It's Thursday

Today is Thursday. I am the pinch blogger. I blog in a pinch. You know when everybody is tied up and can't get here. I have been tied up -- You know

Just hanging around having fun.

This last week I've been tied in knots about my wip. Whenever I tried to get to the blog I was involved with something else. What could I do?

My hands were tied.
So I didn't stop by to see if my services was needed on Tuesday or Wednesday. But I am here today.

Now the problem becomes since this is an emergency blog, what do I blog about? Well, I discovered a thingy (you know that is a technical term - thingy) called Thirteen Thursdays. I didn't research it very much, and I really think its kind of silly. But here goes:

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday.

There. I've blogged. Thirteen Thursdays. Hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

(by the way, apologies to the real Thirteen Thursdays blog group. This is a joke. It is only a joke. If this had been a real blog it would have been written while wearing a tee-shirt that reads "I blog therefore I am". Instead I am wearing fuzzy footed pink pajamas with furry bunny ears. Again, this is a joke.)

What Made Me Want To Write

Hardly a day goes by that someone, womewhere - the INternet, the little town we live in, the library - doesn't ask me this question: How and why did you decide to become a writer?
I don’t think it’s actually a conscious decision I made. I have been a reader all my life, since I could string three words together. My mother and sister were both avid readers, and our house was always jammed with books. My sister was more addicted to mainstream, fiction, but my mother loves mysteries, especially if they had a little romance.
So I grew up reading books by Erle Stanley Gardner and Ellery Queen – God, am I dating myself. LOL! And any mystery writer I could get my hands on. My real hero is a woman named Elizabeth Linington who also wrote as Lesley Egan and Dell Shannon. She passed away at 67 but she wrote nearly a hundred books, police procedurals, all of them with personal stories interwoven and I was just addicted to her. I still have all of her books.
But the more I read, the more I had the desire to create something myself. To put pen to paper-or fingers to keyboard-and see if I could become a story teller, too.
Raising a family and working didn’t really leave me the time I want to write but I kept notebooks filled with ideas, clippings, photos that suggested ideas, all the things that I use today to craft plots. And when my husband and I retired and moved to Texas, I thought surely this was the time. Especially when my husband say, “Okay, quit fooling around. Put your butt in that chair and write.”
I was sure, based on my past reading, that I would write a mystery. I even had it all plotted out and a profile for each of my characters (many of them based on people I’d worked with who I thought deserved to be shot or hanged! LOL!
Well, my dears, talk about hitting a brick wall. I wrote three chapters. Then I rewrote them. Then I rewrote them again. By the time two months had passed I never wanted to see those (expletive deleted) chapters ever again in this life or the next. I was ready to through out both my computer and my fledgling writing career.
Then I read a book, and it’s amazing how one book can change your life. I read CRY NO MORE BY Linda Howard, and lordy, I was off to the races. I discovered that I craved r/s the way ducks crave water. I started looking for similar authors and pretty soon my budget was shot to hell with book buying.
But I finally realized where my heart lay. I sat down and wrote my first manuscript in two weeks. And let me tell you, it was AWFUL!!!! I, of course, thought I’d written a RITA award winner. What a blow to my ego when no on else thought so.
Although I’ve been very fortunate in my career in a short time, I have yet to sell that first effort. It is now going through its 34th rewrite-no joke-because I think I finally get it.
So if you’re stuck at a point in your writing, or wondering if the success fairy will ever visit you, take heart. She’s waiting right around the corner. Just be sure that what you’re right is from your heart because that’s what works the best.
I don’t think you’ll ever see MURDER AT MASS in print but maybe one of these days you’ll see TARGET, my first romantic suspense and the one that led me to write the others.
And by the way, thank you, Linda Howard.
Stay tuned!
And P.S. - I found a useed copy of the very first romace I ever read. I was in high school and the book is called Seventeenth Summer. Can't wait to read it again.

Appreciation

I've found myself enjoying the simple things this week. I'm just as guilty as anyone of rushing through my day trying to do way to much and over-looking what is most important to me. So this week I did my best to stop and enjoy the little things. I spent time with my girls just enjoying them. They won't be young forever and soon enough they will have better things to do than stay around mom asking endless questions and wondering what I am doing.
I've tried to talk more with friends and family. Often those that we love the most are the ones that we take for granted. Unfortunately they won't always be there. That is a simple fact of life. I love them and want to make sure that if something were to happen to me they didn't question that affection.
So take a moment, take a deep breath and open your eyes to life around you. Every day we grow a little older and things change. Don't let the should have, would have, could have, happen to you. Enjoy life right now. Shut off the computer and go outside with your spouse, your kids, your dog, or whoever makes you smile. Go for a drive with no destination in mind. Look at the sky, at the clouds. Go to the park. Most of all...Have fun! And know that at least for today you lived!

Lacey Thorn
It's your world...unlaced.

Bees in trouble

Not only bees, Anita is in deep doo doo for not blogging yesterday. To-day looks clear so I am jumping in to redeem myself. I'm blogging about bees and wasps and other winged creatures who pop in and out of blossoms and fertilize our plants, bushes and trees.

According to Steve Buchmann, adjunct associate professor of entomology at the Univerity of Arizona in Tuscson, we should begin to worry about what is happening to the bee population in North America. He was in Toronto recently to deliver a lecture titled "The Forgotten Pollinators." He has written a book called, "Letters from the Hive" and here's a little quote. "the world would be a desolate place without our pollinating friends, devoid of flowers, flowering plants and many of our favourite foods."

I had never heard of Dr. Buckmann until I read the article in The Globe and Mail, but his concerns resonated with me. Our garden has no bees. No wasps either. A couple of years ago one of our flowering plants used to be full of bees buzzing away like crazy. There are none now. In past years as soon as I stepped outside the door into the garden a wasp would find me. I am allergic to wasp stings so I retreated and sprayed bare arms and legs with a repellent.

How does your garden grow? Have you bees making the rounds. I'd post a picture of a bee but I don't have one.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com

Have a Great Weekend

Cowboys, Construction Workers and a Contest

Cindy is right - cowboys are sexy. But so construction workers. (!)

HARD FALL, my Ellora's Cave story that comes out next week, sort of has both. Liam, a construction worker, has lost a bet to Crusher (yes, the same Crusher from Ashlyn Chase's DEMOLISHING MR. PERFECT) so he has to dress up like a cowboy and go to his favorite sports bar to watch a Red Sox game. I loved writing the opening scene, I laughed at Liam in his floral pattern, pearl button shirt. I didn't feel too bad for entertaining myself at his expense because the evening definitely goes his way when Brooke, a girl looking one night of fun, walks into the bar.

To celebrate the release of HARD FALL, I'm having a contest. Here's the scoop:

To enter send me an email (isabelle@isabelledrake.com) with Enter Me - HARD FALL in the subject line.

Prizes include 1 ebook edition of HARD FALL and 5 cover magnets.

Contest ends on the release date, July 30 - winners announced here and on my blog, August 7.

Cowboy Time

Ah there's something about a cowboy. The dust? The long hard hours at work? Beer and tobacco? Puh-leese. We're talking about the fantasy here. Not the sexy smell of cow poop in the morning...




What is it about them that fires our imaginations and our...ummmm...urges? Let's see:

1. They HAVE to be in good shape. That doesn't suck. We like men with nice muscular bodies from long days of hard manual labor. Duh!

2. They have to be proactive and problem solvers. Animals, weather, and Mother Nature in general are volatile conditions, and the person who makes his living in that situation has to be able to think on his feet.

3. They spend a lot of time alone--probably aren't real talkative and needy.

4. Won't fight with you for closet space or steal your appointment at the salon, either.

5. They're used to taking care of living things, to understanding the natural wonder of life and connecting with others. In other words, anyone who's nice to his horse, probably isn't an ass to his woman.

I could go on, but face it...we're talking about an idealized fantasy world, and that's okay. So here's a little taste of my latest cowboy, out now at The Wild Rose Press:

All the Way Back
By Cindy Spencer Pape
A Wayback, Texas story
From The Wild Rose Press
Buy link

Blurb: Drew Lawson left Wayback for the army a long time ago. Now he’s back, a little older and a lot wiser, but the past still haunts him. Music teacher Annie Zykov had a crush on Drew when she was a kid, but what she feels for the man is something else entirely. With Annie’s help, can Drew come to grips with his past and learn to face the future? Is love what it takes to bring him All the Way Back?

Excerpt:
With one step he pressed her back into the closed front door of her apartment. Annie wrapped one leg around his when she felt his hand on the flesh of her bottom. Her soaked cotton bikini panties were no hindrance; his fingers slid right underneath. Then he flexed his hand, squeezing the globe of her cheek. His fingertips were so close to her aching core she wanted to cry.

“Inside, Drew.” She wasn’t talking about the apartment. She let one of her hands trail down to slide between their straining bodies and cup the bulge behind his fly. God, he was impressive. She couldn’t wait to have all that pushing into her, filling the empty space in her body and soul. Desperate, she fumbled with the buckle of his belt.

Drew responded with another groan, and his fingers slid down between her cheeks to the wet heat between her legs. He tore his mouth away from hers, leaving her gasping for breath as he trailed his lips down her throat. He didn’t have a hand free to push her shirt out of the way, so he simply took her breast, clothing and all, into the wet heat of his mouth.

Annie almost exploded then and there. She did let her head fall back against the door as she cried out his name.

A mournful howl split the night—from the door right behind Annie. She didn’t register it for a second as she was busy opening the button fly of Drew’s jeans.

The howl got louder. Drew pulled his head up and gave her a dazed look. “What the hell?”

Then she heard a door open on the side of the main house. “Anya? Are you all right?”

“Shit!” They both hissed the word at the same time, both drawing it out into the three-syllable sound only a true Texan can manage. Drew snorted a laugh and Annie giggled.

Another howl from behind the door.

“Anya!”

“I’m fine, Dad,” she called. “It’s just Bubba getting impatient while I say goodnight to Drew.” She saw Drew wince as he fumbled to fasten his jeans and belt. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“Lawson?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Zykov,” Drew called. “Annie dropped her keys and I was helping her look for them. She’s all set now.”

“Anton Zykov, get back in here and quit bothering your daughter.”

Oh, fabulous, now Mama was into it too.

“But—” her father protested.

“Now, Anton. Goodnight, Annie. Goodnight, Drew.”

“Goodnight, Mrs. Zykov,” Drew called, his voice shook with repressed laughter. “Mr. Z.”

The door slammed, but Annie knew her father would be watching for Drew’s car to leave. Bubba howled again. “Damn that dog.”

“Well, he’s a good bodyguard,” Drew said wryly, stepping back a foot or so. He brought one hand up and cupped her cheek, which was probably bright red, even in the dim glow of the porch light. “I didn’t mean for things to get this out of hand. I’m sorry.”

She mustered a smile. “Don’t be. I told you I was a big girl. You’re still welcome to come in, if you want to brave getting drooled on by my bodyguard.”

He shook his head. “No. You don’t want to get tangled up with me, Annie. I know my father may have tried to make it seem otherwise, but believe me. I’m nobody’s idea of a hero.”

The Mysterious Wolf

Thewolf is a mysterious creature who has apeared down through the ages in all kinds of fiction - romance, thriller, suspense, paranormal. There is something romantic about such a mysterious creature who hunts in packs, mates for life and has barely survived extension so many times. My friend Karen Whiddon first introduced me to the world of the wolf shapeshifter and I;'ve been hooked ever since. LINE OF SIGHT is my first venture to bring my wolves to life.

Shapeshifter Alexa Morgan fled her home in the north when her relationship with a human ended in disaster and the clan alpha shunned her. Now living in Florida, against all her better judgment she finds herself in a hot relationship with Jesse Farrell, the cop next door. Despite her knowledge that the relationship is doomed, she cannot stay away from him. When Jesse, a gang task force member, is hurt one night on the job, Alexa begins to spend her nights tracking him, keeping him in her line of sight, determined to protect him. But she’s terrified of his reaction when he discovers her true nature. Will he accept her or bolt as her other lover did, leaving her destroyed once more?

EXCERPT
The sound of the doorbell startled her. On tiptoe she peered through the peephole. She was stunned to see Jesse on her porch, dripping wet and shifting from one foot to the other.
She yanked the door open. “What’s wrong? It’s pouring rain. Why aren’t you inside?”
“Can I come in, please?”
“Oh, sure. Come on.” Yes, bring your fantastic body into my house.
“Sorry to bother you. I left my key on the counter this morning.” He raked his wet hair back from his forehead. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Jesse always carried his car keys separately.
“In case I’m ever attacked,” he explained, “I don’t want anyone having a key to my house. I can keep an extra one of yours too, if you want.”
Another link to him she should have avoided.
“I’ll get it,” she told him now, “but come into the kitchen. You look like a drowned rat and you must be freezing. At least get that wet shirt off and let me make you some coffee.”
“I’ll drip all over your place,” he protested.
“Tile floors are easy to mop.” She took his hand. “Come on. I’d feel terrible if you got pneumonia and I could have prevented it.”
In the kitchen, she flipped the switch on the coffeemaker while he took off his shirt. Then she handed him a large towel from the stack in the laundry room.
“You look exhausted. Bad night?” Her heart pinched at the weary sight of him.
Jesse scrubbed a hand over his face. “Every night’s bad with the gangs. We’ve got a couple of new ones out there ramping up their so-called initiation requirements. That makes it pretty tense on the streets.”
He was a member of the sheriff’s gang task force, a thankless and dangerous job. On the night streets, he was a shadowy figure in jeans and t-shirt looking to stop trouble before it started. Even in a county as small as Palmetto, gangs were a big problem, many of them migrating south from Tampa.
She’d taken to waiting up for him, reassuring herself that once again he was home safely. If only she could find a way to protect him. Well, there was one if she transformed. But she had no idea how he’d feel about a giant redwolf following him around the county.
She ran a critical eye over him, noting his soaked jeans and pulled out another towel. “You’d better take off the rest of those clothes and let me put everything in the dryer. Coffee should be ready in a minute.”
“I’m all right, Alexa. Honest. I just need to get some sleep.”
How about in my bed?

Buy it at http://www.ellorascave.com/
Visit my web site at http://www.desireeholt.com/

Breathing Her Air

Breathing Her Air by Lacey Thorn

Book 4 in the Island Guardians Series.

Drew and Sorran Xandova have finally returned to their island home only to find that the one they have vowed to protect has been murdered. And Alea, the woman promised them, has taken off in pursuit of those responsible. When fate brings them together, they vow to seduce her before pursuing justice for their prince. Alea is more than they hoped for, the perfect mate and companion for the Xandova warriors. And her seduction? The greatest pleasure they have ever known.
Alea is swept away by the two men destined to be her mates. Her fears are relieved as her body comes alive with carnal pleasures she never imagined. Two men with her complete satisfaction their only goal. Good thing they appear to be over achievers.


Excerpt:
Breathing Her Air
By Lacey Thorn


Vulcan gave a cry from the air above, jerking Alea out of her thoughts. It was harsh and full of warning and she quickly searched the area for what Vulcan sensed. There was nothing…and then there was way too much. A man stepped out of the trees mere feet in front of her, followed quickly by another one. They were both well over seven feet tall, huge even compared to her cousins who stood seven feet even. They had shoulder length brown hair streaked on the sides with a deep silver that seemed to catch in the sun, and she would have said that they were identical until they looked up and clashed gazes with her. One had a piercing gaze that hooked her and wouldn’t let her go. She had never seen such a pure silver before. Except on the beak and talons of her best friend, Vulcan.
As a slow smile took place on his lips another caw filled the air. Alea was poised to run when the unthinkable happened and the bird that called none friend but her landed on the arm of one of the warriors in front of her.
“You must be Alea,” the one with the piercing gaze said and slowly headed toward her. “We’ve come a long way to find you.”
And then it hit her. These were the Xandova brothers, her chosen mates. These two men would claim her and mate with her and she would belong to them. As fear took over Alea was paralyzed, unable to move or breathe. The last thing she heard was a harsh gasp as the black cloud obscuring her vision overtook her and her knees gave way. The ones she had hoped wouldn’t show were here. And they had come for her.


And this is only the beginning of the end...more to come in the final book of this exciting series.

Lacey Thorn
It's your world...unlaced.

Portrait of a Lady in a Blue Dress

The painting is by Konstantin Somov. I saw it in a magazine with other paintings for sale at Sotheby's in London. I was so taken with the painting I searched on the internet and downloaded it and there it is.

Something about the woman's face intrigued me so much I had to write a book with her as the heroine. I gave her a name. I have the opening scene. Are you intrigued enough to take part in a little contest? Anyone reading this blog may join in. Here is what you have to do. Ta da! Write a paragraph - no more than 250 words - a first scene hook. If you go over 250 words I won't disqualify you! You may need a few extra words to make the scene work.

Simple. I know the entires will be fabulous and difficult to judge so I will have a lucky draw and the winner will receive a copy of my historical romance, A Very Difficult Man.

Welcome goddesses and others who stop by. Send your entries to me at: anita.birt@gmail.com Your names and e-mail addresses will remain with me and will not be shared.

Anita

www.anitabirt.com

Contest time!

I'm taking part in THREE big contests this summer, one with each of my publishers, so I want to share. You can win a whole lot of books, or even a Sony E-Reader!

First: The Wild Rose Press wants you to have a SONY eReader! And as one of the sponsoring authors, so do I! All this summer (June 11 – August 31), every time you purchase a title by any of these sponsoring authors (Yep, I'm one of them! Pick up Always a Cowboy out now or All the Way Back, out this Friday), you will be eligible to enter our drawing to win a SONY eReader. The drawing will be held on Tuesday evening, September 2, 2008 at our weekly chat (9:00 p.m. eastern). (You do not need to be present in the chat room to win). For more details, click on the picture! You'll be glad you did!

Second: Total-E-Bound is having a birthday, but you're getting the presents. Win 3, 6 or 12 E-books! (Including Heart of the Bear, by yours truly!) Click on the TEB logo for more.

Finally, Put Some Sizzle in Your Summer with the Hussies Heat up the Summer Contest. This group of Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen Press?Lotus Circle authors has teamed up to bring you a summer of fun!

Anyway, have a great week and a fun summer. Happy reading!

Win a Free Book

Today I want to tell you about somebody's book besides mine. Two years ago I met the very talented author J.C.Wilder and we became friends. J.C. has written many, many books, but the one that stands out in my mind is the one publishied by Samhain Publishing, Winter's Daughter, an excellent paranormal romantic suspense. J.S. has given me permssion to give away a copy of her book and that's what I'm doing today. Read the excerpt, then email me at desireeholt!desireeholt.com, put Win a Book in the subject line, and tomorrow I will pick a winner.

Read on.

She didn’t miss the narrowing of Haines’ eyes. By this evening it would be all over Salem that the witch’s daughter had returned.
Her gaze met Whitefeather’s. “The house is mine, and I’m cleaning it out before the renovations begin.”
“I’ll need some identification.”
“It’s in my car outside.”
“After you then.” He stepped back and allowed her to lead the way.
Calling for Maddie, Syn left the house and jogged down the porch steps. She caught sight of two marked vehicles beside the house and a third coming up the drive. Mentally she cursed. She should’ve paid closer attention to what was going on. Instead, she’d been caught in the painful memories of her childhood, so she’d turned up the music to drown out the voices in her head.
Reaching the Jeep, she opened the glove box to retrieve her wallet. “Were you expecting a den of thieves to be out here or what? How did little ole’ me rate three officers to roust me out of my own house?”
“I’m sure you can understand an abandoned property is the perfect place for kids who are up to no good.” He took her license.
“The property was hardly abandoned. We have a caretaker keeping an eye on the place and—”
His radio squawked, cutting her off.
“Four-ten.”
He keyed the microphone attached to his shoulder. “Four-ten, go ahead.”
“Nineteen ninety-nine Jeep Wrangler, brown, registered to one Synnamon Angelov, age thirty-four, five-ten, black and blue, one-sixty, at a Sedona, Arizona address. Break.”
“Go ahead.”
“This Angelov has a lengthy arrest record. We’re currently checking to see if she has any outstanding warrants. Break.”
Syn’s gaze met his, and even though she was withering on the inside, she offered him a brazen smile and a shrug. “Some of us were born to be bad, Chief.”
He keyed the mike again. “Go ahead.”
“She has both a juvenile and adult record. Petty theft, vagrancy, drug abuse, trespassing, and fifteen years ago she was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.”
Syn’s skin crawled and she wanted nothing more than to slink away, but she wouldn’t give any man the satisfaction of seeing her shame. While she wasn’t proud of her criminal past, she’d accepted the dark and twisty side of herself a long time ago. If she hadn’t walked that road, committed those crimes and lived on the streets, she wouldn’t be the woman who stood before him now.
No longer was she the lost, broken woman who’d lived the life of criminal. Her desire for death or the mindlessness of drugs was gone, banished by years of hard work and intense therapy. But no matter how many times she’d wished the past could remain just that—in the past—it never did. Always, when she least expected it, the old Syn would make her presence known.
Whitefeather’s gaze never left hers as he spoke into the radio mike. “Copy that.”
She’d seen the look in his eyes many times before. He’d already passed judgment and found her lacking. Most people who learned of her dark past did the exact same thing. So what did it matter if one more small-town cop thought she was some sort of drug-addicted, murdering skank?
“Is there anything you’d like to add, Ms. Angelov?” Whitefeather’s tone was noncommittal.
“Hardly. I’d really hate to ruin any future surprises for you. I just love the anticipation.”
“An explanation might go a long way toward my trusting you more.” He handed her license back to her.
“Oh, my life is over, the chief of police doesn’t trust me.” She rolled her eyes. “Your dispatcher will come back and tell you I have no warrants. I’ve been clean for fifteen years and I’m not going to make excuses for a difficult time in my youth. I don’t owe an explanation to you or anyone else.” She stuffed her wallet back into the glove box and slammed it shut. “I did the crimes, I did my time and I’m a law-abiding citizen now. That’s all you need to know.”
“Fine.” His handsome lips tightened and she would almost swear he was disappointed by her response. “In the morning I will verify the ownership of the house, and if everything checks out, you’re good to go.”
“You do that.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she propped her hip against the Jeep. “The house will be listed as held by a trust company in Boston. If you call them, they will assure you I’m the legal owner of this place.”
“We’ll see about that.”

Firday! It's all about Too Young To Die

I am being totally shameless to-day and will quote from the four fantastic reviews I have received for my romantic suspense, TOO YOUNG TO DIE.

A featured review from Manic Readers: "Too Young To Die is a roller coaster of adrenaline, bullets flying everywhere and a big strong gorgeous gay to protect you ...Anita Birt does a beautiful job in this action packed story as she keeps your eart running with Ellie and wondering if her life will ever be back to normal..." Reviewed by Lena

From the Romance Studio: "From the first pages of the book you are caught up in Ellie's life as it took an unexpeced turn that she never saw coming. Taking care of her young charge, Niki, became her number one priority, sometimes even above her own needs. Meeting up with Jack is a god send. Without his help, she and baby Niki could have died. With dangetrsou men on their heels at every turn, having to rely on and involve others in the danger she was in upset Elle. Yet she knew without their help she couldn't have made it as far as she did and still remain alive...." Five Hearts reviewed by Margo Arthur

From Simply Romance Reviews: In Too Young To Die by Anita Birt you get a superb book with a hook that grabs you from the first paragraph. Definitly a book you DO NOT WANT TO MISS....

The twists and turns in this book kept me turning pages left and right welll in the wee hours of the morning ... the characters have great personalities that radiate from them, and I found myself roooting for them to be safe, run fast, and get the bad guys..." Reviewed by Tonie

From Romance Reviews Today: As TOO YOUNG TO DIE opens, Nanny Ellie Paxton is being held hostage in a remote area of the Cascade Mountains by an unknown group of men who threaten to kill her and the baby in her care. They are after the password to her employer's computer for some unexplained reason. When the men leave her alone for a moment, Ellie see the chance to escape with little Niki. Her flight from the kidnappers lands her in the path of Jack Merano. Is he friend or foe? With this heart stopping opening TOO YOUNG TO DIE is a thrilla minute ans Wellie and Jack embard on a race for their lives..." Review by Patti Fischer

Whew. I am thrilled to bits.

NOTE; All material on this site is copyright protected and must not be used without the permission of Anita Birt and the reviewers listed.

Chrysanthemum by Anny Cook

All my spare time today was spent reading.


That is unusual since most of my spare time is spent writing.


Today I read Chrysanthemum by Anny Cook.

Anny Cook is an author who I have had the privilege of working around. She has the same editor as I have. And as authors do, we share excerpts of our writing - sometimes for fun, sometimes for critique, sometimes we want to get something started on our message group. The reason I mention this is that I knew something about Chrysanthemum before I started reading it.

Chrysanthemum is the first in the Flowers of Camelot series. You know King Arthur, Camelot, the Round Table. Well, that is where the premise starts.

Here is a blurb:

"On that dark day Arthur, mortally wounded, was taken to the Isle of Avalon by Vivian, Lady of the Lake, and Merlin, where he died and was laid to rest in the crystal cave…"

Well, actually, that's not quite the way it happened.In truth, Queen Vivian and Merlin abducted the king and returned him to his home planet, Avalon. Now he's anxious to marry off his youngest son, Gareth. When Florian LeFleur, his wardrobe guardian, asks permission to bring his three unmarried daughters to court, Arthur decides it's the perfect opportunity and assigns Gareth to oversee their time at Came-a-lot Castle.

Despite her determination to remain heart-free, Chrysanthemum immediately falls for Gareth. Life should have been rosy but there were roadblocks along the path to happily ever after. The Blue Knight captured Arthur, Percival the dragon demanded a virgin, Queen Vivian decided it would be the perfect time to stage a coup and the Abbott at Solomon's Choice Abbey chose Chrysanthemum for their ritual deflowering.

Will Gareth get Chrysanthemum to the priest in time to save the king and Avalon?

There is only one thing I can say about the book Chrysanthemum - It is delightful. It is fun to read, constantly surprising you with twists and turns where Anny takes English Literature involving King Arthur, Camelot, and all the Knights of the Round Table and turns it on its head. If you like a rollicking romp filled with love, dragons and lots of hot sex you have got to get this book. It is available at Ellora's Cave. Trust me, you will thank Anny for a fun summer read.

Charlene Leatherman

Heart of the Bear is here!

It's here! Heart of the Bear, book 1 in my new Guardian Investigations series, released yesterday from Total-E-Bound. CLick on the cover to visit the publisher's listing. Here's a snippet:

Heart of the Bear
Guardian Investigations Book 1
By Cindy Spencer Pape
Available NOW from Total-E-Bound

She can see into the minds of criminals, but can she find her way into the heart of the bear? Detective and psychic Hannah Lightfoot heads to her family’s mountain cabin to make some hard decisions about the future of her career. When she reaches the cabin she finds it already occupied—by a handsome naked stranger. Shape-shifter Evan Maddox is her brother’s friend and partner. After a night of unbelievable passion, they work together to rescue a kidnapped child. He believes in Hannah’s gifts, but can he trust her with his deepest secrets? Maybe even with his heart?

Snippet: (PG)

If I hadn’t swerved to miss the deer, I wouldn’t have gone off onto the shoulder of the mountain road. If I hadn’t hit the shoulder, I would have been out of the path of the minor mudslide that buried my tiny hybrid car up to the bumpers. And yeah, if I had been paying more attention to the road, I probably wouldn’t have had to swerve to avoid the doe and her fawn when they’d bounded across the road in front of me.

But I had swerved, my car was thoroughly stuck, rain was coming down in buckets, and it was getting dark. A quick check of my cell phone proved my next fear correct—no service. Oh well. No point in whining about it now. The good news was that the cabin was only a mile or so up the road, and it had a phone line, so I could call the auto club from there. I left on the flashers then climbed out on the passenger side, where the mud was only calf-deep. Still cursing my own idiocy with every step, I hoisted my backpack from the rear seat, strapped it on and started to walk.

The rain and wind chilled my face and hands quickly, even penetrating my thin windbreaker and hooded sweatshirt as well as my jeans and hiking boots. By the time I trudged up to the door of my grandfather’s cabin, I was soaked, frozen and out of breath from the uphill hike. I fumbled with my key in the lock and pretty much fell through the doorway before I noticed that something was wrong. There shouldn’t have been a light on in the hallway.

And the bathroom door at the end of the short hallway shouldn’t have opened to reveal a cloud of steam and a very wet, very large, very naked man.

I’m not proud of what I did next, but it seemed logical at the time. Instead of stopping to appreciate the work of art in front of me or sending a snap kick at his face, I screamed, dropped my backpack onto the porch and ran like hell into the woods.

SIGNING:

Saturday July 12, Lacey and I will be signing One Good Man along with other EC authors Kaenar Langford and Isabelle Drake just outside of Detroit, Michigan. Stop by if you can, we'd love to see you:

July 12: Noon-3 pm: Paperbacks n Things: 8944 N. Wayne Rd., Westland, MI 48185 (734) 522-8018.

Have a great week!

Do you dream?

Do you dream? I think every one of us does at some time or other. Some more often than others. Dreams are the images, thoughts and feelings experienced when we aren’t consciously controlling our minds. The world of dreams is mysterious and fascinating and the rules of reality do not apply. Many dreams are about sex. They can be triggered by hormones or natural biological urges we are supressing for some reason. Psychologically, sexual dreams are often a blunt expression of unconscious sexual desire. The scenario may reveal your hidden wishes or fears. If you dreamt about sex did you wake up feeling warm and fuzzy after cavorting with the man or woman of your dreams? Perhaps you dreamed of being carried away by Prince Charming, meeting your dream lover on the beach or making love before a crackling fireplace with wine and roses.

In Dream Strokes, to be released by The Wild Rose Press this Friday, Erin, my heroine, has just had a disastrous breakup of her engagement. She is emotionally wounded and unhappy, hiding out in one of four isolated cottages to try to heal. She dreams of a fantasy lover who comes to her each night making the most passionate love to her. When she awakes in the morning, the memory of the dream is so vivid her body even aches in the right places. Dallas, my hero, has suffered a similar emotional upset as well as a physical one. A wounded Navy SEAL, he has come to this area on the beach to heal both his mind and his body. And he, too, is having erotic dreams that mystify and confuse him. When they finally meet, they wonder if reality is intruding on their dreams and if something beyond the ordinary is pulling the strings.

She woke to sense a presence nearby, the feeling that another person was close. Forcing open her heavy-lidded eyes, she saw him standing beside her, broad shoulders tapering to narrow hips, silver light glinting over the curls on his chest and brushing glistening streaks through the rich golden hair on his head.
He was big all over, and hard. Not workout hard like the men she knew. A warrior’s body. There didn’t look to be an ounce of give to him anywhere. He was without a doubt the most masculine man she had ever seen, muscles limned in the ambient light, his face defined by a square jaw and high cheek-bones. She couldn’t see the color of his eyes in the dark, only that the faint light from the sky shone in them, reflecting the lust burning there.
Her heart trip-hammered, and she tried to move away on the bed.
He reached out and placed it a hand on her arm, stopping her. “No. I won’t harm you. Don’t move.”
She looked around. Yes, this was her bedroom, her window with the moonlight streaming in. But who was this man standing so close to her?
He lifted the sheet covering her naked body and drew it back, as if unwrapping a package, his eyes devouring her as each inch of her was revealed. Her flesh shivered under his gaze. When she lifted her arms to cover herself, he shook his head. “Why would you want to hide a body so beautiful and tempting?”
Erin dropped her hands to her sides, unexpectedly craving the stranger’s touch, the caress of his gaze on her skin. Her heart hammered against her ribs and heat bloomed throughout all her erogenous zones. How could she be doing this, exposing herself to a total stranger? Yet it seemed so very right. So…so…fated. That was it. Fated. As if arranged by a power greater than both of them.
Come visit me at www.desireeholt.com

Buy the book at www.thewildrosepress.com

Life with Lacey

It is an exciting week for me this week! Lots of wonderful events taking place. First off is the release of my first print story with Total E Bound Publishing. The Lust Bites anthology that contains Faithful Beginnings will release on Monday, July 7! Here is a look at the blurb from that story, the first in the Debtor's Daughters series.

Faithful Beginnings
By Lacey Thorn


Faith has spent her life since the age of nine playing the role of mother to her four younger sisters. Now as her twenty first birthday approaches she knows that all of that is about to change. Her father never wanted girls and when her mother died during the birth of yet another daughter, he made a vow. If he had to have daughters then he would use them to get what he wanted most…sons. So on their twenty first birthdays they are to be married off to the man of his choice, whether they like it or not.
But Faith has bigger dreams than spending her life living in the small town community that sees nothing wrong with her father’s dictates. So leaving her sisters behind, she heads down the road, for once more afraid to stay than to face the unknown.
When a thunderstorm sends her into the woods outside town looking for shelter she finds herself in the arms of Jake Daniels. She’s seen him in town a time or two but never really spoken with him. But Jake has been waiting to get her out from under her father’s eyes for years and he is determined to use this chance to show her just how good things could be between them. With a little faith, they can both have everything they want.

Then on Wednesday, July 9 there is the release of my fourth Island Guardian book with Ellora's Cave Publishing, titled Breathing Her Air! I'm super excited about this one! Here is a look at the blurb and an excerpt for it.

Breathing Her Air by Lacey Thorn

Book 4 in the Island Guardians Series.

Drew and Sorran Xandova have finally returned to their island home only to find that the one they have vowed to protect has been murdered. And Alea, the woman promised them, has taken off in pursuit of those responsible. When fate brings them together, they vow to seduce her before pursuing justice for their prince. Alea is more than they hoped for, the perfect mate and companion for the Xandova warriors. And her seduction? The greatest pleasure they have ever known.
Alea is swept away by the two men destined to be her mates. Her fears are relieved as her body comes alive with carnal pleasures she never imagined. Two men with her complete satisfaction their only goal. Good thing they appear to be over achievers.

Excerpt:
Vulcan gave a cry from the air above, jerking Alea out of her thoughts. It was harsh and full of warning and she quickly searched the area for what Vulcan sensed. There was nothing…and then there was way too much. A man stepped out of the trees mere feet in front of her, followed quickly by another one. They were both well over seven feet tall, huge even compared to her cousins who stood seven feet even. They had shoulder length brown hair streaked on the sides with a deep silver that seemed to catch in the sun, and she would have said that they were identical until they looked up and clashed gazes with her. One had a piercing gaze that hooked her and wouldn’t let her go. She had never seen such a pure silver before. Except on the beak and talons of her best friend, Vulcan.
As a slow smile took place on his lips another caw filled the air. Alea was poised to run when the unthinkable happened and the bird that called none friend but her landed on the arm of one of the warriors in front of her.
“You must be Alea,” the one with the piercing gaze said and slowly headed toward her. “We’ve come a long way to find you.”
And then it hit her. These were the Xandova brothers, her chosen mates. These two men would claim her and mate with her and she would belong to them. As fear took over Alea was paralyzed, unable to move or breathe. The last thing she heard was a harsh gasp as the black cloud obscuring her vision overtook her and her knees gave way. The ones she had hoped wouldn’t show were here. And they had come for her.


Then on Saturday, July 12 I will be signing with several Ellora's Cave friends at Paperback's N' Things in Westland, Michigan. So if you are in the area please stop in and say hello! Here is the information on it!

July 12
12-3pm
Paperbacks N' Things
8044 North Wayne Road
Westland, MI 48185
Cindy Spencer Pape, Lacey Thorn, Kaenar Langford, and Isabelle Drake

I'll have some cover flats for Earth Moves, Bare Seduction, and Bare Devotion available for signing as well as some bookmarks and maybe a deck or two of the EC cards! I hope to see some of you there!

Wishing you a great week and hoping that everyone had a safe and happy fourth!

Lacey Thorn
It's your world...unlaced.

It's Friday, Fourth of July, and Summer - Have a Picnic

4th of July!

So glad to know that I am not alone in loving cowboys!

To me they are the perfect combination: strength, gentleness, hard working, determined, and creative. Sure, I know actual cowboys are just regular men, but isn't that the way with all archetypes? Firemen, CEOs, college professors - all great stuff.

I'm glad that the truth doesn't get in the way of our fantasies.

Enjoy your 4th of July!

Sweet Dreams

I talked about dreams today on my blog, so I wanted to share a dream scene excerpt today to tease and tantalize. This is from Djinni and the Geek available now at Ellora's Cave. Click on the cover for more info:




“Djinni and the Geek”
By Cindy Spencer Pape
ISBN: 978 14199 13730
Available NOW at Ellora’s Cave:
contemporary/paranormal

THIS CONTAINS ADULT MATERIAL

if you are under 18 or easily offended, stop reading NOW!

Excerpt:


It was her, the dark-haired beauty from the tournament last month. The violet-eyed belly dancer he’d wanted so badly but had never been able to find again.

But now she was here, hot and soft in David’s bed. He didn’t know how he knew it was her, the lights were off but he’d swear he knew her touch, her scent. Her long curls wrapped around both of them. Dave could feel the ends tickle his butt. Her lush curves filled his hands and Dave squeezed, his grip on her plump cheeks drawing her closer to him, plastering her against his chest.

Surprisingly strong arms wound around his neck, pulling his face down to hers and he didn’t resist. What red-blooded male could? He found her lips, touching them gently with his own. He forced himself to go slowly so he wouldn’t scare her away. He didn’t want to lose her—not again. He reveled in each soft stroke of his lips on hers. It was she who deepened the kiss, who opened her lips to nibble on his, who let her hand trail down his spine, pulling his groin even closer to the lush cradle of her hips. He plunged in with his tongue, giving her a foretaste of what he was about to do for real.

Goddess, he wanted her. He couldn’t remember when he’d ever been this hard, this hot. He pulled back so he could trail his lips down her chin to taste the soft skin on the side of her neck. She tasted of sugar and cinnamon, with just enough salty sweat to make the mixture headier than a drug and he licked and kissed his way down to the damp valley between her full, round breasts.

“What’s your name?” His voice was a husky whisper as he paused just long enough to inhale her scent. Spices again and feminine musk. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever smelled and he nuzzled the sides of her breasts, drinking it in.

She moaned, twisting to bring her nipple to his mouth. “Anissa.”

“Anissa.” It was as lovely as she was, feminine and exotic. He sighed with pleasure and caught her dusky brown nipple between his lips, making her cry out. Her nipple was full and plump and hard as a button. He swirled his tongue around it before pulling it in and pressing it between his tongue and the roof of his mouth. She arched her back, thrusting it deeper. He palmed her other breast and kneaded while he suckled.

“Oh yes.” She undulated beneath him and he trailed his hand away from her breast to the thick nest of curls between her legs. He could smell her arousal but he still groaned against her nipple when he felt the thick flood of wetness against his fingers. “Please.”

Her whimpered plea was all the encouragement he needed. With one last kiss, he released her breast and covered her body with his. His hand slid through her drenched slit, rubbed at her swollen clit for a second, then positioned his cock at her entrance. With one hard push, he rammed himself home, filling her hot tight pussy with his aching flesh.

He couldn’t go slowly but she didn’t seem to mind. Her lips lifted to meet every thrust and she made soft little whimpers each time he pushed against her cervix. Her sharp nails dug into the skin of his back, urging him on. He wasn’t going to last long and he wanted to make damn sure she came with him, so he angled his body enough to get his hand in between them and he fingered her clit, swirling it with her juices, then pressing down hard.

That was enough. She convulsed around him, her tight walls gripping his cock like a fist. It was all he needed to send him over the edge and he jerked his hips and shouted, spraying into her with everything he had.

His own cry of pleasure woke him up. As his eyes popped open and sleep drifted away, he could swear he heard her voice echoing in his ears.

The box. You have to open the box.

Have a great week, everyone!