Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Topping Tora By Laura Bacchi

ISBN 1-59578-294-X
Available now at
Liquid Silver Books

Tora Wolff craves domination, and at Club Xotica, she expects to get it. When the man who tops her at work shows up to top her at play, Tora can’t believe her bad luck. And she hasn’t even found the dead body yet...

Jovan Creel wants a woman who’s willing to submit, and not just any woman. He wants Tora. But after all the fun and games are over, will she want him?

When Tora decides to explore her submissive side with another man, someone more experienced--and much more dangerous--Jovan soon discovers it's not a question of Tora wanting him when she returns to Atlanta. It's a question of whether she can return at all.

For an excerpt, click
here. Contains: D/s, multiple partners, M-M-F, F-F, heavy spanking, light bondage, anal sex.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Deidre Knight Cranks up the Heat

...in Her Latest Installment in the Parallel Series: PARALLEL HEAT

"Intelligent characters, hot romance and breathtaking adventure with epic feel—exactly what I want to read!" - Susan Grant, New York Times bestselling author

"A fantastic and riveting new voice in paranormal fiction." -Karen Marie Moning, New York Times bestselling author of Spell of the Highlander

"At times humorous, at others heart-wrenching, but always compelling, Deidre Knight offers readers a fresh, wonderfully creative glimpse at the complexity of human decisions. What a page-turner!" - Gena Showalter, Author of Playing with Fire

In the unforgettable, alternate world of Parallel Heat, two enemies are bound by betrayal, vengeance—and forbidden passion.

Warrior and royal guardian Marco McKinley has been assigned a vital mission on Earth, where a war between human fighters and otherworldly soldiers is rising in the far reaches of Wyoming. But he's also been warned about twists of fate yet to come-ones that will transform him into the enemy of his own people and appoint him the personal protector of beautiful soldier Thea Haven.

Little do Marco and Thea know, but they have met before in an alternate universe, and they are bound by betrayal and vengeance. Now, on a world at the brink of destruction, forbidden passion ignites—but will the destiny Marco has glimpsed unfold a second time?

Sign up for Deidre's newsletter and be eligible to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate, signed copies of her books, and plenty of other goodies! Just
click here.

Check out the book that launched the series, PARALLEL ATTRACTION or order your copy of PARALLEL HEAT today! And coming in April, PARALLEL SEDUCTION
.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Yesterday's Innocence: The Learning Curve


**UNEDITED**UNEDITED**
SNIPPET #1
When Mark and Mickie stopped next to the table where Jimmy and Dee were sitting, they both stood up, stunned to see Mark standing there with Mickie. Jimmy reached out extending his hand to clasp Mark's in a firm handshake, while Dee hugged his neck.

“Mark, you came in,” Dee exclaimed, smiling at him.

“Finally,” he said, grinning.

“Damn, it’s good to have the four of us back together again,” Jimmy added, smiling.

“Jimmy, get the waitress over here with another pitcher of beer and a Diet Pepsi for Chelle,” Mark said, still standing with an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, honey. I want to dance with you.”

Leading her towards the dance floor away from Dee and Jimmy, Mickie followed him. As they stepped on the raised floor, Mark immediately pulled her into his arms and fell into step to the slow song the band was playing. With his hands splayed on her back, Mark savored the feel of her body next to his. Neither of them spoke, her fingers working their magic on the back of his head and the nape of his neck. He buried his face in the blonde, silky waves, and basked in the feel of her warm breath against his throat.

“God, I’ve missed you so much, honey,” he murmured next to her ear. He placed a kiss against her temple. “I’ve dreamt about this moment for the past six weeks.”

Mark pulled away, seeking out her eyes when she didn’t say anything. The crystal blue eyes that met his were shimmering with unshed tears, and the intensity of the desire meeting his gaze astounded him. “Oh God, Chelle...I love you more than you could ever imagine.”

* * *
She couldn’t speak over the lump in her throat. She was so emotionally wrapped up in him...in his arms. She had missed him so much, and now to finally be held by him again was almost too much for her. She couldn’t get close enough to him. She wanted to become part of him. It was a yearning...a craving. Her soul struggled to be one with his. Like millions of little fingers...talons...her soul reached out trying desperately to mesh with him.

But, she couldn’t accomplish it. He was her reason for being. Nothing else mattered to her except being with him. Being his. And she was his. She knew at that moment without a doubt, she would always be his.

“I love you, Mark,” she said over the raw emotion in her throat. “My soul will always belong to you...no matter what. There’s something so deep...so compelling...inside of me that wants to become a part of you...but I can’t...I don’t know how to do it.”

* * *

A tear trickled down her cheek, and his thumb gently wiped it away. They had stopped dancing, standing motionless in the center of the floor. The potency of her commitment to him hammered in his chest...into his mind. The anguish she felt was so profound, he could feel it. Never in his life had anyone struck him with such force. And, little did she know, she had just succeeded in accomplishing her quest.

“My God, Chelle...you are part of me.” His palms cradled her head, his fingers buried in the soft luxury of her hair. He kissed her with every ounce of the love he held in his soul for her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * END * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SNIPPET #2
His eyes slowly traveled to her tear-ridden face. There was a determination on her face he knew he had never seen in her before. He wanted so much to reach out and touch her. To just pull her into his arms and kiss her the way he used to do. In an effort to keep from reaching out to her, his fingers gripped the arms of his wheelchair. Exerting a pressure that turned his hands white, he could feel the muscles and tendons in his hands and arms protrude and constrict. He wanted desperately to be able to make love to her the way he did back at Christmas. To have her carry his baby and make them a real family.

But, that dream had died the day he had been told he was paralyzed. And as Mark held her unblinking stare, he knew he had to find the strength inside of him that would set her free.

As he started to speak, he struggled against the tightness in his throat, but he refused to allow his eyes to stray from hers. "I don't love you, Mickie. It's over for me. And, the baby was an accident. A mistake that you know wasn't suppose to have happened. It’s for the best."

God help me! Let me be strong long enough for her to leave the house.

His chest felt as if it had caved in and he was unable to draw in a breath. His eyes stayed rooted to hers as he watched the display of emotions that flickered through the windows to her soul. And then the cold hardness turned her face to something he couldn't name. Her eyes were ice and she struggled for a moment with the engagement ring on her finger, pulled it off and laid it on the table in front of him.

As she straightened, her hand shot out and slapped his face, the sound vibrating in his ears as he reached to touch his offended cheek. When his eyes met hers again, he saw the challenge in their depths that openly dared him to cross her.

"You bastard," she hissed. "I hope you feel that for the rest of your goddamn life. Because nobody... not even you, is going to tell me our baby is better off dead." She turned without waiting for him to respond and walked out of the room.

His eyes met the condemning blue gaze directed at him.

“You self-centered bastard,” Jimmy said evenly. “You’re right about one thing. You aren’t the same man anymore. You’re not even a decent pitiful excuse of a man anymore. You don’t deserve her, you damned coward.” Jimmy turned and walked out of the house, catching up to her at his car.

Hearing the front door shut behind Jimmy, his arm shot out and wiped everything off of the end table that sat next to him. "Goddammit!" Mark cursed as the pain he felt washed over him. The tears spilled down over his cheeks as he realized he’d just lost the only reason he’d ever had for living. "Mickie, I love you. God, let her know I didn't mean it! Dammit! Damn, I can't live like this!"

His mother stood at the doorway as Mark acted out the anger and frustration that had been locked inside of him for weeks. She watched as he reached over and picked the ring up from where she had laid it. Holding it to his chest in his closed fist, he let the tears slide down his face mourning the loss of something more precious than his own life.

"Mark? Are you okay?" His mother's voice was soft, but Mark turned quickly to face her, startled that she had been there. He stiffened perceptibly at her question.

"Hell no, I'm not okay! I wish to God I had died in that damned accident, because I'll be living in a hell of my own making for the rest of my goddamn life. I know she'll eventually get her life back together, and someone else will hold the only piece of heaven I'll ever know."

