Mina Carter's Blog, page 20
April 20, 2014
Easter Blog Hop!
Easter is here, which means (among other things) it’s time for the Easter blog hop! Blog pug has his rabbit ears, so we’re all set!
Today I’m going to leave you with a snippet from Midsummer Heat, which may or may not be about to make an appearance in a secret little project to be announced shortly…
She was just coming out of the ladies room when her brother barreled through the swing door ahead of her. His gaze swept the length of the corridor that separated the bar from the restrooms, locking onto her instantly. Her wolf, normally silently, snapped to attention as she noted the tension running through his tall, rangy frame.
“Kelli, thank fuck.” He rushed toward her, turning her with large hands on her shoulders and hustling her back down the corridor toward the fire exit at the end. “You have to leave. Now.”
“What? Don’t be stupid, I just got here,” she laughed, slapping his hands away but even though he was her baby brother, Riley was a full-grown wolf. He corralled her easily, blocking her as she tried to get past him toward the bar.
“Riley, you’re gonna piss me off. Now mov—”
“Max is here.”
Max. A rush of heat was quickly overwhelmed by irritation. She looked up at her brother, chin lifted in challenge.
“And?”
Frustration swamped Riley’s features. He let out a sigh, blowing his overlong bangs out of his face. Like most wolves, his hair was long, a shoulder length pelt normally caught at the nape of his neck but loose now. When wolves went out to party, they really let their hair down. Literally.
“Listen. I am not afraid of Max Daniels,” she told him, poking a finger into his chest to make her point. “He might be the pack alpha, but he’s an overbearing bully who always wants his own way. It didn’t work on me ten years ago and it certainly won’t work now. Besides, what does he want with me? I’m sure he’s married with a bunch of brats now. And old, and bald.”
The door hidden behind the bulk of Riley’s shoulders banged shut, and a voice broke the sudden silence in the corridor.
“Bald is it? Why don’t you take a look for yourself, little wolf?”
Max. His deep, smoky, silk-over-satin voice was unmistakable. She’d heard it in her dreams for years, alone in the big city with none of her kind around her. Memories of the dangerous and sexy alpha’s son that she’d had a crush on for years haunting her. She snorted. Dreams didn’t remember that the sexy son had become an asshole of an alpha or the fact that he called her ‘little wolf’ pissed her off so much.
“Well look at what the cat dragged in,” she drawled, a hand in the middle of Riley’s chest to shove him to the side so she could get her first look at the reason she’d run from Stratton all those years ago. “If it isn’t hotshot Daniels himself.”
The sight of him took her breath away. Leaning against the frame of the door, his arms were folded over his chest. His very broad chest. She bit back the whimper trying to escape her throat. Ten years ago he’d been a kid taking over from his father, but in the intervening years he’d filled out. Nicely. More than nicely. The surge of heat and thrill of feminine interest winding through her pissed her off all the more. How dare the bastard still do that, make her interested, after trying to re-arrange her damn life?
He smiled, golden-brown eyes warm as he swept an assessing glance down her body. “Nice to see you haven’t let yourself go living in the big city.”
“Screw you, Daniels,” she snarled before she could stop herself. Great, less than thirty seconds into conversation and he was already pushing her buttons. And she was damn well letting him…what the hell was wrong with her?
“I wish you would, but I doubt it’s going to be that easy,” he said as he pushed off from the door, nodding to Riley, who beat a retreat as fast as his legs would carry him.
“Coward!” she called after her brother, but the door had already slammed shut behind him. She returned her attention to the wolf stalking toward her and narrowed her eyes in warning.
“Too frigging right it’s not going to be that easy.” She backed up as he approached, something deep inside her thrilled by the dark look in his eyes, until her back hit the fire exit. Shit. Nowhere left to run. “What do you want Max?”
He reached her, looming over her and so close she could feel the heat of his body beating at her skin right through her clothes. His dirty blond hair glinted in the overhead lighting, caught back from his face with small braids, the rest falling to cover his broad shoulders, inviting her to run her hands through it. She’d always loved his hair.
Heat, passion and male triumph filled his eyes as he reached out to plant a hand on the wall over her shoulder. Leaning in, he cupped the nape of her neck in the other hand.
“You,” he whispered, bending his head to claim her lips.
Onto my giveaway! Leave me a comment with your favourite werewolf hero and I’ll pick a random winner to receive a cord bracelet like (but not necessarily the same colour) this one (please excuse the awful photography):
Keep on hopping, and don’t forget to enter for the hops grand prizes at http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjBhMDYwNjI2N2FjYWM1MzhjZDI0NzE5Yzg2MWE2OjMz
March 20, 2014
Seriously Shifter Giveaway Hop!!
Welcome to the Seriously Shifter blog hop! Today we're celebrating shifter goodness! Anything from Werewolves to Hedgies... dragons and even werebunnies! There will be giveaways and shifter stuffs at every stop so be sure to keep on hopping!
I Hedging his Bets. Now when Celia and I started writing the story, it was intended to be tongue in cheek. We wanted a hero who was totally alpha, but was something different. Something we hadn't read before. And what's more different than an alpha whose alternate form is an itty-bitty little hedgehog?
So, for the hop, I'm giving away two copies of Hedging His bets! Just head on over to the giveaway below!
Entry
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March 18, 2014
Cover Reveal: Sin Circus
Everyone remembers their first trip to the circus--the home of fantasy and dreams. Where the idea that anything is possible meets a creative reality of alluring tricks and amazing acts of defiance. The big top is known for inspiring lust, awe, and happy memories, and now you'll see it like never before.
Some of today's hottest romance authors combine the decadent memories of the center ring with all the flavors in erotic fiction in The Sin Circus. Whether it's with a dominating Ringmaster, a lion tamer's bratty kittens, or a dark Harlequin King, this show is sure to shock the audience with its dazzling dares and tantalizing tales.
Dark Surrender by Rachel Firasek He stole her control, but she hasn't completely surrendered her heart...yet.
Claimed by the Blade by Mina Carter He's waited years to claim her. Tonight, she's all out of excuses...
Ring of Fire by Lacey Wolfe The Ringmaster must figure out his feelings before his ballerina goes up in flames...
Unmasking Her Dom by Jennifer James Tormented by touch, the King of the Harlequin resolves to release his bratty sub before she strips away the last barriers between them, and discovers his secret shame.
http://www.authorjenniferjames.com
The Bratty Lioness Tamer by April Angel Two sexy female lovers. A new master ready to tame them. And the performance they'll never forget.
Sweet & Sticky by Sabrina Garie Recipe for forever: Mix a flailing writer with a down-on-his-luck agent, toss in a pound of cotton candy and an empty bleacher. Let simmer.
Twice the Pleasure by Georgina DeBurca As the bindings unravel, two brothers race to save the woman who has captured their hearts.
http://www.georginadeburca.com/
With the Greatest of Ease by Anne Lange He traded a trapeze and the catch of a lifetime for a life in a courtroom. Now he’ll share her, to catch her, one last time.
We are sponsoring a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner through a rafflecopter giveaway!
March 6, 2014
Spring is in the air! Spring Fling Blog Hop
Spring is in the air (as modelled by the lovely Blog Pug!) And there's nothing better (for me) than a new story. Especially a paranormal one like my new release, The Reaper and the Cop.
It has all my favourite ingredients: A hot guy, snarky girl and some vicious fight scenes that were awesome to write! Better yet, it's part of a series so I get to revisit the same world (which, as an author, is great!).
So...just in case you wanted a little taste, let me show you a snippet...
~Excerpt~
Death is inevitable. For most, that means worrying about the how, and more importantly, the when. It’s an obsession the marketing industry has latched onto like a leech, and from one person to the next, ranges from the absent worry about leaving loved ones behind to narcissistic panic at leaving this mortal coil.
For some of us though, death is a job. I would say it’s a nine to five, daily grind, but it’s more of a 24/7/365 deal.
Let me introduce myself.
I’m Laney Larson, and I’m a Reaper. Yeah, you heard me right. I said Reaper. As in the big, bad dude with the robes and scythe—looks like he needed a few extra squares in his life? That guy.
Kinda.
