Marie Sexton's Blog, page 35

This is a test!

This is only a test. Do not pass "Go." Do not collect $200.

If you feel like randomly entering a link so I can test this other linky service, feel free.

Introducing Saturday Snark!

I'm starting something new here at MarieSexton.net. Some of you may be familiar with Six Sentence Sunday Blog Hop, or Sunday Snog Blog Hop. This is the same idea, except it's in celebration of snarky characters. Each Saturday (or at least, on the weeks I remember), I'll post a snarky comment from one of my books. Readers, at the bottom of the post you will (hopefully) find a list of links to snarky comments at other authors' sites. Follow along. Comment often!

Without further ado, your snark, courtesy of Cole:

"All-you-can-eat bacon really is preferable to eternal salvation, isn't it?"

Get a whole lot more of Cole's snark in Strawberries for Dessert.

Authors, I encourage you to share some snark. Put up a quick post on your blog with a snarky line (or two or three) from one of your books. Be sure you enter your link into the linky tool below. Also, be sure to include a link back to this post so your readers can check out all the snarky links. (A friend is working on a banner for me. I'll stick that in here once I have it.)

(As this is my first time using this linky thing, I'm really hoping it works. If not, I apologize in advance! Also, there's some way you can get the whole code for your own site, but since this is my first time, I'm not exactly sure how that works.)

Readers, I hope you'll check out the links, leave lots of comments, and hopefully find a brand new author to explore! Happy hopping!

Starting Tomorrow: Saturday Snark

With a picture of Kitty Forman, because the word 'snark' makes me think of her calling Eric 'Mr. Snarkypants.'

Starting tomorrow, I'll have something new here at MarieSexton.net. Some of you may be familiar with blog hops like Six Sentence Sunday or Sunday Snog. This is the same idea, except it's in celebration of snarky characters. Each Saturday (or at least, on the weeks I remember), I'll post a snarky comment from one of my books. (Please note: not my own snark, because that's boring. This will be snark from one of my characters.) Readers, at the bottom of tomorrow's post you will (hopefully) find a list of links to snarky comments at other authors' sites. Follow along. Meet new authors. Comment often!

Authors, please share some character snark. Put up a quick post on your blog with a line (or two or three) from one of your books. Be sure to stop by tomorrow and enter your link into the linky tool. (I'd like to have some kind of little banner or button, but I have ZERO graphical talent, so… yeah. Maybe I'll have that by next week.)

If I get enough links and/or enough comments, I might go crazy and give something away.

I hope to see you all here tomorrow!

Fall 2011 Newsletter

I finally made a new one. If you didn't receive yours, you can view it here.

Sunday Snog: Promises

It's my first time participating in the Sunday Snog, so it seems appropriate to post a snog from my very first novel, Promises. 

Jared Thomas has lived his whole life in the small mountain town of Coda, Colorado. He can't imagine living anywhere else. Unfortunately, the only other gay man in town is twice his age and used to be his teacher, so Jared is resigned to spending his life alone.

Until Matt Richards walks into his life, that is. Matt has just been hired by the Coda Police Department, and he and Jared immediately become friends. Matt claims he is straight, but for Jared, having a sexy friend like Matt is way too tempting. Facing Matt's affair with a local woman, his disapproving family, and harassment from Matt's co-workers, Jared fears they'll never find a way to be together—if he can even convince Matt to try.

The snog itself is below…

"Jared, I want to try something. Like an experiment. Is that okay?"

"Last time you asked a question like that, it ended with you not speaking to me for almost two months." I tried to say it lightly, but I didn't quite pull it off.

He lightly wrapped his arms around me and put his face in my hair. "I know. I'm sorry."

I thought about it for a minute. I had an idea what he had in mind. "I don't want to be alone anymore. Whatever you want this to be between us, I can handle it. Just don't leave me again."

"Never. I promise. I learned my lesson."

I took a deep breath, tried to slow my speeding heart, and turned to face him. "Okay."

He pulled me close, then took my face in his hands, and looked into my eyes. I started to put my arms around him, but he tensed up and said, "No. Don't do that."

"I'm not allowed to touch you?"

"Not yet."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"Stop talking." He was so serious I might have laughed if my heart wasn't pounding so hard. I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

He was combing his fingers through my hair, and I remembered my birthday—his hands in my hair and his weight against me, his lips against my neck, and then him walking out the door.

"Relax, Jared," he whispered, and I pulled my mind away from that night. It would not end like that. Whatever happened, he had promised not to leave again. I felt him lean in. Felt his breath against my lips and then the faintest brush of his lips over my mouth— soft, warm lips against mine. It was all I could do to keep my hands at my side. Then he actually kissed me, firm but gentle, his lips just barely parted.

He never said I couldn't kiss back.

I opened my mouth, leaned into him, and brushed the tip of my tongue against his lips.

Whatever wall he had been trying to keep between us crumbled away at that slight touch. He moaned, and suddenly he was really kissing me, his arms tight around me, his tongue touching mine, his body pressing hard against me. This time, he didn't object when I put my arms around him.

An eternity later, he pulled back a little. One hand was in my hair, his other arm around my waist, and his forehead was against mine.

"Was that the result you were expecting?" I asked breathlessly.

He closed his eyes but didn't pull away. He took a deep breath and just barely shook his head. "No."

"You didn't think you would like it."

This time, a slight nod. "At the very least, I thought it would be like some of the women I've kissed: pleasant but uninspiring."

That made me smile. "And instead…?"

"Oh God." His breath was shaky. He looked into my eyes and smiled back. "Very inspiring."

 

Buy Promises here. Check out all the hot Sunday Snog action at victoriablisse.co.uk.

Guest Blogger: Mercy Celeste

First, and foremost, thank you Marie for kindly having me guest today, I do so enjoy your blog(s) for the yummy goodness you post and your book, Promises is one of my faves and on the keeper list.

Good morning from the swamp. My house is or rather was in a nice little subdivision with brick houses and SUVs, sidewalks, and a cul-de-sac but not anymore. Somehow, over the weekend a swamp managed to appear in my backyard thanks to TS Lee. If an alligator comes walking by (and that has happened before) I am so leaving for dry land. I hear Texas is quite nice right now. Are there gators in Texas? Frankly speaking, gators are interesting creatures. Beautiful in a pre-historic sort of way, as long as they do not decide to trudge through your back yard. It was a baby gator, bigger than my cat, but still a baby, with teeth. Big teeth.

However, that's not what I wanted to talk about today. The sun is out, for the first time since Thursday and the swamp will dry up in a day or two (I hope) and everything will be back to normal. Well, as normal as can be when you live in a place where alligators can and do walk through your yard. Today, I want to talk about my book. Yes, I'm a writer. Don't look at me like that, what else would I be? I once saw Bigfoot and the house I grew up in was haunted by three distinct spirits. And one poltergeist who liked to steal my fundraising candy. Could have been my brother, I won't swear it wasn't but I couldn't catch him at it so it had to be a ghost of some sort right? Right. Glad we cleared that up. Yes, I am a writer of romantic-ish fiction and I've written a beautiful book, well, I've written about seventeen beautiful books, but I'm going to focus on my second (really my fourth but that's another story) published as Mercy Celeste. Wicked Game.

Wicked Game is a contemporary boy meets girl erotic romance. Just one boy and one girl. I have to clarify that because my first book as Mercy is a ménage, and then I had two M/M books, which sadly are no longer available and my next book in October Behind Iron Lace will be an M/M. Wicked Game is a straight romance. Set in Miami. And the hero is a quarterback in the NFL, who is getting ready to take his team to the Super Bowl (And stop looking at me like that I know they don't have a chance in heck this is fiction, remember that). His name is Jamison Dalton. He goes by Jay or Jaime, or Lord Ironman. He is a bit narcissistic, just a tad bit. Enough to make him a great football player. But then there is Pepper. Or rather Cassandra Pendleton. Cass and Jaime go all the way back to kindergarten. He pulled her hair and she never forgave him. To say that Cass and Jaime do not get along is to say that Alabama and Auburn fans can sit in a sports bar on Iron Bowl game day and there not be name-calling. Oil and water, fire and ice. It's what they are. It's what they've always been. Right up until Jaime decides hiring Cass as his personal assistant is a good idea. He just wants someone to handle his business without wanting to handle his business. He forgot how much a trial Cass can be. Now he can't think of anything except handling her business. It's quite disconcerting and distracting. A Super Bowl ring hangs in the balance. Or his everlasting happiness. But he might have to give up one to get the other. What's a boy to do?

. And I'm Mercy Celeste. Thanks for letting me tell you about my book. Sorry about the gators, okay not so much. And yes there are alligators in WG. Just so you know.

Mercy

Find more of my ramblings here: http://mercyceleste.blogspot.com/

Buy Wicked Game , or from ARe or Amazon.

 

And the Winner is…

The winner of the Naughty Threesome Grand Prize Drawing is:

Tiffany!

To Tiffany, congrats! You should have emails from all of us about claiming your prize.

To everybody else, thank you so much for following along. We had a great time on the tour!

The Naughty Threesome Blog Tour Continues!

Hello, and welcome to Day 5 of the Naughty Threesome Blog Tour. Today, we're answering this questions:

If your hero was to plan a romantic getaway, where would they go and what would they plan on doing there?

Talia's answer:

If Blayne my hero from Ralston's Way were to plan a surprise romantic getaway he'd have to trick the stubborn cowboy to even go somewhere. Set it up under the guise of work and enlist the help of the others on the ranch to get him there. He would take Ralston to the cabin by the lake on the ranch. It was beautiful and serene. Blayne would already have the cabin stocked with food and various amenities. He would warn the others on the ranch to not disturb them once they were there.

They would go by horseback late in the afternoon so they could end up spending the night. Ralston would be resistance about leaving to check for cattle by the cabin. He would say they could send someone else. But Blayne one look from Blayne he would glare in return then go along. As they ride Blayne would already be planning what they would do. A romantic revel of his plans and Ralston being so happy about it. He snorts at his fanciful thoughts since Ralston rarely did as he expected or expressed himself verbally. Once they get in view of the cabin Ralston would know something is going on and demand to know. Blayne would hush him and tell him to go along.

Since Ralston enjoys poking Blayne into losing his temper he would comment it was a waste of time and they should get back to work. Blayne would lose him temper and get off the horse while cursing at Ralston. Blayne would storm off.  Ralston would follow getting off his own horse. He would stalk toward Blayne retreating body and mention his nasty temper. Blayne would defend himself that he doesn't have a temper except with Ralston. Then Blayne would look at him. Ralston would stroll closer to him. Blayne would smile at him playfully then push him into the lake. Ralston is caught off guard and topples into the lake. Blayne would laugh and jump in fully clothed behind him. Ralston splashes Blayne and they play in the lake. Then strip and make love. After they head to the cabin. In the cabin Ralston teases Blayne they didn't need all he had brought. Blayne counters that he could just take back what he had planned for bed. Ralston being a smart man shuts up and goes along with the rest of their romantic night together.

That would be how a surprise romantic getaway would work for them. LOL.

Buy Ralston's Way here: http://tiny.cc/3mqw2

 

Visit Talia's blog here: http://taliacarmichael.com/blog/

Marie's answer:

Boy, my answer is really not nearly as interesting as Talia's.

I'm not sure where my boys would go. On one hand, they could go east, to one of the cities, but they probably wouldn't enjoy it. Deacon would hate the bustle, and he'd constantly be worrying about what might be going wrong back at the BarChi in his absence, and Aren would be reminded too much of his past. But Aren would love to get Deacon away from the BarChi for a while, away from the ranch hands, and away from the rigid role Deacon forces upon himself there. Aren's favorite times are those stolen moments when Deacon can really let go, like when they go to the river to bathe. I think Aren would be happy to go anywhere with Deacon where he could force Deacon to relax. Maybe they'd head out into the prairie for a bit, and just enjoy each other's company in the warm Oestend sun.

Buy Song of Oestend here: http://tiny.cc/mkqzb

Sue's answer:

Given that Evan never wants to travel abroad again, I think his idea of the ideal romantic get away would be a secluded cottage in the countryside, preferably within walking distance of a good pub and an even better chip shop. That's if they can bring themselves to leave the bedroom.

Buy Stolen Summer here: http://tiny.cc/5qsa0

*****

Please be sure to follow us on our blog tour. We're keeping track of everybody who leaves a comment along the way, and on August 30th, we'll choose one person to win our Grand Prize!The Grand Prize winner will receive:

$50  All Romance Ebook ebooks bucks! (You must have an account at All Romance Ebook so we can send the prize to you.)
1 pdf from Talia's backlist (winner's choice of Detour, Reckless Behaviour, or A Tender Roughness)
A swag pack from Marie
1 ebook from Marie's backlist (winner's choice of Promises, A to Z, Strawberries for Dessert, or One More Soldier)
1 pdf of S.A. Meade's Stolen Summer


Follow along and comment often. The more places you visit us, the better your chance of winning. The remaining stops on the blog tour are: Saturday, August 27th: Heidi Cullinan's blog

Sunday, August 28th: Smexy Books

Monday, August 29th: S.A. Meade's blog

Hope to see you there!

Song of Oestend available now!!

Buy it here. Also, join Talia Carmichael, S.A. Meade and I on our blog tour. Day 1 is here. 

And, you can read the first review of Song of Oestend here.

(Note: For approximately the first two months, Song of Oestend will be available exclusively on the Total E-Bound site. For those who use a Kindle, TEB can send it directly to your device. Song of Oestend will be available on other vendor sites (i.e. Amazon and ARe) in about two months. Also, the paperback will be released sometime in October. I'll announce here when those things happen.)

The Final Countdown

(With my apologies to those of you who now have that stupid song by Europe stuck in your heads.)

Song of Oestend will officially be released in less than 24 hours. I hope you're all at least half as excited about this one as I am. For those of you who just can't wait, you can pre-order it right now by going here (at some point in the not-too-distant future, you'll be able to buy it using that same link). For approximately the first two months, it will be available exclusively on the Total E-Bound site. For those who use a Kindle, TEB can send it directly to your device. Song of Oestend will be available on other vendor sites (i.e. Amazon and ARe) in about two months. Also, the paperback will be released sometime in October. I'll announce here when those things happen.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be off on a blog tour with my fellow m/m TEB authors, Talia Carmichael and S.A. Meade. Here's our schedule. I hope you'll follow along. (We have prizes!!)

Monday, August 22nd: Top2Bottom Reviews (http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/)

Tuesday, August 23rd: Talia Carmichael's blog (http://taliacarmichael.com/blog/)

Wednesday, August 24th: Amara's Place (http://www.amaras-place.blogspot.com/)

Thursday, August 25th: Fiction Vixen (http://www.fictionvixen.com/)

Friday, August 26th: Marie's blog (http://MarieSexton.net)

Saturday, August 27th: Heidi Cullinan's blog (http://heidicullinan.wordpress.com/)

Sunday, August 28th: Smexy Books (http://www.smexybooks.com/)

Monday, August 29th: S.A. Meade's blog (http://kestrelrising.blogspot.com/)
Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support, and I hope to see you next week around the blogosphere!