Dress Up, Dress Down with Author Rosalie Redd

Thanks, Rosalie, for dropping by the LAM Blog!

---

What do my characters wear? The characters in my Warriors of Lemuria series live in an underground Keep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Tanen is the hero in Unimaginable Lover, book 3 of my Warriors of Lemuria series. He is a Stiyaha, one of the shape-shifting Lemurian warriors sent here from the planet Lemuria to battle over Earth’s most precious resource—water. Educated and cultured, Tanen has an affinity for the finer things in life, including his clothing. He wears hand-tailored slacks, a finely crafted belt, button-down cotton shirts with a starched collar, the required warrior boots, and his lapel pin. The finely crafted jewelry represents Lemuria or “Mu” and life ever after. The slightest wrinkle or crease in his clothing is not tolerated, and he wouldn’t be caught dead without his pin.

As council leader, Tanen must uphold the laws. When he takes on a solo mission to track down a traitor, things don’t go as planned. Mortally wounded, he seeks shelter from the sun’s killing rays in the closest structure he can find—a ramshackle shed on human territory. Rescued by a kind-hearted woman, she nurses him back to health. The disarray in her home grates on his nerves, but not as much as his desire for the forbidden human female.

Blurb:

A shifter and a human together? Unimaginable…

One careless decision. The colony betrayed. Tanen’s only course is a desperate hunt for justice, but his solo mission is cut short when he’s mortally wounded. Rescued by a sweet, innocent woman, he can’t deny the passion that burns between them. Now he must choose between his duty and honor or his desire for the precious, but forbidden, human female.

Broken promises and ruined love hardened Sheri’s heart. When she finds an injured and extraordinarily sexy man on her property, she’s pulled into a world she never imagined. As she nurses him back to health and they bond over their love of books, she’s torn between the lessons she learned from her rough past and the need to seek solace in Tanen’s arms, but she must learn to trust him, and herself, in order to survive.

Bio:

After finishing a rewarding career in finance and accounting, it was time for award-winning author Rosalie Redd to put away the spreadsheets and take out the word processor. She pens paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy romance in her office cave located in Oregon, where rain is just another excuse to keep writing.

Social media links:

Website: http://www.rosalieredd.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosaliereddauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosalieRedd

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34148783-rosalie-redd

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosalieredd/

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/rosalieredd 

Excerpt:

A nervous chuckle bubbled from her lips. “See, Coop, no problem—”

Coop pushed past her, and a low growl eased from him. In all the time she’d had him, he’d never reacted this way before. She gripped his collar, holding him in place.

Thump.

Her heart skipped a beat before revving into overdrive. Adrenaline surged through her veins, her face tingling from the rush of blood. The urge to flee overwhelmed her, and the muscles in her legs and arms tensed.

“Ahhhh…” a distinctive male voice eased from the gloom.

Coop lunged, yanking against her grip. His barks continued.

“Quiet, Coop!” Her companion hushed, but he strained against her hold.

A dark form slumped against the far wall.

She inhaled and took a step back.

The man groaned louder.

“Who are you? What are you doing in my shed?”

The only sounds, his labored breaths and her own heartbeat.

She emboldened her tone with as much confidence as she could. “You’re trespassing. I’m calling the police.”

“No…don’t.” His words were short, strained, yet the tenor of his voice weaseled its way into the deepest recesses of her soul. The sensation warmed her insides. She held her breath.

He moaned again. His dark form moved.

Her medical training kicked in and she had the urge to rush to his side and help him, but she remained wary. “Are you injured? Should I call an ambulance?”

“Is it dark outside?” His strained speech carried across the small space.

A strange desire to hear him speak again washed over her. She fisted her hand. “What difference does it make if it’s dark outside? If you’re injured, you need help.”

“Please, tell me…is it,” a quick intake of breath, “…dark yet?”

The cultured way he spoke made her still. She’d never heard his accent before. Sweat broke out on the back of her neck, dampening her collar. He seemed in pain, but she wasn’t sure. Her curiosity warred with her fear, and she wavered between barricading herself in her house with Coop and rushing to aid him. Instead, she remained fixed in place.

“It’s dusk,” she choked out, her throat tightening from her confusion.

He leaned his head against the wall. She couldn’t see his features, but from his outline, she could tell he was a large man. “Don’t…fear me. I’ll leave…soon…dark.” His words washed over her again, stroking her insides.

With a quick move, he stood. A stifled groan eased from his lips, and he rested his shoulder against the wall.

She took a step back. It took all of her inner strength not to run.

Buy links:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7K0PCU

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N7K0PCU

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N7K0PCU

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N7K0PCU

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unimaginable-lover-rosalie-redd/1125333110

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/unimaginable-lover

ibooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1185271791

A #Holiday #Recipe with Author Whitley Cox

Please join me in welcoming Whitley Cox to the LAM blog! Whitley Cox - Contemporary Erotic Romance -For the Curious Kink in all of Us.

~~~~~~~~~~

Love and Eating -what the holidays are all about!

#Holiday #love #Recipe #passion #power #thedarkanddamagedheartsseries #january292017

Cranberry Bliss Bars – BETTER THAN STARBUCKS! And cheaper too!

For years I would make it a sinful habit to treat myself at least once a week to a cranberry bliss bar and a chai tea latte with egg nog, because they’re only around for a short time, so the belly needs to stock up. But then I decided to try and make my own, that way I could eat a whole pan if I wanted to, and in the comfort of my own home (in the dark in a corner with crumbs all over my face…you get the picture). And voila, I found the perfect recipe that mimics the original, if not improves upon it. Now I just have to figure out how to copy their chai lattes with egg nog and I never have to leave my house again!

Recipe

Cranberry Bliss Bars

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 for a glass or dark pan). Prepare a 10x15 by lining it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray.
2. BARS: With an electric mixer, beat together softened butter and sugars 3-5 minutes until light; gently blend in eggs and orange extract (don't overbeat eggs). Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and beat briefly. Add the cranberries and chips, stirring just until incorporated.
3. Spread thick batter in prepared 10x15 pan. Bake 350 for 20-24 minutes until light brown AT EDGES and a skewer tests clean. Don't overbake or your bars will be dry. Let it cool completely. NOTE: If you use a 9x13 pan, the bars will be thicker and will take 26-28 minutes.
4. FROSTING: Blend cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add orange extract and confectioners sugar and beat until frosting is fluffy and spreadable (adding 1 t. milk if needed). Spread evenly over COOLED bars.
5. GARNISH: Use a zester to remove rind from an orange; sprinkle zest over frosted bars. Chop 1/3 cup Craisins coarsely; sprinkle over frosted bars.
6. DRIZZLE: Mix white chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute; stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across the bars.
7. Allow one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting. **To make signature Starbuck triangles, cut into 20 large squares (5 cuts by 4 cuts with the knife). Then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles.

Ingredients

·       BARS

• 1cup butter (2 sticks, very soft)
• 1cup brown sugar (some cooks reduce this to 2/3 cup)
• ¹⁄₃cup granulated sugar
• 3large eggs
• 2teaspoons orange extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2cups flour
• 1 ¹⁄₂teaspoons baking powder
• 1teaspoon ground ginger
• ³⁄₄cup craisins (dried cranberries)
• ³⁄₄cup white chocolate chips

·       FROSTING

• 3ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2tablespoons butter, softened
• 3cups confectioners' sugar
• 1teaspoon orange extract (or vanilla)

·       TOPPING

• ¹⁄₃cup craisins, chopped
• 1 -2tablespoon grated orange rind
• ¹⁄₃cup white chocolate chips

• ¹⁄₂teaspoon canola oil

Love, Passion and Power: Part 1

The Dark and Damaged Hearts Series Book 1

January 29, 2017

Blurb

Her was her new beginning; she was his undoing.

When personal trainer Kendra Black saw millionaire Justin Williams walk through her door all she saw was money and a practiced swagger. A man who's used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But Kendra is startled to realize that there is more to Justin than meets the eye, he’s kind and funny and brilliant, and she wants him, desperately. Unable to resist Kendra or her fiery spirit and zest for life, right from the start, Justin pursues her, only her troubled childhood holds her back. She’s been running from love for so long, she doesn’t know how to stop and let it catch up.

Elated when Kendra finally gives into their attraction, Justin jumps in with both feet, only his hectic and demanding life continues to interfere, and Kendra’s past comes creeping back and the two are tested. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionate and physical adventure, Justin discovers Kendra’s secrets and fears while exploring and uncovering his own wild and dark desires.

Excerpt

I turned my head around as I continued up the path and his smile was adorably cocky, shit-eating and amused beyond words. So I quickly spun back around to face the path, wondering if I should give him the satisfaction of playing into his comment and questioning it or if I should play my own game and ignore him, let him sweat -I’m not one for head games!

“What the hell did that mean!?” I asked, stopping in my tracks and facing him.

“Relax,” he said. Smile not leaving his eyes or his lips as he gently placed his hands on my shoulders to ground me, “I’m not asking you to marry me right now. But I KNOW for a fact that I am going to marry you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and I’ll wait until you’re ready and feel the same, but I WILL make you my wife, Kendra Black.” He shrugged again and smiled that adorable triumphant grin that made my heart melt and leap and spin and dance.

A small smile crept its way on to my face no matter how hard I tried to fight it, damn he was handsome. “Now get moving and stop fretting. I can see by that wrinkle between your brows that you’re worrying. Please don’t.” He turned me around by my shoulders and smacked my butt again until I started hiking. My mind reeling and going in all directions about what he’d just said. And maybe, just maybe, if I’m being 100% honest, thinking of bridal gowns, honeymoon destinations and flowers.

Buy Links -Currently available for pre-order

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

Books2Read

Author Bio

Born and raised on the West Coast of Canada and married to her high school sweetheart, with a spirited toddler and a fluffy dog. Whitley spends her days making food that gets thrown on the floor, vacuuming Cheerios out from under the couch and making sure that the dog food doesn't end up in the air conditioner. But when nap time comes and it's not quite wine o'clock, Whitley sits down, avoids the pile of laundry on the couch, and writes.

A lover of all things decadent; wine, cheese, chocolate and spicy erotic romance, Whitley brings the humorous side of sex, the ridiculous side of relationships and the suspense of every day life into her stories. With mommy wars, body issues, threesomes and role playing, these books have everything we need to satisfy the curious kink in all of us.

Social Links

Facebook

Blog

@WhitleyCoxBooks

Website

#Holiday #Recipe with Author DW Adler

Please join me in welcoming DW Adler to the Living After Midnight blog. He's sharing a recipe with us!

---

In honour of my Irish main character, I present a holiday treat from Ireland!

Porter Cake (from olums.ie/recipies/porter-cake/)

INGREDIENTS:

450g / 1lb Odlums Cream Plain Flour Pinch of Salt 1 level teaspoon Baking Powder 1 level teaspoon Mixed Spice 225g / 8oz Sugar 225g / 8oz Butter 450g / 1lb Sultanas 125g / 4oz Candied Peel 300ml / 1/2 pint Guinness (Porter) 2 Eggs (beaten)

METHOD:

Preheat oven 180°C/350°F Line a 20cm/8″ round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl and add the sugar. Rub in the butter and add the fruit and mix. Add the porter to the beaten eggs and add to fruit mixture. Mix well. Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for approximately 2 hours. Place on a low shelf position in the oven.

NOTES: Check cake after an hour and if it is browning too quickly, cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper until baked.

Title: The Spring of Seduction (Shelter from the Winter series Book 1) Genre: Paranormal LGBTQS romance/erotica

Book Blurb: Brijit McRaith has been on the run for centuries. Pursued by her mad creator for most of her years as a vampire, she has finally found peace and sanctuary in her native Ireland. But a modern world on the brink of war has caught up with her and after decades of quiet, Brijit finds herself on the run again. To add to her personal chaos, she becomes smitten with mortal Kelly O'Donnell, and Brijit’s initial plans to lay low fall by the wayside. With an uncertain future ahead of her, can Brijit protect her newfound love from a world on the edge of destroying itself?

This book contains scenes of explicit erotica and is meant for readers 18 years of age or older.

Excerpt: Brijit reached up and put her hand behind Kelly’s head, intertwining her fingers with curly locks of dark red hair. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

Kelly’s breathing quickened and her cheeks burned red as Brijit’s touch made her body tense with conflicting emotions. Her eyes closed halfway and the fear started to morph into something resembling ecstasy. “Uh huh,” she murmured.

“What have you been doing to me all evening? I can’t think straight when you look at me.”

Brijit stroked Kelly’s hair, pulled her hand away and pushed her fingers back through the strands, starting at her temples and ending at the back of her head. Her fingertips pressed into Kelly’s scalp with the slightest of pressure, which excited the nerves in her skin. “I’m not doing anything. I don’t do vampire mind tricks. I feel this connection with you…it’s rare that it’s this strong. There haven’t been many over the centuries that make me feel like this.”

Kelly looked into the green eyes and felt the fear and terror turn to waves of want and lust. She brought her hands to Brijit’s face, feeling the soft yet strong skin so very cold beneath her fingertips. Brijit smiled and leaned in slowly. Her lips found Kelly’s. Slowly, she brushed by them.

Kelly felt her breathing quicken as the vampire teased her, their mouths hovering near each other. Finally she moved in closer, craving the touch of Brijit’s lips. She pressed into them gently and felt their softness meet her own in a kiss that was gentle yet tentative at the same time…

Buy links: From my publisher, eXtasy Books: http://www.extasybooks.com/dw-adler/ Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.-W.-Adler/e/B00BFFUUJU Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dwadler Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-spring-of-seduction/id621488293?mt=11 Kobo: htteps://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-spring-of-seduction

Author Bio: DW Adler ("Call me Don") was born and raised in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada. After receiving a degree in psychology and an almost-minor in Irish Studies, he learned how to fix computers. He now sweats profusely in Florida where he does IT support for a living when he's not writing. Don counts such authors as Anne Rice, JRR Tolkien, and Edgar Allan Poe, as well as a love for Irish/Celtic myth and folklore as his influences. He loves to read sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and anything having to do with vampires. Other than sipping tea and writing, Don dabbles in computer animation and graphic design, is a doting father to his little girl, and a loving husband. He is constantly plotting how to get back home to Nova Scotia and flees there whenever the sight of snow becomes a necessity. No, he will not fix your computer.

Author Links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.-W.-Adler/e/B00BFFUUJU/ Website: http://www.dw-adler.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdlerDW Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dw.adler.5 Google+: https://google.com/+DWAdler

Mistletoe Hop: Naughty All the Way

Have you been a naughty author or a nice author? Which is more fun?

Is there ever a year where we are completely naughty or nice? I've never had one. In fact, I can't even decide which was the higher percentage this year. After all I didn't finish Wolves, my work in progress. That's clearly naughty, isn't it? But I did finish and publish After Midnight. It's a novella, prequel to my novel House of the Rising Son. It sheds some light on the mothers of Cheyenne's children.

Nice, right?

On the other hand, I entered Nanowrimo--National Novel Writing Month--but I did not "win". So that was naughty. But I'm much closer to finishing a novel that has been on my mind recently. Totally nice.

I suppose that means I've been naughty AND nice. As for which is more fun for me...I'm an author who writes about sexy, rebellious, incubus rock stars. What do you think?  #naughtyalltheway

~~~~~~

OOOH! A HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

Interested? Sign up for my newsletter here to be eligible to win a free copy of After Midnight! 

~~~~~

After Midnight

Prequel to House of the Rising Son

Living After Midnight Series

Genre: Urban Fantasy (LGBT)

Improbable love. Impossible life. Immeasurable danger.

Jewell’s stepfather thinks she’s worthless. She agrees. When she looks in the mirror she sees an overweight, overemotional, overeating mess who can’t keep her fangs to herself.

Ria hails from a family of old world vamps who'd be happy to share their wealth with her, if only she’d fall in line. Fat chance, especially since being in that line includes not being gay.

Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—the young vampires belong together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding Cheyenne, a talented and sexy incubus, to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only problem? Vampires and incubi are mortal enemies.

Despite the odds Ria, Jewell and Cheyenne find their way to happiness. But Jewell is hiding a huge secret, one that defies the laws of procreation: She’s going to have a baby.

While she tries to figure out how to break the unbelievable news to her lovers, a horror from Jewell’s past slithers into her present, forcing choices no one should have to make.

Will it be love or death? Happiness or safety? She has until dawn to decide...and it's already After Midnight.

~~

Excerpt:

The choice between staying in on a Saturday night to clean and going to see Cheyenne at his first real gig hadn’t been a complicated decision. He was a world-class rocker who could play the guitar like a fiend and had a voice that made you feel…everything. Or made you horny. And fuck if she didn’t love him. Damn incubus.

She reached across him and caressed Jewell’s side. Jewell’s eyes opened and she stared expressionless at the ceiling, hyper-alert to danger. It always took a few moments after resurrecting for her to remember where she was and who was with her, but since moving into their new home it seemed to take even longer.

Ria sighed. She’d do anything if it would help Jewell feel safe enough to die each dawn and awaken peacefully. “All is well, Babydoll. It’s just me. Time to rise and twinkle with the stars.”

“Already?” Jewell scrunched her eyes and blinked as if trying to focus them.

Cheyenne lay his head on the soft swell of Jewell’s belly. “Didn’t we just go to bed?”

Ria kissed his back and licked a slow trail down his spine. “Hours ago. Did we tucker out the poor little sex demon?”

“Not hardly, dead girl.”

She grabbed a fistful of his hair and turned him to face her. “That’s undead girl, thank you.” She bit his lower lip and let it drag between her teeth. “Show us what you’ve got left.”

~~

You can find After Midnight at Amazon

About Trevann

Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances. Her books include HOUSE OF THE RISING SON and its prequel novella, AFTER MIDNIGHT. Trevann's stories incorporate an unquenchable addiction to music and her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight.

You can find Trevann online at:

www.trevannrogers.com

www.facebook.com/trevannr

www.pinterest.com/trevannr

Twitter: @TrevannRogers

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to check out the other Mistletoe blogs!

Decadent Decem-brr Reads: A bay window, a fireplace, hot chocolate, and snow.

You're eligible to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking for a way to battle the chilly weather? Follow the Decem-brr Reads Blog Hop! Oh--and get a chance to win a #Kindle and other goodies, too! #Giveaway

I love the cold weather, mostly because it's much easier for me to find ways to get warm than have to get cooler when it's too hot.  I even love snow. Two of my longstanding fantasies have been to Christmas shop in the snow, or sit in front of a fire at a ski lodge and watch the snow.

While Christmas shopping there are no slick roads or sidewalks, its not too cold, the lights are festive, people are pleasant. I see myself with a few beautifully wrapped gifts, heading to a quaint coffee shop where I sit in a window seat and sip hot chocolate while enjoying the view.

At various times in my life I have gotten one or two of these elements together but never more than that. In reality, if it is snowing I’m staying at home where it’s safe. If it’s cold I’m wearing too many articles of outerwear to be comfortable indoors. If I order hot chocolate, it’s either too weak or so hot it takes an hour to be cool enough to drink it. And if it’s Christmas, well, often people are not at their cheeriest.

As for my ski lodge fantasy, I’d never been to one or even had an experience remotely similar. Until this month. I lived out both of my fantasies at the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont.

The weather was pleasant as we left home and the roads were clear. The morning after we arrived, we woke to a nice snow. There was not much on the ground but it was falling in nice big flakes. Later that morning we spent several hours in the town of Stowe. The snow was still falling but it was warm enough that I was only wearing a sweater and scarf as outerwear. That meant that I could spend time in stores without breaking into a heat rash or knocking over half the merchandise with a bulky coat. We shopped for a few hours, walking in the snow and enjoying the holiday decorations. The morning ended perfectly with an early lunch in a cute little diner.

By the time we were back at the lodge, there was quite a bit of snow on the ground but the roads were clear. (They really want those skiers and snowboarders to be able to get to the slopes.). The lodge has numerous cross-country trails so we were able to sit by the fire and watch the snow and other people having fun skiing.

In a single weekend I was able to bring two of my fantasies into reality. All the pieces fell into place even though they were not the original plan. Now my goal is to achieve the same feeling at home. All I need is bay window, a fireplace, hot chocolate and snow.

OOOH! ANOTHER HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

Interested? Sign up for my newsletter here to be eligible to win a free copy of After Midnight! 

~~~~~

After Midnight

Prequel to House of the Rising Son

Living After Midnight Series

Genre: Urban Fantasy (LGBT)

Improbable love. Impossible life. Immeasurable danger.

Jewell’s stepfather thinks she’s worthless. She agrees. When she looks in the mirror she sees an overweight, overemotional, overeating mess who can’t keep her fangs to herself.

Ria hails from a family of old world vamps who'd be happy to share their wealth with her, if only she’d fall in line. Fat chance, especially since being in that line includes not being gay.

Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—the young vampires belong together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding Cheyenne, a talented and sexy incubus, to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only problem? Vampires and incubi are mortal enemies.

Despite the odds Ria, Jewell and Cheyenne find their way to happiness. But Jewell is hiding a huge secret, one that defies the laws of procreation: She’s going to have a baby.

While she tries to figure out how to break the unbelievable news to her lovers, a horror from Jewell’s past slithers into her present, forcing choices no one should have to make.

Will it be love or death? Happiness or safety? She has until dawn to decide...and it's already After Midnight.

~~

Excerpt:

The choice between staying in on a Saturday night to clean and going to see Cheyenne at his first real gig hadn’t been a complicated decision. He was a world-class rocker who could play the guitar like a fiend and had a voice that made you feel…everything. Or made you horny. And fuck if she didn’t love him. Damn incubus.

She reached across him and caressed Jewell’s side. Jewell’s eyes opened and she stared expressionless at the ceiling, hyper-alert to danger. It always took a few moments after resurrecting for her to remember where she was and who was with her, but since moving into their new home it seemed to take even longer.

Ria sighed. She’d do anything if it would help Jewell feel safe enough to die each dawn and awaken peacefully. “All is well, Babydoll. It’s just me. Time to rise and twinkle with the stars.”

“Already?” Jewell scrunched her eyes and blinked as if trying to focus them.

Cheyenne lay his head on the soft swell of Jewell’s belly. “Didn’t we just go to bed?”

Ria kissed his back and licked a slow trail down his spine. “Hours ago. Did we tucker out the poor little sex demon?”

“Not hardly, dead girl.”

She grabbed a fistful of his hair and turned him to face her. “That’s undead girl, thank you.” She bit his lower lip and let it drag between her teeth. “Show us what you’ve got left.”

~~

You can find After Midnight at Amazon

About Trevann

Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances. Her books include HOUSE OF THE RISING SON and its prequel novella, AFTER MIDNIGHT. Trevann's stories incorporate an unquenchable addiction to music and her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight.

You can find Trevann online at:

www.trevannrogers.com

www.facebook.com/trevannr

www.pinterest.com/trevannr

Twitter: @TrevannRogers

Decadent Reads (spicey or erotic Romance). Check out the other blogs!

1.	Nicole Morgan	2.	Romance Beckons
3.	Janice Seagraves, Author	4.	Hello Romance
5.	Staci Troilo	6.	Trevann Rogers

Tina Gayle Shares a #Holiday #Recipe and Marketing Exec’s Widow #99cents

Please join me in welcoming Tina Gayle to the LAM blog! My uncle used to make this cobbler all the time when he wanted to offer us a treat. A confirmed bachelor, he wanted something quick and easy.

Quick Peach Cobbler

1 large can of peaches

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 box of vanilla wafers

1/4 cup of butter

Preheat the oven to 350. Pour can peaches, sugar, and cinnamon in a casserole dish large enough to hold everything I use the 2quart size. After stirring these items together, then add most of the box of vanilla wafers, set enough aside to pull on top. Once you have the wafers arranged on top, slice the butter in to small pieces and set on top of the wafers. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipping cream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four women... One fatal car wreck... Everyone's lives changed...

romance with strong women fiction elements

Blurb --- "Marketing Exec’s Widow” Letting go and rebuilding a life comes at a price.

Having come to terms with losing her husband, Jennifer is ready to move on, but she faces opposition from her friends, in-laws, and brother-in-la. He see himself as her future husband. None of them know of Jen’s marital problems and she is afraid of their reaction when they learn she has a date for Friday night? Hagan Chaney is not anything like Craig. He tempts Jen into the future but is she willing to give love another chance after the heartache she faced the 1st time around?

Excerpt –

Friday night, sitting at a booth in a nice, romantic restaurant, Jen silently wished she could enjoy the subdued atmosphere, and order a rib eye steak. Instead, her hands shook and her stomach churned with doubt. The survival skills she’d learned after becoming a real estate agent demanded a calm, composed front, but she couldn’t pull it off.

Hell, who was she fooling?

After ten years without a date, what made her believe she could do this again? She stared at the menu. Could she even swallow a bite of beef? And if not, what should she order?

She lifted her gaze to the drop-dead gorgeous man on the other side of the table. Hagan Cheney, a Greek god incarnated, had strawberry blond hair glowing like gold around his head. Wide shoulders and strong arms were encased in a hunter-green cashmere sweater. Apollo himself wouldn’t look any better.

Why in heaven’s name did he ask her on a date?

And why did she care?

She had no plans other than a casual dinner for two.

He glanced up, and a pretty-boy grin crossed his lips. The twinkle in his hazel eyes softened the square line of his jaw. “So have you decided what you want?”

Heat simmered low in her belly. Oh, yeah, answering that question the wrong way could get her into a world of trouble.

Tempted by wicked ideas, Jen blinked and stared at the menu. She’d do better if he didn’t know the wild directions of her brainwaves. “I’m not sure I can eat. I haven’t been this nervous since my first date with Craig.”

Ah, shit, I wasn’t supposed to mention him. Fire burned her cheeks. Her gaze jumped to Hagan’s befuddled expression.

“Craig?” Hagan lowered his menu.

Purchase Links

Amazon    |  All Romance Ebooks   |  B&N     |  Kobo    | Apple  | Smashword

Bio

An author with over 30 books, Tina Gayle writes in a number of different genres: Romantic contemporary (as Tina Gayle) and Erotic Romance. Her books range from contemporary, paranormal to mystery and suspense

As an indie author, she has worked hard to have a social presence and reach her readers. You can visit her website and read the 1st chapter of any of her books. Or you can download a free ebook and join her newsletter group.

http://www.tinagayle.net//newsletter.html

Find Tina Gayle everywhere

Home - www.tinagayle.net

Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle

Goodread - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle

A #Holiday #Recipe with Author J. Rose Allister

Please join me in welcoming J.Rose Allister to the LAM Blog as she shares a holiday recipe with us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Accidental Fab-Favorite #Holiday Fudge #Recipe

I make no secret of the fact that I’m a die-hard chocolate fanatic. (Even if I did, I fear my waistline might give me away.) Although I sneak chocolaty treats into my diet all year long, there’s one mega-indulgence that I only bring out during the holidays. It’s a creamy, super easy fudge recipe that was elevated from great to fabulous one year by accident. I sent my husband to shop for the ingredients, and he came home with milk chocolate chips instead of my trusty old semi-sweet. I tried them out with a skeptical heart, and the results rocked our world.

This fudge comes as close as I’ve ever gotten to duplicating my absolute childhood favorite: the pan fudge sold at the candy stores at Disneyland. Yum. Even better, it only requires four ingredients and no candy thermometer.

Ingredients:

24 ounces (approx. 1 ½ bags) of milk chocolate chips

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips together with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Stir constantly to avoid scorching. As soon as chips are melted, remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour into a greased 8x8 inch pan. Chill until solid, cut into squares.

Makes about 24 squares (depending on the size of your cuts!)

Optional: add a handful of chopped nuts OR substitute the ½ bag of chocolate chips with flavored chips of your choice or about ½ cup nut butter.

Holidays Bite

By J. Rose Allister

An erotic paranormal holiday romance

Get it now!

Amazon

(https://www.amazon.com/Holidays-Bite-Siren-Publishing-Classic-ebook/dp/B004K6MCQA)

Apple iBooks

(https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/holidays-bite/id577554189)

Nook/Barnes and Noble

(http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holidays-bite-j-rose-allister/1100404507)

Bookstrand

(http://www.bookstrand.com/holidays-bite)

What goes together more naturally than vampires and Christmas?

When an annual holiday tradition turns into a near-fatal accident, Stephanie regains consciousness to find herself alone in a cabin with her rescuer, Thomas—a man who is gorgeous, dangerously sexy...and undead.

Despite the winter storm and her injuries, she knows she should run. So why does she keep winding up in the powerful, seductive embrace of the vampire who has exiled himself from humans to avoid his worst time of year for temptation?

“...more than just a Christmas tale...this is a story that can be read multiple times because it has so many rich layers to be discovered.” –Happily Ever After Reviews

Excerpt:

Stephanie walked out of the bathroom with as little limp as she could muster, thankful when a flood of adrenaline aided the cause. She wanted to give the impression she was less helpless and pathetic than the picture she’d painted thus far. Thomas stood by a newly stoked fire, and she ignored his searing gaze while she headed for the couch. Her socks, boots, and parka lay nearby, tempting her. Donning the latter now would be too obvious, however. She’d have to make a grab for the coat on her way out.

“Brr,” she said, making a show of rubbing her arms. “Cold after that shower.” She sat on the couch and pulled a quilt around her shoulders to give the appearance of settling in while she tugged on her socks and footwear. “But hopefully I smell better now.”

“Stephanie.”

She went on ignoring him and laced her boots tight.

“Stephanie.” He moved toward her.

“Hmm?”

She threw him a quick glance and a smile, refusing to meet his eyes. Then he knelt in front of her and took hold of her chin so she couldn’t look away.

His eyes searched hers. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“What I’m thinking?” She tried to keep an innocent tone. “I don’t know what you mean.”

His arched brow told her he knew she was lying. “You think I’m a vampire.”

She laughed. “Vampires don’t exist.” Please, God, let him laugh along. Her smile faded when he didn’t. “So, it’s true then?”

He glanced away, his lack of response providing all the answer she needed and didn’t want.

She shook her head. “Guess I didn’t do a convincing job pretending I didn’t know.”

“We can sense those who see us for what we are. It’s a built-in survival trait.”

“Handy skill.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to figure this out.”

She rubbed her arms again, this time against a true chill. “You’re a vampire. That just figures.”

“What does?”

She raised her arms. “Oh, just the old Stephanie Mars luck. I go for a simple outing and get dragged off by a raging creek. I meet the perfect guy, and he turns out to be an undead monster. No offense.”

His brow rose. “You think I’m the perfect guy?”

She shrugged. “What I think is that none of this is really happening. Maybe I bashed my skull so hard that this conversation is all going on in my head while I’m lying unconscious in a hospital somewhere. So yeah, if I have to be stuck in a concussive hallucination, why not include the perfect guy?”

A smile lit his dark expression out of nowhere and threatened to steal her breath. When white teeth flashed, she couldn’t help but look for sharp points. She saw none, and the smile vanished as fast as it had appeared. “So what if it turns out this isn’t a hallucination?” he said. “What if your so-called perfect guy is real, and he’s a vampire?”

About J. Rose Allister

I tend to dream up stories while either lying in bed at night, sitting at my desk at work, or anywhere I happen to be at the moment. It’s exciting to watch a story unfold, especially when my characters say or do something unexpected!

When I’m not busy playing chase-the-muse around my laptop, I enjoy spending time with my family, movies, and reading books. I rarely go anywhere without a reading device, even if it’s on my phone! I’m also a big fan of chocolate and coffee, even better together—and best alongside a book!

Author links:

Site: http://jroseallister.com

Blog: http://jroseallister.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jroseallister

Facebook: http://facebook.com/JRoseAllisterBooks

A #Holiday #Recipe With Author Anita Philmar

Please join me in welcoming Romantic Suspense author Anita Philmar as she shares a favorite holiday recipe with us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Warrior in Me – Erotic Murder Mystery/ Romantic suspense

Blurb:

Special Security Agent Sebastian Berlin is eager to track down his partner's killer. Instead, he’s assigned the job of baby-sitting a scientist. His boss thinks she's the key to an Ancient Warrior Prophecy. Science never interested Sebastian, but the know-it-all female standing at the end of his Alaskan dock could persuade him to do a little experimenting. That is, if he can keep his Neanderthal Warrior genes from taking control.

DNA specialist Lily Sinclair is in need of a vacation, or so her over-protective ex-husband tells her. Arriving in chilly Alaska instead of sunny Cancun, she's tired and cranky and so not in the mood for her bodyguard's he-man tactics. Still, there's something about the sexy eye-candy that makes her want to lick him all over even as she's demanding to go home.

Then Lily's ex is poisoned, and Sebastian is certain the two murders are connected and she could be next. She knows he's hiding something, but with the worldwide release of Neanderthal DNA project only days away, she has no choice but to trust him to protect her. But can she trust him with her heart?

---

Excerpt : First Kiss

Seconds before his mouth covered hers, she whispered, “Sebastian, I don’t—” The rest of the sentence died under the quick spear of his tongue, seeking entrance into the hot moist haven of her mouth.

The fight he expected didn’t fully materialize. She gasped in shock, and her body stiffened. Then she lifted her hands to his shoulders, leaving the few inches between them vacant.

Tightening his grip, he drew the soft cushion of her breasts invitingly against his chest. All too quickly, he moved past the point of a simple kiss and fed on her unique flavor. He’d gone too long without the seductive touch of a woman. Today, she’d tempted him with the fire of her anger and the gentle concern for him at the loss of his friend. Holding himself in check, he’d resisted until she’d revealed her passion for her research. Now, he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for her any longer. He ate at her lips, nipping and sucking until they opened wider.

Lily moaned, and he captured the sound, swallowing it as he flicked his tongue against the roof of her mouth. She welcomed him by drawing him deeper. He thrust in and out, over and over mimicking the ancient rhythm of sex.

Determined to sample every inch of the hot, moist cavity, he drank in the rich, sweet nectar. As stimulating as wine, he became drunk on her and tangled his tongue around hers. Time lost meaning. He forgot everything except her hands in his hair, her body plastered against his, the relentless need to consume her.

Somewhere in his subconscious, something reminded him that women didn’t progress from “Hello, it nice to meet you” to “Do you want to go to bed with me” this quickly. On the other hand, maybe, the light tingling of his scalp as she curled her fingers in his hair helped jog his memory. He had to take things a little slower if he wanted to win the girl.

Now available at

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9C5QLQ

http://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/4749-the-warrior-in-me.html

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warrior-in-me-anita-philmar/1124858213?ean=2940156758746

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-warrior-in-me-1

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewarriorinme-2158657-153.html

Bio Anita Philmar

Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.

Influenced by old movies, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where special moments come to life in a great read.

Naughty or Nice?

Read her books and decide.

Website: http://www.anitaphilmr.com/

Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com

Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/

FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar

GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal no bake cookies.

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 peanut butter

2 oz of chocolate unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups oatmeal old fashion

Melt butter and add brown sugar, stir and microwave 30 seconds. Break up unsweetened chocolate and stir into butter and sugar mixture. Microwave 15 seconds at a time until chocolate is melted.

Add peanut butter and vanilla - stir until smooth

Add oatmeal.

Stir until oatmeal is coated.

Then cover cookie sheet with parchment paper, drop spoonful onto parchment paper.

Place pan of cookies in freezer and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Eat when ready.

Other alternatives reduce oatmeal 1/2 cup before add one of the alternatives

1/2 cup nuts

1/2 cup coconut

A #Holiday #Recipe With Author Kris Bock

It's my pleasure to welcome romantic suspense author @Kris_Bock sharing a holiday recipe with us! ~~~~~~~

Crock Pot Cheese Fondue Dip This is a wonderful treat for a holiday party!1 (10.75 oz) can cheddar cheese soup 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 cup milk 1/4 cup or more green chiles (these can often be found canned in the Mexican section of the grocery store) 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. chives 1 Tbsp. garlic Serve with corn chips, celery sticks, cauliflower, etc. 1. Combine all ingredients in a fondue pot or small crock pot. 2. Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until smooth and well blended. 3. Adjust heat to warm and serve in the pot, with chips or veggies on the side. If it starts to get too thick, stir in a little more milk.

See “the dead man’s treasure bonus material” in the left-hand column of Kris Bock’s website for more New Mexico recipes.

Photo credit: New Mexico green chile, by Littlemisslibrarian, Creative Commons License The Mad Monk’s Treasure The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?

Erin isn’t sure she can trust Drew with her heart, but she’ll need his help to track down the treasure. She heads into the New Mexico wilderness with her brainy best friend Camie and a feisty orange cat. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to sudden storms. Plus, the sinister men hunting Erin are determined to follow her all the way to the treasure, no matter where the twisted trail leads. Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight, but is she ready to risk her life—and her heart?

“The story has it all - action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”

“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an “Indiana Jones” feel.”

Well-written with an attention to detail that allowed me to picture exactly in my head how a scene looked and played out.” Excerpt:

Among all the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she hardly dared dream.

She touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.

The timing was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?

Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?

Erin wheeled the bike around the front of her house and mounted. At the corner, she paused and looked both ways. The long frontage road was dangerously narrow, with a cement wall on one side and a ditch on the other. Fortunately, traffic was normally light, and at this time of day the road lay empty. Erin pushed off, still grinning from her find. She rode on the right side, by the ditch, instead of facing traffic, because it was just too frightening to ride alongside the wall when a car passed.

She’d gone a block when she heard the hum of a car engine as it pulled out from a side street behind her. She rode along the very edge of the pavement, even though the car would have plenty of room to pass her without oncoming traffic.

Erin glanced over her shoulder. The black SUV 20 feet behind her hadn’t bothered to pull out into the road at all. Jerk. When would drivers learn to share the road with bicyclists? Erin pulled onto the two-foot wide gravel strip between the pavement and the ditch. She couldn’t stop without risking a skid, but she slowed so the SUV could pass.

The engine roared. Erin glanced back again.

Black metal bore down on her. Her heart lurched and the bike wobbled. This guy was crazy! She whipped her gaze forward, rose up in the seat, and pumped the pedals with all her power, skimming along inches from the ditch. He was just trying to scare her. She’d get his license plate and—

She felt the bumper hit her back tire. The bike seemed to leap into the air, and she went flying. The dried mud and weeds of the ditch seemed to rise up to meet her.

She didn’t even have time to scream.

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Get The Mad Monk’s Treasure for FREE!

Instafreebie is quick and convenient for people to grab their favorite file type, and you can even set it up so it knows your preference. Feel free to grab a copy! Honest reviews are always appreciated.

Six of the Best Blog Hop:An Excerpt

 

Hi all! My offering for the Six of the Best blog hop is from my recently released novella, After Midnight.

~~~~~~~~~ The choice between staying in on a Saturday night to clean and going to see Cheyenne at his first real gig hadn’t been a complicated decision. He was a world-class rocker who could play the guitar like a fiend and had a voice that made you feel…everything. Or made you horny. And fuck if she didn’t love him. Damn incubus. She reached across him and caressed Jewell’s side. Jewell’s eyes opened and she stared expressionless at the ceiling, hyper-alert to danger. It always took a few moments after resurrecting for her to remember where she was and who was with her, but since moving into their new home it seemed to take even longer. Ria sighed. She’d do anything if it would help Jewell feel safe enough to die each dawn and awaken peacefully. “All is well, Babydoll. It’s just me. Time to rise and twinkle with the stars.” “Already?” Jewell scrunched her eyes and blinked as if trying to focus them. Cheyenne lay his head on the soft swell of Jewell’s belly. “Didn’t we just go to bed?” Ria kissed his back and licked a slow trail down his spine. “Hours ago. Did we tucker out the poor little sex demon?” “Not hardly, dead girl.” She grabbed a fistful of his hair and turned him to face her. “That’s undead girl, thank you.” She bit his lower lip and let it drag between her teeth. “Show us what you’ve got left.”

After Midnight can be purchased at http://amzn.to/2dEOt59

~~

You can find Trevann online at: www.trevannrogers.com www.facebook.com/trevannr www.pinterest.com/trevannr Twitter: @TrevannRogers ~~

Dress Up, Dress Down with Marie Dry

Happy Friday! Let's welcome Marie Dry to the LAM Blog today, talking about her book, ALIEN BETRAYED. ********************************

NAKED ALIENS AND CLOTHES DOING DOUBLE DUTY

I thought it was really amusing, doing a blog about my characters clothes. Why? Because mostly I forget to put clothes on them. I literally have to go in afterwards and make sure they’re not running around naked. In the process I learned a lot about the function clothes serves in a story.

The first editor at Black Opal Books who worked on Alien Mine thought the Aliens in the Zyrgin Warriors series walked around naked. I was shocked that she could miss the wonderful description of their uniforms, loaded with weapons that became the size of pennies when placed in their pockets. Then I went searching for the specific paragraph where I described it. It wasn’t there! I had to go in and put clothes on them. I was mortified, this was my first book to be published and I did something so careless. The worst part was that I could see their clothes so clearly and knew the function they served and it only happened in my mind. And I managed to forget to put it down on the manuscript.  I knew from the beginning that their clothes were made of some really strong material with some amazing properties, allowing them to simply step out of their shoes without using laces and their uniforms were developed to withstand most weapons. I wanted their clothes to juxtapose their primitive joy in battling with swords. To illustrate that this was a culture with advanced technology even though they come across as rather primitive in their ideas.

After that I went and checked a contemporary I’ve been fiddling with and yip, no clothes. Once again the heroine’s clothes were clear in my mind, but not on the page. She’s a rather frumpy dresser and much more interested in developing her mind than her fashion sense. To make matters worse, her way of looking at herself and what she wear through the book, illustrate her acceptance of herself as a beautiful woman by the end of the book. Or it would have if I’d just taken the time to really describe her clothes. Since I made the changes and ensured that the clothes mirrored her development the story has improved.

What I learned from this was that clothes can illustrate aspects of the character, they can show the technological stage of development of a civilization or poverty or riches, it can illustrate the characters jobs or lack of jobs. In other words, clothes has their own job to do in a story. They can also do absolutely nothing if the author, namely me, don’t use it as a tool.

Mary Buckham wrote an excellent craft book. Active Settings by Mary Buckham. I cannot recommend this enough. She has examples that illustrate what I tried to say above. Here is a link to amazon to her book. A Writer's Guide to Active Setting

Thank you for inviting me to write for your blog. I’m off to make sure my Gargoyle is wearing clothes and not running around Cape Town naked.

More about Marie

All her life Marie Dry has read romances and was fairly young when she decided she would travel the world and write the perfect story that had all the elements she looked for in a romance. In 2007 after living in Morocco for four years and back in South Africa, she shared a pizza with a friend and promised to go all out with her writing and to work at getting published. In 2014 her first book was published by Black Opal Books. Two more books has since been published and a fourth contracted.

There are several wonderful moments in her life that she would never trade for anything. One of them is meeting President Nelson Mandela and the second being published.

www.mariedry.com

Marie's Amazon Page

Find Marie on Goodreads

BOOK BLURB

ALIEN BETRAYED

In a bleak and apocalyptic future, where the Zyrgin Warriors are getting ready to conquer Earth, Marcie is sent to infiltrate the alien stronghold in the Rocky Mountains, only to be betrayed by her own people. Instead of stealing the alien’s technology and accomplishing her mission of causing mayhem and destruction among them, she is captured by Larz, an arrogant alien, who wreaks havoc with her heart when he insists that she will be his woman. Still, he may no longer want her when he discovers her secrets…ones she doesn’t even know she has.

EXCEPT: CHAPTER 1

Larz clasped the training sword with both hands and swung it in a wide arc around his head, conquering his favourite patch of the Rocky Mountains.This was the closest a Zyrgin warrior came to the human emotion of joy. The sword fit his hand like an extra limb. His body moving with strength and fluidity gifted to him by generations of the strongest blood on Zyrgin. Still swinging, he moved the sword to his left and then his right hand, increasing his speed until his movements became a blur.

Every day after his warrior duties, he came to this rocky patch on the mountain.Practiced to ensure he was worthy and ready for the day the leader of all Zyrgin territories would give him his sword of honor. That was the moment all warriors lived for. When their leader, who they called The Zyrgin, gifted them with a sword that would respond to the touch of a certain warrior only. Warriors from a strong bloodline, and some warriors born stronger,received swords that, with the aid of technology, could be made to shrink to nearly invisible size. To the enemy, it looked as if they disappeared and appeared as if by magic.

Many warriors used their cloaking technology to make it seem as if they had received such a sword from The Zyrgin. Larz knew he’d never have to resort to such measures. He was from The Zyrgin’s bloodline, descended from the strongest Zyrgin that ever ruled.

Larz lunged sideways then stepped back, performing the sequence of the warrior conquering with his sword with ease. Instinctively compensating for the uneven boulder strewn patch he stood on. Though his movements were swift and smooth, as a warrior’s should be, today he performed without his usual fierce concentration.

Worry for his human occupied his mind. Months ago, shortly before his second change, he claimed Marcie as his breeder after they rescued her from a raider camp. Everyone else called her a loud, mean woman with ugly red hair. Not a day went by without one of the warriors offering to kill her or bring him a better human. When he looked at her, he saw his breeder. A woman he’d never give up.

If he claimed her after he went through his third change, it might mean he had to give up his need to do battle in their wars, to serve on the Zyrgin homeland. The friend of Natalie and Julia, Sarah had disappeared more than a year ago and it had taken many months to find her in a raider camp. She had been starved and bruised and told them Marcie was responsible for many of the things that happened to her in that camp. They may have rescued Marcie from a raider camp, but they were certain she was sent to infiltrate them. Her attitude made her very unpopular. Shortly after they brought her to their guesthouse, she’d tried to hurt Sarah and Sarah had been moved to live with Natalie. Larz had to go through his third change soon, or he might not be able to claim her.

From the time the first Zyrgin ruled, millions of centuries ago, Zyrgin warriors were not allowed to claim a breeder before their third change. It was a strange knowing each warrior carried within. Larz turned and decapitated an imaginary enemy behind him. His third change was months away, and he needed to claim Marcie before she got herself killed.

He stumbled and compensated for the uneven rock beneath his boots. Adding challenge to his workout, he closed his eyes. A warrior who owned a foul-mouthed human had to be prepared for anything.

This barren patch of the alien planet he was born on, this little piece of earth, always drew him. On the hard rock, where no trees grew and no reintroduced wildlife ventured, he was reminded of his home planet. Out here, with the exotic earth sun shining down on him, he could think about claiming a strangely compelling woman with a mean mouth and ugly red hair. Make plans for keeping her safe from the consequences of her actions.

Zorlof, his brother, ran up to him, his pre-second change body small, but stronger than that of a human male. Their doctor couldn’t explain why he took so much longer than Larz to go through his second change, but all indications were that he would be very strong once it did happen. Zyrgin warriors were born with the knowledge of battle, with strength in their small bodies. With each change their knowledge and strength grew. In Zorlof’s case, he suspected that strength and knowledge might be much stronger in him than the average warrior. Even taking into account their strong bloodline, Zorlof was taller and stronger than any pre-second change warrior born for centuries.

Zorlof easily leaped over a few boulders and increased his speed until he skidded to a halt in front of Larz.

“Marcie tried to kill Zanr to get to Sarah. She screamed she’d kill Sarah the whole time,” Zorlof said.

The mountain blurred around Larz and noise rang in his ears. Like their ship’s klaxon, instead of danger to the ship, it heralded danger to his human. Larz sank down on his knees and leaned his head on his sword. “That human will drive me to Solarian drink.”

If she had simply gone after Zanr, they would’ve laughed at the idea of a human woman trying to overcome a Zyrgin warrior. No warrior would give an attack from a human woman any serious attention, beyond ensuring she didn’t hurt herself. Threatening the Zyrgin’s breeder? Larz might not be able to save her.

His time was up. He had to choose between Marcie and being a warrior and probably his life. Give up everything that defined him to save that female who had no concept of honor. He didn’t understand her mean nature and why she hated Sarah this much? If she was sent to infiltrate them, wouldn’t it make more sense to befriend them?

Larz closed his eyes and prayed for patience. Would the woman never stop putting herself in danger? When he claimed her, he’d make sure she understood that such behavior would have severe consequences for her. Ever since they rescued Marcie from the raider camps six months ago, she’d angered every human and Zyrgin who came into contact with her.

Dress Up Dress Down with Abbey MacMunn

Today we're joined by Abbey MacMunn, who is here to talk about characters from her debut release. Welcome to LAM, Abbey! ***************

Hello, my name is Abbey MacMunn and I write paranormal/fantasy romance. Today I’d like to talk about my debut paranormal romance, TOUCHED.

My main character, Cami Wilson, hates being cold, so naturally the story takes place during a winter month in England – sub-zero temperatures, biting winds, and a magical blizzard thrown in for good measure. When Joseph Carlisle first meets her, she’s wearing a thick winter coat and fur-lined boots – “all padded coat, messy hair and innocence” is how he describes her.

Cami prefers to wear casual clothes: jeans or leggings, topped with a baggy jumper two sizes too big to hide her bum, which she thinks is too big—Joseph thinks it’s the peachiest arse he’s ever seen.

Joseph is an immortal guardian – he doesn’t feel the cold. His attire is casual too: faded black T-shirt and worn jeans.

Here’s a scene from Touched, written from Joseph’s point of view. 

A few minutes later Cami returned, dressed as though embarking on an Arctic expedition instead of a stroll around the Manor. The black leggings were gone, replaced with dark blue jeans—a bit of a shame since he kind of liked those skin-tight leggings. But he had to smile at the enormous padded coat and fur-lined boots, complete with gloves, a woolly hat and a ridiculously long scarf wrapped three times around her neck. The whole ensemble made her look twice the size, and three times as charming.

She frowned. ‘What?’

‘You warm enough?’

Frown turned to grin as she glanced down at her clothes. ‘I don’t like being cold.’ She untangled her long hair from under her scarf before going over to Nana to kiss her cheek. ‘Won’t be long, Nana. Love you.’

‘Love you too, darling, and don’t hurry on my account.’ Nana lowered her voice but Joseph still heard her whisper, ‘He likes you just the way you are, Bridget.’

Cami laughed, clearly sharing a private joke they thought he wouldn’t understand.

‘You ready?’ He didn’t let on he knew what movie she’d quoted. ‘We should get an hour or so before the sun goes down.’

‘Great, let’s go,’

Joseph held the door open to the corridor.

Nana flapped her arms. ‘Hurry up you two, you’re letting in the draft. I swear penguins would be at home out there.’

‘Bye, Nana,’ he said, chuckling. Once they were alone he couldn’t help making a comment. ‘You and Nana have a thing for rom-coms do you, like Bridget Jones’s Diary?’

She looked surprised. ‘You heard that?’

‘Yeah, Nana’s whisper was kind of loud, even without the immortal hearing,’

‘Sorry, subtlety is not one of Nana’s strong points,’

‘So you’re a bit of a romantic at heart?’

‘I don’t know. I could be…’ She blushed and headed down the stairs. ‘With the right kind of guy.’

‘And what kind is that?’

Her voice dropped to a husky whisper. ‘I think you know what kind,’

His pulse rate quickened, and so did his footsteps as he followed behind her.

TOUCHED is available now.

Amazon.com

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Apple

Kobo

Nook

Blurb:

When inquisitive antique dealer Cami Wilson learns she’s the revered offspring of an immortal mother and a mortal father, it’s not just her hybrid status that has her all flustered. The title comes with her very own super-sexy guardian.

Jaded immortal Joseph Carlisle has only one thing on his mind; his sworn duty to protect the hybrid from those who wish her harm. Anything else would be complicated. That is until they meet.

Chemistry sizzles between them but there’s a problem—the hybrid’s curse. Cami’s touch, skin to skin, proves near fatal to her and all immortals, Joseph included.

But the fated lovers discover her curse is the least of their concerns when a friend’s deadly betrayal threatens to tear them apart forever.