Thanks for hosting me today, Delilah. Today I’m sharing a bit about the idea that started my story, Whirlwind. Several years ago I was living in San Antonio, and I saw a huge article in the newspaper on a national tattoo convention being held downtown in the Convention Center. I became intrigued by the idea of these artists who are normally situated in small shops, probably working with a specific clientele, all coming together in a large forum to display their artistic abilities. Like with other gatherings of professionals, there were instructional opportunities as well as chances to see lots of exquisite work. This was years before the television reality shows featuring such artists. About the same time, I’d visited a museum and saw photos of Native Americans with various tattoos. Those two components meshed and I had my heroine, Senna Whitefeather. Read further to learn a bit more about the erotic short story, Whirlwind.

Unveiling tattoos with a stranger has never been so dangerous…or so sexy.

Hosting her first booth at a national tattoo convention is nerve-racking enough for artist Senna Whitefeather. But then she runs into another Native American—one with a smoking hot and firm body—a man she soon realizes is following her. Appreciation for art takes on a new meaning when a challenge to unveil their tattoos escalates into a passionate encounter in the back of her booth. But will Senna’s brazen attitude of going after what she wants backfire?

Senna lifted the plastic badge, angled it toward the security guard then turned toward her designated booth. And bumped smack into a male—solid muscle from chest to knees—and she stumbled.

Firm hands grasped her upper arms and steadied her. “What’s your hurry?”

The deep voice rumbling near her ear resonated through her bones, kicking up her heart rate, and set her further off-balance. Both hands tangled with the supple cotton of his T-shirt and held tight. All she saw before her was a broad expanse of black cloth. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking—” She glanced up—straight into midnight black eyes that seemed to look deep into her soul. Her gaze clung for a long moment then she forced herself to blink.

The stranger smiled and the bronze-toned skin around his eyes crinkled. “Good thing I was, or we’d both have gone down.”

With a quick look, Senna registered the slash of his dark brows, high cheekbones, and long, black hair pulled back along his neck. Another Native American. Strong features balanced by an open smile. Why did she have the sudden urge to sway forward against his broad chest? A chest that appeared capable enough to harbor a woman tied in nervous knots over today’s exhibit.

Spirit of Life, she was late.

“Again, I’m sorry.” She stepped back, away from his broad hands and fought against acknowledging the immediate loss of warmth. No time for distractions, even tall, dark and sexy ones. “I’ve got to get to my booth.”

With a dip of his chin, he swept a hand in the direction she headed. “The right-of-way is yours.”

Senna hustled down the side aisle but couldn’t resist a quick backward glance over her shoulder. The tall stranger dressed all in black had disappeared into the crowd.

AMAZON:           https://amzn.to/13sXmUu
B&N:                     https://bit.ly/19plihI
TWRP:                   https://bit.ly/11DBnaT

Those who leave a comment here will be included in a drawing for a dream catcher key chain. Be sure to include your email address. (US and Canada only)

BIO:   On a dare from a close friend, Layla Chase challenged herself to explore the steamier side of romance and discovered all sorts of characters whose stories needed sharing. She writes contemporary and historical stories from her mountain home in California that she shares with long-time husband and two dogs.

For more information about future releases:

www.laylachase.com

https://www.facebook.com/layla.chase.52

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/229815.Layla_Chase

My random number generator chose a winner—Amber! Congratulations, Amber,
I’ll be in touch today! ~DD

* * * * *

After not having a release out for a while to having 5 out in the space of a month… Crazy days, huh? I hope you’ve all got your copies of Lost Souls, and that you’re devouring it, and finding that one particular scene… I would love to hear what you thought about THAT!

In the meantime, this one’s not scheduled to release until mid-July, but Amazon informed me that it’s shipping on the 3rd! So I thought I’d better give you a little advanced warning! This one’s hot! Smokin’ Hot! And I’ve got a teeny excerpt here to prove it!  

If you post a comment today, you’ll be entered to win
a $5 Amazon gift certificate!

(I forgot to name last week’s Snippet winner, so I’m heading over to do that now!)

Who can melt any woman’s heart with a single smile? The sexiest icon of all—a fireman!

They enter fiery structures with selfless courage–the very definition of the word “hero.” Women understand their allure… A soot-covered face, sweat dripping from hard, chiseled muscles, the sharp snap of suspenders—yes, only a fireman can make suspenders sexy! Delilah Devlin’s burning-hot book includes thrilling stories teeming with gorgeous firemen from some of today’s hottest romance writers. In “Saving Charlotte,” Sabrina York’s firefighting Dom rescues a woman tied to a red-hot bed; from Cathryn Fox comes “Temperature Rising” where a fire chief fulfills some very steamy fantasies; Elle James’s “Chasing Fire” sees a daring smoke-jumper parachuting into the hot zone of a forest fire then setting his girlfriend ablaze with erotic heat; and Magic Mike ain’t got nothin’ on Delilah’s own fireman-turned-exotic-dancer-for-a-night “Johnny Blaze.”

With a list of award-winning authors that includes Ily Goyanes, Shoshanna Evers, Adele Dubois, and Rachel Firasek, Delilah delivers tales of these courageous men sliding down their big poles to steal readers’ hearts! Smokin’ Hot Firemen imagines the romantic possibilities of being held against that massively muscled chest by a man whose mission is to protect and serve…

I held my iPhone in front of me as far as my arm could reach and took a picture. Then I quickly sent it to my Facebook page. Yes! I don’t know how Syl managed to talk me into it, but I’m at HardCox!!! Happy Birthday, me!

I posted the photo, then slipped my phone back into my purse, which I’d placed beneath the small round table where Sylvia, Heather, and I sat next to the raised stage.

“You took a picture of yourself?” Sylvia giggled and held out her hand. “Give me that phone!”

“No way, you’ll just post pictures of the dancers’ asses.”

“And their hoses!”

My eyes bugged. “My mama would be horrified!”

I was already beyond mortified at being here—a male strip club, of all places. Syl didn’t have to add kerosene to the fire burning in my cheeks. But she’d had me at one name, “Johnny Blaze.” Read the rest of this entry »

Story Ideas From Real Life

Hello all you fabulous Delilah Devlin fans. I’m so excited to be here. Many thanks to Delilah for sharing the mike.

Have you ever wondered where an author got the idea for her book? It’s a common question.

Not such an easy answer, at least for me. Ideas come to me in the shower, while driving (especially while driving on the highway), when I read something and sometimes just by wondering “what if.”

But in the case of my latest release (ASK FOR IT) real life inspired the original idea. Actually, I should say real life inspired two ideas.

First, if you read my free read (INSTRUCTING ADAM) you’ll remember that Cindy is an author who has trouble keeping her website online and she’s at her wit’s end. And let’s just say that the tech support guy is less than helpful…until she shows up on his doorstep demanding he make good on his hosting companies promises.

At one point I was having dreadful issues keeping my website “up and online” and the tech support guy was pretty snarky. He even pointed me to a clause in their terms of use about “porn.” Because, you know, I write erotic romance and that’s practically porn! (Hope you detected the sarcasm dripping from my fingertips.) That’s as far as the real life goes, I’m afraid. I decided to write out my frustrations and punish the unhelpful tech support guy. But I’m too big of a love bug evidently. Cindy shows up with a whip, bondage tape and a few demands but I don’t think Adam would consider her form of “discipline” as punishment, especially when he turns the tables on her. I would never have the guts to do what she does, which makes for perfect fiction!

ASK FOR IT follows Cindy’s best friend JJ as she also takes things into her own hands… sorta.

Again, real life inspired the idea for this book. My bank card number was stolen and used to buy shoes at a Footlocker six states away. Luckily my bank was on top of it and it was a painless problem for me. They called me immediately, verified I hadn’t dropped serious change on sneakers, and put the money back.

But I didn’t want things to be quite that easy for my heroine so her bank isn’t as wonderful as mine was. Add to that the fact that she’s a little extra protective over her cash flow due to early childhood homelessness and you get an interesting beginning of a story.

Whereas Cindy sought out a solution to her problem, serendipity drops JJ in New York city a week after her money was stolen and she decides to drop by the scene of the crime. She never expected to come face to face with the one man she’s lusted after for years and fears she’ll forever compare all men to.

And no, I didn’t go to the shoe store where my money was used. But I did utter a line that I let JJ borrow in my book. “Who the hell buys nine hundred dollars’ worth of sneakers? I mean, if you’re going to steal my money, at least buy something awesome…like Prada. Or Minolos. Or Jimmy Choos.”

If $900 dropped into your lap, what would you buy? Me? Two words. Christian Louboutins!

ABOUT SELENA BLAKE
Selena Blake writes erotic paranormal and contemporary romance. First published in 2008, her series Stormy Weather has been on bestseller lists and nominated for awards.  She’s a fan of action movies, Diet Coke, Milky Way bars and thunderstorms, not necessarily in that order. Learn more about her online at https://www.selena-blake.com or catch her at facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake

MAKING A WRITER’S LIFE EASIER – REALLY?

I admire writers who produce novels while working a full-time job. I have no idea how they work their time management, but they clearly have a level of self-discipline I have never even dreamed is available to tap into. Then they come home to take care of little children, do homework, make dinner, put on a wash, participate in their marriage… and write a novel or two.

I do not work outside the home, but wear many hats from bookkeeping to overseeing a homeschool teen, to being a new grandma, to making jewelry, to providing astrology sessions. I’ve left out a few of my regular gigs but you get the idea.

I should be producing three times more finished books than I am. Although I don’t believe we are all born equal, we each have just 24 hours in a day to do with as we choose. I’m on a mission to find out what works for other authors when it comes to increasing productivity.

The latest story in my Sheikhs of the Golden Triangle series, The Sheikh’s Crowning, should be available on Amazon and other e-platforms right now. But it isn’t, and won’t be for another six weeks. It’s not the characters giving me a hard time, although Rick is a tough undercover agent who likes doing things his way, not mine. And Yasmine lets me write a scene and then tells me she’s a widow, not a virgin. Or is it the other way around? I can take things like that in my stride. My problem is time management.

For months I saw incessant ads on television that made me drool for a particular voice activation software. There was this fellow, laboring at an ironing board with kids running circles around him, oblivious to everything as he dictated his hot romance into headphones. I was convinced that if I got hold of that incredible wizard’s tool that worked like a magic wand, I could pump out a book a week. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but surely a book a month?

Lo and behold, my son called and told me I could get that very software discounted to half price, but only for twenty-four hours. So I punched in my credit card info as fast as my fingers would fly over the keys, and within about three days the coveted green and white box arrived.

My first go round with the software, I stayed up until 4am trying to teach it to recognize my accent. I am not from Transylvania, although I have a slightly unusual accent. I was ready to throw the thing across the room when it occurred to me that maybe the headphone that came with the software wasn’t working. I plugged in my old headphones to see if that would work. It did. I went to bed, still bristling.

My laptop melted and I had to buy another. I uploaded the software onto the new one but have still – one year later – not successfully used it. When I whisper sweet nothings into the mic, my words and the words that show up on the page are galaxies apart.

Noise is a big factor. With a stay at home retired husband and homeschooled teen in a small house, there is only so much concentration time available. I’ve tried coffee shops and the library, but can’t ‘get into it’ the same way with strangers surrounding me.

I don’t recall having had quite such a problem when I wrote The Sheikh’s Spy, The Amulet, or Christmas Spirits, all novellas in the same series. I didn’t use the magic software, either.

Back to The Sheikh’s Crowning… Rick and Yasmine are becoming impatient, as are my readers. They want their story written. I’m even considering renting a room in a sleazy motel, and taking just my laptop and enough food and drink to survive a week of nothing but writing, editing and sleeping… no car outside the door for a joy ride!

That’s an extreme measure to take, so I hope you’ll leave a comment and share some tips that work for you. If you use voice activation software, have you got a tip that might make using it feel like a natural thing to do? Is there a way to bribe it to actually display the words you said?

Please don’t tell me to just put my butt in the chair and stay there. I am in the chair probably twelve hours a day… hence I’ve got a lot of butt to park in the chair! Much of that time is spent looking for promo for the books I have finished writing. Now there’s a time suck… but that’s another blog post for another day.

Enjoy the blue sky of summer, and I’d be thrilled if you decide to read any of my spicy sheikh novellas while you take some time out to smell the roses… and chase dragons.

If you enjoy sizzling desert princes and passionate heroines in exotic settings, check out my website.

Delilah, thanks again for having me!

Gemma’s books on Amazon. Visit GemmaJuliana.com for direct links to other platforms.
Follow Gemma as her literary journey unfolds!   Twitter   |   Facebook   |   Pinterest    |    Instagram   |   Blog

The winner of the grab bag is Elizabeth H! Congrats, Elizabeth!
My sister will be in contact with you shortly! ~DD

* * * * *

Deja Vu

How many times do you see something, meet someone, witness an event you feel you’ve done this before? Maybe you have in another life. Maybe you’ve seen or witnessed something similar. I find myself thinking of quotes from favorite poems, lines from movies or pictures from movies or stories or mental images of  past experiences recurring in much of what I do or where I go.

While in Paris the week before last, touring Notre Dame Cathedral, I was Esmeralda from Hunchback of Notre Dame, crying out Sanctuary! At the Louvre, I was Molly Brown when she went to Europe studying all the paintings to get cultured Walking the streets of Paris I saw a vendor selling pink cotton candy and I was back in the pages of DEJA VOODOO with Molly B Boyette at the festival buying pink cotton candy. So much of our experiences in literature or movies repeats itself or has a close match and it’s fun to reference those times. It’s like coming home. I’m including (just because) some pictures from my trip to Paris. Notre Dame Cathedral, a photo of the Mona Lisa which doesn’t begin to describe how beautiful she is in person and a picture of the Sacre Coeur chapel on the only hill in Paris.

Leave a comment telling me about your Deja Vu moment for a chance to win
the prize package.

Elle’s Bio:

Elle James spent twenty years in South Central Texas, ranching horses, cattle, goats, ostriches and emus. A former IT professional, retired Army and Air Force Reservist, she’s proud to be writing full-time, penning intrigues and paranormal adventures that keep her readers on the edge of their seats or laughing out loud. Now, living in northwest Arkansas, she’s given up wrangling cattle and exotic birds to wrangle her muses, a malti-poo and a yorkie. When she’s not at her computer, she’s traveling, out snow skiing, boating, or riding her four-wheeler, dreaming up new stories.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellejamesauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MylaJacksonAuth
Website: https://www.ellejames.com/
Blog: https://ellejames.blogspot.com/

Deja Voodoo Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Itunes

A little magic goes a long way…

Alexandra Belle Boyette is closing in on the big 3-0 and her mama has made it her mission to marry her off. In the tiny parish of Bayou Miste, deep in the Louisiana swamps, finding suitable hubby material can be a challenge—and Alex would rather not rely on magical spells to do the trick. But there is a sexy new man in town who might fit the bill…

Ed Marceaux is in Bayou Miste to safeguard a key witness to a Louisiana Mafia murder. He must keep an eye out for suspicious characters—but the place seems to be full of them! What could be stranger than a woman dressed in a sexy nightgown chasing a naked man down the street? The enchantingly gorgeous Alex Boyette certainly makes it worth his while to find out…

Add a Voodoo spell gone wrong, and voila! madness—and love—ensues.

LOST SOULS releases today!

Well, today’s the day. I get to wait–impatiently—while readers get their first glimpse of Lost Souls. Of course, I can’t imagine there being anything more important than your reading this book! 😉 But hey, I understand if it takes you a day or two to let me know what you think. It’s also understandable that I’ll be here biting my nails, waiting to hear. I love this book. I love Cait and Sam. And my dream is that you will love the book well enough that you’ll tell others about it, so that they will be compelled to get their own copy of the book! Because when that happens, something magical happens—the publisher loves my book and wants more in the series, and there are so many places I want to take Sam and Cait.

If you haven’t already purchased a copy, read through the snippets I shared the past few days. This book has everything a paranormal fan could love—spooky happenings, suspense, a hero and heroine to root for and fall in love with, and magic. It’s releasing in trade paperback, eBook and in a MP3 version. The eBook version is a very reasonable $3.99. So what are you waiting for? CLICK ON THE COVER!

After you read it, I would greatly appreciate you leaving a review on Amazon to let other readers know about your experience. Readers like seeing what other folks have to say before making their buying decisions, so your opinion is important! You can make a difference! And if you would pass your experience along on Facebook or Twitter, I’d be forever grateful…

Another Sexy Collection!

Over 130 of the very best short pieces of erotica writing are compiled here for a steamy and sensual read of “quickies” in 1,500 words or less, from some of the best-loved writers in the field. Fans of The Mammoth Book of the Best New Erotica are sure to enjoy this exciting and edgy new collection.

I have two stories in the collection—“All About Me” and “Quick Draw.” You can read snippets from these two stories here.

The winner of Saturday’s contest is Chris Bails! Chris, congrats! Email me about your prize! ~DD

* * * * *

So you know Lost Souls has plenty of action and sexy goin’s on, but you probably want to know a little about the magic.

About that… I study a bit. Not sayin’ how much because that’s between me and the moon and trees, but I know some things. What I don’t do very well is create wonderful spells. Cait has the same shortcoming (how convenient is that, right?). Her partner even notes how long it takes her to write a not very good piece of poetry to accompany a very important spell in the book.

But for spells that have a history, that maybe belonged to her mother or Morin, sometimes, I have to pull in the big guns. In book one, I had help from Virginia E with “Mama’s Spell” in the opening scene. In the scene you’re about to read, I fashioned the broom spell, but author Lacey Thorn helped me with cleansing/casting the circle. She’s really very good, and if I get much farther along in the series, I’m gonna tap her again (that somehow didn’t sound quite right but might be interesting too! ).

Enjoy another glimpse into Lost Souls—which releases tomorrow, folks!

* * * * *

Cait opened her belt and unzipped her jeans. “Why does magic always require someone gettin’ naked?”

“Not always. Sometimes, da spirits like a little pomp. Den you wear a witch’s robes. But right now, gal, you have ta humble yourself.”

“I’m plenty humble.”

“You’re plenty mouthy. Strip! You da one wit’ da favor ta ask.”

Cait stripped off her tank top, toed off her boots, and shoved her pants down her legs.

Celeste gave her body a look, her gaze pointedly lingering on her bra and panties. “Ain’t got not’ing I ain’t seen before. Or dat Morin ain’t touched.”

With her cheeks burning, Cait removed her underwear, shivering a little in the air wafting from a small fan set atop the psychic’s counter.

“Stand in da circle.”

“Which way’s north?”

Celeste pointed, and Cait aligned her body to face that direction.

Celeste gathered short black candles from a shelf and placed one in each point of the pentagram. Then she placed the other items Cait would need in the north corner. She handed Cait a handmade broom made from the stiff silk of broomcorn and stepped back into a shadowy corner.

Remembering another time she’d prepared a magic circle with her mama while standing in their kitchen along with a child’s spell she’d written, Cait held the broom.

“Sweep, sweep,” she whispered, brushing from the center of the circle.

“Sweep away the dark. Brush away the bad.
With whisk and wish, I command thee.” Read the rest of this entry »