Bestselling Author Delilah Devlin
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In the refuge…
Saturday, October 8th, 2011

I’m just posting a quick photo. There are several of us from the Diamond State Romance Authors RWA chapter who are attending the Ozark Writers Conference. We decided to skip the conference accomodations in favor of something more adventurous. We’re staying at the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. They take in large cats, mostly, from around the country who have been raised by stupid owners who thought having a tiger or lion in their back yard was a good idea.

These cats aren’t suitable for zoos, or for being rehabilitated for return to the wild, and a place like this is their last hope before extermination. We’re so impressed with what the refuge is doing, that our group is planning something to support their efforts—but more about that later.

I took tons of pictures and will share more once I get home. Here’s one for now.

Note: Check out Shayla Kersten’s blog today. She has more photos posted!

Eureka!
Friday, October 7th, 2011

I’m here in Eureka Springs for the Ozark Writers Conference. Sis and I arrived last night and stayed in the Crescent Hotel. Two other friends, Brinda B. and Cyndi d’Alba were there as well. We had a formal five-course meal in the dining room—Lord, I’d forgotten how fabulous foie gras tastes! Anyway, we went on the ghost tour. I took tons of pictures, plenty with orbs and a few suspicious shadows, but nothing as creepy as my first visit here in June. I really think the ghosts were attracted to the 7-year-old then.

Today, we’re representing our RWA chapter and Rose’s Colored Glasses. When we arrived, they didn’t have a table for our stuff. My karma is just shit lately. Any suggesions from y’all for how to scrub it clean?

This morning David Morell (the Rambo creator) spoke. He had some very good advice, first and foremost being, “Become a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else.” That’s so freaking true.

Remember, I have two contests running. Be sure to check out yesterday’s post for details!

While I’m away… TWO NEW CONTESTS!
Thursday, October 6th, 2011

I’m out the door again. This time, I’m heading to the Ozark Writers Conference in Eureka Springs. And you know me, it’s a mash-up of work and play. Tonight, I’ll hang out with friends at The Crescent Hotel. It’s that haunted hotel I had so much fun at when I visited in June. Then Friday, we all move to a B&B inside a big cat refuge. Nothing like sitting in a hot tub while listening to the lions roar. I know I’ll be thinking that I’m sitting in a slow-cooker and I’ll be nice and tender when Leo the Lion breaks through the fence. Anyway, I’ll post while I’m gone—I hope. Depends on Internet connection. With my luck lately, I’ll have to drive to a McDonald’s to get connection. Anyway, here’s the crass author promo…

I have two new contests!

1) Romanticon Grab Bag #2 Contest

What can you win?
A prize pack of signed cover flats, pens, bookmarks, trading cards, pens, etc. Plus, I’ll be sure to send along some of my own “stuff”!

What do you have to do?
Post comments on my blog and or my Facebook page. Every comment you make will count as one entry. How easy is that? This contest ends next Tuesday, October 11th!

2) The Promo Ho Contest

What can you win?
I’m giving away two $25.00 Amazon.com gift certificates.

What do you have to do to enter?
See the covers below? These books are in sore need of online reviews by readers. So I’m offering a tempting bribe. You know there won’t be as many entries for this contest as for the Grab Bag contest, so you stand a better chance of winning! And wouldn’t you like to have some cash to spend on new books? And who knows? Maybe you already have these stories sitting on your TBR pile. Time to move them to the top!

Give an honest review for one of these stories on one of the online bookstores. Send me the link at del…@delilahdevlin.com. It can be the same review on three different sites, but send me three separate messages with the different links. Doesn’t matter if the review is on Samhain’s or Ellora’s Cave’s website, Amazon or Nook—send me the link to the review. Easy as that. And if you’ve already posted a review, it counts too. Send me the link! This contest ends October 25th!

Review at Barnes & Noble
Review at Amazon

Guest Blogger: Jodi Redford
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

The winner of the first grab bag of prizes from Romanticon is… Okay, so let me tell you what’s in the bag first. Or maybe, I should start by telling you that the bag itself is quite a prize. Because I didn’t get to sign books at Romanticon, I spent my time getting signatures from every single author there. Yup, the bag is cram-packed with signatures from the wonderful authors at Ellora’s Cave. Inside the bag, there are signed cover flats, pens, bookmarks, a trading card storage box, trading cards, pens, etc. Plus, I’ll be sure to send along some of my own “stuff”. The winner will enjoy combing through this big bag of cool junk and maybe be inspired to check out authors like Ann Jacobs, Koko Brown, Desiree Holt, Kaily Hart, Kathy Kulig, Kimberly Killion, Cerise DeLand, Delphine Dryden, Christine d’Abo, and many more. Okay, no more teasing. The winner of this grab bag of prizes is…Wendy Gregory! Wendy, congrats and email me!

Back to Jodi Redford…

First of all, I want to thank the fabulous Delilah for letting me come on her blog today. Seeing how she’s one of my fave authors, this is a major fan-girl moment for me. Once I got over the exuberant squee-fest going on in my head, I realized I actually had to decide on a subject for my post. So with no hesitation, my mind automatically veered toward my favorite topic—shape-shifters. Or more to the point, super sexy shape-shifters. It’s no secret that I have a love affair with paranormal romances, and the primal and often lusty shifter heroes—and heroines—who populate these magical, fantastical worlds. But what exactly is it about these characters that I and others find so appealing? Is it the wild, animalistic traits that encompass a shape-shifter’s persona that we’re drawn to? I can’t speak for everyone, but I find that whole growly, alpha thing immensely sexy, be it a werewolf, were-tiger, or dragon.

It was my quest to find the ultimate of alpha shape-shifters that led me to my most recent hero, Max Truitt, from Maximum Witch. When I first told friends and family I was going to write a shark hero, they thought I’d finally, officially lost it. A shark…hero? It was crazy. Insane. Even for me. Who in their right mind would think a shark could be heroic, much less sexy? Well, me, for one. Although the being in my right mind part might be debatable. Regardless, the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea of Max. There’s something incredibly sexy and dangerous about a hero who could eat you for dinner—pun intended. The fun part about writing his character was taking his inner shark traits and twisting them for a sexier purpose than hunting down swimmers for an afternoon snack. For instance, Max shows an equal determination to make a meal out of the heroine, Willa, in this little snippet.

Who says getting eaten by a shark is a bad thing?

That Old Black Magic, Book 3

Willa Jameson is having one whopper of an identity crisis. Odd memory flashes that aren’t hers. A sultry voice in her head that’s obsessed with sex. Even weirder, she finds herself in the jaws of a rogue leviathan, dragged to the bottom of the ocean—and rescued by a hunky…shark?

The last thing Sheriff Max Truitt expects to find on his daily, deep-Atlantic patrol is a human—especially one who breathes underwater. Compelled to take her home, he waits for the beauty to wake up and reveal her name. Instead he’s treated to a punch in the nose, then a sexy romp hot enough to boil water.

The next morning, embarrassed by the sizzling, scandalous things the voice in her head drove her to do, Willa slips away. But if there’s one thing a determined shark excels at, it’s tracking his favorite meal.

Solving the mystery that is Willa is no simple task. When they finally unlock a dangerous secret hidden deep in her subconscious, it drives a wedge between them…and puts them in a desperate race against an evil that seeks to rain down a watery Armageddon on all mankind.

Product Warnings: This book does not contain sex with a puffer fish. There’s not even sex with a seahorse. However, there’s plenty of smoking-hot lovin’ with a shark. And even a steamy M/F/M threesome. So slap on your snorkels and swim fins, things are about to get wet and wild.

Max released his belt and lowered the volume on the radio before turning toward her. She figured her face must have displayed her sizable panic as he leaned close, invading her personal space. His nearness forced her to tip her head sideways, making her glasses slip. He removed them and set them on the front dash. A purposeful gleam lit his eyes as his focus dipped to her mouth. She swallowed. “Max—”

His hand cupped the nape of her neck, lightly stroking. “There’s no way you didn’t think I was going to kiss you.”

“B-but you already did.”

“That was nothing. This time it’s serious.” And with that preemptive warning, he claimed her mouth, his tongue easily coaxing past the barrier of her lips and meeting hers in a hot glide. There was no hesitation or fumbling in his kiss. Only the skilled determination of a male intent on making her melt into a quivering puddle of desperation. He sucked on her bottom lip, his teeth scraping gently.

Panting, she sank her nails into the softness of Max’s T-shirt, fascinated by the marked contrast to the hard muscles hidden beneath. “I—I meant it when I said I’m not falling into your bed.”

“Then take me home to yours.” His bristly jaw scuffed softly along her chin as he dipped his head and sucked the side of her neck. Sharp, pleasurable tingles burst beneath her skin, pebbling her nipples and throbbing within her clit. She squirmed and trembled, her body pulling tight. It was no mystery to her that the sensitive area Max had zeroed in on happened to be one of the most erogenous zones of her body, but how the hell did he know it?

“I…I—” She almost passed out from the devastating pleasure of Max’s mouth when his suction intensified. Her aching clit felt like it was going to explode. “Oh goddess.”

His thumb flicked over her distended nipple, using the friction of her blouse and bra to drive her higher. He lifted his head. “I want to make you come. Over and over. With my tongue, fingers, my cock. Until you lose count of the number of orgasms you’ve had. Say you want that too.”

“Max…” Her plea turned into an embarrassing mewl as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and index finger. She grabbed onto him, trying to drag him closer and increase the teasingly light pressure on her breast, but the bastard refused to budge.

“If you don’t tell me now, Willa, so help me I’ll stop. It’s all of you or nothing.”

Jodi’s Bio

At the ripe age of seven, Jodi Redford penned her first epic, complete with stick figure illustrations. Sadly, her drawing skills haven’t improved much, but her love of fantasy worlds never went away. These days she writes about fairies, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures, only with considerably more heat.

She has won numerous contests, including The Golden Pen and Launching a Star. When not writing or working the day job, she enjoys gardening and way too many reality television shows.

Currently residing in Michigan with her husband and overgrown lapdog, she is a member of RWA national and Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America.

She loves to hear from readers. You can email her at jodiredford@jodiredford.com and visit her online at www.jodiredford.com.

ENSLAVED BY A VIKING is here!
Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

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

1 Day to get ENSLAVED! (Contest!)
Monday, October 3rd, 2011

Today, I’ll be flying back to Arkansas. Romanticon is over. I had a great time hanging out with my sister, daughter and friends. But I’m ready to be home.

Yesterday was more restful than I expected. For whatever reason, the powers that be didn’t think I’d be there for the big booksigning event, so there wasn’t a place for me. That’s the third time this has happened to me this year. I can’t figure out where I earned that kind of karma, but a couple of you will benefit from my bad luck. I went up and down the line of authors there—and I think there were around 60 of them—to get signatures on cover flats and the conference book bag. I have tons of things to fill two bags actually. I’ll give the first one the day after tomorrow—keep posting!!

I also picked up some interesting jewelry for giveaways. So stay tuned. In the meantime, I have one more little excerpt. A nasty one, since I don’t think you’ll believe me that it’s sexy. 😉 If you’re not over 18, don’t read another word! Our hero and heroine are still in the brothel, being forced into “entertaining” the guests.

* * * * *

The whore-mistress stepped between them, her face red and her eyes glittering. “Finish it.” She dug a finger under his chin to lift his glance. “You really don’t have a choice.”

Shaking now with fury, he ground out, “I am not an animal.”

“Don’t pretend you’re anything but what you are. A barbarian. The women you will serve want nothing less than every bit of your strength.”

“Do they wish to be raped?”

She gave a feminine snort. “It’s not rape. They want to be overcome. To be forced, yes. But they surrender to your mastery of their own free will. Do not disappoint us. There are far worse things that can befall you if you’re stubborn.”

Her gaze whipped to Fatin. “You wish an agreement. I won’t even consider it unless you prove the men you brought me are every bit as feral and savage as you promised.”
Read the rest of this entry »

2 Days to get ENSLAVED! (Contest!)
Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a grab bag of prizes from Romanticon!

Romanticon has been a blast—especially seeing all the little dramas and debaucheries through my daughter’s eyes. Sis was her dance partner, which saved my feet—thanks, Myla! Today’s the booksigning. I hope to see some of you there. You don’t have to buy a book to say hello!

Here’s another excerpt from Enslaved by a Viking. Forgive Eirik for being a little rough when he first gets his hands on Fatin. A man’s dignity can only stand so much. Click on the cover to order it now! Oh, and I changed the countdown number. I really don’t know what day it is. 🙂

* * * * *


“Have you ever seen the like, Calliope?”

The awe-filled tone of the woman beside her made Fatin pause.

“I must have the dark one. Did you see him at the auction? His cock is twice the size of my husband’s.”

The women giggled and moved away, seeking a word with Aliyah while they pointed toward the dark one, Eirik.

Fatin didn’t want to care that the man they bargained to have had been the one she’d been most reluctant to steal.

From the first moment she’d heard his name spoken by the mining camp supervisor on New Iceland, she’d fixed her sights on the Ulfhednar heir, even knowing that kidnapping one of the ruling class was a capital offense. The temptation had been too great. A chance to exploit his plight and the unsavory practice of sexual slavery was more than she’d hoped for.

Why had he kept his identity a secret for so long? Did he fear he’d be killed the moment he did expose the crime? The excuse was plausible. Still, she didn’t think much frightened the man who’d surprised and enthralled her at every turn. Perhaps he hoped to escape and avoid the humiliation of having been bested by a woman, a situation made all the worse by his gentle treatment of her.

She’d posed as a contracted sex-thrall at the remote mining camp. As soon as he’d entered the small, curtained sleep chamber she’d been assigned to await his pleasure, he’d been eager to take her. Moments after yanking closed the curtain, he’d slid away the blanket she’d used to hide her naked form. As any man presented with a whore for his use, he’d begun without any thought except for his own pleasure.

However, once he’d plunged inside her, and she’d gasped, shocked by the fierceness of his invasion and the size of his sex, he’d gentled his assault, taking the time and care to pull her into an arousal so strong, she’d felt a moment’s regret about causing him harm.

“What is your name?” he’d murmured against her lips as she’d straddled him while he sat at the edge of his sleeping bench.

“Fatin,” she’d whispered, meeting his gaze, liking the heat banked in his blue eyes.

His chest had expanded, pressing against her swollen nipples. “You please me,” he’d said, in his deep, rumbling baritone.

She’d felt a twinge of conscience, knowing what she would do.
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