Lucky 7 Excerpt

I'm rising to the challenge of the lucky seven blog post excerpt after being tagged by Pamela Turner.

Rules are:

1. Go to page 77 in current manuscript.
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy the next 7 lines, making no changes.
4. Tag 7 more authors via Facebook.

Here's mine from Flip Side of Sin, the third book in the Sinners and Saints series:

Any doubt this would be a quick and painless visit effectively died, though he supposed it was his own fault for having nourished that hope to begin with. Quick and painless were not words one associated with the former Hell Queen. It was one of many things leading to their split, though the word count on that particular list might never be determined.

Lilith had been beautiful once, and many would claim that beauty had only magnified with time. Yet where he’d once seen promise remained nothing but a hollow junkie. Someone who didn’t see people so much as stepping stones—someone whose mere existence had once filled him with hope, only to leave him with a shattered image of humanity centuries had not yet pieced back together.

Yes, his lovely ex-wife.

Anyone ready for Sin?

Sinfully Scandalous is NOW AVAILABLE at Liquid Silver Books, Amazon, ARe, and (I'm sure) elsewhere. As I've said on Facebook and Twitter and probably anywhere I'm allowed to speak -- I am nervous about this one. Lost Wages of Sin was mostly well-received, though I know from a few comments on Goodreads the theological relationship (particularly between Lucifer and Big J) touched a few buttons. This one goes even farther -- though not because I aim to offend, rather because that's how the characters told me to write it.

Having said that, I am proud of the book and hope some of the fans of the first will be willing to give the second installment a try. There's a lot of snark, a lot more interaction with Lucifer, an introduction to the other Sin siblings, and a visit from Dante and Ava.

In related news, I received and signed a contract for a new erotic paranormal romantic comedy titled A Friend In Need, which is set within the Sinners and Saints universe but not dependent on any ongoing storyline. Really, this is my way to see how I can play with that universe (since I am in love with it as a writer) after I have exhausted the main plot. My NaNo project was just such an experiment, and it worked for everyone who's read it thus far. So sometime in 2012, interested readers will have a chance to evaluate/judge my success or failure in that regard. Here's the tentative blurb:

As far as birthdays go, university librarian Clarice St. Clair hasn’t had a string of successful celebrations, and her twenty-fifth doesn’t look to be any different. It’s not enough that the sexy subject of her schoolgirl crush walked in on her with her pantyhose around her ankles, but now her mother has dropped possibly the largest bomb in the history of large metaphoric bombs.

Happy birthday. You’re about the become a succubus.

Professor Weston Ryans has known Clarice since her days as one of his students. Though now they are nothing more than friendly colleagues, he clearly recalls her enthusiasm, her wit, and the litany of sinful things he wanted to do with her after hours. After catching her with her nylons around her ankles, he decides to smooth things over, but ends up hearing his favorite former student is the bargaining piece in a demon contract. And Weston knows something about demon contracts—he lost his father to one.

Suddenly everything is thrown into question. Clarice is about to change, but she doesn’t believe it. Weston is determined to help, but he doesn’t know how, and the clock is ticking. Yet when the transformation starts, Clarice finds herself hungry for one thing…and Weston is happy to cater to her needs.

In the meantime, to celebrate the release of Sinfully Scandalous, Sinners and Saints #2, I'm at Kacey Hammell's blog, giving away Sinners and Saints #1, Lost Wages of Sin. Contest runs until Friday!

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!

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....

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.

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. :)

I am not dead yet; I can dance and I can sing. I am not dead yet; I can do the Highland Fling

Well, my doctor was very patient and understanding (especially when I told him I was spiking), but suffice to say, I am not dying. He did say I have reactive hypoglycemia, which essentially means on occasion if I haven't had enough fiber, I'll start getting shaky after eating. Nothing to write home about.

Aaron suggested I start making a list.

Times I thought I was dying: 15 (conservative number, truthfully. I didn't keep count when I was little)
Times I died: 0

Might be a good idea. Take that, Louise.

In other news, I have closed three of the four giveaways, and the winners have been notified. If you're still interested in winning Lost Wages of Sin, you have a chance! The giveaway at Scorching Book Reviews is still open.

I'm in the process of editing a manuscript (and it's one I really like, which is excellent), and I wrote a few hundred words on Know Thine Enemy yesterday. One of my CPs has read the bulk of what I have on Sinfully Scandalous (Sinners and Saints #2) and has said she thinks it's better than Wages, which makes me nervous and happy and then nervous. Yikes.

Also - I am taking 10 print copies of Lost Wages of Sin with me to the Lori Foster retreat here in a couple weeks. I'll be selling them for $8, which is a little less (now that I've done the math) than I had to pay to get them printed. Anyone who plans on going and would like a copy can email me or leave a comment here, and I'll be sure to put one aside.

Think that's it for the moment. Oh, except Lost Wages of Sin is finally available on Kindle! Did I already mention that? Oh, bother, I'm doing it again.