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Saturday, November 29, 2014

#BookBlast Hardened Desire by @LaynaPimentel

BLURB

What could Luc Mercier, a gargoyle who's more than a century old, possibly have in common with modern introvert, Gillian Harris? Loneliness and isolation.

When meddlesome friends bring the two together, neither is prepared for the flurry of emotions nor revelations that overwhelm them. That is, until Gillian stumbles across the truth and struggles with how she let her guard down.

Learning to love again has never been harder.
EXCERPT
Luc picked up a newspaper from the stand and tossed a two-dollar coin to the elderly man working the counter. He ascended the cavernous stairs of Bloor and Dufferin subway station, irritated by the lights flickering intensely. I should have just taken my car.

But if he did, Luc would have missed an opportunity to observe society other than from the café he frequented lately. A society he didn’t belong in, technically speaking, and had no business being a part of. Long gone were the muddy, off-beaten roads of provincial France. Long gone was the time when an over-flowing bodice was considered scandalous.

Now people thrived on exposing as much skin as possible. The modern day sentiment of what was attractive and acceptable embarrassed him to the core, from the mode of dress to the inappropriate use of language. Didn’t anyone know how to speak without using an expletive every other word? Where had humanity gone wrong? It was ghastly enough that children didn’t respect their elders, much less their parents.

Nevertheless, as much as this modern world perplexed him, nothing could deter him from at least enjoying his freedom, regardless of the limitations restricting his activities to the darkness of the night.

He did, however, miss the ambiance of candle light and the soft cries while seducing a woman, tormenting her with his wicked tongue. Exploring deviant, but heavenly, practices of binding and mixing pleasure with pain. Sweet promises falling from his lips while exploring every inch of her delicate and exquisite flesh.

These days, the few women he was able to enjoy weren’t interested in highly sensual liaisons. No. Today’s women thrived on being in control of seduction, whether they were proficient or not. There certainly wasn’t anything wrong with the scenario, but it wasn’t his taste. He preferred his women soft, like Genevieve…his sweet, sweet Genevieve.

No matter how many decades passed, the only woman he’d ever confided in, and planned to wed, crept into his mind many a time. Genevieve was an old soul, who found him and fell in love. Then, much like a Greek tragedy, their story ended woefully. The trust and courage it had taken to confess to Genevieve of the monstrosity he had become left him restless and, for once in his miserable existence, vulnerable. If not for her kindness, encouragement, and love, who knew what he would be doing and where.

This last week, though, he thought to explore the possibility of trying again. A particular woman, who frequented the café where he spent his early evenings drinking a brandy and reading The Daily Sun, had caught his particular interest. Her laughter aroused his curiosity in the few and far between moments when he contemplated actually living life. Her voice, whether chuckling or whispering to her friend, always made his body react in an animalistic way.

While they had never met, she seemed like someone he’d be interested in getting to know, at the very least, for a little while. Luc doubted very much he’d find another woman like the love of his life and often thought it would be better that way. How could he even begin to explain why he only ever spent time with her at night, and why he’d always be gone before the first sign of daybreak?
 
WHERE TO BUY
Amazon (U.S):
Amazon (CA):
Amazon (U.K):
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Layna discovered her love of reading at an early age. When she isn’t devouring salacious romance novels or writing, she enjoys losing herself in researching ancient history and mythology, weaponry, and hiking. She lives in Northern Ontario, with her husband and two daughters.

Layna is a member of the Romance Writers of America, and is a monthly contributor at 69 Shades of Smut. For updates on her upcoming releases, or to leave her a comment, you can find at:

Website
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Friday, November 28, 2014

#BookBlast: Curve My Song by @SarahGaiCurvy


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Curve My Song is now free everywhere, so be sure and pick up your copy today!

