In addition to reading and writing about vampires, preferably ones with redeeming social value, my passion is cars. I have a 64 Studebaker Station Wagon (modified for reliability and safety) a modified 66 Mustang Convertible and a highly modified 05 Roush Convertible.

My Studebaker is currently in the shop to repair the gas gauge and change out the rear end ratio for cruising and gas mileage in preparation for the Power Tour starting 11 June in Gonzales, Louisiana, then traveling through Texas (Baytown, Austin, DFW Area, and then to Oklahoma City, Wichita, Kansas and finishing up in Kansas City on the 17th). With the extreme rain we’ve had in Texas this April I just hope it dries out enough to allow the tour to be safely held…older cars don’t do as well in rain as newer vehicles. My Studebaker has four-wheel power disc brakes, Heidts front suspension with power rack and pinion steering and is powered by an 05 Dodge Truck Hemi and five-speed automatic to nine-inch Ford rear with 4.11 Detroit Locker (being changed to a cruising gear). This Wagonaire model’s rear top slides forward allowing it to become more like a truck to carry tall items like a refrigerator.

The 66 Mustang has Heidts front suspension, front disc brakes, rack and pinion power steering. The engine is based on a Ford design but is a 363ci Dart-Iron Eagle four bolt main, with Siamese cylinder bores allowing for up  to 383 ci. It has forged crank, H-Beam rods, and forged and coated pistons. It has a custom torque-grind roller cam, Edelbrock Performer Heads, intake and Thunder 650 carb, Hooker long tube headers &  Dr. Gas X-Pipe for exhaust. We hogged out the radiator support and installed a larger Be Cool dual core aluminum radiator & twin electric fans designed for a 68 Mustang. Power goes through a McLeod Dual Clutch to a built up Tremec 3550 five-speed and limited-slip 3.55 rear gear. The engine produces over 400 rwtq w/o the nitrous and Global West sub-frame connectors with traction bars keep things all together.

My 05 Roush-Mustang has a Livernois 5.0 3V engine with ProCharger-D Supercharger & 3-row Innercooler detuned to 528 rwhp w/o the 250 shot of nitrous. We adapted the underside to accept a TR-6060 six-speed with McLeod dual-clutch. It has Kooks long-tube headers and X-pipe, high-flow cats and SpinTech Mufflers. A 3.73 limited slip rear puts the power to the pavement through forged GT-5 American Racing 19″ Wheels with P-Zero Rosso Assemetrical Pirelli 245-40×19 tires in front and 275-35×19 tires in the rear. These stick like glue when it has been on the road course, helped by J&M suspension goodies and Global-West sub-frame connectors. Stopping the beast is done with Baer GT Calipers & Zinc Washed Erradispeed 14″ front drilled and slotted rotors w/D&S Z-washed rotors in rear. It has flames & body mods also.

Now that I’ve told you about the three vehicles I’ve got, let me tell you a little about the three books in my three-part Paranormal-Romance series, “Immortal Relations.”

In the first book my alter-ego, Gary Logan, finds a photograph that proves something his late mother had said when he was just a young child, decades earlier, but which at the time he was too young to understand. His late father had a tryst while assigned overseas immediately after WW-II. Gary decides to travel to the site in the Czech Republic. In Prague he meets a lady who seems to know far more about his family than possible; however, Gary quickly figures out she is more than what she seems, she is a vampire…but love will not be denied. To be with her, Gary will need to be accepted into the group of vampires; however, these are not the blood-thirsty type. Having been turned against their will they’ve refused to abase themselves and have sworn to defend innocent humans from evil, be it the “Bram Stoker” type of vampires, human criminals or evil politicians who seek to force themselves on populations they had sworn to serve.

Picked up in a beautiful 1947 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith Saloon, Gary and his lover Magdalena and her daughter Eviana are chauffeured up to the castle of the Guardian Vampires in the deep forest well above Prague. While riding to Gary’s appointment to be interviewed, Eviana, whose love of cars includes driving fast at night without headlights (vampire eyesight is so good) tells Gary of the coven’s fabulous vehicles including brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Austin-Martin, Jaguar, a Bugatti Veyron SS and a very special, original Ford GT-40, one of those that won the race at Le Mann.

Initially Gary felt over awed by his meeting with the coven and doubted they would accept him, but the leader of the group known as “Grandmother” saw something worthwhile in his idea that the vampires were wrong in their belief that they were damned, especially since they had been turned against their will and rather than attacking humans protected them from evil. Allowed to join, the adult nature of the story comes out in the “explicit togetherness” they enjoy. This is after all an adult Paranormal-Romance series. But Gary must use his military training and experience to safeguard the Guardian coven from a large, evil gang of vampires who seek to destroy them so the gang can feed on the humans without interference. Action takes place in the Czech Republic, England and in the Russian Federation. The first book can be viewed at https://amazon.com/dp/B006ZCBT6G with the Kindle price reduced to $.99.

The second book carries the action to new heights as Communist China invades Siberia to capture the rich oil and mineral fields as well as living space for their burgeoning population. Our good vampires must stop a war that could easily turn into a nuclear Armageddon. There are also potential “extinction level events” at the failed reactors at Chernobyl and Fukushima, Japan that must be dealt with. The second book is at https://amazon.com/dp/B00A4IEHL6 also reduced to $.99 on Kindle’s App.

In the third book, the Guardian Vampires set up a coven in Southern Canada to monitor and help resist the efforts of Marxists in the U.S. who are trying to destroy the Constitutional Republic and replace it with a Socialist Dictatorship. The Marxists believe this new group to be the ones who thwarted their Chinese Communist friends from taking over Siberia so they try to destroy them, not realizing they are dealing with vampires who are more than just a little hard to kill. Their nefarious actions backfire and they sulk in the corner rather than being willing to help when the asteroid Ceres threatens the Earth. Once again our good vampires are called upon to solve the danger from outer space. The third book is https://amazon.com/dp/B00G5BQS18 and is also $.99 on Kindle.

Destined or fated love is a popular theme in modern day romance. Almost every girl in America grew up hearing there is one someone-special special for everyone. Fairy tales speak of it. Songs are written about it.

But is it a “real” thing?

Destiny is defined as “the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.”

Some people don’t like the idea that their life is pre-written. That someone is steering them to once specific path. That they don’t have a say in the outcome of their life.

But others, I think, like to believe that the person they fell in love with is so meaningful to their life that even the stars agree with and support their relationship. That no matter what else is going on in the world, their choice of partner is right. I suppose it’s a form of validation for their feelings.

Personally, I believe there are people in our lives that were destined to be there. Some were meant to guide us, some to help us grow, and still others to love and maybe even leave us. But I also believe that we have choices in our destiny. That our life is more like an Encyclopedia Brown book where the story varies based on the decisions we make along the way.

Have YOU experienced what you believe to be fated love? Tell me about it in the comments.

Even if you haven’t experienced fated love, I’d like to hear your thoughts. Everyone who leaves a comment will be entered in a drawing for a ribbon bookmark (picture at the end) and author swag.

Be sure to check out the Star Crossed box set. Eight USA Today and NY Times and Bestselling authors have put together a set of contemporary romance – just the way you love it! This collection is made up of spicy and extra spicy tales of fated love. Get swept away by stories of ordinary people getting extraordinary second chances, risking their hearts and finding true love. You’ll laugh, cry and lose your heart.  For a limited time it’s only $0.99!

You can find the Star Crossed box at:
Amazon  /  Kobo  /  iBooks  /  B&N
Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA  /  Amazon AU

Dena Garson ~ Snow Effect
When Randy walked away from Nicki eight years earlier, he shattered her heart. Now that fate -or maybe just a couple of scheming grandparents- has brought them together again he’ll have to convince her that he deserves a second chance.

Katalina Leon ~ Dark Sky
Dark hearts. Dark Sky. Since childhood, Severin and Avery’s love was meant to be. For eight years, tragedy has torn them apart but fate offers them a second chance.

Sabrina York ~ Smoking Holt
Bella’s secretly wanted Holt for years, and now…here’s her chance. Will his fiery dominance burn this willful heroine to a crisp?

Ann Mayburnn ~ Sodom and the Phoenix
Will shy Tanwen find the courage to embrace all the forbidden pleasures that Master Adam has to offer, or will she continue to be a ‘good girl’ and deny herself the satisfaction and love she truly desires.

Michelle Fox ~ Operation Burlesque
The last thing a burlesque dancer should do is fall in love with a sexy special ops agent, especially when that puts her on the radar of the terrorist network he’s taking down.

Rebecca Royce ~ Under The Lights
Despite the odds, their passion burns as the show must go on. Can these two see there is love to be had both under and away from the lights?

TL Reeve ~ Releasing Hannah
For Hannah, coming home is the easy part. Finding herself, while searching for the right Dom to release her inhibitions will push her heart to its limits.

Virginia Cavanaugh ~ Lovers By Night
Paige Sutton wants to play doctor with handsome Brandon Kline, a hot doctor that is sure to give any woman palpitations. This sizzling medical romance is just what the doctor ordered.

Just want a taste? Download the free teaser set: Amazon  /  ARe  /  B&N  /  Kobo

About Dena Garson

Dena Garson is an award winning author of contemporary, paranormal and fantasy romance. Her sixth book, Mystic’s Touch, won the 2015 Passionate Plume for Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-Fi as well as the 2015 Reader’s Choice Award for Science Fiction/Fantasy/Time Travel. Ghostly Persuasion was a finalist in the 2014 Passionate Ink contest and the 2014 Reader’s Choice Award.

When she isn’t writing you can find her at her jewelry workbench playing with beads. She is also a devoted Whovian and Dallas Cowboys fan.

Social Media Links:
Website – https://www.denagarson.com/
Blog – https://denagarson.net/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/dena.garson.7
FB Author page – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDenaGarson
Twitter – https://twitter.com/DenaGarson
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/dgarson
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/DenaGarson
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/+DenaGarson/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/denagarson7

Here’s a picture of the ribbon book I’m giving away featuring Snow Effect – my book featured in the Star Crossed box set.

When you write a novel, you are mentally living in the world of your story from beginning to end. Make it a dark fantasy, and you’re living in a hybrid universe with sometimes bizarro events that cast long shadows over your big-arcing plot and, trust me, when you get out of your chair after a writing session, you can feel disoriented. But the weirdness is mitigated by what you know is the end result. Amid the jagged, upward progression of plot points are big reveals and emotional summits and canyons—in other words, a gripping rollercoaster ride. Hell, yeah.

When I conceived Demonesse: Avarus, I knew I wanted readers to be right there in the action with Maia Kelly as she learns who she is—who she was always meant to be—but the point of view for the story wasn’t really a conscious choice. I looked up from my keyboard one day and realized the story was writing itself in first-person present tense. I decided not to fight something so organic. Now my readers get to live Maia’s life with her, connecting in-depth as her life unfolds in sometimes fantastical and catastrophic ways before her.

See, empath Maia Kelly is the virtuous Catholic daughter of an excommunicated nun, for starters. After months of erotic fantasies, Maia awakens into her shocking new life as a seductive killer powerless to resist the moon’s calling, and no one she loves will ever be safe again. With her pious island existence shattered, she must choose between the demon who made her or going it alone in a supernatural sphere of unseen dangers she can scarcely comprehend. Either way, her nightmare has only just begun, and you get to be there when the black hole pulls her in.

Excerpt:

In the rain, Liam and I dash through the soggy fields behind St. Helens neighborhoods to Nigel Wickersham’s neglected farm. Fifteen months after the barrister’s death, burgeoning weeds have strangled a once-robust garlic crop and commandeered the five-hundred-year-old family graveyard. Hand in hand, we trudge between disintegrating headstones, up to our knees in wet, brittle sticks and thorns, until we reach the copses of rowans my ancestors planted to guard the dead against malevolent spirits and black magic. Clusters of crimson berries make them deceptively inviting. It was the Rowan tree on which the devil hanged his mother.

If you believe that sort of thing.

Again, the bitter chill of foreboding settles inside my chest. Lightning illuminates the dense fog descending upon us as we hurry toward Wickersham’s abandoned barn. We’ve almost reached it when a wand-like rowan branch scrapes the back of Liam’s hand—the hand clasping mine. He flinches from the sting, as I do vicariously through him, and he lets go to examine the raised, oozing wound. His reflexive gasp and the alarm in his eyes as he glances sidelong in my direction reveal that his long-held superstition about witches remains intact.

