Nona Raines's Blog, page 29

#Review & #Giveaway: Peter in Flight by Paul Michael Peters #LiteraryNook

Hello, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the blog tour for Peter in Flight by Paul Michael Peters. There's also a review and giveaway below. To participate in the giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter at the end of the post! 

Synopsis:
Peter can tell you how to run a great marketing campaign. He can tell you everything there is to know about successful trade show programs. He can tell you stories about the thousands of people he has met, miles he has flown, hotel rooms he has stayed in, and ways to work the system to your advantage. Still, he can’t tell the woman he loves how he feels.
Peter in Flight is a novella by Paul Michael Peters designed to be the perfect read for a cross-country flight or extended layover. Life moves fast in this quick read about a “trade show guy” and a love he thinks he can never have.
Goodreads Link -  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17884455-peter-in-flight?ac=1


Buy Links –
Amazon.com Kindlehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CNGK59A/ASIN: B00CNGK59AISBN: 978-0-9891785-0-1
Barnes & Noble Nookhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/peter-in-flight-paul-michael-peters/1116307799B&N Identifier: 2940148654469ISBN: 978-0-9891785-2-5
iBOOKhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/book/pete... 9780989178532iBook# 10000483934
KOBOhttp://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/peter-in-flightISBN: 978-0-9891785-4-9
Excerpt –
I’m in Vegas staying at the Hilton next to the convention center. There’s a place in the hotel called Star Trek: The Experience,based on the television series and movies. There are games and a Star Trek-themed bar along with artifacts from the show and a “virtual experience.” Two years ago during COMDEX, the largest conference I attend, I made friends with a bartender at the Star Trek Experience. Dressed as an alien character called a Ferengi, with a large prosthetic forehead and enormous ears, he stands behind the bar on a riser. Once he is off the riser to grab a drink or walk the floor you realize he is five feet tall at best. I only know him as Phil the Ferengi, but he may be the best bartender I have ever met.  He also owns a string of car washes.“Hu-mon,” he greets me in character, “what can I get you? Drink? Holodeck? Games?”“Hello Phil, good to see you again.”“Ah, yes hu-mon, I thought I recognized you. What are you drinking tonight?”“I’ll have a gin and tonic please.”He steps up on his platform with the drink when he returns. I know I can talk to him because it’s a slow night and I know his name.“How are your travels, hu-mon?”“They’re good, thank you. How is your car wash?”“They are very profitable. All of this desert dust can eat away at a car’s finish. But there’s also a new city ordinance; I have to “go green.”“What will that mean for you?”“I have to add these tanks that collect used water, then filter it, and use it again. They call it gray water.”“I can imagine why.”“Are you sad, hu-mon? Or tired? You don’t look well.”“I’m losing sleep. I’ve never had this problem before. I can usually sleep anywhere, but in the last week I can’t get a full night.”“What’s her name?”
“It’s that obvious?”“It is usually women or money. What’s her name?”“Tatiana. She is both unavailable and my obsession.”Phil grabs the bottle of gin and puts in on the bar in front of me. “Do you know Plato?”“The philosopher? A little.”“Through Aristophanes, who was a peer of Plato’s, we know this one interesting story about early hu-mons. Hu-mons were not separate from one another, but were made in pairs. They had two heads, four arms, and four legs. And they wouldn’t walk around so much as they would roll around tucked up in a ball.”“This is not Star Trek?”“No, ancient Greek philosophers describing the earliest version of humankind.”“Go on.”“So here they were—women and women, men and men, men and women—all sorts of these paired creatures rolling at great speed across the countryside of ancient Greece. The speed at which they move, the power they have, starts building confidence in humanity. The confidence turns to pride. And it’s with this pride, what the Greeks call hubris, that they decide they are better than the gods and try to overthrow them.”A couple comes to the bar interrupting Phil and he takes their order. Once they are settled, he returns. “So the hu-mons think they can conquer the gods. But when the hu-mons attack the gods, Zeus strikes them with such great power that he splits them all in two. Now the hu-mons are sad, desperate, and alone, and they start to kill themselves because they’re having a hard time without the warmth and comfort of one another. Some remove themselves from the community. Others get lost in the wilderness and are never seen again.”“So what happens?”“Zeus is wise. He and the other gods need the hu-mons to worship them. While they are asleep, he changes their bodies to what we know today, so that we walk upright and find it easy to reproduce.”“Interesting.”“Well, here’s the part that applies to you, sleepy hu-mon. After all of those changes, the gods left a memory, a longing inside each of them for their other half. That craving for the other half is instilled so deep inside, that we end up traveling the world searching to fill that absence. And when we are fortunate enough to find that other half, we know instantly—getting lost in the entwinement of friendship and love and intimacy—that we have finally found home. People like this will spend their whole lives together. If you ask them what they find attractive or appealing about one another, they can’t explain it—they just know it’s right.”“It’s a beautiful idea, that something is missing from each of us, and we have to trust others to fill that. I guess the heart wants what the heart wants; there’s no getting around it.”“Easier to say, but I like my story better.”“Thanks for your time and the drinks,” I say, getting up.“Any time, hu-mon.  We’re always open.”
***Nona’s review ofPeter in Flight:***
Peter is a frequent flyer who works trade shows for Comp-U-Soft. He’s been all over the country and has shaken the hands of more than a million people. He’s great at the meet and greet, but has few close relationships. He’s closest is to his boss, Tatiana, for whom he carries a torch.  It’s not just the constraints of his job that keep him from making his move—Tatiana is a married woman with children.
This story reminded me a lot of the movie “Up in the Air” with George Clooney. Peter is a lot more likable than the Clooney character, though. For one thing, he doesn’t go around firing people. But they both have the problem of maintaining relationships because their jobs always keep them on the go
I liked Peter. He was good at his job, and he was good at reading people. Of course that was probably a talent honed in his profession. He knows his stuff, is a good listener and rarely gets ruffled. Even when confronted by an obnoxious competitor, he keeps his cool, prevents a scene and gets the guy hustled out by security.
But he’s a good, caring person, too. Especially when it comes to Tatiana. Her marriage is not a particularly happy one, but she has no desire to break up her home. Peter respects that. Though their relationship remains platonic, and Peter is a free agent, he remains surprisingly faithful to her. He’s not a guy who has “a girl in every (air)port.”
Several events happen to shake up not just Peter’s relationship with Tatiana, but the place where he feels the safest—his job. There are a lot of upheavals in the later part of the story. The final event, which eliminates all obstacles in their way, felt rather over the top. But it allowed Peter to prove how much he loves and Tatiana and how much she can depend on him.
I enjoyed Peter in Flight, but if people read it expecting a conventional romance, they may be disappointed. A lot of time is spent with him discussing his job and the people he meets on his travels. But I liked spending time with in the story. And I bet if I met him in an airport in real life, I’d have a good time hanging out with him.


Author Info –  

Paul Michael Peters is an American fiction writer based out of Ann Arbor Michigan. After studying at the Second City in Chicago he spent extended periods of time living in Philadelphia and Toronto before returning home to his beloved big mitten shaped state. "Peter in Flight" is his debut work.
Author Quote
"I wrote this story while I traveled extensively for work between 1998 and 2008 taking notes on the things that happened on each trip. I could not include all the good stories. Looking back on my time on the road, I always liked to think of myself as George Clooney from Up in the Air, but in reality, I was John Candy from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."
Author Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook


Link to blog tour - http://wp.me/p3SVfE-dda Rafflecopter giveaway

@DarahLace Meets a Naughty Elf! #EroticCravings #giveaway

Hi, I'm Darah Lace, one of the authors of Erotic Cravings. We're inviting you to put yourself on The Naughty List! We're giving away prizes, including a $50 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble. For a chance to win a digital copy of Yes, Master, leave a comment. Follow the Rafflecopter instructions for a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate from Erotic Cravings.

A Naughty Elf


A little elf whispered in my ear, “Don’t hang your stockings by the chimney with care. Put them on, along with those red stilettos, the matching bustier and mini-skirt. Go be naughty!”
I frowned. Me? Wearing an outfit like that? Ha! He must have been drinking too much hot chocolate! I had, which is why that skirt didn’t fit anymore. But wait, that was reality!
Quick, quick, oh, hurry! I dash across the room and grab the nearest vehicle of fantasy!
Yes! I’m off now. And I’m sleek and long and dressed in red leather!

And hells to the yes! The elf is no longer the same elf whispering in my ear. He’s taller, leaner, a pillar of strength and power. And he's dressed in full Dom gear, a flogger in his large, strong sexy hand.
“You’ve been very naughty.” His voice is deep, lusty. His dark gaze strays from the tippy-toe of my red heels to the polished red tip of my fingernails high above my head. My wrists are bound to the wall, the cold metal biting deliciously into my flesh. I’m helpless…his to do with as he wishes.
I lower my head to hide my smile. I know he likes it when I’m bad.
And that’s how easy it is to be naughty, to get lost in a book, a fantasy. I do it whenever I can, whether I’m reading or writing. In my latest release, Tara must let go of the world she knows and submit to the unknown world of BDSM. She’s very, very naughty and loves every minute of it!
Yes, Master
Tara Sherwood never dreamed she’d let a man put her in chains, call her pet and spank her into submission, or that she’d derive pleasure from punishment. But her future hangs in the balance and the choice is simple—walk away, or kneel at the Master’s feet.
A morsel of decadence that will whet your appetite for whips, bondage and a Master of your own.
Excerpt:
A loud pop across the room snapped her head up. The rest of her body jerked but remained immobile, proving the restraints worked and just how vulnerable she was. Oh god, what had she been thinking? She’d never even been spanked before much less whipped.
He was beside her again, a warm hand on her back, smoothing the length of her spine. “Shh, shh, shh.” His palm slid along her hip and over the curve of ass. “It sounds worse than it feels.”
Tara sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She trusted him. She had to, had to do this.
Something tickled the opposite buttock. It felt like dozens of velvety fingers. No, not fingers. Strands of soft leather. She trembled as it shadowed the path of his hand down one thigh, over her calf and back up again then along her back. The tickling continued down her arms until he finally held it for her to see. And seeing the instrument he planned to use on her helped ease the panic.
Funny, she should have been more afraid, not less. Maybe she wanted this more than she thought.
See, Tara is enjoying herself, living a fantasy. I encourage you—no, I dare you—to find your own little elf, let him whisper in your ear. Then go, be naughty!


Darah (always on The Naughty List)
http://www.darahlace.comhttp://www.darahlace.blogspot.comhttp://www.facebook.com/darahlacehttps://twitter.com/DarahLace


Buy Yes, Master at: Amazon Ellora's Cave All Romance eBooks Barnes & Noble
For a chance to win a digital copy of Yes, Master, leave a comment. Please use the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate from Erotic Cravings.
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Mia Downing is a Naughty Girl! #EroticCravings #giveaway

Hi! I'm Mia Downing. The Erotic Cravings authors have been bad girls this year. Of course, you wouldn't want us any other way. To ease the pain of being on the naughty list yet again we've pooled our efforts and we're going to give away prizes to our equally naughty readers! We have one $50 Amazon or B&N gift card for lucky comment leavers! I'm also giving away one of my digital books for your enjoyment. We're going to announce winners on the Erotic Cravings blog and individual blogs Dec 17. Read on for details!

Spy Games Characters Are Making Santa's Naughty List 
There’s no way one of my Spy Games heroes would escape Santa’s Naughty List. Their penchant for sharing women teamed with the notches on their collective bedposts and Jake’s love of whiskey have pretty much grounded Chase and Jake from the Nice List for eternity. Sort of like breaking a warehouse full of mirrors and you’re out of good luck. All three men love sex and strive to take it to the next level and see how many multiple orgasms they can give their partner. With the holidays coming up, I’d hate to be the one to find them a present. They are rich men who can afford the finer things in life.

So what do you give the spy who has everything for Christmas? A Boink Box, of course!

This is a pretty cool idea for that special guy or gal who wants to experiment and likes a monthly surprise, like my Spy Games heroes. A Monthly Make Out box gives you 3-5 small fun items, like lubes or special condoms. That sounds nice but I would think they’d head straight for the Quarterly Luxury box, with 5-7 toys, lubes and other fun things to spice up an evening. The site has bondage and BDSM gear which would make all three couples very happy.

So far I’ve only mentioned that Chase and Jake are naughty… Well, Aaron may have been on the Nice List for most of his life, but he’s bent on brewing up a whole batch of naughty with Charlotte’s help. The excerpt I chose is one of my favorite scenes from the beach, at night. Aaron has decided he’s going to win a contest, with Charlotte’s help. He just has to convince her it’s going to be worth the effort.

Blurb for Spy Games: Endgame (Book 3 of the Spy Games Series)  Sexy spy Charlotte Smith doesn't go by the code name Dragon Queen because she's sweet and cuddly. She's cold, hard, and mean and has been training for the past five years to take down the men who destroyed her soul and left her burning for revenge. But when she meets her next assignment at a wedding, her body protests there's much more to life than kicking asses and taking names. Actor Aaron James is witty, hot as hell, and he smells divine. But women with suicidal endgames don't indulge in casual sex, and they definitely don't fall in love.
Since meeting Charlotte at his brother's wedding, Aaron's life has been nothing but trouble. He's plagued by memories of the kiss he stole from her, and he senses underneath her aloof nature and frosty glare is a woman with passion and fire. When Charlotte is assigned as his bodyguard after a botched kidnapping attempt, he's psyched. What better way to get in her panties than have her pretend she's his girlfriend? Until Aaron realizes too late he wants more than in her panties... he want's Charlotte's heart.
Contains: Explicit language, really hot sex, anal sex, toys, light bondage, very light BDSM, an actor wannabe spy and his kick-ass spy bodyguard. 


Very Naughty Excerpt from Spy Games: Endgame
“Let me fuck you with my hand. Here, on the beach.” Aaron slid his fingers inside her tight, wet pussy and pumped as much as her pants allowed. “I should have asked you to wear a skirt and no panties.”

Charlotte couldn’t believe she was letting him fingerfuck her on a beach like she was someone’s girlfriend. His girlfriend. She trembled as he slid her panties and pants down just a bit, so there was more room for his hand. Or rather, hands, because the other delved in to rub her clit and explore sensitive folds.

He removed a hand from her pussy and sucked on one finger, then two. And sighed. “They could bottle this— your taste— and men would never need erectile dysfunction aids ever again.”

“Naughty, Aaron. So naughty.”

He dipped those fingers back in, sliding, thrusting, rubbing her clit harder. “Fuck the mental baggage, Char. Why should you be horny as hell and not get something from this? You gave me bliss. I want the same for you. But if I were going for honest, I’d tell you this is definitely for me.”

“Okay, I’m intrigued. How?”

Aaron dropped his voice to a conspiratorial stage whisper. “We’re going to break a record, baby.”

Fear tangled with desire in the pit of her stomach. “I don’t want to know about this, do I?”

“Of course you do. I need you.” He sank his fingers deeper into her pussy. “We’re going to break the Anderson record.”

“Which is?”

“How many orgasms I can give you before I shoot the moon. Come.”

“Your brothers have discussed this?” Good gravy, Anderson men were pigs. Or… well, the ladies were the lucky ones. So she had no clue what to call them. “And the record is?”

“They’re all stuck at three. Chase included. He’s an honorary Anderson, I guess.”

It should worry her that she knew exactly how many multiple orgasms Kate and Tia had gotten from her two favorite men, but what bothered her more was the end result. She’d never had a multiple orgasm. Ever. She sucked in a breath. “You want to give me four.”

“I was never one to back away from a challenge. So you game? We haven’t gotten one out of the way, and you need clitoral stimulation to get there. So you come, here, we go home and practice the oral route, then…”

“And then?”

“And you let me fuck you, so you get four.”



Spy Games: Endgame is available at...E-book and printAmazon * B&N *  Kobo ARE *  BookStrand

~*~ If you haven’t started the series yet, now’s the time to hook up with some sexy spies for the holidays!
Blurb for Spy Games: Trained for Seduction (Book 1) (m/f/m)A RomCon Reader's Crown Finalist 2013!

Emma Walters didn't choose to be a spy, but when her crazy father was caught selling bombs to the wrong people, she was given a choice--become a spy or rot in jail. Her exciting new life as agent Kate Wells becomes more so when she discovers her new boss is the agent--undercover and investigating her father at the time--who took her to third base. Emma is already half in love with the dark and dangerous Chase Sanders. Kate wants nothing more than for him to finish what he started, but he's the devil incarnate. And one doesn't make deals or fall in love with the devil. 
If someone had told Chase he'd fall in love with a certain virgin when he was on his last mission, he would have shot them dead, sniper style. She was nothing more than collateral damage, damn it. But watching the sexy new spy morph into a bombshell killing machine is too much to bear. So when the powers that be command him to train her in the art of seduction for her first--and possibly last--mission, he's scared witless. Making love to Kate means preparing her for sex with another man. Somehow, Chase has to find a way to get Kate in--and out--of her mission without dying. And without falling in love.

Contains: Explicit and graphic sex, light bondage, light BDSM, anal sex, sex toys, m/f/m, a hot, dominating spy boss and a spunky, bomb-making heroine.


