Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 96
March 12, 2015
Contemporary Sci-Fi: Not Necessarily a Contradiction by @TheaLanden #scifirom
Not Necessarily a Contradiction
by author Thea Landen
When I was first filling out the forms to send Elysium over to the awesome team at Decadent Publishing, I needed to indicate the relevant genres for the book. Checking off “contemporary” and “sci-fi” made me tilt my head and raise an eyebrow at the screen. I thought, isn’t that an oxymoron? How can something be both contemporary AND sci-fi? Shouldn’t I choose one or the other?
Elysium definitely isn’t my first foray into the world(s) of sci-fi romance. I’ve written stories and books that take place on fictional planets, occasionally on spaceships, with cyborgs and aliens and other types of characters that don’t actually exist. Sometimes there are ties to Earth and our reality, sometimes not. And if Earth is mentioned at all, it’s made clear that the plot events are happening many, many years from now.
Elysium does take place on Earth (to be precise, it takes place in the exotic wilds of…Connecticut). At the beginning of the first two scenes, I included months and dates, but intentionally left out a specific year. If forced to narrow down the time beyond that, I can only say that the book’s events happen sometime between tomorrow and the point in the future where we all walk around wearing identical shiny jumpsuits.
Cars don’t fly in the book. People still use snail mail for packages and some other correspondence. Even the main characters themselves have differing views on technology: Drew is an innovative software engineer, while April only owns an old laptop she uses here and there when she has to. (Cell phones never come up, but if they did, she’d probably only have a basic one that does nothing besides talk and text.)
Sounds contemporary so far, right? Except the plot hinges on highly advanced, super realistic virtual reality, the likes of which haven’t been achieved in the present. While it could happen one day, we’re not there yet. In that regard, much of the book is speculative. So much for the contemporary label.
In the end, I think what matters most is giving readers a pretty good idea of what to expect when they pick up a book. If someone is anticipating a love story amidst an epic space battle between all the species of the galaxy, I don’t want him or her to be disappointed by the lack of aliens and explosions. Likewise, if a reader strongly prefers to only read books one hundred percent grounded in reality, I understand if Elysium is not the best choice.
So “contemporary sci-fi” it is. It’s the clearest, most concise way to set the stage and convey what sort of story lies within the pages. And hey, even if it’s not a widely-accepted genre (yet?), for fans of any kind of sci-fi, it’s just another realm to explore!
ELYSIUM
by Thea Landen
Two years have passed since April Patterson’s husband was shot and killed in the line of duty, and she’s trapped in a haze of grief and uncertainty. Having grown frustrated by all other efforts to engage her in activities where she could meet new people, her cousin pays for a date via 1Night Stand. Not thrilled with the idea, April nevertheless contacts Madame Eve and requests the impossible: a date with her deceased husband.
Brilliant software engineer Drew Monroe created his company, Elysium, to help give closure to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one, through the use of virtual reality. Though passionate about his work, being constantly surrounded by heartache and death has taken a toll on his mental health. When he accepts the case of a young widow referred to him by Madame Eve, her tragic tale depresses him further, but he commits himself to programming April the romantic date she desires.
April arrives at Elysium and prepares to enter Drew’s virtual realm. Will she find the solace she seeks within? Or will she discover she doesn’t need a fantasy world to discover happiness again?
Available from:
Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play | B & N | ARe | Decadent
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Date Published: March 6, 2014
Genre(s): Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi, Contemporary
Heat Rating: 4 Flames
Page Count: 67
We sat in silence. It was the first time a client had asked me so many personal questions. On one hand, I worried about coming across as unprofessional, but on the other, it felt good to verbalize those thoughts for a change. Putting that aside, April hadn’t come to play psychiatrist with me. I had a job to do.
“Anything else before we get started?” I pushed off the edge of the desk and straightened.
She didn’t get up. “Do you ever go into your own virtual realities?”
“Actually, I don’t.” I ran a finger along the top of one of the screens. “First of all, it needs to be monitored from the outside. I can’t do both at the same time.”
“Got it.” She nodded. “What else?”
A clammy feeling crawled over me. “Nothing.”
“You said ‘first of all.’ That means there must be a second.”
She’d paid attention, I’d give her that. I tried to backtrack. “Forget it.”
Sliding her arm off the chair, she leaned forward, ginger hair spilling over her shoulders. “I want to know what I’m getting into. Tell me.” Face upturned, she stared at me and I struggled to breathe in a normal rhythm. “Please?”
Don’t say it, don’t admit to it, she doesn’t need to know…. Talking to her eased a little of the tension that had been twisting tighter and tighter over time. I ignored the voices telling me not to make a confession, but the words spilled out faster than I’d intended.
“With all the misery and heartache I see in the world, the temptation exists to disappear into a painless fantasy.” The chill spreading through me intensified. “I’m afraid I’d lose myself and never want to come out.”
April blinked her long lashes and straightened in the chair. “That’s one of the reasons I’m anxious about going in there.”
Thea Landen lives in New York with her husband and a variety of houseplants. A former educator, she strives to encourage creativity and passion in all those around her, and uses writing to help inspire. Though she reads and writes in nearly all genres, she has a special fondness for science fiction, fantasy, and adventure and anything that pushes the imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games.
Contact Details:
Email: thea@thealanden.com
March 10, 2015
Cover reveal! SILK & SCARS by @authorCassDean #histrom #sweetromance @DecadentPub
SILK & SCARS
The Silk Series Book 3
by Cassandra Dean
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company, LLC
Genre(s): Historical Romance, Sweet Romance, Early Victorian Romance
Heat Rating: 2 – kissing, petting
For over a year, Miss Gwendolyn Parkes and the Duke of Sowrith have corresponded. At first an error, the letters quickly became something much more, a friendship forged on like minds and perhaps the hope of something more…
When Gwen is compelled by her employer to attend the duke at his Dartmoor estate, she is devastated to find her beloved friend cold and imperious, even if he is the most handsome man she’s ever seen – despite his scars.
Edward, Duke of Sowrith, has longed to meet Gwen. Arranging her passage to his estate, he is tongue-tied when confronted with her quiet beauty. All too aware of the twisted ruin of his face, he allows fear to hold him silent…until Gwen’s safety is threatened.
Finally together, they grow closer until it seems they can never again be apart – but can a commoner and a duke find a happily ever after?
Release date to be announced soon.
Other books in the series:
SILK & SCANDAL (The Silk Series Book 1)
SILK & SCORN (The Silk Series Book 2)
Find a list of all Cassandra Dean titles here.
“Edward.” Her hand slid up his lapel. Turning, he found her gray gaze upon him, a faint crease between her brows. “What is different?”
He stared into her eyes. She met his monocular gaze, no part of her expression revolted by the eye patch, the scars. He glanced at her hand, stroking his chest almost absently, her attention fully and totally on him. “When I received your letter, the one meant for Etta, it was like a ray of light, a beacon through relentless gray. So I responded and you sent your next letter and they….You were so full of joy, it bubbled out from the page and made me think perhaps I could experience it, if only a little. You had Etta, and your parents, and your employment, and though all three annoyed you on occasion, you had such…illumination.” His finger began a mad rhythm against his leg. “I’ve never had any of that. I’ve been here alone since the accident. I didn’t go to Eton. I was too ill. By the time I was old enough to attend university, I was so far behind there was no point. I went to London for the Season, but…. That did not turn out well.” Memories of horrified stares assaulted him, the whispers and notoriety that had come with his foray into society. Forcing the memories away, he said, “So I came home, and stayed.
“Then you sent me a letter. A bright, shining thing, and we corresponded and I…I wanted to meet you. So I arranged it that Beecham brought you to Sowrith, but I never thought he would not tell you, that I—” He grimaced. “You know what happened.
“Then you arrived, you were here, and I couldn’t…. There were no words. So I stood like a fool and watched you, and I wished I had the words that came so easily by pen. You were just like your letters—bright and gold and glittering, with your smile and your lightness, even when you frowned. And that was amazing to me. You are amazing to me. I wish I could…I wish I could tell you…” Finally, he looked at her.
Eyes wide, she regarded him, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Shifting his weight, he averted his gaze. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things. I—”
A gentle finger against his lips stilled his words, and he remained silent as her hand slipped to cup his cheek. The ruined one. Emotion shuddered through him as he absorbed her touch.
“See? You say such things and I can’t…” Her thumb tracing his cheekbone, her other hand slid up his chest to crumple his lapel as she pulled. Following her direction, he leaned down.
Tentatively, her lips brushed his.
Hardly daring to breath, he stood stock still as she hesitantly explored the shape of his mouth, her lips molding to his with small stops and starts. Her tongue darted against his lips and he shuddered, the sensation exquisite and overwhelming.