* * * * * * * * * * * * END * * * * * * * * * * *

The Goblin, The Witch, and the Single Girl

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting“Trick or treat!” Voices rang out loud and excited. Niles wanted to drop his pillowcase and cover his ears with both hands. His ears hurt from the thunderous, chaotic youngsters. Why in the world did he think he needed to hide in the middle of these kids? He stood silent in the midst of the growing anticipation that erupted all about him. They make too much noise!

“Oh, most definitely treats!” she exclaimed, giggles bubbling over.

She reached for the bowl, bringing it back to hold at their level for each to grab a handful. One after another repeated a ‘thank you’ or ‘thanks’, took their treat, and made room for the others to claim their sugary treats.

Niles lingered until last, smiling, and grasped a piece of the candy to place in his pillowcase.

“Oh no, little goblin,” the happiness in her voice evident. “Take a handful. I doubt I’ll have that many more visitors tonight. That’s a wonderful costume. What’s your name?”

She grabbed a handful of the candies and dropped them in his bag.

“I’m Niles. I’m really not a goblin,” he answered, his palms sweating. “A witch put a curse on me many years ago.”

She chuckled. “Well, what will it take to break the mean old witch’s curse?”

“A woman to fall in love with him and kiss him,” came the raspy voice behind him.

Niles whirled around to face Vinzella flashing her a glare that he hoped relayed how angered he was at her appearance.

“Oh that’s so sweet,” Caitlin said, smiling at the witch that had walked up onto her porch. Her gaze fell back on Niles as he pivoted back around to face her. “Well, Niles, I certainly hope you find your love and that she will see past your current flaws to the wonderful person that lies beneath the exterior.”

“All in good time, I’m sure,” Vinzella interrupted, her smile sardonic. “Come along, Niles. There are other homes to visit. I’m sure this young lady has other things to do.”

Niles grudgingly went along with Vinzella. He had no other choice. He knew Caitlin had assumed the witch was his mother. Once out of earshot, Niles spun around and sent a chilly glare at Vinzella. He tossed his bag full of candies onto the ground at his feet.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Irritated didn’t even begin to describe how he felt at the moment, he thought. She could have messed up the entire evening with her busybody self. Vinzella appeared to have a knack for always butting in where she wasn’t needed and definitely not wanted.

“I was just following up with you. Besides, tonight is the one night we can prowl the streets among humans and not be ostracized or feared. Oh please don’t tell me you’ve never done this before?”

“Leave, Vinzella. Before I really lose my temper and resort to goblin tactics. Because the urge to do just that is stronger at this moment than it’s ever been in the past one-hundred years.”

Niles did a sudden pivot and stomped across the yard to the back of the house. Vinzella followed in silence, her footsteps crunching close behind in the fallen leaves. Upon reaching the vine-covered lattice, he began the tedious ascent to the attic window above.

“Don’t you want your treats?” Vinzella asked holding out the pillowcase. Her voice dripped with a smugness that pervaded the last of his remaining patience. “One more cavity in that rotten mouth of yours shouldn’t hurt.”

“Go to hell, Vinzella.” Niles spit the words out at her, swung backwards, and snatched the bag from her hand before continuing his climb.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * END * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Niles’ voice was strong and hard. His command momentarily stunned her captor, and Caitlin wrestled free, leaping towards the front door. Reaching for the knob, she jerked her hand back to safety as streaks of blue and white electricity zapped the metal. She stumbled back against the wall to find her captor hovering in front of her. His fingers snaked around her arm.

Jerked violently around, her back molded to his chest, facing the stairway and Niles. Caitlin shook her head in silence when Niles stepped down from the landing, taking each step with confidence and purpose.

“Don’t be a fool, warlock. You know I will destroy you if you harm her. Release her now!”

“Destroy me? You?” Peals of crusty laughter emanated around them. “You have no powers, goblin.”

“Are you sure?”

Caitlin felt the hesitation at Niles’ spoken words stiffen her captor’s body.

Niles continued his downward trek, stopping only when he reached the bottom of the stair. His eyes glowed a bright, neon green, and his ears stood straight up. Caitlin watched the unwavering glare directed at the warlock who stood against her back.

“Quite.”

