Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 505

Guest Bloggers: A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

I'm horribly behind, but wanted to stop in and say that Maria D. is the winner of the free copy of CAPTIVE HEART by Phoebe Conn! I'll post new contest news tonight!

Maria, email me to arrange delivery of your prize! ~DD

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Be Like a Groundhog

or "What To Do After the Resolution"

I'm sure by now, the grim reality of the year has set in. The blush of New Year's Day and its resolutions has worn off and we settle down to the drudgery of the daily round.

But should we?

Ground Hog Day tells us that if the ground hog sees its shadow when it's sunny, another six weeks of winter are here; if he doesn't, Spring will come early. But if you look at the calendar, there are six more weeks of winter anyway. So what does this mean for us and our resolutions?

First, if there is more than one resolution, get rid of them. Pick one. Make it your favorite, or the most important, or pick a random number out of a bag. That is your focus for the next six weeks.

Then, like the ground hog, go back to sleep.

No, I'm serious. Well, okay, don't go right to sleep if it's the middle of the day, but relax. Six weeks is a long time in which to accomplish a goal, and you need all the energy you can. We still have to pay the bills, go to work, do the laundry, etc.

Then, like the ground hog, just focus on your daily round. If your goal is exercise, incorporate that into your daily round. Write it in your planner, and decide when you're going to the gym or for a walk. If your resolution is eating differently, then write a menu plan and do your grocery shopping. If it's to write more, set your word count goal. A steady thousand words a day is achievable and can fit into a busy life, so do that: fit it in. Get up a half hour early. Use your lunch break. Write while the kids are in school or down for a nap.

And remember to rest. I think a large part of why resolutions fail is not because people are lazy, or don't want them, but because we try too hard and can't sustain the effort long-term. So throw all that out and do it like a ground hog.

Happy Ground Hog Day (After)

A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

Blog Website

Check out BURNING BRIGHT, available from Samhain Publishing.

Guest Blogger: Phoebe Conn (Contest)

I've been a little overwhelmed on the home front, but didn't want you to think I'd

forgotten about the Three Signed Books Contest. I'll post the winner and a new contest on my blog tomorrow! ~DD

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IDEAS

When I meet people and mention I'm a novelist, their first question is often, "Where do you get your ideas?" I'm absolutely shameless and will scavenge for inspiration everywhere. Sometimes I happen to overhear an enticing chance remark. Other times, I'm doing research for one book and find ideas for another. I love going to movies, and a minor character might spark my imagination in a completely new direction. A poet friend and I liked to sit in outdoor cafes to watch for people who'd make intriguing characters. When we'd spot one, he'd make notes for a poem, and I'd find a way to use him/her in a book.

One night we were in a restaurant and our waiter had a thick accent we couldn't understand. We didn't want to insult him and did the best we could, but he made a terrific space pirate who shouted orders his crew couldn't understand and follow. I also like to observe the way people move. Some have a distinctive walk, and whether it's a proud posture, or a lazy slump, I use it. Colin Firth leads with his shoulders, as an example. For fun, note how your favorite actors walk.

My February Retro Romance from Samhain, CAPTIVE HEART, is a Viking adventure I wrote after traveling through Scandinavia. There are wonderful museums there with beautiful thousand-year-old artifacts that provide excellent detail for a story. There is a museum in Oslo with the Oseberg ship found in a burial mound. It's complete down to the intricate carvings and it's a marvelous thing to see. There's another Viking ship museum in Roskilde, Denmark. In approximately 1070, the five ships were sunk in the harbor to protect the city from invasion. They were excavated in 1962 and are displayed in a wonderful building right on the coast. Standing beside them, I felt an eerie sensation, as though the ships were haunted by the men who'd sailed them. I couldn't wait to get home and begin a book where my hero and heroine sailed in a proud Viking ship bound for adventure and best of all, romance.

I'll give a print or ebook copy of CAPTIVE HEART to someone who comments. It's one of my most popular books, and a New York Times bestseller. I love to hear from fans, please send me an email:phoebeconn@earthlink.net or visit my website.

Lone Heart is here!

When temptation catches fire, saddle up and hang on for the ride.

