2012 - What a year!

Today is the last day of 2012, and it's been quite a year for me. Last New Year's Eve, I had no idea what the year ahead would bring, and if someone had told me, I'd have laughed at them!

A bit of backtracking into 2011 here - I'm a big fan of Laurell K. Hamilton, though that was a more recent development. My husband, knowing how much I enjoy paranormal books, had picked up a few for me over the years, but I found I didn't have time to read them. And because the Anita Blake books are a series, I'm really anal about wanting to read them in order and I didn't have the first book! Late in 2011, I got around to it, and was hooked. I began devouring them, borrowing from the library, or buying it if there were no copies available. If you aren't familiar with the series, I won't spoil anything, but let me say that the heat level increases significantly around book 6. And I found I liked that a lot. When I was at the library next, I noticed that one of the categories in the catalog listing was 'erotic romance'. This was a genre I'd never heard of before.

By this point, we were well into 2012 and I discovered Fifty Shades of Grey. I'll admit - I loved it. And that term came up again - erotic romance. So I decided to start looking around online and discovered a whole world of books that I didn't know existed! These were not my mother's romance novels! I began to buy some and was even more hooked. Initially, I bought books for my Kobo, but then I decided to go right to the Siren Publishing website. At the top was a tab that read, "Submission". Out of curiosity, I checked it out. They accept manuscripts electronically with no need for an agent or representative.

Now a whole Pandora's box was opened! The ideas began to pop into my head and I decided to try my hand at writing an erotic romance. It took me a few weeks to reach the required 20, 000 words. I wanted to submit the story before vacation until I realized that I messed up something vital. Annoyed at myself, I left it until I returned from my trip. I fixed the problem and submitted the story.

A week later, the offer of publication popped up in my inbox. I was shocked, but super excited. It began a whole new journey for me as the summer wrapped up. Deciding that I could do it again, I began another book. And I wrote a mainstream novel as well (that's gone nowhere so far). As the release day approached, I got more excited and told a colleague about it.

Big mistake.

Unfortunately for me, my colleague couldn't keep her mouth shut, told a few people, who told a few people...you get the idea...and the next thing I know, I'm hauled into the boss's office for a chat about my hobby. I do work in a profession where writing erotica could be perceived as a very bad thing, and my boss, and his boss, suggested that perhaps I needed to stop, because if word spread any further, it would be very bad. So just as my new career began, it seemed like it would fail.

But I'm nothing if not determined, and Michelle Graham was born. I had already had another book accepted by Siren and ended up needing to change the release date and rewrite sections because it referenced my other work, by an author who is no more. At that point, I was in the process of writing my third romance, but because of all the crap, I was taken out of that head space and had trouble getting back into it.

Thankfully, I broke out of my funk, finished the book, and have submitted it. I should hear sometime soon. It's unfortunate that I can't tell anyone I know because becoming a published author is a big deal, and an achievement I am very proud of.

Looking ahead to 2013, my second first book will be released on Jan. 8. Hopefully, I'll have the other one accepted and published a couple months from now. I've started writing another, and it's my goal to have at least four books published this year.

So good-bye 2012. You took me on an emotional roller coaster that I won't forget, and which has changed my life forever. Let's hope your sibling, 2013, is a little gentler.

Landing the Big Ones is on Pre-Order!

I can hardly believe it, but Landing the Big Ones is now available for pre-order! I'm practically jumping up and down and my husband is looking at me funny from across the room, but it's so exciting to see something you've worked hard on take shape. This one especially. It's my first book with this pen name and I went through a lot to get it ready.

So time for some shout-outs of thanks:

• to the fabulous folks at Siren Publishing, who have helped me through the process - panicked emails and late night phone calls
• to my family, especially my wonderful husband, who supported me when things were down, and who celebrate with me when things pick up
• to my fellow Sirenistas! Your listening ears and words of encouragement have meant so much.
• to my new followers and readers - thank you for taking a chance with a new author

I am truly blessed to have so many people to lean on. Thanks again!

Michelle

Really Random Wednesdays - Boxing Day Edition

Wednesday again, and here in Canada, it's Boxing Day. That's the day after Christmas, when stores open illegally and sell things for massive discounts and people try to return all the crappy presents they received. So I thought I would include a list of some of the crappier presents I've gotten over the years. I can't tell you where all of them came from because it may reveal too much of my secret identity, but I hope you can enjoy and commiserate!

Crappy Gift #1:  Edward doll from Twilight. This came from hubby. I admit to being a twihard and if Robert Pattinson ever showed up at my door wanting to fuck, I'd say, "Hell, yeah!". But a little plastic doll? I'm not twelve! I know hubby's heart is in the right place, but his head sometimes takes a bit of time to catch up!

Crappy Gift #2:  A gigantic (like 18"X18") stone tablet with some Chinese lettering and a carved flower. I have no idea what the thing said, or why someone looked at it and thought, "Gee, I bet Michelle would really love to have that," but it was hideous. Even if I had wanted to hang it, I would have had to reinforce some walls, the thing was so bloody heavy!

Crappy Gift #3:  This was a wedding gift but it fits nicely with the theme so I'm throwing it in. Hubby's cousin and his wife (both of whom are doctors I might add) got us a decorative (and I use the term loosely) plate. A plate. Not even the functional kind that I could serve things on, but one painted elaborately in shades of gold and diarrhea. It may have matched my parents' decor from when I was born (seventies), but certainly no sane person in the 21st century would put such a thing anywhere that people could see it!

Crappy Gift #4:  A set of note cards with some bizarre designs of birds and other assorted animals, in a pattern so busy it makes your eyes hurt. The best part of this one was that when I was at the dollar store yesterday grabbing some last minute stocking stuffers for the kids and the cats, I saw the same set of note cards. Lovely!

I hope you all had a fantastic, crappy gift-free Christmas! I'd love to hear about some of the lousy gifts you've gotten over the years!

True Confessions! With Tonya Ramagos

Merry Christmas to those of you celebrating, and for those of you who don't, I hope you're having a great Tuesday! Joining me today is my fellow Siren Publishing author, best seller Tonya Ramagos. She writes some wickedly good erotic romance. She's got a confession that I know I can relate to, and I'm sure many of you will, too! Keep reading for a hot excerpt from her new book, Going Under, which was released yesterday!

A true confession, huh? Oh, gosh. Generally, I’m a very boring good girl. Really, I am! So, I guess I’ll share one of my few bad and truly embarrassing moments. I like to drink, but not excessively. I know my limits. Seriously! We all know what happens when you drink too much. Some people get happy, some get angry, but inevitably they get sick and have one heck of a hangover the next morning. I get happy, yet I still get sick and have the mother of all hangovers come sunrise. That’s the part I hate. So I avoid it. A few beers on dart night with the team, a glass or two of red wine at night (We’ll call that adding to the doctor’s studies about whether or not it’s really good for a woman’s heart. I’ll let you know in a few years. :) but that’s it.

 

Until my honey decided one night that, after a year and a half of us being together, it was time to see me drunk. His idea, but not a very bright one. I tried to tell him this, but you know how well men listen to their woman. :) So, he takes me out and decides to fill me with Jager bombs. Did I mention this was a very, very baaaad idea? Again, I tried to warn him, but he just wouldn’t listen. So, I let him have his way, figuring it was the only way he would learn the lesson.

 

One Jager bomb, and I was okay. Two, and I tried, yet again, to convince him he didn’t want to go for three. Three, and my mission was accomplished.

 

I remember little after the third kicked in. I know he took me for what would have been a very romantic walk in the park along the river and we even made love. I told him we had to do that again when I was sober. I hit a brick wall, too. That didn’t hurt until the next morning. LOL He had to tick me off to get me back into the car. I don’t remember why or what he said. I passed out after that.

 

Needless to say, I accomplished my mission. He got some laughter out of the deal and he definitely learned his lesson. He hasn’t mentioned getting me drunk again since and that was over six months ago. Jeez, some of the things us women have to do to get our men to listen. *shakes head* No wonder we love them. :)

Where to find Tonya:

Website: http://www.tonyaramagos.com

Blog: http://tonyaramagos.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tonya.ramagos

Twitter: @tonyaramagos

Buy links: http://www.bookstrand.com/tonya-ramagos

 

Going Under

 

For a man who vowed never to fall in love, how can it be possible FBI agent Cameron Stone managed to fall twice? Hot on the trail of a missing fellow agent, Cameron finds himself in Silver Springs, hometown of DEA agent Adrien Bingham and firefighter Thaddeus Carter, and the last place Cameron needs to be. When emotions run wild and attraction explodes, can the self-proclaimed playboy hold on to his resistance?

Adrien never intended to fall for Cameron. Too bad his heart won’t listen. Then Thaddeus walks into his life, and his heart ends up in a train wreck of confusion.

Thaddeus knows Adrien’s heart already belongs to someone, but that doesn’t stop his pursuit. When he meets Cameron, he realizes the man is the one standing in his way. But when his own attraction to Cameron detonates, he’s left in a hell of a mess.

 

Excerpt:

 

“Sweetie,” Adrien breathed, reaching blindly for Thaddeus’s shoulder. “You’ve got to stop that and let me get off of Cameron before I hurt him.”

“Trust me, baby, I’m not feeling a thing right now,” Cameron said softly, his breath labored, his voice consumed with heat, lust, and love.

Thaddeus repeated the path his tongue had taken, extending the trail up to Adrien’s throat, his chin, and then, God, yes, to his mouth. Adrien expected a featherlight kiss like those Thaddeus had laid on his back, on his abdomen and chest, on his throat and jaw. He expected Thaddeus to continue to tease, to heighten the wicked flames Thaddeus had ignited inside him.

He got the heightened flames, all right, but they came in the form of an explosion that sent him soaring as Thaddeus crushed his mouth to his. The kiss screamed of pure sex. It was a no-holding-back, I’m-so-glad-you’re-finally-mine kind of kiss. And Adrien felt it in every erogenous zone in his body. Then Thaddeus eased back, turned to Cameron, and Adrien watched as he delivered the same mind-altering, sinfully delicious kiss to the other man’s mouth.

Adrien took that opportunity to move, climbing off the bed on Cameron’s opposite side, and taking the liberty of removing the shorts he still wore from his short afternoon on the boat. His gaze dropped to his hands as he freed the button and lowered the zipper, but a prickling sensation along the fine hairs at the back of his neck had him looking up again. Cameron and Thaddeus were watching him, their heated gazes locked on his groin.

“Well, why did you stop?” Thaddeus asked, not bothering to lift his eyes.

Adrien let out a breathless laugh. “Because I suddenly felt like I had become the primary item on an all-you-can-eat buffet.”

“Yeah?” Cameron shifted his gaze to Thaddeus. “I think he’s pretty close, don’t you?”

Thaddeus grinned at the man. “Definitely.”

“That’s not how this is going to play out.” Adrien finished removing his shorts and pushed his boxers down his legs. He snagged a condom from the pocket of his shorts before kicking both articles of clothing to the side. “You, sweetie,” he told Thaddeus as he unwrapped the condom, “are wearing entirely too many clothes.”

“Oh, that’s an easy fix.” Thaddeus slid off the other side of the bed and made gloriously quick work of removing his clothes.

Adrien started to chuckle, but the sound got lost in another moan as his gaze fell down Thaddeus’s marvelously naked flesh. The man’s body was all hard-toned muscle and mouthwatering sinews that splintered Adrien’s thoughts and had his entire body screaming with the need to feel and taste.

“Maybe for you but, damn, sweetie, I can’t think now.”

Thaddeus shot him a toothy grin full of boyish mischief. “Well, I can, and I believe you were in the process of sheathing that spectacular cock that I desperately want inside me while I get to work on getting someone out of the rest of his clothes.” He moved to the foot of the bed, climbed onto his knees on either side of Cameron’s legs, and carefully walked his way up. His hands found the waistband of Cameron’s sweats and slowly began peeling the pants off Cameron’s hips.

Cameron helped by bracing his weight on his hands on either side of his hips and lifted them, allowing Thaddeus to pull the jogging pants all the way down, wincing as the move obviously aggravated his thigh.

Cameron’s sweats gone, Thaddeus still straddling the man’s legs, Thaddeus put his weight on one arm as he bent forward, curling his fingers of his free hand around Cameron’s ridged cock. Cameron sucked in an audible breath, and Thaddeus turned his head to Adrien, his dazzling eyes gleaming. “Is this what you had in mind?”

Only in my dreams. Adrien kept the thought to himself as his gaze moved slowly from Cameron’s face, down the man’s torso, skipped to Thaddeus’s head, and continued down Thaddeus’s body.

He had dreamt of this. All those lonely nights when he had lain in his bed staring at the ceiling, tormenting himself with memories and fantasies of both men, he had eventually fallen asleep only to wake short of breath, his cock aching, his heart splitting because scenes like this had played out in his dream world. He might be short of breath now, too, and yeah, his cock ached, but he was fully awake with a heart fit to bursting from happiness and love. This wasn’t a dream. It was real. And it was right.

“It’s exactly what I have in mind.” Adrien took a gamble, pulled open the drawer of Thaddeus’s bedside table, and found the tube of lube he sought. Both men watched him as he sheathed his cock with the condom, then spread a generous amount of lube down his shaft. He moved to the foot of the bed, assessing the amount of room he would have, and met Cameron’s gaze over Thaddeus’s head. “Is this going to work for you?”

Cameron looked at the ceiling. Adrien had already forgotten the mirrors hanging above the bed, but the other man obviously hadn’t. He met Adrien’s gaze again, a slow smile full of more joy than Adrien had ever seen on the man’s handsome face unfolding on his lips. “Yeah, it’s going to work for me just fine.”

Adrien crawled onto the bed behind Thaddeus, splayed his hands on the man’s back, and glided one down to the man’s waist, continuing with the other to the man’s ass. Thaddeus dipped his head. Adrien felt as much as saw Cameron shiver, and he knew Thaddeus had taken the man’s cock into his mouth. He saw Cameron’s hands fist the sheets on either side of his hips, and he met Cameron’s gaze as he positioned his cock at the entrance of Thaddeus’s ass.

Follow This! (Your Name Here)

Well, today the only new author around is me. Assuming the world hasn't ended, you could be next!

If you are a new author who will be releasing or has just released their first or second book, I'd love to feature you here! My email is in the sidebar - just drop me a line and I'll schedule you in!

Really Random Wednesdays

#1.  Why is it my intended 10 minutes to check the social media inevitably turns into an hour or more? It just sucks me in and doesn't let go!

#2.  What the hell was I thinking going to Toys'R'Us on a Saturday afternoon ten days before Christmas? There wasn't room to swing a cat in that place and the selection was really picked over as well.

#3.  Where does the expression, "Not enough room to swing a cat" come from? I can't imagine why you'd want to swing a cat, as you'd probably end up with a lot of bite/scratch marks.

#4. Pet peeve of the day: Why do we tell people who've lost weight that they look great? This bugs me. Not only does it imply that they did NOT look great before, but it implies that you must lose weight in order to look "great". This is thinly veiled fatism. There are plenty of people out there who are overweight and still look great. I know the health nuts will disagree but it's the truth. A number on a scale does not make a person beautiful. I've known plenty of "normal" people who were ugly on a number of levels.

#5. Why is it I'm not touching the mouse but the cursor is migrating all over the screen anyway? (cue the spooky music)

True Confessions: My Next Big Thing

Something a bit different today for True Confessions. I will be "confessing" to writing another erotic romance!

 

Last week my fellow Siren Publishing author Tonya Ramagos tagged me in her Next Big Thing, so this week it's my turn. The idea is that I answer ten questions about my latest project (My Next Big Thing) and tag more authors who will talk about their next big thing next week.

What is the title of your book?  The Art of Love

 

How did you come by the idea?  This is the second book in a series about the fictional town of Hedon Falls, Ontario. When I was creating the town, I thought about all the things that it should have and decided that an art gallery would be perfect. Then I thought what might happen if the gallery owner became involved with some of her artists and it just kind of took off from there.

 

What genre does your book fall under? Contemporary Menage Erotic Romance

 

Which actors would you choose to play your characters if it were a movie? My heroine, Melanie, would be played by  Reese Witherspoon.  Justin would be Benoit Magimel, David would be LL Cool J, and Garrett would be Leonardo DiCaprio .

 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Melanie is the owner of a brand new art gallery in Hedon Falls and her search for talented artists leads her to three men that she cannot choose between.

 

Will your book be self-published or traditional? Hopefully traditional (planning to submit to Siren Publishing)

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? About six weeks. I would have had it finished during NaNoWriMo, but had to put it on hold for personal reasons.

 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Oh, boy. This I'm really not sure about. I'm afraid I haven't done as much reading as I would have liked to, and what I read is usually quite different from what I write. I am woefully behind on reading the work of my fellow erotic romance authors.

 

Who or What inspired you to write this book?  I'm a big fan of the arts and I thought it would be important to have stories about the people involved in the arts. I would also have to say that I was inspired by the work of Belgian Artist Ben Heine.

 

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

It's MFMM (the men aren't sexually involved with each other), and there's lots of hot sex! I'm anticipating another SEXTREME rating. There are BDSM scenes, shower scenes, sex-on-the-floor scenes, sex in the restaurant scenes...Let's just say that Melanie does a lot of exploring with her artists. And in the end, she has to convince them that they can all live happily ever after.

 

Well, it seems I'm among the last to be tagged, meaning everyone else has already had their turn. :(  I managed to snag the lovely Laurie Roma, whose post will appear next week. Make sure to stop by. And here are some links to previous The Next Big Thing posts from some of my favourite authors. Check 'em out!

Paloma Beck
Tammy Dennings Maggy
Jennifer Denys
Tatum Throne

Sinful Sunday with J. Annas Walker

Today on Sinful Sunday, I am pleased to welcome erotic romance author J. Annas Walker, who also writes for Siren Publishing. Today she tells us about her book, Scion's Freedom.

I was struck by the number of vampire stories out there where the hero gets to be the big, tough vampire and the heroine is the fragile human in need of rescuing. I thought, “Why can’t she be the vampire with a human hero? He can still be a tough guy, as long as she gets her moment.” Ta-da! Cassy Daniels had her start.

 Then I thought, “If she’s going to get to be the vampire, why not let her have the fun, too?” We get to see our reluctant princess in a bar on Halloween hooking up with our hero in some hot (and very graphic) against-the-car sex. All the sex scenes are graphic, and I made sure to have more than the usual one or two scenes. These two people are either working on the problem or working each other. The sex is actually a part of the plot. There is no way to clean it up and still make the story work.

My favorite part is how Cassy gets to be the damsel in distress and the knight in shining armor at the same time. If you’re looking for something colored a little outside of the lines but isn’t way to far outside of the lines, give Scion’s Freedom a try. No matter what, don’t stop reading. The bad guy may seem obvious, but you’ll be surprised who really created the monster within. Keep reading to find out how naughty Cassy really has been!

Here's a sinfully hot excerpt:

Staring at his dark-brown eyes, she slowly pulled the keys out of his hands and dropped them on the ground. Her hand slid up his stomach to his chest and then pushed his frock coat off his shoulders. With the coat halfway down his arms, she pulled him to her, kissing him. The tip of her tongue touched his lips and he opened his mouth. She deepened the kiss for a few moments more and pulled away.

 

He drew in a long breath and let out a half-moaned sigh as he palmed her breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra underneath the halter top. He dropped his arms and allowed the coat to slip off. She reached up and untied the top behind her neck. It dropped down, exposing her hard nipples. He rolled them between his thumbs and forefingers. She shivered with delight. He mistook the tremor for being cold.

 

“It’s chilly out. Do you want to get in the car?” His hands didn’t leave her breasts.

 

“No. I’m fine right here.” She undid the hooks on his pants and opened the fly. As he twisted and rubbed her, she slid both hands down the front of his undershorts and gently kneaded his balls.

 

“Mmm…That feels great,” he sighed. Moving his hands down to cup the base of her breast, he bent his head low and ran his tongue across one nipple and then the other. He began sucking her breasts in turn. She turned him loose and arched back to lift her chest higher.

 

He put one hand between her thighs. Cassy’s skirt was short. There was nothing to lift to gain access. His fingers brushed her neatly trimmed bush. He glanced up at her in surprise.

 

“No panties. I hate ’em. They get in the way,” she whispered. He hummed his agreement against the breast he still had in his mouth. She parted her legs enough for him to explore her further. This brought more humming.

 

Fingers slid across her sensitive pearl and down to her waiting pussy. First one, then two found their way inside her slit. She was so wet he hardly had to try working them in. As he fingered in and out, he started kissing his way up her neck. A thrill ran through her when he lingered over her carotid artery, kissing and licking it before moving up her jawline.

 

He slipped his fingers out of her and released his stiff cock from its confinement. Gripping the base, he whispered in her ear, “Do you want to suck this? Or do you want me to fuck you?”

 

Too hot and eager to care about anything else, she begged, “Fuck me. Just fuck me, please.” Something about this man was unexplainably magnetic. He drew her in, made her want him. She was impatient to have him take her. She would have loved to suck his dick, to roll her tongue across the head and taste his sticky pre-cum, but the burning need to have him in her snatch overrode everything else. Fangs and sucking cock were tricky things to juggle when the need to fuck raged like an internal wildfire.

 

“That’s what I like, a woman who knows what she wants,” he purred. Pinning her body against his car, David pushed into her dripping cunt in one long stroke. Cassy pulled one leg up over his hip and curled it around his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders to hold him steady against her. “Good girl,” he cooed. The praise sent a shiver up her spine. She wanted to open herself to him completely, to let passion consume her.

 

He braced one hand on the car and the other on her raised leg for more support. Once balanced, he pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in as deep as he could. Cassy let out a soft moan. He could feel her pussy quivering and gripping his cock, almost begging for more. Her juices flowed down over his balls. She was ready.

 

“Yes, please yes! Please, please, please,” she begged in a loud whisper. She laid her head back against the roof of the car and closed her eyes.

 

“Happy to oblige,” he said and started stroking her long and hard.

 

 

You can find J. Annas Walker in these locations:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-Annas-Walker/374381472619499
http://www.bookstrand.com/scions-freedom
http://www.amazon.com/J.-Annas-Walker/e/B009G2FJNQ/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1354805856&sr=1-2-ent
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scions-freedom-j-annas-walker/1113126089
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Scions-Freedom/book-X73tp3nPhUi5kPwt2_DsMA/page1.html?s=LmtanBOkPkKGfonnMjIASw&r=1

Follow This! Honor James

Today on Follow This! we have new author, Honor James, who writes erotic romance for Siren Publishing. In spite of being new, she hit the Bookstrand Bestseller list while her first book, Their Unexpected Mate, was still on Pre-Order! There are a ton of great things coming (lol) from this hot new author! And as a special treat, we have the first chapter (and the beginning of the second) of her book for you here!

What got you started in writing? Oh heaven’s I’ve always been writing. From the time I was in middle school I’ve been writing. I honestly can’t tell you what it was that got me started, I simply know that I’ve always had a wild imagination and have wanted to create with it.

How did you feel when you got that first acceptance?    Stunned, giddy, excited, so many excited terms that I simply can’t find one that truly fits the sheer happiness that I felt

What’s your biggest challenge as a brand new author?  Finding ways to market my books without stepping on the wrong toes

What’s next for you? Well right now I’m doing a great deal of editing. Siren accepted my books 4-9 of the Paranormal Protection Unit. I’m also trying to finish up Book 10 for that series as well as a conclusion book for it. While I’m doing all of this I’m also created two additional series for Siren as well. Whew! Lots of writing, and I love it!

Tell us about your newest release. Out right now is Their Unexpected Mate, Book 1 in the Paranormal Protection Unit series. And coming out December 26, 2012 will be Book 2, Their Mating Illusion. Here is an excerpt of Book 1 - you'll have to wait for Book 2 just a little longer, we're still in the midst of the dreaded edits.

Where can fans find you?

Twitter: www.twitter.com/writinghonor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/author.honor.james

Web: www.honor-james.net

Blog: www.honor-james.blogspot.com

 

 

Chapter One

 

Sneezing into the crook of her arm, Katherine Douglas sniffed once, twice, and then a third time before pulling her ever-present Kleenex from her sleeve and wiping her eyes then nose. Wadding the tissue up and tossing it into the corner wastebasket, she sniffled again.

Taking the moment that she could, she leaned back, popping her aching and stiff back, and looked to her friend. “Good grief, I don’t think I could possibly dust, clean, or polish another thing, Bets. I’m exhausted,” she said and sat her plump rear on the corner of the antique Louis XVII desk.

“Come on, Kat, you can’t quit now,” Betsy Wilderbrand, aka Bets, told her friend as she grinned at her from the view screen. “You’re almost finished, besides.” There was a twinkle in her eyes as she leaned in closer to the computer camera. “You’ve never quit anything in your life, and you know as well as I do that if you quit now that asshat brother of yours will have a reason to point his bony, crooked finger at you and squawk about you squandering money.”

Shivering, Katherine crinkled up her nose and sighed. “Dammit, Bets, why do you have to be right?” she grumbled and picked up another piece of silver and the silver cloth once more. “He only reports each and every single dime that I spend in hopes that the attorneys will find a loophole and be able to take the inheritance from me and give it to him. Idiot.” That about summed up her brother. Dwayne Craft was truly a bastard of the nth degree and felt that because he was his mother’s oldest son, not even Wilder Douglas’s son, her father should have left his vast fortune to him, not his one and only true child. Her father had been kind, actually. He had given Dwayne fifteen million in his will along with two homes, but sadly her brother suffered from the same trouble his real father did, including gambling, drugs, and booze addiction.

“I know, honey.” Betsy Wilderbrand had been Katherine’s friend for years, had stood at her and her father’s side when she buried her mother, and then was there to hold her up on her feet when she had to bury the most important man in her life, her father. “That’s why Wilder made sure to put ironclad wording in the will. Trust me, your father knew what he was doing and my husband understood that as well as soon as he had met Dwayne.”

“True.” Wilder Douglas had been the single most amazing man alive. He had been taken from the Earth far too soon for his daughter’s heart, but he had touched the lives of so many in his seventy-two years. “I guess I just came into his life far too late, didn’t I?” Katherine felt the pain gripping her chest again, the ache that she always felt when she thought of her father.

“He loved you, Kat. You were his miracle, you and your mom both. Boyd and I knew Wilder before you came along and trust me, there was a change in him, for the better.”

It was so funny how easily Katherine forgot that Betsy was sixty-seven herself, forty years older than Katherine herself was. “All right, I will finish up here. Don’t forget that you and Boyd are supposed to come along in two months to try out the place. By then I should have the Wilder Resort up and running.”

“We will be there. Take care of yourself, kiddo,” Betsy said before she clicked the mouse to disconnect the connection to the camera and left Katherine to continue to clean.

Another sigh escaped the lips of the twenty-seven-year-old, but it was followed by a smile. “I can do this,” she said, and promptly sneezed again. “As long as I’m not allergic to this town, that is.” She blew her nose and wiped at her eyes. “Right, allergy medication needs to be added to the list.”

~~~~~~~

Chapter Two

 

Quinlan “Mac” McAllister shifted in the booth, his gaze watching everyone in the bar even as he drank his Budweiser. His nose twitched when the newest patron entered the bar, the scent of weed and rubbing alcohol all but wrapped around the wiry-looking little weasel, literally, that walked in. Shifting, he grinned and looked to the other side of the room, giving a nod to his partner and brother who were playing a game of pool. Tapping his first finger on the rim of the longneck bottle gave the signal necessary to alert his former Delta brothers to the first player falling into place.

Sullivan “Sully” McAllister shifted, sinking the nine ball easily, and looked up to first Mac and then his other operations partner, Treasach “Scythe” Campbell. Tapping the tip of the cue to the velvet top of the table, he repositioned himself to move a little closer to the weasel, his bear growling in anger and offence from the smells coming from the little bastard.

Scythe ran his finger over the brow of his cowboy hat as if he had not a care in the world, and lined up his next shot, scratching the ball when he saw the next target entering and looking through the smoke-filled room to find the weasel that had taken refuge in one of the oversized wood and cushioned booths that gave a semblance of privacy. A large laugh came from the massive man as he slapped Sully on the back.

“Looks like drinks are on me,” he called to the bar. “Hey, Becky, how about you give out a round for everyone, on me.” Lifting his whiskey glass, he drained it in one drink and let out a rough sigh of appreciation of the fire that burned down his throat.

Now finally the mission they had worked most of the last year on was coming to a head. Thank the Moon Goddess on that one!

Subtle fluctuations and moves came from the trio of men as well as the three other Delta brothers in the darkness of the bar, and the click in their ears signaled that the ears and tech were there as well. Hell yeah, life sometimes was very, very damn good.

http://www.bookstrand.com/their-unexpected-mate

Candy Cane Kink Blog Hop

UPDATE: Dec. 22 - The Candy Cane Kink Blog Hop is now officially over and I have drawn a second winner to make up for yesterday's snafu. Congratulations this time to Jean MP! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and commented. Come back in the New Year when I'll be participating in the Naughty New Year's Blog Hop! Happy Holidays!

UPDATE:  Dec. 21 - Well, with all this end of the world nonsense, and being really tired (it was a very busy week at the day job), I forgot what day it was and actually drew a winner's name a day early. <smacks forehead>  Congratulations, Amy!  But since I was a day early, I'll draw another name tomorrow!

I'm excited to be participating in my second blog hop! I liked the first one so much and loved the chance to hear from so many different people!

For this hop, I'm offering another prize! But I hope you're into delaying your gratification, because it is a copy of my new book, Landing the Big Ones, which is being released in early January. I guess you could consider it a post-Christmas present. Leave me a comment below and I will draw on Dec. 22!

When I did the Hot Winter Nights blog hop, I posted a short erotic romance about three friends who end up on the road to a new FFM menage relationship. The characters are sticking in my head right now and demanding I write more about them, so here's another installment in their story, Chalet for Three.

 

Jane gazed down into Liz’s large brown eyes and held her breath. She and Matt had talked about this so much, and now that it was actually happening, she was worried something would go wrong.

They had been best friends for years, and had been through many good times, and some that weren’t so good. Through it all, Liz had stuck by her side. Jane loved her dearly, though she had never really considered the possibility of having a physical relationship with her. She occasionally dreamt about it though, and when she mentioned the dreams to Matt, he suggested they act on them. That had been more than a year ago, and it had taken them time to work up to this point. Now, finally, Jane was holding her best friend, whose hands were lightly cupping her ass, and whose lips were every bit as soft and delicious as Jane had imagined they would be.

Liz looked at Jane, then over at Matt. Jane saw a tiny bit of moisture gathering at the corner of her eye, and when she met Jane’s eyes again, she smiled.

“I love you,” Liz whispered. “I love you both.”

Jane exhaled as relief washed through her. “Liz, it makes me so happy to hear you say that.” She brought her lips down to Liz’s again and they began moving in unison. Their tongues explored within each other’s mouths, and Jane groaned when she felt Liz’s hands kneading her ass.

Time to make her mine.

Jane slid off to Liz’s side and slipped her hand under Liz’s shirt. Her breasts were large and firm, and the nipples made hard little points underneath the sports bra Liz wore. Jane pinched them between her fingers before she pushed her way underneath. When her hand connected with the bare flesh of Liz’s breast, both women moaned.

Jane couldn’t get Liz naked fast enough. She pulled her up and tugged the shirt over Liz’s head, and then followed that with the sports bra. Jane stared at Liz’s beautiful tits. She had seen them before, but knowing now that she could touch them, and lick them, and squeeze them, made them so much more appealing. She leaned down and pulled one of the pink nipples into her mouth, flicking her tongue back and forth across the tip as Liz gasped. Jane pinched and pulled on the other nipple while her mouth worked on the first. Then she switched. Liz buried a hand in Jane’s hair and held her head in place as she cried out softly.

As she sucked eagerly on Liz’s tits, Jane began tracing circles on Liz’s stomach. She gradually moved her hand down until she reached the waistband of Liz’s pants. She grasped the pants and underwear and began tugging them down. Liz wiggled and shifted beneath her to help get the pants off. When they were down to her knees, Jane moved her hand back up to Liz’s pussy and began to gently caress her mound. She flicked her fingers across Liz’s swollen, wet lips, and then pushed one in between to touch the engorged clit.

“Oh God, Jane!” Liz cried.

Jane smiled and pressed her lips to Liz’s mouth again as she inserted a finger into Liz’s slick vagina. She had never felt another woman before and she enjoyed the warm, wet feeling as she slid her finger in and out.

“More! Put another finger in me!”

Jane was happy to comply and as she fingered her best friend, she began kissing her way down Liz’s neck and chest, pausing to suck on each nipple in turn. Then her mouth moved down Liz’s stomach until she was settled between the other woman’s thighs, staring at her beautiful pussy. Anticipation had Jane’s pussy dripping and clenching in spasms of desire. She had never tasted a woman’s cunt before, but she wanted to. She wanted to bring her friend the most pleasure she could.

Leaning forward, Jane touched her tongue to Liz’s clit. Liz cried out and her hips jerked beneath Jane’s face. Jane began sliding her tongue in circles around the hard little nub. The taste was slightly salty and a little musky, but it was extremely pleasant and had flames of desire shooting all over her. She circled her tongue faster as she pumped her fingers in and out of Liz’s pussy.

Liz’s moans and cries grew louder. “Jane! That’s so good! Oh my God!” Liz reached down and grabbed Jane’s hair. She pushed her pussy up against Jane’s face and wiggled her hips back and forth. Jane sucked Liz’s clit between her lips and held on while her friend went wild beneath her. She screamed as her pussy clamped down on Jane’s fingers and her clit pulsed against Jane’s tongue.

