Sarah Mäkelä's Blog, page 11

Winter Warmers Giveaway Hop

Hey everyone! I'm participating in the Winter Warmers Giveaway Hop hosted by Felicity Heaton and Indie Romance Books. Make sure to enter my international giveaway, an eBook copy of The Witch Who Cried Wolf.

I absolutely love winter. It's one of my favorite seasons. The idea of curling up by a fire and reading (or writing!) a good book with hot paranormal heroes just warms my insides. All I'd need is some snow, and the picture would be perfect.

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Red Velvet Christmas Blog Hop

Ribboned - Red Velvet Christmas, book 5
Megan Slayer

Ribbons aren’t just for decorating anymore.

Daria Elf never expected to be moved to the velvet ribbon department right before Christmas. She also never expected her boss to be the object of her wettest fantasies. Can she keep her cool, or will she end up on Raven's Naughty List?

Raven Elf has his sights set on Daria. He wants her for his department, his bed and bound in his thick velvet ribbons. He'll get his girl, but the hard part is convincing her that their connection is meant to last.

Buy now: http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2157
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ribboned-Velvet-Christmas-Megan-Slayer-ebook/dp/B00H2NAL6Q
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ribboned-megan-slayer/1117541754?ean=2940148909453
AllRomance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ribbonedredvelvetchristmas-1366175-147.html

Silly Q/A with Raven, the hero from Ribboned:

Pajamas or nude?
Nude all the way. Can't feel the one beside you if you've got clothes on.

Hairy chests or smooth?
A little hair never hurt, but not gorilla hairy. Oh...you meant my woman? Oh, I want her very smooth.

Vera's Christmas Wish (Red Velvet Christmas) Sarah Mäkelä...

Vera's Christmas Wish (Red Velvet Christmas)
Sarah Mäkelä

Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Hot Flashes, Erotic Romance
Theme(s): Christmas, Elves, Dragons & Magical Creatures
Series: Red Velvet Christmas (#6)

http://www.amazon.com/Veras-Christmas-Wish-Red-Velvet-ebook/dp/B00H2B6BFI
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vera-x2019-s-christmas-wish-sarah-makela/1117541797?ean=2940148909484
http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2158

Book Description:

Vera's back in Finland looking to find some Yuletide love with a sexy elf.

Vera Hayes had the most amazing Christmas ever a year ago. Now she's back in Finland hoping to find Pekka, her sexy Finnish elf, in hopes of creating new and delightful holiday memories. Not having any luck, she goes back to her cabin where a deranged goat man storms inside demanding food and drink.

On the run from the goat man, she stumbles across Pekka overseeing a huge herd of reindeer. He's glad to see her, even if he's more than a little amused at the trouble she always finds herself in.

Excerpt:

Vera Hayes couldn't believe she'd come back to Finland for the winter holidays, but ever since she'd left last year, she couldn't stop thinking about Pekka, the sexiest -- and only -- elf she'd ever met. Spending Christmas without him stirred loneliness within her. However, how did she expect to find him?

If only she'd thought things through before booking her trip. Right now, she didn't have a plan. Maybe her first stop should be Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle. It was a tourist attraction, but knowing that Santa was real, it would be an excellent ploy to hide in plain sight.

The only other thing that stood out to her was the fact Pekka had been around all those reindeer. Perhaps he tended Santa's herds -- not that the realization helped much. She didn't have any idea where to find them.

Vera tapped her foot on the woven rug, staring around the cabin. She'd rented it in the same area as last time, optimistic that she'd spot him nearby. Earlier in the day, she'd been walking around, but there was no way she'd stay out too long this time. While she wanted to meet Pekka again, she didn't want to repeat her previous mistake and succeed in getting frostbite or hypothermia.

At no time on her hike did she spot any reindeer, but she had worn sturdy winter clothes. Not feeling like her limbs were about to snap off had been pleasant. However, the paranoia hadn't faded. She was alone and in the wilds of Finland.

Vera slumped onto the leather sofa. She was running out of ideas and fast. The clock hanging on the wall read a little after noon. There was still time to investigate the Santa Claus Village, but why would an actual elf be there?

Laughter bubbled up her throat. "What am I thinking? Santa Claus? Geez... This is crazy." Her parents had ruined the allure of Christmas by the time she was seven, laughing at the fact she believed Santa existed. Her youthful enthusiasm for the holidays had been crushed, making it hard to get excited when that time of the year came around... until meeting Pekka last year.

Ever since, she'd been counting down the days, excitement coursing through her. Maybe her parents had been wrong. Maybe Santa did exist. She knew there were elves. Pekka had proven that much.

Driving to the tourist spot didn't take too long, but the snowy roads were treacherous, with pockets of ice everywhere. Her hands ached and her knuckles were pale white from gripping the steering wheel when she finally pulled into a parking spot.

With the release of a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Vera shook away the fear. It was over. Besides, she'd driven through worse.

People bustled around Santa Claus Village. Laughter and happiness radiated in their very demeanors -- then again, being here brought her a lot of joy too. The place was infectious. After forty-five minutes of searching, she'd visited all the shops and sights but none of them housed her sexy elf.

When she was done, she sat at a table in the restaurant with a cup of hot cocoa. Coming back to Finland in hopes of finding Pekka had to be one of the most insane things she'd ever done. What were the chances of her accomplishing her goal? Zip, zero, zilch.

Vera sipped the hot chocolate, enjoying the rich, delicious warmth. All around her were women with their smiling husbands and laughing kids. What did she have to show for her existence?

Certainly none of that.

Last year, her dreams of finding "The One" had nearly been achieved. She and her ex-fiance were going to live the perfect white picket fence life. Instead, he ended up breaking off their engagement before the holidays because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

Then again, if she was so focused on her love life, then why was she in Finland chasing after an elf who worked for Santa? The idea that their relationship would give her what she needed was ridiculous. But if he felt so right, did it matter?

Swallowing the last sip of her hot cocoa, she set her mug back down with a sigh. Perhaps she was just thinking too hard.

The Witch Who Cried Wolf is Now Available!

The Witch Who Cried Wolf
Sarah Mäkelä

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Kissa Press LLC
Date of Publication: December 2, 2013

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZ9CSHS
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-witch-who-cried-wolf-sarah-makela/1117527750?ean=2940148931034
Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-witch-who-cried-wolf

Book Description:

Be careful what you wish for…

A potion gone wrong: Mia Brooks is a reluctant witch, with powers that she tries to hold in check. But when her magic gets mixed up, supernatural forces are unleashed and suddenly she’s being pursued by werewolves—that she didn’t even realize existed…

Hidden emotions: Ethan Parker, Mia’s brother’s best friend, is home from deployment for the holidays. Mia’s not only hiding from werewolves, she’s trying to keep her feelings for Ethan secret; it would be a disaster if he knew she’s been nursing a long-time crush…

The power of love: Things take a terrifying turn when Mia and Ethan are attacked by a werewolf. Ethan is amazed when Mia reveals her paranormal prowess as she tries to shield them from danger. But can she really protect them from the darkness that lurks? And how can he tell her that, for ages, he’s been denying what he really wants? Mia...

Excerpt:

Jessa’s New Age shop—Eternally Magick—was empty. Usually, Jessa was around. But, right now, she wasn’t. I leaned against the front counter, resting my forehead against the cool glass. Athames, crystals, jewelry and really cute dragon statues were locked in the case beneath my fingertips. While I enjoyed hanging out at the shop and seeing what new potions were available, I wished Jessa had given me some kind of clue as to why she wanted me here. But she was my best friend and mentor; the reason had to be important, if for nothing else to spend much needed time together.

I glanced over my shoulder at the wall of ingredients lining the shelves, ripe for the picking. It had been a while since I’d made a new potion. Maybe if I could stock up on a few things...

“Not what you’re here for,” I whispered to myself. The urge to see what she had nearly drove me away from the counter, but I held myself in check.

