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Wednesday, December 30, 2020

In no hurry to go home... #Holiday #ChristmasEve #Loneliness #LakeErie

One Lonely Christmas Eve cover

By Tim Smith (Guest Blogger)

I’m pleased to announce the release of my newest holiday Stocking Stuffer romance from Extasy Books, One Lonely Christmas Eve. This is a bittersweet romance about two lonely friends who find each other on Christmas Eve and come up with a cure for the holiday blues.

Here’s the blurb:

Christmas can be a lonesome time of year, especially when you have no one special to share it with. Alex March stops at his favorite diner on Christmas Eve to avoid going home to an empty apartment, but that isn’t the only reason. He really wants to see Denise Del Florio, the attractive widow of one of his best friends, who is dreading her first solo holiday. In the year since her husband was killed, Alex has been there for her and they’ve developed a close friendship. He feels a nostalgic longing for holidays gone by and thinks that together, he and Denise can provide a remedy for their mutual loneliness. Will they still be besties when the holiday is over, or will they have moved on to something more serious?

This story was inspired in part by a personal experience. I’ve always looked forward to the holidays but last year, when I conceived this plot, I found myself in a dark place. I was at the end of a long-term relationship that had become toxic, most of my friends and family members already had plans for Christmas, and I dreaded the idea of spending the holiday alone. That was the jumping off point I used, as evidenced by the excerpt below.

Excerpt

Alex sipped his coffee, then glanced at the clock mounted on the wall behind the cash register in the nearly empty restaurant. He stared at his reflection in the front window and absently raked his fingers through his thick brown hair. 6:45, and it’s pitch-black outside. Not that much traffic, either, especially in here. Guess most people have had their pre-holiday dinner and gone to church, or decided to pack it in for the evening to wait for Santa by the fireplace. I should do the same, but I don’t really want to go home to an empty apartment.

Denise Del Florio approached inside the counter, with a glass coffee pot in hand. “Refill, Alex?”

Alex’s gaze traveled from her head to her feet then back up again, taking in her trim form encased in snug black slacks and a white shirt with a name tag. Her light brown hair with blonde highlights was pulled into a ponytail and a few wisps carelessly hung over her face. Her hazel eyes seemed to take on an extra bit of sparkle when she looked at him. “Thanks, but I’ve had enough for one night.”

She exhaled a deep breath. “Good decision. We’re getting ready to close and this stuff would take the paint off your car.” She stretched. “I’m definitely ready to get off my feet after today.”

I’m surprised you aren’t busier.”

Denise poured herself some coffee then took a sip. “You should’ve been here earlier. It was non-stop from lunchtime on. People stopped in for their holiday pie orders and decided to eat while they were here.”

Sounds hectic.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t really mind. It kept me busy and I made a fortune in tips.”

Alex laughed. “I figured that’s why you volunteered to work the holiday shift.”

Denise gave a shy smile and cast her gaze downward briefly. “I keep forgetting what a good detective you are.”

He finished his coffee. “It wasn’t hard to figure out, Denise. I suspected you didn’t mind working tonight for the same reason I’m not going home yet.”

She looked into his eyes for a moment. “I’m not ready to face an empty house, especially this holiday.”

The first one alone is always the hardest.”

She was silent for a few moments. “How long did it take for you to...”

Still working on it,” he finished. “I’ve been divorced for eight years and there are some holidays I don’t look forward to. But I know it’s different in your case.”

She drank some coffee. “Yeah, you could say that. Divorce is one thing to adjust to, but losing your life partner in the line of duty is something else.” She paused. “Is that why you’re here tonight?”

Where else would I be?”

I heard you’ve been seeing someone. Thought you’d be with them.”

So happens the young lady is spending the holidays in Louisville with her family. Why do you think I only came here to check up on you?”

Because I know you, Alex. You and Tony were close friends before you had to leave the police department. Even after you went private, you kept in touch and you were there for me when he got killed earlier this year.”

He cast his gaze down. “Guilty as charged. Maybe I was worried about you.”

Denise placed her hand on his and squeezed. “I appreciate that, more than you know. You gave me a shoulder to lean on when I needed it and you’ve been there ever since. That means a lot.”

Alex felt embarrassed. “Come on, Denise. I was just doing the right thing. Tony and I were patrol partners before I became a detective and we were fishing and drinking buddies.”

You might not know this, but he really valued your friendship and so do I. We both enjoyed all the cookouts and fishing trips we did together.”

Alex suddenly felt nostalgic. “I enjoyed those times, too. I always thought of Tony as one of my best friends.”

He was.” She flashed a playful smile. “Hey, I’ve got an idea. I’m alone, you’re alone and neither of us is in a hurry to get home tonight. Think we can find someplace where two good friends can have a drink?”

Alex brought her hand to his lips, then kissed it. “I think there must be someplace out there that caters to people with nowhere to go on a lonely night like this.”

Sounds like a plan.”

Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R35W85T/

About the Author

Tim Smith is an award-winning, bestselling author of romantic mystery/thrillers and contemporary romance. He is also a freelance writer, editor and photographer.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

I want to make this last -- #MFRWHooks #KinkyRomance #Giveaway

The Gazillionaire & the Virgin cover
 

Welcome to the Marketing for Romance Writers Book Hooks blog hop – your chance to binge on great romance and discover fabulous new books to add to your library

Today I’m featuring an exclusive excerpt from the book I consider my most romantic: The Gazillionaire and the Virgin. And just for fun, I’m giving away a copy to one lucky person who leaves me a comment with his or her email (obfuscated if you wish).

Enjoy! And when you’re done here (make sure you comment!), check out all the other great excerpts by MFRW authors.

Blurb

Trust can’t be bought—it has to be earned.

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rachel Zelinsky is not a woman who lets pleasure interfere with business, but when she meets reclusive genius Theo Moore, she can’t resist his geeky appeal. Though Theo’s knowledge about sex derives from extensive research and a stash of kinky porn rather than real-world experience, he is Rachel’s first true Master—and the first man to truly touch her heart.

 

Excerpt (Theo)

The future. I ponder the possibilities as I putter around the kitchen, putting the chicken into the microwave to thaw, whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, basil and tarragon for the marinade, tearing romaine leaves and slicing vine-ripened tomatoes. Did Rachel and I have a future? Was there any way I could fit into her high-flying, super-charged, billionaire executive life?

We connect sexually. I have no doubts about that, not anymore. Despite her position, or maybe even because of it, she has a natural desire to submit, a desire that I can apparently satisfy. And make no mistake, I’m happy to oblige—to push her to her limits, and beyond. I’ve never felt the kind of power and certainty I felt this afternoon. And that was just the beginning. There are so many things I want to do to her—with her. I’m getting hard again as a parade of X-rated images runs through my mind.

But sex is not enough. Entertaining as it might be to fantasize about a life with Rachel as my 24/7 slave, I know that’s ridiculous. We come from different worlds. We have different values. Rachel measures everything in dollars and cents.

That’s not fair. I arrange the chicken in a baking dish, dump in the marinade, sprinkle chopped garlic over the top, and leave it to sit for ten minutes. From what I’ve seen so far, she also values creativity, innovation and hard work, just like I do. She’s super-smart, energetic, funny. And brave. It took guts for her to take me to Home Depot. I’m sure she realized I might have had a total melt-down. Hey, I almost did.

She’s a lot braver than I am. Would I ever have admitted my interest in kink if she hadn’t found my stash?

Vinegar, oil and Grey Poupon make a quick, tasty salad dressing. Too early to pour it over the greens, though. I put the chicken in the oven, setting the timer for half an hour.

Now the cat’s out of the bag. And she didn’t run away screaming—quite the contrary! It’s pretty likely she’s going to want more.

So now what? She lives almost an hour away, even if there’s no traffic. She runs a billion dollar company. She’s glamorous and self-confident, with a taste for luxury. And me? I’m just a nerdy computer scientist with a touch of Asperger’s and a penchant for bondage. People scare me. Change terrifies me. There’s no way I belong in her universe.

Even if she wants you there? A startling notion. Dr. Rachel Zelinsky always gets what she wants.

The rich aroma of roasting chicken makes my mouth water and my belly clench. The water for the couscous is boiling, so I dump the yellow grains into the pot, cover it and take it off the stove. Time to set the table, then I’ll go wake my guest. I like that notion, actually. I’ve never had a guest for dinner before.

God, that’s smells incredible!”

I jump, almost dropping the glass salad bowl. “Jeez! Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

Sorry.” Rachel extracts the bowl from my grip and places it on the counter, then wraps her arms around me. She’s warm and rumpled and smells of sex. “You must have been lost in thought.” She lands a quick kiss on my lips and gives me a squeeze. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

I can’t.” My cock rises in reaction to her proximity. She rubs her belly against my hardness, provoking me. I dig my fingers into her lush ass, through the tee shirt she’s donned. I can’t help it.

