Where do I get my ideas? The voices tell me.

Okay, so now you think I’m insane, but honestly, there are three ways a story starts to gel for me. It can be setting, like the fictional town of South Cove where my tourist trap mysteries are set. I visited a small tourist town on the coast and fell in love with a house for sale. The house kept me thinking about the area, and Guidebook to Murder started to form after that.

Another way I get ideas is from a situation. What would happen if? In the tourist trap series, my situational question is what would happen to a Type A personality who after spending a week on vacation, decides to chuck it all and open a coffee shop.

But the final place I get ideas from is the voices. Once I’ve got an idea in mind, the voices start to populate my new imaginary world. Jill needs a BFF, and Amy Newman walks on the page, all surfer girl with a nerdy brain. Jill’s got a lot on her plate, so she asks her Aunt Jackie to come and help with the coffee shop/bookstore for a week or two. First day running the joint, and her aunt hires Toby Killion, the hot, hunky part time police detective. And it goes on and on.

I love meeting the new characters, finding out who they are, and where they fit into the story. The thing I don’t like is naming them. I like characters with ‘s’ names. Sarah, Sally, Seth, Shauna. I also apparently really like the name Derek as a secondary character since I had a guy by that name in two different series. I went through a ‘j’ stage – Jill, James, Jesse, Jake. But I think I’ve broken my same name habit. Or at least I hope.

Don’t get me wrong, I kind of plot. I do bullet points of each of the chapters and then work my way through the story as I write. However, most times, I don’t have the points in the right chapter. The characters have taken over the story.

I had one story where I had a love scene in the wrong place. My characters when right up to the edge, then balked. Kind of like a horse with a jump and the rider, me, gets thrown off. When I dusted off my jeans, I asked what the heck just happened, and my heroine said, “I’m not ready yet.”

So my hot love scene got moved and the hero stole a good night kiss instead.

Some writers don’t agree with the voices argument. They swear they are in total control of their creative process. I think the girls in the attic are keeping them from seeing the true magic.

Now it’s time for you to chime in. Do you believe in the voices? Or as a reader do you really not care where the stories come from, as long as they keep coming?

Lynn

Dressed to Kill

Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books, and More in the tucked-away town of South Cove, California—is not particularly thrilled to be portraying a twenties flapper for the dinner theater murder mystery. Though it is for charity…
Of course everyone is expecting a “dead” body at the dress rehearsal…but this one isn’t acting! It turns out the main suspect is the late actor’s conniving girlfriend Sherry…who also happens to be the ex-wife of Jill’s main squeeze. Sherry is definitely a master manipulator…but is she a killer? Jill may discover the truth only when the curtain comes up on the final act…and by then, it may be far too late.

“Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective: Guidebook to Murder has it all! A cozy lover’s dream come true.” –Susan McBride, author of The Debutante Dropout Mysteries

Buy at: Amazon | Nook

About the Author
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho native. If you’d visit the town where she grew up, you’d understand why her mysteries and romance novels focus around the depth and experience of small town life. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and two fur babies.

Links –
Goodreads –http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857424.Lynn_Cahoon
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon
Facebook –https://www.facebook.com/LynnCahoonAuthor
website – http://lynncahoon.com/
Amazon author page – http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

My husband said today that he didn’t see the importance of history. Excuse him, he’s an engineer. This was an immediate red flag for me, a lover of history and writer of Highlander stories set in the 1300’s. His statement was somewhat ironic given we were in Sicily driving up the side of a smoking Mount Etna to see the land his people owned. What was fascinating about tracing his family’s history was how the actions of one person, in this case, his grandfather, changed the family history of so many future generations.

In the 1920’s my husband’s grandfather, Salvatore, wooed his sweetheart by singing love songs to her under her veranda. She was from a wealthy landowning family and his family was poor. According to my mother-in-law this was not a good match. What hadn’t come out in the telling was that he was a handsome young man with a sweet face who’d gone out of his way to woo a woman. I’d always heard how difficult he was and many other negative things, so I’d never understood why she had married him. But history is more than memory or the recount of a story by  one family member. Going to Sicily, meeting other family members, seeing family photos brings so much more to the picture. What I saw in this picture was the handsome face that has features  so like other family members, men I love.This is the type of research we need to do as writers to understand what really was there in the past. It’s not enough to go to one source. We have to trace the routes and read every source we can uncover.

Sicily is an island struggling through a recession. It’s poor and tired and in serious need of a good paint job. If my husband’s grandfather hadn’t decided to go to Australia, a place far from anything in 1936, the whole history of my husband’s family would have been different. His young family of wife and three children joined him in Australia, selling up most of the land they owned in Sicily under Etna’s steaming volcano.

They’re a family of wealthy professionals enjoying a terrific existence in Australia. For my husband who spent the day exploring his family’s history, it struck him that the family black sheep, the one that wooed the heiress and left her for years when he went to settle in Australia was in fact the family salvation. He’d changed the existence of future generations for the better.

I very gently led him back to his previous statement of the unimportance of history in his eyes. He has a better appreciation for my passion for history as he comes to know his own.

Is there anything in your family history that has changed your life for the worse or better?

*~*~*~*

Cathleen Ross is passionate about history and is the writer of Highlander, Highlander in her Bed and In Her Wild Highlander’s Bed. Highlander is FREE.

Dying is easy. Comedy is difficult.

Does this saying have the ring of truth? Hell yeah! But I haven’t died (yet), so it’s subjective.

I dabble in humor writing the way a minimalist dips their brush into paint. As a rule, less is more. A smattering works, but a heavy hand can overwhelm the artistic aesthetic.

My humor articles appear on my blog, The Snarkology, at infrequent intervals. Imagine Erma Bombeck Uncensored. (Yes, I talk about SEX.)

I try to bring The Funny to all of my books, but the potential for humor being lost in translation is vast. For instance, my current Work in Progress is an erotic space opera called Viking Love Slave.

The logline sums it up:  Viking gods getting it on with nubile love slaves… In Space.

The story contains a lot of lighthearted elements, but I’m discovering those must be presented thoughtfully or I risk my true intention (getting laughs) of being lost in translation. This has been especially evident as the book entered its first developmental editing round. I’m working with a new editor who has identified a purposefully humorous scene as being too melodramatic.

One of the hardest things an author does in the pursuit of good storytelling is balancing their editor’s advice against gut instinct.  Writers have big egos so accepting guidance can be difficult.  This creates conflict, which is great between protagonists and their counterparts. Maybe not so much in a professional relationship that depends upon cooperation for productivity.

Allow me to divert into a cautionary tale to illustrate…

I have an editor-friend who is a reformed Langolier. (She has pointy teeth but only eats kittens on Thursdays.) When we talk, she sometimes brings up a problematic author at her job that consistently reduces the editorial staff to ripping their hair out at the roots. We shall call this special needs author “Debby Diva” for the sake of discretion.

Debby Diva has “a voice” which is utterly unique to her. She is a special snowflake in the literary blizzard. It doesn’t matter whether her editor says her prose sucks or can’t be understood. Obviously, it’s on the reader to invest the time and effort to decipher Debby’s intent. If they fail, they aren’t trying hard enough.

I don’t want to be Debby Diva, and neither do you.

So what am I to say to my VLS editor when I don’t agree with her assessment? Yes, the prose is purple but it’s deliberately purple. And no, the entire story isn’t written in that style, because that would be too much. The joke is only funny to a point, and then you’ve taken it too far.

My best defense, perhaps, is the Are Readers Laughing? Test. The assessment pivots upon whether I can show the scene to a reader and get a good laugh. A giggle allows me to justify the style to my editor as genuinely humorous. A groan sends me back to the drawing board.

So you tell me. Does the scene below make you giggle or groan?

I’ll provide a free ebook copy of any title from my backlist to a randomly chosen commenter. (Excluding the Alphas Gone Wild box set.)

Viking Love Slave

The day she planned to kill a man, she wore an underbust corset that lifted her full breasts so high her nipples threatened to burst from the neckline of her servant’s frock. Prior to assuming her assassin’s duties, she spent hours bathing, polishing, and preparing every square inch of her body in anticipation of her first murder, as nervous as a bride on her wedding night. Even having been warned not to do anything to attract undo attention, Tierwyn couldn’t stand the thought that she wouldn’t look spectacular.

Better to risk arrest and execution.

Hefting a platinum tray of raw oysters, Tierwyn edged closer to the table. King Methedon of Alfheim dined with his guests at a long, rectangular table that ran through the center of the grand room. Prime Minister Seniormost Fussi Pantaloons sat to the king’s left. Crown Prince Thor of the Asgard Star Empire occupied the place of honor to the king’s right, and to Thor’s right was his advisor, Loki.

Word of the Asgard space fleet’s arrival had spread like quicksilver through the capitol. Nobles bedecked in jewels and finery filled the great hall to capacity. They represented the wealthiest and most prestigious members of the peerage.

Nervous tremors ran through her slender frame as she lowered the platter, aiming for an empty area between the visiting dignitaries. As she extended her arms, black-haired Loki tilted his head toward her. He bestowed a flirtatious wink and a smile upon the elf maiden, followed by a sharp pinch upon her posterior.

“Oh!” An indignant cry escaped her startled lips. Tierwyn fumbled and the tray of shellfish tilted perilously toward the royal lap.

“I’ll take those before you wind up wearing them.” Loki smoothly reached across Thor and removed the tray before the oysters completed their journey. In the process of helping, Loki’s elbow just happened to collide with Tierwyn’s hip, destroying what remained of her balance.

“Oh no!” Flapping her arms, Tierwyn tilted off-balance so her face descended toward the Crown Prince’s crotch. Gasping in shock, her eyes widened and her breath exploded from her lungs in a gust as she caught her first glimpse of the epic protuberance. His skin-taut stretchy pants appeared prepared to burst.

Great Gonads! The crown jewels must be enormous! Could the Asgard prince be wearing an insert? Sweet Goddess, she quivered with ecstatic giddiness, torn between curiosity and terror of the truth.

Swooning eagerly toward her dire fate, Tierwyn uttered a groan of disappointment when strong hands caught her at the last moment. Her thighs quivered in primal reaction to the powerful fingers encircling her upper limbs. Sighing, she gazed with longing and disappointment after the destiny denied her. To her great sorrow, his bulge receded from proximity with her face as he lifted her.

*~*~*~*

Viking Love Slave will be released in Spring 2016. To receive notification of Melissa Snark’s new releases, subscribe to her newsletter at: http://www.melissasnark.com/mailing-list/  You’ll receive a free ebook just for joining.

Author Bio:

Author Melissa Snark lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children, and a glaring of litigious felines. She reads and writes fantasy and romance, and is published with The Wild Rose Press & Nordic Lights Press. She is a coffeeoholic, chocoholic, and a serious geek girl. Her Loki’s Wolves series stems from her fascination with wolves and mythology.

• She blogs about books and writing on http://www.thesnarkology.com/.
  Visit her website at http://www.melissasnark.com/.
• Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaSnark
• Follow her on Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0076EEQIU
• Follow her on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MelissaSnark
• Email: MelissaSnark at gmail.com

• Subscribe to her newsletter: http://www.melissasnark.com/mailing-list/

UPDATE: The winner of this contest is…Elaine Swinney!

* * * * *

That’s right. You read that title correctly. I’ve officially popped my paranormal cherry. Woo Hoo!!!

And I did it in style too!! In a paranormal boxed set with 9 other authors who I adore!!!

Violet’s Shadow is my first toe dipping novella into the paranormal pond and I’ll admit it. I was nervous. Paranormal to me has to be impeccable to be good and I didn’t just want it to be good, I wanted it to be great!!!

So here’s a tiny taste of Violet and her journey to be Alpha of a pack of Shadows she didn’t even know existed…

Two weeks alone in a secluded cabin is music to Violet’s ears. Until she sees a shadow in the forest with red glowing eyes. Red eyes she’s seen in her dreams for as long as she can remember. Eyes that make her want to forget the rest of the world. But she doesn’t believe in fairy tales anymore.

Rayden was sent to protect her.  To keep her safe.  Nothing more than to guide her as she transitions into a Shadow and takes her rightful place in the pack.  What he finds instead is the mate he’s been unwilling to search for and a passion so fierce he’ll never be able to walk away.

Violet’s spent her entire life aching to belong and she finally finds it in the pack of Shadows she is destined to join.  Everything she’s ever wanted in life and love is finally at her fingertips if she’s brave enough to embrace…her Shadow.

And what do I want to do to celebrate? Have a contest of course!!

So comment below and tell me what you love about paranormal
and who your favorite paranormal authors are???

I’ll pick a random winner who will win an e-book of their choice and maybe some extra swag too cause it’s awesome and shiny!!!

Happy commenting!!!

 Available for PreOrder now!!!

 Coming out on June 30th 2015!!!!

Romancing the Wolf

Sexy and we know it! They’re on the hunt after your heart. Discover 11 brand new passionate tales of friendship, desire, wolves, survival, and redemption. Escape to another world, another place, and another romance…

Warning: Contains wild heroes and heroines, tempestuous passion, old secrets, new discoveries, and pack ties binding them together. Sometimes love’s greatest challenge is romancing the wolf…

Jennifer Kacey – Violet’s Shadow (Shadow Mates) 

Violet’s spent her whole life searching for where she belongs. Two weeks alone in a secluded cabin is music to her ears, until she sees a shadow in the forest with red glowing eyes. Rayden was sent to protect and guide her. Instead, he finds the mate he’s been unwilling to search for and a passion so fierce he’ll never be able to walk away. Everything she’s ever wanted in life and love is finally at her fingertips if she’s brave enough to embrace…her Shadow

Desiree Holt- Heart of the Wolf (The Devora)

Saranna DeWylde The Ardennes Curse (Woolven Secret)

Virginia Nelson – Odd Mate (The Odd Series)

Gayle Donnelly – Running with the Wolf (The Cascadia Wolves)

Cara Carnes – Redemption’s Forgiveness (The Rending)

Brandy Walker – Under Her Spell (Keystone Predators)

Rebecca Royce – Always (Dragon Wars)

Heather Long – Wolf with Benefits (Wolves of Willow Bend)

Melissa Schroeder – The Alpha’s Saving Grace (Lonestar Wolf Pack)

*~*~*~*~*

Need something to wet your whistle?

May I suggest a delicious bite out of the Members Only series…….. 😛

The books in the Members Only Series can be found here…
Together In Cyn
Haleigh’s Ink
A Very Ménage Christmas
Duke’s Valentine
Orgasm University
Accidental Voyeur
Roman’s To-Do List
Jenna’s Consent
Laila’s Lies

Stand Alone
Buried Permission
Beneath the Pages
Nico’s Curse
Elite Metal
Final Surrender
Violet’s Shadow in Romancing the Wolf – Coming 6/30/2015

Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her family 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 – http://www.jenniferkacey.com/
Newsletter – http://jenniferkacey.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f09bd32b8c279cebcc930950e&id=2a45c210e8
Blog – The Decadent Divas – http://www.thedecadentdivas.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.kacey.7
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/jenniferkaceyauthor
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JenniferKacey
Amazon Page – http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Kacey/e/B00GXHUB30/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d9_al1?_encoding=UTF8&refinementId=618073011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0G8ZPDQJVKJPKXNBRY10&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6941549.Jennifer_Kacey
Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/jenniferkacey/

I want to thank the uber talented and extremely generous, Delilah Devlin, for hosting me today. Leave a comment for the chance to win one of my digital titles.

We probably all remember the old saying: To error is human—forgive divine. As human beings, it’s in our nature to make mistakes. It’s called being human. I think it’s also in our nature to try and correct our mistakes whenever possible. This is what I had to do with the second novella, KIRA, from my BDSM series, Heartache and Hopeful.

I originally wrote KIRA back in late 2012/early 2013. At that time, I hadn’t done my due diligence in researching BDSM so I went with the preconceptions (and misconceptions!) that society held about this alternative lifestyle.

The story centers around Kira and her spanking needs. Instead of having Kira embrace her urges as healthy and normal, I wrote her as being ashamed of her innate desires. Why? Because I personally don’t like pain and thus couldn’t conceive of anyone who would. Big mistake…luckily one that was easy to correct. All I had to change the blurb and tweak a couple of the loves scenes.

Here’s part of the old blurb:

When Kira Schafer’s mega-millionaire—and seriously controlling—father insists she marry one of his company’s junior executives or get cut out of the will, her decisions is an easy one. As much as she loves her dad, she won’t be bullied into a marriage where her needs aren’t met. So she leaves the big city to settle in the small Nebraskan town. And maybe, just maybe the quiet, country life will calm the deep-seated spanking urges which have plagued her for years.

And the new and improved one:

When Kira Schafer’s mega-millionaire—and seriously controlling—father insists she marry one of his company’s junior executives or get cut out of the will, her decision is an easy one. As much as she loves her dad, she won’t be bullied into a marriage where her needs aren’t met. So she leaves the big city to settle in a small farming town. The only drawback to her plan is the lack of bondage clubs in rural Nebraska. But Kira knows abstaining from her spanking urges is but a small price to pay in exchange for her freedom.

In the old version, I also created an inconsistency in Kira’s character… She won’t marry a man who can’t satisfy her, yet she wants to calm her spanking urges. In hindsight, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Duh, right? <grin> It’s my hope that my revised edition is a truer account of what a practitioner in the leather community might actually think and feel.

So what mistakes have you made and what did you do to correct them? Leave a comment for the chance to win any one of my digital titles. Thanks again to the awesome Delilah Devlin for letting me hang out with her today.

Now please enjoy this excerpt from KIRA:

Hunter wrestled with the wildly thrashing bundle. Kira might not be bigger than a minute, but she had a lot of fight in her. Of course, being frightened usually gave a person extra strength. And by the way Kira was twisting, she had to be scared out of her mind.

He forced his mind to ignore the fact she was clad only in a towel. A towel that was fast slipping to the ground with each torque of her body. Sweat trickled into his eyes from the exertion. That and the wool ski mask he wore to ensure if she did get free, she wouldn’t recognize him. Finally, he wrapped her in a bear hug with her arms pinned to her sides. He took care not to hurt her, just get her attention. He mentally groaned at the soft feel of her curves.

“Settle down,” he mumbled in his best menacing voice. He didn’t need her identifying his voice either. He shook her once when she maintained her resistance. “I won’t hurt you.”

The clean, cotton bag over her head bellowed in and out, clearly distinguishing the outline of her nose and mouth. By the rapid movement, she was probably going to hyperventilate, maybe even pass out. Not at all what he wanted, but having her conked out would make the four hour drive to Omaha that much easier.

“Why should I believe you?”

Though her voice was muffled, she nonetheless sounded pissed. At least she’d stopped struggling. He lessened his hold.

Big mistake.

The instant his arms relaxed, Kira leaped from his grasp. Her bare foot connected to his leg just above the kneecap. He grunted at the impact and went down hard on his other knee. He reached for her, only managing to snag the towel as she danced away. For a long moment Hunter forgot to breathe. He was too distracted by her glorious nakedness for such a trivial concern.

A rosy flush covered her skin, whether from fighting him or her shower, he didn’t know. Sleek legs, with a delectable mesh of hair at the apex, flared to hourglass hips then a slender waist. Two perfectly proportioned breasts, neither too big nor too small, jutted forward, their pink centers puckered tight.

Almost too late, Hunter saw her pull back one supple leg. He only just dodged the kick blindly aimed at his head. Kira snatched the bag from her head. Unmindful of her nudity, she lunged for the small bed against the far wall and retrieved a wooden baseball bat from underneath. She wielded it with the power and confidence of Babe Ruth.

Great job, Rice. She’s seriously pissed and now she has a weapon. Fucking great.

She swung right at his skull. If he’d moved a nanosecond slower, his brains would have landed in next week. He vaulted to his feet and got into a fighting stance, his hands up. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She swung again. “Really? Is that why you broke into my place? Because you don’t want to hurt me?” Another swing.

Hunter stumbled backwards to avoid her bludgeon and tripped over his feet, losing his balance and tumbling to the floor in a heap. She towered over him, the bat raised high above her head.

Under any different circumstances, he’d take the time to admire Kira’s exquisitely naked beauty. But with the imminent threat of her bashing in his cranium, he thrust his hands up in complete surrender. “Kira, wait! It’s me, Hunter!”

KIRA BUY LINKS
Amazon
B&N
Kobo

KIRA is also part of the Hot Summer Nights, Third Collection, to be released on July 7th. Twenty-two authors with some smokin’ hot romances to heat up your summer nights. Pre-order your copy here: Pre-Order. Please note that Hot Summer Nights cannot be claimed as the giveaway prize.

ABOUT LYNDA

Lynda has no doubt she’s a born storyteller.

She remembers her first “story” when she informed her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Downing, that her mom had just had a baby boy. Her mother hadn’t, of course, and while Lynda got thoroughly admonished for her “storytelling,” she wasn’t deterred from what would become a lifelong passion.

From made-up tales centering around her favorite TV shows as a kid to today, Lynda love telling stories! Stories with handsome guys and spunky gals, that always…always end with a happily-ever-after.

Her romances are full of passion, with heat levels that range from hot to sizzling! She’d been a finalist in numerous writing contests, including RWA’s® prestigious Golden Heart® in 2010. Please join her for laughter, love and that all important HEA.

Lynda live in Reno, NV with her electrician husband of thirty (and counting) years and our two pampered pooches. Feel free to visit her at www.lyndabailey.net. Or drop her an email at lynda@lyndabailey.net

STALKER LINKS
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

ANCIENT TIES

An Erotic Time Travel Romance
by Jane Leopold Quinn
http://amzn.com/B00WFTJYPG

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Thank you, Delilah, for hosting Ancient Ties and me here today!

REAL LIFE VS. WRITING LIFE

I’ve been writing erotic/sensual romance for over a dozen years now and love it. Except when I can’t stand it. That’s only when writer’s block starts, and I worry I’ll never write another book again. Apparently, that’s common amongst writers. Whew!

Generally, when I write, I have to turn off the TV and have either silence or listen to my tenor CDs. Josh Groban, Il Divo, Mario Frangoulis, etc. Sometimes I can’t turn off the TV because of some important news event, which seems to happen more and more, unfortunately. I’m not getting political. I’m just talking about how hard it is to write and revise hot love scenes with real life going on in the background on TV.

I’ll have to re-read sentences and paragraphs over and over to make sure I’ve gotten them right—afraid I’ll miss something important on TV, and afraid I’ll miss or misuse a word on the computer screen. Yikes!  But, I always make it through and am able to submit or self publish a book. And real life continues on.

We all have to divide our time as writers. I don’t have kids or pets, but I have a husband. I have a hard time imagining how an author with kids manages to concentrate. They say if you want it, you’ll do it. That’s right. But it can still be hard to immerse yourself in your story when real life intrudes.

Now, I’m also here to talk about my latest release, Ancient Ties. I’m so proud of this book. In 2005, my debut novel came out to so many 5 star reviews that I was petrified I couldn’t write a follow up. I have, but your first, especially to great reviews, is the biggest thrill.

Ancient Ties is a time travel to 2nd Century Roman Britain in Aquae Sulis. The first time, as a single gal, I visited Bath and the Roman Museum and Pump Room, I took a photo of a Roman soldier’s tombstone. When the pictures were developed, there was a haze over the center carvings, the edges were clear. I told everyone the soldier had come out to meet me. When I went back a few years later with my new hubby, I took the same photo. It came out completely clear — evidence that my soldier approved of my husband. Many years later, when I started writing, my first thought was that Roman soldier and what would happen if a small town school teacher from the US (me) visited a crumbling villa, stepped back to 161 AD, and met a Roman soldier (oops, not my husband). Below are the two photos. I look at them today and shiver a little. Believe me, that hazy photo was the only hazy photo I took on that first trip.

I’m particularly proud of the cover too. I created it! The top photo is from http://romancenovelcovers.com. The two lower photos are ones I took on my trips to England and show scenes from the book.

Below is my very first review, before the book was even released, from Just Erotic Romance Reviews (JERR), and it holds a special place in my heart. Below that is the fabulous RT review, also special.

Just Erotic Romance Reviews – 5 Stars

“This absorbing tale of time travel left me breathless with anticipation and enticingly affected by the deep emotional connection between Janney and Marek. Although a little slow to start, the storyline becomes explosive, drawing me in with the fascinating historical significance of the Romans in ancient Britannia. The characters are captivating with their complexities, especially the deeply intense Marek, who battles the loss of his wife and the stress of war while being greatly afraid of loving again. One of the most domineering male characters I have read in months, Marek fills the pages with his alpha male tendency to want to conquer Janney while feeling the overwhelming reluctance to admit his emotional need for her. Not only is it necessary to fulfill his lust for her but also overcome her reluctance to love after living through her ex-husband’s betrayal. Janney is confused by her surroundings and unenthusiastic about falling in love. Nonetheless, her every sexual fantasy becomes a reality in the face of her surrender. These sex scenes are explosively intense, often depicting the powerful and luscious connection that they have. Their romance is profoundly inspiring, leaving me feeling warm and sorrowful throughout the novel. Ancient Ties is an absolutely gripping and satisfying read, leaving me looking forward to more novels by this tremendously talented author.”

RT – 4-1/2 Stars and Top Pick, Reviewers’ Choice Nominee for Best Erotic Romance 2006

“Marek and Janney have a sizzling attraction, and that is where Quinn turns up the heat and intensity. This story has a wonderful balance between sensitivity and sensuality, with humor from the gods on the side. A terrific book.”

Betrayed by her cheating ex, heartbroken Janney Forrester needs a vacation. She gets one — and much more — when she lands almost 2,000 years in the past. Crossing over a crumbling stone threshold, she’s greeted by the villa’s perfect historical detail and the most gorgeous, masculine man she’s ever seen, her every sexual fantasy personified. Confusion vies with attraction for control of her emotions, and Janney must reexamine everything she’s ever thought about herself.

Roman soldier Marek Benin Verus considers the woman suddenly appearing before him as a gift from the gods. Zeus knows he needs one! Battle fatigued and emotionally scarred after fifteen years in the army, he’s on a leave of absence, and he has all the time in the world to devote to seducing this beautiful woman into his bed. He doesn’t plan on the powerful and dangerous emotions she inspires in him.

Marek’s hard, muscular body is too luscious to resist. Janney decides to risk the comfort of her safe life and carpe diem – seize the day. Marek seizes her body and takes her to the edge — and over — to an ecstasy she never knew existed. Can a new world for her, timeless desire, and a loving exploration of each other’s bodies forge a passion that survives centuries of separation?

EXCERPT:

I don’t know about you, but I love Stonehenge. Standing on ground as hallowed as the grand cathedrals is so romantic as represented by one of the dictionary definitions:  “marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious…”  In Ancient Ties, my erotic time travel, Roman soldier Marek takes Janney, his 21st Century visitor, to Stonehenge as it would have looked in his time, the 2nd Century.

Stonehenge

“You’re happy, Janney Forrester? Stonehenge pleases you?” He stalked toward her. His voice was uncertain, but his body language definitely wasn’t. She hugged the warmth of the stone, pressing back as if it could become her spine. Tendrils of heat skittered through her belly and lower, all her nerve endings tingling. Shouting, more like it. This man was a magnificent male specimen. And all that attention was focused on her. She was tired of fighting it. Of analyzing why he wanted ordinary, uninteresting her. She wasn’t in Iowa any longer.

Janney’s fascination with the massive man-made wonder turns to a stronger fascination in the massive, handsome, hunk of a Roman soldier.

She tried to meet his eyes, but her gaze insisted on sweeping over his tantalizing body. He was strong, the muscles in his long legs stretching and tightening as he moved, his powerful arms swinging easily. How could a man in a skirt be so masculine? In slow motion, he prowled toward her, the white of his tunic contrasting with his darkly tanned skin.

     Oh, yeah. Dazedly, she leaned back against the sun-baked stone and waited for him to join her. He smiled, but it was anxious and uncertain. Like a parent trying to please a child. Except she wasn’t a child, and he wasn’t her parent.

He stood before her, tall for his time but only a few inches taller than she. She needed another deep breath, desperately needed it. “Marek, it’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“The sacred stones?” His chest rose and fell with ragged breathing.

“Yes.”

“I don’t know much about them. It’s thought that they’re the sacred stones of the Druid priests, but I’ve never been here when rites were performed.” He moved in closer. “I’m not thinking of religious rites now,” he said.

“No?” She laughed nervously. He’d said exactly what she’d been thinking. His body had taken over her field of vision. He’d taken over her life.

He brushed his thumbs along her jaw, eased his fingers up into her hair. “You’re so beautiful.”

Caught between the hard sarsen and his hard body, she locked her knees. He tipped her chin up with a thumb. She caught her breath, gazing up into his beautiful eyes. It was hard to resist when all his sensuality was focused directly on her.

“Your hair is the color of the sun.” His fingertips burrowed through her curls. He leaned in and kissed a rounded strand over her brow. “So soft.”

She barely breathed, eyes closing to his lulling voice. He was perfection.

“Your eyes are like the morning sky.” His mouth trailed lower, kissing her closed eyelids, the side of her nose. His breath came in short gasps.

She couldn’t stop her little whimper from escaping. She wanted to let go, ached to kiss him back. Wanted to smooth her mouth across the line of his jaw, his tender throat, feel that liquid, beating pulse against the sensitive skin of her lips.

His hand trailed down her chest to the edge of her tunic. The backs of his fingers brushed her bare skin. “So incredibly beautiful.” He slipped long fingers inside the tunic and cupped her breast in his palm.

She couldn’t hold back her cry when he squeezed her nipple. Her hips arched against the curved shape of his erection. Her own body liquefied and pulsed, her desire quick and rampant.

“By the Gods, I want you. I’ve never wanted anyone more,” he growled, compressing her nipple again and pushing her bottom back against the stone.

She gasped and bit his shoulder in answer. His words were wonderful, but, of course, he didn’t mean them. This was just sex. She licked where she’d bitten.

     Oh, but it’ll be great sex.

His eyes were inches from hers, perfect understanding in their matching gazes. His lips weren’t hard or straight now; they were soft and moist. They took hers. He buried his tongue in her mouth. Growled.

~~~

Marek will always be my favorite character. I worked so hard to make him a real person, powerful but tender and vulnerable. And what can I say, Janney is me. Since then I’ve written books with a deputy sheriff, a Chicago cop, two gay Chicago cops, a few military men, a painter, a West Texas gunfighter turned preacher, vampires, and a couple of cowboys. And my heroines have been a woman escaping the big city for rural Iowa, a recent widow renting a cottage on the coast of Maine, a young jewelry designer who’s been kidnapped by bad guys while visiting the Pyramids, a reluctant mail order bride. Lots of disparate couples, but somehow they managed to find their mates.

~~~

I have several more blog posts scheduled to celebrate the re-release of Ancient Ties and to continue the conversation. Please feel free to go to any posts. There are several different topics:

May 28, Sabrina York –  http://thedecadentdivas.blogspot.com/2015/04/ancient-ties-erotic-time-travel-romance.html

May 28, my blog –

http://janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.com/p/ancient-ties-erotic-time-travel-romance.html  ~~~

http://janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.com/p/the-tower-of-london-1999-jane-leopold.html

June 3, Anna Markland – http://www.annamarkland.com/

June 4, Kryssie Fortune – http://kryssiefortune.wordpress.com

June 5, Tina Donahue – http://www.tinadonahue.com/

June 8, Alicia Dean – http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/

June 10, Romance Lives Forever – http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com

June 12, Delilah Devlin – https://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/

June 19, Jessie Clever – http://jessieclever.com/blog/

AUTHOR BIO

Sensual fantasies were locked in my mind for years until a friend said, “Why don’t you write them down?” Why not, indeed? One spiral notebook, a pen and the unleashing of my imagination later, and here I am with more than a dozen books published. The craft of writing erotic romance has become my passion and my niche in life. I love every part of the creative process—developing characters, designing the plot, even drawing the layout of physical spaces from my stories. My careers have been varied—third grade school teacher, bookkeeper, secretary—none of which gave me a bit of inspiration. But now I’m lucky enough to write romance full time—the best job in the universe! And I’m fortunate enough to have found my own happily ever after husband.

Jane Leopold Quinn
My Romance:  Love With a Scorching Sensuality
http://janeleopoldquinn.BlogSpot.com
https://twitter.com/jelquinnauthor
Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/1DfiXkP

***

My Books

Indie
Loving Valentine
His, Hers & His
The Keeper
Soldier, Come Home
Winning Violetta
A Promise at Dawn
Jake and Ivy
Wooing the Librarian
Home to Stay
The Long Road to You
Her Hero
Passion/Retribution/Love
Love Awakens—Erotic Vampire Romance
Ancient Ties

Scorching Mini Tales—Educating Eris and My Parisian Sabbatical (coming soon)

Siren
I’ll Be Your Last

Ellora’s Cave
Lost and Found
The Real Deal

I’m not talking Mel Gibson in Braveheart looking all adorable with his face painted blue. I’m talking about bikers – real bikers. The kind who ride motorcycles, wear leather vests, and burn up the weekend roads.

Oh, I know them, you say. I saw them on Sons of Anarchy.

Nu uh, my friend. The Sons of Anarchy are OUTLAW bikers. Those guys are the real deal, the one percenters, the fraction of motorcyclists who don’t follow civilian law. They are larger than life, badder than bad and make for great romance heroes. My biker romance standalone series, the Sinner’s Tribe MC, is about outlaw bikers who live large, ride free, and fall hard for the women they love.

So what about the weekend warriors?

Ah, now we’re talking. Welcome to my world. Weekend Warriors are Saturday and Sunday riders only. You can identify them by their squeaky clean leather chaps, shiny black leather jackets and mirrored aviator sunglasses. Without any understanding of wind resistance, they sit up straight and tall and wave to fellow bikers, because hey, it’s a nice day for a sunny ride down the highway with your significant perched on the passenger pillion seat behind you. Wave and smile. Wave and smile.

Until my hubs bought his first motorcycle, a Honda VFR with a comfy passenger pillion seat, I knew nothing about biker subculture. I saw motorcycles on the roads, watched a few shows about bikers, and feigned interest when the hubs showed me pictures of motorcycles online. I never thought I would be a Weekend Warrior’s woman until the day he showed up at our house with his “surprise” impulse purchase.

Surprise indeed. Especially given that my impulse purchases usually involve chocolate, shoes or multiple one-clicks on my Kindle on Tuesdays. Do you see the imbalance? Just think how many books I could buy for the price of…say…a MOTORCYCLE!

Of course no weekend warrior worth his salt can ride his bike wearing running shoes and a golf jacket. So it was off to the motorcycle store for the requisite purchase of shiny black leather and a helmet to protect the hubs’ head for when the credit card bill arrived.

So there I was, hanging out with a grizzled lot of bikers in the motorcycle shop as the hubs pranced and preened in front of the mirror. And then the owner, a giant bear of a man wearing a patched leather vest and sporting a long, grey ZZ-Top style beard (read: REAL biker), jerked his thumb at me as the hubs rifled through the helmet display. “You’ll need leathers, too.”

Cue: gasps from the hubs. And not because of the cost. But when I slipped on those semi-tight leather trousers and the fitted leather vest…well, let’s just say money suddenly became no object.

So now, every sunny summer weekend, we pull on our leathers, hit the road, sit up tall, and wave to our fellow bikers. Because hey, it’s a nice day for a weekend warrior ride and could there be any better way to research biker romance?

My latest release is Beyond the Cut, the second standalone book in the Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club series. It’s got all the hard riding, fierce loving, outlaw bikers you could want, plus a feisty heroine, a villainous villain and two little kids who can melt an outlaw hero’s heart.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Sarah Castille, worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies. She writes erotic contemporary romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha heroes and the women who tame them.

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BEYOND THE CUT (SINNER’S TRIBE MC #2) 

SHE’S HOLDING ON TIGHT.

As a teen, Dawn ran from a life on the streets straight into the arms of Jimmy “Mad Dog” Sanchez, a biker who promised to be her knight in shining armor. But his love was just another cage. Years later, Dawn’s former life still has its hooks in her and she’ll do whatever it takes to break free. When Cade “Ryder” O’Connor, a member of a rival club, makes her an offer, Dawn finds herself in a different, hotter kind of trouble with one irresistible Sinner…

WILL HE GIVE HER THE RIDE OF HER LIFE?

Cade is an outlaw biker with allegiance to one thing and one thing only: The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club. But when it comes to the stunningly sexy, fiercely independent Dawn Delgado, Cade finds himself…hungrier for more. Trouble is on Dawn’s heels and he wants to be the answer to her prayers, whether she wants him to be or not. What can’t be denied is the red-hot attraction between them. However, as they fall deeper, the danger rises and Cade may have to sacrifice it all…

BUY LINKS FOR BEYOND THE CUT

Amazon: http://bit.ly/BeyondtheCut
iBooks: http://apple.co/1Hr0STu
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1c3qpH0
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1dipsfz
BAM: http://bit.ly/1L7xu54
Book Depository: http://bit.ly/1IP1HHg
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/beyond-the-cut