Archive for the ‘INEZ’ Category
Confessions and professions
I have a confession. I prefer dirty men. Yep, give me a blue collar guy any day over a starched white collar hero any day. Not that there are not some areas that are in the middle, there are. Like security specialist (that icon of RomSus) or even Police officers, etc. Those types of professions I don’t normally associate with any collar, actually. Hmm, that group needs a name. Let’s call them the middle men for sake of argument.
Now, I get the appeal of white collar dudes, I do. I have written a few. There is something soothing about a guy sitting in an office, making deals, making money (face it, the $$$ is what white collar is about), the thrill of the legal and business game. These men are lawyers, business tycoons, leaders of industry, the historical viscount, etc.
I get all that.These men are usually very intelligent, somewhat ruthless and have shark-like instincts. They hold power like a sword and wield it with razor-sharp precision. Good hero characteristics if you don’t make them dull as dishwater or an alphahole.
The Middle Men bridge the gap between the stuffed shirts and common man. They are not so out of reach as to be unattainable but they are a not the everyday Joe. They often are required to have a great body to do their jobs but they are not the kind that come home daily sweaty and grease stained.
They are in command(shades of white collar) but have to do the work themselves (blue collar). They are often the saviors of the day. Firemen, police officers, body guards, etc make up this delectable group. This is a nice balance and I think a greater number of heroes fall into this category.
Still at the end of the day, I prefer those men who have worked with their hands. The salt of the earth type, if you will. A blue collar guys knows his worth and his value isn’t attached to his bank statement. He isn’t afraid to get his clothes dirty to help out a stranger, and sometimes gets kicked in the teeth by daily life.
His hands are rough, he drinks beer not wine and may have told an off-color joke or two in his life. He is approachable, understood and attainable… and yummy. He is the farmer, the mechanic, the logger, the construction dude.
What ‘class’ of hero do you prefer?
Cheater Cheater and rambling
Yeah I am cheating but work with me here, I am low on coffee this morning.
So, what’s up with you? Anything exciting happening in your life? Share with me. Entertain me.
Me? Lots of things are bubbling behind the scenes. First and foremost is the launch of Carina Press on June 7th. That is going to set the ball rolling for my summer. I have THREE stories coming out with them this summer, one a co-write with our chickilicious Ginny Glass. Here look at this…
Did your heart beat just a little faster? Mine did. Love that presentation and the cover art is gorgeous!
Speaking of gorgeous…
I want to marry that video. Is it not simply stunning? Goldenheart Winner Jeannie Lin designed it and OMG, love it!
And just because he is so… so… well, you get the idea. I leave you with this guy.
Thursday 13: Younger reading
I blame Jeannie Lin for this. She mentioned the first book and it started me down memory lane and damn, there are a lot of potholes in that road. Anyway, here are 13 books I read when I was far to young(under 16) that helped shape me. Some were fabulous, others, well, they taught me something so I guess that means they were important. I can pinpoint something I learned in each of these books that, in some way, shaped who I am.
SOUL FIRE – you gotta get this one!
“No question about it, Soul Fire is monumentally thrilling and exotic. I couldn’t put the book down. A rare treat for me, I devoured this story from beginning to end in one sitting and I want more! ... An out of this world paranormal romance/fantasy story that will have readers clamoring for more, Soul Fire is one hot read I will be recommending to all of my friends.” — Amanda Haffery, ParaNormalRomance "In Soul Fire, R. F. Long has created an intriguing world of light and dark magic. Of intense action and hot love. From the opening scene, she drew me in. Captivated me. She’s taken an age old tale of good versus evil and has freshened it up with unique characters ... I recommend R. F. Long’s Soul Fire. It made me smile and love and not want to put the book down." - Sandra Barkevich, Romantic Inks (read the full review here) "a great fast read, like a snowball rolling and constantly gaining momentum." - Natalie, IReadRomance.com “Let me start by saying “wow!”…R.F. Long has the amazing ability to drag her readers into the story and carry them along for the ride. The characters were unique and out of this world, yet they seemed like someone you could get along with and have fun with… If you want to read something mind-blowing and incredible then I would recommend you read this story.” ~~ Tulip, Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviews, 5 Cherries Iron born and iron bred. Trust not iron, it will see you dead. Rowan Blake could really use a magic wand to keep her struggling art gallery afloat. But the faerie key she stumbles across is far from a lucky charm. It’s a magnet for danger, and by touching it she’s unwittingly put herself in the middle of a war between the forces of light and dark. And in the arms of its rightful owner, Prince Daire. While searching for his brother, Daire finds himself trapped in the Iron World with a mere mortal woman who ignites his passion like no other. Each stolen kiss deepens their attraction and sends him spiraling closer and closer to the edge of his inherent dark desires. Desires that act as a homing beacon for the Dark Sidhe, who are intent on forcing him to fight on their side. The longer he lingers in her arms—and in her bed—the closer his enemies get to her door. And the greater the risk that the gateway to the Faerie Realm will shift, destroying not only his power to protect her, but his very life. Warning: Contains enchantments, danger, some very scary monsters, a trip to the dark side and hot, soul-transforming sex with an immortal prince. Buy from MBaM!, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
ebook available now (978-1-60504-619-8)
paperback available now (978-1-60504-712-6)
"Soul Fire" from Samhain Publishing
Read An Excerpt Online
Thursday 13: Random lines
Book #3 in the erotic Dirty Laundry series from Carina Press has been contracted for a late summer release. COMING CLEAN is a menage with Grant, Vivi and Cade. Here are 13 random lines to pique your interest.
~~~~~~~~COMING CLEAN~~~~~~~~~~
How do you ask your best friend to fuck your wife?
Grant scrubbed the wire brush across the still warm grill in a burst of nerves. He shouldn’t be sweating this. Cade had been his buddy since fourth grade, his college roommate, his best man when he’d married Vivi. They’d been through first beers, first girlfriends and first fuck-ups. Cade came to him when Shelly cheated. Grant went to him when his dad died. They knew far too much about each other to have secrets. But this wasn’t a secret— it was a fantasy.
Vivi’s fantasy.
Vivi wanted Cade.
Actually she wanted them both at the same time.
That and more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obligatory Blurb
Coming clean never felt so good…
Grant and Vivi Michaelson share everything in their marriage; love, commitment, deep friendship – even their wildest sexual desires. Vivi’s fantasy unearths a long-time secret in her straight husband…one that involves his bi-sexual best friend, Cade Lorens. Making that ménage fantasy a reality will blur lines far beyond the bedroom, strengthening their bonds or threatening their marriage.
Cade has been secretly in love with Grant for decades. He’s willing to take a three-way-tumble, but he’ll safe-guard his heart. While there might be room for him in Grant’s bed, there is no room in his marriage for a third.
An annual vacation to the lake seems the perfect time to explore, experiment and test the sexual boundaries. But no vacation ever starts smoothly. A broken washing machine forces Grant and Cade into tight, wet quarters where more than temperatures rise. The stain of forbidden love may wash away or may be permanently set.
Thursday 13: Strange things I have learned in research
Research is a strange strange pastime. I love it but it does look like I am doing nothing. To prove I am in fact learning, these are random facts I have gleaned from my notes. Many find their way into stories, some in small way, some in larger ones.
1- The Peregrine Falcon can reach speed of over 200 mph making it the fastest animal on Earth.
2- The top of the Matterhorn is made of African rock. The base is formed by European. Welcome to plate tectonics 101.
3- A tasset is the ‘skirt’ part of a chain maile shirt (medieval armor) that protects the thigh.
4- Jaguars kill by biting and crushing the skull of their prey.
5- Eaglets who are fed sea snake fare better than eaglets who are fed a steady, healthy diet without.
6- Lady Jane was never officially crown Queen.
7- Dreamcatchers are traditionally made of willow and sinew. They are not meant to last forever but are intended to dry out and collapse as the child enters the age of adulthood.
8- Geology 201 – Because North America and Africa were connected, the Appalachians formed part of the same mountain chain as the Anti-Atlas in Morocco. To the northeast, the same mountain chain continued into Scotland, from the North America/Europe collision.
9- Animals have complex dreams and are able to retain and recall long sequences of events while they are asleep
10- “STATIC ELECTRICITY” is not unmoving, it technically means “HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY.”
11- Ponderosa Pines smell like baking cookies.
12 – No matter how distorted a quartz crystal, the long prism faces always made a perfect 60° angle
13- Some biblical scholars believe Jesus had many tattoos.
Did ya learn anything?
Thursday 13: Stuff to do!
I ‘m back! Didja miss me? Lie to me, okay?
Anyway, I’m back and I have a list of things to do to get settled in here. Wanna see it?
13- My office. I actually have one now! I have my desk in and my computer set up(duh) and my shelves in place but that is it. I want to paint the walls before I organize the shelves and stuff on the wall. I am open to color ideas. It is a small space, off the kitchen with hardwood floors, no window though. Hit me with your ideas.
12- Paint the entire inside of the house really. I have colors selected everywhere else though, from a toast brown to a light jalapeno jelly green (that is the actual name!!)
11- I want to finish edits on a massive contemporary that is the book of my heart to get ready for submission. I am almost there. Slow going right now, too much real life.
10- Heh, Did you know I am a mentor over on Romance Divas? Yup, I am. And my poor mentee has been drifting without anchor. until now. I finally stepped up and am doing my job and red inking all over her WIP. It has manlove in it!! I need Jake to drop trou pretty fast here. Not that I am, ya know, ANXIOUS or anything.
9- Speaking of manlove, I contracted my m/m/f menage COMING CLEAN to Carina Press as part of the Dirty Laundry series . Cade and Grant get frisky! yummo! I am looking forward to edits on them!
8- Edits, Yeah, I actually LIKE them. It means something is happening. I’m also waiting on edits for LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR, another steamy novella. Bram is just droolable, hands down.
7- I have a nice flowerbed with Crocuses here that someone let overgrow so bad it is shameful. I don’t know if I can save any or not it is so bad. But I am going to try. I want next spring to have it overflowing with daffodils!
6- I need a hair cut. I look like scary Walmart lady at 3AM. A brow wax wouldn’t be unheard of either.
5- Tweaks to the website. Have to get on those. *sigh* Anyone want to add a few hours to the day?
4- I am writing the final in the trilogy with Myla, Salome and Darach. DARACH IN DARKNESS is underway!!
3- Mail the taxes TODAY!! MUST DO!
2- I don’t have a microwave! Ours worked for one day at this new place then gave up the ghost. What is it with appliances and moving? They are worse than my preteen.
1- I have somehow misplaced my vehicle keys… like during the move. I really hope they are not 600 miles away on a counter. I keep looking and using the spare set.
BONUS!! I have a cover for Salome at Sunrise! Did you see it? I have to line up some more promo before her debut in MAY but I do love this cover!
Face-Off Friday: Yep, Inez Won (Sort Of)!
So, chicks readers, have you been following the Carina Press poll to choose the name of the hero in Inez and Ginny’s upcoming release “Talk Dirty To Me”?
If not, here are the details:
Author vs. Author: Name that Hero!
Are you dying to know the outcome? (Drumroll please…!)
Out of 229 votes, JARED won out over JACKSON!
The breakdown was:
Jared: 121 votes
Jackson: 108 votes
So Inez won. Sort of. After much cat fighting, stiletto swinging and a bout of near-epic jello wrestling in a kiddie pool, we settled on “Jarod” as the spelling for our hero’s new name.
What do you think? Love? Hate? Indifferent?
Even though Inez was clearly the victor here (because let’s face it, she’s just plain awesome), we are both excited as heck for our upcoming Carina releases and can’t wait for you to meet Professor Jarod Reed in one of the first (among many to come!) of the Carina Press “Dirty Laundry” stories. Stay tuned, because there will be more fun stuff as release day approaches!
AWOL
No Thursday blog for the next two weeks.
Come back later!
Thursday 13: LIpstick on his Collar
13 lines from LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR , coming soon from Samhain Publishing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Large, powerful and rough-skinned, his hands framed her face with a gentle touch, spiraling a jagged awareness through her. With one touch, he brought all those feelings of tenderness and promise back. Oh, I’m in major trouble here. Falling in love with Bram would be far too easy.
“Will you tell me your name?”
It sat on her tongue but she held it. The lure of still being his anonymous lover thrilled her with a secret wickedness. She pressed her breasts closer to his chest. “No…but if you guess it, I’ll admit it.”
His mouth quivered with a hidden smile. “What else do I get if I guess right?”
“What else do you want?”
He dropped his head to nibble at her jaw and devilish want dropped his tone to a husky, hungry level. “You, on your knees, in front of me, your lips around my cock.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*wink* It is a scorcher!
