Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 470

Sunday Report Card

The winner of yesterday’s contest is pc (commenter #4)! PC, email me to let me know

you saw this.  I’ll ship you a copy of A Four-Gone Conclusion! Congrats!

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I’ve had my head down, ignoring the emails piling up in my inbox, ignoring the family as I finish up my current book. This morning, I wrote THE END. I still have to read through the book and figure out how to plump it up with 3000 more words to meet my word count requirement, but for all intents and purposes, it is finished! And thankfully, I love it. The characters are ones I fell in love with in the first story, Shattered Souls. Cait’s brittle and grouchy. Sam’s a rock. She softens in this book. Acknowledges the fact she can’t live without him. She’s put through a sequence of events that cements her love for him. And there’s humor woven in with the dark parts. I think you’ll like it.

I’m toying with calling this one Lost Souls . What do you think?

While I wrap this one up, I have to think about the next story that’s due way too soon. I’ll be rushing through it, and hope I like the results as much as I did for LS. We’ll see. It’s too early in the story to know. Needless to say, I’ll be buried in writerly stuff for a while longer.

For all you writers, my sister and I are starting the next round of “Write 50 Books a Year.” If you’re not on the loop, follow the link. Want to learn how to be a more productive, more focused writer for the new year? This is the class for you. Join today! Best part—it’s free!

Snippet Saturday: Author’s Choice (Contest)

Now, you know I had fun with this title: A Four-Gone Conclusion. I’ll admit I like titles that are a little tongue-in-cheek. But this one’s to the point as well. There are four brothers involved with one woman. And you know exactly what the lady’s gonna decide, right? It’s fantasy, after all. One of my favorites as it turns out. A woman kidnapped by four sexy brothers. Their proximity “forced.” But I like my girls feisty. They tend to give as well as they get. Read the excerpt. You’ll see.

And if you enter a comment today, you’ll be entered to win a free download—reader’s choice from among all my Lone Star Lovers stories!

“A FOUR-GONE CONCLUSION is a prime example on how a novella should be written; fast and fun, touching characters that pull you in and a story that is completely fulfilling.” ~4.5 Cherries, Long and Short Reviews

One devilish night…or a chance at heaven?

Sam Logan’s foster sons have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. Most of it earned. When it becomes clear they don’t plan on giving up scootin’ after ever pretty pair of boots in town anytime soon, he issues the one thing he knows they can’t resist: a challenge. Find a wife.

The oldest, Johnny, is actually grateful. He’s had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker for a long time, and Sam’s challenge is the kick in the pants he needed to ask her out. Except before he can make his move, his brothers kidnap her right out from under his nose. Now, instead of being one question away from victory, he has to compete for the woman of his dreams.

Ellie thought she’d be a dried up old spinster before Johnny finally untangled his tongue long enough to ask for a date. But instead of teaching him better uses for that tongue, his brothers have whisked her away to the ranch. At first she’s furious…then intrigued when she starts to wonder what it might be like…

Warning: Four handsome cowboys. Four choices. Would it be a single sordid night or a chance at heaven as she savors every luscious inch of the Logan brothers?

Ellie drowned in that kiss, pulled under by the ebb and flow of his firm lips.

Already breathless with excitement over her unusual predicament, the way he’d waded into the room, taking command of the situation, and of her, melted her resolve.

What woman could resist? Seriously?

Four handsome men hell-bent on having her? Ellie Harker? If this were a romance novel, like the naughty ones she preferred, the heroine’s resolve would wilt beneath their strong wills right about now.

Why did she think she had to fight? How could she now? His lips circled on hers, tugging at her mouth, pausing to bite her lower lip until she gasped and opened. Then he was inside her, stroking deep. Every bit as determined as the hard edge of his jaw had appeared as he’d strode toward her.

Why not surrender?

The thought seeped into her mind, eroding the walls she’d erected around herself when she’d thought they only toyed with her, flirted with her like they would any other woman, not meaning it.

When his tongue stroked hers, teasing her in a sensual play no one else could see, she was sorely tempted to give way.

But then where would she be? A single sordid night with the Logan boys? A soiled reputation with little hope of finding a decent man willing to overlook the stain? She clamped her teeth around his tongue and bit, then opened her eyes.

He grunted. His eyes slammed open.

“She just bite him?” one of the twins said then laughed.

Johnny’s hands clamped on her shoulders, giving her a firm but gentle squeeze of warning.

She opened her jaws and let him retreat.

A kiss pressed against the side of her cheek. Killian tipped her chin his way and gave her a wink. “She’s just reminding us she’s got choices even if she is tied to a chair, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

Johnny pushed away from the chair and straightened, his tall, thickly muscled frame looming like a dark shadow.

Ellie dragged in deeper breaths, relieved he wasn’t so close he clouded her mind.

“Our intentions are purely honorable, you know,” Killian murmured.

She gave him a wide-eyed glare.

“As it so happens, we’re in need of a wife.”

“A wife?”

The twins shared a glance then burst into dirty chuckles.

“How about we do a trial run?” Killian said, his tone cajoling. “You can see what we’re like to be around. Then you can choose.”

“A trial run…” she parroted dumbly. Had he really just said that they wanted her not as a plaything but as a wife? “Choose?”

“Which one of us you marry.”

She shook her head. “You’re crazy.”

“But the thought isn’t a huge surprise, is it? Tell me that we haven’t tempted you.”

She turned her head, taking in the sight of the men—the grinning twins, Killian’s wicked half smile, then last, Johnny’s quiet glower. Her gaze darted back to the twins. Safer territory, or so she told herself. “What if I don’t choose any of you?”

One of Killian’s dark reddish-brown brows rose. “Then we all walk away. We won’t bother you again.”

She grunted, not believing his easy charm, as glib as any used car salesman trying to unload the lemon on his lot. “You say that, but you seem pretty sure I won’t.”

His expression softened. “Sweetheart, you’re full of sass, but I’ve seen the way you look at us. The way you looked when Johnny kissed you.”

He’d noticed that? Lord, she’d all but melted into a puddle. “You must think I’m a big whore to even consider your proposition.”

“If you were a whore, you wouldn’t have been our first choice. We want children, and we want to know they’re ours.”

Despite his assurance, she felt more than mildly insulted. “Let me guess. It’s all about my pies.”

Killian’s smile stretched wide. “That’s where it started. But the way you’ve handled this, us…now that’s even more of a turn-on.”

Ellie relaxed against the hard back of the chair and closed her eyes. For privacy. Since they’d allowed her none. She knew they awaited her answer.

She knew what her answer should be, what a good girl would say, but then she’d be back to square one—wondering when the rest of her life would begin. And this felt like a new beginning. Even though she told herself this was probably just an elaborate, sexy trap to lure a woman into a foursome, hope stirred inside her.

Would this be the start of something wonderful or was she going to make the biggest mistake of her life?

She opened her eyes, seeking Johnny’s gaze first, as though it was natural to look for his approval.

“Untie me,” she said quietly.

He let out a deep breath, his mouth twisting, but strode toward her again and slipped behind her. The knots eased instantly, and she pulled her hands in front of her, rubbing her wrists although they didn’t really hurt.

She stood shakily and all the men stood and backed up a step, their expressions, for once, all looking consistently grim. “I’m hungry. I haven’t had my dinner yet,” she said. “Show me the kitchen.”

 

 

Johnny leaned his butt against one of the counters, watching as Ellie took control of the kitchen, stepping up like a general as she called for pans and pots and ingredients, which the men eagerly leapt to provide.

Not him, though. He watched, staying silent. Tense inside, because he was fighting arousal. Someone, maybe several someones, would be sharing her bed once she’d made her choice. He understood that she was asserting herself now so they’d know she wouldn’t be pushed into anything she didn’t want.

He was fine with that. At least, she’d stopped harping on bringing them all up on charges. Not that a night or two in jail wasn’t a bad idea for his two younger foster siblings. Mace and Jason had gone too far. As they always did. Pushing the limits of folks’ tolerance for their free-spirited shenanigans.

And yet, Ellie seemed at ease with them, had them hanging on her every word and gesture like puppies eager for a pet or a scratch behind the ears.

Which of them would she choose in the end? How would the contest be decided? Would it come down to who was best in bed? Who was kindest? Who treated her most like a queen?

He’d lose for sure because he couldn’t be any other way than how he was. For her, however, he yearned to be the better man. He wanted to be the man who called her “wife”.

Killian stood at the stove stirring a creamy sauce for a stroganoff while Mace and Jason cut vegetables for a salad.

Ellie glanced up then gave him the look. The one that had the other men scurrying to do her bidding.

He arched a brow.

“Maybe you could set the table,” she said, sounding breathless.

She’d worded it as a request rather than an order. He shoved away from the counter and gathered plates and utensils. In minutes they were all seated at the table and tucking in to the meal she’d created from scratch. Sam would have no complaints about her cooking.

“Sam’ll have no complaints,” Killian said around his food, echoing his thoughts.

“Sam’d have all our hides for what those two yahoos did,” Johnny muttered.

“Sam’s your foster father?” Ellie asked, a tentative note in her voice.

Johnny nodded, hoping she wouldn’t continue down that particular road. He wasn’t comfortable talking about how he’d come to be here. It was past. Better not revisited.

“Sam never adopted you all,” she continued when no one jumped to answer her question.

Mace glanced at Johnny.

Johnny knew that if they had a hope in hell of getting her to stay that they couldn’t keep shutting her out. He shrugged his acceptance.

Mace cleared his throat. “He couldn’t adopt. We all had living kin.”

Her hazel eyes darkened. “Your…kin…never wanted…”

“No,” Johnny said tersely. “We took Sam’s name after we each hit eighteen. Outta respect. And because he was more of a father to us then we ever had.”

“I’m sorry about that,” she said softly.

“I’m not,” he bit out. “Sam’s a good man.”

Her chin shot up. Her eyes glittered with challenge. “I meant, I’m sorry your families weren’t ideal.”

“Was yours?” Killian asked, deftly diverting her.

Her mouth relaxed into a small smile. “It was. My mother’s still living. In Dallas near my sister.”

“How’d you end up here?”

She lifted a shoulder. “Dallas is big. Fast-paced. I didn’t go to college, so it wasn’t like I was going to have a career. I packed up one day. Headed to the Hill Country. I worked in a German restaurant in Fredericksburg for a while then decided to move on.”

“Why?” Jason blurted.

Her head dipped, and she twisted her fork around an egg noodle. “Because I broke up with my boyfriend. It wasn’t pleasant staying there. Everyone knew him and sided with him.”

“They had to take sides? He cheat on you?” Jason asked.

Johnny could see how uncomfortable she was and gave his brother a quelling glance.

Ellie set aside her fork. “Yes. As a matter of fact, he did.”

“We’d never do that,” Mace said, sitting forward, his expression earnest.

A brow arched. “That supposed to be a selling point?”

“Just sayin’—we’d never do that to a woman.”

Ellie shook her head, her gaze locked with Mace’s like he’d mesmerized her. “Never say never,” she murmured. “You might fall in love.”

Jason choked on his iced tea.

Killian rolled his eyes. “Those two don’t believe in love.”

Jason set down his glass. “Bein’ friends, enjoyin’ sex—why does it have to be about love? It’s just hormones.”

She straightened her shoulders. “I guess I understand what you mean. I’ve never felt that connection some women talk about when the subject of love comes up. Maybe you have a point.”

Johnny didn’t like her agreeing with that sentiment. He’d want her happy. Satisfied with her life. If she fancied herself in love, she might stick around longer. Not that he believed in a roses and promises kind of love either. Love of family, now that he believed in. He had that now.

Killian gave her a smile. “So how’d you end up here?”

Ellie grinned, looking a little sheepish. “I ran out of gas.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, right on Main Street. I wandered into Katie’s Diner and asked for the nearest station. Katie sent Ole Win with a gas can to get me fixed up, served me a meal, and by the time I was done, offered me a job. Katie had been desperate to find someone to take over for her. The hours were long and she wasn’t up to it, not fighting morning sickness and swollen feet. And her husband, Cutter, hovered over her. ’Bout drove her crazy. It was sweet, but he was driving her nuts.”

“So it all worked out,” Killian said.

She nodded. “Yes. I like Two Mule. It’s small. You get to know people. I’ve never really had that.”

“Bein’ on a ranch is smaller,” Johnny said.

Killian gave him a frown then gave Ellie an easy smile. “We have hands and they come and go, but it’s the same guys, seasonal work. No women around.”

The way they all homed in on her had her twitching in her chair. Now she knew for sure she’d be the lone woman among a pack of lonely men.

“A woman might get lonely for girl talk,” Johnny said, ignoring Killian’s warning glances. Ellie had a right to know, up front, what it would be like.

“I’m not much for girl talk,” she said.

Did that mean she was thinking about it? A foot connected with his shin.

Johnny eyed Killian who sat opposite him. He didn’t need to be reminded he hadn’t said a positive word. He turned to Ellie. “You’d be too busy to be lonely.”

The twins frowned.

Killian snorted. “Bro, we’re trying to woo her not scare her away.”

“That’s okay,” Ellie said. “I’m not scared of hard work, but I haven’t said I’ll stay.” She set down her fork. “I’m not doing dishes. Who’s taking me home?”

“You’re not goin’ anywhere,” Johnny grumbled, then cursed to himself for being so blunt.

Her hands folded tightly in front of her. “You mean you’re going to keep up this farce? We’ve had our date. I made you dinner. Now I’d like to go home. I have work in the morning. A diner to run.”

“Stay closed,” he said, afraid he sounded like a cranky bear because he was growling. “Call Cindy and say you’re sick. She can put up a sign.”

“I’m not sick.”

“You’re also not goin’.” Johnny stood slowly, until once again, he dwarfed her.

Her gaze rose and rose. Her jaw lost its stubborn edge. Again, her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

Was she hoping for another kiss?

“We thought we might have some fun,” Jason said as though he hadn’t a clue about the tension between him and Ellie. “Show you what it’d be like.”

She blinked and glanced sideways toward him. “We?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know who you like best before you decide?”

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Be sure to check out the snippets on these other authors’ blogs:

Lissa Matthews

 Rhian Cahill

Leah Braemel

Myla Jackson

Caris Roane

Jody Wallace

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

Eliza Gayle

Lauren Dane

Felicity Heaton

Shelli Stevens

Review-Happy Contest!

I have a stack of mail in a laundry basket ready to go to the post office! The basket is filled with prizes and promo goodies. I’ll try to do that today, but it depends on whether I get the words written in time. My latest WIP is due on Monday, and I still have to write THE END. First things first, y’all.

However, since the hard part—the wrapping and addressing—is done for previous prizes, I feel okay beginning a new contest. I would like more reviews for a couple of books that came out this year. I need them posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you’re willing to post an honest review, then this contest is for you. This one’s run will be short. It ends next Tuesday, December 11th.

What can you win? A signed copy of either or both of the following titles. And there will be more than one winner, so pay attention!! (I’m feeling bossy this morning!)

