Summer’s two winners are Marika Weber and Elizabeth H.! Congratulations, and please email Summer to let her know which ebook format you want at katerothwell@gmail.com.

That question that writers either love or hate: where do you get your ideas? I usually hate the question, only because I often don’t know any answer other “on dog walks.” But I can finally give an explanation for how a story came into being. I’m talking about Unnatural Calamities, the book that came out yesterday.

Go on, ask it. I’ll just wait here. Where did I get the ideas for that book, you ask?

I began Janey’s story as an exercise. I’d just read a fun Harlequin Presents and it had a few great tropes (if you need a definition, here’s a link to a trope site https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage but watch out, that site will suck you in and spit you out hours later.)

That Harlequin contained a millionaire, a woman living under a false identity, and a secret baby. Ha, I thought, I can do better than that using even more romance standards. I decided to pile on as many clichés as I could: twins, mistaken identity, secret baby, amnesia, men with odd first names, a kidnapping, a rich guy, a fish out of water—all the while keeping the story believable.

About two chapters in, soon after I’d introduced the “grungy bad boy with mystical powers to attract women,” I became more interested in the actual characters and their story. Toph and Janey turned into real people for me and I wanted to make sure they got a fair shake.

So I continued writing, now employing my usual method—I usually write character-driven stories and I love me some tension. But I still managed to work in the romance standards, mostly disguised as people you’d meet on the street. If you pick up a copy of Unnatural Calamities, and you’re a romance reader, you might see many familiar figures or situations—but all twisted to fit a story I grew to love.

She has a deft hand with banana flambé…and a touch that sets his body on fire.

Janey knows all too well she looks a wreck. What hard-working chef wouldn’t, operating on three hours of sleep? Stuck in a dull Connecticut town, taking care of her beloved niece, Rachel, Janey spends her days looking for a job and her nights working high-end catering gigs.

Just her luck, she runs into Mr. Perfect two days past her designated laundry day. And she’s just found out her niece is passing her off as “Mom” to avoid the embarrassment of admitting her real mother, Janey’s identical twin, is serving time.

Despite Janey’s questionable fashion sense and the juicy gossip about her checkered past, venture capitalist Christopher Dunham finds himself drawn to her spark. And warmed by her obvious affection for Rachel, so like what he feels for his own daughter.

When sexy, way-out-of-her-league Toph offers her a business loan, Janey can’t believe her long string of bad luck with bad boys has come to an end. At least, until a blast from her sister’s shady past turns up the heat on their attraction. And sets off a chain of events that could snuff out the flame just as their love starts to come to a boil…

Product Warnings: A comedy of errors, mistaken identity, poor girl meets rich guy, kidnapping at gunpoint, and hot handcuffed sex in a hotel bathtub—and that’s all before lunch.

I’d like to give away two copies of Unnatural Calamities or any other book by Summer Devon (including any m/m’s I’ve written with Bonnie Dee) winner’s choice from https://summerdevon.com.

THANK YOU!
Kate/Summer

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

The Dragon with a Cup of Joe Contest

What can you win?
This lovely “Lady and a Dragon” coffee cup that comes in a very pretty box.

What do you have to do to enter?
Post a comment—here or on my Facebook page. I follow the KISS motto! (Keep It Simple, Stupid! :))

This contest lasts until December 20th, so there are plenty of chances to enter!

You need something to talk about while you’re here today, don’t you?—besides the pretty coffee cup. Here’s a question:

Would you be more afraid to be trapped on a rope bridge over a canyon
or in a dark cramped cave?

(Also, don’t forget to check out my Contest page! Go there for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com!)

For those of you who asked, the cup comes from Christi’s Gifts & Consignments, 870-230-1877. And yes, she can order more!

I posted a lovely review for A Four-Gone Conclusion at Wild & Wicked Cowboys. I’d love for you to stop by there and say hello! I’ll be busy here working on getting the next cool contest posted then switching gears to slam down pages on Lone Heart!

Oh! And the winner of yesterday’s Facebook-related contest is…Gabi Wurst! Gabi, send me an email! ~DD

Secondary characters add color and help to display different sides to a hero or heroine’s personality. Sometimes, I have fun giving hints of what’s to come in follow-up stories. Enjoy this snippet from the opening of A Four-Gone Conclusion where you meet ALL the Logan brothers over a typical family meal. 🙂

One devilish night…or a chance at heaven?

Lone Star Lovers, Book 5

Sam Logan’s foster sons have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. Most of it earned. When it becomes clear they don’t plan on giving up scootin’ after every pretty pair of boots in town anytime soon, he issues the one thing he knows they can’t resist: a challenge. Find a wife.

The oldest, Johnny, is actually grateful. He’s had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker for a long time, and Sam’s challenge is the kick in the pants he needed to ask her out. Except before he can make his move, his brothers kidnap her right out from under his nose. Now, instead of being one question away from victory, he has to compete for the woman of his dreams.

Ellie thought she’d be a dried up old spinster before Johnny finally untangled his tongue long enough to ask for a date. But instead of teaching him better uses for that tongue, his brothers have whisked her away to the ranch. At first she’s furious…then intrigued when she starts to wonder what it might be like to have not just one sexy cowboy dedicated to her pleasure, but four…

Warning: Four handsome cowboys. Four choices. Will it be a single sordid night or a chance at heaven as she savors every luscious inch of the Logan brothers?

“It’s time you boys found yerselves a wife.” Sam Logan made his pronouncement then waited, watching the four younger men seated at the table from the corner of his eye. He didn’t have to wait long for his words to sink in. They exploded in the room with the force of a silent grenade.

Johnny’s jaw closed with a snap, and he laid his spoon down on the scarred oak table. His black winged brows drew together, nearly meeting over his dark eyes as he raised his head.

Sam suppressed a smile. That look could make the toughest hombre gulp, but Sam wasn’t the least bit concerned. Johnny tended to look mean when things changed. His oldest boy hated any kind of change.
Read the rest of this entry »

The official release date of Cleis Press’s latest collection, Best Erotic Romance, is December 6th, but Amazon, for one, is already shipping! I have a little story in this first annual “Best of” collection, entitled “Drive Me Crazy.” Click on the cover to head to Amazon if you’d like to order your copy now. Hope you enjoy the excerpt!

Oh, and while you’re over at Amazon, how about clicking on “Like” and the “tags”—those things do help a book! Thanks! ~DD

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.

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.
Read the rest of this entry »

I’m sick as a dog today and not able to spend much time in front of the monitor, so this is a quick post.

Have you ever been escorted out of a place by security?

As a teenager, I was asked to leave a movie theater for making too much noise with my friends, but I can’t remember anything more exciting than that. Tell me your story!