Thanks, Delilah, for hosting me on your gorgeous blog.

I brought a friend.

Well, a creation–although by now Daniel and David Ho’omalu and their family feel more like people I met in Hawaii. Their South Kona Coast beach enclave, Nawea Bay, feels like an actual place that I can visit next time we fly to Hawaii for a spring vacation.

These larger-than-life brothers sprang to life on a visit to the Big Island two years ago.

‘Why don’t you write a story set here in Kona?’ my husband asked. He might as well have hit me over the head, so big was the impact of his statement. Wherever I go, I spin stories in my head. This talent has gotten me through many a long car trip, when the three males in my family converse about guy stuff—cars, trucks, guns, etc.

I’d already begun a story on our long drive up to Hawaii Volcanoes Nat’l Park, but I didn’t … oh, this is embarrassing! I didn’t take it seriously. I know, right? I’m a romance writer, how could I NOT take my imaginings seriously? Well, because although I had 4 books published I was still, in my own mind, an amateur.

Then this last year, God gave me two hard shoves toward turning pro. My step-father died, leaving my dear mom alone on her rural property in Central Montana. And my husband lost his sales job to the recession, leaving me the breadwinner in the family. Suddenly my writing became an important part of our family’s support system.

I gave up my favorite activities—shopping, golf, and leisurely lunches with friends. I still made sure to exercise, but when I wasn’t doing that or teaching, I was writing. Without even noticing, I’d turned pro. This is not a pity party, either. I believe God works in his own way to turn us the way we need to go.

Through the long rainy Pacific NW winter, I spun my Hawaiian imaginings into a romance saga. Hawaiian Heroes; Walking in Fire was published in April of this year, and Hawaiian Heroes II; Rolling in the Deep followed July 31^st. Hawaiian Heroes III; Blooming in the Wild will debut in November, and Hawaiian Heroes IV sometime early next year.

Let me tell you, I looked forward to going to Hawaii in my vast imagination every evening and weekend! Lush and beautiful, volcanoes soaring at your back, the surf lapping at your toes, the warm air heavy with the scent of plumeria … the beautiful Hawaiian people enjoying their home. Tourists relaxing in this carefree setting—the perfect milieu for sexy romance.

You can immerse yourself in beautiful Hawaii, too, just by picking up one of my Hawaiian Heroes books. And I promise the series will go on, and be followed by many other red hot romances. Because I am a romance writer … and a pro.

Here’s a taste of Hawaiian Heroes; Rolling in the Deep.

Desire as deep and dark as the sea…danger as close as a heartbeat.

Daniel Ho’omalu’s intimidating physique, tribal tattoos and mane of black braids frighten most women before they get close enough to discover he likes to play rough. Pile on his perilous vocation as one of a secret society of island guardians, and he’s painfully aware he may never find a mate.

One look at Daniel, and Claire Hunter knows she’s found the man of her sensual dreams. Without hesitation she sinks her teeth into the challenge of landing the big Hawaiian in her bed. But while he clearly wants her, he won’t bite back.

Daniel is certain the beautiful haole is too young and innocent to handle his dark sexual needs. Despite their determination to ignore each other, the island casts its spell, and in one explosive night, Daniel learns that Claire is more than a match for him in every way.

When Daniel must leave her side and dive to the depths of the sea to foil a gang of drug smugglers, Claire trusts that their powerful bond will bring her lover back safely to her arms. But his vow of honor to protect his people could be the one thing that breaks her heart.

Warnings: Big, hot, tattooed Hawaiian hero who likes it rough—in bed and on the beach. Going deep takes on a whole new meaning in this tropical heat wave.

“Your little outfit turns me on,” he said. “I’d like to eat you up. Just like a pūpū. Got it?” Read the rest of this entry »

Thank you Delilah Devlin for inviting me and my two main characters, Alex Donovan and Maddie Saunders from my latest contemporary romance, WHAT A GIRL WANTS to be guests on your blog.

I hope your readers enjoy my conversation with my two characters, as they sit and talk to me about their experiences in the book I created for them.

Selena: Thanks for jumping out of the book to join me today. Maddie, let’s start with you. What was your journey like in What A Girl Wants? 

Maddie: The plane trip from toHawaii was uneventful—

Alex: I have to interrupt here. Uneventful? Is that what you call it?

Maddie: Come on, Alex, even you have to admit it was classic. Besides, you laughed at the prank I pulled on you. Anyway, as for your initial question, Selena, I enjoyed the adventures you created for us, especially the humorous moments. Of course, what’s a romance without heartache, physical pain, angst and a ton of conflict?

Selena: Are you complaining about all that? Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks for having me, Delilah!

I’m both traditionally published (with Berkley Heat) and self-published. Both methods have their own advantages. With a traditional house, I’ve got a great editor I love working with and they give me fabulous cover art. Check out The Principal’s Office. I love it! The drawback is that it takes longer to get a book out. The exact length of time can vary, but usually a book will appear on the shelf between nine months to a year after I’ve finished it. So as you can see, one of the advantages of self-publishing is being able to put out a book very quickly. And that allows me to be responsive to requests from fans.

I wrote a naughty little foursome story called Kinky Neighbors, which you can find at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VS2T7O. Readers really seemed to enjoy the story. It was emotional, not just sex, sex, sex (though there’s nothing wrong with that either!). I did it first as a free read on my blog, a chapter a week. And boy, were people discussing it, what was going to happen, the characters they liked and disliked. One of the things that came out of the discussion and also out of emails I’ve received from readers was that they wanted to know what happened to the two couples after the story ended. You know, writers don’t always see the same thing that readers do, and for me, the story had ended. But the more I thought about it, the more I started to wonder, too! And boom, it came to me! So I’ve written it down for readers, Kinky Neighbors Two: Cat and Logan’s Just Desserts!

And that is the beauty of self-publishing. I can write that story and get it out to readers with a minimum of fuss. I’m going to the do the same thing as before, put it up chapter by chapter on my blog, www.jasminehaynes.blogspot.com. Chapter One is already up, so if you’ve read Kinky Neighbors, you can go to the Aug 6^th blog and catch up on Kinky Neighbors Two!  If you haven’t read it, well, the sequel is a hot little story, but you probably won’t get as much out of it. Plus it’ll spoil what happens in the first book! Ah well, I guess that’s the disadvantage of self-publishing, spoilers!

BTW, I’ve signed a new two-book contract with Berkley Heat. The books will be in the same vein as The Principal’s Office, with heroines over 35, and they will feature some elements of bondage. Actually I call it bondage lite, with a little spanking, a little tying up, that kind of thing. You can expect to see those books starting in the latter half of 2013. She’s Gotta Be Mine by Jennifer Skully (me!) is free on https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00688GE7Q, as is Beauty or the Bitch, a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast (with a twist!) https://amzn.to/mTMny0. I’ve done this as a free read on the blog, too, but if you missed it, here’s your chance to get it for free!

London in Pictures

London is one of the world’s great cities, with something for everyone. In honor of the Olympics, I’m sharing some pictures of London sights.

If you’re a foodie, London might not be your first thought. But their food markets are wonderful. Harrods, the department store has beautiful displays of food to eat there or to go. Check out the candy display…

…and this fanciful cake.

The cake is actually for sale for 2,000 British pounds, about $3,000 US. Even the pizzeria is spotless and the big guy there was actually singing opera. Read the rest of this entry »

The Salt of the Earth – An Unusual Travelogue

Thank you to Delilah for hosting Rachel and I today.  I wanted to share a little travelogue with you, though this one didn’t require any travel since it takes place right here in my hometown, Chicago.  Have you ever been to a salt cave?

Many of us use salt in our food every day, but have you ever stopped to consider this humble mineral?  Considered by herbalists to be valuable in healing and stress relief for centuries, we are only now beginning to realize the health benefits of salt in ways our forebears knew implicitly.  For the first time in the United States people are able to try the healing benefits of Crimean salt, a health secret known for decades in Poland.

The Galos salt-iodine caves are located in Chicago.  We arrived at a regular-looking building that houses the Jolly Inn Restaurant.  Parking is available across the street.  It couldn’t be less like an undersea environment if it were directly downtown.  We walked up to the glass door that seemed identical to any you’d find at a neighborhood salon.

Step through the door, though, and enter another world.

The lobby is lit with salt lamps, the lighting lowered.  Comfortable benches line the right wall with cubbies for shoes.  One does not wear one’s shoes inside the cave; one wears clean white socks.  We arrived and stowed our shoes and donned our socks, then the cave door opened.

Stalactites hang down from the ceiling, offering an immediate sense of the otherworldly.  The door is heavy, not like a normal interior building door but more like that for a sauna.  You step in and immediately sink several inches into rock salt crystals.  I thought they would hurt my feet but they massaged them instead, scratching pleasantly as I walked.  The cave is about twenty feet in an oval, lined with anti-gravity lounges.  They suggest you spend the first five or ten minutes walking slowly around the cave, massaging your feet and releasing more salt into the air.

Then you sit in the lounge and move it backward, reclining it so that your feet are above your head.  The lights are lowered and soft, relaxing music plays in the background.  The walls are made from bricks of the salt, which sparkles in the lamplight.  As you begin to relax, the music swells and you float away.  This lasts for about 50 minutes.

The next time you visit Chicago, I highly recommend a trip to the Galos Caves.  If you are curious, poke around their website.  There is a gallery of photographs and more information on the health benefits of the salt as well as how they mine it and make the caves.

What unusual travelogue would you write if you could?  Of what unusual things does your hometown boast?

My links:
Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | LinkedIn | Pandora
Knoontime Knitting:  Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Ravelry
Noon and Wilder links: Blog | Website | Facebook
Evanston Writers Workshop:
Blog | Website | Meetup | Forum | Facebook | Twitter | Annual Conference | ConTweets
Team Blogs: Nightlight | The Writers Retreat Blog | Beyond the Veil | LGBT Fantasy Fans and Writers
Publishers: Samhain Publishing | Torquere Press

Check out BURNING BRIGHT, available from Samhain Publishing.
Check out EMERALD FIRE, available from Torquere Publishing.

When characters attack

Okay, so he’d spoken two sentences there. “Okay…so what’s with you?”

His hand shot out and I found myself plastered against him two seconds later. “You stayed.”

“Damn it,” I snapped, shoving against his chest. Hard and hot, my hands slid against the smoothness of his flesh without budging him an inch. “What did you think I was going to do? I barely even know where I am.”

“You’re a little fool,” he muttered.

Then he buried his face against my neck and I shuddered.

“I never know when you’re going to show sense or do something that will end up with you dead…or worse.”

I could feel the heated puff of his breath against my skin and damn it, that shouldn’t feel so good. It shouldn’t feel so good at all.

Asshole. Territory. He was asshole. Territory.

I couldn’t…

My breath hitched in my chest as he lifted his head, staring down at me with eyes that burned. Storm clouds shouldn’t burn so hot. But his eyes did.

Couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe—

Meet Kit and Damon, from my first full-length urban fantasy project, BLADE SONG…it was just released by my alter ego, J.C. Daniels.  I loved Kit.  She’s mouthy, she bites off my than she could chew and she knows she does it, but she’s driven by demons from her past so she has a hard time saying no in certain situations.

Damon was a different story.

This book sat on my laptop for a long, long time, unfinished.  Actually, it was barely started because the other character wasn’t who I needed him to be.  He was just a…well, a shadow character, basically.  He was like a sketch of the person I needed for the book and the book wouldn’t move forward.

Then back in January, the real Damon, so to speak, stepped up and the shadow character fell by the wayside and the book took off like whoa.  I’d never written anybody like Damon before.  He’s…well.  He’s hard to describe, but between him and Kit, they dominated my brain until I had the book finished.

They let me have a few weeks of peace…then they did it all over it again…if they keep attacking my brain like this, I won’t have a brain left.

If you’re into urban fantasy, BLADE SONG is now available on ebook (Amazon | BN | iBookstore | and other outlets) and print is coming.  You can read more at my website…

Shiloh Walker/J.C. Daniels

Quick note! Two Wild for Teacher is up for July’s Book of the Month at Long and Short Reviews! I’d really appreciate your votes!
The contest ends tonight!

Today, I’m headin’ due south—before the rooster crows! The Red-Headed Hellion (daughter), my sister Myla Jackson and I are driving to south Louisiana, following Highway 1 ’til we reach the end on Grand Isle. We’ll only spend a night in a dive, er, modest motel then start making our way northeast toward New Orleans. We have to be there by Wednesday for the start of the Authors After Dark conference.

Have good thoughts for our journey. I hope to soak up atmosphere, listen to the cadence of the language, and take tons of pics—all in the name of research. Let’s just hope my journey isn’t like one I’d write. Good thoughts, remember—nice and easy. No stress.

I have guests lined up for the week. Be sure to drop in and say hello.

I’ll leave you with a question…

If, for the rest of your life, you had to wake up every morning to one song
playing in your head, which song would you choose?

Question courtesy of The Question Guys