I love sequels!

2008 seems to be the year of the sequel for me. Back in August Amber Heat released Wolfsbane 2: Leader of the Pack, the sequel to my 2006 werewolf novella, Wolfsbane: Leader of the Pack.

I enjoyed writing that sequel so much, I had to write another...of course I had to write the first story first - before I could come up with a sequel, so I did.

In September, Amber Heat released my first historical, A Rogue's Reward and in November, the sequel, A Rogue's Redemption.

Here's a little bit more about A Rogue's Redemption, which follows the exploits of female pirate captain Fallon Robard.

Fallon Robard, captain of the all-female crew of the Gabrielle, made her most difficult decision when she abandoned young lovers Rhea Galant and Lord Sheppard York on a deserted island after Sheppard’s father refused to pay the ransom for his kidnapped son. Now, months later, Sheppard’s older brothers, Jacob and Jon, have tracked down Fallon.

The handsome twins seek to avenge their brother’s suffering and demand Fallon repent her crimes. When faced with punishment at the hands of two masterful men, will Fallon get more than she bargained for, or just what she deserves?

Genres: Historical / Pirate / Action / Adventure / BDSM / Series

Heat Level: 3 Length: Extended Novella (32k words)

EXCERPT:

In Jacob’s dream, warm feminine flesh rode over his. The tempting scent of Fallon’s skin filled his lungs, and the rush of illicit arousal tightened his loins.

He’d been so close to taking her when she lay limp beneath him on her bed. Straddling her slender waist while he bound her delicate wrists, the rake in him had considered it, but the gentleman he’d been bred to be refused.

If he made love to her—when—she’d be awake, aware and at least partially willing…or he’d be blissfully asleep as he must certainly be now. He imagined her sliding the sea green silk above her thighs, swinging one shapely leg over his body and climbing atop him while he lay in his borrowed bunk.

Separated from her feminine heat by no more than his thin under breeches, his cock responded as any man’s would, but his rapid pulse skipped a beat when the cool hiss of a blade being drawn against leather filled his ears. His dream ended with Fallon Robard’s soft chuckle as she bore down on his chest.

A dagger glinted in the moonlight, and the sharp tip found a tender spot below his jaw. She shifted her hips, bringing her naked sex against his straining erection. The blade pressed deeper into his skin and pierced his flesh. He felt a bead of warm blood break and trickle down to the hollow of his throat.

“Good evening, milord. Pardon me for disturbing your sleep, but I’ve a favor to ask.”
“At the moment, I don’t think I’m in any position to deny you, Captain.”

The press of the blade let up a fraction, allowing the minute cut she’d made to flow freely. “My request’s a simple one, Lord York. You and your brother will climb into the fishing boat and paddle away, and our paths will never cross again.”

“As you wish, milady. With haste.” Jacob shifted his legs and managed to arch his back a bit.
Her weapon still poised, Fallon rode him, a wicked smile curving her luscious lips. “You can humor me, but note the ease with which I ended up above you. I could have slid my blade between your ribs while you slept, then moved on to dispatch your brother.”

“True, but I suspect you’d rather I slid my blade between your legs, wouldn’t you, Fallon?” Jacob bucked, a subtle movement, but one that left no doubt his of his intentions. In response, she tightened her thighs around his waist, and a swift breath drew her pebbled nipples tight against the pale silk of her gown.

Her golden brows knit and she cursed. “You can fancy yourself of interest to me, but I’d sooner watch you bleed than watch you come. Your game has ended. This time I’m granting you mercy just as I did for Sheppard, but should we ever meet again, I promise you, dear Jacob, I’ll take great pleasure in your demise.”

Jacob smirked. His right thumb brushed Fallon’s knee, and she flinched. “Tell me the truth. You could have killed me, or you could have fled. Instead you’re here in my bed, your breasts heaving, cheeks flushed. Only a thin layer of cloth separates our intimate flesh, and I’d wager you’d be just as eager as I to have it removed.”

She threw her head back and gave a sharp laugh. “Wouldn’t we all like a good fuck, milord? I’ll get mine from a man in Cape Town I pay a handsome sum to follow my instructions. I imagine you’ll get yours for a shilling or two from the first willing bar wench to greet you when you return to Tremont. All I want from you, Lord York, is your absence.”

“Hmm. Very well. You have me at a disadvantage. I’ll go and take my traitorous brother with me. I gather he was involved in your escape.”

She leaned back, still brandishing the skinny dagger. Jacob had no doubt she’d deal a fatal cut if provoked. “Of course Jon helped me. Isn’t it clear to you he finds your plot for revenge abhorrent? You can’t trust your own blood. You’d best keep that in mind the next time you place faith in the loyalty of your twin.”

“I will.” In a carefully executed move, Jacob dislodged her from her perch. He slapped her wrist, sending the dagger skittering across the floor. Armed now only with her rage, she lunged for his throat. She’d have throttled him, but his arms were slightly longer, his muscles stronger than hers. They wrestled off the narrow bunk and hit the floor, Jacob on top.

Fallon’s breath left her in a whoosh, and she lay stunned beneath him, momentarily dazed by the impact of her skull against the planks. Jacob wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and lifted her as he rose.

She fought him, kicking and biting as he spun her to face away from him, dragged her arms behind her and tucked her hands into the wide leather belt that canted across her hips. Effectively bound now, she cursed viciously when he pushed her onto the bunk.

“Tell me exactly what it is you want now, Captain Fallon,” Jacob demanded through clenched teeth. With one hand he held her flat against the mattress, and with the other he lifted her skirt, exposing her backside. He caressed the smooth skin of her cheeks, which, though clenched tight, still left the folds of her femininity exposed between them.

His cock pulsed at the sight and his balls tightened as he raised a hand to deliver exactly what the lovely lady pirate needed.

****

For more info about A Rogue's Redemption and another sizzling excerpt, visit Amber Quill/Amber Heat!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Most of us have turkeys to stuff, cranberry sauce to make, and relatives to appease, so I'll keep this blog brief and amazingly free of anything to do with promoting my books...for once.

I just wanted to take a moment to express how grateful I am to the folks at Amber Quill Press and the other wonderful friends I've made since that fateful day I opened an e-mail from Trace inviting me to become an AQP author. That's reason number one to be grateful...his e-mail opened a whole new door to what publishing could be for me...and for that I will always be grateful. AQP-related, here are a few other things I'm grateful for:

1. Awesome cover designs. How one person can keep turning out arresting covers one after the other like Trace does is a mystery. But I don't ponder too hard; I'm just glad we have him on our team to dress up our stories and make them beguiling for the reading world.

2. Eagle-eyed editing. I've worked with three editors so far and all have been simply amazing in their attention to detail and ability to make sure my stories are as good as they can be before they're unleashed on the world.

3. Aggressive marketing. No, I'm not talking about in the produce section (but that could give some of you Amber Heat authors a few ideas), but about how AQP gets behind its writers and ensures we have a good push into a crowded reading marketplace. The website, web announcements and specials, and more are all awesome ways AQP helps get us all noticed.

4. A great bunch of people. There are a lot of e-publishers and print publishers out there, but few can match the dedicated, unique, and lively bunch who work under the AQP umbrella. I have never, in all my years of writing, come across a more caring, kind, and invested group than I have right here at Amber Quill.

5. Readers. Thank God for the readers (of whom I am one, when I doff my writer hat), who make it possible for us to sit around on our fannies and tell stories. What a great job we have! And we would not have it without our readers, so to them, and to everyone at Amber Quill, I wish you all a very:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

And the Winner is...

Thanks to all of you who participated in my little contest. EricaD is my lucky winner. She emailed me the correct answer to the question, "what is the name of Nina's dog?" Congratulations Erica!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Melissa Bradley

http://www.myspace.com/melbwrites

DREAM ON contest

For Thanksgiving I have decided to run a little contest for my story, DREAM ON. It is a sizzling tale about a forty year old accounting manager who becomes involved with a hot young cop. It also reflects on the joys and annoyances of family and friends. Here’s a little bit about the story.

SYNOPSIS
Nina is having a disastrous fortieth birthday. She overslept, was late for work and managed to get herself pulled over by the hottest young cop she'd ever laid eyes on. The last thing she expects is to cross paths with Officer Alex Torres again.

That evening at an Aerosmith concert, the sparks fly, plunging Nina and Alex into a blazing night of passion neither can forget or give up. To Nina's surprise, the two forge a relationship that will change everything. But age isn't the only hurdle they face. Friends, family and career threaten to tear them apart.

Go here to read the excerpt. Then email me the name of Nina’s dog at melbwrites@gmail.com . I will be taking entries until 6:00pm Central Time tonight and then I will draw a winner. The prize is a free download of DREAM ON. I will post the winner on here this evening . Enjoy your day!

Melissa Bradley

http://www.myspace.com/melbwrites

Win free paperbacks from JM Snyder

I have an AWESOME contest running through Author Island ~ you can win a signed copy of ALL THREE of my "Vic and Matt" paperback books! That's right, you'll get:

• The Powers of Love Book 1: Origins
• The Bonds of Love
• The Positions of Love

All who enter also receive a fun goody bag. For more information and instructions on how to enter, visit http://tinyurl.com/authorisland and scroll down until you see J.M. Snyder's contest on that page!

LOVE HAIGHT

Sorry I’m late with this. Here is the steamy excerpt I promised from LOVE HAIGHT. Enjoy!

EXCERPT
Rolling her beneath him, Joe explored her mouth, tasting himself on her and feeling a corresponding thrill shoot straight to his dick. He swept a hand down her side from breast to buttock and reveled in the smoothness of her flesh. Damn, but she had the most luscious skin…a texture somewhere between silk and velvet. It was pale gold, except her breasts and hips, which were milky white in a bathing suit outline.

He left her lips behind as he began licking and sucking a path along her neck to her collarbone, finally latching on to one of her raspberry nipples. He plied the bud with his tongue, circling it and laving it until it was ruby hard and then he turned his attention to the other one, subjecting it to the same erotic treatment.

He reached down, cupping the moist heat of her mound, making sure she was wet and ready. His fingers tangled in the soft blonde curls, gently tugging on them, ramping up her arousal.

Lily moaned softly, her nails raking over his shoulders, scraping down his back and digging into his buttocks.

Joe’s cock hardened against her belly, the pliant muscles caressing him as she rocked into him. His balls drew tight as they brushed along her damp pussy.

Her thighs splayed open, an unspoken demand.

Joe pushed to his knees and fit the slick head of his penis to her tender opening, sliding just inside her. He rubbed his glans slowly around her clit, making her writhe and arch up into him, torturing them both with an onslaught of pleasure.

He positioned himself, thrusting forward in a swift, deep entry. “Unnhh… so good…” he grunted, his hips pistoning into her. After a few hard pumps, he knew he had to slow the pace. His body was a hair trigger, ready to shoot.

Lily hooked her legs over his calves, matching him note for note in their sexual symphony, their bodies rocking together in a natural cadence, an inner drummer only they could hear.

“Deeper, Joe…Need you…” she panted in his ear.

This was so good he never wanted to stop. All too soon his body began the final climb, his balls tight, thighs burning, lower back tingling. The first spurt exploded out of him in a rush as he rammed into her, locking his pelvis to hers. Tremors shook him like an earthquake, every muscle locking together.

She screamed right before he finished, her pussy clenching around his dick in pulsing waves.

He fell against her, his skeletal support gone, a sea of calm pleasure washing over him as he struggled to keep his eyes open. With a gentle kiss, Joe shifted to his side and spooned Lily against him. Soft snores accompanied him into sleep.

Thanks for reading. LOVE HAIGHT is available here Have a great day.

Melissa Bradley
http://www.myspace.com/melbwrites

LOVE HAIGHT ...Now Available

Yesterday, my newest erotic tale, LOVE HAIGHT, was released. It was a true labor of love to write because one of my favorite time periods is the 60’s. LOVE HAIGHT is set in San Francisco in the iconic neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury. I immersed myself in the television, film, music, literature and politics of time. I wanted to capture a time, a feeling and I hope I succeeded. Here’s a PG peek.

SYNOPSIS

It is 1967 and the Summer of Love has just begun to light up San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury. Lily Roberts, a Vietnam nurse, has come here to lose herself in the psychedelic scene and forget the horrors of war. For Joe Sullivan, a rocker on the rise, the vibrant atmosphere is the perfect place to launch his band to the heights of success.
Ever since Lily’s return from Southeast Asia, she’s been disconnected, angry and plagued by nightmares. She attempts to forget everything through parties, drugs and alcohol. Her heated encounter with Joe scares her. He reawakens things deep inside she thought were long dead, but she’s afraid to reach out, to trust in these feelings.
For Joe, his band is on the brink of stardom and the last thing he needs is a relationship, yet Lily has gotten under his skin and into his heart. He can’t let her go, but she’s on a self-destructive path he may not be able to save her from…
EXCERPT
“What did he want?”
Lily’s gaze slid in the direction of the question, and she saw Joe standing at the foot of the stairs. Too involved with the kid, she hadn’t noticed him arrive. An odd warmth settled in her chest. She’d actually missed him when he left yesterday. Not that she’d let him know. There was an apology due first.

“Told me about some performance tonight. You’re late.”

Joe grinned. “I’m sorry. Problem with the hot water. Who’s playing?”

“It’s not a concert. Some group called Strange Harmony. They’re putting on a play in someone’s basement on Schrader.” She stood and stretched.

“I’ve seen ’em. Cat called Larry Barsden is one of the founders. They’re pretty hip, spread a lot of messages. You want to go?”

“No!”

Joe cocked a brow at her outburst. “S’okay. No one said we had to.”

Lily looked away, embarrassed by her vehement refusal. Striving for calm, she ignored him and reached inside her jacket for her sunglasses. She needed to keep it together. Breathing deep, she slid on the blue-tinted shades. “I’m not stopping you from going,” she clarified. “I’m just not much for anti-war stuff. Besides, I’d rather not be stuck underground with hordes of people.”

Joe gave her a considered look. “Yeah, things like that can get pretty crowded.”

“I hope you enjoy yourself.” She started down the stairs, calmer now.

He smiled up at her, green eyes twinkling.

“What?”

“I’ll make other plans for us.”

She stopped one step above him. “Presumptuous, aren’t you?”

“I prefer to think that I know what I want and go for it.”

Lily eyed Joe coolly over the lenses of her glasses. He was determined, she’d give him that, but she’d fended off plenty of eager soldiers and knew the game very well. So what if he was temptation personified, standing there in his denim jacket, white tee shirt, and low slung, faded Levi’s that emphasized his long, strong legs. She could handle him. Giving herself a mental shake she started to take the last step.

“Hey!” She squeaked when Joe wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tight against him.

His eyes held a wicked glint. “Been wantin’ to get you close like this again since we parted company.”
Lily froze, all her senses on high alert. Oh Lord, Joe was trouble. A sensual haze slowly wound its way around them as her body absorbed the feel of him. His warm, clean scent was intoxicating and had her breathing deep, naturally tilting her head to his.

She brushed her thumb over his lower lip, touching the small scar underneath. Desire made it impossible to think.

Lily gasped as he slowly slid her along his hot, hard body, his hands gliding down to massage her rear. A dizzy rush swept through her.

“Something else I’ve been dying to do, too,” he murmured, angling his head toward her.

“What?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“This.”

I hope you enjoyed this. LOVE HAIGHT is available NOW at
http://amberquillpress.com/AmberHeat/LoveHaight.html

I’ll be back later with a steamy excerpt.

Melissa Bradley
http://myspace.com/melbwrites

EXCERPT FROM NEW RELEASE - SILK STEALTH: SHADOW WARRIOR

Thanks to a question from Trace Edward Zaber, co-owner and submissions director for Amber Quilll Press, here's the sequel to SILK STEALTH--

When rock star Shiraj Mansouri travels with his band Stealth and his lover Ellen Mays to Dubai in the land of veiled women, he expects only to perform in a benefit concert for the children of the United Arab Emirates. When the CIA draws him into a game of intrigue as an untrained “shadow warrior” for a mission, he agrees. Speaking the Farsi and Arabic languages of his heritage, he’s confident he can handle the simple task. After all, his CIA father had once been a pro at this.

Passion and heat are rekindling an old love between Ellen and Shiraj. Not willing to be separated, they disregard a warning the trip could be dangerous for her, and she goes with him.

Powerful tribal sheikhs rule this multicultural, Islamic emirate. To encourage tourism, the Qu’ran’s teachings are applied less strictly for visitors. Between performances, Shiraj and his entourage experience the exotic, sensual uniqueness of this second richest city in the world. In the midst of their enjoyment, evil strikes from an unexpected source.

What once seemed simple turns harrowing as Shiraj and Ellen fight for their lives. If they lose, Stealth will disband and the mission will die with them.

EXCERPT - WARNING - EXPLICIT SEX

She leaned in to him. “You’ve finally made it big, haven’t you?”

“Uh-huh.” His lips brushed her cheek as he inserted the key in the lock of the second bus and opened the door. He picked her up in his arms and carried her aboard, stumbling a little over the last step.

Dizzy with happiness, and the effects of the bubbly, she steadied herself with one hand on a cupboard and laughed after he set her down. “You didn’t have to do that. We aren’t married.”

A lazy smile broke across his face. “The idea definitely deserves consideration.” Locking the door behind him, he turned to face her. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Her insides turned to mush. “I’m glad, too.”

When he came to her and reached out, she stepped into the enclosing arms without hesitation, pressing as hard against him as he pressed against her. His dick felt as if it was about a foot long and fashioned from petrified wood. He swayed as he rubbed it against her belly. “I’ve missed you, El. You’ll never know how much. Any time I’ve called and we’ve talked or I’ve seen you, it’s like our friendship’s picked up where we left off at Chaffrey.”

Turning her face up to his, she found his mouth. The kiss he returned lost its previous searching tentativeness and became hard and demanding. Lust crackled through her. She felt limp from its force and from the alcohol.

He must have felt it, too. Without breaking the kiss, he walked her to his quarters at the back of the bus and shut the door. Watching his pecs and abs ripple as he pulled his shirt off caused her to suck in air fast. He’d definitely matured. He hadn’t had so much hair for one thing. Now it underlined his pecs, making them stand out. A line of it began at the base of his neck, traveled down his midline to his navel, then fanned out wide and disappeared into his jeans.

She could only guess at how much he’d matured there. She ached to find out.

Her hands touched his chest, his beautiful chest, and he trembled. But when he reached to remove her shirt, she backed up as some of the bolstering effects of the alcohol had dissipated and shyness enveloped her again. She stopped when her legs connected with the large bed behind her. “Isn’t this a little too soon? We haven’t seen each other for four years. You never wrote, rarely called. It’s almost like we’re strangers. I don’t know about this. Maybe we need to get reacquainted first.”

He captured her face to brush his nose against hers, his breath smelling of champagne, his hands steady and sure of what he was about to do, voice hoarse. “I assure you, once we’ve made love, there’ll be no need to get reacquainted.” He grazed her bottom lip with his teeth. “I can’t tell you how much just the thought of you coming tonight has turned me on. It’s not like we haven’t done this before.”

“But we were just kids then. Now…”

Before she knew it, her shirt and brassiere were on the floor and her breasts were flattened against his chest. The hair under his pectorals stimulated her nipples to pebble against his skin, sending tiny stars shooting through her. Her mind whirled.

A groan escaped Shiraj. “God, but you feel wonderful. You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to feel your tits naked against me again.” He thumbed her nipples, letting her breasts mold to his hands. He leaned in to kiss the mounds. “They’ve grown fuller since we were teenagers. In fact, you’re bigger all over. Sturdier, too.”
Normally, she’d have a quick retort to that, but the need his touch and words were creating in her left her speechless. All she could think of were the sensations spiraling through her.

He kissed her, unzipping her jeans even as she fumbled with the buttons on his. In one motion he broke the kiss, stripped them both of jeans, panties and briefs and laid her out on the bed as if she were precious and rare. Hands that had played the white guitar with skill and confidence roamed her body like a blind man seeking to “see” her by imprinting her every dip, rise and curve on his brain. She felt the small, hard calluses left by guitar strings, but their roughness only heightened her excitement. When she felt a hand on the back of one knee and then on the other, she drew them up and let them drop outward, opening her sensitive core to him like a flower seeking the hot caress of the sun. When his thumb located the tiny triangle of flesh hidden by the folds of her pussy lips and began to make small circles, she might as well have been slick, wet clay in his hands.

Desire swept through her. She thought her very bones would melt from the liquid fire radiating from his hands to her body. “Hurry, Shiraj. Hurry.”

He paused to pull a condom from the bedside table drawer. She shook as she ripped open the foil. Fondling his hard cock, she sheathed it, then drew her legs apart and reached for him...

Carolina Valdez

Stories of searing passion and the sweetly delicious ecstasies of love

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EXCERPT FROM SILK STEALTH

STEALTH was the name I chose for my band in the rock and roll story I pitched to Trace Edward Zaber, Amber Quill Press co-owner and submissions director. He immediately asked if it was a sequel to SILK STEALTH. Well, no. And then, as I chewed on the idea, Yes! Here's the first story in the series.

When pediatrician Elizabeth Michaels, M.D., signs up to travel to a Middle Eastern country for a brief stint with an Across Borders Physicians team, she has no idea her visit will expose her to danger and offer her love. Confronted by agents from the C.I.A. and ordered to secretly accompany a wounded person out of the country, she has no choice but to consent. No other American physician will be in that part of the country.

Shocked to find her assignment is not a child but one of the most handsome men she's ever seen, she wrestles with the ethics of her profession--acting on romantic feelings for a patient is absolutely forbidden.

When Special Agent Shir Mansouri regains consciousness, he looks into the most most beautiful eyes he's ever seen on a woman. Her confidence and competence as she manages his injuries, her body as he surreptitiously watches her undress, stir things deep in his belly and his heart. Cursing his weakness, he will nevertheless guard her with his life.

But when danger rears its dragon head, he finds himself torn between Nation and self.

EXCERPT - EXPLICIT

From a room across the small courtyard from hers, Shir watched her undress. His intention had been to know when she left her room, and he'd been shocked to see her unbutton the sexy manteau, which, in those moments in the alcove, he'd wanted to rip off of her himself, and begin to strip. It was obvious she didn't know she could be seen through the openings in the carved screen covering the window.

Of course he should've stopped watching right then and gone to the car. But he was a man with a man's curiosity and couldn't tear himself away. He'd already seen the amazing color of her eyes--a peculiar blend of green, gold, and umber. Without the headscarf, he now knew her hair was the color of burnt cinnamon and long enough to braid.

Islamic law dictated severe punishment if he was caught ogling a woman like this, yet he couldn't turn away, cursing because he was a man and men always had sex on their minds. He continued to watch as, with sure movements, she pulled her top garment over her head and off. While her hands were extended above her head, her lush breasts rose in their sheer brassiere to jut up and out. He had a glimpse of large, dark areolae and soft nipples before she dropped her arms and pulled on a turtleneck sweater.

He remembered firm hands redressing his wounds, the feel of the probe in his ear when she took his temperature, the touch of her fingers as she pressed the stethoscope bell over his heart, the serious eyes, thoughts turned inward, as she examined him.

She was all business when she'd given him the passwords and handed him the GPS satellite phone. He shook his head. Self confidence surrounded this woman like an aura. Now it seemed she was a sensual goddess in disguise. He found her not only utterly intriguing but alluring as well.

As she stepped out of her slacks and black panties, revealing full hips and thighs, he felt his penis swell against his will and begin to throb. The dark patch over her mons stood out under the light. It was in the shape of the vertical rectangle popular with American women. They waxed off the hairs along the edges to prevent them from showing outside a bikini swimsuit. The thought of those hips in a bikini made his balls tighten.

With a groan, he moved back from the window as she stepped into thermals that gave off the soft sheen of black silk. The ache in his swollen groin now matched the pain in his stitched thigh. The instant urge to tongue the fine skin of her belly, to lose himself in those inviting thighs and plunge his dick into her swept over him.

He hit his fist on the window sill. He'd been too long without a woman, and now he'd be with one he could not have.

Damn my superiors at the CIA. Why didn't they send a man...

Carolina Valdez

Stories of searing passion and the sweetly delicious ecstasies of love

Website
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Progress - fact or fiction?

One short year ago I put the finishing touches on Surrendered Victory and shelved it to wait for the 2008 Amber Heat Wave Contest to open for submissions. I enjoyed writing that story so much that I immediately began writing Passion's Victory. Surrendered Victory won a slot with Amber Allure and was published in June 2008. Passion's Victory followed in August. I was, and am, thrilled!

I shoved a few projects aside and started work on the third and final Victory story, Shining Victory. (So by now are you tired of the word 'victory'?) Then what I'd hoped for came true. The powers that be at Amber Allure said the three would work very well for a paperback edition. Title, you ask? A Taste of Victory.

The first two stories are told from the point of view of the younger man. Not that he's all that young, you understand. I like a little maturity to my characters. For Shining Victory, I decided to write from the younger man's point of view. That turned out to be a lot harder, and I felt a sense of accomplishment when I finished the story.

Shining Victory is scheduled to release late November 2008, and a Taste of Victory will hopefully be in December 2008.

I'm so excited about all the wonderful things that happened in 2008. It's been great working with everyone at Amber Allure, and making new acquaintances with the authors there. With the end of the year so close at hand, I wonder what 2009 will bring. What goals should I set for myself? I've not decided, not yet, but one thing I know.

2008 is a year I can look back on and say, beyond doubt, that I made a lot of progress in my writing career, and for that I thank you.

KC Kendricks

http://www.kckendricks.com/

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com/

www.myspace.com/kckendricks

For excerpts from Surrendered Victory, Passion's Victory, and the upcoming Shining Victory, please visit my website.

CONGRATULATIONS, AMBER QUILL PRESS! Carolina Valdez has nominated you with the I LOVE YOUR BLOG AWARD. It's an award that blog owners receive and then give to other bloggers. It's a wonderful way to promote blogs and gain new readers. Carolina Valdez was nominated by The Romance Studio.

I think this blog is special and really cool! I've attached the jpg of the award on the blog. Below are the details for what to do after receiving this award:

1. Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Have a fun day!

Carolina Valdez

http://www.carolina-valdez.blogspot.com
http://www.carolinavaldez.com

Beautiful Disaster by JM Snyder

NOW AVAILABLE

Beautiful Disaster by J.M. Snyder

Buy your copy today!

BLURB:
Twenty year old Corey Evans is one-half of 2ICE, the biggest duo on the radio at the moment. Pronounced twice, they're number one on the Billboard charts this week with their latest single. And number one in download sales, with two albums that have already gone platinum, to hear their manager tell it. And currently on their second U.S. tour, which has sold out stadiums across the nation.

Despite this, there's an emptiness inside him which Corey can't seem to fill, no matter how many groupies he takes to his bed. He sees this same emptiness mirrored in the eyes of his band-mate, Ian Coltraine, who drowns his evenings after each show with a bottle of whiskey. Ian's the one Corey turns to when he wakes beside an unknown fan, still asleep in his bed and needs help evicting her. He's Corey best friend, the only person on the tour he can confide in, who he really trusts ...

The one, Corey finally realizes, with whom he is madly, deeply, terribly in love. And he suspects Ian might feel the same.

But his recent string of one-night stands makes Ian cautious about Corey's true feelings. He's wanted Corey for so long, and has watched him go through countless fans in search of ... what? Ian doesn't know. And he doesn't yet believe Corey when he says Ian might be it. Ian hopes so, but can't bring himself to believe Corey's fickle desire won't be gone in the morning.

Can these two young men somehow move beyond Corey's past and Ian's pain to embrace a love they both so desperately desire?

EXCERPT:
Corey pulled back the comforter, exposing pristine white sheets that still looked ironed. Ian hadn't slept in the bed at all. As Corey eased between the covers, the sheets cool on his skin, he frowned and tried to forget about the girl in his own bed down the hall. What the fuck was he going to do about that in the morning?

He didn't know.

Leaning back against the pillow, he pulled the comforter up to his armpits and looked over at Ian, who sat in the chair watching him. Watching him. So he still existed. He was still real, still alive, still here. "The bed's big enough for two," he murmured.

"I'm fine," Ian replied, but suddenly he didn't look fine to Corey. He looked sad and old and alone, and not fine in the least.

With a sigh, Corey rolled his eyes and let a slight whine creep into his voice. "Ian. There's plenty of room." To emphasize his point, he patted the empty space beside him. When Ian didn't reply, Corey said, "This is your bed. I'll sleep on the floor if I have to. Is that what you want? It doesn't matter to me. Just as long as I don't have to go back --"

"Fine." Ian hoisted himself out of the chair and stumbled to the bed. Sitting on the edge farthest from Corey, he kicked off his shoes and glared at the floor. "You happy now? You got what you wanted, Corey. You fucking happy?"

"Jeez." Corey didn't say another word as Ian began to undress, slipping out of his shirt and tugging down his pants until he stood in just his boxers and undershirt. As he reached across the bed to cut off the lamp, his shadow fell over Corey, blocking the light from his eyes. Then the room plunged into darkness, and the bed shook as Ian climbed beneath the covers.

Corey lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, blinking to assure himself his eyes were still open. He waited until Ian settled into a comfortable position before he turned toward his friend, who was rolled on his side away from him. All Corey could see was the slump of Ian's shoulder outlined against the dim glow of the curtains. "Ian?"

"What?" His voice was muffled, his mouth probably buried in the pillow.

Clearing his throat, Corey asked, "Are you mad at me?"

For a moment he didn't think Ian would answer. Then Ian sighed. "No."

Corey released a shaky breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Good."

Now that the lights were out and Ian was just a shadow in the darkness, Corey's mind couldn't stop turning, and he didn't want the silence that surrounded them to get inside. He wanted to hear Ian's deep voice, soft and comforting and slurred, wrap around him and hold him close. He wanted to hear Ian's steady breath drown out the tick of the alarm clock and the sounds of the city beyond the drawn curtain. "Ian?" he asked again.

"What?" Ian replied, gentler this time.

"Talk to me." Talk to me and make me real. Make this real, so I'll be able to look back on it when I'm alone and scared again and know for a few moments at least I existed to someone as just Corey and not anything else. Please, Ian. Please give me that much.

Ian chuckled. "You wanted me to get into bed so we could sleep. Now you want me to talk to you? What do you want me to say?"

"Anything." When Ian didn't answer, Corey prompted, "What were you doing in the lounge?"

"Drinking," Ian said.

Corey grinned. "I know that. What were you thinking about?"

"You," came the soft reply.

"Really?" Corey frowned at Ian's back. "Me? Why?"

Ian sighed. "I don't feel like talking right now, Corey, okay? I just don't."

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A Midsummer Night’s Delights — True Confessions or Fiction?

A Midsummer Night’s Delights — True Confessions or Fiction?
By Kelli Wilkins

Do you "act out" the love scenes in your books? Is the sex in your books based on your real experiences? Is it hard to write love scenes?

Believe it or not, these are some of the most common things I’m asked when people find out I write romances. The questions mostly come from relatives or others who are trying to get under my skin. When it first happened, I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t want to be completely rude, but after they probed and pestered me, snickering to themselves, I decided to answer the questions. Being a creative writer, I came up with the following:

"No, I don’t act out the love scenes. Do you think mystery writers practice killing people for their books?"
"Nope, sorry. I made up all that sex. In fact, I even made up those characters…that’s what makes it fiction. (And no, the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park weren’t real either!)
"Love scenes aren’t hard to write. I just spy on my characters and write down what they do."

The short answers seem to work just fine. I don’t think the hecklers would sit still and listen long enough to hear some of the real answers.

Love scenes (or sex scenes, or whatever you want to call them) are fun to write. You get to let the characters run wild, experiment, and do whatever comes natural. Writing love scenes is always a process of discovery. I base the intensity and actions in the scene on the particular story, plot, and characters. What’s going on in the bedroom (or study, or bathtub, or…wherever) has to flow naturally into the story and match the characters’ personalities.

Certain characters in my books (like Prince Allan from The Pauper Prince) are up
(literally!) for anything, while other characters (Lauren, from The Sexy Stranger) are more conservative.

There are a lot of intense sexual scenes in my newest book, A Midsummer Night’s Delights, as Julian and Annabelle discover their hidden desires and experiment, but those scenes allow them to grow and learn about themselves over the course of the story. And, yes, it is a story. So here’s a short excerpt. Enjoy!

***
"Whose bedroom is this?" Julian asked. Like his own bedchamber, the room was elaborately decorated and had an enormous four-poster bed along one wall.
"Shh, keep your voice low." Vincent removed a painting from the far wall. He tossed the painting on the bed and gestured for him to come closer.
He was about to ask why they were here when he heard a woman moan.
"Oh, yes! Go deeper," she muttered.
His skin prickled. Was a woman having intimate relations in the next room? Vincent had his face pressed against the wall and was watching from a hole cut into the plaster. Had he no shame? Did he spy on all his guests in their private moments?
He crossed the room, curious, yet offended. "You shouldn’t watch--"
"Shh. Don’t be a prude. Take a look for yourself," Vincent replied, moving aside so he could look.
He peered through the small hole and saw a brightly-lit bedchamber. A naked, dark-haired woman was kneeling over another figure on the bed, groaning. He licked his lips at the sight of her tight, pale buttocks. Whoever she was, she was obviously enjoying herself.
"Yes…ooh! It’s so big!"
After watching for another minute, he pulled away and frowned at Vincent. "It’s not right to peek in on people. That could be someone’s wife."
"It is. Mine. That’s Sabrina."
His heart skipped a beat. "Don’t you care that your wife is in there with another man?"
Vincent shook his head. "She’s not. She’s in there with a woman. Annabelle."
"What?" He pressed his eye to the peephole again. Sabrina had turned on the bed and now lay on her side. He saw her hand moving between another woman’s parted legs. He scowled. That woman couldn’t be Annabelle. Her muff was completely shaved!
He readjusted his position to get a better view. He heard a giggle, then saw a flash of light brown hair. A second later, Annabelle leaned forward and kissed Sabrina on the mouth. His mind reeled as he stared at the two women.
"Ohh, good, it feels so good. Don’t stop. I like it," Annabelle muttered, arching her buttocks off the mattress.
His mouth went dry and he turned away from the wall. "Are they…"
"Screwing? Yes. And from the sound of it, they’re enjoying themselves." He pulled the flask from his pocket and opened it. "You look like you need another drink."
Julian took the flask and swallowed down the liquor in four gulps. How could his innocent Annabelle be…naked? Shaved? Frolicking with another woman? Dear God, she was his wife and he’d never seen her completely naked himself!
"How…how did this happen?" he croaked out.
"It seems your delicate, repressed wife has learned to release her pent-up desires…with a little help, of course." Vincent grinned as Annabelle whimpered in delight. "Someone has to fuck her. Why should she wait for you when my wife can screw her?"
"But…how? They’re women, and--"
"Take a look," Vincent said. "You might learn something."
He returned to the peephole and gasped at the sight before him. Dear Lord, Vincent was right! Sabrina was thrusting a phallus in and out of Annabelle as she squirmed on the bed. Her cries of rapture echoed in his mind…

Happy Reading!
Kelli Wilkins

http://www.kelliwilkins.com/

NEW M/M RELEASE - THE GALLERY ON MAIN STREET

THE GALLERY ON MAIN STREET
By
Christiane France ttp://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/GalleryMainStreet.html
Gay M/M/ Contemporary / Exhibitionism / Public Places

Martyn Cole doesn’t much like his late uncle’s business partner, and he knows the feeling is mutual. Simon is cold, arrogant, unfriendly and treats Martyn like a loser. Nevertheless, despite their surface behavior toward one another, Martyn wants Simon Deschamps as badly as he suspects Simon wants him, and when the terms of his uncle’s Will force them to work together, Martyn knows he must either figure a way to redirect his emotions elsewhere, or deal with them head on.

After deciding on the direct approach, he calls Simon, says they need to talk, and suggests they have dinner together. However, the restaurant Martyn had in mind is closed, and Simon takes him to a nearby gay club. Martyn isn’t sure what to expect, but just as he gives up hope of the evening developing beyond dinner and a drink, things take a definite and exciting turn as the lights dim, the music is turned up, and Simon draws Martyn into his arms and onto the dance floor.

Excerpt:

I kinda thought after everything that had happened earlier--the way Simon held me in the alley, and the heated looks we’ve exchanged, maybe after dinner and a couple of drinks the evening had a chance of mutating into something more. But then, just as I’m about to give up hope, it happens.
The lights dim even further until the room is dark as sin and it’s only the spotlights highlighting the walls. The volume of the music increases, and Simon takes my hand, urging me on to the tiny dance floor a few feet away.
The room disappears as I close my eyes and give myself up to the moment, the music and the man. I’m caught up somewhere between wide awake and dreaming. I know my most outrageous desires are about to come true, and I relish the delicious sensation of Simon’s nearness as we slow dance our way around the cramped space.
My arms encircle Simon’s waist, and he cups my ass in his hands, squeezing and kneading until I’m breathless with need. Our mouths meet and our tongues tangle. He’s as turned on as I am, and I smell his body-heat as his slips a hand between us and begins to caress my dick.
I’m so content and so happy, I could stay like this forever. But the music changes to something a little more up-tempo, and we go back to our table.
Without a word and without missing a beat, Simon picks up where he left off a moment ago. Wrapping an arm around me, I feel the warm, wet glide of his tongue along my lips while his free hand opens the zipper of my jeans and slips inside. I’m hot, I’m hard, and I hold my breath as I feel his cool hand touch my aroused cock. I tell myself to hold on, to keep my mind firmly focused. I’m a heartbeat from coming, and I want to enjoy this. I want to make it last for a minute or two at the very least.
His fingers skim me lightly from root to tip, and I shiver with excitement. Then he rubs the tip with the pad of his thumb, and the slightly callused texture of his skin pushes me right to the edge.
“Let it happen,” he murmurs as he wraps his hand around my shaft and begins to slide it up and down the entire length, gradually increasing the pressure and speed until I know I can’t hold back for even one more second, and then and only then do I push his hand away.

THIS TIME FOR KEEPS MAKE BEST SELLER LIST

Not only did THIS TIME FOR KEEPS make the best seller list at Amber Allure, it's also doing very well at All Romance E Books.

This Time For Keeps by Christiane France ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-404-4 (Electronic)
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/ThisTimeForKeeps.html

This a paranormal erotic romance about Josh and Pete who were always breaking up and getting back together. The last time it happened, they swore their ten-year affair was over for good. Although Pete moved out, and Josh took a job overseas, Josh figured it was simply a matter of waiting to see who would give in first--the same routine they’d gone through a dozen times before. Except Pete didn’t call, and when Josh tried to contact Pete, it turned out both of Pete’s numbers had been disconnected. He tried telling himself Pete didn’t love him any more, that Pete had found someone new and moved on. But ten years is a long time--too long to just dismiss like it was nothing. If Pete no longer loves him, then Josh needs to hear that from Pete in person. Determined to find out the reason for Pete’s silence, Josh returns home to the mind-numbing news that Pete is dead--he was killed two months earlier when he tried to stop thieves from stealing his car. But during his shock and grief, Josh also comes to the realization that death doesn't always break the bond between two lovers destined to be together forever...

Christiane

Excerpt:

Once he’d finished his drink, he (Josh) turned off the TV and the lights, and went upstairs. After going through his usual night-time ritual of brushing his teeth and taking a cool shower, he dumped the clothes he’d been wearing in the laundry hamper, pulled back the duvet and stepped into bed. Burying his face in the pillows, he inhaled the soothing fragrance of lavender and…the smell of Pete’s damn cedarwood shower gel?
The last time Pete was here in this house was over than six months ago, and he’d been dead for the last two of them.
Josh sat up fast. He knew the people who made laundry detergent and fabric softener were always coming up with new scents. One minute it was green apple, or cucumber, or mango, and he’d even seen a magazine ad for a combination of lavender and vanilla, but now cedarwood? Presumably the soap company had done its usual job of research and consumer testing, even so, cedar was more a masculine fragrance than a feminine one. Then again, maybe they were doing his and hers detergents to go along with the his and hers towels.
He took a deep breath and released it slowly as he lay back down. Rolling over on to his stomach, he tried to ignore the smell and not think about Pete. Instead, with a little effort, he managed to visualize a lush green meadow filled with tiny, fluffy white lambs hopping over a fence. One lamb, two lambs, three lambs, four…

He felt the familiar touch of Pete’s strong hands massaging his back while his hot breath fanned his skin. As his lips trailed along his neckline, licking and kissing the excitement and the tension began to build within him and he started getting hard. He loved it slow and easy like this, when they took the time to enjoy each other’s bodies.
“Love you, babe.”
The whispered endearment tickled his ear, and he shivered with a mixture of pent-up longing and excitement. It had been a long time since they were together like this. Too long. “Love you right back.”
“I’ve really missed you.”
“Yeah. Me, too. You should have called me or something.”
“Didn’t see any point.” The hands slipped beneath him, stroking his belly and brushing lightly against his shaft. “I figured you’d fallen for one of those super sexy, dark-eyed Mediterranean guys, and I was permanently out of luck.”
The hands grew more urgent, more demanding, and Josh groaned with pleasure as a finger gently probed the puckered skin around his butt hole. “Not a chance. Anyway, you know better than that.”
“Not even tempted? I can’t believe you lasted that long without a little something to ease the pain.”

www.chrisgrover.ca

The Perfect Book for Erection Day

Erection Day...what a wonderful day in this great country of ours' line-up of holidays. On this special day I thought it would be very appropriate to blog about my can't-stop-turning-the-pages thriller, High Risk, since erections play such a large part (heh-heh) in its plot. If our heroine has a fatal flaw, it's her fascination with erections.

So, to celebrate Erection Day, I urge you and all of your friends to treat yourself to a copy of High Risk. Click here to purchase the trade paperback; and here to purchase the ebook. Need more convincing? Watch the provocative trailer on YouTube. Or, read the first chapter here.

Synopsis

Her Secret Life

Beth Walsh seems like such a demure housewife. Taking care of her attorney husband and doing volunteer work, the young woman is someone you’d meet at a church social. But Beth has a secret life. While her husband works, Beth slides into what she calls her “slut clothes” and goes on the prowl. She becomes a completely different woman, wanton and uninhibited, with dozens of handsome strangers. Until she meets the one blindingly gorgeous stranger who will make her more than sorry for her secrets and lies…

Abbott Lowery is every woman’s dream: handsome, muscular, with intense blue eyes that contrast with his thick black hair. Women want him. Men want him. But Abbott is deeply damaged and inside lurks a monster just waiting to be released. When Beth Walsh pursues him, it pushes a deeply-buried rage to the fore and he becomes determined to punish her.

Beth meeting Abbott lights the fuse on a bomb. Its explosion leads to a tale of terror and desperation so intense it will sear everyone who knows them. High Risk is a story of secrets, tainted histories, murder, kidnapping, and an ending so brutal and shocking readers will be left breathless.
Excerpt

Beth needed to shop.
Today.
“Nothing much,” she said, hoping Mark didn’t notice how her voice came out a tad higher than normal. “I need to call about getting the living room rugs cleaned. Might stop by Nordstrom.” Beth managed a smile. “See what’s on sale.”
“Life of Riley.” Mark smirked. Even at 34, his face was still boyish.
Why wasn’t he enough? Last night, the sex had been vigorous, bordering on rough. Three orgasms for her, two for him. It was still good. Sweaty. Athletic. And now, sitting before her, adoring glances directed her way, the perfect “golden boy.” A young Robert Redford, slender and strong in a navy Brooks Brothers suit, crisp white shirt, red silk rep tie.
So why did her stomach churn with impatience? Why did she want nothing more than to hear the close and latch of the front door of their graystone on Fullerton Avenue? Why did she need to see him get out now, so she could scrape the remains of his breakfast into the garbage disposal and hurry into her bedroom, to search through her private collection: the clothes she kept hidden at the back of her closet? Leather skirts, Manolo Blahnik stiletto heels, clinging print blouses, thongs, bustiers, and push-up bras…searching for the perfect bait for an adoring and so, so passionate man.
How could she sit here with Mark and conjure up this perfect dark stranger, someone who would take her and hurt her, forcing her to serve, to set the stage for his darkest, most depraved fantasies? How could she sit here with the pureness of the sun streaming in through their kitchen window and picture herself in the grimy half darkness of a cheap motel room with a stranger…locked and interwoven in lust and sweat?


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What's that, honey? It's not Erection Day? Election Day? Oh, well, as Emily LaTella once said, "Never mind."

Gato Negro

Gato Negro is a story of love at first sight, two stories, actually: Beth's and Carlos's overpowering instant attraction and my own brief affair with the cloud forests of Costa Rica.

I only spent a week in Monteverde, visiting someone who was studying in a tropical ecology research center much like the one in the story. The memory will last a lifetime. And I will return.

I won't subject you to the trailer I made for Gato Negro. It is only my second attempt, and about as primitive as the facilities where we stayed. But, if you want a good laugh, you'll find it here. It's worth it just for the soothing jungle soundtrack.

You're not out of the woods, though--I have pictures.

Blurb:

Irresistible...

Carlos’s eyes are drawn to Beth time and again across the crowded table. Each glance catches her staring back with the same naked attraction that holds him glued to his seat.

All reason tells him to get up and disappear into the cloud forest from which he came, but she calls to him. Her scent fills his head and his dreams. He can’t walk away.

Beth, also, can’t help but respond to the darkly handsome Carlos, the ranger hired to guide her team’s excursions. But Beth doesn’t know they’ve met before.

And Carlos must keep the secret of when and how or Beth could pay with her life. His forest is a harsh mistress, and protecting his identity has been a top priority since the beginning of time...

Excerpt:

The woman crouched between him and the water his body craved. Fortunately for her, he was not hungry. The peccary he’d taken this morning would keep him for a few days. Yet the sight of her naked haunch, straining to hold her crouched over her work, held him captive.

Instinct told him the meat was forbidden. But he watched for the tightening of muscle that would herald an attempt to flee as though she were prey. She was not prey.

And his full stomach demanded water, not meat.

Whatever prompted her to block access to the stream, arrogance or inexperience, getting rid of her was a simple matter of letting loose the growl forming in his chest.

Or he could move on to the next watering hole.

But he waited and salivated, watching her with something akin to hunger as she prepared a…syringe…with a barb…a needle…as long as her finger, hovering over the bright blooms like a hummingbird. He almost understood, but his cat brain couldn’t quite make the connection.

From flower to flower she moved, more purposeful than a hummingbird, filling the syringe but not feeding. Instead, she emptied each flower’s gathering into a small vial, making notes on its label before moving on to the next.

She’s collecting nectar. The lucid thought warned him of the pending change a fraction of a second before the cramp struck his thigh. Without time to prepare, his body reacted with a jerk and low grunt.

The woman spun on her heels. Her eyes locked to his, immediately aware.

A look of wondrous awe shined in those eyes. Then he smelled the fear a moment before it registered in her face.

Gato Negro, is available today as part of the Secrets AmberPax.

Don't forget to check out my other titles: Glory available from Amber Heat and Only One Regret, my first Amber Allure release.

ali

http://www.a-katz.com/

http://www.myspace.com/practicalkatz