Friday, October 29, 2010

Now Available~Revealing Thorn

Blurb

Demon slayer Thorn Magnusson is paid a visit by Wolfe McCoy, leader of Bad Boys Inc, and coerced into accepting an assignment that will clear his record, for good. His mission is to protect sassy witch, Lena Hendrix from Dirik, a descendant of Grendel. 
From the moment he laid eyes on her, Lena invoked feelings deep within Thorn he couldn't understand, or ignore.

Their bond strengthens every moment they are together, and eventually he lowers his defenses, while continuing to harbor his dark secret. Who will protect Thorn's heart from the sensual vixen once she discovers his true identity?
Excerpt:
He cared about her, and he would never forgive himself if something were to happen to her.
She watched as he retracted the magnificent sword. She knew he didn’t want to leave, and she didn’t want him to.
“I’m so sorry. I wish I could take them all away. Look—I’m going back downstairs, and I’ll take care of your door tomorrow.” She watched with regret as he turned and approached the door to leave.
“Wait!” She exclaimed as she slipped from between the sheets. All she wanted to do was snuggle up against his hard body. So many years had passed, and not having physical contact was beginning to take its toll. She yearned for someone to hold her and caress her.
“What’s up?” Shrugging his shoulders, he turned, glaring at her with hard blue eyes that softened, then hardened once again. He was unsure of many things. She could have sworn she saw flecks of yellow in them, or perhaps it was the bedroom light? Anticipation overwhelmed her, and wetness formed between her legs again. He was still wrestling with himself. She witnessed raw images in his mind of flinging her to the bed and making wild, passionate love to her. She wanted that, too, but lost her nerve.
“I’m okay, man. Thanks for being concerned.” After biting her bottom lip, she folded her arms and frowned. His chest had wisps of blond hair scattered across it, and the man possessed washboard abs from hell and, dear lord, she wondered how those large arms would feel wrapped around her.
There was something else lurking in his mind, something dark and almost malevolent. This was the part of him that frightened her, his unknown origins. This hadn’t happened before. She sensed his reservations, as well. She approached him, disappointed at the fact he backed away.
It was apparent whatever secret he harbored was lurking dangerously near the surface. The other life force was more apparent. Then, something else caught her attention. Her eyes lowered at the noticeable bulge in his jeans.
“I know there’s something you’re not telling me.” She swallowed and approached him, although every fiber in her being told her not to. His blond brows knitted together and she gasped as he rushed toward her. Damn, he was so tall! Her heart was pumping so fast, she thought it would explode.
“Stay the hell out of my mind, dammit! The last thing I want is the likes of a woman poking and prodding around my head!” Shit, he was pissed, and he had every right to be. She had stolen glimpses of his mind when she saw fit, but it was too tempting not to know what he thought or felt. She could feel heat waves emanating from him, but there was something oh so sexy about him at this particular moment that rocked her world.
“You’re staying in my house, remember? You can read minds, too, said so yourself. Are you a warlock or something? I bet you’re just sore because you’ve finally met someone whose mind you can’t read.” She watched as his chest heaved uncontrollably. He was losing it, but it excited her. He raised a finger in a chastising manner. Was she crazy? Why did she enjoy provoking him like this?
“Listen, you, stay out of my mind or else!” A seedy mixture of lust and anger emanated from his eyes. The muscles in his jaws twitched, further exciting her.
“Or else what?” She was testing the waters now, and oh so ready for him to take her. She felt the invasion of goose bumps as he moved closer. Gently, he laid Frieltjer on the nightstand, and pressed his body against hers. She felt his hot breath on her face, along with the bulge in his jeans. She dared not peek into his psyche now.
“Or else—” He backed her against the wall. “Or else I’ll give you a spanking you’ll never forget!” His body leaned into hers, and she sighed as her hand slid between them and rested itself on his bulge. He sighed, too, and his hands cupped her face.
“Oh, Thorn.” His name was garbled, and she tried dislodging the knot in her throat as he bent down and kissed her with firm, yet gentle lips. He pulled away, glaring at her while her breath escaped her.
“I want you, now.” His blue eyes widened, and his tone was demanding. She gasped when he thrust his hardness against her, pinning her to the wall. His eyes glazed over. “God, I want you so much, Ms. Hendrix.” He pressed his forehead against hers, then nuzzled her nose with his. “I wanted you a long time ago.”
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” Her words were hushed and unbelievable to her own ears, she thought, allowing him to free her of the large pajama top. She gulped, swearing he could have heard it. She marveled at the expression on his face as those blue eyes explored her body.
“God, woman, you make me want to devour you.” His hands attached themselves to her small breasts, gently squeezing them. She moaned and leaned her head against the wall. Through half closed eyes, she observed the top of his head as he bent down, worshipping her aching nipples.
Oh dear God!” She thrust her hips forward and placed her hands on his head, allowing her fingers to roam through the thick, blond strands. “Oh yesss, baby.” He continued grazing her nipples with his teeth, and moisture gathered between her thighs. She wanted him down there. Hoping he’d get the message, she parted her thighs and pressed her mound against his leg. He ceased his ministrations, allowing his gaze to penetrate her soul. To her, he looked like he was on an instant high if his glazed eyes were any indication.
“I know what you need, and I’m going to give it to you,” he said as he took her by the arm and led her to the bed. 
Wasting no time, he began shedding his jeans and undergarments.
She sat down on the bed, and her jaw dropped as he stood before her, naked. “Good God!” His thick heavily veined cock jutted out from a thick thatch of golden blond hair. It looked as though it would burst any moment as it twitched in anticipation of seeking refuge deep inside her.
“See something you like?” He smiled as he strode toward her. 
“Um,” was the only thing that slipped past her lips as she realized she was about to get busy with a man who had been deemed a badass motherfucker in high school. A few images came to mind of how two of the biggest jocks had backed down from him when he simply looked at them.
She watched as his brows furrowed and he crossed his arms. She gauged his facial expressions, and suddenly, she knew what registered in his mind.
Before she had a chance to speak, he pounced on her like a hungry tiger. Her heart fluttered in her chest as he pushed her into the sheets, pressing his rock hard body against hers.
“Thorn, I—”
“Shh,” he whispered in her ear. “You’re fucking beautiful. I knew I had to have you the moment I laid eyes on you. I wanted you a long time ago, and I want you even more now.” With those words, he ground his cock against her wet flesh, instigating a moan from her. “I love your body and what you do to mine. Before the night is over, I will explore every inch of you.”
“Just shut up and kiss me,” she demanded. Once more, she stole a small peek into his mind. He was thinking of doing delectable acts to her body, so much, so explicit, that she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. He was thinking of placing his tongue in every nook and cranny.
She shuddered as he planted smoldering kisses on her lips and flicked his tongue against hers. It amazed her how much pent up passion he was releasing. He was rough around the edges, but gentle, and basically made her putty in his hands. As they tongue-kissed, she decided to linger in his mind a few minutes more.
She knew he thought of gripping her plush ass cheeks as he slipped his tongue inside her. His wicked thoughts made her cream herself. She almost threw a fit when he broke the connection and peered into her eyes.
“I felt it!”
“What?” Her jaw dropped and she swallowed hard. Oh shit! He’s on to me again!
“You were in my mind, but it was so much stronger than before.” He kissed her again, and she felt his cock throb against her body. “I need you, baby,” he crooned. His words sent mini shockwaves over her skin. “Gotta have you—want to taste you,” he murmured against her neck. He looked into her eyes again, and she gasped at what she saw. 
Available Now at Amira Press 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

~*Author Spotlight on Delaney Diamond*~

CK:  Hello folks! Today, welcome Delaney Diamond.

DD:  Hello everyone! It’s great to be here. Thanks so much for having me, Charisma. This is a wonderful thing you’re doing.

CK:  Where did you submit your first story?

DD:  My first story is The Arrangement, which is due for release on November 12th. I made a simultaneous submission to three publishers. Amira Press was the first to contact me with interest in the story and a contract. Once I accepted, I immediately contacted the other publishers to let them know I had accepted an offer.
The Arrangement

CK:  Please, tell us, what are the pros and cons of being a published author?

DD:  Pros: Having people read your work and enjoy it. It’s gratifying when someone sends you an email or makes a nice comment about your work.

Cons: Having people read your work and not enjoy it. LOL. I know not everyone will enjoy my writing, but I’m not looking forward to reading bad reviews. It’s all based on each individual’s opinion. Another con is having people look down their nose at the romance genre. It’s the best-selling fiction genre, so consumers obviously enjoy the writing and the escapism the genre offers.

CK:  Would you do us the honor of providing a sneak peek of your most recent project, if possible?

DD:  I’d love to! The Arrangement is the first installment in my Hot Latin Men series. In this story, Brazilian millionaire, Leonardo da Silva, is still seething from when his African-American wife, Alexa, walked out on him four months ago. Now she’s in his office asking for a business loan to help her brother. Instead of a loan, he’s willing to give her the money, but only if she resumes her role as his wife for the next two months. She reluctantly agrees, and she soon finds herself wishing their arrangement was permanent. But when she finds out about Leonardo’s betrayal, there may be no way for them to mend their broken marriage.

I’ve included a link to the teaser trailer for the book, and below is an excerpt.

“Let go,” she whispered. She was fighting him as much as her body’s reaction to his touch.
“Not yet.”
Leonardo tugged, and she fell against him, her breasts crushed against his hard chest. He clamped his arm around her waist so she couldn’t move. His eyes darkened as he felt her soft, supple body pressed against him. That wasn’t the only physical manifestation of his desire for her.
Alexa felt him harden against her thigh, and she was swamped with feelings that she hadn’t felt in so long, her knees weakened.
He lowered his head against her neck and inhaled in deep appreciation of the flowery scent of her skin. The tip of his tongue traced a sensuous arch along the shell of her ear.
Alexa closed her eyes and felt her body melt into his, his heart thumping beneath her palms.
“I can’t wait to get you back into bed,” he said huskily.
His hand lowered to her bottom and squeezed the flesh with possessive fingers, kneading it in a way that brooked no argument that it was his right to do so.
Alexa resisted the urge to grind against him. Her body was on fire with unrestrained need that she’d locked away and held behind a façade of cool indifference.
“Maybe this time I won’t let you leave.”
Alexa’s startled brown eyes locked with Leonardo’s hard black ones. She tried to wrench herself from his grasp, but he wouldn’t have it. He held her fast in an iron grip.
“You said two months,” she reminded him. “You can’t force me to stay with you indefinitely.” She successfully disengaged herself from his arms. He coolly looked down at her from his superior height, as if the heated response of their bodies pressed against each other had never taken place. “It was a mistake for me to come here.”
She grabbed her purse and rushed toward the door.
“You can have the check, Alexa,” Leonardo called before she could make it to the door.
When she turned to face him, she saw he held the check in his outstretched hand. Her stomach was in knots, thinking about her brother and what she would say to him if she showed up without it.
“Two months, Leo, that’s it.” She spoke in a firm voice, disguising how upset she was. 
“Two months, Alexa, and then you’re free of me.”
With as much dignity as she could muster, Alexa bumped up her chin and took the few strides back to Leonardo. She slipped the check from his fingers and moved to escape.
His voice halted her at the door. “No ‘thank you’?” he taunted.
“We both know that’s not how you expect me to show my appreciation,” Alexa said woodenly. She stared at the dark oak door instead of turning to face him.
“Well, at least thank Xander, for getting my wife back for me, even if it’s only temporary. By the way, he gets the check today, and you move back in tomorrow. I’ll have my assistant call you to make the arrangements to have you move back into the house.”
So soon. Of course he wouldn’t waste any time, but still . . .
Alexa twisted the knob and hastily exited Leonardo’s office.


CK:  Please share one of your earlier novels with us. 

DD:  Well, my “earlier” novel was written when I was 14, and I’m sure you don’t want to see that. It was a romance, and I named it Captured Heart. I still have a copy of it. It was 89 pages typed on a typewriter. My friends read it  and liked it. However, The Arrangement is my first published work.
  
CK:  What are your future goals?

DD:  I’d also love to have “best selling author” in my bio one day. Also, I’m a virtual assistant, freelance writer, and copyeditor. My goal is to give up my day job and write full-time, but I’m realistic because I know how difficult it is for authors to make a living at writing. Nonetheless, like they say, I plan to shoot for the moon, and even if I miss, I’ll be among the stars.

CK:  If your books were turned into a movie, but producers wanted the heroine to be white and the hero black, would you allow that?

DD:  Interesting question. I hope they wouldn’t do that, because that’s not how I envision the characters, and there are certain traits each character has that are unique to their personality and defines how the other characters view them. I think some of the sense of what the characters think and feel would be lost, particularly when those thoughts and feelings are related to race. However, if they could do it in a way that wouldn’t lose the true character, I would be fine with. There are lessons to be learned in the stories that are more than skin-deep.

CK:  Also, I was in Walmart the other day, and saw many varieties of books, with the exception of interracial. How does that make you feel?  Do you foresee interracial romance (not erotic because of children) books in Walmart in the near future? Any ideas on how we in this genre can make it happen? Charisma’s inquiring mind wants to know!! LOL

DD:  I definitely foresee interracial romance in major retailers in the near future. It’s unavoidable. Pew Research analyzes demographic data and found that 14.6% of marriages in 2008 were interracial or interethnic. It’s a sign of the times, and retailers will eventually pay attention because they want to sell merchandise. People in interracial relationships clamor for books that reflect their relationships, not to mention people that aren’t in those relationships find the stories intriguing.

It’s really just a matter of time, and this genre will continue to grow as people like you bring attention to it and cater to the needs of its readers.

CK:  Do you see yourself writing in other genres in the future, and leaving erotica/erotic romance behind? If you were to spring into another genre, becoming even more successful than you are, would you deny you once wrote erotica?

DD:  First, let me clarify, I don’t write erotica. I write sweet and sensual romance. However, if I did write erotica, I wouldn’t deny it any more than I would deny writing the stories I do currently.

As for writing in other genres, I would never leave romance completely behind. I’m a hopeless romantic. I would like to dabble a bit in the mystery/thriller arena because those are my second favorite type of book to read (after romance novels), but even then I would incorporate romance into the plot.

CK:  What are your hobbies?

DD:  Cooking is one of my hobbies. I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. I also like writing and reading (of course), swimming, traveling, and watching movies.

CK:  How do you unwind?

DD:  I get out of the house! Because I’m a writer and the nature of my job, I have to get out of the house to unwind, because my home is my workplace. I either go to a movie or out to dinner with friends.

CK:  Do you mold your characters strictly from imagination or from those you cross paths with in everyday life?

DD:  Mostly imagination, but I do incorporate a little bit of what I experience in the world around me. Not just people I cross paths with, but characters I read in books, movies I’ve watched, and television shows.

CK:  Do you allow your muse to take total control, or do you create an outline before writing? 

DD:  My muse takes control. I’m not much of a plotter. If I had to do an outline before I started a story, I would never start, because when I start writing I don’t know all the details. I have a few ideas in mind, and I start there. Once I start writing, the story eventually evolves. Once it evolves and I have a few chapters, I start to organize the different chapters in order using an Excel spreadsheet. I know some writers draft the synopsis first, but that’s the last step for me after I’ve written the story.

CK:  What methods of research do you utilize? I know, I know! The internet is available, but do you scour the library as well? LOL

DD:  What did we do before the internet, right? I don’t research at the library much—at least not for romantic fiction. For my nonfiction writing, I do use the library databases. Sometimes I try to get the research firsthand. For instance, if I’m curious about a certain profession, I would ask someone in that profession whether or not the behavior I’ve written is normal or what a typical day would be like. 

CK:  Inquiring minds what to know, where can you be found on the internet?

DD:  Inquiring minds can find me at www.delaneydiamond.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Delaney-Diamond/138335572874239
.

CK: What advice would you like to pass on to aspiring authors?

DD:  1) Learn all you can. That includes reading books and attending workshops and working on your grammar. 2) Join a writing a group. In the romance field, you would want to be a member of the Romance Writers of America. It’s a great way to network, meet agents, find out about workshops, and have access to experienced authors who can help you. 3) Finally, get a critique partner or join a critique group. It’s important to get your work critiqued. It’ll only make you a better writer.