What do you have to do to win? Tell me in your message, these three things:

Where you will review
Which book you prefer, or say “Both”
Your email addy

A Question…

I purchased all three seasons of the BBC series, Primeval, and have been watching it with my daughter nearly every night for the past couple of weeks. I’d caught the odd show here and there before and liked the premise of tears in time allowing creatures from other time periods (dinosaurs!) to slip through to the present.

Watching the episodes in order made a huge difference. There are plot holes—Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly) isn’t responsible for the writing, but the cast is marvelous and the episodes fun.

So I was thinking, what paranormal or sci-fi series, now or in the past, do you love?

Is there one  you would recommend we purchase for our next para/sci-fi marathon?

Guest Blogger: Dale Mayer

It’s Christmas in a few weeks, and that means one I can justify indulging in my favorite treat. I love to walk the stores at this time of year. The presentation of the chocolates intrigues me.  The colors and shapes, the selection – just lovely!  It’s while I was studying the heaped counters that I decided to devote this blog to fun facts on chocolate.

And as none of us are going to stop eating it – we might as well enjoy it!

Chocolate is healthy for you – it’s made from plants and contains many similar health benefits as dark green vegetables. Chocolate contains flavonoids, which act as antioxidants to protect the body from free radical damage.  A small bar of dark chocolate a day will help to reduce your blood pressure and has proven to lower your bad cholesterol by up to 10%.
Chocolate contains copper, iron, zinc and magnesium – nutrients that are essential to the body.
Chocolate has long been considered an aphrodisiac. It’s not, but it does contain a chemical, called phenylethylamine, which is the same chemical the brain produces naturally when you’re in love.  So only enjoy with someone you want to be in love with – at least temporarily.
Chocolate contains serotonin, which acts as a natural anti-depressant – so it’s actually good to eat when you’re feeling down.
Chocolate stimulates production of endorphins, which helps you feel happy.
Chocolate contains other elements like caffeine, and theobromine, which act as stimulants – so it’s good to take when you’re tired as a quick pick up.
In the US, almost three quarters of the consumers choose milk chocolate over other varieties.
In 2000, the Italians created the largest chocolate bar coming in at a whopping 5,000 pounds.  The Armenians broke that record in 2010, producing a chocolate bar that weighed 4410 kilos (9702 lbs).
The popular belief that chocolate causes acne has been proven to be inaccurate.
When making the Hitchcock film, Psycho, they used chocolate syrup to represent blood in the famous shower scene.
The world consumes close to 600,000 tons of cocoa beans a year. Most of these beans come from West Africa. It takes close to 400 of these beans to make 1 pound a chocolate a year.
The chocolate beans come from a tree species carrying the genus name of Theobroma – which means Food of the Gods.
The chocolate industry coaxes over $20 billion a year from consumers.
An average American will eat about 10-12 lbs of chocolate per year.
The Swiss were reputed to be the heaviest consumers of chocolate each year, consuming close to 21 pounds per person per year.  Not to worry, they have one the lowest heart failure rates and obesity issues.  However, the Swedish have just moved into the top spot – consuming close to 30 pounds per person per year.  I have no idea how their health issues are!
Chocolate melts in your mouth, because it’s made with cocoa butter, which has a melting point lower than the average temperature of the human body.
It’s been proven that allowing chocolate to melt in your mouth produces brain and heart rate activity that’s similar to – and even stronger than – the effects produced when kissing someone passionately
One chocolate chip, should give any adult enough energy to walk 150 feet. Imagine what that one chocolate chip cookie could do for you.
American chocolate manufacturers use around 1.5 billion pounds of milk.
The first chocolate cake has been traced back to 1674.
Hersey’s is the oldest and largest chocolate company in the US.  However, Cadbury is the most popular in the UK.
The snicker bar was named after a pet horse belonging to Frank and Ethel Mars.  It first came on the market in 1929.
And finally, who said money doesn’t grow on trees, cocoa beans were used as a currency back in the days of the Aztecs and Mayans.

Besides, I’m celebrating the release of Garden of Sorrow, book 4 in my Psychic Vision series this week – with my favorite treat, a big box of chocolates!

Alexis Gordon has spent the last year trying to get over the loss of her sister. Then she goes to work on a normal day…and reality as she knows it…disappears.

Detective Kevin Sutherland, armed with his own psychic abilities, honed by his friend Stefan Kronos, a talented psychic artist and law enforcement consultant. But Kevin has never seen anything like this case – a killer with a personal vendetta to stop Alexis from finding out more about him …and his long dead victims.

The killer can be stopped. He must be stopped. But he’s planning on surviving…even after death.

So how do you indulge? On occasion – and yes, every day could be considered an occasion in my house. Only on big holidays like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day? To celebrate? To wallow? Tell me, what role does chocolate play in your life?

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BIO

Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She’s best known for her Psychic Visions series. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres.  To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series . All her books are available in print format as well.

