Amaryllis Lanza's Blog: Amaryllis Lanza Storyboard, page 2

Reading Guide Billionaire Spy

Here are some tips on what to read in what order for the Billionaire Spy Series

The Billionaire Spy Series is a world onto itself, with a rich cast of characters, all of them interrelated.

Our primary Hero and Heroine are Will and Mariana. Their story starts with Book One: Secrets and Seduction. It's a sweet-hot read that sets-up the stories that follow. However, each book in the series is a complete adventure, taking us from one crisis that the lovers confront to a happy for now conclusion. Codes and Consequences, Book 2, picks up shortly after the end of Book One as the couple begins their life together, trying to work out the kinks in a long-distance relationship. Pride and Punishment Book 3, picks up just after that and ties up a number of loose ends in the world of Will and Mariana with big reward for all their trouble. You can enjoy each book independently, but the best experience comes from reading Books 1-3 in order. You can get started with Book One on Kindle Unlimited, or buy it for 99¢.

Charlie's Hawks

Books 4, 5 and 6 are independent stories, based in this same world, that follow the love affairs of three separate sets of supporting characters. All of them are killer stories, because they involve Charlie's Hawks—a private special forces and VIP protection firm. They are stand-alone love stories, each with an HEA. They also have darker themes, elements of danger, possible triggers, and are generally more intense than Books 1-3.

The Unkindness, Book 4, follows the relationship between Cailean "Charlie" Green (Will's best friend and right hand man) and Sandy Fine (Mariana's business partner). It is a very dark and very hot book and happens to be one of my favourites. (Okay, I love them all, but this one just... it's special). If you are comfortable with darker themes, more intense BDSM play, and a bit of violence, then you might love this book as much as I do. It takes place during the same timeline as Books 1-3, though it's all about Charlie and Sandy, and it does introduce new characters who have roles to play in Books 5 and 6. You can enjoy Book 4 on its own merit, without having to read the rest of the series, but there are Easter eggs inside for series readers.

The Cauldron, Book 5 is also an independent story. Here we meet Angel Fleming (Mariana's body guard in Los Angeles, a former Navy SEAL, and Charlie's right hand in the Hawks) and Marisol Gutierrez who have much more in common than either of them imagine. Their love affair is intense and introduces us to more of the Flemming clan, which will be a treat for series readers. However, this book stands on its own. The storyline is not impacted very much by whatever is going on with the other characters in this world. The world timeline is from the beginning of Book One through to around Book Two.

COMING in September: The Watch, Book 6, a very steamy menage, will answer a lingering question in the subplot from Book 4—what the heck happened to the rose girl? Even if you haven't read Book 4 you will enjoy Book 6. It stands on its own, but it couldn't hurt to read both Book 4 and Book 6 together.

COMING in November: Book 7 brings all our chickens home to roost for Will and Mariana. It's a heck of a dark and twisted tale, and I'll tell you more about it soon.

It's a Hot Summer Full of Sizzling Reads

Great news! We get to be bad sooner! Oh, and SALE!

In time for beach bonfire season, THE CAULDRON: BILLIONAIRE SPY 5 kicks off the summer with its release on Friday, July 2. Follow the fiery love story of Angel Fleming and Marisol Gutierrez Llamas.

https://youtu.be/aUivKW95mX0

Oh, goodie-goodie, bad boys!

My publishers at Blushing Books will now release the new Jerks of Miami Series earlier, starting August 19.

Keeping with the intense heat and strong storms of Miami in August, the first book in this series VENGAGED to the Jerk is full of lightning and thunder. It takes enemies to lovers to fresh level and re-defines pirates as you thought you knew them. This contemporary romance is an engagement in vengeance, a marriage of inconvenience. A bully and his victim are brought together by need, desire, and deception.

All the Jerks of Miami books are intimate "confessionals" told by our feisty heroines, describing the challenges and pleasures of taming (and being tamed by) their beasts. Each story stands alone, but combined they paint a full picture of life and love in South Florida. These are Spanglish books, written by a Spanglish author, with diverse characters, intended to appeal to everyone who loves a nice hot romp. Some are light and frothy, others are edgy, and some are quite dark including some serious triggers. They are new adult stories, with younger protagonists, detailing the first discovery of love between the unlikeliest mates. They are also quick, enjoyable reads with a guaranteed HEA.

The Billionaire Spy Series Continues

We wrap-up the hot summer season with an intense, dark Billionaire Spy Series menage. THE WATCH, Billionaire Spy Series 6 will now be released on September 22. Those of you who have read THE UNKINDNESS, Billionaire Spy Series 4 and wondered what ever became of the rose girl, you'll find your answer in this book.

If you haven't read THE UNKINDNESS yet, you may want to add it to your list of very hot summer reads.

https://youtu.be/nCZ14mMOA-I

As the fine ladies at Love, Lust and Bloody Good Books put it:

"This story is full of passion and heat and OMG those sex scenes were like nothing I have read before. You feel like you are a part of the scenes unfolding and are gripped into every single facet of their story. This book is HOTT and just WOW at times. I absolutely did not want this book to end."

Other reviewers loved it too. Here's what some of them had to say:

"This should get 10☆ I'm new to this series and already obsessed. I was totally impressed by the depth and scope of this book...I can't get enough of Cailean/Charlie...This series is my new addiction ♡♡" — Goodreads Reviewer "Lots of action, lots of steam, and lots of violence...It's also very witty and filled with that camaraderie that only men who have been friends forever can have. A great read." — Goodreads Reviewer "It blew my mind! ... So much drama, intrigue, suspense and the chemistry was so, so, steamy. I love the trust Sandy had in Cailean and how he took care of her physically and emotionally. A beautiful read that captivated me right to the end." — Goodreads Reviewer "Filled with loads of drama, suspense, steam and emotion. Great characters with lots of depth and intense chemistry." — Goodreads Reviewer "They struggle with intimacy and emotional connection just like everyone does. Though dark, there was connection and action and humor. An enjoyable read but if dark romance/BDSM isn't your cup of tea, this book isn't for you." — Goodreads ReviewerOh, and SALE!

To celebrate the upcoming release of THE CAULDRON, BILLIONAIRE SPY 4, the first book in this passion rollercoaster ride of a series ( ,Secrets and Seduction ) is now available on Kindle Unlimited and ON SALE for 99¢.

Treat yourself to this amuse bouche of a sexy book as you begin your summer sizzle feast!

¡Hasta pronto!

Something Wicked Coming Soon!

I like bad boys and I cannot lie...

I am so excited to share news with you this week of a new wicked series which will debut in October. I finished the first book in a fever pitch of writing at the beginning of May and it has already been accepted by my publisher at Blushing Books, with a planned release in October of this year. Yay!

I'll share more details later, but this series will be a special collection of independent muy, muy caliente love stories all with a common theme (wicked, naughty, evil, majadero, jilipollas bad boys) and a common setting—a place where I lived for many years: M-I-A-M-I (or Miamuh, if you're from there old-school).

Book One in this new wicked series takes your grandmother's pirate, tosses him right over the bow, and starts from scratch with a dark knight who is all hard hands, hard muscles, hard stares and well... Ay, Dios mío.

Of course, you know bad dudes have to be paired with feisty, fiery women and my leading ladies are not taking any nonsense from these jerks.

I'm already half-way through book two and it is dark, edgy and sinfully esquisito.

Taking reader comments into account—I do listen—I am writing all of the books in this series as first person "confessionals" from our leading ladies' POV. This means I am currently living my life as several women, which is so much fun!

The Billionaire Spy Series is still ongoing, of course! (I can multi-task!) Book Seven was also accepted this month and I am happy to announce that it will release in September. It is a mega-drama book, with lots of adventures for Will, Mariana and their large complement of allies and enemies. Much edgy sexiness ensues.

Plus, I'll be starting on The Billionaire Spy Series Book Eight next month! Like, The Unkindness (Book 4) which releases next week, and Books 5 and 6 (coming in July and August), Book 8 will be an independent love story involving characters in the Billionaire Spy world whom you already know and will get to know much better.

There is lots more excitement and sexiness planned, but I need your support to make it happen.

If you enjoy these stories, please recommend them to a few friends in person and on social media, rate and review them on Amazon, talk them up on Goodreads, rate them on Book Bub add them to your book club schedule, ask your local library to add Secrets and Seduction Billionaire Spy One (which is available in paperback) to their collection.

Most importantly, keep writing me! I love hearing from you and I welcome your suggestions and opinions. I can tell you, honestly, this is sometimes lonely work and I can get lost under a cloud of self-doubt from time-to-time, but a reader comment will always bring out the sunshine and get my fingers burning up my keyboard.

