Sarah Cass's Blog: Sarah's StoryLines, page 34

Friday Focus: Author Lyndi Lamont

Personal

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a native of Pittsburgh, PA who now lives in Orange County, California with my husband. I’ve always love books and have been a librarian most of my adult life, except for about six years as a travel agent.
What do you like to read? What’s your favorite genre?

I read a little bit of everything but horror, but anything historical is my favorite. But I’ll read anything, even the back of the proverbial cereal box, if nothing else is available.
What’s your favorite place, real or fictional? Why?

I love the Monterey Peninsula south of San Francisco. It’s such a beautiful spot and it just has a nice feel to it. I’d live there if I could afford to, but it’s very expensive.
Do you have a saying or motto for your life and/or as a writer?

Yes. In the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.
Where can people find you on the web? Where can they read more about your books?

My website is http://www.lyndilamont.com and there’s a link to my blog on the website menu. I also hang out at Facebook, occasionally at Goodreads, and I tweet @LyndiLamont.

 

Your Novel

What is your book about?

It’s a historical fantasy that matches a sexy pirate captain with wayward witch.
What inspired you to write this particular story?

It was originally part of a collection of stories and each one had to have a mysterious island. Since a mystical element was required, it seemed appropriate to have a character who is a witch.
What was your favorite part or chapter, and why?

My favorite part is Heather’s rhyming spells. I thought they would be hard to write, but they came really easily and were quite fun to do. They should come with a warning, though: Do not try this at home. Results in unexpected consequences.

 

Fun (Crazy, odd questions just for fun)

Have you ever gone out in public in mis-matched shoes, or with your shirt on backward, and when you realized it just said ‘eh, screw it’?

LOL, I have gone out in public wearing different colored socks, usually one black, one blue. That’s what comes of being visually challenged. By the time I notice, it’s usually too late, so “screw it”.


Are you skilled with fake accents?

Don’t know about skilled, but I love to do accents! I spent a year in Austin and learned how to Talk Texas. We used to sit around the student lounge and see who could lay on the thickest Southern drawl. A guy from East Texas had the rest of us beat all hollow.

 

Quick Questions

 

Summer or Winter? Winter, but to be fair I live in So. Calif. where it never gets really cold.
Movies or TV? TV
Theater or DVD? DVD
Rural or Urban? Urban. I’ve always been a city kid.
Cowboy or Bad Boy? I have to choose?
Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset
Fall leaves or Spring flowers? Fall leaves, in part because we rarely see them here and I still miss the autumn foliage I grew up loving.
Peanut butter or jelly? Peanut butter, though both would be nice.
Spender or Saver? Saver.

 

*~*~*~*

| Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | Kobo | Apple |

Heather Parnell is traveling from England to her home in Jamaica with her new husband, Roger, a man she detests. She performs a banishing spell with unintended consequences. When their ship is attacked by pirates, Roger is killed. Heather, disguised as a boy, joins the pirate crew.

Pirate captain Adam Langworth suspects there is something odd about the new lad. When he discovers she is a woman, she begs him to keep her secret, a violation of the ships’ articles. When her identity is discovered, Adam and Heather find themselves marooned on a deserted island with nothing to do for the rest of their lives but make love.

Disclaimer: This is a 12,000 word steamy romantic short story, not a full-length novel. Previously published by Amber Quill Press. Contains a sexy pirate, a naughty witch, spellcasting and lovemaking.

Excerpt:

Adam stood, walked around the desk and reached for her hands. “What an extraordinary tale.”

She laughed, a little hysterically. “It is, is it not? And now even more so since I have been captured by pirates.”

“Most well-bred ladies would have fainted by now. I applaud your courage and resourcefulness.”

Heather stood to face him, her hand still in his. “I am made of sterner stuff than most ladies.”

“I see that. There is, perhaps, one solution to this dilemma. I could claim you as my share-and-a-half from the Sea Rover.” He let go of her hands and pulled her to him, one arm around her waist. His other hand grabbed hold of her hair and tugged her head back. She looked up into his face and saw that his eyes were green flecked with gold. They glittered with desire.

Her hands were pressed to his warm chest and her stomach against his groin. She felt his hard shaft and a strange warmth crept over her body. It spoke of anticipation and need. What was wrong with her? She should be repelled and disgusted by his touch. But she was not. Giving her head a quick shake, she forced herself to think logically.

“Your share-and-a-half? What does that mean?”

“When a ship is captured, the quartermaster catalogs the goods on board, then it is divided evenly among the crew. The captain receives a share-and-a-half. You would be mine.”

He is the one. The words rang through her mind.

“What would you do with me?” she asked, her voice suddenly husky.

“I know what I’d like to do,” he said, as his mouth descended.

*~*

Author bio:

Lyndi Lamont is the racy alter ego of romance author Linda McLaughlin. Writing sexy stories gives her a license to be naughty, at least between the pages of her books! She has written several full-length novels plus numerous short stories and novellas, ranging from historical to futuristic. She believes that love is unending and universal, and enjoys transporting her readers into a different world where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.

You can find her online at http://www.lyndilamont.com

Blog: Lyndi’s Love Notes: http://www.lyndilamont.com/blog

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LyndiLamont

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/LyndiLamont

 

Tuesday Tales – Fall Picture Prompt – Witch Way

The prompt this week is a picture prompt (*points left   .

Because the picture is clearly a fall picture and Deep Fried Sweethearts is set in Jan/Feb…I sort of had to skip WAY ahead to fall in Lake Point and my October 2014 release, Witch Way.

Felicity grew up in an…unusual family.  She’s now an adult and a reporter, itching to become a news reporter on TV.

Craig is a fireman (yeah, right? Sexay)…once upon a time he was best friends with Sean, Felicity’s cousin, and used to pick on her incessantly along with Sean.  He grew up and moved away…recently came back to town and got a job with the local fire dept. He and Felicity have been hooking up since his return…but they’re about to take things a step further…

As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors:

Craig hadn’t ever been on this side of the gates, much less all the way up the hill standing in front of the, “Witch House.”

Felicity whipped around fast, her black hair splaying out like rays of night interrupting the day. Her blue eyes flashed with perhaps a hint of anger, but her lips curved into a smirk.

“I said that aloud didn’t I?”

“Mm-hm.” The hum was low and sexy, reminding him of the pleasures one of her hums had given him just the night before.

“Sorry.”

“You’ve said worse to me in my lifetime. I can handle you calling my home the witch house. Just don’t let Patty hear you, or you’ll get a lesson far less enjoyable than the one I’m about to give you.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice, her aunt had always scared him. When he’d grown up as best friends to Patty’s son, Sean, he’d been scared of the woman the whole town called a witch. Even Sean himself. “So what exactly are you planning to teach me?”

“You’re the one that asked about me going to church. Since you insist on turning this into more than sex, I’m taking you to see my church.” Her long fingers grasped his hand and pulled him along behind her. They circled the house only to come upon the woman herself, Patty. “Hello, Poddy!”

Patty rose up from the ground where she’d been on her knees working in a large garden. A bright smile broke up the features of the woman Craig could only call stunning, despite her age. No sign of a wart anywhere. Childhood stories really had gotten out of hand in his imagination.

“Hello, my dear.” Patty hugged Felicity before she cast her own blue eyes on him. “Well, I’ll be. Craig? You’ve grown quite a bit, young man.”

“I’m taking him to the valley, Poddy.” Felicity ducked her head with a hint of pink on her cheeks. It was the first time he’d seen her blush since they were kids. “If you don’t mind, of course.”

“The valley, you say?” Patty’s brow rose and she nodded. “A development I didn’t expect, but so long as he has proper respect, I’m fine with it. I think maybe while you do that, I’ll go in to my cards.”

“No, Poddy. I don’t want to know.” Felicity’s smile returned, and she began to tug on his hand again. “I’d like to keep this one a surprise.”

“Good to see you again, Craig,” Patty called after them.

“You call her Poddy?” Craig couldn’t keep the question to himself any longer.

Felicity giggled. “When I was probably two years old I couldn’t form the word Patty, it came out Poddy.”

“She’s your aunt, though. Right?”

“Technically, I suppose. Mom died in childbirth, so I’ve always lived with Poddy.” Felicity had reached the edge of the yard, but she kept on through the stone wall and into the woods beyond.

“Wait.” Craig grabbed her arm as they stepped into the shade of the colorful trees. “Didn’t we just leave your property?”

“You have so much to learn. This is my property. The wall is only to provide a proper yard, the rest goes to the earth, as it should. Poddy and I don’t like to take more than we need. You’ll see.”

Her mysterious smile disappeared when she turned and started down a well-worn path, this time without dragging him along. He had so many questions, but she seemed determined to only answer them piecemeal.

“You’ll never get them answered standing here like a jack-hat,” he mumbled to himself. The past few weeks with her had been something else, passionate moments caught when he wasn’t on a run, and she wasn’t off finding the next big story. He’d been the one to push for more, she’d been more hesitant.

Something told him if he followed he’d get more than he’d bargained for.

He was pretty damn sure she’d be worth it.

Of course, he’d have to find her first. All his musings meant she’d left him in the dust. He jogged down the path, the woods grew deeper and the temperature seemed to shift the further down he went. When the trees started to thin, he caught a glimpse of water, and heard a quiet rush of water along with it.

He stepped out at the edge of a wide, shallow pond.  To his left a small waterfall poured out the remnants of rain storms. A wood-planked path wove through the water to the other side.

Everything felt different there, quieter, warmer, even the trees were greener with only hints of autumn creeping in with a few fallen leaves and an occasional splash of color. Like in this spot time was different.

Almost like, “Magic.”

“Are you coming?” Felicity called back, though she remained out of sight.

“Yeah.” He crossed the wooden path and stepped back into a tree line.  For several yards he saw nothing else, until the trees began to thin again and there she was in the middle of a small field of grass.

Her eyes closed and tilted toward the light breeze, she looked the calmest he’d ever seen her. Peaceful, and damn beautiful.

“What is this place? It feels…different.”

“This is my church. Your childhood teasing, and name calling of my home and my aunt, and eventually myself, were not entirely wrong.” She turned to face him. “I am a wiccan, or a witch in layman’s terms, as is my aunt.”

“Magic?”

Despite the tense crease in her brow, a smile tugged at one corner of her mouth. “Not in the Hollywood or a paranormal novel’s sense. I view magic a bit differently than that.”

“I see.”

“No you don’t.”

“No. I really don’t.” He chuckled, and was relieved that she did the same. This was her most guarded part of herself, and this could make or break everything.

“Can you accept this? If you can’t, then we go back to sex.”

“Can we go back to sex if I can?”

“More often and better than before.” She walked closer, her hands clasped behind her back. “So what do you say?”

“I don’t see how the sex can be better.”

“Craig.”

“I can’t say for sure until I know more.” He held out his hand. “And I want to know more. Like why you don’t have warts.”

“Keep it up and I might give you some in a most uncomfortable place.”

“Um, ouch.”

“Do you really want to know more” She set her hand in his and pressed her body into his. “Do you really mean it? I haven’t scared you off?”

“Not yet. You make good on the wart threat and you might.”

She grinned. “It would hurt me worse than it would hurt you.”

“I doubt it.”

“Oh, trust me. I’m very grumpy without a hot body nearby…and you’re just the hottest body ever.”

“Flattery.”

“Truth.”

*~*

Hope you enjoyed it!  Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!

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Sunday Snippet 3 – Changing Tracks

Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!

Book 3 of my Dominion Falls Series released this week over at Secret Cravings Publishing. But today, I’m keeping you all intrigued with the beginning of the series Changing Tracks (The Dominion Falls Series book 1).

My amnesiac with the eidetic memory, Jane Doe, has been awake and about town for a couple of weeks. She and Cole Mitchell have been allowing their friendship to blossom. Despite the teasing and clever word play that haven’t yet taken it to the next level:

Setting down the orange she’d been holding, she straightened. “Well, I’m afraid I have a list of things to do today. And you know what? I could search all day and amusing Cole Mitchell would not be found there.”

Saucy. What a challenge she could be. He doubted she could be tamed, but he’d love to try anyway.

With controlled eagerness, he leaned into her, fighting off a groan as her curves molded against his body. Damn, she fit perfect.

*~*

Did you like this sample, too?  You can pick up the whole series now!!

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Head back on over to the Weekend Writing Warriors to read many more wonderful offerings!

Kay LaLone talks Ghosts and True Love

Personal

Can you tell us a little about yourself? I live in Michigan with my husband and teenage son. I have two older sons and a daughter-in-law who live nearby. I like fishing, camping, and going for long walks. I love books, so I have a collection of old books and paperbacks. But I mostly read books on my Nook now. I leave reviews on books I read.
Do you have a day job? Sort of. My husband and I love to buy things at auctions. We resell those items at the flea market, and online auction sites such as ebay, webstore, and ebids.
What was the greatest thing you learned at school? My school days were a long time ago. But since I have been out of school I have learned you never stop learning. I’m not a big fan of research, but I believe it helps my writing and I always learn something new.
Do you laugh at your own jokes? Sometimes.
Have you ever found true love? Yes. I’ve been married for 29 years. And we are still in love. If that isn’t true love, I don’t know what is.
What is something you never leave home without (apart from keys, phone, money, and ID)? My Nook and notebook. I used to carry a book in my purse, but now it’s my Nook. I always like to read, and you never know when an idea will hit you.
Where can people find you on the web? Where can they read more about your books?

www.kaylalone.weebly.com (website) www.kaylalone.blogspot.com (blog)

 

Your Novel

What is your book about?  Sarah Kay gets help from her dead grandma to find her father who she thought was dead.
What inspired you to write this particular story? My grandma. I was about Sarah Kay’s age, main character in Ghostly Clues, when my grandmother died. I remember one night seeing a ghostly hand creep up on my bed. It scared me at the time, but it is a memory that has haunted me. I do include that ghost hand in Ghostly Clues.
Are the names of the characters in your novel important? I think so. Sarah Kay is a name I always liked. If I had a daughter, that would have been her name.
How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book? Sarah Kay is a lot like me.

Writing

How many stories are swirling around in your head? Do you keep a mental list, a computer file, or a spiral notebook filled with the ideas?  There are a lot of ideas swirling around my head. That’s why I carry a notebook with me. I always try to write down my ideas in a notebook.
Who gave you the best writing advice you ever received and what was it? I don’t remember who gave me the advice, but the best writing advice I received is write, write, write, and read, read, read.
Where do you get the names for your characters? They just pop into my head.
What are you working on now? I have several project in different stages that I am working on.
Have you written any other books? I have one manuscript, Family Secret, which I have sent to my publisher.

Fun (Crazy, odd questions just for fun)

Have you ever gone out in public in mis-matched shoes, or with your shirt on backward, and when you realized it just said ‘eh, screw it’? Yes, I’ve gone out in public with my shirt on backwards. No one noticed and I didn’t tell them.
Are you a neat freak? Or clutter-bound? My house is a clutter zone because of all the things my family collects and things we buy to resell.

Quick Questions

Sing in the rain or dance in the streets? Dance in the streets
Pen or pencil? pencil
Summer or Winter? summer
Movies or TV? movies
Theater or DVD? DVD
Rural or Urban? Rural
Facial hair or clean shaven? Facial hair
Marvel or DC? Marvel
Cowboy or Bad Boy? Bad boy
Sunrise or Sunsent? Sunset
Fall leaves or Spring flowers? Fall leaves (fall is beautiful in Michigan)
Peanut butter or jelly? Peanutbutter
Spender or Saver? saver

*~*

| Amazon | BN | Smashwords | MuseItUp |

Blurb 

The sweet scent of lilacs permeates the air around Grandma’s gravesite. Only Sarah Kay can smell Grandma’s favorite flower, and they’re not even in bloom.

Sarah Kay and her best friend, Mary Jane, believe the lilacs are a sign from Grandma’s ghost. The girls follow one ghostly clue after another, uncovering a secret that Mom never wanted Sarah Kay to know.

Grandma makes sure Sarah Kay gets the message even from the grave. As the evidence piles up, Mom still refuses to accept the possibility Sarah Kay’s father is alive.

Sarah Kay finds Dad’s parents. A set of grandparents she didn’t realize existed. They make it clear her father is alive but days and miles separate the father and daughter reunion because Dad is a truck driver on a long haul.

Sarah Kay waits. The news reports a fatal car accident involving a semi and Sarah Kay fears the worse. She runs away which leads to Dad and the truth, Mom wanted Dad to remain dead.

Dad had faked his death so why not just stay dead.  The ghostly clues of Grandma wouldn’t allow Dad to remain dead to Sarah Kay.

*~*

Excerpt

The house was blanketed in a quiet slumber. I snuggled under the sleeping bag with Allison, trying not to think about ghosts, as I drifted to sleep.

Random pictures floated in my mind like ghostly images.

I tiptoed among tombstones and my heart ached as if I had lost something or someone. He had to be here, somewhere. The gravestones rose like stone walls. No names engraved on them. No dates. No R.I.P. Nothing. Just smooth, flat stones. Ghosts—grayish, smoky forms with black eyes—floated over the tombstones.  I shivered, suddenly cold, freezing. My breath visible like a little ghost. I didn’t want to look at the ghost anymore so I looked down at my feet. A tombstone with Grandma’s name appeared out of nowhere. The earth moved. The dirt around the headstone broke away and gnarled fingers clawed their way into the air, searching, grasping. Shriveled fingers clutched my leg.  

Something grabbed at my leg—the hand, I screamed and frantically wiggled out of my sleeping bag, bumping MJ as I tried to get away from the hand I thought I felt grab at my leg.

*~*

Bio 

I’m Kay LaLone. Ghostly Clues is my first middle grade novel published by MuseItUp. I live in Michigan with my husband and teenage son (two older sons and a daughter-in-law live near by) and two dogs and a cat. I love to get up every morning and write about ghosts, the paranormal, and anything that goes bump in the night. Or anything that interest my characters. Making my characters come to life for readers is important to a good story. I’m an avid reader of just about any type of book. I do reviews on the books I read and post them on my website and blog.

My website   www.kaylalone.weebly.com

My blog  www.kaylalone.blogspot.com

Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/ghostlyclues

Twitter   https://twitter.com/kaylalone

 

100 Words – Reset

It’s been a while since I joined the word nerds on the weekly challenge. I’m so happy to be back among old friends, I hope you enjoy my latest piece inspired by the prompt – Reset. Click on the Word Challenge image to find more participants 100 words!

Reset

Thin red line grants entrance.

One finger, than two widen the split.

I peel back the layers.

The pool of red grows, blocking my view.

I scoop it out into any receptacle, onto the floor, wherever it’s out of my way.

Organs shift under my grasping fingers, oozing and giving way to the pressure of my forward course.

Find the root cause.

Find the source of the bleeding.

Clamp a vein, stitch it closed.

Before it’s too late.

The bleeding slows, but not enough.

I must work fast.

Faster than this.

There is no reset button on a human life.

 

 

Emma Paul’s Top Ten Editor’s Notes

One of the most difficult things about being an author is taking criticism. It’s one thing to get a critical review, because as authors we expect those. However, it’s quite something else to get critiqued and edited by your editor.

Your editor is an extension of yourself. What I mean is that he is the extra pair of eyes that will pick up on any errors you have missed. He or she will tell you exactly what is wrong with the story regarding, flow, plot, characterization and other technical parts of writing. Now unless you write a perfectly balanced piece every time, chances are you are going to need an editor to correct and help you polish your story for publishing.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not perfect. With each new book, I’ve gotten better thanks to the awesome editing skills of my Sensei.(the nickname I gave my editor.)

However the secret to getting that book polished up and ready for my readers is my ability to take the advice and constructive criticism my favorite editor gives me.

However, sometimes that advice comes with some very witty quotes, I have made a list of my most favorite quotes that my editor has given me while working on my manuscript.

Here are ten of them.

You are a writer not a painter. –in response to a scene where I described the man’s male part in as “a turgid work of art.” Ew….WTF was I thinking.
Cock hole IS NOT SEXY.—in response to a term I used for a certain part of the female anatomy during a love scene.
F___ing Really?—in response to my writing a toilet scene into one of my stories.
You gotta change this! Hahahaha—in response to my description of a “pearl necklace” given to my heroine… (heheheh)
Meat?  LOL!  No.—in response to me trying to sneak in that “male” term into one of my sex scenes.
I KNEW I wasn’t drunk.  This is a POV switch without making it obvious.—in response to something I’ve been trying to perfect and finally did! 
Petals? Really? Females do not have petals, Flowers have petals.—one of the many responses to horrible prose I used to use.
???—in response to a piece of dialogue that made no sense what so ever.
WTF oh God no.—remember the “cock hole” term, this was in response to me trying to change it to Cock pocket. He also told me to burn that edit and never used it again. Heh…
Bwaaahaaahaaaaahaaaaa….Oh wait this is a serious scene?—he really thought it was a comedic scene, then realized I was trying to be dramatic and sort of over did it. There is such a thing as over use of adjectives in one sentence…Who knew?

 My Editor has a way with words at times but to me that’s what makes working on his edits more fun. After all if we can’t laugh at ourselves and accept our own mistakes, how can we ever become better writers?

*~*

| Amazon |

On Corbin’s world women are desperately needed as Breeding-mates to keep his race from extinction. Having been betrayed by his former Breeder, Corbin has given up on ever having another Breeding-mate in his life.

