Best Erotic Romance officially releases today! You can’t go wrong—just take a look at the list of wonderful authors who contributed to this anthology: Sylvia Day, Donna George Storey, Heidi Champa, Delilah Devlin, Saskia Walker, Justine Elyot, Angela Caperton, Andrea Dale, Kate Dominic, Craig J. Sorensen, Shanna Germain, Emerald, Kate Pearce, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Erobintica, Kristina Wright, and Nikki Magennis

Buy at Amazon * Buy at Barnes & Noble * Buy at Books-A-Million

This inaugural collection of erotic romance features the very best of the genre. In erotic romance, the sexual component is critical to the development of the romantic relationship. Each of these masterfully written tales contains the essence of true romance: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying, optimistic ending. What sets Best Erotic Romance apart is the scorching hot sex and the happily-ever-after (or happy-for-now) ending. Award-winning romance writer and editor Kristina Wright and her cast of terrific romance writers have crafted stories that touch the hearts and minds of readers, and linger in the memory for a long, long time.

An excerpt from my story, “Drive Me Crazy”:

Just a glimpse of him standing in profile, arms crossed over his well-developed chest and leaning his firm, round butt against the dispatch counter, was enough to shore up my weakening resolve. Dressed in faded blue jeans, a black, chest-hugging t-shirt, and a red Razorback ball cap turned backwards on his dark shaggy hair, he was every woman’s blue-collar fantasy. My mouth dried as I glanced down his tall, muscled frame. What woman in her right mind wouldn’t want one night with all that ripped hotness?

And that’s all it could be—one night. I’d waited until the last possible moment to make my move.

The midnight drive to the dispatch office had given me plenty of time to argue my way out of what had seemed like a good plan earlier when I’d realized that the planets had aligned to give me this one last chance to fulfill my long-standing fantasy.

There’d never been the right time. For the longest time, I was married. When my husband dumped me, Danny had been living with a woman with two kids, and seemed to be heading down a straight road to marriage.

We’d flirted; he’d issued lazy invitations for dates or a quickie at the Motel 6 down the road. But I’d never detected even a hint of serious interest. If something was going to happen, I had to be the one to make a move. Today had been my last day at Henderson Transport. It was now or never.

All the reasons why I was crazy to consider it fell away as I ticked through them in my mind:
He’s too young—He’ll be happy because I won’t have any expectations, I said to myself. Well, none beyond a really good time.

I’m management and he’s a driver—Midnight had just ticked past, so not true anymore. We were both free agents. Both consenting adults. All he had to do was say yes.

“You’ll never see him again,” I muttered under my breath as I rubbed my cold hands together. “If he turns you down, you won’t have to live with his smug smile.”

I sucked in a deep fortifying breath, adjusted the neckline of the red Lycra top to show my breasts to their best advantage, and pushed through the glass door.

His head turned at the sound, and then he straightened away from the counter and dropped his arms. “You cuttin’ my route, Angel?” Read the rest of this entry »

Psst! Remember, continue to post in order to increase your chances to win
The Dragon with a Cup of Joe Contest!

For those of you who have to have a paper copy of a book in hand, you’re in luck! Three great ssssssmokin’ stories await you. While you’re admiring the cover and reading through the sexy blurbs, maybe you can answer a question, too.

What is is about printed books that calls to you? Or are you an eBook convert?

Buy at Samhain
Buy at Amazon
Buy at Barnes & Noble

Two men, one woman and some red-hot loving.

“True Heart” by Delilah Devlin

True can’t believe his brother Lonny rented out their isolated hunting cabin to a city girl. With a herd to keep alive, who has time to babysit? Erotica writer Honey needs no distractions to finish her next book, but the Wyatt brothers set her imagination free. Then a fire forces her to seek shelter under their roof—and the temptation to do some “research” is overpowering.

“Winter Fire” by Jess Dee

Rachel and Jackson can’t imagine being with anyone else, but Jackson never dates his twin sister’s friends. At the twins’ birthday weekend at a mountain resort, Rachel tries to forget him by indulging in a fling. Garreth weaves a fantasy that brings Jackson to their bed. Funny thing about his fantasies….they have a way of coming true.

“Triple Dare” by Lexxie Couper

Anna can see trouble is written all over Joseph and Rob, two sexy Aussies on a snowboarding trip to the Rockies. Sure enough, they end up needing her survival skills. Stuck in a remote cabin, the temperatures rise until a double dare turns into a triple threat.

Warning: These stories contain two men loving one woman in ways that break every fire code invented and are guaranteed to warm you on the coldest winter night.

Read an excerpt

Yesterday’s winner of a free download of SILENT KNIGHT is named
at the bottom of this post! ~DD

I’m extremely excited to announce that The Cowboy, now Cowboy Lust, is a go!