To find out more about Dale and her books, visit her at http://www.dalemayer.com. Or connect with her online with Twitter at www.twitter.com/dalemayer and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dalemayer.author

 

Books by Dale Mayer

Psychic Vision Series

Tuesday’s Child

Hide’n Go Seek

Maddy’s Floor

Garden of Sorrow – Out December 1, 2012

Single Title Romantic Suspense/thrillers

Touched by Death – out now!

Novellas

It’s a Dog’s Life- romantic comedy

Young Adult Books

In Cassie’s Corner

Dangerous Designs – Book I

Deadly Designs – Book 2 – out now!

Vampire in Denial – Book I of Blood Ties

Vampire in Distress – Book 2!

Gem Stone Mystery Series- out now!

Non-Fiction Books

Career Essentials: The Resume

Career Essentials: The Cover Letter

Career Essentials: The Interview

Career Essentials: 3 in 1

New releases!

I still don’t have much time to stop and play, but it looks like you’ve been having fun with my wonderful guests! Thought I’d poke my head in the door today to tell you about some new releases. Well, they are old releases, actually, but newly packaged into something else. Maybe you missed my stories the first time around and something here might appeal. As my grandmother would say, take a gander at this…

First, for those of you who like to hold a printed book in your hot little hands comes Red Hot Weekend today!

Three stories. One weekend. Hundreds of fantasies to fulfill.

Dare Me by Lexxie Couper

Nothing prepared Emily for the Aussie who strode into her alternative cancer clinic and dared her to cure him. Eight months later, Rob is out of danger…and Emily’s in too deep.

Rob never thought he’d survive, much less fall for his oncologist. The problem? Her Hippocratic Oath hangs between them.



Hidden Fire by Jess Dee

Jenna is all set to spend the weekend wallowing in misery. Instead she’s tied to a chair, knee to knee with the man who broke her heart.

With one chance to show his partner in captivity that his love is real, Garreth methodically, wickedly, sets out to dismantle her defenses. One dirty word at a time.

Lone Heart by Delilah Devlin

Lone Wyatt is in no rush to find his one-and-only, until he spots Charli Kudrow. One look into her haunted eyes, and he’s ready to tear through every objection she can think up.

One killer smile from the cowboy, and Charli feels something she hasn’t felt in a long time—a spark of attraction. Thinking she’ll never see him again, she succumbs to temptation, only to discover that spark is a raging wildfire.

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Samhain

Read an Excerpt from Lone Heart

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Invítame a Entrar

I found this on Amazon last night. Looks like Harlequin has had my short story translated. If any of you are interested in a Spanish ebook edition, it’s here! Sorry I couldn’t get a better quality picture, because it really is kind of pretty, but then, I like keys.

Cuarto relato de 10 Secretos de Seducción.

Era una noche calurosa, en el Barrio Francés, y ella estaba sola en una habitación llena de deseo. Tenía el poder de experimentar las relaciones sexuales desbocadas de la pareja que había en el piso contiguo. Cada uno de sus besos, de sus sensaciones y de sus roces eran reales para ella, tan reales como si estuviera viviéndolos en primera persona. Con una desesperada excitación, llamó inconscientemente, una y otra vez, al hombre de al lado, hasta que él llegó a su puerta y a su cama, sabiendo muy bien lo que ella quería, y sabiendo cómo satisfacerla por completo.

Buy at Amazon

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My daughter just arrived. She’s working on all those mailings I’ve let stack up. If you want some free stuff (go look here for pics), let me know quickly!

Guest Blogger: Randi Alexander (Contest)

New Holiday Release and Book Giveaway

Thanks, Delilah! It’s a pleasure guest blogging with you. I love this site, and I really enjoy chatting with all the readers. At our house, we celebrate Christmas. Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving, the kids are already begging us to get out and chop down a tree. When we remind them that a live tree needs to last until January 6, and we can’t cut one down for another couple of weeks, they start asking to get down the far-too-many boxes of holiday decorations from above the garage.

Last year, to keep this annual pester fest from spoiling the weeks between Thanksgiving and Tree Cutting Day, I came up with a plan. I bought three plastic storage bins and wrote each of their names on one. Then I took down all the boxes of decorations and chose a few things that I knew each of them would like. Placing them in their respective bins, I added suction cup hangers and non-paint removing double-stick tape.

They loved it! They first had to clean their rooms, of course, but surprisingly I didn’t hear the usual whining about that. Then they each spent hours decorated their rooms like tiny little Martha Stewarts, and I even found some short strings of lights for them to frame their window with.

It’s a lot more relaxed here, now that the decorating pressure is off, and I have time to do some writing. I’m part way through the second book in the Cowboy Jackpot series, which will take place on Valentine’s Day. But today, I’m happy to share the blurb, cover art, and an excerpt from Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas. I hope you enjoy it!

Here’s the blurb: A lucky first kiss in front of a Las Vegas slot machine pays off big for bull rider Boone Hancock and New York college student Gigi Colberg-Staub. During the day they spend together as VIP guests of the casino, an intense attraction develops. Throughout the night they share in the big bed of the comped suite, hot, sensual moves ignite wild climaxes.

When Gigi receives a miscommunication, she believes Boone thinks of her as one-night buckle bunny. She confronts him, but Boone convinces himself it’s best for both of them if she goes on believing that, and he lets her walk out of his life. When he realizes his mistake, and then sees the sacrifice Gigi made for him, is it too late to win her back?

Running her hands slowly up his arms, Gigi sighed. “I want to fool around.”

Boone tipped his head back and laughed like a kid. “You’re the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten.” Against the backdrop of the suite’s windows, he reminded her of a package all wrapped in lights.

His hands slid to her butt and he tugged her up.

Holding on to his shoulders, Gieselle balanced herself and wrapped her legs around him. She loved it when he carried her.

“You don’t have to ask this cowboy more than once.” He strode to the bedroom, bent over the bed, and laid her back on it. Lit only by the lights of the strip, the room wrapped around them, romantic and cozy.

Propping his elbows at her side, his face hovered inches from hers, his breath warm on her skin. “Baby, I’ve got plans for you.”

A hot shiver skittered through her. “Plans?”

“Mm hm.” His eyes darkened and his breath came faster. “

She unbuttoned one button of his shirt. “What kind of plans?”

He reached behind his back, tugged off her shoe, and tossed it. “Wicked ones.”

Flicking open another button, she asked, “Hot plans?”

“Yeah. And sticky.” He took her other shoe and threw it, too.

Opening the rest of his buttons, her mouth watered for a lick of his nice pecs. “God, you’re sexy.”

“Baby.” It came out on a growl and he ripped off his cowboy hat and threw it onto a chair. “You’re making me crazy.”

She tugged his shirttails from his jeans. “I want to make you naked.”

With incredible speed, he removed his shirt and leaned back over her. “Your turn.” He slid his hands from her knees down her thighs, his fingers tracing the elastic of her panties around her hips.

The rough calluses on his warm hands rattled lusty heat along her skin and down to her pussy.

Boone gathered her dress under her butt and sat her up, pulling it from under her and up over her head.

He froze, his eyes on her see-through lavender bra. “Oh, jeez.”

His stare puckered her nipples and tingled chills across her breasts. Gieselle laced her fingers through his hat hair, releasing the blond mop. The softness on her fingers tugged at her heart. A rugged cowboy with the sweet personality of a gentleman.

Boone’s mouth covered hers as he laid her back on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, holding on tight. His big prize buckle chilled her belly.

She traced his lips with her tongue and he dove in, his tongue on hers, on her cheeks, tickling the roof of her mouth.

His overpowering strength did fuzzy things to her brain and wild, jittery things to her core. Her hips made tiny circles, cradling his hard shaft through his jeans.

“Gigi.” He whispered against her lips as his hips took up the rhythm of hers.

She scraped her nails lightly down his back. “Boone?”

“When you do that…” His mouth pressed hard and hot on her neck, his teeth nipping, his tongue tracing patterns. Slowly he eased his body lower, dragging his mouth along her skin, tasting as he went.

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, thrusting her breasts closer to him as desire swirled and puddled low in her belly.

His mouth traced the line of her bra across one breast, then the other. “You’re so hot. Your skin is burning my lips.”

“Don’t stop.” Her blood raced through her like solar flares.

“No, ma’am.”

********

I’d love to hear what your favorite part of the holidays is. Is it decorating? Baking? Cooking? Or shopping? I’m giving away an ecopy of one of my backlist books to one lucky commenter.

Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas is available in digital format at Smashwords and Amazon , and in paperback at Createspace and Amazon .

Randi

Randi “Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied”

RandiAlexander.com

-Turn Up the Heat, Chase and Seduction, and Her Cowboy Stud are available at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon

-Cowboy Bad Boys is available in digital format at Smashwords and Amazon and in paperback from Createspace and at Amazon

-Cowboy Lust is available in paperback and Kindle format at Amazon

Winnerz and a Question

I’m on the downhill slide toward THE END with the sequel to Shattered Souls. So, I don’t have time this morning to write a long love note. I’ll keep this simple.

The last winner of The Random Act of Winning Contest is…shauntih! Shauntih, to get your prize of a $5 gift certificate from Amazon.com, you have to email me. Congrats, and I hope to hear from you soon!

The winner of yesterday’s contest gets a free download of either Fournicopia or Five Ways ‘Til Sunday. And that winner is…Janice Hougland! Congrats and email me, Janice!

And here’s today’s burning question. Have fun!

Often times, movie sequels fall short of our expectations. What sequel

do you feel was the best you’ve ever seen?

Snippet Saturday: Celebration (Contest)

It’s been a while since I participated in Lauren Dane’s Snippet Saturday, but I’m back! And won’t you be glad?   I’ll admit it, I’ve been busy. So busy I forgot my Random Act of Winning Contest ended on Thursday! I’ll post the last winner tomorrow, so you still have a chance to win that one!

Today’s theme is celebrations, and since I haven’t written a family occasion like Thanksgiving or a Christmas, I had to think about what I could offer. Well, what better way to celebrate the happiness of a new trio than an orgy? Enjoy!