Wrapping his good arm around her, he urged her close. She came, her arms slipping about his neck as her lips opened under his. The wind tore at his hair and howled in his ears, his heart thundering in his chest. Her mouth was warm and eager, tasting of honey and gold. Of Gwen.
Cassandra Dean is a best-selling, multi-published author of historical and fantasy romance. Her latest novel, SLUMBER, is part of Decadent Publishing’s Beyond Fairytales and features Cassandra’s take on Sleeping Beauty. Her next novel, SILK & SCARS, is part of her popular Silk Series, featuring Victorian Era lawyers and their happily ever after.
Cassandra is proud to call South Australia her home, where she regularly cheers on her AFL football team and creates her next tale.
Visit Cassandra’s website at http://cassandradean.com
Join Cassandra’s mailing list at http://eepurl.com/kzesP
Follow Cassandra on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraDean
and on Twitter @authorCassDean
Contact Cassandra at cassandra@cassandradean.com
Pinterest | Google+ | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads Page | Authorgraph
March 9, 2015
Fantasy like you’ve never read before! Grab FIERCE today only for just #99cents!
Fierce: A Fantasy Collection
As Featured On USA Today!
Join epic fantasy legend Mercedes Lackey and fifteen additional New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling authors on the adventure of a lifetime!
Over one million words and sixteen realms of fantasy brought together for your reading pleasure. Discover courageous characters fighting for justice and order. Journey between kingdoms of dragons and lands of anarchy as tales of magic and mayhem unfold.
Grab it today, before it’s gone!
Available from:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play
Love across space and in exotic worlds ~ GENTLE CHAINS by @NazareaAndrews #giveaway #scifirom
GENTLE CHAINS
by Nazarea Andrews
When slavers steal Juhan and his twin sister Chosi from their home planet of psychics, their only comfort is in the fact that they’re together. When they are separated at auction, Juhan swears to find his sister, no matter the cost.
Juhan is bought by the spoiled daughter of a political scion. Caught in her glittering world of intrigue and politics, Juhan is startled to find Sadi playing a long game to change intergalactic politics and Juhan is merely a pawn in her game. But as his vow and Sadi’s lies takes them across galaxies, he begins to wonder if his young owner is more than an arrogant rich girl. And he has to consider the cost of his promise—especially when people they both care for begin to die.
A galaxy away, Chosi is sold into blood sport. With her psychic ability, she earns a precarious position of value within the gladiator school, training the draken—wild creatures of smoke and fire—for the arena. In the midst of that hell, she forges a friendship with the slave Jemes and the draken she cares for. But when her defiance comes with devastating results, Chosi contemplates suicide as an escape from her chains. Yet, she can’t forget the brother who promised to find her, and even as she welcomes the risk of death, she clings to that promise.
Spun across space and exotic worlds, Juhan and Chosi try to find each other, and home in a stunning story about the lengths love will take you.
AVAILABLE FROM:
I open my mouth to say something, and the front of the house explodes. Sadi screams my name and I catch her as the blast throws us backward, shielding her from the debris.
Black-clad haj storm through the gaping hole of the Consuls home, kicking the dead Renlarte aside as they arrow straight for us. For Sadi.
One of the Consul’s haj has recovered and lunges at the invaders. For a moment, I can’t tell who is who as they fight, silver knives flickering in the firelight. Then a knife is driven into one of their shoulders, and the haj’s gasp of pain is drowned out by Kentra’s scream.
Another haj is slitting the throat of the Consuls personal guards, a third stalking toward me and Sadi, who cowers behind me. The Consuls are being contained by soldiers, and even though I can feel their psychic assault and see the wounds they’ve dealt out, they aren’t going to stop these haj.
No one is.
Rage almost blinds me, rage at the circumstances that have put me here, rage at the assassins who came here, never thinking an Eleyi would do anything to stop them.
-Enough.-
I throw my mind out, slamming into the haj, through their mental walls. I apply a little pressure, and one of them falters, almost falling as I shatter his walls. It’s surprisingly easy to wrap myself around his mind, to pick out what I want: who paid them, who they came to kill. Not surprising—a Yalten queen put out a contract on Sadi.
“Wha—what’s happening?” Sadi demands, and I wonder what it must look like, the haj paused, blades ready to plunge into me, staring blankly ahead. But I don’t answer.
“He’s controlling them,” Zentra says quietly.
“Eleyi can’t control minds,” Sadi spits out, and I laugh. I give the haj closest to me a nudge. The assassin spins, throwing his blade with deadly accuracy—into the eye of its fellow assassin.
Sadi screams a little, and I smile, coldly. “Not all of us. But some—some Eleyi are strong enough to send armies against each other, strong enough to control the elements.”
There’s a sharp gasp, a shiver of fear, and then her mental walls—walls I’ve never pushed—slam into place and I can’t feel her.
“You will give them to us,” Kentra says, steel and fury in her voice. I glance at the little girl, and my control slips a little to the fire.
“They came to kill her,” I say as the flames swell.
“Their lives are ours. The attack was against us.”
I pause. I could let them go—let the Consuls kill the assassins. Let them carry the blood. I glance at Sadi.
Her hair is falling around her face, her gorgeous dress torn, blood dripping from a cut on her arm. My vision blurs, and I can’t breathe through the anger choking me. I wrap around the two minds I’m still holding, and yank.
Kentra screams, a tiny startled noise, as their minds shatter, ground to dust in my hands. They slump to the ground, and Sadi peers around me, her hand hot on my wrist. I shiver. “What happened?”
-If you tell her, I’ll kill everyone in this house,- I tell the Consuls, and they go very still, staring at me.
Win a beautiful moon and star necklace and swag pack including signed postcards, bookmarks, Gentle Chains key chains, Nazarea Andrews chapstick and makeup mirror.
Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.
Author Links:
Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Street Team | Newsletter
March 8, 2015
#SFRMonday ~ Will they choose love or duty in CRISIS AT VALIDOR by @GretavdR #scifirom
Learn more about Author Greta Van Der Rol’s Crisis At Validor.
Newly-promoted Captain Brett Butcher is about to achieve his life-long ambition to command a battle cruiser. But before he takes up his new posting, he goes home on leave, hoping to perhaps catch a glimpse of his first love, the unattainable Lady Tarlyn.
When the queen is assassinated in a terrorist attack, Tarlyn’s life is thrown into turmoil when she, too, becomes a target. The last person she expects to rescue her is her childhood sweetheart, Brett Butcher.
As Validor’s Ptorix and human populations face off over a group of islands neither owns, the calls for war grow louder. Torn between love, duty and ambition, Butcher and Tarlyn struggle to prevent an inter-species conflict, while the ember of love that has smouldered for so long bursts into flame. But with planetary peace at stake, both will be forced to choose; love or duty.
Available from:
Smashwords | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple
She gazed up at the stars. “It’s nice out here. I think I’d rather stay here.”
He leaned over her. “You need to sleep. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We’re safe enough at this place.”
Her mouth thinned and she raised an eyebrow at him. He knew that look. It might have worked twenty-five years ago, but not any longer. “Madam, if you were a junior officer on my ship, I’d order you to bed. So accept this instruction as a polite order. Get your ass down below, and hit a mattress.”
Her lips formed an O. All this talk of beds and mattresses was heading straight for his groin. What he’d really like to do was kiss her. And then maybe a little more. A lot more.
Chuckling, she shimmied slowly to her feet, her eyes fixed on his face. “Yes, sir. Straight away, sir.” She raised her arm in a civilian version of a salute.
He grinned, and returned the gesture. “Very good.”
She’d moved halfway past him when she turned and put her hands on his shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re with me, Brett.”
She leaned toward him, tilting her head as she did so. The touch of her lips on his sent his defenses into a tail spin. He tasted a heady cocktail of wine and her, soft lips, a probing tongue. His arms had wrapped around her of their own accord, drawing her close while his conscious mind damned the uniforms they wore. She molded against him, saying more than words. Bed. Naked. Sex.
The boat lurched, throwing them both off balance. Butcher let go of her, grabbed the edge of the table. What the fuck?
Hi, I’m Greta van der Rol. Welcome to my worlds.
Ever since I was a very little girl you would have found me with my nose in a book. While the other kids messed about with dolls and things, I’d rather talk to the people between the pages. Yes, I had a torch so I could read in bed without mum knowing. Many years later, I’ve had a variety of jobs, including a brief, forgettable stint at teaching. But that history degree and the teaching qual came in handy when I fell in love with computers and programming, and entered the burgeoning world of IT. Why? Because most of the young men recruited into IT couldn’t write a report to save themselves, let alone explain a system to the end user audience – and I could. But the urge to write fiction has always been there, and that’s what I do now I’ve ‘retired’.