Well, not quite.
It’s more accurate to say that I’m his great—god-knows-how–many—great grand-daughter. Hard to tell since no one has seen his Grimness since the middle ages, but every single Reaper carries a piece of him, their Grimm, within. It’s what gives us our abilities and lets us see things that others can’t. Without a Grimm, a Reaper is a standard human with an interesting family tree. Nothing more, nothing less. With a Grimm? Yeah, even I don’t know everything we’re capable of.
I don’t want to think about what we can do. Not with how many of us there are.
It’s a bit like the Santa deal, but instead of presents, there are lots of souls to be reaped daily all over the world. I have no clue how the big dude in red manages it—yeah, he’s real too. And the Easter Bunny? Don’t get me started on that asshole. Reapers spread the load.
It’s like a franchise. You don’t buy into it, you're born into it. There are Reaper families everywhere, but not all of us get the call and receive a Grimm. When my grandfather died, it skipped over my mom and two older brothers to pick me.
My eldest bro had been so convinced that he’d be the one, he’d gone out and bought himself a costume. Head to toe armored bike leathers in Reaper black, with a death’s head helmet. Idiot can’t even ride a bike. He thought it looked cool though, so he was well pissed when the Grimm passed him over and picked me. You can imagine how awkward Thanksgiving was in our house that year. He’s still not talking to me ten years later. Twat.
So yeah, back to the point. I got the family Grimm—which, by the way, is a cantankerous bastard at the best of times—and I’ve been reaping souls ever since. It’s an interesting job, especially since my promotion less than a week into it.
You see, there are different types of Reaper. My grand-pop dealt with the “Naturals.” Those are the nice and easy reaps, those who die all peaceful of old age in their sleep, or in their garages, or gardens while cutting the grass. The ones who are expecting a visit from the big old GR himself so they’re not surprised to find they’re dead.
In fact, I remember Pop saying that the most exciting reap most months tended to be the old boys who snuffed it while on the job. According to Pop, trying to convince a soul that it’s not still having sex can be difficult. And icky. I don’t want to see no soul’s junk. Ever. Thank God, I’ve never had to deal with one of those.
Nope, after a couple of days on naturals, there was an opening, and I moved on to violent deaths. Gunshots, car accidents, beatings. You name it, I get to wade in and take the souls out. Some fight, but I prefer those to the victims. The pain in their auras, and the relief to see me because they know that their ordeals are over, tears at my heart. Especially the kids.
I’ve put more than a few email requests into head office to be the Reaper who takes their abusers down. Reaping is painless for the reapee. Is that even a word? Huh, I made one up. Go me.
Where was I, oh yeah, we train long and hard to make sure the souls don’t suffer. But since Reapers don’t go to heaven or hell, we’re out of that loop. There’s nothing to stop me from holding up somewhere quiet and taking a couple of days to strip a soul from its body. And believe me, given the right situation, I can be real inventive.
Available from: Amazon | Amazon UK | ARe | Smashwords
To celebrate the release and the blog hop, I'm having a giveaway for an ecopy of Dragon's Honor. Check out the link below for details on entering and the links at the bottom of the page for the other stops on the blog. Happy hopping!
Entry
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1.
Books To Go Now
2.
Danica Winters
3.
Sharon Kleve Romantic Ramblings
4.
Joanne Jaytanie~This is not your mother's romance
5.
Calinda B - Wickedly hot, dangerously fun
6.
Rhonda's Doings
7.
Dawn Luedecke-Always Have Passion
8.
Inside the Secret World of Allison Bruning
9.
H. A. Somerled
10.
Stories About Love
11.
Mindy Hardwick, Author
12.
Not Necessarily In That Order
13.
Iyana's Rainbow
14.
Amber Daulton
15.
Natalie-Nicole Bates
16.
Paranormal Hockey
17.
Draven St. James
18.
Knight Blindness
19.
Mina Carter
20.
Marilyn Conner Miles Author
21.
Lisa Chalmers
22.
Jean Joachim - Author
23.
Library of the Seen
24.
Romance Beckons
25.
Draven St. James
26.
Writer Wonderland
27.
LENA HART
28.
Living the Dream
29.
Jess Schira
30.
Jennifer Conner Writer
31.
Kristina Knight, Romance Author
32.
Romance and More
33.
Scandalous Stories
34.
David's Gift
35.
Sasha Hibbs-Author
36.
Cowboys and Indian Romances
37.
Jade Barnaby
38.
Rayna Noire
39.
Musings
40.
Write Stuff
41.
John Zunski
42.
The guardian an angel story
43.
Robyn Neeley
44.
Kooks Nook
45.
K C Maguire
46.
Krystal Shannan
47.
Sue Lyndon
48.
laurenmariebooks.com
49.
CJ Burright - Author
50.
More Romance Please
51.
Rhenna Morgan - Author
52.
The Official Website of Tista Ray
53.
Zoe Forward
54.
MYTHICAL BOOKS (INT)
55.
Hilda Huru
56.
Jess Buffett
57.
Willow Brooke
58.
Sinfully Sweet Romances
59.
Danielle Belwater Author
60.
Angela Ford Romantic Escapes
61.
Jackie Marilla
62.
Kelly Ann Jacobson - Author
63.
Aymaran Shadow > Behind The Scenes
64.
Donna M. Zadunajsky
65.
Donna Augustine
February 27, 2014
New release: The Reaper and the Cop!
Death’s big business. For Laney Larson, it’s a full time job.
The latest in a long line of Reapers, Laney hits Liberty, Oakwood expecting the usual ‘reap and run’ type of job. However the small town holds far more secrets than she expects, including a sexy cop who blind-sides her reaper instincts big-time.
Liberty. It used to be a nice town until the things that go bump in the night moved in.
Detective Troy Regan moved to Liberty to claw back a little of his soul after working homicide in the big city. But the sleepy little down has problems of the paranormal kind and it’s police department have gone from calls about lost cats to Boggarts in the basement. Then the seriously nasty stuff moved in.
Sparks fly when a sexy Reaper meets a hot as hell Cop...
Troy’s not sure exactly what flavour of paranormal Laney is, but he doesn’t care. She’s tiny, delicate and gorgeous. When he finds a Lycan looming over her in an alley, all his protective instincts flare up. He needs to get her home, keep her safe…in his bed.
But is she the answer he’s been looking for to fill the empty spot in his heart, or the most dangerous creature he’s ever met?
Blog stops today!
Following the blog tour? Here's todays stops!
Riverina Romantics - http://www.riverinaromantics.com/giveaway/book-spotlight-the-reaper-and-the-cop-by-mina-carter/
2 Biblophiles Guide - http://2bibliophiles.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/peytons-ride-by-jennifer-james-info.html
Read More Romance -http://readmoreromance.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-reaper-and-cop-peytons-ride-blog.html
And don't forget, we have the FB party tomorrow night and there are some AWESOME prizes to be won!! Come and join us!! https://www.facebook.com/events/587195944706861/?source=1
February 26, 2014
Ever had a one night stand?
We're off again! Blog pug and I are over at the Decadent 1NS Blog (Clickie link here) talking about the inspiration behind my hero's for the Lyric Hound series so far. So if you want a look into the madness that is my mind and enter for a chance to win a free ebook, then head on over and join us!
February 24, 2014
The Reaper and the Cop / Peyton’s Ride Blog Tour!
We have a blog tour!! With the release of The Reaper and the Cop and Peytons' Ride by Jennifer James just around the corner (this friday to be precise 
), we're getting things going. If you fancy following us on our travels, take a gander at the links below! (more added as confirmations come in)
2/27/14
2 Bibliophiles Guide--Review
Read More Romance--Spotlight
Riverina Romantics--Spotlight
It's a Book Affair--Review
2/28/14
Anne Lange--Guest Posts
Book Loving Pixie--Review
Giuseppe Del Medico--Spotlight (no idea)
3/1/2014
Where the Night Kind Roam--Spotlight
3/2/14
Inner Goddess Forum-- Guest Posts
3/3/14
Riverina Romantics--Interview
Miriam Smith--Review
Ramblings of a Book Lunatic--Review
3/4/14
Dreamz of Dragons--Review
3/6/14
Find Your Next Read--Guest Posts
Bookoholic Anom--Guest Posts
3/7/14
Insightful Minds--Interview/Review
Ramblings of a Book Lunatic--Review
3/8/14
Booklover Sue--Review
Share My Destiny--Spotlight
3/9/14
UF & PNR Series Bibliophile --Interview
Girly Girl Book Reviews--Interview/Review
3/10/14
Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews--Guest Post
This Redhead LOVES Books--Review
3/11/14
herding cats & burning soup--Interview/Review-Mina
3/12/14
Buffy's Ramblings--Review
Salacious Reads--Spotlight
3/13/14
herding cats & burning soup--Interview/Review--Jennifer
Lusty Penguin--Review
3/14/14
The Redheaded Bibliophile--Review
3/15/14
Delighted Reader--Review
3/16/14
Everyone Loves a Sinner--Guest Post/Review (no idea and has not returned emails)
Darkmotive's Books and More--Review
The Redheaded Bibliophile--Spotlight
February 17, 2014
Guest Post: New release – Flashes of Me by Cynthia Sax!
Blurb:
Henley, the head of cyber security at Blaine Technologies, is a man no one crosses. He watches employees constantly using his network of cameras and enforces his rules by any means possible. Rumors of his violent past, his scarred hands and huge size have resulted in him being feared by everyone… almost everyone.
Katalina, the new intern, worries about the revelation of her most painful secret much more than she fears her sexy boss’s wrath. She sees the loneliness in his dark eyes, feels the gentleness in his marred fingers, tastes the need in his kisses, and she knows he watches her. His silly rules about not stripping for the cameras and no sex at the office are destined to be broken.
Kat likes to be watched. Henley can’t look away. Will this beauty be able to tame her beastly boss?
Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Flashes-Me-Novella-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00F2I2GXO
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-flashesofme-1411711-149.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flashes-of-me-cynthia-sax/1117322925
Excerpt:
No one in this coffee shop knows who I am. I stand in the line, waiting to place my order. They don’t know about my past. They don’t know my last name. I tap my lavender heels against the floor, drumming an up-tempo tune into the tan-colored tile. They won’t remind me why I shouldn’t be happy.
I need to be happy. I need to laugh, to have fun, to focus on this fresh start. If I don’t, I’ll cry, and I promised my father I wouldn’t cry. I plaster a silly smile across my face and I tap my heels harder against the floor. These two actions lighten my mood, allowing me to cope with my emotions.
The bleary-eyed woman swaying in front of me yawns, adding vocals to my beat. For LA locals, it’s six in the morning. For a recently displaced New York native such as myself, it feels like nine o’clock. I’m eager to start my new job and my new life on the West Coast.
I’m two hours early. The internship orientation session at Blaine Technologies is scheduled for eight o’clock sharp, not one minute before and not one minute after. Although caffeine is the last thing I need, standing in line at this coffee shop gives me something to do and someone to watch.
I slide my gaze to the fascinating someone waiting at the front counter. The biggest man I’ve ever seen in my entire life looms over the cash register, his feet braced apart as though he’s preparing for battle. His ebony hair is cropped close to his head, hiding nothing, and he’s dressed completely in black like a villain from a 1970s spy movie.
I survey my behemoth’s broad shoulders. It’s all him under his jacket, not a hint of padding disturbing the cut. His suit is bespoke, custom made especially for his big body, and I suspect the designer was English. My mystery man is wearing Barker Blacks, his leather shoes as large as the rest of him. Even his matching dress shirt is well made, the collar and cuffs stiff and crisp.
He glances over his right shoulder, meets my gaze, and I inhale sharply. His eyes are as dark as his ensemble, his nose flattened and his chin square. Everything about him screams power, strength, vitality, and the woman in me responds, my nipples tightening, my breasts pressing against the blazer of my favorite lavender suit.
My behemoth returns his gaze to the frazzled barista and I exhale, my head spinning. It has been years since I’ve allowed myself to notice a man, to think about what I want, what I need. My fingers tremble as I smooth my flared skirt. I want this stranger desperately, more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life.
