Laura Roberts's Blog, page 67

Play With Me: Sex Toys from A to Z now available only at Buttontapper Press

Guess what? My new book, Play With Me: Sex Toys from A to Z, is now available for download.

Based on my 2014 April A to Z Challenge posts, Play With Me includes educational information about a wide variety of sex toys currently on the market. From anal beads to the Stronic Zwei, learn more about the toys that can help you spice up your love life whether you’re currently in a relationship or flying solo.

Browse toys from the mild to the wild within the privacy of favorite ebook reader, tablet, computer or phone and stop worrying about the perils of online shopping and incriminating links!

All the information you’ve ever wanted to know – but were afraid to ask your local sex toy retailer – can be found between the sheets of Play With Me.

Guess what else? It’s 100% totally and completely free. But only if you sign up for my mailing list.

Don’t worry, I promise never to spam you. Instead you’ll get all my blog posts sent directly to your inbox just once a week, digest style.

Want a free copy of my book? Click here to join my mailing list and get your free book now.

Already a subscriber?

No problem! I just sent a link to the download to all of my current subscribers. Check your email for a message with the subject “Here’s my new book!”

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Congrats to the Winter Warm-Up winners

After entering the total number of commenters on my Winter Warm-Up post into Random.org’s random number generator, I am pleased to announce that Trix is the winner of my Winter Warm-Up giveaway!

And, in case you were wondering, the hop organizer Jane Wakely reports that the Grand Prize winner of the $75 Amazon gift card is Stephanie Osborn.

Congrats to the winners, and thank you all for hopping with us!

I look forward to checking out all the rest of the hop participants’ blogs over the Christmas break and discovering lots of romance authors to enjoy in 2015.

Now that’s a great way to warm up your winter!

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642 Tiny Things to Write About: Part 1 of my 2015 writing resolutions

In a burst of XXXmas optimism, my husband and I decided to visit our local B&N for a browse. (Optimism, I say, because I always forget what rude scumholes start digging their way out from under their usual rocks at this time of year, invading even the normally quiet stores I favor to bump into me, you and everyone else, whilst spreading their own particular brand of madness as they search haplessly for gifts for god knows who could even put up with them. But I digress!)

On said visit, I discovered a little gem of a book called 642 Tiny Things to Write About, put together by the folks at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto. The book is full of writing prompts fit for inspiring everything from the tiniest tweet to a full-on short story – or maybe even your next novel – and I thought it would make a fun gift to myself, since I normally don’t write with prompts.

Now, since I am also prone to procrastination, I decided to start working these prompts into my daily routine by writing one a day throughout 2015. And, as we all know the best way to get into a habit is to do it first thing in the morning, I decided to start this morning and give the first prompt a whirl.

The first prompt reads:

Write yesterday’s fortune cookie. It got everything wrong.

Here’s what I came up with:

YOUR LIFE WILL BE FOREVER CHANGED BY A WISECRACKING GENIE.

For some reason Robin Williams’ character from Aladdin just popped into my head, and unfortunately he never showed up to grant me three wishes, so there you go.

Based on a hard Sunday at work in the transcription salt mines (while also pondering XXXmas consumer madness, playing Hay Day, recovering from Saturday’s trip to the gym, and herding my disgruntled kitties), I also penned the following in a new green notebook dedicated to using this book of prompts:

Hard work cleanses the soul.
The T will set you free.
Hay Day is your true calling.
Socially stunted shut-ins have more fun.
You must buy All The Things!!!
Leg-pressing an elephant is in your future.
Relax and enjoy – you’ve earned it!
Adding “in bed” will make this fortune funnier.
Confucius says: “Woman who writes fake fortunes owes Confucius licensing rights!”
Your radiant energy attracts all the right people.

Stay tuned to see what I come up with for tomorrow’s prompt, which reads “Write last year’s fortune cookie. It got everything right.”

Want to play along? Grab a copy of 642 Tiny Things to Write About at Amazon, B&N or an independent bookseller near you! (P.S. There’s also a larger-sized version of this book called, simply, 642 Things to Write About, which contains the same prompts but also includes space to write your responses directly in the book, journal style.)

