Guest: Brandi Evans

Today's guest is Brandi Evans with her latest release, His Forbidden Submissive.

Brandi is a stay-at-home mom with a serious addiction…the compulsive need to tell sexy stories to whoever will listen.

She brings to life fun, flawed characters with kick-ass-and-take-no-prisoners attitudes who challenge her every step of the writing process. Whether inspiring a hot-and-heavy contemporary, a pulse-pounding suspense or a dark-and-decadent paranormal romance, her muse knows no boundaries. And she likes it that way. When veering outside the box, she never knows where her next story could take her.

Website
Blog
Twitter
GoodReads

Brandi will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Don't forget to comment, and follow her tour!

Hola, Lovelies!

I'm so honored you stopped by to learn a little about me and my newest release His Forbidden Submissive. This was such a fun (and sexy!) story to write, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. ;-)

I'd also like to thank my wonderful host for having me here. You so totally rock!

Now on with the show, LOL...

Bad Boys & Why We Love Them

There's just something about reading--or writing--about bad boy heroes that gets my juices flowing and my libdo pumping. A dark-n-dangerous man, tall, handsome, and covered in tatts. Does it get any better? Heck no! At least for me. I lose my head and my dirty mind overflows with erotic images of me doing bad, bad, bad, bad things to bad boys. And I channeled that lust into the hero of my latest novel, His Forbidden Submissive.

Brock Michaels is everything I’ve ever wanted in a bad boy—the heroine too. He wears his tats like a second skin. He doesn’t take shit from anyone. His shaved head makes me want to rub my hands over all that sexy smoothness and direct his mouth to, um, certain places on my body…


Oh, and did I mention he’s a Dom too?

Mmm. Am I the only one who just shivered? Don’t lie! You know you want some of that! How could any hot-blooded woman not? Which begs one question.

What is it about bad boys that draw us in like kids to a candy store? I have a few ideas…


Bad boys are confident and adventurous. They’re a challenge to even the most headstrong woman. And oh god, they ooze masculinity like a marathon runner oozes sweat, and bad boys can turn that oozing masculinity into a string of perfect words so intensely perfect they could quite easily charm the panties of a nun. But most importantly, in my opinion, bad boys are broken—and we want to fix them.

Okay, okay, I know they’re not really broken. It’s just a perception thing. They’re thugs, they’re outsiders. In other words, they’re not what society “says” is normal or politically correct, and they don’t care. It’s that aspect that makes them more addictive than crack.


At least for me. *grin*


But what do you think about bad boys? Do they make the private places between your thighs do funny things? Or do you avoid them at all costs? Smutty minds want to know. :-)

Later, lovelies!
~Brandi

Blurb:
To find happiness, she must do something she swore she’d never do again.

Let a man control her.

After beating cancer, Vivian goes on a mission to cleanse her life. First on the list, kicking her cheating, controlling husband to the curb. Second, discovering the answer to a question that’s been haunting her. Is the love she harbors for Brock, her bad-boy brother-in-law, genuine or a chemotherapy-induced illusion?

Brock loves a woman he can’t have. His brother’s wife. To claim her would be a betrayal. He knows loving her is wrong but he can’t help it. So when circumstances bring them back together, he can no longer deny his forbidden attraction, and they unite in a fury of passion, lust—and bondage.

But Vivian isn’t prepared for Brock’s BDSM lifestyle, no matter how sexy he looks with his tats and leathers. After ten years with a controlling husband, submission is terrifying—but so is never being with Brock again. Submission or freedom? No matter which she chooses, her life will change forever.


Excerpt:
He spun toward Viv’s voice. She still wore the same dress she had when she’d first walked back into his life, but now, her appearance had a different allure to it. She no longer looked sleek and stylish—she looked used and owned. Barefoot, her dress showing off wrinkles from being in a pile on the floor, her hair a wild mess from his hands, his bed, his pillows, she looked like a woman who had been well, well-loved. It’d be a hard-on-inducing sight if it wasn’t for the uncertainty scrunching her beautiful face.

He wanted to yank her into his arms and kiss her until that uncertainty evaporated. Wanted to throw her into his bed and stroke deep into her sweet body until she couldn’t think of anything else, but only once he came clean. He owed her nothing less.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He turned back to the desserts. Maybe after a sugar rush he’d be able to come up with the right words. “I was just wondering if I wanted to add some syrup to our ice cream. What do you think?”

She didn’t answer, but he knew she was still there. He’d heard no footsteps, nothing to indicate she’d moved in the slightest. “I think you need to tell me the truth. Why do you really want to slow things down? And don’t you dare think about lying to me.”

Christ. He wasn’t fucking ready for this conversation. He was still formulating his strategy. “Well, considering your upcoming divorce and the fact the man you’re leaving is my older brother, I just think it would be best—”

“Bullshit.” In a flash, she crossed the room then yanked on the sleeve of his t-shirt until they stood face-to-face. “You and I are fantastic together. You can’t honestly tell me you really want to pull the brakes on what we had…what we could have.”

No, he didn’t want to slow things down. “It’s…complicated, Viv,” he finally said.

“Then uncomplicate it.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Bull. Shit.” She stepped into him until they were toe-to-toe.

The soft aroma of vanilla and sex teased his senses, and despite his good intentions, lust rocketed straight to his groin. His cock lengthened, hardened in a matter of nanoseconds. His hands fisted at his side and it took all his strength to keep from grabbing her and throwing her down on the kitchen table and pushing deep into her pussy until he created enough heat to bind reality and fantasy together.

Viv continued, whispering a line that threatened to completely and utterly do him in. “I’m gonna get the truth out of you, Brock, even if I have to chain myself to your side.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to say around me, sweetheart.”

Tempted? Yeah, me too! Where to buy:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Ellora's Cave

Olympic opening ceremony

So...who watched it and what did you think? It's very British, that's for sure! And other than the dancing through the ages I could have done without and didn't think added to the cultural significance of Britain, I loved it.

My favorite is the Parade of Nations, and I completely blame NBC for starting the broadcast at 8 pm when it was hours long. I missed the lighting of the torch! But I have to say, the Brits put on quite the show.

What did you think?

Currently streaming from nbcolympics and loving it!

Dana Littlejohn, Recipes, and a new release!

Today I'd like to welcome Dana Littlejohn and her new release, To Have and To Hold. Dana will be awarding five prizes, one randomly chosen commenter at each tour stop will win a prize. All are promo items displaying a different Dana Littlejohn design: 2- t-shirts (size XL), 1 coffee mug, 1 ink pen (black ink) and 1 baseball style hat.

Want a chance to win? Want more than one chance? Comment! And follow her tour.

Hello Everyone!
First I want to thank Kristabel for having me. Kristabel asked me to share some recipes that I love. As I built my character, Andrea Cooper, I decided I wanted her to like cooking. Since she and her husband are empty-nesters I thought it might be fun for her to cook with known aphrodisiac foods to keep her husband interested. I hit the internet and cookbooks to do my homework. I learned that some foods have a direct impact on your sex life. They arouse because they are psychologically suggestive or actually increase blood flow to the genitals, affect your hormones and brain chemistry.

I found a few recipes that were chock full of these foods. They are now a part of my usual repertoire and I would like to share them with you. :)

Dana, the very fact that you did all this research for a book is fabulous! I love that. And thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your finds. And we all know how I love my cooking!

Garlic is full of allicin, an ingredient that will increase blood flow.
Basil not only makes the meals smell and taste better, but it also very stimulating.
Maybe this explains why Italians are known for being so romantic!

Italian sausage pasta
1 pound Italian sausage links
1/2 pound pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can canned tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) can canned tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf

Directions

• Removed casing from sausage links and cut into 1/2 inch slices. In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes; remove and set aside.


• In a large skillet, heat ground beef, olive oil, garlic and onion over medium heat until meat is nicely browned; drain.


• Pour in tomatoes and tomato sauce; mix in salt, ground black pepper, basil, oregano, bay leaf and cooked sausage. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.


• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.


• Mix cooked sauce with hot pasta and remove bay leaf from sauce before serving.

Oysters are high zinc content which helps produce sperm and increases libido. Most people are aware of their reputation for increasing sexual desire thus sealing their fate as being a powerful aphrodisiac. Add a glass of champagne for a romantic meal appetizer!

Oysters Rockefeller
· 2 slices bacon
· 24 unopened, fresh, live medium oysters
· 1 1/2 cups cooked spinach
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups kosher salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.


• Drain, crumble and set aside.


• Clean oysters and place in a large stockpot.


• Pour in enough water to cover oysters; bring the water and oysters to a boil.


• Remove from heat and drain and cool oysters.


• When cooled break the top shell off of each oyster.


• Using a food processor, chop the bacon, spinach, bread crumbs, green onions, and parsley.


• Add the salt, hot sauce, olive oil and anise-flavored liqueur and process until finely chopped but not pureed, about 10 seconds.


• Arrange the oysters in their half shells on a pan with kosher salt.


• Spoon some of the spinach mixture on each oyster.


• Bake 10 minutes until cooked through, then change the oven's setting to broil and broil until browned on top.


• Serve hot.
  

I couldn’t let you go without a recipe for something chocolate. As a self proclaimed chocoholic, I am fully aware of its benefits. Pure chocolate, the king of natural aphrodisiacs, contains a host of compounds including anandamide, the psyochoactive feel-good chemical, and PEA (phenylethylamine), the "love chemical," which releases dopamine in the pleasure centers of the brain and peaks during orgasm. PEA is said to help induce feelings of excitement, attraction and euphoria.

Chocolate Covered Cherries
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet dark chocolate, chopped
24 Bing cherries with stems

Directions

• Pour the sugar into a shallow dish.


• Drop two drops of vanilla at a time into the dish in 24 separate places to form lumps of vanilla sugar.


• Set aside to allow the lumps to harden.


• Pit the cherries carefully from the bottom. I use a small curved dental tool. Make sure the stem stays intact.


• When the lumps of sugar have hardened, insert them into the cherries where the pits were; set aside.


• Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.


• Hold cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate leaving the very top uncovered. Set on waxed paper to dry.


• Refrigerate overnight to allow the sugar lumps to dissolve.

BLURB:

Christian and Andrea Cooper had made many plans on what they would do when their children were finally out of the house. Now that they were gone their plans had hit a snag. Christian had the chance to start his own company and promised to put their plans in motion as soon as it was off the ground.

Andrea agreed to those terms, but she had no idea how lonely and neglected she would feel while she waited. On a trip to the city in search of something to do she ran into Raymond Reyes, her first love. Reminiscing with Ray brought back a flood of emotions that she found difficult to ignore. Did she make the right decision by marrying Christian after all? Could Ray convince her that this was their second chance and they were meant to be together?
Excerpt:

“Ray, Regina said she could tell that you were attracted to me.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry Andrea, but I am attracted to you. Of course I’m not rying to be all obvious, but how can I deny the attraction? You are beautiful, intelligent and a truly nice person, you always have been.

“Ray—“

He grabbed her arm and stopped walking. “What would you have me do, Andrea? Do you want me to treat you badly just to hide how I really feel?”

“No, Ray, I don’t want you to do that.”

“Good, because I wasn’t going to. Look, I can’t help the way I feel about you. The moment I held you in my arms again it was like the years just melted away for me. Leaving you was the biggest mistake I ever made and I have been kicking myself for it for the last twenty years.” He dropped her arm and his shoulders slumped. I know you have a different life now and it doesn’t include me like it used to. I will respect the fact that you are married, I just want to be a part of your life…even as just a friend.”

Her heart tightened at the pained look in his eyes, those beautiful brown pools that still shined with the love he has for her.

“Of course, Ray. There will always be a place for you in my heart.”

She pulled him into a hug and together they continued to her car.

Where to buy:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Red Rose Publishing

About Dana:

Dana Littlejohn was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, but has called Indianapolis, IN her home for over ten years. She works a nine to five at a nearby doctor's office while she pursues her dream of writing. Her writing to-do list grows daily. Stop by Dana's website to see what she's doing next . It's a ride you will not soon forget!

Website: http://www.danalittlejohn.net/
Blog: http://www.authordanlittlejohn.blogspot.com/ , http://www.trysomethingnewwithme.blogspot.com/
Facebook @ liljohndana
Twitter @ authordanalittlejoh

Lindsay Below and her character Amy Somers

Please welcome Amy Somers from the new release, Beauty in His Bed by L.K. Below. I had a couple questions for Amy, and she was kind enough to answer them.

1. Adele-phenomenal voice, beautiful woman with great hair, plus-size body. People make stupid comments about this: Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld comes to mind with his comment immediately after Adele snagged 6 Grammys. It went something along the lines of how her weight affected his view of her. Adele didn't seem to care (good for her!) Why do you think people care? Is this a perspective you've often encountered? Does it affect your view of yourself?

Amy Somers: I've met people who care. A lot. I try not to let it bother me, but it's hard sometimes. Especially when you start comparing yourself against some of your friends. My cousin Colleen is stick-thin and my best friend Hannah is petite but curvy. They never make me feel bad on purpose. Most of the time, I'm happy the way that I am, but sometimes I just can't help but compare, especially when I see some of the gorgeous guys Hannah brings home. I never really realized how much I think about my weight without meaning to until I met Seb. I blame the media, slimming down natural stars on magazine covers and making us think we're supposed to look like toothpicks. But Seb makes me feel like I belong on those covers just the way I am... and you know what? I agree with him.As for why people care, who knows? It's really none of their business.

2. Favorite thing to do? Least favorite?

Amy Somers: One of my passions is sewing. I love to make new creations and have been doing it since high school. In fact, I make all my own lingerie. When it comes to plus-sized lingerie, there just isn't a lot of selection. Browsing lingerie stores is one of my least favorite things to do because of that. I see so many gorgeous pieces, but none of them fit.


3. Name 3 things on your Bucket list.

Amy Somers: 1) Turn my lingerie making into a viable business. 2) Visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras 3) Get married in a huge cathedral wearing a princess-like dress.


4.Top romantic outing/destination

Amy Somers: I used to think that the most romantic thing was a candlelit dinner, wine, the works. But that was before I met Seb. He can turn my plain old living room into the most romantic place in the world just with a few candles and some strewn rose petals. Home really is where the heart is -- and spending time with the man I love is all that matters.Do you want to learn more about my romance with Seb? Visit http://bit.ly/BeautyInHisBed.

About the Author:

L.K. Below indulges her love of fairy tales a bit in each of her books. From scornful first meetings to heated encounters, she believes that every character deserves a happily-ever-after. The Modern Fairytales series embodies that ideal even more, each centering around a fun, flirty fairy-tale-turned-reality for the inner princess. Visit her online at http://www.lbelow.net/.


BLURB:

Upon finding a gorgeous woman in his bed, Seb wakes her with a wicked kiss…and it just might lead to forever.

Devastated by a breakup, plus-sized Amy Somers retreats to New Orleans to visit her longtime friend. But when her friend delivers the key to her apartment and sends Amy on ahead, she doesn’t realize that the apartment belongs to someone else.

Upon coming home to find Amy asleep on his bed, Sebastien Babineaux entertains lusty thoughts. Bent on seducing her, he never expects to lose his heart -- or to work so hard to keep Amy by his side.


EXCERPT:

Damn.

Seb propped his shoulder against the door frame to keep from falling to his knees at the sight of the woman lying half-naked on his bed. Was he drooling? Faced with a sight as delectable as her, he didn’t know how his jaw wasn’t lying on the floor.

If only she’d been conscious.

His hands tingled with the urge to strip off the rest of her clothes. After the dry spell he’d been having, he would have considered himself delusional to be handed such a feast. That is, if Monique hadn’t warned him that she’d sent her friend over. Seb needed no help charming women, but with a beauty like the one sprawled out before him, how could he turn her away?

This woman--Amy, he’d been told was her name--had been crafted to fulfill his every fantasy. She lay oblivious to his presence. Her blue baby doll clung to her large breasts, revealing miles of unconquered terrain. Her auburn hair draped over her chin and part of her plump mouth. One hand was tucked beneath her cheek; the other rested between her lush bare thighs. With her legs curled, he couldn’t tell how tall she would be, but one thing he was certain: before him lay a woman who he wouldn’t have to worry about crushing with his six-foot-tall frame. And one he shortly hoped to know very well.

One question held him rooted in place while his hormones urged him to join her.

Why would a goddess like her be lying half-dressed on his bed?

Amazon
BN

Release: Star Crossed by Kele Moon

Star Crossed by Kele Moon

BLURB:

Heavyweight UFC fighter, Romeo Wellings comes from the hard streets of New York where his family ties to the mafia cause him nothing but pain. His life takes a surprising detour when he crosses paths with the twin sister of his long time enemy. After a steamy one-night stand, he faces the fight of his life, but it’s not in the cage. The secret relationship that blooms between Romeo and his real life Juliet has him battling his family and a dark past rather than let her go.

The only lawyer in her hometown of Garnet, Jules Conner is also a volunteer Sheriff’s deputy and co-owner of a successful MMA training center. Strong and dependable, Jules is always there for those who need her. Until one forbidden night in Las Vegas with Romeo leaves her feeling so alive she can’t stop reaching out to the sexy, bad boy of MMA, even knowing the forbidden love affair could jeopardize everything.

As the tide rises against them and the people they love work at keeping them apart, Romeo and Jules hold onto a dream for a better life together and vow to go down fighting rather than accept a tragic ending.

Excerpt:

Jules reached into her purse to pull out a business card and an expensive gold pen. She laughed to herself, shaking her head as she wrote on the back of the card. “If you would’ve told me yesterday I’d be buying Romeo Wellings dinner, I’d have called you crazy. Things change faster than I can keep up with sometimes.”

Romeo had to agree. The very last thing he expected to be doing on his remaining night in Las Vegas was having dinner with Wyatt Conner’s sister. He’d spent a good deal of time hating the bastard. The irony wasn’t lost on him, and his smile was wide as he took Jules’s card when she offered it. He stared at her cell number on the back.

“I’m not your enemy.” Romeo lifted his gaze to hers and studied her beautiful face under the bright Nevada sun. “Juliet.”

She gasped in surprise, her eyes growing wide. “I don’t—” She floundered. Her cheeks flushed pink as she narrowed icy eyes at him. “How?”

“That’s what Jules is short for, isn’t it?” he asked simply, refusing to look away. “Juliet.”

“I go by Jules,” she said rather than rise to the bait. For a brief moment it looked like she might reach over and snatch the card back. Her guard was obviously up, but instead of lashing out and rescinding the offer, she looked to his left hand that was wrapped in a white gauze bandage and sighed in defeat. “I’ll see ya at eight, Wellings.”

“I go by Romeo.”

“Fine.” Jules took a deep breath, her cheeks more flushed than ever. “Then eight o’clock, Romeo.”

He did it then, took one long, hard look of Jules Conner standing there in formfitting jeans that clung to her long legs like a second skin. It took everything he had not to adjust himself, because eyeing her made his jeans tighter than usual.

Romeo gave her a devious smile. With a voice low and husky with anticipation, he said, “I’ll look forward to it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Kele:

A freckle-faced redhead born and raised in Hawaii, Kele Moon has always been a bit of a sore thumb and has come to enjoy the novelty of it. She thrives on pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her story telling. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love, there are no rules and true love knows no bounds.

So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Email: kelemoon@me.com
Website: http://www.kelemoon.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kele_Moon
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelemoon

All Romance
Amazon

Olympics!

Anyone else excited for the 2012 Summer Olympics? I've got my schedule and the site for streaming so am ready to go. I don't like the traditional games, for instance I won't watch the track or the gymnastics.

I like the off-the-beaten-track games like the modern pentathlon and fencing. (Just wait until the Winter Olympics! My favorite there? Curling *G*)

What's your favorite Olympic sport?

Guest: K D Grace

Landscape and Inspiration
By K D Grace

Thanks for having me on your fabulous site, Kristabel. It’s a pleasure to be here.

I’ve never written anything in which the setting was as important as it is with Body Temperature and Rising and the Lakeland Heatwave Trilogy, nor have I ever written anything in which the plot and the characters fit the location so perfectly.

I’ve set the Lakeland Heatwave Trilogy in the English Lake District, which is one of my favourite places on the planet. The landscape itself offered me inspiration for everything from hot sex al fresco, to cave sex, to abandoned slate mines to creepy magical places for demon encounters, to glorious spring days with hawthorn in bloom and black birds in full song. And everything in between.

In the opening scene of Body Temperature and Rising, my heroine, Marie Warren, goes out for a nice sunny walk on the fells of Maiden Moor and High Spy, but gets caught in an unexpected mist and, in the process, has a magical sexual encounter that changes her life forever and brings her to the attention of a very nasty demon. The inspiration for that scene came from a walk my husband and I did on those same fells above Keswick and Derwent Water several years ago. We weren’t far from civilisation, and there was very little chance of us actually getting lost. And yet when the mist came down and we could no longer see the path in front of us, it was the easiest thing in the world for imagination to run wild. And it was certainly easy to see how someone could get lost and come to serious harm or serious magic. That experience stuck with me and influenced a great deal of the magic and the atmosphere of BTR.

Before I go any further, I’d like to clarify for my American readers just what a fell is, since there seems to be a bit of a language barrier, and some people have thought that the fells are woodlands. A fell is an upland stretch of open countryside, a moor or a barren or stony hill. And the fells in the Lake Distrit are formidable. They include Scafell Pike the highest mountain in England! The word comes from Middle English and Old Norse and means mountain or hill. There! Language barrier crossed!

Completely different from the glorious ridge walking of Maiden Moor and High Spy is Raven Crag. I don’t know how many walks I’ve done in the Lake District, but I’ve climbed at least a hundred fells, and Raven Crag is the first and only fell that I found truly creepy. The ascent up Raven Crag is gentle, and yet it feels heavy and thick, almost like one has stepped into another dimension. It’s a walk through dense dark evergreen forest, made treacherous by masses of thick gnarled tree roots, exposed above ground. When we made our ascent several of us took spills because the roots were slick from rain.

A little way from the top there’s a place where the trees give way to high grass and bog, which rises to a hill with earthworks where there used to be an Iron Age fort, though nothing is left now but the view of the beck running below. The bog, the dark thick forest, the mist that seems always to be just waiting to descend made the whole walk seem other-worldly and silent. The thing about Raven Crag is that it doesn’t feel like a crag at all. It’s too claustrophobic, too tight-fitting. It’s an easy ascent, not steep, and there’s no scrambling. However there’s only one way up, unless you’re a climber. At the top of the fell, the trees open up onto a precipitous cliff. Though it’s frequented by rock climbers, it’s also a suicide spot. Voila! I had the perfect location for sinister paranormal activity.

It was the inspiration of such a rich and varied landscape that made the Lakeland Heatwave trilogy come alive in my imagination and made the magic seem so believable that I almost expected to read in one of Alfred Wainwright’s definitive guide books about the Lakeland Fells that he’d had a chance encounter on Maiden Moor with a mysterious man in a vintage black suit.

Blurb:
American transplant to the Lake District, Marie Warren didn’t know she could unleash demons and enflesh ghosts until a voyeuristic encounter on the fells ends in sex with the charming ghost, Anderson, and night visits from a demon.

To help her cope with her embarrassing and dangerous new abilities, Anderson brings her to the Elementals, a coven of witches who practice rare sex magic that temporarily allows needy ghosts access to the pleasures of the flesh.

Deacon, the demon Marie has unleashed, holds an ancient grudge against Tara Stone, coven high priestess, and will stop at nothing to destroy all she holds dear. Marie and her landlord, the reluctant young farmer, Tim Meriwether, are at the top of his list. Marie and Tim must learn to wield coven magic and the numinous power of their lust to stop Deacon’s bloody rampage before the coven is torn apart and more innocent people die.
More info and excerpt

Amazon UK
Amazon US
All Romance eBooks
Barnes & Noble
eBook Eros
Xcite Books

About the Author:
K D Grace was born with a writing obsession. It got worse once she actually learned HOW to write. There's no treatment for it. It's progressive and chronic and quite often interferes with normal, everyday functioning. She might actually be concerned if it wasn't so damned much fun most of the time.

K D's critically acclaimed erotic romance novels, The Initiation of Ms Holly, The Pet Shop and Lakeland Heatwave Book 1: Body Temperature and Rising are published by Xcite Books and are available from all good paperback and eBook retailers.

Her erotica has been published with Xcite Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Harper Collins Mischief Books, Black Lace, Erotic Review, Ravenous Romance, Sweetmeats Press and Scarlet Magazine.

Find out more about K D Grace on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Guest Nara Malone and Blind Heat!

Four Miles to Enlightenment

Running is my second passion.

It wasn't something I planned out, or had even mentally committed myself to. I had clipped a notice from the paper about a women's running program that promised to teach non-athletes to run four miles -- and love it -- by the end of the summer.

Now I was never the athletic type. When we ran laps in gym class I wasn't just at the back of the group, they could lap me twice. I wasn’t just a lousy runner, with the exception of horseback riding, I never found a sport I was good at.

So, I didn't launch into running with the idea that I would win races. Quite the opposite, I started running as an anti-perfectionism project. Becoming a perfect runner was not an option, so this was one project that couldn't go from being about journey to being about product. I would reach that four-mile goal. One step at a time. One week at a time. All that mattered was that I finish what I started.

I did finish, but I was wrong about one thing-- product did wind up mattering. In training to run 4, then 6, then 10, then 13, then 26 miles, I discovered a product that wasn't about medals or trophies. I was the product, and the new me that came out of all those miles was an improved version.

On my office wall I have two bulletin boards displaying the record of every major event in my running. I look at them now and see evidence of a journey that has had monumental impact on my life and I wonder if the accumulation of words in this fiction blogging journey will change my life as much. It has been twelve years since I ran my first race. It has been two years since I had my first book published. Will I look back in ten years through the eyes of a new and improved me? Will the scrapbook of the writing journey record as many milestones? I hope so.

Tell me about your passions? Do you have a hobby that has changed your life?

Blurb:

Allie is determined to build an ordinary life. To survive, she needs to be the sort of woman no one notices. She has a generic job, lives in a generic apartment, and thinks maybe one day she’ll find an ordinary Joe who wants an average Jane sort of woman.

Marcus is anything but an ordinary Joe. Even if humans don’t know he’s a shifter and millennial being, he’s the sort of man women notice. A night of passion spent with Marcus is a night any female, human or Pantherian, won’t forget.

But Allie does forget. She repeatedly fails to recognize him even after an intense sexual encounter. Marcus discovers the source of her problem—face blindness, a genetic disorder with no cure. And he decides to use erotic rituals to teach her to see with more than her eyes. What he doesn’t count on is Allie seeing past the man—and recognizing the beast within.

Excerpt:

He stood just a few feet away, sheltered by a gnarled oak, right where the bridge crossed the creek and led to a picnic area. He appeared to be waiting just for her. But it had to be a mistake. There was no one, had never been anyone, who was just for her. This silver-eyed, dark-haired stranger held himself like an exotic prince, waiting for a princess maybe—definitely not for Allie the ad writer.

He smiled and it was like a sunrise breaking through her gloom. His gaze traveled her body, reigniting the fire she’d been trying to drown. The journey stopped right at her bellybutton where it peeked between the edge of her shorts and the top of the tee that didn’t quite cover her there.

Her eyes fixed on his shirt again. She could feel its heat beckoning like hot coals in a fire, inviting her to warm her hands. She could taste that color, a burn like Red Hots melting on her tongue. She swallowed. The sensation in her head rose to a humming, nudging her to go to him, to lose herself in that bold stare. She put her fingertips to the spot again, wondering if she might be having some sort of breakdown. His eyes sparked with pleasure at the reaction, but his tone was serious when he spoke.

“You have two choices, sweetheart, you can turn around and run back the way you came and I won’t try to stop you. Or you can come to me, reach for the mystery, have what you are aching for.”

If he had struck a match to her, he couldn’t have lit her any faster.

“But if you come to me, I’m not going to stop at a kiss. I’m not going to stop at all until it pleases me.”

This was not a morning to face down temptation. If only he felt like a stranger, then she might have a chance, but he felt so familiar, like coming home. Common sense told her to run. Security lay in the other direction, returning to flatline dull days lining up one after the other. What price would she pay to feel alive, live dangerously for a few minutes? There was no one here to take him from her. No one to stop her from exploring the forbidden, not this time. One taste and she’d drop back into her role as a polite, conservative wallflower. It was a dangerous choice. All the more reason.

Where to buy:

All Romance

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Ellora's Cave

About Nara:

Like the heroine, Allie, in Blind Heat, Nara is face blind and lived with the condition not knowing there was a medical explanation for her inability to remember faces. It’s a rare and only recently publicized condition. She hopes Blind Heat will help get the word out about face blindness.

Nara lives on a small farm in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. When she's not writing, she loves to run, hike, bike, and kayak. Every story she tells incorporates her love of animals, nature, and adventure.

Blogs:

Author blog

Blog containing interactive content for her books from two series that include Therian shapeshifters Patherian Passions, and Passions Portal.

Interactive website for Shadowling Manor , the setting for the multi-author paranormal series.

Contact:
@Nara_malone on Twitter
Nara.malone on Facebook
The interactive world Nara built for Blind Heat.

Wednesday Regency: Bastille Day

July 14, 1789...the day it all started. Or at least the day we consider the official start to the French Revolution. But what happened? What made it so memorable?

If a mob stormed a seemingly impenetrable medieval fortress and freed all the prisoners (some justly, some unjustly like political prisoners and those waiting years for trial were imprisoned there) you'd remember it, too.

Especially if you are French and consider the Bastille the pinnacle sign of tyranny and oppression.

It's like America's Fourth of July, but without the reading the The Declaration of Independence and more bloodshed.

La fête nationale was officially declared a holiday in 1880, and Vive le 14 juillet! (“Long live the 14th of July!”) is often shouted.

The Escape: A Hellfire Club Erotique...Gabrielle Bertrand believed the men she loved had been beheaded during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Now promised in marriage to a general of the revolution, she still fears for her life and has resigned herself to the union.

The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique...Olivia Reynard must leave Paris tonight. It's the height of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror and as a nobleman's daughter, she knows it's a matter of time before she's sent to the guillotine. Fleeing to the notorious Hellfire Club, she soon finds a world of sexual pleasure she's never imagined.

Finishing a story (Weekly Goals)

I am done. Yes I am. I am finished with The Devils' Pawn: A Hellfire Club Erotique and am very, very happy with the product! OK, there's still that final step of editing it, then sending it off for edits, but that's minor compared to being done!

This is my first completely m/m story and I have to say I'm glad I did it. I know there are people who aren't into that, and that's fine with me, to each their own. But I love this story--there's sex (obviously) and romance, and a true building of a relationship. It was hard doing that with 2 men, I'm not sure why but I had to really work at it, but in the end, love is love.

Hellfire Club Erotique series

The Devil's Pawn: A Hellfire Club Erotique:
Half-Turkish merchant, Malik Trent, has joined the Hellfire Club to foster trading contacts. The fact that the Hellfire Club is London’s most notorious sex club has its own allure. However, when he spots Graham Rawley he doesn’t bargain for the appeal of the other man.

Graham has his own problems, but has fatalistically accepted them. He’s going to enjoy his last days on Earth, and is using the Hellfire Club to do it. But when Trent learns what devil is after Graham, he refuses to let his lover accept his fate.

As they follow the trail of death and deceit surrounding Graham, they learn all the secrets certain members of the Hellfire Club have fought—and killed—to keep hidden. Trent won’t allow Graham to be the next to die, but will he be the target instead?

For this week's recipe, I'd like to thank Amy of Amy's Sensational Summer Salad for this recipe. That and my absolute abhorrence to making anything this week that required thinking and cooking.

Prep Time:20 Min
Cook Time:10 Min
Ready In:1 Hr 30 Min
Yield 6 servings

Ingredients
3 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 avocado, diced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette, or to taste

Directions

1. Place the chicken breasts and Italian dressing into a resealable plastic bag.


2. Mix together to coat the chicken with the dressing, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.


3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.


4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.


5. Grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center, or to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 3 minutes per side.


6. Set aside to cool while preparing the ingredients for salad, then dice.


7. Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl until well coated; drain and discard any excess lemon juice.


8. Place the lettuce into the mixing bowl, then sprinkle with the diced chicken, avocado, feta cheese, strawberries, and cranberries.


9. Gently toss the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 496 Total Fat: 31.4g Cholesterol: 65mg

Release: Lisabet Sarai's Quarantine

Quarantine by Lisabet Sarai

When love is forbidden, the whole world's a prison.

Dylan Moore will do anything for freedom. Seven years ago, a gay plague spread to heterosexuals, killing millions and sparking brutal anti-gay riots. The Guardians rounded up men who tested positive for the homogene and imprisoned them in remote quarantine centres like desolate Camp Malheur. Since then, Dylan has hacked the camp's security systems and hoarded spare bits of electronics, seeking some way to escape. He has concluded the human guards are the only weakness in the facility's defences.

Camp guard Rafe Cowell is H-negative. He figures the lust he feels watching prisoner 3218 masturbate on the surveillance cameras must be due to his loneliness and isolation. When he finally meets the young queer, he discovers that Dylan is brilliant, brave, sexy as hell – and claims to be in love with Rafe. Despite his qualms, Rafe finds he can't resist the other man's charm. By the time Dylan asks for his help in escaping, Rafe cares too much for Dylan to refuse.

Dylan's plan goes awry and Rafe comes to his rescue. Soon they're both fugitives, fleeing from militant survivalists, murderous androids, homophobic ideologues and a powerful man who wants Dylan as his sexual toy. Hiding in the Plague-ravaged city of Sanfran, Dylan and Rafe learn there's far more than their own safety at stake. Can they help prevent the deaths of millions more people? And can Rafe trust the love of a man who deliberately seduced him in order to escape from quarantine?

Excerpt:
“You’re a horny little perv.” Rafe almost laughed at Dylan’s unquenchable eagerness for his body.

“It’s your fault. I don’t know how I survived before we got together―”

“We’re not ‘together’.” Rafe broke out of Dylan’s embrace and sat up, his arms around his knees. “We can’t keep doing this. Someone is going to figure things out before long.”

“Nobody will figure it out―”

“Don’t be so cocky. Yeah, I know you’re a genius, but do you really think you can fool the Guardians forever? One of these days you’ll make a mistake. I’ll end up in jail, and you… Well, the penalty for infecting someone with the Plague is death.”

“You’re not infected and you know it.”

“I could be. I wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and wonder if I’m going to die, just because I couldn’t keep my cock in my pants. What an asshole I am, risking my life for a fuck!”

“Is that really all I am to you?” Dylan’s customary expression of brash self-confidence melted into a pained frown. “Because you’re much more than that to me…”

Rafe heard the sob Dylan tried to suppress. Guilt tore a hole in his chest. He rose and began pacing barefoot across the concrete warehouse floor. “No,” he murmured finally, coming to a halt in front of Dylan. “That’s the worst of it. I care what happens to you―a fucking little fag who’s going to spend the rest of his life locked away for the good of society.”

“If you really care…” Dylan scooted over and sat on the edge of the pile of bags, his shapely legs dangling. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“What? What way?”

“Help me, Rafe. Help me get out of this place.”

Rafe snorted. “Get out? Are you crazy? No one can get out of here!”

“I can,” said Dylan, with a hint of a smile. “With your assistance, that is. I have a plan.”

“It would be suicide for me.” Rafe crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at the ginger-haired young man. The boy’s eyes were full of hope. “They’d lock me up and throw away the key.”

“No―I’ve got it all figured out. You won’t be blamed. And once I’m free, I’ll wait for you, Rafe.” Dylan’s face glowed.

“I’m stuck in this shit hole for another six months.” Rafe’s tone was harsh, but he couldn’t quench the flicker of excitement kindled by Dylan’s words.

“Six months is nothing compared to seven years. Once I make it to the city, I can disappear. When you arrive, we’ll find a way to be together. I believe we can make it, baby. You just need to believe it too.” Dylan reached out and pulled Rafe closer. He laid his head on Rafe’s chest. His fine hair tickled the guard’s naked skin.

Rafe buried his face in the nest of auburn waves, inhaling deeply. Dylan’s distinctive scent mingled with the yeasty odour of flour. The ache under his breastbone swelled to the point where it was hardly bearable. God, how he wanted this brave, brilliant guy, who was ready to risk everything for freedom! “How can you believe in anything, after what they’ve done to you?” he murmured finally, raising Dylan’s eyes to his.

“It’s you,” Dylan said. “It’s because I love you. Anything’s possible.” He tilted his chin up, offering his ripe mouth.

Like what you've read? Want to win some prizes? Join the Quarantine Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Quarantine, Lisabet is running a blog tour from the 10th through the 20th of July. She'll have a different excerpt at each stop. You can find the full schedule for the tour in her July newsletter: http://www.lisabetsarai.com/news.html

She is giving away an ebook to one commenter at each stop on the tour. She'll also be choosing one commenter from the entire tour to win the grand prize – a $50 All Romance Ebooks gift certificate. All comments at her own blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com) during the tour will also go into the drawing for the gift certificate.

About Lisabet

More than a decade ago, Lisabet Sarai experienced a serendipitous fusion of her love of writing and her fascination with sex. Since then she has published four single author short story collections and seven erotic novels, including the BDSM classic Raw Silk. Dozens of her shorter works have been released as ebooks and in print anthologies. She has also edited several acclaimed anthologies and is currently responsible for the altruistic erotica series COMING TOGETHER PRESENTS.

Lisabet holds more degrees than anyone needs from prestigious universities who would no doubt be embarrassed by her chosen genre. She loves to travel and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her highly tolerant husband and two cosmopolitan felines. For more information on Lisabet and her writing visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory (http://www.lisabetsarai.com) or her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com).

Book Buy Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=1725

Wednesday Regency: Astronomy

Despite very clear class delineations, if you're talented enough, you can still make a name for yourself. Jean-Louis Pons is one such man, who managed to rise from poverty to the only person to discover 37 comets. It's a record, should Guinness ever decide to make it a category!


Jean-Louis started as the janitor. Yup. Then The Directors of the Observatory of Marseilles gave him lessons in astronomy. He learned and quickly.


On July 11, 1801 he discovered his first comet.

From Scientific Itineraries in Tuscany:

For these achievements, he was named adjunct astronomer and later vice-director of the Observatory. In 1819, he was called to Lucca by Duchess Maria Luisa of Bourbon (1782-1824) to direct the Marlia Specola [Observatory]. In 1824, after the closure of the facility, Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany (1797-1870) appointed Pons director of the Observatory attached to the Museo di Fisica e Storia Naturale of Florence, where he remained until his death.

Release: Public Displays of Eroticism

Public Displays of Eroticism, featuring stories by Cassandra Carr, Jami Davenport and Cristal Ryder...

The secret fantasy, sex in a public place. One couple's sexual antics at a local park inspires four other couples to bare it all in the open air.

Back to Nature by Cassandra Carr
A sub and her Master play hooky to indulge their exhibitionism kink and unknowingly start an entire chain of events.

Hail Mari by Jami Davenport
Meeting Mari Simms for one night of hot sex each year for the past four years is no longer enough for Wyatt Bedford, a ten-year veteran of professional football. This time, he plans on telling her he wants more. While waiting for her in a park, he stumbles upon a sight that changes his game plan and takes their relationship to whole new level. Can Wyatt and Mari find love in the final quarter with the clock ticking?


Taking it Outside by Cristal Ryder
Val sets up an afternoon of play with long-time boyfriend Tyler at a secluded beach. After packing a goodie bag with playthings, she leaves a note for Tyler. While waiting for his arrival, through binoculars Val spots lovers on the distance shore, and when Tyler arrives, together they watch the couple. Voyeurism at its best. Turned on by watching the couple have sex, Val and Ty have their own public display of eroticism.

Taking their loving outside is a surprisingly erotic treat neither expected to enjoy as much as they do. But a bigger surprise awaits them, leaving them wondering if there is more to come.

A Whole New World by Cassandra Carr
After witnessing some dirty deeds in the woods, Miranda finds she has some kinks she didn't know about and discovers her boyfriend, Ross, is more than happy to help her explore them.


In the Open by Jami Davenport
Once a year, Jaid Angelini takes a break from her demanding career as a criminal defense attorney for a night of passion with young, hot pro-football player Alex Greeley. Despite misgivings about their age difference, Jaid desires a more permanent relationship and concocts a scheme to brand her name on his heart. After witnessing an exhibitionist couple in the park, her plan takes a turn toward the great outdoors. Will Alex and Jaid finally go for the long bomb or settle for minimum yardage?

Available from: http://www.sybariteseductions.com/

Excerpt from Back to Nature:
We make the short drive to the lake and park the car. Dmitri takes my hand as we stroll around the perimeter.

He soon pulls me out onto one of many scenic points overlooking the lake, and places me in front of him so we’re both facing the pristine, peaceful view. His erection nestles into my bottom as his hands steal underneath my shirt, kneading my breasts. Dmitri pulls the shirt up to expose me and I dart a quick glance around, wondering if the hikers at the other overlooks around the lake can see me. I lean my head back on his shoulder like I know he wants me to as he pinches and tweaks my nipples.

Turning me around, he grabs me and lifts me to his pelvis briefly before setting me back on my feet. He leans down and re-wets the front of my shirt as he sucks on my nipples again. I moan, grabbing Dmitri’s head. A twig snaps and I look around him to see another couple about fifty feet away. They avert their eyes and walk past the overlook. As the exhibitionist in me comes alive, I grin and Dmitri’s head moves to my other breast.

Available from: http://www.sybariteseductions.com/

*****
Where to find the authors:
Cassandra Carr: http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com/
Cristal Ryder: http://www.cristalryder.com/
Jami Davenport: http://www.jamidavenport.com/

Goals and Summer Reading

My writing goals this week are to get back into The Devil's Pawn and finish that sucker up. I want to move on to other stories. But then I always say that at about chapter 3...I know what the story is supposed to be like and think I should be able to twitch my nose and *poof!* the story is exactly what I want it to be.

But I also want to read. Isn't that what summer is for? For that I need suggestions. Fiction, romance, mystery, erotic, I don't care. I just need books! What are you currently reading?

Guest: Sara Brookes

Today I'd like to welcome Sara here! Her new ménage sounds fabulous! But then you all know I love ménages. Don't forget to comment, as Sara will be giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter.

Imagine yourself standing on your front porch enjoying an early spring evening. Dark, ominous-looking clouds churn on the horizon, the tops of the clouds rising as far as the eye can see. Lightning flashes vividly, sparking bright from the ground to the cluster of clouds. Suddenly, the blare of a siren can be heard in the distance, a signal something ominous is headed right for you. Familiar with the sound, you head straight for the storm shelter.

This would be most people’s reaction when they hear a tornado siren. Except for the characters in my newest release, Chasing Sin. They’re just crazy enough to head toward the building storm, frantically searching radar for the tell-tale hook echo indicative of rotation. They aren’t alone either—the three chasers have a group with them that are willing to jump behind the wheel and drive thousands of miles every day.

It’s funny, in a way, how what one person sees as terrifying there are individuals who find it utterly extraordinary. Chasing storms isn’t a fabricated hobby – real people do just what I’ve written about every single spring in the United States. Some of them have even dedicated their lives to this kind of research. To them, it’s perfectly natural to grab a camera and run toward those deadly spinning vortices. It actually made my research for Chasing Sin easy in that there is a hefty supply of information available freely.

Remember the movie Twister about a group of scientists who chase tornadoes around Tornado Alley in order to gain a better understanding of the storm to increase warning times? It’s real. And it’s still an ongoing research study that continues to this day. Increased warning times would be invaluable to those living in areas prone to tornadoes. The character in Chasing Sin are no exception. They just get caught up in a little bit of love and a lot of sex along the way. *g*

Chasing Sin
By
Sara Brookes

BLURB:
Every spring, Kate risks her life chasing violent storms. Tired of watching her take unnecessary chances, two of her closest friends offer a different thrill. Devoted lovers Snyder and Tripp don’t just share a passion for nature’s fury; they long to have the fearless woman between them.Though she is reluctant, she also knows the proposition is too irresistible to refuse.

Her acceptance leads to an explosive night of no-holes-barred sex for the threesome. However, when morning dawns, she realizes this type of unusual relationship isn’t one she belongs in.

Despite her best efforts to keep the men at arm’s length, Kate finds herself facing down the storm of the century with them at her side. With Mother Nature intruding, the trio discovers shelter in each other’s arms. With the hurricane raging outside and passion raging inside, everything is at stake.

EXCERPT:
“I spent so many summer’s baking to a crisp right on that very beach. It’s hard to let that kind of thing go.”

“A teenage Kate in a bikini. I would’ve liked to have seen that.”

“I wasn’t much. Pretty gangly as a kid. No boobs to speak of.”

Tripp scooted closer, wrapping his arms around her as he pulled her against him. “But yet you’ve blossomed into the gorgeous woman you are today.”

He felt so good against her. So right and someone she could get very used to getting lost in. It was dangerous to feel so comfortable here in his arms, but a few minutes couldn’t hurt, right?
She buried her nose in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of his soap that mixed with the sharp salt air from the water. “I don’t deserve you two.”

“Bullshit, you have every right to be with us.”

Those soft words were a weight in her chest, and despite the pain it caused, she pulled away from the warmth of his body. He muttered a protest as she hopped off the railing. She stopped after opening the door and glanced back over her shoulder.

He looked so damn handsome sitting there with the panoramic view of the beach spread out behind him. Disappointment darkened his gaze and she fought to find the courage necessary to walk away.

A gust of wind blew through the porch, whistling against the aging planks. The sound reminded her of the violent storm that had gotten her into this predicament in the first place.

Instead of courage, that reminder gave her the strength to do what she had to.

“I can’t, I’m sorry.”

Guest: Jean Hart Stewart

Thank for stopping by Jean, first tell us a little about yourself!

Love living in California, even though I’m a transplant. Love writing and all it entails, crazy characters demanding to be let loose on the page, long hours of research, every bit of it. I raised two children and spent about twenty years in real estate before I summoned the courage to quit and do what I always wanted to do, WRITE!

While he was alive my husband was my first-stop editor and biggest fan. Now that my children are accustomed to my writing sexy novels they’re equally supportive. I’m currently finishing my 24th book, tentatively named Double Pursuit and I have four books coming out this year. My Mage series is finished and I’ve started a new series where the new hero has Elfin blood. He’s fun, as well as tall, lithe and gifted. I think I’m blessed as well as lucky. Do write me with any questions. I love to hear from readers!


Would you believe he said this?

Or her, as the case may be.

I’ve been having fun lately with quotes about that elusive emotion, LOVE. I got intriqued by the subject, went to the web and found it filled with them. Far too many to even read, let alone quote.

Here’s a few of the better ones that made me laugh, or at least smile. A few of them did neither, but made me stop and think. That’s not bad, either.

“Love is a gross exaggeration of the difference between one person and everybody else.” George Bernard Shaw

“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.” William Shakespeare.

“Love is being stupid together.” Paul Valery

“Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.” Robert Frost

“Love is a game that two can play and both win.” Eva Gabor

“It’s useless to hold a person to anything he says while he’s in love, drunk, or running for office.” Shirley McLean

Would love to know which is your favorite. Best comment gets his or her pick of my backlist, which can be found at http://www.jeanhartstewart.com/. Be sure to let me know which you like. Me? I like Shirley McLean’s! Jean, I love, Shriley McLean's! How very true!

My latest Ellora’s Cave book is Fiery Pursuit. It’s book 24 for me, and 25 is being edited, 26 is being polished. I plan eight in this series about elves. It’s filled with sex and passion, and above all, love.

When Lars uses his Elfin power to rescue Sophie from a slave market in Constantinople he knows instantly she is meant to be his mate. But the murderer
of Sophie’s father still pursues her, and Lars must all his strength to try to save her. And convince Sophie he is what she wants.

The villain who sold her into slavery reappears and Lars needs all his Elfin strength. When his power mysteriously weakens, can Lars get it back? And will it be enough to save them both?

He heard a little sob and turned and held out his arms even as Sophie rushed to him. She’d pushed herself to her feet and watched as Lars rescued her once again.

“Lars, I’m so sorry. I’m nothing but trouble to you.”

She clung to him, molding her body against his as closely as she could. She was shaking and distraught, and Lars held her tightly even as he turned to check the guards were on their way.

Lars reveled in the feeling of Sophie’s body clinging to his. Nestling against him at first with fright, and then with a shuddering sigh. He raised her beloved face to see is she knew how she was inflaming him, and saw only naked desire. She attempted to press even closer and ran her hands up and down his body even as she lifted her face for his kiss. All thoughts of denying their mutual passion fled, as Lars swung her up in his arms and spotting a grassy glade strode toward it. She clutched him tighter and wiggled her body frantically against him.

“Yes, Lars. Oh yes please.”

If she’d thought for a hundred years she could not have uttered more inflammatory words.

Lars took off his coat, spread it on a mossy patch, and lowered her to it. He kissed her on her lips and then opening her blouse, nuzzled her perfect breasts. Her belly rose as she bucked against him and Lars groaned in passion and relief from anxiety. He’d been so long without her, and now she seemed to want him at least partly as much as he wanted her. But he wouldn’t grind into her as if she were nothing but a receptacle for his lust. She was his everything, the mate he’d despaired of finding. He was determined not to rush this wonderful joining.

He let his hands drift over her perfect body, molding first her breasts, then baring them as he drew her dress down to her waist. She was already writhing and more than ready for him to continue his skillful undressing. He pulled off her shoes and drew her riding outfit over her uplifted arms. She was clad only in her shift and he gloried in the fact she never wore stays. Independence or the knowledge she didn’t need them? Maybe some of both.

He quickly unbuttoned the flap of his trousers and drawers and let his cock spring free. He was far too gone in passion to do more.

He eased her legs apart with his knees, even as he resumed his wild caressing of her face and her heaving bare breasts. Suckling her nipples and caressing her hot cleft with heated and expert hands. She responded with an ardor delighting him, twining her legs around his waist and bucking her mound against him.

“Lars, please. I want you. Now.

jswriter@earthlink.net.

Twitter,Facebook and MySpace: jswriter
Ellora’s Cave, http://www.ellorascave.com/
PassioninPrint, http://www.passioninprint.com/
MuseitUp publishing at http://www.mustitup.com/
Blogging at http://www.romancebooksrus.com/ and http://www.sixsexyscribes.com/

PRIZE INFORMATION

Every stop, one commenter will receive a pick of any of my backlist at http://www.jeanhartstewart.com/ Prize for one commentator and blog host with the most comments: Pick of my books in print plus one desk of Ellora’s Cave playing cards.

Don’t forget, let me know your favorite quote!