Vixenwriter

A surprise but a nice one – Anya Bast and I wrote connected stories for the Torrid Tarot series in 2007 at EC. Her heroine and mine are sisters. Anyway, we’d always hoped the novellas would come out in a print combo and we found out via google alert that is is finally available as Crown and Blade

I do like the cover (minus the banner at the top which takes away from the cover art I think). It’s very sexy and I like that blue/silver hue (and he’s no chore to look at either)

Blurbage: Sword and Crown by Lauren Dane

For most of Rhea’s life, she used her Talent as a Practitioner of sex magic to keep her world safe from a powerful dark menace. But tragedy struck and she found herself exiled to Earth.

Fifteen years later, out of the blue, a face from her past appears on her doorstep. The Nameless is back and stronger than before. Her people need her and they’ve sent her first love, Jax, to petition for her help.

As the stakes get higher, with the balance of the very existence of her universe in her hands, she’s also fighting the loss of her heart to a man who walked away from her once before. She knows her past has changed her in elemental ways but while she knows she can trust Jax at her back, she has to figure out if she can trust him with her heart.

Whisper of the Blade by Anya Bast

Emmia feels the emotion of all who surround her. Her Talent is empathy and it’s more curse than blessing. She employs her skill as a justice mercenary, discovering criminals and meting out punishment.

Magnus didn’t kill his lover, Caith, the way everyone suspects. Now he is lord to a keep filled with suspicious, angry people.

Quinn, part three of the ménage à trois that ended in Caith’s death, wants only to set things right and resume the loving relationship he once had with Magnus. He seeks out Emmia and employs her.

In a sexual tangle…
But both Magnus and Quinn are drawn to Emmia, just as they are drawn to each other. All three of them become lost in a weave of scorching and erotic desire coupled with emotional need.

And what better opportunity than it being Tuesday? Okay so two people I absolutely love – Megan Hart and Anya Bast are having book releases in January. In fact, Megan’s book, Stranger, is shipping from Amazon now!

Stranger by Megan Hart

Blurb: I pay strangers to sleep with me. I have my reasons….
But they’re not the ones you’d expect.

For starters, I’m a funeral director taking over my dad’s business. Not exactly the kind of person you’d expect to fork over cash for the lust and urgency only live skin-to-skin contact can create. Looking at me, you wouldn’t have a clue I carry this little secret so close it creases up like the folds of a fan. Tight. Personal. Ready to unravel in the heat of the moment.

Unsurprisingly, my line of work brings me face-to-face with loss. So I decided long ago that paying for sex would be one of the best (and arousing) ways to save myself from the one thing that would eventually cut far too deep.

But Sam was a mistake. Literally. I signed on to “pick up” a stranger at a bar, but took Sam home instead. And now that I’ve felt his heat, his sweat and everything else, can I really go back to impersonal?

Let’s just hope he never finds out about my other life.…

Anya Bast’s Witch Heart

Blurb: With the immense powers of an earth witch, Claire isn’t destined to be a demon’s handmaiden. Yet this has been her fate since she was six, when her warlock mother brought her to Eudae. Now as an adult, she’s about to discover her true power—and how far others are willing to go to take it away…

As part of a mission with the Coven, Adam Tyrell rescues Claire from her enslavement—and finds himself immediately taken with the beautiful witch. But this charming playboy soon learns that it’s easier to steal Claire from demons than win her heart, for her life as a servant has ravaged her spirit. But with Adam determined to protect her from the warlocks who want to harness her magick for evil, Claire’s resistance starts to give way—and they find themselves in the heat of danger, surrendering to the lure of their deepest desires…

Okay so this one will be simple with two readers chosen – one will will Stranger, one will win Witch Heart. All you need to do to enter is reply to this post with three favorite romances of 2008. Easy Peasy! I’ll choose a winner on New Year’s Day at noon pacific! They’ll be shipping directly from Amazon.

Good luck!

But I’ve lost track of what day it is. Everyone is home on vacation, most of NY publishing is off until the 5th so it’s just like Saturday over and over, LOL.

Santa brought Guitar Hero III and we played it yesterday. What a ridiculously fun game it is. Harder than I’d thought but a lot of fun too. One of the best things about the Wii is how the whole family can get involved and play. Speaking of fun for the whole family, we also got Boom Blox – which is deceptively simple, not bloody but things explode (blocks). Up to four people can play at once so it’s a great option and an “everyone” rated game too.

I’ve managed to finish up my AAs on Sensual Magic for the second Vegas antho. I need to make a page for it and to get an excerpt up. And yesterday I finished my Final Pass Pages for Relentless too. So I’m relieved to have those out of the way. Now it’s time to finish up my next chapter for No Reservations (I only have about 5 more pages to go)

And then I need to decide between two ideas I’ve had recently. One is ridiculously complicated and in a new genre and will most likely be stupid hard to sell, LOL. The other would be easier I think. But I don’t know. Anyway, I’ll have the time for a few weeks to actually think about it, so yay!

Other that that? I’m reading an ARC of Jill Sorenson’s Crash Into Me and it’s very good. I also finished Anne Stuart’s Fire and Ice and of course I loved it. I’d have liked to smack Jilly a time or two, but I love me some Reno. Watching a lot of movies. Dude and I saw Burn After Reading last night and I laughed my ass off. Until I didn’t. It is, after all a Coen Brothers movie, LOL. Night before last it was Traitor and Don Cheadle remains an actor I think is so ignored for his talent. It was deliciously gray and filled with ambiguity. Excellent movie. We got a bunch of movies for christmas so I’ve been watching Buffy episodes and caught Matrix Reloaded too. Nothing taxing. Just time with the family.

Oh! I’m running a contest to win a copy of Elisabeth Naughton’s Stolen Fury over at the Bradford Bunch! Later this week I’m going to be running a contest here to win copies of Megan Hart’s Stranger and Anya Bast’s Witch Heart so stay tuned!

Like whoa. We had a lovely Christmas. The kids took such a more active part in the whole process this year, from decorating to helping hand out presents to helping each other with stuff. That was the best gift of all, I have to say.

It does feel like I was in the kitchen all day though! I made a big breakfast, a smallish lunch and then the big dinner. But the turkey came out really well, fresh bread and several sides. We were a bit light on the dessert angle and I had plans for more sides but we still were quite full when we managed to shove away from the table, LOL. I did dishes three times, gah! But still, it was nice to wake up to a clean kitchen so that was worth it.

One really annyoing thing? Our produce box and grocery delivery did not show up this week even though they had rescheduled delivery three times. I checked over and over to be sure they still had us for the 24th. Which they did and no they never even bothered to say they weren’t coming. To make matters even more annoying, they’ve rescheduled us to the 31! So I had to make due for our dinner last night with stuff we had and I made cookies instead of the cheesecake I’d planned on. It wasn’t the end of the world but it WAS shoddy service and I’m not pleased about that part. Our weather has stopped many a delivery over the last two weeks, I haven’t been able to get to the post office to mail out prizes and UPS is totally haphazard so I’m glad I finished up my gift shopping a few weeks ago.

The snow plow finally made it to our neighborhood and they’ve left four foot high snow banks against the driveways so no one can get out. Oh and at random in the middle of the streets too. My dude had to shovel through that to clear a path so he could get out to the grocery store (see the part above where we didn’t get our produce box, LOL)

Anyway, I didn’t write a single word yesterday. I watched movies (we got the Matrix blu ray box set and the Buffy box set so there was plenty to watch!), hung out with the kids and read a bit too. It was a lovely day. Now it’s back to work. I have Final Pass pages on Relentless and AAs on Sensual Magic as well as my chapter in No Reservations to finish up. Lots to do.

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a good day yesterday! Enjoy your weekend

Firstly, I’m over at Fatin’s blog – novel thoughts, talking about small towns and families and why I love them in romances. And I’m giving away a copy of To Do List and Sweet Charity. Come over and say hello!

Also, Fresh Fiction named Holiday Seduction yesterday’s Fresh Pick. I’m such a dork I didn’t say so yesterday but I can only blame the presence of three small people who are off school and trapped in the house due to snow and ice. Oh and a release so I was distracted and interrupted a million times. But thank you Fresh Fiction! This was so very cool for several reasons. First, it’s always nice to have someone like your work. Secondly though, yesterday was the release day for Sweet Charity and Unraveled – my and Jaci’s holiday novellas which feature characters you meet in our holiday books last year, yes, the two novellas in HOliday Seduction: Jaci Burton’s Unwrapped and my To Do List. Next September Samhain is putting out Holiday Heat, a print anthology which features Jaci’s Unraveled (which is sooo good!) and my Sweet Charity.

Also, upon turning on my computer this morning I had some congratulatory emails about CAPA nominations. I’ve been nominated in a few categories, which is so very wonderful!

Best Paranormal Romance: Fated
Favorite Author
Erotic Paranormal Romance: Wolf Unbound
Favorite Erotic Author

Thank you very much, TRS and your wonderful reviewers for these lovely nominations!! Congratulations to all the other nominees as well, there are many, many of my favorites on the list.

Oh and I got my first review for Sweet Charity from Romance Junkies! Lauren Dane does it again. SWEET CHARITY encompasses everything I’ve come to love in Ms. Dane’s novels. The characters are down to earth, loveable, and absolutely delightful to get to know. Charity’s ballsy confrontations with Gabriel left me snickering and a little in awe of her bravado. Gabriel’s protective instincts and preference for BDSM loving left me drooling. One of the things I loved about this story is how much the characters treasure their families and their heritage. Add how perfect Charity and Gabriel are for each other without even realizing it really warms the heart. Of course, Charity’s fiery temper had me laughing out loud because sweet she definitely isn’t once riled. Congratulations Ms. Dane, on yet another story that will be added to my overflowing keeper files.

I’m over at Fatin’s place talking about small town romances and giving away a copy of To Do List AND Sweet Charity! Come by and say hello.

A bad boy is about to find out just how naughty a good girl can be.

After eight long years of pretending a horrible one-night stand hadn’t happened and wondering if it had been her fault, Charity Harris has finally coaxed handsome bad boy and lifelong friend, Gabriel Bettencourt, back into her bed. It’s not just good, it’s fanfreakingtastic! Trouble is, he’s persisting with his story about not wanting a relationship and not being good enough for her even as their friendship blooms into something looking a lot like love.

Gabriel has ached to make Charity his for years, and finally having her in his bed, not just enduring but enjoying his darker urges is more than he’d ever imagined it could be. Despite what she says, he knows she deserves candlelight and roses, not candle wax and ropes. He’ll enjoy her while he can and let go when she finds the right man.

Charity knows Gabriel’s game and she’s not having any of it. A man can like it rough in bed and still be good and kind. He’s exactly the kind of man she wants to marry and she will. She loves him and she knows he loves her and she’s not taking no for an answer.

So when he runs off “to think” just after Christmas, it’s up to her to let him know that good girls can like it dark and rough and bad boys can be good men.

(also this week are Jaci Burton’s Unraveled – like Sweet Charity, Unraveled picks up after her 07 holiday story, Unwrapped! And Lorelei James’ Mistress Christmas and D. McEntyre’s Midnight Rose – it’s a very good day at Samhain!)

Countdown begins – in less than twenty four hours, Sweet Charity releases from Samhain!

This book takes up a year later after To Do List ends and it’s Rafe’s brother Gabriel’s story. It’s also a friends to lovers theme, one I totally love to write!

Blurb: Charity Harris has finally got a taste of handsome bad boy and lifelong friend, Gabriel Bettencourt after eight years of pretending a horrible one night stand never happened. Trouble is, he’s persisting with his story about not wanting a relationship and not being good enough for her.

Gabriel has ached to make Charity his for many years now and having her in his bed, willing and not flinching away from his darker urges is more than he’d ever imagined it could be. But Charity needs candlelight, not candle wax and he didn’t have the kind of soul she needed in a husband. But he’d be a fool to turn down the offer of a short term fling so he could have his fill until it was time to move on.

Charity can’t be managed and Gabriel finds less and less resistance to her insistence that good girls can still be naughty and bad boys like him can still be gentle and loving when the time was right.

When he runs away to think things over on New Year’s Eve, she follows. Gabriel is about to find out that even sweet girls have their limits.

Excerpt after the jump! Read the rest of this entry ?

To those friends who are beginning the first night of Hanukkah tonight, I wish you much joy and love and time spent with those you love! (eat some latke for me with sour cream!)

To those who are celebrating solstice or Yule – blessed Yule to you!

I love that so many different holiday traditions are celebrated in winter. It’s amazing to me how many different cultures and religions over time celebrate light through the darkness in some way or another. No matter what you celebrate, I wish you all the best.