Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Release Blitz ~ City Nights: One Night in Edinburgh by Charlotte Howard ~ 19 November 2014

City Nights: One Night in Edinburgh 
by 
Charlotte Howard 
(@Shy_Tiger)
 
City Nights
One Night in Edinburgh
Blurb:
Chloe Shard has travelled to Edinburgh to meet up with a potential client, and has just twenty-four hours to convince them to sign her contract. But when she meets the delicious Ethan, he proves to be so much more than an enticing distraction. It’s not long before Chloe has some life changing decisions to make, and less than a day to make them in.

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Excerpt:
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as the plane’s wheels bumped along the tarmac, and her stomach lurched into her chest as the brakes were applied. Her ears flooded with the sound of her own heart beating louder than the squealing and screeching of the landing gear. Pressure built in her cheeks as she clenched her teeth together.
The worst hour in her life was almost over.

“Welcome to Edinburgh,” said the captain over the speaker system. “We hope you had a pleasant journey and enjoyed the flight. Please remain seated with your seat belts fastened until the light is turned off.”

A chuckle emanated from nearby. Chloe opened one eye and peered at the man in the seat across the aisle from her.

“You can breathe again,” he said in an American accent, flashing her a grin.

“I think I’ll wait until my feet are actually on the ground if it’s all the same to you,” she replied, leaning back into the headrest.

A loud ping was followed by a Mexican wave of clicking as the passengers released their seat belts and fought to get their bags and rush off the plane. Chloe undid her own belt then hurriedly squished herself into the seat as an oversized belly, violently stretching at a pale green shirt, began its invasion of her breathing space. Her shoulder was nudged as the impatient woman beside her stood up, hunching under the overhead compartment.

She waited for the plane to empty. The impatient woman started huffing and tutting. Chloe looked up apologetically, but was met with a hardened glare.

“Here,” said the man from opposite. She turned her gaze towards him and was grateful to see him holding back a herd of cattle desperate to depart. She drank him in for a second. He was broad enough to act as a barrier between her and the crowd. A very attractive barrier. From the way his T-shirt stretched over his biceps, she could tell that his width was certainly not due to being overweight. Ink spiralled around his skin from beneath the short sleeve, tracing down to his elbow.

“Thank you.” She stepped into the aisle. Immediately, the woman from beside her shoved herself through the gap, knocking Chloe into the man’s chest with an oof!

“I’m so sorry!” she said, stepping back and turning to the overhead compartments, feeling her cheeks heat. Her fingers tingled with the memory of his muscular chest beneath them.

Author Bio:
British author Charlotte Howard, was born in Oman and spent much of the first part of her life flitting between Oman, Scotland, and England. Now settled in Somerset, Charlotte lives with her husband, two children, and growing menagerie of pets.
Her career as a writer began at an early age, with a poem being featured in an anthology for the East Midlands. Since then Charlotte has written many short stories and poems, and finally wrote her first full-length piece of fiction in 2010.
During what little spare time she has, Charlotte enjoys reading and writing (of course), spending time with her family, and watching action movies whilst eating curry and drinking tea.
Charlotte is an active member of Yeovil Creative Writers.

Social Media / Website links:


Instagram: Choward_author
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/choward2614




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Release Blitz ~ Hardened Desire by Layna Pimentel ~ 19 November 2014

Hardened Desire 

by 

Layna Pimentel

 
Hardened Desire
BLURB
What could Luc Mercier, a gargoyle who's more than a century old, possibly have in common with modern introvert, Gillian Harris? Loneliness and isolation.
When meddlesome friends bring the two together, neither is prepared for the flurry of emotions nor revelations that overwhelm them. That is, until Gillian stumbles across the truth and struggles with how she let her guard down.
Learning to love again has never been harder.