Lone Wyatt is a long way from his Colorado home. After his brother married the woman they both loved, he figured it'd be best if he was out of the way. He'd like to have his own one-and-only, but he's in no rush. Until he saunters into a small Oklahoma town and spots Charli Kudrow. One wary glance from her haunted eyes, and he knows there's hidden fire inside her just waiting to erupt. And he's ready to tear through every objection she can think up.

Charli intends to slip out of Shooters unnoticed as soon as she's done pinning a help wanted notice to the bulletin board. But there's a cowboy at the bar with a killer smile who seems hell-bent on seducing her. And she feels something she hasn't felt in five long years of widowhood—a spark of attraction. Thinking she'll never see him again, she succumbs to temptation, only to discover that little "spark" is more like a raging wildfire.

One weekend is all he asks. One weekend to prove there's more between them than just blazing hot sex…

Warning: Sometimes, love happens in an instant, but it takes a lot of sexin' up to make one stubborn woman a believer.

Buy at Samhain

Buy at Amazon

'Nuff said, right? EXCEPT, if you have time today, please head to Amazon and "like" and "tag" my book. Every little bit helps. And if you'd really like to help, leave a review! Thanks! DD

Sneak Peek at Lone Heart!

Tomorrow's the day the Red Hot Weekend stories release. They all share a similar cover, but our stories only relate to the previous story we wrote in the Red Hot Winter series. Meaning, my Lone Heart is related to True Heart, but not to the other stories in the series. But y'all didn't come here to hear that. Y'all came to read something naughty, right? How about the first time Charli succumbs to the desire Lone Wyatt can draw from her with just the wicked sparkle in his eyes… Enjoy!

Read another excerpt

Pre-order your copy now!

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"Why are you in such a hurry? Did I scare you off?"

Her head whipped up, her gaze landing on the young cowboy.

He stood beside her truck, his gaze shadowed beneath his hat. "I'd like to buy you a drink. Get to know you."

"I can't stay," she blurted. "I've got someplace to be."

He nodded, then sighed. "Do I make you nervous?"

She forced a laugh—and told a lie. "No. But I'm late."

"Yeah. I can see that. Can I buy you a drink some other time?"

Why was he so insistent? "Look, it was just a dance. And it was nice."

"Nice? Huh." His lips twisted, then settled into a slight smile. "I made you nervous. Made you want something more than you were prepared to give. I apologize."

"I'm not nervous. I'm not anything other than late."

He stepped closer, and her heartbeat thudded. The parking lot was dark—not that she was frightened of him—but the closer he came, the more her body responded. She held up her hands. "What are you doing?"

"I think I'm gonna kiss you." His gaze dropped to her mouth.

"Why?"

His shrug was casual, but the set of his chin wasn't. "Why not? You want it. So do I."

"I don't want anything."

"Sure about that?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then why'd you just lick your lips?"

"Wha—" Good lord, she had.

"Just a kiss," he said, close enough now she had to lift her chin to meet his gaze.

Damn, she'd forgotten how to breathe. "If I give you that kiss, will you let me go?"

"Negotiating with me now?" He tipped back his hat and a grin stretched slowly across his mouth. "What if you don't want me to let you go when I'm done?"

Charli shook her head, a smile beginning to tug at the corners of her lips. She realized with a start she was flirting—something she hadn't done in years. "Are you always this stubborn when a girl turns you down?" she asked, letting a teasing note seep into her breathless whisper.

"Have you? Turned me down, that is?" His hands rose and gripped the corners of her hips. He pressed her back against the cooling metal of her truck. When his head lowered, his hat blocked the light from the moon and distant lamppost, shuttering them in darkness.

His mouth was firm and soft, sweet and spicy. His tongue prodded the seam where her lips pressed together. She wanted to remain strong, but the thought of this handsome younger man and all that firm muscle pressed up against her made her yearn for things she had no business wanting.

She opened, moaning as his tongue swept inside her mouth. I can do this. Keep it light. Dammit, Charli, keep it light.

Her hand slid across the top of his shoulder; her fingers snuck beneath his hat to pull his hair. And just that quickly, the sweet, sexy tenor of the kiss changed.

Lonny groaned into her mouth.

Her thighs opened, and he slid his between them, resuming the grinding pressure that had broken through her walls while they'd danced.

When his hand palmed her breast, she laughed against his mouth. She was as horny as a teenager, uncaring who saw them standing like this.

