come true so much we can make hundreds or thousands of people believe with us (just like I did my little brother).

So I know this year, when my mom tells this story, I should smile with pride and say, “Yup, that’s me. Always the fantasizing writer.” But I have a feeling I’ll still be under the table, with my fingers in my ears, inwardly proud.

Here’s a quick look at my grown up Christmas fantasy, Naughty List.

*** Leave a comment with your email address and be entered in for a chance to win a copy of Naughty List***

BLURB

Eric has been in love with Callie since the day they met, one month after someone else put a ring on her finger. Since her engagement ended Eric has been biding his time, waiting for her to be ready. Until he finds a naughty list of Christmas wishes hidden between her couch cushions with his name on the top.

He's willing to do anything to make Callie happy, including take on the role of dominate Santa Claus and spank her to blow-your-stockings-off orgasm. But is she ready for everything he wants? Does she want his love?

“I’ll just be a minute,” Callie replied, her hand brushing along his arm as she stepped behind him to her bedroom. “I’m going to slip into something less comfortable.”

“Take your time,” he called, holding his breath as he waited for the bedroom door to click closed.

He’d fantasized about that bedroom so many times. The dark navy comforter, the soft baby blue sheets decorated with smiling snowmen she used all winter long. He imagined them so many nights. The smell of her skin along the sheets, the feel of the fabric wrapped around him as he perched above her, soft against his back as she straddled him, keeping them warm as they drifted off to sleep, Callie tucked into his side.

The doorknob snapped shut and Eric jumped to attention. He wouldn’t have long. Callie was always quick getting ready. If he wanted a chance of finding any evidence of what Callie wanted for Christmas, he’d better move fast.

Callie and he had an ongoing bet to find the most heartfelt present for the other. The loser had to be the other’s designated driver for New Year’s Eve. And Eric had lost for the last three years.

If she hadn’t been newly engaged he probably would have lost four years ago too, but when he’d found the picture of her parents’ wedding he’d had the brilliant idea to have her friend Amy make a duplicate of her mother’s veil. Callie had cried when she opened the box and had worn the veil for the rest of the holiday party. Eric had never done anything so right as commissioning that frilly lace train.

It wasn’t that he minded losing. Callie was funny when she had too much to drink. She told racy jokes and got overly touchy, which as long as she was only touching him, was worth being sober to ring in the New Year.

But after all she’d been through this year, calling off her wedding and finding out the truth about Josh, he wanted to make all her Christmas wishes come true. Starting with the perfect present, even if he had to snoop to find out what she wanted.

Eric looked around the room, frantically searching for something she might need. He tipped his head to look into the trash, inspecting the contents for clues, hoping to find some recently broken appliance or family heirloom he could repair that Callie’s elementary gym teacher salary wouldn’t allow.

A sliver of light green between the arm and cushion of Callie’s mocha-colored couch drew his eye. The bright color protruded from rich leather, one of the few pieces of furniture in the room besides an inherited coffee table and elaborately decorated Christmas tree. Taking two steps to the couch, he gripped the spearmint object between his thumb and forefinger, pulling the folded holiday paper from the crevice. Why would Callie shove a piece of paper between the couch cushions? Why would she need to hide something in her own home?

Eric unfolded the paper, expanding the corners into a large, flat sheet. Twirling red ribbons and shiny gold ornaments decorated the page and snowflakes dotted each line. The written words stopped his breath. Callie’s tight, neat script whispered his greatest fantasy.

His throat closed, trapping the oxygen in his chest. His eyes blurred as he read the words over and over. His vision must be playing a trick on him. Callie would never be interested in this kind of sex, and she would certainly never be interested in him.

He’d been in love with Callie since the day he’d met her, which happened to be one month after Josh had slipped a three-carat diamond ring on her finger. He could still remember the bite of that hard rock into his palm as he shook her hand, thanking her for volunteering at the special needs event for thirty kids with physical handicaps, several his cases, that her fiancé’s team was hosting. The small pinch reminded him their meeting was not a dream. This funny, interesting, beautiful woman was real.

He may have denied his feelings at first, but he’d long since accepted he’d never have her, and forced himself to become just her friend. In all that time he’d never imagined she could return his affection.

He wasn’t her type. Callie went for athletic pretty guys. Hell, Josh had been a professional baseball player. How was a social worker supposed to compete with a guy like that? Awkward, gawky, and broke to boot—what a catch Eric was. She deserved better.

His stare remained glued to her naughty Christmas list. His gaze drifted to the top of the page where she’d written his name. He reread each increasingly kinky line. How long had she been thinking about him like this? Since she’d broken off her engagement? Before? If he’d only known, he would have already fulfilled all these wishes and then some.

A wicked smile curled his lips. His body burned stronger than the fire in the chimney Kris Kringle would soon be coming down. His cock pressed against his jeans, hard, hot, wanting. The confinement was a sweet pain he’d become used to after years of being so close to the woman of his dreams but unable to touch her.

There was no time like the present.

“Ready to go?” Callie asked from the bedroom door. He raised his head, cramming the list under his thigh as he drank in the poinsettia red sweater hugging her curves. His mouth watered at the rose blush staining her cheeks. He’d do better than that.

Eric nodded, his tongue no longer working properly. Callie’s curls fluttered as she pulled on a white puffy jacket, making the most adorable candy cane he’d ever seen as she walked to the door. One he couldn’t wait to taste.

Eric trailed behind, stuffing the holiday page into his back pocket. Christmas suddenly looked a lot brighter.

Holiday Stories with Tawny Weber

2011-12-07T11:11:00.002-05:00

Holiday Stories - Tonya's 15 Days of Christmas celebration I'm a big fan of this time of year. The magic of the season, the message of caring, and the comforting traditions. And, actually, of the romance as well. Which makes it extra wonderful to add a book release to the celebration of the season. The first book in my Under Cover Operatives Series, SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE is on shelves. The blurb goes like this: He sees her when she's sleeping... Undercover DEA agent Caleb Black is home for the holidays-possibly to bust his own father. But maybe Caleb's con-man dad isn't the one running drugs through the small town of Black Oak. Maybe it's the green-eyed goddess who runs the New Age shop and has Caleb under her sultry spell. Pandora Easton saved the family store with two words: sex sells. And her delectable aphrodisiacs really works, as she's proven with notorious bad boy Caleb again and again and again. Little does she guess that, int he end, her most potent potion will be the truth... There's something extra magical holiday romances. I love the idea of a couple finding that extra thrill and joy under their Christmas tree. In addition to enjoying romantic reads, one of the things I love to do this time of year is make a big batch of cookies, pop a bowl of popcorn and curl up in front of the fireplace to enjoy a few holiday favorites. My top ten favorites are (in no particular order): 1. Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer 2. Frosty the Snowman 3. It's a Wonderful Life 4. The Year Without a Santa Claus 5. A Christmas Carol (with Patrick Stewart) 6. The Santa Clause 7. A Christmas Story 8. Miracle on 34th Street 9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas 10. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

So how about you? Is there a movie you love to watch each year? Or a holiday book you love to read? Are you a fan of the holiday romances?Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze since her first book hit the shelves in 2007. When not obsessing over deadlines, she's shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking or hanging out on Facebook and Twitter. Come by and visit her on the web at www.tawnyweber.com

In December of 2011 Tawny launched her Undercover Ops series with SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE. The second book in the series, SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT is on shelves in January 2010, quickly followed in February by SEX, LIES & VALENTINES. Be sure to follow Tawny on her Holiday Survival Tour as she celebrates these three books with contests, giveaways and lots of fun. You can read the first chapter of SEX, LIES & MISTLETOE on her website, all you have to do is join the Reader LoveFest!

On the 6th Day of Christmas Lisa Alexander-Griffin joins us

2011-12-06T12:18:00.004-05:00

Enter the dark and sensual worlds of Lisa Alexander-Griffin.

Fall in love again and again…

Shattered Illusions

Published

Pink Petal Books

Blurb

After a ten year stint in prison for a crime he didn't commit, a changed Cage Sinclair returns to his hometown. Hell-bent on clearing his name, trust is nonexistent—especially with the woman who had loved and betrayed him in the same breath. The woman who now lived in his deceased father's house.

Morgan still yearns for the love of her life to return, even though her own fear helped railroad him into prison. She has kept her silence to protect her son. But now Cage is back.

Inconceivable danger lurks in the shadows, but behind closed doors embers ignite and old passions flame. Amidst betrayal, deceit and shattered illusions, will the truth tear them apart or bind them together forever?

Excerpt

Cage stiffened and turned to face the man who had railroaded him into prison.

The sheriff eyeballed him, a thin smile stretching his lips. He hitched his thumbs in the waistband of his pants. “I’ll be a son of a bitch. When did you get out?”

“Wednesday. Came home last night. Thought I’d drop by, let you know I’m in town.”

“Now you have. What else?” Sheriff Blakely’s dull green eyes bored into him.

“My father left me the farm. Thought I’d buy a few heads of cattle and settle. He’d like that. The homestead’s gone to ruin since I’ve been away.”

“Well, at least there’s a place to come back to.” Sheriff Blakely smirked. “Just stay out of trouble, boy. Don’t go poking into affairs that don’t concern you.”

Cage released a dry chuckle. “I haven’t been a boy since I checked in for my extended vacation at Kentucky State.” He scrutinized the office, scanned the pictures on the wall, the worn desk and chair. “Whatever happened to your brother, Tom? Is he still around? I’d really like to see him, catch up on old times.”

“You don’t want to bother old Tom. Keep your nose clean and you’ll be okay. Otherwise...” Sheriff Blakely popped his knuckles and snickered.

“Otherwise I might find myself arrested and convicted for something else I didn’t do? Is that was your implying?”

“Now, now. That’s not a nice thing to say. I’d watch myself if I were you, Sinclair. And watch that temper. No one in town’s gonna like it that you’re back. They’ll keep their daughters locked up tight and a close eye on you.

“I’m not the one to be watched, and we both know it. I plan to clear my name, and the place to start is with Tom.”

Sheriff Blakely jabbed Cage’s chest with his finger, unease surfacing on his face. “I’m warning you...”

Hands balled at his sides, Cage regarded the sheriff. “What? It’s illegal now to converse with an old friend?”

“I didn’t say that. Just don’t stir up trouble, Sinclair. Take that as a friendly warning.”

“I don’t plan to do anything but unearth the truth. If that ruffles feathers, tough. Sleep well, Sheriff.” With a curt nod, he left.

Once outside, Cage blew a frustrated breath and headed for Pleasure Ridge’s only Baptist church. He hadn’t been able to attend his father’s funeral, and he’d be damned if anyone would stop him from visiting his father’s grave. Son of a bitch, he missed that old man.

Scowling, he tramped down the sidewalk, bitterness rising in his chest like bile. His mother had taken off soon after his father’s passing and left no forwarding address. Another oddity he couldn’t fathom.

Puzzled, he scanned the buildings and each passerby’s face. Holloway’s Market, the only grocery store in town, stood stark and white in the distance. Morgan was right. Not much had changed, except for maybe a new coat of paint here and there. An electronics repair shop sat adjacent to the drugstore. Both businesses exactly where they’d been ten years ago. Across the street a neon green sign blinked Breakers. He’d go in, check out the pool hall before he went home. With any luck he’d run into Tom Blakely and have his chat.

Cage strode through Pleasure Ridge, all four blocks. His attention, trained on the massive white steeple at the edge of town, shifted to the sandstone and mortar church, its stained-glass windows gleaming in the sunlight. Grief washed over him as he pushed through the graveyard’s black wrought iron gate. Locked away in prison, he’d refused to

mourn his father’s passing and instead had focused on survival. Now, it was time to grieve.

With no idea where the grave lay, he walked through row upon row of headstones, his attention darting from one to the other, until finally finding the name Sinclair. Eyes tearing, Cage traced a finger over his father’s name. Roses of faded red silk resided in a vase in front of the stone, dull and lifeless.

Lowering to his knees, he bowed his head. “I’m finally home, Dad. Sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.” His voice cracked. Cage clamped down on the inside of his cheek and forced an anguished moan back in his throat. He rose to his feet, staring down at the grave. “Thanks for taking on Morgan and my boy. Taking care of them when I couldn’t.” He wiped his eyes and on a quivering exhale, retraced his steps to the florist shop he’d spotted.

The old man deserved more than faded, fake flowers on his grave. Distracted, Cage sidled past shoppers on the sidewalk. He entered the shop, cool air hitting him in the face. Patricia Ann McCarley stood behind the counter. Hell! It had to be her. Green-eyed and buxom, she’d hardly changed at all.

With a nod of acknowledgment, he turned to the silk flower display. Seconds later, she stepped in close, her breast brushing against his arm.

“Need help with something?” she purred in a sexually suggestive tone.

Caught off guard, Cage stepped back, trying to ignore her blatant attempt at a come-on. He’d been out of circulation for a long time, but the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice, was clear enough.

Patricia Ann used a heavy hand with makeup. Black liner caked the edges of her eyes, reminding him of a raccoon. Her full lips shimmered, red and garish. He cringed inwardly.

“I need new flowers for my father’s grave. Something white. Maybe lilies. They were my mother’s favorite.”

After a quick scan of the premade arrangements, she frowned. “Hold on, sugar. I think I have what you need in the back.” With an exaggerated sway of her hips, she disappeared through a door and moments later returned holding a bouquet of white lilies and yellow carnations. “These are not all white, but it’s the best I can do on short notice.” She inspected him from head to foot and smiled. “Unless you’d like come back later, let me make you something special.”

Cage’s stomach rolled. “No. Those are fine. What do I owe you?”

She walked behind the counter and rang up his purchase. He passed her the required bills, and she counted his change back to him.

“Who was your father?” She crinkled her nose, leaned over the counter, and exposed her cleavage. “For some reason, you look familiar.”

“Levi Sinclair. Nice to see you. It is Patricia Ann, isn’t it? Thanks for all the help.”

Alarm erased the lust on her face. Her jaw dropped open. “When did they let you out?”

“Wednesday. You’ll be seeing me around often enough.” He smiled.

“Uh. You coming back won’t make anyone around here happy.”

“Haven’t you heard? I’m a reformed man. Nothing to fear.” Scooping up his purchase, he headed for the door.

“Does Sheriff Blakely know you’ve returned?”

Cage paused, his hand on the doorknob. Patricia Ann was a fine example of the close-minded attitudes he’d always sensed as a boy. “Yeah. Paid him a visit earlier. He’s about as happy to see me as you are. But I’ve done my time. Guess all you townsfolk will just have to grin and bear it.”

Outside, he stared toward the police station and gave a quick salute to Blakely who stood watching him.

Back at the cemetery, he knelt next to his father’s grave and gently placed the new flowers in the stationary vase at the foot of the tombstone. Satisfied he’d done all he could, he rested a hand atop the cold stone. “It won’t be easy, Pops, but I’ll make a go of the farm like I promised, clear my name, and take care of my son. Sons of bitches won’t run me out of town, and I’ll die before I go back to prison.”

Title Available at Pink Petal Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance ebooks

Visit Lisa at http://www.lisaalexandergriffin.com Friend on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1402843806 Follow on Twiter http://twitter.com/#!/LisaAGriffin

Lisa would like to share one of her favorite holiday recipes, and a Christmas tradition at her house.

Merry Bells

Ingredients

1 box confectioner’s sugar

1 can Eagle Brand milk

½ stick butter

1 large package coconut

2 cups chopped pecans

(chopped cherries) optional

Directions

Mix well. Chill. Roll into balls and chill again for a couple hours in the frig. Insert a toothpick

into each ball for dipping. Dip in chocolate.

Chocolate Dip

1 large pack chocolate morsels.

1 block of Gulf Wax paraffin

Melt in double boiler on medium heat.

Bio

Lisa Alexander-Griffin began her career as a writer twelve years ago. Multi-published, her titles range from sweet to spicy with elements of fantasy and suspense.

A North Alabama native, Lisa lives with her husband and twelve-year-old daughter. She also has two grown children who live nearby, so she can enjoy her three beautiful grandchildren quite often. When Lisa's not writing, she can be found in her garden, tending to a vast array of vegetables, which she cans, allowing her family a taste of summer year round. Other favorite pastimes are reading, quilting, spending time with her family, and fishing on the lake.

An avid reader of romance for as long as she can remember, most days you'll find her weaving tales of heartbreak and betrayal, love lost and found, and happily ever afters.

Rose Anderson on the 5th Day of Christmas

2011-12-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

First off, let me say thanks for having me today Tonya. :)

When thinking up something fun for this blog post, I thought everyone could use a few cool-looking homemade and inexpensive Christmas gift ideas this year. I’ve always made gifts for family and friends. Over the years some have been tasty treats, but most have been lasting. I love repurposing. I’ve made mittens from felted wool sweater sleeves, and earrings and bracelets out of old silver teaspoon handles. I’ve sewn large roomy tote bags and sofa pillows from vintage dresses with fabulous fabric. You never know where the next fun idea will come from. If you have a terrific gift idea, drop me a line, I’d love to hear about it.

I’m going to give a few of my best without pictures. Hopefully, I’ll describe the details well enough you’re able to follow along. If you’re stuck, email me and I’ll talk you through ~ roseanderson4858(at)yahoo(dot)com

The Secret Book ~ This book innocently sits on the shelf with the rest of your library, but when you turn a few pages, you’ll discover this crumby old book is actually a secret compartment. It’s a box made out of a book and the cover is the lid.

* You’ll need a thick old and boring looking book. Try a thrift store or the library a free or an inexpensive discard.

* Modpodge and applicator (foam or bristle brush)

* An Exacto knife or box cutter blade.

* A sheet of foil or waxed paper

Flip open the book and go at least ten pages in. Mark the page by tucking your sheet of foil or waxed paper inside and close the book. This is what you should see – ten loose pages and a protective sheet of foil or waxed paper. The rest of the pages will be the box. Now apply a liberal coating of Modpodge to the edge below those ten pages. Put something heavy on top, smooth any blobs with the brush or foam applicator and wait about an hour for it to dry.

The book will be stiff now except for those few loose pages at the front of the book. Determine the size of the compartment your book will have within its pages. Trace out a smaller rectangle and carefully use the Exacto blade or box cutter to cut out as many pages as you’re able to at one time. Keep on going until you almost reach the back cover. Once you have a nice deep center cut away, paint on the Modpodge to seal the raw edges just like you did to the outside. Using the scrap pages you’ve cut out, paste these over the raw edges inside with more Modpodge for a nice finished look. Leave your book open to dry. And there you go -- a very cool looking, infinitely useful, gift. :)

Repurposed Stationary Set ~ I started this project by buying a sustainably grown bamboo pen for my daughter (offebay). Then, using two sizes of opened and flattened envelopes as templates, I made crazy envelopes out of full page magazine ads and Patagonia catalog pages. I fine line of regular old Elmers glue sealed my new envelopes. I could have used a glue stick but having had glue stick projects come unglued before, I opted for the sure thing. I bought a recycled paper writing tablet and made a custom cover for it from a very nice picture I found online of the recycle symbol as the top of a stylized tree. I also found a Save a Tree/ Reuse Paper self-inking stamp. I bundled up the envelopes in two stacks and put it all into a cigar box that I covered with cancellation marks from all over the world. It was one of my more fun projects that looked like it came from one of those fancy and pricey catalogs.

Ransom Note Refrigerator Magnets ~ I cut large alphabet letters from cereal boxes, glossy sales papers and magazines, and stuck them on peel and stick magnet sheets but it’s also a great way to use up those freebie ad magnets and magnetic calendars (just carefully peel away the text or picture to get to the sticky base underneath. Tip: arrange them this way and that to save space. After a coating of matte finish Modpodge dries, cut them out. I followed the number and count of Scrabble letters and added questions marks and exclamation points for emphasis. They came out really nice and got a lot of laughs.

Snowmen vs. Santas Checker Set ~ A friend of mine drinks different types of beer and saves bottle caps of all colors and brands for me. A few years ago I thought up a twist on an old standard game – checkers. You’ll need:

* 24 bottle caps. Be sure they’re not bent.

* 1 bottle of clear Diamond Glaze (check your craft store) or two or three bottles of cheap clear nail polish

* 12 pictures of Santas and 12 pictures of Snowmen thought really it could be anything as long as there are 12 of one and 12 of the other. I cut mine from a catalog with vintage pictures but you could also check the dollar store for inexpensive holiday greeting cards. It’s possible to cut the small circles (bottle cap size) by hand by tracing a quarter. Or buy yourself a nice quarter-sized hole punch. I eventually did that. Much easier and super fast.

* Glue

Once you’ve assembled your supplies, dab a dot of glue inside the bottle cap and carefully center the picture inside. Smooth out any bubbles and lumps. Allow to dry then slowly fill the bottle cap with Diamond Glaze or nail polish. I found simple checkerboards at my local dollar store and used those to go with my games. You can easily make your own. A search online will give you the exact count of squares needed.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these fun little projects. :) Happy Holidays!

Hello, I’m Rose Anderson, the author of scorching romances Dreamscape and Hermes Online. You can find me just about anywhere these days. Here are several of my links. I’d love if you’d stop and check out my books or just say hi. :) My blog: http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/ My page at my publisher's site: Siren-Bookstrand_RoseAnderson My book trailers: MusesWritingTablet Yes I tweet, let's be friends! @roseanderson_ (notice the _ at the end) And we can be friends here too! Google+ Circles (I'm not on Facebook)

MY Muse, Christmas Time with Judy Baker

2011-12-03T11:39:00.003-05:00

I’m one of those ‘weird’ people that others don’t understand – yup, you’re right - I start listening to Christmas music in August. Once I started writing a Christmas themed story in December and listened to Christmas music all the way through April, when I finally wrote “The End.” I about drove my hubby crazy when I decided to write two more books (during the summer months) to complete my Santa Series: Santa’s Pretty Lady, Santa’s Secret Gift, Mainland Santa. And, yes of course, you have to have the music while writing. All my e-books are written under my alter-ego Anna Sugg. Read a blurb on my website: http://anna_sugg.coffeecup.com

A copy of Homeless Santa (now an eBook titled, Santa’s Pretty Lady) has been donated for Tonya’s Christmas Gift Basket for the lucky person that wins. Good Luck.

Excerpt from Santa’s Pretty Lady:

“Ah, gee whiz, lady,” hollered a man down the end of the counter.

LenaBelle raised her eyebrows at Santa and turned to the man who spoke.

“You gotta have dinner with Santa.”

“Yeah, you can’t turn down Santa,” joined a man from across the room.

“Yeah,” remarked another listener.

A quick glance around the tables found all eyes glued to them. LB turned back to Santa and from his expressive eyes, she could tell he was thoroughly enjoying the moment.

“Keep it up, guys,” Santa’s deep voice encouraged as he motioned with black gloved hands. “She’s weakening.”

“Hey,” echoed the man from the far end of the counter, “a lady that has Here come Santa Claus on her cell phone can’t turn down an invitation from him.”

Then to her shock, the man bellowed out “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Clause-” and everyone joined him.

Dropping her head in her hands, she couldn’t help but laugh. Finally, she threw up her hands toward the crowd and agreed. “Okay, okay, I’ll have dinner with him.” Turning to Santa, she noted a satisfied expression.

He leaned over, put an arm around her shoulder, and whispered close to her ear, “Meet me at Metish around eight. Will that give you enough time?”

“Yes, but-”

Standing, he turned to the customers and waved. “Thanks guys, it’s a date. Ho, ho, ho, and a Merry Christmas to all.”

With a twinkle in his eyes, he left her sitting there with a red face, a latte, and everyone clapping their hands.

I have so many wonderful Christmas memories that I have often started out writing a

Christmas story, until my characters head into a different direction. That’s what happened when I wrote Secret Past, A Yellow Creek Novel.

My family always went to my grandparents’ farm in Tennessee for Christmas when I was a child. To this day, the memories of so many special Christmases put a smile on my lips. They’re so dear to me since both my grandparents and parents are gone. In Secret Past, my character returns to her grandmother’s farm and while taking a journey through the past, she remembers a fun Christmas Eve spent at the farm. While there a vision of her grandmother appears…and, so, my story is off and running in a different direction. But, those Christmas feelings are still living within me to this day.

“Her feet seemed to be focus on a certain track as she gazed into the opening that once closed the large foyer off from the rest of the house. She glanced down as if to see the antique leather-bound traveling trunk her grandma used for all her good linen.

Sarah giggled, recalling the times she had sat on that old trunk while listening to the pitter-patter of rain on the tin roof. To this day, she loved the sound of a pounding rain on a tin roof.

Once again, she was a little girl, snuggled in her grandmother’s feather bed. Long ago on a special Christmas Eve, her mother had put her to bed, but Sarah had been too excited to sleep. Her eyes closed quickly though, when she heard Santa's sleigh bells. It wasn’t until years later, while a teenager that she had learned her dad had used grandpa’s cowbells.

As if in a trance, Sarah turned and floated into the living room, stopping short. A spirited, unearthly feeling washed over her. This was the room she had spent so many happy hours in with her grandparents.

While she stood in the mist of the rotten walls, a presence grew stronger. It was effortless to feel the warm glow of the woodstove and see her grandpa rocking while reading his Bible. She turned her gaze toward the kitchen door. Her eyes widened.

She chewed her bottom lip. If she didn't move or breathe…

Whether imagined, or not, the image of her tiny grandmother stood in the doorway. The same soft, gray eyes stared straight into hers, like so many years ago.

Sarah’s heart ran rapid.

The experience…so surreal, she stretched out her hand, wanting to touch her shiny white hair wound up in a figure eight, held in place with a hairpin. Her grandmother wore the familiar

long red and white apron, as if stepping from the kitchen.

Sarah was afraid to blink, much less breathe. She stood frozen in time.” http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YR581G

When visiting my family in Tennessee during the early 80’s, my sister, Sherry, gave me a recipe that I thought would make the best holiday cake ever. Now, twenty-five years later, I’m making the same cake for our Christmas dinner dessert. We make traditions sometimes that can last a lifetime. I would like to share my Christmas recipe with you…

Sherry’s Carrot Cake

2 cups of sugar

1 ¼ cups of vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 ½ cups cake flour

2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 cups finely shredded carrots

3 ½ cups black walnuts

Combined sugar, oil, egg (one at a time) Mix well after each egg

Stir in carrots

Add nuts

Sift together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon

Stir into mixture

Pour into 3 greased 9 inch round cake pans

Bake 30-35 minutes

Cool

Cake Icing

1 8oz package cream cheese – softened

1/4 cup butter – softened

1 lb box soft confection sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoon lemon juice

Blend cream cheese and butter until smooth

Add sugar, gradually mixing

Stir in lemon and vanilla

If frosting seems too soft – refrigerate for a few minutes

I decorate our entire house for Christmas and I start at Thanksgiving. My husband drags the Christmas tree from the storage area and sets it up in the living room. We don’t decorate the tree, but always have the lights on for Thanksgiving dinner which adds to the festive atmosphere. Once Thanksgiving dinner is over, I sat back, relax, have a glass of wine, and watch the grandkids decorated the Christmas tree. My hubby likes that tradition. They always do a beautiful job, with their parent’s help of course, or else, only the bottom half of the tree would be decorated. I put up two more trees the next day and by the weekend I decorate the rest of the house, including the bathrooms. I would love to hear from you at drake31704@yahoo.com and please visit my website: http://judybaker.coffeecup.com

This has been fun Tonya and I appreciate the chance to share my love for Christmas. I

wish you all a blessed Christmas season.

On the Second Day of Christmas Sarah McNeal joined us

2011-12-02T17:06:00.004-05:00

On The Second Day Of Christmas

My true love gave to me, two turtledoves...

I never really understood what a turtledove was—a dove with a shell? One thing I do know is that doves symbolize love and peace. Nothing brings together love and peace more than the Christmas season.

Perhaps you can find that love in my Christmas story, Gifts From The Afterlife, in the 2011 Christmas Anthology from Victory Tales Press in which Lydia Sinclair comes to peace with the loss of her loved ones and makes a decision that will alter her future.

As we enter into the holiday season, I wish for everyone peace, love and joy no matter your religion or culture. We all live on a small planet with all God’s creation. May we all live in tolerance, harmony and empathy for all living things.

Gifts From The Afterlife

How dark must it get before Lydia sees the light?

Blurb:

Lydia Sinclair’s life has run off the rails. She has lost everyone she loves and Christmas has lost its meaning. As Christmas approaches, Lydia wants to go to sleep and never wake up again. Perhaps an angel, some ghosts and a childhood sweetheart can convince her that life is worth living again. Can Lydia let go of what once was, renew her joy in Christmas and find the promise of hope for her future?

Excerpt:

She felt the heat surge up her neck into her face. Lydia turned away from him and headed toward her house. If she ignored him, maybe he wouldn't insist on asking her about her feelings or about that kiss, and she could escape from her vulnerability.

Just as she reached her back door, he caught up with her, grasped her arm, and turned her around to face him. His sea green eyes were flecked with heated gold as he peered at her. "Don't just walk away. Tell me what I did wrong. Was it because I kissed you?"

She wanted to say something, to tell him that the kiss meant everything to her. It wasn't the kind of kiss that led straight to the bedroom. It felt more like a prelude to something richer, deeper, longer—like an unspoken promise. She tried to form the words but they resisted expression.

He pressed his fingertips to her lips. His voice, when he spoke, rose just above a whisper. "Wait. I know what you're going to say. It's too soon. Hell, you hardly remember me." He held on to her. The wind feathered his hair and swept it over his brow. "But for me, you've been here my whole life." He fisted his free hand and tapped his chest over his heart.

Snow gathered in his hair and melted on his face. He sighed. "All I ask is that you give me a chance. I know it's been hard for you in recent years—so many losses, so much sadness, but when you're ready..." His words trailed off.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/2011-Christmas-Collection-Sensual-ebook/dp/B005Z8VOVG/

Smashwords Ebook ($3.99) http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/99059 Lulu Ebook ($3.99): http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/2011-christmas-collection-sensualspicy/18312218

http://www.amazon.com/2011-Christmas-Collection-Sensual-ebook/dp/B005Z8VOVG/

Other Books by Sarah McNeal:

Harmonica Joe’s Reluctant Bride (Time Travel Western 1910) Western Trail Blazers

Bitter Notes (Contemporary) Amira Press

For Love Of Banjo (Western Historical WWI) coming soon Western Trail Blazers

The Violin (Time Travel 1927) with new edits, coming soon

Where you can find me:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?&new_box_added_id=7100654162#

Moonlight Romance Authors: http://moonlightromanceauthors.blogspot.com/?zx=e8f0512666a5c2c Sarah’s Provocative Ponderings: http://pasttheprint.blogspot.com/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Starcriter My Blog Spot: http://www.sarahmcneal.blogspot.com/ My website: http://www.sarahmcneal.com

Kick off of 15 Days of Christmas with Cynthia MacGregor

2011-12-01T08:32:00.012-05:00

Please welcome my special guest author, Cynthia MacGregor. Thanks so much for being her today, Cynthia, and for kicking off my 15 Days of Christmas Event!!

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

by Cynthia MacGregor

How does your family celebrate holidays...and not just "The Holidays"--the major ones that stare with Thanksgiving, end with New Year's, and include Christmas and/or Chanukah and/or Kwanzaa? I'm talking about all holidays, including the patriotic ones, the minor ones, and every other "special" day on the calendar.

If you have kids at home, you are probably interested in several things in connection with the holidays:

· Making the holidays meaningful--they're more than just a day off from school.

· Making memories that your kids will treasure long after they're grown: "Oh, I remember when we were kids, on Easter Mom would always __________."

There are two primary things you can do that will make holidays-any holiday-more meaningful and help makememories your kids will treasure. Pick either one. Pick both.

One is to initiate a custom that's specific to your family and centers around that holiday, be it Christmas or Thanksgiving, Presidents' Day or Valentine's Day, or even such occasions as the night of a full moon or the first day of spring. The other is to develop a ceremony for that occasion.

I happen to have written two books that touch on those two subjects-but whether or not you buy the books, I still urge you to follow their precepts.

The traditions you establish for your family need not be anything spectacular. They can be small and quiet...like always saying a prayer when you put your Christmas tree topper in place, and then observing a moment of silence, or hiding a child's birthday presents instead of giving them to him/her outright, so that she/he has the fun of searching the house, knowing the s/he is looking for five presents...but s/he has to find them before s/he can open them.

Family Traditions, Customs and Celebrations is a compilation of just such traditions that were started in real families all over and perpetuated through the years. Most are unique to just one family; none is a universal, widespread, time-honored tradition. Most of these ideas will be new to you, though you are welcome to borrow them to use in your family.

The ceremonies in Family Ceremonies for Life's Occasions celebrate not only calendar holidays such events as birthdays but also life's major and minor milestones from moving into a new house to paying off the mortgage, from celebrating the birth of a child to celebrating an engagement; and yes, there are even ceremonies for such sad occasions as the death of a pet. Even the day that a child gets his/her first driver's license can be solemnized by a ceremony...and maybe that will help the teenager remember to take driving seriously and not drive carelessly or foolishly.

Naturally, I hope you'll buy both these books, but even if you don't want to, you can still write your own ceremonies and invent your own customs and traditions. The important thing to remember is that they make your family special, draw your family closer together, and weave lasting memories that will warm your kids' hearts long after they're grown. "My family was really neat! I remember from back when Iw as very little, my folks would always ____________."

What will your kids remember? What makes your family special? What sets your family apart from others and creates special days that really are special and not just an excuse for a day off from school or a chance to get presents? Does your child get to wear a birthday crown and sit in a place of honor at dinner on his birthday? Does your child get to choose the dinner menu when he brings home a good report card? Do you create a family New Year's Eve celebration by sharing favorite memories?

What will your children remember from their growing-up years? What memories are you creating?

It's never too late to start.

* * *

If you want to order either of these two books, you'll find them at http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&filter_author=36

Happy Holidays...all the holidays! From my house and my heart to yours.

Cynthia MacGregor

Summer Fun with EdenFantasys

2011-06-23T09:45:00.005-04:00

Edenfantasys is offering several summer savings on sex toys. For example you can save 20% on JimmyJane toys, 25% on selected silicone toys, 40% on premium brands and an additional 50% off clearance items.

Follow the links for your great savings today!

And as always you will get a free toy with any order today at Eden Fantasys

Other great things offered daily:

If you join Eden’s Newsletter you will get a free bullet.

By purchasing one flavored lube you will get a second one free.

Like Eden’s page on Facebook and you will see exclusive deals and by liking certain toys you could get it for FREE!

Be sure to follow on twitter

For the month of June Eden is donating $5.00 of every JimmyJane purchase to AIDS Service Center of NYC. Follow this link to see how you can help serve a great cause today!

Maybe you are a first time buyer of a sex toy, you may not have a clue where to start. Or maybe you are looking for the perfect gift for someone or to surprise your significant other. Have no fear Eden offers live chat

You can speak to a consultant or Sammi a sex toy reviewer. They both offer great advice on toys, games, and on any subject you may not be sure about. There is plenty of help from this site in the great reviews, interviews, Eden Tube and the live help, be sure to take advantage of it today!

Happy Shopping,

Tonya

First Order From EdenFantasys Has Arrived

2011-01-21T23:13:00.006-05:00

I received my first shipment from EdenFantasys and is has been a blast so far! I bought two toys of my choice and received a free gift with my Eden Points. They have been so much fun.

The quality of the shipment was immaculate. I was told my purchase would be delivered on a certain day by a certain time and sure enough FedEx was knocking on my door when I expected them. Also, the shipping is discreet. No one would be able to tell that you were receiving sex toys or anything from there site.

The toys I received were exactly as I expected from the pictures, reviews and details given. So when this site says you get what you expect, you truly get what you are expecting from this adult store.

I am excited to make my next purchase, there are so many possibilities to order on this site. Books, DVD's, outfits, toys for solo or couple. Interested in exploring an area you've never tried but always wanted to, this site has beginner kits, books, while the books could sound boring I assure you there not. They are educational, but at the same time erotic and fun.

Special Offer

Save an additional 15% off any fantasy kit you order from EdenFantasys today!

Check out the site for more great deals and special offers today!!

My New Adventure

2011-01-05T16:38:00.008-05:00

I am going to be reviewing sex toys! Yep, that's what I said. I will be blogging twice a month about sex toys offered by EdenFantasys! It's a popular online sex store, it's very private and safe, defintely a site you can trust.

There are so many great things this site offers. Toys for both men and women and for couples. There are toys for those of you who like to explore and get your kink on.

Want to try anal? Not sure how to get started? EdensFantasys can help you. They have a wide selection of toys for beginners. Almost every toy on this site has a review, you can read what others thought of it. You can watch videos and read articles as well. They offer a magazine with an amazing amount of information. And if you still aren't sure you can go to the Forum and ask questions discreetly.

This site also offers books and you know I love that! I love reading and I think reading about sex, learning new techniques, positions and tips can spice up any relationship.

But the most important thing this site offers is great low prizes. These toys are affordable, there is something for any price range.

Stay tuned some great reviews coming your way soon!

Another Gret Review!

2010-12-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

A Reader Review by Lynn Spangler Ms. Callihan’s Christmas short story “A Cowboy’s Christmas Wish” effectively captured my attention from the moment I read the story’s blurb. The story itself didn’t let me down. Her characters were believable from the first words. It was easy to slip into their minds and feel each emotion. The love scene made you feel the strong emotional and physical tie between Payton and Derek. “A Cowboy’s Christmas Wish” in my opinion was a very strong debut for this new author.

