Nona Raines's Blog, page 39

Titillating Tuesday with Danica

My dear critique partner, author Nona Raines, was kind enough to let me know that my latest release, ABOVE THE LAW, Book Four of The Men of Sanctuary series, is in the running for Best Romance Novel at the Predators & Editors site, [image error]http://critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml. I believe the balloting is opened until Jan 14 -- so any votes would be greatly appreciated! So far, ATL has moved from being tied at No. 20 to tied for No. 19, so your votes are making a difference! I'm still getting over my holiday bout of bronchitis (the gift that keeps on giving), so I'll be back this afternoon for a Titillation Tuesday entry! Danicawww.DanicaStComo.comwww.SophiaRoslyn.com

Six Sentence Sunday with Rach

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday! I've heard the big SixSunday.com will be closing up shop in the end of January, 2013. I am very sad to hear this, but I know the Divas will continue to post our own Six Sentence Sundays, so fear not. You'll still get lots of little tastes of our hot romances! 


And now for this week's Six Sentence Sunday from my newest release, Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce:



“Look, whatever we thought after our not so chance meeting, that’s off the table now. Never going to happen.” She wouldn’t let them succumb to the heat swirling between them. She would not— 
Amy stopped thinking as Mason lowered his head to hers. He crushed his lips against hers, and she moaned, her eyes sliding closed.


On sale now: 
Loose Id – http://bit.ly/TWjroiAll Romance Ebooks - http://bit.ly/SPA4XfAmazon - http://amzn.to/12B8TR1

Thoughts about Hysteria, by Danica

Okay, so I'm still knocked on my butt by acute bronchitis (thankfully, not so acute now). One thing about being too sick to move: one either watches too much TV or resorts to DVDs. Since DVDs require actually moving, TV by way of the remote control, aka the clicky thing, is usually the last recourse -- which then contributes to brain-drain.

 

Because I was trapped into watching the tellie, I caught the tail end of an advert for a new TV show or series or some such, "Hysteria," coming soon. In the early years of family medicine, nearly every "female" medical problem was blamed on hysteria. The medical treatment for hysteria in women during the late Victorian era was what prompted my research, then the writing, of my erotic Victorian romance, In Her Lover's Arms. If only I'd known it could have been a screenplay for a made-for-TV-movie [grin].

If you think woman are misunderstood now, being a woman in 1889 England was an even larger study in frustration (as well as humiliation).

In Her Lover's Arms is available at www.NobleRomance.com, Amazon.com (in both e-book and paperback), and all major booksellers.

