Kathy Kulig's Passion Sense

Cowboys & Aliens at Coffee Time

2012-02-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

This Wednesday, February 15th, check out the chat at Coffeetime Romance on their Erotic e-Loop from 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST with authors:

We'll be talking about Cowboys and Aliens. Not the movie (although I guess we can talk about the movie too.) We'll be talking about characters in books. Cowboys and paranormal creatures. All these authors have written a number of HOT books with either sexy cowboys or a variety of paranomal creatures (shapeshifters, vampires, demons, gargoyles, etc.). Expect prizes, games, excerpts too.

I'll be talking about my Demons in Exile series: Book one: Desert of the Damned and Book 2: Damned and Desired. Book 3: Demon's Embrace is completed. More news on that one later. Also giving away a free copy of either book.

Log in here for the chat: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karendevinkaren/

Guest Author JK Coi

2012-02-09T21:05:00.000-05:00

JK Coi is my guest this week. She's an award-winning, multi-published author of contemporary and paranormal romance and urban fantasy. She lives in Ontario, Canada. In her interview, JK offers some excellent advice for aspiring and all writers.

JK has an alter ego and writes Upper YA Dark Fantasy too as Chloe Jacobs.

Thanks so much for being a guest JK. Check out her new release with Ellora's Cave: Brazen Games

-Tell us a little about the book and where did you get the idea to write this story.

This book came to me a long time ago. I wrote the first chapter (a dark, sexy scene in a strip club) almost two years ago. But then the story had to be put aside. I couldn’t figure out what came next. And I had other writing commitments. And yet, Jack wouldn’t leave me alone. He was so tired, so damaged. He kept telling me that he wasn’t a very nice man. I tended to disagree and so did the heroine, Tasha. I had to see if he could be redeemed and if she was the one who would be able to redeem him.

- What’s the best and worst part of being a writer?

The best part of being a writer is the writing. It’s also the worst part.

I love writing, and it’s so very very hard. At least to do it right. I’m not one of those lucky writers who spends an hour tapping away and looks down to see that she’s written 3,000 words. OMG that would be like a whole week’s worth of work. I am interminably slow and methodical. I triple think every word. It’s a pain, but when I go back and read I might have to tweak a little bit, but I rarely have to rewrite whole sections.

- What is your writing schedule like?

Although it’s tight because I work a full time day job, I always bring my laptop to work and write through lunch. When I get home in the evening, it’s dinner and dishes and helping kiddo with his homework. By the time I can sit down to write again, everything is put away and he’s in bed…probably around 8:30 pm. Then I write as long as it takes to make my daily word goal. Sometimes that means I’m done by 10:00 and I can watch tv but other times I’m still working at midnight.

- How did you get started writing novels?

I got started when my son was still little. He was about three years old. It’s that stage when they’re in a good routine, sleeping through the night, and when that time comes when you sit down to relax you feel like you could still function and not pass out from exhaustion (that exhausted phase lasted a LONG time) – but it’s not like you actually have a life. I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything...and television REALLY sucked. So I started writing. I’d done a lot of writing BK (“before kid”) and when I got back to it, I really enjoyed it. I finished a whole book and when I told my husband he said, “Great job! So now what?”

- What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

I get asked for advice by aspiring writers quite often, and I always try to be encouraging but also honest. I tell them that this is not something that’s going to “pay off” quickly and unless they really love to write, they’re better off spending the time with their family. But if writing is the thing they’ve always wanted to do, then don’t be discouraged. Yes, there will be rejection (lots of it), and no, you won’t get rich, but a career in publishing is definitely doable if you make a solid plan and work toward it diligently.

- If you could write another genre other than romance what would you write?

It would probably be horror or fantasy. And of course, there might just happen to be a character who meets a girl…. (sorry, it’s gotta have romance)

- Are you seat of the pants writer or plotter?

I used to be more “seat of the pants” but these days I’m plotting more and more of my stories ahead of time. I need to. Deadlines mean I can’t waste energy trying to figure things out when I’m halfway through. I don’t want to go back and erase half the book to start over because the plot took off in a different direction. That’s not to say I don’t encourage enlightening developments, but by plotting as much as possible I’m hopefully able to work those in from the ground floor.

- Have any of your titles ever been changed from your original choice?

LOL—yes. In fact, I don’t think my editor at EC has EVER let me keep one of my titles (except maybe the very first one)

- What specific piece of advice would you give a would-be writer trying to kick start a career?

You can’t kick-start anything. Sorry. You’ve got to take it day-by-day. Learn your craft. Take your rejections and keep moving forward. It will feel like the sixth circle of hell, but if you really want it there’ll come a day when it feels like the cave opens up and you can see the sun again!

- A lot of people think that genre hopping isn’t a good idea. What do you think?

I think generally those people are right, unless you have a ton of time to build two separate brands. I don’t always write in the same genre, but the genres that I mix are similar. For example, I write contemporary and I write paranormal…but they’re both erotic. Then I write paranormal (not erotic) and fantasy…which are also similar.

Thanks so much for the interview! I had a great time with it!

J.K. Coi
www.jkcoi.com

Blog: www.jkcoi.blogspot.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jkcoi
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JKCoiAuthor

Brazen Games

As Jack Trainer watches the dancer up on stage in front of him, all he can think about is that sultry green-eyed stare and the brazen way she moves, as if just for him. Trouble is, he knows this particular siren is a distraction he can’t afford, despite the gut-clenching desire she stirs in him. As right-hand man to a mob boss fighting a violent turf war, his life expectancy is already significantly reduced, and that’s if his damning secrets don’t get him killed first.

Tasha Morris is keeping secrets of her own, and she knows all about the real Jack Trainer, the one he can never afford to let anyone see. She also knows he’s close to the edge of no return. It’s her job to make sure he doesn’t implode and get them both killed, but to do that she’ll have to trust him with more than just her body, something she hasn’t been able to do with anyone.

As the risks multiply and the danger becomes insurmountable, Jack and Tasha will be forced to put aside their mistrust and work together. But when all their carefully manufactured lies come crashing down around them, the consequences might just be too much for either of them to bear.

Don't Read the Reviews, Janet!

2012-02-04T17:21:00.001-05:00

I recently saw the movie, One For The Money, based on Janet Evanovich’s novel in her hit series. Here’s the blurb: Unemployed and newly-divorced Stephanie Plum lands a job at her cousin's bail-bond business, where her first assignment puts her on the trail of a wanted local cop from her romantic past.

This movie has gotten horrible reviews. I don’t know why. I enjoyed it. I thought it was great fun. I laughed out loud a number of times. And who wouldn’t want to be Stephanie caught between Ranger and Morelli? The characters were great and Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur was a riot.

Some movies are meant for fun and mindless entertainment. The film doesn’t have to be a theatrical masterpiece to be worth seeing. It’s every writer’s dream to see characters from their books come alive on screen—not to mention the financial rewards. So the reviews sucked. Reviews are opinions and everyone as a different one.

One bad review tends to feed off the other too. Have you noticed that? Bad reviews seem to replicate like a virus infecting future reviews on the same movie. Hmmm. For movies and books. Maybe the reviewer secretly LIKED it but doesn’t want to admit it. If they did that, they might then appear intellectually unsophisticated.

Maybe my tastes are eclectic (warped), but I like different. I like twists and sometimes a little dark, strange and unusual. You might see that in my writing.

Don't let bad reviews stop you from seeing movies or buying books you think you would enjoy. You might miss out on something fabu lous. I ignore the bad reviews, buy the books I think I like and go to movies I think I’ll like despite the bad reviews. Do you???

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

News: I made a new sale this week to Ellora’s Cave! Yay! An erotic contemporary romance (tentative title) Spring Break XXX. I’m planning a series for this book.

Blurb: Spring Break beyond your wildest fantasies? If Justin Watkins can stop watching over his college students like Big Brother, he might convince the prim and proper Mariko Maquire to be his sex partner at the “invitation only” adult club called TropiX.
Mariko is in Fort Lauderdale on business, trying to secure new clients for her PR firm.
Abandoning prior commitments for one wickedly lustful evening—a one night stand of kinky sex—was not on her agenda.

Carter Bosworth is looking for an evening of sex games during his layover in the tropical playground. He’s a regular at TropiX and always open for a new thrill. His plans are sidetracked, but it may be to his benefit after all.

When potent heat develops between Justin and Mariko, she’s tempted into shedding her inhibitions, and an exploration in eroticism develops beyond her imagination at the fetish club.

USA Today Happy Ever After Interview

2012-01-25T20:15:00.000-05:00

It was such a thrill for me to be interviewed by Joyce Lamb at USA Today - Happy Ever After blog.
If you'd like to check it out, here's the link: http://bit.ly/xjilVg

Joyce asked some really cool questions. Here's a sampling:

Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Kathy! Why do you write erotica?

Kathy: It's fun to write about sexuality with complete and open abandon. It's like riding a rollercoaster and racing down the big dip with your eyes wide open and your arms straight over your head. Some might prefer to hang on with eyes closed. You still get a good ride, but perhaps miss some of the thrill. Besides the explicit details, I enjoy writing the love story. I love happy endings.Why do I write erotica? What's the goofiest question anyone has ever asked me? My website says I'm a cytotechnologist, how does that and my interest in quantum physics feed my stories?

Joyce: Please tell us about your story in SWTWC, Tattoo Witch.

Kathy: Tattoo Witch is about a couple, Anita and Sam, who love each other, but their relationship is strained. They're argumentative and their love life has cooled. While vacationing in Ocean City, Md., they watch a couple having sex on the beach. Later, that same couple presents them with an offer they can't refuse — magical tattoos that will grant scorching sex beyond their wildest sexual fantasies. And it does. Their love life has never been better or more exciting, but there's a catch. This is dark magic and each tattoo comes with a curse. Like a drug, they want more despite the curses, until it gets out of hand. It's a love-conquers-evil story. Dark and sexy and romantic in a twisted kind of way. Of course, there's a romantic HEA. Recently, I saw a movie with a similar theme — Limitless. Instead of tattoos, the magic was a drug in the form of a pill that expanded the brain capacity. This pill had consequences, too.

Joyce: What's the goofiest question anyone has ever asked you about writing erotica? For example, someone once asked me how I do research for the love scenes in my novels. Naturally, I came back with a smart remark that left both our faces pink (had something to do with IRS tax deductions).

Kathy: I like the IRS tax deduction answer. I'll have to remember that one. Sometimes I get the question: Do I physically research all my love scenes to make sure they're accurate? I've responded a couple of ways like, "Stephen King writes about serial killers and ax-wielding, murdering writers. Would you ask him if he kills people for research?" On a rare occasion, I'll come back with a smart remark and answer, "Of course, every sleazy scene. The most exciting research I ever did was for scenes on planet Somerled in my sci-fi erotic book. I really enjoyed the interstellar travel to another planet, and oh my, a threesome with a shapeshifting dragon. Well, don't knock it until you try it."

Joyce: Your website says you're a cytotechnologist. A cytotech-who? (Imagine Joyce making the Scooby-Doo "ruhr?" face.) How does that and your interest in quantum physics feed your stories?

Kathy: As a cytotechnologist, I look for cancer under the microscope. I also assist doctors during biopsies. I guess I'm a bit of a science geek. I'm a huge sci-fi fan and have read (skimmed) a couple quantum physics books. I don't claim to understand it. Quantum physics is weird science. It's probably as much a philosophy as it is a science. How can you apply logic, never mind prove theories, to forces and events in the universe that don't behave logically? In my Demons in Exile series, I used an alternate universe (an artificially created world) that exists between dimensions. A couple quantum physics theories sparked this idea. One theory says that the universe is constantly splitting into parallel universes — billions of them. Another known theory says we inhabit 10 dimensions, 11 if you count time. How do they know that? Don't worry, I don't explain HOW the world was created or give readers lessons in quantum mechanics. Quantum physics is interesting, but reading more than a page or two at a time is a great cure for insomnia. Erotica is much more stimulating and entertaining.

For the full review, check out the HEA website for January 25, 2012 http://bit.ly/xjilVg
http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/index

25 Healthy Snacks that Won’t Kill Your Diet

2012-01-20T01:00:00.002-05:00

Eating on the run is one of the biggest enemies for people trying to stick to a healthy diet.

Fitness and Nutrition experts recommend eating small meals throughout the day (5 or 6). So what do you eat between breakfast and lunch and that long stretch between lunch and dinner that’s healthy and nutritious too? To help you keep on track with healthy eating with a weight loss program or weight maintenance program, skip the high carbohydrate, high sugar snacks such as pretzels, bagels, chips or cookies. Add in some protein, fruit or veggies to curb the hunger pangs. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Green apple

2. 5 olives (45 calories)

3. 2 oz. turkey breast wrapped around a sliced tomato or pickle

4. ¼ c. hummus, 3 carrot sticks (80 cal.)

5. 1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss wedge, celery sticks, or cracker thins

6. 6 almonds

7. 1 container Greek yogurt (unflavored-100 cal.)

8. 1 c. unshelled edamame (120 cal.)

9. ¼ c. chicken salad made w/ chopped celery & low fat mayo

10. 2 pieces proscuito, 4 dried figs (154 cal.)

11. 1 (100 cal.) Balance Bar or low cal, low carb, low sugar protein bar.

12. 1 P90X Protein Bar (great before a workout)

13. Shakeology shake

14. 1 hardboiled egg

15. Non-fat cottage cheese

16. Shrimp w/ cocktail sauce

17. Celery and peanut butter

18. 1 string cheese

19. Ham and low fat cheese slice roll-up

20. Small piece beef jerky

21. Orange slices

22. Frozen grapes

23. Sunflower seeds

24. Roasted soybeans mixed with raisins

25. 1 Rice cake (brown, whole grain rice) w/ peanut butter or melted low-fat cheese

Carry healthy snacks with you to prevent over eating like unsalted almonds or trail mix. It’ll keep you from buying that giant cookie at Starbucks. And protein will give you added energy.

Pirates Get Published

2012-01-12T21:35:00.001-05:00

If you get PublishersLunch, you might’ve seen the post on Thursday about “Plagiarized Titles Plague Kindle Stores”. Somehow this doesn’t surprise me considering I have to Google myself regularly to find pirating ebook sites giving away free downloads of my ebooks.

What’s the next logical step? Unethical people steal this material, re-title, slap a new book cover, add their name as the author and self-publish it on Amazon and on other ebook stores.

Erotica titles have been hard hit with this type of plagiarizing on Kindle.

FastCompany is investigating hundreds of plagiarized titles from Literotica, a free erotic fiction site. They found one author (thief) Maria Cruz had over 40 plagiarized titles, another Robin Scott had 31 books. Even after Amazon removed all 51 of Cruz’s titles, after all of the complaints, she posted new material days later.

Why? How? Why hasn’t Amazon and the other ebook stores banned her forever? And I do hope the money made off of those books will eventually be distributed to the rightful authors. Oh, and she is being sued right? At the very least. I have images of breaking fingers and smashing computers, and I’m not a violent person. I’m an ethical author. And any ethical author understands the hard work and time it takes to write a book.

It takes three seconds to steal one from the comfort of your laptop.

I don’t know if SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) is the answer. There’s good and bad about that. But there has to be stronger enforcement.

Fast Company suggested a simple solution. Amazon would require an author to submit a valid credit card before self-publishing on Kindle. If later they’re found to have plagiarized, then $2,000 would be deducted from their CC. I don’t see that working either. For one thing, people can get debit cards with limited withdrawal amounts. And these “authors” are making a ton of money on these stolen ebooks, $2,000 is nothing. Not a deterrent. Ban them? Yes. Run content through plagiarism detectors like Turnitin or iThenticate? Yes, if they’re accurate. And legal action for theft.
I don’t mind competition with talented and honest authors, but it makes me ill to think thieves are on the Best Seller’s List with work they didn’t produce.

INSPIRATION FOR CANCER PATIENTS

2012-01-06T02:00:00.001-05:00

by Liz Davies, Guest blogger

People with cancer often find the treatments are more taxing than the deadly disease itself. Treatments can drain energy leading to high levels of exhaustion and weakness. Nausea and vomiting are also common occurrences during treatments. This is not the way anyone wants to go through life, but cancer patients should know this is not the way they have to live. Many people have not thought of exercise as a way to curb these side effects. Daily physical activity allows cancer patients to reclaim strength and feel healthier. This is true no matter what type of treatment a cancer patient is undergoing whether is it surgeryfor brain cancer or chemotherapy for the treatment of mesothelioma.

Exercise increases muscle mass which allows people to feel and act stronger. Cancer patients will feel weak from treatments so this strength will give them motivation to be more active. This will give them the confidence to take part in more activities letting patients see how gratifying life can still be.

Physical activity also gets the heart to work at a faster pace which can help preventblood clots and other heart issues. A rising heart rate allows people to feel more alert. A healthy heart is one of the reasons cancer patients who exercise are less likely to see recurrence of the cancer.

Working out creates better psychological health. Exercise improves moves and creates motivation for people to connect with the world around them.

There are certain exercises and work out plans that are more beneficial depending on the type of cancer, level of fitness, and stage of treatment. One type of exercise that is beneficial for everyone is simply stretching. Improving flexibility allows for people to be able to partake in other forms of exercises and increase blood flow. Strength training is also a good thing to incorporate into an exercise routine because many cancer patients experience the loss of muscle mass because of their treatment. This can be in the form of resistance or weight training. Aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, or playing sports are a great way to improvelung function and helps with weight management.

Like anyone mapping out an exercise regimen, it is important to choose activities that are appropriate. Running a 5k might be suitable for some while walking around the block is enough cardio for others to see results. Doctors and trainers who specialize in cancer are very knowledgeable on the correct amount of exercise that needs to be accomplished in order to see results as these vary by individual.

*Disclaimer: Be sure to check with your health care provider before starting any exercise routine.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and inspirations with us, Liz. Keep up the good work!

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.

Mari Carr Guest Author

2012-01-02T20:28:00.001-05:00

MARI CARR

I’m pleased to have guest author Mari Carr with us. She’s sharing an excerpt on her book Because You Love Me , due for release at Samhain Publishing on January 24.

Buy link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/because-love-p-6621.html

Check out Mari's other great books on her website:

Website link: http://www.maricarr.com

-Tell us a little about the book and where did you get the idea to write this story. Because You Love Me is the sequel to Because of You. Both stories have romantic suspense elements and center around the James brothers. Because You Love Me was a fun story to write because I love a good old fashioned cowboy ménage story! Mark and Matt James are twins and while their faces may be identical, their personalities are anything but! Their lives are turned on their ear when Bridget crash lands into their world. She’s a New York city journalist on the run from a dangerous hit man. Lucky for her, both alpha cowboys are ready to offer her protection…in and out of bed. The book presented some fun challenges because I’m not a romantic suspense writer normally, so the story allowed me to stretch my thinking muscles as there’s a code the characters have to break to find the evidence the hit man is after. I’ve known ever since Because of You released in 2009 that I wanted to revisit the James family. Unfortunately it took me awhile to make my way back. Next up for this trilogy will be the final tale, a short story that features the youngest James brother, Jacob.

- What is your writing schedule like? My writing schedule isn’t a schedule at all. It’s a hit and run! I have a fulltime day job so my writing time is limited to early mornings, evenings and weekends. Unfortunately those times are also subject to change according to my kids’ social lives, laundry, housework, etc. Let’s just say I write fast and furious when I manage to eke out a few quiet hours.

- What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Keep writing. Rejection is a part of this career. I once joked I had the rejection letter from Ellora’s Cave memorized because I’d seen it so many times. The important thing is not to give up. With each story you write, your craft improves. My other advice is to read, read, read. It’s amazing how much you can learn about writing simply by reading.

- Have any of your titles ever been changed from your original choice? Oh—this is a fun question and the answer is YES! It doesn’t happen often and usually the reasons for the switch vary, but I thought it might be fun to tell you what some of the original titles were. Retreat was originally called Commitment. I can’t recall why that had to change. Because of You was Love’s Recovery, but my editor didn’t like that. I took the original title from my favorite Indigo Girls song. Power Play was True Colors and I think of all the titles I lost, that one made me the most sad. Again, my editor didn’t think it fit the story or was hot enough. Covert Lessons was Undercover, but EC already had a book by that title, so I had to make the switch. Kiss Me, Kate was At the End of the Day and yeah, that original title sucked. My editor simply said, “Um. No.” What can I say? I was on a huge Les Miserables kick at the time! Rough Cut was Darkest Night and that title switch was Jayne Rylon’s fault. She had a book called Night is Darkest coming out a month before my story was slated to release. She got to keep her title and I made the switch. I like to tease her and tell her she still owes me for that. J

- If you could turn any of your books into a movie which book or series would it be? Oh wow! Can I pick two? I’d love to see the Wild Irish series made into one of those HBO series like True Blood or the Sopranos. I think the Collins clan could definitely cook up a lot of red hot mischief week after week. Especially Riley. As for a movie, I think the four Compass Brothers books could be combined to make a really cool, sexy modern-day western. I can totally see Sam Elliott as JD.

- Do you have a character in one of your books that continues to haunt you at night or surprised you when you wrote the book? I don’t know if he haunts me, but Travis was supposed to be just a secondary character in Black Jack. However, from the first page of that book, he sort of took over. His story was crystal clear to me from the first time he spoke. After I finished Black Jack, I knew I had to write it. White Knight sort of fell out of me. Travis is such a tortured soul and his story was a sad one to write. Yet, I felt like, despite the abuse he suffered as a child, his book was a hopeful one. It took me a long time to come up with his heroine, Shea. Mainly because I knew the woman Travis gave his heart to would have to be very special. I was pleased when Shea showed up because I feel like they were a perfect fit for each other. Two lost souls stumbling around looking for a happily ever after. My favorite kind of story.

- Are you a morning or night person? Morning! I assure you 99.9% of the books I’ve written were put down on the page prior to noon. Most were probably composed before 9 a.m. I’ve never been one of those people who can burn the midnight oil. It’s all downhill for me after lunch!

- Which books were the most fun to write? The hardest to write? It’s interesting to note the most fun books were also the hardest to write. I love series books. If you look at the books page on my website, you’ll see I have very few stories that don’t have at least one other companion story. I think that stems from the fact that I become very attached to my characters and I start to miss them after writing the words “The End.” With a series, I can visit them once more. The Wild Irish series and the Compass Brothers books were the most fun to write. I loved the Wild Irish books because the Collins family became real to me. The same goes for the Compton brothers in the Compass series. I finished revising the ARC of Western Ties recently and I cried. It is so sad leaving those beloved characters and the awesome experience of co-writing with Jayne Rylon. Somewhere along the line, she ceased being a friend and became a sister. It was a new venture for both of us and there were some bumps in the road, but I think we’re both stronger writers for the attempt.

- What’s next? Oh my. Where do I begin? I plan to write a short story for Samhain to complete the Because trilogy. It will involve the budding relationship of Jacob and Rodney and it will be my very first attempt at a straight m/m story. I’m also in the midst of writing the second book in the Cocktales series, Screwdriver. Anybody up for a red hot ménage? After that, I’m tackling another co-writing project. This time, I’m pairing up with the amazingly talented, Lexxie Couper, to write two romantic comedies—Misplaced Cowboy and Misplaced Princess. Lexxie is one of the freshest, funniest voices in erotic romance, so I’m really going to have to step it up to hang with her! I can’t wait to try.

- For fun. What is your favorite kind of chocolate or chocolate dessert? (I love chocolate covered cherries) I’m actually not a huge dessert person. My extra weight is strictly caused by an overindulgence in carbs! Watch out potato chips and French fries! LOL. BUT…I love chocolate ice cream and candy bars (mainly Milky Ways and Reese Cups—they are my vice!).

Excerpt from Because You Love Me:

WARNING: Must me at least 18 years of age to read this excerpt please!

Walking into the hallway, she locked the door to her room and descended the wide staircase. Glancing in several of the B&B’s common rooms for Todd or Steven, the hotel proprietors, Bridget took a few minutes to study the beautifully restored old home. When they’d arrived yesterday afternoon, Rodney had hustled her to their room immediately, sequestering her there while he checked out the property and secured food for their dinner. It felt good to be free.

She was about to cross the foyer to check the other side of the house when the front door opened. Her new habit of hide first, ask questions later emerged and she panicked, trying to dodge back the way she’d come. In her haste to escape, her foot caught on the edge of the Oriental rug, and she took a hard tumble.

Four boot-covered feet appeared before her. She felt strong hands on either side reaching down to help her up.

“Sorry,” she said, keeping her head down. It was foolish to think anyone in this small, middle-of-nowhere town would know who she was, but Rodney had taught her well in the art of making herself as invisible as possible. She fought to suppress her trembling hands. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. God, why did she have to be frightened of her own shadow? She hated living like this, feeling this way.

“You okay, miss?”

All of Rodney’s tutoring went out the window as her nipples pebbled and a slight shiver of arousal wove its way through her body. She lifted her face to see the owner of that deep, sexy-as-hell voice. Identical faces etched with concern greeted her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound emerged. Standing before her were twin Greek gods, kings of the western frontier, complete with rugged, dimpled cheeks, blue eyes that—honest to God—twinkled, and shaggy, made-for-running-her-fingers-through dark brown hair only partially concealed by cowboy hats.

If she’d lived a hundred years ago, she would have felt compelled to fucking swoon. Instead, her twenty-first-century sensibilities took over and she simply muttered, “Holy double wow.”

Both men grinned widely at her ridiculous comment. “I take it that means you’re not hurt, darlin’.”

Her pussy clenched at his term of endearment. Could there be anything hotter than a gorgeous cowboy calling her darlin’ with that slight country twang? Briefly she imagined him—hell, who was she fooling, them—whispering it to her while they lay together naked in bed.

She cleared her throat and forced herself to stop staring—and drooling—like a love-struck teenage girl. “I’m fine. Clumsy and embarrassed, but otherwise unscathed.”

The hot cowboy on her left chuckled. “Unscathed, huh? Pretty talk. Where are you from?”

“New York,” she confided before her brain engaged to scream a warning. Jesus. Rodney should have locked her in the room. She was going to blow their cover in under thirty seconds, and all because of a couple good-looking men. Stupidity due to horniness was not something her cop friend would forgive easily.

“City girl,” the other cowboy said, though his tone indicated interest more than disdain.

She nodded, determined to keep her mouth shut before any more little tidbits—like the fact she was hiding out from a corrupt judge—fell from her desperate-to-taste-the-cowboys lips.

“I take it you’re one of the guests staying here?” her hot cowboy number one asked.

She paused, decided the question was harmless and nodded once more.

“So what brings a city girl to our neck of the woods?” This question was posed by hot cowboy number two.

She and Rodney had sketched out a rough explanation for their visit with the intention of refining it this morning. Now, it appeared she would have to fly by the seat of her pants. “I’m here with my half-brother.” Shit, five words in and she was already straying from the script. She and Rodney had agreed to pose as a couple, but for some reason, she didn’t want these two men to think she was in a relationship.

That thought led to a major internal eye-roll.

Right, Bridget, like you have so much time to try to hook up with a cowboy—or two.

“Vacation or business?”

“Vacation,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to try my hand at being a cowgirl.” Where the fuck had that come from? She’d never considered such a thing in her life until laying eyes on these two Wonders of the Western World.

“Well, now. If you need some help with that, Matt and I are pretty good teachers.”

Matt. Cowboy number one had a name.

“You teach a lot of cowgirls the ropes, do you?” she asked with a lilt in her voice. Christ, could her flirting be any more obvious? Why not post a sign on her forehead that said, Hasn’t been laid in a year.

Matt’s smile grew, his dimples deepening. A girl could fall into those bottomless caverns on his chiseled face and never be found again. She could think of worse places to get lost. “My brothers and I own the ranch next door. We train horses, give riding lessons. Stuff like that. We’d be more than happy to help you give that cowgirl lifestyle a whirl if you’re interested. We’ll even supply the rope if that’s what you fancy.”

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Thanks so much Mari for being a guest at the Passion Sense Blog!

I'd like to ask readers what is their favorite Mari Carr book? Please share and tell us why it's your favorite.

Take The New Year Challenge

2011-12-27T21:47:00.000-05:00

Ah, yes, the holidays are almost over. All that partying and good food and drink. Have you dared to step on the scale yet? Are your clothes fitting a little tighter? Yikes! I know I’ve picked up a few pounds even though I swore I was going to be good. But then you go to family events, go out to dinner with friends and co-workers bring in all those home-baked goodies. It’s only once per year, right? Now comes the hard part, working off the extra pounds, getting back in shape. It doesn’t have to be hard, torture, or depressingly slow.

Are you ready to get in the best shape ever? Want to look absolutely fabulous at the next writer’s conference, wedding, etc.? Romantic Times Convention isn’t far off. Romanticon will be here before we know it. With friendly support, we can work together to reach our fitness and weight goals in time for these events. Really!!!

*Starting January 2, I’m starting a 60/90 Day Fit For Beach Challenge Group.

What is a Challenge Group all about? Click on this link and watch this short video about the Challenge Groups. You might’ve seen them talk about it on the Today Show or Oprah.

http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=1247409409001

The Beachbody Challenge Philosophy:

Fitness + Nutrition + Support = Success

So we can all get healthier, feel and look better.

The Fit For Beach Challenge Group is Easy to Join:

1) Email me privately and tell me that you’re interested in learning more at kdshore(at)rcn(dot)com or FitForBeach(at)rcn(dot)com You can ask questions for more information too, no obligation to join.

2) If you do join the Challenge, I ask that you agree to drink Shakeology at least 4—5 times per week, replacing one meal usually breakfast or lunch.

3) Choose one of the Beachbody fitness routines and workout regularly (P90X, Slim in 6, Turbo Fire, etc.) I can help you pick one that’s right for you.

4) Join the private Facebook Page. This is a confidential group where we help keep each other motivated, answer fitness and nutrition questions, offer recipes, snack tips, stay accountable which is very important for success, etc.

You can get a discount by ordering Shakeology and a fitness program together. Here's the breakdown:

That’s it!

More information can be found on my Team Beachbody Coach website:
http://www.fitforbeach.com or email me. It’s all about being healthy and feeling good.

“Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~Edward Stanley

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” ~Plato

Release Day Today!!!

2011-12-20T00:03:00.018-05:00

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES is out today!!! Yay!

