FABULOUS GUEST BLOGGERS IN JANUARY!!!

Please come visit in January to read the guest blogs by some fabulous authors!!!

Friday, January 13^th – Sara York

Monday, January 16^th – Cara Bristol

Saturday, January 21^st – Drea Becraft

Tuesday, January 24^th – Donna Confer

Friday, January 27^th – Christian Jensen

Have a wonderful and safe  NEW YEAR!

And the Winner is....

for this Christmas Blog Hop, I had 14 comments left!  That is fantastic!  Thank you all for posting your New Year's Resolutions...even if you have none!

As with all my contests, I say I pick only one winner...but the reality is I hate when only one person wins.  So I've decided all the people who left comments will get a free pdf ebook, their choice!

I'll be sending private emails out to the people who left email address, those that didn't leave email address are: Abigail, Elle, Megs, and Eva!  Please leave a comment with some way I can contact you!  Thanks so much!

Thanks so much for everyone who participated, I really appreciate it!

-Beth D. Carter

Another Year

Another year is on our doorstep.  Out goes 2011 and in comes the promise of something new, something better.  New Year’s Eve builds our hope that the coming year will be different.  That we will be different.  Some will vow to finally lose weight.  Some will vow to quit smoking, work harder, be a better person or spend more time with the kids.  Resolutions are a tradition and yet breaking them is also a tradition.  Some of us even make bets on when they’ll be broken.

I am one of those people who love making resolutions.  And I vow each and every year that I will keep them.  This is year I actually made a vow with one of my best friends, Dahlia, to lose 10 pounds.  That’s not too much, is it?  That seems like a reasonable number.  And if I got a friend doing it with me, then I must stick to it, right?  

My other goal is simple.  I plan on turning my writing into a full time career, and I plan to push myself as a writer.  I have a m/f/m cowboy historical erotica romance titled “The Scarlet Dove” almost finished, and I have a m/m romance going round in my head, as well as a rock-n-roll m/f/m story. 

December is a time of love, joy, and reflection.  I try not to dwell too long on reflections of the past, of memories that are painful or hurtful.  It brings to mind a saying I heard years ago…”When your memories out number your dreams, the end is near”.  So I always sweep out the old in December and embrace the new.  Instead I turn to Percy Bysshe Shelley who wrote “Why linger, why turn back, why shrink My Heart?”

So, what will you do to greet the New Year?  Will you sing Auld Lang Syne?  Will you scrub your house clean?  Will you ring a gong 108 times to expel 108 human weaknesses like the Buddhists do?  Eat twelve grapes for twelve happy months?  Watch the Rose Bowl parade?

To win a free ebook pdf version of any of my books, winner's choice, simply leave me a comment about what your New Year’s Plans or Resolutions may be.  One random winner will be selected on December 19^th, so make sure you leave an email so I may contact you! 

And make sure you visit all the other writers on the Stuff Your Stockings event page, to potentially win more prizes!  http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

Happy New Year, the birth of 2012.  I raise my glass and toast to the promise of a new beginning.  Happy writing.  Happy reading.

The Clockwork Prince : A book review

I bought this book on Wednesday and finished it Friday.  O. M. G!!!  Oh my F**ing Goodness!!!  I’m in awe.  Shock.  Totally in love.

Okay, deep breath.  Let's rewind.  I liked The Clockwork Angel, but The Clockwork Prince far surpassed its predecessor.  It did not go way of most sophomore follow-ups with a convoluted story line that failed to deliver the goods.  This book packed so much of a sucker punch I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry through the whole book (I ended up crying).

The best thing about it?....the one liners.  Cassandra Clare has a gift.  My favorites:

1.  ‘Will looked at him in puzzlement.  “Is this a game?  We just blurt out whatever word comes next to mind?  In that case mine’s ‘genuphobia.”  It means an unreasonable fear of knees.”’

2. ‘”I think it’s charming,” said Will.  “I’ve heard polka dots are the last word in fashion this season.”’

3. ‘”I can trust you, Jessie, but you’re clearly not well enough to go.  Which is unfortunate, since Aloysius always had a weakness for a pretty face.”

            “Even more reason why I should go,” said Will.”’

    

4. ‘”I’ve never swum naked in the Thames, but I know I wouldn’t like it.”

            “But think how entertaining for sightseers,” said Tessa.

This book contains very raw emotions, and it will break your heart.  It has restored my obsession with Cassandra Clare’s novels and now I anxiously await not only the next book, The Clockwork Princess, but book five in the Mortal Instruments.  

Clarity and Laziness

Today I went for a walk.  I have been sick for a few days so yesterday I came home early from work and slept, and this morning I felt better.  So after dropping my son off at school I bundled up and went walking along the harbor, looking at the variety of boats nestled among the slips.  It was a great moment for clarity, to breathe in the coldness and feel it on my fingers, while moving through patches of sun for warmth.  I thought about stories, possibilities.  I thought about my current character whose story I'm writing and how to transform her into a strong woman my readers will empathize with.  I’ve missed those moments, those walks I used to do years ago before life got in the way and I became too busy.  The creative juices I had back then almost boiled me raw.

All my life all I’ve ever wanted to do is write, and now I’ve been blessed with the chance to fulfill my dream.  Walking alongside the harbor, seeing the sparkling ocean, reminded me that it is so easy to sit on the laurels of what has been achieved...though I’m far from accomplished.  I’ve remembered that I should never take for granted the opportunities I’ve been given.  The drive I once had, before my first book being picked up for publication, came speeding back into me like a steam roller, demanding to know why I let so much complicate the dream. 

So.  There it is.  How could I forget it?  How could I keep telling myself, “Soon…” when soon is now?  I’ve missed the voices in my head, the ideas overflowing until I can’t sleep until I write them down.  I’ve missed that writer I used to be. 

Hello, sunshine!

Christmas Blog Hop

I will be participating in Stuff Your Stockings Blog Hop on Dec 16^th!  There will be an easy contest and one lucky winner will win one of my pdf version ebooks, winner’s choice!

Make sure you stop by here on by that Friday and also visit   http://www.thebloghopspot.com/  to win even more goodies!!

-Beth

Sexual Bondage

Of the fetishes out there, Doms and Subs relationships are the ones I have trouble understanding the most.  But only because there is a complex depth to the lifestyle I’ve never delved into. In the past couple of years, the D/s stories have exploded, and are perhaps the best selling stories out there.  It is a complex world that deserves justice when it’s portrayed, and I hope to one day create a worthy story.

Bondage plays a heavy role in BDSM, with it being used a sexual stimulant and have a feature in sexual fantasies.  The submissive is dressed usually in clothing that depicts passiveness or innocence while the Dom is dressed in something that gives the image of authority or control.  Equipment can include ropes, straps, harnesses, bars, X-frames, handcuffs, ties, or anything else that can restrict movement.  The person applying the restraints is usually knowledgeable, or should be, especially when using suspension lifts and ties.

But what is the emotion behind the lifestyle of D/s?  Outsiders like to point out that the submissives like to be hurt, that they enjoy the pain or humiliation, but truthfully, it’s the exchange of power between the two partners, the trust behind it that stimulates the sexual experience.  Mutual respect is important.  Safe words are used in order to give submissives a small amount of control, in case the Dom oversteps the boundary of pain or emotions.     

When the term “erotica” comes into play, most ordinary people automatically think BDSM, leather, whips, chains and masks.  They don’t understand the deeply complex partnership that D/s enter into, contracts that are made, and trust that is given.  While there are many out there that cater for the intense, occasional one night stand with being dominated, the true lifestyle is so much more.

The Thrill of Scarfing...

This is a concept I knew nothing about until I watched Queer as Folk.  My favorite character, Brian, was having an emotional crisis and started scarfing, or tying a scarf (or piece of material) around the neck while masturbating.  This is supposed to restrict the blood flow to the brain and increase the pleasure of orgasm. 

Brian: If I want to experience the joys of scarfing, what the hell business is it of yours?! 

Michael: It's my business cause I'm the one that will get the call from the the god damn cleaning lady who finds you hanging from the rafters with a fucking boner!

The medical/psychological term is called autoerotic asphyxiation, and its popularity is high among young males.  Accidental death has occurred due to the nature of hanging one’s self to achieve the desired sexual satisfaction.  The person looses consciousness and the self-rescue mechanism fails.  It is unknown how many suicides are actually botched attempts of scarfing but it is estimated about 250 to 1000 deaths a year.

The practice of autoerotic asphyxiation has been documented since the 17^th Century and was used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.  People noticed that males being hung would produce an erection, sometimes even ejaculating after death.  When the carotid arteries are compressed, the lack of oxygenated blood to the brain and the increase of carbon dioxide induces a semi-hallucinogenic state called hypoxia.  Combined with the euphoria of an orgasm, the rush is highly addictive. 

The thought of scarfing, for me, sounds a little like playing Russian Roulette.  I would never judge any adult who tempted fate with practicing scarfing, but perhaps it would be better to be with a partner so that if anything were to go wrong at least there is someone to help.  But then again, perhaps it’s the thought of self bondage which also heightens the pleasure. All I’ll say is just be careful of cumming while going…

The Emotion of Sexual Masochism

Let’s start by saying that there is a wide berth of understanding when it comes to sexual masochism. It is a practice that sometimes goes along with BDSM, but doesn’t necessarily have to. For the sake of writing a dissertation on the subject, I’m going to stick strictly to the sexual practice of self-harm, not to those who are simply “cutters”.

Many people may ask what can possibly make hurting one’s self arousing, but the answers aren’t always black and white. Yes, it’s listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a paraphilia, or otherwise known as intense and recurrent sexually arousing urges, fantasies, or behaviors. But isn’t that all sex, really? Don’t we all have fantasies somewhere deep down which manifest in someway in our approach to sex?

In the research I’ve done, literature points out that self-harmers are not suicidal, or even attention seekers. Quite the opposite, actually. People who self-harm tend to use this means as a coping method for something in their past, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, or a multitude of other disorders. Sexual masochism is slightly more prevalent in males and it is interesting to note that more people consider themselves masochistic rather than sadistic.

Some of the more popular acts of masochism are spanking, whippings, cutting, burning and hitting, and can occur in the context of role-playing. In the explosion of erotica romance, these practices are sometimes written about, in detail, and with a HEA ending. BDSM themed books are in demand and usually top the best-seller lists. But writing a believable book is important...and difficult if one doesn't truly understand or "get" the culture. It is important to relate the emotion in masochism, to make the reader feel the power behind it.

The World of Fetish....

The explosion of ebook publishing, especially within the erotica world, has opened a door to the exploration of what turns people on.  I find the different genre’s fascinating and have devoted this month to blogging about fetishes.  Check back every Friday for my new series, Fetish Friday’s.  I would love feedback but please be supportive or accepting to all guests who leave comments.  I will tolerate NO DISCRIMINATION!

This Friday (Nov. 11^th) I will blog about self-harm, or cutting.  I actually have a proposal to my editor about a character who is a cutter, and researching the psychology behind it is extensive. 

The 18^th I plan on writing about Scarfing. 

The 25^th will be about the world of bondage with the lifestyle of Doms/Subs.

Happy exploring!

And the Winner is....

....all 7 people who left comments!

I am so thankful for the wonderful responses I've decided that all of you will get a free ebook of your choice!

I'll be emailing you this evening so start thinking of which book you'd like!  And again, my sincere thanks for visiting my blog!

-Beth D. Carter

To Beard or Not to Beard

When a story pops into my head I start to visualize the characters who will play out the leads.  Sometimes this is easy and sometimes I pull my hair out very slowly trying to figure out the hero and heroine.  For instance, in my book A Silver Lining, I had a woman who wasn’t nice, whose abrupt manner and off-putting tongue needed someone to perfectly foil her rapier retorts.  Luckily, Tristan came along to not only rescue Heather but to rescue my deadline.

“Heather looked up, and up, past a cast-wrapped leg, over a large silver belt buckle, and into the darkest eyes she had ever seen. The rest of the face wasn’t bad as well, and Heather felt her heart flip-flop. High cheekbones, tanned face, handsome beyond belief.”

I realized about my third books that, unconsciously, I tended to write the same male character again and again and again.  I was using the image of a man I found attractive in every story so I had to step back and reevaluate all my heroes.  Even though I don’t particularly like chest hair that doesn’t mean my readers don’t either.  And just because I love blue eyed men doesn’t mean every hero out there has to have baby blues.

“Penny blinked and snapped her gaze to his. She instantly saw the annoyance in his royal blue eyes fade into concern.”

And yet up until the explosion of ebook publishing and the erotica romance genre coming to life, there weren’t that many ethnic heroes out there.  And now as I’ve grown more mature I realize my taste has evolved in what I find sexy.  My heroes have become somewhat less…vanilla, for lack of a better word.  Now I find so many new characters clawing at my mind, demanding their stories be told. 

 ***Happy Halloween!  To win a copy of any of my ebooks in PDF version, simply leave a comment about if you like beards or not!  One winner chosen at random and announced Tuesday (make sure to leave your email if possible)!  Thanks for reading and be sure to check out the blogs on the blog hop at http://dreabecraft.com/events-2/****

Are two men better?

I have taken to writing m/f/m romances because I find exploring the dynamics of such a relationship interesting.  But I wonder, can two men really be better outside the bedroom?

Sure, what hetero, curious and willing woman wouldn't want two men worshiping her in bed?  Hell, if I could find two men as fulfilling as the ones I write about then sign me up!

But outside the hot and steamy sheets of fantastic sex, is it worth putting up with two men always under foot?  Well, I say thank goodness the romance stories end with the HEA (or HFN)!  I don't know how romantic even the sexiest man (men) would be under day to day scrutiny!  Oh lord!  Don't get me started on washing dishes and taking out the trash!!!

Tied up or Spanking?

I recently went on a friend's website (author Kharisma Rayne) and saw a poll she had run, asking what people would like to try the most.  The winner?...44% said being completely submissive.  Another 33% like costume role/playing and being tied up.  Finally, coming in third was being spanked.

As a writer, I find this fascinating, simply because it speaks of trends and what readers are mostly into.  The question I have on my mind is...should a writer cater to the masses demands or should the writer focus more on their own quality rather than sales?

I would love to read your opinion so please leave me a comment!

Lawless Hearts Review

LAWLESS HEARTS is a sexy ménage story that does not offer anything new but is still an enjoyable read for those who like the subgenre. Scharlie is a lonely schoolteacher in the 1880's whose brother defended her against her lecherous stepfather and subsequently was forced to leave Scharlie. Now, ten years later, two mysterious men have arrived at Scharlie's home to give her news of her brother and to tell her she is in danger too. The mysterious duo is Garrett, who is emotionally available but sexually aggressive, and Cassidy, who is sexually complicated but very protective. While keeping Scharlie safe, the three explore their sexual dynamics and burgeoning emotional relationship. Scharlie was a sweet but slightly naughty heroine who was comfortable with her own sexuality, despite her previous trauma. I liked this self-determination in Scharlie from the beginning and she maintained that quiet confidence throughout the story. Garrett was the more interesting of the men, as his ethnicity provided some depth of character that was well used in the story. Cassidy's brooding complexity was a nice foil for Garrett but his character was the least developed. The threesome's emotional development was lacking in favor of their physical relationship, but that is true in many ménage stories so I don't hold it against the story. Still, the three had nice chemistry out of bed as they worked together to keep Scharlie safe from an evil villain. The pace of the story was quick and never bogged down. The author is a good writer who writes both tasteful bedroom scenes as well as strong dialogue. I especially liked the author's inclusion of a culturally specific ceremony as it allowed the threesome to connect to each other on an emotional level instead of a purely sexual level. My one complaint is I would have like the emotional denouement to be longer but it was sacrificed for the sexual finale. This short story is more sexually intimate than emotionally intimate but its spice still has heart. Readers who enjoy m/f/m ménages or scorching-hot Western romances will enjoy this quick read.

Now meet Scharlie....

...from Lawless Hearts:

"Dare," he said before she could even ask.

"Okay, the same," she said. "I dare you to do the same as Cassidy."

"I can do it better than Cass," Garrett replied, and she thought she heard a touch of boasting in his voice.

Cassidy raised an eyebrow, but waited.

Garrett stood up, hooked the back of one boot with the front of the other, and it came off cleanly. After he took off the other, he placed both behind him. As he removed his socks, he bent a little to place them on top of his boots, his ass prominent in Scharlie's line of view.

As she looked away, she caught Cassidy smirking at her.

When Garrett got settled again, they all flipped over cards, and this time, Scharlie lost, while Cassidy won.

"Dare," she said before he asked, and reached for her shoes.

"I dare you to remove your underclothes."

Her right lace-up boot fell from her suddenly numb hand with a thump. Her mouth formed a little O.

"E–Excuse me?" she stammered.

"Your pantalets. I dare you to remove them."

"Not my shoes?"

Cassidy shook his head. "You can't refuse a dare, Scharlie. This is a game of trust."

She looked helplessly toward Garrett, but got no help from him as he just stared at her challengingly. Should she believe him? Could she do as he asked?

-by Beth D. Carter

www.bethdcarter.com

http://www.bookstrand.com/lawless-hearts

Meet Garrett Webb...

…from Lawless Hearts:

“Is it always like that? You know, what happened between us. I

felt…”

Her voice died off because she simply couldn’t describe the

feeling that had overwhelmed her. She had felt like the world had

shifted on its axis and she had fallen off it.

“I know,” Garrett said softly. “And no, finding someone who

makes you feel like that is almost impossible. Don’t get me wrong,

sex for the sake of sex is great. It feels wonderful. But when a

connection is made, it makes everything else fade in comparison. Any

other woman, or man, drains away. Forgotten.”

She bit her lower lip with her white teeth. “But two of you and

one of me doesn’t really bode well for a connection, does it?”

“Honey, we’ve had a connection since before we met.”

 

-“Lawless Hearts, the new Erotic Western Ménage a Trois Romance, by Beth D. Carter

available from Siren Publishing at: http://www.bookstrand.com/lawless-hearts

Meet Cassidy Brooks...

…from Lawless Hearts:

“I’m not an easy man, Scharlie. I detest conformity, and to love

me, you have to give me what I need. What I crave.”

“I don’t know what that means,” she replied honestly.

His arms fell to his sides, and he took a step toward her. “Can you

accept us both, Scharlie? Can you love us both?”

And then he pulled her into his body, one hand curling around her

upper arm while the other hand buried itself in her hair. His kiss was

hard, seeking her response and demanding her answer.

-“Lawless Heart”…the new Erotic Western Ménage Romance by Beth D. Carter

Available thru Siren Publishing:  http://www.bookstrand.com/lawless-hearts

Coming soon:  Meet Garrett Webb!

Release Day for LAWLESS HEARTS!!!!

http://www.bookstrand.com/lawless-hearts

This title is offered at a 10% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, September 15th.

Scharlie Thorn is the local schoolteacher of Rock Ridge, Missouri, who everyone looks at with pity. When she was fourteen, her stepfather attacked her, scarring her face. Her brother, Harlow, accidentally killed him while defending Scharlie, forcing him to run from the law.

Ten years later, she is visited by two handsome men, Cassidy Brooks and Garrett Webb, who come to tell her that Harlow has been murdered. But the man who killed Harlow is now after Scharlie. As the two men try to keep Scharlie safe, she learns that they are outlaws. And worse, Harlow was an outlaw, too.

Scharlie has decisions to make. Does she trust Cassidy and Garrett when they tell her they love her? Or will she hand them over to the law? More than her life is at stake. Her heart is on the line, too.

written butterfly...let romance take flight: Win a free pdf version of "Lawless Hearts"!!

written butterfly...let romance take flight: Win a free pdf version of "Lawless Hearts"!!: Lawless Hearts being released Sept. 8th! Scharlie Thorn is the local schoolteacher of Rock Ridge , Missouri , who everyone looks at wi...

Win a free pdf version of "Lawless Hearts"!!

Lawless Hearts  being released Sept. 8th!

