Sage Is Out: Flash Fiction at Lori King's

Hi all,

I'm over at Lori King's blog today with my first attempt at flash fiction / picture capturing - and I'm in excellent company. Laurie Roma, Susan Hayes, Tymber Dalton and of course the lovely Lori herself are just a few of the ladies who joined me in writing a short story inspired by a pic. Hop on over and see what we have come up with: http://lorikingbooks.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/picture-capturing-featuring-erotic-romance-authors/

Sage Is Out: Getting Personal with Gabrielle Holly

Hi all,

The lovely Gabrielle Holly interviewed me and came up with some excellent questions, so if you want to know what my favourite swear word is (among other things), head on over to her blog
http://gabrielleholly.blogspot.de/2013/07/getting-personal-with-author-sage.html

Special Guest: Bebe Balocca

Hi all, 

Today's special guest has just released a hot tiger story (if you know me, you know I love tigers) so I'm especially thrilled that she's agreed to sit down for an interview with me. 
Ladies & Gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Bebe Balocca.

Hello Bebe, thanks so much for being my guest today. I hope you don't mind the heat - here's some iced tea for you while we talk about

The business ones

Please give us a short introduction about yourself
I live in the rural southeastern United States with my family and pets. Ours is a peaceful little town, full of intrigue, secrets and close ties—perfect for daydreaming up some hot romantic fantasies.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Mostly erotic mf romance, and some straight-up erotica with mf, ff, and ménage scenes. The erotic romance works I do have intense love scenes, but I enjoy incorporating intrigue, suspense, and humor in there as well. I have some novellas that are pure erotica (as in, the story really revolves around the sex) and those are so much fun to write. It’s really exciting to get lost in the scene and try to get it down on paper so that readers can go right there with me. My goal is to have readers fanning themselves and then hunting down their partners.

Tell us about your latest release
“The Curse of the Tiger”, published by Total-E-Bound, is my first shifter book. It’s set in modern-day Colorado at a fictional free-range tiger ranch. There’s an evil witch, some exceptionally wild animals, and quite a bit of rough-and-tumble sex in this mf short novel.

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
I need total quiet—I wear noise reducing headphones if my kids are home stomping around. My little miniature wiener dog, Scarlett, is usually curled up beside me in her chair as I write, and I like to have some hot herbal tea to sip on. I’m super fortunate that my husband supporting my desire to convert our attic into my office, so I have a comfortable private space just for my work. Yes, I’m a lucky girl, in more ways than one.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication
I was totally elated! I’d been writing articles for magazines and for an educational company (still do, actually) but writing fiction and getting it published is a lifelong dream. It was incredibly validating.

Has the release of your first book changed anything in your personal life? If so, what?
It’s awesome to talk to new friends about what I do. Every now and then, someone is a little taken aback, but the vast majority of people are intrigued and eager to talk about the business and to learn about my projects.

Who is your favourite character and why?
I love Faline in “Curse” because she gets to live out her dream of running a tiger sanctuary. Like me, she doesn’t doll up much for her work days; she just gets out there and does what she loves to do. It’s fun to imagine being around tigers all the time, too.

A favourite line from one of your books
>>>“Oh, um,” Faline stammered and licked her lips. “We could talk about your options, I suppose. I’d say I probably do have a place for you, now that you mention it, seeing as you’re comfortable with tigers.”

“I don’t know if ‘comfortable’ is the right word.” He took his hand in hers and brought it to his lips. “’Experienced’ is better, I think. I’d say I’m pretty experienced.” He pressed his lips to her knuckles and watched for her reaction. “Would you say that you’re experienced, too, Faline?”<<<

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
My female characters all have some of me in them, or at least some of how I’d like to be—they’re bold, open-minded, and unafraid to go after what they want, and they tend to make a stumble or two along the way.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was it?
I’ve read Gone with the Wind I don’t know HOW many times. I was so in love with Rhett Butler and thought Scarlet was so ridiculous to keep pushing him away. I mean, what else could a girl want, right?

What’s the silliest error in a book you’ve submitted?
Oh dear. This is embarrassing. I’ve made a couple of anatomical errors that my editors were quick to point out. Let’s just say that as a mom of four and wife of nineteen years, that first time way-back-when is a little fuzzy.

The steamiest scene from your books
In Bubbles and Troubles, book one of my Prescott Woods series, there’s a subterranean spa that’s the scene for some hot (literally – HOT!) love scenes. A natural hot tub with effervescent water and a heated mud bath made for some good clean fun for Carmen and Brock.

Favourite comfort food? 
Tomato soup with loads of black pepper and a grilled cheese sandwich.

The fast ones

Favourite colour? Wine red

Favourite pet? My blue-eyed dappled black and tan mini dachshund, Scarlett

Dog or cat? Team dog, all the way!

Coffee or tea? Hot coffee, hot herbal tea, iced tea – all unsweetened, please

Quickie or candles? Um, I have to choose??

Hunky or chunky? Hunky

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? My honey wears cowboy boots with his suits. It’s pretty hot, I’m not gonna lie.

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Gosh, tough one. Guess I’ll go with the chat over cocktails, just because it’s a lot easier to slip away to the bedroom that way…

Good point, Bebe, hehe. Thank you for the interview. Now that all the tea is gone, it's time to look at your book. Here's 

The Curse of the Tiger

She knew that being close to tigers was her destiny, but she never thought she'd be riding on top of one…

Faline Hopper owns and runs a free-range tiger refuge in northeastern Colorado. She loves the animals and the mission of Kat’s Crest, but the sanctuary is on the verge of financial disaster. A mysterious stranger with deep pockets comes to its rescue.

Hunter Cartwright is one tall, cool drink of Alabama water. Sparks fly immediately when he shows up at Faline’s door. He’s ravenous for the blond beauty, but there’s something he needs to make Faline understand before he can really sink his teeth into her.

Something that happens at sundown, when the tigers roam the sanctuary and the nightly hunts begin…

The curse of the tiger was cast by a Native American witch. Abetzi rejects the Great Spirit and worships a powerful demon instead. Faline is determined to free Hunter from the witch’s spell and to stop Abetzi from abusing exotic animals, but at what price?

Will Faline risk everything to put a halt to Abetzi’s cruelty—And will it be worth it?

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJ9YSFC

About the author:
I love to read and write erotic romance, fantasy, and sci-fi because of the escape factor: I want to leave the ordinary and travel somewhere exotic, unusual, and sexually-charged in a book. My characters are thrust into unpredictable situations, and they respond with humor, open-mindedness, and loads of scorching passion. I hope you enjoy escaping with me into the sultry world of erotic romance.

Author website: http://www.bebebalocca.com
Bebe on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BebeBalocca?ref=hl
Bebe on Twitter: @BebeBalocca

Release Day Special: Stripped Bare by Susan MacNicol

Hi all,

I'm super-thrilled to host today's guest and her new release. In fact, I'm so thrilled that at the time you read this, I'm probably hiding in a quiet corner to read that book. But before you get to peek at it, here's the interview with the author, the wonderful Susan MacNicol!

The business ones
Please give us a short introduction about yourself
An obsessive, driven, stubborn, pain in the arse, creative, loyal, quirky, humorous individual. The key word being ‘individual’. I don’t like labels. I think everyone should be exactly who they want to be in life -no hiding, no shame and no pressure to be something they’re not. And stuff anyone who thinks otherwise. I think that sums me up admirably.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write contemporary romance /suspense. Most of my books have an element of intrigue, danger and violence. I started out writing M/F romance with gay characters in them and now find myself totally drawn to writing solely M/M. It’s become a bit of an addiction, caused in no small part by your books, Sage. (I think I own most of them now.) I started reading M/M when I did some research for an erotic crime thriller I’ve written called Born Human. I have a bisexual serial killer in this one and needed to see ‘eh-hem’ how things worked. So what started out as ‘research’ (stop rolling those eyes, everyone, it really did) turned into a real desire to continue reading these books and finally to write my own. (I’ve since been told by a fellow author that if I continue with more of my ‘research ‘online, I might go blind. I’ll chance it.) Ah, research... *nods* No worries, you won't go blind... ~Sage

Tell us about Stripped Bare, which has just released today
Stripped Bare is my first M/M romance. It tells the story of the irrepressible Shane Templar, escort and master hacker, who meets the sexy but brooding and reserved solicitor, Matthew Langer. They’re bought together by a shared event and there is a definite spark. Or flare rather…

It’s what I call ‘techno sexy’, contemporary, set in London, with elements of passion, romance and violence that brings heart break and an awareness that love is not something to be thrown away because sometimes you could lose it forever. It is pretty sexy, someone in the M/M writing game even called it ‘dirty’ and I like that description….

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
I’d like to say I have a bevy of half-naked men parading around bringing me everything my heart desires, from chocolate to wine to a comfy, elasticated pair of jeans to wear when I over indulge. But that would be a lie. Instead I sit on my couch, in the lounge, with my laptop. I have a study but I prefer to work amongst the chaos and frenetic activity of my family – husband, two grown kids, one kid’s boyfriend, and a hyper active dog. If I retired to the study each night when I got home to write, my family would never see me. At least this way I can interact a little, even thought my daughter has a saying ‘don’t poke the bear’ when I’m writing. But I do try and be a little sociable.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication
I was gob smacked. I honestly submitted Cassandra by Starlight in April last year not really thinking it would get anywhere. I’ve never written a full novel before and have only dabbled at writing until coming up with the inspiration for this one. So when Chris Keeslar, Editor in Chief at Boroughs Publishing Group, emailed me back on my hopeful query as to whether they were considering it, and said ‘Yes’ I was truly astounded. My editor, Jill Limber, then sent me a very politely worded email saying they would take it on, but it needed a lot of ‘work’ on my formatting and I just said ‘I’ll do anything you want.’ Family and I broke out the champagne. I couldn’t announce it on any social networking sites because I didn’t have any then. And just over a year later, here I am.

Has the release of your first book changed anything in your personal life? If so, what?
It’s changed the way I feel about social networking. Before I had something to promote, I pooh-poohed the whole thing, thinking it was a crock of nonsense. Now I think very differently. It’s a gem if used wisely. I’ve come into contact and met some incredible people and done things I would never have dreamed of. Some online buddies have become actual real friends. I’ve been interviewed by local newspapers. I’ve been on a radio show. I’ve done book plate signing at libraries. I sometimes get a free beer in the local pub because the lady owner loves my books. Life is truly good.

Where do you find inspiration?
For my first book it was a random event in my home town that sparked off the idea of a suicide flinging himself off a motorway bridge and injuring a woman in the car travelling underneath. For the rest, I don’t really know. The ideas just come to me. I gnaw at it like a bone then come up with the story and the characters. I’m very random. A book I’ve just submitted to a publisher, called ‘Waiting for Rain’ features pole dancing, farms, haystacks and sheep and my next one will have penguins and Genies in it. I don’t have a bloody clue where it all comes from.

Who is your favourite character and why?
My favourite character has to be Bennett Saville from my debut novel Cassandra by Starlight. He was my first. He was inspired by my personal fan crush, Benedict Cumberbatch, a fact for which I show no shame. Everyone knows I’m crazy about the guy. I wanted a Cumberbatch but he wouldn’t have me, so instead I created my own version so I could do what I like with him. Sorry, I meant to him…Bennett is sarcastic, sexy, intelligent, witty, sophisticated and pretty tough. I just love his wicked sense of humour.

A favourite line from one of your books.
This is from Cassandra by Starlight, the story of Bennett and Cassie.

“Ah. A Chihuahua. Is it true that Chihuahuas love sunbathing?” asked Bennett with genuine interest. “I read about one once that was so fond of the sun it used to have regular sessions booked at a tanning salon.”

Your favourite drink and food when writing – tea, coffee, Coke.
I’m a fan of savoury so a pork pie, sausage roll or packet of crisps is my kind of writing comfort food.

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
There is a lot of me in Cassie. She’s modelled on me and some of the experiences that she had, I’ve had. The car accident, the shattered femur, the Wicca, the views she has. There are a couple of others too but I’m not telling. You’ll have to guess.

Who is your least favourite of the characters you’ve written? Why?
It would have to be Bennett’s stalker, Laura Mancini. She was a real crazy bitch, a nasty bit of work and I was glad when she got her come-uppance.

The steamiest scene from your books 
The first time Bennett and Cassie make love after their date was fairly hot and then there was the one scene in the theatre when Bennett tricks Cassie into wearing a certain dress he had his eye on. Stripped Bare has some fairly scorching ones too which made me hot writing them.

Favourite comfort food?
Sausage rolls, pies, crisps, pizza. I’ll do anything for them.

A person you admire
They’re all men and they’ve all been victims of sexual abuse. They’ve been courageous in coming forward and telling their stories. So James Landrith, Stephen Hill and Joe Leistman are all good choices. I’m involved with certain groups and causes and fighting for male sexual abuse victims to be heard is one of them. I’m currently co-writing an auto biography with Joe based on his life story. He dictates the material, I transcribe and try and form into a cohesive whole. He was abused for three years by a Scoutmaster when he was thirteen. If you know anything about the Boy Scout Perversion Files scandal in the US, then you’ll have an idea of just how wide spread this was.

If you could ask any person in the world one question of your choice, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I could be all predictable here and say I’d ask Benedict Cumberbatch to come home with me, but perhaps I should choose someone else. Eminem perhaps on how he got where was, as he’s a source of fascination to me, both his music and his life.

I never would've expected you to ask Benedict to... Anyway, let's look at 

The fast ones

Favourite colour? Purple

Favourite pet? Polar bear. I want one.
So does my daughter. Maybe you can have shared custody of one... ~S

Dog or cat? Dog

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Quickie or candles? Candles

Hunky or chunky? Hunky. Chunky is for chocolate.

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? Suit and tie, but if it’s just the jeans and boots, and he has a really good torso, I might have difficulty deciding…

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Chat over cocktails

Thanks for the interview, Sue. Let's look at your book now! (Well, I have been looking already, but it's time to introduce it to the visitors) 

Stripped Bare 

Though two years past, Matthew Langer is still getting over the death of a loved one. He's steered clear of serious relationships, but when he meets the irascible, dirty mouthed and tempestuous Shane Templar that decision has never been harder. Shane is sexy, warm and funny, and Matthew finds himself trying like hell not to care about him. Especially when Shane, with his quick wit and hacking skills, is quick to stand up for justice and avenge wrongs. Then Shane strikes at the wrong target, and Matthew realises just how far gone he already is. At the threat of losing for good yet another man who’s broken through his armour, Matthew finds his heart stripped bare. He must face the demons of his soul or a future without love.

Buy link: http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/stripped-bare
More books by Susan: http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/authors/susan-mac-nicol


About the author:

Born in England, then parents left to go and live in Johannesburg, SA when I was eight. I lived there for close on thirty years, got married, had kids then in Dec 2000 we relocated back to England. I live in a county called Essex, just outside London, in a rural area. There's a really beautiful old Norman church across the road, which has very loud bells which chime every hour every night every day of the year....

I work in the beautiful city of Cambridge doing boring 'compliance' stuff, and spend all my time at home writing and networking. I'm a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Novelists Association in the UK.

Susan's website: www.susanmacnicol.com Blog http://susanmacnicol.wordpress.com

Sage is Out: Getting Comfy with Elin Gregory

Hi all, 

I was out again last week and got so comfy in Elin Gregory's interview chair that I promptly forgot to post the link, so here you go: http://elingregory.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/today-in-the-comfy-chair-sage-marlowe/

Release Day: Stockholm Syndrome

Hello my lovelies,

Ah, the glamorous life of an author... Stockholm Syndrome has released today, and guess what I did to celebrate? I spent the day outside in the garden, cutting grass and trees in the blazing sunshine. Now I'm slightly sun burnt, knackered and in desperate need of a shower, but still thrilled that my nineteenth book has finally seen the light of this beautiful summer's day. I hope you love it as much as I do - here it is:

We don’t get to choose who we fall in love with—and sometimes we fall too far…

Daniel Eames is a bodyguard. Usually assigned to protecting politicians, he has fallen out of his boss’s good books after getting too close to his last charge’s son but when rising Hollywood star and Academy Award nominee Bryan McTiernan receives peculiar letters and requires the best possible protection, Dan is put on the job.

While he agrees that the letters are more than harmless fan mail, he finds it impossible to narrow down his suspicions and Bryan isn’t helping by alternately seducing and irritating the hell out of him. Against his better judgement, Dan falls for Bryan’s manipulations, but the more he gets to glimpse behind the façade of the young actor, the more he realises that something in Bryan’s past has a strong hold over him. While both Dan and Bryan are aware of this, neither sees the full extent of his fixation.

With the help of Gabe, a fellow bodyguard and friend, Dan pursues different theories and even hires a private investigator to learn about Bryan’s well-hidden past. What he discovers has the potential to destroy more than just a promising career and in the end, Bryan has to make a choice—allow for his past fixation to take him hostage again or run away and into Dan’s open arms?

Buy link:

Total-E-Bound: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2244
(Stockholm Syndrome will be available from the distributors (Amazon, B&N, ARe...) on August 16th, but you can get it now at a 10% discount)

Sage is Out: Spotlight @ Total-E-Bound

Hi all,

I'm under the spotlight at Total-E-Bound for the rest of the month, so come on over and find out some outrageously naughty details! http://www.total-e-bound.com/aspotlight.asp?

Special Guest: C.A. Szarek

 Hi all, 

Today's Special Guest C.A. Szarek lives where Yours Truly would love to be - watch out, dear, you might have a house guest sooner than you can say "Transatlantic flight". What do you think? I'm easy to keep and will write stories for food... Ahem, sorry, I got a bit distracted. Welcome, C.A. Please take a seat, make yourself comfortable and have some coffee. Time to start with

The business ones

Please give us a short introduction about yourself
I’m originally from Ohio, but I have been in Texas since 2002. I love it down here. I work with kids at both my non-writing jobs.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write a little of everything: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and the occasional YA.
I’ve always been into fantasy. Grew up reading the greats, Anne McCaffrey is my fave, and the genre will always be close to my heart.
That being said, I always wanted to be a cop and have been in to “Police stuff.” I never did becoming a police officer, but I have a Law Enforcement background, and I actually work in a court.
I adore paranormal because it’s a mix of both, sorta. *grin*
And YA, well, I work with kids, and sometimes a good story they can read will pop into my head.
Maybe someday day I will be published in all the genres I write.

Tell us about your latest release
Collision Force is near and dear to my heart. It’s my first venture into the world of Romantic Suspense, but it’s sucked me in and I am very happy I will have more stories to tell in this little slice of Texas, a small city called Antioch, that I created.

CF is about Andi and Cole. She’s a detective, he’s FBI and they have to work a case together. They don’t like each other much at the start, so it was fun getting them together. The arrogant hot boys are always the hardest to fall!

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
Not specifically. I mean, I can write anywhere if I have to. My fave place is my recliner, with my laptop. I don’t have a ceremony. Just make sure I write every day.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication.
Total elation. I had had so many rejections, I almost expected it when I opened emails. I couldn’t believe I actually found someone who WANTED my book. It was great. And it hasn’t changed. Every contact offer is the same! AWESOME!

Where do you find inspiration?
Anywhere really. It could be TV, radio, even talking to friends. Sometimes I’m looking for it, and sometimes it *just happens* That’s fun!

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
When you start off writing, I think we, as authors, always put ourselves in our books, even if we don’t mean to. That being said, the heroine of Sword’s Call (King’s Riders Book One), my first book is kinda the cooler version of me.
I suppose there’s a lot of me in Andi, the heroine of Collision Force, too, but I think she’s stronger than me. We have the same dry sense of humour and smartass tendencies, though.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was it?
LOL! YES! Too many boys to name. But I suppose Butch, one of JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood boys is my fave.

Who is your least favourite of the characters you’ve written? Why?
Luca Marchetti, the villain of the book I just finished is a vile vile creature. That being said, he was super easy to write. I slipped right into his head. Um…that’s scary.

The steamiest scene from your books
Ummm…Welllllll, I can’t show it to you, but I can tell you. It’s a shower sex scene in the book I just finished, Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) Dayum it’s hot. I am proud of myself for it. I think it’s the best sex I have written to date.

There’s also a VERY hot wall sex scene in Collision Force but I’m not naming the chapter. I don’t want people to skip ahead. Hehehe.

Favourite comfort food?
CHOCOLATE!

The fast ones

Favourite colour? Blue

Favourite pet? My baby boy, lab mix, Tazer.

Dog or cat? Both

Coffee or tea? COFFEEEEEEEEEEE

Quickie or candles? Both

Hunky or chunky? Both

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? Jeans and boots! (I almost said both!)

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Walk in the park


Thank you so much for the interview, C.A. Seeing as you work in court I may reconsider crashing at your house... Let's take a look at your book which incidentally has two of my favourite character names in it:

~~~~

                    Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One)

Bad boy FBI agent and feisty widowed police detective collide pursuing a human trafficker in small town Texas on their way to true love.

Bad boy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happens and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas, where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.
Cole doesn’t do small towns and doesn’t get involved with women he works with, but Andi tempts him in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge.
Two murders, her partner shot and leading the investigation on her own, the last thing Andi needs is a cocky FBI agent who sees her as no more than a tagalong.
Widow and single mother Andi is used to being on her own. When Cole gets stuck without a place to stay, crashing on her couch puts them in dangerous territory.
Attraction and passion bring Andi to a place she’d left behind when her husband died. Her three-year-old son quickly wiggles his way into Cole’s heart, and he starts contemplating things—family, love—that he’d never planned for himself.

Can being forced to work together make them stronger or will their differences jeopardise their case and their hearts?

 

Excerpt:

“Goodnight, Cole.” Obviously, she didn’t want to talk to him about anything, let alone his overdue apology.

“So, that’s it? You’re not going to accept my apology?”

“Not tonight. I’m tired, and we have a long day tomorrow.” She turned to go.

“Andi, wait.” Why was he calling her back? He could respect that she was still upset with him—she had every right to be. He’d gone a bit overboard with some of the things he’d said.

Keeping Cass’ phone call from her had been unnecessary from the start. He hadn’t needed to carry it on in the car after they’d left the warehouse. It’d only served to get her so pissed off at him she’d barely uttered a word all day. So much for getting somewhere on the case.

Andi glanced over her shoulder and Cole grabbed her wrist. He yanked her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.

He hadn’t intended to kiss her but as her soft, warm lips caressed his, Cole couldn’t have changed his mind even if he’d wanted to. Her curves hit his chest with enough impact that should have jarred him back into his head, but he was lost and overheated immediately. He wrapped her in a tight embrace and kissed her harder.

She fought him, but his mouth was demanding over hers, and Andi opened for him, melting against him, surrendering to him. She slipped her arms around his neck and Cole bit back a groan. Her taste, sweeter than he’d imagined, was like ripe berries. He needed more.

Andi whimpered against his mouth, her tongue dancing with his. His cock stood at attention, straining against his zipper. He moaned as her body melded to his, breasts to chest, hips to hips. Cole had to have her.

As he walked them back towards the couch, she pushed hard against his chest, breaking the kiss and shoving him away from her. They both panted hard.

“Don’t…don’t ever do that…again,” she stammered, the gorgeous swell of her breasts lifting and pulling her shirt taut as her chest heaved. He could see peaked nipples. His erection throbbed and he struggled for coherent thought.

Cole dragged his gaze to her face. Blue eyes wide, cheeks rosy, freckles noticeable, her lips swollen from his. Though she’d been appealing before, how she stood before him now blew that out of the water. She was gorgeous.

He needed to say something. Anything. Apologise? He wasn’t sorry in the least. Speechless just about covered it.

She trembled and rubbed her arm. It took all he was made of not to pull her back to him and kiss her again.

There was no chance to answer. Andi turned on her heel and fled down the hall, slipping into the room farthest away from the living room. She didn’t even pause to look at him as she slammed the door.

He winced. What the hell should he make of what had happened? He stared down the hallway for a moment, his heart pounding. Never in his life, not even when he was a teenager, had one kiss stirred him to the point that Andi’s had. Then she’d run from him. His body shook with unfulfilled need.

Cole couldn’t blame her, really. No way should he have given in to the urge to kiss her. But he had the sinking suspicion he would have to do it again—and more. He wouldn’t be able not to. And hell, she’d kissed him back.

The voice of reason chided that he didn’t get involved with women he worked with, but his cock certainly disagreed. He ignored them both and dragged his hand over his face. The morning would bring complications.

Cole sighed and glanced at the couch. It looked comfortable, but would he be able to sleep? 

 ~~~~

Here's where you can grab a copy: 

TEB|Amazon|Amazon UK|Amazon CA|Barnes & Noble|ARe|OmniLit

About the author:

C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She is married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.
She works with kids when she’s not writing.
She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.

Sword's Call (King’s Riders Book One) is C.A.'s first book, and published by Gypsy Shadow Publishing. C.A. Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book 1), published by Total-E-Bound Publishing and was released June 28, 2013.

Where to find C.A.:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/caszarek

Website: www.caszarek.com

Blog: www.caszarekwriter.blogspot.com

Twitter: @caszarek

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5815085.C_A_Szarek

Email: ca@caszarek.com

Sage is Out: Interview at Female First

Hi all,

While the lovely Ashe Barker has taken over my blog today with the release day special of her book Darkening, I'm out for an interview at Female First - If you've read my bio and wondered about a thing or two, you might just find some answers here: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/books/fantasy-for-sale-300323.html

Another excellent review for Fantasy for Sale

One of the best ways for a writer to wake up is being greeted with a lovely review. This one certainly put a smile on my face, not because of the four hearts, but because of what reviewer Thommie wrote. Here are my favourite bits (you can read the complete review on MM Good Book Reviews):

"Well I’ve come to love Sage’s work what with him being so freaking erotic and sensual, it’s practically hooking and intoxicating reading anything written by him.

So I was not surprised when this one was yet again hot as hell, sensual and sexy and arousing to the point where you simply want to scream. I was surprised with the plot though...  

You get to really care for Cam and pine for him in a most delightful way, and his true self makes you even shed a tear or two. Loved him...

The two of them really did give me a wild ride, jumping from hot and sexy scenes to sad and melancholy ones and then again to steaming hot and breath catching. I loved this book, I enjoyed it immensely, and as always, it had a depth that makes the difference from others. Strongly recommended."

Thank you, Thommie!

 

Special Guest: Avril Ashton

Hi all, 

I've finally found a special guest who will help me drain my coffee supplies! Please welcome Avril Ashton, who is here today to tell us a bit about herself and her latest release, A Sinner Born. 

Hello Avril, thank you for being here today. Here's your first cup of coffee while we look at

The business ones

Please give us a short introduction about yourself:
A Caribbean transplant, Avril now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y with a tolerant spousal equivalent. Together they raise an eccentric daughter who loves reading and school (not so much school anymore). Avril’s earliest memories of reading revolve around discussing the plot points of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys with an equally book-minded mother.

Always in love with the written word, Avril finally decided to do the writing in August of ’09 and never looked back. Spicy love scenes, delicious heroes, and wicked women burn up the pages of Avril’s stories, but there’ll always be a happy ending; Av remains a believer of love in all its forms.

Addicted to cake, the ID Channel and the UFC, Avril writes Erotic and GLBT Romance for Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, eXtasy Books, Secret Cravings Publishing and Total-e-Bound.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write erotic romance, GLBT, Paranormal, and I/R. It’s my favourite to ad so it’s a natural step.

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like? 
I’m not fussy. I just need coffee and music to get in my zone.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication.
Disbelief. Elation. Fear.

Has the release of your first book changed anything in your personal life? If so, what? 
Ha. Not really.

Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration is all around me. In music, on TV. Reading my fellow authors’’ work sparks the creative juices in me. Anything and everything works.

Your favourite drink and food when writing. 
Coffee.

Coffee - what a surprise, heehee. Let's see if we have more in common. Here are

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
Not much. Maybe the curse words. I curse way too damn much.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was it? 
Nah.

What’s the silliest error in a book you’ve submitted?
Thankfully, it’s mostly a missing word here or there, or incorrect punctuation. I’ve got awesome beta readers who catch all my craziness before I hit the “submit” button.

Who is your least favourite of the characters you’ve written? Why?
I don’t have a least favourite, just some characters that irked the hell outta me for one reason or the other. Come to think of it, that’s every character I’ve ever written.

The steamiest scene from your books.
Well. I do pride myself on writing the most fire-hot of sex scenes. Steam tends to be tame in comparison. I’d say Make Me Sweat, one of my IR m/f titles is pretty heavy on the fire, but you’ll have to read it to figure out why ;-)

Favourite comfort food?
Any food is comfort food for me. I’m a foodie.

A person you admire:
My little sister. She’s awesome and her strength humbles me.


The fast ones

Favourite colour? Red

Favourite pet? None

Dog or cat? Neither

Coffee or tea? Coffee. I live for it.

Quickie or candles? Quickie with candles. Can be done, thank you.

Hunky or chunky? Hunky?

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? Jeans and boots, but I got nothing against the suit and tie.

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Not a drinker so walk.





Thank you for the interview, Avril! Let's take a look at your new book now. 

 A Sinner Born (Book three in the Brooklyn Sinners series)

One man buried in secrets. Another still grieving the love he lost. Their worlds collide in a battle between memories, old and new, while trust hangs by a fragile thread.

Syren Rua is at war. He battles painful childhood demons and his intense need for the first person who makes him feel. As Faro, Syren makes deals with the worst while taking the steps necessary to bring his family’s killer to justice. He isn’t one to indulge in selfish needs, but he’ll make the time in this instance. Syren has been watching Kane Ashby, craving the grieving man for his own. He’s always stayed away from temptation, but that’s about to change.

Kane isn’t over the death of his long-time partner. He’s certainly not ready for a relationship, sexual or otherwise, but Syren isn’t a man who takes no for an answer. The unpredictable Syren offers nothing but secrets and brings with him memories so dark, they could wipe out any chance the two might ever have. Syren brings Kane’s heart back to life. But it is also Syren who could inflict the most damage.

Inside Scoop: One of our heroes has a panty fetish. And it’s hot. This book also contains brief references to rape and child abuse.

A Romantica® gay/lesbian erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

http://www.ellorascave.com/a-sinner-born.html


AUTHOR LINKS

Visit: http://www.avrilashton.com

Friend Avril on: http://www.facebook.com/writeravrilashton

http://www.twitter.com/#!/AvrilAsh

http://avrilashton.tumblr.com/

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/author/avrilashton

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Avril+Ashton

Sage is Out: Sinfully Sweet with Jess Buffet

Here's to prove how scatterbrained I've been lately - I totally forgot to tell you all that I'm spending this week at the lovely Jess Buffet's blog. She made me sit down for an interview. One of the questions was "leather or lace?" and here's where you can find my answer: http://sinfullysweetromances.blogspot.com/2013/07/featured-author-sage-marlowe.html

Available to Pre-Order: Stockholm Syndrome

Hi all,

I'm thrilled to announce that Stockholm Syndrome has just become available to pre-order.

Here it is: 

We don’t get to choose who we fall in love with—and sometimes we fall too far…

Daniel Eames is a bodyguard. Usually assigned to protecting politicians, he has fallen out of his boss’s good books after getting too close to his last charge’s son but when rising Hollywood star and Academy Award nominee Bryan McTiernan receives peculiar letters and requires the best possible protection, Dan is put on the job.

While he agrees that the letters are more than harmless fan mail, he finds it impossible to narrow down his suspicions and Bryan isn’t helping by alternately seducing and irritating the hell out of him. Against his better judgement, Dan falls for Bryan’s manipulations, but the more he gets to glimpse behind the façade of the young actor, the more he realises that something in Bryan’s past has a strong hold over him. While both Dan and Bryan are aware of this, neither sees the full extent of his fixation.

With the help of Gabe, a fellow bodyguard and friend, Dan pursues different theories and even hires a private investigator to learn about Bryan’s well-hidden past. What he discovers has the potential to destroy more than just a promising career and in the end, Bryan has to make a choice—allow for his past fixation to take him hostage again or run away and into Dan’s open arms?

Buy / pre-order link:

Total-E-Bound: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2244