Men and Women: Just Friends?

As someone who has had male friends her entire life, I find it extremely disturbing and completely unenlightened when someone says that it is impossible for men and women to be just platonic friends and never take anything into the bedroom. Now, I know as an erotic romance writer that there are all kinds of stories out there about friendships turning into romances and that the friends to lovers thing is a staple theme in the Hollywood romcom world. Jason Bateman seems to agree with this notion. Check the article here.

In my own life, my two oldest friends are both men. Men I've known since we were five. And before you say a word, no neither one is gay. You would not believe how many times I hear that when I tell someone my oldest friends are both men. Well, they must be gay, Melissa. Either that or they find you ugly. Yeah, that's the other thing I hear all the time. They or I must be completely unattractive. Really? Nice to know that men and women will only be friends with someone they find physically unappealing. Never mind about things like brains, common interests, sparkling wit and genuinely cool personalities.

I've also heard tell that men and women will only be friends with one another if one or both of them is in a relationship. I see. If they are single and pretty, they won't be able to help themselves if they remain in the same room long enough. Wow, I had no idea that hormones trumped good conversation and a few good laughs.

I'm not saying that more can grow out of the seeds of friendship or that I have never found one of my male friends attractive. I would be lying. I have had and still have some male friends who are damned hot. Had any of them ever found me attractive at one point? Maybe, I don't know. There's also this little concept called friends with benefits. Whereby single male and female friends do sexual favors for one another when they get an itch that needs to be scratched. It happens and so what. Just because you have one particular friend like that doesn't negate platonic relationships with other men/women. When I look at all my guys friends in my life at this point, they are all like brothers. It never crosses my mind to think of them in a sexual way and not all of them are in relationships, some of them are quite single.

Maybe I'm just weird because when I meet a new man, I'm not automatically thinking of dating him. I just like meeting new people and widening my circle of friends.

In my opinion, men and women can and are strictly platonic friends all the time. There is nothing sexual about these relationships. When someone tries to read more into the friendship or dismiss it as a "yeah, right, you just haven't acted on it" situation, they are projecting their own issues, insecurities, jealousies, etc. on to it. I think if one doesn't have friends across the board gender-wise, they are missing out.

KC Kendricks...The Interview

Today I have superfantastic author KC Kendricks in the house and I am doing the happy dance. Cue the music! KC writes engaging, scintillating tales for Amber Allure. Some of her titles include The Back Stairs, Netting Neptune and one of my absolute faves, Shine A Light.

Good morning, Melissa! Thanks for inviting me to the Imaginarium today, and giving me the opportunity to talk a bit about my life and stories. I hope I don’t ramble on for too long. Here’s a little bit about me to get things going.

KC’s bio:

KC Kendricks makes her home in Maryland with her partner of almost twenty years. A 2008 Amber Heat Wave Winner, and a 2008 CAPA nominee, KC writes contemporary gay romances that while are adult in nature, celebrate love and hope for mature readers.
Living in a rural area, KC enjoys most outdoor activities except those that require sliding on snow or ice in the cold.

For more information about KC, visit her website at http://www.kckendricks.com, and her personal blog, Between the Keys, at http://kckendricks.blogspot.com . KC is new to Facebook, and you can find her button on the Between the Keys blog.
KC also has a mailing list to announce new releases. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys , or send an email to betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

What was the inspiration behind your latest release?
Inspiration comes from so many different sources. I think it’s a gift - and maybe a wee bit of a curse when the ideas come too fast to get them all down. My latest release, Open Roads (http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/OpenRoads.html), is the second set in the fictional town of Marionville. I like to do a little “world building” when I write, which translates into community building for contemporary works. The inspiration for the lead character, Tyler Phillips, came from a photo. Once he gave me his name, it was easy to give him everything he needed to be happy in Marionville, including Noel.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
I don’t remember ever having an “aha” moment about writing. It sort of developed out of a lifelong love of books. My mom read to me when I was little, and I mean she read to me every night or I got surly. She taught me there is magic in a book. She’s still an avid reader.
Somewhere along life’s journey, I had this story develop in my head. It was my own little world and playground. When writers joke about the voices they hear, it’s not really a joke. It’s the story trying to get out. I finally wrote that story and the whole thing took off with me in tow.

What do you love most about being a writer?
I love it all! I love creating the characters, giving them a name and a purpose. I love tweaking a sentence to say exactly the right thing, be it to clarify an action or create a hint of mystery or angst. I love getting up early on a Saturday morning and having the words flow onto the page. I love meeting so many wonderful people who speak the same language I do. It’s the best gig I’ve ever had, and I live for the day I can do it full-time.

What genre haven’t you tried, yet, that you would love to explore?
That’s a tough question. I started out writing speculative fiction (it dates me but I still call it science fiction) under a different pen name, and became KC Kendricks because contemporary gay romance is a bit far removed from your standard het space opera. That grounding in SF is where my love of world building comes from. I’m still actively writing SF, in fact I have a story right now in need of a home and I must settle down and get it submitted. So I guess my answer to the question is I’m currently writing in the two areas of romance that I love – gay romance and sci-fi romance.

If we looked on your bookshelf right now, what are some of the titles we would find?
Encore Performances by Melissa Bradley, of course! (Thank you KC, you've made my month)You’d also find a range of titles from the late Andre Norton, Patricia Nell Warren (The Front Runner, Harlan’s Race), C.J. Cherryh (Chanur series), Anne McCaffrey (the Pern series), Clive Cussler (Dirk Pitt series), Diana Gabaldon (Outlander), J.D. Robb.

But if you look on my Kindle, you’ll find my collection of erotic romance, which is almost all I read these days. It’s several hundred titles small (and Maxie Briscoe is there!).

Music or silence when you write?
I like it quiet when I’m actually writing, but the moment I shut it down and get ready to log onto the Internet, I pick out some music.

If you could take one of your characters out on the town, who would it be and what would you do?
Out on the town, huh? I guess it would be Stacy James of Shining Victory and No One But You. He’s got a Corvette, a subdued yet wicked sense of humor, and he knows how to be a real gentleman when the situation calls for it. He’s got money. He’d pick me up in a hot car, insist on paying for dinner and the Broadway show of my choice. He’d take me home, come in for a nightcap, and since we’re both in a committed relationship, we’d say goodnight.

Favorite naughty dessert and decadent drink.
I love, love, love my cousin’s cheesecake, swirled and drizzled with dark chocolate, and she only makes them at Christmas. I’ve no clue what her base recipe is, and that’s probably a good thing. My favorite indulgent drink is Amaretto di Saronno Originale over crushed ice.

Again, a big thanks to you, Mel, for having me here today, and a big thanks to all the readers who stop by. It’s always great fun to be able “get out of the house” and visit.


Here is an excerpt from Tango in the Night, one of KC's bestselling tales for Amber Allure. It is awesome, if I do say so myself.

Buy It Now

Blurb

Jubal Graham is back on the job after a shooter took the life of his long-time partner, and sent him into a coma followed by months of rehab. Determined to have justice, Jubal is focused on finding a killer, not a new romantic entanglement. Ellis Banks, with his smoldering blue eyes and denim-clad swagger is a distraction Jubal can’t afford – or ignore.

Ellis Banks came to Philadelphia to bust a drug operation; one that connects to the same case agency legend Kentuckian Jubal Graham is working. Ellis finds himself drawn to Jubal, but Jubal holds him off. Sure that Jubal is interested, even though he wears his slain lover’s ring, Ellis mounts a determined siege.

Jubal’s surprise at having a suitor develops into a growing affection for Ellis, one clouded with old fears. Fate ripped one lover from his arms, and now Ellis is in the line of fire. Jubal’s courage can protect Ellis, but is it powerful enough to love him?

Excerpt

INTRO: (from Jubal’s point of view)

“I’ve got a lot of miles on me, Ellis. I feel old.”

Ellis’ gaze locked with mine. I knew that interested look, having been on the receiving end of it often enough in my life. It was nice to know I could still turn a head. He reached out and trailed his fingertips down my arm. “You want some help feeling young again, Jubal?”

I hated to disappoint him. He was a nice looking man, and I couldn’t deny my curiosity about him. But…I rebuffed him as gently as I knew how.

“Not with a co-worker, Ellis, even a handsome stud like you.”

Ellis didn’t blink. His chin lifted the slightest bit as those blue eyes saw straight through my act. A warm little glow sparked to life in my belly. I knew by the way he pressed his full, sexy lips together he knew. We stood there staring at each, the air between us sparking with a strange blue lightning. He tried, but he couldn’t keep the corner of his mouth from quirking up in a little smile.

“If you change your mind, Jubal, just say so.”

I nodded. Ellis pushed off from the counter and walked towards the door. I had one more thing I had to say to him.

“Ellis?”

He stopped and turned around.

“Yeah?”

“Nice ass.”

He laughed as the door closed behind him.

Interview with Author Lynn Crain

Hello out there Imaginarians! It is Wednesday and that means it's time for another wonderful author interview. I love to spotlight authors, we are an amazing and varied profession with so many cool people. It's very rewarding for me to get to know my fellow authors and their work.

I am so excited because today we have Lynn Crain in the house. She is the author of such fantastic, steamy, electrifying tales like Subtle Invasion, Night of the Blue Moon (a 2008 Eppie finalist), Captive Illusions I: Iain and Kelsey and her latest, Captive Illusions II: Merrick and Jenna. She knew she wanted to write at an early age, but took a long and winding road to that end. Her stories run the gamut from paranormal to fantasy, futuristic and erotic. Let's dive in and get to know more about this wonderful writer.

What was the inspiration behind your latest release?

Well, I’ll probably have two out at once...LOL! One will be a new series I’m starting and its inspiration was a male revue. It’s called The Harvester and should be out in the fall sometime. The second is a continuing series titled Captive Illusions: Merrick and Jenna, and the inspiration for it would have been Hugh Jackman.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Since I was eleven when I sold a poem and saw it published in a magazine.

What do you love most about being a writer?

Freedom. This is a career you can take anywhere in the world with you. The only tools you really need are your mind, pen and paper.

What genre haven’t you tried, yet, that you would love to explore?

Probably steampunk. Or maybe even horror romance. I know those are two off-beat genres but I’ve pretty much tried everything else except sweet romance.

If we looked on your bookshelf right now, what are some of the titles we would find?

Right now, I have tons of reference books on Scotland, Debra Dixon’s GMC, every Linnea Sinclair book available, Shannon Butcher’s Sentinel series, Vicki Peterson, Jennifer Ashley’s Immortal series along with the rest of the authors, Jo Leigh and some very old series romances.

Music or silence when you write?

Music.

If you could take one of your characters out on the town, who would it be and what would you do?

There are two. The first is a guy in a fantasy romance that hasn’t seen the light of day for years. His name is Mallick Pendragon and he’s a kick-ass night. Once I get done with what I’m working on, Mallick and Erin will be revamped and put out to play. The next is Logan MacKenize from a Scottish romance I’m working on. He’s wonderful and my critique group fell in love with him the moment they saw him.

Favorite naughty dessert and decadent drink.

I’m boring on the dessert front as I am one of those rare people who don’t care for chocolate. I would more than likely have carrot cake or key lime pie. Now the drink, I’d be a little more interesting. I love Sex On The Beach and something called a Warp Core Breach. You could only get those at the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton in Las Vegas. I had one for my 40th birthday and was happy for days. LOL!

To find out more about Lynn, please visit her site http://www.lynncrain.com/

Sneak Peek of Captive Illusions II: Merrick and Jenna coming late summer 2010 from Extasy Books.

Merrick never expected to be part of his brother, Iain’s wild sexual games. Once it is over, he realizes he wants to find what Iain has found…his soul mate. When he meets Jenna, he’s afraid she is the one. But she certainly isn’t what he expected. She’s a hunter or so he thinks. But how can someone so innocent belong to a group as cold as the Hunters?

Jenna cannot believe her eyes when she sees Merrick…talk, dark and brooding…and everything she’s ever wanted in a man. There’s just one problem. He’s an immortal and her family hunts immortals. But he holds the key to her deepest, darkest fantasies. And the more she’s with him, the more she realizes her father has deceived her. But is she ready to give up everything she knows for an uncertain future?

Excerpt
She felt his hands at the back of her head. Soon the silken scarf was around her looking into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Her breath quickened as those eyes watched her intently. “Why are you staring at me?” she questioned softly.

“You’re beautiful,” he answered without hesitation. “And I’d like to hear your explanation of why I should kill a beautiful woman.”

Jenna felt the heat in her cheeks. She had wanted to hear those words from someone for so long and here, a sworn enemy, told her the very thing she needed to hear. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” He ran his fingers along her bare body in a straight line, paying special attention to her breasts and legs. Kneeling in front of her between her legs, he ran his hands along her inner thighs. “But you still haven’t told me why you think I’m going to kill you.”

She licked her lips slowly. “I betrayed you and your clan.”

“Hardly. If it hadn’t been you it would have been someone else,” he practically purred in her ear. “What I really want to know is all your sexual fantasies. All of them.” He pulled the scarf off her face and looked at her as if judging what her reply would be.

Her heartbeat went up a notch. “Why?”

“I plan to fulfill each and everyone of them.”

“Really. And just how do you plan to do that?” Jenna stared at him. She had a lot of fantasies that she expected never to be fulfilled. And a lot of those fantasies had nothing to do with sex but more with a lifetime full of precious moments.

Slowly, he leaned his head forward to breath hot, moist air on her inner thigh. The soft, erotic touch made her jump. No man had ever touched her in this way. But then again, this was no ordinary man, she reminded herself.

Heroes and Heroines...Love One, But Hate The Other

Picture it. You buy a new book, go to your fave reading spot with a nice cup of your favorite tea, etc. and start reading. You get totally hooked on the hero or heroine. You're so into them, you can't wait to meet their love interest thinking that this is going to be smoking hot, when it happens. The other hero/heroine makes an appearance and all you can think is, WTH? You convince yourself it's just the beginning, that this character just needs to develop some more, by the end, they'll change and be worthy of the character you loved right from the start.

Or you completely fall for an awesome secondary character and you wait in breathless anticipation for the author to get around to giving them their own story. Surely their hero/heroine is going to be the absolute perfect person, matching them in every way. Wrong!You can't even believe the words on the page. This is the hero, the heroine, the soul mate of my favorite character?!NOOOOO, your mind screams. What is the author thinking? How could they have created such an amazing character and then paired them with this, this, utterly unworthy person. Or worse, when it's not even totally awful, just meh. Like they didn't seem to care enough about this character to even give them a strong partner.

My reading experience is ruined right then. I feel so disappointed, betrayed, that throwing the book against the wall a hundred times doesn't even help. I am so riled, so furious, I vow to never buy another book from the author. It's an affront to my sensibility, to what I hold dear. And a big waste of money and time.

I was inspired to write this because I am currently involved in a story with a truly awesome hero. His love interest, on the other hand, is a complete dud. This guy is so weak-willed, he can't rouse himself to do even the most menial of tasks. I know it's only the beginning and that he'll probably grow and change, but I'm far enough in to be afraid of the outcome. My only option is to read ahead, but I HATE doing that. It's an inviolate rule I have, to let story unfold, but this guy is so bad, I am tempted beyond reason to break my code. And this is an author I can always count on for great characters. It's like he jumped the shark.

Has this ever happened to you? What did you do? Take the book back? Burn it? Write a nasty letter to the author?

An Interview With... Tracy L. Ranson

Hello out there in the Imaginarium. I am clapping my hands and clicking my heels because I have the terrific Tracy L. Ranson here today. She is the author of such wonderful works as The Warlord's Woman and Pirate of the Mist, both from Siren Publishing. An avid history fan, Tracy has always had a passion for writing and with the love and support of her husband she now gets to live her dream.

What was the inspiration behind your latest release? Great question! Well, there’s quite a few things actually. The book started out in life as THE CONQUEROR from New Concepts Publishing. The tale was written in 1997 as part of my therapy for all the personal issues I was going through at the time. I was newly married still didn’t quite get DH. Still don’t at times….LOL….I just shake my head and walk away. Let’s just say the love of my life almost walked out on me at the time. But we worked through things and we’re still happily married almost fourteen years later.
The book has been extensively re-written and retitled SEDUCING THE DUCHESS coming from DCL Publications very soon. I don’t have an exact release date but it should be very soon! This book will always have a special place in my heart not because it’s the first book I ever wrote but because it helped me through a lot of grief during a rough period of my life.



When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? LOL---When didn’t I know? I think my parents suspected long before I did. I’d always rewrite the endings to my children’s books if I didn’t like them or when my mom would tell us stories at night before we went to bed, I’d tell her what I wanted the ending to be. My dad would always read to us from history books and that captivated me from an early age so I guess I’d have to say both my parents fostered my love for the written word.



What do you love most about being a writer? You mean besides everything? ROFL—actually it’s the fans that do it for me. I get email from fans telling me how much they love this story or that one or how it’s helped them get through some tough times. I’ve actually got a written letter from a fan in California who is seriously ill. She wrote to me to tell me how much my stories meant to her and that it helped her through her treatments. Once I have my office completed, it’s going to hang on my wall as a reminder to why I do this when my nasty self doubts creep in. Also, it’s the industry professionals and all the friends I’ve made. Take Gail Delaney and Phyllis Campbell for instance. All of us started out in a critique group together and look at them now. Gail heads up Desert Breeze Publishing and Phyllis is the Queen of Sexual Tension then there’s lil’ ol me. These two ladies are not only great writers but also great friends. There are so many others that someone’d get tired of reading the list. Everyone knows who they are and how special they are to me.



What genre haven’t you tried, yet, that you would love to explore? Ooooh, good one. Hmm, may have to try m/m erotica but the right story hasn’t hit me yet. Also, steampunk might be another one. When I find out what it is, I might try it!!!! LOL…..



If we looked on your bookshelf right now, what are some of the titles we would find? You’d find a lot of Catherine Coulter, Angela Knight, Jackie Collins, Kitty Kelley (I’m a sucker for the dirt even if most of it’s made up!). Also, you’ll find a TON of non-fiction for research purposes. I normally go to Half Price books to find them. To me, that’s like crack. My husband and enabler always want to drag me there every payday. I have to go in with no money, credit cards or anything other means of currency. Of course, I start tweaking halfway through….LOL….I love books. Can’t ya tell?



Music or silence when you write? Music definitely! Helps to set the mood for me. The type of music depends on what I write. If I’m writing a medieval, then I’ll listen to Celtic music. If it’s contemporary, it also depends on if it’s a dark or light piece then I’ll choose appropriate musice for it.



If you could take one of your characters out on the town, who would it be and what would you do? You mean I have to choose? That’s not fair!!! LOL……it’s hard to say really. Hmmmm, you mean I have to choose just one? Okay, my choice would be debonair Nicholas Wetherington from BLOODBOORN 2: PRINCE OF SHADOW. He’s tall, debonair and oh so sexy! I’ve had one reviewer say she wanted him to jump off the page and into her living room! That’s a great compliment to writing a hero.
BTW, with Nicholas, there isn’t anything I WOULDN’T do….




Favorite naughty dessert and decadent drink. Any easy question! Being a diabetic and not able to have sugar anymore, I’ll have to remember back when I did (it’s been a few years.). Hmmm, I’ll have to say chocolate cake with a fudge filling in the center. I’m a HUGE baker and I bake everything from scratch. I used to make this great chocolate cake with a deep dark chocolate fudge filling. Everyone raved over it wherever I took it and it was always gone first thing. I do miss it to be honest but anymore, if I make it, I’ll take a bite of the piece hubby has (darn it, he never gains a pound---guess it’s all the gym time!) and it satisfies my craving. As far as decadent drink, I love a good grasshopper. I’m a mint fiend.

To learn more about Tracy and her fantastic works, please visit her at her website, http://www.tracylranson.com/

Her latest is entitled, Seducing the Duchess, due out soon from DCL Publications. Here is a little excerpt...

Blurb
Kieran of Stratford arrives home from the Crusade to find all he knew gone—from his title to his fiancée—cruelly taken by his brother, Hugh. His army is far too small to battle his brother’s so that leaves only one place to turn.

Constance of Ravenwood.

Constance despises Kieran for everything she believes he is but when he comes to ask for aid, she decides to grant him one audience—to turn him down. When their eyes meet, Constance feels the instant pull of attraction despite their embittered past. Together, they realize the long dead desires rekindle with the slightest touch and softest kiss. In the happiness they discover with each other, a dark shadow looms and waits for the perfect moment to destroy them both.

Excerpt
Her chapel glimmered in the morning brightness. Pale light flickered from the half burned tapers in their sconces. Twinkles of gold echoed from the altar, dancing around the room.

Constance ’s gaze flicked to the knave where a tall, black-wool-clad priest stood, his hands buried in his sleeves. A cowl covered his head so she could not see his features. She frowned. His form appeared very large, as if he had been constructed of all muscle.

She slipped her veil on and entered the chamber. She genuflected at the altar and knelt in front of the priest. “Many thanks for arriving to hear my confession, Father.” The priest nodded, but said nothing. “Shall I begin?”

He stood and waited silently, gesturing for her to begin.

“Bless me, Father, for it has been a short time since I have confessed my sins.” She exhaled a long breath. “My most serious sin is that I yearn for something I cannot and will not allow myself to have.” She had debated with herself part of the night whether or not confess her desires or attraction to Kieran. It would be a greater sin not to confess.

“Go on, my child,” he said, his deep voice low with a familiar ring to it. “Confess your sins to me and be forgiven.”

Constance froze. The timbre sounded like an echo from the past, but where had she heard it? “I desire a man whom I should not.”

“Do you desire to take him into your bed?”

Tears sprang to her eyes. Aye, she did. She wanted him more than any other man she had ever known. “Of course not. I would only do so if I were his bride.”

“If you were wed, would you still desire him?”

Shame filled her and she nodded. “Aye, I do and always have, though he would not accept me as his bride in his younger days. He even killed my hawk to make sure our marriage would never take place.” Tears rolled down her face as she bowed her head. There, she had said those words that had been haunting her for so long.

“Close your eyes, my child, while I give you absolution.”

Constance did as the priest bade her, waiting for words of salvation. Large hands descended on her head. The man mumbled words in Latin as his fingers slipped down her veil and circled under her ears. Callused flesh brushed against the underside of her jaw and tilted her head up. His thumbs brushed away the tracks of her tears. She wanted to open her eyes and face him, but she kept them tightly shut.

Soft lips caressed hers, gentle with a hint of passion. She leaned into his kiss and begged for him to deepen his intimate caress. He obliged her. Parting her lips, she allowed him to explore the recesses of her mouth.

Pulses of excitement pushed through her breasts to her nipples, turning them to taut peaks beneath her bodice. Dear Lord, this man aroused her deepest desires and he was a priest, no less!

Her senses returned in a flurry and she broke the kiss, pushing him away. “Do not accost me in such fashion. You are a man of the cloth.” The air in her chest tightened as shame and guilt rattled her soul.

“I have not forgotten.”

Constance turned to the priest. He lifted his head slightly, enough to allow her to see the bottom of his face. His strong chin and full lower lip came into view. Anger surged as she recognized those unmistakable features. She ripped the cowl back. Kieran stared at her with a smug grin and lusty look in his eyes. “Kieran! I should have known you were low enough to do something of this nature.”

His smiled widened as his arm locked around her waist and pulled her against his body. “There is no level I would not stoop to in order to have you.”

She lifted her head. Their gazes locked. “What I confessed to you before was a lie. I knew you to be the priest all along.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “The last of your words is the lie, Constance , not the first. You had no indication I was the priest.”

She backed away from him. “Leave here now and I will not throw you into my dungeon. If you do not, then face the consequences.”

“I will have you, make no mistake about that.” Kieran took a step in her direction. Sensual flames burned hotly in his eyes as if he would pounce on her here, in the chapel. “’Tis only a matter of time.”

“Wish as much as you want to, milord, but your dream will not come true. I will make sure of it.”

He shifted his stance. “’Tis no dream. It is a fact.”

“Leave now before I change my mind and throw you into my dungeon.”

Kieran shook his head as he closed the distance between with slow movements. “If you had changed your mind, I would be in your oubliette by now. Since I am not, then I will consider myself safe—for the moment.” He reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his lips. “If you can look into my eyes and tell me with certainty your confession was a lie, then I will leave you and never return.”

Constance blinked hard and turned away. She could not face him now that he knew the truth. Aye, she did want him, perhaps more than any man she had ever known, yet the fact of their past held her back.

He chuckled as he turned her head back to face him. “I will be back, my beloved one, and this time I will have you as my bride.”

“Nay, you will not.”

He cupped her jaw in his hands, brushing his thumbs across her lips. She closed her eyes as her pussy clenched in excitement. “I want to give you something to remember me by.”

His lips touched hers, softly at first. Teasing, touching, flicking at the taut line of her mouth. At first she refused, but the rising tide of desire soon took over. Tingles of excitement burned through her breasts, turning the tips to marble.
Kieran’s tongue slipped through her open lips and explored every recess of her mouth as he had before except this time he enticed her tongue to play. Back and forth, each dueled for favor. Constance wound her arms around his neck and drew him closer, burying her hands in his hair. Dear God, what was she doing?

I'm Interviewed at The Steam Room

I am so excited!! Michele Zurlo is profiling me on her site, The Steam Room. This is a really awesome site with lots of cool links and interviews, etc. Check it out here. You can find my interview by going to the site directly or clicking here

Michele is an author with Siren Publishing, whose incredible works include Irrepressible Force, Hanging On and Letting Go.

Save the Contemporary: Hot Finish by Erin McCarthy

Since I am a writer and a huge reader of romance in all its forms, I love it when I come across anything that helps promote the genre as a whole as well as all the myriad sub-genres within. Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and Dear Author are two sites absolutely dedicated to promoting the romance genre. Sarah Wendell and Jane Little from these two sites have teamed up and created Save the Contemporary to try and bring more exposure to contemporary romances. The contemporary is a classic form of romance, an iconic subgenre that launched the romance industry we know and love today. My first romance ever was a contemporary and I want to do my part by helping get the word out about an extraordinary genre and some of the truly excellent authors who write these stories.

Hot Finish is a wicked cool tale by Erin McCarthy. Book 3 in the awesome Fast Track series, it centers on Ryder and Suzanne. They were married after a whirlwhind courtship and divorced soon after. For years they have struggled with the issues surrounding their breakup and now they have reached a crossroads, realizing they may not be so divorced after all. The talk is this book brings it all: humor, sex and a great story. I for one have put it on my reading list.

Since we are talking about contemporary romances, I thought I'd share some of my favorite authors in the genre.

Victoria Dahl: Start Me Up and Talk Me Down are simply spectacular.

Sloane Taylor: Sultry in Sweden and Finnish Fantasies are great stories I've read over and over

Julie James: Something About You and Practice Makes Perfect are two true gems.

Julie Ortolon: Don't Tempt Me and Lead Me On always put me in a good mood.

What about you all out there? Come on over and tell me about your favorite contemporary romance authors and stories.