Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 490

Guest Blogger: Mahalia Levey

I haven’t forgotten about the contest announcement. I overbooked friends on this blog, so I’ll post the name of the winner and details about the next contest tonight! ~DD

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Re-Releasing and a Character Interview

I’ve recently come into rights for a few of my very first releases. Upon receiving the rights back I’ve mulled over what I wanted to do. Of course I want them available for purchase…but as my own? Or released with another publisher?

Therein lay a conundrum.

I won’t pretend that I’ve been around long enough to say I’m ready to self publish. The idea was tempting at first but I have more learning to do and continual growth to plot. Not that I haven’t been learning the past few years. Meeting authors and taking classes has been both a joy and a great continual educational experience.

I come from a degree in Respiratory Therapy where continued education is a state requirement. Finding low cost or free classes weren’t hard at all. There are a multitude of loops and sites that offer core classes on craft honing. When I learned this I jumped on the bandwagon and gobbled up as much as I could. Some classes didn’t lead me more into my voice but in totality all of the classes combined helped me find my voice. My point is…

Because of those classes, when I re-read my first works, I found myself repositioning passages and phrases in my head, looked at how the plotting was put together and like a new puzzle I was eager to jump in and re-create the characters I’d come to love so much.

I wrote Briar’s Champion a sweet revenge love short, when my sister was at St. Luke’s Hospital having a quadruple by-pass. I needed some way to expel the worry and stress on what could happen. My faith was a bit shaken although I prayed every day. My adoptive sister Shannan and I stayed every night at the hospital for a week and then every other night after the surgery for another week.

Briar Thompson has it all, the perfect boyfriend, and the future that promises to bear fruit, until betrayal emerges and she’s forced to face reality. When all hope is gone, what chances are there of having the happily ever after?

Sloan Gutiérrez is a strong man who appreciates all women. After buying the professional baseball team called The Devils, he arrives in town to set up his home. In his lifestyle the ‘real thing’ is elusive and gold digging women are on the prowl. The last thing he expects is to fall for the first woman he meets.

Releasing from Secretcravings Publishing 06/18

Come Meet Sloan, he’s been kind enough to stop in for a chat and tell us some about himself.

We decide to settle on my deck where the sun is shining and there’s a nice breeze. Sloan’s made himself as comfortable in my house as he is in my head, and hands me a nice glass of tea…decaffeinated since he knows all too well I can’t have any stimulants and he sports a cool bottle of Miller Light. I’m sure he’ll tear into me later for not having what he considers the God of all beers in my fridge.

He’s charming with his dark brown eyes and lanky form, wearing a pair of jeans and a V-neck tee.

“So let’s get this party started.” He says while taking a swig out of the bottle. I notice how he brushes off the condensation  from the sweaty bottle.

“All right. Can you tell the readers what you do for a living?”

“You should know better than to start a question like that…what if I said no.” Sloan chuckles and drops down into a patio char next to me, winks and takes a second swig. “I own a Baseball team.”

I decide to change my tactics. “So…would you consider yourself a hands on owner, or the cash cow?” Okay so he looks a bit offended. I grin.

“I’m a hands on guy in all situations.”  He leaves it like that and I know I’ll be sporting a headache later or paying for the insulting question. Men!

“What is your favorite movie?” He mulls for a second, brings a hand to his brow leaving me in suspense. “Field of Dreams.”

“Iffff you build it they will come.”

“It’s a baseball movie Ma Hale Ya. Better than your obsession with all Nicolas Sparks movies. Ya’ll have no idea of the shyte we’re forced to watch during one of her many moods. Although…  The Lucky One wasn’t half bad.” I decide to be oh so mature and roll my eyes.

“How did you meet Briar?” I don’t miss how his brown eyes brighten when her name is brought up. He’s a sap, even if he refuses to admit it.

“We met at a bar. I know it’s cliché and you chicks don’t think you can meet a good guy in bar but here’s proof that ya’ll are wrong— sometimes.”

I like how he escaped the hang-man’s noose with the wrong sometimes line.

“What is your favorite thing about Briar?”

“She isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I admire her guts in being straight forward.”

