Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Heating up the Holiday with Mystery and Suspense!


Heating up the Holiday with Mystery and Suspense!
By Selena Illyria 


I’m so excited to announce my latest release. This is the third book in the Draven’s Crossing series that finishes off the serial killer storyline started in Tempestuous Crossings. I loved writing this story. I always say that but this story really pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to try something new. I love reading mysteries and thrillers but this was the first time I’d tried my hand at it. I’m so excited with the way the story turned out and I can’t wait to dive back into this world as well as further explore the writing thrillers and mysteries and combining the two.

Here it is, Draven’s Crossings: Hidden Diversions! I hope you enjoy it.
Out Now at Purple Sword Publications
Draven’s Crossing: Hidden Diversions
Genre: Paranormal/Interracial
ISBN: 9781612920603
Novella
Blurb:
With so many distractions, can they catch a killer before someone else dies?

Their passion may be the death of them…

Werewolf Chief of Police, Torger, is running into walls while tracking the Draven’s Crossing serial killer. No matter what he tries to do, he can’t find the clues needed to stop the terror that stalks the streets of his city. Things aren’t helped by his attraction to dragon shifter, Draven City News Reporter, Isadora Jones. With political pressure and bodies mounting, can he get through all these distractions to the truth before it’s too late?

Reporter, Isadora Jones wants to help with the investigation into the serial killer but Torger refuses to let her. She decides to do it on her own, but her world goes upside down when the killer sets his sights on her. Under Torger’s protection, they start to put the pieces together but will it be too late for them?

Things go from bad to worse when another killer appears. Draven’s Crossing just got a whole lot more dangerous.
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Nook:

Excerpt:
Torger tossed and turned in his bed. He could smell her on his covers. Her scent drifted around the room like an enticing trail he wanted to follow. His skin burned as his muscles contracted. Blood flowed straight to his cock, thickening the shaft. His balls hardened and throbbed with the need for release. With a groan, he rolled onto his stomach. His mind was split into two parts: one half didn’t think it was right to want sex much less have it with so many bodies piling up, and the other didn’t give a shit and needed to feel something good in a world full of crap. He didn’t want to think about anything. He had the All Packs meeting that was coming up after the full moon. His mind was abuzz with thoughts and lists. There were things he had to do and things he had to discuss. Torger hadn’t met with his Beta yet, nor had he met the new leader of the Branson pack after the old one had been ousted. Then he had to make sure that Draven would get the old ones to meet with him about the killer. There was Evanson to deal with, and he didn’t want to think about the shit storm that could come out of accusing him of anything, especially not with the man’s wife dead. Whether he had anything to do with it or not, the public wouldn’t be happy. Muffy Evanson was a beloved figure in the community. If the Representative had anything to do with her death, there would be chaos. He needed to be sure, to dig deeper. Torger knew he’d have to ask Isy to dive into the archives and see what she came up with.
The sweetest perfume drifted under his door. He snorted and sat up. She was near. His eyes had already adjusted to the darkness. He saw a shadow move in front of his door but it didn’t go to the guest room across the hall. He waited; the seconds ticked by. Each moment like a drip of water on his face, it seemed to last forever and there was no end in sight. He swallowed. His lips became dry as his heartbeat sped up. The jangle of a hand on the door handle rang in his ears. The delicate shells prickled at the musical sound. He waited. His heart stuttered and then crashed against his ribcage in a heavy drum beat. His body heat spiked as his wolf waited. Need coiled in the pit of his stomach. He licked his lips again, hoping, praying for what, he didn’t know. All he saw was that if she didn’t do something soon, he would. And then there would be no turning back. Everything would change for them, and he wasn’t sure how everyone would react or how everything would land.
As the seconds ticked by, her shadow remained at the door. The hand had stopped jiggling. Opening up his senses, he allowed her emotions to wash over him. He tasted the tang of hesitation with the sweetness of eagerness. All of it was tinged with the bright spice of lust. Underneath it all, there was Isy’s own unique natural scent. Not wanting to let the torture for both of them continue, he called out, “Isy, you can come in.”
There was a moment and then the door knob turned. Her perfume and emotions rushed into the room, driving away the stale trail she’d made before. It was as if someone had turned on the sun in his room. Heat poured over him in waves as she advanced into the space and shut the door behind her. Both of them were covered in darkness and yet he knew she stood between the door and his bed. So close and yet so far away as the cliché went. His fingers ached to hold her, to feel the silken warmth of her skin and bury his face in her neck and inhale deeply. Torger’s lips tingled with the need to kiss her, to feel her lips against his and slide his tongue into her mouth and taste her. He wondered what he’d find there. He didn’t want to think about it anymore.
“Isy? What’s wrong?” Torger knew what was wrong but didn’t want to come out and say it. His wolf on the other hand wanted him to get up off the bed, strip off her clothes, bury his face between her thighs and eat her out until she came. His cock jerked at that urge. Heat flared along his skin, flushing through is cheeks, down his throat, and crashing into his chest. Prickles danced along his flesh as his nerve endings came alive. His sense sharpened as his wolf came into play, pushing at its restraints, demanding that they finally get what they’d longed for after so much denial. And he couldn’t move. Frozen by his guilt as his responsibility pushed forward to the forefront of his mind. Pack. Duty. Draven’s Crossing. Those words screamed in his head, and he felt a tinge of shame.
No shame! His wolf cried out and growled at its master’s retreating libido. His skin cooled as his heart went back to its normal rhythm.
“Torger. Shut up. Stop thinking.” Isy’s voice came out as a low, husky command. Just like that, the fire inside burst to life. It went from simmer to all out firestorm as Isy advanced toward his bed. How she knew about the war going on in his head he didn’t know. Do dragons smell things the way other shifters do? The question pushed back some of his doubts.
The bed dipped under her weight, which served to shove back more of the pressure on his mind.
“Can you…” The question caught around a lump in his throat. It had formed when he wasn’t looking. A nervous sweat began on his forehead. He felt large and unsure of himself, like a teenager during his first experience. “Your stress and frustration reeks. It’s time to put an end to that. Your doubts and concerns won’t save the people of Draven’s Crossing and it sure as hell won’t help you catch the killer. Now didn’t I tell you to shut up?” Her hands closed around his ankles. He felt them slide up his legs. The cloth abraded his skin. Even though it was smooth cotton, it felt a thousand times rougher than before. He swallowed again, not used to this side of Isy. Rather than ask, he did as she said and stayed quiet. He didn’t move or even dare to breathe without her say so. His thoughts drifted away with her touch. She ran her hands over his thighs. The scrape of her nails over the cotton intensified his sense of touch. The blunted pain only enhanced his need. Desire crawled through his body as blood thickened in his veins. Her unique aroma became his air. Each gulp sent his head spinning and his mind drifting. He was lightheaded with her nearness.
“You’re going to let me take care of you. I’ll be handling your pleasure tonight. You do what I say and want without a single word, understand?” She placed a butterfly kiss on his stomach, so light it could have been the brush of the wind for all he knew. Her humid breath told him otherwise.
Torger nodded his acquiescence. He let out a yelp when he felt her teeth sink into one ridge of his abdominals. “No. Let me hear you say it. Tell me, yes, Isy, I understand.” She lapped at the pained flesh with quick licks of her tongue. Each lap pulled a soft groan from his throat as the pain turned to pleasure.
“Yes, Isy, I understand. Please.” He reached for her, wanting to bury his hands in her hair and pull her close but did nothing until told to. His alpha male self went to war over giving power to Isy. It had nothing to do with her being a woman or even a dragon. Everything in him was designed to take care of people, solve problems, and yet he was rescinding control to her. He was allowing her to take care of his problem, solve it for him and take care of him. He wasn’t sure how to respond so he did nothing. Curiosity peeked out from the wolf. It wondered how this would go, not in the least bothered by the shift in power.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Breathing

Even with the holidays, and deadlines, fast approaching, I've managed to visit a place that I've been neglecting quite a bit: my TBR pile. Oddly enough, I'm surprised every time I rediscover that reading actually helps me write.