This is a problem, as I have no idea how to snag his attention. My last date took place when I was seventeen, and I suspect flashing my breasts at a pep rally won’t land me this sophisticated man. I chew on the inside of my cheek, having no other clever ideas.
I ponder my next steps, and my stranger moves away from the front counter, clasping a cup of coffee with his thick fingers. He ordered plain black coffee, no cream, no sugar, no whipped cream, and hell no to the chocolate sprinkles. My father likes his coffee the same way.
My mystery man stops at the lid and stir stick island and a stout man wearing mismatched jacket and pants rushes to the counter, barking his order at the disheveled barista. The rest of us shuffle forward in line. The tall skinny brunette behind me pleads into her sparkly pink phone, begging her boyfriend to give her one more chance. She’ll be the girl he needs, she promises. She’ll lose those last five pounds.
I don’t know where she’ll lose those five pounds. She’s already as thin as a yard of fine silk ribbon. I look down at my more ample bosom, my breasts wrapped snugly in the blazer.
“No, please.” The brunette sobs. “Derek! Derek!” She glances at her phone’s small screen and her face crumples. My heart aches for her. She doesn’t know how to hide her sorrow, not like I do. I can help her with this.
I touch the girl’s bare arm, diverting her attention away from her phone. “Who did your pedicure?” I feign an interest in her perfect pink toes. Although her beige sandals are adorably strappy, my goal is to distract her from her grief. “I have to know,” I insist.
The brunette wipes away her tears with the back of her hand. “I—I—I—”
I glance around us fervently as though I’m afraid someone will overhear us. The behemoth is watching me, his dark eyes glinting with intelligence. Some people think big men are dumb. Some people also think blond women are stupid and no one should wear pink at a funeral. I learned long ago to ignore some people.
“Look at what happened to me on the flight here.” I slip my right foot out of my lavender pumps and wiggle my big toe. A huge chip of coral polish has flaked off, revealing raw nail. “I rushed for a flight, banged into a baggage cart, and that was it. My pedicure was ruined.”
The brunette’s red-rimmed eyes widen. “That’s terrible.”
“It’s a disaster.” I ignore the behemoth’s shaking shoulders. He doesn’t understand. My mystery man has the strength to deal with loss directly. He doesn’t need to pretend, to use trivial distractions as a means to cope. He would never travel across an entire country seeking to escape his sadness.
“I’m in a strange city,” I explain. “I have so many cute sandals and I can’t wear them.” I shove my foot back into my shoe, hiding the offending toe.
As we exchange information and bad salon stories, the behemoth leaves. I watch his broad shoulders disappear into the LA sunshine and feel as though I’ve lost a piece of my soul, a part of my future.
Bio:
Cynthia Sax lives in a world where demons aren’t all bad, angels aren’t all good, and magic happens every single day. Although her heroes may not always say, “I love you”, they will do anything for the women they love. They live passionately. They fight fiercely. They love the same women forever.
Cynthia has loved the same wonderful man forever. Her supportive hubby offers himself up to the joys and pains of research, while they travel the world together, meeting fascinating people and finding inspiration in exotic places such as Istanbul, Bali, and Chicago.
Author Website: http://cynthiasax.com/
Blog: http://tasteofcyn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter: @CynthiaSax
February 10, 2014
Valentine’s Day gift Hop! #prizes #giveaway
Good Morning, and welcome to Monday! Because it's Valentine's day on friday, I have a new gift hop for you! The Valentines Day Gift Hop! The overall hop has two grand prizes: a new adult romance digital gift basket and a Kindle Paperwhite! There are 170 authors in the hop which every stop hosting it's own prize as well as every comment on every blog in the hop will count as an entry toward either of the grand prizes, so be sure to comment!
Plus! I'm also offering a prize! One commenter on the blog will win:
A $10 Amazon GC, AND
an e-copy of Dragon's Honor
Head on over to register your entry (there are other entry options but none are mandatory! Just extra chances to win ;))
Entry
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Keep Hopping! Here is your chance to Hop to all the other blogs and enter again for the grand prizes and the bloggers’ prizes. Enjoy!
