Laura Kaye's Blog, page 55

Zeph discovers his destiny... #WestofWant #SixSunday

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm still riding the high of having finished South of Surrender, so I thought I'd stick with six more from the second book in that same series, West of Want. Here's Zeph's POV during some serious make-up sex *grins*:

All he knew was her, being in her. His chest swelled around the crashing beats of his heart.

This feeling, this love, this woman—it was all such an amazing revelation to him. Down deep, in a dark part of himself he didn’t like to visit, he’d totally surrendered to the idea he’d never share in the joy of loving partnership. That he’d found it in such an unexpected place with a woman who might as well have been made for him was beyond miraculous. It felt like destiny.

Buy West of Want at Amazon | B&NPre-Order South of Surrender at Amazon | B&N (on sale!)
Don't forget to check out the other Sixers' posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter! Thanks for reading and hopefully commenting, too!

Laura

Super Sexy 1920s Erotic Romance from Stephanie Draven!

Hey everyone! I'm thrilled to share my friend Stephanie Draven's new 1920s erotic romance books with you! These stories are so, so sexy and smart and just totally hot, plus they have some of the most beautiful covers I've seen! One story is available now and the whole compilation comes out in three weeks:

The Twenties roared with hot jazz, free-flowing back-room liquor, and wild sexual abandon, freeing even society girls like Nora Richardson to explore every fantasy, every desire, and every vibrating impulse…

The moment I met Jonathan, a mad, instant lust took hold of me. Outside the speakeasy, in the buggy seat of my father’s car, he ripped the front of my dress, catching the pearls around my neck, snapping the string, sending beads spilling everywhere.

Occasionally I still find one of those pearls in my pocketbook or in the driveway in front of our manor house, and it makes me wilt with the scorching heat of the memory. You see, I loved him that night. I loved all the filthy things he said to me. I loved all the ungentlemanly things he did to me. I loved the way it felt to have him inside me, not even knowing his name. Not knowing that he would be the kind of man to return with flowers and a marriage proposal…

Now, a year later, he’s a scorned husband who wants to punish me.

And I realize how very much I want to let him…

Want more to excite your imagination? Then grab hold of Stephanie Draven’s jazz-hot collection It Stings So Sweet, and meet a silent screen star as open to scandal as she is to sex with two men in the back row of a darkened theater. You’ll also meet an ambitious shopgirl with a secret sex diary, and her dashing blackmailer.

In an age when anything goes, three women discover that anything is possible…

It Stings So Sweet from Berkley Sensation (releases February 5). Don’t miss it.  
Buy Love Me or Leave Me from Amazon | B&NPre-Order It Stings So Sweet from Amazon | B&N
Thanks for reading!
Laura

A Little #SixSunday Snark from Chrysander Notos #WestofWant

Very late last night, I finished writing South of Surrender, Book 3 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series (releases in May). South features greek god Chrysander Notos, so I thought I'd share a quick six from West of Want that introduces a bit of Chrys's attitude...

A jag of warm energy shot through the room. “Comfy, Z? Can I get you anything, another pillow? An eye mask? An Ambien? A fucking clue?”

Buy West of Want at Amazon | B&NPre-Order South of Surrender at Amazon | B&N (on sale!)
Don't forget to check out the other Sixers' posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter! Thanks for reading and hopefully commenting, too!

