Heather Thurmeier's Blog, page 18
April 1, 2013
B is for Bows
And I’m not talking frilly little hair bows either. I’m talking compression bows. That’s right… archery! I had no idea how much fun archery could be until my sister and her family took my family to the archery range and we got to shoot for the first time. It. Was. Awesome. So awesome, that when we got home, we decided to buy out own bows. We went to our local hunting shop and the owner got us all fixed up with amazing new bows. We even got the kids little child bows so they could learn with us. They are great!
I had a lot of fun shooting and even hit a bull’s eye shot at 10 yards! It’s not that far, but it’s a start! With a little more practice I’ll be able to take out any zombie that comes my way! 
In my up coming release ESCAPE TO MY ARMS my Dane teaches Sara how to shoot a bow for protection and to hunt for food. The world as they know it has ended and now they are just trying to survive. Not only does their struggle to live force them to seek shelter in Sara’s family bunker, but also into each other’s arms. The release date is still TBA but it should be soon! Until then, here’s the blurb!
Escape to my Arms is an upcoming novella with Decadent Publishings new Prepper Romance line. I’m super excited to be a part of this great new line from Decadent. Here’s the blurb for Escape to my Arms:
Sara’s been preparing for this moment her whole life—she just never believed it would actually happen. With her bug-out bag and emergency food already in her truck, her only goal is to get to her family’s hidden bunker and wait out the pandemic that’s hit every major cruise ship port in the US. But her plan quickly falls apart. She’s out of gas, her route to the bunker is now a two-lane parking lot with no alternative in sight and her only weapon is a pocketknife. For an experienced prepper, she’s making every rookie mistake.
Dane believes he’s safe in his cabin, off the beaten path and in the woods with his own source for water, electricity and an endless supply of food to hunt. After finding Sara stranded and alone, he’s suddenly not only providing for and protecting himself, but also the girl who wandered out of the woods and into his life. When looters come looking to take what he has, Sara and Dane’s only option is to make a run for their last hope—the bunker.
Can Sara and Dane find safety in each other’s arms and the strength to survive long enough to escape to the hidden bunker and their future together?
Be sure to stop by some of the other blogs participating in the A-Z Challenge to see what they have to say about this B day!
March 31, 2013
A is for Alliances!
Hey all! I’m super excited to be doing this A-Z Challenge for the month of April. Every day (except Sundays) I’ll be posting something correlating to a letter of the alphabet. Today is April 1st so our letter of the day is A!!!
(Anyone else feel like they’re on a kid’s show?)
Today is all about alliances! In my reality TV romances, alliances play a role in the second — STUCK ON YOU — more than any other book in the series. Two of my teams have to pair up and work together to find GPS caches so they can *hopefully* win the whole game. But when Paige and Miles start working closely together, they end up getting a lot more than just an alliance.
“Never could resist a pretty brunette in heels, could you?” Ben laughed and rolled over. “Just don’t let it screw up our partnership with them. On second thought, maybe we shouldn’t make an alliance with them if you’re starting to fool around with Paige. It could complicate things more than it’s worth.”
“It was one kiss, not a complication.”
“Still. Maybe we’re better off on our own.”
Miles glanced over to Ben. What was the right decision for their team? Working with
the girls could lead to complications, especially if he had to watch Paige in those heels and yoga tops everyday. But the girls were also pretty stubborn and that might be just what they needed to get enough caches to win.
Not to mention, the thought of Paige falling down another hill without anyone to rescue her but Zoe made him break out in a cold sweat. What if something worse happened and he wasn’t there to help?
That settled it.
“An alliance with the girls is our best option right now if we really want a chance to win. Even if we only pair up with them long enough to collect most of the caches they’ve already gotten, it will be worth it for the points alone. After that point, we can reevaluate the situation.”
“I’ll give it another day, but if working with the girls holds us back in any way, we’re on our own again.”
“Deal,” he agreed reluctantly.
It really was the only option. That way he could get Ben closer to winning. Miles could already see the spark of excitement coming back to Ben. If they won, it would be all it took to make Ben realize how much he’d missed having a little more adventure in his life.
And if he got to flirt with Paige a little more along the way, that was pretty okay too.
Ready for more? Click the links below to grab your copy right now!
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March 16, 2013
KDP Select Tips and Lessons Learned
I’ll start by saying that I am by far NOT an expert when it comes to KDP select. But I do want to share my experience. When I started thinking about joining the program for one of my indie books, I google searched a lot to see what tips or tricks I could come up with. And surprisingly, it didn’t seem like there was much out there. Luckily, what was available was extremely helpful! And I’d like to think that my first attempt with KDP select might help others since I know my next attempt will be a more educated one because of the lessons I learned during this first experience.