Available in e-book or print
The Wild Rose Press * Amazon *  Barnes & Noble
~*~

 Connect with Mia Downing on the Web!Blog * Facebook* Goodreads* Twitter * Pinterest
~*~
Contest Deets! 1) Leave a comment and your email to be entered in the drawing for a digital book2) Fill out the Rafflecopter thingie and submit3) Wait eagerly to see if you've got yourself a lump of coal...or a piece of Cole (he's mighty fine, that guy on the banner.)4) Void where prohibited, legal where it ain't, and please be 18 or over!
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Thanks for stopping by! 

Have Yourself a Naughty Little Christmas! #EroticCravings #giveaway

Have you noticed all the boxed sets of books available lately? And so many of them are $.99. I have to admit, I love to pick up these boxed sets. You get four, eight, sometimes even twelve full-length books by different authors, and that’s a lot of reading material for a low price!
As I read through the stories, if one of them captures my interest, I’ve just found a new author to place on my favorites list. And I’ve always found at least two authors in the sets from whom I would read other books.
I’m in two boxed sets right now. The best thing about compiling these sets is the chance for me to meet (online) wonderful authors that I otherwise would probably have never gotten to know.
And now, I’m going to plug my holiday boxed set! A Naughty Little Christmas features eight holiday stories: contemporary, historical, multi-cultural, suspense, and of course, cowboy - all for only $.99!

*~*~*~*COWBOY JACKPOT: CHRISTMASCowboy Jackpot Series, Book 1Randi AlexanderAward Winning Novella. A lucky first kiss in front of a Las Vegas slot machine pays off big for bull rider Boone Hancock and college student Gigi Colberg-Staub.*~*~*~*A NAUGHTY NOELLEThe 19th Precinct, Book 1.5Ann BruceIt's cold and snowing and dark when a vice cop meets the perfect woman for him, all the while bad men with guns are chasing after him.*~*~*~*HOLIDAY SURPRISE: UNWRAPPEDAliyah BurkeRecuperating in wintery Massachusetts, Heath Dixon gives cold-hating Kassia Green something much hotter to focus on. But can he keep her after Christmas? Like…forever?*~*~*~*CHRISTMAS ANGELOpal CarewGiven one chance to break the curse which has held Angelique in its grip for two hundred years, she is faced with a heart-rending decision. Can she sacrifice Nick's happiness for her own freedom?*~*~*~*A HIGHLANDER FOR THE HOLIDAYSDawn HallidayIn the wintery Highland mountains, Aileen and Niall unleash their forbidden passion. But Aileen is promised to another this Christmas, and the wicked Lowlander will stop at nothing to have her. *~*~*~*ILLICIT CHRISTMASYvette HinesEven during the holidays a woman can have one reckless night that will change her life forever...especially when the man she was with is determined to prove they belong together.*~*~*~*HER XMAS PRESENTChristin LovellAfter being apart from each other for a year, Libby and Tyler realize their feelings for one another are more than platonic. Are they willing to risk years of friendship on a chance at love?*~*~*~*ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMASPaige TylerHayley Knowles has always fantasized about getting spanked by her husband, Conner. But how can she possibly ever get her husband to do it, especially since she’s too shy to tell him? This is the holiday season, though, so maybe Hayley might get exactly what she wants for Christmas!*~*~*~*My book in the boxed set, Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas, is a sexy romance set in fabulous Las Vegas.
Click HERE to read the first chapter.
*~*~*~*Pick up your copy today and discover the seven talented authors I have the privilege of sharing the boxed set with. Guaranteed to heat up your naughty little Christmas!

AMAZON
AMAZON CA
AMAZON UK
BARNES AND NOBLE
KOBO

Have you purchased any boxed sets? Or do you prefer to purchase individual books? Leave a comment for your chance to win an e-copy of any* of my books! And don't forget to use the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win the Grand Prize, a $50 gc!

Have a wonderful holiday season!
Randi
"Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied"

RandiAlexander.com
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My Books - read the first chapters and find buy links:
-Chase and Seduction
-Double Her Fantasy
-Cowboy 6 Pack
-Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas
-Cowboy Jackpot: Valentine’s Day
-Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick’s Day
-Her Cowboy Stud
-Turn Up the Heat
-Cowboy Bad Boys
-Cowboy Lust

-Free Read! A Gentleman and a Cowboy is available at Amazon, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Diesel Ebook Store, Barnes and Noble

*Cowboy Lust and Cowboy 6 Pack are available only in Kindle Versions
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How did Mistletoe come to mean a kiss? #EroticCravings #giveaway

Although many sources say that kissing under the mistletoe is an English custom, there's another explanation for its origin. In Norse mythology there is a story of a loving, if overprotective, mother.

Frigga was mother to the Norse god Balder, the best loved of all the gods. Frigga was the goddess of love and beauty and she loved her son. To ensure no harm would come to him, she went through the world securing promises from everything that sprang from the four elements--fire, water, air, and earth--that they would not harm her beloved Balder.

Leave it to Loki, a mischievous spirit, to find the loophole. Mistletoe and an arrow made from its wood. To make the prank even nastier, he took the arrow to Hoder, Balder's brother, who was blind. Guiding Holder's hand, Loki directed the arrow at Balder's heart and Balder fell dead.
Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries. In the version of the story with a happy ending, Balder is restored to life and Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the murderous reputation of Mistletoe, making it a symbol of love and promising to bestow a kiss upon anyone who passes under it.

So hang some mistletoe and pucker up!

Information gleaned from numerous online searches for mistletoe lore.

 Now for a naughty excerpt from the Naughty List.

T’was a week before Christmas and Mrs. Claus conspires. Proposition Jack Frost to give Santa his greatest desire…

The deviant Dominant Jack Frost can be good…verygood. But for being so good at being so bad, Santa keeps him on the naughty list. What would Jack do to get on the good list? Kidnap Santa? With the help of Mrs. Claus, Jack could force Santa’s submission and give him the one thing he’s always wanted—to be on the naughty list himself. Then Jack could show Santa just how very good he can be.

Adult excerpt

Jack tugged on the black buckle of Santa’s belt. “Come into my workshop—my toy shop. We’re going to play.”Adrenaline like molten lava, blazed through Santa. Jack’s workshop wasn’t like the brightly lit jovial environment where Santa and his elves put in their fifteen-hour shifts. His gaze darted around the spacious room in the secluded log cabin. Instead of rustic comfort, Jack’s lair was a den of iniquity. Tools for torturous pleasures lined wooden shelves along the wall. Chairs, benches and machines were situated around the room. Santa swallowed hard, the collar biting into his neck. His heart pounded. He’d seen this room many times in his magic snow globe—when he was checking to see if Jack were being naughty or nice. Santa fought to keep from glancing to the far corner, the corner hidden in shadow.Santa slowed his breathing, tried to keep from becoming aroused, but he knew what hid in the darkened corner—a padded bench. A BDSM bed. Iron girders built the frame. An iron canopy offered fasteners for wicked delights. Straps, belts and bindings. Cuffs, chains and torturous tools. Would Jack leave him bound to the bench, keep him immobile while Jack sucked his dick, or fucked him with the machine. No, Santa wouldn’t be victim of Jack’s deviant machinations. Santa didn’t want to want in the corner, locked to the table, his ass exposed and the fucking machine ramming into him. But he did.In the center of the room, Jack positioned Santa. “Don’t do this,” Santa begged.“You’ll have to be more specific Santa.” Jack secured the O-ring connecting Santa’s cuffed hands to a steel chain. The chain was mounted to the ceiling. Jack tugged the chain, sliding the steel links through a pulley until Santa’s arms rose over his head.Santa’s arms stretched high, muscles bunch and ripped and his wrists were bound together. His fingers were already numb. He relaxed his fisted hands and tried to calmly reason with Jack. “I can’t be more specific. What is all this tomfoolery?” He uselessly tugged on the chain. He was Jack’s hostage.Jack smoothed his palms over the bunched muscles of Santa’s arms, along his shoulders and onto his chest, toying with the silken hairs on his pectorals. “There is more than one way to have fun. We’re going to play with my toys.” Jack dropped to his knees on the floor. He secured the leather cuff around Santa’s left ankle to the steel hook in the flooring. “Spread your legs, Santa.” He did. The click of the lock on his right ankle heightened his anxiety. “Now that I know you’ve accepted my invitation to stay, I can help you get more comfortable.”“But I didn’t accept.”Jack tsked. “You haven’t put up much of a fight.” Jack pivoted and took a long pair of shears from the worktable.“I can’t fight you, Jack.”Jack smiled. “I know. That’s what makes your submission all the sweeter.” Jack slid the edge of the sheer under Santa’s T-shirt. His stomach quivered with the touch of cold steel. The first snip echoed through the room. “Mrs. Claus told me what you were hiding under all this finery. I want to…well, I was going to say I want to see for myself. But I’m going to do more than look. I’m going to touch for myself.” Jack snipped the shirt from waist to neck. Each quick cut sent rousing frissons skittering through Santa.Jack slipped the fabric over the hard ridge of Santa’s shoulder, his fingertips scoring Santa’s flesh. Santa sucked in a breath. His exposed skin shivered in the cool cabin air. His nipples beaded and yet he was hot. Sweat trickled along his spine. “What are you going to do to me?” Would Jack detect the thrill beneath the concern?“Ah, Santa, you should know it’s better not to tell.” He tapped Santa’s cheek. “Half the fun is in the surprise.” Jack had unbuckled Santa’s belt in the sleigh. Now he slowly slid the leather from the loops. He snapped the belt. Santa jerked at the crack of the leather. His cock swelled, hard and pulsing against his groin.Santa was in a quandary. He could not lie nor could he partake of the naughty pleasure Jack promised. “I want to return to my workshop. Christmas is only a week away.”“Hmm. That poses a problem.” Jack took the shears in hand and slipped the blades into the waistband of Santa’s trousers. Cutting the fabric along Santa’s thigh, Jack stripped him of the last of his clothing. “You have nothing to wear.”Naked with Jack. Anchored to the floor by his ankles, arms stretched toward the ceiling, collar and cock. Santa was at Jack’s mercy and a plea for more was on the tip of his tongue. “No,” he mumbled. He shook his head and slowly closed his eyes. This secret desire would destroy all he cherished. His role in the world gone for a chance to be ravished. “No.”Jack snapped the belt across Santa’s exposed buttocks.“No!” he bellowed, arching away from the sting.“I told you no one will hear your cries.” Jack pulled his arm back then unleashed another powerful blow. The belt snapped, smiting Santa high on the buttocks. Muscles tensed. The chains pulled taut. Santa nearly bit his tongue as a blistering heat bloomed beneath his skin.“If you continue to say no—” Jack crisscrossed the strikes with another. “I’ll be forced to gag you.” Jack heaved a breath and lowered his arm. “You should have rosy cheeks.” Jack slowly circled Santa, his hungry gaze eating him up. “Now you do.”Santa dropped his head forward, feeling the pinch of the collar on his neck. The chains attached to his wrists held him up. His muscles burned and they’d only just begun. “Please.”“Please what?” Jack closed his fist around Santa’s shaft. His fingers were strong as they squeezed and stroked. Santa was used to Abby’s feminine touch and her sex kitten ways—all the time craving something more. Craving Jack. Abby had known, had realized that like her, he wished for something more. But unlike Abby, he’d never had his wish.Lust unfurled in Santa, washing over him and making him ache to be naughty. Could he? What would happen if Santa found himself on the naughty list? He was Santa after all. Who would tell?
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This giveaway runs from Dec 9-16. Use the rafflecopter below to earn a chance at the grand prize $50 GC from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

One lucky commenter to this blog post throughout each of the 8 stops will receive a book of choice from my backlist!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Santa's Gifts for You All Month Long! #giveaways

Happy Friday, everyone! Christmas is looming and there's plenty to get ready for, what with shopping and tree-trimming and what not. They say "It's better to give than to receive," but let's face it, receiving is a lot more fun! Today, in the spirit of giving, I want to share some great giveaways that are going on this month! 