Laura

Help Caridad Pineiro Help Hurricane #Sandy Relief ~ #JerseyShore #NJ

When I moved to New Jersey, I was lucky enough to be able to spend time along the Jersey Shore.  It was great to take long strolls along miles of boardwalk, enjoy frozen custard cones, and noisy rides.  Explore the towns with their beautiful old Victorians.  Take a risk at a casino!  There are just so many other unique flavors in the many Shore towns.  Of course, there is also the beauty of the dunes and ocean which inspired my SIN HUNTERS series.
The Jersey Shore is my home and I love it.  So it was heartbreaking to walk the many miles of boardwalk and see damage in one town after the other.  I’ve posted some before and after photos on my Facebook Fan Page.
I’ve always been someone who believes in helping others, especially since my current release, THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE, is set in Atlantic City.  For starters, I did a last minute rewrite to the book to add mentions of the storm and add a message of hope about rebuilding the Shore. It delayed release of the book, but everyone involved with the project believe that it was worthwhile to do this.
Here is a little blurb about THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE:

Prince Alexander Ivanov is scrambling to save his reputation and his livelihood. One of the Russian Nights Casino's hostesses has disappeared, and his business is suddenly under investigation by the FBI for associations with the mob and money laundering.

Special Agent Kathleen Martinez has no patience with rich, entitled aristocrats, especially one like Alexander Ivanov whom she believes is involved in the vicious human trafficking ring which she'd tried—and failed—to shut down two years earlier. With a second chance to bring him to justice, she goes undercover in the casino, but instead of facing the villain she expected, she finds herself battling a sizzling attraction to the man.

Now, forced to work together to trace the source of the illegal activities, the danger—and the passion between them—grows out of control, and they slowly begin to realize the biggest danger isn’t to the casino, it’s to their lives…and to their hearts.

But I also decided that I needed to do more and for that reason, I’m donating my share of the proceeds from the sales of THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE to the Hurricane Sandy NJ Relief Fund. I’m hoping that we can rebuild and restore the Shore so that people can go home and reopen the businesses that have been affected by the storm.
Thank you for letting me visit, Laura!  I appreciate you letting me help spread the word about this campaign.  For those of who would like to help out, please post this where you can:
Best-selling author Caridad Pineiro is helping to rebuild the shore by donating proceeds of her latest romantic suspense release, THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE, from now until March 1, 2013. Caridad’s share of the proceeds from the sales of the book will be donated to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief fund. THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE is available for download at Amazon via this link: http://amzn.to/UFCKRO or at B&N via this link: http://bit.ly/WxipEv.
Please help spread the word by tweeting this to your friends:

THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE Proceeds to Benefit Hurricane #Sandy #NJ #kindle PLZ RT http://amzn.to/UFCKRO

THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE Proceeds to Benefit Hurricane #Sandy #NJ #nook PLZ RT http://bit.ly/WxipEv

THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE Proceeds to Benefit Hurricane #Sandy #NJ #Kobo ht.ly/fBKN0

Thank you so much for your support!~Caridad Pineiro
Totally great cause, Caridad! Thanks for sharing it with us! And thanks to everyone for stopping by and reading! Please leave Caridad some comment love and share what you can!
Laura

I'm Naughty & Have 10 Scenes to Prove It! #Erotic #NewYearsHop

Welcome to the Naughty New Years Blog Hop! And thanks to Skye Warren for organizing this awesome hop! If you are looking for something hot, sexy, fun, and maybe even naughty to read, you've come to the right place!

Before I get to the giveaways, I thought I'd share what I think are my 10 steamiest scenes from across all of my books (along with a one-sentence teaser from that scene) – you can let me know if you agree or if I missed your favorite!