My First Review!!!

2010-12-14T12:27:00.003-05:00

I just saw my first review as a published author...nothing gets better than this. Thank you Staci Bush for the great review of my free Christmas read, "A Cowboy's Christmas Wish" and of my fellow SCP authors! Check them out at http://www.stacibush.com

My Interview On Sherry's Blog

2010-11-11T14:10:00.002-05:00

Stop by Sherry Gloag's Blog to see my short interview about me, my writing, and Night Promises!

Christmas Free Read

2010-11-10T11:55:00.004-05:00

My publisher, Secret Cravings Publishing will be offering Christmas Free Reads from their authors. I happen to be one of them. My story "A Cowboy's Christmas Wish" will be available for download around December 15. For each download my publisher will donate $1.00 to a charity of my choice. I pick Colon Cancer in honor of my mamaw Sarah Stamper who was diagnosed about three weeks ago. And in memory of my late Aunt Linda Callihan Hicks who lost her battle to colon cancer four years ago. She was my biggest supporter when it came to my writing and my biggest fan.

Thanks,

Tonya

My First Blog Post with Tabby's Nocturnal Nights

2010-11-05T15:20:00.002-04:00

Be sure to check out my first blog post with Tabby's Nocturnal Nights. Link is on the right-hand side of the page. My next post is November 19th...so if you have any questions about writing or any topic suggestions please send them my way. I want to cover what is in need. Thanks, Tonya

Please Welcome My Very Special Halloween Birthday Guest Lex Valentine

2010-10-31T09:00:00.000-04:00

Halloween Blitz

It’s my birthday and I’ll talk about whatever I want! HA! Yes, Halloween is my birthday and since I’m hanging here at Tonya’s today I thought I’d just throw a whole hodgepodge of Halloween related stuff at you. Feel free to latch onto the things that interest you most and bombard me with questions in the comments. I like comments! (You do not have to wish me a happy birthday in comments. I’ve decided that maybe I’d skip this year so I don’t have to be 50.)

Anywho…GHOSTS! Everyone always asks me if I’ve seen one in the cemetery where I work. The answer is…NO. I don’t believe in ghosts so of course they aren’t going to show themselves to me. Would you show yourself to some yahoo who didn’t believe in you? I don’t think so. However, I can give you a taste of ghosts from my novella Rousing Caine which is about a ghost and a man who has given up on love.

Jason jerked his head up, staring through the glass shower door at Caine, who stood, fully clothed in jeans and a t-shirt just inside the bathroom door. A solemn, sad expression turned the ghost’s handsome face into a cool mask. A trickle of fear iced Jason’s heart.

“You don’t have to think or feel anything, Jason.” Caine took a couple of steps forward and Jason saw that he was barefoot. “I’m leaving. I shouldn’t have come here in the first place. I’m not sure why I did. I guess something in your emotions roused me, called to me. I had to come to you. But I can see now that I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry, Jason.”

Caine’s blue eyes glinted with emotion as he turned to leave, his form shimmering as it dissolved. Jason blinked as he realized he could see through Caine’s body. The force of his own emotions slammed into Jason in that instant. The trickle of fear that wrapped itself around his heart grew exponentially in the few seconds it took for Caine to reach for the doorknob with a hand that was rapidly fading.

“Wait!”

Jason couldn’t stop himself. His heart pounded in his chest as if he’d run a marathon. His throat felt as dry as the Sahara. With jerky movements, he shut off the water and opened the shower door, striding toward Caine, whose form continued to shimmer but stopped fading. He grabbed one muscular bicep in his wet hand, thankful that the ghost was still solid enough to touch. He spun Caine around.

“Why? Just tell me why you love me,” he asked, desperate for some kind of answer, but he didn’t know what.

Caine’s blue eyes softened. “Because I heard you laugh and I couldn’t help myself. I looked up and saw you laughing with a child, the son of a customer, and… and… I just knew I loved you.” Raw, ragged emotion filled the ghost’s voice and he spoke as if he had no control over it. “I don’t know why. I just knew.”

*sigh* I just love Jason and Caine….but… next question I’ve been asked a lot about the cemetery. Have I ever had sex in the cemetery. Me? At the cemetery I work at? And risk my job? NUH UH. And in point of fact, I’ve not had sex in any cemetery. It doesn’t squick me out but it’s just not the sort of thing Rott and I would do. Especially after a dozen years together. However, that didn’t stop me from writing about sex in the cemetery on three different occasions. One is in my most recent release Sunstroked. Corey and Seth have oral sex while hidden in the trees. Another is my last release Common Ground. Cemetery owner Marius masturbates in his office while looking out the window at his mate Sair. And finally, in my very first book Shifting Winds, Declan and Elysia have sex in a mausoleum while dressed in costume on Halloween. Kinky huh? Here’s a little taste…

Their mouths slid together, tongues and lips and fangs meeting in a sensual dance while Declan pressed Elysia’s shoulders against the cold marble of the crypts. His hands tilted her hips and he pressed his cock deep within her in a single thrust. Elysia’s eyes rolled back in her head as the head of his cock hit her G spot. He held her at the perfect angle and she wondered how many women he’d fucked in this position.

Her legs wound around him, her entire weight resting on his arms. She pulled up the tank top, her full breasts rubbing against his chest. He sucked on her tongue and rotated his hips. Her clit ground against his pubic bone and she moaned. Sounds of pleasure emerged from her with every rough twist of his hips and thrust of his cock.

He tried to silence her with kisses, but she was desperate to touch him. Her mouth and hands feverishly roamed every part of him that she could reach. She couldn’t stop touching him as she rode his cock, thrusting against him, her pussy gripping him tightly, her lust swollen flesh aching for release. He nipped her throat and a loud groan escaped her.

“Holy fuck!” he whispered as he thrust into her. She instinctively clamped down on his pistoning cock at his words, making it even tighter for him.

Another moan burst from her, but this time it was punctuated by the sound of footsteps echoing in the distance. Elysia blinked up at Declan. They couldn’t stop now! She grabbed his hood and pulled it down over his head. He leaned into her body, the black robe covering most of her. Declan bent his head to her face, taking her mouth in a deep kiss, the hood concealing both their faces.

The footsteps drew closer, but filled with adrenaline and lust, Elysia ignored them, pushing herself against Declan’s hard body. The sound of his rough breathing filled her ears and she moaned again as he flexed within her. His pelvis rocked against hers, pressing on her clit. Heated waves of pleasure lashed her and as the footsteps neared the end of the corridor where they stood twined around each other, she felt the ripples start within her. Declan’s cock swelled and he thrust up into her hard.

With a loud groan she came, her body jerking in orgasm as the shadow of a man fell across the end of the corridor. Declan leaned into her, pushing her against the crypts as he pumped his cock into her pussy one last time, his orgasm bursting over him. He growled loudly as his cum bathed her spasming pussy. Her flesh clutched at him and she felt his skin ripple with the force of his orgasm.

“Madre de Dios! Es la Muerte!”

The frightened whisper interrupted their mutual orgasm, but neither of them could look at the terrified cemetery worker. Moments later, he was gone, running from the building, howling again to the Mother of God about seeing Death.

See how hot the cemetery can be if you have the right kind of imagination and you’ve paired up a black dragon of a man with a sexy female vampire? Rawr!

I’m often asked if working in the cemetery freaks me out. Again, my answer would be NO. But there are things that freak out everyone from spiders to flying. In my soon to be released novella Rock My World, Gia, the heroine, is terrified of flying. Since I’m not afraid to fly I had to think about how I would feel if I were terrified. What I discovered is that seriously hot men can distract from any fear. Let’s see how Sin’s hotness distracts Gia…

Gia loved the sound of Sin’s voice in her ears singing a rocking ballad as she touched him. The shaking of the plane faded into the distance as she fucked his mouth with her tongue. Takeoff became a blur of heated touches and escalating passion. The cabin pressure had nothing on the pressure between her thighs as she deepened the kiss, giving him more of her mouth and taking more of his tongue. Her world narrowed to the circle of Sin’s arms.

One night. All it had taken for her to fall for Sinclair Carstens was a single night. Of course, it had been the most spectacular night of her life, and keeping things cool and fun had been difficult. She wanted to be possessive. She wanted to be fierce. She wanted to own Sin Carstens—body, heart, and soul—the way he now owned her. If she didn’t have the proof of her own aching heart and wet pussy, she would still scoff at the notion of love at first fuck. Certainly, she’d teased James about that phenomenon when he’d met his wife. He’d probably return the favor now.

Sin cupped her breasts, thumbing her nipples into stiff points. The iPod, smooshed between them, clicked off. Gia’s ears hummed as the music stopped, allowing her to hear the loud guffaw that came from behind them.

“I’d tell you to get a room, but then the john would be occupied until we land.”

James and Derek laughed uproariously at James’ joke. Breaking the kiss, Gia unsnapped her seatbelt and twisted in her seat, glaring at her bandmates.

“Fucktards,” she growled.

Derek pointed to James. “He said it. Not me. Don’t get yer bloomers in a bunch,” he said with a grin, his British accent heavier than usual because of his mirth.

“Damned fag.” Gia’s words held no heat and she stuck her tongue out at the tattooed drummer.

“You just wish you could suck cock as good as me.” Derek winked broadly at her.

Sin twisted in his seat and opened his mouth to speak, but Gia slapped her palm over it. He blinked in surprise and James and Derek burst out laughing.

“No need to defend your woman to us, mate,” Derek told him. “We’re sure she blows ya better’n a brass trumpet. Or is that strumpet?”

“Oh, for God’s sake.” Gia whipped around in her seat, pulling Sin down. “Just ignore them. They’ll go away in a few minutes.”

So that’s a few things I’m asked about working in a cemetery. And a few tastes of my work. For more tastes, hop on over to my website where you’ll find blurbs and excerpts for all of my books. If you have questions about cemeteries or mortuaries, Halloween birthdays, or writing about paranormal creatures like vampires and werewolves please do ask them in comments and I’ll try to answer them as soon as I can!

Many thanks to Tonya for having me here on Halloween! It’s really capped off my Halloween…and my birthday!

Thank you Lex for stopping by on your birthday...and this post was extra extra hot!!! Hope you have the best birthday:)

Review The Unnecessary Bodyguard by Evie Balos

2010-10-29T10:58:00.004-04:00

The Unnecessary Bodyguard

Book 1 of the Dhampir Series

Evie Balos

Cobblestone Press

Length: Novella (around 15,000 words)

ISBN: 978-1-600088-580-8

Rating: 5 Dhampir’s

Buy

Blurb:

Nina Bradley doesn’t pay attention to her friend’s premonition that she’ll be attacked by a vampire. She discovers Daphne’s assigned a dhampir bodyguard to her and clearly objects. Worse, she finds him terribly attractive, but he’s half vampire. They don’t suit. A good reason to stop fantasizing about him.

Jovan Markovic wants to keep things professional between him and his beautiful client, but his desire for her is spiraling out of control. He ought to assign someone else to the case, but he won’t. He ought to use his lover to erase Nina from his mind, but he can’t…

My Review:

Wow! This was a page turner from the beginning and all the way through to the end. I didn’t want the story to end. Even when I wasn’t reading the book I was constantly thinking about Nine and Jovan and the struggles they were going through. The emotional attachment I have for these two have grown strong and I only wanted the best for them. The connection between them is remarkable. Ms. Balos used descriptive words and painted a picture in the readers mind, it honestly felt as though I were watching a movie at times, but with all the bonus features a book can only offer.

And I have to wait for book 2? I hardly think that’s fair! I’m sure it’ll be just as vivid as this story if not more so. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Evie Balos, she’s an author I’ve added to my ‘watch-out for’ and this is a book you should add to your ‘to be read pile’.

Q and A with Jodie Pierce

2010-10-27T20:00:00.000-04:00

The Vampire Queen Q & A

Here we are with the Author Jodie Pierce talking with her about her latest book, The Vampire Queen, due out April 2011. Tell us what it’s about.

A young woman awakes to find out not only is she an important Countess but she is also the very first or 'Ancient One' as she is called by her subjects. Her memories of being a vampire or anyone are gone so she must relearn everything (from spells to flying) from the people around her, but can they be trusted? She also learns her main objective as the old Countess was purifying the vampire race and wishes to continue with that work. The 'Others', powerful and evil vampires, attempt to use her memory loss to their advantage. They had been trying to entice her to their side for centuries. Struggling to remember her past, battling the 'Others' and coping with her new life keep the Countess busy throughout this spellbinding and thrilling novel. Will she succeed in her goals or will the 'Others' win her over to their side this time around?