And if you enter a comment today, you’ll be entered to win a free copy of one of the two prequel books:  Five   Ways ‘Til Sunday or Fournicopia ! (And if you win and already have these stories, we’ll work something out!)

“Wow! A very hot story… This author definitely knows how to pen a scorching and stimulating tale… A very entertaining (and eye-opening) addition to the series.” 5 Stars and Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews

Playing with pain can put you in a world of hurt…or bliss.

Playing switch in front of a La Forge BDSM club audience was supposed to be a one-time fling. A favor for a friend. Instead, when Craig Eason realizes he’s caught the attention of an enigmatic, powerful Dom across the crowded room, he senses this could be the man he’s been looking for to test the boundaries of his own sexuality.

Firefighter Aiden Byrne is a very private man with strong S&M longings he keeps in check for everyone else’s safety. His sub, Jennifer Callum, thinks she likes it rough, but he can’t let go the way he’d like to. Until one defiant stare from the handsome cop on the La Forge stage causes Aiden’s most dangerous needs to uncoil from the deepest, darkest part of his soul.

With the blessing—and active involvement—of his sub, a seduction is set in motion that ends in a scene that shakes them all to the core…

Product Warnings: Contains a powerful, burly firefighter who plans to take everything a hot cop thinks he knows about himself and send it up in smoke. Please replace the batteries in all your smoke detectors before reading this book. Contains scenes with m/m/f, m/m, spanking, flogging, restraints, and one wild orgy of pleasure.

Craig opened the apartment door and stood back while his friends entered—which they did very slowly since every one of them had to do a double take at how he was outfitted this night.

At Aiden’s insistence, Craig wore a studded black collar. His chest was bare, as was the rest of his body except for the leather straps encircling his balls and the base of his erect cock.

Marti pushed past the men, gave Craig’s accoutrements a long stare, then burst out laughing. “Good thing I dressed for this party,” she said, slipping out of the raincoat she wore. Beneath it, she was dressed in a short PVC dress with cutouts around her nipples, which sported two shiny hoops.

Craig glanced down and grinned. “Love them.”

Marti leaned close. “As soon as they’re fully healed, Jackson’s gonna lead me around La Forge by chains attached to my titties.”

Craig’s smile widened and his gaze swung to Jackson.

His friend rolled his eyes. “Her idea. I promise.”

Craig laughed and reached down to pull her close for a hug. His hand clamped on her bottom. “No undies either?”

“Never know what’s gonna happen during one of these initiations.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Ash said, striding past them, Gus following two steps behind. Although his head was bent, he turned his face and winked. “New rules,” he said in an exaggerated whisper.

“Come on in. Get comfortable. There’s finger food in the play room.” He said it with a waggle of his eyebrows, which had everyone trooping inside quickly, Beau and Mondo entering more sedately since they would be without partners tonight. Or so they thought.

Craig grinned, leading the way, aware of Mondo’s deep chuckles as he followed his naked ass. No doubt he’d noted the plug. Craig didn’t mind being the butt of their jokes for a while. Aiden’s orders. Craig and Jenn were eager these days to be dutifully obedient.

They trailed through the bedroom to the playroom, where soft blues guitar played. Inside, votives covered the ledges of the windows. The room was well furnished. The St. Andrew’s cross they’d installed yesterday, built of gleaming mahogany, drew more than one appreciative stare. However, it was the table in the center of the room where they all gathered.

Craig leaned down and gave Jenn a kiss.

“Stop it,” she said under her breath. “I’m supposed to be furniture. Do you kiss wood?”

“Only if it’s Aiden’s,” he murmured.

Her chuckles were shallow, of necessity, because the cherry tomatoes sitting in the center of her belly threatened to roll away. “Don’t make me laugh.”

Craig’s gaze wandered the room and found Aiden, dressed in his leather pants, looking cool and contained. His dark gaze gave Craig a last warning a moment before he strolled to where Jenn lay atop the leather-padded table. Her arms were stretched above her head, a spreader bar attached to wrist restraints. Below, another bar kept her legs opened. Something the men all took a moment to admire. A mound of a cream-cheese dip lay atop her sex. Crackers and raw vegetables fanned out on the table around her hips. Carrots protruded from between her vaginal lips in a crude fringe, their bases just inside her cunt. Her breasts were covered in thick whipped cream with halved strawberries standing in the stiffened folds. Sandwiches were on a side table.

Craig had spent an hour laying out Jenn and the food to make sure everything was just right. He opened the large, round barrel beside the table and drew out beers for his friends. The men uncapped their bottles and lifted them to Craig, then to Aiden, who dipped his head in acknowledgement of their thanks for the evening.

Marti glanced at Jenn’s breasts. “I really love strawberries,” she said, her tone filled with yearning.

Jackson reached over, plucked a standing strawberry and stroked it over Jenn’s nipple to coat it in whipped cream. “Don’t deny yourself.”

Marti’s eyes sparkled as she took the bite, but apparently that wasn’t what she really wanted. She bent over the table, licking at the cream and munching on berries planted directly over Jenn’s nipples while her skirt rode up in the back, exposing her nude backside and pussy.

“I see what you mean,” Aiden murmured next to Craig’s ear. He snuck his arm around Craig’s waist, and his clothed cock nudged against Craig’s ass.

“Things could get a little wild,” Craig warned.

“So long as everyone respects the rules.”

“They’re our rules,” Craig said, a shiver working its way down his spine when Aiden nuzzled the corner of his neck. “No fucking the women once you’re committed.”

“Kind of convenient for the men, don’t you think?”

“It is, isn’t it?” Craig said, giving him a teasing sideways glance. “It’s a good thing we invited more players.”

Aiden slid his hand down and gripped Craig’s cock. “This is mine.”

Craig’s chest eased. “Goes both ways.”

Aiden grunted, but his head nodded against Craig.

The doorbell rang.

Aiden patted his ass. “Answer it.”

Craig steeled himself for what was to come. He didn’t know either of the new guests well. Certainly not well enough to parade around nude in front of them outside the safe environs of the club, but he, Jenn and Aiden had committed themselves to each other. Declared theirs a closed partnership. So far, the arrangement had served Aiden well, and Craig and Jenn were both learning that a happy Aiden was a very generous one too.

Craig’s backside had the welts to prove it.

Craig drew a deep breath and swung open the door. A short blonde with a pixie face greeted him with a wide grin. “Looks like I’m at the right place.”

“Welcome, Pansy. Follow the noise.”

Beyond her, Craig noted the last of the invited guests striding down the corridor toward their apartment door.

Billy Sorensen’s steps faltered. He began to shake his head. The tall, hulking blond was dressed casually in blue jeans and a University of Tennessee T-shirt. He lowered his eyebrows as he approached the door.

“Welcome to our home,” Craig said easily, gritting his teeth because Billy’s gaze shot to his cock and stayed there. “Not polite to stare,” he muttered.

Billy shoved the wine bottle he held toward Craig. “And walking around with your dick hanging out is? Jesus Christ.”

* * * * *

Be sure to check out the snippets on these other authors’ blogs:

Lissa Matthews

Rhian Cahill

Leah Braemel

Myla Jackson

Caris Roane

Jody Wallace

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

HelenKay Dimon

TJ Michaels

Shiloh Walker

Eliza Gayle

Lauren Dane

Guest Blogger: Vivi Andrews

Odd Man Out

The holiday season is here, and at Casa Andrews that means food, frolic, and, most of all, family.  This Christmas we’ll be setting a table for nineteen – and I couldn’t be more excited.  To me, the holidays are always richer and even the food tastes better when there are swarms of loved ones making the days merry (and noisy) and bright.

Ah, family, the people who love you even when they think you’re crazy.  Take my sister and me.  She’s a nester – hearth and home the focus of all her energy – and I’m a nomad, always anticipating my next shiny new adventure.  She thinks I’m nuts because I’d rather take a trip to Turkey than make a down payment on a nice little house somewhere.  We have the same source material and grew up in the same house, but somehow we always seem to be coming at life from opposite directions. 

Do you ever look at your family and think that one of you just has to be a changeling?

That’s exactly how Mia, the heroine of my new release Finder’s Keeper, feels about her family.  She’s a scientist, dominated by logic and surrounded by people she loves who live their lives by superstition and emotion.  She can’t seem to figure out how she fits in, until she meets Chase, a sexy psychic who somehow manages to act as her bridge to her family, in spite of the fact that he’s been avoiding everything related to family attachments ever since he lost his own.

Who knew a pretend relationship was just what these two needed to find out where they really fit is each other arms?  (Pause for schmaltzy sigh. Awwww.) 

Love isn’t a science. It’s pure chemistry.

Karmic Consultants, Book 6

True love? For neuroscientist Dr. Mia Corregianni, it’s just an unproven hypothesis. But when she loses the heirloom watch her family believes is enchanted with a potent love spell, she fights superstition with superstition by hiring a psychic finder to track it down.

Chase Hunter is a human compass, homing in on whatever the seeker wants most—that is, when he isn’t surfing or actively avoiding anything resembling a real human attachment. Such has been his life since an accident took his family.

Unfortunately, Mia’s case isn’t a simple insta-Find. The catch? To disguise his real mission from her romance-crazy family, he has to pretend to be her boyfriend. He could deal with that if her complicated emotions weren’t blocking his abilities—or if her innermost desires weren’t walloping him upside the head every time he opens himself to his gift.

As the case wears on, their fake romance begins to feel all too real. Scary stuff for a man who’s reluctant to let himself live again. And a woman who doesn’t believe in magic…or love.

Warning: This book contains meddling grandmothers, magic watches, and a surfer with a body so hot it can teach any scientist the true meaning of chemistry.

Now available from Samhain, Kindle, & Nook.

Bio: An Alaskan girl born and raised, Vivi Andrews still lives in the frozen north when she isn’t indulging her travel addiction.  The award-winning author of sixteen paranormal romance novels and novellas including the popular Serengeti Shifter series, she is currently hard at work on her next supernatural happily-ever-after.  Learn more about Vivi and her books at http://www.viviandrews.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viviandrews

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViviAndrews