Archive for 2014

The Hidden Side of Sandra Cormier

August 6, 2014 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

As well as being a talented author, Sandra Cormier is an excellent cook. Today we turn the blog over to Sandra and her latest creation, an amazing dish you and your family will enjoy. Take it away, Sandra!

Hi everyone, I made this recipe up on the fly, but wrote it down right afterward, because it ended up delicious!

Shrimp, Chicken & Salmon Risotto

1 cup chicken stock
1 boneless chicken breast
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. smoked paprika
250 g sliced mushrooms (8.8 ozs)
1 tbsp. butter
½ cup Arborio rice
A few threads saffron (optional)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup raw peeled shrimp, medium to large size
1 boneless salmon filet
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp. cream cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Heat chicken stock in a small saucepan. Keep warm until needed.

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and sauté in olive oil. Stir in tomato paste and garlic while sautéing. Sprinkle with paprika and stir well.

Add mushrooms and butter. Sauté until mushrooms are tender.

Stir in rice, saffron, and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Check for sticking and stir if necessary.

Carefully drop in peas, shrimp, and salmon. Cook over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened. Be sure to stir occasionally. Drizzle white wine in every few minutes until you’ve added ¼ cup. The same method as if you were making risotto.

Blend in cream cheese and the rest of wine. Cover and simmer until the shrimp is pink and the salmon is flaky.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Hope some of you try this!

For dessert how about a sexy romp with four strong women who know what they want.

Four women negotiate the narrows of friendship, marriage, motherhood, divorce and new love… until one man forces them to reveal their inner Bitch.

Hana, Paige, Connie and Pepper form a bond at Dempster Media, gathering in the break room for tea and toast. Later, they add a new venue – Paige’s cabin in the woods.

Hana develops an easy friendship with Michael Preston, the company’s dynamic CEO, but she really has her eye on hot editor Adam Wylde.

Connie’s tastes run toward spectacular shoes and opera. Her jealous husband prefers NASCAR and hurtin’ songs. When he leaves her for another woman, she hesitantly dips her manicured toes into single life, with the help of her fellow Bitches.

Pepper is the firecracker, careening from domestic drudgery to freedom, much to the chagrin of her friends. She seeks adventure and spice, but did she really need it after all?

Paige is the oldest – the mother hen, dispensing snippets of wisdom like herbs on a salad. Her life seems perfect, but not everything is as it seems.

When Adam finally asks Hana to experiment with BDSM, she panics and calls off the relationship, setting off a chain of events that brings the four women closer than ever.

To read an excerpt from The Toast Bitches please click a vendor’s name.
Musa Publishing
Amazon

Sandra Cormier lives in Newmarket, Ontario with her husband, two teenagers, a sheltie-husky cross that loves beer, and a grey longhair cat that likes to torture the dog.

Learn more about Sandra Cormier on her website and blog. Stay connected on Twitter.

S.S. Hampton Sr. Shines

August 4, 2014 | Author Friend Promo

S.S. Hampton Sr. is a longtime friend and a fun sparing partner. Stan’s also a dynamite author. Today I’m excited to share his mainstream military fiction Better Than a Rabbit’s Foot that has earned a slew of 5 Star reviews.

Most soldiers take a lucky charm to war, but what if you don’t know what works for you?

Sergeant Jerry Stanton is a young soldier serving in the War in Iraq. He is a gunner on a gun truck nicknamed “Lucky Bear,” one of those tireless workhorses that escort supply convoys from camps in Kuwait to destinations scattered throughout the war-torn country. In the early morning hours before a scheduled mission, a dust storm howls across his camp and threatens to bring convoy operations to a halt. Worse, the camp receives word that a gunner from his company was killed by an IED while on a convoy mission. Unlike most soldiers, Jerry doesn’t carry a lucky charm, but upon receiving news of the death of the gunner, he begins to mull over/ponder the merit/virtue of a good luck charm—only, what would work for him? Perhaps mail call will provide the answer.

EXCERPT:
“People like a happy ending.”

