She worked hard for the money - Good Bye Miss Donna!

Donna Summer was part of my youth and she was an amazing singer. It was such a shock to hear she had passed away. RIP Donna. Thanks for all the wonderful music, we'll miss you!

Virtual Blog Tour - Leah Petersen's Fighting Gravity

Today, I want to welcome author Leah Petersen to my blog today. She's the author of Fighting Gravity, a m/m science fiction romance. Leah has agreed to answer some interview questions about her work and her knitting. Grin...


During her virtual blog tour, Lean will be giving away a prize pack containing these items hand knit by the author: a hat and a replica of the symbol of an important institution referenced in Fighting Gravity to TWO randomly drawn commenters during the tour.

1.      Which person in your life influenced you the most with your writing?

Honestly, it was probably all the authors of all the books I read as a child. I’ve learned tons along the way from fantastic people and great books, but what influenced me the most was when someone else put words to paper that could take my breath away or make me cry. I wanted to do that.

2.      What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a “pantser”?

I’m definitely a pantser, which I’m discovering is HARD when you’re on a deadline. But typically I know the character I want to write, know either the most tragic part or how I want the story to end, and I just start writing to see what unfolds from there.

  3. How did you come up with the idea for your latest book?

FIGHTING GRAVITY started as a dream about a young boy—a physics prodigy—taken from his family to a special school because the government decided they wanted the benefit of his talents for themselves. He was just starting out there when I woke up. But the feelings attached to the dream had been very strong: loss, loneliness, fear, rejection, and it was the lingering pull of those emotions that made me need to know what happened to him.

4. How did you handle the worldbuilding for Fighting Gravity?

Pretty much the same way I write a plot. I knew what I wanted the world to look like, so I just reverse-engineered from there, to see how it got to be the way it was. Since it’s set in a future Earth, there was the necessity to figure out how we got from where we are now, to a society that’s really almost the opposite of some of the things we place the most importance on now, like democracy, personal freedoms, self-determination, etc.

  5. What inspired you to write a male/male romance?

It wasn’t something I planned. Jake fell in love with the emperor. Oops. Now what do I do? This goes back to that pantser thing. I’m not sorry it happened, though. It turned out to be the best part of the book.

  6. What’s coming up next for you in your writing?

I’m working on the sequel to Fighting Gravity, currently titled Impact Velocity.

  7. What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Sci-fi and fantasy. Lately I’ve developed a taste for m/m literature (research for Fighting Gravity, naturally.) But I almost always read sci-fi and fantasy, always have.

  8. What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

M/m romance? Or maybe gaming? I try not to feel guilty about anything I enjoy. ;)

  9. What is your favorite quote and why?

I collect quotes so I have way too many to have one favorite. But one of the latest in my collection is:

What's the point of havin' a rapier wit if I can't use it to stab people?

-Jeph Jacques

I don’t think that requires any explanation.

 10. Why do you enjoy knitting and have you come up with story ideas while you knit?

I enjoy knitting because it’s peaceful (most of the time) to do with my hands and something useful comes out of it in the end. I don’t get many writing ideas while knitting. Unfortunately it seems to take up just enough of my concentration that I’m not free to let my mind wander the way I need to be really creative.

I knit a lot while reading and watching TV, though.

  11. Which knitting project have you done that is your favorite and why?

I think my favorite so far has been the fingerless gloves. I made them for myself but they’re very time consuming and take a lot of focused attention (not a book reading or TV watching project) so I only make them for very special people as gifts.

*** 

Fighting Gravity

BLURB:

 

When Jacob Dawes is Selected for the Imperial Intellectual Complex as a child, he’s catapulted from the poverty-stricken slums of his birth into a world where his status as an unclass is something no one can forget, or forgive. His growing scientific renown draws the attention of the emperor, a young man Jacob’s own age, and they find themselves drawn to each other in an unlikely, and ill-advised relationship. Jacob may have won the emperor’s heart, but it’s no protection when he’s accused of treason. And fighting his own execution would mean betraying the man he loves.

EXCERPT:

“Happy birthday, by the way,” I said one evening almost a week later as the emperor accompanied me from the dining hall to the lab.

“Thank you,” he replied. “To you as well.”

“How did you know it was my birthday?”

“Oh, there’s not much I don’t know if I choose to,” he said with a smile.

“OK, I should have known that. I suppose I mean, why do you know?”

“In my position, I’ve found curiosity to be an asset. I don’t believe there is such a thing as knowing too much.”

That wasn’t a comfortable thought. How much he could know. How much he knew.

“I’m older,” he added after a long silence. I raised my eyebrows. “Only about six hours, but it counts.”

I had to laugh. “You’re one of the most powerful men in the galaxy and it matters to you whether or not you’re older than me?”

He shrugged. “Wouldn’t it matter to you?”

“That’s not the same thing. There’s a huge power differential between us. At least age would be something I’d have over you.”

“I get the feeling that power doesn’t mean that much to you.”

“Unless you mean as a function of energy.” I grinned at him. “No. I have no need for it. It would get in the way of my work.”

“What did you do for your birthday?” he said after a pause.

“Radiation measurements.”

He laughed. “No party?”

“With whom?”

“Haven’t you made any friends aboard ship? I know it’s only been three weeks, but you don’t seem to be the kind of person who would have trouble making friends.”

“Maybe you don’t know me very well. In my experience, there aren’t many people who are interested in being friends with me.”

“Maybe it’s they who don’t know you very well.”

I frowned, puzzled. When I looked at him again he was watching me. “And what have you concluded?” he asked.

“About what?”

“You look like you’re trying to decide something. My guess is you’re trying to figure me out.”

I thought about that before I replied. “You’re confusing,” I conceded.

He grinned. Reaching into his pocket, he produced something and handed it to me. “Here. Happy birthday.”

He’d given me a small box. I looked at him, surprised, but when he said nothing further I opened it. Inside was a pair of platinum cuff links with a raised imperial crest on them. “I thought they might be less objectionable than a ring.”

I frowned. “I didn’t get you anything.”

“I assure you, I don’t need anything.”

“Neither do I. That’s not the point.”

He shrugged. “It’s the thought that counts. We’ll just say you gave me something.”

“I’m sure you can say whatever you want, but I never thought of giving you anything.”

He stared at me in shock and then started laughing so hard he had to stop walking. We stood in the middle of the hallway and I watched both directions as I waited for him to get control of himself. If someone came along and saw him like this, it wouldn’t go well for me. When he caught his breath he said, “You never thought of giving me anything.” He repeated it as if it was the punch line to a good joke. “Not even just now, when I gave you something?”

“No,” I said. “I can’t imagine what I would get you.”

“Well, whether you realize it or not, you’ve been giving me a gift for the last ten minutes,” he said.

I grimaced. “You’re not going to say something weird like ‘the gift of your company,’ are you?”

He doubled over with laughter again. “No,” he answered when he’d composed himself. “No, I was going to say that we’ve been talking for more than ten minutes and you haven’t called me ‘Excellence’ once.”

I startled. “I’m sorry.” It occurred to me that I should have said “Excellence” just then.

He was grinning. “Don’t be. Isn’t that what I just said? No one’s ever done that to me before. It’s very disrespectful. I like it.

***

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Leah Petersen lives in North Carolina. She does the day-job, wife, and mother thing, much like everyone else. She prides herself on being able to hold a book with her feet so she can knit while reading. She’s still working on knitting while writing.

FIGHTING GRAVITY is her first novel.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeahPetersen

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LeahPetersenAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/leahpetersen

Google+: http://profiles.google.com/leahpetersen

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lpetersenauthor/

Leah Petersen is my guest tomorrow!

I'm really excited everyone. Leah Petersen will be joining me here at my blog on Friday, May 4. Stop by to read her interview and learn more about her new release, Fighting Gravity!

Virtual Blog Tour - Lori Toland's The Long Con

Greetings all!   Today I want to welcome Lori Toland to my blog. She agreed to respond to some interview questions for me so we can all get to know her better and yes, prizes can be involved. Grin...

*Lori will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter and to the host with the most comments (excluding the host's and the author's).*

Remember to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/03/virtual-book-tour-long-con-by-lori.html

1. Which person in your life influenced you the most with your writing?

My mom. She told me I could do anything I wanted and she always believed in me. I really wish she was around to see me getting published. She would probably be more well-known than me! J When she was alive, she was loved very much.

 2. What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a “pantser”?

I’m officially a plotser. I love plotting and having this huge, grand idea that is all plotted out, but I also know when to let the characters take the reins.

3. Is one of your books your personal favorite?

I have to say “The Long Con” is my favorite so far. The chemistry is wildly sexy. It was a fun book to write and when editing it, I really enjoyed reading it. I would get lost in reading the story.

4. What inspired you to write male/male romances?

Two men together is pretty hot but I just tell the story however the characters decide. It’s not really up to me and, boy, if I suggest something that the characters aren’t going for… Haha! It just won’t happen. I’ll run into a brick wall.

5. How did you come up with the idea for your latest book?

Well, my husband told me about an agency in the UK tasked with protecting the borders from organized crime called the Serious Organised Crime Agency. He more mentioned the agency’s logo, which is a seal that looks like it’s from the Thundercats cartoon. LOL. And a story was born when Agent Bradley showed up.

6. What’s coming up next for you in your writing?

Well for writing, I have several projects. I’m working on another story in the SOCA universe with a new pairing. We’ll see where that goes :D but more BDSM for sure. And of course, I have my next story with Dreamspinner Press coming out for the June Daily Dose about a time traveling scientist. The story is called “Worth The Wait” and I hope you enjoy it.

7. How did you do research for The Long Con?

There was a lot of research to do on this book, including the Mafia, and the Fabergé egg. It seemed like all I did was search online for different websites. I also had to research the hierarchy of England’s police force and find out if SOCA really would be involved in an theft of a piece of art. It was a lot of fun though!

8. What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Anything I can get my hands on, as long as there is a great romance.

9. What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

Pinkberry! I love my frozen yogurt! :-)  Okay, that’s not a guilty pleasure really because frozen yogurt is good for you at least.

10. What is your favorite quote and why?

I don’t think I have one. I use movie quotes in person. :-)

11. What's your favorite curse word and why?

Twat. My husband has this certain way of saying it that makes me laugh. He’s British and with that accent, he sounds very sexy when he says it. ;)

* * * * *

BLURB:

British Agent Nathaniel Bradley is tasked with bringing home a stolen heirloom. After tracking the Faberge egg all the way to a group of criminals in New York, Bradley infiltrates a ring of con artists and gets sucked into the role of a high priced prostitute.

While hoping for a chance to take back what is rightfully his, Bradley’s sole mission becomes to seduce Tony Terranova, Jr, the heir to a notorious mafia dynasty. Though Tony is strikingly handsome, the usually dominant Bradley is hesitant to submit to the sexual whims of a dangerous Mafioso.

What Bradley doesn't expect is for Tony to fall to his knees so eagerly for him, leaving him blindsided by how intensely their dark tastes complement each other. Now Bradley is caught up in a deadly game of lies and desire, where what he truly wants may not be what duty requires.

Excerpt:

I walked through the crowd and traded my glass of champagne just as I saw my target. He knew how to dress to stand out, and it wasn’t just the color of his jacket. His thick build was obvious and accentuated by the cut of his jacket. His muscles rippled beneath the expensive material as he lifted a glass of champagne to his mouth. I swallowed my sigh.

He glanced my way, and I froze. Amanda had described him and shown me a few grainy reconnaissance photos, but nothing prepared me for facing him head-on. His dark hair and tanned skin contrasted with his pale blue eyes, and I felt like I had been punched in the stomach.

I held his gaze for a minute and then turned away, but his curious expression made my heart pound. I walked toward another display near the one he stood by, a portrait by a famous Russian artist. Terranova noticed me, but he wasn’t being obvious with his interest.

It was this perfect moment where everything seemed to be falling into place, and for one second I worried this was a setup. Always being on my guard kept me alive, especially during drug busts and dangerous missions. I brushed aside the fears and pushed on.

I looked over at him and shot him an enigmatic smile, one that begged him to come and find out what I was thinking. When I saw him walking in my direction, I mentally patted myself on the back and sipped my champagne as he got closer to me. His gaze never left mine.

I could see why this man intimidated people. His eye contact alone would make almost anyone nervous, but not me. He had an aura about him, as if he were a caged animal kept hungry and was just waiting to pounce. Confidence poured from every ounce of his being. I didn’t look away as he came up to me. I couldn’t; he had seduced me.

* * * * *

Wow, sounds way hot! Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, Lori. Good luck with your new release!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

CEO by day, erotic romance writer by night, Lori Toland lives in Orlando where the summers are hot but the romance between her characters is even hotter. Writing since the tender age of 13, Lori somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her beloved cats and a husband who will forever be her hero.

Lori’s Website: http://www.loritoland.com

Lori’s Twitter: loritoland

Lori’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lori.toland

Buy Links:
http://www.loose-id.com/The-Long-Con.aspx

Other buy links will appear here as available:
http://loritoland.blogspot.com/2012/02/long-con-loose-id-4242012.html

Lori Toland is my blog guest tomorrow!

Stop by tomorrow to find out more about The Long Con and Lori Toland!

Spring Break Tour with contest!

Greetings everyone!  Today I want to welcome Kathy Kulig to my blog. Kathy Kulig is the award-winning author of sizzling paranormal, contemporary and erotic romances. Critics have described her writing as “very raw and hot”, “wonderfully unique” and “entertaining and captivating”. She’s won or placed in a number of writing contests including the PRISM Award, the EPIC Award, the Maggie, the Fire and Ice Contest, and others. Her interest in mythology, quantum physics and the supernatural, and also her extensive background in science provide inexhaustible material for new projects in the paranormal realms. Expect a hot, passionate read with lots of adventure.

Ménages:  Is More HOTTER?

Ménage à trois or threesomes are very popular in erotic romance. The idea of three people getting it on is hard to resist (ha) and a challenge to write. In erotic romance, probably the most common ménage is two men and one woman. Of course there are two female/one male ménages, all male and all female. And there are all kinds of emotional dynamics, different sexual orientation, etc. to explore in each, so to keep it brief, I’ll only be talking about two men/one woman in this post.

When it comes to sexual interaction, there are two basic types here too. M-F-M, means the two men have intercourse with the woman but the men don’t have sex with each other. A M-M-F ménage would mean the men do have sex with each other as well as with the woman. But that doesn’t mean in the heat of the moment the men in a M-F-M ménage don’t end up touching or brushing up against the other’s naughty bits. When everything is that close in a sexual encounter, accidental intimate touching will occur.

In some relationships, a couple has been dating a while, or are married and decide to bring in a third person in a sexual encounter either to live out a sexual fantasy, to spice up their love life or because one or the other is attracted to the third person. The third reason is especially common for couples involved in a swinging lifestyle. Or it might be a one-time curiosity fling. In a swinging lifestyle, a couple feels multiple sexual partners enhance their sexual journey as a couple and puts a little spice into their social life and marriage.

Another scenario I’ve seen in ménage stories is a more polyamorous relationship where there’s a sexual and emotional connection (real relationship) between all three. Not just sex.

If the three partners are married, it would be called polygamy.