Danica
www.DanicaStComo.com
www.SophiaRoslyn.com

Interview with Mary DeSantis

Welcome back bloggerverse! I have a special interview today with Mary DeSantis, a friend and fellow writer.
Well let’s start with the basics. First, thanks for taking the time to come speak with us today. No problem. Thanks for having me.1 – Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? 
Sure. I’m twenty-four glorious years old, and I lived the first twenty-three and a half years in a very small city approximately 15 miles north of Boston, MA. I now live in Wilmington, NC, which is hopefully a temporary arrangement. I like autumn a bit too much to live down here permanently. I’m starting my third semester in Seton Hill University’s MFA in Writing Popular Fiction program and got my B.A. in Psychology from Merrimack College. When I’m not writing or thinking about writing because I have writer’s block, I’m reading, hanging out with friends, or singing. It’s a pretty good life.2- What do you write? 
Fantasy—at least that’s what I’m writing according to Seton Hill. And it’s partially true. I love bringing the impossible to life, but my fantasy sometimes gets mixed up with mystery. Interesting children there.3 – Tell us about your current WIP. 
I’ve got a few, but I’ll focus on the one I’m hoping to get an agent for after New Years *fingers crossed.* My working title for this project is “By the Fight of the Silvery Moon,” and revolves around MIA (not Missing in Action), the Magical Investigation Agency. It embodies that fantasy/mystery overlap I mentioned above. The main character is Vern Sumac—a dryad transplanted (not literally) to New York City. Ten years ago, she cut the bond with her tree (a Poison Sumac) for health reasons and now works at MIA for her best friend Warren Gazeban (the hottest guy alive). I’m supposed to be working on my elevator pitch, so here goes.Vern Sumac’s night up-state was supposed to be no-stress. But when she witnesses the murder of the Times reporter she met with that morning (who can apparently turn into a giant wolf), it’s back to the day job and a major downhill stress week. Can she help her boss and the MIA team figure out who did it?4 – When did you get started writing? 
My typical answer to this is “I got started writing when I was about seven. I got started writing well when I enrolled in Seton Hill’s program a year ago.” The first story I can remember writing was about a little girl who was imprisoned for something involving dragons. I recall very little about the actual writing aside from the following line: “And then she sang a little song about dragons.” I grew up watching Disney. Can you tell? Lol.5 – What’s your idea of a perfect character? 
Oh, geez. Let’s see. Let’s make this person at least twenty-five—old enough to be more or less done with the whiny teenage phase. Beyond that, his/her personality should be a healthy combination of humorous and serious in whatever forms those appear. Said character’s past should be properly shrouded in mystery and be traumatic enough to make for a deep character but not so traumatic that the past gets in the way of telling the present story. Oh, and he/she should (pretty please) not be a vampire.6 – Do you have any quick writing tips to share with us? 
The way this question is worded, I could get away with simply saying “No.” Lol.
I won’t do that. Neither will I spew a laundry list of catchy advice, such as “show, don’t tell.” I think the best thing I can say is make sure writing is what you want to do. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a lot of work. When I wrote “The End” on my WIP, it was the most amazing feeling, but I knew there was still a ton of work to be done. So make sure you want to write.7 – What do you like to read? 
I have a soft spot for urban fantasy. I too have a soft spot for young adult urban and contemporary fantasy. I know a lot of adults who stick their nose up at books filed as “young adult,” but murder mysteries and adult fantasy don’t make for good bedtime reading sometimes. That said, I love adult fantasy too.8 – What’s your favorite book and why? 
Only one? Crap. Lol.
I’m not sure if it’s my favorite, but I read “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline for my genre readings class last semester. That book impacted me in a big way, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction and doesn’t mind being bombarded by the 80s.9 – Do you think we’ll ever fully convert you to write romance? 
Lol. Doubt it, and I say that because I’m terrible at writing romance. I will leave that to the professionals. Will say, though, that I had a romance writer tell me that my thesis novel for Seton Hill was adult romantic fantasy. Take that however you will.10 – What’s your favorite holiday and why? 
That’s a toss-up between Christmas and Halloween. I love Christmas because it has pretty lights and music, and I love Halloween because I love getting dressed up.Thanks Mary! It was great to have you here today and I’m glad we got to know a little bit more about you and your work. 
~Rach

#Giveaway fun at the #naughtyhop for the New Year!

Hi and welcome to the Divas of Desire stop in the Naughty New Year's Blog Hop hosted by author Skye Warren! The New Year is the time when we wipe the slate clean and gear up for a fresh year by making resolutions. Usually these are promises to lose weight, save money or do something else that will make us healthy, wealthy or wise.
This year, why not resolve to be a little bit naughty? Hey, that can be fun! Maybe you'd like to be a bit little adventurous in your search for Mr. (or Ms.) Right. Perhaps you want to spice up your love life a bit. One sure fire way of safely adding some naughty to your life is to read some spicy erotic romance.

  To help you out in that regard (I'm all heart, not to mention incredibly generous J), I'm offering one of my erotic romances as a prize at this stop on the blog hop. A random commenter at this stop will have the choice of ONE of my Loose Id titles, Uncollared (BDSM-themed erotic romance) or His and Hers and Hers (FFM ménage romance).


There's a giveaway at every stop on the Naughty New Year's Hop and a grand prize for the entire hop. Each stop where you leave a comment adds to your chances of winning the grand prize! More stops = more comments = more chances to win!




And check out the grand prizes being offered by Skye Warren! Awesome!
A $100 gift card to eden fantasys and ten amazing erotic romances!




So what are you waiting for? Get to hopping! But first, for a chance to win my giveaway, just leave a comment on how you'd like to get naughty this New Year, or any resolution you're making. Please remember to leave your email addy so I can contact you in case you win.


 There's no other requirement to win here or for the entire hop, but if you'd consider following The Divas of Desire, we'd really appreciate it J. (It won't influence your chances to win either way.) I will select a winner by 10 am on January 7 and contact the winner shortly thereafter.

And please don't forget to visit the other stops on the Naughty New Year's Hop for other cool giveaways and more chances to win! You'll find them all here:
http://www.skyewarren.com/hop/


Have a happy hop, everyone—And a very happy New Year!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.comFacebook, Twitter, Blog 

Big #Sale on Three #Erotic #Romances by @nonaraines!

Hi all! I'm happy to announce that my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, is making all three of my books in The Man Series available to readers at deep discounted prices! All this weekend each title is available for 99 cents at The Wild Rose Press. They are also available at this price for the next two weeks at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. At AllRomance ebooks and Bookstrand, each title is 50% off.

Let me share a bit about each of the books:

One Good Man


Just one touch...that’s all Andie Benedetto wants when she glimpses her father’s sexy neighbor. Images of deep, long kisses and down and dirty sex heat up her fantasies. When he catches her watching him, she’s embarrassed but undeniably turned on.
Just one weekend...that’s all Matthew Vostek can offer Andie. He recognizes her shyness, but also senses her desire, the same desire he feels. Maybe they can fulfill each other’s hottest fantasies.
Just an adventure...that’s what Andie tells herself. Tired of playing the good girl, she’s ready to accept Matthew’s challenge and enjoy the most exciting sexual escapade of her life. But when the weekend is over, will Andie finally take what she wants instead of settling for second best?Available at:The Wild Rose Press  Amazon   Barnes and Noble  All Romance ebooks     BookstrandTake This Man

The biggest mistake of Elyse Zemanski's life was falling in love with Adam. When a night of sexual fantasy went too far, she was crushed and couldn't leave town fast enough.

The biggest mistake of Adam Vostek's life was letting Elyse go. He'd been afraid of the love she promised and pushed her away—into another man's arms...and bed.

When Elyse returns to Summit to help a friend, Adam wants a second chance to prove he’s worthy—in and out of the bedroom. She claims she's over him, but one look from those smoldering dark eyes, and she throws caution to the wind. Elyse offers him seven days of wild sex, hoping to get him out of her system. Adam's good to go on the sex. But will a week be enough to win back Elyse's love and trust?Available at:The Wild Rose Press  Amazon  Barnes and Noble     All Romance ebooks  Bookstrand
Her Perfect Man
Kim Hansen has terrible luck with men. When her sexy downstairs neighbor shows a more-than-neighborly interest in her, she's suspicious. She's been burned too many times, by too many guys. Steamy sex is one thing, but Charlie Keller is smart, hot and successful—so what could he want with her besides a few nights of pleasure?
Though Kim does her best to shut him down, Charlie's not put off by her attitude. He doesn't scare easy. Kim thinks she's clever, using sex to maintain an emotional distance and to keep him off guard. But Charlie sees through her tough exterior to the tender heart beneath.
But Kim needs to be won over. Sure, their bedroom action is awesome, but given her past mistakes, she's convinced Charlie is too good to be true. Just too perfect. But if Charlie has his way, he'll prove that he's the perfect man for her.
Available at:
The Wild Rose Press     Amazon     Barnes and Noble All Romance ebooks     Bookstrand
If you haven't read these books yet, now's the perfect time to purchase some sexy romances for your new Christmas ereader. Hope you enjoy!
Have a super Saturday, everyone!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.comFacebook, Twitter, Blog

Going Balls to the Wall with @taralain, #author of #erotic #romance!

We're thrilled here at the Divas of Desire to have Tara Lain with us today. She's an award-winning author of MM, ménage, and most recently MF romance. Her most recent release is Snow Balls, part of the Balls to the Wall series from Etopia Press. She's also published with Loose Id. Thanks so much for joining us, Tara, and for letting me ask you five nosy questions. Let's get started!
             1.    Most of your titles are male/male romance. What about that particular genre appeals to you?                      There are very few gender roles in MM romance. All the expectations we place on women in love aren’t present. So for both a writer and a reader, MM gives lots of unexpected combinations. I write tiny, flamboyant men who are tough alphas at heart, and big, football players who are more queen than quarterback. I love mixing it up. Plus, men in love have fewer societal expectations--marriage, family, etc--so that too can be inventive. And because there is no female character with which women feel they must identify, readers like me can choose which of the men they want to relate to. I also love crawling into the minds and hearts of men. They’re just as sappy and sentimental when they’re in love as women are and I love expressing that from a male POV. Of course, gay men still bear huge burdens of discrimination in our society and that provides a source of conflict in a book even if that discrimination isn’t the subject. Sigh. I love men. Two is better!  LOL
      2.    I never thought about how writing romance featuring two men could enhance one's freedom as an author. That's fascinating. You also recently took the plunge into m/f sensual romance and self-publishing with your holiday release Be Bad, For Goodness Sake. Have you any words of wisdom for authors considering self-publishing?
      I purposefully self-published that book so I could get the experience. I’m not at all technical and I would never trust myself as an editor of my own work, so I called in the experts. I hired a freelance editor, a cover artist, a proofer and a formatter who prepared the documents for Amazon and Smashwords and guided me through the uploading process. I don’t think people should do all that themselves no matter how good they are at editing. You need an outside viewpoint to create a good book. I guess you could do it with an excellent critique group. But seriously, these experts don’t cost a lot. So find good people to help. With that said, I think self-publishing is great for established authors who want to take control of their backlists or for authors who are really willing to work at their craft and put out professional quality regularly. I fully appreciate all the hard work my publishers put into my books and I plan on staying with traditional publishing, at least for the short term.

      3.    You've certainly put a great deal of work and thought into it. You've had a career as a nonfiction writer and you've fed your creative side as an author of erotic romance. But you're also a painter [several of Tara's paintings appear at her website]. How long have you been painting and does that type of creativity differ from writing? 
      I started painting and doing mixed media collage only about eight or nine years ago. I’ve always been a writer, but never thought I would have any proclivity for visual arts. One day I just decided I wanted to try it and found some great teachers. I love painting though I don’t have great skill and started rather late to acquire it. My real love is mixed media collage. I adore the free-form, “can’t make a mistake” quality of it. It’s a very non-judgmental art!  LOL. Extremely left brain. I don’t have a lot of time for it since my writing career heated up, but I still make presents for friends.  

4.     A black cat named Aloysius figures prominently in your paranormal romances Spell Cat and Brush With Catastrophe. Do you have any animals in your own life? 
      I am a cat adorer. I grew up with cats but I don’t have one these days. My husband is allergic to cats. So instead I have a very catlike dog. I have a papillon named Jolie. Papillons are the only toy breed of dogs on the list of the top ten smartest dog breeds. You’ve got border collies, Dobermans, German shepherds and this itty bitty furperson. She weighs 9 pounds. She is very finicky about food, washes her face with her paws -- very catlike. I actually love animals. I’m enjoying creating my Aloysius in the paranormal series and my next new series will feature animals as well. I’m already starting to plot the first book in my head.

