Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 430

Afton Locke: Stripper With Spice (Contest)

Stripper With Spice

Thank you for hosting me today. I’m excited to talk about the spice RED PEPPER, and my latest release, Stripper With Spice, a contemporary erotic romance.

Raging Red Pepper

I’m one of those people who cook intuitively. Unless it’s dessert, I use a dash of this and a handful of that. With most spices, you can sprinkle liberally without worrying too much about overdoing it. Not so with red peppers. Put too much of that in the recipe and you’ll make people break out in a sweat, dash for the water glass, and maybe even experience pain for a while.

When I was in Texas last year, I stocked up on Texas food mixes, including chili. That turned out well since I could adjust the amount of pepper I put in there according to the handy instructions. Chili is kind of like a romance novel. It has various heat levels, and the highest is not usually for the faint of heart. Later, I ordered chili mix from a different company. Those instructions were the same deal. Adjust the heat level by how much habanero pepper you put in. But this kit also included a standard spice pack. It looked as if it had plenty of dried red pepper in there, but I figured it’s standard, right? So, I threw in the whole pack and chose the mild level for the habanero. After a couple mouthfuls of that chili, flames were blowing out of my ears and my husband couldn’t even eat it. Live and learn. I’ll never disrespect red pepper again, despite what the directions say.

When peppers are fresh, they can be hazardous to the cook as well. My family grew peppers for the first time and gave me some. As I’ve discovered, anything out of the garden is usually ten times more potent than the washed-out stuff you buy at the grocery store. I cut up the pepper along with the onion and threw it in. Not long after, my hands were on fire. When I got into a hot shower, I thought my skin was going to blister and fall off. I was in agony for hours! The next time my family offered me garden peppers, I said, “No thanks. I’ll stick to the dried stuff.”

Handling peppers can have serious implications for sex as well. These can be painful or titillating, depending on your point of view. And certain parts of the body (ahem) are more susceptible than others. When I write the first draft of a book, my sex scenes are sometimes a little rushed because I’m just trying to get the facts down. I add sensuality layers during my polishing phase.

One thing I learned from taking a class was to make the love scene uniquely belong to the characters. Because food was a big part of the plot of my story and Carlos’s family owns a Mexican restaurant, a hot pepper came to mind. That simple addition made the love scene take off. Janice and Carlos go from making fajitas together to sharing a peppery kiss and ending up on the couch in a scorching reunion. Throughout the book, Carlos is like a hot pepper, exciting but unknown and potentially painful. Janice learns to be a master chef, using just the right amount.

Stripper With Spice

Publisher:  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

Release Date:  10 January 2014

eBook ISBN #:  978-14199-49050

Buy eBook:  http://www.ellorascave.com/stripper-with-spice.html

Stay tuned for reviews and more: http://www.aftonlocke.com/spice.html

Watch the Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/cYIzIyett4Y

Blurb

Getting back on her feet after unemployment, Janice treats herself to an erotic-romance convention. After winning a two-hour fantasy date with Carlos Aguilar, a young stripper, she decides to have a one-time fantasy fling.

When Carlos entices her back to the bedroom—and a few public places—for more sizzling sex, he unleashes her passions, including a secret desire to be a chef. Janice learns there’s more to this heartthrob than a hot body, but job security comes first.

To convince her he’s more than a fantasy, Carlos teaches her trust with his body. But when that trust is finally tested to the limit, she’ll be torn between clinging to safety and taking a chance on a whole new life.

Excerpt (explicit)

Stripper With Spice – Copyright © AFTON LOCKE, 2014 – All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

I chose you.

He looks and sounds so serious and honest, how can I not be completely convinced? His words echo inside my head as he grips both sides of my face and lowers his mouth to mine in slow motion. The thrill bubbles return to my bloodstream as if the elevator cable has just snapped, dropping us to the basement.

Unlike last night’s, this kiss is slow and full of promise. He samples my mouth as if we have all the time in the world. A flash of mint-flavored tongue pierces my soul, tearing a moan from my throat. With one hand still on the button, I raise my other to his shoulder. Feeling the bare, hot skin there fuels my desire, pushing me dangerously close to the edge of self-control.

“Do you want this as much as I do, Janice?”

God, yes. I need more…all of you.

I reply by sliding my hand across the tiger-striped fabric over his back. The warm satin, with muscles moving under it, is just as sexy as bare skin. His hips dance against mine—rubbing, thrusting and teasing. My fingers move to the worn waistband of his jeans at his side, wanting to pull them off. My body throbs, needing him as I’ve never needed anything before.

When he pulls my finger off the close-door button, the door opens to reveal an annoyed looking family of five waiting to get on. The parents, obviously noticing Carlos’ wild vest and our heavy breathing, exchange a disgusted look.

Carlos takes my hand and leads me off the elevator. My heart races as we walk down the corridor. Luckily, the carpet absorbs the trembling in my legs so it doesn’t make a sound.

He stops at one of the doors. I fixate on the way he slides his keycard from his back pocket and inserts it into the door reader. It’s something I’ve done myself a million times without thinking, but this is different. This is foreplay.

The door responds with a little click and a flashing green light. I guess we just got the green light for wild, hot sex. My heart accelerates even more. If it goes any faster, he’ll have to call a paramedic. I can read the headline now.

Boring financial analyst dies from anticipating sex with a hot cover model.

I check my watch. Fifteen minutes have passed.

“We still have plenty of time.” He ushers me inside and closes the door behind me.

The room is completely dark because the drapes are drawn. It’s as if we’ve entered a private cave, hidden from the world. This is it, I think as Carlos flips on a dim lamp. We’re really going to do this. We’re going to have sex.

“Come in and make yourself comfortable,” he says.

I stay where I am but gaze around the room, noticing with approval how neat he is. His clothes hang in the closet and his toiletries are laid out on one corner of the sink. The smoky-brown bottle probably contains the mysterious mesquite scent. I wish he were a slob so I could tell myself it would never work between us.

It doesn’t take long for my attention to stumble across the centerpiece of the room, the large bed. Is it another stage? Is the perfectly pressed red cover the curtain? Unlike the platforms we shared for the photo shoot and lap dance, this one is completely private.

What if he doesn’t like my performance?

Coming Soon

Rock My Boat

Workaholic CEO Rhonda Simms embarks on a Caribbean cruise to create an ad campaign for a big maritime freight client. She finds it impossible to concentrate, however, when Simon Mann, a blue marlin shifter, sets his sights on her. From a private, hands-on safety briefing to a wild ride in the ocean, he rocks her ordered world.

Simon drowned years ago in a shipwreck caused by Rhonda’s client, and he’ll do anything to be a normal man again. As his mate, Rhonda is the only person who can help him.

Tired of being so responsible, Rhonda is ready to let loose with a shipboard fling. Mating with Simon could cost a lot more than her virginity, however. Will she stick to her present course or will she let this sexy alpha rock her boat?

This story will be part of the Tall, Dark & Alpha boxed set, which will release 10 March 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/TallDarkandAlpha

  

Where readers can find me

Web site: http://www.aftonlocke.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AftonLockeAuthor or https://www.facebook.com/afton.locke

Twitter: http://twitter.com/aftonlocke

Newsletter – The Love Chronicle: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thelovechronicle/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Afton_Locke

Contest

This post is part of the Stripper With Spice Blog Tour.

The grand prize for the tour is the winner’s choice of a wall-mountable black scroll spice rack or The Spice Lover’s Guide to Herbs and Spices book (U.S. shipping address only).

To be eligible, COMMENT on this post. The comment MUST relate to the spice I’m posting about in at least ONE of these ways:

1) How you cook with it or use it in food OR

2) How you use it as a natural remedy OR

3) How it reminds you of a particular man or intimate encounter

The tour winner will be announced at http://www.aftonlocke.com/SpiceTour.html on January 18th.

Jean Murray: Rising From The Ashes (Contest)

Rising from the ashes….

One of my favorite philosophical discussions with my husband is “who is more worthy?” — the son that has always done the right thing in his life or the son after a life of indiscretions discovers his honor?  Is one more deserving than the other?  And, at what point would you consider the two sons equal, if at all?

Needless to say, it brings some lively discussions over our dinner table.

A certain level of jealousy would develop between brothers and maybe that’s what forces them to extremes.  The righteous son may long for a life without expectations or use his honor as a weapon against the brother who has none.  The other may want what his brother has, but cannot find the right path home.

At what point is the second son unredeemable?  What is the tipping point of change?

I’m a sucker for a bad boy turned good and love to believe in second chances.  The prodigal son returns.  There is something to be said about testing a character’s virtue and knowing the limits. Turning your back on the easy road takes courage, let alone the level of determination needed never to return to old ways.

I happen to love this type of conflict, so much so, Soul Awakened, my second book in the Key to the Cursed series, is based on this theme.  Two brothers could not be any different.  One (Bomani) raised in the warrior camp, fighting for his life and elevating to the level of Legion Commander on courage and will alone.  The other (Bakari) lived a life of luxury and wealth, using his power to feed his lust and greed, until one fateful day.  After years of imprisonment and torture, Bakari claims to be a changed man.

Years of rivalry and hatred stand between them.  One woman to love.  Can Bakari rise from the ashes to claim her?  Who will be the victor?  Love for blood or honor.

I want to hear what you think.  Who is more worthy of Kendra’s love? 

Or who do you root for: Team Life of Honor or Team Bad Boy Turned Good?

Commenters will be entered to win a $10 Kindle Gift Card/or equivalent eBook.

Click rafflecopter to obtain more chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Website | Soul Reborn | Soul Awakened | Goodreads

LOVE FOR BLOOD OR HONOR

Kendra, an Egyptologist and demi-god in waiting, is the key to unlocking Bakari, the Egyptian God of Death, from his cursed slumber. Desperate to free him, she inadvertently binds herself to the god with a spell that only death will undo. To save Bakari from himself, she may have to sacrifice her innocence, and possibly her soul, before he becomes his family’s worst enemy.

HAUNTED BY SINS OF THE PAST

Bakari awakens to a world at war and a beautiful woman who has tethered his soul to hers. In the wake of his self-destruction Kendra is his only hope of salvation, but another has vowed to keep Bakari from the one thing he craves most— his Parvana. His butterfly.

 

Reviews:

Night Owl Reviews:  Reviewer’s Top PICK/ 5 Stars (Abigail, Feb2013) :  “I know other readers are going to love this series as much as I do. Get settled in for a thrilling paranormal tale.”

Bitten by Paranormal Romance, Ollie (Feb2013): 5/5 Alpha Howls, Hot

“I don’t know where to begin to describe the absolutely marvelous job that the author does in not only creating a wonderful world with so much depth and detail, but a story line the has the mystery and intrigue that will keep you glued to the pages.”

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16484518-soul-awakened

Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Author

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Key to the Cursed Series:  Soul Reborn & Soul Awakened

Only the strongest love can unlock the souls of the Underworld

In her pursuit of a nursing degree, Jean Murray aspired to see the world and joined the Navy. At the end of 2011 she said a heart-breaking goodbye to her Navy family and retired after twenty years of military service. Although her dreams of writing full time have yet to come true, she continues her writing journey and draws inspiration from her travels abroad. She enjoys spending time with her family and of course, writing about the “Carrigan sisters and their mates, Gods of the Underworld,” to bring you the next installment of the Key to the Cursed series.

Author Jean Murray brings a wonderful new spin to the paranormal world with her Egyptian Underworld gods.  She broke ground in the paranormal romance genre with Soul Reborn and now continues the Key to the Cursed journey with Soul Awakened.

Adele Downs: A Cowboy Heart Stays True

A Cowboy Heart Stays True

A cowboy on horseback might fade into the sunset at the end of a traditional western saga, but our beloved American icon won’t disappear anytime soon. The resurgence in movies, television, and books about heroes like those on hit TV series Longmire, Hell on Wheels, and Justified remind us why we love those hunky alpha men. These handsome cowboys are loners but not lonely, dedicated to justice and a cause, and remain tantalizingly out of reach. Once a cowboy commits to a woman, though, his heart stays true.

KISSING HER COWBOY character Treymont Woods was inspired by the classic western yarn. Our hero is forced to take light duty work around Breezy Meadows Ranch after a rodeo accident. While Trey’s body heals, he offers riding lessons to Houston locals on the greatest horse that ever lived, Big Blue. When police officer Daisy Phillips arrives for her first session, sparks fly. But her invisible wounds run deep, making it hard for her to form connections. KISSING HER COWBOY is the story of two broken people who heal on the road to their happily ever after.

KISSING HER COWBOY by Adele Downs

A Lunchbox Romance Short Story

Only .99 from Boroughs Publishing!

Click on the cover to purchase!

A cowboy with a fractured back and a cop with a broken spirit heal on a Texas ranch with the help of a stallion named Big Blue.

Excerpt:

“Oh, Lord.” Treymont Woods kicked up dust on his boots as he sauntered from the stables to the woman who just had to be his new riding student. Her flaming red hair swooshed from one side of her shoulders to the other as she watched his stallion, Big Blue, canter inside the corral. Her hands, knuckles white, clutched the fence and every muscle in her tall, slim figure looked tighter than rail posts. Before he could get to her, she pivoted toward the parking area, moving her feet like she was fixin’ to run.

“Hey there!” He called out as a distraction. By the time Trey reached the woman’s side, he could hear her breathing like she’d raced a Texas mile. Before he could introduce himself, she turned to him with wide green eyes and shouted, “He’s huge!” Pink splotches bloomed under the freckles on her pale skin.

She licked her bottom lip and shook her head. “No, no, no, no….” and started backing away. “I can’t do this. Keep my deposit. I’ll figure something else out.”

Trey lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Okay. No problem. You don’t have to ride if you don’t want to.”  Her jeans looked too tight for riding, anyway, and that white blouse would be smudged inside five minutes. Hadn’t the woman ever been to a ranch before?

She stopped moving then and frowned at him, causing twin lines to form above her nose. Her adorable nose, now that he’d gotten a decent look. In fact, everything about the woman seemed downright appealing, despite her reaction to Big Blue. Who in their right mind wouldn’t love the greatest horse that ever lived, on sight?

About Adele Downs:

Adele Downs writes contemporary romance inside the office of her rural Pennsylvania home. She is a former journalist, published in newspapers and magazines inside the USA, UK, and Caribbean.

Adele is an active member of Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter where she serves as past-president. She has written several articles for RWR magazine (Romance Writers Report), the trade journal of Romance Writers of America, and has presented workshops for writers. When she isn’t working on her current project, she can be found riding in her convertible or reading a book on the nearest beach.

Visit Adele Downs at http://adeledowns.wordpress.com

Like Adele Downs on Facebook!

Buy Link: Kissing Her Cowboy

Dana Lorraine: Dying to Love Her

Happy New Year everyone! I’m Dana Lorraine, writer of dirty words and sexy men. Thank you to the wonderfully talented Delilah Devlin for hosting me on her blog today. I’m thrilled to be here to celebrate the release of my paranormal erotic ménage, Dying to Love Her!

So I always liked to write. When I was in high school I wrote for the school paper and never shied away from an essay contest. In college I didn’t cringe (too much) when a lengthy term paper was assigned, but it wasn’t until I started writing book reviews that I realized what I wanted to do was write stories.

I’m an avid reader when I have the time. Sadly, there hasn’t been much reading as of late but I always find a spare moment for my favorite authors and series (J.R. Ward and R.G. Alexander…I’m waiting).

Before I started writing I would read four to five novels a month plus shorter stories. I used my check from Barnes & Noble to pay for my addiction and when they became popular I bought a Kindle (before the Nook was created) so I could feed my habit anywhere and anytime of the day.

Those books I loved I had to tell the world about so I started writing reviews. A few sentences were never enough for me. I had to pen witty paragraphs. I didn’t have an interest in leaving a review that wasn’t well written or anything but glowing…that is until I started writing romance myself.

It’s not that my reviews became negative but when I didn’t connect with a story I now knew why. If I got bored it was because there was too much passive voice. If the sex scenes fell flat it was because they were all tell and no show. So I started leaving reviews that were more like the critiques I would give to my critique partner.

Then I finished Dying to Love Her and it got published by Ellora’s Cave, *insert the most awesome booty-shaking happy dance here*and I stopped writing reviews—for the most part. If you’re one of my favorite authors I want to show the love and I’ll leave a review but otherwise I shy away.

Now I know how much work goes into writing a book and what a personal experience it is. I’m not as quick to judge an author’s choices unless asked to critique for them personally and then I’ll be brutal with my opinion. And I’d hope my critique partner would do the same for me because I’d much rather see those critical opinions before the book gets published. LOL!

I’m still a fan of reviews although I rarely use them as a way to select books. I’m a go with your gut kind of reader. If your blurb and cover catches my attention, I’m sold. I’m a little different—I like to read reviews after I’ve read the book to see if readers share the same opinions as me (kinda like a book club but without the food and wine).

Recently, I read a blog post by a very talented writer who said she didn’t read book reviews (really not one?) because they are meant for readers and not writers. I don’t think that’s true at all. Every time I wrote a review I wrote it with the author in mind. I think authors who don’t at least take a peek at their reviews every once in a while are missing out on an opportunity to receive some very constructive feedback and hopefully a few five stars. Because in the end, don’t we write the book for the reader and if we don’t take the reader’s experience into account aren’t we missing the whole point?

When Melanie Woodson joins Empriva Fitness she expects to lose weight, not gain two sexy vampire personal trainers. With an exercise regimen that includes passionate horizontal workouts, fat-burning orgasms and lusty words of encouragement, she’s in serious danger of forgetting their relationship is based on a business agreement and not mutual attraction.

Alec Kosta and Rook Abernathy, best friends and owners of Empriva, have waited over a century for the right lifemate to come along. Now that they’ve found Melanie, with her endless curves and quick wit, they’re ready to give up countless lifetimes to spend just one with her.

But time isn’t on their side—they’ve tasted her blood and now mere days are all they have to convince her their love is real or risk losing their chance to be with her forever.

A Romantica® paranormal ménage erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Links:

Website: www.danalorraine.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Love-Her-Dana-Lorraine-ebook/dp/B00GMKKJ3A/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dying-to-love-her-dana-lorraine/1117433006?ean=9781419948497

Ellora’s Cave:  http://www.ellorascave.com/dying-to-love-her.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dana.lorraine.14

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_DanaLorraine

Jasmine Haynes: Love, Valentine Style! (Contest)

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Delilah!

Happy New Year to everyone! I can hardly believe it’s 2014. Another year bites the dust! And what do I find in the stores now that Christmas is over. Valentine’s candy, cards, and assorted gifts! I have to admit I love Valentine’s Day. Sometimes the hubby and I go out, sometimes we stick close to home. This year it will be on a Friday, so it’s kind of a perfect date night. I’m thinking fondue. A reader recently told me that was her special Valentine’s date last year.

Heads up here, I’m doing a drawing for an ebook copy of my erotic romance Kinky Neighbors. Leave a comment on this blog along with your email address (this is will not be used for advertisement, it’s only so I can contact you if you win).

And because I love Valentine’s Day, this year I decided to be a part of a brand new Valentine’s anthology with never-before-published stories from some wonderful writers, Pamela Fryer, Haley Whitehall, Raine English, Lois Winston, Melinda Curtis. And me! We’re all in Love, Valentine Style!

Here’s a blurb for my story which is called Be My Other Valentine.

Five years ago, Grace was given a sacred duty by a woman dying of cancer: Every Valentine’s Day, Grace must deliver a special cake to a girl named Valentine, addressed from the girl’s mother in heaven. But this year, Grace’s van gives up the ghost before she delivers her cargo.

His daughter Valentine is all Brian has left of his wife, but he’s forgotten the cake Valentine receives every year, and they’ve moved to a new house with no way to contact the baker who follows his wife’s wishes.

In their quest to fulfill a dying woman’s last request, can Grace and Brian find their own Valentine?

So Grace is a fabulous baker and she makes wonderful specialty cakes for birthdays, weddings, and all occasions. Of course, I’m not a baker! So when I was putting the story together, I had to come up with some cool cake ideas. The little girl in the story, Valentine, is 5, so I had to think up all the cakes Grace has made over the years. I have to tell you, the internet is a fabulous tool. You can find just about anything you want with just a few keystrokes. So here’s a couple of web pages where I found some really fun cakes!

http://spoonful.com/recipes/dessert-recipes/birthday-cake-recipes

http://spoonful.com/recipes/creative-cakes-gallery#carousel-id=photo-carousel&carousel-item=3

What’s great about this site is that there are recipes and instructions for making the cakes yourself. They’re great for a kid’s birthday party. I once made my husband a cake in the shape of cat. It was actually kind of cute, but the cake itself tasted terrible! Grace would never make a terrible cake. But she did make several of the creations I saw on this cool website! Here’s a little excerpt of the story:

He reached over to open the door. “It’s cold, get in.” When she hesitated, he added, “If your car won’t start, you won’t be able to turn on the heater.” He smiled and patted the seat next to him. “And I have seat warmers.”