So you might be thinking, what’s the difference between a polyamorous relationship and the swinging lifestyle? Both are “open relationships” looking for sex with multiple partners. The swinger couple has more recreational sex with friends, think, “friends with benefits”. A polyamorous relationship is a deeper emotional connection like boyfriends and girlfriends.


Besides erotic romance books, you’ll find ménages in classic or mainstream fiction and film too. Here are a few:

Books: 

Ernest Hemingway, The Garden of Eden (1986). An American expatriate couple who bring another woman into their marriage.

Jean Rhys, Quartet (1928). Rhys’ fictionalized affair with Ford Madox Ford.

Robert Heilein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. A 3-some family unit with a wife, a senior husband and a junior husband living on the moon.

Dylan Thomas, Under Milkwood. A man with two wives.

Laurell K. Hamilton and her Anita Blake series. Asher, Anita Blake and Jean-Claude.

Movies:  

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (1969) Butch, Sundance and Etta Place.

Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) a homosexual man, heterosexual woman and bisexual man.

Summer Lovers (1982) Vacationers in Greece. F-M-F

The Duchess (2008) w/Keira Knightly and Ralph Fienness. Ménage among the British royalty.

Ménages makes for entertaining a hot reads. Check out the Ellora’s Cave website http://www.jasminejade.com and scroll down on the left side for ménages. They have tons of great stories. In my current release, Spring Break, http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10007-spring-break.aspx my characters have a ménage in a sex (swing) club.

SPRING BREAK by Kathy Kulig

Release April 13

Exotika, contemporary

ISBN: 9781419939822

BLURB:

Spring break beyond your wildest fantasies? If Justin Watkins can stop keeping watch over his college students like Big Brother, he might convince the prim-and-proper Mariko Maguire to be his sex partner at the invitation-only adult club called TropiX.
 

Mariko is in Fort Lauderdale on business, trying to secure new clients for her PR firm. Abandoning prior commitments for one wickedly lustful evening—a one-night stand of kinky sex—was not on her agenda.

Carter Bosworth is looking for an evening of sex games during his layover in the tropical playground. He’s a regular at TropiX and always open for a new thrill. His plans are sidetracked, but it may be to his benefit after all when he meets the beautiful Mariko.

The potent heat developing between Justin and Mariko tempts her into shedding her inhibitions, and an exploration in eroticism develops beyond her imagination at the fetish club.

EXCERPT: http://www.jasminejade.com/productspecs/9781419939822.htm

What types of ménages do you like to read in books? Paranormal or contemporary? I also have a paranormal ménage in my book Dragon Witch. (a biologist/witch, a space pilot, a shapeshifting dragon) and they’re on another planet. J What are your thoughts about ménages?

CONTEST:  I’m giving away a FREE ebook from my backlist. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your email and a name will be selected tomorrow. Thanks so much for visiting and thank you Francesca for having me. Can’t wait to see you at Romanticon in October!!

Find Kathy at:

http://www.kathykulig.com

http://www.kathykulig.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/kathykulig

http://www.facebook.com/kathykulig

http://www.facebook.com/kathykuligauthor

Bend Over Cowboy- new release from Paris Brandon

Hey everyone,Today I'd like to welcome my critique partner, Paris Brandon to my blog. She has a great new release from Ellora's Cave titled, Bend Over Cowboy. One lucky commenter today will win their choice of one of the e-books from Paris' backlist. Let the commenting begin and good luck to all. I can vouch that all of Paris' books are awesome!

Short, Sweet and Sexy!

How can I possibly call a story that involves strap-on sex, sweet? 

Perhaps I view the world a little differently but I believe that hot sex in a relationship can be sweet and funny. I’m a big fan of the “What if?” question. I’ve always loved a story where two consenting adults were having fun while exploring the boundaries of pleasure. Which is how my newest Ellora’s Cave Quickie, BEND OVER, COWBOY made its way from my quirky little brain onto the page.

If you enjoy short stories with a healthy dose of romance, hot sex and mutual respect have a peek at the excerpt and leave me a comment and I’ll choose someone to receive a copy from my backlist:

Cross My Heart…a Night Owl Review 5 Star Top Pick
Head Over Heels/Book One/Red Stilettos…5 Stars, The Romance Studio
Assassin’s Kiss…4 Stars from Romantic Times
No Holds Barred…4 Stars, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Blurb:

The toss of a coin, a whispered request and some very interesting toys add up to an amorous weekend for an adventurous woman who isn’t afraid of asking for what she wants and a pleasure seeking cowboy that’s finally found a woman who can give as good as she gets!

An Excerpt From: BEND OVER, COWBOY

Copyright © PARIS BRANDON, 2012

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

“You plan on misbehavin’ anytime soon?” he asked, sounding hopeful as hell. His sexy grin made her want to drag him into the nearest dark corner and rub up against him like a cat but she’d just caught Livy’s confused what-the-hell-does-he-see-in-your-big-butt glare.

For someone as astute as the beautiful marketing executive usually was about business, she didn’t have a clue about personal relationships. Livy, with her lithe little cheerleader body and her surgically perfect profile was a trophy hunter and she couldn’t seem to wrap her mind around the fact that Tall didn’t have any interest in being part of her collection.

Bless her heart.

Kitty had had about all this party she could politely stand and she could tell Tall was getting itchy when he reached into his pants pocket.

“I think it’s time for our annual coin toss,” he suggested, pulling out what she knew to be the same quarter he’d used the first time they’d cut and run from Marcy’s annual to-do.

She knew because he kept it on the dresser in his bedroom. “Toss away, cowboy. I call heads,” she said sweetly and watched him flip the coin into the air, catch it and slap it down on the back of his hand.

His lips twitched after he lifted his palm and she knew she’d won again. “You are the luckiest woman alive.”

“Don’t I know it,” she bragged and couldn’t resist winking at him.

She’d been flirting with the idea of how this night was going to end since last summer’s Fourth of July impromptu photo shoot when she’d posed him naked except for his chaps and boots. And that raggedy-ass cowboy hat that was almost as battered as he was after surviving riding bulls and anything else he could get his hands on during his ten-year stint on the rodeo circuit.

She smiled and he looked wary, but as usual, very eager.

“Are you going to tell me what I’m in for or are you just going to smile all night and make me guess?”

She leaned in close and breathed in the sharp tang of his cologne that reminded her of crisp, dry leaves, earthy moss and sun-warmed leather. “I want to take you to bed and not let you out for days. I want to tie you up and watch your face while I take you every way you can imagine and some I hope you haven’t even thought about yet. And I want to strap on the prettiest pink cock you ever saw and fuck your ass until you beg for mercy.”

She watched him swallow hard and try to get his breathing under control while her heart was doing flip-flops. She was so wet she’d almost made herself come just from describing what she wanted to do to him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and she went into his embrace, enjoying the feel of his just-bordering-on-impolite-grasp and parted her lips for his kiss. His tongue swept inside like a conquering hero while his big hands cupped her ass so hard she knew they’d leave marks. So much for behaving in public.

His mouth telegraphed a desperate need that she tried to match but she’d wanted him under her for so long that she started to shake and finally stopped wondering how his mouth could be so hard and sweet at the same time.

“Always said I wanted a woman who could give as good as she gets,” he whispered after he finally broke the kiss. She almost creamed her panties when she felt the full-body shudder that racked him.

“So you’re up for it?”

“Yeah baby,” he whispered and placed her hand over the erection tenting his pants. He licked his lips and his gaze locked on to hers. “I’m up for it.”

 Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9942-bend-over-cowboy.aspx

Also available at :
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007RXA1SY

Happy Reading!
Paris Brandon
http://parisbrandon.com

Bend Over, Cowboy: 5 Stars & a Recommended Read from:
http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews.com/2012/04/kclus-review-bend-over-cowboy-by-paris.html#more