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Archive for July, 2013



Guest Blogger: Alisa Anderson
Wednesday, July 24th, 2013

Sucking it up…

aafinalcdcovergivereceiveSMALLSo right now as we speak I am in the middle of a cross-country move. My landlord decided to list her house for sale and gave us the opportunity to get out of our lease early. So the good news was that we saved thousands of dollars by leaving almost two whole months early. The bad news? We were leaving two whole freaking months early. You ever try that shit with two 7 year olds, two dogs and a cat? Yep. Every inch the freaking nightmare it sounds. Plus, suddenly, we had all of three weeks to get pack and get out instead of the almost three months we originally had. Which also meant since my roommate had to give her job proper notice, we still had six weeks left here in the state we were moving from, so we decided to cut costs and move into an extended stay. Super fun, lemme tell ya.

So…my mom volunteers to take the boys to make some of the move easier and even though honestly they truly were the biggest help picking up books and moving them for me, having to deal with entertaining them in the tiny little hotel room with which we are currently residing just would not have been fun. After much back and forth, we decided to each drive five hours to meet each other and make the drop. Um. So to speak. *grins*

In the midst of it all my oldest pup Asher, who’s not really a pup, but will always be my baby boy, decides it would be fun to ingest rat poison. Oh, and not just one tray of it. Try three. While we were moving and getting rid of furniture in the garage, totally forgot we had it down because typically he’s not roaming in that area. He was that day. And had it not been for my oldest son who noticed it, we would never have been any the wiser. Not to mention I helped things right along by dismissing it saying he ate something else, since OF COURSE if he HAD consumed it, he’d be, like dead immediately, right?

WRONG. SO VERY, VERY WRONG. *sighs again*

Apparently this type of poison operates as a one big giant blood thinner for rats, I guess. They eat it, they go away and a couple of days later, and ummm….basically, they bleed to death. It’s rather gross, actually. So you can imagine what it does to dogs. Basically the same thing. And since he was super awesome enough to eat three…well….you can do the math.

If you guess fun times had by all…you’d be so right. So right it’s scary. You must have ESP.

O_0

Yeah.

So. Because he’s not the size of a rat obviously, it’s not going to affect him immediately, which is what we were looking for. We thought we were in the clear since a few days went by and he seemed fine. And all joking aside, if anyone has this happen to their dog or cat, please understand the worst thing you can do is wait.

Long story short, few days later, he stopped eating, pretty much lost all interest in anything, because at this point he was bleeding out and no one knew it. He finally collapses and we think he’s dead, and we’re all sobbing hysterically, until wait, he lifts his head. My mother tells us to get him to the hospital where they tell us he doesn’t look good. Humans and animals need to have a red blood cell count of around 45-50%. 9% is pretty terminal. His was 10%.

His only shot was vitamin k and a blood transfusion to give the vitamin k time to work and make his blood clot, since the poison pretty much destroys your ability to make vitamin k, and even then it’s no promise he was going to make bit. Thank god my sister, aka his fairy godmother had a credit card and a bleeding heart (pun intended) and paid the gazillion dollars required to keep him overnight give him the transfusion. Thank the lord he only needed one because since I’m not a bestselling author YET, I truly don’t know what I would have done.

But I digress. My dog made it, and is sitting next to me right now recovering very slowly. Plenty of rest, no stress, no movement unless needed. Large doses of vitamin k to help his blood clot. Right in the middle of my move, right? Yup. And of course our hotel room is the last damn room down the hall and the poor guy walks practically a freaking mile every day.

Every time I want to complain about my situation, including the fact that I was supposed to be using this time to work on book three of the give & receive series, including the fact that when I pulled out my computer to work on said book, my cat steps on my keyboard and totals my hard drive, destroying everything I didn’t back up in the past year (see this http://slingwords.blogspot.com/2013/02/alisa-anderson-keep-backup-copy.html where my past self warned my future self about this very thing, and I neglected to listen)….I smile serenely (or at least pretend to) and look at him.

My back may hurt from the crappy hotel bed, but bleeding internally pretty much trumps everything. And if you knew him, you’d know that’s the look he was giving me. Like…oh, sweet bitch. Spare me the bullshit.

And I get it. Asher has forgiven me for being stupid and allowing rat poison to be placed in my home.

So…I suck it up. And decide to be grateful, that at least I email myself my work, even if I stopped when the move got crazy. So maybe I did learn something.

*clears throat and looks at nails*

Just not everything, I guess.

How’s your summer going, kids?

aaG&RBooks1-2Cover

What would you risk, to get what you wanted?

For Ty, Lena and Danny, they’re about to find out as they cross the boundaries from all things safe to an arena that will test love, friendship and loyalty. An arena that’s forbidden, taboo…and oh so tempting. In their world sex, money and excess are all a game of give & receive, were any wish can be granted if you just ask…

Lena Blake: Life was supposed to have gone back to normal. After all…It’s been months since that night at Sadist. Months of reliving, remembering, experiencing…each moment. Over and over again. Oh yeah, she remembered. Every. Vivid. Illicit. Detail. Like it was yesterday.  What she did. Who she did it with.Her best friend. And Danny…the one who had carved out her heart years ago. There to witness it all. An act so public, so voyeuristic, so forbidden, she was still feeling the intensity between them all. The lines were crossed now.  There was no going back. Not even if she wanted to.

If she were honest she would admit she didn’t…

Tyler Malone: I knew I risked a lot doing what I did. I risked my friendship, with the one person I trusted and loved most of all, even if she can’t…or won’t see it. I played a dangerous game with Blake, too, but he either needs to step up…or step back.  I put everything on the line for just one night. And hell yeah, it was worth it. She’s worth everything. I love her just as much as he does, maybe more, since I accept everything about her, even her love for him. Life is all about the chances you take. To succeed you have to gamble. Play big…or go home. And I play to win. At all costs…

Danny Blake: Seeing her that night with Ty, watching her come undone, made me realize for the first time the life I could have. I saw her. Really saw her, body and soul, and I know now, the ache for her never truly went away. It only intensified over the years, with a need bordering on obsession. My one addiction I could never get clean of. I need her like air.

In the high stakes game of give & take, you have to risk everything.

Winner takes all…and to the victor goes the spoils.

Book II of the Erotic Romance Novella Series, Give & Receive.

Excerpt:

“Come with me, Lena.”

“No.” Yet her fingers continued moving, unhurried and restrained as she fought for control.

“Your mouth is so warm…so wet. Take it all, baby…suck it. Just like that. I’m spilling pre-come all over my hands, Lena. It’s all for you. I wish you were here to lick it off. Why are you fighting this?”

“I’m not listening.” Her breath caught, and her fingers still continued to have a mind of their own as they slid in between the walls of her pussy, caressing her clit, sliding over the slick folds.

Traitorous sluts, her fingers. Every blasted one of the little monsters.

Couldn’t trust them worth a damn. They did whatever they wanted.

“Yes, you are. And you’re getting yourself wet with the thought of me pushing my cock into your mouth. Sucking it off for me. Tasting my come. Knowing you’re responsible for getting me this way. You’re enjoying the control and you should, love. I know from experience. It’s a heady trip, isn’t it?”

He heard her breathing increase in pace over the phone.

“Would it be so wrong to admit, just this once, I turn you on? That this, whatever it is, gets you off?” Ty’s voice strained as he struggled to manage his emotions. If he could wait just a little bit longer, he knew it would be big. He knew she was ready to break soon. He wanted to be there with her. Every step of the way.

Fine. You turn me on. This. Turns me on. Ridiculously. Satisfied?” Lena felt her nipples harden through her shirt and she had to feel them under her palm. She twisted her left nipple, painfully, maliciously and she whimpered out loud. Not enough. Like an itch she couldn’t scratch, her fingers, her hands…weren’t enough.

She needed him.

“Tell me what you taste like. Tell me now.” Her voice was low…sexy personified, deep, as she pinched her clit and shivered at the light sting.

“Salty…sweet, slightly bitter. Just like you said. How did you know?”

Lena gave a dark, husky laugh full of promise. It made his balls draw up and tighten as his cock continued to pulse and throb under his tutelage.

“I’m just that good.”

“Modest too.”

She had to take a breath before she answered. Liquid heat ran down her thighs as she caught another breath before answering.

“Oh come now, love. Modesty is for people who can’t deliver the goods. And we both know that’s not true, don’t we?” She savored the exquisite torture of her fingers, now thoroughly wet and buried deep inside her pussy.

“It’s too bad you’re not here with me, Ty.” Lena’s voice became breathy as she stroked her clit with increased rhythm. She was wild with need now, beyond caring about anything but how she felt, how gloriously, amazingly wanton she felt.

“Do you know what I would do if you were? I would straddle you between my breasts. Sliding that big, thick cock up and down, getting slick with all that come. Lapping up every bit of spill from your thighs and your chest. Making my nipples slippery with your come. Rubbing myself all over you. And then…are you still with me, gorgeous? I would sink down on top of that hard stick of yours and take you inside. I’m so tight, Ty. Can you feel how tight I am?”

“Sweet fuck you are tight. It’s like I almost can’t fit.”

“I’ve done my pussy push-ups, Ty. So glad you noticed.”

“Pussy push-ups? Oh god. I can’t. Ahahaha…Please stop.” Ty’s laughter sounded gravelly and painful as he struggled not to pass out. Only she could make him laugh at the same time he wanted to fuck her into oblivion. She would find every live wire on him triggered to detonate at her slightest touch. She really would be that fucking good.

Damn her infuriating ass, straight to hell. She thought she had this all under control, didn’t she?

Clearly he needed to shake some things up again.

Ty managed to zip up his pants and grinned to himself, opening the car door and glancing around, making sure no one saw him running up the steps to her front door. He grabbed the spare, unlocking her front door and letting himself in.

 

She started stroking herself, faster, harder, pinching her clit just a little, her breathing ragged. “Oh shit…” Lena murmured, and began to pant. “Get me off, Ty. I need you.”

She didn’t even hear him approach. “I would be glad to.”

Lena screamed out loud.

Available NOW…Buy books I & II together and save:

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Bio:

(transposed to the third person to appear more mature *grins cheerfully*)

well…alisa did stuff and is still doing stuff. only now she has two boys crazy enuff to want her as their mommy. hey, at least she tried to warn them, so her job is done. she doesn’t like to capitalize, partially because she likes how lower case letters look visually, but mostly out of laziness. please don’t judge. it could be you. and she would say, hey. you’re alright, buddy. you’re ok in my book. now c’mere for a hug. the hug might be pushing it. air kiss? you are strangers, after all, with only a mutual love of poor grammar.

she lives for a world full of controllable anatomically correct, android men programmed to meet her specific feminine needs (wink, wink, nudge, nudge with a big waggle of the eyebrows). who look like the rock. and ian somerhalder. and idris elba. and that’s it she promises. variety. gotta have variety, right?

but alas…apparently that exists only in johanna lindsey’s genius mind. so until then, she enjoys her incredibly warped sense of humor. she reads tons of erotica and romantic, drippy goo that makes her heart go pitter patter. then she thought, hey. what, she said to herself. (softly, of course, so no one finds out she is indeed, 2 nuts short of a fruitcake) maybe you should write this stuff too. maybe someone will like it and maybe buy it. so she said, huh, you think? then she said, well…yeah, i wouldn’t have suggested it…(inserts sarcastic tone) and then she was like lose the attitude, ok? then she was all, would you just shut up and write, already? sheesh! and she did. 🙂

Alisa Anderson

http://www.houseofalisa.com
http://www.amazon.com/Alisa-Anderson/e/B009IEA6A8
http://www.alisaanderson.wordpress.com
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A Question…
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013

Today, I’d much rather be spending time in my art workroom, making or painting something. I need to get this blog up, and then I need to turn my attention back to the book I have to revise. But I don’t want to do those things. Am I five?

Sometimes, the writing doesn’t give me that quick fix of approval I crave. A lovely review of something I wrote months and months ago, doesn’t quite fill that needy core. And I am needy. Which kind of surprises me, because folks who know me, think I’m one of the strongest people they know. And smart. I can do anything I put my mind to doing. Sometimes, however, I don’t make the smart choice.

Guess that makes me human.

So, help me blow off my responsibilities. What do you think of these two little bracelets? Do they need more of a stack? I love the non-precious stone makeup of them. It’s natural, clean. Riverstone and Crazy Horse jasper. I made another bracelet last night of a slightly yellower beige stone, grain stone, with pretty blingy distressed beads to go with it. Now I want to make another and another. Does it need another color? Something to make it pop a bit? I have some blue goldstone–think polished navy cubes with the glimmer of little sparks of gold–I thought I might make something with that, mix it up with some smaller cream riverstone. I don’t want everything the same size or even the same shape. Other than navy, what other colors would you recommend?

How about a question you might feel more comfortable answering? Is there an art (painting, pottery, jewelry making, sculpture) that you would like to try? What’s holding you back?

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Guest Blogger: Leta Blake & Keira Andrews
Monday, July 22nd, 2013

Everyone was beautiful at the ballet,
Every prince has got to have his swan,
Yes, everyone was beautiful at the ballet,
Hey, I was pretty…at the ballet.
–“At The Ballet”, from A Chorus Line

In Love’s Nest, our latest sexy gay fairy tale, Keira Andrews and I wanted to create a world, similar to the universe in our first book, Earthly Desires, in which the characters’ sexuality does not matter even a little bit. We wanted to create a story that did not focus on dynamics of coming out, on social anxieties, fears, or hiding who the characters loved.

Unfortunately, in a contemporary or historical piece it is unrealistic to attempt to ignore such important personal and social issues for the sake of a sweet story. But fairy tales a perfect way to sidestep that sort of problem. In a magical realm where homoamorous feelings are accepted as nothing of consequence, and revelation of one’s sexuality passes without problem or fanfare, the characters are able to leave aside all that heavy and realistic baggage for explorations of another sort.

Trocks_Ida_NevaseyIn a similar vein, I recently had the opportunity to watch Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo at Celebrate Brooklyn. If you’ve never heard of Trockadero, allow me to quote from Wikipedia: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is an American all-male drag ballet corps which parodies the conventions and clichés of romantic and classical ballet.

The word ‘parodies’ above does a disservice to what I saw Trockadero doing that night before the deluge of rain came down and spoiled the beautiful ballet. I saw men in beautiful dresses, complete with tutus, a mass of dark chest hair still visible over the white of the heart-shaped bodice, who were beautifully, passionately, and, yes, sometimes humorously dancing out the stories of ballets I have long loved. The fact that they were in drag did not detract from the raw masculinity of their corps and when the tragic ending of Swan Lake played out, my heart wrenched in my chest. Perhaps all the more because it was a different sort of swan and a different sort of prince.

It is my belief that the familiarity of old tales gives us an emotional touchstone that does not disappear when different variables such as gender or sex are changed. And yet those changes can be powerful and cause the heart and mind to reexamine everything they thought they knew about the original tale simply because it now stars two heroes or two heroines. And I firmly believe that Trockadero is as brilliant and masterful as it is due to that wrenching open of rusted doors, the release of emotions associated with the old ballets we have loved a long time combined with the magnificent choreography—often beautiful, sometimes comedic, but never campy, and always genius.

If you have a chance to check out Trockadero, please consider doing so. They are certainly worth the price of a ticket. (Though I was lucky enough to see them for free! Until it rained. Boo!)

Love’s Nest is a fairy tale based on the classic The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It is wholly re-imagined with a fairies, a fairyland, and many, many feathers. We are excited for the book and hope that readers enjoy reading about a world where today’s issues can be left behind and a familiar story ignites passionately as two handsome heroes face problems that only a fairy tale world can produce.

***
lovesnstcover

Buy link:
Amazon
Ellora’s Cave
It will shortly be available at Barnes & Noble, Sony, and others!

There’s no greater mystery in the kingdom than how Prince Mateo’s sisters wear out their shoes each night while locked away in their chambers. Using old magic, Mateo discovers their secret and follows them through a portal to an enchanted world of fairies and lusty delights. Ópalo has waited years for his male human, and he knows Mateo is his destiny. Mateo soon succumbs to the pleasures of the flesh, but as their worlds collide, Ópalo has to risk everything to win his man forever.

Leta Blake Bio:
While Leta Blake would love to tell you that writing transports her to worlds of magic and wonder and then safely returns her to a home of sparkling cleanliness and carefully folded laundry, the reality is a bit different from that. For as long as Leta can recall, stories have hijacked her mind, abducting her to other lands, and forcing her to bend to the will of imaginary people. This absence from reality results in piles of laundry and forgotten appointments. In between abductions, Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family. When not spirited away by demanding imaginary people, Leta lives happily with her husband, her kid, and one too many dogs in the Southern United States.

Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or on her blog!

Keira Andrews Bio:
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction and — although she loves delicious angst along the way — Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said: The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.

Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or on her blog!

Guest Blogger: Kate Hill (Contest)
Sunday, July 21st, 2013

Adventures in Historical Romance

Historical romance is one of my favorite types of books to read. It’s a ticket to sexy adventures with bold heroes from the past.

If asked to pick my top three fantasy tours of the ones I’ve taken through historical romance, they would be:

1. Adventures with a Medieval Knight. There’s something about the code of honor many knights in romance novels live by that place them among my favorite heroes. Even if his armor is tarnished and he has become an ominous knight, you know that in the end he’ll redeem himself and pledge his heart to the woman he loves. His world is one of castles, armor, tapestries, cathedrals and feudalism.

2.  Swept Away by a Hero of the American Revolution. He’s willing to risk everything for the chance at a new life in a new land. Strong and rebellious by nature, he definitely has a wild streak, but he’s also willing to work hard for the future of his loved ones. His world involves muskets, minutemen, George Washington and Knowlton’s Rangers.

3. Sailing with Vikings. It’s hard to resist a burly sword-wielding warrior who is also a master of the sea. The Viking romance hero might be a raider or a trader. Maybe he’s both. One thing is certain, a visit to his world will be an adventure, especially if you’re the lucky woman who shares his bed closet!

These are just three time periods I’ve enjoyed while reading historical romance novels. There are so many others. What are some of your favorites?

Contest

To enter this contest you must be 18 or over.

To enter for the chance to win a download of an ebook from my Ellora’s Cave backlist (winner’s choice of title) please comment with your favorite historical romance time period or favorite type of historical hero. Also send an email to katehill@sprintmail.com letting me know you would like to be entered in the contest. The contest will run for three days from the day of this post. At the end of that time, a winner will be selected from the comments. Thank you!

About Kate

Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, Kate Hill started writing over twenty years ago for pleasure. Her first story, a short erotic vampire tale, was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then she has sold over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels.

When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out and spending time with her family and pets.

Kate also writes under the pen name Saloni Quinby. She enjoys hearing from readers and she can be contacted at katehill@sprintmail.com. Visit Kate online at http://www.kate-hill.com.

Northman’s Pleasure releases July 17th at Ellora’s Cave.

 

Capture

Legend is Grim Hammerhand is half wolf. Vowing never to marry, the muscular, red-haired warrior saves his passion for the battlefield and the forge. That is, until the woman he secretly lusts after is abducted.

Asgerd has loved Grim for years, only to be ignored by the object of her desire. She has eluded the bonds of marriage, hoping that someday Grim will notice her, but her dreams are shattered when she is captured and defiled by the brutal warrior Stein.

After the king sends Grim to rescue his daughter and claim Stein’s land, the passion between the couple finally ignites. In the end, Grim’s mistrust of all women could destroy their one true chance for happiness.

“Defiant females must be common around here then.” Grim raised an eyebrow and held up Asgerd’s bonds, then tossed them aside.

It felt so good to be free of them. She rotated her ankles. He grasped her foot and lightly rubbed the place where the metal had worn away part of her boot. Their gazes locked and Asgerd’s heart beat faster. She studied Grim’s angular face and lingered over the breadth of his shoulders. Glancing at the long-fingered hand curled around her ankle, she imagined how it would feel on other parts of her body.

After what she’d endured with Stein, she’d never imagined being aroused by a man, but it seemed he hadn’t fully killed her passion.

For so long Asgerd had managed to save herself and avoid coupling with men she could never love. Truly, in a girlish fantasy, she’d imagined Grim falling in love with her, marrying her and taking her to his bed. Now, whether he claimed her or not, she had been ruined by Stein. She wondered if she’d ever cleanse her soul of that filthy pig’s touch.

“Is my cousin Thora alive?” Asgerd asked. She hoped Thora had survived the attack during which Stein had taken Asgerd captive.

“Yes,” Grim replied.

Asgerd sighed with relief.

Grim finally released her ankle. He stood and she couldn’t help admiring the length of his muscular legs. His hard thighs strained against his trousers and his soft boots hugged his well-developed calves. He raised his hand and Asgerd instinctively flinched—not that she believed Grim would strike her, but after being with Stein, she’d learned to dodge blows.

His brow furrowed. “I was merely reaching for the shackles,” he said, taking them from the table. Their gazes met for a moment and he glanced at a rough-looking slave woman who was cleaning off the table. “Leave that to the others. I want the bed closet emptied of Stein’s belongings and the bedding aired. From now on my wife and I will be staying there.”

Asgerd’s heart sank. She forced herself to sound just mildly interested when she said, “Wife? I didn’t know you married, Grim.”

“I haven’t yet. Your father offered me this land if I defeated Stein. He also offered me your hand in marriage.”

Snippet Saturday: Boys of Summer
Saturday, July 20th, 2013

In case you didn’t know (and I’d understand why—my release schedule has been very busy the past couple months), I released a new collection of my own short stories a little while ago. It’s the second volume of Strokes, and it’s filled with naughtiness. Enjoy the excerpt! It’s from “Tailgating at the Cedar Inn” which was one of two stories recently published in Penthouse Magazine. Yes, I’ve been in Penthouse—my mama’s so proud! 🙂

If you post a comment today, you’ll be entered to win
a free download of this book!

Strokes Volume 2

From National Bestselling Author, Delilah Devlin, comes another naughty collection of seven bedtime stories—a week’s worth of nighttime reading pleasure.

Ride along with two soldiers, just returned from war, who find sweet release in “The Long Ride Home.” In “Tailgating at the Cedar Inn,” a woman has one last fling with two sexy construction workers. A cowboy kidnaps his “Runaway Bride” to get some sweet satisfaction. A woman travelling alone in Europe enjoys a hot steamy sauna in the “Textile Free” zone. In “Love in Bloom,” a florist tempts her high school crush. A naughty nooner with an office colleague ends in a “Quick Draw.” A dispatcher kicks inhibitions to the door when she seduces a younger truck driver in “Drive Me Crazy.”

Four of the stories have appeared in separate Cleis Press anthologies. Two of the stories were featured in Penthouse magazine! All the stories are featured in one sinfully hot collection…

I stepped out of the shower onto chipped and cracked aqua blue tiles with grout so dingy I couldn’t tell what color it had been. Not that the bathroom was dirty, thank god. Just old. Like the rest of the 60’s-built motel I’d found on the little back country road.

Standing before the sink, I toweled my hair then shook my head like a dog, not caring where the droplets landed. The mess wasn’t one I’d have to clean. For one last night, I could be irresponsible, messy, even if only in a small way.

I draped the towel over the edge of the old white tub and sauntered naked into the small room with the double bed. The air smelled of tobacco and industrial cleansers. The bedding looked clean if a little nappy from wear, but I peeled back the quilt-top and tossed it on the floor anyway. Pristine white sheets beckoned.

Just as I lay back, sighing with relief, sounds from outside the room jarred me from my happy haze. Tires squealed, masculine laughter bellowed through the thin walls, and car doors slammed.

A sigh escaped and I stared at the bared rafters above. The laughter faded. I reached across to flip off the switch to the nightstand lamp with its yellowed shade. Lying in the darkness, I willed my body to relax, one limb at a time. That day, I’d driven three hundred miles. I’d have gone another fifty for a decent hotel, but the shorter route my Garmin dictated led me through narrow two-lane roads deep in the Ozark Mountains. I doubted I’d have found anything nicer.

Maybe I should have stuck to the Interstate, but I’d wanted to shave some miles. Little did I know the route would keep my foot busy pushing on the gas pedal then the brake the whole way. Exhausted with nerves shattered, I’d seen the crooked Vacancy sign outside the Cedar Inn and made my decision on the spot, swerving into the empty gravel parking lot. Not until I’d opened the door to my tiny, musty room did I have second thoughts about my decision. But how bad could the room really be? I’d turned on the swamp cooler set into a window frame and felt my hair frizz instantly.

Not that I’d really cared. No one was around to impress. Other than the clerk at the front desk, a skinny, twenty-something redneck with puppy dog eyes, the place was deserted. At the thought, I’d shivered a little bit, double-bolted my room door and checked the lock on the window. Visions of the shower scene from Psycho didn’t put me off taking a long, lukewarm soak to wash away the road grime and sweat. Read the rest of this entry »

Guest Blogger: G.D. Ogan
Friday, July 19th, 2013

Following is a short interview with my guest today, G.D. Ogan… DD

Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

A: I’m a retired Air Force Major. I have a pair of graduate degrees unfortunately not in English or Literature. I’m also retired from a second “calling” as a psychologist with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice where I evaluated inmates for various treatment programs and in another area of work actually wrote treatment programs for overcoming addictions.

Q: Did you ever imagine yourself writing novels?

A: In my youth, I’d written articles on various long distance running events I participated in. Then, in the military, I did a great deal of technical writing and continued technical writing in my work for the Prison System in the State of Texas. I’d also written many articles and sent pictures about car shows I attended; however, if anyone had said I’d someday write adult paranormal-romance novels, I would have laughed at them. I, like most men, I believe, didn’t realize how encompassing the romance genre was, or how extremely interesting most of the books were! I think men misunderstand what “romance” means – they (and I include myself before I saw the light) believe it is a narrow tear jerker about “all that mushy stuff” women like…how wrong that is!

Q: You have already released two books: Immortal Relations  and Immortal Relations, Love and Warand a third coming soon. Could you tell my readers what prompted you to write a series?
 
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAA: This is a little bit hard, but like they say, “The truth will make you free.” When I was little, my mother said some things that I didn’t understand, things like, “He is over there with that woman.” At one point she even asked me what I would think if she divorced my father. I think all little boys are defensive of their mothers, and I told her if he hurt her she should. As I grew I “forgot” all about that as they never divorced. Now that I look back on it, they probably stayed together “for the children” or in the case of our family “the child” since I had no siblings. Being young, I never thought it odd that they slept in separate rooms. I had retired from the Air Force and was working for the State of Texas about four and a half hours away from where they lived when I got the call that my father had died. Knowing my disabled mother needed care, I set in motion my retirement from my job in Huntsville, Texas and went to care for my mother who stated that she wished to remain in her home. I was the single care giver for her for her for the next five years. She had given me life and cared for me all those years, I felt honored that I could do something for her. After she passed away from Alzheimer’s I had the daunting task of going through all the many, many file cabinets my father had. These weren’t the small light weight cabinets found at discount stores; these were tall and deep, seven drawer, lockable, government style file cabinets stuffed to bursting with papers back as far as the 1930s.

When I finally got the last drawer cleaned out, I had over 50 of the largest heavy-duty trash bags overflowing. Looking into the bottom drawer I saw one small item. Yellow from age with coffee cup half and full moon stains an abandoned envelope was all that remained. Grabbing it, I felt that it had something inside it, something flat, small and lightweight. Had I just thrown it in the trash, I wonder if my life might have gone on without ever writing a novel, let alone a series. Being curious, I opened the envelope finding a very old photograph of my father as a younger man standing in front of a strange-looking building with a large clock face on the outside. I flipped the picture over and saw my father’s handwriting, “Prague Czechoslovakia.” Had I just glanced at it and threw it away… Oh well, I didn’t. Instead I looked closely and saw the feminine handwriting on the lower half of the photo which said, “I’ll always be waiting here.” Suddenly, what my mother had said all those many years before came rushing back and the photo proved that my late father had an affair while stationed in Czechoslovakia, or the Czech Republic as it is now known. This event is what started me writing the novels, and the photograph shown on page two of “Immortal Relations” is what spurred me to start the series. My character travels to where “his” father had worked and had the tryst and there he meets a captivating lady. It doesn’t take long before he realizes she isn’t “normal,” nor is love long in blooming between the two (and like they say, “love conquers all”). The story is full of action as the man trades in his human life for that of a guardian vampire.

Q: In what way is your vampire series different from other vampire stories?

A:  These are not the “Bram Stoker” type of vampires, Rather than attacking humans they are dedicated to protecting the innocent from the out of control type of vampires, human criminals and self-serving politicians seeking only continuation and increases in power.

Q: That is a different concept. How do your vampires sustain their existence? Do they consume blood? If so, how to they get it?
 
A: The good vampires have corporations. One owns funeral homes. Under funerary law, the deceased’s blood is drained (not by anything horrific but by professional means). The blood is then mixed with a special anti-coagulant and quick frozen to be used by the good vampires. Read the rest of this entry »

Confession: I’m a blog whore!
Thursday, July 18th, 2013

Can’t you see that title spread across a confessions magazine? The picture would be of a woman in her jammies, hair spiked all over her head because she hasn’t run a brush through it yet, mascara smudged beneath her eyes…as she sits in front of her computer. That’s me. Yup. Not pretty in the mornings.

I missed posting here yesterday. Must be because I’ve been corralling authors on the Smokin’ Hot Blog Tour and writing up blogs to post on every blog that will have me. Smokin’ Hot’s doing well BTW! Great reviews, and the word is gettin’ out! Go team!

Of course, I’m gonna give you links to things I think you should know about (places you HAVE to go!). Hang with me a minute.

If you’d like to know where we have already been, look at my home page. I have the entire list there. It’s important, because none of the prizes have been awarded so far, so if you are just joining us now, there’s still time to enter and win some great prizes!

Today’s Smokin’ Hot post comes from Adele Dubois. She’s visiting Ramblings from This Chick. Head on over there now and tell her hi!

On High Octane Heroes, we have Janice Seagraves visiting. Up for grabs is an Amazon.com gift card I’ll be awarding on the 30th, so don’t miss out!

So those were the commercials. I’m done sellin’. Bet you didn’t need all that much proddin’ anyway. And why am I droppin’ all my “g’s”?

I’ve been writing this Nawlin’s cop and he’s in my head big-time. Juste Boucher is a devil!