Saturday, August 29, 2015

Lion Shifters!! Trusting Nat, Sanctuary Book 2 by @MeganSlayer #mm #lions #shifters

If you liked the first book in the Sanctuary Series, then you'll want the next part of the story. Now that Markas is out, Nat and Syd have to find a way to work together. Full of heat, heart and love, Trusting Nat is sure to please. I love the story and hope you do, too.

Trusting Nat       
Book 2 in the Sanctuary Series
Resplendence Publishing
M/M, Anal Sex, Masturbation, Voyeurism
Novella

The key to his humanity is finding his place in the pride.

Sydney came to Sanctuary believing he wasn’t anything other than the runt of the litter. Strengths? According to the others, he had none. But one special shifter seems to think otherwise—Nat. To bring out the brave side if Syd, he’ll need to trust.

Nat has always known he’s a beta. No question. He’s drawn to Syd and wants to find out if their existence at the Sanctuary should be more than platonic. When he and Syd are called upon to bring back more lions from the petting zoo, he not only sees Syd’s true potential, but realizes his true feelings for the fellow shifter.

Can these two shifters forge an alliance and grow together or will their heated experiments between the sheets be the end for them both?

Links:


Excerpt:
©Megan Slayer, 2015, All Rights Reserved
“I’m not sure who I’m attracted to either. I’m new at the same things as you.” Nat met Syd’s gaze and smiled. “I haven’t tried to experiment with anyone.”
“You haven’t?” Syd’s eyes widened. “But Axl said…”
“Axl is trying to establish his dominance. Markas is the alpha and Axl is trying to be the beta. He wants to be invaluable to Markas, but he also wants to keep the rest of us—you and me—beneath him. I don’t care. Why? Because I know I’m not at the top. I’m happy being in the middle.” He smiled again and eased his arm around Syd. “But you’re his brother and younger. He knows he can bully you. He might not call it that, but that’s what he’s doing. You’re not any less of a man or lion than he is and no, I haven’t fucked him. Haven’t kissed him, either.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” He inhaled and breathed in the scent of Syd’s cologne. His lion growled within him and clawed at him. The animal wanted Syd. Nat licked his lips. The urge to kiss Syd overwhelmed him. A thought occurred to him. “We’re going to be needed in a couple of days when John and Markas save the next batch of lions. There could be females in the bunch, I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m attracted to you.”
“You do?” Syd’s voice broke and his eyebrows rose. His lips parted, but no other sound came out.
“Uh-huh.” Nat fought to stay level. Being so close to Syd knocked his senses inside out. He curled his fingers under Syd’s chin. “Since we’re both figuring things out, why don’t we do it together? You explore with me and I learn all about you.”
Syd’s breath feathered over Nat’s cheeks. Up close, Nat noticed the flecks of brown and green in Syd’s golden irises. God, the man was handsome.
“I—you want me?” Syd splayed his hand on Nat’s thigh. “Like the same way Markas and John are together?”
“Yes. We’ll figure out what we want. It’s a learning experience.” One he wanted to have over and over again with Syd. He tipped his head and brushed his lips over Syd’s. Just one touch wasn’t going to be enough. He needed so much more. He crushed his mouth against Syd’s, just as he’d seen Markas and John do. The moment he touched Syd’s lips, sparks shot through his body. Damn. How had he not tried this before? How had he not noticed Syd before? He nipped Syd’s bottom lip, then bumped noses with him. The fumbling and newness of the act spurred him on. They were learning together and he couldn’t get enough.
Nat moaned and Syd swallowed the sound. Being together like this pleased Nat. Although he craved another kiss from Syd, he broke the connection.
“Wow.” Syd caressed his fingertips over his mouth. “My lips are all tingly. Like I ate something really hot.”
“I know I did.” He rested his forehead against Syd’s. There would be so much more to learn along the way. Plenty of bumps and confusion as they realized their needs, but he welcomed whatever the future had in store. 

* * * * *

Megan Slayer - It's Always Fun to Squirm
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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Playing Favorites with new Release MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION

by Nancy Gideon

Everyone has their favorite (whether they’ll admit it or not), and in my “Touched by Midnight” vampire romance series, MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION was always mine. I loved doing the research on post-Revolution France after seeing Les Miz on stage. The streets, cisterns and political passions of Paris made the perfect visceral backdrop for plot and characters when innocent but inherently deadly Nicole flees there to escape a traumatic discovery and finds herself pulled between loyalty and knowledge. It brings back the delightfully villainous pair, Bianca and Gerardo to tease and torment and up the stakes, so to speak, as a vampiric threat forces Nicole to choose between her hot and heroic lover and her devotion to her family. Here’s a look and a sample . . .


