Releases for March, 2009

  • Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
  • >


March 30th, 2009
by Crystal Jordan
Easy Peasy Contesty

I’m going to make this a super easy post for me and a super duper easy contest for you. I now have my author copies of On The Prowl in my hot little hands, which means I want to give some of these (autographed) goodies away. What do you have to do for a shot at the book? Just leave me a comment on this post and on Friday I’ll choose from the entries and announce the winner in the comments section.

Go forth and say something witty!

Here’s what all the fuss is about:

Meet the Cruz brothers. They look human—except for the golden sheen their eyes take when they’re aroused beyond control…and the way their claws come out when it’s time to play rough. They’re Panthers, ancient shapeshifters, and their survival depends on mating to bring out their wild sides…

UNDENIABLE
When Antonio, the strong, sexy new leader of the Panther pride, meets luscious Solana in a dark alleyway, their passion lights up the night. But she’s an outcast, an impossible mate—and her touch makes him lose all control…

IRRESISTIBLE
Ex-model and businesswoman Andrea doesn’t need anyone—until she meets Miguel, who tempts her mind with daring games and teases her body with dark, forbidden please she can’t resist…

INDESCRIBABLE
Wild twins Ricardo and Diego do everything together—and their women appreciate the teamwork. Until shy Isabel takes refuge in their pride, and both want to claim her. Of course, sometimes two mates are better than one…

**WINNER ANNOUNCED: SARA HURT**

March 27th, 2009
by Shelli Stevens
The heroine kissed a girl…did you like it?

smaller-take-me Okay. So I confess. I was watching Oprah on Wednesday. Did anyone else see that episode? All about: Women Leaving Men for Other Women. It’s true, straight women were suddenly experiencing bi-sexual thoughts or just leaving their husbands for other women.

I was fascinated. Like close my laptop and stare at the tv fascinated. There was like this fitness trainer down in southern California that women everywhere were just going lusty for. I think she’s got her own reality show so that helps :D

And then Oprah, or her guest speaker or something (yes obviously I’m fact driven here!) announced the percentage of women who had fantasized about being with another woman. And it was like 44% or something (again, don’t quote me, but it was in the 40 percentile!)

It seems almost trendy now days. You’ve got your female celebrities dating women, songs about kissing a girl, it’s just not as taboo as it used to be. And every now and then… you see it in a romance/erotic romance novel. A brief (or long!) scene where the heroine might experiment with another female. Or maybe she’s watching it.

So Oprah got my mind all fired up. And I’m coming to the Aphrodisia blog for your opinion. Here’s my question to you. A little bit of female/female or female/male/female action in a book. Is that something you just don’t want to see? Or are you in the corner of ‘bring it on!’ Tell me! How do you feel about it?

sienna1planet_468x256

Shelli :)

www.shellistevens.com

p.s. I received my cover flats for the Sexy Beast VII book I’m in with Kate Douglas and Anitra Lynn McLeod. What do you think of the cover?

img_0001

March 26th, 2009
by Cassie Ryan
My New Addiction: Twittering

For any of you who know me well, or have known me for any length of time, you know I’m something of a promo whore—a title I’ve worked hard for. Even before the economy took a nosedive, 80% of my promotions were always of the “free/sweat equity” variety. Which means a significant amount of my valuable time is spent on promotions, so I have to be careful where to invest that time.

To give you an idea of what I mean by that, here’s just a small sample of my regular author promo items that take up my time:

– I have an author blog
– I blog weekly at my critique group blog
– I blog monthly here at the Aphrodisia blog
– I blog monthly at The Ladies of the Club blog
– I guest blog when I have time (and as people ask me :)
– I maintain a MySpace page for both my Cassie Ryan name and my Tina Gerow names
– I maintain a Facebook page
– I send out an author newsletter (although I’m way overdue for the next issue!)
– I’m a frequent speaker on motivational and writing topics anywhere where people will let me speak without throwing things (just kidding – no one has ever thrown anything yet…lol!)
– I leave bookmarks any time I pay a check at a restaurant, carry promo items and bookmarks everywhere I go and am generally not shy about what I do

So, when tons of my friend started singing the praises of Twitter, I was skeptical. After all, the entire idea is that you only send out status updates that have to be 140 characters or less. How much value can that really bring me, right?

Fast forward several months and I had a day where the universe seemed to be screaming “Freaking join Twitter already!!” So, one night when I was too brain dead to write and not really interested in even watching my taped favorite TV shows, I had a “what the hell” moment and signed up. You can check out my page at @TinaGerow

Today is my eighth day on Twitter and I have to say, I’m truly enjoying it. Not only have I gained some new readers and found some new people to network with, but I’ve also found some great links to information I wouldn’t have seen otherwise—both in the writing industry and not. And after some help from a few Facebook friends, I’ve figured out how to get Twitter on my Blackberry so I can send Tweets from my phone, and even check Tweets from people I follow while out and about. Just in eight days I can see the value Twitter has brought to me, but I also admit it is kind of addicting…lol. Who would’ve thought that 140 character bursts of information would be so great? :)

Here’s my top five favorite fellow Twitterers (yeah, I just made that up…lol) in no particular order:

– Brent Spiner – @brentspiner – He’s a riot and I look forward to his Tweets.
– Will Weaton – @wilw – His tweets are a fun melange of techie witticisms, interesting links and daily insights.
– Angela James – @angelajames – Great info on the publishing biz, fun and informational blog posts and general comments on daily life
– JonathanMizel – @JonathanMizel – Fun, inspirational life quotes
– Christopher Walken – @cwalken – Hilarious quotes and snippets with his signature brand of sarcasm and irony

So, what about all of you? Has anyone taken the Twitter plunge? Thoughts? Impressions? I’d love to hear from you!

And in a total side note – I received my Galleys for Trio of Seduction today which releases on July 29, 2009. And I’m posting my cover below since several of you have asked me to post it as soon as I received it :)

Cassie

Trio of Seduction

March 25th, 2009
by Jackie Barbosa
It Seems Like Only Yesterday…
When my editor called and offered for my novella anthology back in late March of last year, the time from contract to actual publication seemed to stretch out in front of me like an eternity. A release date of June, 2009? That might as well be forever! Plenty of time to plot world domination, I thought.
 
Of course, I ought to know better. Fourteen months is nothing. Or ought to be, when you’re a woman of…ahem…middle years. In fact, presuming I live to a nice, ripe age of 90, I’ll be celebrating my exact middle birthday this June. (Hehe, yes, I’m going to make you do the math!)
 
btrd230x340But that didn’t stop me from procrastining about various things including…um…actually remembering I have a book coming out soon. So now, BEHIND THE RED DOOR will be on booksellers’ shelves in just two months’ time! Good Lord, how did that happen?
It’s a little like pregnancy. You think you have plenty of time to get ready and then, all of a sudden, you’re holding a little bundle of joy in your arms and wondering why you haven’t learned how to change a diaper yet!
That said, although a lot of writers do tend to refer to their books as their “babies,” I try not to do that–primarily because I have three kids and, honestly, I have WAY more control over my book than my babies, lol! At least in the universe of my characters, I am God and they do what I want (albeit sometimes grudgingly and only after many rewrites). This is so not the case with the actual fruit of my loins!
BEHIND THE RED DOOR is an anthology of three linked novellas. The Red Door of the title is a brothel where the characters meet and…well, meet, lol! One of my favorite characters in the novellas is the madam of the brothel, who plays a wonderful role in bringing together the hero and heroine of the third novella, Sinfully Ever After. Here’s a little excerpt from that scene to whet your appetite.

Gerard had all but decided to take his leave when a rapid swish of satin to his left caught his attention. He turned to find Mrs. Upshaw, owner and proprietress of this exclusive establishment, hurrying toward him and Daphne, the feathers atop her lavish hat bobbing wildly as evidence of her breakneck pace. She reached Gerard’s elbow, puffing with exertion, her cheeks flushed.

A woman of Mrs. Upshaw’s years–which he judged to be past fifty–and girth–which was ample if not downright expansive–did not undertake such a burst of energy without betraying the effort it cost her. Nor would she trouble herself in such a fashion without good cause. His innate curiosity engaged, Gerard anticipated her explanation with considerably more enthusiasm than he’d felt since his arrival.

