Aimee Duffy's Blog, page 13

The Publisher's Proposal

 

The Publisher's Proposal   
Daring Desires book 2  
 
Sylvia must fess up her secrets, but things go too far when Ivy, the publisher at Daring Desires Publishing, wants to use Katia as her own personal learning tool for BDSM. What ensues is a catfight between editor and boss, as both try to win over author Katia Lane. 
Katia never expected BDSM to come up when she's invited to meet with the publisher for dinner, but sure enough, a ménage is in the making. What Katia can't understand is, if Sylvia asked her to come, why isn't the editor enjoying this too?
 
Be Warned: menage sex (FFF), BDSM, voyeurism, sex toys  
Excerpt: 
Determined to win this little game, Sylvia moved up to her sub's neck. She nipped and kissed lightly before running her tongue across Katia's earlobe. The whimper turned into a moan and Sylvia couldn't help glancing at Ivy out of the corner of her eye. Her boss had one of Katia's legs lifted and she was mirroring Sylvia's motions on the inside of Katia's thigh. Oh, now that's playing dirty. I would have started by kissing her ankles. Sylvia narrowed her eyes and decided to beat the redhead to the punch. They all knew where this was headed, and she'd be damned if Ivy got to her sweet spot first. She adjusted so that she was seated on the edge of the bed, her feet still planted firmly on the floor, and her ass hanging half off. It wasn't too comfortable, but it gave her access to what she wanted. Katia's pert nipples beckoned her like cupcakes in a bakery. She wanted nothing more than to lick the sweet tips of them until she was satisfied. As Sylvia began lowering her head, she noticed Ivy had paused to watch her. The woman's eyes were narrowed, as if studying Sylvia's movements. That's right, you are the student and I am the master. You better be studying hard. With slow, deliberate movements, Sylvia swirled her tongue around Katia's breast. She avoided the nipple with great care. When she tilted her head to glance at Katia's face, the woman was staring at her with wide, pleading eyes. Oh yes, she knew that look and knew exactly what the sub wanted. Suddenly, Katia threw back her head, her body arched off the bed, and her eyes shut. Her breast almost slammed right into Sylvia's mouth. A quick glance back down at Katia's pussy confirmed Sylvia's suspicions: Ivy was fingering her, fast and hard. An orgasm was wracking the blonde's body, and her moans were clearly audible through the gag. Katia was tugging at her restraints, her fists clenched. She's right on the edge, slipping, but not free-falling yet. Here's my chance.   Buy Links:   Amazon     Smashwords        Barnes & Noble   Watch the Trailer:  Youtube
   
About the Authors: Sonia Hightower is a pen name for Tara Chevrestt, a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married.
Sonia writes the racy stuff and argues she was here first. She just wasn't allowed to be unleashed until the last year. They both agree, however, that strong is sexy, and they don't write the average, simpering damsel. They write about women who see what they want and obtain it. While Tara and Sonia continue to fight over the laptop and debate who writes the next book, you can find buy links, blurbs, and other fun bits on their website: Website    Facebook When D. F. Krieger was banned from writing contests at her school, she immediately set it in her head that she would become a professional writer. Since then, she has thrown away her plans of world domination through books, but she still enjoys writing. Her tastes run from classy urban witches to dragons, space pirates to shape shifters. By the time she pens her final book with a hand ravaged by age, she hopes to introduce her readers to many alternate worlds, lines of thinking, and captivating characters.  You can find D. F. on the East Coast, hiding away from the real world with a gleam in her eye and a plot in her head. She resides with her husband, kids, and pets; who all kindly put up with her random bouts of laughter (over things she can't explain) and journal collecting fetish.

#SexySnippets - Never Say Never

Last week’s post seemed to get eaten by Blogger (perfectly reasonable excuse for a numpty like me!). I hope it works this week.


My Sexy Seven is from my April release, Never Say Never. It’s book two in The Price of Fame Series but can be read as a standalone as well as a sequel to The Monster of Fame.
This is Chloe and Sander’s first kiss, he’s trying to prove a point that even though their relationship is fake, the attraction is all real…

He lowered his head and slanted his mouth against her gloss covered lips. She opened up, sighed and her hands slid around his neck. Arousal crashed through him and he deepened the kiss, feasted on the sweet, erotic taste of her and dipped his tongue in to experience it more fully.
Shit. He didn’t think it would go this far. Hadn’t expected her response to fuck with his head like it did. But her fingers slid into his hair, pulled him closer, made his wavering control snap.
You can visit The Nuthouse Scribblers’ site here to find more sexy snippets. Happy Sunday everyone!
XOXO

Publishing. Where to start?

I received an email this week from a fellow writer who read my interview in the local paper. He didn’t know anyone else who writes (or is actively trying to) and had no idea what to do with his novel when it was completed.


It got me thinking about way back when. Me and my laptop would batter out nonsense I thought must be a literary masterpiece (yes, I’m very naïve), but like my fellow writer I had no idea where to go from The End.
There are so many options out there these days that it’s hard to choose. Do you go indie? Traditional? Try for an agent? Submit to one of the thousands of epublishers out there?