Hunt or be hunted . . . A centuries old obsession stalks a noble family fighting to hide their dark secret from an ever-changing world. Sink your teeth into Nancy Gideon's Touched by Midnight series.

MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION

“Touched by Midnight” Book 2

A Wicked Legacy . . .

Terrified by her unusual strength and frightening urges, Nicole Radouix’s sheltered country life is shattered when she discovers her family’s secret— she’s the daughter of a mortal mother and vampire father. Stricken, she flees to the seductive lure of the city to discover the truth about who and what she is. But the turmoil of post-revolution Paris is no place for an innocent.

A Wild Desire . . .

Finding herself under the protection of noble ex-patriot Marchand La Valois, Nicole is pulled into deadly underworld struggles, both political and vampiric. As their passions ignite, Marchand soon realizes the lovely Nicole is more predator than prey and may be more of a threat than the unruly streets outside.

An Unthinkable Dilemma . . .

Desperate to control her dark desires, Nicole accepts an offer of guidance from a hypnotic enemy, ensnaring both her and Marchand in a seductive web of centuries’ old revenge. To escape their deadly nighttime games, Nicole must embrace her immortality. But will it cost her Marchand’s eternal love?

“A treasure trove of unearthly delights! Readers will want to induct Ms. Gideon into the vampire storyteller’s Hall of Fame!”—Romantic Times

“An extraordinary, moving and sensual tale of supernatural love powerful enough to defy death. Nancy Gideon is a bright artistic star of epic proportion in the supernatural galaxy. Five Star!”—Affaire de Coeur
Excerpt

Lying beside him, longing for his closeness as much as she feared it, Nicole remained awake until the early dawn hours, listening to the sounds of her companions’ slumber, listening to the night music of the city beyond. She found it difficult to sleep, her system attuned to those dark hours where energy pulsed in the Paris streets and the cool breeze beckoned to instincts she didn’t understand. She lay next to Marchand, watching over him, not daring to touch him, her desire for him growing as severe as the constant hunger threading through her veins. 

She couldn’t eat from the table like the rest of them. The scents and texture of cooked foods repelled her. She would push them about her plate, and the first moment she had alone, she would devour the raw meats she purchased each day. Even those were getting harder for her to digest. What had begun to attract her appetite was not served upon a plate. It throbbed, a rich and forbidden temptation, through those around her. 

She lay there at night remembering the taste of Marchand’s blood. That secret contemplation horrified and fascinated. She could feel his heart beating even though they weren’t touching, could hear it sending those rivers of delight through his body with every soft thrum. The taste . . . ambrosia, whetting a desire like none she’d known. The desire for more.

MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION is the latest reissue in the “Touched by Midnight” series, the second of nine books coming out a month at a time with all new packaging through ImaJinn Books. The biggest thrill was getting to freshen up the dated prose and hunt for the cover graphics for this and the next seven books in the series so the hero and heroine could bring my vision to life. Kind of the best of two worlds – the hands on input of self-publishing with the hand up from a mid-sized press. I can’t wait to see MIDNIGHT SURRENDER next month!

Happy Reading!

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Nancy Gideon on the Web



Thursday, August 13, 2015

Sesame Street, Muppets, and Farscape by Diane Burton



Do you remember the first time you saw Sesame Street? Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo. Were they real to you? What about the Muppet Show? The Muppet Movie?

They have one major thing in common. They are all fabulous creatures from the imagination of Jim Henson. Creatures as real as the actors who play with them.

How does Farscape fit in? It was produced by Jim Henson Production. Rigel and Pilot (animatronic puppets) were created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. The alien makeup and prosthetics were made by the Jim Henson Company. Whether it was the clever makeup, the superb acting, or a combination of both, the bizarre-looking aliens were as believable as the humans.

Last summer, my husband and I were fascinated by the TV show “Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge” where contestants vied for a job with the Creature Shop by creating puppets and animatronics. The judging emphasized originality and creativity, of course, but also believability.

That is the key—creating believable characters. In our stories, our job is to create believable characters. It doesn’t matter if they are humanoid or alien. What they look like is secondary to believability. What is the character’s goal? In Farscape, Rigel wants to return home to rule again. John Crichton wants to return to Earth. The story revolves around why they can’t.

In my new science fiction romance THE PROTECTOR, Rissa Dix runs a tavern in a remote colony on the frontier. Although most of the characters who frequent the tavern are humanoid, one alien in particular stands out. Nakus. Here’s a short excerpt that shows his disposition, character, and what he looks like.

Only a couple of customers remained, including that no-good Nakus who groused about everything. He didn’t like the food. Too salty. He didn’t like the liquor. Watered down. He didn’t like the vids. Too many repeats.
He slopped some of his watered down chokiris on her beautiful naurem bar top—the one she’d flown all the way to a remote outpost on Balderan to rescue from some idiot who didn’t recognize what lay beneath grime and dirt. If Nakus ruined the finish, she would finish him.
As Kiran wiped up the mess, he glanced at the short, round Kruferian, “Need a bib?”
Rissa strolled behind the bar to Kiran. “Has Nakus paid for anything?”
“Nope,” he muttered.
“Get his credits then cut him off.”
Usually light on his feet, Kiran lumbered—an intimidation trick he’d perfected—over to Nakus. “Time to pay up.”
“In a min.” Nakus wasn’t easily intimidated. “Not finished with my drink. Damn lousy liquor in this place.”
Rissa rolled her eyes. “Yet you come here every night.”
“Not like I have a whole lot of choices.” Nakus swallowed the last few drops in his glass.
“Pay up, Nakus,” Kiran repeated.
“Put it on my account.” The short Kruferian started to slide off the stool.
Kiran reached across the bar and grabbed the front of Nakus’ shirt. “Not so fast. You don’t have an account here anymore.”
“Since when?” Indignation rose in his voice.
Rissa ambled closer. “Since you don’t pay your bills unless I threaten to have Chief Kaminga throw you in the lock-up.”
“Give a hard-working guy a break, will ya, Dix?”
“You? Hard working? Hah. And I’ve told you enough times my name is pronounced Deece. You must be hard of hearing.”
“Or so stupid he can’t remember,” Kiran added as he released Nakus.
“I’m not going to sit here and be insulted.” He slid off the stool, tripped on a rung, and landed on his well-padded rear. “I’m hurt. Lousy stools. I should sue for personal injury.”
“Fat chance getting a lawyer to come here and take your case.” Rissa rounded the end of the bar. “I have had enough of your bellyaching, Nakus.” She grabbed the back of his belt and his collar and lifted him off the floor. “I don’t need your business.”
“Wait,” Kiran called as she hauled the dark-skinned Kruferian toward the outer door. “He hasn’t paid.”
“I’ll collect from Fortuna,” Rissa said over her shoulder. “She’ll take it out of his wages.”
“You can’t do that.” Nakus wriggled and slapped air because his too-short arms couldn’t reach her.
“I can and I will. I don’t tolerate freeloaders.”
Kiran strode ahead of her and opened the door. “Want me to dump his sorry ass out in the street, Boss?”
“I got it.” Like hoisting a keg of ale, she hefted the Kruferian a little higher and heaved him out onto the dusty path that passed for a street.
Nakus rolled several times before scrambling to his wide, flat feet. “I’ll get you for that, Dicks.”
She was sure he deliberately mispronounced her name. “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard that before, you cheapskate.”
He brushed off his baggy trousers, shot her a rude gesture, and waddled across to the boardwalk in front of Fortuna’s. A group of miners who’d watched his humiliation laughed and hurled insults at the little Kruferian. That only added to his indignation.
He shook his fist at her. “I mean it, Dicks. You haven’t seen the last of me.”


Blurb:


After tavern owner Rissa Dix rescues two girls from a slave ship, she must rally the townsfolk to prevent traffickers from returning. Mining heir Dillan Rusteran has loved her for years. Little do they know that by rescuing more children they're tangling with a trafficking ring that puts Rissa in danger.


THE PROTECTOR (An Outer Rim Novel) is available at:


 Whether your characters are human, alien, shifter, angel, vampire, etc., remember they need to be "real" to your reader. But first, they need to be real to you.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

But You Can Touch It!

With one touch, two worlds are about to collide...

Can't Touch This

Rich alpha wolf shifter Castle Briggs can have any woman he wants with just the crook of his finger. Until he meets a human named Harlow. She makes it clear she’s had it with rich, overconfident jerks trying to own her. All she wants is a no-strings-attached good time with a man who isn’t afraid of her darker urges. Castle’s happy to dominate her in his special playroom, but he wants more than a kinky fling. He’s going to have to do a lot more than crook his finger to get past Harlow’s fears and make her his forever.
Reader Advisory: This story has graphic sexual language and scenes—no closed bedroom doors (or other rooms) here!

An adult paranormal romance from Ellora’s Cave

Available:    Ellora's Cave   All Romance Ebooks   Amazon 

Excerpt:
The base of her spine thrummed to life, butterflies took flight in her stomach, and her breathing kicked up a notch the instant the one called Castle found her. With his hand placed low on her back again, he drew tiny circles with his fingertips as he whispered in her ear, “I’d find you in the eye of a hurricane, darlin’.”
“You should take your friend’s advice and seek one of the interested twenty.” Why in hell had she remembered those words? Lord, he was gorgeous and something snapped inside when he traced up her spine to the back of her neck. It was a feeling Harlow didn’t dare turn over in her mind and look at. Not yet.
“You’re interested.” He tilted her chin up and peered in her eyes while his free hand began an unhurried descent back to the tingling spot above her butt. “I smell it.”
“Mr. Briggs—”
“The formalities are over, honey.” He released Harlow but not before kissing her hard, long—and it shattered her goddamn world. “I’ll give you some time.”
The arrogant bastard walked away and left Harlow sitting there, mouth open and heart banging against her ribcage. “Time for what?” The words were lost amongst music and laughter in the club, which teemed with more beautiful people than she’d ever seen gathered in one place. She thought about leaving but decided not to let the night be a waste, nor to allow him to think he’d run her off. She would at least eat something before heading home. Signaling a server, Harlow placed an order and settled in to enjoy the atmosphere. Her salad arrived and she ate as much as she could. She was ready for her second and last shot of gin when the bartender magically placed one in front of her. “Compliments, ma’am.”
She glanced past the server and spied Castle talking to a young woman who draped herself over his body. When she wrapped arms around his neck, he untangled them and eased her away. The downturn her lips took irritated Harlow. Why did women do that to themselves? Her mother had taught her to let the man take the lead, allow him to feel as though he’d laid claim, and then if you want him, grab hold with both hands and show the world he’s yours. Sliding the drink away, she told the bartender, “Tell the sender I’m not interested then bring my bill, please.” Her mother didn’t enlighten her on how to tell a man about her uncommon desires, desires most considered abnormal. Harlow’s marriage was proof the theory on letting a man take the lead did not work.
Harlow yearned for a man who could…
“It’s paid.”
Harsh words tumbled through her lips at his untimely interruption. “I said get my bill.” A flush of heat suffused her cheeks when Harlow realized she continued to stare at the man across the bar.
“There’s no charge, ma’am.” He glanced over his shoulder and she assumed he looked at Castle Briggs.
Getting up, she skirted stools until she stood patiently waiting as another woman settled in Brigg’s lap. “How much do I owe you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Evidently you’re the owner since you parked in the reserved-for-owner spot.”
“So?”
“You’re all alike. You have money and you think you can do whatever you want.” Lord, why couldn’t she leave it alone? “What did my dinner cost?”
“Since I didn’t buy it, I couldn’t say.” Anger flashed in his eyes before he scoured the room. He motioned for the bartender who leaned over and whispered in Castle’s ear. He returned his attention to Harlow. “It’s on the house, and my apologies, it won’t happen again.”
Now she felt stupid as she wondered where the drink and money for her meal came from. All she could do was mumble, “Sorry,” before she turned to leave.
“Wait.”
“For what?” Lord, why the heck did she snap? Sweat gathered on Harlow’s back, eliciting a shiver beneath the overhead fan as she stared at Castle.
“Hatch?”
His friend sat with a blonde at a table across the aisle from the barstool Castle occupied. “Yeah, boss?”
“Make sure Ms. Hardison gets home safely.”
“I can take care of myself.”
A sardonic smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “I’ll take better care of you.”
“You can’t touch me.” A whole host of female patrons, including the one wiggling between his thighs, looked as if they would scratch her eyes out and Harlow glared back, giving as good as she got. “You have enough company.” She didn’t contemplate why that bothered her.
“Pull the claws in, I only want yours tonight.”
Why she felt pity for the women surrounding him Harlow couldn’t say, but damn if she was walking out without letting him know just what a lowlife cad she considered him. Why did she even care who came on to the bastard? She wouldn’t become one of them. It dawned on her it was exactly what she wanted, and it angered her, goaded her into acting unreasonable. Harlow flashed her brightest smile and enjoyed the fact his eyes reflected the idea he thought he had won. “It must be horrible to search for such a tiny prick every time you have to pee.”
“What the fuck did you say?”
“Surely a man with balls and a cock wouldn’t have to surround himself with so many adoring fans.”
A hush fell over the room.

Growl and roar-it’s okay to let the beast out. - jhalisteele