Mari Carr's Blog, page 26

Quote of the Day

Little humor for today…

“Common sense is not a gift, it’s a punishment; because you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it.”  Unknown

Triple Beat

The Big Easy series continues with today’s release of Triple Beat. The Lewis family has been looking for their beloved foster sister, Dani, ever since she ran away at the age of seventeen on the eve of her court-ordered return home. Dani has been hiding from her painful past for years. Though it killed her to leave the Lewises–especially Mama Lewis and Jett, who had become her best friend, she didn’t dare return to New Orleans and risk running into her abusive father. Dani’s story was a difficult one to tell because of the serious abuse she suffered.

Blurb:

Dani was 17 years old when she ran from New Orleans like a thief in the night. With no idea where she was going or how she’d survive, she was certain of just one thing—she’d never again step foot in the Big Easy. Now, time and circumstances have made her a liar. After twelve long years, her beloved foster family, the Lewises, have tracked her down. And so has the very person who drove her away—her father.

Together with her best friends, Aiden and Bryson, Dani is standing at the precipice of success. Their band, Closing Time, has just signed with a major label and their star is on the rise. But Dani can’t enjoy any kind of future while constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for the past to catch up. It’s time to return to New Orleans…time to confront the face that’s always haunted her nightmares.

Aiden and Bryson have long suspected Dani is hiding something, some dark secret she refuses to confide. When she leaves Nashville without a word, they follow. How can they not? What they feel for her…what they want from her…won’t allow them to let Dani face her demons alone. Whether she’s ready to believe it or not, over the years, the men have come to know a few things for certain: they’re stronger as a trio. And three hearts beat better as one.

This book contains a painful scene of abuse from 15-year-old Dani’s past. Not for the faint of heart.

Excerpt:

“Um…Bry?”

He sighed. “Ignore it, Dani. Natural male response when he’s in bed with a half-naked woman.”

She heard Aiden snort.

“Sort of hard to ignore when it’s poking me in the ass,” she added.

Aiden laughed louder. “Damn. There’s a visual.”

She rolled her eyes. “Gross.” Even as she said the word, she considered what it would feel like to have sex with Bryson. Or Aiden. It wasn’t the first time that racy thought had crossed her mind. She’d always dismissed it because the band—and their friendship—meant too much to her to risk for sex. No matter how amazing she suspected that sex would be.

She wasn’t sure why she was so certain the guys were great in bed. Maybe it was simply a female reaction to the way they made her feel when they sang a love song, or watching their fingers fly with incredible skill over their instruments. She’d spent a little too much time lately considering those fingers strumming her instrument.

“I really need to find a guy and get laid,” she muttered.

Aiden twisted to his side to face her. The moon provided enough light to allow her to see his expression clearly. “Been telling you that for nearly two years. It’s not healthy to go so long without.”

“Not sure health has anything to do with it.”

She was surprised when Aiden reached out and pushed a strand of hair away from her face. “Feeling better?” He was obviously still worried about her nightmare.

She nodded. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain in the ass this past week. I promise…just a few days more and I’ll be back to normal.”

Aiden gave her a friendly smile. “Don’t set your goals so high, Dani. You were never normal.”

She grinned. “Asshole.”

“I chalk that up to too many years spent with Bryson. That shit tends to rub off.”

“You wish you were as cool as me,” Bryson said in his own defense.

Dani glanced over her shoulder. Bryson looked very comfortable, his head resting on the pillow, the longish mass of jet-black hair hiding his dark-brown eyes, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist and his very erect penis pressed firmly to her backside. He was incredibly beautiful, but she was certain he’d scoff if she used that word to describe him.

Then she looked back at Aiden. He wore his light-brown hair shorter and hid his pretty blue eyes behind wire-framed glasses whenever he was working at the computer or reading a new piece of music. Bryson teased him, claiming he just wore them to look smarter, but Aiden never took offense. He just joked back that not even glasses could give Bryson an air of intelligence.

“I’m glad you guys are here.” She’d been so wrapped up in her anxieties lately that she’d pushed away the very people she needed the most.

“All you had to do was ask.” Aiden placed a soft kiss to her forehead. Then another one.

They weren’t overly affectionate friends. Most of their touching typically came in the form of high-fives or roughhousing. Kisses and cuddles weren’t part of it.

Dani reached out and cupped Aiden’s beloved face. “Thank you.”

