Wednesday Snippet - Crow Called

 So I am currently flip-flopping between two projects. Crow Called and an Amber Morgan short story. Experience tells me this is a bad idea and eventually I'll have to focus solely on one or the other, but right now I'm sort of in flux. I can't really seem to commit, and rather than worry about it and do nothing, I've decided to just work on whichever story is foremost in my head at the time. Yesterday it was the Amber Morgan story. Today it's Crow Called. Thanks, brain. 

Anyway, since it's been a while, I thought I'd share a bit of the Banshee Book. Enjoy!

Guest Blog - Be Mine from NJ Young

A day later than usual (yesterday I had important X-Men-related business to take care of), I'm happy to welcome NJ Young to my blog! She's here with the third installment of her Love With A Price series. Let's see what she's got for us...

I am very excited about Be Mine (Love With A Price, Book 3)! Dylan may just be my favorite hero so far. He’s a veterinarian, and I can’t resist a man who has a soft spot for animals. I hope you enjoy the love story of Dylan and Carly as much as I enjoyed writing it! See below for an excerpt, as well as links to read excerpts from the first two books in the series.

 

Be Mine (Love With A Price, Book 3)  

By: N.J. Young  
Genres: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, BDSM  
Triggers: Light Bondage, Spanking  
Release Date: March 2, 2016  
Publisher: Evernight Publishing

 

Blurb

After a bad breakup, Dylan Price is ready to give up on love. That is, until Carly Peters walks through the door of his veterinary clinic on a stormy night. Even though she’s drenched and holding an angry, pregnant cat, Dylan can’t stop the thrill of excitement he feels when Carly looks at him. Could she be the one? Or is she just after Dylan for his money?

When Carly Peters comes back to Oakville to help her mom run the local animal shelter, the last thing on her mind is falling in love, especially with the town vet. But no one told her Dr. Dylan Price was a gorgeous ball of sexy. And she certainly wasn’t expecting him to tug on her heart. Can she convince Dylan to take a chance on her? And will she be able to truly fall for a man who doesn’t trust her?

Purchase Links

Amazon     |     Evernight Publishing     |     All Romance eBooks |     BookStrand

 

Excerpt 

 

She ran her fingers through her cat’s soft fur, shooting a glance at Dylan, who stood at the counter. She hadn’t seen him since high school, and the years sure had been good to him. He wore a lab coat over a rumpled blue button-down shirt and a pair of worn jeans. Carly found herself itching to slide the lab coat off his shoulders so she could get a better look at his physique. His apparel did nothing to hide the fact that he was perfectly cut, but she wanted to see for herself. She wanted to slide her hands down his arms and feel the muscles there. She thought of her arms circling around his waist and tilting her head up for his kiss as she cupped his muscular backside.

Suddenly Dylan turned to her, and she realized she’d been staring at him. He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Something wrong, sweetheart?”

Blushing furiously, she turned back to her cat. “No, nothing,” she mumbled, but her pink parts were throbbing with need. Damn, she needed to get laid.  

Wow, when has that thought ever crossed my mind? She’d finally given in and had sex with her one serious college boyfriend, then wondered what all the fuss was about. Somehow, she’d bet Dylan could show her what it was about.

When he walked slowly toward her, she realized she’d been staring at him again. She stood up straight and faced him, expecting him to stop within a couple of feet of her. But then she noticed his expression—his hooded eyes, his parted lips—and her heart sped up.

Dylan backed her up against an empty cage, not touching her, but standing so close he trapped her nonetheless. “Carls, I’m trying to be a good boy, but it’s very hard when you keep looking at me like that.”

She almost giggled at the double-entendre. Yes, sometimes she had the sense of humor of a twelve-year-old boy.

Dylan smirked and raised one dark eyebrow, immediately catching her meaning. Her smile quickly disappeared as he pressed his lower half to hers. She gasped as she felt his erection. My God, he must have a monster in his pants. She lifted her hands, thinking she should push him away, but instead she fisted his shirt, pulling him closer. When he bent his head to kiss her, she let her eyes float shut.

