GUEST BLOG & GIVEAWAY: HOW TO WRITE HOT SEX SCENES

At For The Love of Reading today is Gabrielle Bisset with a sexy Guest Blog and some treats! Check out the giveaway below! Now to the guest blog...

How To Write Hot Sex Scenes

by Gabrille Bisset

Thanks Niina for having me here for Blood Avenged's book tour.

One of the most important parts of an erotic romance author's job is writing really hot sex scenes.  Each writer has his or her own methods.  Some need to drink to get themselves into a state that is less inhibited, and some listen to sexy music.  So what do I do?  I write exactly what I fantasize about when I think about my hero in whatever book I'm writing.

So take Vasilije from Blood Avenged.  Tall, incredibly built, with black hair and blue eyes, he's gorgeous, so it's a good place to begin thinking about just looking at him.  My heroes are always men I find appealing, so it's just a matter of thinking about what I'd like to do with him if he were standing in front of me.

For Sasa, the heroine in Blood Avenged, Vasilije is pure sex.  He's unlike anyone she's ever met, and he's attracted to her.  Something in the way he speaks and stands so close thrills her like nothing else she's ever felt. The reader senses his effect on her through her words and movements.

With a male like Vasilije, sensuality is everything.  He's consumed with enjoying the sensations around him.  For his character, much of the sexual experience is sensory.  He loves the feel of Sasa's hands on his skin.  He relishes the taste of her tongue as it sweeps over his lips.  His excitement is raised as he hears the need in her voice as she begs him to give her what she wants.

I always focus on the smaller facets of sex as I write a scene, so I may make a man's hands important because they convey the feeling of him touching the heroine.  Or I make the kiss important.  Many people want to skip over the kiss, hurrying on to the actual intercourse, but for me, the kiss is where the magic begins.  The feel of one character's lips brushing against the other's, the sensation of the hero's tongue grazing the heroine's, the teasing breath of one character as her sharp intake of air shows the hero that just his kiss is driving her insane with need for him.  This is what makes everything that comes after the kiss so great.

For me, sex scenes are just a natural extension of my own fantasies and my characters' personalities.  I use techniques I've enjoyed, those I've seen in movies or on tv and haven't had the pleasure to experiment with yet, and the tried and true things like kissing and make them unique to the characters I have in the scene.  Their personalities dictate how they'll approach sex, and with that in mind, I let them enjoy themselves.

It's hard to believe this is considered a job.

~Gabrielle Bisset

 Site / Blog / Facebook / Twitter 

Places to Purchase Blood Avenged:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / All Romance / Smashwords

Gabrielle will be giving away:

• A signed bookmarks from Blood Avenged and the upcoming books Blood Betrayed and Blood Spirit at each tour stop ( that means right here, ladies! ) 
• $10 gift card for one randomly drawn commentor during the Tour

How to participate:

• Comment here answering this question "What makes a great sex scene - and what makes a bad one?"
• Leave your e-mail address on the comment ( for example: iwantalphas at gmail dot com )

Here are all the Tour Stops! The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Click HERE! Giveaway ends May 4th 2012.

REVIEW - A NIGHT AWAY

"Kade and Mel are drowning in their responsibilities and taking care of their 11 month old baby boy. Taking drastic measures seems necessary to get even a little time alone, away from the Pack and Finn. A night away seems to be exactly what the doctor ordered."

Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Pages: 56 pages
Publisher: Self Published on May 2012
Form: E-book (from the author for an honest review)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: The Redwood Pack  #3.5
( Not yet available for pre-order )

Kade and Mel are drowning in their responsibilities and taking care of their 11 month old baby boy Finn.

Taking drastic measures seems necessary to get even a little time alone, away from the Pack and Finn. A night away seems to be exactly what the doctor ordered.

I have to say firstly I probably aren't a good match for baby books ( I'm a childcare professional by profession ) they bring out my Supernanny tendencies. Second, I work with kids all day Monday through Friday so I really shouldn't be reading baby books. ( was I an accountant the rating would be higher! ;) )

That said I think this will be a good addition to the series, to people who have their own kids and/or are thinking about getting kids this will be a nice reminder to put your relationship on equal ground with your parenting.