On one of his trips to the hedonistic planet Azuri, Corbin runs into Princess Yani, a beautiful woman who calls to him in a way he can not understand.

Princess Yani hates her life, and the man she is being forced to marry for the sake of politics.

Fleeing the nuptial feast, Yani runs straight into one of the planet’s most popular dives, where sex and sensuality abound. There she meets Corbin and sparks fly. One night of bliss in which he takes complete possession of her seems to offer the possibility for escape from her marriage – until Yani learns Corbin’s deepest, darkest secrets and needs. Needs she isn’t sure she can fulfill.

Can Yani and Corbin find love together, or will Fate tear them apart, dooming each to to a dull, lonely existence?

*~*

Bio

Emma Paul lives happily in Connecticut with her husband, daughter and a very pampered Himalayan cat named Chyenne. She loves creating the fantastical tales that seem to manifest every second of every day within the confines of her mind.  Emma loves writing and sharing her imagination with anyone willing to read or listen to her stories. She is passionate about her writing and loves pushing the limits if her imagination. Erotic romance is her favorite genre. Combined with her love of fantasy and science fiction, she found her calling. Her entertaining tales are hot, fun and wildly creative.

Emma is currently published with Renaissance E Books and their imprint Sizzler Editions.

She is also published with Silver Publishing Inc.

Her Works Include,

Soulmate’s Touch- Erotic Paranormal Romance- Sizzler Editions (First book in the Gargoyle Soulmate Series)

Kaden’s Breeder – Erotic Science Fiction Romance- Sizzler Editions (First book in the Galactic Breeders Series)

Prisoner of Darkhaven – Fantasy-Erotic Romance Fairytale- Sizzler Editions

Personal Tutor- Contemporary Erotic Romance- Silver Publishing

 

Reviews,  What readers are saying about Emma Paul’s Books,

 

Prisoner Of Darkhaven,

“ With all of the shows and movies about the beloved children’s fairy tales, the Prisoner of Darkhaven offers an erotic flavor for a classic. Damien’s character is everything I think a demon would be in human form, and when his demon persona comes to the surface I was still able to see and feel the sexuality. Elise is a very headstrong and independent character who just happened to be in a bad situation. I loved that Elise didn’t shrink in fear when Damien showed his demon self or when the goblins were around. The sex between Damien and Elise is very hot, spicy, dirty…and did I mention hot and just plan old sexy as heck.”

“Prisoner of Darkhaven is a very fun book that will have you searching for your very own demon.”  -Just Erotic Reviews

Soulmate’s Touch,

“There is just one word for Ms. Paul’s Soulmate’s Touch…juicy!  From the first page to the last, it keeps the reader enthralled.  Soulmate’s Touch demands the reader’s full attention.  One skipped page and you’ll be lost.  It’s not often that you see this level of complexity in the erotic romance genre.  This felt more on par with something written by leading authors in the mainstream suspense genre.”

 

“Brava to Ms. Paul for reminding readers that erotic romance isn’t just about the bump and grind, but about the journey the characters take to earn their HEA!  Soulmate’s Touch was a joy to read and very deserving of a JERR Gold Star Award.”

–T.S. Peters, Erotic Romance Reviews

 T

Kaden’s Breeder,

“This story is a rocking 18+ read A woman gets abducted by aliens from Earth, she is then cleaned and prepared to be in a breeding event. Stupidity she leaves the path made for the females to run on and ends up in danger, but wonderfully the man who decided to make her his came to her rescue The man who rescued her is apart of a planet that has no females any more, so they rely highly on the breeder event to find fertile females to have their young. Talk about hot aliens, they are drool worthy in many ways God why can’t all males have those Dredlocks You will see what I mean”

–Amazon Customer—Review by Beth

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Tales – Glass

The prompt this week is Glass.

I’m afraid I had to set aside Deep Fried Sweethearts to work on revisions of Santa, Maybe – they’re due to the editor soon, so this was my last chance to add new words.  Don’t worry, there’s a familiar face or two in this scene

You never did get to see much of Santa, Maybe, as it was written before I knew there’d be a series, and I was working on another story through TT at the time.  Ivy and Alan are the H/h. They are high school sweethearts that left Lake Point together…but ambition and goals pulled them apart many times. They have always loved each other and wanted the absolute best for the other person, which led to them stepping aside to let the other succeed.  When this story starts, they hadn’t seen each other for 8 years – their longest ever separation.

As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors:

“The nerve of that asshole.” Ivy paced the small office.

Behind the desk her friend Eve didn’t bother to stop grinning.  Eve was a beautiful blond with a body Ivy would kill for with its curves, but Eve was too self-conscious and self-deprecating to ever agree. If she did, maybe she’d actually hook up with her boss and best friend, Jake. “You are so in love.”

“I was. Now I’m pissed.”

“Fine line, so they say.” Eve gathered her purse and rose. “So explain to me again why you never told him about Justina or Justin?”

“He knew I was sort of dating Justin. I just never told him what we were really doing or planning. You should have seen him.” Ivy sighed and leaned against the door frame while Eve donned her coat. “He’d just received that promotion, he was one step away from partner and so proud of himself for achieving a goal two years ahead of time.”

“Him and his damn spreadsheets and plans.” Eve snorted and flipped her long waves out from under her coat. “I swear he had your life planned down to the second when you both took off out of town without ever looking back.”

A familiar twinge hit her heart and Ivy shook her head. “No. Not quite that exact then. We both had goals, but his plans were looser and allowed for extraneous details.”

“Like marriage?”

“I thought. Maybe. Once.” Ivy pushed open the door and welcomed the shock of cold air that froze any burning hint of rising tears. “Where to?”

“You need a junk food binge with all of this drama. Where do you think?”

“The Midway.” Ivy grinned and laced her arm through Eve’s. “You’re right. I so rarely indulge, but it sounds perfect right now. Just tell me you have the antacids.”

“I never leave home without them.” Eve chuckled. “So what are you going to do?”

“Same thing I always do. Alan won’t stick around long, he’ll take his first excuse and head out of here like a rocket back to the city. Then life can return to normal.”

“Life hasn’t been normal since you left the city.” Eve held up her hands in defense when Ivy spun on her. “It’s been good, but it hasn’t been normal.”

The words stung more than Ivy cared to admit, because that would mean they were true. She’d never been in love with Justin, and he’d not been in love with her. They’d both known it when they’d gone down the path they’d chosen. That was just it, though, it was their choice. She’d always loved Alan, but he succeeded so much further with his goals when she wasn’t in his way.

Eve pushed open the door to the Midway and the bright yellow walls and the ping of the skee-ball machine interrupted the morose tone that had descended on the conversation. Instantly Ivy brightened up. Eve was grinning right along with her. “Can’t help but be happy in this place. Hey Mikey!”

Michaela O’Keefe, the stereotypically red-haired owner of the fair-themed restaurant smiled at them both. “Eve, Ivy. It’s great to see you in here. Normally you never come without Justina tagging along.”

“I’m the one dragging her along. She needed the junk food far more than I do.” Eve patted her ass before she leaned in. “Alan’s back.”

“He’s not back,” Ivy protested. “Not really. He’s just visiting.”

Mikey went slack-jawed for a moment before she recovered. “Oh dear. Let me guess, Philly steak, no peppers?”

“Please. And a huge order of fries.” Ivy nodded. “I need them today.”

“Same for me, but I’ll take the peppers she doesn’t want.” Eve frowned. “I’d ask you to join us, but you look swamped and stressed. Why don’t you hire an assistant manager already?”

“I haven’t even had time to place the ad. I’ve asked some of my older employees, but they all want to stay part time. I just don’t have time to search.” Michaela rang them up and called back their order before she sighed. “Once the holiday rush is over I’ll place an ad.”

“You need someone now. When was your last day off?” Ivy glanced around the packed restaurant. “You’re only closed on the holidays.”

“So I was just off on Thanksgiving. I’m fine, really.” Michaela handed them a balloon with their order number on it. “I like keeping busy. It’s better than the alternative.”

Ivy took the balloon and followed Eve to a table where she dropped the weighted sack holding the balloon down onto the floor.  Once she sat, the balloon bobbed just above their heads. She pulled out a few napkins and laid them across her lap, and then leaned on the table.

“She does kind of look like him, you know.” Eve slurped her water up through her straw, one eyebrow curved up like she dared Ivy to object. “If someone didn’t know better and looked for him, they’d see him in her.”

“I know.” Ivy’s shoulders dropped as she released the tension. “The fate of genetics gave her just enough of Justin that she would favor Alan. Justin used to tease me that the only reason I gave him a second look was because of his similarity to Alan.”

“Didn’t you guys used to double date with Justin and…”

“Julie. Yes.” Ivy pulsed her straw through her water. “Until Julie went to San Francisco. Alan and I were still on again, off again, at that point. Alan and Justin used to try to tell people they were fraternal twins.”

“So it was an honest mistake.”

“That accused me of being a horrible bitch that would keep a child from Alan.” Ivy shoved her glass away and sank down in her chair. While Eve was one of the few people that knew, and believed, the whole story, she still didn’t know everything. “I made a choice, but if it had been his child I never would have kept it from him. Justina could have been his, I was so full of hormones, we are so lucky the condom was sound.”

Eve giggled when a few heads turned their way. “You said that a little loud.”

“Oops.” Ivy laughed, relaxing more as Eve started to lose control of her laughter. Soon enough Ivy joined in and by the time the food arrived she happily changed the subject.

*~*

Hope you enjoyed it!  Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!

*~*

 

 

Sunday Snippet 2 – Changing Tracks

I had so much fun last week with the Weekend Writing Warriors that I decided to stick with it!

I’m sticking with the beginning – with Changing Tracks (The Dominion Falls Series book 1).

So, welcome again to my fellow warriors!  I present to you a little more of my brothel/saloon owner Cole, and my amnesiac with the eidetic memory, Jane Doe.

In the same scene as last week, a little later. Jane is trying to get rid of the woman that runs the boarding house she’s been recuperating in so she might get to speak and act more freely. Cole thinks she’s being just a little too polite about it.  (Creative editing in force to make it eight lines. Try not to cringe at the improper use of commas…they aren’t there in the actual book):

“Martha, you’re annoying.” He was a man of few words, while it was clear she was a woman of plenty.

“You’re an eloquent bastard, aren’t you?” The woman smirked, maybe just a bit annoyed at being interrupted, “You can’t be polite?”

“She won’t leave if you’re nice about it.” Cole leaned back, “You talk too much.”

This time she looked him over and he let her take her time. The more her gaze traveled, the more his skin tingled and his trousers tightened and by the time she finished, her mouth formed a slight O, “Thank you for your opinion.”

*~*

Did you like this sample, too?  You can pick up the first two books in the series! Book 3 (Dark Territory) comes out soon!!

 

 

*~*

 

Head back on over to the Weekend Writing Warriors to read many more wonderful offerings!

Whispers in the Dark by Kris Bock

| Amazon |

Blurb

Kylie Hafford craves adventure when she heads to the remote Puebloan ruins of Lost Valley, Colorado, to excavate. Romance isn’t in her plans, but she soon meets two sexy men: Danesh looks like a warrior from the Pueblo’s ancient past, and Sean is a charming, playful tourist. The summer heats up as Kylie uncovers mysteries, secrets, and terrors in the dark. She’ll need all her strength and wits to survive—and to save the man she’s come to love.

Whispers in the Dark is thrilling romantic suspense set in the Four Corners region of the Southwest. “This book kept me turning pages until the end. The plot was full of twists and turns, always keeping the reader rooting for the heroine. Excellent read!” Reader Suzanne Borchers

*~*

Excerpt

…. I hurried along the trail until I reached the canyon rim, where I stopped and grinned. The canyon cut across the land in front of me—maybe more of a ravine, really, several miles long but only a quarter-mile across and a few hundred feet deep. The bottom looked shady and cool, while the sun lit up the small ruin to my right.

The now-roofless mud-brick structure wouldn’t impress anyone but an archaeologist—except for the way it perched recklessly atop a thirty-foot boulder. The boulder sloped at a sharp angle, so it looked like the whole structure should slide into the canyon. And it had been there for over 700 years!

I spotted carved hand and toeholds in the rock, leading up to the low doorway. I tried to imagine the Anasazi living there centuries before, scrambling up the steep side of the boulder as easily as I walked up the stairs to my second-floor apartment. I half-closed my eyes to blur my vision and tried to picture the way it must have been before the walls crumbled and the roof collapsed. I imagined small, tanned people in loincloths, women on the roof, crouched over their work, children playing nearby, men returning from hunting or working their cultivated fields. I could almost hear their cheerful shouts.

I opened my eyes and turned down the path along the canyon rim, humming with pleasure. I couldn’t wait to explore further. Of course, regular tourists weren’t allowed to leave the trail, but one of the perks of being an archaeologist was special access. For the next few weeks, this would be my playground.

The next site on the map was just a vandalized rock shelter, and the trail guide complained that people had torn down the walls before it could be excavated. Only part of one wall and a jumble of stones remained. But the guide also mentioned that the site might have yielded storage jars or food remains, had it been left for archaeologists. Since my interest was ancient food, I decided to creep down for a closer look.

I moved carefully, so as not to disturb the loose rocks, and squatted near the biggest pile of rubble. I gently lifted a few pieces of broken brick, putting them back in the same place after I’d examined them. I couldn’t do much with the fragments, but as always, I marveled over touching something from the past.

Tomorrow would be soon enough for scientific method, for testing and hypothesizing. Tonight I only wanted to touch the magic of this ancient world. I closed my eyes and tried to feel some ancient presence, to hear whispers from the past. The air seemed to tremble with possibilities. If only I believed in magic—

A shout slashed the air. I twisted so fast I tumbled onto my backside.

I gaped up at the man towering over me. Bare chest, muscular and bronzed. Black hair pulled back from a face full of sharp planes and angles. Dark eyes fierce under scowling brows.

My heart jolted painfully. I’d come face to face with an ancient warrior. He was gorgeous.

And furious.

At me.

“Don’t you read signs?”

I blinked at the apparition. “Uh….”

He gestured back at the main path. “The signs at every turn saying ‘Stay on the path’? The notice at the entrance telling you to leave artifacts alone? I could have you arrested and fined.”

Oh. I felt color flooding my cheeks. My pounding heart refused to slow yet, and the rush of adrenaline turned my arms and legs to jelly, but I rose steadily enough. I tried to ignore the heat in my face and the queasy feeling of panic in my stomach, which hadn’t yet accepted the message that I wasn’t in danger. “I’m Kylie Hafford,” I said coolly. “The archaeologist. Are you Danesh?”

I saw a satisfying flash of surprise and then guilt. Or maybe I had just imagined it, as his face settled immediately into a neutral mask. “Yes, I’m Danesh.” He hesitated before adding stiffly, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.”

He must have caught my irony, because he almost smiled—I think. He said, “I’m sorry I startled you. I wasn’t expecting you yet, and….” He shrugged. “I’ve been noticing scuff marks in the ground, off the trail where tourists aren’t supposed to go. I figured someone was poking around, maybe looking for treasure.”

“And you assumed I was your treasure hunter?”

 

 

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. Whispers in the Dark involves archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. Rattled follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page.

 

 

Friday Focus with Alexandra Anthony

Personal

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a stay at home Mom from the Midwest.  I enjoy all things vampire and paranormal and love to read (when I get the chance in between writing books)!

Do you have a day job?

As a stay at home mom that also home schools my daughter, I consider that my full-time job!

Do you laugh at your own jokes?

Occasionally.  Sometimes when I’m writing and I come up with a good line…I can’t help but chuckle.

Where can people find you on the web? Where can they read more about your books?

You can find me at www.alexandra-anthony.com and all of my books are listed there.

Your Novel

What is your book about?

This book is a Companion to The Vampire Destiny Series.  The book is written from my heroes POV…his take on Fated (Book 1) and Illusion (Book 2).  It also features his backstory…his human death, his struggles with immortality up until he meets my heroine, Josephine.

What about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Many of my fans love Stefan and wanted to hear his story…especially since my books are written in 1st Person POV.  It was a fun journey to write as my dashing vampire hero.

You got the call – your novel is being made into a TV series or movie – who’s in your dream cast?

Stefan-Alexander Skarsgard

Josephine- Olivia Wilde

Lukas- Rupert Everett

Anna-Evangeline Lilly

Nikolaus-Adam Levine

Georgia-Catherine Bell

 

These are my core characters…I could go on and on!

 

Writing

How many people (i.e. characters) have you done away with in the course of your career?

Five.

 Have you ever regretted killing one of them off?

No.  Each character’s death was important to the story line…and had to be done!

What’s your writing schedule like? Do you strive for a certain amount of words each day?

My writing schedule is crazy.  With school back in session, I now get up early to write or brainstorm…and then it’s school time.  I also try to sit down in the evening and write for an hour or two.  It’s hectic, but it works!

What is the most difficult part of the writing process? The easiest?

Editing is the worst.  The easiest part is coming up with the story!

Have you written any other books?

Yes, I’ve written 4 books in The Vampire Destiny Series and 1 in The Dark Hart Chronicles.  I’m working on Book 2 right now.

Fun (Crazy, odd questions just for fun)

Are you a neat freak? Or clutter-bound?

I’m a total neat freak…which does not work well with a writing schedule!

You were just given a yacht. What would you name it?

Mitt hjärtas önskan (My Heart’s Desire in Swedish)

If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Invisibility

Quick Questions

Sing in the rain or dance in the streets?

Dance in the street.  My voice might scare innocent people!

Pen or pencil?

Pen

Summer or Winter?

Winter

Movies or TV?

TV

*~*~*~*

Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1)

| Amazon | BN | Smashwords |

Book Blurb

In this first Companion Piece to The Vampire Destiny Series, we follow our hero, Stefan Lifsten, from the time of his human death, through his early years as a vampire until he meets Josephine Anderson, his fated mate.

We’ll travel along with him during his initial struggles to accept his immortality, his betrayals by friends and foes, and experience his joy of meeting the woman from his vision…experiencing Fated and Illusion through his eyes.

This book is a Companion to The Vampire Destiny Series and will feature missing scenes and character information. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, it is highly recommended that you read Fated and Illusion to fully experience this book.

*This book contains sexy vampires, graphic language and highly erotic scenes that are not for those 18 and under or are of the faint of heart. Consider yourself warned.*

Excerpt

“Lukas? What happened?” I demanded harshly.  I needed to know who had done this to her.

“I don’t know.  She hasn’t had the chance to tell me anything.”

“Kian,” she sputtered.  “Stefan, let me show you.”

Giving me access to her memories, she replayed her confrontation with her father at the art gallery for me.  I stiffened against her and was ready to find Kian and rip him apart piece by piece.

“What?!? Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Lukas asked, tapping his foot impatiently.

“Josephine had an argument with her father.  He apparently has been following her and confronted her today,” I said, placing a kiss against the top of her head.

Lukas was on the floor beside of us before I even realized he had moved.  His fangs had dropped and he looked terrifying, so unlike the sweet Lukas we knew.  “If that bastard even thinks he’s going to mess with her, I’ll end him, Stefan.”

Letting out a resigned sigh, I reached to place a hand on my child’s shoulder.  “No one is ending anyone, Lukas.  Only the game has changed.  We knew it would happen eventually.”  I focused my attention back on Josephine, smoothing her hair back from her tear-stained face.  “Vackra, did he harm you at all?”

As I comforted her, I knew in that moment that I would kill Kian Ahearne and rejoice at his blood on my hands.  His demise meant freedom for not only Josephine, but also for me.  Her fear, her agony gave me the justification I had been waiting for.

“No.  But he’s a monster.”

“You are safe now.”  I nodded towards Lukas, who stroked Josephine’s arm gently before rising gracefully to his feet and leaving the apartment.

I scooped her up in my arms and carried her into the bedroom, sitting her down carefully on the edge of the bed.  I motioned for her to lie down and I sat next to her.  I removed her ankle boots, placing them on the floor beside the bed.  The bed shifted under my weight and I collected her in the strong embrace of my arms, whispering against my temple.  “Han kommer aldrig att röra dig.  Om det är det sista jag gör på denna jord, kommer jag att dö skydda dig.  Du är mitt liv, min kärlek.”

She let out a shaky sigh as she breathed in the smell of my skin.  “When you speak in your native tongue, it sounds so beautiful.  What did you just say?”

I snorted and closed my eyes.  “You will not be happy with what I said.”

She pushed against my chest.  “I’m already unhappy.  Unless you just told me we’re over, I think I can deal with whatever you said.”

I let out a weary sigh.  “I used to be a much stronger vampire.  I give in to every whim, every request you have.”  Smiling sheepishly, I rested my face against her hair.  “I told you that he would never touch you.  If it is the last thing I do on this earth, I will die protecting you.  You are my life, my love.”

*~*

About Alexandra Anthony

Alexandra Anthony is the independent author of two romantic, erotic book series: The Vampire Destiny Series and The Dark Hart Chronicles.  Both feature sexy vampires to die for, steamy love scenes and follow the twists and turns of her character’s many adventures.  Her books are not for the faint of heart.

She was most recently featured in USA Today in an article by Joyce Lamb titled, “It’s time to put some Paranormal Activity into your Reading” and was featured under Self-Published/Indie Authors for the release of Ascend (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 4).  Her paranormal, erotic romance Tempted (The Dark Hart Chronicles Book 1) was nominated for Best Erotica in the 2013 Orangeberry Hall of Fame Contest.