Sinfully Scandalous Release Date & More

Mark your calendars for January 16, as that's when Sinfully Scandalous will be released!

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

It’s an order that Luxi, Sin of Lust, never saw coming. When you work for Lucifer, though, you tend to lay off the questions. She isn’t comforted when she discovers her assignment is to intern for a preacher-turned-politician, especially when her directive goes no further. As Luxi prepares for a long ride to nowhere, she can’t help but wonder if something else is at play…or what the King of Hell has up his sleeve.

Grayson Bailey’s run for state senate is going nowhere fast. The poll numbers are depressing, his campaign advisor is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and someone out there has a bullet with his name on it. Yet when temptation herself struts through the door with a sassy smirk and an attitude to match, Grayson finds it very hard to remember which obligations are at the top.

The closer Grayson gets to Luxi, the stranger his life becomes. With Election Day—and a psycho with a gun—just around the corner, he can’t afford any detours. And while Luxi never puts her heart on the line, there’s something about this man that tests her resolve…though it might end up costing her more than she can afford.

If you can't wait until Jan 16, there is a free read from this universe in the Just One Bite Volume 5. A memoir as written by Lucifer, reflecting on his first encounter with his now ex-wife, Lilith.

In the interim, I've been editing up a storm, though I recently did take a break in discovering a new guilty pleasure...that is, Star Wars Old Republic. Did I mention that I'm a nerd?

Still waiting for word on my erotic contemporary romance, though I'm in it for the long haul. I do think it's best to try and forget the fact I sent it anywhere at all when waiting on a response, otherwise I'll drive myself -- and my crit partners -- crazy. I managed to prep my NaNo project for submission (tentatively titled "A Friend in Need"). And for the moment, I am structuring my 2012 writing goals. I want to have Book 3 of the Sinners and Saints series complete by, oh say, August of 2012. I'm also working on revamping Possession -- which I hope to have done by the end of January.

I'm also exceptionally pleased that Know Thine Enemy has received glowing reviews. Honestly, I didn't expect the book to get much attention -- not because I have such little faith in it (it's actually the work of which I am, at the present, the proudest), but because it is vastly different in tone to everything else I have available. The characters are darker, damaged, there's dubious consent and things that are trigger-worthy. But the reception thus far has been amazing. And while I certainly don't expect the trend to continue, this alone is worth the world to me. It has received a 5-Star Review at Rage, Sex, and Teddy Bears, a "You Gotta Read" rating at You Gotta Read Reviews, a 5-Star Review at Scorching Book Reviews, and a 4 Star Review at Maldivian Book Reviewer's Realm. So thank you to the readers and reviewers.

Back to defeating Jedi writing soon!

Going, going, gone

Possession was my second release with Loose Id, published just under two years ago when I was still incredibly wet behind the years. For a number of reasons, I have decided not to renew my contract, which expires in January 2012. There's more I want to do with it, revisions I want to make, scenes I want to add...and I'm toying with turning the hero, Kade, into a werewolf. As for when this newly imagined novella formerly known as Possession will debut, I can't tell you, though I do hope it'll be sometime next year rather than later. Whatever time I don't spend editing during the next couple months will be split between work on Sinners and Saints Book 3 and working on ways to revise, re-imagine, and expand upon Possession.

Until January, Possession remains on sale for those who want to grab it before it's gone.

I had planned on doing this for a while, so it's not entirely out of left field...though it's only been recently I've considered changing Kade from a vampire to something else. A lot has happened in the last two years I did not anticipate, and certain things about me as an author have changed as a result. I want to see what layers I can add, if any. I also want to hear from Kade, as the current narrative doesn't allow for that. I hope existing fans of that story can understand my motives, even if you don't agree.

Hope everyone is having a good month!

Holiday Giveaway!

Enter to win plenty of prizes from myself and
amazing, sweet, and uber!talented Kacey Hammell.

Prizes include:
Author goodies (via snail mail) from Kacey
plus these ebooks...
Know Thine Enemy
Firsts
Lost Wages of Sin (S&S Book 1)
Last Man Standing
Sinful (Follow the Music Book 1)

Enter to win by sending an email to kaceyhammell@gmail.com
with Christmas Contest in the subject line.

ONE Winner will receive all 5 ebooks & goodies.
(using Random.org)

Cheesy Thanksgiving Post -- List of things for which I am thankful

In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I decided to post a list of things I am thankful for -- because apparently, I am this corny. Sorry. The holiday season has a tendency to make me a little sentimental.

Note: these are in no particular order. Just as they come to me.

1) My readers. You make this job fun. Thank you.
2) My crit partners. Not only for their support in writing, but in life in general. I know I can call JA Saare if I need to vent or send something goofy to Sarah Ballance or talk about edits with Kacey Hammell or grumble with Madelyn Ford about anything in particular. They're more than crit partners; they're friends. Thank you.
3) My wonderful Aaron, who provides nothing but love, support, encouragement, and praise.
4) Nikki London for being my BFF of 10+ years, my sister, my employer, and my #1 fan. There is so much I couldn't have accomplished without you.
5) Skyla Dawn Cameron, and she knows why.
6) Positive reviews, for making my bad days better and my good days amazing.
7) Negative reviews, for keeping me grounded.
8) The good health of all my loved ones.
9) My editors.
10) The people I have met and continue to meet who make me endlessly grateful to be a part of this community.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who observe it.

SPOTLIGHT + GIVEAWAY: Kacey Hammell's SINFUL is now available!

SINFUL
first in the Follow the Music Trilogy
is now available at Amazon Kindle & aRe



Blurb

For years, Mikayla Gallan has dreamed of providing a better life for her younger brother, Matthew, and herself. Coming from a family of musicians, Mikayla and Matthew have dreams of someday making it big. But Mikayla's first priority is always ensuring Matthew's future. When Houdini Records comes knocking on her door, offering her everything she's ever wanted, Mikayla's scared to grab onto their offer.

Sinclair "Sin" Devlin, part-owner of Houdini Records has loved and lost and has no intentions of ever going down that path again. He's determined to put his company back on the map and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Meeting Mikayla Gallan, hearing her sultry and passionate voice on stage, Sin believes he has found the only woman that could save the company. He's even more shocked to realize that perhaps she's also the only woman to save him from himself.

Excerpt

Excerpt:
Copyright(c) Kacey Hammell, 2011


Mikayla hung up her skirt on the clipped hanger, making a mental note to take it home after her meeting with Desmond Ritchie and his brother-in-law so that it could be dry-cleaned.
Anxious to get out front, her hands were shaking and her steps clumsy, as she hurriedly put her things away and rechecked her makeup one last time.

Standing straight, Mikayla looked herself over in the mirror. Normally after work she’d dress in an old, comfortable pair of jeans, sweatshirt and running shoes, but tonight that wasn’t an option.

For her meeting she decided to keep her black halter-top on that she’d worn onstage, and instead of her normal worn jeans, she dressed in pleated black dress slacks that were comfortable, yet professional. On her feet she still wore her heels with straps at the ankles. Though her slacks covered the straps, they were her favourite pair and she felt sexy in them.
Nothing like a pair of ‘fuck me’ shoes to give a girl a boost.

Around her bare shoulders she wore a sheer silk, red shawl that added colour to her outfit and she just couldn’t resist the colour at all. Mikayla felt that red was a ‘power’ colour, exuded confidence in the person wearing it and brought out her blue eyes.

At least that was her opinion and tonight she needed all the confidence she could get. If Desmond Ritchie was for real, then hers and Matthew’s lives could change forever.

Taking a deep breath and resisting the urge to giggle in her excitement, something a woman of thirty just didn’t do, she grabbed her small black purse from the dressing table, spun on her heel and headed to the door.

Throwing open the door, Mikayla didn’t see anything but a large black blur coming at her then she felt herself falling. Her purse fell from her hand as she reached out to grab whatever she could to stay upright.

Landing on her back on the floor, the fluffy grey carpeting at her back cushioning the fall, Mikayla sucked in a breath.

Old Spice and an inebriating masculine scent filled her nostrils and she opened her eyes. Looking into the deepest pair of brown eyes she’d ever seen, she was surprised to realize that a large man was lying on top of her.

A hell of a sexy guy to be exact. Wavy, chestnut brown hair, deep brown eyes and lush, full lips were all she could see. Never in her life had she seen such a god-like, beyond gorgeous Adonis this up close and personal. In many ways, this man reminded her of the actor, Matthew McConaughey, but with darker hair.

Small differences didn’t matter, McConaughey was her favourite actor, the man of many of her dreams and fantasies as she pleasured herself in her own room in the dark. Any man that could come close to Matthew McConaughey in looks and what she believed he’d feel like in her arms, was okay with her.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Gallan. The door opened so quickly, I didn’t have time to…”

Hearing his deep baritone voice, Mikayla’s body felt things it hadn’t felt in years. Desire, pulsating need and wetness between her legs all registered in her passion-filled thoughts as she stared into his brown eyes.

Licking her lips, swallowing to wet her parched throat, hoping to vocalize some outrage or to at least say something, Mikayla watched his eyes darken and stare at her mouth. Heat pooling even hotter in her belly and between her legs, she couldn’t remember where she was or whatever the hell she was about to say.

This man on top of her, her arms around him, Mikayla was certain that all was right with the world. The building around them could have fallen down and she wouldn’t have cared. Within his arms she felt she was where she needed to be.

“Ms. Gallan? Are you all right?” McConaughey look-alike asked, his eyes still watching her lips.
Wetting her lips again, she asked in a still-parched voice, “Who are you?”

“Sin. My name’s Sin.”

Oh my god.

Mikayla couldn’t have asked for a hotter fire to fan the flames but she felt like the temperature had just risen another one hundred degrees. Just his name, said in that deep voice, did things to her that should be illegal.

“Yes, sin you most certainly are.” Mikayla barely had time to register that she’d spoken aloud when he groaned and lowered his head.

His lips met hers in an explosive, wet kiss that would have knocked her on her ass had she not been lying down. Those lush and full lips captured hers and their tongues met.

He tasted of all man and a faint hint of peppermint. His hands held her head in place as if she’d move it at any second and she felt the softness of his palms resting on her cheeks.

Lost in the arousing and powerful sensations of their kiss, Mikayla’s hands roamed his back, feeling his corded muscles, making her shiver. Groaning into his mouth, she opened hers wider, taking more of his taste and his tongue into her mouth, hoping she didn’t have to stop kissing him any time soon.

Available for Purchase at:
Amazon
aRe
Smashwords
Bookstrand


I am giving away a copy of Kacey Hammell's SINFUL! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment to this post with your name and email address. Winner will be chosen virtue of an online randomizer on Wednesday, November 23 at 1pm CST. Please feel free to spread the word!

Halloween Excerpts - 3/3 - Know Thine Enemy -- Adult Rated

Happy Halloween, everyone! I'm leaving you with an extremely naughty final excerpt from Know Thine Enemy.


Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Warnings: Dubious consent, graphic violence, language, explicit sexual content, hints of child abuse, kidnapping
Length: Novel (75k+)
ISBN: 978-1-60592-548-6


All excerpts come with a warning of bad language. My characters have potty mouths.
No fucking idea where they get that.

DISCLAIMER: THIS EXCERPT CONTAINS ADULT THEMES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO EXPLICIT SEXUAL INTERACTIONS, REFERENCES TO KIDNAP AND DUBIOUS CONSENT.



Excerpt 3

When she opened her eyes there was a mattress in the room.

Izzie wasn't sure how much of the night she'd actually slept. Strange dreams had followed her around every bend, and when she wasn't plagued by the unknown phantoms of her psyche, she twisted and jerked awake only to remember where she was and why she was here. There was no escape—not from the ghostly sight of Harrison in her head nor the unsettling reality to which she woke. The mattress was at least an improvement, though she had no doubt today's tests would up yesterday's ante. Her insides twisted but her mind remained focused. More tests meant more interludes with Ryker. It meant being not alone, and right now she hated alone.

Briggs entered the room a few minutes after she stirred, a plate of toast in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. He flashed her a wide smile. "Good morning, Subject Beta. Did you sleep well?"

Izzie pulled the blanket they'd given her over her shoulders, flinching when her stomach growled. She didn't want him to know how hungry she was, or how little last night's soup had sustained her. Whatever he gave her was tainted and she'd only take what she needed in order to survive. Anything else was a luxury.

"I suggest you eat up," Briggs said, placing her breakfast on the table. "The next test commences in an hour."

Izzie waited until he was gone before leaping to her feet. She knew eating fast wouldn't make matters better, but damn, she was hungry and nothing could stop her from cramming the bread down her throat. She paused only to breathe, then downed the glass of milk in a single gulp.

There was a fat steak with her name on it once she was free. And a huge side order of fries and a vanilla shake.

When she was done picking at crumbs, Izzie turned and retreated to the mattress. Her tired muscles sighed in relief against the cushioning. Hopefully Briggs would let her keep this into the night. There seemed little point in making the human test subject as uncomfortable as possible, but with her lack of clothes and nothing but the floor on which to sleep, he had succeeded in ensuring every nook in her body whined with movement. Sleeping on a mattress would be a godsend.

Time moved neither fast nor slowly, though when her thoughts turned to Ryker her heart skipped a little. Izzie sat under the false security of her blanket until the buzzing outside her room again climbed to a crescendo. She waited for someone to strap her to the table as they had previously, but no one came. Lights flickered inside the observation panel and muffled voices sounded on the other side of the door. She heard Briggs talking steadily, and her skin grew hot once she realized he had to be addressing Ryker.

Then the door opened and her vampire was ushered inside.

He looked much like he had the day before. His dark hair was ruffled, his complexion pale, his chest missing a shirt and his eyes gobbling her up as though they'd been separated much longer than a night. His expression seemed loaded but he didn't say a word. Rather, he studied her with such intent it left her shaking with anticipation.

Izzie pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Somehow, at once, she felt more naked with her coverlet than she had yesterday.

"Good morning," came over the intercom. Izzie turned her attention to the observation panel, where Briggs sat with his two assistants. "This marks day two of our trial study. You will note Subject Beta is not tied up today; after yesterday's performance, we didn't think the restraints were necessary. Please do not abuse this privilege or we will be forced to rescind it."

"How thoughtful," Ryker mused, not looking away from her face.

"061, please approach Subject Beta and prepare her the way you did yesterday."

The vampire tossed an angry glare to the observation panel. "Do I get her permission today?"

"You may ask it, but you will do as ordered regardless."

He snorted. "Figured as much."

"Please," Izzie said softly, startled by the sound of her voice but choosing not to question it.

Ryker went to such lengths to avoid hurting her, be it by word or action, and he had to know by now she couldn't do this with anyone else. Especially after yesterday—after seeing his face and witnessing his torment in doing what they asked, knowing it wasn't what she wanted but having little choice in the matter. Whatever bond they'd forged would outlast these walls, and she wouldn't risk it. Not now. He was the only ally she had.

Ryker shot her a cautious, uncertain glance. "What?"

"If it's not you it'll be someone else," she said. "They've told you that."

"Yes," Briggs agreed cheerfully. "We have."

Izzie nodded, swallowing hard. "Don't leave me alone in here. Please, Ryker."

"I don't want to hurt you," he replied, his voice hoarse.

"You won't." She released a trembling breath and cast off her blanket, laying back on the mattress and lifting her hips in offering. "Please."

"Please?"

She nodded again, her heart thundering. "It has to be you."

Ryker took a hesitant step forward, then another. A few seconds passed before the mattress dipped under his weight; he sat perched between her open legs, his wide eyes roaming her naked body with interest he couldn't counterfeit. He raised a hand and placed it on her belly, right above the scar Harrison had given her, tenderly stroking her skin with his thumb. For the first time in her life, Izzie felt more than aware of her skin's imperfection, and wondered if he viewed the mark as ugly as she did.

The thought dissolved, however, against the stirring arousal he encouraged with his gentle caresses. "This okay?" he asked.

Izzie licked her lips. "Yes."

"Touch her intimately," Briggs prompted.

Ryker huffed. "Fucking perverts."

She gave him an awkward grin and shrugged. "Our fault for being so pretty, I guess."

"Yeah, we were asking for it." He scooted closer, his fingers dancing up her abdomen until he had a breast resting against his palm.

His touch shouldn't feel good but it did—fuck, it felt amazing. He was tender where she would have expected something else—anything else—from a creature with fangs. There was nothing harsh in the way he cradled her flesh, the pad of his thumb brushing her nipple so subtly she would have thought it accidental had she not been watching his face. He looked hungry—starved—and his eyes were on her.

Her self-awareness vanished without warning. Lying naked, legs spread, a vampire exploring her body as a small group of voyeuristic scientists jotted down their reactions, and she didn't feel anything but need. Need for Ryker and his touch. Need for the soothing calm he provided in a world gone mad. His presence was enough to lessen the harshness of silence, to make her feel like she wasn't trapped in hell, rather just a bad dream.

He made her feel less alone. He reminded her she wasn't forgotten, even if he had no way to help aside from doing what he was told.

"Good," Briggs encouraged. "But we need more. We want her prepared for intercourse."

Ryker rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. She's a human female, you moron. How the fuck do you presume I prepare her?"

"However it is you would."

"Figure we do it much the same way you pulsers do." Ryker glanced fleetingly to her pussy, his eyebrows arching and one of his fingers pressing experimentally against her vaginal lips.

Izzie worried a lip between her teeth. She hadn't realized how wet she was, and the shame wrought by that sudden awareness was damn near crushing.

God, was she actually enjoying this? Beyond the need for contact and the thrill of having him near, did she actual derive pleasure from being studied?

Izzie's stomach twisted unpleasantly. No, that couldn't be it. Not unless she was so fucked up in the head that perversion was the only kind of normal she'd ever get.

"Shit," she murmured, blinking hard and looking away.

"You all right?" Ryker asked softly.

"No."

His hand fell away. "No? Did I—"

"No! No, please . . . ."

"Tell me what to do, darling."

How could she? She had no idea what she wanted. Nothing seemed certain anymore.

"Subject 061, please touch Subject Beta," Briggs commanded.

Ryker swore, parting her slick folds with his finger. His eyes remained on her face, and though she knew he looked for a sign—any sign—to stop, she couldn't help but flush under his scrutiny. Shit, she was perverse. Wanting more, needing more, needing to feel him inside. Would they ask him to fuck her today? It was coming, she knew it was coming. If not today certainly within the next few visits. They'd want to watch her bounce on his cock, completing her humiliation. The thought alone was enough to drive her mad.

And make her feel hot in ways she'd never anticipated.

Halloween Excerpts - 2/3 - Know Thine Enemy

Moving along with excerpt #2 from Know Thine Enemy. Just a note, all of today's excerpts will be made available on my website.


Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Warnings: Dubious consent, graphic violence, language, explicit sexual content, hints of child abuse, kidnapping
Length: Novel (75k+)
ISBN: 978-1-60592-548-6


All excerpts come with a warning of bad language. My characters have potty mouths.
No fucking idea where they get that.



Excerpt 2


Ryker had certainly entertained human relationships over the years, but he knew enough not to get attached. Nothing ever changed where the lesser race was concerned. They lied, cheated, ate, fucked, squandered, professed, bought, sold, and whittled themselves into miserable sacks of skin before night finally came. True, he'd met one or two humans over the years that he had missed once their time arrived, but even if those humans made up for the rest, death was a part of the process, the cycle, and he knew better than to mourn what he could not change.

Izzie Bennett, mystifying as she was, meant nothing to him. Nothing. She was a face Connor had wanted explained. Therefore, Ryker had tracked her, watched her, and made her something relatable so his friend knew The Wall's patrons were not at risk. The fact that she had disappeared last night after running scared was no one's concern, least of all his. Humans spooked easy, even the tough ones. Throwing Izzie off her game was bound to manipulate her comfort zone. She had reacted instinctively, and her instincts led to danger.

Easy peasy. Ryker's hands were clean. He didn't care.

And fucking yet.

None of this made a lick of sense. Not the alley, not Izzie, and certainly not his interest in her. So she was different—there was bound to be a slightly more evolved human one of these days. The fact remained she was a child in a monster's world, and though her attitude might be right, her actions would get her killed one day. The girl simply had no idea what was out there. What lay beyond the world of fanged fiends. What truly made the night so precarious.

Yet she was different. For all she'd seen, all she'd tasted, Izzie remained truly unaffected. She killed when the situation demanded it, but not a moment sooner. And she did it without gaining a thing.

That separated her from the others. Unlike any hunter Ryker had ever seen, unlike any human contact he'd ever known, any mortal association he'd ever entertained . . . Izzie acted on behalf of herself, and no one else. She wasn't like the groupies—those women who either knew about vampires or desperately wanted to know about vampires. The women off which Ryker routinely fed, as their blood was rarely missed and the ladies got a killer high off his fang. Similarly, Izzie wasn't anything like the woman to whom Ryker had once been engaged—the woman who had given his chest the first of many stab wounds. Maggie hadn't taken kindly to Ryker's new body or disposition, nor had she been eager to join him, as was his intention.

The women he met were either addicted to the rush he gave or determined to end his life. Izzie was the first person to embody neither quality.

That was why he'd come out here, Ryker told himself. He didn't need to find her because he cared what happened to her; he needed to find her because she was too damn intriguing to just let die.

Whatever she'd encountered after leaving The Wall was not a friend, nor a coincidence. He'd lived too long, seen too much, to believe in chance. Any trouble she'd found was his fault. He should have sensed someone on his trail. He should have been more careful.

Immortality didn't excuse clumsiness or arrogance, and through one or the other he'd led some predator right to her.

"Damn," Ryker murmured, his hands sliding into his pockets. "Where are you?"

Footsteps bounced off pavement and carried through the alleyways, stirring him from his reverie and directing his gaze toward the area where Izzie had left her vampires the night he'd made his presence known. Her scent filled his lungs and, as though answering a prayer, she appeared. Her midnight hair was wrapped in a sloppy ponytail, her skin was flushed, and she had a bag slung over her shoulder. She skidded to a stop, apparently as taken aback to see him as he was to see her.

Ryker blinked. "Well," he said. "Guess that answers that question."

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

She was visibly flustered, and the knowledge gave him comfort. As confused as her debut into his life had left him, it was reassuring that she hadn't escaped unscathed.

"Thought a midnight stroll sounded fun," he replied with a shrug.

"You're a few hours early."

"Yeah, well, it's always midnight somewhere." He smirked, the pressure in his chest alleviated, but not as much as he would have liked. The notion anyone, especially a human female, could have any power over him was disconcerting, and the quicker he shook the sensation the better. "Your turn," he said, gaze dropping to her duffle bag. "Something send you running scared?"

"Why?"

"Looks like you're all packed."

"I'm leaving town, and you might wanna think of doing the same."

His brows perked. "Oh yeah? Any reason why?"

"Look, I don't have time to explain. I just—"

"If you're scampering, why is it that you're here and not with Butch?"

"Because that's the way it is. What are you doing out here?"

Ryker spread his arms. "Already told you. Midnight stroll."

"Connor said you were looking for me."

Dammit. He didn't want her knowing that. He didn't want her knowing anything. Connor had a bit of a problem with the truth, as in he liked telling it too much. It would have been an admirable quality were it not so damn annoying.

Ryker sighed and shrugged, doing his best not to look bothered or tense. "And if I am?" he asked. "You're the one that bolted like a bat outta hell last night."

"And, what? You decided twenty-four hours later you'd give a damn?"

"Oh, is that what this is about? You wanted me to come after you? Sorry, sweets, you don't really seem like the damsel type."

Izzie's eyes hardened. "I'm not."

"Then why ask at all?"

"Because I—ahh, fuck it, it doesn't matter." She scowled, bouncing her duffle bag. "You're not safe."

"Well, yeah. I'm a vampire."

"I mean you're not safe here. They're after you."

Ryker frowned. All right, so that wasn't exactly what he'd expected. "After me?"

"Some guy named Prentiss and the two hussies he works with."

That name . . . . He did his best not to react, but the pounding in his head deafened.

"Look," she continued, "I don't know much. They say they're with something called C.R.O.S.S., but I forget what that stands for. Anyw—"

"Community Representatives of Subhuman Species," Ryker supplied, his jaw and his stomach clenching. "Goddammit."

"You know them?"

"You could say we're acquainted."

"Yeah, well, they seem to mean business."

"Always do."

She stared at him for a long beat, her expression melting from frenzied to confused. "All right, there's that. I guess. I just wanted to tell you."

"That I'm in danger."

"Yeah."

He smiled tightly. "Didn't know you cared."

"Don't expect a Christmas card or anything. They wanted something and I didn't give it to them." Izzie bounced the duffle bag again. "Not in the habit of lending a hand to bloodsuckers."

"And here you are, delivering a message to yours truly."

She snickered. "Don't read too much into it. You're just the creep that pissed me off the least, so it seemed a professional courtesy."

"And it would be, if I were in the profession." Ryker frowned and took a step forward, his gaze roaming the length of her body. Clearly, he only had half the story, if that. Something lurked in her gaze—something she kept close to her chest, and likely wouldn't share even with the help of a few stiff drinks. Whatever it was had shattered the small world in which she encased herself. She wasn't here with her friend and she wasn't here to hunt. She was here for him.

Something bolted through his body, leaving him burned and rattled.

Who are you, little girl?



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Halloween Excerpts - 1/3 - Know Thine Enemy

Hey gang,

To celebrate Halloween, one of my favorite holidays, I have decided to release three new excerpts of Know Thine Enemy, my erotic paranormal romance which released a week ago today. These will be posted periodically throughout the day. Hope you enjoy!


Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Warnings: Dubious consent, graphic violence, language, explicit sexual content, hints of child abuse, kidnapping
Length: Novel (75k+)
ISBN: 978-1-60592-548-6


All excerpts come with a warning of bad language. My characters have potty mouths.
No fucking idea where they get that.



Excerpt 1


Something rustled in her peripheral vision, casting whatever she'd been about to say aside. Her attention wrapped itself around the man now approaching her table, and everything around her stopped. Him.

The vampire—her vampire—from last night’s patrol was right the hell there, taking long, confident strides toward her booth with a cool grin stretching his sinful lips. And before she could blink it happened again—the strange paralysis from the night before. The same foreign tingle itched through her veins and spread across her skin like a virus. She felt hot and self-aware in ways she never had been before. The sensation was strange and confusing, and she didn't like it. If she could find her strength, she'd kick his teeth in and make a beeline for the door.

Only she couldn't find the strength; she couldn't find anything. She just sat and stared, soaking in all the details she thought she'd catalogued the night before—things shadows and weak streetlights couldn't do justice. She'd remembered his cheekbones, high and prominent, accentuating his strong jaw. His skin was moon-pale, and under the light his features had an aura of being too-perfect. That perfection was a common trait among vamps, one she'd recognized but never truly comprehended until now.

Then her wandering gaze clashed with his, which shone a bright sea-blue—a splotch of color on an otherwise white canvas. His hair was short and jet black, and he wore a Matrix-style leather duster that billowed behind him with every lengthy step. He looked pristine, even in a dirty place. Cool, collected, encompassed with a familiar sense of old-world power. Had she seen him immediately, as she should have, Connor and his plate of instant heart attack would have been the least of her worries.

"Don't mind the lady, Conn," the vampire purred. He spoke with a cool, refined timbre, his lips pulling tighter on his smirk. Though he addressed the barkeep, his eyes never left her face. "No sense letting good spirits go to waste."

Connor's giant head jerked at the new voice. Then his shoulders dropped. "Evenin', Ryker."

Izzie's shoulders slumped. Well, fuck.

The vampire inclined his head politely. "Evening," he replied. He stared at Izzie a second longer before his long fingers slipped through the mug's handle. "You don't want this?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Getting free drinks, so it seems." He nodded to the glass. "You sure you don't want this?"

"Bite me."

Ryker chuckled. "Dangerous words. Guess that you won't mind if I help myself."

"Knock your socks off."

He raised the glass in a toast before tossing back a healthy gulp. "Personally, I don't think you know what you're missing, but all's the more for the rest of us." He consumed the beer at a speed that seemed downright unnatural, then shoved the empty glass against Connor's chest. "I'll have another. And bring the lady an iced tea."

"The lady can order for herself," she said pointedly.

Ryker grinned, helping himself to the vacant seat across from her. "I'm sure she can."

"And I'm not staying."

She would have sounded at least partly convincing had she could budge an inch. The most she could hope was he wouldn't notice the lack of conviction behind her words.

"Shame," he said, plucking a cheese-drenched fry off her plate. "All this goes to waste."

"I didn't know you people ate real food."

He shrugged. "What you don't know about us people could sink the Titanic. Weren't you leaving, anyway?"

Izzie stared at him for a long beat before shaking her head. "What the hell is this?"

"Dinner?"

"Last night—"

"I followed you."

"Yeah," she replied shortly. "I caught that part."

"Didn't tonight, though. Got the answer I needed."

"Ah huh." She eyed Connor, who had made his way back behind the bar and kept shooting them furtive glances. "Your friend, I take it?"

"You sniffed around his bar. It's bad for business."

"Bad for business?"

Ryker held out his hands like scales weighed against each other. "Demon hunter in a demon bar. You do the math."

A long breath rolled off her shoulders, any lingering thought of an early night abandoning her completely. "So you knew," she said. "What I was."

"Sorry to break it to you, but you're not exactly inconspicuous." He waved at her. "Connor had it figured the first night you popped in."

"Did he?"

"Rang me up almost immediately. Said he either had a demon hunter or a groupie looking for a rush on his hands, and since you hide in corners and don't talk to anyone . . . ."

"Groupies are more upfront."

"Exactly."

Izzie licked her lips. "Funny," she said. "All this time, I've operated under the assumption that I'm only visible when I wanna be."

"Most hunters are like that."

"Not Zack."

Ryker domed a brow. "Zack? This the fella you travel with?"

A rush of panic tore through her before she fell slack. If the vampire knew where she retreated at the end of the night, finding out about Wright and Berlie wasn't much of a stretch. She doubted he was a problem since he hadn't done much beyond lurk and annoy her. Still, sitting with the enemy, let alone disclosing information, was definitely on Wright's You-Will-Be-Killed-For lists. While they differed on many ideological points, she owed him her life and wouldn't disrespect her debt by over-sharing with someone she barely knew.

Someone Wright would kill on sight.

As though sensing her discomfort, Ryker flashed a grin. "Don't worry. It's not him I'm interested in."

"Great. My lucky day."

Want more? Click me!

Noble Romance Release Party! Games, Fun, and Prizes! Win A Kindle!

Join me at The Noble Romance Publishing Release Party Celebration! I'll be giving away up to $25 in Noble Romance Gift Cards, releasing excerpts, and every participant today gets entered into a drawing for a Kindle! The festivities are all day, with a host of fabulous authors giving away their own loot. So drop in! Read! Win!

NOW AVAILABLE: Know Thine Enemy

Today marks the release of Know Thine Enemy, a novel-length erotic paranormal romance on which I have labored at least two years, probably longer. There were times when I didn't know if it'd see the light of day, and other times when I didn't know if it should. At this end, though, having worked on it tirelessly the past couple weeks, rereading it from start to finish, I can honestly say I am extremely proud of the book. For all that went into it from my crit partners, particularly Sarah Ballance, and my editor, Ruby Green, I am eternally grateful.

He’s a vampire with a story. She’s a woman with a past.

The second Ryker spots the girl with midnight hair, he knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. She boasts the title of vampire hunter, but something’s off, something’s missing, and that something pulls him close…until backing off isn’t an option.

For years, Izzie has lived for the night, outrunning ghosts from home that seem to find her wherever she lands. Alongside her friend and mentor, who rescued her when she was at her lowest, she destroys creatures she once thought couldn’t exist. But Izzie doesn’t have what she needs to be her best, and doesn’t know if she ever will...or if the life she has is the one she wants.

When a shadow from Ryker’s former life surfaces to collect a forgotten debt, vampire and hunter are thrust together in a strange world of eroticism and servitude. They must trust each other if they mean to escape, but when trust turns into something more, the real enemy becomes harder and harder to pick out.

Content warnings:
Dark Themes
Dubious Consent
References to child abuse
Language
Violence

I am also participating in Elizabeth Morgan's Spook-aLicious. Pop on by for an excerpt, a giveaway, and my guest-post regarding why I love vampires so darn much.

SINFULLY SCANDALOUS: Cover Art, Blurb, First 2 Chapters + Info about the Know Thine Enemy giveaway!

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

It’s an order that Luxi, Sin of Lust, never saw coming. When you work for Lucifer, though, you tend to lay off the questions. She isn’t comforted when she discovers her assignment is to intern for a preacher-turned-politician, especially when her directive goes no further. As Luxi prepares for a long ride to nowhere, she can’t help but wonder if something else is at play…or what the King of Hell has up his sleeve.

Grayson Bailey’s run for state senate is going nowhere fast. The poll numbers are depressing, his campaign advisor is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and someone out there has a bullet with his name on it. Yet when temptation herself struts through the door with a sassy smirk and an attitude to match, Grayson finds it very hard to remember which obligations are at the top.

The closer Grayson gets to Luxi, the stranger his life becomes. With Election Day—and a psycho with a gun—just around the corner, he can’t afford any detours. And while Luxi never puts her heart on the line, there’s something about this man that tests her resolve…though it might end up costing her more than she can afford.

Chapter One
Chapter Two

Coming soon from Liquid Silver Books!

Also, join me on Monday as I guest blog at Elizabeth Morgan's Spoolalicious, talk about my love of vampires, provide new excerpts from my latest release, Know Thine Enemy, and giveaway a free e-copy! It's going to be a lot of fun, so don't miss it!

Know Thine Enemy - Cover Art

Fiona Jayde has done it again! The premiere of the Know Thine Enemy cover!

The book will be made available October 24. As I've mentioned before, I've worked for over two years on this book, so I am more than a little nervous regarding its release...but I am extraordinarily pleased with the way it's been pieced together, and even though it's a bit different than my other work, hopefully readers will enjoy it.

He’s a vampire with a story. She’s a woman with a past.

The second Ryker spots the girl with midnight hair, he knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. She boasts the title of vampire hunter, but something’s off, something’s missing, and that something pulls him close…until backing off isn’t an option.

For years, Izzie has lived for the night, outrunning ghosts from home that seem to find her wherever she lands. Alongside her friend and mentor, who rescued her when she was at her lowest, she destroys creatures she once thought couldn’t exist. But Izzie doesn’t have what she needs to be her best, and doesn’t know if she ever will...or if the life she has is the one she wants.

When a shadow from Ryker’s former life surfaces to collect a forgotten debt, vampire and hunter are thrust together in a strange world of eroticism and servitude. They must trust each other if they mean to escape, but when trust turns into something more, the real enemy becomes harder and harder to pick out.

Upcoming release! + Spook-a-licious Halloween Party! Excerpts, interviews, posts, and giveaways!

Join us for Spook-a-licious, running from October 24-31. I'll be posting on October 24 with a blog entry about the allure of vampires, and an excerpt and giveaway for my release, Know Thine Enemy, coming 10/24/2011 from Noble Romance!

Cover art will be made available soon! For now, here's the blurb.

He’s a vampire with a story. She’s a woman with a past.

The second Ryker spots the girl with midnight hair, he knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. She boasts the title of vampire hunter, but something’s off, something’s missing, and that something pulls him close…until backing off isn’t an option.

For years, Izzie has lived for the night, outrunning ghosts from home that seem to find her wherever she lands. Alongside her friend and mentor, who rescued her when she was at her lowest, she destroys creatures she once thought couldn’t exist. But Izzie doesn’t have what she needs to be her best, and doesn’t know if she ever will...or if the life she has is the one she wants.

When a shadow from Ryker’s former life surfaces to collect a forgotten debt, vampire and hunter are thrust together in a strange world of eroticism and servitude. They must trust each other if they mean to escape, but when trust turns into something more, the real enemy becomes harder and harder to pick out.

Excerpt


It wasn’t like he would run now. Not when Izzie waited for him down the hall.