Follow the amazing plus size trio, The Curvies, as they find love, drama, tears, laughs and a song to match every situation. Bree Carson loves her life, friends and little town, but something is missing. Taylor Cole returns home after ten years and old flames reignite. Can he break through Bree’s walls? This book is the first in a three novella set following the lives of three curvy best friends: Bree, Elise and Skyla. The first book follows Bree and her life as she fumbles her way through letting down walls and letting love in. This novella has a lot of laughs and a little drama and introduces the readers to the rest of the characters leading into the second book, which builds up suspense for the third and final installment. These novellas will appeal to plus size or curvy women everywhere, especially those who enjoy books in the BBW (big, beautiful women), chicklit and women’s fiction genres. It’s just one of those reads that busy women of today can enjoy while they relate to the curvy ladies who aren’t super models but representative of your average everyday beauty.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Forty-five minutes later, I rush through the front door of the shop. Tables and sofa seats are filled with customers, and people are lining up at the counter to place or pay for their orders.

I see Skyla running around, trying her best to keep pace, and looking flustered. Throwing my things under the counter top, I make my way to the cash register and begin working.

When Skyla sees that I have finally arrived, a look of anger and frustration floods her face. After staring me down for what felt like hours (okay, like ten seconds), the ‘I’m-so-mad-at-you’ face is suddenly transformed into a look of relief as she drops her shoulders and breathes a sigh.

About the Author:
Sarah Gai is the author of The Curvies series. Living in Victoria Australia. As a devoted wife and mother of three, when Sarah is not writing she will be found reading in a quiet corner somewhere or out for coffee with her own real life Curvies. Being a busy mum she was always trying to find a quick and fun read to squeeze in and that is when the idea for the three novella set sparked into her mind. Wanting to write for all the women out there who want a good short read about strong friendships, romance and body positive, love the skin you're in kind of fiction.

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Get the book at Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes, or Barnes and Noble.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Holiday Etiquette: Travel

I was talking with a co-worker the other day and we decided we needed a copy of Emily Post to give out to all the people we see on a daily basis who have no idea how to behave. It gave me this idea.

The holidays are stressful even if you're not hosting any parties. It just seems like there's a heightened level of "I want to scream at everyone" present.

Luckily, Emily Post has a website!


Here are a few tips, both defensive and offensive, to get you through your travels with less stress and more civility.
  • Arrive early. This may be obvious, but it's often undervalued. As your stress level rises your capacity for tolerance and civility often decreases.
  • Stay calm if your gate agent gives you bad news. Losing your temper won't get you there faster, and it may lose you the sympathy of the one person who could possibly pull some strings.
  • Dress and pack with security in mind to avoid delaying other passengers. Do your homework on current screening procedures and airline policies for checked and carry-on luggage. There are still clueless passengers who pack large bottles of liquids in their carry-on luggage-a nuisance to everyone behind them. Wear shoes that are easy to take on and off, and keep items you may have to remove from your luggage for screening, such as laptops, readily accessible. This keeps the line moving, which keeps tempers calm. If you're a frequent traveller who knows the drill, be patient with those who are new at this-they may be nervous.
  • If you can't choose your environment, create your own. Bring an eye shade for napping, and use headphones to listen to music or movies (whether in the terminal or on the plane), or earplugs to block out unwanted conversations. If your seatmate won't stop chatting with you, smile and say, "Well, it's been nice speaking with you. I'm going to read for a bit now."
  • Do your fellow travellers a favour and step away from others in the terminal to take cell phone calls, and keep calls brief while in security lines or taxi-ing to the gate after landing.
  • The middle seat arm rests are shared property. That said, it's generous for the aisle and window seat holders to give the middle passenger a chance to claim them first
  • Travelling is trying for adults, and even more so for children. Crying babies are part of the air travel package, so it's a good idea to stash some earplugs in your carry on. However, if a child is kicking the back of your seat, it's okay to ask their parent to have them stop. Smile and say, "I know it's tough for kids, but would you mind asking him not to kick the seat? Thanks." Keep it short and offer some understanding, and it's likely the parent-and child-will comply
  • Reading over someone's shoulder is nosy and intrusive. Avoid the temptation and come prepared with books, magazines, or a laptop of your own. Privacy filters for computers and smart phones will bar wandering eyes. If 6A is taking an unhealthy interest in your screen, meet his gaze briefly. This will jolt his awareness - the best medicine for rude behaviour.
  • With airlines cutting back on complimentary in-flight meals and snacks, the smart traveller packs his own. Avoid foods with strong odours that may bother your neighbours though, such as tuna fish, egg salad, or a garlicky meatball sub-enjoy these in the terminal instead. Due to the prevalence of nut allergies, it's best to avoid these snacks altogether.