In the blink of an eye, darkness enveloped her as the warlock’s cape swung up and around them. Caitlin felt a thousand shards of glass and fire consume her body. An inferno seemed to melt her very soul.
* * *
She stumbled, falling to the ground, and her hands came in contact with damp weeds and moist dirt. She glanced up, and rain pelted her face. Caitlin scrambled to her feet. Her unsteady legs barely supported her weight as she searched around her. Where am I? Where is Niles? She reached out to brace herself against a stone column. Where is the warlock?

A huge hand wrapped around her forearm, and Caitlin screamed at the top of her lungs, jerking away.

“No need to struggle, girl.” His dark voice pierced the ebony night air. “You are mine.”

Caitlin raised her foot, slamming it down on top of her attacker’s, and he cried out in an unnatural howl. His hand did not relinquish her from its iron-fisted grasp.

“You will pay for that,” he growled.

Dragging her behind him, the warlock pulled her into the cavernous building. She struggled, digging her heels into the mud, but he continued to drag her along as if she were an unruly child.

“Release her or die!” Niles’ voice echoed through the building, bouncing off the vast emptiness of the interior.

The warlock spun around, his cape flying out behind him, and he shoved Caitlin to the ground at his feet. “You will die,” he yelled in agitation. “I will not play these games.”
* * * * * * * * * * * END * * * * * * * * * * *

Beyond the Maze

The door burst open and slammed back against the wall. Keane stomped into the room. Aubrianna whirled around to meet the ominous storm of masculine anger coming towards her. Her heart slammed against her chest. Her pulse quickened. She stumbled over the breath caught in her throat at the pure virility of the man.

No way can I be attracted to such a Neanderthal. Yet, the man appeared to be tormented by unknown demons. He exuded an aura of control and respect, but there was something in the lines around his eyes. Keane Chadwick dealt with an internal conflict that was quite obviously keeping him from restful sleep. A dark secret he was apparently loathed to share with anyone. His dark hair, still damp from the rain, clung to his head and neck. Dark eyes were leveled on her without so much as a blink.

“Leave us, Ella!” He stopped only mere inches away. “Now!”

I will not be intimidated. She nailed him with her own adamant glare. Aubrianna stood rigid, her back straight, wearing nothing more than her under petticoat and drawers.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing bursting into my room?”

His fingers wrapped around her upper arm, and he yanked her closer until they stood toe-totoe. “This is my room, in my house, and I will burst into any room whenever I damn well please!”

“Well, I beg to differ,” she said, her chin raised, her gaze melded to his. Her voice sounded relaxed and confident to her own ears, but her insides jiggled like Jell-O. “No gentleman would enter a lady’s bed chamber uninvited.”

She watched Keane’s eyes travel down between them. Perspiration beaded across his
forehead and upper lip before he exhaled a heated breath that feathered over her bare shoulders. He swung his eyes back to meet hers. She inhaled sharply. The thin white petticoat did little to shield her aroused nipples from his open gaze. He smelled of leather. His gaze drifted along the curve of her chin to her mouth. Feathery gasps escaped from her lips. The tip of her tongue slipped across her lower lip.

Smoldering heat ignited in the pit of her stomach, radiating outwards to consume her body. Her skin flushed from her cheeks to her toes.

She gulped a jagged breath when her body met the hard wall of his chest, and his lips crushed hers. His tongue licked along her lower lip. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples hardened into turgid little beads. She struggled to free herself.

His tongue swept into her mouth and sent sparks of desire skipping down her spine.
Delicious excitement built in the pit of her stomach. She whimpered, relaxing into him. Her hands, once flattened against his chest to push him away, now grasped his shirt. Aubrianna leaned into his kiss, deepening it. Passion licked every nerve, setting her on fire at the thought of Keane’s naked body against hers.

Their tongues tangled. Desire spiraled and exploded into molten heat that raced through her veins at breakneck speed. He reached for her hair and twisted it into a ball around his fist, holding her to him. She molded her slender figure to his large frame in perfect unity. His hard cock pressed against her belly, and a guttural groan escaped from the depths of his chest.

He released her, stepping away. Her lashes fluttered, and her eyes focused on his. Passion raged in his dark gaze. He stared transfixed, and she watched while reality began its slow descent. His body trembled. Or, was it her own?

“Get dressed and eat, then have Ella show you to my study.” He turned and left the room.

* * *

Aubrianna stared in silence, her fingertips pressed against her lips. What the hell had just happened? Shaking herself mentally, she turned towards the bed and finished undressing. She reached for the nightgown, slipped it over her head, and let it flutter down over her body, teasing her sensitive skin like a caress. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her mind attempted to make sense of what had transpired between them.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Did I write a "Trick or Treat" story?

Do I leave the reader with a "trick" or a "treat" in this delightful, amusing halloween tale of goblins, witches, warlocks, and faeries? Could you fall in love with a short, decrepid little creature that looked like a reject from the Twilight Zone? And, give up the most attractive man in New York City that others would kill for, just to have his attentions turned on them for fifteen minutes? The City's most eligible bachelor? The son of the most powerful and richest family in New York State?
 
Would you hesitate to love someone because you're afraid of losing them? Caitlin Montgomery leaves NYC because the reminders of 9/11 and the loss of her parents in that terrorist act are too great for her to deal with on a daily basis. Even five years later, the twin beams of light haunted her.
 
She had remembered trips to Montreal, Quebec with her parents. They always drove through the Village of Rouses Point. And, her father always drove her past the old Clabo Victorian that stood on the banks of Lake Champlain. Now, she owned it. Her dream come true. Not that her parents couldn't have bought it years before. It had been empty for more than half a century.
 
Tales of it being haunted was legend. Just as 'Champy', the Lake Champlain sea monster, who was often referred to as the cousin to 'Nessy', the more famous and well known, Loch Ness sea serpent.
 
This is perhaps one of my favorite stories that I have written so far. This story is a novella with a Halloween theme. It's outside my usual sub-genre writing as it combines paranormal and fantasy.
 
THE GOBLIN, THE WITCH, AND THE SINGLE GIRL is scheduled for release near the end of October. Just in time for some Halloween fun!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

List of Erotica and Romantica Publishers

Here's a comprehensive list of publishers just in case anyone is interested.

List of Erotica and Romantica Publishers

Afrodite's Apples
http://www.aphroditesapples.com/
Afrodite Unlaced http://www.aphroditeunlaced.com/home.htm
Afternoon Delight http://www.afternoondelightbooks.com/
Amber Quill http://www.amberquill.com/
Aphrodite Unlaced http://www.aphroditeunlaced.com/
Brava http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/
Circlet Press http://www.circlet.com/
Changeling Press http://www.changelingpress.com/
Chippewa Publishing http://www.chippewapublishing.com/
Clitore http://www.newagedimensionspublishing.com/citore.htm
Clobbestone Press http://www.cobblestone-press.com/
Ellora's Cave http://www.ellorascave.com/
Erotique Press http://www.erotiquepress.com/
Etchings Press http://www.etchingspress.com/
eXtasy Books http://www.extasybooks.com/
Forbidden Publications http://www.forbiddenpublications.com/
Freya's Bower http://www.freyasbower.com/
Genesis Press http://www.genesis-press.com/
Imajinn Books http://www.imajinnbooks.com/
Jovian Pleasures http://www.jupiterworldpress.com/jovian_pleasures_home.htm
Liquid Silver Books http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/
Loose-Id http://www.loose-id.com/
Midnight Showcase http://www.MidnightShowcase.com
New Concepts Publishing http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/
Ocean's Mist Press http://www.oceansmistpress.com/
Phaze http://www.phaze.com/
Pink Flamingo http://www.pinkflamingo.com/
Red Sage Publications http://www.redsagepub.com/
Samhain Publishing http://www.samhainpublishing.com/
Silk's Vault Publishing http://www.silksvault.com/
Siren Publishing http://www.sirenpublishing.com/
Starry Night Press http://www.starrynightpress.com/
Triskelion Publishing http://www.triskelionpublishing.net/
Venus Press http://www.venuspress.com/
Wicked Castle http://www.wickedcastle.com/
Wicked Velvet http://www.wickedvelvet.com/
Wild Rose, The http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
Whiskey Creek Press (Torrid) http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/