Sergeant Jerry Stanton, an M4 Carbine slung across his chest, glanced at the dark form that trudged alongside him in the hot, early morning darkness. It was all the darker for the dust storm howling across the small camp, a dusty and sandy convoy support center, CSC, a mile south of the Iraqi border. He placed his hand over the tall Styrofoam coffee cup from the messhall that was open at all hours to serve those about to head out on a mission. He felt the itchy dust filtering down his back, along his arms, and coating his fingers.

In spite of his short time deployed to Kuwait, he had learned that dust storms were worse than sand storms; they were hot and itchy while the sand storms stung exposed skin and chilled the air. Breakfast was good but tasted flat, more due to the question of whether their mission would be a go or no-go because of the storm that roared out of the midnight darkness hours before.

“What?”

“People like a happy ending,” the soldier repeated. He was a gunner from another gun truck as the squat, venerable M1114 HMMWVs, which were never meant to be combat vehicles, were called. He held up a rabbit foot that spun frantically in the wind and added, “I like a happy ending. Especially now.” They rounded the corner of a small building, actually a renovated mobile home trailer with a covered wooden porch lit by a bare electric bulb. The gunner pointed to a small black flag, suspended from a log overhang, flapping furiously in the wind.

“Oh shit.” Jerry sighed as a cold chill raced through him.

“It’s been there for an hour or so,” the soldier said as he enclosed the rabbit’s foot within both hands and brought it up to his lips as if to kiss it. He glanced at Jerry. “I’m not superstitious, but still, I mean, there’s nothing wrong with having a lucky charm. You know?”

“Yeah.” Jerry nodded as he watched the twisting flag. “I know.”

The soldier looked once more at the black flag and then walked toward the shower and restroom trailers beyond which were the air-conditioned sleeping tents they called home…

BUY LINK

S.S. Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma with 13 wonderful grandchildren. He is also a published photographer and photojournalist. Stan retired on in 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army (1974-1985), the Army Individual Ready Reserve (1985-1995) (mobilized for the Persian Gulf War), and enlisted in the Nevada Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle (2004-2006) and Iraqi Freedom (2006-2007) with deployment to northern Kuwait and several convoy security missions into Iraq.

His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others.

In May 2014 he graduated from the College of Southern Nevada with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Photography – Commercial Photography Emphasis. A future goal is to study for a degree in archaeology—hopefully to someday work in and photograph underwater archaeology (and also learning to paint).

Hampton can be found at:
Dark Opus Press – Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy Publishing – Melange Books –
Musa Publishing – MuseItUp Publishing – Goodreads Author Page
Amazon Author Page – Amazon UK

For the Family

July 30, 2014 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

by Susan Rae

There was a time in America when Sundays were for going to Grandma’s for dinner and spending time with cousins, uncles, etc. Now those Sunday dinners are getting harder to come by. For the DeLucas, whose grown siblings include three Chicago cops, a paramedic, and an engineer, most with children of their own, finding time for those get-togethers is equally challenging. When they do get together, Mama DeLuca often does the bulk of the cooking, but it is up to the siblings to bring the dessert or a side dish or two.

In TRUE blue, book three in the series, it’s Joey’s turn to bring the dessert. That’s not a problem as the perfect dessert, apple strudel, is supplied by the baker Steven Johannsen when Joey and Meghan visit him to gain more information on the twenty-four year old murder of Meghan’s father, Chicago Detective Sean McConnell.

The apple strudel sounded so good when I wrote it, that I decided I had to try my hand at baking some myself. I searched the internet and studied apple strudel recipes. After much intense research (hey, I’m a writer, I overthink everything!) I borrowed a little from Emeril Lagasse’s traditional Apfelstrudel, Paula Deen’s strudel recipe, and a couple of other recipes to come up with my own which is both easy and delicious. My recipe uses less sugar than most, lemon juice, and dried bread crumbs to keep the juices from bubbling out as the strudel bakes. Try this one at home served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream at your next family dinner. I guarantee, no one will be disappointed!

Susan Rae’s Apple Strudel: A DeLuca Family Special
(serves 14)

1 pkg. frozen puffed pastry sheets (2 per pkg.)
1 ½ lbs. Granny Smith apples (3 to 4 large), cored and thinly sliced.
½ lemon, juiced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup dried raisins
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tbsp, firm butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup melted butter
1 egg
1 tbsp. water

Remove frozen pastry dough from package. Lay on wire rack to thaw for appx. 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir with spoon until apples are evenly coated. Add 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and stir until coated again. Add the raisins and butter pieces and gently stir again.

