Wednesday's Witty Words from Wise Women

"Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strengths."

- Lois Wyse

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Annmarie Ortega

CONTEST: Annmarie has a copy of Summer Solstice Scorchers from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid she will give away to one lucky winner. Make sure to leave a comment along with you email address for a chance to win.

AL: Hi Annmarie Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Annmarie: Thank you very much for having me. I was thrilled when I found out I would be here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Annmarie: Well, it’s nice to be able to take a break and do this interview with you. Besides writing I’m also the President of my kid’s PTA, so I’m always running around for that. I’ve also become a gym rat the past few months and spend a few hours a day there. It doesn’t hurt that my personal trainer is a cutie and that inspires me to go!

AL: So, fill us in on your recent release.

Annmarie: My most recent e book is titled “Dead Girl Talking”. It takes place here in Chicago. It’s a contemporary written in the first person. It’s kind of like “Bridget Jones” meets “Interview With a Vampire”. It’s available from Resplendence Publishing. This is a book I LOVED writing. The hero is hawt which is way hotter than just normal hot! LOL. I am going to be in a new print anthology titled “Medieval Menage” that will be released from Resplendence later this month. The other two authors are Marianne LaCroix (who has an interview in the Feb issue of the RWA magazine RWR this month!) and Kimberly Garland. ( And Kim is actually my one and only cousin!)

AL: What other works are you deep into?

Annmarie: I have a few projects going on right now. I’m finishing up a book I started a few years ago titled “Guarding Pandora”. It takes the story of Pandora and puts a whole new spin on it. I’m also going to try my hand at my first police/true crime/erotica story. It’s going to take place here in Chicago too. Right now my working title is “Cocked and Loaded”. I also have an ongoing project with Kim, and another with Marianne. Lots of writing going on!

AL: You write in several different genres…do you have one that is most near and dear to your heart?

Annmarie: I find I like contemporary the most. I also have had a bit of luck writing in the first person which some people don’t find easy.

AL: When did you know you had to be a writer?

Annmarie: I come from a family of writers. My cousin Kim Garland is published at Resplendence too. I was going to Columbia College to get my Bachelor’s in Fiction Writing. I have 4 classes left to finish my degree.

AL: So far, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in the writing industry?

Annmarie: Writing is a lot of work! You have to be great at time management. Not only do you have to write, but there’s so much more that goes along with it. You have to do promo like Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo groups, blogs, websites, twitter, etc. It can be a huge source of time suckage if you don’t stay focused on the task at hand. There’s no one standing over my shoulder telling me to write. I have to know what I have to do every day.

AL: You have just won five thousand dollars! But...you have to spend it all today. What will you buy?

Annmarie: Wow… I’m not sure. Can I take some friends shopping to help me spend the money? LOL I’m sure they’d be willing to help me.

Ann: Best movie you've seen recently?

Annmarie: Zombieland was great! Woody Harrelson is hot! And I LOVED The Ugly Truth. I laughed my *ss off during that one.

AL: Do you have a top 5 actors list? You know that list of men that make you go yum, yum that would be inevitable, if only....

Annmarie: Haha! As a matter of fact a couple of my friends keep a “5 guy list” like Ross and Rachel did on Friends! My list would be:

Keanu Reeves, Ryan Reynolds, Christian Bale, Justin Timberlake, and Zac Effron. LOL

AL: If you could have any car in the world; would it be a slow rider, or one that the wind has to hurry just to keep up with you?

Annmarie: I wouldn’t care as long as it’s a convertible. I always wanted one.

AL: If I asked your best friend what type of person you are, what would he/she tell me?

Annmarie: I think she would say loyal. I will bend over backwards to help a friend. I am fiercely loyal to those people I’m close to.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Annmarie: Ok… This is going to sound strange, but the other day I was talking to my best writing friend Marianne LaCroix, and we were talking about the gym. We were talking about using the weight machines and how you have to pull out that little pinto adjust how many pounds you’re going to lift. I said something about not always being sure if it was in correctly, and Mari said “Just stick it in and hope for the best!” Well, after she said it we both started laughing at how obscene it sounded! But then we said really that’s great advice for a lot of things in life! Hehe ; )

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Annmarie.

Annmarie: Thank you for this opportunity. I had a great time chatting with you! I’d like to mention that I will be at a few book signing events in March and April. If you go to my blog I’ll have information posted about them.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Annmarie please visit:

www.annmarieauthor.blogspot.com

FEATURED TITLE: DEAD GIRL TALKING

Blurb:

Until recently, I led a pretty normal life. But then I did something that kind of changed things for me: I had a one night stand with a vampire. Things got a little carried away and he bit me, turning me into a vampire too. I guess you can say I learned the hard way that love bites, and once bitten there's no going back.

Excerpt:

I'm not a slut. I've never been the type of woman who has a one-night stand with a man I just met. I have to know a man for a while before getting naked in front of him. So it was completely out of character for me to be lying flat on my back getting my brains screwed out by a guy I just met, but I did just that. And sleeping with that stranger changed my life forever. It just so happens that my one-night stand was with a vampire who in the throes of passion bit me making me a vampire too. I learned the hard way that love bites, and once bitten there's no going back.

I usually go to one particular nightclub to meet my roommate Veronica. This particular night she never showed up and I honestly wasn't all that surprised. She had a boyfriend that she was with all the time and she was hardly ever at our apartment anymore. I knew it was just a matter of time before she'd tell me that she was going to move out of our place and in with her boyfriend.

After waiting around for Veronica for a while I decided to go home. The club scene wasn't my thing and I'd much rather put on my favorite flannel pajamas and read the book I bought earlier that day. I was walking towards the club doors to leave when a man I was passing stopped me.

"Hey, you're not leaving now, are you?" He had an exaggerated frown on his face when he grabbed my arm. I had never seen this guy before and was positive I'd remember him if I had. He was gorgeous. While he spoke, I was baffled as to why he was even talking to me. Let's just say I'm no model. I have long brown hair, brown eyes, average height and thighs a little too large for my liking.

I laughed while nodding my head to him. "Yeah, sorry I'm about to go." I knew he was trying to pick me up, but I wasn't interested.

"My name is Jake. How about you let me buy you a drink before you go..." he trailed off waiting for me to tell him my name. He comically raised an eyebrow waiting for my response.

I looked at him and thought about my pajamas and book waiting for me at home. Then I decided one drink couldn't hurt. "My name is Janice and I'll stay for one drink, but that's it." I emphasized the word one so he'd know I had no intention of hanging around all night.

"Cool, come on." He turned to lead me back towards the bar. "Is vodka and tonic ok?"

"Yeah, sure that's fine," I answered.

We sat next to each other on stools and he ordered us drinks. We sat at the bar and talked for a while, joking and making each other laugh with silly small talk. When I finished my drink I pushed the glass away from me on the bar indicating I was finished.

"Jake, it was nice meeting you and thanks for the drink. I have to be going now." I stood up to leave.

"You're going to go? I was thinking that maybe we could dance?"

"Oh were you?" He was a smooth talker and probably they type of guy who got everything he wanted. I knew his type well; too well in fact. I had been in a relationship for a long time with someone who reminded me a lot of this guy.

"Dance with me," he pleaded as he got up and started to pull me by the hand to the dance floor. I thought he was adorable and I knew I wasn't going to say no to him. We danced to a few songs together on the overly crowded dance floor. I started to notice a lot of women staring at us. Then I realized actually they weren't staring at us, they were staring at him. He was the kind of man you'd see looking at you from the glossy pages of a magazine, not in real life. He had light brown hair that was all one length and hung past his shoulders. His eyes were a light brown with amber colored flecks in them. He wore a white t-shirt and faded jeans over his muscular frame. It was obvious to me that he worked out from the muscles I could see bulging through his shirt.

When the song we were dancing to ended, he took me by the hand leading me off the dance floor. I didn't even ask where we were going. I followed him up a tall flight of stairs to the second floor of the nightclub. There were various rooms upstairs, each one painted a different color. Some rooms had overstuffed sofas or chairs for people to sit and talk. He led me to a room painted a bright peacock blue; the only furniture was a red sofa shaped like a pair of giant lips against the wall. He led me to it, sitting down then pulled me down to sit on his lap, straddling him.

