Lily Graison - Lost in Solitude

Friday 56 :: Keeper Of The Heart by Johanna Lindsey

2012-02-03T06:00:00.006-05:00

This weeks 56 comes from the book Keeper Of The Heart by Johanna Lindsey, another book sitting in my To Be Read pile.

She had a warrior who admitted he loved her. But no other warrior would admit it. Even Challen's friend Tamiron, who cared deeply for his lifemate, staunchly maintained warriors didn't feel the strong emotions women did.

About the Friday 56

Grab the book nearest you. Right now
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Now its you turn! Grab a book and post your 56. If you don't have a blog, just post yours in the comments.

(I saw the Friday 56 over at Shiloh Walker's blog. Be sure to visit and read her 56.)

Thursday 13 :: Travel

2012-02-02T06:00:00.003-05:00

13 Places I want to Visit Before I Die

Scotland - I know the possibility of falling through the standing stones and finding my very own hunky Scottish highlander is slim but I still want to try!
Greece - I want to see the ruins and walk on streets older than I can imagine.
Rome - Ruins! Enough said.
Hawaii - It's Hawaii! Why wouldn't someone want to visit?
The Grand Canyon - Nature as its most spectacular.
Ireland - The photos I've seen are so breathtaking, I want to see it for myself.
Tombstone Arizona - Come on, it's the Old West! Imagine the plot bunnies I could find there.
Louisiana - Mardi Gras looks like so much fun. Besides, isn't that where all the vampires live?
Paris - It's the City of Love. What better place to be?
The Northern Lights - This isn't a place but I still want to see them.
Russia - One of my favorite books takes place in Russia. I want to see the landmarks I read about in the book.
The Bermuda Triangle - I want to see where I end up! LOL
Australia - Come on, you've seen how hot the guys are down under (no pun intended!)

There's my 13. What places are on your bucket list? Tell me in the comments below.

Writer Wednesday

2012-02-01T06:00:00.042-05:00

The past week has been filled with anxiety, even though my family crisis from last week was finally cleared enough I was able to get back to my story, The Gambler. Of course when I did sit down to write, the muse balked. I sat staring at the page for ages, knowing 'something' was wrong but just couldn't put my finger on what. I was ready to trash it (all 10K of it) and start over. Which would have been like a knife to the gut.

Whenever I run into story problems, I always run to my go-to girl, author Candy Nicks. She always sees what I don't and after a day of just talking it out, I realized my hero and heroine were just too...nice. Squeaky clean, nice, and honestly, what's so exciting about that?

Nothing, according to my muse so, I rewrote the story instead of trashing it, which took 3 days to do. Every scene had to be 'fixed', the character motivations tweaked and finally, I had a story that was much more exciting and my muse was dancing and asking for another shot of whiskey. I even manged to write the back cover blurb for the story, which I'll be sharing in the coming weeks.

My deadline for this story was Jan. 31st. I didn't make it. I'm only 20K in and the story will end up around 40,000. Not making my deadline isn't a huge issue but it messes with my timetable a bit. It throws the edits for The Outlaw back by a week and I'd really not prefer to do that but see little choice at this point. I'll just have to work harder to catch up but if I weren't running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I'd think something was wrong.

I managed to write 50,000+ words for the month, which is a record for me. I put a lot of things on hold in order to get my daily words done. I shot for 3K a day and most days I hit it. Some, not so much but it all worked out in the end. I wrote every day but 7 (the weekends) so all in all, I'm quite proud of what I 'did' do.

Besides working on the new story, I managed to write an obscene amount of blog posts (11 to be exact) and I have to say, having those things written, and scheduled, in advance is such a life saver. I'm not sure why I didn't always do them this way. Having them done in advance just frees up so much time for me. I can write/goof off until around 6 pm and spend my evening watching TV with the hubby while working on blog posts or marking off things on my To Do list, which seems to grow by the day.

Speaking of the To Do list...I have a few print books on there, one of which is an Anthology of all 4 Wicked books. I'm hoping to release that come end of year. The book is formatted and a proof copy is in the mail. I still have to read it, front to back, and make sure everything came out all nice and pretty but I have loads of time for that yet. I'm not sure about you, but I can't wait to get my hands on it. Its huge...nearly 400 pages and having all four of my guys in one books is just a little bit intoxicating. I have some book swag on order for the re-release as well so you Wicked fans out there...there's goodies in your future!

Until next week,
Lily

My Book Boyfriend :: Hot Alpha Werewolf!

2012-02-01T00:00:00.038-05:00

My Book Boyfriend Giveaway Hop Hosted is by Reading Between the Wines Book Club and As the Page Turns. The hop will run from 12:01 AM February 1st through to 11:59 PM February 5th, 2012.

What better way to celebrate the month of LOVE then with your favorite book boyfriend? Whether you have a valentine or not, the swoon worthy heroes we find in romances can’t be matched anyway! So why not put on those naughty underwear and curl up with one of these steamy reads this year instead? Make you Valentine’s Day perfect by joining the My Book Boyfriend Giveaway Hop where fellow bloggers offer you the chance to win some of their favorite book boyfriends!

PRIZE ON OFFER:

1. A signed and personalized paperback copy of my paranormal romance, The Calling, which features the very scrumptious alpha werewolf hero, Garrett Kincaid,

2. One eBook copy of, The Gathering, sequel to The Calling.

HOW TO ENTER:

Subscribe to this blog via email using the form below.
Fill in the Rafflecopter form once you've subscribed to the blog. Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form completely for your entry to count.
Comment on this post and tell me what paranormal 'creatures' are your favorites!
For extra entries, Like my Facebook page and/or follow my Twitter page. (make sure you click the rafflecopter form again on those items for them to count!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To take advantage of all the contests, visit the other participating blogs listed below!

Tuesday Teaser - The Calling by Lily Graison - Paranormal (werewolf) Romance

2012-01-31T06:00:00.009-05:00

Welcome again to Tuesday Teasers! I have a small excerpt from The Calling today, which is book 1 in the Night Breeds series. The scene I've picked is an intense 'claiming' where our hero finally gets to mark the girl his wolf has wanted since laying eyes on her.

In a world where the supernatural isn’t supposed to exist, one woman comes face to face with the monsters and fights to survive their call.

Investigative reporter Rayna Ford is sent to the small community of Wolf’s Creek to write an expose on a town supposedly over run with werewolves. Assuming the inhabitants to be under a mass delusion, she learns quickly that all isn’t as it seems. Their plans involve more than a newspaper article and her life hangs in the balance as their motive for luring her to them is revealed.

Garrett Kincaid knows a thing or two about werewolves. He is one. After leaving his pack, he’s spent the last twelve years pretending to be something he isn’t. His closely guarded secret threatens to destroy him when he meets Rayna Ford, the woman his wolf has claimed as his own. When he learns the pack has lured Rayna to them in order to get to him, he races to Wolf’s Creek to protect her from the very thing he fears the most. Himself.

The power struggle within the pack becomes clear once Garrett reaches his old home and learns of the pack’s plans for Rayna. The beast lurking beneath his skin is torn between protecting the woman he wants to call mate and keeping the balance within the pack on neutral ground. When choosing a side no longer matters, he does what he must to save his mate, even if that means making one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

When the stakes are high, and lives hang in the balance, can you ignore life as you know it to answer...The Calling.

Excerpt

Rayna didn’t even pause as she reached the door of the cabin. She shoved it open without knocking, listening to it hit the wall as she looked around the room. She saw a stunned expression cross Garrett’s face, his eyes widening as she marched across the room to the sofa where he sat before she planted one knee between his legs and grabbed his head with both hands, leaning down to kiss him. She forced her tongue into his mouth, taking what she wanted and didn’t give him time to protest. She pressed her body against him, her fingers tightening in his hair until he tilted his head, deepening the kiss and moaned into her mouth. When he raised his hands and touched her, she jerked away from him and started backing toward the door. “I need a mate,” she said. “And I choose you, Garrett Kincaid. If that wolf of yours wants me, then have him catch me.”

She turned and ran back out the door, jumping from the porch, and she’d barely made it into the trees when she heard him. She smiled at the sound of his feet hitting the wooden porch and wondered how far she’d actually get before he caught her. The crashing of trampled brush she heard behind her told her not very far.

The trek through the forest was nothing to her now and she pumped her arms at her side, raising her legs high as she jumped fallen limbs and small bushes. She weaved through the pines, darting in one direction before turning toward another. Garrett followed her with every turn, the sound of him behind her, chasing her, almost as exciting as what she knew was coming.

When she heard the rushing water of the creek, she knew he was just prolonging the chase. He could have caught her minutes after they entered the woods and she grinned knowing he was enjoying their game as much as she did. The moment she saw the creek, she turned and ran for it, running across the shallow rock bed to the other side. He followed, the splashing from the creek as he ran across growing closer as she ran up the bank and back onto solid ground.

He caught her before she got her feet under her good.

They crashed to the ground, the air leaving her body in a whoosh as he landed on top of her, his hips pressing into her butt. He was already hard. He ground himself against her as his arms circled her waist. She squirmed and clawed at the ground, trying to free herself and let out a startled yelp as his blunt teeth bit into the side of her neck. He pushed his hips against her backside and reached under her, sliding his hand between her legs and cupping her through her jeans, squeezing. Sparks of need zapped through her limbs and she squirmed against his hand.

The hold he had on her neck slacked, his teeth coming away from her skin. “Lay still,” he rasped in her ear. “Don’t move.”

She stilled under him, her heart slamming against her ribcage. She knew what he was doing the moment he laid his head against hers and wasn’t having any part of it. It wasn’t going to be that easy for him. She wouldn’t play the submissive. If he wanted her, he’d have to fight her for it. She smiled to herself before bracing her arms and arching her back, trying to buck him off of her. He growled, his hold on her tightening as she clawed at the ground and tried to get away.

Kicking her feet she was able to dislodge him enough to flip over. He reached for her, pinning her to the ground with one arm across the front of her chest. She was panting for breath, struggling under him and raised her head, biting into his shoulder. He yelled and grabbed the back of her head, his fingers twisting in her hair before she released her hold. He grabbed her arms, jerking them over her head. The look on his face nearly made her come. He looked like he wanted to eat her alive and god help her, she nearly wanted him to.

“Rayna, I’m warning you.” His eyes had bled to wolf amber, his voice raspy and thick, guttural. She bucked under him, kneeing him in the thigh before he growled and trapped her legs between his own. He lowered his head, his growl vibrating in her chest. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Yes, I do,” she said. “I don’t need a puppy for a mate, Garrett, I need a wolf. Either prove you’re that wolf or I’ll find another.”

She knew her choice of words were wrong the second they were out of her mouth. His eyes blazed, his deep, rumbling growl sent chills racing up her spine before he took her mouth hard. He forced his tongue past her lips, pressing her head into the ground and she gave as much as she got. The moment he loosened his grip on her arms she reached up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and held him to her. The rumbling in his chest grew louder, his hips pressing into her just a little bit harder.

Rayna sank her nails into his shoulders before raking them down his back. She grabbed the hem of his shirt, jerking it up so she could touch his bare skin. He lifted, helping her remove the shirt. She panted for breath as he nibbled on her lips, bit gently across her jaw to her throat. She barely contained the moan wanting to escape as he sucked at her flesh and tried to remember the things Judith had told her. She ticked them off inside her head and knew she’d only accomplished a few of them.

When Garrett’s head lowered, his lips sliding softly across her skin to the top of her shirt and nuzzling his face into her cleavage, she bucked under him, grinning when he landed on his side. She flipped over, crawling to her knees, getting one foot on the ground before launching herself up. He grabbed her before she could stand completely, wrestling her back to the ground. He was on her back again, panting in her ear. “Rayna, don’t make me hurt you.”

She looked over her shoulder at him and reached up, grabbing a handful of his hair and pulled his head down to her. “And don’t puss out on me. Where’s that wolf that wanted me? If you’re too afraid to take me, then maybe he will!”

He growled again and reached for the collar of her shirt. The material ripped as he jerked, baring her back to him. She’d gone without a bra and he took advantage of the fact, pulling her to her knees and cupping her breast in his hand, pinching her nipple to the point of pain. His free hand worked on the snap of her jeans. He latched onto her shoulder, his blunt teeth sinking into her skin deep enough for her to hold still or cause herself pain. He worked her pants and underwear down her thighs before he let go of her and pushed her head and shoulders to the ground.

You can read the first 10 chapters of this story for FREE over at the Night Breeds Blog

The Calling
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Words: 63,000
Released: February 2010
Rating: Sultry
Price: $2.99

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:

» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Barnes and Noble
» Buy at Sony Reader Store
» Buy at Smashwords
» Buy at Kobo

MANday Hotties!

2012-01-30T00:00:00.025-05:00

I've been thinking about Karen Marie Moning's Fever Series this week, wanting to re-read it again, and I honestly don't have time. Not yet, at least. Not until my current work in progress is finished because I know, once I pick up book one, I'll not stop until they've all been read again.

Of course, that doesn't mean I can't imagine the oh so delicious Jerricho Barron's lying about looking sexy and what better way to indulge than to post MY version of Jerricho. Feast your eyes on David Gandy. If/when the Fever series is made into a movie, this is my pick, even though he's not an actor. A girl can dream, right?

Now I'm truly distracted! I shouldn't have to suffer alone, so check out the other blogs in this weeks Manday Hotties Blog Hop!

Six Sentence Sunday - A Touch of Heaven - Contemporary Romance book

2012-01-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to this weeks Six Sentence Sunday! This week's 6 comes from my Contemporary Romance, A Touch of Heaven. It's the story that landed me the title, published author, way back in 2005.

The heat between them grew, making her dizzy with excitement. She panted for breath, his lips and tongue licking and sucking at her flesh.

She felt him smile against her skin before kissing a fiery trail across her jaw. Paige turned her head to him, her eyes glazed over with lust and smiled before lowering her head. She almost melted when he extended his tongue and ran it over her bottom lip. She trembled at the small action and opened her mouth, begging for just a taste.

To read an excerpt from this book, visit the book page for A Touch of Heaven on my website.

Check out the other Six Sentence Sunday participants or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter.

Saturday Snippets :: First Kiss

2012-01-28T10:00:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Saturday Snippets, A new weekly blog hop hosted by the Alinar Publishing authors that feature snippets of stories based on a Theme. Theres only a few of us this first week but hopefully others will join in but for now, the first weeks theme was...First Kiss.

I've picked my book, Wicked: Leather and Lace this week and a small snippet that has a first kiss between the heroine, Roxy, and the hero, Luke...with a twist.

Roxy Carlisle is on a mission. She’s been in lust with Luke Harris, lead guitarist for the band Wicked, for two years. When her best friend, Holly, hooks up with the bands lead singer, and asks her to tag along to New York with her to meet the band, Roxy couldn’t pack her bags fast enough. The chance to meet Luke in person was a dream come true. Even better if her ultimate fantasy of finding herself in his bed were to happen. One way or another, she was determined to have him. That is, if Holly’s hair-brained idea of playing hard to get doesn’t backfire in her face.

Luke Harris loves women and they love him. All he ever has to do is speak to them and they fall all over themselves to be the lucky lady of the night. That all changes though when a feisty brunette comes barreling into his life and changes all the rules. She’s immune to his usual charm, or so it seems, but something in her eyes tells him otherwise.

Has Luke finally met a woman he can’t seduce? Can Roxy follow her plan and not give in when Luke sets his sights on her? When sex is all you’re after, can you walk away when your heart demands more?

Snippet

Roxy made her way to the bar wanting to kick her own ass every step of the way. Where was her ‘go get ‘em’ attitude when she needed it? That little blonde wasn’t anything to get worked up over, yet just sitting there watching her cuddle up with Luke was enough to cause thoughts of violence to override clear judgment. She wanted to hurt her. Bad. But really, who could blame her? She’d do the exact same thing given her position. It was the fact that she wasn’t in that position that stung.

Sighing heavily, she stopped at the bar, waiting several minutes until the bartender spotted her before ordering. “Tequila. Make it a double.”

“Make that two.”

Roxy turned her head at the sound of Luke’s voice and barely kept the smile on her face from making her look insane. Had he followed her? She looked back at the table, noticing the blonde still sitting there, her attention now centered on Mick. So, she was one of those, was she? “Is Mick going to give your girlfriend back before the night is over?” she said, motioning to the table with a tilt of her head.

Luke glanced back over his shoulder, smiling as he turned and faced Roxy again. “I’m growing rather bored of blondes. I’m in the mood for… brunettes tonight,” he said, lifting a strand of her hair and rubbing it between his fingers. She locked eyes with him, her pulse quickening when he leaned forward and smelled her hair.

Roxy smiled, glancing away from him when the bartender placed their drinks in front of them. Luke said something to the man behind the bar and Roxy wasn’t at all surprised when a saltshaker and a bowl of limes appeared. So, tequila shots, was it?

He turned to her, his gaze sliding across her skin in a slow, lingering caress before saying, “You up for a little adventure, Roxy?”

Roxy swallowed to moisten her throat. “What did you have in mind?”

He grinned and glanced down at her breasts. Roxy’s heart skipped a beat when he did. She knew then what he wanted and lord help her, there was no way she could let this man do body shots off of her and not straddle him right where he stood.

But the game worked both ways didn’t it?

She looked at the white button-up shirt Luke wore underneath his leather jacket. The first several buttons were undone and she could see a hint of skin peeking out from behind the fabric. Would Holly consider this cheating? It was just a quick game of lick and suck, right? As long as she didn’t let it go too far, her friend couldn’t complain.

Holding his gaze, she smiled before reaching out and picking up one of the small lime wedges. “Where do you want it?” she asked.

He grinned and took a step closer to her. “Places that aren’t legal in public.”

Roxy glanced around them, noticing more than a few people interested in them. Luke was drawing attention and even though he seemed to have no qualms about what he did in public, she wasn’t an exhibitionist. Normally.

Taking the lime from her hand, he reached out, wrapping an arm around her waist, and pulling her tight against him. “How about we work our way down?” he said, placing the lime between her lips.

She almost gasped when he leaned forward, his lips trailing across her chin to her throat, his tongue slicking a path to the side of her neck and leaving a rush of goose bumps in its wake. She arched her back and closed her eyes when the warm, wet stroke of his tongue slid up her neck a second before the small flakes of salt hit her skin.

Locking eyes with him, she grabbed his arm, holding her breath when he slid his shot glass closer. “Ready?”

A small nod of her head was all she managed. Her vocal cords were suddenly frozen. He gave her a smile that nearly did her in before he once again leaned in and licked the salt from her skin. The drink was swallowed quickly and the next second, those luscious lips were surrounding hers. Instinct caused her to clamp down on the lime wedge and to her delight, Luke did exactly what she hoped and forced his tongue in her mouth to get it.

Dear lord, she didn’t know what was better… being in his arms, tasting his sweet lips, or having his tongue swirl around hers in a ferocious tangle.

She inhaled deeply when he drew back, watching him chew the fruit before he reached for another. “Your turn, beautiful.”

Roxy grinned when he placed the lime wedge between his lips and pulled the material of his shirt wider and bared his neck. She reached up, lacing her fingers through his hair and tilted his head back and leaned toward him. His scent overwhelmed her and she wanted to crawl inside his skin.

She took her shot from his throat, sucking the thin skin into her mouth before salting it and grabbing her glass. He gazed down at her, a tiny smile lifting one corner of his mouth before he wrapped his hand in her hair and pulled her closer to his body.

The entire act lasted seconds. The taste of him washed away by salt and tequila before that wicked tongue was once again in her mouth. The fruit flavored kiss lasted longer than the first, Luke’s hand locking her head in place and she wasn’t about to complain. Kissing around a piece of fruit wasn’t an easy task but Luke made it seem natural. And god, could this man kiss.

His next shot nearly did her in. He nuzzled her breasts, his breath warming the soft flesh peeking above the top of her dress, and she closed her eyes at the sensation. The feel of his lips and tongue caused shivers to run laps up and down her spine and her nipples tingled and hardened in anticipation.

The kiss that followed caused her to moan deep in her throat. She sagged against him, holding on to his arms for support when he tilted her head to deepen the kiss.

The loud whoops and yells from the crowd finally caught Roxy’s attention and she broke the kiss. Their small group of onlookers had grown and heat crawled up her chest to land on her face. She glanced at every one watching them and one face in particular drew her attention. Holly. Her friend was shaking her head and smiling along with everyone else but the look on her face let her know she was about to blow the whole play it hard to get plan.

Reluctantly, she pulled away from him, taking a step back. “I think our audience has grown.”

Luke looked at the gathering crowd and chuckled. “I’m used to a crowd,” he said, dipping his head and whispering in her ear, “I’d like to take my next taste a little lower. You want to make this party private and head back to the hotel?”

Wicked: Leather and Lace
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Words: 24,203
Released: March 2009
Rating: Sultry
Price: $2.99

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:
» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Barnes and Noble
» Buy at Sony Reader Store
» Buy at Diesel eBook Store
» Buy at Smashwords
» Buy at Kobo

Also available at the Apple iBook Store

BUY THE PRINT BOOK FROM:

» Buy at Amazon.Com
» Buy at Barnes and Noble

I hope you enjoyed this weeks 'First Kiss' and join me next week when our theme will be "Taste".

If you're a writer (published or unpublished) and would like to join this blog hop, then visit the Saturday Snippets page, read the FAQ then fill out the linky form pointing to your Saturday Snippet 'First Kiss' post on your blog!

Friday 56 :: Arizona Angel by Phoebe Conn

2012-01-27T06:00:00.005-05:00

This weeks 56 came from the book Arizona Angel by Phoebe Conn, a book published way back in 1988! It's in my To Be Read pile. I'll get around to it one of these days.

"Your dress is lovely and so are you." When MaLou looked more skeptical than pleased, he could only wonder at the fact that she had absolutely no idea what a treasure she was.

About the Friday 56

Grab the book nearest you. Right now
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Play along with me! If you don't have a blog, just post yours in the comments.

(I saw the Friday 56 over at Shiloh Walker's blog. Be sure to visit and read her 56.)

Thursday 13 :: Favorite Books/Series

2012-01-26T05:00:00.006-05:00

Although I'm a writer, I was a reader first. I can devour a book a day if I have nothing else to do and I indulge in reading every chance I get so in honor of my love of reading, today's 13 are the books I return to time and time again.

13 Favorite Books/Series of All Time

(these are in no particular order)

1. Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. Historical/Time-Travel/Scottish Highlander/Sage LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series. I've read it twice and that is a feat. These books range in the 1,000 page length, the largest so far about 1,400 pages! The heroine, Claire, slips through the standing stones and meets the hero, Jamie Fraser, a Scottish highlander who is larger than life. The trials they overcome are epic. The stories start when they're young, in their 20's and the last book (to be released-the series isn't finished) they were in their 40's. I can't get enough of these and because they're SO huge, it takes the author nearly 4 years to write the next one. Talk about sitting on pins and needles! I'll wait though. They're worth it.

2. The Fading Lands Series by C.L. Wilson - Fantasy/Romance This book has it all. A shape-shifting Fae King, an average girl who is more than even 'she' knows, evil lords doing evil things and a whole host of amazing characters. Oh, and Romance! *sigh* I love Rain, the hero, in this book. I re-read it just for him. hehe

3. Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan - Fantasy/Romance I adore this trilogy and wanted to cry when it ended. It's what sold me on Fantasy Romance. The hero, Keir is the Warlord of an invading race and he takes Lara, the sister of the King, as his prize to stop the war. Their language difference makes the story more unique and reading some of the language and knowing what the author means is fun. It's an epic journey with many mis-communications but the love story is fantastic. I just wish it wouldn't have been written in 1st person perspective as I would have loved to get into Keir's head!

4. The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning - Paranormal Romance - If you haven't read this series yet, do! The Fae in this series aren't the sparkly, fun beings you're used to. The Unseelie are converging into our world and the heroine can see them. It's up to her, and the very OMG sexy Jericho Barrons to get the book that will seal the realms. It's one long adventure so make sure you have the next book at hand before reading the first. I spent many a-night reading and only put the books away when the sun came up.

5. The Bronze Horseman Trilogy - Historical Romance What's not to love about these books. They're set during the German invasion of Russia and tells the story of Tatiana, a 16 yr old girl and the boy, Alexander, she falls in love with...a boy who happens to be dating her sister. Their love affair is tragic and inspiring and we see the struggle they have in hiding that love from others until they can be together. And THAT is when the book is beautiful. I cried while reading this book, laughed and got so angry at the characters I wanted to toss the book out the window but I'll never part with them. They're on my top 5 list of all time favorites.

6. The Wolf and the Dove - Historical Romance - In classic 'Bodice Ripper' fashion, this story tells of an invading viking hero who kidnaps the heroine, forces her to love him and realizes he loves her in return. Not many people like the 80's 'forced seduction' type stories but I love these. hehe The hero's are such jackasses but it gives them such a personality they're hard not to want to read about. This one isn't for everyone but these aren't rec's as much as they are MY favorite reads!

7. The Witch and the Warrior - Scottish/Historical Romance I love a good Scottish highlander romance and this is one of my favorites. The hero kidnaps the heroine as she's being burned at the stake for being a witch to cure his ill son. She isn't a witch but pretends to be so he doesn't kill her, or return her to the people who tried to kill her. The characters in the book are hilarious. There's a group of old men who can barely walk but cause a lot of mischief, the heroine is constantly forced to produce some witchy spell that she makes up and somehow, the spells work in some way. The hero loves with his whole heart and watching him protect this woman no one seems to like or even want around just flat out does it for me. I love Karyn Monk's books

8. The Choice by Nicolas Sparks - Contemporary Romance Unlike most Nic Sparks books, no one dies in this one! It's full of the usual tragic events and over-dramatized fluff but I still re-read it once a year. The love story between these two main characters is why I keep going back to it. It's the ultimate tale of Love Concurring All.

9. Saving Grace by Julie Garwood - Historical (Scottish Highlander) Romance I love Julie Garwood books. Most are set in the Scottish Highlands, as is this one, and I'm a sucker for those Highlanders! Especially this one. The heroine is forced to marry the hero after her husband is killed in battle. She's terrified of men after her abusive marriage and the hero in this story is rough and harsh in his ways but tries his best to be gentle with her and refuses to let her do anything but nap. LOL He treats her her like a queen, to his thinking, but to hers, he's just locking her away. It's a fantastic story and I love this hero. I read this once a year also.

10. Golden Surrender by Heather Graham - Historical Romance Another Viking story! The irish heroine is forced to marry the hero and in true Bodice Ripper style, there's a lot of forced seduction going on! This book, I read in one day. I just Could. Not. Put. It. Down. There were points I was so angry, my hands shook. LOL And moments my heart was so broken for the heroine, I had to wipe tears from my eyes. It's a hard story to get through if you like things all rosy and perfect. There's tons of angst in this one but like the others, it's one of my favorites!

11. Stardust of Yesterday - Lynn Kurland - Historical Romance This book is hilarious. The hero is a ghost and he's made it his mission (in death) to avenge himself from all the descendants responsible for his death. Enter the heroine, a woman who inherits the castle he haunts. A good portion of the book is spent with the hero 'haunting' the heroine and driving her near crazy. The hilarious things he does have me laughing every time I read it. Of course, you can't have a real romance without a real person so a funky little curse gives our ghostly hero a human form but.... I won't spoil you. Read this book! You're going to love it. (This book is # 11 in a series and the hero appears (alive) in The More I See You, book #8 of the series)

12. Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole - Paranormal Romance This series is fantastic and it's hard to pick a favorite but this one, I've read the most. It might be the wolf shifter, or the way the hero and heroine fight, sometimes nastily, and get under each others skin. The characters in this series stick with you forever and I'm waiting for Nix's book. She's a fav character. They don't call her Nuking Futs for nothing! LOL

13. Linda Lael Miller - Historical/Contemporary Western Romance If Linda's name is on it, I'll read it! I've yet to read one of her books I didn't love. I have them ALL in print and have re-read them numerous times. Start with this series, The McKettrick Cowboys. They're the ones who start it all.

And there you have it! MY 13 favorite books/series. Tell me YOUR favorite book/s in the comments below.

Writer Wednesday

2012-01-25T06:00:00.028-05:00

If you haven’t been to my Facebook page (and why not? It’s awesome over there!) you probably don’t know that The Outlaw, book 2 in my Willow Creek series is now complete. I still have a few rewrites and edits to do but the hard part is finished. The book ran longer than my 40K target, ending up at 50,000 words instead. I was beginning to worry I had a novel on my hands and honestly, it could have been. I could have thrown twists and curves galore in there but it had to stop sometime. That Colt Avery (the hero in The Outlaw) just didn't want to give up the spotlight. And I honestly didn’t want him to. He was Yummy from word one! I can’t wait for you to read his story.

I started writing book 3, The Gambler, last week. I haven’t been able to get very far due to circumstances beyond my control and it’s messing up my time schedule. I try to write 3K a day and I've missed several writing days now. I still have over a week to finish the story but writing in mad dashes eats my brain. I may not make the ‘official’ deadline but it should be close.

I actually plotted this story out, something I ‘never’ do. I’m a panster, not a plotter, but for some reason the notes I usually make to get my ‘key’ plot points on paper escaladed into a full blow outline. It was a bit shocking but it’s actually been useful to some degree. Of course, the muse (Benny) still dances to his own tune and is changing things but that’s okay. I’d be worried if the story wrote exactly the way the outline went. Change is good and so far, the surprises have been pleasant. I’m only 7K into the story and another of those ‘unforeseen little life diversions’ has stepped in and taken me away from my computer so the word count won’t be going up for at least another day or two.

Hopefully I’ll be finished by months end so I can get started on Book 4. It’s the one I’ve been waiting to write. There’s just something a little bit ‘wild’ about Holden Avery that I can’t wait to explore. He seems very quiet on the outside but I think that man has secrets he’s only willing to share with that special someone. Time will tell, of course.

For now, I’ll leave you with a very small snippet from The Outlaw! (Behind the cut for due to erotic language/imagery. Read with caution! - un-edited so anything weird will be edited out int he final version!)

Sarah nearly drowned in his kisses, the nerves under her flesh jumping as he ran his hand over her ribs to cup the underside of her left breast. His thumb danced along the tender flesh, rasped across her hardened nipple.

He broke the kiss and nibbled a path to her ear, his breath hot against her skin. Sarah stared at the shard of sunlight filtering through the trees and smiled before closing her eyes again, savoring every touch, every hot exhalation of his breath.

Wet kisses were peppered down her neck and across her throat. His tongue joining the leisurely stroll to her chest. Sarah watched him kiss his way to the soft skin of her breast. He looked up, his gaze locked with hers as he extended his tongue, rolling his tongue around her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

The sensation was overwhelming. Her mouth opened as she took in more air, her back arched, trying to bring him closer as shards of pleasure sparked through her body. His hand held her breast to him, his fingers firm, squeezing gently on the soft flesh.

He released her, small kisses dotting her chest before he moved to the other breast, lavishing the same attention to it as his hand skated down her ribs, to her hip. His fingers tickled a path to the soft flesh of her inner thigh and she parted her legs, that throbbing pulse between her legs growing fiercer by the second. The moment he touched her, the tip of his fingers grazing the soft hair covering her, she cried out. “Colt.”

Lifting his head, he looked down at her and smiled. “Has anyone every touched you like this before?” He parted her, his fingers burrowing inside her flesh to find the small bundle of nerves that seemed to control all those throbbing pulses. Sarah gasped as tingles raced through her limbs. He lowered his head again, kissing the valley between her breasts, moving lower to pepper small, playful bits and kisses on her belly, her hip. When she felt him kiss her very close to where his hand was, her eyes widened and she lifted her head to look down at him.

He lifted her leg, threw it over his shoulder and Sarah was shocked when he buried his face between her legs. She cried out, grabbed his head and tried to push him away. “Colt! What are you…” His tongue lapped at her moist center and her eyes rolled, her head slamming back to the ground. “Oh, my sweet heavens.”

The Outlaw is due for release on March 12, 2012. To stay in the loop with my latest, LIKE my Facebook Fan Page! http://www.facebook.com/authorLilyGraison

Tuesday Teaser - Wicked:Tempt Me Not - Contemporary Romance book

2012-01-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

It's Tuesday Teaser time again and this week I have a bit of Wicked: Tempt Me Not, book 1 in my Wicked series!

Devin Shaw, front man for the band, Wicked, is forced into seclusion by his manager after his destructive behavior almost destroys the band. Sent to a remote cabin alone isn’t Devin’s idea of fun, but to save his career, he’ll do what it takes.

Holly Baker, escaping the hassles of her big city life, arrives in the mountains of Tennessee and awaits the arrival of her friend, Roxy, to start their two-week vacation. Their plans change drastically when Roxy is called away at the last minute, leaving Holly to fend for herself.

Devin and Holly’s worlds collide when a mix up strands them in the same cabin. Alone with nothing but each other for companionship, how will Holly react when she realizes she’s trapped with none other than the hottest lead singer the country has seen in years? Will Devin be able to work with a constant distraction the pretty brunette offers? Or will the two discover that sometimes temptation is a wicked dessert best served hot.

Excerpt

Devin wrote down the next string of notes and tossed his pen down, staring at what he’d written. He played it again, satisfied with the way it sounded.

He looked at the page again, shaking his head in disgust before laying his guitar down. Half an hour and he’d written a whole two lines. Every time he got a good rhythm going, thoughts of Holly would sidetrack him and he forgot everything he’d just played.

This is exactly why Curt wanted him alone. Any distraction, especially a woman, and his time would be wasted. Curt may be an ass at times, but he knew what he was talking about.

Thoughts of Holly still rattled through his head. He didn’t know what to do about their current situation. She hadn’t mentioned it this morning but he assumed his little stunt at breakfast might have been why. She’d barely spoken three words to him.

He still didn’t know why he felt the need to irritate her. Maybe because he was used to fucking girls blind and leaving them right where they lay? The last woman he actually talked to was his ex and she turned out to be just another groupie trying to find a free ride. Holly was far from groupie material.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he looked to the stairs.

His mouth watered an instant later.

Holly was at the top of the stairs in nothing more than tiny scraps of red material. The bathing suit she wore had to be the most sinful thing he’d seen in years.

He loved it.

Two small triangles placed over her breast were just big enough to cover her nipples, which were pebbled to perfection and clearly seen through the thin material. Round, firm, golden breast met his gaze; he licked his lips involuntarily as she took the first step down.

Her stomach was taut; a slim waist gave way to full hips and tantalizing thighs. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to have them wrapped around his head while she rode his face.

She reached the bottom of the stairs, never once turning her head to look at him, and he nearly moaned out loud when she passed the sofa and he saw her backside. The g-string bottom made her ass look delectable. The sun had definitely kissed this goddess in places he wanted to explore himself. Her wiggling little ass begged him to touch it…and he would before the week was out.

She was out the front door before his brain could process the fact she was leaving.

He blinked, turning his head to stare back at the unlit fireplace and a slow smile curved his lips. His cock twitched and he looked down, an obvious erection straining against the material was almost uncomfortable now that he noticed it.

He grinned and stood, his new song forgotten as he walked around the couch. How could he work when tempted like that?

Someone wanted to play and he liked the sound of this game.

* * * *

Holly sank into the pool, letting out the breath she’d been holding. She practically ran all the way to the hot spring, hoping to burn away her embarrassment.

It took every bit of courage she had to parade around in front of Devin like that, but she’d seen him out of the corner of her eye. The man was all but drooling. She grinned at the thought. Innocent little Holly Baker had caused a man to gawk at her like she was a sex goddess. And not just any man. Devin Shaw…a rock star.

She sighed as the warmth from the hot spring and the noonday sun relaxed her muscles. She straightened her legs, reclining back into the molded rock she rested on.

The morning had been less than pleasurable but now she felt vindicated. Sure it was just a little flaunt down the stairs in a barely there bikini but the look on his face was revenge enough.

She still wasn't sure what to do about him. Could she spend the next two weeks under the same roof with him and not go completely insane? Less than twenty-four hours and he had already brought on thoughts of violence.

They needed to find a solution to their problem, but seeing how he hadn't mentioned it, she figured he was as determined to stay as she was.

A loud crack of popping branches startled her. She looked toward the path, holding back a smile when she saw Devin standing by the side of the spring.

Just as suspected. She knew he would follow her.

He grinned at her before starting to remove his boots. She didn't know how long he had been standing there but from the smile on his face, it was longer than she would have liked. “What do you want?"

“Just a little peace and quiet,” Devin smiled, reaching for the bottom of his shirt.

Holly watched the thin material of his shirt uncover hard, toned muscles, inch by inch, and she swallowed heavily when she realized she was staring.

The smirk was back on his face and she mentally shook herself to regain focus. “I'm using the pool at the moment.” She winced as her words came out in a breathy whisper and the smile on Devin's face only increased.

“Don't mind sharing,” Devin said, tossing his shirt aside.

“Well, I do. I came out here to get away from you.”

“Oh, I'm crushed,” Devin laughed. “You can always just leave.”

She watched him reach for the buttons of his jeans. “I don't think so and you better have a bathing suit on under those.”

“And if I don’t?”

He smirked at her and she knew in that moment he was wearing nothing but skin under those jeans.

Wicked: Tempt Me Not

genre: contemporary romance
length: 23,067 words
Released: Aug. 2008
Rating: Sultry
Price: $2.99

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:
» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Amazon Kindle FR
» Buy at Amazon Kindle IT
» Buy at Amazon Kindle ES
» Buy at Barnes and Noble
» Buy at Sony Reader Store
» Buy at Diesel eBook Store
» Buy at Smashwords
» Buy at Kobo

Also available at the Apple iBook Store

BUY THE PRINT BOOK FROM:
» Buy at Amazon.Com
» Buy at Barnes and Noble.Com

MANday Hotties!

2012-01-23T00:00:00.004-05:00

Ah, Monday. If it weren't for this highlight of the day, you'd be a retched beast! No particular theme this week, just good old fashioned Eye Candy. Enjoy!

The Manday Hotties Hop, is hosted by Felicity Heaton, every Monday so click the links below to enjoy MORE Monday ManCandy!

Six Sentence Sunday - Destined Hearts - Contemporary Romance book

2012-01-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

This week's Six Sentences comes from my Contemporary Romance, Destined Hearts, a story that tells of a love that transcends time and reunites a couple who were denied their hearts desire a hundred years before.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Caitlyn grinned. “I guess it depends on what you’re looking at.”

William's gaze never faltered. The serious expression on his face caused her breath to catch in her throat before he gave her another kiss. “Well, I’m looking at you.”

To read an excerpt from this book, visit the Destined Heart's book page on my website.

Check out the other Six Sentence Sunday participants or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter.

Friday 56 :: The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter

2012-01-20T11:00:00.002-05:00

I saw this over on Shiloh Walker's blog and it looked like fun so I'm going to play along. This week my "56" is from Gena Showalter's The Darkest Lie

When he had strode into his fortress's dungeon and she'd seen his beautiful face, the only thing she'd truly felt at the time was awe. He was alive.

About the Friday 56

Grab the book nearest you. Right now
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Play along with me! If you don't have a blog, just post yours in the comments.

Get a copy of my new Historical Western Romance in the Shameless Giveaway-Hop!

2012-01-20T00:00:00.017-05:00

We have a winner in the Shameless Giveaway Blog Hop. Congratulations to, Julianne!

Welcome to the Shameless Giveaway Blog Hop hosted by Red Hot Books, Romance Around the Corner & Michelle's Book Blog This hop runs from January 20th through January 27th, so you have 1 week to visit the other amazing blogs that are participating and enter their giveaways.

The moment I saw the gorgeous banner for this hop, I wanted it, and what better way to post it than to join in on the hop!

I'm shamelessly addicted to cowboys, the rougher they are, the better! Just look at that man. What girl could refuse?

To find out what prize I'm offering up and for the rules to enter, just look below!

PRIZE ON OFFER:

I have one of my own cowboys to offer to one special blog hop participant. An eBook copy of my brand new historical western novella, the Lawman, book 1 in my Willow Creek Series and signed book sway.

HOW TO ENTER:

Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form and do the mandatory task for your entry to count.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is an international giveaway. Entry will end January 27th at 00:01 EST. Winner will be announced and contacted on January 28th. The winner has 72 hours to respond and claim their prize, or a new winner will be drawn.

To visit the other blogs in this hop, check out the links below!

Thursday 13 :: Cowboys

2012-01-19T06:00:00.003-05:00

13 Cowboys - I'd "Save a Horse" For

That little 'V' leading down...grrr

Love the chaps!

Can I just say...Have Mercy!! This dude is HAWT!

Lasso!! Someone grab the rope. We'll lash him to the tree!

Look at that smile! the abs aren't bad either.

Goodness, is it hot in here? There's my "13" for the week. Completely frivolous but there's nothing wrong with a little bit of ManCandy. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did!

Cirque Demonica. Enter If You Dare

2012-01-19T05:00:00.008-05:00

I’ve been keeping a secret from my readers. One that will knock your socks off!

Author Candy Nicks and I have been planning a brand new paranormal series and I can’t wait to tell you about it.

Coming this summer, we’ll debut Cirque Demonica, a series of novellas featuring preternatural creatures who’ve been cursed, doomed to roam the world inside the confines of a circus that plays on people’s fear. Enter if you dare… I love saying that last part. hehe

And I also love this idea so much its been a battle to keep it to myself! I’ve had to bite my tongue to keep from blurting prematurely about it and I just can’t hold it in any longer. I’ll bust if I do. LOL

The way the series is designed, Candy will have her own characters/novellas and I’ll have mine. We each have four books we want to write and I’m so excited about the characters I’ve chosen, some of which are going to be a challenge.

I’ll not say too much about “who” the characters are, but I will be writing about a werewolf, which will be the easiest as I’ve written them before. The other three characters are uncharted territory and I can’t wait to introduce them to you.

As for Candy, one of her stories will feature a vampire. I’ll let her tell you about her other characters when she’s ready. I don’t want to steal her thunder!

I hope you’re all as excited about this new series as we are. When we have a release date for the first story, I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, get your ticket to the Cirque Demonica. They won't last!

Tuesday Teaser - The Lawman - Historical Western Romance book

2012-01-17T08:00:00.018-05:00

Today's Tuesday Teaser comes from my brand new Historical Western Romance, The Lawman, book 1 in the Willow Creek series.

On the run from her ex-lover, jilted by a no-show husband and now mistaken for a whore in the Diamond Back saloon, Abigail Thornton doesn’t think things can get any worse. That is until a single slap to a man’s face starts a barroom brawl that lands her in the last place she expected to be.

Town Marshal Morgan Avery wants nothing more than to wash away the trail-dust and sleep for a week, preferably with a soft, willing woman by his side. Instead, he gets Abigail Thornton – all one hundred pounds of her thrust at him seconds before a fist connects with his face. Breaking up the fight takes more effort than he wants to admit and when the last man falls he finds Abigail still standing and not looking the least bit contrite.

Throwing her into the town jail for the night would salve his wounded pride and then he will let her go. Or that was the plan. When morning comes he finds himself oddly reluctant to do so. Miss Thornton is hiding something and he aims to find out what, even if he has to bed her to do so. But will one night in her bed be enough?

genre: historical western romance
length: 36,500 words
Released: Nov. 2011
Rating: Sultry
Price: $2.99

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:
» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Amazon Kindle FR
» Buy at Amazon Kindle IT
» Buy at Amazon Kindle ES
» Buy at Barnes & Noble
» Buy at Smashwords
» Buy at Sony
» Buy at Diesel
» Buy at Kobo

Excerpt

Abigail refused to speak to him all the way back to the house. She was angry with him again. Not that he could blame her. Telling her he’d like to try out the merchandise first hand before marrying her sent her into a tizzy. Add in the fact he left her locked up all day and hadn’t even made it back in time to grab her lunch, and the woman had been fit to be tied. Seeing the basket on the floor by the cot eased his mind though. Someone had remembered she was there. Who that person was left him more curious than it should have. Was it one of the men in town? And if so, which one?

He’d ridden back into town with every intention of discussing this marriage business with her. He still wasn’t sure if she was serious about it or not. One minute he thought she was, the next he laughed it off as her just teasing him. But every time he thought of it, he could picture himself married to her. Then reality settled in and he pushed the notion away. What did he need a wife for? Especially one as prickly as this one could be. She was too outspoken, too prone to tantrums. It was hard to tell what she’d do if pushed to it.

He called her name again, only to have her ignore him and quicken her pace.

When they arrived back at his house, Abigail climbed the stairs and went straight to her room, slamming the door behind her. Morgan realized leaving her in the jail all day wasn’t the smartest thing he could have ever done. She was mad at him again.

He locked up the house, climbed the stairs in the dark, and walked down the hall to her door. The latch apparently hadn’t caught when she slammed it because it wasn’t closed now. A small shaft of light illuminated the hallway enough for him to see without falling.

Reaching the door, he pushed it the rest of the way open and whished he wouldn’t have. Abigail was in the process of undressing and what little sunlight was streaming through the window was enough for him to see clean through her shift. She turned, saw him standing there, and unlike what most women would have done—scrambled to cover themselves—she propped her hands on her hips and glared at him. He could tell her bravado was tinged with embarrassment. Her neck went all funny with red splotches and her cheeks flushed pink.

“Do you mind?” she asked. “This is my room after all. You don’t see me barging into your room seeing you in your drawers, now do you?”

He grinned and leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb. “Well, for starters, I wouldn’t object to you doing so, although I’m known to not wear my drawers more often than I do, so I can’t promise what you’d see. As for minding seeing you like that? Not at all. Continue to undress if you wish.”

She huffed out a breath, crossed her arms under those perky little breasts and scowled at him. “What do you want?”

He opened his mouth to answer but found it hard to get a word out. Seeing her standing there with the light coming through her shift was too much of a distraction. He could see her nipples, the dark areolas pressed against the fabric and begging him to cross the room and take them into his mouth right through the cloth. Her shapely thighs drew his eye to the thatch of thick hair between her legs. Damned if just seeing her there didn’t cause his cock to throb and make him want to demand she marry him. If he married her she’d be all his. That luscious body his to command every night until the day he died. He almost said as much but then remembered how easy she was to provoke. Being married to her would be the best of heaven and the very worst of hell. Arguing every day until he was ready to just saddle his horse and ride away and loving her every night until he begged her never to leave him. It just wasn’t worth the headache.

Focusing his gaze back on her face, he straightened. “I just wanted to apologize to you. I didn’t mean to be gone all day. Tomorrow, you’re free to go.”

Her eyes widened and a puzzled look stole over her features. He thought a hint of fear clouded her face but it passed so quickly he decided he imagined it. Telling her goodnight, he pulled her door shut, walked to his room and started undressing.

The more he thought of her the more he wished he could just forget about her completely. His life was fine, if not a little dull, before she’d come to town and now, two days later, all he could do was think about her. She consumed his thoughts and every time he looked at her his body ached to take her. To claim her as his and give her his name. If he didn’t someone else would. He knew that without even thinking too hard on it. The men to women ratio in Willow Creek was severely lopsided. Abigail Thornton wouldn’t have to worry about being unmarried long and the idea of her in someone else’s bed caused a hint of unease to settle like an ache between his shoulder blades.

Tossing his shirt to the corner, he sat down on the bed, removed his boots and sat staring at the door. He needed to make up his mind where Abigail was concerned. Either ask her to marry him all proper like or just forget about her, head to the saloon and slake his desire with one of Miss Angelina’s girls. It had been that way for years, there was no reason to expect more now just because he had a pretty little thing in the next room over.

Thinking of her lying in bed on the other side of the wall, he groaned, flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes. “If I don’t get her out of my house, I’m going to go mad.” Images of her half naked came unbidden to him then and he groaned, his cock once again stirring. Reaching down to adjust himself he shook his head and vowed, come morning, Miss Abigail Thornton would be nothing but a memory. He’d see her ensconced into the hotel by noon and out of his life forever.

* * * *

Abigail hesitated, her arm outstretched. What started as a well thought out plan seemed a bit over the top now. She chewed her bottom lip and debated on forgetting the whole thing. An inhaled breath calmed her nerves somewhat. She reached up, unbraided her hair, tossing the long locks over her shoulder, and reached for the doorknob.

She opened the door without knocking.

And got a tantalizing view of Morgan’s naked backside. “So, today is a no drawers kind of day, I see.”

Morgan spun on his heel, pants dangling from his hand. He looked shocked to see her if the expression on his face was any indication. Abigail let her gaze roam the length of him, from his wide shoulders, his strong chest with its dusting of fine dark hair, to his flat belly. When she directed her gaze to his cock, she smiled when it twitched. He was semi-hard and growing by the second.

Focusing her attention back to his face, she entered the room fully, shutting the door behind her. “What? No witty retort? I’m disappointed.”

It took him a few seconds to respond but he dropped the pants by his feet and smiled. “I can think of better things to do at the moment than talk, Abigail.”

“What are you waiting for, then?”

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:
» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Amazon Kindle FR
» Buy at Amazon Kindle IT
» Buy at Amazon Kindle ES
» Buy at Barnes & Noble
» Buy at Smashwords
» Buy at Sony
» Buy at Diesel
» Buy at Kobo

MANday Hotties Blog Hop!

2012-01-16T00:00:00.009-05:00

It's that time again! The Manday Hotties Hop, hosted by Felicity Heaton, is every Monday and what a way to start the week!

This week, I've a selection of my favorite TV vampires! Be sure to follow the links in the list below to get see the rest of the blog hop ManCandy!

Eric...I love it when he's bad!

Angel. Need I say more?

Spike! *sigh* My 'first' vampire crush.

Take a moment to visit the other participants in this weeks ManDay Blog Hop!

Six Sentence Sunday - Wicked: Sweet Temptation - Contemporary Romance book

2012-01-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Six Sentence Sunday comes from book 4 in my Wicked series, Wicked: Sweet Temptation. This novella was, at the time, the most blush-inducing story I had ever written. I don't blush anymore when writing and it isn't because the stories are no longer hot. I finally conquered my embarrassment of writing naughty words. LOL

“Put me down and stop calling me Tinker Bell. I told you it was degrading.”

“No its not. It suits you perfectly. You’re small enough to fit into my pocket but at the moment, I’d rather you be down the front of my pants.”

She glanced down and raised one eyebrow at him. “You aren’t wearing any pants.”

“Then you’ll have no problem filling that pretty mouth of yours with my dick.”

Can I just say that I LOVE Mick? He was so fun to write. The man did not care what he said or who heard him say it!

To read an excerpt from this book, visit the Wicked: Sweet Temptation book page on my website.

Check out the other Six Sentence Sunday participants or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter.

Thursday 13 :: Worst Pick Up Lines

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

Since this week's Tuesday Teaser was from Wicked: Jade Butterfly, and there's a scene in that book with the worst pick-up lines, I thought I'd list the funniest ones I've found...even those from the book!

(WARNING: Some of these have adult language. You've been warned!)

13 Worst Pick Up Lines

If I toss this quarter, what are the chances of me getting head?
I'll give you a nickle to tickle my pickle.
The word of the day is "Legs." Let's go to your house and spread the word.
Hey, does this rag smell like Chloroform to you?
My shirt would look great on your bedroom floor.
My favorite numbers 69.
Was your daddy a farmer? Cause I'm loving those melons!
Hi, my name is Milk. I'll do your body good.
My love for you is like diarrhea. I just can't hold it in
You know, if I were you, I'd have sex with me.
Would you like an Australian kiss? It's like a French kiss, only down under.
Want to make a porno? We don't have to tape it.
Fuck me if I'm wrong but don't you want to kiss me?

Tuesday Teaser - Wicked:Jade Butterfly - Contemporary Romance book

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Tuesday Teaser comes from book 3 in the Wicked Series.

Christian Palmer, bass player for the band Wicked, isn’t your typical rocker. Much to his band mate’s amusement, he’s quiet, shy and looks like your average boy next door–but that’s all about to change. An encounter with a girl he can’t seem to forget calls for drastic measures and with the help of his friends, Christian goes from dud to stud in hopes to wow the girl of his dreams.

Jessi McClure has led a fairytale life. She has a job she loves, friends she can count on and couldn’t want for anything else. Until she meets, and photographs, an unlikely rock star. Running into him again was just dumb luck, but when their paths keep crossing, she can’t help but notice the change this shy, gorgeous guy has taken on and is drawn to him even more.

When fate keeps stepping in and hands you something you didn’t realize you wanted, do you throw the chance away or hold on with both hands? Will Jessi get more than she bargained for when the man she thought she knew turns out to be so much more? And can Christian hold on to the girl of his dreams when a misunderstanding threatens to tear them apart?

genre: contemporary romance
length: 24,142 words
Released: June 2009
Rating: Sultry
Price: $2.99

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:
» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Barnes and Noble
» Buy at Sony Reader Store
» Buy at Diesel eBook Store
» Buy at Smahwords
» Buy at Kobo
Also available at the Apple iBook Store

BUY THE PRINT BOOK FROM:
» Buy at Amazon.Com
» Buy at Barnes and Noble

Excerpt

"I'm in need of a favor," Christian said. "Care to help me out?"

"If I can."

Jessi smiled at him again and he forgot to breathe. How could any man look at this woman and not want her? She probably has a boyfriend, he told himself, taking in her features. The plump fullness of her lips, the small uplifted nose and her soft tawny brown eyes reminded him of a Hollywood starlet. She definitely has a boyfriend. No one that gorgeous is single.

She shifted on her feet again and he knew she was getting ready to leave. The small hint of fear some girls got when he was speaking to them was shining brightly in her eyes. He wasn't sure if it was him or something else causing it but if he was going to do this, it had to be quick.

He swallowed the humiliation his friends had thrown at him and cleared his throat again. "The guys have this game they like to play and I'm the unlucky participant of their fun tonight. I'll spare you the horrible details so if you have a few minutes, just pretend I said the most outrageous thing you've ever heard."

She raised an eyebrow at him and glanced across the club. He followed her gaze and groaned when the guys waved back at them.

"So, what's the game?" she asked.

"It's a pick-up game."

"A pick-up game?"

"Yes," he said. "They have a deck of cards with the most humiliating pick-up lines known to man. They get to pick the card and I have to find someone to say it to."

"And you picked me to hit on?"

He grinned when she flashed him a devastating smile. It lit her entire face and made her eyes sparkle. It also made his already racing pulse nearly choke him as his blood pounded through his veins.

He pulled the card from his pocket and discreetly handed it to her so the guys wouldn't see. When she looked down at it, reading the line, her soft, feminine giggle nearly brought him to his knees. It danced along his spine and caused visions of her wrapped in silk to caress his thoughts. For the first time ever, he wanted that damn card to actually do what it was supposed to. Entice someone to follow him back to his room.

When she glanced up at him, he sucked in a quiet breath. The clubs colored lights reflected off her hair and cast a halo of blues and greens around her. Her eyes sparkled in the light and a rosy hue tinted her cheeks. Beautiful didn't even begin to describe her. She was the most glorious thing he'd ever seen.

"So, you're supposed to read me the card and. what, exactly?"

He blushed. He felt it like a living thing crawl over his features and steal what little air he had in his lungs. "Well," he said. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and glanced over his shoulder. The guys were still watching him. When he faced Jessi, he noticed her staring at the guys as well. "Um, normally. I mean, when I read the card, whoever I've read it to, usually laughs. and then invites herself back to my hotel."

"Really?" Jessi said. She smiled and leaned her hip on the bar. "And how many girls have you seduced with one of these lame cards?"

"Me personally?" He grinned and felt his face burn hotter. "None. I don't play this game unless I'm forced."

"And why don't I believe you?"

"Because Luke's reputation rubs off on the rest of us?"

She laughed. "You're probably right." Glancing back down at the card, she read it again, smiling before handing it back to him. "Well, your still being watched," she said, glancing over his shoulder to where the guys sat. "I guess you better do your duty and read this to me."

He stared at her in shock, watching an amused twinkle shine brightly in her eyes before taking the card and reading it again himself. He cringed. She wanted him to read this to her? Out loud? He'd rather be tied to an anthill butt ass naked and covered in honey than read this card to her.

When she took a step closer to him and the scent of wild orchids filled the air, he suppressed a moan and licked his lips.

She smiled up at him, silently encouraging him. "They're just words, Christian," she said. "Read me the card. I promise not to bite."

Something in her eyes told him she wanted him to read the card. She was watching him too intently. Eager anticipation shined in her eyes and he knew in that moment, he'd do anything the girl wanted no matter what the outcome.

Swallowing the nerves choking him, he glanced at the card and lifted his gaze to her face. "Fuck me if I’m wrong, but don’t you want to kiss me?"

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:
» Buy at Alinar Publishing
» Buy at Amazon Kindle
» Buy at Amazon Kindle UK
» Buy at Amazon Kindle DE
» Buy at Barnes and Noble
» Buy at Sony Reader Store
» Buy at Diesel eBook Store
» Buy at Smahwords
» Buy at Kobo
Also available at the Apple iBook Store

BUY THE PRINT BOOK FROM:
» Buy at Amazon.Com
» Buy at Barnes and Noble

What's in store for 2012

2012-01-09T20:37:00.005-05:00

Seems everyone is doing a ‘year in review’ and a ‘what’s in store for 2012’ blog post. I did neither and I realized that I’m usually so focused on the NOW that I often forget about the, NEXT. So, after getting my schedule all written and planned, I can NOW tell you what’s in store!

But first, a re-cap of 2011…

The Gathering, book 2 of the Night Breed series came out and I’ve had much prodding about book 3. Those of you still emailing me, it IS coming. It’s on my new schedule to be written. That doesn't mean it will be released this year. It takes time to write a novel, get it edited, formatted and ready for reading and with everything else on my plate, I can't even begin to say when you'll be able to read it. If I had to guess, I'd say 'late' this year...maybe November, but that's just a guess. It may actually take longer than that.

The Lawman, Book 1 in the new Historical Western series, was released in November and I can’t begin to tell you how much FUN these are to write! I adore this genre. Always have. And honestly, what’s not to love about a hot cowboy? They're rugged and a 'man's man'...all that grit and cocky swagger. *swoons* Plus, its fun playing with these heroines and all their clothes! I've worn it all and know what a pain they are so my 'experience' with them adds a bit of flair to it. It's like playing dress-up with imaginary characters.

I sort of fell behind in 2011. There’s really no reason other than I struggled with the Gathering to the point it drained my creativity. I spent most of the year refueling ‘the well’ by reading and just relaxing.

Being that ‘lax’ about things does have its drawbacks. It gets you in a mindset no writer needs to be in. That, I’ll do it tomorrow, mindset. Except, tomorrow never comes. It didn’t for me but with the new year, I sat down, took out the simple little scheduling book the Hubby bought me and set about making a schedule.

Which brings us to 2012!

I’ve a plate full this year and it will be hard to accomplish once summer rolls around. Having a pool in ones back yard is a mighty big distraction! Not to mention, I LOVE summertime. Backyard barbeques, supper on the porch and volleyball while IN the pool. I can almost hear the crickets chirping now as I sip a cool glass of sweet tea and watch the stars pop out overhead.

Okay…I got sidetracked. See how easily I do that? I think I’ve a case of adult ADHD. Honestly. I may need to have that checked.

Anyway…back to my schedule in 2012…

Writing goals for the year: In Bullet points JUST because I like them!

The Outlaw - 40K - Releasing March 12th (I hope!) I’ve written 31K on the story now with only 9K to go, unless it goes over. 40K is my target for all the short westerns.
The Gambler - 40K - Release Date (TBA) I’ve not written anything on this as of yet.
The Rancher - 40K - Release Date (TBA) Again, I’ve not written anything on this as of yet.
His Brother’s Wife - 60K - Release Date (TBA) I already have 40K of this story finished so it won’t take much to complete it!
Night Breeds Book 3 - 60K - Release Date (TBA) Nothing written on this one either. All I can tell you about it is, its Bryce and Lydia’s story!

That’s all I have to WRITE this year but I do have another project in store. I’ll be making the Wicked Series into an Anthology…all 4 books in one eBook file. I’ll also be doing a print version for those of you who want them. It’s a massive project as it’s over 100K in total and each story and each version will need to be edited again. Ebook and Print have to be re-formatted as well, so it’ll take time to compete it. I’m hoping by the end of the year I’ll be able to release it. I’ll also have some book swag and other things to go along with the re-release.

So, there you have it. My ‘tentative’ schedule. Its what I HOPE to accomplish this year and so far, I’m right on target. I have a cute little meter on the sidebar, (same as the one at the beginning of this post) near the bottom right if you want to check my progress periodically. I’ve 170,000 more words to write this year so it looks to be a daunting task for me. Everyone knows how slow I am! I just remind myself I’ve already written 13K since Jan. 1st and that’s nothing to sneeze at!

MANday Hotties Blog Hop!

2012-01-09T00:00:00.002-05:00

I've been seeing the Manday Hotties Hop, hosted by Felicity Heaton, every where and click through each one looking at all the gorgeous men posted so, I'm joining in! For my first post, I've a selection of my current passion. COWBOYS! Be sure to follow the links in the list below to get see the rest of the blog hop mancandy!

Yee-Haa! Who needs a horse after that!!