Lily Graison's Blog, page 18
June 10, 2014
An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Twitter
Photo: mkhmarketing
Welcome to week 2 of my ‘How To’ blog series.
Last week we talked about Facebook and how to schedule posts so you don’t have to be there every day. If you missed it, hop over and give it a read.
As before, I’m not expert on any of the subjects I’ll be talking about. I just spend a lot of time online and know my way around a few sites and programs so everything you see here will be my experience with these sites. For these ‘tutorials,’ it’ll just be my interpretation of what I’ve seen and done.
This week I’m going to tackle the site that confuses the most people. Twitter. As long as its been around, there are still those that don’t know how to use it or why. The “140 characters” requirement trips everyone up and once they do figure out how to say it all within those constraints, they don’t know what to do beyond posting whatever it is they want to post.
Twitter is a great tool – if used correctly. Like any other ‘social media’ site, its main purpose is to connect you with like-minded individuals and provide you a platform to…well, be social. This means talking to readers, authors, bloggers, etc. Filling your Twitter stream with nothing but links and ‘advertisments’ is a sure fire way to get someone to unfollow you or…put you in an ‘ignore’ list. You want to interact with people and Twitter is a great way to do that.
Similar to Facebook, Twitter allows you to post anything you wish, as long as you say it with 140 characters, which isn’t always an easy thing to do. Characters are ‘spaces’…so if you’re including a web link, every letter and space counts, so you have to choose your words wisely and shrink your URLs with a site like Bitly or Ow.ly. (I use Bitly for this. No reason why other than its the first one I found. It manages all your links and shows you how many people clicked on a specific link. I don’t know if Ow.ly does this or not as I’ve never used it, but I would image it does.)
The set up of Twitter is pretty simple. You have your ‘home page’, where everyone you’ve friended shows up similar to the Facebook Newsfeed. From here you can see everything your friends have posted. You can also respond, re-tweet or ‘favorite’ their tweets.
If you’re like me, you have hundreds of friends and that list of tweets can get a bit overwhelming and is the biggest turn off for most new users. They’re lost in a sea of Tweets and give up before really learning how to use the site. But there’s a way to manage all those friends and that’s with the help of “Lists.” Every user should take advantage of lists for no other reason than to save their sanity. Take a look below and I’ll show you how to use this feature.
On your profile page, right under the banner image, you’ll see a MORE tab. That is where we’ll start building your lists.
Click on that tab, then on Lists.
From here, you can set up your lists. I have mine in a few managable catagories. Western authors, publishers & blogs, indie authors, readers, etc. You can name your lists anything you want and group people where they’ll be easy for you to find. To create a new list, just click the Create New List on the right hand side of the page and you’ll get a pop up box that looks like this:
Just type in the name of your new list, a description if you want, then the privacy of the group. I keep mine set to private for the most part but you can show them if you wish. Once you have your list named, click save list and you’re done. Create as many as you want/need to manage all your new twitter friends.
Once you get all your lists made, its time to put everyone in their proper place. Now this is a time consuming process if you already have hundreds of friends so I suggest placing new friends in a catagory when you follow them. It just makes life easier in the long run.
To put someone in a list, just go to their profile page, and you’ll see a ‘cog’ wheel underneath their banner image. Click on that and it’ll bring up a text box with a lot of different options. You want the “Add or remove from list…” option.
Click on that and you’ll get another pop up box with all those neat little lists you created earlier.
Just ‘check’ which list you want them under and click the X in the upper right hand corner and you’re done. You can also create new lists from this page as well. Just click “Create a list” at the bottom of that box, name your new list and you’re done.
You can also do this from your own page. Click on “Following” from your profile page and you’ll get a list of everyone you follow. Again, click the ‘cog’ wheel by their name, then “Add or remove from lists”…and the pop up box asking where you want them will pop up. (This is the best way to do it, in my opinion, especially if you have a lot of Twitter friends.)