Q. Does the Queen feel protected/safe?

A. She’s unsure who she can trust at this point. Everybody is a danger to her.

Q. What does she remember from her past?

A. Nothing.

Q. Who are the ‘Others’?

A. They are a group of other vampires that are evil and would use her powers and skills for their benefit.

Q. How scary is it to wake up one day and not remember who you are?

A. Very scary, I’m sure. For the Queen, she doesn’t know who you can trust, who she was or who she is going to become. It’s all influenced by those around her. Imagine if the ‘Others’ had found her resting place and she had been woken by them how different things would have been.

Q. Is there a man or woman in her life?

A. Yes, there is someone special in her life but I’m not going to go into it right now. It’s more fun the let the readers speculate.

Q. Why is it important to her to purify her race?

A. She doesn’t want vampires around that are throw-aways. Vampires that have been made for unclean purposes-like for an army, without love, etc. This has always been very important to her.

Q. What is this “Bloodstone”?

A. It is a real gemstone. It inspires courage, purifies and regulates blood flow.

Thanks so much Jodie for stopping by today on my blog. I've really enjoyed these posts from you. I look forward to having you stop by again soon!!

The Vampire Queen's Halloween Poetry

2010-10-27T17:00:00.000-04:00

Witches, goblins, ghosts & black cats

Candy corn, candied apples

Carved pumpkins and painted faces

For an excellent Halloween these things do make!

The night is black as death and lingers on

Vermin eyes flash at a quick glance

Porch lights and flashlight are the only beacons

For the crowds of trick or treaters.

From atop the roof the vampire sat waiting and watching

Waiting for the straying child or parent

The one he could make his meal for tonight

For it was Halloween and he wanted a treat too!

The moonlight filled the streets with its luminescence

The sidewalks were filled with children in costumes

The houses were decorated for Halloween

The city became a mystic, magical place to be.

"Yours"

Impale me upon your fangs

Tear into me ravenously

Drink my blood not spilling a drop

Allow me your precious blood as well

Take me as your child, your pupil and your lover

Make me yours for all eternity.

"Sweet Awakening"

He watches her as she sleeps

The slow rise and fall of her chest

As she takes long, deep breaths

The hot and humid air temperature

Creates a steam that rises off her body

Pieces of her hair are matted to her forehead from her sweat

Yet she is still beautiful to him.

The pinkpricks on her neck heal instantly

Yet he knows where they are

And goes the same place every night

When she turns violently ill and the doctors can't figure it out

He knows what it is and he's waiting for her

Not soon enough for him, she is pronounced dead.

She rises to see him sitting in a chair with his fingers steepled and pressed to his grinning lips

They both rise together but tentatively move towards each other

They embrace each other and then go off to embrace eternity together.

"My Lover"

He moves through the shadows but you'll never see him

My Lover, my fiend

Always looking for his next victim

My lifemate, my beast

Carefully picking his prey and feeding

My kindred spirit, my vampire

Feeling the blood pump through his veins once again!

"No Longer"

Your heart no longer beats for your love or out of necessity

Your insides no longer get that butterfly feeling or any feeling at all

You can empathasize but your feelings are long gone

You no longer have the human sentiments you once had

You cannot image one loving you to the point of no return

To the point of becoming like you, the monster you believe you are

Giving themselves freely to you in every manner

You no longer wish that on anybody even if it would mean you wouldn't be alone forever.

Trinity: A Halloween Short Story by The Vampire Queen

2010-10-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

As she stood in the store comparing costumes and prices a thin, cold male hand reached forward and grabbed her by the shoulder. His face was next to hers and the coldness from his skin radiated off him and onto her. She suddenly had the chills.

“The Victorian dress would look the best on you with your bone structure and posture” he whispered into her ear almost sensually. She took a step forward and turned around to face this man who thinks he knows what’s best for her without knowing her. She came face to face with a gorgeously thin, tall but pale man with medium length black hair and ice blue eyes. He was dressed in all black except for his name tag. ‘He was very sexy’ she thought to herself however she was steaming mad.

“Just who do you think you are?” Trinity asked as the blood started to rise from her neck to her face.

“Oh. Let me introduce myself. I’m Jason and I work here in the Costume/Holiday Department” he said smiling to himself, his hands clasped behind his back. She took a deep breath and started to calm down. “I just saw you debating over the two costumes so I thought I’d give you my expert opinion” he smiled again.

“Expert?!” she hissed. “Expert, in this rinky dink little store of yours? Do you like to scare all of your customers like that?” she demanded.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to…” he said but she cut him off with a wave of her hand. She threw down both costumes and stormed out of the store to her car and drove off in a huff. He was left standing there dumbfounded. He took off his name tag, stuck it in his pocket and snuck out the back like he’d come in. She’d be back. He was sure of it.

******

All day at work she had been reminded that they were having a Halloween Party in just over two weeks. They basically told everybody that they are expected to have a costume and participate. This depressed Trinity. This time of year really got to her with all her Halloween superstitions and it being her birthday. No one at work knew it was her birthday and that’s just the way she wanted it. It was going to be her thirtieth birthday and all she wanted was a quiet dinner at her parents’ house that were still together after fifty years and she was very close to. Then the next day she was usually paranoid so much she just went home, lit her candles, did her rituals and then went to bed. She had no reason to believe this Halloween was going to be any different but he had different plans for her.

It was Friday and she got paid that day so she decided to attempt to go costume shopping again, nothing had gone right all day for her but she’d try. She went to Halloween USA this time which is a store all about Halloween and only opens around Halloween. She looked for the costume Jason had suggested for in truth, that was the one she preferred but she couldn’t tell him that. She looked but they didn’t have it in her size which was a very common size for adults. She found two other options but she couldn’t find her size in those as well. She began to get frustrated and decided to go back to the original store but just hope he’s not there to see her swallow her pride.

As soon as she walked back to the costume section, there he stood, holding her costume in the size she needed. She snatched it from him:

“Ok, so you were right” she said trying not to sound too hateful.

“Well thank you Miss. I love a gal who can admit her mistake” he said smiling and his pearly whites shone through, dazzling her and holding her in a moment of amazement.

“Yeah, well, I have to go. Thank you for your help” Trinity said, scooping up all her stuff.

“You’re welcome” said Jason as he watched her look and feel ruffled around him. It was exactly what he was going for. As she got up to the counter, she mistakenly dropped everything, including her purse and it was strewn out all across the floor. He flew up from the back to help her pick it up and put it back together.

“Thank you. It’s just my dumb luck” she insisted.

“Well, it is Friday the 13^th so I’m not surprised. We’ve had all kinds of things happen to customers today” he consoled her. Jason put the last item back into her purse and she grabbed him hand as he went to pull it out of the purse. He stopped and looked at it as her touch was so warm to him. She looked at it as well as it was cold to her.

“Will you let me thank you and come to dinner with me tomorrow?” she asked and released his hand. He was taken aback for this was not how he had planned it. He thought it was going to be much harder to get into her house. “Please? I insist. I’ll cook which I do very well” she said and started writing her address and phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to him. “7pm sharp!” she said and turned around and walked out, forgetting her costume.

******

The following evening, with costume in hand and at 7pm sharp he was standing outside and ringing her doorbell. She had dressed up for the occasion in a pretty long black figure hugging dress with slits up both side from just above the knees down to the bottoms. She was in her bare feet but her hair and makeup had looked like a professional had done it, ‘nothing like what she usually wears for work’ he thought to himself. She was so stunning to him that he felt a little coal of warmth burning within his belly, something he’d never experienced before.

When she opened the door, he was standing there, looking very sexy with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and her costume in another. She checked out his black tailored pants with a purple dress shirt and a black and grey pin-striped suit vest. He looked amazing as his curls bounces around his face with his every movement. He took off his black leather trench coat and handed it to her and she hung it up for him though it was almost too heavy for her to lift.

“Can I just say ‘I’m a bozo’?” Trinity asked. “I can’t believe after all that I ended up leaving the costume there. Please let me pay you for it” she insisted.

“Nope. It was left for me to buy it for you and it was fate for me to come over here today” he responded. They smiled at each other until she stuck her nose in the air, excused herself and returned to the kitchen.

“Make yourself at home” she yelled from the other room.

“I’m a bit nosey so I’ll stay on the couch” he said laughing.

“That’s fine. I have nothing to hide” she yelled back. ‘Oh really’ he said to himself and got up and went over to her DVD collection. Interview with the Vampire, Queen of the Damned, John Carpenters Vampires, From Dusk Till Dawn, Daybreakers, Lost Boys and then TV box sets, Moonlight, Kindred: The Masquerade, The Vampire Diaries, Dark Shadows-the complete series, True Blood and many more. “Looks like our little angel has a fascination with vampires” he mumbled just as she was coming out of the kitchen with the roast she had prepared and set it on the table.

“What did you say?” she asked, smiling innocently.

“Oh, it just looks like you like vampire stuff is all” Jason said a little embarrassed.

“Yes. It’s my guilty pleasure when it comes to TV or movies” it was her turn for embarrassment. He helped her into her chair before he took his. Just as she took the salt shaker she dropped it on the floor and it broke. She immediately jumped up, turned around three times in a circle and then threw a pinch of salt over her right shoulder. When she was done, she stopped to look at Jason who was looking on with her almost horrified.

“What was all that about?” he asked, the surprise still in his voice.

“It’s a superstition and since superstitions are doubly trouble during Halloween, you have to be careful and take care of them. I could have died if I hadn’t done the circle and thrown it over my shoulder” she said solemnly. Jason was amazed at her belief in these things. It had been so long since he’d met anyone this serious about the superstitions. “I even carry a handkerchief tied in a knot in my purse to ward off evil spirits” she said.

“I saw that when I was helping you pick up your things at the store” he said beginning to see how his plan has just been made easier.

“I’m sorry. I just get weirded out by Halloween, that’s all. Most people like it but I just detest it and my birthdays near it so it makes it worse…” she trailed off.

“Whoa!” he said. “Your birthday is on Halloween?” he asked. “Then you are supposed to be able to see and talk to spirits according to superstition” he said trying to pull her in by seemingly understanding the superstitions.

“Well, I was born on October 30 which isn’t close enough because I’ve never seen or heard from any spirits and it’d probably freak me out if I did” she said nearly in a panic attack. He reached his arms out for her to come curl up in his lap. She hesitated at first but something drew her to him. She slowly moved towards him and sat down on his leg. She pulled herself up into a ball and leaned herself against his chest. He rested his head on top of hers and they sat there calmly for awhile. He had a soothing affect on her and though she denied it at first, the longer they sat there, the better she realized she felt. Finally, he cleared his throat and she knew what was coming.

“Well, I better get going. It’s getting late” he said fighting every primal urge in this body and pit of his stomach to ravage her body, open her up and drink her blood right then and there. However, he had a plan for her so he’d wait, ‘reluctantly’ he thought as she kissed him on his way out the door. As he walked down the street, his desire for her grew and grew and he didn’t know if he’d be able to control the beast within the next time he had her alone.

******

Over the next two week, Trinity and Jason spoke on the phone and made plans to go out together to celebrate her birthday. It was difficult to convince her to go out since he detested celebrating her birthday but he convinced her since it was such an important one. He had decided that he birthday was the perfect time to put his plan in motion since she’d be emotional and susceptible to his charms. She had actually started looking forward to it for she had never had anyone special to celebrate it with.

The day finally arrived. Jason picked up Trinity from her house and on their way back to his car a black cat ran across their paths. Trinity jumped into Jason’s’ arms in a hysterical fit.

“Someone’s going to die now. I saw the black cat!” she pointed to where the cat had been.

“It’s ok Trinity. You are with me and I won’t let anything happen to you” he said consoling. After much comforting, he got her into the car and they went to a nice restaurant for dinner. Trinity noticed again that he didn’t eat, he kinda pushed food around on his plate and when he’d been at her house he never ate the roast. ‘What’s wrong with him?’ she wondered to herself. ‘He was a picky eater’ she told herself in the back of her mind. On the way home, Jason purposely drove past the town cemetery and Trinity started to freak out.

“Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh” she said before sucking in a deep breath and holding it until they completely passed the entire cemetery.

“What’s wrong my dear?” Jason asked innocently enough to her but deep down his plan was working.

“It was a cemetery. You have to hold your breath while passing one or the evil spirits can enter your body with your air” she explained.

“Interesting” he said, already knowing the answer to the question before he’d asked it. He’d gone online and looked up “Halloween superstitions” and was given a whole list of them so he was making sure many of them were coming true for Trinity so she would be upset and frail so what he had to do and tell her would be much easier in her condition.

