Daryl Devore's Blog, page 98

Capri's Fate – Writer's Notes part 2

 First off - Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians - enjoy the day.

Capri's Fate – Writer's Notes part 2 What's in a name? A lot if you ask an author who's had to change their character's name. Luckily, so far, I haven't had to do that, but I've read emails from critique group partners, and it was an upsetting experience for some of them. That doesn't mean I haven't changed a character's name, but it was my decision – during the writing process – that his/her name wasn't appropriate for their character.
Capri and Thall – how did I select their names? No idea. I guess I get a bit focused when I'm writing and don't pay a lot of attention to what is going on beyond what my fingers just typed.
Capri's name popped into my head, which this books being about a Fate makes me wonder if they had something to do with it. 1. A one point in the book, Capri is wearing capris. Actually I couldn't resist that. 2. When I was searching astrological signs, Capri's perfect match was Capri-corn. Yes, I did slip that into the book. 3. Capri's full name is Capricious - def. subjectto, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic. Capri's life is exactly that full of unpredictable changes. She believes she is a woman in control, but life throws her curves balls. (Had to put in baseball reference –  my Detroit Tigers are in the playoffs) 4. Thall needs a mysterious substance and capricci is a writer's respelling of an actual substance which starts with Capri's name (got to love Google)
Thall's name when through changes including the fact it didn't start off as Thall. Then there was the ThaLL or ThaL period where I drove my cp's crazy because I had decided how to spell his name. Thall had to sound unusual – unworldly. It also had to be a name that could be broken apart – T.Hall. Which lead to Thall having to come up with what the T in T. Hall stands for –  Tallywacker  (British for penis)  Taboo (is a vehement prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behavior is either too sacred or too accursed for ordinary individuals to undertake, under threat of supernatural punishment – this definition fits Thalls love for Capri) Titanic (has tit in it and Thall found that amusing). I had more but they got edited out.
What name does Thall choose for the T in T. Hall? If you don't know, guess you'll have to read the book.
If you’re a writer – is there a story behind how a character got his/her name? If you're a reader – what's the name of your favourite character?
Comment moderation is off - sorry I forgot last week.
  

Capri's Fate - Writer's Notes - part 1

This is the question from interviewers that stumps me.
 Where did I get my inspiration for Capri's Fate?

I'd written an erotic contemporary romance, a twisted fairy tale and an erotic medieval romance. So what's next? Paranormal/fantasy is big. Thought I'd give that a stab. There are lots of awesome vampire and werewolf/shifter books, so I thought I'd try something else. But what?


I decided to just start writing – brainstorm – and see what happened. Chapter 1 was written and I have a voice talking to Capri. I decided to go with the challenge of how to get this voice to have a sexual encounter with Capri. Then I realized at some point I have to get this voice into human form. Someone Capri could fall in love with. 

Fate popped into my head. Next was some research to discover what a Fate is and then I sat down and wrote.

What was my inspiration? Don't really know. An idea. A nudge from the back of my mind.

How about you? Can you track where the inspiration comes from? 

Excerpt – Capri discovers Thall's been keeping a secret.
Caprishivered as a cold numbness washed over her. She stared at Thall. It was Thall. Not Taren, her pilot, but Thall, her Fate. "It's you? How?" She blinked and refocused, hoping Taren would appear before her.Thall's eyes changed colors three times as he lifted his hand out of the water, reaching out to touch her. Capri slapped it away and turned."It's still me." His voice edged with a hint of fear and confusion."I trusted you. Not you. Him." She glanced over her shoulder, eyes flashing with anger. "I was willing to give myself to you. To have a relationship. Something real. With someone real." She bit back a sob and snapped her head forward. Although a crack ripped through her heart, she refused to let him see her pain.The clear, blue water rippled past her as Thall moved to stand in front. He placed his hands on her shoulders and waited until her gaze lifted to meet his. Even as his eyes changed color from green to brown to burnt orange, Capri could see the bewilderment lingering there. He rubbed his hands along the crest of her shoulders. "I have wanted to be near you for a long time."She blinked. "What do you mean, a long time?""You've been in my domain since the day you were conceived."Capripulled out of his grasp, stepped back, slipped on a slimy rock and splashed into the water. Rising up sputtering, she wiped the water from her face. "You've been watching me? All my life? That's stalker creepy." She crossed her arms over her chest, covering her breasts.Thall ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm a Fate. I'm the son of Lachesis, the Fate who allots the length of life.""I know who you are." Fury and scorn crossed her face."Then you know what I am. It's what I was born to do." His gaze lowered to the water. "You've been a dream. I've longed to be near you. Hear your voice speak my name. To feel your flesh touch my skin." His voice cracked. "To kiss your lips."He glanced up, but did not meet her gaze. "It burns me when you touch me. Don't condemn me because I'm not human. I would give up my immortality to be with you."Caprigasped and raised her hand to her mouth. Her heart skipped a beat."My intentions were never evil." He matched his gaze with hers. His eyes flickered from purple to red. "They were made out of—""No." She slapped her hand against the water, splashing him. He coughed and stumbled back. "You're not real."

Buy Links – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/309990
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-capri039sfate-1172391-140.html
http://www.amazon.com/Capris-Fate-ebook/dp/B00CJ1I6Y0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366992997&sr=1-1&keywords=new+dawning+bookfair
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Capris-Fate/book-7uOs7lH6QU66B8y_ji9JWw/page1.html
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-capri039sfate-1172391-140.html

 Next Monday I'm hoping to have Writer's Notes - part 2 - just don't know what I'm posting about yet. If you have anything you'd like to know about Capri's Fate, ask and maybe that's what I'll make my post about.

Spotlight on Nina Croft and The Descartes Legacy

The Descartes LegacyNina Croft
Blurb: Lucas Grafton has spent the last ten years hunting the Conclave, a secret organization who took everything from him: his wife, his child, his very identity. Now he has a lead—an imminent terrorist attack on London—code-named Descartes.
Born with a genetic illness, Jenna Young has always known she was different. But the unexpected death of her father catapults her into a world of murder and terrorism she never expected. In order to stay alive, she must solve a twenty-five year old mystery—and her only ally a hard bitter man in search or retribution, her only clue the Descartes Highlands, an area on the near side of the moon.
Luke’s need for revenge collides with Jenna’s hunt for the past, and together they must stand against the Conclave. All the while uncovering the truth behind Jenna’s illness, a truth that will make Jenna question her very humanity.

Excerpt
When she pulled herself up, the room whirled around her. Somehow she managed to follow Luke out of the kitchen and down the hallway. Pushing open a door, he gestured to her to enter. “Try to sleep, and we’ll talk in the morning.”Jenna swayed as she passed him. Putting her hand out for balance, she encountered the hard heat of his chest. Swearing softly, he closed his eyes for a second. Then he picked her up, carried her into the bedroom, and placed her gently down on the bed.“Come on, Jenna, just a few more minutes and you can sleep.”“I’m fine, really I am. Just everything keeps spinning.”He straightened. Was he leaving? She didn’t want to be alone, and she had to swallow the urge to ask him to stay. Instead, he disappeared through another door and came back seconds later carrying a black toweling robe and a washcloth. He crouched in front of her, and gently wiped her face with the damp cloth.Jenna closed her eyes and gave herself up to his touch. She was floating, suspended in time, only aware of his closeness, his hands gentle as he stripped her clothes. Her body responded to his touch, a heavy warmth building inside her.When she was naked, he wrapped the robe around her shoulders. “Sleep.”Exhaustion rolled over her and she lay down on top of the blanket. She would rest a little while then get up and shower. Curling herself into a ball, her injured hand held against her chest, she was vaguely aware of Luke moving around the room, picking up her clothes. His presence reassured her, and she closed her eyes. But behind her lids, she saw the blond man who had snapped her finger. He came toward her, his eyes mocking, and the same sense of helplessness washed over her. That had been the worst thing, even worse than the pain. The feeling she had been powerless, that they could do what they liked to her, and she could do nothing to stop them.Tears rolled down her cheek, soaking the pillow, but she couldn’t seem to stop. The mattress depressed as Luke sat down beside her. He didn’t speak, just leaned back against the wall and pulled her into his arms. He smelled of warm man, clean sweat spiked with some exotic after-shave. Sighing, she burrowed her face against his chest, and finally drifted into sleep to the throb of his heart.

