Sara Daniel's Blog, page 16

#newrelease The Bad Boy's Guilt #RegretHollow #series

The Bad Boy’s Guilt
Nicole trusted Wyatt with her heart once. She won’t make the same mistake twice.
A broken-down car destroys Nicole DeMonde’s plan to be cool and self-sufficient when she returns to her hometown for her brother’s wedding. The cop who comes to her rescue is none other than local hottie Wyatt Truman, who slept with her then dumped her when they were teens. She has no choice but to accept his help. However, she knows better than to trust him with her heart twice.
Wyatt is determined to earn Nicole’s forgiveness and make amends for his callous past. Once he lays eyes on her, he can’t help wanting more than forgiveness. In fact, his intentions are starting to bear a suspicious resemblance to the forever variety.
If she can’t avoid Wyatt, a one-night stand might be just the thing Nicole needs to work him out of her system. Or will her recovery plan destroy her heart once and for all?
Excerpt:
“So you protect people. Interesting.” She glided into the car, her skirt riding dangerously high up her thighs. “Who’s going to protect me from you?”
Ouch. And he completely deserved the zinger. He wrenched his gaze from her sweet, smooth legs. “Looks to me like you can protect yourself just fine, but if you’re worried about me, I can call someone else to watch over you.”
“The only thing I’m worried about is if I have to refer to you as my brother-in-law after this wedding.”
“Please don’t.” He winced as he closed the door.After checking over her disabled vehicle, he hustled to the driver’s side of his car. While he settled in the seat, Nicole took out her cell phone and held it at arm’s length, selfie-style.
“What are you doing?” He couldn’t take his eyes off her reflection in the rearview mirror.
“Updating my Facebook status. I’ll send you a friend request, and you can check it out. My life is an open book, Officer.”
Cripes. First, she wanted to call him her brother. Now they were going to be Facebook friends. “Whatever you’re comfortable with.” He wouldn’t be comfortable again until she exited the city limits and preferably the state, as well. In fact, he was growing more uncomfortable by the minute, specifically in the crotch of his uniform.
“What are your plans until the rehearsal?” he asked. “Do you want to drive by your dad’s house again? Maybe work up the nerve to ring the doorbell?”
In the mirror, her face flushed. “I have no intention of ringing the doorbell, not because I’m a coward but because he treated his family like crap, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.”
“Sorry. None of my business.” But he couldn’t help adding, “You know he’s coming to the rehearsal tonight and you’ll see him there?”
“Unfortunately. I can’t avoid running into people I don’t want to see. It’s the reason I never came back to Regret Hollow and still wouldn’t have if my brother hadn’t decided to hold the most important event of his life here.”
He got the message. Her dad wasn’t the only person she’d have preferred to avoid. Arriving at his house, he backed the squad car into the driveway parallel to his truck. As he rounded the car to let her out, he flipped on his phone and accepted her friend request. Thumbing over to her profile, he pulled open the door.
As she stepped onto the driveway, he read aloud the status above her picture. “Hellish meeting, flight delay, defective rental, and now I’m riding in the back of a squad car. Murphy’s Law is biting my ass today.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “If I bite your ass, you’ll find it a hell of a lot more enjoyable than with that Murphy fellow.”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed. “You’re going to have to do a hell of a lot more ass kissing before you get the chance to nibble on anything of mine.”
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7 Sexy Sentences from The Bad Boy's Gift #MySexySaturday

It's been a while a since I've done a My Sexy Saturday post, but I have one for you today. Here are seven sentences from The Bad Boy’s Gift.

“I didn’t plan this trip, but you left me no choice. The sketches and painting I gave you are not for sale.” The dark storms in his cobalt-blue eyes mirrored the turbulence of the day he’d marched away from her.
“I own them. I don’t need your permission to sell them.” She held her body rigid, the fragile shell the only thing keeping her heart from crumbling. Despite choosing this path, the prospect of parting with the only piece of him she’d been able to hang onto filled her with yawning emptiness.
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The Bad Boy’s Gift
His gift is the only thing left from the love they shared…and she plans to sell it.
Former bad boy, now famous artist, Zane DeMonde laughs off an engraved invitation to return to Regret Hollow, the same town that booted him out fifteen years ago. When he discovers the woman who once broke his heart is putting his professional reputation at risk by selling his old paintings, he’s no longer laughing. He’ll do anything to stop her, even return to town … even put his heart in jeopardy again.
High school art teacher Julianne Truman's last chance to save her beloved art department from budget cuts is to sell the old artwork Zane gifted her. Her heart breaks to remove the final traces of him from her life, but she needs to finally move on from the love she never got over.
Julianne’s life belongs to her students, and Zane’s only goal is to protect his art. But the moment they wrap their arms around each other, their old attraction flares to life hot enough to incinerate them and their best intentions. Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to steamy and everything in between. She grew up in a small town and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She has no regrets about turning her back on her accounting degree to write romance, but she deeply regrets her inability to keep track of her car keys. Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/rx_AL Visit her website: http://www.SaraDaniel.com
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Deviling the Eggs by HL Carpenter #recipe #middlegrade

by HL Carpenter 
Potluck parties are lots of fun; a day to eat hearty and share good times. Bedeviled by what to bring? Try this easy spicy recipe for deviled eggs. (Do you know why they’re called deviled eggs? You get to eat two if you know the answer.*)
Deviled Eggs with CurryEggs (week-old or just-ready-to-expire eggs peel more easily)1 tsp. salad dressing for each eggDash of curry powderDash of paprika
Hard-boil eggs using an egg cooker or a pot of cold water (cover eggs with water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand 10-12 minutes). Drain; then place eggs in ice water until cool. Peel cooled eggs and cut in half lengthwise.
Slide egg yolks onto a plate and mash with a fork.
Stir in salad dressing until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Spoon yolk mixture back into egg whites, or use a disposable plastic baggie and an icing tip if you want ooh-la-la fancy deviled eggs.
Sprinkle with curry powder to taste. Dust with paprika for more color.
Arrange on a festive platter and serve warm or cold.
If you’re traveling to the potluck, carry this dish in an insulated cooler with ice.
*According to the Oxford Companion to Food, by Alan Davidson (1999), pp. 247-248, “devil” is a culinary term which first appeared as a noun in the 18th century, and then in the early 19th century as a verb meaning to cook something with fiery hot spices or condiments. The term was presumably adopted because of the connection between the devil and the excessive heat where the devil dwells.
*** Fourteen year old Tovi thinks finding a flying horse is fabulous luck—until a mysterious stranger says finders aren’t always keepers.
When fourteen year old Tovi Taggert moves to Honeysuckle Hollow to take care of her grandmother, she has a hard time fitting in. For one thing, she’s been tagged with the hated nickname Too-Tall Tovi. For another, everyone at Honeysuckle Hollow High believes Tovi played the Choking Game with someone else’s boyfriend and made out with him besides.
As if she doesn’t have enough problems, after the latest stand-off in the school hallway, Tovi finds a gorgeous speckled egg nestled in a feather lined nest.
She takes the egg home. Mysterious visitors begin appearing almost immediately. Even more worrisome, whatever is inside the egg starts chipping its way out.
When the egg hatches, revealing a winged horse, Tovi’s troubles multiply.
As she struggles to return the horse to the magical land where he belongs, Tovi must make a courageous decision—and accept what that decision will cost her.
BUY LINKSAmazon http://www.amazon.com/The-SkyHorse-HL...Smashwordshttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view...HL Carpenter writes sweet, clean fiction suitable for your entire family. Visit HLCarpenter.com for gift reads and the latest Carpenter Country news.

What You Want #newrelease for @LandraGraf @DecadentPub #BDSM #eroticromance

What You Want Genre: BDSM Erotic ContemporaryPages: 60
Blurb:When her sister gets sick on the night of her 1Night Stand date, Laney Malcolm is asked to fill in and pretend to be her twin. Treating it as a lark, she looks forward to an adventurous event with a free dinner and not much else. She isn’t prepared for the fierce attraction nor the urge to help the Hawaiian, tattooed submissive she’s introduced to.
Kanoa Mahelona has spent the last year trying to find himself, but he’s tired of random hook-ups and women who only want him for his bad-boy image. Madame Eve helped his boss, so he turns to her for assistance. Attractive and damn good at breaking through his barriers, the blonde Domme challenges him in a way he can’t seem to turn down.
Only she’s not who she appears to be, and, once the truth comes out, it may be too late to go back.
Short Blurb: Laney Malcolm is pretending to be her twin. Kanoa Mahelona is tired of random hook-ups and women who only want him for his bad-boy image. Will their initial attraction on their 1NS date forge a bond or will hidden secrets end things before they start?
Buy Links: Amazon~ ARe~ Barnes and Noble~ Smashwords  ~ Kobo Excerpt:
“Really? Well, what if I told you we were already in a scene and you’d already submitted?” She gave him a wink and leaned back in her chair.
Submission didn’t always exist in a neat little box or behind closed doors. How often did the committed couples she’d seen at The Playroom prove the same? Some people only liked to conduct their play in private, but she’d watched men and women let go completely, allowing every decision to be made by their Dominant, down to clothing and food selections.
He frowned but didn’t break visual contact. “I’ve been accommodating, as a gentleman should be. I’m not asking for a spanking or to be tied up.”
“That’s where we’ll disagree. The things you’ve been doing are commands, not questions paired with fluttering lashes or coy looks. As for the tying and spanking, if you’re interested in the act, you can let me know now.” And instinct told her pain wouldn’t work on this one. “But a lot of submissive work has nothing to do with sex or inflicting pain. It’s about letting me in here.” She leaned forward and put her index and middle finger flat against his forehead.
He inhaled sharply at the contact and let his fork hit the plate.
Laney knew this would be the moment of truth, and she needed to ask. Needed finality on whether this date had a longer shelf life than an hour in a restaurant. In truth, she should’ve been out at his initial resistance, but his use of “never” goaded her to push, to prod. Men in her dungeon stayed far away from such a word.
“Do you want me in here?” She poked him again.
He finally lifted his head, a determined, neutral expression on his face. “If you think you can handle it.”
Author Bio:Landra Graf has been crafting stories since the tender age of too-young-to-watch-rated-R. When she finally got old enough for adult material, she believed adult meant anything besides the smexy. Then she discovered erotic romance and all things kinky. Since then it’s been a journey down a rabbit hole. Landra writes BDSM erotic romance and historical erotic romance, among other less smexy offerings.
Author Links:Website: http://landragraf.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/LandraGrafFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/landra.grafGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/landragraf/Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Landra­Graf/e/B...

Navy Bean Soup and Pear Salad #recipe from @EMMAJLANE #regencyromance #cozymystery

Regency Romance and Cozy Mystery author Emma Lane is in the kitchen today. She brings us a delicious and easy recipe for a hearty soup to keep you warm. The kitchen is all yours, Emma!

Navy Bean Soup
2 strips bacon
1 med, onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 med. white potato, peeled and cubed
1 can navy or great northern beans, drained
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped fine (optional)

Sauté' onion and bacon until onion is pearly-colored and bacon is crisp. Crumble bacon and add both to pot.

Stir in water, beans, potato, and garlic.

Simmer for at least an hour. Stir occasionally. Do not add more water before serving.

Top the serving with a spoonful of grated cheese or a dollop of sour cream.

Serve with a pear salad and a loaf of French bread or hard rolls.

Pear Salad
l can pears halves or slices, drained
lettuce
dollop of sour cream
sprinkle of nutmeg

Assemble on individual salad plates. Chill until ready to serve.

While you're waiing for everyone to come home for dinner, here's a tease from one of my Regency books.


What happens when a strong heroine meets an arrogant, but handsome hero? Sparks fly. It's a Regency Romance Romp!

Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king's business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother's estate.

The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?

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Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter .

Vive la French Soup with @sharonledwith #souprecipe #kidlit @MirrorWorldPub

Guest post by Sharon Ledwith

In my middle grade/young adult time travel books I try to write in a scene where my characters sit down for a meal or share some food together. In The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, I’ve got a scene where Melody Spencer is dishing out rabbit stew in bread bowls for the kids. In Legend of the Timekeepers, two of the characters—She-Aba and Tau—are introduced to a ‘long yellow fruit’, a.k.a. bananas. Why do I do this? Simply put, so readers can relate to my characters. We all need to eat, and coming together to eat gives my characters a place to talk over their dilemmas, make plans, reassess the situation, and recharge their batteries.

So when I finally got my hands on my grandmother’s coveted French Soup recipe, I thought it fitting to share this fabulous meal. It’s so easy to put together and a bonus for those cool days or evenings. Many a tale has been told digesting this soup around the table, and my hope is that this meal will spark new conversations between you and your loved ones.

Vive la French Soup!
1 lb lean ground beef
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato soup
1-14 oz can of green wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of yellow wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of peas (do not drain)
1 can sliced mushrooms (if desired, drained)
4 medium-large potatoes (cubed)
½ teaspoon of salt
Dash of pepper
Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste (your preference)
Garlic powder to taste (if desired)
Crock pot

Fry the lean ground beef and drain.

Add the canned vegetables, potatoes, tomato soup, drained ground beef, and seasonings into the crock pot.

Cover and cook on slow for approximately 8 hours.

Serve with biscuits or rolls.

NOTE: Please feel free to experiment with this recipe. My mom adds one small can of tomato sauce to add flavor to the soup. The above recipe will serve a family of eight.

Voila. Dinner is done. Now what will you do with all that time on your hands while the soup is cooking in the crock pot? How about indulging in one of my books from The Last Timekeepers series?

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.


BUY LINKS
Amazon Kindle - -Paperback - Mirror World Publishing eBook - Paperback - Barnes & Noble Nook - Paperback

If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis , here’s the blurb…

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read more of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA



BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .



Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS.

When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .

Behind the Scenes with #NewRelease The Bad Boy’s Gift + Giveaway #smalltownromance

The release day for The Bad Boy’s Gift is finally here, and I am so excited and proud. The Bad Boys of Regret Hollow series has been a year in the making, but in many ways, it’s actually been four years in the making and encompasses so many of publishing's unpredictable ups and downs. 
In the spring of 2012, Musa Publishing sent out a submission call for a new imprint called “Finally Ever After,” seeking second-chance romance short stories. Second chance romances between reunited lovers are my favorite stories to write, so I immediately jumped on the opportunity. I quickly had a draft of a story titled Zane’s Art, and I knew I wanted to write a sequel, titled Wyatt’s Guilt. In October 2012, Zane’s Art was published, followed by Wyatt’s Guilt in December. Zane’s Art was largely lost in a frenzy of new book releases, but Wyatt’s Guilt became my bestselling book from Musa Publishing.
The imprint, however, never caught on or had much success, and in early 2015 Musa Publishing closed its doors. I got all the rights back to my books, but instead of immediately putting them up for sale, I waited. The abrupt closing caught me by surprise, and I didn’t have a plan. (I like to have a road map, know what’s going on, and know where I’m going!) I also knew that my writing had improved in the years since I’d written these stories. And finally, I wanted the books to be part of a bigger series, with familiar secondary characters in each book, even as each book could be read as a stand-alone happily-ever-after story. With these tenants in mind, I created the fictional small town of Regret Hollow, Wisconsin and a unifying theme—bad boys! I transformed and expanded the baseline story from Zane’s Art into Zane and Julianne’s story in The Bad Boy’s Gift. Then I did the same thing for book two, using Wyatt’s Guilt as a base for the Wyatt and Nicole’s story in The Bad Boy’s Guilt.
Also caught up in the Musa closing was a novella I had self-published and then taken to Musa to be part of another imprint. With a huge transformation and expansion, the story formerly known as Haley’s Man became The Bad Boy’s Guarantee. For the fourth book in the series, The Bad Boy’s Goodness, I went completely from scratch, writing a brand new book with two characters who first appear in The Bad Boy’s Gift.
By November of 2015 I had all four stories written and self-edited. I then turned to Kate Richards, my wonderful editor from Decadent Publishing, who also has her own freelance editing company Wizards in Publishing, to help me whip my books into shape. In addition, I turned to the amazing Kim Killion of The Killion Group and Hot Damn Designs to create the beautiful covers. In January, I took my books and my dreams to Danielle Barclay of Barclay Publicity to help me create a launch plan for The Bad Boys of Regret Hollow series. And now, here I am. I have a plan! All four books are available for pre-order. The Bad Boy’s Gift is live, available now, and only 99₵!
In addition, I have a spectacular giveaway going on with the grand prize of a Kindle Fire, so be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below.
The Bad Boy’s Gift
His gift is the only thing left from the love they shared…and she plans to sell it.
Former bad boy, now famous artist, Zane DeMonde laughs off an engraved invitation to return to Regret Hollow, the same town that booted him out fifteen years ago. When he discovers the woman who once broke his heart is putting his professional reputation at risk by selling his old paintings, he’s no longer laughing. He’ll do anything to stop her, even return to town … even put his heart in jeopardy again.
High school art teacher Julianne Truman's last chance to save her beloved art department from budget cuts is to sell the old artwork Zane gifted her. Her heart breaks to remove the final traces of him from her life, but she needs to finally move on from the love she never got over.
Julianne’s life belongs to her students, and Zane’s only goal is to protect his art. But the moment they wrap their arms around each other, their old attraction flares to life hot enough to incinerate them and their best intentions.
Buy Links:AmazonAll Romance eBooksiBooksKoboBarnes & NobleGoogle Play
a Rafflecopter giveaway

My #Werewolf's Character Was Inspired By An Angel by @Clare_Dargin #Shifter #Erotic #Romance

Guest Post by Clare Dargin Before I sat down to write Wolf's Blade, I had only one thing in mind, I wanted to write a werewolf romance novel.  My first in fact.  But who the character was, the events that made up the main hero's and heroine's life or the story's main conflict I had yet to figure out.

So I did what I always do in these situations, I stressed myself by worrying.  Yes sometimes I can be very neurotic. After pacing a deep groove into my carpet from pacing, I came to the realization that worrying was getting me nowhere. So I reluctantly set the project aside and began working on other things. 
Then one day while I was watching my favorite paranormal show, I saw him.  There he was in all of his six foot something glory, the inspiration for my werewolf shifter character- who I'd later name Callum Blake.
The show in question was Supernatural.  I've been a fan for years and love the exploits character who are brothers-- Sam and Dean Winchester.  This particular season, season nine had a new character that added a sweet pathos to the story line, which in my opinion, had never been on the show before. 
The character, known as Gadreel, was an angel who was charged with guarding the Garden of Eden.  But for some reason, either through carelessness or falling for the devil's trickery, he allowed Lucifer to enter the Garden which caused the fall of creation.  As a result, he was placed in heaven's jail and was released when a fellow angel, Castiel released him because Castiel became an unwitting pawn of another angel named Metatron dubious plans. 
Anyways, Gadreel's storyline though brief, was powerful.  Not only because of the writing (which is always good on the show in my opinion) but through the acting of Tahmoh Penikett.  I must admit, I had never seen him before – though later on I found out he was a major character on the revamped Battlestar Galactica among other shows- he made me cry as well as cheer for his tortured and damaged character.  But being the good romance writer that I am, I had to admire his incredible good looks.  Six-foot-four, with a lean muscular build, broad shoulders and a narrow waist line, Gadreel/Tahmoh was walking sex.  I mean the guy was hot!
That's when I knew I found Callum Blake or at least the placeholder/image I could use in my mind as I wrote the book.  When I write, I usually I like to have a person in mind when I create the character and the world he lives in because it inspires me when I'm trying to think of facial expressions or when I'm just to trying to find out what the man or woman is thinking. 
Though Callum is a lot younger than Tahmoh the actor and much younger than Gadreel the angel, I made sure or at least try to make sure that Callum possessed the magnetic charm and sexy charisma that Tahmoh portrayed as Gadreel. I hope you enjoy reading Callum's story as much as I did writing it.
-        Clare  
I'm also doing a giveaway.  The Smexy Romance Blog Tour and Giveaway.  Every person has two chances to win!  An Individual prize and a Grand Prize.  One lucky winner will receive an erotic romance of mine from my library and can also win the Grand Prize- A free erotic romance from every author featured on this blog tour! Keep reading for your chance to win!

Now from my latest release Wolf's Blade-   Blurb:
Samantha Dixon rescues a wounded wolf shifter in the woods near her home … and unwittingly gets drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a murderer. Callum Blake is on the trail of an evil man who would be king of all wolf kind, no matter the cost … it’s up to Callum to stop him. How can Callum fulfill his duty to protect his pack and save the woman who is destined to be his mate?
Excerpt
“Samantha Dixon. What’s yours?”
“Callum Blake.”
He concentrated on Samantha. He’d never seen a woman as gorgeous as she. Her howl stated she was in search of mate, but surely a woman as beautiful as she would have suitors falling over themselves to have her. No male wolf in his right mind would pass up someone like her.
“Have you been mated before?” he asked in a subtle attempt to find out about her past or present relationship. All he wanted to really know was if he had competition.
“I was but he died,” she said softly. “A casualty of the war between us and a neighboring pack.”She bit her lip and wiped the corners of her eyes.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” His heart went out for her. Losing someone you love was rough and for it to be a mate made it even harder. Shifters when they mated were bound together by a special bond, and when it broke because of the other’s death it was like losing half of their soul. He never had that type of connection before, still, he could imagine the type of pain such a loss would inflict on the surviving mate.
She stood and began to straighten up the bed. “Not half as sorry as I am.”
“I don’t understand,” he said.
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Please forgive my intrusion. I’m just trying to express my gratitude.”
She smiled weakly. “I know. I’m sorry if I sounded snippy. It’s just that things have been rough lately and I’ve been stressed.” She waved her hand as she turned to leave. “That’s not important right now. You need to get well.”
“Please don’t go.” Just having her near soothed him. She was cute, feminine, and wore a timid expression that hinted at the suffering she had endured. Even though he had only known her for a short time, he already wanted to be her shield, protecting her from any harm that would come her way. He wanted to hold her in his arms and feel her body against his. Something in her challenged him to be more than just a warrior. Ever since her howl in the night, his soul had been on fire for her.
– 
Buy Links- 
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019...
Liquid Silver Books-  http://www.lsbooks.com/wolfs-blade-p1...

Author Bio
Clare Dargin is a multi-published romance author. She has written for several publishers in different genres, including erotic romance, military romance, contemporary, paranormal, and sci-fi. She lives in the mid-west, and when not surfing the web, she is hard at work writing her next romance novel. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Amazon.

Web Links- 
Clare's Blog 2 The Haven- http://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com
The Embraced: Scribal Love- http://theembraced.blogspot.com
Facebook-  www.facebook.com/clare.dargin
Twitter- www.twitter.com/clare_dargin
Google +  https://plus.google.com/u/0/113201930...

Author Page:
http://www.bookstrand.com/clare-dargin

Enter the Smexy Romance Blog Tour and Giveaway
For a Chance to win Two Prizes!
Entry-Form
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You can enter as often as you like so come back often.  To find more great erotic romances and authors associated with this tour and get a chance to sign up again-- click on this link- http://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com

Thanks and Happy Reading!

A Mate's Redeeming Touch #newrelease from @MerrynDexter @DecadentPub #BHW #shifterromance

Black Hills WolvesA Mate’s Redeeming TouchBy Merryn DexterReleasing March 25th 2016

Blurb
Ven Thorne is a lone wolf with a bad attitude caused by his difficult childhood. Forced to return to pack life, he is tasked with rebuilding the gas station on the outskirts of Los Lobos. Ven works for Ryker, the pack enforcer, and will act as sentinel and lookout when the station reopens. 

Caitlyn Burrows has recently returned to Los Lobos with her family. A victim of Magnum Tao, the pack’s evil ex-Alpha, she is terrified of men and her natural omega nature is making it hard for her to make friends. Her family is determined to see Caitlyn happy. 

A chance encounter between Ven and Caitlyn reveals they are mates, something that neither of them is happy about! He’s mean and angry; she’s timid and shy. Can two such opposites find common ground? 

Caitlyn decides it is past time to take control of her life and is determined to prove to Ven that she is the mate that he needs. Can she make him see that the Fates are right and that their only chance of happiness is together or will the ghosts from the past keep them apart forever? 
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About the AuthorMerryn Dexter is a military spouse who, after a varied employment career (from selling sandals to old ladies with bunions to being a health and safety coordinator for a construction company), is thrilled to be pursuing her dream career as a romance writer. She likes The Winchesters, Spike, Hotch, Loki and watching complicated European Noir. Her hobbies include crying at books, crying at movies, crying at tv serials (there’s a theme!) and believes all stories should have a Happy Ending.  
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Excerpt“I said, what do you want?” Ven sounded furious as he took a step towards her and Caitlyn shrank back, dropping the cooler as she raised her hands as though trying to ward him off. The box tipped over, spilling its contents across the scruffy lot and the man swore again. He stepped around the mess of food and drinks, advancing rapidly and she caught his scent, amber and dark wood beneath a layer of fresh sweat. Her wolf, normally so quiet, surged forward and she realized in terror that she was practically toe-to-toe with her mate. And he was mean and angry.
Knowing what it was to suffer at the hands of a cruel man, she turned tail and ran as fast as she could. She plunged towards the relatively safety of the trees, kicking off her shoes and dragging her clothes free as she fled.
Her wolf was whining at her to stop, but she pushed on into the heavy brush. Pausing to shed her jeans, she crouched, letting the shift take her over but making sure she retained enough control to force the wolf to keep running. The wolf howled, desperate to turn back, to catch again the glorious scent of her mate and offer her throat in submission to his dominant presence.
A heavy crash behind had her doubling her efforts and her paws scrabbled over the soft ground, seeking purchase as she ran as though the hounds of hell were on her heels. She risked a glance over her shoulder and an involuntary yip of fright loosed from her throat. An enormous gray wolf was gaining on her with every stride, the snarl on his face more terrifying than the scowl he’d worn in his human form.
She put on another burst of speed, her wolf suddenly in accordance that escape rather than submission was the best idea. Dodging around a massive pine tree, trunk broader than her back, she pulled up short at the remains of another fallen trunk that suddenly blocked her path. A snarl set her in motion again and her claws scratched at the bark as she desperately tried to clamber over the downed tree. The wood was soft, rotten in places and her front legs slid from under her as a huge set of jaws clamped around the thick fur at the back of her neck.

The Real and Wicked Wethersfield Witches by @Leigh_Goff #witchhistory #witchtrials

by Leigh Goff

I’d like to introduce everyone to a little American witch history. The first American witch trials took place in Wethersfield, Connecticut, a historic Puritan town near Hartford, in the sixteen-sixties. During this time, the Puritan population of Wethersfield was suffering from bouts of sickness and mental fits, for which they blamed the devil, who was surely acting through powerful female vessels who had succumbed to his evil charms.

Neighbors spied on one another and casted blame on women like Rebecca Greensmith. In 1662, several witnesses spied her dancing, drinking, and making merry in the woods with other accused witches. Then a neighbor afflicted with fits of blasphemy accused Rebecca of bewitching her. The Wethersfield witch hunts were followed by trials presided over by the Reverend Increase Mather (his son, Cotton, grew up to be just like dad and, a few decades later, had his own hands bloodied with the Salem Witch Trials). Rebecca, who was not afraid to hide her wicked side, admitted to having conversations with the devil, claiming to form a pact with him, as well as colluding with other witches in the woods. Her shocking confession along with, in the Reverend Mather's judgment, her lack of fear for God, her familiarity with the devil, and her involvement in unnatural events, was enough for him to condemn her to death by hanging.