And just to give you a hint about what you’ll find inside this volume, this is what I said in the introduction of the book.

There’s a reason Western romance stories never go out of fashion. The cowboy is an iconic figure that embodies the dichotomy of the fiercely independent, earthy alpha male while being a nurturing protector. Given a picture of a man on a horse, wearing Wranglers, chaps, and with a broad-rimmed hat shadowing his face, women melt. I melt—and admittedly, I’m a pretty jaded reader, but I’m still the reader who craves the romantic idea of that gruff, capable man.

Even when he’s up to his knees in mud freeing a calf from a wallow, his image doesn’t tarnish. The imagination sparks, filling in the details—the scent of horse, cow, and crisp, clean sweat; the sight of sun-leathered skin and crow’s feet; the feel of work-hardened thighs and arms; and the sound of a deep-voiced, Texas drawl.

Maybe my abiding affection for Western romances is grounded in the nine years I lived in the heart of the Texas Hill Country with a working ranch nestled up against my backyard fence. Cowboys in Wranglers, wearing straw hats and boots was a common sight. The slower pace of life there was a soothing balm after life in a corporate cubicle. The romance of the place—despite the dust, tarantulas, scorpions and snakes—enthralled me. Still does.

So when I put out the word I was looking for “cowboy” stories, I had high expectations. The writers delivered!

From Cari Quinn’s Riding Double, which has a wicked twist, to the last story, Anna Meadow’s haunting She Don’t Stay the Night, you’ll travel a breadth of distinct voices, settings, and themes.

Veteran erotica writer, Cheyenne Blue, will take you to the Australian Outback for riveting tale with a heroine on the run for her life. Michael Bracken tells a quieter, simpler tale of a cowboy and a school teacher in Drought that’s no less compelling.

There’s a female rodeo star determined to win back her buckle and her confidence in M. Marie’s Rough Stock, a gun-toting girlfriend set on firing up the hussy who laid hands on her man in Lissa Matthews’ Small Town Famous, and a gunslinging couple in the Wild West seeking revenge in Raney’s Last Ride.

Bored, yet? I dare you to give this collection a try. You’ll find humor, heart-melting romance, and sweet, as well as rough lovin’, in these here pages. Saddle up, y’all!

This is your lineup of authors and their stories:

Cari Quinn—Riding Double
Cheyenne Blue—Under the Southern Cross
Randi Alexander—Banging the Cowboy
Cat Johnson—Ladies Love Country Boys
Michael Bracken—Drought
Charlene Teglia—Roped
M. Marie—Rough Stock
Sedona Fox—The Ranch Hand
Lissa Matthews—Small Town Famous
Tahira Iqbal—The Storm
Nena Clements—Caught Unawares
Kimber Vale—Some Like It Dirty
Chaparrita—Raney’s Last Ride
Delilah Devlin—Runaway Bride
Anna Meadows—She Don’t Stay The Night

Congratulations, authors! Readers, sorry to say, you’ll have to wait until Fall 2012 to find this book!

Yesterday’s winner is…Ebony Morton! Congratulations, and email me!

The new contest announcement will go up tomorrow because I have news I can’t wait to tell!

It’s funny that I wrote yesterday morning’s post, asking authors to remain patient for news about the final lineup for Beastly Babes, and yesterday afternoon, I received acceptance from the publisher! That’s the way it works, though. Put a thought out there in the ether…

Anyway, I’m extremely excited to announce that Beastly Babes, now She-Shifters: Lesbian Paranormal Erotica (with or without the hyphen, I’m not sure :)) is a go!

And just to give you a hint about what you’ll find inside this volume, this is what I said in the introduction of the book.

Usually, the idea of shapeshifting creatures is one meant to elicit shivers of horror. But imagine the possibilities if the animal lurking under the skin of a woman was searching for love. Even a demon with fangs and fur can long for a tender caress. Imagine again, a human who discovers her most erotic fantasies embodied in a wild, untamable lover.

Inside She-Shifters, you’ll discover how it feels to be embraced inside the warm, feathered wings of a phoenix, explore faded memories of a past life to find your one true love, race through a rain forest morphing from tiger to kingfisher, and watch your lover surrender her seal’s pelt to walk hand-in-hand with you along a cold and lonely shore.

Love comes running, slithering, flying—in all shapes of desire.

This is your lineup of authors and their stories:

Paisley Smith—The Night Crow
Anna Meadows—Verde
J.L. Merrow—Nine Days and Seven Tears
Angela Capterton—Sweetwater Pass
Christine d’Abo—Scorched Retribution
Michael M. Jones—Thwarting the Spirits
Adele Dubois—She’s Furry Yiffy
Karis Walsh—Totem
Giselle Renarde—Sneak
Myla Jackson—Purrfect in Venezia
Sacchi Green—The Dragon Descending
Victoria Oldham—All the Colors of the Sun
Tahira Iqbal—The Handler
Chris Kouju—Bound in Bronze
Delilah Devlin—Catnip
J.L. Merrow—Belling the Kat

Congratulations, authors! Readers, sorry to say, you’ll have to wait until Fall 2012 to find this book!

Last weekend when friends and I attended the Ozark Writers’ Conference in Eureka Springs, we blew off the conference accomodations in favor of something more on the wild side.

We headed a few miles out of town for the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. It’s a big cat refuge where exotic animals that have been abused or have become too much for their owners to handle can live out the rest of their lives. These animals aren’t suited for return to the wild and most have some health issue that prevents them from going to zoos. The refuge strives to put every animal they acquire in its own habitat, but while animals heal or are awaiting the opening of a new habitat area, they are caged.

We toured the habitat area and watched the keepers feed the animals. We were impressed with their work, the facility and the need.

First, take a look at our digs. These cabins are made to look like tents set up for safari, but are much more comfortable. At night, we could hear the cats “singing” and snarling. Very cool!

This is the inside of the one I shared with Myla Jackson and Shayla Kersten. The cabins ringed a deck that had a firepit and a jacuzzi. Yeah, we were roughing it. 🙂

These are a few pics I took of the animals in the habitats. They looked comfie, healthy, and the fences were sturdy—thank God—because you don’t realize how big those creatures are until you stand near them!

Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s the last time to enter the contest to win the grab bag of promo stuff, much of it signed, that I picked up at Romanticon! Post a comment to win!

I’m back at home now—but just for a couple of days. Thursday, I’ll head off to north Arkansas for the Ozark Writers Conference. I have sooooo much work to do before I go, including getting the word out about this book. If you have time, please click on the cover and head to Amazon. “Tag” it and “like” it—those things don’t cost a thing to do and you’d be helping other readers find the book. Thanks for all your support and good luck in the drawing!

His suffering….

Though proud and strong, Eirik, heir to the Ulfhednars kingdom, found himself seduced and taken from his homeworld by a bounty-hunting vixen, who sold him into slavery. Purchased by a wealthy, Consortium-backed brothel, he is kept at a heavily guarded and secure breeding facility, where he is forced to feed the lustful whims of Helios’s elite at night. He bides his time, waiting for a chance to escape and get his revenge on the woman who betrayed him…

Her satisfaction….

Once a sex thrall, Fatin earned her freedom through service. Now, as a bounty hunter, she is determined to earn enough to buy her sister’s papers from the same brothel she escaped. For this, she abducts a brutishly handsome, breed-worthy specimen from the Viking planet and delivers him to auction. But her desire for justice and his desire for freedom may consume both of them in a passion neither wanted—or can resist.

Buy at Amazon
Buy at Barnes & Noble
Buy at Books-A-Million

His suffering…

Though proud and strong, Eirik, heir to the Ulfhednars kingdom, found himself seduced and taken from his homeworld by a bounty-hunting vixen, who sold him into slavery. Purchased by a wealthy, Consortium-backed brothel, he is kept at a heavily guarded and secure breeding facility, where he is forced to feed the lustful whims of Helios’s elite at night. He bides his time, waiting for a chance to escape and get his revenge on the woman who betrayed him…

Her satisfaction…

Once a sex thrall, Fatin earned her freedom through service. Now, as a bounty hunter, she is determined to earn enough to buy her sister’s papers from the same brothel she escaped. For this, she abducts a brutishly handsome, breed-worthy specimen from the Viking planet and delivers him to auction. But her desire for justice and his desire for freedom may consume both of them in a passion neither wanted—or can resist.

Buy it now and save $4.80—at Amazon!

Read an excerpt…

Eirik tried not to breathe too deeply. The rotten, sour smells of his dark, dank prison already made his skin stink. He didn’t want the awful stench inside his lungs or belly.

He hadn’t seen the other prisoners, not after they’d been herded like cattle through a chute once the hatch had been opened at the side of the ship and his keepers applied their prods to their backsides to move them out in single file.

With only brief impressions of his new home, of searing heat and blinding, harsh sunlight, he’d shielded his arm over his eyes and stumbled down the gangway, through the iron-barred alley that disallowed any thoughts of escape.

He’d been led to this cell, deep inside an enormous stone building. A brief glimpse of an open arena, and then he’d been shoved down two flights of narrow stone steps.

Once they’d slammed the solid door and slid the eye-level window closed, he’d been left alone, no sounds penetrating his prison other than the hum of the light above him, and the sounds his own body made.

His thoughts drowned it all out, screaming inside him. He’d wanted to beat his fists against the door, rail at his captors, but he didn’t know if anyone watched him, and wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing how close to abject despair he was coming.

Hel, he’d even suffer Fatin’s derision, her cold, calculating touch, just to feel or hear another human being.
Read the rest of this entry »