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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Home, Hearth & Heaven

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

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

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

Social Media Links
Website
Email
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads

I never thought I’d be a writer. As a child, I had an active imagination and did make up stories. I had friends for whom writing was a cherished pastime, but it wasn’t something I was interested in.

I was a reader, and books were one of my favorite gifts. I was also crazy about horses. Since I was born and raised in the middle of town to parents who had no use for equines, getting a horse of my own was a fantasy.

I hounded them year after year, for birthdays and Christmas and cleaned stalls at a nearby stable to pay for riding.  Every time they’d ask what I wanted, I’d answer, “A horse.” They were all-mighty sick of hearing about my dream, but being my parents, they loved me anyway. They bought Breyer toy horses, cowgirl outfits and all the western books they could find in an effort to appease me.

When I was fifteen, I wore them down. My dad came home with an appaloosa—quarter horse cross that I named Gypsy. He was a two year old, unbroken colt. The fact that I didn’t have a clue how to train him didn’t make any difference.

I had a horse and life was great.

Over the next thirty years, I learned from two of the best barrel horse trainers in the country, Larry and Kay Davis. I was fortunate enough to have some great horses that made me look good. I married a cowboy. Didn’t get much better than that for this girl.

Through everything, I was a reader. A romance reader, and I devour books like chocolate chip cookies. Well, I did until I started writing them. One day about seven years ago, I read a Western Romance where the main character was a barrel racer. As the heroine was preparing to go to the National Finals Rodeo, she fell in love with the hero, a man who knew nothing about rodeo.

The author also knew nothing about rodeo and hadn’t bothered to do her research. The romance part of her book was well written, and I’m sure to someone who hadn’t rodeoed it was fine, but to me, it wasn’t authentic. What I couldn’t get past was the way she portrayed the horse training, barrel racing and rodeo scenes. They couldn’t have been more unrealistic if she’d tried, and really, all she needed to do was ask. Most barrel racers love to talk about their sport and their horses.

Well, really, how hard can it be to write a book? I decided to write one the way it should be done. That first book was read by my mother and only my mother—she loved it by the way. With that book, I discovered how hard it is to write well.

There’s an old cowboy saying. “Training a horse is like looking at a solid wooden fence. Good trainers find a knothole, look through and discover all they’ve got left to learn. Most people don’t even find the knothole.”

The saying applies to writing, too. Many years later, after countless classes, with seven books written and four published, I think maybe I’ve found the knothole. Now to learn more about what’s on the other side of that writing fence.

In most of my books, either rodeo cowboys or ranchers play a featured role. They’re filled with small towns and quirky characters. Radio Rose is still my favorite. The hero, Adam Cameron, is a Bareback Bronc rider and the heroine, Rose Wajnowski, is an all-night DJ at a small radio station. They work together to save their town and themselves.

Have you ever been to a rodeo or watched one on TV? For a chance to win your choice of any of my books, tell me your favorite rodeo event.

Radio Rose knows Martians aren’t real.

As a DJ for a late night talk show about aliens, she’d never admit to being a non-believer. Talking to crazies all night isn’t the perfect job for most people, but she’s happy with her solitary life. Until a middle of the night car crash and a blow to the head has her mistaking a stranger for a real life extra-terrestrial.

Adam Cameron, raised by his narcissistic grandfather for most of his childhood, made his escape from Tullyville, Colorado the day he turned eighteen. Forced to return ten years later for the reading of his grandfather’s will, he’s about to be pulled into a contest for a vast fortune and the future of a town he’d just as soon forget.

The small town of Tullyville is right next to Trinidad, Colorado, known as the sex change capital of the world, something neither Rose or Adam realized, but use to help their cause.

Relationships aren’t one of Rose’s strong points. Hell, she mistook the hot stranger for an alien the first time they met, but Adam needs help and she’s the woman to help him–maybe. In a town filled with new- found friends, Rose has to decide how far she’s willing to go to trust the loner.

I’m working on the sequel, but for now, Radio Rose is on sale for only 99 cents right now.

Amazon http://amzn.to/2h54VwP
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2gFQsGD
Kobo http://bit.ly/2hyw3bi
IBooks http://apple.co/2h592cu

I have a secret. I have a BIG secret I’ve been keeping forever! And I finally get to spill it!

OMG I’m so excited! *bouncy* Okay, drum roll please……………………….

I have a new series.

A new kink series.

A series I’ve had plans to write for YEARS!

And I finally found time to write it, and I found the perfect publisher to send it out into the world to be devoured!

The publisher is Totally Bound Publishing, and they’re publishing the Hot Wife Series by me! The first book is Our Rules and the cover made me swoon. It’s dark and decadent and flirty, and I love it sooo much!

The series is all about the Hot Wife subset of kink. A wife gets to do all sorts of dirty and yummy things with other guys with the complete support of her husband. The RULES are different for each couple, and the needs and reasons behind why they need this are unique to each of them. Some come from having nothing. Some come from losing everything.

Our Rules is about Tabitha and her husband Michael and them finding their way back to each other and rediscovering what it means to be his hot wife.

I won’t lie. This is one of the most gut-wrenching books I’ve ever written. I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of a story or two characters. It comes out in March!

There are currently 3 more books planned in the series, and you meet almost everybody in the first book.

In honor of the above awesomeness, I’m going to have a HUGE giveaway! Two full book sets and lots and lots of other swag and kinky goodies!

**GIVEAWAY – US ONLY**

Look at all the awesomeness you could win!! So tell me some of your favorite kink series that you absolutely love? I haven’t had a chance to read in forever and am looking for something to jump back in on! I’ll pick a winner on Monday the 19^th!! Good Luck!!

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

People react to a crisis in differing ways. Some freeze up. Others take action immediately. Still others wade out of the deep water and stand on the shore to glimpse the big picture—assuming they’re not bleeding to death.

In my most recent story, Caryn runs away to a remote safe place to lick her wounds. And figure out what to do next. Have you ever done that?

It’s a natural response. There’s no shame in tucking yourself into a secure or neutral zone, physically or mentally. There’s nothing stupid about hiding out until you make a plan to get what you need.

Revenge? Time to heal? Time to let go of what your past has been and start a new page?

The problem for many of us is the fear of the unknown. If we let go of what we know, this thing that hurts us and makes us hide, what if the unknown thing is worse? What if it hurts too much to let go? After all, our hopes and dreams have been invested in what we’ve known.

The problem is that if we don’t let go, we’ll never know what might have been. That’s the point Caryn reaches in the story—does she dare take the leap? Read Christmas Hideaway to find out.

Giveaway: Here’s a coupon code for Christmas Hideaway that’s good until Dec 18^th—four days from now—MR35W. Take this code to Smashwords and nab your copy of this holiday novelette. And may all your days be merry and bright!

That’s right, the crazy cat lady has struck again. For any of you who frequent Delilah’s blog, you might remember me as the writer who broke my ankle tripping over my cat right before my story, Sanctuary, released in the Crazy Cat Ladies anthology. Well, I’m here to report that my ankle has healed remarkably well, and to look on the bright side, the injury gave me tons of writing time.

During my recovery, I had to accept certain facts: 1) I am not an island – I both need and must accept help (graciously when possible 😛 ), 2) mom’s really do have a magic healing touch, 3) Gilmore Girls is just as good, if not better, the third time around, and 4) my cat needed a playmate.

So, enter my new fluff-ball, Morris. Well, okay, technically not my new fluff-ball. He’s actually my cat Posie’s new fluff-ball. How many times can I say fluff-ball in one paragraph? #gifted

Does the fact that I got a cat for my cat make me extra crazy?

Who knows, but isn’t he cute? Posie thinks so, too.

This little guy has been keeping me company through revisions on Sanctuary Part Two, and I have to admit, there’s nothing quite like kitten cuddles. He’s not nearly as well behaved as Loki, the lion in the story, but he’s more portable and less likely to maul the livestock.

So, with a little help from Posie and Morris – head-butts, purrs, and some sandpaper baths – I’m officially finished with Sanctuary Part Two, and it’s ready to be released into the wild.

If you’re into a rough-and-tumble man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to show his woman how special she is, a heroine with quirks galore and a serious drive to succeed, and enough steam to keep you frosted in all Christmas break, this might be the holiday read for you. Just be sure you check out the first part of the story in the Crazy Cat Ladies anthology!

Come say hi anytime:

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/SukiesNewsletter
Facebook: @SukieChapinAuthor
Twitter: @SukieChapin
www.sukiechapin.com
Email me!! sukie@sukiechapin.com

To preorder Sanctuary Part Two:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/SanctuaryTwo
iBooks, Nook, Kobo: https://www.books2read.com/u/bMGXVA

For Sanctuary Part One in Crazy Cat Ladies anthology:
Amazon US – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzUS
Amazon AU – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzAU
Amazon CA – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzCA
Amazon UK – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzUK
iBooks – http://bit.ly/CCLiBooks
Nook – http://bit.ly/CCLNook
Kobo – http://bit.ly/CCLKobo
Goodreads – http://bit.ly/CCLGoodreads

Today, I saw four, FOUR messages from Facebook buddies wondering if anyone cared about them. This stuns me because I can guarantee you, if you’re my reader, I care about you. And I believe many writers feel this way.

One of the many wonderful things about Romanceland, about the reading community, is writers and readers have a relationship. Writing is communication. Communication requires more than one person. Both people are important, are valued.

If you’re a reader, you have a connection with your favorite writers. A specific writer’s story speaks to you because you share some of the same soul. You understand the writer, perhaps better than anyone else, and she/he understands you.

If you’re a writer, you have a similar connection with your readers. You might not know everything about that reader. You might not know her or his name. But she/he ‘gets’ you. She/he realizes where you’re coming from. Since many of us are rather unusual (I’m certainly not normal – grins), that’s a very special thing.

Yes, I write for myself. But I only publish stories I think readers might like. Often I’m thinking of specific readers, readers who have contacted me in some way. I think to myself, ‘Jill or Elizabeth or Janet might like this story. I’ll publish this one.’ I usually don’t tell them I’m publishing the story for them because that puts quite a bit of pressure on these readers to like it but I AM thinking this.

I know, from the conversations I’ve been having with many of my writing buddies, that I’m not alone in this. They’re thinking of their readers also. This time of year, especially, we, writers, brainstorm, thinking of ideas to show our readers how important they are to us, to thank them.

Some writers host contests (this is why so many writers have contests in December). Some writers share bonus scenes in their newsletters. Some writers send holiday cards. I write and publish a short story set in my most popular series of that year.

This year, the story is Jumping Barrel, a FREE cyborg short story (if this story isn’t free at your favorite bookseller, please contact me). It is sweeter and shorter than the regular stories in the series because December is often busy for readers. This story isn’t a marketing ploy. I already have the first story in the series (Releasing Rage) available for free. It is a thank you, pure and simple, because I love and appreciate my readers.

You’re part of the reading community. You’re not alone. And yes, people care about you. Never doubt that.

Jumping Barrel

He requires an Expert. She needs a hero.

Barrel requires an Expert for the Tau Cetian orphans. He’s looking for a female who is willing to commit to a lifespan-long role, who is comfortable with moving off planet, and who, preferably, has the ability to speak the offsprings’ first language.

Nola wants the role Barrel is offering so badly she bends a few truths. Yes, she was born off planet but she has lived almost all of her lifespan in sheltered Academies. Yes, she has learned Tau Cetian but she has never spoken with a local. Yes, she plans to follow the rules but his deep, sexy voice tempts her to rebel.

When a fact-morphing human academic meets her battle-worn cyborg warrior, deceptions are revealed, passions flare, and circuits sizzle. Wrong seems right. Lies turn into truth. The candidate least qualified for the role becomes the one candidate Barrel can’t let go.

Jumping Barrel is a short companion story in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is meant to be read after Releasing Rage, Breathing Vapor and Crash And Burn.

It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.
Read it now for FREE

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NBB6XQ3
Apple/iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/jumping-barrel/id1178813929
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-jumpingbarrel-2177045-168.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jumping-barrel-cynthia-sax/1125190786
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jumping-barrel

About Cynthia Sax

USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes SciFi, contemporary 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:  CynthiaSax.com
Newsletter:   http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Facebook:  facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter:  @CynthiaSax
Blog:  TasteOfCyn.com

Ever think that working as a librarian is a boring job? Spending all that time among dusty old books, having to be quiet all the time, never having any opportunity for adventure and excitement except that which you find on the pages of a book.

You couldn’t be more wrong.

Librarians are keepers of a vast amount of knowledge. More importantly, they are there to help all of us find what we need at any given moment. They have to follow trends and advancements in technology, publishing, and computer programs. They make sure books and information are readily available to all and not just a few. Knowledge is power. The quickest way to rob people of their power is to keep them uninformed.

The heroine of my latest book, Drakon’s Promise, is a librarian who gets a job that seems too good to be true—cataloguing one of the largest private collections of books. This gives her access to many rare and one-of-a-kind volumes. She also has a talent for psychometry, which allows her a glimpse into the lives of the people who owned an object. She has a special affinity for books. That talent brings her to the attention of a not-so-nice group of people—the Knights of the Dragon. They want to use her talent to help find a book that’s been hidden in the vast library. This book is so powerful it can help them capture a drakon.

She falls into a world of supernatural creatures, conspiracy, and murder. And along the way she discovers a drakon and falls in love.

And you thought being a librarian was boring.

Drakon’s Promise

Darius Varkas is a drakon. He’s neither human nor dragon.

He’s both.

He’s also the target of an ancient order who want to capture all drakons for their blood. When fresh, a drakon’s blood can cure any illness and prolong a human’s life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.

When librarian Sarah Anderson stumbles across a rare book belonging to the Knights of the Dragon, she’s quickly thrust into a dangerous world of secrets and shifters and things she never would have believed possible. When the Knights realize Sarah has a secret of her own, she becomes just as much a target as Darius. Her scary dragon shifter just might be her best chance at survival.

Buy Links:
Entangled Publishing: http://entangledpublishing.com/drakons-promise/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N74PYZR
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1125114236?ean=9781633758001
All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-drakonspromise-2173689-140.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/drakons-promise/id1176306297
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/drakon-s-promise

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