About S.J. Maylee

S.J. Maylee fell in love with storytelling at a young age and with it came a deep-seated desire for everyone to find their happily ever after. She’s finding the happy endings for her characters one steamy story at a time. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her caring for her garden, laughing with her two young sons, or dancing to her husband’s music. She’s a PMP (Project Management Professional), Nia instructor, and coffee addict. As a writer she has a tendency to break hearts, but she always glues them back together

ROW80 Check-in #85 – I Survived!

Posted on December 22, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

The writing challenge that knows you have a life.

This time of year is always crazy. I’m not sure how I ever survive it. As a project manager, I really should write down some lessons learned and do things differently next year.

I did find my way back to the WIP this week though and made beautiful progress. Got to love it when you can end the year on a high note. This is fabulous because I have a lot planned for 2014. I’ll talk more about that at the start of next round.

For now, let’s talk cookies. I needed to make cookies for a party and I tried something new. The recipe is by Ina Garten. It’s yummy shortbread dunked in chocolate. So good. How can any cookie with THREE sticks of butter not be good? You can find the recipe here.

Happy Holidays everyone. I hope you year ends on a high note.

The Goals – week-11 results

Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done. 🙂
Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- done! I rocked it this week. Not only did I finish edits on a tiny little story, but I also did a crit too and revised my story after receiving my first crit. While I wait on a few more crits, I’m moving right back to another WIP, Love Projects 2. You’ll be hearing a lot about this one next round. It will require the majority of my focus and will hopefully be my next release.
Take care of and be kind to myself- done. The stress was out of control this week and won’t let up until about Monday night. So far, I am surviving it all and that makes this goal a success.

What you might have missed here this week:

Spotlight: Taming a Gentleman Spy by Maggi Andersen

Inside Look with Nikka Michaels author of Christmas with Caden

Inside Look with Eileen Griffin author of Dinner For Two

UNTANGLE ME by S.J. Maylee Exclusive Excerpt

UNTANGLE ME by S.J. Maylee Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted on December 20, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Happy Holidays everyone. Today is the last day to enter my Release Party GIVEAWAY for UNTANGLE ME. Below I’ve included all the book details, an EXCLUSIVE excerpt, a link to my first review (5-Stars!) and the rafflecopter for my Giveaway. Don’t forget to visit my Appearances page to visit my friends across the web. They have a different excerpt and different guest posts, like my 5-things & 10-things about UNTANGLE ME. Plus, there’s one post that includes some of the inspiration behind the book. They all have my rafflecopter too. Enjoy!

Untangle Me

by: S.J. Maylee

Genre: Erotic Romance with D/s

Length: Novelette

Published: December 5, 2013

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

UNTANGLE ME BLURB:

Ivy’s revenge on the people behind her family’s downward spiral is simple and it’s working. There’s no need to long for help from the wealthy business owners who turned their backs on her father. Ivy may be worn out, but she’s finding herself again after joining the local BDSM club.

Seth has it all. He has homes around the world and the little red speedster he dreamed of as a little boy, but none of the things he can buy satisfy him, not the socialites hanging on his arm or the submissives falling at his feet. Then, he hires Ivy to plan his next event.

Seth and Ivy enjoy each other’s company in and out of the planning stages for Seth’s charity event. Their playful bets lead them to a first date. When their secret kinks are revealed, the pair fall deep, but it’s not meant to last. Past hurts come back to haunt Ivy. Now, it’s time for Seth to use all he’s learned, regardless if he can win back the girl.

An EXCLUSIVE Excerpt from UNTANGLE ME :

Seth walked out of her office and her life. Ivy was confident she’d done the right thing. A few minutes in his presence and she was working chains and affairs into her sentences. Not only was he was out of her league, but she was pretty sure mister professional would be uncomfortable with her sexual preferences.

“What were you thinking? You don’t have any appointments today,” Candy said.

“It’s for the best. He might be interested now, but not after he gets to know me.” She rubbed at her forehead. “Maybe I will take the rest of the day off. Suddenly, my head is killing me.”

“Good for you. Fridays are the best for taking off early.” She pointed her pen right at Ivy. “Maybe after a day off you’ll start making sense again, because right now, I’m only hearing crazy talk.” She got up and walked into Ivy’s office.

“Nice.”

“You always told me to be honest,” she said as she came back with Ivy’s purse.

“I did. I see now how that’s backfiring on me.” Ivy took her purse. “See you Monday. Call me if anything comes in and don’t forget to check new clients against the black list.”

“Ugh.” Candy threw up her hands. “That’s what I forgot to do last week. I’m so sorry.”

“That’s okay, but don’t forget to go back and check everyone.”

“I’m going to do that today. I promise.” Candy ran around the desk and wrote on the notepad.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s hard when things get busy.”

“Thank you. Now, get out of here and go have some fun.”

“Will do,” she said with the biggest smile she could muster. Ivy grabbed the dollar bill from the vase and walked out of the office.

She hadn’t taken an afternoon off in over a year. It felt like she was playing hooky and she had no idea what to do. All her friends were working. Shopping alone was no fun.

Maybe she could pick up an extra training session at Club Voyage. Ivy had only joined the BDSM club a couple months ago, after an enlightening conversation with her cousin’s girlfriend, but it was the first time her sexual preferences had made any sense. The dues were steep and worth every penny. It was the one luxury she indulged in.

She sent a text to her trainer, Master Marcus and walked out the front door. Sunshine heated her skin. She stopped and smiled up at the sky taking in the moment. What a beautiful day.

“Someone must have canceled on you.”

She lowered her head and spotted Seth standing next to a sleek black car. Heat lit up her cheeks. Maybe if she didn’t move, she could blend into the pavement and disappear, never to be seen again.

“Please tell me someone had the bad taste to cancel because I know you didn’t just lie to me, right?”

“I thought you would have been gone already.” She clasped a hand over her mouth.

“That’s fine.” His easy smile told her he wasn’t lying either. “I’d rather you be honest with me, even if it does hurt my feelings.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not sure how that slipped out.”

“I’m not sorry. Now you can make it up to me.” He opened his car door. “I’m taking you to lunch.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. His smile was gone. It was no longer a question. She soaked in his command and stepped into his car without thinking it through.

____________________________________________________

Review:

“Untangle Me is a quick, sexy. and easy afternoon read spiced by a touch of BDSM. An enjoyable read with engaging characters.”

BUY LINKS:

Evernight Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks | BookStrand

____________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY:

To celebrate the release of UNTANGLE ME,
I’m giving away one $15 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

____________________________________________________

Inside Look with Eileen Griffin author of Dinner For Two

Posted on December 18, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

I’m so pleased to have Eileen Griffin today. She’s talking about two of my favorite things: Evernight Publishing’s Romance on the Go and Italy. I’m in my happy place. Enjoy!

Thank you SJ for having me on your blog today 🙂

One of my favorite things to do is travel. Especially to Europe. Many people envision traveling in luxurious style while they visit a foreign place. For me? I love to backpack from place to place, hopping on and off trains whenever a place looks interesting or inviting. One of my favorite places to backpack across is Italy. The people there have always been friendly; the sites are beyond breath-taking; and the food is out-of-this-world delicious. One of my favorite meals in Italy was in Rome, off the Piazza Navona, where I had the most amazing seafood salad and pizza. I think my love of all things Italian had a major influence on my decision to make Tony, the male MC and head chef Italian and make the setting an Italian restaurant. Good food can make an evening enjoyable. But excellent food and an incredibly sexy chef can make an evening a night that won’t be forgotten for a long, long time 🙂

Dinner For Two

by: Eileen Griffin

Genre: Erotic Romance

Length: Romance On The Go – Short Story

Published: December 17, 2013

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

BLURB:

Sonia Davenport has dreams of coordinating and planning special events. When she’s given the opportunity to plan a dinner for her boss and his shareholders, she jumps at the chance to make everything perfect. Helping her plan the special night is the head chef of the restaurant, Tony Mancinni, who is not only charming but goes out of his way to make Sonia feel special during the entire planning process.

The dinner party almost turns disastrous when an employee mixes up the orders and sets out the wrong food. In a mad rush to save the dinner, Sonia and Tony realize their attraction to each other when things heat up in the kitchen. However, Tony has to convince Sonia that he wants more than just an extra set of hands in his restaurant – he wants her to stay the night so he can convince her to stay for good.

EXCERPT:

Tony gently rubbed his finger along her bottom lip. “I had hoped everything would be perfect tonight because I wanted to impress you. When you came in for brunch that first Sunday and laid out your plans, not only were you beautiful, but you had a detailed description of what you wanted. On the catering side of things, you have no idea how attractive that is. Then, when you came in for your tasting, I didn’t think I was going to make it through the afternoon without asking you out. But I have a strict rule: Don’t date the clients until after the function is over. So I waited. Do you have any idea how hard it was to wait?”

Sonia shook her head slightly, then let her lips part. Instead of replying to him, she slid her tongue out to meet his finger, gently caressing the tip. He hissed in a breath, his eyes fixated on her tongue and lips. Feeling emboldened by his words, she leaned closer and drew his finger deeper inside her mouth, wrapping her lips around it as she laved it with her tongue.

“Sonia,” he whispered. “You’re so beautiful. But I didn’t ask you up here for this.”

She leaned back, his finger sliding out of her mouth. All the nerves and doubts she’d felt earlier were replaced by a heat that was coursing through her. She’d felt it all night in the kitchen with him and it was stronger now that she knew he wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

“I’m glad you asked me up here, Tony. But if we’re being honest with each other, I think dinner can wait. You see, I’ve lost my appetite. For food, that is.”

BUY LINKS:

Evernight : http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dinner-for-two-by-eileen-griffin/

Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Dinner-Two-Romance-Eileen-Griffin-ebook/dp/B00HDE2G6M/

All Romance eBooks ARe : https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dinnerfortwo-1375536-149.html

EILEEN GRIFFIN BIO:

Eileen Griffin lives in the Southwest but loves to travel and has spent many summers crossing Europe with nothing but a backpack on her back. She enjoys TexMex, lives for good wine, and has a certain penchant for purple unicorns. She loves reading all genres of books, but her current obsession is writing M/M with lots of boykissing.

Blog: http://www.eileengriffin.wordpress.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eileengriffin77 @eileengriffin77

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eileen.griffin

Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/eileen-griffin/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7231778.Eileen_Griffin

Inside Look with Nikka Michaels author of Christmas with Caden

Posted on December 17, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Nikka Michaels is here. She brought all kinds of goodies. A beautiful cover, blurb, and excerpt for her brand new hot Christmas romance. Yum! I also got her to answer a bunch of questions. So, settle in and enjoy this Inside Look with Nikka Michaels.

Christmas with Caden

by: Nikka Michaels

Genre: Erotic Romance

Length: Short Story

Published: December 15, 2013

Publisher: Cobblestone Press

Hi Nikka! I’m so glad you’re here. I want you comfortable. So, picture your favorite place in the world. Now, can you tell us a little bit about it?

On a beach in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Beautiful sand, surf beach, crashing waves and usually it’s pretty warm. Put a cold beer in my hand and a game of lawn bowling and I’m in heaven.

That sounds fabulous. I’m relaxing just thinking about it. Tell us about yourself: Who are you and why did you start writing?

My name is Nikka Michaels and I started writing because I love the idea of being able to create miniature worlds with every story. Every time you open a blank document you’re about to create something new. I love that feeling.

That’s definitely a sweet spot. When you are not writing what are your favorite hobbies?

I love to read a lot, and listen to music. I cook and am a total foodie nerd. I spend pretty much all of the time I’m not writing with my family which is awesome.

That’s so nice. I’m still chained to an evil day job. Someday, I hope to get rid of it. I’ll have to have you back to share some of your favorite recipes. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

You can ask people’s advice on how everything works but you pretty much just have to learn as you go. So learning to be patient and not get discouraged was definitely a challenge.

Learning things on your own is priceless. Very true, Nikka. Can you tell us about a criticism you’ve received that pushed you into a better writing place?

Stop rambling and telling all the backstory ever in a story. For me that’s really difficult not to info-dump at the beginning so I like to think I’ve learned a little since my first story.

Starting in the “action” and letting the backstory dribble in are definitely skills to master. Which one of your characters would you most like to meet in real life?

Probably Ethan from the upcoming books I’m working on with my co-writer, Eileen Griffin called In the Raw and In the Weeds. He’s feisty, mouthy and unapologetic.

I think I’m going to like him. 😀 What turns you on creatively?

Being allowed to just ramble out whatever I need to, to get the story ordered in my head. Listening to music helps too.

What is your greatest fear?

Spiders. Heights. A spider falling on me from a great height? 🙂

What is your greatest extravagance?

Music, probably. I’ll save as long as I can to buy music on I tunes.

What is your favorite music (genre/artist/album/song)?

It totally depends on the day and what mood I’m in. Today it was Modest Mouse and The Civil Wars. Tomorrow it’ll be U2 and Maroon 5.

Yes! This explains why we get along so well. Love all those groups. Especially The Civil Wars. What is the one thing you do after finishing a story?

Sit back and save the hell out of the file. In a gazillion different places. Then I eat some chocolate and start on the next one.

Tell us a bit about the projects you are working on now?

I have a story called Waking Up Wolf in Evernight Publishing’s Alpha’s Claim: Manlove Edition shifter anthology in January. Also, I have a short M/M BDSM story called Room Service releasing from Cobblestone Press in February. Right now I’m working with my co-writer, Eileen Griffin on the two book M/M foodie series, titled In the Raw and In the Weeds from Carina Press. Both will be released back to back in 2014 so we’re working hard on them right now.

How exciting. I’m looking forward to having you back in 2014. Thanks, Nikka. Congratulations on the release 😀

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN BLURB:

Paige Anthony is annoyed at spending Friday night at the company Christmas party. She’s bored until she spots the son of the boss, Caden Davis dancing and is intrigued.

When Caden saves Paige from the advances of his brother, she looks at him in a new light. A few sexy dances later, she manages to forget the horrible beginning of the night. When she decides to leave, he offers to walk her home and admits he’s wanted her for a while. Will Paige’s attraction be enough to make her forget about holidays past and consider Christmas with Caden?

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN EXCERPT:

“Is this how you really dance? Because you can show me the real you, you know. After all, you did just middle school dance me. I want a Caden dance.”

His slow, wicked smile made her stomach flip and heat flood her skin. “You want me? You got me.”

Slowly he spun her in a circle, her back resting against the front of his body. His hands settled on her hips, squeezing gently as he nuzzled her ear. His fingers pulled the fabric of her dress taut against her nipples as the delicious friction intensified with every move. She bit back a low moan at the sensation.

“This is me. This is how I really dance.”

Shivering at the feel of his warm breath against her ear, she closed her eyes and let her body go loose, relaxing as she moved with the beat of the music. His hands smoothed up and down her sides, teasingly light as he moved with her, not guiding but simply moving with her.

Through the thin fabric of her dress and his shirt and suit pants, heat from his body added to the sweat that beaded on her skin. She could feel his hardness pressing against her ass when she rocked back into him, though he let her lead all their movement. The club had gotten more crowded as they’d danced. The look on his face when she glanced up at him was one of hunger, his heavy-lidded eyes gone dark, illuminated by the flash of the strobe light. With the top buttons of his shirt undone, he looked as though he’d just been dragged off the floor and ravished.

Paige wanted to be the reason he looked that way.

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN BUY LINKS:

Cobblestone Press: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/christmaswithcaden.htm

Amazon:

All Romance eBooks:

Barnes and Noble:

NIKKA MICHAELS BIO:

Nikka Michaels lives in the often rainy Pacific Northwest where she spends her time cooking, laughing and crafting romantic tales to satisfy her craving for HEAs.

Blog: http://www.nikkamichaels.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nikkamichaels

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Nikka.Michaels

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7231273.Nikka_Michaels

Good morning and thanks to S.J. Maylee for hosting me. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday.

Spotlight: Taming a Gentleman Spy by Maggi Andersen

Posted on December 16, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Taming a Gentleman Spy

(The Spies of Mayfair)

By Maggi Andersen

Length: 280 pages

Blurb:

John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn, is on an urgent mission to find the killer of his fellow spy. After visiting the young widow of one of his agents, Strathairn strengthens his resolve. A spy should never marry, and most certainly not to Lady Sibella Winborne, with her romantic ideas of love and marriage. Unable to give Sibella up entirely, he has kept her close as a friend. Then, weak fool that he is, he kissed her. Lady Sibella Winborne has refused several offers of marriage since she first set eyes on the handsome Earl of Strathairn. Sibella’s many siblings always rush to her aid to discourage an ardent suitor, but not this time. Her elder brother, Chaloner, Marquess of Brandreth, has approved Lord Coombe’s suit. Sibella yearns to set up her own household. She is known to be the sensible member of the family, but she doesn’t feel at all sensible about Lord Strathairn. If only she could forget that kiss.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Gentleman-Spy-Spies-Mayfair-ebook/dp/B00FG9MTGI”>http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Gentleman-Spy-Spies-Mayfair-ebook/dp/B00FG9MTGI

Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing Ltd. http://www.knoxrobinsonpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=190?osCsid=7ca7b93ba2d4d9c4a32d9ec07cf6f205

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-a-gentleman-spy-maggi-andersen/1116300615

Author Bio:
Maggi Andersen fell in love with the Georgian and Regency worlds after reading the books of Georgette Heyer. Victoria Holt’s Gothic Victorian novels were also great favorites.

She has raised three children and gained a BA and an MA in Creative Writing. After husband David retired from the law, they moved to the beautiful Southern Highlands of Australia.

Maggi’s free time is spent enjoying her garden and the local wildlife, reading, movies and the theatre. She keeps fit swimming and visiting the gym.

Maggi is a multi-published author, and writes mysteries and young adult novels as well as her Georgian, Regency and Victorian romances.

Author Website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com

Author Blog: http://www.maggiandersen.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/maggiandersen

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggi-Andersen-Author/372854959805

Excerpt:

Beneath glistening chandeliers, the dancers spun to the strains of a Handel waltz. Strathairn smiled down at his partner, her slim waist beneath his hand as they danced. Lady Sibella Winborne looked like a delicate flower in a gauzy pale gown covered in amber blossom. White ostrich feather plumes adorned her luxuriant dark locks. He enjoyed looking at her. Her serene oval face lifted and she smiled at him, her mouth wide and full. Too wide for beauty some might say, but made for kissing. She had inherited her mother’s famous eyes, a delectable mix of blue and green, but her nature was quieter, lacking the vivacity of her mother in her youth, who was said to have had men falling at her feet. He admired Sibella’s calm beauty, but she was oh, so much more: practical, poised and intelligent. Yet still unmarried, which surprised him.

“You arrived late tonight. I wasn’t sure you’d come,” she said.

“I was tied up with business.”

“Not parliament?”

“No.”

She tilted her head. “Your horses, then?”

He grinned at her blatant curiosity. “No.”

“You won’t tell me.”

“No.”

Sibella laughed with good humor. “Very well. Might I find you riding in Hyde Park tomorrow?”

“I hope to.”

Her delicate brows rose. “If business doesn’t keep you.”

He laughed. “Precisely.”

The music faded away. Strathairn escorted her back to her chair where her mother, the Dowager Marchioness of Brandreth, sat fanning herself among the other dowagers. He bowed, planning to slip into the rooms set aside for gambling. As much as he might wish to dance with Sibella again, it would place them under scrutiny, and faro was an effective release from the tension he always carried with him.

“Don’t rush off, Strathairn,” her sharp-eyed mother said. “We have seen little of you of late. You rarely frequent these affairs.” She waved her fan in an arc to encompass the ballroom. “Where have you been hiding?”

“Not hiding, my lady, merely visiting my estates.”

Lady Brandreth adjusted the silk shawl over her shoulders. “Did you include that pile of yours in Yorkshire? I enjoyed the hunt ball, but it’s cold as charity in winter up in those parts.”

“Not this time, but I miss it. There’s a wild beauty to the dales in winter, quite unlike southern England.”

“I daresay.” Her purple turban wobbled as she nodded. “You are a fine figure of a man, Strathairn. What are you now? Six and thirty? You should marry. You should be setting up your nursery.” She gestured toward her daughter sitting beside her. “Sibella will bear you healthy children. The Brandreths come of good stock, and the Wederells even better.”

“Mama, please!” He caught Sibella’s apologetic gaze and suppressed a wry smile. Her plea would have little effect; the marchioness was known to be one of the most colorful and outspoken members of the ton.

The dowager batted her daughter’s protest away with her fan. “I am merely speaking the truth, Sibella.”

“Your daughter is a credit to you, my lady,” he said with a smile. “She has inherited both your beauty and intelligence.”

“Now you are toad eating.” A roguish smile lit Lady Brandreth’s face. “You always were a charmer. Sibella is intelligent. Walk with her on the terrace to discover it for yourself.”

“I should be delighted.”

GIVEAWAY!!!Enter to win a $30 Amazon card and an E-copy of A Baron in Her Bed!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Writing Warriors – No Fairy Tales Here

Posted on December 15, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Click the logo for the Weekend Writing Warriors blog

Welcome friends old and new. I’m glad you came. Today, I’m sharing from my second release, UNTANGLE ME.

Ivy is a young event planner and she’s completely smitten with her newest client, the ultra successful businessman, Seth. LAST WEEK: Ivy let herself get lost in Seth as she watched him command the room THIS WEEK: I’ve skipped nothing.

Within minutes, his auction of trips to exotic locales and plane rides to Mackinaw City and Door County had earned his charity thousands, and before he was done the wealthy group had given enough to surpass his goal. It seemed they donated to charity with the same amount of thought she put into buying a movie ticket.

The little bit of fun she’d had with Seth over the last week and the desire he’d awakened made Ivy forget her place. She looked down at her shoes. She might be able to afford a nice pair of high heels now, but even they pushed her budget. This group was a fickle bunch, one she couldn’t help work for, but one she no longer wanted in any other part of her life. She had first-hand experience with the damage they created for fun. She wanted Seth, but she wanted nothing to do with his lifestyle.

Their connection is definitely real, but it may be a bit tangled. <~ You can <tweet that> if you want. Come back next Sunday for another snippet or find the buy links below and read it today.

Click here to add UNTANGLE ME to your Goodreads TBR list

BLURB:

Ivy’s revenge on the people behind her family’s downward spiral is simple and it’s working. There’s no need to long for help from the wealthy business owners who turned their backs on her father. Ivy may be worn out, but she’s finding herself again after joining the local BDSM club.

Seth has it all. He has homes around the world and the little red speedster he dreamed of as a little boy, but none of the things he can buy satisfy him, not the socialites hanging on his arm or the submissives falling at his feet. Then, he hires Ivy to plan his next event.

Seth and Ivy enjoy each other’s company in and out of the planning stages for Seth’s charity event. Their playful bets lead them to a first date. When their secret kinks are revealed, the pair fall deep, but it’s not meant to last. Past hurts come back to haunt Ivy. Now, it’s time for Seth to use all he’s learned, regardless if he can win back the girl.

BUY LINKS:

Evernight | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks | BookStrand

Thank you so much for visiting me, it means a lot to me that you took the time to visit my little place on the web. Don’t forget to check out the other Weekend Warriors, the Snippet Sunday Facebook Group, and Saturday Spankings too.

ROW80 Check-in #84 – Party Time

Posted on December 15, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

The writing challenge that knows you have a life.

Let the parties begin. Tis the season, right? By the end of this week, I’ll have attended four holiday parties already. I think we’re trying to set a new record for the number of parties we attend at the holidays, lol. My mom just informed me, we need to attend another party on the day after Christmas. It already seems like the holiday that won’t end. Now, I think it’s truth.

Well, The decorations are finally all up at our house and it all looks beautiful. The charm of the holiday sure does help put me in the spirit. Something has got to. It seems this year, I’d rather be editing then doing something festive. Editing. Yes, you read that right. 🙂

I tried a new recipe for the party we attended Friday night. You might have seen it on Pinterest. Click the image here to see the recipe at Eclectic Recipes.

I made a few changes. I made my pizza dough from my normal Betty Crocker recipe and that worked fine. I used Olive Oil, just basil, and garlic salt to finish them. So, good.

This recipe is definitely a keeper. Have you come across any new recipes or tips this year?

The Goals – week-10 results

Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done. 🙂
Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- half done. I finally got back to editing this week, but not daily. I had wanted to finish editing two projects this month. Now, I’m just focusing on one. Something had to give.
Take care of and be kind to myself- half done. The stress of the season is definitely draining me. I have so much to do this week that I’m kind of going numb. Ugh! I sure had fun on my blog this week though and that fills my bucket.

What you might have missed here this week:

Daily Picspiration – A Bench Out of Reach with Roxanne and Jonathon

This is the fifth installation in my flash fiction love story.

Spotlight: Fall Into Me by K.M. Scott <- includes a great giveaway

Flash Fiction #52 – and the Christmas Blog Hop <- includes a giveaway too

This is the last week to enter my Release Party Giveaway for UNTANGLE ME.

Flash Fiction #52 – and the Christmas Blog Hop

Posted on December 13, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Thanks for stopping. Another picture…another 100 words.

Plus, we’re not just flashing today. A bunch of us are celebrating the season with a Christmas Blog Hop starting today through December 16th.

“Is there anyone in here? Call out.”

She’d yet to gather all her memories and she’d be damned if she’d call out before she was ready.

The door behind her cracked and split in two. She turned to her bag and shoved in the picture of her parents.

“The fire’s coming. Let’s go.”

“Not yet.” This fucking world had taken enough from her. “Just one more picture, please.”

He hauled her over his shoulder and tipped her world over. “It’s not worth losing you.”

She wiggled and swung her bag at him.

He slapped her ass. “Enough, I’ve got you.”

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Hope you enjoyed my flash today!!

For my Christmas Blog Hop giveaway, I’ll be giving away one ecopy of my debut, TAKING CHANCES. Find the rafflecopter below.

5 Star Review: “Taking Chances, is a must read for anyone who wants a great story, well written, smoking hot smexy scenes and an oh so hot hero.”

5 Star Review: “Taking Chances is SJ Maylee’s debut novel and she does an excellent job of creating interesting characters searching for connection while providing enough kink and spice to heat things up.”

5 Star Review: “it’s well written, there’s no slw moments and it’s packed full of hot sexual tension”

BLURB:

Lydia’s father walked away from her when she was eight. She’s struggled to not let him affect her, but fears she wasn’t loveable enough to make him stay. Jake wants to love one woman, but after scaring the last woman he met outside of the club, he doubts he deserves the right. She protects her heart by sticking with her fantasies and he lives by a set of rules that excludes women who choose a vanilla lifestyle.

The two will be kept in a conference room working together until their special project is complete. If Lydia and Jake hold tight to their bland lives, they’ll always yearn for love that is out of reach. Together they find common ground, passion, and a reason to take chances. Once they discover the grand possibilities of the love they desire, they find themselves in the very place they tried never to be again, facing unguaranteed loved.

BUY LINKS: Evernight | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Enter to win SJ’s Giveaway through this rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find the rest of the Christmas Blog Hoppers here or through this list. So, hop and have fun.

1. Naomi Shaw 2. Muffy Wilson 3. Doris O’Connor 4. Michaela Rhua 5. Fierce Dolan 6. J S Morbius 7. Is me 🙂 8. Dariel Raye 9. Raven McAllan

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Don’t forget to follow the link to get to the other FFF posts. Flasher Fiction Friday. Or click away on the links below.

J S Morbius: http://morbiussworld.blogspot.co.uk/
Doris O’Connor: http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/
Michaela Rhua: http://michaelarhuaauthor.blogspot.co.uk
Fierce Dolan: http://www.fiercedolan.com
Naomi Shaw: www.authornaomishaw.com
Muffy Wilson: http://muffywilson.blogspot.com
Pablo Michaels: http://www.pmmanmanromance.com
Leann Mitchell: http://www.leannmitchell.blogspot.com
Raven McAllan: http://www.ravenmcallan.blogspot.com
Michelle Howard: www.michellehowardwrites.com
Dariel Raye: http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com

Spotlight: Fall Into Me by K.M. Scott

Posted on December 10, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

Fall Into Me

(Heart of Stone #2)

By: K.M. Scott

Published: November 25, 2013

Length: 233 pages

Blurb:The second book in the Heart of Stone series continues the sensual and emotional story of Tristan and Nina that began in Crash Into Me…

Wealthier and more powerful than most men his age, Tristan Stone merely has to give voice to his desires and whatever he wants is his. Money has given him the ability to say nothing and no one is beyond his reach.

Except for Nina. Stripped of her memory after an accident, she doesn’t remember the man who loves her. Now he must find a way to show her why she fell in love with him, but the past is always just a step behind, threatening to take her away forever.

Unsure of everything about the past four years, Nina believes Tristan loves her. But will the secrets he holds tear them apart just when she needs him most?

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fall-Into-Me-Heart-Stone-ebook/dp/B00GW3TPWI/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fall-into-me-km-scott/1117299036

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fall-into-me-heart-of-stone-2/id735505227

EXCERPT:

I didn’t want to hold back anymore. I wanted her to be mine again, body and soul. Cradling the back of her head, I drew her mouth toward mine and kissed her with all the desire I’d kept bottled up for all those weeks. Her lips were soft against mine but as eager and passionate as I slid my tongue into her mouth to find hers. When she sighed into my mouth, I couldn’t wait anymore.

