Erotic Romance Guests Long and Short Reviews

GUEST BLOG: RONI LOREN

2012-01-26T04:00:00.009-05:00

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the banner for more of Roni's stops. She will be giving away a signed set of Romance Trading Cards to one commenter on this stop, and all commenters will be entered into the drawing for a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

Write What You Know, Research the Rest

When you start writing, you’ll hear over and over again the old adage “write what you know.” In some ways, it’s good advice. It makes sense to pull some of your own experiences and infuse them into your story. However, I think that’s way too limiting of a saying. If you’re only supposed to write what you know, how exactly should you go about writing a story on an imaginary planet or a story of shape-shifting giraffe? (Okay, not actually writing that last one.)

Only writing about what we know could turn out to be a pretty boring stack of books unless your life has been memoir-worthy interesting. We’re in the information age. If you don’t know about something, you have more knowledge than you could ever need at your fingertips with the internet. And if you need more hands on experience, you can go out there and get it. Are you writing a novel with a lot of police procedures? Go interview a cop or do a ride along. And if you’re writing the kind of books I write, then well, research can be even more fun. (Just ask my husband, lol.) Believe me, if anyone ever checks out my search history, they’re going to draw some pretty interesting conclusions about me. ;)

So though I use “write what you know” is some regards--Brynn is a social worker (my former job), the story is in Dallas (where I live), and Brynn is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (something I’m familiar with due to my psychology background)--I use it sparingly. The fun of writing is the creation. I don’t have to find a place like The Ranch (the BDSM resort in my book) to write about it. I can build it from the ground up in my mind. For me to write a love scene with a rockstar, I don’t actually have to sleep with a rockstar. (Though, Jared Leto, if you ever want to donate your body to literary research, give me a call.)

And sometimes knowing too many “facts” can even work against you. Ever read a book where you can tell the writer has the same job as the heroine or hero? There are so many mundane details about the day to day job, and it’s boring! When you know something so well, sometimes you can info dump and that can drag a story down. The key is finding a balance between writing accurately about something, but keeping it interesting and relevant to the story.

So write what you know...or don’t! That’s why they call it fiction. : )

If you wrote a book, what kind of research would you need or want to do?

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. Her debut novel, CRASH INTO YOU, was published by Berkley Heat January 3, 2012.

Website/Blogs: www.RoniLoren.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/roniloren
Tumblr (where I post mancandy photos): http://roniloren.tumblr.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/roniloren

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger. Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

GUEST BLOG: DANA LITTLEJOHN

2012-01-25T04:00:00.002-05:00

This post is part of a Virtual Book Tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click the banner above to see the rest of Dana's stops and to be entered into a drawing for either a promotional pen or t-shirt.

Dana Littlejohn’s 5 "Must-Haves" for a Romance Story

1- Every romance must have a compatible couple.

Even when the forces around them are breaking down heaven and earth to keep them apart, the main characters must complement each other. She should be what he needs to bring serenity to his chaotic world, metaphorically speaking. For me, if you’re half way through my book and you’re not thinking, “Man, I hope this guy gets his stuff together so he can get his girl” then it’s time for a re-write.

2- Every romance must have a ‘tangible’ female lead.

The characteristics of the leading lady have to be real enough for the reader to connect with on some level. Each reader is looking to lose herself in the story and, when she can, connect to the heroine. Once she becomes a part of the story she is more invested in the heroine's journey and becomes much more interested in her happiness.

3- Every romance must have a great leading man.

Once the reader is invested in the female she wants her to be happy. The male main character has just become super important. Now that she is a part of the heroine she wants ‘them’ to fall in love. Handsome, heroic, honorable are just some of the things that come to mind; the fact that he is a mess to begin with and has to grow to become all of that just makes him that much more appealing.

4- Every romance must a problem for the couple to overcome.

There has to be a problem for the couple to overcome for all to be well in the universe. That’s probably the only thing from the real world that makes sense in a romance. LOL The drama is the best part! He has to do something crazy or some fool who wants to keep them apart frames him so she can be all like, ewww and then he spends the rest of the book trying to win her over. Once she’s all like, aww, he really does love me, then they can live happily ever after. :-)

5- Every romance must have a happy ending.

No matter how much interference, drama, or chaos happens between the two lovers in question there has to be a happily ever after or at least a happy for now at the end to make it all worthwhile. After you have invested so much time reading and getting to know the people you want them, and expect them, to make it.

About the Author:Dana Littlejohn was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but has called Indianapolis, In., her home for over ten years. She has always wanted to write since early childhood, but put that wish on hold to raise her growing family and have a career. With the encouragement of her husband, Dana picked up her pen again in 2003 and has no intention on putting it down. With 3 novels, 8 novellas, 4 stories in anthologies, 42 short stories published to date and a long list of wip (works in progress) she is literally living her dream. Join her on the wild journey through her imagination. It’s a ride you’ll never forget!

Website: www.DanaLittlejohn.net

Blog: www.authordanalittlejohn.blogspot.com
Facebook: search authordanalittlejohn
Twitter: follow authordanalittlejohn

Jade Dupree had always been a hot commodity among the young airman. She tried not to date them, but having an old school mother and a worldly father gave her a challenging social life. Her mother’s only goal in life seemed to be to get her to settle her down with the next available airman and birth as many babies as possible.

Her father’s outlook for his children’s future was much less intense. Jade let her mother set her up with an extremely handsome tech sergeant, just as she met the very interesting Mike Davis.

Having spent time with both men Jade can’t help but wonder if her mother finally got lucky in choosing Steven Jones for her…or was Mike Davis a better match for her after all?

GUEST BLOG: Stephanie Draven, Laura Kaye, Leia Rice

2012-01-20T04:00:00.006-05:00

Click the banner to find out other blogs these authors are visiting this week.
Leave a comment on the guest blogs here all this week for a chance to win a $15 Amazon GC.

Heroes to Husbands: How to Keep the Sex Appeal Going
Three HQN Authors and Three Sexy Heroes

Harlequin is known for sexy alpha heroes who are tamed by the love of a good woman. Today, Harlequin authors Laura Kaye, Leia Rice and Stephanie Draven are here to tell us how they make the transition with their heroes from lover to love.

When a heroine meets a hero, sparks sometimes fly, but what did you do in your stories to keep that fire burning?

Stephanie Draven: In the Fever and the Fury, sparks literally fly whenever my hero and heroine come together because he’s an immortal phoenix, who has a habit of setting everything on fire whenever he feels like it. But the sexual chemistry actually burns slowly. It isn’t a naked chest or flirtation or even a grope that sends my heroine spiralling down into sexual pleasure. It’s a simple kiss on her hand. She’s a fury of Greek myth, an avenger, and no one has ever touched her with gentleness before. It’s her undoing. But what makes Luke Lazaros, ex-soldier on the run, so sexy is his ability to burn away the fury’s layers of protection, one right after the other. He’s an officer and a man used to beying obeyed. He’s a hero who keeps coming up with new boundaries to push, new ways to scandalize a heroine, new lines to cross...a hero who doesn’t like to hear the word no. Even once Luke has fallen deeply in love, the heroine and the reader are left wondering what depraved acts he has in store for her next...

Laura Kaye:In the Service of the King starts with a feeding ritual between an ancient vampire warrior king and a consenting young human woman. What keeps the sparks flying once they meet is the erotic nature of the act they’re both planning to partake in and their conflicting agendas (his: to keep as distant as possible to insure the ritual can’t identify her as a possible mate; hers: to do whatever she can to lure his interest, because she believes an in with the king and his warriors is the path to redeeming her sister’s murder). When Shayla’s plan unintentionally begins to work in the feeding chamber, Kael reacts badly and throws her out before the ritual is completed. I love the moment in a story when the hero completely screws up, and this is that moment for Kael. And then the question is, did he make a mistake? Will she give him a second chance? Can he let down his walls enough to see what she could be to him? Plus, in a paranormal, there’s always the revealing of the world that helps keep the reader interested and the spark building, and that’s true in this story, too.

Leia Rice: I previously mentioned that I love to explore sexual acts which don’t actually involve sexual intercourse, and this is mostly because it keeps the tension present without having to go straight to the sex. The tension is what keeps the fire going between the characters, and I hate to intensify that to a climax too soon without letting them explore each other first. In The Revolutionary Mistress, Mariette is often taunted by hands and mouths before she ever gets to do the deed with whatever partner she’s sleeping with at the time. It’s a sweet seduction, and it’s that seduction that drives forward the passion and fire of the characters.

What doesn’t your heroine know about your hero that will make him sexier to her even after they’ve made a commitment to one another?

Laura Kaye: Despite being one of a small cadre of humans who know about and have formed relationships with vampires, Shayla’s still only on a need-to-know-basis. Plus, since her only expected role was to feed the king’s appetites, once something more develops between them, she’s in completely new waters. She knows little about his powers and absolutely nothing about what happens when a vampire mates, so there’s quite a bit about Kael she learns in those moments that makes him even sexier than he already was. And the mating was a complete surprise even to me--it’s possibly one of the most erotic scenes I’ve ever written and I can’t wait for readers’ reactions to it. And, because you’re in Shayla’s point of view for most of it, you get to discover what a mating entails right alongside her. I have to say, I’m pretty freaking excited about it!

Leia Rice: Mariette makes a commitment to Rene, and in turn, to his agenda in the French Revolution. She didn’t play a part in it beforehand, but due to her infatuation with her knight in shining armor, she has no choice but to plunge into the mayhem while keeping both Rene and a nobleman complacent. Rene’s secret passion for justice in this war is what draws Mariette to him, even if she doesn’t realize what does exactly for the Revolution.

Stephanie Draven: As a law-and-order fury, bent on dispensing justice, Phaedra doesn’t really know much about sexual intimacy. Then she meets the phoenix and he opens a whole new world to her. What she doesn’t know about him--or at least what she hasn’t yet connected the dots about--is that Luke’s military training made him the kind of man who has a plan of attack for everything. He’s rich and bored and disillusioned and conquering Phaedra is going to be a constant source of pleasure for him. He’s figured out that she’s turned on by embarrassment, by shame, by doing things that she thinks she shouldn’t be allowed to do. He’s going to exploit that weapon mercilessly and she’s going to enjoy every minute of it.

===

About the Authors:

Stephanie Draven is a multi-published award-nominated author of myth-inspired paranormal romance. Writing for HQN Nocturne, Stephanie’s Mythica series asks the question: What if the monsters of ancient mythology still walked the earth...and what if you found out that you were one of them? Currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies, Stephanie lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.

Buy Stephanie’s Books

Newsletter|Twitter|Website and Blog|Goodreads|Facebook

Laura Kaye is a multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance. Three of her four current books have hit bestseller lists, and two have been nominated for or won awards. Available books include: HEARTS IN DARKNESS (contemporary romance), FOREVER FREED (NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011), JUST GOTTA SAY (erotic romance), and NORTH OF NEED (Book 1 in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, contemporary fantasy romance). IN THE SERVICE OF THE KING is the first in a mini-series of novellas featuring the Vampire Warrior Kings. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Buy Laura's Books

Website|Blog|Facebook|Twitter|Newsletter SignUp

Leia Rice is an avid lover of everything Parisian, Ancient Grecian and Ancient Roman. She wishes that women would still wear the pretty dresses and petticoats that they did back in the 18th century, but she’s well aware how much of a pain they must have been. Leia writes historical fiction, romance and erotica in these areas, because she cannot get enough of each respective time period.

Buy Leia’s Books

Website and Blog|Facebook|Twitter

GUEST BLOG: Stephanie Draven, Laura Kaye, Leia Rice

2012-01-19T04:00:00.003-05:00

Click the banner to find out other blogs these authors are visiting this week.
Leave a comment on the guest blogs here all this week for a chance to win a $15 Amazon GC.

What I’d Never Write
Three HQN Authors Dish About Their Hard Limits

Harlequin offers the world a buffet of romance and steamy sex stories. Today, authors Laura Kaye, Leia Rice and Stephanie Draven are here to tell us where they draw the line.

Ladies, is there any kind of erotica that you would never write? Is it related to things that you’d never do or are there some other guidelines you use?

Laura Kaye: There are no story types that I would have some hard aversion to or stance against. I’m a pretty open minded and adventurous person in my real life, and that certainly translates to my writing, where the safety of my imagination lets me explore even more than I would for real. More important to me would be whether the act or the fetish excites me, whether I have enough knowledge to feel I can do it justice, and whether I can create characters the readers would sympathize with for needing and wanting to do certain things. Except for blood in the case of a paranormal story, most bodily fluids do absolutely nothing for me as a fetish--I just don’t get it, though I do generally get the turn-on of humiliation because it’s a power play. So, for me, bring on the kink! LOL

Stephanie Draven: There’s a ton of stuff I’d never do but would happily write about, so that doesn’t really factor into it at all. Some stories are thought experiments. They’re fantasies and nothing more, so I don’t limit myself to exploration of sex acts I’m into any more than a mystery writer would only write about murders he might be willing to commit. However, I have to be able to understand the turn-on. In some respects, writers are like actors, so I need to be able to put myself into the character’s shoes and imagine what she feels. And there are a few fetishes that I just don’t get. I don’t have anything against any consensual fantasy...I just won’t write about it if I can’t feel it in my gut. For example, I get the tingles over psychological power games like the ones I explore in The Fever and the Fury. I get them. But I can’t get my head around the fetishism of rope-art and latex. I understand why a woman might be turned on by being restrained and powerless, but I’m not sure I get the arousal attached to the idea of tying pretty knots. Oh, and also, I don’t really get the blood thing. Maybe Laura can teach me a thing or two.

Leia Rice: What I write in erotica has nothing to do with what I am personally comfortable with or what I would do. I am writing fiction, and everything that is created is just that -- created. On that note, I am not into fetishes either, so I probably wouldn’t touch that. I also like to stick to the more “traditional” forms of sex, be it with two people or more. I don’t like to be surprised by sexual acts when I am reading erotica; if it makes me have to re-read it to figure out what they are doing...then it’s probably too much for me.

What kind of lines are you willing to cross in writing erotic fiction?

Stephanie Draven: I would absolutely write erotic stories about off-limit fantasies like bodice-ripping, reluctance, non-consent, face-slapping, etc. But I would only do it if I were paying very close attention to the subtext of the story. That is to say, I would never write a story, the subtext of which that said brutalizing another human being against their will is ok. People have these fantasies--and they’re allowed to have these fantasies and I think fiction should give a healthy outlet for them. The emphasis is on healthy. If I can craft a story that has a powerful message underneath the forbidden, I’ll do it.

Laura Kaye: I’d be willing to cross most lines, though I’d be less likely to cross the non-consent line. I get why that is a source of fantasy for some people--and among men, rough sex and pushing lines of consent is a top-ranking fantasy (not that the vast majority would ever act on it, no more than the majority of women fantasizing about force fantasies means women want to be forced...). But it’s a line I personally don’t want to characterize as crossable. However, anything that consenting adults want to do to or with one another, I’d be willing to experiment with and explore.

Leia Rice: I like to push sexual acts that don’t actually involve intercourse. I think that it’s hot when characters are being sexual, but they aren’t having sex. There are lots of other options besides oral and manual pleasure, and I like to explore just how far I can go with this before they actually do-the-deed.

===

About the Authors:

GUEST BLOG: Stephanie Draven, Laura Kaye, Leia Rice

2012-01-18T04:00:00.004-05:00

Click the banner to find out other blogs these authors are visiting this week.
Leave a comment on the guest blogs here all this week for a chance to win a $15 Amazon GC.

Listen Up Authors, This is What I Wanna Read!
Three HQN Authors Put On Their Reader Hats & Talk About Their Literary Desires

Harlequin offers the world a buffet of romance and steamy sex stories. Today, authors Laura Kaye, Leia Rice and Stephanie Draven are here to discuss what they wish they saw more of when they go shopping for books they love.

Ladies, what kind of erotic stories do you want to read that you just don’t see enough of?

Stephanie Draven: These days there seem to be a lot of rules about romance and erotica. Everybody has to wear a condom. Nobody can have sex just for fun. The heroine has to be a stand-in for your best friend. The hero should be an alpha-hole or else you’re writing cutesy contemporary romance. And so on, and so on. I’m so bloody sick of it. I have a wondrously loving and healthy real life relationship--I don’t need to see my choices validated in fiction. I want to read stories that push the envelope. I want to read about things that scandalize me and make me uncomfortable like the public sex scene in my newest novella, The Fever and the Fury. I want to read about risky behavior. I want to read about people behaving badly. I want to read about the bad girls. The sluts, the tramps, the vamps. Stories with heroines who take on the football team for the sheer joy of it. A hero who isn’t just a pretend rake--but who is a true libertine. One of the authors I think is genuine chain-yanker right now is Jasmine Haynes. I want to read more stories like hers.

Laura Kaye: I’m a complete and total vampire nut, so I’m always searching for paranormal erotica and paranormal erotic romance, and it’s not rare, but it’s also not the most common thing out there. I’d love to see more paranormal menage, more paranormal BDSM, and for the love of the guys, I want more paranormal male-male. I’d be interested in these stories if both/all characters were paranormal, or if only one protagonist was and the other(s) human. It just adds a whole other layer to the erotic tension of the story. Oh, and as a general lover of the group sex fantasy, I’m shouting an enthusiastic hell-to-the-yes for Stephanie’s idea of the football team! LOL [Note from Stephanie: Do vampires play football, because if so, I think we’ve got a story!]

Leia Rice: I like historicals, but I’m tired of seeing regencies. I’d like to see some more unique historicals set in ancient Rome, or in the Far East, or during war time, with our couple all cooped up in a bunker while the world is falling apart around them. Something that will spark my interest without having to submerge myself in the Tudor court. The Tudors got their attention, let’s move on to something else that’s spicy and lends us to a piece of history as well!

What kind of erotic stories have you seen too much of? Or what kind of stories really annoy you?

Laura Kaye: I’m not sure I’ve seen “too much” of any one thing, but there are things that bug me. I’m personally not a fan of the unwilling hero premise used in a way meant to titillate--the general idea of these stories being where a female “convinces” a male he wants her and ultimately loves her through a relationship that begins with him in prison or tied down against his will, etc. I also find myself gritting my teeth through anal sex scenes where the characters don’t use lube. Every time an author writes an anal sex scene without lube, a kitten dies. Seriously. A cute little fur ball of a kitten with a sweet pink nose and big pleading eyes. LOL Whatever the fetish or activity, I just need the author to sell it to me, make me believe the characters need/want/enjoy it (and why), and keep me interested with scenes that raise the stakes each time.

Stephanie Draven: There’s a lot of boring sex out there. I’ve been reading contemporary romances where there’s just not a lot at stake--and if the story doesn’t have a sexual journey in it, if the characters haven’t learned something about themselves, then it’s a snooze-fest for me. That’s probably why I shy away from erotica where there’s nothing particularly taboo going on. If the hero and heroine aren’t doing it in public, risking getting caught, tying each other up, taking pictures for the internet or otherwise raising the tension level, I’m not sure why the story isn’t fading to black on the sex scenes.

Leia Rice: Regencies. How many times can you have a nobleman bang a lady’s maid? It just gets old after awhile. I also think that it set a standard for historical erotica that is very hard to write around if you choose not to write a regency. For example, I love the French Revolution, but how many erotica stories do you find during that time? Or any other time, for that matter? Everyone is looking for what they are used to, but very few are writing outside of that box.

===

About the Authors:

GUEST BLOG: Stephanie Draven, Laura Kaye, Leia Rice

2012-01-17T04:00:00.003-05:00

Click the banner to find out other blogs these authors are visiting this week.
Leave a comment on the guest blogs here all this week for a chance to win a $15 Amazon GC.

The Hottest Fantasies and Fetishes
Three HQN Authors Dish on The Classics and the Trendy in Erotic Fiction

While Harlequin is known primarily for romance, they also offer hotter fare. Today, authors Laura Kaye, Leia Rice and Stephanie Draven are here to discuss how to push a reader’s naughtiest buttons.

Today’s erotica caters to different sexual tastes. Can you tell us what’s hot right now and what sexual fantasies will never die?

Laura Kaye: Certain fantasies appear consistently at the top of women’s lists: force fantasies, group sex, stranger sex, voyeurism/exhibitionism, and domination/submission. I think these are both fantasies that are hot now and classics. What these fantasies have in common is exploring taboos, engaging in risky behavior, and giving in to wantonness and sensation. And, because they’re fantasies, they allow those who embrace them to imagine these sex acts in ways that are safe, low-risk and without consequences--which is why readers love to read them!

Leia Rice: Definitely the more-than-one-partner fantasy. Readers love to fantasize about what the possibilities are when you can give yourself to more than one partner, and as long as they want to explore this, group sex will never, ever get old. I also agree with Laura, that stranger sex, voyeurism and force fantasies are at the top of the list as well.

Stephanie Draven: If you can think of it, somebody is turned on by it. In fact, there are probably things you can’t even imagine that someone has sexualized. Take balloons. Seriously, there are people out there who are aroused by the sound of them popping. Because sexuality is so personal, so wound up with our early experiences and our unique upbringing, I’m going to say that no sexual fantasy will ever die. However, I don’t see a glut of balloon-sex fiction in the market, so I think it’s safe to say that some fantasies are more popular than others. Right now, group-sex fiction is trendy and getting trendier. I think this feeds into a bigger more classic theme of excess and taboo. If one lover is great, wouldn’t it feel better to have two or three? And oh, the tingly wrongness of it all! The best thing about fantasy fiction, of course, is that you don’t have to deal with any of the real-life consequences of risky business. So, I expect more and more taboos to be explored. As for sexual fantasies that won’t ever die, my vote is for forced seduction because it keeps cropping up in various disguises. First it was in bodice rippers, now it’s in paranormal romance...we can clean it up and make it pretty but as long as women are conflicted about men, this is a fantasy that will endure.

Ladies, you write erotica designed to tease and titillate. What kind of fetishes or fantasies to you play with in your newest stories?

Leia Rice: In The Revolutionary Mistress I toy with the idea of “belonging” to more than one partner. It’s the first time that I’ve ever written in a relationship like this, one that doesn’t have a “happily ever after” with just one partner. I really wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and try to write something new. I like how it turned out, and it was just enough of a relationship forged between the three to make it interesting and hot at the same time.

Stephanie Draven: In The Fever and the Fury, my heroine is an ancient tormentor of mankind. Because she’s been sent to unleash vengeance, she’s been untouched by a lover of any kind. In fact, she is probably the first virgin romance heroine I’ve ever written. That first fresh discovery--that first time of being ravished--that’s certainly a fantasy I play with. Then there’s the fact that my heroine cannot say yes to my hero’s sexual advances without bringing down the wrath of the goddess Athena on them both. She can’t give the hero permission, she can’t give her virginity to him...but she also can’t seem to say no and she doesn’t stop him when he takes it. Finally, the kinkier fantasy I present is that of public sex. Exhibitionism. The thrill and fear of being caught. When my fury and the sexy Phoenix she’s fallen in love with get it on in an alleyway in a tourist town, her fear of being caught makes it that much hotter...

Laura Kaye: The main fetish explored by In the Service of the King, my dark paranormal romance releasing February 1, is domination and submission. The vampire king Kael practices domination with his human partners as a means of restraining his primal urges--giving in to them might reveal the woman as his mate, a risk he refuses to take. Her restraint, in all ways, makes his possible. The mating ceremony in the book also plays with the voyeurism/exhibitionism fantasy, as Kael’s inner circle of warriors must, ahem, watch. What exactly does that ceremony entail? Well, for that you need to read...

===

About the Authors:

GUEST BLOG: Stephanie Draven, Laura Kaye, Leia Rice

2012-01-16T04:00:00.003-05:00

Click the banner to find out other blogs these authors are visiting this week.
Leave a comment on the guest blogs here all this week for a chance to win a $15 Amazon GC.

Erotica and the Sexual Journey
Three HQN Authors Dish on What It Means To Them

While Harlequin is known primarily for romance, they also offer hotter fare. Today, authors Stephanie Draven, Laura Kaye and Leia Rice are here to discuss the concept of a sexual journey in their newest naughty novellas.

Ladies, if pure romance is a journey of the heart, what kind of journey are you writing in erotica?

Stephanie Draven: Something special about erotic romance is that it’s about self-discovery. It’s about exploring all those taboo fantasies and desires we’re not supposed to talk about, but which are really integral to a healthy and loving relationship. And perhaps more importantly, sexual self-discovery is important for a woman’s self-esteem, inside or outside of a relationship. When I write an erotic story, my heroine always leaves the experience with a little more than the love of a good man; she leaves with a new appreciation for herself, too.

Laura Kaye: To me, the characters’ journey in erotic romance is to find love and self and meaning through erotic encounters. Sex and eroticism are such primal parts of our beings, and often buried or denied, that they’re great mediums for self-realization and discovery. I tend to write even my straight romance on the erotic side...

Leia Rice: To me, erotic romance is more than just a love story. It’s a story about a woman coming into herself through a sexual journey. She has to discover who she is at her very core, and what primal and natural instincts drive her forward.

What kind of sexual discoveries do your characters make in your newest novellas?

Stephanie Draven:
The Fever and the Fury is a paranormal erotica novella about a modern day fury who has been sent to torment a man who cannot die. In all the centuries of her existence, she’s never touched anyone except to inflict pain and she’s never been touched except by someone trying to fend her off. The moment our hero kisses her hand, she shatters, and through their seduction she learns that in order to give or receive the blessing of pleasure, she has to let someone past all her defenses...and forgive human foibles.

Laura Kaye: In The Service of the King is a paranormal erotic novella about the Night of the Proffering, an ancient ceremony where Kael the Fair, one of seven remaining vampire warrior kings, must feed from a human virgin to maintain his immortality and his humanity. Kael loathes his need for the ceremony in part because it could reveal the Proffered to be his true mate--something he refuses to consider having ever again. But he’s completely unprepared for Shayla McKinnon, whose family has long been allied with the vampires and who yearns for a way to avenge her sister’s death by evil vampires known as Soul Eaters. In the feeding chamber, a battle of wills plays out, one that will change both of their lives forever...

Leia Rice:
In The Revolutionary Mistress, Mariette has to get by through the French Revolution by selling favors in the back room of a lonely bar. She becomes involved with a patron, Rene, and finds herself actually enjoying his company, and not just for the money. Rene gives her a task that plunges her deeper into the throes of the Revolution and consequentially gets her wrapped up in an affair with both Rene and a nobleman.

===

About the Authors:

GUEST BLOG: BERENGARIA BROWN

2012-01-09T04:00:00.001-05:00

Going the Indie Route
by
Berengaria Brown

It’s a few years now since my first books were published, so the earliest contracts have come up for renewal. For an author with an established fan base, going indie, self-publishing, seems to be a no-brainer decision. The author already has people looking for her books, so why pay a publisher to do the work an author knows how to do herself. With self-publishing the author has full control of cover art, release dates, and other areas that often cause disagreement.

I also had a book with a publisher which ceased trading, and the wait and worry to get the rights back was not something I wanted to have happen again.

But there’s a lot of work involved in self-publishing. The book still needs to be edited thoroughly. A cover artist has to be chosen who will make covers the author likes. Then there’s all the paperwork to publish the book on the various third party etailing sites, and formatting for all the various devices. Or paying someone else to do all that.
I decided to self-publish two books, as a sort of trial run. I had a good relationship with several of my editors, so re-editing was not a problem. Cover art was a bit more difficult, and took me longer to finalize. Filing in the paperwork for the various retailing sites was annoying. I think I filled out every lot twice, maybe even three times.

Then there is the issue of ISBNs. One ISBN costs $125 and a publisher needs one for every different publishing format. Buying in bulk is a lot cheaper, but it’s still not cheap. Added to the costs for editing, cover art, and formatting, this was starting to become an expensive trial.

I decided to publish on Smashwords because they provide an ISBN and make the different formats for the self-publishing author. Their formatting rules for submission of the original book are strict, but they provide a “how to” manual.

Will I self-publish some more books as my contracts expire? Maybe. I’ll see if these books sell any copies first!

Berengaria

Noticing Nigel

Matthew is singing in a choir for a special Christmas presentation of the oratorio, “Messiah” by Handel. He’s a tenor soloist. But his eyes are on one of the basses, Nigel, a deliciously muscular and well-built man with sparkling eyes and golden-brown hair.

Matthew takes his courage in both hands at the full-dress rehearsal, and invites Nigel out to lunch, then to dinner.

But can this be more than a one-night stand?

Sappho’s Sisters

Lady Eustacia Lumley is the only child of the Earl of Wentworth. It’s her duty to marry well and ensure the succession.

Margaret Durrell is the fourth daughter of a gently born, but near penniless Vicar. She has no option but to marry a man who can provide for her and possibly for some of her sisters as well.

Both young women are very interested in Sappho’s poetry and ideas. One evening, Margaret has a headache and Eustacia offers to massage her scalp. This leads to sex, and Margaret’s very first orgasm.

They fall deeply in love, but is there any hope for them? Or will they both have to conform to the rigid rules of Regency society?

About the Author: Berengaria is a multi-published author of erotic romance: contemporary, paranormal (ghosts, vampires, fairies and werewolves) and Regency-set historical. She loves to read all different kinds of romance so that is what she writes: one man/one woman; two women; two men; two men/one woman; three men, two women/one man…. Whatever the characters need for their very hot happily-ever-after, Berengaria makes sure they get it.

Find Berengaria online at:

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/
http://berengariabrown.webs.com/

GUEST BLOG: AMBRIELLE KIRK

2012-01-04T04:00:00.002-05:00

Out with the old...In with the new?

You've heard that saying before, haven't you? Do you agree with it? I'm not so sure I do. Hhhm...maybe just a little.

The start of the new year 2012 encourages change, new commitments, improvements, acceptance and all those other things we must deal with in our everyday lives. Sometimes we strive relentlessly for the things we don't have, but we forget about the things we do have. I'm not one of those lucky paranormal characters of the tales I pen, so I believe that we only have one life to live and that we should improve it each day.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions that inspire you to improve as a person? I'm not talking materialistic things, like gaining more money, cars, clothes, the latest iPad or iPhone. I'm talking about learning to be more thoughtful and respectful of others around you. Give more, rather than always expect to receive. Put in that extra effort at work even though you're not always commended for your achievements. What about your love life? Do you strive to be a better spouse or partner? Communication and understanding, I think, is the backbone to any relationship. Without it, commitment hangs by a thread.

So before you throw out the old for something newer in the hopes of change, think about what you can do to improve upon what you have. If you made resolutions last year that you didn't meet, revisit them in 2012 and see how you can turn your old goal into reality.

Some things aren't meant to be changed, but improved on. Some people, friends, lovers are meant to be cherished. Maybe your situation, be it your love life or career, only requires a little improvement. Let this year be the year when you are thankful for what you have.

In my latest release, old lovers reunite for a second chance at making things right. Rekindling the Flame was released November 2011 from Amira Press.

Mia deals with trouble the only way she knows how…by avoiding it. Jordon has pursued Mia since their college days, but they’re adults now, and she wants more than an occasional sexcapade. When a business trip brings them together for one last chance at rekindling the flame, Mia succumbs to what she wants and needs. When another old lover walks back into her life, he unintentionally reminds Mia why she gave up on romance in the first place. She must decide whether she'll give her heart to the man who rocks her world, or walk away from her carefree past.

Warning: This book contains a sultry alpha male who knows what he wants, and a brazen diva who makes him work for his prize. Prepare yourself, for this read will leave you breathless!

GUEST BLOG: CHELLESIE B. DANCER

2012-01-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

Write What You Know?

“Have you tried all those things you write about?” they ask with a snicker. Such is the life of the erotica writer. Well I had fun answering that in my biography. But people don’t ask suspense writers that question. An author friend of mine who writes steamy stories answers, “Absolutely, I try everything I write about. When my villain cuts off someone’s hand, I make sure I have experience doing it.” And what about the paranormal and science fiction writers?

But on the other hand (the one still attached), you do have to have some experiences in life, some firsthand knowledge, to be able to write well. If you’ve never had a sexual encounter, you couldn’t write believably about it. Just as you have to have experienced some anger, heartbreak, and disillusionment to write a believable villain, you have to have been in love and felt lust to write about them. The bottom line is that it’s the emotions that have to be real for readers to identify with the characters.

But then there are the details. Personal knowledge is helpful, but there’s always research. Right now, the amount of information available to us all, writers and readers, is astonishing. I’ve written dozens of stories, many steamy, but this is the first one that specifically deals with sensual bondage. Although I’m not in the BDSM lifestyle, I’ve learned a bit about it. I’ve felt that marvelous sense of abandon that submissives feel. Anyone can try sensual bondage at home. And I’ve learned a lot from people I know, from non-fiction books I’ve read on the subject, and also from fiction.

Yes, I’ve learned about BDSM, and even about sex in general, from reading erotic romance. Sure, they’re fantasy. No doubt about it. But many stories explore sexuality in a way that allows readers not only to live vicariously, but to get an insight into other techniques and experiences. Writers like Eden Bradley (aka Eve Berlin) bring their real-life experiences from the BDSM world into their fiction. (And don’t you wonder if Angela Knight has had some personal experience with a sexy vampire?)

So instead of write what you know, some say to write what you know or are willing to learn. That’s good advice. I say read a good story and you can learn that way too!

Chellesie B. Dancer enjoys writing contemporary, historical, and erotic love stories with a sprinkling of comedy. The women in her books dare to ask for their desires, so they truly will be satisfied ever after. Be careful what you wish for...

Chellesie lives on top of a hill overlooking the smog of sunny Southern California. Other than writing, she entertains at parties as an M.C., a paleontologist’s assistant, and occasionally a dancing gorilla. She’s the mother of three beautiful boys and an assortment of other critters. Luckily her husband cooks!

www.ChellesieBDancer.com

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Heidi Cullinan

2011-12-30T18:00:00.008-05:00

Christmas Cookie

Every year I make a metric tonnage of Christmas cookies. I start right around the first of December and end up hurriedly putting the last ones together right before my daughter gets out of school, usually, because the goal is always to give the cookies away as gifts. Teachers, instructors for lessons, the mailman, the neighbors, and more. It all sounds good in theory, but it means I make a lot of cookies.

What I love most about this tradition is twofold: one, I always know what I’m bringing to gatherings or as a hostess gift, and two, everyone always has a favorite. Some of the cookies are in the rotation specifically for certain individuals. My sister loves the fudgy bonbons. My daughter’s godfather loves the peanut butter cup temptations. My husband goes weak in the knees for gingerbread. My sister-in-law is there entirely for the monster cookies.

Every year it seems I add another cookie, and every year I can’t take it away because it immediately becomes the one someone can’t live without. Is it a hassle? Yes. Is it expensive? Yeah, it can get there. But man, it’s fun, especially when I give myself the time to get the job done. The house smells amazing. The porch is full of cooling cookies and cookies in tins and bags and everything else. (Benefit of living in Iowa: your screened-in porch is your walk-in freezer in winter.) And everyone is so happy to get the cookies as gifts. They love the variety, love that you took the time, love that you thought of them.

And think of them I do. While I’m baking the fudgy bon bons, I think of my sister and the time we made them together, of how we had to find somewhere open on Christmas Day evening that had sweetened condensed milk. (Walgreens.) My daughter and husband usually do the cut-out cookies, which include the gingerbread, and I love listening to their banter and teasing as they work. I remember the face of my therapist as she poked through the gift bag full of goodies, how her eyes lit up and how she thanked me, of how I finally felt like I’d given her something back that equalled what she gives me. I remember how one year we didn’t get the cookies done before school got out and my daughter had to deliver them to the teachers’ doors. She actually asks every year now if we can do that again just because it’s fun.

Best of all, making my Christmas cookies reminds me of what the holidays are supposed to be about: giving, of my time and myself, for those that I love and who mean something to our family. That, and making Christmas cookies means there will be spritz shaped as green trees with red sprinkles. Because those are my favorite.

***

Ed Maurer’s life would be fine if he could just get Laurie Parker off his back. He’s bounced back, more or less, from the neck injury that permanently benched his semi-pro football career, and he volunteers now at a local community center. It’s just that every time he turns around, that damn professional dancer is in his way, hating Ed right back. But when a bargain Ed strikes at the center lands him as an assistant in Laurie’s ballroom dancing class, their perceptions of each other turn upside down. Both Ed and Laurie have heartbreak in their pasts, but somehow dancing together eases their individual pain. For Ed, dancing with Laurie becomes a way to reconnect with his body after losing football. For Laurie, partnering with Ed has erased some of his fear of performing and brought back joy to a sport he wasn’t sure he could ever truly love again.

As Laurie and Ed lose themselves in dance, their lives continue to spin around them: Ed’s injury makes it clear he’s nowhere near recovery, Laurie feels the pressure by friends and family to perform once more, and the community center that has become such an important part of both their worlds threatens to close. Alone, they haven’t had the strength or spirit to face what life has hurled at them. But as the turns of their personal paths lead them into the arms of love, Ed and Laurie begin to think that if they dance this dance together, they might be able to succeed.

Read Excerpt: http://www.heidicullinan.com/excerpts/dance-with-me
Buy now: http://www.loose-id.com/Dance-with-Me.aspx

***

Heidi has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When she isn’t writing, Heidi enjoys knitting, reading, movies, TV shows on DVD, and all kinds of music. She has a husband, a daughter, and too many cats.

Find out more at http://www.heidicullinan.com/
Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/heidicullinan
Sign up for her newsletter: http://www.heidicullinan.com/newssignup

Win a copy of Heidi’s novel Dance With Me: just leave your own favorite holiday memory in the comments for your chance to win.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Kelli A. Wilkins

2011-12-30T14:00:00.021-05:00

New Year, New Writing Goals
By Kelli A. Wilkins, Amber Quill Press Author

Hi everyone!

As 2011 winds down to a close, I find myself reflecting on the writing goals I set for myself way back in January. Did I achieve all that I wanted to? Could I have written more? Should I have put in more time in front of the computer, blogging or working on another book? Or was it entirely okay to sit in the back yard this July and watch the fireflies?

A friend and I were talking recently, and she asked me how the writing was going. I told her what I was working on and mentioned that I average two new books a year, plus some short stories.

“Two a year?” she exclaimed.

“Yes,” I answered. “I could write more books, maybe do five a year, but my stories tend to be longer,” I said.

She looked at me like I had three heads. “You do know that most people don’t even write two books in their life, don’t you?”

Her comment made me realize that everyone’s writing goals (and successes) are different. And that’s because every writer is different. There’s no “right” way to write – as long as you’re happy with your results. Writing is a very personal and individualized process. One writer’s goals or self-expectations may be entirely unrealistic for someone else.

At this time of year I look back at the books I’ve had published, compare them to last year’s books, and vow to write more in the coming year. I revisit those half-started outlines and piles of story ideas and pick out the most promising ones to “start fresh” with in January. It’s motivating to plan out the next year’s characters and dramas – after all, I’ll be living with these people for months!

If you’re a writer (established or just starting out) what are your writing goals for 2012? Do you want to finish the novel you started last year (or haven’t started yet)? Send out a dozen short stories? Enter a contest? Now is the perfect time to sit down and make a list of all you want to accomplish. Having a list of projects and priorities will help keep your writing objectives on track. Try not to compare yourself and your writing goals to anyone else. Remember, you’re writing your book at your pace.

If you’re determined to start a new book, make a timeline for research, character development, plotting, etc. Give yourself a deadline for when you will start writing and stick to it. Decide how many pages or chapters you want to finish each day/week/month. Little by little, your book will take shape, and you’ll be amazed at your progress.

But keep a balance. Don’t let yourself become so “goal” oriented that you burn yourself out, stress yourself half to death, and let the writing life take the place of your real life. (Believe me, I’ve been there and I’ve learned.) Family, friends, pets, neighbors, and having fun are all important parts of being alive. Make time for your books, but also make time for yourself and those you love. (Yes, it’s perfectly okay to leave the husband parked in front of a movie and go write for two hours. But make sure when you turn the computer off, you focus on the present moment.)

Brand-new calendars are waiting to hang on our walls and each page is filled with unexplored days yet to come. Every new month is bursting with hope, possibilities, and opportunities. Make the most of the upcoming year. Set some goals for yourself. Write as much as you need to or want to, and then sit in the yard and watch the world go by.

About the Author: Kelli A. Wilkins has published over a dozen erotic romances with Amber Quill Press. Her list of weekly writing goals used to go on for pages, but now she has scaled back and only works on one book at a time. Her two romances for 2011 were A Perfect Match and Four Days with Jack.

Kelli invites readers to visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com to catch up on all of her writings and sign up for her newsletter. Kelli also maintains a weekly blog (http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/) and shares writing tips, advice, news, and whatever else pops into her head.

Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for the winner's choice of one of Kelli's 2011 releases.

Extra links for Kelli:
Twitter: @KWilkinsauthor
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelli.wilkins1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins
Amber Quill Press Author Page: http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/bio_Wilkins.html

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Nicole Morgan

2011-12-30T12:00:00.003-05:00

‘Tis the Season …

Every year Christmas comes around and lights twinkle while festive decorations are everywhere you can look. You’d be hard pressed to not find a gas station that has tiny stockings hanging from the registers. Let’s face it, we all love Christmas. We love decorating and spreading the holiday cheer. Right? Surely we all run around with our Donna Reed aprons in our perfect home on Maple Street while the house fills our noses with delightful scents of freshly baked Christmas cookies. The presents we picked out for our loved ones (months in advance because we do not procrastinate) are wrapped with the prettiest of bows and paper and placed under the tree. As a matter of fact, everything is so perfect you can’t help but wonder why Normal Rockwell never chose your home for some of his famous portraits which signified America at its finest.

Doesn’t that all sound wonderful? The truth of the matter is, the above paragraph is so far from reality in my yuletide world. See, I don’t live on Maple Street; my address is closer to Chaos Lane. Just to prove it, I’ll give you a glimpse into what my holidays usually entail.

Now, let’s talk Turkey. Or more specifically the sales after Turkey Day. See, I don’t buy my gifts ahead of time. I usually will begin after Thanksgiving in the mad dash of Black Friday, and try to follow it up with more deals on Cyber Monday. The truth is, things are so expensive these days that some of the sales the weekend following Thanksgiving are the best time to buy. Then once I have the presents I do the responsible thing and wrap them all right away. Okay, so that’s not true. They go in the closet and I’ll start on them first thing in the morning. At least that’s what I tell myself, but invariably this isn’t the case as daily life almost always interferes.

Now it’s time for baking. I don’t have a pretty apron, nor is my hair and make-up done perfectly as I traipse around the kitchen in my high heels as I roll out sugar cookie dough. I’m more likely to be seen wearing a t-shirt and a pair of athletic pants. My hair will be up in a pony tail, or at least most of it anyway and you can bet dollars to donuts that I will have flour and other remnants of baking on my nose, chin and countless other places they don’t belong. Of course during this time, the dog will undoubtedly have drug some dirt in the house. While I chase him with a towel and try to dry off his paws, slightly muddy from the damp ground after the snow melts I forget about everything else. I would ask the kids for help, but of course they’re probably arguing about something and wouldn’t hear me anyway. This will distract me from the cookies in the oven until they are coated with a nice black bottom.

Fast forward to Christmas Eve and you’ll probably find me staying up late to finish wrapping those last few gifts that I swore to myself I was going to wrap weeks earlier. I’ll most likely go to bed exhausted as I finish picking up the house for the guests who will be arriving the next day because no matter how much I plan, between writing, emails, social networking and the myriad of daily life activities that eat away at my time there is just so much to be done in the holiday season. You would think with the craziness of my month I would be pulling my hair out and vow to never give so much a go again, but you’d be wrong. Despite all the craziness one thing remains true. The holidays are about family, friends and all the joy that comes with that. Whether my cookies are baked to perfection or they’re burnt to the crisp, whether my home looks perfect or a disaster I wouldn’t trade the gift of spending holidays with those I love for anything in the world.

Do you have a Christmas that went awry? One that while it backfired you were still able to smile and realize that at the end of the day you spent your holiday with those you love and that is all that really matters? Leave me a comment below and tell me your story. And since this is the season of giving, the more comments I receive the more chances you have to win.

1-10 comments -1 winner
11-20 comments -2 winners
21-30 comments-3 winners

And so on. Winners will be able to choose any of my current releases in eBook format. One eBook per winner.

Happy Holidays ~ Nicole Morgan
http://www.nicolemorgan1.webs.com/

BECK & CALL by Nicole Morgan

All Jenny wanted was to run her resort hotel without the constant interference from her boss. All Beck wanted, was her.

Jenny Somers is the General Manager at a resort hotel in the beautiful Caribbean. She loves her job, but she hates her boss. Constantly cutting corners to meet budget constraints she finds herself doing handyman work just to keep the hotel running.

Beck is a drifter who comes to Jenny’s rescue during a plumbing emergency at the hotel. He is arrogant, cocky and absolutely everything that Jenny despises in a man of his type.

Together Jenny and Beck find out just how real the term “opposites attract” is, and along the way find something they weren’t quite expecting along the way.

TEASING EXCERPT:

"...aching underneath the zipper of his jeans. She was sleeping so peacefully, but the need to touch her, taste her, tease her and please her was much more urgent. He undid the snap and zipper of his jeans and slipped them to the ground. His T-shirt soon followed, making a mound of clothes on the floor. Standing there for a minute he listened to the tiny little noises she made with every breath. Smiling, he thought she sounded like a kitten purring."

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Lucy Felthouse

2011-12-30T10:00:00.002-05:00

Books, Kindles and People Watching

When I heard about the 'Stuff Your Stockings With Books' event, I knew exactly what I wanted to blog about. Books, of course! And what could be more fitting? A book lover chatting to a bunch of other lovely book lovers.

So, it's holiday season. And what does that mean? Aside from the religious elements, and the spending time with family, of course. It means there are lots of new books floating around and for me, plenty of time to read them! This Christmas I'll be abroad on holiday, back just in time for New Year, which is when I'll catch up with my family. So being away means I get to spend some quality time with my Kindle. The laptop is staying at home, so no work for me. Just lots and lots of reading... and probably some writing, or at least scribbling down of ideas. Well, you can't expect a writer to go anywhere without a notebook, can you?

As much as I love reading, I'll have to do something else while I'm away, though. No problem! Something else I love doing, regardless of the time of year or where I am, is people watching. And what better a place to people watch than a foreign country where many people behave differently because nobody knows them. Add in some alcohol and festive cheer and you have a recipe for some very interesting sights. Not only will that be thoroughly entertaining, but you never know when creative inspiration will strike.

And voila! We've come full circle. From reading books to taking a break and people watching, there's a damn good chance that said people watching will end up in one of my books. Not ad verbatim of course, because that could potentially be very dull. But such is the life of a writer... nothing is safe! Inspiration comes from everywhere, and hopefully lots of writers (including myself) will find some excellent inspiration this holiday season, which may well give you some fabulous books to read next holiday season.

And what more could any book lover ask for, but more books?! Happy Holidays!

*****

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Noble Romance, Ravenous Romance, Summerhouse Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour and Seducing the Myth. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

*****
COMMENT TO WIN!

Will a weekend in a luxury hotel make Annette’s deepest fantasies come true?

When Jed and Annette spend a weekend in a luxury hotel, they’re planning to take full advantage of the hot tub and large bed – preferably with a third party. Annette’s never been with another woman before, but she’s eager to experience some Sapphic delight. When the couple meets waitress Tamara at the restaurant they’re lunching at, they agree she’s perfect in many ways; but is she on the menu?

Excerpt & buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/a-menu-with-a-difference/

Want to stuff your stockings with some hot threesome action that was indeed inspired by my people watching habits? Then look no further! Just leave a comment on this post with your email address telling me why you'd like to win, and you could be in with a chance of winning a PDF copy of A Menu with a Difference. Good luck!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Louisa Bacio

2011-12-30T04:00:00.012-05:00

A Naughty New Year’s Eve
By Louisa Bacio

Expectations for New Year’s Eve run high. Come on, confess: What would be your New Year’s fantasy? A delightful party, complete with gourmet food (where you never feel too stuffed or have an allergy); dancing (where you can wear any shoes you want and they will never hurt); the perfect balance of alcohol (where you feel fantastic but there’s no threat of hangover) and – admit it: Amazing sex!

Yes, you know it’s true. We want to stuff ourselves, dance until we’re wiped out, partake in “spirits,” and then have a wild romp.

It’s the perfect happy ending to round out the year, and start the new one with a bang. Literally.

So what goes wrong?

In my dating history, one of my worst dates ever happened to be New Year’s Eve. I was supposed to be attending a bash with my then boyfriend. And you know what the louse did? He came to pick me up, broke up with me and then still expected me to attend the party with him! Oh, no. Instead, I stayed home in an empty apartment, and had a pity party. When midnight hit, the sounds of people celebrating throughout the complex filtered into my room, and I lay in bed crying. (Moral: Don’t ditch your date before the party.)

Sob! So many years ago, and I still remember it! (That’s drama trauma.) Thinking back, I should have gone bad and hooked up with someone else.

But, I’ve had some pretty damn good ones, too. The good ones include a night in a hotel room (isn’t messing up the cool sheets away from home the best?), where it’s not necessary to make a long drive home before hitting the bed.

And, I’m sorry to say it, but you gotta watch those rich New Year’s Eve foods. The buffets serve a smorgasbord of delights that can have their own bash in your tummy. There are always plenty of shrimp cocktail, mini quiches, veggie-stuffed triangles, and dessert. Sigh: Mini cheesecakes! Let’s face it, though, do you want to eat or get frisky? Usually, you can’t do both.

Tell me: Good or bad, what’s your New Year’s Eve story, and what’s your recipe for the perfect night? (Are you willing to share your fantasy?) One lucky commenter will win their choice of an electronic copy of a book from my backlist.

Bio:

Louisa Bacio writes erotic romance, many of which delve into the paranormal realm. Her fourth full-length novel The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf 2: Chains of Silver recently was released via Ravenous Romance. She also collects anthologies of vampire fiction. In addition to writing, Bacio enjoys spending time with her family, and teaches college English, writing and popular culture.

Find Louisa online

http://louisabacio.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/louisabacio
www.twitter.com/louisabacio

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Zenobia Renquist

2011-12-29T18:00:00.006-05:00

My husband is Air Force and he recently (as of August 2011) got stationed in Hawaii (Hickam AFB to be exact). I arrived in October after attending some conventions and dealing with some last minute things with our house.

Ahhh… Christmas in Hawaii. The leaves turning colors. The snow falling. That chill in the air that makes you want to cuddle up with your honey near a fire. Uh yeah. NOT. I said Christmas in HAWAII. The highs are 81-84 degrees F and the lows are 75-71 degrees. Anyone cuddling up with their honey by a fire is probably barbecuing something over a pit.

It's been a little hard for the hubby and I to get in the holiday mood (both of us being from the East coast) when it's spring/summer weather. But that's a small price to pay to get away from the snow and cold. After snowmageddon (I was in MD when that happened), we're both sick of snow. Besides, there's Christmas music in every shop and holiday decorations… hmmm. Well, there's Christmas music and people can buy holiday decorations. I haven't seen many houses sporting lights.

This year the extended family shall enjoy Christmas presents Hawaiian-style, which means someone is getting a surfing Santa shirt. If I could box up this wonderful weather (even if it is the rainy season), I would send that too. The best I can do is send out a mele kalikimaka to one and all.

While I don't have one book that covers Christmas in Hawaii, I do have one book about Christmas and one book set in Hawaii.

