Ready For an Indecent Offer??

I love this cover!!!!! His hand, her corset, his chin nestled in the crook of her neck, his glancing down her body.........

Oh good lord, does anyone have a fan??

Lets enjoy a little taste of Cerise Deland's Miss Darling's Indecent Offer.

copyright 2010

She held tightly to his hand all the way home to Durham Manor. A short ride of ten minutes, the journey seemed to take ten years. But snuggled against Jack’s chest, Emma listened to his heart beat and the pace resounded with her own yearning. To make love to him, to be loved by him for just one night seemed so impossible days ago that she had feared to make this last request in her offer. But he had agreed and now he seemed as eager as she.

Do not delude yourself, Emma. Men love rarely. That was her mother’s warning.

Emma fought back the dour words, so daunting to her fortitude. But you do not wish for love from him. Only the deflowering.

She squirmed in her seat. Be honest, Emma, don’t you want more?

“You are sad. Why?” Jack lifted her chin. “If you have second thoughts on this, I can—”

“No!” She tried in vain to smile at him. “I was thinking of people who have nothing to do with us.”

Jack’s silver eyes seemed to look straight through her. “Who?”

“My mother.”

“She has to do with you. So tell me.”

“She has a jaded view of men. Thinks none worthy of her. Thinks few can honor a woman’s affections.”

“Do you believe her?”

Emma examined his earnest features, so intent on her. “I always thought her a little…extreme.”

“Parents often appear that way.”

“They do. After a while, it becomes imperative to rid yourself of their notions.”

He hooted. “How true. I’ll tell you about my father sometime. His notions are notoriously odd.”

“I have heard.”

“Really? I wonder that they did not deter you from approaching me,” he said with distaste for the subject.

“They were, I am ashamed to say, the very reasons that I did,” she admitted, felt her cheeks flush with color and turned her face toward the coachman who pulled open the door and let down the steps. “I think of you differently now.”

He cupped her face with one hand and led her to look at him. “Do you, darling? How encouraging,” he whispered as he bent and kissed her slowly, his mouth blessing hers time and time again and creating a craving for more. “Come,” he said breathlessly as the barouche rolled to a stop and he broke away. Quickly, he stepped out, offered his hand and led her up the broad stone steps.

Cerise, congratulations on the success of this series!!

Tessie

www.tessiebradofrd.com

At Seven Sexy Scribes we usually share sexy, funny, fantasy stories.

Today is a little different and I’m going to take a chance and share another kind of book with you that dips into a darker reality. It’s a vividly written book and it’s a difficult book. It’s always a big risk to switch topics especially during the cheerful holiday season, but I think there’s value in remembering life’s not supposed to be perfect.  It’s how we react to those imperfections that determine if we will survive, heal and thrive as human beings. 

The book I want to share today is Julia Rachel Barrett’s “Come Back to Me.” From Evernight Press.

Blurb:

Sometimes the safest path is to keep people at a distance…especially men.

Cara’s life has been one nightmare after another. Abused as a child and neglected by her parents, she’s quick to blame herself for every cruel thing that happens to her. And then there’s James, the only man capable of making her forget her misgivings and learn to love again.

James, a young doctor in training, is aware of Cara’s history. He’s determined to break through her barriers and build a life with her…and fails. Cara runs away in an attempt to reinvent herself and James fears he’s lost her for good. When she falls into the hands of a drug dealer and mob boss, life as they know it is about to get a whole lot worse.

Can their love withstand the demons of her past and present?

Be Warned: violence against heroine, rape of heroine.

I just finished reading “Come Back to Me”. This book is beautifully written, incredibly involving and true to life. It will stick in your mind, you might forget your reading fiction, and it may make you mad.

There is a great deal of love in “Come Back to Me” but this is not an erotic romance. This is a “Lifescape” of a young woman named Cara. 

The story begins in 1967, and the way the story is written perfectly demonstrates how ill prepared the professional community is when it comes to dealing with overt sexual abuse. Doctors, lawyers and parents alike all see the effects of Cara’s abuse but no one in authority seems to know how to cope with the issue except for an enlighten nurse named Debbie and a young intern name James Mackie.

“Come Back To Me” covers some dark subjects including rape, sexual abuse and drugs, but I want to assure readers the material is always handled in an honest but sensitive way. It’s never too graphic or overwhelming yet I got pulled into events and found myself deeply sympathizing with Cara. Ms. Barrett has a gift for keeping it simple, clean and fast paced.

I felt Cara’s anxiety and frustration at knowing her adult neighbor had no boundaries and might appear in her bedroom as soon as her parents drove away. The details of Cara’s struggles are internal and emotional. We know what happen to Cara not from overblown scenes but from the true to life emotional reactions Cara endures after. It’s a strong book and because it is written so well, it will trigger an emotional reaction from readers.

Once we taste Cara’s pain the story flows and it’s too compelling to put down because we know why Cara does what she does and we also feel for her when a chance to live a better life is offered. This is when the romance kicks in, and you really feel the love between Cara and James.

It’s no spoiler to say James is protective, loving, patient and completely opens his heart to Cara and everything that comes with her.

My guess is that each of us can directly relate to something Cara goes through, including her healing or we know a beloved girl-woman in our lives who has.

“Come Back to Me” is one of those gripping creations that might sound unattractive on the surface but reveals itself as beautiful inside. This oyster has a pearl to share with anyone who needs to heal from any of these issues or simply enjoys seeing real love triumph.

I got pulled into the story, I got upset, and I had a beautiful feeling of catharsis when I was finished. I’m very glad I read “Come Back to Me.”

XXOO Kat

Have you heard about Evernight Press? 

Evernight is new in to the publishing world and 

“Come Back to Me” is one of their premier books. Check out more from this interesting new press at: Evernight Press: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/

Julia Rachel Barrett “Come Back To Me” Evernight Press.

A quick note to announce the winner:

Val from Germany won the Daughters of Persephone series. Yay Val and thanks everyone for participating!
You can always go to my site and read my December Newsletter - lots of free books!
http://juliarachelbarrett.net

love, Julia

'Tis the season to be jolly...

And a great book always seems to make the holidays brighter!

What gifts will you give this holiday season?  For an author, the greatest gift he or she can give is a book...especially one he or she slaved over for months, and crafted carefully for the enjoyment of readers.  Of course...my books will only go to the over-18 crowd. The rugrats will get the usual...candy, toys, and kid's books!

I brought back about 50 pounds of print books from Romanticon this year, and I intend to give them to all the good BIG girls on my Christmas list.  I purchased books by a lot of my pals, specifically for gifts.  

I firmly believe in giving gifts that won't be taken back to the store after the holidays.  I don't buy clothes or weird things that catch my eye.  I don't buy "As seen on TV!" things that fall apart about ten minutes after the item comes out of the packaging.  I buy candy and cookies...the good ones...or I bake stuff.  I create gift baskets with batches of stuff, like play makeup and kiddie books and fake "jewels" for the 6-year-old granddaughter who thinks she's almost 21.  :P

And for the "big" gift from Grandma, I find the unique, unusual, and always useful things that catch a kid's eye...like the 40" tall teddy bear with a little teddy bear in its arms. ($20)  Or I spy out the DVD section to find all those classic movies that are on sale for $5.  My sons are Monty Python aficionados.   Last year I bought two dozen movies for less than $80.  

I am NOT cheap...I am simply always on the lookout for a great buy...and I often find things that you will never find again.  I always give stuff that is classy despite the lack of money spent.  It's a knack I have.  If I spy something in the clearance aisle that once cost over $50, that I can buy now for $19.99, into the cart it goes.  And I start buying for Christmas just after Labor Day.  The prices aren't hiked up to the hilt, and the sales are great.

I used to spend thousands on Christmas gifts...now I spend a few hundred and I get great bargains.  Combining stuff I make with neat things I bought makes a great, personal, and happy gift.  Books that are autographed by the author are always a conversation piece.  A vintage toy that looks brand new, or a vintage parlor game like Mr. Ree, Clue, or Parcheesi from the 30's, 40's or 50's is a collector's piece as well as a fun gift.  And for those who don't go for collectibles, there are always "edibles".  A cake tin packed to the top with cookies, candies, gum, and sparkly sugar crystals is always welcome.

So have yourself a Merry Little Holiday and don't go bonkers or broke.  Enjoy the gifts you give, and your family and friends will enjoy them, too.

Fran Lee

Just Me...and my books...and a contest

Science Fiction Romance - the perfect holiday gift to yourself!

Many of my author friends have read this series so this is for you readers.

Leave me a comment here - I'd love to hear about your very favorite work of science fiction...or on the other hand, are you a newbie?

Let me know and you can win a copy of each book for your holiday reading pleasure!

Much love, Julia

Finally!!

I'm very excited to share some good news! Resplendence Publishing has accepted my "coming of age" story titled Pampering Jessica. It is scheduled for a March 2011 release.

This story is a departure from my other books on a few of levels. First, the h/h have been happily married for almost 25 years. Second, there is no menage. Third, there's only a hint of anything remotely Dom/sub. I describe it as a "coming of age" story due to it taking place on the weekend of the heroine's 50th birthday!

I'm very excited about this book! As you know from my previous blogs, I've been feeling less than productive as an author over the last months and it's great to be back in the zone. The December 15th submission deadline is more than a bit daunting but who really needs sleep anyways??

Hopefully I'll come up for air long enough to give an update on my progress next Thursday!

Have a great weekend.

Tessie

www.tessiebradford.com

It’s December 1^st and the runaway train rushing toward the winter holidays has begun its down-the-mountain cannonball assault on my work schedule, energy and budget.

Every year I vow to stay on track and not let things get out of control but somehow they always do.

Why can’t I keep it simple? I don’t know why!

As December kicks in I start thinking about all the terrific memories I could be creating for my family. I say yes to every holiday activity flung far or wide, volunteer time I don’t have and get too involved with too many things. I know I’m not alone in this. I see a lot of other stressed women doing the same thing.

Then I realize the new year is just around the corner, and my personal ambitions kick into high gear. It’s time to go to the gym and really get back in shape so I can pull up the zipper on a nice New Year’s Eve dress… I'll fantasize about it. This is ridiculous because most New Year’s Eves we stay home and I don’t own a New Year’s dress.

Then my mind wanders towards the possibility of getting a new book finished. The thought of turning in a new book is so invigorating I begin to fantasize about finishing two books… I did that last year and I really enjoyed the challenge. This year it makes no sense at all, yet I still think I should be doing it because I associate it so strongly with last year’s holiday season and the great sense of accomplishment it brought.

The holidays just seem to bring out my crazed side that lays dormant most of the year. 

I seem to crave exhaustion or testing the limits and that’s not what the holidays are about.

This season I really am going to try to stay sane and not pressure myself so badly. Holiday activities and time spent with loved ones are going to be my “Big Ticket Gifts” to myself.

If a few things don’t get done—so be it.  

If a WIP gets finished, hooray, but if I don’t, I won’t push it.

Brave words we’ve yet to see if I can do any of it. 

Does anybody else have a few dirty little self-imposed holiday stresses they would like to confess? Come on, I know a few of you are already shedding tears over making handmade gifts, turning your living rooms in Elven villages or that upcoming, over-ambitious cookie exchange at the boss’ house…confess! lol

XXOO Kat