Tuesday, December 17, 2013

What's Next?

Now that Playing Doctor has been pushed out of the nest and winging its way to ereaders everywhere, the burning question is, what's next?

I've had several requests for a follow up on Beth and Gabe's story, hoping to see their happy for now grow into a happily ever after.  I've also had requests for Connie's story.

My question is, would you rather see Beth's and Gabe's story come to completion in a shorter, second novella...or have their HEA play out in Connie's book? 

Connie is Beth's BFF and a total firecracker, but there hadn't been a plan to give her a story of her own.

There was, however, a drool-worthy character in the origional draft of Playing Doctor who was cut from the book, with the suggestion of telling his story at some point. Eddie Barone is a testosterone packing, tattooed cage fighter, and the personification of raw sex, but beneath the muscles and brawn beats a heart of pure gold.



Suddenly, my what if button lit up. Connie is a divorcee, as evidenced by her remark over Beth's mucsle car, "you know I'd give my ex-husband's balls for a car like that..." Okay, obviously it wasn't an amicable ending to their marriage. So, what happened?

When I first envisioned Eddie Barone, I saw a man who had experienced an abusive childhood, a young boy who had survived by using his wit first and his fists when necessary to protect not only himself, but his younger sister, as well. Then I saw him sitting in his father's restaurant, nursing injuries from his last fight when in walks none other than the object of his high school fantasies...Constance Beaumont, with an outrageous proposal that just might allow him to finaly get his hands on the girl who'd always been just out of reach.

So, do Beth and Gabe get their own novella, or will we see them again in Connie and Eddie's book, Bad Company?

Monday, December 9, 2013

Join me today as I welcome Dorothy A. Bell, author of the Laura Creek Series!










Hi, everybody, Dorothy A. Bell here. I would like to thank my host for putting me up on her blog today. As an introduction, I thought I would give visitors a glimpse into my life so far.
I grew up in southern Iowa, moved to Oregon’s Willamette Valley at the age of eleven. I was in the sixth grade when I started school in Oregon. On my first day of school, I encountered the boy I would eventually marry. He kept pestering me, trying to kiss me. I held out until I turned sixteen, then I kind’a got the hang of the kissing thing. We’ve been married for forty-eight years, he’s still a pest, bless him.
I started out writing Regency Romances to entertain myself. I took writing courses, but I think I learned the most by submitting my work to publishers, editors and agents, and getting feedback. Laid low for nearly twenty-five years with arthritis, forced to use a battery-powered cart, I took up aquatic exercise and became an instructor. After two surgeries to replace my knees, I went to work on myself and lost eighty-five pounds, which I have kept off.
My husband and I live in Central Oregon with two West Highland White terriers, an energetic, longhaired Dachshund and one big, angora tuxedo cat. When I need a break from writing Oregon historical western romances, I work in the yard or my garden.
This year I am proud to announce the release of two Laura Creek romances “The Reprobate” and “The Cost of Revenge”, available on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=154606011

 Barnes and Noble, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/NOOK-Book-eBook-store/379003094  Good Reads, https://www.goodreads.com/ and Freya’s Bower, http://freyasbower.com as e-books.



The Cost of Revenge
A Laura Creek Western Romance
Quinn O’Bannon knows it’s time he settled down. He has two likely candidates, both sensible, attractive, young women. However, his fantasies keep straying to Tru McAdam, that thieving, sloe-eyed vixen with the grudge against the whole darn O’Bannon family.
Tru McAdam wants to believe the O’Bannons, all of them are rotten, heartless cheats. God help her, most of all she wants to believe the handsome, arrogant flirt Quinn O’Bannon is the worst of the lot.
When destiny shuffles the cards, strange pairs show up in the hand. Who can fight destiny, not the handsome, flirtatious Quinn O’Bannon, not the thieving, sloe-eyed vixen, Tru McAdam.


$5.99 to purchase e-book



The Reprobate
A Laura Creek Western Romance
Fiddle playing, hard drinking Royce O’Bannon believes he’s worthless like his old man, no woman should have anything to do with him.
Music teacher Cleantha Arnaud, her virtue long spent, believes her life is over; crippled and barren, no man would want her. When these two outcasts become lovers, hopes and dreams blossom within their parched souls.
Royce’s vengeful daddy begins a campaign of retaliation against his traitorous sons and the town that gave them a second chance.
Driven by a fledgling sense of responsibility, Royce follows his daddy into the dark tunnels beneath Pendleton’s streets intent on putting a stop to the old man’s vengeful crusade. With a swift crack on the head, all of Royce’s newly found hopes and dreams could be shattered like candied glass. Who would miss a reprobate, a worthless man?

$ 5.99 To purchase e-book


Excerpt of The Reprobate

Music teacher, the crippled goddess, Cleantha Arnaud dared the reprobate, Royce O’Bannon to come to her, climb in bedroom window, and prove to her she could enjoy all the pleasures of the flesh.

Royce had reconciled himself to the idea that he wasn’t
here to satisfy his own needs. He knew how to pleasure a
woman, but he usually didn’t need to, most of the women he
bedded didn’t expect it. He paid to be pleasured, not to do
the pleasuring. So this wasn’t going to be easy—not easy at
all. He wanted to show Cleantha that she could feel, could
enjoy, could achieve pleasure.

Hell, her hands were everywhere, stroking, touching,
sending waves of desire through his body. Not using a
woman to satisfy his own lust, add that to the list of things
he’d never tried before. Cleantha had him doing all kinds of
things he never would have done in his past life. He couldn’t
bear the thought of hurting her—consideration for the
woman—that would definitely go on the list.

With no light he couldn’t see her scars, but with his hands
he’d found the long, rough trenches of thickened flesh on
each side of her body, from her waist down to the top of her
thighs. On the right hip, his fingers had traced the worst of
the scaring, the gash felt wider, the flesh rougher and more
sunken-in over her hip-bone.

He couldn’t take the chance of hurting her by putting his
weight on her, and yet the need to sink himself into her
warm moist slit undermined his resolve to take it easy and
slow, give her time, give Cleantha pleasure. He wasn’t sure
what he could do, but she wanted more. He had to do what
she wanted—he couldn’t go back now. She moved down the
length of his chest, her hot, wet tongue driving him crazy.
Her hands sought his erection, then her tongue ran the
length of his shaft.

He held on to his self-control—barely. He had to do
something, and do it now, or he would forget about her
pleasure and take his own. Raising himself up to a sitting
position, he took her by the waist and helped her straddle his
hips. With her hands braced on his shoulders, and his hands
on her hips to guide her downward, he slowly lowered her.
His shaft found the wet tunnel of her womanhood. She
hissed as he filled her.

Eyes closed, Royce held his breath. She folded around
him, warm, slick and hot. Perfect. Never in his whole life had
he ever felt this...perfection. They were a perfect fit—their
bodies melding together, creating the ultimate in pleasure
and satisfaction. He adjusted himself beneath her hips and
helped her to get her legs into a more comfortable position.
Leaning forward, she began to rock forward and back...up
a little. The need for release had him in a sweat as he fought
to hold himself in check. Cleantha wanted this—she wanted
to set the pace. When she giggled he wanted to weep, his
heart overflowing with some heady emotion that had taken
over his mind, ruling out all good sense.

She’d told him of her fears, told him that she didn’t think
she could do this, couldn’t enjoy this, and here she was in
control, making it happen. She tilted her head back. He could
see her, her glorious hair wild, draped over her white
shoulders, and he forgot his need for release, not wanting to
take his eyes from her face as he reached between their
bodies to find her aroused nub. His fingers slid in and out of
her flower with the rhythm and pace she’d set.

* * * *
Cleantha found the process excruciatingly slow but
intensely erotic. She experimented, flexing the muscles
within her core to grip his shaft. After a little practice, she
could increase the intensity or release the tension. Deep
within her, the embers of passion ignited. Instinctively, she
shifted her weight and found the perfect pressure point. No
longer thinking, her body taking her away, she sought the
ultimate pleasure. Royce let out a primal growl as he bucked
beneath her.

The heat between them exploded, and she felt Royce’s
seed fill her, hot and thick. The flow of primal lava took their
two crashing bodies and melded them into one great volcanic
eruption. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as her orgasm
reached its pinnacle. With her head thrown back, her teeth
clenched, she held on to Royce as they flew together beyond
the earth’s atmosphere, away from the pull of gravity, to
drift, weightless, in a sea of hot, sparkling pleasure

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Like holding your first baby!

When the mail ran this morning and everything she delivered fit into the mailbox, I was a bit let down. I had been hoping the print copies of my debut book would arrive. I pouted around for a while and bemoaned that they hadn't arrived while my hubby rolled his eyes and worked the remote for the TV.

About an hour later the UPS guy pulled into the drive. He had a box under his arm as he walked toward the house, but I figured it was another Amazon delivery for my son. When I opened the door, he'd left the box on the carport and when I picked it up, I gave a totally embarrassing teenaged squeel! From his recliner, my husband said, "And I guess those are your books."


Creating a story about two tortured people, being able to give them a second chance at love and happiness is so very rewarding. Getting that email from your first choice publisher that they want to take it to acqusitions gives you a "zing" that sets your heart racing. Opening your email to an offer for contract takes you a moment to realize it's actually happening. Signing it and sending it back makes you shake all over! Diving into those first round of edits is exciting...when you aren't feeling like your head will explode! Getting your cover, with your title, your name and the publisher on it leaves you a little breathless. Launch day has you glued to your office chair, eyes on the monitor as you see that first shift in ranking that tells you you've made a sale...that someone other than you, your critique partner or your editors will now be reading what you've sweatted over for months. Seeing multiple 4 dn 5 star reviews going up for the world to see kind of takes your breath.

Then you open that little box from CreateSpace and take out your book...hold it in your hands...

Freaking AWESOME!

See what reviewers are saying about Playing Doctor:
Goodreads:

Buy it on:
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
iBooks

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Cover Reveal: Cari Quinn's SHADOWBOXER!









About SHADOWBOXER:

She's in for the fight of her life...with the man who only wants to be her lover.

Fighter Mia Anderson has faced the dark side of life and survived. But just getting by is no longer enough. To fund her new life with her baby sister, she’s determined to beat the reigning king of the male fighters in New York’s underground MMA circuit, Tray “Fox” Knox.

Tray refuses to fight a woman, until he learns Mia’s tougher than anyone he has ever known. He soon realizes he wants more from her than blows and blood, and he’s willing to hit below the belt to get it. He’ll fight her, but if he wins, she spends the night in his bed. All night long, his rules. No tapping out.

Mia agrees, certain that he’ll lose. What she doesn’t realize is that Tray loves to fight dirty…and that this match may end up being the most important one of their lives.

**A NOTE** No men actually hit any women in this book, in the ring or out.

Cover designed by Hot Damn Designs
Coming February 2014

There are no buy links available as of now.







 About Cari:
USA Today bestselling author Cari Quinn wrote her first story—a bible parable—in 2nd grade, much to the delight of the nuns at her Catholic school. Once she saw the warm reception that first tale garnered, she was hooked. Now she gets to pen sexy romances for a living and routinely counts her lucky stars. When she’s not scribbling furiously, she can usually be found watching men’s college basketball, playing her music way too loud or causing trouble. Sometimes simultaneously.

 Cari’s Links: