Happy Release Day: Caressed by Night by Amanda J. Greene

Caressed by Night
By Amanda J Greene
Rulers of Darkness #2
(My Review Coming March 19)
Get it at: ARe

Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundred years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian.

Kerstyn Ingmar’s life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri.

Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom.

While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.

Make sure you check out Amanda's website for giveaway info.



EXCERPT #1

“Are you all right?” a man asked from behind her.

She relaxed when she realized the voice sounded nothing like her attackers; it was warm, deep, and comforting.

“Miss?”

“Y-Yes.”

Slowly turning toward the voice, relief flooded her body, her breathing began to slow, and her limbs went limp. She stumbled and prepared to meet the pavement again, but her rescuer caught her. He tenderly held her to him, supporting her. Kerstyn knew she ought to protest and shove him away, he was a stranger after all, but his touch was soothing and reassuring. She had never felt so safe and calm in her life.

Calm was the furthest thing from her savior’s mind.

Dimitri had heard the vampires’ thoughts as they followed the woman from Dark. He knew he had to protect her from the depraved creatures who intended to make a meal out of her. When he materialized in the alley, the weaker vampires caught his scent and fled, leaving him alone with the woman. Instead of feeling anger as he expected, an entirely different emotion settled over him.

Lust. It was no ordinary lust, but a heart racing, blood raging, sexual yearning and it turned his body into a blazing inferno of need. Then hunger like he had never known slammed into him. It gnawed at him relentlessly as it mixed with his unmerciful lust. The torturous combination attacked both his body and his mind. He had never wanted any woman with this kind of intensity.

His body had been dead for so long, no longer responding to sexual stimulus or blood-thirst. Thousands of years had passed since the last time he had fed. The desire and necessity for blood had abandoned him. None of that seemed to matter now. His fangs sprang free as his pants grew tighter about his throbbing shaft. This woman’s blood sang to him, beckoned him to have a taste.

Dimitri ruthlessly fought the temptation to seize her mind and take what he wanted. The dread of not being able to pull away terrified him. Realizing what precious little control he had, he shut down his senses, driving away her intoxicating scent and the warmth of her soft body against his. He forced the color from his sight, only seeing in black and white with shades of gray. Though he knew he would never forget the light fragrance of her strawberry blonde hair, the feel of her in his arms, and the sapphire color of her eyes.

He took in deep breaths and focused on the cool bite of the air. It washed over his body, rinsing away his desire leaving him as always, cold and unfeeling, like death. He was death: a true, pureblood vampire.

“What were you running from?” he asked, his tone controlled.

“I was being followed.”

He peered over her head, his eyes scanning the alley. “I see no one.”

Nausea twisted her insides as she thought of what almost happened. Thank God, this man was here. If it weren’t for him–

“Do not think about it,” he said, his arms tightening about her. “You are safe now.”

She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his chest. He smelled absolutely wonderful, like dark spices. His voice felt like velvet brushing along her skin. She shivered and sighed in contentment.

“Do you need help with anything?”

His last question snapped her back into action. She stepped back, breaking the circle of his arms.

“I need a taxi.”

“A simple enough task,” he said with a shrug.

She scoffed. If it were simple, she would have been half way home by now. She turned her head up intending to face him and a broad chest greeted her eyes. She was forced to take another step back in order to get a proper look at him.

He was huge. Thick. Stacked.

He must be close to seven feet, she thought as her eyes traveled up his torso, over his wide chest, to his face.

Her heart stopped when their eyes met. They were a near colorless shade of blue. Like diamonds. His gaze was sharp, hard, filled with wisdom and strength. Intense. Warrior eyes. Yet, he could not be much older than her, around twenty-six. His golden hair glittered from the light of the neon signs and floated about his shoulders. His face was chiseled and impossibly perfect. His lips were full and Kerstyn wanted nothing more than to feel them against hers. Her eyes traveled back down his hard, honed body.

She stood, rooted to the cement, captivated by the Norse god before her.

Damn, he’s incredibly yummy.

Dimitri forced himself to remain still while she studied him. Again, he struggled against his urges, his heart thundering from the force of the shock of desire that still echoed in his mind.

He knew one day he would meet his mate, but he had underestimated the force of her seductiveness. He never expected she would spark such yearning deep within his soul. He wondered how Dorian had dealt with such overwhelming need when he had found his intended. Dorian had been the first and, until now, only vampire king to find his other half.

Dimitri’s breath caught as her small, pink tongue wet her lips and her sensual thoughts invaded his mind.