I don’t know too many guys who like that trait. Each to their own though I won’t say so outloud.

“What does Briar do to drive you crazy in a good or bad way?”

“Briar has this perfume. Don’t know what’s in it. I forget everything when she walks past me and the breeze carries that particular scent. She knows too, I’ll be in the middle of a business meeting and she’ll come in. Since then she’s been forbidden to wear that scent to my offices.”

“Favorite Beer?”

“Hefeweizen?”

“Hefe what?” I’ve never heard of that brand.

“Come on Hales, you drink that fruity crap. Loopy Vodka and sprite.”

“Yeah well it tastes like fruit loops cereal. Ya know the milk in the bowl after all the cereal is gone.”

“You stick to your fufu drinks and I’ll stick to the beers.” At least he isn’t grimacing while downing the inferior bottle I have on hand. To me beer is beer.

 Now for some more interesting questions…. “Do you sing in the shower?”

“When I’m alone.” He winks and doesn’t elaborate. Damn the man. Inquiring minds and all.

“What’s your idea of a perfect romantic date?”

“Before I answer… I’ll give you two scenarios. Don’t want anyone thinking I’m a cheap bastard.” He sets his beer down and braces his arms on his thighs. “I enjoy a romantic dinner, wooing, candle light. Briar likes the arts, gallery shows, theater, ballet, we attend different events.”

“Why would that make you a cheap bastard?” I ask for clarification.

“Woman, I wasn’t done yet. Hang tight. “I also enjoy a quiet night at home, some rented movies and popcorn with Briar’s head on my lap while we watch in the comfort of our place. She goes crazy when I scratch her scalp, purrs like a well fu- feed kitten.”

I caught the word change. Good save.That made me blush but damn I hear them fornicating in my head so why it brings heat to my face now I haven’t a clue. “Soooo what kind of music do you listen to?”

“Latin music, country, rock. I’m game to most everything. When I played Headstrong was my song when they threw my stats up on the boards.”

I take a sip to ease my parched throat and go in for the gold. “Who, living or dead, would be your hero if you have one?”

“My brother Sam died protecting our country. He is one of the fallen heroes.”

I know personally how much his brother meant to him and how his death molded Sloan into the man he is now.

“Here’s a fun one. Tell us a little bit about your author. Where can we find more of her works? And If you could offer your author advice, what would it be? The sadness leaves his face and he grins evilly. “She is a nut. A sweet nut but a nut none the less, has no directional ability even with the fancy GPS navigation system on her cell phone. It’s voice activated and has a picture plotting the course and she still gets lost. She’s good at letting us tell our story instead of making all decisions for us like we’re children. You can find her on social media or her website www.mahalialevey.com.”

“Thanks for the praise.” I preen under his positive attitude.

And he wasn’t done. Beer loosens his tongue like wine loosens a woman’s. “We know what kind of day she’s having by her choice of play list.” He chuckles and picks back up his beer. “How is the bedroom advice going?”

I of course have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Have you ever lost control? And what was the outcome? “I fired a pitcher and broke his nose during televised media broadcasting.”

“Bad man.”

“Yeah. So sue me.” He drained his beer. “Gotta dash doll. It’s been real. Got a meeting to make. Thanks for the brew. I’ll send you some of mine to keep on hand for next time.” Sloan stood and slipped on his glasses.

“Your car service is here for you.”

“They buzzed my cell. I didn’t answer since I promised you full attention.” Sloan gave me a salute and hopped over the deck railing. I can def see why Briar was mesmerized by him.

This concludes our interview. Thanks  DD for hosting me

You can find me at www.mahalialevey.com

www.twitter.com/hales3000

Facebook- Search Mahalia Levey.

Guest Blogger: Selena Robins

10 Things Guys Would NOT Say to Each Other

Here are my top 10 phrases which I doubt two guys would say to each other (or maybe I’m wrong).

