GUEST BLOG : WHAT'S IN A NAME (OWNING SARAH ~ 18+ ONLY EXCERPTS)

Hello and Welcome! We are kicking off this party with a little insight into the characters that make it up and a funny top 10! Take it away Julie:
                                                   What's in A Name?            Loving Sarah, my first book, started with a name.  Jesse Colter.  As soon as it appeared in my mind I knew that I would have to write a book about a man named Jesse Colter. I couldn’t stop thinking about him.  What would someone named Jesse Colter look like?  Smell like?  Sound like?  Be like?  For months I let him take shape in my thoughts until I felt I knew everything about him.  He’s 6’3”, black hair, half Native American, with skin the color of the sun shining on polished bronze, eyes so dark they look black.  Aquiline nose, high cheekbones, and a square jaw give his face a dark, brooding sort of intensity.  He’s strong, stalwart, a man of honor and integrity.  He exudes power and sensuality, commanding any space he occupies.
         His childhood was horrendous, with no mother and an abusive, alcoholic father who used him as a punching bag.  By age nineteen, he was heading for a bleak, uncertain future.
         And that’s when he met Sarah Marshall.  She was just thirteen when he rescued her from a thirty-foot fall out of a tree.  Their bond was instantaneous and unbreakable.  They couldn’t have been more different—she the daughter of a judge, descendant of English aristocrats, raised in the lap of luxury, he the mixed blood, illegitimate son of a Native American prostitute and the town drunk.
         I felt compelled to tell his and Sarah’s story.  But stories often have a way of being hijacked by their own characters and Loving Sarah was no exception.  Imagine my surprise to learn that Jesse Colter was a sexual Dominant.  That his best friend, Adam Sinclair, another Dom, had also fallen in love with Sarah and was not content with being relegated to the role of sidekick.  He wanted his chance with Sarah as well.  Jesse Colter took over his own story, and Adam wasn’t far behind.  Even Sarah began making demands.  By the time I realized that I couldn’t possibly do these three characters justice in only one book, it was too late.  I had too much material.  In order to keep the finished book to a reasonable size (say, under eighty pounds) I was going to have to (gasp) leave stuff out! 
         Now, asking an author to leave stuff out is like asking an Olympic runner to cut off a leg.  But that’s what I was faced with when, all of a sudden…(Hark!  Is that harp music, angelic choirs, rays of sunlight beaming through the clouds?)…why not tell their story over two books?  That way I not only wouldn’t have to leave stuff out, but I could write even more stuff!  Win-win, right? 
         Hence, the publication (September 25) of Owning Sarah, the long-awaited sequel to Loving Sarah.  Both books are Siren M/f/M Menage Amours, BDSM Collection, both have a Heat Rating of Sextreme.  Order Owning Sarah at www.bookstrand.com by October 2 and save 15%! 
         Julie also wanted to share with you the top ten worst names for a Dom...lol.
Top Ten Worst Names for any self-respecting,  alpha-male, bad-ass hero Dom 10. Darnell 9. Percival 8. Cadwallader 7. Cornelius 6. Binky 5. Morris 4. Farquahr 3. Sherwood 2. Augie 1. Evelyn

I definitely agree with those!  

Now let's take a look at Owning Sarah :

Title: Owning Sarah Author: Julie Shelton Publisher: Siren Publishing Length: 289 pages Sub-Genres: Erotica
"It’s been a month since Sarah Marshall was kidnapped and held at knife-point by her ex-fiance.  But Jesse Colter and Adam Sinclair, her two loving Doms, know that there is an even deadlier threat still out there—Ryder Malone.
He blames both Sarah and Jesse for sending him to prison eight years ago for attempted rape, and he’s determined to make them pay.  So, he begins a systematic campaign of terror and intimidation against them.  But the danger he poses doesn’t end there.
Set against the deepening love and commitment between Sarah, Jesse, and Adam, Owning Sarah is more than just a sexy, sensual, BDSM love story.  It is a harrowing race against time for Jesse, Adam, and a team of former SEALs to stop one of the biggest arms-for-drugs deals in U.S. history.  And to rescue Sarah before Malone sells her to a human trafficker and she’s lost to her men forever."

ADULT EXCERPT 
As she lay there, utterly ravaged, Adam rose above her, face shiny with her juices. He leaned down to claim her mouth, thrusting his tongue into her moist cavern, letting her taste herself on his lips and tongue. “Christ, Jess,” he exclaimed, pulling back his head to stare down at her, his expression filled with love, “she is delicious! I love the taste of her cum on my tongue. Here, taste it yourself.”
Omigod! Eyes wide with shock, Sarah swiveled her head around to watch as Adam continued rising above her, slanting his head to claim Jesse’s mouth in a hard, rapacious kiss.
Oh. Migod.
Curving his hand around the back of Jesse’s head to hold him in place, Adam began a brutal tongue-thrusting duel that sent the blood pounding through Sarah’s veins and thundering in her ears. She tried to swallow but her mouth was as dry as dust.
After what seemed like a millennium, the two men finally broke apart, breathing in sharp, rapid pants, staring at each other through half-lidded eyes. Finally, without breaking eye contact with Adam, Jesse’s voice, rough as sandpaper, said, “Is this turnin’ you off, sugar?”
Turning me off! Good Lord. “Are you kidding me?” she replied, her voice rough as sandpaper. “Turning me off? Are you crazy? That was absolutely, without a doubt, the hottest thing I have ever witnessed! Turning me off!” Her hand went to her chest then lifted to fan her face. “I have been fantasizing about the two of you making love for months—ever since I first saw you together. It just seemed so…so natural, somehow. Like it was meant to be. Like,” she hesitated, biting her lip, uncertain whether to continue.
Finally releasing Jesse’s gaze, Adam lifted up and backed down along Sarah’s body until his ass was sitting on his legs. Lifting her hand from her chest, he brushed his lips across the back of her knuckles. He was looking at her, one blond brow raised, a question in his lambent blue eyes. “Go on, sweet pea, spit it out. Total honesty, remember?”
She stared up at him, holding her breath until the words finally tumbled out of her. “Like you’ve done it before.”
“The question is, do you want us to do it now?”
The very thought ripped the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath. Her gaze flew to Adam’s. Yes! Oh, God, yes! Sucking air slowly to the bottom of her lungs, she could only nod jerkily, as her ability to speak suddenly seemed to have deserted her.
Jesse chuckled in her ear. “Just lie in my arms, baby, and enjoy his mouth on you, as I will enjoy his mouth on me.”
Wait, what? At first his words mystified her, but then he placed his hands beneath her buttocks and lifted her off his hips, pushing his cock down so that, instead of rising against her spine, it nestled firmly along the furrow of her slit, a tempting target for Adam’s mouth. The satiny smooth tip, shiny and red and dribbling pearly white pre-cum, was within easy reach of that mouth, and suddenly Sarah’s eyes widened with shock. Oh my God! Adam’s going to suck both of us off at the same time!
Never taking his eyes from hers, Adam bent his head and placed his mouth firmly over her clit, flicking it with his tongue, working it with his lips, making her shudder with pleasure as he drove her toward her peak, all while his chin, with its raspy five-o’clock shadow, manipulated the head of Jesse’s penis, making him moan. Adam took Sarah right to the edge of pleasure, her body surging upward, desperately reaching for orgasm. “Please,” she begged incoherently. “Please…”
“Not yet, love.” With exquisite timing, he lifted his head, watching the breath whoosh from her body like a deflating balloon as her orgasm receded.
Unable to hold back a sob, tears filled her eyes. “God, Adam, please. Please let me come.”
“Not yet, sweet pea.” He brushed her hair back off of her sweat-damp face. “First things first.” They stared at one another for what seemed like eons as her orgasm retreated, leaving only a tingling, sizzling sensation that made her feel electrified, as if she’d stuck her finger into a light socket. She wondered if her hair was standing on end.
Still looking at her, Adam bent his head again and planted a solid kiss on the head of Jesse’s cock, so red and shiny, so satiny smooth, so…right there! She swallowed. There it was. Sticking out between her pussy lips! Almost like it was part of her! Holy Moley! She squeezed a moan past the constriction in her throat. With a low groan, Jesse stiffened beneath her, uncontrollably lifting his hips toward Adam’s mouth, his rasping breath sawing in and out of his lungs. Abruptly, he pressed his knees outward, a move that spread Sarah’s legs even wider. He slid his feet down the sheet toward Adam’s groin. Adam lifted his hips to facilitate Jesse’s search. As soon as he felt the velvet-covered iron bar of Adam’s cock, he curved his arches around it, and pressed the bottoms of his feet together, forming a tight tunnel.
“Jesus, Christ!” Adam yelped, arching his back and gasping with pleasure.
Sarah bit her lip. Unable to tear her eyes away from the raw sexuality of the scene being played out between her legs, she watched Adam’s tongue probe the dribbling slit in the tip of Jesse’s cock, delving deeply as though digging for buried treasure. The hum that erupted from the depths of his throat sent vibrations reverberating through Jesse’s shaft and balls, forcing him to suck in a hissing breath between his teeth as his neck arched and his jaw clenched in pleasure. “Christ, Adam—”
Adam just smiled and swallowed the entire head of Jesse’s cock, flexing his cheeks as he applied suction. “Jesus!” Jesse’s cock thickened and jerked.
“Raise her hips and hold her up so I can take all of you in,” Adam instructed.  Cupping her bottom, Jesse lifted her hips while at the same time scooting farther down the bed, a move that had his cock popping up between her legs like a pop-tart from a toaster. As Adam lowered his head, engulfing Jesse’s enormous rod, his nose brushed through Sarah’s wet, swollen pussy. The sweet, fruity aroma of her arousal, mixed with the scent and taste of Jesse’s musk, bombarded him with a whirling maelstrom of sensuous aromas. Jesus Christ on a cracker! This is going to be epic!
Buy Links:   www.sirenpublishing.com

Julie has always loved stories, both reading and writing them, ever since she was old enough to hold a book in her hands.  One of her favorite childhood activities was smuggling books under the covers to read by flashlight after she was supposed to be asleep.
A career as a children’s librarian eventually led to her dream career as a freelance storyteller and puppeteer, a business she operated successfully for twenty-five years.  During that time she created and wrote all the original material for a monthly language arts newsletter full of poems, songs, puppet and flannel-board stories, fingerplays, and other resource material for early childhood educators.  For that endeavor she won the prestigious EDPRESS Award for the best educational newsletter of 1982.  She has also written other resource materials for preschool and early elementary teachers.
After moving more than two dozen times in her life, Julie lives in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.  Now widowed and retired, she once again has time to devote to her two favorite things—reading and writing—especially her new love, erotic romances.

Julie Shelton 

Facebook

Author's Site

Goodreads

Linkedin

Amazon 

This book looks fabulous!!!  Now what is a party without prizes?   

 Julie is giving away 3 signed print copies of Loving Sarah, which is book 1 in the series :

"Eight years ago Jesse Colter fled his small town, leaving behind eighteen-year-old Sarah Marshall, broken-hearted and devastated. Now a retired Navy SEAL, he’s back and he wants only one thing—Sarah Marshall—preferably bound, naked, and on her knees before him. 

She has never forgotten Jesse. He’s been the object of all her sexual fantasies since she was fifteen, as well as the star of nightly dreams that have become increasingly erotic over the years. So when he suddenly reappears in her life, she is torn. Can she trust him not to hurt her, or will he once again break her heart? Warily, she agrees to let him introduce her to his world—the world of bondage, Domination, and erotic slavery. When he also introduces her to his best friend, Adam Sinclair, Sarah faces a daunting future of sexual submission to two powerful alpha males. 

But Sarah faces an even bigger challenge. Someone is stalking her. Is it the old enemy who’s just been released from prison? Or is it someone else from her past who is determined to destroy any chance she has at happiness? Can Adam’s and Jesse’s love protect her? Or will her world explode in a cataclysm of betrayal and violence that will destroy them all? "

Just fill out the rafflecopter below to enter!!!  Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway \

ADULT EXCERPT 

“Greedy little sub,” Adam chuckled. He manipulated her slick, swollen pussy lips, sliding them back and forth until one of the frozen red grapes popped from its dewy prison. It sat, glistening lewdly, nestled between her sopping wet lips like some obscene sex organ. “Do not come,” he instructed quietly, working his tongue beneath the grape and sliding it all the way up her slit. He flicked it rapidly across her frazzled clit before pulling the small fruit into his mouth and chewing noisily. 

She was gasping like a beached fish, desperately trying to hold off her climax. 

“Do not come,” he repeated, squeezing another grape free and looking at it for a long moment before taking it into his mouth. “God, you taste delicious,” he murmured, sliding his tongue back and forth along the length of her slit, just barely touching that nerve-ridden nubbin of flesh that was the center of both her pleasure and her torment. “Like sunshine and flowers and sweet, sweet cream.” 

She lay there, shuddering and twitching as he tunneled his tongue into the depths of her cunt, releasing two more grapes and sending her body spiraling up, up, up toward the orgasm that hovered so tantalizingly out of reach. The orgasm she so desperately craved, yet knew she must not have. The one she fought with every trembling muscle in her body. 

Adam pushed her right up to the edge. Then stopped. 

He straightened, watching her entire body shudder helplessly as yet another orgasm retreated. He reveled in the power her submission gave him. Power to control, to direct, to manipulate. Power to render her helpless against her body’s own dark needs even as he drove her to the ultimate in sexual pleasure. “You do not have permission to come,” he reminded her as, one by one, he pulled more round red globes into his mouth. He released her pussy lips and stood up to allow Jesse to take his place. 

A sob heaved from her lungs as she frantically fought her body’s brutal need to climax. 

Jesse spread her labia apart with his thumbs, revealing her entire slit from her clenching ass hole at the bottom to the portal of her vagina and her clit at the very top. Her flesh was pink and swollen and dripping with the cream of her arousal. By now the remaining grapes were held firmly in place within her vaginal walls. Jesse rubbed his nose along her cleft, lapping his tongue at her dripping entrance, making her shudder and squirm. Placing his palm over her mound, he pressed down. “Push,” he said and a grape popped out onto his tongue. 

He bit into the crisp flesh and was rewarded with a burst of tart sweetness that blended with Sarah’s own unique flavor, making it the most delicious treat he’d ever eaten. He ate all the remaining grapes, taking his time to dig each one out, finger-fucking her, building her arousal to a fever pitch. By the time he finished the last one, she was moaning and writhing and burning with the need to come. “Please, Jesse,” she begged, her voice hoarse with passion. “Please….” 

“Please what?” he asked perversely, grinning as he slowly circled his finger around her clit, manipulating the surrounding flesh without actually touching the pearl itself, keeping her teetering on the edge, frantic and desperate. 

It was pure torture and she gritted her teeth and stiffened her muscles in a losing effort to 

keep her climax at bay. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. “Please let me come,” she begged. 

“I don’t know.” Jesse tilted his head, appearing to consider. As he did so, he began tapping his thumb repeatedly against her clit, increasing her suffering a hundred-fold. 

Oh. My. God! The breath shuddered from her lungs. Her muscles clenched so tight she feared she‘d never get them to relax again. She squirmed as her need to climax threatened to swallow her alive. 

“Whaddya think, Adam? Has she earned the right to come?” 

Sarah’s beseeching gaze flew to her other tormenter, who gave her a sly smile as he reached for her clamped breasts. “Yeah. She’s been a pretty good girl.” 

“Then come for us, Sarah,” Jesse toggled her clit, Adam released the clips on her nipples, and she let out a shriek as her orgasm hit her with the force of an avalanche, blasting through her, leveling everything in its path. Her back arched into a rigid bow as pleasure clenched her muscles so tight, she thought she heard bones snapping. And while she was still screaming and jerking about wildly, Jesse stood and unzipped his jeans, freeing his iron-hard cock. Grabbing her hips, he thrust into her, stroking savagely in and out until she came again, her muscles clamping around him so tightly his eyes crossed. 

And again she came, with tremors so violent they rivaled a magnitude 10 earthquake, even as Jesse spilled his seed deep inside her. He pulled out and Adam took his place until he, too, climaxed, emptying himself inside her still-convulsing cunt. He remained deeply buried, rocking his hips hard against her, letting the long, liquid pulls of her inner muscles milk every last drop of come from his pumping cock. There was so much it splatted onto the floor in thick, milky blobs. Finally, with a hoarse cry, he pulled out, staggering backwards to collapse into the chair behind him, his hand still stroking his dwindling cock, wet and slick with the combination of all their juices. 

Sarah flopped back on the table, jerking like a spastic marionette, totally spent, wondering desperately where all the oxygen had gone. 

She was dimly aware of Jesse scooping her up off the table and flopping into the nearest chair with her straddling his lap, holding her close, crooning softly in her ear. His voice came at her from a great distance, gradually fading until there was nothing but silence. She had passed out. 

BUY LINKS FOR LOVING SARAH 

AMAZON 

http://www.amazon.com/Loving-Sarah-Publishing-Menage-ebook/dp/B00ATSUJBI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357787267&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+sarah

BARNES & NOBLE 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loving-sarah-julie-shelton/1114052264?ean=9781622420599

SIREN-BOOKSTRAND 

http://www.bookstrand.com/loving-sarah

KOBOBOOKS 

http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=Loving+Sarah+by+Julie+Shelton

SONY 

https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/julie-shelton/loving-sarah-siren-publishing-menage-amour/_/R-400000000000000946347#productCustomerReviews

GOOGLE PLAY 

http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=3KS2B5XcG4YC&ganpub=k117601&ganclk=GOOG_836500861

GUEST BLOG - The City Gal’s Guide to Dude Ranch Survival (ACCIDENTAL COWGIRL)

The City Gal’s Guide to Dude Ranch Survival

by Maggie McGinnis

Thanks so much for hosting me today! I’m so happy to be here! 

In honor of Accidental Cowgirl’s release, the Whisper Creek ranch hands have put together their own City Gal’s Guide to Dude-Ranch Survival :

Early means early: Wake-up’s when the rooster decides it’s wake-up. Not when your pretty little alarm clock goes off

Breakfast is required: And you better eat more than a granola bar. We’ve got work to do, and you need fuel.

Grooming is not: You’re gonna put a hat on over that hair, anyway.

Riding is work: You’ll hate us the first two days, but trust us. Your thighs will thank us for this vacation. Your butt, too.

Horses play tricks: Yeah, don’t let the big eyes fool you. They’ll be the first ones to puff out their bellies to mess with the straps when you saddle them, and then once you’re on, boom! Down you go.

Calves do not want to be caught: We make it look easy, and we’re totally not laughing when we turn you loose to try roping them. Not laughing out loud, anyway.

Trail riding 101: Follow the leader, people. No shortcuts. Shortcuts lead to mooses. Yes, that’s the plural of moose around here. You don’t want to meet one this week. Or two.

Yeah, we do eat those: See that rabbit over there? Cute, yes? But see, if we lose sight of the supply wagon and have to go it alone, that little puffball could totally be dinner. Don’t name it.

No, we definitely don’t eat those: Some mushrooms are good. Some mushrooms are very, very bad. Do not eat the bad ones. In fact, just don’t eat any mushrooms. The hospital’s too far away.

Snakes love sun: Especially sunny rocks. Don’t get near them, especially on horseback.

Snakes bite: Hard.

You can too sleep: That’s nature, people. Nature makes noise. But it’s good noise.

Those twinkly things in the sky?: Those are stars. You might see one or two of them back East. Yep, there’re thousands out here.

You’ll want to stay here forever: Because once you experience a day on horseback, meals by the fire, and a night under the stars, you might never want to go back home.

So that’s the ranch hands’ version of country living advice. What advice would you give someone new to your area?

3 GUEST BLOGS - "FIREFIGHTER FANTASY", "WRITING CONTEMP. ROMANCE" & "MORE TO LAS VEGAS"! ( #GIVEAWAY )

Welcome to Jessica Jayne, Jenny Lynn and CR Moss 

- these ladies have come over to For The Love of Reading with 3 Top Notch Guest Blogs  

- and that is not all, if you are interested in winning a Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Touch or Samsung Galaxy Tablet then baby are you in the right place! See the Giveaway below The Awesome Guest Blogs!

Jessica Jayne, author of IN FLAMES 

on why firefighters are her favorite fantasy…

Copyright © 123RF StockPhotos

I’d like to give a special thanks to For the Love of Reading for allowing me to swing by their blog during the Evernight Publishing Birthday Bash to introduce my Evernight Publishing book, In Flames, and talk a little bit about a favorite topic for most of us women…firefighters!  My main character in In Flames, Matt Riley, is a sexy firefighter.  As far as fantasies go, a hard body, sexy firefighter is at the top of my list, so creating Matt’s character was a dream come true for me! :)

Why are these guys so damn sexy?  I ask myself that question many times as I drive past our local firehouse and find myself slowing down to check to see if the guys are out washing the trucks or shooting hoops in the driveway… with their shirts off, of course!  I do have lucky days! Does that sound stalkerish? I can’t help it. I think the guys at the local house are getting used to me!  :)

Copyright © 123RF StockPhotos

What is it about a fireman that makes the women go crazy?!    I know I’m not the only one!  It’s true, a lot of them have hard bodies.  And as a warm-blooded female with a very healthy sexual appetite, I like a hard body like the rest of you.  :)  But it’s got to be more than the uniform ( or lack thereof ) that makes these guys a top fantasy for most women.  For me, what pushes these guys to the top of the fantasy list is found in two words: Selfless and Courage.