Ryker drew in a steady breath. Behind him was the small, mousy assistant Dr. Briggs had introduced as Judy, her hand steadying a stake at his back, prepared to paralyze should he attempt to run. The other assistant stayed to the right, a gun in hand—one that allegedly injected another prototype on vamp poison from which they hadn’t yet worked all the kinks. Ryker tried not to focus on the distractions, rather keeping his eyes on the back of Dr. Briggs’ head while entertaining fantasies involving the sound of snapping bone.

He’d feel better once he saw Izzie. Once he figured out how the hell to right the wrong that was getting her mixed up in his fucking family drama. Getting a feel for their new digs was essential to placing his future getaway plan in motion; once he knew exactly where she was, he could begin formulating an appropriate escape route.

The stretch of hallway betrayed little he didn’t already know. Every now and then, a human in a lab-coat would stroll by, seemingly unbothered by the sight of someone being led by threat of death. There were a few medical stands, offices, and signs directing personnel to certain wings. His particular entourage took three turns before coming to a halt. The door on the left read Subject Beta on the sliding name placement; another door sat directly ahead, and the hall continued to the right. Dr. Briggs unlocked the door to Beta by means of a clearance key, and ushered Ryker inside alone.

The vampire stopped short of the doorway, his heart leaping into his throat.

“Oh my God,” he murmured.

She lay nude, splayed across a metal table, her legs bound and spread, her arms stretched above her head, and a gag around her mouth. A gnarly scar patched the skin around her belly, though it looked aged enough to attest to an old battle-wound rather than a crime at the hands of their human captors. Tied as she was, the cold tremors seizing her body could not be contained. Her head lifted at the sound, and when their gazes clashed, the fear he saw nearly tore him to shreds.

Ryker could do little but stare. His head pounded and his chest ached.

Holy fuck.

“All right,” came across an intercom. “Shall we begin?”

Hitting a wall

I can't write when I'm stressed. This is a pattern I've noticed over the past year or so...whenever something comes up, my anxiety disorder kicks in, and even if I refrain from my typical obsessive routine, it's hard for me to focus on my writing projects when I know a larger project looms.

The past month and a half or so, I've been hit with larger projects. Toward the end of August, I received a lengthy manuscript that needed some TLC. The author has the first round of edits, and I'm not sure when to expect her to fire them back. Then the move happened within a week (and even though we're moved and unpacked and settled, I keep having nightmares about it). Now I'm waiting for my editor to send me back edits for one of my upcoming releases, which has my anxiety spiked as well.

This, too, shall pass. I know it will. September was an incredibly busy month and we're barreling toward the holiday season, so it's no wonder everything's a little wonky. I also find I've been completely exhausted the last few days. I have accomplished a little writing, and while I know exactly what I need to have happen, a boulder sits between me and the characters; to get them to do something, I have to move the boulder first. The cursor's no help, either. It just sits there mocking me.

This isn't writer's block. I think it's writer's fatigue. And though not being able to write sucks, I know from experience it won't last. Once I wake up, I'll be back with a vengeance. I just hope it's soon...I have a NanoWriMo project I want to tackle.

You wanna know who’s awesome? Lori Green. She’s amazingly awesome. Not only is she an author of touching, funny, well-written, not to mention HOT fiction, she’s an all-around cool gal. Someone I’d like to hang with should we serendipitously discover we’re neighbors (OMG, that would kick ass!)

I’ve been a fan of Lori’s since reading the sinfully hot 666 Angel Lane. I admit, I approached the book with trepidation, as I was in the process of completing Lost Wages of Sin, which while similar in theme is completely different in content and theology. I usually shy from reading books that sound too much like something I am writing or have in the works, but I couldn’t help myself, and I am so glad I didn’t try.

Sugar B’s Back In Town -> Another one of her works, and admittedly, a little less up my alley. Yet for as much as I adored 666 Angel Lane, I knew I couldn’t resist more of Lori’s wit, not to mention her artistry with words. I’m so glad I read this book. More than 666 Angel Lane, Sugar B’s Back In Town is real and gritty, emotional yet not over the top. I loved Sugar’s aunts, Red and Lil, loved the themes of redemption, starting over, healing, all while encased with warm humor and steamy romance between the title character and the tender, somewhat mysterious (to me, anyway) Jerusalem Cannon.

I just bought Lori’s most recent release (Hot, Hexed and Bothered) and can’t wait to dive into it. Bottom-line: if you want to read well-written, hot, funny, touching books with memorable characters, Lori Green’s the gal for you. And if you don't like these things in a book...well, then I don't care to know what you read.

Busy busy busy

Since April, my husband and I have been casually looking for a new place to live. Our apartment is sizable, but the neighbors are crackheads and the landlord is an asshole. Since our lease renewed in August automatically, we went month-to-month and began the search…which came to an end just over a week ago. We found a duplex for just $25 more in rent per month on a quiet street not too far from the apartment. Over the course of last week, we signed a lease, paid the deposit and prorated rent, boxed up all our stuff, and moved. My anxiety levels spiked a bit and I had a rough few days, but considering the place was discovered and the move was initiated in a matter of one week, we did a heck of a good job getting it complete.

This obviously means I’ve accomplished nothing in terms of writing. There are still boxes to unpack, but I finally feel like I can work on fiction rather than worry about the next stage, and the timing couldn’t be better. Know Thine Enemy debuts in less than a month from Noble Romance Publishing. I have edits on Sinfully Scandalous to look forward to, and Original Sin, a Sinners and Saints story featuring Lucifer, is a contender in ARe’s Just One Bite contest (voting to begin October 1). Also, Forbidden Fruit has been a #1 Best Seller at Noble Romance Publishing for two straight weeks now. All this to say, it’s not the best time to be away from the Interwebs, so I’ll try not to take a lengthy sabbatical. I like staying busy.

I like having projects.

On my to-read list is Aline Hunter’s latest release. As her CP, I have read Omega Mine, but it’s been a while. I do remember the story is amazing, so make sure you have it on your to-read list, as well.

That’s all from me for the time being. Easing back into my routine. It hasn’t been all that long, but with as busy as the past two weeks have been, it feels frantic.

Just One Bite Finalist! Read the stories today, vote on October 1!

Voting at All Romance E-Books' Just One Bite Contest commences on October 1, 2011. In the meantime, you can read the entries by the 32 Finalists. Including Original Sin, a Sinners and Saints Lucifer-centric short. See how it began for our favorite devil! And don't forget to vote on October 1!

Original Sin

A Sinners and Saints Story

“You smell fantastic,” she purred, thrusting her pelvis against mine. I was naked; clothing had not yet become a necessity. We were on the ground, Lilith in my lap, her fingers searching, seeking, feeling me all over. Then her teeth pierced the skin at my neck, biting down hard enough for me to experience my very first shard of pain. Blood I hadn’t known I owned poured freely from the wound, and she drank it like the elixir of life itself.

Granted, it was that for her. When human blood mingled with whatever the hell I was, it changed the human into something else entirely. The transformation was damn near instantaneous. Gone was the desperate abandon in her eyes and the war-torn state of her flesh. Her hair spun wildly out of her head, ribbons of black waterfalling over her shoulders and down her back. The skin clinging to bone grew soft and fat, plumping her out nicely. My hands cradled her breasts the second I remembered how to work them, and her red, healthy mouth crashed upon mine in a hungry first kiss.

Read more....

#1 Best Seller

For the time being, at least, Forbidden Fruit, my naughty, kinky short with Noble Romance, is the #1 best seller! And my other short with Noble, Dark Solace, made the top 10!

This is the first time I've been able to call myself a best-selling author. It feels pretty kickin'.

In the meantime, I'm in the process of packing up my earthly belongings to move them about a mile north. I might be scarce on the interwebs for about a week.

Winner!

Congratulations to Sonya Clark! Check your inbox, 'cause you have a helping of Forbidden Fruit!

Thank you to all who participated in the giveaway!

Forbidden Fruit release! + Giveaway

Apparently, I got my release date confused with someone else's. Forbidden Fruit is NOW AVAILABLE from Noble Romance!

CLICK ME! CLICK ME! CLICK ME!



Blurb:

Ashlynn Sweeney has been in love with Reese for ten years, which would be no problem were he not her stepbrother. Being near him is unbearable, but Ashlynn likes to think she plays it cool, and his living on campus definitely makes life easier.

When Reese comes home for spring break, Ashlynn does her best to avoid him. Yet temptation’s hard to resist, and discovering the object of her affections masturbating to pornography is about as tempting as it gets. Though she flees before they can lock eyes, Reese isn’t about to let Ashlynn off that easily. Instead, he suggests they watch the rest together.

Ashlynn’s low on options. She can either face the forbidden with her head held high or brace herself for uncomfortable family gatherings. Either way, her life’s about to change...she just doesn’t know how much.


Excerpt

First official day of spring break. Ostensibly, nothing had changed in the house, but the air felt different. Alive. Electric. Ashlynn likened it to the sensation she experienced before giving an interview, or facing a class full of students during oral presentation week.

