Worth the Trade by Kristina Mathews - Interview/Giveaway

Worth the Trade

By

Kristina Mathews

A ballplayer and a team owner would give anything for a championship—even their hearts…
After inheriting majority ownership of the San Francisco Goliaths baseball team, Hunter Collins wants to prove to herself—and the rest of the league—that she’s got what it takes to build a champion. Her first move is to trade for a hot left-fielder. He’s got it all, speed, power, and a desire to win. Not to mention undeniable charm.

Marco Santiago is tired of being the new player in town. After four teams in six years, he’s facing free agency at the end of the season. He wants nothing more than a long-term contract and a World Series win. Hitting on his new owner probably isn’t the best way to get it, but love may be the most powerful challenger either of them has ever faced...

Warning: Strong language, consummated love scenes, and some baseball clichés.

“Smart, fun, and sexy. A great romance read.” –New York Times Bestselling Author, Kat Martin

“I’m only interested in winning the division and making a strong run in the postseason.” She turned her head to look out the window as if to show she was unaffected by the chemistry between them.

“Aren’t you a rotten liar?” He chuckled softly. Oh yeah, he was definitely getting to her. “Don’t join in the poker game at the next owners’ retreat. You’ll be wiped out.”

She whipped her head around so fast the car shook. “I happen to be a very good poker player. I can hold my own against anyone. Anytime.”

Interesting. Her strong reaction told him two things. She was insecure about her place among her fellow owners. And yes, she was interested in him on more than a professional level.

“That explains your wardrobe.” He leaned back, not ready to leave her just yet. “You dress like you do to fit in with the old boys’ club. But you can’t hide the fact that you are all woman.”

“And you can’t hide the fact that you don’t want to be here.” She dared look him straight in the eye, but couldn’t hold his gaze.

“I’m starting to come around.” He gave her one last smile.

To get started can you tell us what you are working on or have coming out?

I’m working on the next two books in the More Than A Game series.

Book 3 features newly divorced Annabelle Jones who has moved to Southern California to revive her modeling career, but an accident forces her to rely on her attractive, yet reclusive neighbor. Nathan Cooper is trying to figure out what to do with his life if he isn’t picked up by a team. His pitching career was sidelined by a suspension and injury. The last thing he needs is to get close to his beautiful neighbor and her darling daughters.

Book 4 is Bryce Baxter’s story. Coming off the World Series win and signing the biggest contract of his life, he should be on top of the world. But he’s hit a major slump, and the pressure from fans and the media are nothing compared to finding out his on-again, off-again lover, reporter Rachel Parker is pregnant.

What made you realize that writing was it for you? Do you write full time?

I’ve always written, for a long time it was mostly for myself. In high school, I wrote really bad poetry and filled several journals a year with teenage angst. I started my first romance novel 20 years ago when I was first married but it was pushed aside with dreams of buying a house, having kids, and establishing a teaching career. Once I turned forty, I realized it was time to take a chance on a long standing dream.

I also work as a part-time paraeducator. I enjoy working with primary students, helping them develop their reading skills. I also work one on one with a special education student and I plan on staying with him for two more years until he finishes elementary school. After that, I’ll see if I want to write full time or cut back my hours.

How did you start your writing career?

I wrote “The End” on my first book in 2009. It was a horrible inspirational secret-baby romantic suspense told mostly in wine induced flashback. But I proved to myself I could finish a book. I wrote another, a single dad/nanny book that was better. I bought a used copy of Writer’s Market and did some research online and I found the Romance Writers of America. They had a chapter not too far from my home and I was able to make a meeting in June of 2010. I took my first online course that summer, logging in for the first time from a tent in Zion National Park.

Several workshops, retreats, and online pitches later, my first book, Better Than Perfect, was published by Lyrical Press in April of 2014.

Worth The Trade was originally scheduled for a September release, but my publisher moved it up to July.

Tell us about your current release.

A ballplayer and a team owner would give anything for a championship—even their hearts…
After inheriting majority ownership of the San Francisco Goliaths baseball team, Hunter Collins wants to prove to herself—and the rest of the league—that she’s got what it takes to build a champion. Her first move is to trade for a hot left-fielder. He’s got it all, speed, power, and a desire to win. Not to mention undeniable charm.
Marco Santiago is tired of being the new player in town. After four teams in six years, he’s facing free agency at the end of the season. He wants nothing more than a long-term contract and a World Series win. Hitting on his new owner probably isn’t the best way to get it, but love may be the most powerful challenger either of them has ever faced...
Warning: Strong language, consummated love scenes, and some baseball clichés.
“Smart, fun, and sexy. A great romance read.” –New York Times Bestselling Author, Kat Martin

Where are your fans most likely to find you hanging out?

Facebook and Twitter. I usually post to my Facebook author page two to three times a day. More often if I have a blog tour or I get some exciting news like my book hitting the top 20 for Sports Fiction in the UK or Canada.

I tend to be on Twitter more during baseball games. Sometimes I just have to be a fan. I try to keep my posts positive, but sometimes I get caught up in the heat of the moment.

I have a personal blog I try to post at least once a week. I usually blog about some aspect of baseball and how it relates to my writing. Sometimes I’ll blog about road trips or on occasion I’ll write about life with teenagers. I had my first guest blogger recently, Lyrical Press author Cd Brennan.  

Kristina Mathews doesn't remember a time when she didn't have a book in her hand. Or in her head. But it wasn't until 2010 that she confessed the reason the laundry never made it out of the dryer was because she was busy writing romance novels.

While she resigned from teaching with the arrival of her second son, she's remained an educator in some form. As a volunteer, Parent Club member or para educator, she finds the most satisfaction working with emergent and developing readers, helping foster confidence and a lifelong love of books.

Kristina lives in Northern California with her husband of twenty years, two sons and a black lab. A veteran road tripper, amateur renovator and sports fanatic. She hopes to one day travel all 3,073 miles of Highway 50 from Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD, replace her carpet with hardwood floors and serve as a “Ball Dudette” for the San Francisco Giants.

Website www.kristinamathews.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kristinamathewsauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KristinaMathews

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If I Say Yes by Brandy Jellum - Review/Giveaway

If I Say Yes

by Brandy Jellum

Elizabeth Lewis was the child of Hollywood’s darling couple, until her father murdered her mother.

Six years later, she has traded her flashy, luxurious lifestyle for one of safe anonymity as a literary agent. With a different name and appearance, Liza Winter is living the life of her dreams—one where she’s known for who she is instead of what her father did. Except her apartment should be condemned, her car only starts when it wants, she hates the romance genre she has been assigned, and the CEO’s deliciously attractive nephew is out to ruin her carefully laid plans.

Reid Harder has never met an obstacle he couldn’t overcome. When his new position in the romance department comes with a benefit his uncle didn’t mention, he decides to wage a war against the intelligent, beautiful Liza to destroy every argument she has for turning him down. Still, the closer he gets to winning the prize, the more he realizes that the woman is keeping secrets that may endanger not just her life but his.

Will Liza overcome her mistrust of Reid to reveal her secrets before he learns the truth and walks away? Or will a grudge-wielding apparition from her past make her the next deadly Hollywood headline?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Excerpt:

Prologue

Six years ago

Blood covers every surface. On the pristine, white marble flooring, the grand staircase and handrail, and what used to be a tall, square wooden end table by the large double doors I just walked through. The table now lays scattered across the foyer, broken into jagged pieces. The large, antique ceramic bowl that served as a key holder had set on the table, but now, it too is scattered amongst the broken wood and the blood bath. I follow the trail of dark crimson fluid up the stairs, my hands shaking and my breath catching. Upstairs is worse, far worse. The plush white carpet is saturated a deep shade of red; splatters and droplets are everywhere.

My heart is pounding, urging me to go, to leave, to run and call for help. My head tells me otherwise, to follow the trail of blood down the hall. The blood is smeared on the walls, as if someone was trying to grab ahold of something to prevent being dragged this way. The trail leads to my parents’ bedroom. My heartbeat quickens, and a bead of sweat forms along my hairline. The door to my parents’ room is slightly ajar, and I nudge it open a little farther, just enough so I can slip past the door.

A piercing scream escapes, and I quickly clamp a hand over my mouth. My eyes are glued to the sight before me. There’s no mistaking the familiar blonde hair attached to the crumpled body on the floor, discarded as though she is a piece of garbage that nobody wants. Just left there with a pool of blood surrounding her body. The blonde hair, the only thing I share with my mother, is drenched in the dark fluid. Another cry escapes my lips as I rush across the floor and collapse next to her, brushing the hair out of her face. My heart drops to the pit of my stomach, and I feel bile rising to the back of my throat.

I can hardly recognize my mother’s soft, delicate face; she was a natural beauty, one that everyone wanted to star in their next movie at one point in her life. Her face is mangled with large, jagged cuts that run across it. The blood is already starting to dry. Examining the rest of her body, I see she is covered from head to toe with multiple stab wounds. Under the cross-hatch of wounds, I can see faint bruises forming from the multiple contusions she has suffered as well.

“Mom,” I whisper. I scoop her body into my arms and pull her close to my body. Her head rests against my chest as I begin to rock back and forth. “Don’t be dead…please, don’t be dead.” I know my plea is useless; she is already gone. The amount of blood throughout the house and pooling around her, and the blank expression in her blue eyes is proof enough. Tears form in my eyes. “You can’t be dead.”

I cry out loud, and my body begins to shake involuntarily. “I didn’t mean what I said…I forgive you.” My voice breaks and barely comes out. I think back to the last conversation we had. Which, honestly, isn’t anything outside the norm, since we fought constantly the little time we are around each other. We had a toxic mother-daughter relationship. If there’s an award for worst parents ever, mine would win, hands down. But today, today’s argument was different. It had been the final straw in her attempt to break me down. I had yelled at her, uttering all the same obscenities and same ‘I hate you.’ I had told her that she was the worst mother in the world and that I would be better off if she would just die. I never really meant that last part. No matter how unloving, cruel, and horrible they were, neither of my parents deserve to die, at least not like this.

I shake my mother slightly, but she doesn’t stir. Of course she doesn’t; she is long gone. “Please…please… just come back.” I choke out the last three words. It doesn’t matter that I have spent a lifetime hating her nor does it matter that she took the one thing that made me happiest in the world right out from under my nose. At the moment, I could care less about all the horrible things she has said and done. Nothing, I repeat nothing, she has done warranted her death. I begin to cry, sobbing uncontrollably. I cry because however rotten she was, she is gone, and I never got to say goodbye or to take back any of the things I have ever said to her.

“It’s a shame things had to end like this.” I snap my head up and find my father leaning against the door frame. His dark brown hair is a tousled mess. He is still wearing the charcoal suit I last saw him in, minus the jacket and tie. His forehead is creased, and his dark brown eyes, the exact same shade as mine, narrow. In one hand, he is holding a large, white, terry cloth towel stained with blood. In the other is a large butcher knife dripping blood. His lips quirk up into a sinister grin that sends a chill down my spine. “You can’t really be sad, can you? Not after what she did to you…to me…to us.”

His words linger in the air.

“Y-Y-You did this?” I ask weakly.

He struts across the room toward me, and I pull my mother closer, as if I can protect her from any further harm. I glance up at him hovering over me, and my eyes flicker to the knife in his hands. My father follows my gaze and smiles. He tosses the knife onto their oversized poster bed and wipes his hands off with the towel before tossing it onto the bed as well.

“Of course I did,” he sneers. My father smiles, not showing one ounce of remorse for what he has done.

“Why? Why would you do this?”

“The bitch had it coming.” He smiles again and sends another wave of chills down my spine. “I did it for us, but more importantly, I did it for you, Elizabeth.” Then he lunges for me…

A book full of suspense and great plot twists, that while it starts out slow was, really fabulous by the end. I really loved the characters. I also enjoyed that the author had a great grasp on plot, and the storylines and plots seemed so far apart but then came together perfectly.

Reid pursues Liza, and he’s a bit of a mystery. I really loved that he didn’t give up on Liza no matter what.

I definitely recommend this story.

I received a copy for the purpose of review. I was not compensated for my review. 

Brandy’s passion for writing began long before she actually sat down to write. As a child, she has had an obsession with reading, everything from the classic stories by Jane Austen to YA Fiction by Richelle Mead. Finally, in 2012, she decided to create her own stories for people to fall in love with. Brandy bounces back and forth writing both Romance and Young Adult Fiction (which is mainly just for fun).

At the beginning of 2014, Brandy signed a contract with publishing company Booktrope. She is very excited about the next chapter of her life and cannot wait to share her books and passion with readers.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found chasing after her husband, her four children and her black lab, Diesel. Or curled up on her favorite corner of the couch with her newest book.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://brandyjellumbooks.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrandyJellum

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Brandy_Jellum

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Animal Attraction by Paige Tyler - Review

Not only are werewolves real, but they're damn hunky, too.

Frustrated when none of the real newspapers will hire her as a reporter, Eliza Bradley takes the only job she can get—at a paranormal magazine. Her first assignment takes her to Fairbanks, Alaska to investigate the rumors that a werewolf has killed two local men.

When she meets Hunter McCall, a local college professor and an expert on wolves, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him and ends up spending more time in his bed than worrying about werewolves. That’s when Eliza finds out Hunter isn’t just an animal in the sack, he’s an animal out of it, too—of the werewolf variety. Talk about a complicated relationship.

But Eliza can’t dwell on Hunter’s little shapeshifting issues for long. There’s another werewolf out there with a taste for human blood, and she and Hunter are the only ones who can stop him. If they don’t, they’re likely to become his next victims.

Amazon | B&N | ARe

I read this one before, and I’ve reviewed it before, so when the author said it was expanded a bit, I decided to give another try. I still like it. In fact, I fell in love with the characters all over again. I really love Eliza and Hunter.

Eliza is a city girl, and watching her cope with everything thrown at her was fabulous to watch. I really enjoyed watching her figure out the clues, it gave the story this feel of a mystery, with a lot of very hot and steamy sex thrown in.

Hunter, is delicious, and smart and I loved him. I loved that he’s a werewolf, but that doesn’t define all that he is. He is perfect for Eliza, and their chemistry leapt off the page.

I highly recommend this story, its action packed, steamy and a great read.

I received a copy for the purpose of review. I was not compensated for my review. 

From Indiana with Love by Sandra Sookoo - Spotlight/Giveaway

From Indiana with Love

By: Sandra Sookoo

Released July 2014

Blurb

Being embroiled in an FBI sting isn’t exactly conducive for book research or warm fuzzies—or is it?

Samantha Arnold, prep cook and struggling romance novelist, believes adventure is right around the corner. Trouble is, nothing exciting happens in the small town of Newburg, Indiana. When a routine trip to pick up chicken results in meeting a guy too well-dressed to be a farmer, she can’t help but hope things are about to turn.

Special Agent Patton Mitchell isn’t exactly enjoying his stint in the farming community. The property he’s using as a home base adjoins that of his mark, and it also connects him with meek and mild Samantha. Her questionable Internet search history has triggered a visit from the NSA, which means him, and he’s not above a little flirting to get his answers.

Suddenly, small town life explodes into a story right out of Sam’s imagination, with intrigue, guns and betrayal to boot. What she thinks of as a madcap caper is a fight for life or death in Mitchell’s book. Between dodging bullets, chasing a would-be terrorist and dealing with drop-in relatives, there might just be a shot at romance—if the bad guys don’t get them first.

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/06/now-

booking-tasty-virtual-tour-for-from.html

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Love-Unlikely-Partners-Book-ebook/dp/B00LFOJ4YS/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1404227192&sr=8-12&keywords=sandra+sookoo

Publisher: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/unlikely-partners-book-one-from-indiana-with-love-epub/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-indiana-with-love-sandra-sookoo/1119886294?ean=2940149757886

All Romance ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fromindianawithlove-1559691-149.html

Author Info

Sandra is a writer of romantic fiction. Her portfolio includes historical, contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal romances in full-length books as well as shorts and novellas. No matter if the heat level is spicy or sweet, she loves to blend genres and oftentimes will add humor to the mix.

When not immersed in creating new worlds and engaging characters, Sandra likes to read, bake, taste new teas, watch The Big Bang Theory, and Psych as well as Finding Bigfoot and travel. Her favorite place to spend vacation hours is Walt Disney World: it’s where dreams come true and the soul can play. When she’s not writing, she’s keeping things interesting at her Believing is Seeing blog or spending time with her husband, who patiently answers questions she has about men, sci-fi-related subjects, and the odd “what if”.

Sandra loves to hear from her readers. You can write to her at sandrasookoo@yahoo.com, visit her website at www.sandrasookoo.com, or look her up on Facebook and Twitter. All links are provided on the front page of her website.

Author Links

http://www.sandrasookoo.com/

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandra-Sookoo-author/149098339126

https://twitter.com/SandraSookoo

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2931453.Sandra_Sookoo

http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

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Five Weeks by Dannika Dark - Spotlight

Five Weeks

(Seven Series, Bk #3)

By Dannika Dark 

Blurb:

Izzy has always loved the freedom and adventure of life on the road, but she’s recently decided to settle down—as much as a rogue wolf can. When her boyfriend gets her a job working at a hot Shifter bar, she runs into the last person on earth she expected to see again.

Jericho isn't the famous rock star he once was, though he still plays in a local band and loves to party. Beautiful women come and go, but music is his only passion—until a sassy redhead named Isabelle Monroe shows up unexpectedly.

Fate reunites two former friends living with one foot in the present and the other in the past. But will they have a future when one of them is forced to choose between life and death? Old habits die hard, and sometimes the toughest addictions to shake are the ones that control our hearts.

Available for purchase at 

      

Excerpt

Claiming Kara by Caitlyn O'Leary - Spotlight/Giveaway

Synopsis

Five years ago, Kara Johansen met and fell in love with brothers Ben and Quinn Shotbrook while on vacation with her fire fighter brothers in Sitka, Alaska.They planned to marry, when tragedy struck the Shotbrook family, leaving the brothers to care for their mother and younger brothers again. They sent Kara back home to Fate Harbor, Washington, promising that one day they would reunite. Years later, Kara has made the decision that she wants to marry and start a family of her own. She has put away her dreams of ever being with Ben and Quinn and instead focuses on men who are available to her here and now. Her meddling brothers inform Ben and Quinn of her plans. The brothers Shotbrook rush to Fate Harbor to do whatever it takes to reclaim the woman they never stopped loving. Has too much changed between them to save their love?

Buy Claiming Kara on Amazon!

Excerpt

“No, she needs to listen to me. You both do.” Quinn’s voice was implacable. He pushed Kara’s thighs up so that her knees were almost on either side of her breasts. “Hold her,” he commanded his brother. Ben reached down and grasped her legs behind the knees, keeping her open for Quinn’s perusal. She gasped as she looked down, seeing the top of her sex splayed wide with Quinn so big and imposing leaning over her, looking directly into her eyes. “You will listen to me, little one. I refuse to hurt you.” He set the condom to the side and swiped his fingers through her wet sex, pulsing with need even more than when Ben’s cock was deep in her mouth. Then she felt him enter her, and it was much more than before. Where before he had used maybe two of his sizeable fingers to stroke inside her, he now had to be using three, and she arched up in welcome. Then he pulled them out, taking more of her silky essence with him. Then he pushed more fingers in again, and she winced at the burn. “It hurts, doesn’t it, Kara?” He demanded an answer. All she could do was nod her head yes. Finally she gasped out, “It hurts good, Quinn.” She saw his relieved smile. He continued to pump in and out, until finally she was pushing upward to meet the rhythm of his entry, glorying in the sense of fullness, in the connection with this man. She saw his amber eyes glitter as they watched her intently, assessing her body’s reaction. He took his fingers out to suck them in his mouth, and she shuddered, watching him relish her flavor as his face flushed. They’d been right to blindfold her. She was now experiencing every sense, and it was amazing. She watched as he picked up the condom, and ripped it open with his intensely white teeth. As he sheathed his cock, she tried to reach forward to touch him, but Ben’s grip kept her in place. “Next time, Kara,” Ben soothed. “We want to make you feel good. Let Quinn do this.” She watched and felt as the broad head of his cock, so much more than his fingers, snuggled at her needy entrance. “Oh, my God, can you see this, Ben?” Quinn looked up with a stunned expression, including his brother in this most intimate moment. Ben bent forward over her head, getting a better view. She gave a huff of dissatisfaction that she couldn’t see what they were seeing. “She’s incredible, brother,” Ben said in a strained voice. Then Kara felt the liquid push just trying to breach the tight muscle of her opening, and she couldn’t help but flinch at the discomfort. Quinn looked deep into her eyes. He felt the resistance of her body, and knew that his girth had to be causing some pain. “Help her, Ben,” Quinn instructed, while he held still. Ben kept hold of her left leg but gently lowered her right leg, and then his fingers were hovering over her engorged clit, and just one touch had her gasping in reaction. As if he understood that anything more than a featherlike touch would be too much for her swollen bud, he softly caressed her, causing sparks to emanate from that one spot to her entrance, relaxing her and allowing Quinn to slide deeper, until the head was buried inside her, filling her. It was wonderful. She felt the heat and power of the man, and she thrust up, needing him deeper. Again, he looked carefully into her eyes, gauging her ability to accept more. When he determined that with Ben’s ministrations, and her own longing, he could continue, he sank further, until she felt him nestle against her womb. “Yes, Quinn,” she wailed. “Nothing has ever felt this good.” Ben took his fingers away and she grabbed his wrist, trying to hold him, but he easily moved his fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean, savoring her essence and wetting the digits even further. Then he put them back to where she so desperately needed them and pressed and circled even harder, and that’s when Quinn started a slow pull out, followed by a faster thrust in, once again tapping softly against the mouth of her womb, causing her to spasm in delight. He continued, faster and faster.

“Harder and faster, both of you, harder and faster.” She was thrashing her head. She felt the slight flicker of childhood firework sparklers, and they were building to firecrackers popping off as she whimpered with excitement. Then she felt a roman candle going off, and finally she screamed as the deafening grand finale came and the night sky exploded into showers of color.

Author Interview

DID I ALWAYS WANT TO BE A WRITER?

The idea of being an author has always been a something too out of reach. I focused on climbing the corporate ladder instead. When I got this job doing project management where I could telecommute….Well, why not take that time I would normally be in the car and see if I had what it takes to actually be a writer. After all, reading 500 books a year costs quite a pretty penny!!! LOL ;)

 WHY WRITE A SERIES? WHY WRITE FATE HARBOR?

Out of all the books that I read, I love it when an author will give me a series. When a really good book ends, but then I realize I will have an opportunity to dip back into that world, I am SO happy. So that’s what made me decide to write a series. As to why I wanted to base my series in Fate Harbor, Washington, well I LOVE the Pacific Northwest. The people and landscape are so diverse and welcoming. I grew up there, and I’m always so happy to be welcomed home when I go for visits. The only two things I might not accurately portray in my books is just how many MFM relationships there are, and how often it DOESN’T rain. LOL (People, to be as green and pretty as it is, it rains….A LOT!)

WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE BOOK TO WRITE?

I love them all. Claiming Kara has a lot of my family in it. I’m the oldest of five children, and we meddle in one another’s lives a lot. So it is definitely near and dear to my heart. Trusting Chance is nearest and dearest because it is the first book I have ever written. Part of the reason I wrote Trusting Chance was to show that you could build a family even if it isn’t through blood. That people care for one another, that they really can support and love one another. Also, I wanted to show that even if bad things happen in childhood, that you can heal and grow from it, and become a strong person because of it.

WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO WRITE EROTICA?

Erotica is sensuality. It is something that makes me squirm in my seat and get hot and bothered. It revs me up so that when I see my husband I’m ready to grab him and rip his clothes off. My readers often tell me the same thing. They definitely enjoy my stories and they relate to the characters. When they think about the characters, they agonize over the situations that they go through and in some cases readers have actually been moved to tears on their behalf. But when it comes to the sex scenes, many claim that that a good “hot flash” would provide them with blessed relief from the steam generated by my characters channeling their passions. I used to read the old style romances. You remember—the ones where the sex scenes were done behind closed doors, and the reader was not privy to them. But to tell you the truth, I wasn’t satisfied with them. I’m a caring, empathetic person, so I wanted to know that the heroine was sexually satisfied. After all, she’d usually gone through hell and back to be with her lover. Was he worth it? Inquiring minds want to know!!! As a writer, however, one of the things I want to do is show my readers how my characters could learn and grow to overcome personal obstacles and become better people. I wanted to show real life situations in which people solved their problems to claim real life rewards. Why wouldn’t I want to discuss how a woman could bring pleasure to a man performing oral sex? Why wouldn’t I want to I want to say it was healthy and right for a woman to expect a man to return the favor? Sex is a wonderful part of life and should be celebrated. I want to show that to women. That said,it also wouldn’t hurt if the men in our lives read these books.

GOOFY STUFF ABOUT CAITLYN THAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED AND I’VE ACTUALLY ANSWERED.

Boxers or briefs? Well, I like the boxer briefs, but my husband goes commando, so I’ve found I like that best.

Tall, Blonde and Muscular or Taller, Dark and Handsome…..Hubby is number #2, so I need version #1 for a good menage….Hubby keeps saying no.

What’s your favorite sport? Love watching basketball, these days my favorite game to play is probably golf. Sometimes I graduate from putt putt to an actual course.

What’s your favorite swear word? “The Eff Word” it has many uses, it can be used as a noun, a pronoun, an adjective, a verb, an adverb, etc., etc. etc.

What’s your favorite food? Froot Loops, like the Eff Word it has many uses, it can be used as breakfast, lunch, dinner, an afternoon snack, a midnightsnack, etc. etc.

What was your worst vacation? A 9 day family road trip, five kids ages 5-14, over 100 degree heat, no air conditioning in the family station wagon. The highlight was visiting a copper mine in Utah.

What was your best job? My company sent me over to Brussels for almost a year to help set up Belgacom Yellow Pages. It was great!

What has been your best inspiration lately? Navy Seals from San Diego have actually commandeered the swimming pool at my community complex a couple of Saturdays, so I couldn’t swim my laps. I was initially pissed off. HOW STUPID WAS THAT?! I then sat down and enjoyed the show.

From my 3 books, one of my favorite excerpt is really one between Chance Reynolds and Sam Booth. So often the men have to help one another and depend on one another. Their friendship is critical to this kind of story. Chance leaned back on the dock, admiring how clear the day was now that the clouds had disbursed. “Did you ever consider the possibility that you might have an inferiority complex? That somehow your parents fucked you over into believing you weren’t worthy of anything good? So whenever something bad happens, you blow it out of proportion and let it justify your underlying belief system?” “Jesus, Chance, are you planning on putting out a shingle? I already have a shrink.” Sam took a long pull from his beer and reached for another. “Nope. I just figure it’s time I said my piece, because this is important, and I want it to work. You and Josie fit because you both come from the same fucked-up childhoods. You can really relate to one another, and help one another. I fit, because I can lighten the mood. You both need me. Not to mention the fact that neither of us is going to let the other one have her to himself.” “There is that. You try to take her away from me, and they’ll never find your body,” Sam said in a pretty serious tone that made Chance laugh. “You could try, brother. You could try,” he said, still laughing. Sam looked over at him, and realized it might not be as easy to take down Chance as he would like to think. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve thought about why I have a glass-half-empty outlook,” Sam admitted. “No, you don’t have that at all. You always see the good in others. You see the good in a lot of different situations. But when it comes to yourself, you have a broken mirror. You, son, don’t think you are good, nor do you think you deserve anything good.” Chance paused, letting his words sink in. “Do you want Josie?” “I’ve had Josie,” Sam said with a great deal of satisfaction. “Do you want Josie for the long haul?” Chance asked. Sam took another swig from his beer, trying to picture his very long life without Josie in it. “Yeah, I want her. But I don’t know how I can do it.”

Author Bio

I write the Fate Harbor series for Siren. Fate Harbor is based on the Pacific Northwest town where I grew up, and filled with the same kind of quirky, loving people I remember. My books are filled with men and women who aren't perfect. They have problems, issues, angst, but every single one of them are good people who are deserving of love, (and steamy ménage sex.) On May 23rd 2014, USA Today Recommended "Protecting Olivia" in their Hot New Romance Books. "Protecting Olivia" is book number two in the Fate Harbor Series. I hope you'll take your time to explore the site, check out the books and excerpts and sign up for the newsletter. You can also send me comments. I would LOVE to hear whose story your think should be next. Facebook ~ E-mail ~ Twitter ~ Website

Giveaway

Caitlyn is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Covet July Releases!

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, LIKE their Facebook page, and join the Book Club.


Today I'm happy to be featuring Covet's July releases:

So I Married A Werewolf by Kristen Miller

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

Carter Griffin, enforcing officer for the Seattle Wolf Pack, has been offered the promotion of his dreams…if he can find a wife to prove he’s over his playboy ways. But Carter’s already been there, done that. Faith Hamilton needs money to put her younger brother through college. Okay, and she totally wants Carter, her sexy next-door neighbor, to look at her as more than a friend. It’s too bad size 12 and plain isn’t his type. At all. When the two friends strike a deal to help one another out, will it spark a love neither anticipated?

Find Out More!

Giveaway

Forbidden Kiss by Shannon Leigh

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

Rom Montgomery seeks the unobtainable: forgiveness. He wanders across continents and through time searching for salvation and the means to right an ancient wrong. To gain the respect and position she’s desired in the academic world, Jule Casale hopes to discover the unknown artist behind a masterpiece of Renaissance art. When Jule comes knocking on Rom's door, it’s the closest he’s ever come to finally finding redemption. The closer he draws to correcting his past mistakes, the more his secrets threaten to destroy the woman who might hold the key to his future.

Find Out More!

Giveaway

Tempted by His Touch: A LIMITED EDITION BOXED SET of Dukes, Rogues, & Alpha Heroes Historical Romance Novels -Spotlight/Giveaway

About the Book:

A boxed set with ten sizzling historical romances from ten bestselling historical romance authors. Fall in love with fabulous tales of intrigue, suspense, wit, and passion featuring dukes, rogues, alpha heroes…and the women who can’t resist them. JUST 99 CENTS from July 27 - Sept. 21---then it disappears FOREVER!

Scoundrel Ever After by Darcy Burke - Once upon a time there was a very bad boy who met a very nice girl....

Lady of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle - Educating a man in the art of love takes time. Lots of it.

Sonata for a Scoundrel by Anthea Lawson - Passion and secrets simmer against the glittering backdrop of 19th century musical celebrity.

To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield by Bronwen Evans - What's a lady to do when a notorious rake wins her estate in a game of cards?

Undone by Lila DiPasqua – One steamy, emotionally charged retelling of Rapunzel…Rescuing this beauty from the ‘tower’ is only the beginning…

The Problem with Seduction by Emma Locke - Elizabeth Spencer needs a man. She doesn't need to like him—because while she needs a man, she doesn't particularly want one.

A Dangerous Invitation by Erica Monroe - Daniel O'Reilly returns to win back Kate Morgan’s heart and prove he's innocent of murder.

Once Upon a Duke by Eva Devon - A widow looking to get seduced. A duke more than willing to oblige.

Great & Unfortunate Desires by Gina Danna - A marquis with a guilty past takes a bride in a world where love is fatal.

Dark Surrender By Erica Ridley - Trapped in darkness…. Their passion burns bright!

Excerpt from Darcy Burke’s “Scoundrel Ever After”

Audrey rushed to her grandfather, who was still unconscious on the floor. She kneeled and touched his neck. He was warm, his pulse strong. The opening and closing of drawers sounded from her bedchamber.

She stood and hurried inside to find Mr. Locke going through her dresser. “What are you doing?”

“Looking for bandages and liquor.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t keep those things in my bedchamber.”

He looked sideways at her. “Why not? You kept a pair of pistols in here.”

About “Scoundrel Ever After”

When wallflower Audrey Cheswick runs away with England’s most wanted criminal, she learns adventure comes with a price—not just her reputation or her virtue, but her heart. If Ethan Jagger can escape the hangman’s noose and start anew, will she consent to love a scoundrel ever after?

Book 6 (final) of the Secrets and Scandals Series

About Darcy Burke:

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her devoted husband, their two great kids, and two Bengal cats. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. She’s also a fair-weather runner, and her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.

Website: http://www.darcyburke.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans

Twitter: https://twitter.com/darcyburke

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823441.Darcy_Burke

Newsletter: http://www.darcyburke.com/newsletter/

About Bronwen Evans:

USA Today Bestselling Author Bronwen Evans grew up loving books. She writes both historical and contemporary sexy romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and compassionate alpha heroes.

Her debut Regency romance, Invitation to Ruin won the RomCon Readers’ Crown Best Historical 2012, and was an RT Reviewers’ Choice Nominee Best First Historical 2011. Her first self-published novella, To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield, was a FINALIST in the Kindle Book Review Indie Romance Book of the Year 201,2 and a finalist in the RomCon Readers’ Crown Best Historical 2013. Her first contemporary released December 2012, The Reluctant Wife, won the RomCon Readers’ Crown Best Category 2013.

Website: http://www.bronwenevans.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bronwenevansauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bronwenevans_NZ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4331713.Bronwen_Evans

Newsletter: sign up at the top of Bronwen’s website

About Lila DiPasqua:

Lila DiPasqua is a multi-published, national bestselling author of historical romance with heat. Her novels are published by Penguin/Berkley, as well as having self-published works.

She is best known for her critically acclaimed Fiery Tales series. Her books have been featured on Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs.

She lives with her husband and three children in Canada and is a firm believer in the happily-ever-after.

Website: http://liladipasqua.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilaDiPasquaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/liladipasqua

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3234450.Lila_DiPasqua

Newsletter: sign up on the sidebar of Lila’s website

About Delilah Marvelle:

Delilah Marvelle is the winner of the Reviewer's Choice for Best Sensual Historical Romance of the Year and had Booklist name her historical romance 'Forever and a Day' one of the TOP 10 Romances of the year. When she isn't writing, she's digging through inappropriate research books that include anything in history having to do with courtesans, brothels, sexual contraptions that were never properly used and other fascinating forms of dirty history that didn't make it into college textbooks. She includes all of her research in her books to ensure countless hours of entertainment and continues to take pride in knowing more about dirty history than most people feel comfortable with.

Website: http://www.delilahmarvelle.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delilah-Marvelle/73234401876

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DelilahMarvelle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1423331.Delilah_Marvelle

Newsletter: http://delilahmarvelle.wordpress.com/

About Erica Ridley:

Erica Ridley learned to read when she was three, which was about the same time she decided to be a writer when she grew up.

She is the author of three Gothic romances, Too Wicked to Kiss, Too Sinful to Deny and Dark Surrender, the vampire romance "Never Been Bitten" in the paranormal romance anthology Born To Bite, contemporary paranormal romances Charmed and Midwinter Magic, and the holiday fantasy romance Let It Snow.

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

Website: http://www.ericaridley.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericaridley

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricaRidley

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3087787.Erica_Ridley

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EricaRidleyVIPs

About Emma Locke:

Emma Locke is a writer and engineer living in the Pacific Northwest, where she loves hiking with her dog, hot yoga and riding out the annual 330 days of rain. Hiking and yoga give her time to plot, the lack of sun makes for perfect writing weather, and as for her day job, the dichotomy seems to work: her analytic side ensures her passionate, satisfying love stories don't mulch under her bed, and her author side forces her to keep writing more.

Website: http://www.emmalocke.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEmmaLocke

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmaLockeAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6749632.Emma_Locke

Newsletter: sign up at the bottom of Emma’s website

About Gina Danna:

Gina has spent the better part of her life reading. History has been her love and she spent numerous hours devouring historical romance stories, dreaming of writing one of her own. Years later, after receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees in History, writing academic research papers and writing for museum programs and events, she finally found the time to write her own stories of historical romantic fiction.

Now, under the supervision of her three dogs and three cats, she writes amid a library of research books, with her only true break away is to spend time with her other life long dream – her Arabian horse – with him, her muse can play.

Website: http://ginadanna.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GinaDannaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GinaDanna1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7141882.Gina_Danna

About Erica Monroe:

Erica Monroe is a bestselling author of emotional, suspenseful romance. Though she has a Bachelor's degree in writing, she's been a secretary, a barista, and a retail assistant. Now Erica spends her days crafting lovable rogues and feisty heroines for her historical and new adult series. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina, and the Beau Monde Regency Romance chapter. When not writing, she is a chronic TV watcher, sci-fi junkie, lover of pit bulls, and shoe fashionista. She lives in the suburbs of North Carolina with her husband, two dogs, and a cat.

Website: http://ericamonroe.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricaMonroeWrites

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericajmonroe

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7280359.Erica_Monroe

Newsletter: sign up on Erica’s website sidebar

About Eva Devon:

Author of sexy and laugh out loud funny Regencies, I'm also Maire Claremont, creator of dark and angsty Victorians!

Website: http://www.maireclaremont.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eva-Devon/1464806663776356

Twitter: https://twitter.com/evadevonauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8333263.Eva_Devon

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/YoZbD

About Anthea Lawson:

Anthea Lawson, called "a new star of Historical Romance" by Booklist, has won readers with her combination of spicy love scenes and elegant prose. Her first novel, PASSIONATE, was a Best First Book finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA awards.

Anthea also writes award-winning YA Urban Fantasy under the pen name Anthea Sharp.

Website: http://anthealawson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntheaLawson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntheaLawson

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2436762.Anthea_Lawson

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/AntheaLawson

FACEBOOK PARTY

https://www.facebook.com/events/250318105177956/

Wednesday, July 30th

6PM-11PM EST

Chat with the authors and win prizes!

Also, be sure to like each author’s Facebook page so you’ll see the WEEKLY GIVEAWAYS they have going on while Tempted by His Touch is on sale. You don’t want to miss an exciting moment of this extravaganza!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Grand prize: iPad Mini (16GB) with surprise bonus print books [Open to US/CA]

a Rafflecopter giveaway