N.J. Walters's Blog, page 135
August 6, 2016
Exclusive Excerpt over at EskieMama Reads
I'm over at the ESKIEMAMA READS BLOG today with an exclusive excerpt from Wolf in his Heart. Be sure to stop by and check it out.
August 4, 2016
My Top 10 Romance Paranormal Heroes
Want to know my Top 10 picks for Romance Paranormal Heroes? Stop by the NIGHT OWL ROMANCE REVIEWS blog and check it out.
There are tons more great heroes to chose from, but these were the ten that came immediately to mind.
While you're there, be sure to enter the Rock Star Lit Page-Turning Paranormal contest for Summer of 2016! There are lots of great prizes to be won.
CLICK HERE
I'm over at the Compelling Beasts Blog
I'm over at KATE HILL'S COMPELLING BEASTS BLOG today. Stop by and check out the Story Sample for Wolf in his Heart!
August 2, 2016
Writer Wednesday--Jenna Ives
Please welcome Jenna Ives to Writer's Wednesday!
Meet a Beautiful Doll sex robot! Programmed To Please (The Tau Cetus Chronicles, book 1) Very human Tau Cetus police agent Jai Turner is sent undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex robot in order to bring down the planet's most notorious arms dealer, Marque Callex. Reclusive arms dealer Marque Callex only accepts an invitation from Beautiful Dolls because with his deadly line of work – and the dangerous secrets he’s keeping – he can't afford to let a real woman into his life. But neither Jai nor Marque are what they seem, and their week together has consequences neither expect. This book is a HOLT medallion merit award-winner. Excerpt: “Turner, I’m sending you undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex toy.” Police agent Jai Turner stared at her boss, Commander Talis Rainey, convinced she couldn’t possibly have heard him right. She and her partner, Leith Wyatt, had been called into his office at the end of their duty shift. It had been a long day, as they all were on Tau Cetus in this post-apocalyptic era, and she was in no mood for a joke. She shifted tiredly on her feet in front of his desk. “Sir?” For an answer, Rainey leaned forward in his chair and pushed a button on the console on his desk. “Send in Mr. Carron.” A minute later, a short man stood in the doorway. His eyes darted around nervously as he checked out the spartan office before taking an apparently reluctant step into the room. He was such a stereotype that Jai felt herself stiffen. Thick glasses… hair askew… frankly, all he needed was a lab coat with a pocket protector to complete the picture. Savant. Adept. Carbon-copier. Maybe her boss hadn’t been making a joke. Rainey cleared his throat. “This is Anson Carron. The creator of Beautiful Dolls.” If the abrupt and impersonal introduction annoyed their guest, he didn’t show it. His eyes had locked on Jai, and were scanning her up and down in a way that felt decidedly intimate despite the generic, navy blue one-piece uniform that she and everyone else on the Tau Cetus police force wore. “Yes,” he murmured. “I suppose I can work with this.” “This,” Rainey said hotly, “is Jai Turner, one of my best agents. She’s human.” The little man seemed lost in his own train of thought. “She meets his prime criteria. Of course, it would be better if I could see her without her clothes on before I make a final assessment.” What the hell? Jai stiffened even more. “Commander!” Rainey let out a loud sigh, then glanced at Jai and the two men. “Sit. All of you.” The three of them took the hard chairs arrayed around Rainey’s desk. Jai crossed her arms and legs defensively, and even Wyatt turned his chair around to straddle it. It was obvious neither one of them anticipated liking whatever the Commander might be about to say. Rainey ran a hand through his grey-black hair and looked at the partners. “Before I start, I have one thing to say to you two. Marque Callex.” Jai gasped. “What?” That changed everything. The infamous name had both her and Wyatt leaning forward in their chairs, now eagerly waiting for Rainey’s next words. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get close to this guy. We may now have a chance, albeit by a very unconventional route.” Rainey nodded toward their guest. “A month ago, Mr. Carron here ran afoul of the law. No need to get into the specifics, but in an effort to save his neck – and his very lucrative business – he suggested a unique proposal in return for us not pursuing charges against him.” “What kind of proposal?” Wyatt asked. “A clever one, as it turns out.” Rainey smirked. “Mr. Carron agreed to send out an… invitation… to Marque Callex, in the guise of offering ‘a select number of high-powered businessmen’ the chance to sample the latest model of Beautiful Doll for free, in exchange for their feedback on the product. In reality, Callex was the only person to get this invitation.” Jai’s mouth set in a disgusted line. “And he accepted.” “He did,” Rainey confirmed. “It was a gamble, but it paid off. In this supposed ‘latest model,’ clients are able to customize their girl. Callex filled out the form specifying the criteria of his ideal Beautiful Doll, and now all we have to do is fulfill his requirements.” The Commander gave Jai a pointed stare. “With you.” Jai’s eyes went wide. “You want me to impersonate a sexbot?” “He’s requested certain specifics,” Anson Carron spoke up. “Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Lean, athletic build.” Jai let out a relieved breath. “Well, that rules me out then. I’m brown-haired and brown-eyed.” “Easily fixed,” her boss pointed out. “You fit the most important characteristic: athletic build. We can’t fake that, but we can correct the other things with hair dye and contact lenses.” Jai leaned forward in her chair. “Sir, do you really believe a man who can have any model of girl he wants, would pick a B-cup and not a triple-D? For a sexbot? Come on, Commander. Are you sure Callex is even serious about this?” Rainey stroked his chin thoughtfully, and then shrugged. “Well, we’ll have our answer on Monday, if he shows up at the Beautiful Dolls boudoir. Until then, prepping you for the assignment is the way we’re going to proceed. That is, if you’re agreeable.” Jai scowled. There was absolutely no way she was going to volunteer for this. Have sex on command? Not a chance. Not even to bring down a man they’d long been after for suspected weapons smuggling. Besides, she could never pass for a sexbot. She had a heartbeat, for goodness sake! Rainey sighed into the stubborn silence. “Do I really need to play the Joran Breaux card with either of you?” A spark of anger shot through Jai, even as she heard Wyatt shift uncomfortably on his chair. Joran was the second – and definitely much more personal – reason they were after Marque Callex. Joran had been sent in to infiltrate Callex Industries from the inside, to discover how one of the government’s top weapons contractors was secretly diverting arms to militant countries. Joran’s cover as an employee had seemed secure until two months ago, when the police force had lost contact with him on the very day he’d scheduled a meeting with Marque Callex. Three weeks later, Joran’s body had turned up – in pieces – in a recycling center a hundred clicks away. Joran had been Wyatt’s partner before Jai. Jai would relish the chance to avenge the death of a fellow Tau Cetus agent, but was becoming a sex slave really the best way to do it? Rainey scowled. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get to Marque Callex. This may be our best chance. But if you’re not up to it, Turner, I’ll find another female agent with athletic build who’s more committed to her job.” Crap. Now Rainey was doubting Jai’s dedication to the force.Silence stretched in the room while Jai considered her options. Her very limitedoptions. As in, none. “I’ll do it.” “What?” Jai’s mouth set into a mulish line. What real choice did she have? Marque Callex needed to be stopped. “I said I’ll do it. If this is our best – and possibly only– chance to get to him, then I’m in.” Programmed To Please is the first in a series of police agents and sex robots called The Tau Cetus Chronicles. In the sequel Programmed To Protect, Leith Wyatt falls in love with a sexbot named Ginger, and in the final book of the trilogy, Programmed For Power, the planet’s premier, Theus, is torn between a real woman – the enemy who makes him feel alive – and the sexbot Keira who’s the perfect match for his lifeless existence. Bio:
Award-winning author Jenna Ives writes for several publishers under a variety of names, but mainly it's to protect her poor sainted mother (who used to read sweet Harlequin novels) from discovering how sexy modern romances have become. And Jenna DOES write sexy... You can connect with Jenna at www.jennaives.com, email jenna@jennaives.com, Twitter @JennaIvesAuthor or on Facebook. You can also check out her multi-author blog at http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
Meet a Beautiful Doll sex robot! Programmed To Please (The Tau Cetus Chronicles, book 1) Very human Tau Cetus police agent Jai Turner is sent undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex robot in order to bring down the planet's most notorious arms dealer, Marque Callex. Reclusive arms dealer Marque Callex only accepts an invitation from Beautiful Dolls because with his deadly line of work – and the dangerous secrets he’s keeping – he can't afford to let a real woman into his life. But neither Jai nor Marque are what they seem, and their week together has consequences neither expect. This book is a HOLT medallion merit award-winner. Excerpt: “Turner, I’m sending you undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex toy.” Police agent Jai Turner stared at her boss, Commander Talis Rainey, convinced she couldn’t possibly have heard him right. She and her partner, Leith Wyatt, had been called into his office at the end of their duty shift. It had been a long day, as they all were on Tau Cetus in this post-apocalyptic era, and she was in no mood for a joke. She shifted tiredly on her feet in front of his desk. “Sir?” For an answer, Rainey leaned forward in his chair and pushed a button on the console on his desk. “Send in Mr. Carron.” A minute later, a short man stood in the doorway. His eyes darted around nervously as he checked out the spartan office before taking an apparently reluctant step into the room. He was such a stereotype that Jai felt herself stiffen. Thick glasses… hair askew… frankly, all he needed was a lab coat with a pocket protector to complete the picture. Savant. Adept. Carbon-copier. Maybe her boss hadn’t been making a joke. Rainey cleared his throat. “This is Anson Carron. The creator of Beautiful Dolls.” If the abrupt and impersonal introduction annoyed their guest, he didn’t show it. His eyes had locked on Jai, and were scanning her up and down in a way that felt decidedly intimate despite the generic, navy blue one-piece uniform that she and everyone else on the Tau Cetus police force wore. “Yes,” he murmured. “I suppose I can work with this.” “This,” Rainey said hotly, “is Jai Turner, one of my best agents. She’s human.” The little man seemed lost in his own train of thought. “She meets his prime criteria. Of course, it would be better if I could see her without her clothes on before I make a final assessment.” What the hell? Jai stiffened even more. “Commander!” Rainey let out a loud sigh, then glanced at Jai and the two men. “Sit. All of you.” The three of them took the hard chairs arrayed around Rainey’s desk. Jai crossed her arms and legs defensively, and even Wyatt turned his chair around to straddle it. It was obvious neither one of them anticipated liking whatever the Commander might be about to say. Rainey ran a hand through his grey-black hair and looked at the partners. “Before I start, I have one thing to say to you two. Marque Callex.” Jai gasped. “What?” That changed everything. The infamous name had both her and Wyatt leaning forward in their chairs, now eagerly waiting for Rainey’s next words. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get close to this guy. We may now have a chance, albeit by a very unconventional route.” Rainey nodded toward their guest. “A month ago, Mr. Carron here ran afoul of the law. No need to get into the specifics, but in an effort to save his neck – and his very lucrative business – he suggested a unique proposal in return for us not pursuing charges against him.” “What kind of proposal?” Wyatt asked. “A clever one, as it turns out.” Rainey smirked. “Mr. Carron agreed to send out an… invitation… to Marque Callex, in the guise of offering ‘a select number of high-powered businessmen’ the chance to sample the latest model of Beautiful Doll for free, in exchange for their feedback on the product. In reality, Callex was the only person to get this invitation.” Jai’s mouth set in a disgusted line. “And he accepted.” “He did,” Rainey confirmed. “It was a gamble, but it paid off. In this supposed ‘latest model,’ clients are able to customize their girl. Callex filled out the form specifying the criteria of his ideal Beautiful Doll, and now all we have to do is fulfill his requirements.” The Commander gave Jai a pointed stare. “With you.” Jai’s eyes went wide. “You