Once you have everyone where you want them, it will be easier to see exactly what you want to see. If you just want to read the tweets from the ‘western authors’ for example, just go back to the MORE tab on your profile, click on LISTS to bring up all the lists you created…
…and click on the one you want. Everyone you put into that catagory will show up for you.
If you want to read another list, look to the left of the tweets and you’ll see all your lists named. Just click the one you want to see and read just those tweets.
I rarely read anything from the main homepage. It moves too fast and it gets so overwhelming, it takes the fun out of the site, so if you want to make things simple, just create some lists, put your favorite Tweeps in there and read without getting lost.
There’s a few sites out there that will help you manage your Twitter pages and those are Tweepi and Tweetdeck. Tweepi lets you see all your followers, who you’re following and enables you to manage all those people. Tweetdeck is a multi-list application that allows you to see all your lists at once, side by side. I’ll go over those next week and show you how to set up and use them. For now, go get your Lists created and start putting your Tweeps into easily managable catagories. You’ll be glad you did!
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About Lily Graison
Lily Graison lives in the foothills of North Carolina with her husband, two high-strung Yorkies, more cats than she can count. First published in 2005, she is the author of over a dozen published books in the Western, Contemporary and Paranormal Romance genres.
When not writing, Lily can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war reenactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.
To see the dresses Lily has created, visit her Pinterest page.
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The post An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Twitter appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 5, 2014
Friday First Kiss #34 :: Six Months in Montana by Pamela M. Kelley – Contemporary Western Romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from,Six Months in Montana by Pamela M. Kelley.
Molly had a little trouble concentrating as Christian walked her through the plans. He was standing so close to her that his arm brushed against her each time he leaned forward to point something out. Molly leaned a little closer, liking the feeling of being so near him.
“Thanks! Your support means a lot to me.” He gave her a quick hug, and Molly held on tight, loving the smell of him. It wasn’t any particular cologne, just the mix of shampoo and his natural scent. When they pulled apart, his eyes locked on hers and she held his glance, and her breath, as she could sense what was coming next. Christian moved towards her, hesitated a moment and then his lips were on hers.
Molly held on tighter as Christian deepened the kiss. Then he pulled back and slowly kissed his way along her neck, before claiming her lips again. Molly reveled in the taste of him and wasn’t surprised at the chemistry; the surges of electricity she’d been feeling whenever they touched made sense now. She didn’t want the kiss to end, but eventually it did, as Christian pulled back and then gently kissed her forehead.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said.
“I didn’t mind actually.” Molly smiled up at him, but the warm and happy glow she’d been feeling was starting to fade at the look of obvious regret on Christian’s face.
Six Months in Montana by Pamela M. Kelley
Molly Bishop loves living in Manhattan and managing a boutique luxury hotel. She’s about to be promoted to her dream job of General Manager, the role she’s been striving for her entire career
There’s only one thing standing in her way.
The will of her childhood friend, Christian Ford’s grandfather. She hasn’t even seen Christian in over ten years, but a recent run-in with his grandfather during a rare visit home, resulted in a new condition to the will. Christian will only inherit the ranch he’s been running and the real estate development business that he has expanded, if he marries Molly and stays married for at least six months.
This is what I would call a cozy romance, it’s romantic and sweet and is set in a small fictional town about 30 miles from Bozeman, MT. Warning, if you prefer your stories with the bedroom doors wide open and the windows steamed up, you may be disappointed. 
BUY THE BOOK FROM
Amazon (This book is current FREE so grab it while you can!)
About Pamela M. Kelley
Pamela M. Kelley lives in the historic seaside town of Plymouth, MA near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been a book worm and still reads often and widely, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. She writes romance and mystery and you’ll probably see food featured along with a recipe or two. She is owned by a cute little Maine Coon Cat, Kelley.
Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.
The post Friday First Kiss #34 :: Six Months in Montana by Pamela M. Kelley – Contemporary Western Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 4, 2014
An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence : Facebook
Photo: mkhmarketing
Welcome to day 1 of my ‘How To’ blog series for authors! I’ve been wanting to make these tutorial posts for a while now and while they’ll be ‘old’ information to some, I know more than a few authors who will find them useful. I’m hope you’ll be one of them.
Before I start, let me say I’m no expert. I just spend a lot of time online and know my way around a few sites and programs so everything you see here will be my experience with these sites. I’m sure others have given their take on the subject better than I will and you’re free to look those up. For these ‘tutorials,’ it’ll just be my interpretation of what I’ve seen and done.
I’m going to start the series with the one social media site everyone is probably using but some aren’t taking advantage of some of the special features it has to offer.
Facebook seems to be everyone’s go to site for social media. It has a user base of millions and reaching readers is as easy as posting a link to your page. But did you know there’s a difference between a profile page and a fan page?
Everyone who signs up for Facebook has a profile page. This is the page where you add ‘friends’ and everyone shows up on your newsfeed. This is standard issue and everyone who friends you will see whatever it is you post.
A fan page, or a business page as its also called, is a completely different sort of page. When I joined Facebook I started my fan page and directed everyone who ‘friended’ me over there and began posting exclusively from that page. Seeing my ‘LIKES’ grow gave me a small gage of how many readers were finding me and Facebook was nice enough to send me weekly reports on how many readers were interacting with me.
One of the things I like about the fan page is I’m able to publish posts in advance, which saves me time during the week. If I know I need to announce something three days from now, I can schedule the post and it will automatically go live without me having to do anything.
To do this, just make your post as usual, but look along the bottom of the text box in the lower left corner. See that icon that looks like a clock?
Click on that to get scheduling options.
From there you can set the date and time you want the post to go live. I sometimes do this for special events I want to remind readers about weekly. I can go in, write my posts and set them weeks in advance and not have to worry about them again. This is one feature on the ‘fan pages’ that I love and it made my use of the site much easier, but then Facebook did the unthinkable…
They reduced the number of people who could see my posts and asked me if I wanted to ‘pay’ them to boost my exposure. This changed the whole dynamics of how the site is used. I for one don’t want to pay just to be seen, especially when readers have taken the time to come to Facebook and click that LIKE button because they want to see my posts. I have nearly 2,000 ‘fans’ on my page and on average, my posts are seen by less than 100 of my readers. To reach all of them, I have to pay.
Which has caused me to re-think the use of the regular ole’ Facebook profile….the one where you collect ‘friends.’ The problem most people have with the profile page is Facebook cuts you off at 5,000 friends, which is what made the fan pages so attractive to begin with, but now they’ve added another new feature…the ‘follow’ feature.
When your friending capabilities have reached the max, readers can still ‘follow’ you. Your posts will show in their newsfeed but you won’t be able to see any of ‘their’ posts. You have to be a readers friend in order to see what they’re posting.
Clicking on your ‘friends’ tab will show you how many readers are following your page. I’m sure many don’t know about the feature so its a good idea to remind your readers of the option. The page will also show you who ‘you’ are following, assuming you’ve followed any.
I haven’t spent much time building my readership on the profile page. I didn’t think I needed to, not with the fan page, but as Facebook changes the rules nearly monthly now, I’ll be spending a bit more time over on the regular profile. You can still set post up in advance but unlike the fan page, the profile only lets you set them up in advance for ‘that day’…not days in advance. Its still not a bad option. If you need to run out but need to announce something later on, this option will save you a bit of rushing to get back in time. But with everything else on Facebook, don’t get too used to the function. I’m sure once the “powers that be” see it working to our advantage, they’ll throw a wrench into the cog and mess the whole thing up.
Have you found other useful tools on facebook to make using the site easier? If so, post them in the comments. I for one would love to learn what it is and how to use it.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be tackling Hootsuite (a social media hub), Rafflecopter, Pinterest, Scrivener (writing software), Production Schedules and Mailchimp (for maintaining mailing list for newsletters). Next week, I’ll be talking about Twitter and Tweetdeck…how to send posts from facebook over there automatically and how to manage all those readers with the use of lists.
If you’d like to receive the Twitter tutorial, and the others I have planned, directly in your email inbox, just add your email address to my list and my blog posts will come directly to you.
Leave Blank:Do Not Change:
Your email:
The post An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence : Facebook appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
“How To” Guide for Authors : Facebook
Photo: mkhmarketing
Welcome to day 1 of my ‘How To’ blog series for authors! I’ve been wanting to make these tutorial posts for a while now and while they’ll be ‘old’ information to somet, I know more than a few authors who will find them useful. I’m hope you’ll be one of them.
Before I start, let me say I’m no expert. I just spend a lot of time online and know my way around a few sites and programs so everything you see here will be my experience with these sites. I’m sure others have given their take on the subject better than I will and you’re free to look those up. For these ‘tutorials,’ it’ll just be my interpretation of what I’ve seen and done.
I’m going to start the series with the one social media site everyone is probably using but some aren’t taking advantage of some of the special features it has to offer.
Facebook seems to be everyone’s go to site for social media. It has a user base of millions and reaching readers is as easy as posting a link to your page. But did you know there’s a difference between a profile page and a fan page?
Everyone who signs up for Facebook has a profile page. This is the page where you add ‘friends’ and everyone shows up on your newsfeed. This is standard issue and everyone who friends you will see whatever it is you post.
A fan page, or a business page as its also called, is a completely different sort of page. When I joined Facebook I started my fan page and directed everyone who ‘friended’ me over there and began posting exclusively from that page. Seeing my ‘LIKES’ grow gave me a small gage of how many readers were finding me and Facebook was nice enough to send me weekly reports on how many readers were interacting with me.
One of the things I like about the fan page is I’m able to publish posts in advance, which saves me time during the week. If I know I need to announce something three days from now, I can schedule the post and it will automatically go live without me having to do anything.
To do this, just make your post as usual, but look along the bottom of the text box in the lower left corner. See that icon that looks like a clock?
Click on that to get scheduling options.
From there you can set the date and time you want the post to go live. I sometimes do this for special events I want to remind readers about weekly. I can go in, write my posts and set them weeks in advance and not have to worry about them again. This is one feature on the ‘fan pages’ that I love and it made my use of the site much easier, but then Facebook did the unthinkable…
They reduced the number of people who could see my posts and asked me if I wanted to ‘pay’ them to boost my exposure. This changed the whole dynamics of how the site is used. I for one don’t want to pay just to be seen, especially when readers have taken the time to come to Facebook and click that LIKE button because they want to see my posts. I have nearly 2,000 ‘fans’ on my page and on average, my posts are seen by less than 100 of my readers. To reach all of them, I have to pay.
Which has caused me to re-think the use of the regular ole’ Facebook profile….the one where you collect ‘friends.’ The problem most people have with the profile page is Facebook cuts you off at 5,000 friends, which is what made the fan pages so attractive to begin with, but now they’ve added another new feature…the ‘follow’ feature.
When your friending capabilities have reached the max, readers can still ‘follow’ you. Your posts will show in their newsfeed but you won’t be able to see any of ‘their’ posts. You have to be a readers friend in order to see what they’re posting.
Clicking on your ‘friends’ tab will show you how many readers are following your page. I’m sure many don’t know about the feature so its a good idea to remind your readers of the option. The page will also show you who ‘you’ are following, assuming you’ve followed any.
I haven’t spent much time building my readership on the profile page. I didn’t think I needed to, not with the fan page, but as Facebook changes the rules nearly monthly now, I’ll be spending a bit more time over on the regular profile. You can still set post up in advance but unlike the fan page, the profile only lets you set them up in advance for ‘that day’…not days in advance. Its still not a bad option. If you need to run out but need to announce something later on, this option will save you a bit of rushing to get back in time. But with everything else on Facebook, don’t get too used to the function. I’m sure once the “powers that be” see it working to our advantage, they’ll throw a wrench into the tog and mess the whole thing up.
Have you found other useful tools on facebook to make using the site easier? If so, post them in the comments. I for one would love to learn what it is and how to use it.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be tackling Hootsuite, Rafflecopter, Pinterest, Scrivener, Production Schedules and Mailchimp. Next week, I’ll be talking about Twitter and Tweetdeck…how to send posts from facebook over there automatically and how to manage all those readers with the use of lists.
If you’d like to receive the Twitter tutorial, and the others I have planned, directly in your email inbox, just add your email address to my list and my blog posts will come directly to you.
Leave Blank:Do Not Change:
Your email:
The post “How To” Guide for Authors : Facebook appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 2, 2014
ManCandy Monday #31
I heard today called, Military Monday, on another site and thought…that works for me!
Happy Monday y’all!
The post ManCandy Monday #31 appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
May 30, 2014
Friday First Kiss #33 :: Texas Dreamer by Celia Yeary – Historical Western Romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Texas Dreamer by Celia Yeary .
“I can’t take chances. Right now, Emilie, you and Tex are the only people in the world I trust.”
Emilie stood and walked a few steps away. He followed but stood back a couple of feet.
She turned to face him. “Let me see if I have this straight. You want a business marriage, one on paper, a partner, not a wife to make love to. Someone to protect your claim on this property should you be killed. Correct?”
“I…hadn’t thought about it exactly that way.”
She crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Then what do you think?”
He swallowed. “I think when we get to know each other better, we’ll want a real marriage.”
He paused, sighed, and looked around.
Returning his gaze to her, he said, “Tell me what you want, Emilie. Anything. Tell me what you would want out of this arrangement. I’ll abide by anything you ask.”
Instead of answering right away, she turned away again and gazed across the pasture. Slowly, she turned in a circle, watching her feet, until she came back to face him.
“I want a baby, Lee. That’s what I want. I’m twenty-eight years old, and I can’t wait much longer to have a baby. I only want one. Then we can live any way you want.”
He grinned. “Is that all?”
Brightening, she said, “And I want an electric washing machine.”
“A…what?”
Laughing, she said, “You heard me. And I know how to order one, and I know exactly where to place it, and…”
In one quick move, he circled his arms about her waist and pulled her flush with his body. Slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers, and he kissed her closed lips. Keeping her close, he murmured, “Open your mouth a little, Emilie, and I’ll teach you how to kiss.”
She followed his directions, and her body went lax as she leaned into him. They kissed like they’d done it forever.
He laughed low. “You’re a fast learner, and I’ll teach you everything I know. You’ll have that baby and an electric washing machine, and I’ll have a family. Me? I can’t wait to get started.”
Emilie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. How lucky was she to hear a proposal from the best man she’d ever met?
But suppose she fell in love? That would never do. Someone else might come along that he’d fall in love with. And then where would that leave her?
Texas Dreamer by Celia Yeary
Lee King is a dreamer. When he realizes he was born under a lucky star, he went for the jackpot and won. But winning a big prize isn’t the same as keeping it safe from interlopers and greedy fortune hunters–including women. When oilman Tex McDougal crosses his path, Lee believes he has found the perfect man to help him. His daughter, Emilie McDougal, while not a buxom beauty, impresses him with her intelligence, her courage, and her selflessness.
Could he strike a financial bargain with her? One that would suit them both?
Emilie McDougal has no family except her father, and she has followed in his footsteps from age one. When Lee King enters their lives, she begins to dream–for the first time in her life. She only wants one thing from Lee, one tiny thing that would make her life complete.
Would he agree to her counter-bargain?
BUY THE BOOK FROM
About Celia Yeary
Celia Yeary, a native Texan, former science teacher, graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas State University, is mother of two, grandmother of three boys, and wife of a wonderful, supportive Texan.
She has published ten novels, seven novellas, short stories, and articles for a Texas Magazine– Texas Co-op Power. She is a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT), a local writing group called The Write Girls, and co-owns a group blog titled Sweethearts of the West.
Celia and her husband enjoy traveling, and both are involved in their church, the community, and the university. Central Texas has been her home for forty years.
Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.
The post Friday First Kiss #33 :: Texas Dreamer by Celia Yeary – Historical Western Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
May 27, 2014
“How To” Guide for Authors : Introduction
Photo: mkhmarketing
Back in March I joined a group of ladies in their blogging venture at Sweethearts of the West and over the course of the first month, learned that many of them weren’t taking advantage of social media outlets like they should be. The reason they weren’t was because…they didn’t know how.I’m the type of person who won’t stop digging away at something until I’ve mastered it to the best of my ability and when I see a new way to reach readers, I do my homework and fiddle until I’ve managed to make use of it. Not everyone is as hard-headed as me and most give up without much effort or can’t figure out where to start to begin with, so I promised the other Sweethearts that I’d do a series of social media (and other author friendly) posts to help them out and give them a guide of How To’s when tackling these outlets.
I have ten post (so far) that will introduce authors to, and help you set up, manage and maintain a number of sites and applications. I’ll be posting these, one every week, starting next Wednesday. I am by no means an expert and I make no claim to be so these will just be my experience with these programs.
The topics I’ll be talking about in the coming weeks are Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, Scrivener, Instagram and creating your own book production schedules.
If you want to make sure you don’t miss a week, sign up for email notifications and receive each post in your email inbox.
Leave Blank:Do Not Change:
Your email:
The post “How To” Guide for Authors : Introduction appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
May 26, 2014
ManCandy Monday #30
This is a hard question for many, including me, but which do you prefer?
Warm and Furry?
Or smooth as a baby’s bottom?
Hmm…. I can’t decide!!
The post ManCandy Monday #30 appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
May 24, 2014
Friday First Kiss #32 :: Teton Sunset (Teton Romance Trilogy, Book 3) by Peggy Henderson – Historical Western Romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Teton Sunset by Peggy Henderson .
“Why did you come back?” Lucas stared down at her intently. Her pulse quickened in response to his heated gaze. His hands still rested at her waist.
“I couldn’t let Black Sparrow kill you, just like I couldn’t let you kill him,” she whispered. Her eyes locked with his.
Lucas’ eyes narrowed. “Black Sparrow caught up with you?”
“Yes.” She laughed softly, and lowered her gaze to the ground. “He asked me to be his wife.” She raised her head and glared at him. The warrior hadn’t exactly asked. It had been more of a demand, but Lucas didn’t need to know that. “I wasn’t going to go with him any more than I was going to go with you.”
Lucas’ expression changed. His hard stare softened, and he smiled broadly. “I wondered why he came back to camp without you. Since he left you alone, you must not have refused him outright.”
How could this man be so perceptive . . . and arrogant to think she wouldn’t accept Black Sparrow’s proposal?
“I had to stall him.” She lifted her chin. What was it about Lucas that raised her temper while at the same time he brought out feelings of longing and even tenderness? “At least he gave me a choice,” she added heatedly, angry at the mixed emotions this man evoked in her.
Lucas scoffed. “How noble of him.” He held her stare for a moment. “You know you can’t return to your cabin now, Tori. Or ever.” Lucas’ eyes hardened again.
“Yes, I’m fully aware of that,” she hissed, then pulled away from him.
His hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. Lucas spun her to face him, and stepped up to her. His hands reached up and framed her face just before he brought his mouth down on hers. Tori stiffened at the unexpected assault. Heat raced through her the instant his lips touched hers. Her hands reached up to grip at his forearms, even as her body leaned toward him. Lucas’ hands worked their way behind her head, his fingers weaving through her hair, holding her firmly to him.
Abruptly, he broke the kiss. Tori sucked in a lungful of air, and stared wide-eyed up at him.
“What was that for?” Her voice trembled. He still hadn’t released her, and the feel of his strong fingers kneading the back of her head sent ripples of desire through her that left her breathless.
“That was for running off and leaving me without my clothes,” he said in a sultry tone. His eyes never wavered from her face, and all smugness left his features.
“You kissed me for stealing your clothes?” Tori rasped. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. The slight pressure at the back of her head compelled her to lean up toward him.
“I’ll admit, it was a smart thing to do,” Lucas whispered in a low voice. “And so is this.” He lowered his head again. A quiet whimper escaped her throat just as his mouth touched hers again. Soft and gentle, his lips teased and tasted, and Tori loosened her grip on him. Her arms reached around his middle, and she leaned in closer.
Lucas adjusted his mouth fully over hers, coaxing her to respond. Tori parted her lips beneath his. Renewed exhilaration raced through her, the fatigue from earlier forgotten. A strong arm reached around her waist, pulling her up tightly against his solid torso.
Tori’s world spun precariously, and if he hadn’t been holding her up, the weakness in her knees might not have supported her weight. She closed her eyes, giving in to the wonderful sensations of warmth and protection that coursed through her. Forgotten was the cold night, and fearing for their lives, the endless months of loneliness and constantly looking over her shoulder.
Right now, there was only Lucas and his fierce embrace, the possessive yet tender contact of his exploring mouth, and the feelings his touch stroked to life in her. She gripped his shoulders and leaned into him. The arm behind her back tightened, drawing her even closer against him, his fingers kneading and caressing languidly along her waist.
All too soon, Lucas loosened his hold. His lips lingered softly on hers before he drew back fully. Tori opened her eyes, gazing up into the smoldering depths of Lucas’ stare. She fought to pull enough air into her lungs. Her lips pulsed to match the wild beating of her heart.
Lucas’ mouth widened in a lazy grin, but there was also something else. Tori didn’t dare put a name to the look that was written in his eyes. His palm cupped the side of her face while his thumb slowly stroked along her cheek.
“That was for saving my hide,” he rasped hoarsely, apparently as out of breath as she was.
Teton Sunset by Peggy Henderson
Life for Lucas Walker is a constant adventure, a daily game to be won in the vast Teton wilderness. Facing every challenge head-on, he values the freedom to go where he wants, when he wants, and without attachments to any one person.
She is known to the native people of the land as Ghost Woman. Hiding from a terrifying past, she has lived alone and under conditions too harsh for even the hardiest men. Trusting another person is something she can’t do. Forced to put her life in the hands of a man who dares her to confront everything from which she’s tried to escape, she struggles to protect the walls she has built around her identity . . . and her heart.
Brought together through life or death situations, Lucas and his unwilling charge find themselves fighting dangers only found in the untamed mountains. Their battle for survival teaches them the ultimate lesson in how to trust and love someone. When the past catches up to them, they discover that the heart can’t always be protected; sometimes the only way to be safe is to open it.
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About Peggy Henderson
Peggy L Henderson is a laboratory technologist by night, and best-selling western historical and time travel romance author of the Yellowstone Romance Series, Second Chances Time Travel Romance Series, and Teton Romance Trilogy. When she’s not writing about Yellowstone, the Tetons, or the old west, she’s out hiking the trails, spending time with her family and pets, or catching up on much-needed sleep. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart. Along with her husband and two sons, she makes her home in Southern California.
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The post Friday First Kiss #32 :: Teton Sunset (Teton Romance Trilogy, Book 3) by Peggy Henderson – Historical Western Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
May 18, 2014
ManCandy Monday #29
I’m in need of a vacation….should I head west and relax on the ranch?
Or head east and soak up the sun by the ocean?
Descisions, Descisions…..
The post ManCandy Monday #29 appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