Giveaway: Nina will do a $25 Gift Card as an overall giveaway.
Authors Bio: Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.Anytime, anyplace, anyone…love finds a way.
WEBSITE    FACEBOOK   TWITTER   GOODREADSa Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight on David Russell's Self's Blossom

Self's Blossom by David Russell



This is about a young woman's self-discovery. Selene is a 'success story', having become a top journalist, while retaining her dazzling looks. However, in the past she has had unhappy relationships, and feels she has missed out on hedonistic fun.  This she obtains, firstly with a young stranger on a beach, and finally with enigmatic Hudson: tryst is preceded by cultural tourism, and careful sizing up of minds. Afterwards Selene returns to her 'I stand on my own' attitude.While she is on holiday, her mind is free to ramble, often into Selene's chequered past. Flashback blurs into the present, past-rooted interior monologue into direct observation. The dialogue is sparse. Selene is a cautious, premeditative type, in whom thought, reflection and analysis outweigh direct action.Selene’s subtle, monitoring mind coolly observes and controls all the events. Maybe she is super-confident, or perhaps has a deep, underlying insecurity. She is many things to many readers.





Excerpt - 
Here, she was on a beach, pure and simple. Now the sea breathed heavily, whispering and murmuring to her. It was returning her stare, speaking to her. It was the spirit of love, beckoning her with a pulsing, sinewy body. In all its lines, shades, and fleeting forms, Selene saw the essence of pure beauty, all grace of form, flesh, limb and feature. It was in one, all the lovers of whom she could possibly dream, conflated into one elemental ideal. He, pure love in soul, bade her to enter his domain and make it hers. His arms moved her hands to unclasp, unbutton, and unzip . . . the blossom emerged. The sun became the eye of all that was not earth, and Selene loved fully, though the pallor of her skin left her momentarily abashed.
At first she lay in the tide's path, the top of her head at its most extreme mark. The sand bank made a soft bed. The sea lover smoothly caressed her calves, thighs, hips, breasts, shoulders, and cheeks before retreating to pause in his mossy pinnacles. Three times this action was repeated, and then Selene stood up, wading in with arms outstretched. Her arms were linked, as she stood up to her neck in the saline flow. The balls and heels of her feet wobbled, slithering on the moss. With the next wave, she lost her balance – her breath prepared in unison with the hissing around her. She threw her head back, once again horizontal, and launched into a backstroke, sweeping and circling. She parted her legs wide with each thrust of motion, each sweep of self-propulsion pushing out to answer the cavernous currents of his passion. Seven circles gave her a delicious, warm bliss –then the sea lover, well pleased, carried her back to a near-dry bed. Aching and contented, Selene dozed a while.

Bio - 
b. 1940. Resident in the UK. Writer of poetry, literary criticism, speculative fiction and romance. Main poetry collection Prickling Counterpoints (1998); poems published in online International Times.Main speculative works High Wired On (2002); Rock Bottom (2005). Romances: Self’s Blossom; Explorations; Further Explorations; Therapy Rapture; Darlene, Fools’ Paradise (all pub Extasy (Devine Destinies). Singer-songwriter/guitarist. Main CD albums Bacteria Shrapnel and Kaleidoscope Concentrate. Many tracks on You Tube, under ‘Dave Russell’

Spotlight - Roxanne Snopek's Fake Fiance, Real Revenge on Erotic Notions

Blurb: Real-estate tycoon Mitchell Granger has a problem. In order to secure a lucrative deal with an eccentric client, he told the teeny white lie that he was engaged…and now he needs to prove it. Even worse? The only name that came to mind was Sabrina Becker, the girl he was never good enough for growing up, and who still lives near his family ranch.Sabrina doesn’t mind posing as Mitch’s fake fiancée—no, she doesn’t mind at all. One, she’ll make him pay with new construction for her business. And two, Sabrina’s got a plan to exact revenge on her first love, the boy who left her and Three River Ranch behind. She’ll pretend so well, he’ll fall in love with her…and then he’ll get a taste of what true heartbreak feels like.But as Mitch sheds his corporate skin and picks up his dusty jeans and cowboy hat, will both his and Sabrina’s grand plans get derailed by love?



Author bio Roxanne Snopek is the author of ten books, more than 150 articles, and has had short fiction published in several anthologies. She is currently serving as Vice-President of the Romance Writers of America Greater Vancouver Chapter. She and her family live in the Pacific Northwest, where she’s at work on more love stories for Entangled Publishing. Roxanne Snopek has been writing professionally for more than two decades and is the author of eight books, more than 150 articles, and has had short fiction published in several anthologies. Her non-fiction has appeared in a wide variety of publications, from The Vancouver Sun and Reader’s Digest to newsletters for Duke, Cornell and Tufts Universities. She's done corporate copywriting on topics ranging from pet food for Iams/Eukanuba, to employee profiles for VersaCold to air-conditioner maintenance for Home Depot. In 2006, her first novel Targets of Affection was published by Cormorant Books, under the name RGWillems. When her editor asked for more, she happily wrote the second and third in the series, certain she was on her way to fame and fortune. Then the economy fell apart, her editor stopped taking her calls and Roxanne realized it wasn't going to be that easy. After some wallowing and navel-gazing, she found Romance Writers of America, one of the largest professional writers' organizations in the world, and began to seriously study the craft of fiction writing. Roxanne is currently Vice-President of the Greater Vancouver Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. They voted her in, so they can’t complain.In her spare time, Roxanne is also the human resource manager for a veterinary hospital. She and her family live in the Pacific Northwest, where she’s always at work on the next book.On a personal note:Take a look my blog*, in which I open up a tiny window into the uncharted landscape that is My Brain, while dancing between the boundaries of Too Much Information and Oops, Now I Need a Pen Name. Mostly it's just Real Life, family, art, writing, yoga and why some mornings, you just shouldn't talk.*or don't. Really, it's up to you.WebsiteTwitterFacebook
Buy Links Fake Fiance, Real Revenge:  AmazonB&NiBookstoreHis Reluctant Rancher: Amazon
Three River Ranch: Amazon
Roxanne is giving away an iPad mini (black, 16GB) and two kindle sleeves to one lucky tour winner! 






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Spotlight on Lucy Felthouse and Mean Girls on Erotic Notions

Mean Girls by Lucy FelthouseAdele Blackthorne is a big girl, a curvy chick. She knows it, and she’s been picked on all her life because of it. But she’s gotten to the stage where she doesn’t care. She may be Rubenesque, but she’s healthy, too. Much healthier than the mean girls at the leisure center that point and stare and say spiteful things about her. Adele rises above it all, and simply enjoys her secretive glances at the center’s hunky lifeguard, Oliver.As the bullying of Adele becomes worse, Oliver finds it increasingly difficult not to intervene. He doesn’t want to get into trouble with work, but equally he can’t stand to see Adele treated in such a horrible way. Especially since he doesn’t agree that she’s fat and unattractive. He thinks she’s a seriously sexy woman, and would like to get to know her better. Much better.Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/mean-girls/

Excerpt:As usual, Adele Blackthorne felt the weight of gazes on her as she walked from the changing room to the steps to get into the swimming pool. She was used to it by now, and had learned not to react, to just carry on as though she hadn’t noticed people staring and not-so-subtly pointing at her.With a polite nod to Oliver, the lifeguard, as she passed him, Adele was grateful for his much more favorable reaction. If he thought she resembled a beached whale, he hid it much better than everyone else did. The warmth in his eyes as he nodded back even looked genuine. But she had no illusions, he probably slagged her off the moment he got into the staffroom, or home, talking about the fat woman who went swimming three times a week without fail. But for now, she’d pretend he didn’t. Pretend he thought she was sexy, and wanted to get lost in her abundant curves. God knows she’d like him to.It was true, she was a big girl and she was most definitely aware of it. Ever since she’d gotten to the age where her excess weight could no longer be called puppy fat, she’d tried to do something about it. Every diet under the sun, ridiculous amounts of exercise… nothing worked. Adele had grown so depressed in her teens that she’d become bulimic. Naturally, she’d lost some weight that way, but she’d also made herself so ill that she’d had to be hospitalized. It had terrified the life out of her, and ever since, she’d resolved that she’d much rather be healthy than skinny.Which was why she visited her local leisure center three times a week. She used the gym and sauna, and went swimming. And every single time she went, she’d catch someone gawping at her. But because of the years she’d spent—especially at school—being called all the names under the sun, she’d developed an incredibly thick skin. She was happy and healthy—so healthy in fact that she could probably beat all of those skinny bitches at a swimming race. Of course she never offered, never called anyone out on their rudeness and ignorance, but it made her feel better to know that she was fitter and much more polite than them.Slipping into the fast lane, she settled her goggles carefully into position—she hated getting water in her eyes—then lifted her legs to rest the bottoms of her feet against the end of the pool. Looking at the clock on the wall that counted seconds, she waited until the hand reached the top, then pushed off from the side and launched herself into the lane. It was quiet, so she had this section of the pool to herself. Her arms cut through the water, her legs flapped wildly and she did ten laps without losing any speed. Emerging from the water, she checked the clock again and was pleased to note she’d beaten her previous time.She was just about to start another ten laps, when she heard voices from the other side of the pool. Voices that clearly forgot how well they carried on water. It was as though they were right next to her.“God, I’m surprised all the water doesn’t jump out of the pool when she gets in. And the way she swims—she’ll cause a tidal wave one of these days.”The spiteful words were followed by a trio of sniggers, and Adele gritted her teeth. Part of her wished that she could create a bloody tidal wave, so it would sweep those bitches under water and drown them. The other part of her tsked at the thought. Ideas like that made her just as bad as them, just as unpleasant, just as cowardly.Because they were cowardly—the way they spoke about her behind her back proved that. If they ever passed her somewhere in the leisure center or its car park, they never said anything, not one word. They’d just scurry away as fast as they could, then titter when they thought she was out of earshot. She hoped that just one time, someone would say something to her face, so she could retaliate, speak up for herself. There was no way she’d start anything—she didn’t want to add confrontational to the list of faults that the mean girls had obviously compiled about her.Sucking in a deep breath, Adele launched into another ten laps, allowing the chilly water and the exertion of powering through it to burn away her irritation. Because that’s all it was—irritation. She wasn’t angry. Anger was too powerful an emotion, and one that was totally wasted on those ignorant women. She almost felt sorry for them, actually. If they had nothing better to do than to stare at her and slag her off all the time, then they clearly had very dull lives.The thought cheered her considerably and when she completed her twentieth lap, she lay her forearms on the edge of the pool and hoiked herself up. Her back was pressed against the side, and from here she had a perfect view of the rest of the pool. Tugging her goggles down so they hung around her neck, she had a damn good look at everyone else. The small children and their guardians in the kids’ pool right at the other end of the enormous hall, the old people who swum so slowly as they chatted that she was surprised they stayed afloat, the relentless movement of the man in the medium-speed lane and, of course, the mean girls who were in the same sort of position she was, but at the side of the pool rather than the end. The side which faced the lifeguard station.Adele narrowed her eyes and watched them—the two waif-like blondes and a brunette—as they chatted and giggled, and it seemed for a change, not about her. They’d clearly changed the subject since their previous spouting of vitriol. Their focus was very firmly on Oliver as he sat on his lofty perch, surveying the pools before him, ready to jump in should anyone get into trouble. She often toyed with the idea of faking a problem, just to get him into the pool and his strong arms around her. However, she knew that although he’d undoubtedly do his duty and help her, he’d never believe such a strong swimmer would need his assistance. Then he’d lose all respect for her, and probably stop hiding his disdain for her so effectively. And the polite nods and smiles she got from him were the only thing—aside from the center’s top-notch facilities—that made the place bearable. She was sure that if the three witches—a nickname she’d secretly come up with for the women—had their way, there would be a sign on the main doors to the building saying ‘No Fat People Allowed.’

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebookand Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

A Kept Woman on My Sexy Saturday on Erotic Notions #MSSWeek18

This 7 sentences is from my erotic contemporary - A Kept Woman.



“When we first met, I said it was all about me. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It's about us. We are a unit.  We will stand side by side. But first,” Derek dropped to one knee and pulled a small, blue-velvet jewel box from his tuxedo pocket.
Buy Links
 New Dawning International Bookfair - http://www.newdawningbookfair.com/ 
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Woman-bdsm-spanking-ebook/dp/B004PGNB9C 
Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43872 
Reader Store - http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/daryl-devore/a-kept-woman/_/R-400000000000000350757 
BookStrand - http://www.bookstrand.com/a-kept-woman 
If you prefer print books – All Book Stories - http://www.allbookstores.com/Kept-Woman-Daryl-Devore/9781466257245 
The other MSS authors 

Please feed my fish - they get hungry :-)

Spotlight on Going All In on Erotic Notions

Three authors - three stories - 1 book and it's about hockey! Ok - so if you aren't Canadian you're probably going - Meh! Just think of hockey players as football players on skates - see - they suddenly got hotter didn't they.



Going All InCassandra Carr, Isabo Kelly, Stacey Agdern
Blurb:   Professional hockey players Marcus, Alex, and Chris attend their team's Vegas Night fundraiser unaware their lives will change forever. Can they face their difficulties and win the most important game of their lives – the game of love? These guys are going all in…
HEDGING HIS BET: Cassandra CarrMarcus Mitchell never thought he’d find the love of his life with champagne dripping from her shirt rather than walking the runway at Fashion Week like the models he usually preferred, but you can’t always plan these things. Annalise Alonso isn’t going to make it easy for him, though—he’s going to have to work for her love. Now, Marcus is taking a shot and hedging his bet on love.
CASTING THE DIE: Isabo KellyAfter she sees his murder in a vision, Nathalie Mendez has to warn star hockey goalie Alexander Semenov of the danger. To keep him alive, she risks exposing her many secrets. But once the die is cast, her biggest gamble involves her heart.
PLAYING HER GAME: Stacey AgdernMelanie Gould has been dubbed ‘The Girl in the Lace Corset’. But she doesn’t always like to be the loud mouth defender of the romances she writes, and is definitely not good at playing the games relationships require. Of course, she’s never gone head to head with a guy like Chris Emerson. Chris is trying to behave, and someone like Melanie would destroy his plans to stay under the radar. So what happens when the ‘Girl in the Lace Corset’ and the NHL’s most infamous bad boy go one on one?  Will they play her game?  Will they play his? Or will they both end up in the penalty box?

Author Bios: Cassandra Carr is a multi-award winning erotic romance writer with Ellora's Cave, Siren Publishing, Sybarite Seductions, Decadent Publishing, and Loose Id. She lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out online. Cassandra is the co-founder of two successful group blogs, Romancing the Jock and Dirty Birdies, and participates in several others as a contributor. Recently she was re-elected president of Western New York Romance Writers.For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www. booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/ AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ Cassandra_Carr.

Isabo Kelly is the award-winning author of multiple science fiction, fantasy and paranormal romances. After finishing her Ph.D. in animal behavior in Ireland, Isabo settled down to write full time. She currently lives in New York City with her brilliant Irish husband, her two heroes-in-training sons, and her mad dog.

For more on Isabo and her books, visit her at www.isabokelly.com, follow her on Twitter www.twitter.com/IsaboKelly or friend her on Facebook www.facebook.com/IsaboKelly 

Stacey Agdern is the two time award winning Romance Specialist at Posman Books, an independent bookstore located in Grand Central Terminal. She has a regular column, ‘Dispatches from the TBR Pile’ at ‘HEA’, USA Today’s online romance blog.  She has also written reviews and commentary for publications such as Barbara Vey’s ‘Beyond Her Book’ Column at Publishers Weekly’s online site, Heroes and Heartbreakers, Criminal Element, Romantic Times Magazine and Romance at Random.  She has given presentations on the effective use of booksellers at regional and national conferences.  You can find her on twitter at @nystacey.  She lives in New York, not very far from her favorite hockey team’s practice facility.
Buy Links

Spotlight on Christina Tetreault and The Billionaire's Best Friend on Erotic Notions

Blurb:Despite a wonderful family, a career she loves, and great friends, a void has existed in Lauren McDonald's life ever since her best friend Callie married billionaire Dylan Talbot. Although they have remained close, Lauren and Callie now lead very different lives, that is until Lauren meets wealthy CEO Kevin Walsh. Lauren believes he could be the man who will help make her life whole again.  That is until the night Nathaniel Callahan, her high school sweetheart and the one man she has always loved, shows up.
Although Nate ended things with Lauren before heading off to The Naval Academy and his life with the Marines, he never stopped loving her. Now 15 years later he is back to correct the mistake he made all those years ago.
With Nate back in town, Lauren must decide between the man who promises her the world and the man who has the power to crush her heart again.
Teasers:

