Chicks-n-Scratching

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Cursed with the sight and rumors of witchcraft, Rosalind’s only chance at an ordinary life is marriage to Lucien, Viscount Hastings. She doesn’t expect love, only security and children of her own. Determined to go through with the wedding, she allows nothing she encounters at the gloomy Castle St. Clare to dissuade her.

Recently returned from the Continent, Lucien has no time for the English mouse his family has arranged for him to marry—not when he’s plotting to avenge the murder of his beloved Francesca. He has no intention of bedding Rosalind, not even to sire an heir.

Though spurned by her bridegroom, Rosalind turns to him for protection when she is plagued by a series of mysterious accidents and haunted by terrifying visions. Forced to keep Rosalind close—and tempted into passionate kisses—Lucien soon finds himself in grave danger of falling in love with his own wife…

Purchase The Spurned Viscountess

Shelley Munro

Gambit by Kim Knox

Captain Chae Beyon is a hustler, a mercenary pilot, a wounded woman who prefers her men to be easily thrown aside.

Daned Traern is a first-caste Ladaian bound by tradition and DNA to protect his race. He’s willing to align himself with the hot space captain if she’ll transport him home in time to ensure the right candidate is crowned—and thus prevent a bloody war.

Disguised as Chae’s sex toy, Daned is erotically bound to her through living gold, alien tech designed to increase pleasure. When he frees himself, their passion only increases…but succumbing to temptation will bind them together—permanently.

But there’s more at stake than their needs. As Chae is dragged into a world of insane princes and sentient stones, hired killers hound them across the quadrant.

And then, as only her lousy luck would have it, Chae must choose between the good of the galaxy and her own heart…

It’s available from Carina Press here

Top 13 reasons why you should own COMING CLEAN  from @CarinaPress

13- BBQ ribs and cornbread. Summer food for summer fun #ComingClean

12- It’s better than doing your own laundry #ComingClean

11- If one man is hot, two are hotter #ComingClean

10- boy parts touch girl parts, boy parts touch boy parts, lots of parts touch lots of parts #ComingClean

9- three words—BISEXUAL SHOWER BJ #ComingClean

8- Hot Latin dancing CLOTHED! Hot sheet dancing UNCLOTHED! #ComingClean

7- Sports analogies used to discuss buttsecks. Wanna know who plays catcher? #ComingClean

6- Rated everywhere 4 stars, 5 blue ribbons and TOP PICK! It’s scorching! #ComingClean

5- You’ll never guess where the SCREW ends up! #ComingClean

4- Vivi, Grant and Cade are a triangle in all ways. #ComingClean

3- It will make your heart sigh and your panties damp. #ComingClean

2- 3 people, 9 orgasms, 114 pages and only $2.99 after 25% off!  #ComingClean

1- Because married doesn’t mean ‘dead’, sometimes it means ‘more’. #ComingClean

Go get COMING CLEAN NOW… then buy batteries.

You’ve never heard the fable Rumpelstiltskin told like this …

Due to her father’s constant bragging, word of Anna Miller’s beauty and virtue piques the interest of King Thomas.

Upon taking the boasting of her father too literally, the king of Grimbros imprisons Anna and threatens to kill her and her father if she fails to spin straw into gold.

A mysterious and sensual magical being finds himself drawn to the castle – and the beautiful Anna. He offers his help in exchange for the most intimate, precious gifts she could possibly give. Soon Anna finds herself wanting far more than just his help. But he threatens to consume her and all she holds dear.

Unless she says his name.

LIQUID SILVER BOOKS

Greetings, chicks readers! It’s been forever. I have been abuzz with activity lately. From a lengthy bout of company descending on the Glass household to the bustle of real life GROAN-up jobs to the flurry of activity surrounding the Carina Press launch and the publication of two books, I have been a bouncing Gin! Whew. Add laundry (not the fun/dirty kind – that comes later), a batdog that chewed a hole in the door of a hotel room last weekend (if she wasn’t so cute, I would have murdered her), a few rounds of unplanned car repair and various and sundry other small catastrophes, let’s just say I am a pooped little writer.

I have also been neglecting all of my lovely chickies. Let’s catch up and remember that though I’m the one typing these words, the other ladies here are VASTLY talented and need some of your love!

Neith – http://scorchedsheets.com/elise-logan/
‘Nez – http://inezkelley.com/
Kate – http://www.mystickat.com/

Go check them out and find out what they are up to in the world of writing. And buy something, won’t'cha?

Me? I have a little book coming out in THREE DAYS called “Coin Operated”!

Here’s the blurb:

When Elijah Elliot leaves a cushy job at a prestigious Atlanta advertising firm to strike out on his own, he recruits co-worker Beatrix London as his business partner. She’s smart, capable and, turns out, mouth-wateringly tempting. Now Eli has to keep his hands to himself, despite the very vivid daydreams he has involving his deliciously attentive associate. Daydreams that involve less administrative duties and more “yes, sirs” – less clothing and much more personal “activity reports”.

Bea’s attention to detail has only part to do with her work ethic. From the moment she first laid eyes on Elijah, Bea has had some pretty lathered-up fantasies about her brooding coworker. When a racy new advertising campaign sparks a test of their boundaries, Bea pushes Eli to cross the line he’s drawn between them – the one that keeps him from doing all the hot, sinful things she imagines he’s capable of.

A kiss that could ignite a cubicle’s carpet leaves Bea wanting more than Eli is willing to give. Eli’s reticence isn’t strictly an objection to a little office hanky-panky; his desire for Bea runs to the darker side of vanilla, and the gentleman in him just can’t seem to embrace the inner beast. But during a sexy showdown in a laundry room, everything comes out in the wash– hot, steamy and coin operated!

Carina launch is just around the corner. I will be appearing all over hell for interviews, I have several reviews out or upcoming and while you’re at my website, why don’t you enjoy a top-secret, super-hidden excerpt from Coin Operated?

No, not a secret baby, don’t start rumors.

Even better news, the cover for the second installment in the “Dirty Laundry” series,”Talk Dirty To Me”, cowritten by myself and the fanfreakingtastic Inez Kelley, will be out in July! Want to see the cover? Of course you do!

The blurb, you ask? I shall provide:

“Tell me what you want. Talk dirty to me.”

"Soul Fire" from Samhain Publishing

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!

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!

I’m kind of cheating. Because I, too, have a release this week.

Trusting Destiny released yesterday – you can get it here. It’s a contemporary novella:

Maggie Cassavetti is searching for answers, and Dr. Eric Larsen is the man to help her find them.  Her mother believed that the heirloom pendant helped its wearer find true love, but Maggie doesn’t buy it.  What interests her is the history – the topaz is supposed to be a Biblical artifact, and the antique family Bible hints at extreme age.  But meeting Eric changes things.  The attraction that flares between them is hotter, faster, more intense than she could possibly anticipate.  Was it simple chemistry?  Or was it something more?  As Maggie and Eric work together to uncover the history behind the family lore, Maggie begins to believe that there may be something to the power of the stone:  something that she won’t soon let go.

Now for the WTF part. No, really, I may have cheated a smidge, but not that much.

Last week I told you about my horrible klutziness recently. This week I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I’m having trouble finishing the WIP.

I like the WIP. I like it a lot. I love the heroine, I love the heroes (yes, plural – it’s a menage). I like the story.

I have two scenes to finish. Two. Both are…sexy. So here’s the problem: snow days. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to write hot, steamy menage sexxoring when your 5yo Munchkin is home?

Between the Spongebob computer games going on at the next computer, the threat of her coming to read over my shoulder, the demands for getting this thing or that thing, my being on crutches, and her requiring some level of interaction for the day…. well, let’s just say it makes it hard to get in the mood.

As an added complication (and here’s really where the WTF comes in – I mean aside from the school board canceling school on Monday, when it was beautifully clear and the roads were dry and clean, but waiting until the very last second (seriously – after 8am) to cancel today when there’s 2 inches of snow on the ground and you can’t see 100 feet – i mean, WTF?) is that my friends think this is hysterical. They have suggested I incorporate Spongebob into the menage. Or write Patrick/Spongebob slash (is writing it that way redundant?). If anything is guaranteed to throw me out of the mood for writing sexy, it’s the visual of Patrick/Spongebob. I know – I’m sure – there is already Patrick/Spongebob slash. There has to be – it’s the internet, after all. But … W.T.F. *shudder*

So… how do I cleanse my brain of Spongebob? Argh!

Well, technically it’s tomorrow, but since I post on Mondays, I’m putting it up now. Very sneaky of me, eh?

This is the first in my dimensional traveler series. More like a highly skilled group of military specialists who kick ass in two dimensions.

Here’s some blurbage:

Two hearts are never more than one dimension apart.

A routine fuel run through one of the planet’s dimensional portals explodes in violence when Major Geneieve Lockhart’s Jumper team is hammered with an unprovoked attack. With her ship disabled and contact to mission control limited, Genie faces her worst nightmare—losing her crew on the blood-soaked floor of a foreign desert.

Help comes from an unlicensed freelance mercenary ship, piloted by a man she never thought she’d see again. Her AWOL ex-lover, Lt. Col. Dante Bowen.

Bowen knows answering Genie’s distress call puts his undercover mission to expose a governmental conspiracy at risk. But after faking his death six years ago, he owes her something. Ending up chained in her cargo hold for transport to his own court martial wasn’t the thanks-for-the-rescue he expected.

The bridges between them may be in ashes, but their desire burns as hot as ever. Even as Genie wonders what happened to Bowen’s code of honor, her body betrays her heart at every turn. The hostile race that attacked her ship, though, is coming back to finish them off. The only way to ensure freedom—on both sides of the dimensional divide—is to put her trust in the one man who betrayed it…

High Octane by Kathleen Scott, Samhain Publishing, 2010

*is this a kick ass heroine or what?*

This Fire (half of the Hearts Afire December release at Liquid Silver Books) was published this week at Liquid Silver Books. It’s my first collaboration with Emily Ryan-Davis, and it went shockingly well.

What I want to talk about here is how we came to do this project.  Tina at LSB mentioned on Twitter that she was hunting for a good firefighter story and she wanted it ASAP. Well, I thought. I have a manuscript I started years ago (literally. It was one of the first manuscripts I started), and it has a firefighter. But it’s only about one-third plus one scene done and needs major revision on what is done. And Tina wants it in less than two weeks. Can I make that work?

Now, I have to be honest here. I didn’t think I could salvage Eden and Seth in that amount of time, so I put it up on google documents and shared with my critique partner, Emily.  She read what I had and thought it was not only worth salvaging, but she was really excited about it.

I told Tina I’d finish it up and get it to her.

Two days in, I realized I was over my head. So I poked Emily to ask her if she was interested in helping me finish it. She was (thank heavens).

I laid out the bones of the story as I’d envisioned it, and she tweaked the story (for the better). While I started going through and yanking the weeds from the part that was already done, Em started working on moving the story forward. When she hit a block, we switched off. I started writing, she went back and edited behind me. Then we both started working different parts of the story. Once we had all the pieces, we went through and wove them together, putting in scene transitions and seaming together the dialogue.

What’s interesting is that people who know us both – and who have read us both individually- have commented that they can’t see the seams. That’s a good thing. The goal, of course, was make sure the seams didn’t show.

It was fun writing with Emily. Her brain works differently than mine, so we see different things in the story. Our writing styles are very different – I tend to embellish more, she tends to pare things down. She has an amazing turn of phrase in emotionally tense situations, and that helped a lot. She tends to throw monkey wrenches into my carefully planned plot, but those monkey wrenches usually make things much better – once I figure out how to use the wrench. So, all around, the collaboration worked pretty well.

Another thing that interested me about this particular story was how it resurrected an old story from my dead files.  I love the characters, but when I first started writing the story, I was trying to make it a category length. This story did NOT want to be category length. It’s happy where it is. So, part of making it work was recognizing that the story needed to be shorter. Another part was Emily bringing fresh eyes to the project and helping me see where things needed to move along. The value of a safety net, a sounding board, a second set of shoulders to carry the load cannot be overestimated. When I hit a dead zone for writing, Em picked up. When she hit dead zones, I picked up.

I still love Eden and Seth. But now I love their story, too. And that’s different this time. I hope you love their story, too.