As part of the series I loved getting to know Maddox, The Babysitter/The Omega, better. I loved getting underneath that hard surface to all the cute emotions and his battle to take care of Finn. The romance between Mel and Kade was really depressing the first half of the novella, you could see it was all in there but they kept putting their relationship last in their lives, work, Pack, War and Finn came first and they were both sad for it. But when they did get on their little vacation it got hot and heavy quick - and it's true that nothing returns the intimacy into a relationship like a loving romp or six in the bedroom!

What I think was best about this novella was the hint of talk about how to make a life, a kid and romance to work for your family. What I disliked the most was how sad Mel and Kade were in the beginning - which was fixed in the end of course.

Rating :

REVIEW - WINGS OF DESIRE

"Rhiannon Kinsley's life goes from boring to downright crazy when a freak lightning bolt strikes her laptop. To make matters even more bizarre, strange words and symbols flash across the computer screen and she hears a mysterious voice. Time to call the men in white coats! Then Cerne Silverwing, an intriguingly sexy man, appears."

Author: Arianna Skye
Published: Self Published on February 2012
Pages: 343 Pages
Form: E-book (from a tour for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Fantasy Romance (18+ Only)
Series: Fey Chronicles  #1
Amazon: Buy / $6.31 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $3.49 (Nook)
Smashwords: Buy / $3.49 (Ebook)
Excerpt: Chapter 1

"Not your (grand)mother's fairytale... Rhiannon Kinsley's life goes from boring to downright crazy when a freak lightning bolt strikes her laptop. To make matters even more bizarre, strange words and symbols flash across the computer screen and she hears a mysterious voice. Time to call the men in white coats! Then Cerne Silverwing, an intriguingly sexy man, appears. He insists she’s a faerie princess whose fate will determine his own. What a crock! Now she knows who really needs those white coats.

With the Dark Faerie forces threatening his kingdom, Cerne kidnaps Rhiannon and brings her to Fey, a land where magic knows no bounds. He's performing a duty to save his kingdom and nothing more—a duty that will bring him his wings and the strengthened magic that comes with them. If he doesn’t unite with the princess as her consort, those wings will never grow. But this princess grew up in the land of laptops and instant messages, and she’s convinced they're both crazy. Despite their differences, the two are thrust together to defeat the whip-wielding Dark Faerie Queen before she takes over the kingdom. Passion and peril aside, will Rhiannon and Cerne discover their true destiny?" ~From Goodreads

Wings of Desire was sexy trip to a fantasy White Lands of the Fey. These faeries aren't your men in tights, these are tall, build like a god and well, well hung. Nothing nancy about these boys! I loved Skye's ability to create such a fresh new kind of world with your Light Faeries and Dark Faeries, both true to their name. I loved that she used Oberon and Titania in the book, great little homage to Shakespeare. This story was active, fast pace and sexy - and when I say sexy I mean erotic romance sexy, lots of yummy tension and a great plot but man, yes, Sexy!

The plot was so entertaining! I loved Rhiannon's blatant disbelief and denial, it was fun to read - and seriously had that happened to me I would have believed it was a dream as well. Well until it become obviously real. I loved the fact that Rhiannon and Cerne couldn't fight their attraction very well and kept going at each other like bunnies, with the exception that they couldn't consummate their union before Beltane. But that sure didn't stop them from enjoying each other. ;) I loved The Dark Faerie Queen Korrigan, deliciously evil, loved to hate her - she made sure there was enough external threat to keep the plot moving and keeping the story interesting.

I loved Cerne! What can I say, he's built, knowledgeable in the bedroom and seductive sexy, what's not to love! ;) He made a great match for Rhiannon who was a virgin and flat out didn't believe faeries excited, let alone that she was the faerie Princess destined to rule with Cerne at her side. I did really enjoy reading Rhiannon, she was fun, sassy and witty, not much more you can ask for a romance heroine!

The romance was Hot! These two couldn't keep their minds or paws for that matter off each other - plus there was the added bonus of all the sexual tension and Rhiannon belief they were in a dream so she could pretty much indulge! This is not erotica though, even though the sex is hot and frequent, there is an awesome plot and threat that drives the story forward and builds the characters... that said. It's so yummy!

I'm highly recommending this! This is the first faeries story that I've actually loved and found sexy! Feel free to recommend me some more this! ;D

Rating :

Don't miss the Author Interview as part 2 of today's leg on Arianna Skye's Virtual Tour! Check it out here!

WINGS OF DESIRE AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Niina : Welcome to For The Love of Reading, Arianna Skye, I’m glad you could stop by!

Arianna Skye : Thank you for the opportunity, Niina.

Niina : Let’s get started! Can you tell my readers here 4 fun unknown facts about you so we can break the ice?

Arianna : Let’s see… I enjoy arts and crafts when I’m not writing. I am kind of a geek and enjoy tinkering with computers. I just discovered I’m a shoeoholic, even though half the shoes I love I can’t even wear. Lastly, I love history and my first attempt at a novel was actually a historical romance.

Niina : Tell us little about your book Wings of Desire, in four sentences or less?

Arianna : Rhiannon Kinsley's ready to call the men in white coats when an intriguingly sexy man appears and insists she's a faerie princess. Cerne Silverwing has a duty to save his kingdom. He needs Rhiannon to be his consort and help defeat the Dark Faerie Queen. Will these two discover that their true destiny lies together?

Niina : How does one go about making faerie male sexy? In the old books, let’s be honest, you saw thin feminine guys in pastels.

Arianna : LOL. Well, I think giving them typical male features and emotions does help a bit. Although, there is the occasional person that will make the dreaded comment: “I thought faeries were tiny creatures with wings.” They seem confused when I tell them my faeries are the same size as a regular person.

Niina : What character did you most enjoyed writing and why?

Arianna : I hope I don’t come off as sadistic, but it was incredibly fun writing Korrigan, the evil Dark Faerie Queen. I just enjoyed pushing the envelope with her and her nastiness.

Niina : Can you tell us five fun/quirky things about the hero & heroine that we didn't learn from the book?

Arianna : Rhiannon’s chat room encounter was based on an actual experience I had in a chat room. Names were changed to protect the not-so-innocent.
I based Cerne’s name on the Celtic god, Cernunnos. However, I neglected to Google his name. There is an interesting chalk sculpture of the same name in England. Let’s just say, it’s pretty well endowed.
Cerne is 540 faerie years old.  Don’t worry, that translates into 30 human years.
Rhiannon works as a graphic designer in the human world.
I know this isn’t the hero or heroine, but I think it’s interesting. Korrigan  was the name of the evil faerie queen’s sister in the first published version of Wings of Desire. Her name was originally Lilith, but because I had another series with someone named Lilith in it, I decided to do some name swapping. Lilith became Korrigan and Korrigan’s name was changed to Aine.

Niina : What makes a story sexy?

Arianna : Sex helps, but it also takes a lot of sexual tension. I’ve read a lot of non-erotic books that were just as sexy, because of the intense tension between the hero and heroine.

Niina : So true! Why did you pick paranormal/fantasy romance genre?

Arianna : With contemporary, and even historical to an extent, you are bound by the rules of everyday life. However, with paranormal and fantasy, you get to make your own worlds and rules. And it’s fun writing about sexy otherworldly beings.

Niina : Any big projects for 2012?

Arianna : I’m currently working on A Demon To Die For, the 3rd book in the Demons Unleashed series written as Sidney Ayers. I will attempt to write the 2nd book, in my Fey Chronicles series, but the Demons Unleashed books are under contract, so I need to work on those  first.

Niina : Now to more personal questions! What’s the sexiest article of clothing on a guy?

Arianna : It depends on the guy, really. Although, I do enjoy watching a guy in a nice pair of jeans.

Niina : What’s the biggest turn on in a guy, fictional or real life?

Arianna : I love a guy who can cook—a meal, people. Get your heads out of the gutter. :)

Niina : What is your favorite guilty treat/pleasure?

Arianna : I love dark chocolate. Yum!

Niina : Is there a natural wonder of the world you would like to visit?

Arianna : I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, so I suppose it would have to be the Great Barrier Reef.

Niina : Before we finish, here are some Quick Fire Questions:  ( pick one, try to avoid “both” or “none” ;) )

Pick-up or Mini-van? What are we doing in the car? Hee hee.
Boots or Heels?  Heels. I have huge calves and I can’t wear too many boots.
Beer or Wine? Wine, of course
Cocktails or Shots? I get more enjoyment out of a cocktail.
M&Ms: With or Without Peanuts?  Peanut Butter M&M’s actually :)
Treats: Sweet or Salty? I do enjoy mixing them up, but for a snack, I’ll pick chips over chocolate usually.
Date: Going to Park or Going to Movies? The park sounds romantic
Winter or Summer? Summer. Cook outs, fun in the sun and my birthday is in July.
Jewels or Chocolates? Jewels. Not because I’m expensive. It’s just that once the chocolate is gone—well it’s gone. LOL
Men: Alpha-male or Submissive?  Alpha! I love a man who takes charge
Men: Clean Shaven or Stubble?  Stubble is sexy, but a full on beard is just plain nasty.
Men: Bad boys or Good guys? Bad boys are nice to dream about, but it’s the good guys who usually make women the happiest.

Tattoos or Piercings on a guy? I love a man who has some ink. Some of those tattoos are pure art.
Brunettes or Blonds? I like dark haired men
Romance: Vampires or werewolves?  Werewolves have that alpha personality I like. Vampires are dead. LOL
Romance: Fallen Angels or Sexy Demons? Since I write about sexy demons, that’s a given
Romance: Cops or Cowboys? Cops! They have handcuffs!
Time-Travel or Sci-fi? Time travel! I’m a history buff, after all
Romance or Erotica/Erotic Romance? I am not picky. Like I said earlier, some regular romance can be just as sexy as erotic romance.
Male POV or Female POV (Point Of View)? I love reading the male point of view, especially if it’s one of those sexy alphas
Times New Roman or Courier? Hee hee… I am a Book Antiqua kind of girl.

Niina : Thanks for visiting the For The Love of Reading, Arianna! Any news would you like to share with your readers, or websites they can check out?

Arianna : www.ariannaskye.com or www.sidneyayers.com are my two homepages.

You can buy Wings of Desire from Amazon for Kindle $6.31 ( EU price, click to see yours )

or Paperback for $12.99 - highly recommended!

My 5 Star Review of Wings of Desire can be found HERE, come check it out!

WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND - REVIEW & GUEST BLOG & GIVE AWAY

"Catlin Glyndwr is a tenth generation Mistress of Elements -- a hereditary witch who can call upon her elemental spirits for assistance in casting spells. Accused of witchcraft in seventeenth century England, she faces the hangman. Even though she took a vow never to hurt anyone with her magic, if her true powers are revealed, she’ll be executed."

Author: Sibelle Stone
Published: Moon Valley Publishing on March 2012
Pages: 226 Pages
Form: E-book ( from a tour for an honest review )
Genre: Historical Romance ( with paranormal element )
Amazon: Buy / $6.89 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $3.99 (Nook)


"Escaping from the persecution of the European witch hunts, a beautiful witch with the power to control the wind joins forces with a handsome Cavalier on a mission to save the King of England and the colony of Virginia.

Catlin Glyndwr is a tenth generation Mistress of Elements -- a hereditary witch who can call upon her elemental spirits for assistance in casting spells.
Accused of witchcraft in seventeenth century England, she faces the hangman. Even though she took a vow never to hurt anyone with her magic, if her true powers are revealed, she’ll be executed.

Sir Griffin Reynolds is on his way to the colony of Virginia, on a secret mission to locate Puritan rebels intent upon seizing the throne of King Charles II. When his best friend becomes deathly ill while interrogating a beautiful Welsh maiden accused of using magic to attack a local official – Griffin is forced to strike a bargain with her in order to save his friend’s life.

When Catlin and Griffin travel together on a voyage to the American colonies, they try to resist the pull of erotic sensuality that flares between them. It is a temptation they both soon crave. But danger lurks aboard ship and evil haunts Catlin. She must learn how her destiny is linked with that of the man who has vowed to protect her.

In a dangerous and unexplored world, where superstition exists along side the new discoveries of science, powerful elemental spirits are capable of assisting the magical adepts. But there is always danger in harnessing magic and a price to pay when one calls to the spirit world for help.

While Griffin tries to deny his attraction to Catlin, she works her own special magic on his heart and he discovers he cannot resist falling under her sensual spell.

Together, Catlin and Griffin learn that a journey of the heart requires courage, trust and the ability to believe in the astonishing gift of love." ~From Barnes&Noble

Whistle Down The Wind is passionate and magical, event with such a light element of paranormal it was an interesting read as I very much love historical romance. You could tell Stone had done her fair share of research and I loved reading a historical romance that gets details right. But has that passion to carry the story. I do have to say I would have loved a bit more action, but there was plenty of suspense.

The characters were intriguing, passionate and strong. For some odd reason I really disliked the name Catlin, don't know why, oddity on my part. Griffin was quite dashing and made a great hero.

The romance, well, this book was all about the romance! I liked it a lot, and it was very well written, but it left me wanting just a little bit more.

I love paranormal stories, werewolves and vampires and shifters, and I like those stories hot - so Whistle Down The Wind was my try at Witches, and it didn't yet convince me to the subgenre. I think it's because I'm personally familiar with Wiccan lifestyle and witches in books never come close. It's hard for me to read a witch book where they can manipulate elements or people - it’s ingrained in me that witchcraft is an inner journey, so it's hard to see it on paper/kindle all powerful and physical. ;) That's just me though.

In all a very entertaining historical romance! Passionate!

Rating :

Don't miss the awesome Guest Blog for all lovers of history!

And the e-book giveaway just below!

Sibelle is giving away a copy of  Beneath a Silver Moon - winner’s choice of format - either a free Ebook ( International ) - or a print copy and a One $10 Starbucks Gift Card ( US Shipping ).

 Giveaway open Apr. 11th - 15th

To participate, leave a comment about the book or the Guest Blog! And be a follower!

The Court of King Charles II
Sibelle Stone 
           When King Charles I was disposed, and then executed in 1649, his son, Charles Stuart II was forced into exile. He traveled to France, and the court of his cousin, Louis XIV.  to Germany and the Spanish Netherlands. He lived an impoverished life of wandering as the King without a country.

           After Oliver Cromwell’s death, the Protectorate, the government controlling England, was weak and dissolving. The restoration of the monarchy was achieved without war in May 1660, as Charles II returned to London to march triumphantly back into the streets as crowds cheered him.

           Charles II was a popular king, as he reopened the theatres, hosted an opulent (and many said lurid and hedonistic court), enjoyed good food, fine wine, gambling and beautiful women. He was tall, dark-haired and was said to possess charisma Also, he was the King of England.

           Although he married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal in 1662, despite several miscarriages, they never had any children together. Charles II did sire fourteen illegitimate children, but at his death, his brother James was his designated heir.

           Among the many loves of Charles II,one of  his longest relationships was with Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine and later Duchess of Cleveland. The ferocious and demanding Duchess  had a fiery temper, and she was never faithful to her lover. She conceived three children while at court at Whitehall, but there is some question as to the paternity. She was exiled to Paris in 1677.

           Perhaps one of the most beloved of King Charles II’s many loves was the actress Nell Gwynne. She grew up in an impoverished state, was an orange girl, ( selling oranges at the Duke’s House theatre ) when they met in 1668. Nell was loyal to her lover, gave birth to two illegitimate sons and created a salon for him in the homes he gave her. She often used her influence in the cause of others, and petitioned him to fund the Royal Hospital for injured soldiers.

           On his deathbed in 1685,King Charles II begged his brother and successor, James  “Do not let poor Nelly starve.” James generously paid Nell's debts and gave her an allowance, but it was not for long. Nell at the age of 37 in 1687, just two years after her beloved King.

           Like a fairy tale maiden rising from the ashes to the castle, Nell Gwynne became something of a legend, as a good-natured charmer, and an ordinary girl from the slums who ended up not with the Prince, but with the King.

           In my recent release, Whistle Down the Wind the setting is 1664 England, but not the court of King Charles II, although references are made to it. The heroine’s oldersister, Aelwyd has visited court, and the hero, Sir Griffin Reynolds is a member of the King’s Coldstream Guards. While he’s been at court, he’s on a secret mission to scout out a Puritan plot in the colony of Jamestown to once again dispose the King of England.

WEST OF WANT PREVIEW & GIVEAWAY!

Happy WEST OF WANT Preview & Prizes Event, everyone! Today, April 10, was the original release date for Book 2 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, West of Want. And then some really cool things happened: my publisher, Entangled Publishing, signed a huge deal with the nation’s biggest book distributor, which means for the first time ever, my books will be shelved in brick-and-mortar bookstores. And then, West of Want received a very nice pre-sales estimate by the booksellers and Barnes and Nobles bought it for all their stores nationwide ( and it got bought for airports, too—squee! ). The only bad news in this whole scenario was this: the release date got pushed back, by three LONG months! LOL So, I thought I’d celebrate the original release date with a preview of the book and a big contest, and give you a small taste to whet your appetite until the actual release date arrives.

"Laura Kaye’s captivating writing and vibrant world-building will have readers hooked on the gods of the Anemoi. WEST OF WANT is steamy, spellbinding, and a must-read for all romance fantasy fans."

~Elisabeth Naughton, author of the Eternal Guardians series

Forty sites are celebrating with me today, and there are different posts at those different sites. To see the whole list of participants, click here. Now, without further ado, here’s the book blurb and one of four different never-before-seen excerpts from the book available for you to enjoy:

WEST OF WANT
Betrayal is all he's ever known, but in her, he'll find a love strong enough to be trusted...

When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive.

Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.

Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.

Zeph concentrated and allowed his mind to travel in search of his brother’s unique energy signature. As polar opposites, their energies were connected. Yin and yang. Life and death. West and East. So he found Eurus, easily. Within blocks of Ella’s house. Thunder rumbled around him as he flowed through the air in pursuit.

Corporeality returned in a blaze of light, his seething rage crackling around him.

“Ah, brother. I’ve been expecting you,” Eurus said. In the gloom of twilight, he lay prone on the dock in the middle of the marina where Ella’s boat had been taken that first day. Ankles crossed.
Fingers making lazy designs in the air as if he were conducting a symphony. Cold wind whipped up around them, turning the calm waters of the inlet choppy, jostling the sailboats in their slips.

His brother’s calm, casual repose was more disturbing than if Zeph had found him petulant and ranting. Because it meant he was planning. “What the fuck are you playing at, Eurus?”

He sprung to his feet and tugged the lapels of his leather coat. “You see? I offer civility, and what do I get in return?”

Zeph squared off and braced, ready for anything. “You don’t have a civil bone in your body.”

Eurus pinched the bridge of his nose, shifting the wraparounds up the smallest bit. Though not enough, Zeph was relieved to see, to reveal his dead black irises. “If what you say is true, brother, whose fault exactly would that be?”

“Not. Mine.” It was a fruitless conversation, but it was their little dance, and Zeph’s own special corner of hell.

“Of course not yours. Not perfect Zephyros. Not the god of life and renewal. Gods forbid.”

Zeph ignored the barb. Perfection was the last thing he believed of himself. Eurus was jealous of a figment of his imagination. “What do you want?” he finally bit out, hoping to defuse the other man, to delay the confrontation long brewing between them.

Eurus whipped off his glasses and drilled his disturbing, blank gaze into Zeph’s very soul. “Leave the woman alone.”

Pre-order West of Want on Amazon | B&N

So, what d’ya think? Want more Zephyros and Ella? Visit more participating sites to read all the excerpts, meet the characters, see the the West of Want romance trading cards, and enter to win! Thanks for reading! July 10 can’t get here soon enough for me! *grins*

 “Using ancient winter mythology as an allegory for grief, Kaye has written a sexy story that packs a powerful emotional punch. NORTH OF NEED is pure winter magic and Kaye’s sparkling talent warms the heart.”

~Stephanie Draven, author of the Mythica series about

multi-award-winning Book 1 in the Anemoi series, North of Need

Seven participants who enter through the Rafflecopter form will win gift cards from winners’ choice of Amazon or B&N valued between $15 and $100! Those prize winners will be announced on West of Want’s release day, July 10, 2012. As a special thank you to those who have pre-ordered the print West of Want through Amazon or B&N, you'll receive extra entries - just enter your order confirmation number on the appropriate Rafflecopter line. Pre-orders are hugely important for an author because they determine how many books bookstores will actually stock and they count toward an author’s first-week sales which is when most authors have their best chance to hit the big bestseller lists. However, pre-orders/purchases are not required to enter. Commenting is the only required entry. Open internationally.

Additional!

One commenter from each participating blog site will win a West of Want bookmark and the romance trading cards for North of Need and West of Want. Simply comment to enter to win ( make sure you're Following my blog and leave the name you follow under and what you follow with, like: GFC=Niina ) and be sure to leave your email address. These prizes will be announced soon after May 10. Open internationally.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is a bestselling and award-winning author paranormal and contemporary romance.

Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books.

Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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REVIEW - UNRAVELING MIDNIGHT

"Scott's determined to let Jessie be a girl in household run by three male werewolves and if it takes a learning to knit, then be it. But as Scott meets Lucy again he can't believe the signs he missed, she absolutely perfect for him and the kids, she's exactly what they need - but she's human so he needs to take things real slow - but before he knows it she witnesses his change to a wolf and the budding romance seems to fly out of the window..."

Author: Stephanie Beck
Published: Lyrical Press Inc. on January 2012
Pages: 126 Pages
Form: E-book (from the publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Sweet Paranormal Romance
Series: Creating Home #2
Amazon: Buy / $4.39 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see US )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $4.09 (Nook)
Lyrical Press: Buy / $4.99 (Ebook)
Excerpt: Fever

What Scott and the his three kids endured in their past, the death of their mother, the exile from their werewolf pack and setting up a home in small town has left Scott supporting and protecting his family alone, and it's taking its toll. When his daughter Jessie talks to stranger in a park he can't help but to react.

Lucy, who runs a yarn shop downtown, is on a break when an adorable 6-year-old Jessie admires her knitting, she doesn't expect an angry father to snap at her, but she soon pacifies the dad and before her breaks over she has two new customer for her knitting classes.

Scott's determined to let Jessie be a girl in household run by three male werewolves and if it takes learning to knit, then be it. But as Scott meets Lucy again he can't believe the signs he missed, she absolutely perfect for him and the kids, she's exactly what they need - but she's human so he needs to take things real slow - but before he knows it she witnesses his change to a wolf and the budding romance seems to fly out of the window.

He won't give up so easy, but his plan of slowly seducing her back is hindered in more ways than one and losing Lucy for good is not an option...

Wonderful story, I absolutely fell in love with Lucy and Scott and Scott's kids. I usually shy away from "baby" or "has kids" romance, but the blurb just drew me in, and I ended up loving this story! Not many single parent werewolf meets a kind human knitting teacher woman stories out there!

I loved Stephanie Beck's writing, so easy, flowing and emotional - believable and genuine. Reading this book was so easy, there was nothing to hinder the process no clichés, no mood swings, no awkward use of words - just simply easy flowing writing that was a joy to read!

The romance I loved! It was slow and steady, the characters really got to know each other, develop emotions over time instead of the insta-love. Not that there wasn't passion! Sure was, I loved getting into Scott's head as he's trying to learn to knit with his girl and can't help but have lustful thoughts about his "teacher". Delicious!

I love love love good girl characters who get their paranormal happily-ever-after! Perhaps because I'm a good girl myself, not loud or obnoxious or especially brave (except when it's required) so I loved Lucy, she's quiet, kind, loving and has that fierce side when needed - and I loved how that was what Scott was drawn to, not some trim body and long blond hair, but her kindness and what she could provide for him and his family after the unstable past they had with the mother of his children.

The paranormal in this story was nice and subtle, not a battle to death by two fighting clans or something epic like that - but subtle normal things like increased appetite, excellent hearing, strong family bond and of course increased strength and durability. All these were part of the normal which worked into the romance wonderfully! Very very cool normal type of angle!

Rating :

SOULMATE - REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

"For in steps a strange suitor that will not be denied in his own quest for Kate’s heart, body, and soul.  His scorching kiss competes with James’s touch while they both pursue her.  But who will she choose?  Because though one offers passionate life and the other offers blissful death."

Author: McKinzie S. Heart
Published: Rogue Phoenix Press on February 2012
Pages: 51 Pages
Form: E-book (from a tour for an honest review)
Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance 
Amazon: Buy / $6.89 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see US price )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $3.99 (Nook)
Rogue Phoenix Press: Buy / $3.99 (Ebook)
Excerpt: Below the Giveaway

"It is 1882 Midwest North America and fiery Scottish lass Katlyn MacKenzie has inadvertently found herself working in a local saloon after her father’s death.  Handsome cowboy James Granger wants Kate more than he’s wanted any woman before so he is determined to make her his come hell or high-water.

She is tempted by his heated, experienced touch but will she succumb to his charms or will another stake his claim?  For in steps a strange suitor that will not be denied in his own quest for Kate’s heart, body, and soul.  His scorching kiss competes with James’s touch while they both pursue her.  But who will she choose?

Because though one offers passionate life and the other offers blissful death, only her Soul Mate can claim her." ~Goodreads

I love stories about soul mates and in Soulmate you get ghosts as well! I like that this was a historical late 1800's story, it explains the fact that people were willing to believe in ghost, and Katlyn being sensitive to seeing ghosts made this "romance" possible.

I felt everything happened very fast, just in one night, and it just didn't feel believable which took a bit away from the story. I would have liked it to be at least three days long, it felt rushed and poor Katlyn went bit odd at the rush of it.

The story had great potential to be really excellent if it hadn't been so rushed to one night. Kat, James and Houston made an awesome set of characters. Even James being misguided and unable to control himself I still really really liked him! Houston was bossy, arrogant and very sure of his right on Katlyn which made him so yummy to read, crossing over to seduce a woman while a ghost, talk about hot! Katlyn was feisty, headstrong and prober Scottish girl - but she went a bit panicky there, I'd have loved to have seen her take a day or two think about things instead of blindly falling in place.

The romance was hot, I loved Houston coming to seduce Katlyn until she had to give in, and I loved James's misguided lust and passion for Kat, which almost had dire consequences. All that passion in 51 pages was delish read!

This book would have a been great, if it hadn't been, like I mentioned before, rushed into one night. But even as it was rushed it was still really good read for a ghost and soul mate lover like me. :)

Rating :

McKinzie will award a $20 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, as well as to the host with the most comments!

I encourage you to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning! The tour dates can be found HERE! 

Commenting here today? Please become a follower to support my little blog ( much thanks! ) and asnwer this:

"Do you believe in soul mates and have you met yours?"

I complitely believe in Soulmates myself, I'm new age enough that way, I believe there are actually many soulmates out there, sisters, brothers, lovers, mother and fathers, and then one other half of your soul your Twin Flame who you might not meet every reincarnation. ;) That's my belief, and I'm happy to say I married my Soulmate. ;)

           Nothing looked familiar but she pushed on bombarded now by flashes of images in her head. Her head felt full and heavy undoubtedly proving it would worsen unless she could escape. She must escape now! She lifted her skirts and bolted in blind desperation. The images and feelings increased, pressing against her skull. Gunfights, murders, natural and unnatural deaths…too numerous to count and now the whispers began. Some threatening, some enticing weaving in and about the mixed images…calling her, luring her. The multiple voices bombarded her mind as the flood of feelings threatened to overwhelm her. And the mixed scents of gunpowder, leather, and assorted perfumes flowed about her threatening to drown. One particular headstone stood strong and comforting in the distance. She concentrated in that direction feeling only a soothing wave.

           She dropped her skirts and covered her ears as she raced to it leaping over misty hands and arms that only she could see reaching up to grasp at her skirts and legs. Kate didn’t know if they could actually touch her but she surely didn’t want to find out. When she finally jumped upon that soul’s site, everything quieted receding back into a calm after the storm.