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Winter Warm-Up Blog Hop #giveaway

Welcome to the Hops With Heart Winter Warm-Up Blog Hop, organized by romance author Jane Wakely. This hop is running from Dec 19–22, and features a Grand Prize of a $75 Amazon gift card for one lucky winner. That’s a lot of XXXmas shopping dough!

To add to the festivities, each blog participating in the hop will be offering even more holiday prizes – so be sure to hop around to all of the sites to see what else you can win.

Here at The Buttontapper, you could win a digital copy of my XXXmas erotica short story, Santa, Baby, along with digital copies of parts 1 and 2 of my Naked Montreal series. (These are all erotic in nature, so winners must be 18+.)

But first, let’s talk about LOVE.

Everybody loves a good holiday romance, right? I mean, Katharine Ashe (author of Kisses, She Wrote) has compiled an enormous list of Christmas romance books, so clearly they’re popular!

I’ve recently read a couple of great holiday romances for those who enjoy fantasizing about getting away from the humdrum of snow shoveling and workaday worries. The first was Belinda Jones’ Winter Wonderland, set in Quebec City and starting off a snowy adventure in the frosty cave of an ice hotel. Jones really captures the essence of Quebec’s winter festival, outdoorsy fun, and even includes a mischievous take on Bonhomme, the snowman mascot of the festivities, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The second holiday romance I highly recommend is Heather Hiestand’s Christmas Delights, an historical romance set in Victorian England. This one was a little naughtier than Winter Wonderland, with some steamy scenes between feisty widow Lady Victoria Allen-Hill and steam engine tinkerer Lewis Noble.

Both of these books go great with a steaming mug of cocoa and a roaring fireplace. And, in my case, a purring cat to curl up in my lap while I read.

Have you read any good holiday love stories this year? Tell me your favorite in the comments section for your chance to win copies of Naked Montreal (parts 1 and 2) and Santa, Baby!

Giveaway

The Grand Prize for this blog hop is a $75 Amazon Gift Card. Enter using the Rafflecopter box below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to hop!

To hop on to the rest of the sites participating in the Winter Warm-Up, just click through the Linky List below. Happy hopping!

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#HumpDayReviews presents The Best Erotica of 2014

It’s that time of year again: time to write roundup posts about the Best Books of 2014!

As I mainly review erotica on this blog, I figured a Best Erotica of 2014 post wouldn’t be out of order. But I may slip in a few extras, just to keep you guessing.

Let the besting begin!

Best Office Affair

With a domineering lady boss, a manipulative male sleeping his way to the top, and a virgin in need of some sexual lessons, Dahlia Salvatore’s The Position makes one steamy interoffice memo.

Best Ménage / Best Pirate Erotica

I was swashbuckled by Normandie Alleman’s Bound by the Buccaneer, particularly the suprisingly sensitive all-pirate gangbang, and you will be too, matey.

Best Fairytale Fuck

Clearly, this award goes to Sydney St. Claire’s Red and Her Big Bad Dom, the second installment in the new Once Upon A Dom series. Who can resist a wolf in leather chaps – much less a meek geek turned fairy tale Dom?

Best Secret Sex Club

The best secret sex clubs are all about consent and open-mindedness, not just voyeurs and exhibitionism fueled by alcohol, drugs and decadence. Therefore, it’s a two-way tie between The Position’s naughty club The Red House and the Once Upon A Dom series’ aptly named Pleasure Manor. Though I initially figured I’d be handing this off to Charlotte Howard for The Black Door, I much preferred Salvatore’s description of the kinky sex club Dylan must infiltrate in order to save his job, as well as Sydney St. Claire’s attention to BDSM details and fairy tale twist on the members-only sex club in Cinderella and Prince Dom and Red and Her Big Bad Dom.

Best Sex with Gods

Featuring honest-to-god gods (some Greek, some Norse), the clear winner here is Liz Meldon’s The Maenad of Manhattan. Aphrodite and Loki team up for some hot sex and a little paranormal detection. Bodices are ripped, furniture may or may not be decimated, but at least the isle of Manhattan remains intact!

Best Campy Horror Parody Featuring Boobs Front & Center

The winner in this category is actually a trilogy, but the first in the series – and the one I enjoyed the most – is called BigBoobenstein, and stems from the twisted mind of Jeff O’Brien. Though this series isn’t erotic, it does feature big boobs (and the pursuit thereof) quite prominently, which is reason enough to include it. Get your titty bingo on and download the whole set.