Selfless.  Firefighters may have some downtime during their shifts ( thank God - because that’s when I get to catch them outside the firehouse horsing around :) ), but when a call comes in, it’s all work and no play.  And that’s because lives could be at risk, including their own.  They suit up in their turn-out gear and boots and head to a scene not knowing exactly what they may have to face, but ready and willing to face any danger that may await them, even at the risk of their own lives.

Courage.  Firefighters face precarious situations on the job.  Saving the cat thirty feet up in the tree, rescuing a child from the fourth floor of a burning building, or pulling a man from the wreckage of his car, these guys save lives… every day!  They are heroes!  Forget Superman.  Move over, Batman.  These guys are for real!

And so are their hard bodies!  ;)  Enjoy!

In Flames 

by Jessica Jayne

"As a fireman, Matt Riley was at the scene when his brother, Chad, was killed.  He suffered greatly from survivor’s guilt and depression after the accident.

The last year has been difficult for both Gracelyn and Matt.  They’ve relied on each other to get through the tough times. With the anniversary of Chad’s death upon them, Gracelyn and Matt once again turn to each other for comfort and support.  

They find it in each other’s arms (and bed).  Will their desire for each other consume them?  Can they overcome the guilt and scrutiny to find love again…together?"

Jenny Lyn author of BURN 

“Why I love writing contemporary romance…”

Thank you so much for hosting me today!

Here’s why I love writing contemporary romance: It’s relatable. We all lead busy lives, have days when we come home tired and not in the mood for anything. Well, except for maybe sex. The characters in erotic romance are always up for hot lovin’, aren’t they? Hey, it’s the best kind of stress relief.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking any of the other genres. I love a good paranormal or sci-fi story as much as the next reader. Who doesn't want to get lost in a wildly different world with vampires or aliens or shifters?

Copyright © 123RF StockPhotos

With contemporary stories you don’t need much set-up to get right into the action with the characters. When they go out on a date, your mind automatically fills in the blanks of what the restaurant will look like, what they’ll eat and drink because you've done the same thing. It’s easier to grasp the meat of the storyline, which usually revolves solely around the hero and heroine.

Burn, my latest novella from Evernight Publishing, features Irish beauty, Tate Reilly, who’s one seriously overworked ER doctor, and sexy chef, Ryan Hart, the man who broke Tate’s heart eight years ago when he walked out of her life in the middle of the night.

In Burn, Tate works herself into a stupor, like a lot of us often do. Ryan runs a busy commercial kitchen as a sous chef. Most of run a busy kitchen at home. In their downtime, they take in a Braves game. Been there, done that, super fun! I wouldn't recommend it in the middle of July, though. Just sayin’. And of course, they find plenty of time for sexy shenanigans and falling head-over-heels in love with each other. Hopefully all of you make time for that part as well, because that’s what makes the long workdays and messy kitchens worthwhile.

I’m thrilled to be a part of the Evernight family. We would love it if you’d help us celebrate EP’s third anniversary by checking out our talented group of authors and entering to win some fabulous prizes during our Birthday Bash!

Burn 

by Jenny Lyn

"Eight years ago, life was good for Tate Reilly. Living in Atlanta and attending college, her dream of becoming a doctor was within reach, and she was in love with Ryan Hart. Then one night while Tate slept, Ryan disappeared. No note, no phone call, nothing left of a love she thought would last forever.

Ryan never wanted to leave Tate behind the way he did. The best way to spare Tate the disruption of her bright future with his problems was to make a clean break. So he did the hardest thing he'd ever done—he walked away.

Now Ryan is back in Atlanta, and he has every intention of winning Tate back, no matter what it takes. The heat between them is undeniable, and it’s not long before it melts her resistance and she starts to lose the grip on her heart again.

But time doesn’t always heal all wounds. Sometimes you have to shed more blood to become whole again."

CR Moss, author of WILD WEST PROMISE

“There’s More to Las Vegas…”

Hi everyone! I’m here today in celebration of Evernight Publishing’s 3rd birthday. Happy birthday to a great publisher! I’m happy to be a member of such a great team and that TBTB saw fit to publish the Double D Ranch Tales I write with my co-writer, RM Sotera.

Copyright © 123RF StockPhotos

The DD Tales are set on a fictional ranch just outside of Las Vegas. How is that possible you ask? Las Vegas is all about the strip and gambling, isn’t it?

I’m here to share a few tidbits of information to assist you in your next visit to Sin City should you wish some good ol’ cowboy and western fun.

Rodeos. Las Vegas is host to: The Helldorado Parade and Rodeo; the Indian National Finals Rodeo; & the National Finals Rodeo. Talk about lots of cowboy hats, boots and extra manly goodness in the city. ;)

Drinking and dancing? There are western themed bars! North end of the strip: Gilley’s Las Vegas http://www.gilleyslasvegas.com/ they say, “Take the spirited saloons of the frontier days in the wild west and combine it with the excitement, style and action of the Las Vegas Strip, and you’ll have a hankering for the new Gilley’s Saloon at Treasure Island.” South end of the strip: Stoney’s Rockin’ Country - touts itself as the largest country nightclub in Las Vegas http://www.stoneysrockincountry.com/

Off the strip? Check out Cowboy Trail Rides. Ride the trails of Red Rock Canyon… Have a western barbeque... http://www.cowboytrailrides.com/index.html.

Just so y’all know, I’m not endorsing, or being reimbursed from, these places. I just happen to know about them and wanted to share some knowledge. Attending, visiting, using any of the places/services here will be your own responsibility. ;)

I also want to let you know the latest DD Ranch Tale: Wild West Promise. This book and the first two books in the Double D Ranch Tales series takes place outside of Las Vegas near the Red Rock Canyon area. Here’s the blurb. Enjoy! C.R. Moss

Wild West Promise ~ a contemporary, western, erotic romance story with a hint of the supernatural set in Nevada and written for Evernight Publishing’s Romance on the Go line

* In life and the afterlife, on the Double D Ranch, one belief holds true—the power of desire changes lives.
* A rugged wrangler. A feisty Irish woman. A day full of promise. Times are wild on the Double D, and one ranch hand is in for the ride of a lifetime.
* Little does Maggie O’Hurley know her life is about to change. She visits the ranch to attend a friend’s bachelorette party and meets a wrangler named Kent. Her immediate attraction to him revs up her libido, and she plans to do what’s needed to snag the sexy cowboy…including making a decision she never thought she’d deal with again.
* As a workaholic, Kent Samuels hasn’t been with a woman in ages. When a bewitching redhead steps into his path, his world tilts, and she’s all he can think of. He doesn’t know if he’s able to give her forever, but he will give her what time he has. Once he does, he knows he can’t let her go.
* Past experiences war with ideas for the future, but can the pair make promises they can keep?

For more on C.R. Moss & RM Sotera, the Wild West books, & where to purchase visit http://doubledranchtales.blogspot.com

:: Giveaway Information :: 

 Evernight Publishing is giving away 1 Samsung Galaxy Tablet, 1 Kindle Paperwhite, 1 Kobo Touch, 1 Amazon $100 gift card and 1 Evernight $50 Gift Card and swag pack. 

*One winner per household per prize. Evernight employees/authors are ineligible to win.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GUEST BLOG - 5 THINGS EVERY EROTIC ROMANCE NEEDS ( REFLECTION )

"Bridget Ross is a woman with a shameful secret. Despite a life full of success and close friends she denies herself her true desires in penance for the crimes she can't take back. 

Connor Reynolds is a man without a purpose. His own tragic past prevents him from putting down roots and pursuing his dreams. 

Their paths collide forcing them to face the ultimate question … is their love worth confronting their deepest fears and insecurities?"

Five Things Every

Erotic Romance Needs

by Elene Sallinger

I think we all have specific things that we look for in the books we read and they aren't necessarily the same from person to person. My list is simple, only five things, but without these things I won't be satisfied with a book and I likely won't seek out anything else by that author.

1. A heroine that doesn't make you want to poke your own eyes out. 
I love romance novels. I've been reading them since I was 10 or 11 years old. I started out with Barbara Cartland and have progressed to erotica. One thing unites all the novels I read – a good heroine. Nothing makes me put down a book faster than a woman who wines, feels sorry for herself, refuses to solve her own problems or routinely makes bad decisions. This isn't to say I want a stereotype “strong” woman. I'm very open, in fact I enjoy flawed characters, they are much more believable. One of the things I enjoy about the Harper Connolly series by Charlaine Harris is that Harper doesn't always do what I expect and sometimes I disagree with her. But, there comes a point where a character goes too far. She crosses that line into inane or weak and meek and I just can't stomach that. I need a relatable woman that I can champion.

Bad characters drive me crazy. I've been known to scream at books the same way I scream at the TV when I'm not happy with what a character is doing. The more a character makes me want to put out my own eyes, the less likely I am to finish that book.

2. A hero that makes your heart race even as he melts it.
I'm a huge fan of what I call the warrior poet. A man who can kick ass and take names right before he utters the words that melt your heart and make you weep. I need the heroes of the books I read to have an edge of unpredictability and just a hint of danger. They don't need to be bad boys, but I need to know that they can be relied on in a tight spot. I want my heart to race as I question will they? Won't they? How could they? Then, I want my heart to melt when they do something so sweet and tender that you can't help but get damp-eyed.

I've had this happen in real-life and it's an aphrodisiac unlike any other. My freshman year of college, I was stalked by an ex-boyfriend around the same time I met my daughter's father and longtime partner. He faced down the man following me. It was a tense situation and I was scared to death. Later that night, I took him home with me and saw him with my new kitten, Rex. He let Rex crawl all over him, laughed at his antics and slept with that kitten curled up next to him. I was hooked immediately. My badass boyfriend was a sucker for kittens. I knew then that I wasn't going anywhere.

It's the same way with the books I read. I need complicated men with big hearts.

3. A compelling conflict.
Personally, I need more than “he had his heart broken before.” That's just not enough for me. We've all had a broken heart, that just isn't enough reason to resist love, so I find those stories boring. I want to bleed right along with the characters. This may sound harsh, but I'll read a story about a couple working past her rape, or his past abuse, faster than I'll read about a woman having to overcome her ex cheating on her. It's a rare “broken heart” storyline that grabs my attention.


4. Great, believable sex.
Nothing throws me out of a story faster than ridiculous, unbelievable sex. As both a writer and a reader, I want smoking hot, relatable sex that leaves me breathless and anticipating more. Bad sex, like bad characters, will ensure I don't finish a book. Recently, I was reading a paranormal romance about a vampire couple. Everything was going well. The storyline was compelling. I genuinely liked the couple and the settings were rich and exotic. Then, they had sex on the ceiling. Now, I get vampiric abilities and all that, but sex on the ceiling was just too much for me. Levitation! During sex! I put that book down and didn't finish it.

Even worse are the clinical sex scenes that read like medical recitations. Yes, our genitalia are correctly called “penis” and “vagina” but those aren't words I want to see when I'm supposed to be getting hot and bothered because my couple are finally about to do the deed. You might as well talk about mammary glands and areolas rather than breasts and nipples. Clinical sex is a major turn off and quick way to make me never read another story by that author.

5. A satisfying ending.
The end of the book is probably the most important part. It's the last impression you have of the story. A bad ending will send a reader running the other way faster than you can say “boo!” Now, I don't personally need a happy ever after or even a happy for now ending, but I do need the ending to make sense within the framework of the story I've just invested my time and energy into reading.

As an example, my favorite book of all time, Dragondoom by Dennis L. McKiernan, has a very sad ending, yet it is extremely satisfying within the context of the story. In the story, Elin and Thork, embark on a quest and through the adversity they share, they fall in love. The couple doesn't have a happy ending. I cry every time I read that book. But, there was no other way I can see that story ending. It just wouldn't have made sense. Despite the sad ending, this is my favorite novel and one I highly recommend.

---------

Thank you for having me!

Elene Sallinger is Giving away two free eBooks to random commenters during the tour! 

August 5th - September 30th!

Comment here about the Guest Blog above to take part!

Hailing from Washington, DC, Elene Sallinger first caught the writing bug in 2004 after writing and illustrating several stories for her then four-year-old daughter. Her writing career has encompassed two award-winning children's stories, a stint as a consumer-education advocate, as well as writing her debut novel, Awakening - a novel of erotic fiction that won the New Writing Competition at the Festival of Romance 2011.

GUEST BLOG - THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING CASANOVA BY OLIVER PEARL (THE LAST GENTLE DENTIST)

The Pros and Cons of Being Casanova

by Oliver Pearl

        There are no cons in being a Casanova.

        To be one is to see women in a special light, treat them with exceptional poetry albeit composed exclusively to deprive them of their volition. Not many men are fit for such undertaking. Those who are, are gifted troubadours women submit to in search of romance and remember for the rest of their otherwise prosaic lives. 

        Casanovas are witty, charming, at times coy but always warm and never boring. Like Batman, Casanova roams the night but saves the day.

"Then like a home-ridden werewolf, I would call in my preys. They were usually women slightly closer to my age. We smoked pot and drank vodka with cranberry juice. Sex was full of a kind of garish physicality I did not allow myself with Misha, who inspired only tenderness, only tenderness. With a few very unhappy exceptions, they were all single women because of my newly developed respect for my fellow man, and also because of the level of stress he lived under in this country that made it easy to overreact and start shooting over such a simple matter as catching a wife in bed with another. Some of my midnight guests fell in love with me despite and because of the dictatorial aggression I displayed toward them, and which, I heard, was stirring up a small circle of publicity, popularity and occasionally fear. I was living the polygamous life of a man who was happily in love. Guilt keeps love alive. Monogamy is possible when you have somebody on the side. If there are exemplary couples out there, look for unknown heroes under their beds – they are vents for frustration and boredom the very word “marriage” makes your face exude when you say it. If the spouse is unhappy – worry, if she is happy – worry even more."

ABOUT The Last Gentle Dentist by Oliver Pearl

Based on actual events, spanning continents from San Francisco to Paris, from Amsterdam to Odessa, from New York to Siberia, The Last Gentle Dentist is a novel about a modern age Casanova, a romantic-vigilante, who is fond of pain medications and elective plastic surgery, whose life is a tumultuous river running with the speed of a putrid pond, which makes an unexpected turn when he goes on the run from the law due to charges of medical fraud. He wanders the streets of Europe looking for ways to stay. This search throws him into bony arms and narrow beds of people he meets, fugitives in their own right, only to bring to a new light his own immaturity and unscrupulousness he only yesterday called boyishness and charm. He revisits his recent past, ornate with Vicodin fountains and Ecstasy-laced threesome fender-benders, while adding more crumpled and soon blood-stained pages to his love affair with Life.

Oliver is giving away prizes, including an e-copy of his book at each blog stop on his tour AND two Grand Prize Giveaways of a $50 Amazon gift card OR a signed hardback copy of his book.

1) To win an eBook : Leave a comment on this blog post to be entered to win a book. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner. This giveaway ends five days after the post goes live.

2) To win the $50 Amazon gift card, OR a signed copy of The Last Gentle Dentist enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the page. Winners will be randomly selected on September 30th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oliver Pearl

Age : Early Forties

Place Of Birth : At Sea

Physical Description : Reclusive, yet to be seen

Residence : South of France

Links

The Last Gentle Dentist website :/: The Last Gentle Dentist on Twitter :/: The Last Gentle Dentist on Facebook :/: The Last Gentle Dentist on Amazon :/: The Last Gentle Dentist on Barnes and Noble 

THE TABOO OF MÉNAGE - A #GuestBlog by @Cassandra_Carr

The Taboo of Menage

by Cassandra Carr

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

One of the most common reactions I get when I mention I write menage books is eyebrows jumping into hairlines, followed by nervous laughter. I shrug it off because I know most people either don't understand menage relationships or they've been taught to believe it's wrong to be with more than person. That's fine--it's why my stories are fiction.

