Archive for February, 2007
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
ALLURING TALES: AWAKEN THE FANTASY
HarperCollins Avon
February 27
What is your most wicked fantasy?
Pleasure beckons and satisfaction is guaranteed in seven titillating stories of love that know no boundaries. Surrender to the passion and follow your desires into unexplored realms of sensuous delights. Awaken the fantasy!
A man harbors impure thoughts about a voluptuous stripperâ€â€and sets out to make his erotic dreams come true . . .
A big-city cop discovers that once bitten is not twice shy after spending a tantalizing night with a beautiful vampire . . .
A sheltered young woman opens a mysterious locketâ€â€and is plunged into a legendary battle of good versus evil to set her imprisoned lover free . . .
A seductive warlock will not rest until the powerful temptress he lusts for is begging to be dominated . . .
A television executive lets loose when her favorite heartthrob strides into her officeâ€â€and gives her the ride of her life . . .
This one-night stand may be too hot to handle for a newly single woman, but that won’t stop her from enjoying every delicious second . . .
When a mysterious package opens to reveal an oh-so-sexy, nearly naked man, these two have no choice but to hide out . . . for a good, long time.
****************
REVIEWS:
“There was no weak story in this collection; they were all just wonderful.â€Â
– Cat N., Fallen Angels Reviews
“Sometimes multi-author anthologies fail to engage everyone. Not so with this anthology.”
- Laurie Damron, Romance Junkies
“With some anthologies, you find several stories you like or love, and maybe a story or two that aren’t quite up to par. It would be hard to find anyone who could say this about Alluring Tales – Awaken the Fantasy!â€Â
- Jennifer, CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
“Aptly named, Alluring Tales ~ Awaken the Fantasy is a wonderful blend of well chosen stories from seven delightful and imaginative authors.â€Â
- Romance at Heart
“This is one of the few anthologies that I’ve read where I loved all of the stories.â€Â
- Chrissy Dionne, Romance Junkies
****************
It’s a great, fun book!! Seriously. You wanna buy it. You do. And it’s at a bookstore near you now. (Or the online retailers can drop it in the mail to you… *g*)
Posted in Books, Publication | 2 Comments »
Monday, February 26th, 2007
Yes, this is an Out of the Blogosphere tour, but it’s also much more than that. I read this book and loved it!
I was hugely lucky to be given an ARC of Susan Grant’s MY FAVORITE EARTHLING last fall and I can’t rave about this novel enough. The writing is witty and fresh and the characters hooked me from the beginning. Jared is an amazing hero! I loved him immediately.
It’s awesome that as wonderful as Jared is, he doesn’t overshadow Keira who is an excellent character in her own right, more than a match for Jared. I liked her so much. Their chemistry together is the stuff great books are made of. The wedding night scene is tender, funny, and hot!
I love, love, love futuristic and science fiction romances, and there are so few of them. Thankfully, Susan is still going strong and writing fabulous books like this one!
Try it! Bet ya love it!
******************
MY FAVORITE EARTHLING
by Susan Grant
HQN
March 1, 2007
Even a Goddess can have a bad day…
Keira, warrior-queen of the galaxy, is as famous for her beauty as she is for avoiding marriage. But when an upstart little planet called Earth threatens her world with its fleet of spaceships, the fate of her people lies in her hands. She must bind herself to a barbarian from the rogue world…or face the destruction of her own!
She’s what he never knew he always wanted...
Confirmed bachelor Jared Jasper knew the trick Earth pulled on the alien invaders wasn’t a permanent solution. What they needed was a peace treaty. It just never occurred to him that he would wind up on the bargaining table. Playing the pushover groom to a mouthy alien babe who knows how to use a plasma sword is not exactly his idea of fun. But with six-billion people depending on him, he doesn’t have much choice–sleep with the enemy…or bring on interstellar war.
Strange bedmates? You bet. But this alliance may turn into a romance the likes of which this galaxy’s never seen!
Excerpt: www.susangrant.com/books/earthling.htm#excerpt
ABOUT SUSAN GRANT
Former USAF jet pilot and current commercial airline pilot, RITA award-winner and New York Times bestseller Susan Grant loves writing about what she knows: exotic places, action, adventure, and the often unpredictable interaction between men and women.