EXCERPT
Luc picked up a newspaper from the stand and tossed a two-dollar coin to the elderly man working the counter. He ascended the cavernous stairs of Bloor and Dufferin subway station, irritated by the lights flickering intensely. I should have just taken my car.
But if he did, Luc would have missed an opportunity to observe society other than from the café he frequented lately. A society he didn’t belong in, technically speaking, and had no business being a part of. Long gone were the muddy, off-beaten roads of provincial France. Long gone was the time when an over-flowing bodice was considered scandalous.
Now people thrived on exposing as much skin as possible. The modern day sentiment of what was attractive and acceptable embarrassed him to the core, from the mode of dress to the inappropriate use of language. Didn’t anyone know how to speak without using an expletive every other word? Where had humanity gone wrong? It was ghastly enough that children didn’t respect their elders, much less their parents.
Nevertheless, as much as this modern world perplexed him, nothing could deter him from at least enjoying his freedom, regardless of the limitations restricting his activities to the darkness of the night.
He did, however, miss the ambiance of candle light and the soft cries while seducing a woman, tormenting her with his wicked tongue. Exploring deviant, but heavenly, practices of binding and mixing pleasure with pain. Sweet promises falling from his lips while exploring every inch of her delicate and exquisite flesh.
These days, the few women he was able to enjoy weren’t interested in highly sensual liaisons. No. Today’s women thrived on being in control of seduction, whether they were proficient or not. There certainly wasn’t anything wrong with the scenario, but it wasn’t his taste. He preferred his women soft, like Genevieve…his sweet, sweet Genevieve.
No matter how many decades passed, the only woman he’d ever confided in, and planned to wed, crept into his mind many a time. Genevieve was an old soul, who found him and fell in love. Then, much like a Greek tragedy, their story ended woefully. The trust and courage it had taken to confess to Genevieve of the monstrosity he had become left him restless and, for once in his miserable existence, vulnerable. If not for her kindness, encouragement, and love, who knew what he would be doing and where.
This last week, though, he thought to explore the possibility of trying again. A particular woman, who frequented the café where he spent his early evenings drinking a brandy and reading The Daily Sun, had caught his particular interest. Her laughter aroused his curiosity in the few and far between moments when he contemplated actually living life. Her voice, whether chuckling or whispering to her friend, always made his body react in an animalistic way.

While they had never met, she seemed like someone he’d be interested in getting to know, at the very least, for a little while. Luc doubted very much he’d find another woman like the love of his life and often thought it would be better that way. How could he even begin to explain why he only ever spent time with her at night, and why he’d always be gone before the first sign of daybreak?


 WHERE TO BUY

BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Layna discovered her love of reading at an early age. When she isn’t devouring salacious romance novels or writing, she enjoys losing herself in researching ancient history and mythology, weaponry, and hiking. She lives in Northern Ontario, with her husband and two daughters.
Layna is a member of the Romance Writers of America, and is a monthly contributor at 69 Shades of Smut. For updates on her upcoming releases, or to leave her a comment, you can find at:




Tantalyzing Tuesday Teaser, 18 November 2014 ~ Teardops of Ardor

I am playing catch up. Sorry I am late, bu there is my Teaser. Run round and read all the other author's pieces inspired by a picture of their own choosing but limited to 200 words. There are links sprinkled throughout this post or I have them listed like teardrops below.
Enjoy ~  ☼ o√ ¸.¨¯`*..*˜"*°
Teardrops of Ardor
I will miss you. In the truth of separation, it is not your kiss that brings me alive. It is not your breath of passion on my neck that heats me. Your lips on my flesh do not ignite my fervor. Nor does the magnetic rhapsody of your gaze draw me into your love.

I will miss you. The tender touch of your hand is not the key to my ecstasy. Your insistent but gentle embrace holds not the fire of my ardor. The raw and yearning aroma of your eagerness seduces but cannot unlock my heart.

I will miss you. It is the soft whisper of your love in my ear, the gentle wave of your excitement, the murmur of your desires in the folds of my trembling flesh that unleash the throes of my passion.

I will miss your words. The words of your world touch me. When you speak, you kiss my heart and ignite my soul. You write of passion that releases our spirit giving flight to our essence. It is that essence that brings us joy; it is in that aerial core we share a private journey.

I will miss our us, our oneness, the embrace of our love, our words. The long cavernous expanse is at once not distance, nor love, but the separation of truth:


Our truth.
© Muffy Wilson


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Flash Fiction Friday, 14 November 2014 ~ Magic in Miracles

It is Flash Fiction Friday or it was. You are gonna love this, even though I am late. Been busy finishing up a book for Decadent Publishing, which I just sent in moments ago. So, have a read of mine and all the other authors listed below, or head over to our page linked below and here to find them.

Better late than never. Enjoy ~  ☼ o√ ¸.¨¯`*..*˜"*°


Magic in Miracles
There were candles, body oils, bath salts and essence beads. Never one to deny herself the luxury of an indulgent aromatic bath, she poured a bit of everything into the hot tub water and lit the perfumed candles. As the water drew, she began to peel the clothes off her body by the window. She wondered if he longed for her, too; if he ever thought about her. She stepped into the water and spiraled down the way a feather walls, slowly, intentionally in wistful circles of aerial drifts. The candles danced in the darkness, she turned when she heard the music.