His lips had barely brushed hers when…

 

Stalk N.J. Young on the Web

Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Website/Blog     |     Goodreads

 

Read more here about A Hero Inside (Love With A Price, Book 1)

 

Read more about One Sweet Taste (Love With A Price, Book 2)

   

About N.J. Young 

 N.J. Young has been a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil. After realizing the trials of corporate America weren’t for her, she decided to leave that world behind and pursue her true dream of writing.   

Instead of spending her days writing sexy texts to her husband and engaging in “that’s what she said” jokes, she took that energy and poured it into her books. Sprinkle in a couple of hot guys, a little suspense, and a few sexual fantasies, and her first book was born. She now spends her days drinking coffee at her computer, while diving into the adventures of the imaginary friends who live in her novels.   

N.J. Young was born and raised in the Midwest, and currently resides in the Kansas City area with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. When she’s not writing, she enjoys horror movies, live music, cooking, and telling her kids why they can’t read mommy’s books.        

Guest Blog - Elena Kincaid brings us a treat!

Because it's Friday, and we all deserve a treat. I definitely do. It's been A Week, for sure. But between having "probably bronchitis" and rescuing Yuki from a tree, I have made it to Friday. Huzzah! So let's celebrate with a free read from Elena Kincaid...

Alpha Blood Treat (Pack Warriors #2)  FREE READ

BLURB:

It had been years since the pack wars.  Some are still dealing with the fallout, but all have scars that have never fully healed.  Despite all of this, Gemma, Jordan, and Kane have managed to build a happy life for themselves and their twin boys.

Their holidays may be bittersweet, but their love and passion for each other are even fierier than ever.  Will pack skirmishes, wayward security business clients, and rowdy little boys get in the way of a night full of promise, or will Jordan and Kane manage to fulfill Gemma’s every desire? 

EXCERPT:

“I finally got the boys to—” Kane stopped dead in his tracks in the doorway to his bedroom, his words completely failing him due to the sight that greeted him.

Gemma was sprawled out in the center of their king-sized bed, wearing nothing but the wolf ears headband she wore earlier as part of her Halloween costume, her lips quirking into a sly little smile at the sight of him. A goddess, she was bare before him in a lazily relaxed pose. Her left leg was straight, her right, bent at the knee and spread open, revealing her glistening, pink pussy. Both arms were loosely stretched above her head in a pose that conveyed, come and get me and do to me what you will. Kane would happily oblige as soon as he was able to get his frozen self to move.

He couldn’t help but marvel at her beauty for a moment more. She had him tied up in knots all evening with her sexy, little wolf outfit, the hilarity of her costume choice notwithstanding. The beige, faux-fur trimmed dress hugged her every curve, flaring out at mid thigh, and revealing just enough cleavage to be sexy, yet classy. That didn’t stop other males from ogling Gemma, something that one angry, possessive look from either Jordan or Kane had them regretting. Completing her ensemble was a tail, faux-fur boots that went almost up to her knee, and the headband she was currently wearing. Damn, he and Jordan were two of the luckiest sons of bitches.

Sons of bitches who adamantly refused … for as long as they could … to wear any sort of costume. Kane had learned pretty quickly that he could not refuse Gemma anything that would make her and their three-year-old boys happy, especially if not giving in would make them unhappy. So he and Jordan begrudgingly donned last minute, makeshift costumes, which Kane had to also begrudgingly admit, looked pretty bad ass!

He had applied some of Gemma’s makeup to make himself look like Eric Draven from The Crow—the black eye-liner and dark shadow only, since Gemma did not own any white face paint. The black leather pants, skin-tight, black, long-sleeved shirt, and black boots were already part of his wardrobe. He went sans the long, black coat because Jordan needed it for his costume. In addition to Kane’s coat, Jordan wore black slacks, a ribbed, black undershirt and black boots with buckles on them. When he put on his dark aviators, his Neo from The Matrix look was complete.

Gemma squealed with glee when they had surprised her with their costumes. Both characters were from two of her favorite movies. “You both look way hotter, though,” she had said. And from the scent of her arousal, Kane had no doubt she meant it.

“I think you boys deserve a treat later,” Gemma said with a devilish wink. She then sauntered off into the family room adding just a little extra sway to her hips.

BUY LINKS:

Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/alpha-blood-treat-by-elena-kincaid/

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/alpha-blood-treat-mfm

AllRomanceE-Books:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alphabloodtreat-1990330-146.html

ALPHA BLOOD (Pack Warriors #1)

Blurb:

Gemma, a she-wolf, alone and in unbearable pain, cries vengeance against the evil man who caused her suffering.  Jordan, alpha of the White-Moon pack, the largest in the country, has a war to prepare for.  Kane, his brother and beta, struggles to be worthy of the role thrust upon him.

When young girls start to disappear and rumors of a dangerous serum surface, the two men are brought face to face with their destiny.  A fiery passion blooms between Gemma and her men, one that heals her body and soul, but a dangerous war still lies ahead.  Will they be successful at stopping an evil tyrant before another girl goes missing or will Gemma pay the ultimate price?  With her life!

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOlqDKzh5rU

Buy Links:

Evernight:http://www.evernightpublishing.com/alpha-blood-by-elena-kincaid/

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Blood-Pack-Warriors-Book-ebook/dp/B014U47Z6S

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/alpha-blood-mfm

All Romance E-Books: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alphablood-1883980-146.html

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Elena Kincaid is an award winning author.  She writes Erotic Paranormal and Contemporary MFM and MF Romances.  She developed a passion for reading and writing at an early age and loves to write what she loves to read and that is usually romance with a paranormal twist. Her desk is constantly cluttered with journals, sticky notes, and torn out pieces of paper full of ideas.

She was born in Ukraine and raised in New York, where she currently lives with her daughter.  She graduated college with a BFA in creative writing and In addition to writing, she also started a graphic design business a few years after graduating.  When not working, Elena loves to spend time with her family, travel the globe, curl up with a good book, and catch up on her soaps.

AUTHOR LINKS:

http://elenakincaid.blogspot.com/

http://www.elenakincaid.com/

https://twitter.com/elenakincaid1

https://www.facebook.com/elenakincaidthree

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7060236.Elena_Kincaid

http://www.amazon.com/Elena-Kincaid/e/B011IOY3KE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1445552803&sr=8-1

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/elena-kincaid/

http://www.bookstrand.com/elena-kincaid

https://www.pinterest.com/ekincaid0582/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/955387561187276/

http://elenakincaidauthor.tumblr.com/

http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/mypageprofile.php?location=elenakincaid

http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com/top-shelf-author/elena-kincaid/

http://www.manicreaders.com/ElenaKincaid/

http://ditterverse.com/member/elena_kincaid/stream

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIxZQdZPqoNPTPMi03LrbKQ

PSA the Third

This one is more of a notice for authors who may be dealing with Caliburn Press when it comes to rights reversals - just a piece of advice!

I'd been advised that my titles would take some time to disappear from third party distributors after getting my rights back, so I wasn't initially worried that the titles in question were still showing as available on All Romance Ebooks. However, because I want to re-home NIGHT AND CHAOS, I did want the title pulled asap. So when I noticed today that all three books were still up there, I contacted All Romance Ebooks directly.

And I was told that publishers have direct login access to their account on All Romance and can inactivate titles instantly. So Caliburn Press could have and should have removed my titles on 7th March when they sent me the RR letter. For whatever reason, they didn't (and were therefore infringing on my copyright and potentially profiting illegally from my books). I was advised by ARe to send them an official DMCA takedown notice in accordance with their policies, and less than ten minutes later, all three titles have been pulled. ARe were super efficient and helpful.

So if you've had rights returned to you, it's worth checking that the titles have indeed been pulled from third party sellers. If they haven't, get in touch with the sellers, because it may be that you don't have to rely on Caliburn Press to take them down.

This is a template for the takedown notice I used. I don't know how long the titles would have remained up there for sale if I hadn't looked into it myself, and I think now I need to find the time to check other outlets and make sure the books are all removed. Fun times!

The Great (Late) Dark Days Giveaway!

I originally planned to run this giveaway when DARK DAYS came out. Well, that was over a month ago now, so as you can see...I failed. Luckily this is the kind of failure that doesn't really matter, since DARK DAYS is still out, and I can still run the giveaway. So let's do it!

What am I giving away, you ask?

One absolutely beautiful, handmade algiz rune pendant, carved in hornbeam, from the equally beautiful Urd Handicrafts. If you've read DARK DAYS, you know this rune plays a role in the story.

One 5ml bottle of Lola-inspired perfume from my perfume shop, Common Brimstone. (Actually this isn't available in the shop yet, so it's extra specially special!). Lola's scent is Earl Grey tea, vanilla, dragon's blood, warm spices, peach, apricot and clementine.

One 5ml bottle of Tristesse-inspired perfume, Demon Duchess (also a yet-to-be released exclusive!). Tristesse's scent is enticing artemisia, Russian rose, plum, cranberry, strawberry and clove.

And rounding things up, your choice of either BLOOD WITCH or DARK DAYS in ebook.

That's what's on offer, so why not enter yourself? Go on!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blog - One...And Done, with Allyson Young

Okay, this should have gone up Friday, but on Friday I passed out on the sofa with a severe case of the plague. So you get your guest blog today instead, but that's just as good! Combat the Sunday Blues with Allyson Young!

Blurb:

When I met Drew at that damn wedding our chemistry was off the charts. All he could offer was the weekend, but uncharacteristically, I jumped at it. When he slipped away like a thief in the night I was blindsided by loss, even knowing people don’t fall in love at first sight! He left me a lifelong reminder though, one to make its appearance in about seven months. Too bad he’d never know…

She was always on my mind, and I couldn’t afford the distraction in this forsaken country where one false move could mean my death. My sniper training dissolved when I thought about Katie and our time together. I was a one and done kind of guy, but this time it was different. I’d be stateside in a few months and offer the apology she deserved. Maybe she’d forgive me, if there wasn’t another man in her life…

Excerpt-

The equally pale piece of paper took shape against the quartz countertop when I set the cup down. My breath shortened and something central in my chest tightened. Fingers creeping across the smooth surface, I inched the note closer. Block printing in a heavy, masculine hand delivered the message with utter clarity.

Katie- Got the call. Deployed sooner than expected. Stole a kiss goodbye. I’ll treasure our time together. Drew

My hand drifted up to touch my lips. They trembled and I pressed them firm, sucking in a lungful of air through my nose. I was such a treasure that people abandoned me. A mirthless laugh escaped past my hand and I swiftly catalogued the situation, regaining control. Attended a wedding and met a hot guy. Fucked said guy. So what? Lots of women hooked up, nothing surprising. Had great sex. No harm, no foul. After all, he’d set the parameters upfront. One … and done.

Picking the note up by a corner, I carried it over to the trash and dropped it in, then poured the remaining coffee down the sink. Best not to think about all the confidences shared during the recovery times, or the laughter and easy banter. The way I thought we’d connected past the fucking. Sex didn’t have to make things awkward, right? And now, if I felt like yesterday’s bread, well, I’d done it to myself. And my name was Kate.

Checking the time, I hurried to pull out some clothes suitable for brunch. My girlfriends met in half an hour and I had no reason to miss it today. No need to mention how I’d filled the better part of the weekend either. I yanked the bedding off the mattress and wadded it up, jamming the linens into the hamper. My housekeeper would take care of the rest.

Adding a spritz of citrus, I smoothed the sundress over my thighs, then grabbed my purse. Moving on.

Links:

 http://www.amazon.com/Allyson-Young/e/B00A9WPAYK

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/allyson-young/

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Allyson+Young

 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Allyson%20Young%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

http://www.bookstrand.com/allyson-young

https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Allyson+Young

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/search?query=Allyson%20Young&fcsearchfield=Author

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/allysonyoung1

About the author:

Allyson Young lives in cottage country in Manitoba, Canada with her husband and numerous pets. She worked in the human services all across Canada and has seen the best and worst of what people bring to the table. Allyson has written for years, mostly short stories and poetry, published in small newspapers and the like, although her work appeared in her high school yearbooks too! After reading an erotic romance, quite by accident, she decided to try her hand at penning erotica.

Allyson will write until whatever she has inside her is satisfied- when all the heroes man up and all the heroines get what they deserve. Love isn’t always sweet, and Allyson favours the darker side of romance.

http://www.allysonyoung.com

allysonyoung45@gmail.com

Chaotic Good

Now that the dust has settled, it's time to move forward. I said on Tuesday that I thought NIGHT AND CHAOS would be the easiest of my three Damnation Books titles to re-home, and I figured I may as well start working on that now before I commit to any bigger writing projects again. So yesterday I pulled the manuscript and did a read-through.

I haven't really thought about this book for years. I could probably have given you a brief summary of the plot, but there were huge chunks I'd totally forgotten about, and because I was never happy with the last chapter, I've always had it my head that this isn't a particularly good book. So I was kind of surprised to start reading and feel like...wow, this is cool. This is good! It's dark, it's full of motifs and themes I adore, and I love Ryan, my bad-tempered heroine. Why did I never write the sequel???

Well, obviously I never wrote the sequel because my experiences with Damnation Books soured me on NIGHT AND CHAOS. And I was kind of blinded by panic as I was re-reading yesterday, because I'd left all these little clues in the text as to what might happen in that unwritten sequel, and they didn't make any sense to me anymore. How am I supposed to write the sequel if I don't know what the sequel is??? Still, my memory awoke as I read and revisited some of the original research I'd done, and I think I know more or less what I had planned for the trilogy overall.

I finished my read-through last night, made some minor revisions, and the temptation was to just submit it there and then. I'm excited to have this book back! I'm in love with it again! Why wait?

But last night I was severely sleep-deprived and we had new episodes of Ghost Adventures to watch. And, whilst that final chapter isn't as bad as I remembered, I still felt like I'm capable of better. So I decided to sleep on it. And this morning I decided that I definitely should re-write the ending before submitting it. I also decided I should work in an MKUltra reference, because I have my priorities straight.

So the plan is to polish up that tricksy final chapter today and submit. And then it's all in the hands of fate...Well, my publisher, anyway. Wish me luck!

PSA The Second

I am delighted and relieved to announce that as of today, all three of my Damnation Books/Caliburn Press titles are back where they belong - with me. Last week was a long, weird, and stressful one, but I don't think I need to go into details here. The bottom line is, DEMONIZED, NIGHT AND CHAOS, and THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE have all been pulled from sale, the rights officially returned to me, and I am freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Well, except for some missing royalties. But that's allegedly being looked into.

So what next? Am I going to re-home these stories? I definitely want to. I think NIGHT AND CHAOS will be the easiest to deal with. It's a dark urban fantasy with romantic elements, and I'm hopeful that (after a bit of re-working, because I wrote it almost seven years ago and I like to think I've improved since then), I can find a place for it.

THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE? I don't know. Depending on your viewpoint it's either a short, sweet paranormal romance (ie, no sex), or a short urban fantasy. Either way, I don't know of many publishers that would take it as it is. I don't think expanding it or jamming in a few sex scenes will serve the story particularly well or improve it, so I'm probably going to just put it aside, at least for the time being. Maybe down the line I'll consider self-publishing it.

DEMONIZED? Ethan. Oh Ethan, you adorable disaster. I don't know. I just don't know. I have both AFTERLIFE and DEMONIZED back in my grubby hands now, and I just don't know what to do with them. It's a sad but unavoidable fact that people don't love Ethan as much as I do. UNDERTOW is well-reviewed and favourably compared to works like The Dresden Files and Constantine, but it sells poorly. Is it worth putting valuable time and energy into something nobody but me wants?

The short answer is, I don't know. The long answer involves a lot of weeping and railing against the injustice of the cold, uncaring cosmos. But I'm not trying to allocate blame for Ethan's under-performance. There is none to allocate for one thing, so we'll leave it there.

The important thing as far as I'm concerned is that my works are free of Damnation Books and I can close a frustrating and disappointing chapter in my writing career.

I advise writers to think extremely carefully before submitting to Caliburn Press or any of its imprints. I advise you to google "Damnation Books warnings" and read everything you find before making a decision.

If you're an author experiencing difficulties with Damnation Books, I'm happy to talk privately with you. Give me a shout!

Guest Blog - Ravenna Tate and Surrending to Chance

Well, it's been...a week. Definitely a week. We'll talk about it later, okay? Right now I'm delighted to welcome Ravenna Tate to the blog with the latest installment of her Weathermen series. I really love these sexy sci-fi books and you should too. Let's see what SURRENDERING TO CHANGE is all about!

SURRENDERING TO CHANCE

The Weathermen 8

***Click HERE to purchase directly from

Evernight Publishing***

Valerie Garfield has loved her boss, Grayson Jensen, CEO of Jensen Software and Web Development, for two years. They had a fling that lasted six months and ended when Valerie told Grayson she loved him, but he didn’t want the same things from their relationship that she did. Now, he wants another chance to prove he’s a changed man and only wants Valerie.

As they work side by side toward uncovering the names of more hackers, can Valerie fight her feelings, or will she end up with a broken heart once again?

Grayson is part of a group of friends financing the efforts to put a stop to The Madeline Project. The program now has a mind of its own, thanks to a virus called Tommy Twister. These men have power, resources, and money, but they’re as ruthless and possessive as the storms ravaging Earth.

They call themselves the Weathermen…

***Other Buy Links***

AMAZON

 ARE

 BOOKSTRAND

Read on for an excerpt!

***PSA***

Loathe as I am to air dirty laundry in public, I'm really explosively angry this morning, so I'm just putting up a quick blog because I have to say something.

On 27th February, the rights to DEMONIZED, one of my last three books with Damnation Books/Eternal Press, expired. I have my RR letter. However, the book is still up for sale on Amazon via Kindle and as a paperback as of this morning, so I assume it is still up for sale elsewhere too. It's not unusual for a book to take some time to disappear from third party outlets, but I would ask that you please don't buy it.

The rights to my book NIGHT AND CHAOS do not expire until 2017. However, it has been pulled from sale, without discussion with me. I have not had an RR letter. Paperback versions still seem to be available. Please don't buy them.

I have been told this morning that my book THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE will also be removed from sale, despite the rights not expiring until November this year. I imagine that ebook and paperback versions will still be available for a while yet. Please don't buy them.

I really cannot express how disheartening it is to say to people "please don't buy my books." Or how frustrating it's been for the past few years to basically pretend these titles don't exist because of the behaviour and attitude of the publisher. The publisher now has a new owner (has done for a while, in fact) and I'm hopeful that what's happening today is down to miscommunication and can be resolved.

These are stories I'm proud of and want to continue telling. But right now, as of this moment and until I believe I am being fairly dealt with, I will continue to say "please don't buy these books."