I forget that it takes me mind off my own works and allows me to spend an hour or so (though, to be honest, I'm lucky to get in a 1/2 hour of reading a day with the desk job and family stuff happening) in someone else's world.

I forget that it gives me a break on my stuff and allows plot points that I may be stuck on to just magically fall into place.You're probably wondering how I can forget something like this, right? Well, it's easy to get wrapped up in getting words down on paper, sorting out character details/flaws, etc.

Sometimes it's important to remember that you have to take a step back and just...breathe.


Monday, December 17, 2012

Love, Romance and Christmas Stories

I love Christmas stories...don't you?!

There's just something about love, romance and Christmas. I just bet there will be a lot of happy newly engaged young ladies out there come December 25th! Next to Valentine's Day and birthday's, Christmas is such a great time for someone to express their love in a unique way and make it really special and memorable.

It's also a great time to pick up Christmas themed books and read romance. In a Christmas story you'll find candle light, hot chocolate or marshmellows by a roaring fire. It's a great set-up for romance if you know how to do it right.

A few years ago I thought up this great little short story involving romance and a sexy secret Santa. Think about a girl who's finally brave enough to go after the man of her dreams but she does it in such a way that she entices him first with cute little sexy gifts. It was my theme behind The Secret Santa Project.

Check out an excerpt below.



On the first day of Christmas
my Secret Santa gave to me…

A pair of sexy love dice.
~
Don’t use them without me.
Your Secret Santa

Richard Mayfield stared at the red and white dice sitting in the opened box on his desk. “What the hell?”

He read the typed note again then picked the dice up in his hand and shook them around. He’d only left his office for five minutes to get a cup of coffee. When he’d come back, the box and the card were sitting on his desk. Tossing the dice on the sales report he’d just printed out, he waited for them to stop spinning. When they did, the red one said lick and the white one said breast. He glanced up to see Reghan West walk into the office across the hall from his.

Now there was someone he wanted to lick...in every way possible. The small birthmark shaped like a pear just below her ear, her breasts, her pussy. He just wanted to taste her. Each delectable inch of her body. Now if she were his Secret Santa, he’d willingly die a happy man. After they played with the sex dice, of course, and he did everything they told him to do.

But he wasn’t that fortunate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want to read a longer sexier excerpt? Hop over to my blog, read the excerpt and enter a contest as well for an e-copy of The Secret Santa Project or a gift certificate to Amazon.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Lyric

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Devil Inside Me... by Deena Remiel


Before anyone sends the men with the straight jacket or a priest to exorcise me, let me just say that I am not really possessed. No, I've just succumbed to a bad case of an inflamed gall bladder laden with one huge, honker of a stone. A stone actually measuring 5 centimeters! What a royal pain in the gut it's been.
But on December 5th, I got to put on that beautiful hospital get-up over there on the left and have the mighty devil removed. All of it, stone and organ all. How's THAT for battling the evil within? For anyone who's had issues with a gall bladder, you know what's it's like to have "episodes." I feel as triumphant as... as... Who am I kidding?
I don't really feel triumphant yet. I'm still trying to live through the day without any medicine and a wonderful  heating pad to fight the pain of the extended incision by my sternum and upper right ribs. I'm still trying to eat more than a palmful of food in one sitting. I'm still trying to go to sleep in a normal position and return to just plain, old normal.
I know, everyday I get a little better. Trouble is, I haven't experienced pain like this, even with the 2 births of my daughters. It's tough to handle sometimes. So, until the pain is gone and I can do all I did before, I still feel the devil inside my gut laughing at my every wince and trip to the bathroom. I know, however, that in the end, the GOOD my surgeon did will win out over the EVILS of a body starting to feel its age.

You know who else is fighting the evil within? Camille Dutton, the Book Waitress. She's the heroine of my latest urban fantasy series, The Book Waitress, and things are really heating up in the second installment, Devil Du Jour. In just a few months, the third part will be released, Demon A La Mode. I'll hang on to my heating pad while you all hang on to your seats. It's a crazy ride! Check her out- The Book Waitress is free on Amazon, and Devil Du Jour is only  $1.99.

Next month, I hope to be stronger and pain-free, and ready to help you stand up to YOUR devils within. ;)

Hugs,
Deena


Saturday, December 15, 2012

Why Do People Kiss Under the Mistletoe?


At this time of the year, many homes hang a sprig of mistletoe under a doorway. According to custom, a man is allowed to kiss a girl if she is caught standing under it.

From my research this seems to be an ancient tradition beginning with the Norse. Legend has it that Balder, son of Frigga, was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe shot by Loki. So distraught by the loss of her son, she wept tears of white berries which brought him back to life. Frigga then blessed the plant and vowed to kiss all those who pass beneath it.

It has always been believed that mistletoe will increase life and fertility.

The Druids considered it a mystical plant since it won't root in soil but into other trees, mostly the oak. They would hang sprigs over their doorways, believing it would bring happiness and protection to the household.

In ancient Rome, it was custom for the visitor to kiss the hand of the host signifying their good faith. Since mistletoe brought happiness, kissing them under it was a pledge of eternal friendship.

When the Romans conquered Britain and France, they brought their traditions and adopted a few of the Celtic ones. With the spread of the Christian faith across Europe, new beliefs were mixed with old customs giving birth to what we do today.

I also read that when a man kisses you under the mistletoe he's supposed to pluck a berry from it. Once all the berries are gone there's no more kissing.

The lesson to this blog is make sure to find a sprig with many berries. 

Happy Holiday!!

Be sure to join in The Mistletoe Bloghop on Dec. 14th.

 
 


 I'm giving away this ebook!
 
Men don't swoon at her feet, they fall at them dead.
 
 
Hunting Colby, book 2.5 of The Angler series, releasing this month!!
 
 
Annie Nicholas   www.annienicholas.com 
 
 



Friday, December 14, 2012

Katie Perry and #Vampire #Sex

by
guest blogger Jennifer James
Jennifer James never thought she would be a multi-published author of erotica and erotic romance. What she likes best are happy endings – whatever that might mean for the characters. Wife, mother of two Tiny Divas, and college student, when not writing Jenn enjoys the outdoors, adventures of all sorts, horror movies, and the occasional comic book.

I know you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about. Is Katie Perry having sex with vampires? Is Katie a vampire? She is pale and has really white teeth. And those curves! I mean, surely a real human girl can’t have boobs that are that bouncy and fluffy and awesome. And what about how preternaturally cute she is? It’s got to be some kind of feeding thing, where she reels you in with her adorable smile and then chomps on you. But no, that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean, in the world of HUNGER EMBRACED (my new release! Woot!) she could be a vampire. My vamps are alive, and there are all different types who feed on different things…. But as far as I know Katie is a normal chick. No, I want to talk about Katie’s song, the one that stayed on the radio for forever and has the coolest video....Wait? What? She’s had a whole bunch of those? You want me to stop being vague and silly? Oh…okay….. *Le sigh* E.T. I’m talking about E.T. And not the movie where Drew Barrymore was all little and blonde and cute and hiding in the closet…. 


The first time I wrote a sex scene (a “real” sex scene) for HUNGER EMBRACED, I listened to this song over and over. And over. And over….I think my final repeat count on iTunes was somewhere around 30. And even today, when I hear this song, I think of my hero and heroine…and more sex scenes start to pop up in my head. I have my own personal naughty times channel in my head. I wonder if I need medication for that. a Rafflecopter giveaway

She’s fed up with being fed on.

All Miranda Thibodeaux really wants to do is survive corporate hell and be left alone. But as the daughter of the Incubi king, being left along isn’t on her schedule. And as an avatar to a goddess with multiple personality issues, taking things in stride isn’t either.