Scharlie Thorn is the local schoolteacher of Rock Ridge, Missouri,

who everyone looks at with pity. When she was fourteen, her

stepfather attacked her, scarring her face. Her brother, Harlow,

accidentally killed him while defending Scharlie, forcing him to run

from the law.

Ten years later, she is visited by two handsome men, Cassidy

Brooks and Garrett Webb, who come to tell her that Harlow has

been murdered. But the man who killed Harlow is now after

Scharlie. As the two men try to keep Scharlie safe, she learns that

they are outlaws. And worse, Harlow was an outlaw, too.

Scharlie has decisions to make. Does she trust Cassidy and

Garrett when they tell her they love her? Or will she hand them

over to the law? More than her life is at stake. Her heart is on the

line, too.

To Win:  Write a blog about you favorite romance book about why it sticks in your mind, about 500 words, and send it to me at:  beth@bethdcarter.com  The winner will be chosen anonymously by a fellow author (not by me) and will win a free pdf ebook version of my new novella “Lawless Hearts”, have their blog posted on my site, plus a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble!

Runner Ups:  Everyone else will have their blog posted to my site...a great opportunity to promote if you're a writer! 

Hurry!  Contest ends on Sept 8^th and the winner will be announced on the 10^th!

-Beth D. Carter

www.bethdcarter.com

http://bethdcarter.blogspot.com/

Great Reader Review for "A Silver Lining"!!

From Heather in FL on Goodreads!!!  Thanks so much Heather!!!

This was quite angsty. I hated Heather at first. She came to the ranch because her dying grandfather requested it. He wanted to see, more or less, if she was cut out for running a ranch, or whether he should leave it to Tristan, his foreman. Really, he wanted her to get out of her normal comfort zone and maybe heal from something that happened twenty years ago that had shaped her life. She and Tristan had a brief history that 20 years ago, before "the event". She had a huge crush on him, but she was only 15 and he was 21, so he kept his distance. "The event" really turned Heather into a huge bitch. She didn't care about anyone or anything, not even herself. But the attraction with Tristan couldn't be ignored, and while it was quickly turning into something more, she tried so hard to keep him at arms length. They were explosive together... lots of quick, heated encounters... they just couldn't stay away from each other, regardless of how much either one of them wanted to.

She was at the ranch for a month; that was how long her grandfather insisted she stay in order to be eligible to inherit the ranch. He asked that she learn five things, but didn't tell her what five things to learn. I think she was initially thinking it would be things about how to run a ranch... things that would prove she'd been paying attention. But she learned so much more than just about ranch life. She finally really thought about what had happened over 20 years ago, how it had impacted her life, how it was still impacting her life, and decided she didn't want that kind of impact anymore. She really grew up a lot in that short month!

I was crying at the end. Tears rolling down my cheeks. She had been such a bitch to Tristan, but he really understood her and accepted her, warts and all. Her sacrifice was so huge... and I knew Tristan wouldn't just let it go. Thankfully.

A great HEA, but lots of sadness to get there.

written butterfly...let romance take flight: LAWLESS HEARTS....COMING SEPT 8TH!!!

written butterfly...let romance take flight: LAWLESS HEARTS....COMING SEPT 8TH!!!: LAWLESS HEARTS …by Beth D. Carter ****a ménage amour coming September 8 th from Siren*** Scharlie Thorn lives life as a school te...

LAWLESS HEARTS....COMING SEPT 8TH!!!

 

LAWLESS HEARTS…by Beth D. Carter

****a ménage amour coming September 8^th  from Siren***

Scharlie Thorn lives life as a school teacher in Missouri, trying very hard to ignore the pitying looks of the townspeople.  When she was fourteen, her step father sliced her face, disfiguring her.  Her older brother Harlow stepped in, attacked the evil man who had married their mother, and killed him, forcing Harlow to leave.

Ten years later, she is visited by two gunslingers, Cassidy Brooks and Garrett Webb, who come to tell her that her beloved brother is dead.  Harlow had been killed by a vicious outlaw named Breaux Cox so Cassidy and Garrett decide to become her protectors.

As they integrate themselves into her life, Scharlie finds a love for Cass and Garrett that runs deeper than she could never have imagined.

And then Breaux Cox shows up in town, and her name is on his next bullet. 

Available soon at:  http://www.bookstrand.com/beth-d-carter

New Cover Revealed!....Lawless Hearts due out Sept. 8th!!

Scharlie Thorn lives life as a school teacher in Missouri, trying very hard to ignore the pitying looks of the townspeople.  When she was twelve, her step father sliced her face, disfiguring her. Her older brother Harlow defended her and ended up killing him, forcing Harlow to flee.

  

Ten years later, she is visited by two handsome gunslingers, Cassidy Brooks and Garrett Webb, who come to tell her that Harlow has been murdered. They stay, helping her with her small plot of land, until a tornado strikes, forcing them to seek protection in a cellar.   

 Trapped together, she is unable to resist both men, and she lets them love her.

When they are rescued, Cassidy and Garrett stay around to help Scharlie rebuild the part of her house that fell to the tornado.  So by day they work and by night they love together

And then Breaux Cox shows up in town, and her name is on his next bullet.  

Lawless Hearts a Manage Amour release from Siren Publication coming Sept 8th!

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

One of my favorite books is being turned into a movie...The Host by Stephanie Meyer. The way that Ms. Meyer's has written the love between Melanie and Jared and Ian and Wanda, as well as the love between Wanda and Melanie, is stunning.

I discovered this song, inspired from the book, written by a woman named Czarina, from the Thehostmovie.com and I had to post it!

It's a fabulous song!!! Enjoy!

EXCERPT -- "KISMET"

I bring my knee up, take out my nine from my ankle holster, and turn the safety off. There isn‟t a lot of room in the small wedge I have put us in, but there is enough space to stretch out my legs if I sit upright, which is fine with me. The only direction I have to maintain is in front of me; the collapsed building behind me safeguards my ass and flanks.

Through the night I watch and protect Seek as he heals, and I can‟t tear my eyes away from him. He is absolutely beautiful. His profile is chiseled strength, relaxed in sleep. Masculine lips, softened in repose. He has the type of body that many men go to the gym and work like hell to obtain, all sleek muscles and brawn, but I know he got this way through years of military training and hard work. He wears a dark army green long-sleeve shirt and dark fatigue pants. There is a rip at his rib cage, and I wonder if it was caused by a grazing bullet. I can‟t help running my fingers over the short brush of his hair, liking the tickling sensation on my palm.

Here he is, finally, in front of me. No longer a dream, no longer a yearning; I take a ragged breath. My lungs feel like they‟ve never taken a deep breath before. It is so hard to articulate my emotions at this moment. I want to gush, but despite the blonde hair, I‟m not a gushing kind of girl. I feel like I have waited my whole life for this very moment and am afraid to blink in case it‟s just another dream. I am a bit overwhelmed, expecting at any moment to wake and discover that I am once again back in my tent, sleeping somewhere on the side of the road, finding out all of this was another damn premonition guiding me. I am so sick and tired of always searching, but now that it‟s possible my search is over, I am finding it difficult to even blink in fear that Seek will disappear.

But I suppose it was inevitable that my eyes would close. All I really remember is one moment I feel the heavy, almost painful droop of my eyelids, and the next moment I feel a blade sliding over my throat and a deep, raspy voice demanding, “Who the hell are you?”

Available at: http://www.loose-id.com/Kismet.aspx

Beth D. Carter
http://bethdcarter.blogspot.com/
www.bethdcarter.com

Upcoming release from Lauren Wilder!

Charles Pryce is sinfully sexy. Women fall at his feet, literally. He really knows how to treat a woman but then he should do, he’s been around. For over four hundred years!

When he meets Samantha he falls in love for the first time in centuries. He sets about seducing her and everything is perfect until evil Vamp Viktor rears his ugly head.

Charles is desperate to win Samantha’s heart. He wants her for all eternity but will she still want him when she discovers his dark secret?  

-by Lauren Wilder

http://www.bookstrand.com/eternal-desires

This new release is offered at a 10% discount until July 20th!!!

Welcome Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy!!!

Romance That Lives And Breathes The Power of Love
Thanks to my kind host, Beth, for having me as a guest today.  It is a pleasure and an honor to be here.

As for romance….

I confess that beneath my tough girl exterior, my hard as nails hammered into strong wood heart, I am a hopeless romantic.  I can be sentimental and yes, although I seldom like to admit it, I have been known to weep at tender scenes in either books or movies.   The first time I watched Australia, I cried when The Drover and Nala found Sarah alive and well.  Their sweet reunion brought tears to my eyes and choked me up with unshed sobs.  I’ve even been known to shed a tear or two while writing some of my own scenes.

So my brand, tagline, motto, whatever anyone wants to call it, “Romance that lives and breathes the power of love” is true.  I write it and I believe it.   Love is a powerful force.  In my own life, I have seen love cause amazing things, beautiful and wonderful ones.   I have also felt in past relationships that withered and failed to grow how destructive and harmful love can also be.   But I think that the positive power far outweighs any negative.

As more of my novels are out into the reading public’s hands, I find it harder to pick excerpts because it reminds me of picking just one of my kids for a special treat.   But, since Love Never Fails, my contemporary romance is out in both eBook and paperback format, I’ll use an excerpt from it that I think illustrates my motto.  The couple is meeting again for the first time after a five year separation and she came back to their hometown because he needed her, without even knowing why…

    “Are you all right?” She needed to know.
    “I’m okay,” Reid said.  He put his hand in the center of his chest.  “That is, except for this pain I’ve had right here for about five years now.  A deep, burning pain that never went away.  Today though, it feels just a little bit better.”
    She inhaled sharply, panicked at the idea of him having chest pains and then realized his heart trouble was romantic, not medical.   Without analyzing it or planning what she'd say, she leaned forward.
    “Maybe this will help it heal.”
    She touched her lips to his, a very light kiss, her mouth barely touching his.
    “It helps if it’s real,” Reid said, taking her face into his hands and kissing her with thoroughness that ignited fire in her veins.  “Did you mean what you said on the phone?”
    “I came, didn’t I?”
    “You did, but do you?”
    Her answer was a vow.  “I do, Reid. I love you.”
    He exhaled.  “It’s about time you told me so.

