Monthly Archives: January 2010

Saturday Sexcerpt – Prime Obsession by Monette Michaels

 

 Welcome back Monette who shares a sexy excerpt from Prime Obession:

            The Prime had witnessed her passage and rearmed the trap.  Even if she’d missed slitting the Erian’s throat properly, the trap would efficiently finish the lizard off.  Her back trail was covered.

            “Thanks,” she said loudly, not sure where or how sensitive the microphones were in the tunnel.

            “You’re welcome, Melina.”

            She recognized that voice.  It wasn’t the male that had issued the distress call, but she had met the man on Tooh 2.

            “Iolyn?  Huw?”  She smiled at the live camera to her right.

            “It’s Iolyn, Melina.  Welcome on board the Galanti.”

             “Glad I could make it.  What’s it look like ahead?’

            “Trouble,” growled a low, unknown male voice.

            Well, not exactly unknown.  That was the voice on the distress call.  And as it had on the jump station, the voice sent fingers of heat throughout her body.  She forced back a low moan as she rubbed at her hip.  Heat like she’d never experienced radiated from the marking that she’d had for as far back as she could remember.  Her birthmark as her mother had always called it.

            “Who’s that?” She frowned, shaking off the unusual sensations caused by the unknown speaker.  “What kind of trouble?  Trap or pirate?” Or, you?

            “Me,” rumbled the same male.

            Mel gulped.  That was what she’d been afraid of.  Damn, her extra senses were really working spot on this trip.

            “Melina,” Iolyn said, his voice practically drenched with suppressed amusement.  “Meet my brother, Wulf.  He is the captain of this ship.”

            “Iolyn, he doesn’t sound very grateful that I’m here to help rid his ship of pirates.”

            “You should have sent one of your men,” snarled Wulf.  “This is no place for a woman.”

            Mel sighed and bit back the harsh retort. Okay, sexy-to-die-for voice in the body of a male chauvinist.  Well, no one ever promised allying with the Prime military would be easy.  Alliance female soldiers would just have to prove themselves. Beginning with her.

            “Sorry, Captain.”  Not.  “But I’m the only one who speaks or reads Prime.”

            She started forward once more, found the Prime words for the engine room and followed the correct tunnel.  “Besides, I couldn’t risk my men.  By the way, I do hope you’ve turned off the self-destruct.  There are now two squadrons of Alliance battle-cruisers lying immediately outside the danger zone waiting for the all clear.”

            “Can you give it now?”  Wulf’s voice was calmer, not as snarly and filled with anger as before.

            She wasn’t sure why she could read this man’s moods so easily, but she could.  And why in the hell did it make her feel calm that he was calm?   She’d never made it a practice to worry about any man’s moods.

            “There’s something blocking external communications,” she explained as she cautiously approached an access panel to a hallway labeled the weapons deck. “We tried to hail you before we boarded the ship.”

            Wulf’s curses came across the speakers clearly.  The growl was back in his voice. 

            Mel laughed.  “Those are some new words for me. I learned your language from ancient texts. My contemporary colloquial knowledge of your language is lacking, I’m afraid.  I caught bhau, balls or testicles, but what is ansu?”

            “You don’t need to know,” growled Wulf. “It is not – – ”

            Iolyn laughed and cut his brother’s next, undoubtedly sexist, remark off.  “In your language, the closest translation is ‘devil.’”

            “Ansu bhau.  Devil’s balls.”  She grinned.  “Can’t wait to use it on an Antarean.”

            “You will never get near an Antarean, if I have anything to say about it,” bellowed Wulf.

            Staying alert to her surroundings, she wondered why Wulf sounded so possessive, because that was how she read his voice.  And since when could she read voices?  Her psi abilities usually only worked when she was in close proximity with the person she read. Maybe his emotions were stronger and traveled farther. She mentally shrugged.

            “Well, it’s a good thing that I answer only to the Alliance Military, then, isn’t it?” She stopped and opened her senses wide, seeking another presence in the tunnel ahead.  “Besides, I killed two Antareans just over sixty hours ago – – and wounded and left to die two Erians in this tunnel.  They’re dead.  I’m not.  ‘Nuff said.”

 Copyright, Monette Michaels, 2009.

Thanks, Tina for letting me come and play at your blog. 

Monette Michaels/Rae Morgan 

Any time Monette!  It was wonderful having you come and visit.

AuThursday – Monette Michaels/Rae Morgan

Welcome all!  Joining us today is fellow LSB asuthor Monette Michaels also known as Rae Morgan.  So Moni, do you mind if I call you Moni?  What books have most influenced your life most?

The reason I am writing at all is Mary Stewart.  I love her books – all of them.  Moonspinners and Touch Not the Cat have to be two of my fav reads of all time.  I love her so much I even wrote the essay on her for an anthology called Mystery Muses: 100 Classics That Inspire Today’s Mystery Writers.  While Mary Stewart wrote what we romance writers would call romantic suspense, she won two Edgar Awards for best mystery.  Yes, her books had very few sex scenes and are mild in that regard considering today’s romance market – Touch Not the Cat has the most obvious one and even it was mostly off-stage – but the growing romance between her heroes and her heroines was fabulous and set against some of the most exotic backdrops in the world and set off against edge of your seat danger.  She is why all my books have a background of danger.  I like the external conflict juxtaposed against the internal conflict, the growing attraction and romance of the hero and heroine. 

 Q:  Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Besides Mary Stewart whose books I re-read every year, I have many favorite authors.  LOL  Too many to list here, that is for sure.  Linda Howard of the Mackenzie era has to be mentioned.  I think my copy of Mackenzie’s Mountain has to be falling apart.  I also loved Mr. Perfect and Cry No More.  Her last two, I have reservations about, but her back list is on my Keeper Shelf and I re-read her books on it frequently.  For the sexier, more sensual authors, I just love and adore Nalini Singh’s books, both paranormal series.  She has a talent for exposition; her alpha heroes are just yummy and her heroines are strong enough to stand toe-to-toe but know when they need to lean on their men.  Her world-building is so subtle that a reader is not jarred out of the story with a lot of technical jargon or rules that are hard to understand.  Linnea Sinclair is also another author I love since I am a scifi geek and her science fiction romances are to die for.

Q:  Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Define new.  LOL  New for me?  Cynthia Eden.  She is not “new” to romance writing, but I just discovered her books and am now buying her whole back list.  Love her take on the paranormal.  I have also discovered Sarah McCarty and Kylie Brant (her new mass market romsuspense books, not her Harlequin days). 

Q: To date which of your books was the hardest to write and why?

Earth Awakened under my Rae Morgan pen name.  I started this book in early 2007; that Spring my very elderly mother began to fall down a lot and I had to make long round trips every day to check on her and my stepfather.  I spent at least two hours a day driving and then dealing with whatever medical issues and paperwork and errands.  I was always exhausted by the time I got home where I had to deal with my husband’s angst about retiring early for his health.  We also had downsized by that time – so I was still reeling from selling, buying and moving.  My son was making the decision to come home from Oregon to finish his degree at Kelley School of Business at IU in Indianapolis.  So, a little life stress? – – parenting parents, moving aftermath, retirement of spouse, child changing major and moving home, last illness of my mother and her subsequent death and dealing with all the legal stuff (I’m the lawyer in the family).  Uh, yeah.  I’m lucky the men didn’t come to cart me away to the psych ward.  So writing did not go well when I could even get to it.  My brain was wholly engaged in strategies to take care of my family.

I did finish the book and it came out at the end of December, 2009 – over two years after I started it.  The book evolved over that time and I think it is a stronger book for the wait, but I feel as if I had let my fans down.  Good news is – my life has gotten back to normal, or as normal as having a husband home 24/7 can be – and I am back to turning out 2-3 books a year under my Monette Michaels pen name.  Rae is still hunting for a new project.  J

Q:  Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

I travel twice a year at a minimum to conferences.  I like to attend Lori Foster’s conference in Cincinnati each June and Archon in the St. Louis area in October.  I also attend some Bouchercons and I was registration chair for the one held in Indianapolis in October 2009.  All are fan conferences.  I love fan conferences. 

If RT is in a place I can drive to, I like to attend it.  I am absolutely terrified to fly; didn’t use to be that way, but am now.  I like to be in control and since I can’t fly the plane and make sure that all the people on board are not crazy, noisy or rude, I avoid flying.  I only fly for my day job when there is no other way (I am an arbitrator). 

Q: We all know “SEX” sells, have you ever been asked to “sex-up-your books”?

Not really.  All my books have lots of sensual buildup and heat.  My older books (published at LTDBooks which closed its doors in 2005) had sex, but not as much as I am writing now.  I have offered to revisit older books when they come up for re-publishing and “up the heat levels and open the doors to the bedroom more widely,” but no one has ever asked me to.  The older books sold well “as is” and sometimes it is better not to rock the boat.  At Liquid Silver Books, I have books in the Sterling (slower buildup and less sex scenes) and the Liquid (characters move more quickly into bed and there are more sex scenes) levels. I have not written a Molten book yet and would probably have to stretch to do so – and then I am afraid it would be too molten.  I have a very vivid and kinky imagination, but am not sure I want to share that much of my personal fantasy life with the world.  LOL 

Q:  What do you think is the biggest misconception in e-publishing

That people won’t read on computers or hand-held devices.  I think that the advent of iTouch, iPhones, the Blackberry, the Droid, and all the current incarnations of eBook reading devices has proven that wrong.  My son (23-years-old) reads fan fiction all the time on his laptop. His goal is a phone with a 3G  network (I think he’ll hold out for the 4G to be more prevalent), and I am sure he will use it and the appropriate apps to read on it.  I have had a Rocket from the day they came out – my Rocket is ten years old now, still works, and I love it.  I am holding out for a reading device with color screen and wireless capability for downloads that reads the main formats. 

Another major misconception?  That all e-books are badly written and edited.  From my days in math and philosophy, I was trained to be skeptical of statements using the words “all” or “every.”  Not all e-books are badly written, some are.  And the market will handle those.  There are badly written and atrociously edited print books from major print publishers, but no one skewers the whole industry based on a few bad books.  The same should apply in the e-publishing world. 

I am lucky that I have had two excellent e-publishers:  LTD Books in Canada (now closed for reasons having to do with the owner going back to get a Master’s Degree) and Atlantic Bridge Publishing in Indianapolis, the parent company for Liquid Silver Books.  Both my e-publishers strove, and in the case of AB/LSB still strive, for quality in content and editing.  AB/LSB has been around for ten years (LSB as an imprint has been around since 1/2003). I think the company’s longevity speaks for itself. 

Q:  What are your current projects?

Monette Michaels has a lot on her plate.  Rae is relaxing and letting Monette do her thing.  LOL

 The first book in a romantic suspense series called Security Specialists International (SSI), Eye of the Storm, was just contracted with Liquid Silver.  It should come out in the second quarter of 2010.  I am currently finishing the second book in the Gooden and Knight paranormal mystery series (the first, The Virtuous Vampire, was a reprint of an LTDBook that came out in 2005).  The second Abby and Luc book is called The Deadly Séance and I hope to have it to my publisher by the end of March and see it published before the end of 2010.  After the Abby and Luc book, I will write the second book in the Prime Chronicles series, Prime Selection, Huw and Nadia’s story.   And finally, I have the second in the SSI series, Weather the Storm, already in the planning stages (to be completely honest, the pushy characters forced me to write the first 50 pages of this book when I should have been working on Abby and Luc’s book). 