She had to go.


About the Author:
Amanda J. Greene is an erotic paranormal romance author. When she is not writing, she can be found playing the role of a full time university student, who works part time.

She lives in Southern California with her very supportive military husband and their sweet cocker spaniel.

For more information about her upcoming books, visit

www.amandajgreene.com

You can also find her at:

Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Google Page

Check out Amanda's GUEST POST she did here last year about book 1.

Keep reading for an other excerpt and for info on the book 1 in the series.

Hot Reads - Feburary

Do you ever read books that get you a little hot and steamy? If you do, join in Hot Reads and share some of your favorite sexy reads and find some new ones!

Hot Reads is a Monthly Meme, hosted by Book Savvy Babe and Alive on the Shelves, where we get to share our hottest read of the month! Your choice can be any book, it doesn’t matter the genre, the length, whether it’s new or old. If you read it during the month, and it raised your temperature, it qualifies to be a HOT READ! To make things as simple as possible, Hot Reads will take place the 28th day of the month. So every month, be ready to share your HOT READ pick!

IMPORTANT: Due to content, this meme is open to participants 18 and older ONLY!

This is my 1st time joining the Meme and since February was Erotica Month here at  The Book Nympho I have a list to choose from.

So I'll give you my top 2 for this month.

Vampire Mistress 

by Joey W. Hill
Vampire Queen #5
Erotic/BDSM Paranormal Romance
Published May 4th 2010 by Berkley Heat
EXCERPT
RATING: ★★★★
REVIEW
Joey W. Hill returns to the dark and seductive landscape of her Vampire Queen novels as a desperate woman named Anwyn finds herself trapped between the desires of two men, each with his own mission of the night: vampire hunter Gideon Green and vampire Daegan Rei. But when Anwyn is attacked by a rogue bloodsucker, Gideon and Daegan must become allies in order to save the woman they both love.

Petals and Thorns
by Jennifer Paris
Published July 13th 2010 by Loose Id, LLC
RWI More Than Magic Finalist
Genre: BDSM Fantasy
EXCERPT
RATING:★★★★
REVIEW
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play, BDSM theme and elements, dubious consent. 

EROTICA REVIEW: Johnny Living Dangerously

Johnny Living Dangerously
by C.J. Ellisson 
RATING:★★★

Johnny is lead singer in an all-girl, hot-pants-wearing band. Experience the sexy young man's conquests one summer as he sets out to bang each gorgeous band member.

Juanita, the hot-blooded drummer; Rachelle, the base guitarist with a secret; Ginger, the redheaded lead guitarist; and quiet Kimmie, the keyboardist who prefers girls.

Will he met his goal or will one or more of the ladies find out about his plans?

WARNING: This novella contains very explicit sex. For mature 18 and over readers only.

Erotica Categories: m/f/f, m/f, f/f, anal play, anal sex, sex toy use, masturbation, oral sex, light description of a m/m2f transsexual scene. Pretty much sex every few pages.


REVIEW:
After reading Ellisson’s The VV Inn Series I wanted to check out some of her other books. So I jumped at the chance to read and review Johnny Living Dangerously for Bewitching Book Tours.

The warning for this novella pretty much sums up the plot. There is explicit sex on every other page between Johnny and different gals from the band and sex between some of the girls not including Johnny.

But it’s not all sex, there is some story going on between the hot scenes. Johnny starts the summer off with a goal to bed all the girls in band. But encounter leaves Johnny feeling more and more alone and used. But what does he expect when he puts himself out there as the stud that will sleep with anything that is female.

His band mates gives him the nick name “butt boy” because he is into anal play/sex and they all have seen or heard him in action. But things change when after he has slept with them all but one. Kimmie’s the band’s resident lesbian. She finds herself wanting to changes sides to be with Johnny. But she doesn’t want to be just another notch on his belt.

If you are looking for a quick, hot read where the main character is really a great guy underneath his man whore exterior; then give Johnny Living Dangerously a read.

Johnny Living Dangerously is available at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

I received my copy from Bewitching Book Tours for a fair review.

AADNOLA - Events

THURSDAY

• Garden District of the Damned with Jaye Wells - Thursday 10-11am, Field Trip
• Cursed and Blood Affair with Melissa Schroeder - Thursday 7-9pm, Grand Ballroom
• Late Night Sweets with Jeaniene Frost and Pamela Palmer - Thursday 10-11pm, Iberville

I'm so excited that I got a ticket to the sweets with Frost!! She is the one of the main reasons I wanted to go to AADNOLA.

My roomie didn't get a ticket for McCarthy's FT but she is on the wait list for Friday's trip. So we might see if we can do some swapping of tickets with other blogger and roomie that I know is in the same boat we are in, that way we can go together and they can go together.

FRIDAY

• Supernatural NOLA with Erin McCarthy - Friday 1-2pm, Field Trip
• Wicked Bliss Chocolate Indulgence with Sophie Oak and Shayla Black - Friday 3-4pm, Foyer
• Steampunk Tea - Friday 4-5 pm, Evangeline suite
• Open Bar with Mel Schroder and Kris Cook - Friday 7-8pm, Foyer
• Echoes of New Orleans Dinner and Ball - Friday 8-12pm, Grand Ballroom

Did someone say OPEN BAR?! I'm there!

Me from 2007

SATURDAY

• Saturday Reception with Samhain Publishing - Saturday 6-8pm, Grand Ballroom and Foyer
• Author Pub Crawl - Saturday 9-1am, Bourbon St.

Pub Crawl? See above picture.

Which events are you going to?

What readings/panels are you interested in?

In My Mailbox: FEBRUARY

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, is a weekly (monthly here) feature where you can showcase new books, ones checked out from the library, bought, won or received for review.

Audio Books:

    

Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane
City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane
(Reviews coming in March)

From the publisher:

Thanks to Ms. Smith-Ready for this copy of

Wicked Game

Won:

Ecstasy Untamed by Pamela Palmer

thanks to Steph @ Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust

The Dark Elite by Chloe Neill

this book includes book 1 & 2 of the series

Firespell

Hexbound

thanks to Jen at The Bawdy Book Blog

FREE Nook books:

(these are no longer free) 

Highlander Mist by Donna Grant

Holding the Cards by Joey W. Hill

{REVIEW}

Bought Nook books:

Driving Mr. Dead by Molly Harper

Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry

Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian

Guest Post: Ana Hart

The Changing Relationship

The relationships of today have changed drastically from their earlier counterparts. Long periods of courtship are a luxury many young people no longer care to afford. Promises of abstinence before marriage are a thing of the past (you show me a virgin and I'll show you a liar … or someone who needs to become better acquainted with their dictionary). These days, young couples often live together for a year or more before a ring ever comes into play (if it comes into the equation at all).

Booty calls, one night stands, f$%k buddies, friends with benefits – these are all common phrases that are relevant to today's relationships. Hell, many long term relationships actually start out with one (or more) of those labels. My last boyfriend and I ended up drunkenly “hooking up” twice before we ever went on a real date. Our relationship lasted for a year and a half before we went our separate ways over communication issues. My current boyfriend and I started out as friends with benefits and kept that groove for about a month and a half before we both finally realized we were too emotionally attached to each other to not lay some sort of more permanent claim. Our relationship is something truly special. He is something truly special. Which brings me to the point that a lack of traditional courtship doesn't cheapen a relationship. (I'm just going to say the word RELATIONSHIP again. Because I can. And because it seems to be my word of the day).

So why do so many writers cling to the traditional romance formula of the past? Enter stage left Jane Doe #336. She is a strong, independent virgin just waiting for her Prince Charming to come along. She could be a Victorian lady acting far beyond the realm of her station or she could be a barista at the local coffee shop working her way through college while she gets her second PhD. Depending on the storyline, Jane Doe #336 might be jaded in love and/or determined she doesn't need a man to be happy. Until she meets John Doe #5,679. Also depending on the storyline, they'll either hate each other at first and a cataclysm will bring them together, it'll be love at first sight, or he will slowly melt her heart with his undeniable wit and charm (and good looks because all men look like Greek gods, of course). Or she'll fall in love with him for no good reason and he'll try to keep her away because “he's not a nice guy and not worthy of her.”

Bitch, please.

Honestly, this is why I prefer the erotica genre to traditional romance, because it seems so many erotica writers have pulled their heads out of the sand and strayed away from the realm of fantasy and more towards some sense of realism in their stories. Women have multiple partners. Not every relationship is monogamous. Not every hero is a Prince Charming/Adonis clone. And thirty-six year-old attractive virgins are nonexistent. As they should be.

BDSM REVIEW: Becoming sage by Kasi Alexander

Becoming sage 
by Kasi Alexander
(The Keyhole #1)
Alternative Romance, Strong Polyamorous, BDSM Themes
Published April 19th 2011 by Omnific Publishing
RATING: DNF

With a failed marriage behind her, Jill Marten was looking to start a new chapter in her life. She had no idea that running into her old friend, Jessie, would unlock a whole new world. When she accepts Jessie's invitation to a party, in order to "try something completely different," it awakens a need to discover her place in a new community. Jessie, also known as sunni, is a submissive slave who is in a loving relationship with her Master, Sir Rune. When Rune and sunni ask Jill to be a part of their family, Jill begins her journey into submission, bondage, and polyamory, even as she questions everything that she has been taught about love and relationships. She begins to face her own desires and fears as she struggles with feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and self-worth. Once she opens the door to a life she never imagined, a peek through the keyhole is no longer enough, and she must learn what it means to become sage.

Kasi Alexander's debut novel, Becoming sage, is the first installment in The Keyhole Series. An active member of the BDSM community, Kasi brings a true-to-life realism to her writing. This is not traditional erotica, but the series offers an intimate look into the lives of the men and women who live the BDSM lifestyle, in particular, the Master/slave dynamic.


REVIEW:

It’s hard for me to say that Becoming sage is a DNF for me. I just could not get into the story and relationship between the characters. It’s not a reflection on the author’s writing. I did read about half of the book and the part I read was well written.

I received Alexander's Becoming sage as a review request and judging by the cover and snippet I thought that it would be a good match for my erotica month. And although I’ve read other BDSM and polyamory type books, Becoming sage is not like any that I’ve read.

All of the other books in the genre have had a romance between the characters and yes, hot sex scenes. There is no real romance in story (at least the part I read) and there is mention of sex between the characters but the book had a “real” feel to it. Almost like a real person's account, not really a journal but it didn’t have a fantasy feel to me.

The POV is written through Jill’s accounts of entering the world of M/s (Master/slave) and while some of it was interesting; I kept sympathizing with Jill’s logical side. She would think at different moments why am I doing this, it is crazy to let a stranger do these things to me. And I was agreeing with her and I think that’s why I could not get into the book more to finish it.

Simply put I could DNF because it was too realistic to me if that makes sense. I could not loose myself in the fantasy of the story. But don’t let that stop you from reading it yourself if you are interested. Becoming sage has received quite a few 4 and 5 star reviews on Goodreads, it just wasn’t for me.

Becoming sage is available at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

I received my copy for a honest review.

BDSM REVIEW: Petals and Thorns by Jennifer Paris

Petals and Thorns
by Jennifer Paris
ebook
Published July 13th 2010 by Loose Id, LLC
RWI More Than Magic Finalist
Genre: BDSM Fantasy
EXCERPT
RATING:★★★★

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play, BDSM theme and elements, dubious consent. 


REVIEW:

OH MY! Petals and Thorns is definitely not Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast. Imagine if you will, that the Beast ties up Belle and shows her the pain and pleasure of the BDSM world. WOW.

Much like Disney’s story of the couple, the Beast is a cursed man than must find love into order to break the curse. And Amarantha (Belle like character) takes her father’s place with the Beast. She agrees to marry him to save her father and sisters from debt. If she can keep her virginity during the week they spend together then the Beast will give his fortune over to her and annulled the marriage giving her, her freedom. Amarantha believes this will be an easy task considering her husband is a beast and how could she possibly want to sleep with him.

After the Beast shows Amarantha the pleasures through the punishments that she earns by not obeying him, she starts to crave a physical relationship with the Beast. But she cannot bring herself to answer yes to his nightly question, if she will beg him to collar her and chain her to his bed. But as Amarantha starts seeing the man within the Beast she is finding saying no to him is getting harder and harder.

Like Beauty and the Beast? Like BDSM? Read Petals and Thorns by Jennifer Paris aka Jeffe Kennedy.

Petals and Thorns is available at:

B&N │ Loose-Id │ Amazon

I received my copy from Bewitching Book Tours for a honest review.

WINNER: Joey W. Hill Giveaway

Joey has picked a winner. 

Mary (miztik_rose@)

See winning comment

Thanks again to everyone for stopping by and 

to Joey for the great interview and giveaway.

REVIEW: Holding the Cards by Joey W. Hill

Holding the Cards
by Joey W. Hill
Nature of Desire #1
(can be read as standalone)
Erotic/BDSM Contemporary Romance
M/F, M/M/F
Ellora's Cave Publishing 2003
RATING: ★★★


Lauren just wants to find Mr. Right. That's not an easy goal for a woman who wants a man willing to be chained to her in more ways than just matrimony.