Link to The Wild Rose Press Blog: http://thewildrosepress.blogspot.com/

First of all, my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, is sponsoring a Holiday Blog Extravaganza. They're giving away 25 gift certificates of $25 each to their site. That's one gift a day, every day til Christmas! Entering is super easy. Just visit the blog every day and check out the Rafflecopter. While you're at it, make sure to read the new blog posts written by our awesome Wild Rose Press authors. You could be a lucky winner!



Link to Lex Valentine's blog: http://sunlightsucks.com/

Another month-long holiday happening is going on at author Lex Valentine's blog. Lex is a multi-published erotic romance author who is generously giving away her own books as well as many other authors' at her blog Sunlight Sucks. Every day several erotic romances are up for grabs and all you need do for a chance to win that day's selection is leave a comment. There are books for every taste--straight, gay, menage, paranormal, shifter and more! Be sure to visit every day!


I'm a member of Erotic Cravings with seven other awesome erotic romance authors: Randi Alexander, Mia Downing, Darah Lace, Nese Lane, Em Petrova, Anita Philmar  and KyAnn Waters. To celebrate our first Christmas together, we're sponsoring a promotion! Making Santa's Naughty List will run from Dec. 9 - 16 and every day will feature a different post from our author members and a chance to win a prize. There will also be a Grand Prize of a $50 gift certificate from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Stop by each day to comment and have another chance to win! Hope to see you here then!

In the meantime... 

Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

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#Interview with @PaulaAltenburg author of Black Widow Demon

First, I’d like to extend a big fat open-arm welcome from my fellow Divas, Nona and Danica. We’re so happy you could join us today.

Thanks for having me! Danica, that’s a lovely name. One of my roommates in college was named Danica.
Let’s get started picking your brain… I mean, getting to know you better, of course.
Picking my brain is always a delicate procedure. You never know what might have crawled in there. Proceed with caution. ;-)  
1 – What initially drew you to writing? An active imagination and the encouragement to write it all down. My mother was an English teacher who believed in free thinking and open discussion. She loved it when I brought stories to her to read. Of course her opinion was always completely unbiased. My favourite English teacher in high school was another major influence. He once told me he’d read anything I wrote, and that’s always been in the back of my head. Don’t ever let anyone try to tell you that teachers don’t make a difference.
2 – Why paranormal romance/urban fantasy? Why not? I love making stuff up. I really love giving my characters worlds to live in and situations that are going to test them. I have a degree in anthropology, so the whole worldbuilding process and how characters live really fascinates me.
3 – Blade sounds like a very interesting character – can you tell us more about him?Blade… I love this guy so much. He’s dark, intense, and never smiles. He’s far too damaged for that. He has strong survival instincts, but never much reason to live until he meets Raven. She changes everything for him. Not even she can make him smile, though. That becomes one of her goals for their future together—to give him reasons to. Blade lives by his own code of ethics. No one will ever turn him from doing what he believes to be right.
4 – As you may have guessed, the Divas of Desire is a blog that focuses on erotic romance (of all subgenres). What’s the heat level of Black Widow Demon?Slow burning. There are some steamy scenes, but overall, nothing highly erotic. The heroine, however, is one of my more uninhibited female characters. She owns her sexuality.
5 – Coming up with the title for the book is always one of my favorite parts, what made you title Raven and Blade’s story Black Widow Demon?That title popped into my head as soon as I realized I had a half demon heroine whose demon protection is being able to make men want her enough to lose their self-control. Once she touches them, she can kill them. Or not. It depends on her level of interest in the particular man.
6 – What else are you working on? You name it. I’m starting to feel like a genre whore (can I use that word here?). Of course! And any other kind of naughty language that tickles your fancy. I’m writing a sweet category romance for Entangled’s Bliss line, I have edits coming on book 3 in the Demon Outlaws series (Creed, btw, is pretty much as awesome as Blade but in his own way), I have another single title coming out with Entangled next year that still needs some TLC, and I’m working on an independent fantasy project that is tentatively scheduled for next year.2014 is shaping up to be another big year for me.
7 – If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life?
Librarian! I missed my calling. I wish we’d had a better guidance counsellor in my high school. Except these days librarians work more with computers and I’m a total technophobe, so that might be an issue. I can barely turn one of these suckers on. Which reminds me, I need to tell my oldest son/personal computer repair guy how much I love him.
8 – What’s the easiest part of writing for you?Plotting and research. I love research. You wouldn’t believe how much research I do that never sees the light of day, and all the notes I take. I should probably have answered professional student above instead of librarian.
9 – What’s the hardest part of writing for you?Writing the actual story. It takes a lot of work and attention to detail to get a storyline to make sense, and I have the attention span of—what were we talking about?
10 – Where can readers find out more about you and your books?You can find me at:Website: www.paulaaltenburg.comTwitter: @PaulaAltenburgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/paula.altenburg.52?fref=tsI always friend and follow back because I am just that eager to make new friends. J

Thanks so much for coming by today, Paula. I hope you had a little fun letting us behind the scenes on the life of an author and her works!
I had a great time! Thanks for having me. I’ll try to make my next book a bit steamier, just for you. ;-) Aww, that's sweet! We sure like it hot here at the Divas of Desire. 

~ Rach 

Here's a little bit more about Paula's book, Black Widow Demon - Be sure to enter the contest at the bottom to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card! 
Passionate and headstrong, half-demon Raven is nearly executed on the orders of her fundamentalist stepfather. She escapes from the burning stake using the gifts of her otherworldly heritage and the help of a mortal stranger named Blade. Now she’s set on revenge, and only quiet, intense Blade stands in her way.
A retired assassin weary of the weight of his past, Blade has crossed the desert to seek out a new life. His journey is interrupted when his conscience demands he help Raven find an old friend who can help her. Saving her from her need for revenge and delivering her into the hands of loved ones means he’s one step closer to redemption.
But as Blade’s sense of duty becomes something more and threats, both mortal and immortal, stalk the woman he can’t abandon, he could very well fall back into the life he’s trying so hard to escape.