want me to impersonate a sexbot?” “He’s requested certain specifics,” Anson Carron spoke up. “Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Lean, athletic build.” Jai let out a relieved breath. “Well, that rules me out then. I’m brown-haired and brown-eyed.” “Easily fixed,” her boss pointed out. “You fit the most important characteristic: athletic build. We can’t fake that, but we can correct the other things with hair dye and contact lenses.” Jai leaned forward in her chair. “Sir, do you really believe a man who can have any model of girl he wants, would pick a B-cup and not a triple-D? For a sexbot? Come on, Commander. Are you sure Callex is even serious about this?” Rainey stroked his chin thoughtfully, and then shrugged. “Well, we’ll have our answer on Monday, if he shows up at the Beautiful Dolls boudoir. Until then, prepping you for the assignment is the way we’re going to proceed. That is, if you’re agreeable.” Jai scowled. There was absolutely no way she was going to volunteer for this. Have sex on command? Not a chance. Not even to bring down a man they’d long been after for suspected weapons smuggling. Besides, she could never pass for a sexbot. She had a heartbeat, for goodness sake! Rainey sighed into the stubborn silence. “Do I really need to play the Joran Breaux card with either of you?” A spark of anger shot through Jai, even as she heard Wyatt shift uncomfortably on his chair. Joran was the second – and definitely much more personal – reason they were after Marque Callex. Joran had been sent in to infiltrate Callex Industries from the inside, to discover how one of the government’s top weapons contractors was secretly diverting arms to militant countries. Joran’s cover as an employee had seemed secure until two months ago, when the police force had lost contact with him on the very day he’d scheduled a meeting with Marque Callex. Three weeks later, Joran’s body had turned up – in pieces – in a recycling center a hundred clicks away. Joran had been Wyatt’s partner before Jai. Jai would relish the chance to avenge the death of a fellow Tau Cetus agent, but was becoming a sex slave really the best way to do it? Rainey scowled. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get to Marque Callex. This may be our best chance. But if you’re not up to it, Turner, I’ll find another female agent with athletic build who’s more committed to her job.” Crap. Now Rainey was doubting Jai’s dedication to the force.Silence stretched in the room while Jai considered her options. Her very limitedoptions. As in, none. “I’ll do it.” “What?” Jai’s mouth set into a mulish line. What real choice did she have? Marque Callex needed to be stopped. “I said I’ll do it. If this is our best – and possibly only– chance to get to him, then I’m in.” Programmed To Please is the first in a series of police agents and sex robots called The Tau Cetus Chronicles. In the sequel Programmed To Protect, Leith Wyatt falls in love with a sexbot named Ginger, and in the final book of the trilogy, Programmed For Power, the planet’s premier, Theus, is torn between a real woman – the enemy who makes him feel alive – and the sexbot Keira who’s the perfect match for his lifeless existence. Bio:
Award-winning author Jenna Ives writes for several publishers under a variety of names, but mainly it's to protect her poor sainted mother (who used to read sweet Harlequin novels) from discovering how sexy modern romances have become. And Jenna DOES write sexy... You can connect with Jenna at www.jennaives.com, email jenna@jennaives.com, Twitter @JennaIvesAuthor or on Facebook. You can also check out her multi-author blog at http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
Writer's Wednesday--Jenna Ives
Please welcome Jenna Ives to Writer's Wednesday!
Meet a Beautiful Doll sex robot! Programmed To Please (The Tau Cetus Chronicles, book 1) Very human Tau Cetus police agent Jai Turner is sent undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex robot in order to bring down the planet's most notorious arms dealer, Marque Callex. Reclusive arms dealer Marque Callex only accepts an invitation from Beautiful Dolls because with his deadly line of work – and the dangerous secrets he’s keeping – he can't afford to let a real woman into his life. But neither Jai nor Marque are what they seem, and their week together has consequences neither expect. This book is a HOLT medallion merit award-winner. Excerpt: “Turner, I’m sending you undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex toy.” Police agent Jai Turner stared at her boss, Commander Talis Rainey, convinced she couldn’t possibly have heard him right. She and her partner, Leith Wyatt, had been called into his office at the end of their duty shift. It had been a long day, as they all were on Tau Cetus in this post-apocalyptic era, and she was in no mood for a joke. She shifted tiredly on her feet in front of his desk. “Sir?” For an answer, Rainey leaned forward in his chair and pushed a button on the console on his desk. “Send in Mr. Carron.” A minute later, a short man stood in the doorway. His eyes darted around nervously as he checked out the spartan office before taking an apparently reluctant step into the room. He was such a stereotype that Jai felt herself stiffen. Thick glasses… hair askew… frankly, all he needed was a lab coat with a pocket protector to complete the picture. Savant. Adept. Carbon-copier. Maybe her boss hadn’t been making a joke. Rainey cleared his throat. “This is Anson Carron. The creator of Beautiful Dolls.” If the abrupt and impersonal introduction annoyed their guest, he didn’t show it. His eyes had locked on Jai, and were scanning her up and down in a way that felt decidedly intimate despite the generic, navy blue one-piece uniform that she and everyone else on the Tau Cetus police force wore. “Yes,” he murmured. “I suppose I can work with this.” “This,” Rainey said hotly, “is Jai Turner, one of my best agents. She’s human.” The little man seemed lost in his own train of thought. “She meets his prime criteria. Of course, it would be better if I could see her without her clothes on before I make a final assessment.” What the hell? Jai stiffened even more. “Commander!” Rainey let out a loud sigh, then glanced at Jai and the two men. “Sit. All of you.” The three of them took the hard chairs arrayed around Rainey’s desk. Jai crossed her arms and legs defensively, and even Wyatt turned his chair around to straddle it. It was obvious neither one of them anticipated liking whatever the Commander might be about to say. Rainey ran a hand through his grey-black hair and looked at the partners. “Before I start, I have one thing to say to you two. Marque Callex.” Jai gasped. “What?” That changed everything. The infamous name had both her and Wyatt leaning forward in their chairs, now eagerly waiting for Rainey’s next words. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get close to this guy. We may now have a chance, albeit by a very unconventional route.” Rainey nodded toward their guest. “A month ago, Mr. Carron here ran afoul of the law. No need to get into the specifics, but in an effort to save his neck – and his very lucrative business – he suggested a unique proposal in return for us not pursuing charges against him.” “What kind of proposal?” Wyatt asked. “A clever one, as it turns out.” Rainey smirked. “Mr. Carron agreed to send out an… invitation… to Marque Callex, in the guise of offering ‘a select number of high-powered businessmen’ the chance to sample the latest model of Beautiful Doll for free, in exchange for their feedback on the product. In reality, Callex was the only person to get this invitation.” Jai’s mouth set in a disgusted line. “And he accepted.” “He did,” Rainey confirmed. “It was a gamble, but it paid off. In this supposed ‘latest model,’ clients are able to customize their girl. Callex filled out the form specifying the criteria of his ideal Beautiful Doll, and now all we have to do is fulfill his requirements.” The Commander gave Jai a pointed stare. “With you.” Jai’s eyes went wide. “You want me to impersonate a sexbot?” “He’s requested certain specifics,” Anson Carron spoke up. “Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Lean, athletic build.” Jai let out a relieved breath. “Well, that rules me out then. I’m brown-haired and brown-eyed.” “Easily fixed,” her boss pointed out. “You fit the most important characteristic: athletic build. We can’t fake that, but we can correct the other things with hair dye and contact lenses.” Jai leaned forward in her chair. “Sir, do you really believe a man who can have any model of girl he wants, would pick a B-cup and not a triple-D? For a sexbot? Come on, Commander. Are you sure Callex is even serious about this?” Rainey stroked his chin thoughtfully, and then shrugged. “Well, we’ll have our answer on Monday, if he shows up at the Beautiful Dolls boudoir. Until then, prepping you for the assignment is the way we’re going to proceed. That is, if you’re agreeable.” Jai scowled. There was absolutely no way she was going to volunteer for this. Have sex on command? Not a chance. Not even to bring down a man they’d long been after for suspected weapons smuggling. Besides, she could never pass for a sexbot. She had a heartbeat, for goodness sake! Rainey sighed into the stubborn silence. “Do I really need to play the Joran Breaux card with either of you?” A spark of anger shot through Jai, even as she heard Wyatt shift uncomfortably on his chair. Joran was the second – and definitely much more personal – reason they were after Marque Callex. Joran had been sent in to infiltrate Callex Industries from the inside, to discover how one of the government’s top weapons contractors was secretly diverting arms to militant countries. Joran’s cover as an employee had seemed secure until two months ago, when the police force had lost contact with him on the very day he’d scheduled a meeting with Marque Callex. Three weeks later, Joran’s body had turned up – in pieces – in a recycling center a hundred clicks away. Joran had been Wyatt’s partner before Jai. Jai would relish the chance to avenge the death of a fellow Tau Cetus agent, but was becoming a sex slave really the best way to do it? Rainey scowled. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get to Marque Callex. This may be our best chance. But if you’re not up to it, Turner, I’ll find another female agent with athletic build who’s more committed to her job.” Crap. Now Rainey was doubting Jai’s dedication to the force.Silence stretched in the room while Jai considered her options. Her very limitedoptions. As in, none. “I’ll do it.” “What?” Jai’s mouth set into a mulish line. What real choice did she have? Marque Callex needed to be stopped. “I said I’ll do it. If this is our best – and possibly only– chance to get to him, then I’m in.” Programmed To Please is the first in a series of police agents and sex robots called The Tau Cetus Chronicles. In the sequel Programmed To Protect, Leith Wyatt falls in love with a sexbot named Ginger, and in the final book of the trilogy, Programmed For Power, the planet’s premier, Theus, is torn between a real woman – the enemy who makes him feel alive – and the sexbot Keira who’s the perfect match for his lifeless existence. Bio:
Award-winning author Jenna Ives writes for several publishers under a variety of names, but mainly it's to protect her poor sainted mother (who used to read sweet Harlequin novels) from discovering how sexy modern romances have become. And Jenna DOES write sexy... You can connect with Jenna at www.jennaives.com, email jenna@jennaives.com, Twitter @JennaIvesAuthor or on Facebook. You can also check out her multi-author blog at http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
Meet a Beautiful Doll sex robot! Programmed To Please (The Tau Cetus Chronicles, book 1) Very human Tau Cetus police agent Jai Turner is sent undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex robot in order to bring down the planet's most notorious arms dealer, Marque Callex. Reclusive arms dealer Marque Callex only accepts an invitation from Beautiful Dolls because with his deadly line of work – and the dangerous secrets he’s keeping – he can't afford to let a real woman into his life. But neither Jai nor Marque are what they seem, and their week together has consequences neither expect. This book is a HOLT medallion merit award-winner. Excerpt: “Turner, I’m sending you undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex toy.” Police agent Jai Turner stared at her boss, Commander Talis Rainey, convinced she couldn’t possibly have heard him right. She and her partner, Leith Wyatt, had been called into his office at the end of their duty shift. It had been a long day, as they all were on Tau Cetus in this post-apocalyptic era, and she was in no mood for a joke. She shifted tiredly on her feet in front of his desk. “Sir?” For an answer, Rainey leaned forward in his chair and pushed a button on the console on his desk. “Send in Mr. Carron.” A minute later, a short man stood in the doorway. His eyes darted around nervously as he checked out the spartan office before taking an apparently reluctant step into the room. He was such a stereotype that Jai felt herself stiffen. Thick glasses… hair askew… frankly, all he needed was a lab coat with a pocket protector to complete the picture. Savant. Adept. Carbon-copier. Maybe her boss hadn’t been making a joke. Rainey cleared his throat. “This is Anson Carron. The creator of Beautiful Dolls.” If the abrupt and impersonal introduction annoyed their guest, he didn’t show it. His eyes had locked on Jai, and were scanning her up and down in a way that felt decidedly intimate despite the generic, navy blue one-piece uniform that she and everyone else on the Tau Cetus police force wore. “Yes,” he murmured. “I suppose I can work with this.” “This,” Rainey said hotly, “is Jai Turner, one of my best agents. She’s human.” The little man seemed lost in his own train of thought. “She meets his prime criteria. Of course, it would be better if I could see her without her clothes on before I make a final assessment.” What the hell? Jai stiffened even more. “Commander!” Rainey let out a loud sigh, then glanced at Jai and the two men. “Sit. All of you.” The three of them took the hard chairs arrayed around Rainey’s desk. Jai crossed her arms and legs defensively, and even Wyatt turned his chair around to straddle it. It was obvious neither one of them anticipated liking whatever the Commander might be about to say. Rainey ran a hand through his grey-black hair and looked at the partners. “Before I start, I have one thing to say to you two. Marque Callex.” Jai gasped. “What?” That changed everything. The infamous name had both her and Wyatt leaning forward in their chairs, now eagerly waiting for Rainey’s next words. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get close to this guy. We may now have a chance, albeit by a very unconventional route.” Rainey nodded toward their guest. “A month ago, Mr. Carron here ran afoul of the law. No need to get into the specifics, but in an effort to save his neck – and his very lucrative business – he suggested a unique proposal in return for us not pursuing charges against him.” “What kind of proposal?” Wyatt asked. “A clever one, as it turns out.” Rainey smirked. “Mr. Carron agreed to send out an… invitation… to Marque Callex, in the guise of offering ‘a select number of high-powered businessmen’ the chance to sample the latest model of Beautiful Doll for free, in exchange for their feedback on the product. In reality, Callex was the only person to get this invitation.” Jai’s mouth set in a disgusted line. “And he accepted.” “He did,” Rainey confirmed. “It was a gamble, but it paid off. In this supposed ‘latest model,’ clients are able to customize their girl. Callex filled out the form specifying the criteria of his ideal Beautiful Doll, and now all we have to do is fulfill his requirements.” The Commander gave Jai a pointed stare. “With you.” Jai’s eyes went wide. “You want me to impersonate a sexbot?” “He’s requested certain specifics,” Anson Carron spoke up. “Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Lean, athletic build.” Jai let out a relieved breath. “Well, that rules me out then. I’m brown-haired and brown-eyed.” “Easily fixed,” her boss pointed out. “You fit the most important characteristic: athletic build. We can’t fake that, but we can correct the other things with hair dye and contact lenses.” Jai leaned forward in her chair. “Sir, do you really believe a man who can have any model of girl he wants, would pick a B-cup and not a triple-D? For a sexbot? Come on, Commander. Are you sure Callex is even serious about this?” Rainey stroked his chin thoughtfully, and then shrugged. “Well, we’ll have our answer on Monday, if he shows up at the Beautiful Dolls boudoir. Until then, prepping you for the assignment is the way we’re going to proceed. That is, if you’re agreeable.” Jai scowled. There was absolutely no way she was going to volunteer for this. Have sex on command? Not a chance. Not even to bring down a man they’d long been after for suspected weapons smuggling. Besides, she could never pass for a sexbot. She had a heartbeat, for goodness sake! Rainey sighed into the stubborn silence. “Do I really need to play the Joran Breaux card with either of you?” A spark of anger shot through Jai, even as she heard Wyatt shift uncomfortably on his chair. Joran was the second – and definitely much more personal – reason they were after Marque Callex. Joran had been sent in to infiltrate Callex Industries from the inside, to discover how one of the government’s top weapons contractors was secretly diverting arms to militant countries. Joran’s cover as an employee had seemed secure until two months ago, when the police force had lost contact with him on the very day he’d scheduled a meeting with Marque Callex. Three weeks later, Joran’s body had turned up – in pieces – in a recycling center a hundred clicks away. Joran had been Wyatt’s partner before Jai. Jai would relish the chance to avenge the death of a fellow Tau Cetus agent, but was becoming a sex slave really the best way to do it? Rainey scowled. “You know how long we’ve been trying to get to Marque Callex. This may be our best chance. But if you’re not up to it, Turner, I’ll find another female agent with athletic build who’s more committed to her job.” Crap. Now Rainey was doubting Jai’s dedication to the force.Silence stretched in the room while Jai considered her options. Her very limitedoptions. As in, none. “I’ll do it.” “What?” Jai’s mouth set into a mulish line. What real choice did she have? Marque Callex needed to be stopped. “I said I’ll do it. If this is our best – and possibly only– chance to get to him, then I’m in.” Programmed To Please is the first in a series of police agents and sex robots called The Tau Cetus Chronicles. In the sequel Programmed To Protect, Leith Wyatt falls in love with a sexbot named Ginger, and in the final book of the trilogy, Programmed For Power, the planet’s premier, Theus, is torn between a real woman – the enemy who makes him feel alive – and the sexbot Keira who’s the perfect match for his lifeless existence. Bio:
Award-winning author Jenna Ives writes for several publishers under a variety of names, but mainly it's to protect her poor sainted mother (who used to read sweet Harlequin novels) from discovering how sexy modern romances have become. And Jenna DOES write sexy... You can connect with Jenna at www.jennaives.com, email jenna@jennaives.com, Twitter @JennaIvesAuthor or on Facebook. You can also check out her multi-author blog at http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
August 1, 2016
Farmers are Heroes Too.
I think a farmer makes the perfect romance hero. Find out why at my guest blog over at Fresh Fiction. FRESH FICTION BLOG POST
August Newsletter is Now Available!
The August 2016 issue of AWAKENING DESIRES—the Newsletter of Romance Author N.J. Walters—is now available.Lots of exciting news to share! Be sure to check out all the latest news and an new excerpt from Wolf in his Heart, the next book in the Salvation Pack series.
As always, some lucky newsletter subscriber wins a prize. All you have to do to be eligible to win is go to Awakening Desires Newsletter and join. While you’re there, you can check out back issues of the newsletter.
July 29, 2016
Weekend Book Club--Illusion Town by Jayne Castle
This week I read ILLUSION TOWN by Jayne Castle. I've been reading Jayne Castle's futuristic stories since the first one was published. (I'm a huge fan of all her books under all her pen names) I love the futuristic world she's created...and of course I love the dust bunnies. :)BLURB:
A new adventure begins on Harmony…
With its opulent casinos and hotels, the desert city of Illusion Town is totally unique—and will take you on a thrill ride you’ll never forget.
Hannah West isn’t the first woman to wake up in Illusion Town married to a man she barely knows, but she has no memory of the ceremony at all. For that matter, neither does Elias Coppersmith, her new husband. All either can remember is that they were on the run…
With Hannah’s dubious background and shaky para-psych profile, she could have done much worse. The cooly competent mining heir arouses her curiosity—as well as other parts of her mind and body. And even her dust bunny likes him.
But a honeymoon spent retracing their footsteps leads Hannah and Elias into the twisting underground catacombs, where secrets from both their pasts will come to light—and where the energy of their clashing auras will grow hot enough to burn…
July 26, 2016
Writer's Wednesday--Linda Winfree
Welcome to Writer's Wednesday. Please welcome Linda Winfree!
He’s nothing she wants…but everything she needs.
All I Need – Linda Winfree
Hearts of the South, Book 11
Two years after she buried the love of her life, ER physician Savannah Mills remains buried in her work, and keeps her heart under lock and key. But if anyone could tempt her banked desires to come out and play, it’s her neighbor. A couple of casual interactions with the former police officer has her considering a friends-with-benefits arrangement.
Emmett Beck is forging a new career after an on-duty shooting nearly cost him everything. His love life has been in cold storage during his recuperation, but when Savannah proposes a no-strings relationship, his body warms to the idea. After all, it’s just sex. What could possibly go wrong?
Plenty—once Emmett realizes that hot kisses and steamy nights aren’t enough. And that he’s fallen in love with a woman who intends to never love anyone again.
Warning: Contains a younger man determined to be everything his woman needs, in bed and out, and an older woman unafraid to explore her wild side. Also features cops who talk like cops.
Damn, he hurt tonight. The ache twisted and snarled in his thigh, as though an unseen hand tied the muscles themselves into knots. The incision line itself itched with sharp twinges of intermittent pain. The discomfort made him restless, and he retreated to the back patio to throw punches at the heavy bag until the injured leg refused to hold him any longer. Then he dragged himself to the shower and stood under cool water, rinsing away the sweat and wishing the pain and the memories could be washed away so easily.
Afterward, he knocked back a couple more ibuprofen—stomach damage be damned—and took a cold longneck out to the front stoop, to sit in the Adirondack chair by his front door and wait in vain for the pain to simply go away. At least weariness tugged at him, and maybe he’d be able to catch a decent night’s sleep.
Head tilted back, he spun the bottle in slow circles on the chair arm and eyed the moths bumping and jostling around the dim ceiling light. Muted laughter, maybe canned sitcom revelry, drifted from the apartment upstairs. In the distance, a siren wailed, and he tensed before he remembered that when the leg cramped like tonight, tightening the muscles only made things worse.
Headlights flashed across the complex, and a sporty Mercedes purred into the lot. Security lighting gleamed off black paint as the luxury car came to a stop in the parking spot next to his. The bottle made another slow revolution. Must be the new neighbor he’d heard coming and going the past couple of days.
This is what his life had become—a new neighbor with whom he’d never pass more than a couple of words was the major excitement of his days.
On a smile, he sipped at the beer. Maybe his buddies were right—he needed to get out more.
The interior light flashed when the car door opened, illuminating glossy brown hair in a messy knot. The brunette stepped from the car and slung a leather tote over her shoulder. Dark blue medical scrubs skimmed over her tall frame, broad-shouldered and curvy. The car door closed and alarm set, she turned toward the apartment block.
While unlocking her door, she flashed Emmett a smile. She was a looker—a full mouth set in a slightly square jaw, pert nose, big eyes. “Hi.”
Sultry voice, a little on the husky side. He lifted the bottle in response. “Hey.”
Her front door partially open, she crossed the yards between them to extend a hand. “Savannah Mills. It’s good to meet you.”
“Emmett Beck.” Her hand, nails short and clean of any polish, was cool against his.
She clutched her bag’s strap and waved her other hand toward downtown behind them. “I’m new here and don’t know a lot of people yet. I find it’s valuable to get to know my neighbors. We should grab a beer some time.”
He froze with the bottle halfway to his lips. Wow, she came out of the gate quick. Wasn’t like he wasn’t used to that, but it had been a while and he was a different guy now. He’d learned that lesson really well. He dredged up a facsimile of a smile and concentrated on keeping all the bitterness and anger out of his voice, on producing the most even tone he could muster. The fact his love life – or lack thereof – seemed to be a constant subject of local gossip wasn’t her fault.
“Sorry, honey, but I don’t get out much these days.”
“I understand.” Her friendly smile widened. “Let me know if that changes. Good night.”
She spun on her heel and disappeared inside her apartment. The door closed with a muted snick. He shook his head on a quiet snort and downed the rest of the lukewarm brew. Yeah, he’d blown that for sure. He should have said yes, asked her to join him maybe.
Obviously, his hermit status had caused him to lose his mind.
***
Reading Order -- Hearts of the South
Book 1 -- Truth and Consequences (Jason & Kathleen)
Book 2 -- His Ordinary Life (Del & Barb)
Book 3 -- Hold On To Me (Tick & Caitlin)
Book 4 -- Anything But Mine (Stanton & Autry)
Book 5 -- Memories of Us (Tom & Celia)
Book 6 -- Hearts Awakened (Mark & Tori)
Book 7 -- Fall Into Me (Troy Lee & Angel)
Book 9 -- Uncovered (Ash & Madeline)
Book 8 -- Facing It (Chris & Ruthie, secondary romance -- Harrell & Jennifer)
Book 10 -- Gone From Me (Rob & Amy)
Book 11 -- All I Need (Emmett & Savannah)
Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Linda-Winfree/e/B004FWJSDE/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Barnes and Nobleshttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/linda+winfree?fs=0&_requestid=336673
Samhain
https://www.samhainpublishing.com/author/325/linda-winfree
Kobo
https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=linda+winfree
Google
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=linda%20winfree&c=books
iBookshttps://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/linda-winfree/id411297928?mt=11
***
How does an English teacher end up plotting murders? She uses her experiences as a cop’s wife to become a writer of romantic suspense! Linda Winfree lives in a quintessential small town with her husband and grand-dog Poe. By day, she teaches English/Language Arts and is an all-round education nerd; by night she pens sultry books full of murder and mayhem.
To learn more about Linda and her books, visit www.lindawinfreewrites.com, follow her on Twitter @lwinfreewrites, or connect with her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/lindawinfreewrites. You can also contact Linda via email at lindawinfreewrites@gmail.com.
He’s nothing she wants…but everything she needs.
All I Need – Linda Winfree
Hearts of the South, Book 11
Two years after she buried the love of her life, ER physician Savannah Mills remains buried in her work, and keeps her heart under lock and key. But if anyone could tempt her banked desires to come out and play, it’s her neighbor. A couple of casual interactions with the former police officer has her considering a friends-with-benefits arrangement.
Emmett Beck is forging a new career after an on-duty shooting nearly cost him everything. His love life has been in cold storage during his recuperation, but when Savannah proposes a no-strings relationship, his body warms to the idea. After all, it’s just sex. What could possibly go wrong?
Plenty—once Emmett realizes that hot kisses and steamy nights aren’t enough. And that he’s fallen in love with a woman who intends to never love anyone again.
Warning: Contains a younger man determined to be everything his woman needs, in bed and out, and an older woman unafraid to explore her wild side. Also features cops who talk like cops.
Damn, he hurt tonight. The ache twisted and snarled in his thigh, as though an unseen hand tied the muscles themselves into knots. The incision line itself itched with sharp twinges of intermittent pain. The discomfort made him restless, and he retreated to the back patio to throw punches at the heavy bag until the injured leg refused to hold him any longer. Then he dragged himself to the shower and stood under cool water, rinsing away the sweat and wishing the pain and the memories could be washed away so easily.
Afterward, he knocked back a couple more ibuprofen—stomach damage be damned—and took a cold longneck out to the front stoop, to sit in the Adirondack chair by his front door and wait in vain for the pain to simply go away. At least weariness tugged at him, and maybe he’d be able to catch a decent night’s sleep.
Head tilted back, he spun the bottle in slow circles on the chair arm and eyed the moths bumping and jostling around the dim ceiling light. Muted laughter, maybe canned sitcom revelry, drifted from the apartment upstairs. In the distance, a siren wailed, and he tensed before he remembered that when the leg cramped like tonight, tightening the muscles only made things worse.
Headlights flashed across the complex, and a sporty Mercedes purred into the lot. Security lighting gleamed off black paint as the luxury car came to a stop in the parking spot next to his. The bottle made another slow revolution. Must be the new neighbor he’d heard coming and going the past couple of days.
This is what his life had become—a new neighbor with whom he’d never pass more than a couple of words was the major excitement of his days.
On a smile, he sipped at the beer. Maybe his buddies were right—he needed to get out more.
The interior light flashed when the car door opened, illuminating glossy brown hair in a messy knot. The brunette stepped from the car and slung a leather tote over her shoulder. Dark blue medical scrubs skimmed over her tall frame, broad-shouldered and curvy. The car door closed and alarm set, she turned toward the apartment block.
While unlocking her door, she flashed Emmett a smile. She was a looker—a full mouth set in a slightly square jaw, pert nose, big eyes. “Hi.”
Sultry voice, a little on the husky side. He lifted the bottle in response. “Hey.”
Her front door partially open, she crossed the yards between them to extend a hand. “Savannah Mills. It’s good to meet you.”
“Emmett Beck.” Her hand, nails short and clean of any polish, was cool against his.
She clutched her bag’s strap and waved her other hand toward downtown behind them. “I’m new here and don’t know a lot of people yet. I find it’s valuable to get to know my neighbors. We should grab a beer some time.”
He froze with the bottle halfway to his lips. Wow, she came out of the gate quick. Wasn’t like he wasn’t used to that, but it had been a while and he was a different guy now. He’d learned that lesson really well. He dredged up a facsimile of a smile and concentrated on keeping all the bitterness and anger out of his voice, on producing the most even tone he could muster. The fact his love life – or lack thereof – seemed to be a constant subject of local gossip wasn’t her fault.
“Sorry, honey, but I don’t get out much these days.”
“I understand.” Her friendly smile widened. “Let me know if that changes. Good night.”
She spun on her heel and disappeared inside her apartment. The door closed with a muted snick. He shook his head on a quiet snort and downed the rest of the lukewarm brew. Yeah, he’d blown that for sure. He should have said yes, asked her to join him maybe.
Obviously, his hermit status had caused him to lose his mind.
***
Reading Order -- Hearts of the South
Book 1 -- Truth and Consequences (Jason & Kathleen)
Book 2 -- His Ordinary Life (Del & Barb)
Book 3 -- Hold On To Me (Tick & Caitlin)
Book 4 -- Anything But Mine (Stanton & Autry)
Book 5 -- Memories of Us (Tom & Celia)
Book 6 -- Hearts Awakened (Mark & Tori)
Book 7 -- Fall Into Me (Troy Lee & Angel)
Book 9 -- Uncovered (Ash & Madeline)
Book 8 -- Facing It (Chris & Ruthie, secondary romance -- Harrell & Jennifer)
Book 10 -- Gone From Me (Rob & Amy)
Book 11 -- All I Need (Emmett & Savannah)
Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Linda-Winfree/e/B004FWJSDE/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Barnes and Nobleshttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/linda+winfree?fs=0&_requestid=336673
Samhain
https://www.samhainpublishing.com/author/325/linda-winfree
Kobo
https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=linda+winfree
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=linda%20winfree&c=books
iBookshttps://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/linda-winfree/id411297928?mt=11
***
How does an English teacher end up plotting murders? She uses her experiences as a cop’s wife to become a writer of romantic suspense! Linda Winfree lives in a quintessential small town with her husband and grand-dog Poe. By day, she teaches English/Language Arts and is an all-round education nerd; by night she pens sultry books full of murder and mayhem.
To learn more about Linda and her books, visit www.lindawinfreewrites.com, follow her on Twitter @lwinfreewrites, or connect with her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/lindawinfreewrites. You can also contact Linda via email at lindawinfreewrites@gmail.com.
July 25, 2016
The Truth About Pen Names
I never seem to be in the loop when it comes to controversy and drama in the world of publishing, but I have noticed various people talking about author pen names, writer photos, and privacy.
So why do I write under a pen name?
When I started in this business back in 2004 I was writing erotic romance and I still had a day job. Erotic romance was not accepted as a genre as it is today. Plus I was an e-book author. Again, in those days we weren’t considered “real” writers. But that’s a whole other subject for another day.
I’m also a very private person and like to keep my work life and private life separate, mostly for the sake of my family. It took me over a decade of publishing and making a living at it to tell anyone outside of close family and friends what it is I do. When asked previously, I’d say contract work, which is true, just not the entire truth.
My writing is very important to me. It’s also intensely personal. I pour my heart and soul into my books. I didn’t want anyone to criticize or belittle what I was doing. So I kept it private. Once the work is out in the public domain I have no control over what is said about it, but I can control what happens during the writing process. Also, mainstream publishing as well as a good chunk of the public do not hold romance authors in high esteem, regardless of their dedication to their craft and the high quality books being produced in the genre. This business is filled with rejection and criticism, which is why I didn't feel the need to open myself up for more.
But times have changed. What I write is now considered mainstream romance, spicy hot but still mainstream. E-books are not only accepted but they are the norm for many readers. There are many writers making a living as e-book authors. The popularity of the Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and other readers has opened up the publishing industry. It’s a brave new world out there.
So why not publish under my real name? Because I’ve spent almost a dozen years building up my pen name as a brand. If I used my “real” name I’d be starting all over again.
Besides, my pen name is me. It’s the name I’ve put on over 80 books. N.J. Walters is the woman who gets out of bed in the morning, sits in the corner of the living room after breakfast, and writes. And in the end, all that matters is that the books get written.
So if an author you love has a pen name what does it matter as long as you love the books. For some it’s a matter of privacy, not only for them but for their family. Other authors have multiple pen names because they write in various genres and don’t want readers to buy a book expecting one thing and getting another. Still other authors write so many books, the only way to get them all published in a timely manner is to use multiple pen names.
I don’t think most readers care one way or another. I know I don’t. As a reader, all I care about is getting the books I love by authors I enjoy. Doesn’t matter to me what name they choose to call themselves.
