WORLD BUILDING

What's world building? Constructing an alien lab on Mars? Maybe a wolf's den where shapeshifters thrive?  How about 1878 Texas?

     Too dumb to understand the impossible task (thank God!),  I researched 1880's Texas fashions, customs and word usage. Then I found a site offering accurate 19th century maps, bought one, and chose a spot for my mythical town of Eclipse, Texas.

     When I wrote my first historical novel, I had no idea how difficult it would be to capturie the essence of an earlier time.

Intimate Strangers, my first novel, emerged from that process. Since then, I've written Wolf's Tender, Breed True, The Journal Of Lucy Quince, Five Card Stud, and Sweeter than Honey-- all set in Eclipse, Texas starring the people who live there. 

Intimate Strangers Blurb: Lucy Quince returns to Eclipse, Texas, a scarred woman with no memory of the family she left behind. Her quest to find her past, leads her to a hard-faced husband accused of her murder and children who think she ran off and left them.

Ambrose Quince is no fool. Second chances are rare in life. He vows to find the men who kidnapped and brutalized his wife. But first he has to regain Lucy's trust. She's the only woman he'll ever love...if he's a stranger to her, than by damn, he'll be an intimate stranger.

Excerpt Snippet:His chest brushed her shoulder and Ambrose leaned over her closer than necessary. Head even with hers, resting one hand on her back, he retrieved the slice of cake and inhaled deeply. “My God, I’ve missed that smell.” 

Rattled at his proximity, Lucy demanded defensively, “What smell?”

Ambrose paused, bending closer to her neck to breathe deeply. “…Salt …Sugar…Cinnamon…" 

“I thought you said I didn’t cook before. Did you hang your nose over the shoulder of somebody else who quit?” 

He stopped to consider, almost brushing his lips against her neck before he continued. “No other cooks, no other women. I guess I must be remembering you … the scent of Lucy Quince. That’s what I've missed-- the smell of my woman.”

What the Reviewers Said: 

                           Carol @ Love Western Romances ~ Rating: 5 Spurs    
" compelling three-dimensional characters, an absorbing plot, intriguing suspense, a sizzling hot romance, and an insightful exploration of the building blocks of marriage. Definitely a keeper to be read  again and again."
Read Full Review

 2010 EPIC AWARD COMMITTEE Rating:

BEST WESTERN ROMANCE and BEST EROTIC WESTERN 2009
Buy Ebook  . Buy Print  .  Buy Kindle 

To find more of my Eclipse western erotic romances, visit me
 @ Gem's Place. 

13 Things Guys Find Sexy:

1. Wear a sundress… without a bra!

2. Use inappropriate vocabulary words in sexy situations.

3. Bake him something. And then feed it to him.

4. Text him exactly what you’re going to do him later.

5. Text him exactly what you want him to do to you later.

6. Take your clothes off without apology.

7. Order an ice cream cone – for two.

8. Forget to wear underwear. Then find a fun way for him to discover it.

9. Encourage him to go out with the guys and have a good time – then mention what you’ll be wearing when he gets back.

10. Become a rabid fan of his favorite sports team.

11. Buy him a drink.

12. Brush your lips across his neck.

13. Read him an erotic scene from a romance book. (You can read to him from any of the following books! *wink wink*)

Surfing the Galactic Internet



Model: Wulf Gabriel

 I spend a lot of time online, catching up with friends, contacting my editor, critique buddies, checking out blogs, and general networking. I also like to shop when I get the chance. That's why I created Imperinet.

Just like us, I figured that people in the Tarthian Empire, a futuristic society across the galaxy, would have an Internet as well. Since everything in an empire is imperial, I decided to call it Imperinet.

In my books, the characters use Imperinet to shop, watch entertainment, sports, concerts, and so on. Although the mock up on my website isn't nearly as functional (or holographic) as the "real" one, it's still fun. In fact, clicking on some of the ads will take you the "company" website. There are also art galleries with art by various Tarthian artists. The fact that these also happen to be cover artists of my books is a mere *cough* coincidence.

For example, in the empire, you pay for things with a deb. Not a type of money, deb refers to a debit device, worn as a bracelet (like a watch), a pin, a necklace, or other jewelry. It's also a GPS unit. In the empire, your deb has a holographic screen that pops out, and you tap the name of the place where you want to go. It then signals you regarding direction, and will guide you to the right trains, hovercars, or transits. Alternatively, you can talk to it instead. This is handy for people from other worlds who aren't native speakers. Each company has its own keyword. The ad shown in the upper left is for Life on the Beach, a franchise that specializes in beach wear, equipment, travel to and from the beach, and all things related. Their ad says "Tap Beach on your deb." By the way, the model in this picture is Wulf Gabriel, who at the time it was taken, was one of the top ten supermodels in the empire. You can read about him in almost any of my books, as he's a recurring character.



click to open as a gif animation

 One of the places where characters hang out is Batchelors. It's owned by Trink and Yvan, two lovers who used to be pleasure slaves. When they gained their freedom, they used savings (and a private investment from Luc Saint-Cyr) to build a restaurant/club. Opening night, Wulf Gabriel dropped in, bringing a group of his model friends and several people from an advertising agency. He had attended on advice of his agent, who was putting Wulf in a potential hotspot and using it to gain him recognition. That worked great for Wulf, right up until his boyfriend at the time broke up with him, right at Batchelors. Trink and Yvan befriended Wulf, let him stay the night at their place, and a lifelong friendship was born. Little did they know that friendship would reunite Wulf and Luc Saint-Cyr, as well as bring Luc back into their lives. There are now four Batchelors locations around the city, all partially owned by Luc, aka the Harbinger.



We Tell You the Truth



One of the facts of living in an empire is that it's possible to piss off the wrong people -- namely Empress Destoiya, aka the Conqueror. The Droid News Network's slogan is "We tell you the truth" which is not always what the Conqueror wants to be heard. Therefore, most of the time when you drop in on DNN's website, you'll find the site sporting a rather unique "under construction" sign and a lament about being repaired due to damage from Imperinet "upgrade" searchbots. You can't win them all. Notice the helmets on the workers.



Mariah's Realm of Pleasure



And of course, there's the local Mariah's Realm of Pleasure. Prostitution is legal in the empire, and tightly regulated. Although there are cases when money in certain pockets goes the wrong way, if you get my drift. Especially in the Antonello Brothers books At the Mercy of Her Pleasure and For Women Only. However, Mariah's is an empire-class establishment. Click the ad to see it full size.

The purpose of my website is to blur the line of reality between the Tarthian Empire's reality and ours. Is it bad for me to admit that sometimes I can't really tell the difference either? Hmm. Maybe I better just keep that off the record. ;)

Check out the links in this blog for some of the fun spots on the "net".

Tempting Tuesday - Gimme Chocolate

Chocolate or sex? According to a recent poll 59% of the women polled chose sex over the 41% who chose chocolate. I say, "Gimme Chocolate!" Not that I'd prefer chocolate over sex, I just feel that when used correctly, chocolate can be used as foreplay.

From the time the first coca beans were harvested by the Mayans, there has been the belief that chocolate has a euphoric impact on the body's senses. The conquistadors saw the Emperor Montezuma of the Aztecs consuming a large quantity of cocoa in the form of a beverage before entering his harem. The invading Spaniards spread the Emperor's belief that cocoa was an aphrodisiac and brought it to Europe. This belief was also shared by one of history's most famous lovers, Giacomo Casanova.

More recently it has been shown that not only does chocolate increase the sexual appetite but also produces a sense of elation similar to an orgasm. It is in fact the rush of endorphins produced by eating chocolates, particularly dark chocolates, which is most similar to the bliss associated with a healthy sexual relationship. Chocolate also contains phenyl-ethylamine which is known to stimulate the release of dopamine into the pleasure centers commonly associated with an orgasm.


According to behavioral research studying the sexual behavior of women has come to the conclusion “Women who have a daily intake of chocolate showed higher levels of desire than women who did not have this habit. Chocolate can have a positive physiological impact on a woman’s sexuality.”

Some might argue, however, that women who like chocolate are simply more sensually attuned. What do you think?

Here's a book I highly recommend.

Mary Quast is the author of the sensual contemporary romance Soul Series.

The Evolution of the Writer

Sometimes, we write things that surprise us. Catch us off guard and make us do a ton of research because we don't have a clue what our characters have gotten us into. There's been a few instance where I've personally dealt with this and one is with my upcoming release, Hardware.

It deals with a "lighter" side of BDSM. Yes, that's possible. My hero comes from a painful childhood and his need for control to prevent himself from turning out like his father is what drives him to be in control when it comes to sex. Because of that past, he refuses to introduce any sort of pain or hitting with his sexual partners.

While doing my research for that book (turns out I have a friend who is a Master, runs his own dungeon -- yep, those "festish clubs" really do exist and another friend who is a submissive 24/7) I got fed a lot of information. Only some of it I used for this book.

My brain must have been filled with a great deal of information it wanted to process in some form (usually always writing for me) and I set out to work on my next vampire novel and ended up working on another book that deals with some of the concepts I barely scratched the surface of on Hardware. However, this one certainly won't be on the lighter side. One of my male lead characters (it's a menage romance-m/m/f) is a retired Master that used to train Doms/Dommes. There's just no way to do that light, in my eyes. LOL

Five years ago, I would have never dreamed that I would be working on something like this, let alone releasing something like Hardware. Just goes to show--never say never.

Here's the blurb for Hardware and an exclusive excerpt...enjoy!

*~*

Blurb

Women aren’t supposed to be geeks. They aren’t supposed to fix computer networks with expert ease either, but tell that to Allison—the resident computer guru in the small town of Gatlin Falls, Virginia.

Enthralled by watching her work so effortlessly, Patrick agrees to accompany Allison for a night at the movies so he can learn more about her. Even though he’s a perfect gentleman who prides himself on knowing exactly what a woman wants—and when she wants it—he can’t keep away from her.

One scorching kiss in a dark theater changes everything.

Allison quickly learns Patrick’s definition of hardware is vastly different than her own and she allows him guide her on a path where she discovers new heights of passion she’s never imagined before. Taken by the calm she feels when she is around him, she is pulled into a world where there is comfort in wearing a pair of cuffs and sanctuary in accepting a collar.

Warning: Contains a drop-dead gorgeous barista who knows how to give commands and a brilliant girl geek who’s ready to submit to them. Prepare for, custom-made toys that aren't meant for kids, leather in all the right places and a Popsicle that goes far beyond a tasty treat.

Excerpt:

“So when did you figure out this whole…thing?” Her fingers hit the edge of the water glass as she waved her hand with a flourish and scrambled to catch it before water spilled everywhere.

She righted the glass before shoving a hand through her hair in frustration. The thick fall of her hair tumbled around her shoulders as she pulled out the tie that held it back. His fingers itched to run through it. He could almost feel the texture against his palms as he cradled her head while she sucked him dry. His body shivered in anticipation and the nervous energy in his stomach melted away. It was replaced with lust.

If that was the only reaction she experienced after listening to what he asked of a lover in bed, then he was ahead of the game. A potential lover once spit in his face and called him various names he’d never heard before. Inventive names, but needless to say, that talk hadn’t gone well. Nervousness was definitely something he could handle from Allison and decided to soothe her worries. “It’s all right. You can call it what it is.”

“And that is?”

“BDSM.” Her face blanched and he offered a hand across the table. He squeezed in reassurance when she took his hand. “That’s an umbrella word, Allison. A catch-all. Your immediate thoughts are probably not even close to the reality.”

The waiter returned at that moment with their check and Patrick cursed him silently for his lousy timing. He signed the thin slip of paper with a flourish, then stood and took her hand again. She followed with a nod of reassurance. As soon as they were a block away from the restaurant, he swung around and backed her against the wall of bricks of the old building. He fit his fingers against her chin as he tilted her face up. Comforted by the clear resolve in her eyes, he softened his voice to ensure that she was reassured by what he had to say.

“I’m not going to beat you into submission. In fact, I won’t hit you in any way. I’m not particularly into the whole spanking for punishment or pleasure. Regardless, this isn’t about pain or humiliation. It’s also not about making you feel less about yourself or feeling worthless. I don’t discipline. You’re an adult and perfectly capable of making your own choices. The last thing I want to do is have you feel any amount of animosity toward me because I’ve done something you don’t like.”

“That’s very encouraging.” She chewed her lip again and he desperately wanted to kiss her worries away. He saw her blank look and read it as apprehension. She confirmed it a second later. “But if I don’t know what I do and don’t like?”

Her question sent a hot slash of emotion spiraling through him and before he gave into his desire to kiss her, she needed to know she wasn’t in this alone. “Then it’s a journey we shall take together, if you’ll have me.”

Sultry Sunday- Stockings

There is something alluring about stockings and garters. For this reason, in most of my stories, I tend to have my heroines dressed in them. So, what exactly is the attraction of gauzy sensual silks, in enticing colors and patterns, and the sexy garters that hold them in place? Well, in my opinion, they have three qualities that I find sultry and sensual.

First:

Stockings show the line of the leg, highlighting its length and curves, while drawing the eye upward where they disappear behind the hem of a skirt. Tantalizing and teasing, the stockings tempt one to want to reach out and touch, following them to the secrets beyond.

Next:

Stockings with garters are especially flirty and feminine. A little shift of the hips, and sway of the skirt, allows for a peek at tiny bows or clingy lace, encircling the upper thigh. The observer will follow the ankle to the knee, and higher still, past every dip and peak, tempting him to imagine what waits for his discovery.

Finally:

The appeal of removing them, bit by sensual bit, and unveiling her naked skin is like unwrapping a silky present. I know I love it when a hero rips them off, too.

So, in what sexy attire do you tend to dress your heroines? Do you prefer corsets or lacy bras? Pencil skirts and tight button-up shirts? High heels that bring her forward and add to the sexy appearance?

Please share.
Christa

SINful Saturday ~ Just Another ParaNormal Halloween

Yes, the anthology featuring my short story, THE TIGER’S MASQUERADE, has now arrived ~ just in time for your sinning and spook-tacular reading pleasures.

Give the blurbs a glimpse ~ Vampire, Werewolf, a Pixie, the land of the Dead, and my Tiger Shapeshifter... this lineup of stories might just put you in the Halloween mood like never before. Certainly, the veils have not only thinned, but have parted forever in these tales with tails.

JUST ANOTHER PARANORMAL HALLOWEEN ~ Anthology

Featuring:

A Pixie Holiday by Brigit Aine

On Halloween Kira is able to go out with no glamour on and allow others to see her true self, a pixie. As she is trying to avoid the man her father sent years ago to try and marry her, she runs into someone else, someone who makes her feel safe and protected. Although she isn't even aware that she needs protecting, yet.

Lance knows he needs to get Kira to like him, after all they are going to be married, but he has to keep her safe and get her to the conclave before any of that can happen. And it seems as if those who do not want to see an alliance between the Pixies and the Wolves would do whatever it takes to make sure his plans are foiled.
~~~
Darkest Knight by Ashley Blade

Julie asked herself the same question many times, especially after reading one of her favorite paranormal stories.

Now what seemed like a fantasy world captured in descriptive words becomes her reality and she has to figure out if it was all it was cracked up to be.
~~~
The Man in the Long Black Coat by Susan Gabriel

Mariah Bishop, the preacher's daughter, lives in a town where religion and superstition are so deeply entwined there's no telling where one ends and the other begins. But her father, the good Eldon Bishop fears there is something more than religious rapture stirring in the young Mariah.

When the mysterious man in the long black coat blows into town and holds an old-time revival on All Hallow's Eve, Mariah and the colorful characters who surround her are set on a course with consequences they couldn't possibly foresee.
~~~
Samhain's Visitor by Kiki Howell

When an uninvited visitor shows up during Sarah’s Samhain ritual, her Mute Supper is literally disrupted by cups and plates being tossed about. Soon, the shadow weighing on her and the voices with cryptic messages incite terror.

But help comes in various forms. And, one is sexy and full of surprises.
~~~
The Tiger's Masquerade by Savanna Kougar

Stacy wasn’t looking for a tiger-man to erotically and exotically fill her tank , then steal her heart. That is, until the Halloween ‘Call of the Wild Masquerade’ ball. But, what kind of tiger does she have by the tail?

Zyrru wasn’t looking for a human woman to un-tame his fiercest passions, and alter his royal life forever. After all, he’s only vacationing on Earth, and is almost engaged to The Princess. But her rosefire scent is irresistible.
~~~
A-Mazing Grace by D. McEntire

Halloween never meant anything special to Grace. That is until taking up an offer by her best friend for a night time trip through a local corn maze leaves her changing her tune—and her life. Coming face-to-face with a man sporting glowing red eyes and fangs, then rescued by a man who seemed just as unreal as the first makes for one hell-of-a wild night only she seems to remember.

Connell has hunted alongside his brothers for centuries, following a code to protect the secret of their race—vampires—by removing rogue vampires who refuse to blend in among society. That secret is threatened when wiping the memory of a feisty human female he saves from a rogue doesn’t take completely.

But it isn’t her recollection of him that leads her deeper into his world. Arriving moments too late on the scene of her second attack by a rogue leaves him facing the choice of converting her or leaving her to die.
~~~
Love, Lies & Zombie Cries by K.A. M'Lady

Jayda Oslynn knows what death feels like. She knows the solitude in the darkness’ silence. The lonely spaces between life’s last breath and the realm of the undead.

Like the women in her family before her, she’s had a life-long affinity with those that wander in the land between. Some call it black magick or necromancy, but to the Oslynn family it’s always been known as death dealing. And, whether a blessing or a curse, Jayda’s always been able to feel their feelings – their love and suffering, their happiness and sorrows. The truth, when shared through her eyes, always has a way of being felt and seen.

This Halloween, Jayda finds that when dealing with the dead, some memories are better left buried, for the real truth never stays buried and hearts, once broken seldom seem to mend.
~~~
His Girl by Sapphire Phelan

My Girl was more than just a song for Evan McPhail and Aimee Saunders; it was the music of their love and passion for each other. For nothing could tear them apart, not even death.

Then Aimee vanished.

She returns to Evan thirty years later, no longer human. To the tempo of their passion, they prove that doesn't matter.
~~~

Available at MOJO CASTLE ~ mojocastle.com/ParaHalloween.html ~ and also at All Romance Ebooks ~ allromanceebooks.com/product-justanotherparanormalhalloween-469787-139.html ~ Soon to be IN PRINT.
~~~~~~

Happy Thinning of the Veils ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~~~~

Flirty Friday

What does it mean to flirt? I found a definition I liked. "Playful behavior intended to arouse sexual interest, or to talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions." That said, what does flirting look like?

Here are good examples or two.

First, a female version. She's definitely flirting, and I think her intentions might be pretty serious, too. Or playful. Likely both. :)

Sexy, flirty woman

Flirty guy (Jawk)

A male version of a flirty look. This guy is from one of my books, Jawk. Most definitely serious.

So, we've got the idea of what flirting looks like. So who do you want to flirt with? A guy with short hair, or do you prefer it long?




Short hair and a 'tude



Long haired beauty



      

Can't I have both? LOL

Athletic type, or relaxed?


Athletic





Lazing in the sun



Well dressed man? Or one who knows how to take it off? (guess which I like. ^_^ Yep, both!)



Man in a tux



Man who takes it off!



The best type? I'll go with the ones who are flirting back!

Thirsday 13 - Find Time For Sex

In a recent weekly poll, statistics showed that most people believed a typical couple should have sex three times a week if not every day. How does this compare to you and your significant other?

If you feel you'd like to improve the amount of sensual time you spend with your partner here are a few ideas to help you!

1. Make it a point to go to bed at least an hour to a half-hour before you normally do.

2. If you're a morning person, try getting up an hour to half-hour earlier.

3. On days you have an hour or so lunch or mid-day break, meet each other at home or at a hotel for a fun quickie!

4. When you or your partner comes home, don't speak to them. Just grab their hand, drag them to the bedroom (or stay where you are) and make love.

5. Take your showers together.

6. Order out for dinner and make love before your food arrives.

7. While your children are taking a nap or engrossed watching a movie, steal your partner away and make love.

8. Hire a housekeeper to free up "needless" time.

9. Take a "sick" day from work and spend the day recovering together! (My personal fav!)

10. Clean the house together while sipping wine, and then relax.

11. Go for a drive and park. Just be careful not to get caught.

12. Send your kids off to a sports event with an older child, friend or relative. That will give you at least 2-3 hours alone.

13. Whenever you're alone together... make love!

Humpday Help - Chix Soup for the Body

Folks are twittering, it's all over Facebook, it's all over town and I've got it. Stuffed nose and sore throat. Ugh! Not fun with deadlines looming. I remember a time when Grandma would move in with her homemade chicken soup and cure the entire household from the common cold. Ironically, studies show that Gram was right. Chicken soup really can help you get over a cold!

Those miserable symptoms of the cold usually include coughing, sneezing, and a stuffy nose. Actual university studies have proven ingredients in chicken soup have anti-inflammatory properties that inhibit certain white blood cells from traveling into airways that contribute to the inflammation that causes cold symptoms.

Chicken soup contains compounds that also help inhibit mucus production. In addition to the soup's anti-inflammatory effects, the heat and steam may help open nasal passages especially if you add some garlic or cayenne pepper! Always drink the broth, researchers determined most of the help comes from the liquid.


Here's Grandma's recipe:
3-4 lb stewing chicken
1 onion
2 -3 qts water
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt, dash pepper
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrots
2 cups noodles or 1/4 cup rice
Heat to boiling then simmer until meat is tender. Gram would simmer hers all day.
She also said you could always add lemon juice to "help cut a thick throat" or garlic for a stuffed up nose.

Grandam always thought ahead and would prepare batches of stock soup so she'd be ready at a moment's notice to aid her ailing family. In today's world, preparing ahead may also help the working mom.

Basic Chicken Stock
4-4 1/2 lbs chicken
2 large onions
3 carrots, leave skin on
1 leek, chopped
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
season with: parsley, thyme, marjoram or tarragon, bay leaf

Put chix and veggies in bottom of a large pot, cover w/ about 2" of water. Bring to boil over med heat. A foam will begin to appear on the surface; skim off the foam w/ a slotted spoon. When stock reaches boiling point, reduce heat to low, add seasonings,simmer uncovered for 4-5 hours. If liquids falls below the solids, top w/ cold water. At the end of simmering, gently ladle the stock through a stainer into a large or several containers (canning jars work best). Store in fridge or freezer.

If you wish to keep more than just the stock; simmer for only 2-3 hours the remove meat from bones, place with veggies and stock back into pot and simmer for another 2 hours. Gently ladle into jars.

These "jars of health" make great get-well gifts too!

So be sure to eat your chicken soup, drink plenty of fluids, and get lots of rest when you feel the symptoms of a cold coming on.
Yep... that's the key... chicken soup and a good nap...

Reader Gold – Series/Serials

Sorry I am so late with my post.

I’ve been reading a lot lately and I love series/serials so I have been rereading my favs. I’ve written on my own blog about my love of series and serials. What they are and how I feel about them. Almost monthly there are so many books coming that are part of a series/serial.

First here are my definitions of them both:

Series ~ Taige Crenshaw Definition:
Novels that has a related story theme but each one is complete in and of itself.

Serial ~ Taige Crenshaw Definition:
Novels that feature/follows the same main character/s yet are still a fresh story each time.

No matter which way you slice it I find whether it is a serial or series I enjoy writing stories like this. It gives me room to stretch my mind, push my characters to give me more and wallow in there adventure even more. Although I enjoy these stories I don’t usually start writing with the intention of it being a series/serial sometimes it just happens to evolve that way.

I write what I love to read and I’m one of those readers that wondered what is next for such and such main character. Or what happened to this sub – character that I liked in this or that novel. I go hunting to find more and when I find it I feel like I’ve struck READER’S GOLD. I jump up and down and shout in glee. LOL.

I’ve been known to search for years to get that book to complete a series/serial I was reading. Hey I’m a dedicated reader and I want the complete set of my series/serial.

For instance I remember many years ago I picked up an author that I hadn’t tried before. The novel was great and imagine my glee that I struck reader gold and it was a series. I went back and bought all of their novels except one which was sold out. I searched and searched for years for this one book and couldn’t find a copy. Not even a used one. I even contacted the author to find out if the story was going to be re-printed. To my dismay it wasn’t at that time. Amazon even had over 200 people waiting for a copy of this book when I checked. I stopped checking the numbers after I saw the amount of people. No one was selling. A few years after looking I finally struck reader gold in 2005 when the book was reprinted and I was able to finish my collection. I know me and over 199 other people very happy.

Can you imagine so many readers looking for an author. Searching for that Reader’s Gold. That is what I want my novels to be to my current and future readers ~ Reader’s Gold. No I don’t want you the reader to wait a long time for my books but I want you to be so drawn into the worlds that I create you can’t wait to see what happens next.

This is what Reader’s Gold is all about. As my thoughts of Reader’s Gold evolved I thought of all the author’s who have some wonderful series/serials that I feel are Reader’s Gold. They line my bookshelf’s (online and print) and I go looking for them when they are released.

I’m sure most of you have a little Reader’s Gold on your bookshelf so come on and share. Give me some new Reader’s Gold to find.

****

Taige Crenshaw is a multi-published author with books available at Ellora's Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Loose Id, and Total-E-Bound. Taige has been enthralled with the written word from time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. With novels set in today, in alternate dimensions, or in the future she writes with adventure, fun sassy heroine’s, and sexy hero’s. Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun, frolic, interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels. You can find out more about Taige at her website: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/ or blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog.

Wilde Seduction - What happens when a woman who doesn’t know how to relax meets a man whose lust for life will change her and make all her deepest desires come to life?

Buy here at Total-E-Bound.

A Staged Affair

Blurb: 

Anna Fuller is a Shakespearean actress touring Texas with a theater troupe, when rancher, King Colton spots her playing Lady Macbeth in the Sparrow Creek saloon. He promptly falls in love with the red-haired beauty.  Hank isn’t much of a romantic figure and doesn’t know what it will take to make Anna content. But over the next four years, he spends a fortune trying to do just that.

Anna only wants King’s love, but he’s so busy busting broncos, herding cattle, and fighting land-grabbers, he doesn’t see what Anna offers till it’s almost too late. In a stand-off between two hot-headed lovers, they discover that life without each other isn't really life at all.

Mini Excerpt: 

"Put me down you Jackass, I've come to get the rest of my things." Anna screeched as Hank tossed her through the air to land on her rear, bouncing in the middle of the fancy bed he'd ordered built just for them. "Very brave of you accosting an innocent woman, unprotected and all alone," she hissed.

"Show me an innocent woman and I'll apologize," Hank growled at the same time he sat on the edge of the bed, grabbed her and slung her over his knee. In two seconds, her skirts were around her waist.

"You have no right..." Anna got that far with her declaration.

"The hell you say," Hank Colton snorted. "I have every right. You're mine." 

Talia Ricci @ Joyfully Reviewed said...“Oh my but King was opinionated and ultimately male. I wanted to bonk him on the back of his head and admonish him to behave... I rolled my eyes and then sweated at the passion of these two strong characters.” Thumbs up!Read Full Review

Vixen Reviews ~ 5 Pearls 

"... anyone who loves a good, hot, story, check out  A Staged Affair. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the (ahem) show.” 

Read Full Review

Visit Gem's Place for updates on  Five Card Stud, The Bounty Hunters: Book Two--coming soon from Ellora's Cave. 

Sultry Sunday: Football, sexy?

It's a Sunday in autumn, so I have football on the mind.

Yes, football. American football, specifically (though there is something to be said for those South American yummies in their short shorts playing futbol in the hot hot sun). Ahem, well then, as I was saying: football. Now, don't you dare clickity: this post is erotica-related. I promise. Not only is football replete with all those delicious metaphors that stimulate the intellectual sixth sense (tight ends, touch downs, and huddling over balls, yeah?), it's also the entry drug to a whole bag of fantasy goodness.

Exhibit 1: The salty smell of smuggled-in hooch. Say you're lingering in the stands during the third quarter of a game that is, to all intents and purposes, over. Surrounding you are a dozen or so nubile uni boys. Half of them are shirtless. The other half are tanked. Not a girlfriend in sight. And then, filtering through the stench of popcorn and spilled soda, you catch it: the whiff of smuggled-in hooch. You turn to the dark-eyed stranger on your right, the one with the white letter T smeared all over his perfect pecs, and ask him for a sip. Deepen the conversation by asking exactly where and how he smuggled in his flask, and the game is suddenly much more interesting.

Exhibit 2: The under-blanket one-hander. Nothing says autumn like a cool night at the game with your hunny. Only, by the time you’ve nibbled the hot-dog-on-a-stick (not nearly as titillating as it sounds) and buffed your nails and hollered a little and texted your BFF, you’re getting bored. At the same time, Hunny is way into the game and has rebuffed all your attempts to distract him. That’s when you remember the stadium blanket. Of course! You draw it up snug over the both of you and take the chill off your ungloved hands in the warmest place you can think of. Once Hunny has forgotten the game entirely, you can gently remind him that the blanket is on your lap, too, and you always did enjoy a tie ballgame. Voila: you both have something to cheer about.

Exhibit 3: Sunday afternoon overtime. He’s watched two games already, and now it’s getting dark outside. You’ve been patient with him all day, even nodded sweetly when he invited Nick and Andre over to watch. And after being a good girl all day long, you’ve decided that’s a splendid idea. The watching, that is. You nip into Hunny’s closet and find his last-year’s lucky jersey, the slippy polyester one in extra large. You put it on. And take everything else off. You slink into the basement viewing cathedral with a beer in hand and smile on your face. Time the boys to see how long it takes each of them to notice that there’s a half-naked woman among them, lounging on the beanbag. If they mention it, remind them that they’re only here to watch. Unless you’re game, of course.

See? Football is very sexy. Now get out there and score.

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Viv is an erotica and erotic romance writer. She's cross-posted this bit to her personal blog. Her erotic goodies are available on Paper Bag Press.

SINful Saturday...Pray today for Andy!

Well I have dedicated a few posts to the Superhot series Spartacus, and I have some sad news you may or may not have heard.

Series star Andy Whitfield has cancer, non-hodgkins lymphoma. He has been battling it for a bit, and the filming of the second season was on hold as a result.

Unfortunately the signs are pointing to having Andy replaced as he continues his fight. It won't be the same without his special brand of sexiness, and vulnerability.

I am praying for Andy to heal up and don his toga again.

Let's celebrate his hunky self as we send out the good vibes to him today. As you grab your significant other, have a small fantasy of him in honor of him.

Let's hope he's back in fighting form soon!

Kisses Andy! Get well from Chloe

Flirty Friday- It's Snuggle Time

The season has officially, according to my calendar, changed. Gone are the hot days and humid nights. Here to stay are the sunny crisp days and chilly nights.

And what's better than to snuggle in closer to the one you love.


Imagine- curled up on the couch enjoying each other's company...




Taking a warm bath to fend off the colder weather...

















Before you know it, the seasons will change again...hopefully bringing a glorious time for all to celebrate.