Showing posts with label Anthology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anthology. Show all posts

April 6, 2016

Now Available! Cowboy Justice Bundle

Cowboy Justice - tour header

NOW AVAILABLE

12 pack covers
Get your TWELVE Cowboy Lawmen who are so hot it's criminal. The COWBOY JUSTICE 12-Pack includes fresh novellas by twelve New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors:

JUSTICE FOR LAINE by Susan Stoker - What began as a favor turns out to be fate when Laine meets sexy Texas Ranger Wes and falls for him.

JUSTICE BURNING by Elle James - Hard-nosed sheriff's deputy, Nash Grayson, places his family and hometown in danger when he rescues a desperate runaway bride

LAYING DOWN THE LAW by Becky McGraw - Doctor returns to hometown when mother takes a fall and falls harder for new town Sheriff...her first love.

TEXAS JUSTICE by Cynthia D'Alba - First-term Sheriff is torn between duty and love when sexy Chief of Surgery is accused of medical malpractice and homicide.

TEXAS LONE STAR by Sable Hunter - An all-business Texas Ranger falls hard for an irresistible lady rancher he rescues from dangerous poachers.

CAIN'S LAW by Delilah Devlin - Lawman, Cain Whitfield, discovers the shy brunette he's been flirting with is a former mob boss's girlfriend when her cabin goes up in flames.

COWBOY LAWE by Donna Michaels - More than bullets fly when a former SEAL protects a sexy witness who's actually an undercover agent secretly assigned to protect the stubborn SEAL.

COWBOY'S BEST SHOT by Lexi Post - A cowboy veteran who's lost so much. A bartender who never had it to begin with. Is this their best shot?

PROTECT AND SERVE by Sabrina York - He's vowed to avoid his high school crush, but his duty demands he protect her from a growing menace.

BADGE AND A SADDLE by Randi Alexander - Detective Rex Tarrow is sworn to protect Astronomer Dr. Mina Cooper, but will she get them both killed?

BLIND SIDED by Lindsay McKenna - Dark family secrets stand between the sheriff and the woman he loves from afar. Can he expose the treachery? Win her hand?

LAZARUS by Beth Williamson - Being a Graham isn't easy and it's about to get a lot harder for one stubborn lawman and the woman who still owns his heart.

amazon
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March 31, 2016

In The Spotlight! Dominant Persuasions: Twelve tales of dominance and submission…where mastery meets passion.

Dom Persusions Cover

Dominant Persuasions: Twelve tales of dominance and submission…where mastery meets passion.

12 Scintillating tales of Dominance and submission as told by your favorite Amazon, NYT, & USA Today Bestselling Authors.

In a world of power plays, and safewords, only the strongest can find pleasure in submission. From strangers passing in the night, to lifetime loves that spark with new life; join us in the intriguing world of BDSM. No is not a safeword, and this deal is only available for a limited time!

Featured Novellas:

Submission Dance by Lori King

Out of Order by Bella Juarez

Surrender Her Inhibitions by Nicole Morgan

Make Believe Submissive by Daisy Philips

Under His Protection by Doris O’Connor

Broken by Julia Sykes

The Sub That Got Away by Amy J. Hawthorn

In His Hands by Raven McAllan

Indulge by Sherri Hayes

Submitting To Temptation by Jan Graham

Fire and Ice (An Excerpt from KNOTTED) by Juliet Braddock

Yes, Justin (Expanded Edition) by Michele Zurlo


Buy Links:







Juliet Braddock

 Fire and Ice by Juliet Braddock

What happens when a blizzard immobilizes Manhattan on Valentine’s Day…and a sassy little sub is stuck in her Dungeon with her beloved Dom? With candlelight and a roaring fire to keep them warm on this frigid afternoon, sparks fly between Maxine and Drew as he attempts to cool her down with a bit of tantalizing tenderness…

 Juliet Braddock 2


Louboutin heels in one hand and the silky little garment in her other, she made her way to the full-length mirror to slink into her Valentine's Day outfit. Once she'd pulled the panties on, the straps that crossed over her tummy were relatively easy to maneuver around. With bows fastened at the neck and hips, she felt like a giant Valentine's Day gift, all wrapped in crimson just for her Kind Sir.

Mustering her poise, she made her way back toward the tiny kitchen. However, just as she began to stir the chocolate sauce, the first of the three locks on the door turned.

Maxine stopped suddenly, frozen in time. She hadn't even picked up her clothes yet! Oh, Drew was going to be one Cranky Sir in about a minute.

Folding his hands together, he merely shook his head as he looked around.

“You know I don't like to punish you on holidays, Almost Mrs. Mack...”

Protest, and he'll do it! she thought to herself. “But the snow...and Zabar's was packed...and I wanted to...I just...” She noticed that her voice always seemed to rise an octave when they played.

“What the hell is going on here? This isn’t your bedroom back at the old townhouse, Maxine!” He kicked her bra and sent it scudding across the floor. Through his gruff, though, Maxine could see that smile of approval as he appraised her new little outfit. In his mind, Drew was already unwrapping those bows. “Now, I come here...expecting a little Valentine’s Day release with my fiancé. There's a mess on the floor. And dammit...she's not in position yet.”

Turning carefully in those damn shoes, Maxine rolled her shoulders back, the tassels swinging to and fro as she swiveled.

“But I...you...we have...”

“Uh-uh-uh!” Drew raised his hand as he crossed the room toward her. “Excuses are not accepted, and you should know that by now.”

In one swift move, he'd clasped her hands in his and held them above her head as he pinned her body against the cold stainless steel refrigerator. “Should I deny you on this frigid, snowy afternoon?”

Now was her chance to spill the beans and send her punishment into overdrive. “I can do that myself, Kind Sir,” she insisted. “Without touching myself.”

Raising a brow, his pride swelled. Such a perfect submissive was she.

“Oh, yeah, Sassypants?” he challenged as he pulled his hands away to pluck at her straps. “Show me...”

Maxine took one very slow, deep breath into her lungs. Wrapping her fingers around the refrigerator door handle, she opened her green eyes wide and held his gaze as he watched her. Already, she could feel her clit twitching beneath that damp wisp of satin that covered her, and her nipples throbbed against those little pasties.

“Uhhhhhhh...” she groaned.

However, Drew couldn't resist closing just a bit of distance between them, fearing she'd collapse and hurt herself as orgasm took hold. Placing a hand on each side of her, he was ready to catch her, just in case.

“Tell me what you're thinking right now, Maxine.”

“I'm thinking...ohh, I'm on my knees, Sir...”

“And what are you doing in your little fantasy?”

“Sucking you...sucking you off, Sir...and I'm... oh, fuck...!”

Without warning, she gripped his shoulder as she kicked her heel, scraping it against the hardwood floor. His face was so close, so intense, as she writhed before him but not against him. Drew hadn't laid a single finger on her, yet orgasm consumed her as her body just shook with the shocks of oblivion.

Drew's thoughts were likewise awhirl. Her sexual appetite knew no boundaries. Maxine’s need to please him—and to please herself—astounded him. Seeing her shuddering and screaming when all he'd done was simply walk in the door and give her a mild scolding nearly reduced him to ashes.

He fucking hated losing control with her, but he simply couldn't resist slipping his hands between them to rip away those two little hearts from her nipples. He dipped his head to bite down and pulled one swollen little bud between his teeth.

“So help me, Maxine, if I come in my fucking jeans...you're getting spanked until next Valentine's D—”

Reality, however, struck him suddenly like a lightning bolt to a tree.

Fuckballs…

The power went out.

Lori King 2

Submission Dance by Lori King

Marley Saltzman has a secret fantasy. She wants to let go of everything, and submit to a Dominant. Intrigued by her friends BDSM lifestyle, she convinces him to put her on the guest list for his monthly fetish party. She had no idea how far out of her element she would be until she came face to face with an experienced Dom.

Lex Gregory has been nursing heartache and raising his daughter alone for so long he barely remembers what a submissive feels like at his feet. When he meets Marley, he can’t believe that the naïve woman ever thought she could handle kink. All too quickly his need for her refreshing innocence and lack of preconceived notions grows, and he has to have her.

The two begin a subtle dance of sexual submission and wit that leads to a night of passion and unanswered questions. Will this dance end in heartache, or will they both find their darkest fantasies fulfilled?


There was a wicked glint in his eyes that did strange things to her body. Her heart was racing and her palms were as damp as her panties. She was almost afraid to stand up from her seat again for fear she might now have a damp spot on the back of her skirt.

“Would you like to dance, Marley?” Lex asked, rising from the low slung chair. The height of her own seat put her face almost dead even with his crotch, and there was a distinct bulge under his zipper that she found very intriguing, but he didn’t seem to notice her predicament.

“I’m really not much of a dancer…” She stammered for an excuse not to get closer to him. He was too magnetic and charming for her. She was almost afraid that if she let him pull her onto the sparsely populated dance floor, she would turn into putty in his hands and never find herself again.

“The music is slow, and I know what I’m doing. Trust me to lead, and you’ll be fine.” She wasn’t sure if he intended the double meaning behind his words or not, but her clit certainly heard it.

Holding out his hand, he waited for her to lay her palm against his and then he tugged her to her feet. She swayed slightly, and he steadied her with a hand on her lower back just above the curve of her ass. Immediately, she had to fight the urge to press herself against his long muscular body. Certainly he already thought her an easy mark after that steaming kiss; rubbing against him like a cat in heat wouldn’t help her circumstance.

He led her onto the dance floor without another word, and before she could turn to face him, he spun her around once, and then twice, so that her balance was off and she fell into him.

With an arrogant grin on his face, he wrapped his arms around her back, and steadied them on the curve of her spine, but within proper distance from her ass. “Better, now just relax and let me guide you. That’s right, sway with me. Dancing is like making love. It’s sensual, and there’s an exchange of power between every couple. You trust me to lead you in the right movements, and I trust you to follow me, but at any point you can walk away.” His hot breath whispered over her ear from above, and her cheek brushed the smooth silk of his shirt. “You have all the control, Marley.”

Lex continued to murmur instructions to her, softly seducing her with his body and his innuendos. Her breasts grew heavy and achy, and her nipples were diamond hard points that she knew were probably poking through the thin material covering them. She tipped her head back to look up into his deep blue eyes, and her knees grew weak at the intense lust burning there.

“Careful. If you slip I get to carry you off and say I swept you off your feet. That would make you my rightful prize to do with as I pleased for the night,” he whispered.

Marley snorted out a laugh, “Is that a party rule?”
“No, but everyone knows the black knight steals away the princess at her first ball and seduces her.”

Lori King

 

March 3, 2016

Excerpt & Giveaway! Snowed In, An MM Anthology


Snowed In is a wintery blend of frost, snow, and romance from eight of Torquere Press’ M/M authors.

Winter storms are dangerous, and in Celibate Cold by Lynn Townsend, Topher finds himself stranded in one when his car slides into a ditch. Alone and scared, he tries to walk home in the blizzard but ends up at Chase’s house, desperately in need of help.

Can an accident on Luke and Tom’s annual hike lead to them becoming more than good friends? Find out in Jessica Chase’s Falling for Love!

In This Winter’s Night by Kassandra Lea, Barry is devastated when he realizes he spends more time talking to his horses than his boyfriend—but that’s about change.

These snow angels have a devilish side! Huey and Tommy think their neighbor Marshall would be a naughty, fun addition to their snow day in Snow Angels by Leigh Ellwood.

In Snow Job by Logan Zachary, winter doesn’t always come with a chill—sometimes it’s smokin’ hot! For Lance and Leo, snowbound and icicles are about to take on whole new meanings.

Beau and Leon are two strangers on a chairlift. When Leon—the “experienced” skier—laughs at himself, Beau looks at him in a whole new light in Taking the Fall Line by Tray Ellis.

In Snowy Reunion by Emjay Haze, Steven wonders if he even has a boyfriend since Jonathan walked out after their last argument. But Jonathan surprises Steven during a ski trip and it just might save their relationship.

Seeking the elusive Yeti is Joel’s passion, but he finds more than he bargained for in Adventures of a Yeti Hunter by L.J. Hamlin.




Celibate Cold by Lynn Townsend

Chase squinted. Of course it wasn’t a yeti, he thought. But the creature who was stumbling in his direction was covered in snow from the thighs down and his coat was thick with ice crystals. He had a hat crammed low down over his ears, but no gloves, and his sleeves were crusted with more snow. He’d probably fallen a few times, to judge by the smears of white down his front.

By the time Chase had identified the intruder as being nothing more than a man, his visitor was nearly to the porch. The man’s teeth were chattering so hard that he couldn’t seem to force intelligible words out. Chase caught a few mumbled syllables.

“Well, you look like three miles of bad road,” Chase said. He helped the man up the stairs and then impartially started brushing snow off his back, not really paying attention to where his hands were until the man startled when Chase’s hands came down on his ass, smacking snow away.

The stranger whirled, his brown eyes wide.

Chase held his hands out to his sides, harmless. “No point in trackin’ that all in m’house, man, and you look a bit chilled to do it yourself.”

The man nodded, stomped off his feet as best he could, which wasn’t very well. Chase sighed. The guy was wearing fucking Oxfords, for Christ’s sweet sake. He’d be lucky if he had any toes left at all. Fool.

“Sex,” the man said.

“What?” Chase had to have misheard that. He stuck a finger—snow covered, and cold—into his ear as if to clear it out. Or wind up his brain. “What did you say?”

“Six. Six miles of bad road.”


Publisher of GLBT fiction books http://www.torquerepress.com to offer the finest in erotic LGBT romance available.


January 5, 2016

~In The Spotlight! The Sutherlands Anthology~



Pre-Order The Sutherlands For Only 99¢ & Help The Reach Out & Read Charity

Looking for a way to do good and read hot? Check out The Sutherlands, a sexy contemporary romance anthology that tells the story of one family with 11 brand-new, full-length novels and novellas for only 99¢. Twenty percent of the royalties earned from each sale will go to the Reach Out & Read charity, which incorporates early childhood reading into well child doctors’ visits.

Inside The Sutherlands you’ll find:

Shadow Ranch by USA Today best selling author Robin Covington - Passion and secrets thrive in the dark…

Wrecked by Wall Street Journal best selling author Terri Osburn - Revenge is always personal…

Bound To Do Damage by Avril Ashton - When protecting you heart is no longer an option…protect your neck.

Foolish Expectations by Alison Bliss - Forever is the last thing they expected…

Under the Evening Star by Shyla Colt - They must choose between the past that hunts and a love that can heal…

Brazen by Avery Flynn - This bad boy boxer just met his match…

Screwed by Kelly Jamieson - The only time losing is more fun than winning is when you’re fighting temptation…

Stripped by Abby Niles - She’s going to strip him bare…

Not the Marrying Kind by Julie Particka - Faking it never felt so good…

Lust and Loathing by Joya Ryan - Sometimes loathing your boss turns into the best kind of lust…

Sweet Surrender by Naima Simone - The price of surrender is passion…




















Twenty percent of the royalties earned from each copy of The Sutherlands sold will go to help Reach Out and Read, a non-profit organization that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.

This year, over one million children in the U.S. will enter kindergarten without the language skills they need to learn and succeed. As these children progress through school, they are more likely to fall behind, and stay behind. When families read aloud to their young children, they can give them a better start to life. With unparalleled access to families with young children, Reach Out and Read medical providers give books to children at more than 10 well-child visits from infancy until they start school. More importantly, they encourage families to read aloud and engage with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers every day.

Reach Out and Read currently serves 4.5 million children across the U.S., half of whom are from low-income families. Children like Ruby, a seven-year-old girl who faced significant challenges in her early childhood. Fortunately, Ruby’s pediatrician is a Reach Out and Read doctor, who has encouraged her mom to read aloud to her every day, and given her books of her own to keep. He says, “With Ruby’s background, I would have expected her to struggle at school, but at her last checkup, her mother told me that she is in advanced reading and attributed her success to the Reach Out and Read program.”

Research shows that Ruby is not alone – our program results in more frequent reading at home, accelerated vocabulary and critical brain stimulation. And because over 21,000 medical providers voluntarily integrate Reach Out and Read into pediatric checkups, it costs only $100 to support a child for the full 5-year Reach Out and Read program.

iBooks - Coming Soon!



December 12, 2015

Book Promo! Ink and Flame Anthology by Carrie Ann Ryan


From the New York Times bestselling author of the Montgomery Ink and Talon Pack series comes an anthology filled with deleted scenes and extras from many of her fan-favorite series. 

Vowed in Ink (A Montgomery Ink Novella)

It’s a very important day for Sassy, Rafe, and Ian. The three are ready to form their union in body and soul as well as legally for one of the pairs. Only when the day comes, not everything turns out how they've planned. The triad will have to look deep into their hearts and remember why they fought for each other not once, but twice in their lives so they can find their true happy ending. 

Delicate Arrival (A Montgomery Ink Novella)

A look into the lives of Austin and Sierra as they welcome their baby to the world. They've been through hell together and now have one more trial to pass before they can keep going.

Edward and Pat’s Day Off (A Redwood Pack Short Story)

A look into the Alpha pair’s day off.

Babysitting Finn and Brie (A Redwood Pack Short Story)

A fun scene with Edward and his grandchildren.

On the Other Side (A Redwood Pack Short Story)

A bonus scene featuring Edward and Pat.

Bewitching (A Holiday, Montana Short Story)

A cute bonus scene with Jordan and Matt. 

At Home with Cupid (A Holiday, Montana Short Story)

A look at Tyler and Abigail’s evenings with their new babies.

A Wedding with Wings (A Dante’s Circle Short Story)

Lily and Shade’s wedding.

The Meeting (A Dante’s Circle Short Story)

Jamie introduces her men to her parents…but all is not what it seems.
Author Note: Many of these scenes have been featured in Carrie Ann Ryan’s newsletters and on her website in the past. You can still read some of them for free on her website. This anthology is so people can have easy access to this material as well as the new bonus content. Happy Reading!



I love taking a look behind the scenes. As a reader, I gobble up deleted scenes, bonus scenes, and any bit of information I can get from my favorite authors. Because I love it so far, I decided to do a few scenes of my own from my own books. In the past couple of years, I’ve posted some deleted scenes that couldn’t make it into books because they were about side characters as well as some new scenes about what happens after the HEA. 

Readers begged me to put them on Amazon or iBooks so they could have them for keeps and I figured once I had enough, I would do something for them. I LOVE that my readers want more. It humbles me and makes me giddy all at the same time.

Flame and Ink is a collection of many stories and most of my series. I love my characters and I love going back and seeing what they’re up to. I hope you love them too.



New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she'd be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn't until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.
Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn't planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.


December 6, 2015

Excerpt & Giveaway! The Witching Hour Collection




Good witch. Bad witch. White magic. Black magic. Kitchen magic. Pick your potion. Ready for Halloween? The authors of the Blazing Indie Collective, who brought you the Falling in Deep Collection, are brewing up something new. Check out all the novellas in The Witching Hour Collection coming October 2015:

Melanie Karsak: Witch Wood

Claire C. Riley: Raven's Cove

Eli Constant: Sleeping in the Forest of Shadows

Elizabeth Watasin: Charm School: The Wrecking Faerie 

Erin Hayes: I'd Rather be a Witch 

Carrie Wells: Playing with Magic 

Evan Winters: The Witch of Bracken’s Hollow 

Minerva Lee: Spun Gold 

Blaire Edens: The Witch of Roan Mountain 

Poppy Lawless: The Cupcake Witch



Limited edition box set! 
This collection will be available until the end of the year only! 
Buy Links: 

~*~ 
Excerpt from The Cupcake Witch by Poppy Lawless 

HOLDING THE WHISK TIGHTLY, I swirled the pale-yellow batter around the bowl, the sweet scents of vanilla, brown sugar, and bitter dark chocolate perfuming the air. Even though it was a cool autumn morning, the heat from the oven made the kitchen feel toasty warm. I’d been baking all morning: expresso mini cupcakes with cappuccino flavored frosting, matcha green tea macaroons, and strawberry rhubarb coffee cake. The kitchen smelled divine. Now, with a pot of coffee brewing and a batch of chocolate chip walnut cookies just about ready to go into the oven, I could almost relax. 

“Here, taste this,” I said to Dad, scooping up a small bite of the dough with a spoon and sticking it into his mouth before he could protest. 

“You’re going to give me salmonella poisoning,” he said then sighed deeply. “A little food poisoning is worth it. So good, but they taste…different.” 

“Bad different?” 

Dad shook his head. “Tasty different.” 

“Organic brown sugar and sea salt.” 

“I’m going to gain ten pounds before you go back to college next week,” he said with a laugh then turned back to his paperwork. 

Sighing, I placed the cookie dough on the baking sheet and stuck it in the oven. How was I going to tell Dad I wasn’t planning on going back? With Mom gone…well, I just didn’t even know why I was there anymore. It wasn’t like I had ever wanted to go to college. I wanted to be a baker. But Mom wanted me to be a dentist, so I was studying pre-dentistry. Now, Mom was gone. The pain of her loss still felt like a huge lump in my chest. 

I poured Dad and myself coffee and sat down at the table. He was thumbing through a heap of real estate briefs. Dayton Real Estate was busier than ever, and with Mom gone, an agent short. Dad was running himself ragged. 

I spooned some raw sugar into my cup and tried to think of something to say other than the fact that I hated school. It was nearly the end of October and thus far junior year had been a bust. I told Dad I wasn’t ready. After losing Mom that summer, I just couldn’t get my head back into the game. I didn’t want to waste my life pursuing a career in dentistry just because everyone, but especially Mom, thought it would be a good move for a smart girl like me. Mom’s death had taught me many things, the most important being that life was short. Why was I working so hard for a future I felt pretty apathetic about? 

“Here is the property in Chancellor I was telling you about,” Dad said, saving me from having the dreaded conversation once more, as he handed me an envelope. From inside, I pulled out a yellowed photograph of a tiny little Tudor-style cottage. Under the photo, the words Serendipity Gardens had been written in faded pencil. 

“It looks like a witch’s cottage. Mrs. Aster, the woman who left us the building…how did you say we were related again?” I stared at the photograph as I twirled one red dreadlock around my finger. The little building was a mess, the glass nursery overgrown, but there was something quaint, almost fairy tale like, about it. 

Dad was eyeing the table full of sweets, finally settling on one of the mini cupcakes, popping it into his mouth. “These are amazing, Julie. Seriously,” he said after a moment. “Mrs. Aster was Grandma Belle’s husband’s sister.” 

“And how does that make her related to us?” 

“Through marriage only, but we are her closest living relatives,” Dad said then shrugged. “I’ve got the property into the MLS system, but I need to run over to Chancellor this week and put up the signs. Probably won’t be hard to move the old place. I already have a message—which I haven’t even managed to return yet—from Blushing Grape Vineyards inquiring on the property. Need to get that sign up, see if I can fish any other bids out of the pond. Maybe the college will want the property, turn it into an office or something. On the corner of Main Street and Magnolia, the location is great. We’ll probably get a good price if we can get some competition,” Dad said then paused. He looked up at me, a serious expression on his face. “You know, Chancellor College offers science degrees. Jules, I know you aren’t happy…” he began then stopped. Trying again, he switched directions by saying, “Maybe if you were closer to home, things might be easier.” 

Panicking, I picked up the envelope. “Chancellor, eh? Don’t they have a harvest festival at this time of year? Why don’t I take the signs over? I’ll grab a pumpkin spice latte or something.” 

My dad pushed his glasses back up his nose then ran his hand through his hair. Was it my imagination or did his hair look whiter? His face was certainly more drawn. He must have shed twenty pounds from his already thin frame. Mom’s death had hit us both hard. It was just manifesting differently. Dad was running thin, and I was running scared. I didn’t want to waste my life following the dream Mom had lain out so neatly for me. My real passion had always lain in the kitchen. Fondant. Buttercream. Meringue. Ever since I got my first Easy-Bake Oven, I knew what I wanted to do, who I wanted to be. My dream, however, had never jelled with what Mom had wanted. And as much as it hurt, Mom was gone. I could keep going to college for her, but that didn’t feel right. I needed to do something. Something needed to change. And in the meantime, I was failing my classes. 

“Walk around the campus while you’re there. Check out its vibe. See if you like it.” 

“Or not,” I said absently. The last thing I wanted was more college: more homework I couldn’t get myself to complete, more classes I couldn’t get myself to go to, more anything. 


“You know, they also have a culinary program,” my dad said carefully. “A letter came from your college’s advising office. It said you’re failing all—” 

“I…I know,” I stammered, standing. “Can we talk about it tonight?” 

He nodded. “I love you. We’re both just trying to manage here.” He lifted a macaroon then looked from it to me. “The culinary program. Mom and I always disagreed...tonight, let’s talk. But you’re making dinner.” 

“Of course. It’s pizza night! I bought portabella mushrooms, arugula, and goat cheese.” 

“You had me at portabella,” Dad said with a chuckle. “Anything would be better than those damned frozen dinners.” 

“Dad! You can’t eat that garbage.” 

He shrugged. “What can I say? I don’t have time to cook. Speaking of which, did you know it only takes five weeks to get a real estate license? Without your mom, I could use the extra help,” he said then patted the massive stack of inspection reports, loan documents, and other paperwork that was my dad’s—and had been my mom’s—life’s work, “and a home cooked meal, on occasion.” 

I picked up the envelope then kissed my dad on his balding head. “Home cooked meals I can handle.” 

My dad patted my hand. 

“Take the cookies out when the timer goes off?” 

“Of course. I’d never let a Julie Dayton cookie burn. Too precious a commodity.” 

I wrapped my arms around my dad and hugged him tight. 

“Love you,” I said. 

“Love you too, Julie bean,” he replied. 

Letting him go, I grabbed my purse and keys and headed off to the witch’s cottage.
~*~

The Authors


November 12, 2015

Book Blitz! Excerpt & Giveaway: How We Began Anthology



How does love begin? A glance, a gesture, an unexpected offer of help from a stranger…or from a good friend. A smile across a counter at a coffee shop or video store. A secret revealed in a song from another place and time. Or in a love ballad crooned at a high school dance.

In this anthology of never-before-published sweet LGBTQ+ stories, seven authors explore the beginnings of love between young and new adult couples. All proceeds will support The Trevor Project’s work with crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.

~*~
TruNorth by Alexis Hall

We play the O3 in London.
The crowd is amazing, filling up this vast dome. When there’s that many people, they look like coloured beads, shaken back and forth by these huge ripples of motion.
They’re here for us. To see us.
There’s something almost physical about so much excitement and anticipation and all this… I don’t know what else to call it except love. Surging towards the stage, beating against my body, as if it’s trying to push right inside me. I never know if I’m flying or drowning or dying.
But when I’m here, when I’m on stage and my face is on the screens and my voice is everywhere, I don’t care.
It’s weird because it’s not the sort of thing you can really seriously want or imagine wanting. It’s too big. Too impossible.
But now I know what it’s like, I do want it. I want it so badly it tastes like blood in my mouth.
We close with Something About You—our first number one.
I wish you could see what I see when I see you
Cos then you’d believe there’s no reason to doubt you
You’d know how your smile lights up my world
Because to me, oh to me
There’s something about you.
It’d been waiting for us after The Next Big Thing. All we had to do was record it. The video’s a bit rough around the edges. Not the video itself—it’s Glyde’s handiwork, so slick as slick as can be—but us.
Still learning our parts.
It’s effortless now, though. We know how to move and how to stand together. Whose arm should be flung across whose shoulder. Who keeps his hands in his pockets. Who tucks his thumbs in his belt.
Max, Me, Oli, Rayan, Callum.
All choreography, but it’s meant to look natural.
Glyde calls it “coordinated anarchy”. Vigorous young animals having the time of our lives.
He really does call us that. With this awful fondness.
We’re doing it now. Running to the edge of the stage, waving, blowing kisses, swapping places, jumping past each other, coming together at last. I rest an elbow on Max’s shoulder, put my left arm round Oli. Rayan leans against him on the other side. Callum, on the far end, folds his arms. Close but not touching.
We’re publicity-still perfect.
We did good tonight. I know we did.
Adrenaline sparks beneath my skin even as my breath slows and my heart calms. It’s a hectic, electric feeling, not quite like happiness. This moment when I blur so absolutely into who I’m supposed to be and everything else falls away.
~*~



November 3, 2015

Release Day Blitz! Hot For The Holidays Anthology



UNDER THE MISTLETOE by USA Today Bestselling Author Michelle Lynn - Piper forms the perfect plan to give Tanner his Christmas surprise. Too bad her twin brother, Brad, arrives early and she's left scrambling. 

A TEN BELOW ZERO CHRISTMAS by bestselling author Whitney Barbetti - Parker and Everett from Ten Below Zero spend their first Christmas together after enduring eighteen months living apart. 

LOVE IN MOTION by bestselling author R.E. Hunter - Morgan & Brett are getting married! But when their wedding travel plans go off the rails, can they keep the romance going or will they decide some trips aren’t worth the extra mile. 

A PARISIAN HOLIDAY by bestselling author Jade Eby - Kara and Vince from The Right Kind of Wrong get stuck in Paris for the holidays. 

WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE by USA Today bestselling author Elisabeth Grace - When Max and Chloe's New Year's Eve plans go awry the result is something that will change their lives forever. 

NAUGHTY NOT NICE by bestselling author Mia Kayla - When Kendy suspects that someone else is riding her reindeer, all hell erupts and she’s out for naughty revenge for the holidays. 

KEEP US by Faith Andrews - Will Marcus and Riley make it home for the holidays or will their spouses, Tessa and Beck, be forced to ring in the New Year alone? 

FLARE by Autumn Grey - Remington and Selene from the Havoc series have been stuck in the middle of ten-second quickies and diaper changing, but now things are about to flare up. 

DRIFTING by Gia Riley - Follow the gang from Lighter & Weightless on their hilarious road trip to NYC where they’ll celebrate New Year’s Eve in style. 

SECOND BEGINNINGS by Kristy Love - Courtney wanted to put the past behind her and face the boy who broke her heart. She hadn’t planned on meeting Chase, though. 

ALWAYS US by Stephanie Rose - All Lucas and Samantha from Always You want this Christmas is each other, but life keeps getting in the way. 

SLEEPLESS NIGHT by Kimberly Rose - Malik and Rosalyn reconnect for one sweet and sexy night before he deploys. 

SPECIAL DELIVERY by B.A. Wolfe - Cassie and Aidan are sharing their first Christmas together as a family, and they quickly learn that the best gifts don't come wrapped in a bow beneath the tree. 

BABY, IT'S YOU by Ryleigh Andrews - Join Mia and the rest of the gang from the Never Over You series as they celebrate a snow-filled Christmas holiday. 

COMPROMISED by Livia Jamerlan - Peyton & Braelynn's plan was to spend their first holiday season together on a beach until a heartbroken Gus knocks on the door. 

CHAMPAGNE KISSES by Eleanor Green - Best friends Briley and Cooper realize they're more than just friends as their lips lock at midnight on New Years Eve, and a new year brings new revelations. 

PROMISE YOU FOREVER by Celeste Grande - Brayden wants his girlfriend Casey to promise him forever. That is, if he can stop messing things up long enough to ask her. 

A TASTE OF CHRISTMAS by Anne Carol - Lauren and Brett are just friends who work at a winery tasting room, but what happens when fate steps in at the annual holiday party? 

UNWRAPPED by M.C. Decker - Join Rich and Brooke Davis and their family and friends as they celebrate a holiday to remember. 

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY by Ruthie Henrick - Thanksgiving has always been Allie’s favorite day, and this year Jake will be especially thankful if they manage to get everyone home for the holiday. 

FIRE OVER FROST by J.A. DeRouen - Emmett Fontaine's Christmas plans derail when he comes face to face with his college heartbreak ... and a tiny surprise wearing pigtails.