Q:  Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

www.monettemichaels.com

www.raemorgan.com

http://romanticimperative.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/monette.draper

http://twitter.com/raemorgan

And of course at Liquid Silver Books, SiN Forum:  http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/forums/

Saturday Sexcerpt – Safe from the Flames by Sandra Sookoo

This is an excerpt from Sandra’s  recently released Liquid Silver novella Safe from the Flames

 A soft sound from within the bathroom jarred her from her reflection. As Hadyn opened her eyes and debated the merits of peeking out, a hand snaked around the edge of the curtain, wrenching it open. Darren stood before her, his eyes dark with emotion.

“What’s wrong?” Profound panic flooded her insides as she scrambled to cover her nakedness as he stared. “Darren?” His intense gaze raked her from the soles of her feet to the roots of her hair, intimate as if he’d physically touched her.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just need to be with you. Here. Now.” He joined her in the tub, fully clothed except for his shoes and socks. Those were missing. “I can’t explain it, and don’t want to argue with it.” With an air of finality, he pulled the curtain closed.

She blinked the water from her eyes as he voiced the same thing she felt. “But your clothes…” Her words died away when he pulled her into his arms. The water drummed into her back. She slipped her arms around his neck to rub her fingers over his close-cropped hair.

“I figure if we’re gonna do this, we might as well start with the cold shower and keep your body heat down for as long as possible.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “And trust me, we’re gonna do this. I can’t ignore the pull anymore.”

Regardless of the constant stream of water, liquid heat shot through her body to gather between her thighs. Hadyn met his gaze, caught in the green depths, willing to drown, then she tugged his head down and captured his mouth with a tentative kiss. He tasted sweet, like cherry-flavored hard candy, and she idly wondered if he kept such a thing in his truck, but then everything flew out of her mind except him. The tensed muscles of his shoulders beneath her fingers, the feel of his powerful hands as they gripped her waist, the masculine smell of him, citrus and sweat combined.

She sighed against his mouth, sucked on his bottom lip and grinned when he groaned and tightened his arms around her. She surrendered herself to him in that moment as she nipped a path along his jaw, stroking the stubble-covered skin with her tongue, tasting salt, and continued her quest down his strong throat, feeling the corded muscle beneath his skin. When she discovered a sensitive spot beneath his left ear, she teased the area until Darren growled and turned them both around, pressing her back into the tiled wall.

Tremors of need built within her, increasing with intensity as he held her wrists above her head with one hand while the other teased a nipple, worked it into a hard, tight bud. Hadyn whimpered and tried to pull out of his grasp. His body blocked most of the shower water. She stood, shivering with cold and need. He rolled the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, holding her gaze, smiling when she moaned. Finally, he released her wrists but used both hands to torment her breasts, giving them both equal attention before he added his mouth.

“Darren, oh yes, like that.” Breathless, pleasure swallowed her words with a sigh when his teeth closed over a sensitized bud. She slid her hands down his wet t-shirt to grip his tight, denim-covered buns. “Get out of these clothes. I want to see you.” She ran her hands around his waist then under his shirt. Her fingertips traced each defined plane, each sculpted muscled on that magnificent chest.

“Not yet.” He grabbed a bottle of vanilla-scented body wash and poured a fair amount into his palm. “I want to feel every inch of you first.”

“Oh.” Her mouth worked, but no sound came out as Darren worked the soap into a rich, thick lather and smoothed it over her shoulders, pushing it down over her arms and chest.

“Turn around.”

She didn’t argue. Her body practically hummed under his ministrations. The soap slicked her skin and Darren’s hands slid all over. He lifted each breast, worked the lather over the skin over her stomach, skimmed along her hips until her fingernails scratched at the beige tiles. “Darren.” She tried to face him, but he nipped at her earlobe.

“Not yet.”

Heat licked through her bloodstream. She couldn’t breathe. Her heart hammered so hard she feared it might explode. His hands caressed her back, smoothed the soap down over her buttocks, but when his fingers slipped between her legs, the heat erupted into a raging bonfire.

Hadyn froze as fear paralyzed her. She would burst into flames right here in the tub, regardless of the water that intermittently trickled past Darren’s broad shoulders. “I need to go before it gets dangerous.”

“No, baby, you need this.” He coaxed a finger along her slit, barely skimming her opening. “And yes, it will get dangerous, but that’s part of the fun.”

You can buy a copy of Safe from the flames here:

www.liquidsilverbooks.com

Until next time – Be Naughty,

Tina

AuThursday – Sandra Sookoo

Please welcome fellow LSB Author Sandra Sookoo.  We recently shared a release date.  So Sandra, how long have you been writing?

A:  Truthfully, I’ve been writing since I became aware of books and stories.  I used to entertain my classmates in literature and writing classes with my stories.  I’ve only been writing for publication for the last couple of years.

Q:  What inspired you to write your first book?

A:  My very first book?  The neighbor boys.  I wrote them into this “epic” fantasy book as knights.  I was twelve.  I’ve since burned the “book”.  Since then, what usually inspires me to write something is an idea, a dream, or a suggestion from a friend.  Or, if I read a really crappy book and think I can do better than that.  Or, if I read a really good book and think I could do something sorta like that, but only put this sort of spin on it.

Q:  Which country would you most like to visit and why?

 A:  I think, if I could get my hubby on board with the long flight, I’d like to visit Italy.  I’d love to see how the food in northern and southern Italy differ and maybe gain some new recipes.  Of course, there’s also the awesome ruins, etc.

 
Q:  Which author would you most like to meet and why?

 A:  I don’t know if there’s just one I could name off the top of my head.  Every author is important in their own way.

 Q:  What do you feel is the most important aspect for all new authors to remember when writing or creating their own stories?

 A:  Be true to yourself.  Write the story of your heart, the one you believe in.  Don’t follow the trends since they have a tendency to shift and vanish when you’re trying to find your rhythm.

 Q:  Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

 A:  I think the hidden message in all my work is that love makes acceptance, tolerance and differences possible

Q:  Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

A:  Well, now that I’m putting hotter love scenes in my writing, some family members frown on it LOL  I don’t think I could have come as far as I have without the support of my critique partner, beta readers and friends in the industry.

Q:  Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

A:  I can’t pick a favorite.  I love to read across genres according to my mood, and that’s how I write as well.  Picking a favorite author would be a bit like picking a favorite child.

Q:  How do you make time to write?

 A:  I consider writing as a business.  If I don’t write, I can’ finish a book.  If I can’t finish a book, I can’t get it contracted, etc.  While hubby’s at work, I write.  This year, it’s my intention to take two days off a week from writing in order to relax.  So far, my muse is not liking that idea.

 Q:  What books can we expect to see in the near future?

 A:  The next few months are pretty busy for me in regards to book releases.  On January 8th, my first full-length paranormal book, The Art of Fang Shui, will release.  And on January 11th, my pirate novella, Angel’s Master, releases from Liquid Silver.  Both of these books are near and dear to my heart and I can’t wait until the general public gets to read them. 

  Q:  Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

 A:  Please feel free to browse my website for information on books available for purchase and upcoming releases. 

http://www.sandrasookoo.

 I also maintain a personal blog called Believing is Seeing.  Find it here:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

 Throughout the week, I blog at Paranormal Romantics http://paranormalromantics.blogspot.com/,

Embrace the Shadows  http://embracetheshadows.wordpress.com/ and Frightening Journeys http://paranormalwriters.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by Sandra!  Join me on Saturday when we read an excerpt from “Safe from the Flames”.

Until then…be Naughty,

Tina

Fill your E-Reader Blog Tour!

Welcome to anotherLSB Blog Tour to fill  you E-Reader.

You should have come from:

http://stephanieadkins.wordpress.com/blog

Congratulations!  You’re filling your E-Reader and that’s always a good thing.   Here are my favorite things about E-books and my REB 1100 ( I know.  I was Naughty this year so I’ll have to wait for a new reader)

5) Convenience – I love shopping from home.

4) More selection online vs. in store.

3) I love the backlight on my Reader.  It’s great when DH wants to sleep.

2) I wonder how people manage to read E-books on PC’s.  I used to and now I wonder how I ever did.

1) Getting free books on Blog Tours along with some Eye Candy like this.

Well I usher you onto more Eye-Candy.  The next stop on the tour is:

http://www.rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Tina

Remember the LSB Blog Tour!

So you got an e-reader over the Holidays? Now all you need are some great books by some great authors!

Join us on the 15th of this month. The tour will start at Paige Tyler’s blog, and just follow the links to the end!

WOW! Check out the list of prizes we’re giving away!

Waiting for the Big One by PG Forte
Flash of Dark by Sara Brooks
Rip Cord by Jeanne St. James
Doll by Juniper Bell
Once Bitten by Trina M. Lee
Huntress Prequel by Trina M. Lee
Bound by Deception by Christa Paige
Preja Vu by Alanna Coca
For a Price by Olivia Brynn
Fireproof by Tina Holland
Destiny’s Magick by Rae Morgan
Alitus, Tales of the Chosen by Kayelle Allen
Satisfy Me by Madison Scott
Baptism by Fire by Keira Ramsay
Black Cat Beauty by Savanna Kougar
Intimate Strangers by Gem Sivad
Bait by Annie Nicholas
Breathing Shallow by Stephanie Adkins
The Company of Fools by Annemarie Hartnett
Choice of two books by Lexi Ryan
Safe from the Flames by Sandra Sookoo
Hearts Afire December by Elise, Ella, and Emily

Saturday Sexcerpt – Préjà Vu by Alanna Coca

Sit back and enjoy this Steamy Sexcerpt from Alanna Coca.

He stepped closer, and lowered his head to hers, pinning her to the wall with those serious green eyes. “Don’t you trust yourself to be alone with me for two minutes?”

He was so damn sure of himself. The fact that he had read her correctly didn’t help her calm down. In fact it infuriated her. She glared at him, her teeth clenched so hard her jaw began to hurt, and long bursts of air came through her nose. When she remained silent, he shook his head.

“I swear, sometimes you act more like a spoiled little girl than a professional woman.”

She heard the sharp crack before she realized that she’d slapped him.

The angry sound reverberated against the empty walls, echoing in her ears. His head snapped around with the unexpected force of her hand. Very slowly, he swiveled his head back to face her. His eyes fairly burned holes into hers, those damn gorgeous eyes. She couldn’t believe she had actually struck him. She’d never raised a hand to anyone, not even in self-defense. Her hand stung with the contact, so she curled her fingers into a fist. Fear engulfed her, but she refused to apologize.

“Never,” he enunciated, “strike me again.”

She ignored the warning bells that went off in her head, and narrowed her eyes, imitating him, “Fuck … you.”

With a feral growl, one that caused an immediate spike in her heart rate, he gripped both of her elbows, so tightly that her hands almost immediately began to tingle. He secured her against the wall, and she started struggling in earnest. She wasn’t afraid of him, but of her own reaction to this man. Whenever she was in his vicinity, she didn’t trust herself. “Let go of me, you bastard.”

“You’re trying to piss me off so I’ll let you leave,” he spoke through his teeth. “It won’t work.”

She kicked his shins, she curled her hands into claws that if freed, would scratch his eyes out. She brought her knee up to emasculate him, but he dodged it just in time, kicking her feet out from under her, and toppling them both to the ground. She hissed in indignation. She bucked her body against him, and he used his weight to pin her to the floor. She brought his hands toward her mouth to try to bite them, but he was too strong for her and he used even more force. Just when she thought she might be able to bite his shoulder, he brought both of her hands over her head, gathering handfuls of her hair as he went, thereby keeping her head pinned as well. She fought with all her might, but when she realized what an immovable force he made, she whimpered, then collapsed.

His legs had hers pinned. Her chest expanded with each breath she sucked in, and the air that escaped her lungs was searing. She glared up at him, his face barely an inch away and not even in focus. She should scream. Why didn’t she? Didn’t she want someone to beat down the door and rescue her? Wouldn’t the mere threat of discovery be enough to make him release her? “Stop this, Ryann.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, and allowed herself to enjoy the vibrating heat of his muscles for only a moment. “Let me go,” she hissed.

“Not until you calm down and listen to me.”

“Get off of me.”

He speared her with his gaze. The fire behind it sizzled almost audibly. He glanced down at the pulse which was pounding against her collarbone. “I don’t think you want me to get off of you. I think you like it.” His lip curled.

“You’re a conceited bastard.”

“I can see it in your eyes, Ryann,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “You like my weight on you. It gives you a little thrill to know how hard I am right now for you.”

“Don’t talk like that to me. You don’t know anything about me.” Damned if he wasn’t right. She didn’t want to feel that rigid flesh against her crotch, but it was there. She tried to turn her face away from him, to hide the obviously clear desire in her eyes, but he held her hair tight, immobilizing any movement at all.

“I know that you want me. I know that you started this little fight just so I’d put my hands on you. I know that you’ve got me right where you want me.”

She faced him again, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t want you anywhere, least of all on top of me.” Had she ever told such a bold-faced lie? She ignored the heat rising to her cheeks, and lifted her chin in defiance.

“You’re a liar, and I can prove it.”

“Ha! I’m not lying, and there’s no way for you to prove it anyway. Let me go.” She squirmed as much as his body would allow.

“Your nipples are hard.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. Exertion.”

He tsk’d, and shook his head with mock disappointment. “You should have taken that, because now the only other way to prove you’re aroused will involve a little more…”

“No!”

“Admit it.”

“No!”

He transferred both of her wrists and the handful of hair to his left hand. His right hand slid down her arm, paused for only a moment at her ribcage, then without permission or apology, he covered her breast. She made a furious animalistic sound. Not because she didn’t want him to touch her, but because she wanted it so much, and she denied herself.

“Don’t touch me you bastard. I’ll press charges.”

“Admit that you’re aroused and I’ll escort you to the door.” His hand left her breast to slide down her stomach.

“I’m not.”

“Ryann, this is your last chance.” His fingers flirted with the hem of her skirt, which had ridden up her thigh in their struggle.

“If you touch me I’ll scream.”

His smile was dangerous. “I know you will, that’s precisely what I’m going to prove. That’s what all this is about. This is why you’re so worked up. It has nothing to do with my being married, and everything to do with you. Denying the obvious. Admit it, and we’ll go from there.”

“Don’t.”

His eyes danced across her face, but otherwise he didn’t move. His grip on her wrists was still fierce, and his palm rested against her thigh, driving her mad with its immobility.

“Remember that kiss?”

“No!”

He ignored her. “In your office? I was hard for you then, too. I remember how sweet you tasted on my tongue. You remember, don’t you Ryann?”

She whimpered. God yes she remembered that kiss. She would never forget the taste of chocolate on his tongue. Or her fingers on his chest. And how his heart beat in her hands… She pinched her eyes closed, turning away from that memory as much as his hold would allow.

“I see that you do,” he spoke against her mouth.

She almost surrendered there. She almost told him what he wanted to hear, and damn pride to hell, anything to get his body off of hers before she gave in to temptation and begged him to take her right here on the floor.

AuThursday – Alanna Coca

Falling StarPlease join me in welcoming fellow LSB Author, Alanna Coca (and her alter ego Olivia Brynn)!  So Alanna tell us, how long have you been writing?

From the time I could hold a pen. Seriously, I have some books that I wrote in grade school, Looking back, I’m pretty impressed with my plot-forming skills! I started writing my first book Wyoming Solace back in the early 1990s but I didn’t take it seriously; it was just a way to relax. When I read through it, and I realized that it was an actual *book* I left my ego at the door and began my quest for a publisher.

Q: To date which of your books was the hardest to write and why?

 The ones that are eluding me now will top this list. Of the ones I’ve completed, Préjà Vu gave me the most grey hair. The hero, Trevor Kearney wasn’t a very likeable guy. I had no control over him either, I just had to deal with the way he was, but I finally ended up falling for him, along with heroine Ryann Phillips. Although he made writing the story a little more difficult, I do enjoy writing when the characters take over.

Q:  What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? Do you use mood music, candles, no noise, when you write?

I’m a pantser. I usually get a wild hair and start writing, sometimes smack dab in the middle of a book. I’ll write until something else grabs me. Currently I have seven of these WIPs going. I hop back and forth depending on my mood and which character talks the loudest. I must have music. It doesn’t matter what kind, opera, classical, country, hip hop, pop, metal, alternative…you name it, I like it. I went through five sets of earbuds in 2009, let’s hope 2010 is even better. 

Q:  What do you feel is the most important aspect for all new authors to remember when writing or creating their own stories?

Don’t be afraid to rewrite. Sometimes it’s hard to do, because of the emotional involvement in each and every word and phrase, but there are times when you just need to bite the bullet and backspace!

 Q:  What do you think is the biggest misconception about e-publishing?

That e-books are somehow inferior to print. There are some great authors and editors in the e-pub world, and with the way the ebook readers like Kindle and Nook are selling, I think this is just the beginning of something really great.

Q:  How did you come up with your book titles?

I think titles are very important. How do you sum up your book in a few words? The search for each title is an adventure, Wyoming Solace began as ‘Resurgence”. I changed it when I had to define the word to most people I talked to. My father named Préjà Vu after I spent months of agonizing. I wanted something to show that déjà vu feeling, but convey the fact that the feeling comes before the event. Retreat came to me when I was writing the last chapter, since the word’s dual meaning worked out well. (The heroine runs from her first love, “retreats” to hide from her feelings, and years later returns to the guest ranch for a “retreat”) Fine Print was titled well after the book was complete. The book is about an anal-retentive woman who does everything by the book, and her idea to contract a sperm donor.

Q:  What books have most influenced your life?

I’m not sure I have any life-altering books. My mother always had a book in hand when I was growing up, and as number five of seven, I had a huge library of hand-me-down books. The Little House series, Nancy Drew, The Chronicles of Narnia, and anything written by Roald Dahl. I discovered romances when I picked up an older sister’s copy of Hidden Fires by Sandra Brown. From that day on, I was hooked.

Q:  If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? Sandra Brown. See above I love just about everything she’s written, and I love the fact she combines romance with suspense.

Q:  What is on tap for 2010?

My latest book Fine Print from Liquid Silver Books will be released in the first part of the year, date TBA. I have a short story coming out from my alter ego Olivia Brynn in June from Samhain Publishing. After that, I have a plethora of works in progress, I hope at least a few of them will see the light of day within these twelve months.

 Q:  Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

It seems I’m everywhere. My websites are http://oliviabrynn.com and http://alannacoca.com I’ve got blogs there that I update at least weekly.

I’m on Twitter (way too much) at http://www.twitter.com/AlannaCoca.

Then there’s Myspace http://www.myspace.com/alannacoca and my

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laramie-WY/Alanna-Coca-Romance-Author/75071062239  

Thanks for joining us Alanna.  Come back on Saturday when we read a sexy excerpt from Alanna’s Préjà Vu. 

Until then, Be Naughty!

Tina