Alison Kent's Blog, page 12

day 4 of the new book

First draft, unedited:

He came close to her, stopped in front of her, reached into the basket behind her for a strawberry, dragging it through the bowl of whipped cream she held in her hand. But he didn't eat it. Instead, his gaze held hers and he dotted the cold cream into the hollow of her throat.

day 3 of the new book

Unedited first draft stuff.

"I've ridden a lot more than bulls. And I've broken more than a few of my rides."

"Don't be sex talking me. It's not going to get you anywhere. The answer's still no."

"Really? Sex talk?"

Heat bloomed beneath Faith's white blouse and blue blazer. He'd always made her think of sex, so her mind went there on its own. Every single time. "Sorry. It's just…I know you. Everything out of your mouth is a double entendre, and that's only when you're not being outright crass."

"Crass? Are you kidding me?"

Her laugh was more nervous than she liked. She knew she didn't have him wrong. "More like you're kidding yourself."

"You, Faith Mitchell, have wounded me."

"And you, Casper Jayne, are a cad and you know it."

In the mood for some sexy S/F erotica?

Check out the latest WotWS release from Sasha White!

Mavericks of Space Anthology

ABDUCTION

When Max Cooper, a "damaged" ex-Coast Guard officer, wakes up naked in a strange bed with no memory of how he got there, "alien abduction" is not what pops into his head.

It's Captain Tyla Natori's job to bring males from other worlds back to her own female-dominated planet to be put "on the market." When she finds a perfect male speciman in the form of Max Cooper, however, she decides he's the one for her…and he has no choice in the matter…Or does he?

TRANSPLANT

Max made his choice to stick with Tyla and become a Transplant on Triton. Only things aren't going too smoothly, right from the start. Max wants to be Tyla's only lover, and for a Triton woman, monogamy is unheard of. Then there's the fact that the queen's ordered Tyla to marry a Durian prince in order to prevent a war.

Nothing brings two people closer together than facing a common foe, but can Max and Tyla stop the marriage and still prevent a war?

Abduction: 6,700 words

Transplant: 6,591 words



"ABDUCTION by Sasha White is a quick sumptuous read that will have you squirming and wanting to abduct a love slave of your very own. Ms. White developed her characters quickly and solidly in an other worldly setting that you will want to visit again. – eCataromance Reviews

"Hot, fast-paced and erotic, the tension between Tyla and Max is sizzling. This sci-fi Erotica quickie delivers!" – Romance Divas

day 2 of the new book

I forgot to post this yesterday! Again, unedited first draft stuff!

She'd known him since he was sixteen and she was fourteen and he'd become best friends with her brother Boone and the third of their group, Dax Campbell. Boone had made sure she and Casper didn't cross paths, and Casper hadn't pressed the point, leaving Faith brokenhearted.

That had been forever ago, and she should be immune to him now. For some reason, she wasn't. For some reason, her teenage crush had become a very adult fascination. And the way he wore his jeans had a whole lot to do with fantasies she had no business entertaining.

He was crazy reckless, and she didn't need that in her life.

day 1 of the new book

Favorite paragraph of the day:

They both knew this was a waste of his time, but Casper didn't care. He needed an official report to back up his request for the cash to do what he needed to do. Even shouldering the bulk of the labor himself, the supplies would set him back the cost of half dozen good horses. The house hadn't been worth that much when he'd spent his nights staring at the holes in the ceiling and hoping the balls of newspaper he'd used to plug them would keep out the biggest of the spiders at least.

(This is first draft material and will be edited!)

The novellas in HOLIDAY KISSES – a giveaway!

Look at those covers! Aren't they a beautiful set? Don't they put you in a holiday mood, what with snow and trees, and more snow and trees? And mistletoe? Wouldn't you enjoy curling up beneath a soft blanket with a warm drink and maybe a cuddling pup to read them all on your Kindle or Kindle app? Yes, I thought so! I'm going to give away a Kindle copy of each (because it's easy to gift Kindle books), and will choose four winners randomly from everyone who leaves a comment here by Wednesday, November 23, 2011, noon, CST. The stories don't actually release until December 5th or 6th, so I won't able to gift them until then, but I won't forget! Promise!

Brenna Keating is on her way to spend Christmas with her grandmother when treacherous roads and a skittish deer put her car in a ditch. Riding to the rescue—literally—is Dillon Craig, a reclusive doctor who insists she weather the storm in his cabin.

Since returning from Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers on the front lines, Dillon's made it a point to avoid any emotional involvement. But his unexpected guest has him dangerously close to breaking his own rules.

Brenna has a plan for her life – until she's stranded for three days with Dillon. Soon, the chemistry sizzling between them forces her to re-examine her priorities. The man is gorgeous, if taciturn, and a true hero in every sense of the word. No woman in her right mind could resist him, and so Brenna doesn't – even though she can't stay…

Carrie Anders officially broke up with Austin Thomas when she accepted a dream job in the city. Unofficially, she misses him and is tempted to sneak back to her West Virginia hometown to see him. That's why this year, she's not going home for the holidays. Her heart can't take any more mornings-after where nothing has changed—and Austin has made it clear he's not interested in relocating.

Austin's been waiting for Carrie to realize she can't live without him. But when he hears she's not coming home for Christmas, he decides to take action. If Carrie won't come to the country, he's going to bring a piece of the country to Carrie—in the form of a Christmas tree lot just minutes from her apartment. He's certain daily meetings will entice her to come home with him, this time for good.

Their attraction is as hot as ever, but with such contrary Christmas wishes, can either of them get what they really want this year?

With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife's younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her day care center, Wyatt can't help but notice she's a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.

Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family's home, and can't believe her sister let him get away. He's still the star of all her fantasies, and she's determined to prove to him she's nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt may be all business, but Calliope sees the way he looks at her when he's supposed to be working…

It's not long before Wyatt and Calliope are keeping each other warm on cold December nights. But it's going to take a Christmas miracle for Wyatt to put his trust in love a second time.

Claire Rutledge still believes in love, despite losing her husband. So, after two years, she's not surprised by the steamy dreams telling her it might be time to start moving on. But she didn't expect her friend Justin to have the starring role.

Justin McCormick has loved Claire since the moment he first saw her, but his best friend got there first. Now that Claire is ready to move on with her life, Justin is finding it harder than ever to hide his true feelings. And when they both get caught up in the holiday spirits at a party, their simmering mutual attraction boils over into a night neither of them can forget…

Revisiting AT HIS MERCY

One of the fun things about self publishing is being able to tweak a book's content or packaging. I'd been wanting a new cover for AT HIS MERCY for awhile, and since I had some credit with Croco Designs, I had Frauke work me up a new one. And I was able to add a review quote to the cover.

The short story is finally available at most all etailers, though the new cover hasn't yet shown up everywhere. I'm thinking, too, of writing a sequel with Lise's brother. I think it would be great fun to revisit these characters again!

Buy the Kindle Edition

Buy the Nook Edition

Buy the Sony Reader Edition

Buy the Kobo Edition

Buy at All Romance Ebooks

Buy at Diesel Ebooks

Buy at Smashwords

Also available for iBooks

You can read an excerpt here: http://www.alisonkent.com/athismercy.php

Today is the DAY! 11/11/11! Veteran's Day & the release of SEAL of My Dreams & a giveaway!

Honor, duty, courage, passion . . . the men of the Navy SEALs are a special breed of hero, and in these novellas by eighteen top romance authors the SEALs are celebrated not only as symbols of devoted service to their country but as the kind of men every woman wants to love. They'll rescue a damsel in distress and her lap dog, too. They'll battle hometown dramas and international bad guys. When it comes to giving away their hearts, they'll risk everything.

All proceeds from sales of SEAL of My Dreams go to the Veterans Research Corporation, a non-profit fundraiser for veterans' medical research.

Between them, the authors of SEAL of My Dreams have won dozens of writing awards including multiple RITAs from Romance Writers of America. Their nearly 600 published novels have sold at least 35 million copies worldwide. The SEAL of My Dreams roster includes many of the best-known authors in modern romance fiction. In addition, many have strong family connections to the servicemen and women of our nation's military, and many specialize in novels featuring heroes and heroines from all branches of service.

I'm so so SO excited about this book, I can't even tell you. First thing I did this morning was boot up my iPod and download the digital copy I'd pre-ordered, even though I have five print copies sitting on my dining room table! The enthusiasm in the reading community as everyone has waited for the release of this book has just been amazing.

Equally amazing, we pulled this project together, from conception to finished product in six months! From May 5th to November 11th. It's been such a whirlwind and a thrill to be a part of this. I'm more proud of this book than probably anything I've been involved in during my career. Such a great cause and a way to honor those who serve.

Yesterday, four of our authors (Jami Alden, Stephanie Bond, Cindy Gerard and Stephanie Tyler) were the guests of Sheila English on Readers Entertainment Radio. You can listen to their thirty minute show here and learn more about their stories!

Listen to internet radio with COS Radio on Blog Talk Radio

Today I'm blogging at RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk about how the anthology came together, and giving away a copy, winner's choice of electronic or print. The wonderful ladies at the blog are also giving away four Kindle copies, so pop over and read all the posts by the SEAL of My Dreams contributors. Just use the navigation links at the top of each post. (If anything, at least read Loreth Anne White's entry. Wow.)

You can also visit the the USAToday's Happy Ever After blog and scroll for several SEAL of My Dreams related entries. We are out and about everywhere! As far as buying options, more will be coming as the digital book propagates through the various vendors systems, but for now, here are the online links I have:

Available in print:

Bell Bridge Books

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Available electronically:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

BTW, am I the only one who never noticed the SECOND SEAL in the photo????

Click through for a never before posted excerpt from my story, TWENTY-ONE HOURS.

She watched as he looked to the ground, and it struck her again how much time they'd both wasted, how much needless baggage they'd carried when all either of them needed to do was talk. "How're things going? With the firebreaks?"

"Pretty good. We've done just about all we can here. We'll keep the water going, and watch the wind." He turned, looked behind them, his profile strong, his jaw determined.

She imagined his gaze being equally so as he studied the very scene she'd come out here to escape. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" he asked, coming back to her, the lines on his face softening as she became the object of his concentration.

She remembered what he'd said earlier in the day and used his words instead of wrangling her thoughts. "Get armed men in and out of tight spots."

He shrugged. "You train. You learn. You put it into practice."

"Where?"

"Wherever I'm needed."

"No. Where did you train? Coronado?"

He gave a single nod. "There. Some at Fort Benning."

"I thought so."

At that, his mouth pulled into an humble grin, and hands at his hips, he stared at her. "It's not a big deal. It's just what I do."

Something she would expect a SEAL to say. She laid her palm on his wrist and wrapped her fingers as far around as she could. "It's a very big deal, Shane. A very big deal."

He looked down to her hand, turned his beneath hers to lace their fingers. "I took you with me. You were there in my head telling me to pay attention, to focus, to be smart. Funny that yours was the voice I heard when so many after you drilled home the same things. A little more forcefully, but yeah. I always came back to you."

When he lifted his head, she stepped closer, bringing their joined hands behind her. She felt the beat of his heart as she pressed against him, as her own blood rushed through her veins.

She rose on tiptoes, found his lips with hers, and closed her eyes, humbled, frightened, honored. The kiss was tentative, an exploration of new feelings, so soft and tender, a memory of their first. He tasted the same, but different. He felt the same, but nothing like he had. She knew who he was, but she didn't know him at all.

And then she stepped away.

He rested his forehead on hers. "Sometimes, when I'm on a mission, and it's quiet, and we can't do anything but wait, I think about you. I think about you a lot, actually. About making it out and seeing you again."

"But you've never come back. Until now."

His lashes swept down, swept up. "I told myself it was all in my head. That I didn't have anything to come for. There was no reason you would want to see me."

Her heart wanted to break but held on. "Why would you think that?"

"You were bullied and I didn't stop it."

"You didn't know it was happening."

"I knew later."

"By then it was over and done with."

"I still should've—"

"Shh." She used her fingertips to silence him. "Don't. We're here now. That's all that matters."

"I need to get back to things," he said after a long moment of mingled breath, regret thick, longing thicker still.

"I know."

"I'll be around later."

"I know."

"I won't leave you again."

"I know."

PRETTY PERSUASION – A Classic Regency Romance & MUST READ!

Young Lady Georgiana Montford is heartbroken and infuriated when she discovers her lifelong betrothed, Robert Balfour, in the arms of another woman. Severing their friendship, she vows to choose her own husband, a man who'll share her thirst for adventure. Yet, despite her attempts to forget him, Robert's place in her heart proves more unwavering than she could ever have imagined.

After seven years on his Caribbean plantation, Robert returns to England a changed man. Weary of traveling and troubled by his past, he hopes to attain peace of mind through marriage and family. Though scarcely daunted at finding Georgie in love with another man, he soon learns that winning her hand—and heart—will take more powerful means of persuasion than expected.

I will admit to having a pretty hefty prejudice for this book. It was written by one of my critique partners when I was in a group with authors Larissa Ione and Lydia Joyce years ago. I am not a big historical romance reader, and when I read them, I turn to authors like Penelope Williamson or Elizabeth Stuart or Laura Kinsale. Big and meaty and steeped in intense history. But PRETTY PERSUASION hit all my buttons and was a wonderfully fun Regency set romance. Smart, thoughtful writing and characters I adored, and I'm so happy it's finally available for more people than just me to enjoy!

And because I've known Olivia a long time, I know the story behind Julia Quinn reading an excerpt of PRETTY PERSUASION online and getting in touch with Olivia about it! How cool is that! You can visit Oliva's website here and find a lot of digital buying options for the book (and, yes, it's also available for ordering in print).

Click through for an excerpt!

*#*#*#

"Dreadful news! Lord Sheffield broke his neck in a fall from his horse, and perish'd Instantly. Mamma and Aunt Arabella have been beside themselves since they heard. I also grieve for him, for he was a kind and amiable man, but I cannot help but wonder if this means the Rat shall finally come away from the West Indies, now that he is Earl. I have yet to decide whether I should like to see him again."

— From the diary of Lady Georgiana Montford, aged 19

The party was a damned crush. Robert Balfour, sixth Earl of Sheffield, sighed inwardly as he surveyed the sun-filled parlor's chattering and eminently fashionable inhabitants. If he had known Lady Mansell's garden party would be so crowded, he'd have spared himself the drive to Kensington; he could have waited another day to reacquaint himself with his prospective wife.

But it was too late to turn back now. And there was a sense of rightness about it, too. Familiarity settled over him like a threadbare but warm coat as he negotiated his way through the throng of gossip-hungry guests. Flimsy muslin dresses brushed against him, and with each sight of a tall, starched cravat, he could almost feel his shorter, softer one dig into his own neck, choking him to death with his conscious ignorance of high fashion.

He cursed his commitment to good manners while accepting tea and cake, tea and scones, tea and more tea, until he was hard-pressed to remember why he had missed England in the first place. Moving from one set of guests to another, he tried not to appear impatient as he answered the same questions again and again.

"Can it be…? Holcroft, by Jove! Though it's Sheffield now, is it not? So sorry about your loss, old chap. Fine fellow, the old earl. And such a tragic end. It grieved us deeply."

Condolences sounded rather trivial when one was on the receiving end. Yet he knew that if his acquaintances were to ignore his father's death, he'd think them rude and inconsiderate. So he expressed his gratitude and tried not to appear impatient.

"Lord Sheffield! What a wonderful surprise! Didn't know you had returned from the West Indies. Dare say you must be pleased to be back in civilization, eh?"

They had no idea just how pleased he was. He murmured a polite response—and tried not to appear impatient.

"Are you acquainted with my daughter, Lord Sheffield? You must permit me to introduce you to her…"

There were limits to how much he could endure. When he was presented with the fifth simpering young thing he set his good manners aside and escaped to the terrace. He found the Duchess of Southwell near the entrance, immersed in subdued conversation with a half dozen other society matrons.

She looked not a day older than the last time he had seen her. Her auburn tresses shone with no hint of gray, and middle age had treated her figure kindly. She was still one of the most elegant ladies in society, and the sight of her brought him out of the daze that an hour's mindless chitchat had produced.

He looked at her and remembered Georgie. At thirteen, she'd been a tall and gangly girl whose face was sprinkled with freckles. It was seven years since he had laid eyes on her. Had she changed? Of course she had. But how much?

He quickened his step toward her mother. As he drew near, the cluster of women parted to let him into their midst. Elizabeth Southwell offered her hand and he bowed over it. "Your grace."

"Lord Sheffield," she said with apparent surprise. "You have taken us quite unawares. I had not heard word of your return to England."

"I tried to make my arrival as unremarkable as possible," he replied. "I spent two weeks at Holcroft Park and came up to London only three days past."

"I see," said the duchess with a slight frown. "Do tell me: how is your mother?"

"As well as can be expected. She chose not to accompany me at present but might come up later in the season."

The duchess sighed. "Our correspondence has been regrettably sporadic of late. It must be a comfort to her that you have finally returned."

Robert murmured in agreement, even though he knew that any consolation his presence gave his mother was soon undone by his brother's antics.

"Have you seen Lady Georgiana yet, Lord Sheffield?"

Georgiana. Of course. The reason he was here. Clenching his hand, Robert turned toward the question and recognized Lady Ashcombe, the duchess's sister.

"Not yet." He glanced about the terrace, searching for… a raven head, he supposed. Surely the color of her hair hadn't changed. "The duke assured me she would be in attendance, and I arrived with hopes of meeting her."

"You have spoken with Southwell?" the duchess asked sharply.

"Ah, yes—yes, he called on me yesterday."

"Well!" Her lips thinned. "He said not a word about it to me."

The other ladies clucked in sympathy, and because it was not a topic he wanted to pursue, Robert said, "Is Georgiana nearby?"

"Why, yes." The duchess half turned to peruse the grass-covered terrace. "She was strolling about with Lady Louisa. I believe they disappeared into the garden."

Though he had little interest at present, courtesy forced him to ask, "Lady Louisa?"

"Wentworth," the duchess replied, gesturing at the woman by her side. "Lady Albermarle's daughter."

"One of them, anyhow," Lady Albermarle added with a titter. She was a tiny woman with a large… presence. Though fashionably dressed, she sported a hat she must have owned since the previous century—a monstrous thing, its brim ringed with something furry. He hoped it was dead.

"But you mustn't stand around here with us," the lady said, cheerfully shooing him. "Go on. Join the young people. Find your Lady Georgiana."

Robert managed a smile as he excused himself and stepped off the terrace. Friendly clouds dotted the sky, and the early afternoon sun gave the air a pleasant warmth, so unlike the humid and oppressive Caribbean heat to which he'd never managed to grow accustomed. Mansell's garden was all English: winding gravel pathways flanked by neatly trimmed trees and whimsical patterns of privets and flower beds, all arranged to look like nature's own creations. He passed several young people on his trek—large groups and lone couples, enjoying the balmy spring day—but Georgie was not among them.

Though unexpected, Southwell's visit the day before had reminded him that it was time to marry and settle down. His desire to do so went beyond mere duty; the prospect of a wife and family, a normal life as peaceful as it was mundane, held vast appeal. He had thought of little else during the trip back from Barbados.

Whether his wife of choice would be Georgie remained to be seen, however. They had been friends once, strange as that notion seemed to him now. But one day, during the annual summer house party at his father's estate in Yorkshire, she had turned on him, for reasons of which he still remained ignorant.

He was reluctant to break the tie of their fathers' agreement but not so reluctant that he was willing to saddle himself with a puerile girl for a wife. Granted, it had been seven years, and, as previously acknowledged, she might have changed. He was here to find out.

Saturday Snippet – scary, thrilling, heartpounding

Right now, the scary, thrilling, heartpounding thing I have going on is a November 1st deadline, so I totally forgot to hunt down an excerpt. Yes, I had reminders, but I didn't think I'd signed up for today! So sorry about that, but it is what it is and the book must come first! And you can use the links below to pop over to the other Snippet Saturday participants and read their contributions! I'll be back to play in December!

Anne Rainey

Eliza Gayle

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Mandy M Roth

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Selena Blake

Vivian Arend

Beth-Ann Mason

HelenKay Dimon

Shelli Stevens

Lauren Dane

Lacey Savage

TJ Michaels

Shiloh Walker