The historical event left me to wonder…what if Rebecca's story did not end there? After all, she admitted to having an alliance with a powerful figure and she had a reputation for hexing neighbors. Who is to say she did not have time to take her vengeance on the Mather bloodline before the noose slipped over her neck?

This question along with the Wethersfield history inspired my newly released YA fantasy, Disenchanted, where Sophie Goodchild, my curious and impetuous sixteen-year-old half-witch protagonist, is a modern-day descendant of the aforementioned Rebecca Greensmith.

As Sophie struggles with her emerging magic and deals with a group of full-blooded witch frenemies, her impatience and curiosity lead her into trouble. She meets the mysterious Alexavier Mather, a descendant of Increase Mather who had a hand in hanging Sophie's ancestor at Gallows Hill. When he reveals his name, she immediately hates him, but senses he is hiding a dark secret and there’s nothing Sophie loves more than uncovering a good secret.

Danger finds her as she delves into the mysteries from both their families’ pasts. Then she begins to fall for the forbidden Alexavier who reveals that his bloodline is hexed with a true love curse that could destroy them.

Alas, there is hope. If Sophie can learn how to tap into the mysterious power of her blood-red diamond charm and find an ancient book of dark spells, she might be able to disenchant the Mather bloodline and save them both.

However, she must first deal with the deadly threat that is Alexavier’s father, Judge Mather, and he has a nasty secret of his own that will drive Sophie to make an impossible choice, one from which she may never return…

EXCERPT
As the vision wore off, the glass jar tumbled from my fingers and smashed into tiny shards against the porcelain of the sink. I crumpled to the bathroom floor. The vision of Elizabeth’s last night was her final message. I cradled my face in my hands. My hatred for the judge was no different from Rebecca’s in its depth and darkness. I hated that it was, but I was going to need it. It would carry me through the ritual necessary to save Alexavier. I gripped the edge of the vanity and pulled myself to standing.

I touched my hand to my bloodcharm and dressed in the uniform then took a deep breath as I slid the ceremonial black robe off its hanger and tied the satin belt around my waist. I smoothed my hands against the front panels of fabric, feeling the cold silk against my fingertips. An icy trickle of darkness, the same liquid black ice I felt before listening to Judge Mather and Laney, traveled the length of my arm.

This time, I invited it in.

I felt the darkness tame my impetuous nature, allowing me to feed slowly on the hatred and control it. The coldness flowed through my veins and to the lengths of each limb. The icy darkness pooled in my chest and chilled my heart.

The change was beginning. “Elizabeth, I hope you’re right about the magic in me being able to change black hearts ’cause I’m going to need it for my own.”

The doorbell chimed, startling me to a more alert state. “Hold on,” I shouted. I opened the duffel bag and removed the knife and vial before tossing the robe in. I stuffed the small items in my skirt pocket and carried the bag with me downstairs, setting it in the foyer. I clenched my hands tightly together before opening the door. “Cal? What are you doing here?” I asked, shocked to see him on my doorstep.

“I was worried about you,” he said abruptly, entering the house and grabbing me by the hand.

“I don’t have time for this right now. I have a meeting with my aunt tonight,” I implored impatiently.

“A meeting?” He noticed the gray skirt and white shirt. “Not yet.” He led me to the kitchen and pulled a chair out.

He studied me and grimaced. “Sophie, I don’t know what’s going on, but I get the feeling you’re in trouble.” Perhaps it was his connection to tribal magic, but beyond his tough guy exterior, he was surprisingly intuitive.

“Cal, I’ll be fine. I’m a little stressed and tired, that’s all.” I blinked, feeling a strange weight on my lashes. I glanced at my hands, turning them over. My skin looked luminescent. Flawless. I smacked my lips together, feeling their plumpness.

He scrunched his face up as he eyed me. “Tired? You don’t look tired. Are you wearing makeup?”

I raced to the foyer mirror, out of Cal’s view. My heart-shaped lips bloomed a blood red, my lashes thickened and bowed upward like the arms of a goddess, a dewy glow radiated from my flawless ivory complexion, and as I watched, the messy knot unrolled down the length of my back into a wavy sea of glossy sable hair. My mouth fell open.

“I wasn’t finished.” Cal marched toward me. “Whoa. What is going on?”

I turned to him, having to act like I normally did. “Nothing.”

His eyebrows arched. “Something. Did you get a makeover in the last thirty-seconds?”

I gathered my silky hair and draped the long smooth tresses over one shoulder. “I’m trying something new. Don’t make fun.”

He shook his head, stupefied. “Whatever. I came here to give you something.” He took a breath as if to say something else, but he stopped. Our friendship had evolved and deepened into a mutual love for each other; a love between friends, but nonetheless sacred and forever.

I shook my hands at him. “Cal, don’t. It’s not...”

He reached into the pocket of his jeans and extracted a tangle of black leather string. Angst crossed his bronzed brow. “I want you to wear this.”

I glanced at the object resting in his open palm; a small wood carving attached to leather strands. The amulet was the size of a postage stamp.

“It’s a talisman carved from eucalyptus wood. It wards off evil spirits and will protect you.”

“Is this a white magic token?” He smiled without explanation. “Cal, it’s incredibly thoughtful of you. I love it. But I can’t take that.” I didn’t deserve to wear it at the moment, not as the darkness spread through me like the poison Romeo drank, silencing the warmth in my heart. My lips tingled. “Your mom wouldn’t like it.”

His lips twisted to the side and his expression was one of rejection. “I think she would be okay if she saw it on you.” He smiled, a hint of sadness seeped into the corners of his mouth. “Here...” He took my hand and looped the leather around so the talisman dangled delicately from my wrist. I could feel his gentle touch on my skin as he secured it. He placed his large hands on my shoulders and looked at me. “Promise you’ll be okay?”

A laugh cracked through my stress. “Promise.” Cal’s sentiment was deeply appreciated. He never failed to make me laugh, even as the temperature of my heart dropped.

He leaned in and kissed my cheek as a small tear escaped from my eyes. “You better be.” The doorbell rang again. It was too late to stop him. In one long stride, Cal turned the knob before I could move.

Alexavier stood in the doorway, glaring at Callum with disapproval and irritation. “Callum, what a surprise to find you here,” he said gruffly, sarcasm saturating his voice.

“I’m trying to take care of my girl.”

I didn’t want Cal to mess this up. I still needed one thing from Alexavier. Alexavier spoke directly to him. “Callum, I know you care about Sophie, but I can take care of her. She doesn’t need you.” He kept his voice low, but his tone was protective and threatening.

Callum stepped closer to him.

“Callum, this will not end well for you if you insist on challenging me,” Alexavier warned. His voice remained even, but his body was poised to fight if Callum insisted.

I wiped my cheek and stomped toward them. “Please, stop this. Please! I care about you both, but Callum, you need to go,” I pleaded, fearing Cal would snap. I pulled on Alexavier’s arm roughly to break the defensive eye contact he maintained with Callum.

“I’m not afraid, Mather. I also don’t need my fists to prove I’m the better man. Sophie will see that one day,” he snarled ferociously.

I flashed my eyes wide. My jaw jutted out. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was the last thing I wanted to deal with or could deal with and I feared what I would do under the influence of my choice. “Callum... leave now!” I didn’t care about hurting anyone’s feelings at the moment. My emotions were shifting beyond that.

He pushed past Alexavier in a huff to leave. Alexavier ignored the action, focusing his attention on me. I was relieved he didn’t engage Callum in a fight. He stood before me, astoundingly handsome in a blue button down shirt. He grasped my hands and looked deeply into my eyes. “What was that all about?”

My blackening heart skipped a beat. “I’m sorry about Callum. I don’t know what got into him.”

“Jealousy, I would say. I warned you.”

“I don’t want to believe that’s it.”

His fingers gently pressed against my hand and wrist, lifting them to inspect the talisman. “Did he give you this?” A combination of regret and jealousy lined his voice.

“It’s to keep evil spirits away,” I replied as I touched the wood carving with my fingertips.

He sighed. Our future was under a black cloud from the past where Rebecca’s curse and his father’s mistakes affected us in the present. And after tonight, even if the ritual went according to plan, there was no guarantee things would be the same or better for us. I was risking my life and my soul. Even if I survived breaking the curse and the reconversion, I would be different, changed, tainted from the black magic I had already invited into my heart and it might all be for nothing.

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Leigh Goff loves writing young adult fiction with elements of magic and romance because it's also what she liked to read. Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area's great history and culture.

Leigh is a graduate of the University of Maryland, University College and a member of the Maryland Writers' Association and Romance Writers of America. She is also an approved artist with the Maryland State Arts Council. Her debut novel, Disenchanted, was inspired by the Wethersfield witches of Connecticut and was released by Mirror World Publishing. Leigh is currently working on her next novel, The Witch's Ring which is set in Annapolis.

Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , Pinterest , and Goodreads .