syn·es·the·sia also syn·aes·the·sia (sĭn′ĭs-thē′zhə)

1. A condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color.

2. A sensation felt in one part of the body as a result of stimulus applied to another, as in referred pain.

3. The description of one kind of sense impression by using words that normally describe another.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

It probably sounds odd to say that an erotic romance heroine was inspired in part by my mother, but there’s a bit of my mother in Jen, the heroine of Out of Control. Not Jen’s romantic arc and certainly not her sex life. (I know my mother had a sex life. I’m here, after all. We both prefer to leave it at that.) But like my character Jen, my mother has synesthesia. Sounds have colors. Colors evoke physical sensations. Music affects her more strongly than it does many people because it’s a whole-body experience, involving not just hearing, but sight and touch—she feels it on her skin. I decided that this so-called disorder (which doesn’t sound much like a disorder to me, though I’m sure it could interfere with your life in extreme cases) would be an interesting trait for a character, especially an artist like Jen. It also becomes a source of conflict with her hero Drake, a mathematician, who literally can’t see the world through her eyes because her way of perceiving things is so atypical. Never having known another way of experiencing the world, Jen doesn’t think of synesthesia as a disorder. In fact, she uses it to her advantage. Since numbers have colors in her world (something one of my girlfriends experiences, and uses in her work as an engineer), her financial records and business plan are a sea of color. Makes sense to her, if not to anyone else.

The more I learn about how the human brain functions, the more I realize that while there is an objective reality “out there,” we all filter it through our senses and brain in a different way. In some cases, the differences are extreme and have the potential to interfere with one’s life, a true sensory or neurological disorder. But how do we know what someone else is truly experiencing when they see something “green” or listen to music? Makes life interesting.

And because the human brain is elastic, we can often compensate for serious sensory and neurological handicaps in fascinating ways. A blind friend shared a humor piece about “dealing with sighted people” and helping them deal with their limitations. While it makes fun of well-intentioned but frustrating efforts to “help” someone who might not need it, it also underscores something that’s obvious from watching my friend in action: blind people perceive the world in a full, rich way even though they can’t see. In fact, a blind person may pick up on things that sighted people miss because they’re overwhelmed by visual clues.

That realization is partly why one of my upcoming books has a blind heroine. But that’s a story for another day.

He’s got her tied up, but she’s got him out of control.

Glass artist Jen Kessler has hit the jackpot—a cheap apartment in a charming Victorian house, complete with a sexy, intense, buttoned-down landlord…who may or may not have a riding crop in his bedroom.

She’s not looking for a lover, but when her innocent, impulsive hug sparks kisses as hot a molten glass, it leads to bondage, spankings, and more naughtiness that, up to now, she had only tasted.

His new tenant may have wild, dyed hair and an unconventional job, but Cornell math professor Drake Matthews admires the work ethic that got her out of debt. Then he’s stunned at how quickly she destroys decades of his carefully cultivated self-control.

Soon their sexual and emotional passions push them to the edge—and beyond. But it’s not all good, dirty fun. As Drake takes more and more control of Jen in the bedroom, her deeply ingrained independent streak pushes back. And it’ll take more than a shared penchant for ropes, paddling, and coffee to overcome pasts that could unravel their relationship before it begins.

Warning: Contains kinky sex, molten glass, geeky higher mathematics, family secrets, and irresponsible consumption of coffee.

Excerpt:

Drake laid one hand on the back of her neck. “Be still.” His voice was deep, calm, soothing. He stroked the nape of her neck as if he petted a beloved but jumpy pet. Something melted inside her, like glass would melt in a furnace, and she went limp across his lap.

“Good girl,” he whispered. “Surrender to the sensation. Surrender to me.” Still stroking her hair, he spanked her again.

Jen dimly though it may have been even harder than the other times. But the sting didn’t feel like pain. It felt like a gift, a gift Drake was giving to her, and that at the same time she was giving to him. Which made no sense, but the thought was the clear spring green of truth. She accepted it just like she accepted the pain and pleasure, the gentle hand on her head and the hard one smacking an ass that felt as red as her thoughts.

She was molten. She was soft and pooling, ready to be molded and shaped—another one of those nonsensical thoughts colored like truth. She wanted to squirm, try to rub herself to orgasm against the coarseness of denim and the hard muscles underneath. Wanted to push back and beg for more. Wanted. Wanted. But at the same time, she just wanted to see what Drake would do next. So far, she had no complaints, though it was hardly how she would have anticipated things going their first time together.

Hoped, maybe; anticipated, no.

The blows were coming faster now but felt lighter. Was that real or was that just because her clit and pussy were throbbing more than her butt was, making it impossible to think of pain as pain?

Colors exploded behind her eyelids, swirling together in impossible ways. She clung to the colors as best she could, some dim part of her knowing she could reproduce the effect, maybe even the surreal spangling, in glass if she could remember how it looked.

Then Drake let his fingers trail between her throbbing butt cheeks to stroke her pussy.

The colors exploded into fireworks of hues she saw only in dreams, and she exploded with them. No way could she capture those colors. She didn’t think she could see them again unless she was coming, and orgasms and hot glass would be a dangerous combination.

Though with Drake’s hand on the back of her neck, maybe she’d be safe, as safe as she felt now to let go with a cry and soar among the colors.

Samhain / Amazon  / Amazon UK / B&N / Kobo

*~*~*~*~*

Teresa Noelle Roberts started writing stories in kindergarten and she hasn’t stopped yet. A prolific author of short erotica, she’s also a published poet and fantasy writer—but hot paranormals and BDSM-spiced contemporaries are her favorites. Find her at www.teresanoelleroberts.com, on Facebook or on Twitter, where she hangs out as @TeresNoeRoberts.

You must have read my mind.

It’s something I say to my husband all the time. We’ve been together for so long, that we just know each other that well. He can tell by the look on my face if I’m happy or upset. And when he asks me a question, he can usually get a feel for my answer just by how long I pause before speaking. This is the real world, though, so of course he can’t really read my mind.

But what if he could? Sometimes I think it’d make things easier. Certain things are just easier thought than said. You know why you need something done a certain way but you just can’t quite put it in words. Other times I think it would be disastrous. Because, let’s face it, as much as you love a person there are times they’re going to be upset and have not so nice thoughts about you. Or what if they see those fantasies that you’re keeping a secret?

So what if a person could read other people’s minds? Could they ever hope to find love? Those were the questions I asked myself when I wrote Subservience. Harlow is a Subservient. A government geneticist created her to serve the military’s needs. Her particular ability is she can read people’s minds. And since most people know this, they have a hard time being around her. But not Parker. He loves being near her from the moment he steps onto her ship.

Can they make it work? I’ve found that where there’s a will there’s a way. But first they’re going to have to save Harlow’s ship, The Tempest. And figure out why someone’s trying to sabotage its mission.

Universal Defiance, Book Five

Harlow is a Subservient, created to serve the military’s needs. Even though her kind’s been freed and she’s managed to become a military captain, she still struggles with relating to humans, many of whom hate or fear her. So when a hot new navigator comes aboard her ship and she can’t stop imagining him naked above her, she has no idea how to handle the pleasurable distraction.

Parker is a genetically engineered soldier, modified to be the strongest, brightest and fastest. But not even he is strong enough to fight the pull between him and his new captain.

As their attraction grows and the affair deepens, they have to work together to stop a political coup. If they fail, Harlow will lose the ship she loves. Parker doesn’t know if she’s capable of sharing his feelings, but he’s willing to risk it all to protect her.

A Romantica® sci-fi erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

If you want to know more about the story stop by my website or the Ellora’s Cave site to see a excerpt:
www.ChandraRyan.com
https://www.ellorascave.com/subservience.html
or you can download a sample from Amazon:
https://amzn.com/B00J2XAC2W

At this time of year, we do think about honor and sacrifice. These weeks in April are high holy weeks for several of the world’s religions, when we take stock of our roots, our commitments to each other and to something greater than our own lives.