My hands clawed at the zipper down the back of her dress, but it got stuck an inch from the top. Aching to be inside her, I tore the two halves of the dress apart, ruining the zipper and the dress.

“Tristan, my dress!” she cried as I pulled it from her body.

“I don’t care. I’ll buy you ten dresses just like it,” I panted as I unhooked her bra and slid the first strap over her shoulder. “Same thing with the bra. And if these panties don’t come off easy, I’m going to rip through them too.”

Nina’s fingers tore through my shirt buttons until it hung open, and I quickly shrugged out of it. She was as desperate as I was to be out of those damn clothes. In seconds, she had my belt off and my pants and boxer briefs off my legs, and I had her pushed up against the wall.

As I lifted her off the ground to wrap her legs around my waist, I pressed my forehead to hers and rasped, “I hope you weren’t expecting something slow and gentle. I can give you that, but tonight I don’t want to wait. I need to be inside you, Nina.”

Moaning, she pulled me close, but just then I remembered her sore ribs. Pulling back, I said, “I forgot about what the doctor said. Maybe we should go easy this time.”

She dug her heels into my lower back and pulled my mouth to hers in a deep kiss. Her voice husky, she groaned, “Please, Tristan. I’m not a china doll. I’ll tell you if something hurts.”

I gently slid just the head of my cock into her, still worried I might hurt her if I didn’t take it slow. My body was in agony wanting to bury myself inside her, but I didn’t want to risk bruising those already sore ribs. I could give her gentle, even if every part of me wanted much more.

Nina pushed her palms against my chest and held me away from her. Worried I’d already screwed this up, I opened my mouth to apologize but she touched her finger to my lips to stop me. “Don’t make me wait. I don’t want gentle now. I want you…all of you.”

Her fingers pressed into the back of my neck as I plunged balls deep into her wet and willing cunt. Nothing in the entire world ever felt better than that moment when our bodies joined together as one again. Her body was hot and enveloped me, taking my body to places I thought only existed in my imagination.

K.M. Scott Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmscottauthor

Twitter: @kmscottromance

Blog: http://authorkmscott.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY:

2 $25 Amazon gift cards at
the end of the tour ….. Just enter the Rafflecopter to win!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unofficial Book Trailer

Daily Picspiration – A Bench Out of Reach with Roxanne and Jonathon

Posted on December 9, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

– Don’t miss my Release Party for UNTANGLE ME –

I’m back at Daily Picspiration today with a brand new flash and it’s also listed below. This is the fifth flash in the story of Roxanne and Jonathon. I haven’t been telling their story from beginning to end which has been strangely fun. 🙂 Today’s flash enters the story line right in the middle of it all. You can find all the flashes listed in story order on my Roxanne & Jonathon page here.

A Bench Out of Reach (Jonathon’s POV)

Jonathon kicked the gravel under his feet. It had already been seven long days since they’d taken him from Roxanne and dropped him at the opposite end of the world. The fates had offered no explanation for their interruption, something they’d always done in the past. They’d only told him to look for the bench. The change in their tactics had festered like a tick under his skin.

The bench he and Roxanne so often shared was nowhere to be found and with each passing day she slipped further and further away.

He worried about Roxanne, he could only hope they were leaving her alone, but if they changed one tactic, he wouldn’t put it past them to change another. The bastards would pay regardless. Every second without his Roxanne felt like an eternity of agonizing deaths.

The rumble of a train in front of him broke into his thoughts. He looked up and watched the passing train. One train car had its large doors wide open. There was nothing inside but a bench.

“Fuck.”

Jonathon took off. His knees pulling up higher and higher with each punishing stride. A spark ran through his legs and he felt the pull. If only he could get to the bench, they’d take him back to his heart’s desire. They’d have to do it, if only he could reach the bench. The train picked up its speed and with each second got further away. He tripped and rolled down the embankment. Stone tore into his palms and burned a stinging path to his heart.

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I have so much more I want to add to this story, more to add to the beginning, middle, and the end. I’ll share another flash soon You’ll have to let me know if you have a preference on what part of the story you want to read next.

Hope you enjoyed my flash. Visit Daily Picspiration to read a little about each contributing author. You can go back daily for something new and go today to see the pictures that inspired these words.

See all of my flashes at Daily Picspiration here –> http://picspiration.blogspot.com/search?q=S.J.+Maylee