I wasn’t sure how to set up everything myself, and being a bit of a technophobe (blogging is a challenge for me) I felt more comfortable having someone else do the uploading.
But after three years of researching, getting to know some wonderful authors and publishers, I had some advice to pass on to my fellow writer and I thought other newbies might benefit from the information. So, I’ve put it all into three categories.
Agents
I don’t have one, but two of my critique partners have signed up so I know a little about this route.
The Pros:
An agent will help you get the manuscript as perfect as you can before presenting it to publishers.
Most agents have good relationships with editors they work with often.
They keep up to date with what’s selling and what’s not.
Agents will act as sound boards for new ideas and tell you honestly whether they think there is a market for your planned book.
Agents are helpful during the revision process, promotion and everything else an author faces from signing that contract to getting your book out there.
The Cons:
I can only think of one. You have to pay a percentage of your royalties for the privilege. From what I hear that small figure is worth it.
Self-publishing
Again, I have a good friend who has gone down this road and I know it hasn’t been easy, but a year later she’s reaping the rewards. Plus I’ve done a little research myself.
The Pros:
You make 100% of net sales, meaning you get to keep what the online retailer pays out on the book rather than a percentage.
You can work to your own schedule, organise your own releases, pull whatever books aren’t selling and add new ones at will.
You are your own boss.
There are only self-imposed deadlines.
More authors are going indie every day and most of the books you can buy now are great quality, so there’s a higher chance readers will buy.
You can make any book free when you like (this is a bit harder to do on Amazon) to knock it higher up the sales ranks.
The Cons:
The pressure is all on you to make sure there’s no mistakes; grammatical, format wise or spelling.
You have to format the book individually for each retailer as they all have varying formats. Although if you pay Smashwords a small percentage of your earnings they will do this for you and upload to places like iTunes and B & N taking some of the headache away.
Mistakes in indie books tend to be pointed out by reviewers. Having your story professionally edited is a must.
You’re on your own with promotion. Some publishers help a lot, others as much as they can but when you go indie the pressure is all on you.
You have to either do your own cover (which is hard, if like me you can’t work design programs!) or pay to have one made up.
‘Traditional’ Publishing
Here’s what I’ve discovered from my experience.
The Pros:
Your book is professionally edited.
Your cover is designed with your input (although some publishers refuse to change it, even if you hate the thing).
The publisher will do some promotion of your book.
The publisher will do all the dreaded formatting and upload the book to various retailers.
Most publishers will send your book to various companies for review (mine does and I know of a few others who do).
All you have to do is concentrate on your share of the promotion and your next book.
The Cons:
You only make a percentage of those ‘net’ royalties I mentioned earlier.
Depending on your contract terms, you can wait longer to be paid than if you went down the indie route.
If the publisher goes bust it can be hard to get the rights to your story back (unless you have a ‘the rights will revert to you’ clause in your contract).
You have to negotiate the contract yourself unless you have an agent. A publishing contract varies from house to house and aren’t in layman’s terms! I’m so lucky I work for lawyers :o)
So, there you have it!
I’m sure I’m missing a lot, and if there’s anything you’re unsure about leave a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
XOXO

Spotlight: Given, by Ashlynn Munroe

I have another fellow Beachwalk Babe on my blog today. Read on for a little more about Given (which I’ve read and reviewed and can say honestly that it is absolutely fabulous!). Enjoy!

In a world without choices, one woman will find herself caught in the middle of six men and the emotions they develop for her. 
Krista Damiani is one of the last women on Earth, and her patriotic duty is to make babies. On her twenty-first birthday, the government holds a lottery drawing to determine the men who will control her destiny. Her “six”, the men who win the right to call her their own, know they have to impregnate her quickly or risk losing her to a new “six”. As society fills with additional violence and unrest, her men keep her sheltered in a fortress of maximum security. When a mysterious man arrives and offers her the chance for freedom, will she be willing to leave the life she knows behind or will she remain “given”?Content Warning: contains voyeurism, multiple partners, ménage and anal sexExcerpt:
"She's here." Jared's words came out in a whoosh of anticipation. They watched the black SUV with tinted windows as it pulled up to the front of the building. They stood in front of the grand capital tense, quiet—waiting.

A uniformed solider opened the front passenger side door and stood, surveying the crowd. He opened the back door. Max sucked in a deep breath and the sound broke the spell the other five men seemed to be under.

The crowd suddenly began shouting and the rabble of voices grew chaotic. The six men turned to watch a tall, grubby-looking man sprinting across the green grass of the capital lawn, running toward the SUV and their woman. A police officer tackled the man and the two rolled onto the ground. More officers swarmed the desperate man.

"I just want to touch her!" the wild-eyed man wailed as they cuffed him.* * * *
Krista stepped out, and the screaming men frightened her. She saw a police officer tackle a man only a few yards away. She started to get back into the SUV, but one of the soldiers grabbed her arm gently.

"It's time, miss."

"I'm afraid."

"We'll protect you. It'll be all right. It's always like this on Giving Day. Don't worry. We will see you safely until you are under the guard of your private security."

This was everything she'd feared, only worse. She hadn't expected the protesters. Someone shouted the word "whore"; she knew the man's hateful word meant her. How any of them could think she'd asked for this was beyond her imagination.

Six young, well-dressed men stood in front of the steps of the large, white, domed building. They were looking at her with…possessiveness. The moment she saw them she knew that these men were her six, or more accurately, she was theirs.

Everything had been sort of slow motion, but then as the crowd grew more agitated, the soldiers quickly ushered her up the sidewalk. The governor didn't come out for the official ceremonial signing of The Giving right, too many threats to his life and ugly behavior had changed this day. As men who couldn't qualify grew angrier with the government, The Giving ceremony became less pomp and more circumstance; and the circumstance was, until they had the woman away from the crowd, they were all in danger. A secretary rushed out and handed the men the last of the paperwork to sign.

There wasn't a single introduction as the security, soldiers, and six young men surrounded Krista and rushed her around the corner and into a waiting limousine. They all hurried to get inside as the soldiers held back the men running toward them. Even inside the car, Krista could hear the angry shouting. The trunk slammed shut. Krista saw the driver slide into the front seat and the engine roared to life.****
They left her alone. She sat down on the bed and air whooshed from her lungs. She shook a little due to nervous anticipation. Oh God, who should I pick? Choosing felt so very wrong to her. She may belong to these men for a long time, and the idea of alienating any of them, or getting off on a bad start, twisted her stomach in knots of nervous anxiety. She stood up and unpacked her few belongings. The closet looked so empty after she'd put her scant possessions into it. She began walking down the stairs and she heard their voices. Krista paused to listen, feeling a bit evil for eavesdropping.

"It's only right that she pick."

"We've all waited so long, shouldn't we draw straws or something?"

"For God's sake, she's a human being, not a new toy. Let the girl have her pick. We'll all have a chance."

"What if we all share her tonight? Then it's fair to all of us."

"It wouldn't be fair to Krista. If she was your new bride, would you want to pass her around to five other guys?"

"There's no more marriage, so the question isn't valid. The world isn't nice and romantic. The fact is, she'll have to sleep with all of us." Beachwalk  Press Buy Link  
About the Author:Ashlynn Monroe is a busy wife and mom. She enjoys writing about anything and everything paranormal or fantasy related. She spends most of her time daydreaming up her next tale of romance.

Connect with the Author:Site    Facebook Author Page

You can follow Ashlynn's tour with Shades of Rose Marketing here.

XOXO
 

Giveaway - Life In Suitcases by Melissa Kendall

Feeling restless with her life, Elise sets about trying to find what is missing in her life. After breaking up with her boyfriend she takes a trip home hoping to find a sense of peace. One hug reveals that what Elise thought she was missing wasn’t a place or a thing it was a person.

Can she find true love with the one man she thought she might never see again?
Excerpt:At thirteen, I was too old for most people to consider adopting. No matter how hard Mary looked, she couldn’t find me a foster home. I went from having everything to having nothing. My parents weren’t well off. They were just your average middle-income family with a mortgage. Once the house was sold and all the debts were paid, I wasn’t left with much. There was just enough money to buy a second-hand car when I was old enough and two suitcases full of personal possessions, including a few photo albums. That was all my thirteen years of life added up to: two suitcases.
My first few weeks at Abbott’s were probably the worst of my life. I spent my days  just going through the motions at school. At night, I would cry in bed until sleep finally claimed me. After about three weeks of feeling as if I was drowning in a never-ending pit of despair, I met Anthony. I felt the bed dip behind me one night as I was lying on my side and sobbing particularly hard. I was so upset I didn’t immediately register that it meant someone was lying with me. Then I felt an arm wrap around me and heard a soothing voice in my ear telling me everything was going to be okay.
When I woke up the following morning, I rolled over to see just who had climbed into bed with me. A skinny boy with short brown hair grinned at me.
“Anthony Scott.” He held his hand out.
“Elise Morgan,” I replied. “Thanks for last night.”
“Ain’t nothing.”
We talked for a little while longer, getting to know one another. Anthony was the same age as me, but had been at Abbott’s since he was six. His parents were drug addicts, which caused his removal from their care. After telling him how sorry I was that had happened, I explained my story. It was still so hard to talk about, but I got through it and only cried a little bit.After that day, Anthony and I were inseparable. We were the best of friends. We did everything together. When I tried ballet, he did too, no matter how much teasing he got from the other boys. When he took up guitar, so did I, even though I sucked at it. Barely a day went by that we didn’t see or speak to each other at least a hundred times. I doubt I would have survived my teenage years if it weren’t for my best friend. Though the days were fairly easy to survive, the nights were always tough. Curled up in bed alone, the reality would hit the hardest. Memories of families lost and dreams of what could have been plagued each of our thoughts. We spent many a night in each other’s beds providing comfort. Those were always the nights I slept best.
For five years, it was Anthony and me against the world.
All that changed senior year. Anthony and I had both been working toward Cornell. We were in all the same AP classes and had the same GPA. We both applied for scholarships, knowing that was the only way we’d ever get to go to college. When I got a scholarship and he didn’t, reality came crashing down around us. I told him I wasn’t going without him, that it had been our dream. Anthony, always the strong one, told me I needed to go follow my dreams, that I deserved to go to Cornell, and he wasn’t going to let me waste my one chance to get the hell out of San Francisco.
After graduation, we agreed to have one last hoorah over the summer before heading off on our separate paths. We had the best time. We found a little apartment in the city. It was really only big enough for one person, but since it would just be Anthony’s apartment come fall, I didn’t mind it being a bit cramped.
We did everything we ever wanted to do together that summer. We visited museums and art galleries, rode the cable cars, and spent hours upon hours running around Fisherman’s Wharf. We even went to the beach and the zoo.
All the while, our separation loomed. It was constantly present in our thoughts, as if we knew it was going to be our last summer together. We were heading in two different directions come September and might never see one another again.
On a sunny day in the middle of August, I packed my two suitcases and a duffle bag into the back of the beat-up truck I purchased with the money left from Mom and Dad’s estate.
There, in front of Anthony’s apartment building, I said good-bye to my best friend and the closest thing I had to family. Hugging him tightly, I resisted as best I could the tears threatening to fall.We said I love you and promised to stay in touch and visit when we could. With a kiss on the cheek and yet another hug, he told me to go spread my wings and become the beautiful butterfly he had always known me to be.

About The Author:Melissa is a 37 year-old stay at home mum and part-time Software Support Consultant. She lives in Perth Western Australia the most isolated capital city in the world. She’s always loved to read and write and spent most of her teens scribbling poetry and short stories on any scrap of paper she could get her hands on. Over the years as daily life pressures got in the way she lost the passion for it. After her son was born, she discovered online books and her interest in writing was rekindled. It has been a large part of her life ever since.
Author Links:   Site    Twitter   Giveaway:Melissa is Giving away a digital copy of Life in Siutcases. To enter to win just fill out the Raffllecopter below.
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#SexySnippets - Isle of Sensuality

I hope everyone’s having a fab weekend. Don’t know about everyone else, but I’ll be glad to see the end of January. This has to be the most depressing month of the year…Anyway, ‘nuff moaning about the weather :o)  This is the first Sunday I’m participating in The Nut House Scribblers’ Sexy Snippets. My seven sentences are from Isle of Sensuality.   His hand cupped her cheek and his thumb brushed her lips making them burn and swell. “We won’t be. Trust me.” Jake’s head lowered and he brushed his mouth against hers gently. The shock of the sensations rippling through Caitlyn made her mind go blank for a second. Then her lips parted and the taste of him filled her mouth along with his tongue. Caitlyn lost composure. Her hands fisted his lapels and pulled him closer, pressing herself tighter against him.Need more? You can get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Isle-of-Sensuality-ebook/dp/B00B2YAYT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358800178&sr=8-1&keywords=isle+of+sensualityhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Isle-of-Sensuality-ebook/dp/B00B2YAYT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358800221&sr=8-1
Be sure to check out other participating authors…http://thenuthousescribblers.blogspot.co.uk/p/sexy-snippets.html

Chapter One of Isle of Sensuality

I posted the first chapter of The Monster of Fame on my blog and it had such a great response I thought I’d do the same for Isle of Sensuality. So, without rambling on… 

