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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

Spotlight: Marooned with the Millionaire by Sandra Bunino

Two beautiful things have come together in one lovely package. Sandra Bunino’s previously released novellas “Marooned in Miami” and “Lusted in Las Vegas” have been combined and enhanced for Evernight Publishing. I loved both of these books and I’m looking forward to experiencing them again. Plus, Sandra’s here with all the details. So, pour yourself a cocktail and get comfy.

Thank you so much for having me on to share my new release, Marooned with the Millionaire. Jason and Stephanie are my all time favorite characters (don’t tell my other characters, they’ll be jealous). 🙂

Marooned with the Millionaire
by Sandra Bunino
ebook: 100 pages
Published: April 9th 2013 by EvernightPublishing
(first published January 2nd 2012)

BLURB:

A fierce Miami storm bring sexy strangers together at The Hotel Del Santos for a night of desire.

Stephanie, still reeling from a failed marriage, needs a break from the past. Shying away from the convention center crowds while on a business trip, she finds solace tucked away in a secluded hotel on South Beach.

Jason, a wealthy Seattle builder, has the worst luck with love. He swears he will never allow another woman to get under his skin, until the clicking of a pair of sexy stilettos across the hotel lobby floor attracts his attention.

Cut off from the outside world, the lives of these two strangers collide and burn with desire when a storm strands them together. Neither wants anything more than a glorious one-night stand.

Their chemistry is undeniable and propels them to second meeting in Sin City. However, Stephanie soon learns she has more reason to be wary of her mysterious lover than a broken heart.

EXCERPT:

Las Vegas. Sin City. A place known for glitz, glamour, excitement and fantasy. it was a premier adult playground where one could pretend to be anything or anyone because “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

Jason held her hand and gestured toward the lobby with his other. People stared as he escorted her through the hotel to the waiting limousine. By herself, she was exposed and vulnerable, but at Jason’s side she was strong and empowered. Yes. She was in Sin City and Stephanie was going to play the part and enjoy every minute.

“Where are we going?” she asked, sliding into the limo.

“One of my favorite restaurants and I have a surprise for you after dinner.”

“I love surprises, and I have one for you too.” Stephanie leaned over and brushed her lips against his. Her fingertips grazed his thigh and traveled slowly up his leg. A strong hand encircled her wrist at the same time a low growl emanated from his mouth. Her eyes popped open and locked on his darkened stare. The intensity took her breath away.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “It’s taking all of my self-control not to take you right here in the back of the limo.”

“What’s stopping you?” she whispered back.

“Damn, we are going to have a fun five days together,” he said in a husky voice, raising his eyebrow.

Stephanie giggled and shifted in her seat as Jason loosened his grip on her wrist and interlaced his fingers with hers. They sat in silence for the rest of the short ride. The limousine turned at the François Hotel and Casino and came to a stop at the private entrance to Le Cote Noir.

The tinkling of piano keys, flickering candlelight and the deep shades of red took over Stephanie’s senses like a soft warm blanket as they walked into the restaurant. “Mr. Royce, it’s so good to see you this evening. Right this way.”

The maître d swiftly escorted them to a secluded table next to floor to ceiling windows overlooking the spectacular view of The Strip.

“I know I said it before, but I’m glad you took me up on my offer and arrived early. We have a lot of time to make up.”

“Speaking of offers, Jason. The clothes, the jewelry, you know I can’t accept any of it.”

Jason reached across table and took her hand in his. “You think too much. Just allow me to take care of you for a few days. Relax and let go, we’ll figure out everything else later.”

Stephanie opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. She knew it was a losing battle to spar with Jason about his gifts. At that moment the only thing that mattered was that she was with him. It was enough for her. Yes, we will figure the rest out later.

“Are you ready for surprise number one?” Jason asked as the server removed their dinner plates.

He rose and walked to her side of the table. She closed her eyes as a finger grazed the nape of her neck before he pulled her chair out and took her arm in his. She trembled in response to his sizzling touch on her bare back as he lead her through the doorway to the outside terrace. The maître d handed Jason and Stephanie each a glass of port as they walked onto an outdoor patio that jutted over the edge of the building. A cool breeze blew through her hair but she was instantly warmed by a sip of the rich liquid.

“It’s beautiful. I’ve seen the fountains at street level before but never this high up,” Stephanie said, walking up to the railing. She couldn’t actually hear the activity on the busy boulevard from their location high above The Strip, but the intensity in the air was evident. She gazed down at the famous fountains of The Castillo Hotel & Casino.

Jason took the port from her hand and placed the glasses on a nearby table. Stephanie instinctively leaned into the warmth of his palm on the bare small of her back. A sigh escaped her lips as his hand slipped inside the fabric of her dress and ventured lower until his fingertips brushed the top of her ass. The lights on the terrace dimmed and music began to play. A flash of light from the water below signaled a single long spray from the middle of the lake. It multiplied and set off a continuous line of water in the air that moved forward and back with the music. As the water danced in the air, the music’s volume increased. Stephanie placed both hands on the railing. He moved behind her and ran his fingers up the planes of her back and down both of her arms. Continuing his assault of warm kisses down her neck and between her shoulder blades, the tip of his tongue followed the trail back up her neck and stopped at her ear. Stephanie gasped and leaned into his body for support. His arms provided the stability she needed to remain standing.

“My self-control is giving out,” Jason whispered in her ear as his hand inched upward taking her dress hem along with it. Stephanie felt the evidence of his arousal pressing firmly against her back. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

“Let’s go,” she said with a coy smile.

Find Marooned with the Millionaire here:

Goodreads | Amazon | AllRomance eBooks | Evernight Publishing

BIO:Sandra Bunino

Sandra Bunino is a numbers crunching business professional by day who stays up past her bedtime thanks to her oh-so-sexy imagination. Who needs sleep, anyway? Sandra is constantly searching for different ways to achieve a heart-pumping, stomach-flipping, breath-catching reaction from her readers.

These days, Sandra lives on a wooded mountaintop not far from New York City with her family. She always looks forward to hearing from her readers and she may be contacted at sbunino@gmail.com. As a social media junkie in need of a ten-step program, you can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter (@sandrabunino).

Stalk Sandra here:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Pinterest

Remember, following is sexy!

Weekend Writing Warriors – A Blocked Path

AAA-WWW

Welcome friends new and old. I’m going to give you a couple more posts from the WIP I’ve been sharing before I move onto something new.

In the Blind (working title), and you can see the past posts from this WIP here. The Logline: When a head hunter finds her dream lover in a night of pitch black unrestrained passion, she fears she’ll never find him again. Fate steps in and throws the two together, but they might never discover the truth and stay in the blind.

Over the past few weeks I’ve shared Jane’s experience at Club Blind and her business opportunity that put her in touch with Rob. Last Post I brought Jane and Rob together to discuss a job opportunity that has the potential to lift or sink both of their careers. In this week’s post, Jane has presented Rob with the job description. He’s impressed until he learns where he’d be working.

“We can go over there right now. He’s waiting for us.” She got up, practically bouncing on her toes. “He just started looking yesterday. You’ll be his first interview.”

“No, I don’t think so. This won’t work.”

She stopped and turned around, but swallowed her disappointment as she took in his hunched posture and stony expression.

Oh boy. This job might not be a good fit for Rob. What’s a girl to do? Jane’s putting her career and love on the line. <If you want, you can Tweet That>  It’s time for Jane to choose. Will she push for her career and risk losing her chance with Rob?  Come back next week and I’ll give you another clue.

Hope you enjoyed my eight today. 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 Warriorsand Saturday Spankings too.

ROW80 Round 2 2013 Goals

Be the best you can be. It’s that simple and it is my goal for this round of 80-days. A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays. Have you read Kait Nolan’s post that started this round? Be The Best You and State Your Round 2 #ROW80 Goals. It’s a great empowering read and a fabulous way to start this round.

I’m not looking for perfection here. Nope. I’m looking for progress in this marathon of a writer’s journey.

Progress. What does that really mean? What am I really looking for this round? I want to finish edits on two projects. I want to find some beta readers. I want to start writing that next book. I want to read books. I want to study my craft. I want to find a way to fit Nia studies into my week and I want to have some fun.

My ROW80 goals are all in addition to my already full schedule of evil day job, mom, and home maker responsibilities. It’s up to me. The power is in my hands. It’s my choice to be here. It’s my choice to show up and push for my dreams.

Good habits have been my friend the last couple of rounds. Although I have no plans to try and cement my day with rules, I’m looking to build on my healthy patterns and take advantage of my day.

My goal is to be the best me I can be. I may not always be perfect, but I’ll keep showing up.

Do you have a strategy for the next 80-days?

The Goals

  • Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
  • Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
  • Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep, and my calorie limit
  • Weekly Nia study (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)
  • Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities
  • Organize something in the house each week

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

What you might have missed here since my last check-in:

A Chat with Maggi Andersen author of A Baron in her Bed
Flash Fiction #39 A Hard Climb
Spotlight: His Desire, Her Surrender by Malia Mallory
Spotlight: Destiny Gift by Juliana Haygert
Spotlight: A Hell Hound’s Fire by Siobhan Muir

Spotlight: A Hell Hound’s Fire by Siobhan Muir

hellhoundSMA Hell Hound’s Fire

by Siobhan Muir

Published: April 01, 2013
Words: 17,609 (approximate)
Genre: Paranormal Romance

I fell for this book as Siobhan shared a snippet at a time on Sundays. I’m excited it’s finally out and did I mention this is a free read. Oh yeah. The blurb, excerpt, and all the details on Siobhan are below, along with the download link. Enjoy.

BLURB:

Love can be found in the most unlikely places, even the heart of a Hell Hound.

Alex MacLaren figures he’ll never find love again after his mate dies. As one of the rare Hell Hound werewolves, his chances are slim to none. And slim went home. When the local Morukai shaman calls on him to protect a lovely Irish werewolf and her young son from demons, he can’t help but take the job.

Sarah Flanagan is desperate to save her son Liam from the deadly monster trailing them, but she’s out of options and places to hide. She lost her mate the last time she encountered a demon, and with Liam depending on her, the stakes are far higher this time. After meeting Alex, she’s not sure about the Hell Hound, but she’s no fool. He’s their best hope for survival… and hers for another chance at love.

EXCERPT:

Sarah jerked her head around so fast she heard her neck pop. The man’s rich, rumbling voice offered comfort in ways she’d never experienced before. She inhaled to get more of an understanding of the salt-and-pepper haired man standing in the doorway. He carried the scents of alpine river and hot stone, but more importantly, he smelled like a Moon Singer.

Don’t be fooled, gel. The demon can pull off such trickery.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Alex MacLaren. Lt. Fitzroy called me to take you somewhere safe.”

She sighed. “Thank you, but I don’t think there’s anywhere safe from what’s following us.”

“Fitzroy says running water helps throw off the scents. I happen to own a house surrounded by the river. What say we get you there and then figure out an additional plan of action?”

“Are you west of left field, Mr. MacLaren?” The Moon Singer code popped out before she thought.

He gave her a half smile. “I haven’t heard that phrase in a long time. But, yes, ma’am, I surely am west of left field.

Sarah hadn’t known she’d been holding her breath until it rushed out in a relieved sigh. More relief than required over his not being the demon. What’s that about?

“Do you think we’d be safe from…what’s coming?”

“Let’s talk about it on the way. The fewer people who know, the less likely someone might tip off your pursuer.”

Sarah wanted to ask more questions, but a sense of urgency made her rise and pull Liam up with her. Her son watched Alex with wide, blue eyes, clutching the book.

“Mama, can we bring the book with us?”

“It doesn’t belong to us, Liam.”

“Bring it. Fitzroy won’t mind. He keeps books just for that reason. We’ll just go out the back to my Jeep.” Alex gestured to the door. No one stood in the hallway outside and Sarah scented Alex’s relief.

He ushered them out to a cherry red Jeep Rubicon and helped them inside. He buckled Liam in directly behind him as if to protect the boy with his own body. The inside of the Jeep smelled like Alex. His strength, comfort, and power wrapped around them as he closed the doors. Old sorrow spiced the other scents and Sarah wondered what wounds he carried.

“I’m taking you to the River House. I don’t go there very much anymore, so most people in town won’t know about it.” Alex scanned the world outside the windows with careful eyes as he drove. “It may be a little dusty, but it’s quiet and safe.”

“Why don’t you go there much?” Liam asked.

Sarah hissed a warning and the boy frowned.

“My mate and I built it for relaxation. After she left, it just didn’t feel the same.”

“I’m sorry about your mate.” Sarah smelled his pain as he shrugged nonchalantly.

“It happened a long time ago.” Alex checked his mirrors and made a turn up a dirt road. “Let’s talk about what’s going on with you. Fitzroy told me you have a demon after you. Want to tell me how that happened?”

Sarah clenched her jaw and looked at her son. She hated revisiting the memories, but she’d come to the Morukai and he’d brought Alex in to help. Knowledge is power and I can’t do this alone anymore.

“Six years ago, demons attacked our village.” Alex raised his eyebrows and Sarah shrugged, pushing away fresh grief. “We’d just learned of my pregnancy and had gone out to celebrate. They killed my mate, Malcolm, and left me for dead.” She rubbed the ragged scar along her thigh under her jeans. “They killed so many people. If we’d stayed home, we might have escaped.”

Alex whistled with amazement. “They bit you?”

She nodded. “Bit, scratched. They left my body a bloody mess.”

“How did you survive the venom?”

“I don’t know. Sheer dumb luck? I wish I could explain.” She glanced at Liam. He met her gaze with love and trust.

“Why would the demons pursue you now?” Alex downshifted and slowed the Jeep, sparing her a thoughtful look.

Sarah sighed and clenched her fists on her legs. “They’re after Liam.” Alex only raised an eyebrow. “He must have incorporated some of the venom during his development because now he can smell and sense when demons are around. He has saved us from them many times.”

Alex’s expression softened. “That’s a mighty useful skill to have, Liam.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You can call me Alex.” He smiled. “What do they smell like to you?”

Liam didn’t say anything for a long time and the seconds ticked by with the growl of the engine. Sarah tried to forget the putrid demonic stench, but it festered inside her, engraved in her scent memory. At last, Liam glanced at her as if seeking permission and she nodded.

“They smell like rotten eggs and really hot rock.” He paused and hugged himself. “A little like you.”

BUY LINK:

Free ~~> Smashwords <~~ Free

BIO:

Siobhan Muir lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband, two daughters, and a vegetarian cat she swears is a shape-shifter, though he’s never shifted when she can see him. When not writing, she can be found looking down a microscope at fossil fox teeth, pursuing her other love, paleontology. An avid reader of science fiction/fantasy, her Siobhan conhusband gave her a paranormal romance for Christmas one year, and she was hooked for good.

In previous lives, Siobhan has been an actor at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, a field geologist in the Aleutian Islands, and restored inter-planetary imagery at the USGS. She’s hiked to the top of Mount St. Helens and to the bottom of Meteor Crater.

Siobhan writes kick-ass adventure with hot sex for men and women to enjoy. She believes in happily ever after, redemption, and communication, all of which you will find in her paranormal romance stories.

Siobhan’s upcoming release, Not a Dragon’s Standard Virgin, is from Siren Publishing, and she has published Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack through Siren, and Her Devoted Vampire through Evernight Publishing.

Where you can find Siobhan

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google Plus

@SiobhanMuir

Spotlight: Destiny Gift by Juliana Haygert

I have all the details today on Juliana Haygerts latest book, Destiny Gift. In this post you’ll find all the different ways to connect with Juliana, also the blurb, an excerpt, details on Juliana’a up coming blog tour and giveaway, and the buy links. Enjoy.

DestinyGift - mediumDESTINY GIFT

by Juliana Haygert

Genre: NA paranormal romance
Word Count: 73,000
Release date: April 1st, 2013

BLURB:

Thirty years in the future, a sinister New York City exists in permanent darkness.

A student at the secured NYU, nineteen-year-old Nadine has visions of Victor Gianni, an imaginary guy she has real feelings for. Afraid of being truly insane, she explains the visions away as simple daydreams, but she can no longer deny them when she bumps into Victor in real life. But this Victor doesn’t know her, and turns her away. After the encounter, Nadine’s visions change to those of eerie fates, gods she’s never heard of, demons with sharp claws they are not too timid to use … and instructions.

To discover if she’s losing her mind, Nadine follows the vague directions—with the real, rude and reluctant Victor—leading to a man who knows it all: Nadine can restore an ancient creed by unveiling the clues on her visions, and bring sunlight and peace to the world again. But that’s only if the demons and the other evil forces behind the darkness don’t stop her first.

EXCERPT:

I heard a heavy sigh and turned toward it. It was Victor. He was leaving the elevator down the hall and coming toward his grandma’s room. He had seen me and didn’t seem happy about it.

He wore faded jeans, a T-shirt, and a thin jacket. Too casual. I shook my head. The fact that my dream Victor and this real Victor were exactly the same physically, while their clothing styles and posture were the opposite of each other still boggled my mind.

He came to a stop before me. “You again.” There was disdain in his tone. I cringed.

“How are you?” I managed to ask and immediately felt silly. I had planted myself here in this hallway for over an hour waiting for him, and when he finally arrived, I didn’t know what to say. Though I really did want to know how he was. The last time I had seen him in the flesh, he’d been jerking on the floor of the hospital’s garage, in pain. “What was that … ah … before …?”” I trailed off, hoping he would understand what I was referring to.

He shrugged, his sea-green eyes still staring at me with suspicion. “I don’t know. By the way, how do you know my name?”

I twirled a lock of my hair around my index finger as I considered my answer. I wanted to answer him. I wanted to be honest, but he would never believe me.

As if my answer would pop out of the walls, I scanned the hallway.

At the end of the corridor, a nurse left a room and entered another.

“The nurse,” I almost shouted, hoping he wouldn’t notice my sudden lie. I avoided his inquisitive eyes. “I heard a nurse calling you earlier that day.”

His deadpan expression hid his thoughts and didn’t let me know if he was buying it or not.

“What did you do to me last night?” he asked, crossing his arms. God, I hated how his voice and his posture were so guarded and mistrustful. I wasn’t used to it.

“What do you mean?”

“When you touched me, the shock and the pain went away. How did you do that?”

“I don’t know.” This time I wasn’t lying. I really didn’t know. He frowned, clearly still suspicious. “Seriously, I have no idea.”

His shoulders stiffened. “What are you doing here? What do you want?”

My eyes widened as I retreated a few steps, trying to avoid his toxic tone.

Yes, he looked like my Victor—the same voice, the same hair, the same face, the same mouth that had offered me smiles that had rendered me breathless many, many times. I wanted to touch him, to embrace him, to tell him everything was going to be okay. Maybe if I touched him, he would remember me and he would want to touch me too.

I came closer to him, looking deeply into those wary green eyes, my fingers itching to stroke his skin, to feel it smoldering under my caress. But I didn’t. He was like my Victor, but he wasn’t my Victor. The Victor from my visions would never speak to me like this. He would never snap at me. No, no. My Victor loved my company, loved to hear me sing, loved to embrace me and inhale my scent.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice croaking under the heavy pressure inside my chest.

Then, I walked away.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon | Barnes&Nobles | Smashwords | Kobo

Juliana’s blog tour will take place April 29th to May 10th and there will be a rafflecopter giveaway:

April 29th
New Adult Addiction >> Review
Mom With A Kindle >> Interview
April 30th
The LUV’NV >> Review
Two Fantasy Floozies >>  Review
May 1st
Bookittyblog >> Review + Interview
May 2nd
Just a Booklover >> Review
Inkk Reviews >> Guest Post
May 3rd
A Dream Within A Dream >>  Review
Wanted Readers >> Review
May 6th
Justin’s Book Blog >> Review
Froggarita’s Bookcase >> Interview
May 7th
The Girl in a Cafe >> Review
Bibliophile Mystery >> Review

May 8th
What’s Beyond Forks? >> Review + Excerpt
Reader Girls >> Review>
Ramblings of a Diva Booknerd >> Review
May 9th
For The Love Of Film And Novels >> Interview
Writing Belle >> Guest Post
May 10th
Gizmos Reviews >> Guest Post
The Shadow Realm  >> Review>

BIO:

Juliana Haygert

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Goodreads | NA Alley

@Juliana_Haygert

Spotlight: His Desire, Her Surrender by Malia Mallory

_600x900His Desire, Her Surrender

by Malia Mallory

Length: 125 pages
Published: March 5th 2013
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Dominating BDSM Billionaires Erotic Romance series

I’m excited to have Malia back. She was here chatting with me back in January after she released the first in this series.

BLURB:

Tabitha Quinn’s Hawaii vacation was anything but ordinary. Dominant billionaire Marcus Granger saved her life, swept her into his bed, and then left her heartbroken. Now she’s back in New York, mourning the man she’s sure she’ll never see again.

Marcus may have left handprints on her skin, but Tabitha’s left handprints on his heart: he tracks her down, and they resume the sizzling affair they began in the islands.

Tabitha belongs to Marcus body and soul in bed, but she worries she doesn’t belong in his high-stakes world. They’ve already dodged a murder attempt, and now Marcus is fighting off a competitor’s takeover. When the rival company obtains critical information, suspicion falls on Tabitha. She has to prove she’s innocent–and worthy to wear Marcus’s collar.

EXCERPT:

Marcus tapped his stomach. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry. If you fix something, I’ll reward you later. Deal?”

“Sure.” Tabitha pulled chicken from the refrigerator as Marcus left her to find her way around the kitchen. She planned to cook something quick and easy on the stovetop. She located onions, chopped them and tossed them into a sauté pan. Further searching turned up rice and spices. A little saffron and cardamom and she’d have something tasty.

Once everything was in the pan, she tracked down the makings of a salad. That would do, she thought, chicken and rice with salad. Simple but appetizing.

As she set the table, Marcus reappeared, towels in hand. “I thought you might want one for sitting.” He spread one on the chair at the head of the table and the other on the chair to the side.

Tabitha handed Marcus the salad bowl. “This whole nudity thing. I’m not sure if I’d get used to it. Might get chilly.”

Marcus stole a carrot slice out of the salad and tossed it in his mouth. “I imagine so. But it can be a fun change of pace.”

“Yes.” Tabitha brought the chicken and rice to the table, and they settled in.

Marcus gazed on the food with appreciation. “This is great. I’m starving.”

“I hope you like it. I make it quite often.”

Marcus placed one hand on her thigh as he took a bite with the other.

Tabitha’s fork stopped in mid-air as heat flooded her. She was glad for the towel underneath her. The last thing she wanted was to stain the upholstery.

Marcus massaged her skin and slid his hand between her thighs.

Tabitha set down her fork. “Marcus!”

He continued eating. “Yes?”

“I can’t eat when you do that.”

“You can’t?” He took another bite of chicken, clearly enjoying it. His fingers searched her intimate recesses.

Tabitha pursed her lips, displaying an amused frown. “No. I’m too distracted.”

“Mmm. That is unfortunate. This meal is wonderful.”

“It’s hard to think about eating right now.”

Marcus maintained his innocent air while he explored her moistening skin. “Really? I’m having no trouble at all.” He ingested another bite.

*****

Malia Mallory is currently on virtual tour with 15 other awesome romance authors as part of the Insatiable Reads Book Tour. From March 4-31st, readers will be invited to enter for a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite, free books, and other fun goodies. Readers will also be able to participate in author chats, get insights into writing and publishing romance, and collect story swag.

To enter giveaways and meet the other writers, follow us at:
Website: www.insatiablereads.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/insatiable.books
Twitter: www.twitter.com/insatiablereads/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/100902224798608127488/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/selenakitt/insatiable-reads/

*****

Malia Mallory BiographyMaliaMalloryIcon

Malia Mallory lives in Hawaii with her husband and daughter. She’s been working with words since alphabet blocks rolled into her crib, not only writing her own work but copy editing and proofreading the work of others. She has loved to read about relationships since she first sneaked off with her mother’s Harlequin.

Malia Mallory is the best-selling author of The ABCs of Erotica series, which covers the erotic spectrum from BDSM to ménage and everything in between. More releases in the series are on the way. She has also released the Mia’s Cop Craving series and Santa’s Backdoor Baby. Malia’s books have hit the bestselling erotica lists at both Amazon and iTunes. Her books are available in electronic format at major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Sony, Diesel, Smashwords and AllRomance Books.

For a free copy of B is for Beach from The ABCs of Erotica, head to her website and sign up for the newsletter at http://www.maliamallory.com/Join_My_Mailing_List.php.

Connect with Malia Mallory

 Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Web Page

@MaliaMallory

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Flash Fiction #39 A Hard Climb

Thanks for stopping. Another picture…another 100 words.

March 29, 2013

Freedigitalphotos.net

The sting radiating from Shannon’s new blister threatened her goal, but she wanted to keep going. Her mission was to finish this hike on this day. She knew she could do it.

She’d even lost sight of her sexy new friend. Watching his firm back side had kept her at a brisk pace most of the morning. A rushing rumble rang out and the surrounding forest fell silent.

She pulled on everything she had left and willed her legs into the final climb. The falls came into view, washed away her sorrows, and filled her with peace.

“You made it.”

Hope you enjoyed my flash today!! Don’t forget to follow the link to get to the other FFF posts. Flasher Fiction Friday. Or click away on the links below.

Pablo Michaels: http://www.pmmanmanromance.com
Doris O’Connor: http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/
Naomi Shaw: www.authornaomishaw.com
Angelica Dawson: http://angelicadawson.blogspot.com/
J S Morbius: http://morbiussworld.blogspot.co.uk/
Sherri Hayes: http://www.sherri-hayes.blogspot.com/
Gemma Parkes: http://gemmaparkes.blogspot.com/
AuroraRose Andromeda: http://rollingmuseintheroses.blogspot.com/

A Chat with Maggi Andersen author of A Baron in her Bed

baron5Title:  A Baron in her Bed

Author:  Maggi Andersen

Publisher:  Knox Robinson Publishing
Length: 302  pages
Subgenres: Historical, Suspense, Romance

BLURB:

Horatia’s plan to join the London literary set takes a dangerous turn. Now that the war with France has ended, Baron Guy Fortescue arrives in England to claim his inheritance. When Guy is set upon in London, a stranger, Lord Strathairn, rescues and befriends him. But while traveling to his country estate, Guy is again attacked. Guy suspects his relative, Eustace Fennimore, is behind the attacks on his life. Horatia refuses to believe her godfather, Eustace, is responsible. Secure in the knowledge that his daughter will finally wed, Horatia’s father allows her to visit her blue-stocking aunt in London. But Horatia’s time spent in London proves to be anything but a literary feast, for a dangerous foe plots Guy’s demise. She is determined to keep alive her handsome fiancé, who has proven more than willing to play the part of her lover even as he resists her attempts to save him.

Thank you, Maggi, for chatting with me today. I want you perfectly comfortable, so picture your favorite place in the world. Now, can you tell us a little bit about the place you’ve pictured?

I’ve visited a friend in her home in Richmond, England many times. The lovely historic town nestling beside the Thames River is often featured in my books. The ton during Regency times traveled from London to picnic in the park where King Henry VIII used to hunt deer. Deer still roam the park. The view from Richmond Hill takes in the graceful bend of the Thames which has been painted by many famous artists.

That sounds wonderful. I’ve been to London once and would love to back. What was the last book you read that made a lasting impression on you?

Seven Nights in a Rogues Bed by Anna Campbell. I really enjoy her writing and her characters are wonderful.

I’ll have to check that out. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

It took me some years. But I studied the craft and honed my voice, so that time wasn’t wasted.

Most excellent. Craft study is the first thing on my agenda everyday. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

To have my family around me, all happy and in perfect health.

I completely agree with you and I love that you added healthy. We’ve all suffered with colds this last month. We are very ready for spring. What turns you on creatively?

My mother was an artist. I’ve inherited her love of color, interior design, architecture (especially Georgian) art and sculpture. These things often feature in my books. Old black and white movies can sometimes give me ideas for a story.

My mother used to paint and I keep bugger her to pick her brushes back up. She’s quite talented. Old black and whites, interesting, a new source for plot bunnies I’ll need to check out. What quality do you most admire in a man?

Humor and warmth.

What quality do you most admire in a woman?

Kindness.

I read in your bio that you support the RSPCA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals) and that animals are often feature in your books. Can you tell us a little more about this?

Cats and dogs frequently appear in my stories. In A Baron in Her Bed, Horatia rides her father’s magnificent black stallion, The General, without his knowledge.

In my Victorian novella, How To Tame a Rake, Wilhelmina adopts a fox cub, annoying her reluctant fiancé Blake, no end. Here’s a bit:

Spying a statue on a plinth in the distance, Willy strode towards it. Before she reached it, she saw something lying stretched out on the grass. At first, she thought it a pile of autumn leaves. On closer inspection, she found a fox cub. As she knelt down to him, he lifted his head, his dark eyes pleading.

“Oh, you poor, poor thing,” she said, stroking the red-gold coat. How beautiful he was. He’d hurt a leg, probably in one of those horrid traps. It was broken, dangling at an odd angle. She knew just what to do about it. She’d splinted one of her dogs back home when he broke his leg jumping from a high wall.

Picking the cub up carefully, she cradled him against her chest. He didn’t struggle. Perhaps he knew that she was a friend, or was too weak to care.

Willy carried him along the path. As she rounded the corner of the house, she came face to face with Blake.

“I’m glad to see you out and about,” he began. He looked surprised. “What on earth do you have there?”

“A fox cub. He’s hurt his leg. I’ll have to splint it.”

“You’ll do what?”

“A splint. You use a straight piece of …”

“I know what a splint is, Willy! But this is fox hunting country. We can’t keep a fox here.”

“Why not? When his leg is healed he will go and join the other foxes.” Her lip trembled. “And then you can hunt him down and kill him.”

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My children, grown up now.

Aw, I love that. My kids are still young and I totally can see where you’re coming from. They’re the most important thing to me. Tell us a bit about the projects you are working on now?

I’ve just completed Taming a Gentleman Spy – Book Two of The Spies of Mayfair Series. The hero is John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn, the heroine, Lady Sibella Winborne, who comes from a very large family. I’ve grown quite fond of them all, including her acerbic mother, and would like to write more books about them.

Here’s a taste (unedited):

Lord Strathairn picked a full creamy bloom and held it out to her. “You look lovely tonight, Lady Sibella.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

“I always enjoy seeing your mother.”

“Do you? Not everyone does. She is very plain spoken.”

“That is what I like about her.”

“Have you been visiting your estates?”

He leant over her to brush away a branch scattering petals. “You’re remarkably inquisitive this evening. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps because you are a bit of a mystery. You intend it that way, I suspect.”

“We’ve discussed most of my past: my schooling, Eton, then Oxford, and the army.”

“I know only what you wish me to.” She couldn’t explain the feeling she’d always had that his life held more excitement than he revealed. Would he be content concentrating on mundane matters after his years away at war? A keen rider herself, but surely even horses had limited appeal. “It’s just …do you miss the army life?”

“Many men find it hard to settle down. I admit to suffering that for a while.”

“But you’re settled…now?”

“As much as I wish to be.”

She glanced at his profile for a sign of annoyance. She was too inquisitive. He always affected her so.

I am now working on Book three, What a Rakes Wants.

Thank you, Maggi. That was fun.

EXCERPT:

“This is a dance with which I’m familiar,” the baron said, drawing her close in his arms. “We danced it in Paris long before it came to England.”

She supposed he considered England far behind Paris in most things fashionable. Finding herself pressed up against his hard chest produced the memory of how it looked unclothed. Her breath caught, and she wriggled within his arm. “We do not dance this close in England, my lord.”

He let her go in surprise then took up the pose again, leaving space between them. “Merci. I did not know. You have saved me from making a faux pas.”

She suspected he knew quite well, for the devilry in his eyes betrayed him. “You might learn by observing others, my lord,” she admonished him.

At least now she could breathe. But this was unlike the night they had spent together, when her disguise had protected her. Did he find her attractive?

She had no idea if his charm was merely part of his personality. It shouldn’t matter, for he would choose a bride from the aristocracy, but somehow it did.

His hand at her waist, guiding her, made her recall their time in the hut and his indecent revelations of lovemaking. Her breath quickened at the thought of such an act perpetrated by him on some woman, and even possibly her. His proximity and the strength and pure maleness of him overwhelmed her.

Breathing in the familiar woody Bergamot scent, intermingled with starched linen and soap, she closed her eyes, but that made her dizzy. After examining his masterfully tied cravat adorned with a sapphire pin the color of his eyes, she raised her eyes to his. “I have not seen a cravat tied in that way before. What is it called?”

He smiled down at her. “I believe it is called Trone d’Armour.” The style hailed from France most likely. He was different from the English in other ways too. The French had a disconcerting way of looking at someone. Was he the real Baron Fortescue or an impostor?

maggie2

March 20 Review KY Bunnies Blog http://www.blog.kybunnies.com/
March 22 Review My Reading Obsession  http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/
March 25 Interview  S.J. Maylee  http://SJMaylee.com
March 28 Review Lynnareynolds http://lynnareynolds.wordpress.com/
April 1 Interview My World   www.xxxxmyworldxxxx.blogspot.com
April 2 Interview “A Writer’s Thoughts” http://kathrynrblake.blogspot.com
April 4 SnifferWalk  Review  http://snifferwalk.com
April 5 Interview   Grinelda Markowitz Erotic Writing   http://grineldamarkowitz.wordpress.com/

BUY LINKS:

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BIO:Maggie

I am an Australian author with a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing. My lawyer husband and I live in a pretty, historical town in the Southern Highlands with our spoiled Persian cat, plus the assorted wildlife we feed: chickens wander in from next door and give us lovely eggs, ducks swim in our pool, parrots and possums line up for bananas and seed. I write historical romance, contemporary romantic suspense and young adult novels.

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@MaggiAndersen

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Eyes Shut and Missing Out

AAA-WWW

Welcome friends new and old. I’m going to give you a couple more posts from the WIP I’ve been sharing before I move onto something new.

In the Blind (working title), and you can see the past posts from this WIP here. The Logline: When a head hunter finds her dream lover in a night of pitch black unrestrained passion, she fears she’ll never find him again. Fate steps in and throws the two together, but they might never discover the truth and stay in the blind.

Over the past few weeks I’ve shared Jane’s experience at Club Blind and her business opportunity that put her in touch with Rob. Last Week and the week before we spent with Rob. Now I’m bringing the two together. This week, Jane is lost in thought. While she waits for Rob, she kicks out her nerves by remembering her night at Club Blind. Rob has just arrived at the coffee shop, he has his cup of coffee, and now he’s got to get Jane’s attention.

Jane blacked out her thoughts, closed her eyes and remembered how she felt Saturday night. She didn’t need to see anything to feel his hand stroking her thigh or relive his warm mouth sucking her clit. Would she ever get a night like that again? Would she ever meet a man like him?”

“Jane, it’s good to see you.”

“Oh. Hi, Rob, thanks for meeting me. What can I get you to drink?”

Opps. Open your eyes, Jane. See the man right in front of you. I mean, he has his coffee already 😉

Hope you enjoyed my eight today. 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 Warriorsand Saturday Spankings too.

ROW80 check-in #55 Lessons Learned

Click to find links to the other ROW80 participants

Another round of 80-days is coming to an end this week. I refined my routine and made great strides in some places and others still need improvement.

I restarted my Margie packet and got through 7-lectures in Empowering Character Emotions. I lost ground while I was sick, but I’m still hoping to finish this packet and start the next BEFORE the second round of 80-days begins. Starting my day with craft study has become a habit this round and it’s such a good thing. I’m very pleased. I read one other craft book this round too.

This round I also I helped my CP with 3 manuscripts, I added 10k to my newest WIP to finish it and took it through several editing passes before sending it off to my CP. I read 12-books this round and hope to top that next round. Lots of great reads in my ereader right now.

I have many things to be proud of in this round however progress in my Nia studies is not one of them. I’m still not finding the time for this goal, but I’m not giving up on it. Do you have something you never get to in your week? Since I’m not getting to it, I really should try to work it into my schedule on Monday. Oh boy.

I’m most proud of my full request though. It’s my first, hopefully not my last, and it still puts a smile on my face. I also became a year older, had great fun with friends, saw a concert, and went skiing. Not shabby round one.

How did the last couple of months go for you? What are you going to try and improve in the next 80-days?

The Goalsweek-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. Finished my CPs WIP, started on edits from her on my WIP, and finished lecture-7 in my Margie packet.
  • Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- done.
  • Daily Nia study (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- kind of done. I spent time reviewing my past progress and got reacquainted with the Sanjana choreography.Bunny bags
  • Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. I finished several deposits and attended a Board meeting.
  • Organize something in the house each week- done. My family is doing me a solid, they’re coming to my house for Easter. Yeah! Oh no, I have to host Easter. I’ve been in crazy planning mode all week. I made these bags for the Easter egg hunt, I’ve made a few other things too. I’ve planned the meal. It’s a lot of work to hold a family function, but it will be worth it

What you might have missed here this week:

Spotlight: His Allure, Her Passion by Juliana Haygert

Looking forward to the next round of 80-days.