10. Up Against the Wall Scene, West of Want . “Closing his eyes, he became sensation, smelling her scent on his mouth, feeling her slick grip on his shaft and her short fingernails dig into his neck, hearing the long, satisfied sigh that escaped from her swollen lips.”
9. Make-Up Sex/Feeding Scene, In the Service of the King . “Kael threw his head back and roared in a sound that could only be described as ecstatic triumph, then as quickly dropped his face to her throat and buried his fangs deep within the yielding flesh of her neck.”
8. Dungeon Scene, Seduced by the Vampire King . “Hanging on the dungeon bars, Kate’s whole body sagged against him, her weight falling onto his chest and the hand between her legs.” 7. Lake Scene, Her Forbidden Hero . “The firm ridge of his erection pressed and nudged between her legs, and soon Alyssa couldn’t help but rub herself against him as they continued to kiss and nibble at each other’s skin.”
6. Ski Resort Scene, North of Need . “They kissed and writhed in a frenzy. Desire overwhelmed her. ‘In me. Get in me.’”
5. Up Against the Wall Scene, One Night with a Hero . “One hand gripping a breast and the other her shoulder, Brady hunched himself over her body and came at her with a series of quick, deep strokes she felt everywhere.”
4. Foursome Scene, Just Gotta Say . “An erotic soundtrack filled the air—her constant moaning, Jack’s stream of muttered expletives and encouragements, Lucas’s guttural grunts, the bed shifting under them, their bodies slapping together.”
3. Consummation Ceremony Scene, In the Service of the King . The only reason this isn’t number two is because there’s no sex. Without question, it’s my most erotic non-intercourse scene! “Shayla was so magnificent in her bloodlust that he reveled in every wanton lick and rough suck of her mouth on his skin.”
2. Elevator Make-out Scene #2, Hearts in Darkness . “‘Tell me, Red, you gotta say it out loud. I can’t see your face or your eyes, and I don’t want to make any mistakes here.’”
1. Truck Scene, One Night with a Hero . Since I’m celebrating this book right now, I’m putting this scene, definitely one of my hottest, in the preeminent position! *grins* “Joss held her skirt out of the way as Brady used his massive thighs to hammer his hips upward, fucking her even though she was on top.”
GIVEAWAYS!So, is your favorite here? Or, if you haven't read any of my books, which one sounds most delicious to you? Comment to enter to win:
Three commenters will win their choice of any of the ebooks listed here. Follow my blog for an extra two entries - just put in your comment what your blog follow name is (current followers list your name, too)! MUST INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO ENTER! Comments on my blog ALSO count as entries toward the grand prizes, $100 gift card to Eden Fantasys and a 10-ebook-prize pack. All giveaways end at midnight EST on January 6:
Click here for the complete list of hop participants!
Thanks so much for hopping by my place! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Laura

Looking Back at 2012, Looking Ahead to 2013 #HappyNewYear

The end of the year is always a great time to reflect on all that's come and all that's yet to be. Here's where those reflections took me:

Looking Back at 2012:

Man, it was an absolutely incredible year for me. So many things happened that I never, ever would've predicted. Some highlights of the year included:

~ Hitting the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists in November with One Night with a Hero and Her Forbidden Hero, and earning a spot on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll! Thank you to my readers and to Entangled Publishing for that amazing, humbling moment!

~ Having all of the following happen within the span of three weeks: get approached out of the blue by two New York publishers, get signed by an agent, whip up a brand new series idea (Hard Ink, contemporary romance), submit it to New York publishers and get multiple offers, and finally sell it in pre-empt, in a major deal, to a New York publisher (Avon/HarperCollins). All during the first three weeks of teaching after being on sabbatical last spring. Talk about a head-spinning, speech-stealing, dreamlike month! And talk about a whole lotta luck. I'm so incredibly grateful.

~ Publishing three full-length novels (Her Forbidden Hero, One Night with a Hero, West of Want) and two novellas  (In the Service of the King, Seduced by the Vampire King), and selling nine other books! It's an amazing feeling to be able to do what you love. Truly.

~ Engaging in my first co-authoring project with the ever fantastic Stephanie Dray (aka Stephanie Draven). And, heh, writing in a new genre to boot (historical fiction! yes, I know, it seems totally out of left field...and it sorta kinda is, except that I'm a historian by training...). This has been an amazing experience and I can't wait til we finish knocking out a draft! Steph rocks!

~ Cementing some incredible friendships with other authors, especially my Maryland Romance Writers partners-in-crime - you know who you are! xoxo!

~ With the help of Carla Gallway (<= made of awesome!) of Book Monster Reviews, getting a street team (Laura's Heroes) set up and off the ground - what an incredible group of ladies I have standing beside me! I appreciate them so much!

~ Attending the Romantic Times Convention for the first time ever! I had a total blast and am looking forward to Kansas City 2013 and meeting more of my fantastic readers!

~ Getting interviewed by my local newspaper for a feature, then learning the editor-in-chief had decided to run the story on page one, and then learning that the Associated Press had picked it up for national distribution. Gah!

~ Taking a leave from my day job to write full-time for the next year, and then maybe for good! *fingers crossed!*

Looking Ahead to 2013:

~ Here's what I know I need to do: write 3-5 full-length novels and two novellas. I'm trying not to think of these collectively, because I'm totally willing to admit to being overwhelmed by my writing schedule over the next year. So I'm trying my hardest to take these one at a time and keep as strictly as I can to my daily writing goal of 3,000 words a day. This is a good problem to have, I definitely get that. But I don't want to muck it all up! LOL

~ Here's some things I'd really like to do: finish drafting my historical fiction with Stephanie; take better care of myself physically and get back into a regular exercise routine; get way, way, WAY more sleep than I currently do; spend more time with my daughters and not feel pulled to go work; and not feel like every spare minute of free time should be devoted to some work-related activity => much of this could be boiled down to better BALANCE. I'm a work in progress where that's concerned.

~ Here's some things I'm really looking forward to: finishing the Anemoi series, the Vampire Warrior Kings series, and maybe the Heroes series - not because I want to be done with them, but because I know how much readers enjoy a completed series, and because I can't wait to see them all lined up on my shelves! *grins* I'm also nearly beside myself with anticipation to see my cover for HARD AS IT GETS (Hard Ink #1). I'm getting not only a cover, but a stepback, which is a second, inside cover with a different image. Meep!!! I'm also dying for this book to release (confirmed: November 2013), BUT, you know, first I have to write it!

I'm sure there are a million things I've forgotten to note as 2012 highlights or 2013 goals, but these are the ones that stand out the most. Overall, I find myself facing the new year filled with gratitude to all of you and hope and faith that more great things are yet to come - although, 2013 has its job cut out for it, because 2012 totally rocked! And thank you for that!

What do you see when you look back, and look ahead?

Thanks for reading, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Laura

A Touching Reunion from #OneNightwithaHero #SixSunday

Happy last Sunday of 2012, everyone! Today, I've got a heartfelt six from the reunion moment in One Night with a Hero. Enjoy!

Brady reached out, then quickly withdrew his hand and lifted his gaze to hers. 

Joss pulled his hand back and placed it on her no-longer-flat belly. 

Awe. Sheer and total. It was the only word he had for the emotions that flooded through him as he touched her for the first time in months and his child for the first time ever. 

He looked into Joss’s bright-green eyes and so many things competed to be said at once that he said nothing at all.

Buy at Amazon | B&N
Be sure to check out the Other Sixers' Posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter. Thanks for reading and hopefully commenting, too!

Happy New Year!

Laura

A Little Voting Help Please, with a Sexy Hero on Top?

I'm very honored to be up for some end-of-the-year awards, and I would be so appreciative if you could take a moment to vote! These kinds of honors really mean a lot to authors, at least I know that's true for me! 

Here's the deal: 
I'm up for a total of 11 2012 Readers' Choice Awards at GraveTells - voting through midnight EST 12/28:

I'm in second place for a lot of these, so your vote will definitely count!
Favorite Heroine (Ella Raines, West of Want)
Hottest Couple (Kael and Shayla, In the Service of the King)Most Memorable Sidekick (Chrysander, West of Want)
Most Memorable Book (West of Want)
Favorite Novella (In the Service of the King)
Sexiest Story (In the Service of the King)
Most Outstanding Series (Vampire Warrior Kings)
Best Cover Artwork (West of Want)
Favorite Author
Most Engaging Author
Best Collaborative Interview                  
Her Forbidden Hero is up for Sizzling Read of the Year - voting through 12/31

Thanks so much for considering, and thanks to everyone who has already voted!

HAPPIEST NEW YEAR!

Laura




All right, now, did you vote? Great! Just let me know which sexy hero you want on top:

Caden Grayson from Hearts in Darkness?
Marco Vieri from Her Forbidden Hero?
Brady Scott from One Night with a Hero?
Owen Winters from North of Need?
Zephyros Martius from West of Want?
As always, I aim to please! *grins*

Wherein I tell my readers what they mean to me...

In case you didn't see this when it first appeared on Herding Cats & Burning Soup, I wanted to repost, just to be sure...
An Open Letter to My Readers
I’ve just wrapped up my blog tour for my newest contemporary romance, One Night with a Hero. This book, my ninth, was the first one I ever had hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists, and I was just so utterly thrilled. And who do I have to thank for that? Well, a lot of people. I have maybe the world’s best editor. And I’ve got great critique partners. And I have a hugely supportive family. And I can’t overstate the importance of any of them. But who I really have to thank is you. My readers. And that’s what I want to talk about today.
Do you realize what you do for authors? What you mean to them? I’ll tell you.
You make me want to do my job. With every tweet you send me telling me you loved a book. With every Facebook post where you ask me when I’m going to write a sequel to that book you’re just dying for more of. With every message you send me asking if there’s going to be more to a series. With every review you leave. With every squee you share with me and milestone you celebrate with me and “good job” you say to me, you make me want to do my job.
And not only that, you make me want to do my job better. If you love a book, I hope I can make you love the next one even more. And what a challenge this has been with Hearts in Darkness being my first book. I mean, I know, for some of you there will never be anyone better than Caden Grayson. And that’s okay. Because even if I never surpass him, for you, you’re going to make me try. And I’m going to be a better writer for the effort. And if you don’t love a book, I’m going to do everything I can to win you over next time around. Either way, with your love and your criticism, you push me to do more, to be more, and I feel like I’m always learning. And it’s such an exciting, fulfilling thing to experience.
You also make me love my job. In fact, I love it so much, I don’t even think of it as work. Sometimes, when I’m out doing something totally fun, something I love, I’ll still find myself thinking, man, I wish I could finish that chapter. You do that for me. You’ve made it that way for me. Because you care about my stories and my characters, you’ve made it so that something I love has meaning. And that’s the best feeling in the world. Who could ask for more than that? Not me.
You make me feel like I’m a part of something much bigger than myself. Readers and authors, we’re a community of people who all love the same thing. We get excited about the same thing. We squee, we stalk, we talk fictional boyfriends, we drool over cover art, we cry when a series we love ends, we stand in line at midnight book releases, we whine because it’s still three freaking months and eight days until Lover at Last releases, and WE. ALL. GET. IT. And that’s an amazing thing, being a part of something with other people. Everything is more meaningful when you share it with others. And you make that happen, for me.
So, I just wanted you to know that I’m filled with gratitude to each and every one of you. Truly. YOU are the best Christmas present I could ever have.
I wish you the happiest holiday evah.
With love,
Laura

"Miss Joss is kissing Santa Claus!" #SixSunday #OneNightwithaHero

Happy Sunday everyone! And Merry almost Christmas to everyone who celebrates! I've got a fun, romantic, holiday six from One Night with a Hero! Enjoy! 

Brady tugged the beard free of his mouth and kissed her.

Murmurs filled the ballroom around them. He knew he’d broken character, but no way he could hold back from claiming this woman a single second longer.

“Miss Joss is kissing Santa Claus!” a little girl’s voice called out.

The room erupted in laughter. The band didn’t miss a beat and broke into “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” the crowd singing along.

Buy at Amazon | B&N
Be sure to check out the Other Sixers' Posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter. Thanks for reading and hopefully commenting, too!

Laura