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Archive for September, 2016
Friday, September 23rd, 2016
Sorry this is late! Real life interfered! DD
The first two books of the Chronicles of the Malcolm science fiction romance series (Thrill-Kinky and Bad Kitty) are interspecies romances. But even before I started writing Buck, Naked, I knew Buck’s heroine had to be human. Buck says in Bad Kitty: “Xia and me, we understand each other. And because she accepts me, maybe someday I’ll be fit company for a human woman.” Human Buck feels he has more in common with felinoid Xia than he would with a woman of his own species—and Xia’s a natural predator with training as an assassin and childhood trauma that left holes in her memory. But he still holds out hope that someday he can be with a human.
Unfortunately, he’s only mostly human. In the opening scenes of Buck, Naked, we learn Buck was subjected to alien medical experiments as a POW. As a result, he’s stronger and faster than most humans, and his senses are enhanced to the point he can sometimes see through time and space. (The alien experiments are also why he’s learned to live with one leg. Regeneration technology won’t work on him because of the extent of genetic and neurological meddling he endured.) And as a result of his horrible experiences, he has PTSD that sometimes triggers violent flashbacks. He rightly figures he’s too volatile and dangerous to be a safe sexual partner, let alone a romantic one. And the alien senses are getting more powerful—and are pushing him toward insanity.
This made it challenging to create the perfect heroine for him. She had to be tough enough to handle his dangerous side, wise enough to see past his “ignorant hick” demeanour to the smart, though uneducated, man inside, and, for storytelling purposes, quirky enough to fit in with the rest of the crew. Someone sweet and semi-normal was not going to cut it.
Enter Aleema: scientific genius, former military officer—and, due to her own run-in with the same meddling aliens, immortal and practically unbreakable. Oh, and she’s done research that can help Buck learn to live sanely with his altered body and brain. Sounds perfect, right?
Did I forget to mention that some of her alien modifications make her resemble the species that tormented both her and Buck? This guarantees their first meeting is the opposite of lust at first site.
At first glance, Aleema was good-looking, a tall, curvy human woman with black hair brushing her shoulders and skin far darker than Buck’s own fair complexion, though lighter than Mik, who was as close to actual-factual black as a human got without cosmetic mods. Maybe this gig wouldn’t be so bad. Awkward, sure, telling his woes to a complete stranger and a pretty one at that, but at least he’d have something nice to look at while he was getting his head shrunk.
Then he took a second look.
She had human features, human coloring. But her eyes were solid black and when she extended her arms to hug Gan, Buck saw her left hand had webbed fingers like a Seera. She had only five fingers, like a proper human hand, not seven, but it was close enough to a Seera to register as a threat. He reached for his laserpistol before he could stop himself.
The voices in his head screamed no.
Not his conscience, although that was making some noise about the notion of shooting a friend of Gan’s in cold blood, but the voices in his head, the horrors that more often than not prompted him to do stupidly violent things.
This time, the horrors were reminding him of things he’d rather forget about his time as a prisoner of the Seera. The experiments they’d performed on him and other captured soldiers. Stars, the things they did to themselves sometimes, just for fun or curiosity, best as he’d been able to figure out. A Seera scientist never met a natural body that couldn’t be “improved” in some way.
If Aleema was a survivor of a Seera experiment herself, one worse than what he’d undergone or at least leaving more obvious traces, it made sense why Gan wanted them to meet.
Buck was still creepified, but he’d give her a chance.
He could always shoot her later.
To save him, she must strip him bare.
Security expert Buck’s senses are inhumanly keen, to the point he can see through time and space, and that’s just the start of his odd abilities—thank you, alien captors. He also experiences paranoia, flashbacks, and the occasional hallucination—thank you, PTSD. No wonder he fears he could hurt one of the Malcolm crewmates he lives to protect, the closest thing to family he has left after the destruction of his home planet.
Brilliant scientist Aleema can teach him how to use his modifications without triggering PTSD. She’s survived the same meddling aliens and suffered even more dramatic alterations. At least her unwanted immortality means she’s had time to figure out how the modifications work and use the knowledge to aid other survivors. Helping Buck means spending some serious time together.
Time enough to fall in love.
Just as happiness seems within their grasp, Aleema realizes one of Buck’s modifications dooms him to an unthinkable future. To save him, she must place herself in the hands of their common enemy and leave Buck to face his worst fears without her.
