Lacey Wolfe's Blog, page 40
April 21, 2012
Give Away! Tempting The Manny!
To celebrate the release of my newest novella, Tempting The Manny, I'm having a giveaway. Currently this book is available only on the publisher's website, but will soon be on amazon, nook, and other sites. So, here's your chance to win it now. Just simply leave a comment! And I'll choose a winner this coming Tuesaday (4/24)!
Don't want to wait? Head over to Secret Cravings Publishing where you can download in the format you need, HERE
Olivia’s world is torn to pieces when her boyfriend leaves her for a younger woman. But she has no time to dwell on it, she must pick-up the pieces for her children. And the first thing on her list is hiring a sitter. In return though, she gets a very unexpected surprise.
Jamie loves children. He comes from a big family and can’t wait to start his own one day. From the moment he meets Olivia and her children, he feels like this is where he’s suppose to be. But he mustn’t act on how he feels and does his best to stay professional, even with Olivia making it very difficult for him.
As Olivia and Jamie try their best to fight the way they’re feeling and figure out of it can work, her ex-boyfriend shows back up to complicate things. After a string of her own lies, can Olivia figure out what it is she really wants?
Excerpt:
Jamie’s gaze followed Olivia’s ass as she walked toward the fridge. She bent slightly over reaching for the ketchup, and he was worried his erection was going to burst out of his pants. The way she looked at him as she headed back to her plate of food, he wasn’t sure if she was hungry for those fries or him. He had never met a woman with so much sexual desire, it was almost pouring from her veins. He wasn’t sure about the story with the ex, but that man had to be crazy for leaving.
Ketchup was on the corner of her mouth. Instinctively, he grabbed the towel, leaned forward, and wiped her mouth. Her eyes locked on his and, before he could even think twice, his hand wrapped around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Her mouth met his just as fiercely and opened, letting his tongue slide in. The taste of ketchup met his taste buds and the need to taste more of her sprung through his body.
Olivia gripped his shoulders and pulled him closer. His free hand took hold of her waist. His erection shoved into her stomach. The kiss was like fire and even though he knew he should be resisting, he had to keep playing. Turning his head to the side, he deepened the kiss. She tasted so good and felt even better in his arms.
Pushing her back slightly against the counter, he nudged her legs apart with his knee, pressing his thigh tightly between. His dick was so hard now, it hurt.
Her mouth left his and for a moment he almost had time to stop and think about how wrong this was, but then her tongue swirled around his ear lobe and he was gone again.
His aching hands found her breasts, full and large. He cupped them, but imagined his face pressed between them instead. Licking his lips, he couldn’t wait to taste them.
“Mr. Jamie.” A little girl’s voice called from the living room.
Frozen, he took a step back from Olivia.
“Just a minute,” he called back.
Olivia’s eyes were full of passion. She bit her lip and he could tell she was nervous, but not for a second did she regret what happened. He knew this had been very wrong and he hated what he had to say. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
A smile crossed her face when he had expected something different.
“I don’t think you are.”
Her hand reached down, touching his erection. He sucked in, now biting his lip to try a push away the urge to grind into it.
Letting her hand drop, she strutted past him to go to her daughter. His gaze once again followed her round little ass in her pencil skirt. She was right. If Morgan hadn’t interrupted them, he would have been finding out what it was like under that skirt.
Don't want to wait? Head over to Secret Cravings Publishing where you can download in the format you need, HERE
Olivia’s world is torn to pieces when her boyfriend leaves her for a younger woman. But she has no time to dwell on it, she must pick-up the pieces for her children. And the first thing on her list is hiring a sitter. In return though, she gets a very unexpected surprise.Jamie loves children. He comes from a big family and can’t wait to start his own one day. From the moment he meets Olivia and her children, he feels like this is where he’s suppose to be. But he mustn’t act on how he feels and does his best to stay professional, even with Olivia making it very difficult for him.
As Olivia and Jamie try their best to fight the way they’re feeling and figure out of it can work, her ex-boyfriend shows back up to complicate things. After a string of her own lies, can Olivia figure out what it is she really wants?
Excerpt:
Jamie’s gaze followed Olivia’s ass as she walked toward the fridge. She bent slightly over reaching for the ketchup, and he was worried his erection was going to burst out of his pants. The way she looked at him as she headed back to her plate of food, he wasn’t sure if she was hungry for those fries or him. He had never met a woman with so much sexual desire, it was almost pouring from her veins. He wasn’t sure about the story with the ex, but that man had to be crazy for leaving.
Ketchup was on the corner of her mouth. Instinctively, he grabbed the towel, leaned forward, and wiped her mouth. Her eyes locked on his and, before he could even think twice, his hand wrapped around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Her mouth met his just as fiercely and opened, letting his tongue slide in. The taste of ketchup met his taste buds and the need to taste more of her sprung through his body.
Olivia gripped his shoulders and pulled him closer. His free hand took hold of her waist. His erection shoved into her stomach. The kiss was like fire and even though he knew he should be resisting, he had to keep playing. Turning his head to the side, he deepened the kiss. She tasted so good and felt even better in his arms.
Pushing her back slightly against the counter, he nudged her legs apart with his knee, pressing his thigh tightly between. His dick was so hard now, it hurt.
Her mouth left his and for a moment he almost had time to stop and think about how wrong this was, but then her tongue swirled around his ear lobe and he was gone again.
His aching hands found her breasts, full and large. He cupped them, but imagined his face pressed between them instead. Licking his lips, he couldn’t wait to taste them.
“Mr. Jamie.” A little girl’s voice called from the living room.
Frozen, he took a step back from Olivia.
“Just a minute,” he called back.
Olivia’s eyes were full of passion. She bit her lip and he could tell she was nervous, but not for a second did she regret what happened. He knew this had been very wrong and he hated what he had to say. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
A smile crossed her face when he had expected something different.
