Starla Kaye's Blog, page 24
May 1, 2014
It’s All About Me (You) – May Contest
Where is the year going? Time is just flying by and it’s time for my May contest in connection with Romance Books 4 Us. This time It’s All About Me (meaning you).
The contest begins May 1 and runs until May 31. The randomly selected winner will be chosen on June 1.
CONTEST DETAILS:
It’s All About Me – Leave a comment about how you like to pamper yourself. One randomly chosen commenter will win a Fabulous Shoe bottle opener (perfect for sitting out for display or opening a bottle of ?). The winner will be chosen June 2, 2014.
April 24, 2014
Maggie and Ian return for a visit and a contest
Every so often I enjoy taking a new look at some of my favorite characters. Maggie and Ian from Maggie’s Secret Wish two such people. Today I’m at the 1 Night Stand Series blog with a new, quick little scene from what their lives might be like today. Warning: It’s a heart-racer.
And I’m doing a contest in celebration of my fun-loving couple.
CONTEST: One lucky commenter will win the Kinky Vows for Adventurous Lovers card set mentioned in this snippet story. The winner will be chosen April 28th.
April 10, 2014
Cowboy Dreamin’ gets some love
I’m so excited that I’m dancing around my office, my office filled with all sorts of cowboy knickknacks.
COWBOY DREAMIN’ just received a 5 Star, Top Pick review from Night Owl Erotica Reviews!
“This book wasn’t what I was expecting even though I love reading 1 Night Stand stories. It was so much more that I almost forgot it was a novella and part of the series….I got so wrapped up in this story that I wasn’t ready for it to end. I wanted more. Now, as usual, the magic of Madame Eve and her 1 Night Stand service was working. The sex was hot and steamy. But, it’s definitely character driven and those characters are awesome. Whether you’re a fan of 1 Night Stands or not, if you like a good cowboy story with ménage, read this one. It is so worth it.”
To read the full review: Night Owl Reviews
April 5, 2014
Cowboy Dreamin’ and Saddle Up Sunday
I’m excited to be part of the Stilettos At High Noon blog’s first SADDLE UP SUNDAY SNIPPETS! My cowboys from COWBOY DREAMIN’ are happy to be here too. And they brought along the woman who is changing their lives.
Be sure to click on the Saddle Up Sunday Snippets link to connect with the list of other authors taking part in the event.
BLURB: COWBOY DREAMIN’
Kendra spends her days and nights running a business, sculpting, and leading a Tahitian dance group in Kauai. She can’t squeeze anything else into her life, but she dreams of cowboys. Sexy, hot cowboys in tight jeans, low-tipped Stetsons, and dusty boots. Men who know all about how to please a woman. She enjoys her fantasies, but can’t imagine ever settling down. But one night with one would be so nice. Surely that would get her dreams of a white knight cowboy sweeping her off her feet out of her system.
Because of an accident that Shane believes left him “less of a man,” he doesn’t see a wife and children in his future. Carson, his ranching partner—and sometimes lover—thinks Shane is wrong. Carson refuses to let Shane settle for a life of rodeo bunnies who only want a romp in bed with a bull rider. Shane deserves more than that. He manages to sign Shane up with a matchmaking service to, hopefully, meet another kind of woman, maybe someone who will appreciate Shane for the man he is. Except Madame Evangeline expects both of the cowboys to go on this special one night date. It doesn’t take long for either cowboy to realize that one night with the purple-haired, hip-shaking beauty in Kauai might not be enough….
EXCERPT: Initial meeting between Shane, Carson, and Kendra
Then he forced his gaze higher and couldn’t move it beyond two plump breasts cupped by a pair of coconut shells. He ached to replace the shells with his palms, squeeze those….
The dancers did a sexy little hip-swishing spin. He swallowed and stifled a shudder. Sweat beaded on his upper lip. No doubt she affected every other man in the area. A glance at Carson told him his good buddy sure was under her spell.
He reached for his beer and chugged the rest of it, hoping it would cool him down. It didn’t. As he focused on the woman in the pink skirt again, he thought his poor old heart would beat itself to death. She had more wiggle to those amazing hips than any of the others. Those shells were working darn hard to contain her tempting breasts. And her smile…. God, he’d never seen one so….
She did another sassy, hip-teasing turn and captured his full attention once more. He hadn’t noticed her waist-length hair all that much before, but now the wavy mass fluttered around her, caressed her sweet body. It fascinated him, until he studied her closer. “Is her hair purple?”
“It appears to be,” Carson said in a husky tone. “I’m real glad we didn’t miss this.”