      5.    She's adorable! I had no idea Papillons were so smart. It's been so much fun talking with you, Tara. Before we finish up,  would you like to share any information on current or future releases with us? We're all ears! 
      My next book after my current release, Snow Balls , will be Hearts and Flour . It comes out Feb 1st for Valentine’s Day and tells the story of a passionate raw food fanatic who falls in love with a cupcake baker. BTW, it has a great cat in it. I’m currently writing a MM family and wedding drama, and then, of course, there is another Aloysius tale in the offing. And it will be fun! Plus two more Balls books at least -- also fun. And the new series. Oh my, so many books, so little time!
Thank you so much for inviting me! It’s been a treat to be here. : )
Excerpt:  SNOW BALLS by Tara Lain; MM Romance -- The Cop and the Creampuff
Available December 7th from Amazon  ARe 
Big, handsome and hunky, JJ LaRousse looks like an alpha male but acts like an interior decorator. And he’s trying to be happy about it -- until a robbery at the famous Laguna Winter Fantasy brings JJ face-to-face with tough cop, Ryan Star. JJ hears Ryan likes guys who are manly men, so he drops his voice an octave, colors over his pink hair, and tries to pass as a football fan. Ryan Star may be tough but he hides in the closet at work since he learned in New York that being a gay cop can cost you your life. His attraction to that big, handsome kid threatens his anonymity, but he can’t seem to resist. JJ is just his type. But then JJ goes skiing and comes face to face with his greatest nemesis-- and all the secrets come out of the closet. Can Ryan love JJ for who he really is? More important, can JJ?
JJ turned to Ryan. “OK, why don’t you go off and have fun while I learn? No sense you wasting time here.”Ryan shook his head and with every shake JJ’s stomach flipped. “No, I’d rather be with you.”Well hell, how could he argue with a sweet rationale like that?How hard can it be? How hard can it be? Following the instructor to the beginner’s area, JJ fell back into the litany. Three other people waited where they stopped. An older woman and two men who looked like they drove trucks. Very big trucks.Their instructor who turned out to be named Bronson—seriously?—gathered them together. He spoke with an indeterminate accent that would have been great saying, “I’ll be back.” The woman introduced herself as Michele and proudly announced she was sixty-three. The two guys, Ron and Paul, turned out to be a stockbroker and an English teacher. Bronson pointed at his boots. “Okey dokey, we’re going to fit our boots into the skis. Be sure you remove all snow from the boots before inserting.”Instant problem. JJ stood on one foot and tried to wipe the snow, which threw him off balance and he had to put his foot down which introduced yet more snow. Damn, he felt like a leaning tower. Ryan stepped up beside him and provided a shoulder to lean on. JJ tried to smile. “Uh, thanks.” Jeez, he was such a klutz. Finally—last out of the group—he got his boots in his skis, locked them on, and stood up. His skis slid forward, his ass flew into the air, and he fell instantly to his butt with skis crossed. “Oh no!” He clutched his hands in the snow to keep from shaking them. This didn’t portend well.Bronson walked over and looked down at him. “No problemo. You just leaned back too much. Keep that weight distributed and slightly forward. Okey dokey?”JJ nodded, and Bronson offered an arm. OK, but what in the hell did you do with the skis when you’re trying to get up? After thirty seconds of pure slapstick comedy, JJ finally got the skis separated, his weight arranged, and made it to his feet. Heat flushed his cheeks. At least the cold could explain that.God, who knew it would be so slippery?Bronson stood at the center of their circle. “Now, plant your poles by your sides and slide your skis back and forth.”JJ planted. He slid one ski, the other, back to the first. OK. Working. One more slide. He slipped, caught himself with the pole, and stayed upright. Yes. He glanced at Ryan who was following the directions too, with perfect balance and symmetry. Ryan gave JJ a smile. Bronson held up a hand. “Good, everyone. Now, we’ll cover some ground. Put your hands through the pole straps.”JJ did it but he felt wobbly. That must be normal. “Now plant your left pole and slide your right ski forward.”JJ followed direction.“Now plant your right pole and slide your left ski.”Wow. He did it. Maybe he could make it on those trails after all. “Keep doing that, everyone. Good. See, you’re skiing.”Cool. Yes, he was skiing. Left. Right. In front of him, a little dip in the snow curved downward. In his boots, it wouldn’t have been noticeable, but suddenly he was sliding. Sliding without trying. His arms came up like a helicopter, poles flying. Vaguely, he saw Michele duck as his skis flew out from under him. It felt like he actually rose in the air, suspended for a second, and slammed onto the snow on his ass. His head flew back and smacked hard, throwing ice up into his eyes. Ouch. Shit that hurt.“JJ, are you OK?” Ryan sounded really worried. JJ must look bad. Damn. He’d like to cry. Probably not a wise decision.He tried to smile. “I’m fine. Just clumsy.” He looked down and found one ski lying beside his leg and the other crossed over his thigh. What a mess. Dying sounded good. Or sinking into the snow.Bronson stared down at him, hands on his hips. “Okey dokey. Let’s get organized.”
Find Tara here:
Website    Author blog       Book blog        Goodreads  
Savvy Authors     Twitter               Facebook           FB Page               
Amazon              B&N                      ARe        