Best Paranormal Erotica

My first tentacle porn experience has been positive, as I’ve been talking up Lilia Ford’s Pet to the Tentacle Monsters! since I read it back in September. It’s just the right mix of sexy and perverse.

Best Holiday Romance

It’s a two-way tie between Winter Wonderland and Christmas Delights for me. I can’t say no to books set in ice hotels, nor (apparently) Victorian widows with an erotic agenda. Merry XXXmas indeed!

Best Comic Book Erotica

Or is it a graphic novel? Either way, the winner is Bettie Page in Danger (Vol. 4), which will expose you to the black-banged beauty as well as a whole host of vintage hoes in their full frontal glory. Watch out for the puns, which are faster and furiouser than a Vin Diesel flick.

Best Erotic Re-Release

Jeremy Edwards’ ode to old-timey radio plays, The Pleasure Dial, hits all the right notes. Originally released in 2011 by the now-defunct OC Press, this erotocomedy has been given a perky new cover and plenty of new life by 1001 Nights Press.

Best Erotic How-To

Definitely one of the most useful books I read in 2014, Tristan Taormino’s 50 Shades of Kink will teach you everything you ever wanted to know (but were afraid to ask your Mistress or Master) about BDSM.

Most Unique Erotic Adventure

If you haven’t read Cassie Alexander’s Choose Your Own Erotic Adventure story, The House, then you’ve been missing out. Place that gilded key into the front door and follow your own path to a secret garden of orgasmic bliss.

Best Bookish Fantasies

Not to mention the world’s subtlest plug… Book Lovers: Sexy Stories from Under the Covers (in which my short story “Open Letters to Famous Writers” appears) is the clear winner here. If you love books, and fantasize about your favorite authors in bed, then this one needs to be on your nightstand.

Best Erotica Series

My favorite series this year has definitely been the Once Upon A Dom series. Whether it’s the fairy tale angle, the masked ball and secret sex club tropes turned ever-so-slightly sideways, or the fun-loving, BDSM-friendly characters at play, I’m loving Sydney St. Claire’s approach to female desires and the men who help them achieve them in the bedroom. Check out Cinderella and Prince Dom and Red and Her Big Bad Dom to escape to Pleasure Manor for a wild weekend of your own.

Those are my faves from 2014, but what about you? Got any erotica recommendations for The Buttontapper? Tell me what you loved (and loathed) this year in erotic fiction!

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Keep: An interview with Karyn Lawrence + #giveaway

Billionaire CEO Shawn Dunn has plenty of sex, power, and money. A woman turning down his advances? Unfathomable. Yet that’s what she does, again and again.

Kara Hayward is supposed to be off limits. Her sister is hiding from the dangerous assassin she escaped from, and it’s best for everyone if Shawn keeps his distance. Certainly as far as Kara is concerned. Shawn’s only after one thing and then he’ll walk away, just like her ex-husband.

But Shawn has larger desires and he’s used to getting what he wants. He doesn’t care if being together is dangerous. He doesn’t believe that threat to him, or his empire, is real. Right up to the night he has everything taken away.

An excerpt from Keep

This man moved with an elegance that was off-putting, as if everything was calculated, and then the gun disappeared into his suit coat.

“Does that make you feel safer?” he asked.

“No. It doesn’t.”

He gave her a pleasant smile. “Why do you think that is?”

Maybe she could stall him. Maybe the police weren’t far behind and any moment they’d burst through the door.

“I’m not naïve,” she said, for her benefit more than his. “Plus I know what kind of man you are.”

“Really?” He looked, for lack of a better word, delighted. “What kind of man am I?”

“You’ll do anything to get what you want.”

“How do you know that?” His tone mocked her.

“I used to be married to a man like you.”

He gave her a look, his pure eyes shinning, one that said he highly doubted Paul was anything like him. That he was so, so much worse than her ex-husband.

“We’re going to have fun together, you and me.”

A chill ran down her spine.

An interview with Karyn Lawrence


How long have you been writing romance, and what inspired you to get into this genre?

I haven’t been writing romance novels for very long – I started in early 2013. However, I wrote screenplays for fifteen years, and those always had an element of romance, either romantic thrillers or romantic comedies.

What gave you the idea for your latest book?

I threw in a tag at the end of my debut novel, Stay, where the hero’s brother meets the heroine’s sister, and sparks fly. It was just meant to be a cute closing scene, but hot damn… those two had crazy chemistry together. I couldn’t leave them hanging!

Who are some of your favorite writers or other literary inspirations?

Anne Stuart (especially her Ice series) is an auto-buy for me. I love Cristin Harber and Julie James as well.

Describe your typical writing routine. Where do you usually write? How many words/pages per day? Do you keep set hours? What does your workspace look like?

I write on my lunch break in my office during the workday and usually get 400–500 words if I’m not interrupted. My office is usually a mess with newspapers stacked everywhere, crazy calendars and dry-erase boards – which are all day-job related since I work in the newspaper business. I do always have a stack of my paperbacks on my side desk, though. At night I write in bed on my laptop. I typically start at 9 PM and write until 11 PM, averaging 1,000 words.

Do you have any favorite foods or beverages that help keep your creativity flowing?

I have Diet Coke in my veins. I drink way, way too much of it. I told my coworkers if they ever saw me drinking something else, that person was an imposter.

Do you have any writing superstitions or rituals when starting (or ending) a new book?

I won’t start a new book until I have all of the major scenes outlined in my head, plus a general concept for the ending. (Because endings are hard!!)

What do you think makes for a good erotic/romance story?

I love when the hero and heroine don’t like each other at the beginning, or have a major obstacle in their way. You can’t have sparks without friction. And for me, the hottest love scenes are always when I care about the characters and believe they are real. If there’s no plot and the characters are one-dimensional, that’s just porn.

What’s your favorite euphemism for genitalia?

I don’t know if I have a favorite. I can tell you that I strongly dislike the medically correct terms and prefer mainstream slang. There’s a big turn-off factor for me when the word cervix or uterus is used in a love scene. I try to avoid using the words at all because what I like might turn off another reader. Every draft I wrote of Stay and Keep had the word “cock” in there at least once, and my mother-in-law (yes, you read that right) recommended I remove it because she hates that word enough to stop reading.

What else have you written, and where can people learn more about you and your work?

I’ve published Stay (which will be on sale for 99¢ Dec. 17–21) and plan to publish the third book in this series in April 2015. My website is karynlawrence.com. Thanks so much for having me!

About the author

Karyn Lawrence is an author, graphic designer, and screenwriter. She published a nonfiction book about color guard after an editor discovered her blog, way back in the infancy of the Internet and long before blogging was really a thing.

She has been a screenwriter for more than fifteen years, with rather mild success, and grew tired of her stories only reaching a handful of readers. The decision was made to try fiction in early 2013 and once she figured out how to write internal dialogue again, the prose came fast and furious. She most enjoys writing smexy (smart-sexy) books featuring a lovable SOB hero and a tough-as-nails heroine.

Karyn is a Chicago native who lives in Kentucky with her epic husband and two adorable sons.

Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter or her website, karynlawrence.com.

Giveaway

Karyn will be awarding a $25 gift card to Amazon, a signed paperback copy of both Keep and the first book in the stand-alone series, Stay; bookmarks from Stay and a can kozie with the logo from the fictional beer company that the hero owns in Keep (Swag and print book are US only) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to follow the rest of the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning! All tour dates can be found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Chef’s Table: An interview with debut novelist Lynn Charles

Chef Evan Stanford has climbed the New York City culinary ladder one proper rung at a time, earning himself the Rising Star James Beard award and an executive chef position at one of New York City’s favored restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen. But in his quest to build his reputation, he’s forgotten what got him there; the lessons on food—and life—from a loving neighbor back home in Illinois.

Patrick Sullivan lives a contented life in Brooklyn cooking at Johnny’s diner, keeping the memory of his grandmother and her Irish cooking alive even in the foods she never taught him to prepare. When Chef Stanford comes into his diner requesting and enjoying one of his grandmother’s specialties, he’s swept up by Evan’s drive, his passion, forcing himself to reconsider if a contented life is a fulfilled one.