Polygamy is neither legal nor accepted in "polite society". Does it happen? Of course. If you were a part of a permanent, committed menage relationship, would you be upfront about it or would you try to hide it? I think that's hard for a lot of us to say, even if you're pretty open-minded about sex. One of the biggest needs humans have is for acceptance, and we naturally shy away from anything that will get us shunned by society. There are exceptions, but there always is, right?

So why do I write menage if it's a taboo subject and not one that's accepted by society? Because it's fantasy. What woman hasn't thought about two (or more!) hunky guys focused exclusively on her pleasure. You haven't? Liar. ;-)

My job as an erotic romance writer is to bring the fantasies women have about sex alive in a safe way. That's why I write menage.

What do you think about menage in real life? Do you know anyone living this lifestyle?

Cassandra Carr lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words.

When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her December 2011 release, Caught, was named Best BDSM Book 2011 by LoveRomancesCafe.

For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

Part of the "Re-blogged for Awesomeness" fun!

GUEST BLOG - A HERO TO THE RESCUE (SAVED BY MOONLIGHT) ( #GIVEAWAY )

A Hero to the Rescue

by Sarah Mäkelä

Some authors, readers, and reviewers tend to look for the Independent Woman capable of protecting herself and the hero, and I have to say I love stories were the heroine rescues the hero. They show that no matter who needs help that the other person in the relationship will risk their lives to help their loved ones.

However, I think there’s something innately sexy about having a man nearly feral with emotions to burst through the door to the rescue at just the right time. Hollywood does this really well, and the Taken movies are great examples. I’m not sure what I find most appealing about it. Maybe knowing it takes a guy who is very devoted to his family to behave in that way.

Of course, we've moved on from a time where women were put in the role of Damsel in Distress. If every story were written like that again, it’d get old, but the allure of having a hero who would lay down his life to protect his heroine... wow!

In Saved by Moonlight, the hero is a werewolf, which just adds that edge of his uncontrollable need to make sure his mate is safe. Werewolves are my favorite types of heroes, probably for that reason... and well, they’re werewolves! What’s not to love? They’re wild and yet loyal since wolves mate for life.

Thanks for having me here today, Niina!

Niina : It was great to have you come by anytime! I have to say the Uncontrollable Need to make sure their mate is safe is definitely why I enjoy Werewolf Romances as well. ;D

"A werewolf reveals what he is to save the love of his life...  When Sylvi comes home to find someone lurking in the apartment she shares with her boyfriend, she realizes her life is in danger. Lukas arrives in time to defend her from the intruder, but she's shocked to learn Lukas is really a werewolf! Can their love survive his revelation?"

         Sylvi turned off the shower and dried herself. She wrapped the large bath towel around her then set off to grab the cordless phone from the living room. There weren't any flashing lights on the phone to indicate that Lukas had called. Disappointment fluttered in her chest before she shoved it away.

         He probably had a busy schedule filled with meetings and schmoozing galore.

         She headed for the bedroom and paused in the hallway, staring at the closed door. Had she closed it this morning? Lukas couldn't be here since he would have come out to greet her. However, he wouldn't close the bedroom door either. They had no reason to.

         She chewed on her lower lip and looked down at the phone. Her thumb hovered over the number nine. Should she call the police? What if no one was there? What if she'd had a strange memory lapse? She'd look like an idiot.

         Stop acting like a child, she scolded herself.

         Taking a deep breath, she jerked the door open and flipped on the light. Her gaze raked the room. It was decorated in delicate shades of blue and white. She and Lukas had done this together, as a team. The memory brought a smile to her face. Until she saw him...

         Demetrius stood by the window overlooking the street, staring into the rainy night. She knew it was him by his overwhelmingly muscular build and shoulder-length brown hair. How had he found her after all these years? They'd experienced a short, wild rendezvous before she'd come to Florida, but it was so over!

         "What are you doing here?" Her voice shook slightly. He turned to face her, and she stepped back toward the door.

         Tension rose and filled the air.

         "Hello to you, too." He stalked over to the bed. His hands splayed over the blue velvet comforter.          "Mmm... Soft. You certainly do have superb taste." The bed groaned under his weight as he crawled onto the mattress and stared at her.

         "What do you want?" Sylvi shivered and pressed herself against the doorframe. She had to get out of here. There was no telling what he'd do, especially with her being so vulnerable.

         Demetrius licked his lips and ran his gaze over her as if willing her towel away. "You."

         "That's too bad because --" Sylvi's words cut off as Demetrius jumped at her in a graceful leap.

         He closed the distance between them like a predator. "You were saying?" A smug grin caressed his lips.

         "I was trying to say I have a boyfriend." She took a step into the hallway, but he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her against his chest. She was five foot five inches, and yet the top of her head barely reached his shoulder. Even when they'd lusted after each other, his towering stature had intimidated her.

         "I don't see anyone else here." He glanced around the room pointedly.

         She shivered, but not entirely from the cool air conditioning. Tendrils of fear chased down her spine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she’s written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy...even a sweet contemporary romance!

A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night-light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies (and Ghost Adventures), and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.

http://www.sarahmakela.com

http://blog.sarahmakela.com

http://www.twitter.com/sarahmakela

http://www.facebook.com/authorsarahmakela

http://www.goodreads.com/sarahmakela