Making potions was one of my hobbies. I loved the creativity and excitement that went into building something from nothing, and the brief connection with my power.

Tapping my fingers on the counter, I stared at the curtained-off backroom. Worry crept into my chest. Why wasn’t Jessa here? She never stood me up. This wasn’t like her.

“Jessa?” Usually she came right out when the bells on the door chimed. Biting my lower lip, I considered going into the back. Someone could steal things without her keeping an eye on the store.

“Coming,” Jessa called. The black-haired and blue-eyed beauty swept into the front of the store like a hurricane of flowing skirts. She always looked like she’d just come from a Renaissance faire.

I loved the way she dressed, but I knew that style would never be my thing. My parents would think I’d flipped my lid, and my older brother.... Shudder. Nolan would laugh at me, probably joking with his best friend—and my crush since forever—Ethan Parker.

“Where have you been? I was getting concerned.” Stepping around the counter, I wrapped my arms around her and she embraced me in a hug smelling of lavender and honey.

“Just in the back. I had to wrap up a call and I guess I didn’t hear you come in.” Jessa smiled, but something was up. She appeared a bit too eager to pretend everything was fine.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” I placed my hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting.

The door chimed, and we turned in unison toward the shop’s new arrival.

I blinked in surprise.

The man towered in the doorway, over six feet of pure muscle. If his shirt were a little tighter, I probably would’ve been able to see six-pack abs through it. What was he doing here?

He strode in as if he owned the place. There could be no doubt: ladies would drop their panties at his command. If I didn’t have a boyfriend.... Stop it, Mia!

“I’m looking for the owner,” the man said, his deep voice as smooth and sinful as his looks. Yet beneath his delicious exterior, something about him put me on edge. The hint of arrogance in his eyes and the sharp flare of power as he walked in the room were instant triggers. This guy wasn’t a mere mortal. He was something else, but I couldn’t put my finger on what. Aside from Jessa, I’d never met anyone else with this level of power.

Maybe I needed to get out more.

Jessa cleared her throat, as captivated by him as I was by the sound of it. “I’m the owner.” Her voice hit all the sultry tones and she swayed her shoulders. “Can I help you?” I wished I could pull her aside and tell her my feelings, but that would look way too awkward.

“We spoke over the phone. I’m interested in the potion.” He leaned his hip against the counter, standing only a couple feet away. Too close for comfort.

Since Jessa had business to take care of, I sidestepped toward the wall of ingredients, but Jessa grabbed my wrist, keeping me beside her. I cast her a dirty look, but she didn’t pay me any attention, focusing her gaze instead on Mr. Way-Too-Sexy.

“Right, I don’t have any of that in right now, but this woman makes some of the best healing salves I’ve seen.” Jessa nudged me forward, nearly throwing me into Mr. Sexy’s arms.

Glancing up his body to his eyes from so close strained my neck. My five-foot-six frame probably looked tiny beside him. An overwhelming sense of lust and intimidation washed over me.

“Hi.” I fought against a shiver.

Hot Halloween Heroes Giveaway Hop

Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by on the Hot Halloween Heroes Giveaway Hop run by Felicity Heaton and Indie Romance Books. My apologies for the post going up a little late.

Since the topic is Hot Halloween Heroes, I'm going to let myself have a fan girl moment. I absolutely love Karen Chance's Pritkin from the Cassie Palmer series. During the first book, I didn't really like him but with each book I've fallen more and more in love with him. That to me shows how fantastic his character arc is and something I've been able to recognize in other books where the heroes knock my socks off.

For my own books, I'd say that two of my favorite heroes is Connor O'Reilly from Skin Deep and Brennan O'Niall from Captivated. Connor has such a deep dedication and love for his heroine that I just fell head over heels for him immediately. Brennan, on the other hand, is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome with that spice of broodiness, but when he falls for his heroine, he's willing to lay down his life for her.

Who is your favorite paranormal hero?


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Saved by Moonlight Book Tour

Hello everybody! Next week the Saved by Moonlight Book Tour begins! We will be raffling off a free eBook copy of the new release Saved by Moonlight.


Here is the schedule:

August 28th/29th -- Just Paranormal Romance

August 29th -- For The Love of Reading

August 30th -- My Home Away From Home

August 31st -- Ex Libris

Sept 1st -- Bookworm Bridgette's World

Sept 3rd -- Katya Armock

Sept 4th -- Butterfly-o-Meter


I hope to see you guys out there on tour!

Need Blog Tour Stops for Saved by Moonlight

Hey everyone,

I'm setting up a blog tour for Saved by Moonlight, which releases at the end of the month. If you'd like to host me, I'd love to visit your site! Simply fill out the form below, and we'll get back to you soon.

Link to the form.

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New Release: Surrendered (Titania's Court)

Hello everyone! I'm thrilled to announce that my latest book is now available. This one takes you back into the world of faeries, elves, and the Seelie Court. It's a companion book to Captivated, but they do standalone.

In celebration of the release, Total-e-Bound is offering the chance to win 5 eBooks if you purchase one of the books in the Titania's Court collection! Just click on the banner above to get started.

Surrendered
Sarah Mäkelä
Genre: Fantasy & Fairytales/ Paranormal
Length: Novella
Page Count: 47
ISBN: 978-1-78184-376-5
Cover Artist: Posh Gosh
Release Date: 7/12

A mercenary who skirts light and dark must protect a reclusive Seelie noblewoman, but when they discover a common link, they must surrender…

Niamh McNamara has always been a little different from the rest of the Seelie Court. Their natural mirth and playfulness is something she has to force, so she won’t stand out much during the midsummer’s festivities. That becomes nearly impossible when an attempt is made on her life by a violent masked fae. Content with seclusion, she’s unhappy when the queen requests her back at court to meet her new bodyguard.

Doyle Kearney is mercenary who skirts the light and dark courts. Some think he’s Unseelie, while others are sure he’s Seelie. When Queen Titania brings him to protect a sullen noble, he almost refuses—he’s a warrior, not a bodyguard—until he sees Niamh. His body reacts to the golden goddess, but he can’t forget how his noble parents had easily tossed him aside to protect their titles. He questions if she’ll do the same if he surrenders his heart.

Excerpt:

Summer’s warm magic glittered in the night air. Nature drank deep of it and flourished with life and growth. The delightful party playing out around Niamh McNamara didn’t interest her one bit. As a member of the light court, she should’ve enjoyed the merry festivities that Midsummer’s Eve brought on, but her sour mood wouldn’t let go of her. Then again, she’d never been like the rest of her people.

Darkness constantly ached within her chest beneath her golden appearance. Before she’d been able to ignore it, but now it wasn’t so easy, especially after overhearing whispers about her from the other members of court. Hiding away had helped, but she couldn’t always stay hidden.

Queen Titania had requested her presence back at court for a while, and when the queen asked, one didn’t say no. The queen held a special interest in seeing Niamh, as a female noble, commit to a worthy relationship. At Niamh’s age, she should’ve at least had one potential suitor, yet she did her best to avoid them and had been fairly successful.

Niamh took another sip from her goblet. The faeries around her sang, laughed and danced, yet she could barely gather the enthusiasm to smile. How cruel life was that she had to watch their happiness while she didn’t share their feelings.

There were men who seemed determined to court her. The more she dissuaded them, the more eagerly they flocked to her. A familiar male elf took her elbow to sweep her off to dance, but she brushed off his hand. "Sorry, I’m not interested in dancing at the moment."

Another reason why she preferred to stay away from court these days. She hated presumptuousness and what tended to happen next.

His face fell, and confusion creased his brow. The lady next to Niamh gawked at her like she was crazy before grabbing the male’s hand and waltzing away with him. The lady leaned close to him and whispered something, causing them to both break out into laughter.

Niamh bristled. She didn’t want to feel like an outsider amongst her own people.

A happy, albeit drunken, pixie flew by her, nearly colliding with her shoulder. The tiny being apologised in a high-pitched tinkling voice, then it was gone, darting away to join a group of pixies near the mead.

Most of the pixies there had already drunk their share. Their amorous personalities, combined with the summer’s fertility magic, heated the group until their moans of pleasure chimed through the warm breeze. Others nearby reacted to the intimacy, their clothes slipping off in their fervour.

Yet another sign of how nature’s power innately affected the Seelie.

The group she stood with were still chatting merrily amongst themselves, though their attention was beginning to drift to the playful fledgling orgy.

Niamh slipped away into the forest, making sure no one saw her. She needed a break from the laughter and shallow niceties. Her face ached from the plastic smile she wore for the party. Once safely out of view, she leaned against a tree and let out a ragged breath. Her fake smile fell, and she stared into the sky between the leaves. If only she were home, away from the misery of joy she had to force. Warmth and happiness permeated the air around her, but a part buried within her retracted from those emotions, shying away from the silky caress. Most of the time, she wondered if she had something wrong with her. Darkness held solace for her while light made her aware of what she lacked.

The snap of a branch startled her, and she peeked around the tree. No one was there. Thoughts about her inner darkness dissipated. Her shoulders tensed, and she strained her ears to hear more signs of movement. Another twig snapped behind her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

Before her stood a man in an elaborately decorated mask, which covered most of his face. A dark hood and cape cloaked the rest of him, making it impossible to distinguish any of his features. He was most definitely fae like her—he had that kind of aura. He must’ve hidden his wings beneath his grand cape.

She looked him over with a frown. Why was he here, away from the party? Especially dressed as he was? I left the party behind to rest, not to give someone the opportunity to make my acquaintance in private. She sighed but forced herself to smile.

A scream caught her attention from the party, turning her towards the sound, but the laughter that followed reassured her that everything was still safe.

The foreboding man spun her to face him. He clasped his hands around her throat, and slammed her folded wings back against the tree. Her head bounced against the hard oak. She clawed at his glove-covered hands, trying to get him off her, trying to draw air into her lungs.

He smashed her against the tree again, but his grip slipped slightly.

"What do you want?" she squeaked, gulping in air.

"You. That’s what I wanted."

She’d never heard this man’s voice before. How could he want her while she couldn’t figure out who he was? He must’ve used glamour so she wouldn’t recognise him.

Buy Surrendered here:


Amazon buy link coming soon.
Barnes & Noble
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Weekend Writing Warrior 2

Welcome to this week's snippet for Weekend Writing Warriors of my newest release, On Thin Ice. I hope you enjoy the excerpt, and I'd love to know what you think in the comments.
Kit cursed under his breath at the interruption, but he swept his fingertips over the keyboard while he kept his gaze up on the large screen. He wasn't sure what he'd do since Regina wasn't here. Before Michael, his boss had never sent her to other locations.

He grimaced when he recognized the man on the screen, Colonel Jones... their boss. Jones wasn't Kit's favorite person, especially with Michael gaining recognition and acceptance over Kit. Kit had been the one working hard for years now whereas Michael was brand new to the job.

"Kit, I have a new assignment for you," Jones said, leaning toward the screen, probably trying to intimidate. That wasn't anything new, just the way he came across.

Weekend Writing Warriors 1

This month, I'm trying a couple new things. One of which is Weekend Writing Warriors with snippets of my newest release, On Thin Ice. I hope you enjoy the excerpt, and I'd love to know what you think in the comments.
Kit leaned back in his chair before the large monitors. Ever since Regina met Michael, things were different around the Hub. Jealousy gnawed at Kit. However, there was no chance of having her to himself, and she'd chosen Michael. That hurt, but he'd dealt with his emotions by trying out various new hobbies. None of them had worked.

His gaze dropped to the control panel, and he typed in a few words, zeroing in on Regina's and Michael's comm-links. The temptation to listen in toyed with him, but the blaring alarm took the decision away.