Showing posts with label contemporary romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary romance. Show all posts

Thursday, February 6, 2014

7 Reasons Writing Is Like the Olympics


By Cate Masters

I’m so excited for the 2014 Winter Olympics! Watching these athletes perform after years and years of practice is nothing short of amazing.  As the saying goes, it’s like poetry in motion.

So of course it reminded me of writing. While our writer bodies might not be in motion, what’s happening on the page is definitely lyrical. When it comes out right. :)

Here are seven reasons why writing, to me, is like the Olympics:

1. The first time a story idea hits, it’s a thrill, probably much like an athlete the first time they endeavor a never-tried move.

2. Writing a sentence that’s as perfect as I can make it is a high. I imagine it’s something like when an athlete practices and practices for hours on end to perfect a move, and finally nails it.

3. Working out plot twists is like a slalom, but instead of snow flying in our wake, it’s words.

4.  Putting it all together is like a wonderfully choreographed routine that twists and flows, dips and soars.

5. Finally typing The End. The moment of silence when we’ve finished the practice routine for the last time, made it the best it can be, and can’t wait for an audience to see it.

6. A publisher’s acceptance, I bet, is something like the aerial flips of a snowboard after it launches from the half-pipe.

7. Getting glowing reviews from readers. I could be standing on that winner’s podium, bowing my head while the ribbon holding the gold medal is draped around my neck. There’s nothing quite like it, a feeling that stays with you for a long time. And yes, something to admire long after.

Of course, like any athlete, there’s no resting on our laurels. Once the fanfare has died down, we do what the best always do: get back to work. And reach again for the highest level we possibly can achieve.

Writing A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe felt like that. These characters had me at hello. From the moment I began writing, their story kept surprising me in the best way. And like the Olympics, there’s some action, some drama, and a whole lot of heart.

I hope you’ll read it. They will take you on a ride you won’t forget.

Here’s the blurb:

   Never look back. Clarissa Hartman left her miserable life behind the day she graduated high school, the same day she turned 18. Driving for days, the road led her to Marfa, Texas. Right away, she knew she’d found home. Seven years later, she’s found her place in life plus the one thing she never expected to find: love. Dylan Wall’s everything she ran away from. So why can’t she stay away from him?
   Never give up. Dylan Wall is at the top of his game. His PR firm’s sought out by brand name companies, but he’s so busy spinning everyone else’s reps, he doesn’t realize his personal life’s taken a downhill turn. Deep down, he knows that somewhere, the perfect someone is waiting for him. The woman who’ll accept him for who he is – if he’s ever able to reveal it. When he lands in Marfa for his best friend’s wedding, Clarissa’s sharp tongue puts everything in a different perspective. She draws out a side of himself hidden away for too long. She’s everything he wants, in the wrong package. So why does she feel like home?
   In Marfa, appearances are deceptive. Discovering the truth beneath the surface is the first step toward finding yourself, and joy.


A Wedding at the Blue Moon Café
Blue Moon Series 2
Contemporary novella
About 44,000 words

Friday, December 20, 2013


By Cate Masters

Santa couldn’t have given me a better present than Decadent Publishing did this year – the release of my holiday novella, Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake!

I may have to croon Blue Christmas for days! But in a joyful rather than melancholy way. Blue moons bring luck! And to me, symbolize second chances. I couldn’t resist playing with that particular idea in this story. And if you love the movie Serendipity, you’re bound to love Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake, too – both have slight touches of magic only found during this season. Combine that with two hearts who’ve yearned for each other for a long time, and it only adds to the magic of the story.

Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake launches a new series, a bit different from most other series in that it’s linked by title. The characters don’t repeat, but they’re some of the best characters I’ve written so far, I think. They really pop off the page to life. I hope you’ll agree!

I hope Santa does too! He seems to be enjoying his copy, doesn’t he?

Do holiday stories help put you in the spirit? However you celebrate, I hope you’ll have a wonderful and joyous one.

Here’s a peek at Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake:

Can Fate give two people a second chance at love? Sierra O’Brien and Carter Grove are about to find out. After an accidental meeting near their hometown of Bliss, Pennsylvania, events from their past reoccur. Will they make the same mistakes and drift apart again?

In Bliss, the inexplicable is an everyday occurrence, and anything is possible—especially during a blue moon.


About Cate

   Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
   Cate loves to hear from readers! Email her at: cate.masters@gmail.com

Catch up to Cate

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Friday, July 12, 2013

Heart of Rock and 1974!

Buy Heart of Rock HERE

By Karyn Gerrard
I decided to set Heart of Rock in 1974 because at heart, I’m nostalgic. Also, if I was going to set a story in the 70's, I wanted to do it before disco (not a fan) caught on in a big way.

I will no doubt age myself, but I was a tween in 1974, so I remember a lot. Hard to believe but color TV only started making inroads in the early Seventies. By 1974 it had become the standard. It’s the year we got one. Watching Bonanza reruns...in color! Far out!

We also obtained cable TV. After a childhood of black and white TV and two Canadian channels (which did show some American programming) we now had all the channels from Bangor, Maine! Whee! (I grew up on the East coast of Canada)

One of the top selling songs in 1974 was Kung Fu Fighting by one-hit wonder, Carl Douglas. Yep, I had the 45 record. Though classified as Funk, it had that annoying disco beat that soon took over the music charts. 1974 is also when Abba hit the charts. (not a fan) However, on the upside, Canadian rock group, Rush, hit the charts as well!

My hero, Brogan Byrne, is a rocker all the way (and Irish!).The name of his rock group?—wait for it—Byrne n' Flame. Sorry. Couldn't resist.
This erotic romance is not about the technical ins-and-outs of the rock music world, but rather a story of boy meets girl. Girl (heroine Carly Montgomery) doesn't take any guff; her tough outer shell is a protection from past hurts. Boy isn't exactly likeable a lot of the time, and carries a lot of baggage. Brogan may just have found the one woman to help him carry the load.

Blurb:
Irishman Brogan Byrne is at the pinnacle of 1974 rock-music success. Handsome, charismatic, with a three-octave voice, you’d think he had it all. But Byrne sinks to new depths of depravity with women, liquor, and drugs.

Carly Montgomery is an ambitious record executive offered an opportunity to be manager for the last leg of Byrne's tour. Though she’s detached and tough as nails, Carly’s cool facade comes under attack. Somehow Byrne manages to slip by her frosty defenses.

Brogan, for his part, is broken inside. A past memory weighs on his soul, affecting his actions. Is Carly the one woman to help him forget his guilt and heal his heart of rock?

NOTE: This is a re-release, it was available a few months in 2012 before I had to get back the rights from another publisher. With more than 5000 words added and a new edit, this story...rocks!  My thanks to Decadent Publishing! 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Sometimes You Just Have to Have a Little Fun

By Eva LeFoy

When I signed up for the Dirty Birdies Flock Hop, I panicked. I had no idea what to write about. The theme was “eye candy,” so I spent hours and hours looking for eye candy on different photo sites. Finally I settled on one I liked:


Isn’t he cute? Well he must have spoken to me (or my subconscious, heh). Somehow, some way, I started writing this post about him:


I gave him a name and decided he looked as though he’d spent a decadent night at a wild wedding and woken up on the beach half-dressed and extremely satisfied! So I figured okay, maybe he needs a girl. I gave him one. A sexy wedding guest who he follows down to the beach and into a secret cave…

And that’s how it all started really. To read where it went from there, you have to understand that my mind made several crazy leaps. First, my brain decided Sean was a wolf. Not any wolf, but a beta wolf. Okay... And to make things more interesting, the woman he likes – Sharla - has a long-standing dom/sub sexual relationship with the newly married bride.

Ker-Pow!

And then my brain in its infinite wisdom decided to go all UF on me (Urban Fantasy) and make the bride a witch. Ha! Adding to that nearly insurmountable trouble, Sean discovers that Sharla’s his mate.