But he wipes the fresh blood on his pants and reclaims my hand. The twitch of his jaw, the flare of his nostrils, and an intrepid gleam in his eyes tell me more than any flashing inside his heart. He is too motivated by the girl at his side to let worry of the supernatural get in his way.

He pushes open the barn door, and we hurry inside. The air heaves with the smell of damp hay, and the tin roof above shivers and moans noisily in protest of the downpour. Liam lunges for the lantern that hangs from a rusty nail in a splintering support beam.

As I squint through the darkness at our musty retreat, I hear the scratch of a match, the whir of the lamp, and the clunky repositioning of the glass chimney. Incandescent light and the oily stench of stale paraffin wash over me, and our shadows shudder eerily across gray wallboards, shrunken and warped from unforgiving gales off the Channel.

Liam removes his newsboy cap, shakes the rainwater from it, and tosses it into the shadows. He sweeps up hay with one hand and sifts it between his fingers until he finds just the right straw and places it between his lips. Then he hikes his leg over a sawhorse and gets comfortable, beaming at me.

“Welcome to my castle,” he announces, arms indicating the vast emptiness of the barn.

Rain drips on my head and pools on the dirty cement floor. “You call this shelter?”

“You’re standing under the holes, lass. Move to the left and you’ll dry quite nicely, I should think.”

For the first time since I’d found myself in the garden staring at him across the fence, the prescience gathering in my spine will not be dismissed. The air particles flutter around me, tap-dancing on my shoulders, causing me to shiver.

“Do you think this place is safe?” I say.

“Safe for what?”

I follow Liam’s gaze across my white blouse. It is soaked, as is my undershirt, and reveals the chilled nipples beneath. I cover them quickly, warming them with my palms.

Liam’s eyes never waver.

I like that.

His admiration stirs a dire yearning inside me that I can’t quite explain. Only in dreams have I acknowledged such desire. Only in my fantasies have I invited a mindless abandon and allowed it to overtake me. But it has never swallowed me whole. I have always woken up just before, terrified and trembling to think what might happen if my body went that little bit further. Would I be changed forever?

I want to find out. What is it like to be swallowed whole? To lose yourself to sensations? To feel instead of think? To welcome submission with every breath instead of fearing the loss of control?

Sex is the one thing my moral compass—and my reverent Mum—reminds me I ought not do; and as if to spurn every pure thought ever instilled in me, I imagine how lovely Liam’s fingers would feel on my bare skin.

I gingerly remove my hands, daring myself to stay still and let him look, until my burning self-consciousness settles in my cheeks, clenches my stomach, and shallows my breathing. A storm is brewing, inside as it is outside, and I weigh running outside into the tempest, or staying right here in the eye of this one.

It is a dare I’m not yet ready to accept, so I turn and wander about while Liam palpates my backside with a hungry gaze. I feel him there, lingering.

“Aye, but you are fine, Maia Kelly,” he says. “Like a graceful rose in a field of scrappy violets. I confess, you had me spellbound from the first.”

I glance over my shoulder at a crooked smile as captivating as it is unnerving. “Liam McGill, the beatnik poet.”

“I’ve written of you many times. When I first saw you, crouched in your garden, you were gathering ripe tomatoes in your skirt and humming. An old Beatles tune I think.”

The apex between my legs tingles and I try to ignore it. “So, you’re a poet and a Peeping Tom?”

I second-guess whether I’d meant to say that. My tongue feels thick and my brain off-kilter, like when I’d first woken up from my nap.

Liam scoffs and smooths the hair from his forehead. “I hid in the barn, but I’m no Peeping Tom. I’ve just been too much of a coward to talk to you. Till now. Not sure why. Maybe it’s because—I don’t know—you accept me?” He disembarks the sawhorse and moves toward me. “You’re chilled. Can I warm you?”

Thunder booms outside and sea winds whistle through cracks between the wall planks, whipping Liam’s scent across my nose. Raw, male, magnetic. My breasts swell and tighten, nipples straining against wet fabric, and my womb feels like it’s vibrating. My breath hitches. My skin is a rippling, prickling cascade of goosebumps. And a wildfire sparks deep inside me—in my sex—as surely as if Liam has torched me with boiling paraffin.

What’s happening?

Liam’s breaths escape his lungs in an evanescent fog, but no silvery streams escape me. My body is not acknowledging the cold, yet I quiver with the feeling that a thousand ants march across me. From the inside. As if I am vibrating with the intensity of an electrified fence. I am so preoccupied by my body’s internal machinations, the simple act of sending a thought to my mouth is a physical struggle.

I try to make the sign of the cross to assure God of my intent to be Mum’s good girl, but my hands refuse to cooperate. I can only pray silently.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

Help me exorcise these maddening cravings. Help me look beyond this farm boy’s alluring eyes, his irresistible aroma, and the bulging curve in his trousers.

I’ll bet his lips are soft and wet, and decadent as warm caramel.

I would like a taste.

­­­­­Want to read more? Get your hands on Demonesse: Avarus, Episode One at Amazon.

Kimberly Jayne is the author of the sexy dark fantasy series Demonesse: Avarus and the hilarious romantic comedy Take My Husband, Please! See more about her and her books at readkimberly.com. You can also catch up with her on Facebook at facebook.com/readkimberlyjayne/.

The other day, my 10-year-old daughter, affectionately known as Diva Daughter, interviewed me out of the blue. She’s an aspiring writer, and cute as all get out, so who was I to say no to such an interview. I thought it would be fun to share. Since she was handwriting the answers, I kept them short, but I’ll embellish the answers for you.

What is your favorite sport to play?

I love to play basketball despite the fact I tore my ACL last November while playing in an alumni game. I’m not sure I’ll be brave enough to play again like that, but maybe I’ll get over the injury once I’m fully healed.

What is your favorite sport to watch?

I love to watch soccer live, especially if my oldest son is playing. He’s got some mad skills. I’ve been to a few Major League Soccer games (Seattle Sounders) and loved the atmosphere and the action. In fact, I loved it so much, I wrote the experience into my first Puget Sound ~ Alive With Love series novel, The Sound of Consequence. That novel was just re-leased as part of a first-in-their-series box set called First Glance. The set features 13 novels for $.99. It’s a great way to meet new authors and get started on new series.

If we’re talking television, football is my favorite sport to watch. Marshawn Lynch – AKA Beast Mode – is my favorite player, but since he decided to retire, looks like I’ll have to find someone new. I married into the Seahawks fandom, but they are a fun team to love!

What is your favorite song?

I have lots of favorites and my answer may change based on my mood, but in a pinch, I will always answer Last Man Standing by Bon Jovi. Part of the reason is due to a concert I went to back in 2006 in Denver when they opened with that song and Jon performed on a small stage that was only about 20 feet from where we sat. It was incredible. Even though I have since met him, that experience still rates in my top 10 memorable experiences!

Who is your favorite musician?

If you’ve followed me longer than 5 minutes, you already know the answer to this question, but for those of you who don’t know me, the answer is Bon Jovi. Did I mention that I met Jon Bon Jovi last summer? This is our engagement photo!

Aside from getting married and having kids, this has been the highlight of my life. During that meeting, I pitched a book idea to him and asked permission to quote lyrics at the beginning of each chapter. HE SAID YES!! This month, I’ll be releasing that book, Whisper to a Scream, the story of a medically discharged, combat injured soldier (Skye Everhart) with PTSD and a prescription drug addiction who finds hope in the healing power of music, friendship, and love. This is the first novel in my romantic women’s fiction series Sunset Valley. Check my website and/or subscribe to my newsletter for release date information.

What is your favorite movie?

Dirty Dancing!! I once watched it five times in a row. This was back in the days of VHS, so I’d watch, rewind, watch, rewind…an entire Saturday afternoon. Nobody puts Baby in the corner!! I love the dancing, the love story, the family dynamic, the way Johnny looks at Baby! Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray had incredible chemistry in that movie!

Who is your favorite actor?

Tom Hiddleston! I can’t even really speak when it comes to Tom, I love him so much. I have a life-size Loki cut out in my office and I sleep with a Tom Hiddleston pillowcase covering my favorite pillow. He can sing, he can dance, he can melt panties with that smile.

Who is your favorite actress?

Jennifer Garner. I fell in love with her during Alias, but I love her in every movie she’s done. I love how she can be cute and sweet and then be total kick ass! She’s a good person, too, which makes it so easy to love her!

What is your favorite TV show?

Alias, hands down. I own all five seasons and was devastated when the show ended. I used to binge watch all the episodes leading up to a new season. Diva Daughter and I will pop in a DVD and spend an entire day watching the action!

Who was your childhood best friend?

My childhood best friend is still my best friend, Amy. I even named Diva Daughter after her. We’ve been best friends since the moment we met in kindergarten back in 1977 … just shy of 40 years!!

What is your favorite book?

The Chosen by Chaim Potok. When I was a senior in high school, I was going out with a boy who was a bit of forbidden fruit due to his religion. His parents tried to keep us apart, but for a few months, love prevailed. A friend suggested The Chosen to me. Even though it wasn’t a love story, the theme reflected much of what I was experiencing in that relationship. The story has always stayed with me and I still have the paperback I bought back in 1990.

*~*~*

So what did Diva Daughter miss? Any questions you are dying to ask? Hit me with ‘em!

National Bestselling Author Susan Ann Wall writes racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. Her newest release, Broken Strings, is romantic suspense novel available in the Love Notes ebook collection.

www.authorsusanannwall.com
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Wherein: I write a guest post about my ten all-time favorite post-apocalyptic/dystopian TV shows or movies without doing a lick of research—typing on laptop, with a glass of wine on hand. My debut, Die For You, was going live that night, therefore wine.

Possible recipe for disaster, right?

Here’s how it went down. I’m just gonna leave this here, verbatim (spelling errors included):

1. Jericho– Do you guys remember this show from TV? I can’t remember the name of a single actor in the series, but I remember that I loved it. It was about the world being annhililated by Nuclear War. Jericho was a little town in the country and little towns survived. The realistic everyday life of people surviving an extinttion event. Lots of drama and angst. I remember my husband thought there was too much “soap opera” in it, but I don’t know, I liked it just the same. I was sad when it was cancelled. Damn networks.

2. The Last Ship– I love this show so much.

3. Comet– That part in the book where Adam and Rachel are walking through Macys and she gets to pick out whatever she wants because all things are free now- that’s a homage to this movie. From the 80’s. I’m probably the only one who remembers it, but to me it’s special because it’s a girl-centric post apoc movie. Like those ever happen.

4. The Walking Dead– I’m watching this on Netflix right now!!! I’m at the start of season 3, right after they slaughtered all the zombies who were hiding in the barn (and Sophia). This show is effing awesome. If you’re not watching it, you should.

5. Logan’s Run– I remember being younger and this movie played on TV often. It’s seems to have fallen off the map nowadays, but really, it’s a great movie. A future with only young people. You’re killed if you even remotely start to grow old. Ouch. That would suck. What a great reimagining of our future. Epic storytelling. Makes me want to watch it again…

6. Soylent Green– Am I even spelling this right? Oh, f#@K it, I’m not looking it up! I remember they were turning people into a food product that people were innocently eating. Yuck! Charleston Heston was young and not so much into the NRA back then. It was awesome. Freaky. The kind of futuristic sci fi that creeps you out and makes you think hard. Perfect.

7. World War Z– Brad Pitt. Zombies swarming like ants. Brad Pitt. Need I say more?

8. The Last Stand– This started it all in my brain. In fact I like to tell people Die For You is like The Last Stand but without all that God and evil stuff and way more romance. Oh, and not as long. Promise.

9. Virus/Outbreak– It’s all a bit of a blur. I remember there’s a movie with Dustin Hoffman and lots of Hazmat suits and a movie with Matt Damon, both about a worldwide viral I tell you, I can’t get enough of movies like that. In the movie with Matt Damon I remember he watches a neighbor getting brutally murdered by someone pretending to be a cop. Yep, put a reference to that in my book. The ideas come from everywhere! Everywhere, I tell you! *pours more wine*

10. Warm Bodies– The writing is amazing. Literary level, but about zombies. Oh, wait, I’m talking about movies! Yes, the movie based on the book was good, too. This book is why in Die For You, Trevor talks about putting a Van Gogh on the wall. This book (movie!) totally influenced me. I remember I sent a fangirl email to the author, couldn’t help myself.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Promise I’m much more coherent when not tipsy!

Oh, by the way, here’s that book of mine I was so excited about:

Kindle | Kobo | Nook | Google | ibook | ARe

Love, in a hopeless place.

Catastrophe Series, Book 1

Two months after a virus took out civilization, Rachel Donnelly is the last living soul in California, as far as she can tell. Until she runs into a Marine sniper, battle-hardened but alive and healthy.

Adam Sanchez would love nothing more than a slamming session of I-can’t-believe-we’re-alive post-apocalyptic sex in the back of his Hummer. But Rachel’s fragility, inexperience—and much younger age—hold him back from exposing her to his raw, aggressive sexuality. If anything, Rachel needs protection. Especially from himself.

As they band together with other survivors to battle feral animals, violent ex-cons, and motorcycle clubs jockeying for power, Rachel grows stronger in mind, body, and spirit—strong enough to give the dangerously sexy Marine what they both crave.

The power of their passion rocks Adam’s world, bringing him to his knees—which, he discovers too late, is the worst possible place to be when danger springs from the shadows.

Warning: Contains a sexy Marine, a tattooed ex-con, a girl who blossoms into a sexually assured young woman, laughter despite the pain, m/f/m ménage, hope, love, and more bad language and violence than are strictly necessary.

Michele Mills teaches High School English to unruly teenagers and enjoys cooking for her husband and two sons. DIE FOR YOU, the first book in her new post-apocalyptic series from Samhain is available now. You can find her pretending to be professional on both Twitter and Facebook.

The Romantic Times Convention was a lot of fun this year. How could it be anything else when it was located in Vegas, baby! I participated in 9 events! But this year, I took my two grown daughters and my new personal assistant.

I could not have done it without them! Between bag stuffing, decorating and getting all of our stuff to and from the conference rooms, we put in over 10,000 steps each one of us every day of the conference. The conference rooms were a long way from our hotel rooms.

My youngest daughter, Megan, and I went to the Thunder Down Under show at the Aria Hotel. And yes! I was called up on the stage. What a thrill to have 5 handsome Aussies dancing all around me! My 23-year-old daughter was green with envy! We also went to see the Zarkana Cirque du Soleil show. Hmm. I had a little too much wine and slept through half of it. Not surprised? I know.

The highlight of my entire RT experience this year was the SOS Military Tribute. The Honor Guard from Nellis, AFB presented the flag, and Brigadier General AJ Tata spoke about his experiences as part of the Army’s combat infantry. Our theme was military heroes. It was amazing! Wish you all could have been there. I had tears in my eyes.

This month, I have two releases. I know. Damned over-achiever! But that’s good for you, because it means more to read! DEADLY OBSESSION Book #5 in the DEVIL’S SHROUD series and a Romantic Times Reviews TOP PICK! and MONTANA D-FORCE book #3 in the BROTHERHOOD PROTECTORS series.

This is what you’ll find in DEADLY OBSESSION…

 A war hero and a sexy realtor fight growing attraction while unraveling deadly secrets of a forgotten past

Available now!

A Romantic Times Reviews TOP PICK!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook | iBooks |Googleplay

MONTANA D-FORCE:

Former D-FORCE and troubled LA screenwriter struggle against their growing desire while trying to stay alive in the crosshairs of a murderous rapist. Releases May 3rd.

Free on Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon  | Amazon UK

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Elle James’s Newsletter

Happy May, Delilah fans! I’m Lizzie Ashworth, here for a day to bring you a bit of sexy fun. Right now I’m immersed in writing a historical romance set in Ancient Rome. It’s a love-hate relationship!

Research is at the heart of any historical fiction. Without details of place, dress, and social customs, an author can’t create a believable story. I love research but sometimes I just want to write the damn story.

Unfortunately, the further back you go in time, the harder it is to find information. For my current research on Rome, I’m regularly frustrated by gaps in the record. I want the story to be as accurate as possible. How do I know if I’ve got the right information?

I confess. Without Google searches, I’d have to fold up my tent and go home. One thing I’ve learned, though, is not to take one Google search as the whole story.

For example, one academic source insisted that women in Rome were not allowed to drink wine. (Wine was the ONLY alcoholic drink known in those times other than beer, which was considered disgusting and only for savages.) Initially, I found a few other sources that affirmed that information. I started writing scenes based on that information. Then one day I stumbled across an article that explained the women/wine thing.

In early Rome, in the nearly six hundred years of its existence as the Roman Republic, the Senate made laws and oversaw government operations. Conservatism ruled the day. In those years, wine was forbidden to women except at special festivals where men weren’t allowed. Restricting wine except in women-only events meant women couldn’t get tipsy and provoke men with unbridled sexuality.

But in the mid-first century BC, Julius Caesar wrested control from the Senate (for which he was assassinated) and became the first emperor of the Roman Empire. Another four hundred years would follow under the rule of emperors. Social norms relaxed in the empire. Wine-drinking for women was no longer a crime punishable by death. Whew! By the time of my current work (50 AD), women had gained many social liberties including the right to own property, the right to divorce, and even the right to run their own businesses.

Notoriously, the empire also saw sex scandals, blood sport in the arena, and other excesses which have become the hallmarks by which most of us remember Rome.

As an author, I want to entertain readers with compelling stories about fascinating people. But I also want my stories to reflect the truth about those times. This means the work takes longer. Sometimes hours, days, even weeks elapse as I try to uncover some obscure detail.

Here’s an excerpt from my current work in progress, a continuation of the story of Caerwin and Marcellus. In Book I, Caerwin and the Roman Dog released last November, Caerwin is taken captive by Marcellus as his Roman legion crushes her native tribe in Rome’s quest to seize Britannia. I’m planning for a late summer release of Book II.

Excerpt…

Caerwin and the other women waited in the carriage. Outside her window, she watched Marcellus. The baggage wagon had pulled forward so that both conveyances waited in the shade of tall trees. A cluster of taverns and eating places lined the wide roadway.

Antius attended Marcellus who stood fully in her view outside the front of the carriage as he began divesting himself of his weapons. No one could enter Rome bearing war gear. Antius received each item, making a stack that she guessed would be put away in the trunk: the sword, the red sash around his midsection, the wide leather straps he wore across his chest bearing his medals of commendation. Caerwin shifted uncomfortably as her mind raced ahead to the inevitable conclusion of this process. Surely he wouldn’t…

The segmented torso armor clanked as it joined the pile, reminding Caerwin of all the nights she had watched him undress from the comfort of his bed. Or discomfort in the certain knowledge of what would come next. She wriggled on the seat, unable to look away.

Marcellus pulled his tunic over his head. Her mouth went dry. It had been weeks since she’d seen him undressed. He stood in the dappled sunlight in nothing but the cloth that wrapped his loins. The gods! Had there ever been a man of such beauty as this? Muscle curved across his shoulders and chest. A narrow line of body hair descended briefly down his lean abdomen. The wound on his bicep remained a puckered red line along the bulge. His hands, his forearms, the line of his jaw…

She licked her lips, absorbed fully in this vision of manhood standing just yards away. Everything about him incited her. Her breath came in short light bursts. Her pulse throbbed in her throat—and in less modest places. Moisture crept between her tightly clenched thighs.

Antius unfolded the long white yardage of Marcellus’ toga then sorted out the tunic with its two red stripes. Marcellus paused, standing fully facing Caerwin and meeting her riveted gaze. She gasped at the unmistakable knowledge in his dark eyes, the slight smile curling his lips. By the goddess Sabrina! He had intentionally positioned himself to disrobe in her view. He had purposefully captured her attention to display himself.

He turned slightly and shifted his hips so that the front of his loincloth gave full evidence of his pleasure in her attention. Her eyes closed in the sensation of him over her. She could feel him in her. She squirmed. Her nipples hardened. Her hands filmed with sweat. She wanted him in ways she’d never known possible.

“What mystery holds your adoration?” Junia said. Her forehead wrinkled as she gazed at Caerwin. “I must know.”

Caerwin’s face heated as she tore her gaze away from Marcellus. Just as he had placed himself in her view, he had also made it impossible for Junia or Porcia to see him. Unless Junia came to Caerwin’s position in the carriage.

“I…It’s…” Caerwin stammered. What could she say? Marcellus meant this for her, not to be shared with Junia.

Against her intention, her gaze drew back to Marcellus. The moment had passed. Marcellus had already shrugged into his tunic and Antius had begun to wrap the toga. “An eagle,” she said finally to Junia. “Powerful animal. Quite beautiful.”

“Indeed,” Junia said suspiciously.

~~~
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