Cara Carnes's Blog, page 2
April 6, 2013
Pleasure Brigade Series Tour -- Someone unleashed the Masters
Several very brave souls have allowed the Brigade Masters to take over their blogs and discuss their submissives, The Brigade, the books and anything else that crept into their minds. More importantly, the guys are sharing exclusive excerpts from the books at each stop.
AND there are prizes... a copy of each book will be given out randomly at the conclusion of each "leg" of the series tour. That's FOUR books total going out.
In addition.... there's a $50 GC drawing at the end as well as a copy of the latest release, Passion's Trust.
If you haven't picked it up already, it's now available at Ellora's Cave and Amazon and will be available soon at Barnes & Noble, aRe and all the rest of your favorite ebook providers. :)
I hope you all enjoy this tour. It should get interesting...
Passion Next Door: Book 1
A. M. Griffin4/8- MonAJ Jarrett4/9- TueSeductive Musings4/10- Wed
Passion's Claim: Book 2
Erzabet's Enchantments4/13- SATFor Whom The Books Toll4/14- SUNUnearthly Musings4/16- TueLea Barrymire4/17- Wed
Passion's Training: Book 3The Journey Continues4/19- FriBadBarbsPlace4/20- SATIllustrious Illusions4/22- MonTattooed Book Review4/23- Tue
Passion's Trust: Book 4 Cristal Ryder4/24- WedHEA Romances With A Little Kick4/25- ThurMsRomanticReads4/26- FriMy Reading Obsessions4/27- SAT For the Love of Bookends 4/29- Mon
Tour Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AND there are prizes... a copy of each book will be given out randomly at the conclusion of each "leg" of the series tour. That's FOUR books total going out.
In addition.... there's a $50 GC drawing at the end as well as a copy of the latest release, Passion's Trust.
If you haven't picked it up already, it's now available at Ellora's Cave and Amazon and will be available soon at Barnes & Noble, aRe and all the rest of your favorite ebook providers. :)
I hope you all enjoy this tour. It should get interesting...
Passion Next Door: Book 1
A. M. Griffin4/8- MonAJ Jarrett4/9- TueSeductive Musings4/10- Wed
Passion's Claim: Book 2
Erzabet's Enchantments4/13- SATFor Whom The Books Toll4/14- SUNUnearthly Musings4/16- TueLea Barrymire4/17- Wed
Passion's Training: Book 3The Journey Continues4/19- FriBadBarbsPlace4/20- SATIllustrious Illusions4/22- MonTattooed Book Review4/23- Tue
Passion's Trust: Book 4 Cristal Ryder4/24- WedHEA Romances With A Little Kick4/25- ThurMsRomanticReads4/26- FriMy Reading Obsessions4/27- SAT For the Love of Bookends 4/29- Mon
Tour Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
March 16, 2013
Big Cocks and Shamrocks....Oh My!
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!!!!
I hope you remembered to wear green cause you're hanging with The Cabal today and we do pinch. Just saying. :)
If you're pausing at my blog that must mean you've made it through most of my cohorts in mania -- aka The Cabal of Hotness. I've gotta say these ladies are some of the nicest, craziest and most talented writers I've had the pleasure of hanging with. I feel truly blessed to be amongst the insanity on a daily basis. I never know what is going to hit my inbox--and that makes the duty of checking email worth doing. Every. Single. Day.
In case you don't know, I'm Kinky Hotness within the Cabal. We formed at RomantiCon this past year and have had a blast writing the Fondled & Gobbled stories. Because of prior commitments I didn't have a story in the first set of books, but no worries. There's a wild one coming your way in the next round. :)
I could rattle on for quite a while but I think I'll just ask y'all a question instead. hehe....
My 40th birthday is coming up in a few days. Yeah, I know. I'm not looking forward to it either. I've already partied an entire weekend and gallivanted across Texas while doing so. That was fun. But...any thoughts on how to spend the actual day? Other than the evil day job that must suck its 8 hours from my existence. hehe
Have a great one!
Make sure to check out the next ladies on the hop. They're wild, crazy and a blast to hang with. I'm #10 in the list in case you've lost your place. Take a few drinks with you for the road. *tosses green margaritas, green mojitos and green apple martinis. Sorry, I know it should be beer but I'm a liquor sort of gal :)
Make sure to come back soon! I've got a release coming out April 3rd and will have a huge giveaway going on. Once I figure out what to give away. Let me know if you have suggestions. :)
Oh! Speaking of prizes...I'll give away one copy of any of my releases to TWO people who leave a comment. And there's a $30 GC and a bag full of naughty to one lucky winner of the rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Linky List Codes:
I hope you remembered to wear green cause you're hanging with The Cabal today and we do pinch. Just saying. :)
If you're pausing at my blog that must mean you've made it through most of my cohorts in mania -- aka The Cabal of Hotness. I've gotta say these ladies are some of the nicest, craziest and most talented writers I've had the pleasure of hanging with. I feel truly blessed to be amongst the insanity on a daily basis. I never know what is going to hit my inbox--and that makes the duty of checking email worth doing. Every. Single. Day.
In case you don't know, I'm Kinky Hotness within the Cabal. We formed at RomantiCon this past year and have had a blast writing the Fondled & Gobbled stories. Because of prior commitments I didn't have a story in the first set of books, but no worries. There's a wild one coming your way in the next round. :)
I could rattle on for quite a while but I think I'll just ask y'all a question instead. hehe....
My 40th birthday is coming up in a few days. Yeah, I know. I'm not looking forward to it either. I've already partied an entire weekend and gallivanted across Texas while doing so. That was fun. But...any thoughts on how to spend the actual day? Other than the evil day job that must suck its 8 hours from my existence. hehe
Have a great one!
Make sure to check out the next ladies on the hop. They're wild, crazy and a blast to hang with. I'm #10 in the list in case you've lost your place. Take a few drinks with you for the road. *tosses green margaritas, green mojitos and green apple martinis. Sorry, I know it should be beer but I'm a liquor sort of gal :)
Make sure to come back soon! I've got a release coming out April 3rd and will have a huge giveaway going on. Once I figure out what to give away. Let me know if you have suggestions. :)
Oh! Speaking of prizes...I'll give away one copy of any of my releases to TWO people who leave a comment. And there's a $30 GC and a bag full of naughty to one lucky winner of the rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Linky List Codes:Taking Control Back
Now that 2013 is well under way it occurred to me that in my daunting list of typical goals and objectives I'm bound to fail at miserably that I failed to grasp exactly why so many of those rather innocuous things were on the list. This upcoming year is a rebirth or rebuilding of sorts for me that came about as a result of a late-night break-in and assault which occurred toward the end of 2011.
While I've been told everyone handles these sort of situations differently, I know the way I chose to handle mine wasn't optimal. Far from it. I was emotionally dead and for at least a year didn't really give a darn what happened around me. I did everything conceivable to make myself unapproachable and uninteresting. I was dutifully trudging through life as though it were a list of things I had to do. I breathed, but didn't live.
One of those chores was the 2012 RomantiCon event thrown by my publisher, Ellora's Cave. I arrived ready to smile when spoken to and more or less lurk within the corners and wait for Monday morning to arrive where I could go back to my safe sanctuary and lock myself away for another year.
Ha.
Anyone who's ever been to RomantiCon can probably confirm one thing I learned real quick--there is no shadow to hide in. They might as well hold it in a circular room because once you step into the hotel you enter an environment where you're immediately immersed in friendships that hadn't existed before. More importantly, you realize that you aren't alone in the writing bubble.
Thanks to the friendships formed over the course of those few days I'm finally chipping away at the walls I'd erected. They stood no chance of surviving. I knew that the moment I dove head first into the craziness that is The Cabal of Hotness.
2013 is 1/4 completed but it's time to re-situate my priorities and take a firmer control over the course my life has taken.
Brace yourselves because something tells me the rest of 2013 is going to be awesome. :)
While I've been told everyone handles these sort of situations differently, I know the way I chose to handle mine wasn't optimal. Far from it. I was emotionally dead and for at least a year didn't really give a darn what happened around me. I did everything conceivable to make myself unapproachable and uninteresting. I was dutifully trudging through life as though it were a list of things I had to do. I breathed, but didn't live.
One of those chores was the 2012 RomantiCon event thrown by my publisher, Ellora's Cave. I arrived ready to smile when spoken to and more or less lurk within the corners and wait for Monday morning to arrive where I could go back to my safe sanctuary and lock myself away for another year.
Ha.
Anyone who's ever been to RomantiCon can probably confirm one thing I learned real quick--there is no shadow to hide in. They might as well hold it in a circular room because once you step into the hotel you enter an environment where you're immediately immersed in friendships that hadn't existed before. More importantly, you realize that you aren't alone in the writing bubble.
Thanks to the friendships formed over the course of those few days I'm finally chipping away at the walls I'd erected. They stood no chance of surviving. I knew that the moment I dove head first into the craziness that is The Cabal of Hotness.
2013 is 1/4 completed but it's time to re-situate my priorities and take a firmer control over the course my life has taken.
Brace yourselves because something tells me the rest of 2013 is going to be awesome. :)
January 23, 2013
Writers Don't Write...That Much of the Time
I've learned something absolutely terrifying the past couple of months. The hard, gut-punching reality is that I now irrefutably believe that authors don't write as much as we manage piles of things to do. Shocking, I know.
Way back when I had this grandiose vision of becoming a writer, I envisioned myself in front of a keyboard hammering away madly at my precise prose. There were never any edits to contend with, never any emails, Facebook accounts, twitter accounts, group blogs, personal blogs, promotional materials to order, local chapter responsibilities. I could go on and on and on.
The sad reality is that I have recently studied how much time I actually spend writing versus how much time is spent doing other things related to the writing I've already done. Let me tell you, it's easy to become depressed as the responsibilities mount and you find yourself sitting before a behemoth mountain of stuff to do that doesn't remotely resemble what you want to do.
Write.
So what do you do? Well, this is when we need to get our big girl and big boy panties on, tuck in our lower lips and suck it up. All this shit that we cringe when faced with handling is part of the business. Sure, some people love edits. Some adore blog hops and social media schmoozing. I do too.
To a certain extent.
But it's easy to lose track of what's the most important thing, IMHO. The writing. The stories. The readers.
So, if you find yourself drowning in a sea of shit you don't want to deal with, look around. I guarantee you aren't floating alone in the muck. Take a deep breath, smile, pull your big girl britches up and get back to work. I'm gonna have to put that last sentence on my monitor. Maybe it'll make it easier to remember. :)
Take care everyone!
Oh! And if you haven't checked out my Pleasure Brigade series at Ellora's Cave, Book 1--Passion Next Door--is up for FREE at Barnes&Noble right now. Check it out!
Way back when I had this grandiose vision of becoming a writer, I envisioned myself in front of a keyboard hammering away madly at my precise prose. There were never any edits to contend with, never any emails, Facebook accounts, twitter accounts, group blogs, personal blogs, promotional materials to order, local chapter responsibilities. I could go on and on and on.
The sad reality is that I have recently studied how much time I actually spend writing versus how much time is spent doing other things related to the writing I've already done. Let me tell you, it's easy to become depressed as the responsibilities mount and you find yourself sitting before a behemoth mountain of stuff to do that doesn't remotely resemble what you want to do.
Write.
So what do you do? Well, this is when we need to get our big girl and big boy panties on, tuck in our lower lips and suck it up. All this shit that we cringe when faced with handling is part of the business. Sure, some people love edits. Some adore blog hops and social media schmoozing. I do too.
To a certain extent.
But it's easy to lose track of what's the most important thing, IMHO. The writing. The stories. The readers.
So, if you find yourself drowning in a sea of shit you don't want to deal with, look around. I guarantee you aren't floating alone in the muck. Take a deep breath, smile, pull your big girl britches up and get back to work. I'm gonna have to put that last sentence on my monitor. Maybe it'll make it easier to remember. :)
Take care everyone!
Oh! And if you haven't checked out my Pleasure Brigade series at Ellora's Cave, Book 1--Passion Next Door--is up for FREE at Barnes&Noble right now. Check it out!
December 22, 2012
On the Writer's Resource Bookshelf: The Emotion Thesaurus
I suffer from acute blog phobia. Seriously. I never know what to write and I certainly lack the whimsical, fun attitude of some of my fellow writers. So, since my New Year's resolution (one of many, I might add) is to actually blog more frequently than the 12th of never every other decade I've decided to enter the geek sanctuary of my office and share with you all my take on writer's resource books.
I know. This may make many of you yawn, but you'd be surprised what I consider a "resource." A conversation with one of fellow writers in my local chapter (ARWA rocks!) made me recall a book I'd bought a while back and promptly shelved after thumbing through it.
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression is chocked full of some wonderful assistance on how a character could/would/should respond physically, internally and mentally to an emotion. It also delves into cues for acute or long-term and suppressed instances of the emotion.
I purchased mine from Amazon. www.amazon.com/The-Emotion-Thesaurus-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958
The emotions run the gauntlet of what we as writers take our characters through all the time. Adoration, anger, anguish, desire, fear, envy, embarrassment, gratitude, guilt, happiness, impatience, loneliness, surprise and wariness are just a few of the many emotions found within the book. The authors, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have done a very good job, IMHO, at having a very eclectic array of potential emotions.
The positives of this resource are obvious--it's a treasure trove of not-so-hidden cues and brainstorming nudges for you to seize and run with while writing. The hesitation I have is the potential for falling into cliched responses if you don't pressure yourself to delve a bit deeper and make what you take from this book your own.
Like any resource, you should assign your own voice, world and subtext to it in order to make your story truly shine. No two characters should ever respond to a situation the same. They have different levels of investment in each situation they undertake. They also have different backgrounds, ambitions and fears which are all pertinent ingredients to what I consider a soup of emotions that are present in any scene. Whether it's gritty, hard-core sex or a fight to save a planet there will always be multi-layered emotions at play.
This book is a marvelous resource for beginning your delve into your character's responses. Just remember that the deeper you go the more realistic it will be.
On the Geeky Writer scale of 1-5 pencils, I'd have to give this one a firm 3. A great start that requires considerable creative input by the user.
I know. This may make many of you yawn, but you'd be surprised what I consider a "resource." A conversation with one of fellow writers in my local chapter (ARWA rocks!) made me recall a book I'd bought a while back and promptly shelved after thumbing through it.
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression is chocked full of some wonderful assistance on how a character could/would/should respond physically, internally and mentally to an emotion. It also delves into cues for acute or long-term and suppressed instances of the emotion.
I purchased mine from Amazon. www.amazon.com/The-Emotion-Thesaurus-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958
The emotions run the gauntlet of what we as writers take our characters through all the time. Adoration, anger, anguish, desire, fear, envy, embarrassment, gratitude, guilt, happiness, impatience, loneliness, surprise and wariness are just a few of the many emotions found within the book. The authors, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have done a very good job, IMHO, at having a very eclectic array of potential emotions.
The positives of this resource are obvious--it's a treasure trove of not-so-hidden cues and brainstorming nudges for you to seize and run with while writing. The hesitation I have is the potential for falling into cliched responses if you don't pressure yourself to delve a bit deeper and make what you take from this book your own.
Like any resource, you should assign your own voice, world and subtext to it in order to make your story truly shine. No two characters should ever respond to a situation the same. They have different levels of investment in each situation they undertake. They also have different backgrounds, ambitions and fears which are all pertinent ingredients to what I consider a soup of emotions that are present in any scene. Whether it's gritty, hard-core sex or a fight to save a planet there will always be multi-layered emotions at play.
This book is a marvelous resource for beginning your delve into your character's responses. Just remember that the deeper you go the more realistic it will be.
On the Geeky Writer scale of 1-5 pencils, I'd have to give this one a firm 3. A great start that requires considerable creative input by the user.
October 15, 2012
Partying Ellora's Cave Style...
Well those who may know me will probably be shocked to hear that I braved not one but FOUR sardine cans with wings for the sake of what has got to be the BEST conference I have ever gone to.
Ellora's Cave held their RomantiCon this year and I was thrilled to attend. Since this was my first I was a bit more reserved than I probably should have been, but nonetheless had a blast hanging out with my fellow authors and the AWESOME readers.
Oh, and did I mention the Cavemen? Well, I'd post pics, but I think that nothing could do them justice because they truly did a wonderful job entertaining everyone their with their charisma, energy and killer performances.
I also did my very first signing. Again, those who may know me that I don't do crowds well at all. But Ellora's Cave had an awesome setup and I loved, loved, loved getting the opportunity to meet and speak with so many lovely readers. It truly made my weekend. Hell, my month.
The icing on the cake? Well, Passion's Training, the third book in my Pleasure Brigade series won a Kinkiest Choreography award. Yay! This was the 2nd for the series, so now I truly have a high, high bar for the fourth book, which is almost ready to turn into my editor, btw. I know some have been asking. :)
Okay, I'm off to get some rest and wash off the millions of recycled germs that have probably infested me from my time in the sardine cans with wings. I've gotta say, though. This conference made me willing to ride in ten times more of those planes if I had to.
I hope to see you all there next year!!!
Ellora's Cave held their RomantiCon this year and I was thrilled to attend. Since this was my first I was a bit more reserved than I probably should have been, but nonetheless had a blast hanging out with my fellow authors and the AWESOME readers.
Oh, and did I mention the Cavemen? Well, I'd post pics, but I think that nothing could do them justice because they truly did a wonderful job entertaining everyone their with their charisma, energy and killer performances.
I also did my very first signing. Again, those who may know me that I don't do crowds well at all. But Ellora's Cave had an awesome setup and I loved, loved, loved getting the opportunity to meet and speak with so many lovely readers. It truly made my weekend. Hell, my month.
The icing on the cake? Well, Passion's Training, the third book in my Pleasure Brigade series won a Kinkiest Choreography award. Yay! This was the 2nd for the series, so now I truly have a high, high bar for the fourth book, which is almost ready to turn into my editor, btw. I know some have been asking. :)
Okay, I'm off to get some rest and wash off the millions of recycled germs that have probably infested me from my time in the sardine cans with wings. I've gotta say, though. This conference made me willing to ride in ten times more of those planes if I had to.
I hope to see you all there next year!!!
June 17, 2012
Structure
I grew up on a small town in southwest Texas, the heart of ranch and farm land. Structure wasn't simply engrained within me, it was woven into my marrow from an early age. By the time I was four I knew that Monday through Friday I would leave the ranch at 6:00 a.m. and ride standing in the center of the truck between my grandpa and my uncle. Yes, I know. I'm showing my age because things like that get CPS called on you now. But it was life as I knew it.
I knew I spent half the day with strangers supposedly learning important stuff for later on. Naps, opening the milk carton, folding my blanket. God how I wish those were truly the only things I ever had to know.
The real education began when I was back with my grandpa, who would spend hours crouched on the floor of the shop with a piece of broken chalk. There I learned the power of words and what they could do when strung together.
Before I hit kindergarten I could read and knew most of my multiplication tables. Now before you go and think I was smart, I really, really wasn't.
It was structure and I thrived on it.
I'd memorized everything about each day. The patterns were my marrow, the tendons holding my existence together. It shouldn't surprise you that I became a financial analyst. Patterns, structure became my existence.
But it left me longing for the simpler times when I'd play with doodle bugs in the backyard or listen to wild tales about bears in trees and pixie dust.
Now that I've been writing while attempting to maintain my dreaded day job, those tendons are giving way to a brave new world where futures are uncertain and structure isn't really possible.
The creative side of my brain loves the fact that the world has become dynamic, breathing and flowing with unknown and untapped potential. As the world of digital publishing evolves and the throngs of authors press forward into new arenas, the little girl who crouched beside her grandpa and proudly quoted times tabled that she had no freaking understanding of can't help but cower in the corner.
Structure is what I've fought my entire life to sever. Determined to strike out and be the creative individual that I want, I can't help but realize now that it has become my crutch.
My goal for the next year is to press harder to move toward the creative grounds and slowly let the structure go, strand by strand.
May we all find that sliver of structure we wish to sever and let it ride the wind.
I knew I spent half the day with strangers supposedly learning important stuff for later on. Naps, opening the milk carton, folding my blanket. God how I wish those were truly the only things I ever had to know.
The real education began when I was back with my grandpa, who would spend hours crouched on the floor of the shop with a piece of broken chalk. There I learned the power of words and what they could do when strung together.
Before I hit kindergarten I could read and knew most of my multiplication tables. Now before you go and think I was smart, I really, really wasn't.
It was structure and I thrived on it.
I'd memorized everything about each day. The patterns were my marrow, the tendons holding my existence together. It shouldn't surprise you that I became a financial analyst. Patterns, structure became my existence.
But it left me longing for the simpler times when I'd play with doodle bugs in the backyard or listen to wild tales about bears in trees and pixie dust.
Now that I've been writing while attempting to maintain my dreaded day job, those tendons are giving way to a brave new world where futures are uncertain and structure isn't really possible.
The creative side of my brain loves the fact that the world has become dynamic, breathing and flowing with unknown and untapped potential. As the world of digital publishing evolves and the throngs of authors press forward into new arenas, the little girl who crouched beside her grandpa and proudly quoted times tabled that she had no freaking understanding of can't help but cower in the corner.
Structure is what I've fought my entire life to sever. Determined to strike out and be the creative individual that I want, I can't help but realize now that it has become my crutch.
My goal for the next year is to press harder to move toward the creative grounds and slowly let the structure go, strand by strand.
May we all find that sliver of structure we wish to sever and let it ride the wind.
January 13, 2012
It's Contest Time!
To celebrate my recent release, Hard Day's Reward, I thought it would be fun to have a contest. :)
All you have to do to win a $10 gift certificate to Ellora's Cave is comment here and let me know what you're reading right now, or looking forward to reading. Or sign up for my Yahoo newsletter through my website. www.caracarnes.com
I'll announce a winner on Sunday, January 29th.
Good luck and happy reading :)
All you have to do to win a $10 gift certificate to Ellora's Cave is comment here and let me know what you're reading right now, or looking forward to reading. Or sign up for my Yahoo newsletter through my website. www.caracarnes.com
I'll announce a winner on Sunday, January 29th.
Good luck and happy reading :)
January 11, 2012
EC For Men Release Launch Today
I'm thrilled to be one of the authors helping to debut the new EC for Men line at Ellora's Cave. This line, in case you haven't heard, is erotic fiction geared toward men. If you like your stories smoking hot and the pages sizzling, go grab you a copy of them all. :)
So without further ado....
Here are a couple of excerpts from the stories releasing today. Check them out for yourself at http://www.jasminejade.com/c-128-EC-for-Men.aspx
Hard Day's Reward
Cara Carnes
http://www.jasminejade.com/c-128-EC-for-Men.aspx
Excerpt:
There weren't many things better than a cold beer after a shitty day. Only one came to Chad Barlow's mind immediately—one of Shelly's surprises.
He knocked on the apartment door and edged closer to the entrance. She'd driven him crazy most of the afternoon. The hands-off-at-work bullshit was getting old, but she made up for it when they did get together, so he couldn't bitch too hard.
The door creaked open and a curvy brunette answered with a smirk on her full red lips. Her blue eyes scanned him in silent appreciation and his cock hardened instantly at the perusal. Her I'd-fuck-you-hard-any-day look almost made him forget why he was here.
A red, thin-strapped shirt hugged her palm-sized tits and stopped short of nice, full hips. Snug shorts stopped mid-thigh, offering him a bountiful feast of tanned skin, which ended at dainty red-polished toenails. But her lush lips and long, curled hair drew his gaze back to her bemused grin. His hands itched to run through the thick mass and press her to the floor. Maybe then he could sample exactly what that hot little mouth could do.
"You must be Chad." She stepped aside. "Come in and join the party. Shelly's told me all about you."
Crap. He'd fucked up already and hadn't even gotten in the door. His cock throbbed, aching for relief from the tension his thoughts had stirred. Shelly never went for drama, but getting a hard-on for whoever this was probably wasn't the best way to start the surprise.
"Hey, baby." Shelly wandered in, her long blonde hair swishing around her shoulders as she flip-flopped her way to him and stood on tiptoes to kiss him. Her hand ran down his chest and dipped lower to cup his balls. He groaned into her floral-scented hair. "I knew he'd find you hot, Marcy."
The appreciative lilt in her voice revved his libido into overdrive. He'd make sure she purred good and hard tonight.
The white lace bra and panty set he'd gotten her for her birthday taunted him from beneath a white lace kimono. He never cared much what she wore. Her sexy-as-hell molten lips and the sensuous swish of her hips always captured his attention first.
The wicked grin he recognized lit up her face. She'd planned something naughty. "I've put out a beer for you."
That's one thing he always enjoyed about Shelly. The no-frills décor of her house made him welcome—from her eclectic black-and-white scenery photographs to an endless assortment of shot glasses. Nothing in the place matched and he loved every inch of it.
Marcy angled toward the loveseat and perched on the edge. "I was worried he wouldn't since you're so gorgeous."
He'd lost track of the conversation somewhere between the gorgeous tits and sultry lips, but he didn't much care. Shelly's soft laughter tumbled through his jumbled mixture of shock and excitement. Fucking woman loved to shake things up—and damn if he wasn't ready for whatever she was about to dish out tonight.
Copyright © CARA CARNES, 2012
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9795-hard-days-reward.aspx
Take Me At The Ballgame
Cassandra Carr
http://www.jasminejade.com/c-128-EC-for-Men.aspx
Excerpt:
JT Lovejoy looked out over the baseball field, still lit from the game tonight, with its cross-cut grass and cleat marks forged in the dirt around the bases. The home team he covered for the local newspaper had just squeaked out an 11th-inning win and he'd been lucky to make his deadline—working so late he was now alone in the press box. His fingers were cramped and he could use a beer.
Too bad they don't let us drink in the press box. Would make for some interesting stories for the paper.
JT was about to pack up his computer when he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see the team's public relations intern, Sydney, standing just inside the door. His cock began to harden as he took in the tight team polo shirt stretched across tits he'd dreamt about more than once and a flippy little black skirt that made him wish for one of those under-the-skirt cameras so he could see what was hidden underneath. She tucked a strand of her long, brown hair behind her ear and smiled. It was anything but innocent.
"Hi, JT. I saw the lights on, but wasn't sure anyone was up here."
Sure you weren't, honey.
They'd been flirting for weeks now, and JT decided then and there to do something about it. "Yep, still here. Just turned in my assignment."
"You, um, got everything you need?"
He raised an eyebrow.
What an opening…
"As a matter of fact, no."
"Oh? Can I get you something else? Wait, you sent in your story already, though, right? You must have."
"My story isn't what I was talking about…"
What I need is you. Your tits, your pussy…
Sydney's brow furrowed. Was she really this obtuse? JT would bet not. "Another feature?"
"Sort of." He motioned her closer. "Come here and I'll tell you."
Her gaze darted to the closed door just behind her. "All right."
She approached and he gripped the arms of the chair to keep himself from reaching for her. Sitting down in one of the adjacent chairs, Sydney then leaned forward a little, almost as if she were offering herself to him.
Hopefully she will before long.
He took a deep breath and went for it, staring out the window at the now-darkened field.
"You're what I need."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Under me, on top of me, hell, side by side is fine…" He checked to see if she looked repulsed or about to slap him, but all she did was lick her lips. Images of those lips tightened around his cock flooded his sex-deprived mind.
"That's pretty forward."
"I'm a forward kinda guy," he lied and held his breath.
Her eyes darted down to his lap and when she looked back up he could see the heat in them. "Well, we can't have you needing something and not getting it, now, can we?"
Copyright 2012, Cassandra Carr
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9794-take-me-at-the-ballgame.aspx
So without further ado....
Here are a couple of excerpts from the stories releasing today. Check them out for yourself at http://www.jasminejade.com/c-128-EC-for-Men.aspx
Hard Day's Reward
Cara Carnes
http://www.jasminejade.com/c-128-EC-for-Men.aspx
Excerpt:
There weren't many things better than a cold beer after a shitty day. Only one came to Chad Barlow's mind immediately—one of Shelly's surprises.
He knocked on the apartment door and edged closer to the entrance. She'd driven him crazy most of the afternoon. The hands-off-at-work bullshit was getting old, but she made up for it when they did get together, so he couldn't bitch too hard.
The door creaked open and a curvy brunette answered with a smirk on her full red lips. Her blue eyes scanned him in silent appreciation and his cock hardened instantly at the perusal. Her I'd-fuck-you-hard-any-day look almost made him forget why he was here.
A red, thin-strapped shirt hugged her palm-sized tits and stopped short of nice, full hips. Snug shorts stopped mid-thigh, offering him a bountiful feast of tanned skin, which ended at dainty red-polished toenails. But her lush lips and long, curled hair drew his gaze back to her bemused grin. His hands itched to run through the thick mass and press her to the floor. Maybe then he could sample exactly what that hot little mouth could do.
"You must be Chad." She stepped aside. "Come in and join the party. Shelly's told me all about you."
Crap. He'd fucked up already and hadn't even gotten in the door. His cock throbbed, aching for relief from the tension his thoughts had stirred. Shelly never went for drama, but getting a hard-on for whoever this was probably wasn't the best way to start the surprise.
"Hey, baby." Shelly wandered in, her long blonde hair swishing around her shoulders as she flip-flopped her way to him and stood on tiptoes to kiss him. Her hand ran down his chest and dipped lower to cup his balls. He groaned into her floral-scented hair. "I knew he'd find you hot, Marcy."
The appreciative lilt in her voice revved his libido into overdrive. He'd make sure she purred good and hard tonight.
The white lace bra and panty set he'd gotten her for her birthday taunted him from beneath a white lace kimono. He never cared much what she wore. Her sexy-as-hell molten lips and the sensuous swish of her hips always captured his attention first.
The wicked grin he recognized lit up her face. She'd planned something naughty. "I've put out a beer for you."
That's one thing he always enjoyed about Shelly. The no-frills décor of her house made him welcome—from her eclectic black-and-white scenery photographs to an endless assortment of shot glasses. Nothing in the place matched and he loved every inch of it.
Marcy angled toward the loveseat and perched on the edge. "I was worried he wouldn't since you're so gorgeous."
He'd lost track of the conversation somewhere between the gorgeous tits and sultry lips, but he didn't much care. Shelly's soft laughter tumbled through his jumbled mixture of shock and excitement. Fucking woman loved to shake things up—and damn if he wasn't ready for whatever she was about to dish out tonight.
Copyright © CARA CARNES, 2012
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9795-hard-days-reward.aspx
Take Me At The Ballgame
Cassandra Carr
http://www.jasminejade.com/c-128-EC-for-Men.aspx
Excerpt:
JT Lovejoy looked out over the baseball field, still lit from the game tonight, with its cross-cut grass and cleat marks forged in the dirt around the bases. The home team he covered for the local newspaper had just squeaked out an 11th-inning win and he'd been lucky to make his deadline—working so late he was now alone in the press box. His fingers were cramped and he could use a beer.
Too bad they don't let us drink in the press box. Would make for some interesting stories for the paper.
JT was about to pack up his computer when he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see the team's public relations intern, Sydney, standing just inside the door. His cock began to harden as he took in the tight team polo shirt stretched across tits he'd dreamt about more than once and a flippy little black skirt that made him wish for one of those under-the-skirt cameras so he could see what was hidden underneath. She tucked a strand of her long, brown hair behind her ear and smiled. It was anything but innocent.
"Hi, JT. I saw the lights on, but wasn't sure anyone was up here."
Sure you weren't, honey.
They'd been flirting for weeks now, and JT decided then and there to do something about it. "Yep, still here. Just turned in my assignment."
"You, um, got everything you need?"
He raised an eyebrow.
What an opening…
"As a matter of fact, no."
"Oh? Can I get you something else? Wait, you sent in your story already, though, right? You must have."
"My story isn't what I was talking about…"
What I need is you. Your tits, your pussy…
Sydney's brow furrowed. Was she really this obtuse? JT would bet not. "Another feature?"
"Sort of." He motioned her closer. "Come here and I'll tell you."
Her gaze darted to the closed door just behind her. "All right."
She approached and he gripped the arms of the chair to keep himself from reaching for her. Sitting down in one of the adjacent chairs, Sydney then leaned forward a little, almost as if she were offering herself to him.
Hopefully she will before long.
He took a deep breath and went for it, staring out the window at the now-darkened field.
"You're what I need."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Under me, on top of me, hell, side by side is fine…" He checked to see if she looked repulsed or about to slap him, but all she did was lick her lips. Images of those lips tightened around his cock flooded his sex-deprived mind.
"That's pretty forward."
"I'm a forward kinda guy," he lied and held his breath.
Her eyes darted down to his lap and when she looked back up he could see the heat in them. "Well, we can't have you needing something and not getting it, now, can we?"
Copyright 2012, Cassandra Carr
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9794-take-me-at-the-ballgame.aspx
July 13, 2011
Things I Learned In NYC
I've lived in Texas all my life. Crowds aren't my thing, yet I was so thrilled at the opportunity to see New York City and take my proverbial bite out of the Big Apple.
What did I learn while I was there?
Well, what I learned at the RWA Conference was vast, so I'm going to focus on non writerly things I discovered:
1. Batteries are a girl's best friend. Seriously, I took so many pictures in NYC that my camera was going through batteries like a teenager at a buffet.
2. Said batteries in a purse in a high volume get you noticed by the cute security guard scanning your stuff at the Empire State Building. Yeah, that was NOT too much fun.
3. Claustrophobic people with no patience will meet their private hell while trying to get to the top of the Empire. Fortunately, awesome friends with patience are a prized possession. My dear friend and fellow writer Mo Boylan definitely earned her friendship badge that day when we got into those elevators and got crunched in like sardines.
4. Variety may be the spice of life, but it is NOT your friend when you're a sardine in a sky-bound can.
5. Times Square will change if you blink more than once.
6. Dogs who hang their head out a window are BRILLIANT! Bless Mo, Terri Brisbin and her wonderful son for enduring my photographic needs while we drove in to NYC.
7. Drivers in NYC are just as crazy as those in Texas. I would've fit in just fine. hehe
8. Black really is the in color in Manhattan.
9. When in doubt, shove your way through the crush of people. There is space somewhere in front of you if you push long enough.
10. The don't walk signs are a suggestion apparently. There is safety in numbers when you're in the middle and getting directed across the street like a helpless cow in a cattle car.
11. I loved NYC.
Those are the learnings that popped up in my head first. My week in NYC is one I will never forget and I look forward to returning.
Here's to the next grand adventure!!!!
Next stop for me?
Akron, Ohio for the Ellora's Cave Romaticon convention. It will be blast!
What did I learn while I was there?
Well, what I learned at the RWA Conference was vast, so I'm going to focus on non writerly things I discovered:
1. Batteries are a girl's best friend. Seriously, I took so many pictures in NYC that my camera was going through batteries like a teenager at a buffet.
2. Said batteries in a purse in a high volume get you noticed by the cute security guard scanning your stuff at the Empire State Building. Yeah, that was NOT too much fun.
3. Claustrophobic people with no patience will meet their private hell while trying to get to the top of the Empire. Fortunately, awesome friends with patience are a prized possession. My dear friend and fellow writer Mo Boylan definitely earned her friendship badge that day when we got into those elevators and got crunched in like sardines.
4. Variety may be the spice of life, but it is NOT your friend when you're a sardine in a sky-bound can.
5. Times Square will change if you blink more than once.
6. Dogs who hang their head out a window are BRILLIANT! Bless Mo, Terri Brisbin and her wonderful son for enduring my photographic needs while we drove in to NYC.
7. Drivers in NYC are just as crazy as those in Texas. I would've fit in just fine. hehe
8. Black really is the in color in Manhattan.
9. When in doubt, shove your way through the crush of people. There is space somewhere in front of you if you push long enough.
10. The don't walk signs are a suggestion apparently. There is safety in numbers when you're in the middle and getting directed across the street like a helpless cow in a cattle car.
11. I loved NYC.
Those are the learnings that popped up in my head first. My week in NYC is one I will never forget and I look forward to returning.
Here's to the next grand adventure!!!!
Next stop for me?
Akron, Ohio for the Ellora's Cave Romaticon convention. It will be blast!