When they got home he purposely parked further away on the street from her house so they had to walk. While walking they were the only ones around but heard footsteps behind them. Jason started to turn around and in a panic Trinity grabbed him and made him keep walking forward.

“If you hear footsteps behind you, don’t look because it could be death coming for you” she explained solemnly. Jason was amused at all her silly superstitions but they endeared her to him. He had started all this as her being his next victim but it turned out to be so much more. He had actually fallen in love with her so the plan had to change. He just hoped it didn’t backfire.

As soon as they got in the house, Trinity lit the Halloween candles and walked through each room in the house ringing a small bell. ‘The bell scares the evil spirits’ she told Jason. Jason eventually got her to sit down on the couch next to him, facing him with her hands in his and looking into his eyes with those big brown chocolate eyes of hers.

“I wanted to talk to you” he said.

“Oh no. Are you breaking up with me?” she asked sadly.

“No no. It’s nothing like that” he reassured her.

“Good ‘cause that’s the last thing I wanted” she said leaning up kissing him on the lips. He leaned into her to kiss her again, deeper this time and he found his arms embracing her tiny body.

“I have to...” he tried to get out between kisses.

“Yes baby?” she teased him.

“I don’t want to lose control…but” he trailed off.

“But what? Lose control Jason. Ravage my body. Hold me tightly and kiss me all over” she encouraged him. That was all he needed to hear and he started to do exactly as she requested. He kissed her lushes lips, ran his tongue along the tip of her ear from top to bottom and gently wiggled it into the opening while breathing his hot breath on it. He turned her to the side, pulled up the back of her hair and started kissing the back of her neck and playing with the little hairs there which sent shivers down her back. He moved back down to the side of her neck and she took a deep breath in and that was his cue. He couldn’t resist any longer. The beast inside him was ready to come out. Just as he bit down into her neck a small squeal of delight came out of Trinity.

“OOOOOOOOOO! Baby! That is so awesome!” she cooed as he drained her blood. When he stopped, he came up to look at her and still had a trickle of blood running down the side of his mouth. When she saw it she jumped up off the couch and away from him.

“Is that blood?” she asked though she knew the answer.

“Yes my love” he said standing up and moving towards her with his arms outstretched for an embrace. “You have literally two minutes to decide if you want to join me or if all your silly superstitutions are going to come true and you die” he said very calmly, still moving towards her.

“How could you not tell me you’re a vampire?” she demanded.

“You never asked” he joked.

“This is not a joking matter. This is life and death” Trinity huffed becoming more and more angry.

“I know. You are so worried about your little superstitutions that you haven’t learned to live. It’s after midnight so you could be born a vampire on Halloween and put all those silly things to rest since as a vampire you are immortal and will never die. This is a gift I am offering you…immortality and to be with me” he explained.

“I have always had a fascination with vampires” she said.

“I know. I saw your DVD collection and figured as much” he said. He looked to her with loving eyes and held out his hand invitingly, waiting for her to come to him. After a brief second, she flew to him and put her head on his chest and he enveloped his arms around her. He bit again back into her neck, giving her that instant feeling of release and pleasure as he drank from her. He then laid her on her back.

“This won’t hurt a bit. Just keep drinking until I tell you to stop and keep your eyes closed” he said, slit his wrist and put it to her mouth. The blood danced a high paced samba on her tongue and it put her in an euphoric state of mind where everything was peaceful, calm and beautiful.

“Ok, you may now open your eyes and see as a new vampire would” he said encouragingly. Trinity delicately opened her eyes and everything around her was more vibrant and in greater detail. Her eyes made all things beautiful, especially her new companion.

“I’m glad you’re here with me” she said reaching for his hand and holding it inside hers and up to her lips for a gentle kiss.

“I’m just glad I didn’t make you my meal!” he said and she gently punched him in the stomach with a smile.

The End!

Halloween Around the World

2010-10-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

Halloween is a fun day of parties, costumes, pranks, candy and lots of fun. However, Halloween is not just a United States holiday, many countries have deep seeded cultural/spiritual beliefs regarding this fun yet ominous day. We are going to cover some of the history and cultural beliefs surrounding Halloween around the world. Ireland is where it is said that Halloween has evolved from. In the 16^th Century, it was shortened from All-Hallows-Even to All-Hallows-Day or Halloween. You will see how many countries celebrate it very similarly to the way we do and many others are similar to each other in celebrating it as a day relating to the dead and/or spirits of their ancestors.

Arab Christians-Labanon, Syria and the West Bank/Gaza

Many of the people celebrate Saint Barbara’s Day or Eid Il-Burbara on December 4 which is similar or Halloween where children dress up in costumes and go trick or treating while singing a song. There is also traditional food for the occasion which is a bowl of boiled barley, pomegranate seed, raisins, anise and sugar which is offered to the children. The children believe that Saint Barbara disguised herself as many character to avoid persecution by the Romans.

Australia

Halloween in Australia is frowned upon by many because it has little to do with Australian culture. Though the US has bombarded Australia with horror movies and sit-coms it seems to be an unwelcomed holiday.

Brazil

Brazilians never celebrated anything on October 31, but little by little, they are jumping on the bandwagon. The Portugese name is Dia das Bruxas (Day of the Witches). In Brazil kids yell "Doce ou Travessura!"while trick or treating.

Canada

Celebrating Halloween in Canada is very similar to celebrating it in the US. They happily decorate everything they can, stores, houses, yards, garages, etc. They dress up, adults and children and the children trick or treat. There is also a good amount of baking done for this day along with a special Halloween Beer that is created just for this holiday. Canada is a huge sponsor for UNICEF at Halloween, collecting money for them instead of candy for the children.

Central and South America

In most parts of Central and South America, kids will pay a visit to their neighbors and yell "¡Dulce o Truco!" ('Sweet or Trick!') in order to get candy. In Chile, Halloween has become more and popular over the last 20 years, imitating North American customs such as children dressing up, going house to house asking for candy, yelling "¡Dulce o travesura!", whereas teenagers and adults go to costume parties at discotheques. The Spanish name for Halloween is Noche de Brujas

(Night of the Witches).

China

In China, Halloween is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of pictures of family members who have departed. Lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on this day.

Columbia

Many of the customs in Columbia mask those of the US. Children dress up and visit their neighbors chanting, "¡Triqui triqui halloween, Quiero dulces para mi, Si no hay dulces para mi, Se le crece la nariz!" (Tricky tricky halloween, I want candy for me, If there is no candy for me, Your nose will grow!). There is no cultural precedent for the celebration of Halloween so they follow the US along with the US symbols associated with Halloween, witches, skeletons, spider webs, pumpkins, etc.

England

They celebrate the day before Halloween, October 30^th on a night they call Mischief Night where the children play tricks on the adults. Over the years, this has gotten out of control and criminal actions have been a part of the celebrations. The children made “punkies” out of beetroots which were carvings of faces of their choosing on the root. They carried these along with them through the streets while trick or treating. In rural areas, turnip lanterns were carved and set on gateposts to ward off the evil spirits. Bobbing for apples is a fun activity they enjoy at parties along with making toffee apples and apple tarts. A custom was to throw a pebble into a bonfire at night. If it wasn’t visible in the morning it was then believed that the person who tossed the pebble would not survive another year. If nuts tossed into the blaze by young lovers then exploded, it signified a quarrelsome marriage.

France

In France, Halloween is known as La fete d' Halloween. They do not celebrate the holiday to honor the departed. Halloween was virtually unknown in this country until 1996, due to it being an American holiday, and some French natives refuse to celebrate it. It is not known if they are going to consider keeping the holiday long-term, but for now they wear costumes and attend parties. The local bakeries and candy shops make special desserts for the holiday and supermarkets sell pumpkins. Since pumpkins are not commonly sold in France, they are in high demand around the holiday for jack o' lanterns. Trick-or-treating is very rare in this country, but when they do it is from store to store, not house to house.

Germany

Many people also regard Halloween as an American custom imported to Germany. In present times, Halloween has become a ‘cool’ party theme for children and teenagers, who organize costume parties on that day, having a lot of fun. In certain regions, children even take part in trick or treating, where they wander from house to house seeking goodies and giving an idle threat of mischief, if the treat is not given. Another popular custom associated with Halloween in Germany involves the ‘Jack-o-Lantern’. In a small town in Austria, known as Retz, not very far from the city of Vienna, an annual pumpkin fest called Kurbisfest is also held, complete with parties and parades (Halloween Umzug). A major aspect of Germans’ spiritual pagan past is the famous spot for witches in the Harz Mountain in Germany. In the 18th century, natives believed that the region was the hovering spot for witches who were initially worshipped as forest goddesses and priestesses and later were damned as evil creatures. For the local people of Germany, the festival of Halloween is blended with Walpurgisnacht (night of the witches), which took place in the Harz Mountains. Today, the current Halloween traditions in the country includes parties and themed decorations, costume parades, watching horror movies, visiting the graveyards of near and dear ones and so on. In certain big cities like Berlin, school children even get ‘fall vacations’. Parties and excursions are organized and people spend the entire occasion in merry making and having a gala time.

Hong Kong

“Yue Lan” or Festival of the Hungry Ghost where the people of Hong Kong give gifts to the spirits of the dead to provide comfort and ward them off. They would burn pictures of fruit and money hoping the images would reach the spirit world and comfort the ghosts. Secondly, the Americans and Canadians have brought Halloween to the city so locals decorate and dress up but trick or treating is not observed.

India

Again, American pop culture has brought Halloween into the mainstream for the new generation in India. It is considered a social event and mostly observed in major cities. They do decorate, dress up and collect candy which they then donate to the poor of the community.

Ireland

Halloween is a widely celebrated cultural event known as Oiche Shamhna, literally “Samhain Night” which signified the end of the summer harvest. There would be a fire festival and feast where bonfires were lit to ward off evil and dead spirits who were trying to revisit the mortal world. Costumes and masks were worn to placate the spirits. Candle lanterns were carved from turnips (as pumpkins weren’t popular in Europe) and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. Apples would be tied to a tree and hung from a string and the person would have to try to catch the apple in their mouth with no hands. A traditional food is eaten on Halloween called "barnbrack." This is a type of fruitcake which can be baked at home or store-bought. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake which, so it is said, can foretell the future of the one who finds it. If the prize is a ring, then that person will soon be wed and a piece of straw means a prosperous year is forthcoming.

Italy

Between 1630 and 1640 the Catholic Church launched a campaign to get rid of surviving pagan traditions connected to All Saints’ Day and its eve. These feasts vanished completely until the mid-1970’s where just 1 million people out of 57 million admitted to celebrating Halloween. Their new traditions are based mostly on US traditions but not everything. They don’t know the history of the pumpkin or “zucca di Halloween” but they still carve it. Children trick or treat and get fruit or candy. The teens mostly enjoy just dressing up and playing tricks on each other. The elderly, obviously weren’t a part of this generation so they haven’t really accepted it and don’t really understand it as well.

Japan

"Obon Festival" (also known as "Matsuri" or "Urabon") is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors and their version of Halloween. Special foods are prepared and bright red lanterns are hung everywhere. Candles are lit and placed into lanterns which are then set to float on rivers and seas. During the "Obon Festival," a fire is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found. "Obon" is one of the main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces. Memorial stones are cleaned and community dances performed. The "Obon Festival" takes place during July or August. Tradition Halloween has only recently become popular in Japan due to American pop culture at such places as Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan which put on many Halloween events. Trick or treat is not practiced and costumes are mostly limited to the small children and bars that are owned/run by foreigners.

Mexico

Mexico has celebrated Halloween since the Aztecs where it is a three day celebration. First is Halloween where the death of the deceased person is celebrated, then All Saints’ Day and then Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead is usually celebrated at the gravesite with flowers, candles, a small shrine, sometimes a mariachi band and a parade through the city. Also the return of the Monarch Butterflies to this area since in the time of the Aztecs it was believed to bring the spirits of the ancestors with them.

Philippines

They celebrate a holiday called Undas or Araw ng mga Patay (Day of the Dead) on November 1^st or November 2^nd. Recently trick or treating has become popular in major cities.

Romania

Halloween is celebrated around the myth and their claim to fame, Dracula. Transylvania and Sighisoara are the biggest cities that hold costume parties for teens and adults and are modeled after US Halloween parties. The spirit of Dracula is believed to be there because the town was the site of many witch trials and due to many movies about Dracula.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, Halloween is seen as a Pagan Festival. It first became popular in 1999 but it is starting to decrease in popularity. People see it as a product imported from the United States and they’re not willing to buy into it. They already have a festival overload that is wrought with tradition.

Wales

Halloween is known as Nos Calan Gaeaf, the beginning of the new winter. Spirits are said to walk around and a ‘white lady’ ghost sometimes shows up. Bonfires are lit on the hillsides to mark the night.

***Recently the Catholic Church and some parents have expressed their concerns over the celebration of a day in which ghosts, goblins, witches and other expressions of evil are linked to the happiness of children. In recent years there has been a push to change the celebration of Halloween to the celebration of Children's Day, in which costumes and sweets would still be present, but the “sinister side” of the event would be suppressed. ***

Childhood Halloween by Jodie Pierce

2010-10-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, even as a child and even over Christmas. There has just been something special about being able to dress up and take on someone or something else’ persona for a night. It’s mystical, magical and shrouded in a cloud of intrigue. Also, for the children, it’s a blast if done right and they’re not badly scared at an early age. The idea of getting to put on a fun costume or dress up like their favorite cartoon and get free candy is more exciting than their little hearts could wish for in one evening.

I have always been a Daddy’s girl and this was holiday we almost exclusively shared. Mom was content to sit at home and pass out the candy for she didn’t like the walking. Dad was more of the walker with me and we did a lot of it from the time I was little all the way up into my adulthood would we go on short walks. Mom was more the crafty, creative person where dad sometimes lacked in that department so the two of them together usually rocked out my Halloweens. I never, in my life, had a store bought costume which had its good points and bad points. At least no one had the same costume that I did however, I never got to be the girls with fancy dresses or cartoon characters. However, I was unusual things. I was a bag of jelly beans with colored balloons inside a clear garbage bag. I was a domino from an old washer box we taped together and we cut it too long so I could barely get up the steps to the houses. I was a bum and used the old burning a wine bottle cork to get the blackened “dirty” look. My mom had made me a costume earlier that year for my school’s Wizard of Oz Parade for the Fourth of July and I was the Lion so I just recycled that costume for Halloween that year.

My favorite however, and the one that sticks out in my mind the most was one that Dad and I did all the work on it together. Dad worked with leather and sold it on the side of his everyday job to supplement their income, (mom was a stay-at-home-mom) so they needed the help. He and I made our costumes out of leather and suede, we hammered designs into it and painted it, we

All Day with The Vampire Queen Jodie Pierce

2010-10-26T21:00:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow Jodie will not only be stopping by once but 5 times with 5 great blog posts.

8AM: Childhood Halloween

11AM: Halloween Around the World

2PM: Trinity

5PM: Halloween Poetry

8PM: Q & A with Jodie

Please note that all times are Eastern Standard time.

Be sure to leave comments on all posts:)

Tonya

Evie Balos Interviews Hero Jovan Markovic

2010-10-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

Hero Interview: Jovan Markovic, The Unnecessary Bodyguard

Publisher: Cobblestone Press

I finally got Jovan Markovic, the hero in my latest book, to sit down for a chat.

EB: Jovan, I’m glad you took the time out of your busy schedule to come by.

JM: It’s a pleasure, although I think this is somewhat obligatory, right?

EB: (Lol) Maybe just a bit. Okay, let’s start. What do you do for a living?

JM: I’ve got two jobs. I own a security company in Chicago and work for an organization that keeps tabs on hostile vampire activity. My mission is to find non-conformed vampires and eliminate them if necessary.

EB: What is a non-conformed vampire?<p>JM: It’s a vampire that hasn’t undergone genetic alteration through our rehab program. This kind of vampire is considered hostile because he or she feeds on human blood, which sometimes results in the victim’s death.

EB: It’s interesting because you are half-vampire yourself—a dhampir.

JM: True, but I’m the good guy. I just like blood in my steak.

EB: Do you have any conformed vampire friends?

JM: A few. In fact, a buddy of mine works for the organization.

EB: What do you like most about your work?

JM: Making our city a safer place for everyone.

EB: Do you interact with humans much?

JM: Only briefly and mostly through the security company. You see, there’s a dark side to my life that the average human can’t grasp or finds unpleasant.

EB: When was your last vacation?

JM: Don’t remember.

EB: Ah, all work and no play make someone—

JM: Yeah, yeah. I’ve had that lecture before, especially from my brother Milan. I play—it’s just limited to a good team game, a fine glass of wine, and the bedroom.

EB: Mmm, that last one opens an interesting door…but I won’t go there.

JM: I appreciate that.

EB: Tell me about your first encounter with Nina Bradley.

JM: I was shadowing her for her own protection because her friend had a premonition that Nina would be attacked by a vampire. Nina wasn’t supposed to know about me, but I had to blow my cover. When she realized I was following her, she spun around clutching some keys, and threatened to scratch my eyes out. Here’s this petite woman standing up to me like a hissing cat. I was impressed.

EB: Is that all?

JM: Like I didn’t see this coming. Okay. I was gut-punched. There was an incredible connection between us, unlike anything I’d ever felt. Then I thought: there’s not an inch on this woman I wouldn’t want to explore.

EB: And what was Nina’s reaction to you?

JM: I’m almost positive she felt that connection. But she clearly didn’t want a bodyguard—was even peeved her friend had requested my services behind her back. The fact is, Nina doesn’t believe she’s in any danger of being attacked by a vampire.

EB: So where does that leave you?

JM: In a place I’d rather not be. I’m going to follow through with my assignment because I can’t risk leaving her exposed to a possible attack, so she’s not going to take it well. On top of it, I don’t like the effect she has on me. I mean, I’ve met beautiful women before, but I didn’t lose sleep thinking about them. It’s going to be damn hard to keep things professional with Nina. And, you know, someone like me would only complicate her life.

EB: Or make it more interesting? Actually, don’t answer that. Here’s an easy one: What little delight are you saving for a special occasion?

JM: I’ve got a bottle of 2005 Shiraz, Cape Mentelle, waiting to be uncorked.

EB: I hope you get to enjoy it soon, Jovan. It was great talking with you.

JM: Take care, Evie and go easy on the men in your stories...eh, unless it’s Milan. (deep chuckle)

You can find The Unnecessary Bodyguard here

Thanks so much Evie and Jovan for stopping by for this great interview. And readers be sure to check back later today for my review of The Unnecessary Bodyguard

Stronger than Sin by Caridad Pineiro

2010-10-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

Blurb:

Dr. Liliana Carrera nearly lost her life to Wardwell scientists. She won't let them harm other innocent victims, like her new patient, Jesse Bradford. The former pro athlete had the best hands in the NFL . . . until an injury forced him to undergo Wardwell's experimental gene therapy. Now Jesse's gorgeous body is superhuman-but his strength comes at a price. With Wardwell threatening his family, Jesse can't tell Liliana all he knows. Yet he can't resist her compassion . . . or her healing, erotic touch. As their passion flares, Jesse's body becomes dangerous and volatile. For evil men are plotting to change the face of humanity-and will destroy whoever stands in their way.

Excerpt:

He wasn’t in his bed when she walked into the room.

Closing the door and locking it behind her, she glanced around the large suite and noticed that he was out on the balcony that faced the beachfront.

Striding toward him, she stopped to put down the bag of take-out she had brought on a low coffee table in a sitting area near the windows and French doors leading to the balcony. She had dropped by her parents’ place again, received another helping of her mother’s soup and other goodies intended to help Jesse feel better.

While she wasn’t sure that there was any medical basis for thinking the food might assist, she knew that mentally it did her a world of good. It reminded her of her roots and the love her family had for her. Something Jesse seemed to have lacked, which saddened her.

Jesse, she thought, staring at his back as he stood facing the ocean. A strong wind was blowing westward, ruffling the shorter strands of his hair.

She hadn’t had a chance to tell him that she liked the change – the shorter hair and clean shaven face.

She wondered if had done it for her which caused a skitter in her midsection along with warmth farther below that he had cared enough to do it.

She had come to discover that about him. Despite all the tabloid gossip and bad boy antics, he cared about others. His sister.Mother. Possibly even the father that denied his existence.

Maybe even her.

She laid her hand over her fluttering midsection and walked to the French door. He seemed distant, a solitary figure looking almost lost against the vastness of the ocean before him.

Not wanting to intrude without welcome, she rapped on the glass door and waited for his reception.

He turned, his face grim and set in sharply chiseled lines. They relaxed somewhat as he saw her, grabbed the handle of the door and slid it open.

She stepped out onto the balcony and he closed the door behind them.

The wind increased the chill of a day that was quickly fading to night. Intense reds and purples painted the sky and the ocean had darkened to slate grey with the arrival of night.

“Cold,” she said and wrapped her arms around herself. Even though she still had on her winter jacket, the wind seeped beneath the wool, which made her wonder how he stood there in nothing but fleece sweats braving the wind. Once again staring out at the ocean.The white of the bandage at his temple a glaring contrast to his skin in the dim dusk.

“Aren’t you cold?” she asked and patted her arms to try and generate some heat.

He hunched his shoulders, shot her a half glance. “I wasn’t sure you’d come back.”

“I said I would. I needed to see how you’re doing.”

He gave another shrug, seemingly indifferent except she sensed undercurrents beneath. Dangerous ones.

“I’m here. I’m alive. Consider your obligation fulfilled.”

A self-defense mechanism?she wondered. Push her away --push what he was feeling away – in order to keep from being hurt?

Only as she had discovered after pouring her heart out to Carmen, it was no easy thing to keep him at bay. Somehow he had touched her. Infiltrated those areas she had thought safe.

Trying to shore up her defenses, she beckoned toward the bag of food on the table within. “I brought food. I thought you might be hungry.”

Some emotion finally cracked the stern lines of his face. A hint of a smile and glitter in eyes that had gone to slate grey. He took a long stride toward her, until barely inches separated them. Laying a hand at her waist, he bracketed her side with it, sending her insides quivering.

Jesse glanced down at her, sensing the tremor in her body.

She was as aware of him as he was of her. At his touch, her gaze had gone wide, revealing eyes that were nearly black with desire. When she moistened her lips, the last of his restraint disappeared.

He bent his head, whispered against her lips. “I’m hungry, but not for food.”

Then he closed the distance and kissed her. Dug his hand into her hair while he kept her from running with his other hand on her waist. There was a stutter, maybe a half-hearted protest against his mouth before she was answering his kiss, moving her lips against his. Slipping her arms around his back to press him tight.

Over and over their lips met until Liliana opened her mouth and invited him in.

He went willingly, lost in his emotions, needing so much more.

Elaine Cantrell

2010-10-24T19:27:00.002-04:00

Tonya: Please introduce yourself to readers who may not be familiar with who Elaine Cantrell is.

Elaine: I’m a Southern girl born and bred! Except for a few years during my married life I’ve always lived in upstate South Carolina. I attended Clemson University as an undergraduate and later received a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services. I married my college sweetheart, and we had two fine sons; one looks like him, and one looks like me. I now have three grandchildren whom I love dearly. I’m a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary sorority for women educators, RWA, and EPIC Authors. At present I teach high school social studies. I started writing about ten years ago, and since then I’ve had six books published. My work can be classified in the sweet to sensual range. When readers finish my book, I’d like for them to sigh because it’s over and rush out to buy another one because it made them feel good to read an Elaine Cantrell story. I want my readers to feel that a wonderful romance really could happen to them which is the sentiment that I try to portray in my tag line-Hope. Dreams. Life… Love.

2). Can you tell us about your latest release?

I’d love to. The name of the book is Return Engagement, and it’s published by Whiskey Creek Press. The book is available at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=819 Here’s a blurb to tell you a little bit about it.

Elizabeth Lane has heard the call of the four most seductive words in the entire English language: what might have been. Would you risk everything you hold dear to find out what might have been? That’s the choice which Elizabeth has to make.

Elizabeth is lucky, for she has it all, money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn’t the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he’ll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago he broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won’t be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she’ll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

3). How did you come up with your idea?

I tossed the idea around for a long time before I tried to put it on paper. I wanted a story with some major obstacles for my characters to overcome, and I also wanted to create my ideal hero. I figured age, social class, interfering parents, and bad guys bent on revenge should be enough to keep any two people apart.

4). How did your characters come to life?

This questions really goes along with number 3. From my point of view, Richard Lovinggood really is an ideal hero. He’s handsome with beautiful shoulders (I never could resist a nice pair of shoulders.) He’s a one woman man, passionate, sensual, and romantic. He doesn’t mind taking on the world for the woman of his dreams. He’s impulsive and tends to be reckless, and he does have a bit of a temper, but everything he does is for the sake of his Elizabeth, the love of his life.

Elizabeth is my heroine. She has to be incredibly brave because Richard pushes her to commit her life to him, and if the truth be told, she likes her life pretty well just as it is. She’ll also have to cope with Richard’s family which includes a powerful, ruthless senator who doesn’t like her very much. Besides that, she isn’t sure she can handle Richard whose impetuousness shocks her.

5). Out of all of your published books which was your favorite to write? Which was your hardest to write?

Return Engagement without a doubt was my favorite to write. I fell in love with my characters and felt so bad when I finished the book that I wrote a sequel and plan a third book about the family. Return Engagement was also the hardest to write. I finished it years ago, but I was never satisfied with it. I’d read a sentence and agonize over whether one word needed to be deleted or added. Even at the last minute I was still changing it, trying to make it as perfect as possible.

6). Is there any story, character, scene, etc from your back list you would like to change?

No, not really. I’m satisfied with all of them. I’ve always gotten good reviews and reader compliments, and that’s good enough for me.

7). What's ahead in 2011 for you?

I have a new book coming out. It’s called Kara’s Change of Heart, and it will be published by Lachesis Publishing. Other than that, I plan to continue the Lovinggood series and start a fantasy novel.

8). What's your writing schedule like?

During the summer when I’m not working I can spend lots more time at the computer, but during the school year, I usually write during my lunch time, and then when I get home I put in another couple of hours.

9). Do you usually write by the seat of your pants or do you plan a novel from beginning to end?

I know where I want to start, and I know where I want to end up, but everything in between reveals itself as I go along.

10). How can readers contact you?

Email Readers, I’d seriously like to hear from you. Take a minute to say hello.

Thanks so much for this great interview. Thanks for being apart of Author Octoberfest! I look forward to seeing more from you.

Thanks for letting me come, Tonya. Your Octoberfest is great fun.

Wet by Margie Church

2010-10-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Excerpt:

Straddling her on the chair, with his glorious erection dancing just out of reach of her lips, he asked, "Is this what you really want?"

Her eyes remained fastened on the prize a few inches from her face. "Yes, it's been so long since—"

Noah stroked his shaft until a generous drop of pre-cum seeped out of the head. Then he dipped his fingers in the pool between her thighs and thoroughly lubricated his cock with her juices. His smooth flesh glistened as he pressed his shaft between her breasts. "Watch me," he said, motioning toward the mirror.

His corded thighs and ass mesmerized her. One muscle after another rippled while he controlled her pleasure. Her gaze locked with Noah's in the mirror.

"Keep looking," he said.

Reagan whimpered when he knelt between her knees. Straining against her silk bonds, she raised herself up, needing Noah to quench the inferno billowing inside her. "Make me come or I'm gonna scream."

"We can't have you waking the children and ruining your—"

Reagan gasped when his mouth finished the sentence in a different way. Gripping her ass, Noah raised her off the chair and buried his face in her pussy. His tongue probed and glanced off her clit with firm, stabbing motions. Her orgasm built to an explosive level, and every muscle in Reagan's body tensed, tightened, and focused on release. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. His finger moved in rhythm to his tongue and then his digit moved lower.

"Oh god. Yeah, like that."

She held her breath as he lubed her ass and his finger pressed in.

"Now, now, now," she said. "All of it. I need it."

The friction of his finger and tongue on her hypersensitive nerve endings created sweet insanity. "Faster . . . your tongue, your finger." In the next instant, she bucked against his face and his hand, caught up in powerful waves of sexual release. Perspiration covered her and her head thrashed side to side as Noah continued stroking inside her ass and sucking her pussy. When Reagan finally caught her breath and opened her eyes, a temptress smiled back at her in the mirror.

Visit Margie's Website

Buy Wet Today

Wet was voted Book of the Week by Whipped Cream Readers

I'm Part of Paranormal Blog Hop Week

2010-10-15T16:03:00.005-04:00

Kelly O’Keefe first met a vampire when she was twelve. Now the pair are best friends and have opened Night Pleasures, an underground club that caters to vampires and their needs. Once Kelly’s sister is murdered, she finds herself working with Connor, a vampire she's been in love with for months. Unable to trust men, let alone a vampire, can she let him help her solve her sister’s murder?

Connor has been watching after Kelly for seven months with the help of his sire and best friend Micah. Connor has kept himself at a distance even though he knows they are life mates. But he's afraid of losing control and turning Kelly against her will. When he learns Kelly plans on investigating her sister’s death, he steps in and allows himself to get close to her.

But how close is too close?

Check back soon for excerpts and a contest:) This is the first book in my Night Pleasrues Series, Night Promises, comes out January 5, 2011 from Secret Cravings Publishing

Welcome Paige Tyler to my Blog Today!

2010-10-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited to announce that I have a hot new erotic romance out with Ellora's Cave just in time for Halloween called UNMASKED!

I always love writing holiday-themed romances, so when my editor at Ellora's Cave put out the word that her authors needed to get Halloween stories in by a certain date so she could get to them in time for the holiday, I immediately started throwing around ideas for a Halloween-themed erotic romance.

I came up with a few storylines, but kept coming back to one that takes place at a costume party. I think there's just something inherently sexy about them - you know, no one knows who you are underneath the mask, so you can do anything you want.

So, I ran with the idea about a girl going to a costume party and hooking up with a hot masked man. I had a pretty good storyline going if I do say so myself, but I wanted to make it even more intriguing, so I thought, what if the heroine goes to the costume party looking for this hot, hunky coworker she's been lusting after? Of course, she'd have to know what he's going to be dressed up as for it to work, so I settled on the phantom of Venice. Just sounds mysterious, doesn't it? To make it more fun, though, I decided to have more than one guy dressed up in the same costume, so the heroine would have to come up with some ingenious way to figure out which guy was the one she was looking for. Admittedly, that was a good idea. Really good. But I didn't stop there. I wanted the heroine to have even more fun, so instead of making the costume party a regular old Halloween party, I made it a spanking party! For some reason, that always seems to be a big theme in my books! LOL! So, what does the heroine do, you're wondering? Let every phantom of Venice she comes across spank her until she find the right one? I don't want to give too much of the story away, but trust me when I say that the heroine has a LOT of fun trying to figure out which guy is the one she's looking for!

To whet your appetite for more, I've included a sexy excerpt. Hope you enjoy it! And if you pick up UNMASKED, let me know how you like it!

Blurb:

When Tabitha Buckley gets a chance to go to the hottest Halloween costume party in LA, she can’t turn it down, especially since the coworker she’s been lusting after is going to be there. And since she knows he’ll be dressed as the phantom of Venice, he should be easy to find. What Tabitha doesn’t know is that this isn’t the average costume party, but a spanking party. Having gotten spanked by a few boyfriends before, that doesn’t bother her as much as the fact that there’s more than one phantom of Venice on the guest list.

Not to be deterred, she decides the best way to figure out which masked hunk is her coworker is to let each phantom spank her until she find the man she’s looking for. And when she finds him, the night is going to end exactly like she’s always fantasized - in bed having hot, sweaty sex!

Excerpt:

She turned her head to see a man standing just outside the French doors there. Although he was half hidden in the shadows, the tricorn hat and cape of his costume were unmistakable. He was one of the elusive phantoms she had been looking for.

Even though she’d decided she wasn’t going to waste another minute looking for Robert, she found herself walking toward the man as if drawn to him. He was tall with broad shoulders and dark hair, just like Robert. Though she didn’t remember her coworker being quite so tall or well built. Then again, he didn’t often wear a cape and a tricorn hat to Sultry Records, so it was hard to tell. The costume could make him look bigger than he really was.

His sensuous lips curved into a smile. “I was wondering when you’d get around to me.”

Her breath hitched. Was this Robert? More importantly, did he know who she was? She gazed into his eyes, looking for a hint of recognition, but it was impossible to see his expression with a mask on.

“Get around to you?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to have a thing for the phantom of Venice.”

Her face colored at that. Had he been watching her? “There is something rather sexy about being spanked by a tall, dark, mysterious man in a cape and mask.”

He let out a soft chuckle. The deep, husky sound felt like a caress on her skin and she shivered. Was that Robert’s voice? She wasn’t sure. It definitely sounded as sexy as she remembered from the few times they’d talked.

“So do you want me to give you a spanking?” he asked softly.

Heat pooled between her thighs at the thought of him putting her over his knee. She gave him a flirtatious smile. “That is why I’m here.”

He grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Tabitha’s pulse raced as he took her hand and led her outside to the ornate stone bench on the terrace. Even though she’d gotten two spankings already that night, the possibility that this time she was actually going to have her bottom warmed by the man she’d been dreaming of, fantasizing about and lusting after forever made her pussy tingle with anticipation. God, if she got any hotter, she was going to orgasm just from thinking about it.

Sitting down on the bench, he slowly guided her over his knee, then placed a hand on her back like the other two phantoms who had spanked her. When he lightly cupped her ass through her short dress with his other hand and gave it a squeeze, Tabitha knew this spanking wasn’t going to be like the ones the others had given her.

Watch the Trailer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lbfgXqvfY4

Buy it at Ellora's Cave!

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8827-unmasked.aspx

For more of my sexy erotic fiction and a sneak peek at my upcoming releases DEAD SEXY and PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, visit my website at http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com

*hugs*

Paige

"Stories so hot, they'll make your cheeks blush!

http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com

http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com

Blurb and Excerpt from MuseIt Up Author Roseanne Dowell

2010-10-13T09:00:00.005-04:00

Double the Trouble Two murders, two men, one with five-year old twin daughters, complicate life for Kate Wesley. When the identical twin sister of one of the murder victims arrives in town more confusion erupts. Can Kate sort through this mess that has suddenly become her life?

Excerpt: A shadow passed over the doorway, and Kate realized she wasn't alone. Shelooked up. Adam stood in the doorway, the same cocky grin on his face. "Now that, that's settled how are you, Kate?" Kate couldn't believe it. Couldn't he take a hint? "What do you want, Adam?" She didn't care that she sounded angry. He deserved angry. Adam came into the work room and stood in front of her, ignoring her anger. "You look great." Kate took a breath. So did he, but she wasn't going to tell him that. He looked too damn good, and she wasn't about to fall into that trap again. What was that saying? Fool her once, shame on him, fool her twice, shame on her. Nope, she didn't need him or anyone like him. "So what do you want? I gave you all the information on Emma. Shouldn't you be out investigating?" She refused to look at him. "Look, I know you're still upset about the wedding, but give me a chance to make it up to you. How about dinner tonight?" "I'm busy." Still upset? The man has no idea. Like we should pick up where we left off? He's got to be kidding. "Tomorrow then?" "I'm busy then too. Look, Adam, just go, okay. I don't want to have dinner with you. Not tonight, not tomorrow, not ever." "Come on, babe, don't be like that." Adam moved a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't blame you for being angry. But damn, it had been five years." He ran his finger along her cheek. "The least you could do was give me a chance to explain. Not that I'm sure I could. I'm not sure, even now, why I took off like that. Cold feet I guess." Kate trembled at his touch. A spark of something familiar tumbled in her stomach. She pushed his hand away. Try as she might, she couldn't hold her anger in any longer. "How dare you walk in here like nothing happened? Like we're going to pick up where we left off?" Kate spoke through clenched teeth. What she really wanted to do was scream at him. To lash out and hurt him the way he hurt her. But a customer might come in and screaming wasn't going to help anyway. Adam stared at her, a look of confusion in his dark eyes. He just didn't get it. He really didn't see anything wrong with what he did. Took the coward's way out and left her to deal with canceling all the wedding plans. What a jerk. "Look, just go." She turned back to her work and picked up a vase to fill her next order. Adam ran his hand through his dark, wavy hair. Hair that she used to love to run her finger through. She could almost feel the soft silkiness of it even now. "Give me a break, Kate. Let me make it up to you." Part of her wanted to give in, part of her wanted to throw something at him. Stay strong, get rid of him. No way was she picking up where they left off. The bell rang again and before she had a chance to react, Mark stormed in. Kate's stomach did a flip at the sight of him. What was wrong with her, reacting to these men this way? For five years men had no affect on her.

Double the Trouble will be released in March 2011 from MuseIt Up Publishing

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I have six other books coming out with Muse also. Stranger on the Shore May 2011 release date, A Second Chance – June 2011, May I Have this Dance – July, Connection of the Minds – September 2011, And They All Fall Down - December 2011 and Elusive Mission March 2012

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Blurb and Excerpt from MuseIt Up Author Roseanne Dowell

They celebrate a holiday called Undas or Araw ng mga Patay (Day of the Dead) on November 1^st or November 2^nd. Recently trick or treating has become popular in major cities.