Guilty Hearts Tease

http://www.susanjaymes.com/

"Give your mom a hug and a kiss goodbye." He resisted at first, but relented. "You be good. I'll see you tomorrow."


"Okay." He pushed away from her, looking around the room hoping no one important had seen them.

"Come on, crew." Sandra led the boys out with Nate following behind them.

"He'll be fine, you know. My sister is a wonderful mother, and Nate isn't so bad himself."

Tears pricked Dee's eyes and she blinked hard. If Matt had stayed in Pine Crest afterSteve's funeral, it could have been them walking out as a family, arm in arm. She wouldn't have to be alone. Why am I so emotional tonight? Did Sandra get to her that badly? She just sent her son into the lion's den, and he'd rather be there than with her. Every time Jared opted to spend his time with friends or Matt, she felt like he was slipping away. Dee shoved her hands into her back pockets.

"Yeah, I know. I just have such a hard time letting him go. Man, when he goes off to college, I will have to be locked away for a week!"

Matt shoved his arms into his jacket and zipped it up. He grabbed her jacket and held it open for her to slide into. "Come on. Put on your jacket and walk out with me before you embarrass the kid more by crying. If anyone he knows from school sees it, he'll never be able to hold his head high again."

Dee shook her head. "Gee, thanks. That helps a lot." He chuckled. She turned around and let him help her with her jacket. His arms slid around her as he pulled her close to whisper in her ear. "He'll always be your little boy. Just maybe not in public." He squeezed her tight, and she heard him inhale deeply as he breathed in her scent, tickling her neck. A warm sensation shot though her body, and she closed her eyes for a moment, savoring it. Then she recalled Sandra'swords, which chased away the comfort of being held. With all the force she could muster she pulled away and he let his arms fall.

"This probably isn't a good place for this, either, with Jared's friends here and all."

"Okay. I'll walk you out." He grabbed her hand and held tight. There was no way she could shake loose without making a scene, so she relaxed and let him lead her out. Gradually, for some reason, she lost the strength and the need to push him away. Instead she found the need to not let him go. All rational thought slipped away from her mind.

The air, cold but no longer frigid, didn't cool her desire. Warmer temperatures and the bright sun had caused the snow to melt, and the smell of wet earth tickled her nose, reminding her spring was near. Maybe it was cabin fever that made her want to jump Matt. No, that's just an excuse. She never stopped wanting Matt, and at the moment, she had no desire to resist him.

Jared had gone to Matt's sister's, and she was feeling weak after being attacked. There didn't seem to be a good reason to deny herself the comfort Matt could give her.He held her hand as they walked to her car in silence. There were no words needed, they both knew what was about to happen. Maybe Matt had planned it from the moment she sat down at his table. Although she still believed it wasn't right, she knew she wouldn't put up a fight tonight.

"Here we are, my dear." Matt stopped in front of her car.

"Where are you parked?"

"Over there." He pointed to his car.

"No more rusted Mustang?"

"Hey, I loved that car."

"Did it get you far enough away from me?"

Matt rubbed the back of his hand gently down her cheek. Dee leaned into it as her eyes closed. "Not tonight, Dee. Let's not discuss it right now. Tonight it's all about you and me and what we never finished."

Dee opened her eyes. "I don't want to finish anything. I just want to feel good with no guilt, just once."


Where to buy:


http://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Hearts-ebook/dp/B007K1OCQA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332552126&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/guilty-hearts-susan-jaymes/1107712025

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-guiltyhearts-751695-149.html

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-274/Guilty-Hearts-Susan-Jaymes/Detail.bok

Guilty Hearts Sizzle

This kiss runs on the heated side--sensuous. 

Dee hesitated for a moment, as if she was going to protest. To his disappointment, she didn't. "I agree. I don't think it would do either of us any good to try again now. We had our chance, and I guess we both blew it." She still sounded like she blamed him.


Matt nodded. "Fine." He nudged himself closer to her and studied her frightened eyes.When she didn't pull away, he leaned in and nibbled her lips. They tasted like chocolate chip cookies. She moaned and ran her hands up his back to pull him closer and turned the nibble into a deeper kiss as she devoured him with her tongue. This was not a girl ready to let anything go.Matt pulled away and scooted back. Her eyes, dulled with passion, begged him to continue. He rubbed the back of his hand down her cheek, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. His fingers traveled down her neck to her breasts, and she thrust them forward.

Wait. Now is not the time for this. The kids are here. Matt reluctantly decided to bide his time. One day soon, he'd make sure they were alone, so he could take this further and change her mind about them.

"Cody, we better hit the road." Dee's eyes popped open, and Matt let his hand drop. She ran her hand up to her throat as she came back to the present. "You may say we are over, Dee,but your body tells a different story. We do have something going on here. Think about it."

http://www.susanjaymes.com/

 Where to buy:


http://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Hearts-ebook/dp/B007K1OCQA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332552126&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/guilty-hearts-susan-jaymes/1107712025

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-guiltyhearts-751695-149.html

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-274/Guilty-Hearts-Susan-Jaymes/Detail.bok

Sunday Sizzle

When Love Collides

Excerpt used by permission of the author, Michelle Sutton.

He coughed into his hand and rubbed his eyes. "I wish I had known. I never would've let you go. I would have loved you the way you deserved, so you wouldn't have gone back to him."

She touched his damp cheek, turning his face toward her so she could look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"The thing is..." His voice thickened, "I never stopped loving you."

He said he still loved her?

Cradling her face with his hands, he drew closer. "I still love you."

His lips gently pressed against hers. She expected it to remain chaste and end there, but he deepened his kiss, exploring her mouth as he caressed her tongue. With a low moan deep in her throat, she plunged her fingers into his hair and drank as much sweetness as he poured into her. If she'd known his kisses would be so sensual and intense, she might have persuaded him to kiss her a long time ago.

He eased away from her, his breathing ragged. "I need to catch my breath."

Still amazed at her intense physical response, she trembled, afraid to look at him. Where did he learn to kiss like that?

"I... I need to take you home."

She'd never known such depth of emotion in her life. Or such heated passion. She'd never felt this way about Carl. Not even close. Scott had opened the door to his heart and offered her entrance. Now she wanted so much more.

But could she give him her heart in return?



You can buy When Love Collides HERE

Building a Simmering Saturday Scene

Author Jordan Bollinger is sharing  some writing helps. You are welcome to visit her at http://jordanbollinger.blogspot.com/ or email her at jordanbollinger@rocketmail.com

Mini-Lesson - Adding Tension Between Characters


Today's mini-lesson is on building tension between characters. It is the gradual, yet continual, building of tension that makes for a great plot. Tension 'turns up the volume' on the story's conflict. It is this tension that 'your characters' are immersed in that makes them more real for the reader; and therefore, captures and pulls them into your story. And taking the reader captive is why you 'show', instead of 'tell'. However, for this lesson, I'm going to be 'telling' you about how they feel. Do Not Do This At Home!


There are two types of tension we have available: regular tension and sexual tension. Of course, we want a certain amount of sexual tension between our hero and heroine; and we want it to grow gradually. You want to make your reader 'beg for it' - for that sizzling first kiss, or initial more intimate encounter.

