Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 302

July 7, 2017

Desiree Holt: Those very sexy black ops agents… (Contest)

I can’t help falling in love with those very sexy black ops agents


Do you love them, too? Leave me a comment and you could win one of their very special Phoenix agency mugs.


First a thank you to the fabulous Delilah Devlin for hosting me today and second, I am excited to tell you that Delilah will be one of the launch authors for The Phoenix Agency Kindle World.


Some time ago inspired by my very hunky firearms instructor, former Delta Force,  an a former Force Recon Marine, I created The Phoenix Agency, a series about men who continue to serve even when no longer in uniform.


They served their country in every branch of the military – Army Delta Force, SEALs, Air Force, Marines. We are pilots, snipers, medics – whatever the job calls for. And now as private citizens they serve in other capacities, as private contractors training security for defense contractors, as black ops eradicating drug dealers, as trained operatives ferreting out traitors. With the women in their lives who each have a unique psychic ability, they are a force to be reckoned with. Risen from the ashes of war, they continue the fight to save those in need.


They are Phoenix.


There are five partners in the agency, and each has their own story. Jungle Inferno, Captain Mark Halloran’s story, set the stage and introduced the agency and all then player. It released in June. Extrasensory, Dan Romeo’s story, releases this month. Yet to come are Scent of Danger, Rick Latrobe’s story featuring a Caucasian Ovcharka, a dog with psi abilities; Freeze Frame, Mike D’Antoni’s story; Feel the Heat, Troy Arsenault’s story, and Formula for Danger, which introduces Cole Martin and Lone star Phoenix.


I invite you all to join The Phoenix Agency Facebook Group where you can ask questions, read profiled of the characters and enter contests. On October 31 The Phoenix Agency Kindle World launches, and we have some very talented and exciting authors who will bring you their own Phoenix stories.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/219551688549846/


Meanwhile, check out Books 1 and 2.


Jungle Inferno


For Faith and Mark, the telepathic connection they’d shared for years was nothing compared to the scorching physical connection they realized as adults. From the first moment they came together, erotic was too pale a word to describe their relationship. Together they explored each other’s deepest, darkest desires. But now Mark, survivor of an ambush to his Delta Force team, is a prisoner of a terrorist group in the Peruvian jungle, and his telepathic communication with Faith is his only contact with the world. While she searches for help to save him, they survive on dreams that took them beyond all sexual boundaries. Can she persuade the men of Phoenix to undertake a treacherous rescue and bring Mark back to her arms?


Get your copy here!



Extrasensory


Mia Fleming’s precognitive her visions about Carpenter Techtronics are so vivid, she resorts to sending anonymous emails to the company. She’s also having visions of a gorgeous man who arouses her to the point she’s satisfying herself just to get some relief. She’s shocked when the man shows up in her office, demanding to know what she knows  about Carpenter.


Dan Romeo is just helping his friend track down the person threatening his company when he meets Mia. One look at her and he has a hard time thinking about anything but indulging in off-the-charts sex with the intriguing woman—until bodies begin falling. As Mia’s visions escalate, so does the explosive sex between her and Dan, as well as an unexpected emotional connection. When Mia is almost killed, Dan and his team must race to find the culprits before they can strike again—or put Mia down for good


Pre-order here!



You can find me everywhere on the Internet:

www.desireeholt.com

www.desiremeonly.com

www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor

www.faceboook.com/authordesireeholt

Twitter @desireeholt

Pinterest: desiree02holt

Google: https://plus.google.com/1132123019824...

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desiree-holt-a7272526/

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Published on July 07, 2017 04:55

July 6, 2017

Savanna Kougar: The Shooting-Star Rise of the American Cowboy

Why do I love writing cowboy heroes in paranormal settings?


To digress a bit, back in 2008 when I was first ebook-published with Siren Publishing, I was on the private loop with several other authors. How it came about I don’t know, but we began lamenting the loss of the take-charge, sexy as hell Western hero. They were scarce in them there *romance novel* parts at the time.


Anyhow, we authors got into this wonderful—at times tongue-in-cheek—and creatively hilarious discussion—you know, story ideas for an erotic romance starring our favorite “cowboy, sheriff, gunslinger, wrangler, land baron, rancher, marshal, and have-gun-will-travel hero.” After all, we’d grown up in the heyday of the TV Western, the longtime staple of prime time programming. Western movies also filled the silver-screen.


Of course, our heroines *would* be riding off into the sunset with the hero—instead of tragically dying, leaving for some dramatic reason, or marrying some other man.


As our digital conversation rapid-fire continued, we tossed *wild-wild west* story scenarios back and forth. From that point forward I longed to write a Western erotic romance. Yet with paranormal twists and turns. I’ve been passionate about the supernatural side of life since age thirteen, and read tons of books—one of the first being about the American prophet, Edgar Cayce. Most everyone knows a bit about the amazing Edgar Cayce, especially his health readings.


Okay, to return to the American cowboy. Yep, their hero-star had fallen. Temporarily. As it turns out that loop discussion was prescient. With the vengeance of a wronged gunslinger, Western romances in all heat levels reared up. Spirited stallions, indeed.


In 2009 I began writing my own erotic menage romance, BRANDED BY THE TEXANS. Then, around 2011, as I reckon it, or remember it, the cowboy archetype in all its rough-tough alpha glory hit a new fast stride.


WOW-WEEE! Since then, the explosion of cowboy romance, of cowboy erotic romance has been amazing to behold. Today, the hot sexy cowboy hero—and other alpha-hero variations such as the space cowboy—often dominate the romance genre.


Why? Many of us just can’t resist a real man. That is, what I call a real man [that’s a topic for another time]. Yep, many of us romance readers can’t resist an honest-to-goodness, tall-in-the-saddle American cowboy—whether in a historical setting, a contemporary setting, or what I call an ‘otherworld’ setting.


I come by my love of the cowboy hero honestly. You could say it’s in my genes. My maternal grandfather was a cowboy farmer in Kansas. He was damn fond of his cattle, and he loved horses like I do. His pride was a half-Arab pinto stallion he had when my mom was growing up. I only have a picture, but the horse was a real beauty. And, on top of that, my maternal grandmother, his wife of course…well, some of her ancestors were from Kentucky—the *fast horses, whiskey and wild women* Kentuckians. Fast horses, I love riding a horse who wants to run.


On a last note, since I’m an amateur trends forecaster, it is my contention that the shooting-star rise of the American cowboy in romance novels will only continue—and shoot for parts unknown in our greater galaxy. ~grins~


Given the current-day social dynamics and challenges, this ‘true grit’ spirit is surfacing, awakening, and quickening. You can see it happen all over our beautiful country, especially in the Western states. The cowboy and cowgirl Americana culture is standing tall, and flourishing. Many of these folks are ranching for real. Returning to the basic goodness of this lifestyle is part of humanity’s renaissance. And it is here.


~~~~~~


BRANDED BY THE TEXANS


 


 


What can three Texans do to a woman’s body and heart?


Kylie is about to find out.


Beyond her wildest dreams.


On a parallel Earth.


It’s 2009… Kylie is on the run from the law for a crime she didn’t commit. A promising doctoral student, she’s lost everyone and almost everything, except for what she stows in her car. Now, Kylie has to salvage the rest of her life. But, where in this age of GPS tracking, TV’s Most Wanted and cameras everywhere?


It’s 2009… Dillon, Dono and Dash are three brothers desperate for a wife to brand as their own. The Union made women scarce in the Three Star Republic by releasing a bio weapons’ plague during the border wars. These tough-as-leather Texans will do anything to keep the right woman, even if they have to lasso her like a wild filly and love on her until she loves them back.


~~~~~~


 


Excerpt from Branded by the Texans


Dillon hitched his boot on the first rail and leaned forward, resting on his crossed arms. Swishing their tails, four of their year-old fillies munched on the fresh hay they’d been given in the morning. They were part of the next generation in the ranch’s breeding program to create the hardiest and best-looking stock.


Joining him, Dono and Dash keenly studied his expression, once they’d planted themselves.


“I don’t want to know,” Dillon forestalled any explanation. Looking away from his brothers, he eased himself by watching the fillies, yet kept Dono and Dash in his peripheral vision.


“We need more of a plan than just the garden,” Dono began.


“What kind of plan?” Dillon kept his tone neutral.


“You know that hole in the dimensional wall near Pine Springs at the gas station? I hear tell it’s still open.” Dash propped his boot up.


“Talked to Craig last Saturday,” Dono continued. “He says they still get vehicles with license plates and the people want to pay with credit cards. When they ain’t single women, he pretends to take the information and tells folks to make certain they get back on the main road the same way they came through town because a bridge is out.”


“Craig keeps a whole dang list of bachelors like us—”


Dillon shook his head, stopping Dash. “I’d lasso a woman for us quick as a rattlesnake strikes and bring her home. That’s accepted here. It don’t seem right when the woman is from a parallel world.”


“Hell, you could be doin’ the woman a favor,” Dash persisted. “Pamela says there were all sorts of women from her Earth who were looking for what she called their ‘soul mates’ and having no luck.”


“Talk about wanting a woman, big brother. How long will it take us to lure a woman here, even with the niceties? Right now, unattached women are scarcer than hen’s teeth.” Dono punched the fence plank, emphasizing his frustration.


“Yeah, and the fallout from the plagues has caused a low birth rate.” Dash kicked the dirt, barely stirring any dust from the low mountain ground of northwest Texas. “Besides, I don’t want no close-to-the-cradle bride. I want a real woman.”


Dillon dropped his head, staring at nothing. “Yeah, I agree. I want a woman not a child that still needs raisin’. What does Craig want from us?”


“Stud service for his two mares,” Dono quickly answered. “I know he’s been after our line for a long while.”


“Shoulda known. Dang it, they’re poor stock. What’s he offerin’ exactly?” Dillon raised his head and eyed his brothers.


“We tell him our general preferences, and he puts us at the head of the list for that type of female. One of us has to be within ridin’ distance of his fill-up station or someone else gets the call.” Dono’s gaze glittered with his desperate hope.


“It’s still faster than tryin’ to lure a woman here or canvassing the whole republic for a bride.” Dash used his most convincing voice.


“Let me guess, you two already told Craig our preferences.”


Dono and Dash nodded as one. “Just like we discussed,” Dono seriously replied.


“And how is this plan supposed to work? There are no roads to drive the Tesla or the trucks into Pine Springs. And the ranch don’t take care of itself.”


“We all take three day shifts,” Dash answered too enthusiastically. “It’s only half a day’s ride down our mountain path.”


“Besides it will give us a chance to make more barter deliveries to the general store.” Dono slightly grinned.


Dillon figured he knew that he and Dash were winning their big brother over. “You two got this all worked out, have you?” Turning at the waist, he leaned on the top rail again.


“We’ve been talkin’ a lot, figuring it out, yep.” Dash tossed back his long auburn hair. An unruly forelock had fallen over his eyes. “You’re not the only one loco and longin’ for a woman around here.”


“Must be true.” Dillon heard the dry retort of his voice. “Since you two got stud hormones that won’t be eased by pounding fists on each other. Promise to stop, and I’ll go along with this plan.” Dillon drilled them with his gaze. “Act up again, and I’ll stop it deader than a border raider’s blasted ass.”


“Wahoo!” Dash leaped straight up.


Dillon scowled. “This doesn’t get you two out of garden duty.”


Dono jabbed Dash’s ribs with his elbow. “Come on. She’s not gonna want a steady diet of meat, canned vegetables, biscuits and beans.”


Watching his brothers gallop toward the fenced-off plot with Maisy and Wayward hot on their heels, Dillon briefly shook his head.


One of the fillies, a chestnut he called Stargirl because of the marking on her forehead, approached and nuzzled his chest. He rubbed her gleaming neck. Her winter coat had fallen out mostly and she shone with a deep red color. “You’d make a good mount for a woman, my Stargirl.”


Despite his misgivings over the whole dang scheme, Dillon shrugged. He could kill two birds with one stone. They could all be on the lookout for a woman while increasing their trade with the general store. Their ranch’s tanned hides and smoked beef were always in demand. To their benefit, they’d stock up on needed items as well as purchase more of the luxuries. A woman would appreciate that.


~~~~~~


HAPPY READING!


Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance


~~~~~~


Kylie and her Texans, Dillon, Dono, and Dash invite you to read their love story ~


BRANDED BY THE TEXANS…Kylie is running from the law, and finds herself with three rough tough cowboys who need a whole lotta lusting and loving ~  A Siren-BookStrand #1 Bestseller ~ Rated: SEXTREME ~ Available in Ebook and Print at the usual vendors.


Link: http://bookstrand.com/branded-by-the-texans


You can find me at:

Savanna Kougar ~savannakougar.com~

ShapeShifter Seduction ~shapeshifterseduction.blogspot.com~

Title Magic ~titlemagic.blogspot.com~

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Published on July 06, 2017 06:25

July 5, 2017

Lizzie Ashworth: Caerwin and the Roman Dog (Free Read)


Yes, Friends, here’s a full-length novel FREE to newsletter subscribers and certain other special friends (see details below!). This time around, Delilah fans are very special! Jump into another world and another time as you meet Caerwin and the man who will destroy her life.


We’ve all met men like that, haven’t we?


Caerwin of the Cornovii, a young woman with a promising life ahead. How could she anticipate the horrors about to unfold? Nothing in her experience prepared her for the Roman Army or this commander who would make her his sex slave. Yet between her hatred for him and his deliberate conquest of her body, a strangely luminous emotion takes fragile life between them.


Here’s a scene from the book Caerwin and the Roman Dog. Warning: this exchange is non-consensual.


Her wrists chafed raw at the bindings. Shadows grew dark on the forested hillside and frogs sang in the marshes. Overhead, cloud bands took on the late gold and crimson of sunset. Thin columns of smoke rose from campfires and the smell of roasting meat sent gnawing pangs to her stomach. Chills gripped her body and her teeth chattered in the spring cold.


“Have you tired sufficiently that I dare bring you inside?”


She startled at his voice. He had bathed and wore a long draped garment with a broad red band around its hem. He stood with hands on his hips, watching her. She turned her face away, afraid to speak.


“I asked you a question,” he said, wrenching her head back by her hair and holding her face toward him. “And I expect a respectful answer.”


“You will have no respect from me,” she said, her lips moving stiffly in the cold. “I will kill you at my first chance.”


He gripped her hair tighter forcing tears to her eyes. “Antius,” he shouted. “Come.”


An older man with dark eyes and an oversized nose emerged from the tent. Gripping her arms on both sides, they brought her inside. Warmth from a charcoal-heaped brazier filled the interior. A narrow sleeping platform occupied the far corner, while a small table with chair sat near the entry. Oil lamps flickered and a heady scent wafted through the air.


She stumbled forward as the men dragged her to the center post where her wrists were briefly untied. Her ripped dress was removed and her upper arms and ankles then tied loosely to the post behind her.


“Bathe her,” the tall man said with a wave of his hand. “She stinks of her kind.”


Antius hurried to fill a pan with warmed water and set it near her feet. With a sponge, he scrubbed her face and neck then proceeded down her arms and legs. The warm water soothed at first but then the scratches burned and chills swept over her as air hit her wet skin. Her teeth chattered loudly.


“A drink, Antius. Give her warmed wine.”


The cup rattled against her teeth as the wine came to her mouth. She clenched her teeth with no intention of drinking, but on the man’s order, Antius held her head back by her long braids and poured the sweet wine through her lips. Some of it escaped to trickle down her neck, but more of it filled her throat with acidic warmth. When the goblet emptied, Antius returned to the bathing.


Humiliation consumed her as the sponge scoured every inch of her flesh. Once the bathing had finished, the squat dark-haired man scrubbed her with a dry cloth until her skin heated. He then applied herb-scented oil. She stood naked and gleaming in the lamp light as the tall man came to inspect her.


“My name is Marcellus,” he said. “I am your master. You will learn to do as I say, or you will die.”


“I wish to die,” she said hoarsely. Her tongue felt thick. The day had lasted an eternity and the shock of its events had hardly begun to settle in her. The wine hit her empty stomach and spread dizziness across her forehead.


He waved his hand dismissively. “Easy to say. But death doesn’t come quickly to women in our camp, not to one such as you. Without me, you would wish to die many times before your last breath.”


His touch spared no part of her as he examined his trophy. How many war trophies had he already captured? Surely the Romans took what they pleased. Virico had spoken often of the intelligences carried from other tribes, how the Romans swarmed like a plague of insects covering the land, how bargaining for life came with terrible sacrifice of freedom and hard-won goods. She would not bargain.


She bit her tongue against another remark as Marcellus’ hands cupped her breasts then her buttocks. Her eyes dipped in the effects of the wine and her warming after so long in the cold. He took his time touching her, one hand now between her legs as he fondled her most private parts with studied concentration. A particular spot captured his attention. He stroked her there, inciting tremors in her legs.


“Ah, she is a woman, Antius,” he said with a laugh. “I will tame you,” he said, leaning his face close to hers as his fingers continued a wretched play. “You will cry out on the end of my prick, and joyfully.”


Giveaway

Enjoy this thrilling historical story of Rome’s conquest of ancient Britain. Nab the full novel FREE with coupon code ST46J at Smashwords. This offer expires July 6.


About the Author

Lizzie Ashworth lives in the wilds of the Ozark Mountains with three cats, two hound dogs, and too many deer in her yard. She’s been writing her entire life and wants her readers to know how much she enjoys sharing her naughty stories.


Follow her for free erotic short works, hot photos, and the occasional rant on her blog at http://lizzieashworth.com/


Like Liz’s Facebook author page for updates on other nice and naughty works https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLizzieAshworth/


Enjoy some amazing eye candy? Check out Liz’s Pinterest page at https://www.pinterest.com/ashworthlizzie/

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Published on July 05, 2017 04:52

July 4, 2017

Lynn Crain: Masters of Time

In today’s society, and especially for women, every person has to be a master of time. We need to figure out how we can fit in everything we want to do, everything we should do and everything we need to do. Sometimes those can be in diametrically opposing directions.


This year, I have come up against this far too many times and like the song suggests, I have had to let a lot of things go. Things I love have fallen by the way because of events and circumstances that were way beyond my control.


In January of this year, my husband of thirty-one years was diagnosed with colon cancer. And while this changed a lot of things for him, for me, it made me dig in my heels to keep something of myself within the spiraling chaos that might surround us. He was surprised but I wasn’t because of symptoms and problems he’s had for three years. But we all know how hard it is to get a man to admit there is something he can’t control.


So when we were driving home, I basically laid down the law. There were things he had to do and there were things I would not give up. Now, that might sound rather harsh but I have seen too many women cater to their man’s every need and lose themselves. Even more so, I’ve seen men who don’t even know how to load a dishwasher because their wife did everything. I’m really not trying to say this is wrong on either side but it’s never been the case between us.


Still, more than even enumerating what I would and would not give up, I knew I would need to become a master of time. Sure, there are only 24 hours in a day and at least 8 of those are needed for sleep and that left a mere 16 to do my thing and make sure he got to his appointments or work.



Here are a few ways to make sure you can do it all.



Keep a calendar. – Yes, we’ve all purchased a calendar for the beginning of the year. Some of them are cute and fun and it’s meant to track everything. However, if you can’t keep up with those things or accomplish any of them, what good is it? One of the best calendar’s ever is the one in your smartphone. Wait a minute – that’s too easy. Yup, it is but you can program every appointment, every book release, every promo gig in it and accomplish them all because it’s alarm system is amazing. Frankly, if it doesn’t go in my calendar, it won’t get done. And don’t get me wrong, I still do paper calendars when scheduling promotion because I need to see the big picture.
Don’t over book yourself. – We’ve all done it, thought we could slip that extra writing time or promo item when in reality, we truly can’t squeeze one more minute out of the day. If you are too tired, can’t think straight or even remember with the calendar exactly what’s happening, you’re doing too much. Do items and other things in small measured doses. Overdoing is just stressing yourself out and if you’re like me, if I’m stressed not much gets done.
Schedule your writing time. – One of the best pieces of information I’ve ever had is if you write it down, you’ll see it in black and white then it becomes real for you. People will do this with writing goals all the time. Same thing goes for scheduling. If you schedule your writing time, that time is blocked off for you and your writing needs. Sure, it might have to go around doctor appointments and chemo treatments, but at least you will have time to do the writing.
Learn to say no. – Recently, when my sister was having a difficult time getting it together to move, I had to say I wouldn’t be coming to help her no matter what. While it hurt me to do so, I just didn’t have the time between all the trips and scheduling conflicts plus she lives two states away. I did have my promo and royalty money and I said I’d hire a moving company to help her because it would be easier than her begging all our friends. It wasn’t expensive since she was only going about 3 miles between new and old place. Yet, the piece of mind I go in knowing I helped the only way I could while saying no, made me happy. You can’t do everything and that’s something every writer needs to realize. Sometimes you have to figure out what’s more important and do that thing.
There are things that are just more important than others. Family will always come first for me, next is friends and writing is third if I had to put them in some sort of order. But that’s overall priorities. Sometimes, the priority for the day can be totally different. When I know that my family and friends don’t need me, writing and anything to do with my writing career becomes the priority of the day. There is nothing wrong with juggling things as long as you keep your priorities straight.

Now, I’m no super-woman and there were days that I thought I had to be going mad. But we’ve made it to the other side with both husband and my writing career intact. There’s nothing better than that!


Hope this has helped you in some small way.


Lynn


About the Author

Award winning author Lynn Crain has done it all in her life. From nursing to geology, her life experiences have added to her detail rich stories. She loves writing full time as she weaves contemporary, fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales, tame to erotic, for various publishers. Her home is in the desert southwest and she’s just returned from her latest adventure of living in Vienna, Austria while her husband worked his dream job. She loves hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.


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Published on July 04, 2017 04:59

July 3, 2017

Becca A. Miles: Learning the Ropes of Romance …

I’ve always enjoyed romance—reading it, that is. Growing up, my mother would trade paperback romances with her best friend, and I would get to rummage through the giant bags of books that appeared on a regular basis, selecting out my favorite and tearing through them at a rate of a book or two—or more—a day.


As I started showing an inclination to write, my mom suggested, “Well, you’re a fast writer … why don’t you write a romance?”


It seemed like a good idea, and so I decided to try it, only to run up against the wall of not knowing what in the heck I was doing. I didn’t know about tropes, I didn’t know about the “HEA” (happily ever after), and I sure didn’t know about the rules for point of view, alpha male, etc. Worst of all, I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and so that first attempt petered out at around the six-page mark and eventually got lost when my hard drive burnt out.


Although I continued to enjoy reading the genre, my writing meandered slowly through the world of military journalism, then epic fantasy, then urban fantasy, science fiction, and a little dab of literary fiction. As I kept writing, I learned important things about character, plot, narrative, and how each genre had its rules that it was best to learn in order to meet your reader on happy ground. I even delved a little bit into erotica, with two stories published in charity anthologies.


I wouldn’t say I knew the ropes of romance, but I was learning how to write, and becoming a better writer brought me to the attention of my writing and romance mentor, Emmy Curtis, author of the Alpha Ops series. She invited me to her house, plied me with wine and Aaron Sorkin shows, and then repeated the same question my mom had once asked: “Why don’t you write a romance?”


When I explained I had no idea how, she told me about romance tropes—how each story followed a certain genre convention, and that stories could have more than one. She explained the HEA, and that you couldn’t write from one POV—you switched between the male and female protagonists (and no one else!) to get the reader into their heads and emotions. She talked about the three-act plot structure, as well as the huge market for romance.


It might have been the wine, or my tendency to get caught up in my friends’ enthusiasms, but I woke up at two o’clock in the morning to jot down the plot and characters for what eventually became my first attempt at romance.


So why am I sharing this story? First, to show that romance isn’t a genre you can just dabble your way into. There are very specific intentions behind the development of characters and the twists and turns of the plot. Romance readers love the genre and they have certain expectations that you need to meet.


Second, I wanted to share my particular journey into the genre. It’s not the same for everyone—some people start out knowing that they want to write romance, and go for it immediately. But for every writer, there is a journeyman/woman period of learning the craft, including how to write within genre conventions. These are not restrictions—rather, they’re the ropes to guide you where you need to go, and help you get there.


Third, I highly recommend finding yourself a writing buddy or mentor within your genre. I found Emmy at my local writers’ group, but I have also found buddies online in Facebook groups or conventions.


Last but not least, I hope this post has inspired some of you to dust of the keyboard or open the notebook and start writing. That story I started in Emmy’s guest room? It eventually became my first romantic suspense novel, Negotiating Her Release, published this spring by Boroughs Publishing Group. If you’ve ever wanted to write, and maybe you, too, shelved your first couple of pages, I encourage you to get them out, do some research, go meet some authors, and above all, keep writing.


And then send me your ARCs, because I still love curling up with a great HEA!


Becca A. Miles

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Published on July 03, 2017 04:45

July 2, 2017

FOR AUTHORS: Rose’s Online Plotting Bootcamp: September 4 – 29, 2017



Permission granted to forward


This message is for any authors or aspiring authors who might be interested in some intensive help developing their next stories.


Don’t let that word “intensive” scare you away; I’ve led newbies, as well as multi-published authors, through our plotting process numerous times. Everyone comes away with new knowledge and insight, or at the very least, some terrific brainstorming support!


While lessons and exercises will be posted throughout the month of September, this is truly a self-paced class. We all have busy lives, and the workshop is designed to accommodate any schedule. Enjoy the pitch below!


Back by popular demand!
ROSE’S ONLINE PLOTTING BOOTCAMP

Dates: September 4 – 29, 2017

Last date to register: September 4, 2017

Cost: $50.00—cheap, considering everything you get!

Your DI (Drill Instructor): Delilah Devlin

Offered through:
www.rosescoloredglasses.com


What you can expect:

LOGLINE (Lunges)

PREMISE (Pushups)

CHARACTER (Strengthening exercises)

CONFLICT! CONFLICT! CONFLICT!

Breaking through the STORY STRUCTURE stronghold

Battling the PLOT LINES


We do more in one month than some people do all year! Get tough! Get motivated! Get plotting!


Join your Drill Instructor, Delilah Devlin, to learn a methodical approach to harness your creativity in order to produce an in-depth plot for your next novel.


Sound scary? It is!!!! Especially when you’re staring at an empty page without a compass and a map to guide you through the novelistic jungle. Your DI will lead you through four weeks of tactics, exercises, and training that will help strengthen your abilities. Delilah will accomplish this with weekly lessons, bi-weekly chats, and daily online communication. Join her for bivouac in September!


Join this elite force now!


For those who don’t know, my sister and I co-founded the website for writers called Rose’s Colored Glasses in 2004. From that site, we run a critique group and provide workshops—some free and some for pay. In September, I will be leading a month-long plotting bootcamp. It’s a great time to join—something you can do for yourself to get ready for NANOWRIMO in November! Join me if you can! ~DD


How’s our workshop different from every other one out there? I’ll provide feedback and brainstorming every step of the way!


Interested? Follow this link to sign up:

http://www.rosescoloredglasses.com/Online%20plotting%20boot%20camp.htm


And feel free to pass this along to anyone else you think might be interested with my thanks!


Delilah Devlin

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author & Freelance Editor

Get in bed with Delilah. Everyone else has!

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Published on July 02, 2017 22:01

Toni J Strawn: The one night stand…

There is something wickedly tempting about the thought of a one night stand. Throw away your inhibitions, be somebody else for a night, go a little crazy. More often than not, the one night stand is between two people who already know each other—that forbidden friend moment when you ‘try’ them out to see if there might be a spark of something more. It either explodes into the beginnings of a full-blown relationship, or feels like you’re making out with your brother. Blech.


With nearly fifty percent of the adult population admitting to participating in a one night stand, what is it about these three seemingly innocuous words that turns the average, self-controlled human being to a lust-fuelled predator stalking their prey. While alcohol is often used as an excuse, it’s not the only reason we shake off the last of our restraint and get down and dirty without the emotional connection.


Perhaps that is part of the answer too, the lack of attachment which is the only real difference between a first date and a one night stand. There is no promise of on-going affection, no declaration of love. It is sex, pure and simple. And with less than twenty percent of one night standers admitting to having regrets, it is no wonder the one night stand is still a popular way for people to meet their happy ever after.


So, have you ever indulged in a naughty one night stand? In the deliciously erotic One Night Stand Series, our heroes and heroines explore the many of the reasons for an illicit night of pleasure. Who knows, it may even end in love.


HIS RULES 


One Night Stand Series


Who will break first… 


Abby Harkness believes sex is a full-contact sport to be played by the rules.


Rule #1? One night only.


That is, until she meets the one man who makes her body scream for more. Instinct tells her to run, but Abby is determined to exorcise the demons of her past and prove she can handle anything he has to give.


Marcus Brookhein is competitive to the core, and he will bend the rules to win Abby’s heart. Its all-out war . . . and it’s about to get dirty.


Get your copy here!



Author Bio

Toni J Strawn is the author of the super-spicy contemporary One Night Stand novels, which include His Rules, The Rebound and Her Release, with His Redemption coming soon. These can be read on their own, or as a trilogy.


Toni loves everything romance. Hot, bad, crazy, out-of-control romance. In the One Night Stand series the characters are set up for ultimate one night stand, before turning it into happily ever after—no matter how much they have been through. Because everyone deserves to find love. Right?


While not locked away in her Romansion—a tiny writing shed at the bottom of the garden—Toni can be found with super-hubby Chris and the kids, or feeding her addiction to reading…you guessed it…romance.

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Published on July 02, 2017 04:20

July 1, 2017

What are you doing for the holiday? Play my puzzle!


This is a huge travel day for a lot of folks here in the U.S.! If you’re sitting in the passenger seat, and you’re bored with the company or the scenery ( :) ), I have a fun little puzzle for you. I’m trying to find games I can embed in my posts, because I’m addicted, and don’t addicts love leading their friends into the same addiction?


Let me know whether you enjoyed it! And share your 4th of July plans!


table td.ws_size {width:23px;height:23px;margin:0;padding:0 0 0 0;border: 0;vertical-align:middle;text-align: center;font-size: 11px;}
#ws_wrapper {float: left}#ws-grid {width:width: 70%;height:width: 70%;font-size: 11px;color:#’ffffff’;background-color:#’000000′;float: left}#ws-side {height:width: 70%;padding-left:10px;width:115px;font-size: 11px;color:#’ffffff’;background-color:#’000000′;float: right}table td {background-color:#’000000′;color:#’ffffff’;}table td.focused {background-color:#000000;}table td.found {background-color:#000000;}table td.startend {background-color:#709ffe;}A:hover {color: #’ffffff’; text-decoration: underline; }

Hidden Words

Puzzle by mypuzzle.org



http://www.delilahdevlin.com/wp-conte...
460


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Published on July 01, 2017 05:15

June 30, 2017

Love cowboys? Adore Blue Collar bad boys? Lust for Navy SEALs?

Is your summer flying away like mine? I can’t believe tomorrow’s the first day of July! I’m renewing my vows right now to swim every day, enjoy the kids every day, and figure out how to write and have a life… Too many promises? Probably. Which do you think will fall by the wayside? Yeah. Probably the last one.


But that’s good for you, right? Seeing as this is Friday and you have the weekend stretching out in front of you, I’m here to remind you of the stories you may have missed this month. If you start now, you can read every one of them this weekend! You don’t have to waste time at Amazon, flipping through screens to find something you love. Love cowboys? Adore Blue Collar bad boys? Lust for Navy SEALs? Well, you’re in luck…


And don’t forget to drool over the covers of the stories coming in July…


If you missed this month’s releases…

Sometimes it takes a cowboy, or maybe four, to unleash a woman’s wild child…


Being the pretty daughter of the town whore was reason enough to ensure Shauna Davies lived a circumspect life, stepping out of line only occasionally with her favorite cowboy, boyfriend Bo Crenshaw. But her untamed spirit is forcing her to make a new start in another place where no one knows her past–but not before she fulfills one last wicked fantasy…


Cowboy Bo Crenshaw has loved Shauna since they shared their first sexual adventures as teenagers, but he hasn’t found the way to show her he accepts the wild child she keeps hidden inside–at least, not until she confesses a long-held fantasy. Now Bo is determined to give her a send-off that will make her think twice about blowing out of town.


Hoping he’s found the key to unlocking her heart, he turns to the Kinzie brothers, his three closest friends, to provide her a single night of unrestrained passion.


Get your copy here!


* * * * *


Romance sparks between a bounty hunter and a SEAL on the hunt for an escaped terrorist…


A former military police dog handler, Jamie Burke, along with her former bomb dog Tessa, are still trying to adjust to civilian life. With a jaded, testy personality, Jamie has few friends. Now, a bounty hunter, she’s tasked to help federal and local law enforcement search for an escaped terrorist in the Crazy Mountains of Montana.


Former SEAL, Sky Reynolds can’t believe Jamie Burke is part of the task force. The last time he saw her was in Afghanistan. Back then, he thought he’d never stand a chance with the pretty, ballsy blonde, sure she had someone waiting for her back home. But here she is, still single, still prickly as hell. Assigned to stick close to her and her dog Tessa during the hunt, he’ll use the situation to get close. This time, he’s not letting her slip away.


When Jamie’s captured by the terrorist, it’s up to Sky, his fellow SEALs, and her motley crew of bounty hunters to save her…


Get your copy here!


* * * * *


When it comes to love…Blue Collar is better!


It’s time to set aside those sexy billionaires and enjoy stories about the everyday, even sexier bad boys you meet in real life. They may have dirty hands and wear tool belts and jeans instead of Rolex watches, but they’re earthy alpha males unafraid to get down and dirty when face to face with a woman in need–whatever her need may be!


Just a few of the titillating stories inside…


In “Elevation” by Megan Mitcham, an always-in-control policewoman trapped in an elevator shaft gets a sexy rescue from the handsome repairman. A lonely woman drives a thousand miles to meet an oil field roughneck ready for a long night of laying pipe in Mia Hopkins’ “We Drill Deep While Others Sleep”. Jennifer Kacey shows the lengths to which an enterprising gal will go to get the owner of an oil change shop to check her fluids in “The Boss”. And those are just a few of the sexy stories inside this collection about the everyday hero next door.


These are men who’ve built their powerful muscles from hard work rather than inside any gym, and they sure know how to use their hard-earned skills to pleasure a woman…


Get your copy here!


* * * * *


Three cowboys…one for remembrance…one for healing…and one to steal her heart forever…


Chrissi Page has tried to find one man who heats her bed the way the Kinzie brothers did one shameful night years ago. She’s failed miserably, leaving her with no choice but to bank that inner fire–and keep a lid on her inner bad girl.


Way back when, she’d been weak, unable to choose between three cowboys who appealed to her in very different ways. After they’d each tried to win her for their own, they’d confronted her, demanding she choose. Confusion and anger had boiled over into a passion so wild, that to this day, she’s still trying to live it down.


Since that night, Ezra, Cade, and Joshua have individually sewn their wild oats with pretty much the entire available female population of Two Mule, Texas. Yet nothing and no other woman has ever erased the attraction they still feel for Chrissi. When she’s stranded on the road near their ranch, it’s their last chance to turn their mutual obsession into an unusual proposition…


Get your copy here!


* * * * *


See what’s coming in July!

  


Psst! Four-Gone is ready for pre-order!

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Published on June 30, 2017 06:08

June 29, 2017

Desiree Holt: Happy Birthday to me with a lot of gifts for you (Giveaway)

Today is my birthday. Yup, today I am 81 years young. And you now what keeps me young? Writing my books and “talking” to you, my readers. Now, I’m not giving away 81 books today (pause to giggle) but I will give away three titles which I’ll post at the end.


I’m really celebrating today, because June 27 was release day for Where Danger Hides. I love all my books but this one is extra special. I wrote it while still living in Texas (as I did with so many of my books). The hero is part Comanche. I lived near Fredericksburg, the center so long ago of Comanche settlement in that area. My husband and I drove to Fredericksburg to do some research at the museum there and (gasp!) you’ll never believe it but a man walked in to give something to the museum who look EXACTLY like my hero, Noah Cantrell. My husband had to promise I wasn’t crazy when I asked if we could take him for coffee. The soul of Noah was born out of that conversation.


I had lived in Tampa before moving to Texas, so I tried to give a flavor of the city by having my heroine live there. But when she goes to Texas, she is seduced by the nature and raw beauty of the state, just as I was.


Where Danger Hides is a revised and revitalized edition of the earlier release, and I am so much happier with this one. Not only that, my publisher, Totally Bound, liked it so much they asked me to develop a series from it, so this is Book One in Corporate Heat. Books 2-4 are currently in development.


Here is a taste of the book below. I hope you’ll all help me celebrate my birthday by taking home a copy. And if you leave a comment, you might win a choice of an ebook from my backlist.


Where Danger Hides


Corporate Heat Book One


Taylor Scott thought she had it all—a good life and a great job. No relationship? No problem. But her world is turned upside down when the father she never knew she had first refuses to acknowledge her, then makes her the sole heir to the major conglomerate he owned. It’s the last thing she wants, but circumstances leave her no choice. She steps into a world of corporate greed and treachery where no one is what they seem.


And the only person to guide her through the treacherous waters? The man with whom she had the hottest one-night stand ever, Noah Cantrell. Noah isn’t what he seemed at first, either, but now he’s the only one Taylor can trust.


As danger stalks her at every turn, she must rely on him for everything. The man who makes her scream with pleasure is the only one who can tell her where the danger hides.


Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/where-danger-hides-4

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Danger-Hides-Corporate-Heat-ebook/dp/B0716YXRD5/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1495833969&sr=1-1&keywords=Where+Danger+Hides

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-danger-hides-desiree-holt/1100322106?ean=9781786515728

Totally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/index.php?route=search%2Fget%2Fresults&q=Where+Danger+Hides


Excerpt


Leaning back in her chair she closed her eyes and as always these days, unbidden, the image of The Man danced across her brain. She rubbed her eyes, trying to erase the images that were always there no matter how she wished them away. That night had been at once the most erotic and embarrassing night of her life. At least she’d broken out of her shell with a stranger, someone she didn’t have to see again. You want to see him again, though. Quit kidding yourself. You want all those things he did to you, made you do. Maybe even more. That’s why you can’t stop thinking about them. About him.


A commotion in the reception area broke her train of thought and drew her attention. She heard the voice of Sheila, the receptionist, raised in protest over something and the angrier male voice overriding her.


“You can’t go in there,” Sheila was saying as the door to Taylor’s office flew open.


“I’m in. Miss Scott can throw me out if she wants to.”


There he was, standing in front of her.


Him, The Man.


She blinked hard, thinking for a moment she’d conjured up his image. But when she opened her eyes again he was still there. Alive. In her office. In full alpha mode. The man she’d never expected to see again. The man who’d taken her far beyond the boundaries set by her inhibitions and beckoned to her in her dreams each night.


He was even more impressive than she remembered, his presence filling her office and surrounding her. His custom suit and silk dress shirt—were they his uniform?—were window dressing for the barely leashed panther beneath the fabric of civilized clothing. Expensive hand tooled leather boots on his feet. His hair tied back with a leather thong as before. His face still an unreadable mask. The sense of controlled power still there. A man larger than life. The panther was caged today but just barely. This might be her office but he was definitely the person in charge.


Even as embarrassment and anger warred within her, her nipples hardened, her breasts tingled and her panties dampened with moisture. She felt every bit of blood drain from her face and drop to her feet. Waves of hot and cold rolled through her and she was sure all the air had been sucked from her lungs. Gripping the arms of her desk chair for support she licked her lips, trying to moisten them.


Quick, lithe movements brought him to the front of her desk where he stood facing her, his face set, dark eyes probing hers. Eyes that for a brief second held a knowing look.


“Miss Scott?” Sheila’s worried voice cut through her fog. “Shall I call one of the partners?”


Taylor managed to find a functioning part of her brain. “No, thanks, Sheila. It’s all right.”


“Would you like me to send someone in to carry your boxes for you? Walk you down to the garage?” Sheila wasn’t quite ready to let go.


Taylor forced a smile. “No, I can manage. Thanks for your concern. And for all your good wishes today.”


Sheila gave her a last worried look before she closed the door.


His eyes burned into Taylor’s, mesmerizing her as they’d done that night in San Antonio.


What is he doing here?


As if he’d heard her, he reached into his inside jacket pocket, extracted a card from a small leather case and dropped it on top of the folder. She picked it up with fingers that trembled and stared at it.


Noah Cantrell, Vice President of Security, Arroyo Corporation


Her father’s company.


Oh, hell!


*~*~*


Check me out at:

www.desireholt.com

www.facebook.com/authordesireeholt

@desireeholt

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Published on June 29, 2017 04:21