Stripping Christmas is my contribution to the Changeling Press White Hot Christmas multi-author series and contest. The contest is for free books for a year and all you have to do to enter is buy one (or all of the) White Hot Christmas titles. Full details available here: http://www.changelingpress.com/special_event.php

STRIPPING CHRISTMAS by Zenobia Renquist

Alex is firmly on the naughty list, and she wants Santa to join her.

Alex thought she was going to a job. Instead she ends up marrying the heir to the title of Santa Claus. The vows have been said and cannot be taken back, even if Alex isn't the ideal bride Kris was hoping for to re-energize the powers of the House of Kringle. But Alex is about to teach him that being a little naughty -- or a lot -- can go a long way.

(Erotic, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Christmas, Interracial, Elves/Fey, Magic)

Buy Now: http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1740

Read Excerpt: http://zenobiarenquist.com/bookshelf/stripping-christmas

Read first full chapter online:
http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/search/label/Zenobia%20Renquist

And then there is my set in Hawaii story LOVE REVERSED (out today).

It's only an even swap when both parties are satisfied.

Cinnamon came to the Hawaii celebrity retreat to meet her favorite actress. Calhoun crashed to find answers about his missing uncle. Neither of them signed on for the part of the tour that included body swapping. They have to find a way to switch back without anyone realizing their predicament. Long nights of searching for answers become even longer when curiosity takes over. It's a once in a lifetime chance to see how the other half loves, and they don't plan to let it slip away.

(Erotic, Paranormal/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense, Interracial, Magic)
Buy Link: http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1749

Excerpt:

Cinnamon found herself staring at Calhoun's broad back rather than his tattoos. Her gaze dipped low, and a slow smile curved her lips. She glanced at the door quickly and then back at the mirror.

Did she dare?

Why not? Calhoun had probably gotten an eyeful of her body. She should do the same to his. It was only fair.

She undid the pants zipper, revealing navy boxer briefs. A good choice -- both the color and the style -- but not what she wanted to see. She eased Calhoun's dick into the open. Before her eyes, it grew longer and turned rigid.

She rubbed a single finger over it, making the erection harden more and her balls ache -- a very interesting sensation that had her reaching in her pants so she could shift them around and relieve it somehow.

“Lady, you've got some nerve.”

Cinnamon jerked her hands above her head and faced Calhoun. “I… this… I wasn't -- ”

“Yes, you were.” He had her lips curved into a sardonic grin. “Feel good?”

Her whole face heated up.

Calhoun looked down. “Now what were you doing that got me all hard like that?”

“Nothing.”

“I stopped getting excited over nothing in high school.”

“Well you just restarted,” she snapped, trying to stuff her dick back into her pants.

Calhoun grabbed her hands. “Stop before you do something that'll hurt.” He laughed a little under his breath. “I'm just playing with you, Cinnamon. I figured you'd be curious.” He released her so he could run his hand over her dick.

She breathed in quickly and stood straighter.

“Want me to show you if the grass is greener?”

Zenobia Renquist will be giving away a PDF copy of LOVE REVERSED to one person who comments.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Tim Smith

2011-12-29T14:00:00.010-05:00

“Have We Got a Christmas Surprise For You!”

By Tim Smith

Once upon a time, a young man and woman decided to embark on the kind of lifelong adventure only two soul mates could undertake. They were wed one week before Christmas then began a magical journey, full of wonder and excitement. When they returned home to enjoy their first holiday as husband and wife, trouble lurked on the horizon.

Okay, maybe it didn’t happen quite that way, but I’m allowed some poetic license since this is my life I’m writing about. There is some truth to the above – I was married for the first time a week before Christmas to someone I truly believed would be mine forever. I wish I’d known she didn’t feel the same, but I’ll save that for another blog.

After a wonderful church wedding attended by family and friends that neither of us knew existed, we left for our honeymoon. The plan was to return on December 23 to my small apartment (not very roomy, but it had a double bed and that seemed to be all we cared about). Before leaving I had agreed to let the building maintenance people repaint my apartment and do some other minor repairs. I also made certain they knew when we would be returning and they assured me that all the work would be done.

When we arrived home a week later I unlocked the door to my flat then stood dumbfounded. The furniture had been moved to the center of the room and was covered by a paint-stained tarp. This avant-garde motif was offset by drop cloths, paint cans, brushes and rollers, and a couple of ladders. I was stunned.

I regained my senses and marched to the apartment of the onsite manager, a mealy-mouthed jerk with a lie to fit any occasion. After some blustering and fist pounding on my part (don’t you love it when young guys in love think they have to play Macho Man to impress their girls?), Mr. Mealy-mouth flashed a Cheshire Cat grin and said he would be glad to put us up in one of the vacant apartments. “No,” I thundered. “That isn’t good enough!” I told him that the leasing company would foot the bill for a room at one of the nicer motels in town and we would settle this in the morning when the head maintenance guy staggered in to work.

We checked into the motel then went in search of a late supper. As we sat in a booth at Big Boy, I stared at the nearly deserted city street and felt crushed. After a week spent reveling in each other’s passions and looking forward to spending our first holiday together, I was upset by this turn of events. My young bride tried her best to pick up my spirits, reassuring me that in spite of this setback, we still had each other and that was all that mattered. She convinced me that somehow we’d make the best of it.

The following morning we returned to the scene of the crime and worked out a compromise. The maintenance honcho agreed to get a good portion of the work completed by the end of the day and I agreed not to sue the pants off the owners. I’ve often wondered if the fact that I kept reminding him that my brother was an attorney had anything to do with it.

We stayed in our new home that night while stepping around some presents the painters had left for us. Christmas morning arrived and we exchanged gifts in front of a small artificial tree that probably would’ve embarrassed Charlie Brown. My wife prepared a makeshift feast from items we’d scrounged from bare grocery store shelves the day before, but to me it was the best meal I’d ever had. We enjoyed our first Christmas together with a couple of bottles of wine, watched a few holiday movies on my small black-and-white portable TV then sat quietly, holding each other. I mentally recapped the whirlwind events of the previous days and a revelation came over me.

I gazed into her soft baby blues and told her how lucky I felt to have shared that experience with her. I also agreed with what she had said the night before – as long as we were together, a hunting shack in the woods would have been like paradise to me.

And so they lived happily ever after, until the young woman fell in love with a dashing doctor at the hospital where she worked and her not-quite-ready-to-settle-down husband began chasing a cute blonde from the office - but that’s another fairy tale.

* * * *

Tim Smith is an award-winning author of numerous books, ranging from romantic adventures to contemporary erotic romance. He is also a freelance photographer. His latest Extasy Books release is the romantic thriller Memories Die Last. More information about his books and photography can be found at his website, www.timsmithauthor.com.

Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for a download of The Sweet Distraction.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Sable Hunter

2011-12-29T12:00:00.025-05:00

Christmas Blog

Christmas is a magical time. I love everything about it. Especially the days leading up to Christmas. Anticipation is my big thing. I love to bake and plan and wrap and decorate. Actually, by the time Christmas Day is here – I’m about through with it. I guess I tucker myself out.

At my house we decorate loudly. I don’t mean we carol while we deck the halls – I mean we have bright decorations. I have a collection of Santas and a collection of Snowmen – big and little. And on our tree and on the porch and roof, we use multi-colored lights – none of that cold, austere – all white for us. I have given my family the choice – cause we have gone to a pre-lit tree – but they want the lights that are green and red and blue and yellow and pink. It’s magical – that’s what it is. Magical.

When I was growing up, we actually went out and cut down our own Christmas tree. It would either be a cedar or a pine – and they were never perfectly shaped.
Charlie Brown didn’t have the corner on scraggly, misshapen trees.

My dad raised cattle and he would pretend that he saw the reindeer eating some of our hay and although we didn’t have snow – he would bring in fruit that he swore had been found on the porch and it would be dusted with fine white powder.

I can remember the first year that I found the presents from Santa in our hall closet before Christmas. I wasn’t really surprised, but I was disappointed. I wanted to believe. I still do. I want to believe in magic.

That’s why I write about it. I have a series called Moon Magick and I have two books that have been released by Secret Cravings in this series. The first, A Wishing Moon, takes place at Christmas – complete with a Christmas miracle. The heroines practice New Orleans hoodoo – but they still respect and honor the magic and miracle of Christmas. I am from New Orleans and the natural and the supernatural and the Christian and the respectors of nature all live side by side – most of the time in perfect harmony. We always decorated our homes – not only for Christmas – but also for Mardi Gras – so from Halloween to the middle of March – it was one big party at our house. Now that’s what I call extending the Holiday Season.

I wish you well this holiday season. I hope you are safe and happy. And I hope that you get everything you want for Christmas. But most of all I hope that the magic of Christmas doesn’t pass you by. Because the true magic is that we are to love one another. There is no greater time to show love than that magical part of the year when we suspend belief – watch for flying reindeer – and open our hearts to give to one another, gifts of joy and peace. Merry Christmas – from Sable.

My newest release – Sweet Evangeline, the second in my Moon Magick series-is out from Secret Cravings. Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for a download of Sweet Evangeline and A Wishing Moon.

Evangeline is magical. She longs to find her soulmate - and being a woman of power - she whips up a spell and conjures him up. Austin Firefighter Eric McCallister is enchanted by the beautiful woman who sculpted his likeness from a dream. Immediately, their attraction and chemistry burns like a wildfire. But, all is not a fairy-tale. An arsonist is stalking Eric and someone is trying to kill Evangeline. On top of that, there's magick afoot that can call down storms, bring the dead back to life and break ancient curses. But, the greatest magick of all is the love Eric has for Sweet Evangeline.

Thank you for reading -

Sable Hunter
Please visit my website at
http://sablehunter.com/

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Mary Hughes

2011-12-29T10:00:00.003-05:00

Sparkling Possibilities

As a musician I’m gigging from mid-November to December 25, so my favorite holiday is the only one I can stop to enjoy—New Years.

But there’s more to New Years than that! It’s the cusp of new beginnings, a time when possibilities sparkle. A breath of fresh air, a clean start, clearing away old mistakes and regrets and stepping into new hope. I love beginnings. That’s why my stories feature the first meet. Here’s a short sample from Biting Me Softly with vampire Logan and computer geek Liese.

When I first clapped eyes on Logan, I thought, Hot damn. Look what the Sex Fairy brung me!

It was eight p.m. Sunday night, and I was at work. I do computers for the Meiers Corners Blood Center. The staff is me, the executive director and a part-time nurse named Battle. I was the only one who worked insane hours, but I was new and still trying to prove myself.

I don’t know what made me look up. The cool March air, perhaps. Maybe the aroma wafting in, mystery and magic with overtones of raw sex.

Whatever it was, my eyes lifted and there he was, the most stunning male I’d ever seen. Smack-me-between-the-eyes gorgeous. Bright blond hair rippled to broad, muscular shoulders. Lean strength roped a long, lithe body. Laughter and intelligence sparked gold-flecked hazel eyes. Perfect lips curved in a smile so sensuous it made my innards go bang.

Then he opened his mouth and spoke. Talk about ruining perfection.

“Hello, gorgeous.” His tone was deep and lazy. “I want to speak to the computer man in charge.”

Right. Well that just spoiled everything, didn’t it?

I crossed my arms under my breasts. “You’re looking at him. I’m the head apple. Minus the stem, but those are overrated anyway.”

My sarcasm didn’t even faze the man. He tucked one spectacular ass cheek on my desk and leaned in, so close I could feel his warmth on my face. “You’re L. Schmetterling? How…fruitful. And what, my Red Delicious, does the L stand for? Laurie? Lucy? Lovely?”

All that male beauty and a tight ass on top of it. I’d been burned once by a man with a flabby butt and no hair. This man would incinerate me.

I clutched the reminder of male perfidy on my ring finger and screwed up my most forbidding expression. “It stands for Leave. As in Me Alone.”

“I live to do your bidding, princess,” the man crooned, his lips inches from mine. He had perfect, chiseled lips—the kind designed by Michelangelo for kissing. “But if you’re L. Schmetterling, I can’t leave. I have business with you.”

Hugs!

Mary Hughes is a computer consultant, professional musician, and writer. At various points in her life she has taught Taekwondo, worked in the insurance industry, and studied religion. She is intensely interested in the origins of the universe. She has a wonderful husband (though happily-ever-after takes a lot of hard work) and two great kids. But she thinks that with all the advances in modern medicine, childbirth should be a lot less messy.

To learn more about Mary Hughes, please visit--

Website: http://www.maryhughesbooks.com
Twitter: MaryHughesBooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryHughesAuthor
Blog: http://maryhughesbooks.blogspot.com/

I'll be giving away winner's choice of one Biting Love ebook: novels Bite My Fire, Biting Nixie, or Biting Me Softly, or novella The Bite of Silence, so leave a comment!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Tara Nina

2011-12-29T04:00:00.024-05:00

The Truest Gift
by Tara Nina

I’ve come to realize that the truest gift is time. In this fast-paced world we have little to no time. Twenty-four hours in the day seems to slip by without much thought as to where it went. If you actually sit and consider the concept of time, we have one hundred sixty-eight hours a week, twenty-one thousand twenty-four hours in a year and we still don’t have enough time.

The reason I discuss this issue with time, for the first Christmas in twenty years, my son will not be home for the holidays. It is with great pride and a heavy heart I have to accept the fact he has chosen a dangerous path in life. By the time you read this, my son will have left for boot camp. He joined the Navy and has been selected to train for the SEALS program. For the past year, he has already been training in a SEALS pre-boot camp program here in New Jersey. He is in the best shape of his young life, but still the training he has yet to face will be strenuous and test both his physical and mental strengths and abilities.

I worry that I have not done enough to prepare him for the events he may face. As parents, we did our best to teach him right from wrong. We were there each time he stumbled. We tended to his needs and gave him the most valuable things we could provide—love, guidance, and a sense of honor and respect. But was it enough to help him in this next chapter of his life?

I believe our lives are giant books. The beginning starts at the first chapter, birth. We enjoy the childhood years, learning and growing. We struggle through the teenage years, which provide our chapters with angst, and some ridiculous fodder to sit back and laugh at when we are older. Each phase toward adulthood, each plot twist builds the story of our lives until we reach those dreaded two words, the end. What we choose to do with our lives is up to each of us. It can be a grand adventure or a sad tale, but it all boils down to that fleeting aspect of time.
You see, I blinked and my son grew up.

I sit here thinking of all the holidays I had with him. The wonderful memories of watching him grow and I can only hope he has the right stuff to reach the goal he has set. Time is a precious commodity. It has no monetary value, no price you can attach to it because it is priceless. It is the one thing in life you can’t take back.

The holidays tend to make most of us a bit melancholy and his leaving at this time of the year is not easy for me. Who am I kidding? His leaving at any time of the year would not be easy for me. He is my first-born and I will miss him as he journeys into this new, adventure-filled chapter in his life. I can only hope that his time here at home will be a treasured memory he takes with him that will help him succeed in his future.

The greatest gift anyone can give is the gift of time. Use this holiday season to reach out to friends, family and loved-ones to gather them together and share a few hours of that sacred commodity of time. It slips past so fast that in a blink of an eye the kids are grown and you sit there wondering where did the time go.

In the spirit of the holidays, please don’t forget to reach out to those who serve to protect our great country. Remember the wonderful people in the military. It doesn’t take much effort to say thank you. Over the years, I’ve been sending care packages to different service personal around the world. If you’d like to send a care package to someone in the military, please contact Kim Adams at sos.america@yahoo.com. She will gladly provide you with an address of a deserving individual, who’d love to hear from you.

During this holiday season, take a moment of time and enjoy the peace and love of family. Please share with me a fond holiday memory and I’ll enter you for a chance to win a signed copy of either Cursed Laird or Double Dilemma. I will be choosing three winners at random.

Sincerely,
Tara Nina
www.TaraNina.com
tara@taranina.com

Hot Romance~Sexy Attitude best describes Tara Nina’s writing style. She creates for Ellora’s Cave, The Wild Rose Press and Highland Press in sensuality ranges from steamy hot to simmering sweet, which includes paranormals, contemporaries or romantic suspense. She is a Southerner living in the northern wilds of New Jersey complete with grown children, pets and a mountain man for a husband. www.TaraNina.com

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Berengaria Brown

2011-12-28T18:00:00.013-05:00

It was very hot. Probably 100 degrees and not even 8 a.m. yet.

All up and down the street by the beach, the kids were playing with their new toys, watching and waiting for the fire truck. The fire truck that would bring Santa, and more wonderful gifts.

They wobbled up and down the street on their new bikes, their new inline skates, their new scooters, many watched by doting Dads who sat in lawn chairs, an ice-cold beer in their hand.

As soon as the fire truck’s siren sounded the men grabbed their kids off the road, and women and teenagers came out from the beach holiday cottages, the teens with new computer games in their hands, or music throbbing their ear buds. The women with babies or toddlers on their hips, or hastily wiping cooking ingredients from their hands.

The fire truck turned into the street, its siren screaming, but traveling at walking pace. On the back of the truck was Santa, his face sweating in his hot red suit, throwing candy and a gift to every child. Two firemen, in uniform, walked behind the truck handing out little packets of candy and presents to the mothers of small children.

No child was overlooked. Every one had a special nod or smile from The Man himself.

And the joy in their eyes was more than adequate repayment for giving up a holiday to swelter in a hot costume, instead of sitting on the beach and hoping for a cooling breeze off the ocean.

It was such a different sight and experience from snow, and a hot fire, and kids with new toboggans or indoor games. But the Christmas spirit was identical. Peace on earth, and good will to all people everywhere.

Berengaria Brown Bio:

Berengaria is a multi-published author of erotic romance: contemporary, paranormal (ghosts, vampires, fairies and werewolves) and Regency-set historical. She loves to read all different kinds of romance so that is what she writes: one man/one woman; two women; two men; two men/one woman; three men, two women/one man…. Whatever the characters need for their very hot happily-ever-after, Berengaria makes sure they get it.

Berengaria Brown
http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/
http://berengariabrown.webs.com/

“Santa Baby” blurb:

Jaid hates the annual family Christmas party, a huge event with people she doesn’t recognize or like. She's hot and horny and looking for action on the holidays.

But this year things look brighter. Her second cousin, Greg, and his partner, Steve, invite her to spend time with them. Two sexy Santas for Jaid? Oh Santa baby!

Excerpt:

Jaid ran a finger along her lips, checking she wasn’t drooling. Cousin Greg was a fraction over six feet tall, with thick, collar-length blond hair that had her aching to run her fingers through it. She just bet it was as soft and silky as it looked. His eyes were deep blue, and any time she looked into them, her panties creamed, and she almost drowned with desire to get up close and personal with him. She wanted to lick her way across his muscular chest, feel him wrap those strong arms around her, and drive his cock up hard and high inside her.

Steve’s slightly rough image was the perfect foil for Greg’s fair good looks. Steve had black hair and eyes so dark they might be black too. He was wearing a tight black t-shirt that showed off the heavy muscles in his tanned arms. He made her think about doing dirty, naughty things with a bad, bad, biker boy. His features were not quite symmetrical but in a very sexy way, enhancing the bad-boy aura, and she was almost certain it was the edge of a tattoo she could see just at the sleeve of his t-shirt.
Greg and Steve in her bed would be the perfect Christmas gift. Hell, even up against a wall would do!

BUY LINK: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-santababy-648677-146.html

Berengaria Brown is giving away one eBook of the winner's choice from her backlist to one lucky commenter.
A Summer Christmas by Berengaria Brown

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Erin O'Riordan

2011-12-28T14:00:00.009-05:00

Eight Tasty Nights

Have a tasty Hanukkah! The festival of lights is not only a bright spot in winter's dreariest month, but it's also a taste sensation! From chocolate gelt to sugared jelly donuts to the potato pancake, perhaps no winter holiday in world culture tastes quite as good as Hanukkah.

These 8 items in terrifically good taste are on my wishlist for Hanukkah gift-giving. (FYI, I have no stake in promoting any of these things; I simply like them.) Some, though not all, of these foods are kosher.

1. ChefShop.com's Organic Hot Chocolate

2. Safi Coffee - Fair Trade Coffee that benefits small farmers in Kenya

3. Negev Nectars' pure, organic honey in exotic flavors

4. Mouth-watering Vodka Pasta Sauce from Picklelicious

5. Over-21 lovers of Italian wines might also enjoy this Red Muscat by Mony Sunny Hills, an Israeli wine

6. Glenny's has mastered the art of "good-for-you junk food," as in this Cranberry Almond Bar

7. Ethical Ocean Fair-Trade Madagascar Chocolate

8. If you love hot drinks, you might like Spiced Cider & Hot Toddy Mixes

Hungry yet? Grab your favorite holiday treat. Of course, you'll need something to curl up with and read while you're enjoying delicious holiday treats, whatever it is you enjoy.

The Book Blurb:

Dig in to a delectable winter treat, as warm as a potato pancake on a frosty Hanukkah night!

Caught up in the magic of the Festival of Lights, Gabriella wants everything to be perfect for her holiday with Jared. Jared has very specific tastes-and a slight obsession with teasing the individual flavors out of the aromas of fine wines. Even the kosher wine he chooses for the first night of Hanukkah is subjected to his beloved wine aroma wheel.

But wine is not the only thing that can be tasted, analyzed, and savored. Gabriella and Jared discover new uses for Jared's favorite toy as the Hanukkah candles burn down...

The Giveaway: I'm giving away a .pdf of "Spicy, Earthy, Sweet" to four readers 18 years of age or older. Since this is an e-book, the winners can be located anywhere in the world.

Read "Spicy, Earthy, Sweet" by Erin O'Riordan at Ravenous Romance

About the Author: Erin O'Riordan, despite what her Irish name may lead you to believe, is of mixed Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Pagan descent. Following the philosophy of Joan Borysenko, she proudly embraces all of her diverse spiritual heritage. Her spiritual-sexual writings include the Pagan-ritual-inspired erotic novel Beltane, from Eternal Press.

Website: www.aeess.com
Book blog: http://www.erinoriordan.blogspot.com

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Margaret Riley

2011-12-28T12:00:00.002-05:00

This has been my year for revisiting favorite recipes with a low carb twist -- just popped this out of the oven made with Splenda and Almond Meal. Yummm!!! (Subbed 1 cup of milk for the Captain Morgan's in the cake, because Almond Meal is thirsty! And added all the rum to the glaze, which I doubled this year, also made with Splenda.)

Captain Morgan’s Spiced Butter Rum Pound Cake
1 & 1/2 cup chopped nuts (Pecans, Almonds, or Walnuts)
1 & 1/2 cup raisins, cranberries, or other dried fruits
Cover dried fruit in boiling water, let stand 5 minutes or until plump, drain.

Dry Mix:
2 & 1/2 cups flour
1 pkg vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Mix:
1 & 2/3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and lightly flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle half the nuts over the bottom of pan.

Mix together dry ingredients in a hand mixing bowl.

Cream together sugar and butter, then stir in the dark rum in a large mixer bowl; beat on low while adding eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add remaining nuts and raisins (drained). Mix thoroughly.

Gradually add in dry mix. Continue beating on medium for 2 to 3 minutes.

Bake for 55 minutes at 325°F or until done. Remove cake from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife along edges of pan if necessary, to free the cake from the sides. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Glaze:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 pound butter (Margarine contains too much water!)
1/4 cup Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum

Melt butter in saucepan. Add water and sugar, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool slightly and then stir in rum. Set the cake in something like a large pie pan and drizzle glaze over cake. Soak cake thoroughly, adding a small amount at a time. Dust finished cake with confectioners sugar so it looks like a light snowfall.

Best served chilled the next day -- the rum needs to soak in!

Margaret Riley
Publisher
http://www.changelingpress.com/
http://www.razorsedgepress.com/

Changeling Press is giving away the winner's choice of an eBook from their house to three winners who comment on this post.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Naomi Bellini

2011-12-28T10:00:00.007-05:00

A Change for the Better; Creating New Traditions for Peace of Mind and Spirit

Breathe a sigh of relief and pat yourself on the back. Christmas is done, you made it through Thanksgiving if you live in the United States, the Holiday Madness is over. It's time for life to get back to normal. But wait! Don't get too comfortable, there is more insanity looming on the horizon…New Year’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Though these two celebrations don’t have the stressors of their more popular counterparts, they come with their own pressures.

For many, New Year's Eve is celebrated by dressing up and going out for dinner and drinks. Women are expected to be sparkling and sexy, witty and fun. Unfortunately, this holiday comes so soon after Christmas, many of us have lost our wit and sparkle and don’t expect to have them back any time soon. In fact, we're downright depressed. We can't fit into our party dress and don't have the money or energy to shop for a new one. It's dark and cold, bad weather threatens daily. We're drained, worn-out, and really just want to curl up with a book and a bottle of wine and welcome the New Year from under a blanket.

Yet somehow, we drag ourselves through a New Year's celebration, and what do we find lurking around the corner? Valentine's Day! Another holiday that requires us to put on the glitz and shine. We now have to shop for sexy lingerie that requires an excessive amount of hair removal, assure our loved one that we really don't want a gift (yes, we really do!), and get in the mood for yet another fancy dinner, when the wine bottle and blanket are beckoning.

But really, is all the primping and polishing necessary? Ask many men and women and they will tell you they find their partner the most sexy and desirable when they tumble into bed at night, wobble out of bed in the morning, or step out of a steamy shower, wearing nothing but a towel. No make-up, no fancy dress, no uncomfortable pantyhose, just delicious bare skin.

Maybe this year would be a good year to scale back on the dress-up and celebration. We could just say no to those invitations and not feel guilty, or worry that we are missing out on something. It's perfectly okay to not celebrate a holiday the way we always have if it seems the old customs aren't working anymore. Change is good. This might be the year to start a new tradition, like enjoying the company of our loved ones in a quiet, cozy place. Perhaps, under the blanket.

About the Author:Naomi lives in beautiful sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical black cat. She writes for various fiction and non-fiction markets, but finds she is drawn to erotic romance because her characters insist on canoodling, and sometimes even falling madly in love. So she lets them. Occasionally, however, they go to dark and strange places. She lets them do this also. Most of her stories will surprise readers with unexpected twists and turns, because isn't that what makes life exciting?

Her interests include dancing, hula-hooping, drumming, and creating healthy meals. She takes the opportunity to play, have fun, and indulge in the pursuit of passion whenever possible. She hopes you enjoy her stories and would love to hear from you at naomibellina(at)live(dot)com. Visit her website at http://www.naomibellina.com/

Her motto: Never pass up the opportunity to have an adventure!

Naomi will be giving away a GC from Amazon for her book Miranda's Travels. Leave a comment to be entered.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Lena Austin

2011-12-28T04:00:00.006-05:00

How To Have a Stress-Free Holiday Tradition

There are simple, easy things to do to avoid stress now, and in the future, while creating an heirloom to be passed down. Stop depending on your memory. Your brain won't be around after you're gone.

Take one ring binder with paper, a few page protectors, one ring binder zipper pocket, and a small clasp envelope. Now, as your holiday progresses, write down your memory aids in the binder, stick the recipes in the page protectors, and your receipts in the clasp envelope.

Some examples are: 1) a copy of your holiday card list, 2) your family traditions like lighting a bayberry candle or driving around town looking at decorated homes, 3) your gift list, and 4) all those family recipes, even the ones in your cookbooks. Keep a pen in the zipper pocket, and even your gift cards if you use them in place of money can be put in the pocket as well.

Your holiday binder doesn't have to be perfect. The goal is to save information. It took me three years to find all the recipes, and make photocopies. I enlarged one of the recipes off the back of a can of sweet potatoes that was fading and becoming difficult to read. I saved myself the horrible stress of digging through my entire cookbook collection and whimpering, "Where is it? Where is it?"

I now have six years of stress-free holidays under my belt. I kept the menu lists, and it brings a smile to my face to remember laughing in the kitchen with my daughters, slapping masculine hands attempting a quick taste-test, and the locations of where certain decorations work best.

Best of all, I now have an heirloom that's easily shared with all three of my daughters and grandchildren.

Lena Austin

I'll be giving away any ebook from my backlist or my latest ebook release, Protect and Serve: Don't Need A Hero-- Winner's choice. Just leave a comment and let me know which you would rather have.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Sapphire Phelan

2011-12-27T18:00:00.015-05:00

Mistletoe is More than for Kissing Under!

Kissing under the mistletoe is more than just a chance to get your honey to kiss you. It is also symbolic of the eventual rebirth of vegetation that will occur in spring. More so than any other of the Christmas evergreens, it is a plant of which we are conscious only during the holidays. Mistletoe has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac and fertility herb. It may also possess abortifacient qualities, which would help explain its association with uninhibited sexuality.

Kissing under the mistletoe got its start in Celtic rituals and Norse mythology. In Gaul, the Druids considered it a sacred plant. It was believed to have medicinal qualities and mysterious supernatural powers. After preparing for a sacrifice and a feast under the oak, they hail the mistletoe as a cure-all, bringing two white bulls with horns that have never been bound before. A priest dressed in a white robe climbs the oak and with a golden sickle cuts the mistletoe,. It is caught in a white cloak. After sacrificing the victims, they ask the god to make the mistletoe propitious for them. There was belief that a potion prepared from it will make sterile animals fertile and that kit was an antidote for any poison.

Mistletoe and the kissing are traced back to ancient Scandinavia. It was also the plant of peace there. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day. This ancient Scandinavian custom led to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.

But this tradition went hand-in-hand with the myth of Baldur. Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When he was born, Frigga made every plant, animal and inanimate object to promise not to harm Baldur. But the goddess overlooked the mistletoe. Loki took advantage of this oversight and tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. The demise of Baldur, a vegetation deity in the Norse myths, brought winter into the world, although the gods did eventually restored Baldur to life. Frigga pronounced the mistletoe sacred, ordering that it should bring love rather than death into the world.

Sapphire Phelan

Dark heroes and heroines with bite...sink your teeth into a romance by Sapphire Phelan today.

http://www.sapphirephelan.com/
http://sapphirephelanspassioncorner.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SapphirePhelansParanormalNewsletter
http://twitter.com/SapphirePhelan
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sapphire-Phelan/324399690647

Sapphire Phelan is giving away to one lucky commenter a download of her latest release, A Familiar Tangle With Hell, which is set during New Year’s Eve.

Tell her what you think about kissing under the mistletoe. Also leave an email so she can contact the winner.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Mardi Ballou

2011-12-27T14:00:00.015-05:00

Feliz Navidad!
by Mardi Ballou

Before becoming the title of a very upbeat song by Jose Feliciano, “Feliz Navidad” inspired smiles of joy as the traditional Spanish equivalent of the English Merry Christmas. The greeting expressed by Spanish speakers on several continents rings out across many time zones during this festive time.

When we can take a moment to sit and chill during this hectic time, isn’t it fun to explore some of the different ways Christmas is celebrated around the world? I really got into researching Christmas in Spain for my contemporary Christmas ménage novella from Ellora’s Cave called Sherry Amor—and can’t wait to write another Christmas story set in another country so I have an excuse to research more customs. Here are a few things I learned about Christmas in Spain.

Christmas is a very big, important festive holiday in Spain—one based on sharing traditions with loved ones. In the days leading up to Christmas, Nativity scenes—called “Belen” from the Spanish word for Bethlehem—appear in many churches and homes. It’s a time filled with the music of the season.

The Spanish name for Christmas Eve, “Nochebuena”, means “Goodnight”, and is one of the most important times in the year for people to come together and share a meal. This is a night when most restaurants and bars are closed so people are encouraged to be home. The typical meal may start with prawns and have suckling pig, seafood, fowl or roast lamb as the main course. Turron, a special treat, is a nougat made from sweet almonds. Other almond sweets are marzapan and polvorones. Fine Spanish wines and Cava, a Catalan champagne, are the drinks especially popular for toasting the holiday. After the meal, many Spaniards go to midnight mass, “La misa del Gallo”, which translates as “Rooster Mass”. The name comes from the tradition that the rooster made the first announcement of Christ’s birth.

Shops are closed Christmas day, which is a national holiday. Children may receive small gifts from Papa Noel—the Spanish Santa Claus—but they know their main gifts will arrive January 6th, the day of Epiphany, when the Three Kings bring presents for all the children. People often have their large meal at lunchtime—with family at home or in restaurants.

How do you celebrate the holidays? Do you prefer to stay with tried and true traditions or to try something new each year? Maybe a blend of both? Since my family lives far away, I join the crowds of Christmas travelers—I suppose we’re like modern day pilgrims, in a way. The travel’s not much fun, but I cherish being with family, especially at this time of year. I enjoy the foods and fragrances of the season, and especially the lights. However you choose to celebrate, I hope this is a sparkling holiday season for you and yours.

About the Author: By day she’s a mild-mannered language teacher. But after hours, Mardi Ballou’s wild writer persona erupts and entraps her in bondage…to her computer. Release comes only once she achieves her word count goal, at which point the maniacal chocolate monster will give her one sublime piece. And then she can spend time with her hero husband Lee, who gives great massages at strategic times. So Mardi writes what she knows— romances—hot and mainstream—for Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, NCP, Whiskey Creek, and Changeling. Also women’s fiction. Her most recent releases are, from Ellora’s Cave, Dark Venues, Sherry Amor, Soap Bloke, and Desert Destiny in e-book format and, in print, "Long, Slow Ride" in the Better with Age anthology and "Perfect Pear" in the Ripe and Ready anthology. The Fangly, My Dear series—Byte Marks, What’s a Ghoul to Do? and Playing with Matches—is in print from Samhain. Check out all of Mardi’s books, and more, at http://MardiBallou.com.

Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for a download of Sherry Amor.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Ella Jade

2011-12-27T10:00:00.015-05:00

Domestic Goddess or Romance Author?
By Ella Jade

Can't I be both?

Hello everyone. My name is Ella Jade and I'm thrilled to be here during this magical time of year. The holiday season is upon us and there's so much to do. There are cookies to be baked, presents to be bought and wrapped, a house to be decorated and stockings to hang by the chimney.
Geesh…looks like I'll be a busy girl. I don’t mind because I like this kind of busy. The holidays can often be stressful, but I try to take a step back and relax. I want to do as many fun and exciting things as I can with my family during the month of December. One of my favorite things to do is working the Holiday shop at the kids' school. I love seeing kids little faces light up when they're buying a little trinket for their mom, dad, aunts, uncles or pets. They're so cute and innocent. Another special thing I like to do is bake cookies with my mom and kids. We dedicate an entire Sunday to making all sorts of cookies. It's messy, but fun! And, I think we eat more than we should!

Watching holiday movies and specials are also a big tradition in my house. We even start with Elf the weekend before Thanksgiving so we can squeeze them all in throughout the season. Some of our must-sees are Jingle All the Way, Christmas Vacation, A Charlie Brown Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street. We light a fire, make popcorn and just snuggle under the blankets. The rest of the year is always so crazy with school, homework, sports and anything else that pops up, so we try to schedule as much family time as possible during these few special weeks. I want my kids to have memories that will last a lifetime.

I'm also hosting Christmas dinner this year. I'm cooking for twenty guests! What delicious concoction can I come up with? What will my centerpiece be? How will I dress the table? My husband says we don’t have time for me to have a "Martha moment" because we're busy enough. But, I LOVE to entertain and make people feel welcome in my home. Hmm…I'm thinking some sort of white chocolate, raspberry cheesecake will need to be created and I really can't forget the Pomegranate martinis, can I?

With all of the planning, organizing and creating during this time of year, I still make an effort to write. I'm a romance author after all, and so much inspiration can be found around these next few weeks. The smell of a fresh pine wreath, mistletoe hanging from a doorway, a cup of hot chocolate by the fire or even the reflection of the lights from the tree all serves as wonderful writing prompts for me. So, as busy as I am, I always make time when everyone else is asleep and the house is quiet to sneak downstairs, turn on the lights to the tree and mantle and let the season get my creative juices flowing.

I hope you find inspiration this holiday season in every aspect of your life. I wish you all a happy and safe holiday. Stop by my blog--http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com. I love to make new friends.

And, if you're looking for something naughty to read on these cold nights, check out my newest release, Embracing the Unexpected. You can find it at http://beachwalkpress.com/embracing-the-unexpected/.

Leave me some love in the form of a comment for your chance to win an eBook copy of Embracing the Unexpected.

Happy Holidays!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Paul Martin

2011-12-27T04:00:00.010-05:00

It has been a long time coming, but I am so happy to be here as an author and not as a fan. I can’t think of anyplace other than Whipped Cream to share my thoughts on Christmas, my favorite time of year. For my Christmas present to you, I’ll be giving away a random copy of my holiday release, A Present for Santa from Secret Cravings Publishing, to one commenter.

Everyone has their own preferences about Christmas. Whether it is Gene Autry singing Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer on the radio, Bing Cosby in White Christmas on TV, or shopping for the right present for Aunt Agatha, it holds a special meaning to you. For me, it’s not Christmas until Ralphy gets his Red Rider BB gun.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and no matter how old I get on the outside, when Christmas rolls around, I become a little boy again anxiously awaiting the big man’s arrival. Decorating the tree, setting up the train and miniature village, and reveling in the tantalizing aromas coming from the kitchen bring back lots of fond memories of Christmas’ past.

This year, he came a bit early. My girlfriend, who lives out of state, sent me a big box full of goodies. As that little boy, I find myself shaking and examining those carefully wrapped presents to find out what is inside. I think one is shirts, which is good, because she has great taste in clothes. She has me baffled on the rest. She knows how I am and has become very crafty in wrapping them.

She, on the other hand is extremely difficult to buy for. “I have everything I want,” she tells me. As she will be reading this blog, I’m not going to tell you what I sent her, but I know it is something she doesn’t have and will love. The only clue I will give is, I made it myself. What are some of your favorite memories? While you reminisce, here's a blurb about A Present for Santa.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Paul Martin

In the mistaken belief the man in the red suit is her boyfriend; Holly Bush proceeds to give him a Christmas present he will never forget. Kris Kringle, embarrassed at being caught delivering a present, is awed at what the nearly naked woman who caught him does next.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Lily Harlem

2011-12-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

Keeping Warm
by Lily Harlem

Winter is such a wonderful time of year and I adore everything about it. Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against the summer; lounging on the beach with a cocktail and a good book suits me very well. But I don’t get that snuggly feeling at the approach of summer that I do with winter. The leaves beginning to turn and the mornings that hold a nip in the air are a promise of long cozy evenings snuggling up to Mr. Harlem. We like to open a nice bottle of red wine, light the fire and watch all the programmes we said we’d watch over the summer but didn’t. Yep, winter is great - soft jumpers, fluffy socks, tasty treats and long, long nights.

I live in the UK, miles from any big city and right out in the countryside – or the ‘sticks’ as we call it. Wildlife is abundant and often more so in the winter as animals brave the cold in search of food. But another thing that brings animals and people out is the age old tradition of The Hunt - which I have to say is another wonderful way of keeping warm in the winter. It used to be fox hunting but that’s illegal now so the hounds chase a synthetic fox scent that has been dragged over miles of fields and woodland by a quad bike.

The hunts are grand affairs full of pomp and etiquette. They always meet late morning at one of the biggest houses around. The hosts, usually the Lord and Lady of the Manor, dish out port, sausage rolls and fruit cake -sustenance for a day of riding and a little alcohol to boost nervous riders.

The horses are, in the majority, some of the finest creatures you will ever see. Huge athletes with their coats clipped to prevent them getting too sweaty and their manes and tales shampooed and set. And the people on them, well, they are of course impeccably turned out too, at least at the beginning of the day; by the end there is a considerable amount of dishevelment. The Hunt Master and his team wear bright red riding jackets with cravats and gold pins. They carry long whips to keep the hounds in order and one of them uses a brass horn to signal which way the hunt is going. I always study these men carefully; they are skilled riders and have had their positions in the hunt passed down over generations. They love the thrill of the chase, the hedges and gates that need to be jumped, the spectators along the way. Many are really very handsome as they sit there in the finery, and there is something about the way they are so calm and genteel at the beginning and then career off into the distance on their fine steeds. Beneath their exquisite tailoring and polite smiles they are adrenaline junkies, risk takers – watching them gets my heart going every time!

At the end of the day, as the light fades and mist begins to roll across the meadows, the hunt returns to the starting point. There are always stories of falls and near misses; horses and riders are sweaty and muddy. There are lots of smiles, laughter and raucousness as horses are loaded onto trailers to be taken back to their stables. Most people have hip flasks and you will see them swigging their whiskey or brandy as they chat about the next hunt.

So you see in the UK we have many ways to keep warm, belting around the countryside with a pack of hounds chasing a fox scent is just one of them. But the feeling of being outside in the cold, sharp air, flying over fields and hedges, trusting your horse and him trusting you is truly amazing, and sitting down that evening, tired but happy, makes you feel warm to the bone. So what about you? Any winter traditions where you live that keep you warm? I’d love to hear about them.

Lily Harlem

My latest release is Cold Nights, Hot Bodies available from Ellora’s Cave and I will be giving away a copy here at Whipped Cream. Also if you get time do stop by my website; there’s plenty of FREE reads and heaps of man candy!

About the Author:Lily Harlem is a multi-published, award winning author of contemporary erotic romance.

She lives in the UK and writes for several publishing houses including Ellora’s Cave and Total-E-Bound and features in numerous UK and US anthologies.

Her stories are made up of colourful characters travelling on everyone’s favourite journey — falling in love. If the story isn’t deliciously romantic and down and dirty sexy, it won’t be written, at least not by Lily. With the bedroom door left well and truly open readers are warned to hang on for a steamy, sensual ride - or rides as the case maybe!

Website – www.lilyharlem.com

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Vivian Vincent

2011-12-26T18:00:00.008-05:00

I normally embrace the Christmas season with open arms. It lifts my spirits to see people come together during the holidays. This year, however, Christmas just won’t be the same for me. I lost my mother in May of this year – we buried her on Mother’s Day.

I remember Christmases at my house were always festive and full of life. My mom loved Christmas. She’d do outrageous things to me and my brother like wrapping a very small gift in a very large box, or put the small box inside a larger one, then a larger one still, and so on.

I even remember one year where she had something wrapped in plain brown paper and told me and my brother it was for another relative and she wanted us to decorate it. So we went to town with our crayons and markers and made the most festive holiday wrapping we could. I think we were around six and seven at the time (my brother is a year older than me). Turns out, the gift was for us. It was an air-hockey table!

My most memorable Christmas, though, was probably the first year mom was on her own. It was probably 1974 (she and my dad were divorced in 1975 but he had moved out before then) and she was struggling to keep the bills paid, plus have a good Christmas for me and my brother.

All we’d wanted that year was a sled. You know, one of those ones with the metal runners and wooden planks. Mom told us Santa would try his best to get it. My brother and I were young enough to still believe in Santa Claus, but also old enough to know that “Santa” was really mom and dad.

Anyway, we went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, just as always, with my aunt, uncle and three cousins, not knowing that “Santa” was working his magic back at our house.

When we returned home, my brother and I ran into the house, into the living room and low and behold, there was our sled! Wrapped in a giant red bow! We got a few other gifts that year, but the only one I remember was the sled.

My mom didn’t even know it was there. Turns out my mom’s best friend and her husband (who lived across the street from us) bought the sled, kept it in their basement until Christmas, then brought it over while we were at mass. They covered their tracks in the freshly fallen snow, so we never knew anyone had been in the house.

To this day, that remains my favorite Christmas. I know the neighbors were also friends with my mom, but it still amazes me the kindness they showed, just so my brother and I could have a good Christmas – and they had three young boys of their own!

Now, I don’t know if my mom ever paid them back, but I don’t think it really matters. I’m sure she paid back the kindness in other ways. She was always a giving person, never selfish. She loved Christmas and always tried to make it fun, even when we were adults.

Over the past few years, she’d become increasingly less mobile and more dependent on my stepdad, but even then, she was always gung-ho about the holidays. Every year, like clockwork, she’d fill out Christmas cards and send them out. This year, I’m guessing will be different and I know there won’t be any Christmas from here on out that’ll be the same without my mom, but I’ll never ever forget how she made us feel around the holidays.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and a wonderful new year. Keep that charitable feeling long after the holidays are past. Remember, there’s always someone who’s worse off than you and a small amount of kindness, or even a smile or a hug, can work wonders for someone’s demeanor.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Ms. Vincent was born and raised in the great state of Michigan where she’s lived for her entire life and has worked in a local assembly plant for the past seventeen years. Her work in erotic fiction only began a few years ago, writing under the name michchick98 on Literotica and Stories Online, receiving high praise for her work at both sites. Her previous writing experience dates as far back as her high school newspaper.

Currently, she has nearly two dozen e-books and several anthologies available through eXcessica and Written Expressions. When she’s not working or writing her next story, Ms. Vincent enjoys reading, movies and listening to eighties tunes on her mp3 player. She gets her inspiration from the people in her life, songs she hears on the radio or just her active imagination. Ms. Vincent holds a distinction in the world of erotic fiction as being one of the few authors who remains happily single. Her style comes from the passion, hunger and variety of always being able to call the shots on her own.

http://www.vivian-vincent.zxq.net/

Vivian is giving away a PDF copy of Holiday Auction to one lucky commenter.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Ms. Cinsearae S.

2011-12-26T14:00:00.003-05:00

A Nightmare Before Christmas, Indeed!

Okay, so I've never been the type to be chipper around the holidays. Losing family members around that time of year doesn't help. The true spirit of the holiday was sucked out of it long ago, thanks to commercialism. A barrage of disgruntled shoppers and the whole snatch-n-grab race at the stores, plus the whole 'gimmie, gimmie, gimmie' attitude make me turn away in disgust. I like The Grinch. My only favorite holiday story is A Christmas Carol, because of the creep-factor it offers. (Can you imagine being visited by all those ghosts--especially the last one?) But my favorite holiday icon? Krampus. Never heard of him? Probably not, as most folks do not want to hear of such a darker charater so closely associated with a time of supposed mirth and joy, not to mention hanging around such a jolly old elf like Santa...

Krampus is interpreted a bit differently in other countries, but they can all round out to Krampus being Santa's 'evil brother', 'alter ego'... or even the yin to Santa's yang. Krampus is a demon who comes along with Santa to punish all the children who have been bad throughout the year, while Santa carries on his gift-giving duties to the good ones. Krampus is depicted as wearing chains, and is covered in fur having a very goatlike face with a long red tongue. He also carries a switch or stick to beat those same bad little childern. (That would definitely make any kid straighten up their act, wouldn't it?) Krampus Night is celebrated mostly in Austria on St. Nicholas Day Eve. A similiar being of German myth called Ruebezahl, is a combination of both this demon and Santa, looking like a really big, evil-looking version of St. Nick.

To lighten that bit of that Yuletide eeriness, I'd like to offer a delicious holiday drink recipe, which should hopefully keep you warm and toasty during this cold season.

Wassail recipe

5 c. apple cider
3 c. dry red wine
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
1/4 tsp. whole allspice
1 stick of cinnamon (approx. 3" long)

Combine spices in a cheesecloth or coffee filter, etc, to keep them from floating around. Put everything in a 3 1/2 to 6 qt. slow cooker and cook on low heat for approx 3-4 hrs. Remove spices and cinnamon befor serving.
If you'd like a non-alcoholic recipe, just use 8 c. of cider. This recipe makes sixteen one-half cup servings. Enjoy!

Now for the giveaway! I'll be offering a holiday-themed hair accessory and earrings from my Etsy shop, Mistress Rae's Decadent Designs (www.Etsy.com/shop/MistressRae13), and I'd like to invite everyone to download a copy of "ABRAXAS: A Very Merry Something" --a free short story from The ABRAXAS Series. (http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/abraxas-a-very-merry-something/6169875?productTrackingContext=author_spotlight_282362_) If the link gives you a problem, just email me at gratistavampires(at)yahoo(dot)com and I'll send you a copy. Happy holidays, everyone!

About the Author: Ms. Cinsearae S. is the Editor/Publisher of award-winning Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazine and a graphic designer for Damnation Books and independent authors. Author of The Abraxas Series, Boleyn: Tudor Vampire, and In The Beginning (published through Black Bed Sheet Books), Cinsearae is an avid lover of all things gothic and horrific, and is a huge Vincent Price fan. She lives with her husband and two rat terriers, aptly named Hades and Chaos. Visit her at http://BloodTouch.webs.com, plus find 'The ABRAXAS Series' and more of her works at www.lulu.com/gratistavampires. Feel free to add her as a friend on Facebook and find her on Twitter.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Kaye Manro

2011-12-26T12:00:00.024-05:00

Celebrating the Holidays Medieval Style

By Kaye Manro

In my short book A Medieval Yule, which released on December 19 from Red Rose Publishing, Twelfth Night is important to the hero Marcus of Windom and heroine Lady Liana because that was the time of year they married. To give the feel of what a Medieval Yule was like I wanted Marcus to have a time of remembering since as the story opens, he is not happy and his life is not going well at all this Yuletide season:

Marcus remembered Christmastides past when Castle Windom fairly bustled with kindled fires and crowded activity. Holly wreaths, ivy and mistletoe strung about in all the chambers, the great hall decked out in candle shine and wassailing glory. Wines and meats imported from foreign lands abounded. From afar people visited, laughing and dancing about as troubadours sang and played their merry tunes.

What were the Holidays like in medieval times, circa the 12th Century?

The Yule season or Yuletide is a medieval winter celebration and is associated with the Winter Solstice and the Twelve Days of Christmas known as Twelfth Night. It is a time for festivities and feasting.

The enticing aromas of roasted meat and the herbs and spices of mulled wine permeated the keep. The feast would be divided into several courses: cheese with soup or broth, vegetables and a lean meat, heavier savory dishes and finally sweet treats. Spiced or mulled (warmed) wine and ale-based drinks abounded.

This brings up the ancient tradition of Wassailing. A large ornate vessel known as the Wassailing bowl filled with a spiced and fermented beverage was passed around to celebrate health and good cheer. Waes hael literally means “be in good health.” A reveler would shout “Waes hael!” and drink from the bowl then pass it to another who would reply “Drinc Hail!” (Drink to your health) take a drink and then in turn pass it on shouting “Waes hael!” to the next person and so on.

Lending to the merriment is the warm and inviting atmosphere of the bells, holy, ivy and mistletoe that decked the chambers and halls of the castle. And especially the Yule Log, a large extremely hard wood, burning in the hearth in stark contrast to the freezing winter cold outside.

And what medieval festival would be complete without the Troubadours? These singers and musicians hired to provide entertainment were an integral part of the merriment and dancing. Carols similar to “Deck the Halls” resounded throughout the corridors and chambers of the castle.

And this party continued for twelve days! Hence the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Recipe: Ye Olde Ale Wassail

1 quart ale (or beer if you must)
1 quart rum or brandy
nutmeg
ginger
grated lemon peel
3 eggs
4 oz powdered sugar
Heat ale to almost boiling with spices. Beat eggs with sugar while ale is heating up. Combine whipped eggs and hot ale in a large pitcher. Put rum or brandy into another large pitcher and pour from one to another until mixed well. Then pour into a holiday wreathed wassail bowl (or punch bowl). Best served hot! (Serves 8)

Blurb: A Medieval Yule

A fortnight ago she left him.

Marcus of Windom stood alone in an empty castle without Lady Liana by his side. The frigid winds brought forth by the Yule Season pressed upon him. He pulled the parchment from whence he carried it and read her chilling parting words once again. I can no longer live as your lady-wife… If ever she returned would her sensual warmth be enough to melt the ice she had caused to form around his broken heart?

About the Author: As far as romance goes I’ve been writing for several years. I usually write in the SF sub-genre (called Science Fiction Romance) I love techie stuff and I've been called a geek girl. But I’m a romance author at heart and when I branch out into other genres it is usually Time Travel or Medieval. I write sensual stories with sexy heroes and heroines. I’m also a journalist and editor, so I can get really busy at times.

Where to find Kaye:
Website http://www.kayemanro.com/index.htm
Blog http://kayemanro.blogspot.com
Buy Link http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=208&products_id=1146

I will be giving away a copy of A Medieval Yule to one lucky winner! Just leave a comment to be entered.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Victoria Blisse

2011-12-26T10:00:00.023-05:00

Always Christmas

I love Christmas, I really, really do but I am not the kind of person who puts her tree up in November. I like Christmas at Christmas time and groan when I see Christmas cards in shops in August and decorations in October.

However, I can always be tempted by a ‘proper’ Christmas shop. You know the kind that is full to the brim with ornaments and trees and snowmen and reindeer and is full of festive flavour every single day of the year. For some reason in my mind that’s okay.

There’s a lovely Christmas shop in Stratford Upon Avon which I love looking round. I’ve got a special ornament for my tree from there. I picked it up in February I do believe! So when I was thinking of ideas for my Total-E-Bound Christmas story I remembered the Christmas store I loved and transplanted it to Lincoln.

Here’s the blurb for Always Christmas in Lincoln:

It isn’t really always Christmas in Lincoln but when Felicity gets her man it feels like it.

Felicity hates Christmas. It reminds her of a traumatic event from her childhood. She thinks the Permanent Christmas shop is tacky, with its windows full of trees and tinsel all year round and would rather it disappeared from her picturesque home town.

When she discovers that Carl, who she lusts over every time she sees him in the tea rooms, is in fact the owner of Ho, Ho, Ho! She’s not quite sure what to think. It takes a sexy meeting in the middle of a fake winter wonderland to make her realise the advantages of Christmas in the middle of summer.

As time passes, Carl and Felicity indulge in more sexy liaisons but as Christmas approaches Felicity doubts whether she is anything more than a sensual distraction for the festive shop owner and when her handsome ex, Sean, sweeps into town on a quest to win her back she finds she has a tough decision to make.

Can Carl and his Christmas cheer win over her hardened heart?

And an excerpt from within the Christmas shop in the middle of Summer:

“I guess I should be going,” I sighed. “Not that I want to go out there again—it’s so cool and refreshing in here.”

“Then stay. I’d be grateful of the company while I finish putting together my North Pole.”

“Well, if you’re sure…”

“Yes, yes, stay. I could do with a second opinion on where to place my candy canes.”

“All right,” I agreed. “Can I give you a hand since I’m here anyway?”

“Well, go on then. I’m used to doing them on my own, but I’ve seen your window displays and they’re always gorgeous. Can you organise the penguins and polar bears for me?”

“Sure.” I smiled, shut the laptop and picked up a polar bear. It’s not often a person gets to say that, I suppose. We chatted amicably as we positioned and re-positioned soft toys, ornaments and gingerbread houses. I’d not felt so relaxed and happy for a long while. The loneliness had sunk into my soul and I’d barely even recognised it. As I pondered what that meant for me and my life, I miscalculated how far forward I needed to lean to place my singing, dancing penguin, and I slipped. I knocked into Carl, yelped and thankfully landed on the soft toys. Carl’s landing wasn’t quite so soft, since he ended up on top of me.

“Oh, fu—I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Carl pushed himself up, but I was still very aware of his pelvis pressing against mine. “Don’t worry, accidents happen.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll pay for anything I’ve broken, I’ll put everything back in just the place it was…”

Carl kissed me.

It was far more complex than that, but at that moment my mind went blank and I just couldn’t think. His lips were on mine. They were plump, hot and very skilled. He took my breath away with just the gentlest undulations. I wrapped my arms around him without thought; pulled him close and let out all the passion that had built up inside me. We broke apart and took ragged breaths before our lips pulled us back together again. Our eyes were open and I could see that he was holding back just a little bit, nervous about whether this was what I wanted. I was sure he’d see the same emotions in the sea of my green eyes.

It struck me as funny that two grown adults lip-locked together still seemed so hesitant. I think he felt the smile cross my lips, because he turned up the heat. He rolled to his side and pulled me over on top of him. I laughed, then groaned because I felt the significant bump rising from his crotch. I was now somewhat in control and after a moment, a very brief moment of doubt, I reached out to undo the buttons on his shirt. His fingers crept up my thighs in response.

I kissed down the outline of his jaw; he moved a hand to cup one of my buttocks. I finished unbuttoning him and he clasped me from the other side, so I was surrounded by his touch and aroused by his gentle squeezes. I continued my kiss trail down over his chest. It was a strong chest, not bursting with muscles—that does nothing for me anyway—but steely, with the kind of muscles that aren’t showy but get the job done well enough, thank you.

So next time you see a Christmas shop pop in and remember me and my Christmas story.

Hope you have a lovely time this festive season!

Victoria Blisse

Leave a comment for a chance to win a download of Christmas Spirit Warms the Heart.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Kate Willoughby

2011-12-26T04:00:00.012-05:00

It’s getting to get busy at work for me. See, I work at Starbucks as a barista. The weather is turning chill in my neck of the woods and that makes people crave their favorite guilty pleasure. Yesterday it was crazy busy for hours. By the end of my shift, my shoulder was aching from pouring gallons of milk into those stainless steel pitchers and my brain was fried from the hectic atmosphere. If you’ve ever been in a Starbucks when it’s crowded with caffeine-craving customers, many with their own quirky drink modifications, you know what I’m talking about.

Now, don’t get me wrong. My own favorite drinks aren’t straight off the menu either. For instance, I’ll order an iced Caramel Macchiato, but mine is upside-down, extra caramel, sugar-free cinnamon dolce syrup instead of vanilla and non-fat milk. (Yeah. I know. But it’s good!) For a hot drink, lately I’ve been getting a double short non-fat latte with one raw sugar, whipped cream and caramel on top.

Now it’s holiday time at Starbucks and their signature holiday drinks are out in force. I adore the Eggnog Latte and the Peppermint Mocha, but when it’s raining, even though I get a thirty percent discount on my drinks, I am reluctant to venture out to Starbucks myself. I like staying in my cozy house, looking outside and feeling grateful I don’t have to go out in that nasty weather. So, here’s a nice alternative to the Peppermint Mocha you can keep in your cupboard.

Peppermint Mocha Mix

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ cup Andes mints, chopped fine
½ cup powdered nondairy creamer
½ cup instant coffee granules
1/8 teaspoon salt
whipped cream, optional

Whisk all ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended. Spoon 3 or 4 generous tablespoons of the mix into your cup, add boiling water, and stir well. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Makes about 4 ½ cups of mix. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

Now, it just so happens that Davina, the heroine of my latest book, Just Winging It loves Starbucks mochas. As a fairy, chocolate is like alcohol to her. And she sometimes imbibes more than she should. (Who can blame her? Hello, it’s chocolate!) In fact, a key scene occurs in a Starbucks café. Something happens in that scene that changes everything for Davina.

If you’re interested in winning a free copy of this book, Just Winging It, simply leave a comment. I’d love to know what your regular Starbucks drink order is, or if you have a question that you’ve always wanted to ask the barista but didn’t want to look like an idiot in front of the other customers who all seem to be “in the know” about all things Starbuckian, ask me.

Just Winging It, Book four of the Be-Wished Series, available now from Ellora’s Cave

Ex-wish fairy Davina Traherne has until midnight to choose a groom at the birthday ball or her draconian grandmother Agatha will pick one for her. Panicking at the prospect of marrying a fussy, well-bred bore with no sense of adventure, she flees.

Laszlo can’t believe it when Davina asks him to help her go off-grid. He’s always had the hots for her but kept his feelings to himself. Eventually, close proximity and Davina’s playful teasing get to be too much, especially when he finds out his lust is reciprocated. But when Agatha zeroes in on their whereabouts, his resolve to keep his emotional distance dissolves and he discovers he’ll do anything to protect Davina.

Even marry her.

BIO

Kate Willoughby is the award-winning author of eleven erotic romance novellas. She’s held a variety of jobs (podiatrist's assistant, telemarketer, typist, gift wrapper, painter, illustrator's assistant, paste-up artist, calligrapher, teacher, barista) but her favorite so far is writer.

She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, their two sons, and a chihuahua named Mochi. When the testosterone in the house builds up to unbearable levels, she escapes by reading, cooking, and scrapbooking with friends.

Website: http://kate-willoughby.blogspot.com/

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: L. J. LaBarthe

2011-12-23T18:00:00.002-05:00

A Different Kind of Australian Christmas.
By L. J. LaBarthe

When I was in the last years of high school, (many years ago now!), my mum decided that we as a family should do something different for Christmas. Tired of the endless stress that preceded our family gatherings, mum felt that doing something positive for a change would be a good plan. She was right – our family Christmases consisted of my father baking and cooking from 4AM, making a traditional French bouche de nöel, and he would make several of these, to give to his friends as well as us. He also made éclairs au chocolat and éclairs au caramel, and by the time midday rolled around, he'd be in the world's worst mood and lunch wouldn't be ready. We would end up eating at 3PM, and I would have a terrible headache because we weren't allowed to eat anything before the Christmas meal was on the table.

Mum also wanted to do something for those who were less fortunate. She had trained as a kindergarten teacher and worked as a nurse before she got married and had me. She came up with the idea of putting on a Christmas day celebration for the homeless youth of my city.

I was hanging out with local bands at this stage, and mum was chaperoning me to gigs and making friends among the local musos as well. We put it to several of the guys in some of the bands and they were eager to put on a show for the homeless kids. We had a line up of five bands, each doing a 45 minute set. With the entertainment sorted out easily enough, turning to organising food was the next task.

Fortunately, we were able to get a lot of local businesses to donate food, like cold cuts of meat, roasts, vegetables and fruit cakes. One of the band's manager's mum chipped in with more food, and myself and a friend from school helped out with preparing vegetables for roasting on the day. Mum got the free use of the youth centre in the middle of the city's main precinct and it was advertised on radio and local newspapers.

Mum did this for three years, thereabouts. The turnout of kids wasn't great, but that wasn't what I took away from the experience. What I got was the amazing capacity for selflessness that a bunch of punk rockers and their families had when it came to chipping in to help those less fortunate. That one elderly lady from my father's church gave freely of her time without any fanfare and travelled to and fro by public transport. That the friends of mine from school who helped out did so, sometimes defying their parents, because they wanted to help. The incredible sense of camaraderie and good will that came from a group of people from literally all walks of life, coming together in selflessness and cheery good natured, good humour, is something I'll never forget.

That's what I remember as being the best of the Christmases I've ever had. I remember sitting on a table, watching local band The Coneheads, with my friend Bob – he was the mixer and he mixed all the bands for free, all day – bouncing around with a near life-size plush leopard. I remember the guys from FAL, the band my mum managed (and ten years later, I was their manager!), helping carry heavy platters of food to a large table, setting out a buffet. I remember the jokes, the laughter, the music, the food.

It might not have been successful in terms of getting a huge turnout – there were only two dozen people who wandered in and out during the day – but it was enormously successful in bringing together all these diverse personalities to do something good for someone else. And that's what Christmas means to me.

***

L. J. LaBarthe is an Australian woman living with disabilities and her cat. As a young child, she won a competition for drawing a picture of Australian Humpty Dumpty, complete with Aussie hat, corks hanging from strings dangling from the brim to keep the flies away. The drawing was accompanied by an adventure story with Humpty Dumpty she wrote set in Australia. From that moment on, she has not looked back.
She spends her free time watching television, reads newspapers online for fun, and enjoys a good novel. She loves to cook and enjoys a snifter of absinthe from time to time.

L.J. would like to take a moment to let her university professor in creative writing know that knowledge of iambic pentameter isn't necessary in order to be able to enjoy the craft of writing, no matter how much he may have screamed to the contrary.

Her websites are:
Main: http://www.ljlabarthe.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/brbsiberia
Blog: http://misslj_author.livejournal.com/

Long Road Back.

Summary: Yoo Lee Shin had great hopes for his new life studying engineering in Australia, but nothing could have prepared him for the wonder of falling in love. His roommate’s brother, Craig, is beautiful, kind, and brave—and, very shortly after they meet, he’s deployed. As Christmas nears, can Shin keep hope for a happy ending bright enough to guide Craig to him on the long road back?

Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_116&products_id=2609

L. J. is giving away two copies of Long Road Back – one per person – to two lucky readers of Whipped Cream Reviews. Merry Christmas!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Shermaine Williams

2011-12-23T14:00:00.009-05:00

Benefits of the Recession

As the Christmas season approaches—introduced by festive television advertisements in November and seasonal goods in the shops— it is clear that the message of consumerism cannot be avoided. In fact, much like every year around this time, it has only intensified when compared to the levels throughout the rest of the year.

When there is a new financial crisis reported in the news almost everyday, I would have thought that this would have a knock-on effect. How naive I am. Maybe it has had an effect and the public intend to tighten their belts, but the advertisers didn’t get the memo.

I don’t know why people feel the need to accumulate a load of stuff when there are so many more important things to consider, like the sound of a child’s laughter, the beauty of a crisp winter day, good health and being around family. Not that I want to get too sentimental but there has to be some upside to the world being in financial turmoil.

Isn’t it satisfying when you know someone so well that you can get them the perfect gift without having to resort to seeking out the biggest price tag? That is the thought process of Robert, the hero of Future Present, my Christmas tale published with Phaze. Not only does Robert know his beloved girlfriend Anna well, but he is also adept at keeping a secret and does so until the big reveal.

Like Robert, some talented and selfless people will be able to give a gift without the recipient even realising they’ve received it.

“Hi, baby.”

“Hello,” she trilled, with affected cheer. “I was going to take a shower…after cleaning.”

Robert gave her a strange look, as if her words were incomprehensible, making her pull her stomach in and hold her breath. “Forget that.” Lifting his arm, he beckoned her back downstairs. “I need to speak to you.”

Breathing rapidly, the need intensified by the exertion of running up the stairs, she walked back down, each footstep like a thunderclap. Watching his face as she went to him, Anna found his expression unreadable.

“I’ve got great news.” He grinned triumphantly, squeezed her hand and kissed her before taking off his coat.

The knot in her stomach loosened as she blindly followed him to the kitchen, listening to him talk about a cottage in Oxford. She looked at him doubtfully. “You want us to spend Christmas in Oxford? Why?”

“My boss was going to use it, but he can’t go so he offered it.” Robert’s warm smile was alluring, immediately and powerfully persuasive. By the time he finished his speech, she agreed to go.

“Oh, Harris forgot something or other last night. Did he call? I gave him your number.”

“Gloves,” Anna blurted unthinkingly, opening her mouth again before having second thoughts. Suddenly, she could smell Harris, like the aroma of sex, sweat and crisp aftershave was emanating from her own body.

“Did he call?" He repeated.

Hesitating, she feared a lie would give her away. “Yes. He came and got them this morning,” she recited carefully.

“Where did those flowers come from?”

Having completely forgotten about them, the question made stiffened Anna’s body, her breath caught in her throat. “Um, Harris. He gave them to me for…” She tailed off, suddenly thinking about the fact he had a condom within easy reach. Was his sole intention to seduce me?

“For last night?” he suggested.

She beamed a little too wide. “Yes.”

“That was nice of him.” He touched his finger to a bloom. “He didn’t mention anything to me.”

Anna stiffened, frantically seeking an easy change of subject and wishing Robert wasn’t standing so close.

“Have you finished cleaning up already?”

Anna sighed with relief.

Think about what you would give if you had no money and leave a comment for your chance to win an ebook copy of Future Present.

Shermaine Williams
www.shermainewilliams.wordpress.com

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Kayelle Allen

2011-12-23T12:00:00.002-05:00

Making the Most of Candy Canes
By Kayelle Allen

It's the Christmas season, and what could say Merry Christmas better than the childhood favorite, candy canes? Here are ten ways to make the most of these sweet treats.

1. Candy Cane / Peppermint Stick Centerpiece

Make a pretty centerpiece for your table with peppermint sticks. Use a vase or jar with sides that are straight up and down. Wrap a wide rubber band around the middle of the vase. Insert peppermint sticks beneath the rubber band, all the way around the vase. Complete the look by tying a bright red and white ribbon around the vase, covering the rubber band. Fill the vase with silk flowers in Christmasy colors.

2. Attach small, wrapped candy canes to gifts along with a To/From tag instead of the traditional bow.

3. Use long peppermint sticks or candy canes as stirs for hot cocoa. This adds a minty taste to the chocolate and the "stir" can be eaten.

4. Break the candy cane before the curve, dip it into melted candy-coating or bark, and then roll in sprinkles. Allow to cool on wax paper.

5. Crush the broken "crook" pieces. Serve them on top of whipped cream on a decadent brownie, or stir them into the brownie mix before baking.

6. Save a box of mini candy canes for Valentine's Day. Place two at a time on wax paper with the rounded part of the crooks facing outward and the bottoms together to form a heart. Fill the center with white candy-coating or bark, and sprinkle with colored sugar or pink, red, and white sprinkles. Allow to cool at room temperature (do not refrigerate or chill -- the candy coating will "sweat" and not stick to the canes). To make these into lollipops, add cookie treat sticks (available at craft stores or at online at Wilton) before cooling, and then tie a red ribbon around the top of each lollipop.

7. Look at the making of candy canes with this video from the History Channel.

8. Candy canes can be purchased in boxes of twelve, or in bulk containers of 500. Spangler has made candy canes since 1906, and still makes millions of them every year. Visit their site and learn more by clicking here: Spangler. If you prefer organic and natural dye-free foods, try this site: NaturalCandy.

9. Make iconic Candy Cane Reindeer using good old-fashioned Elmer's glue. This is a fun project you can do alone, but is even more fun with friends, and especially with children. For a supply list and full directions, visit the Elmer's website by clicking here: Candy Cane Reindeer Directions.

10. For my final idea ... eat the candy cane exactly as it is and enjoy licking every last bit!

About the author: Kayelle Allen's motto is "romance lives forever." She enjoys hiking, movies, reading, and SciFi conventions. A multipublished, award winning author with character-driven, plot-heavy SciFi Romances, her worldbuilding skills include alien languages and 10k years of future history. Kayelle is known for unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, unforgettable passion. You will find her on the web in these places:

Homeworld: http://kayelleallen.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Blog: http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/
Romance Lives Forever - Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancelivesforever
The Edge of Peril - World of the Immortals
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edgeofperil/

Her book At the Mercy of Her Pleasure is available from Loose Id, in print, Kindle, Nook, and at Fictionwise. To enter a drawing for a download of the book, leave a comment on this blog and email her at kayelle.allen@yahoo.com. Please put Candy Cane in the subject. PDF will be sent to the winner unless another format is specified (Kindle, for example). The Kindle version of this book is available (as are all of Kayelle's titles) for electronic autograph at Kindlegraph.

Everyone who enters will receive a set of downloadable Character Recipe Cards in PDF format by return email.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Jaxx Steele

2011-12-23T10:00:00.019-05:00

Greetings Readers!

Jaxx Steele here to wish you Happy Holidays and to share one of my 3 Christmas stories with you: The Gift That Keeps On Giving!

This is one of my favorites. Like most authors, my books are kind of like my children. I know you’re not supposed to have favs among your children, but even though you love them all the same there has to be a time when you like one more than the other. Come on, where are all the parents? You guys know I know what I’m talking about.

The Johnston family is not so different from the ones we may know or even your own. Lovell comes home every holiday to spend time with his sister and mom even though they drive him crazy. They have their traditions and yearly fights over the same things and depart a loving family until next time.

Lovell Johnston is gun shy of relationships because of a personal defect. His job as owner of an internet website that hooks up other people enables that because he has lots of online friends, but none in the real world. He comes home every Christmas to get away from the hustle and bustle the season brings to a big city to have a little peace in a quiet suburb.

This story reminds us all that sometimes—just sometimes—the people who know you best really do know what’s best for you. Enjoy!

Lovell Johnston was home for the holidays when he met Avery Lockhart. He had made up his mind a long time ago that when he got into another relationship it was going to last. Avery was perfect for him everything he could ask for in a man. He was handsome, educated, sexy, available and totally interested in him. The only thing was Lovell lived in the city and Avery lived in his home town. Would the distance and fear of being a holiday booty call be enough to keep them apart when all they wanted to do was be together?

The Gift That Keeps On Giving is available at:

Red Rose Publishing

Until next time…

Jaxx Steele has left the building!
www.jaxxsteele.com

Leave a comment for a chance to win a Jaxx Steele pen and t-shirt.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: B.J. McCall

2011-12-23T04:00:00.007-05:00

Light up your Holiday

I live in sunny California, but I grew up in West Virginia and when the holidays come around I miss the snow. I remember the magical first snowfall of the season. I loved sledding with my friends, building snowmen and having snowball fights.
The first snowfall also meant Christmas was just around the corner. I’ve always loved trimming the tree and putting up lights. As a child I really liked the presents I discovered on Christmas morning, but seeing my house all lit up and a tree trimmed with ornaments and multi-colored lights was a joy that lasted for weeks.

Santa doesn’t leave presents beneath the tree anymore and I no longer see that enchanting first snowfall of the season, but I still have the magic of Christmas lights.

As an author I love writing holiday stories. I want my readers to feel the joy of the season and feel warm and fuzzy at the end. So take a break from your hectic holiday schedule, curl up with a holiday book and a cup of hot chocolate. Then when you’re all warm and fuzzy, go outside and play in the snow.

If it doesn’t snow where you live, do what I do, pour a glass of wine and turn on the lights.

Happy Holidays,
BJ

Tell us your favorite part of the holiday and be entered into a drawing for a PDF of Sugarplums: Canine Christmas.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Tory Richards

2011-12-22T18:00:00.013-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your holiday season has been a stress free, enjoyable time so far. If so then it probably means you haven’t ventured out into the war zone, and by that I mean holiday shopping. I did a lot more on line shopping this year. You can find great deals with free shipping if you do a little research. Ebay has been a blessing as I was able to snatch up two Dooney and Burke purses for a fraction of what they sell in the stores. The recipients will be speechless, as both are designer purse junkies! I think I’ll leave on the retail tags just so they will think they’re even more special.

What do the holidays mean to you? I think it’s so sad when people get depressed around this time of year. I look forward to getting together with my family, meeting with friends for that little holiday celebration over dinner. Just yesterday a good friend and I met for lunch at our favorite once a month spot. We talked about everything but the holidays and in the end, before we got into our cars and drove away, we exchanged a little gift.

When I was growing up it was just me and my sister. I had no idea the kind of chaos large families went through until I met my first husband. He was the oldest of nine siblings! And all were only a year apart. My first Christmas with them was a rush of confusion, noise and happy excitement. I could barely catch my breath at all the commotion going on around me.
It was exhilarating! And what prompted me to write, The Promise. It’s a story of a large family who gathers at a Vermont farm for the holidays. But more than that, it’s the love story between a man and woman who each made a promise to the same man. A promise that comes between them as much as it binds them together.

It was fun, if not challenging writing a story with so many characters. I had a cheat sheet a mile long to help me keep it straight. I guess I did pretty good because I’ve received nothing but great reviews. And several recommended reads! And it’s also up for Romance of the Year at Deep in the Heart Romance, if you care to go over and vote.

Check out The Promise over the holidays. It’s offered at Liquid Silver Books. Below is a blurb and excerpt.

Blurb - Shannon Hayes’ husband David was killed in Iraq nearly a year ago, and now she must face her first holiday season without him. With a toddler in tow, she travels to the Vermont farm where the rest of the family has gathered for the holidays. There she comes face to face with the man who was with him when he died, and her destiny, his older brother Ryan.

For the first time in years, Ryan returns home to keep a promise he made to David—to take care of Shannon and their daughter. It’s a pledge Ryan is reluctant to keep because he’s been secretly in love with Shannon since first setting eyes on her. Their attraction to each other is instant, intense and soon the promise isn’t the only thing between them.

Excerpt

“Can I ask you a question, Ryan?”

“Sure.”

“Is the only reason we’re dancing now because you felt duty bound to protect me?”

His surprised expression revealed it was the last thing he expected her to ask, as they swayed slowly beneath the dim lights. The wood dance floor was crowded, forced them to remain in a tight circle, and Shannon closer against him. The masculine scent of soap and man assailed her senses, drugging her until she was under his spell. Desire began to weave slowly through her system, intensifying when she felt his growing erection.

“What do you think?”

She took a deep breath, as though to draw courage from it. “I think you’re a very honorable man. And because of that you’d protect anyone weaker than you, even someone you don’t particularly like.”

His gaze narrowed on her like a hawk zeroing in on prey. “You think I don’t like you?”

Shannon’s first thought was to say no, only how could she say that when his hard-on was pressing against her? “I’m not sure what you feel about me, after all, we don’t know each other very well. But I get the impression that you don’t want to like me. Does being around me remind you too much of David? I know it must be painful…”

The mention of his brother’s name turned his expression to stone. A muscle began to twitch in his taut jaw. “Don’t mention David’s name again when you’re in my arms, Shannon,” he muttered through clenched teeth. The glare in his eyes held her captive. “You think I don’t like you? My cock’s hard as stone right now.” He thrust it against her. “All I can think about is sliding it inside you and letting your pussy drain it dry.”

Shannon trembled from his words and lust rippled through her body in pleasurable waves. Her nipples hardened and tingled against Ryan’s chest. Desire soaked her panties. She was speechless, unsure if she should be offended or thrilled. She averted her gaze, afraid he would see the effect he was having on her.

As they continued to turn slowly around on the dance floor, her gaze sought out the rest of the family, thankful no one was paying them any mind. Ryan’s shaft throbbed against her relentlessly, turning her knees weak, and she clutched to the front of his leather jacket to keep from sinking to the floor. Her breathing accelerated. She was thankful the lighting in the bar was dim and when the song ended, she stepped out of
Ryan’s arms.

Before she made a fool of herself.

Tory Richards: http://www.toryrichards.com/

Liquid Silver Books: http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&cart_id=24932.15438&product_name=The+Promise&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

Deep in the Heart Romance: http://www.deepintheheartromance.com/p/vote-for-your-favorite-romance-of-year.html

Tory will be giving away 2012 calendar and an autographed copy of Wicked Desire (US/Canada only please) -- so leave a comment to be entered to win!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Pink Squirrel Press

2011-12-22T14:00:00.035-05:00

The Joys of the Holiday

The holidays are here! The holidays are here! Do you ever feel like as if the robot from the old television series, Lost in Space is standing behind you, arms flailing as he announces “Danger, Danger”. Or maybe you wish he was; ready to alert you to potential pitfalls in your preparations?

Despite our best efforts, we’re not Martha Stewart, and our holidays don’t always turn out as perfect as we hoped. Somehow the best laid plans manage to become unimaginable disasters. Roasts overcook, cookies burn, and somehow the wrong gift label always ends up on the worst possible gift (my mother-in-law may never forgive me!). But that’s when the magic of the holidays truly makes itself known as it adds a little extra sparkle to these difficult times and turns them into cherished holiday memories.

Here to share some of our unexpected holiday happenings are the authors of Winter Warmers, a seasonal anthology from Lou Harper, Clare London, JL Merrow, Chrissy Munder, and Josephine Myles. Five stories of winter hope and heart set across Britain and in the USA.

JL Merrow: The Great Turkey Disaster of 2006 will never be forgotten. I generally spend my Christmas holidays with the in-laws, and traditionally, the turkey is plucked, squawking, from a farm somewhere in Cheshire. This particular year, for some reason, mother-in-law got her turkey from a local butcher. Never again...

Come Christmas morning, mother-in-law went to dress the turkey—only to find said turkey smelling like no turkey should smell. Major flap ensued—from mother-in-law, not the turkey. The turkey was way beyond all thoughts of flapping, and was given a decent burial in the back garden.

Don't panic, father-in-law said. We'll just have the Boxing Day ham joint instead. Cue weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth from mother-in-law—the shame of it! Christmas dinner without the turkey!—which only increased when the ham joint, sourced from the same local butcher, was discovered to be smelling suspiciously like the late, lamented turkey.

The ham joint was given a rather indecently-hurried burial next to the turkey, and poor mother-in-law was left to make the best of things.

Christmas dinner? Was lovely, actually. Funnily enough, it turns out that when you've got roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, home-made stuffing and chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon, you don't miss the turkey in the slightest!

Lou Harper: My parents divorced when I was little but fortunately they remained good friends. My mother and I moved from small town to big city when I was seven. We planned to spend our first Christmas there alone in our tiny on-bedroom apartment. To our complete surprise, my father knocked on our door on Christmas Eve. We were both happy to see him. An hour later my mother's aunt showed up – also unannounced. Not much later Aunt Liz's daughter, Judy arrived too. All three of them lived a couple of hours away at different towns, and decided to pay us a surprise holiday visit without consulting each other.

The apartment was so small that we could barely move without bumping into each other. Needless to say, that was the best Christmas ever.

Clare London: We’ve had our share of disasters, including my toddler Son#2 eating two dozen sausages wrapped in bacon (pigs in blankets, we call them) that were meant to be for the whole family; my gift of Christmas pudding ingredients for my friend in the USA being confiscated by Homeland Security; and the last time we had a “real” tree, when 85% of all the needles fell off on Dec 23 and got wedged under the sofa cushions that the grandparents sat on…

Maybe the worst event – potentially, at least – was when the church lights fused one year during the children’s Christingle service. We had a church full of primary school and kindergarten children, dressed as various Nativity characters, wailing and whooping in the dark, and holding lit candles in small, wobbly hands. A recipe for real disaster, you say? Apart from one bash on the head from an over-enthusiastic shepherd with his crook, and tears when one girl dropped a blob of wax on her best shoes, we managed to get them singing “Away in a Manger” and calmed them all down while someone fixed the lights. It became the year we all remembered best!

Chrissy Munder: No one knows what evil lurks in the heart of man, or so the saying goes. In our case it applies to our latest cat, and his love of Christmas trees. Over the years we’ve made certain adjustments to how we decorate our tree. The lights and baubles only half-way down the tree are a recognizable sign to other pet owners, and immediately alert them to our beloved beast’s presence. It was a sad day when we had to banish icicles and garland from our list of approved decorations, but a necessary one. One trip to the vet was more than enough, although we display the resulting X-ray image on the mantel every year as a reminder.

Despite the hours it takes to fully decorate the tree with the cat having to approve each and every decoration with the scratch, sniff, and lick test, we managed to get our tree up in record time last year. Guests were due, and we both rushed to get ourselves ready, and the needed nibbles out on the table. The doorbell rang, the guests were impressed, and all went well until we heard a terrific crash from the other room.

We rushed in to find the tree and all its decorated glory knocked over onto its side, and a very proud cat perched on top of his downed prey.

What can I say? As true cat lovers, we were rather proud of him as well.

Josephine Myles: I think it would have to be the carol service my choir sang at two years ago. We had an incredibly cold December and unusually early snow, which by Christmas had been compacted into treacherous ice. Britain was caught out by the weather, and there wasn’t enough grit to cover all the roads, let alone the pavements. I remember skidding and sliding with my daughter down the hill to get there, laughing all the way. My legs ached horribly from trying to stay upright on the sheets of ice; it was freezing cold inside the church; and there were only about twenty people there in the congregation (I think the choir outnumbered them).

Still, it was magical, and when we came out afterwards the snow was falling again. It was the first white Christmas I’d experienced since I was a child, and watching my little girl’s delight in the snow was the perfect antidote to the thought of climbing a mile back up the hill on all that slippery ice.

Have you experienced a holiday disaster of your own that you now look back on and laugh? Children’s pageants gone wrong, embarrassing moments in the kitchen, or maybe just that one relative you wish you could un-invite. What stories are shared year after year around your tree?

Don’t be shy! Comment below to give us your examples and be entered in the random drawing for a copy of the anthology in ebook. Even if you’re not a winner you can pick up your copy of Winter Warmers: http://pinksquirrelpress.wordpress.com/winter-warmers/

Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you...

Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.

One thing's for sure—it's going to be a red-hot Christmas!

"Lucky Dip" by Clare London

Andy Jackson always knew that class 2C's help in preparing for the annual Christmas Fair would be a mixed blessing. Then he's paired up on the Lucky Dip with Greg, the man who dumped him but now can't keep away, the pupils are either lecturing him on his lovelife or losing bladder control, and no one's fixed the broken handle on the storage room. It may all be one whoopee cushion too far for him.

"Butterscotch Kisses" by Chrissy Munder

Matthew Morrison is determined to conquer his fear of heights and achieve a winning outcome. At least, that's what the best-selling, self-help book he's listening to promises. Being stuck on a three-story tower in the middle of a snowstorm wasn't part of the plan. With no St. Bernard in sight, it's Cute Ticket Guy Adam to the rescue, and an outcome Matthew never anticipated.

"Wintertide" by Lou Harper

May meets December when Jem and Oscar chance on each other at the Santa Monica Pier, only weeks before Christmas. The two men are separated by age, social status, and their taste in candy, yet if they are both naughty and nice, they might just find holiday cheer together.

"When in Amsterdam..." by Josephine Myles

Brandon is on his first visit to new boyfriend Jos's home country, just in time for their Sinterklaas celebrations. But an unexpected detour into a sex shop leads Brandon to new discoveries about himself, and a whole new dynamic to their relationship. The weather may be cold and damp, but Brandon and Jos soon heat things up!

"A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou" by JL Merrow

What's the best gift a young man could get for Christmas? Mohawked saxophonist Liam wouldn't have picked the hideous collection of knitwear he's presented with by his mum and his aunties. He'd rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King's Cross. But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments are just the thing for attracting a silver fox...

Winter Warmers - Now available at your favorite eRetailer including:
Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Smashwords / All Romance Ebooks

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Ann Jacobs

2011-12-22T12:00:00.006-05:00

Winter Wonderland Down South

When I imagine the winter holidays, I still think of snowmen and sleigh rides, of chestnuts roasting in a crackling fire while lovers warm up with cocoa or hot buttered rum after a long trek in the snow. Not that I’ve seen a December like this in Florida, where I’ve lived for my entire adult life.

I still miss the cold weather up north where I grew up, but I must admit there’s something to be said for spending holidays in the subtropics. When I stop to think about it, I realize we’ve made a lot of warm and fuzzy memories down here, too, but our winter trappings involve sunny, temperate days that are likely to involve water parades of boats decked out in elaborate holiday lights and entire neighborhoods full of houses whose eaves sport glittering fake icicles, giant menorahs and reindeer perched on lawns.

Of the hundred or so books and novellas I’ve written, not one has theme built around a holiday season. Only one—For Old Times’ Sake, slated for a 2012 release at Ellora’s Cave—is set in Florida and has scenes that take place during this festive time of year.

Why is this? I’ve watched my kids in their annual pageants, enjoyed open houses and holiday parties each year with my husband and our friends. I’ve enjoyed the crowds at the malls, the neighborhood baking get-togethers. I’ve gathered memories of holidays without snow and cocoa but with sing-alongs and yearly school ceremonies.

This year I’d like to wish you a wonderful, down-home holiday season, with white sand instead of snow, jet skis in place of one-horse sleighs, sun instead of frosty cold. The turkey’s the same wherever we are, as is the spirit of goodwill that abounds this time of year. Merry Christmas…Happy Hanukkah…Happy Solstice.

Don't miss this print collection including all four steamy stories about the Savannah Rebels and their kinky fantasies! Out in time for holiday giving, check out each individual story:

Sackmaster, End Run, Best Reception and Prime Defender, on their own book pages, complete with hot excerpts!

Leave a comment on this post and you're entered to win either a print copy of "Necessary Roughness" (US only) or an eBook copy!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Tracey H. Kitts

2011-12-22T10:00:00.023-05:00

The Holiday Season is once again upon us and the most common dread for cooks is cooking the turkey. Whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, the very word “turkey” can strike fear into the heart of an unseasoned cook. (Get it? HAHAHA)

So, with this in mind, I thought I’d share a great Christmas (or any other time) Turkey recipe. Everyone who leaves a comment will be entered to win a pdf copy of Sex Symbol. The winner will be chosen 2 weeks from now and posted here in the comments.

A few notes first - The recipe I’m going to share for gravy includes using the liver. Personally, I don’t use the liver because it grosses me out. But, I know lots of people do, so I’ve left that part in. Be assured that I use this recipe without the liver all the time and it’s great.

Also, this is for after the turkey has been thawed. Please follow the guidelines (that should be on the turkey) for thawing it properly. And don’t forget to relax, cooking the turkey is no big deal.

Enjoy!

Honey-Basted Roast Turkey Recipe

1 small turkey, 10 to 12 pounds

2 T. peanut oil

1/2 t. ground sage

1/2 t. ground allspice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 small bunch green onions

3 to 4 T. honey

Garnish: Decorative string of cranberries and bay leaves or sage leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Remove giblets from turkey (reserve for gravy, recipe follows). Rinse turkey and pat dry. Rub inside and out with oil. Season with sage, allspice, salt and pepper. Stuff neck and body cavities with onions and truss, if desired. Place turkey in roasting pan. Roast, allowing 18 to 20 minutes per pound, until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced.

During the last hour of cooking, baste turkey 2 to 3 times with honey.

Serve with pan gravy and garnish with decorative string of cranberries and bay leaves or sage leaves, if desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Giblet Pan Gravy

Giblets

(You can also use a few bits of meat from underneath the bird where no one is likely to notice you removed them. That is if the whole idea of giblets wigs you out. Remember the gravy should be done after the turkey. Also, you don’t have to cook it for 40 minutes if you use the already cooked pieces of turkey like I suggest here. Only cook until it bubbles. The best place to remove a small bit of meat is just underneath the rear. Use a long utensil of some sort (placed in the opening) to lift the bird from the back and tip it upward. Slice off a small piece and chop it up to look like giblets. I also recommend not doing this in front of anyone or thinking about it for too long as it can cause ridiculous amounts of laughter when you put a spatula or grilling fork up a turkey’s butt.)

3 C. water

2 celery tops

2 green onions (I also use caramelized white onions as the flavor of green is too strong for me.)

Pan juices from roasted turkey

4 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place giblets, except the liver, in a saucepan with water, celery tops and green onions.

Chop liver and reserve. (Remember you don’t have to use it.) Bring water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes or until giblets are tender. (Or just until it boils if you used the chopped turkey meat.) Strain broth and reserve.

Chop cooked giblets and combine with chopped liver. (Skip this part if you used the chopped turkey meat.)

In the same saucepan, bring 2 cups combined pan juices and giblet broth to a boil.

Stir in chopped giblets and cornstarch-water mixture. Cook gravy over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Now, it wasn’t that bad, was it?

You can find out more about me (minus the turkey) at the following websites:

My website – www.traceyhkitts.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/traceyhkitts?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Tracey-H-Kitts/73968579374

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/traceyhkitts

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Em Petrova

2011-12-22T04:00:00.003-05:00

Twelve snacks of Christmas
By Em Petrova

12. Sugared Pecans – munch on them in the office or drop them into a salad with dried cranberries and blue cheese crumbles! Mmm.

11. Hot Chocolate – mix 1 tsp of baking cocoa, 1 tsp of sugar and a cup of milk in a mug and microwave with marshmallows

10.

Whipped Topping – a dollop on your lover will go a looooooong way to satisfy your appetite!

9. Ice Cream – grab your favorite pint and two spoons!

8. Candy Canes – low calorie, but great for the breath, which means more kisses under the mistletoe!

7. Chocolate-covered Pretzels – microwave milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips in a bowl for one minute, then stir until all melted. Dip pretzel rods in or drizzled over small pretzels on a baking sheet

6. Fruit Dip – mix ½ cup cream cheese, ½ cup flavored yogurt and a dash of vanilla in a bowl to dip your fruit in. Use the fruit to “paint” your lover’s body!

5. Sunset Dip – spread cream cheese in bottom of pie plate, top with shredded cheddar cheese, then finish with chunky salsa. Microwave for 30 seconds and serve with tortilla chips

4. Asparagus Spears – It might sound strange, but asparagus is an aphrodisiac as well as a healthy snack. Place trimmed spears on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake about ten minutes so they’re still firm, then feed them to your significant other!

3. Wine – your choice of wine served in a pretty glass with your loved one will liven up your love life. Try tying a red bow around the stem of the glass—and around his “stem!”

2.

Cheese Christmas Tree – cube several varieties of cheeses and wash cherry tomatoes. On a decorative plate or cutting board, arrange into the shape of a Christmas tree, alternating cheese and tomatoes to create stripes. A nice soft mozzarella will make a great star and some herbs make the perfect greenery

1. Create a fruit garland and wrap yourself in it as a special gift!

Em Petrova
~where words mean so much more~
www.empetrova.com

Leave a comment and tell us your favorite holiday snack and be entered into a drawing for an Em Petrova coffee mug.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Megan Slayer

2011-12-21T18:00:00.006-05:00

Walking in A Winter Wonderland

When it gets cold out and the snow flies, it’s time for the holidays. I love the holidays. It’s a time for kisses, kin and presents. I’m more of a giver than receiver, so I love it even more. The look on the person’s face when they get just the gift they wanted is precious.

But this post is about Winter, too. One thing I love about the holidays and snow is making snowmen. Now I’ve read plenty of stories about just about any shifter that’s possible. Gators, guinea pigs, dogs, frogs, prairie dogs, cats, pumas...you get the idea. So I was thinking about it...what about a snowman shifter? I’ve written a Water Elemental whose specialty is ice. Like Jack Frost, he can freeze things. Now picture if you will, a water elemental who deals in ice who also happens to look like Zachary Quinto. He’s not a traditional snow man, but then again, he sort of is. He’s frozen water and man.

Now put him with another person. We’ve all made snow people families. Well, I have. I have a kid so we’ve got lots of snow people when there’s enough snow to make them. If you’re like me, you see the snow people and wonder what if they had sex?

Before you get irked with me for taking the innocence out of snow people, I’m not talking about on your front lawn. What if there was a story about two snow men (not Frosty and his Gal) who started a heated relationship? Oh that was a bad pun. But you get the line of reasoning I’m going for. Would they freeze each other? Melt each other? Balance each other out?
I wonder. I really do.

Now the more I wonder, the more I think that if it’s my world they live in, then they can do whatever they want. Do I really want them to melt each other into puddles, literally? We’ve all seen the cartoons where Frosty melts into a puddle. And if they froze each other, essentially making more ice...would they be frosted together? In a dirty position? That’s one for the debate clubs. Imagine, Henry and his icy gal Gladys stuck in the missionary position. How would they get unstuck? Or does a thin layer of water form on the ice and work as lube?

You know, the more I write on this post, the more I think I should experiment with this and write Henry and Gladys’ story. What do you think? What are your thoughts on horny snow people and how the act of being horny snow people works out? Just wondered.

May your holiday be bright, may you stay warm and may you never look at snow people the same way ever again.

Want some steamy reading for the holiday season? Try Believe. Here’s a little more about this story:

Can love surpass distance and time? Only if they both believe.

Raylan believed himself unworthy of love until he met Chase. Chase brought out Raylan’s natural need to control and the power to force submission. But time and distance make having a relationship hard. Can Raylan prove to Chase they have what it takes for love to last through this Christmas and every other Christmas for the rest of their lives?

Chase found the muse for his songs in Raylan. Each time they touch, kiss, make love, music fills his soul. But working odd gigs to make ends meet while Raylan photographs rock and roll royalty isn’t beneficial to Chase’s creativity. Can he convince Raylan they’re better off together than apart?
Contains hot manlove, a little rope play, a little spanking and a lot of sex under the mistletoe...

Available here: http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=Believe&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

~ ~

Want to know more about Me? Here you go!

When she's not writing the stories in her head, Megan Slayer can be found luxuriating in her hot tub with her two vampire Cabana boys, Luke and Jeremy. She has the tendency to run a tad too far with her muse, so she has to hide in the head of her alter ego, but the boys don't seem to mind.

When she's not obsessing over her whip collection, she can be found picking up her kidlet from school.

She enjoys writing in all genres, but writing about men in love suits her fancy best.

Currently hanging out every Wednesday and Friday at the Menagerie Authors site, hunting Hotties for the Saturday posts, and working on the next great story brewing in her head! The cabana boys are willing to serve, unless she needs them. She always need them. So be nice to Javier when you visit her site or he will bite--on command.

http://www.wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
http://theauthormeganslayer.blogspot.com/
http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/
http://changelingpress.com/
http://www.total-e-bound.com/Default.asp

Megan will be giving away a $5 Changeling Press GC to someone who comments on this post today, so make sure you leave a message!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Leigh Ellwood

2011-12-21T14:00:00.011-05:00

My father likes to tell the story of one particular Christmas with his family. Of twelve - count 'em, twelve - siblings, he fell somewhere near the middle, and on this particular year there may have been six or seven still at home. They were not a rich family - they made ends meet in a modest home in Louisville, Kentucky, and on this Christmas his father brought home the largest tree the kids had ever seen. It brushed the ceiling, and when they draped it with garlands, ornaments, and light strings it looked enchantingly beautiful.

Only problem with this scenario? The family only had so much for electricity, so in order to light the tree they had to shut down everything else in the home - including the heat. So, for that Christmas season, the family would gather for about an hour, power down the heat, wrap up in blankets and sit in front of the tree. When everybody had their fill of holiday cheer, they turned off the tree, cranked up the heat, and went about their business.

Every year around this time I recall that story and enjoy a smile. The holidays I have enjoyed never required such thriftiness, but I like the idea that my aunts, uncles, and grandparents were willing to sacrifice a few creature comforts in order to share the spirit of the season. I try to instill similar values in my young one through various gift donations - though I would like to be more active in charity throughout the year. Especially this year, with people out of work and enduring financial hardships, it is important that we remember to give.

If you do have the time or money to spare, please consider a donation to a shelter, a toy drive, or related program. May you be blessed this season.

Leigh Ellwood's latest release is Midnight Passions from Phaze Books. She is an award-winning author of erotica and erotic romance fiction. Following the release of her first novel, Truth or Dare, in 2004, Leigh has since written several novels, novella, and short stories. She is an EPIC Award winner and has been nominated for many reviewers awards for her works.

Home - http://www.leighellwood.com
Blog - http://leighellwood.blogspot.com
Twitter - http://twitter.com/LeighEllwood
ARe Cafe - http://www.arecafe.com/members/leigh-ellwood/

Leigh will be giving away two downloads from her backlist (winners' choice), so leave a comment to be entered into the drawing.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Amy McCorkle

2011-12-21T12:00:00.002-05:00

You know this time of year is always tough for me. While I absolutely LOVE it, all the Christmas specials Rudolph, the Grinch, Charlie Brown and the movies, It’s A Wonderful Life, Scrooged, and A Nightmare Before Christmas all help get me in the Christmas spirit. But sometimes the family dysfunction is a little overwhelming and can threaten to disrupt the holiday mood. LOL

So when it all threatens to be too much I sit down in front of the television, pop in Casino Royale and enjoy some wonderful eye candy and a terrific movie. But when I can’t do it I sit down in front of the computer and hope my Muse has something to whisper in my ear.

This year my Muse has given me a blessing. After scrabbling for stories for over a year NaNoWriMo brought me a novella and short story which has inspired a hopefully, a novel. The novella is the first planned in a trilogy. If you want to see what it is in it’s roughest form you can checkout my blogspot, Creative Chatter. The short story is on my Amy’s Short Tales blogspot.

Whereas last year I dealt with the loss of my best friend’s father in December. I have been blessed with a story I love while I wait to hear back on a story a sent in November. Being lost in story is my favorite way to deal with stress and while writer’s block is hideous when things are going good it’s easy to put things into perspective. I mean, who wouldn’t want to fantasize about Daniel Craig putting those well toned arms around you and his crystal blue eyes gazing dreamily into yours.

Although Set Fire To the Rain isn’t necessarily a straight ahead romance. It owes a lot to Winter’s Bone for atmosphere and my Kentucky roots come shining through. So even though this Christmas my imaginary world is filled with flawed characters doing flawed things I am as happy as a lark. I hope your Christmas is just as happy.

I am also excited to announce my first book is out. No Ordinary Love. Here is where you can find it for your own reading pleasure and where you can find me on a regular basis.

Buy Links:

MuseItUp Publishing:

Amazon

Where You Can Find Me:

http://creative-chatter.blogspot.com/
http://amysshorttales.blogspot.com/
http://amyssportschatter.blogspot.com/
http://amylmccorklekentuckyauthor.webs.com/
http://Twitter.com/Kate_Lynd
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-McCorkle/173811662670780

Leave a comment and get your name in the hat for a free ebook copy of No Ordinary Love!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Anne Barwell

2011-12-21T10:00:00.007-05:00

To a lot of people Christmas brings visions of the colder temperatures of winter, with its snow and ice, and cuddling up in front of a warm fire. Here in New Zealand it is summer, or supposed to be. Once Guy Fawkes is over on the 5th November, the advertisers earmark Christmas as the next big event. According to the calendar September was the beginning of spring, but each year we wonder if the powers that be in charge of the seasons actually got that memo as the country is still swinging between hints of it and, as the song goes, 'four seasons in one day'.

The Pohutukawa trees are beginning to bloom, with their striking red tufts of blossom in amongst the green. They're known here as the New Zealand Christmas trees and are a sure sign that the festive season is growing closer. Christmas Day is often spent on the beach with family and friends and is an excuse to fire up the barbeque. And of course one can't forget that famous Kiwi dessert, the pavlova, although there is still the traditional fare of a roast meal, Christmas cake, pudding, and the pulling of crackers.

There is no snow or winter wonderland in sight to the extent that when we had snow here a while back – the first such fall since the 1930s – my daughter, who had never seen it up close before, kept saying that it was just like the pictures on the Christmas cards.

To celebrate the upcoming holidays and to say a big thanks for the opportunity to share my blog on the subject, I'm offering an ebook copy of my novel Cat's Quill to one reader who comments on this post.

Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand, sharing her home with her twin daughters, at least during the holidays, when one of them isn't away at university. Her son has left home and started his own family, although she claims she is too young to be a grandmother already. Her three cats are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing "discussion," and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.

In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching and has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and a librarian. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction club and plays piano for her local church and violin for a local orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as "too many." These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of "spare time" is really just a myth.

http://anne-barwell.livejournal.com/

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Bianca Swan

2011-12-21T04:00:00.016-05:00

Since I live in balmy Houston, my Christmas will never be white. If I’m lucky cold enough for a fire but no snow! I love decorating the tree. The theme for my Christmas tree is the piano. Most of the ornaments are crystal baby grands with other instruments added for variety.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree. Germans are credited with the advent of the Christmas tree. Christians decorated trees, and some built Christmas pyramids of wood, decorating them with evergreens or candles if wood was scarce. Martin Luther, the 16th century Protestant reformer, added candles to the tree, but as late as the 1840s, Christmas trees were viewed as pagan symbols, not accepted by most Americans.

Before Charles II was restored to the throne of England (one of my favorite subjects!), Oliver Cromwell preached against pagan traditions, including Christmas carols and decorated trees. In 1659, the year before the Restoration, the General Court of Massachusetts banned any observance of December 25 other than a church service. Fines were levied for hanging decorations.

In 1846, the illustrated London News featured a sketch of Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, standing with their children around a Christmas tree. Victoria was a very popular monarch. Anything done at her court was immediately the rage—not only in Britain but in America as well. The Christmas tree had arrived.

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Bianca lives in Texas with her baby grand piano and is very fond of her snazzy little convertible. By day, she is a legal assistant, and by night pens tales of love, lust and danger. She has two sons, one of whom lives in England, the other in Texas. She still believes in the power of love—and the power of lust—and enjoys delving into the soul of both the L-Words, bringing to life hot men and the hot women who love them.
Blog: http://biancaswanblog.wordpress.com/
Website: http://biancaswan.com

Bianca will give away an angel wing necklace to one lucky commenter.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Wendi Zwaduk

2011-12-20T18:00:00.004-05:00

Christmas Is the Time to Come Together

I wasn’t sure what to write about when I set out to pen this post. There’s so much that can be said about Christmas and Winter and the fun of the holiday season. So much that it can get a little overwhelming. I continued to stare out the window and listen to the dog breathe way too loudly but rhythmically. She’s a basset hound, so I expect it, but that’s my life – a noisy dog. But the idea came to me, not to write about a noisy dog, but about my favorite Christmas/Holiday tune.

I used to dislike Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree when I was a kid. Don’t rightfully know why other than my mother disliked it and voiced her opinion quite loudly. The tune has grown on me since I was a kid. I enjoy it much more now. Plus, if I can con the youngling to sing it with me, we can drive Gramma right up the wall. Plus, it’s a great tune with a fun beat. Who doesn’t want to party around the Christmas tree? Whole dirty books are written about doing a lot more than rocking UNDER the tree.

Another one I like which is on the total other end of the holiday music spectrum is Josh Groban singing O Holy Night. Now being an erotic romance author, I love when something gives me the happy shivers. There is something about his voice, and he’s also very easy on the eyes, that just runs up and down my spine. I hadn’t heard him sing this song until a couple years ago. My friend mentioned that it was her favorite version of that song. I can see why. Happy shivers to you!

Now my all-time favorite Christmas song, and I’ve embedded it for you – sorry, I didn’t take the video, but it is a little wobbly – is Gary Allan singing the old Eagles song, Please Come Home For Christmas.

Now you might wonder why this is my favorite of all time. If you listen, he’s got a very scratchy voice. To me, it’s like sheer velvet. But there’s something about the way he sings this song. I feel the longing and the disappointment. I want to make him feel better. And again, as an erotic romance author, I’d like to write his story (or lick him, but that’s a whole ‘nother post.) I feel the emotions in the story and feel for him. Its sex, desire and raw need all rolled into a slightly scruffy, rough around the edges man. If I was away from the one I loved on Christmas, I’d like to think my plea would sound like he sings it.

So what are your favorite Christmas ditties? Fun? Sexy? Silly? Classic? Tell me about it. I’d love to know. And, if you’re looking for something steamy this winter—it comes out in January--to read here’s a little more about my upcoming release, Someone Like You:

She’s the one he wants, he just doesn’t know it yet.

Arran Mayes. Confirmed bachelor. Loves a good bottle of wine, hearty conversation and men. Determined to open his own pizzeria, he’s not looking for love or a woman.

Then he sees her. Can a confirmed tomcat bachelor settle down in the arms of a good woman?

Mindy Dawson. She’s not interested in relationships or dating. She’s been through the wringer more times than she can count. College is for a BA not an MRS degree.

Until she sees him. Is she enough woman to tame Arran’s ways? Or will their love affair burn out before it gets started?

This story contains lovers who didn’t know they connected, finding their mutual satisfaction with anal sex and a few toys for fun.

Available at: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1513/

~ ~
Want to know more about me? Here you go!

I always dreamed of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I tend to write books with titles taken from songs because music is one of my many muses.

I earned a BA in education at Kent State university and as well as a Masters in Education from Nova Southeastern University. I've tried my hand at teaching, waitressing, and retail sales, but writing holds my heart.

I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I books under contract with Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books, and the Wild Rose Press. But then again, I've got more stories percolating than my brain can handle. I can't wait to share them with you! I also write as Megan Slayer...because its fun!

Here are my links!

http://ww.wendizwaduk.com/
http://wendizwaduk.blogspot.com/
http://liquidsilverbooks.com/
http://total-e-bound.com/
http://thewildrosepress.com/

Wendi will be giving away a $5 GC to Total-E-Bound to someone who comments on this post. Make sure you let her know your thoughts and you're entered to win!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: AJ Jarrett

2011-12-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

Life can be crazy and even more so this time of year. I have four small children and Christmas, without a doubt, is their favorite holiday. I took look forward to Christmas morning when they come down the stairs and see all the presents under the tree. These are times I cherish because I know in just a few short years that excitement will fade. As they get older their going to want to sleep in rather than get up to open gifts.

So in preparing for this my husband and I started simple family traditions so our kids have different things to look forward to throughout the month not just opening presents on Christmas morning. We take them to see the local Christmas lights display at the lake, cut down our own Christmas tree, and bake Christmas cookies for Santa. The third is something they all love and I think baking cookies will never get old for them.

Each year I make each child their very own ornament. I started doing this about five years ago because after baby number three came it was hard to find different themed "baby's first Christmas" ornaments. By no means am I an artist but I try. My kids have come to expect these ornaments every year. It takes time but it’s something they can keep forever unlike the toy they just had to have that gets broken a week later.

I’d also like to think when they're adults decorating their Christmas tree with their children they’ll think of when they were little. When they see the fragile round ornaments I made with my own two little hands, I hope a smile graces their lips as the rush of memories come back to them. Time goes by top quickly and before you know it today is yesterday and the future is now.

My life has definitely gone in a different direction in this past year. I decided I wanted to become a writer. It’ll be a year in January that I started this journey and it only seems like yesterday. Writing is a big part of my life and I’ve noticed I’ve let some things slip. When the muse hits you have to answer the call and my family has been very understanding of that. The gift of understanding is one they give me daily especially my husband. To have a wife who writes m/m erotic romance can be a little disconcerting for some but not him. He just pats me on the back and says he’s proud of me. Best gift I ever received was him coming into my life.

I truly wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. And I hope on Christmas morning you wake with the people you love surrounding you and that "must have" gift under the tree!

About the Author: AJ Jarrett currently lives in the Midwest with her husband and four children. A lover of M/M romances she has started writing her own stories for others to enjoy. She is currently published through Silver Publishing and her first release Fate’s Second Chance is the first in the Twist of Fates series. When she is not chasing around her kids she can be found sitting on the couch with her trusted laptop giving life to the voices in her head.

Contact Links
http://ajjarrett29.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/AJJarrett29
http://www.facebook.com/ajjarrett29

Marie thought dying was the worst thing to happen to her, until informed she's always been a man's soul trapped in a woman's body. As Marc, he's got one shot to set things right--by finding love with his best friend and soul mate--with only a month to do it.

Marie Carter has never felt comfortable in her own body, and it took dying to find out why. Ross, her unlikely guardian angel, informs her that mistakes were made and he needs her help to save her fate, Ross's wings, and her best friend's heart.

Six month's after Marie's death, Marc arrives with one month to heal Sabrina's—his sister's—suffering, and win his soulmate, Shawn. If he fails, Sabrina will never know peace, Ross will be kicked out of heaven, and the love of his life will die from a broken heart. Will that be enough time to heal the wounds a lifetime in the wrong body has caused?

Leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for a $15 Amazon gift card.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Lila Dubois

2011-12-20T12:00:00.002-05:00

Getting Coal for Christmas

Two years ago I got coal for Christmas. My young brother-in-law, who at that time was still just the brother of my fiance, and who was none to happy to share his beloved older brother, decided that I should get coal for Christmas. To be fair, my future sister-in-law and my fiance also got coal, having been deemed very bad siblings.

I've never been so excited by a Christmas present.

It wasn't just because my California-hot-house-flower self was FREEZING in my husband's homeland of rural Ireland, but because it was the first time I really felt like a member of the family. That coal (which was in a plastic bag rather than just a lump, as a lump of coal is very dirty) was a gift given only to the siblings, and now I had some of my own. I went on to spend hours watching DVDs of bad TV shows with my new sisters, cooked dinner with my future mother-in-law and started drinking with the sister closest in age to me when we lost power Christmas eve. That electricity-less Christmas, including Mass in a small stone parish church with my new family made me fall all the more in love with the brilliant man I'd proposed to.

When we did get married six months later my brother-in-law attached himself to my hip, even dancing with me, which I would never have expected. And it all started with some coal.

Bio: Lila is a multi-published, bestselling author of erotic, paranormal and fantasy romance. Having spent extensive time in France, Egypt, Turkey, Ireland and England, Lila speaks five languages, none of them--including English--fluently.

http://www.liladubois.net/

Lila will be giving away the winner's choice of any one of her titles in ebook format to one lucky commenter!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Shelley Munro

2011-12-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

The Sights and Sounds of Christmas

Christmas takes place during summer down my end of the world. My name is Shelley Munro and I live in Auckland, New Zealand. Instead of spending Christmas day inside huddling by the fire to keep warm, we’re outside and wearing our jandals (flipflops) and shorts.

So what does Christmas say to me?

It’s the warmth of sunshine beating down from overhead.

Sometimes, it’s the pitter patter of rain because it rains a lot in sub-tropical Auckland.

It’s the blare of the trumpet and crash of the drums when the Salvation Army band plays Christmas carols.

The bustle of people rushing around the shopping malls.

The tinny sound of piped Christmas carols.

The frazzled faces of mothers trying to do their shopping in the busy supermarket.

The cries of overtired children.

The shouts of excitement while watching the Christmas parade.

It’s the sizzle of meat hitting the barbecue.

The tinkle of ice cubes in glasses.

The scent of freshly mown grass.

The crunch of pavlova dessert.

The ho-ho-ho of Santa Claus.

The rip and tear of gift wrap.

The crimson of pohutakawa trees – our native Christmas tree.

These are some of the sights and sounds that say Christmas to me.

This year I have a Christmas story called Christmas is Coming, due out at Ellora’s Cave on 9 December. Here’s the blurb:

Christmas is coming. Give your lover the gift of pleasure…

Gaby Montgomery works for Fancy Free as a condom designer. Recently she’s been designing sex toys and testing her inventions with fellow designer Marc, but they’ve parted ways. The timing couldn’t be worse because she’s stuck without a willing test subject for her sexy products.

Gaby’s roommates Liam Richardson and Fletch Darcy both want a serious relationship with Gaby, and now that she’s free, it’s time to make a move. But how do they decide which one will date Gaby? Fletch finally suggests they share her. Liam is skeptical but agrees the scheme might work, which allows Fletch to move on to step two of his romance plan. Fletch doesn’t just want Gaby, he wants Liam as well.

The loving is hot, their days full of fun product testing, exquisite pleasure and laughter. Everything is perfect until the outside world intrudes, putting their budding relationship under stress. This time their love and friendship might not stand the pressure.

Publisher’s Note: Want to have more fun with the characters in this book, including finding out more about those spaceship sightings, then pick up Fancy Free along with the books in the Talking Dog series. They’re an out-of-this world experience.

Excerpt: http://www.shelleymunro.com/books/christmas-is-coming

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand with her husband and a very naughty puppy. She writes romance (mainly erotic) for Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing and romantic mysteries for Carina Press. To learn more about Shelley and her books visit her website http://www.shelleymunro.com.

CONTEST: Tell me some of the sights and sounds of your Christmas.

Everyone who comments will go into a draw to win a download of one of the following of my books, which are set in the same country town as Christmas is Coming. The winner can choose a download of either:

Fancy Free
Talking Dogs, Aliens & People Eaters
Never Send a Dog to do a Woman’s Job
Romantic Interlude

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Denyse Bridger

2011-12-20T04:00:00.001-05:00

Christmas in Italy

I’ve decided to blog about the Holiday, in my favourite place in this world.... Italy. Since it’s generally considered the heart of Christianity, what better time to look at how the most Holy of holidays is celebrated there?

In Italy, the holidays are steeped with the spirit of celebration and reverence for which Italians are famous. 98% of Italians are Catholic, and as the holidays approach, it may seem like the entire country is in eager preparation. The thing that makes it really unique is although rituals are somewhat similar throughout the country, they vary from region to region as well as house to house. Food plays a central role in each.

The Christmas season begins with the national holiday on December 8, marking the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Churches all over the country unveil their presepi, (elaborate nativity scenes). Hundreds of presepi can be seen in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo and a life-size nativity scene resides for the season in St. Peter’s Square. The tradition of displaying mangers originated in the 13th century when St. Francis of Assisi erected the first manger in Greccio. Other noteworthy presepi are on show in the Museum of St. Martino and Church of St. Chiara, both in Naples, and the King’s Palace in Caserta (Campania).

On the streets of Rome, one of the most festive places to experience Italian Christmas traditions, zampognari, (shepherds from the Abruzzo region), dress in native costumes and play Christmas tunes on their bagpipes. The Piazza Navona transforms into a giant Christmas fair with booths selling candy, toys, gifts and roasted nuts. Lights and music flow through the square.

Twinkling lights, red ribbons, Christmas trees (Italians started putting them up after World War II) and the likeness of Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) begin to appear in storefronts and homes throughout Italy.

And, a tradition many would like to have, almost all employers give their employees la tredicesima, a Christmas bonus the equivalent of a 13th month of pay.

Christmas Eve

Italians eat very little on the day of Christmas Eve. They are preparing their stomachs for the massive meal to be consumed that night. The meal centers on fish, in the Catholic tradition to abstain from meat the night before a major holiday. La Vigilia di Natale (the vigil) is also called The Feast of the Seven Fishes. The origin of the “seven” is somewhat of a mystery. Some say it comes from the number of sacraments; others say it relates to the phase of the moon (seven days). Some families even serve 13 fish dishes, one for Jesus and one for each of the 12 apostles.

Popular offerings include linguini with clam sauce, spaghetti with mussels, grilled lobster, salt cod and shrimp. Romans traditionally eat capitone, a long, fat female eel that is grilled and seasoned. Families attend midnight mass together and return home for panettone (the dome-shaped fruit cake that originated in Milan) and Prosecco (sparkling wine).

The Language and Customs of The Italian Holiday Season

You can find bigger Christmas trees (alberi di Natale) and more extravagant decorations (decorazioni) in other parts of the world, but nothing looks, tastes, feels or sounds like la stagione natalizia (Christmas season) in Italy. With roots in the “Saturnalia,” the winter solstice rites of ancient Rome, and Christian commemorations of the birth of Gesù Bambino (Baby Jesus), the Italian holidays blend religious and pagan festivities that light up the darkest of nights.

In Rome and much of southern Italy, the traditional sound of Christmas is the music of bagpipes and flutes played by shepherds from the region of Abruzzo. Zampognari (bagpipe players), wearing shaggy sheepskin vests, felt hats and crisscrossed leather leggings, used to come to Rome weeks before Christmas to play in churches. These days the shepherds arrive later and play their ancient instruments in front of elegant stores along the Via Condotti and other shopping streets near the Spanish Steps.

Festivities such as fairs and torchlight processions begin weeks before and continue weeks after December 25.

The Tastes of Christmas

When Italians are asked what they do most during the Christmas holidays, they invariably say, “Mangiamo” (we eat) – very often and very well, with a huge feast on Christmas Eve, il pranzo di Natale at mid-day on Christmas, and il cenone di capodanno, another elaborate dinner on New Year’s Eve. In some regions the Christmas feasts must have seven courses (for the seven sacraments); others serve nine (the trinity times three) or thirteen (for Jesus and his twelve disciples).

The centerpiece of the Christmas Eve dinner is fish, particularly eel, a favorite of the ancient Romans that appears in the earliest known cookbook, written by a gourmand known as Apicius. This symbol of life and immortality was traditionally sold alive and wiggling, then beheaded, chopped and dropped into boiling water, spit-roasted, grilled, stewed with white wine and peas, or pickled in vinegar, oil, bay leaves, rosemary and cloves.

The Christmas day feast usually starts with a rich pasta, such as cappelletti in brodo, little hats stuffed with chopped meats, cheese, eggs or pumpkin. By tradition everyone is supposed to eat at least a dozen. Depending on the region of Italy, the main course may be capon, pork or turkey. However, everyone saves room for the special dolci (sweets) and breads of Christmas.

Buon Natale!

Denysé Bridger:

Canadian born and bred, and a lifelong dreamer, I began writing at an early age and can’t recall a time when I wasn’t creating in some artistic form. My life has had several on-going love affairs that shape much of what I write, the American West, Victorian England, cowboys, a passion for pirates, Greek Gods, and Ancient Egypt. The other endless love affair in my life is Italia and all its magic, beauty, and dazzling culture. That passion spills into all aspects of my life. A visit to my website will show the diversity of what is currently available, and the mixing of genres and styles that will be employed in many up-coming projects as well.

Website - http://www.denysebridger.com
Blog - http://fantasy-pages.blogspot.com
Newsgroup - http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/denysebridgernews/
Newsletter - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romanceandfantasy/
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003LUHE96

Denyse will be giving away a $10 Gift Certificate from XoXo Publishing to one lucky person who comments on her post.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Anne Holly

2011-12-19T18:00:00.020-05:00

Cozy Erotica for the Holidays?
by Anne Holly

I write romance. Some of this is sensual, and some is erotic. But the emphasis is on the romance. The love story. The rest is about how much of the relationship development is done through arousing, euphemism-free sex scenes. This is how I decide what’s romance and what’s erotic-romance (or romantic erotica) – the presence of real, unadulterated sex put in un-pretty words. It seems like a good rule of thumb.

I also write holiday stories. Not exclusively, but about seven of my current nine titles are specifically holiday-focused, another one of my backlist at least features a holiday, and my future release in summer 2012 uses two or three holidays. I’ve done Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day, and I’m about to tap Father’s Day and possibly even Canada Day. I’ve even considered Labour Day. I’m not sure why the holidays attract me. Perhaps my name cursed me.

So, what you have here is romantic erotica, holiday-style.

I guess, vanilla with a hint of cinnamon?

I never intended to be a holiday niche-writer, but this is what has happened. I’m okay with it, actually. They are fun times, and the books are nice to market because I can ride the waves of seasonal euphoria.

But what, for me, makes holiday erotica? (That’s not even a real subgenre, is it?)

Take Christmas, for example. There are many facets to a Christmas feel in a book – naturally, you have your warm, charitable, optimistic, friendly feelings. All the positive vibes of tradition, giving, and peace on earth, etc. But, you also have stress, and money woes, and depression. And loneliness, which is one of my favourite topics. You also have the Scrooges, which are great fun, and the redemption themes that go along with those guys. And renewal, what with New Years coming just around the corner. Also, there are the climate issues, with snow and sleet and cold noses and seasonal sluggishness. That alone gives you all sorts of shenanigans involving getting snowed in, and hearth rugs before roaring fires, and warm bubble baths, and slow morning sex, and snuggly hideaway-weeks spent living in bed… some of my favourite things in life.

Perhaps this doesn’t sound all that exciting. It might even sound boring compared to the more daring flavours that erotica comes in now. You know, though, that’s just fine. I like a full banquet of romantic and erotic stories. A sideboard groaning with options. It lets one satisfy whichever yearning one has that day. This is especially so with the joys of Kindle and the possibilities of instant download-now-read-immediately gratification. What a time to be a reader!

So, I put this to you: Cozy erotica.

This description for my fun, sweet, snuggly, sexy and rather explicit romance writing came to me while cruising writers’ forums and not being able to accurately explain to others how some of my books are both like and unlike other forms of erotica out there. I admit I stole the name from cozy mystery writers (mysteries that deal with crime/murder/secrets, but in a less brutal, more comfortable, way).

I don’t know, maybe this doesn’t work. Perhaps smatterings of anal play, lots of oral and marathon shower sex doesn’t fit with everyone’s definition of the word “cozy.” But, it’s as near as I can get to what I do. Sure, it still might not be a kosher e-gift for your grandma, but if you like the occasional bit of sweet with your spicy, then I’ll just set my books on the buffet nestled in amongst the great variety of fiction being produced in this accepting, fun-loving community we have going here, and you choose what you will.

With e-books, there’s a niche born every minute. Lucky for weirdos like me, readers come in all flavours, just like erotica today.

Happy holidays!
- AH

Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. She has been published by Wild Horse Press, Decadent Publishing and Rebel Ink Press, and in 2012 by Pink Petal Books. Anne’s work is characterized by its unusual heroes, sweet/spicy balance, witty dialogue, responsible citizenship, and its positive, optimistic nature. She has found a particular niche in holiday romance. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter (@anneholly2010). Sign up for her newsletter here. Email her at anneholly2010@gmail.com.

Please comment for your chance to win a copy of Good for the Goose, an erotic romance for Christmas, on Kindle.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Michele Zurlo

2011-12-19T14:00:00.014-05:00

Happy Holidays, Whipped Cream readers! During the holidays, people make a lot of big gestures. They donate a larger sum of money. They give more food for the local drive. They purchase the higher-end items for family and friends. I certainly enjoy the looks of pleasure and surprise on the faces of my loved ones when they open that gift they really wanted. At work, I challenge my students to donate food, toiletries, and pet food to our local community sharing center. All items are redistributed locally, which means the impact is greater. I've encouraged my teams of 130 kids to donate as many as 4500 items in a two-week drive. The past few years, with the tough economic climate in Michigan, and particularly in my community, I've set the bar at 1200. As I write this, we're halfway through the drive and almost halfway to our goal.

Local community resource centers operate year-round. Having spent more than a few of my formative years living in poverty, I know that you can run out of shampoo and laundry detergent in the summer just as easily in the winter. When my parents didn't have the money to buy those things, we used dish soap -- usually Palmolive -- until payday. I've washed my hair and my clothes with it, and sometimes I even got to take a Palmolive bubble bath. Those were special occasions. I didn't know we were poor. My mom made sure I ate, even if she had to send me to the neighbor's house as a breakfast/lunch/dinner guest. My neighbors never once made me feel like a charity case. Until I was older, I didn't even understand that I wasn't a beloved guest. It was the little things that mattered. They'd send their kid to our house to 'beg' for me to come over to eat with them. Our other neighbors had a special plate just for me. (Plastic. They didn't have kids, and they didn't want to chance me breaking their plates. Still, they introduced me to all kinds of tasty Polish food.)

I've made a point to highlight the importance of giving in some of my books. I drop references to it every now and again. In Letting Go, Sabrina argued that she could pay off Jonas's debts, citing the fact that she gave more money to charity each year. In By My Side, due out in January 3, 2012, the whole plot revolves around a charity event to benefit leukemia research. In Re/Bound, due out spring 2012, my heroine, Darcy, works as a grant writer who, among other things, sets up a charitable arm for a growing corporation so they can more easily give to people in need.

I've had some excellent role models when it comes to teaching generosity. Not only do I have a few good neighbors to thank, I had a wonderful role model in my Aunt Laurie who worked tirelessly in big cities around the country (Minneapolis, Washington DC, Detroit) to enrich the lives of everyone who needed a helping, nonjudgmental hand. She's been associated with several foundations, most notably the United Way. She developed early childhood and community outreach programs. She helped fund places for inner city kids to go after school that would provide physical exercise and academic support opportunities. Sadly, she lost her battle with breast cancer last February, but her legacy lives on.

I'm a teacher and the provider in a one-income household. I don't have a big house or new cars. We don't vacation every year. I'm not always in a position to give, but I like to do it whenever I can. In my house, we clean out our gently used clothes seasonally to donate. My kids and I make a big deal out of going through it all, tossing out the the things that are stained or that have rips, making sure all the outfits, especially pajamas, are matched up. Giving fills a place inside like nothing else. It's like a whole bucket of warm fuzzies that we get all at once. Last time my daughters and I unloaded our car to take things into the Community Sharing building, my eight-year-old daughter looked up at me and said, "It makes me feel good inside to give." Her twin sister smiled and said, "Yeah, I like it too."

My heart swelled up with the poignancy of what I taught my children. Take some time this holiday season to reflect on ways you can carry the spirit of community and generosity with you throughout the year. What is your favorite act of generosity you do/plan to do this year? Leave a comment below for a chance to win a pdf copy of your choice of Safe Word: Oasis #1 Yes, Justin or Safe Word: Oasis #2 By My Side. Check out these books (and more!) on my website at www.michelezurlo.com.

Thanks and have a great 2012!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Tina Gayle

2011-12-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

Food, Food, and More Food

The holiday is the season of cookies, cakes, candies, and special treats.

I've tried in the past to avoid them so that I won't gain weight. Oh, the SCALE, the wicked device hates me. So we agree to avoid each other during the holidays. Makes me happier, and well, the scale doesn't have to hear me scream when I step near it.

But so that I don't forget what will be facing me in the New Year, I follow a few simple rules.

Don't make anything sweet unless you can share. (Yeah, they call it the season of giving.) Well, if I'm going to make fudge (the quick recipe on the sweet condense milk can) then I make sure I have someone to help me eat it.

And if it is someone who is leaving the house say after a party. I have them take home the extras. I indulged during the party so that I don't feel as if I've miss out but I don't have to wolf down the leftovers.

Also, if I'm alone, and no one is coming over, and I need, need, need that divinity fix. I make half a batch or make up small boxes to share with friends.

As you can see I'm not good at depriving myself of the special holiday treats, but I try to share the wealth and have my friends and family grow fat with me.

Yeah, I'll need workout partners in January.

Hope you have a great Holiday Season and here's to seeing you at the gym in the New Year.

Tina Gayle
http://www.tinagayle.net/
http://www.tinagayle.blogspot.com/
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Tina+Gayle

Tina will be giving away an ebook copy of Pregnancy Plan to one lucky commenter! Please make sure to include your email with your comment.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Dana Littlejohn

2011-12-19T10:00:00.020-05:00

I am Dana Littlejohn, author of sensual erotic romance. I have decided to share a recipe that I like so much it made it into one of my latest releases.

In this book Kendra is a terrible cook and falls victim to the advances of her ex because he is a fabulous cook. The ingredients make the awesome marinade for the steaks. It is one of my favs and I make all year round, (outdoor grill in warm months and George Foreman in the colder) but especially in the winter because the smells are wonderful in the home. And, okay, I’ll go ahead and admit it. It goes great with the seasonal mulled wine. :-) So here is the meal that led her to a terrible night in bed with him. LOL

Enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
• 4 1-inch thick rib eyes
• 3/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• I tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Combine everything but the rib eyes in a bowl. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes to mix the flavors. Preheat grill. Drain the liquid from the mixture and pour over rib eyes set in the refrigerator covered for about 15 minutes. Remove rib eyes, shake off excess then place steaks on grill and cook for about 6 minutes per side or until done. Place rib eyes on plates and serve with sides. :-)

Here’s a peek into my 2011 Christmas release, Christmas Goddess. Available now at Secret Cravings Publishing!

With Christmas right around the corner do you ask Santa for what you really want in hopes of getting it? No! You ask your BFF!

Kendra Taylor was single by choice, but unhappy with her predicament. Feeling depressed over her situation, she declined going with her friend Monica to an annual Christmas party. During a late night conversation with her friend, Kendra confessed how she really wanted to spend Christmas. To her surprise her wish came true!

Excerpt:
Fat, wet snowflakes pelted Kendra’s car as she drove home. Her mind drifted as she traveled the familiar streets on autopilot. She contemplated why she didn’t really want to go to Doug’s Christmas party with Monica. It wasn’t like she didn’t know his people. The three of them grew up together. After all the years they had been friends, Kendra was under the impression that she and Monica had shared a brother/sister relationship with Doug. Apparently somewhere along the way Monica and Doug fell in love and she missed it. She was completely floored when they approached her together to let her know.

Turning into her driveway, she stared at the garage door as it rose and gasped. Was she jealous? The horn made a sharp quick honk when Kendra’s head fell to the steering wheel. She had to admit that she was.
Kendra sighed. Maybe she was being a little unfair with her pre-constructed criteria. There was no perfect man after all. Of course a man had to have a job, a car and somewhere to live, but could a man really be what she wanted? Was it asking too much for him to make his first priority her pleasure? In and out of bed? After two years of looking the answer seemed pretty obvious.

Getting out the car, she dropped the plate off in the kitchen and headed to the living room. Looking around her home you couldn’t tell Christmas was only a week away. There were lights, no gingerbread or peppermint smells, not even a tree. She frowned.

“God! No wonder I’m in such a funk. It’s downright dismal in here,” she said aloud. “I have to do something about this.”

Kendra rushed into her room, changed her clothes and was back in the car in fifteen minutes. The parking lot was so full she knew not to bother going near the store. Pulling her hood over her head, she stepped out into the falling snow.

“Merry Christmas!” the man guarding the bright red kettle shouted.

“Merry Christmas,” she answered walking by him into the store.

The cart corral was empty. She wasn’t surprised. The shopping madness of the season was in full swing. People pushed pass her as she walked around the crowded store. Luckily she just needed a few things to spruce up her place a bit and would be gone soon.

“Excuse me,” she said to a passing employee. “Where can I find Christmas decorations?”

“If there’s any left they would be in aisle fourteen.”

“Thanks.”

“Kendra?”

The instant she heard her name Kendra froze. She would know that voice anywhere. It whispered sweet nothings in her ear for almost two years before she finally broke it off. She turned slowly and swallowed the gasp as it tried to escape. Just looking at him made her heart flutter. He was six feet of solid muscle with a panty melting smile and expert hands to seal the deal.

“I knew that was you,” he said pulling her into a hug. “How are you? You look fantastic.”

“Hi Lionel. You look good too,” she said and turned down the aisle.

“Whoa,” he called out intercepting her. “Wait a minute. What’s your hurry?”

“No hurry. I’m just here to pick up a few decorations for the house. I haven’t really had the time to decorate.”

“Really? Wow, I remember your place being decked out for the holidays even before Thanksgiving. You were so into it. I kinda liked that about you. Nothing’s wrong is it?”

Wrong? No, nothing is wrong, delicious man from my past. Just suffering from lack of companionship and nooky deficiency, that’s all.

“No, no nothing like that. I’ve just been busy at work. That’s all.”

“Oh. So what are your plans after you get your stuff?”

“No plans at all, really. I’m just going back to the house.”

“To your…boyfriend…husband?” he asked making hand gestures like a scale.

She couldn’t help but smile. “No, alone.”

Lionel’s face lit up. “Really? Well, why don’t I come with you then? I was picking up some stuff for dinner. I can double it and make dinner for two instead of one.”

Warning! Warning!

Lionel flashed his killer grin of his and stepped closer. Her features must’ve given away her mind’s caution alarm.

“Come on, Kendra. You know you always liked my cooking and I know you hate to cook. It’s a win/win situation.”

No Kendra! It doesn’t matter that his food tasted heavenly. You have the food from the party. You won’t starve.

Lionel nudged her. “Come on. I’ll put this chicken back and make my special Italian rib eyes that you love so much,” he said sweetening his offer.

Memories of his delicious cooking flittered back to her memory making her mouth water and she smiled.

“Thata girl. Come on let’s get what we need and get out of here.”

Dana Littlejohn
www.danalittlejohn.net

Contest!
On my website I have other Christmas and winter themed books. Post a comment with the titles and your email and you will be entered into a drawing to win one!

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Natasha Blackthorne

2011-12-19T08:00:00.002-05:00

Christmas in Old New York

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads…

This poem seems so iconic to those in the United States now but its influence brought a radical change in how Americans viewed Christmas Eve.

The question of whether or not to celebrate Christmas was a thorny issue in the early years of the United States, especially for those in the north. Their Puritan heritage led New Englanders to place less emphasis on Christmas. During and after the American Revolution celebrating Christmas took on an additional negative aspect. Making much of Christmas was decidedly English and therefore unpatriotic.

However, by 1809 it was a little different in New York. For cultural distinction, New Yorkers started to look more to the Dutch side of their history and to try to bring more of that into their traditions. Saint Nicholas became the icon of that special Dutch flavor that New Yorkers wished to focus on. It was typical in the time for the states to establish a patron saint. For example, Philadelphia had Saint Tammany, an old Native American chief of legend.

Christmas could be a dark time of riots and violence on the part of the working classes. Some in the upper class sought a way to bring some of the harmonious and generous aspects back to Christmas. If they couldn’t find what they needed in the old histories, they were determined to build on them and enlarge those legendary images.

Under the penname, Dietrich Knickerbocker, Washington Irving released his satirical A History of New York on Saint Nicolas’ Day 1809. This book featured twenty-five references to the venerable old saint. Washington’s Saint Nick flew a wagon led by horses but like the modern Santa, he did come down the chimneys to give out gifts.

Washington’s character Oloffe Van Kortlandt has a very familiar dream where Saint Nicholas surprises him:

And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream, — and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children, and he descended hard by where the heroes of Communipaw had made their late repast. And he lit his pipe by the fire, and sat himself down and smoked; and as he smoked, the smoke from his pipe ascended into the air and spread like a cloud overhead. And Oloffe bethought him, and he hastened and climbed up to the top of one of the tallest trees, and saw that the smoke spread over a great extent of country; and as he considered it more attentively, he fancied that the great volume of smoke assumed a variety of marvellous forms, where in dim obscurity he saw shadowed out palaces and domes and lofty spires, all of which lasted but a moment, and then faded away, until the whole rolled off, and nothing but the green woods were left. And when St. Nicholas had smoked his pipe, he twisted it in his hatband, and laying his finger beside his nose, gave the astonished Van Kortlandt a very significant look; then, mounting his wagon, he returned over the tree-tops and disappeared.

— Washington Irving, A History of New York

Irving’s version of Saint Nicolas made quite an impression and this influence would only continue to grow. In December 1810, New York Philanthropist John Pritchard ordered a woodcut of Saint Nick dressed in bishop’s robes to commemorate the first Annual Saint Nicholas Day dinner on the sixth of the month for the member of the New York Historical Society. By December 23, 1823, a poem named “The Night Before Christmas” was published by the Troy, New York Sentinel and has been attributed to Clement Moore or possibly Henry Livingston Jr.

“The Night Before Christmas” expanded Washington Irving’s notions about this historical figure known as Saint Nick and set many of our current impressions into stone. The most significant is the change in the expected arrival of Saint Nick from Saint Nicolas Day early in the month to Christmas Eve. Over the years between 1810 to the 1830s, this reflected a gradual change from New Years Day being the central focus of the New York holiday season to Christmas Eve. It also marked a change from the December holiday season being a rather adult focused celebration to a child centered one. At least for the genteel classes. Therefore, modern children spend Christmas Eve eagerly awaiting the arrival of Saint Nick, otherwise known as Santa Claus.

The original version of “The Night Before Christmas”

My American set erotic Regency romance novella, Grey’s Lady is the story of a wealthy merchant price that falls for a poor but beautiful young seductress. However, for all their social and economic differences, at their most basic level, Beth and Grey are very similar. Both suffered isolation and emotional neglect in childhood.

The product of an adulterous affair, Beth grew up in the home of her late mother’s employer. Separated from her half-siblings and kept at an emotional distance, she felt lost and alone. At age eighteen, she’s seduced and betrayed by a trusted wealthy gentleman. After this, she leaves her benefactress’s home and goes to live with her half-siblings, and helps them in their struggling shop. Yet, she still feels out of place.

Grey grew up in an upper-class household, a privileged only son, heir to Sexton Shipping, one of the fledgling nation’s largest fleets. Grey’s father is a stern, strict businessman who does not understand his daydreaming, intellectually curious son. A child in this position might take solace in a closer relationship with his mother. However, Grey’s mother is chronically ill and unable to bear his childish energy. She keeps to her chambers and dies while he is still quite young. Later at age nineteen, Grey engages in an emotionally scarring experience with a slightly older woman, something that is not covered in Grey’s Lady.

How these back story issues and more challenge Beth and Grey’s coming together are explored in depth in the sequel, White Lace and Promises, which is scheduled for release Dec. 26, 2011.

White Lace and Promises is set in Regency Era New York City, during the onset of the War of 1812 when the conflict was just beginning to threaten America’s east coast.

Grey's Lady

White Lace and Promises
(Available starting Dec 26, 2011 from Total-e-Bound)

Book two in the Carte Blanche Series

Beth and Grey’s passionate battle of wills continues...

New York Merchant Prince Grey Sexton loves the audacious, spirited young temptress who seduced him in a Philadelphia bookseller’s and made passionate love to him in his carriage. Her fiery nature broke through his cold self-protection. But in a time of war and trade disruption, he cannot allow himself to be distracted. He vows to put business above all else in his life, including his bride.

Shocked and hurt by Grey's distance, Beth wonders whether he truly returns the burning love she feels for him. Beth demands that Grey prove he can truly change once and for all or else she will not start a family with him. But will the dark, sensual secrets she yet keeps repel this arrogant, self-controlled gentleman she has married?

http://natashablackthorne.blogspot.com/
http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/

Giveaway:

I am offering readers an oppurtunity to win an E-copy of Grey’s Lady. One randomly drawn commenter on this post will be chosen as the winner. You must be 18 or older and have reached the age of majority in your country/state of residence to enter. This contest is void where prohibited by law. Thank you and Good Luck!

Happy Holidays to everyone.

Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest: Scarlett Sanderson

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

Greetings from England! As I write this I’m sitting in front of a roaring log fire, sipping an eggnog latte, snow is falling outside the window...

In reality, I’m actually sitting at my desk with the central heating cranked to the max, looking out at the damp rain. I am sipping an eggnog latte though :-)

Christmas in England is usually a dank affair weather wise. That doesn’t matter. This time of year means one thing in England — Christmas markets. Most major towns have a traditional German Christmas market that gets shipped over from Germany and stays through the whole of December.

I love the smell — hot chocolate, coffee, hearty ales and mulled wines; gingerbread, sausages and cinnamon. There is a funfair and numerous traditional Christmas craft stalls. It’s not Christmas until we’ve made the annual trip to the Festive Meeting Hall and downing a glass of mulled wine.

Even at my age, I still find this time of year magical. Christmas lights, Christmas cake (yum!), carol concerts and shopping.

This is one of the reasons I am giving away a copy of my Christmas novella, At Their Command.

All Hope wants for Christmas is Ethan St. Claire. She’s had a thing for him since high school, when he was the bad boy and she was the class geek. Now she’s older, wiser…and dying of sexual frustration. Fantasies of having Ethan and his best friend Dominic at the same time drive her wild with unsated lust.

Ethan has always loved Hope, and he’s finished waiting for her to realize they’re meant for each other. He’s taking command and giving Hope exactly what she needs. If she’s nice, he’ll give her a sexy spanking. If she’s naughty, he and Dominic will double her pleasure as an extra-lusty Christmas treat.

To be entered into the prize draw, please leave a comment on this blog post and tell me what’s your favourite thing about Christmas?

I wish you a magical holiday!
Scarlett
http://scarlettsanderson.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1661269.Scarlett_Sanderson

Multi-published author, Scarlett Sanderson is a librarian by day and an erotic romance novelist by night. She lives in suburban England with her significant other and dreams of having Lara Croft type adventures. As a reader, she loves to immerse herself in sweeping tales of romance, fantasy and most of all, tantalizing erotica. Those are the elements she tries to weave into the stories she creates.

When not writing, Scarlett has a burning passion for history, good chocolate, fine wine and anything supernatural (especially if it includes the hunters Dean and Sam Winchester from the TV show Supernatural!).

GUEST POST and Giveaway: Lori Toland

2011-12-15T01:00:00.002-05:00

This post is part of the Virtual Book Tour for Soul Seduction, Lori Toland's latest release from Loose ID. Commenters on this blog, and the other tour stops, will be entered into a drawing for a $25 GC to either Amazon, AllRomanceEbooks or Loose Id. You can see the other stops on her tour here.

Thursday Thirteen

I wanted to do an extra special edition of Thursday Thirteen, because the last round was so well-loved. Well, ok, I liked it. But this one is actually all about my top favorites in all different categories.

So with no further ado, my thirteen things I can’t live without, must take along with me to a desert island. Well, some of these can’t go to a desert island… never mind. I’ll start now.

1. Favorite Movie: Shakespeare In Love. Fitting that this movie is about a writer. I love the realness of this movie, from the costumes, to the dirt to the ink always present on Shakespeare’s fingers. Plus she dresses like a boy and wins the heart of the man she loves. FTW!

2. Favorite Car: Any Porsche Sports car. Okay, so how did I end up with a Jaguar then? Wonders will never cease. But this stylish and sporty car speaks to my soul. Not to mention one of the hottest heroes of all time drives a Porsche in the Vampire Diaries books: Stefan Salvatore. FYI: Cayenne is NOT a Porsche… I’m just sayin’.

3. Favorite Book: Man of My Dreams. Okay, this was really hard because there are so many awesome authors I have fallen in love with over the years but I still have this ratty copy of this Johanna Lindsey novel because the tension is so white hot.

4. Favorite Video Game: Persona 4. This was so hard because I love most Atlus games (and so many more) but there was something in the characters that told me to find my true self (a theme in the game) so I chased my dream to become a writer. And here I am. *G*

5. Favorite Food: Japanese food. I love this food so much, I’ve learned how to cook several dishes from this style of cooking. One of my favorites is Katsu-don, which I had in San Francisco. It was so amazing, I almost made myself sick eating it in San Francisco. Which brings me to number 6.

6. Favorite City: San Francisco. I bet you’re surprised considering my latest novel Soul Seduction is set in Liverpool. Well Liverpool used to be my fave city until I went to San Francisco. From the cool culture to the fab food, this city had been high on weed for nearly 50 years and that results in everyone being friendly. Right on!

7. Favorite Author: Mary Calmes. Okay, I fell in love with Jin, her werepanther boy from the moment I met him. And then I read everything she ever wrote and I loved every single book. Which never happens to me. There is always one book that misses the mark, I felt ehh over. Not with Mary. I love it all.

8. Favorite Actor/Actress: Anne Hathaway. I see everything she is in and no matter what, she brings home a performance that has made her a well-loved actress. Not to mention, she is stunningly beautiful.

9. Favorite Dessert: Pinkberry. If you watch me on twitter, you know how much I love this delicious treat. One of the reasons San Francisco is so awesome? Pinkberry in the terminal past security! I go for pomegranate with dark chocolate shavings.

10. Favorite current TV Show: Beavis and Butthead. This one is really hard because I go through loving different shows but when this restarted, I almost threw up I laughed so hard. My favorite part: When my husband runs out of the room laughing because he can’t handle the LULZ!

11. Favorite Website: DYAC. Oh, you knew it was coming. I even have an app on iPhone for it. I think I fell in love with DYAC when I took my husband to the dentist and checked out the website for the first time. I laughed so hard, I was crying and the office staff came to rubberneck at me.

12: Favorite Animal: Cats. Duh. Enough said. I want to be a cat, but then I wouldn’t have thumbs and then I would be dependent on humans. So I’ll be a werecat instead! (See Mary Calmes up above. She gives me these weird thoughts.)

13: Favorite Time Of Year: I love Christmas time. It seems like there is so much going on and we are all running around going crazy, being driven crazy by the people we love. My mom’s birthday is the 23rd and after losing her to cancer, it’s the hardest day of the year. But I look forward to celebrating her life and love on her birthday.

I know what you are saying. (We did this last time.) “Isn’t your favorite game Assassin’s Creed?” “Don’t you love the Harry Potter series?” Sometimes 13 seems like such a small number to share the best things in life but right now, it just fits! I will see you all in 2012 with the release of my next novel! Until then, good night and good luck!

Ashlee Bennett has her priorities straight. Fighting demons is at the top of the list until she meets her sexy neighbor, Luke Byrne. Even though he is human, she can't stop dreaming about his buff body and sexy grin, until her dreams turn to nightmares.

Her world is turned upside down when Luke follows her one night but instead of being afraid, he is only more determined to stand beside her and fight. Ashlee knows she needs to keep her distance from Luke, not just to protect her virginity but her heart as well. But Luke may be the only one who can save her from the night, and her dreams.

About Lori: CEO by day, erotic romance writer by night, Lori Toland lives in Orlando where the summers are hot but the romance between her characters is even hotter. Writing since the tender age of 13, Lori somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her beloved cats and a husband who will forever be her hero.

http://loritoland.com/
http://loritoland.livejournal.com/

GUEST BLOG: TARA LAIN

2011-12-14T04:00:00.003-05:00

Writing an Ensemble Novella!

You’ve seen ensemble movies, I’m sure. Those great pieces like Love, Actually where there are a lot of characters who interact and you get to see a bit of each of their stories. You also know what a novella is -- it’s a short book. The two would not seem to go together. But for some strange reason, when publisher Loose Id called for holiday story proposals this year the plot that came to my mind was a short book (32,000 words) with seven main characters! The book, called Mistletowed, tells the story of five close friends, two M/F couples and a gay mathematician who is their pal. Two other characters introduce themselves into the plot -- a man that one of the women tries to fix up with their gay friend, and the male cousin of another of the women who feels compelled to come visit her just before the holidays. The story tells how all these people are influenced by what may or may not be a piece of magical mistletoe. When I tell you that the story is M/M, M/F and M/M/F with light BDSM, you get an idea of the hijinks this mistletoe inspires!

The story of Mistletowed just popped into my head and I submitted it to the publisher as a treatment -- a short explanation of the story. Since the story is very different from most books you see, they were intrigued and told me to write it. Oops. That was the problem. Thinking up a plot like that is very different from writing it. Here are some of the things I learned about writing an ensemble plot -- just in case you might want to write or read one. LOL

• Writing an ensemble is much like painting an abstract. There is still an underlying organization even though it may look random.

• The novella didn’t work until I firmly decided whose story it was. Yes, there are seven characters and they are all important but two of them have to form the center of the book. The other characters weave in and out of the main story.

• Every romance in the book -- and there are several -- must be motivated and fleshed out.

• All seven characters must be three-dimensional. There needs to be character development and back-story.

• An ensemble benefits from having an organizing principle. In the movie, Love Actually, the organization is around the build-up to Christmas. Mistletowed is organized around the planning of a Yule party and the surprise mistletoe.

• The timeframe of an ensemble is probably best either very long like an epic or quite short. Mistletowed is a long novella or short novel.

As you may know, I’m a relatively new writer. Mistletowed is only my sixth published book and they have all come out in 2011. Everything I do is new to me. Writing an ensemble novel was a new and fun experience. I hope you enjoy it.

My sincere thanks to Whipped Cream for inviting me here today. If you would like to win a copy of Mistletowed please leave a comment here with your email (don’t forget the email). You can get another entry in the holiday drawing to be held on Dec 18 if you go to http://beautifulboysbooks.blogspot.com. Leave a comment, with email and follow the blog. I’ll notify the winner by email! Thank you so much for coming by and thank you again to Whipped Cream for being such great hosts.

About the Author: Tara Lain never met a beautiful boy she didn’t love – at least on paper. A writer of erotic romance, mostly ménage and male/male, Tara loves all her characters, but especially her handsome heroes. A lifelong writer of serious non-fiction, Tara only fell in love with EROM in 2009 and, through perseverance and lots of workshops, had the first novel she ever wrote published in January of 2011. After an exotic life of travel all over the world and work in television, education and advertising, Tara settled in Southern California with her soul-mate husband and opened her own small marketing business. She paints, collages, and started practicing yoga “way before it was fashionable”. Passionate about diversity, justice, inclusion and new ideas, she says on her tombstone it will read, “Yes”.

GUEST BLOG: MIA NATASHA

2011-12-13T04:00:00.003-05:00

Zeitgeist and a Whore

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who dreamed of being a singer.

There was also a thirteen-year-old girl, who sat in her room and drew pictures of people. She thought about their lives and decided to write stories about them. It kept her occupied for hours, thinking about how those people interacted.

Her favorite story dealt with a pretty girl getting kidnapped. Tied up, struggling to escape until her handsome boyfriend rescues her. I don’t remember when she stopped writing, but she did stop cold turkey. It was probably around the time she finally had a real social life. I don’t even know where those stories are now. Were the spiral notebooks thrown away or are they floating around somewhere in a cobwebbed bookcase? God, I hope not. I would hate for those notebooks to turn up in the wrong hands. How embarrassing.

When I was that girl, I spent lots of time dreaming about what my adult self would be like. Que sera sera. Would I be happy, would I be rich? Would I be the adult version of that pretty girl in my sexy (yet sexless) story? I remember dreaming that I met my future self and she (I) said that everything would be okay. That eventually everything would make sense.

(The other girl grew up to be a singer, a media savvy billionaire pop star.)

And yes, it all makes sense to me now. I loved what I was doing back then, but no one ever praised me for it. No one encouraged me for a very obvious reason. It had been my secret thing. I never shared my stories. I was embarrassed and felt guilty because I masturbated to those stories. I didn’t want anyone to know.

I’m doing it now as a grown up though - sharing. It doesn’t feel embarrassing at all. I attribute that to my friend and critique partner, Jake Malden. His encouragement really paved the way for me to become a published author in addition to maintaining my real life as an artist. It all seems right, finally, as though I always knew I’d find my way back. I’ve written five novels in two years. I am published with Excessica Publishing. Cinderella Club was released in August 2010, and Dr. Cockburn’s Medicine in October 2011. Both are BDSM/erotic romances. Two other books and a short story have planned releases set for next year. Jude’s Whore launched December 9th. It’s a Christmas story with time travel, deity sex and BDSM.

What are the chances that Lady Gaga had read an earlier version of Jude’s Whore before writing the hit song Judas? How weird would it be that I could have influenced her? I just bought her CD and the words to the song illustrate my story so precisely. Is it zeitgeist instead? That two people wrote words that depict a prostitute in love with Jesus but falling for you-know-who, independent of one another?

Hmm.

That earlier version is on Literotica.com. I wrote it for the 2009 Christmas contest. Before it became a 50,000 word novel, it was a short story that received a pounding due to the subject matter. It has such a ridiculously low score, which probably makes you wonder why I would bother to expand it at all. I should have known to stay away from religion, right? – religion and politics – but sometimes you just can’t help what you fantasize about or at least I can’t.

The idea has always appealed to me. I have had a reoccurring dream where Jesus and I are sitting by a lake, dangling our feet in the water. He is really cheerful. Being around Him makes me feel immediately calm, makes me feel loved. I start asking Him why He allowed me to do all the stupid things I’ve done. You know the ones, the embarrassing ones like farting during sex or whatever. I’m not going to be that vulnerable. Surely I don’t fart during sex – jeesh – but I’ll let you just insert your own stupid things here. “Oh, you,” I say. In response, Jesus doesn’t offer anything but laughter. He says that the reason that my relationships failed and the reason I had never found anyone to love was because I was meant for Him.
I guess it would make more sense if you knew me. I’m not saying that I’m perfect or that I deserve a man like Jesus, due to Him being God and all. But apart from having a healthy libido that kick started with adolescent masturbation, I am a goody two shoes sort – no drinking, smoking, no sluttiness…. I’m probably a lot like you. Normal. Jude’s Whore was a Christmas gift for myself, really, and for all of the women out there who feel lost and maybe think they’re a little undeserving of love as well.

Merry Christmas to you, friend. Things will work out and you’ll be very happy. Right, Gaga?

About the Author: Mia Natasha is a New York based artist and fashion designer. She is the author of four erotic novels published by Excessica – Cinderella Club, a BDSM erotic romance, and its sequel, Cinderella Thyme; Dr. Cockburn’s Medicine, a Halloween tale; and Jude’s Whore, a time travel story. Two more novels are set for next year.
Find her on Twitter as mia_erotica and check out her blog at http://mianatasha-erotica.blogspot.com.

She welcomes fan mail at mia.erotica@gmail.com.