You can't always choose your neighbours on the plane or in the boarding area, but you can take responsibility for your own comfort and come as prepared as possible.

This article was originally distributed by Reuters.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

#Excerpt Princess Curvy: A Curvy Girl's Italian Affair



Chapter One
 
Milan, Italy   

            Vestito sexy o modesto?” Natalia Dolcini wrinkled her nose in distaste and glared at the two dresses in front of her.
She rarely did modest. What was the point? But this was a stuffy event and most likely mind-numbingly dull if the name of the dinner was anything to go by. After all, nothing screamed tedious like the European Financiers’ Annual Banquet.
Lips pursed, hands on her hips, she tapped her fingers along her generous curves and tried to decide which to wear. Looking over her shoulder at her housekeeper, Carlotta, Natalia silently asked her opinion.
Carlotta pointed to the modest dress. “It would be a change—”
 Damn!she cursed. “We must remember to speak in English.”
            Carlotta snorted, “Why must we speak in a foreign language?”
            “I told you, Carlotta,” Natalia said and returned her attention back to the dresses. “I’m making everyone at the shop speak in English. It’s my rule since I have everyone from New York to the moon working with me,” Natalia added with a wild flourish of her hands.
“The one language they can all speak is English.” She paused and added with another laugh. “Even the green headed Martians. So I must make sure mine is good and yours, too!”
            Natalia laughed and curled a lock of dark hair around her finger. “And have I told you how amusing it is to see Gina and Violet argue over the Queen’s English versus American English?”
            “Funny, I’m sure.” Carlotta shrugged with a scowl that clearly said it wasn’t funny. “Now, if you had been home when you were supposed to be,” she added with a cluck of her tongue. “You would have time to try them both on. But late as always.”
            “Blame the red cocktail dress at the office.” Natalia rolled her eyes. “Not me.”
            “Or should we blame the red cocktail?” Carlotta asked with a suspiciously raised eyebrow.
            Natalia rolled her shoulders and turned from the dresses where they hung on porcelain hooks along the wall. The best decision she’d made in this house was to remove that useless little sitting room and fashion this dressing area. A large, floor length mirror covered one wall and happy little birds flitted about the wallpaper that covered the other walls.
            Carlotta continued to frown at her, even as Natalia’s mind wandered from her dress choice. She’d never been so happy to hear the house phone ring as right then. Carlotta was a gem, one who often overstepped her bounds, but a gem nonetheless. She’d been with the Dolcini family for ages and considered herself a mother hen, a snarky overbearing mother hen, in Natalia’s opinion. Despite that, Natalia loved her.
As Carlotta answered the phone, Natalia turned back to her dresses.
            Dolcini residenza.” Carlotta paused. “Of course, of course.” Natalia turned to look at her as she held out the phone. “Signora Marquez.”
            Short silk robe swirling around her thighs, she continued to eye her dresses and took the phone from Carlotta. “Sabrina!” she said in genuine pleasure, then frowned. “Is anything wrong?”

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Sapphic Smut: Tales of Lesbian Lust Out Now! #sapphicsmut #erotica #anthology


Sapphic Smut: Tales of Lesbian Lust Out Now! #sapphicsmut #erotica #anthology

Blurb:

Light hearted, sexy Sapphic smut is the theme of this erotic anthology, edited by Lucy Felthouse with assistance from Kev ‘Mitnik’ Blisse.