Publisher Buy Link: Decadent Publishing
Buy Link: All Romance Ebooks
Buy Link: Amazon
April 2, 2014
Finding names for your characters
Today I am sharing some useful reference sources for Finding names for your characters.
There are lots of baby name sources in books and all over the Internet.
These are some that are a little more fun, more unique.
(for deciding on your cowboy or cowgirl name)
(no description necessary, right?)
April 1, 2014
It’s All About Cowboys – April Contest
Time is just flying by already this year. It’s time for my April contest in connection with Romance Books 4 Us. This time It’s All About Cowboys.
The contest begins April 1 and runs until April 30. The randomly selected winner will be chosen on May 1.
CONTEST DETAILS: 
Leave a comment on my website about why you love cowboys as heroes. One randomly chosen commenter will win a metal cowboy boots napkin ring (perfect for sitting on your desk and dreaming about cowboys) and a deck of cowboy cards.
March 31, 2014
Fun with names: Your Werewolf Name or Your Fairy Name
There are so many different ways to determine your personality, your future, your name and much more on the Internet.
I found this first one “?” shared on Facebook this morning by Karenna Colcroft. I hope you have fun with it.
Here is another one for fun:
March 27, 2014
Cowboy Boots: From cowhide to anteater skin
Cowboys…I am totally fascinated by them, everything about them, including what they wear.
Today I’m at the 1Night Stand Series blog talking about “His boots were made of anteater skin” and a few other tidbits about cowboy boots. Drop by to read what I shared and to learn more about the whole 1 Night Stand Series from Decadent Publishing.
Now I’m going to share even more information about cowboy boots. Here are some of the more interesting materials from which boots are made:
Cowhide leather is the most common choice of material used. This kind of leather is durable, looks good, and allows the feet to breathe. Plus these boots are more affordable.
Ostrich is the most favored of the exotic skins used for boots. The skin has a unique grain and several different kinds of patterns. Again, these boots are fairly durable and let the feet breathe well.
Snakeskin boots are made from a number of different kinds of snakes such as python, rattlesnake, water snake, boa, and cobra. The most common snakeskin boots are made from python and rattlesnake skins. These are beautiful boots with unique patterns. These boots are more for dress than ranch work and they require a lot of maintenance and care.
Lizard skin boots are usually made from alligator lizard of hornback lizard. They are easy to shine and have very distinctive patterns. Again, these are boots mainly for dressing up.
Elephant skin boots are very scuff-resistant, but they require care and maintenance.
Eel skin boots are a popular choice of boot because the skin is soft and supple, with a smooth, sleek look. These boots are lightweight and have a good strength.
Alligator skin boots are also a popular choice for cowboys because they are distinctive. They are expensive, but they are great dress boots with their high gloss finish and deep, rich color.
Goatskin boots are similar to kangaroo skinned boots, but not as strong. These boots are less expensive than some of the other more exotic boots. They are soft and breathable for the feet.
Anteater boots have a similar look to alligator. Due to their rarity, these boots are very expensive and are something of a status symbol in the world of cowboy boots.
Other exotic skins used for cowboy boots include bison, calfskin, elk, shark, hippo, and kangaroo.
Good reference sources:
March 12, 2014
Stilettos at High Noon starts Saddle Up Sunday Snippets!
There is a great new western romance blog, STILETTOS AT HIGH NOON, that I am delighted to be associated with as my alter writing ego S.K. Fero. It will offer all sorts of western information, serialized stories, and posts by guest western authors. Be sure to check it out!
One of the new fun things we are doing is having SADDLE UP SUNDAY SNIPPETS, which begins April 6th. See the information below about this exciting event.
Saddle up on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month to share your WESTERN excerpts with our readers/followers.
WHERE: Hosted by Stilettos At High Noon Blog
WHEN: Every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month
WHO: All Western fiction and Western Romance writers (All genres welcome)
WHAT: 1) Sign up on the linky at Stilettos At High Noon every Monday (linky will go live under this tab by noon) for the following Sunday.
2) Post 3-4 paragraphs from one of your novels, novellas, WIPs on your blog (must be western-themed).
3) Post SAHN’s link on your blog beneath your excerpt so viewers/readers can check the main list to read more excerpts.
4) Saddle Up Sunday logo must be visible on your blog with a link back to Stilettos At High Noon.
Your blog post must be live by midnight Saturday in order to participate in Saddle Up
Sunday Snippets. Please promote your excerpt and SAHN on twitter and FB and all other social media sites on Sunday. Authors participating should use the #hashtag #saddleup to promote others who are posting excerpts. Let’s see if we can’t get western lovers to follow this event two Sundays a month.
Questions? Contact mckennagebhard@gmail.com or ketadiablo@yahoo.com.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
THROUGH DECEMBER 2014
Saddle Up Sunday Snippets
At Stilettos At High Noon
April 6th, April 20th
May 4th, May 18th
June 1st, June 15th
July 6th, July 20th
August 3rd, August 17th
September 7th, September 21st
October 5th, October 19th
November 2nd, November 16th
December 7th, December 21st
The linky for April 6th is now LIVE! Click on link below to sign up:
http://stilettosathighnoon.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_7873.html
March 7, 2014
Tina Donahue – Guest Author & Contest
I’m really happy to have Tina Donahue stopping by today to share her latest book news. STOLEN DESIRE is coming out March 11. Don’t miss her CONTEST at the end of the post.
STOLEN DESIRE
BOOK FOUR – OUTLAWED REALM SERIES
EROTIC PARANORMAL
Blurb:
Her freedom depends on one man. A criminal to his realm…
Outlawed Realm, Book 4
One minute, Paige Ross is outside a Seattle bar, grieving a failed engagement. The next, she jerks awake in a weird, candlelit room with velvet walls, black silk sheets, and a man who motions for silence.
Paige has little choice but to trust the powerful stranger who promises a way out of what looks like Satan’s brothel. And pray his promise to keep her safe is as real as the heat burning in his eyes.
Banished from E2’s ruling elite for supposed crimes against the realm, Zekin risks everything to rescue those brought to E5 for the guards’ carnal pleasure. Paige will be leaving this inhospitable realm of fire and ice—if he can somehow forget the way her trembling body melts in his arms.
Safe—temporarily—in an underwater world populated by strange creatures, Paige’s sexual awakening explodes into an unquenchable need that consumes them both. But the guards will be looking for her. And Zekin’s plan to send her home is a dangerous journey she cannot—will not—take without him.
Warning: Scorching-hot sex and loads of aching tenderness between a drool-worthy hunk who’s determined to do the right thing and a woman who’s not about to give him up.
Excerpt:
Thick gray clouds rolled above them, heavy with more snow. A sliver of bluish-white light poured through a gap in the cloud cover, as though the moon were trying to bleed through. Its rays swept across the land, which shimmered in the frail glow, sparkling like thousands of diamonds. The effect lasted only a moment, and then the light receded, with shadows once again taking over the hostile terrain.
As though that worried him, Zekin increased his already fast pace, pausing only once to shove her clothing into a snowdrift, burying it.
Why?
Paige wasn’t able to ask. She struggled to keep up, gulping air. It should have been icy, hurting her throat, but wasn’t. The transparent mask no doubt heated it. How was that possible? Desperate for answers, she cried out, “Where are we going?”
Zekin looked over. “A colony where you’ll be safe.”
Paige dug her fingers into his hand. “Where are we? What is this place?”
“E5.”
What in the hell was that? A government installation where scientists conducted classified studies and had pleasure slaves on the side? That made absolutely no—
Wait a sec. Suddenly, Paige recalled Zekin mentioning E1 when he’d first come into her room.
“I’ll do all I can to bring you back to E1,” he’d promised her then.
Instinctively, she held back. Just as quickly, Zekin yanked her forward.
“Don’t fight me,” he warned, “or you’ll end up like the others you saw outside the guards’ outpost.”
Paige shivered so badly, her voice shook. “Did those bastards throw the bodies out there after they murdered those people?”
“Only some. The others they pushed out there to die.”
“Why?”
“They weren’t useful any longer.” Again, he glanced over. “When one of the guards found you and brought you here, they got rid of the other woman. That’s what they do when they tire of females from your realm, or the pleasure slaves they haven’t already killed.”
Paige was about to pepper him with more questions. Instead, her mind snagged on one word—realm.
“You mean country?” Maybe she’d been wrong about his nationality. It wasn’t Greek or Middle-Eastern but Russian. Could be this was Siberia. In a weird sort of way, that made sense. “Is that what you meant—my country? The USA? America?”
He regarded the landscape past her. “We have to hurry before the other guards return and see us.”
Paige couldn’t imagine how that was possible. The material covering them was the same tint as their surroundings, making them virtually invisible…unless the guards had some kind of special eyewear, like night-vision goggles, that allowed them to see what the naked eye couldn’t. “How far is the colony?”
“Past that body of water.” He gestured toward what appeared to be an enormous frozen lake ringed by drifts.
As Paige scanned the area beyond it, searching for some sort of building, a flock of birds flew over the lake. At least she thought they were birds. Their thick feathers were an ashy white, their wingspans enormous, like nothing she’d ever seen.
They flew in an odd formation, not the usual V pattern, but in a perfect circle. Paige couldn’t help but stare at the phenomenon. How in the world did they do—
A thunderous crackling sound interrupted her thoughts, and the again screeching wind.
She flinched. Zekin released her hand and moved in front, his body pushing hers back, shielding Paige as something shattered the ice from beneath the center of the lake. Within seconds, a creature pushed through, hurling its milky body upward. The waves that followed it froze instantly in the raw air, the ends of the water curled over like a fine crystal sculpture. As massive as a blue whale, the creature surged from the lake, a horn protruding from its snout, no doubt what pierced the ice. With blinding speed, it penetrated the circle made by the birdlike creatures.
Shrieking wildly, they scattered, but it did no good. The whale-like thing swung its monstrous head back and forth, gulping several of the creatures before gravity pulled it back down to the water. A thin sheet of ice formed instantly, hiding its exit. Harsh winds toppled the frozen waves as easily as if they’d been a house of cards, then pushed them against the snowdrifts, returning the scene to the relative calm of a few minutes before as though none of the carnage had occurred.
Paige continued to hyperventilate. What kind of fucking nightmare had she stumbled into? Was it possible she’d been drugged and was hallucinating? If not… Aw crap, she didn’t want to think about that.
“There’s nothing to fear,” Zekin assured. “The thing has had its fill for the moment. It won’t harm—”
Her embrace stopped him. She clung to Zekin, her face pressed against his back, praying he wouldn’t push her away. “Don’t leave me, please,” she begged.
Her fiancé, Johnny, had done that, calling off their wedding after she’d worked so hard on the plans and getting him to want her. He never apologized. He’d just told her the score, saying they could still live together. As if she’d want that. Before he’d bugged out on her, her mother and then eventually her father had also left. She’d had no one for too long and by God, right now, Paige needed the warmth of Zekin’s body, the security and comfort of his size to preserve her sanity. To give her hope that they’d both get through this.
“Please,” she repeated.
“I won’t,” he murmured. “It’s all right.” With his hands on her wrists, Zekin gently pulled her arms from him but didn’t step away.
If he had, Paige would have followed. Out here, she had no shame, no pride, just an unbearable need to be close.
He turned to face her, then hesitated only a moment before wrapping his arms around her in a sheltering caress. She couldn’t stop shaking. As he ran his hand down her back, he whispered, “You’re safe.”
No, she wasn’t. Neither was he. Not out here in arctic-land. Deep inside, Paige was terrified they weren’t on Earth any longer. It was crazy to even consider that, but how else to explain all of this? How could either of them survive? Why had he even risked his life to rescue her? Who was he? Where had he come from?
She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. The transparent material covering her face was exactly like skin, letting her feel his solid frame, his heat. She snuggled, unable to stop herself, indulging in this small, welcome intimacy as the world went crazy around them.
The wind died for a moment, then picked up again, slamming against her body as it screamed past. Clouds continued to sink, weighted with snow.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
His hand stalled on her back. “For what?”
Being scared and being a burden, asking too many questions, not knowing how to make this better. All her life, Paige had done whatever she could so people wouldn’t leave her. Didn’t work. They always had.
“Getting you into this,” she finally said.
If she hadn’t had those stupid drinks at Rozie’s, if she hadn’t gotten involved with Johnny—a damn fool who couldn’t commit to marriage much less save her ass out here—none of this would have happened.
“You had nothing to do with this,” Zekin said. “It was my choice to come.”
Available for preorder from: Samhain - Amazon - B&N
Release: March 11
Other books in the Outlawed Realm series:
Unending Desire – Book One
Illicit Desire – Book Two
Shameless Desire – Book Three
About Tina:
Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic romances (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. The French review site, Blue Moon reviews, chose her erotic romance Sensual Stranger as their Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category). The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for Lush Velvet Nights, and two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011 and 2012). Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.
Email: tina@tinadonahue.com
Website: http://www.tinadonahue.com/
Blog: http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tina.donahue.75
FB Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/TinaDonahueBooks
Triberr: http://triberr.com/tinadonahue
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authortina/my-books/
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/tinadonahue
My page at TRR: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/mypageprofile.php?location=tinadonahue
CONTEST DETAILS:
Tina will choose one commenter as her winner. Winner gets her choice of one of Tina’s award-winning, bestselling ebooks from this list:
1. Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT
2. Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit
3. Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award
4. In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT
5. Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT
6. The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller
7. Take Me Away – #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books
8. Unending Desire – Best Book Rating LASR
9. SiNN – Nominated for Book of the Week LASR
10. Sinfully Wicked – Magnificent – Romancing the Book
11. Claiming Magique – Top Pick – NOR
12. Illicit Desire – Four Stars Romantic Times
13. Come Fill Me – Five Stars – Guilty Pleasures