Teasing, she twists away. “You could have fooled me! This looks scrumptious, at least as good as anything my own cook makes. And I have to say, I feel hungry enough to eat the proverbial horse. Is it ready yet?”

She’s so annoying. And appealing.

Almost. Here.” I thrust a handful of silverware at her. “Go set the table.”

Yes, sir.” She’s out of reach before I manage to slap her cheeky posterior. Even spoken in jest, the word makes me grin. I could definitely get used to hearing that, especially from her.

I want more. I want to make this last. I just have to figure out how.

Available in Print, Ebook and Audio

Kinky Literature

http://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/811-the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-/

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B76B95K/

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01B76B95K/

Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-lisbet-sarai/1123327821?ean=2940157884932

Kobo

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611337

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gazillionaire-virgin/id1079442844?mt=11

Google Books

https://books.google.com/books?id=qCF4CwAAQBAJ

Excessica

http://www.excessica.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=1011

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28766414-the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin

Audio (WordWooze): https://www.amazon.com/The-Gazillionaire-and-the-Virgin/dp/B075WZS3TN/


Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’d like to win a copy of this super-sexy romance! And please visit the other authors in today’s hop.




A Stroke at Midnight: A BDSM Romance --#NewYearsEve #BDSM #BWWM @LaylaWritesLove

 

A stroke at midnight graphic

Blurb

He will have her before the year is out!

Mateo spent too many years craving the taste and touch of Deja’s body. He restrained from taking his brother’s widow to bed. Now the sinner in him is winning the battle. He is through imagining all the naughty things he can do with her. Time to put all his kinky plans into action.

He assembles his toys, determined to stroke Deja by the time the clock strikes twelve on New Year’s Eve.

Deja knew it was wrong to lust after her dead husband’s brother. She tells herself that Mateo only wants to help raise her son, but she can’t keep ignoring the way he looks at her and how it makes her tingle with desire. She can’t resist the call of his hot body, and she does not want to.

Tied down by guilt and separated by quarantine, Mateo and Deja decide to free themselves with a New Year’s Eve night of passion. But will it destroy their family and friendship?

A Stroke at Midnight is a BDSM holiday short with an alpha male into kink. **NO abuse, NO cliffhanger, guaranteed HEA!**

Exclusively at Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/B08QJQ817M

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt

The bag full of food bounced against Deja’s leg as she passed closed exam room doors to the last one. She squeezed past a set of chairs in the tiny office and put it in the only empty spot on the wood desk covered with stacks of folders. The smell of seasoned lamb smacked her nostrils as she opened the bag. She took out containers and set them down, careful not to move any of the clutter surrounding her out of place. Mateo loved his organized chaos.

She rubbed her fluttering gut and lay silver toned plastic forks and knives on top of white napkins. It had been weeks since she watched Benito pack his bags and fly off to the city, and she got to see Mateo face to face. His face—she wanted so much to see it. Her heart fluttered at the swoosh sound of the industrial door opening. She stood and smoothed a hand over the front of her shirt.

Mateo looked down at an open file folder as he walked into the room. He stopped and glanced over the wire rims of his glasses, pulling down the pale blue fabric of the mask covering his face. His eyes lit and lips curled, making blood rush through her. “What is this?”

She straightened the fork on the napkin. “Surprise. Since you didn’t get to have a Christmas dinner, I thought it would be nice for us to enjoy a meal together on New Year’s Eve. I know you’re coming over later, but I wanted to eat at a decent hour.” Every drop of calmness seeped from her with each step he took closer.

He dropped the folder on a pile. “I like that.” He tugged at the bottom of her mask and tucked it under her chin.  “That’s better.” He squinted down. “Are you sure this is what you want me to eat? He pinned her gaze. “I’m actually interested in something else.”

She gasped. Had she heard him right? “Wow, that was sudden.”

He laughed and strutted around the desk, pressing his body to hers. “I have to disagree. We’ve been avoiding this—” he pressed his stiffness against her thigh “—for a while. Don’t you think it’s time for us to stop?” The fire in his eyes surged heat straight through her.

She put a hand on his scrub shirt. His heart pounded against her trembling palm. “Yes.” She wove her fingers in the black tendrils at the back of his head and pressed her lips to his, so soft and warm. Every nerve fiber charged, sending the sensation of goosebumps down her arms.