With much in common, the two men—and Evan’s particularly spoiled pug Dini—begin a journey through their culinary histories falling into an easy friendship. Even with the joys of their newfound love, and the guidance and support of friends old and new, can they tap into that secret recipe of great love, great food and transcendent joy?

An excerpt from Chef’s Table

Without waiting another moment, Evan took the first bite and moaned as the cake melted into his mouth, the tart cherries dancing simultaneously with the sweet and sour of the cream cheese and the bittersweet chocolate. The rum hit last, and it was all Evan could do not to humiliate himself with his noises of pleasure.

An interview with Lynn Charles

How long have you been writing romance, and what inspired you to get into this genre?

I wrote my first romantic story about twelve years ago after finding and enjoying fanfic. It was sort of that “anyone can cook” moment. There were fantastic stories out there written by Joe and Jane Average. Even when stumbling upon the not-so-good work, the work that challenged the “anyone can cook” idea, it still inspired me to give it a shot.

What gave you the idea for your latest book?

I have been a fan cooking shows all of my life. And then, Anthony Bourdain showed up with his show The Cook’s Tour on The Food Network and I got a glimpse into the back-of-the-house scene that intrigued me even more. Mostly, I love his respect for all kinds of food experiences, from fine dining, to greasy diners, to basic food carts, to the backwoods of a native people, to your grandmother’s kitchen—and how they’re all important to our culinary experience. So, with my own love of cooking and the interest in the professional restaurant world, I considered the idea of planting a well-trained chef in a greasy spoon and see if not only romantic sparks could fly (because of course they could) but also if they could learn some things from each other.

Who are some of your favorite romance writers or other literary inspirations?

Jennifer Crusie is my absolute favorite romance author. Her writing is smart and witty, and her characters are multi-dimensional. She also used to place most of her stories in Ohio, which as an Ohioan, I loved. I enjoy Lani Diane Rich (now writing under Lucy March), Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series for a quick, zippy read as well. I love David Levithan’s work, Nick Hornby, and the little bit of John Green I’ve read. My to-read pile is monstrous and many of his works are in there.

Describe your typical writing routine. Where do you usually write? How many words/pages per day? Do you keep set hours? What does your workspace look like?

I typically write in what we call our guest room. I have my desktop set up there facing a very colorful and active bulletin board with pictures of my protagonists of the moments, inspiring quotes and art work people have made for me. My work schedule is a bit wonky, so I do not have a words/pages per day quota because every day settles a little differently. I feel good when I can get about 1,000 words a day out, but it varies far and wide from that.

Do you have any favorite foods or beverages that help keep your creativity flowing?


Now that it’s cold, I like to start with a good spiced hot tea. Quality dark chocolate is always in my drawer as well as Trader Joe’s peanuts stored in a Planters peanut jar. Yes, specifically Trader Joe’s. Planters knows packaging, Joe’s knows peanuts. I don’t know if they help my creativity, but they certainly are delicious.

Do you have any writing superstitions or rituals when starting (or ending) a new book?

I typically crank out my first scene pretty quickly, but I’m proving with my second book that I started a few months back, that sometimes I start the story in the wrong spot or with the wrong focus. Still, the scenery, scents, sounds, mood of that first scene are the most vivid to me, so even if I have no idea where the story is going from there, I like to get that out and go back to fine tune it as the rest of the book unfolds. But without that first scene planted, I find it difficult to move forward.

What do you think makes for a good romantic story?


Always start with good characters. Then have a good story. For me, I like a warm, snuggle into a thick blanket and lose yourself feeling for romance novels, but I don’t believe either can happen without good characters and a solid story that grabs my interest.

What’s your favorite euphemism for genitalia?

Ha! You know, for writing, I’m pretty direct. I use “cock,” “dick,” and “balls.” Now when I’m just being an idiot, nothing gets me giggling like a 9 year old quite like, “pork sword.”

What else have you written, and where can people learn more about you and your work?

This is my debut novel. I’ve written fan fiction off and on for over twelve years. Much of my earlier stuff is offline now, or buried in some archival website. But, you can follow me at lynncharles.net for more information on this book and my second novel, currently under construction.

About the Author

Lynn Charles’ love of writing dates back to her childhood, but took shape as an adult, when she found herself expressing her grief in a years’ worth of journaled letters to a lifelong friend who passed unexpectedly. She has been writing works of fiction in the online fan community since 2002, where thousands of readers have enjoyed her stories.

She lives in central Ohio with her husband, two adult children and a small menagerie of animals. When she’s not writing, she can be found working at her county library, riding bikes with her husband and strolling local farmer’s markets in search of ingredients for new recipes.

Chef’s Table is her debut novel.

Connect with Lynn at lynncharles.net and on Twitter @LynnCharlesNet.

Giveaway

A $25 Interlude Press giftcard will be given to one randomly drawn winner, and digital copies of CHEF’S TABLE to ten random winners via Rafflecopter. Don’t forget to follow the rest of the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning! You can find all tour dates here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Long Gone Girl: An excerpt and #giveaway from Amy Rose Bennett

The girl Ginny Williams used to be is long gone…

After returning home from the Korean War a widow, former MASH surgical nurse, Ginny Williams, heads to the Jersey Shore for a weekend of much needed R&R. But her plans to do nothing more than relax on the beach go seriously awry when the boy who broke her heart on Prom night nine years ago—the now hotter-than-hot “fly-boy” Jett Kelly—shows up on her patch of sand. To make matters worse, Captain Kelly seems to be on a mission to win her trust, and maybe even her heart again. But the last thing Ginny wants is a man—especially one like Jett—in her life. She’s a career nurse now, and that’s that. If only Jett wasn’t so damned charming and attractive…

US Air Force pilot, Captain Jefferson “Jett” Kelly Junior is blown away to have stumbled across the beautiful yet shy and bookish girl he used to have a huge crush on in high school—especially now that Ginny is all grown up and sexy as hell. Problem is, she’s also not backward in coming forward when letting him know she hasn’t forgiven him for the Prom-kiss-gone-wrong incident. Even though Jett knows he’ll have his work cut out for him to get a second chance with her, he’s definitely going to give it his best shot…

Despite Ginny’s determination to keep her head—she’s certainly not the naïve girl she used to be—when Jett starts to unashamedly woo her, she soon realizes that maybe her heart didn’t get the memo…

An excerpt from Long Gone Girl

It took every ounce of self-control Ginny possessed to stop herself from gaping—or worse, drooling—when Jett emerged from the surf and strode back up the beach toward her.

No man had a right to look that good. It was downright sinful. Ginny’s pulse began to leap erratically all over again. Jett Kelly, wet and half-naked, was a sight she just couldn’t ignore. Her gaze inexorably fell to his bathing trunks this time. The dark blue fabric clung indecently to every line of his amazing, magnificently proportioned body. Clearly the cold water hadn’t diminished the size of his impressive ‘assets’ to any great degree. Lord, how would it feel to have sex with the man?

Mind blowing. Ginny blushed furiously at her mind’s unbidden image of Jett claiming her mouth as he wildly pounded into her. It probably didn’t help that she’d seen From Here to Eternity only the week before. A mental picture of Deborah Kerr rolling about in the surf with Burt Lancaster suddenly crowded her thoughts. Her flush spread further, all the way down her neck to the top of her breasts, and her nipples hardened when she imagined herself and Jett doing the same thing, right now.

But how could she even think about such things, given part of her heart was still mourning Charlie? It was wrong and indecent and she should know better. She curled her fingers around the corners of her book’s cover, suppressing the urge to cross herself as if she was warding off the devil himself as Jett approached.

Purchase Links

Steam eReads Store / Amazon / All Romance eBooks

About the Author

Amy Rose Bennett has always wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. An avid reader with a particular love for historical romance, it seemed only natural to write stories in her favorite genre. She has a passion for creating emotion-packed—and sometimes a little racy—stories set in the Georgian and Regency periods. Of course, her strong-willed heroines and rakish heroes always find their happily ever after.

Amy is happily married to her own Alpha male hero, has two beautiful daughters, a rather loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Devonshire Rex cat with attitude. She is a Speech Pathologist, but is currently devoting her time to her one other true calling—writing romance.

Connect with Amy on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, or her website, amyrosebennett.com.

Giveaway

Amy be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to follow the rest of the tour and comment here; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Smoldering Embers: An interview with PM Briede + #giveaway

“Death is only the beginning.” You hear that all the time. Maybe it is, for the soul who passes on. But what about the ones who are left behind?

I lost my husband unexpectedly in a tragic accident and now have to move back to my childhood home in New Orleans. Thank God for my friends Wesley and Paige. I’d be absolutely lost without them. As I pick up the pieces of what is left of my life, we settle back into our old routines. That is until I hire Olivier to work for me. Now my world is once again turning upside down as the people I’m closest to, old and new, shed the skin of what is familiar and ultimately redefine the nature of our relationships. Couple all of this with the return of my debilitating headaches and ominous dreams of green fire, and well, I’m just at a loss.

What do you do when what you thought you knew turns out to be wrong? What do you do when you find out you can’t trust the people closest to you? What do you do when you keep trying to move forward but life keeps getting in the way? And given all of this, how am I supposed to figure out who Charlotte Grace is now?

An excerpt from Smoldering Embers

He cut me off and growled, “Im iam damnari,” under his breath before silencing us both by crushing his lips to mine. A familiar burn instantly tore through me, stealing my breath as it singed my skin. I opened my mouth to gasp. He seized the opportunity to invade it, his tongue lapping at mine hungrily. My knees buckled and I arched into him, gripping his neck with hands I didn’t even know had wrapped around him. His arms supported me as his hands roved and caressed my back, waist, hips, and neck, restless in their search.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Olivier stopped just as suddenly as he had begun. My eyes remained closed as I tried to compose myself. Remembering what he’d said before the kiss, I asked, “Why?”

“Why what?” he responded through labored breaths.

I opened my eyes to see that his were liquid pools of the green fire. And not in their coloring or meaning that he desired me. Though that was there too. I mean flames. Living, undulating flames were burning in his eyes; dancing around his pupils. Holy crap! How is that possible?! All the familiarity snapped into place. The burning I’d experienced from his kiss, while exciting, was the same as when I had the fire dreams.

I blinked and they were gone. No smoke. No embers. No trace. Had they even been there? I must be crazy. It’s not possible for them to be there. Actual fire doesn’t burn in someone’s eyes. I’d had quite a bit to drink tonight. My mind had to be playing tricks on me. When I let go the image of my dreams lighting in his eyes I remembered what Olivier had said before he kissed me.

Purchase Links

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Interview

How long have you been writing romance, and what inspired you to get into this genre?

I started writing in 2012. I used to read books that always seemed very descriptive of the build-up of a relationship. That first look and the butterflies. The first touch and the spark. That first kiss. But when the relationship evolved to the logical next step, it was always the next morning and I felt a little cheated. But then I stumbled upon the paranormal romance genre where the doors remained open so you got a great story and the full progression of a romance. So when I decided to try my hand at writing, that’s the kind of story a wanted to tell. A fully fleshed out journey where you got a complete understanding of everything that changed the characters you, as a reader, are investing your time in.

What gave you the idea for your latest book?

I pulled from my own personal experiences for the Charlotte Grace Series. I was a dancer and a martial artist as a kid. I had a good childhood with good friends and boyfriends. I went to college and moved away from home. I’ve always wondered, because I’m a little off, what would I do if the worst possible scenario happened? What would I do if my husband died? Would I go home? Would I date again? Who would I lean on? That’s a journey I wanted to explore, so I did.


Who are some of your favorite erotica writers or other literary inspirations?

Through this writing adventure I was introduced to Emma Payne. She’s a new indie author but I love her Room 237 series. The mix of good story with the erotic was so well done. I also really liked Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye. The way the main characters meet and connect, in a pitch black, stalled elevator, was just really clever and pulled me in immediately.


Describe your typical writing routine. Where do you usually write? How many words/pages per day? Do you keep set hours? What does your workspace look like?

I write in my den on a laptop computer which sits on my coffee table. It is Grand Central for my house, so it allows me to keep up on my kiddos and what they’re doing. I have a full time job and full time family, so I have to schedule writing. It typically try to write a couple of hours every day when I’m writing a story. I have no word or chapter goals as some parts of a story are easier to write than others. I just write and get done what I can when I can.

Do you have any favorite foods or beverages that help keep your creativity flowing?

