Carrie Ann Ryan's Blog, page 182

Sign up for the Romancing the Hop Blog Hop!

Hello again!

What do you love about romance? What about romance books? Well, if you love romance, then this hop is for you!

From August 31st - Sept 3rd we're having a blog hop! Here you can talk about romance, do a giveaway, and get to know some readers!

Sign up with the Linky Code below, copy the image and link it to this post, and we're ready to go! I'll be sending out welcome emails in a couple of weeks, so enjoy and tell your friends!

We'd love to have you!

Manic Monday Updates: Are We There Yet?

Happy Monday!!! I'm slowly counting down the days until I'm done teaching so that way I'm all ready for more and more writing! Doesn't that sound grand? LOL
I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to schedule my new found time...its odd to say the least. 
But I'm working on it because I can't wait to get more words down and see what my characters come up with!



Waiting for:
Proofs for Dust of My Wings so I can finish it up and get some eARCs ready!A new cover and graphics are coming.My publishing company, Fated Desires, also does graphics and COVERS!!! So if y'all need promo goodies, banners, website graphics...and more, let us know! Working on:
Plotting Santa's Executive. Yeah, I know its June, but Christmas stories won't write themselves! LOLWriting:
Charmed Spirits (Holiday Montana, Book 1). I just passed the halfway mark for me so that means more action more *ahem* scenes...and goodies. It's starting to roll which is nice for me.Enforcer's Redemption (Redwood Pack 4). I'm working on this slowly. I'm trying to get Charmed Spirits done first, but sometimes Adam needs to talk first.Other:
I've joined Pinterest and made boards for each of my books and series. Come on over and tell me what you think. Each board for each book has their characters, covers, and key moments in the book that will help you picture my world.And that's about it! Go on over to other Manic Monday Updates with: Lia Davis , Lacey Wolfe , Fated Desires,   and  The Divinites

Dust of My Wings - Six Sentence Sunday #43

Hi All! So here is a snippet from my Dust of My Wings, coming July 27th!!! I'm so freaking excited about this book y'all! LOL. 
Shade adjusted himself as his cock rose to attention just at the thought of Lily. He’d only seen her through the paned glass, yet he wanted her. He liked the way her average height held such delicious not-so-average curves. Those damn sexy hips of hers begged his hands to grip them as he rammed into her body bent over any surface he could find.           Shade groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was so not the time to be thinking these thoughts.




Thank you SOOO much for stopping by. I love all of you for commenting!!

Off the Page: Happy Father's Day from Edward Jamenson

Hi All! Welcome to Off the Page...where every once in awhile one of my characters comes over to talk to us. Now, be kind, my characters aren't edited. But they love you.








Edward Jamenson sank into the  rocking chair on his porch and sighed. Damn, he was getting old. He’d raised seven children, led a Pack of the most fierce and loyal werewolves in the world…and was getting tired.He knew  his sons were doing much of the work for the Pack. After all, they were  the Pack’s future,  rightly so. They needed the responsibility, the experience.And it was a testament to their characters that he trusted them to do so. Because even though he loved his pups more than he could breathe, he needed to believe that they could live without him.He let out a laugh. God, he sounded like one of those emo boys that didn’t hold their pants above their asses or just like an old man. Well…he was. At least the old man. He wouldn’t be caught dead in that eyeliner crap.He closed his eyes and tried to make his headache go away. Werewolves really didn’t get sick, their bodies too strong for that, but he’d been the backbone for his Pack for so long…sometimes he just needed a breather.Not that he’d let anyone but his mate know that.“Edward, hon, what are you doing out here?”Speak of the devil, or in this case, Momma Wolf. “Just thinking, baby.” Patricia, the love of his life and the second half of the Alpha pair, sat down on his lap and cuddled close. Even after over almost two centuries together, he loved to nip and nibble his tasty morsel of a wife. She didn’t look a day over twenty five…but neither did he. Werewolf genetics had their upsides.Pat kissed him softly and sighed, the weight of the Pack heavy on her shoulders just as  his. “What are you thinking about, my Alpha?”Edward chuckled. She knew just as well as he did that she ran this Pack side-by-side with him. Just because the moon goddess had decided to give the males of their species the leadership abilities didn’t mean that the women weren’t just as special. Oh, he knew they were strong and in charge. It didn’t take almost two centuries of being Alpha to learn that.“I’m thinking that I’m tired.” He traced her jaw and she smiled.“I know, baby. Me too.”He kissed her softly. “I’m also worried.”Pat rested her head on his forehead, a frown on her face. “Me too,” she whispered.They were the Alpha pair. They weren’t allowed to be worried. They had to be strong. But they were on the brink of an all-out war. Only half of their children were mated. The ones that weren’t seemed to be falling faster than he could reach them.Kade was stepping up. His eldest and Heir was mated to Melanie and Edward and Pat had their first grandson, Finn. Kade would be okay. Jasper would as well with his mate Willow and their baby Brie. Edward didn’t worry about Reed and his two mates, Josh and Hannah. Though there was something going on between the three of them that made his Alpha bond want to go over and soothe. But the human part of him knew his wolf needed to step away and let them grow together. Whatever it was…they’d be okay.Maddox and North. His twins. Edward sighed. Again, there was something going on there but he couldn’t think of how to help them. At some point the father and Alpha needed to step away and let his children make their own mistakes. Edward just didn’t know if they could survive the outcome.Adam was the one who destroyed him. He felt like a failure as an Alpha and a father.“Edward, stop thinking that.”He smiled and brushed a lock of hair behind his mate’s ear. “I can’t help it.”Pat’s smile wobbled and she let a single tear fall. Strong was his mate. “He’s so lost.”Edward squeezed her tight, her soft body molding to his. “I know.”“We can’t do anything for him but be by him if he needs us.”“I know.”Edward rocked his mate and looked out on his land, trying to heal wounds that weren’t his but could still burn.He had seven children and yet the baby of the family was always closest to his  heart. His baby girl, Cailin. So fierce, temperamental, and Alpha in her own way. Yet as she got older, he had no idea how the hell to read her. She was an enigma. Independent yet ingrained in the Pack. His only daughter would always be his baby. He didn’t envy her future mate.Especially considering the fact he planned on interrogating the man until he was found perfect. Which would never happen. But it  was okay, he’d protect his little girl from anything.“I don’t like that look on your face, Edward.”He smiled, aware of the gleam in his eyes. “Just thinking of my baby girl.”Pat threw back her head and laughed. “That girl has you wrapped around your finger.”He shrugged. “So? It’s a daughter prerogative.”“You are such a Dad.”“You know it.” He shifted and settled his mate closer on his lap. “Speaking of, I know Father’s Day is tomorrow, but I don’t want to do anything for it.”Pat straightened and blinked up at him. “Why not? It’s your favorite holiday.”“I know, and I’ve loved our family dinners to celebrate it. But this time I’m not the only father in the group. I want it to be about the boys and their babies too. Not just me.”“But we could do that at dinner,” Pat pleaded.He shook his head. “I want Kade and Jasper to enjoy themselves and make their own traditions. Plus, I’ve seen the way Adam watches those babies and I know he’s thinking about that baby he lost. I don’t want to cause him any more pain than he’s already dealing with.”Pat’s eyes filled and she buried her face in his neck, the collar of his shirt damp with her tears. “I just want to spend the day with my mate, cuddle, and make love.”She sighed and kissed his jaw. “That sounds perfect.”“You think the kids will mind?”“Oh, I think they’ll like some time to themselves. We can always do a family dinner another night.”“Really?”“Uh huh…though I think I could use some planning and practice for our day.”His wolf growled and his eyes grew gold. She shifted on his lap and he moved to she could wrap her legs around his waist. “Bedroom?”She nipped at his lip. “I’m thinking the patio. The den can’t see us from here. We’re completely alone.”He growled and crushed his mouth to hers.She pulled back and laughed. “Careful big boy, we need to make sure we get some protection or we’ll make another baby.”“It would be a nice father’s day gift….” He smiled, knowing she’d know he was only kidding.“Oh really? Baby number eight? Maybe she’ll be just like our Cailin?”He groaned. “I don’t think I can take another Cailin.”She giggled and kissed his ear. “I love you, my Alpha.”“Not as much as I love you.”He picked her up and pulled her down to the porch so he could show her just how much he loved his mate. He’d raised seven children with  this woman and loved every inch of her. Now he got to show her just how grateful he was for his children…and the other half of his heart.



What did you think? I love Edward Jamenson...just saying. If you want to read more of Off the Page, stop by Lia Davis's blog!!

Fresh Friday Reads: Werewolves and Old Time Cowboys

It's Friday!!! Whoot! This week, between edits, new WIPs, and the lack of major releases from authors I follow, I don't have a huge list for you. I only got ONE book on Tuesday. *gasp* But I did read a few more from new-to-me authors. Here's the new one, plus book 1 from each of the "new" series I tried.


Tell me, what have you read this week? I love hearing from you. The more you tell me, the more I read! And the more I read, the more likely it will end up on this list for others to read. Get the picture? Help an author out! Read a book!


Wolf Line - Vivian Arend

So I love Vivian Arend. She's on my auto buy list. This time we got to go back to her Granite Lake Wolves for this 5th installment. She also has a spin-off of this series already out so I'm happy. This book was a bit confusing for me because Amazon's formatting lost all the spaces between POV changes. But other than that, I LOVED it. Still a 5-star! The hero was so cute and worthy. The heroine was strong and totally stood by her hero. Very sexy and very cute. Love it.

Into the best-laid plans a little chaos must fall…

Jared’s not sure how his quiet morning coffee near the harbour ended with him on a cruise ship impersonating one of his pack mates. Well, it might have something to do with a woman, but who can blame him? The female of the species was made to love, and he’s more than willing to share his considerable skills in that area. Especially since he figures the chances of meeting his own one-and-only are slim.