I live with my husband not far from the beach in Queensland, Australia. When I’m not writing I take photographs of nature and animals, and now and then I do some cooking.
March 6, 2015
Will she take what the Prince offers? AN UNEXPECTED RETURN #MySexySaturday #99cents #scifirom
Hello everyone! Thank you for joining me for the 82nd week of My Sexy Saturday. Here are the details: every Saturday, published and unpublished authors will be sharing 7 words, sentences, or paragraphs from a work-in-progress or an already published story.
Today’s theme is…
SEXY ME ONCE
Excerpts shared this week could involve new lovers, or old lovers being reunited after being apart. But as you know, we are addicted to love and all its many facets. Sexiness can happen anywhere, anytime, day or night. People fall in love in many different ways. It could be on a date, at a school dance, on a hike, with the boy or girl next door, just anywhere two or sometimes more people or beings are drawn together because of that feeling called love.
This week, I’m sharing seven from AN UNEXPECTED RETURN
which is ON SALE for only 99¢.
Set-up: In this erotic sci-fi romance, Prince Aris has just received pleasure from his Adamos (person trained in the pleasure arts), Xia, who he’d met earlier in the day. But, he wants to give her so much more.
Aris didn’t think it possible for his cock to still be rock-hard, but the sensations brought by Xia’s slender body under his proved otherwise. Yet his heart seemed to have swelled inside his chest. He knew he would have to leave her soon, but he never wanted to be with another, couldn’t bear the thought of her being with anyone else, either. For the first time, he considered settling down with a woman. With Xia.
When she relaxed beneath him, he released her wrists, dragging his fingers down her arms and sides. Never had he been with another like her. Even though she claimed she had no experience with others, she’d left him more satisfied than any other woman and implanted herself in his heart.
I’m not sure how, but it’s my turn to leave a lasting impression.
With bittersweet fervor, he fed from the sweetness of her mouth. She dug her fingertips into his back, grinding her pelvis against him.
So tempting to just take her now. He could easily take pleasure from her feminine folds, but how would that make her feel special? Guys from all over the universe received gratification from her. But he wanted her time with him to be memorable, possibly life-changing. This had to be all about her, for her.
Sliding down her body, he sucked on one of her nipples while he ravaged the other breast with his hand. He couldn’t get enough of her.
She writhed beneath him, combing her fingers through his hair. He’d never met a woman so reluctant to let go, to just enjoy, even as he tried to satisfy her.
~ About AN UNEXPECTED RETURN ~
Looking to experience all the universe has to offer, Prince Aristides escapes from the kingdom of Tyto and travels through space to the Emerald Planet, Elatia. He yearns to partake in the activities the planet is famous for, and fulfill all his sexual desires, but loses his heart and soul to an Adamos apprentice. Unfortunately, she is Terran, and her people are sworn enemies of those from Tyto. If he can convince Xia to give up her dreams of becoming an Adamos, and travel back to Tyto with him, will his parents accept her, or condemn them both?
Abandoned as a toddler on Elatia, and raised by Kalara, an Adamos specializing in erotic massage, Xia decides to follow in her footsteps. But she remains conflicted as to whether she wants to service clients for the rest of her life, or settle down and raise a family. When she meets Aris, he turns the tables on her, and brings her as much pleasure as she gives him.
Will they have their chance to be together, or will their families tear them away from any chance of young love?
ONLY $0.99 for the month of March:
Be sure to check out other MY SEXY SATURDAY excerpts!
March 5, 2015
Will they ruin their chance of something real? SPANKED BY THE BAD BOY now an #audiobook @LSJRomance
Spanked by the Bad Boy (Bad Boy Fever)Written by: London Saint James
Narrated by: John Thrust
Listening Time: 6 hrs 49 mins
Decadent Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Spanking
Unabridged Audiobook
As the personal assistant to the owner of one of the top engineering firms in Denver, Tiffany Brooks has worked hard at maintaining a professional façade, intent on ridding herself of terrible habits—like her attraction to bad boys. But when the owner of DC Construction rides his chopper into her world two years after their one-time anonymous sexual encounter, everything turns upside down.
Declan Cage is the type of guy who makes a lasting impression, especially with women, yet the gorgeous assistant at Stoub Engineering never remembers his name—or does she? Intrigued by her game, her sexier than sin body, and an infuriating prissy attitude, Ms. Brooks is begging to be taken into hand, and he’s the man to do it.
