Native Tongue by Lucy Felthouse

Check out this new release from my friend, Lucy Felthouse!

Blurb:

They may be back on British soil, but the battle isn’t over.

When Captain Hugh Wilkes fell for his Afghan interpreter, Rustam Balkhi, he always knew things would never be easy. After months of complete secrecy, their return to England should have spelt an end to the sneaking around and the insane risks. But it seems there are many obstacles for them to overcome before they can truly be happy together. Can they get past those obstacles, or is this one battle too many for their fledgling relationship?

Author’s note: Although this story does work as a standalone tale, it’s recommended that you read the first installment of the characters’ journey first—Desert Heat, which is available from all good retailers.

Excerpt:

Captain Hugh Wilkes drummed enthusiastically on the steering wheel of his car as he drove it up the M3 towards London. He sung loudly and tunelessly along to the song on the radio, too, but it didn’t matter. No one could hear him.

He’d surprised himself by being so chilled out about the volume of Friday evening traffic. He wasn’t the most patient of people, so the slow progress should probably have been increasing his blood pressure, if not leading to full on road rage. But, although he’d have loved to be actually achieving the speed limit, not bumbling along at a mere fifty miles per hour, Wilkes was just glad the traffic was moving at all. Britain’s roads, the motorways in particular, soon came to a standstill if there was so much as a tiny bump between two vehicles. So any progress was better than none.

Besides, what could he do about it? His only other options to get to London from his base in Wiltshire were a train, or stealing a plane, helicopter or tank. The latter might just cause a little bit of bother, and mean the end of his army career, not to mention criminal charges. The former meant cramming in amongst sweaty, disgruntled commuters. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d be charged an extortionate amount to do so, probably wouldn’t even get a seat, and would likely be subjected to delays.

At least driving took him from door to door, with plenty of personal space. And if there were delays, well, he could sit them out from the comfort of his own vehicle, with the climate control set to the perfect temperature, and the radio blasting some of his favourite tunes.

The next song was even better, and Wilkes’ tuneless wailing became more enthusiastic, as did the drumming on the steering wheel. He was in one hell of a good mood, and if he was truthful with himself, he knew it wasn’t just the fact the M3 was moving at a nice pace. It wasn’t the Friday feeling, either. Sure, both of those things were contributing to his happiness, but the main reason he was grinning like a buffoon was the thought of what awaited him in the capital. Or rather, who.

Rustam Balkhi. His gorgeous Afghan boyfriend, whom he’d met out in Afghanistan while they were working together for the British Army. Now, with their tour of duty over and the forces’ presence pulled out of the country, the two men had returned to England. Wilkes had gone back to his regular army life in Bulford Camp, near Salisbury. Balkhi was in London, where he’d recommenced the medical training he’d postponed to become an interpreter for the Brits.

The past few weeks had been somewhat of a whirlwind. Wilkes’ return to the UK had been straightforward, but Balkhi had had to jump through some hoops in order to get back onto his medical course. He’d been willing to start from scratch, but it’d seemed like an awful waste of time, so Wilkes had spoken to his superiors, who’d explained to the university what important work Balkhi had been doing. Fortunately, they’d been persuaded of Balkhi’s commitment and character, and allowed him to pick up where he’d left off. That settled, Balkhi had to pack up, travel back to the UK, find somewhere to live, move in… and all before the start of the next academic term.

Wilkes had felt terrible. His return had taken place a few weeks before Balkhi’s, so although he’d been granted some leave for R&R, he hadn’t been able to either spend it with Balkhi, or to use it help him with his relocation. By the time Balkhi had set foot on British soil, Wilkes was back to work. And, given nobody knew about the two of them, or even that Wilkes was gay, he couldn’t exactly ask for more leave in order to help his boyfriend move into his new flat.

Life had conspired against them ever since, so this was the first opportunity they’d had to see each other since saying goodbye in Afghanistan all those weeks ago. They’d communicated via email, text message and phone calls, but it just wasn’t the same. Especially since they’d gone from seeing each other every single day for the best part of six months to not setting eyes on each other for weeks on end.

Wilkes had struggled terribly in the interim. Life had been tough enough while they were still out in the desert. After weeks and weeks of trying desperately to ignore their growing attraction, they’d finally given in to it. It had been stupid and risky, but, having quickly realised there was more to their attraction than the physical, they’d decided to carry on their relationship in secret while they were in Afghanistan, see how it went, and figure things out once Wilkes’ tour of duty was over. Balkhi had always intended to return to the UK for his studies, so they would, at least, be living in the same country.

Get your copy here.

Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 100 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Laura Sheehan - Dancing with Danger

A visit with Laura Sheehan, plus a fabulous giveaway!

BOOK BLURB

Struggling dancer Lily Brookstone has never been a priority to anyone, but now she’s the center of attention for two men: a psychotic stalker who will do anything to possess her, and an L.A.P.D. officer who will do anything to protect her.

Laura Sheehan is visiting today with a unique take on the action movies the menfolk insist on dragging us to. Hmm...maybe we should look at them from a different perspective...

The Best Action Movies are really Romance Novels on Film

When I told my father-in-law that my book, DANCING WITH DANGER, was being published, he asked me what kind of book it was. I told him it was a romantic suspense.  “Suspense, huh? What is that, like an action movie?”

And I thought: yes, actually, it is.

Go ahead and raise a skeptical eyebrow.  “How can action movies be anything like romance novels?” you scoff. But it’s true. 

Think about it. 

Romantic suspense novels have a central love story in which the lovers have to traverse a perilous plot of nail-biting adventures before they can live happily ever after. Right?

Now think about your favorite action movies.  Most of them fit this description, don’t they?

And I don’t just mean those romantic comedies that happen to have action in them, like Knight and Day, I mean honest-to-goodness Action Movies, with a capital A, lots of testosterone, hardcore one-liners, and theatres full of teenaged boy fans screaming “BOOYAH!” at the film’s more exciting moments.

Most of them are simply romantic suspense novels on film, I swear.

Some men (and women) might be horrified to realize it, but as a huge fan of both romance novels and action movies, it makes total sense to me.

Now there are a lot of great action movies that don’t fit this description, it’s true. Some are buddy films, rather than romances (like Pointe Break), others don’t have an ending that would count as happily-ever-after (like Casino Royale), and others have a bit of a romance, but not enough to be a motivating factor in the plot (like Aliens).

But still, ya gotta admit that most of the best action movies do fit the same definition as romantic suspense novels.

So, without further ado, here’s my Top 10 Best Action Movies that are really Romantic Suspense Novels on Film:

10. Spider-Man – A shy, awkward young man develops supernatural abilities after being bitten by a genetically modified spider. In disguise, he uses his super powers to fight evil, but will he risk exposing his identity to save the girl-next-door that he secretly loves? Some might argue that this movie is more action than romance, but to them I say: Hottest Upside-Down Kiss Ever.

9. Romancing the Stone – You can’t have a romantic action movie list without this movie on it.  Its heroine is a romance novelist, for heaven’s sake! It’s got jungle adventures, treasure maps, gun fights, man-eating crocodiles, giant emeralds, and Michael Douglas. Enough said.

8. Speed ­– “You know, relationships that start under intense circumstances, they never last.”  Maybe not, Sandra, but this action-packed thriller stars Keanu at his finest, so we’re going to pretend Speed 2 never happened and tell ourselves that you two lived happily ever after.

7. True Lies - Harry Tasker is a secret agent, but his wife Helen has no idea. When Helen grows bored with her humdrum life, Harry sets out to give her the excitement she craves, but instead unwittingly draws her into a battle with real-life Arab terrorists in possession of an atomic bomb. This movie might be a bit silly, but it’s jam packed with both action and romance. And surprisingly, most of the romance is actually quite sweet, rather than the hot-and-heavy type of romance typically found in most action movies.

6. Mr. & Mrs. Smith – Whatever you may think of their personal lives, you can’t deny Pitt and Jolie’s chemistry on screen.  This movie simply works. It’s engaging, funny, exciting, and hot. And I mean hot.

5. The Matrix – Like Spider-Man, some might argue that there isn’t enough of a love story here, but seeing as the most climatic moment in the film hinges on a kiss, I’d disagree.  Neo and Trinity’s relationship is followed consistently throughout the film, and though some might not think the romance between them is overt enough, I think it works.

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark - Indiana Jones and his ex-flame Marion Ravenwood battle Hitler and his Nazis to recover the Ark of the Covenant. “Well, Jones, at least you haven't forgotten how to show a lady a good time.”

3. Terminator – I almost didn’t include this one on here because it skirts the line on the whole “happily-ever-after” ending requirement. But, whatever. A man flings himself back in time to protect a woman he loves, but has never met, from a practically unstoppable killing machine.  If that’s not romantic, what is?

2. Die Hard – New York cop John McClane comes to Los Angeles to keep his marriage alive, but instead ends up in a desperate battle to keep her alive as terrorists as hold her hostage. “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.”

1. Bourne Identity – This one was a novel before it was a film, but it wasn’t considered a romance novel. However, I’d argue that Marie and Bourne’s relationship is just as central to the story as Bourne’s search for his identity. Besides instigating a rather steamy sex scene in the middle of the film, Marie also plays an essential role in the development of both the plot and Bourne’s character. She shows Bourne what his life could be, as he searches for what his life was. This is a first-rate thriller with excellent writing, superb acting, and top-notch directing.

So, ladies and gents, there you have it.  Laura’s Top 10 Best Action Movies that are really Romantic Suspense Novels on Film.  What do you think? Am I calling a spade a spade, or am I way off base? What are your favorite romantic action films?

Let me know in the comments below.

And check out my new romantic suspense novel, DANCING WITH DANGER (Red Sage Publishing), available May 1^st!

I may never look at an action flick the same way! Thanks for the thought provoking post, Laura. Now, here's an excerpt from Dancing With Danger.


EXCERPT

Marc set down his empty glass and glanced around. He hadn't been to a strip club in years. The present company was great, and the dancers were beautiful, but it wasn't really his scene. Sure, the ladies were hot, he couldn't deny that, but it all seemed so... methodical. They had some sexy moves, but that's all they were: a series of movements that showed off their very flexible limbs. There didn't seem to be anything sensual about it. He liked a woman to be just as turned on as he was, not simply going through the motions for his benefit.

"Marc! Your turn, buddy."

Marc caught the now-empty pitcher as Ben tossed it to him. With an exaggerated groan, he stood up and went to the bar to fetch another. As he watched the bartender refill it at the tap, he heard the DJ croon, "Get your cash ready, guys, Miss M is on the stage! You won't see this masked Vixen on the floor, so if you want to get up close and personal, get your ass to the rail and bring out the green. No one knows the true identity of this mysterious, little sex kitten but trust me, after her performance, you won't care!"

The crowd was a little louder than before, and even the bartender glanced at the stage. Curiosity piqued, Marc turned around and watched the "mysterious Miss M" stride out and take command of the room.

She was a tiny little thing, but not super-skinny like some of the other dancers, nor were her boobs ridiculously huge. The music pulsed quietly, building slowly in tempo and volume, but she simply stood there, legs spread wide, her head tilted a fraction to the left, as if contemplating her first move. The mask concealed most of her features, but he could see her eyes sparkling as she scanned the crowd, as if assessing them. Marc's groin gave a slight jerk as he realized her mouth was shaped just like Lily's, with a bit of an overbite that pouted her upper lip slightly forward. He watched those lips shift into a very slow, very wicked grin. The men crowding the stage went wild, banging their mugs on the rail and shouting at her to dance.

With a suddenness that took Marc off guard, she whipped into a crazy, spinning kick. Her booted leg whirled over her head, giving him a tantalizing peek of black lace panties. Her long, brown hair whisked out behind her as she bolted forward and launched into some sort of gymnastic move that flipped her sideways in mid-air. She landed gracefully with those incredibly sexy legs spread wide, barely pausing before bursting into another series of martial arts-like maneuvers. With a laugh, he took in her costume. She was playing out every man's fantasy of the sexy super-hero: she was Silk Spectre in the flesh, employing real karate moves to convey a mood of complete sexual abandon.

