Mina Carter's Blog, page 22

Re-release news!

I love vampire stories, but haven't written that many of them (at least, it doesn't seem that way to me!). Even though Grace is an older story, it's one I have a fond place in my heart for. So I'm pleased to announce it's now out on re-release. With a snazzy new cover, it's available at all major ebook vendors!

Grace Solomon was a ballerina. Not just any ballerina but the ballerina. As graceful as her name her extraordinary talent catapulted her to the highest levels of her art. Until the day a horrific car accident leaves her crippled, barely able to walk, let alone dance, and her heart broken as she accepts she'll never dance again.

So when enigmatic stranger Jaron Conrad turns up talking of a cure, Grace accuses him of being a crackpot and a quack. But could there be a possibility that he's telling the truth and, if he is, does Grace have the courage to take that chance, whatever the price? Even if it's her heart?

eBook Available from: Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | ARe | Smashwords

New release: Blue Moon, Too Good to be True by A.E.Via

By now it should be obvious that I'm a somewhat busy little bunny most of the time, when I'm not writing I'm either doing cover art or out with a camera. Occasionally though, I get to find out a release day for a cover I've done and can show it off

This week, Blue Moon, Too Good to be True by A.E.Via, is being released so I have a cover and a saucy little blurb for you...

 

Angel DeLucca is the mysteriously, beautiful club owner that falls hard for the gorgeous, straight firefighter, Maximus Strong.  Angel needs to get Max to disregard his bad boy reputation and take him seriously.  Max can’t understand his attraction to Angel and turns to a colorful cast of supportive characters for help. 

This story explodes with fiery sex, submission, dominance and lots of action.

 

Website: www.authoraevia.com
Link: http://www.authoraevia.com/links.html

Hitting on the Hooker, now available!

Hacked off after being stood up, Fern Morgan doesn't much fancy hanging around when local Rugby team, the Strathstow Sharks crash the bar, so makes rapid plans to leave.

One look at the cute brunette trying to make a break for it and Sharks player, Tom Sexton, has plans all of his own. Plans that involve getting her out of the bar and into his bed...

 eBook Available NOW from: Amazon | Amazon UK | ARe | Smashwords

 

New Release News: A Little Broken by Juli Valenti

Blurb: 

Jessie Braden thought she had it all. A husband, a new baby – her life was on course, exactly what she always wanted…Until one day, she loses everything.  Ruined and broken, she’s left alone to pick up the pieces of her life.  Unable to cope, she spontaneously packs up and moves across the country, hoping that new scenery will help.

Once in sunny Florida, she finds an apartment and a job but while Jessie is surviving, she isn’t living…until one night she meets someone. Dominick. Desperate for an escape from the pain of her memories, she relents to his unerring determination and agrees to spend time with him.

Through his patience and understanding, she will learn that she’s not ruined…she’s just a little broken.

 

Excerpt:

“Well, what do you think, Mr. Wace,” Jessie asked coquettishly, her hands resting on her hips.

Still unspeaking, he lifted his hand to twirl a finger, indicating he wanted her to turn around. She obliged, rotating slowly, pausing with her back to him, and looked at him over her shoulder. From this distance, she could tell that his breathing had sped and he shifted on the couch.

“I think,” he started, stopping and clearing his throat. “I think I need to send Toni some flowers…or a singing telegram…or some other ridiculously big thank you note.”

“I’m assuming you like what you see?” Jessie strode toward him, her footsteps almost silent despite the heels. 

“I don’t like what I see, Jessie. I fucking love it, excuse my mouth. You’re always gorgeous to me…but hell, I expected you to come out in a dress or something…not strolling out of the pages of every man’s Maxim wet dream. Are you even real right now? Did I fall asleep on the couch?”

“Ouch. Nice back handed compliment there, sugar,” she pouted, though she was secretly pleased. Jessie knew that she barely paid any attention to her looks – the only time he’d even seen her in makeup other than right now was weeks ago for Halloween and then it was barely anything. She always said it was because she didn’t have the time, but if she were being honest, she hadn’t wanted to put the effort into herself. What was the point? This, this is the point, she elucidated to herself. 