CK:  Delaney Diamond, thank you so much for sharing.

DD:  Thank you so much for having me! It’s been great. I want to remind your readers they can purchase my novel, The Arrangement, on November 12th at Amira Press.

In closing, allow me to offer a brief excerpt to tease and tempt them:

Lifting Alexa up into his arms, Leonardo exited the office, and they were through the doors of the bedroom so fast he must have taken the stairs two at a time. They disrobed quickly, kissing and nipping at each other as each inch of flesh was exposed. But Leonardo had plans for her. He lifted the belt of the silk robe from the floor and held it aloft for her to see.

“I want to make sure you don’t go anywhere.” 

         As if she would leave now, knowing what was so close. Anticipation licked at her spine, and heat warmed her inner thighs when Leonardo bound each wrist to the cool iron bars of the bed. He was focused, resolute, testing each knot before he began.



Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Author Interview With Lila Munro

Hello and Happy Hump Day everyone! Please welcome Lila Munro.  

CK: Please, tell us how and when you launched your fabulous writing career.

I’ve loved books since I can remember being read to and have been writing since I remember being able to spell. I was forever making up stories as a child, in fact one Christmas I asked for a typewriter and Santa delivered. He brought a mini-child-size typewriter and I wore it out pecking away. During my sixth grade year, I had a wonderful creative writing teacher that really encouraged me and was the first to tell me I had a knack for carrying a story line. I think that’s where the seed was initially planted. From there I wrote sporadically, though it wasn’t until a little over a year ago I decided to do something about it. I’m a military wife, and after moving to a new duty station was unable to find a job. Due to a floundering economy, all my jackette of all trades and skills could not buy me job. After a while, I decided staying at home wasn’t all that bad, and, after reading several romance novels that left me wanting at the end, I decided to resurrect the writer in me and give it a shot. I discussed it with my husband, who agreed I should give it a shot and, a few months later, I received my first contract and things have been full ahead ever since.

CK:  Where did you submit your first story?

I submitted my first story to a small press in Tennessee, Wild Horse Press. I chose them because they were small and upcoming. I thought that would be a good way to get my feet wet and a good environment to learn the ropes in.

CK:  Do you write full time? If not, how do you fit writing into your busy schedule?

I do write full time. Like I said, I was unable to buy a job the last time we moved. I also have the unique situation of my husband being able to provide sufficiently for us couple with the fact that our nest is empty. So, not only do I not have to work, I don’t have children needing my attention all day. There are those two dogs and a guinea pig, however.

CK:  Please, tell us, what are the pros and cons of being a published author?

I’m not sure there are any cons. The closest thing to a con I can think of is how time consuming everything is. I discovered recently, with the premiere of The Executive Officer’s Wife in August, just how much time promoting and marketing take up. There are days when I spend more time doing those two things than I do writing. However, even with that, it’s a career I wouldn’t trade for anything. I love writing and while I may never get rich doing it, I get a thrill beyond imagining at the thought of someone else reading what I’ve written and them enjoying it.

CK:  Would you do us the honor of providing a sneak peek of your most recent project, if possible?

I would love to share a bit about Bound By Trust. It came out October 1st through Whiskey Creek Press-Torrid, and can be purchased at their website: www.whiskeycreekpress.com/torrid or through www.amazon.com .It’s a beautiful and emotional story about a war widow and her journey to finding love and trust again. Her hero is all alpha, although, he has his doubts at times as to whether he can really live up to the person she needs him to be. Here’s a little excerpt:

With the sun hanging low in a kaleidoscope of hazy orange and pink, Rafe made his way down the path toward the creek. When he’d returned to talk to Madi, Jared had informed him she was gone on a walk to the creek. He was familiar with the way there, CeCe had let him use her creek access for fishing, but he did more sleeping and thinking than anything else while he was there.
When he found her, she was sitting against a cottonwood with her legs drawn up hugging them with her head on her knees. He heard her sniffling and thought perhaps now wasn’t as good a time for this as he and Jared had thought. Maybe this was one of those times she needed her space to grieve. Then an overwhelming desire to comfort her overcame him and he wondered what caused it and what to do about it. The urge to cradle her in his arms was nearly more than he could deny himself.
She must have sensed she was no longer alone because she turned and looked at him with hollow eyes filled with unspent tears. The sparkle he’d first been attracted to was gone and he knew it was his fault it was so.
“What do you want?” she said flatly.
“I came to apologize.” He walked over and squatted down beside her. Fresh air, sunshine, and pure femininity emanated from her. Now that he knew she wasn’t taken, the consuming desire he’d felt for her all weekend was reawakened and circulated through him. “Your friend Jared explained to me how wrong I was.”
“What exactly did he tell you?”
She could smell him as well. He’d had a shower and the clean smell of his soap and after shave assaulted her senses and sent her reeling. It was pronounced and raw, or maybe she was just hypersensitive to it. The effect it was having on her further drove the anger she felt toward him. She didn’t want to feel the attraction to him that overwhelmed her, and now that she knew what it could lead to she certainly didn’t want to acknowledge it.
“He told me about your husband and that there isn’t anything between the two of you. I was crass, and I assumed way too much. I’m sorry, for your loss, and the way I acted. But I’m not sorry for what happened Friday night. I haven’t been able to get you off my mind since then.”
He was too close, the heat she’d felt earlier came back.  It engulfed her and made her ashamed to be a woman. She needed to be away from him before she thought twice about giving in to her carnal desires despite the hate welling up inside her. Shamefully, she wanted to let him comfort her, to let him take her in his arms and run his hands over her and make her forget how upside down her world really was.
“Well, you’ll just have to because that was a one time thing. I’m not in the market for a relationship, and from what I’ve heard about you, you aren’t either, so we should just try to get past it and move on. Now, please forgive me for being rude, but I need to go back.” She rose to leave. “My things will be here tomorrow and I need to rest before then.”
She turned to go, but he caught her by the wrist and pulled her back. “I’m not the enemy, Madi, and I don’t think we can get past it. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel what I did.” He watched her lips quiver wanting nothing more than to possess them and taste her again.
“Really? Not the enemy? What are you then?” Her heart raced at the pressure and heat of his fingers on her bare flesh. He was right; she did feel it, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. “I’m not so sure you’re a friend either.”
His lips taunted her as she remembered how they had seared her skin, and a renewed sense of need swept between her legs. How could she hate someone so much for hurting her and at the same time want to tear her clothes off and let him have his way with her?
Before she could think any further and give him an answer, she felt him take her head in his hands and his mouth descended on hers. At first he just brushed them, then pulled back and looked into her eyes.  When she didn’t protest he landed on them again, teasing them with his tongue and prying them open. He tasted of mint and hops, and he was warm and inviting. So gently he kissed her, running his tongue along hers, she thought for a moment she was dreaming it from wanting him so much. Willingly she let him in and caressed him back. He deepened the kiss and she shuddered, affirming she sensed whatever it was happening between them. She put her palms on his chest, pulled loose, and pushed him back.
“Don’t ever do that again.” She spun around and started back up the hill.
“Don’t try to tell me you didn’t enjoy that.” He caught up with her and took her by the arm again.
“Whether I did or didn’t isn’t relevant. It can’t happen again. Now let go of me and leave me alone.”
He watched her disappear over the ridge and wondered what it was about her that made him think with only a couple of his brain cells at once. What really puzzled him was that her rejection bothered him. He could have any one of several women at his beck and call, but he had to want the one that didn’t want him back.

CK:  Please share one of your earlier novels with us. 

My debut novel, The Executive Officer’s Wife, hit the e-shelves August 10, through Wild Horse Press. Readers can download it at www.wildhorsepress.com , www.allromaceebooks.com , or through www.amazon.com. It’s also based on the military community and centers around the cycle of being left alone. Libby’s father is a Marine Corp sniper and has landed in quite a pickle overseas and his command sends in Chase to be her safe keeper until her father can be retrieved. Here’s a little snippet:

Why Rosa hadn’t answered the door yet was beyond Libby’s comprehension.  She was trying to come out of what seemed like a comatose state of sleep in which she felt she had been lost for days.  She stretched and moved and was grateful that the incessant pounding had quit.  Hoping Rosa could contend with whoever it was, she rolled over wanting to savor this peaceful rest, but was jerked from it at the sight of the cowboy from Texas leaning on one elbow staring at her quietly with a grin on his face.
              “I take it you slept well, Libby?” It was more a statement than question. “I wondered if you ever would hear that knocking on the door, I didn’t think me answering it was a good idea or I would have and let you sleep longer.”
              “I’m sorry.” She cleared her throat. “In fact, I’d completely forgotten where I was.”  She pushed herself up and rubbed her eyes.
              Chase thought she looked radiant, the morning sun streaming in on her and her dark hair a crumpled mess.
             Bang, bang, bang.  This time a voice accompanied the frantic thumping.  “Miss Calhoun, please wake up and come to the door.”
              “Shit!”  She leaped from the bed and hysterically began searching the floor for her clothes, and then stopped midstream placing a thumb on her temple and forefinger between her eyes and took a few deliberate breaths.  “Calm down, Elizabeth.”
              “Who the hell is it that has you this upset?  Not another ex-husband or boyfriend I hope.” Chase asked leaving the bed and pulling on his jeans wondering if his boots would be necessary.
              “No, worse, it’s my driver.  What time is it anyway?  Good God, Rosa is probably having a conniption…have you seen my shirt?”  She was talking a mile a minute, the pitch of her voice getting higher all the while and searching the floor as if she’d lost something of great value.
              “Easy.  It’s not quite noon and…Wait…did you say your driver?  Who the hell is Rosa?  Your mother?”
              She looked at him as though he had cursed her to damnation.  Curtly she told him, “No, she is not my mother.” Then, with more panic than bite, “Yes, my driver. I told you last night you had no idea who you were dealing with, and I had hoped you wouldn’t find out.”  She was struggling with her shorts.
              “Miss Calhoun, please answer the door,” Bevins pounded again, “I swear it’s important…”
              Calhoun, why should that ring a bell?  Chase began an internal inventory of his still foggy mind.
              Another string of expletives flew from her mouth, none of which really shocked but only served to amuse him.  He thought she was kind of cute in a tizzy.  She raced down the hall and flung the door wide open. Bevins’ fist was raised ready to resume the assault on the flimsy wood.  The sudden motion caught him off guard and he had to take a couple of steps forward to keep from falling.
              “What the devil is wrong Bevins?”  Then in a more discreet whisper, “I am sorry, I forgot about you last night.”
              “Don’t worry about me Miss Calhoun; I slept on Murray’s couch.  Pretty comfortable actually.” 
              She then noticed her purse dangling from Bevins’ other hand. 
              “I was going to leave you alone as long as you needed,” his cheeks mottled pink, “But, I thought you would want to know the Colonel is on his way here.  I thought you might need some time to, well, collect yourself.”  He cleared his throat and glanced down.  She assumed her lover stood behind her.  “Your phone has been ringing all morning and I finally answered it.  Something happened overnight.  Anyway, he’s on his way here, sounded pretty furious, and he’s calling your new bodyguard, said it couldn’t wait until….”
              The unmistakable ringing of a cell phone interrupted him.  She turned wide-eyed back into the small living room and saw her stranger from Texas reach in his pocket and retrieve the ringing blackberry.   Holy Mother of God, what have I done?

CK:  What are your future goals?

I have so many irons in the fire right now I have a hard time keeping up with myself some days. Currently I am working on a series called The Sergeant’s of Lima Co. and it’s about three young enlisted marine’s—Alec, Hunter, and Brady and the women they find that are almost too much to handle. I’m also working on a wonderful stand alone story called The Language of Love about a young graduate student trying to finish her dissertation to obtain a doctorate degree in cultural anthropology. The only thing in her way is her inability to decipher the language of the indigenous people she’s studying in the Amazon. Enter right one doctor of linguistics, who also happens to be the source of her research funding. It’s different from what I normally write because it has nothing to do with the military, and thus far has been loads of fun. I’m also toying with the idea of a Valentine’s Day novella. The idea has been plucking at my creative center lately and I think I shall have to listen to get it to be quiet. As far as personal goals, I always want to learn from each book how I can improve and hone my skill. At present, my most pressing issue is character point of view and how to maintain one at a time.

CK:  What are your hobbies?

Of course reading everything I can get my hands on. I’ll read just about anything, but tend to veer toward contemporary, erotic, and historical romance. I also embroider (I think that’s a dying art), crochet, and I do a bit of quilting occasionally. Although, all that has taken a back seat to writing.

CK:  How do you unwind?

I live only ten minutes from the beach and am very drawn to water. When I feel the need to regroup or refocus I pack a bag with a notepad, a good book, the IPod, and a can of Pringles and head to the ocean. After a few hours, I come home refreshed and rejuvenated. When I can’t go to the beach due to crummy weather I love a good bubble bath coupled with a good highlander book and a good glass of white wine.

CK:  Do you mold your characters strictly from imagination or from those you cross paths with in everyday life?

My characters are a combination of both. I do extensive character sketches. It is a skill acquired while taking a seminar in children’s literature. I observe people and take detailed notes of them—their actions, mannerisms, physical traits. I try to imagine what is going on inside their head. Then when I’m ready to develop a character I write their complete history. I know what they eat, drink, their favorite music, their family tree, their nervous habits. These are all things I’ve observed in someone else. So, yes, finally an answer she says, all of my characters have traits or looks or habits of someone I’ve observed, but they are not based on those people specifically. Those I observe give me the basis for the characters, but are not in and of themselves the characters.

CK:  Do you allow your muse to take total control, or do you create an outline before writing? 

Well, I would like to believe I am in complete control of everything, however, that would be absurd to think I’m in total control. I do start out writing with a definite outline, but somewhere along the way my muse pecks me on the shoulder and say “Hey, Lila, what if this happened that way” or “Hey, Lila, did you know that Piper is afraid of motorcycles?” I need the outline to keep my story line straight and time line in order, but along the way I learn more and more about my characters and my muse is usually the one to point those things out. I’d say my muse and I have half ownership of control.

CK:  What methods of research do you utilize? I know, I know! The internet is available, but what about the library? LOL

Funny you should ask that. I research in the most unusual places as it turns out. I do use the internet and library, but my research extends far beyond those places. Some of my research isn’t exactly PG13 in nature. For instance, for the series I’m currently working on, I’ve had to take some extensive field research trips. My first hero, Alec, gets saddled with a stripper named Piper. In order to get into the head of Piper and feel what she feels, I did my research at a strip club and at my local Adam and Eve where most of the dancers in town shop. I actually stood under the black lights to get the feel of what it’s like facing a crowd in that environment. I have also talked to some very interesting characters about the local underground leather culture so as to be able to understand my second hero’s girl, Abby. She’s damaged in a way Freud probably wouldn’t understand. As you can see, I’m serious about my research and end up in some of the most unusual places.

CK:  Where can you be found on the internet?

Feel free to contact me online at www.lilamunro.weebly.com or through email at lilasromance@gmail.com . I also share a joint effort website with three other talented writers. We’re located at www.wickedmuses.webs.com , and you can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lila_Munro.

CK: What advice can you pass on to new writers?

For new writers, my advice would be to never give up, and always, always aspire to do better. If you receive a rejection, don’t whine or complain. Brood a bit if you must, but move on. Figure out what you are doing wrong and fix it. If grammar is your issue, fix it. If it’s spelling, fix it. If it’s poor character development, fix it. For me, I have a terrible affliction called MMS (multiple muse syndrome). No matter what I do, I get inside too many heads at once, and heaven help me the points of view shoot off the charts. I am currently learning to reign that in and stay in one characters head at a time. I’m also famous for telling people write what you know and do your research.


CK: Lila, thank you so much for sharing. It was awesome having you here today! I’m glad our paths crossed!

Thanks so much for having me, Charisma. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being here! 

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Guest Author ~ Serenity King~~

Hola folks! Please bring it for another awesome guest author friend, Serenity King! I've had the pleasure of reading her books, Simply Beautiful and Let's Ride. Diamond's Seduction are definitely on my "to read" list.


Serenity King author bio

Serenity King is a new author of interracial/multi-cultural erotica and contemporary romance who has been reading romance novels since her auntie placed a Harlequin in her hands at the age of sixteen.
She is fiercely devoted to her characters and has a strong passion for Alpha males. Her males are Alpha family-oriented men who Live, Love, and Fight for their women. Serenity lives in the New York area with her husband and children, and she always loves to hear from her readers. Please e-mail her at serenity.king088@gmail.com.

Serenity King


My favorite cookie: Oreos and Nutter Butter


Title: Simply Beautiful





Author:  Serenity King 
Description: contemporary, erotic romance, IR (BW/WM)
Available at:   https://beautifultroublepublishing.com/xcart/Simply-Beautiful-EBOOK.html
Length:  Tailgating 39,015

**blurb**
 A defense attorney working for Cameron, Cameron &  LaSalle, P.C., Alisha Carrington, hasn’t dated anyone since she was betrayed by her fiancé. Too afraid to risk her heart again, she has vowed to dedicate her life to building her career. Unbeknownst to Alisha, she has caught the eye of two very powerful men, Tristan Cameron and James Langston.
Tristan is more than a drop-dead gorgeous attorney. Undercover for the FBI, he has been using his family’s law practice in Atlanta as his front. Although he loves women, his undercover work is just too dangerous for him to commit to one woman. Summoned to New York by his brother, Tristan comes face-to-face with the one woman who can make him rethink his vows against commitment—Alisha. He’s tried to resist his attraction to the sexy African-American for years, but when Alisha’s life is threatened, he vows to keep her safe…and the powers-that-be help them both.
  **R excerpt**
  
Alisha got up also, “I’ll come back when you get back, Bran—”
“Sit down, Alisha, please,” Tristan said, his temper rising again.
She responded by sucking her teeth. “Whatever,” she said and proceeded to follow Brandon out the door, but Tristan was too quick for her.
“I don’t think so, Beauty,” he said coming up behind her and pulling her back against his frame and locking his arm securely around her waist, preventing her escape. “Let’s talk. Please.”
Pulled against the tight confines of Tristan’s rock hard body a moan slipped from her lips. Not only did he look good, but damn he felt good too. He was gentle, yet firm, in his hold on her.
Alisha’s entire body went on full alert at first contact with his. Her nipples pebbled against the silkiness of her demi bra. For once she was grateful that she had on a jacket. There was no doubt in her mind that Tristan had felt her body’s reaction to his closeness, and from the growing bulge nestled against her ass, she knew she was getting to him also.
“Hold on, Beauty,” Tristan said. “Brandon, we’re straight here.”
“Alisha, you sure you’re okay?” Brandon asked.
“ Of course. I can handle your brother, Brandon,” Alisha replied.
 “Okaay,” Brandon said, smiling and shaking his head as he went to open the door to his office.
As Brandon opened the door, Tristan kept his hold on Alisha, simply spinning her around and turning her in his arms and out of the view of the open doorway. “We don’t want to give the office anything else to gossip about, do we, Beauty?” Tristan said.
Brandon rolled his eyes. “You have one hour, Tris, two tops. After that, you’re on your own and I want my damn office back.” Brandon quit the room, closing the door behind him.
“You can let go of me now,” Alisha said, looking up into Tristan’s face.
“Can I, Beauty?” he said with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t think that I can, actually,” he said, knowing in his heart of hearts that he meant it literally. He pulled her more closely into his embrace and swooped down to take her mouth. “Open,” he said. Alisha’s mouth opened on his command. He was taking her mouth with a hunger that was reserved for her only. Never had he felt anything remotely like this with any other women. His mouth mated with hers as would any man claiming his woman. Before Alisha knew what was happening, Tristan had deftly divested her of her jacket, tossing it across the room and onto the leather couch. He pulled her blouse out of the confines of her skirt with both hands, then slipped his hand underneath her bra cup and grasped the full globes in the palms of his hands. He massaged her breasts from the base of the round mound to her long, hard, erect nipples, pulling gentle on the nipples.
Alisha thought she would die from the sensation as their tongues continued their mating dance and his fingers continued giving her nipples pleasure never known before. Her already soaked panties got wetter as her cream seeped from her vagina onto her barely-there thong.
As their tongues mated, something jolted through Tristan. He knew that this was one woman that he had no intention of letting go. Yes, Ms. Alisha Carrington was his full mother-fucking stop. He would kill anyone and anything that tried to come between him and this woman. He had never laid claim to any woman before, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt, as soon as she walked her fine self into Brandon’s office, that she was going to be his.

                                                                

Author
Serenity King
Description
Contemporary, Interracial Romance (BW/WM)
ISBN
978-1-936271-72-6
Print
Adobe PDF
Length
Appetizers (18, 512 words)
Heat Level
Price
The Hotness
$3.50





**blurb**

Former supermodel Diamond Shaw returns home to find herself in an heated exchange with a tall, built, and blue-eyed man she’s crushed on for a long time: Raferty Carmichael. Talk about sexy; able to make her body sizzle with one look, she finds herself on a road trip with the infuriating, hot man.

Rafe has been keeping tabs on Diamond Shaw since she left her family’s investigation business to step out on her own. Beautiful women come and go in his business, but sinfully sexy Diamond caught his eye long ago. Giving her time to establish herself in her business, he’s waited since it seems like forever to make her his. When Rafe learns by accident that Diamond is planning to take a road trip with another man…well, let’s just say the only man Diamond will be riding with is him
.

**Excerpt**

Rafe sighed at the two cousins. They both knew full well what he was talking about but were trying to avoid answering his questions. Lord, trying to keep track of these two was going to give him heart failure. He turned back to Diamond. “Well, once your brothers find out about what happened last night, they’re going to feel much better about their sister running an investigation company. You two need bodyguards yourselves—how are you going to guard someone else? Part of an investigator’s job is to protect your client; which may include being his or her security.”
 “I don’t need a bodyguard,” Diamond replied.
“I say you do,” Rafe replied in a controlled voice.
“And I say I don’t. But if I did, are you volunteering for the position?” she shot back, head tilted to the side, the challenge evident in her eyes.
 Rafe gave her a bold stare. “Is that a challenge, Diamond? Be very careful what you ask for, sweetheart. You just might get it.”
Hot damn! She hadn’t expected that. Smiling up at him, she flipped her head, sending her neatly trimmed hair in a seductive wave across her shoulders.
“Oh really, when?” was Diamond’s blunt, yet seductive reply. She was challenging him and they both knew it. How far she could go had yet to be determined. At least she had gotten a reaction out of him. And his reply was getting a reaction out of her. An, “I may have to go home and change my panties” reaction. Shit yeah! She was being bold, but she had a feeling that he was worth it.
 Blue eyes challenged light brown eyes. Rafe watched her for a second more before he leaned across her desk and whispered in her ear. “If you play with fire, Brown Eyes, you’re bound to get burned.”
His seductive voice sent a command directly to her clit, which started to pulse like a heartbeat. Diamond turned her mouth towards his ear and murmured, “Are you fire, baby? Or are you just blowing a lot of smoke?” Then she swiped his ear with her tongue.
“Wow! You two need a hose,” Asia fanned herself as she rose from her chair. “Should I leave and come back?” she asked, smiling.
Rafe was the first to recover. Hell, he’d forgotten that Asia was still in the room. “No. I came by to make sure that you two were all right. I have to get going. I’ll stop by later in the week.” He sat up and slid off Diamond’s desk. “To answer your question, Brown Eyes, I’m a hot-blooded, Native American man. I don’t blow smoke—I make it happen.” He winked at her.
 Rafe’s words excited Diamond even more. She tried to hide her anticipation as they continued to stare each other down, neither conceding. Diamond’s breathing was rapid. Rafe appeared as calm as ever.

                                                                    * * *

Title: Let’s Ride
Authors Serenity King
Description: contemporary, erotic romance, IR (WM/BF)
ISBN:   978-1-936271-64-1            
Available at:  https://beautifultroublepublishing.com/xcart/Lets-Ride-EBOOK.html
Download:  Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket PDA (with DRM for Kindle) 
Price: ebook: $2.00
Length: Midnight Snack, 7,488
Heat Level: The Hotness
Release Date: 05 May 2010

**blurb**

Starlina “Star” Jenkins is known for causing all kinds of mayhem, so no one’s surprised when Star is caught climbing through Hudson Reese’s bedroom window. Nobody, that is, but Hudson Reese himself.
Having been in love with Star for as long as he can remember, after catching her climbing through his second-floor bedroom window, Hudson decides to take matters into his own hands. Now that the caramel-skinned beauty is on his turf, Hudson has no intentions of letting Star go, ever.

**Excerpt**

Suddenly realization dawned on Hudson. Star had to be talking about Carla. Carla was the daughter of one of Hudson’s business associates. Sighing, Hudson pulled Star into his embrace. “Sugar, that was Carla, the daughter of a business associate; and yes, we did leave together, but I took her home and then I came home. There is absolutely nothing going on between me and Carla. Never has been and never will be—honest. I have all the woman I need and want right here in my arms,” Hudson murmured softly, bending down to capture her lips in a smoldering kiss.
Their mouths claimed each other, tongues dueling, lips demanding and seeking, urging each other on. Hudson grabbed hold of Star’s hips, easily lifting her to meet his erection and grinding into her, his lips never losing hold of her lips.
“Let’s take this upstairs,” he whispered against her lips, wanting to move upstairs, yet not ready to move away from the smoothness of her mouth for a solitary moment.
Finally releasing her lips, Hudson bent at the knees and lifted Star up and into his arms. “This has been a long time coming, and I’ll be damned if our first time together’s going be in the den,” he said while walking up the steps toward his bedroom. Once in the bedroom, he placed her onto his king-size bed and began to undress.
“Star, do you remember asking me to teach you how to ride a while back?” At her nod he continued, “Well, sugar, you get your first lesson tonight.”
“I was talking about a horse, Hudson, and you’re about ten years too late with that one.” She tried to sound annoyed, but she was too aroused for her words to have the desired effect.
“Well, I’m not talking about a horse. I’m talking about the man,” he replied huskily. “You really need to start undressing, Star.”
He only had to tell her once. Star sat up and began to undress. She’d gotten as far as taking off her shirt when she felt Hudson’s hands at her waist, releasing her belt buckle and unsnapping her jeans. “Lift up,” he ordered, pulling her jeans down over her hips. Once he’d finished he stood up, bringing her with him. “Come on, Star, reach behind you and release those babies. He glanced at her breast. I want to see those beauties outside the confines of your bra. As pretty as that lace thingy is, I know it doesn’t hold a candle to what’s inside of it.”
“Hold on, Hudson. You want to see them so bad, why don’t you take it off? Star sassed.