Of course, you’re only here to see who the first winner was, right? Well…you have to read to the end to see. I know, I’m just mean that way!

I don’t need to repeat the introduction now, do I? You all know I’ve been giving you plenty of compelling reasons to pick up your own copy of Down in Texas when it releases on October 28th. I left off yesterday with Reason #3, or Hero #3 more accurately.

Meet Mac McDonough, whose absence has been felt throughout the story to this point. Mac’s been in Iraq, serving with his reserve unit. But he’s back early, and you know that’s not good. Here’s the first time you meet him in the story “Straight Up Soldier.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mac McDonough’s body ached with the need to sink into soft, wet woman.

An escape, no matter how brief, from the constant, throbbing in his shattered leg.

Like an answer to his prayer, a familiar SUV crawled up the rough gravel road. His body tightened. Tara Toomey had offered the last time she paid him a visit, for old time’s sake, but he’d turned her down because he’d still had just enough pride and just enough affection for his old friend not to want to use her like that.

Today, she wouldn’t make it past the door. The thought of her blond flyaway curls wrapped around his dick made him throb with anticipation.

As she slowly made her way up the winding, rutted road, Mac McDonough closed his eyes and turned his face into the gusting, humid air and inhaled the fresh scent of the coming rain—a fierce reminder of just how far he’d come.

Over seven thousand miles and another lifetime.

The cabin nestled high on a ridge overlooking hills covered with live oak and cedar seemed as far removed from his version of reality as the face of Mars.

Sure the ground was a bed of sand and rock, but the sand was grittier, the grains larger than the wheat flour a Hummer could kick up into the air, leaving a trail that could be tracked for miles across the desert floor.

The air was almost as hot, but filled with so much moisture it felt thick as he dragged it deep into his lungs.

Mac curled his fingers around the porch rail and leaned into it, savoring the solitude he’d needed to heal his soul that no amount of therapy or medicine could compare with.

Only thing missing from the picture was another case of whiskey to help him sink into a stupor to ease the pain-filled tension in his body and shut out the memories that haunted his dreams.

And a woman. Not that he was willing to leave the cabin to go on the prowl for one, but the longer he remained in his self-imposed isolation, the more urgent became the need. Any woman would do—so long as she didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to be wooed. He hadn’t the time or the heart left for either.
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Very, very important!
Today’s a double posting for two chances to win. Be sure to read the entry just below for the Allure Authors: 30 Days of Giveaways! First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll announce both winners!

Yesterday, I told you the heroes in the interconnecting stories are the #1, #2, and #3 reasons you will want to read this book. Today, let me introduce you to Danny Tynan, Brandon’s little brother. Danny is a restless soul, content to let Brand run the ranch they both inherited while he hires out to other ranches to work with horses. But Danny’s got a secret yearning for an older woman.

Take a peek inside Danny’s story…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sometimes, destiny rushed up to meet a man head on. Sometimes, he just had to take a step backward.

Daniel Tynan raised his arms to stretch his back, wincing at a twinge in a muscle behind his shoulder. Although accustomed to physical labor, he’d overdone it today, but the effort had been well worth it.

Glancing out a window, he noted the darkness and raked his hand through his hair, grimacing when he pulled away pieces of straw. He’d dragged his feet long enough.

He picked his Stetson off the corner post of the last stall he’d cleaned and set it on top of his head. His first day at Wasp Creek Ranch left him feeling deeply satisfied with his choice, despite the aches. He was needed here.

Seven years had passed since he’d spent a summer wrangling under Douglas Dermott’s tutelage, learning how to work with the horses. Quarter horses for reining, cutting and racing, as well as the occasional Appaloosa. Douglas had loved them all, had taken pride in his breeding program and shared his skill as a trainer with quiet patience.

A raw teenager, Danny had been eager to take on a new challenge—one not so far removed from his own upbringing on a cattle ranch that he’d felt completely out of his element.

He’d learned a lot from Douglas.

Too bad he’d returned the gift by lusting after the man’s wife.
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To celebrate the November 4th release of Alluring Tales 2: Hot Holiday Nights the Allure Authors are giving away LOTS of great books! In case you missed the previous announcement, here’s the link for the contest’s rules: 30 days of Giveaways!

For a chance to win a copy of the book, WILD, WILD WOMEN OF THE WEST II, featuring stories by Layla Chase, Myla Jackson and myself, all you have to do is post a comment and let me know if you’ve read any of my books, and if you have, which one! Be sure to either leave me your email addy or check back later tonight to find out if you are a winner!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

WILD, WILD WOMEN OF THE WEST II
Kensington Aphrodisa
ISBN-10: 0758223862
ISBN-13: 978-0758223869
Genre: Western; Historical
Format: Trade Paperback
On Sale: April 29, 2008

These women like their horses fast and their men hard. And they always know how to get what they want…

“…Sisters Devlin and Jackson team up with Chase to create sizzling stories of delicious, daring men and even wilder women. Make sure you’ve got time to kill, because once you start you’ll want to read this collection in one sitting.” —4 ½ Stars, RT BOOKreviews

“…a great trio of fabulous tales. Just like its prequel, WILD WILD WOMEN OF THE WEST II introduces us to women who aren’t afraid to go after their heart’s desire. Each of the women in these short tales are not the innocent misses you normally read about. Instead they are bold and brazen lucky gals who find the hunkiest men who are theirs for the taking. Interesting plots and dynamic characters make WILD WILD WOMEN OF THE WEST II a must read for those who like their stories juicy and fun.” —RRT Erotic

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Excerpt

Jake froze, sucking in a deep breath. The thought she’d given herself to another man clawed at his gut. He didn’t know why the fact angered him so much–it wasn’t as if he had a right to be jealous. Wasn’t as if he knew anything about the woman, but he’d felt a connection the first time he’d held her in his arms.

Ridiculous as it seemed, the thought that another man had caressed her intimately, molded her slender curves with his rough hands, and enjoyed her passionate responses made him feel sick to his stomach and ready to kill.

As the anger roiled inside him, he reminded himself, she wasn’t what she appeared to be–sweetness and innocent curiosity. Her lack of innocence meant he didn’t have to be so careful. “You’re very direct.”

Her chin lifted. “I don’t see any reason to pussyfoot around this. I’m attracted to you…and if you’re attracted to me, well…”

His body tightened as he got her meaning. He crossed his arms over his chest and feigned a nonchalance he was far from feeling. “You’d risk your reputation to be with me?”

“I won’t be staying here,” she said softly.

“I see,” he said nodding slowly. “Is it just because you want to see what it’s like having an Indian?” he asked, not hiding the bitterness that rose to burn the back of his throat.

She blinked owlishly. “I thought you were half.”

“I am, but a drop’s too much for most.”
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Progress on Dark Realm book

Progress on Lockdown

Tomorrow, I’ll give away the first prize. So remember, you have to post to win!

The heroes in this trio of interconnecting stories are the #1, #2, and #3 reasons you will want to read this book. And I can’t choose which one you would say is first, second, and third, because they are all so different that they will connect with people in different ways. But I’ll start with the man in the very first story.

Brandon Tynan in “Wearing His Brand” is the straight-arrow kind of guy for whom honor and duty are paramount. So, when his best buddy is called away to war, he promises to keep his headstrong little sister out of trouble. Only problem is, Lyssa McDonough doesn’t want Brand to see her as an obligation. She does her best to make his job hard. Take a peek. Be warned! This is explicit!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Brand walked around the front of the truck, rolling down his sleeves. When he’d closed the buttons at the cuffs, he raised his gaze to meet hers through the glass.

An expression transformed his features—something so primal and deeply masculine her whole body clenched.

Maybe tonight’s little drama had been overkill, but she couldn’t regret a moment. Brand had never looked at her like that before.

Like he’d won the right to do whatever he wanted with her.

When he climbed into the cab, the air crackled with tension. He twisted the key, set the truck in gear and hit the gas. The diesel engine growled like a cougar, filling the silence between them.

Several minutes later, Brand drew a deep, tense breath. “Did you like it when he touched you?”

She shot him a glance, wondering how she should answer. Whether she had the courage to ratchet his anger higher. She turned back to stare through the windshield afraid to push him harder. Still, he wasn’t past control.

Clouds obscured the moon and stars, blanketing the wide sky. The twin beams cut a narrow path through the murky darkness.

“Lyss! Did you like it?”

Lyssa cleared her throat and shrugged. “I guess.”

Brand swung the wheel sharply to the right and hit the brakes, sending a spray of gravel to rattle against the mud flaps.

So abrupt was his action, she didn’t have time to think when he slammed open his door and stomped around the truck. Her door jerked open, and steely fingers wrapped around her wrist, yanking her from the truck, straight into his arms.

“You guess?”
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Remember, you have to post to win! The first winner will be announced Thursday! See more details below.

It’s not the #1 reason, or even #2 or #3 (those reasons are coming!), but it’s still a very compelling one. DOWN IN TEXAS is a damn good book. But don’t take my word for it.

5 Angels and Recommended Read from Fallen Angels Reviews, reviewer Darksnite: “…This anthology was one of the most decadent reads of the year for me. The sexuality was so intense, descriptive, and real it left you wondering how you did not hear and see the thunder and lightning…The women were feisty and knew what they wanted and had no problem making it known. The men were dominating without being smothering; they understand the workings of their women’s hearts and give them all that they need…The whole novel was great and left me in deep envy of all those women down there with those sexy Texas men! This was a very wonderful sexy and mature read. I loved this novel there was nothing left out of it—it has passion, love, romance, danger, and plenty of sexual congress. Delilah never fails to deliver on any front, and this is just another testament to an extraordinary writer. As always, I look forward to more of her extraordinary novels. Congratulations to Ms. Devlin on a tale well done!”

In only fifteen days, DOWN IN TEXAS, will hit the shelves. So, it’s my mission to make sure that you are all so pumped about the book that you a) beg your local bookstore to make sure they have a copy ordered for you, or b) pre-order the book so that it’s shipped as soon as it’s available.

And be warned, I’m going to make it irresistible for you to ignore my siren’s call. I love this book. I believe 100% you’re going to love it, too. But don’t take my word for it now. Let me seduce you for the next fifteen days.

Hmmm…where should I start?

So, is that cover hot enough to convince you? Okay, covers don’t really tell you how good a book is. They are more a measure of how well the art and marketing department targeted the market (you) for this sort of book.

But the cover is absolutely perfect. The three stories in this volume are all about cowboys—not just men who wear hats, but the ride ’em hard kind—horses and women, ya know. The pretty horse is a very obvious sexual innuendo. The leather strap he’s holding in his hand gives you a hint that there’s probably some kink in the story. Well, I wrote it after all, so that should be a given. I would have liked some hair on the chest, because every one of my cowboys is old enough and wouldn’t be caught dead waxing. But you can see all those lovely hills and valleys…

Maybe the cover’s not a good enough reason to buy, but it is good enough to make you pick it up off the shelf and take a look inside the pages or at least read the back cover copy. Stick around for the next fourteen days and I’ll give you plenty of peeks so that you know good and well what kind of ride you’ll get.

In the meantime, I’ll sweeten the pot to make sure you come back each day to read this blog. There will be several great prizes—books, beaded bookmarks made by Delilah’s Spawn (otherwise known as the “red-headed hellion”), custom beaded necklaces, and a gift card or two. But you have to visit, and you have to post here or wherever I tell you to go be eligible to win!

Hasta la vista!

Just a quick note to remind you that tomorrow will be the start of the “15 Days/15 Reasons” countdown and contest, so be sure to check back!

I know, I know—the Readers Appreciation Weekend was last month and it’s taken me this long to get the photos up?! Can I use the excuse that I’ve been a little busy? Or how about I say that I delayed putting them up since everyone elses’ pics went up already and I didn’t want mine lost among the crowd. Okay, whatever.

Suffice it to say, the pictures say it all. Lora Leigh’s big party rocked! I’m horrible at names, so if you see someone in a picture that I’ve mislabeled, please let me know!

That’s me flanked by Cindy, who shared the drive from Arkansas to West Virginia and back, and Thumper, who’s a long-time online buddy I never met until that weekend!

Natch, the best thing about the weekend was friends—new and old. Meet Lorie O’Clare and Ilke (spelling?), from Stuttgart, Germany.

There’s always one crazy-ass woman who makes the party—her name’s U-vonne (Gawd, I know I misspelled that!).

There was definitely a booksigning, and this was my view of the event.

And there were stars for me to play fangirl to:

Lorie O’Clare and Nalini Singh

Sylvia Day/S.J. Day and her friend Chris (who’s a ringer for Pink!)

Jackie Frank