Armed with the knowledge Declan doesn’t recognize her, will Tiffany give in to her desire for him yet again, or will her past come back to haunt them both and ruin their chance at something real?
Audio Clip SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/londonsj/spanked-by-the-bad-boy-audio-clip
Available from:
Audible | Audible UK | Amazon | Amazon UK | iTunes
Spanked by the Bad Boy Listening List:
Carolina Wallace – Wicked Game
David Nail – Whatever She’s Got
Joss Stone – Put Your Hands on Me
Kings Of Leon – Sex on Fire
Lana Del Rey – Blue Jeans
Pink – F**kin’ Perfect
Alter Bridge – Broken Wings
Foreigner – I Want to Know What Love Is
Gabrielle Aplin – The Power of Love
Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
YouTube Listening List HTML:
About the narrator John Thrust
The path that lead me to record erotic literature would make a pretty good story in itself. I may write it someday. It involves a cyber-relationship with a virginal gal whose secret goal in life was to become a full time sex slave. True Story. Her family would have NEVER guessed! I’d been recording regular “vanilla” type books prior to that, as a hobby, with an eye toward becoming a “real” voice actor. This gal pointed me to a specific book and in so doing introduced me to the world of BDSM literature (this, by the way, was right BEFORE “50 Shades of Grey” broke huge). Rather than just read the book, I recorded it. I shared it with her and with some other gals I’d met online. The response was startling to me. For the sake of modesty, I’ll spare the specific accolades. The one book led to the recording of another and then others. The feedback continued to be really, REALLY positive. So much so, that it occurred to me that this ‘erotic genre’ may be a niche I should pursue. So here I am pursuing it. I still record other books as well… but these books are the most fun *sly grin*. My background started in radio in college. I toyed with theater, did some plays – even did a short stint in Chicago’s famed Second City training program. LIFE intervened however and I got ‘a real job’ supporting computer networks in Chicago. Eventually that career ran its course and I decided it was time to do what I really WANTED to do – Voice Act. I enjoy it and I hope to help you enjoy your listening experience too.
— John
Author Bio & Links:
London Saint James has lived in many places, but never felt “at home” until she met the real-life man of her dreams and settled down in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. London lives with her husband and their fat cat who thinks he owns them.
As an award-winning, bestselling, multi-published author, London is living her childhood dream. She knew all the scribbling she did, that big imagination of hers, and all those clamoring characters running around in her head would pay off someday.
Web | Blog | Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Facebook Personal Page
Bad Boy Fever FB Fan Page | Goodreads | TSU
You can also e-mail London with any questions or comments at London@londonsaintjames.com. She loves to hear from her readers.
Would you like to know more? Join her mailing list for her monthly newsletter http://eepurl.com/6P2on. Or, join her book group on Facebook, Slip Between the Pages with London https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlipBetweenthePageswithLondon/
March 4, 2015
Can their romance survive real life? WHEN FATE ISN’T ENOUGH by Isabelle Richards @88IsabelleR
WHEN FATE ISN’T ENOUGH
by Isabelle Richards
Can a romance that was written in the stars survive real life? Lily Clark and Gavin Edwards met when their lives collided in a crazy twist of fate. Their relationship started amidst chaos, fraught with lust, passion, and love. Building a life together will take more than destiny, especially when ghosts from their past try to tear them apart.
Needing a fresh start, Lily decides to escape her life in Washington, DC to join Gavin in London. Trust and faith have never come easily to Lily. She’ll be put to the test now that she and Gavin are living under the same roof.
To make matters worse, trouble finds Lily wherever she goes. She thought she’d rid herself of her late husband’s demons, but she soon learns that when you make a deal with the devil, he often comes back to up the ante. Can she learn to let Gavin in or will she continue to fight her battles alone? Find out what happens When Fate Isn’t Enough.
When Fate Isn’t Enough is available from:
Kindle | Kindle UK | Kindle Australia
When Fates Collide: Kindle | Kindle UK | Kindle Australia
Pre-order book 3 WHEN FATES COLLIDE from:
Kindle | Kindle UK | Kindle Australia
I take the Tube, which I’m becoming quite comfortable with, to Oxford Circus to the flagship Victoria’s Secret store. The lingerie store is bigger than some department stores! It takes me a while to wade through the bath and body products, functional bras and panties before I get to the good stuff. Lace, garters, stockings. I pick up an array of bras, thongs, bustiers and teddies, putting a small fortune on my credit card. I know no matter what I wear, I won’t be in it for long but I have fun adding to the excitement.
I wander around the other shops looking for inspiration and I spot a Burberry store. I make a quick, expensive purchase and head back to Gavin’s. After a quick shower, I get dressed. Soft curls and light make up complete the look. After finding a bottle of Vodka in the freezer, I slam back a shot, lock up and make my way downstairs to my waiting cab. Going to his office in the middle of the afternoon without checking with him first is a risk but some risks are worth taking.
When my cab arrives at Gavin’s building, I just about lose my nerve. The very horny voice inside my head nudges me out of the taxi. The building is bustling with hundreds of people going about their days, looking very professional. I’m wearing a black trench coat, fuck-me heels, and smoking hot lingerie. Gloating in my naughtiness, a smirk crosses my face and I feel a sway in my hips and swagger in my step.
When I arrive at Gavin’s office, I spot Snooty Smythe, Gavin’s assistant. She looks exactly like I expected her to—plump, silver hair, and tough as nails. If my plan’s going to fail, it’ll fail here.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Smythe. I stopped in to surprise Gavin. Is he in?” I ask.
She stares at me blankly. “And you would be…?”
How many American women stop in to surprise him? Wait, I don’t want to know the answer to that question. “Lily Clark. We’ve spoken on the phone.”
“Oh, yes. Ms. Clark, he has a very tight schedule. I’m not sure he has time for an unauthorized visit. Perhaps if you’d rung and made an appointment, I could have saved you the trip.”
Listen, bitch, I came here for something, and I’m not leaving till I get it and get it good.
Deep breath and sugar sweet smile. “Could you possibly check with him to see if he could spare a few minutes? He had to miss an important appointment today and I’m sure he wants to hear all about it.”
“Certainly. If you have a seat, I’ll check. Shall I take your coat?”
“No!” Get it together, Lily. “I mean, no, thank you. I’m a bit chilly.” I notice she doesn’t call Gavin to see if he’s free, so I take matters into my own hands and text him.
I left a package for you with Mrs. Smythe. If you have a minute, you should go get it.
Gavin: I’ve been going mad waiting to hear about your appointment with Alex. He wouldn’t tell me a bloody thing. I’m finishing a meeting. I’ll get it in a moment. What did Alex say?
I decide not to answer and let him stew a bit. Ten minutes later, Gavin and a group of suits exit his office. The groups clamors around him, like puppies following their master. Each person hanging on his every word. His suit jacket is off, his sleeves are rolled up and his tie is loose. His hair looks as if he’s been running his fingers through it all day. The whole look is slightly disheveled but so hot.
“Mrs. Smythe, did Lily drop something by for me?” he snaps.
She lets out a huff and glares at me. “Ms. Clark is here, Mr. Edwards. The remainder of your day is booked solid. You have less than ten minutes to speak with her before your next appointment.”
Ten minutes. I can work with that.
He gives me a curious look. I walk over to him and he kisses my cheek while pulling me into his office.
“I thought you said you left a package,” he says as he closes the office door. His phone dings and he looks at it while walking to his desk. “Sorry, I’m a bit distracted, luv. Crazy, crazy day. Major crisis here. Are you going to tell me what Alex said or do I have to guess?”
While he searches his desk for god knows what, I let the trench coat fall to the floor. I don’t say a word, waiting to see how long it’ll take him to notice. I can feel Snooty Smythe’s clock ticking down and my opportunity slipping away. He looks tense, stressed and still a bit angry. I seem to have chosen a horrible time for an afternoon delight. By the time I’m standing in front of him, he still hasn’t looked up at me.
“Gavin, do I need to get on your desk to get you to look at me?”
“What’s that, luv?” He looks up, and his jaw drops. Papers fly everywhere when he drops a stack of file folders.
“Mrs. Smythe said you have ten minutes. You’ve wasted three. What can we do in seven minutes, Gavin? Any thoughts?”
I’ve rendered him speechless. Thankfully, the stun wears off and Gavin jumps into action. “You minx.” He crashes into me with a desperate kiss.
Isabelle Richards spent years as a speech writer before tackling fiction. An avid reader of all genres, Isabelle is drawn to romance novels as they provide an escape from daily life. Through her complex cast of characters, Isabelle creates a sanctuary for readers to dive into for a break from reality.
When she is not writing, Isabelle works as an advocate for persons with disabilities in Washington, DC. Her two yellow labs are her writing partners, although they frequently sleep on the job.
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March 3, 2015
Cover Reveal~ GUARDING MIDNIGHT by @KaceyHammell #RomSuspense #CanadianMuscle @EvernightPub
GUARDING MIDNIGHT
by Kacey Hammell
Series: Canadian Muscle 1
Contemporary/Suspense/Erotic Romance
Coming Soon with Evernight Publishing
Being the hired muscle just got a whole lot harder…..
No one knows sacrifice better than former Army Sergeant Gavin Bennett. He’s witnessed firsthand the emotional, physical and mental toll of being caught in the crossfire. Being a bouncer-slash-bodyguard may not be Gavin’s dream job, but he’s willing to do just about anything to help out family. When Gavin reports for his first day of work, he quickly discovers a woman who threatens to crack his legendary cool.
Shree Walker is on the run from a dark past she tried to shut away. Battered and broken, a happily ever after doesn’t exist for her. Ready to start fresh with a new life in a new city, she is happy dancing at the Vixen Club. She’d be even happier without the presence of the prickly new bouncer who won’t let anyone or anything get past his carefully guarded defenses. He’s a distraction she doesn’t need. And a temptation she can’t resist.
When Shree is kidnapped by the criminal mastermind hell-bent on taking the club at any cost, Gavin has to make a decision. Hold tight and continue to keep Shree at arm’s length. Or break down his walls and take a chance on something more powerful than them both: Love.
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Enter to WIN a Jessica E. Subject #Audiobook!
Hello everyone! I was supposed to be involved in a Facebook chat today to help London Saint James celebrate the release of her latest audiobook. Unfortunately, she has come down with the flu and had to cancel.
Because I had planned to giveaway one of my audiobook titles, I’ve decided to do it here on my blog. So, check out the audiobooks I have and then enter to WIN!
ANOTHER NIGHT, ANOTHER PLANET
A 1Night Stand / Elatia story
Limited by status…
Ava is a housekeeper aboard Star Spirit, a luxury cruise ship travelling between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. Coming from a middle-class family on Earth, she is considered by passengers as nothing more than an object to be tossed away when they’re done with her.
Shunned because of his lineage…
Banned from several planets across the universe, Nate struggles to run his interstellar shipping business. But the DNA of an exterminated race runs through his blood, giving him a diluted form of their powers, and leaving him labeled as a terrorist.
Both searching for the one…
Through her 1Night Stand dating service, Madame Evangeline matches these two together for a celestial escape on the pleasure planet, Elatia.
Will Ava and Nate find what they’re looking for, or will their date be just another night on another planet?
Narrated by Audrey Lusk
Audible | Amazon | iTunes
THE STAR PRINCESS
A Beyond Fairytales story
In one week, Princess Ro’sa will board a spaceship, leaving her home on Minjet to be with her betrothed on Earth. The only problem is, she detests the prince’s selfish and arrogant ways, preferring to spend time with his personal aide, a man who stirs her desires in ways she never imagined possible with his radiant blue eyes and smouldering lips. And oh, the way he touches her.
Earth’s post-apocalyptic landscape offers little but the alliance offers much and a princess must do her duty, no matter the danger to her person and to her heart.
Narrated by Jon Filipko
Audible | Amazon | iTunes
UNKNOWN FUTURES
A 1Night Stand story
Attacked as a young adult, Jewel is left scarred and alone. She applies to the 1 Night Stand service, believing no one can see past her appearance to love her. But she doesn’t expect to be sent to a space station where her date could be any number of unusual alien species.
Flavia left everything behind to be one of five humans working for the Space Service space station. Extremely homesick, she is excited to learn she will be a guide to a woman from Earth visiting the station for a couple days. She is immediately drawn to the petite woman, seeing past her scars to her true inner beauty, stirring unforeseen desires.
Unfortunately, Jewel is there for a date which Flavia hasn’t been told about. Can she contain her lust and simply show her a good time? Or will she let her desire lead them into an unknown future?
Narrated by P. J. Morgan
Coming soon!
Enter to WIN!
Contest is international except where prohibited by law. Must be 18 or older. Audiobook will be gifted from Audible.com. No substitutions will be made.
