Starla Kaye's Blog, page 22

Congrats to my contest winners

I am happy to announce my two contest winners in my contest at the Decadent Publishing’s blog: Susan White and Melody Everhart.

Happy holidays to them…and to everyone else.

Starla

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Christmas Whimsy

I love the holidays and I have a lot of fun decorating for Christmas. I go a bit nuts with it at home, as well as at my office. I’m blogging today at Decadent Publishing’s Blogspot on “Christmas Whimsy at the Office.” Please stop by and check out the post and see what I’ve done in my office for the holidays.

I’m also pre-celebrating the upcoming release of my newest cowboy romance: For Ruby’s Love. And because of both Christmas and the new book coming in early 2015, I am having a little contest.

CONTEST: Leave a comment on the blog (or here) about whatever you do special for the Christmas holidays, including whatever you do for just fun. Do you decorate your office area? Do you have a collection of favorite holiday items?

Two lucky commenters will win a couple of unique cowboy-related small gifts. Because this is so close to Christmas you can consider these gifts as the first for the New Year. The winner will be chosen December 22.

Decadent Publishing Blog

Starla Kaye’s Books at Decadent Publishing

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I love writing holiday stories

I love everything to do with holidays this time of year, especially Christmas. The lights, the get-togethers with friends and family, the goodies, and so much more. And I really enjoy writing holiday stories.

The following are some of the ones I have written in the last few years:

Holly’s Big, Bad Santa:  A second chance at love story, from Black Velvet Seductions

Jared had left Danville, Kansas, a confused and angry teenager. The black sheep of his family, he’d done his best not to look back. Then a letter from home made it impossible for him to stay away.

Holly was leaving Danville for a new life in California. Suddenly he was desperate to return home, to convince her to build a life with him.

But convincing Holly proved to be more difficult than he’d thought. Holly had always loved Jared, but after fifteen years she’d given up hope of him returning to Danville and she’d decided to move on with her life, a life which didn’t include Jared.

 

North Pole Magic: A boxed set of three stories about Kris Kringle’s grown children and his desire for grandchildren, from Blushing Books

The first story, All He Wants for Christmas, focuses on Santa’s daughter, Merry. Kris decides to play matchmaker between Merry and a cowboy, Nick Holiday, who had strayed away from celebrating Christmas. Merry has driven her father crazy long enough. Kris believes it’s time for another man to love and tame her wild ways. He gives her the task of working as Nick’s cook at his ranch and bringing him back to Christmas, healing his emotional wounds…or else be assigned the unpleasant, permanent role of manager of the Toy Factory.

The second story, Santa’s Surprise, focuses on Santa’s oldest son, Nicholas. Kris decides it’s time to retire as Santa and pass the role onto Nicholas, who also needs to get married and work on the grandchildren Kris wants. Nick has never wanted to take over the Santa role and steers clear of anything Santa related, going so far as to move to Kauai and run a tourist business there. Misty (Mistletoe) McGuire, a sexy little Hawaiian who collects Santa figurines and runs a Christmas shop, comes into his life and suddenly his world is changing. His dad is persistent. He is resistant. And Misty is caught in the middle of it all.

The final story, His Only Wish, Santa focuses on his youngest son, Pere Noel. Kris unhappily discovers that Pere has been lying to him. While visiting one day with his old friend, Pere Fouettard, the two fathers discover that their children have been married for almost seven years. Pere Kringle (now going by Perry Ingle) agreed to a marriage of convenience with Nikki Fouettard (now going by Nikki Ambrose) to keep both of their families from harassing them into getting married, when neither were ready to settle down. Now they must face their families, face the identity lies both have told, and discover the real reason neither have filed for an annulment.

Oh So Nice…and Naughty: The boy from her past is now grown up and she wants…, from Blushing Books

Oh So Nice… and Naughty Kandee O’Connor left her home town as soon as she could, heart-bruised, and determined to never return for more than a visit. But she’s tired of her career that has kept her too busy for any kind of relationship, even for losing her virginity. Now she’s gone home and comes face-to-face with the boy – now a man – who was partly responsible for why she’d left all those years ago. Her feelings are stronger than ever for him … and she wants him to help her with the virginity problem, but that’s all. Right?

Sean Masters left his home town and became a successful pro-football quarterback, but now his football career is over. He’s lost, expected to take over the family ranch, but doubts he can do it. His life is a mess. Then he runs into Kandee, a girl – now a beautiful woman – who he still feels guilt over for something that happened when she was sixteen. In some twisted way, she wants him to right the wrong he’d done her. She wants him to be her first lover.