Our world is populated with cycles of life and death, renewal and sacrifice.  Every week I get letters from parents, grandparents, wives and children of men and women who have served our country through military service. They show me their pictures, tell me their stories. It has become something I never expected, but something I treasure.

I’ve also received intimate thank you letters as people remember a loved one who fell in the line of duty, or perished as the result of injuries years later.

So at this time of year, and in keeping with the spirit of renewal and sacrifice, I’m not going to sell books. I’m going to just say that I thank each and every one of you who have enriched my life, who have gone with us on this journey. I blog here because Delilah has become a good friend of mine. We’ve been lucky to work together on several successful collaborations.

The other writers I have had the priviledge of working with recently are the ladies from our SEALed With A Kiss Anthology. Thank you Marliss Melton, Teresa Reasor, Gennita Low, Elle James, Stephanie Tyler, J.M. Madden. Class act writers and good friends all. Thank you.

Thank you also for the opportunity to work with other talented authors like Zoe York, Cora Seton, Roxie Rivera, Anne Marsh, Suzan Butler, Kimberley Troutte and Jennifer Lowery on the new SEALs Of Summer Romance Superbundle. We’re doing it Navy SEAL style – with grace, honor, pooling our resources, being sisters and working toward the common good. Some of you are new friends, and it has been a great joy to work with you.

We write about heroes and heroines every day. We do it because we enjoy it. But we also do it because we love bringing these stories to you, our readers. Thank you for giving us the chance to come into your lives. Before the craziness of another launch descends upon us, I’d just like to pause and say thanks to everyone.

This weekend I’d like to reflect on the gifts we’ve been given, the prices paid so unselfishly, by being grateful and enjoying every minute. That’s what those who came before us would want us to do.

NYT and USA/Today and Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Author Sharon Hamilton’s SEAL Brotherhood series have earned her Amazon author rankings of #1 in Romantic Suspense, Military Romance and Contemporary Romance. Her characters follow a sometimes rocky road to redemption through passion and true love. Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany earned her a #1 Amazon author ranking in Gothic Romance.

A lifelong organic vegetable and flower gardener, Sharon and her husband live in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place.

Sharon Hamilton
Life is one fool thing after another.
Love is two fool things after each other.
Author Page ** Sharon’s Blog ** Sharon’s Website ** Facebook**Twitter

If you had told me a few years ago that I would be wearing a unicorn mask and carrying a squirt gun around my neighborhood as a professional activity, I would have laughed myself silly in my old office, surrounded by paperwork and tasks and office politics more intricate than trying to get Congress to pass a balanced budget.

But here I am. Readers have asked me why — why? —WHY? — I write crazy romantic comedy that takes everything up a few notches until it’s so absurd you can’t help but laugh.

Because…isn’t that just real life? At least, that’s how my real life is. No, I don’t play naked-character squirt guns fights (you have to read Random Acts of Fantasy to understand that one…), or lose my smartphone in my hoohaw (Random Acts of Trust), run full-force into parking signs because I’m jealous of my ex touching someone else (It’s Complicated), or pick up naked hitchhikers (Random Acts of Crazy).

And I certainly don’t get caught in the men’s room with my hand down a toilet (my newest book, Shopping for a Billionaire).

Real life comes close, though.

We like to laugh because it makes us feel better about the world, or because we’re secretly relieved THAT didn’t happen to US. Humor makes the intolerable easier to live with, bonds us with others, and makes everything seem just a little lighter. A little looser.

A little more lovely.

🙂

—-

Bio: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge, and new adult books that push contemporary boundaries. From billionaires to BBWs to rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every book she writes, but unlike Trevor from Random Acts of Crazy, she has never kissed a chicken.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at jkentauthor@gmail.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor . Visit her blog at https://jkentauthor.blogspot.com

—

Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/1gBgUK8
iBooks: https://bit.ly/1o4cHZd
B&N: (it’s not up yet and I’m leaving for the airport now for a 6.5 hour cross-country flight! I can get it to you tomorrow, though!)
—

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Read about my books at Julia Kent’s Blog

My daughter joined Girls Scouts this year and she loves it! The projects, the discussions, the games, the friends. Most of all, I think she understands this is something special. This long-standing organization focusses intently upon honoring every girl for her unique interests, capabilities and talents. Whether it is a love for animals, nature and the outdoors, music and dance, or reading, the girls are encouraged and supported in whatever direction they choose to go. Everyone is free to be exactly who she is, and is celebrated for it.