After thinking about this, I came up with several ways of creating, what we'll call 'regular tension'. If you sit and think about it for a while, I bet you can come up with some of your own. Mine are:

• Preconceptions

• Assumptions

• Conflicting ethics

• Miscommunications

Some ways of adding 'sexual tension' between characters are:

• Day dreaming

• Close physical proximity

• Having one party interact with others, or perform some physical task while the other party watches

• The use of double entendre and/or suggestive (or accidentally suggestive) conversation

Let's meet our 'soon-to be-blossoming' couple: Sarah and Mark. They are about to meet for drinks, after being setup by two friends - Danny and Grace. Mark and Danny have been friends most of their lives; and Sarah and Grace went through Catholic school together. Danny and Grace aren't a couple, just friends and co-workers.

After talking over lunch, they've decided that Mark and Sarah are perfect for each other. Grace has repeated Danny's description of Mark to Sarah verbatim, 'As a great guy!', which tells Sarah absolutely nothing about him. Which is why Sarah is looking at the steadily growing pile of discarded outfits on her bed and giving serious thought about just not going.

Of course, Grace's description of Sarah as 'having a bubbly personality' was no better. It has Danny convinced she's 'less than perfect'. And, of course he's passed this assumption on to Mark, who is considering standing Sarah up.

Isn't miscommunication wonderful? They haven't even met yet and both are nervous and having serious doubts.

Okay, now Sarah's found something she actually thinks she looks nice in, and has, perhaps after a serious lecture to herself, arrived five minutes early - because punctuality is extremely important to her. Mark arrives about ten minutes late, not concerned at all about his tardiness. Now Sarah's waiting for an explanation, and when she eventually says something he's starting to believe he's made an awful mistake.

Clash of ideology - it's a great way to not bound.

Once they get seated and order drinks, Mark asks Sarah about herself, which is good, right? Things are smoothing themselves out . . . until Sarah tells Mark about how she and Grace met in Catholic school; and goes on to tell how she still writes to several of the sisters. Now Billy Joel's 'Only the Good Die Young' is running through his head; and he's already feeling frustrated. (Hey, guys are guys - right?)

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Sarah sees his fallen face and reads it as he doesn't find her attractive.

Ooh! We got both assumption and pre-conceptions with that one.

The beauty is that they all work equally as well after they've gotten to know each other and started to fall in love. You just need to think about it, and you'll come up with ways of throwing a monkey wrench into their budding romance.

And, we haven't even touched on things others might say - to them or about them; meaning for them to hear it or not. That opens up even more possibilities.

So, let's move on to 'sexual tension' and get back to our hero and heroine. Mark broke up with his last girlfriend several months ago, and has been avoiding women in general. But, he has allowed himself a little bit of fantasying, which in turn has caused a 'rise in his libido'. He finds Sarah attractive, smart (he's never liked dumb girls) and has a great laugh. Maybe this could go somewhere - if not tonight, in the future.

And, since we're all modern women, we know women can fantasize too.

There's a little dance floor and, after some encouragement, Sarah agrees to take a little turn with Mark. Both find the other's perfume/cologne very nice. They also like the waythey feel  in each other's arms. In addition, because of the dim light, Sarah hadn't noticed how very green his eyes were, and Mark hadn't appreciated how rosy her complexion was. Their nauseousness has changed to that wonderful 'new romance' excitement.

Close physical proximity - it's a great way to 'raise' expectations!

Which, in case you haven't guessed, leads us to 'double entendres', flirty talk and careless, and sometime embarrassing, badly worded comments. Our hero and heroine have imaginations, as we discovered above. Even the most innocent of comments start the brain working. Now, you have to work on double entendres - you want them suggestive, but in a tasteful way - even if you've decided to cross over the line into erotica. After all, we're not writing porn!

Remember all those Bond movies with Sean Connery? He and Cubby Broccoli used to play a game of who could think of some little 'naughty' thing and dare the other to include it in the movie. That's where all those double entendres came from.

Here, I should also mention that you have the option of using questionable comments by others as a way of not only building tension between one or more main and secondary characters, but it adds tension between the main characters themselves. If Mark punches a drunk out because of some rude comment, it causes conflict and tension between the soon-to-be lovers, as well. Embarrassment and fear are great motivators.

This leads us to the last means on my list about building tension between our hero and heroine - having one character watch the other participating in some physical activity. I think that punching a guy out counts, but you don't have to use violence. Performing some brave deed, like saving a child from an approaching car, or executing a perfect dive off the high board will work just as well.

I trust you to understand that this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but I hope it will give you something to think about.
-----
Thank you Jordan for sharing this. If you aren't a writer, we hope that you still enjoyed this and maybe next time you read that wonderful novel, you'll appreciate what the author has gone through to entertain you. Again, Jordan loves new followers as much as I do. So slip over to learn more from her at these links (Ooh, I hope they work--if not, copy and paste them.)

jordanbollinger.com
jordanbollinger.blogspot.com
jordanbollinger@rocketmail.com

It's Not About Her - Sizzling Kiss

It's Not About Her by Michelle Sutton (excerpt used with permission)
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/

The idea of her purity held his attention, because that same innocence had captivated him once before, when he'd loved Annie. "So you've never kissed a guy?"

"No." Her eyes met his, glistening with emotion. Was that shame? Why? She had nothing to be ashamed of.

"Wow." Tony stared at her for several seconds. "I thought you and Chase…"

Choking on her tears, Deena cried, "I'm sorry we teased you."

Loosening his grip on her wrists, he paused. Then it suddenly occurred to him. She was embarrassed by her lack of experience.

Chase, being a nice guy, probably befriended her to boost her confidence, not because he was attracted to Deena.

His heart thumped as a soul-stirring impulse filled his mind and permeated his bones. "I could be your first…if you want."

Her eyes widened and she gasped, "My…first?"

His heart now slamming against his ribs, he smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Okay." Her cheeks reddened.

He could feel her small frame trembling underneath his weight. He hoped she wasn't afraid of him. He would never hurt her, or any girl for that matter.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he lowered his face until their lips met. The softness of her welcoming mouth surprised him as his lips clung to hers, drinking her in. He couldn't seem to pull away, and savored the taste of her a moment longer than he'd anticipated.

He hovered above her for several seconds, staring into her gorgeous eyes. She tasted pure and innocent, reminding him of Annie, only Deena's hungry mouth moving beneath his felt even more sensual and appealing.

As he observed the emotion displayed in her eyes, an unexpected earthquake of pleasure shook Tony to the core. Stunned by the intense emotion her kiss had brought to his soul, he sat up and released her hands. Never before had a simple kiss rocked his world to its very foundation.

To his surprise, he actually wanted to kiss her again. The thought startled him as his gaze lingered on her lips. His heart pounded until he could hear his pulse in his heartbeat.



You can buy It's Not About Her HERE http://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-About-Second-Glance/dp/0983883661/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Sizzling Kiss from Dark Days of Promise

Wondering how I put the exercise of writing a Sizzling Kiss together in my own work?
My first effort last fall  for your perusal.

(excerpt are unedited)
Going to the refrigerator, I pulled the gallon jug from the cold, shaking it.
“Oh those boys, I can’t seem to keep milk in the house. Looks like we’re almost out.” I pulled the last clean glass from the cupboard to pour the last of the milk. He stood to join me near the counter. The milk looked refreshing. I licked my lips in subconscious knowledge of the sweet coolness of the liquid.
“Why don’t you drink it?” He suggested, making a fist to cover the cough that escaped with his words.
“I couldn’t, I poured it for you.” I answered, offering the glass to him.
“You have a few swallows, then I’ll finish it.” He accepted the glass but didn’t lift it to his lips.
I gazed into the warm recesses of his eyes, overwhelmed with his nearness. My previous immunity to his charisma wilted before plunging into the warmth of his magnetism.
“Drink,” he ordered placing the glass in my hand.
“Yes sir,” I answered, lifting the glass to my lips while watching his eyes. They seemed to change, their color growing richer, warmer and more intense. I busied myself with swallowing and watching his eyes and didn’t notice when he reached in his pocket for the mistletoe again. When I handed the glass to him, he finished the milk with two large swallows. Smiling, he lifted the mistletoe above my head once more. I glanced up at it before returning my gaze to his eyes. My stomach flew to my throat. His presence overwhelmed me.
“Another kiss on the cheek?” I murmured the question with a smile.
He lowered the mistletoe while setting the empty glass on the counter. His gaze locked with mine. “Do you trust me?”
“Do I have a choice?” I whispered.
With the mistletoe still in hand, he placed it at the back of my head. I felt the strength of his fingers as they became entwined in my hair. My heart accelerated its beating dance, knowing a much more euphoric rush would accompany his kiss. More than his first visit, more than his peck on my cheek, more . . . A warm quiver of anticipation settled over me, fixing me to the spot. The music from the movie in the next room swelled, intensifying the moment. His lips brushed mine hinting of gingerbread and milk. In that instant, I wondered if I had ever truly experienced such a kiss. The gentle pressure was warm and sweet, inviting me to live in the moment. An experience that had eluded me in all my years with another . . . I couldn’t even remember his name. My adrenalin roller coaster revved its engine in my stomach before climbing with massive force in an upward motion before dropping to my deepest core. And yet it didn’t last long enough. He no sooner released my lips than I had the distinct feeling that he reclaimed everything he had just given me.

---Not enough sizzle? Stay tuned for more Sizzling Kisses and the second kiss between these characters--- but no promise as to the date as some wonderful authors are sharing theirs as well. *snicker -tease*

Reminder - The Sizzling Summer contest is 2 1/2 weeks away!

Sending out a personal invite to readers everywhere.

Announcing "The Sizzling Summer Contest".
The contest will run July 1st through July 31st.
Voting (by readers) will open July 29th and run through August 4th.

Have you got a kiss you'd like to share? Have you got what it takes to write a Sizzling Kiss?
You are invited to participate in sharing your best Sizzling Kiss.

1) Submit your "Sizzling Kiss" as an attachment to shassidy@comcast.net between July 1 and July 31. (Yes, I'm giving you time to polish that kiss.)
2) Include "Sizzling Kiss" in the subject line of your email.
3) Your entry must be between 100 and 500 words.
4) Sign your kiss with your first name and your blog address/link.
    Limit: one entry per blog addy

I am looking for at least ten (10) submissions/entries. If I get at least that many, there will be a prize awarded in addition to having your "Sizzling Kiss" posted here (with your name). The winner will receive a romantic suspense E-book, Dark Days of Promise by yours truly, due to be released in September.

Don't be shy. Now remember, this is just a kiss, not a bedroom scene. No erotica, I'm not allowed to post such so keep it sweetly warm and borderline sensual. Erotica will be disqualified. Published work cannot be submitted for contest.


Now remember, we have several examples of kisses already posted here as well as helps to writing a kiss that SIZZLES.

Remember, the dead line is July 31st. Send your submission, limited to a single scene to shassidy@comcast.net as an attachment. I must have at least 10 entries. All entries (except those that are erotic) will be posted here for voting the end of July and first of August. You must be a follower of this blog to vote and your vote/comment must be signed to match your follower tag.

Note to published authors-- Still looking for books containing a Sizzling Kiss for prizes. (hint, hint).

Tickle Tease Tuesday

Do you see the counter to the right??? --->>>
I'm soo excited!!
Sorry, this excerpt isn't from that upcoming release but another project that I just can't let die.

Least readers begin to complain that I never post any of my own work these days...
Let me indulge by sharing a unedited scene from a manuscript I'm still debating on.

Trevor stopped Kim's hand as she gently dabbed at his face with his own. “I’m being doctored by a graduate of ‘Mickey Mouse’ first aid?”

“Who said anything about graduating?”
He reached for her to tickle her sides. She laughed and wiggled away from his hands while rolling her chair backwards. “Stop, or I’ll pour peroxide all over your cut!”
“No you won’t,” he stated, ready to resume his tickle attack.
“Then stop.” She continued when he leaned back in the chair. “Actually I did graduate from some organized first aid class, but I think I cheated.”
“You cheated? How can you cheat in a first aid class?”
She applied the bandage to his cheek. “I kissed the instructor.”
“Just one kiss?” Trevor eyed her suspiciously.
“Well,” she dragged her answer. “He said he was teaching me mouth-to-mouth.”
Trevor chuckled knowingly, “And you believed him?”
“No.”
“You’re right. You cheated.”

Launching Mysterious Mondays

A Legacy of Lies with Stephanie McGee.

It was cold.

Too cold.

The eerie silence of a moonless, starless night engulfed him.

Jim shivered. It had been high noon only a few minutes ago. Had he fallen asleep? He didn't remember being tired. He shook his head and tried to focus his groggy mind. He peered around cautiously. Where was his horse?

A rustling sound in the bushes startled him. His eyes darted to investigate. Nothing.

No, wait. There it was again. Off to the left. His eyes strained, searching for the slightest movement or shape. Something. Anything.

Silence.

He felt like a kid afraid of the dark.

Get a hold of yourself, man.

Fingers of fear teased along the back of his neck. The hairs stood on end. He shivered.

Where was that horse?

"Ciervo!" His voice sounded weak even to his own ears. He tried again. Now he was completely hoarse.

Swallowing the panic rising from the pit of his stomach, he took a cautious step forward.

He heard stirring in the woods behind him. Squirrels? He listened intently.

The noise came again. No. Definitely not a squirrel. Something was pacing in the woods. Deliberate. Stalking. Jim's mouth went dry.

Mountain lion.

His heart raced and he looked desperately around, scanning the darkness. Blackness blanketed the meadow. Jim hoped Ciervo hadn't wandered too far. He started to walk. Slowly. Calculating. He couldn't tell in what direction he moved.

His cell! He could use it as a light source. Jim's hand brushed at his hip. It wasn't there. He frowned. It always stayed on his belt. He never left the ranch without it.

Jim's eyes strained, but he could barely make out his surroundings. The farther he walked, the darker it got. His breathing came in quick, rapid intakes.

A shrill sound broke the silence. His heart leaped.

"Ciervo?"

Where was he? Was the mountain lion after him?

Hoof beats. Thank goodness.

They were pounding quicker than his rapidly drumming heart. A shadow appeared about thirty feet in front of him.

It wasn't his beloved horse. It looked like something galloping up from Hell.

The horrid creature ran wildly toward him. The cold air caused the hot breath to billow from its nostrils like a smoking dragon.

The monster's eyes looked like no earthly thing he had ever seen. The bulging orbs had a luminescent shine that came from deep behind the pupils. In the pitch black they glowed like a ghostly beacon.

The horse-shaped beast lowered his head. The creature was preparing to slam into him.

Jim threw himself out of its path and landed sharply on his hip. His right thigh slammed into a large, extruded boulder. Fire shot down his leg. Ignoring the pain, he jumped to his feet, eyes probing the darkness for the crazed brute. The ghostly version of Ciervo had vanished.

Despite the cold, he began to sweat. Jim felt eyes boring into him. Someone or something watched him. He was exposed. Unprepared. His heart hammered in his chest. His body refused to move.

Another sound. Different. It wasn't rustling limbs or bushes, and it certainly wasn't the horse's wild hoof beats. It was quiet, like a soft whisper. Crying? No, calling out for something.

He strained to catch the garbled words. The voice grew louder. More urgent. Still he couldn't make out the woeful tone. Then, as if his brain finished translating some cryptic code, the word became clear.

"James!"

Again. Louder this time. "James... James..." The voice rose and fell in the darkness. Its eerie sound slithered into his ears.

"Hello?" His voice echoed hoarsely. He held onto a feeble hope the voice came from someone nearby lost in the dark along with him. No one here knew him by that name. He stood holding his breath, listening.

Suddenly, a freight train of frigid air knocked him backward. Terrified, he dared not to move. The voice came again.

"You must help. Soon it will be too late--"

An insidious roar erupted around him. Hot, musty breath bathed Jim's face. He struggled backward. He couldn't quite make out the figure standing over him. The silhouette was enormous. Its shoulders spanned at least four feet. An odd-shaped head swayed from side-to side.

It growled.

Paralyzed with fear, Jim lay helpless. The creature rose to stand upright. Seven. Eight feet tall. Jim gasped for air. His feet tore into the soft ground, trying to gain footing. Desperately trying to get away.

The creature came crashing toward him.


Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A-Legacy-of-Lies-ebook/dp/B007K1LS58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332042156&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-legacy-of-lies-stephenia-mcgee/1107713261?ean=2940014338950

Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-273/A-Legacy-of-Lies/Detail.bok

Sunday Sizzle

In Sheeps Clothing

Michelle, I am seeing a trend with your kisses...they are getting better...Your first one was posted on May 6th and we have continued each and every Sunday since then with one from you. It is true, one gets better with practice and in writing, we know that the first kiss is the SIZZLE of the book.

(Excerpt used by permission of the author, Michelle Sutton.)

Jacob shrugged. He tried to act nonchalant, but his blood roared through his veins, making his pulse sound like it hammered in his ears. He'd never felt such an intense physical reaction when his ex touched him. His response to Stephanie was almost overwhelming. What could that mean?

Stephanie sighed and said, "Okay, so you aren't scared. But I get that you're nervous about kissing me. I'm nervous too."

He shook his head hoping to snap out of the haze. "Nervous? Not at all."

"So kiss me then. I've never been kissed by a Christian man before. I want to know if it's better than kissing a regular guy." She studied him a moment as if challenging him to try.

He wanted to respond, but he couldn't seem to get his body to move. She closed the space between them and gently pressed her lips against his.

A spark ignited between them the moment their mouths touched. And as quickly as the kiss began, it was over. She stepped back and rolled her eyes to the side as if thinking.

He blinked and tried to clear his thoughts. She'd kissed him so fast he hadn't had time to kiss her back. The situation felt awkward to say the least.

"Not bad. At least I wasn't repulsed by it." Her teasing grin made him long to pull her into a fierce embrace and give her a kiss that would leave her breathless. Before he could talk himself out of it, he did just that.

Her soft curves molded against him as he pulled her close. He angled his head to give him better access to her mouth. Her lips were soft under his, velvety even. He savored her moist kisses like a man hungering for affection for far too long. His body stirred and he had to pull away before he got himself in serious trouble.

"Wow. Much better that time." She smiled. Her cheeks had flushed bright pink. "Christians are definitely better kissers."

Jacob smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Not all Christians. Just this one."



You can buy In Sheep's Clothing HERE

Simmering Saturdays

I recently read a romance that the author's view of making a romance simmer was the romantic lead's constant whispering in the protagonists ear and his fingers always wrapping a lock of her hair around his fingers. In my opinion that is not simmering, that borders on letting the romance go stale!
And yet not every scene can hold a sizzling kiss so where does that leave us? My answer? Letting the relationship simmer to a boiling point.
Okay, granted -- I am far froma amaster on this one, but here is what I propose in the novel I am currently working on, Book One in The Talisman Series. Mind you, this excerpt is still in the writing stages...

A breeze stirred Trish's hair about her face, tickling her nose and eyes. Echoes of a sharp headache reminded her of her collision with the livery door. She slowly opened her eyes. A man stood at her window. She squinted, forcing bleary eyes to focus. "Quinn?"


He turned slowly and she noticed he held something. Fabric. Her clothes? "My bet is that this ain't your blood. No woman bleeds like this."

Trish tried to sit up, a wave of dizziness making her head spin pulled her back down. Swallowing hard and refocusing, she pushed herself upright. "Blood? What blood?"

"Found these bloody clothes. Ya had 'em tucked under your mattress. Whose blood is this?"

Trish stared at him wishing his back wasn't to the light. She couldn't make out his expression. His tone was as level as it had been at the poker table with Ace. Usually his tone held a vibrant quality, even when training a young horse. Not now.

"You rifled through my things?"

"No. Answer the question, Trish. Whose blood?" his tone, though still quiet had an edge to it.

Trish struggled with how to answer, her words rushing out without the usual care of an attorney. "I'm sorry, Quinn. I couldn't save him. He died in my arms. I didn't kill him. You've got to believe me."

Quinn's chest expanded with his deep intake of air, yet his words remained calm. "Whose blood?"

Trish shook her head, the pain rolling from side to side as the tears she'd held back burst to the surface. "Albert," her voice cracked. "I didn't--"

"Why didn't you stay with him?"

"I did," she swallowed trying to regain her composure.

"No. You weren't there when I found him," he said, his words accusing her.

"I did. I just-- I heard someone coming and realized how it would look if they found me with him. You have to believe me, I didn't kill him."

He stepped closer and she shrank back. "And the blood? Why?"

Trish kept her hands close to her body, but raised them defensively.

"I found him there, bleeding when I arrived. I held him in my arms and tried to comfort him. I lost it. I didn't know what to do. The horse was stamping. The scent of blood-- oh." Her hands flew to her face, covering her tears. "So much blood-- I tried to stop the bleeding and it just kept coming."

Sobs drowned out her words; she shuddered wishing she had done more. Wishing she'd never been there. Wishing she had never come here. Wishing he believed her.

Quinn stepped to the bed, dropping the stained clothing between them. "Ya should have stayed."

"I didn't know it was you. I thought the murderer…"

Quinn sank to the bed. The bedsprings groaned under his added weight, but he didn't touch her. "Ya should have stayed and told me who murdered him."

"But I don't know who did it."

Quinn glowered at her. "Tell me. No more lies. No more tears."

Trish stared at him in silence. She couldn't tell him.

"Damn it, Trish," his words sounded tortured. He pushed her back on the bed, seizing a handful of hair, constraining her. His kiss demanded she yield herself to him. At first she fought him, but when the weight of his chest came down on her, she surrendered.

For most of a week she had dreamed of his kissing her here. Her dreams had warmed her with excited anticipation. This was not as she had hoped. Tears of abject horror replaced tears of sorrow. The pressure of his lips bruised hers and yet his hands remained in her hair and against her cheek. The moment was brief, feeling torturously long.

He moved away, turning his back to her and breathing hard. "No more lies, Trish. The truth. All of it."

She remained prone on her bed where he had left her. "I told you," she whispered.

"Start at the beginning." He pulled the sheet up to cover her. "Why did Curly have you tethered?"

"I guess because he was sick. I certainly didn't deserve it."

"He isn't your papa?"

Trish gasped. "No!"

"Where you giving your--your body to Albert?" He sounded like he might choke on his words.

"No!" Trish rolled away from him, coming to a sitting position. "Never, how could you think that?"

Strong hands reached for her pushing her back to the mattress. "Woman, I am through playing games with you. Tell me the truth, all of it."

She stared up at him, willing him to believe her. She shook her head, fresh tears spilling form her eyes, marking fresh trails to her ears. "I can't."

He let go of her only to flick his bowie knife free, placing it at her neck. "Tell me the truth."

"I would never offer myself to Albert," she whispered. "I couldn't."

"Why?"

She swallowed and answered, "Because I'm --."

"He didn't want your body so you swung the hammer at his head in jealous anger. Is that it?" Twisted distaste wrinkled his handsome features.

"No," she gasped. "I'm not a murderer."

"But you killed Old Curly." Quinn's eyes glared at her, daring her to lie.

"That depends on how you plea and your defense attorney. Technically, I could plea self defense and get off while you would be found guilty. I'm only an accessory."

"How do you know that?"

"You wouldn't believe me." He applied pressure to her skin with the knife.

"Try me."

"Put your knife away and pull up a chair."

He looked around her scantily furnished room. "You don't have a chair."

She forced a weak smile, "Details… the knife, put it away?"

With a flick of his wrist the knife disappeared. "It is where I can get to it if you don't tell me the truth."

"Then you better find yourself a really comfortable place to sit and have an open mind."

+++++
Tension? You decide.

Feisty Fridays

Introducing Feisty Fridays.
Trying something new as usual.
I'm not sure if I should focus on fist fights within a manuscript, feisty heroines, frisky romances, or energetic dialogue.
Maybe all three, but not necessarily all at the same time.
If you have a preferance, please feel free to leave a comment.

For now, I'm thinking a fist fight. Granted, I'm not real good at writing a fight scene so I'm willing to accept a few helpful comments.

(Dark Days of Promise excerpt is unpublished and unedited.)

“Do you want me to stick around?” Trevor asked before turning off the engine.

“Maybe a little while. I thought I’d fix us some spaghetti or something. It might not be very good. I haven’t cooked since I moved here. Ben’s a gentleman, I’m sure he’ll leave if I ask him to. You didn’t leave him much room to move his car,” she observed.

“Mind sliding over?” Trevor smirked. Kimmy moved across the bench seat recognizing his negative vibes for Ben. He helped her to her chair, with showy concern, while a stormy-eyed Ben watched from the top of the cabin’s ramp. Trevor pushed the chair around the truck only to find Ben blocking his path.

“I’ll take her in,” Ben stated flatly.

“I don’t think so. I’ve been invited to stay.”

“I don’t like your tone,” Ben retorted.

“I don’t care what you like, she asked you to leave earlier,” Trevor countered.

Ben sidestepped slightly as though to move out of the way, only to throw a roundhouse punch above Kimmy’s head at Trevor’s jaw. Trevor blocked most of Ben’s punch with his cane. The cane clattered to the gravel. Trevor stepped back to regain his balance. He recovered quickly sending a straight right to Ben’s chin. Ben hit the ground. He found his hand on Trevor’s cane. He picked it up and swept Trevor’s feet. Trevor went down landing on his backside. He took a moment to recover his wind. Ben didn’t wait. He struck Trevor with the cane. The balled end sliced across Trevor’s cheek. Ben swung again bloodying Trevor’s nose.

Kimmy found it hard to believe what she witnessed. Other than this morning, she’d never seen either man raise his hand in anger, yet here they fought at her feet.

“Stop it! Stop it! That’s enough!” She reached for the cane stopping Ben’s third blow with her arm, receiving a nasty bruise.

None of the three noticed the group that gathered. Randall stepped in, ripping the cane from Ben’s hand.

“Ben, I never expected you, of all people to strike a disabled man,” Randall intervened, offering Ben his hand. “I think you should leave.”

Ben looked at Kimmy, anger clearly written in his expression as he accepted Randall’s hand.

“If this broke down wanna be pimp’s what you want, get out. Leave.”

Kimmy dropped her jaw, retorting, “You can’t fire me Ben. I don’t work for you.”

“You may not think so,” Ben hissed.

Kimmy looked at Randall, her eyes begging him to refute Ben’s words.

“Kimmy, get him cleaned up.” Randall said, pointing at Trevor. “We’ll talk about this later.”

He handed Trevor’s cane to a boy who stood nearby, his other hand heavy on Ben’s shoulder.

“Give the man his cane after Ben leaves,” he said to the boy, steering Ben toward his car.

Trevor wiped at the blood on his face before taking Kimmy’s proffered hand.
 
++++
Humm...what do you think? Needs more action, but how?

Thoughtful Thursday

Happiness is not what something makes you feel. Happiness is a state of mind, a choice one makes - before, during and after each moment one experiences. We choose how we will think or feel at any given time. One may choose to be angry, excited, sad, overjoyed and a host of other emotions about any given situation.

Today, I met with a group of my peers discussing this. We come from different walks of life. Some of us are single, some married. Some have young children at home and yet we even had a few women present that are grandmothers and great-grandmothers.
The question was asked "What makes you happy?" One woman immediately asked that we rephrase the question to "What causes you to feel happiness?" Over fifty women present and not two answered the same thing. Some said their children, when their children were asleep, the laughter of a baby, helping a friend, and so many more that I don't recall them all.
For me? The hug of one of my children, sunshine through the trees, watching a humming bird, riding a horse at a gallop across the meadow.
What causes you to feel happiness? (One of the lady's said sex -- but let's keep this rated PG.)

Sizzling Kiss from Dark Days of Promise

The first Sizzling Kiss is coming June 26th.

(Excerpt is unpublished.)
Kelly opened the door to a bedroom, turning back toward me.


“Your turn. Do you trust me enough to join me in my room?” His eyes danced between teasing and seriousness.

I set the fork on the counter where I’d found it, taking a deep breath before joining him.

Kelly crossed the floor to the closet and produced a medium sized lock box. Setting it on the bed, he unlocked it, withdrawing the handgun. The fragrance of cleaned guns tickled my nose and yet I relished it.

“Recognize this?”

Unsure of the promise I had asked him to make concerning the boys and gun safety, I nodded.

“Come here.”

I did as he asked; stepping in front of him, facing him, quivering like the leaves of a bush in a gentle breeze. A hint of sunlight stole through the curtains, leaving a trail across the bed. My fear of guns rushed to the surface. I fought to retain my calm exterior.

“You know, despite the faint odors of Jacob’s shop, you smell . . .” He mused, closing the distance between us. “Do you always wear perfume to work?”

“No, I put that on just before I came up here.” I couldn’t smell my perfume, only the oil or whatever it was he’d cleaned the gun with. An involuntary shudder of excitement raced up my spine. His nose brushed across my jawbone, my knees went weak. Cautious, I placed my open palm on his chest, looking down at my hand, feeling the solid mass of him.

He touched my ear with his nose. His warm breath sent delightful shivers of pleasure across my senses making my breaths come faster. He dropped the unloaded weapon on the bed to free his hands. With gentle strength, he took hold of my shoulders bringing me closer to him. He locked my gaze with his own, searching for signs of fear. His hands moved from my shoulders to my cheeks.

I didn’t flinch. I watched him approaching my lips, forgetting everything around us. The fragrance of freshly cleaned guns faded into the background, replace by his musky scent. I watched his eyes as his gaze dropped to my lips, and I closed my eyes. Taking a moment to pull back, he approached again allowing the soft pressure of his lips to touch mine. The deliciousness of his clean sweet taste overwhelmed me, inviting me, drawing me into his space. I yielded to him, stepping closer, willing to give him more. He allowed me to lean into him, pressing against his body. His kiss remained gentle while my responding kiss became passionate. My eyes flew open in sweet ecstasy. I closed them again, drinking in the moment.

He broke the kiss, stepping back. “Weapon safety first.”

“Yes sir.” I murmured. Really? It required determination to turn my back to him without increasing the distance between us. Not because I didn’t trust him but because I wanted a few more kisses. “What’s first?”

“For you to learn what your weapon feels like in your hands.”

I closed my eyes to steel my nerves. My first lesson in gun safety began.

(Excerpts from Dark Days of Promise. With a special thanks to my daughter.)

Tickle Tease Tuesday

Dave bond is Tickling us with this excerpt from The Attache.

Zach pushed away from the table. She figured he was getting the phone, but he trailed his hand along the edge of the table until he arrived where she sat. He reached out tentatively then pulled his hand back. "Can you... um, stand up?"


He wore an odd look. She placed the last of the granola bar on the table and pushed her chair out. "Okay. What's this about?"

He reached again, and she realized he wanted to hold her hand. Slivers of sunlight filtered in through the kitchen window, and a shiver traveled up her spine.

"I might have waited for a better time, whatever that is, but I'm not going to. Jessie? I want to tell you something... I need to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you'll take this. I'm not sure how to say it either."

His grip was firm, his hands slightly damp. Zach hid his nervousness well. His eyes were wide though, so wide she wondered how it was possible they were sightless. Whatever he wanted to tell her, Zach was paying a price. She instinctively gave his hands a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll be all right. You don't need to worry. I'll be with Suzy for a couple days, and then I think I'll go back to Lancaster for a little while. So, Zach..."

"Lancaster? Home?"

"Well, yeah. What else?"

He shook his head, trying to smile. "You can't think of any other options?"

"Not at the moment. No."

"Is this because you think there's no job?"

"I don't have a job. How could I?"

"I don't know. No one's fired you, as far as I know."

"There's nothing for me to do. No business. You don't have to fire me, I'll just quit."

Jessie tugged her hands away. She heard the words, flying out of her mouth laced with poison. She was under attack, emotions and logic warring for dominance, something inside her clinging to a desperate memory. For the past three years, one thing, one man, had given her a reason to dream. Joel understood life, knew the meaning of love between a man and a woman. He was slipping away, his memory a gray mist in the awakening dawn.

If she stayed here, instead of seeing Joel, she would precipitate his demise. Joel would be gone forever. It was ludicrous to hope he would show up. How often did he come here? Almost never. She had to leave, had to flee for her sake, and Joel's sake. If not, Zach would block the way forever.

Zach's hands reached for her, but she was out of reach. "Jessie. Listen. What I need to tell you is this. I love you. I. Love. You. But the thing is, I know how you might take that, and I understand. But I couldn't have gone much longer without saying how I feel."

"Don't say that. Just don't say that. Zach, you remember the time I talked about Joel? Remember? There was this connection thing? I didn't tell you the whole story." She clasped and unclasped her fingers. "You see, he left his attaché, I told you that, but inside it, there was this... this manuscript. A romance story he was writing. Over the years, I've read it and re-read it. It isn't finished, but there was something in his writing, something that reached out to me and held on. You're laughing. Stop. Stop laughing..."

Jessie was finished with this. Joel had gotten more defense than he deserved at the moment. She needed him in the flesh, not in her dreams. Even a few more minutes in this house would threaten his emergence into her reality, bringing about her own betrayal.

Great Sizzling Kiss from Changes

By: Debra Erfert

Debra delivers with this one!

This is unedited and will soon be published by Walnut Springs Press.

“Did you kiss her goodnight?” His brows scrunched together at my question. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”


“No, I didn’t.” Micah ran his hand along the back of my calf, nearly driving me crazy. “I couldn’t think of kissing another woman—after you.”

“Micah?” I leaned closer again, close enough I breathed in his woodsy aftershave scent. “Why . . . why haven’t you . . .” How could I ask him why he never asked me out before? I felt like such a jealous woman—not after what he told me. He placed the bandage on my snakebite, and I got up. Maybe, if I didn’t look at him, I might be able to find out why we haven’t dated. My new fridge became very interesting. The top part was double-sided, and the bottom part was a freezer drawer.

“My brother is a plumber, and he’ll hook up the line you need so you can have water and ice coming out the front—if you’d like.” Micah stood behind me. I felt the warmth of his body, or it could be my nerves reacting to his close presence. “Did I tell you that my mom ordered a new range?” I shook my head. “It won’t be in for another week, but she’s happy you wanted the fridge, and she wants you to have the range too. Mom’s even going to switch out her dishwasher with a stainless steel version.” I turned my head a little, enough for me to see how far away Micah stood. “Do you want a dishwasher?” he asked.

I nodded, and realized not looking at him wasn’t any easier than staring at him.

“Why haven’t . . . haven’t you asked me—” I took in a quick breath, “out on a date?”

Micah turned me around by my shoulders. I kept my eyes on a single, totally fascinating button of his shirt, afraid of what I’d see if I looked into his eyes. But then all I had to do is remember how they matched the bright desert sky on a warm afternoon and my heart flipped against my lungs.

“We’ve never officially been out on a date, but . . .” he slowly slid his fingers down the back of my arms, creating a wave of gooseflesh in their wake, “I know so much about you. I know you’re deathly afraid of spiders.” He moved closer, and it was harder to take in a breath. “You have the cutest dance when you’re happy, and your best friend sets her own style trends every time she steps out the door.”

He lifted my hands and studied the scratches on my knuckles. “You have a solid right hook. You’re not afraid of snakes, and you’re smart—you know when to wear your boots. You can feel a touch as light as a web against your neck,” he said, brushing his fingers against my skin below my ear, making me dizzy. “You love your dog so much you let him sleep with you. And I know I don’t want to spend time with any other women since I met you.”

“Then . . . why haven’t . . . you ever . . . asked . . . me out?” I gasped a breath when Micah ran his fingers under my jaw and lifted my chin upward.

Micah lowered his head and whispered, “I’m asking you now,” and pressed his mouth on my trembling lips.

I’d waited for his kiss, wanted it as much as it seemed he did. I slid my hands up his chest, feeling the strong muscles in his shoulders before looping my arms around his neck. I didn’t want him to end the kiss as he did the last time—too quickly and abruptly. Every second that passed sent me tumbling deeper in love, as passion roiled in my stomach. Micah’s arms tightened around my waist like an amorous boa constrictor about ready to devour its prey, and I was in his unbreakable grip.

Sunday Sizzle

First Response

Sunday is becoming a habit for Michelle Sutton and I. She shares yet another of her Sizzling Kisses.
(Excerpt used by permision.)

"It's okay. Shh..." he whispered into her hair.

How could it be okay? Glancing up, she captured his gaze. "Why do I always cry like a baby when I'm with you? It's embarrassing."

He smiled tenderly. "Maybe you feel safe with me."

She couldn't help responding with a grin as she wiped her wet face with her palm. "I do."

"That's good." He sighed and kissed the top of her head. "So what do we do now?"

Muttering into his shirt she snorted, "You're asking me?"

He nudged her shoulder and chuckled softly as he reached for her chin. "Yeah, I am."

With heavy lids she peered at him and said, "Kiss me."

He scanned her face and rested his gaze on her lips. The inner struggle she witnessed in Chet's eyes made her stomach tumble. She could sense the tension building between them as his breathing grew shallow.

"I don't think I can court you, either." His thumb stroked her cheek.

A sensation, like a heavy weight had fallen on her chest, made it difficult to breathe. It was already over between them and their relationship had barely started to develop.

"You don't want to kiss me?" Nibbling on her lower lip, she fought more tears.

"Oh, I want to." He dipped his head and captured her mouth before she could respond.

His lips were gentle, yet insistent as they caressed hers. He plunged his fingers into her hair and drew her closer. She wrapped her arms around him.

Wow, this man sure knew how to melt her heart.

She tasted the salt from her tears as he kissed her again. Was she crying? She thought she'd stopped. Resting her hand on Chet's face, she sensed dampness and knew that he was getting emotional. But why would kissing her make him cry, unless he was saying goodbye? A chord of fear struck in her heart, so she broke the kiss to study him.

The passion filling his eyes left no doubt of his intentions. He wasn't planning to break up with her. Something deeper was happening between them. Something she couldn't describe, but wanted to feel more of. Leaning in closer, she kissed him again.

They still hadn't gone beyond gentle kisses. They were so tender and innocent, and breathtakingly sweet. After several more kisses she sensed his mouth opening and his tongue gently exploring, tasting hers. Hot and exciting, she couldn't contain her moan.


You can buy First Response HERE

Sizzling Kisses and oh! This weeks winner!

We love KISSES especially first ones: A PASSIONATE LOVE: Lord Sutcliffe meets a pretty miss on a dusty country road and rescues her from her embarrassing dilemma. It must have been magic as his intention was only to steal a quick buss. Instead he is astonished to find himself involved in a passionate kiss which leaves him shaken to the core. Frances, the vicar’s daughter, should have put that impudent, frivolous lord in his place. Why she responded to his kiss the way she did, she’d never know. She knew she should not have, but the feelings were just too delicious to resist.

http://janislane.blogspot.com/


EXCERPT: “Probably all a dream anyway.” He shrugged and then quick as a wink reached an arm around her waist, pulled her close, and planted a firm kiss on those rosy, pouting lips.

“Do not disappear in a puff of smoke, little sprite, or turn me into a frog, will you?” he murmured as his lips descended again. No doubt he was under a spell where normal rules and customs were suspended and fairies, elves, and wood nymphs cast their magic on unsuspecting but willing passersby.

He drew a deep breath as his lips gently, then more firmly, covered hers, warm from the sun and temptingly pliable. The fiery-haired sprite’s mouth dropped open. She uttered a small squeak at the exact moment Richard’s lips settled firmly on hers. He was deep in his own imagined world with an enchantment leading him into mischief. Those seductive lips parted to give him an easy entry. Richard, certainly no slow top, slipped past her guard and gave the kiss more heat and energy than he had originally intended — with amazing results.

Magic fairy dust, indeed! The sun overhead blessed the kiss with an explosion of light as warmth spread across their shoulders.

After an infinitesimal pause, the young lady leaned toward him and responded to the touch of his lips on hers. Her eyes fluttered and closed. One arm held her basket, but the other rose in a tentative motion to clasp him by the shoulder. Had she pulled him closer?

Have we teased you competitors enough?
Congratulations to thiw weeks winner.
Be sure to Comment to tell us which one of these novels you would like to add to your collection!

Here is another sizzling kiss from my contemporary SANDPIPER AFFAIR:

She felt he was asking her permission and she answered as she kissed his palm and heard a sharp intake of his breath. She leaned her head back and offered him her lips and the smooth column of her throat. He tightened his hold on her waist and with his other hand cradled her head. Pulling her firmly against him, he bent down to kiss her lightly, pulling back before she could return the kiss.

She entwined her hand in his hair and pulled his face firmly down to her lips. So soft, so different from the muscles of the hard shoulder she gripped. She could feel his hand bury in the hair at the back of her head. As her hair clip lost its grip, her hair cascaded, as slow as warm honey. His fingers threaded through her tousled curls and he rubbed them against her back and bare shoulders. Sensuous feelings raced across her skin causing her to shiver slightly. She felt him breathe deeply, almost as if he would inhale her.

"You chilly?" he asked wrapping long arms securely around her.

"No," she answered with a murmur burying her head against his shoulder. They broke apart a little. Adam leaned his forehead against hers with both hands on her bare shoulders. Their bodies met and firmed as they strained to get closer.

"Oh my," said Abby. "Are you always such a hospitable host?" Despite the tingling in her body, she couldn't help but remember the sight of him kissing Miss Chestnut and Silk at the party.

"I reserve such personal attention for very special guests only," he whispered as his fingers traced her lower lip, passed along her jaw line and paused to slide in a pattern around her ear lobe. Abby could hear the huskiness in his voice.

He leaned down to kiss her again, pulling her closer, tightening his grip against her soft form as he pulled her against his hard muscular one. She opened her mouth willingly to welcome his. His lips folded gently then firmly over hers and she felt his tongue slip hungrily inside. Oh yum, she thought, as she did a virtual float through the most heavenly soft air while gorgeous pink clouds shimmered just behind her eyelids.

Romantic Suspense

Now that you know what I love to read and write, I shall tell you that I am a gemini and have another side to my writing personality. I also write contemporary Romantic Suspense which lets me play with birds, animals, and nature in general.  I have two novels over @ Desert Breeze Publishing: SANDPIPER AFFAIR which is about a wild life photographer and a hunky Florida Ranger off to solve a murder, and a soon- to- be- published in June sequel called GONE TO THE DOGS where we see Adam and Abby strengthen  their relationship as they face new and dangerous challenges.  I have to confess I love writing in this genre as well. and hope you are as deeply entertained when you read these stories as I am writing them. http://janislane.blogspot.com/

Dark Domino by Emma Lane

How would you react if the man you loved went away to war for 6 long years and never wrote you a single letter? Sarah Louise from DARK DOMINO faced that exact dilemma and could not understand why Ethan, the man she loved, could treat her so cruelly when she never doubted he loved her. Find out why when you read my short story , a sweet romance about young love and steadfast loyalty.


Excerpt: “I know your mother is looking for you. She sent me to find you. She is upset that you are reluctant to leave for school.”

“She called me a hoyden. She said it was time I put up my hair and became a lady. As if that would somehow make me a different person.” She ran her hands underneath her thick curls, held them up and then let them fall in a luxurious cascade. Ethan held his breath, then let it slowly out. He could see clearly the beauty she would become soon, although he knew how she would resent the change. He smiled at her, saying farewell with his heart. (A sad goodbye between Ethan and Sarah Louise from DARK DOMINO.)

http://janislane.blogspot.com/

Wednesday Reviews

 A SCANDALOLUS DESIGN Review Site: Her Stories. com


Review URL: http://www.her-stories.com/bookreviews/victorianromance.html
Rating: 4.0
Reviewer Name: C.J.
Review Regency England is the setting when Melanie Robinson begins to move on making her dress-making shop dream into a reality. Lord James is smitten, but he assumes Melanie won't get a better offer and takes his own sweet time finalizing the engagement. Jealousy is written beautifully by author Emma. And we love that the heroine appears to know how to play cards and bet on horse races. Villain Felicity and tomboy Mary help make this cast of players a nice selection for Regency readers...especially on a chilly evening with a cup of hot chocolate nearby.



A PASSIONATE LOVE --SMASHWORDS

Review by: Lanie Malone on March 06, 2012
While I love PNR, historical romance was what got me hooked on reading and this book has everything I would expect from the genre except sex, which was kind of refreshing.

Boys meets girl, girl plays hard to get, boy eventually wins her over and they live happily ever after is the standard format for pretty much all romance. The elements that determine the quality of a novel are things like character depth, back story, plot (outside of the falling in love business), and above all (at least for me) dialogue.

This book has all the other elements in spades, but I felt it fell a little short on the dialoge for my tastes. What was present was without a doubt quality, but I wish there had been more of it.

Otherwise, it was an excellent read that I would highly recommend to anyone as addicted to historical romance as I am.

Emma Lane's Tickle tease with a Twist

Personal Q & A

 Where were you born? I’m a transplanted southerner who gets homesick for grits for breakfast. I’ve lived in Western NY now for many years and do not think I could survive the hot summers down south any more. Okay I spend a few weeks south in the winter. Who’s counting?

 What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you or you witnessed that made you laugh so hard you couldn’t catch your breath? I had a grandmother who liked to stir up trouble between my parents. One night when we all came home together, she walked out into the yard and fell into…I’m sorry. I’ll use this one in a series of short stories I’m contemplating. But I can assure you that it was very funny and she didn’t get hurt. But she was very, very annoyed. I and my siblings called it God’s justice.

Ohhh you tease...What hidden talent do you possess outside of writing? I already mentioned that I do plants. I also paint flowers in acrylics and I do floral arrangements for special occasions. Not very exciting, but I enjoy it.

Favorite color: Green. You aren’t surprised, are you?

 What am I passionate about, other than writing? My family, especially my wonderful grandchildren. My husband, my church and my community.

 Name some of your most favorite things. You mean other than chocolate? Well, Musa editors/publishers are a great bunch of folks. The authors I’ve met and gotten to know. Great supporters. Regency Romances, a whole bunch of other authors who keep my mind happy, summer, plants, birds, nature in general, My friends.

 What’s your favorite Bible verse? I think like most authors my mind races and is always clogged with characters that are jabbering in my head trying to tell me how to write the next story. Sometimes it gets very crowded in there and I fear burn-out. Then I remind myself of a favorite message.

“Be still and know that I am God.” It calms me right down and quiets all the clamor. Listening to God is as important as praying to Him.

                                                     * * * *

QUESTIONS ABOUT WRITING

 What or who inspires you to write? Dunno. If pressed I will venture to say that creating is a God-given talent no matter in which medium you operate. The urge to write is always with me and always has been. But I love to create a garden and I love to paint pretty scenes.

 Why did you begin writing? I finally had the time to express myself without interruption. In retrospect, I think I should have found the time sooner.

 What was your favorite book growing up? Pride and Prejudice-Jane Austen maybe, but there are so very many. I grew up in a houseful of books with parents and siblings who read. It is only a rumor that I propped books in front of my children when they were still in their highchairs.

 What do you find most rewarding about writing? You get rid of some of those noisy characters that clamor to be heard. I feel small that it pleases me that I surprised my husband. Okay, I don’t feel very small, but I think I should.

 Have you experienced writer’s block? Sure, but I think it has to do with fatigue. I pick up the dictionary and start reading words. Shortly sentences come to me and I’m back at work.

 When is your next book due out and what’s it about? It’s a Regency novella called BELOVED SOLDIER RETURNS. My mind was on all the families who are expecting their loved ones home very soon. There are gypsies who play a role in the story as well as a revisit of the Vicar’s Daughters 3, an ‘afterwards’ peek into their lives as young married women with families. It’s due out in late summer of this year (’12)

ABOUT YOUR LATEST BOOK:

 How did you come up with your premise for ‘The Vicar’s Daughters 3? Well, I have two sisters so I guess I thought in that vein. They would leave home one at a time to find their way in the world as adults. From there I thought of how much they were alike and how they were different. Dreaming up their hunky husbands was just sheer fun and imagination.

DARK DOMINO, a short story, jumped into my imagination complete with beginning, middle and ending. All I had to do was fill in the spaces. I loved the two characters, Sarah Louise and Ethan.

 Are there any fun tid-bits about this story you can share with us? Sure. These 3 Regency stories were my very first and Celina and Kathy Teel from MUSA pulled them together and worked valiantly to instill the concept of POV in me. Then there was the matter of a whole chapter written on the night before publication. I hope I have learned a little something more by now. I saw that Kathy T was listed as a co-author of A PASSIONATE LOVE on Smash words.

Learn more about Emma Lane at http://janislane.blogspot.com/

Thank you

Thank you to all of the men and women of our Armed Forces that have given so much to protect the freedoms that I enjoy each day.

Contesting Monday

Leave a comment on this weeks posts and win a chance for a free copy of any of Emma Lane's 4 Regency Romances from MUSA Here are the beautiful covers.

(The more comments you make the more times you are entered...just be sure to leave your name and check back on Saturday to see who won!) Visit Ms. Lane at http://janislane.blogspot.com/

Sunday Sizzle

First Love
Excerpt used by permision of the author, Michelle Sutton and this one sizzles!

Suddenly shy, she peered up at Josiah, who grazed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. "So you're a Christian now. Is that what you're saying?"

Overcome with emotion and unable to speak, she merely nodded at the hope she heard in his voice.

Josiah moaned and uttered something unintelligible as he grabbed her tight. He spun her around until she felt dizzy and squealed for him to stop.

The world still spun when he set her on her feet again. She laughed and rested her head on his chest and hugged him until everything settled down and she no longer had sea legs.

As she rested against him and breathed in the scent of his skin through his clothes, she realized she could rest in his arms forever. She peered up at him through heavy lids and smiled.

As he glanced down at her his gaze softened, then darkened. Her stomach trembled at that familiar look in his eyes.

He lowered his head and this time she tipped her chin up until their lips met. The fluttering sensations in her heart as he caressed her mouth with a soft, tentative kiss made her lightheaded. She relaxed her mouth as he kissed her more deeply. She met him kiss for kiss until her pulse raced and she lost herself in his arms.

She wanted to weep from the joy of being joined with him again in an intimate embrace, yet terror struck a chord in her heart when she thought about how easy it would be to give her entire being to him. She found herself wanting to get closer, but she'd be careful not to go too far.

The familiar warm, tingly sensation from her body's response to his kisses increased her hunger. The longer their lips explored and caressed the more she didn't care about how intense things were quickly becoming. She pressed against him and he did the same. Gasping for a breath between heated kisses, she released a low moan and said, "I've missed you."



You can buy First Love HERE http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-112/Tombstone-Treasures-First-Love/Detail.bok

Latest E-Books Reviewed

For more info, visit InD'Tale Magazine. You can get your first month free for a limited time! They review romance novels (my favorite and how I found them). They review Contemporary, Historical, Mysteries, Fantasy, Paranormal, Suspense/Thriller, and Inspirational Romances.
Authors---they have put out a call for more e-published mysteries, historical, paranormal and fantasies to review...so awesome opportunity!
Hey, and I found out what my favorite cover model likes to do to relax here (under staff)... You gotta go check it out! (Jimmy, I'm a fan...)

Never Without Hope - Sizzling Kiss

Excerpt used by permisssion of Author, Michelle Sutton
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/

“I love you.” he whispered, then touched my cheek.

Opening my eyes, I took in the warm, inviting expression on his face. For once I didn’t cry at the sound of those precious words. “I love you, too.”

James lowered his lips to mine, and though he didn’t linger, I thought I’d die from the joy flooding my soul. His kiss contained strength and desire. And I’d needed hope—to know he still longed for me, too. I nodded at the bags on my lap. “Thank you—for everything.”

James nodded, a sly grin forming on his lips, like he was pleased with himself.



You can buy Never Without Hope HERE http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098258704X?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=098258704X&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2