He noticed that she wasn't stopping to gather the cash that the men waved at her. Despite the fact that she hadn't removed a single piece of clothing, she had the crowd whooping and shouting for more. He was just beginning to wonder how long she could pull this off before the crowd got too impatient, when suddenly the music changed. She was crouched low, her left leg stretched out to the side. One daring member of the audience strained to stuff a bill into the top of her boot, but he couldn't quite reach since they were so damned tall. As the music transitioned into a more sultry rhythm, Miss M slowly folded in her leg and stood up. She was breathing hard, the rise and fall of her breasts mesmerizing. She retreated to recline against the nearest pole, as if spent yet aroused by her acrobatics.

Marc realized that this, too, was totally in character. He'd seen Watchmen over the summer and remembered how Silk Spectre had gotten turned on sexually by action and heroics. Judging from the hollers in the audience, he wasn't the only one who remembered what came next.

Miss M let her head fall back as she ran her gloved fingers through her hair, down the sides of her neck, around her breasts, and then diagonally across her belly to converge between her legs. Her lips parted with pleasure, and he felt himself harden in reaction.

With her hands still between her legs, she slid her spine down the pole. Suddenly he wanted to rush on stage to catch her. He almost felt her round, little butt in his hands as he imagined lifting her and pressing her up against the pole with a thrust of his hips.

He shook his head out of that fantasy and adjusted his stance to make more room in his pants.

Miss M slid back up the pole and twisted into one of the fancy pole maneuvers he had seen earlier that night. But for some reason her moves seemed more natural than the others had been, as if she were teasing herself as much as those who watched her. Hanging upside down with her legs wrapped around the pole and her hair flowing down to the floor, Miss M jerked her tight, yellow and black corset and ripped it wide open.

Underneath, she wore a black lace demi-cup bra. The contrast of that lace beneath the leather and spandex superhero outfit was tantalizing. Placing both hands on the ground below her head, she kicked out one leg, then the other. She planted her feet on the stage and kept her legs straight as she climbed her upper body up along the pole, her ass pushed outward and her back arched. Her breasts almost spilled out of the bra as she slowly stood upright. She pulled the straps of the opened corset off her shoulders and slid the entire outfit down her body, rocking her hips from side to side as the fabric slipped down. She stepped out of the outfit, now clad in a lacy bra and panties, plus those boots, gloves, and mask. The contrast of all that black up against her milky skin was mouth-watering.

She laughed, a sweetly innocent and shameless gesture that reminded him suddenly of Lily. Smoothly, she gyrated her body to the music, twirling around the pole and along edges of the stage, allowing the men to tuck cash in her boots and into her panties. As she turned around and bent over, Marc saw that she wasn't wearing a G-string like most of the other girls, but that the bottom curve of her cheeks peeked out from below the lace. The panties were transparent enough, however, that when she turned to the front he thought he glimpsed an enticing shadow leading down between her legs.

Miss M was dancing again. The way she moved was an enchanting mix of natural grace and teasing sensuality. She moved only in ways that seemed to give her pleasure, and watching her made him almost feel guilty, as if he were intruding on a private moment of intimacy. But then she would smile and make eye contact with the crowd, making it clear that she was intentionally inviting them into this shared moment of sensuality. A sudden wave of anger and jealousy toward the men closest to the stage rushed through him.

He laughed at himself. Damn, she’s good.

His laughter faded away, however, when she finally removed that tiny excuse of a bra. Her breasts were perfectly round and just bigger than a handful. Her nipples were hard, little peaks of rosy pink, exactly the same color as Lily's lips had been this afternoon. Damn, he thought again.

Before he knew it, the song was over, and Miss M was gathering the remaining cash before striding off stage with one last sultry wave.

It was another few moments before he realized he had company at the bar. The entire bachelor party crew stared at him, laughing.

"What?" he retorted defiantly, hoping they couldn't see the bulge in his pants.

"Boys, I think one of the Vixens finally caught Officer Sloan's attention," Pete roared.

Scowling fiercely, and relieved that it was too dark for them to notice if his face was flushed, Marc snatched the now full pitcher from the bar and headed back to the table. The guys followed, thumping him on the back and punching him in the arm, teasing him mercilessly the entire way. When a blonde dancer came around to their table offering lap dances, Steve asked her about buying Marc a lap dance from Miss M.

The blonde raised an eyebrow and said a little too sweetly, "She doesn't give lap dances, honey." She slid closer to Steve and whispered, "But if it's mystery you're lookin' for, I've got more than enough for you, big boy."

"You sure do... And I'll take it!" Steve shrugged unapologetically at Marc before stuffing a ten dollar bill into her G-string and sitting back to enjoy the ride.

Pete flagged down a busboy and asked him something that Marc couldn't hear because the music had started again and another girl was dancing on stage. The kid shook his head, but gestured to a curtain next to the bar. Pete gave him a wad of cash and the boy ran off.

Taking a look at his beer mug, Marc decided to cut himself off so he could drive home. He eyed Pete suspiciously and narrowed his gaze even more when he realized Pete was purposefully not looking his way.

When the busboy came back and nodded to Pete, Marc groaned inwardly. When Pete smiled at him and announced to the table that Marc had a surprise waiting for him behind the curtain, Marc groaned out loud.

My, my, my! *fans self* Goodness, Laura, that's some excerpt! I can't wait to get my hands on this one!


Buy Dancing with Danger from -
Red Sage
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

About the Author -

Laura Sheehan grew up in Las Vegas, but currently resides in Encino with her husband, a thoroughly-spoiled cat, and a handful of fish who keep her thoroughly-spoiled cat entertained. When not working at her office day job, she can usually be found in a dance studio, on a softball field, writing at her computer, rehearsing for a play, snuggling with her amazing husband, eating milk chocolate, or curled up on the couch with a good book. Sometimes she can be found doing more than one of these at a time, although when doing so, she has to be careful not to get chocolate on the computer keyboard (or on the amazing husband… although now that she thinks about it, that might not be such a bad thing).

Laura writes suspense, paranormal, and fantasy romances. She can be found online at: LauraSheehan.wordpress.com; facebook.com/LauraSheehan; twitter.com/#!/TimesNewLaura; and gplus.to/LauraSheehan. 

So, readers, what are your favorite romantic action flicks?
Laura will award a $10 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky commenter! 

Wendi Zwaduk - Guest Blog

I'm pleased to have Wendi Zwaduk here today to talk about appearances - you know - those what you see isn't necessarily what you get kind!And just to get you in the right frame of mind - here's one of Wendi's steamy book covers. Hmm...I'm thinking all kinds of things here. First impressions and all...

Over My Head:

What happens when two opposites realise they have more in common than expected?

I’m a dancer…and a damn good one. I work at the Silver Steel Gentlemen’s Club. My hard and fast rule? No freebies and no office dating. Except for Slade. Hard, fast, slow, gentle...I don’t care. I’ll take him any way possible. But he’s not that into me.

Or so she thinks. I’m a bouncer at the Silver Steel. Astra doesn’t realise I see her—I can’t help myself. She captivates me every time she’s on the stage. I want her, but I have a...problem. I’m not at the Steel to pick up chicks or even work the room. I’m there to stop the influx of drugs into the community. Yeah, I’m a cop. But if the job means sampling the dancers... Well, as long as I keep my heart out of it, I’ll be fine.

I hope.

Reader Advisory: This book has a kick ass hero, a dancer with all the right moves, hot sex, a little mutual anal play for good measure and mention of drug use.

Now that we've got your interest....Take it away, Wendi!

You’re Not How You Look

Okay so I know that’s not the best way to title this post, but since Roz opened the door, I’m going to run full barrel right through it. First, I want to thank Roz for having me and the Strip Tease tour on her blog. I love coming here and love her topics even more.

She said, “The books in the Strip Tease series seem to have a common thread  - not everything, or everyone is exactly as they appear. Since I'm a firm believer that there's a little bit of the author in every book they write, what about Wendi is not as it appears?”

I saw this topic and laughed. Roz hit it right on the head. There is a lot about Wendi (me) that’s not as it appears.

When people first meet me, they think I’m quiet. They think I’m this shy, quiet, timid person. When I’m in a situation where I don’t know anyone I will be quiet initially. Why? I’m trying to figure out the climate of the room. Can I get away with being loud and having fun or do I have to be super professional? Once I figure that out, I tend to be more myself—not so quiet. I love to laugh and tend to make what some might consider off color jokes.

When I take my small person to school, that’s another thing. The parents see me and think I’m a rebel. If I’m in my comfy mode, I’m wearing my jeans, my Adidas kicks and either a hoodie (it gets cold in Ohio most of the time) or a quirky T-shirt—my Queen concert tee is my favorite. They see my clothes, and my blue tinted hair and my jeep with the Dirty Jeep Girl tire cover and think I’m some devil person. Oh, and it so happens that a dear friend of mine shouted to whoever happened to be listening in the foyer that I wrote erotic romance. Her words were, “You dirty girl writing that dirty, dirty romance.”

When I showed up for a meeting at the school dressed in an ankle-length skirt with my hair pulled back and a nice sweater, the monitor said, oh, you do clean up.

I’ve got another story about how people see me and how I am that involves my best friend. We’d gone to a con and were talking, having a good time, you know... being ourselves. There wasn’t a lick of alcohol involved. But ask those who saw us? We were loud (kind of) and laughing a lot, so that automatically meant we were sloshed. And I even had a dress on at the time. So much for being prim.

Shrug. Prim isn’t my style anyway.

I am who I am and I don’t fib about it. I write as Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer. I like to experiment in my stories. I hope you’ll all come along for my long, strange journey. :-)

Thanks Roz. What about you? What’s something about you that people think they know and really don’t?

When You're With Me

A topless dancer and a cynical cop doesn’t equal a lifetime love...or does it?

    There’s more to Jude Nelson than just a sequined thong. She’s got big dreams to become an artist. There’s one tiny wrinkle in her plan—she’ll never forget the bloody image of her friend’s battered body in the dumpster.

   

   Who can a nude dancer turn to for help? Certainly not a hardened undercover cop...

    Detective Drew Alwyn is on the case to find out who murdered his good friend and fellow officer. But the moment he sees Jude, he can’t look away. He has to decide which is more important—his dedication to his job or the girl who holds his bruised and battered heart.

    

   Will these two opposites come together to solve the case or will their desire consume them?

 This story contains scenes of bondage, mentions of drug use by secondary characters, silk, sequins and art supplies used in foreplay, voyeurism and a little spanking for good measure.

Meet Wendi-

I always dreamed of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I tend to write books with titles taken from songs because music is one of my many muses.

I earned a BA in education at Kent State university and as well as a Masters in Education from Nova Southeastern University. I've tried my hand at teaching, waitressing, and retail sales, but writing holds my heart.

I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I have more stories than my brain can handle percolating.  I can't wait to share them with you!

http://www.wendizwaduk.com

http://www.wendizwaduk.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/wendi.zwaduk

http://twitter.com/#!/WendiZwaduk

http://www.manicreaders.com/WendiZwaduk/

And now...you, dear reader, have a wonderful opportunity to win a $10 Gift Certificate to Total-e-Bound! Wendi will draw one name from the comments on this tour - so be sure to comment here, then follow the tour to get your name in the hat again and again.

Click on the banner to follow the tour.

Veronica Scott - Wreck of the Nebula Dream

I’m so happy to be a guest here today, talking about my latest novel WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM, which is a loose re-imagining of the Titanic disaster, set in the far future, among the stars. Here’s a brief description of the book:

Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.

All his plans vaporize when the ship suffers a wreck of Titanic proportions. Captain and crew abandon ship, leaving the 8000 passengers stranded without enough lifeboats and drifting unarmed in enemy territory. Aided by Mara, Nick must find a way off the doomed ship for himself and several other innocent people before deadly enemy forces reach them or the ship’s malfunctioning engines finish ticking down to self destruction.

But can Nick conquer the demons from his past that tell him he’ll fail these innocent people just as he failed to save his Special Forces team? Will he outpace his own doubts to win this vital race against time?

My grandfather had a distant relative on the Titanic, a Second Class woman passenger who survived and even saved the life of a Steerage baby that was handed to her just as the lifeboat was lowered. That mini drama had a happy ending, because the baby’s mother made it into another lifeboat, so she and her child were reunited on the rescue ship Carpathia. I grew up with stories of the sinking and was completely fascinated by it. What would I do if I was in a similar situation?

Science fiction and paranormal romance are my favorite genres, so when I decided to write a book based on the Titanic events, I wanted to set the action in the far future, on an interstellar luxury liner. In my SF I like to write Special Forces heroes, so then I had to figure out how and why a man like Nick would be traveling on such an expensive civilian vessel. Who would he be likely to meet? That led me to Mara, my high powered and very capable intergalactic businesswoman… Who else might need rescuing? What challenges would they face?

I really wanted to include some children in my novel, in a nod to the many children on Titanic, half of whom perished. So Nick is called upon to attempt a rescue of a young brother and sister, trapped in their cabin.

I had two major challenges writing the book. First, I’d expected to do a more literal retelling of the Titanic events, but my characters took  hold of the action as characters will (ask any author LOL) and the story went to some different – but exciting places. Second, I had to provide moments of breathing space after the disaster hits, for Nick and Mara to have a chance to develop their relationship. There’s no time for romantic heat when you’re trying to escape a dying ship, but there is definitely a slow burn going on between the hero and heroine.

Actually I had written this novel before I sold my first book PRIESTESS OF THE NILE to Carina Press. I was concentrating on that paranormal series set in Ancient Egypt for most of the past year. When I realized 2012 was the 100^th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, I felt I really needed to get WRECK out there. I had wanted to dip a toe into self publishing so this was my chance but did work with a professional, free lance editor – you have to have an editor! You’ll never find your own typos and/or plot holes.

How can readers connect with you?

My blog is at http://veronicascott.wordpress.com/ and I’m on twitter all the time @vscotttheauthor

Wreck of the Nebula Dream is available at a special 99 cent price from Amazon for the kindle and Barnes & Noble for the Nook. Thanks for having me here today!

Elle D. Hayes - Guest Blog

    

Help me welcome erotic romance author, Elle D. Hayes.
 I decided to have a little fun with Elle, so I gave her a fill-in-the-blank interview. Elle provided some great insight into who she is via her answers.
 See what you think - 


I'd mud-wrestle a Chihuahua to get a slice of pizza from NYC.  I’m a native NY’er and there’s nothing better than a hot slice.

2. I'm going camping. I must pack my sanity since I don’t camp.  There will need to be lots of allergy meds and alcohol involved. 

3. If I had to leave Earth in an hour, and I could only take one thing with me (besides my family), I'd take my journal with its matching pen (since they match I’m counting them as one item. It’s a girl thing).  Imagine the stories I’ll be able to tell about that adventure.

4. When they make a movie about my life, I want Regina King to play me.  She is fierce!

5. You must sacrifice one human to the man-eating plant recently discovered in the Amazon. I'd sacrifice Rush Limbaugh because bullsh*t makes great fertilizer.

6. I'd eat a Brussels sprout sandwich if it would make me more productive. There just aren’t enough hours in my days.

7. I've never told anyone about the times I skipped school to hang with an older musician I’d met.  It was high school and my mom would have killed me (and him).

8. If I was lost in a strange city, I'd call my daughter to help me.  She’d text me directions to the nearest five-star hotel in less than five minutes while laughing at my predicament.

9. If I was going to run away from home, I'd go to Paris, France!!!  I’ve always wanted to go there and it’s a hop, skip and a jump away from a few other European destinations I’d like to see.  Not to mention FASHION WEEK!

10.I remember when I didn’t need a cell phone to get through my day.  Now I get all kinds of stressed out when I forget my phone at home.

11.Great shoes are a girl's best friend.

12.If I could be a heroine from a book, I have no idea which one I’d be, because there are just too many that I really love. I do know she’d be able to shoot straight and kick ass.

13.I should have been born in the next century.  I’d like to think I’m ahead of my time.

14.The worst movie I ever saw was Soul Plane.  That shouldn’t need any explanation.

15.Quick! Word association. Don't think, just put down the first word that comes to mind.

Horse - Cowboy

Snow – NO!

Chocolate - Heaven

Coffee - Tea

Paint - Artist

Fire - Ice

Sexy - Clooney

Blurb - 

Tonia Lassiter thought she’d found the man of her dreams. Sure, they came from two different backgrounds, but who cares? The heart wants what it wants. But what happens if her dream guy’s heart doesn’t want the same thing? 

Jayson James was a cop first and foremost. A member of an elite SWAT team he works on a daily basis to save lives. Driven by the painful memories of a time when violence touched him personally, he doesn’t do relationships. So, why is he having such a hard time walking away from the sexiest Assistant DA he’s ever laid eyes on? 

Can these two star-crossed lovers find their happily ever after before tragedy strikes? They’ll have to learn to Negotiate Love.

---

Excerpt - 

Just thinking about her brought images of her smooth milk chocolate skin and sparkling brown eyes to mind. His hand itched to feel her hair clutched in his fist as he took her from behind. He loved the feel of the braid and twists she always wore. And that ass! His head throbbed at the thought of another man touching her.

He dropped his bag on the ground next to the wall and opened it to dig around for his gloves. Once he had them on he stood and began working the bag. He’d worked up a really good sweat when Mace joined him.

“Hey,” Mace said as he moved to stand behind the bag and hold it steady.
“Hey,” Jay replied before resuming his workout.
“I’m willing to bet that this poor innocent bag didn’t do anything to you, so you wanna tell me who it is you’re really beating the hell out of right now?”

Jay didn’t answer at first, but then he dropped his fists and sighed. “Myself,” he finally admitted.

“Okay. Wanna talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Can I take a stab at it?”
“Can I stop you?” Jay snapped. Then added, “It won’t do any good. You don’t have a clue how much I’ve screwed up.”

“Maybe not, but I’m willing to bet three months pay it all revolves around one sexy ADA you’ve been pretending to not give a damn about.”

“How the hell did you pick up on that?” Jay questioned angrily.
“Come on, man. You two can’t stop watching each other whenever you’re in the same room. And you almost ripped Gunnar a new one when he made that comment about her ass a few months back.”

Jay clenched his jaw at the memory. Gunnar Stephensen was a fellow SWAT officer and a world class womanizer. Had it not been for the intervention of the rest of the team, he would have taken the man’s head off when he wondered aloud what it would be like to hold Tonia’s hips and watch her ass while fucking her from behind. Jay groaned out loud when he realized how much that show of possessiveness must have told his teammates.

Buy Negotiating Love - 

From Beautiful Trouble Publishing

From Amazon

Coming Soon -

Love Interrupted - Book 2 in the S.W.A.T. Officers series

About the Author -

Elle D. Hayes was born to write. An unapologetic dreamer, she has created characters and their unique worlds for as long as she can remember. By day she is a not-so-mild-mannered executive assistant, but by night she is a fierce keyboard warrior hoping to one day be crowned Queen of Erotic Romance. It makes for rough mornings filled with lots of caffeine, but she swears it's worth it.

Please leave a comment for Elle. To make it easy on you, just fill in the blank!


I love to read about a guy in uniform because_________________.

Kathy Bennett - Guest Blog- A Deadly Blessing

I'm so thrilled(see how I worked that in there?) to have Best Selling Author, Kathy Bennett here today. Kathy's debut novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses reached the Best Sellers lists on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble within a few weeks of release and continues to top the charts in Mystery & Thrillers , and Police Procedurals.

More about that later. For now, Kathy is here to tell us about her upcoming release, A Deadly Blessing.

I told Kathy she could talk about anything she wanted, but I never imagined she'd go down this road! 

These Aren’t Bunnies You Give Your Kids at Easter

I have to admit the first time I heard the term Badge Bunny I thought it was a rabbit.  I assumed it was the mascot for the police station where I worked.  I was right out of high school, a new civilian worker at the LAPD and had led a somewhat sheltered life.

For those of you who don’t know what a Badge Bunny is…it’s a person who loves to have sex with cops (or firefighters, or any man in uniform).  Usually, a Badge Bunny is female.  However, once I became a police officer, I was ‘hit on’ a couple of times by different guys who, I was fairly sure, were attracted to me only because I wore a badge.  Were these men male Badge Bunnies trying to score with female cops?  I don’t know, but I was always able to shut them down by telling them my husband is a world-champion pistol shooter.  Worked every time.

So, getting back to female Badge Bunnies, from what I’ve seen (and heard), these gals will go where they know cops hang out and then flirt aggressively.  Many Badge Bunnies don’t care if their ‘target’ cop is married or not – in fact, there are some bunnies who seek out the cop wearing a wedding ring.

There are some cops who will ‘romp’ with every bunny who comes his way.  Some cops avoid bunnies like the plague.  But one thing clearly evident is that cops have lost their jobs, marriages, relationships and even their lives over Badge Bunnies.

Officers who’ve learned the hard way about Badge Bunnies usually tell their younger counterparts that bunnies are usually nuts and offer the sage old advice:  "Your Badge Will Get You Pussy, but Pussy Will Get Your Badge!"  But how effective do you think that is with a young good-looking cop in a uniform who gets hit on several times a day?

Danger from bunnies is not relegated to the usual cop spots either. Dispatchers, nurses, and even female cops can be bunnies – and the male officers aren’t shy about passing bunny names around.  It’s considered poor form for a bunny to ‘date’ more than one cop at a time, but many don’t care and will have several cops a week over to her hutch.

First responders aren’t the only professions to garner the attention of the bunnies.  Military men, college professors, and athletes are prone to bunny love too.  In fact, women who seek out cowboys are called Buckle Bunnies, and women who hunt hockey players are called ‘Puck Bunnies.’ (Don’t try to say THAT fast five times!) 

Needless to say, wives and girlfriends of police officers or firefighters etc. don’t hold Badge Bunnies in high regard.  Being married to a cop can be highly stressful, and due to the demands and odd hours of the job, it takes a lot of work to keep cop’s marriage together.  Bringing a bunny into the picture usually doesn’t help.

Speaking of stress in the marriage of a police officer, I’d like to tell you a little about my next book, A Deadly Blessing.

The critically-ill daughter of the governor of California has been kidnapped. LAPD Detective Maddie Divine is assigned to find her before it’s too late. But this high-profile case comes with secrets on every side: cops, politicians, even the innocent.

Maddie Divine: Her marriage hangs by a thread, her SWAT-officer husband has lost it, and almost as bad, she can’t trust her detective partner.

Travis Divine: After the death of a SWAT teammate, he’s a shell of the man he used to be.  He’s lost touch with his work, his wife and occasionally even reality.  Can he regain the warrior mentality needed to support Maddie and do his job?

Preston Truesdale: The California governor’s daughter has gone missing, and so has her only bone marrow donor.  Is it coincidence or something more sinister?

Pilar Luna: The mayor of Los Angeles is a media favorite, and she plays Preston like a Vegas pro would play a Midwestern farmboy…all in hopes of reaching the White House.  Will she hit the jackpot?

Tiffany Truesdale: The brainiac teenager evaded her security team to spend a night on the town with her girlfriends, but can she outwit the man who kidnapped her before time runs out? 

A Deadly Blessing is a lightning-paced story of suspense that will keep readers on edge from beginning to end.  Coming April 2012! 

About the Author -

Kathy Bennett is no stranger to murder and mayhem. A twenty-one year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, her authentic crime experience results in arresting stories.

Most of Kathy's career was spent working patrol in a black and white police car. Prior to retirement, Kathy was assigned as a Senior Lead Officer, with approximately five square miles in the San Fernando Valley her responsibility regarding crime and quality of life issues.

Kathy also served as a Firearms Instructor at the LAPD Police Academy, a crime analyst in the 'War Room', a Field Training Officer, and worked undercover in various assignments. She was named Officer of the Quarter twice, and Officer of the Year once.

She's married to a Los Angeles Police Officer, and they have one daughter and one granddaughter. Kathy has written two romantic suspense manuscripts and is currently revising her third book - a suspense novel. Her novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses was released in June 2011.

You can find Kathy here -

Website/Blog

Twitter

Blurb -

Los Angeles Police Officer Jade Donovan is being hunted. There’s the lieutenant who’s out to get her, the psycho who’s stalking her and leaving dead roses at her door, but most frightening of all, she’s been assigned to partner with her son’s father, Mac Stryker. Mac doesn’t know he’s Donnie’s dad, and Jade will stop at nothing to prevent him from finding out and possibly taking away her son. She will protect and defend him at all costs.

Mac Stryker is a cop with something to prove. Five years ago, he’d been forced to resign the police department in disgrace when he was too drunk to take action during a shooting. Now, Mac is sober, back on the force and back working with Jade Donovan, the rookie who’d saved his life. Worse, he finds himself attracted to Jade and her precocious son, Donnie. But Mac is through with love. The violent death of his wife and daughter turned him into an alcoholic, and he won’t put his job or his heart at risk again. He will protect and defend them both at all costs.

But when the deadline looms on Jade’s dozen deadly roses stalker, will the two partners manage to put aside their differences in order to save their son? 

A Dozen Deadly Roses is just .99 at -

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

This Badge Bunny stuff is news to me. How about you? Have you heard the term or can you add to the list?

Leave a comment for Kathy so maybe she'll come back and visit again sometime!

Liz Crowe - The Realtor Series - Guest Blog

Blurb - 

The Realtors:  Life in the House Lane

Love is an easy word to use, a hard one to demonstrate, and sometimes impossible to trust. 

            The Realtors is a sweeping epic, encompassing over ten years in the lives of two people who know how to love with their bodies, how to please and get pleasure, to control and be controlled.  When it comes to the deeper meaning of the one word they both need however, their strong personalities get in the way. While their physical connection sizzles they continue to disappoint one another emotionally.

            Jack Gordon has it all--money, success, a string of women—but sustains a deep longing for something more. When he thinks he finds it with Sara Jane Thornton, his world is never the same again.  Sara releases his natural Dom, a side of him he'd thought buried out of frustration and unhappiness. Sara learns a true submissive must trust implicitly, something she cannot associate with him, no matter how many times she tries, and he fails.

            With a rich cast of secondary characters, including a young man who presents a near-perfect foil to Jack's intensity, and who falls hard for Sara; The Realtors series is a romantic saga with an emphasis on contemporary life and love, with a healthy dose of white-hot eroticism. Modern, busy, driven characters living lives of purpose and real-time stress, seek the ever-elusive and highly coveted combination --a friend, lover and trusted advisor who will be there for the long haul.

As some of you might know, I'm a big fan of series romances, so I asked Liz to tell us a bit about how she developed The Realtors into a series.

Take it away, Liz!

Hey Roz, thanks for having me!

Yeah, I love a juicy series too.  Reading AND writing them!

If a story is well-written I find myself falling so much in love or lust or fascination with characters that I can't stand not knowing more. Luckily, because the characters I write are mine, I have it within my power to keep going--to keep telling their story and the stories of those around them. 

I've been "accused" of writing secondary characters in many of my books that are just as compelling as the main ones, and typically I use them to launch a series.  My Turkish Delights series with Decadent grew that way.

But The Realtors really is the longer story of the two main characters as opposed of a series of spin off novels from one main one.  It began life as a big ass novel, with a sequel.  It's the first big project I tried, truly my very first foray into writing fiction about three years ago.  It's gone through several bouts of crits, many pretty massive rewrites as I honed my craft thanks to the help of editors with various publishers, and finally formed itself into the 3  novels of fairly equal length that cover about 12 years in the life of Jack Gordon and Sara Thornton, their families, friends, lovers and finally the one thing that brings them together and keeps them that way despite clashing similar personalities and seemingly conflicting life goals.

Yeah, there is a pretty compelling distraction for her along the way and one that some reviewers have latched onto as a "better" option for Sara (see: hot new blond guitar-playing, motorcycle-riding, nice guy named Craig).  But ultimately, this story is about how 2 people are simply meant to be together and how, as real human beings with real faults and failings, they are willing to overlook those in each other and embrace the love between them.  I don't write sweet romance though so be warned. You will get aggravated at both of them at times, but so far reviewers say they are so compelling, so realistic, you don't want to ever stop reading.  

The story developed fairly organically as do most of my books.  I typically start with one very hot scene (in this case it's in the hallway of her office and one that most reviewers are still fanning their faces over to my satisfaction) to kick things off.  I like to create a couple (they all start this way regardless of how many folks end up together but that's not this story), give them a compelling reason to be together (similar professions, friends, whatever) then a real reason to NOT be and see how they sort it out.  With Jack and Sara, that process takes a while, involves some seriously hot scenes that Realtors can relate to (the empty condo showing, the empty sales office, the empty Open House...) adds an element of "the other guy" plus a few reasons for Sara to be intensely jealous of Jack's many (many) former lovers.  I also pull in the story of Sara's brother Blake, who she is very close to and nearly ruins his own relationship because of his over-protective nature. Blake and Rob's story is begging to be told.  And I will, I promise.  There are some pretty steamy moments between them, because, like I said, I like a layered story, with secondary characters you want to care about and know better.

Jack Gordon is Ann Arbor's most delectable bachelor.  At age thirty-five, he's made millions as a top-selling Ann Arbor real estate broker and has the right connections to close a deal by any means necessary. With his rugged good looks and compelling personality, he has a virtual black book most men would kill for and he uses it often, never settling for one woman for very long. 

While his D/s past remains buried, exactly where he wants it, an undercurrent of boredom and dissatisfaction runs through his life now.  A disastrous experience years earlier made him swear off the whole scene, but the more Jack suppresses his natural Dom, the more his frustration grows.   

Sara Thornton, a rookie in the real estate game, has fast-tracked herself to the top of the Ann Arbor market. Her life reflects a disciplined and focused routine, exactly the way she wants it.  However, as her career takes off, the fulfillment she seeks remains inexplicably out of reach.  The one thing she knows for sure, she will not join the Jack Gordon groupies in her company, no matter how tempting that might seem.

Jack Gordon thought he’d finally made it.  He had a wildly successful career, money in the bank and even returned to his life as Dom, putting an end to a string of unfulfilling sexual encounters. Now that he's made the ultimate commitment to Sara Thornton, he believes all is right in their world. However, a series of misunderstandings and a dose of self-fulfilling prophesy bring his perfectly crafted house of cards tumbling down around him, forcing him to confront lingering misgivings about marriage and trust.  Could those be the only two things he can never achieve? 

Sara struggles with her intense need for Jack and her desire for less volatility in her busy life, two goals which appear to be mutually exclusive. Although willing to put in the time and emotional effort to make their relationship work, she finds it futile and frustrating, littered with clashes thanks to near-identical personalities and temperaments. Given Sara’s history, easing back into the comfortable status quo becomes easier than fighting a war with the one person who should be her safe haven. But will the easier choice satisfy her the way only Jack can? Is her "war" one that comes from without or within?

Buffeted by circumstance, temptation and distraction, Jack and Sara’s tenuous relationship crumbles, sparking a continuous quest for the ever elusive: trust, love and acceptance. By the time they rebuild a foundation for renewal, fate has other plans. This leaves them both reeling, once again questioning their destiny.

Love conquers all? Not likely, according to Sara Thornton. She's spent eight years coming to terms with the new parameters of her life while resigning herself to the idea that “happily ever afters” are best left to fairytales.  Sales manager for her successful real estate office and juggling an added element of responsibility she never thought she'd face, Sara continues to struggle with the men in her life.  Love, for her, has only meant hurt, broken trust and anger; all of which she’s completely banished from her life, so she claims.

                Jack Gordon has come a long way since his early days of obsession with Sara.  As the general manager of Stewart Realty, his own level of responsibility for the well-being of others has ramped up. He’s even honed his caretaking skills, now that he has someone who loves him unconditionally. 

                Continuing to invest effort and rebuild their relationship, he and Sara grow close as friends. Despite this, his ultimate question remains unanswered; the one he keeps asking, no matter how many times she says no. Sara isn't prepared for the keen focus of his need--to have her back, once and for all. Her stubborn resistance nearly rips both lives apart

The epic conclusion to The Realtors series, Closing Costs brings Jack and Sara truly full circle. Proving that the heat of lust and obsession; the need for control and to be mastered in many areas of life can lead to love —surprising you when you least expect it – if you will only allow it.        

Excerpt - 

Sara knew she hovered at a precipice. She could make a choice. At that moment, her body craved release but her brain had settled; her nerves no longer jangled as they had been doing for weeks. The rough sound of his voice, the touch of his hand, just the looks he'd been shooting her all night had brought her to that moment. She took a breath and let it take her, let her body fully relax for the first time in months. 

As if he sensed her giving way, he held on tight from behind, cupping her breasts, then moving down to tease her clit and pussy again, never staying in one place long. "I think we need one more thing, don't you?" He must have shed his shirt at some point and the delicious sensation of his flesh against her back made her sigh, and arch her hips. He put a foot between hers, shoving his thigh against her pussy. She moved her hips, ground against his leg, needing to climax so badly she wanted to cry. She did cry, could hear herself sobbing; could feel the tears slip out from under the blindfold. 

"Arch your back Sara," Jack commanded as he pushed one leg away from the other, forcing her legs apart. 

Panic shot through her. The moment she'd been attacked last year came swirling through her brain. She tugged at the restraint over her head. 

"No, I can't. I'm scared. My feet are getting numb. I can't—I can't feel my hands. Jack." Her voice sounded breathy, anxious, but her brain kept pouring some kind of calming elixir over her nerves. It had to be the strangest sensation in the world. Abject terror, white-hot fury, and a clean pure jolt of need warred in her. Then nothing. Crystal clear calm made it all the turbulence, all the chaos of her last year fade into nothingness, like it had never happened. She tasted her own tears. 

"I know. Give it to me. Let me have it." He bit her neck, ran a hand across her ass. "Give it to me Sara." She winced when his palm met her flesh, the smacking sound echoing around in her ears. "It's mine. All of it. Your fear, hate, anger, love—it's mine. Give it to me." He smacked her again, then once more, harder. "Come. Now." Her body obeyed even as the astonishing tranquility poured through her psyche. Fluid coated her thighs as she moaned, cried his name, but couldn't hear herself. Her words slurred and her vision darkened behind the blindfold. The orgasm plowed her under, made her whole body release energy from the tip of her tingling scalp to her shaking toes. She slumped, letting the leather hold her up, pull at her sore shoulders.

Wow! That was some excerpt!! Let's get to know Liz Crowe.

Microbrewery owner, multi-published author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz brings years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse PLUS making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry) to her life as erotic romance author.  When she isn't sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications.

Otherwise, look for her doing pounds of laundry for her athletic children, watching La Liga on the Fox Soccer Channel, or trying to figure out what to order in for dinner. Liz loves her Foo Fighters Pandora station, and watching reruns of Deadwood, when there isn't any decent sports on the telly (like during “golf season”).  Her beer blog a2beerwench.com is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high powered real estate offices.  Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury.

Publishers include:

Tri Destiny

Ellora’s Cave

Decadent Publishing

Rebel Ink Press

Breathless Press

Links - 

www.brewingpassion.com

www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor

www.twitter.com/beerwencha2

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-floortime-675855-144.html  (FLOOR TIME buy link)

As if you need a reason to leave a comment - 

One random commenter at each stop will win either one of five $10 Amazon gift cards, one of three winner's choice of a book from Liz's backlist, or one of two $20 Zinterman's gift certificates. Zingerman's is an Ann Arbor institution, world famous for its gourmet deli items, breads and desserts all of which can be ordered and shipped ANYWHERE in the world. www.Zingermans.com.

Follow the tour here -