Siobhan Muir's #New #Erotic #Paranormal #Romance, The Beltane Witch!

 Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm very happy to welcome erotic romance author Siobhan Muir. She's published with Evernight and Siren and her brand new book, The Beltane Witch, was just published this week! Siobhan has very kindly allowed me to ask her five nosy questions, so let's get started! 

   

1. Welcome, Siobhan, so great to have you here! On your blog you mention one of the reasons you began to write paranormal romance was because your husband said "romance was bunk". Does he still believe that and how does he feel about your writing career?

The rest of the story to that statement is I asked him to let me try – and he graciously let me prove him wrong. He doesn’t believe romance is bunk unless it doesn’t have a good story to go with it. And I stay away from phrases like “his throbbing manhood”, lol. Mr. SM is incredibly supportive of my writing career and even helps me when I get stuck on a plot point. He periodically calls me his “sugar mama” and often walks around wearing a t-shirt with my books on it. He really believes in what I’m doing.

2. That's so awesome. Your bio mentions that you've "hiked to top of Mount St. Helens and to the bottom of Meteor Crater". How long have you been hiking and is there any place you'd like to hike where you haven't yet?

I’ve been hiking since I was 2 years old. My folks used to take my brother and I camping and hiking all over the western US, and I love it. I really want to go to Machu Pichu in Peru and hike to the amazing ruins in the Andes. Not sure when I’ll get to do that, but it’s on my bucket list.

3. Your romance Not a Dragon's Standard Virgin features Isabelle, who wants to lose her virginity to avoid becoming a virgin sacrifice to a local dragon while Julianna of Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack must pass seven tests to prove she's worthy to be an alpha werewolf's mate. Both books seem to harken back to mythological themes: the virgin sacrifice of Iphigenia and the Labors of Hercules. Does mythology play an important part in your writing?

Mythology does play a role, but it’s of my own making. The mythologies that carry through all my stories surround the Mother Goddess, a deity who has brought understanding and beginning to the elder races (werewolves, vampires, dragons, goblins, etc.). Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack even has the Moon Singer Creation Myth. I wanted that connection, the divinity allowing for magic in all the creatures.

The dragon sacrifice is the tradition we’ve all in European medieval stories and I used that as the background for a more pressing question of the double standard handed to men and women regarding sex before marriage. For Queen Bitch, our society in general makes you work and compete for things you want – you don’t generally get positions for free. And the tests were truly political, to ascertain if Julianna could handle being a leader in challenging times. Most of the tests pertained to grace under pressure.

4. Your book Her Devoted Vampire features Fredrick MacGregor, who falls for and wants to protect Bridget. Do you have a favorite vampire from film or fiction?

I got into reading paranormal romance and vampire tales in general from reading Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton, and while I didn’t like where the series went, that first book had me sucked in and curious about her vampires. Then Lynsay Sands came up with the idea that the vampires were actually Atlanteans who had nanotechnology that required them to ingest blood to keep functioning. That grabbed the scientist in me. So Fredrick MacGregor has a science aspect to him – his vampirism is caused by a genetic mutation in his genes. Had he not died at war, he would have lived a normal life and died like normal people. But because of his traumatic death, the gene kicked in and changed his whole lifestyle. I have more vampire stories coming that show the origins more clearly, but they’re only in the beginning stages. 

5. We can't wait to learn more about your recent release or an upcoming title. Would you care to share? *Giving you big puppy dog eyes*

My new release is the second in the Cloudburst Colorado series and just came out this week! It’s called The Beltane Witch and here is the blurb:

Magic, mayhem, and motherhood… a witch’s work is never done, but Sabrina draws the line at the Fae.

After almost two decades as a practicing witch in Cloudburst, Colorado, Sabrina Foxglove is done with men, magic, and the fertility rituals of High Beltane. She’s dealt with all three before and ended up with a young daughter and no partner. Twice. She’s looking forward to a magic-free May Day, with nothing more exciting than making brownies for a kindergarten class and decorating a May Pole. She definitely doesn’t have time for a handsome, Fae-touched man.

After almost two centuries as the human chamberlain to the Fae’s Summer Court, Darius Winterbourne is a man accustomed to getting his way. So when the Summer Queen tasks him with finding a witch to perform the annual rituals and strengthen the ancient warding magicks, he figures it should be easy. He doesn’t expect Sabrina’s hardheaded refusal, her untrained abilities, or his attraction to her. With less than a week to Beltane, he must gain Sabrina’s trust before he loses his home, his position…and his heart.

Purchase The Beltane Witch at Smashwords and All Romance ebooks!

Also: the first book in Siobhan's Cloudburst series, A Hell Hound's Fire, is available FREE at various locations. Check Siobhan's website for links.

Sabrina is a single mom just trying to make her way through the world and she’s given up her abilities in the hopes of living quietly and surviving. Darius throws her for a loop, but at least she gets him back with her simple determination to take care of her little family. There is magic and the Goddess in this tale as well, but at the heart it’s a story about finding your path and believing in yourself when no one else will. I hope you enjoy Sabrina and Darius’s story. I really enjoyed writing it. J

Thank you so much for having me here today on Divas of Desire, Nona.

Thanks so much for being here, Siobhan. It's been great! 

Siobhan's links:

Website: http://siobhanmuir.com

Blog: http://siobhanmuir.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/siobhan.muir.35

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SiobhanMuir

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5760938.Siobhan_Muir

Google Plus: http://plus.google.com/u/0/118081545120488658410/posts


Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic

www.nonaraines.com

#Erotic #Romance Diva Desiree Holt is in the House! #interview

Good morning everyone and happy Friday! I have been cleaning up the place til it sparkles, because today we're welcoming a super special guest to the Divas of Desire! Desiree Holt, a true romance diva, is with us and is letting me ask her five nosy questions! 

But before we start, let me remind everyone that Desiree's interview with Bill Geist will be re-broadcast this Sunday, June 23 on CBS Sunday Morning. If you missed it the first time around, be sure to catch it. If you've already seen it, tell all your friends! Desiree does us all proud!

Now on to the interview:

1. Hi Desiree! Thanks so much for being here today. Let me start by asking you this: since the whole Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon, it seems that erotic romance has become known as "Mommy porn". What do you think of that term?

How can I say this nicely? I think it’s not only demeaning but totally incorrect. Porn, whether written or visual, is simply raw sex without emotion or any personal connection. Erotic romance is first and foremost about the relationship. The story begins with the two main characters and how their relationship develops. Can it start out with a sex scene? Of course, depending on the story and where it goes from there. But the emotion, the connection—that’s so essential. And “mommy porn?” How demeaning for women who like to read erotic romance. I think the media coined the term because it’s startling and attention-getting but it in no way describes the reality of the genre.

2. You are such a prolific author, and a real inspiration for the rest of us. Would you mind sharing a bit about your writing schedule and routine?

Not at all. I’m up early because my three cats demand their breakfast by seven or I’m toast. Then coffee )or lately, tea) and time to answer my email and do my promo for the day. I try to answer every email and post. If readers take the time to connect with me I want them to know I appreciate it. Then treadmill, shower, dress and the real work of the day begins. I review what I’m working on (two or three manuscripts at a time so I work from a spread sheet), check any notes I made the night before and begin to write. I quit sometime between four and five and put my hands to bed for the day. But  not my brain, which apparently never shuts off. So while I’m watching television and reading (something totally different from what I’m writing), thoughts pop into my head and I make notes. Then to sleep, get up and begin again. Writing is a business and if you want to be successful you have to treat it as such.

3. During your interview segment on CBS Sunday Morning, I couldn't help but chuckle when they showed the little dolls you used to "test" various sexual positions. How important is research to you in writing your books?

Totally important. I don’t think you can write about something unless you know what you’re talking about. That means to me everything from studying the BDSM lifestyle to geographic research to information on the military to law enforcement. I don’t overload my books with info but I want what my characters do and where they go to be true to life.

4.  In your writing, you've tackled cowboys and cougars, ménage and BDSM, even co-authored (with Jane Austen) Northanger Abbey (as a Clandestine Classic). Is there any erotic topic the intrepid Desiree Holt hasn't written about yet, but would like to?

I have not written horror or GBLT but that’s just my personal preference. I don’t think I’ll be dipping my toe in those waters, although there are a number of excellent writers who produce terrific books. Otherwise, I tackle pretty much anything that pops into my head. A lot of it really depends on how my characters develop in my mind. Who are they? What are their personalities? What do they do for a living? And why?

5. Desiree, we can't wait to hear about your latest book! Is there anything you'd like share? We're all ears!

I actually have a couple in the works. Feel the Heat. Phoenix Agency #5 is currently with my editor and I hope it will be out of editing shortly. Hard to Handle, Rawhide #5 is ready to rock and I’m just waiting for a release date. Lock and Load, Attack Force #2 is about halfway finished, and I am nearly finished with Beyond Addiction, a very intense psychological book about the world of BDSM. And three more in various stages of development. I would like to tell everyone that I have an App that’s free for both Apple and Android. If they download it, I update it three times a  week so people can keep up with what I’m doing.

And MORE from Desiree:

So excited: MADE FOR HIM received Honorable Mention at the annual Love Romances Café Awards!

Here’s what Night Owl reviews said about it:

    She had one weekend to convince him she was made for him. Micah Sheridan is a self-made billionaire who has the world at his fingertips. He can have any woman he wants but they all seem to leave him unfulfilled.

    What he really wants is a woman who can submit to him completely in the bedroom but who is a strong person out in the world. An equal match for him.

    Enter Teri Choate who heads an executive search agency. She’s searching, too—for a man who can master her in bed yet allow her strong personality to flourish beyond the bedroom door.

    The chemistry between them is so explosive it should come with a warning. When a few nights together reveal she is as addicted to BDSM as he is, he has her flown to his secluded Maine island.

    She has one weekend to prove to him she can be the perfect submissive in the bedroom and an equal beyond the bedroom doors.

    In short, a woman who is made for him.

Excerpt:

I’m not making a mistake. This is the chance of a lifetime. Everything will be fine.      Teri Choate locked her fingers together in her lap, watching through the helicopter window as the Friday afternoon sun lit the waters of the Atlantic Ocean below her. A representative of Micah Sheridan’s had arrived at her condo in San Antonio at noon to take her to the private airstrip where the Sheridan Worldwide helo awaited her. Now, as they got closer and closer to his private island off the coast of Maine, as the weekend loomed before her, she forced back the case of nerves that kept trying to take over her body. This weekend was a test, for both her and Micah Sheridan. He wanted to push her, to see if she could fully match his needs as a Dom. What would he ask her to do that would show him she trusted him completely?      She wanted desperately to unlock his heart, because she’d had the misfortune to fall in love with the man and that was a disaster in the making. Could she submit to him as completely as he demanded, no matter what level he took her to? And could he finally unlock the shackles he kept around his emotions to make their relationship emotional as well as physical? Commit to something long term?       She had struggled for so long with the clash between her submissive nature and her strong personality. It had been a big step for her, even before she’d met Micah, to blend those two parts of her. Two sides of the same coin. The result had been some less than satisfactory relationships, leaving her to constrain her sexual activities to impersonal sessions at The Castle, the private bondage club she belonged to. It never ceased to amaze her that while she ran an executive employment agency that served clients everywhere, making decisions that involved power and money, once she took off her clothes she turned into someone else. She was sure that was the reason she’d never been able to build a lasting relationship.      Until Micah Sheridan. The man she knew could take control without controlling her.      At thirty-eight he had amassed a global fortune and was both respected and feared in business communities all over the world. The world saw him as a man in elegantly tailored clothing  with a sharp business mind and a ruthless attitude, yet still playing with all the toys a man of his wealth accumulated.      She’d done her homework on him. She was aware that this home she was on her way to was only one of many. He had a villa in Cannes, one in Acapulco, a condo in Hong Kong and a chalet in Switzerland. He raced cars for fun, skied both the Alps and the Andes, kept fully outfitted yachts at each of his villas, and never carried a suitcase because every one of his homes was outfitted with his needs.         But Teri knew he was also a man of wild, untamed sexual passion whose skills as a Dom were beyond anything she’d ever dreamed. He’d never been seen with the same woman twice. They were sleek and elegant and came from every country where he had offices or did business. Those who lived the BDSM lifestyle easily spotted the submissive nature of the women and secretly whispered about what went on behind Micah’s bedroom door. Made for Him available at: Total e bound   Amazon B & N     AllRomance ebooks Find Desiree at her blog: http://desiremeonly.com/ website: http://www.desireeholt.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor twitter: https://twitter.com/desireeholt Thanks again for visiting with us, Desiree! It's been awesome! Have a wonderful weekend, all! Nona Raines Hot Contemporary Romance Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic

Review by Rach - Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood

Hey folks, 
It's time for another Review by Rach. 

Today we have FROSTBOUND by Sharon Ashwood. A couple years ago, I picked this book up at the RWA Conference, and it's been sitting on my huge TBR pile until a few weeks ago when I went looking for a paranormal read. And boy did I ever find one. 

Paranormal romance will always kind of be my first love, since it was the first genre I read. Sometimes, it's hard to jump into a paranormal series in the middle and not get lost, but I didn't feel like I lost anything. This was my first Sharon Ashwood book, and I ran off to my digital store and bought another one as soon as I finished with this one! 

Talia and Lore were both compelling characters with difficult pasts. They were instantly pitted against one another in the book, and the obstacles were stacked against them. They were not just from different places, but different species. What the hell do a hellhound and a vampire have in common, after all?

It was an exciting ride, filled with danger, intrigue, and passion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, but I thought Lore and Talia could have been forced to wait a while longer before admitting their love to themselves and each other. It almost seemed a little forced to have these revelations so early on in the book, even though you could see them falling for each other, I think it should have been drawn out a bit more. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and fellow lovers of paranormal romance! 

I'm currently reading the first book in the series, RAVENOUS and I really like this one too. :-) 

#FREE now -- #Transgender #Romance His Kind of Woman!

Good morning, everyone! I'm very happy to announce that my romance novella, His Kind of Woman is now available as a Spring Fling from Loose Id. This story is something of a follow-up to Uncollared, as it follows the love story of trans woman Venetia Varrano, who appeared in the earlier story.

This is a story about secrets and lies, but the secrets don't belong to Venetia. The fact that she's transgender is revealed early in the story (and those who have read Uncollared are already aware of it). It's Roy Girard, Venetia's love interest, who harbors the secret. His brother bullied Venetia unmercifully in high school, when she was known as Victor. Roy's afraid if she learns the truth, she'll no longer want to see him. But secrets always have a way of coming to light.

The story is also about forgiveness. Venetia must decide if she can forgive not only Roy, but his brother Travis as well.

Here's an excerpt for you:

He was just being polite, making sure she made it safely to her door, checking to see she wouldn’t dissolve into a puddle of goo after the scene in the café. But she had other ideas.

At her door, she took the initiative and kissed him, crushing her breasts to him and practically grinding her lips against his. When she pulled back, she was gasping. “Do you want me?”

He licked his lips, and his eyes narrowed as he peered at her. She read his expression—Where is this coming from?—and knew he wanted to be a gentleman. He didn’t want to take advantage of her in a vulnerable state. The hell with that.

“Do you want me, Roy? Tell me the truth. Because I want you. Right now.” He didn’t need to answer because she felt his hard-on prod her pelvis. She kissed him again and holding on to his belt, pulled him inside her apartment.

After tossing her sweater and purse on the sofa, she turned toward Roy. He was as still and substantial as a mountain, as real, as dependable. She needed his sturdiness now, needed his strength. “You do want me, don’t you? But you’ve been afraid.”

He flushed like a boy being caught with his father’s Playboy.

“It’s all right,” she told him as she began to unbutton her blouse. “I understand. You’re worried.” She slowly undid the rest of the buttons until the front of the blouse fell open. “I say I’m a woman, but I used to have a man’s body. And you wonder—am I really truly who I say I am?” She slipped off the blouse and stood before him in her pale blue bra.

The heat of his gaze seared her as he stared at her breasts. Her nipples prickled. She unsnapped the front closure of her bra and let the straps slide down her arms. Her dark brown nipples jutted straight out at him, needing him to touch them, kiss them. Roy’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and Venetia could swear she heard him swallow hard.

She stood proudly for a moment to let him look at her. She had suffered for this body, not just physically, but emotionally, financially, in every way imaginable. Let her enjoy it now; let him enjoy it too. She basked in his admiration, but as the heat and urgency grew between her legs, Venetia knew it would not be enough.

She kicked off her pumps and shimmied out of her jeans. Now she wore only her lacy blue panties. She loved these panties, loved how sexy and feminine they made her feel, and now she saw how Roy loved them too.

The enormity of the step she was about to take suddenly hit her. Though she tried to steady it, her voice vibrated with fear as she spoke again. No backing down now, no running away. She slipped her thumb into the waistband of her panties. “There won’t be any surprises when I take these off,” she assured him. “My outside matches my inside now. I’m completely a woman in every way.”

As she began to pull the panties down, he stopped her. “Wait.”

She froze and her chest squeezed in disappointment. He didn’t want her?

He approached her, indicating the panties. “I want to do that.”

                                              * * * * * *

I hope you'll give His Kind of Woman a try. The novella will be free until June 19 at the Loose Id site, and will be $2.99 thereafter. In addition, my romance Uncollared will be on sale at $3.99 during the same period.

http://www.loose-id.com/his-kind-of-woman.html

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

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

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#Free #Book! Double Her Fantasy by @Randi_Alexander, and a Chance to Win a Sexy Nightshirt and Two Other Fun Prizes

Happy Friday, everybody! I've got my cowgirl hat on today in honor of guest blogger Randi Alexander. She's here today to tell us about her newest erotic romance release that just so happens to be FREE on Kindle! (Psst--I've read it and it is a great read, sweet and hot. I even got the book before it went free, that shows how much I love Randi's work--and how bad I am at delaying gratification.) She also has a fun contest going on with great prizes! So Randi, welcome, and take it away!

****

Hi - I’m Randi Alexander, and I’ve got a couple fun things going on this week. My erotic menage romance is free at Amazon June 4 - 8. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it’s a hot and romantic story that I hope you’ll enjoy.

Drop by my website for multiple chances to win a cute nightshirt (sizes S - 3X) with my tagline printed on it, a big coffee mug, or a handy flask necklace. Click here to enter.

BOOK BLURB: At a comic book convention, artist Megan Shore is thrilled to meet action movie hunk Garret McGatlin. Usually reclusive, Megan flirts with the leading man of her sexual fantasies. He invites her to his suite for a drink, but when she arrives, his rancher brother Trey opens the door and unleashes Megan's cowboy fantasy. Both men pour on the charm, and she can't decide which of them she desires more.

The McGatlin brothers have shared women, but none of them were like Megan, irresistible and perfect for both of them. Working together, they execute a potent seduction. During a hot, amazing week, the three-way relationship becomes emotionally charged. When they're thrown into the media spotlight, Megan fears the exposure will trigger a past threat. Garrett and Trey need to prove they can keep Megan safe as well as happy and satisfied in their arms.

Available at Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/ZFyXI1

EXCERPT: “Why don't we all get naked?” Garret murmured against Megan’s neck.

The touch of his lips pulsed directly into her breasts, making them heavy and full, craving lips on them, sucking, and fingers plucking and pleasing.

Trey's crooked grin tugged at her heart. “Why don't we.” He stepped back and pulled off his boots, socks, and shirt. He stopped. “Sorry. Ladies first.”

She shook her head. “It was Garret's idea.” She turned to the movie star. “You first.”

His grin lit up his face. “My pleasure.” With a blur of hands, he was naked in seconds. His wide, strong chest held a matting of light-brown hair, more than his brother's did, but shorter. Almost…

“Do you trim your chest hair?” She blurted it out without thinking.

Trey laughed. “Evidently, movie stars do that.”

She looked lower, and saw that he’d neatly trimmed around his turgid cock. Beneath her gaze, it jerked and grew. “Oh, wow.”

“Evidently,” Garret teased, “she likes what movie stars have in their pants, older brother.”

Garret’s cock stood straight out from his body, thick and long, a gorgeous purple color with a plumb-shaped head. She wanted that whole smooth thing in her mouth, and she licked her lips. The temptation to drop to her knees and please him sent hot flares tracing from her head to her core.

He stepped closer. “Baby, this…” He grasped his shaft. “Is hard for you. It's yours all night.”

Her pussy shuddered at his words and she pressed her thighs together to ease the ache. The clink of another belt buckle made her turn toward Trey.

He dropped his pants and kicked them aside. All natural, Trey's light-blond hair curled at the base of his thick shaft. His cock stood tall, nearly touching his belly as it pulsed with each beat of his heart.

Her heart palpitated, rushing blood hot through her body, flushing her skin as bursts of light flashed in her brain.

* * * * * * * *

I hope you like Double Her Fantasy, and good luck in the contest!

Randi

"Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied"

RandiAlexander.com

Double Her Fantasy is free in digital format at Amazon

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Wow, that was an amazing excerpt, Randi! Thanks again for stopping by. And don't forget, friends, to snap up this free story!  Until next week...

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic

www.nonaraines.com

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