Not really. I eat a bowl of popcorn and drink a Sunkist every day for my snack after work. Typically I’ll read the previous chapter while snacking to get back in the headspace for my story.


Do you have any writing superstitions or rituals when starting (or ending) a new book?

No. I’m not a superstitious person by nature. So, I change my socks and underwear every day. I don’t have a lucky outfit or anything. No spinning in circles three times or standing on my head to get the creative juices flowing. I will post a picture of an elephant with its head in the surf (buried like an ostrich) when I’m writing the sex scenes of my books. Those are always the most difficult for me to write because I want it to be appropriately steamy and engaging and true to my characters without being cheesy or over the top. It’s a very delicate balance and one I take very seriously as a writer.

What do you think makes for a good erotic story?

I don’t like reading books that are only sex. I like it as much as the next person but, just like in life, I like it to be meaningful. I like the characters to have a connection. They don’t have to get married or anything, but, for me, there needs to be attraction that makes sense.

What’s your favorite euphemism for genitalia?

So I’m totally blushing right now. The euphemism that I use really depends on my characters and who I’ve made them be. I’ve used cock, shaft, erection, and pecker in stories. I’ve used wet lips, woman’s secret, slick warmth. But in real life, they’re penis and vagina. That’s what they are, so that’s what I say.

What else have you written, and where can people learn more about you and your work?

The entire Charlotte Grace Series is available on Amazon. Smoldering Embers, Wild Fire, and Ashes. I have also released my first novel, The Underground, which is a story set in Seattle and their underground city. You can learn more at my website, pmbriede.com. You can also learn more and interact with me directly on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

About the Author

PM Briede is a lover of all things artistic. She grew up surrounded by the performing arts both as a spectator and performer. That love of creation and design is the fuel for her writing now. Being able to create and entertain is a dream come true.

The imagination is a powerful thing, able to take you places you never dreamed. PM Briede writes realistic fantasy. The idea of the possible having impossible explanations fascinates her. That idea is the driving force behind the Charlotte Grace series.

Connect with PM Briede on her FB friend page, FB likes page, Twitter, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Giveaway

The auther will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Be sure to to follow the rest of the tour here and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Happy Day of the Ninja: Show off your ninja skills!

Happy Day of the Ninja!

Though some of you probably already know of the ninja’s sworn enemy, “Talk Like A Pirate Day,” today the silent assassins get their due. In a sudden blaze of explosives, shuriken, and katana slashes. Hiiiiiiiya!

Indeed, the reason behind my affection for ninjas is simple: I’m secretly a ninja myself.

And I’ve got the skills to prove it.

Some intrepid readers may have noticed that I occasionally include this tidbit in my bio: “Laura leg-presses sumo wrestlers while drinking coffee and editing her literary magazine, Black Heart.” You may have assumed I was joking about that, but it’s actually 100% true.

Well, okay, I may have embellished on the bit about drinking coffee and editing at the same time. You tend to need your powers of concentration rather undivided for that.

You see, I regularly find myself accosted at the gym because of the extreme amount of weight I am pressing on the leg machine, and I started to wonder why everyone was so taken aback that a 5’2″ woman with a strong set of legs might be able to perform such a feat.

I tallied up the amount I was lifting that day. It was 410 pounds.

I then Googled the weight of the average Sumo wrestler. It’s 412 pounds.

Coincidence? Hardly. I’m a ninja; it’s what we do.

A naysayer – a guy who was clearly peeved that a woman was outdoing him physically – once suggested that since I used both legs to lift 410 pounds, I was “really” only lifting 205 pounds. Um, no, sir. Physics doesn’t work that way. However you lifted it, you lifted it. And the amount I lifted was 410 pounds, according to the measurements printed on the side of the weights. Why don’t you try lifting 410 pounds? Oh, right, because you can’t. As Arnold Schwarzenegger might say, “Are those your legs or are you riding a chicken?”

I definitely need this on a t-shirt, so I can wear it to the gym.

I will also do this dance, whilst wearing said shirt:

In any event, I thought I would share my ninja skills with you today to celebrate the ninja, those silent marauders, and to ask whether YOU have any ninja skills you’ve been hiding from the rest of us. Leave a comment about your best ninja skill (and how you show it off) to win a genuine miniature ninja!

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