Granted, the world seemed different whenever Reese was around. Her stepbrother normally left within five seconds of walking through the front door, but he'd come home from the dorms on Friday and spent the night. If that weren't enough, he'd then shocked the crap out of her by staying through the weekend. Usually, he hit the road with his friends for excitement, alcohol, and scantily clad women. But for whatever reason, he hadn't followed his usual script.

Reese--even his name tasted delicious--was home.

Home, rather than anywhere else. Home, where Ashlynn, two years his junior, still lived with her mom and Reese's dad. Where she spent most of her free time trying to keep her thoughts as far from Reese as possible. Right now, sharing a roof with him again for however long, she couldn't shake the fantasies so easily.

Perhaps he would stay throughout the entire break. Here. Alone with her.

How should she feel if he decided to stay? She loved having him home almost as much as she dreaded it. People said girls matured faster than boys did, but Ashlynn didn't think that meant crushing hard at age nine, from the moment she laid eyes on him. Childhood crushes were supposed to have an expiration date; they weren't supposed to grow into an unhealthy obsession of catastrophic proportions.

His absence had made the past two years more tolerable. Although she missed him, Ashlynn had an easier time focusing on her own college preparations and social life with Reese away at school. She could pretend to show mild interest whenever someone asked her out, which happened often. Ashlynn Sweeney had been blessed with classic girl-next door looks--strawberry-blonde hair, a curvy hourglass figure, dimples and a winning smileóand she appeared invisible to no one except the one person whose attention she most craved.

But that craving was wrong. Reese had been her brother for over a decade now, and lusting after someone the law declared "family" violated all kinds of social norms.

Still, she missed him when he was gone, even if she had no idea what to do with herself when he came home. For the last few days, she'd wandered around in a stupor, trying to come up with something dazzling to say to him, and feeling lame whenever he asked her a question and she had to struggle for a coherent thought.

Today, the folks had vacated the premises; Ashlynn and Reese were alone.

Well, Ashlynn wandered the house alone. Feeling lame. Reese remained in his bedroom. Avoiding her. Being cool Mr. College and likely chatting up some skanky sorority bitch.

Ashlynn sighed, pausing in her trek down the hallway to cast a forlorn glance at Reese's bedroom door. Not a morning guy, he'd stay in there until at least three o'clock. She'd better find something to do. Something beyond wishing Reese would look at her and see anything but his annoying brat sister.

And God, she hated the word "sister." She and Reese shared zero strands of DNA. Their parents had married one another: end of story. Granted, Ashlynn hadn't minded. She'd loved Reese immediately, just for the wrong reasons. Reasons that would never cross Reese's mind.

Ashlynn turned to continue downstairs, but something caught her ear. She paused once more. A voice? A nearly indiscernible sound, so soft she thought she'd imagined it. The sound came again.

A very womanly moan.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," she muttered, turning on her heel. If Reese had brought a date into the house right under her nose . . . .

Though, she reminded herself, Reese had every right to his personal life. He couldn't know his stepsister secretly pined after him. His high school parade of girlfriends had all seen his room at one point or another. Ashlynn had endured more than one tearfully sleepless night, imagining him with other girls. Really, her stepbrother had every right to bring someone over. Hell, Ashlynn could bring home someone, too. They were both legally adults, after all. The time for sneaking around had officially passed.

On closer inspection, though, Ashlynn noted a definite absence of real-life girly sighs coming from Reese's room. The womanly sound she'd heard came from the television, which shouldn't surprise her. Reese was a healthy, red-blooded male and she knew he had a penchant for jerking it whenever the mood took him. When they had actively shared a roof, she had lurked outside his bedroom during his private time. Listening in was a sick fetish, she knew, but nothing got her hotter than hearing his faint whimper and moan, her mind conjuring images of what her eyes couldn't see.

Apparently, old habits die hard.

"I'm sick," Ashlynn murmured, wandering toward her stepbrother's door. "I need help, because I'm sick."

As she drifted closer, the sounds on the television became more prominent, and the cheesy music and the heavy moans left little room for mystery.

Porn. She'd never watched porn, but she had enough street knowledge to know what it sounded like. Plus, and more to the point, her eavesdropping had long ago revealed Reese loved porn, although she'd never caught him actually watching any. Perhaps he kept the sound muted to spare the folks' sensibilities. He had not muted it today.

He also hadn't closed the door all the way.

Just walk away. Turn around and walk away.

But she couldn't walk away.

In addition to this, I am doing a giveaway that will end tomorrow night at midnight. To enter the giveaway, just respond to this post with your name and email address. Good ole fashioned drawing. How's that sound?

Coming Sept 16

Forbidden Fruit, my erotic contemporary romance, is slated for release next week. I received the cover art today.



Blurb:

Ashlynn Sweeney has been in love with Reese for ten years, which would be no problem were he not her stepbrother. Being near him is unbearable, but Ashlynn likes to think she plays it cool, and his living on campus definitely makes life easier.

When Reese comes home for spring break, Ashlynn does her best to avoid him. Yet temptation’s hard to resist, and discovering the object of her affections masturbating to pornography is about as tempting as it gets. Though she flees before they can lock eyes, Reese isn’t about to let Ashlynn off that easily. Instead, he suggests they watch the rest together.

Ashlynn’s low on options. She can either face the forbidden with her head held high or brace herself for uncomfortable family gatherings. Either way, her life’s about to change...she just doesn’t know how much.


Excerpt

Ashlynn turned to continue downstairs, but something caught her ear. She paused once more. The sound was nearly indiscernible, so soft she thought she’d imagined it until it came again.

A very womanly moan.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," she muttered, turning on her heel. If Reese had brought a date into the house right under her nose . . . .

Though, she reminded herself, Reese had every right to his personal life. It wasn't as though he knew his stepsister secretly pined after him. In high school, Reese had entertained a parade of girlfriends, all of whom had seen his room at one point or another. Ashlynn hadn't subjected herself to much emotional torment then, but she had endured more than one tearfully sleepless night imagining him with other girls. On the surface, her stepbrother had every right to bring over a girlfriend. Hell, Ashlynn could bring home someone, too. They were both legally adults, after all. The time for sneaking around had officially passed.

On closer inspection, though, Ashlynn noted a definite absence of real-life girly sighs coming from Reese's room. The womanly sound she'd heard came from the television, which shouldn't surprise her. Reese was a healthy, red-blooded male and she knew he had a penchant for jerking it whenever the mood took him. Considering he’d recently turned twenty-one, the mood likely struck quite often. When they had actively shared a roof, she had lurked outside his bedroom during his private time. Listening in was a sick fetish, she knew, but nothing got her hotter than hearing his voice whimper and moan as her mind filled in the blanks of what her eyes couldn't see.

Apparently, old habits die hard.

"I'm sick," Ashlynn murmured, wandering toward her stepbrother's door. "I need help because I'm sick."

As she drifted closer, the sounds on the television became more prominent, and the cheesy music and the heavy moans left little room for mystery.

Porn. She'd never watched porn, but she had enough street knowledge to know what it sounded like. Plus, and more to the point, Reese was a confessed porn aficionado, though she'd never caught him in the act. Perhaps he watched it muted whenever the folks were around. If that was the case, he had not muted it today.

And for whatever reason, he also hadn’t closed the door all the way.

Just walk away. Turn around and walk away.

But she couldn't just walk away.

Also, I received word today that Original Sin has been selected as a finalist for the ARe Just One Bite contest! The story will be made available on October 1st as a FREE READ, and best of all, readers will be able to vote for their favorite among the 32 finalists.

This short is a Lucifer-centered backstory to the Sinners and Saints series. It's around 3k in length. The second book in the series, Sinfully Scandalous, is slated for release soon from LSB. Book One, Lost Wages of Sin, is currently available here.

Once the story is made available, I'll post a link to it and to the other 31 finalists.

Know Thine Enemy: A new paranormal romance coming this fall

I've spoken a bit regarding a book I've been working on since 2009. Well, I'm very pleased and overly excited to announce Know Thine Enemy has been accepted and contracted by Noble Romance Publishing, and will be released sometime this autumn.

Fair warning: this book is darker than some of my other work, and contains elements of dubious consent.

Below is the tentative blurb.

He’s a vampire with a story. She’s a woman with a past.

The second Ryker spots the girl with midnight hair, he knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. She boasts the title of vampire hunter, but something’s off, something’s missing, and that something pushes him close…until backing off isn’t an option.

For years, Izzie has lived for the night, outrunning ghosts from home that seem to find her wherever she lands. Alongside her friend and mentor, who rescued her when she was at her lowest, she destroys creatures she once thought couldn’t exist. But Izzie doesn’t have what she needs to be her best, and doesn’t know if she ever will...or if the life she has is the one she wants.

When a shadow from Ryker’s former life surfaces to collect a forgotten debt, vampire and hunter are thrust together in a strange world of eroticism and servitude. They must trust each other if they mean to escape, but when trust turns into something more, the real enemy becomes harder and harder to pick out.

I'll post updates as I receive them. In the meantime, I'm through the freaking roof.

Fish do the darndest things

I write Lucifer in the Sinners and Saints series to be witty, amusing, puntastic, but not to be taken lightly. When he gets serious, you better watch yourself.

I bought two Betta fish a few months back. One lives at home (Dexter) and the other lives at work (Lucifer). Fish!Lucifer is not like Written!Lucifer at all...except the crafty part.

For the past two weeks, this is what has greeted me on Monday morning:



Written!Lucifer finds this hilarious. I think he wants a pet Betta, too.

It's official!

I have signed a contract with Liquid Silver Books for the second installment in the Sinners and Saints series, Luxi's book, Sinfully Scandalous. Here is the tentative blurb:

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

It’s an order that Luxi, Sin of Lust, never saw coming. When you work for Lucifer, though, you tend to lay off the questions. She isn’t comforted when she discovers her assignment is to intern for a preacher-turned-politician, especially when her directive goes no further. As Luxi prepares for a long ride to nowhere, she can’t help but wonder if something else is at play…or what the King of Hell has up his sleeve.

Grayson Bailey’s run for state senate is going nowhere fast. The poll numbers are depressing, his campaign advisor is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and someone out there has a bullet with his name on it. Yet when temptation herself struts through the door with a sassy smirk and an attitude to match, Grayson finds it very hard to remember which obligations are at the top.

The closer Grayson gets to Luxi, the stranger his life becomes. With Election Day—and a psycho with a gun—just around the corner, he can’t afford any detours. And while Luxi never puts her heart on the line, there’s something about this man that tests her resolve…though it might end up costing her more than she can afford.

As I said, tentative blurb. It might well change between now and release day.

In the meantime, I've written a short Lucifer-centric piece for the Just One Bite competition at ARe. If it is not selected as a finalist, it will be made available on my website and this blog as a free-read.

I have a release date on Forbidden Fruit, the Naughty Nibble at Noble (say that five times fast!). Sept. 12. And here's the tentative blurb on that one:

Ashlynn Sweeney has been in love with Reese for ten years, which would be no problem were he not her stepbrother. Being near him is unbearable, but Ashlynn likes to think she plays it cool, and his living on campus definitely makes life easier.

When Reese comes home for spring break, Ashlynn does her best to avoid him. Yet temptation’s hard to resist, and discovering the object of her affections masturbating to pornography is about as tempting as it gets. Though she flees before they can lock eyes, Reese isn’t about to let Ashlynn off that easily. Instead, he suggests they watch the rest together.

Ashlynn’s low on options. She can either face the forbidden with her head held high or brace herself for uncomfortable family gatherings. Either way, her life’s about to change...she just doesn’t know how much.

And in regards to Lost Wages of Sin, if you loved Dante, you might want to check out the interview he gave at the Perfect Man Event. He seems to think he has this one in the bag, mainly because he's an egotistical ass. Men!

You can also enter for a chance to win LWoS by visiting the above link! Oh, and read a brand new review here!

Check back for release updates!

New contract! Writing updates, and so forth.

I have signed a contract with Noble Romance Publishing for a Naughty Nibble entitled Forbidden Fruit. It's a tiny bit more taboo than my other fiction...well, depending on your definition of taboo. Sexual tension between step-siblings. Short, sweet, and sizzling just to whet your appetite.

In the meantime, I've been working on both Book 3 of the Sinners and Saints series (even if I don't yet know the fate of Book 2) and a short erotic contemporary. I've written so much paranormal over the past year, so the break back into a non-fantastical land is nice. Also, since it's aimed at just 20k, I feel like I'm getting a lot done.

Book 3 of S&S is coming along nicely. It's my first time writing from the POV of a male Sin, and I gotta say, he's rude, mean, snarky, and I think I love him. I am such a bad boy magnet.

Really, I'm just trying to follow my own advice as imparted over at Romancing the Muses. I rode a high after finishing two novel-length WIPs back-to-back, and now that they're complete and being considered for publication, the temptation is to ease into a small lull and take a break from writing. I don't want to do that; since writing LWoS last fall, I've been on a hot streak. Of course, there are days when it doesn't come easily or at all. In fact, I took a few weeks in May off from writing altogether, but when I got back to it I really got back, and determined not to let myself off the hook so easily. Once you stop it's hard to get going again, thus knowing this, I'm determined to get something written every day, even if it's just 500 words.

If all I can get done is some writing over my lunch period, that's fine. I just want to keep the momentum going.

Book II in the Sinners and Saints Series is complete!

Sinfully Scandalous

Erotic Paranormal Romance



This one boasts 15k more than Lost Wages of Sin, but I am very satisfied with it. Look for updates over the coming days regarding CP edits, my edits, and the fun fun fun submission process. :)

Another one bites the dust!

Know Thine Enemy

Erotic Paranormal Romance

It's done! The book I've been working on since 2009 is FINALLY complete! Now it's in the hands of my trusty crit partners. I'm not really sure what's going to happen from here; we'll see. I'm just ecstatic it's complete.

Irreverent v. Offensive

As I get closer to wrapping up the second book in the Sinners and Saints series, I find myself becoming more and more apprehensive about how people of certain faith might respond to some of my less conventional theology. I don’t parade it around as fact, the way Dan Brown might, but I also don’t handle the material with kiddy gloves. In all honesty, I suspect if God exists he has a sense of humor (Exhibit A), and while I don’t go out of my way to offend anyone, I am highly aware as I’m writing that some of the content might be construed as sacrilegious.

According to the dictionary, the word irreverent is synonymous with profane. Other synonyms might include rude and disrespectful. Yet its counterpart, reverent, carries with it the implication of being worshipful, of placing overt emotional or spiritual significance in an object or concept. The difference being this: in my stories, all characters are created equal. They are all imperfect, regardless of cultural relevance or consideration, and all likewise have redeeming qualities. I am interested in unorthodox theology, and many of the things I have considered in my own religious journey are included in the Sinners and Saints series…but not because I believe them, rather because I think there are questions/issues/problems that haven’t been addressed, or even truly acknowledged. I don’t write with a mind to push the envelope, rather to take themes prevalent in the world around me and include them in my work. I don’t see my Lucifer or Big J as anything but characters in a book.

To be offended by something, one must go out of one’s way to make it personal. Thankfully, I haven’t received any “you’re going to Hell!” emails as a result of the first book, but I think that might change as the series progresses. And if people choose to believe that, fine. If faith is so fragile to be threatened by a piece of fiction, what does that say for faith?

There are things I could do to intentionally make the Sinners and Saints series offensive, and those things I won’t touch. There will be none of Exhibit B or Exhibit C or even Exhibit D. Not because I think any of these things are offensive, but there is a degree of pushing things too far, and honestly, the series doesn’t call for that.

I know I’m far from the first author to touch upon theological issues in fiction, romantic fiction, or even erotic romantic fiction. This territory, however, is new to me; as the granddaughter of a Church of Christ minister and an inhabitant of the Bible Belt—not to mention a professed nonbeliever—I have to wonder what will come next, and what might possibly be deemed as too much. In the end, though, everything runs the risk of offending someone, no matter the subject matter.

I suppose the point of this post is this: I am aware that the material is sensitive to many, and while my goal is not to offend, people might become offended because of things they read into the text, not things I write. I can’t help that. I intend to be faithful to myself and true to the characters I’ve established. Beyond that, it’s out of my hands.

And I'm spent

Two weekends ago, I was in Natchez, MS - my favorite of all favorite places, not to mention the setting for Lost Wages of Sin. I had a blast, and loved spending time with my mother. The only thing that could make it better was my first convention, which I attended last weekend. I got to meet J.A. Saare, Madelyn Ford, Angela Sneed, Kimberly Adkins, Bells, and a slew of amazing authors and readers alike. I didn't take many pictures -- why, I don't know. I was just overwhelmed with the awesomeness of being there. I hope to -- nay, I will -- do better next year.

So that was two weekend trips in a row. But three's company, so this last Friday, Nikki London stole me away for a brief mini-break to Las Vegas, where we both fulfilled a dream of seeing one of the last members of the greatest band ever to play music perform live for two and a half glorious hours. That's right, I got to see Paul McCartney.

And the Beatles are the best band ever. No hyperbole involved. This is fact. Do not argue.

Needless to say, the experience surpassed any expectation I had. For a man one year shy of his seventies, he had the energy of an Olympic athlete. That, and you haven't experienced "Live or Let Die" until you've seen it live with an accompanying fire show. I sang myself hoarse and I believe my ears are still ringing, but damn, what a night.

Now, my feet are back on solid ground, and I don't plan on leaving again for a while. I do have some ideas forming -- editing and reading to do, on top of all else -- but the truly amazing thing is I have the next two books in the Sinners and Saints series planned. Yes, I had to push Invi's book back for her brother, but I know I have some readers eager to hear from the male Sins, at least a few people won't mind the schedule shift. This is what my lineup looks like at the moment.

Currently writing

Know Thine Enemy
Sinfully Scandalous (Sinners and Saints #2)

Up next

Blackout (short contemporary erotic)
Flip Side of Sin (Sinners and Saints #3)
Untitled project, urban fantasy

To come

Sins of the Father (Sinners and Saints #4)
Shades of Gray

I have a very busy few months ahead of me. My goal is to have Know Thine Enemy and Sinfully Scandalous done by the end of the summer, and Blackout done this fall. This is all very much attainable, especially since both my active WIPs are nearing the end. I just need to get cracking.

In the meantime, I was greeted with a wonderful homecoming gift: a 4 Star Review for Lost Wages of Sin at RT Reviews. LWoS has also received good press at Nocturne Romance Reads, ParaNormalRomance, Paranormal Haven, and Coffee Time Romance.

What's in a name?

Over the last day or so, I've been toying with the idea of writing under a different name.

For starters, the story-lines wouldn't be necessarily erotic, though there'd be romance ('cause I'm a sucker romance) and sex, most likely, but nothing explicit or too graphic. Just something a little lighter and outside my immediate target audience. I suppose the only reason why a different name would be necessary is so readers won't buy something for the heat, and be disgruntled when they don't get what they expect. Likewise, one of my author buds wrote some killer-smokin' stuff under the same name she wrote her urban fantasy, and was accused of writing pornography by those readers who don't like it hot.

Then again, I've been writing explicit sex scenes so long, it might just come naturally (hahaha, pun).

So I ask you: if an author's planning on toning down the heat for a WIP, would it make it easier for readers to differentiate the stuff from The Stuff by using a different name?

Just to be clear: I wouldn't separate my material in terms of blog or website. Everything I release will be mentioned here, or somewhere you guys can find me.

Recovering

I had a fantastic weekend at the Lori Foster event; meeting my homegals J.A. Saare and Madelyn Ford. I also got to chill with Bells, who is an utter delight, and made at least four new friends: B and K (I don't know if they'd want their names posted on a blog like this, but you know who you are, ladies), and Angela Steed and Kimberly Adkins, all of whom put the rock in rocktastic.

I am very sleepy. And I have a busy weekend ahead of me. Paul McCartney concert. And, oh yeah, Vegas shennanigans. Wahoo!

Bring it on. Only not right now. I need sleep.

And yes, though I am only twenty-six years old, I have the body of a ninety-three year old woman.

LWoS Tour

Natchez, MS is -- hands down -- my favorite place to escape. It's a wonderful oasis of calm, where whatever concerns involving my real life take a breather, and I can just relax. Likewise, it is the one destination that, without fail, fuels my muse like nothing else. Even before I first vacationed in Natchez, I was inspired by the architecture of its many antebellum homes to the point I set a story there at age 11. My mother, whose obsession with Natchez exceeds my own, had a collection of coffee-table books detailing the majesty and history of old houses in the South. Lost Wages of Sin is the first of several books that will feature Natchez as either a setting or reference it in some way. I can't help it; I just love it there.

My most recent venture took place this last weekend. Therefore, I have decided to post pictures of the various homes and locations that served as the backdrop of some scenes in Lost Wages of Sin. Some of these pictures are a few years old, as places such as Under the Hill and "Whytecliffe" were inaccessible due to recent flooding.

Thanks for indulging me. :)

I'll start with the Natchez Cemetery, which is hauntingly beautiful. I haven't yet been able to capture it in full grandeur in photos, sadly.

The three goons strolling drunkenly down Cemetery Road were no different. The second they set their sights on her, her wish was granted. “Well, well, boys,” said the first demon, a lecherous grin stretching across his deformed lips. “What’ve we got here?”
Had there ever been a time when that line was fresh?
The second demon cast her a look that she, quite frankly, didn’t want to analyze. “Wanna dance, little girl?”
Her lips twitched. She’d complain to others, but in truth, she loved this part. The bigger they were and all that. Ava looked human, smelled human and sounded human. Only a handful of earthbound demons knew otherwise. Even those demons didn’t know as much as they thought they did. Lucifer didn’t want word getting out he had her kind in his arsenal.

Next, to Longbourne.

Ava turned down a wooded path, crossing her arms. The air felt thicker here, almost electric. Something was close. One of her demon admirers, a brother or sister, or Lucifer himself, she didn’t know. Sleep remained a distant yearning. She wouldn’t get any rest with so much in the air.
The path broke into a fork. A sign on the left announcing what lay ahead was one of the tour houses, this one called Longbourne. It stood as one of the many monuments to the Civil War left behind and relegated to history buffs and field trips, so the current generation could experience what became of their ancestors and speculate how people in America had lived prior to TiVo. Every step she took made her skin tingle.

Now, to Avonlea where Dante and Ava met with Pixley, the curator. I have several pictures, including one I pulled off the Internet showing how this home looked before it burned. The modern shots were taken by yours truly.

Her feet hit the gravel drive before she saw the worn sign warding off trespassers. The home sat about a hundred yards off the closest thing Natchez had to an expressway, though Ava didn’t remember the streets being this busy the night before. She kept grabbing Dante’s shoulder and shoving him off the curb and into the weedy grass. A motorist wouldn’t injure him, true, but she still didn’t want to have to explain why a trip to the ER wasn’t necessary, or have someone in a panic over their lack of insurance.Like most demons, Ava’s eyes adjusted rapidly to darkness. She saw just as well at night as she did during the day, perhaps better given the situation. Still nothing could prevent the same creepy feeling she’d endured walking up Longbourne’s drive from hijacking her senses. It didn’t matter that tonight’s situation was completely different to
last night’s, wherein her feeling seemed justified. Longbourne sat a mile or so off the beaten track in the midst of a dense thicket of trees. This home, called Avonlea according to the worn historic monument post, felt much closer to civilization. Yet the sense of cold panic had her insides gripped, steadfastly refusing relief.
It also bore notable cosmetic differences. Ava hadn’t had much chance to admire any of the antebellum homes for which Natchez was famous, but she definitely had felt a more regal presence the night before. Perhaps that was due to Longbourne’s odd architecture—it looked like something one might find in India rather than the Old South. Avonlea, as far as she could tell, held a much more traditional façade, or had before fire had raped away its dignity. It was a great, two-story piece of history, rotted with burnt wood and crumbled plaster. A lamppost entwined with strings of ivy guarded what had once been a grand circle drive, while scorched columns held up a slanted veranda. It was a solid silhouette, cold, unfeeling, abandoned, and the solitude moved her beyond reproach.
“What is it with you and old houses?” Dante asked, glancing over his shoulder. The road was barely visible through the weeds, but the headlights of oncoming traffic kept the path from complete darkness.
Ava shrugged, barely able to explain it herself. “It’s not that old. Just a couple hundred years or so.”
“Old by today’s standards.”
She snickered. “Anything prior to 1976 is considered old by today’s standards.”
Dante favored her with a quick grin. “I got it. You just like the ambiance.”
“I like the privacy,” Ava replied. “This is a small town, and if summoning an angel is
anything like summoning a demon, we’re gonna want to be as far from attracting attention as possible.

Onward to Natchez Under the Hill. I couldn't take many photos due to the flooding at the river.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the area called Under the Hill represented the very worst sort of place for a woman to show her head—at least the sort of woman with a reputation to protect. What now stood as a small strip of land along the river landing had once been a large sub-community that entertained thieves, knife fights and the world’s oldest profession. So sordid was the reputation of the Hill not even police would venture along its seedy path. Now in the era of tourism and family friendly entertainment, the Hill had been reduced to a string of restaurants, gift shops and a casino showboat. One walkway ended and another began just as quickly, leaving little room between establishments. It still wasn’t the safest place to venture after night fell, but Natchez had far darker corners.
It was here Dante had parked the mustard-colored Oldsmobile he’d lifted off a drug trafficker in New Orleans. He usually wasn’t one for petty larceny, but the second he’d learned Ava’s location, he’d abandoned everything for the need to rush to her side. And until the marvelously horribly-timed visit from her sisters, he’d forgotten he had a car on hand, at all.
He was fucking glad he had it now. Ava had descended into a state of desperate panic. Such to the point even now she managed to pull ahead of him in her small, anxious strides. They hurried along in silence, passing restaurants and laughing couples and people who had no idea Hell was literally upon them.

Finally, to the Ruins of Whytecliffe. These were taken a few years ago; due to the flooding, we weren't able to go out there on this trip. The drawing of the home was done by someone's memory, and stands in a display case beside the ruins to give tourists an idea of what the home once looked like.

Undoubtedly, the remains had once been grand, though age had worn them to nothing more than another tourist attraction. Yet unlike the antebellum homes in Natchez, the Ruins of Whytecliff stood at least thirty miles down Highway 60 and off two other country roads. It was the sort of thing one had to be looking for in order to find, though even in the dead of night with her human eyes, Ava saw.
Whytecliff had been palatial before falling to time. The pillars stood straggled between each other, marking where a house once stood. Large, gothic columns scarred by flame and aged with unkind winds and rain blocked off a small piece of grass.
It was large and beautiful, and it might be the last ground upon which she stood.
Yes, this certainly was the place to convene. Far enough from civilization to avoid attention while maintaining an ethereal, almost royal presence. Ava shivered as Dante helped her over the small fence marking the stopping point for tourists. The area hummed with energy almost to the point of suffocation, but she didn’t see anyone.
“Maybe the party ended early,” Dante murmured.
“Don’t think so.”
Ava turned around, her steps stumbling backward. Then her gaze scaled up the columns, and she saw them. Situated upon each pillar stood a member of her family—all of them—with Lucifer in the center.

I really hope someone enjoys looking at these. In the meantime, thanks for humoring me.