“Oh God, you’re evil. I’ll put the cake on the floor behind the passenger seat. It won’t slide as much when you’re driving.”

He kept the engine running and pushed the buttons for both seat warmers. Her van was visible around the corner, and they would see when the tow truck arrived.

Settling beside him, she asked, “So I’ve been dying to know if your daughter likes the cakes.”

He smiled. Valentine was the light of his life. “She adores them.”

“Which one did she like best?”

He supposed it was like a painter or a musician or a writer asking if you liked their latest work. Her cakes were an art form. “The lamb. Or maybe that was just my favorite. Because Valentine was very partial to the pink and red ladybug.” There’d also been an amazing butterfly, its wings topped with colored fruit jellies arranged to look like a pink monarch, and a Finding Nemo fish, which had been pink instead of orange and accented with red stripes instead of black. “You’re very talented.”

Even in the shadows of the car, he recognized her blush. “Thank you. Valentine? For her birthday? I didn’t realize that was actually her name. Her mother didn’t say.”

His mood immediately spiraled. He hadn’t known what Marilyn planned until she’d done it. And when he’d seen the credit card bill later, he almost choked. But she was gone by then, and over the years, he’d realized what she’d given Valentine was worth every penny. In fact, it probably wasn’t enough. This woman—he hadn’t even asked her name—had already provided far more than the money Marilyn had paid her. A childhood’s worth of cakes, a mother lode of love. Why would she go to such lengths for a woman she didn’t know and a child who hadn’t even been born when she made the deal?

Hehe, there are the cakes! You can see samples of the lamb (they called it a sheep), Nemo, the butterfly, the ladybug. Of course, I changed the color to match Valentine’s favorite. Gosh, I should have used the panda, that one was cute, too! And what cake did Grace make for Valentine this year? LOL, you’ll have to read the story to find out!

Don’t forget to leave a comment and your email address to be entered in the drawing. You can find Love, Valentine Style exclusively on Amazon.

You can find me at:

Website: www.jasminehaynes.com

Blog: www.jasminehaynes.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jasminehaynesauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasminehaynes1

Amazon page: http://amzn.com/e/B001IR3N76

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/130583.Jasmine_Haynes

Thanks again for having me, Delilah!

Jasmine Haynes

What Does the Fox Say?

Yeah, I got nuthin’ today—only because I’m obsessed with this song. If you’d been at my daughter’s house last night, you’d have thought we’d all joined the looney bin. My dd and I showed the little ones the video (what do they know about furries anyway, right?) and for the rest of the night, all you could hear was “What does the fox say? Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding…”

It’s catchy–like Ebola. You’ll see. I dare you to watch it just once. And pay attention to how many downloads this video has gotten!  :)

Ann Jacobs: Keeping to the Facts

Keeping to the Facts—Only the Facts, Please

Organization isn’t my strong point, so I’m always looking for gimmicks to minimize my frantic searches through completed books in a series to find that one vital piece of information that’s absolutely necessary to keep me from making a mistake that some discerning reader’s certain to pick up.

My writing style is linear—that is, I write stories from start to finish without leaving some piece of the puzzle to fill in at a later date. At least that’s what I try to do.

When writing a series, however, I have to make certain that the later books don’t contain information that contradicts some fact I already had established in an earlier book. I’ve learned the hard way that if my editor doesn’t catch these inconsistencies, some eager reader will. If I’m lucky, that reader will write and tell me—if I’m not, she’ll tell every one of her Facebook friends and I’ll be getting a lot of social media attention that I didn’t want.

There are lots of ways to avoid these embarrassing gaffes, from creating a very simple card file of pertinent facts to methods so complex that they can add months, not days to the timeline of writing a series—or even a standalone book for that matter.

Have you ever had to search back in a manuscript to find whether a secondary character’s eyes were blue or brown? Or whether you already mentioned a prop that now has significance later on in a story?

If so, then you’re a lot like me—and my lapses become more so as the time between having written the initial piece of information becomes greater. For example, I wrote the three-book, Caden Kink series over a six month period starting about eighteen months ago. Meanwhile I have started another totally unrelated series.

Therefore, when readers began asking me for a fourth story about the Caden patriarch, I needed to find a simple tool to help me gather information about characters and interactions among those characters which were already established in the first three books. I also needed to gather details about the common setting so as not to create inconsistencies in the new novella.

Scapple is a simple new application from Literature and Latte, designers of the much more complex writing aid, Scrivener. Scapple works as a brainstorming application that is part outliner, part mind-mapper, part writer’s journal. I’ve been using it lately to gather and relate information in Lovers’ Feud, Shotgun Relations and Wild One, that I will use in creating the backbone of a new story which must, by its definition, tie in closely with information I had already established bit by bit in the stories of the new hero’s three grown children.

Generally I find writing aids overrated. Scapple is not. As a matter of fact, it’s awesome! A very inexpensive tool, it allows the writer to jot down notes about characters, character interaction and setting, to arrange them logically in terms of the new book’s premise, and to make connections that make sense.

I’m very glad I stumbled onto Scapple. If you ever have trouble keeping up with what went before, whether in a single book or a series, I encourage you to try it. It’s available for Macs as well as PCs.

Ann Jacobs

http://annjacobs.net

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authrannjacobs

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnJacobsAuthor

Join Ann on a Quest for Pleasure…two series, ten futuristic BDSM tales of brave heroes and the women they choose to take into a brave, new future:

No Bounds, available now from Ellora’s Cave and other online retailers

Michele Drier: Long Winter Nights

Long Winter Nights

These are the dark days of winter.  In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun rises at about 7:20 in the morning and sets at 4:55 in the afternoon.  This gives us just over nine-and-a-half hours of daylight. Not much time for leisure activities.

For a person like me, who has SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) these short days do make me sad…and blue, and not wanting to get out of bed.

Last winter, though I found a way to make it through this time of dark. I hung around with the Kandesky vampires.

This is their favorite time of the year—their biggest holiday is winter solstice, the longest night of the year. There may only be nine-and-a-half daylight hours, but there are fourteen-and-a-half hours of dark.

During the weeks before and after winter solstice, the family gathers in Hungary from around Europe and North America. Most festivities are at Baron Stefan Kandesky’s castle but the family’s Budapest properties also host visitors. They give gifts, have parties, visit with friends and relatives they haven’t seen for a year.

And last year was even more special because they were having a death penalty trial for their worst enemy, Matthais. He headed up the Huszar vampire clan, the Kandesky’s neighbors and bitter rivals for several centuries.

Set against this festive season are the Huszar’s years of treachery, violence and deceit. These are highlighted when Maxie Gwenoch, the regular who heads up SNAP, the Kandesky’s mega-business, must take the stand and tell her story of kidnapping and rape.

Jean-Louis, second-in-command of the Kandeskys and Maxie’s lover, a stunning five hundred year old Hungarian vampire, is carrying a load of guilt because he didn’t keep her safe. Now, he’s with her—especially through these long winter nights.

And he wants to marry her and turn her. Can she give up the sun for the one she loves? Can she give up the glorious sex to stay a regular?

When I’m with Maxie and Jean-Louis, I’m in an altered state of consciousness. Their world is filled with luxury, glamour and mind-blowing sex. Of course, there’s also violence, fire fights, blood and death. With a combination like that, my “real” world of cooking, laundry and bill paying looks good…not!

I recently saw Janet Evanovich speak and she said she lives in the world of Stephanie Plum when she’s writing. Can’t wait to get back to it every morning.

I understand.

These long winter nights are bearable now because I spend them with Jean-Louis, Maxie and the family.

Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home.  During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series.

She writes the Amy Hobbes Newspaper mysteries and the six-book Kandesky Vampire Chronicles paranormal romance series, and has just published her eighth book, SNAP: Happily Ever After? She’s working on the seventh book in the series, SNAP: White Nights, scheduled for publication in early 2014.

Flashback: Darkness Captured (Contest)

If you’ve been visiting here a while, you know I love mythology, and that sometimes I interweave some of the stories I love into the stories I write. One such story is the ancient tale of Inanna. At least that was her name to the Sumerians. She has also been known as Ishtar and is perhaps the source of the story of Lilith. Inanna was the goddess of sexual love and fertility. She was bold and selfish and had a sister who was the Queen of the Land of the Dead, a crown Inanna coveted for herself.

At the heart of the stories in my Dark Realm series is Inanna. She’s never a major character, but her influence is felt throughout. She’s mysterious and beautiful, and evil to the core. Until you see her in The Land of the Dead, enslaved to the husband she lured there and left to save herself. Then you almost feel a little sorry for her. I tried to stay true to her spirit. She wasn’t completely without a heart. And she was a woman before she was a goddess, or in the case of my Inanna, a vampire. Enjoy this little glimpse inside Darkness Captured, the last of my Dark Realm stories.

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“Delilah Devlin delivers an erotic tale of good and evil elevated to a higher level… The erotic scenes in this book are hotter than Hades and ten times more tempting. I dare you to resist!” ~ 5 Cups, Coffee Time Romance

“Another hot read of dark sensuality, riveting situations and jaw-dropping desire.” ~ Fresh Pick!, Fresh Fiction

“Devlin creates memorable characters with exceptional emotional depth. Her magical worldbuilding sets as atmospheric scene for a fast-paced story. The sexual tension runs high and the encounters are smokin’ hot.” 4 Stars, RT Book Reviews

Driven by insatiable desire, a werewolf will enter hell to rescue a princess captured by the Master of Demons…

Headstrong and proud—a royal creature of sinuous grace, all primal instinct and lethal beauty—the shapeshifter Gabriella has agreed to serve as emissary to the vampires who rule in the shadows of the New Orleans night. But she cannot resist the pull of the demon she glimpses on the other side of a mirror, and she is drawn to him hungrily, through a magical portal into the Land of the Dead. Now an eternal nightmare awaits Gabriella at the hands of a mesmerizing dark lord who satisfies her every erotic need…while slowly devouring her soul.

The powerful warrior wolf Guntram Brandt is responsible for the safety of the vanished princess he swore allegiance to years before. Yet it is more than a soldier’s loyalty that pulls Guntram down into the depths of nightmare—for Gabriella ignites within him a burning animal passion that must be satisfied.

But when offered an escape, will she follow her rescuer to safety—torn between her lustful obsession with the dark lord who has enslaved her and her fierce sensual attraction to the only wolf who could ever master her?

Gabriella landed on her knees in the middle of the Persian carpet. Once again facing the crudely carved stone walls of Alex Broussard’s magical bolt-hole. “Alex, you lousy bastard, you can’t do this to me—”

Her shout was cut short when the object of her bitter tirade grabbed the hand of the pregnant woman who’d been resting on a deep sofa inside the cavern when they’d flashed inside. He cast Gabriella an apologetic smile, palmed the crystal key to the room, and they both blinked out in a narrow flash of white light.

“Sonofabitch,” she muttered, reaching up to grab the silver-linked choker from her neck that he’d used to subdue her and ripping it off. How could he do this, leave her in his bolt-hole, after everything she’d done to help him in his quest to usurp command of the vampires?

While he’d disappeared for hours, clutching the phoenix-creature he appeared to love against his chest, she’d helped round up the sabat, nipping at the council-members’ heels to herd them toward their rooms where Nicolas posted guards to keep them in lock-down.

Malcolm, Nicolas’s next-in-command, had led away Inanna’s private security force to the barracks for “debriefing” and posted their own men around the compound to keep things quiet while Alex’s closest advisors sorted through the chaos that was the aftermath of Inanna’s expulsion into Hell.

When Alex had at last returned, looking like he’d just had the sweetest sex of his life,  Gabriella shook her fur, pulling on her human skin, ready to remind Alex about their agreement when his gaze fled up the staircase, again.

The look on his face, one filled with a mixture of impatience and tenderness, had made her heart sink. When she’d cleared her throat to remind him she was still standing there, another look crossed his face—one that had her backing up a step and stammering.

The collar had been a real kick in the ass. He’d pulled it from his pocket and apologized, all the while grappling her to the ground to loop the damn thing around her neck. “I swear. It’s just for now,” he’d ground out as she wriggled beneath him. “Just until I get everything sorted out.”

If he thought she’d be in any mood to talk to him, to negotiate a transaction to ensure the peace between their nations remained in place—well, he’d have to do a whole lot of begging, preferably on his knees and naked, before she agreed.

The thought of Alex, nude and serving her up a dish of submission, soothed her dented pride for all of a second. Her shoulders slumped, and she released a dejected sigh.

Gabriella never lied. Not even to herself. Alex was lost to her, for good. Once long ago, she’d hired an assassin to kill him, and she’d grieved for centuries, believing she’d killed him in a fit of jealous rage and lost the only lover who’d ever completely fulfilled her dark, sensual fantasies. The past few days, fighting and loving with him had been a bitter reminder of what she’d missed most—but he’d only been playing her, using her to get what he needed from her. When his other lover had “died,” it took only one glance at the desperation tightening his face and the tears filling his eyes to know she’d never hold his heart.

She shook out her hair and glanced toward the bureau standing against the far wall of the cave. With time to kill, she could at least empty his liquor cabinet.

With a glide, she pushed off the floor and strode to the cabinet, lifting one bottle and another until she found a cognac to her taste. Pouring a beaker full of the warm amber liquor, she glanced at herself in the mirror and lifted her glass to toast her reflection.

Noting the red ring around her neck, she wrinkled her nose. Wasn’t the first time she’d accepted a noose. Maybe the Dom in Atlanta would be amenable to a little retraining. Her nipples prickled and extended, spiking at the thought of the nasty things she’d beg him to do. As soon as she settled her business with Alex, she’d give him a call.

Her features tightened and the corners of her lips curved downward. She shut her eyes and downed the contents of her glass. When she opened them again, she stared at the mirror and set down her drink.

How many times had Alex stared into the glass, looking into that dreadful room—the hall where the demons and the dead feasted on each other in Hell. Remembering Alex’s warning about the mirror, she reached up and gingerly touched only the frame.

The hall shimmered into sight. The same scene replayed—people in glittering, bejeweled costumes sitting at long benches in a Medieval-style hall. She shifted to the side to catch a glimpse of The Master’s entrance—the handsome creature whose black aura resembled a dragon’s. With Alex behind her, she’d watched The Master stride into the room, felt a tingle of awareness for his masculine beauty, and shuddered for the power he wielded over the orgiastic bloodletting that had followed. She wouldn’t deny the man fascinated her.

The hellhounds once again stood like sentries at either side of the plank door. She waited for a long while, watched the couple nearest the mirror savage each other on the floor, but still he didn’t appear.

Just when she’d decided to drop her hand, a figure stepped in front of the glass.

Her eyes widened as she found herself staring directly into The Master’s golden eyes. The narrow, slitted pupils slowly expanded, engulfing the irises entirely in black.

Gabriella told herself he couldn’t see her. Perhaps he looked at his own reflection in a matching mirror. Gathering calm around her, she stared back, noting the thick black hair that fell to the tops of his broad shoulders, the neatly trimmed beard and moustache that framed his chin and mouth, drawing her gaze to his lips—full for a man, sensual, and beginning to smile.

A chill gnawed at her spine, causing her to quake.

As though she stared into a cobra’s mesmerizing stare, she couldn’t break with his gaze as he slowly raised his hand and pressed it to the glass, his long fingers splayed.

Gabriella felt as though she stood outside herself, watching as she reached up, spreading her own fingers to match his, and pressed her hand against the glass.

The glass began to warm, and then dissolved between them. Their fingers met. Before she could jerk her hand away, his fingers slipped to her wrist and tightened there. Triumph glittered in his dark eyes, and he reached up with his free hand to grasp the edge of the mirror and pull. It stretched downward, the bureau in front of her melting away, and he jerked her forward—into the blood-soaked hall.

Gabriella stumbled, falling, her knees slamming into stone tiles. When she shook back her hair, she noted the faces of the demons and the dead swinging toward her and the silence that closed around her. Her heart hammering against her chest, she drew back her arm, trying to free herself from his grip. She scooted on the floor, her naked bottom sliding across the tiles, but her back met a hard wall. Stunned, she looked behind her and saw that the mirror on this side was small and high up the wall. The portal had closed and she was trapped. What have I done?

Low growls penetrated her terror. The hellhounds closed in on either side of her captor, and then the murmurs began, a slithering, raspy noise that grew into a roar as the creatures inside the room left their seats and surrounded them.

She curled her legs toward her torso, and tucked her arm over her breasts, trying to hide herself from dozens of ravenous gazes.

Her glance swung back to the demon that still held her in his grasp, rising slowly to meet his frightening eyes. His lips twisted. His arm swung out forcing her to unfold her legs and raising her onto her knees, exposing her body fully.

Her breaths shortened, rasping loudly as panic gripped her as tightly as he did. Would they fall on her, make a meal of her body? Or would they rape her? God, no, she’d sooner be eaten. The shame of her defeat, of her helplessness against greater strength and numbers, would live forever.

The beast holding her shot a glance over his shoulder, and the crowd backed up.

Would he take her first then give her over to the others? His lust was palpable, pounding, ticking at the side of one of his black eyes. His nostrils flared, and his head waved as though sucking in more of her scent. A bulge formed at the front of the black breeches he wore, thickening along the inside of one massive thigh.

She couldn’t help staring at it, knowing her eyes widened with fear. But his sex was long and thick, more than an average woman could take. But she wasn’t average. At six feet, her body was proportionately large and powerful, her hips wide, her woman’s channel deep and able to stretch to fit the circumference and length of a very large man.

Unbidden, her body reacted, spilling fluid to dampen her labia. She sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to will away her attraction. How could she be growing aroused?

Was he causing it? Did he have that kind of power over a woman’s desire? Her nipples tightened, beading hard, and again she tried to shield them from his gaze, but he already knew.

She saw it in the fierce light glittering in his eyes.

Another tug of his hand and she was rising, teetering on weakened limbs. He ducked and pulled her over his shoulder.

As the world tilted, she flailed against him, clawing at his back through his clothing, but he turned on his heels and drove through the crowd. And because she was afraid, she didn’t lift her face to meet their gazes. She tucked her head against his back and closed her eyes. Wherever he was going—out of the room, or simply to one of the emptied tables to lower her and take her—she didn’t want to know.

Her only thoughts were of Alex and whether he’d care enough to search for her when he discovered she was gone—and of Guntram, her protector, whose loyalty she never questioned. Alex might mount a rescue due to the complications her disappearance might cause their nations’ uneasy alliance, but Guntram would follow her for reasons all his own.

Reasons she’d never had the courage to explore because she thought she might already know, and the last thing she’d ever wanted was the love of a wolf.

A. Catherine Noon: Happy New Year, Dwarf Style

Happy New Year, Dwarf Style

The new Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smaug, has hit theaters and caused a sensation.  All of a sudden, it’s all about the dwarves – and I can see why!  Richard Armitage is every inch (if short) a king, and the antics of his merry band are heartwarming and, at times, romantic.

I saw an interview with Irish actor Aidan Turner, where he was asked about the relationship between his character, the Dwarf Kili, and the Elven warrior Tauriel.  The romance never took place in the book, so why the movie?  He makes the point that it adds depth to the characters and it’s an important aspect of the overall story.  I couldn’t agree more!  I was rooting for his character and for Tauriel to catch up to him when he was wounded, and there’s even the potential for a love triangle because our favorite elf Legolas fancies Tauriel.  Oh nos!

What do you think when directors change a classic story in order to tell a modern tale?  Not that romance is modern, in any particular; it’s a story as old as time itself.  But should a director add an element that isn’t there in the books, in order to please modern viewers?  Some fans of Robert Ludlum lament that the immensely popular Jason Bourne movie franchise aren’t true to the books.  But the movies are good movies, enjoyable and fast-paced.  I would argue that Peter Jackson has done the same with the Hobbit and deepened the tale, enriching it and telling more of the story as it could have been.

What’s your opinion?  Change away, or leave it the way it is thankyouverymuch?  I’d love to know in the comments!