Valentines Blog Tour!

Please join us in the a multi-author Valentines Blog Tour starting this Wednesday 02/02/11!

Eleven TWRP authors have tag-teamed up for a blog tour of themes from the heart of writing. Meet some of the authors from TWRP and discover how their personal stories influenced their writing. Leave a comment on any of the blogs to enter to win a weekly prize. One commenter will be chosen from each blog each week. One random winner will be chosen from these 11 for a weekly double-or-nothing prize. Weekly chosen commenters who don't win the weekly prize will automatically be entered for a triple-or-nothing grand prize at the end of the tour. Winners will be posted on all the blogs. The more blogs you comment on, the better your chances of winning because you could be chosen more than once each week!

Because of this tour, I'm putting Under the Covers with Lynne on the back burner. It will return the first Friday in March!

Blog Tour Itinerary


Wednesday, February 2nd - Blog Topic - The Significance of First Lines


Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/

Meet contemporary, paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet Amie Louellen, author of fun and whimsical contemporary romance at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

Meet author AJ Nuest at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/

Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://www.jilljameswrites.com/blog

Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

Meet author Amy Corwin at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com/




Wednesday, February 9th - Blog Topic - Where Creative Ideas Come From

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary YA and adult romance author Linda Kage at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

Meet Amie Louellen, author of fun and whimsical contemporary romance at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://www.jilljameswrites.com/blog

Meet author AJ Nuest at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

Meet author Amy Corwin at http://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com






Wednesday, February 16th - Blog Topic - Meeting Your Significant Other

Meet author Amy Corwin at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com//

Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://www.jilljameswrites.com//blog

Meet Amie Louellen, author of fun and whimsical contemporary romance at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet author AJ Nuest at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com




Wednesday, February 23rd - Blog Topic - Developing Unique Characters


Meet author AJ Nuest at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/

Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet author Amy Corwin at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at http://www.jilljameswrite.com/blog

Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet Amie Louellen, author of fun and whimsical contemporary romance at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com

Monday Pick Me Up


And I'm thinking he could! Hope your Monday is the best it can be!

Under the Covers with Victoria Gray

LR: Please welcome Victoria Gray to Under the Covers with Lynne. First important question. Silk, satin, cotton, flannel. What is your sheet of choice and why?


VG: Silk…I love the way it feels against my skin.

LR: It’s a slumber party so calories don’t count. What snacks would you like to munch on while we talk?

VG: Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate.

LR: Oh, a woman after my own heart! So let’s get comfortable. What do you usually wear to bed?

VG: My husband’s Steelers T-shirt and panties.

LR: As long as you don’t mind my 49’er T-shirt, we’re set. So let’s play Truth or Dare.

VG: Truth

LR: Tell us something not very many people know.

VG: I am terrified of heights.

LR: Oh, I am too! Let me ask some safer questions. What is your favorite color?

VG: Pink

LR: What is your favorite time of day?

VG: Night – I’m quite a night owl

LR: Do you have a favorite flower?

VG: Roses

LR: How about a favorite season?

VG: Summer

LR: Ah, when the roses bloom. That makes sense. If you could have any car, which would it be?

VG: A ’66 Ford Mustang

LR: You’re kidding! My uncle has a blue ’66 Mustang that I’ve been drooling over for years! Who is your favorite actor?

VG: Russell Crowe

LR: Who is your favorite actress?

VG: Meryl Streep

LR: Do you have a favorite band or singer?

VG: The Beatles

LR: What is a movie you could watch over and over?

VG: Romancing the Stone

LR: I just watched that a few weeks ago. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

VG: Diet Coke

LR: Coming right up and for after the interview, can I get you an adult beverage?

VG: Margarita

LR: If you could have lunch with one writer, who would it be?

VG: Teresa Medeiros

LR: What would you consider a romantic date?

VG: A quiet dinner and a nice bottle of wine with my husband.

LR: If you could take a date anywhere in the world, where would it be?

VG: London

LR: What is the best piece of advice on writing you’ve ever received?

VG: Write the book of your heart

LR: That’s good advice. Do you listen to music while you write?

VG: Yes, I enjoy classical music when I’m writing. I have to admit I adore the classic composers…their music is so grand and passionate, and there are no lyrics to distract me.

LR: Where were you when you heard your first book was contracted. What did you do?

VG: After I finished hyperventilating, I called my husband. That night, we shared a nice bottle of wine I’d been saving for just that occasion.

LR: What is your favorite part of being a romance writer?

VG: The wonderful feeling I get when I read a scene I’ve written and it moves me…especially when I go back after some time has passed and the emotions in the scene seem very new.

LR: Least favorite?

VG: Editing!

LR: *Groan* I hear you. Tell us about your newest release.

VG: Angel in My Arms is the story of Amanda Emerson, a Union spy undercover in Richmond, and Union officer Steve Dunham, the man she enlists in the daring rescue of a double agent from a Confederate prison and imminent execution. As the danger surrounding them thickens, every moment he’s with her jeopardizes their lives, but they discover a passion that’s worth the risk.



LR: Do you have anything in the works?

VG: I’ve just finished a sequel to Angel in my Arms entitled Against All Odds. I fell in love with two of the characters in Angel, Will and Kate, and had to give them their own story. They become enmeshed in a net of treachery and vengeance even as their love deepens. I’m also finishing up a historical romantic suspense.

Blurb:

Amanda Emerson must break her cousin, a notorious double agent, out of a Confederate prison before his imminent execution. She’s a skilled Union operative, but for this mission, she needs a man. Even a man who looks and acts like a Viking warrior.

Caught with Rebel battle plans and set for a hanging, Union spy Steve Dunham isn’t about to refuse the assistance of the sable-haired beauty who shows up at the jail and slips him the keys to his cell. Of course, she’s there for a reason besides saving his neck - he’s the key to her plan.

He may be trading one noose for another, but he won’t forsake her. The spoils of his victory will be her surrender. And the terms of surrender will be sweet.





Excerpt:

Amanda closed her eyes and savored his possession. How could anything feel as good as his lips against hers? With his arms wrapped tight

around her, she felt as though nothing could penetrate the tender shield of his embrace.

Wanting him was wrong. He was little more than a stranger. A man she’d teamed with for a mission. He was supposed to be nothing more.

But he’d filled her heart.

His handsome face captivated her all the more for its tiny imperfections. A small scar on his chin. The small bump at the bridge of his nose that told the tale of a long-ago break. Another scar, much more recent, on his jaw that looked to be the result of a man’s ring connecting with his flesh and bone.

He was a warrior. Her warrior. Fierce. Tender. Courageous. Protective.

“You’re so beautiful, Mandy.” His lips trailed the column of her throat.

She nestled against his broad chest. He smelled like bay rum and pine and leather. She’d never realized how tantalizing the scents could be. Mingled with his natural essence, the blend of aromas touched something deep and primal within her. She couldn’t resist the scent. Or him.

He took her hands in his. A sly smile curved his mouth as he studied her. “Such sweet temptation. The question is where to begin.”

She’d wasn’t an innocent, but she’d never experienced the heat of a man’s gaze drinking her in as though she were a fine wine to be savored. When Steve looked at her, she felt wanted.

Desired.

Loved.

Ridiculous. He couldn’t possibly love her.

But he hungered for her touch. That would have to be enough. After all, she didn’t love him.

Keep telling yourself that, Mandy.

She couldn’t love a man she barely knew.

Even if she longed for his scent. For his touch. For the moment when he’d claim her.

Even if she prayed he’d come to his senses and leave her before the rebels captured him and dragged him away to prison. Or a noose.


LR: Awesome excerpt! You can find out more about Victoria Gray and her work at her website. ANGEL IN MY ARMS is available at The Wild Rose Press

What are you doing in March?

You ever hear that saying it never rains, it pours? After so long without a new release. I have two in back to back months. I am so proud to reveal the cover for Hooking Up. Release date March 18!

Monday Pick Me Up


Just two more buttons... please?

Under the Covers with Caroline Clemmons

LR: Please welcome Caroline Clemmons to Under the Covers with Lynne. First important question. Silk, satin, cotton, flannel. What is your sheet of choice and why?


CC: High thread count permanent pressed cotton. I love the smooth feel of the cotton against my skin.

LR: Sometimes it’s almost better than silk! Okay, now that we have that out of the way. What snacks would you like? It’s a party, calories don’t count.

CC: Chips, salsa, guacamole, chocolate. Maybe some of Braum’s Bordeaux Cherry Amaretto frozen yogurt. Oops, did I just gain a pound? That’s how easily I gain—just thinking about yummy treats packs it on.

LR: You and me both, but I must say you look ravishing. Let’s play red carpet and tell the readers what you’re wearing.

CC: A nightie. I prefer luxurious satin tricot with satin trim in a knee length with low neck and sleeveless. It will be either blue or lavender.

LR: When playing truth or dare, would you pick truth or dare?

CC: I’m not fond of games and don’t think I’d be playing truth or dare, but if I were it would be truth. That doesn’t mean I’d actually answer truthfully, you know.

LR: Fair enough. : ) What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?

CC: The most daring thing I’ve ever done was laugh when I received a bomb threat over the phone. Maybe that was stupid rather than daring. I thought I recognized the voice of the caller, knew he was angry over legislation a group I was in was spearheading, but didn’t think he’d actually carry out the threat. It was all just so surreal and ridiculous, I laughed at the poor man. When I saw him at a meeting a few days later, I stared then smiled at him and he had the grace to blush. I don’t think real bombers blush, do you?

LR: No, I don’t… but you’re more daring than I am! Will you tell us something not very many people know?

CC: I figure the above is something most people don’t know. Other truth, hmm, I drove on Germany’s Autobahn before the speed limit was instituted, but I only went 85, which I believe is now the speed limit. Fast enough for me!

LR: Very cool! Okay, how about some personal questions? What would you consider a romantic date?

CC: You’ll be so disappointed in me, but I like dinner out and then back home to watch a nice movie.

LR: That’s not disappointing. I love dinner and a movie. If you could take a date anywhere in the world, where would it be?

CC: Ireland!

LR: What is your favorite thing to eat?

CC: TexMex any time of day.

LR: What is your favorite color?

CC: A sort of lavender blue I call periwinkle.

LR: I had a bird named Periwinkle. ; ) What is your favorite time of day?

CC: I am so not a morning person, and I like evening best.

LR: You and me both! What is your favorite flower?

CC: A pink rose.

LR: What is your favorite season?

CC: Fall because the weather is nice and we are looking forward to the holidays, and summer’s horrid heat is over.

LR: If you could have any car, which would it be?

CC:Probably a Toyota Highlander hybrid. Or one of the new completely electric cars. Surprised? I drive a Lincoln town car now, which I love and which gets good mileage, but think we need to become more green.

LR: With the price of gas? No not surprised. ;) Who is your favorite actress?

CC: Meryl Streep—the woman can play anyone and do so very well.

LR: What is a movie you could watch over and over?

CC: I love romantic comedies and watch my favorites over and over. Two of my favorites are “Dave” and “French Kiss.” New favorites are “Leap Year” and “Miss Pettigrew Has Her Day.”

LR: What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

CC: Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper

LR: What is your favorite alcoholic drink?

CC: Margarita, blended, especially if served with chips, salsa and/or TexMex food.

LR: Great! I’ll mix up some Margaritas to drink with our chips and salsa! What inspired you to start writing?

CC: I’ve always made up stories, but a journalism teacher inspired me to write. I loved reading, but my mother-in-law inspired me to turn my loves of writing and reading in to a book. My dad had encouraged me early on. My husband has always been very supportive of my writing.

LR: How did your friends/relatives react when you told them you wanted to be a writer?

CC: My family and friends were supportive. I was sorry I’d mentioned I was writing a book to anyone but my husband and daughters. People don’t understand that writers are not like the celebrities that have a book on the stands three weeks after they’ve been in a famous trial (a la O. J. Simpson). An ordinary writer doesn’t write, sell, and have released a book in a few weeks. When I told my mom I’d sold and when my book would be released, she thought I was teasing. She said, “No, really, when will it be out?”

LR: Or they wonder when you’re going to buy the Mercedes. ; ) What is the best piece of advice on writing you’ve ever received?

CC: Don’t give up! I like to quote Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never give up.” I also like Calvin Coolidge’s quote about perseverance: “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded Genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent.”

LR: Very good advice. What kind of goals to you set for yourself when writing? Word count? Page count?

CC: Generally, I set page goals rather than word count goals. If I’m on a deadline, I divide the page numbers I need by the time I have left to write so I know how many pages a day I need to complete to reach the deadline and have time to edit. If I’m on my own time, I like to do five or more pages a day. Life usually interferes, however, so some days I exceed the goal while others I don’t get anything written.

LR: Do you listen to music while you write?

CC: Yes, I listen to classical music when I write, usually Mozart. I like Don Campbell’s Mozart Effect theory. Listening to classical music while I write really does stimulate my creativity and help the rhythm of my typing.

LR: Do you have a favorite song? The favorite depends on my mood. It might be Rascal Flatt’s “Movin’ On” or one by Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, Rod Stewart, Sting, or Mary Chapin Carpenter. Yes, I am a moody person.



LR: Where were you when you heard your first book was contracted. What did you do?

CC: I was in the kitchen. I could hardly wait to tell my husband.

LR: Tell us about your newest release.

CC: THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE is a western historical set in 1885 Texas. In it, horse breeder and rancher Dallas McClintock saves Cenora Rose O’Neill from kidnappers and is shot by them before he kills them. He’s taken to Cenora’s family to have his wounds tended and is trapped into marrying her by her wily father, Sean O’Neill. Not only that, but Dallas inherits Cenora’s eccentric family and the additional crises they create.

LR: Sounds interesting! Do you have anything in the works?

CC: I always have something else in the works! LOL I’m working on a time travel romance with one critique group and a cozy mystery with another critique group.

LR: Do you write full time or part time?

CC: I write full time when—as I said above—life doesn’t interfere.

LR: Who is your favorite character in your novels?

CC: My favorite characters are always the latest ones. However, I have to say Dallas McClintock from THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE is closest to a hero I would want, which means closest to my husband’s traits—honor, loyalty, stability, handsome, tall, loving. Can you tell I’m happily married?

LR: If you could have lunch with one writer, who would it be?

CC: Probably Nora Roberts. She inspired me to write, and I believe she has inspired thousands. Also, I know she’s done some really kind things without taking credit for them or making a big deal out of her good works. She is a consistently prolific writer.

LR: She has inspired many! What is your favorite part of being a romance writer?

CC: I get to work at home in my old clothes, no makeup, and create worlds. I get to be a goddess and bring characters to life. I travel to different time periods and live vicariously through the people in my head and never have to leave home. What could be better?

LR: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

CC: If I had lots of cash (how would that feel?) I would spend spring around Austin TX, summer in Estes Park, Colorado, winter where I live now, and spend fall in Ireland.

LR: Fall in Ireland sounds wonderful! Where can we find you?

Website http://www.carolineclemmons.com/

Blog http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/ with regular appearances on http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/, http://seducedbyhistory.blogspot.com/, and http://www.blogger.com/goog_1887866637

Twitter @CarolinClemmons, Facebook, Goodreads and others

You can find Caroline's books here.


Blurb:

Cenora Rose O’Neill knows her father somehow arranged the trap for Dallas, but she agrees to wed handsome stranger. She’d do anything to protect her family, and she wants to save herself from the bully Tom Williams. A fine settled man like Dallas will rid himself of her soon enough, but at least she and her family will be safely away from Tom Williams.



Texas rancher Dallas McClintock has no plans to wed for several years. Right now, he’s trying to establish himself as a successful horse breeder. Severely wounded rescuing Cenora from kidnappers, Dallas is taken to her family’s wagon to be tended. He is trapped into marrying Cenora, but he is not a man who goes back on his word. His wife has a silly superstition for everything, but passion-filled nights with her make up for everything—even when her eccentric family drives him to distraction.



This excerpt is from their first night home on Dallas’s ranch after their marriage several weeks before. Everyone else in the house has turned in and now it’s their turn:

Dallas tugged Cenora behind him as he raced up the stairs.

“You’re fair dragging me, man. Show a care o’ me leg bones, will you?”

“I have plans for those lovely, long leg bones,” he promised, but slowed his stride.

“Thank you,” she said, fanning her face with her fingers. Then she tugged on his hand. “Saints preserve us, right now all me thoughts of legs are of winding me own around you.”

“How can you expect me to walk slow when you talk like that?” He blew out the candle and scooped her up.

She nestled against him and her sigh fanned her sweet breath against his neck as he hurried to their room.

When they were inside he kicked the door shut behind them and set her on the bed. He closed the curtains and lit the bedside lamp. Soft light played across her perfect features.

“At last we have privacy without cracks the next morning about our creaking wagon.”

“And tonight when we sleep ‘twill be in a bed that fits yourself with room for me as well.”

“That’s the best part, Cenora, you’ll be beside me.”

He meant it and the thought hit him hard. He’d been plenty mad at their forced union. Still was, in fact, no matter how much he enjoyed their couplings. Considering himself a loner, he hated having a crowd around. But he hadn’t realized how comforting sharing his life with a woman might be.

The right woman, that is. Dang, he hoped Cenora was the right one. Like it or not, and whether or not those vows were legally binding, he was honor bound stuck with her now. It looked as if he had her family as well.

“I didn’t know to bring me night clothes,” she said with a coquettish glance and slid off the bed to meet him.

After he kicked off his boots and socks, he caught her hands in his. “You won’t need a thing.”

She giggled again and he pulled her to him. His blood boiled when she returned his kiss. He’d been horny as Xavier’s goat since the first minute he thought of Cenora in his bed. No longer a shy miss, she met his tongue with her own. When he thought his head would explode from the skyrockets her mouth ignited, he broke the kiss.

Her rose scent filled him and he thought he would never tire of it. She fumbled with his shirt buttons then pushed it from his shoulders.

“Yours is a very broad chest.”

Her fingers skimmed across him and his need for her magnified. When she traced the whorls of his nipple he thought his knees might give way. He stilled her hand.

“There’s something I want from you, have wanted since we met.”

Fear sprang into her widened emerald eyes and she paled. Dang, he cursed himself for frightening her and her for not trusting him.

Her voice trembled. “Wh--What would you be asking?”

“Dance for me.” He knew it sounded crazy, but he’d imagined this for days.

She looked askance. “Here? But ‘tis your bedroom, and not a note ‘o music playing.”

“Our bedroom, and you can sing or hear the music in your head to keep time.”

“But—“

“Please? Not for coins or where others can see, but only for me.”

A slow smile spread across her face and she cocked her head to one side. “Aye, I see now. If ‘tis for your pleasure, then ‘twill be mine.”

After she took off her shoes and stockings, she spun away. But not in the regimented dance he’d seen when other women accompanied her. This time she took the red scarf from her waist and used it as an instrument meant to entice a man.

Her man.

Him.

She twirled as if to a measured rhythm only she heard. Her green skirt and white petticoats billowed out to reveal long, perfect legs. Legs he wanted around him. She slid the scarf in imitation of a caress along her slender arms. Then she moved the red silk along her body.

Dang, he was hot as a gunslinger’s pistol and just as hard. His manhood strained against his britches until he thought he’d pop through the fabric. He loosened the buttons and stepped from his clothes, never taking his gaze from her. Reaching behind him, he turned back the bed and sat on the sheet.

Before his heat warmed the cool fabric, she pulled him to the middle of the room and circled around him. He pivoted, naked as a newborn, and watched her every move. Dipping, fluttering, and arching her lithe frame, she lured him with each sinuous flow of her body.

Flush with the throbbing pulsating through him, he pictured himself plunging into her again and again as she wound around him. Her erotic gyrations set his already heated blood at a boil, but he stood mesmerized by her and the dance.

Her flaming hair streamed around her in a fiery cloud. She looped the scarf over his head and the red silk left a tingling trail across his shoulders and down his right arm. Then she threaded it around her own shoulders and sawed it while she shrugged first one shoulder up and then the other one. Fabric of her blouse pulled taut against her full breasts and pushed the peaked nipples into view.

Dang, he couldn’t take much more of this or he’d explode like fireworks on the Fourth of July. On and on she whirled and kicked, first coming near to brush against him, then moving back with a captivating smile. Teasing him with the piece of silk as she pulled it across his body, she seared him with her touch and made him part of her beguiling ritual.

When he could stand it no longer, he said, “Come here, let’s dance together in bed.” To his ears, his voice rasped hoarse with the need that burned inside him.

She approached slowly, seductively, with fluid grace. As she moved, she drew off her remaining clothes. Twining the scarf around his wrists, she pulled his arms high until she slid under them, imprisoning him and herself in their circle.

“Now we are truly bound together,” she said, her voice breathy from her exotic dance.

“Am I your prisoner, then?” he asked, amused at her tempting play even as her touch fueled his need.

“Yes, and I am yours.” She met his gaze, but her jewel eyes held uncertainty. “Did I please you then, or was I too forward with meself?”

“You are beautiful and graceful and your dance was even more special than I’d hoped.”

She breathed a big sigh. “Then you approve and will be taking me to bed now?”

“I suppose I must do as you say, since I’m your prisoner.” He nibbled at her neck and she released the scarf binding him. The silk fell from his skin as her arms slid around his shoulders.

Their lips met and he delved his tongue to sample her nectar. She responded with fervor. He rejoiced that if he must be tied to this woman, at least she shared his apparently boundless passion. He pulled her with him across the bed, then scooted her until she lay cushioned in the center of the thick mattress.

“Finally, I can see and taste all of you.”

“I’m hoping ‘tis all right for us to act so heathen.”

He lay propped on an elbow beside her, content for a moment to look his fill of her. “It isn’t heathen for a husband and wife to enjoy one another. Doesn’t it feel right?”

In the golden lamplight, her skin gleamed like ivory.

“Aye, it feels more than right. It’s as if being with you is where I was meant to be.”

He smoothed her auburn hair across the pillow. It looked even more glorious there than he had dreamed. Desire darkened her emerald eyes and the pink of exertion tinged her cheeks.

“No woman will ever be more beautiful than you are right now.”

“If you think that then we’re well matched, for never lived a more handsome man than you are.”

He took her graceful hand in his and brought it to his lips. After he pressed a kiss to her palm, he suckled each fingertip.

She pulled away and put her hands under her. “You’ll be driving me mad with wanting. Hurry.”

He smiled down at her and shook his head. “Nope. I’ve thought about this night since we wed. Reckon we might not get much sleep, for I intend to take my time.”

“But ‘tis torture waiting.” She reached for his manhood.

He twisted away. “Let me give you something to think about, then.” Starting with her beautiful eyes, he rained kisses on her face, her neck, and her shoulders. He cradled one of her ample breasts while his mouth suckled the other.

She moaned and clutched him to her.

In spite of his throbbing need, he restrained his own urgency and slowly trailed kisses down her ribs, her stomach, to her mound of curls. He slid a finger inside her moist heat.

“Now, Dallas, now. I can’t wait another second.”

Desire won and he stretched himself over her. “Nor can I,” he said and slid into her. “Let’s begin our own dance.”







Monday Pick Me Up

I hope this Monday Pick Me Up tickles your funny bone. ; )

Under the Covers with Amber Leigh Williams


Please join me in welcoming the talented and stunning, Amber Leigh Williams to Under the Covers with Lynne. I’ll scoot over *pats mattress* I promise not to bite, well, unless you ask nicely.


First important question. Silk, satin, cotton, flannel. What is your sheet of choice and why?


ALW: Oh, definitely the flannel! I used to think silk but there is something hot about flannel. Doesn’t it just bring to mind sexy lumberjacks? No, just me? All right, but that’s my final answer ;)


LR: There’s something about flannel that invites you in to cuddle. So I see you’re a Saint’s fan based on the football jersey. Is that what you usually wear to bed?


ALW: Yes


LR: Calories don’t count at a slumber party. What snacks would you like?


ALW: No slumber party is complete without popcorn and twizzlers. That way you get the calories and the sugar rush all rolled into one.


LR: I love twizzlers! Bring on the calories and the sugar rush. Okay. Truth or dare?


ALW: Truth. Yes, I’m chicken and have nothing to hide


LR: Tell us something not very many people know.


ALW: Twizzlers aside, I’m not all that into sweets. Pass the Doritos!


LR: Doritos! You’d get alone fine at my house. What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?


ALW: I think I climbed onto the roof of my friend’s two-story house once. Hence, my fear of heights.


LR: Yeah, me and heights don’t see eye to eye either. ; ) Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. What would you consider a romantic date?


ALW: The most romantic date I’ve ever been on was the third date with my husband. We ate out at a really nice seafood restaurant and then sat on a moonlit beach for an hour talking and listening to the waves roll onshore. I think I could have told him anything in that setting. It’s no wonder that was the night we both brought up the big L.O.V.E.


LR: Ah, sounds lovely! If you could take a date anywhere in the world, where would it be?


ALW: Paris. On top of the Eiffel Tower. We’d have a table for two and would do nothing but drink wine and eat cheese all night. Cue the Parisian theme!


LR: What is the best pick-up line someone has ever tried on you? Did it work?


ALW: “How do you like your eggs in the morning?” It didn’t work, but it made me laugh!



LR: Well, gotta give him kudos for making you laugh! What is your favorite season?



ALW: Spring here on the Gulf Coast is absolutely beautiful, but autumn at the lakehouse is spectacular so it depends on where I am.


LR: If you could have any car, which would it be?


ALW: That would be one of the new Chevy Camaros in green. I’d call her Elphie (from Wicked).



LR: My boyfriend is a big Camaro fan! Who is your favorite actor?


ALW: I think Nathan Fillion is fabulous! I’m a fan of both Castle and Firefly. He’s also a sci-fi geek, which is a passion we share. You don’t get much hotter than Gerard Butler and Alan Rickman, though, in my opinion.


LR: Who is your favorite actress?


ALW: It’s a tie between Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan. They are both fantastic actresses who have done some great creative work at a young age. I think they’ve got really exciting careers ahead of them.


LR: What is a movie you could watch over and over?


ALW: The Holiday. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz are adorable, Jude Law is hot, and I loved Jack Black’s turn as a romantic hero—unexpected and fresh. The whole movie is so charming and gives me a feel-good feeling.


LR: I love that movie! It's up there with Love Actually in my all-time favorites! What is your favorite alcoholic drink?



ALW: I love a good margarita!


LR: Great, I’ll queue up The Holiday and we’ll sip margaritas while you answer more questions. How would you describe your writing style?


ALW: All over the place? I wish I could be one of those people who say that there’s some rhyme or rhythm to how I work, but I would be lying. I’m somewhere in between plotter and pantser. I have very little in the way of organizational process. My muse thrives in chaos. Which is perhaps why I write so many different sub-genres….


LR: Tell us about your newest release.


ALW: I’m happy to announce that my western romance trilogy was chosen to be published as an audio book collection, which launched last month at AudioLark! These books are really special to me. They’ve been so well-received and the characters have stayed with me since I completed work on them. Blackest Heart was the 1st Place More Than Magic Novella in 2009 and features silent cowboy, Judd Black—whom I adore! The sequel, Bluest Heart, is the bestselling book in the trilogy to date and features the sexiest beta hero I’ve had the pleasure to write. Bet It On My Heart is the final installment, which I’m thrilled to say is the story of the quintessential cowboy, Keefe Ridge. Readers voted his book Book of the Week at LASR! All three are available now in ebook at The Wild Rose Press and in audio at AudioLark http://www.audiolark.com/books/tag/amber-leigh-williams/


LR: Congratulations! Do you have anything in the works?


ALW: A year or so ago, I decided to try my hand at the paranormal romance genre and had so much fun doing so that I decided to write a five-part series. The first book in that series has been contracted by a literary agent and we’re looking for a published home for it while I complete work on the final books in the saga. I’m working on a contemporary revision as well as a Regency historical and planning to start work on another western romance trilogy within the next year!


LR: Wow, you’re a busy woman. Who is your favorite character in your novels?


ALW: That would probably have to be Judd Black. The readers really embraced Judd and, as a mute protagonist, he was a challenge to write. His emotions and nuances had to be filtered through descriptive detail rather than dialogue. If ever there was a mute alpha, look no further. I’m so glad Blackest Heart was chosen for audio publication because it allowed me to spend even more time with him and his heroine, Stella!



LR: If you could have lunch with one writer, who would it be?


ALW: Wow, awesome question! I would love to sit down with Nora Roberts and talk about her process. It’s so organic. I also think J.R. Ward’s writing process is fascinating! I’d give anything to pick their creative minds!



LR: Two of my favorites too! What is your favorite part of being a romance writer?


ALW: I seem to get along much better with the people in my head rather than real people. I also have a really great excuse to comb the web for eye candy. I love my job as well. It’s such a pleasure and a privilege to be able to craft someone’s HEA.


LR: Least favorite?


ALW: I may love my job but it is that: a job. I put in the same amount of work as I did when I had a day job. I don’t mind that, but there are those who don’t think writers work as hard at home as they do outside the home everyday. Which just isn’t the case. Writing takes just as much of a work ethic and discipline as any other job and it’s unfortunate how many people don’t realize that.


LR: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?


ALW: My family has a lakehouse in northern Alabama and it is probably the most tranquil and creative atmosphere in the world. My muse thrives in chaos, but I thrive in a soothing environment. I would really like to retire there one day.


LR: Where can we find you now?

Readers can learn more about my books and my writing journey at my website: http://www.amberleighwilliams.com./ I update my blog, The Cozy Page, weekly: http://amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com./ Readers can network with me on Twitter  and Facebook!


And now here's a blurb from  BLACKEST HEART:

America’s Sweetheart, Stella Ridge has been away from Wayback for fifteen years paving her way to the top of the acting business. When a car accident leaves her physically and emotionally scarred, the only place she wants to go is home to Texas and her family’s ranch.

The changes that have taken place since her departure are enough to rock her world again. She uncovers a buried tragedy, struggles with the penetrating stares and questions from townsfolk, and comes up against an intriguing and unexpected spark with the silent cowboy and champion bull rider, Judd Black. Their wounded souls draw them together and Stella begins to realize that only in him can she find the solace she sought by leaving the bright lights of Hollywood.



Excerpt: Here’s a hot one!

He needed a drink.

Pulling a glass down from the cabinet, he dropped a few chunks of ice into it then found the bottle of whiskey he kept in the liquor cabinet. The door shut behind him, but he didn’t look up. Safer not to look at her while he was working to tether the humming beast in his blood.

Her heels clacked across the wood floor. He smelled her a moment before she propped a hip against the counter next to him. He sipped his whiskey, careful not to look at her.

Stella reached for the whiskey bottle. Before he could get her a glass, she tipped it up to her mouth and drank it straight, glowing green eyes on his. He waited until she set the bottle down. When she raised her hand to wipe her mouth, he latched onto it, holding it away. Before he could tell himself it was crazy, before he could convince himself it wasn’t a smart move, his mouth was on hers, devouring her.

Her taste was devastating. Whiskey and champagne and the underlying thrill of Stella. He couldn’t believe he was doing it. Arm wrapped around her waist, he pulled her hard against him. His tongue scraped over hers, hands roaming over her long, slim back. A hum sounded deep in her throat. The boil in his loins turned to fire. The flames ignited his blood, turning reason to ash. He had only one clear thought.

She was his. Stella Ridge was his.

She melted into the kiss, letting it come like she’d expected it, wanted it, waited for it. He pushed her back against the counter, pressing his body against hers. Fingers dived into the taut knot on the back of her head, prying it apart until her hair spilled into his palm, free. Her arms wound around his neck, bringing him close, though he couldn’t get any closer. There wasn’t room for breath between them. His heart raged against hers, pumping like a mad machine.

He thought of taking her here in the kitchen. On the bar. On the floor. The closest flat surface. He opened his eyes to see hers. Her dreamy green irises were hooded, half-closed. Looking into their languid depths, he knew it couldn’t be that way. It would be hot. It would be fast. But he’d be damned if it was going to be nothing but a thoughtless romp on his kitchen counter.

Cover art for Creative License

I've been waiting with bated breath to show this to you!

Isn't it GORGEOUS???



Kudos to Kendra Egert for bringing Caleb and Lily to life! Check out the blurb and an excerpt at Samhain.

Monday Pick Me Up

In honor of the first Monday Pick Me Up of the New Year!
I hope your year is full of smiles and that all your dreams come true!

Under the Covers with Suzan Safi

Please join me in welcoming Suzan Safi to Under the Covers with Lynne.




Hi Suzan, thank you so much for coming on over. First important question. Silk, satin, cotton, flannel. What is your sheet of choice and why?

SS: Silk!!!! Love it…why? The material can easily slide…hmmm lol

Let’s get comfortable. What are you wearing?

SS: Silk “smiley”

LOL It’s going to be a slippery time here tonight. Silk on silk is like… well, you can imagine.

Calories don’t count. What snacks will we be munching on at midnight?

SS: Someone’s neck lol, no really, chocolate.

So… chocolate covered necks would be ideal? ; ) Truth or dare?

SS: Ah, hmmm, I think dare.

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?

SS: Oh, crap, I feared you would ask lol. Writing erotic romance!

Writing erotic romance is pretty daring. How would you describe your writing style?

SS: Fast-paced and exotic. One of my editors described my writing as a roller-coaster-ride; you don’t know when a surprise will pop up, or what you will find next. I write a mix of sub-genres within the romance genre. You can find contemporary, paranormal, a hint of historical, thriller, suspense and horror. I mix everything in my romances.

A roller coaster ride sounds awesome. What inspired you to start writing?

SS: Something I might have seen, heard, dreamt about anything and everything creates a story. One time a writing instructor challenged me with three words to see what I will come up with, the three words are: beach, pasta, home. The result was a horror romance story in the making. Don’t ask me how I came up with the story with the three words she gave me but poof – the story formed lol.

Beach, pasta, home… that sounds interesting!

Okay, now truth! What is the best pick-up line someone has ever tried on you? Did it work?

SS: “Will you marry me” and I did marry him lol

Oh, there’s a romantic story in there! How did your friends/relatives react when you told them you wanted to be a writer?

SS: They were surprised, then proud. I am published with four publishing companies.

Four publishing houses? Impressive. What is the best piece of advice on writing you’ve ever received?

SS: Don’t give up. Write because it makes you happy.

Good advice! What kind of goals do you set for yourself when writing? Word count? Page count?

SS: My only goal is to write the stories that nag at me, the story leads me. The characters are worse, they nag!

Do you listen to music while you write?

SS: Always. Love music, it inspires me.

Where were you when you heard your first book was contracted. What did you do?

SS: I was checking my email for the thousandth times lol, I danced the salsa on my sofa and my husband looked at me as if I had four heads lol.

Sounds like fun to me! Tell us about your newest release.

SS: Well, my short story actually I published it on my own, wanting to try it out on my own. ‘Adrenaline Rush – Rule Breaker’ an erotic short story.

Do you have anything in the works?

SS: Do I lol…always. I have three in the making right now, and a series God knows when I will finish the four books. Let me tell ya, it will be my last series lol.

That’s a lot in the works! Do you write full time or part time?

SS: Part time, if I do it full time I will reach lala land with no return lol

LOL/ What is your favorite color?

SS: Black and red

What is your favorite time of day?

SS: At night, late night.

What is a movie you could watch over and over?

SS: ‘The Outsider’ A western love story revolving around the forbidden love between a young widow from a quaker-like religious group and a cold-blooded gunslinger whom she takes into her home after he is wounded. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/31/2006 Starring: Timothy Daly Keith Carradine Director: Randa Haines

Sounds good! Who is your favorite character in your novels?

SS: Hmmm, very hard question. All of them have a special place in my heart, please if I picked a character; one will nag at my brain with a question, “what about me!!!”

If you could have lunch with one writer, who would it be?

SS: Lisa Kleypas and Kresley Cole.

I love Kresley Cole! What is your favorite part of being a romance writer?

SS: Living the stories I create, experiencing what my characters experience.

Least favorite?

SS: To me even the hard work I face as an author, still after all the sweat and blood I shed lol, I’m happy with what I do. We ‘authors’ are blessed actually.

We are blessed! There is no better job in the world! If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

SS: On an island, it’s exotic and maybe I can find a hunk to seduce…just kidding. I love exotic places.

Where can we find you now?

Website: http://www.suzannahsafi.com/

Blog: http://suzannahsafi.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Just find Suzannah Safi

Twitter: http://twitter.com/suzannahsafi

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Suzannah-Safi/e/B002C4P494/ref=sr_tc_img_2_0?qid=1282508923&sr=1-2-ent


Blurb:

Antwan's talents extend to breaking every rule known to women. Now, Celia is finding the simple thrill of vanilla isn't enough to satisfy—and she doesn't mean ice cream!

Excerpt:

Her heart raced and waves of excitement traveled through her veins and hit her down deep into her core. That small nub throbbed in frenzy ready to be pleased. The son-of-a-gun invented a new way to please her. She never imagined he had this type of fantasy under his sleeve. This one topped all of his fantasies, a fantasy of abduction.

Together they enjoyed many fantasies with couples, traveled the Caribbean, and met with couples who liked to play sexual games, but abductions of being strapped to a bed helpless not knowing what was going on was a first. The idea made her vagina boil with anticipation and she couldn’t wait to experience what would happen next. Her liquids streamed along her lower lips, tickled by her bikini panties, her insides contracting while losing patience and control.

A door squeaked open, and booted footsteps clapping against the hard floor reached her ears. She turned her head to the left and saw a shadow of a man coming closer into the light.

“Well hello.” The stranger’s voice, thick and full of are-you-ready-to-play teasing, was music to her ears.

“My name is Antwan.” He smiled and stepped forward. His long blond hair hid half of his face. This stranger was not the normal type of men they played games with. Hot damn, Aden chose a man as beautiful as he was—the difference being Aden had black short hair and less muscles, while this one looked like he just jumped out of a wrestling magazine. Still both were the same height six feet tall. She moaned her hello since she couldn’t speak.

“Yeah…you can scream my name while I…do you.” Antwan winked at her as he advanced toward the bed.

For anyone that leaves a comment and would like a free copy of my erotic romance short story, please send me or leave your email with your request and I will email you your Free PDF.

I'm back

And it always feels kinda strange being back after an extended vacation... but here I am!

Of course the "I'm on vacation" post never, well, posted, but I hope you got the idea when I didn't, um post. ; )

I had an awesome Christmas and New Years and I hope you did too. This year is looking to be pretty darn good. I have a new releases in February: Creative License from Samhain. Hooking Up from The Wilder Rose Press should be released in (possibly, maybe, estimating) April. I'll be editing Tiffany's story (from First Date) and subbing it ASAP--fingers crossed--and I have a new pretty brewing about in my head.

I have a ton of promotion ideas and this time, there will be yummy give aways and more contests. : ) Stay tuned!

And best of all!!!! on a personal note, I'm starting the year with an awesome boyfriend. <3 <3 <3 *happy sigh*

This Friday, Under the Covers is back and next Monday, I'll start your week right with a Monday Pick Me Up... until then, please, let me know how you've been doing and how you spent your holidays!