I’m on pins and needles now, waiting until the first readers download the first installment of this adventure. I can’t wait to hear from you! I love the book. It’s a good thing too, because I’m still writing it! I don’t know how it ends. Really!

How does this Kindle Serial thing work? You pay for the book once. Just $1.99 for a full-length novel. You can’t beat that deal. You’ll get installment 1 automatically, and then every two weeks new installments will be sent without you having to do a thing. I think there will be 8 installments total, but I’m not sure because I haven’t thought about where this book is going!

In the meantime, don’t be shy about leaving reviews along the way. You can let other readers know what your experience was. And you can update your review as the story progresses. I’d appreciate it very much, and other readers will pay more attention to your thoughts than mine.

Also, there’s a special forum set up to talk about the book. I’ll be checking in and answering questions. You can find it here: Amazon forum. There’s a brand new link there, called “Discuss Episode 1 of “Crescent Moon.” I’ll be waiting…

And because I want to entice you into showing up there, I’ll run a special contest, just for my friends here. If you join me at the forum and wiggle your fingers or wink to let me know it’s you, you’ll receive a free download of my anthology Strokes. Maybe you could leave a comment here and tell me your email addy so I’ll have it to mail your free book. Everyone will get a copy—and it’s more expensive at Amazon than Crescent Moon! Now, there’s a deal, right? 🙂

All that having been said (I’m taking a deep breath now), here’s where you can buy your copy: Crescent Moon Buy Link

Chat later! DD

From ancient Egypt to present-day New Orleans, a woman of exceptional strength is called to protect against an unspeakable evil…and to experience an unforgettable seduction.

Khepri still isn’t used to being The God’s Wife. The daughter of a common farmer, she’s more comfortable being friends with servants than employing a whole team of them. Being the wife of Amun affords her luxuries she only dreamed of, but her dreams are not always a haven…they are also filled with demons. Lately she’s had doubts about the role she’s been thrust into. She’s had yearnings for another sort of life, one where she’s loved intimately, rather than only adored from afar.

When a powerful man lures her away from her temple, she’s thrilled at the chance for an adventure. Her adventure quickly becomes a nightmare when the handsome vizier mummifies her alive. Pure of heart and body, she’s the warrior he foresees will battle a demonic pharaoh if ever he awakens. Khepri’s sure he’s insane, until she awakens in a distant future. Alone and needing a guide in this strange and garish new world, she turns to the troubled man who set her free…

When New Orleans police detective Justin Henry Boucher is called to the Garden Museum to investigate stolen Egyptian artifacts, it’s not exactly the adrenaline rush he used to get working a homicide. But with a reprimand on his record and a sorrow he can’t shake, he will take what he can get – as long as he can keep his badge. What he doesn’t count on is having to keep his cool when he finds one of the priceless artifacts – a golden-skinned goddess wrapped in fabric like a mummy, left to die and needing his help. She’s a mystery he’s determined to unravel. She might also be the cure for his lonely heart.

Does Anyone Here Speak Artani?

How tough is it to come up with an otherworldly language?  For me, it definitely had its challenges when I wrote my book “Star Catcher.”  Authors of sci-fi, or high fantasy that takes place on an alternate Earth, are obligated to dose their writing with a fair amount of made-up language. A book with a non-Earth setting would understandably contain a number of foreign words.  Some words may label objects or creatures that are indigenous to the alien world, while others may be the translations of familiar Earth terms.

Let’s begin with creating the basis for an entire language.  Do you need a dictionary filled with alien words before you start writing?  No, but consistency is the key.  Keep a cheat-sheet of your alien words so you don’t end up changing the spelling of your memory-erasing medicine Tristayl partway through your manuscript.  Spell check won’t help you there.  You also have to be careful about different tenses if you happen to use alien verbs.  I had the darnedest time hammering out that my alien planet was called Artanos, its people were called Artanians, and their language was Artani. I had to check over my finished piece multiple times to make sure I hadn’t flubbed it anywhere.

I recently saw a question posed by a sci-fi author on a group I’m in. She was looking for a good way to come up with alien names after her editor asked her to make some changes. It seemed her aliens sounded…well, too alien.

Too alien? Well, not in the sense that they couldn’t be pronounced—another potential problem—but too cliché-sounding.  Think of Beldar and Prymatt from The Coneheads, and you get my drift.  This author was asking how others come up with their alternate language.

When I began writing “Star Catcher,” I stumbled upon this website (http://www.ralph.nuoj.com/alien.php), which uses a system of vowel and consonant patterns to develop alien names.  I read through, noting the construction of each pattern, saying them out loud, and generally getting a feel for each “type” of name.  It’s almost like each word bank is a key to its own language.  I noticed which ones “felt” right, what common letters and sounds were used, and which were easier to pronounce, and then I started playing around with them.

After you make your decisions, you need to run them by some test readers.  About two-thirds of the words I originally came up with remained after my beta readers looked over my book.  No matter how you formulate your language, if a word causes the reader to stumble, pause, read, and reread each time they see it, it’s no good.  You don’t want to take the reader out of your world and punch them in the face, you just want a gentle reminder that they are in another world or time—preferably an easy-to-read reminder that flows off the tongue.

I consulted a number of real Earth languages while forming my “system.” Did my aliens have a soft, pleasant Romance-based language?  Were they a warring species with a guttural and explosive tongue?  Tweaking other languages, like Spanish or German, is another possibility, especially if the author is already familiar with these.  Why not make your life easier?  And why not make your reader’s life easier?  Odds are they will recognize the meaning of your words if they are similar to something known, even if they are taken out of context.

That brings up my final point about language building: if the word calls to mind, in some way, what it is tagging, that can help the reader carry a mental picture while continuing through the book.  As an example, my wild-boar-slash-wolf-beasts (animals with three eyes and tusks curling up from their bottom jaws) were originally called xoovs.  My betas didn’t know how to say it in their heads each time it came up (and they do come up a fair amount).  Someone suggested subtly making their name sound more like earth animals they resemble.  I changed their name to wrovs, hoping for a slight wolf connotation and an easier pronunciation.

What do you think? Any sci-fi authors out there have a strict system for language-building? Any readers have a preference when it comes to alien language? Do you feel it adds authentic alien flavor, or do unfamiliar words distract you from your reading?

Lust flares hot and bright when Stella Aims’ world collides with the gorgeous and mysterious Noth Zobor. The tall dark stranger doesn’t speak a word of English, but Stella is happy to teach him everything she knows, including a crash course in the universal language of love. Their passion burns down to sweet and smoldering before Stella’s reality is completely spun around.

People aren’t always what they seem—but what if they aren’t even human?

Concerned that Noth’s been lying to her, Stella searches for him and walks into a trap straight out of a nightmare. When she wakes, she finds the real deception was far worse than she ever suspected, and her lover is not at all what he seems. Forgiving him might be the easiest thing Stella has to do, because getting out alive and saving her fellow humans from captivity and experimentation will be the toughest challenge of her life.

Can lovers from two different planets overcome forces that push them galaxies apart? When the fate of two species hangs in the balance, love may be the only thing strong enough to save them all and give hope for a new future.

Star Catcher releases on June 3^rd, 2013 from Liquid Silver Books, and will be available at all major e-book retailers.

Author Bio:

Kimber Vale writes erotic romance of all stripes. Come for the sex. Stay for the story. Find her M/M work published under K. Vale. Stalk her on Facebook and Twitter @KimberVale, and check her site for updates and new releases at www.kimbervale.com.

BDSM and Me

First let me get the promo out-of-the-way – I have a new release coming on June 4th called Niah’s Pride – a Pryde Ranch shifter novella. Okay, now that’s done, let’s get down to it!

I’ve read some very good romance novels with BDSM (Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, Masochism) as the couple’s choice, but I’d never actually known anyone in real life that favored the lifestyle…until a couple of years ago.

A very good friend of mine called and said, “Hey, I’m going to a munch tonight with some new friends and I’m not comfortable going by myself. Will you go with me?”

My first thought was, what the hell is a munch and why does she need me to go get something to eat with her? “I’m not afraid of these people,” she said, “but they are new friends and I’ve never been to that restaurant before so I’m not sure where it is.”

Of course, I was convinced more than ever it was an ‘eating’ thing. She went on to explain that a munch was a gathering of people who were “in the lifestyle”. It was a time where they got together to enjoy some candid and fun conversation, get to know others in the scene, and most importantly, impart knowledge to noobs (new people exploring BSDM). They talk about what BDSM is and what it isn’t from their own perspectives, and so on.

Nosey author that I am I quickly said, “Sure, I’ll go with you as long as no one expects me to play with them.”

She assured me there were no worries as that wasn’t the purpose of a munch. Others might decide to play afterward, but not during. So we hopped in my car and rode over to the restaurant and met her new friends in a little banquet room. The door closed and my new education began.

I learned that while many think BDSM or D/s (Dominant/submissive relationships) is about one person controlling or exerting their will on another, it isn’t the case.

D/s isn’t just about kink or fantasy role-play. It’s not about whips and chains, broken bones, pain and squicky stuff the media has burned into our heads. Although some may enjoy that type of thing, D/s relationships are about power exchange. There’s no gender bias here. Various sexual preferences are proudly flaunted and accepted. In many ways, the lifestyle brings about a community. There’s a sense of brotherhood amongst Dominants and submissives who are comfortable and open with their lifestyle choice.

Here’s what one person, Alan Howard, had to say about it when someone asked the question, “Regarding your ‘Dominant/submission’ interest, why do you feel the need to control women?”

Answer: “I don’t feel the need to control women. That’s not what ‘dominance’ is about. Instead, I feel the need to just be the dominant partner in a relationship.

“I might need to explain the difference between dominance and control… The difference between a dominant man and a controlling man is whether or not he cares about consent. Consent to dominance must be given by the submissive. She must want to be dominated by him as much as he wants her to submit to him……”

“Control does not require consent, and a controlling partner is likely to be an abusive partner, while a dominant partner is more likely to be a loving partner….. Being the dominant part of a Dominant/submissive (D/s) relationship carries significant responsibility. If you’re the Dom, your submissive partner is giving themselves to you, and you choose to become responsible for their mental and physical well-being within the dynamics of the relationship that you both agree to participate in. Rules and behaviours expected from each member are established through extensive communication, and the responsibility of mutual care is far more important than most ‘vanilla’ (non-BDSM) relationships.”

That’s very interesting. I also learned about how important communication is in a D/s relationship. I had no idea that there was such a thing as negotiating scenes, aftercare for Dominants and submissives. Or that it is necessary for a top to carefully monitor their bottom to ensure that they’re doing okay before, during and sometimes days after playing due to the possibility of something called sub-drop.

Every relationship has some form of D/s in it. Now before you start shaking your head and grumbling, “Nu-uh, not my relationships!” think about this – Isn’t it true that a person may be a leader outside the bedroom (top dog in the office running a top notch company, for example) yet want to be submissive (take me! pull my hair!) in the bedroom when they get home? Even in friendships, there is typically one friend that is more dominant than the other – you now, one person is more outspoken about where they should have lunch or what movie to see while the other is just fine accepting their friend’s lead. See, dominance and submission.

In the end, the munch was a gathering of ‘normal’ people that go to work every morning, take care of their families, live and love like everyone else. The difference is that those people aren’t afraid to explore their own sexuality and care enough to share the truth of it with others.

Since then I’ve been exploring the lifestyle and having a load of fun making new friends. The end result – a new BDSM series is underway! The first book in the series is called ‘Juicy’ and you’ll see it by the end of 2013. Woohoo!

Soooo, whatcha think?

TJ Michaels
www.tjmichaels.com

The winner of the download, by random number generator is, Charlene!
Charlene, congrats and be sure to email me to arrange delivery of your story!

* * * * *

Have to be quick! My satellite’s been mostly out last night and this morning due to storm activity. No, we haven’t seen a twister, but there’s cloud cover and we just had a hellacious thunderstorm. So no time to chat!

Enjoy the excerpt, then follow the links to the other Snippeteers’ websites for more!

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

A little peek deserves a little punishment…

Afraid to spoil their friendship, Emily is reluctant to act on her attraction to the two sexy men next door. However, when she’s caught spying on them, the men decide a little punishment is in order…

Beads of condensation, glittering jewel-like in the sputtering candlelight, ran in rivulets down the sides of Jason’s ice-cold beer.

Detail I shouldn’t have been able to note, given the fact I was thirty feet away.

As I lowered my nephew’s toy binoculars, I reflected that I had indeed sunk to a new low. You see, my bedroom window conveniently overlooked Jason and Robert’s backyard. A fact that probably never registered with the previous tenants, but one that proved too delicious to ignore after the arrival of the handsome duo. Privacy fencing, which ran down to the pier that jutted into the lake, separated the row of houses where we lived. It was high enough the neighbors on either side of ours couldn’t see into their yard, but lucky me—I had the perfect view.

Upon discovering this, I had began a furtive surveillance. One that had me cringing in embarrassment each time I greeted them in passing and feeling even more ashamed when we struck up a friendship.

We’d shared meals, drinks, late afternoon swims, watched football games together on their wide-screen TV. And still, I peeked into their backyard, waiting for those moments when they popped outside to mow the lawn or catch a few summer rays. Their bodies gleamed with sweat while raw lust warred inside me, along with the fear that I’d mess up our relationship if I let the guys know how I really felt.

My convenient perch on the windowsill afforded me a window into their private lives, and from the very beginning, I was hooked. They’d become an obsession, one frustrated by the fact they treated me like a kid sister, rather than a woman one of them might desire.

And therein lay another problem. I’d resisted the urge to seek a deeper relationship because then I’d have to choose. My libido was completely fickle, lusting after Jason’s muscled physique, then sighing over the possibilities of what Robert’s tall, bony frame and large feet hinted at. That their personalities were perfect bookends, fierce and funny, confused my heart as well.

Lucky, lucky me. I licked the sweat gathering on my upper lip while this night one of the handsome men living next door tilted his bottle and took several long sips. The look of pure bliss that softened his otherwise stern features made my chest ache.

I watched the movement of Jason’s throat as he worked it down, imagining him sipping at my overheated flesh. My skin began to tingle. My nipples beaded, crowding uncomfortably against my lace bra. My thighs clenched as a delicious wash of arousal seeped to wet the crotch of my plain panties.

The sigh he emitted as he set the bottle on the table was echoed by my own painful groan. Watching either of them had never caused my heart to skip a beat like that hint of a moan sliding on the tail of Jason’s long exhalation.

Sure, it was hotter than hell out there. I too felt the effects of the enervating heat. Record temperatures had strained the region’s resources and planned service interruptions began that night. But something about that sigh felt…un-subtle, exaggerated, maybe even dramatic. And Jason was too straightforward a man for that.

I blotted sweat from my forehead, asking myself again, What am I doing?

Only this time, my peeping hadn’t been deliberate. I’d rushed home from work and showered quickly to beat the scheduled brown-out. Then I’d stripped to my underwear, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window, hoping for a breeze to cool my skin. Sitting limply on the sill, I waited for the world to flicker into life again.

That’s when I’d noticed him, sitting in a lounge chair alone in the dark.

He wore his usual work “uniform”—khaki trousers, white shirt and a tie. Tonight, the tie hung loosened and askew, his collar opened beneath it.

Despite the lack of electricity, I could see it all. Moonlight silvered his dark hair and reflected bright as a beacon against the white shirt. The golden light from the large Citronella candle leant warmth to his skin and the amber bottle he held between his hands.

As always, he was lovely to watch, but tonight, his expression drew my attention more than his breath-stealing features. A sullen slanting of his brows, a bit of pout plumping his masculine lips, an edgy energy to his slight movements—he was either irritated or aroused.

Wanting an answer to the “either-or,” I watched. My forte is observation; my people-radar exquisitely tuned to body language and a voice’s tonal cues. My curiosity and my lust were caught. No way could I back away from my window now.

The bottle tapped the table as he set it aside. A long-fingered hand tugged the knot of his tie, dragging it from his neck.

When he began to undo the row of buttons down the front of his shirt, I settled deeper on the sill, leaning closer, but taking care to keep my pale body hidden behind the sheer curtain.

The edges of the shirt parted over a broad, nicely muscled chest. My gaze zeroed in on taut lean abs dusted with dense fur the same color as his close-cropped black hair that stretched nipple to nipple then ran along a thin dark line to slip beneath his zipper.

His hand stroked his chest, scratching through the hair, the faint crinkling sound causing my own chest to tighten, my nipples to surge.

A light sheen of sweat glimmered on his chest and belly. Again, my tongue swept my lips, tasting salt, and I imagined I lapped the dew right off his skin.

When a lazily roaming hand slid over his belly, I tensed, fascinated as he swept the flat plane. Would he be hard or desk-soft? His stomach looked firm. So, I enjoyed fantasizing that he was and touched my own stomach, following his path.

His hand slid down to the knot bulging behind his fly, and he cupped it. Squeezed.

My own hands itched to replace his and grew still, clenching against the fantasy of holding his burgeoning cock as it roused. My cheeks heated and my breaths shortened. No need to tease my own body into arousal, moisture already soaked my panties.

The buckle clanked open, and the belt slid sinuously from the loops as he lifted his hips and pulled it free. A flick of his thumb and the button at the waistband of his trousers opened. His zipper rasped as it slid down.

Dark fabric formed a vee-like shadow as his hand rooted beneath his waist, and then he slipped the long, gleaming column of his semi-aroused sex from the flap at the front of his boxers and wrapped his fingers around it.

I swallowed the liquid pooling in my mouth. I blinked to moisten eyes that had grown dry and scratchy as I stared, wide-eyed. My breaths grew ragged, a little choked, and I must have made a noise, because suddenly his head swung my way.

His gaze narrowed on my bedroom window.

Holding my breath, I froze, hoping his gaze couldn’t penetrate the darkness.

But a crooked smile slowly stretched his lips, and his hand tightened around himself and began to pump up and down the thickening rod. All the while, he stared at me.

Jason knew I watched but didn’t seem to mind. I let out a deep, trembling breath and continued to stare, my own body heating, growing increasingly aroused in tandem with his hardening cock.

His head turned away, and his hand dropped from his engorged cock. It fell against his belly with a soft, muffled thud. Heavy, hot, thick—I knew its girth would stretch my mouth.

Another sound intruded. The chime of my doorbell. I bit back a curse and drew away from the window, slung on my robe, then headed downstairs to the front door.

Robert stood on the stoop, a lazy grin on his face, a sweep of lank blonde hair covering one eye and two beers dangling from his fingers. He was shirtless. Low-riding, blue knee-length shorts encased slender hips and revealed long legs. His large feet were bare. “Thought you might like to join us.”

“Us?” A pinch grabbed my belly and I repeated stupidly, dragging my glance upward again to lock with his.

“Jason and I?” His head tilted, and his pale blue eyes studied me.

Did he know what Jason was up to? He hadn’t been in the back yard. Maybe he didn’t know and the invitation was issued without a carnal subtext.

Not like I hadn’t enjoyed a beer or dinner at their place before, but those times had always been a “friend thing.”

“Are you okay? You look a little flushed.” The teasing glint in his eyes, and more, the narrowed focus of his stare, told me he knew exactly what I’d seen. His gaze slid beyond my shoulder into my darkened living room. “Keep us company until the lights come on?”

Modern Love….

Now here’s a topic that will certainly get you a wide array of answers, and the remarkable thing is – every one of them will be “correct” to the view that expresses it. We all see romantic in a different way, and what is highly romantic for one person is a total turn off for someone else. Erotica is for many an expression of romantic thought, for others it’s a variation on pornography.

What defines the word/concept that is romance? I have my view, and I’ve stated it often. What is your definition? What is romantic in your mind? Is it the explicit sexuality of erotica? Or the gentle awakening of sweet love and passion? I think we all carry the two aspects within us, and depending on what situation we’re in, one is always more appropriate than the other would be.

In romantic fiction, the barriers have long ago been crossed and forgotten. We’re in an “anything goes” sort of atmosphere, and in truth if you look at the vast array of publishers who are now publishing the minted genre “erotic romance” you can see the diversity of definition. I don’t think a lot of what is being labeled in that genre is either erotic or romantic, but that’s my personal mindset and I accept it as such.

I grew up reading Harlequin’s Presents imprint–in fact my first “grown-up” book purchased was a title from the relatively new imprint called “Moon Witch” by Anne Mather. It made me a lifelong fan of her work. I still remember the 34-year-old hero, and it’s been a few years! The line has changed with the times and it’s still their most popular imprint. A few years after I discovered these books, I began buying the racier ones, and they were fabulous, too. (And, yes, I remember my first title in that line, too!) I always come back home to Presents, because for me, the type of stories are the definitive romance stories. Larger than life heroes, the Alpha-male as they’ve since labeled him, exotic settings–in my case, I can’t get enough stories set in Italy–and scorching, tension laden awakening to burning and enduring passion. For me, that’s romance!

So, what are your favourites and what is it that sets them apart in your mind as the definition of romance? Do you prefer detailed sexuality, or the sensual middle-ground, or even behind closed doors love scenes? I’m curious, and would like your thoughts?

Ironically, I’m one of those authors who actively avoids the sex scenes in my books until I absolutely have to deal with them, so how in hell did I end up writing three ménage stories back to back? Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am by this strange turn of events. All three of these books are currently in the top ten best-sellers for the publisher who contracted them, too. Apart from the trio of lovers in these stories, when I wrote Stolen Rapture, I discovered one of my vampires was a dominant, and my heroine was waking to her submissive nature, so that was another new element for me.

I can’t really say that I’m wildly enamored of this kind of story, but it’s certainly been fun to touch the genre, and I might very well get back to it, if in small ways, for future stories. I like mixing genres as most of my readers know, so taking ménage, as requested by the publisher for their anniversary print release, then adding in a paranormal element with my sexy vampires–it was, I admit, a lot of fun! I hope you’ll enjoy this peek at Stolen Rapture… I’ve already been asked to create a story for the secondary male of the trio, and he’s speaking loudly at the moment, so I may not be able to ignore him for much longer!

We’ll do the usual, and I’ll offer one of our visitors today a free eBook of any title on my site, as well as a surprise that I’ll post to you! So, let’s hear your thoughts?

STOLEN RAPTURE

Publisher: http://bit.ly/XpxQeh
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/stolen-rapture
ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stolenrapture-638196-139.html

When work brings Deluna Jordan face to face with a man who knows her better than she knows herself, she soon discovers he shares everything with his boss, including lovers…and a thirst for blood…and she is about to become the lucky recipient of all their desires…

Rahve knew the instant Cord and his playmate arrived. He turned and even with a room between them, he could smell sex. He snorted silently. So Cord had fucked her already tonight. That explained the limousine service. His eyes swept over the woman, cataloging the elegant dress, the voluptuous curves that were just a little too rounded for current fashion, and the sparkling hazel eyes that were still a little dazed from orgasm.

He went to join them.

“Nice of you to show up,” he said to Cord.

“Screw you,” Cord snapped, then laughed. “This,” he turned to the woman at his side, “is Deluna Jordan. Baby, this is my partner—”

“Boss.”

“Partner,” he repeated, ignoring Rahve’s correction, “Rahve Falcon.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Mr. Falcon,” Deluna said, offering her hand. He took it and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing the backs of them very softly. She stared in surprise.

“Rahve,” he requested. “Cord’s told me a lot about you. It’s nice to put a face to the name. Welcome to my home, and thank you for coming to the party.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cord hasn’t told me a lot about you,” she replied.

“I’m not surprised,” Rahve answered. Falcon was genuinely amused. Cord watched him with thinly veiled suspicion. “Would you like a drink?”

“Thank you, that would be lovely.”

Rahve was being summoned from the other side of the room and his dark eyes flickered with annoyance that was easily read. He excused himself and on his way to the agitated woman waving less than discreetly to him, he stopped and directed one of the waiters to bring her a glass of champagne.

“Be careful around him,” Cord advised. “He’s interested in you.”

She stared at him, eyebrow raised. “You can tell that from hello, can you?”

“I’ve known Rahve a lot of years, baby,” he said, tone ominous. “He enjoys dangerous games.”

“And you don’t?” There was ice in her voice, making the words caustic in tone.

Cord’s blue and green gaze was hard when he met hers, and she shivered.

“You like my games,” he stated. “Rahve plays by different rules.”

She shrugged with false indifference and strolled into the crowd, fully aware of Cord’s eyes watching every move she made. The night was going to be a long one. The thought had barely passed into her awareness when she felt someone staring at her, the look almost a tangible touch that brushed her spine and made her entire body tingle.

There are things Cord should have told you. Rahve’s voice was inside her head somehow and she looked around, trying to locate him in the large crowd. Chills that had nothing to do with the actual temperature make her quiver. She closed her eyes, her equilibrium gone as the room faded to grey shadows. Her last thought was that she’d never fainted in her life, and this was not the time to start.

Denysé
“Live the Romance, Become the Fantasy…”
** Predators & Editors Best Author 2012 **
Website: www.denysebridger.com

News about Saturday’s contest is at the bottom of this posting!

* * * * *

Woke up this morning to find this in my inbox! Whee! Still seems odd that Montlake puts the stories in this category, but hey, the books are suspenseful and do contain a mystery…

As with a lot of my bigger stories, publishers don’t quite know where to “shelve” them, which is why some of them are never found by readers. Sad, sad. We’ll have to see what happens with Crescent Moon too. Maybe I should write a more predictable full-length novel…?

What have I been up to lately? Too many things. If you followed me around for a day, you’d be shaking your head. I’m behind on most everything, and yet still taking on new projects. I think I must have an addictive personality. Addicted to stories or work. Not sure which. I do know I have a very hard time saying no.

The weather’s finally cooperating, and the pool is warm enough to enjoy—although it is a little cloudy and green. I’ve dumped chemicals and run the pump. Don’t know what it’s going to take to make it look less like a swamp, but that hasn’t stopped me from jumping in! When I find a snake or a gator in there too, maybe then I’ll get serious about curing the algae problem.

So y’all wanted to know who won those pretty “Crescent Moon” Egyptian earrings, right?  The random number generator chose commenter #4—me! So, I think I’ll let it ride for a week. Never question chance! For any comment that’s left for the next week on this blog, any posting, you’ll get another entry in the drawing!

June’s fast approaching. I have four books due out! Craziness shall ensue. Since I haven’t had anything release in a couple of months, you should be about ready for something new. I just hate giving you so many choices because they are all my babies and deserving of attention.

More later. I have to get my website updated so that you can see what’s coming next!

Thanks for having me, Delilah. Hi everyone. *waving*  Sharing research today.

Bounty hunting originated in a medieval society where no professional police existed. To right a wrong, punish a thief, or execute a murderer, one had to first catch the culprit. Kings and aristocrats didn’t hunt the wrong-doer—they offered a reward and a “no questions asked policy” that exonerated the hunter from any crime he committed during his hunt. (Source)

In the United States, these hunt-for-profit entrepreneurs have been a part of the American justice landscape since the 18^th century.  During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a handful of daring private citizens made a living tracking down wanted desperadoes.  *ahem*

So far I’ve used this info in three books— Five Card Stud, Wolf’s Tender, and Trouble in Disguise —all published by Ellora’s Cave Publishing and all about the McCallisters— a family of bounty hunters.

Trouble In Disguise, releasing June 5^th,  is a double measure of bounty hunters. Deacon McCallister’s rival, Beau Beauregard, a woman of many disguises, sneaks up on Deacon and captures his heart.  🙂

An Eclipse Heat Novel

Since both his partners have married and retired from the hunt, Deacon McCallister is alone when he visits the Pleasure Dome, an infamous brothel in Fort Worth’s Hell’s Half Acre. He’s tracking a counterfeiter but what he finds is TROUBLE—dressed in a man’s ruffled shirt and nothing more.

Bounty hunter Miracle Beauregard pretends to be male, calls herself Beau and for years has fooled the general public concerning her gender. But underneath Miri’s disguise, beats a feminine heart in lust for Deacon McCallister. Though she spends a lot of time dreaming about her rival, she never expects to act upon her longings.

When Miri follows an outlaw to the fanciest whorehouse in Texas and crosses paths with her heart’s desire, she trades her buckskins for bare skin to play the part of Deacon’s paid companion.

Inside Scoop: Miri figures wrong when she thinks one taste of Deacon will be enough and quickly discovers her undercover lover has forever on his mind.

A Romantica®/Lawless erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Links to find me:

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Buy Links for the Eclipse Heat series:

Ellora’s Cave | Kindle | Nook | ARe