**Just a note before I get started with today’s post. NaNoWriMo is off and running. Many of my writing friends are busy slamming down pages to their next great novel. At the end of the second day, I’m at 5341 words. I finished chapter one of a sexy contemporary story for Ellora’s Cave and have the opening scene to the first Cat Tale story started.**

In case you didn’t know it, the seventh book in the vampire series I write for Ellora’s Cave will be released on November 11th. Between now and then, I want to remind you about the previous stories and give you a chance to win a download of each of them. You have to post a comment to win. If you already have the book, post a comment to let me know whether you want me to keep going with this series!

All Hallows Heartbreaker was the second book I published and was released in October 2003. The heroine, Emmy, was so much fun to write that she has appeared in every single installment of the series since.

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From Just Erotic Romance Reviews: “…I definitely recommend this novel to all fans of erotic vampire stories.”

From Romance Reviews Today: “…A wild romp of raunchy sex, laugh-out-loud humor, and suspense…”

From The Romance Studio: “…Ms. Devlin’s take on the vampire world is unique and creative…”

Love bites!

Emmaline Harris meets the perfect man at a Halloween party. After he rescues her from the unwanted attentions of another partygoer, she succumbs to his kisses and spends an evening engaged in wicked-sexy lovemaking. Sure she’s just a one-night stand, she tries to exit gracefully, but soon find she needs Dylan’s special skills when her world is turned upside down by a blood-drinking killer and his gang who target her for their next meal.

Dylan O’Hara only wants a night of passion to slake his sexual needs, but finds Emmy is a full-bodied, red-blooded siren whose innocence and humor draws this Master vampire like a moth to a red-hot flame. When Emmy attracts the attention of a serial-killing vampire, Dylan vows to protect her, but he fears he’ll lose Emmy once she discovers her “Dracula” has real fangs!

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Note for Readers: You must be of legal age in your country of origin to read this excerpt.

Dylan stared at the woman Nicky was about to ravage. With her body crushed against his nemesis, Dylan had an excellent view of the lush curve of her waist, which blended into wide hips—and an ass a man would die to pump against. To his photosensitive eyes, her hair reflected the radiance of a sun in its blonde strands. The skin of her shoulders, rosy with blushes, made his mouth water.

His cock twitched behind the fly of his blue jeans.

Quentin coughed, breaking the spell the woman’s brilliant smile had cast.

“Nicky. You know the house rules,” Dylan said, his voice roughened by his instant attraction to the woman. “No civilians.”
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Be sure to post a comment today to be in the running
for a download of this book!

CECK was originally published in September 2005 and was my second appearance in a “Caveman” anthology. Oh, and excuse my alien heroine’s accent. I promise it’s only a temporary thing until she gets her translator adjusted! Enjoy!

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From Coffee Time Romance: “…An encounter of the best kind, these two leave sparks across the sky in a sizzling adventure you will not want to miss.”

Etienne Lambert, a Cajun ex-soldier fresh from the horrors of the war in Iraq, discovers that he’s an alien when an alien woman arrives at his door to take him home. When he resists, she kidnaps him. He soon learns he is the last potent male of the ruling line of their planets and it’s his duty to return to assume the mantle of rule and sire the next generation of the ruling caste.

Mariska is a fightership commander who has succeeded where all the mages, seers, and trackers have failed. She has found her race’s last hope for salvation! When the future king demands that he start work immediately on the primary mandate of his rule — to sire children — she can’t refuse His Majesty’s command.

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Etienne leaned forward, cuddling his beer between his hands, letting the silence wrap around his jangled nerves. Here in the swamp, in a hunting cabin filled with happy childhood memories, he hoped to finally shrug off his soul-deep sadness. He loved his brother and family, but he didn’t want to invite them into the dark place he’d been forced inside ever since Tekrit.

Arnaud had left half an hour before, frustrated and hurt—Etienne knew it, but couldn’t reach out to him, not yet. Maybe a few more days of staring out at the green, wet world around him would drown the memories of the sun-baked dirt that drank his buddies’ blood like a thirsty sponge.

He needed time to fit back into his old life. He snorted at that thought—like he’d ever really fit in to begin with. Taller by a foot than his brothers and swarthy-skinned to their olive, he’d often wondered if he hadn’t been traded in the bassinet at birth. And he’d never been satisfied with what life offered him in the bayou—it’s why he’d enlisted in the first place.

A twig snapped nearby, and Etienne froze. As if he’d never left Iraq, time slowed, and in one long moment he realized the crickets had stopped their raucous chirping, the owls no longer called to one another—he had a visitor.
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A feature of my old website was a page I wrote to accompany each book release called “Behind the Book.” Close Encounters has been around long enough to have one of those pages. I’ll feature an excerpt and offer up a free download to one lucky winner tomorrow, but in the meantime, this was what tripped around my mind when I wrote the story.

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New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana have always fascinated me. From the murky, smarmy ambience and the spicy full-flavored foods, to that distinctive dialect filled with French and Southern inflections—everything is a definite turn-on, appealing to the underlying darkness in this writer’s twisted mind and soul!

So I was thinking, if aliens were coming to America, where better for an encounter to happen?

My hero needed a little darkness in his soul to match the landscape in my mind, so I went with what is familiar to me. I understand the military man and have lived in the desert of the Middle East, and with the war in Iraq so much in the news, a hero fresh from the horrors there worked in a beautiful and poignant way.

My damaged hero, Etienne, needed to lighten up and learn how to open his heart to caring again—and accept someone he cared about touching his body and heart.

So I gave Etienne to Mariska. Mariska is worldly in a galactical sort of way, but innocent when it comes to heart lessons and the darkness that can haunt a person who’s seen too much. She’s hell bent on accomplishing her mission and saving her planets, and her work is cut out for her trying to convince a man who thinks he’s already given enough to go along with her plans.

Painting the picture of where he came from to where he arrived was part of the joy of writing this story. It was a flight of whimsy—my grown-up ET.

I’m back at home for now. Have to head back to my daughter’s on Sunday night. Gawd, I’m exhausted. I’m hoping I can work on new material next week in between changing diapers and de-pooping dogs (It did feel like the theme of my week was “shit”!). We’ll see. Right now I’m sleep-deprived and feeling a bit like a walking zombie. Tomorrow’s the monthly Diamond State Romance Authors meeting, and some of us are planning a trip to watch a live Roller Derby match afterward. So, needless to say, neither rest nor writing is on the horizon.

To celebrate Halloween, Ellora’s Cave is offering every vampire book up for sale. If you haven’t read the My Immortal Knight books yet, here’s your chance to save some cash while you catch up on the series. It looks like book #7 will be out in November, so there’s no time like now to find out what happened prior to the next installment!

I work hard at my craft, so I’m entitled to brag now and then. I wanted to share some of the fabulous reviews Lockdown has received.

From Novelspot: “…I am a big fan of Delilah Devlin’s work, so was eager to review LOCKDOWN. I think the character of a woman’s correctional officer is fascinating and not really touched on. Add in the supernatural spin this book contains and you know you’re in for a treat…LOCKDOWN is another hot read not to be missed by Delilah Devlin. The creativity and sexual energy in this supernatural erotic tale is amazing. I was caught up in the mystery and the foreshadowing evil in the story. All three characters were wonderfully done, and I loved their hardcore attitudes. This is a read you’ll not want to pass up.…”

From Manic Readers: “…LOCKDOWN was pure perfection…As good as the sex is I found myself totally immersed in the evil shadowing the three characters. I was downright riveted to my pages…Suspense, danger, mouthwatering sex scenes and a demon should be enough to make you pick up LOCKDOWN. I will recommend this book to everyone I know, it’s just that good!”

From Reader Reviews: “…LOCKDOWN by Delilah Devlin offers a uniquely different erotic tale. The sensual scenes are very well written and a pleasure to read. The plot is very complex for a novella, yet the author carries it well. I really enjoyed this story and hope that there will be more to follow along this line.”

From Just Erotic Romance Reviews: “…Delilah Devlin always delivers stories with real characters. LOCKDOWN is terrific at building suspense and creating tension; as a reader you can’t wait to see what will happen next…”

If you missed this story, which came out earlier this year, and want to learn more before you buy, click in the cover!

Be sure to post a comment today to be in the running
for a download of this book!

Originally released in February 2004, Garden of Desire was the third book in the Desire series series. Enjoy!

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From Just Erotic Romance Reviews: “Ms. Devlin has great talent for writing HOT HOT HOT sex scenes and the characters in this book are intriguing and well developed.”

From Sizzling Romances: “…Ms. Devlin has penned an erotic adventure that will leave you smiling. This wonderful blend of humorous dialogue, vivid descriptions, and exceedingly hot sex make GARDEN OF DESIRE a must read.”

Ex-pirate Cantor Marlowe is drowning in femininity. Perfumes assail him morning, noon, and night. And the voices! High and trilling when calling to attract his interest. Low and throaty when whispering dark and sexy promises in his ears. Loud and strident when bringing their never-ending complaints for him to resolve.

As the governor to a fledgling colony, Cantor and his fellow pirates have entered into a pact to set down roots, self-govern without Dominion interference, and raise families on an uninhabited planet at the edge of the known galaxy. Who would have thought the ex-cons they liberated to make their wives would have so much to complain about in paradise? ‘Tis no wonder Cantor itches to go a-pirating.

Martha knows how to pick a lock. What the little thief can’t figure out is how to steal Cantor’s heart. When Cantor’s head is turned by the arrival of an innocent harem girl, Martha fears she’s lost her chance at love until the girl turns to Martha for a little lesson in love.

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“I think I would’ve been better off wearing my sandals than these ill-fitting boots,” Kirsten said over her shoulder, as she slogged down the rough-cut trail through the forest.

“Stop complaining,” Martha said, tugging at the waist of the breeches she’d nicked from Ivan’s wardrobe. For the hundredth time, she wished she’d thought to steal a belt along with the rest of his clothing; the trousers fit snugly at the hips, but bagged around her middle. “There aren’t many men with spare boots to fit your big feet.”

Kirsten halted and turned to her, a scowl darkening her face. “My feet are in proportion with my body. They get me where I need to go.” The scowl cleared and Kirsten looked into the canopy of leaves above them. “Do you think we’re still on the right trail?”

Martha snorted. “Do you really think any animal on this planet cuts trails with laser-swords?” She changed the bag she carried from one shoulder to the other. She’d packed light, but her bag seemed to grow heavier as they walked.

“How come we haven’t caught sight of them, yet?” Kirsten, who’d been so eager to start this adventure, had kept up a steady stream of complaints for the last hour.

She was wearing on every last one of Martha’s nerves. “Because you keep wasting our time on bitching.”

“I’m hungry. Do you have any more of the bread Pingat stole from the galley?”

“Yes, but you aren’t having it.”

“Why not? I’m hungry.”

“You’ll be hungrier in the morning when there’s nothing left to eat. Besides, you could stand to go hungry for a few days,” Martha said nastily. “Now, pick up your feet.”

Kirsten headed back down the trail. “Do you really think we won’t catch up before dark? I don’t like the thought of bedding down by ourselves.”

Martha didn’t want to face that possibility yet herself. She was a city-girl, born and raised in the Dallas-Austin metropolis. She’d rather walk down mean-streets at midnight than spend a night alone in the woods. “We have the electro-stuns I stole from the armory. We’ll be fine.”

Kirsten stopped again. “But what if one of those giant bats comes after us? Will it be enough?”

Martha shoved her onward. “Keep walking! I’m sure they’re not bats. You heard what Trina said. She had her ear to the door the entire time Doc was in there with Travis and Nicky. Besides, whatever they are, they’re too big to fly through this thicket. You’ll be fine—you’re considerably larger than a sheep.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

“If the shoe doesn’t fit…”
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On my old website I had a feature called “Behind the Book”, which told readers what the heck I was thinking when I wrote the story. Here’s the story behind Garden of Desire. Tomorrow, you’ll get a chance to win it.

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In the first book in this series (the Desire series), I introduced First Mate Cantor Marlowe. I knew in that first scene that I would be coming back to visit him. He was too sexy, too sure of himself. He was a smart-ass and looking forward to the new adventure the pirates were embarking on—colonizing a new world.

When I finally sat down to write Garden, I wondered what would happen to a pirate who gets everything he ever wanted? The answer came immediately—he’d be bored stiff.

Poor Cantor! Just a few months on the new world and he’s ready to chuck the responsibility of governing a bunch of land-locked pirates and marriage-minded ex-cons. He misses the adrenaline rush of his old profession. I’ve known guys like Cantor—hell, I’ve dated them. Once the first blush of conquest is past, they’re looking for the next one—be it the next woman that catches their eye or the next, greatest adventure.

Once Cantor figures out he’s not made to be domestic, he rejects anything that smells conjugal—new curtains for his cabin, a certain blonde who’s made no bones about the fact she intends to “land” him.

Of course, the story wouldn’t be a romance if I gave him what he thought he wanted—freedom from emotional entanglement. But the right woman had to catch him unawares. Actually, Cantor being Cantor, he needed a lot of encouragement—one woman wouldn’t succeed. Give him two who conspire together—and he’s a goner.

So, first I give him every man’s favorite fantasy—a harem-raised virgin. But while Fahgwat was innocent, she wasn’t stupid. Nor could she be shy. Cantor is attracted from the first moment he sees her, but instantly recognizes that this little bit of eye candy is extremely dangerous to his freedom. He’s never had a virgin, but knows instinctively that once he takes her, he’s going to feel obligated. He resists temptation.

But Martha recognizes a chance to trap Cantor by using his powerful attraction to the girl and offers him teasing glimpses of what life with Fahgwat would be like. A thief by profession, she connives to help Fahgwat, by offering herself as a “safe” substitute to rid himself of his excess ardor. Martha’s relentless and works herself under his skin like a chigger.

When I envisioned the pirate’s new world, I offered a view of my ideal world. I’ve traveled a lot, but have never found anything lovelier than the forests of the Pacific Northwest or Scandinavia. So I blended the two to build my world. Log long-houses like those used in Scandinavia during the times of the Vikings became the temporary homes for my colonists.

But there always has to be a “snake” in paradise. Only the “snake” in my mind isn’t necessarily evil—facing it leads to enlightenment.

I hope the adventure doesn’t end with this book. I don’t have specific plans for my colonists, but maybe I’ll come back in the future to see how they’re doing.