(Side note: that actually happened this month. I literally burned my keyboard writing all the books so far and lost several important letters including: 'a, e, s, t.' Those keys just gave up the ghost. It's okay. I got a new one so I'm still at it.)

Bottom line: I may have my own plans to draft, and loads of ideas, but reader messages mean a lot.

At the end of the day, I write for your pleasure!

Oh, and applications are still open for my Street Team and ARC/BETA Team ... so you, know. Do your thang.

The Unkindness-Book Four May 21 (and Seventh Heck)

Just a quick update on all things Billionaire Spy Series (so far)

Two words from a killer will wreck her: Baby Girl

The Unkindness, Book Four of the Billionaire Spy Series (Charlie's Hawks) releases May 21. This is a spark in the dark, what I prefer to think of as Edgy Romance. It certainly contains some very dark scenes, edgy BDSM play, a number of possible triggers and a collection of gruesome murders. But this isn't a story of crows. It is a story of ravens. I chose the title based on an unkindness, which is the collective noun for ravens.

In Book Four, we take a step back in time to Will and Mariana's first wedding and we find out what happened between the Billionaire killer—former special forces ranger Charlie Green (learn his real name in this book)—and our Dittybopper—natural code cracker Sandy Fine.

These two beautiful people are broken and have glued themselves back together through hardship and pain. Their shards fit nicely together. In each other, they instantly recognize the affinity which can only be felt between a Master and slave, but they do their best to fight that urge. For a while, anyway.

When they do come together, they open up each other's wounds and draw blood, but they also recover their natures as Daddy and Baby Girl. This book contains probably the WORST MARRIAGE PROPOSAL IN HISTORY. And we have an HEA, for our (top secret for now) Mr. and Mrs. Bondage.

The Unkindness is intense, and it utterly wrecked me to write it. I still sob at certain parts when I re-read it, but it also has the characteristic (sometimes inappropriate) humor readers have come to expect from my books, and there is PLENTY of steam. These two are so hot they char.

You will see cameos from familiar characters, get to know a few characters much better and also meet new, fascinating members of the Billionaire Spy world who truly sparkle in the dark. We join ravens of The Unkindness — the private BDSM gathering that Charlie founded with his friend Morrígan (The Dark Lady) — at nowhere nevermore events. We also visit the No Name BDSM club (as in I've been through the desert on a horse with no name) and meet Mistress Lynx and her very dishy collective of Doms. (I melt for these men.)

These characters have more roles to play in the next two dark (edgy) Books Five and Six which will come out in July and August.

These aren't covers—the cover will be revealed later. They are teaser posters. Yes, there's shibari and so much more.

Also..

I've finished Book Seven! Yay! Finally! This one is the Seventh Heck "No seriously, no more drama, no more revelations, please!" Book. There are plenty of complications (WAR—huh, good God, y'all. What is it good for?) in Will and Mariana's life, high stakes, blood and betrayals (hint).

Eagles and Hawks come together to prepare for war, and Mariana finally gets what she really wants—R-E-S-P-E-C-T—but it comes at a steep price. In this book, we travel from New York and Connecticut to California, Scotland, Wales and Fiji. It's not the end, only a fresh beginning.

Trips, Traps and Tangos

Pride and Punishment, Billionaire Spy #3 — Coming in April https://video.wixstatic.com/video/359261_62960db74a8b4f928ea15d9120bfd6c0/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Book Three is almost here, bringing plenty of drama and a very wild ride as Will and Mariana are tossed by a cyclone of trouble into many far-flung places. As we prepare for the release, I'm sharing a few "insider secrets" with those of you who follow the blog.

One of the more touching scenes (for me) is their last tango in Nice during a masque ball, just before a terrible betrayal.

As I was writing this book, I knew right away which tango Will would choose for the band to play, knowing Mariana would understand its significance for the two of them.

I chose Por una Cabeza—By a Head—by Carlos Gardel because it tears my heart out and stomps on it. It was also very fitting to the plot as we experience, high-stakes gambling, heartbreak, death, blood, vomit, and a hell of a 'slay' ride with Santa. (Prepare for a rollercoaster ride on roller skates.)

Enjoy the tune with a little visualisation in a scene from one of my favorite films: Easy Virtue

https://youtu.be/Gcxv7i02lXc

Here are the lyrics (translated by yours truly):

Por Una Cabeza By a head

Carlos Gardel lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera

Por una cabeza By a head

De un noble potrillo Of a noble foal

Que justo en la raya Which just on the line

Afloja al llegar Slows on arrival

Y que al regresar And which returning

Parece decir Seems to say

No olvidés, hermano Don't forget, brother

Vos sabés, no hay que jugar You know, you don't have to play.

