Yes, I’m being lazy today—with this one thing. I don’t have time to blog. I have to edit, edit, edit, or I’ll be late! So, for the third day in the row, I set my alarm at 6:30 to get an early start—and I’m off! Well, as soon as I share this fun little puzzle. The picture you’ll create is for a release coming June 2nd! If you’d like to pre-order, here’s the link:

Link to Pre-Order Mystery Book

Now get to work, me!

I have two passions besides writing—yoga and Raks Sharqi (belly dancing). I’ve talked about yoga on numerous blogs, so today I am going to let my other passion, shimmy.

First off, the Hollywood legend is that belly dancers were harem slaves, and they danced to seduce the Sultan. While part of that may be true—wives in the harem may have danced to seduce the Sultan (who didn’t need much seducing)—that is not the origin of Raks Sharqi. Sometimes, it is called Egyptian Belly Dancing, but that is also based on the Hollywood legend.

I’ll keep this brief—belly dancing is thousands of years old, and it originated all over the Middle East. At parties—yes, the women were segregated from the men, but they were not demeaned. Instead, they talked, ate, sang and danced together, expressing their joy of life and sisterhood. Some women moved from dancing at parties into the professional world, and this is the origins of Raks Sharqi.

Oh, and can I add right now? Belly dancers are not strippers. Clothes are not removed during the performance. Sometimes, a veil is used as a prop, and it may be discarded, but the “costume” remains on. Well, except for the time the hooks on the back of my dance bra popped during a group routine. If you really want the details, ask me.

Every year in May, belly dancers from all over the world participate in Shimmy Mob, dancing in support of women’s shelters or crisis centers. I believe over 170 cities were registered for this year and some cities have more than one team.

What happens is really cool, and you can join in too. Dancers submit videos of dance routines, and one routine is selected. Everyone learns that routine, and then on the appointed day, they flashmob the routine. Dancers from cities all over the world participate, and the routine is danced on city streets, in farmers’ markets, in malls, and even on beaches.

How can you help? Well, first you have to discover if there is a Shimmy Mob chapter in your area, and then sign up. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never danced in your life. The routine is kept simple for beginners or can be mildly adapted if the group is more experienced.

While you are probably going to be nervous going to your first rehearsal, belly dancers are wonderful, accepting women who will greet you with a smile and help you learn the routine. And after your first performance the joy that fills you will be amazing. You will have learned and performed, been accepted into the sisterhood of belly dancers and have supported an incredibly important cause.

Here’s ShimmyMob’s link if you want to check it out. http://www.shimmymob.com/

*~*~*

 Sadly, there’s no belly dancing in my latest hot romance, Darien’s Desire. 🙂

It’s complicated is not only her relationship status, but the definition of Erika Bailey’s life. She loves managing her drag queen club in Bangkok, Thailand, but her rock star boyfriend resides in North Carolina. And to top it off, her father threatens she must stay away from Darien or lose the Pink Flamingo. Does she protect her club or her love?

Darien Scott, Grammy award-winning international superstar, wants nothing more than to wake up in the arms of Erika, the woman he loves, but contractual obligations force him to exotic video shoots and an isolated movie set with one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars.

With the feeding frenzy of social media trending every aspect of Darien’s life—real or not—it’s hard for Erika to know the truth. Will she be able to see through the lies and trust Darien? Or will evidence from damaging Internet rumors condemn their relationship?

Pre-order: http://www.extasybooks.com/dariens-desire/

Follow me: @daryldevore

Today is Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all those out there who do the job of a dad, whether you be male or female. My wish for you on this day is that you have the wisdom to teach your kids all they need to know, the patience to deal with them whether they are 2 or 20 and never ending love for them.

As I think about my own dad today, I am saddened by the realization that he is getting older. Mid-seventies this year. I’m thankful that I have both my parents still with me, but for how long?

Just this past week, I made a surprise trip to see them since it’s been almost two years. I was shocked at the changes only two years can make. The grey hair, the wrinkled skin, the slowing down.

I remember my dad from years past. He was young and energetic and invincible to my child’s eyes. I remember thinking he was perfect and could do no wrong. He was the bread-winner of the family, working long hours to supply for us. Although, as a child, I just didn’t understand why he was gone all day. He worked a factory job, and I didn’t understand why grown-ups didn’t get summer vacation like we kids did. Didn’t the factories close down for the summer like school? (I have to giggle at this as an adult. It would be awesome if we all got the summer off!)

He taught me so much without saying a word. He taught me about hard work, doing a job right the first time, never giving up, never losing hope. All without saying a word.

He still does. My mom has Alzheimers, not that they tell their children anything, but she has become so forgetful we know it’s that dreaded affliction. Yet my dad, who has been married to her for over 57 years (or so) still takes care of her at home, still loves her as much, if not more, than the day they married.

It doesn’t take brains, or brawn, or riches to be a father. It takes love, honesty and strength of character. My dad has that in spades.

I love you Dad. Happy Fathers Day.

An excerpt from Kalissa Wayne’s “Traffic Stop” in Blue Collar…

Sarah flew down the empty road, heedless of the speed limit. Darkness encroached on the country road, but the headlights on her Jeep were on bright, dispelling the shadows, at least to the edges of the road. The full moon cast a soft glow over the vast pastures and fields as she flew by. Stars twinkled and mocked her bad mood.

Freakin’ City Council meetings, she thought as she shifted gears. She hated attending, because they were nothing but small-town ego maniacs griping about petty differences and what should be done to draw more money to the county. Nothing ever got done, because no one would agree with anyone else. Why she ever agreed to take the position of arbiter she’d never know. She sighed, letting the wind whip over her from the open top. She just wanted to get home, take a nice long soak in the hot tub and go to bed.

She knew she’d jinxed herself when, in her rear-view mirror, red lights flashed, and she heard a siren strobe a couple times. Sarah debated whether to pull over or just keep going, but the siren turned on and stayed on. Taking a deep breath, she pulled off onto the side of the empty county road, put her Jeep in Park and cut the engine.

She closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten, then twenty, as the siren suddenly went quiet. Listening to the silence of the night and the radio traffic coming from the Sheriff’s SUV behind her, she decided to just keep counting.

She heard the snick of a door opening then closing, followed by the soft tread of boots on the blacktop, loud even above the night sounds that were returning to normal. At least he turned off the siren. When the footsteps stopped, she cracked open her left eye and looked sideways.

A massive chest covered in a black bulletproof vest filled her vision, the uniform’s short sleeves straining to contain equally massive biceps. Opening both eyes, and turning her head, she followed the impressive chest as it continued down into snug, form-fitting uniform pants interrupted only by a utility belt around his waist. Between all the gadget pockets, a radio and a Glock 45, the belt added some inches to his waistline, but it still looked narrower than his massive chest.

“Registration and ID please, ma’am.”

The deep baritone sent shivers down her spine. “Seriously? This is how you’re going to play this? You…”

“Ma’am. I need to see your registration and ID. I clocked you doing 75 in a 50 miles per hour speed zone. Even though I know who you are, I must do my duty.” The big officer leaned over, looking into the Jeep.

For the first time, Sarah wished she’d left her doors on the Jeep instead of taking them off for the summer.

The man was drop-dead handsome. Short, black curly hair peeked out from under his Stetson. Eyes so dark they looked black gazed from under the black hat brim. Under his eyes, a straight nose led down to a wide mouth. She tried not to stare, but his lips, even firmed up, as they were now, looked soft and kissable.

“Ms. Smith, if you don’t produce your identification and registration immediately, I’ll be forced to arrest you not only for excessive speed, but also for operating a vehicle without a license and possible possession of stolen property.”

Sarah’s jaw dropped, and she just stared into the dark eyes of the sheriff.

“Sheriff Carson, with all due respect, you can kiss my ass. You’ve known me for how many years? And you know I own this vehicle! Eeeep!”

Even before she finished the bleated word, the sheriff reached in and unlatched her seatbelt. As she tried to fight off his hands, he pulled her from the seat and turned her to face the Jeep.

“Put your hands on the roll bar now.” Even as he made the statement, his big hands shackled her wrists and moved her hands toward the bar.

As she started cussing him, she gripped the bar. “You are an asshole! You know damn well…” Sarah started to turn her head.

“Face forward!” he barked. When she faced back into the Jeep, he ran his hands down her arms to begin patting her down. “If you say one more word, I’ll have to read you your rights and charge you with verbal abuse of a peace officer.”

Sarah silently fumed as he continued running his hands down over her shoulders, then along her sides. She tried to ignore the fact that he was feeling his way around her body, and tried to ignore that her girly parts were starting to tingle.

His chest bumped against her back and hips as he leaned down to check her legs.

She was glad she had extra padding in that area, because his vest was not the least bit soft.

Her breath hitched when his hands encircled her ankles and forced her legs to spread open. Her skirt, ending just below her knees, allowed for a little movement. As the sheriff ran his hands up the insides of her legs, he forced the skirt higher.

A cool evening breeze drifted up her bare legs and teased the edges of the skirt.

The sheriff stood before his hands hit higher than mid-thigh. He ran his hands up her back.

A shiver worked up her spine when she realized his spread hands stretched from one side to the other. His thumbs ran up her spine as his pinkies rubbed the outside of her rib cage, and she wasn’t a small woman. His hands were huge, and it made her girly parts do more than tingle.

His hands skimmed across her shoulders and checked the collar of her shirt before running down her shoulder blades and under her arms.

She twitched a little as his fingers ran over her arm pits. Geez, she hated that she was ticklish. All thoughts of laughing died as he palmed her breasts and gently squeezed. Her brain froze as her breath halted in her chest.

“Carson…” Sarah tried to object, but his name came out as a breathless whisper.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay

So… About a year and a half ago I decided to write a serial release about a married couple finding and exploring kink together. Finding themselves. Finding each other again for the first time which can be soooooo scary.

The journey of Zeke and Aslan was born with Aslan’s Stranger. Now 9 stories later I’ve written the last story which is Aslan’s Fear. I have loved this couple and everything they have learned and how they’ve grown and how incredibly brave they both have been to find exactly who they’re meant to be. And sharing it with their spouse has been soooo much harder to write than I expected it to be.

They aren’t starting with a clean slate and no expectations.

Instead they’ve had a decade to “BE” with each other and all which that entails.

And writing their happily ever after has been one of the most rewarding writing experiences I’ve ever had. I balled writing the last book. Balled every time I re-read it for editing. It’ll be up in just a little bit but before then here are all the books in my rainbow glory!!! Had that planned from the beginning too just because it makes me soooo happy to look at it!

Here’s links to all of them in case you need a bit of a dose of dirty today….or tomorrow….or the next day. 😛

These are stories in a serial release all featuring Aslan and Zeke. A married couple looking for more and finding it in the arms of each other. There will be nine stories total, with one being released every couple months. Short kinky stories meant to tantalize and excite you. May you fall in love with love and everything that word means to your fantasies…

Aslan’s Stranger
Zeke’s Pitstop
Aslan’s Desire
Zeke’s Surprise
Aslan’s Fetish
Zeke’s Meeting
Aslan’s Evening
Zeke’s Demons
Aslan’s Fear – Coming soon!!!

Giveaway

Let’s have a giveaway with an AWESOME bag of goodies for one lucky poster! Two print books and lots and lots of other swag and kinky goodies! Plus a cup and a coozie and a pretty purple BED bag to hold it all!

**GIVEAWAY – US ONLY** – Just look at all the awesomeness you could win!! So tell me why YOU read romance! Why do you like it? What draws you in? What gives you the shivers and brings you back for more??

I’ll pick a winner on Monday the 19^th!! Good Luck!! PS –It’s always great to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you! Hate not being able to give winners their goodies!!

Decadently Yours,
Jennifer Kacey

About the Author

Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her miniman in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

Website – Newsletter – The Decadent Divas– Amazon Page
Facebook – Facebook Author Page – Twitter – Goodreads – Pinterest

Do you believe in second chances?

As a romance writer, I have to. Happily ever after is my stock-in-trade. As a woman, I want to believe in second chances. Life can be challenging at the best of times. With the stresses of modern life—careers, money, bills, children, family, illness—it’s no wonder that sometimes love isn’t enough to hold a relationship together.

But as a writer, I get the opportunity to rewrite history, to give a couple a second chance. What could be better than watching two people discover that the passion, the love between them hasn’t died, but is still there, waiting for the right spark to be rekindled.

There are times when two people are at different places in their lives, especially when they are younger, and their relationship doesn’t work out. They go their separate ways and live their lives, but fate has other plans. What happens when they are thrown together again, both parties older and wiser than they were when they were younger? Will they make the same mistakes or will they reach out and take a chance on their love?

That’s exactly what happens in my story “Roadside Assistance” when Esme Jenson’s car breaks down and the man who stops to help her is her ex, Vincent Durango.

This is just one of the short stories in Blue Collar: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, a wonderful new collection I’m thrilled to be a part of.

BLUE COLLAR

When it comes to love…Blue Collar is better!

It’s time to set aside those sexy billionaires and enjoy stories about the everyday, even sexier bad boys you meet in real life. They may have dirty hands and wear tool belts and jeans instead of Rolex watches, but they’re earthy alpha males unafraid to get down and dirty when face to face with a woman in need–whatever her need may be!

Just a few of the titillating stories inside…

In “Elevation” by Megan Mitcham, an always-in-control policewoman trapped in an elevator shaft gets a sexy rescue from the handsome repairman. A lonely woman drives a thousand miles to meet an oil field roughneck ready for a long night of laying pipe in Mia Hopkins’ “We Drill Deep While Others Sleep”. Jennifer Kacey shows the lengths to which an enterprising gal will go to get the owner of an oil change shop to check her fluids in “The Boss”. And those are just a few of the sexy stories inside this collection about the everyday hero next door.

These are men who’ve built their powerful muscles from hard work rather than inside any gym, and they sure know how to use their hard-earned skills to pleasure a woman…

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/BBBABCAMZ
Nook: http://bit.ly/BBBABCNOOK
IBooks: http://bit.ly/BBBABCIBOOKS
Kobo: http://bit.ly/BBBABCKOBO
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/BBBABCGPLAY

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Group: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/awakeningdesires/info
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Dark Flight, my July release, is set in a dark gritty world. I hesitate to call it a dark romance because that term often suggests non-consent and there is always consent in my stories between the romantic couple (or more). There might be some capture fantasy, as there is in Dark Flight, but everyone involved agrees with any sexy times.

The world of Dark Flight is quite violent, however. It is an outlaw planet filled with the baddies of the universe. My heroes have their own codes but, outside of the settlement, there aren’t many rules. Bad things happen. The hero of Dark Flight enters gladiator-style battles because he enjoys fighting. There’s slavery and killing and, of course, explosions. (I love blowing things up.)

Recently, some writing buddies and I were talking about whether or not there’s a place for romances with dark tones or themes in a world that seems to have become darker. During uncertain times, will readers continue to read dark toned romances?

I think the fact that these are romances with the expected romance endings will ensure a place remains for them. In my stories, there’s always hope. There’s love. There’s family and often babies. (I love babies too – grins).

That makes me feel better about the real world. If my couples (or more) can find love and happiness in their much darker world, we can definitely find it right here on Earth.

My stories are also set on futuristic ships and alien planets. There are fantastic creatures and unusual situations, gorgeous sunsets and unique customs. It’s nice to leave the real world for a while. It is escapism, a little bit of a vacation.

What do you think? Is there a place for dark toned romances in today’s world? Or do you find yourself looking for romances with lighter, humorous tones?

Dark Flight

His mission. His challenge. His forever.

Orol, the Refuge’s second-in-command, has been given what he believes is a simple mission—escort two human females to the settlement. The winged warrior arrives at the meeting site to find one of the females missing and the other aiming a gun at his head. To rescue the first, he must capture the second. Once he has Rhea in his talons, however, he realizes he never wants to let her go.

Her enemy. Her captor. Her everything.

Rhea doesn’t trust anyone. She certainly doesn’t follow commands issued by a gorgeous flying male with glittering eyes, a beautiful face, and a seductive touch. Orol is dominant, edged with darkness, and determined to find her sister. Rhea will do anything to prevent that, even if it means playing sensual games of submission with her powerful enemy, seducing him into forgetting everything except her.

Dark Flight is a STAND-ALONE SciFi Romance set in a gritty, dark world.

You Can Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Flight-Refuge-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07124941B/
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Flight-Refuge-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07124941B/
Apple/iBooks/iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dark-flight/id1242494643
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-flight-cynthia-sax/1126484675
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-flight-3
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/727350

About Cynthia Sax

USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes contemporary, SciFi and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.

Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com

Website:  http://cynthiasax.com/
Newsletter:   http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Facebook:  facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter:  @CynthiaSax
Blog:  http://tasteofcyn.com/

Even though it’s been years since I was a kid in school, it’s permanently ingrained in my brain that the words “summer” and “vacation” must go together. Sometimes that means traveling on an actual vacation, but it also means taking things a little slower and savoring a few guilty pleasures.

With a book deadline in mid-July, this year, that’s not as easy as I’d like. But with summer finally here, it seems like a perfect time to share a few of my summertime guilty pleasures and find out a few of yours.

1. Afternoon beach breaks– Back when my kids took swimming lessons at the lake in our community, a 4:00 p.m. class meant the water was much warmer than it was at 9:00 a.m. For me, it was the perfect way to wind down the day. Years later, I still find a late afternoon beach break a great way to decompress.
2. Carnival food– For my husband, summer isn’t complete without at least one funnel cake (also known as elephant ears in some parts of the country). For me, it’s cheese fries from the little ice cream place in our town, or a soft-serve chocolate/vanilla swirl ice cream cone. There’s nothing natural in either one, and we won’t even discuss the calories, but both taste great on a summer night.
3. Staying up late– My internal clock runs a little later in the summertime, and I just naturally stay up later. Which leads to cravings for soft serve ice cream. And popcorn—made in a pot on top of the stove, not in the microwave.
4. Reading– As an author, I’ll argue that this should never be a guilty pleasure, but in the summer, I’m less apt to read books to learn something–whether it’s writing craft non-fiction, or a romance that reflects a hot trend, just to see what all the fuss is about. Nope. In the summer, give me escapist reads, comfort reads, and reads outside my genre. Preferably those I can take to the beach.
5. Binge-watching– Again, this is perfect for late nights, especially when it’s too hot to do anything but stay inside with the AC cranked. Past summer binges have included Lost, Breaking Bad and UnREAL, a series set behind the scenes of a Bachelor-style reality show.

Not only was UnREAL a blast to watch, but it was also confirmed that  my book Turning It On, which is also set behind the scenes of a reality show, had the details right!

Want to see for yourself?  Win a digital copy of Turning It On by sharing one of your summertime guilty pleasures!

Turning It On

Go behind the scenes of a reality TV show, where what happens off-camera is even more outrageous than what happens on.

When book editor Hannah becomes a reluctant contestant on Last Fling, TVs sexiest reality show, she starts to question everything—including the man she’s loved half her life.  When her fickle fiance falls for a scheming starlet, Hannah enlists the show’s male stripper villain, Vlad the Bad, to help her win him back. But when the reality show villain is revealed to be a real-life hero, Hannah discovers that true love can blossom in the middle of the most unreal place of all.

Happy summer, and happy reading!  Elizabeth

About the author

Contemporary romance author Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash of different. She is the author of the Red Hot Russians sports romance series. Her debut novel Pairing Off is a 2016 RITA® Award Finalist.

Website: http://www.romancewriter-girl.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethharmonauthor?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/romanzwrter_grl

Her latest book, Heating It Up: A Red Hot Russians Novella is an Antarctica-set small town romance and was released in Feb. 2017.