Daniel looks like an ordinary surfer boy--T. T. B.--Tall, Tanned, and Blonde. Hot he may be, but ordinary he’s not. Beneath the pretty packaging lies a ruthless warrior, a servant to the Vampire Council. His mission is to find Miranda and present her to the council, then get the hell out of Dodge before he loses his focus. The last thing he needs is the distraction of the testy female.

When circumstances force Miranda to turn to T.T.B. for help, they both end up with more than they bargained for. And that normal human life she wanted? Not really doable when everyone wants a piece of her...
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Twitter: @JenniferJames34

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Exciting News _Warrior of the Nile!


Wanted to share the news with Readers on this blog that Carina Press has acquired my next paranormal romance set in Ancient Egypt! WARRIOR OF THE NILE  will be published in September 2013 - I was so excited.  I'm hard at work on the next two adventures, so I hope  there are Readers out there who enjoy visiting the banks of the river Nile as much as I enjoy setting stories there LOL.

This is a connected series, with my Pharaoh at the center so while we don't see my characters from the first book PRIESTESS OF THE NILE in this novel, the story does find the goddess Isis definitely involved - Nepthys is her sister - and there are other supernatural influences at work as well.

Here's the unofficial blurb for WARRIOR:

The goddess Nepthys informs Pharaoh he must send his best warrior to accompany a young noblewoman on her journey to marry the ruler of an Egyptian province – a man who is experimenting in dangerous black magic. Nepthys plans to use the warrior and the lady to defeat the schemer but the successful outcome of the magical struggle will also mean their deaths. Khenet, the warrior, takes an oath to accomplish his mission, while secretly hoping to find another way to achieve what the goddess wants without either Lady Tiya or himself perishing. And of course it never crosses his mind how much Tiya will come to mean to him on their voyage down the Nile and across Egypt – he despises high born Court ladies. But even when his heart has become involved, can he trust her? Will they survive, while still saving Egypt?

I'll share more details with you as we get closer to the publication date....here's a short, unedited excerpt from Khenet the Warrior's first encounter with the goddess:



Not knowing what he expected, never having been in the innermost sanctum of a temple before, other than once as a boy to swear allegiance to Horus, Khenet sized up the room in a quick glance as he crossed the threshold. The room was dominated by a ten foot tall statue of the goddess, arms out to the sides, palms up, her proud face carved as if she was staring directly at anyone foolish enough to enter her domain. The sculptor had depicted Nephthys wearing a tightly fitting, pleated sheath and the entire statue had been covered in gold, which gleamed in the unearthly light. A gleaming collar of turquoise, coral and lapis lay across the statue’s chest, matching earrings affixed to the shell-like ears. The strong scent of the lotus threatened to choke him
“The goddess is present,” whispered the priest, going to his knees, arms crossed over his chest, head down.
Lady Tiya muttered a little prayer and knelt, copying the man’s pose.
Khenet planted his feet well apart, in a fighter’s stance and stood. I’m here in Pharaoh’s place and he wouldn’t kneel to any goddess. Besides, I swear no fealty to Nephthys.
“Humility and obeisance are safer choices in the presence of the Great Ones.” Where the statue had been, Nephthys herself now stood on the pedestal in front of them, taller than Khenet, wrapped in black robes and tendrils of gray mist. Black wig adorned with golden and emerald beads, the goddess was crowned with an ebony headdress proclaiming her name in one stark cartouche. Flickers of red shimmered in the air surrounding her, bringing the heat of the desert furnace to the chamber. His ears rang with a muted buzzing sound as if a hive full of wasps flew all around the small sanctuary. Nephthys pointed her index finger at him, two great, ruby rings on her hand winking like the fire she could summon at will.
“I’m here on behalf of Pharaoh, Great One.” Khenet felt sheer stubbornness sweep over him at her words.
             Nephthys surprised him, throwing her head back and laughing. “I see Nat-re-Akhte has chosen his representative well."


More to come in September!

Do you have a favorite Egyptian god or goddess you'd love to see in one of my novels?