I should stop him now. I should. Oh God, I should…

His hand slid down her belly and slipped open her belt, unbuttoning her jeans, and then his fingers were gliding down the front of her panties. They cupped her mound.

Shocked, she grabbed his wrist to stop him and drew her head back. "That's…far enough."

He held still, his hand warming her sex. "Sorry, I pushed." But he didn't withdraw, just stood there, his breaths coming fast.

"Your hand…"

"Likes where it is."

A snort of laughter broke the tension inside her. "Seems we're at an impasse, cowboy."

"Let me pleasure you."

Her breath caught at the slight movement of one of his fingers as it delved into the top of her folds. Without consciously agreeing, she widened her thighs again, making room for him.

Her head fell back against warm metal. "Don't think I'll let you do more."

"I'm not asking for anything in return. Just relax."

With the stars blanketing the sky behind him, she relented, closing her mind to all her worries, to her embarrassment. His finger teased moisture from her folds and swirled atop her clit. The contrast between his calloused pad and soft, measured motions drew a sigh.

"You're prettier than you know," he whispered, leaning a shoulder against the truck to block the view of what he was doing should anyone exit the bar.

She had a hard time forming words to deny his claim. At this moment, she did indeed feel pretty, wholly feminine, as he plied her hardening knot with ever-firming caresses. "I'm older than you."

"I noticed."

"Not nice."

"I don't mind."

"Because you don't have to worry about me thinking there's more to this?"

He nipped her nose and then her bottom lip. "I like a smart woman, one with experience. I'm not always the smartest guy."

"You want some woman to take care of you?"

"Same as I'd take care of her. Aren't I takin' care of you now?"

She smiled, but his finger pressed hard. Her lips puckered around a sharper breath.

"That too much?"

She shook her head. "More," she whispered.

A hand cupped one breast, massaging it, soothing her as her hips began to move, deepening his intimate caress. Quivers worked their way up her thighs to her belly, and she gasped and turned her face away. It was one thing to allow a stranger to finger her, quite another for him to watch the vulnerability creep across her face as she came.

"Gettin' close?" he rasped, nearer now.

"Let's not talk."

"You don't have to say or do a thing. My gift. I'm pretty good at pleasuring a woman. Like using more than a finger though. If we had a bed, I'd spread you out, use my tongue, my teeth. There wouldn't be a part of you I wouldn't tease."

"Jesus, stop talkin'." Too late. The images were branded in her mind. Her naked, his brawny body bent over her sex.

One last, swirling scrape and she jerked, a tiny whimper leaking between her bitten lips. He held her up when her knees weakened, leaned her head against his chest, and slowly withdrew his hand.

When he cupped her chin and raised her face, she didn't try to argue with him again. They kissed—a carnal mating which left them both dragging air into starved lungs as he straightened. He waited while she set her clothing to rights, then opened the door of her truck and handed her up into the cab. "Sure you're okay to drive?"

Dazed, she nodded. "I'm fine." She felt like she should say something else, but thanks didn't feel appropriate.

He didn't seem to need an acknowledgement of his gift, tipping the brim of his hat and turning away—but not before she saw his grin.

He looked very pleased with himself, but not quite smug.

Her own lips were softly curved as she pulled away from the parking lot and onto the lonely highway.

Sunday Report Card

Just a couple of reminders before I report. You're welcome to grade me!

* * * * *

Lone Heart releases Tuesday! Here's what it's all about:

When temptation catches fire, saddle up and hang on for the ride.

Lone Wyatt is a long way from his Colorado home. After his brother married the woman they both loved, he figured it'd be best if he was out of the way. He'd like to have his own one-and-only, but he's in no rush. Until he saunters into a small Oklahoma town and spots Charli Kudrow. One wary glance from her haunted eyes, and he knows there's hidden fire inside her just waiting to erupt. And he's ready to tear through every objection she can think up.

Charli intends to slip out of Shooters unnoticed as soon as she's done pinning a help wanted notice to the bulletin board. But there's a cowboy at the bar with a killer smile who seems hell-bent on seducing her. And she feels something she hasn't felt in five long years of widowhood—a spark of attraction. Thinking she'll never see him again, she succumbs to temptation, only to discover that little "spark" is more like a raging wildfire.

One weekend is all he asks. One weekend to prove there's more between them than just blazing hot sex…

Warning: Sometimes, love happens in an instant, but it takes a lot of sexin' up to make one stubborn woman a believer.

