January 28, 2011

Rick R. Reed Does It Again

By creating another fantastic book, DIGNITY TAKES A HOLIDAY, which is sure to be a best seller. No surprise there since the writing world has only high praise for today’s guest author Rick R. Reed. With my limited space, I can only share two;

In their October 2006 issue, Unzipped magazine said:
“You could call Rick R. Reed the Stephen King of gay horror.”

And Dark Scribe magazine proclaimed:
“Reed is an established brand – perhaps the most reliable contemporary author for thrillers that cross over between the gay fiction market and speculative fiction.”

In spite of this—or perhaps because of it—Rick has been lately turning more and more to writing romance and illuminating the emotional lives of gay men.

To date, Reed has more than sixteen books in print, and his short fiction has appeared in more than 20 anthologies. His novel, ORIENTATION, won the EPPIE Award for best LGBT novel of 2008.

Rick lives in Seattle, WA with his partner and a very spoiled Boston Terrier. Visit Rick on his website to see all his wonderful work.

Here’s a glimpse of his latest release.

DIGNITY TAKES A HOLIDAY
Rick R. Reed
ISBN-13: 978-1-61581-721-4 (Paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-61581-722-1 (Electronic)
Dreamspinner Press

BUY LINK

BLURB:
Pete Thickwhistle doesn’t live what one might call a charmed life. At age forty-seven, he’s a flamboyant gay man who believes no one knows he’s gay, still living at home with his harpy of a mother. Worse, he’s still a virgin, longing to find just the right man to make his life complete. Pete’s an upbeat kind of guy, yet he’s never learned that the answer to his motto “What could possibly go wrong?” is always: “Everything.”

Pete’s road to love and happiness is full of potholes, yet he never tires of searching, despite job losses, weight battles, clothing faux pas, and disastrous vacations, parties, and dating debacles. Pete is the ultimate underdog living a television situation comedy, one named Dignity Takes a Holiday.

EXCERPT
The Beginning of the End

“You’re not bringing that, are you? My God, they’ll laugh you out of town.” Helen snickered and pointed at Pete’s open suitcase.

Pete gnawed on a hangnail, staring down at the chalk stripe suit he had just purchased from the International Male catalog. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Other than it looking like one of those zoot suits they used to wear back when I was a little girl… nothing, I guess.”

Pete made a “tsk” sound and shook his head. “You have no fashion sense. If you did, you’d know this is retro, it’s very in. This is how all the guys in Chicago dress.”

“And what about this?” Helen snatched up a black sweater with a gold glitter owl emblazoned across the front. “Retro?”

“Oh, would you just shut up and let me get packed? I have a lot to do, and I don’t need you in here questioning my fashion choices. I’m nervous enough as it is!” Pete put a trembling hand to his forehead.

Helen hurried from the room. Pete wondered why he couldn’t have a mother like other men, someone they called their “best friend” rather than their “worst nightmare.”

But this mystery would have to wait for further pondering. Pittsburgh International Airport was more than an hour away, and Pete would have to “get his ass jumpin’” (as Helen would have so delicately put it) if he wanted to make his flight.

Pete allowed himself to sit down on his bed, closing his eyes and imagining the upcoming trip for a moment. Chicago… Pete pictured towering skyscrapers rising up against a vast expanse of blue waters and thought that his destiny could be made on this trip.

After all, he wondered, as he had so often in the past, what could possibly go wrong?

BUY LINK

Learn more about Rick R. Reed on his Blog and catch up with him on Facebook and Twitter.

Have a wonderful weekend. I’ll be back Monday with a new book review. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 27, 2011

WE HAVE WINNERS

I run an easy contest in my quarterly newsletter with two winners, offering free downloads as the prize. The last contest was to email me with CAMERA typed in the subject line for a chance to win a copy of PHOTO OP!.

And the winners were:

LISA ANDERSON
LISA AVILA

Here’s a little about the book these happy people are now enjoying.

PHOTO OP!
ISBN 978-1-60168-139-3
Aspen Mountain Press

BUY LINK

BLURB:
Photojournalist Emily Peters is in Paris when the opportunity to expose an infamous sex club sets her on fire. She never expects to be tied up in knots by the Devil.

Restaurateur Nicholas Caine prefers an inconspicuous lifestyle, but when a sex goddess enters his lair there’s only one thing he can do…take her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To join in the fun and a chance to win, go to my website and click the Newsletter link in the sidebar.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a new release from Rick R. Reed. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 26, 2011

The Angel Singers

If it is possible to have a split personality without being schizophrenic, Dorien Grey qualifies. When long-time book and magazine editor Roger Margason chose the pseudonym “Dorien Grey” for his first book, it set off a chain of circumstances which has led to the comfortable division of labor and responsibility. Roger has charge of day-to-day existence, freeing Dorien—with the help of Roger’s fingers—to write. It has reached the point where Roger merely sits back and reads the stories Dorien brings forth on the computer screen.

One such intriguing book is The Angel Singers which you’ll enjoy reading again and again.

THE ANGEL SINGERS
Book #12 of the Dick Hardesty Mystery Series
Dorien Grey
ISBN 978-1-934841-06-8
Zumaya Boundless

All Dorien Grey’s novels are available in or on order from any bookstore or on-line from AMAZON.

BLURB:
Take a group of men who love to sing, a devoted director, a wealthy backer, a lot of individual talent, clashing egos, and an upcoming concert. Throw in the backer’s “protege,” a five-year-old boy, a harried private detective, and a car bomb and…welcome to the maze.

EXCERPT:
Over the course of the weeks, I got to know not only something of how a chorus was made up, but a few through-Jonathan’s-eyes glimpses into what went on behind the scenes.

The night of Jonathan’s first rehearsal Roger Rothenberger, the chorus’s director, had, as he did with all new members, assigned him a “Buddy,” to help ease his way into the organization; introduce him around, show him the ropes, and explain and answer questions on procedures. Jonathan’s Buddy was a kid named Eric Speers, and the two of them hit it off immediately. So when Jonathan suggested inviting Eric over for dinner, I readily agreed. I was curious to meet him, and figured it would give me a little better insight into this new part of Jonathan’s life. He had indicated that Eric had been with the chorus since it had begun five years previously, and was deeply devoted to and involved in it. He was also the peacemaker of the group, which was apparently, as are most groups, both tight-knit and contentious.

It was inevitable that whenever you get 50 or so artistic gay men together, the road was not without its bumpy stretches. There were the inevitable cliques, feuds, and rivalries that afflict any group of humans, and Jonathan always brought home a doggie bag of the latest bits of gossip he’d heard at rehearsals. I’ve never gone in much for gossip, but Jonathan got such a kick out of observing all the various behind-the-risers intrigues and took such delight in sharing them with me that I couldn’t complain. It was rather like watching one of those guilty-pleasure soap operas on TV, although the cast members of the chorus dramas were not all as drop-dead gorgeous as their on-screen counterparts. There were even a few hush-hush allusions to a conflict between Rothenberger and Crandall Booth, and to Booth’s alleged financial ties to some rather shady types. I didn’t give any weight to the latter, since I knew that Glen O’Banyon, the city’s preeminent gay lawyer, for whom I frequently did work, was also a member of the chorus’s board, and if there were any solid basis to the allegations, Glen would not be associated with Booth in any way.

Rothenberger, Jonathan had told me, had been born and raised here, then moved to New York and started singing with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and became an assistant director. He’d then gone on to direct one or two other groups before moving back here. In addition to the Gay Men’s Chorus, he also directed the choir at the M.C.C. I’d seen him at the chorus’s last concert—the one that had prompted Jonathan to want to join. Rothenberger had reminded me of an opera star; portly to the point of being rotund, full beard, somewhat imperious manner; in absolute control when it came to leading the chorus. Jonathan reported that Rothenberger’s mantra at every rehearsal and before every concert was: “Remember; when you talk, you’re human. When you sing, you’re angels,” and everyone in the chorus apparently thought the world of him.

The most recent tempest in the choral teapot was created by a member who joined not too long before Jonathan, and who happened to be Crandall Booth’s nephew. There’s nothing like a little nepotism to get things heated up, and the controversy was compounded by the nephew, Grant Jefferson, apparently being something of a pain in the ass. Jonathan, of course, always prefers to see the good in everyone, but even he found it a little difficult to find much positive to say about Grant. “He’s really good looking,” he conceded, “and he does have a nice voice,” which, coming from Jonathan, I took to be something of a case of damning with faint praise.

Possibly another reason why I allowed myself to be vicariously caught up on the goings on of the chorus was that my work, while fairly steady, had lately tended to be far less than the stuff of which detective novels are made. For the past two weeks or so I had been caught up in a “case”…if it could even be called that…so stupifyingly dull I’d have much preferred to watch paint dry. Suffice it to say it involved a client with more money than intelligence who was on a vendetta against a former business partner and wasn’t going to let a little thing like his case not having a leg to stand on get in his way. I finally gave up trying to convince him that he was wasting his money, and resigned myself to the conclusion that if he was going to throw his money away, he might as well throw some of it at me. So I spent an inordinate amount of time running off in whatever new direction he pointed me. I could and should have quit; however, my mantra was: “It isn’t the principle of the thing, it’s the money.”

All Dorien Grey’s novels are available in or on order from any bookstore or on-line from AMAZON.

Learn more about Dorien Grey and his excellent books on his website and his blog. For further insight into this remarkable author, check out his photolife.

I’ll be back tomorrow to announce the winners from my newsletter contest. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 25, 2011

Tuesday Teaser

Here’s a little teaser to help warm up your cold winter day.

TEDDI TURNS ON
Sloane Taylor
ISBN 978-1-60168-115-7
Aspen Mountain Press

BUY LINK

BLURB:
No one’s going to take advantage of Teddi Howard again, including the Munich tour operator who screwed her over when he reneged on their contract. Her only option is to face the little weasel.

Nothing stands in the way of the prominent, German businessman David Stiefle, especially a woman. No way is he ever getting involved, even if she is the sensual Mrs. Howard.

EXCERPT:
David Stiefel’s eyes kept track of the copper-haired female while he rolled up the sleeves of his striped shirt. The woman was oblivious to the stir she created as she strolled through the crowded O’Hare Airport Business Class Lounge. He stroked an index finger over his lips and studied her sleek figure in form fitting slacks. The appealing rear view was too good to miss. The pleasure of not seeing a panty line forced him to shift in his chair to adjust for the sudden pull in his jeans.

She bent over, hung her jacket across the chair back, and glanced over her shoulder at him. Their gaze held as a smile tweaked the corner of his mouth. He crumpled the wrappings from his beef sandwich and knew he’d just been offered dessert. Now all he had to do was make his move.

As his good luck would have it, right there on the floor, just a few meters away was an airline ticket dropped by some unsuspecting person. Ha, unsuspecting, his Aunt Hilda. He knew that delicious looking woman had done it as a ploy to meet him.

He stood and paced off the few steps, never taking his eyes from her. He stooped, scooped up the packet, and walked the few extra feet before he glanced at the name printed in bold marker across the front. When he held it toward her she fumbled with her purse and carry-on as if she didn’t know she’d lost such an important set of documents. Very cool.

Standing in front of her, he leaned down just enough to catch her scent. Shalimar. His favorite.

“Bitte, Frau, are you missing something?” He liked the way her eyes widened as if she were surprised. She was good.

“Thank you.” She reached out a slender hand. Thank God there wasn’t any of that garish nail art so many women seemed to prefer.

BUY LINK

I’ll be back tomorrow with my good friend Dorien Grey. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 24, 2011

Great Food, Fun Atmosphere

Texas Roadhouse, with its cool western decor and music, has become a large chain restaurant, specializing in steaks. The man who started the popular company is Kent Taylor. The attentive manager told us, Mr. Taylor’s goal was to create a restaurant serving top quality meats affordable to families. In our opinion, he more than achieved his goal.

Legally, I can’t display an image of this award winning restaurant. Click here for the full effect along with locations and menus.

We’ve dined twice at Texas Roadhouse with our good friends Janine and Dennis, and support the restaurant’s registered motto – Legendary Food, Legendary Service®. Mr. Taylor, along with his team, surpasses most family restaurants with their excellent made-from-scratch-for-each-order food.

I heartily recommend the fried pickles which are battered and deep fried pickle chips served with Ranch or Cajun Horseradish sauce for dipping. It’s an unusual appetizer, but well-worth the experience.

The pork chops, rib-eye steaks, and prime rib are beyond belief for quality of meat and superb cooking. Prepared to perfection, the meats are solid and savory.

Our last visit was a disappointment as the service was less than stellar. Three female bartenders stood at the far side of the large horseshoe bar chatting away while a full contingent of customers signaled for refills on their adults beverages. The “Excuse me” and/or polite gestures did nothing to break up the ladies’ important conversation or their laughter.

The kitchen runner brought out the food with no clue who got what and the order taker did not interrupt her chick chat to help him. After it was squared away, there we sat, yummy food waiting to tease our taste buds and not an eating utensil or napkin in sight.

I couldn’t stand it any longer and finally waved until our bartender bothered to look in our direction. She acted surprised we’d want another drink or a fork to eat the now cold food.

Studs and I intend to go back to Texas Roadhouse in Dyer, Indiana, but we need a little time to forget this last experience.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a Tuesday Teaser. Until then…

Happy Eating!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 21, 2011

ONCE UPON A SECRET

Christiane France, author of cool mysteries and hot romance, truly believes love makes the world go round, so she likes stories with both happy and bittersweet endings. Christiane has been writing romance for the past twenty years and lives in Canada, near Niagara Falls, with her husband and The Boys—two black and white Persian cats.

Here’s a peek at Ms. France’s latest release which I do believe you’ll love.

ONCE UPON A SECRET
Christiane France
ISBN 13: 978-1-61124-016-0
Amber Quill Press – Amber Heat

BUY LINK

BLURB:
The last thing Luke Fiorelli wants to do, being a member of a close-knit immigrant family living in the Italian neighborhood of a small town, is embarrass or upset them by openly declaring his sexuality.

Moving to the big city isn’t an option for a couple of reasons: he owns a successful landscaping business, and his family wouldn’t understand him relocating on what they would interpret as a whim.

By convincing himself that his strait-laced father would kill him if he ever found out about Luke’s sexuality, and satisfying his needs with the occasional weekend trip out of town, Luke has never had a problem keeping that part of his life a deep, dark secret.

That is, until he meets handsome and openly gay Travis Barrington III. The attraction between the two men is strong and instantaneous, and suddenly Luke is scrambling to invent even more excuses to keep his secret.

Travis, however, knows all about secrets and the harm they can do, but can he convince Luke to accept that and step out into the light?

EXCERPT:
Luke Fiorelli watched Travis Barrington III across the makeshift desk in the construction site office, fascinated by the movement of the man’s nicely manicured hands as they sifted through the contents of a file. He swallowed hard, desperate to deny the shiver of awareness that heated his blood and sent his thoughts skittering in directions they had no business going.

He’d first met Travis a couple of months ago, at Barrington Properties’ corporate headquarters in downtown Rock Bay. Travis had personally taken delivery of Luke’s last-minute bid to landscape the grounds at what was to be the jewel in the Barrington crown, a new hotel on the coast a few miles north of town. Luke had hoped his bid would be successful, but he’d long ago learned not to expect miracles. Competition was stiff for plum commercial jobs like this and there were dozens of landscaping companies more experienced and better known than Fiorelli Exteriors.

However, in the split second it had taken for that envelope to change hands, something had passed between himself and Travis, and Luke had known for an absolute fact that the job would be his. He couldn’t explain how he’d known; he just had. Maybe it was what the experts labeled a moment, a flash of precognition that sometimes happened, or good old-fashioned e.s.p. Whatever it was, less than a week later, Travis had called to confirm Luke had indeed submitted the winning bid.

It had happened, it was over, but the incident still continued to bother Luke. He didn’t have moments or suffer from ESP. Even so, something must have triggered the sudden feeling of knowing the future, and he didn’t have much to choose from. There had been the initial, brief but all-encompassing eye contact with Travis that made Luke feel as if he’d been swallowed whole. Then the zap of electricity traveling up his arm as their fingers touched when Travis took possession of the package. Then again, maybe it had just been one of those weird, inexplicable things that happen but defy all rational explanation.

Whatever it was, from then on, any time Luke ran into Travis, he started feeling wary and off balance, like he was walking on eggs, or balancing on the edge of a cliff. And it didn’t help in between those times he couldn’t quit thinking about the man or having ridiculous dreams where the two of them were locked together in a passionate embrace.

Travis was handsome, rich, a real player by all accounts, and totally out of Luke’s league. The last person on earth Luke would want to hook up with, yet his fingers itched to touch his skin, to get naked with him. He wanted to run his fingers through the man’s long black hair and kiss his wide mouth. He wanted to taste him and—
Just then, Travis looked up, a faintly troubled look on his handsome face, giving Luke the craziest urge to just walk around the desk and solve whatever was bothering him with a reassuring hug. However, while Travis made no secret of the fact he was gay and proud of it, Luke was not. Hell, there were times when Luke wasn’t even sure what he was. Although that wasn’t exactly true. He’d done enough messing around, first in high school and later in college, to be very sure.

However, he’d grown up in a family with strong conservative values and strait-laced views on just about everything. He didn’t need to hear his dad’s views on homosexuality to know the way he and his friends thought. It was something decent people didn’t talk about, so telling his parents had been totally out of the question. As a result, Luke’s almost non-existent sex life was, of necessity, restricted to DIY and weekend trips out of town to somewhere like L.A., Vegas, or San Francisco.

If his secret ever got out… Luke shuddered inwardly at the very thought. His dad would kill him. Guaranteed.

BUY LINK

Learn more about Christiane France and her outstanding books on her website.

I’ll be back Monday to share a restaurant review. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 20, 2011

Best of 2010 Reader Awards

I’m excited and honored to share Love Romances Cafe has announced their Best of 2010 Reader Awards nominees. Here’s the beautiful nominee button.

Now take a gander at who made it!

Best Contemporary Book-2010

French Twist by Sloane Taylor (AMP)

Best Science Fiction/Futuristic Book-2010

Claire De Lune by Robert Appleton and Sloane Taylor (Amber Quill)

Best Book Cover

Claire De Lune by Robert Appleton and Sloane Taylor (Amber Quill)

Best Erotic Book

French Kiss by Sloane Taylor (AMP)

Congratulations to all the nominees!

I’ll be back Friday with a new release from Christiane France. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 19, 2011

HAIL the QUEEN

Jan Springer, the Queen of Hot, is back with a novel guaranteed to clench your thighs and make you want more. COLTER’S REVENGE Outlaw Lovers 3. Here, see for yourself.

COLTER’S REVENGE
Outlaw Lovers 3
Jan Springer
ISBN 9781419904912
Ellora’s Cave

Colter’s Revenge – Outlaw Lovers 3 is available in e-book and print from Ellora’s Cave.
Buy Link

In the near future, a virus has been unleashed killing a majority of the world’s female population, forcing the introduction of the Claiming Law. A law that states men have all the rights and women are sexual property claimable by groups of men.

BLURB:
Revenge belongs to Dr. Colter Outlaw when he runs into the beautiful woman who broke his heart during the Terrorist Wars. Capturing her, collaring her and holding her against her will, he seduces her, fills her with wicked desires and cravings for a delicious ménage. Fully intent on breaking her heart and walking away, his plans unravel when he submits to the carnal pleasures Ashley gives him so freely…

He’d told her he loved her. Whispered promises of rescue from her life as a slave, then he’d disappeared. Infected with a version of the X-virus that leaves her sexually excited on a daily basis, Ashley Blakely has come to Pleasure Palace to bid on the cure. She never expected her Outlaw Lover to screw her plans. Nor did she expect to give him her heart and body so easily…

EXCERPT:
“I wish I could take your pretty little ass, Ashley. Wish I could have it again.”

Why don’t you take me? A voice somewhere deep in the back of her mind urged. Please take my ass. Please don’t sound as if you don’t ever want me again.

As her ass muscles began to relax beneath his soft yet insistent prodding, she found herself drifting away, relaxing, and focusing on the pleasure-pain sifting along deep inside her and the flames that continued to lick her freshly spanked ass cheeks.

All too soon the wondrous pleasure-pain disappeared and she opened her eyes to find the blackness of the blindfold staring back at her. She could hear him breathing, the sound fast and harsh. Aroused. Would he take her in the ass now? Would he put out the fire he’d started in her?

The sound of plastic came again. She found herself lifting her head, orienting herself to the noise.

“Settle down, Ashley. No need to be afraid.”

His voice soothed her, sucked her into a wall of security she loved. She didn’t even flinch when she felt a strange, cool item penetrate her ass. At first she thought it was a butt plug, but he didn’t insert it.
Just left it poised in her opening.

Involuntarily her butt muscles clenched around it, tried to suck it in, it wouldn’t come inside. Then she felt the pressure as Colter slid the item deeper. Her sphincter muscle constricted.

“There, that should hold you for a bit while I see what other little surprises I can give you.” She didn’t miss the amusement etching his voice.

The mattress shifted beneath her.

She could hear him walking toward the sex-toy cabinet and found herself wondering how she must look with her bare ass, all flushed and red, propped up on the pillow with whatever it was that was sticking out of her ass.

The cabinet door creaked open again.

“I could give your cute little ass a sound whipping. Before long you’ll be begging for it.”

Begging? What?

It was at that moment Ashley felt the slow burn between her buttocks. What in the world was it?

As if sensing her question he chuckled and spoke. “The juice of the root has the ability to create incredible horniness.”

Juice? Root?

Oh, God! What had he shoved into her ass?

Bucking her hips as much as she could against the restraints to get rid of the item, Ashley quickly discovered her movements only increased the burn, which was rapidly heading into a fire.

“How’s our ginger root doing?” He was closer now. Too close.

She cried out as his hands curved over her buttocks again. The instant he touched the root, fire consumed her anus. She shivered as a finger dipped downward and touched her clit.

An immediate burn began there as well. Made her clit swell. Made her pussy clench. Made her cry out.

“Please! It’s…burning me alive. Please help me…put…put out the fire.”

“You’ll have to beg a little harder than that, Ashley.”

God! She was starting to feel so unbelievably horny. Her pussy was quivering, anxious to be penetrated. This must be the sexual torture he’d mentioned earlier.

“It won’t hurt you, Starry Eyes. Unless you lied about not being allergic and I know you don’t have sensitive skin.”

Fire licked her buttocks as the unmistakable lash of a whip snapped against her tender flesh. Her muscles clenched the item tighter, the burn got worse.

Perspiration popped out over her skin, chilling the heat.

“You shouldn’t have come here, Ashley. Shouldn’t have come and reminded me of what we had.”

Another sharp lash.

Her buttocks clenched harder. The burn in her ass from the ginger made her gasp.

Oh, God!

Another lash, the fiery pleasure-pain made her forget the burn. Made her want more.

“I remember how you craved Blade’s cock up your ass while I whipped your breasts. Do you remember Blade?”

Another sharp snap. She cried out as her buttocks clenched around fire.

Her pussy was on fire now. A wonderful horniness that begged to be satisfied.

“I asked if you remember, Blade?”

“Yes,” she whimpered. The coldness in his voice made her wonder once again if he’d been jealous of Blade fucking her.

“Did you enjoy the things he did to you, Starry Eyes? Did you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed watching?”

Oh sweet heavens!

Buy Link

Jan lives in Ontario, Canada. She’s a part time caregiver and also writes erotic romances on her four acres of secluded forest tucked away in Minden Hills cottage country. She has three feline fur balls and she enjoys gardening, hiking, cross-country skiing, kayaking, reading and writing. Jan is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Passionate Ink and the Authors Guild.

Learn more about Jan Springer and her terrific books on her website and Facebook.

I’ll be back tomorrow with some wonderful news. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 17, 2011

Gordon Ramsay Front and Center

Born in Scotland and raised in England, Gordon Ramsay has soared to stardom in the kitchen and has earned no less than 12 Michelin stars in his short career. This creative Master Chef is also the proud owner of no less than fifteen pubs and restaurants around the world. His accomplishments include television programs and a wide selection of amazing cookbooks.

Today we’re sharing with you a fantastic cookbook I badgered my kids to buy me. They’re grateful to have done so as they reap the benefits.

GORDON RAMSAY’S WORLD KITCHEN
Recipes from The F-Word
Gordon Ramsay
ISBN 13: 9781554701995
Key Porter Books

All Chef Ramsay’s books are available at your local bookstores and from Amazon.

Gordon Ramsay’s World Kitchen is filled with recipes from starters through desserts from ten different countries. If you’re not a fish lover, don’t be swayed from this exceptional book. There are scads of recipes you’ll still love to prepare and eat. We have two favorites I’ve prepared for us and company. First is wild mushrooms on griddled polenta with pecorino, page 37. This appetizer has a beautiful aftertaste. The other is buffalo chicken wings with sour cream and chive dip, page 232. They are so flavorful you can make a meal on them alone.

Chef Ramsay makes it easy with photos and concise direction for preparation. From novice to expert, Gordon Ramsay’s World Kitchen is a cookbook every kitchen must own.

I’ll be back Wednesday with the Queen of Hot Jan Springer. Until then…

Happy Cooking!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

January 14, 2011

STEAM TOYS

Today we have renown author Destiny Blaine and her latest sizzler, STEAM TOYS.

But first a little about the private side of this creative author.

Destiny began her writing career as a ghost writer. Accustomed to working in the shadows, it’s really no surprise to find her writing is often classified under the paranormal genre. She particularly loves writing about fang-bangers and leans toward creating sexy-hot alpha males ready to dominate the world and the women they love. Additionally, Destiny’s cowboys are true to form. She grew up on a large working cattle ranch where her weekends were spent riding, herding cattle, or plopped down in front of the television watching football with her brothers and father.

Destiny lives in East Tennessee with her husband and their teenagers. Their extended family consists of several teenagers they literally pluck from their homes when they’re headed out of town. Destiny says, “We enjoy professional football games, beaches, and music festivals. Most of the time, we travel with a crowd. These teenagers enrich our lives. Over the years I’ve come to think of them as ‘my’ kids and they sure keep life interesting.”

STEAM TOYS
Destiny Blaine
ISBN 978-1-60168-388-5
Aspen Mountain Press

BUY LINK

Revenge is a hot, bitter dish when served up enthusiastically by someone empowered by extra steam.

BLURB:
Heidi Labeidi, a successful Nevada brothel owner, had the world by its tail until her deceptive lover Stan Graves disposed of her. Lost somewhere between life and the afterlife, Heidi materializes in her former home thirty years after her death. She has a second chance and she’s hell bent on solving her own murder.

With a knack for creating pleasure-inducing trinkets and furniture, Edward Brady is an eccentric mad scientist on the verge of greatness. He’s also in desperate need of an assistant and his problems are solved when he discovers a sensual ghost enjoying his sex toys.

Heidi has something to offer Edward but her assistance comes at a price. And when Edward becomes an assassin’s mark, only Heidi can help him. Will Edward barter with a ghost who can save him and if he does, will the former madam become the one woman Edward is unable to resist?

EXCERPT:
A few seconds after the hand-job, she tucked him in his pants and redressed quietly. He stared at her in disbelief. “You are most definitely a tease.”

“No, Edward. I’m not,” she assured him, adjusting her simple sleeves.

‘Then do you mind telling me why you didn’t finish what you started?”

“Of course not,” she said, crossing one long leg over the other. “Lesson number one is just for you, Edward. You may have a whore in your lap, with your cock in her cheek, but you never, ever make the implication you believe she’s old, used and cheap.”

“I made you feel that way?”

She tilted her head down and with wide eyes, she confirmed it. “Yes you did, Edward.”

“You’re the one who said you’d given head a few times. Not me.”

She smiled, placed her hands in her lap and looked straight ahead. When they pulled into the parking lot of the towers where Edward lived, she said, “And you suggested I may have been out of practice which was a direct slam to my age.”

“It wasn’t.”

“It was, Edward,” she said, pushing her hair over her shoulders. She tilted her head toward the driver approaching them. “Try not to act like a scorned lover when you get out of the car. Remember, he can’t see me. I’ve learned from experience those employees closest to you are the first to run their mouths when things begin to spiral out of control. The last thing you need is your driver telling a reporter you’ve lost it.”

The limousine driver opened the door. Edward stepped out. He was brewing. Not only did he have a hard-on, he had a complicated woman to credit and blame. Not only did he have someone to blame, he couldn’t publicly point an accusing finger her way.

“Did you have a nice dinner, sir?” the driver asked, trying to make small talk while Edward retrieved his wallet.

“We did,” he reported. “Thank you.”

The driver accepted his tip and arched a brow. “Did you meet friends while you were out?”

Heidi studied her fingernails. “You didn’t listen.”

“How the hell was I supposed to listen when I’m standing here with blue balls?”

“I beg your pardon, sir?” the driver fired back.

Heidi yawned. “Since your dick seems to be the only thing you can think with, see if it can help you worm your way out of this. I’m waiting upstairs.”

She was gone in a flash and Edward wished he could disappear just as rapidly.

“Sir, are you feeling okay?”

“No, Truman,” Edward replied. “I’m not. I apologize for the outburst. I’m hearing voices tonight.”

Truman frowned. “Sir, I’d strongly advise against telling anyone else about voices. You know how people like to talk.”

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Learn more about Destiny Blaine on her website and blog. You can also find her on Twitter.

I’ll be back Monday with a review for World Kitchen, a fantastic cookbook by infamous Gordon Ramsey. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell