Psst! I’ll announce yesterday’s winner tomorrow, so you still have time to enter! If you post a comment to this blog entry, you have a second chance to win!

I’m baaaaack! I’m tired, have a headache, and am late starting my day! Yesterday’s mad dash to Dallas and back was a lot more fun than it should have been.

Daughter and the little one came by at noon yesterday, and since we had an hour to kill, we decided to do some shopping. I have a favorite shop, Maurice’s, that always has clothes I like and that fit. I led the shopping spree. I have new tops and a pair of capri pants, and a pretty yellow, cheap vinyl purse. Daughter has outfits and the little one has cheap, blingy jewelry. I didn’t try on anything, which guaranteed I’d have a better time. There’s something about those closed, airless, poorly lighted dressing rooms that always annoys me. I have the receipt. I figure if I try something on later and hate it, I’ll just take it back.

Anyway, we headed to Dallas with the little one asking that genetically guaranteed question, “Are we almost there?”, every half hour. We didn’t turn on the radio even once because we talked and laughed the whole way.

Little girl saw one of those semi-trucks loaded with vehicles destined for a dealership parking lot and said, “Look, Nina, their parking lot moves!”

Daughter and I decided that we’d rather lose a pinky finger than eat of bowl of scorpions. I’d rather eat a roach than a scorpion—yeah, we ask really important questions like that for fun. Funny, I’d rather eat a scorpion than one of those six-inch long monster centipedes. They’re hairy. At which point, the red-headed hellion laughed. “But you’ll eat menudo? Tripe feels hairy, mom!”

Anyway, the little one is gone for the summer. We’re sad, but she is going to enjoy spending time with daddy. I always look for silver linings.

This past week I didn’t write a single word. End of report. The family reunion didn’t wrap up until Wednesday, and then I needed to recuperate from too many people. This week, I have big, hairy plans with dozens of little legs. But first, I need to hit the pool to clear my head.

P.S. I pulled the cover because it’s not quite finalized. My bad!

If you post a comment today and tomorrow, you’ll be in the running
for a free download of this book!

I’ll be on the road today, taking Little Girl to Dallas to hand her off to her dad. 🙁

While I’m gone, I’ve left you a little something to read. Enjoy! I’ll be back online tomorrow.

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

“…Jewels of the Nile is definitely a keeper…Ms. Devlin’s MAKING THE MADAM was my favorite of the anthology, with a short fun story…The sex was written perfectly and was incredibly hot with some voyeurism thrown in…one of my favorite books this year…”
5 Stars, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

“…I could not get enough of this story and wished it went on forever…I was grinning from ear to ear…The erotic scenes in this story will make your body tingle and burn for more. What a wonderful way to spend on hour, reading away. You will crave more from Ms. Devlin.”
5 Fairies, Becky, Dark Angel Reviews

“…Ms. Devlin will take the readers on a ride on the wild side of the west. Merry and Nathan will have the readers in stitches as the story unfolds. The intense passion will have the readers screaming for more and grabbing lots of ice…”
5 Angels, Fallen Angels Reviews

Widow Merry Winslow heads west to claim an inheritance from an aunt she never really knew. She expects to take over the reins of her aunt’s emporium, but discovers the true nature of the business when she arrives — she’s inherited a saloon with a brothel above stairs! Rather than being dismayed, Merry’s intrigued and finds it the perfect way to shed the shackles of propriety that have hidden her true wild and impulsive nature. Only problem is, she needs someone to make her into a madam…

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

Merry Winslow balled her hands into fists and stomped down the dusty planked sidewalk, forgetting every lesson in decorum she’d ever learned at Miss Peabody’s Finishing School or in Homer Winslow’s parlor.

Her aunt’s attorney had taken one look at her black widow’s weeds and decided, without ever taking her true measure, she was completely unsuited to the rough life in Cranston, Colorado.

She’d noted his slow perusal of her beaded lace veil, the gold watch pinned to her bosom, the sheen of her fine bombazine dress and polished leather half boots—and the odious man immediately dismissed her as unworthy.

How could he have decided within two minutes of their meeting when her own husband hadn’t known until his mother pointed out all her faults?

Her posture was straight, her clothing immaculate. Had she somehow given him a clue of her unruly, impulsive nature?

When Mr. Regis’ gaze returned to her obscured face, a small obsequious smile curved beneath his thick reddish-brown moustache.

Before he even opened his mouth, Merry sucked in a deep breath, counting slowly, reaching into the verbal pit of venom Mother Winslow bequeathed her. However, she couldn’t think of a single caustic setdown to put the man in his place.
Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a busy week, but the relatives are gone, and I can finally take a deep breath. I’m playing catchup with work now.

Things you might be interested in…

I just did an update of my Coming Soon page. Lots of fun stuff coming, but, in particular, you will want to see what I have excerpted so you can get your pre-orders in!

Tonight, I have a live chat! Everyone, writers and readers, is invited. And I always come bearing gifts. The chat will be at the Fallen Angels Reviews chat room at 9 PM EST/8 PM CST.

I received final word yesterday that I will be in the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance! A few of you read the story, Hot Out Here, when I was looking for beta readers—remember the brown-out ménage? That’s the one!

Note from the editor:

“…the volume of submissions was greater than I expected, as was the quality of the stories I was sent….so I’ve had to be mercilessly selective. However, the good news is that I’d love to use your story.”

Lastly, I have a new old story coming out on Monday! Warlord’s Destiny is one hot-as-hell futuristic with a medieval feel to it. Read the excerpt to see what I mean: Excerpt from Warlord’s Destiny

I dare you not to drool!

Oh! And if you want Fairy Tale Lust postcards, go here to get them: Kristina Wright’s Blog

Welcome a fellow Samhain Author! Promise I’ll be back tomorrow! ~DD

Note from Kelly Jamieson:

I’m a blogging mad woman this week with the release of my latest Samhain book Lost and Found. I think I’m all blogged out. I’ve blogged about how many times this book was rejected because it didn’t fit into any genre quite right, combining elements of women’s fiction with romance. I’ve blogged about how much I appreciate digital publishers like Samhain Publishing who can publish books that take a risk and don’t fit the usual mold. I’ve blogged about all the rules I broke with this book, romance rules like not having a married heroine, and not tackling issues such as pregnancy, infertility and infidelity. I even have a blog coming this weekend about the importance of the setting in this story – the ocean plays an important role for Krissa and Nate, and there are symbols of their lives on the beach – tumultuous waves, tangled seaweed, an empty sea shell. And oh yeah, about the 4 STAR review from RT Book Reviews, who said it’s “emotionally complex, well-written” and a “complex, affecting romance”.

I’ve asked the questions about black and white, and shades of gray. For example, few people would ever agree that infidelity is okay. It’s a pretty black and white issue, right? Infidelity is wrong. But are there shades of gray? Are there powerful desires and emotions that compel people to make the choices they do? Can good people make bad decisions? Do they still deserve to find happiness?

Kelly Jamieson, author of romance with sweet heat, believes in the power of romance stories to portray strong, loving, romantic, sexual relationships that succeed, and to celebrate strength, courage, honor, and love. She believes love, romance and sex teach us about ourselves, about each other and about relationships, and break down barriers and boundaries.

Visit her website or email her at info@kellyjamieson.com.

Welcome today’s guest blogger, Kari Thomas! ~DD

Note from Kari:

I LOVE SEXY SHAPESHIFTERS! The sexier, the better! There, I said it. Anyone else? There’s just something about a man who has a primal side as well as a tender side; and shapeshifters fit that description to perfection. Take a Cat Shifter. Primal, Protective, Possessive. He lives to protect the ones he loves. My hero in UNDER A SHIFTER’S MOON, Lyon Savage is what I call the prime example of a SEXY Shapeshifter. Lyon is fighting for the position of being Alpha to his Jaguar Pride. If his brother wins the title, a Shifter’s war is on the horizon and the Pride will be in danger of extinction. In order to save them, Lyon has to fulfill a Decree that says he has to marry a special women destined to give him a son who will be the future salvation of the Pride. But, Lyon falls in love with her aunt, Kitlene. Now he’s left with the choice to either choose the love of his life OR the future salvation of his Pride. And there’s one more obstacle: if he chooses Kitlene, her life is forfeit.

Tell me what you think about those sexy shapeshifters! And be sure and visit my site for info on this book and my others. I also have FREE Short Stories available at my website.

My latest Book is UNDER A SHIFTER’S MOON
THE WINNER OF THE BEST 2009 SHIFTERS BOOK AWARD!
You can also view a Trailer

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

Author: Kari Thomas
ISBN: 978-1-934912-21-8
Price: $14.95 paperback
Price: $8.00 Ebook (PDF format)
Pages: 204 paperback

He was fated for another, but created to love her …

Decreed by Elders, alpha Jaguar Shifters Lyon Savage and his brother must decide Pride rule in a way not seen for centuries. Under a Shifter’s Moon, a mating can take place with a chosen human to produce a child, and the father of that child will become the one Alpha. Now Lyon must choose the love of his Truemate—or accept the decree to save his Pride and secure his future.

Strong and selfless, Kitlene is a rare woman whose blood, like her niece’s, carries something of the Shifter within its DNA. Willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of family, she offers herself to the Alpha Cat whose very presence pulls at her soul—and whose love brings with it a deadly complication.

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

She was facing the direction of the stairs so he could see her face clearly. His breath caught. She was incredibly beautiful; an oval face, softly pink-tinged complexion, cupid-bow mouth, small nose. Her long-lashed eyes were large and round. For some reason, her eyes made him instantly think of a Persian cat’s eyes. He grinned at the contradiction; he had the odd thought that her obvious spunk would keep her from being as sweet natured as the Persian breed. Even from his distance he could see the soft, dove-grey color.

They were the most fascinating eyes he’d ever seen on a woman. A man could easily—willingly drown in their mysterious, sultry depths. He could. He frowned at the disturbing thought. He let his gaze roam over her one more time before coming back to rest on her ethereal face. She wasn’t wearing makeup—or she was an expert at making it appear that way—and the look was as much innocence as it was sensual. The odd combination was fascinating and it intrigued him like nothing else had in a long time. He watched her gaze around the room. Her expression was neutral, but even from this distance he could see her eyes mirror her nervous thoughts. What would those expressive, lovely eyes reveal when her gaze first met his? He was suddenly anxious to find out. Lyon found his feet moving before he even had the actual thought. He bounded down the stairs, sending a glance toward the corner where Mason and Beau were talking to the coyote group. His body was tight, his muscles tense and ready to allow his jaguar self to emerge. But this time it wasn’t because of the anticipation of a fight.

No, his jaguar soul had sighted prey. His prey. His. That soul-felt confirmation only proved he was right. This woman was Ariel. Somehow his jaguar self already recognized her.

Whoa. That shocked him. Realization hit him like a hard, breath-stealing punch to the gut and then arrowed straight to his soul. He came to an abrupt standstill yards away from her. He inhaled roughly, taking her sweet, oddly familiar scent deep into him. His entire body immediately went into hard sensual overload. Stark, possessive instincts rose in him for the first time in his life. He’d never felt anything like it. His jaguar self pushed forward. Primal.

I’m still covered up in relatives, but I did get some good news yesterday!

#1) I got confirmation that I’ll be in Cleis Press’s Passion collection that releases in November. You can take a look at the cover and preorder the book here:
Passion: Erotic Romance for Women

#2) That next Lone Star Lovers book, Four Sworn, will be released in September! So not a huge long wait! My editor and I are talking about dates to turn in the sequel so that you’ll get to read it before the end of the year. You’ll want it bad after you read Four Sworn.

I have to get back to the relatives. I think we’re all taking a morning swim. Here’s the question:

What world record would you most want to establish if you could?

I’m blogging today at Access Romance about Warlord’s Destiny, which is being re-released next Monday as its own individual story! I’d love to see some familiar faces there!

In the meantime, the old homeplace is still bursting to the seams with relatives. Yesterday’s family reunion was a huge success, even if it was hot as Hades! I jumped into the pool with all the kids to cool off.

I received a bit of good news last night. My Samhain editor wrote to tell me how much she enjoyed the third Lonestar Lovers book and offered me a contract. I got even better news today—it will be published in September!

P.S. Almost forgot about the contest! The winner (by random number generator) is…Brandy! Brandy, I know you must already have Relentless, but let’s talk about what I can send you instead.
😉