I'm so excited about this anthology and so thrilled to be among these talented authors. I can't wait to start reading my copy on my NOOK. In the previous post you'll see the blurbs for all 6 stories. I think there's something for everyone. All awesome H-O-T, sexy, compelling and entertaining stories. If you're giving your loved one a Kindle or NOOK or iPAD this Christmas, why not download Something Wicked on their new device??? :-) I'm sure you'll get something extra special in return.

TATTOO WITCH is my story in this collection and I had a blast writing it. It takes place in Ocean City, Maryland, one of my favorite beach vacation spots so the setting was easy peasy for me. It's about a couple, Sam & Anita, while on their beach vacation, meet up with a bizarre couple at an outdoor night club. The strange couple are covered in detailed tattoos and seem to be hitting on Sam & Anita as if they're looking for a foursome. But they're raving about this tattoo witch who gives magical tattoos sure to enhance their love life and urge Sam & Anita to check it out. Sam & Anita enter the twilight zone when Sam decides to get one of these special tattoos. The story is dark and sexy and twisted.

Dh and I were in New Hope, PA last spring. While we were cruising the shops, I dragged him into The Lion's Den tattoo studio. I don't have any tattoos so I needed to do research for Tattoo Witch. I met a large, burly man, tattoo bound of course, standing behind the counter. "Can I help you?" he asked, towering over me and Dh.
"I'm...I'm a writer. And, and I'm doing research on a story about tattoos," I stuttered. "Can I ask you some technical questions about the procedures?"
He said, "Sure, come on in back."
I glance at Dh and he said. "I'll wait out here."
Gee thanks, I glared at him.
The artist was very helpful, showing me the sterile technique, instruments and inks, how they come up with the designs, the care after, etc. He turned on the instrument to show how the needle moves. After I came out, Dh thought I'd have a butterfly on my shoulder or something. Still no tattoo, but I had enough research for my story.

I hope you enjoy TATTOO WITCH. It was inspired by one of my favorite authors Ray Bradbury and his Illustrated Man. I'm sure you'll enjoy SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES.

*Please check it out on Amazon and, if you're so kind, click on the tags to check off the boxes. If you do enjoy the book a quickie comment/review always helps with author's rating and sales.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Amazing Reviews for Something Wicked This Way Comes

2011-12-19T19:07:00.001-05:00

WOW!!! Tons of great reviews are coming in for SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES.

Top Picks by Night Owl Reviews: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Chris-reviews-Something-Wicked-This-Way-Comes-Volume-1-EC.aspx

Sizzling Hot Books - 4 Hearts: http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net/2011/12/something-wicked-this-way-comes.html?zx=228bf04f0ae99b0c

Recommended Read and 5 Lips by Two Lips Reviews: http://www.twolipsreviews.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7115&Itemid=36

Alternative Read - 4 of 5 stars: http://tjbook-list.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-something-wicked-this-way-comes.html#.Tu7hAVb2K8B

You Gotta Read Reviews: http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-something-wicked-this-way-comes.html

The book comes out tomorrow. It's going to be a HUGE release day!!!

Christmas Butter Cookies!

2011-12-18T13:05:00.000-05:00

Something Wicked This Way Comes is out in just two days! What a great Christmas present!

I'm sharing SOMETHING YUMMY today. One of my family's favorite cookie recipe. Hope you enjoy them. They’re very light and I watch carefully when I bake them. I take them out before they brown or just a tinge around the edges.

CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIES

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

¼ tsp salt

Cream butter. Add sugar, gradually cream until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla.
Beat well. Mix in dry ingredients. Blend into creamed mixture with spoon.
Divide dough and chill for about an hour.

Prepare cookies: Roll on floured surface 1/8” thick. Cut out with floured
cutters. Decorate with colored sugar. Bake about 6 minutes or less at 400
degrees F oven. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 6 doz.

Something Wicked is Almost Here!

2011-12-07T20:53:00.000-05:00

I am SO WICKED EXCITED about the upcoming release of SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. It just came out yesterday on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for pre-order and it has reached Amazon Best Seller Ranking!! I am so THRILLED to be included in this anthology and among these awesome writers.

SWTWC will be available at Amazon and B & N on Dec.20. And at Ellora's Cave and other vendors on Dec. 28.

Amazon Kindle Link

Barnes & Noble Link

Ellora's Cave Link

Here's the run down for the H-O-T stories you'll find there:

Captain of Nara’s Heart

Laurann Dohner

Nara knew she was taking a risk with illegal trading. Sure enough, she’s been arrested, caged—and will be auctioned as a sex slave. One look at the scary alien buyers and she frantically makes a deal, agreeing to be sold to Captain Vellar, who turns out to be large, sexy and seriously in heat. Offering her body to the captain is a given…but Nara didn’t expect to lose her heart in the process.

Dragon Heat

Mel Teshco

A highly skilled operative, Grace has been trained to track, fight and kill paranormal creatures. Only after she’s in the clutches of her latest target, a devastatingly sexy dragon-shifter, does she discover betrayal in her ranks. Suddenly the hunter is the hunted. Grace will soon uncover her ex-agency’s horrific agenda—but not before seeking solace in all the pleasures of the flesh her new dragon ally has to offer.

Dangerous Addiction

Desiree Holt

Having finally realized his dream to own a ranch, Cord is ready for the next step—settling down with the perfect sub. And he’s found her in Fallon. A single glance from the smart, sultry beauty makes him hard, but abuse at the hands of her ex-Dom has kept Fallon away from the lifestyle she loves. Needs. It will take bondage, mind-blowing sex, a gentle hand and expert flogging for Cord to help her rediscover her favorite dangerous addition.

Highland Tryst

Eliza Knight

Having sworn off love, Kari Howard isn’t adverse to a little lust when a hot Highlander lands at her feet. Literally. Fin has traveled through time, and given what he’s packing under his kilt (good Lord!), Kari expects the sexy Scotsman to make her quake. But she doesn’t expect Fin to shake her very foundation…or cherish her for who she is.

Tattoo Witch

Kathy Kulig

There cannot be good without evil, light without dark… At a seaside resort, lovers Sam and Anita meet a mysterious, heavily tattooed couple who refers them to Sinful Designs. The owner is a witch whose magical tattoos grant scorching, kinky sex beyond their wildest fantasies—but there’s a catch. Each successive tattoo comes with a darker and scarier curse. Sam and Anita can break the spells…but at what cost?

The Addiction

Jaid Black

The long-awaited sequel to The Possession!

John Calder has everything most men would kill for—golden-Adonis looks, endless money, a steely reputation as a savvy businessman and beautiful women throwing themselves at his feet. Then he meets Shelli Rodgers, a quirky, klutzy Ph.D. student who takes John on an emotional and sensual journey, giving him the one thing he’s never attained—happiness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

More news: I just finished the third book in my Demon's in Exile series and will be sending it off to my editor shortly. Readers have been asking about Dante and this will be Dante's story. Desert of the Damned, Book 1. Damned and Desired, Book 2.

I also have another fun, HOT story sitting on her desk awaiting her review. Keeping fingers crossed.

Happy Ever After's Joyce Lamb

2011-11-30T22:36:00.002-05:00

I'm so thrilled to have Joyce Lamb as a guest on my blog. I met Joyce during the Literary Book Signing at RWA National Conference this last July in NY City. We sat next to each other and had a great time chatting. I'm still working on the idea for a dolphin shapeshifter book. (long story) I bought her book, the one she was signing: True Vision and loooved it. And also have the second in the series True Colors. Both amazing and must reads! When you're reading a book and you feel your heart pounding, you know it's a good book. Very sexy too. Paranormal romantic suspense is now one of my new favorite sub-genres.

I remember Joyce telling me about the romance blog she wanted to start up at USA Today and was pretty sure it was going to get approved. I bet the powers that be never had a clue how successful it would be. Go Joyce! If you haven't checked it out, do so: www.HappyEverAfter.usatoday.com

Joyce will be signing her new release from Berkley TRUE SHOT at Turn the Page Book Store in Boonsboro, Md., December 3 with Nora Roberts, Grace Burrowes, Anita Chenney, Tim Snyder and S.D. Sawyer. For more info. check out her website www.joycewrites.com

-Tell us a little about the book and where did you get the idea to write this story.

True Shot is the third in my True trilogy (True-logy!). This was my favorite of the Trues to write, because I got to flip the hero and heroine roles so that she’s the bad-ass spy and he’s the somewhat nerdy (but very hunky!) journalist. Here’s the plot: Sam Trudeau is part of a secret government agency of psychic spies. Like her sisters in True Vision and True Colors, she has an intense psychic ability in which she can touch another person and experience something that happened to them as if it happened to her. This is a handy psychic ability as a spy because it negates the need for torture to get accurate, important information. Problem for Sam is that the government agency has a rogue element to it, and she’s gotten unwittingly caught up in that. She goes on the run and ends up with Mac Hunter, a journalist holing up in Sam’s family’s cabin to exercise some of his own demons. When Sam loses her memory, Mac’s her only ally. He’s not thrilled to have a hunted and clearly dangerous psychic spy on his hands, but he’s also determined to reunite her with her estranged sisters. All he has to do is survive the onslaught of bad guys and get Sam home to safety. No problem, right? Mac is my favorite hero from my own books. He has a wicked sense of humor and an honorable streak that doesn’t quit. I’d totally marry him. : )

- If you could turn any of your books into a movie which book or series would it be?

My third title with a smaller publisher, Found Wanting, would make an awesome movie. There’s a ton of action and the hero and heroine’s relationship is pretty intense. In that one, private detective Mitch Kane is hired to track down a rich guy’s son who was taken away by his shady mother when he was a newborn. When Mitch finds Alaina, though, lots of stuff doesn’t add up, and he begins to suspect that he’s been duped. Problem is, he’s already led the bad guy to Alaina and her son. When the boy is swiped by his ruthless father (who has a mysterious plan for him), Mitch faces the task of winning Alaina’s trust so he can help her get her son back. But Alaina has been on her own for a long time and doesn’t need anyone’s help, especially that of the man who just helped get her son kidnapped. Lots of great action and angst in this one, which, incidentally is a 99-cent e-book now.

A book that would make a great TV series would be True Shot. Once Mac and Sam get their HEA, there’s still the matter of the secret government agency of psychic spies. There could be lots of episodic TV options there, and the twist would be that the spies would experience whatever happened to others as though it happened to them. Excellent advantage for telling a back story – and putting the characters into all kinds of different of situations.

- Which actor screams SEXY to you?

Gerard Butler. Oh. My. God. That body. That hair. That face. Even when he was just doing a guest spot on The View, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the gorgeous, raw sex appeal of that man. And that was before he even said anything, cuz, you know, that accent just turns my world upside down. OK, I need to take a little break to cool off. I’ll be right back.

- Are you seat of the pants writer or plotter?

It depends on the book. Some books, like Found Wanting, which has one goal – find the son – and lots of forward momentum, take more of a seat-of-the-pants approach. I knew where I was going, but not sure exactly how I would get there. True Shot was a lot like that, too. Probably because the characters in both books are constantly moving, constantly on the run. I was more of a plotter on True Vision and True Colors (Books 1 and 2 in the True-logy). Since True Vision is the first in the trilogy, I had a lot of groundwork to lay. I was very methodical about how I unfurled the psychic ability, its cause and its limitations. I basically created my own psychic ability for that story (a supercharged kind of empathy), so I had to figure out how it works and how it could be used to further the story. And in True Colors, there are two story tracks: the hero and heroine’s story and the villain’s back story. So I had to carefully plot both of those. One I got to True Shot, I already knew what I needed to know about the psychic ability and I also already knew Sam’s and Mac’s back stories from the previous Trues. So, long story long: I’m a pantser when I need to be and a plotter when I need to be.

- Do you write full time or work outside of the home?

The job that pays the bills is as a copy editor at USA Today in the business section. I get to write lots of creative headlines for the print and online editions: “Dow goes up.” “Dow goes down.” Haven’t gotten to use this one yet, though: How now down Dow. : ) Also, USA Today and I recently launched a blog devoted entirely to romance novels. Happy Ever After (happyeverafter.usatoday.com) celebrates romance readers and romance writers, and it’s been a blast. I’ve gotten to talk to some of my idols: Nora Roberts, Cindy Gerard, Iris Johansen, Roxanne St. Claire … and lots of others. Romance authors and readers are the BEST, and I’m psyched that I’m able to help provide a national media platform to get the word out about how much we all rock. I hope everyone will get a chance to stop in and say hey.

- If you could write another genre other than romance what would you write?

I would love to write science fiction. I’ve loved lots of sci-fi shows and one of my favorite elements of the genre is the ability to completely ignore or manipulate the laws of reality to tell a great story. The suspension of disbelief is built into the genre (within reason). I don’t know if I have the patience for the world-building required, though.

- Have any of your titles ever been changed from your original choice?

Yep. My first with Berkley, Cold Midnight, was originally called Break Point. The story is about a tennis player who was attacked a decade ago and the attacker was never caught. New evidence shows up in the present and the case is reopened. Break Point was perfect, to me, because of the tennis term and because the hero and heroine’s relationship plays out a little like a tennis match, until one of them gets to their breaking point. The title had to change, though, because there was another Berkley book with that title. “Cold Midnight” doesn’t mean anything to the story. It takes place in Florida, so it’s not cold. And nothing significant happens at midnight. But it was considered a “cool” title. True Vision was originally called True West, because the heroine’s name was originally Charlie West. But we wanted to get the psychic element into the title, so that’s where “vision” came from. And Charlie’s last name was changed to Trudeau, to connect the True part of the titles – plus, truth-seeking is the overriding theme of the trilogy. The third True was originally called True Calling, but I think maybe that had been overused as a title, and we wanted something a little grittier. Which is where True Shot came from – sort of like the characters have one more true shot at love.

- What books or authors have influenced your writing?

I’ve been heavily influenced by Dean Koontz and Nora Roberts, two of my favorite authors for most of my fiction-reading life. I love, love, love the depth of Koontz’s characters as well as their clever, often playful dialogue. I love the good vs. evil themes in his books and the way that often terribly damaged people prevail in the end. His villains aren’t black and white, either. They have shades of gray, which is something that seems missing to me in some books. I mean, real people are never just plain evil. There’s usually some element to them that at least started out well-meaning. Roberts’ writing in general is awesome. Her characters all just have such good intentions, and I love that the conflicts often arise because the hero and heroine are both right. I love, too, that I can pick up one of her books and it’s like reconnecting with old friends.

Interestingly, I know these writers’ writing so well that I immediately knew when I was reading a book written under a pseudonym. Back in the 1980, Koontz published a couple of books with the pseudonym Leigh Nichols. I was reading one of those books, and I thought, “This has GOT to be written by Dean Koontz.” I could tell because of the way the dialogue was written. It took a couple of years before I found out I was right (no Google back then!). And when the first J.D. Robb book came out, Nora’s name wasn’t on the cover. I started reading it and thought, “This is written by Nora.” I flipped back to the copyright page, and sure enough, there was her name.

Where readers can find me (I love hearing from readers!):

JoyceWrites.com

www.Facebook.com/AuthorJoyceLamb

www.HappyEverAfter.usatoday.com

Twitter: @JoyceLamb and @HEAusatoday (for the USA Today blog)

Thank you for having me, Kathy!

Joyce, Thanks so much for letting me interview you. I love your books and the HEA blog is amazing!! Keep up the good work. Hope to see you again soon.

Tattoo Witch - Sneak Peek

2011-11-24T07:21:00.000-05:00

The excitement is building. The release for SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES is almost here!!! Some time in December is the tenative date. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have a story included in this anthology along with such amazing authors. When I first heard the title to the series: Something Wicked This Way Comes, I knew I had to come up with a story, because Ray Bradbury wrote a book with that title and it was one of my favorites. He is also one of my favorite authors. Since I was a kid, I've read and continue to re-read Bradbury's books and also Arthur C. Clarke's books. Both authors probably inspiried my love of fantasy, sci fi and the paranormal.

I only had a month to write something so I had to move fast.

I went through my memory of Bradbury stories and tried to come up with a similar theme while sitting on my porch with Dh and a glass of wine and a notebook. We tossed ideas around. The Illustrated Man came to mind. Knowing that tattoos are a Pop Culture thing, I chose that theme and took a different twist on an amazing story.

I'm sharing a sneak peek of a couple excerpts (not final edited). I'll keep you posted on the release date. This book is going to fly off the cyberspace shelves! Especially when you see the headline authors: Jaid Black, Laurann Dohner, Desire Holt, Eliza Knight, Mel Teshco, and Kathy Kulig

WARNING: YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO READ THIS EXCERPT PLEASE!

Chapter One

“Sam, stop. People will see us.” Anita shoved his chest.

“It was only a kiss,” Sam teased.

“Yeah, sure. You grabbed my breasts.” She rushed passed him, heading toward the beach that overlooked the bay of Ocean City, Maryland. Moonlight glistened on the water and an offshore breeze thrashed at the palm fronds. Maybe he was pushing too hard. This vacation was supposed to stir up a little excitement in their life, especially their sex life. He didn’t need to pressure her.

His girlfriend stood at the shoreline, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She swayed to the reggae music playing in the background. Annoyed, but not angry. A year together and he still couldn’t keep his eyes or hands off of her. The wind whipped strands of her long, brown hair against high cheekbones, a petite nose and dimpled chin. Anita always complained that her jawline was too angular, but Sam said it gave her a sexy, brainy look. He was pretty certain she wore the tight skirt for him. She knew it was his favorite. When they first met, he was entranced by her eyes, not her curvy ass. Behind that gaze, he’d sensed an intelligent, kind and affectionate person. Then he’d noticed her hot ass. Many times she flashed those sultry, hazel eyes, trying to work him around her finger. He even played along on occasion.

“Ouch!” Anita hopped on one foot as she kicked off her shoe. “I stepped on a shell or something.”

“Hold onto me.” Sam brushed off her sandal and foot, then slipped the sandal back on. “Better?”

She nodded. Hooking her arms around his neck, she kissed him. Her low–cut tank offered a glimpse of cleavage.

Most of the clientele from Seacrets, the outdoor bar, restaurant and nightclub, were dancing by the band or seated at tables eating dinner. No one was by the beach area. “I thought it’d be romantic here,” he explained, trying to keep his voice light as he stared out over the water.

Several round floats, the size of small mattresses, bobbed in the water. Unlike daytime, the beachside bar was closed. The boat dock, deserted. She gave him that don’t-bull-shit-me look. He knew that look. They’d been together long enough for him to know all her looks and moods. “You wanted to fool around,” she said.

“What’s wrong with that?”

She frowned, then finally smiled and slipped her arm around him, giving in a little. “Nothing. But I don’t care to get groped in public.”

“I didn’t grope you,” he argued.

“You grabbed my breasts.”

“I was checking to see if you wore a bra tonight.”

“Right.” She huffed. “I always wear a bra.”

“I know, just fantasizing.”

She leaned into him. “I love fooling around with you. We can fool around when we get back to the hotel.”

If he kept arguing he wouldn’t get any tonight. “Okay. Ready for a drink?”

“Shhhh.” Anita’s eyes were wide.

Sam felt his cock grow hard. “Change your mind?”

“No, be quiet. Look, on the raft.”

“Where?”

“By the boat dock. The last one in the back row,” she whispered.

Lights from the dock shone on a naked couple lying on one of the rafts and fucking like porn stars. “Cool. At least someone’s getting lucky.”

Anita punched him in the arm…hard.

“Ow.”

“Let’s go,” she whispered.

“No, let’s watch. If we leave now, they’ll know we saw them.” A lame excuse, but the only one he could come up with at the moment.

“So? They obviously don’t care.” Anita strained for a closer look. “What’s he wearing? Does he have a shirt on?”

Sam tried to make out the man who was pumping his cock into his woman and somehow managing to keep from tipping the raft over. “No, I think he has tattoos, a lot of them. He’s got great balance. With all that thrusting how does he manage not to flip the raft?”

“It is pretty hot to watch,” Anita said with a raspy voice.

“Yeah.” Was she getting turned on? How cool would that be? With his hand on her waist, Sam slid upward and grazed the underside of her breast. He was rewarded with her sharp intake of breath. Encouraged, he let his hand slide down and underneath her shirt. This time when he grasped her breast, she didn’t protest. Hallelujah.

“Feels good,” she whispered, leaning into him. Her full lips glistened, begging to be kissed. He took the chance and lowered his mouth to her lips. She pressed a hand to his chest.. “Stop. Look, they’ve finished anyway.” The couple had climbed up on the boat dock and was getting dressed.

Later…

“You should get one. You and your lady,” Rene said. “We get ours at Sinful Designs on the boardwalk. They do the best work.”

Ah, now he got it. “I suppose you two work there? Or own the business.”

She laughed. “You think we’re trying to drum up sales?”

Sam nodded.

“No, nothing like that. But there is something special about Sinful Designs that you won’t find at any other tattoo parlor.”

“Is that right?” Sam called over the bartender and ordered another beer and a drink for Rene. “Don’t take this the wrong way but are you two hitting on us?”

“Not exactly,” Perry said, looking up from his show-and-tell for Anita. “We saw you watching us earlier—”

“And you thought we’d like to hook up with you two,” Sam finished the sentence, sounding slightly annoyed but intrigued.

“That’s not it,” Rene said. “But I bet you wished you were out there having the most amazing sex with Anita. Am I right?”

“Sure,” Sam said.

Anita smiled nervously, then sipped more of her drink.

“What if I told you there was a way to increase your sexual enjoyment by at least ten times, be more adventurous, have longer hard-ons, and multiple orgasms?” Rene looked at Anita. “Anita, wouldn’t you love to have multiple orgasms whenever you willed them to happen?”

Anita rolled her eyes. “I have orgasms.”

“Four or five in one night, without being touched?”

“I’d say you’re full of shit,” Anita said.

Sam nearly choked on his beer. Anita Brooke never swore in front of strangers. She was getting drunk. Damn, he wasn’t getting any tonight.

“Do you believe in magic, the supernatural?”

“I try to keep an open mind.” Sam didn’t want to discount anything. But more than that, he wanted to see where this was going.

“Try one of these tattoos at Sinful Designs. Just one. I promise you won’t be disappointed,” Rene said. A look of fear flashed across her eyes and sent a shiver down Sam’s spine. She didn’t look the type to scare easily.

“Sounds too good to be true,” Sam said as he briefly fantasized a few possibilities—sex on the raft, sex with this couple, and a few positions Anita wasn’t crazy about trying. His cock throbbed as his heart pounded in his chest. The woman didn’t look like she was lying. Was business that bad that this tattoo parlor would think up this fantastical story to bring in a few customers?

Rene placed a hand on his arm. “Honest, Sam, we don’t make out financially if you get a tattoo. We’re just amazed by this woman. She’s a witch you know. Her name is Cassandra.”

“A witch?” Anita asked.

Rene smiled at Sam. “Trust me. You will have the most scorching sex you could ever imagine.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

20 Secrets of Very Fit People

2011-11-15T06:00:00.032-05:00

Thanks to Chalene Johnson, creator of TurboFire from Beachbody fitness programs for the fabulous tips.

1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water should always be your drink of choice. To kick things up every once in a while, try adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or a few berries to liven up the flavor without adding significant calories.

2. Look at exercise as a pleasure and a privilege, not a burden or chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!

3. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excess calories, even if they're from food that's fat free and high in protein, will turn to excess weight. No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!

4. Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke.

5. Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.

6. Keep a daily log of what you're actually eating. This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid's sandwich there, and ALL of your snacking.

7. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation.

8. Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friends to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy. Have a neighbor who's sitting on the porch every morning when you walk by? Ask him or her to join you on your walk!

9. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or great music.

10. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.

11. Invest in the right tools—good shoes, a portable MP3 player or iPod^®, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc.

12. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week. If some days you exercise once in the morning and once in the evening, even better! If you're eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!

13. Don't compare your body to others'. Instead, work to be your personal best.

14. If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health.

15. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.

16. Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time. If our last three Presidents of the United States can make time to work out every day, you can make time too!

17. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not some number on a scale.

18. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you're working out, if you're consuming too many calories, you'll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.

19. Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.

20. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.

*I have a Beachbody Challenge going on right now through the end of this year. A BB Challenge is a great way to get started with a fitness program and on track in a healthy routine. Beachbody is offering special discounts on Challenge Packs which include the Shakeology nutrition shake, a choice of one of the fitness programs like TurboFire, SlimIn6, P90X, etc. and a 30-trial membership in their online Team Beachbody Club. Check out my Team Beachbody Coach website http://www.FitForBeach.com or the October 31st blog post for details. You can also contact me at FitForBeach(at)rcn(dot)com I can answer questions or give you suggestions.

Dial B for Bondage - CONTEST WINNER!!!

2011-11-15T02:00:00.016-05:00

THE WINNER IS...

Thanks to everyone who entered this contest to celebrate the release of the print anthology DIAL B FOR BONDAGE And a HUGE thank you to DeNita at Author Island for helping me with this contest.

She does an awesome job over there.

Congratulations to Kathryn Merkel!! Your name was randomly selected as the winner of the signed copy of Dial B for Bondage anthology by four of the 1-800-Dom Help authors. Please email me at: kdshore@rcn.com with you address so I can send you your book. If I don't hear from you in two weeks I'll have to offer the book to another reader.

Thanks to everyone too who commented and gave me some wonderfully hot ideas for future stories in this author series. A number of stories are tossing around in my head. I'll have to give it some thought as to which one(s) to use. My novella Emerald Dungeon was a fun one to write, so I could stay with a similar theme or go with something totally different in the next book.

Happy Reading & Enjoy the Heat!

Kathy

Romantic Suspence Author Interview with Autumn Jordon

2011-11-08T19:34:00.001-05:00

Award winning, multi-published author Autumn Jordon is here to talk about her new book from the Wild Rose Press, 'In The Presence of Evil'. And also where she got the idea and where she did her research (a lot). I hear sales have been great on this book. Way to go! Welcome to the Passion Sense Blog, Autumn.

Thanks, Kathy for hosting me this month. Hi, everyone!

I live in the Blue Mountains of NE PA with my hubby. We’re now empty-nesters. Yes, we pushed the five kids out and now share the quiet with our Irish Setter and a cat named Blue.

KK- You have a new release. Tell us a little about the book.

My newest release is a romantic suspense entitled ‘In The Presence Of Evil’ . I love the cover—don’t you?

In the story, GINA RIZZO’s Christmas holiday turns bloody. She becomes a pawn between two predators rivaling for the head of a Russian mafia family. One wants her alive. The other wants her dead.

When Gina Rizzo is framed for the murder of her boss by a mafia hit-man, her only hope to stay out of jail is to accept the help of, Cole Hanson, the man who disappeared from her life years ago, leaving her with a broken heart.

Staring death down is easier for Marine Cole Hanson than facing the woman who stole his soul and then betrayed him. However, when Cole sees Gina in handcuffs, old feelings flare and even though he doesn’t trust her with his heart, he willingly steps up as her alibi.

Gina’s life is threatened and staying alive while hunting down a murder becomes their objective. Can they learn to trust each other again? And if they do, will their rekindled love be their demise?

KK- What inspired you to write this story?

A germ of an idea came about because of an actual incident concerning a wire transfer at work. I can’t say any more.

I took that idea and played what if with it and what would I do, besides run like hell, and the first chapters of ‘In The Presence Of Evil’ were dashed off.

KK- What kind of research did you specifically do for this book?

I spoke to numerous bank managers on how their wire transfers are handled. I needed to know if I proposed in the book could actually work. I also researched Marine special forces, VA hospitals and law enforcement agencies that would be involved in the story.

KK- How would you best describe your books?

The first word I thought of while reading this question was ‘fun’, because I enjoyed writing them. But my readers have described my novels as fast paced, thrilling, very sensual, great characters, heroines they identify with and heroes to die for.

KK- What is your favorite genre to write? To read?

I love to read anything. It just depends on my mood. I love writing both romantic suspense and fun contemporaries. I’ve published both.

KK- When did you first know you wanted to be an author? What do you most like about writing? Least like?

I wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first story in grade story, was a reporter and editor for my junior high and high school paper. After marrying, I got busy with kids and life and put the idea of writing for publication aside until the much later.

What I like the most about writing are the hours. They’re totally flexible. Some days I spent sixteen hours working and then sometimes I spend just a couple of hours writing and then I’m out the door. I can work early morning, afternoon, evening and by the moon. Oh, and the research. You meet the most interesting people and learn so much while fleshing out an idea.

What I like the least is looking for the elusive perfect word. Sometimes it can take hours to get one line right. But, you know what? That’s like finding gold, so it’s all good.

KK- Tell us a little about your path to publication. How many books have you published? How many books did you write before selling one?

My path was about average, I guess. I started writing for publication in 2000 and sold in 2009. I’ve heard some authors say they published in less time and others it took longer to find a publisher to believe in them. The business and technology changed so much in those years, and I think because of the advances more opportunities opened for authors. They’re still opening.

Evil’s Witness was my fourth full length novel I wrote. It was my 2009 Golden Heart entry which was a finalist and later won the 2010 Golden Leaf for ‘Best First Book.’

KK- What’s your favorite element of ‘In The Presence of Evil’?

My heroine and hero. Gina and Cole are so meant for each other. They were each other’s first loves and then life got in their way and tore them apart. Years later, Cole comes back to town and passion’s sparks ignite all over again. This time, when life comes at them, they fight to hold on to each other. I just love them.

KK- What would you like to tell my readers?

If you’d like to be the first to hear my news or join my swag team, please jump over to my website www.autumnjordon.com and join my newsletter. You’ll find swag team details under June’s newsletter. I also hold great contests just for my newsletter members, so don’t wait. Sign up.

KK- For fun. What is your favorite kind of chocolate or chocolate dessert? Chocolate raisins. Love them!

Thanks for being a guest Autumn, I look forward to reading this one. Luuve the cover! If the readers want to know more about your books, they can check out your website

http://www.autumnjordon.com/ And she has an awesome blog too:

http://autumnjordonsnotes.blogspot.com/

Writers and Friends: Take the Beachbody Challenge!

2011-10-31T03:00:00.006-04:00

Take my Beachbody 60-day Challenge and get Fit, get Healthy, and Lose Weight over the holidays. Writers have a very sedentary job and staying in shape can be a challenge. It was for me. I have TWO sedentary jobs—I sit at a microscope during the day and write at night. I tried to lose weight, get in shape, and at the same time, was struggling with what I could, should and couldn’t eat. It was all very frustrating. The Beachbody fitness program, Shakeology and support have been a huge help. I’ve lost 14 pounds! Writer friends who saw me at the Romanticon conference noticed the change. (Thank you.)

