Match Socks in the Summer? I Simply Say 'Nay’

Summer in Minnesota. The glorious time when we peel off the layers and bask in the sun…while covered in sunscreen and insect repellant.

With summer comes a little thing I love: shoes that don’t require socks. With three kids, socks finding, washing, matching, folding and putting away is a time consuming task. I’m sure some moms and dads out there have it down to a science and rock it like it’s nobody’s business. That’s simply not me.

So, come June when school is out and sandals and flip flops are the uniform, my sock box (you know, for the stragglers and mismatches) gets lower and lower on my dresser. It gets blocked by swimming suits and the random sweatshirt until finally, it’s completely out of sight and blessedly out of mind.

Right until September when the thermometer readings get lower and lower and school begins again—but I’m not thinking that far ahead. No, my friends, I’m in the not-washing-matching-fussing with socks mind set and I’m loving it!

All the best,

Stephanie Beck

www.stephaniebeck.net

Socks aren’t the only things that are optional!

Panties Optional - a 1NightStand Story

Maggie Chase has a wild night of passion planned with the help of Madame Evangeline’s dating service, 1NightStand. A single night with an incredible man, what more can a busy girl ask for?

Sam Peterson requests that Madame Evangeline help him find a woman who isn’t after him for his money. Maggie may just fit the bill, but with her list of fantasies in hand, she may be more than he bargained for.

Forever isn’t on either one of their minds, but maybe it doesn’t have to be.

Exotic Settings for Erotic Stories

By Kali Willows

The process of plotting out a new story is a rollercoaster from the initial build up, to pure elation, back to a little self-doubt, reconfiguring, and forward to exquisite bliss when it weaves together in a big, beautiful, moving tale. Half the joy for me in creating sagas of romance, intrigue and adventure, is finding and studying new settings for my characters to develop and explore in.

So far, in my 1NS stories alone, we have a beachside castle in Spain, a Halloween ball in Salem Massachusetts, a haunted ghost walk in Savannah Georgia, an underwater hotel room off the coast of Main, and a hidden hotel room inside Niagara Falls. In my newest story that I’ve just completed, and still editing (submitting as soon as edits are done!); Tantric Storm, is a spa inside a volcano, then a hill top rendezvous at the peak!

I love travelling, however, at this stage in my life, married mother of two little ones with a full-time job and too many bills to pay; travelling is a luxury I don’t get to indulge in as often as I would like. To get my fix of exotic locations, my muse leads me to places to examine, and the details take on a life of their own.

Other WIP I have, collecting dust for the time being, is some Druid mythology in an outwardly place, my psychic story starts in a small Ontario town in Canada, and moves to LA, there’s also one, an entire series, outlined in a warm, dry, mystical place. This series, is shaping up to becoming an epic tale, so until it’s ready to be published, I’ll keep the details a mystery J

Curious as to what readers would like to see next, I created an online survey about various aspects they would like to see in a story. Everything from genre and length, to specific settings. So far, I had some interesting results, but I am keeping the survey active, still looking for more reader input.

I want YOU to tell me where my next published story should take place! This survey has multiple choice options, as well as an “other” option, to add specific suggestions! I would LOVE to get your feedback.

Tell me where you want a story to take place, and what the appeal about that location would be! Comment here, 

for a chance to win a Decadent book of your choice!

Link to my survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DCCHFJX

Happy Reading!

Kali Willows

The Perks of Working With Madame Eve

by L.C. Dean & Deanna Wadsworth


Today we have two of Castillo Resorts employees, hotel manager Jagger Castillo and head concierge Martin Baird. They are going to give us a little insight on what it’s like taking care of a special customer: Madame Eve. For those of you who do not know, Madame Eve runs 1Night Stand, a service where people can engage in a fantasy one night stand encounter. She has chosen to use the Castillo Resorts and their fabulous hotels around the world as the settings for her special clients.

Now Jagger, as hotel manager of the Turks and Caicos Castillo Resort, tell us what you do for Madame Eve and her clients?

JAGGER: Pretty much anything Eve wants. (chuckle) She’s a mystery and a hard one to say no to. Somehow she convinces me to set up situations that I would never consider without her. If she weren’t so damned successful, I might hesitate to fulfill her wilder requests, but my partner and I are proof that she knows what she’s doing.

And Martin, what do you do for these clients?

MARTIN: I am a head concierge for the hotel, and since Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand service specializes in fantasy encounters, I do the actual labor of setting up the exotic rooms, romantic cottages, and gourmet dinners for her clients per her detailed instructions. I assisted Jagger in Grand Turk for a month with some of these clients, but I have worked at other Castillo Resorts as well.

You both sound like you have exciting jobs. Seeing all these happy 1Night Stand couples, how did you feel about your own romantic lives?

MARTIN: Well, I always suspected Madame Eve knew a little more than she should about things. Never once have I seen a disappointed couple. It’s like they were all soul mates and Madame Eve was some sort of supernatural matchmaker. Ridiculous, right? But I would be lying if I didn’t admit I thought they were lucky bastards. Wouldn’t you agree, Jagger?

JAGGER: Yeah. At least I do now. Before Daniel came along, I sort of scoffed at how satisfied everyone seemed with 1Night Stand. Heck Eve even set up my brother and his wife, but I still didn’t really believe ( To Feel Again by Valerie Mann). Madame Eve arranged my date as a thank you gift when Daniel’s request came in. Apparently, she realized that we were perfect for each other. Not sure how she knew what I wanted when I rarely admitted it, even to myself, but she did. (L.C. Dean told our story in  Mountain Claiming )

The reason we have you two together today, is that Madame Eve secretly slipped a little romance into your lives. Tell us about it.

JAGGER: She caught me off guard so I fought the date in the beginning, but I’m very glad I gave in. Once I saw the handsome mountain of a man she sent my way there was no turning back. Daniel was a gift that I will never cease to appreciate. 

MARTIN: I should admit she definitely blindsided me, too. One of the loveliest accidents if I do say so myself. Even Jagger was in on it.

JAGGER: Helping to set Martin up was a blast. He worries so much about his job that it felt good to see him find someone to break down his barriers and encourage him to let go a bit. 

MARTIN: (blushes)Yes, well, as I said, I was working at the Turks and Caicos resort, and decided to add a holiday on the end of my stay. Jagger asked me to sample some new menu ideas, have a few drinks. So I went to the cabana and ordered. I had no idea the drink I ordered would change my life. I met a handsome American man, we shared that drink then he told me we were going on a date that night. I just agreed. (laughing nervously) I had to be insane, right? I didn’t even know him. I certainly didn’t hire Madame Eve to send me a date either.

So you went with this stranger even though you didn’t know him?

MARTIN: If you saw Garret, you would understand. He’s sexy, gorgeous, and confident.  A man you don’t say ‘no’ to. And strangely, I just trusted him, completely. It sounds daft, right? But I went and well.... Let me just tell you, it was the best night of my life. Madame Eve doesn’t make mistakes.

Jagger, what are you and Daniel up to now?

JAGGER: Daniel is the event coordinator at the resort, so we work closely together. I swear he’s almost as magical as Eve some days. He encourages people to try things they would never consider with just his smile. (blushing) Okay, I might be a little biased.

Currently, we are in the final stages of adopting three girls who lost their entire family during the earthquake in Haiti. Mimi is eight, Smala almost six, and Tchina three. We started the process a few months after we became an official couple. We don’t know how soon we’ll get the girls. It could be a while yet, but we are hopeful that they’ll be with us this year. An instant family sounds scary some days, but I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure our girls are never afraid or hungry again. We have flown to Haiti to spend time with them twice now and can’t wait to do it again in a few weeks. The older girls labeled us Papa D and Papa J. Tchina struggles with speech at this point so she calls us Pa See and Pa Say, which is fairly apt. My Dan is a man of few words but he misses nothing.

Martin, where has life taken you and Garret?

MARTIN: Well, I’m not doing anything as exciting as Jagger and Daniel, but I did move to the states to live with Garret. We live in Detroit with our three cats. I think for now they are all the children we can take (laughs). They sort of rule the roost in our home.

I still work for Castillo Resorts, traveling to help with Madame Eve’s clients and other important guests. I feel like I have the best of both worlds. I get to travel the world and help other couples find love like I did, via Madame Eve, and I get to spend all my spare time with Garret. Sometimes I work a bit in the sport’s bar he runs with his brothers, The Fourth Base. We have a good time and I’m even learning the rules for American football. It’s rather fun, actually.

Like me, Garret loves to travel and we just got back from a trip to my homeland, Scotland. We visited my family and all my old stomping grounds. You can catch up with us on that trip in another 1Night Stand story by Wendy Burke,  Haste Ye Back. 

JAGGER. Let me say before we go that I hope to see some of you at the resort in the near future. It’s always a good day to lie in the sun, and I can guarantee you’ll have a blast, especially if you put your trust in Madame Eve. 

 by Natalie Dae

Years ago, when in a relationship that didn’t allow me to shine in my best light, I began to wonder whether true love was a figment of people’s imagination. Back then, I only read horror. It matched my way of thinking—the heroines always met a nasty end, her life was worthless, and her being killed wasn’t going to make much of an impact on those around her. That was what I had become, how I had come to think of myself. Towards the end of the relationship, though, I began to imagine the perfect man—someone who would treat me properly, with respect, and I’d be his sole reason for living. I scoffed at my own thoughts—no such man existed, in my eyes—but those imaginings got me through. Based on this idea, I wrote a free short story the other week, where a man does much the same as I did. He imagines his perfect woman, except in his story, she becomes real.

Luckily for me, my own figment lover appeared in reality just after I split with my ex-husband. I have a man who, for the past ten years, has treated me as though I am his sole reason for living. Oddly, I now read romance, reinforcing the fact that true love does exists, those heroes in books exist.

My free book, Figment, which you can download HERE, has a similar theme to Just For Tonight, my book with Decadent publishing. I’m a fan of being able to write what I want to without having to explain everything. Kind of “It’s my world, so what happens is because I want it to, and it doesn’t necessarily mirror real life where this wouldn’t really happen or that really can’t happen.” It just happens…because it does. Thankfully, Decadent didn’t expect me to change that. I’ll always be grateful for it, because for years I was suppressed, told what to do, so to find a publisher who accepted my creativity for what it was made me smile. In Figment and Just For Tonight, the lovers are from other worlds. The reason for this is now clear to me—I was exploring what I’d previously thought, that true love only existed in the mind or a fairy-tale-like scenario, where the lover was from a different world. Of course, I now know that isn’t true, but if you read both books, you’ll need to suspend your belief for a few seconds. It isn’t clear where the lovers come from or how they got to Earth. All that matters is that they’re there, for the person needing love. Please indulge me when reading—let me tell you my tales without having to have a reason for the people’s existence, because sometimes, just sometimes, the fact that they are there is enough. I hope it’s enough for you too!

I wish everyone had their knight in shining armour, or their princess. I wish no one had to go through ugly battles, hiding who they truly are through fear of ridicule. I wish many things, all good, all so everyone feels loved and cherished throughout their lives, but I’m a realist who knows this can’t always be so. Still, I have my writing now—something I abandoned in the dark years—and if I can give my heroines and heroes a happy-ever-after, it helps. An author has a gift, not only with the writing, but the ability to give people hope. I’ve always said that if only one person read every romance book I’ve written and it gave them the warm fuzzies and, above all, hope, or the courage to reach out for what they want, then it’s worth it. Just one person, a person who I would never have been able to touch at all if it wasn’t for the internet and the way publishing is today. It’s an amazing thing, something an author ought to treasure and be in awe of—that ability to touch and affect.

May your lives be filled with love and happiness, may you find your princess or knight if you haven’t already, but most of all, may you believe in yourself, love yourself. That was the lesson my now-husband taught me. You can be who you really are inside, and if you feel you can’t due to outside influences and what other people say or think, then you need to remove yourself from those people and influences. I know it’s difficult, believe me I do, but it can be done. And if it can’t right at this moment, imagine your perfect partner, bring him or her into existence in your mind, and fly free with them. One day, they might well appear for real.

*Download Natalie's free read and leave a comment here about what you loved best about it! One lucky commenter will win a copy of Just For Tonight. Don't forget to leave your email addy in your comment so we can find you!*

HUG!

You can find all my “selfs” here: www.emmyellis.com

10Q Tuesday with Shiela Stewart!

Tell us about your current release.

A Taste of Humanity is part of the 1 Night Stand series. With the help of Madam Evangeline, Cade and Penny have been placed together for their one night of love. Penny has always been sheltered. Her parents even went so far as to move out into the middle of nowhere and home schooled her. They feared something awful would happen to Penny if they lived in the city or even a town. The instant Penny came of age she moved out on her own. What a surprise that was. The sites and activity of a big city was a bit overwhelming at first, but soon she blended in. Holding down a job, paying her own rent and bills was at times daunting, but she didn’t like the alternative which was moving back home. Wanting a thrill in her life, Penny signs up for a 1Night stand.

Cade has more money than even he knows what to do with. He’s the head of a mob and is highly respected.  That is until his employees and enemies find out he’s a virgin—of sorts. Given his stature, having his enemies mock him is a blow to the gut for Cade. Sure, he could wipe them out, but then he’d have a war on his hands he wasn't willing to fight. Instead, he decides to do something about his predicament.  A card left on his desk for a dating service intrigues him and after checking it out Cade decides to give it a try. What better way was there to relieve him of his burden than with a one-night stand.

Together the pair explore not only each other, but the sights and sounds of the city of sin. But when it comes down to that final moment, the big hurrah, things turn out to be very different than expected. The thrill Penny was looking for might very well be her last.

A Taste of Humanity—A 1 Night Stand series available at www.decadentpublishing.com 

Tell us about your next release.

Offer the Demon is the second book in my Demon series.  Offer the Demon takes place 21 years after the first book, Awaken the Demon. Aurora Starr is the daughter of the renowned Draco Starr who happens to be a direct descendant of Satan himself. A bargain between Satan and her parents puts Aurora in the hands of Satan as his Soul Collector. As a demon she must obey all of her demonic rules which include never mating with a human. Having grown up in a sheltered environment Aurora wants to have more. She wants to breathe. Being at Satan’s beck and call is not her idea of breathing. But she knows if she refuses, Satan will take away her parents.  Still, wanting more in her life she takes a job at a local shelter where much to her surprise she finds herself falling for the owner.

Scott Monroe has grown up seeing the destruction drugs and alcohol can do to a person to a family. His famous rock star father had indulged in plenty during his career, but when his body begins to fail he decides to open a facility for those who suffer as he has. Unlike his famous father, Scott has chosen to go into the medical field and not music. But when his father suddenly dies, he decides to take over the shelter and finds a passion in helping the needy and the addicted. When a dark haired beauty walks into his life, everything suddenly gets turned upside down. Being much younger than himself, Scott first rejects Aurora’s advances. But a guy can only say no so many times. On one fateful night, Scott learns the truth about his lover and isn’t sure how to handle her being a demon. Love has a strong hold on his heart and soon Scott is asking how he can be with his love despite the rules.  He’s willing to do anything to anything to be with her including taking his own life.

Love is never easy, especially when Satan gives her an ultimatum. Chose between the man she loves, or her father.

Offer the Demon—Book 2 in the Demon series coming soon from Decadent publishing.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Hell yeah!! I grew up in a haunted house where the entity enjoyed having tea at early hours of the morning, waking everyone up at the crack of dawn, and even providing my baby sister with her night time bottle. Since then hauntings and ghosts have intrigued me.

If you could be an animal, what would it be?

I would love to be a Dove. It’s such a beautiful bird. It has been used in Weddings, Funerals, messaging and lastly on the ark when Noah sent it out to find land. But above all that, it can fly. I imagine myself soaring high about the ground, breaking through clouds, without a care in the world. Now that is peaceful.

If you could spend the night anywhere, where would it be?

A haunted castle. There are too many to name, but anyone of them would do. Though I doubt I would sleep. I’d be to busy trying to listen and watch for paranormal activity.

Tell us about your family.

I’ve been married for nearly 26 years. Actually, tomorrow the 14^th is my 26^th anniversary. I met my hubby when I was 17 and we both knew instantly we were meant for each other. Two months after we started dating we told everyone we would be married in 1985. They thought we were nuts and that we wouldn’t last. Guess what? We have. :P~~~ He is my best friend and I don’t know what I would do without him.

We have three children ages 23, 19 and 16. Older two are boys and my baby is a girl. They are brilliant in their own right and though each one is unique, they share plenty of similarities. They’ve inherited my hubby and my sense of humor and fun loving nature. There is never a dull moment in our house.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a ballerina. I would often dance around the yard twirling about like I was a princess.  I loved the tutu’s and the way the dancers would twirl around jumping like they were noting more than feathers. Dance has always been a part of my life.

What are your favorite TV shows?

Oh wow got an hour? LOL

Supernatural
CSI (Vegas)
Chuck
Big Bang Theory
How I Met Your Mother
Survivor
Torchwood
America’s Got Talent
Fringe

Just to name a few. LOL

What would we find under your bed?

Plenty of dust bunnies. LOL I tend to hide presents under the bed, but aside form that I put unused duffle bags, crafts, and empty boxes.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Believe it or not, I wanted to be a Psychologist. I wanted to help people with their problems, give them an ear to bend a shoulder to cry on but mostly help them better their life.

Liia Ann White in the Spotlight!

Hi everyone! I’m Liia *waves*

I’m an Aussie, I’m fun and a little bit crazy. My first release with Decadent is One Hot Australian Night (props to Rebecca Royce for picking the title for me), a hot little story I wrote for the 1NightStand series. It’s short, sweet and, yes, Australian.

So, I’ve answered some questions below so you can get to know me a little bit better J

How did you start your writing career?

I had my first short story published when I was 15, in a book distributed throughout national high schools. It was unedited, pretty terrible and definitely a tapped fantasy story, but it gave me the drive to get published.

I didn’t write for a long time – life got in the way. Then I decided I was going to have a story finished by my birthday last year (2010). That story was Elora’s Match, which – after a big rewrite and some help from wonderful friends – was submitted and published.

And the rest, as they say, is history J

Do you believe in ghosts?
Oh yeah. I’ve always been very open to the paranormal and all things weird and wonderful. I live by the rule that ‘every myth is based on a fact’, so I never dismiss anything.

I’ve had a few strange happenings, especially at my home. One which I blogged about where I saw a figure that I still think was demonic in some way – he had black eyes!

I believe in ghosts, other plains/dimensions of existence, aliens, demons, angels, banshees, shifters and all other kinds of creatures that we think up in our minds. Whether they exist now or not, I believe they did once.

The images and stories of them have to come from somewhere right?

If you could be an animal, what would it be?

I would love to be either a Great White Shark or a Wedge-Tailed Eagle. I love the ocean and have always wanted to fly. Apart from dogs, these are my two favourite animals.

If you could spend the night anywhere, where would it be?
Somewhere haunted. I’ve always wanted to travel to one of those really haunted castles or houses you can stay overnight in, but I’m too chicken to do it alone.

Tell us about your family.

I’m single and childless, so my family is my parents, siblings and pets. I’m only 26 so that doesn’t bother me.

My Mum and Dad have been married for 35 years – they married at 17 and 18 like a couple of crazies – and raised us kids to be very grateful for everything we have. They’re successful business owners and my Dad has been a podiatrist since before I was born running several successful surgeries of his own.

I have a brother 2 years younger than me who’s currently studying podiatry to follow in Dad’s footsteps (HA) and is an aspiring body builder who spends more time at the gym than at home.

My other brother is a year younger than me and plays professional Aussie Rules football. He lives in Melbourne where his team is based and I only see him two/three times a year, which is hard, but he’s living his dream. 

I have 2 dogs, a big Chihuahua cross, who is as temperamental as me but also as loyal and a Maltese/Shi-Tzu who is a big white ball of energy.

And finally two hand-reared Weiros and 5 feisty fish.

My family rocks and I love them all to pieces.

What was the scariest moment of your life?
I’ve never liked flying, mainly take-off and landings because I know they’re the most dangerous parts.

But on a trip to New Zealand, we had to stop off in Sydney to change aeroplanes. Keep in mind I’d seen Castaway days before so I was even more terrified of flying. There was a massive thunderstorm in Sydney and, as we flew in to land, the plane nearly got struck by a huge fork of lightning. We had to divert to Canberra, wait for the storm to pass, then flew back.

I’ve never been scared for my life until that day.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be the female Steven Spielberg – still do. Film is a passion I’ve had since I was a young child. But since I don’t live in a city where there’s a big chance for filmmaking, I went for the next best thing -  writingJ

What are you passionate about these days?
Animals, animal rights and environment conservation. I’m a vegan, and while I don’t eat animal products myself, I don’t judge those who do. I do ask that people are conscious of where their product is buying from – is the animal treated humanely before death etc. and I think you should always buy locally, to keep your own economy going strong, which is especially important with today’s economy the way it is.

I’m a big dog lover, but an informed dog lover – as Cesar Millan would say. I believe no dog is born aggressive, anxious, fearful or tense, they learn those traits from humans. One day I want to run my own rehabilitation centre for dogs, specializing in aggressive cases and power breeds.

Morning Person? Or Night Person? How do you know?
I am definitely a night person. Once it hits 9pm, I’m wide awake, buzzed and ready to work. The majority of my writing is done from 10pm-2am. I’ve never been a morning person – it takes me about half an hour to wake properly and I’m so incredibly grumpy I’m amazed anyone talks to me!

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I love feedback. Good or bad, I love hearing what readers think. Knowing what readers do and don’t enjoy helps me become a better writer. 

Tell us about your current release.

One Hot Australian Night is the first book I’ve written specifically for the 1NightStand series. I’d had a story running around my mind that involved a sexy, successful and sensitive hero who happened to be a widower looking to find love again – he just didn’t know how to. When a friend suggested I write a 1NS story so I could work with Decadent (something I’d been wanting to do for a while), I knew Xavier had found his home.

It’s 9,000 words of sexy, hot, smutty goodness. I had a lot of fun writing it and have plans for all the secondary characters mentioned in it.

One may even be in the works right now *wink wink*

On a side note, it’s my Dad’s birthday today – Happy Birthday Daddy! *hugs and kisses*

Thanks for stopping by!

And don’t forget to check out the Decadent website, I guarantee you’ll spend a lot of money on the fantastic books they have. 

New This Week...

 from Decadent Publishing!

NIGHT MISSION

A 1Night Stand story

DESIREE HOLT

 

Navy SEAL Gabriel Walker didn’t think he was asking too much, just a hot woman with some brains who made his down time between missions pleasant. And maybe a little bit more.

Forty-something Maggie Fitzpatrick wanted a younger man with a sex drive to match her own and even smarts to hold a conversation. And maybe a little bit more.

When Madame Evangeline paired them for the one night stand, neither of them expected the explosive chemistry, the very hot sex…and a little bit more.

Buy Night Mission HERE

 

 

 MOUNTAIN CLAIMING

 A 1Night Stand story

LC DEAN

 

When Madame Eve and her 1 Night Stand offer a chance at escape, Daniel Long drops the yoke of submission and runs to the Castillo Resort, Grand Turk and the hope of a future without repression. Everything on the island steals his breath including the gorgeous hotel owner, Jagger Castillo. Daniel quickly discovers he’s out of bondage and way out of his comfort zone.

Jagger isn’t expecting the gift Madame Eve drops on his doorstep, but once he realizes how precious the present is, he won’t let go without a fight. The only question is, can he claim Daniel before the night slips away and cheats them both of paradise.

Buy Mountain Claiming HERE