From coffee shops to exotic Indian adventures to cosy cabins in France, Sapphic Smut has it all. Fun with sugar, naughty spankings, seductions by strangers, seductions by friends, cougars and even a twist on a fairy tale abound in this exciting collection of lesbian stories from erotica’s finest authors.

This delicious girl-on-girl anthology contains stories from Lucy Felthouse, Kay Jaybee, Louisa Bacio, Sallyanne Rogers, Vanessa de Sade, Tabitha Rayne and Elizabeth Coldwell.




 

Excerpt:

Alana really couldn’t believe how flat Holland was. She’d been told by many people, but somehow, she still wasn’t expecting a place that made Cambridgeshire look like the Peak District. Her view from the train as she travelled from Schiphol airport to Amsterdam’s Centraal Station was unimpeded. Not so much as a hillock was visible.

And now, here she was, standing outside the station with crowds milling around her. A mixture of tourists, businesspeople and natives. She herself was a combination of two of those groups—she was here on business, but she’d deliberately extended her trip so she could spend a couple of days exploring the city. She had a day either side of her meeting, the boring part a filling to a sightseeing sandwich. Though, despite the boring tag, the meeting definitely wasn’t a bad thing, it was an appointment to cross the ts and dot the is on a very lucrative deal—certainly the trip was worthwhile.

After watching the insanity for another minute or so, she began to head away from the station, wheeling her small case along with her. Already armed with a guidebook and a decent map, she knew where she was going. Her map-reading skills were excellent, and she made the short walk to her hotel in less than twenty minutes. Anywhere else, she’d have gotten a cab, but it appeared they were a rare commodity in this city.

She’d checked in, dumped her bags and freshened up within another ten minutes, and was back on the street.

An online acquaintance had sent her a bunch of information for her trip—about the best museums, interesting things to see that might not be in guidebooks, and details on transport. It appeared that Amsterdam was unlike London, Paris and Rome, in as much as it had trams as its preferred mode of transport, rather than underground trains. Only one Metro line ran through the city, north-to-south. Everywhere else was utterly dependent on trams, bikes and being on foot.

And fuck, there were a lot of bikes. They zipped here, there and everywhere, not always staying where they were supposed to be, it seemed. The slim Dutch people atop the bikes were oblivious, just concentrating on getting where they were going.

Alana searched for the nearest tram stop, and quickly discovered she needed to be on the other side of the road to head in the right direction.

Crossing the road was a chore in itself. A dice with death. She’d thought Rome’s motorists were insane, but at least they were fairly predictable. Here, she was faced with crossing a road that held a cycle path, a tram line and a lane for cars. Shifting down the pavement, she stood at the conveniently placed crossing. It still didn’t make things much easier, but at least she could mingle in with the crowd. Traffic was much more likely to stop if it was going to hit a crowd of people than a single pedestrian. Right?

By some miracle, she reached the opposite pavement unscathed—except for her nerves, which were shot—and approached the tram stop. As if by magic, a tram arrived, and it was the correct number. Things were looking up.

After a few minutes, she realised that public transport in Amsterdam was nowhere near as easy to navigate as in the other major cities she was familiar with. There, their Tube or Metro stations always had plenty of large, unmissable signs telling you where you were. Piccadilly Circus, Anvers, Piramide. Here, it seemed you were left to your own devices. There were announcements on board the tram, but they were in Dutch—a language which she knew very little of—incredibly muffled, and pretty much drowned out by the sound of the tram’s motion and its passengers.

 

Monday, November 24, 2014

Interview with Laura Stone for The Bones of You @StoneyboBoney

A life-long fan girl, Laura Stone takes a leave of absence from the glamorous life of motherhood while the kids were in school, devoting her days to writing full-time. In the past she's worn the hat of actress, Master Gardener, and computer geek, but now sticks mostly to a Texas Ranger's ball cap as she raises her children. They're not fully raised, but then again, she would say that she isn’t either.

She began telling stories to her parents at the age of four. She was so successful in catching her parent's attention that her father actually dislocated his back, trying not to sit on her imaginary cat, Doka.

She lives in Texas as proof that it's not totally populated by hard-line right-wingers—and because that's where the good tamales are from.

Connect with Laura:


What is it that you loved about the main characters in your story?

I love how much they care for each other, how they show it in these little unspoken ways even though the future of their relationship is so uncertain. Gestures such as adjusting someone's tie or smoothing a shirt down, something little such as handing over a fresh napkin when you both sit down for a meal in a cafe, remembering who prefers being the little spoon.

Oliver in particular is very tuned in to the likes and needs of his lover, Seth. It makes him happy to know that he can make someone else happy. He's a courteous, mannered sort, and it fits his worldview to demonstrate affection with these types of attentions to detail toward the people in his life. I just love dear, thoughtful people like him.

I've also been called a people pleaser, and it's something I like about myself. I—like Oliver—enjoy making people who I care about smile. I love to make them feel special and important by remembering a favorite wine or restaurant, a book they've wanted to start reading but keep forgetting to pick up at the shop, sending a funny card to a friend who's having a rough time.

For Oliver, this people-pleasing that he can't help backfired in certain ways, ways that sent him on a completely different trajectory in his life than he'd planned. He couldn't please both his boyfriend and his father, well, he couldn't satisfy the legacy his father had planned for him. As a result, he ended up disappointing both of them. One of my favorite arcs in this story is how Oliver slowly awakens to realizing that it's okay to please himself.

Well, that could be taken in a decidedly naughty way, but I mean that Oliver learns that he matters. He learns that it's perfectly okay to put yourself first. That what he wants for himself, for his career and for his heart are all good, worthy things. He just has to figure out how to achieve it.

Seth is a perfect match for Oliver in many ways because Seth understands that it makes Oliver happy to think of others first. There's a scene where they're going to take a shower, and Oliver makes a point to use specific toiletries, knowing how persnickety Seth can be. Seth, having been on his own in the harsh, cut-throat world of New York theater, absolutely melts at the tiny but thoughtful gesture. He also thanks Oliver in a particular way, but you'll have to read to find out just what that is....

Seth is someone the reader slowly comes to learn about, so I can't say too much about him without giving away the story. But I can say that Seth understands Oliver better than Oliver even understands himself. He's the person who sees how Oliver is denying himself a full life because of the people-pleasing element, and is the one person who knows how to encourage Oliver to finally be self-focused in a way that is positive and truly helpful.

People who on paper clearly belong together, but for whatever reason—timing, location, school, careers, what have you—can't seem to make a relationship work are so painful to me, and so fascinating to write about. Hopefully the readers will agree!
 
Blurb:
Oliver Andrews was wholly focused on the final stages of his education at Cambridge University when a well-meaning friend up-ended his world with a simple email attachment: a clip from a U.S. morning show.
The moment he watches the video of his one-time love Seth Larsen, now a Broadway star, Oliver must begin making a series of choices that could lead him back to love—or break his heart.
The Bones of You is full of laughter and tears, with a collection of irritated Hungarians, flirtatious Irishwomen, and actors abusing Shakespeare that color Oliver and Seth’s attempts at reconciliation.


Excerpt:
Oliver fumbled with his smartphone and pulled up his email. He tapped on the video link in Gus's message and handed the phone over. It wasn't easy to hear over the din of the crowd, but she'd get the idea well enough. “Wait for the hosts to stop talking. That's him.”
Moira held the phone close, her head cocked to pick up the sound over the bar's noise. Oliver watched her face, not the video. Her eyes widened as Seth began to sing, and after a moment she was smiling, entranced.
“Yeah, he has a tendency to do that to people,” Oliver said softly, taking a long drink.                      
“Hmm?” She could barely tear her eyes away from the performance to respond.         
He toyed with the coaster under his beer as she finished watching the clip. She exhaled loudly and handed him back his phone. “You knew this bloke?”                  
“Knew him? Um, intimately. That's rude; I'm sorry.”
She cackled. “And here I was wondering if you were a monk.”

Laura will be awarding A $25 Interlude Press GC to one randomly drawn winner and digital copies of THE BONES OF YOU to ten randomly winners via Rafflecopter during the tour 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, November 20, 2014

#BookBlast Red and Her Big Bad Dom by @SydneyStClaire



Sydney St. Claire is the pseudonym of Susan Edwards, author of 14 Historical Native American/Western/Paranormal romances and the author of the popular “White” Series.

Sydney loves writing and sharing stories of love, happiness and dreams come true with her readers. She credits her mother for her writing success.  Encouraged to read as a child, she always preferred happy endings which meant romances were her favorite genre.  Sydney takes her readers into the world of erotica romance where her characters come together in explosive passion as they solve life’s problems and find true love along with the best sex our hero and heroine have ever experienced.

Sydney’s office is quite crowded with three dogs at her feet and five cats to keep her company while she writes. Three cats always insist on beds on her desk, barely leaving enough room for her monitor and keyboard. Life gets fun when all five insist on supervising…

When not writing, she enjoys crafts of all sorts including quilting, sewing, cross-stitch and knitting. She and her husband of 30 + years are avid gardeners. He takes care of the veggies, and Susan is in charge of the ‘pretties’. Her medicine wheel garden is in a contact state of war: flowers vs. weeds. Sadly, right now the weeds are wining…

While writing, she listens to a wide variety of music. Her current favorites are Blackmore’s Night and David Lanz.

Contact Links 

Blurb:

Wealthy computer genius Graham Winters is in love with a woman who won’t join him for a stingy cup of coffee. How can he prove he’s nothing like her jerk of an ex if she won’t give him a chance? Then he spots her at a BDSM club and devises a plan. During the day, he’s “that damn geek.” At night, he’s the masked Dom known as The Wolf.

When it comes to her love life, Lucy Sanchez has one rule—no geeks. Not even rich, good looking geeks. She’s attracted to Graham but rules are rules. Besides, she has her wolf, the mysterious Dom who makes her blood sing. Then she’s invited to a fairytale event at Pleasure Manor and this Little Red Riding Hood plans to enjoy every delicious moment with her big, bad Dom.

Buy Links:


Excerpt:
“Red Riding Hood. Your wolf awaits.”

Lucy stepped forward as did her wolf. He pointed to the ground. Lucy knelt, assuming a submissive posture. Her Dom circled her several times, then stopped in front of her.

He snapped his fingers. “Follow me. The woods await.”

His deep, husky voice with just a hint of an accent vibrated through her, warming her belly and heating her core. It amazed her that his voice alone made her throb. She stood, keeping her head bent, her gaze to the ground. When he whipped around to lead the way, she almost stumbled. Not only was his crotch cut out but so was the seat of his pants.

She stared at the G-string. The black set off his nicely tanned buttocks and was more temptation than she could resist. As soon as they exited through a side door into the garden, she cupped his cheeks, finding the flesh warm and firm. The man most definitely worked out.

He stopped suddenly, eyes narrowed to slits behind his mask. “Did I give you permission to touch?”

Head bowed meekly, Lucy licked her lips. “No, Sir. I’m sorry, Sir. I couldn’t resist. Guess you’ll have to punish me. Sir.”

“Ah, my lovely little sub wants to be punished?”
Lucy shivered. “Oh, yes, Sir. I need to be punished.”

The author will award a Once Upon a Dom Tote Bag: Tote Bag, Mug, Cap and Misc. goodies (US Only - Int'l winners will have a GC substitute) to a randomly drawn winner during the tour.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway