Things sensual and romantic….

Things sensual and romantic…

We all define these two terms in ways as diverse and unique as our personalities. For me, one place embodies all of the elements I think of as traditionally romantic: Italy… Sensuality… Food… Romance – if you think about it, they’re all the same in many respects, aren’t they? Each resonates within us on some level…. They appear to go together. And, in truth, I suppose they do. You seldom have one without the other close to the heart. But, what is sensual, and what isn’t? That depends on where you are in this world and what you’re doing.

So, I thought maybe we’d chat about what people term “sensual foods” and see where that takes us! Hey, we all eat, don’t we? So, is it the food that is the magic, or is it the company we share while we go through this necessary to life exercise every day? Repeatedly. It’s as essential to life as the air we breathe.

A lot of foods are labelled as being “aphrodisiac” in nature. How can foods be “love potions” some people wonder? And why do they have such potent response in some, while others feel nothing when these exotic delights are consumed? Perhaps it’s the company and the psychological excitement that might make them wildly exciting for some and totally empty of reaction in others?

In countries like Italy, food is not just something to be eaten so we can get on with life. It’s an art, a social occasion, and an experience to be shared. It’s a well-accepted fact that the people of this amazing country have a zest for life that many of us envy, and their passion for “la dolce vita” is something we can probably all learn from. But, food and festival in Italy is a way of life – if you have any doubts, just look around and see the number of feast and festival days in any year!

We associate this country, in fact all things Italian, with romance. So much of the attitude is sensual and passionate, and very romantic. An entire culture that is built on the foundation that life is to be embraced and enjoyed, that romance and love are the most important things in the world, and the richness of life is to be shared by all. I don’t know about you, but I find that very sexy, very compelling, and very, very alluring…

If your dinner is one on one, chances are it’s a special occasion. Do you actually notice what you eat, or are you feeding off the company you’re in, and sawdust would taste good at that moment? Is it the music, always beautiful and classically romantic, is it the gorgeous countryside, or is it really the food that makes the whole thing such a sensory delight?

And why is this “passion” so different for all of us? It’s not hard to see where my heart lies in all this, but what do YOU find sensual in the foods you eat the dreams you keep close to your heart? I’d love to know!! I write in more genres than I can count, and my books reflect eclectic tastes in all things, so if you’re interested in finding out more, please drop by my website and check out some titles….

My current release is about an Italian man, someone very special to me. He, too, is the essence of romance – at least to me. If you’re curious, here’s a peek:

GAMES OF SEDUCTION
Publisher: Moongypsy Press
Genre: Erotic romance
BUY: http://www.moongypsypress.com/bridger.php
View the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsmhKuEJRyQ
Cover Art: Dawné Dominique


Blurb: What begins as a game between two people from opposite sides of the world quickly becomes an intense and all-consuming need to discover if the passion inspired by words can fuel a fire that will span an ocean and ignite a love unlike anything either of them have experienced before.... Discover what happens when the Game of Seduction is taken to the final play - and two lovers unite on New Year's Eve for the first time....

Read an excerpt:


It all began as a conversation, with a man on another continent…


Any man who can seduce a woman’s mind owns her body long before he ever possesses it….

It was a simple enough concept, but is so alien to so many.

He taught me that, in the space of a few hours…. From a man half a world away I learned more about myself in one night than I had from anyone I had ever been with. And I want more. I want to know how far hunger and need can be stretched before possession is all that matters, and surrender is all that remains to me.

He created a game that he says never ends… a bit like life and the learning we do each day. Truth is the name of this game, but it’s more accurately called Seduction. When one party wins, both claim the prize. Under his shrewd eyes, my truths have never looked so bare, and so small they make me crawl inside myself. He doesn’t intend to let me hide behind my walls, though. I wonder if I should be afraid, or entranced? Both, perhaps.

The first question: “what do you like in a man?”

How do I respond to that? I’m looking at what I like in a man, and I choke on the awareness of it… So, I struggle and reply with sublime idiocy that I don’t know the answer. To my great amazement, he doesn’t end the game, but does point out that stupidity doesn’t appear to be a problem, so why am I giving him stupid answers. At this time, any other man would be staring at a blank screen, but not this one, his honesty is enchanting.

What do I like in a man? What do I notice first? They seem like easy questions, I’ve answered them before – but they’re not usually being asked by the physical embodiment of the honest reply. I notice his eyes, and his smile, and his shoulders, and most of all, I notice his presence and the way he carries himself. The strength of his personality and his confidence. This should have been an easy thing to say – it wasn’t.

I felt like I was a love-struck sixteen year old in the throes of her first infatuation. I’d known him about an hour at that point… Can you understand how overwhelmed I was, how ridiculous I felt? He makes me blush like a school-girl, and that hasn’t happened in a very long time.

(So begins a dance as old as time.... and a new kind of love story has begun.... journey with me to the end, and let us see if it will be the stuff of dreams after all....)

Blessings to all!
Viva la dolce vita!!

Eclipse of the Heart

ECLIPSE OF THE HEART
A story of the des Quatre-Frères Brothers
Created by C.J. Elliott ©
Characters used with permission
by Denysé Bridger

When she had first received the friend request on good old Facebook, she’d wondered what was going on – for about a minute – then she’d spotted several more just like it. So, fictional characters with their own Facebook profiles – what a great promo concept! She’d decided she was in, she was an author, too – she knew how hard it was to hook a reader, and this looked like fun! It didn’t take long before one of the fictional heroes, Rémy, stood apart from the others, and the banter began to take on the tone of a love affair building. So much so, in fact, that friends began to ask about her and the guy named Rémy. Strangely, he was hers in the moments that they played the game to promote her friend’s series of books. It’s probably why the whole thing was so effective, the eerie kind of connection that had been forged was playful, but also romantic.

As the weeks passed, the love affair became a source of curiosity, and laughter, and decidedly priceless promotion. It wasn’t until an evening on Facebook that was filled with joking that led to conversation about a party, Mexico, tattoos, and tequila that she really began to wonder about the whole thing. All the Brothers, the des Quatre-Frères, had distinct and strong voices. She’d given credit for that to her talented friend. Each brother, Rémy, Matéo, Sébastien, and Aimé – all with skills, personality, and unique charm that felt much too real sometimes. It wasn’t hard to fall a little bit in love with the fantasy of it all, and even easier to understand why others had questions.

When the invitation arrived in the mail one day, she thought for sure it had to be another promo plan. It was an invitation… to a private party being held at a lovely place called Sommet Bleu. She figured CJ was really playing the promo up in a big way, so she RSVP’d and said she’d be there the following week, as requested.

* * *

Sommet Bleu was a resort in the middle of a wilderness she discovered days later when she arrived at the place. CJ met her at the door, her smile wide and happy.

“Everyone’s been waiting to meet you,” she said after a huge hug and happy giggles were exchanged.

“Everyone?”

“You’ll see,” was the mysterious reply. “Reese has been anxious to talk to you, too.”

She did a double-take, but CJ was already halfway across the room and someone who looked distinctly like a security officer was looking over her invitation, and issuing orders that her small bag be taken to a room in the guest quarters.

This was one hell of an elaborate promotional gimmick!

Twenty minutes later, she’d changed clothes and was being escorted to the afternoon party. Her jaw dropped when she saw the familiar faces of characters from CJ’s books, all of them were mingling with assorted guests. The images from Facebook were living, breathing, and present. Actors, of course, but it was still incredible.

Something tingled at the base of her skull when she spotted the laughing, dark-haired man with his back to her. The lurch of her stomach and the surge of her pulse was disconcerting. Rémy. It had to be him.

As if he’d heard her, he turned around and the second recognition was even more shocking as she gazed into his eyes for the first time. Those eyes had reached out to her from an image on a computer screen, and she’d felt a real presence whispering to her spirit, touching her across a world that wasn’t real. Looking at him now, she felt the pull magnified to almost unbearable intensity. He put his drink on a table and walked toward her, every motion graceful and sure. He moved like a predator, yet everything about him screamed reassurance to her.

Rémy was tall, his dark hair short and stylish, but slightly ruffled and wild looking. Broad shoulders pulled at the smooth material of his white shirt, and her look dropped to the gleaming buckle of his belt when sunlight glinted off it. She finished the fleeting appraisal, suddenly far too conscious of the long, lean length of his legs, encased in dark jeans, and the polished black boots that completed his simple but elegant attire.

“You are even more beautiful in person, mon amour,” he said when he stood in front of her and took her hands in his.

Her head jerked up and she stared, unable to do more even while her brain raged at her imbecilic behaviour.

“What am I supposed to call you?” Her voice was strained, and the shaking inside her was notching up to earthquake intensity.

“What you always call me,” he replied with a wink.

“Your real name?” She pressed, eyes narrowing as he stopped and peered intently at her.

“Rémy.”

She sighed and looked around, trying to locate CJ in the midst of this madness.

“Our Authoress is busy with other guests,” he informed her. “Would you like to meet my brothers?”

Dazed, she mumbled what must have been agreement and followed him, enchanted far more than she should have been by his presence. Was it possible that she’d fallen into this game so deeply that she was imagining herself in love with the man who had given Rémy his face. It was CJ who did the Facebook stuff, they coordinated and played it for all it was worth, and it was generating sales and forging friendships that would last long after the series of stories was done and out there for readers.

She met them all. Sébastien was cool and courteous. Aimé’s welcome was warmer, and gentler in tone somehow. She felt a ripple of power brush over her when Matéo’s shrewd, sharp eyes measured her for a few indeterminate minutes before he embraced her – no, she amended silently, before he accepted her presence.

For the next few hours she mingled with fascinating people, but none as alluring as Rémy, who never left her side, flirted outrageously as they did on the website, and was as attentive as any man in love. If any of it had been real, she would have adored him… But none of it was, they were actors playing roles, however elaborate the game was. She needed to remember that!

The day slowly retreated, giving way to the persistent, encroaching darkness. Under the thickening cloak of night a glowing moon rose to kiss everything with silvery frost. Rémy was at her side moments after Matéo, his bride Reese, and the rest of the family had all said goodnight and drifted back into the spacious confines of Sommet Bleu.

“Would you like me to walk you to your room, ma belle?”

“You can stop the act now,” she told him. “There’s no one else here.”

He frowned slightly, but made no verbal response. He put his arm around her and led her inside, every step sure and straight, despite the lack of light. She wanted to turn into him and let his very essence fill her veins, the way she knew “Rémy des Quatre-Frères” could fill the void in her soul if he’d been real…

They were at the door of her room and he turned her to face him.

“Tell me to go, or I will stay,” he whispered, his voice tainted with something mildly warning in tone. “I promised CJ that I would let this be your choice.”

“What?” She was utterly confused now. “You’re an actor playing a role. Don’t get carried away!” His mouth set in an angry line and something dangerous flared in his dazzling blue eyes.

“Was it you on the pages of Facebook, or was it CJ?”

“Who do you think it was?” he challenged.

“You.”

He eyed her, weighed his reply, then simply nodded.

“Why?”

“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“What wasn’t?”

He glanced over her shoulder. “Let’s talk inside, security is everywhere because of the wedding parties.”

She stared stupidly for a moment, then shrugged and walked into the bedroom ahead of him.

She sat on the edge of the bed, and he kept his distance, watching her closely. After several minutes passed in silence, she dragged in a shaky breath. She was in a bedroom in a place named after a fictional estate, face to face with a character from a series of books… Face to face with someone whose name was a mystery, but someone she was almost in love with anyway… Clearly she’d entered the Twilight Zone somewhere between home and here.

“Who are you?” She asked the question with trepidation, her heartbeat roaring wildly in her ears, so loud she was certain he could hear it, too. Blue eyes sparkled with the familiar mischief she’d come to expect from him.

“I think you know, ma belle.”

“I know you’re CJ’s actor friend, the face of Rémy des Quatre-Frères, but I’d like to know who you really are,” she replied.

“What does your heart tell you?”

Dear God, he didn’t really want to know that, did he?

His brilliant blue eyes seemed to grow more intense with each pounding pulse of her heart, and she was mesmerized by him, just as she’d been all day. The air around them felt like it was mutating and sizzling with undeniable desire and something wildly exciting.

“My name is Rémy des Quatre-Frères,” he said, his soft, textured voice a rasp of sound that poured over her raw nerve-endings. “And you have been mine forever…” His voice grew deeper and ended on a growl.

She stared it disbelief as he took a step toward the bed and leapt… the air shimmered with a million glittering shards of ice and diamonds… when the waterfall of miniature stars fell away she stared into azure eyes that were even bluer than a moment before – and the weight of the magnificent black wolf rocked the bed as he settled next to her, his gaze never leaving her…

BUY BOOK ONE HERE

GUEST: Jackie M. Smith

Today my guest is XoXo Publishing Best-selling author Jackie M. Smith! I think you'll enjoy getting to know Jackie, and hearing about this special novel. Welcome Jackie, and thank you for dropping by today.

A Soldier’s Vow

XOXO Publishing, June 2010

What inspired A Soldier's vow?

I can’t remember what inspired me to write this story. It must have been after watching a WWI documentary. I wondered why not have a woman take pictures of the front. Although in my story, the heroine doesn't go near the battlefield, I wanted her to experience the horrors and the courage of the war.

What does this book mean to you personally?

This book has a Canadian flavor. It means so much for me to recognize our Canadian heroes of the First World War who we have forgotten a bit over the years.

What is your favorite genre to read? What about that genre attracts you to it?

My favorite genre to read is historical romance. Its like going back with a time-machine. I like discovering interesting facts about different time periods like how they dressed, what they ate, how to acted.

Do you have a favorite book of all time?

My favorite book of all time is Jewels by Danielle Steele. It was the first historical romance I read by her. I saw the movie first. After that I had to have the book. I love the way the author brings us into the characters' lives.

How do you become inspired to write?

Movies, documentaries and everyday life inspires me to write. I carry a notepad with me everywhere. Ideas come to me like scenes from a movie. Sometimes, just a word comes into mind like a flash. Then I write the idea down and develop.

What does your work space look like?

My workspace is pretty organized. I write shorthand so I always have a notebook and a pencil nearby. I don't have a big place so I write in my livingroom. The noise around me doesn't interfere with my concentration. Once I get writing, there's like a bubble surrounding me.

Tell us five random facts about you.

Well, first I love ice hockey. Second, I have a university bachelor's degree in Sociology. I have three younger sisters. I love the Indiana Jones movies. Finally, I'm from Acadian descent.

Are your books more sensual or erotic?

My books are more sensual. I would like to write an erotic story. But nothing hard core. I prefer writing sensual stories.

Where do you see yourself in five years (for your writing career?)

In five years, I hope to have written at least a dozen of books.

Where to find Jackie on the web:
My website
Blog
FB Fan Page
MySpace
Twitter

The GAMES continue....

Today I am visiting with the lovely Sky Purington, and we are discussing GAMES OF SEDUCTION. There is also a very cool contest happening, so please drop by. There are exciting excerpts, an interview about the heart of this story, and some interesting insights to share... Hope to see you there!!

Visit Sky's BLOG

XoXo Publishing(TM) Official Summer Book Launch Party!

XoXo Publishing(TM) Official Summer Book Launch Party!

Will be held on live chat in our XOXO Chat room this Saturday August 7 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm EST.

XoXo Chat Room

Same time we're holding the same chat in our XOXO Publishing Authors and Readers Yahoo Loop please join in advance.

XoXo Publishing Authors and Readers Group

Win great prizes!

See you there, this Saturday.


XoXo Media Team
http://www.xoxopublishing.com

A look at the research....

Most of the people who read my blogs and interviews have some background on my latest paperback release, SHADES OF DEATH. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, and maybe those who do know it, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about the research that went into this book that I’m sharing with you today. The novel is called Shades of Death, and it’s a very different kind of vampire story than the traditional vampire romance.

When I began this book a few years back, I discovered that there are a wealth of fascinating vampire legends from all over the world. Every culture has a legend, and each legend empowers the vampire creature with different attributes and abilities. I’ve used those types and unique qualities to create both a mystery and a deadly killer who is attempting to evolve into an entirely new species of vampire. There are a lot of elements to this book that are outside the norm, and when I had two best-selling vampire authors tell me I should publish because it was an approach they had never encountered before, I thought it was worth finishing.

In the elements of this book you will also meet two special groups of people, at the Raven’s Eyre you will meet the people who comprise The Institute of Paranormal Investigation and Research. Run by a brilliant scientific investigator who is also psychic, the Institute is part of a worldwide network of professionals who study all realms of the paranormal and the beings who inhabit the shadows. Tied to them is a second group called S.I.G.H.T. – which stands for Surgically Induced Genetically Heightened Telepathy. The purpose of SIGHT is to enhance and enable investigations at all levels, and the team of scientists who work at that project are near a breakthrough when their team leader is drawn into the mysterious killings in Vancouver, close to the Raven’s Eyre.

I’ve tied legends, murders, and a romantic subplot all together to create a story that I hope entertains but also gives you some new information about vampire species. There is the possibility of a sequel here, so there are no total finishes. I’d like to know what your thoughts are before I go back and consider a sequel seriously.

Anyway, that's a brief glimpse at what's it all about. For anyone who would like to read the first chapter of this novel in its entirety, you can do that here on my website: http://www.denysebridger.com/books-ShadesDeath.html

If you’d like to buy it, in print, eBook, Kindle edition, (or review it), here’s that information:

SHADES OF DEATH
Genre: Horror/vampires/ thriller/ romance
Page Count: 305 (short novel)
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
BUY eBook: http://solsticepublishing.com/shades-of-death-p-6.html

PRINT: http://solsticepublishing.com/shades-of-death-print-edition-p-61.html
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003LUHE96

BLURB: Deep within the ageless Carpathian Mountains , an ancient evil wakes. Imprisoned many centuries ago, the creature has waited, patiently, for the one destined to grant her freedom.

Arienne Lereaux has studied the preternatural menace called "vampyre" for most of her life. She is an expert in the field. Loosely affiliated with a secretive organization called The Institute of Paranormal Research and Investigation, she turns to them when she unearths what may be the first representation of the vampyre ever to exist.

The enigmatic and attractive Head of the Institute, Adam Raven, has spent a lifetime tracking the clues left by his mother's disappearance in the mountains of Romania nearly twenty years past. When Arienne arrives at the secluded island headquarters of the Institute, he wonders if she holds the key to finding his lost mother. But before too many days pass, the city of Vancouver is rocked by a series of grisly murders. As it races to find the culprit, the Institute faces an evil unlike any it has encountered before...

In the middle of their hunt, another branch of their network is making a scientific breakthrough in genetically heightened telepathy. The team responsible may soon hold a weapon that will have world powers at their door—until their lead scientist vanishes after leaving Toronto to consult Raven and his people. Ancient myth is suddenly not myth, and evil may take many guises before the Institute can restore the delicate balance that was destroyed the night Arienne stumbled into a remote castle in the mountains half a world away...

Surprise!

So, if you're in the mood for something hot and sexy... drop by and check out this bit of sizzling flash fiction that is being featured on The Mistress Journals.

Because I Am Yours - Erotic Fantasy

CLICK HERE

GUEST: Isabel Roman

Today my guest is Isabel Roman... The book sounds wonderful, and I'm sure you'll enjoy learning more about this talented author! Welcome Isabel...

World Building

Things you need in your world-first, you have to figure out that you want to create a world. It’s like a flow chart, one leads to two, or sometimes three depending on your answer. Follow the arrows, and you’ll have a great world. Don’t follow them, and confusion and delay ensue.

1. What is the setting? It’s most important, whether it’s 1882 Philadelphia or 2002 Philadelphia. Special government? Particular society? Is what you’re building (vamps, magickers, whatever) public knowledge like in True Blood or hidden like in the Buffy verse?

2. Your verse. Are you writing straight history, alternate history, vampires in historical or modern times? Magickers in any time—what do they do, who are they? Very important to know these things before you get going. It’s a pain in the ass to change them later.

3. Continuity. Don’t change things between the first half of the book and second. (See #6)

4. Characters: what are their special ability? Do they have one? What are they trying to do and with what?

5. The Bible: For example: Contemporary alternate history vampire world. Define central characters; here it’ll be your vamps. Do they have special needs or abilities not the traditional vamp needs or abilities? Figure out if the World needs anything unique to accommodate those needs/abilities.

6. Remember all this. No forgetting and fudging it later. Star Trek had The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers where they picked all the problems each episode had either within a specific episode or overall in the larger Trek universe. (And yes, I did have them! I’m such a geek.) Ah, to be big enough to have a bestselling book nitpicking all your mistakes. Move over JK Rowling and Trek! Here we come!

This is your verse. This is your world. This is where your story, be it one or a series of a dozen will inhabit. Don’t forget what you said HERE so it’s the same THERE. Whatever you put in, broad or specific, it’s part of the world, the characters. There’s no need to explain it, your readers are smart enough to get it.

Read Dark Desires of the Druids: Sex & Subterfuge available now in bookstores! And be sure to check out Isabel’s free story!

BLURB:

A master magicker, Morgana Blackthorne has a tenuous hold on her following. When a strange Englishman arrives on her doorstep with news of other druidic magickers, and magicker problems, she’s intrigued but suspicious. There hasn’t been contact between the American and European druids in over a hundred years. Plus she has her own worries and doesn’t need the handsome earl adding to them.

Lucien, Earl of Granville, left England to seek out the Blackthorne Druid line and discover what they’ve been up to since contact was lost. Once he and Morgana meet, their mutual attraction distracts him from his purpose. Embroiled in her problems, he finds himself more concerned with her welfare than is practical for a passing affair.

When I invited you into my bed, it never occurred to me I wouldn’t want you to leave.
There are darker forces at work and the hunger of a weak magicker desperate for power. Will Lucien convince Morgana of his true feelings before things spiral out of control? Or will the surrounding subterfuge tear them apart?

EXCERPT:

“Lucien Harrington,” Jacobs, her butler, intoned, “the Earl of Granville.”

Smiling, Morgana swept out of the circle, stepping into the foyer, and greeted her guest. His timing was off, but as the magicker she knew him to be, not suspect.

“Welcome, Lord Granville,” she said, offering a slight curtsy.

He was tall, with dark blond hair, dark blue eyes, and a sharp nose over which he looked down at her. Her eyes traveled over his face, down his body, clothed in immaculately tailored Savile Row, back to his face. Arousal pooled hot in her belly.

She’d never wanted any man. Yet Morgana wanted Lord Granville. Her skin prickled at his nearness, her womb clenched with want.

Forcing her mind off his body, she studied his face. Briefly, want flashed in his eyes and she smiled a truly wicked smile at him. It was gone as fast as it’d shone and she returned to studying him. There was grief hidden deep in his eyes, along with suspicion and weariness. Tilting her head, she wondered what caused those emotions. Suspicion she could easily understand. It’d been more than a hundred and thirty years since their families had any contact. Though, since he’d sought her out, she should be more suspicious of him.

“Mistress Blackthorne,” he bowed over her offered hand. Flicking a glance behind her, he said, “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Not at all,” Morgana smiled. She could all but feel David’s displeasure. Suppressing a giddy smile, she took Lord Granville’s arm and led him into the parlor. “We’re about to begin the New Moon Ritual. Do you still practice it in England?”

Looking up at him with guileless eyes, she waited for his confusion, gratified when it sparked briefly in those bottomless depths. Damn them all. She could be as gracious as she liked, but in the end, resentment bubbled to the surface. They’d abandoned her ancestors to indentured servitude and hadn’t bothered to contact any of them since.

“I’m afraid we lost that custom when we lost the valuable Blackthorne line.”

Morgana raised her eyebrow at him as they entered the parlor. Wasn’t he the diplomat?

“Would you care to join the ritual, Lord Granville?”

He bowed again and smiled. “It would be my pleasure, Mrs. Blackthorne.”

Visit Isabel's website

HOUR OF THE WOLF - a review

HOUR OF THE WOLF
by CJ Elliott
ISBN: 978-1-60088-543-3
Publisher: Cobblestone Press

Today I have done something I rarely do – I’ve read an eBook, and now you’re going to hear about it! For the first time, I’ve been so drawn to a concept that I have *gasp* BOUGHT a book online. Of course, being the dinosaur that I am, I promptly printed it to read…. LOL

Anyway, having just indulged in the world created by C.J. Elliott – I wanted to share some impressions of the book, which is the first of a set called “The Four Brothers Clan Series” – and oh my what brothers!!

So, in Hour of the Wolf you will meet Matéo – and the beautiful Reese Emerson. Reese is a unique character, and a perfect match for the loup garou hero of this tale. She hears whispers, other people’s thoughts constantly disrupt her life. In an effort to escape and find some peaceful rest, Reese flees to her sanctuary in the mountains. What she finds is not solitude and peace, but a passion that will change her life forever.

Matéo is hunting a predator who owes a blood debt that Matéo intends to collect. When his prey sets sights on Reese, he is forced to reveal his true nature.

Cindy Jacks has a beautiful, fluid writing style that takes her readers in and keeps them enchanted with her descriptive words and strong imagery. The passion is seductive and sensual, the story exciting and vibrant with life and tension. I wanted Hour of the Wolf to go on because I wanted to know more and stay in Cindy’s world. I can’t wait to read the next chapter of this exciting and engaging series…

If I was a reviewer, I’d give this five kisses, five stars, whatever you want to use as a label. Instead, I will give CJ Elliott five HUGS and ask her to get the next chapter out as quickly as possible, because I love what she’s doing and can’t wait to meet the next of her sexy brothers and see what he’s all about!!

You can get a copy of Hour of the Wolf from Cobblestone Press, LLC – and believe me, you will love it!!

Visit the author at her website
http://www.cindyjacks.com/

GUEST: Phyllis Schieber

Hello everyone. Today I have a very special guest to introduce you to, and I think you'll enjoy this post, and meeting Phyllis, as well as learning about a very cool book! So, first, meet Phyllis:

Sinners Guide to Confession - Kaye and Barbara are longtime friends, now in their fifties. Ellen, who is several years younger, develops a friendship with the other two women years later, solidifying this close-knit group. The three women are inseparable, yet each nurtures a secret that she keeps from the others.

Willing Spirits - Jane Hoffman and Gwen Baker, both teachers and in their forties, have a friendship that helps them endure. Years after Gwen is abandoned and left to raise two sons alone, she finds herself in love with a married man. After Jane is humiliated by her husband’s infidelity and Gwen must face her own uncertain path, the two women turn to each other. Now, as each is tested by personal crisis; Jane and Gwen face new challenges—as mothers, as daughters, as lovers. And in the process, they will learn unexpected truths about their friendship—and themselves.

Phyllis Schieber: The first great irony of my life was that I was born in a Catholic hospital. My parents, survivors of the Holocaust, had settled in the South Bronx among other new immigrants. .In the mid-fifties, my family moved to Washington Heights. The area offered scenic views of the Hudson River and the Palisades, as well as access to Fort Tryon Park and the mysteries of the Cloisters. Her first novel, Strictly Personal, for young adults, was published by Fawcett-Juniper. The Sinner’s Guide to Confession, was released by Berkley Putnam and in March 2008, Berkley Putnam issued the first paperback publication of Willing Spirits.

NOW, join us on the Sinners Guide to Confession and Willing Spirits virtual tour. To learn more about the tour, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2010/05/04/phyllis-schieber-blog-outreach/. You can also learn more about Phyllis Schieber and her books at http://www.phyllisschieber.wordpress.com/


Now, Phyllis herself:

I am a wife, the mother of a son, a sister to a brother, the daughter of a father I adored, and quite fond of men. Nevertheless, I cannot think of one man I would choose to have lunch with over one of my girlfriends. I know some will balk at this confession, but it is true. Mind you, I would happily have lunch with any or all of the men aforementioned, but it simply would not be the same as lunch with one of my girlfriends. The details matter so much with women, and we savor them shamelessly. Everything matters. The best men (in my view) are the ones who recognize their deficiencies and genuinely work to compensate. The nuances that come naturally to women require just does not seem to come as naturally to them.

I had a phone call this week from the woman who took care of my mother for many years. Marva is at least ten years younger than I. She is also the mother of five, a grandmother, and the person who taught me more about patience, kindness, and good humor than anyone else I ever knew. One day, in the early months of my mother's first serious decline, we brought her back to her apartment from yet another hospitalization. I was already weary, and I had no idea what was ahead, how really bad it would become in the months and years to follow. After we got my mother settled, I left to do some errands. When I returned, my mother was resting. She looked so sweet, so vulnerable, curled into herself with her head resting on her folded hands as though in prayer. Her skin was flawless as it remained to the day she passed. She opened her eyes and smiled at me. I had this sense of knowing that I would never again have my mother whole. I lay down beside her, curved my body around hers, and placed one of her hands on my cheek, flattening her palm with my own. I cried softly for no other reason than I was sad and exhausted. And then Marva sat down beside me on the bed and stroked my back, soothing circular strokes, murmuring in her lilting Jamaican accent that, "It's gonna be alright." I believed her.

I knew from the start that Marva was unique. She was, as my mother always said in Yiddish,a Gutte neshumah (goot-teh nesh-uh- mah): a good soul. A decent person with a good heart. Marva and my mother became the best of friends, and I took joy in their compatibility and in the knowledge that my mother was so well cared for while I went about my business. After my mother passed, I stayed in touch with Marva because she had become part of my life. Still, lives get busy, and sometimes months go by before one of us calls. She phoned me last week, and I was so happy to hear her sweet voice. She said, "Oh, Phyllis, I had a longing to hear your voice and your laugh." And, as always, I was moved by Marva’s sincerity, her ability to speak from her heart. We talked for quite some time, and at the end, she said, "I love you." And I told her I love her, which I do. After we hung up, I began to think about how women express their love. In Willing Spirits I describe the night that Gwen and Jane, the two main characters “fall in love”:

Yes, women do fall in love with each other. Differently, of course, than they fall in love with men. Falling in love with a man is a feverish experience. There is little control. But falling in love with a woman is much more serious. It guarantees so much more for the investment. For it is from other women that women are nurtured. It is from other women that they hear what they hope to hear from men. I understand. I know how you feel. I’m sorry for your pain. I care about what you think: Words that need no prompting. In that circle, women tell each other things that men and women tell each other first with their hands and lips and tongues before they can tell each other with words. Women comfort each other with touch that is meant to heal, rather than to excite. The mysteries of love are less complex between women. The hidden passages are easier to negotiate. And the dangers do not seem as great as when the same journey is taken with a man. Around each dank and frightening corner, women hold out their hands to each other and form a human chain that is, quite simply, spiritually different. The lucky ones find men who (and it is a deep and well-kept secret between women) are more like women.

I know a woman who was my student many, many years ago. P. was in my tenth grade class when I was a twenty-three-year-old English teacher. Her life story was incredibly sad and painful, not unlike the stories of many of the students I met along the way. I became a presence in her life, and we stayed in touch. After she graduated from college, she visited often. I welcomed her into my family, called her frequently, sent her money when she was in need, and told her that I love her at the end of every conversation. My son, now twenty-five, recently overhead me say, “I love you” to her and asked, “Do you really love her?” And I said, “It doesn’t matter.” I tried to explain that the words were a balm to P.’s soul. She knew she could rely on me for that bit of normalcy in her other otherwise complicated and often lonely life. My words were an offering that asked for nothing and gave everything. In fact, I do love P., but I wanted my son (who always, always, says, “I love you too” when I say, “I love you” to him at the end of every conversation) to understand that expressing love is an offering that should be made often and with joy.

I love the women in my life because we speak the same language. I have a circle of women friends who sustain me, keep me sane, remind me of my worth, and reassure me that I am treasured. We say, “I love you,” at the end of every conversation; we sign off our emails with the same words, and when we see each other, we embrace and affirm our love. I think it is because women spend so much of their lives nurturing—their children, their husbands, their partners, their ailing parents, their students, co-workers, the list is endless—that they understand the words are a gift, a promise. The words are a reminder to those we cherish that they are not alone, that they matter.

Thank you so much, Phyllis, for joining me today and for letting my readers get to know you and your books!!

Visit Phyllis: http://www.phyllisschieber.wordpress.com/

GUEST: Brita Addams

Today, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Romance Author BRITA ADDAMS. We did a brief interview, and I think you'll agree, she's a charming and fun guest! So, meet this talented author and hear about her work....

Denysé: From what I see on your website, you write some very cool and naughty books! ;) Why have you chosen the erotic genre?

Brita: It is simple to answer – sex sells. I wish there was a better answer, but that is it. I enjoy reading erotic romance and I know others do as well. Therefore, I write what people want.

Denysé: A lot of writers take a “seat of their pants” approach to writing, is that the way you approach it, or do you keep the story in your head and write it?

Brita: I develop the beginning of the story completely and have a general idea where the story will go. However, I don't outline but take notes. I have a full main character listing and add as characters appear. I have a full description of the main characters, including their hair and eye color, disposition, and basically what makes them tick.

Denysé: Do your characters dictate plot twists that you just run with, or do you keep them in line?

Brita: They definitely dictate plot twists. I have actually sat down to write one thing and find myself taking the story in a different direction because the characters have decided to take a detour. Truly, I think it makes for a better story.

Denysé: What styles of books do you most enjoy writing?

Brita: Of course, I love a book with a happy ending, whether I am reading or writing. I love historical romance, particularly Regency.

Denysé: If were attempting to "sell" yourself to a new reader, what would you tell them about your work, and why they might enjoy it?

Brita: A reader should know that I write stories with characters who find themselves going about finding love sometimes in rather circuitous routes. My stories are about characters as real as I can make them, with feelings and actions people can identify with. Of course there are things they do that are extraordinary, and that is what gives readers the feeling that they are living in another world.

Brita Addams writes erotic Regency romance, with raucous sex and feisty characters. I use my real name, Tina Ordone when I write sensual but what would be considered more traditional Regencies.

Denysé: In an ideal world, how much time would you devote to your writing, as opposed to how much time you realistically have to devote to it around “real-life” and its demands?

Brita: I am very fortunate to be able to devote as much time as I want to writing. My husband and I are retired and our children are grown, so we have no dictates on our time in that regard. It is an ideal time in my life to write.

Denysé: Which do you prefer, erotic or non-erotic, as a reader, and as an author?

Brita: My preferences vary. I confess, as a reader, I enjoy a solid story with sex woven in. I like erotic or sensual equally as well. As a writer, I like a story with sex that fits the story. For instance, Serenity's Dream takes place at the Sapphire Club, a sex club owned by the hero, Lucien Damrill. The erotic sex that takes place at the club is varied, as dictated by the story.

Denysé: Do you ever push the envelope solely to test yourself, then edit it out of your final draft, or do you challenge your readers to keep up with you?

Brita: I can't say that I have ever done that, but I have certainly written things that I said later, "No I can't put that in there." Never purposely though.

Denysé: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment thus far as an author, and what is the thing you want most to achieve in future?

Brita: I think my greatest accomplishment as an author is simply to finish writing my first book, which was not Serenity's Dream. I write a novel called, She Wouldn't Be Denied, which is a 120,000 word manuscript that I simply love. Due to its length, it has never seen the light of day. However, since then, I have finished seven novels, four of which have been accepted by Noble Romance. That is quite an accomplishment I'd say.

The thing I most want in the future is to be a respected author of erotic and non-erotic books that readers enjoy reading. When I see my books being recommended by people who have already them, I will feel very good about my craft.

Thanks, Brita, for being my guest today and telling us more about your books, and your experience as a writer.

Brita: Thank you Denyse. I appreciate being your guest. I love hearing from readers and I can be found in various places:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Shelfari
Goodreads

My book Serenity's Dream can be found at:
Noble Romance

Scandalous Books and other things of interest!

Recently, I was checking out a friend's website - it's always filled with stuff that enchants me - and I came upon one of her new blogs! Scandalous Books - sounded too good to miss, so I clicked and became immersed in yet another of Mirella Sichirollo Patzer's adventures! Apart from the fact that the first discovery was a FREE eBook called A Sicilian Romance - had to have that!! - I began scanning posts only to discover that she has very generously been taking the time to format other fabulous novels - and she charges a nominal fee for the downloads - when was the last time you bought an eBook that was over 500 pages in length, and all it cost you was $1 - yes, you did read that right, only ONE DOLLAR.

So, if you like historical fiction, from many eras, you just might want to stop by this site and the first treat you can get is for free... Can you resist this:

A Sicilian Romance
by Ann Radcliffe

Lust!

A Sicilian Romance is one of my all time favourite classic novels. It is one of the first, if not the first, gothic novel.

The story is about the the turbulent history of the fallen aristocrats of the house of Mazzini, on the northern shore of Sicily, as related by a tourist who becomes intrigued by the stories of a monk he meets in the ruins of their doomed castle.

The novel explores the "cavernous landscapes and labyrinthine passages of Sicily's castles and convents to reveal the shameful secrets of its all-powerful aristocracy." You can download it for free here: A Sicilian Romance

You can visit Mirella's sites here, she's a talented author, and a keen historian, and I can guarantee you will love exploring her many projects!

Mirella Patzer
Mirella's Website
Historical Novel Review Blog
History and Women Blog

ROGUES: A review...

Title: ROGUES
Author: Denysé Bridger
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Genre: Historical/Pirates
Publication date: March 2010
Pages: 132
Reviewer: Tina

Rating:

I really enjoyed all these three pirate tales. They have a sensuality that kept me turning pages and the hint of danger that kept me glued to the pages. In the future, I hope to read many more tales by Ms. Bridger about pirates and the daring women who love them. The high seas will never be the same now that Ms. Bridger has unleashed her pirates.

Read the full review HERE

A Time To Remember

CLICK HERE or on the IMAGE

Sometimes we are given the opportunity to speak about something that is not only important, but vital to other lives. When I asked some friends if there was anything at all I could do to draw attention to the on-going and ever-present need in L'Aquila, Italy - I was told to do what I know best - to write and remind people that despite the passage of a year - the rebuilding of this amazing city is still in the infant stages.

Italy is not a struggling third world country, but that does not mean it hurts less when not only the land itself is torn apart, but the wonderful people of this special country are lost to death. There were small villages destroyed entirely when the 6.3 magnitude quake hit on the 6th of April, 2009 - the losses suffered are heart-breaking. Those still without homes are in the range of 48,000. Even the pets are homeless, so many of them orphans because their people have died, or simply been forced to leave them behind.

Many of you know Riccardo Foresi through me, his music will soon be heard by everyone, I'm sure... I turned to Riccardo when I was asked to do this special article. This was close to his home, and I knew he'd lived that terrible night firsthand. He was gracious, as he always is, and he helped me to write.... if you click on the image above, you will see what he has to say, and what I learned in my research. You will meet the special people who own the site Life In Abruzzo, Abruzzo being the province where L'Aquila is. Read this, it's important - and then tell others. ALL donations, however small, they make a difference - remembering makes a difference because these courageous and beautiful people then know they have not been forgotten by the rest of the world. People have to care...

This is from the Life In Abruzzo site - reposted here with full permission:

The story of L’Aquila should be kept in the news and pressure applied onto both local Abruzzo and Italy’s national governing bodies for restoring or offering serious, viable alternatives in housing for the people whose homes have been completely lost. Drifting & corruption issues haven’t got 48,810 people who were assisted away from their L’Aquila homes still very far in the past year apart from the erection of wall-to-wall scaffolding, whilst 16,641 have been re-housed at this time in temporary accommodation.

You don’t need to be a descendant or have even visited L’Aquila or one of the local villages to support the rebuild; yes it is in a developed country within Europe, but in the same way that we support NGOs rebuilding developing nations the same support & pressure on the Italian government to keep their promise should be applied to L’Aquila.

So, remember, and do what you can to make a difference, however small a thing it may seem.

GLOBAL GIVING

Slow Food has launched an international fundraising effort to assist the victims of the Abruzzo earthquake.

Progress Reports

Wild week.....

Hello everyone!!

It's been one crazy week here, and I've been MIA all over - I know, probably a massive relief to many, but hey, I'm back!! *LOL* So, to get us all up to speed on the immediate news, here we go....

TODAY I will be hanging out all day at the Coffeetime Romance Blog, we'll be chatting about lots of stuff, throwing a contest or two, and just generally - I hope - having some fun together. So, please, if you have a moment, drop by, let me know what you'd like to talk about, ask a question - whatever is on your mind - ok??

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/

For those of you who have been following the online magazine I do - Sensual Treats - the June issue - one year anniversary! - was posted on June 1st, and it's our biggest issue yet! In keeping with the theme of romance, it's an ALL ITALY feature issue.... the entire backlist if available of course, and it's always FREE! Visit the website, look around there - because the website has stuff different to the magazine itself. ALL issues of the magazine are on the Archives page!

http://sensualtreats.webs.com/

I've had six new releases this year, and I'll be talking about all of them over at Coffeetime today - everything from paranormal to high fantasy, to deeply erotic romance that is based on real-life.... So, lots of fun!!!

Let's rock and roll! I will also have a very important announcement to make a little later today, too.

Be seein' ya soon!

Blessings & Hugs to all....
Denysé