I enrolled BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS into the KDP select program because my sales were stagnant. VERY stagnant. As in, I wasn’t selling more than a copy or two a month anymore… anywhere. So I figured I had nothing to lose by pulling it down from the other sellers and going exclusive with Amazon, a thing I still have my reservations about. What made my decision was when I admitted to myself that I wasn’t making sales anywhere but by going into KDP exclusively, I could guarantee some kind of new exposure. I didn’t know how much, but I knew it had to be better than the exposure my book was currently getting, which was little to none.
And wow, did this book get some exposure!!
How well did it do? On to the details…
In my online research prior to going free, I read that you should put your book free for more than 1 day at a time, and I whole hearted agree. Since I was eager to stimulate some sales and earn some new reviews, I put BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS up for free about a week after I joined the program. So I picked 2 days (Wed, Thurs). Some place had said that mid-week was best for free days. Others said it didn’t matter. So I went with Wed, and Thurs because that’s what felt right to me. Then I picked my final 3 free days to be a Wed, Thurs, Fri of the following month. I thought splitting it up would give me a chance to build some recognition, earn some new reviews and gain a little momentum before I did the 3 free days. During the 3 days, I’d hoped that I would be able to get some advertising booked which I didn’t have time for with the first free promotion. So that was the plan. Here’s how it all worked out:
I don’t know how these numbers compare to anyone else’s experience. Maybe they are actually terrible results, but to me, they are mind-blowingly awesome. Dipped in awesomesauce.
Prior to free days, BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS was sitting at a rank of 498,735. Yikes. I know. I told you my sales were stagnant. I should have said terrible. But this is why I tried KDP select!
Day 1 free (Wed.): Wow. I was super excited to wake up Wed morning and see that I’d already had 85 free downloads and it was only 8am! By 10am I’d had 240 downloads in the US and the rest of the world downloads were starting to pick up steam. BUNNY HILLS went from my terrible rank in the 400,000s to 4,089!!! I was overjoyed and glued to my KDP reports all day long. I couldn’t believe the numbers coming in.
End of FREE day 1: 2230 downloads in the US and another 168 worldwide! I was thrilled. Thrilled! And my rank at the end of day 1 was #230 in the kindle free store and #7 in free humor.
Day 2 free (Thurs): I woke up to being #98 in the kindle free store!!! #4 in free humor, #28 in free contemporary romance!!! I was beside myself. That day my book continued to be downloaded like it was going out of style. By the end of the day my stats were unbelievable.
End of FREE day 2: 7296 us, 371 UK, 25 de, 21 fr, 7 es, 22 ca = 7742 total free downloads over 2 days.
Sales ranks:
#46 kindle free
#1 humor
#14 contemporary romance
#28 romance
Wow. After that, I started selling paid copies. Not as many as free downloads, but way more than I had been previously selling paid. For the first time in a while, I was going to get paid for my self-published title! Now on to my second set of free days the following month. I was really excited for the last 3 free days to come. I had applied for advertising at all of the sites I could find that would list free books. And I hoped that one of the big ones would chose to list my book free on one of my free days.
Well, they didn’t. And my numbers were not as good the second time around either. But this is all part of the experience, right? So here’s what happened:
Prior to 2nd set of free days, BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS sales rank: 66,000 and change.
Day 3 free (Wed again) by end of day: as of 10pm downloads were: 546 US and another 36 worldwide. Sales rank was: #504 in kindle free store and #13 in free humor.
Day 4 free (Thurs) by end of day: as of 8:30 pm downloads were: 899 US and another 104 worldwide. Sales rank was: #364 in kindle free, #9 free humor, #93 free contemporary romance. (I hit as low as #64 in free contemporary romance in the middle of the day.)
Day 5 free (Fri) by end of day: as of 9pm downloads were 1128 US, and 155 worldwide. Sales rank was: #498 in kindle free, #12 free humor, and at one point in the day I’d hit #90 in contemporary romance.
Not bad, but not as great as the first time either.
Final numbers free days 3-5: 1171 us, 128 uk, 19 de, 3 fr, 3 es, 6 ca = 1330 downloads total
Total free downloads in 5 days: 9,072
Not bad at all in my opinion. I know there are authors out there who will have better numbers, but considering I didn’t get any big advertising spot (but a few smaller ones) I’m pretty happy with these results.
So here’s what I learned and what I will apply myself the next time I venture into the KDP Select program with another book:
1. Book Free Days together in clumps. Maybe you won’t do all 5 at once, but definitely try to do at least 2 at a time to build momentum.
