Diane Saxon's Blog, page 8

Hearts Race - Anneka Ever - New Release

Blurb
When it comes to adventure, she’s stop and he’s go. When it comes to romance, he’s yes and she’s no.
Can billionaire Dylan Delaney overcome his adrenaline addiction with life coach Greta Larsen’s help before he loses his technology empire? Can she move past the death of her husband to find love again?
When Greta finds herself attracted to her very rich, very handsome new client, she sees it as a betrayal of her late husband. Despite her feelings of guilt, she can’t walk away from Dylan, especially when she learns he harbors his own grief.
His secret sorrow is the key to Dylan’s love of danger. Greta is determined to unlock his mysterious past so he’ll stop courting death. What she doesn’t count on is the passion she frees.
Dylan’s never met a woman who could slow him down. Until now. Greta teaches him to be mindful of the moment, but soon his every moment is filled with thoughts of her. Has he replaced one addiction with another?

Hearts Race is the follow-up story to Riverswept and the second book in the Burns Class of Loveseries. The story returns readers to the small town of Burns, Virginia and also introduces them to the Blue Ridge Mountains around Charlottesville, Virginia.

Excerpt
She sat in an overstuffed chair and rested the water bottle on her knee. “I’m glad we crossed paths. Ben said it would be hard to get scheduled time with you. He suggested I take any opportunity that presents itself. Now seems as good a time as any.”
Dylan had dreaded this moment and now it was here. He dropped onto the couch and extended his legs. “A good time to do what?”
“The easiest thing we can start with.” Her wedding ring flashed as she swept her hand out before her. 
“This place is perfect because it seems distraction-free.”
“Perfect for what?”
“Your first lesson in mindfulness. We’re going to do some mindful meditation.”
Sounds like a bunch of hippie dippy hooey, he thought. He must have made a face because she frowned at him. “You look skeptical,” she said.
“Meditation. I don’t know. Don’t you have to be a Buddhist or something?”
She shook her head. Her hair fell across her eyes and she shoved it behind her ears. “No. All kinds of people meditate and there are different types of meditation.” She rose and walked to the wall. She switched off the overhead light. The inside lamps and outside lights were enough to light the room with a gentle glow. “That’s better. Now we have an environment more conducive to meditation.”
“So, are you going to hypnotize me or something?”
Greta laughed. “No. This is a technique you’ll be able to use to work on being in the moment.”
“In the moment?”
“Yes. Ben told me that you tend to be thinking ahead to what you’d like to be doing, rather than focusing on what you’re doing at the moment. That’s one of the reasons you get so antsy in meetings and are easily distracted.” Dylan realized she was referring to her job interview.
“So what will this meditation thing do?”
“This should help you learn to be present in the moment, no matter what’s happening.” She reached toward him with one hand and said, “Give it to me.”
“What?”
“You know what. The phone.”

Hearts Race , Book 2 in the Burns Class of Love series
Publication date: December 14, 2015

Buy link: http://www.annekaever.com/books.html

Author website: www.AnnekaEver.com

Author Bio: Anneka Ever is a romance author. Her contemporary love stories are set in the mountains and small towns of Virginia. Her strong heroes and independent heroines explore their passion against the beautiful backdrop of rivers, meadows, and forests. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America. Anneka lives in Virginia with her husband and three dogs.

Serving The Serpent - Daisy Banks

A warm welcome to Daisy Banks who has brought with her today a wonderful snippet of her latest book, due for release tomorrow and up right now on pre-release at  
http://www.lsbooks.com/pre-order-coming-soon-romance-books-c322.php
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serving-Serpent
http://www.amazon.com/Serving-Serpent


Thank you for offering to host a taster of my newest story Serving the Serpent published by Liquid Silver Books on 23rdNovember 2015. 

Blurb
In Wales, Ceridwyn takes up her inherited duty to care for the dragons in the mountains. Awed by them and the huge book about them, she is determined to prove her worth.
Far away in Norway, Leif has growing concerns for his sick dragon. He discovers only one cure will stop his dragon’s suffering. The mighty Herensuge must journey to find his bonded mate.
When they meet, Ceri and Leif make combined efforts to aid the dragons and discover an astonishing surprise. The great lore book each of them protects tells they have a responsibility to the future. At this rare and magical time, not only the dragon pairing must occur.
Join Ceri and Leif as they work to keep the sworn silence and keep the dragons safe. Friendship is growing between them, but will it be enough? Can love blossom between two chosen to serve the serpent?

From Chapter 1
The rising sun, whose brilliant arc matched her march up the hill, greeted her, warmth on her face and the last of the moon dissolved away into the brightness of a blue sky. What an auspicious day. The next part of her journey, she picked her way delicate as a mountain goat farther up the hillside until the shadowed opening to the caves appeared. Shrubs guarded this entranceway, each one of them placed by Mam or Gran, and one or two were old enough to have been planted by Great-Gran, a devotee of the holly. Gran chose the delicate and nectar-laden buddleia, some of which bloomed now, its tiny purple flowers in long, draped, slender cones. Mam had planted low-growing gorse. Each spring it erupted with magnificent yellow blooms. Ceri thought again on her decision. When the time came to add her own signature here, she’d plant elder, for she loved its sweet frothy blossoms and its ripe fruits that fed birds so well. She said a swift, silent prayer and ducked into the cave mouth. Here, she undid the belt at her hips so her robes hung smooth as they should, and she slid off her Wellington boots. From this entrance, she’d tread barefoot over the chilly surface of the compacted pale clay and raw quartz pebbles of the path. Along and down, she searched with her fingers over the cold and damp rock wall, feeling her way down. She descended deeper into the gloom and passed the low-hanging lump of granite Mam always called Lizzie’s Pap. The darkness now complete, her stomach rolling and her breathing rapid, she heard the echo of Mam’s instructions in her mind as she stepped for the first time onto the gravel-edged shore where the dark waters of the Jet Llyn joined her world to that of her new charges. She counted four paces forward. Blind for now, she stretched out her right arm and felt about in the darkness until she found the thick branch of wood holding the torch she needed to light. Tiny pebbles stuck under her toes. The nip in the air sent a shiver over her as she set her willow wand down, and with her fingers a bit shaky, she struck the match to light the moss wound around the top of the pole wedged into the gravel. The torch flared. The dry stalks, which must be replaced each visit here, took easily and burned up bright. She breathed out in a rush of relief. So far, everything was as it should be. A fresh rash of trembles raised gooseflesh all down her arms and not because of the chill in the cavern. Ceri picked up her wand and lifted the lit torch. She carried the light in front of her in her left hand until she reached the scrap of gritty beach with its short rock causeway that projected forward like a finger reaching out toward the middle of the deep water. Here, she held the torch shoulder high so the light glittered and reflected as in a mirror off the depths of the Jet Llyn. In her other hand, she held the quartz-crystal-tipped rod, and pointing it, she positioned the clear stone on her wand so it hovered over the still dark surface. She swallowed, gave a little quiver, forced down her apprehension, and sucked in a breath. Beneath the quartz point of her rod, illuminated by the bright torchlight, a single fat bubble rose. The water rippled. Stronger circular movements followed until small waves lapped at the shore inches from where she curled her toes so they gripped into the stones. An itch tickled in her palm, but she kept the rod steady. Just as Mam said, they were coming for her.
The dragons were coming.

Buy Links
Amazon      http://amazon.com/author/daisybanksBarnes and Noble     iTunes
Find Daisy Banks
Blog http://daisybanks.wordpress.com/Twitter @DaisyBanks16Facebook http://on.fb.me/18iRC35                  Pinterest http://bit.ly/16sF1XG
Daisy Banks is the author of:
Serving the Serpent out on November 23rdChristmas CarolsMarked for MagicTo EternityA Perfect MatchTimelessValentine WishesA Gentleman’s FollyYour Heart My SoulFiona’s WishA Matter of Some ScandalDaisy Banks writes a regular monthly story in the Sexy to Go compilations.

Intimate Betrayal Psychic Ménage: Book 4 By Houston Havens

It’s awesome to be here with you on your blog today. Thank you for having me. I hope to entertain and intrigue your viewers with my Psychic Ménage Series.
Series Genre: Sci-Fi Erotic Romance, Ménage (MFMM/MFM), PNR, Fantasy, Futuristic, Suspense, Dystopian, Erotic, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi, Mystery
Themes with a light touch: Voyeurism, Spanking, BDSM, Anal, Psychic, Fae
Keywords: Scifi, Dystopian, Romance, Erotic-Romance, Ménage, Futuristic, Paranormal, Psychic, Fantasy, Fae, Post-Apocalyptic, bbw, New World Order, Governments, Psychic-Ménage-Series, Houston-Havens, Books, Bestseller, Sex, Series, Erotic, Mystery, Shifters, Magic, Ghost, Remote-viewers, Mind-travelers, Suspense, Cataclysm.
Tagline: He lives for a glimpse of her and will die for her love, but betrayal plays a dark hand.


Blurb
Kindise Wyatt escapes her Star Rider captor and returns to Earth. With the help of a sexy Old World Mole and his mysterious friend, she's determined to uncover the whereabouts of her lover. Instead, she finds nothing but betrayal and her captor in pursuit.
On the lam after betraying his evil ruler, ex-Dirt Dweller and drifter Jaden Valenti confirms his name is on a hit list. Finding what he believes will be safety amongst the Airbornes, he recreates himself and hides his past until trouble walks back into his life inthe name of Kindise Wyatt, the woman he was ordered to assassinate and didn't.
Due to the obsessions of a Fae woman Sori gave up his hardearned royal title and left his homeland of Elfame. Love is the furthest thing from his mind until he is sent in Jaden's place to pick-up some cargo...human cargo in the form Kindise Wyatt. He feels the Fae magnetism of his soulmate in her. Problem is; she's in love with someone else.
Will Jaden fulfill his orders to kill Kindise and get his name removed from the list, or will his secret be exposed and betray the friendship he has with Sori? Does Sori help Kindise find her lover, or will a love between them have a chance to flourish before a fatalattraction and a determined captor rip their love asunder? Will Kindise find true love or will betrayals at every turn crush the fight out of her? Can she find her inner strengths to keep fighting and lead The Freedom Fighters to defeat the Dirt Dweller elites, once and for all?
Print Buy Links
Amazon -
Createspace -
Ebook Buy Links
Ebook Buy Links
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1KKtg1t
ARe - http://bit.ly/1S2geSM
B&N - http://bit.ly/1l3EIQz
Kobo - http://bit.ly/1MkFguN
Smashwords - http://bit.ly/1Oce6qx

Long Bio Houston Havens retired from a successful modeling career and an adventurous jet-set lifestyle to set the world on fire with her erotic romance books. A tenacious Irish lass, she strives to entertain with seductive stories created from her decadent imagination and traces of a provocative lifestyle she may or may not admit to.
Her interest in the paranormal, fascination with quantum science, passion with myths, and the lure of her mysterious Celtic Irish-Druid bloodlines are combined with generally unknown truths, strange facts, and questionable fiction. Her novels reflect a mix of the past, present, and future, with sexy blends of futuristic science fiction, paranormal fantasy, western romance, and always love everlasting. An author of six romances, a seven book erotic romance series, and numerous articles in literary magazines, she has two award winning blogs. Stop by for a visit and leave a comment at http://houstonhavens.com
  

Links:
Website: http://houstonhavens.com
Blog: http://houstonhavens.com/blog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoustonHavens
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HoustonHavens
Newsletter signup: http://houstonhavens.com/vip/
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Houston-Havens/e/B00J1T0QY6/
Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/HoustonHavens
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104340584560714468515/posts
Tumblr: http://houstonhavens.tumblr.com
Booklikes: http://authorhoustonhavens.booklikes.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/24819699-houston-havens
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/houstonhavens/
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuOpU6OsngnhTac_JvTLItQ

The Passage of Time

As time races on, I don't feel any older, but for the fact that when I look at my children, and my animals, they seem to be maturing far faster than I'd like, which means that I too am ageing. (We'll not speak of my maturity as I'm quite sure there's still a distinct lack of it.)
I'd only just had Beau for my birthday when I wrote For Heaven's Cakes and gave my hero in that story the same name as my new pup - and look at the boy now. How he's grown.


Beau in reality is not so far removed from Beau in my imagination. I used a number of features, including the big paws, the soft brown eyes and the wet smell of dog in For Heaven's Cakes. Yes, he's a shapeshifter, but not a dog, a wolf.

Blurb
What he doesn’t anticipate is meeting the local pharmacist’s daughter - in his wolf form. By day, he renovates the pharmacy, and tries to cajole the lush assistant into having dinner with him. By night he watches Catherine bake her fantastic creations and blossom through her art.
Sleeping on her bed each night in his wolf form isn’t exactly ideal, but how does he tell her the wolf she’s come to love, is the man she lusts over?
Excerpt
Mrs. Timmins turned to see what had caught Catherine’s attention. Her pointed chin turned upward to meet the dip of her nose, which nearly fell into her wizened old mouth as it opened and closed.He seemed to have the same effect on all women, no matter what age. He was probably used to it.
“Well now, this is precisely what I mean, Catherine.” Mrs. Timmins smacked her lips together. 
“Hello, young man. Don’t I know you?”
“Yes ma’am. Good to see you looking so well Mrs. Timmins. You don’t look a day older than when I last saw you.”
The harsh cackle took Catherine by surprise, but Beau smiled at the old lady as he leaned his elbow on the counter. She tried not to stare as his T-shirt pulled tight across his chest, but a small whimper threatened to escape.
Mrs. Timmins wiped her dry old lips with the back of her hand. “I remember you. You’re the middle Devlin boy. The one who left to make his fortune.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And did you?”
“I did.”
“Good. I never did believe all those rumors about you being trash.”
Catherine almost choked, but Mrs. Timmins hooted with laughter and patted Beau’s arm, pausing a moment to give it a sly stroke.
With a regretful sigh, she peered near-sighted into his face. “Are you married?”
“No ma’am, are you proposing?”
The hawking laughter drew Catherine’s gaze away from the flexed muscles of Beau’s arm to the old lady who seemed to have difficulty breathing. Another side effect of the hunk’s presence. He had the ability to stop a woman’s breath.
“Engaged?”
“No ma’am.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Nope.”
“Gay?”It wasn’t deliberate, but Catherine simply couldn’t stop uttering. “Definitely not!”
Heat washed over her as they both stared at her. Beau’s slow smile made her want to hide under the counter. She’d never had the ability to stop words blurting from her mouth before her brain had the foresight to stop them.
She tried a casual shrug, but from the deep laughter lines slashing into his cheeks, her awkward jerk had been just that.
“There you go. I just told Catherine how she needed a man to give her a real good…”
“Mrs. Timmins!”

“…time.”


Where to Buy the Book 
Smashwords Amazon ComAmazon UKitunes

NEW RELEASE - ROSANNA LEO, NIGHT LOVER

“A LOVE THAT NEVER DIES”
Thanks so much to Diane for allowing me to visit today. I’m thrilled to be here as I continue my blog tour for Night Lover, my recent release.
Night Lover is a book that is dear to my heart for many reasons, but the main one is its theme of enduring love. We all dream of a love that lasts forever, even beyond death. It seems a romantic concept but I enjoyed exploring it as it manifests in two different relationships.
Firstly, we have heroine Renata and her hero Finn. They were college sweethearts, first loves that never forgot each other, even after years of separation. When Renata and Finn encounter each other again after almost a decade, the resulting emotions overwhelm them. Both must grapple with feelings that seem foreign and familiar, and both must make the decision to take the plunge again.
And then we have Hugh and Claudia, my other pair of lovers. Their journey is a far different one, and it resulted in tragedy. Night Lover is actually the story of two romances that occur on two timelines. While Renata and Finn are my modern lovers, Hugh and Claudia lived in Regency England. And although both are dead when the novel begins, we suspect their romance may not have died with them. This is a novel of the paranormal, of course, and it is filled with magic and curses and demons.For me, Hugh and Claudia were the perfect vehicle for demonstrating love can live forever. Although their affair is a star-crossed one, I knew I needed to find a way to give these lovers hope.

I hope Night Lover helps you believe in enduring love and that it fills your reading time with magic.
Blurb:
     Canadian soprano Renata Bruno is tired of waiting for her big break. Unfortunately, her boss, the conductor of a chamber ensemble, sees her as little more than background material. When she learns of an opportunity to sing solo with a different troupe in England, she knows she must seize it. Especially when she hears the group is to perform Mozart's Requiem, her favorite work.     As soon as Renata decides to make her move, a strange, sultry presence invades her life. She begins dreaming of a man, one who makes love to her, bewitching her. It isn't long before her night lover leaves startling proof of his nocturnal presence, making her doubt her senses.     To compound her discomfort, she learns her new conductor is the college boyfriend who broke her heart years ago. As Renata grapples with old hurts and renewed passion, she must also fend off the increasingly fervent advances of her night-time visitor. She realizes she is under the influence of an incubus, a sexual demon.     It becomes harder to resist the incubus when she learns he has a name and had a tragic history. The more she discovers about his past, the more she realizes they are linked in more ways than one. Renata begins to rediscover love and her sense of faith, but will it be enough to save her night lover from an evil curse? And will it destroy her in the process?


Excerpt:
     When I saw the face in this painting, I gasped, feeling as if someone had punched me in the gut.     Him.     It was the portrait of a man, much in the style of a Gainsborough painting. Full-length, it displayed the man in Regency dress. Tall Hessian boots reached up over his pants, accentuating his height. A waistcoat peaked out from under his soft blue riding coat. I looked up to the face above the coat, clean-shaven and somehow boyish with its round features. His hair was the color of honey and quite curly, with long sideburns travelling down his cheeks. Although he bore a fashionably serious countenance, his blue eyes smiled.     It’s him.     The man from my recurring dream, the man from the theater mezzanine in Toronto. I blinked several times, not believing my eyes.     I couldn’t move. I returned the stare of the man in the portrait. A friendly face, it still managed to unnerve me. The artist must have been a master because its subject seemed to be looking right at me. His pale eyes bore into mine. As I continued to gaze at my dream man, other objects in the background began to blur. The portrait frame and the wallpaper behind him dissolved into nothingness. I could only make out the man, and his gaze seemed to issue me a challenge, daring me to look back at him. My head swam. My tongue grew thick. Pain shot through my stomach and I clutched it so I wouldn’t keel over.     Lizzy came out of nowhere and bounded up behind me. “What's up? Ooh, he's cute.” She, too, had noticed the portrait. She also saw how intently I stared. “Hey, are you okay?”     “No.” I couldn’t look away from him, couldn’t stop myself from raking my gaze over every painted inch. “It’s him. The man from my dream.”     “Yeah, right.” She frowned.     Finn walked up to us and put a hand on my back, oblivious to my shock. “So you’ve found the lord of the manor.”     “Huh?”     “Hugh Dawlish, scion of Dawlish Manor. The women in the ensemble love this portrait because they think he’s, ah…easy on the eyes. So, shall we rehearse?”     I let him lead me away, but I couldn’t stop looking back at Hugh Dawlish’s portrait.            He was real. Not a wraith from my imagination.     Real. And dead.     Lizzy elbowed me. “You look like you’re going to pass out.”     “I’m fine.”     As we left the room, I looked back once more. The eyes of Hugh Dawlish followed me. I shivered.     A slight smile played on his lips.
Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Night-Lover-Rosanna-Leo-ebook/dp/B016TMOHT2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/night-lover-1

Coming soon to other outlets.
Author Bio:
Rosanna Leo is a multi-published, erotic romance author. Several of her books about Greek gods, selkies and shape shifters have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Romance and The Romance Reviews.
From Toronto, Canada, Rosanna occupies a house in the suburbs with her long-suffering husband, their two hungry sons and a tabby cat named Sweetie. When not writing, she can be found haunting dusty library stacks or planning her next star-crossed love affair. A library employee by day, she is honored to be a member of the league of naughty librarians who also happen to write romance. Rosanna blogs at www.rosannaleoauthor.wordpress.com




Author Links:

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rosanna-Leo/e/B007X5P4I8
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5826852.Rosanna_Leo
Tsu: http://www.tsu.co/RosannaLeo
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosannaleo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rleoauthor1
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LeoRosanna

Atlantic Divide

As Loving Lydia, the first book in my Atlantic Divide series proved wildly popular when it was offered for free over a few days recently, my publisher Liquid Silver Books have decided to offer the other books in the series for 99p each (or $1.49 in the States).

I loved writing this series, and hope my readers enjoy it too.

Bad Girl Bill

Being confronted by two-dozen boxes of condoms and a wild-eyed woman possibly rated right up there in that uncomfortable zone.

She paced back and forward, walked around the opposite side of the kitchen table, flung her arm out and pointed at the offending items as soon as he walked through the door.

“There you go. Take your pick.”

He didn’t know whether to laugh or run. He thought she might kill him in either case.

He chose to study the boxes on the table instead. “You seem to have pretty high expectations, Bill.”

“They’re all sealed.” She rubbed her hands roughly up and down her thighs; if she did it much harder, she was going to rub a hole in her jeans.

“Why wouldn’t they be sealed? Where did you get them?”

“Well I couldn’t get them from a store in town now could I? There’s not a single soul here that I don’t know, haven’t lectured, helped across a road, or arrested.” She wrapped her arms around her body, chewed on her lip as Michael tried desperately not to smile. She looked so serious. “I think my brothers may all be perverts.” She scowled across the table at him.

“You got them from your brothers?” He gave a wary nod; she may not need to kill him. “Brave move, Bill. When are they all arriving with their shotguns?”

She snorted out a laugh, leaned forward, and picked up one of the small packets. Waved it at him.
“I filched them. I went right into their house with a pecan pie that I bought in town, put it on the kitchen table, then trawled the house for their condoms while they were out.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head, and when he opened them again, she was waggling another small box at him.

“Well, I don’t understand. These ones say they’re fruit-flavored. I have no idea what you would be doing putting one of those in your mouth. You could choke to death for the love of God.”
He nearly did. He watched her through narrowed eyes. She could not be serious, could she? Was she really that naive?

“And here”—she picked up another pack, tapped it on the table—“what in hell’s name are you supposed to do with these? They have the American flag emblazoned on them. Does that mean you have to stand to attention when you’re wearing them?” Throwing them back on the table, she picked up another pack, while he hauled in a gasping breath, trying his hardest not to guffaw. Standing at attention was a prerequisite, surely? He could feel gurgles of laughter rushing up through his belly into his chest. The woman was priceless. She wasn’t kidding; she was deadly serious.

“Why in the name of all that’s holy would you want something like this glowing at you in the dark? And these…these are colored, blue, green, purple; surely to Christ you’re going to look like you have a disease. I’m surprised there’s no polka dots here.” She picked one packet up after another, throwing them back on the table in disgust. “And
these warm up, and these ones…well, they’re studded.”

“Do you mean ribbed?”

“Uh, well isn’t that the same thing?”

“No, I’m pretty sure there’s a difference between ribbed and studded.”

She frowned at him, her eyes frenetic and confused. “There’s something wrong with my brothers. There isn’t a single condom here for normal use. I’m sorry. I guess I messed up. I have no condoms to speak of.” She flung her hand frantically across the table, swept half the boxes onto the floor.

“We can’t have sex,” she howled.

Michael’s smile faded fast as his amusement fled. “It’s okay, Bill.” He found he could speak at last. “I have it covered.” He reached delicately into his back trouser pocket and pulled out a small foil packet.

“Is that it?”

He glanced at the kitchen table, at the floor, and back to his fingers holding a single foil, a smile quirked across his lips.

“Well, what did you expect?”

“Well. More than one. Surely. The boys always say…”

“Bill. How about you forget what your boys have always said. Men lie. A lot.” He leaned across the table and took hold of her wrist to guide her around to his side, still holding the foil packet aloft in his other hand.

“Well, what does it do?” she demanded.

“It protects you from getting pregnant and from sexually transmitted diseases.”

“Is that it? It doesn’t have whistles or bells or lights or anything?”


Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Wellington Literary Festival - The Whole of the Month of October

Wellington Literary Festival runs the whole month of October, and 16th October looms as I prepare my speech. I'll be chatting about Romancing the Genres something I've been doing for all my reading life.

There'll be an opportunity for the audience to purchase signed copies of Banshee Seduction and I'll be talking about my forthcoming new release.

http://www.dianesaxon.com/index.html

VICE BY ROSANNA LEO

Release day- Sept. 22 at https://www.samhainpublishing.com/
Blurb:
He’s much more than a bad habit.
As a Vegas singer and volunteer counselor, Kate Callender has experienced life on both sides of Sin City’s bright lights. The thrill of performing, and gambling’s devastating effect on the addicts’ families.
Liam Doyle is just the kind of man she despises—a handsome, enigmatic businessman with a knack for seducing customers into his casino hotels. Determined to put a lid on his growing influence, she prepares to picket the opening of his newest casino, Vice.
When Liam spots the lone protestor hassling his customers, annoyance wars with instant attraction. And he quickly discovers the leggy redhead not only can’t be bought, she tempts him the way the sound of a roulette wheel lures a gambler.
They are natural enemies, but when a vile attack sparks Liam’s protective instincts, they begin a sexual odyssey that dances on the edge of addiction. Dangerously close to losing control...and losing themselves.
Warning: Contains a sexy, damaged hero who’d really rather just be having sex, and a no-nonsense redhead who makes him want to roll the dice on love just one more time.
Excerpt:
He meandered toward her and forced a smile. “You seem to have had a busy day.”
She whipped around and her eyes widened. He saw her give him a quick once-over. Did she like what she saw? Interesting. There was some perverse satisfaction in that.
“It has been busy.” She narrowed her hazel eyes at him. “Do you work here?”
So, she didn’t recognize him. Good. “Yes, ma’am, I do.” He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, noting how her gaze dropped to his exposed forearms. Her lips parted. Clearly, working out had its merits. “And word inside is you’ve upset the big boss.”
Her nostrils flared as she dragged her gaze away from his arms. “About time.” She put her sign down and picked up her purse. “Do you know Liam Doyle?”
“I’ve heard one or two things about him.”
She stepped closer and her lips did the most amazing thing, curling into a flirtatious semi-smile. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share them with me? The other guy kept on sucking up about him as if he was wearing a wire.” She paused. “You’re not wearing a wire, are you?”
He laughed out loud. He couldn’t help it. This was way too much fun. He sidled close to her, leaned in conspiratorially, and put a hand on her elbow. Her very soft elbow. “I’m not wearing a wire. But are you sure you want to know the truth about Doyle? I don’t know if you can handle it.”
She gawked at him and then at his lips. Her voice came out in a whisper. “Try me.”
He murmured in her ear, taking note of her lilac scent. “Well, I hear at midnight he sprouts black wings and horns. And he’s always searching for innocent maidens to add to his coven.” He bit on his bottom lip, suddenly wishing he was gnawing on hers.
At first, her eyelids did this fluttery thing that made his imported pants spring to life. But then she blinked and began to laugh. “And here I thought I was dealing with a mere businessman. I didn’t realize Doyle was cousins with Lucifer.”
“What’s your name?”
She regarded him from out of the side of her eye, her mouth still bearing the same flirty grin. “What’s yours?”
“Consider me a friend who wants to give you some advice.”
The smile disappeared from her face. “And what would that be?”
“Don’t mess with Liam Doyle. He doesn’t take to it kindly.”
The coquettish shine in her eyes hardened. “Is that a threat?”
“No, sugar. That’s not my style.”
“What exactly do you do here? Are you in security?”
“Never mind that.” He waved his hand. “Look, you’ve had your fun. Why don’t you run along home now?”
She reached for her sign and tucked it under her arm. “I will go where I damn well please. And you can tell your friend Mr. Doyle to expect me tomorrow. Maybe next time he’ll be brave enough to confront me himself.” She turned on her heel and walked down the manicured pathway leading to the taxi bay.
Liam stared at her ass as she walked away. Brave?
Game on, sugar. He’d show her brave.



Buy links:
Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5577/viceAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Vice-Rosanna-Leo-ebook/dp/B00Y05TZ02/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/vice-20Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vice-rosanna-leo/1121969539?ean=9781619227194iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/vice/id997241784?mt=11ARE: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-vice-1840843-149.htmlGoogle Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rosanna_Leo_Vice?id=rB91CQAAQBAJ&hl=en
Author bio:
Rosanna Leo is a multi-published, erotic romance author. Several of her books about Greek gods, selkies and shape shifters have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Romance and The Romance Reviews.
From Toronto, Canada, Rosanna occupies a house in the suburbs with her long-suffering husband, their two hungry sons and a tabby cat named Sweetie. When not writing, she can be found haunting dusty library stacks or planning her next star-crossed love affair.
A library employee by day, she is honored to be a member of the league of naughty librarians who also happen to write romance. Rosanna blogs at www.rosannaleoauthor.wordpress.com
Author Links:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rosanna-Leo/e/B007X5P4I8Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5826852.Rosanna_LeoTsu: http://www.tsu.co/RosannaLeoPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosannaleo/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rleoauthor1Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LeoRosanna

Resplendent Ruin (Resplendence #1) - Bella J - Cover Reveal

A very warm welcome to Bella J who is visiting to let us see her brand new cover revealed in all its gorgeous glory.
Hi, Bella
Come and tell us a little about your adventure in getting this far.
Oh boy, the last couple of months have been both exciting and hectic.  But I have to admit… I love every minute of it!
I really didn’t think my work would ever get published.  Not because I think my writing isn’t any good – but because I know that there are thousands – millions – of brilliant writers out there who write the most amazing stories.  And the romance genre?  Wow, there are millions of romance novels out there, so the competition is real tight.  But what do you know… in two months’ time my work is going to be out there for the world to see, and I am stoked.
Ever since I signed my first contract back in June, this publishing process has literally taken over my life!  But in a good way – for me.  I think my poor husband is so tired of hearing me blabber about everything related to my book; he’s desperate for me to talk about anything else – even if it meant me talking to him about shoes and handbags, or even having a discussion as to why Jamie Dornan is the perfect Christian Grey.  Any other topic would probably work for him right about now.  And then there’s my best friend – I think she’s starting to mentally picture me with a zipper mouth so that she can just shut me the hell up whenever I start talking about my book.  And please note that she is also my beta reader, so she has been hearing about this novel nonstop for the last eleven months.  
Poor woman – bless her.
But I just can’t help it.  I want to shout it from the rooftops, and drive around with a huge sign on my back window saying ‘I WROTE A BOOK AND IT’S BEING PUBLISHED.  ANYTHING EXCITING HAPPEN TO YOU LATELY?’
I’ve been writing for years, and to finally have my name – or my pen name – out there is a dream come true.
I started working on Resplendent Ruin in November 2014, and completed it in May this year.  Yes, it was a long process, but being a mother of two, having a full time job in the wine industry AND trying to write a novel… phew, I think there are a lot of women out there who would agree that it’s quite a challenge to juggle it all.  But then again, I managed to finish the 2nd book of the Resplendence series within two months – I have no idea how that happened.
Anyway, here it is peeps, the cover that had me jumping on my husband and screaming like a crazy person when I first saw it.  I hope you like it as much as I do…
Oh who am I kidding? I don’t just like it… I LOVE IT!! 

Blurb 
Juliette Mason had it all—the perfect job, the perfect home, the perfect fiancé. She lived the perfect life. Until everything started to slowly fall apart. Daniel, her attractive and success-driven fiancé, was the love of her life. For years she wanted nothing more than to finally walk down the aisle, to be Mrs. Daniel Clarke. But as time went by, the cracks in their relationship started to come to the surface, and Juliette found herself in a place she never imagined she would be. It was a place where she started to question everything about her life and her dreams, a place where nothing about her life made sense anymore—a place where she found Knox Taylor. Knox didn’t count on falling in love. In fact, Knox didn’t count on anything really. He was blissfully happy living a fast life of reckless behavior, impulsive decisions, and beautiful women. He lived the perfect life of a flourishing bachelor—but then she happened.
Excerpt
“Why are you in my room?”
Juliette yelped and jumped at the same time. She dropped the cuff which was still clutched in her hand, and the sound echoed through the room as it clashed against the bedpost.
“Oh my God,” she breathed, holding her hand against her chest. Her heart was beating a hundred miles an hour, and she could feel all the blood drain from her body, rushing to her burning cheeks.
“Why are you in my room?” His voice was right behind her now, and she swallowed hard. Not wanting to turn around and let him see the embarrassment on her face, she kept her back to him.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered and tried to scurry past him. But before she was able to make a getaway, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. A shockwave of extreme undiluted need shot up from his touch, through her spine, straight to her core. Holy crap, she couldn’t breathe.
His stare burned through her skin and her body felt like it was on fire. Startled by what she felt, she looked up at him.
His midnight hair was damp and unruly as ever, and his face slightly flushed.
There was no stopping her gaze from moving down.
“I, um…I…” She couldn’t think of a single thing to say, not one damn thing as she stared at his incredibly well-built, unbelievably toned chest with the faint dusting of black chest hair.
Down, down, down—like Alice in the rabbit hole—her attention went, until they reached the very prominent, very masculine V. Or what Lexi would call it, the “penis-pointer.”—Oh no, she didn’t? Did she just think about his…
Yes. Yes, she did.
“Up here, sweetheart,” he said, still clutching her wrist.
Her gaze shot up, another wave of embarrassment making its way to her already burning face. He had that damn arrogant grin he wore so well on his face. He knew the effect he had on her. He knew every dirty little thought that flashed through her mind during the last five seconds. Smug bastard! She jerked her arm out of his hold and her skin instantly mourned the loss. “I just came to return your jacket.” It was a miracle that she didn’t stutter since she couldn’t form a single sentence in her head. His arm dropped to his side and her eyes followed the movement. That’s when she noticed the white towel wrapped around his waist. For a split second the thought of what was behind that flimsy white towel made her thighs clench and her stomach tighten.
Look away!
He cocked a brow. “And you needed to put it in my room?”
“Well,” she searched for words, or an explanation, or something, “I just wanted to make sure you got it back safely.” Well, I certainly aced that explanation.
He looked at her suspiciously, and then his eyes went dark. “Whatever. You can leave now.” He dismissed her.
Oh hell no!
She gave a step forward. “Do you think that women actually find this whole jackass approach of yours attractive?” she spat out.
“I don’t know, do you?”
Struggling—yet again—to think on her feet, she just stared at him, completely blank. Nice.
He gave a step toward her, traces of the darkness in his eyes she saw a second ago gone. What she could only interpret as a sexy-as-hell grin crossed his face, showing off his ridiculously distracting dimples.
I want to trace those dimples with my tongue… Stop!
All of a sudden the entire atmosphere between them changed from awkward, to angry, to—electrifying. Her skin tingled, and she was suddenly painfully aware that except for the flimsy towel wrapped around his waist, he was completely and utterly naked.
With somewhat furrowed brows and the corners of his mouth pulled back just enough for her to wonder if he was about to smile or frown, he slowly started toward her. With each step he took, she instinctively gave one step back. This was probably what trapped prey felt like being stalked by a wild, hungry predator. Adrenalin would pump through the prey’s veins as it prepared to run for its life or brace itself for impact. The only difference was that the adrenalin pumping through her veins was for an entirely different reason than wanting to escape her predator. In fact, she wanted to run to the predator.
Stupid, stupid prey!
She inhaled sharply when her back hit the wall. Her body started to shiver as he leaned into her. Heat burned through her skin while her heart beat wildly inside of her chest.
He placed his hands flush against the wall just above her shoulders and looked down at her, his eyes a frenzy of heat and seduction. Every inch of her body felt electrified, like it was leaning over the edge of unadulterated lust in search of ecstasy.
He cocked his head to the side and he stared at the soft, exposed skin of her neck. She was pretty sure he could have seen the vein pulsating to the rhythm of her heart. She felt completely intoxicated by the way he moved, the way he smelled, and the way it felt having him so close up against her. She closed her eyes and felt him slowly trace the edge of his nose up her neck, all along her jaw until she could feel his lips brush against her ear.
“Tell me, Jules,” he whispered, the words coated with sheer unmistakable allure.
“Tell you what?” she asked dazed. She could not remember what the hell they were talking about.
He focused all his attention on her lips while he kept his mouth mere inches from hers. It was complete agony having his lips so close to hers and not being able to feel it.
“Do you find my jackass approach attractive?”
His warm breath waved over her wet lips and an inferno of flames erupted inside of her, leaving her incapable of thinking about anything else than what his lips would feel like pressed firmly against hers.

Author Bio
Bella J lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her husband, two kids, and a Chihuahua. Her love for writing started in eighth grade when she received her first writing assignment—which she flunked. But the positive side of her failure—her newly-found passion for writing. The negative side—now she’s completely spaced out half of the time living in her little pretend world of romance, love, and insanely hot heroes. Resplendent Ruin, Resplendence Book #1, will be released on November 16th 2015, and is her first published novel.  Check in on www.lsbooks.com regularly for pre-order info.
Twitter:  @BellaJ_AuthorFacebook:  www.facebook.com/BellaJ1983Website:  www.bellajauthor.wix.com/sassyPinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/bellajauthor/

Christmas Carols - Daisy Banks

Thank you, Diane, for your kind offer to help me celebrate the release of my new book Christmas Carols, published by Liquid Silver Books on the 10th of August.       
I know readers might think it a little odd to be thinking about Christmas in August but in Victorian England, where my story is set, people were used to starting their Christmas preparations early.
When I taught history one of the activities my students completed in the autumn term was to make pomander balls. These were made in early October so they would be ready for a Christmas re-enactment celebration. Everyone in school enjoyed the fragrance and so many people said it made them think Christmas was on the way. I only have to smell orange and cloves to recollect those fun times.
In Victorian England pomanders were used to help keep linen insect free, to fragrance rooms and dispel unhealthy miasmas, (nasty smells). The idea an unpleasant stink could make you ill wasn’t refuted until the brilliant work of Dr. John Snow in the late 1840s through to the 1850’s where he isolated the cause of a cholera epidemic in London to water and not the ever present stink.  Yet even after his success in 1854 the notion bad smells caused illness remained for some time.
You might notice if you buy a period property in England that if the outhouse or outside lavatory are still standing, there is usually a large lilac bush growing nearby and sometimes roses too, to sweeten the air.
This is an easy recipe for a pomander ball.

Use as many large oranges as you want to make into pomanders, or if you are making this with little children you can use a juicy Satsuma for each child.
A length of bright ribbon in a suitable festive shade.
A large bag of cloves with stalks. This is important as some culinary cloves are treated and destalked before being put into jars. You need the stalks to push the cloves into the orange.
I usually tied the ribbon after the cloves were in place as the oranges tend to leak juice.
Any kind of segmented pattern made by pushing the cloves into the orange is suitable and obviously the more cloves you use the stronger their scent. You can score a pattern onto the orange with a sharp knife if you wish or you can create freely.
The cloves can be quite hard to push in so you can use a cocktail stick to pre-make holes in the skin or use a thimble to protect your thumb as you push the cloves in.
Make sure you leave gaps in your pattern for where the ribbon is to be tied on.
Once you have made your pattern, tie on the ribbon and hang your pomander somewhere dry and airy so it can dry out. This process can take some days.
I have only ever had one lot of pomanders go bad and that was because someone left a window open and the damp got to them.
There are more complex recipes for pomander balls which call for Orris powder, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Allspice. You can use these if you wish or rub a mixture of them all onto the skin of the orange before you stick it with cloves.
This has to be one of the simplest and fun activities to do with children. You can use the smaller pomanders to decorate your tree and the larger ones to fragrance rooms.
ExcerptWhile he strolled behind the dog, he considered what he’d say to Mrs. Broadbrace tomorrow. When she sang, as she had so naturally, unknowingly he’d surmised, as he played this afternoon, she was pitch perfect. A gift such as hers ought to be encouraged. At the very least, she should sing in the choir. What he would like best would be for her to sing solo to his accompaniment. The high notes she could reach had caressed his senses like the trained voice of one of the best opera singers might. She’d a pretty laugh too, that woman, not many women had a laugh like hers, light like a mountain stream dancing over pebbles. The comment she’d laughed at hadn’t been especially funny, but… Sympathy! Who needed sympathy? No one. Since his earliest childhood, he’d met it a thousand times and it had done him not an ounce of good. Truth and commitment, those were the things to help people along the road of the human condition. Several thoughts rose but he shook his head, no good to be anything but honest, though not brutal. He would try his best not to sound dismissive of the flowers but it had to be something like; “Madam, your flowers are afflicting me and they have to go. Relegate them to the side isles and the altar area, and the fewer blooms you use the better. I don’t want them anywhere near the organ, but I do want you in the choir.” Blue paused and Stephen waited for the dog. When Blue again pulled a little on the leash, they both moved on down the street. That would be perfect. The woman could put her wretched blooms in other areas of the church far enough away with luck to allow him the luxury of breath. Another darn good point, he couldn’t be the only one made uncomfortable by her lilies. Yes, she’d have to understand, and modify the arrangements she made, for the common good. He hoped she’d be lady enough not to sulk or throw a tantrum at the request. He recalled her soft fragrance and once again the low laugh. Yes, she seemed very lady-like. Blue gave a throaty bark, and Stephen stopped still. They’d gone too far. Blue had a better nose than his. He sniffed like the dog and a faint whiff of the gasworks made him do Blue’s bidding and turn around. “I agree, Blue. Time to go home.” The wind blowing into them as they journeyed back grew stronger, and gusts tugged at his coat as they walked. The blasts of air buffeted against him, and the raw element held the scent of frost and snow. Stephen sniffed, and again, uncertain if the lilies still afflicted him or if it were the chill of the night. Next recital night he’d know for certain because the church would be clear of lilies.
Blurb
Stephen Grafton, the blind organist at Holy Trinity Church, is gaining a reputation for his fine playing and compositions. Alice Broadbrace’s initial venture back into society after years in deep mourning brings her to the notice of the talented organist, and he offers her the opportunity to sing a solo carol to his accompaniment. His courage convinces her to find her own, while her charm entices him into thoughts of romance. A difficult walk in a snow storm is only the beginning of Stephen and Alice’s journey to happiness. Enjoy this sweet Victorian tale of talent and love blossoming.
Thanks for readingDaisy Banks
Find Daisy Banks hereBlog http://daisybanks.wordpress.com/Website http://daisybanksnovels.yolasite.com/... @DaisyBanks16Facebook http://on.fb.me/18iRC35     Pinterest http://bit.ly/16sF1XGTsu   http://www.tsu.co/DaisyBanksAmazon http://amazon.com/author/daisybanks
Buy LinksAmazon http://amazon.com/author/daisybanksBarnes and Noble  http://bit.ly/1NWh8giitunes http://apple.co/1IN2oP2Kobo http://bit.ly/1y85pJt
Daisy Banks is the author ofSoon to be available with Liquid Silver Books Serving the SerpentChristmas CarolsMarked for MagicTo EternityA Perfect MatchTimelessValentine WishesA Gentleman’s FollyYour Heart My SoulFiona’s WishA Matter of Some ScandalDaisy’s books are available hereAmazon     http://amazon.com/author/daisybanksBarnes and Noble    Kobo   iTunesDaisy Banks writes a regular monthly story in the Sexy to Go compilations.

Attribution for Orange Pomander Ball image