It may seem odd that I intend to compare this to romance novels…or maybe not. There appear to be some obvious parallels. Today’s romance novels all contain a similar theme—that of the heroine being honored and loved for who she is as an individual. She may be a vampire/shape-shifting demon hunter, a bookish miss of the Regency, a clumsy ingénue trying to find her place in a multi-million dollar corporation, or a seductive movie star…but whatever her passion or her chosen path, she is never afraid to be exactly who she is. The heroines of romance refuse to fit anyone’s mold. They live life on their own terms. By honoring themselves, they expect no less from those they love.

As readers, we connect with these women, who are rarely ever perfect. We root for them when they discover someone who sees them for their true selves and not some iconic depiction of what womanhood should be. This is why I love romance novels. They not only bring us into a world of passion, emotion and adventure, they also remind us how special every woman is in her own way.

This is also what made writing REBEL MARQUESS so fun and rewarding. The story’s heroine, Eliza Terribury, is determined to follow her dreams, despite the fact that they are not appropriate for a young lady of her time. She forges ahead in the face of opposition from her family, knowing she must remain true to that which makes her unique. Below is an excerpt from when Eliza reveals her intention to become a published novelist to our hero, Lord Rutherford. Though he eventually comes to adore in all that makes Eliza who she is, his initial reaction is not so enlightened.

She paused, eyeing him intently for a moment before she clarified. “I write gothic romance. Novels of high adventure and dark suspense.”

He snorted in surprise. “That drivel?” It was rare he spoke without thinking, and he saw right away he had insulted her, though it had not been his intention. Her blunt way of offering up her thoughts on a platter must be contagious.

She stiffened immediately in response to his thoughtless comment. Her squared-off shoulders and stiff spine indicated pure defiance, but she kept strict control of her features, even to the point of offering him a tight little smile. He was impressed.

“Have you ever read a gothic novel, Lord Rutherford?”

“Of course not.”

“How then did you come by your assessment of the genre?”

“Well, everyone knows—”

“Who is everyone?” she interrupted tartly. “Stodgy gentlemen who only read literature deemed to be of the highest cultural, political or moral significance? And what exactly would they know about novels filled with adventure, mystery and romance?”

He decided it best not to answer such a question.

*~*~*~*

REBEL MARQUESS is a follow up to ROGUE COUNTESS and RECKLESS VISCOUNT and is available for pre-order now!

https://store.samhainpublishing.com/rebel-marquess-p-73389.html
https://www.amazon.com/Rebel-Marquess-Amy-Sandas-ebook/dp/B00HOFEHDU
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rebel-marquess-amy-sandas/1118069784?ean=9781619218390

Author Bio – Amy Sandas

Amy’s love of romance began one summer when she was thirteen and complained of boredom.  She ended up with one of her mother’s Barbara Cartland books and an obsessive interest that expanded from there.  Her affinity for writing began with sappy pre-teen poems and led to a Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

She writes in the early mornings while her young kids are still asleep and dreams of a future when she can write all day instead of going to her “other” job.  In the evenings, Amy is a full-time wife and mother who enjoys pizza, wine and dark brooding heroes … namely, her husband.

You can find Amy on her blog at https://amysandas.wordpress.com
On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmySandas?ref=hl
Or Tweet her at https://twitter.com/#!/AmySandas

The month of April means spring for most people around the country, waiting for snow to melt and flowers to bloom.  Here in the desert of Phoenix, where we only have two seasons—hot and not very cold—we’ve had a very mild winter and am already hitting the mid-ninties.  Yeah, I’m sure you can feel my excitement.

For writers, April also means it’s Camo Nano!  It’s our chance for redemption if we weren’t able to complete the original NaNoWriMo back in November.  For those of you who don’t know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month where authors of all genres attempt to write a complete novel, typically around 50,000 words.  Some people are able to meet that goal and go on to publish those works, others like myself, use it as a excuse to socialize.  I know, very lame but hey, who doesn’t like to make friends?

Last last November my critique partner and I set goals for ourselves and of course made a wager to see who could beat the other.  Because we’re not competitive at all. Nope, not us.  Of course I got my butt handed to me but it was fun to try.  The point was we made each other accountable for the goals we set.

Goals are extremely important when you want to achieve something.  Whether it be writing, or losing weight ( raises hand ), a home project ( raises other hand ) or something as simple as laundry ( raises a foot, wobbles and falls over ), a goal can help you focus on one step at a time and not getting overwhelmed.  That’s my biggest problem, getting overwhelmed when I look at everything all at once.  For instance, I have edits for my upcoming release sitting in my inbox, I’ve got a recently completed short story that needs editing and polishing, I’ve got half of a book written and another short story to write all in the next couple of months.  When I think of those projects and the messy house and 18 craft projects in my garage, all I want to do is sit down and read.

Of course, I can’t do that.  So I decided to use CampNaNo as a way set small goals.  So far I have met one of the three goals set, and as a reward I am watching Once Upon a Time. I may have had some Thin Mints we do don’t talk about those.

What about you guys?  Do you think goals are important? Do you use a reward system also?  Let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

My next release, Moon Over the Bay, the second book in the Moonlit Nights series, has a cover and blurb reveal May 3rd with a release date at the end of May.

In the meantime you can pick up the first book in the series, Talk to the Moon on Amazon and then available at all online retailers May 22nd!

When Kyle Chase was eighteen, he had his life all mapped out: a business degree and a long, happy life with his childhood sweetheart. Seven years later, Kyle is still haunted by the girl who declared her undying love to him before disappearing without a word as soon as he left for college. With the realization that the memories are stopping him from living his life, Kyle posts an ad in hopes of making contact with the woman who broke his heart.

Sadie Long has finally found her niche in the world as an artist, years after leaving the South and her trailer-trash parents. Every month, her muse drives Sadie to create another artwork featuring a vivid full moon and the boy she left behind, and it’s driving her crazy. When she comes across an ad in Craigslist’s “Missed Connections,” she knows it’s from him, and even though she’s terrified of how he might feel about what she did when they were teenagers, she has no choice but to respond to the ad.

When the truth comes out, will Kyle be able to forgive Sadie and move forward, or will they always be stuck in the past?

Talk to the Moon on Amazon

Contact:
Website- https://www.morgan-emerson.com/
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Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/authormorganemerson
Twitter- https://twitter.com/morgan_emerson
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Goodreads-  https://www.goodreads.com/MorganEmerson

Morgan
“Don’t force success. People can’t tell you how to do it. You’ve got to do it by yourself and if they judge you and the process you’ve chosen… let it be.”

The one thing I love about life is it’s never stagnant. There are changes that range from minor to huge. No matter the change, it causes a ripple effect of some kind, which leads to good or bad things. Right now, I’m thinking of changes because of a book I’m writing.

My characters are at a crossroads. In the book, they went through the change of letting someone close to them. It caused for both a major ripple in their lives as they adapted to each other. Once they did accept the change and letting someone into their lives they rode the wave of that ripple and are enjoying the journey. But any life’s journey as I mentioned doesn’t stay stagnant. My characters have already been through the change of realizing they actually care beyond the sexual for the other.  But now it’s time for them to be shaken up. Time for another change that will either make them stronger as a couple or break them apart. *grin* I love exploring the complexities of relationships.  It’s going to be fun to see where their adventure will lead as I take them through changing.

****

Taige Crenshaw is a multi-published author with books available at Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Loose Id, and Totally Bound. Taige has been enthralled with the written word from time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. With novels set in today, in alternate dimensions, or in the future she writes with adventure, fun sassy heroine’s, and sexy hero’s. Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun, frolic, interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels. You can find out more about Taige at her website: https://www.taigecrenshaw.com, or blog: https://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog.

Immortal Bloodlines —  A stubborn woman is hard to capture, but once you have, what do you do with her?

Buy here at Totally Bound.