Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 530

A Picture Prompt

You all know I love using a visual to get the old gray matter firing. I saw this truck in a parking lot. Loved the name of the business and his slogan! So tell me what sort of adventures Nick the Plumber might get up to!

Pics from Romantic Times in LA!

Although I was sick for most of the conference last week, I did manage to stir from my room to meet friends. It's the best part of conference, seeing old friends and making new ones. Here are some of my favorite pics.

Of course, I had to meet the man on my Moonstruck cover, Jimmy Thomas. This was his display at the booksigning on Saturday. You can see Moonstruck on the upper right corner!

I shot this after one of the panel discussions I participated in. In the picture are my BFF Kimberly Kaye Terry and the fabulous L.A. Banks!

More KKT and me! Doesn't she look amazing?!

L.A. at the booksigning!

Just to prove it's not all female authors at RT! I bought Jeremy's book, Hungry for Love—what can I say? I can't get enough of zombies!

The promo princesses themselves, Megan Hart and Lauren Dane!

I sat next to the very sweet and funny, HelenKay Dimon at the booksigning!

Richelle Mead is signing Frostbite for me!

Another very sweet lady—Taige Crenshaw!

You never know who you're gonna meet at conference. Here's my beta-buddy, Virginia E taking a pic of me while I'm taking a pic of her!

Virginia without the camera.

Kimmie with the rockin' Vivia Anna!

Guest Blogger: Shayla Kersten

A Flash of Long Black Hair…

Story inspiration can strike in the strangest places. The other day at the nail salon, I saw a young Asian woman with the most gorgeous long black hair. I mean the kind of hair only seen in commercials. Almost blue-black, high shine, and down to her hips, her beautiful tresses tempted my poor fingers to reach out and touch. Just to see if her hair felt as sexy as it looked.

I couldn't get the idea of the unbelievable beauty of her hair out of my mind. So of course, a story started forming.

Like a song you can't banish from your mind, sometimes a flash of inspiration refuses to leave you alone. While the story isn't complete, the basic set up is in my list of stories to write. Definitely another lesbian vampire story. *cackle*

Songs or music videos are another great inspiration for my stories. A Familiar Taste of Poison by Halestorm hit me several ways. First the title. I wish I'd thought of that one! Then there's the lyrics—

I breathe you in again

Just to feel you underneath my skin

Holding onto the sweet escape

Is always laced with a familiar taste of poison

Finally, there's the video. I mean…just wow. Fabulous visuals. Great film noir look and feel. An entire murder mystery in four minutes.

A lot of Halestorm's lyrics strike a chord with me. No pun intended. I think I could write an entire series inspired by their music.

Friends are another source of inspiration, especially if they are also writers. I don't mean writing about their lives. Although Delilah's life would make for a very interesting book. *wink*

Brainstorming can start with a single word or a simple premise. Back and forth banter blossoms into stories. Delilah is one of the best at brainstorming. She's pulled me out of several plot holes.

Then there's the random stray thought, like the one that inspired my latest story, Consensual Infidelity.

What would you do if you found out your boyfriend were bisexual?

Would you run away as fast as your feet could carry you? Accept it but agree that part of his sexuality should stay hidden? Or would you actively pursue his fantasy of being with a man—then join in?

You can probably guess what Denise Wilder did in Consensual Infidelity. And boy, do they have fun!

Sometimes, a great story comes out of a combination of all of the above. For instance, a bisexual Asian woman murdered in the early 20th century who is resurrected as a vampire. Now I need a little help from my friends to fill in the plot holes! *grins*

Thanks, Delilah, for letting me ramble on about inspiration!

Consensual Infidelity—now available at Amazon.com

A Question (and contest deadline extended!)

I woke up late! Probably needed the extra sleep because I came back from conference with an ugly cough. However, it means I'll have to wait to post those pictures from the conference until Thursday (I have a guest blogger tomorrow).

Thanks to everyone who sent me links to reviews/comments about Moonstruck! We still need more buzz, so we're going to give everyone time to read the story before you review or post the cover and blurb on your blog site. The end date of the contest will be extended until April 30th. You have plenty of time to enter!

If you like this sort of collaboration, please let us know. Sis and I tend to goad each other along to get things done. It could mean more of the stories you like sooner.

In the meantime, let's talk…

Babe Ruth, James Dean, Elvis Presley…

If you could bring back any deceased superstar for one final performance

in their respective field, whom would you choose?

Contest ending!

I'm baaaack! The conference was worthwhile for the connections I made and the friendships I renewed, but I am soooo glad to be away from California pollen! I have pictures, but have to unpack to get to my camera. I'll do that today, so stop by tomorrow for a peek!

Just a reminder—today's the last day you can buy Moonstruck for $.99! It's also the last day to enter the contest Myla and I are sponsoring. We're offering two $25.00 gift certificates to two lucky winners. What you have to do is send us a link to where you talked about the book, posted a review, or posted the cover and the blurb. And you can enter multiple times, so if you are smart, send me a link for each individual posting to this address: Email Delilah!

Those of you who are hooked on the My Immortal Knight stories, won't want to miss my quickie novella in Moonstruck! Here's what one reader said about She's All That: "Moses is a hot cop on the paranormal beat. His coworkers think it's a super great joke. Melanie is a woman who went to a bar looking for a one night stand and ends up learning about vampires and other paranormal beings. Things go crazy from there. Now I don't want to give away the um…big…um moment(?) but I will say that there is a sex scene. When I finished it, I backed up and read it again!… This story read with a wink and a nudge and the humor just screams out of the pages."

Yeah, there is this one big scene I'm dying for you to read… Don't wait. Get your copy today!

Guest Blogger: Cathryn Cade

The big book expo was yesterday. Had a great time. I loved chatting with the folks who brought their dog-eared copies of my books, their Kindle covers, and their bookplates for me to sign. It made the whole week worthwhile. I'm flying back to Arkansas today, so I'll be right back here tomorrow! In the meantime, give a warm welcome to Cathryn! ~DD

Aloha from Hawaii. My husband and I are vacationing on the Big Island—the one with the active volcano. Sadly for my dreams of watching molten lava flow into the turqouise sea, Kilauea is currently…not active.

However, today we drove up from the sunny, warm seashore high into the cool, misty clouds of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. With other tourists from all over the world, we viewed the huge caldera, with sulphurous steam venting from a crater and from the ground all around the park observatory.

We drove down from the 4,000 foot summit to the wind-whipped south-east shore of Hawaii, where just last month, pahoehoe lava flowed down and hardened into black sheets like so much icing, covering mountainsides, verdant forests and even highways before it cascaded into the sea.

It happened. I was not there to see it. But, through the magic of video, maps, diagrams and dioramas that the Park Service does so very well, I was still able to experience the thrill. And I learned about the history of Hawaii, both geologic and how the people who settled here wove the volcanoes into their folklore and religion. The goddess Pele watches over her islands with a loving, jealous heart.

And, sigh…I suppose it's safer this way. There are only so many roads on this gorgeous island, and I feel for the people who have lost their homes to the fury of Pele's fire. So, if she chooses to stay her hand, I'll enjoy the grandeur of her handiwork safely cooled.

And hang out at the beach. Snorkeling tomorrow! I have a date with a handsome husband, lots of tropical fishes and a turtle or two, out on the reef.

Mahalo to Delilah for letting me stop by,

Cathryn

… red hot romance!

'Deep Indigo' Book 4,The Orion Series available now

http://www.cathryncade.com

http://cathryncadesblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cathryncade.author

http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/cathryn-cade

Snippet Saturday: Worldbuilding

There's still time to win one of two gift certificates from Amazon.com! See details on Tuesday's blog: Contest Details

I'm still here in LA. Still under the freaking weather. My sniffles and sneezes are now full-blown honks. Scratch LA off as a place I can travel to, at least not during the spring. Today's the big Book Expo. Tomorrow, I'm on the plane home! Yeehaw! I think the next time I spend this much on a trip, I better be getting more than a mint of my pillow.

"Delilah Devlin delivers an erotic tale of good and evil elevated to a higher level… The erotic scenes in this book are hotter than Hades and ten times more tempting. I dare you to resist!"

5 Cups, Coffee Time Romance

"Darkness Captured is…another steamy sensation!… Delilah Devlin is definitely the mistress of erotic romance!"

Reader to Reader Reviews

"Another hot read of dark sensuality, riveting situations and jaw-dropping desire."

Fresh Pick!, Fresh Fiction

"Devlin creates memorable characters with exceptional emotional depth. Her magical worldbuilding sets an atmospheric scene for a fast-paced story. The sexual tension runs high and the encounters are smokin' hot."

4 Stars, RT Book Reviews

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

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

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

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

Alex, the prince of the vampires, has left Gabriella in a magical bolt-hole to get her out of the way and ensure her safety while he wraps up loose ends after his successful takeover of the vampire council. Now that he's found his true mate, his and Gabriella's affair is at an end…

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Her only thoughts were of Alex and whether he'd care enough to search for her when he discovered she was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Selena Blake

Leah Braemel

Taige Crenshaw

Lauren Dane

McKenna Jeffries

Lissa Matthews

TJ Michaels

Emma Petersen

Shelli Stevens

Jody Wallace

Guest Blogger: Cari Quinn

Posting from LA! I skipped the Fairy Ball last night. Allergies were driving me nuts (sneezing, wheezing), so I went to bed early. Had a good day though. Met with my agent. Sat on a panel with the awesome, L.A. Banks, Kim Kaye Terry, Glenda Wood from Harlequin and J.D. Mason. The panel went very well! I attended the EC luncheon, popped in briefly to the late afternoon Samhain party, but again, I was tired and coughing, so I ducked out and hung with Vivi Anna and Kim (she injured her knee dancing, so needed the company!). That's the best about conferences—cementing friendships. ~DD

Cougars…really?

Thanks to Delilah for having me here today!

My topic today is one I've done before but still fascinates me. Cougars. Why is a woman of a certain age (and that age is getting younger and younger—I'm thirty-five and I'd bet in some circles I would qualify) who's interested in a younger man worthy of a derogatory title? Do older men get named for dating younger women? No, because that's considered the usual way of things.

Women who take charge of their lives and their sexuality and go after what they want—whether it's a younger man or a career or staying home with their kids—have earned my respect. I have a good friend who's engaged to someone younger and she's a beautiful, sweet woman. He's lucky to have her! I think to insinuate that women dating younger guys is all about sex isn't true. Just like people can have friends of any age, love blooms between all different age groups. And that's the way it should be.

Even if it's not about love, who cares? I say have fun. Go for it. What's been good for the guys since the beginning of time is definitely good for us ladies.

I'm writing two very different so-called "cougar" stories right now and I've written one before, Full Disclosure. One of the reasons I love writing them is that I like an age range in my heroines and unfortunately, unless you're writing women's fiction, heroines above 35 don't seem prevalent unless they're with a younger guy.

I like writing about older women. They've usually got a better handle on what they want in their careers and sexually too. But they have a whole new set of vulnerabilities to explore.

What about you? Do you dislike the term "cougar"? Do you enjoy books featuring older heroines?

Visit Cari Quinn at www.cariquinn.com or at her blog: Cari's Blog

Or join her fabulous multi-author loop: Three Wicked Writers Plus Two

Guest Blogger: Adele Dubois

I'm in LA! If you are at the Romantic Times convention, please look me up. However, I won't be spending ALL my time hanging out at the bar. I have a book to edit and get back into my editor's hands. What can I say? Time got away from me before I left. So much for a vacation. In the meantime, welcome my guest, Adele Dubois! Oh, and remember, the MOONSTRUCK contest is still running! See details in Tuesday's blog! ~DD

What's Your Fantasy

by Adele Dubois

All my life I've been fascinated by motorcycles and convertibles. The sensations of wind and speed thrills like nothing else. When the weather's warm, I love to ride in my convertible with the top down, as do the heroines in almost all of my books. Though I don't own a motorcycle, my law-enforcement heroes do, and they ride hard and fast when they need to solve a crime or sport the heroine away from danger.

I live vicariously through my strong, sexy characters in the novella REV ME TWICE and it's stand-alone novel REV ME UP. These e-books will be combined in trade paperback as REV ME this fall.

Though I'm not fearless enough to ride a motorcycle in real life, I can live out the fantasy with my story characters. Isn't that the best thing about fiction? We can go where we want to go and do whatever we please, including having the most amazing sex imaginable with a hot guy who looks good on a Harley.

What's your favorite fictional fantasy?

Visit Adele Dubois at www.adeledubois.com/.

Guest Blogger: Myla Jackson (Contest)

I'm on my way to LA for the RT convention. I won't be back until Sunday. In the meantime, I have some fun guests lined up to keep you entertained. Don't be shy about commenting! ~DD

I've blogged about Cowboys before and had so much fun with the Cowboy conversation starters, I thought I'd do it again on Delilah's Blog.

First, what's not to love about cowboys? Having lived in Texas, on a small 100-acre ranch outside of San Antonio, I know a little about cows—they're dumber than dirt. I know a little about horses—just waving at them doesn't stop them from running over you. I know a little about building fences—100 acres takes 9 months of weekends to completely fence, almost as painful as having a baby. We had the fortune of raising some exotic animals for a while in the form of ratites—I know, what's a ratite? Think Ostrich, Emu and Rheas, those really big, flightless birds that are almost as dumb as cows. I learned a lot from the big birds. Ostriches can kick the crap out of you, Emus have a six-feet vertical jump and it hurts when they land on your head, and a Rhea male sits the eggs and doesn't like it when you rob his nest.

I no longer live on that ranch—it was killing me to re-fence after every rain storm. After 14 years working it, we decided to try our hands as business owners in Arkansas. I miss the Texas hill country and the cowboys that came along with it. I always wanted my daughters to marry cowboys, but so far that hasn't happened. And since I was already married when we moved to the Texas hill country, I didn't get the opportunity to marry a cowboy myself, not that I mind having married the computer geek husband I have. He's tough when it comes to trying his hand at ranching and he doesn't give up.

However, IF I was single, here a few conversation starters I came up with for an encounter with a cowboy. Maybe one of you can use them since I'm already taken. Tell me what you think and if you have a few of your own, I'd love to hear them. Leave a conversation starter for a chance to win a download of FIT TO BE TIED or HONOR BOUND.

10. Bull riding or team roping?

9. Felt or straw cowboy hat?

8. Ever tipped a cow?

7. Skinny-dip or suit?

6. Saddle or bareback?

5. Where did you get your first kiss?

4. Candles or stars?

3. Ride much?

2. Do you sleep in the nude or with your boots on?

1. Do you own a pair of chaps?

I love to write about contemporary cowboys and cowboys of the old west. Check out SEX ED on Amazon. He's a cowboy caught between a promise and a request he can't ignore.

About Myla Jackson

Myla Jackson, aka Elle James, aka Delilah Devlin's little sister. Woot!

Twenty years of livin' and lovin' on a South Texas ranch raising horses, cattle, goats, ostriches and emus left an indelible impression on Myla Jackson, one she likes to instill in her red-hot stories. Myla pens wildly sexy, fun adventures of all genres including historical westerns, medieval tales, romantic suspense, contemporary romance and paranormal beasties of all shapes and sexy sizes. or spending time with her family. She lives in the tree-covered hills of Northwest Arkansas with her husband of 20+ years and her muses— the human-wanna-be canines—Chewy and Sweetpea. To learn more about Myla Jackson and her stories visit her website at http://www.mylajackson.com.