REVIEWS
“Susan Grant writes heroes to die for!â€Â
–Susan Kearney, USA Today bestselling author
“I loved this book! I can’t rave about this novel enough. From an arranged marriage, to royal espionage, to saving Earth, MY FAVORITE EARTHLING is not a book to be missed!â€Â
-– Sylvia Day, bestselling author of Pleasures of the Night
“Susan Grant’s sexiest story yet!â€Â
– Gena Showalter, bestselling author of The Nymph King
“A sizzling cosmic romp!â€Â
– Angela Knight, USA Today bestselling author
“Dang but Jared was a hot hero! Susan Grant is an author I sincerely wish I hadn’t waited so long to discover!
– Shannon McKelden, author of Venus Envy
“Charming, witty, and sexy as all get out!â€Â
–Linnea Sinclair, RITA award-winning author of Games of Command
4.5 stars! “This interstellar romp starts off fast and soon is hip deep in sexy humor and deadly assassination attempts. Grant has really hit her stride with this marvelous blend of humor and danger.â€Â
–Jill Smith, Romantic Times Magazine
“Susan Grant proves once again why she is Master of the Futuristic Genre. Jared and Keira’s heat burn up the pages!â€Â
-– award-winning author Colby Hodge
WEBSITE: www.susangrant.com
Posted in Out of the Blogosphere | 1 Comment »
Thursday, February 22nd, 2007
KINK
Berkley Heat
ISBN-10: 0425213994
ISBN-13: 9780425213995
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: February 7, 2007
Order in print at Amazon.com
Order in print at Barnes & Noble
KINK is the edgy new release from erotic authors Saskia Walker and Sasha White…
Readers and reviewers alike are raving, and with good reason.
“For two different, highly enjoyable stories sure to satisfy any fan of erotic romance, look no further than KINK. Ms. White and Ms. Walker take a common theme and make it their own, with delightful results.” 4.5 blue ribbons. Bella Marie, for Romance Junkies
“Both Ms. Walker and Ms. White have created an anthology that erotic romance lovers dare not miss.” 5 Kisses. Cerri, for Romance Divas
“WATCH ME”, by Sasha White is the touching and tantalizing tale of a married couple that’s become too busy to get busy…
Blurb:
Some people have coffee. Some have tea. But the only thing that really wakes Bethany Mack up in the morning is sex. Too bad marriage to Grant has settled into a sex-starved routine. That is, until she spies a hot roofer next door. Broad, sexy shoulders: check. A muscular chest you could nuzzle all day: check. And under those jeans, well, the thought just makes her weak. So she puts on a little show for him through the window, letting her inhibitions loose, and discovers a naughty new addiction.But how will her husband react when he discovers just how far a desperate housewife will go for some lov’n from him?
“SEX,LIES, and BONDAGE TAPE” by Saskia Walker is walk on the wild side that readers should not pass up!
Blurb:
Fitness instructor Kelly Burton is a woman on a mission, and this time it’s sneaking backstage at a rock concert to get super star Clayton Warren’s autograph for her friend. What she doesn’t factor in is becoming privy to a big media secret, nor being captured by a sexy security guy who sends her pulse racing.
Backstage security man Tommy Samson’s speciality is sending rogue groupies on their way with a playful spank and a threat, but this woman is responding to his behaviour in an entirely different way and very soon they’re locked in hands-on-combat of an intimate kind, kicking off a sequence of crazy sex games back and forth across London.
When Kelly wants to track Tommy down, she has to resort to being a ‘groupie’ all over again, shanghaiing Clayton Warren and doing a deal over his big media secret to get hold of Tommy’s contact details. Kelly is a stubborn, independent woman who plays the men at their own games, but it only makes Tommy want more, and what Tommy wants…Tommy goes after.
****************
I think I first found Sasha because both of us had websites designed by Dream Forge Media. Back then, blogging wasn’t nearly as prolific as it is now. There were very few of us journaling online and we had a fairly tight circle of blogs to visit daily. (Most of us were using Greymatter. *g*)
On one visit to Sasha’s site, I read the excerpt for “Handling Amanda”. I ordered the book immediately and I was hooked on Sasha’s writing. Since then, I’ve loved all of her stuff and I think she gets better with each story. Keep your eye on her, she’s going to be big! There is a unique quality to her characters and she has an awesome way of redeeming a tough protagonist with a single touch or kind word. She also isn’t afraid of taking risks in her writing. One of my favorites by her is Meandros, an erotic romance where the sexual content is shared in flashback as a woman deals with the loss of her beloved husband.
“Watch Me” is another Sasha original — an erotic romance between a married couple who have lost the spark in their sex life. I’m super excited to share an excerpt of this story with you. If you aren’t a Sasha White fan yet, this might make you one!
Read an excerpt of WATCH ME:
Read the rest of this entry
Posted in Books, Excerpts | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007
I’ve actually been tagged by several people over the last week to share Ten Things that you might not know about me. (I think that’s what it is.) Most recently by the fabulously talented Cathy Clamp.
Since I struggle with finding TT sometimes, I’m doing Thirteen Things You Might Not Know About Me:
1.) I drive fast.
2.) I daydream a lot.
3.) I sometimes talk to myself.
4.) If I eat something sweet, I have to follow it up with something not sweet. This is why I like to eat dessert before my meal.
5.) I’m a procrastinator who gets impatient waiting.
6.) I used to smoke, but quit years ago.
7.) I fidget, so I always try to have something in my hands — a pen, nail file, something.
8.) I enjoy being alone.
9.) I dislike talking on the telephone and avoid it whenever possible. I can go weeks without touching a phone.
10.) I cannot wield a knife. I cut and stab myself. My husband now chops all vegetables, etc. without question and is horrified to find me trying to do it myself. He will drop everything to cut an onion for me.
11.) People step on my feet all the time. I don’t know why. I have size 7.5 feet so they aren’t overly large.
12.) I must have reading material in the bathroom.
13.) I skip ahead in books while reading, then backtrack and read what I skipped over.
This is, apparently, the final TT.
Posted in Life as I know it | 10 Comments »
Tuesday, February 20th, 2007
I was tagged to blog, but since my brain is fried from writing my latest book I decided to combine the tag with this week’s Thursday Thirteen, so it’ll go up tomorrow.
In the meantime, I’m writing all day every day, as usual. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and my schedule will be slowing down soon. That will be nice and I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be able to have days where I don’t have to write at all, which hasn’t been the case for over a year now. I’ve written so much that the “E” on my laptop keyboard is almost completely worn away. On my desktop keyboard the “E” is long gone and the plastic of the key has a groove worn into it. A dent. I’m wondering how long I have before there’s an actual hole in it.
Over the weekend and recently on the Wicked chat loop, they’ve been talking about story ideas. Some authors have files full of story ideas. I don’t. Never have. In fact, I only have one story idea aside from the ones I’m contracted to write. It’s in proposal form, but it’s old. Not new. I wrote the proposal last summer! I haven’t had a new story idea since last summer. How sad is that?
Usually I get ideas in the lull when I’m not writing, but since it’s been so long since I’ve had time off, I haven’t had the lull to think up new stuff. Soon though. I need to think of stories for the books I’m still contracted to write.
How are you doing?
Posted in Life as I know it, Writing | 1 Comment »
Monday, February 19th, 2007
BLOOD SECRETS
by Vivi Anna
Silhouette Nocturne
A young human woman is found ritualistically murdered in a downtown Necropolis hotel. It is up to Caine Valorian, a 200-year-old vampire, and his Otherworld Crime Unit to solve the unusual crime, and quickly before the human press can jump onto the story and cause a panic. To add to their already tough case, a new member, Eve Grant, transfers to their lab at the request of the mayor. Not only is she green and eager to impress the boss, but she’s human. The first human ever to work in an Otherworld unit. The mayor thought it would be great press especially now with the strange human murder.