2. Pick your free days carefully. Beginning of the week, mid-week, end of the week or weekend—whatever you choose to do, you have to be confident in your choice. I read somewhere that mid-week days were better so that’s what I did. Someone else online (can’t remember who) say they thought Sunday was great. Another source (again I can’t remember who) said the beginning of the month was bad because there are too many free books so it’s harder to make a list. Others might think it’s better/worse to go free to coincide with a holiday or long weekend. I don’t know what’s true and what’s not. All I know is that you have to do a little research and then see what feels right to you and your book. Go with your gut.
3. Go with the flow. Be open to changing your plans and possibly using all 5 days during your first scheduled free run. After going through this process, I wish I’d added on my other free days to my first 2 so that I could have ridden the wave of downloads longer. I think I would have moved even higher in the top 100 free list with another day or two added on. But I held off doing that because I really hoped the advertising I’d applied for would come through the following month. Now that I know it didn’t, I wish I could go back and do all 5 days the first time. I also think my numbers the second time were so much lower the second time because all those 1st run downloads had already happened. Many of those 7000+ readers who downloaded my book the first time would have seen it again the second time but would also have no reason to download it again. So unless you’ve found a way to tap into a new market the second time, then perhaps the best time to reach the biggest amount of readers is on your first set of free days. Just a thought. I’m no expert!
4. Plan advertising to coincide with 1st set of free days. This is big. You really have to plan ahead for a lot of the advertising sites that will list free books. Sometimes as much as a month in advance. That’s why I ended up with 2 sets of free days. If you decide to break up your 5 free days into chunks, that’s totally your call and I’m sure you’ll still have some good results. But my advice would be to try and plan your advertising push to coincide with your 1st set of free days instead of your 2nd or 3rd set of free days. If you get a good wave going, you want to be able to maximize it with advertising by adding on another free day or two! Below are a few of the sites I used or tried to use for advertising my free days. I did make it on a few of them the last set, but I can’t tell you if they were helpful for sales or not. I have heard good things about the ones with ** beside them but don’t have the experience of my own to confirm it.
5. Use social media to the fullest. Get ready to tweet, Facebook, pin or any other social media sites you use. You’re going to be online a lot! You want to make sure your followers know that your book is for free. If they haven’t grabbed their copy yet, now will be their chance. And if they have and enjoyed it, they’ll be happy to share the good news with their friends, family and followers too! Make sure to ask for retweets, shares, pins, likes or anything else you can think of. I also used Goodreads to send out an event notice to my friends so they would know the book was going free. You want to try and combine as many different avenues as you can to spread the word about your free book.
Make sure you use hashtags (#) on twitter to put your book into the different search filters. Some of the hashtages I used during my free days are below. Use them appropriately please!
#FREE, #freebie, #Kindle, #kindlebook, #freekindlebook, #kindlefreebie, #FreebieFriday, #Fridayreads, #amazon, #romance
I don’t know if my KDP Select results are typical, above or below average. All I know is that if I compare PAID sales before my free days to after them, I’m making more money from this book after going free. And I’m hopeful that these numbers will also roll over to my other books once my new found readers actually read the copy of BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS they picked up for free. Only time will tell.
Feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them. If you have any tips or tricks to share about your KDP Select FREE days experience, I’d LOVE to hear about them in the comments!
March 13, 2013
BUNNY HILLS & BIKINIS is FREE!! 3/13, 3/14, 3/15
Bunny Hills and Bikinis is up for free again this month!! If you missed grabbing your free copy last month, now is your chance to get it! It’s only available for FREE on AMAZON and ONLY on 3/13, 3/14, and 3/15! So don’t wait too long or it’ll be gone again!
BUY BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS HERE!
March 11, 2013
Cassidy Quinn — Real vs Fictional!
My Cassidy looks just like the girl on the cover!
Last week, an interesting thing happened. My main character from FALLING FOR YOU — Cassidy Quinn — started following me on twitter. Imagine my surprise! Of course, it turns out the Cassidy Quinn who followed me wasn’t actually my Cassy… She was in fact, the REAL Cassidy! Crazy! Even crazier, she told me she was also on an online reality show. Say what now? I then asked the only thing I could ask, was she also dating an Evan Burke?? The answer was no. Could you imagine if she’d said yes?!?! But she did say that her boyfriend is her cameraman for her online video blogs. So cool! You can check them out on her website at… CassidyQuinn.com … Of course! What else would her website be called! LOL.
The REAL Cassidy! They don’t look that different, do they?!
After learning about these similarities, I couldn’t resist asking the Real Cassidy to do an interview with the Fictional Cassidy. And who better to conduct the interview, but our very own uber-sexy cameraman Evan. He’s getting a treat today with a double dose of Cassidy Quinn awesomeness! So without further ado, let’s find out what the REAL Cassidy and the FICTIONAL Cassy have in common! I’m so exited!!
EVAN: Well, this is a nice surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure of not one, but two Cassidys?
CASSY: Get that look out of your eyes, Mr. Burke. You might get to interview both of us, but you’re only going home with one Mrs. Burke when this is over. Best keep those flirty looks to yourself.
EVAN: Jealous much?
CASSY: *gives Evan The Look*
EVAN: You know I can’t resist you when you give me that look…
REAL CASSIDY: Ahem.
EVAN AND CASSY: *smile and wave at Real Cassidy Quinn*
EVAN: Let’s get started, shall we? How about we get the easy stuff out of the way first and go over the basics. Hair color?
CASSY: Brown
REAL CASSIDY: Brown
EVAN: Eye color?
CASSY: Jade green
REAL CASSIDY: Blue
EVAN: Where do you live?
CASSY: I used to live in NYC, but now I live with my charming, although sometimes too flirtatious, husband Evan.
REAL CASSIDY: Boston (originally a Seattleite though – West coast, best coast!)
EVAN: What is your career or future career?
CASSY: I’m a banquet manager at the Grande Palace Hotel in Denver. I’ve been a fan of the hotel since filming the first challenge of The One there last year.
REAL CASSIDY: I am a video blogger/host and social media-er. Currently I’m the Director of Digital Creative & Social Media for Boloco, a restaurant chain based in Boston. On the side, I vlog on my YouTube channel (YouTube.com/CQBrett). So my career currently combines producing video, hosting video, and doing social media, and that’s what I hope it will always include!
EVAN: Wow, and I thought my Cassy was busy with her restaurant! You’ve got a lot going on! Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s find out if these two beautiful women have anything common. Tell me, ladies, what is your favorite food?
CASSY: If you watched The One, then you already know this — thin crust New York style pepperoni and pineapple pizza. Although I’d never turn down a chocolate croissant either.
REAL CASSIDY: Sushi! Or anything with lemon juice… or pasta…
EVAN: Lemon juice?? Interesting. And odd… Moving on. Alcoholic beverage?
CASSY: I guess my first choice would be champagne.
REAL CASSIDY: Margaritas!
HEATHER: I’m going to have to side with Real Cassidy on this one. Mmmm, frozen strawberry lime margaritas are the best! (Sorry, Cassy. Champagne is good too though…)
EVAN: Why am I not surprised by your love of champagne, Cassy? Maybe it was that bottle of champagne that disappeared the night before Paige went home…
CASSY: I couldn’t possibly remember what you’re referring to. I guess you should just move on, huh?
EVAN: Fine. We’ll let that one go. At least you don’t drink margaritas. I can only imagine what tequila would do to you… This one shouldn’t bother you as much, babe. Favorite non-alcoholic beverage?
CASSY: Water or maybe a soda.
REAL CASSIDY: Thai Iced Tea – random, I know
EVAN: Never even heard of that, but it sounds yummy.
CASSY: Actually, it sounds like something that Zoe would drink. She loved her sweet iced tea… I’ll try not to hold that against you, Real Cassidy.
EVAN: How about your favorite sport?
CASSY: Oh, I don’t play sports. Any sports. Me and sports don’t get along well. And I don’t watch them either. All that does is remind me about how much I suck at them.
REAL CASSIDY: To watch – NBA Basketball. To do – snowboarding!
CASSY: Sure, make me look bad why don’t you. I can barely stay on a horse and all I have to do is sit there. But the REAL Cassidy is so cool, she can snowboard…
EVAN: Not everyone is good at sports, babe. Although most are good at simple tasks like walking and chewing gum at the same time. *dodges a pillow in the face* Favorite movie?
CASSY: Roman Holiday. I’m a sucker for a classic love story. *smiles at Evan*
REAL CASSIDY: Grease! Old school.
EVAN: Grease Lightning! Go, grease lightning! *ahem* We’re going to pretend I didn’t just know the words to a song from Grease.
CASSY: Let me guess, she can sing too? Ugh.
EVAN: She can actually! You should check out her Tweet Me Maybe video! Sorry, babe. Not everyone can sing. Favorite TV show?
CASSY: Friends. I know it’s old but I love it. And it reminds me of New York, even though the apartments they live in are so not real.
REAL CASSIDY: The Bachelor… Guilty pleasure.
HEATHER: A girl after my own reality TV lovin’ heart! The Bachelor is one of my favorites too!
CASSY: The One turned me off reality TV forever. I guarentee neither of you would like that show after being on one just like it. Right, Evan?
EVAN: I wouldn’t say I love those shows, but filming a bunch of women wandering around in bikinis and tight dresses all the time wasn’t the worst gig I’ve ever had. *sigh* I’m sleeping on the couch when I get home, aren’t I? How about your favorite band?
CASSY: Anything but jazz. LOL. Really, I hate jazz. But I guess if I have to pick one favorite band, maybe it would be Black Eyed Peas.
REAL CASSIDY: Parachute
EVAN: Book?
CASSY: Falling for You, of course. It is my story after all.
REAL CASSIDY: The Giver
EVAN: Dessert?
CASSY: Anything chocolate.
REAL CASSIDY: Rhubarb pie – yummm
HEATHER: I’m going to have to go with my girl Cassy on this one. Anything chocolate is okay in my world!
CASSY: About time you sided with me on something.
EVAN: Favorite color?
CASSY: Blue.
REAL CASSIDY: Pink!
HEATHER: Sparkly purple! Hey, I just want to be involved too…
EVAN: Favorite vacation spot or type?
CASSY: I haven’t really vacationed much, so I’m going to say anywhere tropical and warm. I’d love to lay on the beach, wiggle my toes in the sand and watch the sun set over the ocean.
REAL CASSIDY: Either in the sunshine (hanging on the beach and doing lots of active things), or on the mountain (snowboarding).
EVAN: Awesome answers, ladies. Seems you both love the sunshine. I love the sunshine too. Mostly because it leads to Cassy wearing her tiny hot pink bikini. Did I ever thank your sister Keira for forcing you to buy that? I should send her a card. And some vegan chocolates or something. How about a little bit of This or That: Coffee or tea?
CASSY: Chai Tea Latte
REAL CASSIDY: Tea
EVAN: Cook or delivery?
CASSY: *laughs* Is this really a question for me? I have a drawer full of take-out menus. Definitely delivery.
REAL CASSIDY: Delivery… but I’m trying to get more into cooking.
EVAN: Clumsy or Surefooted?
CASSY: *rolls eyes.* Stop laughing, Evan. Was that a real question or one you just threw in there for my humiliation? *rolls eyes again* Clumsy.
REAL CASSIDY: Usually surefooted, but I do have my bouts of clumsiness.
EVAN: Chocolate or Vanilla?
CASSY: Chocolate.
REAL CASSDY: Chocolate – dark chocolate.
EVAN: Mac or PC?
CASSY: Mac laptop. It definitely has to be a laptop since I need to be able to rest on the couch and elevate whatever part of me I’ve hurt after my latest clumsiness.
REAL CASSIDY: Mac!
EVAN: Edward or Jacob?
CASSY: Edward. *looks up at Evan through heavy lashes* There’s just something so sexy about a man who sparkles. LOL. And I’d rather have sleek and brooding over furry and drooling.
REAL CASSIDY: Ooh… Edward.
EVAN: Social butterfly or circle of trust?
CASSY: Circle of trust. I don’t exactly make friends easily as The One should have pointed out to all of America. Girls either like me or hate me. *shrugs*
REAL CASSIDY: Both. I love meeting a ton of people and having fun, but I still need a few close people to confide in!
EVAN: Cat or dog person?
CASSY: *bites bottom lip* Um, cats… I’m kidding! Don’t tell Aspen I said that or she’ll give me the sad puppy dog eyes for weeks!
REAL CASSIDY: Dogs, but small-ish dogs.
EVAN: Poor Aspen. She wouldn’t like either of your answers. Seems like you girls have a lot in common in the This or That categories! Very interesting! Finally, I have a few What If questions to ask you. These should be interesting! If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
CASSY: In a little cabin in the woods. *winks*
REAL CASSIDY: Ooh this is a tough question! I want to live everywhere at different points of my life… London, San Francisco, LA, Australia, Chicago…
EVAN: If you could be any animal what would it be?
CASSY: A cheetah because they are fast, surefooted, and agile.
REAL CASSIDY: A bird, because then I could fly around and go wherever I want to go and see beautiful sights.
EVAN: If a genie granted you one wish, what would it be?
CASSY: To wish for more wishes of course! I’m greedy that way. And I’d wish for Keira to move out to Denver because I miss her.
REAL CASSIDY: To have the power to stop time, so I could accomplish everything I want to, sleep as much as I need to, and visit my family as often as I want!
EVAN: Thank you to both of our lovely Cassidys for playing along and answering all of these questions! It was great fun to have you both here and to see just how similar you are! And a huge thank you to the REAL CASSIDY QUINN for being such a great sport and agreeing to answer my questions. It was a pleasure to meet you!
If you want to check out more about the REAL CASSIDY QUINN, give her links a click!
YOU TUBE TWITTER WEBSITE FACEBOOK
And if you haven’t met the FICTIONAL CASSIDY QUINN, you can do that by checking out her book FALLING FOR YOU, available now at the sites below in both print and digital formats!
March 6, 2013
A Sexy Snippet from Catching Stardust
A new sexy snippet from Catching Stardust! Available at AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE
“So, do you always show girls the size of your telescope on the first date?” She teased.
“No. You’re my first.”
“Lucky me,” she said, her voice coming out as barely more than a whisper as her desire to kiss him threatened to overpower her.
He stroked a line along her jaw with his thumb, the movement giving her tingles of anticipation over what might come next. She leaned into him more, her eyes fluttering closed, focusing only on the feel of his hand on her skin. A moment later, she forced them back open to meet his gaze, not wanting to get completely lost in the sensation of the skin-to-skin contact.
“I think I’m the lucky one. The girls I’ve dated in the past never cared about space or stars. You’re the first one who not only appears to like the universe, but seems surprisingly knowledgeable about it as well. I couldn’t think of a better way to end the evening than stargazing with you.
He bent his head toward her, getting closer and closer by the second. Her body responded against her better judgment, tilting her head to give him a better angle.
“Everything about you is interesting, Maia. The origin of your name. Your interest in the universe. Even your eyes.” He sighed. “God damn. I could stare at them for hours. Those contacts are amazing. They look like miniature galaxies.”
His gaze was locked on hers. “If I didn’t know it was completely impossible, I’d say those galaxies in your eyes were actually swirling, twinkling.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. This exploration on her eyes was treading dangerously close to actual fact. “I think you drank more wine than you realized at dinner.”
“I must have. Nothing seems to make sense with you. But I like it.” His eyes softened behind his glasses a little as he brought his face even closer to hers. “I like you too.”
She couldn’t resist it anymore. She popped up onto her toes before her mind could stop her body and pressed her mouth to his. She sucked in a quick breath at her own unexpected action, her mouth opening.
His tongue flickered against her lips tentatively as if asking her permission. A low moan escaped her mouth. His tongue slipped inside, finding hers and tangling with it.
She melted against him, her knees weakening more with every taste of his tongue in her mouth. He wrapped one strong arm around her waist, pulling her body flush with his while his other hand tangled in her hair at the nape of her neck.
Maia stroked her hands up his back, gripping onto his shoulders, clinging to him as if he might be a dream that would slip away from her at any moment. But this wasn’t a dream. Oh, no. Dreams didn’t taste this good.
Zander’s hand slid past her waist and cupped her butt in his large palm. The heat of his touch was enough to cause another moan from deep inside her to escape. He squeezed gently and her body reacted by sending a spike of heat straight to her belly.
She wanted to stay here with Zander all night. To let him explore all she had to offer, right here on the rooftop, under the stars. But what would she gain? A broken heart? Another complication to her already complicated problem of how to get home?
As her mind wrestled with logic, her hands roamed his body. Down his back to skim over his trousers, testing to see if his butt was as firm as it appeared to be when he climbed the stairs in front of her on their way to the roof.
It was.
She forced her hand away from forbidden temptation and instead gripped his waist. Her thumbs stroked along the edges of his abs and she whimpered with desire. Ripples of muscle hid beneath his shirt, taunting her.
Maia pulled back, breaking contact with his mouth. She licked her lips, savoring the last taste of his mouth on hers, knowing it would be the last time she would give in to her desire to be with him.
As much as she wanted to go beyond kissing, she couldn’t. There was something special about Zander, which was all the more reason not to get involved with him. She couldn’t let her heart become a factor in her mission to get back to the stars.
Zander was far too nice and way too cute—no, hot. Seriously hot.
Maybe if he was cute but a total jerk, she could have a night of fun without worrying about how she would walk away from him in the morning, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t be true with Zander. He was kind, and funny, and sexy and smart…everything she’d always wanted in a man. She couldn’t risk what could happen if she gave in to what she felt in this moment.
A moment that could have repercussions for both of them.
She peered up into his heavy-lidded, questioning eyes. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but it would only be worse later if she didn’t.
“You are out of this world, Maia,” he said, desire deepening his voice to a rasp.
If only you knew how right you are.
March 5, 2013
An Exclusive Excerpt from Catching Stardust
CATCHING STARDUST is now available in digital and in PRINT! This is the first of a brand new series (Falling Stars) and a totally *different* kind of paranormal romance. Maia is one of the seven sisters of Pleiades who has been sent to Earth for her own protection from Orion the hunter stalking her around the universe. Maia has one goal, survive Earth long enough to get back to the stars so she can make Orion pay… until she meets Zander and her priorities change.
* * *
“Sorry we got interrupted.” Zander tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“It’s probably for the better.” She rolled on to her back away from him and stared up at the sky, trying to soak it in as much as she could before she had to go back to the city and the light pollution that came with it.
Zander followed her, rolling over so he hovered above her but she put her fingers on his mouth, blocking him from kissing her more.
He peered at her through half-lidded eyes his hand squeezing her hip, dangerously close to the area that begged to be touched. “What’s wrong? We still a have few minutes left. I’m sure we can think of some way to pass the time.”
“I want to, I really do. But I can’t. I—I’m not—I just can’t.”
Being interrupted by James had been a blessing in disguise. She wanted to, but she couldn’t be with someone who didn’t even know who she really was. She wasn’t ready to tell him the truth about her—she could never do that. So how could she be with him physically when he didn’t even know who she was, what she was?
Zander rolled onto his back beside her and peered up at the sky. He sighed and rubbed his hands across his face as if massaging away the pent up tension he undoubtedly felt.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. Her heart clenched. She didn’t want to stop kissing him. In fact she wanted to do a whole lot more than kiss. She probably would have if they hadn’t been interrupted. But she couldn’t let herself get caught up in a moment she’d regret later.
She couldn’t let herself take things further with Zander knowing they both stood to get hurt if she did. This pain was easier to bear. Much easier.
“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have let myself get so tempted so quickly. This is really our first date. I should have treated you better.”
She rolled over and put her hand on his chest, staring into his eyes. “You’ve been nothing but kind and wonderful. And I’ve been tempted by you too. I’m just not ready.”
He kissed her softly on the lips—a kiss that didn’t ask to lead to anything more.
“Why don’t I pack up the food and clean up this mess while you get dressed. I promise I won’t watch. Well, I’ll try not to watch. Promise seems a bit…excessive. I hate to make a promise I’m not sure I can keep.”
Maia dressed quickly then finished packing up all of their things while Zander dressed. Together they made their way back down the now pitch-black staircase with the aid of a flashlight out of the picnic supplies and to the main road leading back to the station. They stopped into a tiny café that was still busy despite the late hour and ordered hot chocolates for the ride home. Then walked across the street to the station as the next train pulled in.
Finding seats in an empty car, they sat beside each other. Zander draped his arm across her shoulders and she snuggled in tightly against him. A new kind of warmth filled her chest.
Protection.
Safety.
Comfort.
She breathed in his scent as she cuddled against him—just as manly as she remembered it from his jacket, only stronger and mixed with the smell of lake water. For a water nymph, the scents mixing played to her deepest desires on the most primal level.
The train rocked back and forth as it traveled down the tracks, soothing and rhythmic. The weight of another day on Earth began to settle in and her eyes threatened to drift shut.
Forcing her eyes to stay open, she turned to the window. A reflection of herself and Zander in each other’s arms stared back at her. A longing, deep in her heart ached for the possible future she saw in the reflection—a future she never thought she wanted, but now sort of did, even if it went against what she knew was right.
She’d never thought of trying to have a typical life on Earth, but with a guy like Zander by her side, maybe she could be happy here.
Stars twinkled in the sky beyond their reflection, reminding her of home and the life she would lose if she chose to stay here. The life she’d known her whole eternity. The life she loved with her sisters.
Could she really imagine a life that didn’t include going back to the stars?
* * *
Want to read more? AMAZON NOOK
February 27, 2013
Catching Stardust is here!
CATCHING STARDUST is now available in ebook form and will be coming to print by next week, hopefully! I’m so excited to offer a completely new kind of series to my readers. If you like my contemporary stories, I really think you’ll love my new paranormal. CATCHING STARDUST reads like a contemporary story set in current times NYC, but it has a little twist of the paranormal thrown in to make things more interesting. This isn’t your typical Vampire or Werewolf paranormal. (Though I love reading those!) Maia is something new, something unique… something completely out of this world! But that’s not all. CATCHING STARDUST is also an exciting adventure! I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think!! You can find your ebook copy at the following places and if you’re waiting on print, I’ll let you know as soon as it’s available!
Here’s the official blurb!
Maia’s been banished to Earth from her place among the stars as the eldest sister of Pleiades… and all because Orion won’t stop chasing her around the universe. Now Maia has to find her way back to the stars with only the help of hunky astronautics scientist Zander while staying hidden from Orion.
Zander never expected the discovery of his lifetime to fall into his lap, but when Maia also falls into his bed, he knows there’s no way he can turn the goddess who has stolen his heart into a science project. With his best friend ready to sell him out for fame, her wannabe lover Orion chasing after her on Earth, and time running out fast, Zander must fight to keep Maia safe long enough to get her home.
If going home means losing Zander, is Maia ready to go back to the stars?
And don’t forget to add it to your GoodReads shelf! You can do that easily here: CATCHING STARDUST ON GOODREADS!
How about an excerpt?
Maia’s star was missing.
Well, it probably wasn’t missing. Stars don’t usually just fall out of the sky, now do they?
She studied the darkness above her. Millions of stars speckled the night, shining down on her. As she scanned the sky looking for her favorite one, she squinted her eyes as if doing so would somehow make sense out of what she saw.
Maia squirmed, trying to get comfortable on the hard surface beneath her back. Now that she thought about it, why was she laying on something hard, damp and cold when her bed was warm and cozy with luxuriously soft sheets made of the finest cotton-silk blend stardust could buy?
She definitely wasn’t lying in her bed. Had she fallen asleep in the park again?
Sometimes that happened after a particularly delicious dinner or a party with too much wine—she’d wander into the park near her home to dip her toes into the coolness of Calliope Springs and she’d fall asleep on the damp grasses with her feet still dangling in the water. The feel of cold water washing over her calves and between her toes was incredibly soothing and would almost always lull her into a restful sleep.
She wiggled her toes. No cool water slipped between them. Instead, her feet were bound in strappy sandals.
I’m so not at the springs.
She focused on the stars once more. Actually, now that she really studied them, the stars themselves seemed unusually far away tonight. And why were the twins staring back at her? She didn’t fall asleep to Gemini—she fell asleep and woke to Aries. Always Aries. For as long as she’d been one of the sisters of Pleiades, she’d always fallen into her dreams wondering how Aries could be so darn stubborn every single day of his eternity. Seems he made it his mission to live up to his hardheaded ‘ram’ reputation.
Maia’s gaze darted around quickly scanning her area. Bed? Missing. Curtains? Nada. Waterfall just beyond her balcony? Neg-a-tive. No balcony either.
Odd.
A crystal clear view of the Pleiades constellation in the sky? Impossible. If she were on Pleiades how could she be looking at Pleiades?
One, two, three, four, five, six… Damn it to Hades.
She counted the dots of her constellation again. Only six stars were visible where there were supposed to be seven.
Maybe stars do fall from the sky.
February 26, 2013
Catching Stardust (Falling Stars: Book 1) — Cover Reveal!
FALLING STARS is a new series of Paranormal Romances. They have the same light-hearted, humorous writing you’ve come to love from my contemporary romances… just with a paranormal twist! But you won’t find any vampires, werewolves or ghosts in these stories! Each book in this series focuses on one of the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades from the Pleiades constellation who have fallen from their place in the stars to elsewhere in the universe. Each promises to be an exciting adventure as they journey to find their way home and maybe even fall in love along the way! The first in the series is CATCHING STARDUST and it’s coming soon…VERY SOON!! Are you ready to catch a falling star?
CATCHING STARDUST (Falling Stars: Book 1) ~ Coming VERY soon!!
Maia’s been banished to Earth from her place among the stars as the eldest sister of Pleiades… and all because Orion won’t stop chasing her around the universe. Now Maia has to find her way back to the stars with only the help of hunky astronautics scientist Zander while staying hidden from Orion.
Zander never expected the discovery of his lifetime to fall into his lap, but when Maia also falls into his bed, he knows there’s no way his can turn the goddess who’s stolen his heart into a science project. With his best friend ready to sell him out for fame, her wannabe lover Orion chasing after her on Earth, and time running out fast, Zander must fight to keep Maia safe long enough to get her home.
If going home means losing Zander, is Maia ready to go back to the stars?
Thank you so much to Kim at Hot Damn Designs for the beautiful cover!! I couldn’t have imagined it anymore gorgeous than this!! And a shout out to Jennifer from Hot Damn for the awesome formatting of my books. She made it so easy for me, the books should be available very soon!
February 22, 2013
Thank you!!
Thank you to everyone who grabbed their free copy of BUNNY HILLS AND BIKINIS. Because of you, Bunny Hills had its best day ever! Just look at these stats:
#46 kindle free
#1 humor
#14 contemporary romance
#28 romance
Wow!! I’m seriously floored. These results well exceeded all of my hopes and expectations! So thank you!! And don’t forget, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can borrow Bunny Hills and Bikinis for FREE anytime you want!
