Sassy, Sexy and on #SALE

 

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Despite the scary, something sexy is a throbbing undercurrent…reminding us that being able to survive the fear quickly turns into a sensual aphrodisiac. So, for everyone who’d rather be seduced than scared, I’ve put my books on sale for $.99 on Halloween only.

Do me a favor, if you’ve read one, enjoyed it, but haven’t yet gotten the other one, pick it up! And if you tell your friends or write a review, I’d be immensely grateful. If you’ve not read either, check out the excerpts below and let me know if they tickle your taste buds!

AND if you missed it….Halloween is also last day of the Fright Night Blog Hop! Lots of awesome giveaways for all my reader friends (and yes, I’m participating, so check it out)!

Excerpt for Three For All:

“Michael,” James glanced in the direction of the sand courts. “You coming?”…
Michael lifted his head from mine and raised an eyebrow at James. “Go ahead if you want. I’ll stay here with Dani.”
“Oh, come on,” James whined. “You’re not seriously going to make me go play by myself.”
“That was a loaded statement.” I bit my tongue to keep from giggling over James’ inadvertent innuendo. “But seriously, there are always options.”
“Options?” His eyes were nearly black with intensity, his curiosity was caught. “Such as?”
“Well,” I smiled brightly and stepped between both men, “We could always head back to your uncle’s cottage. Much more privacy there.”
James shook his head as he took a step back. “Oh, hell no. This is my vacation too. We are not going back there just so I can sit all by myself in my room while you two get your freak on, christening every room in the place. Been there, done that. No thanks. Not today. Love you, but no.”
The urge to do a happy dance at the opportunity that just landed in my lap was nearly irresistible. Instead, I batted my eyes at them playfully as my hands found their way up both men’s chests, enjoying the feel of firm muscle. “Who said you had to be by yourself?”
James’ eyes widened, unsure he’d heard me right. He glanced one last time at the court before he settled back on me, his decision made. As his gaze shifted to my mouth, my tongue darted out to lick my lips. “What exactly are you saying, Dani?”
“Yeah, baby.” The steady beat of Michael’s heart pounded under my palm as his hand covered mine. “Spell it out for us. Exactly what are we talking here?”
“Well,” I looked from one man to the other and went for it. “I have this fantasy and you guys would be perfect.”
“Yeah?” They asked together; both pairs of eyes trained on me.
“Tell us more,” Michael’s hand dropped to his side, his easy smile all the encouragement I needed.
“Yeah,” James grinned and rubbed his palms together in anticipation, eyebrows raised. “We’re listening.”

Excerpt for Four One Night:

“Hey babe,” his dark, raspy voice came on the line. “What’s up?” …
“Well, that all depends on you,” I purred as my hands motioned Candace to get in the car. “Work was nuts and Candace and I need to blow off some steam. We’re headed over to Club Heat for ladies night. Will you join us or do we need to find some other sexy men to play with?”
“Ooh, someone’s feeling feisty.” I could practically see his smile through the rumble in his voice. “I love it when Miss Dani comes out to play.”
“Then you’re gonna love me tonight.” Grabbing the handle, I tugged my door open. Finally out of the chilled air and in the driver’s seat, I slammed the door shut and shoved my key in the ignition.
“Two wild women looking to unleash themselves after a bad day?” The little beep of his car alarm being released sounded through the receiver followed by the slam of the door. “That may be more than I can handle alone.”
Tipping my head against my shoulder to cradle the phone, I turned the key in the ignition, quickly followed by the heater. “Michael Gallo! Afraid you might need reinforcements?”
Music flared in the background as he started his car. “Afraid is such a strong word. I prefer to think of it as being prepared for any eventuality.”
“Well, you know how I feel. The more, the merrier. Hot men and alcohol make everything better!” With one last look in my rear view mirror, I shifted into drive, leaving our bad day in the dust.
His rich laughter slid through me, warming me from the inside. “Good. I’ll give James a call and we’ll see you soon.”
I nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
Candace stared at me intently as I hung up and dropped the phone into the cup holder. “So? Don’t keep me in suspense.” She grabbed my wrist just as I reached for the steering wheel and squeezed lightly. “What’s the game plan for tonight?”
“Well,” I glanced down from the road to where her pale fingers absently stroked the darker, olive skin of my forearm, “If you’d rather have me all to yourself, just say so. I can always call Michael back and cancel.”
“Tease.” She lifted her fingers from my arm with a light chuckle, “What exactly did you mean by ‘the more the merrier’?”
Maybe the little devil on my shoulder was right. I might have just been handed a prime opportunity. If I could only get everyone to see things my way. Might as well start with Candace. A smile flirted with the corners of my mouth as I maneuvered onto the interstate, grateful traffic was light. “What would you like it to mean?”

Again, you’re under no obligation, but I wanted to do something to celebrate the holiday…. Hope everyone has a Happy, Safe Halloween!

That Fateful Fright Night #BlogHop

 

 

 

Halloween is one of my most favorite times of the year. Our house is usually decked out to the nines in zombies and creepy crawlies. So when I had the chance to join a Halloween blog hop, of course I jumped at the chance.

Reality is, I haven’t written any suspenseful or scary books yet, so it won’t be one of my books I give away. Instead, I’m going to share with you one of my favorite people, L.J. Kentowski….and her first book, Guardian of Fate.

I stumbled on L.J. and this book through a mutual blogging friend and decided to give it a try. I was intrigued! This book had angels, demons, and so many twists and turns that you could almost get whiplash.. It simply drew me in! Check out this excerpt:

I charged through the woods, terror propelling me faster than I’ve ever run before. Branches ripped at my thin dress and lacerated exposed areas of my body, leaving bark in my skin and blood dripping from the wounds. The bottoms of my bare feet received the same torture from tree roots protruding out of the earth. I should have been in agony, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins masked any pain my body felt. It was the same thing causing me to perspire, while my breath formed puffs of steam in the chilly night air.

I looked over my shoulder, searching for the man who was chasing me. I saw nothing but the forest around me, but I knew he was there. I could feel his power energizing the air. Turning back, I slammed into something solid. Trembling, I looked up and my heart stopped as I stared into the face of the man I feared most. He grabbed my arms to hold me still, burning my skin under the pressure of his touch.

I knew I should try to free myself, but he drew me closer with an uncanny magnetism. His beauty enticed me like no other man ever tempted me before. While his body was perfect masculinity, with broad shoulders, lean muscular arms, and a taut stomach, his face possessed a mesmerizing softness. Dimples outlined his lush lips, making the hard lines of his jaw seem less intimidating, and promising a smile to warm even the iciest of hearts.

Every feature seemed created for perfection, but it was his eyes that locked me in. The lightest shade of blue, they seemed to glow in the darkness of the night. Unable to break away, I gazed into those eyes with tears in my own, as he brought his lips to mine. The kiss was gentle, but held a power that seemed to possess my very soul with its caress. He held me close, and I could feel the hard muscles of his chest press against me.

A cool wind brushed across my wet lips as he ended the kiss, and an emptiness came over me. Keeping his face only inches away, his fingers caressed my cheeks.

“Tell me you love me.”

My heart beat fast in my chest, as if it wanted to answer him on its own, binding itself to him forever. My eyes locked with his, and as much as it terrified me to tell him how I felt, I was compelled to answer.

“I love you,” I said breathlessly.

A smile grew slowly from his mouth. The reaction should have pleased me, but I only felt an overwhelming sense of dread.

“Will you kill me now?” my voice shook.

His smile faded, but he did not pull back. “No,” he said, softly. “You will do that yourself, Cassandra.”

So, how do you win a free copy? Share with me your favorite scary movie or book or Halloween song. I’ll be picking the winner via random drawing, and would love for it to be YOU!

 

Life is Short. Live it Well!

Yesterday I received the news that an old friend and mentor passed away. She was 66 years older. For a moment, sadness overwhelmed me. But only for a moment. It was hard to be completely sad when I knew just how passionately she lived her life.

Truth was, when I met her she’d just come back from being on leave. She’d battled cancer and was on her way back. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the brightly colored scarf wrapped around her head, I would never have known. She was bright, vivid, and vivacious. She attacked life. She always had an ear for anyone who needed it. She played as hard as she worked, and she always made sure to recognize and acknowledge a job well done in an industry where criticism came more frequently than praise.

So how could I be sad? The party in heaven just got a little wilder. To honor her, I’m going to share a few songs that I feel exemplified the way she lived her life.

Bare Naked Ladies were one of her favorite bands. I remember carpooling together to Orlando and listening to their music the entire ride up, laughing and talking and generally enjoying each other’s company.

Remember the way I said she grabbed life? This song was more than a philosophy for her.

She marched to the beat of her own drummer and encouraged those around her to do the same…

And she was definitely always the life of the party (with a vial of Visine in her purse to cover up the red eye giveaway if we had to be up early the next morning).

Yeah, it goes without saying that I was honored to know her and I will cherish all the memories she left me with.

Courage, Choices, and Change

I’ve learned several important lessons over the years.

First, not everyone is kind. There are a lot of people out there who are afraid of anything and anyone who might be different. There’s not always a good reason for it.

Second, bullying and hurtful words doesn’t stop with age. Many of you who know me are very familiar with my rather exuberant, outgoing side. I’m one of the fortunate rare few who are pretty comfortable with who I am both inside and out. But that hasn’t always been the case. Even I’ve had my dark period, but I was fortunate to have a support system around me to push through.

I rebuilt myself stronger than ever and with a clear purpose/message; to help build self esteem in others. In fact, it was only a few years later when I got the opportunity to put my actions where my values were.

I worked in a private religious facility in my early 20’s. My department was a predominantly female one, and unfortunately, I’ve found women are sometimes the cruelest to one another. That particular day, one of our newer employees was working the information desk. She was probably in her early 50’s, and was working alongside another woman about 10 years her senior. As happens with all humans and most new employees, she made a mistake. It enraged the other woman. Furious, she grabbed the other, smaller woman by the elbow and yanked her from the desk, through the busy lobby, and down the back hallway toward one of the management offices in the back. She was chastising her quite vocally the entire way.

My eyes widened in shocked disbelief. By the time I stepped to the back, the older woman had released her and went back to her station, leaving the other woman in tears and upset.

Me: Are you okay?
Her: Not really. I know I screwed up, but I’m trying to learn as fast as I can. I’m so embarrassed. Everyone saw and heard the way she talked to me. I don’t know what to do.
Me: The way she talked to you was not okay. If you need to talk to the boss about how you were treated, you will have my support.

Once I knew she was calm, I let her go back to work and thought nothing of it….until, a few days later, I was called into our manager’s office along with the woman, we’ll call her Ms. X, who’d man handled the new hire.

Boss: I heard from the new hire that you told her she should talk to me about Ms. X reprimanding her.
Me: Not exactly. I had no problem with Ms. X (who was sitting in the room smirking at me) reprimanding her for her mistake. I did, however, take issue with the way she went about it.
Boss: You might not be aware, but this was not the first time that this discussion has happened.
Me: Again, my issue was not with the actual correction, but rather the method with which it took place. I had a problem with her bodily grabbing her and yanking her through an entire department in front of both staff and customers and yelling at her publicly. She humiliated her in front of customers and her peers. Regardless of what she may have done, that behavior was completely unprofessional.

Unfortunately, at that moment, the boss got an urgent call that she had to answer, so she let me go, warning me that in the future, it’s probably better to leave it up to my co-workers to work their differences out because apparently, my fearful peer had used my name as the reason she’d come to the boss, rather than her treatment.

As the boss focused on her phone call and I stepped out of the room, Ms. X put her hand on my forearm and stopped me. I looked down at her arm, then directly into her face.

Ms. X: (with a slight squeeze to my arm) Don’t worry, Kitt, I’ll warn you before I bite.
Me: (placing my hand atop hers, and smiling) Oh, don’t you worry, Ms. X. I bite back.

The older woman quickly removed her hand and backed away. Messaged received. She’d think twice before pushing anyone around in my presence.

That was the first time I realized that growing up did not stop bullying. But there was a difference in how I handled it. I’d become stronger.

Third, not everyone is as strong as you, so if you are the stronger one, be brave. Speak out. Maybe that’s why I love the Hunter Hayes song so much. He knows. He gets it. And he’s sending the message that he’s been there, too. If you haven’t heard it, here it is.

Fourth, the one think you will always have control of in this life is YOU. Your response to trials, your choice in allowing negative things to impact you. In fact, this young lady’s response to bullying warmed my heart and changed an entire community.

Fifth, good or bad, you are an example and you never know who’s watching. Bullying is a learned behavior. Don’t think you’ve ever bullied anyone? Consider how you might be handling people who might not share your point of view.

This world can be a challenge. Living is not for wimps. We all need a little help sometimes. Who has helped or inspired you? I’d love to hear about it.

Bound to Soar

Sexy Black Rope Bondage by mizsmith courtesy of indulgy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cloak my sight in velvet dark,
Hide away the day.
Blind me from the prying eyes
Until the world is far away.

Engulf me in your fantasy,
Tease me with your power;
Self controlled seduction,
Waiting to devour.

With silken cords, gentle touch,
Bind me till I’m free.
Wrap me snug, away from harm
Your voice, a constant melody.

Paint seduction with your lips,
Enflame me from within,
Till all I know and think and feel;
Your touch upon my skin.

Take my body, hard and deep,
Impassioned by your lust,
Steal my breath, dissolve my thoughts
Till I scream with every thrust.

Guide me safe and let me soar,
Fearless in my bliss,
Freed within your mastery,
To savor passion’s kiss.

There’s always been something extremely beautiful and seductive to me about rope bondage. Okay, so the reality is that I’d rather learn how to be the rigger (aka the person doing the tying), but I still think it’s incredibly beautiful.

Truth is, the first time I ever experimented with bondage, I was about 17 years old. I noticed that by taking away my (then) boyfriend’s ability to move, he was better able to relax and enjoy it, trusting me to take care of him. For me, that was empowering. When combined with something like sensory deprivation (blindfolds, etc.), it can be pretty mind blowing.

The thing to remember is that trust and communication are hugely important anytime you’re delving into these areas. Please, if you decide to play, have a safe word in place. And if you’re dealing in bondage, make sure you have a way to quickly release the person entrusting you with their safety so that if they panic, no one gets hurt.

By the way, I was interviewed Fiona Mcvie’s blog today, too. She likes to chat it up with authors, so I’d really appreciate if you checked it out. I even left an excerpt for my next book over there. 😉

A Perilous Risk With @NatashaBlackthorne is One Worth Taking!

 

Let’s be real….. When an excerpt starts like this, someone like me is very interested! My uber fabulous pal, Natasha Blackthorne, has a passion and knack for historicals with a twist of kink. But you know what blew me away? She asked ME to help host part of her launch party this weekend! My time slot is today at 9 pm EST, and I’d love for you guys to stop by and show us some support! This will be my first time doing hostess duties, so I really appreciate it.

In the meantime, here’s a little bit about this fabulous new release.

Blurb

Heartbroken and disillusioned, Rebecca Howland is done with all men. Especially noblemen. Past a certain age, she knows her previous life of carnal indulgence and grand adventure is over. Or so she thinks. Back at home, whilst working in her family’s shop, a moment of compassion entangles her in an old battle between two powerful, bitter enemies. A commoner, Rebecca finds herself falsely accused of a heinous act by a vicious member of the aristocracy. In grave peril, she turns to the one man she thinks can help her.

Stephen Drake, now inexplicably Baron Drake, has always desired Rebecca. When she turns to him, he vows to protect her at all costs, especially from the dangerous life he lives. The stakes are high and time is running out for her … and for him as well. Stephen finds himself driven to ruthless actions that threaten to kill the fragile bond between them.

Years ago, Rebecca forbade herself to love Stephen Drake. Now he’s back, no longer the young man she remembers but a dark and dangerous stranger. When he demands a fortnight of her complete submission in return for his protection, his sexual dominance ignites carnal passion that makes her feel alive like never before. But … dare she trust a man with too many secrets?

©Copyright Natasha Blackthorne 2014

For Adults 18 years of age or older only. 

Excerpt from

Perilous Risk

Regency Risks, Book Three

By Natasha Blackthorne

 

She opened her mouth to deny him.

He brought his mouth down on hers, cutting off her protest. He thrust into her mouth, the taste of his hot, wet tongue more fiery than the best whisky. She shook, not with fear but with anticipation for the next stroke of his tongue against hers.

It came and delicious shudders quaked through her. Another stroke and another. Ruthlessly, he gripped her head and angled it, thrusting deeper. Taking her breath. Sucking her very soul and taking everything.

She didn’t care.

Every inch of his long, lean body pressed hers. She could feel the whipcord strength of his powerful muscles. Could feel his trembling as though he were holding back his ardour. His erection throbbed against her stomach, huge and hard. Heated.

A feeling of letting go, as though a tremendous weight had suddenly lifted from her. As though she’d been waiting forever for this moment. Tenderness burst within her. Her limbs went weak. Her fists unfurled and she grasped his shoulders, learning his feel, breathing in his scent, glorying in his taste, his strength, his forcefulness.

Stephen.

Her Stephen.

If she could, she would simply melt into him. She clung desperately to his hard body, surrendering herself wholly.

He tore his mouth from hers.

She cried out in protest.

He swept her up into his arms then lowered her. Her backside touched the table and the rickety wooden frame groaned and creaked.

He swooped down on her then gripped her chin in his large hand, gently yet firmly holding her in place. His eyes bore into hers, predatory, determined. “Now, tell me that you don’t know me.”

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O3L70KU

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O3L70KU

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00O3L70KU

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

Isn’t she fun? So, on top of doing a blog party and a blog tour, she’s also got a giveaway going on… Busy woman, isn’t she?

Go ahead. Click it! It’s a Giveaway. (Pssst! It’s an Amazon Gift Card!) Entry-Form

Anyway, I hope you check out her book, sign up for her giveaway, and/or show some love at her FB party! There are a lot of fun, fabulous giveaways going on at her event.