Satellite of Love by Christa Maurice on Sale!

Christa Maurice's contemporary rock star romance is on sale for only 99 cents from Jan 29 thru March 5th. Check out the first book in her Drawn To the Rhythm series at this low, low price!

Blurb:
Reluctantly on her way to a blind date, second grade teacher Maureen detours into her mechanic's garage because her brakes are squeaking. Her regular mechanic isn't there but his very intriguing brother Michael is. Michael tells her that he can't let her drive home with her brakes in that condition and offers to take her out to dinner in his 1972 Plymouth Satellite. Maureen can't believe how instantly and powerfully she's attracted to this grease monkey and neither can any of her friends, but since he's only going to be in town for a week, she doesn't want to waste an instant.

Except that grease monkey, is no grease monkey. He's Bear D'Amato, rock'n'roll drummer and in a week he's headed back to get ready for a world tour with his band, Touchstone. When he first meets Maureen, he just wants to go out with her a few times like a normal guy, but as the relationship deepens, he realizes he wants more than just a couple of dates. He wants a lifetime.
Maureen is shocked by his revelation, but she realizes she wants a lifetime too.

Now all they have to do is convince the rest of the world.

Excerpt:

“Did you have sex with that girl?”

Michael glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “Maybe. I think so.”

Maureen tried to draw a deep breath, but it caught on the steel bands around her lungs. She didn't expect him to have been a saint, but to not remember? Another steel band tightened around her head and the room went a little flat and sideways.

“Listen baby, those girls don't mean anything. When you're out on the road they're everywhere. It's like exercise.” He flushed.

“You weren't jogging with her.”

“No.” Michael slouched.

“And you're going to be out on the road soon.” Maureen folded her arms to keep her body from flying apart. How had she gotten mixed up in this?

“Yeah, but it's different now. Why go out for hamburger when I've got steak at home?” He stroked her cheek.

“What if you get hungry while you're out?”

“Baby, I'm not going to.” He put his hands on her neck and leaned his forehead against hers. Her view shrank to just him. Just his eyes. “I love you, Maureen. Ever since I met you, everything's been different. You're all I need.”

“What if the hamburger is particularly insistent?” Cyndy looked like the type to take no as a challenge. And there were thousands of girls like her. Maureen bet there were a dozen in the building right now. None of them would think twice about having sex with him. They might not even think of it as cheating. He might not think of it as cheating. “If I'm going to marry you, I need to know you're going to be faithful.”

“I promise you I will give new meaning to the word faithful.”

“That's what I'm afraid of.” Maureen bit her lip. If he cheated on her all of these people were going to know. They would be laughing about how naïve she'd been, believing he wouldn't be with another woman when so many willing ones were available.

All she could see was his eyes and eyes never lie.

“You have nothing to fear. I am forever yours. Faithfully.”

Book links:

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble 

iTunes 

GooglePlay 

Kobo 

Bio:

Christa Maurice spends a lot of time lost in imagination. When not writing, she loves to travel and has spent several years living overseas. She spent four years living in Abu Dhabi where the temperature was always hot, the sunrise and sunset were pretty stable year ‘round and she could go weeks without speaking to a man who wasn’t selling her groceries. You know that happens to a woman living in what amounts to a harem situation? She spends a lot of time talking about shoes and thinking about men. Which brings us right back to being lost in imagination…

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon page

Mailing list

Crew

Natasha

www.natashamoore.com

Guest Author - Victoria Adams

Join me in welcoming Victoria Adams to Fierce Romance. She sharing a new release with us, A GUY AND A GIRL.

I'm Victoria Adams. I live in Ontario, Canada with my husband and pets. Daughter's grown up and is now teaching. I like to garden, cook and belly dance. In the summer, cars slow down when they pass my front yard and the passengers gaze at my flower beds. Friends love to be invited over for supper as the meal is going to be good, good for you and nowhere near low-calorie! No dieting allowed at dinner parties. As to belly dancing, find a class and try it. It's a blast!

I've been writing since I was little. Being an only child, long car rides were filled with making up stories in my head about the people I saw out the car window. When my daughter was younger, I made up stories that she suggested. I'd say – Once upon a time there was a…. She'd shout an answer – chicken! And the story went from there. Great creativity exercise as it turns out. Now, my writing style has taken a split to contemporary romance for adults and contemporary romance for new adults.

Tagline
Lies, deceits and secrets - not a good way to begin a relationship.

Blurb
After an ugly past forced Hunter Connolly to escape to Europe, the talented hockey player is back in North America and determined to land a position with a professional team. But he can’t hide from his past forever, especially when his beautiful classmate, Chelsea, forces him to reexamine his life. Soon, hockey is not his first priority anymore.

Chelsea Henderson is a bright co-ed working towards her dream of being a professional dancer. She forms a unique friendship with one of her father’s newest recruits and would love nothing more than to take it to the next level. However, there’s just one small problem. He doesn’t know she’s his coach’s daughter.

Amid the deceptions, danger lurks closer than they could ever imagine. Will fate contrive to rip the young lovers apart? Or will Hunter and Chelsea have their shot at love?


Excerpt:

"Good, now that everyone is here, welcome. Today is a get-to-know-each-other day. I don't like impersonal classes where no one knows each other. I feel a class should be like a team. Since you'll be criticizing and analyzing each other's works, you should get to know one another. Let's go around the table, starting with you." He pointed at Chelsea who sat directly in front of him. "Name. Major."

"Uh...I...uh...I hate going first." A flush trickled up the side of her neck.

Out of the side of his mouth, Hunter whispered, "Better you than me."

She glanced at him. "That was supportive."

Hunter's heart skipped a beat.

"My name's Chelsea, and I'm taking this and a Composition and Repertory class."

"I speak for all of us when I say - a what?" Hunter looked at her sideways.

"A dance credit."

"Do you wish to be a dancer?" The professor folded his hands and placed them on the table. Chelsea blushed and nodded. He pointed to the person on Chelsea's right.

"My name is Steven Francis, and I'm pre-med."

Hunter listened as several other students listed themselves as pre-med, pre-law, business administration and economics. He shook his head. I'm so in the wrong place. But with Chelsea being here, this class could be liveable. At last it was his turn. "Hunter Taylor, and I don't have a declared major."

"What do you do?"

"I play hockey. I'm trying out for the Vipers."

The other five girls sat up taller, fixed their hair and smiled.

"At least our two dreamers are sitting next to each other." A smirk spread across the face of the pre-law student.
Hunter glanced at the table then back at the pre-law student. "You don't dream about becoming a lawyer? You don't dream about pleading a major case in front of the Supreme Court?"

The classmate refused to make eye contact with Hunter.

"Everyone has dreams." Hunter jerked his thumb towards Chelsea. "Chelsea's and mine may not be academic ones, but they're just as hard to achieve as yours are. Don't put me down 'cause I want to be a hockey player. I may have to hire you to represent me when I negotiate my deal."

"An interesting mix of students." The professor scanned the group with eyes lit up with humour. "A dancer, a few lawyers, doctors, business people and a hockey player who can defend himself against a lawyer."

"I play offence. We're the aggressive ones."

A GUY AND A GIRL is available now!

Where to find me
Blog – Victoria's Pages of Romance – http://victoriaadams.blogspot.com
FaceBook - http://www.facebook.com/victoriaadams.romancewriter
Facebook Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Adams/244325918978641
Facebook - Circles Trilogy Page - http://www.facebook.com/CirclesTrilogy?ref=hl
Twitter – http://twitter.com/_VictoriaAdams
Website - http://victoriaadamsromance.wix.com/victoria-adams
Google+ - Victoria Adams
Wattpad - http://www.wattpad.com/user/VictoriaAdams
Plus – Triberr, Amazon Author, LinkedIn, SocialOmph, Goodreads etc

Crazy is All About Finding Home - Cate Baylor - Guest Author

I am the 7th generation of my family to live in Texas. German was spoken in my grandparents’ homes. And we had annual family reunions until about 10 years ago. Then I discovered that with the passing of my grandfather’s generation, my extended family was losing its cohesion, its tradition, its legacy.

This became particularly disheartening to me as I researched my family lineage. It’s gratifying to know my family names going back 13 generations, but that black-and-white chart didn’t tell me what I really wanted to know. What were their lives really like? What was their favorite subject in the few years of school they attended? What were family dinners like? Who was responsible for doing which chores? How did they meet their spouse? What did they dream about?

These questions and this desire to recapture some of my family tradition are what inspired Crazy, the family ranch at the center of my new romance series. A place that’s more than just a place, it’s also the heart of a family. It’s not only the family’s past, but also the family’s future. The people come and go, some related by blood, some by spirit. Crazy symbolizes the hopes of past and future generations because it’s home.

A Crazy Homecoming is Daphne’s story about losing the life she thought she wanted and finding the one she least expected. So I hope you’ll join me and the folks at Crazy to celebrate home, family, community, and of course, love.

Series: Crazy, Texas
Crazy is more than a piece of land. It’s home and hope for family, friends, and even strangers, who need a second chance. Even the hardest hearts soften at Crazy, learning to celebrate home, family, community, and, most of all, love.

A Crazy Homecoming
Getting fired over a workplace meltdown was bad enough, but getting dumped at the exact same time by her boyfriend-slash-boss was the ultimate humiliation. With no real friends in L.A. and perennially absent parents, Daphne Simms has no one to turn to. To heal her heart, she runs to the only true home she’s ever known—her grandmother’s rural Texas ranch, called Crazy. She knows ranch folks will be a far cry from those she's known in L.A., but she certainly doesn’t expect to be greeted by a cranky cowboy shoving a shotgun in her face.

Mick Williams has lived and worked on Crazy for twenty years. Though he’s utterly devoted to Daphne’s grandmother, he’ll be damned if he’s gonna let a city slicker like Daphne sashay in and disrupt his nice, quiet life. When the future of Crazy is threatened, Mick and Daphne must join forces to keep the ranch afloat, but the heat of their attraction makes working together more complicated than either of them imagines.

When their physical and emotional connection deepens, Mick tries to turn away from the woman he’s convinced he doesn’t deserve, so Daphne has to pull out all the stops to convince him that the heart of Crazy is big enough for the both of them.

Excerpt:

At some point during the night, Mick pulled the covers over their bodies and they dozed in each other’s arms. He woke up with Daphne snuggled in to him with her head on his shoulder. As he watched her sleep, he’d never felt so at war with himself.

One side railed against the Mick who was lying in bed next to Daphne, telling him that there was no way that a cowboy with no roots, no real family, no ties would ever be good enough for a woman like her. The other side wanted so badly to stay here in her warm arms, wanted to believe he was good enough, that he almost convinced himself.

He closed his eyes and willed his mind to still. He’d calmed crazed cattle, lived on the streets as a teenager, and survived a druggie mother, why was he scared now?
He was as terrified of losing Daphne as he was of keeping her.

How could he possibly keep her? They had nothing in common except Missus B and Crazy. As much as he loved Missus B, he knew he wasn’t part of the family. She said he was, even Daphne had said he was, but blood runs thick. Being like family wasn’t the same as actually being family.

He was the hired help. Sissy’s jibe had hit so close to home because deep down that was how he felt. And everyone knew the hired help couldn’t live happily ever after with the princess.

Daphne stirred and snuggled into Mick, sighing as she cinched her arm around his waist. With that simple touch, Daphne wiped away any thought he had about living without her. Damn status and family, how was he supposed to walk away? But how could he stay?

“Stop thinking so loud,” Daphne mumbled.

He laughed and kissed her hair. “Sorry,” he whispered, stroking her hair and back. “Go back to sleep.”

She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at Mick. She reached up and gently brushed his tousled hair out of his face. She trailed her fingers over his temple and down his cheek, and he couldn’t help nuzzling into her hand to accept the caress.

He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. “Guess I need to shave, huh?”

Her teeth flashed in the darkness when she grinned. “Actually, turns out I’m kinda into the scruffy, outdoorsy type now.”

His heart skipped a beat. Or three. “Daphne…” he started.

“Mick.” She frowned in mock severity.

Absurdly he bristled. “Are you picking a fight while we’re naked in bed?”

Daphne gasped. “We’re naked?”

He groaned and rolled his eyes. The woman never took anything seriously and he said as much.

Daphne straddled him and braced her palms on his shoulders. “You take things too seriously. What on earth has got you in such a lather so early in the morning?”

He gazed up at her, shrouded in sheets and faint moonlight, with her hair shimmering around her face, and couldn’t think of one damned reason. “I can’t think when you’re on top of me like that,” he admitted.

She leaned back with a coy smile and pushed the sheets off her shoulders, exposing herself fully. “Finally, a fault I can take advantage of.”

And she did.

BIO:

Cate Baylor has been a technical communicator for over fifteen years. When she's not writing, she suffers from hobby addiction, which includes (but is not limited to!) reading, jewelry making, crochet, knitting, scrapbooking, cross stitching, and home DIY. She lives in Houston with her geeky husband, three neurotic cats, and precocious Yellow Lab named Tex. She comes from a long line of Texan farmers who are likely rolling over in their graves knowing she’d much rather stay blissfully air-conditioned than suffer outside in the Texas heat. She's a die-hard Texans fan but hasn't decided whether she's willing to embrace the Astros as an American League team


Connect with Cate on her web site or her Facebook page. You’ll also find her author profile on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Buy A Crazy Homecoming: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | KoboBooks

Guest Post - Tamaria Soana

Southern Embrace by Tamaria Soana

Hello, and thank you for stopping by. I’m Tamaria Soana a contemporary romance author. My stories tend to be on the steamy side and always end with a happily ever after.

Southern Embrace my newest release was a very different story line for me to tackle. The story opens with Savannah my heroine trying to pick up the pieces of the broken heart her high school sweetheart Lance left her with when his family moves away the summer after graduation and he cuts her out of his life.

With some prompting for her best friend Nikki, Van (Savannah) goes out with the girls to a club and meets the handsome older Stephan. He sweeps her off her feet and she begins to heal. The stories over and they live happily ever after right? WRONG. The story is just beginning. In chapter 1 we learn that Stephan was killed in a car accident (I hated doing that). Savannah is twenty-three and the grief consumes her. Nikki her best friends steps in once again and arranges for Lance to run into her at the mall. Will Savannah give Lance a chance to explain and let him back into her life?

Southern Embrace is an emotional story about overcoming grief, forgiveness, and second chances.
I hope you’ll fall in love with Savannah and Lance as much as I have. Southern Embrace is from Savannah’s POV. I’m currently writing Southern Desire, the story from Lance’s POV.

Southern Embrace
Can a long lost love mend a grieving heart?

Widowed at twenty-three, Savannah Grant is devastated and consumed with grief, a grief that she can't seem to move past. When her high school sweetheart, Lance Peterson, re-enters her life, Savannah struggles with the feeling that she would be betraying her deceased husband by moving on. Plus, she can't forget the way Lance broke her heart all those years ago.

Lance never stopped loving Savannah. He wants a second chance, and he's willing to do anything it takes to convince her to give him one. Will she give in and let Lance love her, showing her a passion beyond anything she thought possible?

Content Warning: adult language, explicit sexual situations, anal play

Excerpt:

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. Van grabbed her purse and headed out to the mall. Nikki's shower was the following weekend, and Nikki had been on her to get a new dress for days, threatening to drag her shopping kicking and screaming if she didn't go herself.

Once at the mall, Van picked up some last minute gifts for Nikki. After trying on a few dresses, she found a knee-length, strapless coral dress. She purchased it and was off in search of a pair of shoes. When she found the perfect pair of coral and silver heels, Van concluded the trip to the mall a complete success.

Her cellphone rang as she was leaving the shoe store. She dug around in her bag to find it. With her head down and her steps brisk, she ran right into someone.

"I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz," she said as she looked up into the brown eyes of her first love. She gasped and took a step back, surveying him. His light brown hair was a little shorter and he was built like a man now, not the boy she used to know. She stood frozen in place, staring at him. This can't be happening. A tidal wave of emotions rushed through her at once. Anger, resentment, hatred, but mainly pain…so much pain.

"Van."

"Lance? Oh my God!" She took another step back. "How?"

"I-I talked to Nikki. She told me you would be here. I needed to see you. When I heard what happened…" He paused. "I knew I couldn't stay away any longer. I'm so sorry."

The more he talked, the more Van's anger flared. Who does he think he is? He left me! Turned his back on me when he cut all ties!

"What exactly are you sorry for, Lance? That my husband died or that you broke my heart all those years ago?" The words she spoke were full of acid. "You have a lot of nerve just showing up here like nothing ever happened. Go away." She turned to leave.

"Please, Van, just talk to me. Give me a chance to explain," he begged as he reached for her hand.

"Don't you dare touch me," she said through gritted teeth, yanking her hand away. "What do you want from me?" She stared at him while plotting all the ways she was going to torture Nikki for her betrayal.

She seethed as he looked around. "Calm down, Van. People are starting to stare. Please, can we go somewhere more private and talk? There is so much I need to tell you."

"What could you possibly have to say to me that would make up for what you did? I mean, I know you had to move, but you cut all ties with me. Like the three years we spent together meant nothing to you, like I meant nothing to you. Damn you, Lance, you didn't even try to make it work."

"Please, Savannah. Give me a chance to explain."

"Give me one reason why I should."

"Because I still love you. I. Never. Stopped. I cut all ties with you because I had to. Long distance relationships never work out. I was afraid you would wake up one day and resent me. Being apart from you was killing me. I thought this way we would both be able to move on. But I was wrong, I never was able to move on. I let the love I have for you consume me. I wanted to come back sooner, but then I heard you'd gotten married. When I found out what had happened, I wanted to rush here and be by your side, but I figured you would need some time."

His words shocked and confused her. After she took a few moments to process everything, she shook her head. "I can't do this." She turned and walked away, then stopped. "Go back to wherever it was you came from and leave me alone."

"I won't give up on you. I won't stop trying, and I most definitely won't ever leave you again."

"Just go away, Lance. You're good at that," she snarled before she walked away. She didn't dare turn around because looking at him as he begged her to give him a chance to explain would certainly weaken her. Van needed to focus on how she was going to kill her so-called best friend.



Buy links: Beachwalk Press Barnes & Noble Amazon


Watch the Trailer:

YouTube Link

Embed code:




About the Author:

Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels her life has begun. She writes sexy contemporary romance stories that always end with a ‘happily ever after’. Growing up she loved to read and make up new places in her head to escape to. In her late teens she began writing short stories and poetry; it wasn’t until her late thirties before she began to spin a full story.

She’s married and a stay-at-home-mom of two beautiful young girls, they reside in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw is her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights.

Besides writing, she co-owns Shades of Rose Marketing and hosts a talk show on Talkshoe called Live with Tamaria ~ Giving authors a voice.

Author Links: Site Facebook Author Page Twitter

Guest Blog: Inspiration is Everywhere – Really! by Lacey Savage

As a writer, I get asked this question more than any other: “Where do you get your ideas?” (My second most often asked question, by the way, is “When are you going to get a real job?” – but that’s a topic for a different post.)

I admit, even though I’ve been published for ten years, and writing full time for two of those, I still get stumped by this question. My honest answer – “Everywhere!” – doesn’t satisfy people. They think there’s some cosmic secret and I’m not willing to share. But the truth is, I really do get my ideas from everywhere.

I’ve written books based on a grain of inspiration I grabbed out of a bit of overheard conversation. I subscribe to magazines like The Smithsonian for no other reason than it’s an amazing idea mine. I recently wrote a book featuring a reality TV star, which came out of my love for all things reality TV. (Don’t judge me – you’ve got guilty pleasures too!)

A flash of inspiration that came to me while lying in bed one morning sparked my most recent release, COMING UNBOUND, which just came out last week from Ellora’s Cave. I imagined a married couple wanting to bring some heat back into their bedroom, and started to wonder how things could get complicated for them. I knew I had my story when I pictured the husband opening the door to what had previously been a run-of-the-mill suburban basement, and showing his wife the BDSM dungeon he’d had installed. Surprise!



If I had to dig deep, I’d say the grain of the idea came from the fact that I’ve been married for 14 years. These days, I find myself wondering whether my relationship with my husband is typical. Do other couples struggle with the same issues as us? Are they as happy as we are after all this time? Happier? So I set out to explore some of those topics in my books. And, well, I write erotic romance, so even though I was exploring fairly basic, day-to-day marriage issues in COMING UNBOUND, I did so alongside a heavy dose of kink and erotic behavior that most married couples I know would never indulge in. But that’s the fun of writing fiction, isn’t it? You start with a grain of truth, a bit of reality, and you spin it into a yarn that’s pure erotic fantasy – even when it’s set right here, in the real world.
---
BLURB:
Ginny and Cole have struggled to connect intimately since before their marriage. When Cole suggests they surprise each other with the most sexually daring things they can dream up for their anniversary, Ginny reluctantly musters every ounce of courage she possesses to get nipple piercings.

Cole’s surprise?

He’s turned their suburban basement into a dungeon—and hired a sexy Dom to teach them the art of BDSM.
Desperately in love with his wife, Cole’s aware of sensitive sexual demons in Ginny’s past, and will try anything to beat them. Whips, toys, ménage play with the Dom…all these and more could help Ginny find pleasure, break through her issues.

Or, if they’re not careful, possibly just break Ginny.

COMING UNBOUND is available at Ellora’s Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/coming-unbound.html

Tough Guys - Guest Blogger Em Petrova

Every romance reader wants a man who acts like a real man. No heroine or reader wants a wimp—a simpering man asking permission. We just want him to take, but in a nice way, while delivering a bad-boy, toe-curling smile. Right?

What if he broke his hand and shed a tear over it? Hells to the no! We want our male leads to be tough. I mean, they don’t have to grin with a Buick parked on their chests, but they need to talk the talk and walk the walk.

Cowboys and country boys fit this tough guy image pretty well. Ever see a farmer who is a weakling? A cowboy who can’t wrangle his cattle? A logger who fails to make a tree fall at his command?

These men live in my fantasies, which is why I write them. I also write what I know. Men in my life chop wood. They don’t hire anything done—from fixing sinks to grading their driveways. Also, a tough guy isn’t going to lie on his back in bed and let his gal do all of the work.

Nosirreeeee!

In my latest release HARD RIDIN’, Jens and Holden take control of any situation, especially when it comes to their ranch and to their girl Laurel. And yes, even when they are wearing their hearts on their western shirt sleeves. Read on for an excerpt from HARD RIDIN’.



Jens swung the hammer with all his might, driving the nail into the loose barn board. Frustration mounted in him. Laurel had been gone for hours. He burned to drive up to her place, but was terrified he’d find the house empty and a “Dear Jens” note on the kitchen counter.

Except there would be a “Dear Holden” note too.

“F***.” His muttered curse sent the free-range chicken near him skittering off. The head of his hammer drove into the nail again, and the spike buried into the wood sunk a fraction deeper than the surface.

Maybe Jens had been all wrong to suggest Laurel be with them both. Would she hate him for it? If he couldn’t even claim her as a friend anymore…

The hum of an engine made him jerk. He yanked his head out of the barn and peered toward the direction of the sound.

His heart in his throat, he glimpsed Laurel’s ATV chugging around the bend in the driveway. The hammer fell from his lax fingers and it struck the top of his boot. Pain ricocheted up his shin.

“Damn!” He hopped out into the open, ready to intercept her and beg her forgiveness. Ten apologies tumbled through his head. Stupid, never listen to a smitten cowboy, don’t blame you for walking out, go ahead and smack my face.

The cattle gate slammed shut and Holden appeared too. Across the yard, Jens met his gaze. Ire mixed with a sinking sensation. Here was where one of them knew victory or both lost. Because Jens was certain Laurel wasn’t going to jump at his suggestion.

He tightened his hands into fists and went out to meet her as she drew to a stop. She cut the engine and climbed off. He tugged off her helmet and hung it on the handlebars. “Thank you,” she said without looking at him.

Holden came forward too, and suddenly a solidarity rose up between him and Jens. They were fighting on the same side at the moment—fighting to keep her here and for a chance.

Laurel drifted away from them. The lines of her back were rigid, and her loose hair fell forward to conceal her face. Jens swallowed hard against the lump that formed in his throat. Two months together wasn’t long, but in his book, it was a commitment. He’d never wanted anyone this way, and judging by Holden’s pained expression, he hadn’t either.

It’s over.

Jens and Holden exchanged a look.

Finally Laurel faced them. She looked from Jens to Holden, her face shivering with some emotion Jens couldn’t understand.

“I’ve been thinking.”

Holden shifted from boot to boot.

“And… I’m not ready to give up either of you. I don’t want to stop seeing you, Jens. And Holden and I have had something from the start.”

Those words, “Holden and I have had something from the start” ripped through Jens and speared him with jealousy. Holden had her first and for longer. Did that mean he knew her better?

Jens sucked in a shaky breath. The cool air steadied him. “Yeah?”

Her gaze flashed to his, caught and held. In the depths of her dark eyes, he saw a secret glint that sparked just for him.

Heart thudding, he took a step toward her. As if mirroring Jens’s actions, Holden did the same. Not to be shown up? Or were they truly so alike?

Laurel looked down at her twisting hands. “Yeah, I’ve decided to…take you up on your offer. If you’re still willing.”

A stupid grin broke over Jens’s face. Relief flowed to his fingertips and numbed them. I’m more than willing.”

She returned his smile and that spark between them increased.

Clearing his throat, Holden gained her attention. “I can’t say I’m not relieved, Laurel.”

Nodding, she fixed him in her gaze and something passed between them too—a passionate flare that caused Jens to look away or be blinded.

“So now what?” Her whole body seemed to yearn for them. She leaned forward on her cowgirl boots, and her curves strained against her clothes.

Jens mentally tossed her into the nearby hay pile and stripped off everything she wore but her boots.

http://store.samhainpublishing.com/hard-ridin-p-7194.html

Thank for reading, and a big thank you to Natasha, for hosting me today!

Em Petrova
~where words mean so much more~
www.empetrova.com

Writing Romance, Meeting Great Friends, and a Gift Card Giveaway!

Thanks to my good friend Natasha Moore for having me on Fierce Romance Author Blog today. I am so excited to announce my debut book, Random Acts, will be released tomorrow by Samhain Publishing. And I owe Natasha a huge mwah for that. Let me give you some background. See, I met Natasha some years ago at our local RWA chapter meeting and we became friends. Natasha had success much sooner than I and I hear she just signed her twentieth contract. Twenty! Wow! Congratulations, Natasha!

Over the years, we’d often brainstorm ideas and she’d graciously read my manuscripts when I needed an objective eye. I write romantic suspense and Natasha was always quick to remind me not to forget the romance. I had a knack for getting caught up in plotting the suspense and forgetting the hero and heroine hadn’t been together in oh, say five chapters. :) So, I’d tweak the manuscript, making sure to keep the romance front and center even while the villain lurked in the shadows.

Last summer when I was at a crossroads with my current manuscript, Natasha recommended I submit it to Samhain. My first reaction: “Uh, Random Acts doesn’t have any S-E-X in it. Remember?” I write sweet romances. I knew Natasha wrote smokin’ hot romances for Samhain. After she pointed out that Samhain also published sweet romances—and two were on the bestseller list that very week—I contacted my agent and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since then I have sold two romantic suspense novels to Samhain. Both are considered “sweet” on the heat level. I am thrilled that the initial reviews for Random Acts are positive.

This romance with a slightly inspirational flavor is recommended for readers who are looking for a sweet, “clean” romance that still packs an emotional punch. The suspense angle works, too. This reviewer caught the red-herring but didn’t uncover the real perpetrator until the very end. Well done, Stone. ~ From Library Journal

Built with elements of suspense, emotion, a little bit of inspiration, and characters that are well worth reading about, Ms. Stone creates a heartwarming and intriguing tale in Random Acts. The pacing flows great, there's not a moment that's dull, and I was left guessing until the very end. ~Long and Short Reviews

The beautiful thing about romance is the vast selection of subgenres: from romantic suspense to paranormal, from sweet to hot and everything in between. A wonderful thing about my path to publication has been the friends I’ve made along the way. Here’s a big kiss kiss to my good friend, Natasha. Thanks for the hot tip! I probably owe you lunch or something. :)

If you’re in the mood for a little something sweet, check out Random Acts. Tomorrow is the big release day.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on your favorite type of romance. Or perhaps you like to mix it up and read in different genres. One lucky commenter will win a $5 gift card to Samhain Publishing. (Winner will be selected from all comments made prior to midnight EST April 27, 2012.) Be sure to leave your e-mail in the comment section so I can contact you if you win.

Author Bio:
Alison Stone graduated with a degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech. After working in Corporate America for a number of years, she retired to raise her young family. Soon the writing bug bit. After years of conferences, critique groups and writing, Alison sold two manuscripts that will be released in 2012. She claims it was easier to earn her engineering degree. Random Acts is her debut novel. To learn more about Alison Stone please visit www.AlisonStone.com.

Blurb of Random Acts (available April 24, 2012):

Second chances can have a terrible sense of timing.

As a child, watching her mother always pick the wrong man left Danielle Carson wary of opening her heart to anyone—except Patrick Kingsley. But circumstances came between them and left Danielle with a broken heart. Now she buries the pain of what might have been by channeling all her energy into her career. When a family crisis brings her back to her hometown, she is forced to face the past—and the disturbing fact that her sister’s car accident was staged to mask a brutal beating.

A police officer and widower, Patrick guards his heart as fiercely as he guards his beloved daughter. Seeing Danielle again unexpectedly reignites their old flame, but no way will he introduce a woman into his daughter’s life. Certainly not one whose values on faith and family are so different from his own.

Despite their best intentions, they are drawn together—until Danielle learns Patrick had a hand in putting her sister in harm’s way. Her fragile trust is crushed, but Patrick is the only man who can help her stop the villain before everything they both love is destroyed. Faith, family…and their second chance at forever.

Random Acts available at:

Samhain Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Guest Author & Giveaway - Jennifer Lynne

Celebrating a special anniversary

Hello and Happy New Year! Thank you to Fierce Romance for having me here today.

When writing my December indie-release, Platinum Passion (Gods of Love #1), I researched wedding anniversary symbols and meanings and found that the earliest references date from the Middle Ages. A silver garland or wreath symbolizing the harmony needed to make a marriage work was given to the wife by the husband on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. On the fiftieth anniversary, a gold garland was given (though with shorter life spans back then this occurred less frequently than silver).

In the Victorian era, this practice became more widespread, and certain materials with specific symbolic meaning became associated with each passing year of marriage. Crystal, for example, became the celebration for fifteen years of marriage.

On a personal note, I remember my parents' fifteenth anniversary – their last together before my father passed away. I was twelve years old and had discovered that this was a "crystal" anniversary, so I saved my pocket money to buy them a pair of crystal goblets, which my mother still has to this day. I am glad that I was able to contribute to their celebration in that way.

Giveaway Question
I would love to hear whether you've ever celebrated a special event or anniversary, and if so, how? I'll be giving away a digital copy of Platinum Passion to one commenter on this post. Leave a comment between now and 18th January 2012, and go in the draw to win.

I hope I can tempt you with a taste of Platinum Passion, an erotic ménage romance novella that focuses on a long term marriage that has gone off track and needs a helping hand from Pothos, the ancient Greek god of sexual yearning. The twentieth wedding anniversary – the one celebrated by Jeannie and Jake in Platinum Passion – was traditionally associated with china, though in recent times the theme has changed to platinum.

Pothos, one of the erotes and an aspect of Eros, brings a platinum night of passion to Jeannie and Jake as a unique twentieth anniversary gift from the gods of love.

Platinum Passion Excerpt:
He tilted his head and studied her. “A good choice. I, too, enjoy the beach. So base, and raw, and elemental. Especially at night, with moonlight silvering the water.” He leaned forward and warm breath tickled the hair near her ear. “Close those gorgeous blue eyes, little one.”

She did as requested, and a moment of dizziness assailed her before she felt fingertips graze her cheek. “Okay to look, now,” he said.

She did so, and gasped when she saw where they were standing. The long, sandy curve of beach near Port Douglas in north eastern Australia was straight out of her imagination. The air felt balmy against her skin, despite the fact that it was the last night of winter. It had been a cold, wet evening in Melbourne, but here, in the warmth of the tropics, her flannel nightie was instantly too much.

She stared wide-eyed at their suddenly exotic setting. The full moon bathed everything in a flattering silver-blue sheen. She bent down and grabbed a handful of sand, wanting to feel the reality of it, letting the still-warm grains leach out between her fingers. The texture in her hands and between her bare toes recalled the delicious memory of her wedding night, Jake’s firm hands caressing her body in eager anticipation, his weight pressing her down into the small sandy depression beneath the palm trees, as their kisses mingled and youthful passion made them forget they were still in a public place, however dark and deserted it might be.

It was the only time they had ever made love on the beach, the night they had both given up their virginity, and it had made her cry with joy afterwards. Jake, she remembered, had caught her tears on the tip of his tongue and then kissed her with salt-flavored tenderness.

“How?” she stuttered. “It’s two thousand miles from Melbourne! Where, I might add, it was freezing.”

He laughed. “The power of the gods is immense. Tonight, this country shifts from winter into spring. And the influence of the erotes is strongest at the changing of the seasons. I plucked this location from your place of yearning. It called to me, that yearning of yours.”

“The influence of the…erotes?” She stumbled over the unfamiliar word. “Just who the heck are you?”

He raised his head proudly. “I am Pothos,” he said, and it was as if the statement vibrated the air around them. All of a sudden he seemed taller, stronger and more otherworldly. He looked like a god of old, shimmering with power, the golden skin alight with moonbeams and his face a study in supremacy as he stared at her down his nose. She felt a frisson of fear touch her heart in tandem with the mounting desire.

If I touch him now, will I self-combust?

Like a moth with a death wish, she stretched out her fingers anyway, ran them over his chest that did indeed feel like satin, and felt the charge of an electrical current coursing through her veins.

Her lips parted and she let out a gasp.

Power. So much power.

But then he shook his head and grinned, and the momentary spell was broken. She dropped her hand and surreptitiously rubbed her still-tingling fingertips.

“I am the one who has been sent to fulfill your fantasies, Jeannie. Yours and Jake’s. This is the night your marriage gets back its passion. Twenty years. It is worth celebrating, and tonight will be my platinum anniversary present to you both.”

He stepped forward and swept her into his muscular embrace, then bent his head so that his lips were only a whisker away from hers. “So”—his breath heated her mouth—“are you ready to begin our celebration of passion?”

Platinum Passion summary:

Three people. One erotic fantasy. And a twentieth wedding anniversary like no other.

Jeannie yearns for the return of passion in her marriage. Jake wants new excitement in the form of another man, in a way that won't upset the balance of his relationship with his wife. Pothos is one of the erotes and an aspect of Eros, the Olympian god of desire. This couple's distinctive yearning has called to him, and by the power of the erotes he intends to rekindle the flame of Jeannie and Jake's passion in a night of desire that could be the ultimate platinum anniversary gift.

And when the gods of love decide your marriage needs a boost, they never do it by halves.

Platinum Passion is the first in a series of stand-alone stories with the erotes as a common theme. The erotes are Pothos, god of sexual yearning, Himeros, god of sexual desire and Anteros, god of requited/unrequited love. All are the children of Aphrodite and aspects of the primal god of desire, Eros.

Platinum Passion (Gods of Love #1: Pothos) is available at:
Amazon | Smashwords | All Romance ebooks

About the author
Jen is a multi-published author who writes sensual and erotic romance from her home in Melbourne, Australia. She lives in hope that readers will continue to enjoy her novella-length tales of love and lust!

Find Jennifer on the web at:
Website/blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Using Food in Romance Novels - Guest: Cassandra Carr

Several times now I've used various foods in scenes between my hero (or heroes, as the case may be, *cough*) and my heroine. I know lots of people out there also incorporate various types of foods into their sexual repertoire, and I'm here to tell you - be careful what you use where!

In my book releasing tomorrow, Caught, the hero uses a candy cane to, um, pleasure the heroine. Here's my word of caution - don't insert anything that has a lot of sugar into any orifice - well, besides your mouth. Hello, yeast infection! We all know yeast infections aren't sexy, right? So how did I pull off that scene? I made my hero a candy cane purist - he buys these big, pure peppermint candy canes from some far-off specialty candy maker.

Here's an example, though the ones my hero gets are much larger. http://www.purefun.ca/products_candyCanes.html You'll notice if you look at the nutritional facts that there's very little sugar in these candy canes. But even if you use a candy cane like this it's a good idea to take a shower immediately afterward. Same goes for chocolate syrup and whipped cream, two of the most popular foods used during sex.

So, please do play, have fun...but be careful. Yeast infections are no fun, and since you oftentimes can't have sex while taking a medication to combat them, that's a double whammy! This concludes your public service announcement.

Do you have any tips for using food during sex? Leave them in the comments!


Excerpt:

'They’re really taking this politically correct thing too far.'

Stepping from the foyer into the living room, Callie spied a twinkling Christmas tree in the corner. On the mantel, a lit menorah burned, the candles flickering as the people nearby jostled for position as more and more guests crammed into the room. This was a boisterous crowd; already drinking like it was New Year’s. Advancing further into the room, she noticed the Kwanza decorations and rolled her eyes.

'Pick a holiday and go with it, people. You can’t please everyone.'

She sought out the host and hostess, old friends from her grad school days, and said hello, handing over the obligatory “Thanks for inviting me” bottle of wine. They chatted for a bit to catch up before she grabbed a cocktail and made her way toward the dining room in search of other former classmates and some food. The smells of the various delicacies wafted by, making her mouth water in anticipation. She had just gotten into town and was starving. Plopping a slice of Cheddar cheese onto a cracker, she stuffed it into her mouth and then looked up -- and everything inside her came to a screeching halt.

Jack was there.

With a beer hanging from his long, rough fingers, he leaned against the wall, casual as can be, while her world tilted on its axis. He looked so good-- still the same tall, well-muscled body, still the same olive skin, black hair, and full lips. His Italian ancestry lent him an air of exoticness, and she’d always been a sucker for that.

Her stomach roiled. The cracker caught in her throat, choking her. As she began to cough and sputter, he turned to see what the commotion was, and their gazes met. Callie watched as his eyes went dark with heat and recognition. A blush rushed up her chest through her neck and into her face. With suddenly cold fingers, she touched her burning skin.

He brought his beer to his lips and took a long pull, his tongue sneaking out to catch a stray drop from his top lip. Her gaze followed the movement. His own intense gaze never left her face. Even when his companion said something to him, he merely nodded and kept the whole of his attention on her. She took a fortifying sip of her vodka and cranberry juice, then another, longer gulp, trying to dislodge the cracker from her throat. And still he stared.

And she did the same damn thing she’d done three years ago when she’d gotten scared by his demands, his power -- she ran. Cursing herself for her cowardice, she nonetheless wove her way through the crowd, setting her drink down on the nearest available surface as she rushed past. But before she made it to the front door, she felt his hand, still chilled from holding the beer bottle, curl around her overheated arm. “Long time no see. Leaving so soon, Callie?”

BIO:
Cassandra Carr is a multi-published erotic romance writer who lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her debut novel, Talk to Me, was released by Loose Id on March 22, 2011. Head Games, Buffalo Intimidators book 1, released on November 2, 2011 from Siren Bookstrand, Caught will release December 13, 2011 from Loose Id, and Impact is coming in early 2012 from Ellora's Cave. For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

BUY LINK:
http://www.loose-id.com/Caught.aspx

Friday Guest: Mari Freeman

I'd like to welcome my good friend and fellow author Mari Freeman to Fierce Romance today!

I have two things to help boost my Christmas spirit right now.

First, Hot Hard & Howling comes out in print Monday, the 13^th. Merry Christmas to those of you who wait for the solid form of books. It’s always exciting to my hands on a print release.  Also makes a great gift, people.