Keri Smith is positive the last-minute recruit sneaking aboard the Arctic Wolf Cruise Lines tour is her mate. Ix-nay on confirming that, though, at least for the next ten days. She’s promised her best friend to be overall troubleshooter for the shifter-only cruise. Getting tangled up in mating lust would reduce her skills to nil. Avoidance of the sexy wolf for the duration of the cruise, followed by jumping his bones, seems the logical solution.

But when libidos are on the line, “logic” and “wolves” don’t go together. Throw in suspicions of wrongdoing, and these two virtual strangers will need a lot more than luck to find their way through to forever.

Warning: Really? You need to be warned about the hot nookie and sarcasm? Yeah, it’s in here. Also colourful cat shifters, lupine royalty, and wild adventures in cabins like you’ve never seen before.

Welcome to Harmony - Jodi Thomas

Okay, so this was not my normal book. It's more of a series about a town that goes in about 8 POVs that are easy to follow. There is romance, love, happiness, and some suspense. But no sex. You heard me. No. Sex. And I'm okay with that LOL. I was having a HORRIBLE beginning of the week and this four book series helped me out. I'd try it if you're looking for a sweet Women's Fiction series.

Sixteen-year-old runaway Reagan has always wanted a place to belong. She's never had a real home of her own, but perhaps she could borrow someone else's. Under an assumed name and identity, she moves to Harmony, Texas, but keeps her distance from the welcoming townsfolk. Until prairie fires threaten Harmony-and Reagan learns the true meaning of family, friends, and home.


Rachel and the Hired Gun - Elaine Levine

I'm glad I listed to Moria Rogers and tried out this author! And old time western romance that was intriguing. Very, very good! I'm going to want to read more from this author.

When Rachel Douglas left her aunt's house in Virginia for the wilds of the Dakota Territory, she knew the journey would be long and arduous. But she didn't realize that she had been summoned west to be used as a pawn in a ranch war with her father's neighbor—or that her fierce, sudden attraction to Sager, her father's hired gun, would put her heart and her life in jeopardy.

Seducing Rachel and feeding a bitter feud between the two ranches was Sager's plan of vengeance against those who slaughtered his Shoshone family. Instead, Rachel's guileless mix of courage and vulnerability touches the conscience he thought he'd buried long ago, and draws them both into a passion without rules, without limits—one that will change their destinies forever.


So tell me, what have you read this week? What do you want to read? What should I read? Talk to me! I love hearing from you!!
Head on over to Lia Davis's to see what she's reading!

Thursday Tales: What is Romantic with Malia Mallory

Welcome to Thursday Tales, this week with Malia Mallory and what it means to be romantic.


What Is Romantic? Usually when we think of romantic gestures, we think of flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine. When we contemplate romantic activities, we might imagine a candlelit dinner or walk on the beach. However, some studies show that while love poetry might be appreciated, real romance involves doing the dishes. Just do a Google search on "men doing housework" and you'll find a host of articles describing how men who pitch in have happier marriages, better sex lives and lower rates of divorce. This is not to say that women don't love receiving flowers or that occasional bottle of perfume, but it does seem to indicate that what happens day in and day out is more important over the long term.There are a number of hypotheses about why a more equitable division of housework leads to happiness in the bedroom. Could it be a sign of respect? Is it simply more fair? If the household and childcare duties are more evenly divided, does that free up time and energy for other activities? My question would be, is the relationship happier because a man does more housework or are men who do more housework more supportive partners?Speaking for myself, I'm thrilled when my husband empties the dishwasher without being asked.What do you find romantic?****One lucky commenter will receive a copy of Mia's Cop Craving! Be sure to leave your email address!*** Mia's Cop CravingMia is just your normal girl next store with a secret fantasy. She can't resist a man in blue. She's desperate to find a cop of her own and fulfill all her sexual dreams. When Mia finds sexy police officer Rogan, he takes her on a tour of her own sensuality.
Excerpt from Mia's Cop CravingHe brushed her lips with his. "Mmmm, you'd better point me to a flat surface."Her hand fluttered in the direction of the hallway and she gasped as he swept his arm under her knees and picked her up. His legs covered the distance quickly, and it barely seemed a blink before they were in her bedroom.Lights from the street bathed the room in a slight glow and Rogan laid her on the coverlet. He smoothed her hair back from her face and climbed onto the mattress beside her."Mia," he whispered, “tell me what happens in your fantasy."*** Malia Mallory is the author of The ABCs of Eroticaseries, which includes so far A is for Anal, B is for Beach, C is for C*ck Ring, D is for Domination, and now, R is for Revenge. The ABCs of Erotica covers the erotic spectrum from BDSM to ménage and everything in between. More releases in the series are on the way. She has also released Mia's Cop Craving and Santa's Backdoor Baby. She has hit the bestselling erotica lists at both Amazon and iTunes. Her books are available in electronic format at major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and AllRomance Books.
For a free copy of B is for Beach from The ABCs of Erotica, head to her website and sign up for the newsletter at http://www.maliamallory.com/Join_My_Mailing_List.php.
Connect with Malia Mallory
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/@MaliaMallory
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/MaliaMallory
Blog - http://abcsoferotica.wordpress.com/
Web Page - http://www.maliamallory.com
***** Buy LinksAmazon Author Page - http://amzn.to/xpbkfg
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/xPUUJe
iTunes - http://bit.ly/Avk7oK
Smashwords - http://bit.ly/AsvNJN
All Romance - http://bit.ly/ACe7k2
Sony - http://bit.ly/zTYnsL
Kobo - http://bit.ly/yKpgWY
Diesel - http://bit.ly/xF6r3g

Writer Wednesday: An Interview with Zee Monodee

Hi everyone! Welcome to another edition of Writer Wednesdays, where we get to meet another fabulous author, Zee Monodee!!! Help me welcome her!

Hi! Thanks so much for coming today. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi Carrie; hey all! Pleasure to be here, totally stoked!
So, about me... Married chick, mum of a tween, stepmum to a teen, undomestic goddess, has a strange fascination with cookbooks and cooking shows despite hating to cook (starting to show my weirdness now...). I also think I have a very twisted mind because it appears I can get into the minds of assassins, spies, and sociopaths very easily in my Corpus Brides romantic suspense/espionage series. When I’m not writing, I’m most probably reading, or watching Supernatural or Glee, and surely plotting how to get my husband to take me shoe shopping ASAP.
Tell us a bit about your book.
It’s the story of Rayne Cheltham. Rayne always knew she was a bit ‘odd’; actually, she has sociopathic tendencies. But she also knew she could curb that edge if she settled down, with the boy she’s always loved – Ash Gilfoy, her neighbor and childhood best friend.But the day Ash crashes her hopes when he vows never to marry, that dark edge wins, and Rayne gives in. She becomes a clandestine agent with the Corpus agency; a highly-skilled, trained assassin whose specialty is undercover work and killings without leaving any trace. For seventeen years, Rayne has been able to carry out missions as Kali, her secret agent moniker. Until the day she comes back to England, and her path crosses Ash’s path once again. Faced with the man she never stopped loving, Rayne knows she cannot go back to being sociopathic Kali. So she bows out, and goes to Ash, ending up with him.Easy, right? Not exactly. Ash has no clue she used to work as a killer, and someone inside her agency is not ready to let her leave so cleanly. Rayne is now in a race against time to keep her secret and find the people who want to get them to work for their nefarious purposes, before Ash discovers the truth, and before these rogue agents kill her.
Is this part of a series?
Yes – it’s Book Two of the Corpus Brides series. But it is actually the prequel to Book One, showing what happened in the backstory of the Corpus agency, the mutinous plot that is at the heart of Book 1, Walking The Edge.This mutiny storyline spans over the 3 books in this series. Book 3, Let Mercy Come, is currently in writing stage, and is the story of the presumed mutiny leader being brought to justice in front of the Corpusauthority.But nothing is exactly what it seems – no one is exactly who or what he/she shows himself to be... There are a lot of secrets still to be unveiled in Book 3.Each book focuses on the life and love of one female agent, a Corpus Bride, and can be read as a stand-alone.
What did you find the hardest part of writing it to be?
To think, behave, act, carry out missions, like a trained spy/assassin would. While Book 1 had aspects of espionage tradecraft, Book 2 required me to literally step into the shoes of an international spy, to ‘be’ this undercover agent and efficient killer. It was a walk on a very tight line to make Rayne, and the other agents inside the Corpus, come across as realistic, yet at the same time, sympathetic, and a person the reader would cheer for. I’ve pored over countless espionage books, watched hours of spy TV shows and movies, done endless research on locations and the veritable barrage of guns that these spies use. Spies seem to be wired to think differently, and it wasn’t easy to get my suburban-housewife-mum brain to wire this way.
What was your favorite part?
The scenes with Rayne’s family. Russian on her father’s side, Irish on her mother’s, they are a crazy, loony, totally over-the-top bunch who have so much drama going on in their lives you wonder how anyone can remain sane in their entourage! Rayne and Ash go home for their siblings’ wedding (Ash’s brother is marrying Rayne’s sister), and in the process, unveil their very own secret Las Vegas wedding on their unsuspecting families. Writing the actual wedding – the exchange of vows and the reception – was a true delight. These scenes were the touch of lightness in what was otherwise a very dark and ominous atmosphere.
Rate your story in terms of steaminess
1 – Something your sour, old, very proper aunt wouldn’t even scoff at!2 – You might get that aunt to scowl...3 – Don’t even think of letting the old biddy see this! She’d think you’re on the road to hell!4 – Worry that if your mum ever reads this, she’ll wonder where all your religious education went, and how she is now damned to hell for raising such a shameless daughter!5 – Don’t even dream of letting anyone in your entourage see this, because they’ll think you’re a sex fiend with more than a kinky bent (you’re heading to Bedlam though, because this level of hotness is just “not done”... shame on you...)
I’d say the sex scenes in Before The Morning slot in somewhere between 4 and 5. One of my beta readers fell in lust with Ash merely on the basis of his hot prowess in the bedroom!The buildup of sexual tension warrants a 3, I suppose. These two mostly jump into the sack without much need for long, drawn-out tension. They’ve known each other forever, and are already married for much of the book.
Who is your favorite romance author?
Susan Mallery. No one quite does small town romance and lovable characters as well as she does. Her books also don’t sound like you’re reading the same story over and over, with only the character names changed.
What is your favorite romance book or series?
Favorite book = The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. There’s everything in that one – humor, lots of laughter, falling in love, a heroine out of her depths who learns to ‘live’ again, a man to die for, and that definite HEA.
Favorite series = Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold. That town feels like a second home now, the characters like an extended family you just love to catch up with.
Who is your favorite romance character? If you could go on a date with that person, what would you do? Details please! *wink*
I’ve totally been struck by this man I read about in Judith McNaught’s Night Whispers. His name is Noah Maitland. Rich tycoon, totally swoon-worthy, honorable, and when he fell in love, he fell hard. There’s also an edge of danger to him, a sort of roughness no amount of high society polish or money could totally buff out of his persona and his appeal.A date with Noah Maitland? *checks if my husband is around... he’s not* LOL. Let’s just say, why not a balmy evening on his yacht, just off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. We wouldn’t be exchanging pleasantries and witty conversation, if you know what I mean... *grin* So, the soft evening breeze blowing on the deck... the yacht moored a few hundred yards from land, where no one can really make out what’s happening on board... a nice, comfy blanket on the polished wood planks of that deck... a sexy, dark, brooding man wearing nothing but skin-tight jeans... I’ll leave you to imagine the rest *wink*
Boxers or Briefs?
Boxers... though, in the end, both will have to come off ASAP... *grin*
What is next for you?
A slew of WIPs, a handful of them continuing the two series I have started at Noble Romance Publishing. Book 2 of my sweet romance, Destiny’s Child series, is in the making, titled Glory Days. It’s the story of teenage lovers who reconnect nineteen years later... to win custody of their granddaughter after the death of their secret child. Book 3, the last one, of the Corpus Brides series, is also on my drafting board.Then I have a couple of 1NightStand ideas rolling around, and a potential contribution to Decadent Publishing’s Western Escapesmall-town romance series.
What were your first impressions of each other?
Ash Gilfoy: That she was totally off her rocker. I saw this little girl in a pink tutu and ballet slippers climbing up this gigantic chestnut tree at least five times her size. As I predicted, she slipped, and I got there in time to catch her. The first thing she asked when she opened her big blue-grey eyes was, “Are you an angel?” I expected, “Who the hell are you?”, but no. She was totally crazy!
Rayne Cheltham: I thought he was an angel, sent to save me. I fell from that tree and this bony, gangly little boy cushioned my fall. I remember staring into the most beautiful, molten-silver eyes I had ever seen when I looked at him; they were the color of my mum’s most precious silver. His blond hair fell over his forehead, and he really did look like an angel. I was six, and I’m pretty sure I fell in love that day. My heart never belonged to any other boy ever since that day.
What are your favorite parts about each other?
Rayne: That Ash has a noble spirit. He wants to help, to do good, to save people. Who can resist a knight in shining armor?
Ash: Rayne can take on the world when she’s got her heart set on something. There’s nothing that can come in the way of her determination.
What’s next for you?
Rayne: Getting used to a ‘normal’ life, and becoming better acquainted with my role as a wife. I will also try my best to stop my past from encroaching into my life...
Ash: Getting used to the idea that I now have a wife, when I have no clue or memory of proposing or even getting married... I never conceived of my life including a wife, a family. I never conceived I’d be anything but a cop, either, and look where I am today, a paramedic. I’ve got to adapt to this change...
Bio:
Zee MonodeeStories about love, life, relationships... in a melting-pot of cultureZee is an author who grew up on a fence - on one side there was modernity and the global world, on the other there was culture and traditions. Putting up with the culture for half of her life, one day she decided she'd stand tall on her wall and dip toes every now and then into both sides of her non-conventional upbringing.From this resolution spanned a world of adaptation and learning to live on said wall. The realization also came that many other young women of the world were on their own fence.This particular position became her favorite when she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of writing - her heroines all sit 'on a fence', whether cultural or societal, in today's world or in times past, and face dilemmas about life and love.Hailing from the multicultural island of Mauritius, Zee is a degree holder in Communications Science. She is married,mum to a tween son, & stepmum to a teenage lad.

Buy Links:
BEFORE THE MORNING (Corpus Brides: Book 2): An action/adventure, romantic suspense tale on the backdrop of a clandestine espionage agency - come read the story of Rayne, a spy who leaves that life in the name of love, & Ash, the man who changes her world! https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/42...
WALKING THE EDGE (Corpus Brides: Book 1): Currently FREE - A romantic suspense novel, wherein an amnesiac woman is on the quest for her forgotten memory... Escape from London all the way to Marseille, France, and discover the secrets, deceit, danger, & the powerful love, she uncovers during her search! https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/30...  
ONCE UPON A STORMY NIGHT (1NightStand): On the paradise island of Mauritius, British billionaire Lars Rutherford isn’t looking for a woman, & corporate law executive Simmi Moyer isn’t looking for a man. But when a matchmaker pairs them together on a blind date, both face open doors towards a future they refused to contemplate... until now. http://www.decadentpublishing.com/pro...

Contact Links:
Blog: http://zeemonodee.blogspot.com/
Facebook & Goodreads: Zee Monodee
Twitter: @ZeeMonodee
Before The Morning. . . is a time of great darkness. . . A trained killer with borderline sociopathic tendencies:Rayne Cheltham traced out her life's path when she was twelve: she would marry her best friend and bear his children, and in the process, stifle the restless edge in her. When he vows never to marry, she gives in to the darkness and becomes a clandestine agent—until the day he walks into her world again, and her carefully fabricated façade crumbles.A former cop burned by life and his personal demons:When Ash Gilfoy meets a woman who reminds him of his childhood best friend, he starts upon a path that leads him down into an abyss once again. The day Rayne waltzes back into his life, he knows she is his second chance, and the one who will save him.Each thinks the other is their redemption . . . until they discover how deep the other's edge of darkness goesNo one knows Rayne used to be a spy and an assassin, and no one knows why Ash left the police force. The secrets between them make them sit on a keg of gunpowder with a lit fuse in their hands. Neither knows what 'normal' means now, especially Rayne, whose whole life is built on a lie. Truth is threatening to explode in their faces, and that is not the only menace they have to face. Someone is out to get Rayne, and she must disclose her past before it is too late.Can Rayne and Ash survive all that's thrown in their path? Can they hang on to the last thread of their relationship, and can they emerge, still together and still alive, in the morning after the deepest darkness?

http://youtu.be/ivUw0X9odFk
Excerpt:
From the front-facing window on the second floor of the Shepherd's Close freehold, Corpussecret agent Rayne Cheltham watched the ambulance pull away from the curb.Shivers crept up her arms, and she hugged herself tight to ward them off.Get a grip!She was a professional on an assignment, an elite, trained operative from a clandestine agency that handled operations for governments and international forces as a stealthy left hand. Her agency entrusted her with the most important missions—nothing should faze her.Before today, she would've said that nothing could affect her when she had her eyes on a goal.But she wasn't sure anymore. She'd never had her past collide with her present like a few moments ago, in the form of her childhood best friend.Ashford Gilfoy, better known as Ash. The boy who had been there to catch her when, at six, she had slipped while climbing the chestnut tree that sat right on the border between their two houses in Hastings, two days after her family moved there from Salisbury. The boy who had taught her how to ride a bicycle without the training wheels on the long and winding, gravel-covered lane leading to her parents' mansion. The teenager who had smashed the nose of the first lad who had broken her heart, at thirteen, during recess in the schoolyard. The young man she had left seventeen years ago on a platform at London Waterloo, on the day she bid her old life goodbye.For the first time since that day, she was back on British soil, and kismet decided Ash should cross her path.Why then, of all times? She was a hair's breadth away from closing the contract on this mission. Seven months of intensive infiltration work and she was ready to achieve her aim—neutralize Nikolai Grigorievskiy's criminal operations before she took out the man. The Corpus always sent her for the kill, but the trick was that she had to make her target's death appear self-inflicted, at the bare minimum, or an accident, in the direst of cases. Measles, as such operations were known in their clandestine world—a planned assassination that didn't leave any indication of the cause of death. She would then have to sanitize everything—leave no evidence, no witness, nothing that could lead back to her. Unlike her other agency counterparts, she wasn't an out-and-out black ops assassin, but a different level of highly implicated agent provocateur.In other words, a consummate actress who got to her ends by manipulating people and circumstances. All those years of drama school, at her mother’s insistence when, obviously, she'd be too tall to become a ballerina, came in handy. In fact, her portrayal of Lady Macbeth in the drama school's end of year play had caught the eye of the people who had recruited her into the Corpus. Seventeen years into the agency, fifteen of them as Kali, her operative name, a sociopath with no apparent conscience who followed her orders with diligence. Never had any one of her targets come close to figuring she was an undercover agent. Her track record was flawless—each assignment undertaken with one hundred percent success rate and a marginal body count.Until today, when she'd almost gotten burned.Ash had recognized her down there. For a second, she'd thought her cover was blown. Then, she'd taken a deep breath and forced herself to remain in character. Never panic, always stay in control, breathe and gather your wits—the first lesson drilled inside the mind of any secret agent. Pulling on a blank face was one of her fortes, and Ash had bought the act. He thought she was Irina, clueless twenty-year-old from the dirt-poor suburbs of Moscow who didn't speak any other language but Russian.She'd had a few close encounters in the past, but never like that. Rayne and Kali had two separate, compartmentalized lives that ran parallel. The two should never have touched, because that would end up making a mess of her. She could keep each persona separate, as long as she could push Rayne to some dark corner of her mind. Her job taxed her, and she walked the tight line of paranoia every single second while undercover.But if Rayne came to the front during a mission . . . .Damn it, she wasn't a rookie agent on her first mission. Cherries, as the CIA called them. Hell, even during her first undercover operation, she'd had no qualms and no trouble achieving her aim.Why today, when everything was smooth sailing toward a much-desired goal?She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the windowpane. The glass was warm against her clammy skin.She was sweating?That will not do. I have to take control again.She had to forget about Ash, about Rayne, and focus on being Irina, the one who would bring down a notorious criminal. Her agency and the whole world counted on her to take out the piece of scum. She was their last hope, sent in as the trump card after good cops got killed when trying to bring Nikolai to justice.Someone knocked on the door, and she pulled away from the window. Damn it, she still had a job to do.Willing confidence to steel her spine on a deep breath, she turned around. She blinked a few times, called forth tears. She was supposed to be a young wife who'd just been hit by her husband, a man she'd left downstairs at the party with a leggy blonde draped all over his side.The moisture trickled onto her cheek, and she swiped her eyes to smear the kohl and mascara.There—she should present the desired picture of despair."Da?" she answered as she stepped toward the door.The panel opened quietly. "Zdrastuyte, Gaspazha Grigorievskaya."Hello, Mrs. Grigorievskaya. Such formality. Only one man addressed her with such deference and respect—Boris Petrov, Nikolai's right-hand man."Zdrastuyte, Boris Ivanovich." She replied him with the same formal greeting, using his patronymic name to further show her respect, as was customary in the Russian culture.Boris was the least disposable target in the whole operation—the keystone. She had to bring him down, or at least create a rift between the two men. Everything would crumble afterward. Nikolai wouldn't have his main pillar of support, and would thus crash down through the pyramidal structure of his operations."Are you okay?" he asked as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.She shrugged, forced a small, tremulous smile. Russian wives, she'd learned, tolerated a lot of their husbands' outbursts. "It's nothing.""You shouldn't listen to what Mikhail said. He is just jealous that Kolya's attention is not wholly directed onto him any longer.""It does not bother me," she said in a small voice.Make a move, she silently urged him. For her plan to work, Boris had to capitalize on the simmering embers of passion that flared between him and his boss' wife, and that he denied all the time. She'd already lost too much time, and had to start the measles process.I have to take matters in my hands. There's no other way.She trained her eyes on him. Boris was a big, burly man in his mid-forties. Anyone could imagine him knocking out a person with just a flick of his thick wrist. Toying with him was like playing with fire—she could get burnt. But she had no other choice. The time had come. Five months to gain Nikolai's trust and compliance; two months to insidiously plant the seeds of discord within the criminal's entourage. She didn't have much leeway to work at influencing outcomes anymore. No—she had to provoke.Rayne inhaled, felt the oxygen fill her lungs and clear her brain. She forced herself into her character. What would Irina do?She gasped, and brought her hands to cover her mouth. With rapid steps, she rushed to Boris' side. She reached out with one hand and trailed the tips of her fingers along one of his eyes, swollen nearly shut from a blow."You shouldn't have," she said in a soft whisper, letting tears streak down her cheeks. "Not for me."Boris' swift intake of air was the only sound that hissed between them. He closed his eyes under her touch.Do it, she urged."I am so"—she paused and sobbed—"so sorry." Her voice was small and breathless, heavy with sadness.Boris settled a heavy, meaty palm on her hand, to keep her fingers unfurled on his cheek. "Forgive me, Irina. I couldn't let him say those ugly lies about you."He is caving."Boris, please." She pleaded with him."I will do anything for you.""I am a married woman.""Why don't you leave him?"She gasped. "I cannot. I pledged myself to him.""But look how he treats you!""Borya," she said, using the nickname for Boris, "back in Russia, for every one like me, there are ten other girls, more beautiful, waiting to take my place.""There isn't any woman more beautiful than you in all of Russia."She smiled, making sure she displayed sadness and resolution on her features."You are such a sweet man." When he wasn't forcing underage girls into the cargo holds of boats docking out of most major European ports, plying them with drugs before supplying them like meat to brothels and sex perverts."Leave him," Boris said, the words a subtle urge."I can't. Where would I go?" She gently tugged her hand from under his and took a step closer to him. "I can't go back to that life, Borya.""Irina, please—"The sound of the door opening startled them. Nikolai stood on the threshold, his tall, dark form an intimidating silhouette in the dim doorway.Kali threw one look at Boris, shook her head softly, and took a few steps away. The back of her knees hit the edge of the window seat. She stumbled backward into a sitting position on the upholstered ledge.Nikolai's narrowed gaze went from Boris to her, and back to his right-hand man."Leave us," he said softly, the words obviously an order.Boris nodded and exited the room.Good—she’d sown the seeds of doubt. Her "husband" would wonder what went on between her and Boris, and Boris would try to get closer to her. She would play on this nearness between them, subtly make people wonder if something was happening behind Nikolai's back.At that point, she would move her final chess piece—Nikolai would die at the same time as Boris. For the world, things would look like an altercation gone wrong between a spurned husband and a forbidden lover, with her caught in the crossfire. That's how she'd ensure her exit from the operation.Yes, all the pieces of the game were falling into place. She just had to play along.Nikolai closed the door behind Boris, the click of the latch falling into place sounding louder than it should have.He turned toward her, pressed his shoulder against the doorframe, and pushed his hands into the pockets of his Gieves and Hawkes champagne-coloured, tailor-made linen trousers.Her "husband" focused his steely grey eyes on her.The stare burned into her skull. Still, she refused to look up. Not yet.
***end of excerpt***

Zee will be be offering a pdf of Before The Morning to a random commenter. :-) Be sure to leave your email address to enter.
 

Tasty Tuesday: Dust of My Wings

So I never get the shirt thing models do, but just look at his stomach and arms..... Don't you love our Tasty Tuesdays??? So tell me, what do you look for in a Tasty Tuesday man? His eyes? His chest? His legs?
What about the inner hero? For that, I'd think we'd need to know a little about him. But that's why we read romance right? To understand who these characters are before the get their happy ending?
Why do I do Tasty Tuesdays? Because we're women and men who love men. We love everything about them. We may oogle and gasp at their bodies, but without that inner man, what happy ending do we get?
And no, I'm not talking dirty. I'm talking about the fact that yes, we're objectifying him, but if he doesn't have a grain of confidence, intelligence, and common sense...is he worth a romance book?
Tell me what  you think?


And now, from my newly edited and off to the line editor, WIP, Dust of My Wings (out July 27th):

He pulled out onto the street, and Lily held tighter. It was so invigorating. The wind lashed against her face, and she felt like she was flying. She wasn’t scared like she normally would be. Maybe it was because she was with Shade. He revved the engine, the vibrations running through her body, and she almost squealed in delight. This was so much fun! The wind grew colder and she buried closer to the heat radiating off of Shade’s body. Oh boy, he was hot. In more ways than one.





Go find our other Tasty Tuesdays!!! Lia Davis & Tempeste O’Riley & Divinities
They'd love to have you! Share this with your friends and maybe we'll get some more Tasty Tuesdays in the future!

Manic Monday Updates: A New Life...and edits.

Welcome to Manic Monday Updates!!! I'm super busy and loving it as always LOL. Each week, I give you a little slice of what I've been up to, but I swear I just do it so I get to keep my OCDness organized. I'm writing and editing up a storm so I hope y'all get to read my books!
Also, I know I posted it on Facebook and Twitter so most--if not all--of you know, but I quit my job. Yep, as of July 18th, I won't be a Chemistry Professor anymore. I think that's the most dramatic update ever.


When I started writing--back in JULY--I never thought I'd be doing this. I thought that it would be nice to finally write down these stories in my head. I'd only been reading romance for TWO years by then. I didn't know what I wanted to do, but apparently my Muse did.


I wasn't happy anymore in my job. I know that now. I was going through the motions, loving working with students who cared and tried. But those were becoming few and far between. I graduated college at 17 and am 26 now. Only 9 years of graduate school and teaching full time...and I'm jaded I guess.


I want those happy endings...and I didn't get it teaching. And I think that depresses me more than I'd like to admit. I will always be a chemist and a teacher. I help my writing friends with new things I've learned to help them. I help my family members and friends with teaching.


My mother, who after 20 years doing one thing, changed her career to be a teacher recently--ironically. She's been teaching k-2. But this year she'll be teaching the third grade and I get to help her with the science.


Me.


And that's how I know I'll be okay. Because I get to live the dream I didn't know I had. I get to write, tell stories, find characters I love. But then I get to still touch base on the sciences that made me who I am today.


I'm no longer the blonde girl with the PhD and a decade younger than her friends. Now I'm an author. A storyteller. 


And I'm happy.


And this update wasn't supposed to be me rambling...but you know how it goes. Oh! And I have pink hair. Apparently when I go for life changes I don't do it halfway.






Waiting for:
Just got NEW swag for Dust of My Wings!!! So excited! I'm thinking about how to do giveaways for y'all.A new cover and graphics are coming.My publishing company, Fated Desires, also does graphics. So if y'all need promo goodies, banners, website graphics...and more, let us know! Working on:
Edits for Dust of My Wings are almost done then off the the Line Editor! This story is just getting better and better.Writing:
Charmed Spirits (Holiday Montana, Book 1). I'm almost midway through and hope to be through in the next two weeks or so with the draft. Its only a 30k novel, so it won't take as long as the others. Matt and Jordan are sooo much fun! This series is a blast and I can't wait for y'all to meet them!Enforcer's Redemption (Redwood Pack 4). OMG. I started writing the first chapter and sobbed. SOBBED. I'll be okay, but I know how much you guys love Adam so I want this to be amazing. I hope I can live up to it.Other:
I've joined Pinterest and made boards for each of my books and series. Come on over and tell me what you think. Each board for each book has their characters, covers, and key moments in the book that will help you picture my world.And that's about it! Go on over to other Manic Monday Updates with: Lia Davis , Lacey Wolfe , Fated Desires,   and  The Divinites

Swag Pack Giveaway

Since Dust of My Wings comes out in just over a month, I've decided to throw a swag pack giveaway. I have NEW postcards, NEW wristbands, and tons of bookmarks, a magnet...and a $10 Gift Card!
Go through the Rafflecopter and enjoy yourself! Thanks so much for being you!




a Rafflecopter giveaway