1. Did you catch Dr. Phil today?

2. I’m tired of beer and wings, let’s make some Cosmopolitans and cut up some veggies.

3. No, yours is way bigger than mine.

4. Do you want all my tools?

5. Let’s go to the mall.

6. It’s nippy out there, come on in and I’ll make us some tea.

7. I wish those Victoria Secret models would cover up more, they’re not leaving anything to the imagination.

8. Not into shoot em’ up movies, let’s see if there’s a good flick on Lifetime.

9. Let’s take that quiz online and see which character we are. My friends think I’mCharlotte, but I think I’m more like Carrie.

10. Do these jeans make my ass look too big?

Please feel free to add your thoughts and what you think is taboo in man-speak land.

Speaking of men, it’s that time of year again…Spring—When a Bachelor’s fancy turns to…Cheesy Pick-up Lines

I don’t believe guys really use pick up lines any longer, but I thought it would be fun to list 10 cheesy lines that some bachelor in an alternate universe may be using. However, I do think us gals have been the recipient of a cheesy line at one time or another in our lives, some of them were funny, hey, some may even have worked for a few of you perhaps?

My Top 10 Cheesy Pick-up Lines:

1. Do you want to have breakfast? Should I call you or nudge you?

2. Are those space pants? Because your ass is out of this world.

3. Love the color of your dress; it would look great on my floor.

4. There’s something wrong with my cell phone. It doesn’t have your phone number in it.

5. You’re so damn hot; I’d marry your brother just to get in your family.

6. If this bar is a meat market, then I’d have to say you must be the prime rib.

7. Stop, drop, and roll, baby, because you are on fire.

8. Is there an airport nearby or is that just my heart taking off?

9. Your daddy must have been a baker, because you’ve got a nice set of buns.

10. I’m new in town. Could you give me directions to your place?

Gals, please feel free to share any lines you may have heard.

Guys, if you delivered a line, please feel free to share as well. We promise we won’t judge….much.

About Selena Robins:

Selena Robins writes genre-defying romances, with a sprinkle of mystery, suspense, heavy on the comedy, plenty of snap on the dialogue and heavy on the steam for the sexy. A chocolate guru, Selena loves to dance with her dog, sing into her hairbrush and write in her PJ’s. In love with her family, friends, books, laughter, hockey, debating and red wine (sometimes all at the same time). Selena loves writing sassy heroines and hot heroes (the ones your mama warned you about, but secretly wished she’d dated a few in her life.

To learn more about Selena Robins and her books, you can visit her website at: https://selenarobins.com/ or stop by and chat with her on her blog: http://selenarobinsmusings.com/

Sunday Report Card

The Two Book “Two-fer” Contest

Don’t forget! This contest ends on Tuesday. For details of what you have to do to win and which prizes are up for grabs, go to my Contest page!

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Sunday Report Card

If you’ve stopped by recently, you know I have a very full work agenda through January 2, 2013. Every time I count, I remember something else I committed to doing, so the list expands. I began this surge on May 1st. I thought it was 12 projects which made me nervous enough, but it’s actually 18. Luckily enough, I’ve stuck to my plan. 4 projects are already complete.

The current list looks like this:

4 full-length novels (2 paranormal suspense, 2 BDSM)

3 2 novellas (1 Delta Heat, 1 Lone Star Lover, 1 TBD) — Delta Heat: Fournicopia, done!

3 2 short stories — Red Dawn, done!

2 anthologies I have to edit (Wild at Heart, Smokin’ Hot Firemen)

4 novels to extensively edit & expand (it’s a secret!)

1 novella to extensively edit and publish — Dragon’s Desire, done!

1 short story anthology to edit and publish — Licks, done!

I’m making progress at last on the paranormal novel for Montlake. Starting Monday, I’ll begin work on the next Western for Samhain. It won’t be part of the Lone Star Lovers series, will be longer, category length, I think, and not menage, but it will still be plenty sexy with a suspenseful damsel-in-distress plot with a small-town Texas sheriff that will keep you turning the pages. I’ll be reading through more Wild at Heart submissions, too. So if you see me playing around online, be stern with me. Tell my I better have my pages done for the day FIRST!

Y’all have a great week!

