I love photo prompts. They’re something writers use to jar loose story ideas. We take a picture and make up a story, no matter how silly it is, just to get the creative juices flowing.

My daughter took Christmas photos in her yard yesterday, and the 3-year-old wasn’t cooperating. She’s a very pretty little thing—when she isn’t making faces—but here’s the best my dd could do. Love the angel’s wings? I think they should be black!

So, if you were a writer of children’s books, what sort of story would this picture inspire? Have fun! And Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday!

I was supposed to have a guest blogger today, but didn’t receive her content, so let me tell you what’s up with my day!

I just uploaded a sequel to my Uncharted SEALs story, Dream of Me. It’s a 12,000-word novelette that shows what happens in the Happy Ever After for a couple I loved writing and can’t seem to stop thinking about, Ash and Sam. I had a blast with the exciting opening of Heart of a SEAL. And I was thrilled I could find another shot of the same lovely guy who so embodied Sam on the cover of Dream of Me. I asked my cover artist, also known as sis, to mirror the first cover as closely as possible. Didn’t she do an awesome job? Here are both:

Gorgeous, right? As soon as Amazon publishes the story, I’ll be back with another post with the link. I know you’re going to want something sexy to fill your downtime over the holiday!

As for what I’ll be doing over the next few days…

Tonight, we have kids coming to see the “Greats”—Great Grandma and Grandpa, and Great-Great Grandma (she’s 97!)—to open their gifts. We’re doing Christmas morning a day early because we are a “blended” family, and two of the kids have to go visit their other parents on Christmas. So, I’ll be spending the night at my dd’s so I can witness the joy tomorrow morning. On Christmas day, we’ll have our dinner—so, Christmas this year is a three-day event! Oy!

I hope you all have time off, time to be with family, and that you get some rest amid the holiday rush. If you have a minute to share, I’d love to hear how your plans are shaping up! Later!

Like most writers, I get asked regularly where I get my ideas. If the questioner is referring to one of my more steamy stories, the question is often accompanied by either an embarrassed chuckle, or a bold wink.

I find it difficult to say where the plot comes from but I can say exactly where the idea for the location comes from. My own town has served as the model for the location, as has a nearby city, and the village where my mum was raised. I’ve also invented cities and entire countries.

For my most recent release (If Wishes Were Earls, available for pre-order) I knew I wanted my Victorian-set historical romance to take place in Cornwall. The idea of Cornwall has intrigued me from the time I first read Daphne du Maurier. And again whilst watching Poldark on TV – both the original and the more recent version. And in a more light-hearted vein, Doc Martin (BBC TV program).

Cornwall is a large county though, so I had to narrow it down. I turned to a favorite research source – maps. I needed a small village, but it had to be fairly near a larger town that would have rail service, a necessary feature in the plot that was developing in my notebook. I chose St. Erth as my village, the nearest train station is in Hayle, and my heroine and her BFF live in Camborne, just a few stops up the line.

Now, here’s the funny/spooky part. Eons ago I worked as a nanny for a family in London. On my most recent trip to that city last month I had dinner with the mum, dad and little boy, who is now in his early 30’s! (I did say it was eons ago.) We were talking about my writing and when I mentioned the village of St. Erth there was a gasp of amazement. They own a summer cottage a stone’s throw away, and have been to St. Erth and Hayle.

The universe is strange and wondrous.

Where is your favorite village, town or city? Either somewhere you’ve been, or somewhere you are dreaming of going. I really, really want to visit Scotland, the land of my forefathers. One lucky commenter will win a prize pack of autographed books and fun conference swag.  (Sorry, this contest is open to residents of USA and Canada only.)

If Wishes Were Earls

A mysterious letter and an enchanted keepsake promise to lead Miranda to her heart’s desire. Or does her heart secretly yearn for more than a sexy earl?

When a mysterious note directs Miss Miranda Large to a tiny village in Cornwall to find her heart’s desire, she has no choice but to go. An enchanted keepsake heightens her curiosity. A snowstorm forces her to accept the hospitality of a sullen, albeit sexy and handsome, earl and Miranda’s wish doesn’t seem so out of reach.

Edward Penhallion, the 12^th Earl of Claverlock, is not in the mood to start his search for a new wife. He wants to be left alone with his books and his dreams of revenge. But the arrival of a headstrong, sharp-tongued spinster forces him to play the charming host. Not a difficult task, given her intelligence and beauty. Suddenly, he’s not terribly eager for her to leave.

But as the snow falls and the winds blow, Edward discovers there’s more to Miranda than a lively wit and a lovely face. And Miranda wonders if the trappings of wealth are enough for true happiness.

 

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0QJSHA/
Draft2Digital: https://www.draft2digital.com/book/209375

About the Author

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. As soon as she discovered her grandmother’s stash of romance novels, all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Luanna now lives in Maine with her dear husband, two college boys, and two cats. When she’s not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious.

Writing under the pen name Grace Hood, she has two novellas published with The Wild Rose Press.

Website:  http://www.luannastewart.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Luanna.Stewart.nau
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart
Amazon Author Page:  amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart

I definitely enjoy a good Christmas story. The cheery and poignant ones are very nice, but I have to admit I have a weakness for holiday horror. Growing up, my favorite moment in every version of A Christmas Carol was when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come appears.

As an adult, I’ve made it a tradition to watch Christmas horror movies at this time of year. Today I’d like to share some of my favorite holiday horror with you and if you have some scary Christmas favorites, please let me know so I can add them to my watch list!

1. And All Through the House (Tales from the Crypt Season 1): This was probably the first true Christmas Horror show I ever watched and it’s still among my favorites. A woman and her daughter are stalked by a maniacal Santa on Christmas Eve. It’s scary but like most Tales from the Crypt shows, it has moments of humor, too. It’s definitely at the top of my holiday horror list.

2. Sint (Saint): In this movie, St. Nicholas isn’t jolly old Santa–he’s a supernatural murderer. Very creepy!

3. Jack Frost: A human killer becomes a killer snowman in this slasher-type holiday horror movie.

4. A Christmas Horror Story: I just saw this one recently and from now on it will be on my yearly list of holiday horror. Several different stories are linked in this creepy Christmas anthology. My favorite is the one about Santa fighting zombies!

Whether you like your holiday entertainment scary or sweet, I hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!

Kate/Saloni

Yule Tied – Under the Mistletoe

by Saloni Quinby

M/M Erotic Werewolf Romance

Alone in Scotland on Christmas Eve, Vilek thinks his luck has turned when he finds a castle on the moors. Seeing candles and mistletoe in every window, he assumes it’s a friendly place, filled with holiday spirit. Unfortunately, the sole occupant, handsome but grumpy Leland Reid, is less than welcoming.

Leland’s ancestral home is the site of a rare portal that once a year can allow demons to pass from their world to ours. As a warrior witch, Leland’s duty is to keep the portal closed and defend the castle from beasts that wish to set their evil kin loose on our world.

The last thing Leland wants is to entertain a guest, yet he has little choice but to invite Vilek in. He doesn’t realize that Vilek is no stranger to magic and is fighting demons of his own. Only together can they hope to survive Christmas Eve and find a love neither expected.

From Changeling Press

About Saloni Quinby

The child of a painter and a psychic dreamer, Saloni Quinby feels spirituality and storytelling go hand-in-hand. She loves the scent of gardenia, the sound of wind chimes and the taste of honey. By listening to what isn’t said, she creates works based on unspoken desires. Saloni prefers blurred gender lines and many varieties of romance. In a world where passion must at times be restrained, she believes erotica is a pleasure to be shared. With her stories she would like to make her fantasies yours and hopes you enjoy the ride. She also writes under the name Kate Hill. Please visit her online at http://www.kate-hill.com, http://www.twitter.com/katehillromance, http://www.twitter.com/compbeastsblog and https://www.facebook.com/kate.hill.92505.

For those folks who received this book yesterday, I hope you enjoy it! I’ll admit I loved writing it. Merry and Daniel were made for each other. Both were lonely and daring, although Merry hadn’t quite reconciled with that part of her nature until she was challenged. Guess it took the right man…

For those of you who haven’t seen the story yet, you’re welcome to drool over the cover. Not sure what he’s looking at—her boobs, I think. But that’s okay, too, right? 🙂 Enjoy the excerpt!

Newly widowed Merry Winslow treks west to claim an unexpected inheritance. Upon arriving, she discovers she inherited a brothel! Rather than being dismayed, Merry’s intrigued, thinking it the perfect way to shed the shackles of propriety that have subdued her wild and impulsive nature. Only problem is, she needs to learn to manage her new business.

Nathan Boone is amused by Merry’s determination and knows the perfect way to begin her instruction. When he opens the peephole for Merry to peer inside as one of the brothel’s “soiled doves” pleasures a customer, he reveals the passion hidden beneath Merry’s “widow’s weeds”.

Get your copy here!

Excerpt from Making a Madam…

A callous-roughened finger lifted her chin. “Do you want me to stop, Merry? I don’t consider this part of our bargain.”

She opened her mouth to tell him it was all happening too fast, that she needed time to think, but her gaze locked with his.

Candlelight didn’t reach the shadowy hollows of his deep-set eyes, lending him a sinister appearance. Her heart skittered for a moment then her glance lowered to his mouth.

She’d barely had a taste of him, yet his lips were still blurred from their kiss, his bottom lip slightly swollen and oh-so tempting to explore.

The undisciplined part of her, the one she’d finally unleashed only this morning, made her rise on her toes and press her mouth to his to savor the taste and texture of him. Whiskey mixed with salt, firm but soft lips…

His mouth opened immediately, and his tongue thrust between her lips, sliding over her tongue, reaching deep to stroke and glide, filling Merry’s head with visions of Nathan gliding over the tops of her breasts and suckling her nipples, just as Johnny had done to Daisy.

Nathan’s hands slid up and down her back, his grip strengthening as he reached lower and cupped her bottom again, pressing her closer to the thick ridge crowding inside his pants.

Remembering the sight of Johnny’s cock and the way Daisy had pleased him, Merry’s doubts burned away, and she felt suddenly eager to see what she’d taken so deep inside her own body.

She tore her mouth from his. “I’d like to see you,” she said, in a thick voice she barely recognized as her own.

“Shall I undress for you?” he asked, gliding moist lips along her cheek.

“Please. Quickly.”

His hands dropped away from her, and he stepped back.

Golden light from the oil lamp on her desk, and the one candle beside her bed, flickered over him as he stripped. His jacket landed beside his feet. His suspenders slid from his broad shoulders. When his crisp white shirt lay crumpled beside him, she lifted her gaze to follow the curve of the tops of his powerful shoulders and the thick, ropey muscles of his chest and abdomen. A light dusting of dark hair stretched between his flat nipples and arrowed down toward his trousers.

She realized with a start he hadn’t worn anything beneath his shirt, no long-handled underwear, and she wondered if he’d bothered with any undergarments below.

Feeling breathless as his hands hovered over the button at the top of his pants, she flattened a hand against her chest, which only made her more aware of the shallow breaths lifting her chest and the heavy thud of her heartbeat. “Why did you stop?” she blurted out.

“Sorry,” he said, flicking open the button. “I was too busy watching you, and wondering if I needed to get you out of that corset.”

“I am a little winded, but please,” she said, waiving toward his lower body, “continue.”

Disappointingly, he started this time with his boots, toeing them off one at a time then drawing off his woolen socks. As his hands returned to the waist of his trousers, her breath caught and held.

He tugged down his trousers, wincing when they snagged. He reached inside and cupped his erection then worked his clothing the rest of the way down his hips. When he straightened, she understood the deep sigh he let out.

His cock strained upward, thick and straight against his belly. Much larger than Johnny’s—and even more impressive than the glass cock Daisy had stroked inside herself.

Merry stared for a long moment, noting the ruddy color of his shaft, the purplish shade of the rounded head. It pulsed once, up and down, a little telltale jerk that she knew he couldn’t control since he stood so stiffly, waiting for her comment.

“Please stay just like that,” she whispered, reaching for the buttons behind her neck, opening her dress slowly and awkwardly until the front fell forward, exposing the top of her corset and the gentle swell of her bosom. A few more tiny buttons, and she slid down the skirt to pool around her feet. Her petticoats followed, and then she bent to unbutton her boots and slid them off, only realizing as she straightened, that she’d given him a view of her breasts plumping above the restrictive corset.

She flushed, wishing she wasn’t so absurdly shy. He stood with his cock bared, and she still had clothing covering most of her womanly parts.

“Let me unlace you,” he said, his voice sounding tight and husky.

She walked toward him and slowly turned her back. His nimble fingers plucked the laces until the hard boning relaxed, and the corset fell away. At last, she could draw a deep breath. Then wearing only her chemise and drawers, she faced him.

His glance swept her body then met hers. Tension tightened his large, muscled frame. His hands settled on his hips as he waited.

She supposed it was only fair. Merry pushed down the shoulders of her chemise, one at a time, lifting her arms out, but keeping her breasts covered with the fabric. She wished she’d thought to douse the lights before she bared the rest for his gleaming gaze. “Maybe you could turn around…”

A tic pulsed along the side of his jaw, but his features softened, and he stepped out of his trousers and turned.

This view of his body did nothing to ease her embarrassment. His shoulders only seemed wider, narrowing to a trim waist. His buttocks were rounded, firm, and she had the strangest urge to cup them.

“Are you going to change your mind, Merry?” he said, still facing away.

“I’ll admit I’m a little disconcerted, undressing for you like this. I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you.”

“Because your breasts aren’t as large as Daisy’s?”

“Neither are my hips.”

“I’ll like everything I see, I promise. I’m partial to slender women.”

“Have you done this with many women?”

“Enough I’ve learned how to please a woman. Will you let me show you what I’ve learned?”

It’s the time of year that you hear classic and new renditions of Christmas music from bells jingling, chestnuts roasting, to dreaming of snow on Christmas Day. Sounds good, right? But from a young age, one particular song always makes me cry. The lyrics aren’t sad per se but the music tugs at my heart.

I avoid this song like a diet in December. When I hear it on the radio, I change the station. I recently heard the familiar chords while grocery shopping. I froze for a moment, a tad unsure whether or not it was the song, but it was. What to do? I couldn’t run unless I wanted to leave my full cart in the middle of the store (that would’ve really endeared me to store clerks). So, I called my sister who can always be counted on to talk about herself and her day. She saved me, and she had no idea.

Lest you think I jest (cute, huh?) about the effect of this song, I have literally experienced laughter and the next moment dissolved into tears all because of this damn song. Can you imagine becoming the center of attention (and not in a good way) when you interrupt A Charlie Brown Christmas with sniffles, ugly crying, and nose blowing? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am affected by “Christmas Time Is Here” but not just any rendition. It has to be the Vince Guaraldi Trio version.

I used this unusual, albeit slightly dysfunctional, tidbit of my own life as the kernel for my upcoming novella Home, Hearth & Heaven.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, being with family is stressed this time of year. I believe the goal during the holiday season is to keep a smile on your face and gratefulness in your heart. But what if you aren’t blessed to have family to spend time with? (And no, disowning your Uncle Willie because he spiked the tea or made “special” brownies doesn’t count).

If your family isn’t around to provide comedic relief, then you have to be a tad creative to get those gorgeous lips of yours to curve upwards. Here’s my suggestion (if this doesn’t work, you can totally blame me)—crank up your favorite Caribbean or Latin music and shake, shimmy and twirl your way into the next day. If dancing isn’t your thing, enjoy a few belly-aching rounds of laughter with your favorite comedian.

I wish you all a Blessed and Safe Holiday Season!  But before you return to shopping, boxing, wrapping, or even cranking up the Vince Guaraldi Trio, please share your favorite Christmas song. I promise I won’t cry.

 Home, Hearth & Heaven

Alexa Jordan is no fan of the holiday season—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa—doesn’t matter. She has no use for the celebrations because they stress family and that’s the one thing she doesn’t have. When her brilliant plan to travel on Christmas Day backfires due to a snowstorm in Atlanta, Alexa is in no mood for any more mess. The absolute last person she wants to see is the one man who makes her feel out of control.

When Lucas Massino spies his pretty coworker acting like the last kid selected for a team, he jumps at the opportunity fate provides and offers her a place to stay. He’s had a man-size crush on Alexa since they first met, but no matter how he turns on the charm she keeps him at arms’ length.

Alexa is no fool and spending time with someone she knows is preferable to being in a hotel with strangers. But alone, the two cannot fight their mutual attraction. Alexa chalks their behavior up to one of convenience, but Lucas knows better. He just has to make Alexa realize she’s his heaven and he’s her home.

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