When I am not writing, I bake. Quite simply, baking relaxes me and helps clear my mind. I have charted many a character’s path while separating eggs and creaming butter!
Taught to bake at the knee of my Slovak grandmother, I began taking formal cooking classes at age 10. Since then, no one and nothing has managed to keep me out of my kitchen! (If I had not begun writing at a much earlier age, I may have become a pastry chef rather than a writer.)
My two favorite recipes are turtle brownies, basically your standard fudge brownie recipe with a swirl of caramel, pecans, and mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips, and three chocolate mousse cake, which is a luscious four-layer devil’s food cake with white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate mousse in between the layers. When feeling particular ambitious, I might even encase this chocolatey confection in whipped cream!
And when I want the sweet smell of fall, I make an apple-pie-in-a-bag, a local favorite in southeast Wisconsin, or a no-knead bread, made with good old Wisconsin beer!
While I bake everything from scratch, I have learned a few short cuts over the years. For example, when pressed for time, I may substitute a box mix for the brownies or cake, and simply add the extras. And sometimes, I may even make the mousse from store-bought faux whipped cream and mix it with pudding rather than melted chocolate. And I make apple pies two at a time, so I always have one in the freezer. Of course, when I am feeling the need to cut back on the sugar and/or fat, I may utilize natural sugar substitutes or pureed fruits. (Who knew Gerber’s pureed prunes worked so well as a fat substitute in brownies?)
When I am in a reading mood, I am likely to brew some cinnamon hazelnut coffee and bake one of the most mouth-watering coffee cakes I have ever eaten. It’s a recipe passed on to me by a librarian from the Missouri Court of Appeals when I was a law clerk. She spoiled us by bringing in baked goods at least once a week, and the recipe we loved most was her Cinnamon Coffee Cake. When you have the urge to curl up with a good book and a hot cuppa, this sweet treat will provide a nice little slice of heaven!
CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar 2 eggs
1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour, sifted 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream margarine, shortening and eggs. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Spread it in 9 x 13 pan. In a separate bowl, mix:
1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine 2 cups chopped nuts
Layer on top of cake batter, swirl in slightly with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
KINKY BRIEFS, QUATRO
(released 2/9/18)
Take another kinky voyage through Lawyerland!
Indulge in a walk on the wild side with these sizzling short stories about lawyers in love, with a dash of kink. From painting well-hung nudes at a networking event or thwarting terrorists intent on harm to finding love despite a chronic illness or exploring kink on a train, these lawyers pursue love with a vengeance. And while affairs of the heart may come in all shapes and sizes—a law school ménage a trois, a middle-aged A.G. and a law firm associate, and a new marriage suddenly threatened by a spouse long believed dead—these relationships thrive despite the odds. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and yes, the resultant loin heating might even make you blush, but in the end, you’ll run out and buy a set of handcuffs. Because that’s the only way to defuse the sizzle created by these hot, sexy stories.
????????Sail on the high seas or into uncharted galaxies!
When it comes to love…pirates risk all!????????
OUT NOW! Get your copy!
I’m excited this collection is finally out there! This big sexy book is filled with 18 steamy stories about those bad boys of the seas and stars! And at just $0.99, you can’t go wrong. Indulge yourself!
All my author-contributor-friends and myself can’t wait for you to dive in. This book is truly a labor of love. I chose all the stories and did the final polish. My sister, Elle James, created this incredible cover! All the authors are thrilled and are getting the word out! They’ll be blogging about the inspiration for their stories at the Collections website over the next couple of weeks. There will be snippets from the book and PRIZES! So, be sure to check us out. Maybe you’ll want to subscribe to that website so you don’t miss a thing!
And something you can do? Tell a friend. Share the news. And if you have the time and inclination, write a review. We’d all be forever grateful! In the meantime, enjoy the 18 stories inside this lush volume of erotic short stories! Bon appétit!
This is the intro I wrote for the book…
Who doesn’t love a good thrust and parry in their romance? I’m talking about pirates, of course. Yes, I wish Jack Sparrow bathed more often, but I’d still rather sail with him than Will Turner.
Apparently, there are plenty of authors out there who love writing the swashbuckling hero, too. When I put out a call for pirate stories, I was deluged. However, I didn’t put any constraints on my writer friends. I wanted a delicious variety of golden-hearted bad boys.
In this volume, you’ll find familiar tropes revisited—the lady disguised as a cabin boy, a spirited miss bargaining with her virtue to escape a terrible marriage, and competing pirates seeking the same treasure—but you will also find surprises. Anyone for pirates stealing treasure on the moon? Or a rugged feline-species pirate flying a dirigible, high above the seas? Or how about a time-traveling jewel thief, who lands aboard a pirate’s vessel in the middle of a storm? Or modern-day pirates, who aren’t quite the scourge of the seas you’d imagine…
And for those of you who, like me, fantasized a differently-orientated tale after watching Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in Master and Commander, there are three male-male romances, just for you!
In all, there are eighteen very different stories, some following familiar story-lines and some kicking out the sides of the box to deliver a delicious surprise—but all featuring sexy bad boys, naughty alpha males, unafraid to risk life and limb for treasure or a lucky lover’s heart.
So, sail on the high seas or into uncharted galaxies! When it comes to love, pirates risk all! ~ Delilah Devlin
Contest
For a chance to win a $10 Amazon.com gift card, tell me how you plan to read this book! For instance, in the bath, with a partner, etc. Have fun!
P.S. I’m running a contest on my Collections website, too! So, be sure to click on Collections, see what new posting is there, and enter the contest!
In case you haven’t already pre-ordered this brand-new volume, here’s a reminder! The eBook comes out this Tuesday. The print version will be a little longer and is over 300 pages of naughty goodness! Love pirates of old? How about space pirates or captains of flying dirigibles? There’s something for everyone inside this book! And best part? You’ll read stories by authors you already love, and you’ll discover new authors with fresh “voices” you’ve never read! And it’s just $0.99!
Sail on the high seas or into uncharted galaxies! When it comes to love…pirates risk all!
Delilah’s next delectable anthology is filled with roguish pirates! Readers who crave adventures set on the high seas—or in deep space—will find plenty of sexy bad boys, naughty alpha males unafraid to risk life and limb for treasure—or a lucky lover’s heart!
Just a few of the titillating stories inside…
In “The Treasure of Devil’s Crag” by Lisa Fox, two rival pirate captains seeking the same treasure, discover the competition isn’t the only thing that heats up between them. A modern-day pirate boards a yacht seeking revenge and captures a runaway bride who tempts him in ways he’s never experienced in January George’s “Captive Desire.” In T.D. Rudolph’s “Lust in Space”, a space criminal teams up with a fearless vamp to steal a cache of titanium—from the dark side of the moon. In “Full Fathom Five” by Rhidian Brenig Jones, a pirate captain, forced to give a disgraced young surgeon a berth, discovers a rich treasure in the other man’s arms. And this is just a hint at the sexy stories inside this satisfying volume.
These pirates will pillage and plunder their way into your hearts!
Table of Contents
The Treasure of Devil’s Crag by Lisa Fox – Two rival pirate captains…one treasure…the competition isn’t the only thing that heats up between them
Rough Seas by Alicia Aringdale – A British commander finds himself at the mercy of a roguish pirate who asks him for the one thing he shouldn’t give—his heart
Captive Desire by January George – A modern-day pirate boards a yacht seeking revenge and captures a runaway bride who tempts him in ways he’s never experienced
Stealing the Crimson Witch by Downey Greene – Crash landing on an 18th-century pirate ship, a 21st-century thief experiences déjà vu as he steals the greatest treasure of all—the pirate queen
The Corsair’s Tempest by C. Marie Bowen – A French corsair, cursed with immortality, stands in open mutiny after rescuing his greatest treasure—the woman he’s bound to love for eternity, a Spanish siren unaware of their infinite bond
Cargo by Genevive Chamblee – An environmentalist-pirate, contracted to heist high-priced art from a merchant vessel, is deceived into stealing a human trafficking ship with a captive who exposes his dark desires
Prophesies by Augustina Van Hoven – Following a tempting lead, a space pirate hunts down an alien ship only to find the cargo is a beautiful seer whose gifts promise to satisfy more than his lust for gold
A Lady’s Bargain by Alyssa Drake– A pirate captain gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to a beautiful hostage’s proposition to make her a ruined woman
Plunder by Jayce Ellis – A hardened mercenary, contracted to kill the heir-apparent of an international corporation, hesitates due to his attraction, then joins with the heir to investigate who wants him dead
Commanding Neptune’s Mistress by M. Marie – A pirate surrenders control to her handsome quartermaster for just one night of pleasure
My Pirate Love by Joyce Palmer– Barely dressed as a chamber maid, a sexually-deprived military wife attends a costume party where she finds herself shamefully aroused by the hungry gaze of a Jack Sparrow look-alike
Captain’s Cabin by Moxie Marcus – When the captain of a merchant ship is captured by a pirate queen, he quickly discovers she’s fully in charge of the sexy negotiations
Perinacht by Lana Sloan – When a spice merchant’s son is captured by the pirate who killed his beloved, his need for vengeance is overtaken by an unexpected desire for his captor
An Adventure for Burgess by Lizzie Ashworth – As a sleek sloop noses into Seraphine Bay, a tourist resolves to discover if the man at the helm is the pirate of her dreams
Lust in Space by T.D. Rudolph – A roguish space criminal teams up with a fearless vamp to steal a cache of titanium—from the dark side of the moon
To Kiss a Pirate by Tricia Schneider – Searching for treasure on a lush Caribbean island, a woman disguising herself as a cabin boy is confronted by her sexy and suspicious pirate captain
Bountiful Skies by Winter Blair – The captain of an airship and her lover prepare to be boarded by a pirate who isn’t human, hoping he’ll give them mercy…and pleasure
Full Fathom Five by Rhidian Brenig Jones – A pirate captain, forced to give a disgraced young surgeon a berth, discovers a rich treasure in the other man’s arm
Ahoy there, matey! Have you already pre-ordered your copy? No?
This is a collection you won’t want to miss! Filled with those sexy Jack Sparrows and some modern-day raiders, even a couple of space pirates, you won’t want to miss this! There are even a couple of mm treats for those who loved Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World! Didn’t you secretly wish they were into each other? 🙂
The ebook releases February 27th, and includes 19 stories from some fabulous authors. The print version will follow soon after. For now, drool over the cover and take advantage of that next-to-nothing $0.99 price!
Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology
Sail on the high seas or into uncharted galaxies! When it comes to love…pirates risk all!
Delilah’s next delectable anthology is filled with roguish pirates! Readers who crave adventures set on the high seas–or in deep space–will find plenty of sexy bad boys, naughty alpha males unafraid to risk life and limb for treasure–or a lucky lover’s heart!
Just a few of the titillating stories inside…
In “The Treasure of Devil’s Crag” by Lisa Fox, two rival pirate captains seeking the same treasure, discover the competition isn’t the only thing that heats up between them. A modern-day pirate boards a yacht seeking revenge and captures a runaway bride who tempts him in ways he’s never experienced in January George’s “Captive Desire.” In T.D. Rudolph’s “Lust in Space”, a space criminal teams up with a fearless vamp to steal a cache of titanium–from the dark side of the moon. In “Full Fathom Five” by Rhidian Brenig Jones, a pirate captain, forced to give a disgraced young surgeon a berth, discovers a rich treasure in the other man’s arms. And this is just a hint at the sexy stories inside this satisfying volume.
These pirates will pillage and plunder their way into your hearts!
February’s going to be about pirates. Just warning you.
I can’t get them off my mind. Maybe it’s because I’m putting final touches on stories that will appear in Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, which releases February 27.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear what sort of pirate fantasy you would write about if you had the time and inclination. Use the picture above for inspiration! Have fun with the assignment.
Everyone who posts will be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card!
Timing is everything. Several years ago, a famous actress passed away. As I pondered her career and beauty, I got inspired to write a story about a mermaid, a human heroine, and the quest for revenge against a man who’d hurt her. Unfortunately, I wrote only a few chapters before shelving it. It wasn’t the right time, I guess.
Fast forward a few years and Decadent Publishing’s Wiccan Haus series caught my interest. Having already written three shared-world stories for them, I couldn’t resist adding to the series. Someone I met and some rough life experiences gave me the fuel I needed to write a different version of the story. One I had no trouble finishing. It’s finally time to release it!
Turning the Tide: A Siren’s Revenge
Book #25 Wiccan Haus Series Release Date: 19 January 2018
After a year of unemployment, Daphne Wells comes to Wiccan Haus to learn hydrotherapy for a new career as a healer. When her assigned patient turns out to be the sexy ex-boss who laid her off, resentment gets in the way of healing.
Giovanni Denaro arrives at Wiccan Haus, desperate to find a cure for the debilitating tension that threatens his high-level financial career. But after some intimate healing sessions, everything loses value except his need for Daphne’s forgiveness.
When a mermaid, filled with her own bitterness, offers Daphne a chance to get revenge on the man who ruined her life, will she dare to turn the tide?
“I had Myron give me a reading about the stock market. Apparently, it fell a lot today.”
“Hello? It’s been doing that for years.” She raised an eyebrow. “It always rallies, doesn’t it? Are you sure nothing else is bothering you?”
Nothing but the truth. The ugly reality that would turn her gentle eyes into hard pools of hatred. He couldn’t help crying out as the biggest cramp yet squeezed his body. She crouched over him on the stone bench, one leg on either side of him.
After crying out, too, she collapsed on top of him and laid her damp cheek against his. “Tell me what to do for you,” she said in a strangled whisper. “Or I’m calling the guys.”
Having her weight on him made breathing even harder, but feeling her soft skin was worth it.
“Kiss me,” he whispered back.
Her mouth covered his so fast it stole what little breath he’d managed to draw. Her lips were salty with tears. Nothing had ever tasted so good. He drank from her—her love, her healing, her very essence.
She shifted her pelvis, sliding it over his hardening cock. When the indentation in her blue terry cloth shorts contacted the head, he pushed, needing to enter her more than breath.
“I need—” he gasped.
“What?” When she dragged her torso across his chest, he felt her erect nipples through both their shirts. “Anything, Giovanni. I’ll do anything for you.”
Instead of replying with words, he forced his hand down the back of her shorts and gripped the sweet curve of her buttocks. The scent of her arousal mingled with the misty air, impossible to ignore.
“Yes,” she cried, swinging a knee to one side of him and tugging down her shorts.
His groin clenched at the sight of her wet panties. Knowing he’d aroused her so much gave him ten times more power than running a high-level board meeting. With one hand, he pulled up her white tank top so it rested above her breasts. With the other, he helped her out of her shorts and panties.
He’d never grow tired of gazing at the thatch of neatly shaved hair between her legs. It looked as businesslike as the suits she used to wear to work. How often had he fantasized about undressing her when he was her boss? Now he knew how those tantalizing dark hairs felt and tasted slipping across his tongue.
One by one, his muscles eased their tension from pain to anticipation. His cock was so wet with pre-cum when she grasped it, her palm slid to his balls in a single stroke. Although his neck still hurt, he lifted his head to gaze at her rosy nipples and the puckered skin around them. Droplets of mist from the hot water spring jet on their side of the pool dotted her smooth skin, making her resemble a goddess.
“Protection,” he muttered, letting his head drop back to the hard bench with a smack. “We don’t have any.”
“Yes, we do.” With a hand still on his cock, she rummaged in the nearby towel cabinet with the other. “They’re hidden in here.”
She wouldn’t have known exactly where they were unless she’d considered using them with him. More pre-cum pooled on the head of his erection. Finally having her, after years of lusting for her, was more than a fair exchange for missing critical time from work.
Just one more day until we party like it’s 2018! Woohoo! Do you have big plans? A party?We’re still on grandma duty, so likely, we’ll raise our glasses early before my dd heads to grandma’s, and I bed down on the sofa at her place to watch the kids, while my SIL’s watching over restless prisoners at the county jail. Well, they do say you should start the year the way you intend it to go. We’re thankful for jobs, thankful to still have grandma with us, and I do love spending time with the kids, so there you are!
I’m busy still looking at this last chaotic year and making plans for 2018. Plans that include new stories for you! And, hopefully, a few of trips. I’ll be in Nashville in March for a readers’ conference, Hawaii in April for a writers’ retreat (!!!), July in central Arkansas for another writers’ retreat, and lastly, I plan to be in Florida in October for a big writers’ conference. Four trips! I feel guilty about the expense and the time away—don’t most mamas feel that way, too?
Anyway, below are three stories dropping into Kindles very soon! Bound & Determined is coming January 9th! The other two are February releases. Drool away!
Click on the covers to reserve your copy!
Contest
For a chance to win a free download of one of my recent releases—your choice—tell me what your New Year’s Eve plans are!
When the DJ’s speaker set crashed to the floor as the first women to arrive rushed the tables nearest the stage, Tara Toomey scrambled for a replacement and chalked the mishap up to high spirits.
When one of the volunteers carrying a tray of Jell-O shots tripped, and cherry and lime gelatin slid in glistening trails down his face and naked chest, she laughed as eager women offered to lick him clean.
However, it wasn’t until one of her staff whispered in her ear that she knew she was in for a long night. The main attraction had yet to arrive.
She crushed her dog-eared copy of the “Hook-up” program in her fist and headed toward the old-fashioned, double swinging doors, ready to stomp all the way to Redbone Ranch to drag his butt to town.
As she passed excited, tittering women her smile felt strained, and her nerves stretched taut. The “Annual Honky-tonk Hook-up” had always been a good time, but this year she wished she hadn’t been so quick to volunteer her bar again. Sure, it was good for business and many of the “blow-ins” from Houston, San Antonio, and San Angelo returned throughout the year because they enjoyed the event and Paraiso’s authentic western ambience.
But Tara wished she could return home, crawl into bed, and pull the covers over her head. The last thing she felt ready to do was watch one particular cowboy strut his stuff across the stage and land in some other woman’s clutches—even if it was just one night, completely innocent, right, and for a really good cause. The fact he might blow off the auction pissed her off almost as much as the thought of the spectacle he’d cause if he did finally make an entrance.
If anyone thought splintered speaker casings or a little spilled Jell-O were trouble, they hadn’t seen a room full of women erupt in the wake of one seriously sexy cowboy. Read the rest of this entry »
(released 2/9/18)