Love Never Fails,  like all of my novels and novellas, can be purchased through Amazon.com, All Romances Ebooks, Manic Readers, Bookstrand, Coffee Time Romance and more.

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy:

Romance That Lives And 

Breathes The Power of
Love!

Love Never Fails, Rebel Ink 

Press now available in 

paperback, 

all other titles in
ebook format.

My Amazon author page link:

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Ann-Sontheimer-Murphy/e/B004JPBM6I/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1310491165&sr=8-1

A SILVER LINING...REVIEWS ARE IN!!!!

From The Romance Studio:


As the granddaughter of the owner of Hart Ranch, Heather wasn't surprised to learn from the attorney that she might inherit the ranch from the dying man. What she wasn't expecting was to be in competition for the ranch with the man she had met on her one visit to the ranch. Tristan Rogers remembered the little girl with the sprained ankle. She had been jail bait back then, fifteen to his twenty one, but he hadn't forgotten her. He'd hired on at the Hart and eventually worked his way up to foreman. The Hart was his home and his life, and he wasn't about to give it up without a fight.

I liked this contemporary romance, but then, who doesn't like hunky cowboys? Tristan's character is believable because he is attracted to Heather but doesn't want to lose his home to some cold stranger, a vegetarian at that, who doesn't know the first thing about how to run a profitable organic cattle ranch. Heather and Tristan clash on many levels, including their attraction for each other, throughout the book. I really enjoyed the information about raising cattle organically. It was just enough to understand the fundamentals without a lengthy information dump (some writers like to tell everything they know).

The story moves along quickly as Heather is forced by her grandfather to learn about ranch life or have no chance to win her inheritance, losing it all to Tristan. Her character must grow up and take stock of who she is. Her introspection is done very well, including what she has to face to overcome past injustices, her hatred and distrust of men in general, and then move on to decide who she really is and what she really wants out of life. Be sure to keep your tissue box close by for the ending. I'm giving this one a thumbs-up.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Kathy F.
May 18, 2011

And From Whipped Cream:

Heather and Tristan first met when she was a teenager and sprained her ankle while visiting her grandfather’s ranch. Now she’s all grown up and returned there to compete with him for the right to take over the running of the family ranch once her ailing grandfather dies.

I really enjoyed the opening to this story. A step back in the past to see both main characters and how they first met. When we fast forward to the present we meet a completely different Heather. The author did a great job showing us the transformation of her character. She’s now someone you almost despise but somewhere in the back of your mind you sense something has happened to her to turn her into this rebellious and sometimes unlikeable young woman. Tristan is still his delightful and in many scenes I felt sorry that he had to endure Heather’s temper and attitude.

The secondary characters in this story are great and helped to round out this short read. The dialogue and pacing were both spot on. It’s a sexy story full of sexual tension as Heather and Tristan go about their business at the ranch and the author does a first class job with making you finally see Heather through Tristan’s eyes which eventually makes her more tolerable.

I won’t give away what Heather was hiding but when the author did finally reveal the dark secret, all became clear as to why she acted out during the first half of the story. I would have liked to have been told this earlier in the story so we could have spent more time with this couple while Tristan mends the hurt she’s been through.

This is definitely a story to pick up if you like a sexy cowboy and a quick read.

-Rating: 3.5 cherries
Reviewed by Stephantois

Welcome Lauren Wilder!

Inspiration

I would like to thank Beth for having me as a guest on her blog. I really appreciate it. Thank you Beth, you’re a doll!.

My inspiration for my debut novel - ‘Her Heart’s Desire’ sprang from my penchant for sexy, well educated English men and beautiful architecture.

I love England’s stately homes and heritage. I have spent many a happy afternoon strolling through elegant manicured gardens and staring open mouthed at incredible buildings. I have no idea why, but being near such grandeur makes me weak at the knees and the idea of meeting the handsome lord of the manor really gets me going! When I watched Downtown Abbey my desire piqued! I went to Highclere house in Berkshire where the drama is filmed and the ideas came thick and fast (no pun intended)

I decided to write about my own dashing hero and created Highcroft house as his ancestral home. Hence (Lord) James St John was born. He is charming, handsome, titled and super sexy. What more could a woman want?

I also love reading ‘bodice rippers’ and I will read and watch anything with a handsome posh man in it! They really turn me on. I have fallen hard many a time for a suave and sophisticated gent, and subsequently nursed a few broken hearts when the big romances were over. (Cads!)

But my failed romances have not put me off. I still adore a real gent. As long as he is tall, dark and handsome, if he talks classy, opens doors, walks to the outside on the pavement, pays for dinner and calls me darling, I will do almost anything he asks in the bedroom. I would do naked cartwheels if I could! Such is my desire for the love of an English Gentleman.

I like my erotica to be set in an environment that has presence and atmosphere and setting my story in a grand Ancestral home gives it tons of that. Think four poster beds and what can be done in them, creaking floorboards, dark passageways (no pun intended), candlelight and roaring fires and you’re on the right track. Give me loads of romance with a bit of kink thrown in and I’m in fantasy heaven! So I wrote ‘Her Heart’s Desire’ and let my imagination run wild. I created Highcroft to satisfy some of my own Heart’s Desires. Step inside and prepare to blush!

Blurb:

When Marisa applies for a PA job to an English aristocrat, she expects a stuffy, older gentleman. James St John is anything but. He is an extremely good-looking, English charmer. Sparks fly, and the attraction is intense.

Marisa fights her desire, cautious about becoming involved with her boss. But James St John is unable to resist the sexual allure between them, and he will not rest until she is in his bed.

Marisa soon discovers that the walls of Highcroft house hide a hotbed of sin and dark longings. Will its secrets destroy her happiness when love starts to bloom?

http://www.bookstrand.com/her-hearts-desire

www.wilderromance.com

EXCERPT:

He watched her as she bent over to light the candles, her perfect arse showing under the tiny maid’s dress. He felt his cock grow hard instantly as he imagined kneeling behind her and kissing that peachy bottom with fervour. His heartbeat quickened as she lay on the bed and caressed herself, exposing her full breasts. He sucked his breath in. ‘Oh, God,’ he murmured as he watched her open her legs and reveal her silky cunt.

She closed her eyes and moaned gently as she touched herself.

He could see everything. She was exposed for him, her gorgeous, wet pussy. Her perfect breasts spilled out of the bodice. He stared at her nipples, hard and ready for his tongue, and it made his cock twitch.

He watched mesmerised as she continued her teasing. He smiled as he caught her peeking at him beneath her eyelashes. He gazed at her, his eyes burning with desire as he watched her slim fingers playing on her clit. Her tongue licked seductively at her lips, moistening them. He unzipped his pants and his cock sprang out, hard and proud. He began wanking it gently as he watched her breasts heaving and her finger frigging her clit. His excitement intensified when she started speaking in a soft, seductive tone.

‘I want strong hands to massage me and feel me all over, I want to feel my lover’s cock pressing against me.’ She breathed huskily as her eyes glinted in the candlelight, beckoning him, drawing him to her. James remained silent in the shadows, watching her as he pumped his cock slowly, massaging the bulbous head, squeezing the tip to extend his pleasure.

‘Hmm, I want my lover to take me and fuck me without mercy. I’m desperate to feel him. I long for his touch.’

‘Oh, I wish my lord and master were here. I want to feel his tongue on my tits, his fingers on my pussy, his beautiful cock in my cunt.’

James could not restrain himself any longer, striding from the shadows with his erection bobbing in front of him, he moved slowly towards the bed. She feigned surprise. ‘Oh, master, I didn’t realize you were there.’

He grinned wickedly as his eyes travelled all over her body. He loved the kinky maid’s outfit, the stockings and suspenders, frilly knickers pushed sluttishly aside, exposing her pussy.

‘Dear god you are a vision!’ he whispered, his voice husky with desire.

Marisa smiled at him wantonly. He licked his lips at the sight of her lying there. His fingers worked quickly as he pulled at the ribbons on the bodice of her dress. He gasped as the bodice fell apart and she lay there almost naked. He reached out and stroked the soft globes. He groaned as she touched his cock. He sucked his breath in as her soft fingers stroked his shaft. Her touch felt silky against his flesh, and he longed to thrust his hard cock into her tight pussy. But he wanted to make it last. He intended to take his time with her until they were both mad with desire.

‘My, we are a naughty little maid, aren’t we?’ he murmured. He watched her, transfixed. He continued stroking her tits, the nipples straining beneath his fingertips. He bent his head to lick them, making her groan as his hand went down between her legs.

‘Open your legs wide for me,’ he demanded.

Marisa did as he asked. Pulling her knees up, she spread her legs wide for him.

‘Yes, master,’ she said obediently. He grinned. He loved their games. Excitement rushed through his veins, and he longed to tie her up, bind her wrists to the bed, and make her beg to be released so she could touch his cock and suck him. His thoughts ran wild.

He could feel her heart thundering. Her breathing rapid with excitement and it spurred him on.

‘Hmm, you’re so wet,’ he murmured as his fingers worked in and out of her soaking pussy. Marisa was gasping with pleasure, crying out in ecstasy as he talked to her in his deep, masculine English accent.

‘Are you nearly there, are you going to come for me my darling?’

‘Yes!’ she cried out.

He swooped on her, licking her deeply. With a few long, lascivious strokes of his hot, wet tongue he brought her off instantly. He groaned as he felt her coming. He lapped at her juices and sucked her clit as she convulsed on his tongue. She cried out and tugged hard on his hair as she screamed in ecstasy.

He moved up her quivering body and kissed her lips passionately, his tongue darting into her mouth to share her secretions. She gasped and licked at him, wild and hungry.

‘Now it’s my turn,’ he growled, taking her hand and raising her from the bed.

‘Suck me, my naughty maid,’ he demanded.

Thank you Lauren for your deliciously sexy excerpt!! I can't wait to get my hands on James, er, the book!!!