What an awesome interview and excerpt, Tara! Thanks so much for joining us today.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.comFacebook, Twitter, Blog

Danica's Best Christmas Gift!

Whaahoo! Was offered a contract this morning for Book Five of The Men of Sanctuary series, ALOHA MAN. For those of you who have been waiting to dive into the tale of Kamaka, our Hawaiian hero, and Zachariah, his Navajo love interest, we're one step closer! Now it goes into edits.

Writing, writing, writing HER SPECIAL FORCES, working on Chapter Three. At this point, I think I have just as many words in my notes as I do for the manuscript. Yikes. Well, no one can accuse me of not doing my research.

If I don't get back to this before Tuesday, Happy Holidays to everyone!

Danicawww.DanicaStComo.com

Fabulous Friday #Interview with Lisa Henry, Author of M/M #Erotic #Romance

Hello, all! I have an early Christmas present for everyone today in the form of an interview with multi-published author Lisa Henry! She writes male/male romances for Loose Id and Riptide Publishing and has kindly agreed to let me ask her five nosy questions. So let's get started!


1.    Your newest release, Dark Space, is a male/male romance that has a science fiction background. Are you a big fan of sci-fi books and movies, and if so, which are your favorites?


I’ve been a sci-fi fan since before I ever saw any — literally. When I was a kid living in Papua New Guinea, we didn’t have a TV. There were no TV stations there then. One day, the kids over the road came back from leave in Australia talking about this movie they’d seen called Star Wars, and we all got roped into playing it. I got to be Han Solo, which was a pretty big role for a five-year-old kid wearing nothing but underpants and a banana leaf on her head to keep off the rain. I think they gave it to me because I already had a Chewie — Oplika Spot, the dog from down the road who used to come and meet me every morning so we could go roaming. I remember when we moved back to Australia and I actually saw Star Wars, I was a bit confused. That’s not how we’d played it at all.
I do love sci-fi though. My most recent sci-fi love was probably the new Battlestar Galactica. All those hot guys in uniforms? Yes, please. Oh! And also Firefly! I like what I suppose you could call gritty low-tech sci-fi, where stuff breaks down, people get dirty, and if you injure yourself they don’t just fix you by running a light over you like in Star Trek. Star Trek was very clean, wasn’t it? I don’t think I’d fit in at all in that universe.
       2.    Oh my gosh! I can't help but chuckle at the image of you with a banana leaf on your head and your faithful Chewie at your side.  *Ahem.* Back to being serious. Your genres are very eclectic: you've written a sci-fi romance, one with a historical setting, another that's historical/fantasy and a contemporary with thriller overtones. Do you have a preference or do you just like to "mix it up"?
I have absolutely no preference at all! Each has its own unique challenges. I love history, but the downside to writing historical fiction is the sheer amount of research involved. With He Is Worthy, my Roman historical, it was fairly easy because I’ve loved Roman history forever, and already had a pretty solid background. But I’m working on something set in the American West in 1870 at the moment, and I went in almost totally blind — watching Deadwood doesn’t count. So I’m writing and researching at the same time, which has slowed down my pace a bit, but I’m learning a lot of fun facts about Wyoming!
Sci-fi and fantasy are great in that you get to build your own worlds from scratch. Contemporary is probably the easiest of all — unless, like me, you agree to set something in America, and then your poor co-author has to fix all your rookie mistakes. Like calling money “notes” instead of “bills”. American terminology will get me every time.
Wait…I was answering a question, right? I’ve got no real preference at all. I’ll come up with the character pairing first, and then look for a setting that fits. 
      3.   It's very interesting what you say about American terminology. I'm just as fascinated by things Australian.  But again I digress. One of your blog posts advises authors not to behave badly when they receive a bad review. Sooner or later, all of us writers have to deal with negative reviews. What do you do to soothe yourself after a bad review (if you've received any)?
I’ve received plenty! Ice cream helps. But I’ve also got a few really excellent reviews printed out, and those are good to refer to in times of “What the hell am I doing? I can’t write! I should just throw it in and go and find a steady job!” And then I remember that I already have a steady job, and I write to escape it. 
      4.   You live in a tropical part of Australia. We're big animal lovers here at The Divas of Desire. I know you've mentioned these on other blogs you've visited, but please, please tell us about the geckos and the possums and the frog that lives in your toilet!
Oh god. The possums. Don’t even get me started!
There are at least five possums. The first two I called Sid and Nancy, because of the screaming violent domestics they had in my ceiling. Evicting them was a nightmare. First, I got the hole in the roof fixed. Then I set up a complicated escape route for them from the manhole in the spare room, down a knotted sheet onto a ladder, then across a plank to the window, then out the window onto the bin. I put pieces of banana the whole way along the route to make it easy for them.
One of them figured it out the first night and was gone, but the second was in denial. I used to lie in bed at night listening to it scrabbling around where the hole in the roof used to be (right above my bed) and then screaming in frustration when it wasn’t there anymore. It took three days for it to finally figure out to go down the ladder.
After Sid and Nancy, I thought my possum problems were over. That was before Johnny Rotten stared breaking in through the shutters every night to steal bread and bananas. We finally reached a compromise. He won’t break in as long as I leave food outside for him. I tell myself it’s a compromise, but it’s not, is it? I’ve lost.
And then we have Siouxie and the Banshee. Here they are, in my bathroom. On what were supposed to be my clean towels. 




