Divas of Desire

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Big #Sale on Three #Erotic #Romances by @nonaraines!

Hi all! I'm happy to announce that my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, is making all three of my books in The Man Series available to readers at deep discounted prices! All this weekend each title is available for 99 cents at The Wild Rose Press. They are also available at this price for the next two weeks at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. At AllRomance ebooks and Bookstrand, each title is 50% off.

Let me share a bit about each of the books:

One Good Man


Just one touch...that’s all Andie Benedetto wants when she glimpses her father’s sexy neighbor. Images of deep, long kisses and down and dirty sex heat up her fantasies. When he catches her watching him, she’s embarrassed but undeniably turned on.

Just one weekend...that’s all Matthew Vostek can offer Andie. He recognizes her shyness, but also senses her desire, the same desire he feels. Maybe they can fulfill each other’s hottest fantasies.

Just an adventure...that’s what Andie tells herself. Tired of playing the good girl, she’s ready to accept Matthew’s challenge and enjoy the most exciting sexual escapade of her life. But when the weekend is over, will Andie finally take what she wants instead of settling for second best?
Available at:
Take This Man


The biggest mistake of Elyse Zemanski's life was falling in love with Adam. When a night of sexual fantasy went too far, she was crushed and couldn't leave town fast enough.

The biggest mistake of Adam Vostek's life was letting Elyse go. He'd been afraid of the love she promised and pushed her away—into another man's arms...and bed.

When Elyse returns to Summit to help a friend, Adam wants a second chance to prove he’s worthy—in and out of the bedroom. She claims she's over him, but one look from those smoldering dark eyes, and she throws caution to the wind. Elyse offers him seven days of wild sex, hoping to get him out of her system. Adam's good to go on the sex. But will a week be enough to win back Elyse's love and trust?
Available at:

Her Perfect Man

Kim Hansen has terrible luck with men. When her sexy downstairs neighbor shows a more-than-neighborly interest in her, she's suspicious. She's been burned too many times, by too many guys. Steamy sex is one thing, but Charlie Keller is smart, hot and successful—so what could he want with her besides a few nights of pleasure?

Though Kim does her best to shut him down, Charlie's not put off by her attitude. He doesn't scare easy. Kim thinks she's clever, using sex to maintain an emotional distance and to keep him off guard. But Charlie sees through her tough exterior to the tender heart beneath.

But Kim needs to be won over. Sure, their bedroom action is awesome, but given her past mistakes, she's convinced Charlie is too good to be true. Just too perfect. But if Charlie has his way, he'll prove that he's the perfect man for her.

Available at:


If you haven't read these books yet, now's the perfect time to purchase some sexy romances for your new Christmas ereader. Hope you enjoy!

Have a super Saturday, everyone!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com





Thursday, December 27, 2012

Going Balls to the Wall with @taralain, #author of #erotic #romance!


We're thrilled here at the Divas of Desire to have Tara Lain with us today. She's an award-winning author of MM, ménage, and most recently MF romance. Her most recent release is Snow Balls, part of the Balls to the Wall series from Etopia Press. She's also published with Loose Id. Thanks so much for joining us, Tara, and for letting me ask you five nosy questions. Let's get started!

             1.    Most of your titles are male/male romance. What about that particular genre appeals to you?  
              
      There are very few gender roles in MM romance. All the expectations we place on women in love aren’t present. So for both a writer and a reader, MM gives lots of unexpected combinations. I write tiny, flamboyant men who are tough alphas at heart, and big, football players who are more queen than quarterback. I love mixing it up. Plus, men in love have fewer societal expectations--marriage, family, etc--so that too can be inventive. And because there is no female character with which women feel they must identify, readers like me can choose which of the men they want to relate to. I also love crawling into the minds and hearts of men. They’re just as sappy and sentimental when they’re in love as women are and I love expressing that from a male POV. Of course, gay men still bear huge burdens of discrimination in our society and that provides a source of conflict in a book even if that discrimination isn’t the subject. Sigh. I love men. Two is better!  LOL

      2.    I never thought about how writing romance featuring two men could enhance one's freedom as an author. That's fascinating. You also recently took the plunge into m/f sensual romance and self-publishing with your holiday release Be Bad, For Goodness Sake. Have you any words of wisdom for authors considering self-publishing?

      I purposefully self-published that book so I could get the experience. I’m not at all technical and I would never trust myself as an editor of my own work, so I called in the experts. I hired a freelance editor, a cover artist, a proofer and a formatter who prepared the documents for Amazon and Smashwords and guided me through the uploading process. I don’t think people should do all that themselves no matter how good they are at editing. You need an outside viewpoint to create a good book. I guess you could do it with an excellent critique group. But seriously, these experts don’t cost a lot. So find good people to help. With that said, I think self-publishing is great for established authors who want to take control of their backlists or for authors who are really willing to work at their craft and put out professional quality regularly. I fully appreciate all the hard work my publishers put into my books and I plan on staying with traditional publishing, at least for the short term.


      3.    You've certainly put a great deal of work and thought into it. You've had a career as a nonfiction writer and you've fed your creative side as an author of erotic romance. But you're also a painter [several of Tara's paintings appear at her website]. How long have you been painting and does that type of creativity differ from writing? 

      I started painting and doing mixed media collage only about eight or nine years ago. I’ve always been a writer, but never thought I would have any proclivity for visual arts. One day I just decided I wanted to try it and found some great teachers. I love painting though I don’t have great skill and started rather late to acquire it. My real love is mixed media collage. I adore the free-form, “can’t make a mistake” quality of it. It’s a very non-judgmental art!  LOL. Extremely left brain. I don’t have a lot of time for it since my writing career heated up, but I still make presents for friends.  


4.     A black cat named Aloysius figures prominently in your paranormal romances Spell Cat and Brush With Catastrophe. Do you have any animals in your own life? 

      I am a cat adorer. I grew up with cats but I don’t have one these days. My husband is allergic to cats. So instead I have a very catlike dog. I have a papillon named Jolie. Papillons are the only toy breed of dogs on the list of the top ten smartest dog breeds. You’ve got border collies, Dobermans, German shepherds and this itty bitty furperson. She weighs 9 pounds. She is very finicky about food, washes her face with her paws -- very catlike. I actually love animals. I’m enjoying creating my Aloysius in the paranormal series and my next new series will feature animals as well. I’m already starting to plot the first book in my head.


      5.    She's adorable! I had no idea Papillons were so smart. It's been so much fun talking with you, Tara. Before we finish up,  would you like to share any information on current or future releases with us? We're all ears! 

      My next book after my current release, Snow Balls, will be Hearts and Flour. It comes out Feb 1st for Valentine’s Day and tells the story of a passionate raw food fanatic who falls in love with a cupcake baker. BTW, it has a great cat in it. I’m currently writing a MM family and wedding drama, and then, of course, there is another Aloysius tale in the offing. And it will be fun! Plus two more Balls books at least -- also fun. And the new series. Oh my, so many books, so little time!

Thank you so much for inviting me! It’s been a treat to be here. : )

Excerpt:  SNOW BALLS by Tara Lain; MM Romance -- The Cop and the Creampuff

Available December 7th from Amazon  ARe 

Big, handsome and hunky, JJ LaRousse looks like an alpha male but acts like an interior decorator. And he’s trying to be happy about it -- until a robbery at the famous Laguna Winter Fantasy brings JJ face-to-face with tough cop, Ryan Star. JJ hears Ryan likes guys who are manly men, so he drops his voice an octave, colors over his pink hair, and tries to pass as a football fan. Ryan Star may be tough but he hides in the closet at work since he learned in New York that being a gay cop can cost you your life. His attraction to that big, handsome kid threatens his anonymity, but he can’t seem to resist. JJ is just his type. But then JJ goes skiing and comes face to face with his greatest nemesis-- and all the secrets come out of the closet. Can Ryan love JJ for who he really is? More important, can JJ?

JJ turned to Ryan. “OK, why don’t you go off and have fun while I learn? No sense you wasting time here.”
Ryan shook his head and with every shake JJ’s stomach flipped. “No, I’d rather be with you.”
Well hell, how could he argue with a sweet rationale like that?
How hard can it be? How hard can it be? Following the instructor to the beginner’s area, JJ fell back into the litany. Three other people waited where they stopped. An older woman and two men who looked like they drove trucks. Very big trucks.
Their instructor who turned out to be named Bronson—seriously?—gathered them together. He spoke with an indeterminate accent that would have been great saying, “I’ll be back.” The woman introduced herself as Michele and proudly announced she was sixty-three. The two guys, Ron and Paul, turned out to be a stockbroker and an English teacher.
Bronson pointed at his boots. “Okey dokey, we’re going to fit our boots into the skis. Be sure you remove all snow from the boots before inserting.”
Instant problem. JJ stood on one foot and tried to wipe the snow, which threw him off balance and he had to put his foot down which introduced yet more snow. Damn, he felt like a leaning tower. Ryan stepped up beside him and provided a shoulder to lean on. JJ tried to smile. “Uh, thanks.” Jeez, he was such a klutz. Finally—last out of the group—he got his boots in his skis, locked them on, and stood up. His skis slid forward, his ass flew into the air, and he fell instantly to his butt with skis crossed. “Oh no!” He clutched his hands in the snow to keep from shaking them. This didn’t portend well.
Bronson walked over and looked down at him. “No problemo. You just leaned back too much. Keep that weight distributed and slightly forward. Okey dokey?”
JJ nodded, and Bronson offered an arm. OK, but what in the hell did you do with the skis when you’re trying to get up? After thirty seconds of pure slapstick comedy, JJ finally got the skis separated, his weight arranged, and made it to his feet. Heat flushed his cheeks. At least the cold could explain that.
God, who knew it would be so slippery?
Bronson stood at the center of their circle. “Now, plant your poles by your sides and slide your skis back and forth.”
JJ planted. He slid one ski, the other, back to the first. OK. Working. One more slide. He slipped, caught himself with the pole, and stayed upright. Yes. He glanced at Ryan who was following the directions too, with perfect balance and symmetry. Ryan gave JJ a smile.
Bronson held up a hand. “Good, everyone. Now, we’ll cover some ground. Put your hands through the pole straps.”
JJ did it but he felt wobbly. That must be normal.
“Now plant your left pole and slide your right ski forward.”
JJ followed direction.
“Now plant your right pole and slide your left ski.”
Wow. He did it. Maybe he could make it on those trails after all.
“Keep doing that, everyone. Good. See, you’re skiing.”
Cool. Yes, he was skiing. Left. Right. In front of him, a little dip in the snow curved downward. In his boots, it wouldn’t have been noticeable, but suddenly he was sliding. Sliding without trying. His arms came up like a helicopter, poles flying. Vaguely, he saw Michele duck as his skis flew out from under him. It felt like he actually rose in the air, suspended for a second, and slammed onto the snow on his ass. His head flew back and smacked hard, throwing ice up into his eyes. Ouch. Shit that hurt.
“JJ, are you OK?” Ryan sounded really worried. JJ must look bad. Damn. He’d like to cry. Probably not a wise decision.
He tried to smile. “I’m fine. Just clumsy.” He looked down and found one ski lying beside his leg and the other crossed over his thigh. What a mess. Dying sounded good. Or sinking into the snow.
Bronson stared down at him, hands on his hips. “Okey dokey. Let’s get organized.”

Find Tara here:

Website    Author blog       Book blog       Goodreads 

Savvy Authors     Twitter               Facebook           FB Page               

Amazon              B&N                      ARe        


What an awesome interview and excerpt, Tara! Thanks so much for joining us today.

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com



Saturday, December 22, 2012

Danica's Best Christmas Gift!

Whaahoo! Was offered a contract this morning for Book Five of The Men of Sanctuary series, ALOHA MAN. For those of you who have been waiting to dive into the tale of Kamaka, our Hawaiian hero, and Zachariah, his Navajo love interest, we're one step closer! Now it goes into edits.

Writing, writing, writing HER SPECIAL FORCES, working on Chapter Three. At this point, I think I have just as many words in my notes as I do for the manuscript. Yikes. Well, no one can accuse me of not doing my research.

If I don't get back to this before Tuesday, Happy Holidays to everyone!

Danica

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Fabulous Friday #Interview with Lisa Henry, Author of M/M #Erotic #Romance

Hello, all! I have an early Christmas present for everyone today in the form of an interview with multi-published author Lisa Henry! She writes male/male romances for Loose Id and Riptide Publishing and has kindly agreed to let me ask her five nosy questions. So let's get started!


1.    Your newest release, Dark Space, is a male/male romance that has a science fiction background. Are you a big fan of sci-fi books and movies, and if so, which are your favorites?


I’ve been a sci-fi fan since before I ever saw any — literally. When I was a kid living in Papua New Guinea, we didn’t have a TV. There were no TV stations there then. One day, the kids over the road came back from leave in Australia talking about this movie they’d seen called Star Wars, and we all got roped into playing it. I got to be Han Solo, which was a pretty big role for a five-year-old kid wearing nothing but underpants and a banana leaf on her head to keep off the rain. I think they gave it to me because I already had a Chewie — Oplika Spot, the dog from down the road who used to come and meet me every morning so we could go roaming. I remember when we moved back to Australia and I actually saw Star Wars, I was a bit confused. That’s not how we’d played it at all.

I do love sci-fi though. My most recent sci-fi love was probably the new Battlestar Galactica. All those hot guys in uniforms? Yes, please. Oh! And also Firefly! I like what I suppose you could call gritty low-tech sci-fi, where stuff breaks down, people get dirty, and if you injure yourself they don’t just fix you by running a light over you like in Star Trek. Star Trek was very clean, wasn’t it? I don’t think I’d fit in at all in that universe.

       2.    Oh my gosh! I can't help but chuckle at the image of you with a banana leaf on your head and your faithful Chewie at your side.  *Ahem.* Back to being serious. Your genres are very eclectic: you've written a sci-fi romance, one with a historical setting, another that's historical/fantasy and a contemporary with thriller overtones. Do you have a preference or do you just like to "mix it up"?

I have absolutely no preference at all! Each has its own unique challenges. I love history, but the downside to writing historical fiction is the sheer amount of research involved. With He Is Worthy, my Roman historical, it was fairly easy because I’ve loved Roman history forever, and already had a pretty solid background. But I’m working on something set in the American West in 1870 at the moment, and I went in almost totally blind — watching Deadwood doesn’t count. So I’m writing and researching at the same time, which has slowed down my pace a bit, but I’m learning a lot of fun facts about Wyoming!

Sci-fi and fantasy are great in that you get to build your own worlds from scratch. Contemporary is probably the easiest of all — unless, like me, you agree to set something in America, and then your poor co-author has to fix all your rookie mistakes. Like calling money “notes” instead of “bills”. American terminology will get me every time.

Wait…I was answering a question, right? I’ve got no real preference at all. I’ll come up with the character pairing first, and then look for a setting that fits. 

      3.   It's very interesting what you say about American terminology. I'm just as fascinated by things Australian.  But again I digress. One of your blog posts advises authors not to behave badly when they receive a bad review. Sooner or later, all of us writers have to deal with negative reviews. What do you do to soothe yourself after a bad review (if you've received any)?

I’ve received plenty! Ice cream helps. But I’ve also got a few really excellent reviews printed out, and those are good to refer to in times of “What the hell am I doing? I can’t write! I should just throw it in and go and find a steady job!” And then I remember that I already have a steady job, and I write to escape it. 

      4.   You live in a tropical part of Australia. We're big animal lovers here at The Divas of Desire. I know you've mentioned these on other blogs you've visited, but please, please tell us about the geckos and the possums and the frog that lives in your toilet!

Oh god. The possums. Don’t even get me started!

There are at least five possums. The first two I called Sid and Nancy, because of the screaming violent domestics they had in my ceiling. Evicting them was a nightmare. First, I got the hole in the roof fixed. Then I set up a complicated escape route for them from the manhole in the spare room, down a knotted sheet onto a ladder, then across a plank to the window, then out the window onto the bin. I put pieces of banana the whole way along the route to make it easy for them.

One of them figured it out the first night and was gone, but the second was in denial. I used to lie in bed at night listening to it scrabbling around where the hole in the roof used to be (right above my bed) and then screaming in frustration when it wasn’t there anymore. It took three days for it to finally figure out to go down the ladder.

After Sid and Nancy, I thought my possum problems were over. That was before Johnny Rotten stared breaking in through the shutters every night to steal bread and bananas. We finally reached a compromise. He won’t break in as long as I leave food outside for him. I tell myself it’s a compromise, but it’s not, is it? I’ve lost.

And then we have Siouxie and the Banshee. Here they are, in my bathroom. On what were supposed to be my clean towels. 





The thing I hate most about possums is that they’re so cute I can’t hold a grudge. I try though. I try.

Speaking of bathroom intruders, there is Fidel Bonaventure Jumping-Castle, the second. He is the green tree frog who swims in my toilet. He is the reason I always remember to turn the light on, even in the middle of the night. He’s okay, and doesn’t even struggle anymore when I relocate him to the windowsill.

I used to name all my geckos as well, but I have way too many for that. So they’re all called Gordon. There are at least five on my ceiling as I type this. I don’t mind the geckos. In the tropics it’s impossible to keep the bugs and mosquitoes out, so my geckos are in charge of eating as many insects as they can.

I also have three cats and a dog, not that you’d guess. One night I actually sat on the lounge and watched as a possum climbed in the window, wandered past the snoring dog, and gave one of the cats the evil eye as it headed for the kitchen bench.

“Aren’t you supposed to be predators?” I asked them, but they ignored me. They know a losing battle when they see it. 

      5.    Wow, I love hearing about the possums. Is the little one in the picture a baby? He looks like he's trying to climb into the big one's pouch.  I keep getting distracted from the questions I should be asking, lol. Is there anything you'd like to share with us regarding your current or future books? We want to hear all about it!

At the moment I’m co-writing with the fantastic J.A. Rock. The book is called The Good Boy, and we’ve just signed with Loose Id. Yay! Merry Christmas to us! It’s a BDSM m/m contemporary, about the son of a pair of Wall Street types who, when their Ponzi scheme is exposed, suddenly finds himself homeless, penniless, and alone. Which is only the start! I’ll let J.A. Rock do the blurb, because she’s better at it:

Introverted college student Lane Moredock, the son of white collar criminals, learns to trust again after he’s made the victim of a revenge plot by a former investor in his parents’ company.

I’m also working on the historical Western, but that’s very much a work-in-progress. As in, I progress a chapter, then I go back and rewrite it.

Meanwhile, there’s a Samoan-Australian police officer in my head who wants his story told. And the story of the kid he rescued eight years ago who has grown up into a very damaged young man. Do you risk a relationship with a guy like that, when you’re supposed to be his anchor? I think that one will definitely get written in 2013, because neither of those characters are letting me go at the moment. And let’s not forget that space opera that keeps teasing me. “They’d be like the Borgias,” the idea whispers to me, “but in space!
That’s the best thing about being a writer, isn’t it? Whatever story you can imagine, you get the chance to tell it. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that.

Thanks so much for having me, and happy holidays!

Happy holidays to you, too, Lisa! The Good Boy sounds like a fascinating book, and the theme is so timely! The  police officer story sounds awesome, too. And what's not to love about Borgias in space? 

This was so much fun. Thanks so much for being with us today and may you have much success with your current and upcoming releases! 

Lisa' s latest release, Dark Space, is available now from Loose Id, Amazon, and B&N


Blurb: Brady Garrett needs to go home. He’s a conscripted recruit on Defender Three, one of a network of stations designed to protect the Earth from alien attack. He's also angry, homesick, and afraid. If he doesn’t get home he’ll lose his family, but there’s no way back except in a body bag.

Cameron Rushton needs a heartbeat. Four years ago Cam was taken by the Faceless — the alien race that almost destroyed Earth. Now he’s back, and when the doctors make a mess of getting him out of stasis, Brady becomes his temporary human pacemaker. Except they’re sharing more than a heartbeat: they’re sharing thoughts, memories, and some very vivid dreams.

Not that Brady’s got time to worry about his growing attraction to another guy, especially the one guy in the universe who can read his mind. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just biochemistry and electrical impulses. It doesn’t change the truth: Brady’s alone in the universe.

Now the Faceless are coming and there’s nothing anyone can do. You can’t stop your nightmares. Cam says everyone will live, but Cam’s probably a traitor and a liar like the military thinks. But that’s okay. Guys like Brady don’t expect happy endings.

Lisa's bio:

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with a long-suffering partner, too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

You can find her blog here: http://www.lisahenryonline.blogspot.com



Have a wonderful weekend, all. I wish you a very happy holiday!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com







#Cover reveal

I'm so happy to share with you the gorgeous cover courtesy of Sizzling PR for my upcoming F/F Valentine's Day story. This is my first completed novella, so the story is shorter and sweet, but also very HOT. :-) In case you couldn't tell that from the cover.



Maya is a Gemini. She exhibits the classic Gemini traits: She is adaptable, affectionate, versatile, witty, intellectual, tense, cunning, and holds a deep-seated fear of commitment. Which means she's a perfect match for Aquarius Erica.

Erica, also true to her astrological sign is friendly, a humanitarian, honest, loyal, original, inventive, fiercely independent, intellectual, contrary, unpredictable, unemotional, and detached.  She hasn't found a satisfying relationship in ages, and is ready to give up on love, even though she runs a dating service.  

After a one night stand, fate keeps throwing them together. In the weeks leading up to February 14, Maya offers to help Erica plan the Queen of Hearts Matchmaking Valentine’s event, even though she doesn’t know much about dating women. Erica quickly realizes that even though Maya bolted after their first night, she may be the only hope Erica has to save her business.  

Astrology says they're compatible, but neither woman can be sure. 



Coming soon! 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Titillating Tuesday with Danica

I'm sure I'm stuck in a space-time continuum, which is the only explanation for why it's Tuesday again, and why Christmas is only a week away. It's just not possible!
 
Not a bad writing season's work, though. BOMBSHELL was released earler this year, BLADE DANCE is undergoing edits, ABOVE THE LAW is out and doing well, ALOHA MAN is on the way to the Submissions Editor, and our new novel, HER SPECIAL FORCES, is underway, by alter ego Sophia Roslyn.

Fellow Divas Nona and Rach have been blogging their little hearts out, guesting on other sites--I hope you've been following them!
 
Without further delay, my holiday revelers, enjoy a tiny titillating tease from the novella, BLADE DANCE:
 
Wallis leaned on the kitchen counter, elbows on the cool tile, mug of fresh, hot coffee cradled in her hands. She gazed through the multi-paned windows over the sink, enjoyed the color-drenched patch of relentless wildflowers that struggled for survival at the back edge of the lawn. Engrossed in her reverie, she yipped when a pair of strong arms grabbed her around the waist.

Austin nuzzled the back of her neck.

“Yuck, cowboy, I spilled my coffee. And your hair is still wet. You’re dripping on me.”

“Sorry, darlin’, I couldn’t bear to spend another single minute away from you.”

She twisted in his arms, kissed him. “That’s the best excuse I ever heard. You’re forgiven.”

He took her face in his big hands, returned her kiss with enthusiasm.

She leaned into him. “Mmm, baby, I missed you, missed you, missed you.” She inhaled, deeply. “And you smell so good.”

“Definitely better than I smelled before. I missed you, too. You left me alone with Gallows Boy. You know how cranky he can be, especially when he’s tired.”

“It wasn’t like I did it on purpose, y’know.” She tapped against the cast with her fingernails.

Austin snorted. “Like getting shot in the line of duty is a good enough excuse for leaving me with him.”

However, his interest in her closeness was immediately evident beneath the towel wrapped around his waist, as his erection tented the terry cloth.

Her eyebrow arched, then she smiled. “Wow, you did miss me.”

He pressed against her, and her body thrilled with the feel of his hard muscles and rigid sex.

“Wallis, darlin’, don’t keep me in suspense—panties or commando?”

Hmm. Guess, cowboy.”

Tormenting her, his hands crawled slowly up the sides of her body as he pulled the shirt over her head. He tossed it over the back of a kitchen chair. Naked, she stretched her arms over her head, her nipples perking without delay.

“Oh, yeah, baby. Commando is definitely the way to go. Shows how much you love me.”

With a broad grin, she leaned with her back against the counter, rested on her elbows. Her sensual pose gave him ample opportunity to caress her firm breasts, kiss, then suckle, her pebbled nipples.

“Wallis, baby, you taste so good. Are you ready for me, sweet thing? I mean, really ready for me?” The stiff state of his cock already proclaimed his state of readiness.

“Cowboy, I’ve been ready for you since the moment you guys pulled out of the driveway and left me to my own devices. I think you should be very nice to me, make up for lost time.” She pulled him close, kissed him deeply, then her tongue traced the tender skin that outlined his mouth. As she pulled his towel free, she was rewarded with a groan from deep in his throat.

“Honey, you know I’m always very nice to you. How are we going to manage this, with the cast and all. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Mmm. Follow my lead, Texas.”
 
* * * * *
Enjoy the Holidays!
Danica St. Como
 
 
 

Monday, December 17, 2012

Rach's Guest Blogs

Happy Monday everyone!

In honor of my release of Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce tomorrow (12-18-12), I am guest blogging on two erotic romance author blogs this week.

Wednesday (12-19-12), I'll be at Emma Lai's blog talking about my fall and winter favorites in her series, Fall Facts, Winter Wonders. I will also be giving away a FREE copy of Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce to one lucky commenter, so don't forget to stop by and let me know which season you prefer and why.

Thursday (12-20-12), I will be at Jessica Freely's blog, giving you a behind the scenes peek at my daily life! I'll be giving away a FREE copy of the book to a commenter on Jessica's blog too. So that TWO chances to win the holiday book to help you get ready for the holidays this year!



Hope to see you all there! 

~Rach 

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Fabulous Friday Spotlight on @Cassandra_Carr's New #BDSM #Romance Master Class!

Hi all! Today I'm thrilled to spotlight a brand new release by multi-published erotic romance author Cassandra Carr. Master Class was published just this week and has already garnered many great reviews. The book features a yummy twist on the theme of a newbie to BDSM. (And check out the gorgeous cover!)


MASTER CLASS by Cassandra Carr
Publisher: Loose Id
ePublish date: 12/11/2012
ISBN: 978-1-62300-068-4
Word count: 47,250

Genre: BDSM Contemporary



Ryan Tomasi feels like a failure. His marriage is officially over; the ink dried on the divorce decree. His friend Jack introduces him to BDSM and he agrees to attend a Halloween party at a club. A submissive approaches him, offering herself, and how can he refuse the kneeling beauty? They do a whirlwind scene and Ryan is addicted—both to dominance and to her.

Lisette Rinaldo is returning to the BDSM club for the first time since ending a bad relationship with her former master. She spots Ryan and is taken by the combination of self-assurance and nervousness the man displays as he takes in his surroundings. And after he gives her an incredible re-introduction to the lifestyle, she knows she needs to see the man again.

Ryan and Lisette explore each other and the lifestyle, but what started out as playtime quickly evolves into something more. The problem? Ryan isn’t ready to get serious again and Lisette doesn’t want to fall in love with a guy who can’t give all of himself to her. Both of them are going to have to break out of the bonds holding them back from happiness.

EXCERPT:

On Halloween night Ryan dressed in his costume and drove to the club. Jack and Callie were waiting just inside the doors, and when Jack saw him approach, he spoke to the bouncer, who waved Ryan through without a word. Jack was clad as Zorro, and Callie’s dress, if you could call it that, was liberally scored with slashes. It looked more like a bunch of black bandages than anything else, and Ryan wondered how long Jack would allow her to remain clothed. If he knew Jack—and he felt he did after playing with him several times and spending hours talking to him about BDSM and a whole host of other topics—not long.
He wasn’t sure what was appropriate to say to Callie, so he forced his gaze away from her and greeted Jack, who grinned.
“You can tell her she looks hot. It’s not like you’ve never seen her naked.”
Ryan smiled, relaxing. He pivoted back to her. “You look hot, Callie.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Shall we?”
Jack gestured toward the door at the end of the short hall, and Ryan could hear a bass beat pounding from the other side. He nodded, swallowing thickly. Ryan needn’t have worried, though. As soon as he stepped into the room and looked around, his nerves settled.
I’m home.
The people around him were engaged in all manner of things, but even a cursory glance at the various scenes playing out before him made him finally feel like he was normal. He wasn’t a freak for wanting sex and control like this, despite what his ex-wife had said when he’d suggested some pretty mild stuff to spice up their sex life.
“What do you think?” his friend shouted over the music.
“It’s fucking perfect.” Ryan couldn’t have kept that note of awe out of his voice even if he’d tried.
Jack laughed. “I figured you’d say that. I’ll give you a tour, but we need to do one thing first.”
“What’s that?”
“Lose the shirt. You’ll look way more Dom-ish without it.”
“Dom-ish?” Callie repeated with a chuckle.
“You behave before I decide to leash you,” Jack threatened. “Or maybe we can give Ryan here some more practice with that paddle you hate so much.”
She looked down. “Whatever would please you, Master.”
“Seeing your beautiful ass bright red and ready to be fucked would please me greatly, but we need to babysit Ryan for a bit longer before we can play.”
Ryan pulled off his shirt and stuffed it into his brand-new toy bag. Who would’ve thought a duffel bag he got at an academic conference would come in handy to hold the instruments of pain and pleasure he’d spent a small fortune on?
He followed Jack through the club as the other man pointed out the public play area, the theme rooms, and the staircase to the private rooms upstairs. Then they all went to the bar, which served no alcohol so as to keep the clubgoers sober for play, as Jack explained in answer to Ryan’s puzzled question. They procured soft drinks—drinks were included in the price of the membership—and found a comfy couch that was close enough to the public play area that Ryan had a good view of several scenes taking place. Jack and Ryan sat, and Callie settled on a cushion in front of her Dom.
“That girl,” Jack said, pointing to a submissive tied to a St. Andrew’s cross as a man whipped her from thighs to shoulders, “is a hard-core masochist. As you can see, she’s not wearing a collar, so she’s not owned, but stay away from her. Until you get more comfortable with impact play, all you’ll do is frustrate both of you.”
Ryan nodded, forcing himself not to wince as the man laid another welt on her ass.
“That one,” his friend continued with a jerk of his head at another submissive, “is a horrible topper-from-the-bottom. She’s definitely not a good fit for you as a beginner. I’m not really sure why any Dom would play with her. It would drive me batty to have a sub questioning my every order.”
Jack dismissed a few more for one reason or another as they sipped their beverages. There weren’t a ton of subs running around without collars, and Ryan was beginning to believe none of them would pass Jack’s muster.
“She’s a pretty one,” Jack remarked, and Ryan followed his gaze. He nearly swallowed his can of soda pop whole. Pretty didn’t begin to describe the woman. She was a few inches shorter than him, from what he could tell in his current position, and had enough meat on her bones to be curvy. If he was going to be tying a woman up and fucking the hell out of her, he wanted to be sure her ribs wouldn’t crack at the slightest provocation.
Her long brown hair was piled on top of her head, leaving the slim column of her neck exposed. Ryan loved to nibble on women’s necks, and if he had this one restrained, he’d happily spend hours torturing her in that spot. She was wearing what looked like a harem girl outfit, with a jeweled bra and flouncy, gauzy pants. From the looks of things, Ryan was pretty sure she was naked underneath them.
Jack had been speaking with Callie but straightened up. “Callie said her name is Lisette, and she’s an experienced submissive who hasn’t been to the club as far as Callie knows since her split with her Dom a while back. She’s not owned, as you can see from the fact she’s not collared. The lack of a collar doesn’t always mean a sub is not owned, but at open parties like this, all owned submissives must be collared. As you know,” he continued with a grin in Callie’s direction, “some of us can be possessive bastards, and it cuts down on potential problems.”
“Makes sense,” Ryan murmured. His friend’s eyes suddenly widened a little in anticipation, and Ryan turned in the direction of his gaze.
“Hey, do you mind if we go take advantage of that spanking bench? At these parties, equipment doesn’t stay empty long.”
“No, go ahead.”
Jack helped Callie up and landed a hard swat on her ass. “Go get it for us, pet. I’ll be right over.” He turned to Ryan. “Feel free to watch us or anyone else. We should be back within a half hour or so. Callie’s been naughty lately and needs a good dose of the belt.”
Winking, he walked away, and Ryan laughed. Before Jack had agreed to bring Ryan here for public play, he’d insisted on several private sessions at the house he and Callie shared, so Ryan knew Callie’s favorite implement was the belt. He doubted she would be too upset if Jack used it tonight.
A completely naked woman, save for a collar, came by and took their empty soda cans. Ryan gave her a small smile but kept his attention focused on the scenes unfolding around him. Jack was busy tying Callie to the spanking bench, and the masochistic woman was still being whipped—Ryan couldn’t hold back his wince this time at a particularly hard strike—and a male submissive was going to town on his Mistress’s pussy like he was mining for gold. Turning away from them, he saw a female submissive strapped to what Jack had called a bondage table with cane marks decorating her ass in perfectly spaced lines and her Dom’s dick in her mouth. He’d never tried caning, but it looked interesting, if a little scary. Hell, almost everything looked interesting right now.
Ryan continued to watch as Jack bared Callie’s ass and started out lightly flicking the belt across it. He’d explained to Ryan how important it was to warm the bottom up by bringing the blood to the surface to prevent bruising, and Ryan had spent long hours in the past couple of weeks practicing with a pillow and the strap he’d ordered along with the other stuff Jack had said he’d need to be able to play. The club had a nice selection of implements lined up on the walls of the public play area, but Jack had recommended he get used to his own so he didn’t make a mistake and hurt a submissive.
He was just about to rise and make his way back to the bar when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. The submissive Callie had called Lisette knelt directly in front of him, a bottle of water laid on her upturned palms. Ryan raised an eyebrow.

Copyright 2012, Cassandra Carr



Wow, what an awesome excerpt! I already got my copy of Master Class and can't wait to start reading! Thanks so much for sharing today, Cassandra.

Have a wonderful weekend, all!


Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
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