Guest Blog - Gayle Stanley's Bearing it all for us...

Yes, sorry, terrible pun. Couldn't resist. But I'll tell you what's not terrible! Gayle Stanley and her new Romance on the Go. Don't believe me? Well, there's a teaser to convince you...

Writers get ideas in so many different ways. The plot for BAD TEDDY BEAR came to me while watching a football game. Of course, I missed all the good plays because most of the action was going on inside my head. And now here it is in an ebook.

BAD TEDDY BEAR

Evernight Publishing

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Blurb

Down and dirty sex. That’s the name of the game for Theodore West.  They still call him Bear, even though his days in pro ball are over. Plenty of men are still anxious to be topped by the Bear and he’s happy to oblige as long as his partner understands the rules. No strings and no repeats.

Bear could win an academy award for his alpha-player performance, but in reality, he’d love to give up control. He’s a big man who likes the idea of being topped by a twink. In college, he found the perfect lover, but he dumped him rather than risk tarnishing his image. When Finn shows up, he turns Bear’s world upside-down. But, can the Bad Teddy Bear finally accept his submissive side?

Teaser

The musky scent of sex filled Bear’s nostrils. Revved up, he pounded away at the man under him. Each forceful thrust brought a grunt from Bear and an answering groan from Jack… Whatshisname?

“Gotta come. Bear, please.”

Bear was close too. He reached around and fisted Jack’s dick. He started pumping—

“Fuck.” Jack’s balls drew up tight and he soaked the mattress with his cum.

Bear followed. A few seconds later, he pulled out and rose on his knees to remove the condom. Drained, he lay on his back panting, and ran a hand through the damp matted hair on his chest. Before Bear could protest, Jack leaned over and planted a sloppy kiss on his lips.

What the fuck!

Smooching might be fun for some guys but Bear considered it a sexual speed bump. Something to be tolerated in order to get to the good stuff. Well the good stuff was over and Bear wasn’t interested in lovey-dovey bullshit. Sure, he had feelings, but they were all below his waist. Sex was a biological urge like being thirsty or taking a piss. Once he satisfied an urge, he was done. End of story.

Jack snuggled against his body. “That was great, Bear. When I recognized you at the minimart, I never thought I’d end up getting fucked by the Big Bad Bear.”

“Guess this was your lucky day.”

“I’ll never forget that play you made right before you got injured. You could have been one of the greats.”

For crying out loud. Bear didn’t need the reminder. He could replay every second of that night in his head.

“But you’re still built like a brick house. Hot. As. Hell. Blah, blah, blah…”

Jack’s words were a low, insistent drone in Bear’s ear, like a bunch of honeybees buzzing around his head. He tuned them out, grunted and sat up. Pillow talk bored him. Careful of his aching knees, he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

“Hey. You don’t have to go. Stay. I’ll order a pizza.”

Bear stood up and finger combed his shaggy brown mane. He never spent the night. Just like he never brought a hookup back to his place. Even if he didn’t work nights, and have the old man to worry about, he wouldn’t do a sleepover. What was the point? He got what he came for. His sexual tension had been relieved and he felt good. Why spoil it with a cuddle. Cuddlers were space invaders and intimacy made a guy vulnerable.

Bear picked up his clothes. “Gotta go to work.”

“Where? Call me—”

Bear slammed the bedroom door behind him and struggled into his jeans. Jack didn’t follow. Guess he finally got the idea. Jack knew what he was getting. Or not getting. Bear always laid down the ground rules before hooking up. No long-term relationships. Some guys thought a good fuck would change everything. Ahh, sorry Jack. It wasn’t that good. Not for me, anyway.

Bear gripped his car keys and left Jack’s apartment. He had just enough time to stop home, shower, and put the old man to bed.

Happy Reading!

Available at

Evernight | Amazon | All Romance | Bookstrand

Author Bio and Links

Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and pencil.

Some things never change.

Website | Blog | Twitter | FaceBook | Instagram | Pinterest

"Our creations must be shared to be art."

So if you've wandered over to my Facebook page or Twitter feed lately, you might have seen that UNDERTOW has been given a makeover. Just in case you missed it, here it is again in all it's glory!

This was a complete surprise to me, and I'm pretty blown away by the job Ragnarok's graphic designer, Shawn King, has done. It's also pretty timely, as just a few short days before, I decided to do something I've been dithering over most of this year. I'm going to self-publish DEMONIZED and AFTERLIFE.

For those who don't know the long, dull, irritating saga of Damnation Books/Caliburn Press, the short version is that I had some books with them, they were a categorically awful publisher, and now I have those books back and they still owe me royalties. Two of those books, NIGHT AND CHAOS and THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE, are now available through Evernight. The other two, AFTERLIFE and DEMONIZED, are not available anywhere.

But you need to read both these books to get the best of UNDERTOW and Ethan's story, I think. UNDERTOW stands alone, but Ethan's road to Beacon's Point begins in AFTERLIFE. The reason I've held back on doing anything with them for a while is that I didn't really know what to do with them. AFTERLIFE is an urban fantasy novel, the first in a planned series. DEMONIZED is a novella (around 20k). Whilst I probably could submit AFTERLIFE to either Ragnarok or Evernight and keep my fingers crossed that they'd want it, I don't feel like it's quite right for either publisher. And DEMONIZED is definitely, definitely not right for Evernight and too short for Ragnarok.

Self-publishing seems ideal, especially because I'm at a point where (thanks to Common Brimstone) I can invest a bit of money into decent cover art, something that's always held me back in the past. So soon, hopefully before the end of this year, both DEMONIZED and AFTERLIFE will be available again, and you can read Ethan's entire story, as well as my debut novel, and get the whole Shoregrave/Ethan experience.

Awesome!

I guess that still leaves the question of "will there be more Ethan books?" I do get asked this from time to time, and honestly, I don't know the answer. I would love there to be. I love Ethan and his fucked-up life. I love the setting of Shoregrave, and I could write a million stories there quite happily. So where are the problems?

1. Time. My writing time is limited and I have other series I would like to finish before I die or my arms fall off.

2. Audience. The Shoregrave/Ethan books have never sold well. BLOOD WITCH sold more in its first quarter than AFTERLIFE, DEMONIZED, and UNDERTOW have ever sold since 2009. A lot more. Is it worth me taking my limited writing time and dedicating it to something not many people want? That's a big question, more complex than it seems on the surface, and I really, really am not saying "I refuse to write these books because you bastards don't buy them." Maybe I'll go into that deeper in another blog.

3. Wretched Psychological Scars. I was writing the sequel to UNDERTOW in October 2012 when my dad died. At first I threw myself into carrying on writing to distract myself from that, but by May 2013, I was an utter, utter mess and I had to stop...well, everything, really. I pretty much had a mini mental breakdown, hid in the house for two weeks crying, and then decided to quit writing forever. Obviously I didn't, but every time I think about that book, I think about that part of my life, and I just feel anxious and sick. I will never finish that book as a result. I don't even want to revisit the plot and see what I can salvage of it.

So if I do go back to Ethan's series, I need to start over on that sequel. And that feels quite daunting, and I'm not ready to do it. Maybe one day I will be. I certainly hope so.

So, that's it, in a nutshell. Good news = new cover! AFTERLIFE and DEMONIZED coming back! Bad news = Ethan/Shoregrave future still uncertain. Overall, I'll say this is a win.

Guest Blog - Doris O'Connor's getting dark with HIS TO PUNISH

Happy Friday! And what better way to welcome the weekend then by getting down and dirty with Doris O'Connor? She's here with the second in her dark romance series, HIS TO PUNISH, which promises to be just as addictive as the first...Let's see what's in store!

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today with my new release His to Punish, book two of my dark romance series The Cleaners. This is the story of Ren’s second in command Ty Mason. Ever since I wrote Book one in the series, His Prize, I’ve been itching to tell Ty’s story.

Ty seemed much softer than Ren, when we first get to know him, and to an extent that is certainly true. Ty though, like all of the cleaners to be fair, has many layers. He’s just as deadly as Ren; ruthlessly protective of those he cares about and deeply loyal.

I had great fun unravelling the truth behind who is Ty Mason, and there were a few surprises in store, I tell you. Subsequently this story is much longer than the first book in this series. It has many twists and turns as my too-feisty-for-her-own-good heroine goes looking for revenge… Which places Ty in somewhat of a dilemma.

Ren is like a brother to him, and he will do anything to protect his family, but what is he to do when the one woman who gets under his skin seems determined to threaten that family.

Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens, I’m afraid. :-)

Blurb:

Revenge or love...either choice will sacrifice her freedom. 

Dance teacher Jeanette MacArthur has one thing on her mind when she auditions for a job at La Masquerade—revenge. She couldn’t protect her sister from the criminals she now seeks employment with, but she can ensure that justice prevails. 

If only her body wouldn’t melt at the touch of one of them. Ty Mason, second-hand man of the Cleaners, oozes dominance, aggression, and danger. He stands for everything she ought to despise, yet this unwanted attraction threatens to ruin her. 

Ty can’t take his eyes off the new dancer, not least because he senses the threat she represents. Only one thing for it—claim her for his own, and torture the secrets out of her—if need be. 

Her unwilling submission, however, means he discovers more than her secrets. His heart and their future are on the line.

Be Warned: BDSM, forced seduction, rimming, spanking, sex toys

18 + Excerpt:

Ty’s hands went to his belt, and she jumped when he spoke again.

“I said strip, girl, now.”

Jeanette complied with shaking hands, and another one of these deep, dark growls rumbled from Ty’s chest, when she stood before him naked. Try as she might she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, had to fight the insane urge to sink to her knees, in fact. Lord only knew what was happening to her. She was losing the plot, because she could swear she could feel Ty’s intense gaze like a physical touch, as he ran it over her naked body.

She jumped again when he cracked the belt through the air like a whip, the resulting snap far too loud in the quiet room. He stepped around her, running one finger along her skin. From the tip of her nose, around her mouth, down her neck, and along her collarbone into the valley between her breasts, he continued the silent exploration, the contrast of his much paler flesh next to hers a heady aphrodisiac indeed. When he cupped one of her breasts in his hand and lifting it, bent his head to suck her hard nipple into his mouth, Jeanette couldn’t stop her whimper of need. Unbidden her hands tangled in his hair, to keep him there, as every hard suck made her pussy quiver in need. She could smell her own arousal in the air, as her juices slowly trickled down the inside of her thighs.

Ty bit down hard on the breast in his mouth, and the sharp pain of his bite made Jeanette cry out. Not in pain exactly, because she was far too turned on and already teetering on the edge of an orgasm.

“Please…”

Ty soothed the leftover ache from his bite by licking it, before he abruptly withdrew.

“I haven’t given you permission to touch me, girl.” He reached up to grasp her wrist, and Jeanette immediately let go of his hair. She caught a glimpse of his stern expression before he swung her around.

“Face the wall, and spread your legs, girl.”

It didn’t even occur to her to disobey, and when he joined her moments later his clean male musk enveloped her.  He crowded her against that wall, the coolness of it against her skin a direct contrast against the heated male body pressing against her from behind. The feel of his chest hair against her back made her hyperaware of his harsh breathing. She closed her eyes against her shame, when he reached around and between her legs. There was nowhere to hide now, as confirmed by his next words.

“So fucking wet for me. You’re mine now, girl.”

A bite to her shoulder followed that possessive claim, and Jeanette cried out in surprise when he shoved two fingers into her pussy at the same time. Wet as she was they slid right in, and her internal muscles clamped down on the invaders. Ty thrust those digits in and out of her channel and adding another one, finger-fucked her with merciless precision. His cock was a hard, solid ridge against her hip, and he groaned into her neck again, when she spread her legs wider for him.

“Yeah, that’s it, baby, your body knows who you belong to, doesn’t it?”

Jeanette tried to respond, but nothing but a keening sound came out, because Ty curled his fingers to massage her G-spot. Pleasure surged through her hard and fast, and her hips took on a life of their own as she rocked herself against his hand, desperate to gain the friction she needed to her clit to get over.

Before she could get there, however, Ty withdrew his fingers, and slapped her ass hard. Jeanette moaned her denial and shoved her ass back into him in a silent bid for him to continue, but she should have known that was a useless exercise.

“No, your orgasms belong to me now, and you will not come without my permission.”

One hand fisted in her hair, he pulled her away from the wall and marched her across to the cross. Jeanette’s heart missed a few beats, and then turned into a jackhammer when she caught side of their reflection in the mirror on the wall.

She looked like she felt, a woman on the edge. Her eyes were too wide, her mouth, still swollen from his earlier kisses slightly open, her breasts swaying from side to side, and shaking with every harsh breath she managed to draw into her lungs, as he half dragged her along. Her skin already showed the marks of his possession, his bite marks clearly visible, and she groaned when his arm came round her waist, and he kicked her legs apart. It meant her swollen most intimate parts were clearly visible. 

Jeanette ought to be ashamed at how wet she was, at the needy sounds that immediately spilled from her lips, when Ty yanked her head back further, and rubbed his jaw along her neck. His breath singed her skin, and their gazes locked. His dark eyes flashed with dangerous intent, and Jeanette’s internal muscles clenched in response, sending more moisture to her swollen lips.  Ty smiled when he noticed, and his voice dropped even further, sending yet more shivers of dread, or was it anticipation, down her spine. Her clit quivered, the usually tiny bud clearly visible at the top of her hood.

“Take a good look, titch. Your body doesn’t lie. You want this, need it, even, and I’m just the man to give you what you need. All you have to do is ask.”

Buy it from:

Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/his-to-punish-by-doris-oconnor/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/His-Punish-Cleaners-Book-2-ebook/dp/B01I0WGJBS/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Punish-Cleaners-Book-2-ebook/dp/B01I0WGJBS/

Are: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-histopunish-2066380-147.html

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/his-to-punish-mf

*****

 About Doris:

Doris is a writer of sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get.  From contemporary to paranormal, Time Travel, Sci-fi, BDSM, F/F, M/M, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.

Happily married for the last twenty-five years, she lives with her husband and their brood of nine in a far too small house filled with love, laughter, and chaos.

Stalk her in these places  

       
Website Reader Group Tumblr Twitter Facebook Pinterest Evernight Publishing

Amazon All Romance E-Books BookStrand Barnes&Noble

The Final Battle of the Grotesque Bulge

Well, here it is. The blog no pet-owner wants to write. And of course, I don't have to write it, but I kind of need to. Catharsis for me always means writing.

Last week, we discovered Remic's bulge was back. It was a different shape, but it was in the gut area again. Now, initially we thought he was having problems digesting his last meal, so we gave him a bath and pumped the heat up in his vivarium. But by Friday, he was lethargic and non-responsive to us, which is really just not Rem. So we called the vet. Couldn't get an appointment until Monday morning. Over the weekend, we kept a close eye on him, but by Monday morning, it was clear something was really, really wrong. He'd dropped a lot of weight very quickly and just...had no spark in him. Remic has always been lively and curious, even right after his surgery and during his recovery. To see him so still and uninterested in us and the world was heartbreaking.

And of course, the vet confirmed what we probably knew in our hearts - that the tumour was back. She only needed thirty seconds of looking at him to know it. Two months after his initial operation, and after he seemed to bounce back so well, this was devastating. But undeniable. And there was only one choice to be made. By this time, Rem was visibly suffering and so we made that choice...because it wasn't really a choice. He was dying. The kindest, most responsible thing we could do was ease him on.

We got Remic in June 2011, from a local guy who was an incurable pet-collector. He'd buy animals until he had no more room, then sell some on to make more room. We got Ket from him too, actually. I don't want to give the impression this guy didn't care about his animals, but I think he was definitely hooked on acquiring new, novelty pets. Kyle, a life-long reptile-lover, jumped at the chance to take Rem off his hands.

Here he is, five years ago, before we gave him a more interesting tank to live in. Snakes are highly curious and need their environment changed regularly to keep them active and engaged. Rem didn't have much in the way of decor when we first took him, and he was pretty twitchy and nervous of us. His first act when we first handled him was to attempt to choke Kyle to death, in fact. Our relationship did improve from there, though.

Here he is befriending a stick. He then tried to bite it, because you just can't trust sticks, and Remic knew that.

Here he is trying to eat an ornamental skull, because whatever else he may have been, Rem was not bright. Every feeding time tended to end with him trying to swallow something other than his mouse (including his own tail, one unfortunate time). He always got there in the end though.

And here he is just watching me watching him. He was always interested in what we were doing, particularly if loud music was involved (he and Ket seem to have a preference for psytrance and drum n'bass). Occasionally, if I was working on perfume orders in the kitchen, I'd just leave his door open so he could poke his head out and have a proper look. He didn't always want to come out of the viv altogether, but he seemed to like getting a closer look at everything.

It's really difficult to explain to people who don't like or have never had snakes why they make good pets, and how they become more than pets - they become companions in the same way a cat or a dog does. Rem had a huge personality. He was derpy and dumb, but inquisitive and perky. He was, I hope you'll agree, incredibly handsome. He was a show-off when he was in the right mood, and he was fascinating to just watch, because he was always doing something, whether it was attempting to break open the snake-lock on his doors or climbing the walls of his tank until he fell over.

We are lucky, I think, that when the end came, it came quickly. There's no good way to lose a pet, and cancer is particularly nasty, but Remic was fine...until he wasn't. Even when we first discovered the tumour back in May, he was pain-free and unbothered by it. During his surgery and recovery, the vet commented on how bright and well he was. His recovery seemed to be going just fine...until it didn't. We knew there was a chance the tumour could return, but of course that doesn't make it any easier that it did.

But I think Rem had a good five years with us, and I think we gave him the most compassionate end we could. He will be massively missed and joyfully remembered.

Author Interview - Alyse Raines and The Fundamental Theory of Us

Happy Friday! Time to find a new author and a new book for the weekend, right? Right! Today I'm delighted to welcome Alyse Raines. She's here to talk about her new, debut(!) novel, THE FUNDAMENTAL THEORY OF US. She's also talking Marines, redemption, Starbucks, and her upcoming releases. Let's get going!

NC: Gorgeous cover! Tell us a little bit about your newest release.

AR: THE FUNDAMENTAL THEORY OF US is my debut and features a sexy-as-sin Marine, an Upper East Sider in hiding, and sweet, steamy moments. You can get it from all major ebook retailers, or direct from Evernight. The blurb is:

Andrew Warren’s future was with the Marines, until an IED took his leg and derailed his career. Now he’s flunking Fundamentals, and he enlists the help of his fellow App State freshman and off-campus neighbor, Sawyer Layne. It’s not just the beautiful blonde’s looks that intrigue him, but the hurt in her eyes.

Sawyer spends her days surrounded by numbers and nights with a bottle of vodka to numb the darkness of her past. Guys like sexy, tattooed Andrew are exactly what Sawyer needs to avoid. Look but don’t touch—that’s the rule. If only his eyes weren’t so blue, and his abs not so chiseled….

When Sawyer resists his brand of charm, Andrew uses every devious tactic he knows to pull her from her shell. Falling in love was never part of the plan.

NC: Was there any part of this story you found particularly tough to write? If so, why?

AR: My hero lost his leg below the knee, and I had no experience with this. I did a lot of research, and even spoke to a few servicemen who suffered similar injuries. Their feedback helped me get inside Andrew’s head and heart. Without them, I couldn’t have brought Andrew to life so convincingly! Unfortunately I can’t name them, as they’re still active duty, but they know who they are and I am forever indebted to them <3

NC: Is there any part of this story you absolutely love, and why?

AR: TFToU is all about redemption and self-forgiveness. I love how Sawyer and Andrew work through their own demons while helping each other at the same time.

NC: I adore a good redemption story. Do you have a favourite genre to write in?

AR: I enjoy romance, both reading and writing. Most of my works contain at least a little love ;) I’m also a huge SFF fan. My first YA science fiction novel was snatched up by Entangled Teen and comes out in 2018.

NC: If you could recommend any book (beside your own) to everyone reading this, what would it be?

AR: TALES BY RAILS by Jewel E. Leonard. One-click asap. You’ll love it!

NC: And now, the hard-hitting question. Tea or coffee?

AR: Well, that’s not fair. Are we talking Starbucks? Because then the answer is obvious. Unless you mean iced green tea...

NC: Somehow, I have never tried green iced tea...but I don't think the UK Starbucks carry as much variety as the US ones! I feel like we only just got Pumpkin Spice Lattes...And finally, what else are you working on right now? What's up next from you?

AR: I’m working on a stand-alone in the TFToU world, and trying out a more blush-inducing erotic romance with an interesting twist!

So hopefully this has whet your appetite for THE FUNDAMENTAL THEORY OF US - I know it's on my to-buy list now! Want to keep up with Alyse? Here's how:

Author links:

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Buy links:

Evernight Publishing

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Author bio:

Alyse Raines was born in Canada, and now lives in Los Angeles. She writes romance, and her obsessions include vegan cooking, books, tea, sandals, turquoise jewelry, nail polish, and online shopping. Her debut NA contemp romance THE FUNDAMENTAL THEORY OF US is out now from Evernight.

Happy Release Day To Me!

Would it be in awful taste to say THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE lives again? Probably.

Anyway! You can get it for free at Evernight, Smashwords (thanks for letting me know about that, Tez Miller!), and All Romance Ebooks.

And to whet your appetite, here's a peek at the first chapter. Enjoy!

Read on for an excerpt...

THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE has a cover!

I don't think I need to say anything, except AMAZING!!! I love it so much. Evanthe is looking sharp.

It also has a release date - tomorrow! THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE will be available for free on Wednesday 13th July from Evernight. Stay tuned!