He moaned and crushed her against the desk. Her skin came to life in ways it hadn’t in years, prickling under the caress of his fingertips along her neck. Rough from days of washing, they stroked her cheek as his tongue searched her mouth. Her pussy followed, lower lips burning and tingling from increasing wetness that made the touch of her panties feel cool against her pulsating clit. She moved her hand down, wedging it between them, cupping his hard cock and squeezing.

 



About the Author

Lyndell Williams is an award-winning writer and bestselling author. She is a cultural critic with a background in literary criticism specializing in romance. She is an editor, writing coach and mentor. She has been published in peer-reviewed journals and writes for multiple online publications.


Author Links

Blog - https://laylawriteslove.com/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/laylawriteslove/ 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/laylawriteslove 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laylawriteslove/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpN2YTkr9cGO9Z7-AB8xNw

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/laylawriteslove 

Amazon - http://amazon.com/author/laylawriteslove

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/abdullahpoulos/lyndell-williams-author/

Newsletter - bit.ly/lwlnewsletter   



Monday, December 28, 2020

Review Tuesday: Late for Love by M.K. Scott -- #CozyMystery #SeniorCitizens #ReviewTuesday

Late for Love cover

Late for Love (The Way Over the Hill Gang, Book 5) by M.K. Scott

Sleeping Dragon Press, 2020

When police detectives Marcy and Lance show up once again at the Greener Pastures Retirement Home, Jake and his fellow senior sleuths are more than eager to take on a new case. After all, aside from lasagna night and a cut-throat croquet tournament, there’s not much excitement at Greener Pastures. An investigative journalist has gone missing, with a pet parrot and a headless, water-logged, supposedly unidentifiable corpse the only clues. The police don’t have the resources to follow up the flimsy trail of evidence, so the senior sleuths step in to the breach.

However, loner Jake feels he’s the only one taking the case seriously. His air force buddies Gus and Herman are newlyweds, busy with their respective sweeties, Lola and Eunice. Sharp-tongued Eunice is probably the smartest of the bunch – she’s certainly the most bossy – but she’s currently consumed by her ambition to crush her opponents in croquet. The arrival of the mysterious and charming Hannah, who’s supposedly considering a move to the retirement facility, shakes things up a bit, especially when Jake finds her cover story about being an astronaut’s wife is a bald-faced lie. Could Hannah have been sent by powers who’d been threatened by the victim’s investigations?

Earlier this month I hosted M.K. Scott’s blog tour celebrating the release of Late for Love. Given that I’m well over the hill myself, I was delighted by the notion of a gang of senior citizen PIs. It takes a delicate touch to present a group of elderly individuals in a humorous but respectful way, and I was curious to see how well the authors (M.K. Scott is actually a husband/wife couple) succeeded in this regard.

Late for Love does a great job highlighting the challenges of aging, without being either sappy or silly. In particular, the authors focus on how younger people perceive the elderly. Jake and his companions are more physically than cognitively impaired and they are well aware how dismissive society can be of old geezers. In fact, they sometimes take advantage of these prejudices in their detective work; who, after all, would suspect a balding, hard-of-hearing grandpa of trying to ferret out information from a witness or break into a building?

At the same time, they sometimes struggle with technology (though Jake’s very competent in using his computer), and they face issues with limited mobility. Even when you’re a voluntary resident, it’s pretty tough to escape from Greener Pastures – without a car or a valid driver’s license the sleuths are often stuck.

As is often the case with cozy mysteries, the plot takes something of a back seat to the characters, but there are some clever touches (which I won’t share in order to avoid spoilers). The last quarter of the book, in particular, features a lot of unexpected action which I thought was very well portrayed. Hannah turns out to be well-qualified to join the senior sleuths. And although this isn’t explicit, the authors definitely drop hints that perhaps Jake won’t be a loner for long.

Overall, Late for Love fulfilled its promise: a light read that nevertheless touches on some real-world issues about getting older.

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Should your characters wear masks? -- #Pandemic #Fantasy #Fiction

Woman wearing a mask

 Image by Juraj Varga from Pixabay

So here we are, in the last week of 2020, with the Covid-19 epidemic still raging. I’ll admit to being surprised. An eternal optimist, I expected the disease would be under control within a few months of its appearance. Instead, the pandemic rages on, worse now in some places than ever. It has radically altered day-to-day life, to a greater or lesser extent, for almost everyone on the planet. Furthermore, even with the encouraging developments related to vaccines, this situation seems likely to continue well into 2021.

Of course, lockdowns and quarantines can actually benefit us writers, more or less forcing us to put butt in chair. I’ve been very productive this year, writing a new novel and starting on its sequel as well as producing several shorter pieces and re-publishing some older work whose rights have reverted. Still, I’d trade it all to go back to life without masks, hand santitizers, contact tracing apps and social distancing.

What about our characters, though? Should we put them through all the (pardon-my-French) crap we’re dealing with in our own lives? If you write contemporary erotica or erotica romance, this is a serious question. Speaking for myself, I never go out of the house these days without two masks – one to wear, and one to give to somebody else who might need one. Should my heroine act the same way? Will readers who have now become accustomed to Covid-induced constraints think our stories are strange or unrealistic – or even irresponsible – if we leave out those ugly and annoying details?

I’ve already read some authors who have incorporated Covid-19 into their fiction, including plots that depend on the special circumstances of lockdowns, working at home, Internet-only socialization and so on. I’ve written one or two myself pieces of pandemic flash fiction myself.

However, I’m not going to include the daily irritations and terrors of Covid-19 into my main body of work, at least not for the foreseeable future. Why remind our readers of all the unpleasantness they’re already facing on a daily basis? Romantic or erotic fiction, no matter how “real” we try to make it, will always include an element of fantasy. It’s hard to imagine something less sexy than a global pandemic. I’d like my readers to forget about that aspect of their lives, at least for a while.

There’s another reason I’m not keen to have my characters wearing masks and worrying about contagion. Books have a potentially long lifetime. Details that are current and immediate now may well seem dated in a couple of years. In 2025, ubiquitous face masks may be viewed as weird. (Indeed, I hope this is the case.) I’d like readers to be able to relate to my work half a decade from now.

My first novel was published in 1999. It is still in print. Originally set in Bangkok in the nineties, it has no cell phones or social media, no Google or YouTube. And yes, it does feel a bit strange to read it now. The last time I edited and republished the book (about ten years ago), I decided to anchor it firmly in time (the year 2000), so that readers would judge it according to that particular era. That process made me very aware of how technological and social aspects of a book can affect the reading experience.

Of course, each of us must make a personal decision on this issue. One might liken it to the question of whether to write condoms into our erotic tales. Some authors feel that this is unnecessary in a genre based on wish-fulfillment. Others believe it’s their job to provide models of safe sex.

Indeed, younger readers who have grown up in the era of AIDS may find my erotica, where condom use is pretty rare, makes them uncomfortable. Alas, AIDS changed sex forever, in a very negative direction.

I pray that the long term effects of Covid-19 will be less damaging to our sexual, social and emotional health. I’d like to believe that’s true – as I said, I am an optimist. In any case, I’m writing my stories for happier days, when the pandemic is a sobering memory rather than a daily challenge.



Charity Sunday: For a full belly! -- #Hunger #CharitySunday #VictorianErotica

Charity Sunday banner
 

Today is the last Sunday in December and in 2020. Christmas was just a few days ago. I’ll bet you ate more than you should. Am I right? But this season is, after all, a special time – surely we can afford to indulge ourselves a bit, especially after this very difficult year.

As we gather together and enjoy our holiday feasts, we may not realize how many people are going hungry this December. Even in the U.S., the richest country in the world, hunger is a severe problem, one that’s gotten much worse because of the pandemic.

Before I moved to Asia, I lived in western Massachusetts. Though the state is known as relatively wealthy, a center of high tech and higher education, in fact Massachusetts has seen the highest increase in the country of people facing food insecurity due to Covid-19. Now more than 1 million people in the Commonwealth are food-insecure. At this moment, one in five Massachusetts children will go to bed hungry, a more than 100 percent increase since the pandemic started.

So for today’s Charity Sunday, I’m supporting two local organizations from my old home, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Worcester County Food Bank. Both these charities have the same goal; to make sure people in their target communities don’t go hungry. I will donate one dollar to each of these organizations for every comment I receive on this post. So don’t be shy! Leave me a comment! Tell me what treats you enjoyed on Christmas, or who you spent it with, or what your hopes are for the new year that is just around the corner.

 

If you don’t live in western Mass, you might ask around about your own local food bank. I’ll bet there’s one serving your neighbors – people you may pass on the street daily without ever knowing they don’t have enough food to survive and thrive. Consider making your own donation, just as an acknowledgment of your own good fortune.

I don’t have a story about going hungry – well, there’s Slush, but I used that last month – so I’ll regale you instead with a new, exclusive excerpt from my steam punk erotica novel The Pornographer’s Apprentice. Enjoy!



Blurb

She wants to build sex toys... if they'll let her.

In prudish, patriarchal Victorian England, nineteen year old prodigy Gillian Smith finds a secret society dedicated to the erotic arts. She’ll need both her intellect and her physical charms to earn the permanent position she craves.

If you like steam punk erotica with a kinky feminist bent, you'll love The Pornographer's Apprentice.

Excerpt (R)

Ian and Archie appeared struck dumb with shock. Aside from their heavy breathing, the hall was silent. Gillian looked from one to the other, struggling not to giggle. Given how attractive they were, she didn’t want to antagonise them. Indeed, she might need their support for her Guild application. If so, she’d be happy to express her gratitude in a manner she suspected they’d appreciate.

Her own heart beat a rapid tattoo in her chest. The forbidden flavour of Ian’s spunk lingered on her tongue. Her undergarments clung damply to her loins as she shifted in the chair. Meanwhile, a fierce joy burned in her chest. She was free at last. She’d finally escaped the constraints of convention. In the Toymakers Guild, she could be herself rather than having to conform to society’s ideas about womanhood.

If she could get in…

Beep beep! The noise startled all three of them. His ravaged cock still dangling from his fly, Archie fumbled in his trouser pocket and pulled out something that looked like a pocket watch. He flipped open the cover.

Archibald!” A woman’s voice, a bit tinny but perfectly intelligible, issued from the device. “Have you investigated the security breach?”

Uh—Yes, Mrs. Featherstone.”

And?” The auditory quality was sufficient for Gillian to detect the speaker’s impatience.

It’s a girl—um, a young woman. Somehow she managed to solve the riddle and determine the passcode.”

Indeed? I find that quite surprising.”

Gillian couldn’t suppress a smile.

What does this young woman want?” Mrs. Featherstone continued.

Gillian rose from her seat and addressed the disembodied voice. “I’m here to apply for an apprenticeship, ma’am. I’d like to join the Toymakers Guild.”

Oh, my!” Her soft chuckle did not disguise a hint of scorn. “How novel. Ian? Archibald? What do you think? Is this young woman—qualified?”

Ian tucked his half-recovered organ back into his trousers. “She might be, ma’am. We’ve been administering some preliminary tests.”

Bring her to my office. Immediately.”

Yes, ma’am.” He cast a look of worry in Archie’s direction.

Then get back to the lab, please. Lady Marlborough is expecting her dual penetration device next week, but the last time I checked, you hadn’t even finished the mould.”

Ian elbowed Archie in the ribs. “You knew that sleeve wasn’t as urgent as the Marlborough commission,” he whispered. “Featherstone will wallop both our arses if we miss the deadline.”

We’ll be there directly,” he added in a louder voice.

A click indicated the termination of the conversation. Archie snapped the device shut and deposited it in his pocket. “Let’s go,” he said, taking Gillian’s arm.

She wormed out of his grasp. “Just a moment.” She gathered her bag, slipping the book inside. “That amazing communication device—does it use radio waves? I’ve read about Hertz’s experiments, but I didn’t realise anyone had yet developed a working application.”

To be honest, I haven’t any notion how it works,” Ian replied. “The Master invented it.”

The Master?”

The Master Toymaker. The Head of the Guild.”

Archie’s uncharacteristically serious tone sent shivers of excitement down Gillian’s spine. “Oh! Would it be possible for me meet him? After I talk with Mrs. Featherstone?”

The Master is a recluse,” said Ian. “I’ve never seen him, in the eighteen months I’ve been here.”

Nor have I,” Archie agreed.

In any case,” Ian continued, “I heard he was travelling. Apparently he often is. He expects Mrs. Featherstone to manage the daily operations of the Guild.”

Which she does with an iron hand,” added Archie. “A hand that’s going to be tanning your bum scarlet if you don’t get our guest upstairs in a trice.”

Don’t forget to leave me a comment! And please visit the other authors who are participating in today’s Charity Sunday event, each of whom is supporting a cause close to her heart.




Saturday, December 26, 2020

Fairy tales for adults - #Cinderella #Goldilocks #AdultFairyTales @DeeSKnight

Cinderella

Image by Angeline 01 from Pixabay

By Dee S. Knight (Guest Blogger)

Like most kids, I enjoyed fairy tales when I was growing up. I'm not sure I always got the meaning behind them, but I liked hearing about girls who wore pretty dresses and got the prince, or who magically woke up after being kissed by the good guy who thrashed his way through brambles and thorns. But as an adult, I get it. I still like the good guy getting the girl. I still like the pretty dresses and romantic kisses. But I also like a bit more, well maturity in my fairy tales. Does Cinderella get her prince? Sure, but only after being schooled in sex by her fairy godfather. Does the heroine find the man who's "just right" for her? Yes, but not until she knows what it's like to have him in bed. How else was she to know?

So… That's the basis of the first two fairy tales I've written, The Cinderella Curse and Baer and the Three Goldilocks. Girl meets boy. Girl turns into princess (or guy becomes Prince—at last!), and they all live happily ever after. After a few romps between the sheets. Both books are on pre-order on Amazon. I hope you enjoy!

 


The Cinderella Curse

Not all men are princes—except to the women who love them!

One evening, in a land far away, a wife spins a fairy tale for the amusement of her husband. It's not your typical child's tale, of course, but an adult, erotic version of the classic, Cinderella.

All of the principals are present. Charlotte Gambrell immediately recognizes Prince Charming when she meets her boss, James Clarkson. Unfortunately, the worldly Clarkson barely knows she's alive. Charlotte's two hateful supervisors make her professional life miserable by piling on the work and never letting her forget that she has employment only at their pleasure.

Everything changes when Charlotte becomes part of a magazine shoot. The photographer, Cooper Hunt, agrees to perform duties as her fairy godfather. By day, he transforms her life by revealing to the world what he already knows, that Charlotte is an exquisite beauty. By night, he transforms her universe by teaching her about passion so she can attract her dream man, James. The “real” Cinderella never had it so good!

By the time Charlotte arrives at the ball, she has James on her mind and Cooper in her heart. Which man will prove to be her real Prince Charming?

 

 


Baer and the Three Goldilocks

She had to kiss a lot of frogs to find a goldilocks "just right" for a Baer!

Susan Baer, founder of Baer Hugs, health centers for women, longs to find her special someone. Sadly, there are no prospects in sight. Suddenly, three men come into her life. All successful, all gorgeous, all blond. And posing their own unique problems. One is too rough and hard in his treatment, one is too soft and wants her to take charge. The last is…well, let's just say he's unavailable. *sigh* Can any of them turn out to be “just right?”

About Me

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website (www.nomadauthors.com). Fortunately, Dee’s high school sweetheart is the love of her life and husband to all three ladies! Once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

Author Links

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K


Friday, December 25, 2020

A Holiday Gift for You - #Christmas #FreeBooks #Joy

Christmas Tree close-up
 

Merry Christmas! Even if your traditions don’t include Christmas (as in fact mine do not), I believe we should celebrate life at every opportunity.

I want to wish every one of you an abundance of joy, laughter and love as we move into the new year. As a way of saying thanks for your attention and support, I’d like to give you a couple of gifts – free copies of two of my holiday titles. One is a romance, the other a naughty erotic romp. Take your pick. Or grab a copy of both!

All you have to do is follow the links to Smashwords, click on the Buy button (upper right) and enter the appropriate coupon code. The price will drop to zero. You can download in any format you like, include mobi for Kindle users.

Don’t delay, though! The coupons expire on New Year’s Eve!

May your days be merry and bright!

~ Lisabet


This Christmas, Santa discovers it’s nice to be naughty.

Matt Glaser may not have the Santa Claus beard or belly, but when it comes to earning extra holiday cash, he loves his red suit like a reindeer loves carrots. This potential client, though—classy, curvy Eleanor Danforth—seems more interested in checking out his butt than his references. And two grand for a private party? Oy vey, Prancer, something's not kosher about this particular Vixen.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/996887

Coupon code: TK59M



Some Christmas traditions improve with age.

At ten thirty on a stormy Christmas Eve, a half-frozen long haul trucker wandered in to my diner. He really needed some hot coffee, not to mention a slice of my luscious cherry pie.

His chocolate-brown eyes and ready laugh spun me back to my scandalous, sensual younger days. I hadn’t wanted anyone in years, but I wanted him. Was I brave enough to act on my desire?

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/993385

Coupon code: WC23Z