Friday, September 23, 2011

Giveaway & Interview with Natasha Blackthorne and her latest Sizzle Grey's Lady

First I would like to welcome Natasha to CEWTNK!  It is so nice to have you on my blog today and for the rest of the week :)  Natasha will be around to answer questions this week so please leave plenty of them for her to answer in your comments below!  Now I just finished Grey's Lady and let me tell you this book is for my spicy followers out there.  Those ladies and gents who like a romance with a lot of bedroom action that's not usually found in romance novels.  This is definitely not your mom's romance book :)  So I've asked Natasha a few questions about why she likes to write and then you have my review on this smoking novel along with the details of the giveaway!  So without further ado lets get to know a little bit about Natasha and her newest hit Grey's Lady!





How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?
I was six when I first had a strong urge to put stories down in print. Before that I had made stories with pictures but in learning to read and write my imagination transferred to that.

Picture books are a great start!  LOL..Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?
The best way for me to come up with ideas is to study history.

Grey’s Lady came after I read a book on male-female sexual interactions in Revolutionary and Federalist Philadelphia. In a quiet moment, Grey, the hero, “showed” me the story through his perspective. He was staring out the bookseller’s windows at the rain and the gray sky. He made eye contact with Beth, the heroine and in that moment she touched him deeply with her sadness that mirrored his own feelings that he was disconnected from.

Grey is wealthy, powerful merchant prince from New York City who is visiting Philadelphia. He’s a millionaire in a time when millionaires are rare in the United States. He’s also a very duty-driven, emotionally controlled person. As the owner of a vast shipping company, he’s in control of his whole immediate world. He keeps his life free of messy emotional entanglements.

Beth is a dutiful sister and aunt who works hard in her half-brother’s struggling ship. But she’s so bored and feels out of place there. She’s a really impulsive, sensually driven young woman who needs something more from life than just being a good girl. Yet she doesn’t find the men around her to be the kind of man she wants. Dynamic, enterprising men excite her. She’s excited by power. Yet she has been raised to believe these gentlemen are her social betters and thus unattainable.


Grey’s Lady is the story of two people who have given up on love. Yet they are empty and unhappy inside so they find solace in using sex to gain power. Grey uses his wealth and sexual skill to make women appreciate him. Beth uses seduction to gain the excitement of conquest over the type of gentlemen that excite her yet is forbidden to her.

When they come together, their attraction is irresistible and explosive. The question becomes can deep sexual intimacy work a miracle and lead to the opening of their hearts? Can they save each other from their isolation, from their auto-suppression of their true selves?
This was a wonderful read! I was asking myself those very questions as I was reading!! What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?  There was no influence. It was just an urge that was there, a driving force.
Do you see yourself writing in another genre?
I can see myself possibly writing women’s historical fiction. However, I think I will always want to explore relationships in those time periods at the their most intimate level.

Has your family been supportive?
My husband is very supportive of my work as a writer. He always has been.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I am married to a wonderful guy. I am a total history nerd, I love to read, literature, romance, psychology, and bits of everything else. I love cats and I live with a very neurotic but sweet calico.
 I spend most of my day surrounded by music. I like Old School R&B, New Wave, Soft Rock from 70&80s, 90s jazz-funk/dance, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, disco and funk, oldies from the 40s-60s, Baroque and Classical, Reggae, Folk, Blue Grass, old style country and western. Mostly when it comes to music I like it all it just depends on my mood.
I don’t watch much TV but do I enjoy watching period movies on Netflix, British Comedies or series like Dark Shadows, Twin Peaks or original series Star Trek. I like all genres of emotional, character-driven movies. I have been into a real Film Noir phase lately. I have been watching the AMC series Mad Men lately and loving it.

Who is your favorite book heroine?
I love Jane Eyre.

What is you favorite mystical creature?
I think cats are mystical creatures and I love them.

What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?
Learning to work with my own processes.
How do you feel about reader comments?
I love them. Please feel free to contact me and let me know what’s on your mind.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Accept that writing is a craft and study it with as much dedication as any artist applies to learning the craft side of their work. Get into touch with other writers and submit your work for critique. Accept and honor your own creative processes and realize that no one creates quite the same. Realize the difference between the creative and expansive side of writing and the craft, editing side of writing.

Where are your books available?
From Total-e-Bound and Ellora’s Cave.
The second book in the Carte Blanche Series will be coming out from Total E-Bound Dec 26, 2011. It is titled White Lace and Promises and is the sequel to Grey’s Lady. It gets into more depth about the inner demons that trouble Beth and Grey and how they come truly together and overcome them. Here is a sneak peak at the beautiful cover art April Martinez designed for it: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMhHC9mub2DbgK3bvqZhTtQsyYq_ouvay6U7olkcIhmCii23A4kc9bZiJRmZXTm77_BQgbxOaBFzuvxdw4qBIdfPQXwdT-RIuZlL6mGjIvQOA4wvJFRIix2x_WuBr-p18_gElXX9pDSeh/s320/WhiteLaceandPromises_800.jpg


What can we expect from you in the future? 

The third book in the CB Series is a full-length novel titled Alex’s Angel and it is scheduled for release Feb 28, 2012. It is set in Philadelphia, PA 1793.

Here’s a short blurb for it:

 In the wake of a devastating epidemic, sheltered Emily Eliot finds herself alone, making her own decisions for the first time. When desperation leads her to sell her virtue, she walks straight into trouble.

Enter one gorgeous, golden haired gentleman bent on protecting her…Alexander Dalton came to the Blue Duck Tavern seeking to lose himself in sexual pleasure. Yet when he saw the delicate and vulnerable young woman, he couldn’t turn away. But he needs her to believe in him a lot more than she needs his protection…Alex’s charming smile hides a dark secret that could destroy their chance at happiness.

Will their passion burn them up or bring them together?

The fourth book in the CB series is a full-length novel titled Emily’s Seduction and it is scheduled for release April 23, 2012.

I also have a full length novel set in the English Regency that is scheduled for release from Total E-Bound April 9, 2012.



Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?

Website: 
http://natashablackthorne.blogspot.com/
Blog:  http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Nblackthorne
Book Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/user/Natashasromancevideo
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Author-Natasha-Blackthorne/100002385587652
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4878430.Natasha_Blackthorne
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a3557879/Natasha-Blackthorne/
Library Thing: http://www.librarything.com/profile/Natasha_Blackthorne

So I had the honor of reviewing this sorchingly hot book!  Lets take a peek at my review!
I’ve always enjoyed historical romance books.  A trip into the past is a great escape from the everyday hum drum of modern society.  I understand that times were very different back then, but a small detail concerning those beloved novels has often bothered me.  Why are the women always virgins?  Yes..I’ll agree that probably a good 70 percent of women back then did the right thing and waited for marriage, majority of that percentage being the upper class.  But what of our exceptions?  Every generation has them, the liberal or independent women that society frowns upon because they choose to live by their own rules.  I often wondered if I were given the opportunity to journey into the past, if I could conform to the rules of times.  Certainly not!  Beth couldn’t either and Blackthorne’s brilliant novel Grey’s Lady has filled one of the voids in my heart for the perfect historical romance.  Our heroine, Beth is one such a lady who takes fate into her own hands, who doesn’t allow a man to dictate anything to her, and who marches to her own tune.   It is this saucy young woman who approaches an unprepared and slightly jaded Grey and asks politely for a ride home in his carriage.  Shocked, but not misunderstanding her intentions as far as “a ride” goes, he wholeheartedly agrees.  But little did either of them know that a simple erotic carriage ride could turn into so much more.  Both untrusting and determined to steer the relationship, they agree to meet one more time.  Beth was in it for the one time thrill, but finds herself unable to resist the temptation of seeing him again.  Grey was just about to pack it up and leave, figuring he would regret only having her for an hour for the rest of his life, when she appears out of the blue beckoning him to come to her.  He is determined that this time he will define their relationship and he will not allow Beth to slip through his fingers again.  Beth is determined to exercise him out of her system once and for all and return to her uneventful existence.  But their hearts have other ideas.  The fire between this two burns bright and the sex scenes in this book are absolutely intense.  I kept expecting my fingers to be scorched by the pages.  Not only was this book incredibly erotic, it also was interestingly enough, romantic.  So if you like your historical romances with a little bit more sizzle than sweetness, this is the book for you.  My only regret was that it wasn’t longer!  I remember finishing it up and going noooo!  This one’s a page turner ladies and definitely leaves you wanting to be Grey’s Lady!!!!




Loved the Book! So I know your asking, how can you get a chance to score your own copy? Well very simple! You must be a GFC follower and ask Natasha a question along with leaving your email in the comment section!
+2 for each additional question
+1 for following Natasha on twitter @Nblackthorne
+1 for following Natasha's blog  http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Rewiew of Fierce Dawn By: Amber Scott

Snarling teeth, glowing eyes. Someone--something--is after her.

The man who haunts her dreams enters her reality, claiming she's transforming into a changeling--not quite immortal but no longer human.

Battlelines are drawn and blood spills as the two fight not only for her life, but for mankind's as well.

My Review

Have you ever wondered what it would be like trying to start a normal life again after you have been committed?  Sadie didn’t.  She was living it.  Being raised with a mom that was less than, well ok A lot less than sane, didn’t help her case any.  The doctors and her sister had her labeled as the predetermined daughter to follow in her mother’s footsteps.  All because of the breakdown she had after her mother died.  But that was behind her now.  She was out and trying her best to get off of the medication the doctors put her on.  She didn’t need to live her life in a fog.  What she needed was feel alive and normal again.  To be an active part of society and to be able to get back some of the life she lost.  So, she was having sex dreams about an incredibly hot angel.  That was kind of normal right?  When was the last time she had sex?  It was just her body’s way of telling her she needed it.  And so what if they were so vivid and detailed she could paint him from memory and journal about him.  It didn’t make her manic just because she was obsessing with him.  He wasn’t real…or was he?
Elijah had enough problems then chasing after a human who was supposed to be some sort of something else.  He had a missing brother to find and stop before he did something drastic like end one of the realms.  But here he was following a girl on a hunch from his sister.  He didn’t feel any vibrations from her and he was a seeker.  Worse yet, she expected him to invite Lyric back into the group so he could get a feed off of her and tell him what he thought.  He didn’t need a feeder around him, especially one that had supposedly kicked his addiction and was supposedly trying to stay clean.  Lyric was no longer one of his brothers and he couldn’t trust him as far as he could toss him.  So why had he intervened and saved her from being date raped at the club?  Why was he lying to her family about being her boyfriend and why did he feel the need to keep her safe?  And what was this pull he felt deep within himself, this need to have her close, no matter what the cost?
Sadie sees and feels things that aren’t there long before Elijah steps into her life, well steps out of her dreams and into her life that is.   She can’t decide if she really is slipping off into insanity or if something else really is happening to her.  I love Sadie.  She is by far my favorite character.  She’s so believable.  The way she goes about rebuilding her life never knowing that something else entirely is actually happening to her.  You feel her pain and her anger as everything she’s struggled to accomplish falls apart again and again.  She has to recreate her world all over again but at least she’s armed with the knowledge that she was never insane.  That the things she did and the things she felt were real and not just created by a sick mind.  Just as she knows she loves Elijah, way before she ever admits it.  She comes to trust her instincts and feelings when she realizes her role in life is way beyond anything she could have fathomed.  This book was so intense that I couldn’t put it down.  It is so much more than a paranormal love story.  Scott has a wonderful imagination and shows you just a glimpse into this realm she has created.   She’s stretched proverbial boundaries and given a fresh take into the fantasy world.  This is a book that has you questioning whether the reality of her world could be a possibility.  I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it highly.  I can’t wait for the next installment!!


Amber Scott is on tour right now!!!  Please stop by www.vtbcafe.com for a list of tour dates for her book and several other great authors that I will be reviewing very soon!!!!  They are offering giveaways of a multitude of things but best ever..their books!!! 

Winners!!!!!! Of the Ten Days of Giveaways and Ain't No Bull and Darwins Children!!!

I'm so sorry about the delay but our lucky winners are......drum roll please :)....
Day 1...Carol
Day 2....Jessica B.
Day 3...Krystal
Day 4....Renee Rearden
Day 5....Ruby
Day 6....Lisa
Day 7....Cindi
Day 8....June
Day 9....Maria
Day 10...Jessica Bronder

And the winner of Aint No Bull is msmb65!
And the winner of Darwins Children is Kay Dee!!

Thank you so much for participating in the giveaways!!!  Please come back for more!!!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Interview with Avery Flynn about her newest Sinscation Up a Dry Creek

Hello Avery!!  Welcome to CEWTNK!  It is so good to have you!!!  I really enjoyed your book as you can tell from my review and I'm glad you could stop by and tell us a little about yourself!!  So without further ado...Avery Flynn!

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?
Oh, I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in grade school. There never was any other career for me. Well, maybe Queen Bee of the Western World but for some reason, they keep losing my crown before I can assume the throne.

Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?

You mean more unusual than having pretend people talk to you? Ha. Actually, I get ideas for stories all the time from reading the paper, talking to people, trolling the Internet gossip sites. Just about anything can spark an idea. One of my favorite ways though is to go to the stock photo websites and click through photos of people. Usually several will jump out at me and I start making up a back story for that person and before I know it, I have a full fledged story idea.

What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?
My love of reading. I really, really love to read. I am so inspired by other authors that they motivate me to write.

I have to ask, are sex scenes hard for you to write?
Not after a few shots. I kid. Sex scenes are about emotions and the physical reaction to that. If it’s all put tab A into tab B then I think it would get really boring. However, there are times when I’m not in the mood. How do I get out of that funk to write a sex scene?

1.  Music. I break out the old school Prince. Slow Love is at the top of my list for great songs to write sex to, along with Adore, Soft and Wet and When You Were Mine. Some sample lyrics from Slow Love, “U can see through race car drivers / Let me show U what I'm made of / Tonight is the night 4 making slow love.” The man cannot spell to save his life, but oh can he write a damn good rally song.
2.  No Distractions. Most of the time my house is a zoo with animals, children and a husband wandering through my office (I swear one of these days I’m putting in a door.). This is not conducive to writing a love scene. So I save them for mid-afternoon when everyone has wondered away or late at night when they’re all sacked out.
3.  Motivation. Not my motivation, the characters. In Up a Dry Creek, Claire and Jake are attracted to each other from the get-go, but when they finally make love it’s not just about sex. It’s about that connection they have forged with each other that is expressed through what their bodies do together. Like in real life, plain sex is good but emotionally-charged sex is amazing.


Do you see yourself writing in another genre?
If I had to go to another genre it would be true crime. I’m a former police reporter, so that would be like second nature. But the romance genre is so varied that I don’t think there’s any reason for me to stray.

Has your family been supportive?
Yes, very much so. My husband is a bit of a smartass, so it’s support trimmed in sarcastic wit.

Are any of your characters reflective of you?
I think they all are to an extent - even the villains. I share Claire’s lack of cooking skills and Jake’s inability to stop himself from saying the first thing that comes to mind. Some would say I share their stubbornness, but they would be wrong. Of course.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Reading would be number one on the list. However, I have three kids so sometimes I have to lock myself in the bathroom to do it. After about an hour in the tub, one of them will coming knocking to make sure I’m OK.

Who is your favorite book heroine
I have to go with Scarlett O’Hara. Yes, I realize she’s a bitch, but she’s also smart, crafty and when everything goes wrong she does whatever it takes to survive to fight another day. Plus she grows as a person throughout Gone With the Wind. That dynamic gets me every time.

Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?

Well, I have a recurring fantasy about inventing a coffee IV drip, but other than that no.

What is you favorite mystical creature?

Great question. I’m going to have to go with the Phoenix. I just love the idea of rising from the ashes.

What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?
The biggest challenge was taking myself seriously as a writer and admitting to my friends and family that I was writing a book. There’s always that nugget of doubt that can keep you from believing in yourself and following your dream. I say smash that nugget into a billion pieces and go for it.

How do you feel about reader comments?
I think they’re awesome, even if it’s negative. Look, not everyone will like Up a Dry Creek. I understand that. But I respect they’re opinion and am grateful that they read the book and felt strongly enough to make a comment.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go write.

Where are your books available?
How awesome! You want to buy my books. I’m sending you hugs and kisses right now. Here’s a list of all the fine online retailers that sell Up a Dry Creek.
Evernight Publishing:
Amazon:
B&N:
All Romance:
Bookstrand:
1 Place for Romance:
Smashwords:

What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m about to submit A Dry Creek Bed, the second in the Dry Creek series, to my publisher. It’s a great story and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?

Twitter: @averyflynn

Thanks so much for having me!

Here are some other links to Avery and some links to buy her book!!!  I  have her review and a sneak peek inside the book below.  Be sure to check it out!!
Author Contact Info

Twitter: @averyflynn


Buy Links

Evernight Publishing:

Amazon:

B&N:

Smashwords:

Thank you again Avery for stopping by and dropping off your fabulous novel for review!  It has been a pleasure!  Avery's next stop on her tour is http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com/.

Up A Dry Creek By: Avery Flynn


Claire Layton expects the usual busy Saturday night at Harvest Bistro to be killer on her stiletto shod feet. She never imagines there’d be an actual murderer on the loose at her restaurant in rural Dry Creek, Nebraska. But when she discovers a customer dead in a dumpster, the killer demands she find the victim’s phone and flash drive or face fatal consequences.

Jake Warrick, a cocky and mind-numbingly hot private investigator, becomes Claire’s unlikely ally in the search. Jake just wants to solve the case and get out of this hick town, but the diminutive and curvaceous Claire turns his plan upside down as they uncover a more complex crime than they ever imagined. The two bicker and banter like Tracy and Hepburn caught in a whirlwind of intense sexual attraction as they try to find the killer before it’s too late. 


My Review

Claire had everything she could possibly want, minus some cooking skills.  She'd always dreamed of being a chef but sadly possessed the skill of burning water.  So she went after the next best thing,  managing.  She went to school, got her MBA, got her experience, and opened a wonderful restaurant back in her hometown.  Forget the fact that she ended up back in her hometown because of a classical mistake in love. She would just have to be content with her restaurant.  But, even in a quiet little town where the biggest crime committed was toilet papering the mayors house, simple things can turn your life upside down.  Simple things like taking out the trash.  That's a normal everyday thing that turns extraordinary when Claire discovers a dead body in her dumpster.  But even a murder and triple threat from a vicious killer are nothing compared to the way Jake knocks her down.
Jake was doing a favor for his fathers biggest client.  A simple job that should be over in less than 24 hours.  Just go down there and make sure everything was in order surrounding the murder and that no one screwed anything up.  Simple, until Jake butts up against the sexy restaurant owner.  Claire has him jumping without asking and questioning his sanity.  But how far will he go when his own intentions are compromised and its his family on the line?
This was a great read!  It had it all!  Murder, Lust, Love, Heartbreak, and Mystery!  It sucked me in from the moment I picked it up and wouldn't release me until I finished.  Jake and Claire are perfectly matched and but heads throughout the novel, and other things a well :).  This book heats up several times and has you fanning yourself with anticipation.  It was a hot ride right from the onset with these two, which helps suck the reader in by wondering who will make the first move.  I loved Claire.  Shes loyal and loving, with a very realistic look on life.  Even if she is at times rather impulsive.  Reacting instead of thinking it through which has a tendency to land her in a few sticky situations.  Some ending up extremely pleasant!  I give this novel 4 cups.  Cheers to a fabulous read!!!  Here is an excerpt from the book!  Enjoy!!

Excerpt


Desperate to put something in her mouth before she said something stupid, Claire reached for another slice of pizza but hesitated. Her hand hovered over the only piece left.


“We can arm wrestle for the last slice.” Jake’s voice warmed her skin as if he’d touched her.
Claire took in his thick biceps. Without thinking, she reached out toward him, but squashed the impulse. Memories of Brett had her on guard again. Jake was the definition of eye candy; pretty to look at, bad for her heart. Her hand switched course. She grabbed her beer and took a swig.
A mouthful of the dark liquid went down the wrong pipe. Coughing, she gasped for breath. Jake patted her back until she regained her normal breathing ability.
But his hand didn’t move. It stayed between her shoulder blades, fingers spread wide. Sparks shot outward from his palm through her body.
Her breath slowed. Awareness prickled her skin. She yearned for his touch. Everywhere. Her lips parted. Slowly, she turned around. His hand left a trail of fire as it slid down and around her body until it landed on the curve of her hip.
He brought up his other hand to brush a stray hair from her face. His slate blue eyes drew her in to his sexual orbit.
“You have some sauce right here.” His voice’s deep timbre sent an unmistakable signal to which her body responded. Her breasts became full and heavy. Her clit demanded attention.
He wiped the spot by the corner of her mouth with his thumb, then tracked the red liquid across her bottom lip. His head dipped lower. Hers moved up. When their lips met, thoughts of Brett and the Voice of Doom disappeared.
His firm tongue stroked her lips and begged to be let in. She opened and his tongue swept in. She wrapped her tongue around his, dared him to taste his fill. The hand on her hip tightened, and pulled her closer to his hard body. In return, her fingers found their way to the bottom of his T-shirt and started an upward exploration. His coarse chest hair tickled her palm, so alien and enticing at the same time.
His lips left hers and traced down her neck. He arrived at that sweet spot where her throat met her shoulder. Her spine dissolved as he sucked and nibbled.
“You taste so good,” he said, his breath hot against her skin.
The feel of his hands cupping her ass made it impossible to respond verbally other than to moan her appreciation. Her body slid up against his as he lifted her to sit on the kitchen counter. He yanked her closer. The hard bulge in his jeans rubbed against her in the perfect spot.
Every part of her, relaxed only a few minutes before, hummed with tension. Her nipples stiffened into tight nubs. She squeezed her legs around Jake’s waist, her wet core snug against him. She clutched at his shirt, desperate to touch his skin. She needed him closer. Her body demanded it. The endorphins wrapped around her brain gave the go ahead.
She hiked up his shirt and ran her hands up his strong back, felt the tension within him. He tugged her scoop necked T-shirt lower and his lips descended to the top of her cleavage. He licked and kissed above her teal bra.
Claire’s butt started to vibrate.
Not Jake making my ass vibrate.
It was her phone stuffed into her back pocket. She had to stop to answer. Her body screamed no.
“Phone,” Claire panted. She pushed against Jake’s shoulders. “Have… to… answer… my… phone.”
He groaned into her breasts, put his hands on the counter on either side of her hips and lifted his head. The dark look in his eyes showed he hated this interruption as much as she did.
She got lost for a moment in those slate blue eyes. She wanted him. Now. Here on the counter next to the almost empty pizza box. The vibration stopped, but began again a second later. Jake swung her down so she stood again on the kitchen’s taupe tile.
“You’d better answer that.” He backed away, his desire palpable.
Claire reached into her back pocket, warm from Jake’s touch, and pulled out the scarlet phone.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded breathy to her own ears.
“You know, I don’t like to work this hard for the things I want. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
Panic exploded in her stomach at the first syllable from the Voice of Doom. Claire looked up at Jake, who cocked his head in question.
“I understand. You want the phone and flash drive, but I don’t have them. I looked everywhere.”
Jake stepped closer. He leaned his head toward the phone. She angled it outward so he could listen.
“Your lack of results have, well… Sweetheart, I’m not the kind of guy you want angry.” His voice pitched lower. “Lucky for me, I’m not angry. I. Am. Furious.”
Claire’s temper snapped. Again. This nutcase killed Kendall. He threatened her and her family. He trashed her house. And he had the gall to go all drama king on her for something she didn’t have and couldn’t find? She’d had enough.
“Welcome to the club asshole, because I’m not too happy myself after the job you did on my house.”
“Just wait, Kitten, you haven’t seen anything yet.” He hung up on her. Again.

All I can say is Yummm!!!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Day 10 of the 10 days of Giveaways!!

Last stop!!  This is the last giveaway for this hop!!  I hope you have enjoyed this hop and come back to visit me again! This book is called Hunger Untamed.  It was a hot steamy novel.  Take a look.

They are called Feral Warriors—an elite band of immortals who can change shape at will. Sworn to rid the world of evil, consumed by sorcery and seduction, their wild natures are primed for release . . .

For a thousand years she has haunted him—Ariana, Queen of the linas, a beauty of mist and light. His love, his life mate . . . Kougar believed her lost to him forever, until the truth of her stunning betrayal left him bitter and hungry for revenge. Now she alone holds the power to save two trapped and desperate Feral Warriors.
Ariana, caught in a deadly battle of her own, is neither the soulless creature Kougar believes her to be nor the savior he seeks.
And when darkness threatens to annihilate both races, the greatest danger of all becomes the glorious love Kougar and Ariana once shared. A love that must never rise again. A love that has never died.





Yummy read!!  For a chance to score your own copy be a GFC follower and leave a comment with your email address.
+1 for a friend request from goodreads or facebook for Sherri McCarver
+1 for a twitter follow @Mc_Carver
+1 for tweeting about the giveaway
Good luck and don't forget to pop by the rest of the blogs on the hop!!!

Day 9 of the Ten Days of Giveaways!!

I'm going to post these last two early so everyone has two days to enter in the last of the giveaways.  The cut off for the ten days is Sept 14 at 11:59.  Winners will be posted on Sept 15th. You can enter in all of he giveaways until then!!  Next up is an excellent multi story book by a bunch of great authors!  I enjoyed this book!

Wild Thing Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brooks Berkley, May 2007, $14.00 ISBN: 0425215164 --- 'Animal Magnetism' by Maggie Shayne. Veterinarian Macy McNamara can talk with the animals. When Detective Jay Harris brings in Cassie the dog, Macy acts like a pit bull towards the cop, but is gentle and caring towards the canine. As she works on the wounded animal, she learns from the dog?s mouth that Cassie was an eye witness to a rape and was shot by the assailant when she tried to intervene. Macy is not sure what to tell Jay, but she finds herself attracted to him. --- 'Paradise' by Meljean Brooks. In the Northwest United States vampire Lucas Marsden meets Angelic Guardian Selah with each attracted to one another though their species would never condone a relationship between them. However, attraction aside, this unlikely pair team up to battle demons threatening humans. --- 'Hunter Kiss' by Marjorie M. Liu. While on a quest, demon ?zombie? hunter Maxine Kiss meets former priest Grant Cooperon when his human aura stands out amidst their dark aura she saves his life but takes two bullets doing so yet does not die. They team up as the demons are increasingly coming across the divide. --- 'Wild Hearts in Atlantis' by Alyssa Day. In Atlantis as part of forging alliances in the war against the vampires, Poseidon's warrior Bastien is sent to negotiate a treaty with the shapeshifters as the big man once saved the life of one of them Kat. He can remember how she shook his world and still does. --- These are four excellent paranormal romances starring strong lead couples in realms that seem real in spite of the paranormal environs and the novella format. 
Its a great book!  So to enter in this giveaway you must be a GFC follower and leave a comment with your email address!
+1 for a friend request on facebook or goodreads to Sherri McCarver
+1 for a twitter follow @Mc_Carver
+1 for tweeting about the giveaway
Good luck to everyone and don't forget to check out these other great sites!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Day 8 on the Ten Days of giveaways!!!

I love Demon stories.  So I'm going to try to pass of my obsession on to you....my followers :)  So up for grabs today is Hell on Heels...an excellent read!


The daughters of Satan do their best to make daddy proud in three all-new sexy novellas from the authors of Hell with the Ladies.

What's a devil to do? Satan's desperate to retire. He needs an heir, and he's turning to the promise of his three beautiful, bold, smart, and irresistibly sexy daughters. All they have to do is prove themselves by successfully completing the tricky tasks he sets before them. Surely one of them will win the Keys to the Kingdom-of Hell! Will it be Lucia, the assassin? Jezebel, the half-demon? Or Lola, the soulstealing baby of the family? The challenge is on and one must prevail-unless they're thwarted by that powerful human emotion called love.

Its a really good book and I thought Id offer a copy on day 8. Must be a GFC follower and leave your email address in the comment sections!
+1 for a friend request on goodreads or facebook as Sherri McCarver
+1 for Twitter @Mc_Carver
+1 for tweeting about the giveaway!
Good luck to all and be sure to hop over to the other blogs!


Sunday, September 11, 2011

Day 7 of the Ten Days of Giveaways with Author Sable Hunter and Giveaway of her novel T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Welcome to CEWTNK Sable! Thank you  for stopping by and answering some questions.  My readers are delighted to get to know you a little better and get a sneak peek at your book T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Sable will be popping in and out today so be sure to say Hi and ask her some questions!  Now on with the interview!

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?

I began to write for my own amusement when I was in Junior High.  I would concoct Harlequin-like stories and my friends would pass the tattered notebook around and giggle about the sappy love scenes during free period.  After that, I got caught up in life and actually went to college intending to major in Political Science. I envisioned working for the state department and working for peace in the middle east.  But, for some ungodly reason, my mother insisted I major in accounting and I obeyed.  For several years I was miserable, trapped in a small cubicle, chasing blue and brown numbers across a ledger sheet.  Finally I rebelled and decided to make myself happy, so I started to write.  My first endeavors were ‘sweet romance’ and that left me unsatisfied.  The first hot book I read was Leslie Kelly’s Slow Hands – and that book changed my life.  It was erotic, touching – an emotional roller coaster and I decided I wanted to take my characters behind the bedroom door and find out exactly what they were thinking and feeling as they made love.  And that has made all of the difference.  One of my favorite reviews I ever received said that my sex scenes were ‘delicious’ and they felt like they were watching from behind the bushes.  Others have said that my books make them laugh and cry and sweat and I take that as a compliment.

Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?

I daydream all the time.  Sometimes, I laugh at myself – I’m a female Walter Mitty.  As I plot in my head and ‘live’ scenes – I am always the heroine and if I can ever get inside of her head and ‘see’ and feel what she is experiencing I know that book will be one I can make work.  I carry a notebook around or make notes on my cell phone.   It’s terrible to admit, but I get ideas at the oddest times.  I’ve found myself jotting down notes for an erotic novel while sitting in church and listening to a sermon.  There was this song that used the words ‘you are magnificently and wonderfully made’.  It was referring to creation – but I thought about  - uh – other things.  So, I actually have a heroine who says those words to a man the first time she looks at his ‘assets’.  Ideas come to me when I am talking to friends or reading a newspaper or watching a show – anytime.  And when I get a certain character in my head, I start to build on that and I begin to construct his background and personality and likes and dislikes – layers that make my hero and heroine live.  I always fall in love with my heroes and I entertain myself no end having daytime and nighttime fantasies about these Texas good ole’ boys that populate my stories. 
 
What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?   

The biggest influence that steered me toward writing was the desire to escape my own reality.  Sometimes life can be an unpleasant place to be.  In the worlds that I create, right always prevails – love conquers all – and holding out for a hero is not an impossible dream.  I enjoy being able to lay down the common worries of life and enter a place where I control every element – I am god in the scenes that I write and when I am able to solve my heroines problems and make them strong – I can carry that same determination into my own situations.  That may sound strange – but my creative process can help me problem solve and sort out my own real-life challenges.   

I have to ask, are sex scenes hard for you to write?

 No, not really.  Although when you write ten detailed sex scenes per book – after ten books, it is a challenge to make each scene fresh and different from the many that have gone before.  It is important that my scenes not be just mechanical accountings of two people having intercourse – no matter how exotic the position.  I want emotion and motivation and hope and desire to jump off the page and allow the reader to be able to experience the heat and the longing for themselves. 
As my writing progresses, I am getting bolder in my sex scenes.  I am using words I avoided in the past and I am broaching subjects such as BDSM and ménages – and I’m having a blast!  Researching sex is fun – I haunt Cinemax late night and have even ventured into a western store and popped myself on the butt with a quirt.  That was wild!  I was caught by a good-looking guy and we both got a kick out of my explanation.  Picture me trying to tell him that I wrote erotic romance novels and needed to know how it felt to be spanked.  Guess what?  He volunteered to assist me in my research.  And as Forrest Gump would say – ‘that’s all I have to say about that’.    

Hmmm 

No, I really can’t.  I like to read horror – and I tried my hand at it, once.  But it’s not for me.  I love romance.  I love sex.  And I love to write hot scenes about people in that magical time of discovery.  Sexual chemistry and white lace and promises are things that are missing from some people’s lives.  And if I can offer them the chance to experience that thrill in my books – I will know that I have done my small part to bring a smile or a moment of happiness to their lives.  I know that I fantasize – and when I lose myself in the pages of a book – what I can do and where I can go and who I can have sex with – is limited only by what I can dream.   And that is no limitation at all. 

Ah...You write for the same reason I read!!  Has your family been supportive? 

For the most part – my family has been supportive.  My husband wouldn’t read my books – he kept asking me for illustrations.  My brother has really stood by me.  He was the cover model on all of my self-published books and he got a kick out of telling coeds at the University of Texas that his sister wrote erotic romance. 
My ninety three year old grandmother reads my novels and fans herself.  She missed a hair appointment one day because she was too involved in a scene to realize what time it was.  And for a woman of her generation to miss a chance to get their hair done – now, that’s saying something.  She also asked me if I only wrote about men with ‘large penises’.  I told her – yes, I guess so.  She said – ‘good’, I don’t want to read about a man with a little dick.  – Well, now you know.
 
Are any of your characters reflective of you? 

All of my heroines are me.  Their insecurities, challenges, hopes and dreams – in some way, they are all mine.  I haven’t faced cancer or kidney failure but I do know what it is like to be looked down upon or disliked for what you believe or how you choose to live.  If you want to know me – just look read my books.  I am on every page.
 
What do you like to do when you're not writing? 

I have several hobbies.  Since I am from south Louisiana, originally – I love to cook Cajun or Creole.  Texas has introduced me to BBQ and TexMex – so I have been told my cooking can make a grown man weep – and in a good way.  I’ll give you a hint –
Sable’s Orgasmic Brownies – simple, yet decadent.
Take 2 boxes of good Brownie mix.  Substitute the water that it calls for with heavy cream and the oil for melted real butter.  Add a quarter cup of chocolate syrup, two teaspoons of vanilla, a teaspoon of instant coffee and a package of chocolate chips.  Bake as directed on the box – but don’t let them get completely done.  They are better gooey.  No one will ever believe that you took a short-cut.  These brownies are sinful.    

I also ghost hunt.  Yes, I have been doing it for years.  I have all the equipment and have traveled near and far to battlefields, plantations, hotels, prisons – you name it.  I have found stuff too.  With my camera, I have taken pictures that no one can explain – full body apparitions that you can easily see features, clothing, even expression.  I have never been scared or hurt, although I was slapped once, by an unseen hand – but it wasn’t an angry whack, it was more – “Hey, I’m over here!” type tap.  This hobby has opened my eyes to the reality that this life is not all there is.  Couple that with my raising in New Orleans where my neighbors practiced hoodoo – and I am what you call ‘eccentric’.  But that’s okay – I like myself, and that is all that is important.   


You sound like a really open person. Who is your favorite book heroine?
 .
My favorite book heroine – in my own writing, is Aliyah in the book that is a sequel to
T-R-O-U-B-L-E, called My Aliyah – Heart in Chains.  She is strong, spirited and a Mossad agent – so she can kick ass.  It would be fun to be so self-assured and could back up your bravado.  Aliyah is also soft-hearted and has been through heartache.  But – into her life – walks arrogant, delicious, sweet Tyler Landon – a macho Texas Ranger who is also a sexual Dom.  But in Aliyah – Tyler meets his match. 
      
Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?

Unusual?  Maybe.  I love to write in my recliner and my best hours are the morning ones.  I lay curled up with my laptop on my tummy and my wiener dog, Mojo, snugged up to my hip.  I drink strong coffee and diet Dr Pepper and munch on BBQ Fritoes and sour pickles.  I never start a project on a Friday – thanks to my New Orleans supernatural upbringing and at night I rehash what I’ve done with a fellow author in Pennsylvania.
I don’t plot everything – I’m a panster for the most part.  And I do not listen to music while I write.  That seriously gets on my nerves.  Sometimes I have the TV on – but I’m oblivious to it.  I do like music and you probably think I like country – but I don’t.  I listen to zydeco, Elvis and rap.  Now, isn’t that a strange combo.  
 
What is your favorite mystical creature? 

My favorite mystical creature - well, let’s see.  I hope that most mystical, mythical creatures actually exist.  Every culture has their tales of shifters and magical folk who can bend reality to their will.  I keep hoping that science will find Nessie and Bigfoot and I have no doubt that the universe holds more life than us – it’s just too damn big not to. So, if I had to pick one favorite mystical creature it would be the werewolf.  Of course, that’s probably because of Joe Manganiello who plays Alcide on True Blood.  I love to look at that man.  He is my inspiration for Joseph in Her Magic Touch.  - - Mouth-watering.      

Girl after my own heart!  Alcide is suppper yummy...with or without fur or clothes! What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?

I had two challenges. 
The first was that I was exposed as an erotic romance writer in the small backwards, backwoods town where I lived.  I have since moved, but that was a horrifying experience to see hate and ignorance manifest themselves in people that you have known for years.  I had sermons preached about me and people avoided me in the grocery store – it was sad.  But – I changed my pseudo – packed my bags and moved on – literally.  Now, I just laugh all the way to the bank. 

The other challenge I had was trying to decide whether to keep self-publishing which I did rather successfully – or submit to a publishing house.  Everyone I met was extremely helpful to me – both before I decided to traditionally publish and after.  But I discovered what every author discovers – writing the book is only the first step.  After it sells – the fun just begins.  You have to blog and interview – chat and loop – twitter and facebook – and advertise – you have to promote to sell and that takes up valuable writing time.  Trying to find a balance was definitely a challenge.    


How do you feel about reader comments?

I welcome reader comments.  I answer every email and thank the reader for taking the time to write me.  If a reader has a suggestion or a criticism, I answer respectfully and thankfully.  I have made many friends out of readers and I cherish them.
 
Do you have any advice for new authors?

Today’s writer’s market is a generous one.  Self-publishing is available and you can actually make a living from it – I know – I’ve done it.  Also there are so many ebook publishers and online publishers who are willing to accept and work with new authors.  Anyone who can write – and wants to – will find that the doors to success are numerous and open and ready for you to be brave enough to walk through.

Where are your books available? 

My kindle books are available at Amazon.  T-R-O-U-B-L-E and the other works that Secret Cravings will be publishing are available at Secret Cravings Publishing store, Barnes and Nobel, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand and on my website, of course.   

What can we expect from you in the future?

I write three types of erotic romances – cowboy, contemporary and paranormal.  At Secret Cravings I have A Wishing Moon coming out in September – it is about a family of powerful New Orleans women who practice their form of witchcraft – hoodoo.  And its sequel, Sweet Evangeline comes out in December, I think.  A contemporary erotic, Unchained Melody comes out in November and the sequel to T-R-O-U-B-L-E, My Aliyah releases in January.  I also have several self-published works coming out in my Hell Yeah! Series and about 4 WIP’s in various stages of completion.  In other words – I’m busy. 

Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?   

You can reach me at my website – http://sablehunter.com/

and at my email – sablehunter@rocketmail.com. 
I also twitter @ huntersable.

Thank you for reading,
Sable Hunter

What a wonderful interview!  I had several more questions but didn't want her to write another book for my blog :).  Maybe we can get her back again! Now lets take a peek at her book T-R-O-U-B-L-E.


Trouble comes calling on Kyler Landon. He falls hard and fast for his beautiful, mysterious neighbor after she saves him from a rattlesnake attack. The sexual tension mounts between them with each sensual encounter, but he soon realizes that Cooper has been hurt and is leery of men. So he sets out to teach her that a real man can be
gentle, loving, and sexy as hell.

Trouble seems to follow Cooper, and Ky makes it his mission to protect her from her past. Kyler would move heaven and earth to keep her in his bed and in his life.

Sounds spicy!  So to score your own copy of this excellent book from our talented author you just have to be a GFC follower and leave a comment with your email address.
+1 for asking Sable a question
+1 for tweeting or linking this giveaway to facebook
+1 for a friend request from goodreads or facebook for Sherri McCarver
Good luck and be sure to pop by the other great stops on the hop!!! Thanks again Sable for the great interview!!



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