Dominick stood and met her halfway. His hands were warm when he reached out and grabbed her hips, tugging her toward him. She allowed him to pull her to him, and when they were close he moved his hands to her face. He held her head steady for a moment, his finger trailing down her cheek. 

“Shut up, Jessie. You’re the sun right now, and you’re blinding me. You know that I think you’re amazing, I’ve told you often enough. Remember, you’re standing in my room half naked, in heels – which you never wear – and with supermodel makeup on. Excuse me if my pinup girlfriend is causing my brain to short circuit.”

 

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A-Little-Broken-Juli-Valenti-ebook/dp/B00G3QH314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382744622&sr=8-1&keywords=a+little+broken+kindle
 
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-little-broken#readThisOn
 
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370074

Cover Reveal: Hitting on the Hooker

It should be no secret by now that I love Rugby. I mean, what's not to love...it's a damn good game (even if the rules take a while to learn. Like YEARS) but HELL, is the scenery nice! Don't believe me, go google... I'll wait. Okay, back with me? Good.

So, given that I love to watch Rugby, and I had a blast writing Gray's Girl, I thought I'd write a few more Rugby stories. This time we're picking up a team called the Strathstow Sharks, and it's hooker (It's a position on the front row, honest ) Tom...

Hacked off after being stood up, Fern Morgan doesn't much fancy hanging around when local Rugby team, the Strathstow Sharks crash the bar, so makes rapid plans to leave.

One look at the cute brunette trying to make a break for it and Sharks player, Tom Sexton, has plans all of his own. Plans that involve getting her out of the bar and into his bed...

Release day and Recommendation for Blood Mate!

It's been a long time coming (or feels it anyway) but finally, the next book in the Project Rebellion series, Blood Mate, is here! And as if a release day wasn't enough, Blood Mate has also been recommended by USA Today Contributor Jessie Potts on the HEA Blog! Read what Jessie has to say here!

The only thing they have in common? Really…sharp…teeth.

The Project Rebellion, Book 2

Major Antonia Fielding has one goal: to escape the clutches of the Project. With the blood-virus infecting her system, though, a body bag is likely her only way out. Until her boss lets slip that he may just have a cure for her—if she brings in an escaped Lycan. Can she trust him? Now there’s the million-dollar question. Then again, can she afford not to take that chance?

Darce Foster was a Special Forces soldier, until the Project got hold of him. Now he’s a Lycan, a lab-created werewolf, this close to escaping his creators—until another of the Project’s experiments stops him in his tracks. Not because she has the power to hold him, but because he instantly recognizes the impossible. The vampiress is his mate. Allowing her to bring him in is his only choice—and possibly the last mistake of his life.

Enemies or lovers, it doesn’t matter. When they discover that the Project is hiding yet more secrets, they must work together to bring it down...or die in the attempt.

Product Warnings : Contains a cocky wolf who won’t take no for an answer, an ice-queen losing her cool and a pack full of hunky werewolves bent on rescue. And zombie spidermen.

eBook Available NOW from Samhain Publishing | Amazon | Amazon.co.uk | B&N

 

Cover reveal: Scent of a Mate by Milly Taiden

Today, I'm excited to welcome my great friend, Milly Taiden, to the blog, with a cover reveal for her latest book, Scent of a Mate!

Scent of a Mate

Blurb

 

Mission: Scent a Mate

Jordan Alvarez knew that a promise to her best friend involved staking out the local wolf pack's scenting ceremony and recording the graphic details, but she was the writer and the only one with the balls to finish the task. No one would know that four human women had sneaked proof of their rituals, or at least, that was the plan until Aric Wolfe showed up. 



 

Mission: Stake a Claim

Aric Wolfe knew his baby sister was up to something, and expected her best friend, Jordan, to be in on the chaos. He finally had an opportunity to lay claim to a mate that had been under his nose for years. Jordan's scent called to both the man and the animal, and he was done fighting the call of the beast. It was time to mark his mate.



 

Mission: Survive an Alpha

When a good intention creates a problem for the Wolfe family, Jordan finds herself being stalked by a woman intent on claiming Aric as her own. Battle lines will be drawn, love will be put to the test, and Aric will have to fight Jordan's strong personality to keep her alive. Two alpha hearts seeking control will either find the balance or risk losing their love forever. 

 

 

Excerpt: Scent of a Mate by Milly Taiden

 

Chapter One

“Please?” Jordan leaned forward on the sofa and gave her best imitation of what Ellie called “puppy eyes.” A soft squeaking protested Jordan’s wiggling on the leather. She knew her enthusiasm probably rivaled that of a four year old at Christmas, but she was so close to cracking Ellie, she didn’t care.

“No.” Ellie’s voice didn’t sound as sure as it had the first five times Jordan had asked the same question.

“I thought you wanted me to write this book on shifter mating rituals? Don’t you think I need to watch it? I mean, I can’t just write a book on your history, for your family’s records, based solely on what you tell me. I have to see it.” Not really, but she was not telling Ellie that and messing up her chance of watching something so cool.

Ellie frowned. “Well—”

“Come on.” Jordan huddled closer to the edge of her seat, almost falling off in the process, once again rubbing the leather and making it whine. “Look, I swear to you, I will be on my best behavior. I won’t do anything to call attention to myself. I will just observe from the sidelines. Heck, I’ll observe from the distance with binoculars.”

Ellie rolled her gorgeous blue eyes and ran her fingers through her short blonde bob, making the strands glimmer under the light of her sitting room’s lamp. “I don’t remember a single time you have ever been on your best behavior.”

That was true. Jordan’s mouth always got her into some kind of trouble, especially with the other faculty at the school where she taught.

“Okay. I pinky promise.” She lifted her hand, curling all her fingers until only her wiggling pinky stood.

Ellie bit her lip and groaned, still unsure.

“I know shifters are not exactly common knowledge with most of the world. But you have to admit that with more human-shifter interaction, it’s only a matter of time before you guys lose a lot of your history. I promise to write a specific detailed account. Nothing but the history behind this event.” Her heart pounded so hard. She wanted to shake Ellie and order her to agree already.

“Jorda-a-an!” With the way Ellie said her name, in that soft sigh of defeat, Jordan knew she had her. “If I agree to this insanity, you have to swear not to do anything to let anyone know you guys are there! You will get me in so much trouble.”

Jordan struggled and failed to stop the smile from splitting her lips. “I promise! I promise! You know I am dying to see this whole scenting ritual.” She rushed to say. “Now why is it such a big deal to keep this all quiet?”

“Because,” Ellie leaned back on her sofa and stared at the ceiling, “this is an old tradition. Males and females from all over will come together to meet each other, some for the first time. Kelly and Marco are going to see if they are compatible.”

“But they’ve met once, right?”

“Yes, at a family gathering some months back. They didn’t even get a chance to talk. From what Mom said, their eyes did the talking for them. Apparently, it was instant. It’s why we’re having this ceremony. Tradition dictates we have it yearly, and the family is hoping it works out for Kelly and Marco.”

Jordan frowned remembering Ellie’s cousin Kelly and the guy they’d kept referring to as her potential mate. She tucked a long strand of dark hair behind her ear. “I still don’t understand. How can you guys just allow some tradition to tell you who your mate is?”

Shit. Jordan had a hard time with anyone telling her what to do to begin with. It was why she loved being an independent woman.

Ellie’s smile was weak. “We are part of a pack, and my father is Alpha. As such, I need to follow rules like everyone else. You’re lucky you’re human and don’t have to worry about any of this. And we don’t allow the tradition to tell us who our mate is. This is like a first date.”

“In front of a whole bunch of people.”

“Right.”

“Who happen to watch to see if you hit it off?”

“Yes.”

“And who’ll know who she has sex with at the end of the night.”

“Correct. Wait. What?”

“Sounds like the perfect date.” She snickered and almost choked on her wine.

“This is why I didn’t want you there. You, Emma, Nicole, and Karla are so going to get caught.”

“We won’t! We won’t. We’ll be super–spy, research ninjas. Quiet, but sexy smart.” She grinned.

“Oh brother,” Ellie groaned.

“Speaking of brothers. Are, um, your brothers going to be there?” What she really wanted to ask was if one particular brother was going to be there. God, she hoped not. The first time she’d seen Aric Wolfe, she’d been a thirteen-year-old with a crush the size of Alaska. One look was all it took, and her poor teenage heart had been in puppy-love for years. And though it’d been a crush for a long time, it had never gone away. In fact, with years, it had grown. She’d tried to date other men and rid herself of the idea that he’d ever look at a non-shifter for more than a friendship, but it was useless. With time, her attraction for him had grown deeper, into something she didn’t want to think too much about or it would make her hyperventilate.

Blue sparkles lit in Ellie’s eyes. “Yes, all my brothers will be there.”

Oh hell. “Then, yeah, I will hide off somewhere and never move a muscle. I promise.”

Ellie’s laughter, filled with unabashed delight, made her smile. “I still don’t understand why you’re so afraid of being around them.”

Yeah well, Jordan knew all about that super smelling-power shifters had. The last thing she wanted was for Aric to know how one glance at his body and those damn sexy muscles got her so turned on she’d likely start a fire. She could probably melt butter on her skin. “I think it’s best to keep my distance. I know your parents weren’t fond of their only daughter hanging with so many humans.”

Ellie shrugged. “It was either send me to regular school, or deal with packs of horny wolves hitting on their baby girl.” She grinned, grabbed her glass of wine, and sipped. “They knew humans don’t have our scenting or go into heat, so they decided to take the chance.”

Jordan drank her own wine, letting the fruity flavor slip and slide over her tongue. “Yeah, but I bet they didn’t think you’d end up bringing home an annoying, fat Latina for your new pet.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Who’s the wolf here, you or me?”

Good point. Ellie’s parents had cared for Jordan. A lot more than Jordan herself could ever understand. Even after all those years being so close to them and Ellie, she still couldn’t make any sense of why they done so much when her parents hadn’t cared at all. What was it about them that made them different? And there had to be some resentment in there. They’d practically adopted her.

“Alright. I’ve become like a second daughter since we became friends. That has to be annoying for them. I mean if they wanted more kids, they’d have had more the old fashioned way.”

Jordan found the whole shifter community absolutely fascinating. If it were up to her, she’d be all in their business trying to figure out how the whole animal-human thing worked.

“Why would you say they’d be annoyed by you?” Ellie’s face creased in a frown. “They like you. Heck, they love you more than any of their sons’ previous girlfriends. In fact, they like you more than most family we have. You’ve grown on them.”

Jordan snorted. “Yeah like fungus or a rash.”

“No, not like that. Like an unusual but lovely woman who needs a mate.”

“What?” She spit out the wine she’d had in her mouth. “Who said I needed a mate?”

Ellie laughed, put her glass down on the coffee table, and settled into the sofa with her feet under her. “My mother. She thinks you just need a strong man to help you realize what you are missing out on.”

“And that’s a mate?” Jordan coughed, trying to stop the choking. Her tummy churned with anxiety. She held Barbara Wolfe, Ellie’s mother, in high regard. But Jordan would never think a long-term relationship would fix her. Thinking of any kind of dependence on anyone made her feel slightly sick. She didn’t really trust most people enough for that.

“Yes. She was highly upset when I told her you broke up with your last boyfriend. She thinks you just haven’t been chased by the right one.”

Jordan continued to cough while Ellie giggled. “Mrs. Wolfe thinks I need to be chased?”

Well hell, maybe she was on to something. Chasing sounded fun. Usually Jordan was too prickly for men to make a move, unless they were sure of themselves. But even then, most of them turned out to be full of shit.

Ellie nodded, flipped on her back and stretched, rubbing her bare feet on the leather. “Of course, dad thinks you’re too independent and need a man to rein you in.”

Rein her in? What the hell was she, cattle? Tristan, Ellie’s dad, was so old school. “Yeah, that sounds like your dad.”

“Although, Aric—”

Jordan’s gaze jerked to Ellie’s face. The bemused smile on her was one Jordan had often seen when Ellie was up to no good. “Aric was present during these conversations?”

Ellie knew Jordan liked Aric to some degree. It’s not like she could hide it from her. The woman was a wolf. She could smell Jordan getting all kinds of turned on when Aric’s name popped up. But what she never told Ellie was how deep her feelings ran. That was something Jordan had trouble even thinking about.

Ellie’s eyes widened, filled with innocence. “Oh, yes.”

Fuck. Sweat gathered in her palms. Now her nerves were getting the best of her. Her stomach did all kinds of acrobatic flips. She’d have to ask or die wondering. And she was too curious not to know. “And what did he say?”

“It doesn’t matter. We both know you’re not looking for long term anyway. You like your independence.” She shut her eyes and sighed.

“Ellie!”

Ellie jerked her eyes open with a chuckle. “Fine, if you want to know, Aric thinks you are fine just the way you are.”

“Which means what?” She asked before she could stop herself. She’d always tried to control her interest in Ellie’s older brother, but sometimes Jordan’s hormones just ran away from her.

Aric. With his piercing dark eyes, eyes she swore begged her to strip every time he glanced her way. And that tall slightly tanned hard body filled with boundless muscles. So many muscles.

She cleared her throat. Visuals of running her nails down his six packs and nibbling on his belly button made her reach for her wine again. But it was the strong jaw and “I’ll eat your pussy really good” smile she couldn’t stop thinking about.

Ellie’s smile dimmed. “Aric said, in time, you’d find your mate and for everyone to leave you alone to decide your life yourself.”

Her hope deflated. It was what she’d always told everyone. Somehow, hearing that he’d said the same made her want to run to the liquor store and buy a barrel of wine.

A sharp pain pierced her heart, deeper and deeper until she wanted to cry. Though Jordan would rather dance around naked in public than admit her feelings for Aric, she had secretly continued to hope. Now, that hope was dead.

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

 

Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.

She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

A bookworm when she can get her hands on a good story, she loves reading romance, thrillers and suspense.

 

Find out more about Milly Taiden here:

 

Email: millytaidenauthor@gmail.com

Website:  http://www.millytaiden.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/millytaidenpage

Facebook Friend Page: http://www.facebook.com/milly.taiden

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/millytaiden

 

 

~ Look for these titles from Milly Taiden ~

 

Now Available

Wolf Fever Alpha Project Book One

Wolf Protector Federal Paranormal Unit Book One

Sharp Change Black Meadows Pack Book One

Caged Heat Black Meadows Pack Book Two

“Mate Event” Halloween Heat III

Fate’s Wish

Wynter’s Captive

 

Coming Soon

Scent of a Mate

Dangerous Protector Federal Paranormal Unit Book 2

Caught by the Alpha

 

 

As April Angel

 

Stranded Temptation

Party Crasher

A Hero’s Pride

 

The Sizzling Encounters Series

Mr. Buff

Wicked Valentine

Lucky Break

 

Coming Soon

A Hero Scarred

 

Party Crasher

A Hero’s Pride

 

The Sizzling Encounters Series

Mr. Buff

Wicked Valentine

Lucky Break

 

Coming Soon

A Hero Scarred

 

How to become a werewolf…

...that's the topic I'm talking about today over at the Daily Dose of Decadence Blog! Come on over (Linkie) and join me!

Guest post: Billionaires and Rock Stars, Oh My! (Cynthia Sax)

By now, I know you all have read Mina’s wonderful Melody’s Wolf. Wasn’t it yummy? She had me at both wolf and rock star. When I read rock star, I think the alpha men of the entertainment world. They do their own thing. They aren’t afraid to sing lyrics other music genres might shy away from. They wear leather and they look da*n good doing so.

I don’t write about the entertainment world (…yet, I can’t say I never will because I don’t know where the muse will take me). I do write about the corporate world and the extreme alphas in the corporate world are the billionaires. Billionaires have achieved success on a huge level. In 2012, there were only 425 billionaires claiming the United States as their nationality. Yep, billionaires are rare.

But then, so are heroes. Gabriel Blaine, the hero of He Watches Me, is a billionaire. This isn’t how he introduces himself. Throughout He Watches Me, he doesn’t mention his net worth once. He doesn’t have to. People know he’s a billionaire and the people who don’t know suspect.

Why do they suspect he’s a billionaire? Because Blaine has built a successful technology company. Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer and Mark Zuckerberg, the founders of competitive companies, are all billionaires. It makes sense that Blaine would be a billionaire also.

When I read billionaire, I think focused, hard working, inventive, a man who doesn’t think like everyone else, who doesn’t follow everyone else’s rules. To achieve this difficult level of net worth, he had to be a different type of person.

In Blaine’s case, we learn quickly he isn’t afraid to bend the rules. He’ll do just about anything to achieve his goals (whether noble or not-so noble) and one of his goals is to seduce Anna. He throws away the dating handbook and embraces their unusual relationship.

Blaine is also patient, watching Anna as she cavorts around his backyard naked, learning how she likes to touch herself and listening to her fantasies. He can give her anything she wants (I LOVE this about billionaire heroes) but he knows if he gives her what she doesn’t want, he risks losing her.

Because even billionaires aren’t guaranteed love.  What do you love about rock star and billionaire heroes?

 

 Title: He Watches Me

 Blurb: She desires to be seen. He wants to watch.

 Anna Sampson has a naughty secret. Every night, she slips into her neighbor’s yard and swims naked in his pool. She fantasizes that the dynamic young billionaire watches her nightly nude aquatics, his brilliant green eyes gleaming with lust.

 

She discovers this isn’t pure fantasy. Gabriel Blaine has been watching her via his security cameras, and now that he has returned to L.A., he doesn’t plan to stop. That’s all he wants—to watch. Anna knows she shouldn’t allow him and she certainly shouldn’t want more, but she craves Blaine’s attention, needing his gaze fixed on her body.

 Part One of The Seen Trilogy

 

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/He-Watches-Me-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00CD36FS8

 

Author Website: http://cynthiasax.com/

Blog: http://tasteofcyn.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.sax

Twitter: @CynthiaSax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melody’s Wolf at #2!!

Oh my, less than a week after release and Melody's Wolf is at #2 in Werewolves & Shifters Romance and #9 in Paranormal on Amazon, and currently #48 in Nook on B&N! To say I'm overwhelmed is an understatement! Thank you to all those who have already bought Melody's Wolf, and if you haven't... feel free to click the links below to check it out!

Melody's love life is in a bit of a dry spell...for the last two years. Content tracking down archaeological evidence of werewolf packs, she spends her time wearing wellingtons and covered in mud rather than looking for a date. Knowing her worried brother isn’t above arranging a kidnapping to get her to go on a date, she agrees to a match with 1Night Stand, figuring Madame Eve has to be a better matchmaker than her beloved brother.

Money, fame, looks—rock star and werewolf Aaron Rixx has it all, except the one thing that truly matters...love. Yearning for a woman to see him for who he is, he lets Madame Eve make all the arrangements. No matter where he goes, as the lead singer of the world famous band, Lyric Hounds, he's always recognized...so all he expects is a night of hot sex and a quiet weekend with his music.

He never anticipates Madame Eve might find the one woman on the planet who doesn't recognise him on sight...or the one he and his wolf identify instantly as their mate. Will one night be enough for him to convince Melody she's his forever?

Available from: Decadent Publishing | Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | ARe