Second, Hot, Hard& Hexing is out right now in ebook! Wooo Hooo..

The story is a stand alone, but it continues the saga of the Half-Demon Ambercroft sisters. Their human side makes their Demon magic somewhat uncontrollable, so it tends to get them in a bit of trouble.

Sonja’s Demon power is psychic abilities. But in this story, she’s up against a Dreamstalker who has taken to influencing her dreams and her psychic visions in a very sexy way, distracting her and helping her make poor decisions.

 

Enter Ray Burgess, who quickly becomes the star of those very sexy visions. It gets hot in New Orleans as they try to rescue Sonja’s cousin from the Dreamstalker.

Lots of steamy New Orleans fun to warm up the chilly winter nights and to help relieve the stress of the season. You know…the shopping, the decorations, the bills, the rushing from one house to another….

Here’s another way to relieve stress of the stress of the season. I’m trying this recipe tonight.

Christmas Cookie Recipe (follow directions closely)

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequilla

Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer... Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar... Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still OK, try another cup ... just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit, Pick the frigging fruit off floor... Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.

Who giveshz a sheet.

Check the Jose Cuervo -- Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window,

finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher..

CHERRY MISTMAS

~Mari 

Visit Mari at: www.marifreeman.com

Have a great weekend!

Kristin
www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels

Guest Blogger: Annie Nicholas

Fierce Romance welcomes guest blogger Annie Nicholas today! So, without further ado, here's Annie!

Hottie or Naughty

Not all heroes need to be chest thumping alphas. If all males were created equal then they’d be boring. Sometimes a woman needs to root for the underdog. The pansies of the paranormal to get the girl, fight the bad guy, and keep his heartburn under control.

My series, The Vanguards, explores the different types of omegas in wolf shifter society.  Geeks of the underworld unity! They’re pushed to be more and do their best to save the day.  In my new release, Robert is the antisocial computer nerd. His best friend is the pack’s alpha, who sees the potential in this smart and serious omega. He sets Robert as his beta, second in command, and leaves him charge of the pack for a few days.

THE BETA

Three days of hell, in charge, and running out of antacids.

As the pack’s Beta, Robert needs to watch over the Vasi werewolf pack for a few days. He hates the responsibility, but his job is to dissolve any problems while his alpha honeymoons. Nevertheless, trouble comes to town and her name is Esther. She's beguiling, beautiful and picks his pocket. Although Robert doesn’t trust her, he still wants to possess her.

Esther arrived in Chicago with the intention of slaying a vampire named Daedalus. While trailing her quarry, she encounters Robert who unhinges her world. He doesn’t know her trade, and she doesn’t know his connection to the vampire. Disturbed by her attraction to this unusual werewolf, she can’t decide which prey to hunt. The one who’s stolen her heart or the one who’ll fill her bank account.

Hot graphic werewolf sex, growing body parts, and one pissed off Nosferatu.

Excerpt:

“We pulled Talon off the kid before he hurt him, but the dude’s out of control. He said something about us betraying him, that he didn’t recognize your unauthorized challenge last night.” Simon chuckled. “Said you beat him.”

“Well, it wasn’t an unauthorized challenge. It was a warning, which is why he’s still breathing. I’m starting to regret that part.”

The smile on Simon’s face transformed to surprise. “You beat him by yourself?”

Nice, even his pack thought him a trophy beta. Robert nodded, not trusting his mouth to be diplomatic.

Excited glances and pointing passed through the gathering as the news spread.

“Do you know where Talon’s headed?” Robert needed to get his claws on that beast and shake some sense into him. Even if he lost a challenge to that idiot, Eric would never accept Talon as beta. Maybe the dude had a death wish? If he kept acting like this it would leave Robert no choice. God, he’d never killed anyone before and didn’t want to ever start.

“He didn’t say, but he likes to hang out at a biker’s bar over by the Ukrainian village. The Twisted Tire or something? It’s off I-Ninety.” Two other males gathered by Simon. “Do you want us to come with you?”

Robert could hear both Daedalus and Eric in his head encouraging him to say yes. It would be a good bonding experience for him and the pack. A social event for males, get to know your beta night and watch him kick ass. “Not yet. I need to track him first, and I’ll move faster on my own.” For social animals, he and his beast didn’t fit in. They preferred solitude, and that’s why they’d become omega in the first place.

The Vasi had their share of omegas, just like any other pack, but they were nurtured instead of abused. Like little Aaron sitting at the table nursing his beer. The pack didn’t cast him out when Talon jumped him, they rallied around him. Robert really admired Eric’s work with the Vasi and hoped other packs would follow his example.

When Simon and his companions appeared disappointed at his refusal, Robert sighed and dug deep. “If I need back-up, you’ll be the first I call.”

They grinned and nodded.

He turned to leave and faced a wall of humans. Pushing through that mass of flesh flared his proximity alarms, and his beast strained at the yoke to thrash at the people who dared come too close. An exit sign glowed above the crowd, and he released the breath he’d been holding. Skirting along the wall, he shoved the door open when he reached it.

It brought him out to a narrow alley on the side of the building. The cool air was a relief, then he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Something sharp and clean he’d recently had his face buried in.

Esther.

The door closed behind him with a thunk and took what little light it gave. She stood with her legs apart in the center of the alley, silhouetted by the distant street lights.

“Are you following me, Esther?” The muscles in his back tensed as he smelled gun powder. She held a gun again. Damn it. He glanced over his shoulder for cover if she got trigger happy.

“I’m trying to figure out what kind of sick game you’re playing, Rob.” She stepped closer, and he could see the outline of her weapon pointed at his head. “I hate being played for a fool, but you did a great job making me feel like one.”

Buy Link: www.lyricalpress.com/the_beta

Annie Nicholas

www.annienicholas.com

www.annienicholas.blogspot.com