Buy links: Amazon / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo / All Romance Ebooks
Chronicles of the Malcolm Series blurb:
In the 26th century, humans and numerous alien races share the galaxy. Technology has advanced massively. Old Earth is a vast preserve and museum, and humans have spread to the stars. But some things remain the same. Love, lust, and money motivate both humans and other sentient species. Politics can get ugly. And crime can pay very well indeed.
Meet the wacky crew of the independent freighter Malcolm. They usually succeed in keeping things only a little bit illegal. But then a seemingly legit job goes supernova—and they’re on the run, hiding from assassins, a planetary government, and their own dark pasts.
It’s the perfect time to fall in love!
About the Author
Teresa Noelle Roberts started writing stories in kindergarten and she hasn’t stopped yet. A prolific author of short erotica, she’s also a published poet and fantasy writer—but sexy science fiction romances, BDSM-spiced contemporaries, and hot paranormals have become her favorite things to write.
Teresa is a crunchy granola girl who enjoys belly dance, yoga, cooking, hiking, playing in the ocean, and growing more vegetables than she and her husband can possibly eat. She’d enjoy sleeping too. She thinks. But it takes so much time!
She shares her home in southern Massachusetts with her husband, a Leo in law enforcement, and three cats. She and her husband often plan vacations around food, history, and/or proximity to water.
Subscribe to Teresa’s newsletter at https://www.teresanoelleroberts.com/?page_id=1485. Learn more about Teresa at https://www.teresanoelleroberts.com. If you’d rather be conversational, follow her on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/TeresNoeRoberts or become a Facebook fan at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTeresaNoelleRoberts.
Tagged: Guest Blogger Posted in General | Comments Off on Teresa Noelle Roberts: Buck Naked | Link
Thursday, September 22nd, 2016
I’ve always been attracted to blond, blue-eyed, muscular men with sun-streaked hair and golden tans. Whether he’s on the beach in a lifeguard stand, wearing low slung cutoffs and work boots on a construction site, or dressed for business in a suit and tie, a blue-eyed blond will make my heart beat faster, every time.
I like blonds so much, I married one, and many of the heroes in my books have blue eyes like my husband and our son. The hero of Luxury Model Wife, Steve Carlson, is the embodiment of the rugged, blue-eyed blond archetype who wears jeans, a t-shirt and work boots, and could be a model for a home improvement store. He’s also an Afghanistan war hero and a successful businessman who owns an upscale antiques shop catering to the country club set. When he meets the beautiful dark-haired, brown-eyed young widow of his best customer, Steve begins the most challenging journey of his life…on the road to happily ever after.
About LUXURY MODEL WIFE
Antiques expert Steve Carlson must face the mistakes of his past to discover a treasure he never imagined: the heart of a vulnerable yet determined widow.
TRUE RICHES
Twenty-eight-year-old Victoria Van Orr just lost everything. With the death of her billionaire husband went his mature patience and warm encouragement; and the veneer of acceptance from everyone else. His friends and colleagues now ignore Victoria, and if his son succeeds she just might be forced back to the streets upon which she was raised. But money was never her goal. All she wants is love. Real love.
Antiques expert Steve Carlson knows the value of everything. Pain and betrayal? Those he gave away–and now they’re coming back. His worst mistakes were all with one man: an old friend, the son of a father figure, now the stepchild of a beautiful young widow who wants Steve to help her auction off the family estate. To help Victoria, Steve must face his past and become a better man. To find true love, he will discover her surprisingly pure heart, vulnerable yet determined. And beyond price.
Get your copy!
Excerpt:
Steve tilted his head, his bright blue eyes sizing her up. “Sorry, but I gotta’ ask. Do you always talk like that?”
Victoria felt her cheeks warm. “Whatever do you mean?”
“There.” He studied her again with not-so-subtle curiosity. “You sounded like your late husband James just now. Funny, you don’t seem like the snooty type to me. More like a regular girl.”
His comment touched a nerve like hot wires to stripped cable. Victoria bit back a retort while blood rushed through her ears. She closed her eyes against the sound to clear her head. Twenty-eight was hardly a girl, and she was damn tired of defending her right to be a Van Orr.
For five years she’d tried and failed to fit into the privileged world of her older husband—learning couture, keeping her posture as straight as a modeling school graduate, rounding her O’s when she spoke —apparently fooling no one on either side of the social spectrum in the process.
Defeat swept over her and her shoulders sagged beneath five-thousand dollars’ worth of silk and linen. No matter how hard she tried, she’d forever be exposed as the abandoned kid who’d grown-up in shelters.
Strange though… when she opened her eyes and returned them to Steve Carlson’s handsome face, she sensed his remark was meant as a compliment, and not a reminder that she lacked James’s pedigree. It was like he saw her.
Her. Not James’s luxury-model second wife.
Still, his manners were disgusting. Even store-owner-janitors should know how to behave. Snooty type. Who was he to say that to her? She was a potential client for heaven’s sake.
Victoria stood to leave. She was sick and tired of people voicing their opinions about her and her late husband’s disparate lineage. She’d been bullied and belittled since the day she’d become engaged. “You don’t know me well enough to analyze me, Mr. Carlson.” She kept the annoyance out of her reprimand. The rich had taught her that cool distain wounded more deeply than anger.
Steve grimaced, rubbed his jaw, and then stood to face her, his expression sheepish. He waved her back to her seat. “Please. I’m sorry I offended you. I’m a friend. Really. We’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”
He ran a hand through his hair and his bicep bulged with the movement. Victoria’s gaze followed the lines and curves of sinew and muscle and took in the military tattoo peeking from the hem of his tee shirt.
She resisted the images that teased her dormant libido, and brought her eyes back to his face. Damn. That didn’t help. Why did this annoying man have to be so good-looking? Her attraction to him only made her feel guilty, like she’d betrayed James’s memory.
Widowhood came with a unique set of baggage.
Buy LUXURY MODEL WIFE
About the Author
Adele Downs is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than 20 romance titles, including those written under another pen name, and a former journalist with hundreds of articles to her credit. When not writing in her home office in rural Pennsylvania, she can be found reading a book on the nearest beach, taking photographs, or riding in her convertible.
Find books by Adele Downs on Amazon!
https://www.amazon.com/Adele-Downs/e/B00G1RRS60
Visit Adele Downs on her website https://adeledowns.com
Subscribe to Adele’s blog https://adeledowns.wordpress.com
Like Adele Downs on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/authoradeledowns
Follow @Adele_Downs on Twitter! https://twitter.com/Adele_Downs
Find Adele Downs on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/httpwwwgoodreadscomAdeleDowns
Tagged: Guest Blogger Posted in General | Someone Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Adele Downs -
Wednesday, September 21st, 2016
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Delilah. I look forward to spending time with you and your followers.
I’d like to chat today about time travel and history.
As a reader, what part of our past fascinates you the most? If you could travel back in time where would you go and what would you want to see?
The piece of history that has always held me enthrall is the Alamo. Approximately two hundred men held the fort for thirteen days against an army of fifteen hundred. Their actions, and subsequent deaths, rallied the rest of Texas.
I really wanted to write a saga centered on the Alamo but my muse balked. So we compromised. My story revolves around the battle of San Jacinto and Sam Houston. And a woman who traveled back in time, captured history in her paintings, and found her lost love in the process.
Sundial
He came through time to find her.
As Sarah Miles drives down Eighteenth Street a stranger materializes in front of her car. She throws on her brakes, braces for impact and…drives straight through him. For a brief moment, his voice echoes in her head, “Saura.” Then he’s gone. Later that day, she discovers the SUNDIAL and her incredible journey through time begins.
On sale for .99 September 19-25 at Amazon.
https://tinyurl.com/gardensundial
Excerpt:
A purple haze of gunpowder hung in the air that filled her nose and mouth with the acrid smell and taste of sulfur. Her eyes watered and burned.
A sharp burst of gunfire sounded nearby. Fifes and a drum played a tune she didn’t recognize. Cries of, “Remember the Alamo. Remember Goliad,” echoed through the air, overriding screams of agony.
Oh, my God! She clutched Monet and stumbled to her feet. The Alamo? Goliad? Screams too real to be an enactment lifted the hair on the back of her neck. Goosebumps roughened her skin.
In front of her, over a thousand men were doing their best to kill each other.
They wore clothes from another era. Some were dressed in nondescript gray denim; some in white roundabout jackets and pantaloons; some in brown jackets and pants; all carried rifles, clubs, knives and tomahawks and all were bent on slaughtering men dressed in blue uniforms and shako hats.
A cannon blast rumbled. The ground shook.
Where am I? In the back of her mind, a fear too unbelievable to acknowledge grew. Along with terror, a growing sense of urgency bubbled in her like a volcano ready to erupt.
She edged closer to the battlefield and scanned faces for the beloved features of her lover. She’d lost him once—no, twice. She couldn’t lose him again.
About the Author
Sandra writes YA Fantasy, Romance, and Metaphysical Nonfiction. She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters and an occasional foster cat. The last animal member of the family, a kitten, came hurtling out of the woods in southern Illinois to land at her feet. He made the trek back to North Carolina and wasted no time settling into the household.
Although shopping is high on the list, her greatest pleasure is sitting on her porch, listening to the birds, sipping coffee or a latte and enjoying a good book. She’s a vegetarian and a Muay Thai enthusiast.
Tagged: Texas, timetravel Posted in General | Someone Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Charlotte -
Tuesday, September 20th, 2016
UPDATE: The winners are…Sandy Ebel, Jennifer Todd, and Barb Jack!
* * * * *
The sixth story in my Uncharted SEALs series released today! And it’s the first of three planned stories centered around a cruise ship, hence the special cruise ship icon on the cover.
Several of my SEAL stories have been set in the Caribbean. Why? I love the ocean, love islands, and I’ve traveled in the Caribbean—aboard cruise ships. Why not share a glimpse of my experiences? Write what you know is a mantra authors hear all the time. Two of my Adventure Girl stories were set in the Caribbean as well.
Here’s what this story is about:
Navy SEAL, William “Wiley” Coyote, should have known his “piece of cake” assignment would go sideways in a hurry. But he’d been lured by the promise of an all-expenses-paid cruise. A nice “fluffy” assignment after the last one spent escorting freighters through pirate-infested waters in the Strait of Hormuz.
A general’s daughter, Poppy Shackleford, isn’t some spoiled daughter of a man made famous for defeating insurgent forces. She’s endured her own tragedies—the loss of her mother when she was young and her father stationed in Afghanistan, and the loss of her fiancé after he sustained wounds in Iraq. Not from the physical wounds that claimed his legs—he took his own life. His death is why Poppy is involved in Soldiers’ Sanctuary, a non-profit that helps disabled soldiers adjust to their new circumstances. Which is why, despite the current threats against her father, she’s on this cruise assessing the ship’s ability to accommodate the soldiers, rather than sending a surrogate.
However, the first threat doesn’t come from terrorists with an ax to grind. Mexican banditos stop her tour bus heading toward Mayan ruins to shake down the passengers for their money and belongings. When one snaps a picture of her, he soon figures out there’s a much bigger payday. She knows she’s going to be kidnapped, but she doesn’t know someone is on that same tour bus who has her back.
Wiley’s unconventional takedown of her would-be kidnappers exposes the fact her father didn’t honor her wishes to fly under the radar. And now that the cat’s out of the bag, Wiley’s moving into her suite for the rest of their time at sea to keep her out of harm’s way.
Get your copy here!
Because I’m happy today, and I’d love to make several other someones happy, I’ll give away a free copy of the one of the previous stories in the series (other than Through Her Eyes) to THREE LUCKY WINNERS. Just tell me whether you’ve been on a cruise and where you sailed. And if you haven’t had the pleasure, where would you like to sail?
Uncharted SEALs
All the Uncharted SEALs books are FREE to Kindle Unlimited Subscribers
except for Through Her Eyes!
Tagged: SEAL, Uncharted SEALs Posted in About books..., Contests!, News | 27 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Barb Jack - Mira Wuerges - Kathleen Bylsma - Bushong - Delilah -
Monday, September 19th, 2016
I’m so excited to share my newest release with you, HER ROGUE ALPHA, Book 5 in my X-OPS Series!
I introduced you to feline shifter Layla Halliwell and injured Special Forces lieutenant Jayson Harmon earlier in the series, then gave you glimpses into their relationship in each subsequent book. Well, HER ROGUE ALPHA is all about them!
Layla went to college to become a psychologist because she always wanted help people. After graduation, she got a job at the DCO so she could work with shifters like her. She didn’t intend to ever become a field agent, but now that she’s training to be one, she’s excited at the prospect. If only her boyfriend, Jayson, were as thrilled about he career change.
Jayson used to be in the Special Forces, but got injured during a mission in Afghanistan and was medically separated from the Army. He takes an experimental drug that’s supposed to not only heal his injuries, but give him shifter abilities. Problem is, people who were given previous versions of that same serum either died or ended up like wild, uncontrollable animals. But
thinking about his girlfriend Layla out there in danger without him to watch her back is driving him crazy with worry and he’ll do anything to be her partner in the field.
Hope you enjoy it!
HE’LL DO ANYTHING FOR HER
Former Special Forces Lieutenant Jayson Harmon can’t believe that his war scars don’t matter to beautiful feline shifter Layla Halliwell. Why would she saddle herself with a broken man?
But Layla knows that Jayson is a hero to the core, and that only she can heal his wounded soul. So when Jayson is deployed on another deadly mission, no way is Layla staying behind…
Read the First 3 Chapters for FREE!
Purchase at: Amazon | B&N | iBOOKS | Kobo:
*hugs*
Paige
Social media links:
Website: https://paigetylertheauthor.com/
Blog: https://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/
Facebook Profile Page: https://www.facebook.com/paige.tyler.9
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X-OPS Series Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XOPSSeriesReaderGroup/
SWAT Series Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SWATSeriesReaderGroup/
Paige Tyler’s Groupies Central on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Paigetylersgroupies/
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Email: paigetyler@paigetylertheauthor.com
Tagged: Guest Blogger, shifter Posted in General | Comments Off on Paige Tyler: HER ROGUE ALPHA | Link
Sunday, September 18th, 2016
This month we marked the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. As I pondered this senseless act of terror and violence, I was reminded of the radically changed face of world war. In a post 9/11 world, we’ve seen the creation of a whole new scope of battle — cyberspace. On this modern battlefield, a lone attacker sitting thousands of miles away can create havoc and cause terror with just a few keystrokes. It’s frightening to know our banks, nuclear power plants, missile silos, military aircraft, and the Pentagon have all been targeted by enemy nation-states. Critical infrastructure, air traffic control systems, classified secrets, and defense initiatives are all potential targets. The Office of Personnel Management hack of 2015 stole more than 20 million records of current and former federal employees. As a former Army soldier working in the intelligence arena, I was a victim of that breach. It’s terrifying to think that every detail about my life, my service, my security clearances, and my fingerprints are now in the hands of terrorists.
But American war-fighting evolved to meet this new threat, and a dedicated new breed of warrior has emerged.
The more I dug into the world of cyber-espionage and cyberterrorism, the more fascinated I became with the idea that more battles are fought every day on a keyboard than in the trenches. The fourth book in my Duty & Honor series, Framed, teams a hacker-turned-FBI cybersecurity expert with a team of Delta Force special operators; my heroine, Lark, is assigned to deconstruct a piece of malware infecting an FBI server, which leads her to a horrific plot to detonate a small nuclear bomb on US soil. What she discovers is a harrowing, realistic scenario of what our enemies are now capable of doing.
Virtual enemies stalk us daily. Cyberwarfare has the potential to temporarily cripple a nation-state. The good news is, we’re just as good at preventing these hacks as we are perpetrating them against our enemies. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this new battlefield. My money’s on us.
What do you perceive to be the biggest threat the US faces in cyberspace? Do you think we can win this virtual War on Terror? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
*~*~*~*
RITA® nominated and award-winning author Leslie Jones has been an IT geek, a graphics designer, and an Army intelligence officer. She’s lived in Alaska, Korea, Belgium, Germany, and other exotic locations (including New Jersey). She is a wife, mother, and full-time writer, and currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her books can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and HarperCollins Publishers.
Framed (Duty & Honor Book 4) will be available on February 28, 2017 from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and HarperCollins Publishers. Catch up on the series with Night Hush, Bait, and Deep Cover.
Connect with Leslie!
https://www.lesliejonesbooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/LeslieJonesBooks
https://twitter.com/lesliejonesbks
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Saturday, September 17th, 2016
I’m a bit bleary-eyed this morning. Last night I accompanied my daughter’s family plus a dear friend to the county fair. My daughter has three daughters. Already they would have been exhausting. But she invited her stepson and his little half-brother to come, too. Kelly has one of those “blended” families. She’s determined to make all those relationships work. I think it’s a beautiful thing. Anyway, keeping up with kids running from ride to ride, and keeping the one child in a wheel chair happy while everyone else rode took effort. Plus the temperatures were in the low 90’s.
I kept hoping for rain.
Today, will be much quieter (if I don’t spend much time at my dd’s—those two extra kids are spending the weekend with her girls 🙂 ). I want to update my writing plans. And hopefully, get started on a story that’s due to release next month. I hope you have a restful Saturday!
Because I love polls and need to schedule what’s next in my Stepbrothers Stepping Out series, please answer me this:
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And in case you haven’t already sampled my previous SSO stories…click on the covers! Can you believe there are so many?
CONTEST QUESTION: For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, do you think it’s time I bundled some of these up and either a) offered them as a larger eBook? or b) offered them in a printed version?
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Last 5 people who had something to say: Mary Preston - Gayle Lazur - Charlotte - Bridget - flchen1 -
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