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I Lost NaNoWriMo & It Felt Great!

Howdy ladies and gents,

Well as I'm sure you're all aware by now, November is over. The leaves are gone, the turkeys are safe for another year, and the twinkling lights of the impending holidays are downright blinding in some areas.

It also means National Novel Writing month is over. Just in case you missed my other posts on this freaking craziness, it's 30 days to write your ass off. The goal: to write 1,667 words EVERY day for thirty days straight, for a grand total of 50,000 words! It's crazy town.

And I completely failed.


Up until four days before the end of November, I had only written 8,913 words. That's it. If I push it, I can write that in a single day and there I was four days and miles away from 50,000. I knew even I couldn't write 41,087 words in four days, one of which was Thanksgiving Day. Now my family is understanding of my crazy schedule, my skipping dinners and movies and other things when I'm in the writing cave, but even I couldn't skip out on the turkey and stuffing. So that night, after everyone was gone and the house was settled, with a belly full of delicious food, I locked myself in the writing cave and got to work. I had three whole days off from the day job and I was going to use them, damn it!

Thursday night I wrote 2,500 words. They were a bit slow going, the story was dusty after having not been touched for weeks, and I was getting back in the groove. But I wrote. And I stayed up all night doing so. Exhausted, at 2 a.m. I crawled into bed with a big ass smile on my face. I felt like me again. For the first time in almost eight months, I was a writer!

Friday I got up, not so bright and early because I'd been up all freaking night, but early enough, and once again locked myself in the dungeon. I then proceeded to write 5,000 words in four hours. I was officially on fire. I took a couple little breaks in that time, but no big ones until I was really in need of a long one. So I took a couple hours off, ate a real meal, came out of the dungeon and visited with animals and family, and then I went back to it. Another 5,500 words later, I was beyond exhausted, as I'm sure you could imagine. And I knew I had a full day of writing ahead of me on Saturday. Once again, though, I went to bed knowing my world was right again.

I wrote another 6,000 words on Saturday, and then I just couldn't do anymore.

Here's the little graph and stuff to show how I did with my word count. 



My total word count for November was 28,528. In terms of the 50,000 word count goal, I barely made it past the 50% mark, a failure in all respects. NaNo is supposed to teach you to make writing a daily habit, to build it into your life, and laugh off writer's block because you just have to keep writing to get to that word count goal. I will never be a daily writer. I've come to terms with this, made peace with my writing style, and have worked to build my life around the way I write.

But this year's NaNo reintroduced me to myself, my inner Muse, my love of writing and telling stories, and I couldn't be happier. Do I wish I had a solid draft to revise through the month of December? Sure. But as my momentum levels out and the day job and real world intrude into my writing cave, I will remember during the next 30, 60, 90 days that I am a writer, that I love writing, and that I have to make it a priority and get my ass in the chair.

So I failed, and it was fantastic.

Who else failed Nano this year? And was it as good an experience as mine?

~Rach

Promo Blitz and #Review: The Christmas Bride by Sylvia McDaniel #LiteraryNook

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm sponsoring a blitz for Sylvia McDaniel's The Christmas Bride. I've also reviewed this Christmas themed romance. The author is offering two digital copies of her book, so make sure to check out the Rafflecopter below. 
A Western Romance Novella (Book 4, Burnett Brides Series):Eugenia Burnett has gotten what she wants. Her three sons are married and she has three grandchildren, with the fourth on the way. But she hasn’t given up her matchmaking ways. Now she’s moved on to the people she knows and she’s matching widows and widowers together. Until one widower, Wyatt Jones let’s her know in front of a crowded restaurant that he’s not interested in any of the women she keeps sending him except her. Sworn never to remarry, she doesn’t need a husband or want one. She’s a free spirit doing what she pleases and no one is going to boss her around. But Wyatt wants Eugenia and she says no.
In this western historical romance novella, come back to the old west and spend Christmas with the Burnett family. See Eugenia meet her match in cowboy Wyatt Jones.


The Christmas BrideBy Sylvia McDaniel

Excerpt:The door to the café opened, the cold wind slamming it against the wall. The restaurant grew quiet with the sudden entrance, and Eugenia turned to see who was making such a racket.Wyatt Jones stood in the doorway, his muscular frame filling the opening. His cowboy hat sat at an angle on top of his head, and his large brown eyes scanned the room.In his hand, he carried a duffle bag.Eugenia tried to ignore the big man as he strolled through the doorway and removed his Stetson.Their gazes locked across the room, and he smiled, his full lips turning up in a grin that made her body soften and her heart give an extra little ca-thunk. He spoke to the waitress, but his gaze never wavered from Eugenia.Uh-oh. A tingle of nerves zinged through her bones. This couldn’t be good.His boots made a rhythmic thump, thump, thump on the wooden floor as he walked with a determined stride straight toward her, his bag in hand, his spurs jingling. Nervously, she licked her lips.Myrtle’s back faced the door, and she continued to blather about something. But Eugenia couldn’t seem to focus on the words. All she could see was this handsome cowboy walking her way. She couldn’t stop staring at him. She knew he was coming for her.She’d already sent several women his way, and she didn’t think he was here to thank her for curing his loneliness.Wyatt stopped at their table, touching the rim of his hat as he glanced at Myrtle. “Morning Mrs. Sanders. Nice to see you.”He pivoted to Eugenia, his brown eyes dancing with merriment. Staring into those earthy eyes, a warm flush settled over her like a blanket. He opened the bag, withdrew a casserole dish, and laid it on the table. He took a second dish out and placed it alongside the first one, and then another, and another.Oh dear.When he finished, six clean, empty casserole dishes sat in front of her.His mouth turned up in that slow, lazy grin that burned a sizzle along her spine. Why did this man make her feel like she’d raced her grandchildren around the yard and couldn’t catch her breath? Why did this man make her more nervous than a virgin on her wedding day? Why did this man have her wondering how his lips would feel against her own?“Eugenia,” he said in that deep drawl that sent shivers skittering over her. “You’ve been mighty busy, sending women out to my house. You’ve kept me and my men well fed the last couple of weeks.”“Glad I could help,” she said, her voice sounding breathy and soft.He leaned in close and put his hands on either side of her, effectively pinning her in the chair. She felt the urge to jump up and run, but resisted. She sat there, stared him in the eye and refused to back down. No longer would she back down to any man. Never again.“While I appreciate the effort, I’m not taking the bait. There’s only one woman in this town that I’m interested in pursuing to become my wife.” The deep timbre of his voice was low and commanding.“And pray tell, who would that be?” she asked, knowing she would have him hitched as soon as possible.“You, Eugenia Burnett. You.”
Buy Links:Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Bride-Western-Romance-Novella-ebook/dp/B00FJA99TO/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384632963&sr=1-3&keywords=the+christmas+bride
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-christmas-bride-sylvia-mcdaniel/1117325633?ean=2940148919889
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/375320 
***Nona's Review for A Christmas Bride***
A Christmas Bride is a historical novella whose heroine, Eugenia Burnett, is an inveterate matchmaker. In the earlier books in the Burnett Brides Series (which I haven’t read), she was determined to find brides for her three sons.
All her sons are now happily married, but Eugenia hasn’t given up her matchmaking ways. Now she’s employing them to find mates for her friends and acquaintances. One man who refuses to be matched is Wyatt Jones, a handsome older rancher. No matter how many widow-women visit him with casseroles (at Eugenia’s urging), he’s determined to remain single. That is, until he falls for the matchmaker herself.
I enjoyed the fact that this story features a mature couple. Wyatt and Eugenia both been married previously, and both have experienced love and loss. Nothing should stand in their way, right? Wrong. Eugenia doesn’t want to get married again. Though she loved her husband, he was the boss in their relationship. And she values her freedom too much to ever knuckle under to a man again.
This was an entertaining story. There’s humor when Eugenia’s sons and daughters-in-law turn the tables on her and plot ways to get her and Wyatt together. This involves the two of them working together on the church Christmas program.  There’s danger when the two of them are caught in a blizzard. When they find themselves trapped in a line shack, Eugenia’s determination to resist Wyatt’s charms weakens. The only place to sleep is a single bed and baby, it’s cold outside.
Eugenia was an admirable, strong minded character. Though I respected her determination to be her own woman, I thought she went on about it a bit too much. Wyatt was a real gentleman and the perfect foil for her. He wanted her to be an equal partner, but wouldn’t allow her to walk all over him.
As I mentioned, The Christmas Bride is a follow-up to the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. It’s a fine choice for anyone who enjoys historical romance with a touch of humor and sexiness.
Author Bio: 


Sylvia McDaniel is a best-selling, award-winning author of historical romance and contemporary romance novels.  Known for her sweet, funny, family-oriented romances,  Sylvia is the author of The Burnett Brides a western historical western series, The Cuvier Widows, a Louisiana historical series, and several short contemporary romances. Former President of the Dallas Area Romance Authors, a member of the Romance Writers of America®, and a member of Novelists Inc, her novel, A Hero’s Heart was a 1996 Golden Heart Finalist. Several other books have placed or won in the San Antonio Romance Authors Contest, LERA Contest, and she was a Golden Network Finalist. Married for nearly twenty years to her best friend, they have two dachshunds that are beyond spoiled and a good-looking, grown son who thinks there’s no place like home. She loves gardening, shopping, knitting and football (Cowboys and Bronco’s fan), but not necessarily in that order. Currently she’s written sixteen novels and is hard at work on number seventeen. Look for her the first Tuesday of every month at the Plotting Princesses blogspot http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com/. Be sure to sign up for her newsletter to learn about new releases, contests and every month a new subscriber is entered into a drawing for a free book.
http://www.SylviaMcDaniel.comor www.facebook.com/SylviaMcDanielAuthor
You can write to Sylvia at P.O. Box 2542, Coppell, TX 75019 or visit her web site:
Author Links:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/SylviaJMcDanielFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/SylviaMcDanielAuthorGoodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150774.Sylvia_McDaniel?from_search=trueWebsite - http://www.sylviamcdaniel.com/Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Sylvia-McDaniel/e/B001KI5TAM/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1378748178&sr=8-2-ent
Giveaway:2 ebook copies (one to each winner) of The Christmas Bride

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Link to promo schedule - http://wp.me/p3SVfE-bd
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
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Happy #Thanksgiving! And the Things Rach is Thankful for...

Here at the Divas, we'd like to wish you all a wonderful and sexy Thanksgiving!


It's been hard for me to come up with things for which I am thankful this year. I have buried two family members, and a family pet in the last ten months, and have another family pet who is terminal. It's been a whopper of a year, and a friend of mine has blamed it on the year "13".

As the year nears a close, however, I remember that while today was a difficult day, it was not nearly the disaster I was worried it would would be. We made it through, with the stuffing, and the gravy, and the fall-off-the-bone turkey, and it wasn't until the rush of the meal prep and cleanup was over that I realized that though our family seems to be growing smaller with every passing year, the core of love, support, and humor is still there. We are battered, bruised, and sometimes beat-down. But today was filled with laughter instead of tears, and I am eternally grateful for the family I still have, and the new addition to the household, our five-month-old Shepard mix Honey. In just over a week this little girl has made herself right at home.

I am also thankful for my writing, my love of words, my craft, and my readers. While this past year has seen a lot of personal turmoil, it has also brought me some great professional growth. I've published two books since January, and worked on a third and fourth, one currently under contract with Twenty or Less Press, due out soon. My writing has given me a place to escape, to focus, and to look forward to, and for that I am exceptionally thankful.


What are you all thankful for this year?