The one man she never stopped loving is back in town.  Now Lauren McDonald must decide between the man who promises her the world and the man who has the power to crush her heart again.
Lauren McDonald never stopped loving Nathaniel Callahan even though when he left it nearly destroyed her.  Now with him back in town, she must choose between playing it safe or risking her heart again.
After graduation Nate Callahan left Lauren McDonald behind when he entered The Naval Academy and his life with the Marines. Now fifteen years later he's returned with one goal, to win back the woman he never stopped loving and failure is not an option.


Excerpt:
The main doors of the room opened as Lauren paused her scan; the guest of honor was about to enter. Grabbing her camera, Lauren stood—only to immediately collapse back down into her chair when her knees gave out at the sight of Nathaniel Callahan standing in the doorway.            “Oh my God.” Her stomach hit the floor.            “What's the matter? Are you okay?” Callie's concerned voice sounded as if it were traveling a great distance to reach her.            Lauren glanced over at Callie and then toward the door again. Perhaps she'd imagined him. After all, why would he be here? The last time she'd heard anything about him, he was doing his third tour in the Middle East. Despite her hope that she'd started to hallucinate, when she looked again, he was still there, dressed in a black suit rather than his Marine uniform, his brown hair cut military short and looking much the same as he did the summer he'd broken her heart. She latched her hand onto Callie's arm. “Nate Callahan. He's here.”             She kept her eyes on him. Since that awful day the summer after senior year, she'd only seen him once. She'd been home visiting her parents during holiday break her freshman year of college. She’d spotted him in his parents' driveway from her bedroom window. They'd received more than two feet of snow the night before and he was helping his father shovel. That morning she'd stood and watched until the entire driveway was cleared. When he and his dad finished, he went back inside his house without so much as a glance toward her home.            “What?” Callie asked, her voice louder than necessary.            Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kevin and Dylan headed back to the table. "Nate just walked in," Lauren hissed.            "Lauren that . . ." Callie's voice trailed off and she sat up straighter. Her head moved to keep him in sight as he walked toward his parents. "What's he doing here?" she asked, her voice lower now.            Leaning closer, Lauren whispered, "I don't know. We don't exactly speak."Buy Links:

http://amzn.to/15Nr0qu  (AZ)http://bit.ly/1dBP4i2 (BN)http://bit.ly/16SbQjP (KOBO)http://bit.ly/14xrBMh  (Smashwords)
Author Bio: I wrote my first story with characters similar to those in the Sweet Valley Twins books at the age of 10 on my grandmother's manual typewriter. As I got older my stories and characters became more mature. During my freshman year at UMass Dartmouth, I read my first romance novel and fell in love with the genre. I have been writing contemporary romance ever since.

Today I live with my husband, three beautiful daughters and two dogs in Massachusetts. Whenever I have a free moment you'll find me either reading a romance novel or working on my most current story.
 Author Links: Website:  www.christinatetreault.comfacebook:  www.facebook.com/christinatetreaultauthortwitter: @cgricciBlog:  http://happilyeverafter-cgtetreault.blogspot.com/ 

Spotlight on Laura Simcox and Ivy Entwined on Erotic Notions

If you are here for the Guilty Indulgence Hop - then please scroll down Ivy EntwinedLaura Simcox
Blurb:  When Ivy Callahan returns to her hometown as mayor, she doesn’t expect much to have changed. But now her ex-fiancé is the town planner, the biggest business is closed, and the only store interested in Celebration, NY is a Megamart. On top of it all, the liaison for the big, bad, box store is Marcus Weaver, her childhood crush. And he’s still as dangerously delectable as ever. Marcus unwillingly spent his teens in Celebration with his vindictive, drunken uncle. As far as Marcus is concerned, the town’s only use is to cement his rise up the corporate ladder. He needs that Megamart opened, and Ivy is his ticket. But the sexy, stubborn mayor could also be his downfall.As the unemployed townspeople put on the pressure, Ivy needs to do something. With a fresh downtown-renewal project in the works, Ivy could stop Marcus and his Megamart before they kill the town’s spirit. But with sparks flying between Ivy and Marcus, they each need to decide what’s more important: their careers or their hearts. 
 Excerpt “Did I scare you?” he asked.“Ya think?” Ivy straightened her gray pencil skirt with nervous fingers.He crossed his arms. “I have no idea what you’re thinking.”Good, because it’s X-rated. “I’m going to rent this house, so I need to go shopping.”“Again?” He laughed. “I followed you around holding bags of stuff for hours yesterday.”“I need to shop for furniture. Unless you want to picture me sleeping on a bare floor using my coat as a blankie, I suggest we get moving. And let’s use the back door.”Marcus frowned. “Why?” The doorbell rang.Shit. Perfect timing.Leaning against the kitchen doorway, Marcus put his tongue to a corner of his mouth, grinning.“Oh, I’m not leaving now,” he murmured.Ivy felt panic rising, but all she could do was stare at his sculpted lips. And that tongue. He swiped it across his lips.“Uh…” she began.Marcus looked toward the ceiling as if deep in thought. “Who could be at the door, Ivy?”She crossed her arms and shot him a dagger-filled look. He knew exactly who was out there. “Hmmm, what a mystery.”The doorbell rang again, and Ivy shuddered. She just wanted Preston to go away.“Sure you want this house? Looks like you just saw a ghost,” Marcus commented.Ivy’s shoulders slumped. Fuck it. “I saw my ex-fiancé. Out the window. And I really don’t want to deal with him.”Marcus raised his eyebrows and laughed. “Ex-fiancé? I didn’t know about that. Who is he?” He pushed away from the kitchen door and walked the few short steps into the living room. He paused by the front door and reached for the deadbolt.“Shall I open it, or do you want to do the honors?”Panic spread through Ivy’s stomach, and she sprinted toward him as fast as she could. Ouch. Her brand-new heels were cute but also the spawn of the devil. Wiggling her toes, she slammed a hand against the door and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.“Don’t,” she spat out. “Why are you being such a dick?”He laughed. “Wow. Nobody’s called me that since the tenth grade.”“I find that hard to believe, actually.” She lifted her chin. “Since you obviously feel entitled to do whatever the hell you want without thinking of anyone else. Well, it won’t fly with me, so watch it.”All traces of humor left Marcus’s eyes, and he bent down until his forehead almost touched hers. His breath fanned across her face as he said in a deadly quiet voice, “Get this straight. I don’t need anyone’s advice. Least of all from a woman like you.”“What do you mean, like me?”Marcus reached out and splayed a hand on her side and gently squeezed her rib cage. His fingers brushed the side of her breast. He brought his other hand to her chin and lifted it.“A woman like you,” he repeated, “who is so distracting, I can’t think straight,” he breathed against her lips.Uh-oh. Bad idea, Ivy. Step back.She froze. One tiny movement and their mouths would be fused together. She bit her nails into the smooth fabric of his dress shirt and waited.


After spending twenty years in professional theater as a costume designer, with a few of those years also spent as a college instructor, Laura abandoned the nomadic lifestyle to sit in a comfy pleather office chair at a beat up ginormous second hand oak desk and write. The result? Romance novels! Her favorite thing ever since she was, oh, about twelve. She writes contemporary, light novels and enjoys creating quirky characters and funny dialogue. Still, the love story is the focus and Laura has a huge soft spot for a sappy, happy ending. She lives in North Carolina with her husband (true love is real!) and her adorable, high energy four year old son who is currently obsessed with pirates. When not playing mamma pirate, she loves hearing from readers and you can find your favorite way to say hi via the social media buttons on her website: www.laurasimcox.com Having a bad day? Read a romance novel.Website   Facebook   Twitter Goodreads  Pinterest  Blog

Giveaway:
Grand Prize - ‘Celebration in a Basket’. (In keeping with the series theme - ‘Something to Celebrate’) Includes: fun party supplies for a girlfriends-type party (champagne glasses, napkins and plates, party food recipe cards written by the author), Mardis Gras style beads, candles, chocolate, hard candy, and a deck of ‘Ivy Entwined’ playing cards.
Three runner-up swag bags - Includes: Ivy Entwined bookmarks, magnets, pens and a purse charm-style keychain. Each bag will contain two sets…one for the winner and one for a friend who loves to read romance, too!



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