A successful doctor with a healthy attitude toward sex, unashamed of her proclivities as a sexual dominant, she wants love and a family. But she's beginning to believe that there is no Mr. Right willing to stand by her in sickness and health, and be cuffed, stripped, and smacked with a riding crop.

Then Lauren's friend Lisette invites her to spend a long weekend on a private island. It turns out Lisette can't come with her, but Lauren opts to go anyway, with no one for company but Joshua, the island caretaker and his visiting friend, Marcus. Though both men are beautiful, it is Joshua that catches Lauren's attention, and not just because Marcus prefers men. Something in Josh's stormy eyes calls to her. When Marcus facilitates a game of submission and control between the three of them that will last throughout the weekend, Lauren embraces the opportunity. Josh overwhelms her with his willingness to submit to her body's desires, but her heart wants to get to the secrets behind those eyes. She is going to have to tear down his defenses and make him give her everything. And this is one Mistress who doesn't take no for an answer.


REVIEW:

I am a huge fan of Hill’s Vampire Queen Series and I’ve been meaning to check out one of her other series so after finding Holding the Cards as a FREE download (until 2/19/12) for my Nook I jumped at the chance to read it.

Ok, so Holding the Cards does not have hot vampires in it but it’s still a good read. The BDSM elements is not as hard core as the ones in the VQS so if you want to dip your toe into the BDSM genre this a good one to start with. The relationship between three characters slowly develops over the span of the book so it easies you into the harder aspect of the D/s relationship.

Lauren, Josh and Marcus are all on the beautiful deserted island for different reasons. Lauren is trying to get over a bad break up with her last submissive. Josh is the caretaker of the rich homes on the island that are owned by the rich and famous. Marcus is Josh’s friend and a rich and successful art dealer, who just happens to be a Dom like Lauren.

Lauren find herself locked out of her friend’s house that she is borrowing for the weekend. That’s not really the embarrassing part of her and Josh meeting. Lauren had decided to use the hot tub out on the deck of the house to relax but when she tries to go back in she realizes she is locked out and the only way to get down from the high two story deck is to climb down the tree next to the deck, with only a towel wrapped around her waist. Half way down she notices these Tarzan looking guy down on the ground staring at her. (Hello Josh, I’ll be your Jane to your Tarzan anytime) Then comes along Marcus and Lauren’s embarrassment is complete.

The three spend the night together talking and eating dinner together. Then Marcus brings up the idea to play and hand of cards that when things start getting interesting. Game: High Card. Rules: Holder of the high card gets to be Dom for the night. Winner: Lauren. Now the handsome and quite Josh must play by Mistress, Lauren’s rules.

Holding the Cards is a hot, sexy and emotional ride. I liked that fact that the book didn’t end with a nice neat HEA like most books do. Josh and Lauren really care for each other and want to get to a HEA but they realize that they still need to get to know each other better. But they see the potent for love in their future.

I must admit, I lean more toward instant gratification so some of the more drawn out scenes tormented me just as much as did Josh so I skimmed a few spots and that’s the reason for the 3 star rating instead of a 4 star rating. But it was still a very much enjoyable read.

Holding the Card is available at:

Amazon
B&N
Ellora's Cave

FREE download until Feb 19


Check out my interview with the author.

WINNER: Love is in the Air Hop

Interview with Joey W. Hill + Giveaway

I'm so EXCITED to have Ms. Joey W. Hill, one of my favorite BDSM authors, here today.

I am a huge fan of your Vampire Queen series. Looking at your website I see that you write several other series (Nature of Desire series, Daughters of Arianne, Knights of the Boardroom). I realize this question is like asking a parent who is their favorite child; but which series do you enjoy writing the most?

Thank you for that compliment! It really is a lot like asking about the favorite child (grin). Paranormal romances are harder for me to write, because they have to have a paranormal plotline in addition to the relationship one, and of course world building is often involved. Contemporaries allow me to focus primarily on the relationship, which of course is my favorite part of writing the story. But when I’m done with both, I’m always glad I took that journey with the characters.

I think the best way to answer the question is to identify the series for which the creative flow seems to be the easiest, and that would be the Nature of Desire series, hands down. Each of these books goes at the world of Domination/submission from a different, often unexpected viewpoint (a Mistress and an alpha cop; two Dominants who can’t resist each other; a Male/male erotic romance; a strong male submissive and a woman who isn’t a Mistress at all…etc), yet they inevitably take me deep into some wonderful emotional places with the characters involved. When I write, there’s a certain point where I’m no longer thinking; I hit a “groove”where I’m just holding on and the story is writing itself. That’s the best place for a writer to be, and almost every single book in this series gave me that experience with little effort to get there.

Since I’ve only read your Vampire Queen series, which of your other series is similar to it and which is the totally opposite to it? (I need help picking which one to start next.)

I’ll be happy to help with that, lol. I’d say the Nature of Desire series is the most similar to the Vampire Queen series, since the D/s in both series is more hardcore/indepth, and the Nature of Desire world is very intertwined from book to book, just like the vampire world is. The biggest difference is of course that one is a paranormal series and one is contemporary.

All of my books are character-driven and emphasize emotional intensity through sexual expression, but as far as the most “opposite”, my Daughters of Arianne series (mermaids/angels), while still erotic, is far lighter in tone than the vampire books. The stories in DoA deal with sweeping “end of the world” type issues, so they’re also more closely intertwined with the traditional fantasy genre as well as romance.

Speaking of the Vampire Queen series, do you have any more books planned for the series?


I’ve been contracted to write two more in 2012/2013. Readers can go to the Future Projects section of my website to find out more details about this and other series, what books are planned going forward, but here’s the gist of the two books. The muse is very interested in a ménage a trois story involving Niall and Evan from Beloved Vampire, and Alanna from Vampire Trinity. These three were secondary characters in those books. Alanna is what they call an Inherited Servant, which means she was raised from birth with the intent of being assigned to a vampire. Her master in VT was a pretty awful vampire, and we were left with the impression she might be killed by him. He escaped Council's wrath before accomplishing that (sort of), so now she's an abandoned servant with a Master who is still linked to her mind. The Council has to figure out what to do with her, because no vampire would normally want a servant in that situation. That's where our two heroes enter the picture.

Evan agrees to shelter her in his home. He and Niall have been together for some time (I may get to delve into a little bit of Brit/Scots history on this one, which should be fun). Though Master and servant, they aren’t as intimate as they might be with a woman in the mix. Alanna is emotionally shut down due to her master’s betrayal and her training as an Inherited Servant. They have to help her become a person again, and doing that opens all three of them to possibilities.

The other planned book also has an Inherited Servant twist, and returns to two secondary characters we met in Vampire’s Claim, Alistair and Nina. Nina's sister was being groomed to be an Inherited Servant, but on the eve of that initiation, she's killed. The family must provide a replacement and they choose Nina, who has not been introduced to this world at all. Alistair is a made vampire who doesn't really take anything seriously - your ultimate predator playboy, and Nina is assigned to him as servant. So it will be interesting to see how these two come together.

Ok time for an uncomfortable question. LOL You write a lot of BDSM themed books; how do you do the research for the really kinky scenes?

Since I’m a submissive, I’ve had the pleasure of trying many things out with my husband’s help (smile). For things outside my area of expertise, like how a specific piece of dungeon equipment might work or feel, how to throw a single tail, etc, the Internet has become a wonderful place to find first-hand accounts, usually on personal blogs offered by Masters and submissives, or on forum sites like fetlife.com. My readership has a diverse level of experience as well, and they’re very open to answering my questions if I get stumped. Ninety percent of D/s is in the psychology, so integrating the mechanics with it isn’t too difficult, as long as I don’t get too lost in the scene and forget to research how something mechanics-related actually feels, versus how I vividly imagine it feeling – the dangers of getting too close to your work (laughter).


I am so excited that you are going to be Mistress of Ceremonies at Authors After Dark in New Orleans (AADNOLA) this August. AAD is my first ever book con and I can’t wait to meet you and all the other great authors that will be there. Are there any other appearances you would like to share with us?


Thank you! I look forward to meeting you as well. You’ve chosen a great con to be your first. AAD is very reader-centered, and the informal environment makes it easy to find new friends and spend quality time with authors, in small groups or even one-on-one. I went to the first two of them and enjoyed both immensely.

I’ll be doing four conferences this year. Romantic Times in Chicago, Romfest in Gatlinburg, Romanticon in Ohio, and of course Authors After Dark in New Orleans. Hope I’ll get the chance to meet many of your readers at some of these as well! For those who don’t travel as much, I do a great deal of online appearances, like this one. If a reader subscribes to my monthly newsletter from my home page (www.storywitch.com), it will keep them abreast of where I am, both online and in person, throughout the year. You can also find me cruising through the JWH connection fan forum on a regular basis. And I’m nowhere near the most exciting thing you’ll find there. There are free vignettes revisiting characters from my full length works, character interviews, graphics inspired by the books and way more. It’s a lot of fun, and the ladies who run it do a great job.

If this is the first time you’ve heard of me, don’t hesitate to go to my website. There are free excerpts, blurbs, etc for all of my books/series.

Thank you again for letting me spend time with you all!


Keep reading to find out about Hill's new release and upcoming release in May. Also there is info on how to win a signed copy of one Hill's books.

FREE Joey W. Hill Download

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Ellora's Cave

Once Burned Snippet

I grabbed the below snippet from Frost's BLOG.

Vlad stopped when he was only inches away, still nailing me with that hard, copper-colored stare. Then he held out his hand.

“My ring.”

I put it in his palm, forgetting to switch it to my left hand before touching him. A current sizzled into him with the contact, which I expected, but I didn’t expect what came next.

The gothic hall vanished, replaced by the hazy cocoon of midnight green drapes encircling the bed I was on. I wound my hand into the thick fabric while a moan left my lips, sharpening into a cry at the incredible pleasure shooting through me. My grip on the drapes tightened as I writhed under the erotic combination of wet, deep strokes and lightly chafing stubble against my most sensitive flesh.
“Please,” I gasped.


Vlad lifted his head, his hair like dark silk against my thighs and his gaze lit up with emerald.


“No,” he said throatily. “More.” And he lowered his mouth again.


Vlad’s face crystallized in front of me, but instead of green drapes all around us, we were back in the hall and he was staring down at me, frowning.

“I know you caught a glimpse of something when you touched me. Your mind went silent. Tell me what it was.”

My cheeks flamed with heat. At the same time, disbelief washed over me.

No. Not me and Vlad like…like that!

His frown cleared, replaced by a brow going up. Damn his mindreading. Think of something else! I mentally screamed, avoiding his stare. ANYthing else!

I no longer looked at Vlad, but I could almost feel his gaze roving over me, noting my newly tight nipples, accelerated heartbeat, and probably picking up on that damned lingering throb between my legs, too.

“Not surprising,” he said at last, his voice thicker with things I didn’t want to name. “I predicted the same thing myself.”

This snippet makes me forget all about not liking the cover.

CAN. NOT. WAIT!

REVIEW: Vampire Mistress by Joey W. Hill

Vampire Mistress 

by Joey W. Hill
Vampire Queen #5
Erotic/BDSM Paranormal Romance
Paperback, 389 pages
Published May 4th 2010 by Berkley Heat
EXCERPT
RATING: ★★★★

Joey W. Hill returns to the dark and seductive landscape of her Vampire Queen novels as a desperate woman named Anwyn finds herself trapped between the desires of two men, each with his own mission of the night: vampire hunter Gideon Green and vampire Daegan Rei. But when Anwyn is attacked by a rogue bloodsucker, Gideon and Daegan must become allies in order to save the woman they both love.

REVIEW:

I love the Vampire Queen series and I'm OCD when it comes to reading a series in order but you could start with Vampire Mistress and you would be ok. There are a few mentions of previous characters in the other books but nothing that will have you lost.

IMO this book has the most emotional tug of war going on between the characters in the series so far. You've got three strong willed characters that is looking for something that's missing in their lives.

Gideon is a loner and hates vampires so he has devoted his life to being the best vampire hunter.

Anwyn is the beautiful owner and operator of Atlantis, a BDSM club.

Deagan is a dark, mysterious and sexy vampire.

Gideon finds himself being drawn to Atlantis and after he doesn't find what he is looking for during 1st and 2nd visit; he gets a visit from the beautiful owner. He knows that she is want he has been needing. But when he finds out that she is in some kind of relationship with vampire and he pulls away from her.

The vampire in question is the mysterious Daegan. He and Anwyn have been in a relationship for 5 years. Deagan is the only person that Anwyn will submit to but she can't allow herself to totally submit to Deagan and become his servant. So the two's relationship is on an edge of either failing or becoming what they both need. That's where Gideon comes in. He could be the missing piece to the puzzle they need to make all three happy.

The threesome goes through hell together and are trying to make their way back. All three needs to learn how to submit to one another. But with three dominant characters it won't be easy.

They do not get their HEA in Vampire Mistress, their story continues in Vampire Trinity. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how they overcome their personal hang ups and learn to be a part of the harsh vampire world and it rules.

Vampire Mistress is not for the fate at heart. It has violence and emotional rollercoaster mixed with strong BDSM elements. But if you are looking for a sexy and intense read pick it up today.

I recommend starting at the beginning of the series just so you learn the rules of the vampire/servant roles and get a little background on some of the other characters. But like I said if you wanted to start with this one you won't be lost.

Vampire Mistress is available at:

B&N 

Amazon

Berkley

Don't miss my interview with 
Joey W. Hill and giveaway on Feb 15th.

True Blood Season 5 First Teaser

Is it summer yet?

Season 5 - Buried Tease

Guest Post: Selena Blake

5 Character Traits I Love in a Romance Novel Heroine

by Selena Blake

Raise your hand if you hate "too stupid to live" heroines. *raising hand*

Do you remember in the movie scream when Sidney (Neve Cambell) says "What's the point? They're all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door. It's insulting. "Perfect example of a too stupid to live heroine.

Note to self: don't run up the stairs when I should be running out the front door.

So what do I love in a romance heroine?

1. I like a heroine who follows her heart. Love and lust are so confusing sometimes. It takes a special woman to follow her heart...even into unfamiliar territory. People often advise against marrying too soon or making snap judgments. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. Declaring your love after four days is a leap of faith. And luckily for Angel in Bitten in the Bayou, that faith worked in her favor. I hear she and Jules are still in Switzerland on their honeymoon.


2. I like a girl who goes after what she wants. I'm not a big fan of heroines who are wishy-washy. I dislike when it takes them 90% of the book to figure out they might want to be in a relationship. There's enough of that in real life, therefore I admire a woman who knows what she wants and goes after it. There's plenty of uncertainty, yes. But I appreciate a take no prisoners, shoot for the stars attitude. That's one of the things I love most about Elise Savade in Just a Little Taste. She saw Braxton Hughes, wanted him, and snagged him. The gorgeous midnight blue gown didn't hurt.

Which leads me to my next point...


3. I like a heroine who's comfortable in her own skin. Who doesn't admire a confidant woman who doesn't fidget and doesn't dwell over those five or ten pounds? I certainly do. We're living in a society chock full of imagery. Perfect skin, trim waist, rock hard thighs. Oh, and photoshopped magazine covers. It takes a strong a woman to be confidant in her body and sometimes that confidence must be learned. That's one of the things I admire about Kendall in Stranded by a Cajun Werewolf. She's an outcast because in werecoyote society, she's really tall. But she doesn't hate herself for it. And when the right man comes along, he loves her for exactly who she is.

4. I like heroine's who stand up for what's right. Sometimes it's tough to do what you know is right or might be the unpopular option. Peer pressure can be hard to resist. Pressure from your boss...even harder. I like a heroine who will make those hard choices, make the unpleasant decision no matter what it costs her. Violet in Seduced By a Cajun Werewolf has to make a hard choice and ultimately stands up for what is right. Lucky for her, she finds her one true love because of her decision. While we can't all be that lucky in every decision we make, doing the right thing does feel good.


5. Lastly, I like a heroine who isn't afraid to speak her mind. Some heroines are more verbal than others. I tend to like sassy heroines who give as good as they get. Like Ava Garnier in my free read, Ready & Willing. As the Alpha's daughter, she's a shoe-in to become the next Alpha. But there's one handsome werewolf standing in her way. Beta of the pack, Kaden Black. She and Kaden spend much of the story sparring verbally and that is so much fun, if you ask me.

What character traits do you admire?

Stormy Weather
by Selena Blake

After centuries of solitude the stars are finally aligned just right. The handsome Deveraux men of Louisiana are going to meet their match this Hurricane Season.


Anthology includes: The Cajun’s Captive, Bitten In the Bayou, Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf, Mated to a Cajun Werewolf and Stranded with a Cajun Werewolf
Also, two bonus stories: More Than Attraction and A Cajun Werewolf Christmas
The Collector’s Edition includes over 15,000 words of bonus content including an interview with the author, questions for the characters, soundtrack, behind the scenes and the making of the Stormy Weather series. Inside you’ll find 450 pages of content for the die hard Stormy Weather fan.
Don’t need the bonus features? Download the Stormy Weather anthology (5 stories, no extras 5.99!)

Available at:

AllRomanceEbooks

Amazon

Nook

Smashwords

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Selena Blake writes erotic paranormal and contemporary romance. First published in 2008, her series Stormy Weather has been on the best seller lists and nominated for awards. She's a fan of action movies, Diet Coke, Milky Way bars and thunderstorms, not necessarily in that order. Learn more about her online at http://www.selena-blake.com or catch her on Facebook.