Jake had an expression that made my pulse race; there was a fire raging in his eyes. He put his hands on my face and stared at me intensely, then pulled me to him so our lips touched. Our first kiss was gentle, but then he seemed to lose control and his kisses became harder and more intense. His tongue pushed against my lips and I opened myself to him. I knew that I should get up and leave but I let what my body was feeling control me instead of my sense of reason. I missed kissing, and I guess I simply let myself be carried away.

Jake's hands caressed my hair as I wrapped my arms around his neck. My entire body turned hot from his kisses. His mouth left mine and started to trail down my neck. I could feel his breath against my skin as he groaned low against my throat.

He took one of my hands in his and guided it to his lap and the bulge between his legs. I could feel his rock hard erection under the denim of his jeans. My head was thrown back, my mouth slightly parted as I caressed him and he continued to kiss my neck. His mouth moved from my neck to my ear. "God, I want to fuck you, Janice."

I didn't say anything back; I was completely lost in him. He could have taken me right there and I wouldn't have protested.

All of a sudden, the music stopped and the overhead lights in the club came on. It was jarring and brought us back to reality quickly.

"What time is it?" he asked.

The way he stopped kissing me was abrupt, and from the way we'd been kissing, his actions surprised me. "Well if they're turning on the lights then it must be four in the morning." I couldn't believe that time had gone by so quickly with him. We had spent almost the entire night together.

"Damn. I have to go right away." He was clearly upset because of the time.

"Oh, ok." I got up off his lap. I was disappointed he seemed in a hurry to leave all of a sudden.

Jake stood up. "Bye," he said then kissed my cheek. He turned around to leave and started to walk to the staircase we used to get to the second floor. I watched him pause, then turn around and rush back to me. He took my hands in his. "Listen, I'm so sorry I have to leave like this and I'd really love to see you again. Could you meet me here next Saturday night?" His eyes looked anxious and he seemed tightly wound, as if he was fighting the urge to run down the stairs out of the club.

"Sure, I can be here." It was obvious we were attracted to each other so hell yeah I wanted to see him again. When I had gone there that night, I hadn't planned to meet anyone but I enjoyed him kissing me and feeling his hands on me. I hadn't made love with a man for a long time and quite honestly, the idea of having a one-night stand was appealing to me.

"Good. So I'll see you next weekend." He turned around to leave again, then once again hesitated and turned back and kissed me one last time. He rushed back to the staircase and hurried down the stairs. I walked over to the balcony that overlooked the entire dance floor. I saw him look up at me to smile and wave before he disappeared into the crowd of people leaving through the club's front doors.

I stood there for a moment with my hands on the railing, thinking about everything that had happened that night with Jake. I wondered if he would really show up next weekend. One thing I did know; I would be there to find out.

REMEMBER: Annmarie has a copy of Summer Solstice Scorchers from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid she will give away to one lucky winner. Make sure to leave a comment along with you email address for a chance to win.

Wedneday's Witty Words from Wise Women

"Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn her back on life."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Kimber Chin

CONTEST: - Kimber will give away 3 copies of both Breach Of Trust and Invisible in PDF to those who leave a comment, so please make sure to leave your email addy for a chance to win. Characters from these two novels appear in my latest release Flawless.

AL: Hi Kimber Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Kimber: Thank you for having me, Ann. Ann is one of my favorite names. The heroine of my first novel Breach Of Trust is Anne but with an ‘e’ ‘cause she’s a fancy schmancy type of chick.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Kimber: I’m currently on a business gig and working 12 plus hours a day. Combine that with the release of Flawless, my follow up novel to Invisible, and what I’m NOT doing is sleeping. If this interview gets a bit Alice In Wonderland strange, you know why. Not that getting Alice In Wonderland strange is a bad thing, especially if Johnny Depp makes an appearance.

AL: Business, high-stakes and murder….Tell us about one of your upcoming or recent releases.

Kimber: Flawless is my latest release. It stars Tavos Santos. Some readers will remember this scarred, f-bomb flinging man from Invisible. Tavos is a bad, bad man. He is a killer, and he doesn’t magically change his ways because he falls in love.

Grace thinks she is about to die. She has a list of things she wishes to do before that happens. She gets the bright idea that Tavos is exactly the right man to do them with. Yep, she is a wee bit crazy.

AL: What are you currently working on?

Kimber: I just submitted Nik’s story. Nikolay also appears in Invisible. He is the grandson of a Russian mafia godfather. He is determined not to become his grandfather but we all know how history repeats itself.

AL: Working in the fast paced financial world, and meeting different “characters”, do any of your smug villains sound and look a little bit like a person you have squared off against in a conference room?

Kimber: My characters are their own people but as with anyone, I can see similarities to people I know outside of the fictional world. I know a lot of people so that’s bound to happen. I love people, love, love people. I think that’s why I write romance. Romance is all about people and personalities.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Kimber: I’d love to have a book in every library on the planet. I grew up dirt poor and quickly read through my local libraries. I donate quite a few of my books to libraries, along with cash donations, as a way of giving back.

AL: Which of your heroines best resembles you and why?

Kimber: There are a lot of stories swirling around my brain. The heroines I decide to write about are usually the heroines I most relate to at that time. With Breach Of Trust, I was feeling out of my comfort zone in the writing world. Like Anne does, I did more observing than talking. Maeve in Invisible is in a dark place at the beginning of the book. I was coming to terms with never having kids and was in a very similar dark place. Grace in Flawless doesn’t take anything too seriously. She gamely tackles each day as it comes. That is where I am right now.

AL: Now, let’s get personal. What is the most unglamorous thing you’ve done this week?

Kimber: I should say clean the toilet but I’ve been delaying that task (yeah, I know, too much information). Mom-in-law (a wonderful woman) gave me a chicken carcass. I stripped all the remaining meat off it and then boiled the bones for soup stock. Chicken fat must be the best moisturizer on the planet. My hands feel like a newborn baby’s bum.

AL: You’re the actress in a must see blockbuster movie that everyone’s been waiting all summer for. What’s the movie about? Who’s your character? And who’s your leading man?

Kimber: Yikes! That is my worst nightmare. I don’t like being in the spotlight so I’d be in an animated movie. Ohhh… maybe a remake of Beauty and the Beast. I’d wear big gowns and dance and sing (off key as I do). James Earl Jones could be the voice of the Beast. Darth Vader would make a yummy Beast, don’t you think?

AL: If you could drop everything tomorrow for an extended vacation, where would you go and why?

Kimber: The hubby and I do this all the time. Travel is our drug of choice. We are currently planning an extended vacation to India. For some reason, that is one country we haven’t yet visited. That is crazy, I know. We love the people, the culture, the food, and wowsers, the rich history. I’m sure the plot bunnies will be greatly multiplied after that trip.

AL: What would people be surprised to know about you?

Kimber: My internet buddies would be surprised to find out that I’m not Asian. My heritage is English/Irish. I had to marry a tall, dark, handsome Asian man to get the last name. I love the trend with headless heroines on covers because in my mind, ALL heroes are tall, dark, handsome Asian men.

AL: Your characters cuss a lot, what's your favorite curse word and why?

Kimber: That’s the amusing thing. I don’t cuss… AT ALL. Sometimes I say dang or jeepers or sugar but I don’t use the big profanities. I grew up babysitting. Use a cuss word just once and those little darlings will repeat it forever, telling everyone whom they heard it from.


My characters cuss for their own reasons. Hagen in Invisible uses the d-word to express his anger over his beloved great-uncle dying. Tavos in Flawless uses the f-bomb because he grew up in the slums of Belize. His first exposure to the English language sure wasn’t from English teachers. He is a smart guy though. He could stop using the word if he wanted to but he doesn’t want to. He uses it to warn the world ‘I’m a bad, bad man. Stay away.”

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Kimber: “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” – unknown.

Life isn’t TV. There should be no repeats! We’re given additional years of living to do something different than we’ve done the year before. Push your boundaries.

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Kimber.

Kimber: Thank you SO much for letting me drop by, Ann. I had a blast!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Kimber please visit:

http://businessromance.com/

FEATURED TITLE: FLAWLESS
 
Blurb:
 
Grace Williams has a list of things she wants to do before she dies: walk a tightrope, dye her hair purple, skinny dip in the ocean, kiss the scarred stranger sent to kill her…
 
Yeah, Tavos Santos is a killer but f— it if he’s going to be Grace’s killer. There are other relationships he’d rather have with the gloved beauty. None of them requiring knives.

It takes a killer to catch a killer. Now Tavos must decide… Is love worth killing for?

Excerpt:

“Excuse me.” She rested a gloved hand on his sleeve. Was that a flinch? No. His face was like granite as he turned to face her. This man would never flinch.

“Fuck,” he said under his breath. “What do you want?” Louder. The grating language offset by a deep, low voice, the sound touching the very depths of her.

What did she want? Looking in his flat brown eyes, she knew. To live. To love. To…

“This.” Grace plucked the toothpick away from his lips and, before fear overwhelmed the impulse, she leaned forward, into his warmth, and brushed her mouth against his.

His lips were hard. Unyielding. Like him. Like fate.

She didn’t know what she had expected. Not that. Disappointed, Grace withdrew to the safety and coldness of her own personal space. She had expected more. She took a pen out of her purse. Didn’t matter. Number four. She crossed it off the list. It was done.

“Fuck.” A hand gripped her waist, spinning her and the stool around. His face fierce. He was going to kill her now. Right here, in public. For daring to kiss him. Grace opened her mouth to scream, only to have it covered with his. She struggled. His hand gripped the back of her neck, not allowing her to retreat, hard lips grinding down, his body slamming against her, knocking the wind, the fight out of her, allowing his tongue inside.

It was hungry. Primitive. Deadly. Was death by kissing possible? Her body sagged against his, all resistance gone. Her right hand crept up, around his shoulder and into his hair. He was so lean, hard, not an ounce of softness in his body. A finely trained weapon. To be used against her.

She didn’t die. He stepped back, a dazed look in those eyes. She touched the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue, tasting…blood.

“Fuck.” The killer ran a hand through his shiny black hair, smoothing down the tuft she had clenched. “Fuck.”

REMEMBER: Kimber will give away 3 copies of both Breach Of Trust and Invisible in PDF to those who leave a comment, so please make sure to leave your email addy for a chance to win. Characters from these two novels appear in my latest release Flawless.

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Jamieson Wolfe

CONTEST: Jamieson has five copies of HARD and five copies of HARDER to give away! The first ten people to leave a comment will win a free ebook copy of Hard or Harder! So, remember to leave your email!

AL: Hi Jamieson. Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Jamieson: Hey Ann! Thanks for having me! It’s a real pleasure to be here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Jamieson: What’s going on? Well my husband and I will be celebrating our fifth anniversary this March, so that’s a good thing.

I’m also a lot busier than I thought I would be in 2009! I’m teaching workshops in March, October and November so far, so I’m preparing for that.

Other than that, I’m working hard at my day job, reading and spending far too much time playing video games on my Nintendo DS. Currently I’m enjoying Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars. It’s awesome!

AL: Cleo, Cupid, wolves and the professor, oh my! So, tell us about a current or upcoming release…

Jamieson: Well my newest release is called HARDER. It’s the second book in the Hard series and continues the adventures of Owen Wolfe. He has the incredible luck of having his fantasies come to life, whether he wants them to or not!

Coming up is a short titled Glory that will be published by Breathless Press in March!

AL: You write in several different genres, do you prefer one over another? Do you find it difficult switching from say paranormal fiction, to non-fiction?

Jamieson: I think if I had to pick a genre I prefer, I would have to say speculative fiction. I love having that fantasy element in my writing. Of course, this means I can write romance, suspense, young adult, whatever tickles my fancy at the time.

I don’t find it too difficult changing genre’s. I never like to write the same story twice, so I’m always working on two or three different projects at the same time. The variety keeps me from getting too bored and produces a lot of work.

AL: What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?

Jamieson: I’d have to say the talks I have at bus stops. The idea that strangers will talk to you about almost anything, even not knowing who you are, is the most bizarre thing to me. A lot of my short stories have come from conversations at bus stops. And some of them have been really odd, like something out of one of my novels!

But it just goes to show you that real life can be the best inspiration of all!

AL: Do you have a mentor or critique partner that you work with consistently?

Jamieson: I don’t have a mentor or critique partner, but I do belong to a critique group called Muse Macabre. Everyone who submits work writes speculative or dark fiction, so I fit in with no problems!

I love working with a critique group because you can get a good sounding board for a story or novel that is giving you trouble. And they’re always honest, which is a great thing when you’re a writer and very unsure of yourself and your work.

AL: Which of your books feature your family/friends, etc? What characters are modeled after them? Why?

Jamieson: Several of my books feature family and friends. In fact, The Hunted Series, my series of four books that revolve around soap operas and serial killers, feature my mother (Susan), and three of my good friends (Nai, Erin and Sandy).

More often than not, though, I try not to have too many of my friends or family in my stories. They get wierded out if there’s a sex scene, especially if it features them! LOL

AL: Here we go…it’s time to get personal! When you have a day all to yourself, no hubby and the she-cat is nestled asleep somewhere, what do you do with this sudden free-time?

Jamieson: Well I’ll write, no question. But I write till I feel like I’m done. Then I might work on a canvass or two, play some video games on my Nintendo DS and then read to my hearts content with a glass or two of wine. A bliss!

I’m also an artist. I find that with my writing I can express myself one way. With my art, I’m expressing things that I might not be able to put into words. So I will quite often put on some nice music and work on a canvass or two. I work with cante and mixed media on canvass most of the time.

AL: What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night?

Jamieson: I have only one and it’s on winter hiatus. Sigh. But it’s GLEE. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that show. I have the first half of season one on DVD and am watching it now. I could watch Glee all day and still want to watch more! If you haven’t seen it, watch it. It’s television that will fill you with joy.

I also love to veg out so I watch lots of The Simpsons, Family Guy and Robot Chicken, oh, and South Park. Those are my faves.

AL: You are told you have to meet one paranormal creature, no safeguards, what do you choose? What do you bring with you?

Jamieson: I’d love to meet one of the Fey. Preferably a Dryad. I might bring a sketch pad and some coloured pencils or some charcoal. I’d hopefully be able to coax the Dryad from their tree and have a conversation about what it was like to see the world made.

AL: Valentine’s Day is around the corner…what do you and your hubby do to celebrate the day of love?

Jamieson: Well this year, we’re going to Montreal for a little get away. It’s also our anniversary of when we met on March 2nd, so we’re celebrating 5 years together a little early.

My husband isn’t a huge fan of Valentines Day. This year, he’s calling it Black Sunday. But that doesn’t stop me. I’ll be eating tons of heart shaped chocolate and, hopefully, get a little something. We’re probably going to exchange new wedding rings and redo our vows.

AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2010 and beyond?

Jamieson: Well 2010 will be a busy one. I have my memoir coming out later this year in paperback as well as the 2nd book in my Hunted Series coming out in paperback. I have two more paperback releases this year as well, a second book of short stories and a holiday novella. Beyond 2010? I have no idea! We’ll have to see what it brings.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Jamieson: There’s one that I carry around with me all the time. It’s by Margaret Atwood and it goes: A word after a word is power. Isn’t that what all writers do? Put one word after another? It rings true for me, you know?

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Jamieson.

Jamieson: And thanks for having me Ann, it’s been a delight!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Jamieson please visit:

www.jamiesonwolf.com
www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com

FEATURED TITLE: HARDER
Blurb:

Owen had always fantasized about Sebastian. Working in the same publishing house, Owen saw Sebastian every day but they never spoke. Owen always imagined what Sebastian would look like naked, what it would be like to touch him.

One day, Owen’s fantasy comes to life when Sebastian makes a pass at him.

But the fun has only just begun. And Owen's cock will be harder than ever before by the time the day is over...


Excerpt:

Every time Owen saw Sebastian, he felt his heart swoon, just a little bit.

Sebastian was straight, so there wasn’t a hope in hell, but a boy could dream. He was over six feet with dark hair. He had serious blue eyes and pouty lips, framed by a closely shaved goatee.

They worked as copy editors for the same publishing house. Owen had yet to hear him utter a word even though they sat only a few cubicles apart from each other. Sebastian would come in, do his job and go home.

Owen fantasized about him all the time.

He wondered what Sebastian’s cock looked like. What Sebastian looked like shirtless. Owen wondered if Sebastian’s chest was hairy. He wondered what Sebastian’s voice sounded like. Would it be deep or a soft, smooth baritone?

At home, late at night, he would let his imagination play. Owen would close his eyes and picture Sebastian naked: toned but not too muscular, a scattering of hair on his chest leading down to his crotch. Owen wondered what it would be like to kiss him and to have Sebastian kiss him back.

Picturing Sebastian, Owen would stroke himself, letting the thought of Sebastian’s hands roaming over his skin drive him over the edge.

He wondered about the size of Sebastian’s cock.

Owen soon got his answer.

REMEMBER: Jamieson has five copies of HARD and five copies of HARDER to give away! The first ten people to leave a comment will win a free ebook copy of Hard or Harder! So, remember to leave your email!

Wednesday's Witty Words from Wise Women

"You have not lived a perfect day...unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

- Ruth Smeltzer

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Abby Wood

CONTEST: I’ll offer one lucky person who leaves a posts their pick of either Going Down at the Dock or Throwing a Kink in the Kidnapping. I’ll draw the name Sunday and email the winner. Please make sure to leave your email addy.

AL: Hi Abby. Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Abby: Thank you for having me, Ann. I’m excited about being here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Abby: Which day is it? Lol Half the time I feel like I am running in several directions, and trying to figure out exactly what I should be doing. Between four teenagers, taking care of the farm animals, and writing I lose track of the time easily.

AL: So, tell us about your new release.

Abby: I’d love to. Going Down at the Dock is a hot peek into the lives of a Master and his slave. I loved showing how a strong business woman gives up control to visit her wild side. Master Darren knows exactly what she needs to find fulfillment too.

AL: What other erotic tales do you have simmering on the stove for us to eat up?

Abby: I have three books coming soon. Tagging Her Lynx is an erotic paranormal set in Alaska, and Winning Off the Court is a short tale featuring a woman who finally heats things up with two of her tennis mates. Both of those will be coming out with Breathless Press. I also have another paranormal erotic coming out at Loose Id called Didja Know…? Of course, Throwing a Kink in the Kidnapping is a newer release that you can read while you wait for all these books to hit the stores. 

AL: When did you know you wanted to be a writer? An erotic writer at that?

Abby: I’ve always wrote, but last year I was approached and asked to try my hand at writing the kinky stuff. I’ve loved it ever since. I love delving into my characters, and writing what happens in and out of the bedroom brings them more to life for me.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Abby: I want to keep putting books out there and growing my reader base. I’d love to get to that point where I hear someone is dying for my next book. lol

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Abby: My favorite thing is staying home. With having a family, it is nice to be right here looking over everybody. My least favorite…gosh, that’s hard because I love writing. I’d have to say finding homes for my books. It’s hard and a little scary.

AL: What’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Abby: Um, I live on a farm. There are a lot of unglamorous jobs! This week I would say it was cleaning the chicken coop.

AL: If you had to write yourself as a villain, what kind of villain would you be? What would you be named?

Abby: I want to be the evil sister who causes havoc. Did you see how fast I answered that question? Lol I grew up the only female in the house. I have no idea what having a sister is like, and it would be fun to torment another girl for awhile.

AL: What were you like as a kid?

Abby: A total tomboy. All my friends were boys and I hung out with them playing sports. I play a hell of a game of basketball and usually win at tennis.

AL: What decadent delight must you have no matter what?

Abby: A cheesecake has never been thrown away at my house. Just saying…

AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2010 and beyond?

Abby: What? It’s 2010! Dang, there’s that loss of time thing happening again. I want to feel like a writer. I’m still pretty new at all this. I question everything, and cringe when I promote my books. By the end of the year, I’m going to figure it all out.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Abby: "I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." By Audrey Hepburn

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Abby.

Abby: Thank you! I’ve had so much fun.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Abby please visit:

www.authorabbywood.com

FEATURED TITLE: GOING DOWN AT THE DOCK

Blurb:

Businesswoman Jasmine Kendall needs one thing to escape her high pressured life: a powerful man who will bend her and make her submit. Meeting Master Darren Finnagen can give her everything she dreamed. He’s a man who will control her every move, push her to new heightened orgasms, and bring her total happiness. His latest plans for her include a jaunt down a shipping dock where she must make three strangers come, but when she’s done, will Darren be waiting for her or was this just a test?

Excerpt:

“It pleases me to see you enjoying yourself. You’ve permitted that inner wild flower hidden inside to come out to play.” He gathered her in an embrace. “It turns me on to see you lose control of that high society, business owner, façade you wrap yourself up in every day in that high rise building you own.”

“I do it for you, Darren.” She sobbed. “Only you.”

“Aw, my poor love. Your body still needs attention, does it not?” He pulled back and gazed down at her face.

She nodded.

“Remember when I told you that your pussy is all mine?” He stepped back.

She wrapped her arms around her middle. “I’m sorry—“

He held up his hand. “No, love. ‘Tis my fault. I pushed you too far, but you had nothing to fear. I was watching you the whole time. I would not let another man have something so precious of mine.” The soft lilt of his voice smoothed her anxiety over displeasing him.

She tilted her head.

“You enjoyed knowing that I watched. The fact that others stopped and stared at your vagrant display of power over men twice your size turned you on, didn’t it?” He loosened his tie.

“Yes, Darren.”

“The difference between you and me, love…” He pulled his shirttails out of his trousers. “I know you prefer to have someone encourage you to obey. You want to feel small, feminine, and let someone bigger and stronger than you control every morsel of desire in that lovely body of yours, yes?”

“Yes, Darren.”

He opened his arms out to the side of him and walked in a circle. “How many people do you see watching us like we are a spectator sport and wondering what is going to happen? They gaze longingly at your long, golden legs beneath that very skimpy blouse and hope they will get a chance to see you wrap them around my hips as I plunge into you and take what is mine. Dare I even say…they hope I will punish you for letting three strange men have their freedom with you?”

She flicked her gaze at the crowds gathered up on the decks of the ships and at the end of the dock. A twirl of excitement started low in her tummy, spread out to the hidden bits of her womanhood, and brought her back to her high sense of arousal the other men brought out in her.

“If it’s okay with you, love, let’s give them what they ask for….” He stepped toward her and grabbing a handful of her thick hair at the back of her head brought her forward for a kiss that both urged her on and showed her exactly who controlled the situation.

She whimpered against his lips and he let her go abruptly. He stepped back. His hands trailed along the opened V of her blouse, grasped each side, and ripped the buttons off the rest of the shirt. She gasped. Her head fell back and she languished at the vulnerability that overcame her knowing the strangers gazed upon her body.

REMEMBER: I’ll offer one lucky person who leaves a posts their pick of either Going Down at the Dock or Throwing a Kink in the Kidnapping. I’ll draw the name Sunday and email the winner. Please make sure to leave your email addy.

 

Wednesday's Witty Words from Wise Women

"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby."

- Ruth E. Renkel

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Angelica Hart & Zi

CONTEST: Anyone who leaves a comment along with their email address will be entered into a drawing to WIN an e-book.

Want to join the Angelica Hart and Zi mailing list? Write us at angeliahartandzi@yahoo.com and we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Hold on to your hats or hang onto your seats, and enjoy Angelica and Zi. They are very very entertaining and make the wheels of your mind turn with intrigue not only in their work, but in this interview about who they are and why the do what they do. :-D

AL: Hi Angelica and Zi. Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

A to Z: We are so tickled to be here, and appreciate this opportunity to share with you and your readers. Hey readers, what's percolatin'?

Angelica: I love what you've done with your blog. It is awesome. The sparkles amidst the haunted are fabulous. I feel right at home.

AL: Thank you so much, Angelica. :-D

Zi: Angelica adores dour bling! She being oxy-moronic. A jumbo shrimp cocktail of mixed metaphors.

Angelica: So does Emmy. (Holds up a toy Bichon to show off its new rhinestone collar, while Mo, the sleeping yellow lab opens one eye, yawns, and petards)

Zi: In three lines, we have word-pictured the intriguing dichotomy of Angelica and Zi. Two different minds attempting to create as one. Painful yet pleasant.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with both of you.

Angelica: I'm into a new health regime, limiting myself to only three cookies a day and one chocolate bar. Along, of course, with healthy fruits and veggies...bananas and corn. Ok...ok...I do know better but wouldn't that be grand if we could diet that way.

Zi: The CD Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Night Castle leeches at my sensibilities, pulling pristine thoughts of a sandy beach littered with love. Am I there? Of course, building sandcastles and inviting mistress and male to dance on its granite floor.

AL: Tag team writers, please share with us your upcoming release in February?

A to Z: Have you ever wanted to be truly submerged in fantasy, taken beyond the realm of reality, and way past the looking glass? If so, SNAKE DANCE does just that. Something evil and sinister pulsates beneath rare and chaste. Something beautiful breathes where murk and dankness reside.

This story combines exotic scenes of an extraordinary, primitive, and distant planet. It's inhabitants have humanistic characteristics, of which some have noble souls and open hearts while others are heinous and dark. All of which reflects this culture of subjection and freedom seekers. The love and sex is raw and primal. This is a story not all dare read, however, we do dare you!

AL: What are you currently working on?

A to Z: We are presently marketing our books, freshening our website, writing a number of recurring columns, blogging, putting the finishing touches on an irreverent fairy tale series and lamestorming for our next serious romantic project.

AL: How did you two meet and become the writing duo you are today?

Zi: At an art show where Angelica had been exhibiting. I liked her work and asked about using her illustrations in one of my books.

Angelcia: I read one of his manuscripts and unbeknownst to Zi, I sent it off to my agent. Zi was under contract within a few weeks. Afterward, we discussed doing a project together. Each of us bringing twenty ideas to the table. We couldn't come to terms on a single one. And then Zi wrote something enchanting and beautiful, of an angel who had no wings and a young man determined to help her, of a mage with six fingers, and a world that existed under the earth, and I fell in love with the story. I wanted to be part of that fantasy.

Zi: Once we began to write together we realized our work together was better than anything we produced apart. That's when we knew it was a fait accompli, we became writing partners and no longer create anything separately except Sunday French Toast!

AL: Do you have times when one of you wants to go one way and the other someplace completely different? If so, how do you work out those differences?

A to Z: Great question! The answer is every day! Every hour sometimes! Every other minute even! However, we always agree to agree, which sounds strange, but isn't. Individuality is the genesis of creative direction, therefore we already are aware that we must take the time to homogenize our ideas. The agreeing to agree means that if we don't agree, the idea doesn't flourish, never sees the page, and the page, the story is what matters. We fight for the story, for it to be the best it can be, that the reader's enjoyment is more important than our egos. So, we bicker and fight and, Angelica pouts...a lot...oft tells Mo to sic Zi... Mo yawns. It can sometimes be quite difficult, hard even. However, it's the hard, the fighting for the story, that ends up making the story special. The story always wills out.

AL: Which of your hero/heroine best resembles you and why?

Angelcia: Jessy, a three year-old in a book called THE GARROTE FACTOR. She is tenacious, playful, fun-loving and, although it never made it from profile to book, she loves chocolate and apples with peanut butter. It's like I spit her out. Oh wait, I sorta did.

Zi: The crystal whip in a book titled STAG NATION: A VEXED HEART, the first piece we wrote. A stunningly beautiful weapon that if wielded correctly was precise and deadly, dipped in the honey of the summer marigold to sweeten my edge.

AL: Do you remember the first guilty pleasure you purchased with your first check?

Angelcia: Nothing guilty about it...white out and typing paper. Yup, started writing back in the stone age when e-mail meant an empty mailbox, and a mailbox was this thing out by the curb in the shape of a box. Oh, yeah, we still have one of those but it's just for bills and Christmas cards.

Zi: A special edition encased model of my car. 1:18 ratio. Placed it on the shelf and dust it monthly.

AL: If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?

Angelcia: Alaska sings a siren's song to me, kind of like that song Baku Ha’i from the movie South Pacific, expect Bloody Mary doesn't sing it. As for time-period, I am not a pioneer lady. I adore modern comforts, and I fear what the future might bring to the beauty of that grand land, so right now would work. What would I do? Breathe sharp, cold, clean air. Go gaga over the glaciers. Figure out if I can walk in snow shoes. And, if possible, (Hey wait, it's my fantasy...it IS possible) a dog sled ride. Oh, and a train ride...and...and.... Must stop here before I start to hyperventilate. (Whines to Zi: We have to sell a lot more books. I want to go to Alaska!)

Zi: Would have been fascinating to have been a fly, no, a roach in the room when Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio wooed and cooed. This man must have been a romantic, and I would have loved to have known his soul, his passion, the quality of his character, and why he loved her forever. Then I would have eaten their left-over cheesecake crumbs.

AL: Angelica, what three words best describe Zi?

Angelcia: Noble...fun...brilliant...

AL: Zi, what three words best describe Angelica?

Zi: Effervescent...ditzy (lower case d because she is mildly so) and brilliant (eclectically brilliant if allowed four)

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Angelica: "Imagination is the one weapon in the war against reality." Jules de Gaultier

Zi: "His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." Mae West

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Angelica and Zi.

A to Z: This has been awesome. Your questions were wonderful and it was great fun responding to them. Again, thank you for having us. You are a gem!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Angelica and Zi please visit:

www.angelicahartandzi.com
www.angelicahartandziblogs.com

FEATURED TITLE: SNACK DANCE

Blurb:
 
In the vast ebony chasm of space, on the planet Starling wRen, a winged chickalas with the rare ability to fly defies a submissive heritage, braving the dark legends of the Asp to be with VeIper, enemy to the Kin, the protectors of her Nestling.
 
Meanwhile, VeIper seeks to free his species from ethnic cleansing as well as win the awe of the beautiful and defiant wRen. Mong, a slayer, has already claimed wRen and vows to destroy those of VeIper's kind. Each seek their vision with rapacious intensity but with Mong's impervious power, the subjugation of wRen and the death of VeIper might be pre-destined.
 
Excerpt:
 
Clenched as one, floating.
 
Her wings unfurled slightly and his arms caught about them, instinctively stroking the area between moving downward to the Rise of Comehither, feeling her incredible responsiveness. Her fingers curled about the base of skull, pulling his head closer to her breasts as she caressed awake the remnant of a cobra hood. They together, he bending and pressing her backward and then swirling her up and around, he then lifting his head to find her lips, to press past that sensuous pink tenderness to the opening beneath.
 
Every stimulating action demanded a stronger reaction, and the two simultaneously became giver and recipient. Their mouths twisted against each other, and then parted, held deliberately apart but barely, torturous breaths scraping against each other, tongues flittering and then slipping away, her pointy tip, caressing the vulnerable nip between the slit. His fingers moved over smooth warming flesh, pausing to stroke feathers as they each nipped at each other with tender kisses over eyelids and temples, scale-line and feather-roots.
 
He growled.
 
She shivered.

REMEMBER: Anyone who leaves a comment along with their email address will be entered into a drawing to WIN an e-book.
 
Want to join the Angelica Hart and Zi mailing list? Write us at angeliahartandzi@yahoo.com and we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Movie Phrase Friday

"Dig the propoganda - the miles will fly and your children won't cry if you play Car Bingo."

What's the movie?

Wednesday's Witty Words from Wise Women

"The phrase 'working mother' is redundant."

- Jane Sellman

In the Author Spotlight

Cherise Sinclair

AL: Hi Cherise. Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Cherise: Thank you so much for having me here, Ann.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Cherise: I’m being good and exercising (don’t you just hate New Year’s resolutions?) taking long walks around the neighborhood while making mental notes on what I want in my garden…and who needs to be chained up in the next book. Decisions, decisions…

AL: Tie me up and tie me down. What new works do you have all tied in knots?

Cherise: Interesting wording there. *BDSM author’s ears perk up* Oh…you didn’t really want to be tied up. Ooops. *shoving rope back under the bed*

A question about new works. Got it. My next book, Masters of the Shadowlands 4: Lean on Me, comes out on March 30th.

Meantime, I’m working on a novella for an anthology set in San Francisco. You see, Belinda McBride and I visited a BDSM club there, and…well, you know what happens when you let an erotic romance author loose in someplace like that. No, not kinky sex--for heaven’s sake, people!--you get stories!

AL: Which of your heroes/heroines is most similar to you?

Cherise: Oh, pieces of each probably. Jessica in Club Shadowlands--jumping in to save and protect someone who needs help, and being a little sarcastic at time. Beth in Breaking Free who just keeps on going and doing what needs to be done. Rebecca who can’t believe a man can love her soft curves. Heroines tend to be sneaky and will steal personality traits right out from under an author’s nose.

AL: Where do you get your ideas? Do you jot them down in a notebook in case you forget?

Cherise: Ideas come from everywhere, sometimes thunking me in the head hard enough to cause a Chicken Little reaction --“The sky is falling,” -- and sometimes bubbling up like goo from the Black Lagoon. Ew. Uh, let’s try, bubbling up like champagne bubbles. Yes, that’s better.

And being one of those individuals lacking a decent memory, yes, I write ideas in a book and later save them in the computer. (I lose notebooks constantly, but I’ve never misplaced my computer. LOL)

AL: Out of all your stories do you have one that is more near and dear your heart?

Cherise: Honestly, I love them all when I’m writing them, think they’re all not nearly good enough when I’m done, and miss the characters afterwards so much that I have them show up in later books, just so I can check on how they’re doing.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Cherise: I love reading and writing science fiction, so I plan to branch out a bit. A Dom is a Dom, whether he’s from Earth or another planet, right? And sooner or later, I’ll probably cross back over into print again.

Goals? Well, damn. Somehow I didn’t achieve my goals of being in the Olympics, marrying George Clooney, seducing Wolverine, and being the first female astronaut. But trying for a best-seller is still on the list.

AL: What did you do to pay the bills before making your break in writing?

Cherise: I work part-time as an RN. It’s one of those careers that engages me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I love it and hate it, and it’s hard to stop. Rather like writing.

AL: You have to ask a fictional character out on a date—who would you ask and what would you do together?

Cherise: Hmm, you realize asking anyone out would get me in severe trouble with my husband, right?

But…if you twisted my arm -- *ow!* -- then I’d have to say that I’d steal Master Z from Club Shadowlands, protest uselessly that I didn’t really intend to…whatever…and then cave in and let him do whatever he wanted, which undoubtedly would include ropes and chains and cuffs. And toys. Toys are good.

AL: What would people be surprised to know about you?

Cherise: Me? I’m an open book. Got no secrets. *kicking the flogger back under the bed*

AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?

Cherise: You mean besides Microsoft’s ‘blue screen of death’, computer viruses, teenagers who leave dirty dishes trailing behind them, cats who meow to get in then change their mind and stand in the doorway like maybe the house isn’t up to their high kitty standards, and small dogs with ear-piercingly high barks that act as if you’d left them for years when you go out to get them mail…well, I can’t think of a thing.

AL: You have just won five thousand dollars! But...you have to spend it all today. What will you buy?

Cherise: That’s a tough one. Not enough to buy a car; too much to spend in a store, especially since I hate shopping. Ah. A prepaid vacation for a fully-stocked remote cabin in Alaska (summer, please), with a bag of laptop batteries. And if my DH promises me many, many sexual favors, I’ll generously let him accompany me. (ahhhh, we’re not going to let him read this blog, right, Ann?)

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Cherise: "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiams; the great devotions; and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Cherise.

Cherise: Thank you for inviting me and sharing your blog. I’m in awe of people who can keep a blog updated and fun.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Cherise please visit:

http://www.cherisesinclair.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CheriseSinclair
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2882485.Cherise_Sinclair
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1310187524&ref=name
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/cherisesinclair

FEATURED TITLE: THE DOM'S DUNGEON
available from Loose Id

Blurb:

Foster child. Teenage whore. Now a veterinarian, MacKensie's turned her life around, but the scars remain. She saves her affection for the animals who never judge or scorn her, but it's time to get out, move on from her past in Iowa. So, she arranges a vacation exchange to job hunt in Seattle.

Although the house is lovely, one room is locked. Her years in foster care have given her two ‘gifts’: a neurosis about locked doors and the ability to open them. After she gets into the room, she's appalled…and intrigued. Chains and manacles, whips and paddles, odd benches with straps…

When Alex returns home days early and finds MacKensie draped over the spanking bench in his locked dungeon, he’s furious. But her wariness arouses his protective nature and curiosity, so he strikes a deal to keep her close—she’ll act as his submissive in exchange for a place to stay and help finding a job.

He’d planned to use the veterinarian to deter an ex-girlfriend, not replace her, but with MacKensie’s compelling mixture of strength and vulnerability, the little sub slides right into his well-defended heart.

Excerpt:

Alex parked next to the cheap rental in his driveway. Obviously the exchange person had arrived. Had Butler liked her? Finding the woman’s mangled remains in the foyer would really top off the day.

Hopefully he could work out some arrangement with her. By the time he could get a flight, the conference would be almost over, so he saw no point in pursuing that plan. Damned if he’d take up residency in some hotel in his own town. She’d just have to see reason. The house was big enough they didn’t have to run into each other, or maybe he’d give her enough money to rent a hotel.

He walked in and called, “Hello.”

Silence.

Then with a woof of delight, Butler appeared from around a corner, skidding on the slick marble tiles in his excitement. Alex chuckled as he petted the squirming beast. They’d lived together for a good five years, ever since he’d found the dog skulking around the garbage bin at the beach house. His mother hadn’t been impressed, but dignity ranked high on her list of priorities and was nonexistent on Butler’s.

“So where’s our tenant?” Alex asked as he tugged gently on Butler’s ears. He didn’t hear any noise in the house, so she was probably upstairs unpacking. As he headed toward the stairs, he felt a warm trickle from under the dressing the emergency room nurse had applied. Apparently his stitches hadn’t appreciated being rubbed against a car seat. Turning, he headed for the dungeon, where he kept most of his first aid supplies. Might as well patch himself up, although that might prove difficult considering the wound was on his back. Maybe he’d grab some gauze and tape and see if he could get the woman to slap it on. She was a vet, after all, which was one of the main reasons he’d chosen her.

He went down the hallway to his dungeon and stopped. The door stood slightly ajar, and he knew he’d locked it before he left. In fact, he’d even checked it before leaving. Anger unfurled inside him, growing hard and fast. The terms of the vacation trade were spelled out clearly in the contract, including the locking of nonessential rooms. She’d deliberately broken in.

He couldn’t hear anything inside, but he’d soundproofed the room years ago.

Placing a hand on the door, he silently pushed it open. Not difficult to spot her. She’d draped herself over the spanking bench, head hanging down on one side, legs on the other, with her ass -- a pretty, round ass -- up in the air.

Well, well. A trickle of humor dampened the anger. Now wasn’t that an appropriate position for someone richly deserving punishment?

He’d enjoy turning those cheeks a nice pink.

He walked over silently. Before she could move, he set his hand on the back of her neck, holding her firmly across the horse. She gave a yelp of surprise. Her thick, wavy golden hair hung almost to the floor, concealing her face. Maybe five-five or so, she had a nicely toned body.

Since he’d adjusted the horse for Cynthia’s taller body, this smaller woman’s arms and legs dangled, giving her no leverage to struggle. Although she was certainly trying.

He didn’t bother to listen to the sputtering and cursing coming from the submissive under his hands. And that she was submissive, he had no doubt. Someone might have played on the spanking horse, possibly, but the way she’d positioned herself so carefully, and the tiny wiggle she’d given when finally in position, spoke of a person imagining herself helpless and being excited at the idea.

A Dom had a duty to give a submissive what she needed, not always what she wanted…and to administer punishment as required.

“I locked this room before I left. You broke in.” A sub always needed to know the reason for the punishment. He gave her a hard swat, precisely placed on the fullest part of her buttocks.

What was the owner doing home? A second later, the man’s hand hit Mac’s bottom, the stinging pain almost extinguished by her shock. He hit me! She struggled furiously, but his large hand gripped her neck and pressed down unyieldingly.

Naked and caught. Humiliation swept through her in a hot wave. “Let me go!”

He didn’t respond to her struggles or shouts, as if what she said was meaningless. His voice deep and controlled, he said slowly, “I trusted you with my house and my dog. Rather than respecting that, you break into a locked room and make yourself at home. Your punishment is five swats.” His hand slammed across her bottom again.

And again.

The burning pain swamped her mind. The fiery sensations on her bare skin hit each time in the same spot. At the fourth blow, her eyes filled with tears. His hand felt hot against her neck as his grip on it eased slightly. From deep inside her, guilt and shame welled up, choking off her yells. She shouldn’t have opened a locked door; she’d betrayed an agreement, a trust.

But spanking? No one had ever spanked her. Ever. Foster children got time-outs; children who belonged got spanked.

As he gave the final swat, a shudder ran through her, leaving her trembling inside and out.

He still held her firmly with one hand; now the other stroked down her back, a firm, knowing touch. Not sexual, but…assessing. When the hand reached her stinging bottom, she hissed with the increased pain.

“I want you to remain in this position -- what was your name? -- ah, MacKensie. Is that clear?”

“Yes.” She couldn’t manage more than a whisper as the magnitude of her terrible blunder struck her harder than his blows. Oh, God, what have I done? She’d not only broken the Vacations contract, but more… Her neurotic need to open doors had destroyed her new start. How could she get a job as a vet out here if he turned her into the police? Or he could do something worse…

After Vacations sent Fontaine’s bio, she’d checked him on the Net. He was not only richer than God, but he mingled with the elite in Seattle society. He could easily destroy her reputation. Who would hire her if he denounced her?

Footsteps moved away and returned. Then his hand pressed down on the small of her back. “This won’t feel good, but it will help the pain and redness.” She had only a second to wonder what he meant before he began to massage lotion into her skin, right where he’d hit her. As pain flared back to life, she jerked, arched, tried to kick -- and got a swat on her burning butt.

“Lie still.” The sheer authority in his voice made her force herself back down. “Good girl.” His touch gentled, and the pain eased, leaving only a hot throbbing in its wake. “Up you come now.” He lifted her off the bench. Broad hands gripped her upper arms, steadying her when she wobbled.

After a breath for courage, she looked up into a strong face and piercing blue eyes. His short, dark brown hair lightened to gray at the temples. He had sharply chiseled features and a stern jaw with a cleft in the chin. A white, tailored shirt with sleeves rolled up displayed muscular forearms.

Still holding her by one arm, he cupped her cheek, using his thumb to brush away her tears. “Almost over, pet,” he murmured, then stepped back. “Kneel and apologize.” His voice had turned cold, eradicating for a frozen moment even the thought of arguing.

But kneel? Did he think he lived in some feudal century or -- her mind flashed to the BDSM club she’d visited and the submissives at their master’s feet. Frak, she’d not only found the Dom’s dungeon, but she’d found the Dom to go with it.

Still…if this guy thought she’d kneel, he could think again. She gave him a scathing look and headed for the door. Could she arrest him for hitting her? Probably not, considering she’d broken --

“MacKensie.”

She glanced back.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “If you leave, I’ll report this through legal routes. If you stay, perhaps we can discuss alternatives.”

What kind of alternatives would a man demand? Oh, she knew exactly what, and a cold hand squeezed her chest. She wouldn’t be a whore again. Never. But stalling couldn’t hurt. Maybe his anger would cool a little. “What alternatives?”

He pointed at the floor in front of him. “Apologize.”

Fine. She started back across the room and almost groaned when the room blurred. No food since breakfast, too long in the Jacuzzi and this… Her legs buckled as she tried to kneel, and she landed painfully on her knees. She gritted her teeth against the pain.

He bent over and lifted her face. “Are you all right?” he asked softly.

She nodded, confused. Beat me and then make sure I didn’t hurt my knees? Was the man bipolar?

After caressing her cheek, he stood. And waited.

Damn him. She forced the words out, the taste of the apology bitter in her mouth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have opened a locked door.” She stopped.

“’Please forgive me, Sir,’” he prompted.

Oh, honestly. Her hands tightened into fists. If she thumped him in the balls, she could run and… And what? Escape onto the street bare-ass naked? Assuming her legs even held her up, because right now, that wasn’t looking likely; she could feel fine tremors sweeping through her. “Please forgive me, S-sir.” Her voice broke at the last word.

The answer: Smokey and the Bandit
The sheriff who chases them through the south!

Movie Phrase Friday

"There's no way, no way that you came from my loins. Soon as I get home, first thing I'm gonna do is punch yo mamma in the mouth!"

What movie and who said it? Come on, take a guess.... :-D

What Are You Reading?

Right now I'm reading the second book in Johanna Lindsey's, Malory series, Tender Rebel. Remember the old cover for Tender Rebel. I remember it from when I read it the first time...let see I was about... 13 or 14 years old. After I finish this one I'm going to start the second book in the League series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Born of Fire. 

Fill me in on what your reading...

Wednesday's Witty Words from Wise Women

I'm back from vacation. Did you miss me? Here's some Wednesday wit to get us back in the swing of things. The Author Spotlight will kick-off again starting Monday next week. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and new year.

"Character - the willingness to accept reponsiblity for one's own life - is the source from which self-respect springs."

- Joan Didion

Wednesday's Witty Words from Wise Women

"The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous."

- Dame Margot Fonteyn

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Erin Nicholas

CONTEST: Keep reading to find out....

AL: Hi Erin Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Erin: Thanks for having me! It’s always fun to talk books and reading with book lovers!

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Erin: Lately we’ve been attending school and church Christmas programs! I love these—of course seeing my own kids, but even seeing the other little ones all dressed up, excited and nervous on stage, singing all those songs I remember as a kid. It’s just such a part of the season for me! We stay busy with our kids, for sure! Plus I have this chronic condition where I can’t say no to anyone who asks for my help so I end up on lots of committees! But if you ever need someone to collect canned food, socks, stuffed animals—well, anything really—I’m your girl! Oh, and I am a champion phone tree chair, always have ingredients for an emergency pan of brownies on hand and make the most colorful flyers in town!

AL: Tell us, what’s on your author bookshelf for us to read?

Erin: My first book just came out with Samhain Publishing in November! No Matter What is a sexy contemporary about a sassy, strong physical therapist hired to privately rehabilitate a sexy, determined millionaire’s daughter.

AL: Now, you are currently published in contemporaries, but I see growing up you also read a lot of fantasy and paranormal. Do you have any plans to get your feet wet in these genres?

Erin: Definitely, maybe. I truly love writing the contemporaries and have several of them finished or in the works! But there are story ideas that keep coming to me that have fantasy and paranormal elements so, I’ll probably eventually give in! I do think that would be fun! There’s something very appealing about having some magic or mind-reading or time travel on your side!

AL: What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?

Erin: LOL. I had to take a three hour car trip with this woman who I didn’t like very much (in fact, she still drives me crazy!) and she told me all about her ex-husband, how they met, their courtship, marriage and divorce. I ended up thinking he sounded like a great guy and—with a few twists, of course—there were some great story elements there!

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Erin: Nothing too grandiose! I mean I wouldn’t want anything like a six figure deal, or a TV movie made from one of my books, or to hit number one on the NY Times Bestseller list. Seriously though, I’m focusing on having releases coming out regularly and, of course, getting my finished manuscripts on the shelves!

AL: What were you like as a kid?

Erin: Outgoing, bossy, stubborn, chatty, bossy, creative, sentimental, bossy … much as I am now!

AL: What decadent delight must you have no matter what?

Erin: Starbucks frappucinos! Every day! I don’t know what they put in that stuff but they should sell it on the street!

AL: If we were to look on your nightstand, what books would we find?

Erin: Well, it changes often, actually! Besides the scented candles and scented body lotions (my two weaknesses) you’d find a book about customer service called “Willy’s Way”, a copy of the Romance Writer’s Report (the August issue I think… I’m a bit behind), a non-fiction book my sister is insisting I should read but I don’t want to (sounds really sad! I like romances because they make me feel good!) and then a stack of romances including Lori Foster, Julia Quinn, Lucy Monroe and Erin McCarthy’s Hard and Fast on top (hard and fast on top sounds appropriate doesn’t it? Sorry, couldn’t resist).

AL: With the holidays around the corner what's your favorite tradition?

Erin: We have a few! To me, tradition is what it’s all about! Traveling to see family, of course. Another that comes to mind is what we put on top of the tree. We have a star and an angel and we rotate each year. We also rotate which of the kids gets to put the star or angel up. We can only keep track by writing a note and putting it in with the star and angel saying whose turn is next and what goes up each year. 

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Erin: “Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” (anonymous)

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with joining us this week, Erin.

Erin: My pleasure! Thanks for letting me stop by!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Erin please visit:

www.ErinNicholas.com

FEATURED TITLE: NO MATTER WHAT

Blurb:

Adam Steele is good. Good at using his money to get his way. Money always works—until he realizes he can’t buy his daughter’s way out of her new wheelchair. Three private physical therapists later, he’s almost given up on Emily walking again. Then he meets Dr. Jaden Monroe. And his match.

Jaden doesn’t know the meaning of the word “quit”. But she knows a lot about “fired” after a public blowout with her ex jeopardizes the donation her hospital was counting on. Now the most tempting man she’s ever met has made her just the offer she needs to save the new children’s rehab wing—one million dollars to rehabilitate his daughter. In return she finds herself making Adam rash promises: that his daughter will walk in time to take the lead in the school play. And that he won’t entice her into his bed. No matter what.

But Jaden didn’t anticipate a teen whose injuries are more than physical. Or a man so passionate and devoted—and as tenacious as she is. As Adam wears down her defenses with kiss after kiss, the only thing harder than keeping her promise will be keeping a hold on her heart.

Excerpt:

He leaned closer and she was acutely aware of his lips and the hunger in his eyes. Her instincts kicked in far ahead of any rational thought and she jerked back, ducking slightly and twisting away. Having his target move so abruptly threw his balance off and Adam pitched forward. He grabbed for the nearest thing…her arm.

Together they fell into the pool with a large splash.

They came up spluttering a moment later.

“I can’t believe you threw me in!”

Adam started laughing in spite of his soaking wet clothes.

She glared at him. “What?”

“I did not throw you in.” He wiped his hair back from his forehead.

“Well, you pushed me but…”

“If I intended to push you or throw you in, why am I soaking wet? I liked this suit.”

He was grinning as he spoke and that infuriated her. The first time she had heard him laugh and seen him actually grin, and it was at her expense.

“Then what was that all about? I disagree with you, do something a little deviant by coming to the pool instead of insisting Emily do a bunch of things she doesn’t believe in yet and you jump in, pulling me with you?”

“That’s not what happened and you know it.” He swam to where she was grasping the side.

“Oh? Then what happened?”

“I scared you.” He said it matter-of-factly.

“Scared me? What are you talking about?”

“I almost kissed you, you panicked and ducked, I lost my balance and we fell in.”

She opened her mouth to reply, then quickly snapped it shut again. Was she more shocked that he thought he made her nervous…or that he was right? She began shaking her head.

He nodded his head in response. “Yes. You panicked when you realized I was going to kiss you. You’re scared of me.”

“I knew that you were pretty full of yourself the first time we met, but this is way over the top,” she declared, but her voice lacked conviction.

She moved to pull herself out of the water and he quickly grasped her upper arm. “I don’t think so.”

She sucked in a quick breath, but she held still, even as she realized that was probably a bad idea.

“Look me in the eye and tell me that you didn’t know I was going to kiss you.”

She struggled to swallow as she looked into his eyes. But no words came out. Her gaze dropped to his collarbone and she said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He smiled and moved an inch closer. She stiffened but didn’t move away. “Jaden, just so you know, I had every intention of kissing you a few minutes ago. I don’t want there to be any confusion about that.”

Hot and cold, numb and tingling all at once. She was amazed what a few simple words could do. Though she also realized that it was the tone of voice, not the actual words, that affected her so profoundly. Several seconds passed before she found her voice and said quietly,

“I’m not scared of you.”

One corner of his mouth tipped up. “No?”

She shook her head and pressed her lips firmly together, telling herself she did not want to know what kissing him would be like.

“You’re not nervous at all about my attraction to you and your equal attraction to me? You’re not even a little anxious about me kissing you and where that might lead?”

She shook her head again and managed to pry her lips apart. “Even if you did kiss me—and I’m not saying that I think that’s a good idea—it wouldn’t lead anywhere. I think you should know that up front.”

“You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, Jaden,” he said soothingly, rubbing his palm up and down her arm where he still held her. “But I think that you should know up front that I’m very certain, eventually, I will kiss you and it will lead to something.”

He moved in a little closer, making her press her back against the rough side of the pool. “But because you’re skittish about this, today I’ll settle for this.”

He slid his hand down her arm slowly, creating goosebumps in the wake of his touch.

Then he took her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a firm but gentle kiss to the center

of her palm. A shiver went through her and she knew that it did not escape his attention.

He pulled himself out of the pool and shook water from his hair. He stood on the side and shrugged out of his jacket, tossed it onto the chair, pulled his shirt from the waist of his pants and began unbuttoning it. He peeled it off, wadded it into a ball and squeezed water from it. Jaden watched every move, unable to tear her eyes away even when he turned and saw her studying him. He kicked his shoes off, watching her the whole time. She didn’t move. But when his hands went to his belt, she shook herself from her daze.

“You’re not undressing right here!”

He looked around. “I can’t go dripping water through the whole house.”

She pulled herself from the pool and stomped to the chair where there was another dry towel. She tossed it toward him. “And I’m not skittish.”

He began toweling off. “That will make seducing you much easier.”

She spun toward him in the midst of pulling on a long T-shirt, only one arm poking through the sleeve. “Seducing me?” Her voice was almost a shriek.

Shrugging, he asked, “What did you think all the kissing would lead to?”

“We’re not kissing.”

“Not right now,” he agreed. “But that will change soon.”

“This is nuts. Is this the real reason Kathy and Cindy quit?” she asked, naming two of the three therapists who had come and gone from the Steele estate. “Because you were trying to get them into bed?”

Adam frowned at that. “The thought of taking either of them to bed didn’t even occur to me.” The resoluteness in his statement left no room for doubt.

Jaden stuck her left arm forcibly through the T-shirt and finally pulled it over her head and down to cover her body. She crossed her arms and regarded him with narrowed eyes. “But it’s occurred to you with me, after only one day?”

Adam stopped drying off and walked toward her, stopping only when he was close enough that she could see the gold flecks in his eyes. He put one finger under her chin and tipped her head up to look into her eyes.

“Taking you to bed occurred to me the first moment I saw you.”

He had to stop doing that. If she lost her ability to breathe and think every time he said something like that, she was afraid she would quickly lose her professional credibility with him. If she hadn’t already. Finally, she spoke. “Maybe that should have come up when we were discussing the job with Emily.”

He dropped his gaze to her lips. “I have every confidence that you can do both very, very well, but if you’re concerned, maybe you would be more comfortable not being Emily’s therapist.”

Anger welled up in her so quickly she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. “You want me to concentrate on you rather than Emily?” Then she took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She shrugged. “Sure, that’s a great idea. You can bring in another therapist to work on her rehab while I have sex with you all day long. In fact, thank you for thinking of it. I was just wondering how I was going to accomplish all of that by myself.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You would have an affair with me and let another therapist work with Emily?”

She took a step forward, her eyes narrowed, pink staining her cheeks. “You are unbelievable!”

Suddenly both of her hands were on his chest and before he could react, she shoved him as hard as she could.

Jaden stood at the edge of the pool, hands on her hips, glaring down at him when he came up for air. “Of course I will not have an affair with you and turn Emily’s therapy over to someone else! My first and only priority is Emily. You’re just going to have to find another…outlet…for your sexual energy.”

“So you’re staying?”

“That’s what I said.”

“No matter what?”

“No matter what.” Then she marched to the heavy glass door and jerked it open, turning for only a moment to tell him, “And, just for the record, I’m also not kissing you…no matter what.”

CONTEST: An added bonus for BLOG BITES readers:

• Read the excerpt posted here: http://www.erinnicholas.com/nomatterwhat.html and answer the question: What is Jaden wearing in the scene?

• Email the answers to Erin@ErinNicholas.com with “Ann’s Contest” in the subject line.


• All correct answers will be entered at Random.org and the winner will be #7 on that list.


• Prize is a free download of No Matter What!