The thing I hate most about possums is that they’re so cute I can’t hold a grudge. I try though. I try.
Speaking of bathroom intruders, there is Fidel Bonaventure Jumping-Castle, the second. He is the green tree frog who swims in my toilet. He is the reason I always remember to turn the light on, even in the middle of the night. He’s okay, and doesn’t even struggle anymore when I relocate him to the windowsill.
I used to name all my geckos as well, but I have way too many for that. So they’re all called Gordon. There are at least five on my ceiling as I type this. I don’t mind the geckos. In the tropics it’s impossible to keep the bugs and mosquitoes out, so my geckos are in charge of eating as many insects as they can.
I also have three cats and a dog, not that you’d guess. One night I actually sat on the lounge and watched as a possum climbed in the window, wandered past the snoring dog, and gave one of the cats the evil eye as it headed for the kitchen bench.
“Aren’t you supposed to be predators?” I asked them, but they ignored me. They know a losing battle when they see it. 
      5.    Wow, I love hearing about the possums. Is the little one in the picture a baby? He looks like he's trying to climb into the big one's pouch.  I keep getting distracted from the questions I should be asking, lol. Is there anything you'd like to share with us regarding your current or future books? We want to hear all about it!
At the moment I’m co-writing with the fantastic J.A. Rock. The book is called The Good Boy, and we’ve just signed with Loose Id. Yay! Merry Christmas to us! It’s a BDSM m/m contemporary, about the son of a pair of Wall Street types who, when their Ponzi scheme is exposed, suddenly finds himself homeless, penniless, and alone. Which is only the start! I’ll let J.A. Rock do the blurb, because she’s better at it:
Introverted college student Lane Moredock, the son of white collar criminals, learns to trust again after he’s made the victim of a revenge plot by a former investor in his parents’ company.
I’m also working on the historical Western, but that’s very much a work-in-progress. As in, I progress a chapter, then I go back and rewrite it.
Meanwhile, there’s a Samoan-Australian police officer in my head who wants his story told. And the story of the kid he rescued eight years ago who has grown up into a very damaged young man. Do you risk a relationship with a guy like that, when you’re supposed to be his anchor? I think that one will definitely get written in 2013, because neither of those characters are letting me go at the moment. And let’s not forget that space opera that keeps teasing me. “They’d be like the Borgias,” the idea whispers to me, “but in space!” That’s the best thing about being a writer, isn’t it? Whatever story you can imagine, you get the chance to tell it. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that.
Thanks so much for having me, and happy holidays!
Happy holidays to you, too, Lisa! The Good Boy sounds like a fascinating book, and the theme is so timely! The  police officer story sounds awesome, too. And what's not to love about Borgias in space? 
This was so much fun. Thanks so much for being with us today and may you have much success with your current and upcoming releases! 
Lisa' s latest release, Dark Space, is available now from Loose Id, Amazon, and B&N. 

Blurb: Brady Garrett needs to go home. He’s a conscripted recruit on Defender Three, one of a network of stations designed to protect the Earth from alien attack. He's also angry, homesick, and afraid. If he doesn’t get home he’ll lose his family, but there’s no way back except in a body bag.
Cameron Rushton needs a heartbeat. Four years ago Cam was taken by the Faceless — the alien race that almost destroyed Earth. Now he’s back, and when the doctors make a mess of getting him out of stasis, Brady becomes his temporary human pacemaker. Except they’re sharing more than a heartbeat: they’re sharing thoughts, memories, and some very vivid dreams.
Not that Brady’s got time to worry about his growing attraction to another guy, especially the one guy in the universe who can read his mind. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just biochemistry and electrical impulses. It doesn’t change the truth: Brady’s alone in the universe.
Now the Faceless are coming and there’s nothing anyone can do. You can’t stop your nightmares. Cam says everyone will live, but Cam’s probably a traitor and a liar like the military thinks. But that’s okay. Guys like Brady don’t expect happy endings.
Lisa's bio:
Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.
Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.
She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.
She shares her house with a long-suffering partner, too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.
You can find her blog here: http://www.lisahenryonline.blogspot.com


Have a wonderful weekend, all. I wish you a very happy holiday!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.comFacebook, Twitter, Blog

#Cover reveal

I'm so happy to share with you the gorgeous cover courtesy of Sizzling PR for my upcoming F/F Valentine's Day story. This is my first completed novella, so the story is shorter and sweet, but also very HOT. :-) In case you couldn't tell that from the cover.



Maya is a Gemini. She exhibits the classic Gemini traits: She is adaptable, affectionate, versatile, witty, intellectual, tense, cunning, and holds a deep-seated fear of commitment. Which means she's a perfect match for Aquarius Erica.
Erica, also true to her astrological sign is friendly, a humanitarian, honest, loyal, original, inventive, fiercely independent, intellectual, contrary, unpredictable, unemotional, and detached.  She hasn't found a satisfying relationship in ages, and is ready to give up on love, even though she runs a dating service.  
After a one night stand, fate keeps throwing them together. In the weeks leading up to February 14, Maya offers to help Erica plan the Queen of Hearts Matchmaking Valentine’s event, even though she doesn’t know much about dating women. Erica quickly realizes that even though Maya bolted after their first night, she may be the only hope Erica has to save her business.  
Astrology says they're compatible, but neither woman can be sure. 


Coming soon!