Por una cabeza By a head

Metejón de un día The violent love of a day

De aquella coqueta Of that flirt

Y risueña mujer That smiling woman

Que al jurar sonriendo Who swears with a smile

El amor que está mintiendo The love that lies

Quema en una hoguera Who burns in the bonfire

Todo mi querer All my love

Por una cabeza By a head

Todas las locuras All the madness

Su boca que besa Of her mouth that kisses

Borra la tristeza Erases sadness

Calma la amargura Calms bitterness

Por una cabeza By a head

Si ella me olvida If she forgets me

Qué importa perderme What does it matter to lose

Mil veces la vida My life a thousand times

¿Para qué vivir? Why live?

Cuantos desengaños How many disappointments

Por una cabeza By a head

Yo juré mil veces I swore a thousand times

No vuelvo a insistir I won't insist again

Pero si un mirar But if one glance

Me hiere al pasar Injures me in passing

Su boca de fuego Her fiery mouth

Otra vez quiero besar I want to kiss again

Basta de carreras Enough of races

Se acabó la timba The shell game is over

¡Un final reñido A hard-fought ending

Yo no vuelvo a ver! I won't see again!

Pero si algún pingo But if some good horse

Llega a ser fija el domingo Is set for Sunday

Yo me juego entero I will play myself whole

¡Qué le voy a hacer! What else can I do!

Six Books In and Going Strong...

Who would have thunk it?

Last July, I finally gave myself the kick in the pants I needed to submit a story I had languishing in WIPs for a decade to my publisher Blushing Books. Their acceptance of the book changed literally everything, encouraging me to push forward with the characters I had grown to love so very much.

This week, I submitted the sixth book in the Billionaire Spy Series to my publishers for their review.

Billionaire Spy Book Three, Pride and Punishment, will release in April. Keep an eye out for cover reveal and other exciting announcements!

Books four and five have already been approved by the publisher and are in process of publication to be released in May and July.

Readers are in for a big surprise with Books Four, Five and Six.

They are a spark in the dark and focus on the stories of our L.A. killers—Charlie Green (Will's best friend) and his Hawks.

Charlie has always been one of my favorite characters because he is deceptively deep. This former special-forces army ranger, who runs his own private special ops forces, is a killer. He is a complex and hard man, with a really dark backstory, who only plays the clown to put people at ease. You'll see more of that come to light in Book Three.

As readers of the series already know, he and Mariana's right-hand, the beautiful blond Sandy Fine, meet at Will and Mariana's rush wedding. Sandy is also a deceptive character, seemingly a light, sunny Santa Monica girl, she has a very dark backstory of her own.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/359261_ab8ccc1d692c4732a2275b5adb98f076/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Waaah! I love them so much!

Not even Will and Mariana know exactly what is going on with those two, and it's a running joke that Charlie has to work his way through the phone book before he settles down with any one woman.

Well, dear readers, prepare to be blown away. I can honestly say that Book Four, which focuses on Charlie and Sandy's relationship, utterly wrecked me. I got so emotional writing it! I still get emotional just thinking about it. This is me:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/359261_7b1a36ab0c394304b01f457cae4a15f8/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

When I first saw Romancing the Stone, I was only 15 years old. Right then, I said, 'Yeah, I want to be Joan Wilder'. As it turned out, I got into the adventures of life and put off the creative writing for a bit longer than I first imagined. Today, I celebrate finally living in my stories, and crying on my keyboard. It's the writer's life from here on!

Six books in around seven months, and still going... Who would have thunk it?[image error]

(Yeah, this is pretty much me.)

Book Seven went into WIP yesterday and it's a heartbreaker, with a dramatic ending that brings all the key players of the Billionaire Spy world and their secret societies together.

Enough teasers. Back to work...

To keep it all going, I need your support.

Please, read, review, and tell your friends if you like the books. If you don't, you can tell your enemies (just kidding).

If you'd really like to get involved in the success of the Billionaire Spy Series, apply to join my Street Team for lots of fun, excitement, fellowship and prizes!

Cover Reveal: Codes and Consequences, Billionaire Spy Series Two

It's (almost) here!

Will and Mariana's second great adventure releases January 26!

Will the international spy be able to keep his own wife safe from herself?

The last thing Will needs on his list of things to worry about is a willful wife who has decided to practice the arts of espionage without a license. Mariana swiftly lands herself in hot water. If she’s not careful, she’ll wind up in grave danger. Their love goes through trials by fire as these newlyweds test each other’s limits. Mariana insists on holding her ground. Will is set on being in command. For her own good, and his peace of mind, he will get Mariana to obey.

Keep an eye out for the announcement when pre-orders become available!

Now is a great time to catch up on Book One.

Billionaire Spy Series Hot 2020 Update

Sex, Suspense, Risks, Rewards, Kinks, Complications, and more, more, more!

Wow! Here we are at the end of 2020 and my most impossible dream has come true.

First, Blushing Books publish Secrets and Seduction, Book One of the Billionaire Spy Series (buy, read, review, share) — and a simple 'yes' changed everything!

Next, the release of Billionaire Spy Book 2 is already scheduled for January! It's all about snooping and sneaking and spycraft! Also, yes, so much sexy, sexy, sex! *faints* And quite a bit of naughtiness. *blushes*

And there's More! More! More in store for Will, Mariana and their friends!

I've been working my fingers and my imagination to the bone, having a lot of fun with the Billionaire Spy Series cast of characters, and taken an absolutely WILD series of adventures for the toe-curling, spine-tingling, dizzying, absolute passion fest that is Book Three!

What's more, more, more?

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Billionaire Spy Series Book Three will be released this coming Spring 2021!

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I absolutely loved writing this book. (Okay, I love writing all of them, but this was just..well, you have to read it.)

I laughed, I cried, I had to have a few minutes to myself. There were ups and downs and ins and outs galore, plus we went to exotic locations, did crazy things—and the whole time love, life, and death were on the line!

And even more, more, more, more, is in-store for 2021!

I've been working on Billionaire Spy Series Book Four this month which offers a triple twist of passion, tension, danger, and adventure! So many secret lives revealed! (For now, I can say no more, but I will keep you posted.)

Enjoy the holidays, dear readers, and if you haven't already, get started reading the Billionaire Spy Series with Secrets and Seduction—check out the FREE sample!

WriterSpace and Readers' Circle Contest Winners Announced!

The Billionaire Spy Series is moving at a rapid, heart-wrenching, toe-curling, sigh-eliciting, moan-provoking, good-heavens-above clip!

Blushing Books will release Book 2 in January 2021.

Book 3 has now progressed from WIP to author-edit! (Yay!!) Then, it's on to submission. (oooooh, num-num)

To celebrate these accomplishments, I've run a couple of contests on WriterSpace, and Instagram.

Congratulations to the lucky winners!

WriterSpace $10 Amazon Gift Card Winner, Mary McCoy
WriterSpace FREE Secrets and Seduction E-Book Winner, Sherry Haut
Instagram Readers' Circle $10 Amazon Gift Card Winner, Renee Gilliam

There are STILL TWO MORE CHANCES TO WIN PRIZES through December 18!

See my Instagram post for details.

How it started, Where It Stands, Where We're Headed:The Invocations

"A ditty sung by a lark..."

When I started working on the Billionaire Spy Series, ten years ago, I wrote an invocation at the beginning of the book.

It was a sort of poem to my muse, if you will. That invocation allowed me to focus on the mood and the themes for the story. It literally worked like a charm.

(Maybe I'm a witch?‍♀️)

I've continued to write these invocations as I start each draft, though they are not printed in the books themselves. I thought I'd share them with you as an insight into my writing process.

The first invocation, "a ditty sung by a lark" was for Secrets and Seduction, the Billionaire Spy Series Book One.

The second one, "a revelry on the waves" is for Book Two which is currently in production and expected to publish in January of 2021. Keep an eye out for the formal announcement of the title and the cover reveal!

The third invocation, "a penillion in the cloud" is my current WIP (work in progress) for Book Three.

It's really coming along nicely (with a few aches and pains, and plenty of passion for the players). I plan to polish it and send it off soon.

My original drafts of two very long books—the saga of Mariana and Will—lay the foundation for the other adventures that I plan to write in this series.

Your support will decide their fate— buy , enjoy, share , review .

I put Mariana and Will through hell in this series, TBH, but they get a well-deserved HFN at the end of every adventure, and are rewarded for all of it beyond their wildest dreams in their HEA. That's a promise! ❤️