Jane held her mouth against Liz’s pussy until the last wave had passed and her body went limp. Jane pulled her fingers out and moved up to kiss Liz gently.

“I can taste myself on you,” Liz whispered.

“You taste so good,” Jane replied.

They continued kissing as Liz’s hands began to explore Jane’s body. Then she pushed her friend over and lay on top of her. She looked into Jane’s eyes and said, “Now it’s your turn.”

Jane quivered with anticipation.

 

Really Random Wednesdays

I'm back at it. Tired and trying to think up some random thoughts. So here they are:

#1:  Went to my kid's Christmas Concert tonight and was kind of glad they were able to call it a "Christmas" concert. I'm all for freedom of religious expression, but it pisses me off when we have to completely ignore Christmas for fear of offending someone. I don't think we give people of other faiths enough credit for their capacity to acknowledge that Christmas is an important holiday for Christians, just as we can acknowledge the importance of Hanukkah, Ramadan, Diwali, and countless others. I am Christian, and it offends me that we have to have "Holiday" Concerts, where all we sing about is snow. Okay, I probably shouldn't have gone here, but it is my two cents.

#2:  Recently, I read about an Ohio teacher who wrote an erotic novel. I've seen a couple of different articles and it's interesting to see the slant this has taken. The union president expressed disappointment that she would have done something like this. Here's another article from an education blog with some quotes from those expressing support for the teacher. Now, I have to say, perhaps her choice of subject matter (a teacher who has affairs with former students) was not the wisest decision she's ever made, and I can see where that might upset people. But just the act of writing erotic fiction is not bad. It does not mean the author is a bad person. They're STORIES, people. FICTION. Maybe the teacher would be better off writing a story in which a serial killer dismembers and eats their victims. Then people would be able to accept that the fiction does not always represent the reality.

#3:  I had to mail some Christmas cards overseas yesterday - all to Great Britain. And yesterday was the last day for sending air-mail to reach the recipients before Christmas. So I hope they get them in time, and possibly even visit this blog! Merry Christmas!

#4:  Maybe I'd better start my Christmas shopping soon.

True Confessions with Jennifer Denys

This week, I'm happy to welcome Jennifer Denys to True Confessions! She decided to take me up on my dare and wrote me this True Confession:

I had erotic and nude photos taken professionally for my 50th birthday to prove I could still be sexy and desirable despite middle-aged body issues. I had seen this type of photography featured on the TV and immediately thought "Oh yes, I absolutely have to do that."

So in the month after booking it I attempted to tone up (in particular a certain portion of my stomach!) so I cut out sweets, chocs, biscuits, cakes and did regular stomach crunches...... to no avail. I didn't lose an ounce!!!!

 

But that didn't thwart me and I went off on the train to the venue I had booked (a long way from where I lived in case anyone saw me entering!). After some dramas with the train being delayed and missing my connection, I finally arrived.

 

The firm I had booked it with were a husband and wife team called Mighty Aphrodite http://www.mightyaphrodite.co.uk/main.php Zena did the make up and Leigh the photography. They made me very welcome and relaxed. You start off wearing whatever undies you bring with you (in my case a black and red basque, black stockings and heels) and they gradually ask you to take off an item at a time, with no pressure if you don't want to take anything off.

 

Well, when it came to it I had NO problems whipping my kit off!!!

 

The resulting photos were FABULOUS and I would recommend it anyone considering something similar.

 

Check out these pics! They're beautifully done. Hats off to you Jennifer!

 

 

 

Jennifer's experience inspired an erotic romance which was published by Siren Publishing. Here's the cover and an excerpt:

 

 

The collywobbles hit her stomach when she stood from the makeup stool, and Lee said, “Okay, Ellie. Are you ready?”

 

Ellie took one look at the satin sheet-covered bed on which she would be photographed. Ready? That was an overstatement. “Yeah sure,” she replied breezily, pretending a nonchalance she didn’t have. Actually, a portion of her was getting really excited. At least this was the part of the session in her sexy undies. She knew she would be expected to take some items off as the shoot went on, but doubted it would be more than her shoes and stockings. Ellie had visited the lingerie store from where her sister-in-law, Rebecca, had bought something when celebrating her one month anniversary with her now husband, Jon. While Rebecca had chosen a startling black-and-red basque for her vivid looks, Ellie opted for something more suited to her own coloring which was shoulder-length, pale-blonde hair with hazel eyes, and had therefore plumped for a pale-green outfit.

 

“Can you lay facedown across the bed, facing me this end?” Lee asked, breaking into her ruminations. He waited while she complied. Clambering onto a bed wasn’t the easiest thing to do while wearing high heels.  She laughed at the situation.

 

Arriving in the position requested she felt okay as it hid her skinny front.

 

“That’s it, now lift your feet and cross them at the ankles. Excellent. That looks so good, but widen your knees so that your feet are crossing more. Oh yes, that’s terrific. Very sexy.” Lee snapped his shots constantly as she moved.

 

His compliments were heartening, and Ellie started to feel good.

 

“Now place your wrists one over the other. Just relax them. Great. Now turn your face toward me. Super, but tilt your head down slightly so that you are looking down to the floor.”

 

Ellie felt her face going slightly red at this point at all the focus on her face. She was slightly worried as she would have made herself up heavier than Zara had done, but then Zara was the expert so she didn’t say anything. Anyway, there was always the option to have some retouching done afterward.

 

Lee darted around her, adjusting lights and checking the image through his camera. “Okay, now lick your lips.”

 

She nearly giggled at that point. It was beginning to feel rather erotic. But that was the purpose, wasn’t it? He hadn’t suggested whether she smile or not. She had spent some time beforehand practicing expressions in the bathroom mirror, and they had all looked stupid. Now it was really happening, she opted for a gentle smile.

 

“Nice smile, but can you open your lips?”

 

Uh-uh. Not going to happen. One thing Ellie didn’t like was photos of herself with broad grins, showing teeth. Lee didn’t push her to do this, but continued snapping for a few minutes, darting from side to side to get a variety of pictures.

 

“Okay, would you like to take a rest and see the first shots before we continue?” he asked, laying aside his camera.

 

Shit. What on earth would they look like? She reluctantly, and with a lack of decorum, got off the bed and slowly approached the computer where Zara was loading the first shots.

 

“Oh. My. God,” Ellie intoned when they came up. “That is not me! You have got the wrong woman.”

 

They laughed at her comment, assuring Ellie that it really was her.

 

“Holy Mary. Wow.” For a few minutes, she didn’t say anything as they looked at the photos, but her chin was on the floor in amazement. They were all of the same type of pose with her lying on her front, but Lee had taken them from different angles. Ellie was astonished at how relaxed she looked, but most of all, how sexy she appeared!