Location: Beach. Action: Frantic lovemaking.Caitlyn Hart’s cheeks warmed and her pulse thumped in her veins. The bound script slipped from her fingers, landing with a thud on the coffee table. No matter how many times she read the words they still came as a shock.Pull it together, Cait. You’re an actress. Act.The only problem was she had no idea how she was supposed to. Short of picking up a stack of blue movies the next time she was in Rio, there was no way to learn how she was meant to act in that particular scene.Thrumming her fingers against the wooden table top, Caitlyn glared at the glass wall. Rain pattered against the small villa in a soothing rhythm. She tried to relax, but couldn’t quite alleviate her temper enough to do so.It was bad enough filming had been delayed a week already, now they would have to wait until the rain passed before they could begin. This, however, was all dependant on whether or not her co-star would actually show up. Jake Campbell, movie star and playboy alike, was the only true star in the low budget movie, Caught in Action.Caitlyn’s phone vibrated on the table, and she slid her finger over the screen to read the text.Hey, Cait. God, I’m terrified about the show. Wish you were here already! How’s filming going? xxxAmanda’s text kicked her anger up a notch. Her younger sister looked to Caitlyn as a mother figure at times. In three months, Amanda was doing her first fashion show and her twenty-two year old sister wasn’t strong. Amanda needed support, and Caitlyn was the only one who had been there to provide it. Not that she would have ever done anything differently, but sometimes she wished she had someone she could rely on.She sent a quick reply to Amanda promising she would try and be there. She had to be there. Rather than spend the week sulking or worrying she wouldn’t be finished filming in time, Caitlyn had spent most of it learning as many of her lines as possible.The character she played was so unlike herself that it was exhilarating; Sandra Fell was a kick-ass detective with only one goal—to find the man who killed her family in a drug bust and put him behind bars. Caitlyn was never forthright, nor had she ever confronted anyone in her life.Not to mention, it was a vast change from playing a spoiled socialite on an American soap opera. Still, Caitlyn had to admit that while she was enjoying lying in the sun all day—yet still managing to stay surprisingly chalk white—she was eager to get the movie shot and head home. The private island the filmmakers rented was beautiful, but felt crowded with most of the cast. She rapped in a staccato beat on the mahogany table top with her fingers. Was it really too much to ask that someone showed up at a job when he was supposed to?The sound of helicopter blades chopping through the air caught Caitlyn’s attention and her fingers froze mid-rap. She knew it must be Jake. Everyone else had taken a speed boat from Rio, facing wind and water spray to get here. It figured a hot shot movie star like him would find that mode of transportation beneath him.As she rose from the armchair, its legs scraped the tiled floor. She paced across to the glass wall and cupped a hand over her eyes to see out. The sun had set and the island was in darkness. Of course the ugly black clouds in the sky hadn’t allowed much light through when it had been daylight. It reminded her of English autumns, though she’d never returned to the UK since she left all those years ago.About fifteen feet away, she saw a makeshift landing pad, illuminated by spotlights pointing toward the gloomy sky. The beams highlighted the sheets of rain which fell diagonally, hitting the sand with such force that little divots were left behind and the grains scattered at impact.After a moment, the chopping sound grew louder and Caitlyn saw the dark outline of a helicopter as it flew into the prism of light created by the spotlights. Once grounded, the pilot practically stumbled out of the aircraft until he had opened the rear door—as if it were a limousine!Flabbergasted by the grandiose behavior, Caitlyn squinted so she could see more clearly. A tall, muscular figure stepped out from the helicopter and landed as gracefully as a jungle cat on the sand. Once straightened, the man towered above the pilot. Golden hair glinted in the light and Caitlyn’s tummy flipped.It was Jake.Her anger at his lack of professionalism and consideration for others’ schedules boiled to the forefront of her mind. The way he casually strolled across the sand—with the air of a Greek god—followed by the pilot and another man, all struggling with his luggage, made her temper flare hotter.And that is exactly why actors and actresses are considered high maintenance.The lights of the larger villa opposite Caitlyn’s flared on and she ducked into a shadowed corner of the glass wall to continue snooping. Jake at least held the door open for the men as they carried his cases inside. When the two emerged, Jake pulled out a roll of notes from his tight jeans, counted out several bills, and then handed them over as if it were nothing. Caitlyn couldn’t see his expression from this far, but his lazy actions suggested he perhaps wore a casual sneer.Never having met the man, she really shouldn’t judge. Although anyone who didn’t take their work seriously enough to actually show up on time couldn’t be all that nice. After the door closed and the two men retreated to the heliport, Caitlyn made a decision. Before she could change her mind, she pulled on a crocheted cardigan and headed for the door.It was about time Mr. Campbell realized that he couldn’t just arrive when it suited him, especially not when they were on such a tight schedule. Sure, he was absolutely gorgeous in the magazines and films she’d seen him in, but good looks—or even great looks—didn’t excuse poor manners. Caitlyn was new to the film industry, but she’d worked on Days and Nights since she was eighteen, a solid eight years of acting experience.As she threw open the door and the wind whipped rain across her face in hard slashes, Caitlyn’s anger grew. To her, work was a way of supporting those she loved—namely her younger sister and her nephew, Kale. Family was everything to Caitlyn, and it was what she’d lived for all her life.Wet sand flew up around her ankles with sludge-like consistency as she stomped her way across to Jake’s villa. The rain plastered her hair to her scalp and the humidity made her feel sticky, but she didn’t care. She was mad on too many levels to worry about appearances.As she neared his house, illuminated with lights shining from every window, the better part of herself was screaming reason at her.What on earth are you doing? He’s your co-star, and let’s face it, the only star! Why antagonize him when the movie needs him?But the voice of logic was grossly overruled by her newfound temper. After all, it was his job to be there. So why let everyone wait in limbo—no, wait for him—for a whole week before strolling onto the island like nothing was out of sorts? Well, she was about to find out.She had to make it back to LA in time for her sister’s fashion show. Ever since Caitlyn had run away from their alcoholic and abusive father, taking her fourteen-year-old sister with her, she’d been there for Amanda every day. The acting—although a way to escape real life, if only for a little while—was for Amanda as much as it was for herself. Caitlyn wanted to support her in every way she could, and now that Amanda had Kale, she needed to help more than ever. Amanda relied on her. Caitlyn took her work, and her family obligations, seriously. After all, Amanda was all she had left. Jake was making that task impossible.She climbed the step and reached out a hand to knock. For a split second, Caitlyn wondered if this really was the best idea.How about sticking up for yourself for once?Decided, Caitlyn knocked once. After a few seconds ticked by, her impatience rose. She turned the handle, pushed the door to the villa open, and gasped at the sight before her.* * * *Whiskey was exactly what Jake needed.After spending the morning at the bank and then the rest of the day and night traveling, he was exhausted. Yet he knew sleep wouldn’t come. Not when his father’s company was in the state it was.Disposing of his shirt—the humidity from the storm was stifling—Jake made his way through the coffee colored hallway, heading straight for the kitchen. Sean Brennon, the director and his long time friend, knew Jake’s choice of refreshments and he had no doubt a bottle of the finest Scotch would be in there somewhere.And it was. A bottle of malt sat on the center of the metallic breakfast bar. A crystal glass sat next to the whiskey with a white envelope propped against it. Jake lifted the note.Hey, man. Hope your day wasn’t too shitty. I really appreciate this. The fridge is stocked with British crap and there’s another bottle of Scotch in the cupboard. Knock yourself out, and give me a call when you’re ready to start filming. The crew’s getting antsy.Sean Jake dragged his free hand across his face. It had been a hell of a day. Filming this low-budget movie was a risk, and not something he particularly needed at this point in time. All week, he’d been held up in London trying to find a way to keep his father’s business, which was now run by his two brothers, afloat.After their parents died, Jake had taken over the business, and while he’d enjoyed the challenge running the UK’s leading engineering supplies procurement company presented, he’d also felt trapped and suffocated.For the last seven days, he’d been arguing with his brothers about the best way to proceed. Jake had tried to push them to sell given the recession, but Tom and Sam vehemently disagreed. Knowing he had other commitments, Jake finally invested a chunk of capital into the business to keep the company afloat until filming ceased. When he got back to London, he’d convince them to change their minds. He had to. With his youngest brother Sam’s sole skill being selling, and Tom lacking even basic people skills, they had no chance of running the business without him and there was no way he could face running his father’s company all over again.It had been enough to be the sole guardian of his younger brothers after their parents were killed, never mind taking control of the family business as well—and all at the age of eighteen. And then there was Sarah and her ultimatum. Jake poured a two-finger nip of whisky and swallowed it in one burning gulp. The burn helped push away the lingering rage just thinking of Sarah brought. Still, it wasn’t enough.Pouring a heftier shot, his mind unconsciously wandered back to the months after his parents had been killed. No one, not the social worker, the principal at his high school, or the counselor wanted him to take over the reins of Campbell Engineers. They’d all tried to persuade him to finish school and let the social department look after his brothers, all so he could go to college.Jake shook his head at the absurdity of the memory. Like he’d ever let his brothers go into care. Another sip and the warmth of the alcohol spread through him, making it easier to ignore the confused guilt welling up inside.Three months, he told himself. After that he could get back to London and work on his brothers. Surely they would see the logic in selling a failing company in today’s economy. They could use the proceeds to start their own small business, maybe even invest in the stock market. After all, share prices were at their lowest in decades.Yet, as he relaxed back into a lazy-boy recliner and stared out at the darkness beyond the patio doors, an uneasy feeling swelled in his chest. Was he wrong in asking his brothers to give up on their legacy?Before he could convince himself he was being an idiot, Jake heard scuffling coming from the front of the house. A moment later, the sound of flip-flops slapped against the stone stairs leading to the door of the villa and then, a light knock. Jake propelled himself out of the chair, headed for the hallway—picking up the coat rack just in case—and waited. The door swung open and a tiny, dark figure entered the house.Jake flicked the light switch and after his eyes adjusted, he raised his brows in surprise at the sight before him. Caitlyn Hart, his co-star whom he’d yet to have the pleasure to meet, stood in his doorway resembling a drowned mouse.The rain had turned her fiery red curls a dark cherry shade, enhancing the creamy skin of her face and neck. A familiar burn coursed through his veins as his gaze lowered to her white top, clinging to her like wet, translucent skin. He noticed the twin peaks pointing at him from her chest and swallowed. How had he missed how utterly sexy she was when he’d seen her on television commercials and in magazines?Caitlyn cleared her throat in irritation and he realized his gaze was still molded to her breasts. He lifted his head and met her glare head on, resisting the urge to laugh at her expression. Her scowl was adorable.