UPDATE: The winner of the free signed copy of HIGH OCTANE HEROES is…Robin W! 

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Sometimes, I think I’m the luckiest writer in the world. I write the stories I want to write (for the most part). I can write any length I want to write—and you know that for me, the shorter the better. There’s something about writing something super short, putting everything into a few sparse words. You really have to hone a sentence; nothing that doesn’t absolutely need to be there can stay.

I didn’t begin writing short stories. I wrote longer stories then discovered a market for sexy novellas, then almost by accident, I discovered the Cleis Press anthologies. I wrote story after story, short 3000 to 4000 word hot little numbers, and I was hooked.

Then I thought, “Why am I waiting for the next call for submissions to write a new one?” I came up with my own proposal for a collection and it was accepted. So far six anthologies have been published and on October 14th, the seventh releases! If you’re curious about the anthologies that came before, you check them all out on this page: Delilah’s Collections.

I’ve loved the whole process of pulling together these collections. Every time, I gather old friends and new-to-me authors, and we dedicate to finding readers for our stories.

This time will be no different. We’ll be blogging and holding parties. We’ll have prizes along the way—our ploy to get you reading our excerpts, because we know that once you get a taste, you’ll have to get your own copy to finish the meal!

So follow along. Join the excitement. All the authors are pretty giddy over this new release, and could the timing be any better? Anyone watching Outlander on Starz?!

How can you keep “in the know” about our current contests and events?

1) Subscribe to our blog. (Look for signup block in the left hand column of the page.)

2) Like us on Facebook page.

3) Check out our Pinterest board.

Any of these will work. We hope you’ll join us. And just as a reward for showing up today and reading through this email, I’ll offer a signed copy of High Octane Heroes to one lucky commenter. I’ll choose the winner tomorrow night! Tell me whether you’re doing any of the things I’ve mentioned to follow the fun.

A few years ago, my husband and I stopped eating processed foods, started shopping at our local farmer’s market and adopted a healthy organic diet. We love to eat, and since we exchanged empty calories and chemically altered “food” for wholesome, delicious meals, we’ve never felt better. Both of us have lost weight, though we’re not dieting, and our overall heath has improved. Organic eating is about quality and bounty, not deprivation. We’ve never looked back since we went organic and have never been happier.

My fresh attitude toward food helped shape the characters of my contemporary romance NATURALLY YOURS. The heroine, Amanda Greer, is sexy and earthy with radiant skin and a lush figure. She is a master chef for a restaurant she co-owns, Organics Fantastic, and firmly believes in the healing power of healthy eating. When Amanda meets Iraq veteran and paramedic Mickey Kendall, and sparks fly, she uses her culinary skills, natural empathy, and sharp wit to mend his war-wounded soul.

–Contest—Leave a comment for Adele Downs and be automatically entered to win a Kindle gift copy of her Amazon Top 100 Best-Selling contemporary western novella KISSING HER COWBOY. Winner announced in the comments section October 10.

NATURALLY YOURS is a new release from Boroughs Publishing. Here’s a peek at the book:

“Who will save a man who saves the world?

Paramedic Mickey Kendall hasn’t slept a full night since his return from Iraq. He rescues victims by day and protects the innocent after dark. Mickey doesn’t do it for glory; he wants absolution, not admiration. He lives by the rule: No personal contact after a rescue. That code meets the ultimate test when Mickey saves a child’s life on a roadside and declines the parents’ invitation to dinner at their upscale restaurant.

Master chef Amanda Greer lives by the principle that delicious food and good company build bridges. When she learns Mickey has refused her business partners’ hospitality, she persuades him to change his mind. The handsome paramedic visits her restaurant and Amanda joins him at his table. Their unexpected chemistry turns kinetic and leads to a passionate kiss.

In Amanda’s arms, Mickey finds relief from the stressors that haunt him, but resists falling in love. When Amanda challenges him to face his demons and accept the love she offers, Mickey arrives at a crossroad. The war-weary paramedic must first save himself to claim the woman who reignites his passion for living and revives his wounded heart.

“You can’t go wrong with Adele Downs.” ~Will Work for Books

Buy at: Amazon | Smashwords | ARe

Excerpt:

“They called you a hero in the press.” Her dark lashes lowered and lifted and she smiled at him with admiration shining in her eyes. “They were right, of course. What you did for Jack can never be repaid.”

Mickey winced at the hero reference. “I hate to disappoint you, but I only did what I’m trained to do.”

Amanda made sounds of disagreement low in her throat. “Elena told me at least a hundred and fifty cars passed her on the highway. Every one of them ignored her cries for help. Of all those people, don’t you think one might have been medically trained? Or at least cared enough to respond? No. You stopped. Only you.”

Oh. He hadn’t thought of that.

She pointed a finger at his chest. “There’s a difference between you and other people. There’s no other way to explain what happened on that roadway. Elena is convinced you’re special, and I never doubt her perceptions. That’s another reason why I wanted to meet you.”

Mickey stared into Amanda’s eyes and her pupils dilated. Her lips parted, ever so slightly, as if to welcome a kiss. Her tongue touched the inside of her bottom lip and disappeared. Mickey knew then, she felt it too. Synergy. Chemistry. An attraction so powerful it turned kinetic on contact.

Some called it love at first sight.

Amanda. Even her name was beautiful.

She took a sip of her drink and he watched her mouth and throat work the liquid. When she set down the tumbler, she wiped a droplet from the corner of her mouth with a trimmed, unpolished fingertip. Mickey wished he could have swiped the bead away with his tongue.

Amanda leaned closer and pressed a hand to his wrist. “Trained or not, you were the only stranger on that highway who had a heart.”

Mickey laid his hand over hers and she let him keep it there. Until now, he wasn’t sure he still had a heart. His had been chipped away, piece by piece, like a block of ice since the war. He’d considered it long gone, with his soul. In mere minutes, what was left had thawed in the center, leaving him raw and exposed.

Amanda continued to speak; clearly unaware she’d stripped away another layer. “I love Jack like he’s my own son. He’s a terrific kid. I’ve helped take care of him since the day the Martins and I started this restaurant. When you saved him, you saved us all.” Amanda leaned in and pressed a quick, sweet kiss against Mickey’s jaw.

Their gazes locked when she sat back in her chair. The gravity of her words and her straightforward kiss humbled him into speechlessness. He’d been thanked many times before, but this woman had gotten to him like no one else. He squeezed her hand and then downed the rest of his drink. Amanda took another sip of hers and set the glass on the table before retreating into silence. She turned the tumbler slowly in her hands.

Mickey looked back at her and tapped two fingers against the menu’s leather cover. “Nothing here is what I expected.”

Amanda returned a quiet smile, either assuming he meant food choices, or pretending he had. She tucked her arms beneath her breasts and leaned forward against the edge of the table, lifting perfect white swells above the neckline of her blouse. “Organic means untouched by artificiality. Grown and consumed in its natural state. We eat only healthy foods unspoiled by chemicals, preservatives, hormones, steroids, antibiotics, and genetically modified seeds or cells. Pure.”

Pure. Mickey gazed at the stunning woman by his side. The texture of her skin looked smooth as cream and welcoming to the touch. He longed to run his hands along her thighs, imagining sleek roads leading to heaven at their apex. “I like the sound of that.” The way she looked back at him while he studied her face made him wonder if she’d read his mind.

The one that had gone dirty.

**

About the Author:

Adele Downs writes best-selling contemporary romance inside the office of her rural Pennsylvania home. She is a former journalist, published in newspapers and magazines inside the USA, UK, and Caribbean.

Adele is an active member of Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter where she serves as a past-president. She has written several articles for RWR magazine (Romance Writers Report) and has presented workshops for writers.

When Adele isn’t working on her current project, she can be found riding in her convertible or reading a book on the nearest beach.

**

Visit Adele Downs at http://adeledowns.wordpress.com

Books by Adele Downs on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Adele-Downs/e/B00G1RRS60

Like Adele Downs on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/authoradeledowns

Follow Adele Downs on Twitter! https://twitter.com/Adele_Downs

Join Adele Downs’ Convertible Crew Street Team! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1431874030384864/

UPDATE: The winner of this contest is…Lisa C!

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Thought the word orgy in the title might catch your attention.  

I’m in the midst of trying to get three projects out the door. One of them I haven’t even started yet. Why? I don’t have a clue what to write.

I’m stuck for an adventure for my next SEAL hero in my Uncharted SEALs series. Here was the premise of the first story:

WATCH OVER ME

When Deke Warrick accepts an unsanctioned detail to keep tabs on a congressman’s niece while she vacations in the Caribbean, he expects the only dangers he’ll face are sunburn and a rum hangover. Determined to keep his distance, his resolve is challenged by a chance encounter with the beautiful Nicky Martir—and then shattered when she’s snatched from their hotel room.

The next story will also be a novella, so no long convoluted plot. Something simple and quick, with opportunity for nookie. Seems simple, right? Let’s see how simple you think it is after you get done trying to come up with one idea.

Contest Challenge

That’s all you have to come up with. One idea. And you know what? Give me the outrageous ones too that you know I won’t be able to use, because this is a brainstorming idea and no idea is a bad one when you brainstorm. So, if the best you’ve got is “Hero lets himself be kidnapped by aliens to rescue heroine who has been taken”—go for it! 🙂

The only help I will give you? I have a title: Rules of Engagement.

What’s up for grabs? How about I let you choose. Winner can choose any book of mine available in download form. And guess what? I won’t choose the best idea. I’ll let my trusty random generator choose the winner. So for realz, y’all–give me an idea. Even a dumb one. Even a funny one. You have fun with this.

And after I have a list and have culled it a bit, maybe I’ll put together a poll… No guarantees I’ll use any of your ideas, but maybe you’ll spark a fire in my imagination.

UPDATE: The winner of this contest is…Suzanne!

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Those of you who read me, know I love to write short. Short stories, that is. I write them for publication in anthologies, and sometimes to release on their own, as I did with yesterday’s release, Big Brass Buckle. When I have a nice group of short stories written, I publish them together in volumes entitled Strokes. I have two volumes out at present. By Christmas, I hope to have a third. If you’ve never read my short stories and think you would never be satisfied with anything less than a 100 pages of manuscript, I challenge you to reconsider. Sometimes, something small can be quite edible and delicious!

Post a comment today, and you’ll be entered to win
a free download of Strokes, Vol. 1!

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Delilah Devlin, comes a naughty collection of seven bedtime stories for a week’s worth of nighttime reading pleasure—a little “som-som” to inspire sexy dreams or a one-handed orgasm, or to be read to a partner and enjoyed together.   Witness one woman’s desperate attempt to seduce her busy husband in “Lily’s Last Stand”. In “Nip ‘n’ Tuck” follow a shy seamstress’s adventures with an online suitor that doesn’t go quite as planned. Dive into “Dreaming by the Sea” where a woman with a mysterious past is surprised by a lover who strides naked from the ocean to claim her. An adventurous Victorian nurse learns the pleasures of steam-driven technology in “Dr.Mullaley’s Cure”. A New York commuter shares lustful daydreams of with another subway passenger in “The Morning Ride”.  A woman finds the limits of her inhibitions tested in a one-night stand in “All About Me”. In “The Obedient Wife”, find out what really happened between The Beauty and the Beast. Hint: It’s not your children’s fairytale!

Short excerpts:

From “Lily’s Last Stand”:
The F-bomb fell effortlessly from her mouth, leaving him feeling bemused. “Who are you?”
“Can I tell you who I want to be?”

From “Nip ‘n’ Tuck”:
She suppressed a grin. He was being a good sport about this. She’d been the one to design the scenario. Something she’d always fantasized about doing to a stranger, but had never had the courage to try. Not until “TallDarkBanker” teased her in a private chat room into revealing her innermost desires.

From “Dreaming by the Sea”:
He leaned his forehead against mine. “A kiss, Despy. Let me give you a kiss. I promise all will be answered.”
A kiss. How simple. How frightening. Everything would change. I knew it.

From “Dr. Mullaley’s Cure”:
“I feel…nearly…oh, the agony…oh, doctor!”
Mrs. Headley gave a choked little scream, her upper body arching on the table before settling again. Her flushed cheeks shone with sweat, but the smile she gave the doctor was so filled with gratitude I felt a stirring of something akin to pride for the doctor’s skill.

From “The Morning Ride”:
She saw him, or at least from the knee on down. Shiny black loafers. Knife-edged creases on his charcoal trousers. Sweeping her gaze upward, but still not looking directly, she eyed his tall, lean body, embracing the quickening tattoo of her heart. When he took his seat along the opposite wall and two seats down, she let out the breath she’d held, the pinpricks of darkness that had narrowed her vision to a tunnel, fading back. All was right in her world again.

From “All About Me”:
“Why don’t you go first?”
He shook his head, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. “Now, see? That’s not what I want. And you said I could have anything I wanted if I made you come.”
I snorted. “How do know you I didn’t fake it?”
A sexy grin stretched across his face. “Baby, you came so hard you peed on me.”

From “The Obedient Wife”:
The door swung open, and every word she’d rehearsed flew from her mind, because a great hairy beast dressed in trousers and boots and nothing more filled up the door.
“This be the girl?” the beast rumbled.
The daughter shivered at the deep, warm sound, unsure whether it was pleasure or fear and also unsure which excited her more.

Longer Excerpt from “Lily’s Last Stand”:

Lily Newcomb checked her makeup in the rearview mirror. She wore a new shade of lipstick—“Waitress Red”—on her lips with a slick of gloss to wet them. Brent used to say red lips made him think of blowjobs. That ought to make him sit up and take notice.

Then bracing herself, she let herself out of her Volvo and tugged the belt of her raincoat securely around her waist, trying not to think about how ridiculous this was, how cliché. But she was at wit’s end.

Brent had just spent his last night burning midnight oil. They had enough now—enough money, enough things, enough of the right friends and associates. It was time Brent turned his considerable skills toward shoring up another relationship. One closer to home.

Lily used his spare set of keys to open the outer door of the law offices and let herself inside. The reception area was dark. As was the corridor. Only a sliver of light shone beneath her husband’s door. They were alone.

She unbelted the coat, letting it drop into a messy puddle at her feet. She fluffed her hair, combing her fingers through her bangs to tousle them. With a last deep breath, she strode on her four-inch patent leather heels to his office, grasped the knob with her sweaty palm and inched the door  open.

Brent sat at his desk. The neck of his white, buttoned down shirt was opened, his tie askew. His dark hair looked deliciously messy as he frowned at the document in front of him.

Before he lifted his gaze, she leaned against the doorframe in a seductive pose and tossed back her head, hoping he wouldn’t laugh when he realized she was there—and what she wasn’t wearing.

She heard a cough. Brent’s gaze rose and widened, giving her quick once-over before he bolted from his chair.

Too late, she realized he wasn’t alone. She thrust a hand downward to hide her sex, wrapped an arm around her breasts, but it was too little protection, too late.

Brent’s partner, Lou, rose from an arm chair, instantly averting his gaze. He coughed again. “I can see why you were in a rush to get home, Brent,” he said, sounding strangled. He turned to walk toward the door, shielding his face with a hand and offering a muffled, laughing, “Nice seeing you, Lily,” as she stood, slack-jawed beside the door. In the distance, she heard Lou whistling tunelessly as he exited the office.

Heat crept across her cheeks as she glanced at her husband. “This was a bad idea. I’ll just let myself out,” she said in a little voice, backing away.

Brent kept coming. His face wore that look, the one he assumed when dressing down an intern for shoddy research. “Lily, get back here. Now.”

Lily bit her lip, then dropped her hands. She eyed him with trepidation. Not because she feared him. Brent was never harsh. But because she hated disappointing him. Too late again, she realized she’d acted rashly. Would she ever learn patience? To let things happen in their own time?

As always, she’d seen a problem and rushed to solve it. It had seemed a simple plan. An ambush, really. He’d been staying later and later at work over the past weeks. And if she didn’t know he had a deep streak of integrity running through his core, she might have assumed he was having an affair. But she knew him. She used to work for him. She’d seen how deeply he could sink into a case to the exclusion of everything else. She’d just never thought she’d be shunted to the side for so long.

Tonight, she’d decided to give him a wakeup call. Remind him that he wasn’t alone. That he had responsibilities at home to consider.

Only now, she felt foolish. Desperate. Tears burned her eyes, but she lifted her chin, refusing to let her humiliation make her cower. She dropped her arms.

Brent strode toward her, his expression neutral. His firm lips tight and crimped. When he stood in front of her, he snagged her wrist and pulled her across the threshold, then shoved the door to close it.

He towered over her despite the heels—the only item of clothing she’d worn this night besides her abandoned coat. His gaze swept her again, but this time, she noted the flare of his nostrils. Did he catch the scent perfume he’d gifted her with last Christmas?

After she’d opened the gift, he’d held out his hand for the bottle, then tilted it to wet his finger. He’d traced a path downward, between her breasts. That had been the last time they’d gotten wild and reckless together. Since then, sex had been perfunctory, an afterthought once they fell into the bed at night.

His intense gaze bored into hers. His pupils expanded, darkening his eyes.

Her own body reacted in opposition to the tension rolling off him—liquefying, melting toward him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I thought you were alone.”

He didn’t answer, but lifted one hand, palm up, and cupped a breast. His thumb flicked the tight, pearled tip. “Lou’ll be discreet, but what would you have done if I’d had the whole team in here?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Given you a lap dance?”

He snorted. “Lily, have I been neglectful?” he asked, his voice gruff.

“I’ve missed you, Brent.”

“I’m home every night.”

“You’re there, but…you’re not.”

His jaw tightened. He dropped his hand and stepped back.

Damn, was he really that angry with her, that disappointed that he’d reject her now? Lily blinked and lifted her chin, feigning pride when it lay in tatters all around her. “I’ll go home. I apologize again.”

“Did I say that you could leave?”

UPDATE: This contest will end September 25th at midnight! Enter now!

* * * * *

Every fall I get swept away by the falling leaves and the bright colors and the crisp wind that smells of coming snowfall. There is something magical about the months of September, October and November. I lose myself in the celebrations and decorations of Halloween and there’s nothing better than reading a bunch of old vintage gothics. The spooky settings, the fog shrouded mansions and crumbling castles. I’ve read contemporary set gothics (set in the 50s and 60s) and I’ve read historical gothics too. It doesn’t matter when the book is set, so long as I get to lose myself in a story that’s full of that beloved atmosphere where mist hides tragedies and horrors and a dark sensual romance fills the pages.

One of my absolute favorite vintage gothic romances is The Shivering Sands by Victoria Holt which is about a woman named Caroline trying to find out what happened to her missing sister Roma. Setting out on a quest to find her sister, she starts out searching an estate where her sister was last seen.  With a title like Shivering Sands, already the atmosphere is set and I have to know more about this mysterious place where even the sand is dangerous. As the heroine Caroline Verlaine finds out: “You’ve heard about the Sands, Mrs. Verlaine. Quick sands…shivering sands…Boats are caught in them and they can’t get off. They feel themselves held in a grip so fierce that nothing will release them…and slowly they begin to sink into the shivering sands.”

What is so moving about gothics, especially the vintage ones is the way they capture the reader’s attention with the style of language and transport us to a place of deadly mystery and wonder set against the backdrop of old haunted houses with brooding, dominating heroes that inspire our darkest fantasies.

I recently decided I wanted to write a “modern”gothic. Wouldn’t it be marvelous to take what was best about the vintage gothics and what’s great about new modern romances (like the super steamy love scenes), and combine the two? I had to admit it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever done and the voice was quite natural for me, since I’ve read so many of the old gothics. My story The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall which releases September 29^th, 2014 is the best of both worlds. I have dark, brooding hero named Bastian, an earl, and Jane, a feisty, intelligent American grad student clashing in a battle of wills as they try to find out why the earl’s castle is haunted by his ancestors.

“He was predatory, sensual, and powerful in his dark blue waistcoat, and knee-high black boots. Bastian’s ancestor looked every inch the earl he was. But it was so much more than that. Bastian and Richard could have been twins, the uncanny resemblance was so strong.” – The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall.

Question for readers: What do you all like to read around Halloween? Do you like spooky ghost stories? Hot paranormals? Horror classics? Three lucky winners will receive a e-book of The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall!

To defeat a dark evil, they must face his family’s past…

Bastian Carlisle, the Earl of Weymouth, doesn’t believe in ghosts. Even though tragedy and mysterious hauntings have driven his family away from his ancestral home, Stormclyffe Hall, he is determined to restore the castle to its former glory. His plans are disrupted when a stubborn American shows up on his doorstep hoping to pry into his family’s tragic history.

Jane Seyton, an American graduate student, is convinced there’s more to the tragedy of Stormclyffe Hall than history claims. Ever the scholar, she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means putting up with the arrogant, yet sexy, Bastian.

Although Bastian wants nothing to do with the pushy American, it soon becomes clear that something evil is in the house—and that something is targeting both Jane and Bastian. The two must join forces to purge the ghosts of Stormclyffe Hall once and for all—even as they try to fight a physical attraction between them that grows more and more impossible to deny.

Excerpt:

“My lord?” Randolph prompted, which made Bastian realize he must have been silent for several moments. The shadows had him on edge. Perhaps it would be nice to have a bit of company, if only she wasn’t a bloody American. Given the rumors of ghosts and other such childish stories, most of the staff at Stormclyffe refused to stay overnight. Only Randolph and a few of the loyal staff from London remained after dark.

“I shall meet with her. She will not be staying here.” Read the rest of this entry »

Hello romance readers! And thank you for hosting me today, Delilah. 🙂 I am here to spotlight some fabulous trivia about my Lost Colony Series.

• Fun fact one: This is a historical romance series based on a group of very real Lost Colonists from Roanoke Island.
• Fun fact two: Most of the names, places, and dates in my novels are based on the real deal.
• Fun fact three: But don’t worry. These novels don’t read at all like a history book. The Lost Colony Series is brimming with action, suspense, and unexpected romance in all the right places with plenty of steam – promise!
• Fun fact four: I am seeking some awesome, creative suggestions FROM YOU for the title of book three in the Lost Colony Series.

NAME THAT BOOK CONTEST

Here are some quick and dirty facts to get your creative juices flowing.

1. BOOK ONE: BREAKING TIES

BLURB: An ancient conspiracy plagues a trans-Atlantic voyage from day one. ROSE PAYNE the ship clerk is simply trying to outrun a broken heart. Instead, she runs straight into danger – pirates, plundering, and unexpected love with the most unlikely man.

YouTube book trailer: http://youtu.be/nBB8_qcG-9I

2. BOOK TWO: TRAIL OF CROSSES

BLURB: Following a brutal ambush by hostile Natives, a sharp-tongued spinster JANE MANNERING plots the escape of her fellow English colonists by following a carved trail of crosses, never dreaming her actions will draw the attention of the most feared tribal leader in Virginia.

YouTube book trailer: http://youtu.be/XTkQBFMrk3c

3. BOOK THREE: It’s Your Turn! NAME THIS BOOK

BLURB: AGNES WOOD, a skilled apothecary, crosses the ocean to keep one big, dark, terrible secret. Alas, one dashing gentleman from her past discretely pursues her. Will he expose her past sins and destroy the life she has fought so hard to build in the New World, or will he risk his own future to protect hers?

NAME THIS BOOK in the comments section below for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice)! Don’t forget to give me a way to reach you. (Email address, twitter handle, FB, etc. OR you may email your contest entry directly to me at Jo@JoGrafford.com .)

Happy historical romance reading and best wishes on winning!

–Jo

Jo@JoGrafford.com

Breaking Ties

Breaking Ties
Lost Colony Series
Book One
Jo Grafford

Genre: historical romance
Publisher: Astraea Press
Date of Publication: October 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62135-219-8
ASIN: B00FYIYM7A
Number of pages: 404
Word Count: 121,390
Cover Artist: Mande Matthews

Intelligent and well ahead of her times, ROSE PAYNE’S world is shattered after a secret betrothal to the duke’s son costs her job as a clerk in his father’s household. Without a letter of recommendation, she becomes an easy target for recruiters to the Colonies. Desperate for work, she signs up for a risky overseas venture and sails for the New World, vowing never again fall for a wealthy gentleman.

Returning from a diplomatic tour in London, CHIEF MANTEO is bewitched by the elusive, fiery-haired ship clerk and determined to overcome her distrust. He contrives a daring plan to win her heart – a plan he prays will protect her from a chilling conspiracy involving murder, blood money, and a betrayal of their fledgling colony so terrifying it can only be revealed in BREAKING TIES.

Special Note: BREAKING TIES is the never-before-told rest of the story of the Lost Colony.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/nBB8_qcG-9I

Available at Amazon  BN  Smashwords  Kobo  Astraea Press  iTunes

Excerpt:

“You want my help.” ‘Twas an accusation.

“Aye.”

His eyes darkened. “I save your life. I give gifts. I offer marriage.” He closed the remaining distance between us, his eyes burning into mine.

I stumbled back.

“You give nothing in return,” he snarled. “You only ask for more.”

“I would had I something to offer,” I whispered. “But I have nothing. I am nothing.”

“Then what use are you to me?” He wheeled away.

I sagged against the door, eyes stinging. I blinked rapidly and pressed a hand to my stomach. Nausea rolled at the thought of informing the others of my failure.

Manteo circled the cabin like a hawk stalking its prey. ‘Twas a fine room with ornately carved shelves lining one wall. Bunks were built into the next wall. A generous desk jutted from the third, overflowing with maps and navigational devices. I recognized the compass and hourglass but could not identify the other instruments. I jerked in surprise when Manteo swooped down upon me.

“I know our location.” His arms shot out and slapped the wall on either side of me, hemming me to the door. “I could swim ashore from here.”

“Then why do ye stay if ye can leave and save yourself?” Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE! The winner of the free download is Fedora!

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Hey there, lovely readers! Since I didn’t have a guest today, I thought I’d do something fun. A new book blitz! Any writers out there have new stories they want readers to know about? Email me your cover (300 pixel height), your blurb, and your sales links (embedded, please!), and I’ll post them as they come! Email to delilah@delilahdevlin.com!

Comment for a chance to win a free copy of one of my Adventure Girls, Inc. books!
And keep dropping by to check out the new titles! Enter more than once!
This contest will close Sunday night.

* * * * *

Erin Bevan

Jason Haverty is looking forward to the fall horse drive, until his boss and uncle informs him one of the new cowboys coming in to help will be riding his favorite horse. His annoyance is furthered when the cowboy turns out to be a cowgirl—a quick-witted and confident blonde beauty. Trying to avoid her doesn’t work. The more time he spends with her, the more an unexpected protectiveness toward her grows.

Bobby Jo’s Texas upbringing taught her to give just as good as she gets, a quality Jason finds frustrating and all the more endearing in this Southern Belle. When an accident on the trail places her in possible danger, Jason realizes she means more to him than he thought. The question is, does she feel the same?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ranch-Hand-Erin-Bevan-ebook/dp/B00NESA51Y

* * * * *

Margay Leah Justice

Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice. In theory. But in one small town, in one family, that theory is put to the test.

Growing up in a rural town in Massachusetts was supposed to be safe, but for SILVIE CHILDS, that safety was shattered by a kidnapping attempt that forever changed her life. Now, nearly twenty years later, that sense of safety is challenged again by the kidnapping attempt on her young niece, and Silvie is left struggling with one question: How can something like this happen twice in one family?

It is a dilemma shared by NICK FAHEY, the detective assigned to the case. Arriving on the scene of the abduction attempt, Nick expects to run a routine investigation. Until he meets the victim, the niece of a woman he once considered a dear friend. Unfortunately, these days Silvie Childs can barely stand the sight of him.

Once there was a time when Silvie Childs worshipped Nick Fahey, believing he could do no wrong. Until the accident that nearly killed her brother; the accident that Nick reportedly caused. Coming on the heels of her own near abduction, the accident skewed Silvie’s ability to trust men – especially Nick. But now, with the attempt on her niece’s safety, Silvie finds herself in the untenable position of having to trust Nick to bring the kidnapper to justice.

That trust is severely tested when, after only two months, the case is closed for lack of new evidence. Feeling betrayed by the system in which she works as a paralegal and by Nick, Silvie takes matters into her own hands. Contacting local news stations to generate interest in the case, allowing herself to be filmed hanging sketches of the suspect on telephone poles, she will risk her own safety to protect that of her niece. When her efforts re-open the wounds of her past, she is once again forced to put her trust in the one man who still has the power to hurt her – Nick.

The Scent of Humanity – Kindle edition by Margay Leah Justice, Donna Collier. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Smashwords – The Scent of Humanity – a book by Margay Leah Justice

* * * * *

P.J. Dean

SOMETIMES THE ENEMY OF YOUR ENEMY IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE YOUR LAST RESORT.

TAKEN! TINA HAS BEEN TAKEN BY FELIG FROM THE HOME SHE AND NATE SHARED AND THEY HAD BELIEVED FELIG-PROOF. JUST WHEN THE COUPLE HAD SMOOTHED OUT AND POLISHED THE JAGGED EDGES OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

JUST WHEN EVERYTHING HAD FIT TOGETHER SO PERFECTLY. NATE IS ON A MISSION NOW TO GET HER BACK, AND IS LEARNING NOWHERE IS SAFE AND NO ONE, UNTOUCHABLE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT ALLIES CAN BE FOUND IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED OF PLACES.

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Karin Shah

Never fall in love with a man in a photo. Especially, if he’s dead . . .

Balanced on the knife-edge edge of going feral, chimera Ethan Wade has no idea what he is. All the former Navy SEAL turned maritime treasure hunter knows is his explosive temper has destroyed his life, driving him to an isolated rental house in Western, NY, to lick his wounds. When a molotov cocktail of rage and alcohol triggers an uncontrolled shift, he is caught between shapes.

Disembodied, he can only come to one conclusion: He’s died and become a ghost.

Blowing the whistle lost lawyer Devon Daughtry her boyfriend, (not too much of a loss), her job, (a bit worse) and with the rents in Manhattan, a primo apartment (the straw that broke the camel’s back).

Now she’s run home to Cassadaga determined to re-build her life by hanging out her shingle as a psychic medium.

When she discovers a photograph of Ethan while moving in, she’s crushed to discover the man whose lonely eyes strike a chord deep within her soul is missing and presumed dead. Soon, she begins having passionate dreams about him. Dreams that Ethan shares.

But Ethan isn’t the only being in the house. A demonic presence has followed her home and it has diabolical plans for both of them.

Kindle price $2.99 $0.00 on Kindle Unlimited

www.amazon.com/Entity-Mine-Karin-Shah/dp/1619354950

* * * * *

Lacey Thorn

Freeing the Feline
Awakening Pride Book Three

He’s only human…

The only thing Logan despises more than a weak man is one who preys on others. He finds himself in a battle between a group of people he never dreamed existed, and those who want them dead.

A captured lioness…

Clara has always known she carried the spirit of a lioness within her. An impulsive quest finds her at the mercy of a man she’s spent her entire life hearing of. She wants to claim her place as part of his pride, but to do so means turning her back on the one who reared her.

Mine…

One look at Clara has Logan chomping at the bit to protect her. Every moment spent together assures him she feels the same. She’s the one with a beast inside, but he’s the one feeling territorial. Every glance has his chest swelling with primal need. Every touch sends one word echoing through his mind. Soon he’ll show her exactly what it means to belong.

You can find it at the following places: Resplendence Publishing: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/694-978-1-60735-805-3–freeing-the-feline-awakening-pride-series-book-three-by-lacey-thorn.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Freeing-Feline-Lacey-Thorn-Awakening-ebook/dp/B00NGUGWQM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410543938&sr=8-1&keywords=freeing+the+feline
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freeing-Feline-Lacey-Thorn-Awakening-ebook/dp/B00NGUGWQM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410543972&sr=8-1&keywords=freeing+the+feline
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-freeingthefelineawakeningprideseriesbookthree-1618868-340.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/freeing-the-feline-lacey-thorn/1120348510?ean=2940150683907
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/freeing-the-feline

* * * * *

Brent Archer

Humanity decimated itself in a global war with over six billion dead. The survivors mostly gather into gleaming megacities. Mark Jennings chooses to stay away from the jungle of metal and glass, and instead lives a life of farming in a rustic cabin outside the ruins of Billings.

One dark, snowy, December night, Shawn Templeton, lost and freezing, stumbles into Mark’s life. The two men have a passionate few days, but Shawn decides to continue on his journey. He pleads with Mark to look him up in New Bismarck when he comes to trade his crops.

At the end of the following summer, Mark takes his produce to the megacity. He decides to look Shawn up, but when he goes to visit, Shawn’s young roommate, wrapped only in a towel, answers the door.

Heartbroken, Mark returns to his cabin, but winter has a surprise for him as he trudges home through the snow with his Christmas tree.

https://museithotpublishing.com/index.php/coming-soon/october-2014/halfway-out-of-the-dark-detail#top

This story releases Oct 3, 2014 as part of the Wild Darkness Calls series
with MuseItHOT for only $2.50. Read the rest of this entry »