In the words of the always grammatically interesting English, “bloody hell!”

I thought to myself that a M/F/F ménage would be a cool concept, but then, there was the groom to contend with. Can’t forget about him, now can we? He would not like sharing his new bride with another male, especially since he’s an alpha wolf! I had to find another way to get Sharla and Sean together – ahem – naked on the beach AND give him that cigar and that wicked grin you see in the photo.

Note: Every wicked grin needs a good reason.

So that’s how I happened to write a 3-part serial for a blog hop that had absolutely nothing to do with anything, except that it was fun making up a story to go with a picture. And I hope that readers think it is a fun free read too!

To reads parts 2 and 3, go here: http://wp.me/p1JQUw-8h and http://wp.me/p1JQUw-8P

Heck, if you’ve got ideas for Sean and Sharla’s future and want to add to their story, let me know. You never know where just having a litte fun might take you.

Happy reading!

Eva

Bio:
Eva Lefoy writes and reads all kinds of romance, and is a certified Trekkie. She’s also terribly addicted to chocolate, tea, and hiking. One of these days, she’ll figure out the meaning of life, quit her job, and go travel the galaxy. Until then, she’s writing down all her dirty thoughts for the sake of future explorers.





Tuesday, April 23, 2013

My Experiences in the County

Buy Accidental Romance HERE

By Jessica Subject

Hello everyone!
My recent release, Accidental Romance takes place on a dairy farm. While I don’t live in a big city, I no longer live in the country. And my experiences with country living are very limited. Here are some of my experiences with country living:
·        The first time I visited a dairy farm, I was a co-op student in a grade two French-immersion class. We were in the milking parlor when my head started to spin, and my ears rang. I knew I was going to pass out, and searched for the exit with blurry vision. I did pass out, against the milk tank. And that trip was cut short for me.
·        My husband and I rented a farmhouse out in the country for three years. One Sunday morning (I was pregnant at the time), I looked out the front window and saw cows on our front lawn. Then they decided to traipse through the field at the side of our house. The farmer who owned the cows called up one of his friends, who rounded them up on his horse. It was our own little rodeo.
·        Friends of ours have a beef cattle farm. We were over there helping them to bail hay, and get it up into the mow. While we were waiting for the next wagon to come in, I decided to go and see the cows. Well, I got a little too close to the electric fence, and got a nice shock.
·        Once again when I was pregnant, I looked out the window and saw a male pheasant on the road. Now, I’d never seen one of these birds in my life, and decided to get closer. Imagine, a very pregnant woman waddling after a bird that runs like the roadrunner.
·        My first deer/driving encounter happened when we lived in the country, too. I’d seen several deer before, but never while I was driving. It was Christmas Eve. My oldest was only a couple months old, and we were returning from my parent’s house. My hubby was driving his truck behind me. The one thing he taught me was to never swerve if you encounter a deer, because you could end up in a worse accident. Well, when I turned onto our road, a deer came running up beside me. I had to repeat his instruction over and over in my head. I released the gas, but the deer kept pace with me. My heart was pounding, and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to hit the deer, but I wasn’t going to end up in the snow-covered ditches, either. Thankfully, my husband had seen the deer, too, and backed off. I gently applied the brakes, and that’s when the deer dashed out in front of me, racing to the other side of the road. I didn’t hit it, thank goodness, and I’m always extra cautious when driving in the country.
So, those are some of my experiences with country living? Do you have any stories of your own?