“Would you mind getting dressed? I was hoping we could talk.”Jake felt his eyebrows pull together before it hit him that he was standing there shirtless, wearing only a pair of jeans. Still, she was the first woman who had ever asked him to cover himself up. His lips curved.“And let you miss all this?” Jake swept a hand across his torso. “I’m not that selfish.”Most girls would have giggled at the joke. He waited, but her scowl only deepened. What was her problem? He placed the coat stand down, folded his arms across his chest, and then lounged against the door frame.Her gaze darted down to his folded arms and for a moment, the scowl vanished. Her expression was hard to decipher, but before he could figure it out, her attention focused back on his face. He noted the emerald color of her eyes had darkened and a flush glowed in her cheeks. Caitlyn wiped her expression—was it lust?—clean of any trace of emotion and glared at him some more. “Since it seems you’d rather do this half naked—” At that he did laugh and her frown deepened. “—then I guess I’ll say what I came to. You may think you’re some big shot movie star who doesn’t need to abide by the rules, but your actions have consequences for others!” Caitlyn’s voice rose as her anger flared.He was gobsmacked at her outburst. Falling back on his charm to try to alleviate some of her anger, Jake grinned from ear to ear.Her eyes flashed. Caitlyn stomped toward him and poked her finger into his chest. “Some of us have lives,” she continued her angry torrent. “Commitments, things we have to do after work. You know, work? Where you were supposed to be last week? Now filming will run on longer and I have places to be in three months.”Jake eyed his co-star with his brows drawn together and his jaw taut. What kind of a woman would come into a man’s house and give him grief just because his timekeeping didn’t suit her? Exactly the same kind of woman Sarah was. He couldn’t marry Sarah quick enough for her liking.But Jake wasn’t twenty-one anymore and didn’t let women try to rule him. Plus, he had to work with Caitlyn. If he threw her out now, surely the next three months would be torture. He considered whether to continue to play the dumb, self-centered hot shot movie star she had accused him of being and decided it would be fun. Well, more fun than telling her the truth about the week of hell which made him late. Not that he would ever confide such a thing in someone like her in the first place.Jake shrugged and pulled his expression into his best I-don’t-give-a-crap look. “Sweetheart.” Caitlyn visibly bristled and he had to fight a smile. He grabbed the finger still prodding his chest and for a second, saw fear flash in her eyes before she pulled her hand out of his grasp. “We all have commitments. So we’re stuck on a fancy island off the coast of Rio with all the luxuries we will ever need for the next few months. I don’t see what the problem is. I could think of worse places to be.” The last part was true. Back home, shouldered with the responsibility of his family’s company, was one of them.“You are beyond selfish!”Caitlyn spun around and headed for the door. Her black leggings clung to a perfectly shaped bottom. His heart raced at the sight and arousal hit him like a knee to the groin, effectively dissolving his irritation. With his exhaustion from the long journey forgotten and the whiskey creating a warm glow inside—not to mention her sexy body messing with his head—Jake decided to at least try to make amends. Being at odds with her while filming was a headache he didn’t need, regardless of what he thought of her. Time to turn up the charm.“Caitlyn, don’t go. Come on, let’s have a drink. We can get to know each other.”Meeting his gaze head on with eyes burning green fire, she said, “I think I already know enough about you.”Jake cursed under his breath. Yeah, he’d acted like a shallow arse, but mostly just to annoy her. Even though she reminded him of his witch of an ex, he liked it when she was all fiery. It suited her. But working with someone for three months who couldn’t stand him would be a nightmare.She had the door open by the time he reached her, but he managed to grab her hand, turn her around, and then close the door. With her petite curves squeezed between him and the exit, he forgot what he was supposed to be doing. The scent of pine and berries drifted from her damp hair and those nipples straining against her top were now piercing his chest.He was harder than a steel girder instantly and he despised his body’s reaction to her. Hadn’t it learned the first time around with Sarah? Her eyes grew huge as she stared up at him, but she didn’t push him away. He noticed her lips stood out like a single red rose in a bouquet of white against her angular face. This close, he could see her skin was bare of makeup—a sight he didn’t see very often.The women he dated would never leave the house without makeup. Hell, half of them made sure they woke up before him just so they could be polished and pristine by the time he was up. He found Caitlyn’s natural look appealing, and although it irked him to no end, he couldn’t pull himself away. He wondered if Caitlyn tasted as good as she smelled.With a different part of his anatomy overpowering his judgment, Jake decided to find out and lowered his head. The need to taste those lips and find out for himself whether she tasted as sour as she appeared overruled his common sense.* * * *One moment, she’d been storming away, intent on avoiding Mr. Big Shot as much as possible, and now she was squeezed between the door and an undeniably magnificent chest. Caitlyn’s breath sped and her heart pounded. With her thoughts in a confused muddle and the heat from Jake seeping through her wet shirt, the anger drained away, replaced by a fierce fire burning at her core.His head tilted toward her and his blond waves cascaded around his head like a halo. With a face seemingly carved from tanned marble and eyes the color of Swiss chocolate, he truly was beautiful.For a moment she was lost in his eyes, which seemed to turn darker as she stared. Before she knew what was happening, Jake’s head descended toward her and she caught a whiff of whiskey on his breath.Her thoughts spun back almost ten years. It wasn’t Jake in front of her anymore, but her father pinning her to the floor, his beefy hand bruising her shoulder and the smell of stale alcohol on his breath choking her senses as he yelled at her.Fear burned adrenaline through her veins and she dashed to the side, maneuvering away from both him and the door. The old terror of entrapment made her heart pound wildly in her chest. She edged into the hall, trying not to resemble a skittering rabbit and failing horribly. He stepped closer and Caitlyn feinted back.She knew he wasn’t her father, but still the fear gripped her. She’d spent her whole life carefully avoiding the opposite sex as much as possible. The intoxicated beatings her father had subjected her to were only one of the many reasons for her wariness.And now, here she was, flirting with danger, all because she was angry he was making her late. It wasn’t any of her business if Jake Campbell was a self-centered, unreliable, egotistical male. The possibility of missing her sister’s fashion show was hard to accept, but she’d work something out. She would work with him and do nothing else. Why had she been so stupid as to come over to confront him?“Caitlyn, are you all right?” Concern etched Jake’s forehead.Some of the terror eased. Logically, she knew she was overreacting and now her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I have to go.”His eyebrows shot up his forehead. “I’m sorry.” He held both his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “How about we start over?”His grin made her knees weak and her pulse race—but not from the fear. No, her body’s want for him had almost eradicated that. Jake really needed to put a shirt on. She couldn’t think around the jitters in her tummy his near-naked state was causing. As he was blocking the door, she didn’t have the option of leaving. For now. “Could you please put on a shirt?”Jake’s grin grew huge and she immediately regretted saying anything. Now he knew his half-nakedness bothered her, she wouldn’t be surprised if he slipped off his jeans.For a second, she was distracted by the idea, but she forced herself to focus—no easy task when he stood in front of her, muscles rippling and smooth, velvety skin on display.“Does my shirtless state offend you?” The teasing glint in his eyes contradicted the note of innocence in his voice.“No, it’s just rude to be half-naked when you have company.” Caitlyn bristled at her prissy tone.Jake stepped closer and panic tightened her chest. She tried to quash it. He wasn’t her father, he was in the public eye and if he was prone to violence, wouldn’t the world know about it? But then again, so was her ex-boyfriend, and it didn’t stop him from dishing out verbal attacks.God, get a grip, Cait! You’re acting like a crazy person.Jake bent down outside a closed door in the hall, unzipped a suitcase, then pulled out two white cotton t-shirts. After slipping one on, he held the other out to her. Caitlyn’s brows drew together as she looked at it.“Put this on. You’re not topless, but you might as well be. Water makes most white clothes transparent.”Caitlyn glanced down at her top and to her utter horror noticed it was see-through! Without thinking, she grabbed the shirt, turned her back on Jake and pulled the soft cotton over her head.“I’ve clearly pissed you off,” Jake said, stating the obvious.She nodded, even though it wasn’t a question. The familiar prickle of fear tingled her spine and, though a part of her thought it was sensible to feel it, she felt utterly stupid. She’d been alone with men—albeit in public places—since she ran away from her abusive father. But men in general scared her. Especially after Archie had turned nasty when she’d refused to sleep with him.“Because you have somewhere to be after the scheduled filming?” Jake pressed, dragging her from the murky thoughts. Caitlyn nodded again. Before he could carry on with whatever it was he was going to say, his mobile rang. Jake pulled a Blackberry from his front pocket and cursed when he read the caller display. “This won’t take long. You can wait in the lounge. I’ll just be a minute.”He stalked through to the end of the villa and closed the kitchen door behind him. Along with the annoyance crossing his expression when the phone rang, she’d also seen guilt flicker across his features.Caitlyn stared at the closed door and saw it as her only opportunity. Now that most of her anger had gone, she felt horribly embarrassed for her outburst, not to mention the fact she’d shown him fear.She’d learned from early on if she showed fear in front of a bully, the beatings were always much, much worse. Not that she had proof Jake was one. No, he was just an inconsiderate ass. Still, old habits died hard.She needed to get away, regroup, and figure out how to work with someone who both infuriated her and made her feel all hot and bothered at the same time.She removed her flip-flops, sneaked toward the front door, and fled before his call ended, realizing the only danger she was in now was from her own wayward feelings.Thanks for reading! If you want to find out what happens next you can grab the book here Beachwalk Press , Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand & Kobo XOXO

It's all going on...

What a great week. Isle of Sensuality was officially released yesterday and already I have lovely four and five star reviews on Goodreads. Of course, all this good news is offset by me being an absolute plonker and locking myself out my house today, but I’m in now. I won’t do that again if I can help it.
I’ve been working on edits for my April release, Never Say Never which is book 2 in The Price of Fame series and can’t wait until I can share Sander & Chloe with you. I got the cover today and absolutely love it! What do you all think?
Here’s the working blurb:-When pretend turns to need, heartbreak is unavoidable.Sander Chase wants Chloe Butler on his arm at his ex-fiancé’s engagement party and the bribe he offers means victory is sure. But he doesn’t need a relationship. Between working on the show and his band reforming, Sander doesn’t have time for a woman in his life. After losing her dream job, her movie star ex and finding out her mum has dementia, Chloe returned to the UK determined to put her life back together. The last thing she needs is to parade around London on the arm of a celebrity, and she swore after the last she’d never get involved with one again. Sander offers her a chance at her dream job and it’s not something she can turn down, even though she’s unsure about what he wants in exchange. Ignoring the insane chemistry between them should be easy, especially since Sander carries a secret that means there can be no future for them, but the more time he spends with Chloe, the harder it is to keep his hands to himself. As Chloe gets to know the man beneath she learns he’s nothing like her scumbag ex. Torn between wanting him and needing to keep her heart safe, Chloe struggles to fight her attraction to him and fails. With their separation closing in, all she can hope for is to protect her heart.  You don’t need to have read The Monster of Fame to understand the story, it works well as a standalone, but it does have a teensy spoiler which hints at how TMOF ends.Hope you’re all having a great week! I’m over on Susie Medwell’s Blog today chatting about my favourite holiday destinations and would love some suggestions for future travel. Tomorrow I’m over at The Hot Pink Typewriter and Unwrapping Romance for Wacky Wednesday. Hope to see y’all there. XOXO

Interview with Tara Mills

I was lucky enough to read Friends & Lovers this month and absolutely adored it. Today I have the author, Tara Mills here to chat about her newest release.  

You can find the review on Goodreads here.

Plus Tara's given us a sneak peak.
 



Dealing with issues such as domestic abuse in a romance is tricky, but you pull it off effortlessly and entwine it in the story so well. What gave you the idea to do this? 
There was a point a few years ago, where I was reading about domestic violence in the newspaper every day, one distressing, heart-wrenching story after another and I simply had to examine it closer. Too many women, too many children, were falling victim to the men who were supposed to love and protect them. 
As a romance writer, I could only imagine how awful and terrifying it would be to watch a Mr. Hyde emerge out of the Dr. Jekyll you fell in love with. How long do you hold out hope? At what point do you start focusing on survival?    
Can you could sum up Lauren and Wes in fifteen words each? 
Lauren: She's cautious, driven, passionate, caring, smart enough to know when to be scared. In love.
Wes: He's honorable, noble, protective, true once committed, persistent, a giving lover, playful, determined, and sexy.  
Wes came across to me as seriously hot, cheeky, caring and protective. Is there anything about his personality that annoyed you? Any problems you encountered while writing his scenes?  
No. I only write heroes I could fall for so I'm very fond of Wes. I wanted him to get his girl. He'd waited so long for her.
I loved Lauren from the get go. Life’s been hard on her, but she doesn’t give up, even though she pushed the people she cared about away. What do you admire the most about her?Lauren is so caring. She reacts, often dramatically because she does experience things deeply. She truly wants to make a difference in the lives of others and she's willing to put herself out on a limb to fight the injustice in the world. I admire her spirit. She doesn't take on the system to make money. She does it because it's the right thing to do. Wes and Lauren are two sides of the same coin, both doing what they can to protect people. Together, they're the beautiful balance to the relationship that went wrong. 
As well as being contemporary, the story has a huge suspense element. Is that a genre you enjoy reading/writing? If so, do you see yourself writing another in the future? Personally I’d like to see more of these characters.

Thank you! I love suspense. My second book, Forest Fires was published as a suspense because of a gripping section in it. I'm currently wrapping up edits on another suspense for Crimson Romance titled, In Love and War.
As far as seeing characters again, Ken's sister, Kelli Murphy is in my romantic comedy coming out with The Wild Rose Press titled, Accidents Make the Heart Grow Fonder.  
Glad to hear that. I’ll keep an eye out for it.  
Now for the fun bit… 
Cooking or take out  - Cooking. I'd love to say take-out but it's an hour drive just to pick up the mail, groceries, and gasoline. We plan our trips. Just stopping at McDonald's is a treat since the nearest Mac's is three hours away.
Pepsi or Coke - Caffeine-Free Diet Coke with a splash of Black Velvet. That's my poison.
Great answer! Mine is vodka with Diet Coke :D
Dark or milk chocolate - Either. Together is good too.
Wine or beer - I love a good wine. Reds and whites, on the dry side.
Chic flic or action - depends on my mood and the eye candy.
Reading or writing - I can't choose. Both are in my blood. I was probably eleven or twelve when I converted my vanity into a desk and started typing away. I've been a book worm even longer. 
Favourite:
Meal? A good hamburger with sauteed onion. Yum.
Band/Singer? Probably Sting
Book? Pride and Prejudice. I have a beautiful hardcover that my husband gave me for Valentine's Day many years ago and I read that every year.
Author? Bet you expect me to say Jane Austen, don't you? I would except when I'm in the mood for a smile, I always reach for something by P.G. Wodehouse. I actually doff my literary cap to him in my contemporary romance, Caution: Filling is Hot. Fans of Wodehouse will catch the reference.
Pastime? My husband and I play a lot of games. We're also big movie buffs.
Thanks for letting me pick your brains Tara. I love Pride & Prejudice too. Now for a little more about Friends & Lovers…
 Can the man of Lauren’s dreams save her from the man in her nightmares?

Wes Dunlop was a hot commodity in high school and the ruin of good reputations, so it was easy to criticize the guy when his sister did it too. Then Lauren McKay actually met her best friend’s brother, and she was intrigued. When he came to her rescue, she was doomed. Afraid to admit her change of heart, Lauren hid her secret from both of them.

Fifteen years later Wes is back. Now a dedicated cop, he’s determined to win Lauren—the girl he can’t forget and the only one his sister demanded he leave alone. But he finds that Lauren’s life is a lot more complicated than he imagined.

Personal tragedy made Lauren a fierce defender of battered women. However, when a dangerous gunman tracks his wife to Lauren’s shelter, the protector becomes the target.  Her life suddenly in the balance, nothing will stop Wes from doing everything in his power to rescue her.

Excerpt: 

Turning from the window, Lauren went to greet their guests. She circled her assistant's desk, fluffing her hair before she stepped into the foyer. Seven warm bodies in that small space made it feel crowded but they'd had more. Counting on Jackie to distract the young girl, Lauren approached the mother with an extended hand.
"Hello, Patricia. I'm Lauren McKay. I'm so glad you found us."
The cop jerked slightly at her name, but just as his head tipped to the side to see around the boy in his arms, Lauren shifted her attention to the girl.
"And I'll bet you're Morgan, am I right?"
The girl nodded bashfully.
Lauren smiled. "What's your brother's name?"
Morgan pointed with her thumb. "He's Josh."
Lauren's expression softened on the small boy. She reached out to touch his back, and froze, stunned to see a familiar face looking back at her over the boy's shoulder.
Those warm eyes belonged to a man she never expected to see again. He'd haunted her for years, and now she felt desperate and weak, and yes, more than a little afraid. He'd always thrown her without even trying. His slow, intimate smile sent her heart rate galloping like a thoroughbred's.
Flustered and shaken, Lauren turned back to the mother. "Why don't you go with Jackie? She'll show you to your room, and while the kids make themselves at home in the playroom, you can come back and we'll go over a few things in my office, okay?"
The woman nodded and reached out to take her son from the officer. Relieved of his burden, the man lightly brushed the back of the boy's head. He watched them walk downstairs before turning back with a more personal smile for the woman in front of him.
"Lauren." His voice caressed her name, and she trembled.
"How are you, Wes?" Her warm response didn't betray the inferno inside her.
"I'm good. Oh, this is my partner Chuck Townsend."
Lauren blushed with embarrassment. She'd barely noticed the other man.
"Hi, Chuck," she said with an apologetic smile.
"Nice to meet you, Lauren." He chuckled and winked at Wes. "I'll just wait outside. Take your time." Chuck bolted for the door.
Wes turned with a laugh. "Well, that was smooth."About Tara Mills
I write stories I like to read—contemporary romances with identifiable characters and themes. Life is hard, love makes it bearable. If you like stories with heat and humor, I have a title for you.I'm a pampered wife, lucky mom to three amazing sons and one wonderful daughter-in-law, and I just became a very young grandma. I should probably underline the word very. Oh heck, why not the word young too? Nah, you get the point. I’m also the daily monitor of one naughty dog with an attitude. Oh, I suppose I could provide you with some links. Duh.  My website is Tara Mills Romance I'm on Facebook, obviously. Tara Mills Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter - Tara Mills16

#sixsunday Isle of Sensuality

Hope you’re all having a good weekend. This week’s been crazy, as usual. Yesterday Isle of Sensuality went live on Amazon and tomorrow it will be up on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Are, Book Strand and a few other places. Next week I’ll start my virtual tour kicking it off with a review & spotlight on A Tasty Read’s Blog, then I’m over at The Hot Pink Typewriter and Unwrapping Romance’s blog on Wednesday. Hope to see you all there.  
My six is from Isle of Sensuality. Jake and Caitlyn are filming a love scene and they both get a bit carried away. When the director shouts cut, they’re both left feeling frustrated. 
She could understand his frustration. If he felt even an ounce of what she did, then this would be torture for him too.If you wanted something to happen, I certainly wouldn’t protest.Jake’s words rang in her head, and at that moment she wanted to grab his offer with both hands. How could she not want more of this? If he could rouse so much pleasure from a barely-there touch, what would it be like when he did touch her? When his impressive length was hard inside her? 
For more Six Sentences stop by Six Sunday’ssite. XOXO