She wasn’t sure who moved first. Maybe they both moved together. But one second she and Aiden were simply smiling at each other, and then they were much closer, their lips touching in a quick, only somewhat chaste kiss.

They parted for a moment before they came in for another. This one lingered a second longer than the first.

Bryson’s arm tightened around her waist, but he didn’t speak, didn’t call them out or ask them what the hell they were doing.

Aiden pulled farther away after the second kiss, his brows furrowed, confusion in his eyes. She suspected that expression was mirrored in her face.

And then it cleared. He relaxed, and so did she.

When they moved in for the third kiss, it was as if they were prepared, ready for it.

He stroked her lower lip with his tongue and she opened her mouth on a gasp. Aiden took advantage. This kiss lasted much longer, the two of them taking their time to explore each other’s mouths. Aiden’s fingers tangled in her hair and he used that grip to gently twist her head this way or that to help him deepen the kiss.

Bryson was silent through it all, but Dani knew he wasn’t oblivious to what was happening. He also didn’t seem content to merely observe. His hand slipped beneath the hem of her t-shirt, stroking the bare skin of her stomach, and then moving up to her breast.

Dani’s breathing became erratic as she tried to keep up with the sensations drowning her. Bryson grasped her breast firmly, his large hand plumping the flesh, his fingers pinching her nipple.

Aiden either didn’t notice or he didn’t care about Bryson’s touches. He tightened his grip on her hair and kissed her harder.

Dani was helpless to resist any of it. She pushed her ass against Bryson’s cock, seeking more stimulation. The movement was a blatant invitation. One that Bryson didn’t hesitate to accept.

His hand left her breast, traveling to her hip. He gripped it, tugging her back as he pushed forward, letting her feel exactly how much he wanted her.

It was too much. Dani broke off the kiss, desperately attempting to suck in some much-needed air. Aiden didn’t attempt to resume it, but he didn’t let her slow him down either. He ran his fingers along her neck, his gaze following the touch. Then he grasped the comforter covering them and pulled it down, not stopping until the bulk of it rested around her knees.

Regardless of the number of times they’d seen her dressed exactly like this, this was the first time she’d felt exposed, almost naked in front of them. Aiden’s gaze traveled over her, studying things he’d never appeared to notice before. Or was it things he’d tried not to see? Had they had lustful thoughts about her as well?

Aiden reached out and ran his fingers over her covered breast, the same one Bryson had just released.

Neither Dani nor Bryson had stopped moving, the humping motion imitating exactly what Dani wanted to do.

With both of them.

Quote of the Day

“Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.” – Lawrence Clark Powell

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I apologize for my hit or miss blogging of late. In truth, I’ve never been very good at it, but lately…well, it seems as if it’s nonexistent. I could offer you a whole list of all the things keeping me from stopping by here to chat, but you don’t need a grocery list of my busy life. We’re all busy, right? At the moment, I’m in peak season between end-of-the-school year stuff, writing deadline and the RT convention next week. If you live in the Dallas area, I hope you’ll consider stopping by the Giant Book signing on Saturday, May 16. I’d love to meet you! Next week will be my first time in Texas and I’m really excited about it!

Today, I thought I’d do a “one-stop” shopping blog just to catch you up to speed on everything that’s going on with my books. It occurred to me this morning that while I’m thrilled by all the fun stuff going on, I’ve failed to tell y’all about any of it! lol. So I’ll try to correct that on this lovely Sunday.

1. BLANK CANVAS is now a FREE read. I’m not sure if will always be free (I haven’t decided yet), so let’s just say for the time-being you can pick it up for the low, low price of nothing. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read the Big Easy series, I hope this will encourage you to give it a look. The reason I’ve put it on sale is because of item #2.

2. I’ve moved up the release date of TRIPLE BEAT. It was originally set to come out on June 1, but the book was finished and uploaded and I thought why not! Let’s let that baby fly. So it will now release on May 11. It’s a menage romance (m/f/m) involving foster sister, Dani. I’ve really come to love the Lewis family and it was awesome to see runaway Dani reunited with her beloved foster family. I will warn you now, there is a brief, but pretty intense scene of abuse between Dani and her father. I know there are readers who really don’t  like that and I don’t want anyone to be blindsided by it. It is available for preorder pretty much everywhere right now.

3. ELEMENTAL PLEASURE is now .99 cents. Lila and I have completed the fifth book in the Trinity Masters series, HIDDEN DEVOTION, and once again, we want to encourage you to give us a look. I think sometimes it’s daunting for new readers to hop into a series that has several books out. By offering the savings, we’re hoping you’ll be willing to take a chance in case you decide that you want more!

4. HIDDEN DEVOTION releases on May 26! It’s been a long time between book 4 and this new story, but Lila was super busy making a beautiful baby girl, so we hope you’ll forgive us the extra time. The Trinity Masters are now under the leadership of a new Grand Master…and a woman! There’s intrigue, suspense and as always, those very sexy, arranged menage marriages! It’s a new chapter in the series and Lila and I are thrilled with the twists and turns. Hang on because it’s going to be quite a ride! We hope to have preorder links up for this within the next week or so.

5. SWEET SEDUCTION is out now. It came out on Friday. All proceeds for the sale of this box set goes to diabetes research. None of the authors are making a penny. This is a cause we all feel VERY strongly about and I hope you’ll consider purchasing the set. It’s only $9.99, so in addition to donating $10 bucks to the cause, you’ll receive 13 brand new stories by some amazing authors (like my dear, talented friends Lexi Blake and Lauren Hawkeye!). My story in the set, WAITING FOR YOU, is part of a new series I’m starting called Sparks in Texas. It revolves around the family business, Sparks Barbeque, and all the cousins who run it.

6. In case you missed it, SAY SOMETHING, the final book in the Second Chances series has a release date. It will come out on July 14. That crazy Georgie finally finds her happy ending!

7. And finally, the SCOUNDRELS series is available in a box set. The entire collection is only $5.99 and it includes Black Jack, White Knight and all three Scoundrels short stories. This is probably one of my all-time favorite series, so if you haven’t had a chance to read them, I hope you’ll consider picking up the box set.

Okay…I think that’s it for now. Crazy, right? At the moment, I’m working on the next Sparks in Texas book, Something Sparked (tentative title–do you like that? I’ll admit I’m on the fence). It’s an m/m/f menage between two firefighters and the shy Sparks cousin, Jeannette. After that, I’m working on the next Boys of Fall book with Cari Quinn and Erin Nicholas. The next trio of stories from Quinn, Texas will roll out on September 1. Mine is titled Red Zone and it will be a menage. Man…it occurs to me I’m menage-mad these days!

OH! One more thing. If you’re sitting around the computer today around 3 p.m. EST, I’m participating in a Facebook party with the Sweet Seduction authors. Lots of prizes, excerpts, and fun! Here’s the link.

Waiting for You

Yesterday I announced the release of the Sweet Seduction box set. Today I wanted to share an excerpt of Waiting for You, my contribution to the set. Waiting for you is the second story in my brand-new series, Sparks in Texas. The first Sparks story, Spark Fly released last summer. It was a short story and my original intent was it would just be its own sweet, little standalone book. Not sure if you’ve read Sparks Fly, but if you haven’t it’s a story about a married couple who are struggling to conceive. However, during the writing of the story, a family restaurant appeared…and then a cousin. The place and the family connections stuck, so when Brenda Novak approached me to write a story for this special box set, I knew I wanted to go back to Spark Barbeque and Maris, Texas. While developing the story, more cousins and aunts and uncles and a bakery appeared! And even as I write this blog, I’m working on the third book in the series, Something Sparked, coming in Oct. Something Sparked is a m/m/f menage with firefighters! I’m loving every second of the writing.

In Waiting for You, Sydney Sparks is welcoming home her best friend, Chas, who’s spent the past 12 years serving as a Marine overseas. They had been high school sweethearts, but they’d both put those feelings away as they moved into adulthood. Apparently putting them away was not the same thing as moving on. When Chas returns, the flame that burned between them reignites. The problem is Chas is a different man from the sweet boy who left her all those years ago. He’s seen violence and death and it’s left a mark on him. He suffers from PTSD and he tries to hide it, ashamed that he isn’t strong enough to fight back the demons. Can love conquer such a painful past?

Waiting for You will be part of Sweet Seduction for the next two months (all proceeds raised from the sales of that set will go to diabetes research). At that point, it will be available for sale individually (releasing July 1). Thought I’d show you the pretty cover for the individual story.

Blurb:

How do you protect the woman you love…when the greatest danger is sleeping in her bed?

Sydney Sparks can’t remember a time when Chas wasn’t part of her life—from childhood playmates, to high-school sweethearts, to long-distance friends. Now, after twelve long years, Chas is leaving the Marines and coming home. Sydney’s thrilled to have him back on American soil, safe and sound, even if his return is doing funny things to her heart.

The second he stepped off the plane and locked gazes with Sydney, Chas refused to waste a minute more on their “just friends” status quo. Together again, it feels as if they were never apart, the love they’d shared as innocent teens now vastly more intense as adults—with a sexual hunger to match.

However, despite his newfound happiness, Chas can’t seem to shake the memories of his tours in the Middle East, of the firefights, the killing…the deaths of his friends. When the flashbacks grow stronger, Chas struggles to hide his increasing lack of control, terrified of losing everything he’d just regained—including Sydney.

Excerpt:

Sydney stood next to Gran, who was flanked by Julian on the right. The three of them were standing at the international arrivals gate, grinning like fools as they held the banner Sydney had made. Chas’ flight had landed and her heart was racing a million miles an hour. She’d seen him just a few months earlier over the holidays. They’d exchanged small gifts and consumed a bottle of eggnog together. Chas had even told her a little bit about two friends he’d lost in combat, the story breaking her heart.

Chas had ended up sleeping on her couch that night, while she’d tossed and turned in her bedroom, fighting the urge to go out and comfort him. However, there had been something in his eyes—some dark, unfamiliar sadness—that had stopped her, that had told her to keep her distance.

Several more people walked through the gate. Sydney watched as relatives reunited with hugs, laughter and sometimes tears. She loved coming to the airport, loved the energy and the atmosphere, the hustle and bustle. It was a hotbed of emotions unlike any other place.

Gran captured her attention with a nudge of the elbow. “There he is.”

Chas strolled through the doors in jeans and a t-shirt. It would seem so weird to see him dressed in civilian clothing rather than his fatigues from now on, and she wondered if he’d give up the crew cut he’d kept for so many years and return to the longer style of his youth. He looked around the area, searching for them. Sydney smiled and waved when his eyes met hers.

Chas walked faster then, laughing when he read their banner. Sydney took it from Julian and Gran, stepping back so that Chas could greet his family.

She was shocked when he bypassed both of them and walked right up to her. He tugged the banner out of her hands and dropped it to the floor a split second before he grabbed her in his embrace and kissed her.

His mouth was demanding, forcing her lips apart so he could stroke her tongue with his. Sydney fought off a wave of dizziness and disbelief. Even a bit of embarrassment when she recalled his grandmother was standing less than five feet away from them. She put her hands on his shoulders, intent on pushing him away, but Chas only gripped her tighter, one of his hands rising to cup the back of her neck, his fingers lightly stroking the sensitive skin there.

She was a goner. Sydney stopped giving a shit who was there and what they were seeing. Chas was home. And he was kissing her.

Twelve years melted away into a haze of nothingness. He was home. Finally.

Pick up your copy now!

Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo | Google

Sweet Seduction Release!

Make a difference while you read!

Have I told you about the new fundraising initiative I’m involved in this year? I’ve contributed a BRAND NEW story called WAITING FOR YOU to SWEET SEDUCTION, a limited edition digital-only boxed set curated by Brenda Novak for the benefit of diabetes research. It includes nine other never-before-published novels and novellas and costs only $9.99 (that’s less than $1/story).

Who else is in the set? Fellow New York Times Bestselling Authors Lexi Blake, JS Cooper, Nicole Edwards, Karen Erickson, Megan Hart, Julia Kent, Lauren Hawkeye, Nina Lane, Roni Loren, author J. Kenner, Elisabeth Grace and Avery Aster are all participating in this effort, too. And there’s a foreword and free bonus story from New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa Renee Jones. Buy this set now (wherever ebooks are sold)!

SWEET SEDUCTION will only be available through June 30th. All proceeds will go to The Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami (they are doing some amazing cure-focused work). Our goal is to raise $300,000 and, with your help, we should be able to do it.

Please note that Brenda has also curated a thriller box set as well as a contemporary romance box set, so check those out, too. You can find more information at http://brendanovakforthecure.org

Pick up your copy now!

Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo | Google

Quote of the Day

“Live for today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today.” -Jerry Spinelli

Quote of the Day

“One day spent with someone you love can change everything.” -Mitch Albom

Quote of the Day

“If you’re having fun, it really doesn’t matter what people are thinking of you.” -Neil Patrick Harris

Quote of the Day

“Give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know.” – John Keats