Read an excerpt

Pre-order your copy now!

* * * * *
Three Signed Books Contest

Remember it? Well, it ends Tuesday! If you want to know more, click on my contest link: Contest

All you have to do to enter is post a comment sometime between now and January 31st! And the more days you drop by and say hello, the more entries you have!

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My Report Card

Enough dawdling now. I do have news to report!

1) I finished up a short story, entitled "Marmalade." It's about a married woman whose husband gives her the okay to have some fun with the boss's wife. Very delicious!

2) I wrote my way through chapter four of the dragon story. I have only a few pages left to wrap it up, but first want to spend some time revising to make sure I close all the dangling threads. That one's heading straight to Kindle, so you won't have to wait long!

3) I recieved and read through my first two submissions for the anthology project, Wild at Heart! All you writers out there, be sure to check out the details. Stories must be submitted by April 1st! Find details here

4) We started another round of critiques with the Rose's Colored Glasses critique group. I have to finish mine today. Why, oh why, do I always wait until the last minute?

5) I continued leading, along with my sister, the Rose's Plotting Bootcamp.

This week, I plan to:

1) Finish the final read-thru/revision of "Marmalade" and ship it the editor;

2) Revise and complete the dragon story and ship it to the editor;

3) Begin the sequel to Bitten in the Big Easy;

4) And lastly, write another short story for another collection—this one with a paranormal bent.

I hope to do all that with two children underfoot while their mother takes a trip. Eeek! I may be a little overambitious.

Saturday Snippet: Something Odd

Happy Saturday! Enjoy this long excerpt, then follow the links at the bottom to check out more "saturday snippets"! This one's about a dime novelist who discovers her story is coming true. She's a little odd, the story's a little odd—happy reading!

"…Sisters Devlin and Jackson team up with Chase to create sizzling stories of delicious, daring men and even wilder women. Make sure you've got time to kill, because once you start you'll want to read this collection in one sitting."

4 ½ Stars, RT BOOKreviews

These women like their horses fast and their men hard. And they always know how to get what they want…

When Prudence Vogel finally meets Jake White Eagle, she discovers he really is the tall, handsome hero of her novel. And his dark sensuality and raw masculinity make her eager to explore every intimate inch of his beautiful body…

Serendipity, Montana 1883

Prudence Vogel didn't want to miss a thing.

She wet the tip of a sharpened pencil on her tongue and steadied a writing tablet on her lap, ready to capture the last moments of her journey. But, as was her nature, her mind wandered, and instead she began to write the adventure playing out in her imagination.

Katarina's nose wrinkled at the smell of stale beer and dust as she slipped behind the saloon and peered into the darkened room—

The stagecoach jolted as a wheel slipped into another deep rut on the rough trail, sending her pencil scraping off the edge of the pad.

She sighed, resigned she'd have to commit the final moments of her journey to memory and pick up her heroine's adventure after she arrived at her destination.

She slid her tablet into the pocket of her valise behind her dog-eared copy of The Adventures of Katarina, her latest, well only, publishing credit. She'd kept the novel in clear view in hopes of drawing a comment to give herself an opportunity to sell one of the many copies she'd brought with her.

Not the dog-eared copy—that one contained penciled notes of the details she'd gotten wrong. For that was the purpose of this journey. Prudence Vogel had never traveled outside the city of Chicago, yet her first novelistic experience was an adventure tale set in the wild frontier, featuring a tall, handsome hero she'd only fantasized about. She needed to know whether she'd been wrong.

For all she knew, the real Jake White Eagle was a short, squat man who could suck his whiskey through the space where his front teeth ought to be. She'd braced herself the whole journey for disappointment because she'd built such high hopes he'd be the hero she'd envisioned—the kind of man a real "Katarina" would admire.

Tales of his wild youth, his talent with a gun, his time spent scouting with Wild Bill Cody for the 5th Cavalry had fired her imagination since she'd come across the first mention of his name in the Chicago Tribune.

After that she'd scoured every newspaper she could get her hands on, searching for a description of the man and his exploits.

Physical descriptions had been hard to come by—"burnished skin" and "the deadly stare of the black-eyed Indian" hadn't told her whether his jaw was square or rounded, or his nose was a sculpted blade or broad and bumpy. And it would have been helpful to know whether Katarina would have to lift her patrician chin to kiss his lips. Since she'd lacked definitive answers to her questions, in her mind she'd created an image of the man she wanted him to be.

However, news of his dangerous exploits had been much easier to find. The man had earned quite a reputation as a gunslinger as he'd roamed the western territories. Then for some reason, last year, he'd settled in Serendipity, Montana. Not Deadwood or any number of more recognizable wild, western towns, but an unknown place with a whimsical name.

In her research, she'd missed the reason for his inexplicable move. Now, she wanted the truth for the sequel to her book, and detailed descriptions to bring her wild, west adventures to life.

Prudence pulled back the curtain to take a look outside, blinking against a cloud of dirt stirred up by the stage's team of horses.



Bright sunlight dispelled the gloom in the interior of the stagecoach. Everywhere around them endless blue sky filled the view. The golden tips of the prairie grass rimming the trail waved in a slight breeze. Cottonwood trees swayed in the distance.

"Close that curtain! You're lettin' in the dust."

As if we aren't already wearing a coat of gritty trail dirt? Prudence bit her tongue against the retort. Ever since Mrs. Waters had boarded the stage in Helena, she'd offered a contrary comment to every one of Prudence's actions.

Prudence firmed her lips into a polite smile and turned to the stout woman sitting on the opposite seat. "Aren't you the least bit curious about what's happening outside this coach?"

Mrs. Waters snorted. "Curiosity killed the cat."

Prudence lifted her brows, which sent her spectacles sliding down her nose. The woman had repeated the same tired old cliché as Mrs. Lake in the opening scene of her dime novel.

Just like the character of Mrs. Lake, the woman had a cliché for every occasion and nary an original thought.

Another coincidence! An odd prickling raised the fine hairs at Prudence's nape.

While some of the less important details–the flora the fauna and the ruggedness of the trail–had mostly been wrong, the events in her story had been strikingly similar. The string of similarities between Katarina's adventure and her own true life adventure had at first amused Prudence who'd been convinced she'd simply done her research and was an apt pupil of human nature.

But this time, the words were repeated as though they'd been scripted in advance.

As well, the more Prudence thought about it, Mrs. Waters was an exact physical replica of the irascible woman who'd complained throughout that first scene of her adventure novel.

Even Mr. Stanton who slept beside her resembled the handsome debauched gambler who'd managed to snore throughout the last leg of the fictional journey despite the bone-rattling thuds of the lumbering stagecoach.

The one jarring detail that didn't match her story was the character of the heroine. Prudence was a far cry from the beautiful and spirited "Katarina." Sadly, she wasn't brunette, or possessed of a pure, porcelain complexion and soft, curvaceous figure. Her own hair was a muddy blonde, her nose sprinkled with an unfortunate quantity of mud-colored freckles, and her figure was as straight as a boy's. And she wasn't the least bit adventurous.

Still, if the story was somehow unfolding…

A loud banging sounded from the top of the coach. "Folks, we're comin' up on Serendipity," came the call from the driver.

Mrs. Waters patted her hair while Mr. Stanton snuffled and opened bloodshot eyes as he retied his string tie.

Surreptitiously, Prudence reached for the edge of the window casing and held on tight…just in case…

Shots rang out, the coach jerked forward and back, then shrill whinnies filled the air as the team lurched again and shot forward, sending a screaming Mrs. Waters headfirst into Mr. Stanton's lap.

Prudence suppressed a squeal of fright and held on. Then just as quickly, she relaxed, suddenly unafraid, because she knew how this would end.

A hero rode to their rescue.

Sure enough, shouts sounded outside—from the driver and another man whose horse ate up the distance between them in a staccato flurry of sharp hooves.

Gradually, the team slowed, snorts and frightened whinnies settling like the dust sifting underneath the flapping leather curtains, until at last the stagecoach came to a stop.

Just like in her story.

Only Prudence didn't wait for their rescuer to fling open the door. She stood and grasped the door handle, nervous but determined to see if the object of her obsession was indeed on the other side.

The door gave way unexpectedly, bringing her along with it, and she toppled out of the coach and straight into the arms of a very tall man. Thick, strong muscle surrounded her as he swept her off her feet and held her close to his solid chest.

Startled, Prudence glanced up, but his rasping breath fogged the lenses of her spectacles, and she groaned.

Why, oh why hadn't she put them away? Better to be blinking at the man than looking like a startled, befuddled mouse. Around the rims of her glasses, she noted the breadth of his wide shoulders and the dark shadow from the hat shading his face.

"Ma'am, are you all right?" His voice was a deep, raspy bass that seemed to wrap around her like a raw caress.

"Jake?" she whispered, more sure of his identity than she'd ever been of anything in her life. She knew his voice—had heard it speaking in her imagination.

Naturally, he smelled of sage and soap. She'd written that as well.

"Do I know you?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

A wide, tremulous smile stretched her lips, and she slowly wound her arms around his shoulders. "No, but I know you, sir," she said, too excited to give more than a passing thought to her forward behavior.

His head tilted as though he was scrutinizing her. "She bump her head?" He directed the question to the people stepping from the coach.

"I don't think so," Mrs. Waters said, her voice trembling and affronted at the same time. "But she's a very strange young woman."

"Ma'am, think you can stand on your own, now?"

Prudence sighed dreamily. "Must I?"

A soft snort and his arms tightened for a second, and then he set her on her feet, his hands settling at her waist to steady her.

Prudence sucked in a deep breath at the intimate touch. The heat of his hands caused an immediate warming in her nether regions. Her breasts peaked against her thin chemise. If just a simple, helpful touch could do this to her, what havoc would a more intimate caress wreak?

"Well, damn," he said softly, quickly removing his hands and standing back.

"Wait—" Prudence reached up for her glasses and took them off, blushing as she searched for a pocket to hide them away. When she squinted upward again, he was gone.

His boot steps thudded, growing softer in the distance and mingling with the sounds of other people moving along the boardwalk.

She realized that for that short space of time, no one else had existed for her. All thought had stilled in her busy mind. He'd been exactly as she'd imagined. Well, as tall and strong as she'd imagined. And she was pretty sure he still had his front teeth because he hadn't lisped.

He'd acted the hero, putting his own safety at risk to slow the stagecoach. He'd behaved exactly as she'd expected.

Again, Prudence was reminded she was no Katarina. Her heroine hadn't swooned into the hero's arms. She'd given him a brilliant smile and said something equally brilliant, which Prudence hadn't remembered at that all-important moment to save her life.

She'd been so filled with a vibrant, glowing heat she'd forgotten her purpose–and the fact that maybe she had the means to avert certain disaster.

She patted her pocket for her spectacles and choked on the dust she raised. No wonder the man had fled in such a hurry! She was filthy and smelled as sour as old milk.

Glancing back at the coach, she decided to check into the hotel and give herself a quick scrub before setting out to find Mr. Jake White Eagle. She had a good idea where he'd be.

The man needed her insight into his future. But would he listen to her?

Another question burned a hole in her belly—was he as handsome as her heart and body said he was? As she'd imagined back in Chicago when she'd penned her novel in the wee hours of the night inside the tiny room she'd kept above her uncle's apothecary?

Of course, he was. His hands had felt her over and found her wanting. He must have his choice of beautiful ladies.

If only she was as lovely as Katarina. In her first meeting with the hero, she'd rendered Jake speechless as he'd searched her fair countenance and committed it to memory before shaking himself out of his daze. He'd remembered at the last moment to extend his hand to help her glide gracefully from the stage.

Katarina had shivered delicately as she settled her soft palm in his broad, calloused palm and given him a blinding smile.

The smiling part Prudence had managed to get right. Although likely he'd stared at her puffy lips and wondered if she'd kissed a bee.

She sighed, hoping to earn at least his gratitude if not his admiration when she gave him the news that tonight he'd be drawing on a killer.

* * * * *

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

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

HelenKay Dimon

Leah Braemel

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Zoë Archer

TGIF and the polls are now closed!

The polls are now closed. You have spoken-spoken-spoken—hear that ominous echo?

For the erotic short story series, you have chosen:

A firefighter series, featuring a single fire station and the firefighters' off-duty playmates

For the longer, more romantic project, you chose:

Recently dragged from Hell, a powerful godlike dragon seeks to steal his old lover from the vampire king

Some of y'all even recognized that story as the next one in the Dark Realm series. If I'd mentioned that I already had 100 pages written on the disgraced ex-cop story, would that have made a difference? grumble-grumble

A few of you even offered ideas for titles for the firefighter stories. I had some really funny ones from "The Real Max"—funny story there too about how he and I first met…

Anyway, I have my marching orders, now I have to plot the firefighter series. If you have any suggestions for the types of stories you'd like to see, you know I'm always open.

For the next few days, I'm going to be talking about Lone Heart, my next Samhain book, which release next Tuesday. It's available for pre-order now if you want to go ahead and start the buzz!

After that, there's nothing on the schedule for release until the Cleis collections begin to roll out this summer. I have to get writing to keep you hungry mamas fed! Next up? Here's a list of what's on my plate right now:

1) A dragon wooing his virgin sacrifice with the help of a knight

2) The next book in the lesbian vampire series, Femme Noir, for Ellora's Cave

3) The next Lone Star Lovers story, Two Wild. That title is evolving. It begs the question, for what?

While I work on these projects, I'll be working on your menu selections. Y'all have a wonderful weekend! TGIF!

One last poll–come on, tell me what you want!

You have spoken. My series of erotic shorts for Kindle will center around the hotties in a firehouse! Looks like I have some research to do! And I'll be back for help with a series title. How do you like the title "Drinking from a Long Hose" for the first installment? Too crass? Makes me smile!

In the meantime, help me choose my first long project for Kindle. This time, you get just one choice!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Guest Blogger: Jenna Bayley-Burke (Contest)

Remember! The Three Signed Books Contest continues. Find the details here! ~DD

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The Reading Rush

My Mommy Wine Club friends think I must read very fast. It's funny for me because to my online circle of avid romance readers a book a week is a crawling pace. It's all about perspective.

I learned to speed read in high school, and it did make college textbooks easier to plow through. I still like the technique for non-fiction, but I like to enjoy my novels. I like to read them slow, chapter by chapter, a small sip of loveliness before I fall asleep each night.

Which, as any romance reader will tell you, is not always the best idea because there are some stories that you literally cannot put down and the next thing you know, the clock has hit single digits and you'd rather drink a pot of coffee tomorrow than set the story aside tonight.

In my latest book, For Kicks, the heroine learns to speed read at the beginning of an extended business trip and winds up using her time in airports, planes, and hotel rooms to explore interests she never had time for. Astrology, diet, knitting, Tarot, origami, reflexology…if you can find it in an airport bookstore, she's liable to pick it up. My former expense account and I plead the fifth on where the idea for this little habit came from.

For a chance to win a $5 e-gift card to Amazon or B&N (which you can use to buy own copy of For Kicks)…tell me, what have you always wanted to learn about? Why don't you do something to learn more about it today?

Catch up with Jenna on her website, blog, Twitter (@jennabb), or Facebook.

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If the shoe fits…run with it!

Breeze Cohen senses something is missing from her life, but her career doesn't leave time for anything but retail business strategy—particularly the upcoming product launch for her cornerstone client, Nitrous.

No way is she going to let live-for-the-moment Logan Chandler tarnish her professional reputation. Even if the ex-athlete poster boy for Nitrous makes her heart pound like she's run a marathon.

After surviving a near-fatal accident, Logan doesn't want to waste a minute of life. It's meant to be lived, ravished, enjoyed—and there's no one he'd like to ravish more than Breeze. There's a deep pool of mutual desire beneath her icy façade. He can feel it every time they touch.

When a training snafu at Nitrous launches Breeze into damage control, Logan is ready and waiting to lace up and take her for a run on the wilder side—if he can catch her.

Warning: Side effects may include a desire to melt chocolate with body heat, spontaneous phone sex, and an intense drive to find loopholes in your workplace fraternization policy.

Tell me what you want…

I'm currently busy finishing up stories I've already committed to write, but I'm also makin' plans for what's next. Yes, more Lone Star Lovers and even a new My Immortal Knight are in the near future, but I'd also love to write a continuing series of short erotic stories—fast lunchbreak reads—that I could put up on Kindle in a hurry when you get hungry for a quickie. I have ideas, but would like for you to tell me what you'd love most. These may or may not be romances and would definitely lean more toward erotica. Don't worry, I have a romance poll coming in a couple of days too!

Take a look at this list. You can choose up to three. The one with the most votes will be the first I write.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.