Someone to Watch Over Me
© Muffy Wilson

Participating Author Link



Julez Morbius       Naomi Shaw

Ray Sostre


AuroraRose Andromeda       DK Ffrench


Doris O'Connor


Dariel Raye       Phoenix Johnson



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Thursday, November 13, 2014

A Taste of Thursday, 13 November 2014 ~ Wings of Flame

Thursday is a day for Tasters; are you ready for a Taste? Remember, I am sharing my WIP with you of my commission for Decadent Publishing. This is an adult adaptation of The The Giant and the Tailor fairy tale. It definitely is far from a children's fairy tale.

Last week, Aynne was daydreaming about her one night in the moonbeams with Simon a decade earlier. She was snapped back into reality by the phone. Please enjoy and sashay over to the other author's pages to see what they have offered up for your entertainment. Follow the links or their names below, like breadcrumbs..... Enjoy ~  ☼ o√ ¸.¨¯`*..*˜"*°


Wings of Flame
The intercom rang on Simon’s desk, breaking the moment for both of them. He answered from where he stood, “Yes, Ms Meriwether?”

“I am sorry to disturb you, Mr D’Istrafrio, however Hope Hospice wished to hold for you. Would you like me to tell them you will return the call?”

“No, thank you, Ms Meriwether. I’ll pick up. Thank you.” Simon held Aynne by the shoulders and told her he had to take the call.

“Of course, Simon. I’ll leave.”

“No, please don’t, Aynne. Please stay. I shouldn’t be long. Please have your coffee.” He walked Aynne to the leather sofa and left her there as she seated herself.

“Hello? This is Simon D’Istrafrio.”

Aynne thought how powerful and majestic he looked, standing straight and tall, his left hand in his pants pocket, his suit jacket whipped behind his wrist exposing a large faced gold wrist watch. It glistened, reflecting the sunlight as Simon turned to look out at the skyline of the Windy City. Her heart skipped and stopped at what she heard.

“Thank you for calling, Tina. Yes, I will be right there. It will take me about twenty minutes. Are my daughters there? Yes, thank you. Thank you, Tina. Good-bye.”

“Aynne…”

“Yes, of course, Simon. Is Talia…?”

“I must leave. Her parents and the children are there now. There isn’t much time, I’m afraid. Where are you staying?”

“At the Palmer Hotel. Go, Simon, go! I will leave my information with Ms. Meriwether. Please, I’ll never forgive myself if you don’t go now.”

They walked from his office together as he grabbed his trench coat and briefcase. He held the door for Aynne and instructed his assistant to take all of her vital contact information.

“Mr D’Istrafrio, the helio is waiting upstairs. I have called your driver for Ms Taylor and notified Mrs. D’Istrafrio’s father you were on your way with an estimated arrival of twenty minutes. That was five minutes ago.”

“Thank you, Ms Meriwether. You know how to reach me.”

“Yes, sir. I will reschedule your appointments and take care of Ms Taylor. God bless and keep you, sir.”

“Thank you, Ms Meriwether. You are a godsend. Good-bye, Aynne. I will call you when I can. Don’t worry, please. We’ll work it out. Ms Meriwether, please take care of Ms Taylor and see that she gets back to her hotel safely.”

“Of course, Mr D’Istrafrio.”

With that, Simon, his face serious and somber, turned to the elevator where the little man in uniform awaited him. He turned to look back at Aynne and then sped to his dying wife’s side to be with her and his family.
© Muffy Wilson

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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Blak Rayne ~ An Intimate Interview and Release "The Jock" ~ 11 November 2014

The Jock
by

Blak Rayne

My very special guest today is Blak Rayne, a close personal friend and incredible author. It is my pleasure to help her promote her new book. So fasten your seat-belts, we’re in for Blak Rayne’s astonishing world of fiction. 

Welcome Blak to my humble website.
Humble site, I think not. It’s a beautiful site! Thank you for having me as your guest, Muffy. It’s wonderful to be here.

Who is Blak Rayne?
I’ve been asked before: “Who is Blak Rayne?” And every time, I have no clue how to answer. First and foremost, I’m an author. Not a writer, but an author, and I’ve earned the right to say that. Writers, just write. But once they’ve crossed the threshold and published what they’ve written, they become an author. I’m also an artist and a collector – a collector of art, books, and other interesting things like yaoi, comic books and figurines. I love to game when time permits and I’m a movie buff. But what I enjoy the most, is telling a good story, and I’ve got many more to share. On a personal note…I love purple, adore men (especially Asian men), love Japanese plum wine (go figure!) and cats. But I also have a soft spot for pygmy goats (don’t ask). LOL I’m a Virgo, the eldest in my family, and have four brothers. I’ve dated a wide variety of men, been engaged five times, and married twice. Everything else is too explicit to reveal!

Could you reveal any personal juicy stories about you?  You are a mother. Could you tell us about your role as a Mom? You have a very long list of projects consuming your time, but I would like to offer you the chance to show off and promote your writing career. You may include any exotic stories of your life if you wish.
Aside from everything I’ve listed above, I’m also a mother, and a young grandmother. And I can honestly say, it’s been a pretty wonderful ride. I’m fairly laid-back, full of sarcastic wit and have a dark sense of humour, so you can imagine what my kids have had to put up with all these years. I’ve always felt my children are here for my benefit. In other words, I love teasing them. Thank goodness my open and honest approach to child rearing, worked. My daughter’s twenty-three, and my personal evaluator; she checks out my book covers, reads my blurbs and listens to plot outlines. Her insight has been invaluable. As for my son, he’s a walking encyclopedia, and has helped numerous times with research.

As far as my stories go (the men and the sex), most of my characters and what they go through is loosely based on either people I know, some incident in my own life, or a personal story someone else has shared with me. That’s all I can say, or else I’ll be in deep doo-doo! LOL

When did you decide to write? And what genre and style did you prefer when you first started? What style and genre do you prefer to write currently?
I wrote my first novel in grade seven, and other short stories in high school along with poetry. But I really began to hone my craft in my late twenties. At the time, my first husband worked forty-eight and seventy-two hour shifts away from home, which provided an excellent opportunity for me to write. I wrote fantasy then and shortly afterward my very first gay erotic romance for a website contest. Fantasy remains my favorite genre to write because there’s no limit to where my imagination can go. Romance comes in at a close second, and thrillers third.

What genre, books, and authors do you like to read?
I love books. Period. And I’ll read just about anything. But if I had to choose, I’d say science fiction, fantasy, fantasy romance, mystery and yaoi are my top reads. I’ve read almost all of Agatha Christie’s books. Oliver Bowden is good. J.R.R. Tolkien, Joseph Wambaugh, Diana Gabaldon, Kazuma Kodaka, Youka Nitta, Minette Walters, Terry Brooks, Robin Cook, Morgan Llywelyn, R.D. Ringfield, Edgar Allen Poe, J.K. Rowling, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and many more.

Do you have a person, real or fantasy, you would like to be?
Just for the fun, I’d love to be Dracula, a real vampire, for a few days. Of course, I’d only do it if I were guaranteed free reign and no jail time afterward. LOL

You have experienced many adventures in your life and have lots of energy, but what would you like to do if you had any free time?
If I had free time I’d love to travel and take pictures and sample the exotic foods. My daughter and I had planned a trip to Japan back in 2011, and when I had a bad feeling about it and changed the dates, shortly after, that bad earthquake hit, which caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Italy, the British Isles, Ireland, Japan and Hong Kong are where I’d like to go first. I have one of those Rebel cameras and it takes awesome pictures. So, yeah, I’d drink tea, eat and take pictures and travel. 

What made you write ‘this’ story?
The Jock is actually a complete rewrite. Originally, I’d written the story for another publication several years ago. It was only a couple pages and hadn’t turned out the way I’d wanted because I’d been kind of rushed at the time. So when Jacqueline George asked me to contribute to YSD, I thought, ‘I’ve got just the story.’ And I’m glad I did the rewrite; it turned out so much better the second time round.

Could you tell us about your new book and the story behind it? You may include a brief synopsis and an excerpt, and what or who inspired you to write your story?
The idea hit me while I was daydreaming one day. I’d been thinking about high school and how awkwardly difficult it was to date as a teenager – raging hormones – out of control emotions, etc. Then I’d thought about some of the guys I’d known. And that’s when I came up with the idea of two teenage boys dating. What would it be like for a pair of gay teens to date during the late 80s to early 90s? I figured it would’ve been pretty rough, a perilous though ultimately a rewarding experience. So, I made the setting simple. Adrian, the main character, takes a business trip and while driving home, he begins to reminisce about his past and his first boyfriend. It’s written in first person POV because I want the reader to share in Adrian’s life, feel what he feels.

The Jock

 ‘Time is evanescent. Memories are forever.’

Stuck in a traffic jam on the highway, in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave, Adrian Greene has more on his fevered mind than praying for rain and getting home. With little else to do, his thoughts stray to a better time in his life—his youth and an adventurous three years spent with his first boyfriend. If there’s one thing he longs for, it’s a chance to relive it all.

Excerpt:

I avoided Tim for days afterwardthe cafeteriaanywhere I happened to see him, or hear his voice. Until we met up in science class and I had nowhere left to run. Mr. Gilchrist wouldn’t allow anyone to swap partners, even though I told him it was a life-or-death situation. He just glared, pointing to the back of the classroom. I edged along the wall, avoiding everyone’s prying stares and slumped into the chair next to Tim, dumping my notebook on the table.

“It’s been a while,” he murmured, below the teacher’s announcements.

I refused to answer him and took out my pen.

“Sooner or later you’ve got to speak to me.” Sitting erect, he flipped open the science book. “We’re partners and we’ve got a project to do.”

He placed the book between us, and his hand brushed mine. I flashed a timid grin at him and he smiled. Why did he have to be attractive and the sole object of my carnal desire?
We read the next chapter in the textbook and discussed what we’d do for the project. The time went quickly, and before the class ended, we were putting together the fragmented pieces of our friendship. We talked about our parents and music, and sports, not that I had any real interest, however we did avoid the “lump under my chip bag” topic.

The bell rang.

Tim shot to his feet and slipped me a piece of paper from his notebook. “Read it when you get home.”

“Huh?” I started to unfold it and he snatched it from my grasp.

“Didn’t you hear me? Not here, Adrian, okay?” He glanced about, lowering his voice. 
“Promise me.”

“Ah…okay.” I stuffed the paper in a rear pocket.

“See you tomorrow!”

And with that, he was gone like a bullet, the first out of the classroom. Guys didn’t write guys notes, not usually anyway, so naturally he’d piqued my curiosity. Floating from the room wearing a grin, I wove through the oncoming maze of students. Outside, my mother had parked along the curb, across the street in the shade of a maple tree. 

She waved and smiled.

“How was your day?” She started the car.

“Good!” I clicked the seat belt and then lifted my rump to get at the note. 

Apprehensive, though eager, I unfolded the lined piece of paper.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing, just a note from a friend….” I read the first couple sentences and my cheeks flushed. Even though the majority of Timothy’s chicken-scratch handwriting was almost impossible to decipher, ‘fondle your balls’ came across pretty clear. 

She glanced at me. “It must be somethingyour face is red.”

Scrunching the paper, I laughed nervously. My groin ached with sexual arousal. “It sure is hot in here!”

“Is it?”

“Oh yeah, I’m boiling, Mom.” I fanned a hand in front of my face while stuffing the paper back into my pocket.

“Well, turn on the air-conditioning.”

Fiddling with the knobs, I asked, “Is dad home yet?”

“Tomorrow night, honey. Remember?”

“That’s right, ” I said cheerfully. “It’ll be nice to see him.”

“It will be.” She kept her hands at ten and two, never deviating. “You know, you should invite that boy over for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Boy?”

She laughed, dithering a little over his name. “Tim, I think. You said he’s new to the school and doesn’t have a lot of friends yet.”

I thought about the letter and whether it would be a wise idea. “I don’t know if he’d want to.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to ask.”



What words of wisdom do you have for the aspiring authors out there?

Don't worry about mistakes, everyone makes them; just try to learn from them.


Do you have a favorite quote? Pets? Favorite places?
“Give me yaoi or give me death!” LOL

Where can we purchase your new book? All your buy links.
Do you have future writing adventures you plan to publish?
Yes, I have quite a few WIPs. Right now, I’m trying to finish Carson’s Story, the third novel in my Stephen-Carson trilogy. I’m also working hard to complete an action thriller for submission, and my Devotion series, which is nearly ready for the editor. Next year is going to be incredibly busy for me, but if I play my cards right, I should have five new novels published. I’d also like to get them all out in print.

Please share your previous publications.
Devotion, Devotion 2, Master of Illusion, Master of Destruction, Master of Salvation, Older the Better, The Ideal Side of Love, The Ideal Side of Life, and The Jock, and various articles.

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
http://www.facebook.com/people/Blak-Rayne/100000858316415
https://twitter.com/BlakRayne
http://blakrayne.deviantart.com/
http://blakrayne.tumblr.com/
http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/blak-rayne/2b/863/862
http://www.authorsden.com/blakrayne
http://pinterest.com/blakrayne
https://plus.google.com/u/0/109359061488463034733/about
http://blakraynebooks.wordpress.com/


Blak, it has been my ultimate and sincere pleasure to share aspects of your life with your devoted readers and fans and to learn more about your new publication, The Jock. Thank you for spending your time as my guest. I wish you continued success.


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