Accidental Romance Blurb:
At twenty-two, Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?
Available From:

Excerpt:
A million needles pierced her wrist. She had to get away from the fire. Leanne flicked open her eyes, screaming, longing for the agony to stop.
White walls surrounded her. Machines beeped. Taking in the new scenery, she closed her mouth, the pain forgotten. Bags filled with clear liquids as well as blood hung from a metal pole. She followed the tubes from the bags into her left hand. Was that where the burn came from? She glanced at the other arm, the end of which was wrapped in thick bandages. The image of spinning blades and her mangled flesh flashed before her eyes. She screamed again, tears falling down her cheeks. This can’t be happening.
Bodies rushed into the room, many in scrubs. With her vision blurred, she didn’t recognize anyone. All strangers. She was in the foreign place by herself. A nightmare. Has to be.
“Shh, calm down, sweetie. You’ll be okay.”
A familiar voice. She glanced to her other side to see her mom standing beside her, her eyes glassy. She held her hand, but Leanne couldn’t feel it, only the throbbing which had returned to her other one, the one that was…gone? She groaned, turning on her side, and pulled her knees up to her chest.
“Mom, is it really…?”
She brushed her fingers over her forehead. “Don’t worry about it right now. You need to rest.”
“It hurts so bad.”
“I know.” Her mother stroked her face again. “But the nurses will help it go away.”
“Leanne,” one of the nurses hovering around her said. “I want you to take deep breaths and count backward from ten.”
“Ten.” She sucked in air and cried out in agony.
Between clenched teeth, she continued. Anything to stop the pain. “Nine.”
Ice traveled through her veins. “Eight.”
The throbbing slowly ebbed away. Seven.
Darkness swept over her and pulled her down with it.

Bio:
Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. 
When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.
Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. 

You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Women in Uniform

 


In January 2013, the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women serving in combat roles.  While women have already served in positions that put them in harm’s way—no war can be fought without the potential for harm—the lifting of this ban means that job assessment will be based on skill, talent, and ability to perform rather than on genitalia.

CNN Special Report

According to the report above, the move is designed to level the playing field and create a gender neutral military. Women serve in all branches of the armed forces. Jobs such as assignments to submarines were once denied to women because of the disruptive potential of having a woman somewhere men would feel compelled to protect her.

Battle Brothers 
In a battle, Marines, soldiers, airmen and sailors defend each other. If a man goes down, his battle brothers are going to protect him. They pick him up and bring him home.  Armed forces are trained to protect each other—so having boobs doesn’t mean those instincts are going to be any less developed or any more deserved. 

Leveling the playing field means the best-of-the-best get the right jobs. As a woman, I am extremely proud of this decision. Women have served our country with distinction for decades and eliminating barriers. The simple truth is that anyone serving in a combat theater is in danger—male or female.

Buy Combat Barbie
Engagement Teams
Jazz (No Regrets, No Surrender) and Mary (Combat Barbie) met when they were assigned to a Female Engagement Team (http://regionalcommandsouthwest.wordpress.com/about/female-engagement-team-usmc/).  They conduct outreach through interaction with women and children and keep up information on local population.

In areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, women are more successful at reaching other women. They spearhead community programs to help local communities and they don’t violate the cultural standards of the local population. Mary and Jazz are very proud of their work.  With the step down of Marine forces in Afghanistan, the FET teams will begin to transfer their work to local forces.

Understanding Service 
In Combat Barbie. Mary returns home for leave just in time for her tenth high school reunion. She is extremely proud of her work and whether FET teams are being stepped down or not, she has no plans to exit her service—she makes a difference every day and plans to keep doing that. 

What women have made a fundamental difference in your life?

About: Heather Long lives in Texas with her family and their menagerie of animals. As a child, Heather skipped picture books and enjoyed the Harlequin romance novels by Penny Jordan and Nora Roberts that her grandmother read to her. Heather believes that laughter is as important to life as breathing and that the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are very real. In the meanwhile, she is hard at work on her next novel.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Meeting The Challenge

Buy Healing Hearts HERE

by Liz Crowe
It’s New Year’s Day and we all know what THAT means….recovering from whatever overindulgences we used to get us through the holiday season by promising our bleary-eyes selves that we will be stronger, thinner, richer, more organized, swear less, sleep more, drink more water, eat more fruit….all sorts of things that will help us meet any challenge thrown at us by fate in the coming months.

Late in 2012 Decadent Publishing launched a new series of books with “the challenge” in mind. All the stories will turn on people meeting roadblocks and overcoming them, or not as the case may be.  I was asked to submit a story and am thrilled to announce the release of HEALINGHEARTS, a short novella-length story about a man who had it all, only to have it taken from him in the blink of an eye. The heart breaking journey ofa successful, typical alpha male breaking down completely when he is unable to save anyone he loves has already been named a “Top Pick” on The Romance Reviews.

The challenge of course, for Jay Longmire, is to simply breathe in and out, eat enough food to survive, fall asleep and wake up with the knowledge of what happened in front of his eyes to his entire family.  While I have personally never lost a child, given the horror at that elementary school in Connecticut just a few weeks ago, it has been on my mind—how do you wake up each morning knowing that your heart, in the form of your child, has been ripped from you for no reason whatsoever.  Exploring this sort of internal challenge intrigued me, and I remember a true story a few years back with similar elements that I have been unable to shake from my memory banks. So I put it into a book.

I wrote HEALING HEARTS this past fall, before Mr. Lanza decided that he should stare 20 children in the face and kill them, so the timing may seem inappropriate but I believe that hearts do heal—humans are nothing if not completely resilient and whether they draw on their own strengths, their faith or the love of others (as Jay finally does) the opportunities for emotional recovery are worth exploring. Which is the crux of Healing Hearts—all the anger, guilt, sleepless nights and zombie-like days Jay endures will never, ever completely disappear, but with the help of a friend who becomes much more, they will fade and become something that he can use to move forward despite the temptations to do otherwise.

I hope you enjoy it. I will warn you that there are a couple of descriptions of what happened to Jay’s family that may be disturbing, but ultimately that is not what the story is about—it’s about what happens to a man who has hit bottom so hard, he has no choice but to start climbing his way out.

Healing Hearts excerpt:
“Stop flirting with me. That’s a personal bubble violation,” he whispered, letting his lips graze her earlobe, loving how her whole body shivered against him.
“Fine, then stop pressing against me so hard I can feel how much money is in your pocket.”
“Touché.” But he gripped her closer. The candlelight flickered, the music embraced them, and she nearly brought him to his knees with her next words.
“I can’t be what you want me to be, Jay. I have goals. I need my independence. I want to make it on my own.”
He sucked in a breath, slid the hand he had on her hip around to the small of her back. He didn’t need this. But he wanted it so much he was about to explode. “I’m never going to be what you want me to be, either. Let’s just be…what we are…tonight.”
She laid her head against his chest, and he shut his eyes, trying not to let the moment overwhelm him, send him screaming into the night. Christy’s face at their wedding, at the birth of their children, and that last moment when her eyes clouded over after she told him not to blame himself while he watched her die—they all rose, clear and bright. He swallowed, leaned down into Abigail’s thick riot of dark curls, sucked in a deep breath. “What do you want me to be for you…tonight?” he asked.
She put her hand to his face, went up on her tiptoes, and met his lips, urgent and needy. He kissed her, listening to the crowd clap and catcall. Then broke away. “Well?” he asked, his body zinging.
“I want you to be the guy who takes me to bed again.” The simplicity of her words taking his breath away. “I don’t want to be made love to, not now. I need you, Jay. With me, inside me, all over me. And you need it, too. No strings, no emotion. Only physical urges met. I’m willing. Are you?”
He stepped away from her, a little shocked and a lot horny. “Give me two minutes.” Grateful the room had dimmed for the music and dancing, he dropped three hundred in cash on the table, more than enough to cover the meal, wine, and a healthy tip, and took her hand.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said, giggling when he pushed her up against the side of his SUV and dove into her mouth, sweeping into it with his tongue, his hands cradling her face then buried in her hair. She molded into him, making that damn noise, the one that made him insane, down in her throat.
He broke from her, stared into her eyes. “Yes.”



Happy New Year!
Liz

Monday, December 10, 2012

Is it Worth It?



By Katie Harper
I am a connoisseur of romance novels. I have boxes and boxes of them taking up space in my basement and I’ve read every single one. Why do I love them? Why are they so popular? The answer is simple, because we want to believe that romance novel life, those experiences are actually within the realm of possibility. But when you really think about it, do you really want that life?

The typical romance novel couple has more baggage than a house full of sorority sisters on Spring Break. The heroine’s heart has been broken, crushed, and literally trashed to the point that Ryan Gosling in full on ‘Hey Girl’ mode couldn’t penetrate her rock hard exterior. Of course the men don’t make it easy. They’ve been so crapped on by life, they make a sad country song seem like an appropriate option for hold music on a suicide hotline. Do you really want to endure all that they have prior to page one just for a happily ever after? Is it really worth it?

HELL YES! It’s totally worth it. I know, I’m living a romance novel. My first husband died on Christmas Day six years ago. I was 27 and had an 18 month-old daughter to take care of. After a lot of tears, why me’s, and several less than stellar life choices, I got to the point where I thought I was perfectly happy being single. I didn’t need anyone. I was fine on my own thank you very much (sound familiar). Then I met Mr. Perfect. I’m not kidding. He’s absolutely perfect, like he was built just for me. He’s kind, caring, helpful, patient, a wonderful father to my daughter, and holy crap he’s sexy as hell. He’s from Brazil. Do I really need to expound on anything after that? I think not. But I will. Not only is he all that and a case of chocolate wine, he had the balls to propose to me on the anniversary of my first husband’s death, Christmas Day. Some of you might see that as a little creepy. I saw it as raw courage. Sexy.

To answer the would you really want that life question, I will ask another, Would I change any part of my life? Not a single scene. I would endure having my heart ripped out a million times over if it meant I’d end up with my hero. I’d shed tanker trucks full of tears just for the chance that I might get him in the end. So, is it worth all the heart ache necessary to be a romance novel heroine? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Katie Harper started writing when two people showed up in her head and wouldn't leave until she told their story. They had a party, invited a few friends over. Now she spends her days doing the bidding of imaginary people. She lives in a city made for sin on the edge of a desert with her husband, two daughters, no pets and enough lemon bundt cake to give a refugee camp an obesity problem. Her first novel, Never Say Just, is available through Decadent Publishing.

Never Say Just
Haunted by her past of murder for hire and skinning people alive to gather vital intelligence, Kat Boudreaux wants nothing more than to hide away in her sprawling mansion with the love of her life--her daughter. But then Private Gump and his band of Bubbas land on her doorstep. Her brother and his unit of misfit Marines insert themselves with the misguided need to protect her from someone hell-bent on vengeance.

For Shooter, it's love at first sight, though he wouldn't be caught dead admitting it. When Kat is nearly fatally injured while saving his life, he knows he's found the woman for him. Together, they fight side by side to get to the bottom of the threats. Kat's daughter is kidnapped and this ex-assassin mom reverts back to old habits to save her. Saving Kat and her daughter is easy, taming the shrew that is Hell Kat Boudreaux might mean losing his favorite appendage.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Baking Soothes the Spirit


by Becky Moore 
My son may be a fourteen-year-old ninth grader, but he’s not too old (or too cool) to be giddy about November 1 finally rolling around. It’s charming, I tell you, for a kid taller than me to bound into the house counting down the days until Christmas. Because everybody knows, November 1 puts us that much closer to Thanksgiving, which in turn puts us that much closer to Christmas. Since I share his enthusiasm for the holidays, I’m happy to foster that sweet, hopeful sentiment as long as I can.

It doesn’t hurt that once autumn rolls around, we like to bake. It’s a nice change from the hot summer months that encourage us to grill outside and avoid turning on the oven. But give us crisp, cool days and I’ll give you mouthwatering baked goods. Both of my boys (the 14 year old, and the 41 year old) count spiced pumpkin bread among the best things they’ve ever eaten. I like to bake goodies while the boy’s at school so he comes home to an olfactory delight. It never fails … he walks through the door, inhales as much air as his young lungs can hold, and sighs with loud, gluttonous anticipation. “It smells like fall!”

