Hot History Facts and Hot Fiction

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Cover Reveal: What you Need by Landra Graf

I'm always excited when I learn Decadent Publishing will be releasing another 1 Night Stand. I just love that series! They have a book in that series for everyone. Check out Landra Graf's upcoming release What you Need. I can't wait till it comes out.



What You Need Blurb

Royce is looking for a woman who won’t cringe at the words “sexual submissive,” and a chance for all his fantasies to come true. The 1Night Stand he signed up for was supposed to be simple with no attachments, but when his match is his ex-best friend, simple goes out the window. He can’t stop seeking the answers to why Victoria left or deny his new-found attraction to her.

Victoria has loved Royce forever, but his rejection of her affections eight years ago caused her to walk away from everything. She’s not the same girl from college, and no longer naive and willing to run too just anyone. A sexual dominant born from her mistakes, she wants a chance to start a relationship based on her terms. She’ll settle for one night, but she’s planning on forever.

Author Bio:
Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day, and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily ever after.

Check out Landra at:


Saturday, December 28, 2013

Midnight Kiss Blog Hop


This is the last blog hop of 2013...at least for me! Sparks fly and prizes are given away at each stop. I'm a big fan of interracial romance. My latest release Saltwater Lover is a M/M historical interracial romance.



“He wanted more, as did I, but we still had a ways to go. I wasn’t a tease and my demands seemed pretty reasonable: always be honest and try not to eat me.”

~ Sam, Living Violet
Jaime Reed


Rules for the Midnight Kiss Giveaway Hop are fairly simple. All the bloggers are blogging about kisses and prizes are available at each stop!

MY PRIZE

A copy of Saltwater Lover. Please leave a comment below with your email to enter. Here is an excerpt from Saltwater Lover and includes a kiss!

Excerpt:

Kojo smiled, still in a dreamlike state. Mather cupped his check and gave him a gentle kiss. Kojo kissed him back forcefully. The man was slowly starting to assert himself. He liked instilling confidence in his lover.

He rubbed grease on Kojo’s ankles. He felt the lust mixed with appreciation in the man’s eyes. He wanted to wake up to those eyes every morning. It was going to shred his heart to put Kojo’s shackles back on. The man was strong and powerful, but he had never made a move to hurt him—except steal his heart.

Grand prize – a $25 book voucher from Liquid Silver Books! Enter the drawing here by posting a comment below and please include your email address so they can easily notify the winner. Every blog you visit and every comment you leave increases your chance of winning.

Blurb:

In 1800, Kojo is a native African with deep connections to the spirits—but those spirits choose not to save him from the slaving ship. He’s captured and taken aboard, where he meets Captain Mather. During the long journey to America, not even the spirits can save him from their growing attraction. Love blooms. A doomed love. For when they land, Kojo’s fate is to be sold.

Captain Mather can’t imagine Kojo being treated as a slave. Desperate to spare him from that life, the captain hides him, taking him to his home. When he’s blackmailed by a mutinous former crewmember, there seems little choice but to sell his ship and pay. Anything to save the man he loves.

Here are the other bloggers participating. I encourage you to encourage hopping!

Author Spotlight: Joya Fields Sidelined Afterlife

It is my pleasure to have fellow Decadent Publishing author Joya Fields on my blog today. Do you love paranormal romance? Then you're going to enjoy Sidelined Afterlife. I've been meaning to write a ghost romance...Joya may just inspire me. I've already bought my copy of her new release.

 Sidelined Afterlife by Joya Fields: A contemporary romance with a ghostly twist. 

Blurb: 

Communicating with ghosts has only ever brought Veronica Matthews pain and grief. Afraid to love and lose again, Hunter Anderson needs her help, but she resists risking her heart. Can a ghost help them break through a barrier of mistrust and guilt? Blurb Psychic and medium Veronica Matthews hates being able to communicate with the dead and the nearly departed. What good is it if she can’t lead the police to the victims of violent crimes before they die? But when her neighbor comes to her for help, she’s torn—until she understands that the ghost haunting him is more dangerous than any she’s encountered….

After losing his wife in a tragic accident, ER doctor Hunter Anderson’s only solace is his work and a ghost is jeopardizing that. Turning to his neighbor seems like his only choice, but spending time with the passionate woman, and her sassy attitude, might do more than save his life…

She can’t risk her heart. He’s afraid to love and lose again. Can a ghost help these two souls to live again?

Excerpt: 
“I am an idiot. The biggest idiot ever. If you want me to pierce something for you, to prove I’m an idiot, I have some sterilized instruments upstairs in my apartment.”
   Her tongue poked against her cheek, signaling a laugh that wanted to erupt. Suddenly, he really wanted to be the one who could make her laugh. “Maybe I could do your lower lip?”
   Her short laugh erupted. A sweet, melodic sound that filled the small apartment.
   His gaze stayed on that full mouth and he lifted his fingers closer, compelled to touch her.      She stared at him with wide eyes as he traced the corner of her mouth lightly with his finger.
   “I’m a liar. I could never tarnish something as beautiful as this.”
Christ. What a line. Where had those words come from? But he meant it.
   Her breath was hot against his finger as he traced the line of her lower lip. Her gaze held his. His stomach growled again, breaking the spell, and she blinked and leaned against the sofa.
   “You know what? We never had dessert,” she said.

He had room for dessert. But not the food kind. He swallowed to quell his appetite for her. “Uh…how about I make an ice cream run? Then we’ll get to work.” Enough of this temptation. He needed to get away from her, from this pull she had on his body and emotions.



HTML code for Rafflecopter: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase links for SIDELINED AFTERLIFE: 
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Decadent Publishing

All Romance eBooks

Joya’s Bio:

Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel, a romantic suspense, was a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and was nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award. Since then, she’s published four more books with even more on the way.

Connect with Joya:
Twitter: @joyafields
Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Allyson Lindt - Learning New Tricks - Recipe and Giveaway

Thanks so much for having me today, Shiloh. If your readers are willing to stick with me until the end of the post, there are details about a couple of awesome giveaways I’m holding (including one here) to celebrate my new book launch, and links to more posts like this one.

I pondered for while what to write my post about, and it hit me. The holidays are about friends, family, and food. Fortunately for me, Archer, the hero in my new release, Learning New Tricks, is a fantastic cook. I mean, dude makes pancakes from scratch… just because.

Keep in mind though, he’s been a bachelor and living on his own for a while. So when I asked him about his favorite dishes to make, some of his answers were a little… unusual. I’ve tried them all, though, and they’re all tasty.

For instance, this one:

Italian-style Ramen
A lot of Americans hear 'ramen' and think dry, tasteless noodles boiled in water for five minutes. The Japanese do it very differently (and very well). Archer’s not Japanese, but he also doesn't like his food tasteless, so this is a compromise.

Ingredients
 - 2 packages of ramen noodles. The cheap kind from the grocery store that come in dehydrated squares is perfect for this.
 - 4 tbsp butter
 - 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
 - 4-6 cups water

Instructions
 - Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan, break up noodles, and boil for 5 minutes
 - Drain off about 90% of the water (don't drain it all off, so I recommend using the saucepan lid rather than a colander
 - Keep removed from heat. Add packets of flavor from the ramen, the butter, and the parmesan cheese, and stir until well-blended.

This serves two, add more ramen, etc, for more :D

**
If you’d like to meet Archer, and find out what he does besides cook, make sure you check out Learning New Tricks.

Blurb

Archer should be focusing on how to keep his comic book shop from financially crashing and burning in an epic way. However, when his sexy-as-hell best friend and Sunday-afternoon-movie buddy, Tori, asks him to teach her how to keep emotions out of sex, he welcomes the distraction.

Tori couldn’t ask for a better best friend than Archer. He respects her fandom, and he lets her sell her custom-made costumes in his store. Even better, he’s willing to give her a hands-on demonstration of how to keep love and sex separate. Experience has taught her not to fall for a guy who’s as infatuated with an ex-girlfriend as Archer is, so she’s already got the no-love bit covered.

With each new lesson, the line between the physical and emotional blurs a little more. Can they let go of their pasts—and learn a few new tricks along the way—or will they lose their friendship and budding relationship for good?

Giveaway
I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card, and copies of Conflict of Interest (Bits & Bytes, #1), and Toeing the Line (Bits & Bytes, #2) to one person who visits during my blog tour. Each time you comment on another post is another entry, so if the recipes aren’t enough to entice you, make sure you leave a comment below, and visit all my other generous hosts as well.

Tour Schedule
Dec 17: Silken Sheets & Seduction http://silkensheetsandseduction.wordpress.com/blog/
Dec 18: Diane Saxon http://dianesaxon.blogspot.com/
Dec 19: TF Walsh http://www.tfwalsh.com/
Dec 20: Shiloh Saddler http://shilohsaddler.blogspot.com/
Dec 21: Love, Lust, & Laptops http://lovelustandlaptops.wordpress.com/
   (I’ll also be offering a second prize on Daisy’s blog, as part of her advent calendar)

Buy Learning New Tricks

Find Allyson Lindt

About Allyson Lindt


Allyson Lindt is a full-time geek and a fuller-time contemporary romance author. She prefers that her geeky heroes come with the alpha expansion pack and adores a heroine who can hold her own in a boardroom. She loves a sexy happily-ever-after and helping deserving cubicle dwellers find their futures together.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Talking about Villains with T.D Hassett

It is my pleasure to have fellow Liquid Silver Books author T.D Hassett on my blog today. She is here to talk about the characters we all love to hate -- villains!

Take it away T.D.

What type of villain do you love to read about?  I enjoy writing about love and passion but I get ecstatic writing about vengeful, evil villains.  My Love and Music series has a truly twisted villainous that I hope you love to hate!  Sasha is a former supermodel who will do anything to get back on top.  She has no problem with lying, stealing, trapping and exploiting to get what she wants.  If someone gets hurt it is simply the collateral damage of war in her opinion.  She will use all of her sinfully sexual tools to regain her former fame and Link and Madison’s new found love just might pay the price for Sasha’s ambition.

Loving Link
T.D. Hassett

Can two artists salvage true love out of the unexpected consequences of one night of passion?

A young tattoo artist. A seasoned rock star. Both focused on their careers. What harm can there be in giving in to their desires for just one night? They’re about to find out as their scandalous relationship sweeps the internet. Will they stand together to face the world? Or will their emotional scars tear them apart? T.D. Hassett takes you to the heights of passion in Loving Link, Book 2 of her hot, sexy series Love and Music.





Link Jacks is done with women and determined to focus solely on music and rock-band Becket’s upcoming album. He’s been living as a marketing-prop bad-boy rock star for so long he doesn’t remember who he really is anymore. Not until he meets Madison, the emotionally guarded and theoretically off-limits younger sister of his best friend’s wife.
Madison just wants to get her fledgling tattoo career off the ground and stop relying on the generous charity of her wealthy brother-in-law to get by.  She knows she should never get involved with the likes of Link but his presence is downright intoxicating. Her indiscretion will lead to Internet sex video and media frenzy.  Their one wild night of passion will have scandalous repercussions and force each of them to confront their inner fears and emotional demons.


Excerpt:
Madison had just finished up with her second to last client and was tired. She thanked him for trusting her to do such an involved and powerful tattoo.
"No, thank you Madison. You’ve no idea how much this means to me. It's absolutely beautiful." the young private explained quietly, and then surprised her by wrapping her in a big hug and kissing the side of her head. It seemed to be an impulsive gesture and it took her off guard. For perhaps the first time she understood how important body art could be to somebody, how it truly was more than just something inked. She broke free of the embrace as her boss, Lori, came into the room. Madison froze in place seeing Link Jacks standing behind her boss and scowling. The private slipped her his card and was forced to squeeze by Link, who stood with his arms crossed, practically blocking the door.
Lori interrupted the awkward silence. "Madison, you might know Link Jacks through your brother-in-law. He's been having a dragon done over the last couple of months and I'm thinking you're the perfect person to do some of the scale work. I’ve seen you do some mythological pieces where the coloring is almost luminescent. That would be perfect for this piece. I've done all the lines and a good chunk of the fill but think if you wrapped up the scales it would be American Tats Magazine worthy." Lori stated in her no-nonsense way.
Crap, there's really no way to just say no, especially if Lori was thinking of putting the work on display. She had one more customer left for the day and was looking forward to a quiet night back at the apartment. She and Darling would probably just order pizza and watch a movie.
Maddie's befuddled brain flashed back to the spiel Lori had given her about no drama and she braced herself for whatever this could mean. I just need to keep my focus on the work.
"Sure, as long as Link is comfortable with me doing the work. I’ve got one more customer tonight but I'd be happy to make him an appointment," replied Madison.
Link’s icy expression slipped. He smiled at her and gave her a little wink, suggesting her stall tactic wasn't going to work.
"No need, I've switched your last appointment to someone else so that you could have time to work on this piece now," Lori smoothly added.
So much for putting this off until a later day. Lori walked away, leaving Link and Madison alone. Great, this would be a nightmare after what had transpired between them last week. She was already anxious around him and now she’d be spending hours touching his half-naked body. How did Monet ever paint those incredible nudes with such beauty just within reach?
Madison busied herself getting out sterile gloves and new needles. She focused her head on how best to color in the scales that she recalled so clearly from running her hands up his chest and arms. His low voice startled her when he asked what to do.
"Should I take my shirt off now and lie down, or just stand here feeling stupid?” Link questioned.
"Sorry, go ahead and lie down and you know, take off your clothes. I mean shirt." Maddie blurted out awkwardly. She finished assembling her things on the tray and turned around in time to see him pull his tight black shirt up over his head exposing a broad, well-muscled chest that her fingers ached to touch. It was going to be torture to put needle to skin, to have her hands running over his washboard abs and strong arms, yet the full sensation would be blocked by the latex of her gloves. She studied the work already done on the tattoo. It was a masterpiece in the making. She’d never seen such a large, detailed mythological piece and couldn’t stop herself from tracing the line of the dragon's tail from the waistband of his jeans up and across his chest and over his shoulder to where it ended on his back. The dragon's head looked across his shoulders, its eyes done so realistically you felt like the beast was watching. She could see the mix of colors and shading she’d need to complete the work. The artist in her was clamoring to get started but the woman was afraid to keep touching him lest she lose her head again. She looked up from his skin to notice his eyes had been watching her with an expression of longing. His hand was clenched tightly against the arm of the chair and she noticed the telltale bulge in his pants. Memories of him pulsing in her sent a wave of moisture to her core.
She needed to put aside the tantalizing images flashing through her head. He was just a man who could only hurt her if she let him. Isabel had shared stories about Links escapades with women while on tour. It seemed everyone in the band but Link had settled down, so they all laughed at his adventures. Now that Madison had been one of his conquests, she hated every other woman who had ever looked at him and she hated herself even more for feeling that way.
"Okay, I’ll get started but as you probably know, work around the ribs and other bony areas can get pretty painful, so let me know when you need a break. Any questions?" Maddie was proud of how calm her voice was despite the rolling pit of emotions swirling around her belly.
“No questions. Baby, I'm ready for whatever you want to do to my body; bring it on." Link answered with a cocky smile.
Damn him, he had to make this extra difficult. She'd made a mistake in what she did with him; she’d just been too curious a cat and she'd gotten her heart involved. But there was no way she would put that tail out there again for him to play with. Maddie had seen what heartbreak did to her mother and she knew better than to get involved with anyone who could do that kind of damage to her. Besides if Isabel ever found out what she’d gotten up to with Link she'd probably lecture her to death. And Thomas would probably kill Link; after all he had become quite the protective big brother to her after he and Isabel met.
Madison needed to focus on the task at hand and stop ogling him like … well, like some kind of groupie. She prepped a gun and tested the foot pedal, and then dipped her color, steadied her hand, and pressed needle to skin. The gentle vibration of the gun hummed to her as she worked a lower portion of the design over his right ribcage. She peaked across his chest, noticed another tattoo under his heart, and jabbed the needle in too hard.

Author Biography:

T.D. Hassett grew up reading the romance greats—Jackie Collins, Julie Garwood, and Judith McNaught. She was certain that life should be like a romance novel, with lots of passion, some incredible adventures, and a guaranteed happily ever after. She attended college in New England, earning a B.A. in History and an M.S. in Clinical Psychology before changing her mind again and studying education. Currently Ms. Hassett lives in Connecticut with her very patient husband and two young children. Her rambunctious family shares their home with three crazy cats and a darling golden retriever named Delilah. Her eccentric relatives and their quest to make her feel like the only normal nut in the family tree inspire her writing.


Monday, December 16, 2013

Saltwater Lover Release Day!


I'm having a book birthday today. Saltwater Lover was released from Liquid Silver Books. I have two tour stops today to kick off my blog tour. I'm Daisy Banks blog where there is a contest and you could win a copy of Saltwater Lover. I'm also in the hot seat over at Tara Quan's blog where she gave me a fun and sexy interview. I do hope you stop by.

 Blurb –

Saltwater Lover In 1800, Kojo is a native African with deep connections to the spirits—but those spirits choose not to save him from the slaving ship. He’s captured and taken aboard, where he meets Captain Mather. During the long journey to America, not even the spirits can save him from their growing attraction. Love blooms. A doomed love. For when they land, Kojo’s fate is to be sold. Captain Mather can’t imagine Kojo being treated as a slave. Desperate to spare him from that life, the captain hides him, taking him to his home. When he’s blackmailed by a mutinous former crewmember, there seems little choice but to sell his ship and pay. Anything to save the man he loves.

Buy Saltwater Lover now!

You may buy it directly from LSB (which I would appreciate since more money goes to me the author), or through Amazon and other major ebook retailers.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Decadent Military Night!

Do you like to read military romance? Do you swoon over a man in uniform? Then this is the event for you. Don't Miss Out on the Fun and Prizes Dec. 19th. or http://youtu.be/75wNrucjRl4 And to RSVP to attend Book Club https://www.facebook.com/events/179475342252034/ Please spread the word. One lucky participant will win a Kindle Fire.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Friday Five with Libby Waterford

It is my pleasure to welcome fellow Decadent author Libby Waterford to my blog. She is here to promote her new release Love Unlocked. But first let's learn a little more about the author. :)

Libby Waterford's Friday Five: Five things I can't write without:

1. Glasses. After being unreasonably proud of my perfect vision all my life, I got some slight magnifiers a couple of years ago and now I don't even want to look at a computer screen without them. As weak as the prescription is, it relaxes my eyes and makes me feel good.

2. My writing mix. I know a lot of people can't write to music, but I find it helps me stay focused and helps me track how much time I've spent working. Current favorites: Arctic Monkeys and Mayer Hawthorne.


3. Mini Kit-Kats. These things are addictive. I keep a bag in my freezer and ration myself to three at a time.

4. Evernote. I use this app on my computer and mobile devices to keep me organized and sane. It's a great place to capture story ideas or inspiring images and be able to access them anywhere.

5. A sleeping toddler. If my son's not asleep or in the care of a grandparent, then writing is not going to happen.

Now for more about Love Unlocked. I love the sexy cover!

Blurb:

All she wants is a fresh start…

Retired art thief Eve Caplin traveled all the way from Paris to California looking for a fresh start in a small town. When she locks herself out of her home, she gets much more than she bargained for in Hudson Cleary, part-time locksmith and world famous artist. She wants to resist Hudson’s seductive pull, but can’t refuse his help when a man from her past blackmails her into stealing a ten million dollar painting. Not only does Hudson have access to the painting, he may hold the key to her damaged heart.

All he wants is her…

Hudson hasn’t picked up a paintbrush in two years. When he unlocks Eve Caplin’s door, the mysterious beauty arouses much more than just his creative impulses. He needs Eve in his studio and wants her in his bed. When he discovers danger closing in, he must decide how far over the line he’s willing to go to protect her.

Will he lose his heart, his muse, and his freedom all in one unforgettable night?

Excerpt:

“So what’s the plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“The plan, you know, how are you going to steal the painting?” He spoke more calmly than he felt.

“I hardly think you need to know about that.”

“John mentioned involving me. Let me help.” He needed her to let him help her. He couldn’t stand by and let her face the threat of prison, bodily harm, or death all alone. Somewhere between her locked front door and the Rembrandt, Eve had become his to protect, and he wouldn’t let her down.

She pushed back from the bar, hands on her hips. “John was out of his mind to suggest such a thing, and you have no business being anywhere near this situation.”

God, she could be stubborn. “Then why did you tell me about it?”

She goggled at him for a moment, then ignored his question. “John and I can handle it. We have to get access to a museum fundraiser where the painting is going to be displayed and take it from there. It’s simple really. You’re not needed.”

Hudson saw his window and he went for it. “A fundraiser? Not for the Santa Barbara Art Museum?”

She was slow to respond. “Yes, actually.”

His chest surged with relief that he could offer her something that might help her stay out of harm’s way. “I donated a print to their charity auction. It’s a joint fundraiser for the museum and for art education scholarships for low income high schoolers.”

“Of course it is,” she grumbled.

“Which means I have an invitation,” he said. “Want to be my plus one?”

She bit her lip and crossed her arms. She wouldn’t be able to turn down his perfect way in, and he’d be at her side, keeping the wolves at bay.

“It’s dangerous, you’d get us all caught.”

He smiled. He knew rationalizations when he heard them. She was going to cave any minute.

“You need my help,” he said, moving closer. “I don’t like the thought of you out there up to no good on your own.” They were so close they were practically breathing the same air.

“I won’t be alone,” she said halfheartedly. “I’ll have John.”

He wasn’t above playing dirty. He slid a hand around the back of her neck, stroking the soft hair that covered it like a waterfall. It took physical effort to keep from shuddering at the intense pleasure the sensation brought him. “I really don’t like the thought of you out with John at some swanky party. You’ll probably be dressed to the nines. High heels and everything,” he murmured.

“Jealous?” she breathed.

“Very.” And he kissed her.

Buy Love Unlocked

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance eBooks | Decadent

Connect with Libby:

Website: http://libbywaterford.com

Email: libby@libbywaterford.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LibbyWaterford

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LibbyWaterford