Santa Wears Spurs: She wants this cowboy for her love slave, from Blushing Books

Roxie Evans had left California, her wealthy but distant family, and a former fiance‚ who’d turned out to be Very Mr. Wrong. She’d moved halfway across the country to begin a new life as a librarian and try to find a happily-ever-after kind of man. What she found was a cowboy with a reputation as the best sweet-talker in the state. They had nothing in common, except an attraction that took them both by surprise. When he approached her to be Santa’s helper this year at the ranchers association’s Christmas party, she’d teased him about what he was prepared to offer her in exchange for saying yes. He mentioned several possible enticements: one was taking her over his knee and encouraging her agreement by warming her bottom; another was offering to be her love slave. Both suggestions were not really serious ones. Until Roxie decided to call his bluff and accepted the love slave offer, thinking her acceptance not serious either. But as it turned out, he was serious.

Love slave? Well, hell, who was he to turn down such an opportunity! Dexter Malone could certainly do his civic duty by acting as Santa, and as offering his body to the pretty new woman in town. ‘Course he figured they’d really only have a night or two of some mutually agreed upon fun. Then he’d go his way, as usual, and she would go hers. He sure hadn’t counted on losing his heart to a woman who enjoyed sex, sensual fun, and a playful spanking as much as he did.

The post I love writing holiday stories appeared first on Starla Kaye.

Holly’s Big, Bad Santa’s contest

I am celebrating the release of a revised and lengthened Holly’s Big, Bad Santa, from Black Velvet Seductions.

I had fun writing the original version, but I had the chance to update it and incorporate suggestions from prior readers. I fell in love with the hero even more this time, as did a reviewer at Amazon, who said: “I love Jared’s cocky ‘I was a jerk but I am going to get my girl’ attitude and Holly’s ‘the Hell you will attitude.’”

At this time of year, I love doing contests and giving things away.

 

 

MY CONTEST: Leave a brief comment about your favorite thing about the holiday season and your email address. One lucky winner will win a “Sorry Santa Naughty Feels Just Too Nice” cup and a second small surprise gift. The winner will be chosen December 15.

Amazon Buy Link

Barnes & Noble Buy Link

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Holly’s Big, Bad Santa

Holly’s Big, Bad Santa, a Christmas novella, has been revised and lengthened for a new release.

BLURB:

Jared left Danville, Kansas a confused and angry teenager. The black sheep of his family, he’s done his best not to look back. He’s grimly stayed away all these years certain he’d disappointed everyone he’d left behind. His life is changing now due to some recent decisions and an e-mail from his father arrives that could change everything even more. But can he go home again and make peace with his family, the town…and the young woman he’d hurt most of all?

Holly buried her pain at Jared’s leaving long ago and went on with building a life alone. She has a successful quilting business and now a new man in her life, although he lives in California and wants her to move there. She has finally made the decision to leave her hometown, her business, and her bruised memories. The decision still frightens her, but it’s past time to go. But Jared dares to upset her world again by coming home for the holidays. She’s furious with him, afraid to ever believe in him again, and yet….

Available currently as a paperback and Nook Book from Barnes & Noble

Also available at Smashwords

 

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Covers, covers, and more great covers!

I am so excited about the new covers I’ve gotten recently for new releases and pending releases. Check these out!

HER BEWITCHED COWBOY – Blushing Books’ FREE October release, a short story that will lead into more holiday short stories.

 

 

 

 

 

PUNISHED! – A short story collection from Black Velvet Seductions. My stories are TRUSTING HER and TESTING THEIR LOVE. Released early October.

 

 

 

 

 

HOLLY’S BIG, BAD SANTA – A revised and lengthened re-release from Black Velvet Seductions. To be released late October. The actual cover isn’t ready yet.

 

FOR RUBY’S LOVE – A novella length sequel to The CEO and the Cowboy from Decadent Publishing. Release date to be determined.

 

 

 

 

 

By Starla Kaye

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Punished! – Sizzling short story collection

PUNISHED!  Five sizzling hot, romantic stories, telling of love and domestic discipline.

Overview of Stories:

Trusting Her – Starla Kaye.

Rancher Sam Caldwell is in a funk. He’s been growling at his ranch hands, his friends and even his wife Katie. When Katie gets in a funk, Sam spanks her. So, when his bad mood stretches on, with no end in sight, he decides to ask Katie to spank him.

Testing Their Love – Starla Kaye.

Grayson and Belinda Jo have a good marriage except that Grayson’s expectations for her are in conflict with her own need for fulfillment. She knows Grayson believes in domestic discipline. What she doesn’t know is how he will react when she tells him she intends to resign from the charity boards he wants her to sit on.

In The Driving Seat – Richard Savage.

Barbra loves to shop…especially for shoes. But she never would have thought that buying a pair of shoes would land her in so much trouble. Alan is tired of fighting with Barbara about money. He decides after one pair of $1500 shoes too many, that what Barbara really needs is a firm hand.

Meredith’s First Spanking – Nadia Nautalia.

Newlywed Brant is one of the few cowboys in his circle of friends not to have embraced spanking as a way to keep his wife in line, that is until he finds out that she’s been lying to him.

A New Way Forward – Nadia Nautalia.

When Bryce is fixing Abby’s computer, he discovers her big secret, a blog where she shares her deepest, darkest fantasies. Can Bryce make her fantasies of bondage and submission, spanking, exhibitionism, come true?

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Her Bewitched Cowboy – Free short story

Her Bewitched Cowboy is the October FREE monthly bonus story at Blushing Books.

If you like fun, cowboys, Halloween, and three troublesome triplets…. Check this out.

TEASER BLURB:

Kiley Caruthers isn’t interested in being tied down by the restrictions of marriage. She’s happy with her life. She has a growing career as a cookbook writer, with ambitions to have her own cooking show. She doesn’t need some man to get in her way, to slow her down, or to tell her what to do. But her sisters have a different opinion about what she needs. They are pressing her to choose her future husband from the men they invite to a Halloween party. She’s sure it’s a joke. She decides to play along because it promises to be fun…and because it annoys her older brother and his far-too-stiff best friend. Something she specializes in.

Ethan Talbot’s ranch is one of the biggest in the state, keeping him busy. He hasn’t had an interest in marriage until he realizes he needs the “perfect” woman by his side. She must be socially acceptable, mannerly at all times, stylish, and satisfied in a supportive wifely role, with no ambitions of her own. She must be completely opposite of the “triplet terrors,” the sisters of his best friend and neighboring rancher. Okay, he has a minor interest in one of them, Korey…or is it Kiley? He’s always had trouble telling them apart. But Hell will freeze over before….

By Starla Kaye

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Her Bewitched Cowboy

BLURB

Kiley Caruthers isn’t interested in being tied down by the restrictions of marriage. She’s happy with her life. She has a growing career as a cookbook writer, with ambitions to have her own cooking show. She doesn’t need some man to get in her way, to slow her down, or to tell her what to do. But her sisters have a different opinion about what she needs. They are pressing her to choose her future husband from the men they invite to a Halloween party. She’s sure it’s a joke. She decides to play along because it promises to be fun…and because it annoys her older brother and his far-too-stiff best friend. Something she specializes in.

Ethan Talbot’s ranch is one of the biggest in the state, keeping him busy. He hasn’t had an interest in marriage until he realizes he needs the “perfect” woman by his side. She must be socially acceptable, mannerly at all times, stylish, and satisfied in a supportive wifely role, with no ambitions of her own. She must be completely opposite of the “triplet terrors,” the sisters of his best friend and neighboring rancher. Okay, he has a minor interest in one of them, Korey…or is it Kiley? He’s always had trouble telling them apart. But Hell will freeze over before….

Genre: Contemporary romance, short story

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Bandana: Cowboy Kerchief

The Western Bandana

Bandanas have been around much longer than the Old West days, actually since the medieval days. But I grew up watching American Westerns and so I associate them with cowboys.

Uses of Bandanas (cowboy kerchiefs) for cowboys:

A cowboy Band-Aid, possibly as a tourniquet or sling or set a splint
Protection from the sun
Protection against snow blindness
Earmuffs in cold weather
Keeping the dust off a cowboy’s neck  while rounding up cattle
Tied around the neck and pulled over the mouth and nose as a dust mask
As a water filter
A pot holder to move a hot pot from the coals at camp
A pot holder for branding irons
To blindfold a horse if necessary
To make an emergency tie on his saddle cinch
As a strap or lace
To mend a rein or create a makeshift stirrup
Tied around a horse’s legs to hobble him while the cowboy fixed his equipment
Uses for non-cowboys:
Head band to keep hair out of your eyes
Western fashion
A head scarf
Bracelet for leg or wrist
Red ones to for help finding you when you get lost out hiking

Resources:

History of Western Bandana

Cowboy Bits

How to Tie a Cowboy Bandana

 

By Starla Criser (Starla Kaye)

Previously published on my S.K. Fero website

 

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