There are a lot of unseen pressures on a writer. We have to pick the right characters, come up with a great plot, find our ‘voice’, put words on the page, and get to ‘the end’. Once we’ve done that, there’s the whole process of polishing, submitting, and waiting for approval or rejection. If you’re lucky, you sign a contract and have the awesome pleasure of ripping your story apart to please editors. Don’t get me started on the delight that is promotion, or the vast, unexplored sea of self-publishing.

When I embarked upon this work, it wasn’t with some great plan in mind. I had ideas, wrote them down, and with great trepidation let someone else read it. As I delved deeper into the erotic romance genre, I despaired. I didn’t have any vampires or shifters, no BDSM, no motorcycle gangs or heroic SEALs. Heck, I didn’t even use bad language! Those were the things on the market so that’s what people wanted, right? Therefore, if I didn’t write that, there weren’t going to be any readers for my stories. Why bother?

After some metaphorical and literal hand-wringing, I squared my shoulders, cracked my knuckles, and got back to it. Writers write, and that’s what I am. Everything else is secondary. As I worked, I came to realize that there is room for my sorts of tales. My heroes are confident and considerate and my heroines are humble and hard working. They go through experiences that bring them to a place of trust and respect. I can’t think of characters who deserve sexual fulfillment and a happy ending more than they do! My audience might be smaller, but once I find them, I know I can give them an entertaining read. What I’ve come away with is the realization that there’s room for everyone; all sorts of heroes, all kinds of adventures, every sort of kink.

While on a clandestine visit to Earth, Prince Edem of Alpha and his bondmate Mallet by chance meet a humble cook who intrigues them. The impulsive prince feels a brief fling with an exotic human female sounds like the perfect way to conclude their travels, while his more pragmatic bondmate urges caution.

Despite all the reasons to avoid her, the Alphans seek her out, intrigued by her prickly pride and defiant disposition. For her part, Corrine is intimidated by these imposing and mysterious alien men, but finds herself overwhelmed by their determined courtship.

Edem and Mallet convince themselves their deepening feelings for Corrine do not have to include bonding, since such a commitment is forbidden by the King and subjects of Alpha, determined to keep the bloodline pure. But when danger threatens, the three are forced to choose between having the galaxy at their feet or losing each other forever.

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Ruled-Planet-Alpha-J-J-Lore-ebook/dp/B00U8389HK/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ruled-1758583-340.html
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/ruled-by-j-j-lore/
http://www.bookstrand.com/ruled-mmf

About J. J. Lore

J. J. Lore needs three things; strong, black coffee, time to write, and…well…you can guess the third. When she isn’t inventing fantastical tales filled with passionate people, she’s shaking sriracha on whatever she’s eating or reading about the Justinian plague. For updates on her bestselling erotic romance releases, visit her at http://mllesnarratif.com/j-j-lore/ or follow on Twitter @JJLore1

Ruled excerpt:

They made her shake. She’d thought it was first with anger, then fear, but as Mal eased his mouth against hers while Edem circled his fingers down her back, she knew she was shaking with lust. How had she gotten here? She’d been so insulted by the gift she’d rushed to them thoughtlessly and had somehow admitted to them she was frightened of sex, but now was barely able to keep on her feet for the heat blooming in her pussy.

Someone’s hands were pulling at the hem of her shirt, and she drew away from Mal to glance down and discover Edem had insinuated his fingertips underneath the material and was now rubbing along her bare waist. Her skin tingled. Mal reached for her buttons and had the front of her shirt open before she realized what was happening. When the cool air reached her nearly exposed breasts, she automatically reached to bring the edges back together, her breath rushing in and out with a mix of desire and caution.

“Let us see and touch. Just here,” Edem said softly as he caressed her lower back. Mal stared at her, his eyes darkening as he gave a slight nod. It was stupid to even consider it, but she seemed to be doing lots of stupid things lately. This could be the test. She could say no and hope they would stop. Would they let her control this? She didn’t want to say no yet, though. She sucked in a breath and urged her stiff fingers to cooperate as she released her grip on the shirt. She was wearing a bra, so she could say no when then tried to remove that final layer and expose her. Read the rest of this entry »

When most of us glance at a picture, we see the main subject we’re looking at: a person we know, ourselves, the new house our friend just bought, the bride and groom at our cousin’s wedding. Most of the time we don’t really examine the full photo. All those details in the background hidden in plain sight. As I’ve embarked on my writing career, I’ve come to see pictures as worlds of their own, crammed full of inspiration. Each piece of the photo can be a story in itself.

My short story, Aboard the Aquitania, is set on the HMS Aquitania in the Roaring Twenties as part of a steamy anthology called Flappers, Jazz, and Valentino. In doing research for the story, I found old pictures of the luxury liner on the internet, and one of the pictures really stuck with me. It is the shot of the main dining room. While my main characters Penny, Mikey, and Johnny sat at one of the tables with their smart tuxedos and black bow ties, the other tables held heartbreak, consternation, joy, you name it. Did Lillian Gish enjoy dinner at that very table on the prior crossing? Did Charlie Chaplin stand on the balcony overlooking the room with his signature cane? Did a waiter get fired for spilling soup on a New York socialite at the second to last table on the left?

The background of a picture can be a fascinating place to look for inspiration. As I examined this photo for details to describe, I thought about the stewards who came in to tidy the room before it opened to the passengers. Maybe one took a drag off a cigarette as he straightened a tablecloth while another of his fellow crew watched from behind a pillar longing to touch him. The artwork on the ceiling had to be painted with scaffolding and a lot of precision. Perhaps the artist had a lover waiting in one of the cabins while he worked. This photo alone holds far more than a thousand words worth of stories, each a potential short story or novel.

So next time you look at a picture, peruse the background. Who is sitting at the back table in the distance smiling happily at the couple in the foreground? Who is the lady on the bench shading her eyes from the sun behind your cousin catching his Frisbee at the park? Find the story lurking behind the main subject and see how many words it’s worth.

****

You can read about Johnny, Mikey, and Penny’s adventure Aboard the Aquitania here in House of Erotica’s Flappers, Jazz, and Valentino edited by Jillian Boyd.

Excerpt:

The three friends strolled along the promenade, and descended the stairs two decks. Entering the First Class Foyer, Johnny noted several couples milling in the spacious room around pillars holding up the artfully painted ceiling.

Mikey looked around. “Terrif.”

Penny nodded. “Indeed.”

Johnny led them though the throng, and opened the door to the Louis XVI Restaurant. Round-backed wooden chairs surrounded small, round tables. Greek pillars supported an upper level balcony overlooking the dining room. The ceilings sported glittering chandeliers and a large, ornate painting over the center of the room.

“Good evening, gentlemen. A table?”

Johnny turned his attention to the maître d’. The middle-aged gentleman standing before them gestured to a table by a window.

“Thank you, yes.”

He pulled out the chair for Johnny. “Your waiter will be with you shortly.”

“Cheers.” Mikey pulled out his own chair while the waiter pushed the chair under Johnny as he sat. He walked away with a backward glance and a smile.

Mikey chuckled. “He’s a bit of a vamp, isn’t he?”

Penny laughed. “Sure enough.”

Johnny cocked his head. “What do you mean?”

The other two men at the table exchanged glances.

“Is nobody home? He’s keen on you.”

Johnny took the menu. “No he’s not.” He studied it, ignoring the taunts of his friends.

A young dark-haired man in a white shirt, bowtie, and black slacks approached them. “May I get you something from the bar?”

Johnny admired his kissable lips and slender form. “Rum and coke.”

Mikey put down his menu. “Screwdriver.”

“Nothing for me.”

Johnny and Mikey turned to Penny. “You what?”

“I’ll have something after dinner.”

Johnny rolled his eyes. “Our friend will have a Highball.”

The waiter nodded and left them. Johnny turned to Penny.

“No drink? What’s eating you?”

“Nothing. I just want a clear head for later.”

Mikey’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

A faint smiled formed on Penny’s lips. “Mind your own beeswax.”

Brent Archer began writing in 2011 at the nudging of his cousins. His first story sold, and he was hooked! Stay tuned for the May 8^th release of his first novel, The Bastard’s Key, the first installment of his Golden Scepter series.

Visit his website to keep up on upcoming releases, and follow him on Twitter: @brentarcherwrit.

You already know I have a new sexy shorty out (The Long Road Home) and a new Vampire book coming tomorrow (Sm{B}itten), so I won’t belabor the point that you should be reading or anticipating reading—besides, I’ll be sending out a newsletter tomorrow, talking both of them up!! 🙂

Instead, I’d love for you to share your passions. You can talk about them or send me a picture to post here. I’ll check throughout the day for new entries!

My new passion (besides jewelry making and altered art dominoes) is painting. I’m not very good at it. But I don’t care. I get a very warm feeling in my gut when I finish something new. And it’s sooooo portable! I have a mini-watercolor set, a small watercolor notebook—both of which I can cram into a purse, my Blackwing pencils, and off I go—just add water! And when I paint something ugly—like that pear to the right—I do my Zentangle scribbles all over it.

So, you’re turn: What are your passions?

From Angel Shaw

Thank you to Delilah Devlin for hosting me again today; I’m excited to be back.  I figured I’d share something a little different and share our upcoming release, Emerald Keep, available April 8th from Torquere Press.

So first, the little different:  the picture above is a lovely boy I found at the Milwaukee Discovery World.  They have a neat facility, including an enormous model of the Great Lakes and its weather, but what I truly loved was the aquarium.  They have the usual tanks and displays, but they’ve also got an enormous pool you can walk over!

I am tickled that my snap of the giant lionfish, Pterois.  He’s a carnivore, folks, that means he’s a terror in the tank.  He didn’t randomly eat anybody while we were there, but he prowled around the tank like he was on a mission.  I don’t have a camera that’s well-suited to taking tank pictures, but I was able to catch this.

Quick tip – turn off your flash when taking indoor pictures where there’s glass or Lucite between you and your subject.  Otherwise, the light of the flash will bloom in the picture and overwhelm your image.

What about you, Dear Reader? 

What’s your favorite photographic tip, or your favorite aquarium?

Now, for Emerald Keep.  Rachel and I are excited to share that Book 2 in the Persis Chronicles is available April 8^th.  What’s more, we’re holding a contest!  We’ll be giving away a handknit scarf, a hand-crocheted scarf, and some handmade calligraphy bookmarks.  We hope you’ll stop by; the official Rafflecopter opens April 1st but if you comment here at Chez Delilah, I’ll make sure you’re included in the drawing – just be sure to leave your email address for me (write the word “AT” instead of the @ symbol).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A. Cathering Noon
**New** SEALED BY FIRE is an All Romance eBooks Bestseller!

The Chicagoland Shifters series:
Book 1 BURNING BRIGHT
Book 2 TIGER TIGER, an All Romance eBooks Bestseller!
**Coming Soon!** Watch for Book 3, CAT’S CRADLE, out Summer 2015!

The Persis Chronicles:
Book 1 EMERALD FIRE
**Coming Soon!** Watch for Book 2, EMERALD KEEP, out April 2015!

UPDATE: The winner is…Elaine Swinney!

* * * * *

There are all kinds of ways for a man to be a hero. He can save a child’s beloved cat, save a person, save a town, save the nation.

Or … he can save a woman from self-doubt, uncertainty about her attractiveness, her sexuality. He can show her that she’s worth his time, his closest attention. That she’s worth breaking down barriers between them to worship her body and her soul the way she deserves.

Great sex is about risk. Daring to trust another person, or persons, with our deepest desires. Trusting that they not only won’t ridicule us, but that they will concentrate on fulfilling our dreams. Showing us that it’s perfectly okay to cherish that secret wish … even if it is a little kinky.

I wrote the Club 3 BDSM series to portray strong men who dare to give their all to special women struggling to break free of their pasts, and bloom into their most passionate selves. Not that these men don’t issues of their own to break free of–that’s part of being human, right? Nobody said a Dom has to be perfect. But he does have to be a hero, a sexy one.

And if he’s a cop who’s made a career out of keeping his town safe, that can’t hurt, right? Unless he must do anything to keep his public and private lives separate. Then being a Dom and being a hero may be polar opposites.

Here’s Club 3, Bk. 4, She’s Worth It All…

He’s a hometown hero with a secret. She has a broken heart only a strong man can heal. Will he risk everything to show her she’s worth it all?

Mase Barnett is a cop, a hero who nearly died to keep his small town safe. The eyes of his hometown are always on him. But he’s also a man with a dark secret—one he takes across the river to the big city. Inside the private walls of Club 3, he’s free to be what he is … a Dom. And a man who likes it hot and public.

After the highly public breakup of her marriage, Natalie Cusco is back in town, but not everyone is happy to see her. She just wants to keep her head down while she makes a new life for herself, running the bar that’s her dream. Now if her tormentors will just leave her alone …

She yearns to give this hero what he wants—her body and her submission. But will the brash, cocky cop help mend her damaged heart or break it again, this time forever?

Here’s an excerpt …

‘So here she was in the inky shadows of the back porch, with one last drink and some country singer urging her to put her party light on. Natalie grinned wryly to herself. She was lit, floating on a warm buzz. Not drunk by any means, but not completely sober.

Still leaning on the railing, Nat moved her hips to the music. She’d just give herself a minute before she rejoined the party. She’d chat and laugh like she was having the time of her life. Maybe that would make it come true. Self-fulfilling prophecy, like the pop psychology articles that her mother swore by.

And she would not think about Mase. Jeez, she really would swear she could smell his woodsy scent back here.

“Now that’s a fine sight,” drawled his raspy voice behind her.

Nat continued to move, putting a little extra shake and shimmy into it. Because he could look, but after ignoring her all evening, he sure as heck wasn’t touching.

“Nothin’ to say, Natalie?” he asked, his voice closer, and warm with amusement.

“Yeah. Bite me.” She ignored her shiver of awareness at his nearness and took another drink.

He laughed, a low, infectious sound. “Baby, I thought you’d never ask.”

His bare arms brushed hers, his skin warm and smooth as he planted his hands on either side of her on the railing and leaned over her. “Don’t stop dancin’ on my account.”

“Wasn’t going to,” she retorted, still moving as if her ass wasn’t rubbing against his jean-clad groin and thighs, hard and warm. But it was, and oh dear God, was that—?

Yup, it was. Mase was hard as a pole. The stiff shape in his pants generated heat she could feel through layers of clothing. He had a woody—for her.

Guess she’d get to tease him a little. Payback was suh-weet.

“Keep on moving. That’s good.” His voice echoed her thoughts as he leaned even closer. A thrill of sheer lust shot through her as his warm lips and sexy ‘stache brushed the shell of her ear. Thank God she’d tucked her hair back. Wait, no. That was bad. She was teasing him, not the other way around. Only he didn’t seem to get that.

“I loved watchin’ your sweet ass in motion,” he went on, in that lazy drawl. “It feels even better than it looks.”

It took her a moment to answer coherently. Mostly because he was now tracing the shape of her ear with his lips. The soft, moist caress turned her spine and her resolve into hot liquid, like warm jello pouring into shot glasses.

“You c-can’t see anything out here,” she managed. “Certainly not my ass.”

Not when he was so close behind her, and she was arching into him, pressing her jello in his mold. Every time she moved, that long hard shape pressed into the crevice of her ass. So close, so very close to where she wanted it—inside her.

“Wrong. I’ve been watching you move all night.” He nipped her ear lobe, just behind her dangle earring. “If you fuck anything like you dance, a man could die happy.”

She should be indignant that he was speaking to her this way, not smiling to herself. But somehow his words, delivered with rough honesty, were even headier than the alcohol swimming in her system. He found her attractive—very attractive.

“You have a dirty mouth,” she accused.

He flexed his hips, pressing his erection more firmly into the furrow of her ass. Natalie slipped one hand down between her legs to placate the growing ache there. A tiny, sober part of her stood off to one side, eyes wide, shaking her head. Nat ignored the prude. Lot of good behaving had done her. Two years without real sex, that was all.

Mm-mm, oh, right there. Her finger found her clit, already swollen as if it had just been waiting for Mase to show up.

“I do, baby,” he agreed, his mouth moving down to nibble on the hinge of her jaw and the side of her throat. “I have a filthy mouth. And it wants to be right … here.”

He cupped his hand over hers.’

What constitutes a hero in your booki? Leave a comment, and I’ll enter you to win a FREE copy of Club 3, Bk 1, She’s All In.

best,

Cathryn Cade
Goodreads, My Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,  My Blog,

And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies!

Some of the sexiest men I know live between the covers of a romance novel, contemporary or historical.  These heroes don’t come any sexier than the men who ride rough and herd cattle and work the land.

Sometimes, these cowboys are also the hardest to get close to, because beneath their strong outer armor, they can be surprisingly vulnerable.  In my romance novels, the heroine finds what that hero needs fixin’ and offers him understanding, healing, love—all things he’ll never ask for.  All things he will never admit he needs.

What does the hero offer the heroine and us, as readers?

A man who keeps his promises, stands up for what’s right, and takes pride in what he does.  A man who is tolerant and understanding of others and is kind to his elders, children, and animals—unless of course, the animal is a bull looking to buck him.

The cowboy hero offers us a man who is tough but fair and who lives by the Golden Rule.

And of course, a cowboy—at least in my books—always offers us some great-looking eye candy, as follows (from my latest release, The Cowboy’s Little Surprise):

In one startled, reflexive sweep, she took in almost everything about Cole Slater. The light brown hair showing beneath the brim of his battered hat. The firm mouth and jaw. Broad shoulders. Narrow hips. The well-worn jeans, silver belt buckle, and scuffed boots. In the next reluctant second, she turned her gaze to the one feature she had deliberately skipped over the first time.

A pair of blue eyes that made her think instantly of her son…

Yes, this is a secret baby story, one of my favorites.

But it’s also a lot of my favorite eye candy, all wrapped up in one package.  😉

~~~

Readers, I’m happy to chat!

And I’m giving away a book.  To be entered to win a copy of one of my available backlist titles, tell me:  what’s your favorite type of hero and why? 

Note:  the winner will receive an autographed print copy of the book.  Due to postal regulations and international restrictions, the giveaway is open to entrants with US mailing addresses only.  The winner’s name will be drawn from comments left here through March 29 and will be posted in a comment here on April 1—no foolin’!  : )

~~~

Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest.  Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom.

Barbara’s thrilled to share news about the debut of a brand-new series, The Hitching Post Hotel, about a matchmaking grandpa determined to see his three granddaughters wed.  The series begins in April 2015 with The Cowboy’s Little Surprise, followed by A Rancher of Her Own in July and a third as-yet-untitled book in December.

Find Barbara at the following locations:

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Newsletter ~ Blog ~ Amazon ~ Harlequin ~ Goodreads

The Cowboy’s Little Surprise – Barbara White Daille – April 2015

THE LONG WAY HOME

A guy like Cole Slater is hard to forget. Tina Sanchez should know—for years since high school she’s tried to bury the pain of Cole’s cruel betrayal. But it’s impossible to ignore the man she sees reflected in her young son’s eyes now that Cole is back in her life—and about to meet the child he never knew he had.

Returning home to New Mexico, Cole is determined to put his playboy reputation to rest. Especially now that he knows there’s a little boy looking up to him. And seeing Tina again reignites all the feelings Cole ran from as a teen. Despite his fear that he can’t be the man Tina deserves, he’s determined to try. For his son’s sake—and his own.

Excerpt:

She should have known better than to fall for Cole Slater. At the tender age of seven, she had already heard about his reputation as a sweet-talker. By junior high, he had progressed to a real player. And by senior high, he had turned love-‘em-and-leave-‘em into an art form, changing girlfriends as often as she replaced guest towels here at the Hitching Post.

Too bad she hadn’t remembered all that when he had finally turned his attention her way.

He shoved his hands into his back pockets, which pulled his shirt taut against his chest. Now, she felt herself flushing as she recalled the one and only time—

No, she wasn’t going there…

(end)

There are many creative things I do to feed my creative soul. One of them I haven’t done in a while. The spark that lead to my pursuing this creative outlet once again came from my seeing someone with a sketch book and it made me miss drawing. It’s been a long while since my last sketch book was filled and I haven’t gotten a new one. I do create art in other ways using the computer but there is nothing like the feeling of the pencil in your hand and a blank page in a sketch book waiting to be filled. This made me promise to make a make a trip to buy some new art supplies and a new sketch book or a few of them. 🙂 I still haven’t gone yet but plan to soon. I’ll make sure to take pictures and post to my blog and Facebook when I do. 🙂

This got me to thinking of my many other creative outlets. There are many. I love to crochet, cross stitch and many other crafts. Love to cook and bake (I experiment to come up with my own spin). I also sew—I can draw to design my clothing including accessories and then make them. Then there is my passion— writing. This feeds my soul. No matter which I’m doing from the list of creative outlets I have it all fulfills me in various ways.  I love having many creative pursuits—it feeds my creative soul.

Taige Crenshaw is a multi-published author with books available at Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Loose Id, and Totally Bound. Taige has been enthralled with the written word from time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. With novels set in today, in alternate dimensions, or in the future she writes with adventure, fun sassy heroine’s, and sexy hero’s. Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun, frolic, interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels. You can find out more about Taige at her website: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com or blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog or on twitter: https://twitter.com/TaigeCrenshaw. 

Firestorm Encounters

What do you do when you find a man who sets your senses aflame but being with him could cause repercussions?

Buy here at Totally Bound.