Divas of Desire

Meet The Divas

Meet The Divas & Their Books

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday, with Danica

From Above the Law – The Men of Sanctuary, Book Four:
Shifting again in the seat, Abigail gripped the steering wheel more firmly with one hand, slid the other hand between her thighs. The residual soreness caused by Glennon's sizeable member gave way to a warm, damp feeling of anticipated pleasure, lust even, as she imagined twisting under Joe's sleek, athletic body, her legs wrapped around his firm ass while he pinned her to the mattress with his long, sweet cock. A groan escaped her lips, brought her back to the present.
Damn, wet dreams? Really? Driving? In the middle of the freakin' morning?

Danica St. Como
From Above the Law, soon to be released through Noble Romance Publishing, www.nobleromance.com

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Don't forget Six Sentence Sunday 9/30!

Watch for our posts tomorrow, for Six Sentence Sunday! Always something new and interesting.

Danica St. Como
www.DanicaStComo.com

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday Fragments with Nona


National Coming Out Day is October 11 and in recognition of that, my publisher Loose Id is releasing a series with the pertinent theme "Coming Out"—a selection of same sex romances that celebrate diversity and love. Please check them out here.

My other publisher, The Wild Rose Press, also has an m/m themed series through the Scarlet line called "The Boys of Summer". If you like your men hot, hard, and ready to roll, check out the selections here.

But as Abigail Adams said, "Remember the ladies…" With that in mind, please keep in mind that my first same-sex romance, Irresistible Impulse, features two of my favorite characters, Tania and Latisha.  This short story tells how they connected at a speed dating event, of all places. You can find the story  at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.

The Romance Reviews blog is sponsoring a GLBT blog hop Sept 27 – 30, and while The Divas of Desire blog is not officially on the roll, I want to offer a shout out.  Besides arranging the blog hop, TRR is having contest offering fun and prizes! Many authors (including me) are participating in the contest with Q & As, and you can win ten points for each correct answer. Go here to join the fun!

As part of the blog hop, many bloggers are focusing on a gay novel that has meaning for them. I'd like to tell you about a memoir that I came upon while browsing Amazon and purchased after reading the glowing reviews. Was That a Name I Dropped by Paul E. Brogan was a very touching, enjoyable and inspiring story.

Paul was a square peg growing up in concord New Hampshire, a "teacher's pet" who loved Jeannette MacDonald and Doris Day.  Though popular with teachers, he was an outcast among his peers, who couldn't understand his interests. He was especially devastated when his lone friend rejected him because he no longer wanted to hang around with an "oddball."

But something amazing happened. When Paul was still a child, he wrote a fan letter to Doris Day and she responded. That began a lifelong correspondence and friendship. As he grew older, Paul realized he was gay, and that led to more isolation as he couldn't at that time acknowledge his orientation. What saved him was his love of films and his job at the local movie theater. Paul knew he wanted to move out West to Hollywood and somehow make a life there, but his parents' insisted that was just a pipe dream. Not wanting to disappoint them, he headed to college. While he was there, he was the victim of a horrible sexual assault which shattered his life. For many years he kept silent about it, suffering PTSD and unable even to confide in his therapist.

But even in the darkest moments of his life, his friendship with Doris Day saved him. Her faith in him pulled him out of deepest gloom. And though Paul's life took a number of detours, at last he was able to achieve his dream of living and working in Hollywood. During his time there he became friends with Elizabeth Taylor, Katherine Hepburn, hairstylist to the stars Sydney Guillaroff, and many others.

Though Paul certainly experienced a number of tragic events, this is not a depressing read. Paul's basic view of life is upbeat. He is a real model of perseverance, of getting up every time he falls down. He does not blame others for his own mistakes and misdeeds, and tries to forgive those who've hurt him. The things he cares about have given him much joy, and he's devoted much of his time helping others in the area of AIDS awareness.  He is a true inspiration.

If you enjoy stories of Hollywood, growing up gay, coming-of-age, of the power of love and friendship, then you are sure to enjoy this book. I certainly did.

Was That A Name I Dropped is available here.


Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Titillating Tuesday, with Danica

As a reader of erotic romance, what grabs your interest? What gets your emotional juices flowing. What is it that invests you in the characters? What makes you not want to put down the book until the very end?

If you enjoy the naughty bits of menage a trois in various combinations, or simply men loving men, read on --

Excerpt from A Strength of Arms, Book One of The Men of Sanctuary:

Lucian pulled the chair out again, and settled himself. He took a swig of now-warm sweet tea and made a face. In all the years he and Adam had been absolute best friends, closer than brothers, during all the years that they had been a kick-ass no-holds-barred Marine scout-sniper team, he had never heard anything like this.
During their occasional dalliances with the opposite sex, Adam would invariably be polite; yes ma'am, no ma'am, thank you ma'am. Their dates knew the drill: he and Adam swapped partners, but never shared the same woman. The men enjoyed themselves; the ladies were always well fucked and satisfied. Then everyone went home. No muss, no fuss, no bother. No entanglements. But this—this was so totally not Adam. Since Lucian felt equally as taken with their guest, he understood the problem.
He sat, quiet, for a long time—and Lucian was never quiet for a long time.
Lucian finally rose, and helped himself to a cold iced tea. "Well then, there's only one solution. We share her." He said it calmly. Like it made all the sense in the world.
"You're fuckin' with me, right? That's your brilliant solution?" Adam dropped his arms to his sides, his big hands fisted. He shook his head. "Luce . . . . "
"Hoss, listen to me. Pull your head out of your ass. If you think about it for more than a nanosecond, it makes perfect sense. We both want her. We want her here, we want her safe. You know and I know that we're the best thing that could happen to her. We need to convince her to stay here, with us, while we sort out whatever mess she's in. So she gets comfortable with us."
Lucian could only watch as Adam paced the kitchen. "Hoss, we share women—that's what we do. Never had an issue, right?"
"Luce, that was different. Just sex, y'know? We swapped partners, we never took the same woman at the same time. I mean I want her—all of her."
For as long as they'd known each other, Lucian knew that Adam never had the luxury of feeling comfortable in his own skin. Adam managed to be housebroken and civil for a few hours, whenever Lucian arranged dates—but he never stayed with a woman, never spent the entire night with a woman. Now a woman lived in their home—and Adam didn't want her to leave.
Lucian placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know, chief, I know. But we can do this. Trust me, we can do this."
"Yeah? What about her? Can she do this? Will she want us? Will she stay with us?"
"Hoss, I don't know. There's only one way to find out."

Excerpt from Hunting April, Book Two of The Men of Sanctuary:

     Glennon turned as April tried to slip by. Without intending to, his body pressed her against the counter. She laid her palms against his broad chest—not to push him away, but to touch him. Her pulse launched into hyper drive, and breathing came hard.
     Feeling inadequate, she tried to turn away. "Wow, sorry—"
     He leaned into her and his mouth came down on hers, cutting off further words. Warm. Gentle. Tentative. Not demanding. His tongue slowly outlined her lips, and her knees almost buckled with the lust it stirred between her thighs. His arms reached around and pulled her to him—not pushy, not forceful. He kissed the tip of her nose, then each eyelid, before he returned his attention to her mouth. He kissed her deeply, and she felt such longing, such desire, in that kiss. She'd thought his mouth looked tight, firm—but his lips felt incredibly soft and attentive. He pulled her lower lip into his mouth, gently sucking, then enveloped her mouth with a long, passionate kiss.
     April hands met at the back of his neck, then she ran her fingers through his hair. Nice, silky. She enjoyed the feel of his big hands as they moved up her sides, then slowly slid down to her hips, to her buttocks, pulled her forward. She went willingly, unconsciously pressing her sex against his muscled thigh. His response immediate, his erection grew, barely contained in his shorts.
     She whispered to him."Mmm, you feel so good." Her moan resonated in her throat. It had been a long time since she'd been close to a man.

Excerpt from Bombshell, Book Three of The Men of Sanctuary:

Before she could turn, strong arms wrapped around her. Before she could react, she caught a faint, barely-there aroma, the sweet woody scent of wintergreen. Her heartbeat instantly kicked up spikes on the chart.
"Damn it, MacBride, what do you think you're—?"
"Shh. Hush, Ms. Kailani Holokai Larsson, explosives expert with the incredible tattoo and who smells like wild honeysuckle. I did my homework. It took some digging, then Lucian verified, so I didn't ask the wrong people the wrong questions. You're the real deal. Impressive. John Larsson's daughter. Imagine that."
"The real deal? Is that right? Is that what I am? You are such a jerk. Let me go or I'll . . . .."
"For instance, I now know that both your names derive from seafarers, from the sea, the sky. You're a water baby, with the strength of the oceans." He pulled her against him, her back to his front, his muscled arms holding her captive as he nuzzled the black hair she had trapped in a mother-of-pearl barrette shaped like a leaping dolphin. "Damn, I missed this. I missed you, Kailani of the sea. I didn't know how to find you. I've been going crazy trying to dig up a lead, any lead. Why did you jackrabbit out of L.A.? Why bail out in such a hurry? Those were the best ten hours of my entire life! My God, it feels so good to hold you again."
She struggled in his arms. "I said let go of me or else—"
"Or else what? You'll take sexual advantage of me? Again?" He shifted to pin her with his groin, sandwiched her against the sturdy workbench. "Little hellcat."
She felt his erection through his uniform trousers, his stiff cock pressed against her. Damn it all to hell, her sex heated to flash point so fast any hint of common sense flew out the window. A traitorous groan escaped before she could prevent it. How the hell does he manage to light my fire at warp-speed?
His hands on her shoulders, MacBride tried to turn her to face him.
She resisted. "No. This way."
"What?"
"I said, take me this way."
"You're crazy."
"That's possible. Do it now. Quickly. Before someone walks in."
MacBride hesitated, so she rubbed her ass slowly, sensually, against his solid erection.
"Now or not at all, sailor boy."


Excerpt from Above The Law, Book Four of The Men of Sanctuary (coming soon):

The moaning finally nudged him awake again. Joe's eyes flew open as he felt contact—Glennon's warm, naked body had pressed against him. He kept still, listened.
The words rolled across the bed, low and husky.
"That's a girl, baby. Your fingers feel great, but so would your lips. Take my cock in your mouth, baby, you know what feels good."
Playing possum had no chance of success. At Glennon's whispered words, Joe's body thrummed like a steel guitar. His own sex stiffened. Moving slowly, he turned onto his back, laid quiet for a long moment, as his cock made a tent of the sheet.
"Joe."
Abigail's voice, soft as a caress. "Joe, reach over here, baby."
Ah hell, I've been found out.
Even though their bodies barely touched, he still felt Glennon tense up, go quick quiet.
He couldn't deny her. He rolled onto his stomach, took a deep breath, snaked his arm across Glennon's rock hard gut toward Abigail. His hand slid next to the other man's rigid sex and rested, his own member hard as a rail spike as his dick dug into the mattress. The clean smell of soap and warm man-scent overwhelmed his other senses.
I'm fucking with a Marine. One wrong move, and I'm bloody well gonna be history.

Excerpt from Aloha Man, Book Five of The Men of Sanctuary:


Leaving Zach's lips, Kamaka moved his mouth to Zach's neck. He nuzzled him, kissed him on the side of the throat, then under his ear. Finally, kissed the soft depression at the base of Zach's throat.
Overcome by the sweetness of Kamaka's touch, Zach couldn't bring his breathing under control. His heart would surely explode. Using his chin, he urged Kamaka to return to his mouth for another long, deep, kiss. Zach's lips felt swollen and sensitive. His mouth wanted more of Kamaka's attention. Oh, yes, more of that.
Kamaka slid a hand to Zach's ponytail, pulled the latigo strip from his hair, freed the long mane.
"Zachariah Black Crow. Man, you are so beautiful."
As Kamaka laid his open hand on Zach's chest, Zach relished not only the warmth of the man's skin, but the rough texture of hands accustomed to work. Rather than being off-putting, the coarse, calloused flesh titillated.
Zach inhaled sharply as Kamaka's hand slowly progressed down his torso. The sensuous caresses became devices of divine torture. The rate of Zach's breathing escalated even higher as he wished for that tormenting hand to touch him—all over. His first intimate contact, made by that man's rough hand. Kamaka's fingers passed over Zach's skin, leaving each millimeter of flesh fevered in their wake. Man, woman, Zach suddenly realized it didn't matter, as long as the intimacy continued.
As Kamaka kissed him again, Zach recognized the whisper of his past hissing in his brain as it attempted to trump the sound of hot blood pulsing. He feared the attentions would cease, while his body begged to be touched. He needed this man to want him. His nerve endings trilled with the real possibility that Kamaka did want him.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday: Irresistible Impulse


Hi all! Here's a tidbit from my recently published F/F Interracial short story, Irresistible Impulse. Enjoy!







     Their gazes met, and the crumpled wad of paper fell from Tania’s hand into the sink. Latisha’s heart hammered as Tania drew her close and claimed her lips in a kiss.
      Tania’s lips were sweet and fruity like her mai tai. Delicious. She smelled delicious, too, her scent light and flowery. Latisha sighed as all the tension flowed out of her, and she sank into the embrace.

 
Irresistible Impulse is available for only 99 cents at The Wild Rose Press (Wilder Roses) and Amazon.

There are plenty of other great Six Sentence Sunday offerings today! Check them out here!

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

Friday, September 21, 2012

Friday Firsts featuring Author Kara Leigh Miller!


Today I'm really excited to spotlight Love By Number by Kara Leigh Miller. It's Kara's debut erotic romance, recently published by Cobblestone Press. Kara is a friend through our RWA chapter, Central New York Romance Writers. Her romance has an awesome cover, an exciting premise and a fabulous setting.  I'm honored that she's agreed to share some tidbits here with the Divas of Desire. 




BOOK BLURB:
Ashleigh Malone had her heart ripped out by a man--a man who stole her money, left her in debt, slept with her best friend, and destroyed her ability to trust men. She throws herself into her job and swears off all men.

Ryan Blake is stuck spending several months at his father’s resort-- the Aurora Island Resort--trying to figure out who's stealing money. His father is convinced it’s the resort manager, Ashleigh. Ryan is determined to prove otherwise. There’s only one problem though: his judgment is clouded by his need to have Ashleigh in his bed.


EXCERPT:
He was tall, well over six feet, with brown, wavy hair that just barely grazed his broad shoulders, and he had naturally tanned skin. Black pin-striped Dolce and Gabbana slacks hugged his hips. A black silk tie hung down the front of his white button-up shirt that was pulled taut across his muscular chest. There was no denying the stir I felt south of my waist. He was a gorgeous man—a man who belonged in a place like this. And I knew that there was no way he could be the new accountant. Accountants didn’t look like that. Accountants were weak looking, geeky, and wore glasses. Didn’t they?
Deep brown eyes stared at me intently as a self-assured smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. I hated smirking men. But what I hated even more was that he looked damn sexy doing it. Confidence, arrogance, and the hint of being a smooth operator oozed from his pores. He reminded me too much of Mark. I disliked him immediately.
“Are you Ashleigh Malone?” he asked.
I cleared my throat. “Yes, and you are?”
“Ryan Blake,” he said, stepping farther into my office.
I stood, and an involuntary grimace contorted my face as I shook his hand. An accountant with rough, calloused hands? I couldn’t help but wonder what he did in his free time to make his hands so rough. A shiver worked up my spine, and I pulled my hand from his. “Please, sit,” I said, nodding at the chair across from me as I sat.
Once he sat, I studied him for a moment. Ryan Blake. And then it hit me. Richard Blake. Ryan Blake. I couldn’t believe Richard had hired his own damn son! “So, Mr. Blake, tell me a little about yourself.”
He grinned. “What is this? An interview? I was assured that I had the job, Miss Malone.”
I gritted my teeth. “Yes, I’m sure you were.”

AUTHOR BIO:
Kara was born and raised in the small town of Mexico, NY. Having been an only child, she was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word.

In early 2011, Kara took her love of writing and turned it into a career . She published her first short story, "Kamalia" in July of 2012. Kara enjoys writing contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult. She's an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Cafe, The Romance Writers of America, and The CNY Romance Writers.

Today, Kara resides in New Haven, NY with her husband, five children, and three cats. When she's not reading or writing she's thinking about reading and writing. And when she's not doing that, she's spending time with her family and friends.

LINKS:
Blog: http://karaleighmiller.blogspot.com/ I have renamed the blog to: Kick Start Your Heart Romance =)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KaraLeighMiller

*********
One last thing, folks! September is rapidly coming to a close--where did it go? Don't forget the Divas Three-Way Giveaway! Just follow our blog and you'll be entered for a chance to win THREE books--one from each of the Divas! 

********
Please join Danica, Nona, Margie Church and seven other fab erotic romance authors on Sunday September 23 at the Love Romances Cafe yahoo loop for a chat featuring blurbs, excerpts, fun and surprises! We'll be there from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. See you there!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nona
www.nonaraines.com

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday - Welcome!

BOMBSHELL

By the time they'd reached the door to his suite, her little black cocktail dress had slid up her thighs, and her shapely legs were wrapped around his waist. His hands had cupped her firm ass cheeks as her sleek arms slid around his neck. The heat in her kisses had made him weak in the knees, which definitely interfered with his ability to swipe the key card to open the damned door to his suite. It hadn't helped matters that after her first hot kiss, his cock stiffened enough to shatter shagbark hickory nuts. He'd never actually been jumped by a woman to be her boy toy for the night.

Then there was the tattoo.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Friday Fragments with Nona


Irresistible Impulse is Here!

Anticipating the release day for one's book is always fraught with excitement and nerves. At last, the release day for my short story Irresistible Impulse has arrived. It tells the story of Tania and Latisha, two characters who appeared as an established couple in my books One Good Man and Take This Man. Irresistible Impulse is something of a prequel, as it takes place before One Good Man and tells how the two women met and fell in love
.
This is my first same sex love story, but hey, love is love. It's a "love at first sight" romance blended with a soupcon of "opposites attract." I really enjoyed revisiting these two!

Ordinarily, Tania Talcott wouldn't be caught dead at a speed dating event, but she lost a stupid bet. Checking out the slim pickings, she's convinced the evening will be a total bust--until a classy, sensual, African American woman enters the room. A woman Tania met briefly once before and never forgot.

Latisha Hobbs is only attending this event to support her young cousin, who's ready to start dating again. Latisha's heart has been on ice for quite some time. But she finds herself immediately--and strongly--enticed by the friendly overtures of a vivacious redhead. Or are they more than friendly?

Fueled by an irresistible impulse, Tania wastes no time getting to know the beautiful mocha woman. Latisha is drawn to Tania as well, but memories of an unhappy love affair make her reluctant to act. These two opposites definitely attract, but will their differences be too much to overcome?

Please go here for an excerpt or to purchase
.
Tomorrow I'll be guesting at erotic romance author (and fellow Wild Rose) Rachel Leigh's blog, sharing a bit more of my story and offering a giveaway! I hope you can join me there!

                                                            ****
I'm not the only one with great news. Writer friend (and fellow CNYRW member) Cari Quinn has a new release out today from Ellora's Cave called Need Me. It looks like a fantastic story and the cover is a stunner. So often a heroine will be described as full figured in the book but the cover will feature a Size 2 lady. Need Me's cover truly represents the beauty of a truly full figured woman.
                                                            ****
Sunday evening, September 23, I will be at the Love Romance Café yahoo loop chatting about my books and other fun topics. I'll be there with the marvelous Margie Church (author of Hard as Teak and Krewe Daddy, among others), the delightful Danica St. Como (author of Strength of Arms, Bombshell, and more) and some other fabulous authors. Thanks so much to Margie for letting me take part. There will be fun and surprises, so please join us there from 6 to 10 pm.  You must be a member to take part, but joining LRC is easy.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

***And don't forget to follow our blog for a chance to win THREE erotic romances! Contest running through September.***

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



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Catch up to Bombshell

Join me for a look at Book Three of
The Men of Sanctuary series:
 
BOMBSHELL
 
Jesus jumped-up Christ, I'm such a ho. When did I become a ho? What the hell was I thinking? Thinking? I wasn't thinking. My hoo-hah was thinking. And the man smelled like wintergreen, fer chrissakes, and I love the scent of wintergreen. Jeez, Loueeze, I didn't even get his name. Or his business card. Or his cell phone number. I don't know where he lives. Or, heaven forbid, if he's married. Shit, wouldn't that be a bummer. Then again, I'll never see him again—which is an even bigger bummer.
 
The only verbalization Keko Holokai recalled using the night before had been, "Ooh, baby, do me like that again!"
 
Hand to her forehead, she moaned aloud at the memory.
 
The Demolition & Explosive Ordnance Disposal Professionals Symposium had ended. At checkout time, attendees scurried like centipedes when their rock is lifted. The Los Angeles International Airport overflowed with impatient crowds, the flights filled with hundreds of departing bomb experts.
 
Business class had been overbooked. Keko's choices were to wait another day, or move to economy class. Since her itinerary did not allow for the extra day, economy class won. Being squashed in her window seat by a giant Hawaiian man, who took up both the center and aisle seats and who smelled sweetly of frangipani, grated on Keko's last nerve. Not only did her head ache, but so did the muscles of her inner thighs—as well as other, more intimate body parts, which she refused to acknowledge.
 
To add to the physical and emotional turmoil, she'd discovered rug burns on her knees and elbows when she'd showered that morning. The sage green capris would hide the knees. But, how to keep her elbows hidden, dress appropriately for Honolulu in late summer, yet not grab unwanted attention? She opted for rubbing a bit of liquid foundation on the red blotches, then prayed the stuff didn't get all melty and rub off on her clothes.
 
The Hawaiian continued to needle her in his soft singsong voice. "Perhaps the next time you'll heed my advice, my little blossom. Would I ever give you bad advice?"
 
Trapped by his bulk, she couldn't even escape to the aisle.
 
"Makaha, my head is pounding off my shoulders and my gut is churning. Please, I beg you, shut your poi hole. Let me rest in peace. If you don't, I'm going to slice off your shiny black ponytail, then feed it to the sharks. You'll never go to the happy luau in the sky if the sharks eat your ponytail." As a curse, it wasn't bad for making it up on the spur of the moment.
 
He didn't miss a beat. "You're such a malihini." He thumped his chest. "I am Kamaka, the beloved one, not Makaha, the fierce. I'm just saying, the dude was like a total fox, totally buff, totally hot . . . but I warned you to slow down, didn't I? I tried to tell you that you cannot mainline Long Island Iced Teas like they're wimpy wine coolers, my little coconut. Did you listen? Noo, of course not. And poking him in his luscious manly chest because he didn't agree with you about the latest polymer compound to come from Navy Research was unladylike in the extreme."
 
"Makaha, you're a gay Hawaiian demolitions expert. Other than relying on you for fashion advice, or asking which beverages to serve with dinner, why should I listen to you about dating? You haven't gotten laid in how long? A year? Two years? So, I swear to God if you don't shut your yap . . . ."
 
"Ooh, girlfriend, that's harsh." Kamaka hmphed, then crossed his arms over his massive, Aloha-shirted middle. "I'm just saying . . . ."
 
Keko slid the puny airline pillow from behind her head, plastered it against her right ear to muffle the sound of his unwanted words.
 
Kamaka ignored Keko's rudeness. "Kailani, darling, as I was saying, if that big spectacular stud really gave your poor neglected hoo-hah the workout it so richly deserved—and I am so totally jealous—then I don't see what the problem—oof!" Her elbow caught him in the gut. "Damn, girl, you are a mean bitch!"
 
She glanced at her watch. "In just over five hours I must deal with my mother, and I have no desire to deal with my mother. Why must we visit now? We could be heading to Massachusetts and home sweet home. I could crawl into the comfort of my own nice soft bed, instead of winging it over the Pacific."
 
The packed jetliner shuddered as it rose to a higher cruising altitude. Her stomach lurched. "You let me worry about my hoo-hah. Now, please be quiet so I can get some sleep."
 
Kamaka shifted his bulk to get more comfortable, squashing Keko even more.
 
"Honolulu's airport is just over five hours from LA, girlfriend, but at least a dozen hours from Boston. So, we're already halfway there. Good planning on Grandmother Iekika's part so you can visit the family in Maui for a few days. As far as seeing your mother, she likes me more than she likes you. She misses me; you, she tolerates. And because we both know if you're already in Maui and don't show up for Aolina's new gallery showing and in enough time to dress appropriately, she'll send her squad of flying monkeys to snatch you up by your hair."
 
"Makaha, please don't assault me with logic right now. I need recuperative rest, and you're taking unfair advantage."
 
But she couldn't sleep. Closing her eyes didn't pose a problem. The difficulty surfaced when she couldn't blank out the previous night's images of the tall man's stunning hazel eyes. Or the feel of his incredible physique, naked, and perfectly aligned against her body. Or of her hands tangled in his thick, toffee-colored, sexy, Hugh Grant mop of hair as his mouth . . . ahh, hell . . . .
 
 (Warning ~ This Book Contains Sexually Explicit Scenes Described in Graphic Detail)

In Remembrance

On this day, please remember those lost on September 11, 2001, and their families. Be thankful for everything -- and everyone -- we have in our lives.

What Inspires a Writer?

How often do you read a book, and wonder where the writer came up with the plot elements that have you falling in love, or sitting at the edge of your seat, or pulling the drapes closed as you turn on all the lights?

From everywhere! The silliest situations can foster incredible ideas. Many of my character idiosyncracies come from doing research (okay, maybe from my bizarre-but-happy family and friends, but also through research). Sidebars to articles lead to more stories, more sidebars, more stories--before you know it, I have a character fleshed out, complete with the habits, preferences, dislikes that make each character real, make each character unique.

I love to drive. Sometimes I'll pop in CDs of my favorite stuff (vintage Meatloaf is numero uno), but most often I ride in silence, just thinking. Anything may trip an idea, flesh out a character or a scene. Sitting in the ATM line at the bank, after hours, and a person walks up to the drive-thru. Without sound, you can easily picture a mime, going through the motions. An elderly farmer pumping gas into his rusty, seen-better-days pickup truck. A young girl with a well-behaved dog who is nearly as big as she is, walking sedately through town, checking out all the lovely shop windows.

On our farm,it's my job to mow the fields to keep them from going fallow, if they're not hayed. My best ideas happen while I'm mowing. I brought a Dana word processor in a carry-bag with me on the tractor, and I would stop every time inspiration would hit, and type away. However, since that didn't work so well in the bright sunlight, I finally opted for a notebook and pen. Entirely due to my mowing (combined with Nona Raines, my weekly critique partner), books I'd planned for a three-title series grew to five books, then six and seven, finally eight. I felt so brilliant, it was scary!

Even when I watch television, I keep a notebook handy, especially during episodes of Discovery or the History and H2 channels. My characters are usually military, former military, law enforcement, or psychotic bad guys--so I check out the Military channel, anything to do with the FBI or Secret Service (the "old" SS, not what's been making the news lately). Maybe one of your characters, even a secondary character, is a fantastic chef or a real foodie. You have a plethora of food channels to choose from. Maybe use an old family recipe, and weave it into your story line (Nona loves the meals my characters cook or eat--says they always make her hungry.)

Fall is approaching. The weather is cool and breezy, the trees are dressing in their colorful autumn cloaks. Look around you--your story is there, waiting to be written! Stories, waiting to be read!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Why Times Square? A Q&A with Rach

So someone asked me this weekend why Times Square? She was really curious as to why I set An Affair Across Times Square in NYC, specifically in Times Square. I didn't have to think much about that, since I really had a great concept of where the whole idea for the book came from. 
I was at a conference in NY and staying at a hotel in Times Square and I came back to the room one afternoon to change between sessions and I looked across the street and could see into the office building there! And an idea was born. In the opening scene of the book, Layla Morgan goes back to her hotel room, gets partially undressed and... let's of some steam, shall we say? In full view of the building across the square.  Then she does it again... while he watches! It's a hot opening scene and it was the germ for the whole rest of the book. 

It couldn't have been set anywhere else in the world. I wish I had a shot from inside the room into the building across the street for your viewing pleasure, but I do not. Instead, here's a shot of Times Square that I took about five years back during a trip to NYC. I've always loved Times Square and all the craziness that ensues there. So it was a blast to set a book eighteen stories above the craziness... separate from it, but also so much a part of it. 


I used this photo as part of the promo video for An Affair Across Times Square. Check that out below: 



An Affair Across Times Square is available on Loose Id, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Thanks for stopping by. And don't forget to enter our Three-Way Giveaway Contest - follow us, be entered to win three free books! 

~Rach

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday with Rach

Quick note before we get to the goods: Don't forget to tell your friends about our HOT Three-Way Giveaway. Follow our blog, be entered to win a free copy of An Affair Across Times Square by me, Uncollared by Nona Raines, and Bombshell by Danica St. Como.

***

And now for Six Sentence Sunday! Here's an excerpt from a hot little scene from An Affair Across Times Square... 

She felt the heat of his body through her thin dress, the cool air slipping between her bare thighs, chilling her slick folds. On the right of her body, she felt Tyler’s hand slide under the hem of the dress. She forced herself not to react, not to let everyone in the small space know how close she was to coming. His fingers stilled a moment, and she heard a soft groan behind her as he caressed her bare hip.
That’s right, baby. No panties. 

You can buy the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Loose Id

Friday, September 7, 2012

Friday Fragments with Nona

        

Don’t forget our Three-way Giveaway Contest is going on until the end of September! Just follow The Divas of Desire Blog and you'll be entered for a chance to win THREE books: An Affair Across Times Square by Rachell Nichole, Bombshell by Danica St. Como and Uncollared by moi. What could be simpler?

***

I know some authors don't care about reviews, and some won't even read them. But many of us dream of getting great reviews. Those five stars can really dazzle your eyes. And they can make a big difference in sales, too, especially if you're not a million-seller.

Yeah, five stars are fantastic. But sometimes a lesser review can be just as meaningful. Her Perfect Man, released in June, recently received two four star reviews that really touched me. One came from an Amazon reader and another was published at The Romance Reviews.  The reviewers' thoughtful assessments of the story let me know that they connected with Kim and ultimately cared about her.

 Kim's not a nice character. Sometimes she's bitchy. She feels sorry for herself. She speaks without thinking. The Amazon reviewer said at times she wanted to put her hand over Kim's mouth.  But she also wanted to hug her.  Cozy Reader at The Romance Reviews was frustrated by Kim's bad attitude, but admired the way she helped out her friends.  I was moved by the fact that both these readers cared about Kim in spite of her being her own worst enemy.

I didn't always like the things Kim did, either. But she had to go through these steps to become the woman she needed to be.

Her Perfect Man is as much about Kim's learning to change as it is about her romance with Charlie.  But Charlie is the impetus for her change. His belief in her helps her realize that she doesn't have to live down to others' low expectations. Sometimes all any of us need to move "into the light" is to know that a friend is on our side. Charlie is that friend, that lover, for Kim.



***

Irresistible Impulse is released one week from today! This short story features Tania and Latisha from One Good Man and Take This Man, and tells how they first met.

Ordinarily, Tania Talcott wouldn't be caught dead at a speed dating event, but she lost a stupid bet. Checking out the slim pickings, she's convinced the evening will be a total bust--until a classy, sensual, African American woman enters the room. A woman Tania met briefly once before and never forgot.

Latisha Hobbs is only attending this event to support her young cousin, who's ready to start dating again. Latisha's heart has been on ice for quite some time. But she finds herself immediately--and strongly--enticed by the friendly overtures of a vivacious redhead. Or are they more than friendly?

Fueled by an irresistible impulse, Tania wastes no time getting to know the beautiful woman. Latisha is drawn to Tania as well, but memories of an unhappy love affair make her reluctant to act. These two opposites definitely attract, but will their differences be too much to overcome?

Let me offer a little teaser today:
 
Tania enjoyed subverting the mild-mannered librarian stereotype. It was so stupid. As though a person couldn’t love books and sex. She’d never had a problem getting all the dates and all the sex she wanted. When she was younger, she’d wanted plenty. And it had all been great fun. But lately, the possibility of something less fleeting teased her. Could it be the wild, untamable Tania Talcott was looking for a permanent relationship?
Fat chance of finding one here.
Nah, tonight would be a bust. Not that she expected anything else. Until her gaze fell on the striking African American woman sitting a few seats away.
It was her.
Tania didn’t know her name, had only seen her once before. But she’d never forget the reaction she’d had to this beautiful woman.

Please join me next Saturday, Sept. 15 at fellow author Rachel Leigh's blog where I'll be celebrating the release of Irresistible Impulse and sharing more with you!
 
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

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

Monday, September 3, 2012

Follow Us, Win Free Books, Any questions??

Good morning bloggerverse, 

The Divas are happy to announce a new contest for the entire month of September!!!!!! Here are the details: 


PROMO: A THREE-WAY giveaway contest!
The Divas of Desire are sponsoring a contest and all you need do to enter is to follow us!
The randomly-selected winner will receive  a book from each of us: An Affair Across Times Square by yours truly, Bombshell by Danica St. Como and Uncollared by Nona Raines. That's three free books, folks!


The winner will be selected on September 30.
To follow, just click the blue button on the right that says JOIN THIS SITE. 

Don't forget to tell all your friends! 

TRR

The Romance Reviews