Simple Delights

I have one of those mini-books you find in the book store by the counters. It’s tiny, maybe 3″ by 3″. I don’t know why I bought it. It must have been my Writers’ ADHD (WADD–if it’s not an actual affliction, it ought to be!). I hate waiting in lines, and my eyes are always going to the racks of things they place strategically close to the counters for impulse buys. It has a sparkly cover, so I was sunk. This little treasure is entitled, The Woman’s Book of Simple Delights.

So, I’m going to open the book at random and pick out a “simple delight”. I need something to take my mind off what’s coming. Today’s going to be stressful. My mother decided to host the local art guild Plein Air event—it’s an outdoor event where painters set up their easels and paint the day away. It’s kind of like a writers’ “write-in” only writers are smarter. We meet at a coffee shop with AC running. These poor artists will be trying to find shade in 90 degree weather to paint their masterpieces. Okay, I’m not being snide. I think it’s really nice. I just can’t imagine taking my laptop outside on a day like today, but to each his or her own.

Let’s see, a simple delight… Okay, here’s one. Practice writing your name repeatedly with a fountain pen. Huh? I collect fountain pens, so that part’s nice. But what delight do I get from writing my name? Maybe when I was ten years old and dotting my I’s with hearts!

Can you think of some better simple delights? Maybe we should collect our own favorite secret delights and publish them ourselves!

Guest Blogger: Jasmine Haynes

I decided to go a little out there, and I’ve started a “hotwifing” series. Most of you are probably asking what hotwifing is!  I had to ask the same question when a friend of mine told me that several of my Courtesans stories were about hotwifing. And here’s the explanation: it’s where the woman in the relationship steps out with other men, but her husband (or boyfriend) doesn’t have other women. Nope, it’s all one-sided in the woman’s favor. Often she’ll come home to tell hubby all about it. They’ll most likely have some really hot sex reliving her experience. Of course, the couple has to have rules, things they can and can’t do, etc. If you want a much better explanation than I’ve just given, you can read my friend’s book: Hotwifing by Cody Alston. She does a much better job of it than I just did.

I found the concept very interesting. I fell into it by accident. I was writing the Courtesans Tales (specifically Triple Play in Yours for the Night) and since the heroines in those stories are paid courtesans, I figured they were going to have to do far more kinky things than I’d written so far. But for some reason, I just couldn’t let the hero in my story have sex with another woman. See, my heroine was supposed to be his total focus, and it diminished her if he actually wanted someone else. So I decided that he enjoyed watching her with other men. Sometimes he participated, but sometimes he simply got off on her pleasure. Then they had fabulous sex afterward. Even when she was with other men, she did it for him, to give him pleasure, always thinking about what would make him hot. I had a lot of fun writing that story, and others with the same theme: the woman has more than one partner, but the man doesn’t. In a way, it could be any woman’s dream, she gets all the pleasure, but she doesn’t have to share her man. I just don’t think women are built to share, but some men are.

So now I’ve started the West Coast Hotwifing series. It’s set in the business world because I was an accountant in manufacturing for years, so that’s what I know. And boy, are there are a lot of naughty things going on at this little company I’ve created. The first story up in the series is Revenge Sex. Here, we’ve got a hotwife who can’t follow the rules. And we’ve got another woman who’d love to take her place. Who’s going to get the man in the end?! I’ve also completed the second book, Submitting to the Boss. This one’s got hotwifing and a bit of BDSM! You can read more about Revenge Sex at http://amzn.to/tQ6E4g and Submitting to the Boss at http://amzn.to/H0Cpco.

Be sure to drop by my blog, www.jasminehaynes.blogspot.com, for more excerpts. I’m also joining a new blog with a bunch of lovely slutty ladies. Starting today, May 18th, we’re going to have two weeks of great giveaways, so I hope you’ll stop by http://69shadesofsmut.wordpress.com/ to learn all about us!

TWO WILD FOR TEACHER is ready for Pre-order!

Night before last, Two Wild finally showed up on Amazon. The book releases on May 29th. If you click on the cover, you can head to Amazon and pre-order your copy. If you’re waiting to purchase it, I’d still love for you to head over there and click on the “like” button and the “tag this product” buttons too! Every click helps other readers find the book. Thanks!

Hope you enjoy the excerpt! And if you’re worried that this is book 6 in the series, the only other Lone Star Lovers book that is related to this one that you might want to read first to learn more about the Logan brothers, is A Four-Gone Conclusion. ~DD

It’s double the trouble when two ornery cowboys come courtin’, Texas-style…

Lone Star Lovers, Book 6

Sam Logan’s hell-raising twin sons have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. All of it earned. When it becomes clear those two troublemakers won’t settle down without another nudge—make that a boot to their butts—Sam reissues his challenge. Find a wife.

There’s only one woman who’s ever held Mace and Jason Logan’s attention for more than one night. Molly Pritchet, their former teacher. She’s been too worried about a pesky morals clause to let them close, but they’re older now and ready to prove to her that some rules are meant to be broken.

Molly thought her path was clear: always a teacher, never a mother or a wife. Until she finds those two Logan “boys” in her backyard, all grown up and digging around in her business. More accurately, starting her koi pond for her without asking. Well, it’s about time someone taught the Logan twins some manners.

A little mud, a lot of yearnings she thought she’d suppressed, and Molly realizes she’s the one being schooled in the art of indulging in forbidden desires.

Warning: Two hot-as-sin twins romance their former high school teacher. Things are bound to get down and dirty quick as two bad boys tag team to sweep one curvy, sexy woman off her feet.

After being teased by Mace and Jason Logan, Mollie’s rooting in the back of her bedroom closet for her vibrator…

When she was on her tiptoes atop the cushioned seat, reaching to the farthest corner, she heard a sound coming from her backyard. A metallic chink, then a soft masculine curse.

Curious, she leaned back and tugged her lace curtains to open them just a couple inches and peered down through the branches of the mimosa tree, into her yard. The sight that greeted her caused her breath to hitch.



The twins stood in her backyard, in the center of the area she’d neatly staked and tied with twine to define the place she intended to put her koi pond. And they’d made a mess. Clumps of turf lay beside the big hole they’d dug. Water ran freely from a hose into the middle of a muddy pit. The black pool liner she’d bought and left leaning against the garage had been dragged beside the hole.

Anger flushed another kind of heat through her veins, and she climbed off the stool, hurried to the bathroom for her robe, and then she was stomping down her stairs to the sliding glass door, which she slammed open with all her righteous anger.

Two begrimed faces turned her way. Before she let herself think better of her plan, she was standing in front of them with her sheer bathrobe flapping in a breeze and staring at two broad, naked muddy chests. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked, trying to temper her voice, because she didn’t want neighbors hearing her screeching like a banshee.

Mace’s gaze raked over her body. “Wishin’ I had x-ray vision,” he drawled.

Molly scowled and clutched the lapels of her robe in one hand. “I’m talking about this!” she said, waving her other hand at the rapidly filling hole.

Mace shrugged. “Dirt was too hard. And since we couldn’t find a pick or a backhoe in your garage—”

“You think I’d have a backhoe?”

“Or a pick…”

“You were rummaging through my garage?” she said, her voice raising.

“It wasn’t locked.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why are you digging up my yard?”

“We saw the stakes, found the pool that fits the space you marked off…” He shrugged again, a little smile tilting up the corners of his mouth as he gave her body another sly once-over.

She hoped like hell the bright sunshine wasn’t giving him that x-ray vision. “I don’t need your help. And now I have a huge mess—”

Jason cleared his throat, pulling her attention to a sharp, crystal gaze alight with amusement. “It only looks like a mess ’cause of the mud. But actually, we have more dug here than you can see.”

Molly gaped at both men, covered in sweat and dirt, but somehow still looking more attractive than she could stand. She felt moisture pool beneath her feet and glanced down at the hose still gurgling water into the pit they’d dug. Before she could suppress the urge, she bent and picked it up, pressed her thumb over the end to increase the pressure and aimed it at Jason, spraying him with water.

His eyes closed and he stood in the stream, water running off his face to his chest and soaking his jeans.

Mace erupted in laughter, but quickly shut up the moment she turned the hose on him. When he lifted a foot to climb out of the hole, he slipped and landed on his butt in the middle of the muddy pool.

Elation filled her and she laughed, still spraying. But Jason climbed on his hands and knees, over the edge, toward her. She dropped the hose and turned to make a run for it, but he caught the hem of her bathrobe, and jerked it toward him.

Her feet slipped beneath her and she began to fall backward…into a pair of strong arms which wrapped around her and carried her down to one side of the muddy pit, to soft, gooey ground—with those same arms buffeting the fall.

When she caught her breath, she was covered head to toe by one very wet, very amused man. Mud oozed between her toes and beneath the back of her robe, and both lapels had pulled apart. Although his body shielded her from view, nothing stood between their naked chests.

Jason leaned to one side and lifted one finger.

Her eyes nearly crossed watching it descend toward her face.

He pushed up her glasses. “Seems we got ourselves a situation here,” he drawled, settling on his elbows to take a little of his weight off her.

She opened her mouth to demand he move, but then Mace sauntered into view to take up a position leaning against her back porch to watch the couple in the muddy hole. If Jason did move, both men would have an unencumbered view of her torso.

Molly became aware of every sensation: the heavy chest pressing against her stiff nipples, the jut of his jeans-enclosed sex against her mound. She swallowed hard. “Seems we do. I…apologize for acting like a crazy woman.”

Jason grunted and his chest jerked against hers. “You’re not sorry.”

Knowing she was at a distinct disadvantage, she nevertheless lifted her chin. “It’s just plain rude to disagree with me. I’m trying to handle this delicately.”

“Only handlin’ to be done will be done by me—and Mace here, if you ask real pretty.”

Guest Blogger: Sheri Whitefeather (Contest!)

Contest from Sheri Whitefeather!  Leave a comment for a chance to win

a free download of THE VAMPIRE PENDANT e-book and a Gothic cross keychain

to ward off vampires (or simply keep them under control, if you prefer. )

Two winners will be chosen at random.

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FIRST TIMES. . .

Thank you, Delilah, for having me as a guest blogger.  I’m thrilled to be here and have to say how much I love your clever tag-line (Get in Bed with Delilah.  Everyone else has!).   I’m sure you hear that all the time, but it always makes me smile.

I’m celebrating the release of my 40th book, but it’s also my first self-published project, as well as my first vampire-themed story.  Lots of firsts!  So, that’s my subject for the day.  Other firsts that all of us can share.   Ready.  Set.   Here’s mine.

First childhood memory:  I was two years old, and I was with my sister, Lanie, and Nonna (our-great grandmother from Italy).   I was chewing gum and I took it out of my mouth and tucked it into the dirt of a nearby potted plant.  I then laughed my fool head off, thinking it was the funniest thing ever.

First crush:  It was kindergarten and his name was Bruce.  I don’t remember anything else about him.  My first celebrity crushes:  Herman (Peter Noone) from Herman’s Hermits and Monkee Davy Jones (may he rest in cutie-pie peace).

First car I ever drove:  A 1969 Firebird convertible.   Fun!

First movie that made me cry:  Bambi

First song that made me swoon:  I think we’re alone now by Tommy James & the Shondells.   I was about nine years old when it came out (way before Tiffany’s version) and I imagined myself running off with a boy when I got older, much like in the lyrics.

First time I had sex (yikes!):  I was a teenager and his name was Dean.  And, yes, I remember more about him than I do about kindergarten Bruce!

First mentor:  This would be my theater make-up instructor in college.  He boosted my confidence and made me feel smart and savvy and creative.  My other mentors would be the throng of teachers who told me that I should be a writer.   I was quite young during those experiences and didn’t understand that they were mentoring me because I didn’t want to be a writer then.  The writing bug didn’t hit until I was in my thirties.

First muse:   A man known to my readers as the Online Warrior.   He is a romantic friend (yum!) and an artist and art model.   In fact, I keep one of his modeling nudes beside my computer.  Other people have inspired me, but not the way he does.  If you’re curious to see him, here’s a link    http://cheriefeather.blogspot.com/2011/11/online-warrior.html  where I posted his naked image.  You’ll also see that I plan to write a series of books he inspired.

First books I raved about:  When I was a kid, it was WYKNEN, BYNKEN AND NOD.  In my teenage years, it was two classics–THE SCARLET LETTER and TARZAN OF THE APES.  In my twenties, THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT by Sidney Shelton, CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR by Jean M.  Auel,  and RICH MAN POOR MAN by Irwin Shaw.   In my thirties, A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR by Jude Deveraux .  In my forties, Kathleen Eagle’s FIRE AND RAIN and Lucia St. Clair Robson’s heart-torturing epic RIDE THE WIND.  And, finally, in my fifties, it would be Suzanne Collins’s HUNGER GAMES trilogy.

Now onto my current release:

THE VAMPIRE PENDANT is the first book in the Blood Genies series,  erotic romance novellas featuring vampire hybrids (genies/vampires) living inside antique jewelry and taking blood in exchange for granting wishes.

As a teenager, Tessa Clarins was damaged by a fire, and now the scarred twenty-five-year-old virgin has been made beautiful by a wish.   But there’s a catch.  Tessa’s wish is only temporary, and so is her affair with Anthony Dumont, the wildly romantic “gen-vamp” feasting on her veins and stealing her innocence.  Night after night Tessa puts her heart on the line.  But so does Anthony, leaving sex, love, and secrets in his blood-hungry wake.

Purchase at Amazon

Purchase at Barnes and Noble

Happy wishes, everyone!

www.sheriwhiteather.com

A Winner…and a New Contest!

It’s morning, and I just caught myself in mid-yawn. Yesterday was cram-jam-packed with work. Today will be more of the same. I’m determined to get a couple of things off my humongous list this week! So no time for a lot of chit-chat. Here goes.

Out with the old, in with the new.

The winner (by random number generator) of The Glass Art Pendant Contest is…Rana Adams! Congratulations, Rana! Be sure to send me an email with your snail mail address so I can get this into the mail for you!

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The Two Book “Two-fer” Contest

What can you win?

The following two books. Click on the covers to read more about them.

How can you win them?

Post a comment on any blog posting from today until the contest ends. Each entry counts as another chance to win!

This contest ends in one week, May 22nd!!

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To start the conversation, here’s a question…

Is public nudity beautiful or inappropriate?

Reminder: Call for Submissions — SMOKIN’ HOT FIREMEN

Just a reminder! The deadline for submissions is a month away! Please pass this along to all your writer friends out there! ~DD

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Smokin’ Hot Firemen: Firefighter Romance Stories

Editor: Delilah Devlin

Publisher: Cleis Press in Summer 2013

Deadline: June 15, 2012 (although sooner is better!)

Smokin’ Hot Firemen is open to all authors.

Editor Delilah Devlin is looking for hetero firefighter stories for a romantic erotica anthology tentatively entitled Smokin’ Hot Firemen: Firefighter Romance Stories.

A firefighter is one of those iconic heroes who inspire a jumble of sexy images at just the mention of the word—a soot-covered face, sweat dripping from hard, chiselled muscles, the sexy snap of suspenders—yes, only a fireman can make suspenders sexy!

Smokin’ Hot Firemen will seek stories that satisfy the reader who craves the romantic idea of that soot-covered, smokin’-hot man while exploring stories set in American cities and small towns, as well as international settings. The stories will be contemporary. While traditional themes are likely to be featured, writers are encouraged to imagine greater in order to create tales that, while featuring this iconic hero, may also surprise.

Think about the big-city firehouse, teaming with sexy firemen, responding to a high-rise fire; firefighters arriving at the scene of an accident to pry a victim from a burning car; a strong, sexy man carrying a child from a burning house… All heroic acts we expect from our local heroes. Then think about the smoke-jumper parachuting into the hot zone of a forest fire; the sexy rancher next door, who’s also a volunteer firefighter, responding to an out-of-control brush fire; or even an oil-rig worker whose extra duty is to respond to a catastrophe on a rig in the middle of the ocean…

Then imagine the romantic possibilities of being held against that massively muscled chest by a man whose mission is to protect and serve…

Published authors with an established firehouse world may use that setting for their original short story.

The stories may be as kinky or vanilla as the writer wants—but a deep sensuality should linger in every word. Exotic locations and scenarios are welcome. Keep in mind there must be a romantic element with a happy-for-now or happy-ever-after ending. Strong plots, engaging characters and unique twists are the ultimate goal. Please no reprints. We are seeking original stories.

How to submit: Prepare your 1,500 to 4,500 words story in a double-spaced, Arial, 12 point, black font document with pages numbered (.doc, NOT.docx) OR rich text format. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) is required.

In your document at the top left of the page, include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 words or less bio in the third person to smokinhotfiremen@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Authors may submit up to 2 stories. Delilah will respond in September 2011. The publisher has final approval over the stories included in the manuscript.

Payment will be $50.00 USD and two copies of the published book upon publication.

About the editor: Ms. Devlin has published over a hundred erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths. Her published print titles include Into the Darkness, Seduced by Darkness, Darkness Burning, Darkness Captured, Down in Texas, Texas Men, Ravished by a Viking, and Enslaved by a Viking. Her short stories are featured in Zane’s Purple Panties, and Cleis Press’s Lesbian Cowboys, Girl Crush, Fairy Tale Lust, Lesbian Lust, Passion, Carnal Machines, Dream Lovers, and Best Erotic Romance. She is published by Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, Atria/Strebor, Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing, and Berkley. In Fall 2011, she debuted her first anthology with Cleis Press, Girls Who Bite. In 2012, Cleis Press will release She Shifters and Cowboy Lust.

Direct any questions you have regarding your story or the submission process to Delilah at smokinhotfiremen@gmail.com.

Guest Blogger: Suleikha Snyder (Contest)

Thanks so much, Delilah, for having me as a guest! And, don’t worry, I came alone — I didn’t bring my voices! Many authors talk about how their characters “speak” to them, and there’s frequently that teasing back-and-forth argument you have with a scene you’re currently writing: “Stop that. I’m in charge. Go sit in the corner.” I’ve certainly felt that way on more than one occasion. But I also have other voices: when I’m reading aloud!

Recently, I engaged in my first-ever public appearances as an author — reading from my debut Samhain novella, Spice and Smoke. Set completely in India and featuring an all-Indian cast of characters, it’s hardly text that matches my high-pitched, Valley Girl-Betty Boop patter. Let’s face it: I’m a tiny little Indian-American chick who cusses like a longshoreman. Bollywood hero or heroine, I’m not! But my third person narration, at least in my head, is that of a warm, husky, Indian accent…and the voices of my leads — from Avinash Kumar’s rough rumble to Michael Gill’s more casual mix of British and Indian — are distinct as well.

So, when I got up to the microphone, first at NYC’s Happy Ending lounge for Ravenous Nights (ravenous.journurl.com), and then at Madame X for Lady Jane’s Salon, I read in accents. Yup, I did voices. And, I’ll be frank, you never know if you’re going to sink or swim until you’re in the middle of it, praying people are engaged or laughing or fanning themselves. My dialogue, fortunately, offers a lot of cues. Many multilingual Indians effortlessly blend their languages, throwing a little Hindi into their English and vice versa — and I utilized that in my writing. When you’re dropping in a “yaar” (pal/buddy, sort of operates like “dude”), or a “na?” (no, used like a Canadian “eh?”), it really helps enrich what you’re sharing with an audience. It forced me to inhabit the bodies of these tall, handsome, desi boys…who wouldn’t know a Valley Girl if she walked up and kissed them full on the mouth!

To join the conversation, check out Spice and Smoke; it’s available at all major e-tailers, as well as the Samhain Publishing store.

Leave a comment on this post, and one lucky winner

 will snag a copy in the format of her choice!

Editor, writer, American desi and lifelong geek, Suleikha Snyder published her first romantic short in Ravenous Romance’s 2011 TOUCHDOWNS anthology. 2012 brought a bevy of releases, including Suleikha’s first novella from Samhain Publishing, SPICE AND SMOKE, a Wild Rose Press short story called HEART MURMURS, and a short in Cleis Press’ SUITE ENCOUNTERS. Suleikha lives in New York City, finding inspiration in Bollywood films, daytime and primetime soaps, and Hell’s Kitchen wine bars.