If you’re ready to do something good for yourself and your health, I’d like to help.

Not only to look and feel fabulous in time for New Year’s, but to be on your way to a new level of health, fitness and happiness.

While friends and family may gain 5-10 pounds, you’ll be losing and getting into your best shape ever. DECIDE to make a healthy choice in your life. COMMIT to a change from now until the end of 2011 and continue into 2012 with a new New Year’s Resolution: Stay Fit, Stay Healthy For Life!!

It’s not as hard as you think. Listen to Carl Daikeler, Beachbody CEO, and what he says about the Beachbody Challenge and the Challenge Packs that are being offered to help you.

http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=1247409409001

How does my 60-Day Challenge work?

Drink Shakeology everyday (replace one meal like breakfast or lunch. It's the healthiest meal of the day)
Choose a fitness program like P90X, Slim in 6, Turbo Jam, INSANITY, etc. And stick to the program for 60 days. Email me questions, post comments, tell me about your progress here or on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/kathykulig and let me know how you're doing. After 60 days we can talk about our results and transformations.

How many people do you know indulge over the holidays and gain 3, 5, 10 or more pounds? Then they start the New Year with a resolution to join a gym, go 4-5 times a week and lose 10, 20, 50 pounds or more?? Or, “I’m going on a diet until I can fit into my skinny jeans again.” Or, “I’m getting into shape for my class reunion, wedding, vacation, etc., etc.”

The New England Journal of Medicine did a study about holiday weight gain. In the Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain, they stated, “These findings suggest that developing ways to avoid weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it.” Diseases like heart disease, diabetes and other serious health problems. Even though this particular study showed that the average person did not gain more than a pound or two over the holidays, they did not lose it during the year which contributes to increased adult weight.

You can do this Challenge in the privacy of your home. Some people aren't comfortable with going to a gym or can't work it into their schedules because they have small children.

Well, I work out at a gym. And every year January and February is packed with new members. I call them the “Resolutionaries”. Come March or April, they vanish. What’s left are the die-hard members who are committed to a routine of healthy living. They know that staying healthy and fit is a continuous process. Not a three-week crash diet. It has to be part of your daily/weekly routine.

*Beachbody is offering these awesome Challenge Packs which makes it simple to get started right on a path of good fitness and health.

Starting November 1st Beachbody is offering Challenge Packs.

Here’s What’s Included:

For the Challenge Packs: Go to http://www.fitforbeach.com/ to order. Click on the Beachbody Challenge banner on the right, then "Take the Challenge" button. Available on November 1st.

Go to http://www.thebeachbodychallenge.com/ for more info. on how to win Cash prizes every day like $500 just for logging in your workouts. The best transformations will be eligible for over $100,000.

I INVITE you to check out these videos to learn about how awesome Shakeology is.

Shakeology-The Breakthrough http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=29768318001

100 Drs Dont Lie http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=637865717001

Labor of love http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=35137129001

From the Fields http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=637719395001

I’ve been using Shakeology since August and my husband and I are doing the P90X fitness routine. (He drinks Shakeology every day too, either for breakfast or lunch). We love it! And are thrilled with the results! Read about my transformation story and see before and after photos (eeks) on my www.FitForBeach.com website.

FITNESS + NUTRITION + SUPPORT = SUCCESS

Check out the three Challenge Packs. These Challenge Packs can be found at http://www.FitForBeach.com Click the banner on the Right side that says "Beachbody Challenge" , then “Take the Challenge”. This will provide you with more information and direct you through the sign up process, then choose a Challenge Pack. If you have any question just let me know.
*If you’re interested in joining the team of Beachbody coaches contact me at: FitForBeach@rcn.com

* Or if you have any questions about Shakeology, the fitness programs, or the Challenge Packs, you can email me at that address or contact me through the http://www.FitForBeach.com website.

Intro to Team Beachbody Coach http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=632106888001

Solutions. What we offer as coaches http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=1861298193

Coming January 2012: After the Challenge. Fit For Beach members get to share their success stories.

http://www.fitforbeach.com/
http://www.beachfitshake.com/
FitForBeach@rcn.com

Independent Team Beachbody Coach

1 Beachbody Fitness Program
First Month’s Supply of Shakeology (ordered on Home Direct)
30-Day FREE Trial of the Team Beachbody Club Membership
FREE Shipping!

Now.. there are THREE different Packs Available…

For $160 you can get:

Choice of: Power 90, Slim in 6, Brazil Butt Lift, Hip Hop Abs, or TurboJam
Shakeology on HD
30-Day FREE Trial of Team Beachbody Club Membership
FREE Shipping

Savings of: $35!!

For $180 you can get:

Choice of: Body Gospel or 10 Minute Trainer
Shakeology on HD
30-Day FREE Trial of Team Beachbody Club Membership
FREE Shipping

Savings of: $45!!

For $205 you can get:

Choice of: P90X, TurboFire, or Insanity
Shakeology on HD
30-Day FREE Trial of Team Beachbody Club Membership
FREE Shipping

Savings of: $55!!

Beachbody Challenge

Beachbody Challenge & 7 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2011-10-29T19:24:00.004-04:00

Beachbody Challenge Packs are comin' November 1st. As an Independent Team Beachbody Coach, I'm really excited about this. These Challenge Packs are complete packages including a choice of fitness programs, Shakeology, 30-day trial membership to Team Beachbody, Free shipping and great savings.

If you'd like to check out my transformation story on how I lost 14 pounds, go to: http://www.FitForBeach.com It's tough staying in shape as a writer. Or getting into shape. But besides being a writer, I work in the medical field and I know how important fitness and nutrition is to staying healthy, feeling good and looking good. These Challenge Packs are an awesome formula for success.

Fitness + Nutrition + Support = Success

Need some incentive while you're working out and getting healthy? The Beachbody Challenge. You're eligible for $500 every day for just logging in your workouts. And, at the end of the year, the best transformations will be eligible for $100,000. http://www.TheBeachbodyChallenge.com

Here's more informations about Shakeology. Love it! Dh and I have it everyday.

Shakeology-The Breakthrough http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=29768318001

100 Drs Dont Lie http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/kathykulig?bctid=637865717001

*I'll be posting details HERE on Monday (a day early) about these Challenge Packs and how to order them. They'll be available to order on Tuesday.

7 Simple Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

by Charlene Johnson

Drink less.

Avoid calorie-laden beverages like alcohol, eggnog, peppermint lattes, and hot chocolate. Permanently attach a bottle of water to your hand during the holiday season. One cocktail is fine. But keep in mind, alcohol usually makes you less attractive, less articulate, less responsible, and more likely to overeat. Cheers!

      2. Bake less.

One of the sneakiest ways calories can creep up on us is via the mixing bowl! Avoid volunteering to bake your famous snickerdoodle cheesecake and you'll instantly cut down on unneeded stress and calories.

      3. Be fashionably late.

This accomplishes two things. One, the less time you spend at the party, the less time you spend with a plate of cheese-stuffed mini-quiche while making uncomfortable small talk with the boss. Two, the more guests that are there before you, the less food that is available when you arrive.

      4. Throw away leftovers.

I know your mother would gasp at such a wasteful suggestion. I'll let you in on a little secret: that half-eaten pumpkin pie is not exactly what the local food bank had in mind. Toss it and get over it. Your neighbor brings over a delicious plate of cookies. Take a nibble and toss the rest! She'll never know the difference, and your thighs will thank you.

       5. Amp up your workouts.

Many Americans excuse themselves from healthy eating and regular workouts because "it's that time of year." Poor choice. Rather than skipping your workouts, intensify them. Holidays are when you really need the mood-enhancing, stress-busting effects of exercise more than ever. You deserve it, and you'll be more proficient because of it, so make time to do it!

       6. Enjoy a taste.

Some do well by swearing off "forbidden" foods, but for many of us that notion only leads to bingeing or a feeling of deprivation. If that's the case, allow yourself the treat, just make it a small portion and account for it during your next cardio party!

       7. Scrap the "dieter's mentality."

I forbid you to say these five little words ever again: "I'm starting my diet tomorrow." This mentality leads people to believe that healthy eating is all or nothing. Have a cookie or two, but catch yourself before you slip into the "Oh, I've blown it, so now I might as well have ten more!" way of thinking. That mentality is the root of all yo-yo dieting. Think of your eating as a way of life, not a diet. Enjoy the occasional treat, but do so in moderation.

Why I Write BDSM

2011-10-25T08:21:00.000-04:00

I find the aspect of BDSM intriguing. I enjoy reading it, so it would follow I enjoy writing it. This lifestyle and subculture has many complexities and is often criticized and misunderstood. There’s a level of intensity between characters in these stories that isn’t usually found in typical vanilla romance. When I first decided to incorporate elements of BDSM and later write a full story, I have to admit I was intimidated.

Had I read enough? Did I understand the dynamics well enough to portray the characters accurately? And couples as loving, caring people? Through recommendations from well-known authors of this subgenre like Joey W. Hill, Ann Jacobs, Maria Isabel Pita, Marilyn Jaye Lewis, the 1-800-DOM-help series authors and many others, I’ve acquired quite a library of BDSM non-fiction and fiction books.The emotional, physical and psychological areas in a BDSM relationship can create problems and conflicts such as insecurities, jealousy, dependency issues, fear of abandonment, physical injuries, etc. Some of these issues may also cause conflict in a traditional romance but not to the same degree. These difficulties provide lots of interesting ideas for stories. Imagine the level of trust involved when a character first allows a new lover to tie him up? Or uses a whip, or performs some other element of pain and/or pleasure.

In this kind of power exchange activity, communication and trust is essential. Of course you don’t have to be involved in this lifestyle to enjoy reading or writing it. I believe most of us are voyeurs at heart and curious about the dynamics of Domination and submission, Sadism and Masochism, bondage and discipline. We want to experience it, if only through our fantasies and through the eyes of the characters in the book. Even if we have no desire to ever feel the sting of a flogger.

Writing BDSM fiction has been a writer’s journey for me, talking with authors who write in the genre, reading non-fiction and fiction books. There certainly is an ‘edge’ to these stories that I like and writing them well is not easy. I’ve enjoyed reading all of the 1-800-DOM-help books. There’s a similar thread that these books share but each author has taken a very unique twist. Each one explored a different area of the lifestyle too. All of them great reads!

A well-crafted BDSM scene is an adrenaline rush, euphoric, and arousing for the reader and the writer. Author Susie Bright in her non-fiction book “How to Write a Dirty Story” says that once you’ve hit your zone and you’re writing the perfect erotic scene, it’s like, “an orgasmic cocktail.”

CONTEST: Reminder. My contest for a chance to WIN a copy of Dial B for Bondage is going on until November 15th. Check out the post on October 10th (link below) and post a comment to enter in the drawing.
http://kathykulig.blogspot.com/2011/10/contest-time-with-author-island.html#comments

Matchmake, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match

2011-10-20T09:48:00.001-04:00

I'm celebrating with my friend Francesca Hawley with the release of her new book Alpha vs Alpha this week at Ellora's Cave.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match…

By Francesca Hawley

How does a lonely shapeshifter find love? That was the “what if” question that helped me create the concept for my current release, Alpha vs. Alpha. I reasoned that it isn't as if your average shapeshifter could advertise on eHarmony or Match.com. After all, explaining “and oh by the way I can change into a wolf sometimes,” would not be great icebreaker material on a date with one of the typical subscribers.

So, I came up with the concept of an online dating service which is supplemented by an office staff that could also provide personalized service if someone was willing to pay the price to be personally matched. Now this idea for a matchmaker entered my head in 2004 when I originally wrote the story and long before Patti Stanger began her entertaining Millionaire Matchmaker’s program on Bravo TV in 2008. I'd like to think I was a bit ahead of the reality TV curve there.

The heroine of Alpha vs. Alpha is Serena Goldwolf is a bit abrasive and volatile but in her defense, this is only because she's on the verge of going into heat. A heat cycle she wasn’t expecting because it’s brought on by meeting her True Mate, Damien Blackwolf.

What’s a True Mate? It’s a shapeshifter’s destined mate—a life partner and lover from whom there is no escape because they are fated to be together. A True Mate is the very last thing Serena wants in her life. Her parents are True Mates, and her perception is that her mother gave up everything to support her father.

Her mother put off college and had a pup as soon as they met. Serena can’t remember ever hearing her parents argue. Her mother would smile and nod when her father made decisions regarding how the Goldwolf pack will be run. Serena can’t and won’t live that way, so meeting Damien Blackwolf is a nightmare. She doesn’t want to find herself saying “Yes, dear” like a Stepford bitch no matter what half-assed pronouncement comes from her True Mate’s mouth, but she fears that’s her destiny because her True Mate is an Alpha male. The conflict raging through her is, “do I have to give up me to be with you?” She fears the answer is yes, so she fights her attraction to Damien.

Damien is at the age where he wants to settle down. He has approached Predator-Match.com (Serena’s matchmaking service) to find a Chosen Mate, never expecting that he’d meet his True Mate. All he hoped for was a compatible female with whom he could share his life and have pups together. A female he could fall in love with and with whom he could share the rest of his life. Instead, the first female Predator-Match.com found for him was a scary stalker type female and he’s pissed. When Serena realizes that he’d been matched with a female she’d thrown out of the service, she’s pissed too because it means she has to apologize and she hates it. And she especially hates apologizing to Damien.

All it takes is one deep breath, and Damien is sold on Serena. She’s his True Mate and he wants her in his life now and for always. When she runs, he gives chase…because that’s what True Mates do. Is he able to convince her that he wants her just the way she is? Pick up Alpha vs. Alpha to find out.

BLURB:

Alpha female Serena Goldwolf has spent a lifetime vowing never to be a submissive mate to any Alpha male. But all it takes is one surprisingly sexual meeting with Damien Blackwolf, a dissatisfied client of her shapeshifter dating site Predator-Match.com, and she is down on all fours, wanting to be mounted by the hottest male on two legs—or four—whom she’s ever met.

Damien Blackwolf doesn’t understand why the voluptuous Serena won’t admit they’re True Mates. To convince her, he decides to bring out her baser desires by dragging her off to someplace private to get to know her…intimately. But how can he convince her of their destiny when she refuses to acknowledge their True Mate connection and runs away from him? Guess he’ll just have to hunt her down and persuade her.

In a passionate battle of wills, there most definitely can be two winners.

Publisher’s Note: Previously published elsewhere but has been revised and expanded for Ellora’s Cave.

EXCERPT:

Chapter One

“What the hell kind of outfit is this?”

Serena Goldwolf’s head shot up at the irate shout coming from the outer office of her shapeshifter matchmaking business, Predator-Match.com. She brushed her bangs off her forehead with a sigh. Damn it, couldn’t anyone in this office take care of stuff without her intervention?

The male voice continued to roar out there, and she knew her secretary wouldn’t be able to handle him because Kara was such an omega even omega males dominated her. Serena sighed again, saved her database update and headed out to confront the wolf male jerk. Serena took in the male outrage with a shake of her head. Asshole. He shook his head as if he’d heard her. Yeah right. She wished.

“I’m sorry, sir. Really.” Kara huddled in her chair, her head dipped and her eyes on her desktop. Submission in her posture and her voice.

“You people set me up with some stalker bitch! I want to talk to one of the owners, now.” A tall black-haired man with dark-brown eyes leaned on the desk, his large hands flat on the wood.

Serena took him in, her body responding immediately. Damn it. She didn’t need this shit, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He wore a very expensive, black Italian suit, Italian black leather loafers, a crisp white shirt and red tie. The ultimate in power wear for the busy executive. And he was so good-looking he resembled an escapee from Fashion Week. She shook her head to remind herself that he wasn’t all that…he was just a wolf like any other.

Heads hung out of office doors, watching the confrontation with enjoyment, yet no one came to Kara’s rescue. Probably glad to be out of firing range themselves…that’s what she got for hiring betas. The females all wanted him and the males would jump to follow his orders.

Female musk clogged the air. Especially from Lea Redcat, one of her business partners. Predator-Match.com was damn successful. To the outside world, their site looked like a zoo animal match service. To the shapeshifter community, it was a way to find a lover or a life partner. Since Lea was allowing this thing to escalate, it looked like Serena to the rescue. Again.

“I’m really sorry, sir. We do our best to match our clients up with the best fit for them.” Kara cringed lower behind her desk and wouldn’t meet the man’s eyes. Typical omega posture. The male frowned.

“Are you saying you think I deserve a psycho bitch as my Mate?” His quiet voice seemed to scare Kara more than his shouting had because she backed up. It wouldn’t be long before she crawled under her desk.

“No s-s-sir,” Kara stammered.

Damn that bastard. He was done scaring Kara. Unable to suppress her temper, Serena growled. His gaze flashed to her and she felt it all the way to her womb. Damn but he was hot. Life was just not fair.

She challenged him—head up, shoulders back—inspecting him from top to bottom and allowing her gaze to linger, as if she were checking for fleas. His shoulders were broad and filled his Italian suit to perfection. His broad chest narrowed to athletic hips, and she would bet money that his belly sported a six-pack, and not of the beer variety. He had the kind of face that artists wanted to sculpt and women wanted to sit on. His eyes were the piece de resistance—large, dark brown and thick-lashed beneath perfectly arched brows.

In short, he was a god—or a male model. This was the kind of male who never looked twice at Serena because she wasn’t tall and thin, or tiny and doll-like. She had yet to meet a male wolf who wanted a woman with curves, but this kind of wolf was the worst. These wolves wanted trophy bitches.

“Who are you?” His voice cut the air like a knife.

She lifted her chin when the bastard stared her down. How dare he try to intimidate her? She was an alpha female, damn it!

“I’m Serena Goldwolf and one of the co-owners of Predator-Match.com. Who are you?” No way would she back down from this one. The man needed to be taken down a peg.

He scowled at her and his eyes narrowed at her temerity in confronting him. The bastard was an Alpha from the tips of his perfect black hair to the bottom of his highly polished Italian loafers.

“Damien Blackwolf. A fucking unhappy customer.”

He straightened to face off against her, obviously waiting for his pronouncement to have some effect. He said it as if she were supposed to curtsey to him. Not only was he an alpha, but a Blackwolf Alpha. An alpha was a dominant male, but an Alpha was the heir of a clan, or the leader of one. This male had or definitely would found his own clan group one day.

“What seems to be your problem?”

On the whole, Serena was not fond of Blackwolf males—they were too arrogant by half, and this one seemed to think he was God’s gift. She had to admit he was a beautiful specimen who made her wet just to look at him, but she wasn’t about to admit that to him.

He smiled the smile of the male who knew a female was reacting to him. Shit. Her scent must be broadcasting. He licked his perfect full lips. Males were not supposed to have lips like that. Double shit.

“Your much-acclaimed psychology matching service paired me with the psycho bitch from hell!”

“Well, considering your obnoxious attitude with my secretary, it would seem our ‘much-acclaimed psychological matching service’ did just dandy,” Serena countered with a smile.

He growled and took a step toward her. She tensed but stayed where she was. The worst thing to do when a predator challenged was cringe or run, and this man was definitely a predator. If the bastard thought she was that easily intimated, he was in for a rude awakening.

She raised her brow and crossed her arms over her chest. He paused, dumbfounded, looking as perplexed as a pup trying to figure out why he tripped over his tail. Damn it, that made him adorable. Serena shook her head in disgust at herself. Alpha males were not adorable. They were royal pains, emphasis on both royal and pain.

She might be an alpha female, but she was damned if she was going to take an Alpha male like him as her Mate. When she did date, she dated betas because they were easier to manage. Serena blinked. Why was she using the permanent possessive with this one? A Mate was a partner for life, and a mate was good for a tumble. This male didn’t come close to fulfilling her needs for either role.

“Miss Goldwolf…”

“Ms.”

“What?”

“Ms. Goldwolf. I’m not some untried adolescent, Mr. Blackwolf, and I would appreciate if you would acknowledge it.”

“Ms. Goldwolf…” His sarcastic voice was deep and made her nipples harden. She pretended it didn’t affect her, but she knew he realized it did. Why did he show up here today? She didn’t need the aggravation.

“Yes?”

He glared down at her. “This is a business, Ms. Goldwolf, and I am a very dissatisfied customer. I have friends who I’ve told about this company who could very easily withdraw their business at my request. I suggest you moderate your tone.”

That was it. Serena saw red. She stalked over to him and poked him in the chest with her finger while she scowled up into his black eyes.

“Listen to me, you arrogant wolf! You come in here, guns blazing, and abuse my secretary then threaten me. Pull your business if you want. Tell your friends to take a hike too. I don’t give a flying fuck! I will not be treated this way by you or anyone!”

Serena felt as if she were outside herself, and she watched herself in horror. She was never like this, even when she was fully in heat. Oh, she snarled and clawed at males, but she’d never attacked anyone before. She sure wanted to attack this one though. He smiled grimly, and only then did Serena realize his last speech had been a deliberate taunt. Damn it to hell. Damn him to hell…

He grabbed her waist and lifted her easily. He took two strides to the nearest wall, pushing her against it while wrapping her thighs around his hips. He pressed his erection against her wet pussy. She moaned and her head dropped back. She heard him snarl and realized she’d closed her eyes—when she opened them she saw triumph in his.

“Oh fuck.”

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

Do you like wolf shifters? What are your favorite shape shifters???

Visit Francesca at http://www.francescahawley.com/

CONTEST TIME!!! With Author Island

2011-10-10T20:09:00.000-04:00

Ready for a CONTEST? Author Island is helping me celebrate the release a HOT new anthology from Ellora's Cave, and I'm dying to give a copy away.

I just got back from Romanticon and while I was there, I got my hands on the new anthology: Dial B for Bondage. This anthology has 4 novellas from the 1-800-DOM-help series from Ellora’s Cave, including my novella EMERALD DUNGEON. The other authors in this book are Delilah Devlin, Francesca Hawley and Samantha Cayto.

They sold like crazy at the Romanticon book fair but I managed to grab a copy just for AuthorIsland Readers!! I also had all the authors sign it and even Cole the Caveman who posed for the hot cover. You don’t see his face in the cover but you can tell by the tattoo!

EMERALD DUNGEON by Kathy Kulig

Whips, restraints and increasing levels of pain heighten her passion, but complete surrender and ecstasy are out of her reach. Secrets and strange events around the castle only add to the couple’s troubles. Will a summer affair be enough to find what they both need? The appearance of a mysterious business card may help guide them. If Dana can accept Jack with complete trust and surrender, then ultimate pleasure and true love are possible.

Other stories include BEGGING FOR IT by Delilah Devlin, CONTROLLING INTEREST by Francesca Hawley and MISTRESS MINE by Samantha Cayto.
BUY THE BOOK *** READ THE EXCERPT

WIN - Kathy's EMERALD DUNGEON is set in a castle dungeon in Ireland. To get your name in the hat for the autographed copy of this hot book, let me know where you'd like to see me set my next 1-800-DOM-help story - In Ireland, maybe in the same castle? Or a completely new setting? If a new setting, any favorite locations? Leave your ideas as a comment on Kathy's blog and please leave your email address so I can contact you if yours is the name I draw as the winner! A winner will be drawn on November 15th - Good Luck!

Bondage Party - Release of Dial B for Bondage

2011-09-25T21:16:00.000-04:00

Just a few days away from Romanticon in Akron, Ohio and I'm thrilled to have a new book out --

Dial B for Bondage at Ellora's Cave. This book is an anthology with four hot novellas from the 1-800 DOM-help series. Not only that but look who's in the anthology with me!

Delilah Devlin, Samantha Cayto and Francesca Hawley!

Here are the blurbs for the novellas. I've read them all and they are awesome reads! I have to admit I read Delilah's story on the plane coming back from my trip and was getting pretty worked up. LOL

Begging For it

By Delilah Devlin

Website: www.delilahdevlin.com

She needs punishment…before she deserves pleasure.

Tragedy scarred TJ Lipton. Now the only way she can find pleasure is when it’s delivered with a heavy-handed dose of S&M. But finding a lover who can give her what she needs proves an elusive quest—until she finds the sex club Unfettered and a Dom named Cross McNally.

Cross understands all too well what drives TJ. He takes command of her body to give her everything she needs—restraint, the stinging kiss of a flogger, the thrill of a three-way—a sexual adventure that pulls her beyond her painful past and has her begging for more of his tender brand of domination.

Controlling Interest

By Francesca Hawley

Website: www.francescahawley.com

Mozelle “Mouse” Vincent inherits money, a club and her boss’ son as a business partner when society leader Regine Stuart dies. Torin Stuart knows what his late mother’s wishes were for his exclusive BDSM club, Erotically Bound, but he’s pissed that he’s forced to trust Mouse—especially when her inherently submissive nature arouses the sexual Dominant in him.

After baring all in a heated, intense scene, Mouse realizes they still have to work together, but now Tor challenges any business suggestion she makes. When she wants to offer education classes, Tor dares her to organize the class and participate—as a submissive.

To his chagrin, Mouse agrees, but he can’t stand the thought of any other Dom touching her. Suddenly there’s far more at stake than the controlling interest in their club…because love is the ultimate prize in their power exchange.

Mistress Mine

By Samantha Cayto

Website: www.samanthacayto.com

FBI agent and ex-military man Trey Boudreau likes to be in control and issue orders. But the bedroom is not a battlefield. His secret desire is to submit his body to a strong, older woman. He discovers a card that promises him the right one to bring him to his knees.

Juliette Coyne is a Domme determined to overcome a past experience that left her questioning her ability in the lifestyle. She is challenged by Trey, a strong, younger man in need of a good lesson or two. Old habits die hard, however, and the past continues to haunt them. Trey and Juliette grapple with each other and themselves for control, trust and a future together.

Emerald Dungeon

By Kathy Kulig

Dana’s summer job as a musician in an Irish castle takes an adventurous turn after she witnesses a BDSM scene in the dungeon, and her submissive side awakens. Jack is a sexy Dominant who recognizes the sub smoldering beneath her demure exterior. His skillful commands take Dana beyond her darkest erotic fantasies.
Whips, restraints and increasing levels of pain heighten her passion, but complete surrender and ecstasy are out of her reach. Secrets and strange events around the castle only add to the couple’s troubles. Will a summer affair be enough to find what they both need? The appearance of a mysterious business card may help guide them. If Dana can accept Jack with complete trust and surrender, then ultimate pleasure and true love are possible.

Buy at Ellora's Cave 9/26/11

Dial B For Bondage: Ellora's Cave

Also available at: Amazon Barnes and Noble

The Supernatural in Romantic Fiction

2011-09-11T16:33:00.001-04:00

At the last Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers we had guest New York Times and multiple Bram Stoker award-winning author Jonathan Maberry speaking on “Romance With the Unknown: The Supernatural in Fiction”.

I’m a huge fan of paranormal fiction with or without romance so I was really looking forward to this workshop. Jonathan gave me some fantastic ideas for tweaking a current vampire novel I have and also for future paranormal stories I want to write.
In vampire fiction, some hard core readers might get upset when a writer strays from what is considered “true” vampire folklore. But what we think is true vampire legend is actually based on old movies and not actual folklore.
Here are some examples. Most people “know” that fictional vampires can be killed by fire, beheading, stake through the heart, sunlight, possibly a crucifix or Holy water.
In ancient folklore of vampires, a stake is only used to hold them down, while garlic is stuffed in their mouth and they are the beheaded. A beheaded vampire can still get up and roam around. They need to be secured while the garlic kills them. Modern folklore says that garlic only wards them away, but ancient folklore says that garlic acts like cyanide, or like kryptonite is to Superman. It will kill a vampire.

Sunlight harming vampires was also not in original folklore. It began during the making of Nosfuratu when the director couldn’t decide how to end the film and doing cheaply. And do you know the true meaning of Nosfuratu? Most of us thought it meant the ‘undead’. Its translation means ‘plague carrier’.

The film was shot in shadows and dim lighting to give a creepy effect. It was suggested that sunlight could be what kills the vampire. A cheap way to end the film.
In the original Dracula movie, Dracula was killed by having his throat slit and then stabbed. He crumbled into dust. But by true folklore, that shouldn’t have killed him. He should’ve reformed someplace else. Hmmm.

Jonathan mentioned what seems to be the popular trend in supernatural fiction: Damaged and Dangerous characters. Look at your heroes and heroines in your post-apocalyptic, urban fantasy, dystopian, apocalyptic, and paranormal stories now. Hunger Games is one example. Also when writing paranormal fiction, whether romance or mainstream, make sure your story has a big BAD in the plot. (A threat to the characters, the world, etc.)

When looking for ideas for stories, research old folklore, monsters, creatures from different cultures. Don’t assume you know the characteristic of a werewolf or a vampire or Eigi Einhamr (the creature I based one of my shapeshifters in my Demon’s in Exile books. A Norwegian shapeshifter myth).

What are your favorite paranormal/supernatural stories?

The booksigning at the Palmer Library in Easton, PA, sponsored by Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers was a fun event. Authors attending were Kathy Kulig, Autumn Jordon, Jonathan Maberry, Christine Bush, Kathleen Coddington and Tina Gallagher.

Interview with Denise A. Agnew

2011-09-04T15:48:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad to have author Denise A. Agnew as a guest. She's a talented author and a very nice lady. DeniseA. Agnew. She's an award-winning author and has recieved Top Pick from Romantic Times magazine. She writes for Samhain, Ellora's Cave and Liquid Silver Books. Her books are suspenseful, erotic, edgy, thrilling, romantic and adventurous. What more could you want?

www.deniseagnew.com

BEFORETHE DAWN

-Tell us a little aboutthe book and where did you get the idea to write this story.

Before TheDawn is set in 1850 Pennsylvania and features a high-society heroine who losther virtue and self-respect, and an Irish American hero just released fromEastern State Pen. He’d been framed for a murder he didn’t commit. One day Iwas watching a ghost hunting program about Eastern State Pen and startedforming all these ideas. Everyone who went into Eastern State Pen was insolitary confinement. I wanted a hero who could come out of that situationwithout having gone bonkers, although he obviously has some issues. It was a greattime writing that book!

- What’s the best andworst part of being a writer?

The joy ofcreating stories is the best part. Dealing with self-doubt, creative slumps,and a persnickety publishing world is the worst part.

- What advice would yougive to aspiring writers?

No matterwhat people tell you, there isn’t one right way to write a book. Learn yourcraft, but then don’t be afraid to break the rules and write what makes youhappiest. Don’t follow the trends becauseit’s a trend. Follow the book of your heart.

- Are you seat of thepants writer or plotter?

Seat of thepants most definitely.

- Have any of your titlesever been changed from your original choice?

Yes. But itwas usually a better fit for the book.

- Do you have a characterin one of your books that continues to haunt you at night or surprised you whenyou wrote the book?

The serialkiller in Treacherous Wishes and Jack The Ripper in Dark, Deadly Love.

- Which actor screams SEXYto you?

I can onlypick one? Darn! Okay, I’ll pick one off the top of my head. Daniel Craig.

- A lot of people thinkthat genre hopping isn’t a good idea. What do you think?

It dependson what a writer wants for their career. Genre-hopping is the only thing I cando and be happy. I can’t write in one avenue of romance and write good books.My mind and my writing won’t stay fresh that way. A lot of other writers don’tsound fresh or interesting anymore either when they write the same genre withinromance all of the time. But then I’m not conventional. What I need to keep mefunctioning and happy isn’t the same as it is for most authors. Authors riskalienating readers when they don’t stick to one genre because many readersprefer writers to stay in a certain groove. At the end of the day, though, ifI’m not happy writing the end product won’t satisfy the reader. So I have towrite what blows my skirt up.

- Do you have any favoritemovies?

Tons! Twofavorites are The Mummy and Gladiator (the one staring Russell Crowe.)

- Is there an author youfeel your writing style is somewhat similar to?

No. I hopenot. J

Before the Dawn by Denise A. Agnew

FromSamhain

From Amazon

Blurb:

A fallen woman must decide to stay down, or rise and fight…

Elijah McKinnon has been found innocent of a heinous murder, but itdoesn’t erase the hellish years in prison he endured. He boards the train toPittsburgh a changed man, certain he will never feel free until he’s wreakedrevenge on the brother who ruined his life.

The passenger who catches his eye is intriguing, but he’s seen her kindbefore. The kind who puts on airs—and looks down on Irishmen. Still, he can’tseem to stop himself from stepping between her and a pack of ruthless cads.

Mary Jane Lawson is grateful for the handsome stranger’s help, but herjourney has a higher purpose: to rise above her shattered reputation anddeclare her independence, come flood or famine. Propriety says she shouldrefuse Elijah’s suggestion they pose as husband and wife—for her ownprotection, of course. Her practical side says it won’t hurt to pretend, justthis once.

Come nightfall, though, their little charade must be carried all the wayto shared sleeping quarters, where their vulnerabilities become painfullyclear. And when danger past and present threatens, trusting each other becomesa matter of life and death.

* *

Product Warnings

A hot Irish accent mixed with high adventure may causecombustion. Beware of falling for this hunk. The heroine says he’s hers.

Click here for an EXCERPT

Enjoy!! Thanks for stopping by Denise.

Stormy Weather with a Chance of a Hot Read

2011-08-28T09:51:00.000-04:00

Rainy days are the perfect time to catch up on writing projects and curl up with a good book. We got more than we bargained for with Hurricane Irene. It has kept most of us in our homes this weekend and hopefully you're not experiencing difficulty with power outages, flooding or property damage. So stay safe, relax at home and put a dent in that TBR pile. It's also a good idea to stay inside so rescue workers don't have to risk their lives having to rescue sightseers who get injured by falling trees or swept away by flood waters. Our downtown area is expected to see the Delaware go several feet over flood stage. Stay safe.

While I'm stuck inside as the hurricane passes through (yes, I still have power), I thought I'd bring a guest to the Passion Sense Blog. Author Tina Gallagher. She's a member of Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers and also an author with the with the Wild Rose Press. She just had another book released with them-- Misguided. And I hear it’s a steamy read.

-Tell us a little about the book and where did you get the idea to write this story.

In Misguided, after they have a vacation fling, a high school sex-ed guidance counselor and a single father are forced to face each other in real life.

Having been the honor roll student, good girl in high school, but also pregnant at sixteen, Cassie Finnerty knows what can happen if teens aren’t educated about safe sex. Her job is to counsel the students, answer their questions, and hand out condoms when requested.

Jake Lucas is a divorced, single father raising his almost sixteen-year-old daughter. When the contents of his daughter’s purse spill and condoms tumble out, he freaks out. After interrogating her, he finds out she got the condoms at school, so he goes to confront the person who gave them to her—and gets the surprise of his life.

I got the idea to write this story after reading an online article on a small town that was outraged that the school district hired a sex-ed guidance counselor. My imagination went into overdrive and I started asking, “what if this happened?” and “what if that happened?” and Misguided was born. At least the idea for it was…the actual book took about 9 months to write. J

Misguided is available at www.thewildrosepress.com.

- What is your writing schedule like?

I work full-time and have two kids so I don’t really have a schedule. I pretty much do it whenever I get the chance. I try to grab snippets of time throughout the day to do something, but for the most part, most of my writing gets done between midnight and whenever I can’t keep my eyes open anymore.

- How did you get started writing novels?

When I was younger, my friend and I used to write what is now called fan fiction about our favorite soap opera couple. After that, I started writing short stories and continued to do so into adulthood. One day, I decided to start a novel, just to see if I could finish one. Turns out, I could.

- What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Join a writers’ group and attend as many workshops and conferences as you can. Surround yourself with people who know how to write and are willing to help you learn the craft.

- Are you seat of the pants writer or plotter?

I tend to write by the seat of my pants. I get a basic idea and do a haphazard outline the just sit and write.

- If you could turn any of your books into a movie which book or series would it be?

I’ve had readers suggest that I should turn my first book, …And There Are Girls You Marry, into a television movie. When I get a free minute, I may actually pursue the idea and learn how to write a script.

- Are you a morning or night person?

I am definitely a nigh person. If I didn’t have to be at work at 7:00am, I would stay up all night and write.

- What’s next?

Right now, I’m working on a book called, Pure Sex. I got the idea for this one while watching Talk Sex with Sue Johanson. My mind started spinning with “what ifs”. What if the host of the show was a cute, 30-yr-old? What if she fell into the job just out of college? How would that affect her life…especially her dating life? In Pure Sex, I made the hero a minister just to add a little more conflict.

I’m also collaborating on what will eventually be a series of books with my friend, Diane Sismour. This is the first time either one of us have written a book with anyone so we’re just making it up as we’re going along.

- For fun. What is your favorite kind of chocolate or chocolate dessert? (I love chocolate covered cherries)

My friend, Diane Sismour, got me hooked on Lindt Chili Chocolate. I absolutely love it. It’s dark chocolate with a little red chili pepper to add a bit of a kick.

My website is: www.tina-gallagher.com – links to my blog, twitter, and FB are on there.

MISGUIDED by Tina Gallagher
Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 978-1601549204

Blurb:

After a vacation fling, a high school sex ed guidance counselor and a single father are forced to face each other in real life.

Having been the honor roll student, good girl in high school who got pregnant at sixteen, Cassie Finnerty knows what can happen if teens aren’t educated about safe sex. Her job is to counsel the students, answer their questions, and hand out condoms when requested.

Jake Lucas is a divorced, single father raising his almost sixteen-year-old daughter. When the contents of his daughter’s purse spill and condoms tumble out, he freaks out. After interrogating his daughter, he finds out she got the condoms at school, so he goes to confront the person who gave them to her and gets the surprise of his life.

Excerpt: She took it and he followed every stroke of the towel as she dried her voluptuous body.

Her movements were quick and efficient, but as she ran the soft terrycloth over her breasts, Luke had to look away before he embarrassed himself. Sporting a woody in swim trunks was not the way to win over a woman.

Whoa! Luke shook his head wondering where that thought had come from. Win her over? He just met her. And he’d learned his lesson a long time ago. No sex was casual…it always held some sort of repercussion. Whether it resulted in a broken heart, the morning after blues, or a child, it got you one way or another.

Cassie wrapped the towel around her body and tucked the end in, securing the thick terrycloth around her chest. Although she was more covered than she had been a moment before, her breasts seemed to be on display, and Luke had always considered himself a breast man. She settled into the lounge chair beside his and surveyed the beach.

“Do you happen to know where Aly went?” she asked.

It took Luke a moment to shift his mind from her breasts to her question.

“She and Jay went snorkeling.” Her expression crumbled at his words. “She said she’d meet up with you for dinner.”

If the look on her face was anything to go by, she didn’t believe that any more than he did. He didn’t know this woman, didn’t want to get involved with her, so what devil prodded his next words was a mystery.

“So I guess it’s just you and me.”

Crystal Power

2011-08-20T07:41:00.001-04:00

Research. Yes, a paranormal erotic romance author does research, lots of it. Recently, while working on my Demons in Exile series I had to do some more research on the properties of crystals. More specifically, how I can apply science, metaphysics and a little imagination to use crystals as a power source in Anartia, my alternative universe. I already use crystals in these stories for a power source but in the third book I needed to take it up a step.

The tentative title for the third book is Embrace the Damned. But as titles go, that can always change. The first book is Desert of the Damned and the second, Damned and Desired. For readers anxiously waiting for the third book, it’s almost completed (I have to torture my critique partners first) and yes, Dante is in it.

Crystals have been used since ancient times and can be found in folklore. Traditionally gemstones have been associated with the zodiac or the months of the year—birthstones. The great pyramids of Egypt are said to be built from cosmically charged cornerstone crystals. Theories about Atlantis mention the extensive use of crystals for dematerialization, teleportation, telekinesis, creating force fields and many other things.

Crystals and the New Age:

Crystal work much the same as lasers do. It takes scattered rays of energy and focuses the field in a single direction so tremendous force is generated. Crystals have the ability to amplify and absorb energies. Harnessing crystal energy is common in Metaphysics. Crystals are tools for the New Age practitioner. Crystals are used in healing, cleansing, during meditation, to absorb negative energies and entities and to align the body’s energy centers (chakras). Since crystals are thought to have a close affinity to earth, they are used to help ground people, or have a calming effect. Others not attuned to New Age beliefs may feel this is mind over matter or wishful thinking.

Crystals in Science and Technology:

Crystals have many scientific applications. They are used in acousto-optic devices, radio frequency drivers, optical scanners, wavelength filtering, lithium niobate wafers, optical circuit, etc. Quartz crystals resonators are used for precise frequency control. Crystals are used in watches, clocks, radios, computers and cellphones.

Optical Laser Crystal

Quartz crystals are extremely stable with time, temperature and other environmental changes. What better matter to use in my story for a miniature universe that travels through dimensions? Imagine the quartz crystal in your watch on mega steroids.

Lithium Niobate crystal discs-capable of remembering an applied electric field, also sound.

Parallel resonance can occur by adding load capacitance to the crystal in series, resulting in a positive frequency shift…ah, nevermind. One rule for research for novels: Don’t add too much detail.

So when you read Embrace the Damned in its final chapters, you might remember the research I did for my alternative universe.

In the New:

*On Cave Chaos, Ellora’s Cave talk radio, Jaid Black and Lisa Marie Gray had another wild and hot hour this week. http://newdissidentradio.com/cave_chaos.html Check out the archived August 15^th recording. Jaid Black and Susan Edwards plugs Damned and Desired and have a few nice words about my writing. Thank you ladies!! Great hour and talk about Psuedo – rape fantasies in fiction.

*If you like sexy demons and shapeshifters, Damned andDesired was up this week as a Value From the Vault for $.99

Do you wear crystal pendants? Do you think crystals have power or energy?

Doomsday Entertainment

2011-08-09T20:42:00.000-04:00

Dystopian, Apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic fiction is the hot trend in movies, television and novels. The August Romance Writers Report had an interesting article on the subject too.

Dystopian societies usually show repressed social control systems where its people exist under various levels of passive or active coercion. Their lives are oppressed by those in charge.

Apocalyptic fiction has to do with the end of civilization due to catastrophe such as war, pandemic, alien invasion, asteroid-type collision, take over by artificial intelligence (computers), natural disaster, resource depletion, etc.

Post-apocalyptic fiction is set in a world after such a disaster.

(The City of Ember)

These types of Movies have been around for a long time though. Remember War of the Worlds, On the Beach, Mad Max Cherry 2000? There are lots more. More recent: The Road, Independence Day, Armageddon, 2012. Can you name any others, new or old ones?

On Television. I don’t watch much TV, so maybe you all can help me. But the RWR mentioned: The Walking Dead, Jeriko & Supernatural- the 4 Horseman storyline. I have watched a bit of Falling Skies. I think that fits into apocalyptic. Anyone watch the season finale and believe Tom (Noah Wyle) would really walk into the alien spacecraft? Like he’d trust the aliens not to call his son back anyway? And not put that harness on him? Comes under the TSTL category for me. But I still like the show.

Books. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, The Running Man by Richard Bachman aka Stephen King, The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, Joss Ware-Envy Chronicles, Jessica Andersen-Nightkeeper series, Ellen Connor-Dark Age Dawning series, Jordan Summers-Dead World series.

Why? Why is doom and gloom, death and destruction, a world on the brink of collapse entertaining?

There might be several reasons. We like to root for the underdog. We want to see how everyday people, like us, survive when faced with insurmountable obstacles, against all odds. We admire courageous people. Maybe this type of entertainment gives us hope in a warped way. While we’re losing jobs, we see the economy getting worse not better, and watch our retirement saving dwindle to the size of a third-grader’s piggybank, we watch or read post-apocalyptic stories and suddenly our troubles don’t seem quite so bad.
If you’ve ever lived through a real disaster-- a natural one like a tornado, hurricane, flood or fire, or man-made—a war or act of terrorism, then you’ve experienced a mini-apocalypse.

People react differently in these situations when their everyday life gets turned upside down, thrown into a blender and pressed to liquefy. I’ve never been in a war but I have lived through Hurricane Andrew within the evacuation zone. I’ve seen the extreme good and bad in people—hospital personnel, police and firemen leave their families to work within evacuation zones for 35 plus hours without sleep to help patients and elderly people who had no place to go. Looting, fights at the gas stations when gas wouldn’t pump (no power). I heard horrific stories (that never made the news) from police officers and National Guard.
We all saw the terrible disaster in Japan. Imagine this type of devastation world-wide. How would people react? That’s apocalypse.

Even in these horrors, or in the worse possible scenario—a world-wide catastrophe, I have faith in human nature. There will always be bad and evil in the world. But the instinct to survive, the desire for companionship and to love is too strong and universal for us not to overcome something this horrible. We watch these movies and read these books to remind ourselves that we’re a lot tougher than we think. What do you think?

Something Wicked is Coming This Way

2011-08-05T21:24:00.001-04:00

I’m so thrilled that my story The Tattoo Witch was selected to be in the anthology SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, Volume One. Also included in Volume One are USA Today Bestselling author and founder of Ellora’s Cave Jaid Black, and other amazingly HOT EC authors Laurann Dohner, Mel Teshco, Desiree Holt and Eliza Knight. When I heard the call for stories for this anthology, I knew I had to come up with a story, and fast. I’m a huge fan of Ray Bradbury and SWTWC is one of my favorite books. Of course, Bradbury took that line from Shakespeare, but I always think of Bradbury first.