Caine has his work cut out for him, especially with his unruly team who don’t appreciate any help from a human. Not only is this the toughest case of his career, but he’s unusually attracted to the new girl, which can only cause trouble for them all. However, as they sink deeper and deeper into the workings of the case, Caine and Eve become closer and closer. So close that neither of them can see past each other and at the real happenings behind the scenes. The more they poke and prod at the case, the more they realize that something is going on, that this murder is only one step toward a greater purpose. Someone in the Otherworld community is calling on dark forces, in a plot to wipe out the entire human population.
Excerpt:
www.valorianchronicles.com/bloodsecrets_nonflash.php#excerpt
ABOUT VIVI ANNA
A bad girl at heart, Vivi Anna likes to burn up the pages with her original unique brand of fantasy fiction. Whether it’s in ancient Egypt, or in an apocalyptic future, Vivi always writes fast paced action-adventure with strong independent women that can kick some butt, and dark delicious heroes to kill for.
Once shot at while repossessing a car, Vivi decided that maybe her life needed a change. The first time she picked up a pen and put words to paper, she knew she had found her heart. Within two paragraphs, she realized she could write about getting into all sorts of trouble without suffering the consequences.
When Vivi isn’t writing, you can find her causing a ruckus at downtown bistros, flea markets, or playgrounds.
REVIEWS
“If you like CSI, you’ll love this smart, sexy and suspenseful trip through Necropolis where the villains are vamps, werewolves and witches–and so are the good guys. Strong, sexy Caine Valorian is a vampire to die for. He’s also the head of the crime unit that cracks the supernatural cases no human is brave enough to tackle. Except beautiful but businesslike Eve Grant. Sparks fly – in and out of bed – when Caine and Eve pool their talents to fight unspeakable evil.” – USA Today best selling author, Rebecca York
“A new series begins on a strong note with compelling characters that draw you into their world, showing it to you in a way that explains without bogging down the narrative. This is a solid mystery that is enhanced by the romantic and paranormal elements. I look forward to seeing more from this author” – Eternal Night Review
Website: www.valorianchronicles.com | www.vivianna.net
Vivi writes THE BEST kick-ass heroines. Seriously. If you haven’t read a Vivi book, you don’t know what you’re missing. Go get this book. You won’t be sorry!
Posted in Out of the Blogosphere | 2 Comments »
Sunday, February 18th, 2007
Mercury is in retrograde again, which apparently means that communication will be muddled, electronics will go wacky, and various other yucks will happen. This is supposed to last until the second week of March.
On February 14, 2007, Mercury, the cosmic trickster, turns retrograde in Pisces, the sign of the Fishes, sending communications, travel, appointments, mail and the www into a general snarlup! This awkward period begins a few days before the actual turning point (as Mercury slows) and lasts for three weeks or so, until March 8, when the Winged Messenger reaches his direct station. At this time he halts and begins his return to direct motion through the zodiac.
Ugh.
What is this Mercury retrograde period good for?
It is definitely a very good period for some actions. No time is completely bad for anything, there is a reason in everything happens.
The key is the reversed direction of movement: take any known Mercurian action, reverse its flow, consider the keywords “re-doing something”, “double-checking”, “finish the old projects” and there you are, you’ve found the good side of Mercury retrograde.
For instance, you may want to read again a book you particularly liked, a subject you studied before, meet and discuss with old friends you haven’t met for a long time, travel to places you’ve already been to before.
This is an excellent time to work on old projects that never got to be finished. So, think about the things you started and never finalized.
Next, you might wish to prevent any bad things to happen to you: so double-check your agenda, call your business partners to confirm that everything goes as planned, have everything ready before the deadline and leave some extra time for unexpected events. Make copies of your important files and documents, save your work more often.
The other solution is to go on vacation or at least slow down the pace of your projects. You will find that going slowly during the Mercury retrograde period will spare you many efforts of redoing the same action that wasn’t performed right the first time.
Above all, be generous and compassionate: you are already aware about the influence of this period, but the others aren’t aware of it or there may be uncontrollable events. That’s why you should have more diligence with the others and give them some more time. It’ll be your mental health that you’ll be sparing actually.
Posted in Life as I know it | 4 Comments »
|
|
|