I’ll be joining a bunch of other Ellora’s Cave authors at the June Coffee Time Romance Readers Retreat. We’ll be chatting and posting excerpts and contests all month. I’ll mostly be there in the evenings, come by and say hi!
The last book in the Wasteland series is out. I am so loving this series.
Wasteland: The Priestess
RG Alexander
Damn the rules, damn the gods…even if he has to share her, she belongs to him.
High Priestess Xian has followed the Path of the Peaceful Sun since she was chosen at birth. Yet the joy she receives from helping others is overshadowed by her growing belief that the world they live in is…wrong.
At a crossroads, unsure of her ability to do her job—unsure of anything—she journeys to the ruins of the old city, hoping to uncover secrets that will give her clarity. Instead she finds the path to her goal clouded by an unexpected desire for her handsome guard, Hel, and for the battered stranger they find along the way.
Hel can’t prevent Xian from reaching out to the mysterious Siraj, but there is danger in allowing him to stay. Siraj belongs to no caste, follows no rules but his own. And Xian’s fascination with him makes Hel’s blood boil. No one can know that Hel has always loved her, or the secret he’s kept hidden for years. But Siraj’s advances and Xian’s curiosity force Hel to cross lines he never before dared…
Fellow EC writer Nicole Austin’s Kenna’s Cowboy is out. Doesn’t it look yummy?
Kenna’s Cowboy
Nicole Austin
Hearts of Fire, Book Four
Cursed with unusual abilities, orphan McKenna Fulton has always been different, an outcast. But she’s been Chosen. More accurately, she is one of the Chosen. Eight individuals—four women and four men—selected at birth to guard slices of crystal. The Heart of Fire.
The whole thing is more than a little farfetched. Kenna can handle the part of getting down and dirty with the bad dude. She’s even okay with guarding a crystal. But losing her free will and being stuck with some guy, her destined mate, uh-uh. Not happening.
Local mechanic Ryker Thomas is more than he appears and has his own set of abilities. Kenna wants nothing to do with the Southern charmer. So what if he has a matching crystal and the damn thing hums and vibrates whenever they’re close together. That doesn’t mean she’ll toe the line.
He can’t be the one she’s supposed to be with. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to send her a cowboy when what she wants is a bad boy.
The third book in the Wasteland series is out:
Wasteland: The Breeder
Eden Bradley
Destined to serve the desires of an entire city, all she wants is one man. Or maybe two…
Born to the Temple, Nitara knows the Great Goddess’s plan for her: to bring life into what is left of an arid and wasted Earth. Since puberty she has been trained to arouse and titillate, to ensure the continuation of the human race.
As is the custom, the man captured for her is strong of blood, though considered little more than a wild animal. Yet when she looks into his eyes, she sees no primitive creature, but the man whose face and hands haunt her sensual dreams.
For Akaash, a hunter and warrior, it’s his shame that he will be sacrificed to a goddess he doesn’t believe in, for a people who are not his own, leaving behind his Wanderer clan—and his bonded lover, Dhatri. Locked in the bowels of the Temple, he has a month to ponder his fate, all while falling helplessly under the spell of the virgin temptress who will soon take his life.
With each tortuously erotic encounter, however, Akaash realizes that Nitara is as much a prisoner as he. If he can just get a message out to Dhatri, there may be a slim chance both of them can escape…
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The second book in the Wasteland series is ready. I loved the first, can’t wait to read this one!
Wasteland: The Whore
Lilli Feisty
Bryn is a “Rose”, but her life is no garden. A stolen child, prostitution is the only life she’s ever known—except on the nights she sneaks out in stolen men’s clothing to explore the city. A tiny taste of freedom that makes her long for a life outside sexual servitude, at the mercy of any man who can pay.
Xander remembers no other home except his pirate ship, smuggling weapons or anything else for a fee. He’s been happy with his life and his lover, Hawke…until he rescues who he thinks is a young man from robbers.
Figuring she can blend in with the crew, Bryn jumps at the chance to escape the Brothel. Then she discovers Xander and Hawke have a taste for pretty boys—and that she has a taste for them. In their arms, she embraces their incredible gift: control of her own sexuality.
Though women are considered bad luck at sea, Xander isn’t of a mind to give her up. Yet the time is drawing near when the ship must return to Wasteland to resupply. And what awaits them there is a danger that could tear them apart.
Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just a writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site or click on the banner above.
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This is another excerpt from my work in progress, Keeping Claire. It’s a bit further along than the previous excerpt. Just a reminder, this is a work in progress, so it hasn’t been edited! I worked on this scene in a great online workshop at Liquid Silver’s forum, and I just love it, so I had to share. Feel free to let me know what you think.
“What’s your name?”
“Claire Fiordalisi.”
“You’ve already admitted you lied about your name on your application.”
“It’s my name right now.”
He was pretty sure he managed to keep the growl from escaping his throat. “Fine. What was your name before that?”
“Sara Lancaster.”
“And what was the name you were born with?” He had to unclench his teeth to get the sentence out, but somehow managed to keep his hands from strangling her.
“None of your business.”
“I think it is.”
“I can’t really help what you think.”
“Maybe not, but you can’t leave until I’m satisfied, either.”
Her breath hitched at that and she glanced at the clock, her face paling. Was she supposed to be somewhere? Meet someone?
She took in a deep breath, which he recognized as a concession on her part. She was letting them see that she was tired and frustrated. Was she going to stop hiding? Stop pretending?
“All right, look. I didn’t mean to be contrary, but the truth is, as I said earlier, I lied about who I was but I did my best for this company. Nothing else matters. I’m going to leave. If someone comes looking for me, tell the truth. I was here one day and gone the next.”
Her move to stand this time was slower, but when she gained her feet without any apparent dizziness she looked at him, then Jacob. “I’m very sorry if my actions bring any trouble down on you, but it’s best for all of us if I leave immediately.”
She stepped around him and walked to the door, slinging her purse up on her shoulder.
He was beginning to wonder how much of the meek and compliant thing was an act. Sure, she’d come quietly when they’d gone to get her. She’d let him search her and been polite even when telling them to shove it. But her instinct when waking up had been to come up swinging and she’d managed to tell them essentially nothing so far, despite that acquiescent attitude.
When she reached the door, he held his breath, strangely eager for her reaction. She didn’t disappoint.
…
No matter how much she pulled, the office door refused to budge. It wasn’t locked, the knob turned freely and there was no deadbolt, but the door remained closed.
“Fuck! What part of I have to leave to keep you two asshats and your fucking company safe are you not understanding?”
Was that a snicker she heard? Whirling around she found both men right where she’d left them, faces solemn. She narrowed her eyes, too furious to keep her expression guarded any longer. For fuck’s sake, how was she supposed to keep them safe if they wouldn’t let her go? Ryan, it had to be Ryan who’d laughed. He was trying too hard to look innocent.
She advanced on him, finger raised.
“I am trying.” She poked her finger into his chest. He raised his eyebrows at her.
“To help you.” Another poke.
“To keep you from becoming the target.” Poke. Poke. “Of some seriously deranged motherfuckers.”
Tiny little crinkles appeared next to his perfect lips. He’d been pissed before, but now he was laughing at her? He’d better keep it inside or she was going to test out her knee-to-testicle coordination.
Ryan’s warm hand gently enfolded hers and brought her still pointed finger to those damnable lips. Her eyes bugged out in shock as he laid a gentle kiss on the tip before bringing it back down and urging her whole hand to lay flat against his chest. His rock hard chest. Wait, that wasn’t the point. He—
“Careful. I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” he said, allowing a tiny smile to form.
Oh no, he didn’t! “Arrrrggghhh.”
Not exactly articulate, granted, but the phrase perfectly expressed her feelings at the moment. She tried to pull her hand free but he held firm.
Fine. On to plan B after all.
Careful not to telegraph her move, she brought her right knee up sharply. Only, she didn’t connect with his gonads as she’d expected. Instead his other hand caught her neatly below the knee which he moved to the side as he stepped in close.
The sound of a throat clearing reminded her that Jacob was also in the room. Ryan didn’t move however, and she was unable to.
“As entertaining as this is,” Jacob drawled with a hint of an accent she hadn’t really noticed before. “Perhaps we could get back to the matter at hand?”
Claire swallowed hard as Ryan let her leg drop, his hand running along her thigh, pressing it into his own leg as she lowered it. She found herself practically straddling his leg, his hand on her ass.
“Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.
I hope you have something special planned. I don’t, but that shouldn’t stop you :p
I plan on making up for my lack of actual romance with some Valentine’s Day reads. Romance Divas did an ebook challenge and their authors came up with these free reads for everyone to enjoy. You can go to the official page or use the list below.
Enjoy, I know I will!
The heat leves are Sweet (with no sexual cotent), Sensual, Steamy, and Caliente (anything goes).
Melissa Blue’s Talk Nerdy to Me is sensual (Women’s Fiction)
Jax Cassidy’s Hot Shots is steamy (Contemporary)
Eva Gale’s Hysteria is caliente (Historical)
Kathleen Gabriel’s The Kansas Connection is steamy (Romantic Comedy)
Lauren Johnson’s My Secret Valentine is sweet (Contemporary)
Kim Knox’s Xander is caliente (Fantasy Romance)
Adelle Lauden’s Save Your Smiles for Me is sweet (Contemporary)
Nara Malone’s Owned is caliente (BDSM Contemporary)
Jennifer McKenzie’s Puzzle of the Heart is sensual (Contemporary)
Dawn Montgomery’s Ocean Dancer is caliente (Fantasy Romance)
Debbie Mumford’s Something Unexpected is sweet (Contemporary)
Lauren Murphy’s Locked in Love is caliente (Contemporary)
Rylee Myst’s Accidental Date is steamy (Contemporary)
AJ O’Donovan’s None So Blind is sweet (Light Paranormal)
Emily Ryan-Davis’ Joe’s Change of Heart is sweet (Contemporary)
Bryl R. Tyne’s Wrong Trousers is caliente (m/m Romantic Comedy)
A nice mix of heat levels and genres, I can’t wait to read them.
