FOOD AND LOVE

Lately my Facebook posts seem to be mostly pictures of partially naked men, kittens, dogs, and food. In my newest book, MO’S HEART, I have everything but the dog. The hero owns a restaurant/bar with a karaoke stage in a small Wisconsin village. It’s called Mo’s Place, but the title refers to his love for the heroine. I wanted to say “pure” love, only there’s nothing pure about the way he feels for her.

And then there’s the food… There’s something sensual about food, and for me, Italian food is very sensual. Both my hero and heroine are of Italian ancestry, and olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and parsley and other spices are mentioned often in the book. I know that’s not a turn-on to everyone – especially garlic. But that’s the wonderful thing about food and men and women. We don’t all love the same thing. Not even the same books.

In my last book, MIRACLE PIE, my heroine was a pie baker. I’m trying to cut down on sugar, but I love pies. My advice to anyone on a diet is DON’T WRITE A BOOK WITH PIE IN THE TITLE IF YOU’RE TRYING TO EAT HEALTHIER.

What favorite foods would you like to read about in a book? You never know, I might put them in my next book. 🙂

The Mafia comes to Miracle, Wisconsin…

Mo Vincent, the owner of Mo’s Place, is in agony because his soon-to-be divorced sous-chef is dating – but not him. He has his reasons for not asking her out. He did the right thing back in New Jersey, and it cost him his son, his wife, his restaurant. Now he’s found a home in Miracle. The village has accepted him, and his new restaurant is doing well. He should be content with what he has…but his heart wants more.

Chef Rosa Fabrini’s divorce is one signature away when her cheating husband returns home and expects her to forgive him. Her lawyer is AWOL, and her youngest son is demanding she take his father back. Desperate to escape the turmoil, she asks Mo to let her move into the empty apartment above the restaurant…right next to his place.

Mo can’t say no. His mind knows she’s forbidden fruit, but his heart dares to hope. Until his past shows up, and he finds out sometimes it takes a village…

Mo’s Heart is available at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Apple

For more information, visit edieramer.com and follow Edie on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Aloha from Hawaii! Mahalo to Delilah for inviting me back.

I’m on a long-awaited vacation to Maui with my husband. Sounds like we picked the right time to come—record low temps in Montana today. 17 degrees in April? Brrr!

85 degrees here on Maui today, with 90 % humidity. This creates warm, balmy air that feels like a kiss on your skin. Today we drove up to Kapalua Bay. Set up our beach chairs with trade winds blowing puffy clouds across the blue skies and the ocean lapping at our feet. Surrounded with green palm trees and golden sands, we snorkeled around the turquoise bay. Spotted two moray eels and two huge sea turtles among the coral, while tropical fish darted past like little rainbows of color.

Then it was back to Maalea Harbor for a visit to the Maui Aquarium to identify our fishies in huge lighted fish-tank displays. Saw some sharks, too. That’s where I like my sharks—on the other side of thick glass! After that we relaxed with a microbrew and some pu-pus (hors d’oeuvres) in a harbor side open air bar with live music.

If this sounds like paradise to you too, wish you were here! But if Hawaii isn’t in your itinerary this year, how about a mini-vacation on me?

I love Hawaii so much I figured out a way to extend my vacations here (in my fantasies, anyway) I set an entire series of contemporary paranormal red hot romances here. My Hawaiian Heroes will whisk you away from snow, cold and rain to the land where palm trees sway, and gorgeous hunks await you for a fantasy adventure.

My Ho’omalus have been tasked by Pele herself, goddess of Hawaiian volcanoes, with keeping her islands safe while she sleeps deep beneath her islands. To do so, she’s gifted each one of this extraordinary family with powers from her islands.

Burning up the Rain, Hawaiian Heroes, Book 4 debuts May 7 at Samhain.

Her powers could save her island…or bring their love crashing down.

Despite her successful career, Lalei Kai-Ho’omalu has always considered herself mere decoration in a dynamic Hawaiian family, with none of their powerful gifts. Destined for life in the background as a useless, upper-crust wife.

Desperate to escape her mother’s latest matchmaking attempt, Lalei acts on her sizzling attraction to a guest at her cousin’s island wedding, making him a bold offer he can’t refuse.

A no-strings, no-holds-barred affair on Nawea Bay with the sexy Hawaiian beauty is just the break California Realtor Jack Nord needs from his fast-paced career—and an inner darkness he’d like to forget. Just for a while.

Their very public liaison is the shocking declaration of independence Lalei intended—with unintended consequences. Stirred to anger by developers set on carving her family’s unspoiled ancestral lands into a resort, Lalei discovers she has the supernatural power to stop them.

But when Jack learns his lover can bring down the rain and throw bolts of lightning, whose side will he take? The money-making machine? Or the woman born to protect her island home?

Jack is my idea of a true hero—strong enough to let a woman do what she can, while he has her back. Hmm, and her front too. Oh, yeah.

What about you? If you could take a vacation and just … stay, where would that be?

Leave a comment and let me know, and I’ll enter you to win a FREE ebook of your choice from the series. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you!

Mahalo,

Cathryn Cade
… red hot romance!
Goodreads, My Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,  My Blog,

And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies!

Hello all! First, I’d like to thank Ms. Delilah for letting me join the fun on her blog! I love reading what gets posted on here and I’m delighted to join the “crew” of guests!

Anyway, my name is Kalissa Wayne and I’m a virgin romance writer who’s getting her cherry popped on July 16^th. No, no, no! Minds out of the gutter! (Although I do appreciate the company!) I’m just saying, although I’ve loved writing my whole life, this is the first story that I’ve had published.  So when Ms. Delilah told me I could write about anything I wanted to, I had to decide on a topic. Aspiring author, inspirational ideas, hobbies, likes, dislikes, hmmm, all typical newbie author topics. I wanted to pick something different and it dawned on me. What do I want to know about a new/new-to-me author? I want to know if they can write, the rest I can learn later. So I decided to share a really short story with you! (psst! If you make it through the story, you’ll find the eye candy that inspired it! Lol) So, without further ado…

The Captain’s….

Shaking my head to clear it, I realized my wrists were tied above me. The ship rocked, voices coming towards me, arguing amongst themselves. Hands grabbed my shirt and ripped it open to my waist. Snapping my eyes open, I stared at the rough and ready crew of the Knight’s Revenge. Confusion ruled, my sloop had been attacked by two of The Royal Navy’s finest. Why was I now a prisoner on this privateer vessel? A sudden twisting pain brought me back to the present. The crew crowded even closer, one going so bold as to grab my exposed breast and twisting the nipple. I gritted my teeth and kicked out, hitting his shin. He howled like a banshee and hopped backwards into his crewmates.

“Bitch!”

“Bastard!”

“I told you to leave her alone. She’s the Capn’s.” The bald burly first mate said as he forced his way through the crew. “If you don’t think it’s fair, talk to the Cap’n.” The crew started grumbling amongst themselves when a voice from the back sent a sensual tremor down my spine.

“Yes, by all means. Talk to me if you think it’s unfair.” That deep voice was well known to me. He’d be trying to buy my vessel, Lady of the Sea, and get me into his bed for quite awhile.

Antonio de la Vega. I should have known. “Since I wouldn’t sell, you decide to take. So much for your gentlemanly attitude.”

“Ah, but my beauty, I haven’t taken anything that isn’t my due. We came to your rescue and chased off those nasty Navy sharks.”

“Then where is my crew and why am I restrained to the mast?”

His broad shoulders blocked out the sun, and as I looked up into his dark eyes, the spine tingles traveled south, centering on my clit. “Your crew are on their way to a safe port to fix the damage. I told them we’d meet up in a month or so.” His hand reached out, sliding from my cheek  to my breast, where he cupped and squeezed.

“That doesn’t tell me why I’m tied to the mast.”

“You owe me for saving your hide, your ship, and your crew.” His hand moved to my other breast. His crew elbowed to get a better view of what he was doing.

“I’m not a whore! I don’t pay my debts on my back.”

The wind whipped his waist length black hair across his face, partially hiding his wolfish grin. The unholy twinkle in his black eyes brought my guard up. “You’ll willingly work it off with me, or” he said as he backed away from me “you’ll work it off unwillingly with the crew. Your choice, my sweet.” As I looked at the eager expressions of the crew, I knew I had only one choice.

Thank God it was a choice I would have made anyway…

Sigh…. What was I saying? Oh, right.

I have a short story in the Smokin’ Hot Firemen anthology by Cleis Press  called “The Fireman’s Rescue” that is coming out on July 16^th.  Here’s the link for the webpage: https://smokinhotfiremen.delilahscollections.com/. Also, I have a blog, though I didn’t realize it had been so long since I’d written in it until today! https://kalissawayne.blogspot.com/?zx=21a643d04bb3734c  and of course, my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kalissa.wayne?ref=tn_tnmn .

I’m glad we got the chance to chat and hopefully Ms Delilah will let me come play again soon!

I love everything Celtic and in researching Scottish lore I came across the baobhan sith, also known as the dancing vampires. The dancing vampires aren’t actually vampires at all. These creatures are vampiric fey, sisters who roam the Scottish highlands. All of them are women, no men. Voluptuous and enticing, these beauties always wear green gowns. Also, they have talons. No fangs. Like other vampires, they drink human blood and fry in the sunlight. In some tales they have hooves for feet.

Often referred to as dancing vampires, they target young men coming from pubs at night. The baobhan sith dance with them until the men grow exhausted. Then the vampiric temptresses transform their long nails into talons and rake them across the men’s backs. Clawing at their victim’s skin, draining their blood, then drinking it.

For a modern take on the baobhan sith, enter Ellora’s cave and step Underhill to visit these dark fey in my Dancing Vampire series, the tales of seven baobhan sith sisters. The first two quickies, Dance Of The Vampires and Vampire Highland Fling have been available and the third book, Ever So Bonnie A Vampire, was just released April 19^th.

Here’s the Blurb for Ever So Bonnie A Vampire:

Calin has had fantasies about the vampiric fey, Ever’s, warm, curvaceous body ever since they danced a year ago. When they meet again he waste no time in claiming and capturing her.  Once the sun rises, Ever can’t leave the earthly realm and is bound by fey lore to the human, Calin. Though he has saved her from the sun, things get pretty hot in his arms. Thrust into the mortal realm, his love making excites her like no fey man’s  ever has but she’s consumed with the vow she made to her sisters to not leave them for a mortal man. She fights her feelings for Calin and seeks help from goddess Morrigan.

The goddess has feelings of her own for  the tall, muscular mortal so she frees Ever to return Underhill. It isn’t until Ever’s back with her sisters that she realizes her heart is still held captive by Calin. When Calin spurns Morrigan’s attentions, the goddess’s lust turns to vengeance. With Ever out of his reach, Underhill,  and a goddess shape shifting into different beasts to hunt and kill him, Calin McDuff must risk his life and fight all odds to be with the woman he loves.

I am having a contest to giveaway two PDF Ebooks, one for Dance Of The Vampires and one for Vampire Highland Fling, just comment below to enter. Also please visit me at my website, https://CelticRomanceQueen.com

Links: Website | Buy Link | Facebook

Fairy tales often have some sort of magical moment when the truth comes out and the revelation sets the characters free, usually by breaking curses or by removing blinders from their eyes. In the Ugly Duckling, the main character discovers the truth about his parentage and is free to become a swan. In Bluebeard, the wife opens a forbidden door to discover her husband’s heinous crimes, and has blinders removed from her eyes, setting her free from the bondage of ignorance. The trope exists in many fairy tales.

In our most recent sexy retelling of a well-known fairy tale, Keira and I wrote about Jack and the Beanstalk. We took on this trope of revelation and freedom. Jack and Rion, the main characters of Ascending Hearts, begin the book with a set of beliefs about the world which shape the way they interact with each other.

Two untrue things Jack believes with all his heart:
1)      There’s a giant at the top of that bean stalk
2)      No one could ever love him with his shameful red hair

Two untrue things Rion believes with all his heart:
1)      Outsiders like Jack carry disease and only want to steal his treasure
2)      His duty is to protect the treasure and this is his destiny

In the book, Jack and Rion react to the revelation that what they’ve always believed to be true is, in fact, a lie, in very different ways, leading to the crisis of the story.

Everyone has certain things they believe are true and when those beliefs are challenged the world is turned upside down. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you realized one of your core beliefs about the world was untrue? Did the revelation destroy you or did it set you free?

***

About the authors:

Leta Blake is an author of romance, romantic, and erotica who is trying to live the dream with the help of her spouse, child, dogs, and amazing friends. Some days that works out better than others.

After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira Andrews discovered her voice in gay romance. She writes contemporary, historical and fantasy fiction, and — although she loves delicious angst along the way — Keira firmly believes in happy endings.

Ascending Hearts around the web:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ascending-Hearts-Tempting-Tales-ebook/dp/B00AWPDO42

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ascending-hearts-leta-blake/1114106448

Kobo: https://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=Tempting+Tales&t=none&f=series&p=1&s=none&g=both

Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/leta-blake/ascending-hearts/_/R-400000000000000923871

Places Leta can be found around the web:

Email: leta.blake.author@gmail.com
Website: letablake.wordpress.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/letablake
Twitter: https://twitter.com/letablake
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6425833.Leta_Blake
Tumblr: https://letablake.tumblr.com/

Places Keira can be found around the web:

Email: keira.andrews@gmail.com
Website: keiraandrews.com
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1366040.Keira_Andrews
Twitter: https://twitter.com/keiraandrews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keira.andrews.author

 Ascending Hearts

Leta Blake & Keira Andrews

Part of the Tempting Tales series.

Rumors of treasure have long sent fortune hunters clambering up a magic beanstalk to a mysterious castle in the clouds. Survivors told of an evil giant who guards the gold with savage strength. No sane man would dare risk the climb—but Jack has nothing left to lose. Shunned for his evil red hair and abandoned by his cruel lover, he’s desperate to escape his life.

Rion isn’t a giant, only a man bearing the burden of protecting his family’s legacy. It’s a lonely existence, but he’s duty bound. Then Jack appears, and Rion’s world changes. After a blazing confrontation, undeniable lust sparks. Isolated in the clouds, Jack and Rion give in to their desire and growing connection. Soon they must protect the treasure—and each other—from a new threat. And they have everything to lose.

A Romantica® erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Morning, ladies! Random.org has selected June M. as the winner of the $10 GC.
June, please email me at desireeholt@desireeholt.com

* * * * *

What’s better than a cowboy?

Why, a “nekkid” cowboy, of course. For everyone who loved STARK NAKED (and I do thank each and every one of you who made it such a hit), now we have BUCK NAKED. And Buck Montgomery is definitely a mouth-watering eyeful. Here’s a snippet from Naked Cowboys, Book 2.

Release date: April 30 from Samhain Publishing

Comment to win a $10 GC to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

When Amy Stark met Buck Montgomery she was fuming over both a flat tire and his condescending attitude. It onely gets worse when they end up at the same cattle auction and his attitude doesn’t change. Little does she know that Buck harbors a secret he guards closely along with his heart. A secret that prevents him from reaching out to Amy for the relationships he really wants. Against his better judgment he cracks open the wall and lets her in, only to have his past catch up to him in a devastating way. Can Amy get past who he was and love the man he has become, or will he, once again, lose it all?

Silence instantly dropped between them with all the subtly of a lead weight. Amy fiddled with her napkin, very aware of Buck’s careful scrutiny. Again, she wondered what the hell she was she doing here, anyway. He was exactly the kind of man she told herself to stay away from—tall, very masculine, very sexy. Probably had a hundred women chasing after him. Well, she was tired of being one of the pack. Especially for a man like Buck Montgomery, who was now her neighbor.

So why am I sitting here having lunch with him?

Because my head said no but my body and my mouth said yes.

She looked up to find him watching her with his mouth curved in a slight grin. Heat sizzled across the table with an almost visible snap. She squirmed slightly in her seat and searched for a new topic of conversation.

“Do I make you nervous?” His deep voice vibrated though her, the warmth of it like a heated cloud surrounding her and washing over her skin.

Amy cleared her throat. “Nervous?” She clasped her hands on the table in front of her, hoping Buck wouldn’t notice the tremors in them. “Not. Not at all. Is there some reason why you should?”

“No. No reason. You just seem…fidgety. I wondered if it was me.”

Yes.

“Of course not.” She searched for a topic of conversation. “So, when did you buy the Hayes Ranch? I didn’t even know it had sold.”

“About a month ago. It’ll take me a while to get it into shape, but I’m working at it.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the delivery of their food. Using the condiments took up a minute or so. Amy took a healthy bite of her burger and moaned in ecstasy.

“Still the best I’ve ever eaten,” she said around a mouthful of food.

“All their food is good. I eat here whenever I come into town.”

There was more silence as they consumed their lunch. Amy kept her eyes on her food but she was more than cognizant of the heavy-lidded looks Buck kept giving her. She wondered what was on his mind. At the auction he hadn’t seemed all that interested in her, polite and nothing more after their rocky start. Yet now he seemed to be seducing her with his eyes from across the table.

When she finished the last bite of food, she patted her mouth with the napkin and leaned against the back of the seat.

“You missed a spot.” He moved his hand toward her than jerked it back.

“A spot?” She frowned.

“Mustard. On your lower lip.”

Amy patted her mouth with her napkin and looked at the yellow smear on the white cloth. How embarrassing.

“I’m not usually a slob when I eat.” She picked up her napkin and ran it over her mouth again.

“But then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of catching that last little bit on your lip.”

I should just get up and leave before I get myself into trouble. This was a huge mistake.

Okay, where can you find me:

www.desireeholt.com
www.desireeholttellsall.com
Twitter: @desireeholt
Facebook: desiree01holt
Pinterest: desiree01holt
And…desireeholt@desireeholt.com I love to hear from you so don’t be shy.

Thanks for having me, Delilah!  I’m thrilled to be here on the BIG DAY.  I’ve been waiting for so long now to introduce readers to a set of characters while revisiting some I love to write about.  So I’m shouting out about my new series which kicks off today.  It’s a spinoff of the Powertools series.  The crew’s mechanic cousins are garage monkeys who own a car restoration business called Hot Rods (snort!).  I knew before I finished Hammer it Home that we hadn’t seen the last of the crew but there were a new group of guys who were begging to have their stories told.

Readers met Eli and Alanso, the main characters of King Cobra, in Powertools.  They got an eyeful when they unintentionally busted in on one of the crew’s polyamorous sessions in full swing.  And now they’re trying to figure out how a similar arrangement could work in their unusually tight-knit gang.

I think what I’ve really enjoyed about writing these books is that the characters are finding their way.  In Powertools, the relationship between the five men was already established and taken for granted.  Not so in Hot Rods, there’s a lot of angst and drama as seven guys and Mustang Sally work their way into a happy forever state.

The group is really vivid in my mind, in part due to the images by Sophia Renee of Unique Portraiture that are featured on the covers of the books.  Believe it or not, I came across the pictures on Facebook when I was procrastinating *ahem* one night.  They captivated me and I immediately plopped them into a series bible as inspiration.  I never thought I could get lucky enough for Samhain Publishing and Sophia to collaborate with me and bring what I see as the author to life on the covers.  As a photographer myself (who knew that degree would come in handy some day?) I could immediately envision stories for each of these people and so the series was born.

So, I’d love for your readers to meet the gang.  You’ll get to read more about them in each book of the series but I’ve highlighted who will be the focus of each book too:

Eli (King Cobra)

Alanso drives a motorcycle, a main character in both King Cobra and Mustang Sally

Salome (Mustang Sally) – second down in the strip of photos

Kaige (Super Nova)

Bryce (Rebel on the Run) – top photo

Holden (Swinger Style) – fourth picture down of him in the car

Carver half of the couple featured in Barracuda’s Heart

Roman (Barracuda’s Heart) – second from bottom image will  Roman & Carver

Good news is that the books are releasing pretty close to one another.  Mustang Sally will be out on 6/11 and all six will be out by the end of next year.  I’ll leave you with a little bit about King Cobra.  I hope you all enjoy the Hot Rods even half as much as I have writing them.

Nothing’s sexier than seven men with hot rods.
Hot Rods, Book 1

After Eli’s mother died, his father honored her life’s mission as a social worker by taking in several kids from the wrong side of the tracks. Not all of them stuck, but those who did became Eli’s quasi family.

Their bonds, forged in fires set by their personal demons, are unbreakable—or so Eli wants to believe. Especially since he and Alanso, his best friend and head mechanic, witnessed the overpowering allure of polyamory while visiting the Powertools crew.

Much as Eli would like to deepen the relationships among his foster brothers and sister in the Hot Rods Restoration Team, he’s hesitant to risk everything on a quick romp behind a stack of tires.

But when Eli catches Alanso exploring their mutual fantasy at a known hookup spot in a public park, all bets are off. And Eli must decide if it’s time to jump in full throttle—and trust his instincts to guide him through the night.  If the pair of mechanics can dodge the potholes in their own relationship, maybe they can race together toward the unconventional arrangement with Mustang Sally they both desire.

Warning: Fasten your seatbelts, this is going to be a wild (and naughty) ride!

The book is available now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Samhain Publishing and the other usual vendors!

Jayne
www.jaynerylon.com