With the deadline for this anthology series just weeks away, I sat on my porch with a glass of wine, a notebook and dh. Dh helped me brainstormed some ideas. I ran through some of my favorite Bradbury stories, searching for inspiration, and I remembered The Illustrated Man. A man covered in tattoos and tormented by them. Hmmm, tattoos are a popular thing now. SWTWC is about an evil carnival. How could I make the two sexy and add an interesting twist? What if a witch gave out magical tattoos? These tattoos could make you more desirable, virile, sexually adventurous, grant any wish pertaining to a sexual nature. BUT these tattoos are dark magic and each one came with a curse. With each additional tattoo, the person’s love life got hotter and hotter, but the curses got nastier. Then where would it all end?

I have to also thank my friend Terri Prizzi who is awesome at brainstorming. She gave me some fabulous ideas for the nasty curses. Thanks Terri!!

This is the premise for The Tattoo Witch. Release date might be fall 2011. I'll keep you posted.

MORE GOOD NEWS

Emerald Dungeon, my novella from the 1-800-Dom-help series was selected to be in an anthology with three other authors from that series. The anthology title is: DIAL B FOR BONDAGE. Super Hot erotic authors included are: Delilah Devlin, Francesca Hawley, Samantha Cayto and me. Release date is expected around Romanticon 2011—end of September.

Two awesome anthologies coming up filled with tales by some of the best and hottest writers in the genre. I’m so excited to be included with them.

Ellora's Cave Chaos-Live Talk Radio

2011-07-31T11:41:00.000-04:00

Naughty, hilarious, taboo, behind-the-scenes, sexy, etc,. etc...Are you curious yet???

On August 1, founder and Chief Strategic Officer Jaid Black will launch Cave Chaos, a hilarious, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the inner workings of Ellora's Cave. The weekly, hour-long, live talk radio show airs every Monday from 4 to 5pm Eastern Time (1-2pm Pacific Time) on New Dissident Radio. The first show airs August 1, and you can participate! Keep reading to find out how.

The shows are anchored by blatantly and unapologetically in-your-face hosts Jaid Black (@JaidBlack) and Lisa Marie Gray (@ECBadGirl) and will cover every taboo topic under the sun as it relates to the female sexual experience. If the subject matter is politically incorrect and considered off-limits, Black and Gray are all over it.

Jaid Black

Each show will have several segments. Here's what's planned so far:

1.       Only in Ohio: Black and Gray's unique take on the wacky and down-home things that happen only in our little corner of the Midwest.
2.        Cave News: Updates on new releases, sales, gossip, and everything else you were dying to know about Ellora's Cave.

Lisa Marie Gray

3.         Weekly Feature (Here's where you come in): Each week, Black and Gray will invite callers to discuss a topic. Topic for our first show on August 1 is Embarrassing Masturbation Stories. To participate in the discussion, call 234-200-3977
4.        Me Myself & I: Our She-E-O's monthly review of sex toys. First show features the eponymous Squeal Wheel.

Monday afternoons: 4-5pm EST. Click Here: New Dessident Radio

*Quick Reminder: I'll be attending Romanticon this year. Taking a road trip with EC author Cris Anson. I'll be participating in a workshop with the 1-800-DOM-help series authors titled: BDSM Top to Bottom and signing copies of my books. See you there!!

Hot Sci fi and Pirates: Interview with Christine d'Abo

2011-07-25T03:00:00.006-04:00

I'd like to welcome author Christine d’Abo to the Passion Sense blog for an interview today. She’s talking about her new release that came out July 6^that Ellora's Cave
No Master.

Hi Kathy! Thank you so much for letting me chat with you.

-Tell us a little about the book and where did you get the idea to write this story.

I’ve been writing seriously for six years now and I’ve been published for four. Many of my ideas come from me having an image pop up into my head. At that point I’m already asking myself, what if…and the next thing I know, I have a story!

I wish I could say I’m mercenary about my ideas or have a master plan when it comes to my series. I don’t typically. Typically, I create a universe in my head and then wonder about the type of people who populate it. That is how my Eurus colony came about (Eternal Bond series) and why I’m now writing about space pirates (Bounty series).

My newest book, No Master is book three in the Bounty series. I wanted to explore the type of person who would lead a group of cut throat pirates in space. The Admiral of the Black quickly morphed into Korbin and he had a lot of trust issues. A fun but challenging character to work with.

- How did you get started writing novels?

I’m one of those crazy people who have always written. It wasn’t until I was home on maternity leave with my second daughter that I started writing seriously. Basically, I was looking for a way to save my sanity.

I began by writing a historical romance. It was terrible. I learned a lot though and at least knew I was able to finish a novel. I may a few more attempts at different romance sub-genres until I started The Bond That Ties Us. Sci-fi romance is my favorite thing to write.

- Are you seat of the pants writer or plotter?

I am a total pantser. I tried to plot a few times, but find once I’m done plotting, I no longer want to write the book. For me, half the fun is figuring things out as I go.

- If you could turn any of your books into a movie which book or series would it be?

Hands down, I’d pick The Bonds That Ties Us. I really love the world I’d created there and to have a chance to see it on the big screen (little screen, Internet thing…) would be amazing.

- Which actor screams SEXY to you?

Oh, this is a hard one. I have a type you see. Usually tall, black or dark brown hair and blue eyes. So many actors fall into that category and yet, I know not everyone thinks the same as I do. I’m more than a little in lust with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Supernatural, The Losers), Michael Fassbender (X-Men First Class, Jane Eyre), Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood). That said, Gerard Butler is at the top of my Want to Shag list. J

- Do you write full time or work outside of the home?

I have a day job and yet I do manage to get in 10-15 hours of writing in a week. I get up early, write on my lunch hours, stay up late, pretty much anything to get some writing time in.

- How do you balance writing for more than one publisher?

I’m still learning how to do this! This spring I had to learn how to negotiate with multiple editors from different houses on deadlines. Being up front with them, letting them know what’s going on, and finding out about wiggle room was critical. It certainly left me with no time to procrastinate.

- Are you an outgoing person?

LOL Yes. Sometimes I’m a bit too outgoing. I’ll talk your ear off and not even bat an eyelash. I’m also slightly hyper and tend to bounce around. Standing still isn’t something I do.

-Do you write a novel straight through? Or revise as you go? Plan a whole series in advance? Or does the series evolve?

I tend to write a novel straight through. I learned early on that I can’t revise as I go, or else I never get the damn thing finished. I don’t tend to plan my series either. I generally introduce characters as supporting cast and then want to learn more about them. I suddenly have a series on my hands.

- Do you use Beta readers?

I have a group of amazing women who I work with before my stories ever reach an editor. Typically, I only send my critique partners my final draft, but on occasion I do use them for “sanity” checks. Normally, it only takes them asking me a few questions for me to realize what’s wrong. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.

If anyone is interested in learning more about me or my books, please visit me at my website www.christinedabo.com or come say hi over at Twitter (Christine_dAbo).

No Master

By Christine d’Abo

Blurb:

Book 3 in the Bounty series.

No man in the galaxy inspires more fear than Korbin, the Admiral of the Black. His life as leader of the pirates leaves little room for trust, so when Korbin’s second in command disappears without a trace, he suspects the worst.

Zain Strand has left his life as a sex slave behind and risen within the pirate ranks. But he’ll abandon it all to rescue an old friend from recapture by the slavers--even if that means a suicidal confrontation with his old master. He doesn’t expect Korbin’s arrival, doesn’t want Korbin’s help...but Korbin gives Zain no choice.

Posing as Master and slave to infiltrate a slave auction, Korbin and Zain embark on a journey of lust that rapidly reveals their deeper feelings. When Zain’s old master discovers their ruse, Korbin must do everything in his power to save both their lives and their newfound love.

Naughty Secrets

2011-07-22T03:00:00.017-04:00

Nothing is more intriguing than a naughty secret and it looks like Allie Standifer will be revealing a few HOT ones in her new release from Ellora's Cave: NAUGHTY NATURE It's part of the 1-800-DOM-help author series. Check out the blurb and excerpt. I'm sure you'll agree this book is one you'll want to read.

NAUGHTY NATURE
Release Date July 22
Ellora's Cave
ISBN: 9781419935190

BLURB:

Aria’s always had a secret need to give up her normally tight control, but she’d never dared to act on it. Until one night a mysterious card with 1-800-DOM-help appears in a very personal place. For the first time in her life Aria’s taking a chance on fate and the promise of a stranger to discover her every veiled desire.

ER doctor Mac Hudson has always known who he is and what he wants. Now he’s looking for a sub to explore all the erotic cravings and fantasies he wants to share. One hidden glimpse of Aria and Mac’s ready to claim the petite sub in every way he can.

A single night of passion is all she expected, but with her handsome Dom she got so much extra. Now Mac’s asking for more and Aria doesn’t know if her naughty nature is up to handling a dominant alpha male for more than a single encounter.

EXCERPT:

Chapter One

The expensive, elegant yet unadorned card felt heavy between the smooth skin of her fingers. Aria knew it was only her imagination and anticipation giving it more importance than the business card deserved.

1800-DOM-help

The who, how and why remained unanswered. Aria knew the where. Right smack dab in the middle of her personal tool box, under her bed. Normally something appearing out of nowhere would freak her out, sending her running for the nearest police department, but interest kept her feet firmly planted in her apartment.

Should she? Shouldn’t she? Nice girls didn’t want to be dominated, did they? Good girls never fantasized about being taken in the ass, right? A normal woman wouldn’t want to submit to a man, give him complete control over her body? Let him pleasure her anyway he wanted?

Shit! Why was this so hard for her? At thirty-four Aria Dunson knew her mind and lived a generally guilt-free existence. But something about this card made her yearn for all the wicked dreams to turn into reality. To let the fantasies that only lived in her mind out to become actuality.

“Screw it,” she muttered and picked up her phone with slightly shaking fingers punched in the number.

“Thank you for calling 1-800-DOM-help. This is the Operator. How many I be of assistance?”

The male voice that floated over the line was smooth and smoky, with just the right touch of sexual innuendo.

“Hello?” The Operator asked when she didn’t say anything.

“Um…hi.”

“Hi, back. May I help you with something?” Amusement rang his sexy voice.

Right, she almost smacked her head with the cell phone. “Yes, I received your card and wanted to get a little more information.”

There that sounded a little better and more like her normal take-charge self.

“Ahh, I see. Are you interested in the role of a Domme or a submissive?”

“Oh no… I mean...crap…umm… Dominated. Submissive. Or at least I think so. You see I’m not too sure, but I do know I’m not calling any man master or licking feet. Oh and I have no desire to eat dinner off the floor in a bowl marked Fido and I don’t share well so there’s no chance I’d want to be passed around like a large party tray.” She babbled nervously, thinking of all the bondage sites she’d looked over, late at night with a glass of wine in hand.

The Operator’s husky chuckle caused things to tingle low in her stomach. “I’m here to ensure you make a wise decision, Ms….”

Check out Allie's books here

Bright Lights & Romance in the City

2011-07-14T21:32:00.000-04:00

I’m still trying to catch up after returning from the 2011 RWA Conference in NY City (June 28-July 1). You can’t help but feel the adrenalin rush when surrounded by at least 2,000 romance writers, editors, agents and other professionals. As much as I wanted to sightsee, I didn’t want to pass up the workshops, signings and keynotes. I do plan to come back to see a show and check out some of the tourists spots shown on a guide map Carina Press and Smart Bitches provided. Museum of Sex? How did I miss that? (5^th Ave. at 27^th Street.) Darn.

Don’t you love the view from our room? (photo at the top of post) I roomed with romantic suspense author, Autumn Jordon. She was brave and drove us into the city. After we arrived on Tuesday, I took a preconference session on screenwriting and social networking, by Bill Pace, Jeanne Bowerman and Kim Garland. Great workshop.

The book signing started at 5:30 and I sat next to Kieran Kramer, a Rita finalist and a sweet lady. And also Joyce Lamb, a paranormal romantic suspense author from Berkley. I was telling Joyce about my book Damned and Desired and told her it had a shapeshifter coyote and hawk. Somehow with all the noise in the room she heard wolf and dolphin! She said she couldn’t figure how I worked in the dolphin in the desert. “Dolphin?” I exclaimed. “There are no dolphins in my books.” I nearly fell off my chair laughing. We’re still chuckling over it, and I imagine we’ll remember this signing for years. I’m reading her book True Vision. Awesome read! Paranormal suspense. Drop everything and go buy it, really it’s great.

At times the conference seemed more like running a marathon. Between workshops, appointments, the goody room, luncheons, and book signings, I’d grab a banana, a yogurt or a cup of coffee at Starbuck, and charge off to the next event. The keynotes were wonderful as always. I’m not an emotional type person but I think every time I hear Sherrilyn Kenyon speak, I get weepy. Inspirational? Yes, definitely. After listening to her speak, it’s hard to whine about the writing life.

(Times Square, NYC)

Ellora’sCave gave their authors a lovely breakfast one morning with a nice gift. A really awesome treat. You don’t want to know how expensive breakfast is in NYC. The city does have some fabulous restaurants in the area. Down a street called Restaurant Row the Liberty StateFiction Writers met at Becca’s, an amazing Italian restaurant. I also ate at Junior’s across the street and swear I could’ve made a meal out of their cheesecake but only had ONE spoonful to taste. Honest.

One highlight was the FF&P Chapter’s Gathering for the PRIZM Awards. I was up for the novella category. I received third place and I’m very proud, especially when you consider the company: NYT Best Seller Pamela Palmer placed 1^st and Sci fi author and Nebula Award finalist J. Kathleen Cheney placed 2^nd. A big kudo for me. I also got to see a friend of mine Maria V. Snyder. She’ll be going on a month-long book signing tour in Australia and New Zealand. Yay, Maria!

(Daisy Harris, Kathy and Louisa Bacio)

My other big highlight was Friday night when I read from my book Emerald Dungeon at the Happy Ending Lounge in Chinatown. This reading was part of an event called Ravenous Nights and sponsored by Lori Perkins. Three other erotic romance authors read from their books too. Louisa Bacio, Daisy Harris, and Gwen Masters. (See photo, sorry we didn’t get Gwen too) I’m so glad my friend, author Mitzi Flyte (aka MacieCarter) came with. We tried getting a cab for all five of us. Louisa had her hubby and Gwen rode in separate. But they didn’t have any SUV cabs left. The only way to ride together would be to take a limo, the attendant said. At that time of night on a Friday, two cabs wouldn’t have been that much cheaper. Louisa’s dh offered to get the limo if we paid the tip. Worked for us.

(me getting into the limo for Ravenous Nights)

The traffic was horrific and we were running a tad late. Louisa sent a text to Lori Perkins: THREE AUTHORS, ONE LIMO, ALMOST THERE. The Happy Endings Lounge was an interesting venue: Red velvet walls, tables and black vinyl seats among dim lighting. It used to be an erotic massage parlor so you can figure out where they got the name “Happy Ending”. Everyone did a fabulous job reading and we gave out door prizes. We had an audience of about twenty. Afterward, we walked to a Chinese restaurant a few blocks away and the food was fantastic. Very fun night. And Lori Perkins and Debra Hyde were great hosts.

It was an amazing conference. I managed to do some networking, made new friends and even got writing done. Sleep? Well, not much. If you talk to author KeriStevens, ask her about the cute outfit she wore at the Carina Press party.

Now, I can’t wait for the RWA conference recordings so I can listen to all the workshops I missed. Back to work. Yay!! Sorry, I didn’t have many photos. I was so busy I forgot. I promise, promise to take lots at Romanticon. With all those Cavemen, I’ll have to take lots. (Sept. 29- Oct.2)