“Pray forgive the intrusion,” the madam huffed, “but I am in urgent need of this gentleman’s assistance this evening.” Her speech was directed toward Daphne, but her hand rested upon Gerard’s upper arm in a peremptory gesture.

His assistance? Gerard recoiled. While he was certain Mrs. Upshaw had once been a fine figure of a woman, she was now a much finer figure of a grandmother or perhaps an aunt. It was all he could do not to shudder

His horror must have shown on his face, for Mrs. Upshaw burst into a rich peal of laughter. “Oh, my goodness, no,” she said through her chuckles. “You’ve quite misapprehended me. I’ve a rather different proposition in mind than I expect you envision. I would, however, like to speak with you in private regarding my request.”

Gerard exhaled his relief and inhaled intrigue. “I am your servant, dear lady.”

“Excellent.” She gave Daphne a brief glance and a nod, then wrapped her arm through the crook of his elbow. “I have a small office around the corner if you’ll come this way.”

The office was, indeed, small. In fact, he suspected it had once been a storage closet. Now, the eight-foot square room housed a small desk and two straight-backed wooden chairs. Hardly the sort of place to which one invited a gentleman of means, but then, Gerard had the distinct impression that such invitations were few and far between.

He settled into the chair nearer the door as Mrs. Upshaw rustled her way behind the desk and planted her satin-clad backside on the narrow wooden seat.

She rested her elbows on the desk, folded her hands together, and bent toward him, studying him through eyes that glittered with intelligence and keen assessment. She was taking his measure, though to what purpose, he had no idea.

“I sense you are not entirely displeased by my interruption now you are reassured I do not mean to have my wicked way with you.”

Gerard’s breath rushed out of him on an amused wheeze. “I am not normally so transparent.”

“The usual entertainments have grown tiresome, then. Predictable, perhaps?”

He shook his head in wry admiration. She read him as easily as a playbill posted on a street lamp. “I daresay you have the right of it, Mrs. Upshaw.”

She nodded, the brisk gesture of a woman whose intuition has been confirmed to her complete satisfaction. “It is as I hoped, then. I believe, sir, that we may be of service to one another.”

Gerard arched an eyebrow. “And how is that? Pray do not keep me in suspense.”

Mrs. Upshaw licked her brightly rouged lips, and just for a moment, he thought she hesitated, but then her features settled into calm resolve.

“I am considering a new girl for the house. Before I take her on, however, I must determine whether she has the proper…er…credentials for the job. I have been at odds with myself as to how to proceed with her, but I believe you may be the man to assist me in assessing her suitability.”

Gerard fingered the brim of his beaver. Had he heard aright? The madam was asking him to fuck one of her whores and then report back to her as to the adequacy of the girl’s performance? In a day filled with odd events, this was surely the oddest. And yet, he had to admit, it was far from tiresome or predictable. The question hovered about his lips, but Mrs. Upshaw’s next words forestalled it.

“I wish to make it clear, my lord,” she continued, dropping the polite fiction that she did not know his identity, “that what I ask of you is unique. I have never asked this before, nor do I expect to do so again. If you feel you are not up to the challenge, then please tell me, for many–perhaps even most–gentlemen would balk at what I require.”

Gerard’s nostrils flared on a sharp intake of breath. It seemed the madam knew a great deal more about him than he’d previously imagined. She certainly knew his sore spot–one he could still feel in a faintly throbbing shoulder than woke him at night and reminded him of the days when he’d been an unwashed and unwelcome country boy thrust into a world he neither belonged in nor understood.

“I am not most gentlemen.”

She smiled serenely. “Indeed, I am counting upon it.” She raised her elbows from the desk, leaned back in her chair, and considered him with the slow, appraising eyes of a born businessman. “As I am sure you know, for all my clients do, I never hire a girl unless I am certain she enjoys her work. Normally, this is not an issue, as they usually come to me with a certain amount of…shall we say…prior experience. But this girl is a virgin, and I wish that she remain that way as of the end of this evening.”

The pronouncement struck Gerard wholly unprepared with the bone-jarring, breath-stealing force of a schoolboy jumping him from behind in a chilly Eton schoolyard. “What?”

Mrs. Upshaw’s smile became a straight line of the utmost seriousness. “I agree, it is a singular situation, yet I am persuaded to give her the chance to prove herself. But to do that, I need the assistance of a man with sufficient expertise to rouse her passions and sufficient restraint to repress his own. The question is, are you that man?”

March 24th, 2009
by Kate Pearce
Simply Shameless out soon :)

simply shameless

I loved this cover when I first got to see it about 5 months ago, first as a computer image and then as a cover flat. Last Friday the actual books arrived and it’s always a thrill to see the real thing, a solid chunk of paper made out of all the weird stuff that comes out of my head :)

I’m not sure I’ll ever convert totally to e-books and readers. I still love the feel of a real book in my hands, be it one of mine or someone else’s. I love to curl up and read and not worry about recharging anything electrical. I have enough problems remembering to charge up my cell phone and my ipod without adding an ebook reader as well. Although I love the idea of all those books in that small space and the ability to instantly download and start reading, I’ll probably vacillate between the two until someone makes a decision for me and stops making paper.

Simply Shameless is the third of the Regency ‘House of Pleasure’ books I’ve written for Aphrodisia and is probably the most conventional-for me anyway. It’s lovely to be able to write a series with continuing characters but hard to remember to make it all fit and be continuous when you don’t write anything down like me :oops: I’ve had to scrabble a few times to look up what a particular room looks like or a location or the spelling of someone’s surname. Now that I’m writing #5 I’ll have to start being more organised and make some lists- I bet that’s what Kate Douglas has to do with her Wolf Tales!

Shameless comes out at the beginning of May. Here’s a quick blurb about it:

In escaping the horrors of the French Revolution, Helene Delornay leaves behind her not only her past as a Bastille whore, but her bastard child. Determined to succeed in England, she does not expect to be overwhelmed by the erotic charms of Philip Ross, a young aristocrat returning from India to fulfill his reluctant duty to his family. After a night of passion, his unexpected offer, forces Helene to reveal her unsavory past and drive him away.
Eighteen years later, Philip is a recent widower and Helene has become the Madame of a select fee-paying London pleasure house where every erotic dream can become a reality. While Helene tries to tempt the now dour Philip into sexual excess, he struggles to ignore his reawakened desire for her and his dark fascination with the erotic fantasies she offers him. As they explore the boundaries of their shared taste for the exotic and unusual, Helene realizes that in Philip she has truly met her perfect sexual match. Now all she has to decide is what on earth to do with him…

How do you all feel about e-readers versus print books? Have you formed a definite preference yet?

I have a copy to give away to one person who comments below!

Kate x

March 23rd, 2009
by Sasha White
No Angel

Last time I was here I talked about how I’d never planned to write a series, yet somehow I ended up with connected stories. Well, today I want to show off the cover for my June release MOST WANTED, and give you an excerpt.

First off, why is this connected to what I said about series’? Because MOST WANTED is a singll author anthology with three novellas, and each novella is a sequel to one of my other Aphrodisia stories.

Yep, readers kept asking about them, so the characters got more stories. See the power you readers have?

Check it out.

Bad boys—they’re the best lovers around. Submit to the pleasure of their dark and dangerous passions…

“Hidden Cravings”
PI Lexy Signorino has spent the last year trying to forget her insatiable desire for Devon Kaye’s rock hard body. But when he turns up one night asking her to help him find his missing cousin, she’s ready to surrender to sweet sensual satisfaction…

Lexy and Devon from THE CRIB in the Pure Sex anthology are together again in HIDDEN CRAVINGS.

“Unrestricted Access”
Jillian Furst has lusted after detective Jackson Barrows long enough and decides it’s time for some female seduction. She sends him flowers and a steamy letter with explicit instructions for a sexual fantasy that keeps them busy in bed all night long…

Detective Jackson Barrows watched his partner fall for a thief in SEX AS A WEAPON in The Cop anthology, and in UNRESTRICTED ACCESS, he does some falling of his own.

“No Angel”
Anna Blair looks sweet and innocent, but playboy Gabriel Mann discovers she’s far from it. Mess with her and she’ll mess right back. And that’s just the way he likes it—down and dirty carnal pleasure that keeps him coming back for more…

NO ANGEL continues Sasha’s paranormal Hunter series with Gabriel Mann, the work hard-play harder younger brother of Caleb Mann from SEXY DEVIL, and demon hunter Anna Blair

The funny thing about this anthology for me was that the two stories I thought about the most before writing them, were the ones I had the most trouble with. I think I just wanted tothem to be so good, and I’d waited so long to writ them that I put too much pressure on myself. The third story NO ANGEL, well, it was pure fun to write. In fact, that novella took less than three days to write. It just flowed, straight from my fingertips onto the page, and I laughed out loud a few times while writing it. It’s certainly not one I thought would be easy, and humor is never been my strong suit, but these two characters and I had fun. So I want to share with you one of my favorite scenes.

Below the break is an unedited excerpt from NO ANGEL, in the MOST WANTED anthology. It’s a sex scene, so be ware of explicit content. *grin*. I hope you enjoy!
Read the rest of this entry »

March 22nd, 2009
by Lydia Parks
Spring is breaking out all over!

I love spring. It’s my favorite season, next to winter. And this spring will be exceptionally sweet for me. (Yes, I know it’s a little odd to favor winter, but I love cold, dark weather. January in Anchorage is better than heaven.)

“Why is this spring so special?” you ask. (You did ask, right?) I’ll tell you. Some months I get to spend more time being a writer than I do other months. This April will be a good one, and I’m doing a happy dance.

First of all, Sexy Beast VI comes out in April, and my novella, “Animal Instinct,” is in it. It’s my first shape-shifter story, and I had a great time with it. (Hey, it’s set in Alaska and Siberia, two of my favorite places!) At the same time, I have a Nocturne Bites coming out, Shadow Lover. And I just found out it will be included in an anthology this fall. I also have a romance coming out (under another name). What a month!

I’m in a quandary, though, and have a question or two. I really enjoy doing book signings. I love meeting readers and perspective writers, and talking about books and writing. What can be more fun? :?: So here are my questions, and I’d really appreciate your help. As a reader, do you enjoy meeting authors? (I do, but I’m not sure if I’m weird. Well, okay, I’ve fairly certain I’m weird, but I’m not sure about this particular point.) Do you talk to writers you haven’t heard of if you see them signing at your local book store? If so, what makes you feel comfortable approaching them, and what turns you off?

There are several authors I look forward to meeting. (I’m afraid one or two may think I’m stalking them, but that’s a whole other story. :oops: I promise I’m not. Really. But if anyone sees an announcement about James Lee Burke signing books, please let me know. Jeez, the man can write Louisiana like no one else!) I’m looking forward to the Literacy signing at the RWA national convention in DC this summer. What a wonderful chance to meet so many of my favorite authors at once! And I hope to be signing this time, too. (Way cool! :grin: )

I hope everyone enjoys Sexy Beast VI. I’m thrilled to be in the company of writers like Kate Douglas and Anya Howard!

March 21st, 2009
by Vonna Harper
Lay Off The Reality TV

tempted-by-a-cowboy3

I made a quasi-decision last night and hope I can stick with it. Just before heading for bed, I watched 20/20. In case you missed it, the segments all revolved around the economy’s impact on individual Americans. No surprise, it was far from uplifting. One story was about a man who used to make nearly $800,000 a year and is now delivering pizzas. He’s two years behind in his mortgage payments and foreclosure is just around the corner. He’s married with two children and the adults are trying to protect the children from reality. Another segment looked at teens living in shelters.

Okay, so you get the drift. Reality 101. And that, not American Idol, is the kind of TV I need to distance myself from a bit while I emerse myself in first a novella and then a novel for Aphrodisia. The novella, which is due the first of May, revolves around a mystical/mythical white tiger while the novel will take my characters into an alternate world where anything goes. In other words, neither are entrenched in today’s real world. And yes, I’m looking forward to it.

As wordsmiths, part of the responsibility we fiction writers have to our readers is to give them the opportunity to step away from their lives and into ones where all things are possible. All right, maybe ‘all things’ is a tad ambitious, but you know what I’m talking about. Kensington Aphrodisia isn’t the daily newspaper or a news magazine. The books are make-believe in the best possible ways. The good guys win and great sex along the way is a given. We writers offer readers escape from credit card bills, homework, job pressure, etc, etc and yet therein lies a quandry for me. Do I want my characters to dance through life with secure jobs, trust funds, and wealthy relatives? Should my hero, in addition to a body to die for, be fantastically wealthy like many heros in traditional category romances? Should my 20-something heroine own her own home, dress in designer clothes, and eat out every night?

You know something, that doesn’t appeal to me. What reader could relate to those characters? I’m delighted to grant my hero and heroine fab sex and great adventures, but they have to have at least one foot in, you got it, the real world. I made a vow to myself not to ever make things so heavy that readers need therapy. At the same time, readers need to be able to relate to characters and for that to happen, my heroines need bad hair days.

Okay, there’s my solution, my compromise, my something! I’m going to carve out a heroine who feels frustrated about her job but is glad to have one. That decision made, she sets about making the best of her life and that, of course, revolves around a hero with secrets and dark chapters in his life who takes one look at her and vows to bed her soon and often. They won’t discuss and debate AIG or the national debt, I promise!

I know I’ve asked this before, but I’m curious; how much reality do you need in your fiction, particularly contemporary fiction? Maybe none?
Vonna
www.VonnaHarper.com

March 18th, 2009
by Devyn Quinn
A day late…and a dollar short…

That seems to be my motto lately, and I don’t know why. Ever had one of those days when everything you touch seems to turn to poo? Well, I’ve just had one of those days.

What’s strange is the day started out good. I was delighted when the UPS man dropped off author copies of Dangerous Ties and Man After Midnight, my 2 April releases. Not a few hours before my cat delivered 6 fine, fat kittens, and even though I was up and down in the early morning hours settling her and the newbies into a kitty cube, I felt like the day just couldn’t get any better.

Sure enough, it didn’t. As I was driving off to deliver my newly arrived books to friends and family, something happened.

I had a fender bender. Yep. Just what I needed to ruin the perfect day. A car accident. Luckily no one was hurt, and it was just minor damage to both vehicles. But still, it really put a damper on my day. :(

So do I have any good news? Well, I guess I do. I am pleased to announce that I will be joining NAL and writing a paranormal romance series for the Signet Eclipse imprint. My first book will debut in Spring 2011, in mass market. My agent closed the deal on the 27th of Feb, and I’m still pinching myself.

March 16th, 2009
by Amie Stuart
Skids in, Trips and Drops Her Tools

I’m LATE! I’m so very late!! Like a whole day late!!! My apologies! The kid are off on Spring Break…and so am I. Yesterday we were off to see Watchmen–how do stay at home mom’s do it??? and I had to buy food because, you know, they’re 5′11 and 5′6 and they have friends. (Don’t worry. I also snuck off to get a pedicure!)
Then I came home, and guess what I did? GUESS!!!!
I finished installing the dishwasher! I know…you though I was going to say, I wrote something fabulous, but trust me this is almost better than writing. You see, we haven’t had a dishwasher (one that didn’t bitch and moan every time I said, “Do the dishes,”) for like 8 months.
Now I started this little adventure on Tuesday night when I went to unhook the old one…and couldn’t. So Wednesday when they showed up with the new one I was still wrangling with the old one. I FINALLY GOT It out and spent four hours wrangling with the new one. FINALLY Got it installed only to discover the copper pipe leaked :(
So I called a plumber who wanted to have sexual relations with me screw me. And decided on Friday when I couldn’t get another plumber out, I’d just have to figure out how to install the new pipe myself (it’s not copper but flex-tube). And as luck would have it, I found a wrench!!! That made the going much easier–I have lots of tools but my children like to touch them. When will they learn to not touch mommy’s tools?
Now the dishwasher is in, the house didn’t blow up or burn down and I have clean dishes.

So what about you? Do you do power tools? Do you install? Or do you have a good plumber in your iPhone? And if so, can I get his number? I have a toilet that needs it’s guts replaced.



  • Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
  • >