“I don’t think you are.”
Her hand reached down, touching his erection. He sucked in, now biting his lip to try a push away the urge to grind into it.
Letting her hand drop, she strutted past him to go to her daughter. His gaze once again followed her round little ass in her pencil skirt. She was right. If Morgan hadn’t interrupted them, he would have been finding out what it was like under that skirt.
April 19, 2012
Interview - Cecilia Robert
Tell us a little about yourself. Thank you so much for having me here, Lacey. I’m a mother of two wonderful, albeit energetic children, living in Vienna. I work as an assistant nurse.
2. What genre do you write?
Contemporary romance as well as paranormal and fantasy.
3.Please tell us about your latest release Truly, Madly, Deeply, You and how you came up with the idea. Truly, Madly is about two people, two best friends who have known each other since they were kids. One is going through a difficult time in her life, while the other is hopelessly in love with his friend and will do anything to take away her pain. It’s a ‘Friends to lovers’ story, as well as second chance at love.
I was inspired by a couple who I visited in their home during my home visits. The man was 93 years and his wife 88, and while I sat there listening to them, telling me how they were best friends even before they got married, my mind wandered and began weaving a story: a friends to lovers story. Only in mine, the male harbors feelings for his female friend, but she has no idea how he feels.
4. Is it part of a series?
Yes it is
5. A must have snack while you write.
I enjoy nibbling pretzels and salt sticks.
6. If you had to choose a favorite book that you’ve written, which would it be
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. That book is awesome.
7. Advice to writers who have yet to be published.
Research: It would be embarrassing to have a very well thought and written story, but the facts are all wrong. Do your homework, before submitting to the ‘teacher’.
Never let anyone tell you , you can’t make it as a writer. You can and you will. It’s difficult but others have been there and done that. Just needs a little bit of patience – well, a lot - and elbow grease to get that manuscript finished.
Get your work edited before publishing. Yes, it’s expensive, but worth it. Your story might be like the next best thing to chocolate, a trendsetter even, but if it isn’t polished, and keeps pulling th reader out of it, it can be disastrous.
Join a critique group, or at least have your work beta read.
8. Is there a genre you haven’t written yet that you want to?
I would love to write Sci-fi romance one day. Something Space Opera-ish.
9. Any quirky habits?
I bite my nails and jiggle my foot when I am nervous.
10. What type of hero do you enjoy writing about?
I love writing both Alpha and Beta Heroes. Each has their own qualities and character that make them fun and intriguing,
11. What are you currently reading?
Right now I am reading Beautiful Distaster by Jamie McGuire
12. What are you currently working on?
I’m working on two projects at the moment.
Reaper’s Novice:
It’s about a normal girl with normal teenage dreams. Her family is falling apart, and all she wants to do is glue it together. Instead she ends up trading her soul for the four souls of her family in order to save them, after an accident, and ends up becoming the Reaper’s Novice. After two years of Novicehood, Grim decides to test her. If she passes the tests, then her family’s souls are off the proverbial hook.
The second is the Truly Madly sequel, which continues from where Truly Madly ended. How the two characters deal with the fact that they are now on the lovers level, the challenges they face and if they can compromise and try to work out the differences. It also introduces two more characters to the story.
13. Anything that you’d like to share.
I’d like to share some links I can be found loitering about. Please feel free to visit and email. Would love to hear from you.
Website: http://cecereadandwrite.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/CeCeMR
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CeciliaMRobert
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Cece26
April 17, 2012
(Giveaway) Kalico & Aurora - Homemade jewelry and bags
Two of my friends have started their own business from their homes. They make some super cute jewelry and handbags. On top of making these items themselves, they have really good prices. Check them out. http://kalicoandaurora.com/index.html
Be sure to like their facebook page. They do giveaways often. http://www.facebook.com/KalicoAurora
If you stop by for a visit, let them know I sent you. :)
And because I love their stuff so much, I am going to choose one lucky commenter to win a reversible shopping bag! ($17 dollar value) They can be found in the middle of this page.http://kalicoandaurora.com/pursesbags.htmlGood luck! And check back this Sunday when I announce the winner.
April 15, 2012
#Free story - At The Beach
My awesome publisher, Beachwalk Press, has put together a free anthology about stories that take place at the beach, somehow, someway. And as I mentioned, its free. My story, Forget Me Not, is featured. I must warn you ahead of time, my story is really clean. No heat. Perhaps your ready to experience the sweeter side of Lacey. 
Waves of Change by Ella Jade
Accomplished photographer and artist Ally Nicholas finds herself alone at her beach house trying to move on from her husband's death. She fills her days by the ocean, secretly sketching the attractive lifeguard who fuels her nightly fantasies. What happens when the object of her inspiration knocks on her door one evening? Will she give into temptation?
Waves of Desire by Tamaria Soana
After four years of marriage, Brenda can feel everything she and Blake once had slowly slipping away. After a long conversation they decide to take some time to reconnect and book a mini-vacation at a beach resort. Will their time at the beach bring back the waves of desire they once felt for one another?
An Unplanned Rendezvous by Theresa Stillwagon
While on vacation at the beach with her best friend, Annie unexpectedly runs into Luke, a man from her past that she never wanted to see again. He looks way too good for her peace of mind, and his arrival brings up old feelings she's spent years trying to forget. She wants nothing to do with him, but this time he's not giving her the chance to run away. Three years ago Annie made the biggest mistake of her life. Is history about to repeat itself?
Forget Me Not by Lacey Wolfe
After being stood up yet again, Jenny decides to give up on trying to find love. But just as she swears off men, her high school sweetheart returns from his tour of duty and he wants to see her. Eight years ago Nick left without a word, breaking Jenny's heart. Can she find it in her to forgive him?
Content Warning: some stories contain explicit sex
Follow one of these links to download for free! Coffee Times Romance / Beachwalk / AllRomance / Bookstrand / Manic Readers
Waves of Change by Ella JadeAccomplished photographer and artist Ally Nicholas finds herself alone at her beach house trying to move on from her husband's death. She fills her days by the ocean, secretly sketching the attractive lifeguard who fuels her nightly fantasies. What happens when the object of her inspiration knocks on her door one evening? Will she give into temptation?
Waves of Desire by Tamaria Soana
After four years of marriage, Brenda can feel everything she and Blake once had slowly slipping away. After a long conversation they decide to take some time to reconnect and book a mini-vacation at a beach resort. Will their time at the beach bring back the waves of desire they once felt for one another?
An Unplanned Rendezvous by Theresa Stillwagon
While on vacation at the beach with her best friend, Annie unexpectedly runs into Luke, a man from her past that she never wanted to see again. He looks way too good for her peace of mind, and his arrival brings up old feelings she's spent years trying to forget. She wants nothing to do with him, but this time he's not giving her the chance to run away. Three years ago Annie made the biggest mistake of her life. Is history about to repeat itself?
Forget Me Not by Lacey Wolfe
After being stood up yet again, Jenny decides to give up on trying to find love. But just as she swears off men, her high school sweetheart returns from his tour of duty and he wants to see her. Eight years ago Nick left without a word, breaking Jenny's heart. Can she find it in her to forgive him?
Content Warning: some stories contain explicit sex
Follow one of these links to download for free! Coffee Times Romance / Beachwalk / AllRomance / Bookstrand / Manic Readers
April 13, 2012
Spotlight Christine Warner
Christine Warner has a new book out. Below I have the little snippet and the blurb. I think this book sounds divine and I hope to read it very soon. 
Sunny Kennedy is a fledgling private investigator and the only girl in a family of protective male detectives. She’s out to prove testosterone isn’t the main qualification required to solve a cold case. The only things standing in her way are a sexy detective and a killer who will stop at nothing to keep a secret.
Judson Blackwolf, a seasoned homicide detective, thinks women in law enforcement should work behind the scenes. The prospect of working with his Captain’s sexy daughter doesn’t thrill him.
But when their investigation takes a dangerous turn, they realize their feelings for each other, tangled in a web from the past, might not be the only thing to keep them apart.
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Excerpt:
“This isn’t how I wanted it between us.” Judson grabbed the neckline of her sweater, dragging her body to meet his with a solid thump. Sunny licked her lips in answer to the question in his eyes. He lowered his head to move his mouth over hers.
Sunny closed her eyes, a small whimper escaping her lips. She didn’t want it like this either, but that wasn’t possible. Unable to resist her attraction she accepted it wasn’t an affair, or a long distance romance she craved, but for him to love her back. It was all or nothing for her. Her heart sank. She accepted this as their goodbye kiss.
With no thought to what was happening upstairs, Sunny rose up on her toes demanding more. Her lips pulsated against Judson’s. When his hand trembled against her cheek in a soft caress she lost touch with reality.
“Judson.” Sunny’s weakened body drifted farther into Judson’s as his fingers glided down her arms, pulling them to her sides where their fingers intertwined. He forced them behind her before his tongue thrust into her mouth.
Their bodies molded together, she heard her own heartbeat and his as well when he curved his fingers around her rear and squeezed.
That’s when the click of the handcuffs against her wrist connected her to the handle of the locked cupboard.
“What the hell…Judson?” She looked up at him, her knees shook, her body still inflamed with fever.
“Like I was saying, you wait here and I’ll go upstairs to check it out. Backup’s already been called, so you’re safe until your brothers arrive.” Judson winked before walking toward the steps to the third level. Once he reached them he turned toward her and smiled. “Gotcha,” he whispered with his notorious grin.
Sunny Kennedy is a fledgling private investigator and the only girl in a family of protective male detectives. She’s out to prove testosterone isn’t the main qualification required to solve a cold case. The only things standing in her way are a sexy detective and a killer who will stop at nothing to keep a secret.Judson Blackwolf, a seasoned homicide detective, thinks women in law enforcement should work behind the scenes. The prospect of working with his Captain’s sexy daughter doesn’t thrill him.
But when their investigation takes a dangerous turn, they realize their feelings for each other, tangled in a web from the past, might not be the only thing to keep them apart.
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Excerpt:
“This isn’t how I wanted it between us.” Judson grabbed the neckline of her sweater, dragging her body to meet his with a solid thump. Sunny licked her lips in answer to the question in his eyes. He lowered his head to move his mouth over hers.
Sunny closed her eyes, a small whimper escaping her lips. She didn’t want it like this either, but that wasn’t possible. Unable to resist her attraction she accepted it wasn’t an affair, or a long distance romance she craved, but for him to love her back. It was all or nothing for her. Her heart sank. She accepted this as their goodbye kiss.
With no thought to what was happening upstairs, Sunny rose up on her toes demanding more. Her lips pulsated against Judson’s. When his hand trembled against her cheek in a soft caress she lost touch with reality.
“Judson.” Sunny’s weakened body drifted farther into Judson’s as his fingers glided down her arms, pulling them to her sides where their fingers intertwined. He forced them behind her before his tongue thrust into her mouth.
Their bodies molded together, she heard her own heartbeat and his as well when he curved his fingers around her rear and squeezed.
That’s when the click of the handcuffs against her wrist connected her to the handle of the locked cupboard.
“What the hell…Judson?” She looked up at him, her knees shook, her body still inflamed with fever.
“Like I was saying, you wait here and I’ll go upstairs to check it out. Backup’s already been called, so you’re safe until your brothers arrive.” Judson winked before walking toward the steps to the third level. Once he reached them he turned toward her and smiled. “Gotcha,” he whispered with his notorious grin.
April 12, 2012
Welcome L.J. Garland
Today I have author L.J. Garland on the blog for an interview. 
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Well, to start…L.J. Garland isn't just one person! It's two! Laura & Jeff – We're a husband-wife writing team. We met in college over 20 years ago and have been driving each other nuts ever since. Hey, after that long, ya gotta have a since of humor for sure! We have tons of hobbies and interests—but we have two that top our list.
First, we're both licensed helicopter pilots with hundreds of hours of flight time. On our 10th wedding anniversary, we flew from the east coast to west and celebrated our special day in the honeymoon suite in Palm Springs. Course, we were so exhausted, we passed out. I'm still chewing nails over not getting to check out that humongous Jacuzzi tub! *sigh* Anyway…books. Chances are good you'll see one type of flying machine or another in our stories…and the landings won't always be pretty. But hey, any you walk away from are good, right? lol
The second thing that tops our list is we practice with a variety of weaponry from long bows to high-powered combat rifles. This, along with years of military experience, gives our books a heightened sense of reality. So, fire, fireworks, guns, pretty much anything that goes Boom!…yeah, it's all good. You'll see that in our stories as well. High-action adventure and romance…and a happy-ever-after.
On the home front, we enjoy a life in a house filled with love, laughter, and tenuously restrained chaos. We have three cats, one whistling guinea pig, and three boisterous sons—who conspire to ensure there's never a dull moment. It's awesome!
2. What genre do you write?
We write sci-fi romance and romantic suspense, but we've been known to mix in other genre in, too. Jeff and I both have always enjoyed science fiction and have read voraciously since childhood. Later, I branched out into romance. I truly loved the happy ever after that it offered…that one way or another, the hero and heroine would end up together no matter how daunting the obstacle. SFR offers a wide cross genre…horror, military, paranormal, time travel, steampunk, the list goes on and on…even westerns, as given by FireFly and Cowboys and Aliens. The possibilities are endless – which is one of the wonderful aspects that attracted us both to SFR.
3. Please tell us about your latest release MechMan and how you came up with the idea?
Our latest release is a SFR from L&L Dreamspell publishing. Jeff and I were brainstorming some ideas and the inspiration for the story started with the basic questions: What if a woman fell in love with a machine…only to discover that the machine, which wasn't supposed to have feelings, had also fallen in love with her? How would they deal with their relationship and what others might think? Would they even care? And from that came MechMan!
MechMan is available in both print and ebook. Here's the blurb:
Raven is on a suicide mission. Jex is a biomech on a mission to save humanity. They discover their mutual passion to destroy the enemy isn't their only desire.
A war against the Darch has raged for years, and humanity is on the verge of extinction. Scientists have created biomechs to supplement as warriors, but it's just a temporary fix on what appears an insurmountable problem. One desperate scientist injects JXS241, a biomech warrior, with what he hopes is the solution for mankind's survival. But the biomech is captured by the enemy.
Raven Nirvanni survives on the fringes of a shattered culture. While on a self-imposed suicide mission to annihilate an enemy destroyer, she encounters the imprisoned biomech. Deciding the fate of humanity far outweighs the destruction of a single ship, she rescues him and decides to ensure he reaches his destination. With the enemy anticipating their every move, Raven is completely taken aback when she realizes she's falling for JXS241. But can she really love a machine? And if so, can he reciprocate?
4. Is it part of a series?
Right now, it's not a series…but who knows? Anything could happen in that part of the universe!
5. A must have snack while you write.
Laura: Coffee and a spoon of peanut butter. Mmm. Coffee and mixed nuts. Coffee and cheesecake. Um, coffee…
Jeff: No real snack…but I'm partial to Diet Sunkist. Maybe, trail mix with peanut MMs?
6. A fact that someone might not know about you.
Laura: I am a math geek. I used to teach middle and high school math. I also taught college math, as well as helped adults work on their GEDs. You want to see something inspirational? Watch a 62 year old man work every day on English and math so he can set an example for his grandson. Then look at his face the day he walks in and says, "I did it." Wow!
Jeff: I can say the McDonalds Big Mac ingredients forward and backward. Hey, you didn't say it had to be earth-shattering.
7. Advice to writers who have yet to be published.
Study the craft. Take classes, ask questions, get a critique partner to help you hone your story. And don't ever quit. There are a lot of people who would like to write a story, who might even start one but for whatever reason never finish it. A pile of rejection letters doesn't mean you're not an author…you completed a manuscript and submitted it. Keep going!
Remember: Success isn't a goal. It's a byproduct!
8. Is there a genre you haven't written yet that you want to?
Time travel is an awesome genre. We love Dr. Who…he bounces all over the place in time and space. Somehow it seems to fit with SFR (in our heads anyway…lol). So, who knows? Now that you brought it up, we might just have to follow through! J
9. What type of hero do you enjoy writing about?
Strong but flawed. Secrets are always good. Alphas are fun, but not to the extreme. No one's perfect, right? And he has to be pretty resourceful and tenacious because we tend to throw the hero into tough situations. Dangerous, too. Of course, the same goes for the heroine. She has to be tough, sassy, and smart…she's not the type to sit around wringing her hands waiting to be saved. Nope, she'll save herself…and the hero, too, if the need arises. All of our stories are action-packed romances with stuff blowing up and the hero and heroine in one perilous situation or another. So yes…We love torturing our characters. LOL
10. What are you currently working on?
We've got a romantic suspense, Sins of the Mind, co-written with the wonderful Debbie Gould, set to release April 20th from Decadent Publishing. It's a story about a woman, who after years of therapy from a horrible incident, decides it's time to live again…but then all the people she loves start being brutally murdered one by one.
The other story is a short (12K) SFR, Dead or Alive, coming from Decadent's 1Night Stand series. It's about a guy who is falsely accused of murder and ends up turning toward the one woman who can help him, a bounty hunter who's been after him for years. Together, they uncover conspiracies on both Earth and their homeworld, use some fun high-tech gadgetry, and even visit Area 51.
11. Anything that you'd like to share.
We can be tracked down at www.lj-garland.com. Or we can be caught at http://www.garland-and-gould.blogspot.com/ where we blog, chat about stuff, and interview other authors. Or, we can be emailed at mail@lj-garland.com - We love hearing from people who have enjoyed our stories.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.Well, to start…L.J. Garland isn't just one person! It's two! Laura & Jeff – We're a husband-wife writing team. We met in college over 20 years ago and have been driving each other nuts ever since. Hey, after that long, ya gotta have a since of humor for sure! We have tons of hobbies and interests—but we have two that top our list.
First, we're both licensed helicopter pilots with hundreds of hours of flight time. On our 10th wedding anniversary, we flew from the east coast to west and celebrated our special day in the honeymoon suite in Palm Springs. Course, we were so exhausted, we passed out. I'm still chewing nails over not getting to check out that humongous Jacuzzi tub! *sigh* Anyway…books. Chances are good you'll see one type of flying machine or another in our stories…and the landings won't always be pretty. But hey, any you walk away from are good, right? lol
The second thing that tops our list is we practice with a variety of weaponry from long bows to high-powered combat rifles. This, along with years of military experience, gives our books a heightened sense of reality. So, fire, fireworks, guns, pretty much anything that goes Boom!…yeah, it's all good. You'll see that in our stories as well. High-action adventure and romance…and a happy-ever-after.
On the home front, we enjoy a life in a house filled with love, laughter, and tenuously restrained chaos. We have three cats, one whistling guinea pig, and three boisterous sons—who conspire to ensure there's never a dull moment. It's awesome!
2. What genre do you write?
We write sci-fi romance and romantic suspense, but we've been known to mix in other genre in, too. Jeff and I both have always enjoyed science fiction and have read voraciously since childhood. Later, I branched out into romance. I truly loved the happy ever after that it offered…that one way or another, the hero and heroine would end up together no matter how daunting the obstacle. SFR offers a wide cross genre…horror, military, paranormal, time travel, steampunk, the list goes on and on…even westerns, as given by FireFly and Cowboys and Aliens. The possibilities are endless – which is one of the wonderful aspects that attracted us both to SFR.
3. Please tell us about your latest release MechMan and how you came up with the idea?Our latest release is a SFR from L&L Dreamspell publishing. Jeff and I were brainstorming some ideas and the inspiration for the story started with the basic questions: What if a woman fell in love with a machine…only to discover that the machine, which wasn't supposed to have feelings, had also fallen in love with her? How would they deal with their relationship and what others might think? Would they even care? And from that came MechMan!
MechMan is available in both print and ebook. Here's the blurb:
Raven is on a suicide mission. Jex is a biomech on a mission to save humanity. They discover their mutual passion to destroy the enemy isn't their only desire.
A war against the Darch has raged for years, and humanity is on the verge of extinction. Scientists have created biomechs to supplement as warriors, but it's just a temporary fix on what appears an insurmountable problem. One desperate scientist injects JXS241, a biomech warrior, with what he hopes is the solution for mankind's survival. But the biomech is captured by the enemy.
Raven Nirvanni survives on the fringes of a shattered culture. While on a self-imposed suicide mission to annihilate an enemy destroyer, she encounters the imprisoned biomech. Deciding the fate of humanity far outweighs the destruction of a single ship, she rescues him and decides to ensure he reaches his destination. With the enemy anticipating their every move, Raven is completely taken aback when she realizes she's falling for JXS241. But can she really love a machine? And if so, can he reciprocate?
4. Is it part of a series?
Right now, it's not a series…but who knows? Anything could happen in that part of the universe!
5. A must have snack while you write.
Laura: Coffee and a spoon of peanut butter. Mmm. Coffee and mixed nuts. Coffee and cheesecake. Um, coffee…
Jeff: No real snack…but I'm partial to Diet Sunkist. Maybe, trail mix with peanut MMs?
6. A fact that someone might not know about you.
Laura: I am a math geek. I used to teach middle and high school math. I also taught college math, as well as helped adults work on their GEDs. You want to see something inspirational? Watch a 62 year old man work every day on English and math so he can set an example for his grandson. Then look at his face the day he walks in and says, "I did it." Wow!
Jeff: I can say the McDonalds Big Mac ingredients forward and backward. Hey, you didn't say it had to be earth-shattering.
7. Advice to writers who have yet to be published.
Study the craft. Take classes, ask questions, get a critique partner to help you hone your story. And don't ever quit. There are a lot of people who would like to write a story, who might even start one but for whatever reason never finish it. A pile of rejection letters doesn't mean you're not an author…you completed a manuscript and submitted it. Keep going!
Remember: Success isn't a goal. It's a byproduct!
8. Is there a genre you haven't written yet that you want to?
Time travel is an awesome genre. We love Dr. Who…he bounces all over the place in time and space. Somehow it seems to fit with SFR (in our heads anyway…lol). So, who knows? Now that you brought it up, we might just have to follow through! J
9. What type of hero do you enjoy writing about?
Strong but flawed. Secrets are always good. Alphas are fun, but not to the extreme. No one's perfect, right? And he has to be pretty resourceful and tenacious because we tend to throw the hero into tough situations. Dangerous, too. Of course, the same goes for the heroine. She has to be tough, sassy, and smart…she's not the type to sit around wringing her hands waiting to be saved. Nope, she'll save herself…and the hero, too, if the need arises. All of our stories are action-packed romances with stuff blowing up and the hero and heroine in one perilous situation or another. So yes…We love torturing our characters. LOL
10. What are you currently working on?
We've got a romantic suspense, Sins of the Mind, co-written with the wonderful Debbie Gould, set to release April 20th from Decadent Publishing. It's a story about a woman, who after years of therapy from a horrible incident, decides it's time to live again…but then all the people she loves start being brutally murdered one by one.
The other story is a short (12K) SFR, Dead or Alive, coming from Decadent's 1Night Stand series. It's about a guy who is falsely accused of murder and ends up turning toward the one woman who can help him, a bounty hunter who's been after him for years. Together, they uncover conspiracies on both Earth and their homeworld, use some fun high-tech gadgetry, and even visit Area 51.
11. Anything that you'd like to share.
We can be tracked down at www.lj-garland.com. Or we can be caught at http://www.garland-and-gould.blogspot.com/ where we blog, chat about stuff, and interview other authors. Or, we can be emailed at mail@lj-garland.com - We love hearing from people who have enjoyed our stories.
April 10, 2012
Best Bud Ella Jade Has a New Release, Crossfire of Love
During the crazy journey of being an author, I've made friends with two wonderful authors, Ella Jade and Tamaria Soana. Ella Jade has released a contemporary romance titled, Crossfire of Love, a mafia-themed romance. Of course, I've read it and loved it. Ella's tag line is to get lost in her words, and each time I pick up one of her books, I do. 
Can an arranged marriage lead to love?
Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo Martinez. She's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and always imagined they'd one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately, they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.
Lorenzo is charming, protective, and loyal to his crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at the opportunity. He's been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying her he's helping to protect her father.
Gabby is resentful and won't be Lorenzo's charity case. But sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire, realizing they were meant to be together.
What happens when Carlo's enemies threaten their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?
Content Warning: graphic sex, some violence
Buy Links: Amazon / Beachwalk Press / Nook
Connect with Ella Jade Twitter / Facebook
click below to read an excerpt. Lorenzo walked up the porch steps, turning to stare at her. "Are you coming, Gabriella?" No one but Lorenzo and his father called her by her full name. She liked when Lorenzo said it. He'd always made it sound so formal and sexy.
These were the first words he had spoken to her since they left the courthouse. They were married in the chambers of the prestigious Judge John Cartwright. He'd been a family friend of the Martinezes for many years. He was their go-to man whenever they needed something done fast and legally. Well, legal in her new father-in-law's eyes anyway.
She hurried up the steps and followed Lorenzo inside their new home. It was built within a matter of months after she'd agreed to marry him. Carlo wanted them to have their privacy, but he also wanted to keep them close. He didn't trust she'd hold up her end of the bargain, and keeping her on the property was the best way to ensure she wouldn't run.
It was silly, really. How could she run from a family like this? They had ties all over the world. There wasn't any place she could escape to that they wouldn't know about. She was a woman of her word. She said she would marry Lorenzo and she did. She'd find a way to cope. She always had.
Lorenzo pulled his jacket off, poured himself a scotch, and then loosened his tie. "Would you like a drink?"
"No, thank you," she said.
Most brides would be dancing the night away and drinking champagne by this point in their wedding night. She didn't think that was part of Lorenzo's plan.
"I didn't think you'd go through with it." He sipped the amber colored liquid as he looked her over.
"I said I would."
"I know, but when push actually came to shove, I thought you'd run."
"You don't know me that well," she said. "I don't run."
"Good." He smirked as he put the glass to his lips.
Gabby couldn't take her eyes away from those lips. She'd never had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn't asked him to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way.
"You could've stopped this. Why didn't you?" she asked.
As they stood in front of the judge, she kept hoping he'd put an end to the charade and stop the wedding. It didn't make sense to her why he had agreed to marry her. She didn't have a choice. Her father's gambling debts made sure of that. But she didn't understand why he'd allowed things to get as far as they had.
"I was just as trapped as you were." He downed the rest of his scotch.
She didn't believe that. She knew he respected his dad, but she didn't get why he wouldn't have put his foot down and said no to such a life-altering decision.
"You could've told your father no from the beginning. Why would you agree to marry someone if you didn't have to?"
"Look." He shook his head. "It's done now. We're going to have to make the best of it."
"Make the best of it?" She plopped down on the leather sofa. "I'm twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college, and you want me to make the best of it?"
"I know this isn't what you might have wanted, but it is what it is. You agreed, and now it's done. You can't go back on it now. My father won't forgive that."
Can an arranged marriage lead to love?Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo Martinez. She's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and always imagined they'd one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately, they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.
Lorenzo is charming, protective, and loyal to his crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at the opportunity. He's been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying her he's helping to protect her father.
Gabby is resentful and won't be Lorenzo's charity case. But sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire, realizing they were meant to be together.
What happens when Carlo's enemies threaten their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?
Content Warning: graphic sex, some violence
Buy Links: Amazon / Beachwalk Press / Nook
Connect with Ella Jade Twitter / Facebook
click below to read an excerpt. Lorenzo walked up the porch steps, turning to stare at her. "Are you coming, Gabriella?" No one but Lorenzo and his father called her by her full name. She liked when Lorenzo said it. He'd always made it sound so formal and sexy.
These were the first words he had spoken to her since they left the courthouse. They were married in the chambers of the prestigious Judge John Cartwright. He'd been a family friend of the Martinezes for many years. He was their go-to man whenever they needed something done fast and legally. Well, legal in her new father-in-law's eyes anyway.
She hurried up the steps and followed Lorenzo inside their new home. It was built within a matter of months after she'd agreed to marry him. Carlo wanted them to have their privacy, but he also wanted to keep them close. He didn't trust she'd hold up her end of the bargain, and keeping her on the property was the best way to ensure she wouldn't run.
It was silly, really. How could she run from a family like this? They had ties all over the world. There wasn't any place she could escape to that they wouldn't know about. She was a woman of her word. She said she would marry Lorenzo and she did. She'd find a way to cope. She always had.
Lorenzo pulled his jacket off, poured himself a scotch, and then loosened his tie. "Would you like a drink?"
"No, thank you," she said.
Most brides would be dancing the night away and drinking champagne by this point in their wedding night. She didn't think that was part of Lorenzo's plan.
"I didn't think you'd go through with it." He sipped the amber colored liquid as he looked her over.
"I said I would."
"I know, but when push actually came to shove, I thought you'd run."
"You don't know me that well," she said. "I don't run."
"Good." He smirked as he put the glass to his lips.
Gabby couldn't take her eyes away from those lips. She'd never had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn't asked him to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way.
"You could've stopped this. Why didn't you?" she asked.
As they stood in front of the judge, she kept hoping he'd put an end to the charade and stop the wedding. It didn't make sense to her why he had agreed to marry her. She didn't have a choice. Her father's gambling debts made sure of that. But she didn't understand why he'd allowed things to get as far as they had.
"I was just as trapped as you were." He downed the rest of his scotch.
She didn't believe that. She knew he respected his dad, but she didn't get why he wouldn't have put his foot down and said no to such a life-altering decision.
"You could've told your father no from the beginning. Why would you agree to marry someone if you didn't have to?"
"Look." He shook his head. "It's done now. We're going to have to make the best of it."
"Make the best of it?" She plopped down on the leather sofa. "I'm twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college, and you want me to make the best of it?"
"I know this isn't what you might have wanted, but it is what it is. You agreed, and now it's done. You can't go back on it now. My father won't forgive that."
April 6, 2012
Spotlight - Chicks in Charge by WJ Craft
An Erotic Short Story CollectionOver 20,000 words of intriguing and playful delights where women come out on top in a variety of ways!
Chainsaw Chicks of Chinese Camp: Are the legends true? Are four amazons lying in wait in this tiny rural town for their perfect boy toys to come along and play with them?
Zap: While researching a possible preventative for epileptic seizures, a scientist stumbles onto a very interesting use for her new app.
Take Me To Your Leader: In this 1940s retro tale, a military translator gets up close and personal with some newly-landed alien emissaries.
The Gnome World Order: Find out what really goes on underneath those seemingly innocent pointed red hats.
Little Shoppe of Enchantments: Augustus Pound takes a wrong turn with some rather questionable results. This version includes the longer alternate ending, not available anywhere else!
Cowboy: They seemed like ordinary women in the greasy spoon in town, but they had plans for Jack Barnes and his equipment.
Rosa Erotica: Lyrical and touching. A 500-word ode to the spirit of the rose goddess and a warrior's epiphany.
Website / Twitter
Read an excerpt below.
Ex cerpt The Zap App
The next day, she made a few alterations to her application, reversed
a few things, and then waited for Richard to make his morning
appearance. She didn't have long to wait.
"Good morning," he said, right behind her ear.
"Good morning, Richard," said Veronica, then she tapped the button.
Instantly the sound of coffee splashing all over the floor met her
ears, and she turned to see her nemesis staggering backwards until he
crashed into the cubicle wall, which threatened to topple into the
next space over. His eyes were partly rolled up into his head and he
was moaning and gasping, his twitching body slowly sinking
horizontally onto a filing cabinet. With a grin that was triumphant,
surprised and slightly sadistic, she tapped the button again to see
what would happen when she turned the app off.
A noticeable wet stain at the front of a medium-sized pants tent
caught her attention. Had the poor man wet himself?
"Ohgod," was all he could manage for at least five minutes as he
recovered. Veronica began to wonder if she should call a medic, and
coworkers started to crowd in her doorway to see what the hell had
happened.
"It's all right," she reassured them. "Still working on that epilepsy
app. Must have reversed something."
"That was... that was..." Richard spit out, trying to regain the gift
of language. "Fucking incredible..."
Confused, Veronica stared at him.
"What?"
"Incredi... mind-blowing. Best orgasm ever..."
Now that, she hadn't expected. But something about it sounded vaguely
familiar. She turned her back on her human lab rat as the embarrassed
coworkers made themselves useful elsewhere. A quick search on
"epilepsy" and "orgasm" brought up research on the phenomenon known as
the "orgasmic aura," a state of spontaneous climax that some epilepsy
victims experienced at the onset of a seizure. She could hear Richard
slowly collecting himself behind her.
"Again," he finally moaned.
"Fuck off."
"Do it again!" His hand gripped her shoulder and she turned, finding
herself face-to-face with a pair of desperate, lust-filled eyes. His
other hand shot out and gripped her throat. Unable to cry out for
help, she did the only thing she could think of to incapacitate the
madman – she hit the button again.
April 4, 2012
But I wanted that house!
We have been house hunting and I have to tell you, its not as easy as one would think. My little bitty house was on the market for only a week when someone put it under contract. Fast... I know. Little did we know, that's how the housing market is in our area. Homes are only available for a week, to 2 at most when they get listed. And if they've been around any longer, then there is something wrong with them. Which has made it hard. We see a house online we line, tell our realtor, ITS GONE. Monday I sent her about 20 houses, we are going out today, and only 1...yes 1 was available. Can you believe that?! So I sent her another list. And thankfully she has 6 to show us today. Due to the closing date approaching, we need to have a house under contract ourselves by April 15. Needless to say, it stressful. And I really hope that today, we just might find it! With Easter approaching, the 15th will be here soon! Then again, I'm not the picky one...its the hubby. Too bad I can't shop without him. :)
April 2, 2012
Welcome the talented Carrie Ann Ryan Give*Away
Today I have Carrie Ann Ryan on the blog talking about her latest, Trinity Bound.
There is also a giveaway. One lucky commenter will win a signed swag pack from Carrie Ann Ryan. Be sure to leave a comment. I will announce the winner this Saturday.
What Third Wheel?
Trinity Bound is a ménage story. Yep. That's right. Straight-laced Carrie Ann wrote an m/m/f. (Leia Shaw just laughed her butt off at my calling myself straight-laced LOL)
I never really read ménage stories when I started reading romance novels. But now that they are main-stream, cough cough, I can't seem to get enough of them. Lauren Dane's Laid Bare was my first ménage story I read that I felt did the genre justice and I wanted, no, needed, to read more.
The dynamics of a relationship act like a powder keg once you add a third person. You see, I didn't just have Reed and Hannah's mating. No, I had Hannah and Josh. Then I had Josh and Reed.
Each character needed to connect with each person. Then there had to be chemistry when the three of them together. Plus, since my men are mates, there had to be m/f/m and m/m/f scenes. Yeah. That's a lot of chemistry and *ahem* you know.
I love the fact that I can write ménages. It's such an awesome way to look at a relationship a little differently, but still be inherently the same. There is love, respect, caring, tenderness, sexiness, sweaty bodies, and just about everything. But I added a third person.
I think the hardest part authors have is not losing a character. It would be easy to just say, "Yeah, I have this couple and then another dude shows up." Because that isn't believable to me. If they did that, I need to SEE it. Why does it happen? Show me the chemistry.
Another hard part is the He's and She's. Because you can't just say He in an m/m/f. There are two he's. So you get a lot of naming. But that's okay.
Each character needs a distinct personality and a distinct set of chemistry. That's why I love reading ménages. It's a challenge and totally worth it in the end. Well, at least I hope Trinity Bound is for you. It's my favorite of the books so far. But shhh don't tell the others that LOL.
Buy Links Amazon / Nook / AllRomance About the author Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.
Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.
Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:
Website
Blog
Facebook Author Page
Facebook Friend
Goodreads
Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan
Tumblr
To read an excerpt, click read more below.
Hannah put her hand on Josh's arm, a jolt of electricity flashing between the two. She gasped and he held back the urge to do the same. She gave him a smile and he desperately wanted to brush the curls from her face, soothing the bruises that couldn't hide her radiant beauty. Reed crouched behind her, still protective. He too was beautiful, his chiseled cheekbones pronounced against the shadowed, healing bruises.
Crap. He could understand thinking sexy thoughts about Hannah, but since when did he think males were attractive in any way? Either that weird connection confused him, or he really was falling for Reed. He didn't know which one, if either, he wanted to be true.
Reed bent over Hannah to whisper to them both. "Camera."
"Don't worry about them now. We have about ten more minutes and then we'd have to worry."
They both looked curious with a similar tilt of their heads, but didn't say anything, merely nodding.
"Who are you?" Reed whispered, leaning closer.
"Josh." Why the hell did he say his name? He was never a name, just a presence, on any other mission. Why did he want them to know his name? Know him? "I'm no one. Just a friend."
"You're human." Hannah's surprised gasp was still whispered.
There is also a giveaway. One lucky commenter will win a signed swag pack from Carrie Ann Ryan. Be sure to leave a comment. I will announce the winner this Saturday.
What Third Wheel?Trinity Bound is a ménage story. Yep. That's right. Straight-laced Carrie Ann wrote an m/m/f. (Leia Shaw just laughed her butt off at my calling myself straight-laced LOL)
I never really read ménage stories when I started reading romance novels. But now that they are main-stream, cough cough, I can't seem to get enough of them. Lauren Dane's Laid Bare was my first ménage story I read that I felt did the genre justice and I wanted, no, needed, to read more.
The dynamics of a relationship act like a powder keg once you add a third person. You see, I didn't just have Reed and Hannah's mating. No, I had Hannah and Josh. Then I had Josh and Reed.
Each character needed to connect with each person. Then there had to be chemistry when the three of them together. Plus, since my men are mates, there had to be m/f/m and m/m/f scenes. Yeah. That's a lot of chemistry and *ahem* you know.
I love the fact that I can write ménages. It's such an awesome way to look at a relationship a little differently, but still be inherently the same. There is love, respect, caring, tenderness, sexiness, sweaty bodies, and just about everything. But I added a third person.
I think the hardest part authors have is not losing a character. It would be easy to just say, "Yeah, I have this couple and then another dude shows up." Because that isn't believable to me. If they did that, I need to SEE it. Why does it happen? Show me the chemistry.
Another hard part is the He's and She's. Because you can't just say He in an m/m/f. There are two he's. So you get a lot of naming. But that's okay.
Each character needs a distinct personality and a distinct set of chemistry. That's why I love reading ménages. It's a challenge and totally worth it in the end. Well, at least I hope Trinity Bound is for you. It's my favorite of the books so far. But shhh don't tell the others that LOL.
Buy Links Amazon / Nook / AllRomance About the author Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.
Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.
Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:
Website
Blog
Facebook Author Page
Facebook Friend
Goodreads
Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan
Tumblr
To read an excerpt, click read more below.
Hannah put her hand on Josh's arm, a jolt of electricity flashing between the two. She gasped and he held back the urge to do the same. She gave him a smile and he desperately wanted to brush the curls from her face, soothing the bruises that couldn't hide her radiant beauty. Reed crouched behind her, still protective. He too was beautiful, his chiseled cheekbones pronounced against the shadowed, healing bruises.Crap. He could understand thinking sexy thoughts about Hannah, but since when did he think males were attractive in any way? Either that weird connection confused him, or he really was falling for Reed. He didn't know which one, if either, he wanted to be true.
Reed bent over Hannah to whisper to them both. "Camera."
"Don't worry about them now. We have about ten more minutes and then we'd have to worry."
They both looked curious with a similar tilt of their heads, but didn't say anything, merely nodding.
"Who are you?" Reed whispered, leaning closer.
"Josh." Why the hell did he say his name? He was never a name, just a presence, on any other mission. Why did he want them to know his name? Know him? "I'm no one. Just a friend."
"You're human." Hannah's surprised gasp was still whispered.