And it does. Even if you’re not a baker, my spiced pumpkin bread is super easy to make. It’s rich and moist, and bursting with flavor!

·         3 cups granulated sugar
·         1 cup vegetable oil
·         3 large eggs
·         1 16-oz can solid pack pumpkin
·         1 tsp vanilla extract
·         1/2 tsp hazelnut extract
·         3 cups whole wheat flour
·         1 tsp ground cinnamon
·         1 tsp ground cloves
·         1 tsp ground nutmeg
·         1 tsp baking soda
·         1/2 tsp salt
·         1/2 tsp baking powder
·         1/4-cup brown sugar (optional, for sprinkling on top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour your pans (I like to make 6 muffins and 2 medium-sized loaves of bread). Beat together the sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs, pumpkin and your extracts. Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and blend well. I typically use a large whisk and mix it all by hand. My arm’s killing me by the time it’s done, but I enjoy the process.

Scoop the mixture by 1/3-cup measurements into the six muffin cups, and then divide the remaining batter into the two loaf pans. Sprinkle plain brown sugar on the top of the batter (streusel-style). Bake until your cake tester comes out clean when you insert it into the center … about an hour and a couple extra minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely.

This freezes beautifully, and we usually keep the muffins and a loaf out, and freeze the other loaf for another day when we don’t feel like baking but want a treat. Coincidentally, pumpkin is really healthy for you. It’s a great source of fiber and calcium; it’s low-calorie; contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; and has lots of beta-carotenes and Vitamins A, C and E.  

Leave a comment and tell us what your favorite thing to bake is when the weather gets cool! One person will win a copy of Becky's book, The Great Outdoors! Don't forget to leave your email address!

Tallulah Murphy is a busy woman. As the newly appointed Director of Education for the Atlanta Art Museum, she has a thousand and one things to do on any given day. Dating is not high on that list; in fact, it’s not even on the radar.

Three hundred miles away in Charleston, South Carolina, Lieutenant Mitchell Weaver is gearing up for his promotion to be the youngest police chief in the city’s history. And unfortunately, as a prominent city official with all eyes watching his every move, a quality date seems untenable. But when good friends and good fortune set Tallulah and Mitch on a fateful adventure with Madame Evangeline’s high-end dating service, 1Night Stand, they may find a little matchmaking magic can reset their spirits of adventure and open their hearts and minds to the possibility of love.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Take a ride with Desiree Holt!

Buy Joy Ride HERE

by Desiree Holt
There are so many different definitions of erotic romance that sometimes I wonder if we’re all reading and writing the same thing. But I can tell the difference between erotic romance and erotica-the first is a love story and the second is purely an erotic experience, between people who may never see each other again and are together purely for the thrill. I’m a Happy Ever After kinda girl so for me the romance is paramount. The people involved must feel emotionally for the other or others and must, at the end of the story have at least a Happy For Now.
So what’s the difference between, say, sensual, spicy and erotic?
I think it all boils down to the explicitness of the sex scenes. One of the first things I learned when writing sex scenes of any kind was to focus on the five senses–taste, touch, smell, hear, see. The more explicit the scene, the more intense the reaction of the senses. And each scene can be expanded on that basis, so if the author does it right the reader becomes physically and emotionally involved with each character.
My late husband, my hero, my best friend, was the one who first encouraged me to dip my toe in the waters. A publisher I was with at the time was opening a line of erotic shorts and I was waffling about whether I had the skills or the ability­–or courage–­to explore this new genre.
So I outlined a plot, did my little character sketches, and sat down to write. And what a wonder! The scenes actually flowed.  And even better, were believable. What a miracle!
Then I began to research the subject, reading authors who had and were making a name for themselves in the field. I learned from them how to weave scenes together so the sex was meaningful rather than blatant. And I learned that I loved writing scenes at the maximum heat level, because to me, that was the maximum expression of feelings. For example, in BDSM relationships there is a level fo trust necessary that I don’t think is there in other situations. Maybe that’s why I write so much BDSM–because I can show how deep the trust is and how the relationship is about so much more than sex. I think one of the greatest compliments I get from my readers is from those who tell me their husbands love when they read one of my books! LOL!
Joy Ride, from Decadent Publishing, isn’t about BDSM but it’s a lot about trust.
Last year I went to Johnny Depp’s Viper Room to see a performance by an excellent rock band, Run Devil Run. The moment I stepped into the room the music enfolded me like an erotic cloak, ramping up each of my senses and making every pulse in my body throb. The person who drew my attention, however, was the bass player. Can you say sex on a stick? He was sooo into his music, and so “hawt” on stage you could feel the energy and electricity sizzling from him.  I knew I had to write a story where the hero was based on him.
Check out this shot of him.
And so Joy Ride was born.
For Emma, the good girl poster child, it’s about learning the intricacies of sex that she’d never experimented with. For bad boy bass player Marc it was about showing her so many ways to share their feelings for each other as the sex between them becomes hotter and hotter. I hope you’ll come along for this erotic ride.

And to celebrate, Decadent Publishing will give away a copy of Joy Ride to one lucky person drawn from those who comment today.

Available at: Decadent Publishing, Amazon, Sony, All Romance eBooks.
Blurb:
Emma, the good girl poster child, is running from a life she suddenly sees as grey and suffocating. A life where she’s successfully buried all her hopes and secret dreams. Until the night she wanders into Aftershock and is immediately drawn to Marc, the hot bass player with the band. Marc doesn’t much care for the groupies who hang around the band. He wants a woman he can create a life with that’s a counterpoint to the craziness of the rock music business. When he sees Emma for the first time something inside him cracks wide open. Just one sizzling glance between them and he’s sure he’s found the woman he wants. But as the relationship grows, there’s a huge stumbling block: Emma won’t tell him her name.  The sex is fabulous but he wants more. So does Emma but her fear of everything falling apart builds a barrier she can’t seem to cross. Marc is taking her on the joy ride of her life, but will her own insecurities destroy everything?
Excerpt:
Clutching the cold beer bottle in her hand, she wedged her way between gyrating bodies, hypnotized by the music until she reached the front of the crowd…and stopped at the edge of the stage, mesmerized. The bass guitarist stood with one foot balanced on the monitor in front of him, his body leaning into the sound. His head was thrown back, dark hair flying around his face as he pounded out the rhythm of the song they were playing. He was wild, uninhibited, totally immersed in his music. He moved with an incredible grace to the accented beat, hips thrusting as his clever fingers plucked the strings and slid on the neck of the guitar.
For one incredible moment, Emma had the feeling he was playing only for her and she realized she really had been struck by “Lightnin’.” Permanently electrified by it.
A surge of heat raced through her, and it wasn’t the kind that emanated from the tightly packed sweaty bodies. Instead, an electric excitement gripped her, sending a charge of unfamiliar sexual thrill to every nerve. Her breasts tingled and between her thighs, she felt a throbbing as deep as the sound of the bass. At first she stood stiffly, clutching her drink. People jostled and shoved her as they kept time to the beat. She took two quick swallows of the beer, grimacing at the bitter taste. But as the alcohol eased her tension, she found herself catching the rhythm of the music and trying to mimic the movements of the bass player, totally caught up in the seductive lure of the song. For one crazy moment, she was gripped by an uncontrollable urge to jump up on the stage, and bump and grind with him. Her! Emma, the good girl!
Clumsily juggling the beer bottle, she slipped the thin strap of her purse over her head so it lay crosswise between her breasts. Her focus still on the bass player, she swayed to the beat, hips moving, rocking. When the song ended, the bass guitarist threw back his head on a final note and then looked out into the crowd, peering beyond the glare of the stage lights.
His eyes seemed to find hers as if pulled by a magnet, and a fist slammed through her.
Ohmigod!

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