Friday, 17 May 2013

Welcome Ellora's Cave author, Zenobia Renquist....



CREAM
by Zenobia Renquist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:

She’s entered a world where blood, sex, and cash rules everything around her.

What do a four hundred-year-old vampire and a mid-level necromancer have in common? Money. Jeliyah needs it to pay off the people who trained her and Teaghan enjoys killing to get it. Together they hunt rogue vampires—assuming Teaghan can focus on something other than getting her in bed and Jeliyah doesn’t put a bullet in him first.

The uneasy partnership promises to be lucrative until Teaghan and Jeliyah get on the wrong side of a feud. Jeliyah is forced to use forbidden magic and finds herself bound to a man she should hate—but whom she can’t stop fantasizing about.

Every second they stay alive fuels a growing desire Jeliyah is unwilling to deny. Is it the magic? The danger? The only way to get the answers she craves is to outrun the enemy or kill them. She knows Teaghan’s preference but it’s Jeliyah who must put their mind-blowing sex aside and make the choice that will decide both their fates.

EXCERPT

Teaghan knew it. A coup was about to happen. He didn’t know the players and didn’t care. So long as the bills got paid, the person in power didn’t matter. From one leader to the next, nothing ever changed.

He said, “Fine. You want me. I get that. Leave the necromancer out of it. No one would miss me but take her out and you’ll have the higher-ups gunning for you and your boss.”

“You’re right, the higher-ups would be quite upset if we killed the necromancer, and that wasn’t my intention. The others wanted to have some fun with her before handing her over but that was all.”

Jeliyah gripped the door handle and her eyes widened.

Teaghan said, “The higher-ups won’t overlook you molesting one of their own.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. They’ve given us permission to do with her as we please so long we return her to them intact.”

Jeliyah yelled, “They would never do that.”

Fredrick chuckled. “Well, hello, Jeliyah. Ephraim tells me you smell of vampire seed and blood. Recent seed. Old blood. I had thought you would hold out against Teaghan much longer given your initial reaction to him. Either I overestimated you or underestimated him.” He made the vocal equivalent of a shrug. “Doesn’t matter since I felt the need to pass on the news of your little indiscretion to Hirsch, who then relayed it to the higher-ups. They are very displeased that a high-middle class such as yourself would give a vampire permission to invade her body. That displeasure graduated to anger when I informed them of the blood sharing as well.”
Oh please, no. No. No.

Teaghan grabbed Jeliyah’s hand in a firm grip to anchor her to the here and now. She clutched at him and stared at his profile. Tears rimmed her eyes. He knew she was holding it together by a thin thread of will. Images of the bleeding chamber raced through her mind. She was imagining herself in the place of the person she’d seen when she was young.

He told her through their link, I’ve got you, Jeliyah. Nothing’s going to happen.

Fredrick said, “Stop the car and give up. Make this easier for all of us.”

“Denied.” Teaghan released Jeliyah’s hand so he could snatch the phone off the dash and hit the end button.

Jeliyah asked, “What do we do? They want you dead and me—” Her words choked to a halt and she pulled in a shuddering breath. A single tear slipped down her cheek.

He retrieved her hand and squeezed it. “Easy there, necromancer. Don’t fall apart on me now.”

“Why? All you did was kill a rogue.”

“That’s why. It’s a changing of the guard. It happens every few centuries. Family infighting. They involve people from neighboring families who have been promised some little tidbit or other to help the wannabe head take power. It’s a story as old as the vampires. Seems you and I got in the way.”

Teaghan changed his destination. The enforcers probably knew which hotel they’d used by now and might be lying in wait. He steered the car back on the highway. If one family wanted him dead then his only protection was to seek refuge in another family’s territory.

While a risky proposition without petitioning for entrance first, the destination Teaghan had in mind came with a sponsor. He released Jeliyah’s hand once more to bring up a number he hadn’t called in years. He hoped it still worked.

Buy Links:





AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Zenobia Renquist lives in her imagination. When not traveling through her fantasy worlds, she can be found in Hawaii living with her husband and two cats.

She is an Air Force brat turned Air Force wife, which means she’s accustomed to travel and does it whenever possible (so long as she doesn’t have to fly). Her favorite pastime is torturing her characters on their way to happily-ever-after for the enjoyment of her readers.

On the few occasions her muse flees the scene of the crime, Zenobia likes to read (comics, manga, and romance), go to the movies, play a few levels of whichever puzzle game has hijacked her interest or experiment with a new chain maille weave.



Zenobia will be awarding a $25 Starbucks GC to both a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a randomly drawn host.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
 Comments??

Monday, 13 May 2013

Welcome Eternal Press author, Fiona McGier...




For the Love of His Life
by Fiona McGier
Contemporary Erotic Romance
Categories: Interracial/Multicultural
Publisher: Eternal Press
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 81,600 words

Buy Link:

  
Description
Can a sexy Hispanic action movie star find himself in the BWCA of upper Minnesota? Will the local woman he grows to love believe someone who “lies for a living”?

When the famous action movie star Raul Roderick needs to “clean-up” for a major role that even he doubts he can deliver, the director sends him up to a resort owned by his grandmother in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of upper Minnesota, to learn to commune with nature.  His guide is Veronica, the director's cousin, a tall, athletic woman who has the relaxed, sensible nature of someone who knows herself well. 

Raul hasn't been this far from his reliable drug-dealers for a very long time, and dealing with real-life is something he's never been very good at. His initial clumsy attempt to seduce her makes her laugh...so he calls her fat. Is there any hope that their relationship will progress beyond its rocky start? And can Raul overcome his partying nature to discover what is really important in life?

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations (including a f/f/m ménage scene/scenes in the first chapter) and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.

Excerpt:

Raul tries to convince Veronica that he's fallen in love with her.

When they got back to the truck, Veronica hit the clicker before moving around to the back to toss her backpack into it.  Raul followed and did the same with the one he'd been carrying.  She pushed the back end of the truck back up and walked around to get into the drivers' seat.  Raul got into the passenger side and they both pulled their doors closed.  There was silence for a long moment.

"Come back to my cabin with me," Raul urged in what he hoped was a persuasive voice.

Veronica shook her head without looking at him. 

"I can't!  You know that!  Gram Marie would see us and have a shit-fit!"

Raul leaned over the console and put his hand over Veronica's hand that was gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white.

"Then take me back to your place," he said in a low voice.  Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him and he added, "Please."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going crazy from how much I want you.  I've never made love to a woman before.  I need to know how we will feel together."

Veronica spat out a laugh that sounded more like a sob.

"If you're gonna lie to me, you'd better get more blood back into your brain first.  How can you expect me to believe you?  You've probably had sex with half of Hollywood, and fucked your way across the country by now."

Raul's face grew more serious.

"Yes, I have.  But I've never even bothered to learn the names of the women I've had.  What did it matter?  They were only after one thing, and so was I.  Once that was over, and they could brag about fucking Raul Roderick, our business was done."

He heard her intake of breath, staggered, like she was trying not to cry.

He reached his hand up and turned her face toward him.

"Look at me, Nica.  Look into my eyes so you can see I'm not lying to you.  I won't ever lie to you.  I've never had real feelings for any other woman before.  I don't even know how to seduce you.  I don't want to insult you with any of the moves I've used with so little thought before.  I don't want you to think this means nothing to me.  It means everything."

"Is this a new seduction strategy for you?  Are you just trying it out on me, to see if it will work?"  Her voice held layers of insecurity, and there were tears in her eyes, and that was too much for him to bear.

Raul sat back in his seat and folded his hands in his lap.

"No," he said in a flat, monotone voice.  "I don't know how to convince you that I'm not feeding you a line.  I'm not very good at speaking from my heart, because I don't know how.  I've never done it before.  But please drive us away from here, so we won't be seen by any inquiring minds who want to know what's going on."

Veronica sat and stared ahead of her for a minute before taking a deep breath.  She turned the key and started the truck and pulled carefully out of the parking lot.  She turned left and headed south on the Gunflint Trail, back towards all of the places they knew.

Raul tried hard not to give in to depression, but he could feel himself beginning to wallow in it.  As a child he had hated those feelings so much that he pretended they didn't exist...as if he was someone else.  That had always made his loneliness and pain easier to bear.  But now? 

I don't know how to reach her.  Anything I say, she'll think is a line.  I'm in love for the first time in my life, and there's nothing I can do or say to convince her of that.  I'm an asshole and I don't deserve any better.

Raul stared down at the hands folded in his lap and felt self-hatred gnawing at his soul. 



About the Author
Fiona has always had stories in her head. Characters intrude into her thoughts and insist on showing her scenes from their lives. She discovered that when she ignores them, they start to yell louder; if she writes their stories and they can live in readers’ heads as well, they usually leave her alone. Only to be replaced by a new group of story-tellers. Her head is usually a very crowded place, but she likes it that way. Visit Fiona at www.fionamcgier.com.


Giveaway Info:
Prize is 5 $5 Dunkin Donut Gift Cards from Fiona McGier (1 each to 5 winners). Contest is tour-wide and ends May 20. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Rafflecopter Code:


Link to Schedule:

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Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Welcome Amira Press author, Charisma Knight...



1)   What is your writing routine? Waking my thirteen-year old up and getting her ready for school. Cooking breakfast, brewing coffee for myself and the significant other. Once he’s off to his business, my daughter catches the bus and it’s time to write or work on cover art! 

2)   Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?  Besides romance, I enjoy reading and writing horror and science fiction.

3)   What do you expect from an editor?  I expect an editor to correct me without persecuting me during the editing phase. I can take constructive criticism, but someone being outright rude, I have very little tolerance for. I’ve had two editors make sarcastic comments and I didn’t care too much for it. I remained professional but requested not to be paired with them again.

4)   What are you working on right now?  I’m currently working on Ensnared, my third science fiction piece!

5)   Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?  Hone your craft each day. It doesn’t matter if it is a page, a chapter, or a short story. You’ll grow with each book you publish.

6)   What was your favorite subject in school and why?  I loved Biology because I’ve always had a fascination with the human body systems.

7)   What is your favorite dessert?  Cheesecake!

8)   High heels, sneakers or flip flops?   Heels/wedges in the summer, heels/ankle length boots during the winter!


Demoness of Lust
by Charisma Knight
Erotic Paranormal Romance
Categories: Interracial/Multicultural
Publisher: Amira Press
Release Date: 4/19/2013
Heat Level: Sizzling
Word Count: 87 pages

Buy Links
Coming April 19

Description
Jake finds comfort in the arms of the lovely mysterious woman who visits him in his dreams. He soon realizes this being has awakened feelings within he’d never experienced in the past.

Sabrina answered Jake's lonely calls in the night. When strong emotions for the mortal develop, she discovers that she must follow her instincts and pursue the man.

A spell casts Sabrina into the human realm, but she must convince Jake to acknowledge his true feelings for her within four days. If she fails, she'll remain a demon for the rest of eternity. She also discovers destiny will have its way when she’s unable to control certain events and learns a powerful lesson of self-sacrifice and love.

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains explicit sex scenes and/or situations and adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.

About the Author
Charisma Knight is an author and a cover artist living in the Maryland area with her youngest daughter and her soul mate. You'll discover her stories are a mixture of erotica and erotic romance that contain a wild edge with a little fantasy sprinkled throughout. If you're an avid reader of Charisma's stories, don't be shy—she loves to receive e-mails from readers.

Connect with Charisma Knight

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Friday, 3 May 2013

Welcome romance author, Claire Kent....



NAMELESS
by Claire Kent

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

They named it anything but love.

After a failed marriage to a domineering man, Erin refuses to be controlled by anything or anyone. That includes Seth, the father of her baby—a man who was supposed to be only a one-night-stand, a man who’s used to always getting his way.

There’s a reason that Seth Thomas, a successful defense attorney, is often referred to as the Bulldozer. If something needs to happen, he makes it happen. That includes being part of his baby’s life—even if he never expected to be a father, even if Erin doesn’t really trust him.

They’ll work out an arrangement in the best interest of their baby—and if they occasionally have sex, well, that’s just an added perk—but they both agree on one thing.

What they have will never be love.


EXCERPT

She wandered back to the table to find Seth staring broodingly at his empty glass.

She watched him for a minute.  Then, “Are you all right?”

He jerked his head toward her, as if he hadn’t realized she’d returned.  “Yeah.”

Studying him closely, she decided she didn’t believe him.  He was flushed from warmth and the Scotch, adorably rumpled in his wrinkled suit and loosened tie, and sprawled out on the booth seat.  But he looked vulnerable somehow.

Wounded.

She sat down beside him, instead of in her chair.  “I’m switching to water. If I drink any more, I might throw up.”  This she said by way of explanation, so he wouldn’t think she was giving up on their evening.

“Very sensible of you.”

“Throwing up in front of you would be embarrassing.”

Seth nodded.  “It wouldn’t be very pleasant for me either.”

Then he licked his lips the way he had before.

Erin watched his tongue slide across the supple line of each lip, moistening each as it went.

She moved toward him.  Slid her hands up his chest until they settled on his shoulders.  “I asked you to stop licking your lips.”

His mouth parted slightly, perhaps in surprise, but he didn’t have time to say anything.

Leaning her face toward his, she pressed her lips into his.  He was warm and solid beneath her, and he made a little grunt in his throat.

He tasted and smelled like Scotch, and also something fainter, more masculine.

When she relaxed her mouth on his, he murmured against her lips, “What was that?”

“That,” she pronounced, pleased she was thinking so clearly, “was a kiss.” 


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Bio:
Claire has been writing romance novels since she was twelve years old. She has a PhD in British literature and, when she's not writing, she teaches English at the university level.

She also writes contemporary romance under the penname Noelle Adams.

Links:
Facebook (under my other penname Noelle Adams): https://www.facebook.com/NoelleAdamsAuthor
Twitter (under my other penname Noelle Adams):  https://twitter.com/NoelleAdams3


Claire will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour and a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn host.
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  
Comments?? 

Monday, 29 April 2013

Welcome Etopia Press author, Dianne Hartsock...



Hi, Dianne! Nice to meet you and welcome to my blog. It's exciting to be a part of your ongoing tour and I wish you lots of success :) Delicious cover, by the way! Let's get started with the interview...

  When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?

I've been a storyteller for as long as I can remember, but when my first grade teacher pinned my very first attempt at a fiction story to the board for everyone to read, I was hooked. I loved that something I had written was being read and liked by my friends. I still love that feeling of accomplishment. Also, I had a wonderful creative writing teacher in seventh grade who encouraged me to submit my stories to the local newspaper for a writing contest they held every year. I won! Seeing a story of mine in print clinched it for me.

 What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?

Best advice I've ever been given is to be true to myself and my writing. Don't try to write like anyone else. Simply put the words that come to you down on paper (or computer). It's the only way to find your own unique writing voice.

Worse thing? That I still need to work on 'showing' a story rather than 'telling' it. Sometimes it's hard for me to see the difference until it's pointed out to me.

Favourite author/s?

Ray Bradbury: The imagery in his stories captivates me. 

Dean R. Koontz: That a story can be terrifying yet still have an underlying message of peace and love.

J.R.R. Tolkien: For obvious reasons.

What is your typical day?

To begin with, I get up an hour earlier in the morning than I need to, to get in some writing before work. I'm a full time floral designer, so I put in my eight hours, come home, have dinner. Unwind with my husband. Then I have about two hours in the evening after he's gone to bed to write.  On my days off I squeeze in as much writing as I can, but still make sure I leave enough time for my family.

 Who would you cast to play your hero & heroine in a movie?

Tris: Shia Labeouf
Aiden: Jared Padalecki

 Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?

I've always loved the tragic hero, full of angst and courage. When I started writing WITHOUT AIDEN I had a vague idea where I wanted the story to go. I knew what tragedy Tris would face, how Aiden would react to him, and that we needed a Happily Ever After. But mostly I just started in on the story and let my characters guide me.

What surprised you the most when you became a published?

All the promoting! Don't get me wrong, I love connecting with readers and other writers, but I didn't really believe there would be so much to it. I've had to adjust my writing schedule to include time for social networking, but I've become used to it, and now it's just part of the job of being a writer. And when I have feedback from a reader is the best of all. It means they took the time out of their busy lives to read my book and tell me how they felt about it. I love that!

Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?

This last summer my son started college and moved into his own apartment. I got his room!  All my lovely things are here with me, pictures and artwork, an oriental rug on the floor. There's a large picture window facing west so I can watch the sunset and overlooks the garden. My desk's in front of that, bookshelves behind me. There's also a bed and TV in case we have guests (or I want to spend a lazy afternoon doing nothing).

What’s next for you?

And I've signed a contract for the Ad-Dick-tion Anthology coming out later this year from Breathless Press. I also have a story submitting for another anthology with them I'm waiting to hear back on.

Also, at the moment I'm working on another contemporary m/m erotic romance, Jack and Peter, that I'm really excited about! I don't want to give away too much yet, but Jack finds a beautiful stranger sleeping on his patio who captures his heart but also puts his life in danger.

Oh, and I'm working on two 'free reads' to be released this summer.



WITHOUT AIDEN
By
Dianne Hartsock

BLURB:  

Is a gift of love enough to open Aiden’s heart and let Tris back in?

After the car accident that killed his parents and left his sister paralyzed, Tris is left with nothing. His family is destroyed. His reputation is shot. And all he has is the guilt of knowing it was all his fault. People in town know he’d been drinking that night, and know he should never have gotten behind the wheel. And even Aiden, the man he thought he’d be with forever, blames him too much to stay.

But Tris can’t let him just disappear. After months of loneliness and isolation, Tris brings Aiden a gift on his birthday, a hawk he’s carved from a chunk of wood they’d found in the forest during an afternoon of love. A small chink seems to open in Aiden’s heart, the first sign of forgiveness. With renewed hope, Tris takes a job renovating one of the older homes in town and tries to rebuild his life. But the townspeople have long memories, and when his sister’s condition worsens, forgiveness—and Aiden—seem to slip even further out of reach…


EXCERPT:

The car slowed and came to a stop. Tris looked out the front windshield at the aging building with the garish neon signs in the windows. Murphey’s Diner? Day just kept getting better.

“Do you mind? I have class in forty-five minutes and Murphey serves the quickest breakfast.”

“It’s fine.” Tris pushed open his door and climbed out into the crowded parking lot. “Think we’ll get a table?” he asked over the roof of the Fiat.

“There’s usually room at the counter.”

Tris shrugged and followed Aiden into the bustling restaurant. He probably imagined the silence when they walked through the door, but then again everyone had known his parents. Three months were a blink of an eye in the small town of Cherry Creek.

He lifted his chin a trifle as they crossed the crowded room and tried not to notice the whispers behind him. Conversation resumed as they sat at the counter. Aiden seemed impervious to their attention, and Tris picked up the paper menu, acknowledging he was probably being overly sensitive. The waitress smiled as she brought coffee and took their orders, and Tris relaxed enough to enjoy the precious minutes with his estranged darling.

“What class do you have this morning?” he asked and took a sip from the steaming mug. If nothing else, Murphey’s always had good coffee. Aiden shifted on his stool to face him. Tris thrilled when their knees touched and Aiden made no effort to move away.

“Chemistry. I’d ditch out to celebrate my birthday with friends, but there’s an important lab I need to finish up.”

Tris’s lips quirked. “That never stopped you before.”

“That’s only because you were a bad influence.”

Tris chortled into his mug of coffee even as a flush heated his face. It had never taken long to persuade Aiden to stay with him. A soft kiss on the sensitive skin behind his ear. A nip on the neck. Gentle sucks on Aiden’s full bottom lip, the snug silver hoop driving Tris crazy with want. He heard Aiden’s drawn breath—as if his thoughts had gone the same route—and all the blood rushed to his groin. Damn. His dick was going to need some serious attention once he got home.

He smiled secretly when Aiden had to clear his throat. “Are you coming back to college?”

The question caught Tris off guard, though he should have expected it. “Once Candice is better…” Familiar panic churned in his stomach.

Aiden’s gentle voice tore down his shaky defenses. “How is she?”

“I don’t know,” Tris whispered and swallowed the tears that would come, damn them. “I left her with the doctor. I couldn’t stay in the house.”

Their food arrived. Tris picked up his fork, stomach queasy at the sight of the greasy mounds on the cheap plate. But he dug into the eggs and spicy hash browns anyway, to stop the screams of helplessness in his head. Despair leaned its heavy weight on his shoulders. He jumped when Aiden touched his arm.

“I’m sorry, Tris. Can I see her?”

“Of course. She’d like that. She asks about you.” Tris moved the fork around on his plate. When he and Aiden had first hooked up after years of flirting, Candice had been their biggest supporter. He didn’t have the heart to tell his sister they’d broken up after the accident that had left her paralyzed. Maybe he didn’t want to believe it and saying the words would make it true. It couldn’t be true. They’d been so good together! No one knew him as well as Aiden did. No one else could drive him wild with a single hot glance.

He remembered the long nights they lay under the stars, made love, and planned their future. Aiden wanted to graduate with a science major. Tris had whispered in his ear that he really didn’t like making furniture. He had the odd wish to be a pastry chef. Aiden licked Tris’s lips and said he made a wonderful dessert.

Tris bit his lip to hide its tremble. No, he’d never admit he and Aiden were through. He’d rather live with the hope they could work things out.
  
  
AUTHOR INFORMATION:

After growing up in California and spending the first ten years of marriage in Colorado, Dianne now live in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.
She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house while it pours rain outside, a fire crackles on the hearth inside, and a cup of hot coffee warms her hands which kindles her imagination.
Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.


PRIZE INFORMATION

Dianne will be awarding a $10 All Romance Ebooks Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  
Comments??