Lightly coat a board with flour. Unfold one sheet of dough. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. With a pastry brush, brush dough with ½ of the melted butter. Sprinkle with half of the remaining bread crumbs. Arrange ½ of the apple filling into a log on the dough about two inches from the edge of the dough nearest you. Roll the two inch section up over the apple filling, then continue to gently roll the log to the end of the dough. Turn log with seam side up (this helps prevent the juices from oozing out when baked).

Wet fingers and run along edge and pinch. Press ends together and turn under. Using a spatula, gently slide under roll lengthwise and lift onto baking sheet. Slit the top of roll with a knife every two inches or so for venting.

Repeat for second roll.

Whisk egg and water together. Using pastry brush again, brush tops of rolls with egg wash.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool. Cut into 1½ slices, serve warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!

Note: If you only need one roll, after the second one cools completely, wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. Reheat frozen roll in a 375° F oven for approximately thirty minutes.

Until next time,
Happy Reading,
Susan Rae

And now a short intro to TRUE blue and the DeLuca family.

Sometimes we must revisit the past to embrace our future.

Twenty-four years ago, the murder of a Chicago police officer changed Joey DeLuca’s life. He lost his best friend and first love, Meghan McConnell, when her mother whisked her out of town. Now, on the eve of another officer’s death, Meghan is back and about to step into his life again.

There is very little gray in Joey’s line of work as a Lt. Detective–it is either black or white, right or wrong. But Meghan’s insistence on finding answers to her father’s murder threatens those beliefs and throws his marriage to CPD Detective Andi, his career, and the entire DeLuca family in jeopardy when new revelations come to light.

Can Joey save his marriage, solve the murder, and keep his family together all at the same time?

To read an excerpt from TRUE blue or purchase please click a vendor’s name.
Musa Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

To read excerpt from other books by Susan Rae please click here.

Susan Rae loves writing romantic suspense because it allows her to combine a steamy love story with a gritty suspense tale—in her opinion, the best of both worlds. When she is not writing, you might find Susan smacking a golf ball around the course while working out a pesky plot point; or traveling around the country with her husband and empty nest puppies, Ginger and Nikute, seeking out new settings for her novels.

For more information on Susan Rae and her novels and writing life, please visit her website. Stay connected on Facebook, Susan’s Author Page, and Twitter.

CONGRATS, REBECCA ROYCE

July 28, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

On your new release The 13th Guest! This book is a wonderful addition to the Wiccan Haus series from Musa Publishing. If you aren’t familiar with Rebecca’s work, I assure you she’ll hold you captive.

She snuck aboard his ferry, and if he can save her life, she’ll repair the hole in his heart.

Dr. Amelia Everett is a respectable psychologist from New York City. She wants only to find out how so many of her patients are getting healed emotionally from their stay the Wiccan Haus. The only problem? Every time she tries to schedule a visit, she is denied entry What other choice does she have except to sneak on the boat?

Damek Antonov is a ferry boat captain with a broken heart. He spends his days shuttling passengers to and from the island but whatever magic his charges find there, he has not seen any himself. But, when Amelia is made Damek’s responsibility, the two will find that taking risks might lead to the great adventure ever: love.

EXCERPT:
They stepped together, him by choice, her because he had her in a death grip, onto the deck. In the light, she could now see the features of the person who’d caught her. He had high cheekbones that accentuated large dark brown eyes. His hair, also dark brown, had been cut very short on his head. His chin pointed out a bit over thick, full lips covering perfectly straight teeth, visible as he bit down on his lip, checking her out too, she imagined.

But it was his nose that really gave his face character.Too large to really be called traditionally attractive, it worked to give him a striking, unforgettable appearance.Staring at the world from above that nose, from his vantage point of being so much taller than nearly everyone else, completed an outer form that she knew she would never forget even if she should not set eyes on him again.

“Who are you?”The low baritone voice again.

She smiled, trying to seem nice, the sort of woman he didn’t want to throw into the ocean.“My name is Dr. Amelia Everett. If you let go of my arm, I’d be happy to show you my card.”

“No, missy. I don’t have the slightest interest in seeing your card.What are you doing here on this ship? You were not invited.”

Invited?What a strange choice of words. “Right, well. I’ve been trying to get a reservation at the Wiccan Haus now for six months.As they are never willing to let me book a room or to even discuss me the possibility of coming to the island, I had to take matters into my own hands.One way or another, I am going to the Wiccan Haus today.”

BUY LINK

To read excerpts from the other books by Rebecca Royce please click a vendor’s name.
Musa Publishing or Amazon.

Rebecca Royce is the mother of three adorable boys and married to her best friend. They live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

Rebecca is in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal. Her work is an action packed ride that always ends in romance. She loves to write series. In Rebecca’s world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

Learn more about Rebecca Royce on her website. Stay connected on Facebook and Google Plus.

Raine Delight’s Top Five Book Series to Devour this Summer

July 23, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

Thanks to Sloane for letting me have this spot to talk about my top five book series to enjoy this summer as well as my latest release.

It’s summer here in my neck of the woods and that means no school, lazy days and gorgeous weather…well maybe. I live in between Buffalo and Rochester, New York so our summers here are in flux a lot. One minute hotter than Hades, another so cool you need a sweatshirt or jacket. But I am determined this summer to get caught up on some of my favorite series considering I have seen more books come out and my time to read has been limited.

So without further adieu, let me list my top five series I am going to try to get caught up on this summer if it kills me.

5) Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters/Chronicles of Nick Series
Lord have mercy, I am so far behind it isn’t funny with this series. I think I stopped right around Bad Moon Rising (DH) and Infinity (CoN) and got swept away with other books and so forth. I really want to see if I can re-read all the books up to the new one, Styxx (DH) & Illusion (CoN), so I am somewhat caught up before the new books come out next year.

4) The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison
The author has the final book in the series releasing this fall and I am determined to re-read the books so I can get caught up with all the going on’s with Ivy, Jenks & Rachel Morgan. This series looks like it is going out with a bang and I am eager to get caught up with everyone before the new book appears.

3) JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Series
Oh man, I am so far behind on this series, it isn’t funny anymore. I am hoping I can get caught up before the next book is out so I am not feeling so lost when I read the book blurbs and follow conversations on it online. I left off on Butch’s story so I am thinking I need my BDB fix soon.

2) Larissa Ione’s Demonica/Lords of Deliverance Series
I stopped on book two of the Demonica series and haven’t read the other books or the spin-off, Lords of Deliverance even though all the new books are sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to pick them up. From what I remember this series touched all my love buttons right from the start and I am thinking it’s a perfect beach read.

And finally, my number one series to get to this summer is…..

Julie Kagawa’s Blood of Eden series
My daughter just raved about this trilogy and I got all three books staring at me. Darker than her Iron Fey series and dealing with a dystopian world with vampires and other bump in the night creatures on top of the food chain. I have been eager to read this series from the moment I heard of it and look forward to finding out more about the books as well as the characters.

So there you have it…My top five summer book series I hope to make a dent in over the next month or two. I am lucky I can skim read and whatnot because that is a lot of books to get a handle on.

So my question is to you, dear readers…what book series are you eager to explore or re-read again? I will pick one commenter for a $5 All Romance gift card as a prize. Make sure to leave your email address within the comment so I know how to contact you in case you win.

Moonlight Masquerade
A short contemporary M/M Story
Free Read
Available at (buy links are coming shortly-having issues with formatting for smashwords and amazon)

It’s Valentine’s weekend, and for Skylar Everclear it’s a holiday he wishes he could forget. Mysterious roses keep popping up on his doorstep. No idea what is going, a little disturbed by this secret admirer, he tries to forget it all since he just got rid of the latest line of loser boyfriends and just wants to do his job at the local bakery. But when he meets his new neighbor, Marc Douglas, he finds himself drawn to the quiet young man even as he tries to not let his libido take over. But on Valentine’s Day, a mysterious rose again pops up with a note to meet his admirer that night. Will Skylar take a chance that love is right there waiting for him?

And now a short teaser:

Pulling into his parking spot, he wearily dragged his aching body out of the car then stopped suddenly. There was a guy walking out of the apartment building Skylar lived in, whistling some nameless tune. His jeans hugged his legs and the buttoned down shirt made his hands itch to see what was under it. Swallowing hard, Skylar pasted a sickly smile on his face and started walking again. Even up close, he looked amazing and his eyes were gorgeous…a deep emerald green with flecks of gold. They captured Skylar’s attention and he must have looked like a moron staring at the guy but he couldn’t look away. The stranger cleared his throat and had him gasping like a fish out of water, heat washed over his face.

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he tried not to stare anymore but man, this guy was hot.

“It’s…okay. Um, do you live here?”

That little hesitance had Skylar really feeling bad for scaring the guy. He didn’t mean to alarm him but there was something about this guy that had Skylar’s body humming and his cock was already half hard from the lust filled visions filling his head.

With a shake of his head, Skylar focused on what the guy was asking. “Yes I do. Apartment B3. Are you new to the complex? I don’t think I have seen you here before?”

“Yes…I …um just moved in today.” The poor guy looked like he wanted to bolt.

Skylar didn’t have a clue why he looked so fearful. He put out his hand, “Welcome to the building. I hope you get settled in and if you need any help, please just knock on my door. If I am not at work, I am home so it isn’t a bother. My name is Skylar…Skylar Everclear.”

He felt like an idiot with his hand out. After figuring he made the worst first impression, the mysterious guy shook his hand and smiled, tremulous, but still a smile that made his heart catch. He had these deep dimples and he made Skylar think very naughty thoughts.

”I’m Marc Douglas, and I’ll keep that in mind if I need help, Skylar. Thank you for your generous offer. I need to get to work, but I hope we see each other around.”

Skylar dropped his hand and watched as Marc walk to his motorcycle and climbed on. With a roar the guy waved and zoomed out of the parking lot. Heaving a sigh as he watched the taillights disappear, Skylar shook his head and walked to his apartment. Then stopped and stared…feeling as if the ocean was going to swallow him whole.

Another. Damn. Rose.

To read excerpts from Raine’s other books, please click HERE.

To view trailers from Raine’s other books, please click a title.
Haunting Magic
Red Hot Magic
Sticky Magic

Raine Delight loves to be pampered by her harem of men that exist solely for her pleasure. Wait…..that was in a movie she saw. Hey, she can dream. Raine loves to fight with her muse, attack her manuscripts and find a way to silence the many voices in her head. Inspiration hits at odd times and for Raine, a blank word document page gives her many possibilities on story ideas. Living with her two kids, a significant other who supports her every move in writing and doesn’t seem to mind she gets up at 2 am to type away on the computer. With a love for Johnny Depp, movies and 80’s hair bands, Raine finds a way to bring all her chaotic thoughts into a story that tells her readers about love and romance.

Learn more about Raine on her Website, blog and Romance Reviews Author Page. Stay connected on Facebook and her Author/Reader Loop.

Just for You – Absolutely FREE

July 21, 2014 | New Releases

I am excited to announce that my latest release All Roads Lead to Lucca, a FREE erotic romance, is now available for you reading pleasure.

Roads less traveled often hold the greatest rewards.

CEO Julia Dickenson is no longer consumed by the past. She is now eager to move forward and embrace the future. To celebrate her monumental decisions, Julia is on a short holiday in Italy when fate knocks her off balance and into the arms of a Roman god.

Letting go is difficult for Lucca Albanese, even though he wants to be happy again. He struggles daily with the inept employees at his tour company, the loneliness that rules his life, and his adult children who give him no peace.

Lucca’s headaches go on holiday when a disastrous tour throws him together with a fiery woman who is determined to enjoy life to the fullest, no matter what road she travels.

EXCERPT
“I do not want to leave, Julia.” Lucca stepped back. “But are you sure this is what you want?”

“More than anything.”

The doors silently slid apart, and they stepped inside the cage.

“No regrets in the morning?” His worried face reflected in the marbled glass.

She wrapped her arm around his waist and murmured, “Lucca, this is everything I want right now. Let’s make the most of my short stay.”

The elevator stopped, and they walked to her room in silence with their arms twined around each other. At her door, Julia fished in her purse for the keycard. Lucca shuffled from foot to foot.

“Are you as nervous as I am?” She handed him the card.

Lucca flashed a sheepish grin. “A long time has passed since I have been drawn to a woman, let alone in her bedroom.”

The door popped open, and they entered the dimly lit room. Julia dropped her purse on a chair and propped her treasured painting against the dresser mirror. She glanced up. Her eyes met his, and they held.

Lucca turned her in his arms. He cupped her face in his large hands and tilted her to him. A century of longing passed before he gently touched her lips with his. He tasted of rich foods and expensive wine, and she couldn’t get enough. She licked his lips, anxious for the dessert soon to come.

He skimmed his hand along her cheek and down to her throat. She wanted to tell him how much this meant to her, but words were impossible. Her heart stuttered, and breath caught in her throat. Moisture pooled between her clenched thighs. More than anything, she needed this amazing man’s bare skin next to hers. To feel him enter her. Pumping in and out. A shiver of desire arrowed to her clit.

She raised her arms. He skimmed her top up and off, and then her skirt floated into a puddle at her feet. Her breasts grew heavy. Her nipples tight and hard. He traced the swell of her right breast before he popped open the front closure clip of her bra. In an instant, the lace joined her other clothes. He glided his hands along her torso and ignited streaks of fire in their path. He dropped to his knees before he whisked her panties down her legs. She placed her hands on his shoulders and stepped clear of her scant lingerie. She stood before him wearing just her espadrilles.

Lucca pressed his hot cheek against her abdomen and murmured a string of sweet-sounding words. She ran her fingers through his silky hair and held him close. He pulled back and gazed up at her. His dark eyes were shiny and black. The skin pulled taut over his chiseled face.

“You are a beautiful woman, cara,” His voice came out raspy, almost harsh, as if he had gone for days without a sip of water. “A man must not hurry pleasuring a woman. He must savor every moment. I believe a woman is born to be cherished. Treasured, like priceless art or an exquisite day you must never forget.”

His palms followed the sweep of her hips as he pressed tender kisses along her pubic line. Her body trembled with longing. He inched her thighs apart and breathed deep. The musky aroma of her sex perfumed the air. He spread her legs wider as he lowered his head. The sight of his dark head between her thighs…

Download your FREE book HERE.

To read excerpts from my other erotic romances please click a vendor’s name:
Musa Publishing – Amazon

I’ll be back Wednesday with the awesome Raine Delight!

Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane

HOT New Collection from Sam Cheever

July 14, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

Actually, it’s a re-release of an old favorite. #:0) Freshly edited and updated and with a sexy new cover! If you haven’t read these sexy, action-packed paranormal stories, I hope you’ll check them out!

Book 1: Eros Unbridled (Formerly Nocked Over)

In the battle for true love, sometimes those who aren’t willing to fight sustain the most damage.

Like generations of Cupids before her, Daphne Charissa is doomed to a long and loveless life. Tall, smart and sexy, Bion Chronos is everything she’s ever wanted in a man…and nothing she can ever have. The Fates have decreed that none of the Cupid race will ever know lifelong love. But love has a funny way of testing fate, and the power of a woman’s tears should never be underestimated.

Book 2: Eros Unchecked (Formerly Nocked Asunder)

Love can grow amid monsters and misunderstandings. If only she has the strength to grasp it.

Athena Googlios’ new client is everything she thinks she wants in a lover. But Damian Leandar is a man of dangerous secrets and complex problems. Tormented by mythological beasts and struggling with her own innate prejudice…Athena is in danger of letting her perfect man slip away. Just as she realizes how much she wants him to stay.

Book 3: Eros Uncensored (Formerly Nocked Senseless)

He might have been high on Brimstone when he met her. But he wasn’t too drugged to recognize a good thing when she stuck a knife under his chin!

Hermes figured he had no future, so he gave up, wasting his days inhaling Brimstone in a Succubi House on Olympus. Cursed from birth, Nidras knew her future was sketchy at best. But the last thing she intended to do was give up. She thought she had to fight the curse alone, but she never counted on a drug muddled Cupid setting his sights on her and gumming up the works. Especially one as sexy and fun as Hermes. So what if he didn’t have the first clue how to protect himself in her dangerous world? It didn’t stop him from trying!

From Eros Uncensored

Inside the castle, we kept to the walls and shadows down a maze of long, stone hallways. My inner compass told me we were heading toward the back of the palace, deep into its ugly, stone bowels. The air was cold, damp and smelled like mildew. The stone walls we scraped against were covered in green slime. The floor was slick with the same green stain.

My curly toed shoes didn’t have much traction against the slime. It was all I could do to stay upright.
The only light in the halls came from the occasional torch, sending smelly, black oil smoke into the air to mix with the mildew.

All around us the skitter of little critter feet danced across the stone floor. Probably rats.

“I like what he’s done with the place.”

“Shh!”

I lowered my voice. “This place is like a bad cliché.”

She glared at me but didn’t respond.

We climbed several sets of stone stairs and emerged into a larger, slightly better lit area. The large, wooden door opposite the stairwell was guarded.

I looked at Nidras and sneered.

The two gremlins were about three feet tall. They had soft, dark brown fur covering their bodies and a lighter, golden fur on their faces.

Their brown eyes were enormous and soft, giving them a decidedly squeezable look.

Nidras shook her head and stepped out, knives in hand.

The gremlins blinked once, twice and then were suddenly airborne. They hit us in a wash of fur and froth, their tiny little fur faces transformed in the blink of an eye into gaping maws filled with razor sharp teeth.
My rabid teddy bear clamped its teeth over the forearm I’d instinctively thrown up to protect my face and worked it with surprising strength. I swung my arm hard in an attempt to dislodge it but the thing held on, its teeth ripping through skin, muscle and even bone as I tried to shake it off me.

In my panic I momentarily forgot to use my sword.

Nidras had flung her gremlin to the ground and was plunging a knife into its tiny chest. I couldn’t get my teddy bear off me.

Finally, in desperation, I grabbed my sword and pulled it free with my left hand, arcing it through the air toward the furry little body.

The gremlin swung its back legs up and wrapped them around my arm, making itself too small a target for me to reach with my sword. Unless I wanted to lop my own arm off.

Pain radiated from my torn and bleeding arm. I was pretty sure I’d have a big scar.

I looked up and saw Nidras standing with her arms crossed, one dark eyebrow lifted in a definite “I told you so” expression. Her knives were back in their sheaths.

“You could help me here.”

She shrugged. “It’s just an oversized teddy bear.”

Okay, I probably deserved that.

I swung around and slammed the gremlin up against the wall. My elbow screamed from the impact but the thing stopped chewing on my arm and blinked. I slammed it a second and then third time, finally managing to drop it to the ground at my feet.

Blood ran from my arm as I jammed my sword into the gremlin’s chest, finishing it off.

I motioned toward the door. “After you.”

Nidras’ face softened as she looked at my torn arm. “Let me heal that for you.”

I shook my head. “I’m wearing it as a reminder that I’m an ass.”

Her perfect, peach-tinted lips tipped up slightly at the corners. “How about if I heal it and just keep telling you you’re an ass?” When I still hesitated she offered, “I can leave a scar to remind you.”

I thought about this for a minute. My hand was already going numb and I figured it would be hard to use my sword soon. “Okay.”

“Watch the door while I work.” Nidras placed exquisitely soft hands over my forearm and closed her eyes. Energy and light flooded the area around and under her hands and I gasped as intense heat infused tender, torn flesh. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I kept one eye on the door as pain seared up my arm and made my pulse pound in my temples.

Finally the pain and heat slid away and Nidras stepped back.

I looked at my arm. “There’s no scar.”

She shrugged, pulling her knives. “So I lied. I’m pretty sure you’ll have lots more reminders that you’re an ass.”

“Demon woman.”

BUY Links:

Amazon.com Amazon.ca Amazon.uk Amazon.de Amazon.au B&N ARe Smashwords

USA Today Best Selling author Sam Cheever has published 50+ books of romantic suspense and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy and The Swirl (interracial romance) Award. They’ve been nominated for and/or won several CAPAs, have been nominated multiple years for “Best of” with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and have won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. Sam is published with Musa Publishing, Changeling Press; and Ellora’s Cave. She also publishes as Declan Sands, writing m/m fiction, and under her own imprint, Electric Prose Publications.

In real life, Sam lives in a cabin in the woods with 13 dogs and one husband. A self-proclaimed dog-aholic, Sam insists she’s holding at 13…maybe…

Learn more about Sam Cheever on her website and blog Eclectic Insights. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads, her Amazon Author Page, and About. Me.

Summertime is Party Time

July 9, 2014 | Author Friend Promo

by Sharon Ledwith

Two weeks ago we Canadians celebrated our National Holiday, Canada Day, that officially kicked off holiday season for me here in the northern hemisphere. Kids have big smiles, and adults are gearing up for family getaways. Some families head for their cottages or vacation homes while others prefer to pack up the trailer or tent and venture into Provincial or State Parks armed with bug spray and bathing suits. Still others choose a stay-cation, opting to stay at home, hang by the pool, or go on day trips with their loved ones. Whatever method of holiday people decide on, the anticipation of being with family for one or two weeks is well worth the wait!

Since this will be our last summer at our lake home (cue the tears), we had a big family gathering to say good-bye and celebrate all the good times we’ve had here. I expected a good size crowd, and had plenty of food on the menu. One such appetizer I prepared—Family Fiesta Dip—is popular at any summer bash, especially when family and friends drop by. So, juice up your taste buds and dive into my easy to make spicy dip at your pleasure.

1 small jar of salsa (vegetable chunk style)
1 medium red pepper, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I prefer the nacho or tex-mex brand)
1 bag of Tortilla chips

Mix cream cheese, margarine, and mayonnaise until smooth. Spread in a medium-sized dish with edges to prevent spill over.

Cover with salsa – not too much so it’s not runny.

Layer as follows: chopped red pepper, chopped green pepper, chopped tomato, chopped green onions, and then top with shredded cheese.

Refrigerate before serving. Serve with tortilla chips (and napkins).

While you’re waiting for the Family Fiesta Dip to set, why not kick back on the beach or pool side or wherever you’ll be during your holidays and take a trip back into time with my Last Timekeepers MG/YA time travel series. Safe travels, everyone!

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

To read an excerpt from Legend of the Timekeepers please click here.

Legend of the Timekeepers Buy Links:
MUSA PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀ SMASHWORDS ׀ APPLE

If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith’s novel, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they’re given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn’t a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers–legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial–Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don’t, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, please click HERE.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing – Amazon Link – Barnes & Noble – Kobo

BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

An ADULT Fairy Tale from Sara Daniel

July 7, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

Once Upon a Marriage

A Decadent Publishing Beyond Fairytales Retelling of Grimm’s Three Army Surgeons

With everything riding on one night together, Ian must convince her that their love is strong enough the second time around, and Armina must decide if love is worth sacrificing her dreams.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

4th of July Treat

July 2, 2014 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

from Dominique Eastwick

Italian Raspberry Torte
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar & ¼ cup sugar
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups fresh raspberries
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9″ springform pan: set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine 2/3 cup sugar, ½ cup sour cream, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and ¼ tsp. almond extract with an electric mixer.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove partially baked cake from oven and place on wire rack.

In a new bowl beat cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.

Beat in remaining sour cream and almond extract.

Spoon cream cheese mixture over top of partially baked cake, Spread mixture carefully to edges. Return cake to oven. Bake 20-25 mnutes or until top is set and edges are brown.

Place cake on wire rack. Mound berries on cake, pressing some of the berries gently into cake top.

Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan.

Cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan.

Serve chilled. Add mint sprigs, if desired.

Makes 12-16 servings.

While your torte is chilling, how about a hot read?

Even the big mistakes can be forgiven if you love enough.

If you love something…

Riley Sherman knew when to cut her losses. Although she loved Barret, he never seemed ready to commit. His business would always be his first love.

If it doesn’t come back…

Barret Briggs grew up poor and would be damned if anyone he loved ever went hungry again. Too late he realized that hunger can eat at the heart too.

But what if loves bumps back into you?

When fate throws them together again, can he prove to her he is now worthy of her love? And can she open herself up enough to let him back in?

To read an excerpt from Kissing the Tycoon please click here.

Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat, because of that traveling is one of her favorite past times. When not writing you can find Dominique doing her second love…photography.

Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website, blog, and Amazon author page.