KEEPING A PULSE ON LIFE & ROMANCE

WHO DOES SEXY BETTER?

2012-01-13T04:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday the 13th!! Wishing you all a jinx free day! Thought I would do something fun and let you all decide who does sexy better?? Just vote on your favorite!!

Have a great weekend!!
Kathleen

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~SARAH GRIMM

2012-01-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

Please welcome my dear friend, Sarah Grimm to my blog today! Take it away, Sarah....

“Where words fail…music speaks.” ~ Hans Christian Andersen

Music. It’s always been an important part of my life. Probably more important than most who know me even realize. Take away my books, and I could go on. After all, I’d still have the voices in my head to keep me company. Take away my music…I cringe just thinking about it. I can’t imagine life without music.

Growing up our house was constantly filled with music. Whether it was The King and I or Anne Murray, Styx or Simon & Garfunkel, there was always music playing. We are a music loving family. And on those rare occasions when the stereo wasn’t going, one of us was usually practicing for an upcoming band or orchestra performance.

Me, I played the bass (string and electric). I was good at it, first chair. But what I always wanted to be good at—hell, great at—was playing the piano. I adore the piano. Honestly, adore isn’t a strong enough word. Sure, as a child I played the piano. Sure, I was an adequate player. But I wasn’t fantastic at it. It wasn’t a natural talent of mine the way the bass was. Oh how I wish it was.

My favorite piece to listen to is the Theme from Somewhere in Time. What an amazing composition. It’s loaded onto my MP3 player amid Nickelback, Shinedown, Theory of a Deadman, and Breaking Benjamin, and on my way to work, when the song switches from ‘Bad Girlfriend’ to ‘Theme from Somewhere in Time’ I crank the stereo and enjoy. And wonder…

What would it be like to play like that? To have a natural, incredible ability to sit down at the piano keyboard and have music flow from your fingertips? To have it play through your mind, a soundtrack to your life, the way words play through my mind? I can only imagine.

And so I did.

AFTER MIDNIGHT by Sarah Grimm

Thirteen years—that's how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother's life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar...

Black Phoenix singer/front man Noah Clark came to Long Island City with a goal--one that doesn't include an instant, electric attraction to the dark-haired beauty behind the bar. Coaxing her into his bed won't be easy, but he can't get her pale, haunted eyes nor her skill on the piano out of his head.

Can Noah help Isabeau overcome the past? Or will her need to protect her secret force her back into hiding and destroy their chance at happiness?

~*~

Chapter One

Isabeau Montgomery sat in the dimly lit bar and shook like an amateur before her first recital. Her gaze, blurred by the sudden threat of tears, settled on the keys before her. Her stomach cramped painfully, yet the need was too great to ignore.

With ability as natural to her as the color of her skin, she began to play. The waterfall of music filled the air, washed over her, completed her in a way nothing or no one else ever had. Against the razor sharp sting of memories, she fought…

She was young, vibrant, and born with a raw talent rarely seen. Classical, jazz, or rock and roll, she played it all. Loved all the genres—loved to create. All that mattered was her joy, her love for the instrument beneath her fingers and the music she was so skilled at creating.

For a good ninety seconds, joy returned, the rush of adrenaline and, conversely, the sense of belonging. In those seconds, time slowed, the lines between the past and the present blurred, and she was a child again. There was no longer pressure to be something she couldn’t be, no fear of what her future would hold.

And with the innocence of youth, no idea that everything she held dear could be lost in the blink of an eye.

The song built to a crescendo then quickly faded as pain, her old friend, returned with enough force to quash her joy. Her stomach roiled. Her breath caught.

Tears gathered in her eyes, and she dashed them away. Isabeau ran her hands up and over her face, pushing her long mass of ebony hair away from her forehead. She struggled to pull herself back together. Her fingers were chilled, cooler than

normal, yet perspiration pooled at the small of her back. She closed her eyes, took a deep, slow breath.

“I didn’t expect that old thing to be in tune.”

Sweet Jesus.

She jumped at the deep baritone voice, slamming her knees into the piano. The key cover abruptly closed, and she startled again. Heart racing, she rose and faced the double doors she’d obviously forgotten to lock.

She swept her gaze around the bar’s dim interior until she spotted a dark, male frame. “The bar is closed.”

Her tone was sharp, curt, and left no room for argument. Under different circumstances, she wouldn’t inflict such rudeness on a customer, but he

intruded on her privacy, her pain. Her emotions were too close to the surface for niceties.

His voice rang with a clipped British accent and the tone of someone unaccustomed to being questioned. “I was here earlier.”

She remembered the voice and didn’t need him to step out of the shadows to recognize him, which he did anyway. She’d served him a few hours ago—

dark lager, no glass—and shared with him a smile as powerful as it was sexy. “We were open earlier. Now, we’re closed.”

His eyebrow shot up. His mouth shaped itself into an ironic curve. “So you have said.”

“Then perhaps you should leave.” Hands unsteady, she bussed the table closest to her and carried the glasses to the bar. His words stopped her cold.

“You’re very talented. How long have you played the piano?”

No, no, no. This wasn’t happening. She closed her eyes on a wave of emotion, doing her best to will him away. But even then she knew. The man at her

back was not going away.

She focused her gaze on his reflection in the mirror that ran the length of the bar. He was tall and lean, with eyes that shone with intelligence, even in the dim light. His hair was a mix of medium and dark blonde, worn long enough it fell across his forehead, nearly into his eyes, and brushed the collar of his shirt. Dark stubble shadowed his jaw.

The fine hairs on her arm stood on end as he crossed to her. She edged to the side and turned to face him. “I don’t play.”

“Of course you do. You were playing when I entered.”

“You’re mistaken.” She countered his step forward with one in retreat, ensuring that she remained out of arm’s reach.

With a frown, he stopped. “You have nothing to fear from me.”

It never occurred to her to fear for her safety, even though the bar was empty but for the two of them, the lights dimmed in deference to the late hour.

“Let me start again by introducing myself.”

“I know who you are.”

“You do?”

Of course she did. He was the person who brought back her desire to create, whose presence in the room made something inside her sing out. He

was the reason she’d been driven to play tonight, after years of resistance. The reason the siren song continued to play in her head, louder than ever before.
~*~

Sarah Grimm is an award winning author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two sons and three miniature schnauzers. Between mom's taxi service, parts runs, and answering the phone for the family marine repair business, Sarah can be found curled in her favorite chair, crafting her next novel.

Find Sarah here:

Website: http://www.sarahgrimm.com

Blog: http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.Author

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SGrimmAuthor

I personally have this book. It is well written, suspensful and the sexual tension is outstanding!! If you don't have it already...go out and buy it!! It is worth the read!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!
Kathleen

WINNERS...WINNERS...WINNERS...

2011-12-28T23:43:00.000-08:00

Before I get to the birthday bash winners...I have one winner to announce from the Stuff Your Stockings Blog Hop! The winner of a $10 Evernight gift card goes to:

elizabeth@bookattict !! Thank you for participating!

It is my extreme pleasure to announce the winners of my Birthday Bash Blog Hop! This was so much fun. I loved reading all your comments! I will definitely do this again next year! So, without further ado....Here you go:

The winners of the books are:

Chris Bails -- WILD WEST WEEKEND BY CR MOSS

Stacey Siferd -- MARKING TIME BY SANDRA SOOKOO

Amber Preer -- ZAKIA AND THE COWBOY BY LORRAINE NELSON

Renee Bennett-- LURE OF THE BLOOD BY DORIS O’CONNOR

CelticAmazon -- NOW AND FOREVER A LOVE STORY BY JEAN JOACHIM

Jezebel Jorge --THE REAL SAINT NIC BY DREA BECRAFT

books4me67 --RUNNING HOME BY KERRIANNE COOMBS

Ronda Tutt --HOGTYING THE COWGIRL BY STACEY ESPINO

Patti P. -- WHEN SPARKS IGNITE LEATHER AND PLEASURE 2 BY JENNIFER LABELLE

Judith Hulley-- DATING 911 BY KATHLEEN GRIEVE

$5 Evernight Gift Certificates go to—

Na S. Cambonified
Mary Reiss
Sue B katsrus

Marie Lisk

June M. manning

The $50 Amazon Gift Card goes to:

Kimmy L

And the Kindle goes to.....

Drew Soltesz

Congratulations!! You all will be hearing from me shortly!

Happy Thursday Everyone!
Kathleen

WOW!! SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME....

2011-12-18T13:33:00.000-08:00

My darn computer won't upload any pictures...ugh!! But I wanted to say thank you to all of you who participated in my Birthday Blog Hop! The response was more than I expected and the real work has begun.

I'm currently gathering all the names of those who commented from all blog sites so I can start drawing winners from my Santa hat! So, please bear with me. The response was more than I expected and this process is taking a bit more time than I anticipated. I hope to have the winners posted soon!

Thank you!! This was so much fun and the comments were delightful to read! I definitely plan to do this again next year!!

Kathleen

STUFF YOUR STOCKINGS BLOG HOP~

2011-12-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

Time to stuff your stockings with even more prizes!! I'm offering a $10 Evernight Publishing Gift Certificate...But there are loads and loads and loads of great prizes!!

Prizes Galore:
$450+ In Gift Cards to Amazon, B&N, ARe, and Other Publisher Sites
150+ In Ebooks of all heat levels
Jewlery, Gift Baskets, Christmas Ornaments, and all kinds of goodies
Each participating author is going to hold a contest on their blog with so many treats up for grabs it’s enough to make every reader’s Christmas just that much happier! In each contest post the author will link the others participating in the blog hop to help you find each and ever stop to increase your chances to win.
The contest will start Friday, December 16, 2011 and go till midnight Sunday, December 18, 2011.Go to http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/ and click on all of the author's names to enter to win!

Have fun and Merry Christmas to all of you!
Kathleen

BIRTHDAY BASH IS ON!! TIME TO WIN, WIN, WIN!!

2011-12-11T22:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my birthday bash! On Friday, December 16, I turn 40 er...something... LOL I've put together a little blog hop and it's a chance for you to win! I just love giving stuff away! A lot less awkward then opening presents myself...

The Birthday Bash starts today and goes through the 16th! Basically, all you need to do is comment on each author blog to be entered in the drawings for the prizes. The more blogs you comment on, the higher your chances of winning! Easy as a piece of Grandma's pie!! I will hit each blog Saturday Dec 17 and draw random winners from each blog and post a list here on Keeping A Pulse on Life & Romance blog.

The prizes up for grabs:

Free e-books by your favorite authors!

$50 Amazon Gift Card

Five $5.00 Evernight Gift Certificates

Don't forget how easy it is to be entered in the GRAND PRIZE DRAWING for the KINDLE!!

Just Follow and comment on all the blogs listed here on THE KEEPING A PULSE ON LIFE & ROMANCE BLOG AT http://www.kathleengrieve.blogspot.com/ .

There is a link that goes to each participating author! The more you comment, the more chances of winning! And don't forget your email address when you comment!! Have fun!

Drea Beacraft

http://www.dreabecraft.wordpress.com/

Doris O'Connor

http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.com/

Lee Ann Sontheimermurphy

http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com/

Lorraine Nelson

http://lorrainenelson.wordpress.com/

Kathleen Grieve

http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com/

Kerrianne Coombs

http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/blog-hop-fun/

CR Moss

http://crmoss.blogspot.com/

Sandra Sookoo

http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/birthday-bash-blog-hop-for-kathleen-grieve/

Stacey Espino

http://www.staceyespino.blogspot.com/

Jean Joachim

http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Labelle

http://labellebooks.blogspot.com/

So, lets blow out some candles before a fire starts in here! Whew!

Kathleen

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!! CELEBRATE WITH MY BIRTHDAY BASH BLOG HOP~

2011-12-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

Welcome! On Friday, December 16, I turn 29...again! Well... I can dream, can't I? LOL. But to celebrate my 40+ birthday, I've put together a little blog hop and it's a chance for you to win!

The Birthday Bash starts on December 12 and goes through the 16th! So come back on Monday to start entering! Basically, all you need to do is comment on each author blog to be entered for drawings for the prizes. The more blogs you comment on, the higher your chances of winning! Easy as a piece of Grandma's pie!! I will hit each blog Saturday Dec 17 and draw random winners from each blog and post a list here on Keeping A Pulse on Life & Romance blog.

The prizes up for grabs:

Free e-books by your favorite authors!

$50 Amazon Gift Card

Five $5.00 Evernight Gift Certificates

Grand Prize: Kindle

Don't forget how easy it is to be entered in the GRAND PRIZE DRAWING for the KINDLE!! Just Follow and comment on all the blogs listed here on THE KEEPING A PULSE ON LIFE & ROMANCE BLOG AT http://www.kathleengrieve.blogspot.com/ .

There is a link that goes to each participating author! The more you comment, the more chances of winning! And don't forget your email address when you comment!! Have fun!

Drea Beacraft

www.dreabecraft.wordpress.com

Doris O'Connor

http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.com/

Lee Ann Sontheimermurphy
http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com

Lorraine Nelson
http://lorrainenelson.wordpress.com

Kathleen Grieve
http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com

Kerrianne Coombs
http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/blog-hop-fun/

CR Moss
http://crmoss.blogspot.com/

Sandra Sookoo http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/birthday-bash-blog-hop-for-kathleen-grieve/

Stacey Espino
http://www.staceyespino.blogspot.com

Jean Joachim
Http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com/grieve

Jennifer Labelle
http://labellebooks.blogspot.com

So, lets blow out some candles before a fire starts in here! Whew!
Kathleen

DIABETIC MONDAYS~FACT #28 ~DIABETIC GASTROPORESIS~

2011-12-08T04:56:00.000-08:00

I know that it isn't Monday...it's Thursday. But with all the author guest posts and the promo for my current book, a lot of my regular posts I like to do have been put aside. For those of you that know me, know that every once in a while I post medical facts every now and again. I usually reserve Mondays for anything Diabetic related. I am in a unique position as a health care professional to share my knowledge with you all and if anything seems familiar or if you have questions, I encourage you to call your doctor and make an appointment to get yourself checked out!

Today, I wanted to discuss a little something called diabetic gastroporesis. Gastro--what? Gastroporesis!! It can be a very debilitating, painful, complication of diabetes. Simply speaking, it means that the stomach's ability to move food into the small intestine (one of the main functions of your stomach) is impaired because of severe nerve damage.

The exact cause of this condition is unknown. But it is believed that consistently high blood sugar levels and insulin deficiency may be contributing factors in damaging the nerve fibers that control the motility of your gut.

Symptoms you may experience if you have gastroporesis are but not limited to the following:

~abdominal pain

~poor appetite

~excessive weight loss

~heartburn

~low blood sugar levels followed by a spike in blood sugar

~difficulty swallowing

~a feeling of fullness after on a couple of bites of food

~constipation alternating with diarrhea

~nausea and vomiting

~malabsorption of nutrients & medications taken orally

~electrolyte imbalance such as low potassium and sodium

~dehydration

~foul breath

~Worst case scenario would be coma...death

Since this has hit so close to home as my very dear sister is a diabetic and now has this permanent chronic condition, I'm sad to say there are very few treatments available. But there are ways to manage the condition.

~Medications may be used to manage the nausea/vomiting and increase gut motility to try and keep things moving along.

~Diet modification may be necessary to allow for adequate intake so you do not become malnourished and/or dehydrated. It can includes frequent small meals, a restriction is fatty foods and plant fiber, an increase in liquids or shakes packed full of nutrients.

Sometimes it may be necessary to place a gastric tube for feeding. It is a relatively small procedure where a puncture through the abdominal wall is performed and the tube is placed. Placing a G-tube like the one shown "bypasses" where the main nerve damage is located and allows a person to get the important nutrients he needs.

~Enterra Therapy System~While doing the research for this blog post, I found this really cool therapy where an electronic device can be inserted and it provides electrical impulses to stimulate the stomach muscles to do it's job! It's like a pacemaker for your stomach! Watch this video!!

Very cool, indeed. Don't you just love technology??? Thank you all for stopping by today! Take care of yourselves!!

Kathleen

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~DREA BECRAFT~

2011-12-07T00:05:00.000-08:00

This Author Spotlight features Drea Becraft. She's going to tell us a bit about her Christmas release that has such a delish cover! Take it away Drea...

Thank you so much for having me on your blog today Kathleen.

Tis the season…yes that’s right the Christmas season.

I have most of my outside family already bought for but my children only a few things so far. I am so looking forward to seeing all the faces of my loved ones as they open their gifts.

Below is the info on my newest release The Real Saint Nic…ONLY $0.99...I hope it strikes your fancy.

Free Read (My Wish For Christmas Is You): http://dreabecraft.com/bookshelf/free-read/

The Real Saint Nic Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Real-Saint-Nic-ebook/dp/B0065KXCKY/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321031003&sr=1-6

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Real-Saint-Nic/Drea-Becraft/e/2940013556270?itm=5&usri=drea%2bbecraft

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-therealsaintnic-637496-139.html

Blurb:

Aimee’s life changed one night, not long ago, when she staked a vampire to save another. Still reeling from that life changing night, Aimee decides to go home with Brenda, her best friend, for the holidays. She never expected Brenda’s brother, who comes off more like the Grinch then Santa, to have so many saint like qualities. Years spent alone, with no family or friends, plays heavy on her mind but Nic could possible be the one who changes it all.

Has always been a sore spot for Nicolai. He’s the real saint Nic, but society has him all wrong. He’s no saint. In truth, he’s a vampire. Over the centuries, Nic has spent the holidays fighting off the ridicule from his younger brother and giving to those less fortune, not seeing his own worth. Until one mortal, brought home by his sister Brenda, changes the holiday and his outlook on life for eternity.

Is it possible that Nic has finally found his Mrs. Clause? When worlds meld, can Aimee find the happy ever after she once asked Santa for so many years ago, or is she doomed to spend forever lonely on Christmas?

Excerpt:

With a flick of his hand, the lights next to the bed turned on as did a few lamps across the room. Once my eyes adjusted, I got a better look at the amount of presents. Hundreds, littered the room. The only space not filled was around the bed and a path to two doors in opposite directions. Red, green, and golds splattered the room in a festive show of color.

“You really are Saint Nic.” Astonished I tried desperately to keep my mouth closed.

“Please don’t call me that.”

“Why not?” Turning away from the presents I turned my gaze to Nic’s in question.

“Because I’m nowhere near a saint.” Brows furrowing Nic stared intently at the computer screen.

“Then how did you get the name?”

“That would be Jaysen’s doing. One day, not to long after I started giving the gifts, we got into an argument. I don’t remember most of what was said, after all, it was quite a while ago, but I do remember the comment was rather snide. To this day neither of us knows how it ended up outside our argument, but it still reminds me of that comment. Besides saints are deemed so because of the greatness they do for mankind all I do is give a few toys to some kids.”

Moved by the noticeable hurt in his eyes, a relentless knot twisted in my stomach. Though I still didn’t know him, the connection between us grew with each passing moment.

Whether it was hormones or the fact that we were supposed to be mates, I didn’t know, but I couldn’t stand to see him sad.

I scooted out of the bed and made my way to him, wrapping paper shuffling under my feet. Then, as if it were the most natural thing to do, I lowered myself into his lap and hugged him close. “To those kids you are the world.”

“That’s why I do it every year. Though not in the grand scale that everyone thinks. I try to help at least a few orphanages and hospitals each year.”

“See, you are a saint. Every year you create the biggest rush of hope and joy to the children across the world. Though you can‘t help them all, the small sacrifices you have made over the centuries have helped to shape our world and helps friends and families learn the true meaning of giving. Without you there would be no hope of a perfect

Christmas. If that isn‘t the act of a saint, I don‘t know what is.”

With a grunt in my ear, Nic’s arms tightened around me as he buried his head in the hair between my shoulder blade and ear.

Pulling away slightly, I raised my hands and held of each side of his head. My fingers ran though the silken strands of his hair using that leverage I brought his head up until our eyes met. Leaning down I kissed his full lips with a slight brush of mine.

You are the best mate anyone could ask for. Speaking while our mouths were still fused, Nic sipped from my lips slowly.

Thank you so much Drea! Definitely on my TBB list!
Happy Wednesday, Everybody!

Kathleen

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~KELLIE KAMRYN~HER FIVE WAYS TO FIND HAPPINESS IN LIFE AND LOVE

2011-12-05T00:59:00.000-08:00

Today, I have the lovely, Kellie Kamryn on my blog. She gives some really great advice, so pay attention! LOL But the best part...she sent me 3 really awesome book covers of current releases. I put Pleasure Island first, because I just bought this one! I can't wait to read it! So, I want your complete and full attention while Kellie gives you a little insight and as you scroll down, you will see her other awesome book covers! Drum roll please....

My Five Ways to Find Happiness in Life and Love

I’m sure people are thinking, “Oh right – let’s take advice from the woman going through a divorce!” Well, don’t consider this advice. These are five things I’ve learned throughout my life so far, that I’ve found to help me through whatever life throws at me.

1. Laugh. I’m sure people wouldn’t admit it, but have you ever hit your girlfriend in the eye with your, er, you know – member? Ever slipped and fell, putting your knee through the drywall? Or how about feeling kind of flexible in the moment and though it seemed like a good idea to put your leg in that position, you then couldn’t walk for a week?

Sex, like life, should be fun, an adventure. That means laughter. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. If mishaps happen, hopefully you and your partner can chuckle about it and make it work. The point of any relationship should be to enjoy yourselves and if you’re not, ask yourself why. If you can’t get through those “funny” moments, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate.

2. Take a chance. This is pretty much a theme in all romance novels and it’s certainly one in mine. What’s worse – having a secret crush and never saying anything OR taking a chance that the object of your affections might hold affection for you. And if they don’t, at least you can get over it. In my opinion, never knowing is worse than finding out the truth. And use this in all areas of your life – not just your love life!

3. Own your feelings. How you feel isn’t dependent on how someone else feels about you. Often in real life, we wait to tell someone those 3 little words to make sure they feel the same. But what’s wrong with admitting you’re in love with someone? It doesn’t make you weak. Letting love into your life gives you power. It doesn’t mean you have to shout it from the rooftops, or even tell them. If you suspect they don’t feel the same, keep it to yourself and think about whether or not they might feel that way about you one day. You’ll know when it’s time to make a decision about staying or going.

4. Listen to your intuition. Even if you have no concrete evidence that this person isn’t for you, but your intuition is screaming at you to run the other way – listen. Most likely you’ll be right, and it’ll save a lot of heartache down the road.

5. The “Mate List”. Before you jump into another relationship, make a list of traits you desire in a potential mate. Read it over, and eliminate anything you can live without. I’ve seen this work more often than not. A few of my friends married exactly the kind of person they were looking for by making the “mate list”. And this doesn’t just have to work for relationships – make a list for the kind of job you want, the kind of major purchase you want to make. Having a clear idea of what you want in any area of your life will bring you that much closer to your goal.

And sometimes for all our good intentions, we fall in love with the wrong person anyway. Or maybe they were just “Ms./Mr. Right Now.” Sometimes people come into our lives to teach us something. Hopefully, the lesson won’t be too painful! Stay true to yourself, take a chance, and find someone to laugh with! Life is too short to be miserable. 

PLEASURE ISLAND

Chelsea Hunter didn't come to the resort looking for sex. Jake Davis intends to change her mind. Will they be able to turn up the heat, or will their visit to Pleasure Island leave them cold?

After finalizing her divorce, Chelsea Hunter came to the resort island of Paradise for some peace and quiet so she could figure out what her next step would be. She hadn’t expected to find herself at an exotic hotel dedicated to pleasures of the flesh. Too bad she doesn’t want sex.

Jake Davis is back in Paradise after visiting a year ago when his own marriage fell apart. This time his fantasy is to guide a woman through her sexual journey. He hadn’t counted on being paired with the only woman in Paradise who prefers privacy over pleasure!

Will Jake be able to discover what Chelsea truly needs, or will their journey to Paradise remain

unfulfilled?

http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=848

Going for Gold

http://www.romancedivine.com/index.php?p=product&id=188

Monkeys, Sex and Other Birthday Surprises

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&products_id=137&zenid=70e41e3aa9c9c9803b4602185b4e76fa

Readers can visit: www.kelliekamryn.com to find out about my newest releases. Drop by the blog to read excerpts and find buy links: http://www.kelliekamryn.blogspot.com/ Or facebook www.facebook.com/KellieKamryn or on twitter @KellieKamryn

Recently, Kellie shared some really great recipes for some awesome treats for the holidays. So be sure to stop by and check those out, too!

Enjoy your day!
Kathleen

Character Interviews Continue with Heather Heistand's Linet Fenna~1862 Style

2011-12-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

Linet Fenna Interview Blog

December 24, 1892

Eliza Dunney: Welcome to London Housemaid Monthly, Miss Fenna, and thank you for being our subject for this month’s feature. How long have you been in service?

Linet Fenna: Three years now.

Eliza Dunney: Did you start out as a housemaid?

Linet Fenna: No, I was a maid-of-all-work for a small household, starting when I was seventeen. Last year I came to the Guterman’s house as second housemaid.

Eliza Dunney: Is it your dream to be a housekeeper one day?

Linet Fenna: Well, if I don’t marry. Not many other choices these days.

Eliza Dunney: Did you once have different dreams?

Linet Fenna: She smiles. My early life was anything but traditional. Of course, I can’t speak about it, since my family was a bit, well, unusual.

Eliza Dunney: What happened to change the course of your life?

Linet Fenna: Prime Minister Gladstone decided only the British Air Force, the Blockaders, belonged in the skies. Anyone who was known to have an airship was arrested. She shudders.

Eliza Dunney: Wasn’t anyone who owned an airship an air pirate?

Linet Fenna: A free trader, more like. Don’t you think taxes on luxury goods are too high?

Eliza Dunney: You do have a point. Did you have help escaping during the arrests?

Linet Fenna: No, I’m completely on my own now.

Eliza Dunney: The sound of chugging can be heard in the air. That sounds like an airship, Miss Fenna.

Linet Fenna: Yes, I suppose you are correct. Looks wistful. I remember when that was a happy sound.

Eliza Dunney: Do you think the free traders will ever rise again?

Linet Fenna: The prime minister is an old man. Hopefully the next government will be less restrictive. But Gladstone wiped out a generation of airship captains. When the new captains emerge, they will be young and hungry.

Eliza Dunney: And handsome, I hope?

Linet Fenna: She grins. Airship captains? Trust me, they are always handsome, and very sure of themselves!

Eliza Dunney: Thank you for sitting with us today. I’m sure you must get back to your duties.

Linet Fenna. Oh yes. The first housemaid is ill and the Gutermans have many guests arriving later today for the holidays. I have much to accomplish!

Eliza Dunney: Good luck to you, Miss Fenna!

Author bio:

Heather Hiestand is the author of seven novels as well as many novellas and short stories. Her imagination keeps her entertained with romance, mystery and futuristic/fantasy story ideas, many of which eventually become words on a page. She lives in Washington State with her husband and son. For more information, see her website at www.heatherhiestand.com.

Captain Andrew’s Flying Christmas Blurb:

Housemaid Linet Fenna would rather be an air pirate than a servant. When she finds the ladder to an airship dangling outside her garret window on Christmas Eve, 1892, she ascends to the skies above London on her late father’s flagship dirigible, the Christmas. The new captain is someone she never expected to see again, a dangerous, sexy foe. Is the Fenna family nemesis offering Linet her heart’s desire or a dastardly trap? Captain Andrew’s motivations are as foggy as the coal-soaked sky. Prime Minister Gladstone’s Blockaders, a horde of automen and a teenage girl named Hatchet want Linet to fail in her quest to discover what happened to her missing family, but she is determined to have a happy Christmas.

Captain Andrew’s Flying Christmas links:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Christmas-Steampunk-Smugglers-ebook/dp/B005WASTQK

Smashwords:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96889

BN:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Captain-Andrews-Flying-Christmas/Heather-Hiestand/e/2940013314191

ARe:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-captainandrew039sflyingchristmas-624819-339.html

Happy Saturday everyone!!
Kathleen

COMING SOON! A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY!

2011-12-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

Just need to share with you that it's my birthday coming up! Yes...I will be 29 years old--again! So, my plan is to let all my readers benefit from my growing age!

Here's my plan. A birthday blog hop. The more blogs you visit and comment on, the more your chances of winning. What you say can I win? Well...How about...

A Kindle....

And a $50 Amazon Gift card....

Five--yes five $5 Evernight Publishing Gift certificates....

And a free book from me to you from each participating author!

Who's participating? Well, yours truly, of course!

Jean Joachim
Lindsay Downs
Kerrianne Coombs
Drea Becraft
Doris O'Connor
Stacey Espino
Lorraine Nelson
CR Moss
Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
Sandra Sookoo

More details to follow as I get myself orgainized. Dates will be December 12-16 and winners announced on December 17th!
Stay tuned!
Kathleen

CHARACTER INTERVIEWS CONTINUE WITH "IN IT TO WIN" BY MORGAN KEARNS!

2011-12-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! Happy Friday to all! Today, Morgan Kearns introduces Grayson Pierce! I'm a huge baseball fan and I can't wait to get to know Grayson a bit more personally! Take it away, Morgan!

I am Morgan Kearns; former journalist, current author, and mother of four children to keep things interesting. I write contemporary and paranormal romance.

My second novel, IN IT TO WIN IT, is the story of Sportscaster Jane Alexander and Baseball Bad-Boy Grayson Pierce.

Tabloids love Grayson, and I’ve gotta admit I’m pretty fond of him myself.

MK: *shakes his huge hand* Hey, Grayson, it’s really good to see you.

Grayson: It’s great to see you, too, Morgan. How are things? You torturing Xavier yet?

MK: Torturing? Is that what you think I do?

Grayson: *laughs* Hell, yeah. You’re pretty sadistic.

MK: *rolls eyes* It’s a good thing you’re story’s already done.

Grayson: Seriously, you’re writing his story, right?

MK: I am. He’s an interesting guy.

Grayson: *nods* He needs a good woman who’ll love that chip off his shoulder. Do you know who she is yet.

MK: Of course. You know her, too.

Grayson: Really?

MK: *holds up hand* Before you ask; no, I won’t tell you who she is.

Grayson: Damn.

MK: Let’s talk about Jane.

Grayson: My favorite subject.

MK: How are things going between you two?

Grayson: *shakes his head and grins like a fool* She’s good. She’s great. We’re great. Did you know we’re getting married?

MK: I did hear that somewhere.

Grayson: *laughs* Yeah, I’m sure you did.

MK: How’s the long distance thing working?

Grayson: *frowns* It sucks. Last year was brutal. But I don’t have to report for spring training until February so we’re spending every possible second together ‘til then. After that … I don’t want to think about it.

MK: Tell me about the first time you saw Jane after fifteen years.

Grayson: Seeing her was like a two-by-four to the chest. She looked amazing, better than I’d imagined. I didn’t expect her to be standing in the locker room.

MK: She is a sportscaster.

Grayson: Yeah. I know, and I expected she’d be shoving a microphone in my face at some point, but I didn’t expect her to show up when she did. I really threw me for a loop.

MK: You were kind of a jerk to her.

Grayson: *laughs* Kind of? I was a complete and total ass! The stricken look on her face nearly killed me. I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and never let her go. I’m surprised she didn’t slap me silly.

MK: What does the future hold?

Grayson: I don’t know beyond the wedding. I travel a lot. Her job keeps her in Salt Lake. We’re taking things one day at a time. She loves me, that’s all that matters to me. And she’s amazing.

MK: What about kids?

Grayson: *big cheesy grin* Yes.

MK: Is that an announcement?

Grayson: *raises brow* You tell me.

MK: *laughs* Touche. Okay, this question is for Liza; Do you have any available friends she could date?

Grayson: *shrugs* A lot of the guys are still single. Would I set them up with someone as sweet as Liza? Probably not. But, if you’re to be believed, and Xavier can be tamed, then anything’s possible. Give me her number, I’ll see what I can do.

Jane sticks her head in.

Jane: Oh, hey, Morgan. I’m sorry to bug you guys, but I need to steal him away. We’re going to be late for the appointment to pick out Save-The-Date cards.

Grayson: Thanks, babe. We’re almost done.

Jane leaves.

MK: Last question. What’s Santa bringing Jane?

Grayson: *grins* I know it’s cheesy, but I got her diamond earrings.

MK: Not cheesy at all. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Jane and Grayson’s story is IN IT TO WIN IT and can be found on:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004VS3H84/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_g351_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1CW6VS8GQA0RDH1SBS4H&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=50784

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-it-to-win-it-morgan-kearns/1030917200?ean=2940012678997&itm=1&usri=win%2bit%2bkearns

Other ebook: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/75280

Autographed Paperback: http://morgankearns.com/contemporary_romance_.html

Why thank you, Morgan for introducing Grayson to us! I can't wait to read this one!

In other news today, my virtual blog tour continues with my current release of Dating 911 over at Paranormal & Erotica Musings http://www.shewrites.com/xn/detail/3506464:BlogPost:530134

Stop by and comment on my post of "Nurses Naughty or Nice"for your chance to win a free digital copy of my book! I hope to see you there!

Happy Friday!
Kathleen

Character Interviews Continue With The Fantastic, Lindsay Downs

2011-12-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

Such a lovely, holiday cover, don't you think? It's warm and inviting! It's Lindsay's current Holiday release that became available on Black Friday. And speaking of invites, I'm pleased to have mystery author, Lindsay Downs on my blog today with an interview with Special Agent Emily Dahill. Take it away, Ms. Downs....

Interviewer: Today I’m joined by Special Agent Emily Dahill, CID.

Emily Dahill: *nods greeting*

I: Why don’t you start by telling us a little about yourself?

ED: Is that a size joke? Just because I’m only five one doesn’t make me small. I like to think of myself as a stick of dynamite packed in a bullet.

I: I’m sorry. What I should have said was tell us where you’re from and some of your Army background? Like, did you always want to be a CID agent?

ED: Being a Army brat I really never had a home, a house yeah, in one Army base or another all over the world. It wasn’t until I took the post at Fort Del Gue did I finally get the home I’d wanted all those years. And as for being a CID agent, yes that was a lifelong dream of mine. I get the best, for me at least, of both worlds. I’m still in the Army and I have a wonderful opportunity to help protect soldiers from criminals.

I: Even if the criminal is a soldier?

ED: Even more so. There was this one case, you all will get to read about it in January I think. Anyway, this one soldier had committed a crime before enlisting and wasn’t caught until years later. It’s a really fascinating story that I’m sure everyone will enjoy reading.

I: Isn’t that the case where *scratches head thinking* what’s his name makes an appearance again?

ED: *her brow furrows in disappointment* Yes, actually this was the second time in recent memory, which with him is the only recollection I have. If it’s the same person, whom we’ve come to call ‘the brown-haired man’, I think we first met in Iraq but with the helicopter crash and everything that part of my memory is lost. The shrink says it’s some form of amnesia that may or may not improve.

I: *interrupts* But you can describe him, right?

ED: Ah, no. I recognize him at the time I see him but put me in front of a sketch artist and forget it. Blank. Too bad Dakota can’t talk then he’d be able to give a really good description of the man.

I: Speaking of Dakota, where is he? I’d have thought he would have come with you today.

ED: He was going to come but decided to stay back at Richard and Alison’s house. Seem the kids and their new puppies are stopping over for some training.

I: Those are the ones from the newest book, A Dog Gone Christmas?

ED: Yes, and I hope I didn’t give too much of the story away. It’s really sweet and very heartwarming. I did bring the backcover blurb so everyone who stops by can see for themselves. The author is also donating a portion of the royalties to the local collie rescue group.

I: Great, you didn’t by any chance bring the blurb for your first book, you know the one where Dakota out fishes you and your friends.

ED: *BLUSHES* Grrrrrr. Yes I did and I was told by the author that one lucky person who leaves a comment gets a chance to win both books. *Emily answers her cellphone* Sorry but I’ve got to get back to the house. Seems Dad just showed up. It’s been nice talking with you. Oh, here’s the blurbs I brought. *hands a sheet of paper to the interviewer.

I: It’s been a pleasure having you and say HI to your father for me. *Shakes hands with Emily then turns to the camera* here are the blurbs my guest mentioned:

Emily Dahill, CID Part 1
Final Mission-After being seriously wounded in a copter crash in Iraq Sgt. Emily Dahill meets her new partner as she embarks on her new Army career as a CID agent. Who could this new partner be?

A Body in the Snow- Emily and her partner, Dakota, cross bullets with their most determined foe. Who will survive?
Right Place, Wrong Day-On leave to hang with friends Emily gets the surprise of her life.

Dog on Fishing-When it comes to knowing how to fish, and catch the big ones, never underestimate your partner. He might surprise you.

A Dog Gone Christmas
When a call for paws goes out, five friends bring their collies without question to a friend’s house. They learn the collies are needed to help seven children with the grief of losing a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan. Now, with seven friends, four collie yearlings and their mother, they set out to help the children.

Not far away a mother hopefully leads her seven puppies to safety from a man intent on selling them for illicit purposes.
By a miracle of fate the two mother collies find each other right before the man sells the puppies.

That Christmas morning will be one the children will remember all their lives and they are united with the puppies.

Buy Links for Emily Dahill, CID Part 1
To request an autograph on your kindle (my author page)
http://kindlegraph.com/authors/ldowns2966

Astraea Press
http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662256&mode=product&product=5192868
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Emily-Dahill-CID-Part-ebook/dp/B005F5D2JG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322547289&sr=8-1
Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/emily-dahill-cid-part-one-lindsay-downs/1104547210?ean=2940013148963&itm=2&usri=lindsay+downs
Bookstrand
http://www.bookstrand.com/emily-dahill-cid-part-one

Links for A Dog Gone Christmas
To request an autograph on your kindle (my author page)
http://kindlegraph.com/authors/ldowns2966

Astraea Press http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=1651593&mode=product&product=7885672
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/A-Dog-Gone-Christmas-ebook/dp/B006DTZ7LE/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1322547349&sr=1-2
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107746543?ean=2940013541320&itm=1&usri=lindsay+downs
All Romance
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-adoggonechristmas-646475-148.html

Thank you, Lindsay! I have Emily Dahill, CID Part 1 on my iPad! I can't wait to have a few days to myself so I can read it! **rubs hands together** My VBT for my latest release Dating 911 continues. Today, I'm sharing some of Roxanne's recipes! Stop by Fictional Candy Blog at this link: http://fictionalcandy.blogspot.com/2011/12/guest-post-kathleen-grieve-dating-911.html

Have a wonderful Thursday, Everyone!
Kathleen

Double Crossing - Lily Granville and Ace Diamond Square Off by Meg Mims

2011-11-30T00:05:00.000-08:00

Double Crossing - Lily Granville and Ace Diamond Square Off

By Meg Mims in Character Interviews

What do you get when you pair up a wealthy, well-bred heiress – sheltered and educated with an impulsive streak – and a gambling, mercenary Texan cowboy?

Double Crossing is a twist on “True Grit” but it takes place on the 1869 Iron Horse – months after the Union and Central Pacific railroad lines joined at Promontory Point. Nineteen-year-old Lily Granville is stunned with her father is murdered and vows to track the killer across the country to California - who also stole a valuable gold mine deed.

Once Lily arrives in Omaha, she discovers that someone is now tracking her. Could it be the killer? And why? Lily decides to enlist “Ace” Diamond, who agrees to protect her – for a price.

Q for Lily – how did you feel when you first met Ace?

A – Since he literally crashed his way into my life, I did feel a twinge of compassion… he was injured, and I felt my Christian duty was to help… until I caught sight of his Confederate belt buckle with the Texas Lone Star. I *know* my father would never have approved of an ex-Rebel soldier – and that deepened my guilt. However, after someone searched my hotel room and my personal belongings, I had no choice but to hire Ace Diamond for protection. He was the most unlikely “angel” as an answer from God after I’d prayed for help! I suppose beggars can’t be choosers, though.

Q for Ace – what was your first impression of Lily?

A – First time I set eyes on that pretty filly, all golden-haired and sweet, with the most kissable mouth, I was bushwhacked. Couldn’t remember my own name.

Q for Lily – were you surprised that Ace bargained with you over his fee?

A – To be truthful, I was. I offered him a fair wage, but then he demanded an exorbitant amount in addition to the expense of a Pullman ticket! But it made sense that he had to be near on the train. Still, he insisted on a bonus once we reached California. And I was furious when I discovered that Ace had bragged to the other gentlemen in the smoking car about that bonus I promised my uncle would pay - him when we arrived in California! And that was before we were halfway across country. Really, Mr. Diamond was quite presumptuous. And forward, given his roving—well, let’s just say he’s no gentleman. I shouldn’t have been surprised at that!

Q for Ace – why did you accept Lily’s offer?

A – Easy as ropin' a baby steer, riding shotgun on a train. But that stubborn little gal sure fooled me. I earned my fee. And then some.

Q for Lily – before the railroad trip, what was your dream for a happy future?

A – I wanted… well, I wasn’t really certain what I wanted and whether I'd be happy becoming a missionary to China. I know my father wanted me to marry and provide him with grandchildren. He believed I deserved a decent man, a good provider and one who supported my ideas. I did want to experience adventure and independence, since I'd lived a sheltered life in Evanston, just north of Chicago, but I also wanted to come home again where I felt safe. I so enjoyed long talks with Father, sketching my pet lizard in the lovely garden and watching the leaves change in fall and the snow fall in winter. Father’s death changed everything, however. I was devastated. And I *had* to see that justice was done.

Q for Ace – what about you, same question?

A – A good woman in a nice, cozy bed. I’ve got my eye on a certain woman now.

Hmm -- seems Ace is a man of few words. Lily will soon find herself in hotter water in the sequel, Double or Nothing -- I hope readers are looking forward to more adventures!

Thank you, Meg! This sounds really good. I'm looking forward to taking a gander at it. Especially since I lived in Omaha for a time.

So, if you're looking to win a free book, my Virtual Blog Tour for Dating 911 is still running. I'm over at Sharon Hamilton's blog today. Just go to http://sharonhamiltonauthor.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment for your chance to win.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!
Kathleen

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~CARRIE ANN RYAN~

2011-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Inspiration: Hot Guys, Flying Birds and Broccoli

I love when readers and other authors ask me where my inspiration comes from. Because frankly, my answer is always either: I wish I knew or everywhere. An author can come up with their ideas from the strangest things. From the way your broccoli is placed on your plate – yes Jessica, I’m talking to you – or the way Chris Helmsworth walks across the screen shirtless. *Let us all pause and reflect on that image.*

Okay, I’m back.

But really, my inspiration come from everywhere and anything. For An Alpha’s Path, my inspiration came from the fact that I wanted to see how I would react in an odd situation. You see, Melanie is a chemist – just like me. She also spent most of her life behind a lab bench – just like me. Now, what would happen if I found out that the world was bigger than I’d imagined? What would my analytical mind do? Hopefully I wouldn’t react quite like Melanie, but I digress.

I also wanted to put myself, *ahem* Melanie, in a situation in which I would never be in – an overnight blind date. I mean – hot! – right? Melanie and Kade have a splendid time, you’ll see. Kade is an amazing man who came from all of my dreams of a man. He’s not perfect, but he’s perfect for Melanie.

My inspiration comes from what I want to be and what I think might happen. I saw two doves flying in the air one day, very pretty, and tried to take a picture. My epic fail at that caused my dreams of writing an novel about angels – which I one day will write.

But for An Alpha’s Path, I wanted to see what would happen to me. Because apparently I’m self-centered. LOL. Now be warned, Melanie is quite different from me after I finally found who she was. So don’t be scared!

An Alpha’s Path is start of my Redwood Pack seven book series. I didn’t have a set inspiration for my wolves, but I did have an idea. I don’t know where it came from – but I wanted to talk about a family who loved each other and fought for each other. That is what you will find with the Jamensons. I hope you find it too.

Now go back to the picture of Chris and smile. Then go out and find your own inspirations. Where do you find yours?

Thank you so much Kathleen for letting me come here today!

An Alpha’s Path will be released December 5^th.

An Alpha’s Path Blurb

Melanie is a twenty-five year old chemist who has spent all of her adult life slaving at school. With her PhD in hand, she's to start her dream job, but before she does, her friend persuades her to relax and try to live again. A blind date set up through her friends seems like the perfect solution. Melanie can take one night away from the lab and let her inner vixen out on a fixed blind date - a chance to get crazy with a perfect stranger. The gorgeous hunk she's to meet exceeds her wildest dreams – be he is more than what he appears and Melanie's analytical mind goes into overdrive.

Kade, a slightly older werewolf (at over one hundred years), needs a night way from the Pack. Too many responsibilities and one near miss with a potential mate made Kade hide in his work, the only peace he can find. His brother convinces him to meet the sexy woman for a one night of fun. What could it hurt? But when he finds this woman could be his mate, can he convince her to leave her orderly, sane world and be with him and his wolf-half, for life?

Here is a taste of the first chapter:

Chapter 1

The thundering in Melanie Cross’s ears increased as her breath became shallow. Palms sweaty, she bit her lip and nervously tapped her foot, as she took in her surroundings. The lobby looked like a palace. Tall, cream colored pillars and chocolate molding surrounded the opulent sitting area. Gorgeous light fixtures with tear drop crystals hung from the walls and the ceiling, giving the room a soft glow. Warm and inviting. But she didn’t want to feel invited. She wanted to leave. Run away and never look back.

What was she thinking? Melanie was a smart, hardworking person. A freshly printed PhD in Nuclear Chemistry and a painstakingly long, nine hundred page, leather bound thesis sat on her desk, proved it. She could accomplish things on her own. Her ideas were acclaimed, and her work referenced numerous times. Any job her heart desired, now hers for the asking. Because of this she was about to bypass the normal post-doc route of working underneath yet another professor. Now she would be an Associate Professor with her own research group at an Ivy League University.

She gained a few close friends over the years, and even though she didn’t have an overly active social life – okay she didn’t have one to speak of – she thought her life was just peachy.

Yet her friends thought with all of the accomplishments in her educational career she was still uptight. Some even said she was missing her ideal husband. But her closest friend Larissa decided she just needed to get laid.

Mel thought back to when her best friend first told her this crazy idea.

“Really Melanie, when was the last time you got laid? First year? Even earlier? It’s ridiculous! You are practically a born-again virgin.” Larissa laughed at her own joke and then slid a business card across her newly cleared off lab bench.

“What’s this?” A name printed on the card, Jamenson Services, stared back at her. “You’re sending me to a gigolo?” She gasped and tried to throw the card away before Larissa quickly swiped it from her hands.

“No. The Jamensons are contractors. The man who owns it is an acquaintance of mine. He built the new green house at my parents. Come on, you need a date and so does he. It is only for one evening, and sex isn’t required. But honestly, the way those Jamenson boys are built, you’ll be dropping your panties at his command,” Larissa lifted one eyebrow and laughed again.

“Oh I don’t think so. I’m not that desperate. It’s just that I’ve have been so focused on my work that I haven’t had time to date a man, let alone look for one.” Melanie knew she could have just looked across the lab bench for the last five years to find a date. But really Timmy wasn’t at all that worth to look.

“Honey, you are too rigid. You need one night off before you skip ahead to the next part of your life. Call the number on the card and talk to Jasper. He’s the brother of the guy I think would be perfect for you. Do it and get laid.” She laughed, pushing the card in Melanie’s hand.

Somewhere deep down Melanie knew Larissa was right. Melanie didn’t throw the card away. She couldn’t. Now six weeks later, she found herself sitting in the Hilton Resort in Seattle, about to vomit on the new black Fuck-Me pumps Larissa forced her to wear.

“Miss? Are you okay?”

At the sound of a deep voice, her head shot up to look at a very handsome man. Dark skinned, with piercing eyes, he surveyed her. Oh my, is this her date?

“Oh I’m fine. Just getting the nerve to walk into the bar, to get even more nerve to wait for my date.” She winced at how fast and squeaky she spoke but really – why was she even here?

“I’m the manager, Lance Morse, let me walk you to the bar, and get you a shot of that nerve.” He winked and she smiled him.

Melanie took a deep breath. “Okay.” Wow. Surely, anyone could tell she was Dr. Melanie Cross, rather than the dumb blonde she seemed to be portraying. Or not.

He took her arm and guided her away from where she sat for twenty minutes regretting her decisions. Lance walked her toward the bar, while talking about the various hotel and resort amenities and events. She nodded while he spoke, as she felt the bar beckon her.

“Here we are. Thank you again for coming. If you need anything, feel no hesitation in asking one of my employees to assist you or ask for me by name. Enjoy your evening, Melanie Cross.”

She smiled then stopped breathing for a moment. “How…”

“Your friend, Larissa, texted me earlier to be on the lookout for a small, shy blonde by the name of Melanie Cross and you seemed to fit the description. I took a gamble.” He smiled.

Before she could respond, he winked again and walked out of the bar leaving her alone.

As she sat down, a Bay Breeze magically appeared in front of her and the bartender winked at her as he walked away. Did all men at this hotel wink? Her phone buzzed as she was just about to get freaked out.

Melanie babe, please relax. Your date should be there soon. Take a nice drink of that concoction and enjoy your evening. Oh and get laid.

Melanie laughed. Larissa possessed a one-track mind. She took a drink when her phone buzzed again.

Just remember to keep an open mind. He really is quite sweet and won’t bite. Well, only occasionally. And only if you want him to.

What the hell?

****

Kade Jamenson stepped into the lobby and was immediately assaulted by the delicate honey vanilla scent wafting throughout the room. His muscles clenched and he balled his fists, gaining control.

Mate?

He tried to tone down his edginess, but it felt as though his wolf was trying to claw his way out from the inside.

He spoke to the wolf inside his head, “It surely smells like a possibility. But we are here for a date with a human. I am not so callous as to stand up a perfectly reasonable date just so I can follow a scent that could lead to disaster. Let me figure out this date first and then I will follow the scent if we have to. We already made the mistake of the wrong mate once; I don’t want to do it again.”

Mate!

His wolf was right. He knew the woman who could be his mate wasn’t even in the room, yet her scent and the urge to join with another was stronger by far than with Tracy. Kade took a deep breath of the honey vanilla scent and his balls tightened.

Damn. This woman was potentially his mate. How could this happen the night he finally took up his brother’s, Jasper, offer of a blind date?

He quickly texted Jasper to let him know that he needed to break his date or do some major rescheduling and thinking. He couldn’t be respectful to this human woman if he was aroused by another scent. It wasn’t fair to any party.

His phone buzzed not one minute later with a response.

Kade, don’t be an ass. Just go meet Melanie and I am sure you will have your answers.

After that cryptic comment, Kade didn’t know what to think. He knew from what Jasper told him, Melanie was a 5’2” petite blonde who should fit against his 6’2” frame nicely. He also knew the liquid brown eyes that gazed up at him from her photograph, made him want to know what was behind them. That was a first for him. He might have been slightly nervous about the date but he was oh so willing and eager to meet with her. Just remembering her photo made him smile and want to see her in person. He was an Alpha male with no small amount of pride. Hell, he was the Heir to the Redwood Pack, first in line to the throne. Kade took one last deep breath of that honey vanilla scent and squared his shoulders.

He had a date with a pretty blonde.

That's it for now!! Very nice Tease...

Carrie Ann Ryan is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first book in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She love meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website and Blog

Facebook Author Page

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Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan

Thank you so much for dropping by today, Carrie Ann! Can't wait for December 5th so I can snag a copy!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Kathleen

Interview with Kinnik Watkins...By Chicki Brown

2011-11-29T00:59:00.000-08:00

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME by Chicki Brown

On Kindle and Nook: http://amzn.to/dWZSxA http://bit.ly/k4Z172

Seven very different singles – four women and three men – rent a New Jersey beach house for the summer: author Shontae Nichols, self-employed accountant and realtor, Linda Harris, Linda’s sister, hip-hop video dancer Kinnik Watkins, cosmetologist, Jovita Blassingame, Calculus professor Curtis “Doc” Whetstone, actor and drama instructor, Kip Lee, and new housemate, up and coming film actor, Devon Burke.

During their two month stay, romances bloom, friendships are tested and when a tragedy strikes one of the housemates, they all learn the answer to the age-old question: Can men and women ever be just friends?

Interview with Kinnik Watkins, the female antagonist in HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME

I have been invited to Beach Haven, New Jersey to the house where Kinnik Watkins and her friends are spending the summer. To give us some privacy, we cross the beach and sit in the gazebo about 100 feet from the house. All the tall, voluptuous bronze goddess is wearing is a microscopic bikini and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

Me: (I stand and introduce myself.) Before we get started, can you tell me the correct way to pronounce your name?

Kinnik: (with a coquettish smile I find a bit strange.) It’s Kinnik. It rhymes with unique.

Me: You’re my second interview. As I explained to Shontae, I write for a magazine that wants to do a story about real singles living at the Jersey shore, considering how the TV show has become such a big hit.

Kinnik: (She slides her shades to the end of her nose and glances at me with soft, light brown eyes.) Something’s always on and popping on that show. I love it.

Me: (I sit on the chaise next to where she is reclining.) Thanks for agreeing to talk with me.

Kinnik: (flashes a captivating smile and runs her manicured fingers through the long strawberry blonde hair that complements her café au lait complexion) Sure, why not? You’ll probably need me to straighten out whatever Shontae told you anyway.

Me: I’m going to ask everyone the same questions, and I’ll be taping this, if you don’t mind.

Kinnik: (She crosses legs that make me want to hurry and call the nearest plastic surgeon for an emergency liposuction appointment.) No problem. I’m used to being recorded.

Me: I understand this is your third year together, so you must know your housemates pretty well. Can you tell me a little bit about each of them?

Kinnik: I guess this is the best they can do when it comes to vacations, considering none of them are really big money. I’m only here because my sister begged me to come. Personally, I think she has something up her sleeve.

Me: (checking my notes) Linda’s your sister. Is she older or younger?”

Kinnik: (rolls her eyes) Older, and she always has to make it a point to remind me. “She says she wants to talk to me about my career. Since she paid my rent for the summer, I couldn’t very well refuse. Linda doesn’t like me dancing, but I am not a nine-to-five person. She forgets that I make more than she does in a year, and I have two kids to take care of.”

Me and Jo have been friends for years. She’s for real people, the only one in this house that doesn’t judge every more I make. Jo is my makeup artist and hair stylist and she’s got mad skills. She’s just here to chill and see if her old man is going to pop the question.”

Me: Tell me about the men.

Kinnik: (Flips her hair over one shoulder) “Kip is my boy. We spent some time together during our first summer in Beach Haven, but that’s ancient history. Kip’s here to see how much coochie he can conquer in eight weeks. Doc, well there isn’t much I can say about him. When he doesn’t have his nose stuck in a book, he’s sniffing after my sister. Linda is the only reason he’s here, but he’s wasting his time, if you ask me. Kip and Devon provide the testosterone. They’re both so fine; you can hear the panties dropping when they walk into a room.

Me: You forgot Shontae.

Kinnik: (with another eye roll) No, I didn’t. She’s just not worth mentioning.

Me: Why is that?

Kinnik: “Because she’s easily forgettable.”

Me: “That’s funny. Shontae seemed very pleasant.”

Kinnik: (stiffens and haughtily raises her chin) “That’s because you don’t know her. That bitch is boring as hell and thinks she’s better than everybody else. I can’t understand why. All she does is stay closed up in the sunroom banging on her laptop. She lives in her little fantasy world cooking up stories in her head. Shontae wouldn’t know how to deal with a real man if her life depended on it. She thinks she’s better than everyone else. I can’t stand her cheap dressing, snobby ass.

Me: Do you think each of your housemates has a motive for being here this summer?

Kinnik: They sure as hell do. Doc is chasing Linda. Jo says she’s researching her new stylist business, but she’s really waiting for Walter to ask her to marry his dusty old ass. She’s been waiting for five years. Devon is rehearsing for the lead role in the new movie Denzel’s directing, and he needs to study the script.

Me: (smiling at the way she’s avoided telling me about herself.) “So what about you, Kinnik? Why are you here?”

Kinnik: I’m just breezin’ in and out when I’m not in the Hamptons with Q. I’d much rather be there.”

Me: That’s Q.E., Quentin Edwards, the rapper?

Kinnik: (a proud smile lights her beautiful face) That’s right. I’ve been staying with him for the past couple of months, but Linda insisted I spend some time with her.

Me: Isn’t Q.E. the one who was recently assaulted his personal assistant?

Kinnik: (puckers her lips then sucks her teeth) That’s never going to court. The heifer is still working for him, so she can’t be too upset about him clocking her in the head and pushing her into the pool. (Her face spreads into a proud smile.) “Yeah. This place is okay, but his estate is off the chain. It’s all about luxury. The food is better, and I don’t have to do any housework when I’m there. His chef and butler wait on me hand and foot.”

Me: “So are you two a couple.”

Kinnik: (her eyes becoming flat and unreadable as stone before she picks up her sunglasses and puts them back on.) “When we’re together, we’re a couple.”

Me: (the thread of warning in her voice lets me know it’s time to end the interview.) “Kinnik, it’s been a pleasure. As I mentioned to Shontae, maybe I’ll be back at the end of August to hear what actually happened during your vacation.”

Kinnik: (rising to her impressive full height. Adjusts her bikini to make sure it’s covering everything important.) Yeah, check in and see who’s left standing.

You can follow Chicki Brown at:

Website: http://www.chicki663.webs.com Personal Blog: http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/@Chicki663 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown

This sounds wonderful! I can't wait to check it out, Chicki! Thank you so much!

Enjoy your Tuesday, Everybody!! Don't forget to stop by Tuesday Tales for some free reads from some great authors! The link is http://www.tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/.

And the next stop in my Virtual Blog Tour for Dating 911 is posted over at http://tstillwagon.wordpress.com/ stop by and leave a comment for a chance for a free book!

Kathleen

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE BY JENNIFER T. ALLI!! #FREE #GIVEAWAY!!

2011-11-27T23:47:00.000-08:00

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the next character interview...Presenting Jennifer T. Alli and her latest release Seared By Desire, Elemental Passions! Take it away, Jen J...

Interview with a Vampire.

I suppose I should tell you a little about me. My name’s Jennifer T. Alli, feel free to call me Jen J. I write paranormal romance novels and am getting quite prolific. Not anywhere near as many as Kresley Cole or Gena Showalter who I adore, but still…I have 5 books under my belt and a sixth on the way. I realised the other day that I’ve written over half a million words and I think anyone would agree that’s a lot. I’ve been writing for quite some time, initially I kept my writing private but then I discovered the internet and made everything public. The internet is awesome and I met some lovely people by posting my work online but after 3 separate cases of plagiarism I decided to start self publishing and so here I am.
I think that’s probably quite enough from me we’re here to have an interview with a vampire not listen to my ramblings. If you’ve not read anything in my Elemental Passions series then I suppose I should introduce you to Lucian. I still don’t know whether I’d be intimidated or enticed if I met him in a dark alley late at night. Dark hair, even darker eyes, tall and wide with a no nonsense mouth that only a certain someone has ever managed to make smile. If I’m honest he has a bit of an attitude problem so bear with us I’ve had to coerce him into this interview but here goes.

JTA: “Evening Lucian, how are you tonight?”

Lucian: “Busy. Just ask your questions so I can be on my way.”

JTA: *mumbles to herself* “Rude much?”

Lucian: “I’m a vampire, I can hear you.”

JTA: “Fine, tell us a little about yourself.”

Lucian: “Are you serious? If that’s the sort of question you’re going to ask then I’m leaving.”

Sara: “Lucian, you agreed to do this remember? If you don’t want me to wear my sword crafting clothes you’re going to do this. Ask your questions Jen.”

JTA: “Okay, so we’ll try that again. Tell us a little about yourself.”

Lucian: “If you haven’t already guessed I’m a busy man. Wars don’t win themselves.

JTA: “War? Do tell.”

Lucian: *Sighs* “I’m not going to be able to get out of doing this am I?”

Sara and JTA: “No.”

Lucian: “Fine. I’ll tell you about myself. I’m a vampire. The oldest of my kind and I’ve spent hundreds of years at war.”

JTA: “Why?”

Lucian: “Because I got sick of people trying to take my head when I was asleep. My people needed a leader otherwise we were going to get ourselves all killed by silly humans like you. For the sake of pride if nothing else. We don’t need to kill as we feed. William didn’t quite understand that but don’t worry, I fixed that problem easily enough.”

JTA: “You’ve made me want to know more. Spill it! Tell us what happens to you in your story.”

Lucian: *groans* “This is going to take much longer than I was told it would…If you must know I was trying to win a war when this woman shows up and ruins everything…Well at the time I thought she was going to ruin everything. I know better now. But it still stands that she was a distraction. One that literally came into my life and turned everything upside down. I wanted to bite her so badly…She was a walking, talking temptation especially in those ridiculous clothes she uses to craft her swords.

JTA: “You’re a vampire, you’re meant to bite people and you said it yourself you don’t need to kill as you feed. I’m not seeing the problem. If you wanted to bite her you should have just done it.”

Lucian: “You sound just like Sara. It was complicated.”

JTA: “Complicated? That means interesting. Spill the beans.”

Lucian: “I’m not telling you anything. Why would I want to publicise my one and only weakness?”

JTA: “Good point, good point…But we do find out what it is if we read the book right?”

Lucian: “Sadly I can’t kill everyone who knows the secret all I can do is keep it contained.”

JTA: “Fine, next question. Tell us about your relationship with Sara.”

Lucian: *A small smile touches his lips.*

JTA: *mumbles to herself* “A smile like that should be illegal, it’s a lethal weapon. Yup, I’ve decided if I met him in a dark alley I’d definitely be enticed…”

Lucian: “My relationship with Sara is complicated. The relationship between a vampire and his bride always is.”

JTA: “Details!”

Lucian: “I didn’t want her. The first time I saw her, smelt her blood I knew she was the one but I left her…unconscious on the street.”

JTA: “You did what? You really left her passed out alone on a street? Anything could of happened to her!”

Lucian: “But it didn’t. I assigned someone to watch her but I knew without even speaking to her that she was going to be trouble. She was on fire and calling out for help. What normal person does that?”

Sara: “I was cursed at the time.”

Lucian: “You’re not really saying anything that contradicts my point. In fact, that’s another point. I was trying to win a war and this woman, who I didn’t even want anywhere near me forces her way into my life and says that I’m the cure to her curse. If that isn’t a distraction then you tell me what is.”

JTA: “So you don’t want her then?”

Lucian: “………If you ever make such a suggestion again I’ll cut your tongue out so that you can’t ever ask such a ridiculous question again. She’s mine.”

JTA: *mumbles to herself* “Changed my mind, I’d be terrified if I met you in a dark alley. I don’t think I’m ever leaving my house at night again.”

JTA: “Fine, so you want her. That’s fine, keep her. If you had to describe Sara in one word then what would it be?”

Lucian: “I’ll describe her in three.”

JTA: “But I said one…” *Remembers the flash of red in his eyes* “Fine, have three.”

Lucian: “In a nutshell Sara is brave, fierce and a menace to my sanity.”

JTA: “That was more than three…but moving on. Sara, I know we’re technically not interviewing you but could you describe Lucian in a word?”

Sara: “Determined.”

JTA: “Well I was going to go for rude but to each her own…”

Lucian: “Are we done yet? Some of us have better things to do.”

JTA: “Fine, you can go I just have one last question for Sara.”

Lucian: “I told you she was a menace to my sanity. I can’t leave her anywhere by herself. She’s a magnet for trouble. Just ask your question and we’ll both leave.”

JTA: “Fine. Sara, can you tell us a little about the Elemental Passions series as a whole?”

Sara: “Well the Elemental Passions series is about four people who have each been cursed. Each curse is different and we’ve got to try and figure out a way to break it. Lucian was the cure for my curse but I needed the one to cool my flame and who better than a vampire? If he’s not touching me he can be freezing at times. Is that everything?”

JTA: “Just one last thing I promise. What was your curse?”

Sara: *Smiles as she gets to her feet* “If I hadn’t met Lucian I would have died. If you want to find out more about my curse and my three siblings of the soul then the information is out there somewhere right?”

JTA: “Yeah, it’s on my blog.”

Sara: “Perfect.”

Lucian: “Can we go now?”

JTA: “Yes, go.” *Waits until they’re both gone* “I think I’d rather be dead than tied to that man for all eternity…to each her own I suppose.

Jen J. has graciously offered one copy of Seared by Desire

to one lucky commenter! So, please leave a comment and tell her what you think!

Happy Monday,
Kathleen

A CHARACTER INTERVIEW FROM THOSE IN "NOW AND FOREVER, A LOVE STORY"

2011-11-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'd love to welcome Jean Joachim's characters to my blog today! Here is the wonderful interview! Enjoy....

Another revealing character interview with Adora.

This week Adora interviews, Mac Caldwell, hero of Now and Forever 1, a Love Story:

Adora: So, Mac, hunky guy, how are you today?

Mac: A little annoyed, Adora. Danny Maine said he got his name in the title of his book by sleeping with Jean. Well I've been sleeping with Jean for a much longer time and I don't have my name on a book though she said she would!

Adora: Really, Mac. Grow up. Jean is telling you what you want to hear, just to get at your hot body. And it is hot, I'll admit that!

Mac: *blushes* Thanks, Adora. She has actually said I'm her favorite hero. Oh, don't tell Callie about Jean and me. I haven't slept with Jean since I started sleeping with Callie. Don't want to get them confused, Jean might write Callie out of the next book and I'd be a horny and frustrated guy. Not to say I don't love Callie...

Adora: Yeah, yeah Mac. We get it. You love Callie's body, be honest here.

Mac: Callie is more than a body to me, Adora, you know that. Why are you trying to cause trouble between us?

Adora: Okay, okay, Mac. No harm meant *Adora holds up her hands*. Geez. Sensitive aren't we? So tell me, what is your favorite position with Callie?

Mac: Any position. I love making love to her anyway I can. And you can print that...wait...is Jean going to read this? *Mac starts to sweat.*

Adora: She better read this or I'm quitting!

Mac: Then maybe you should take back what I just said.

Adora: *wearing an evil grin*, Too late, Mac. It's already in print.

Mac: Oh, crap!

Adora: So how many times a week do you and Callie make love *Adora picks up pen, poised over paper*

Mac: What? I'm not going to answer that. Jean said you'd try something like this. She said to stick to the plot of the book. Ask me about the drug gang...or how I felt about Callie doing things without telling me...

Adora: Doing what things? Is Callie sleeping with someone else?

Mac: She is? Where is he? No, no, that's ridiculous. Callie would never...

Adora: Is she sleeping with Danny, the hero of Now and Forever 2?

Mac: She'd never do that! Eliza would kill her. I would kill her, then we'd both kill Danny. *Mac comes halfway out of his chair*

Adora: Had you going there, didn't I?

Mac: Danny said you were a real ball buster and I didn't believe him. Maybe I should ask you who you’re sleeping with…there’s a rumor you made a play for Danny but he turned you down.

Adora: *blushes* That's all we have time for today *gestures neck cutting with her hand to cameraman.*

Mac: You don't get off that easy. I want to talk about the book.

Adora: Come back again soon, Mac. For “Love Talk”, this is Adora Smutz, signing off!

Check out the book on my www.jeanjoachimbooks.com

Enjoy your weekend everyone!
Kathleen

I'VE BEEN INTERVIEWED! #FREE #GIVEAWAY!!

2011-11-25T07:23:00.000-08:00

Morning!! Come visit me on my latest stop!! I've been interviewed here: http://bookbagsandcatnaps.com/2011/11/author-interview-kathleen-grieve/

And I'm also over at The Phantam Paragrapher discussing a bit about my tortured hero and why REAL MEN CRY here:

http://thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com/2011/11/vbt-dating-911-kathleen-grieve.html

Comment for your chance to win a free digital copy of my latest release, Dating 911!

Happy Friday!

Kathleen

LONG & SHORT ROMANCE REVIEWS GIVES DATING 911 4 BOOKS! WHOOP!

2011-11-24T03:59:00.000-08:00

Morning and a very Happy Thanksgiving Day to you and yours! Hope you all have a safe and lovely holiday with your friends and family.

I just found this in my email and it came up on my "google alerts"! Such a pleasant surprise to receive 4 BOOKS from LASR!! There are spoilers...Here is the link: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve.html

Thank you so much LASR! I'm still learning and growing as a writer. "Bittersweet" who reviewed my book had some insightful comments and I'm so glad she enjoyed my book.

Happy Turkey Day!
Kathleen

MY VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR FOR DATING 911 KICKS OFF TODAY!!

2011-11-21T06:25:00.000-08:00

Lots of really great happenings this week so keep checking back for your chance to win prizes and free books!

Today, my Virtual Blog Tour for my latest release, Dating 911 kicks off today over at A PAGE IN THE LIFE at this link:
http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com/2011/11/dating-911-kathleen-grieves-hot-new.html?zx=263616f845020bff

Also, clues are posted on my website this week for The Romance Reviews End of The Year Splash Party! Happy hunting!!
The link is: http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php

Have a great Monday!

Kathleen

WEEKEND DIRTY DOZEN~3

2011-11-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the next installment of The Weekend Dirty Dozen! Today's 12 comes from my latest release, Dating 911. We get a little glimpse into how Firefighter Jett Avery decides to mess with Roxanne's speed dating plans...

“If I recall,” she said coolly, “you blackmailed me into a date

when I’d already had plans for the evening. The only way to earn my release was to invite you along. So, if you want your ‘date’, I’d get over and draw a number before they’re all gone.”

“Is there a problem, Miss?” the emcee for the evening asked.

She smiled and Jett straightened. “No, not at all. I was just telling this gentleman how the process works. He’s a virgin speed-dater.” She gave Jett what she hoped came across as a coy look.

His jaw tightened. A thunderstorm flashed in the depths of his eyes. Then with a blink, the tempest disappeared. His lips curved into a slow, sexy smile.

That's all for now! If you'd like to find out what Jett is up to, you will need to buy the book. It is available at Evernight Publishing at http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

Don't forget to give a shout out to all my other WD12 peeps who are sharing great snippets of their latest and greatest releases and works in progress at this link: http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Kathleen

STOP BY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN...

2011-11-10T07:01:00.000-08:00

Morning! I'm over at Lindsay Down's Blog today! Stop by and leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of my latest release, Dating 911! Here is the link:
http://murdersandmysteries.wordpress.com/

Happy Thursday!
Kathleen

#AMWRITING #NANOWRIMO #NURSE....OH! AND EYE CANDY!

2011-11-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

Morning! I have goals to meet and a ton of regular life stressors pulling at me in all directions right now. No Weekend Dirty Dozen post and no Tuesday Tales coming up next week. If you would like to see what the other authors are up to this week for The Weekend Dirty Dozen, go here: http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/

For Tuesday Tales, go here: http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/

Besides NanoWriMo, I have a virtual blog tour to finish setting up. The dates for that are Nov. 21st ~ Dec. 18th. This will feature my current release, Dating 911.

In the meantime, there is a website hop going on right now through The Romance Reviews End of The Year Splash Party!

There are lots of gift cards, ebooks, print books, and lots more to be given away by participating authors~including yours truly.
The link is: http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php

I'm also going to be a part of a weekend Christmas Blog Hop, more details to follow...Now for the good stuff! Here's your eye candy for today! TTYL8R! Kathleen

TUESDAY TALES~7 ~ PROMPT~PLEASURE

2011-11-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another edition of Tuesday Tales where a group of authors get together to write to the same "prompt". This week's prompt is~ Pleasure! I have loved these prompts because they fit right in with my current wip, From Lust To Ashes. I'd love your feedback as this is a paranormal romance and is something completely new and exciting to write! This actually turned out much different than I'd envisioned when I started writing it yesterday. ;)

Unedited Excerpt: Rated R for explicit language and Sex.

CHAPTER TWO

Sam stared at the beautiful creature before him; anger and lust a heady combination. He struggled to keep balance. No way in hell did he need this…this whatever the fuck she was to remind him of the events that had led him to his ostracism from society. The details of which were none of her fucking business. The accusations of the U.S. government that had ended in a court marshal and dishonorable discharge from the Navy he’d given his entire life to had crushed him. His classified lab research had been stolen, used to murder thousands of innocent people in the South Pacific. The only thing that had saved him from being thrown in the brink was the lack of concrete evidence.

She rubbed her wrists, confusion in her eyes. Eyes the color of a polished Tiger’s Eye—alternating bands of rich yellow and golden brown. Ghastly purplish marks marred her creamy skin from where he’d grabbed her. Guilt tore through his gut along with an undercurrent of surprise. He hadn’t expected this creature to be vulnerable.

“I’m sorry.” He scraped a hand through his damp hair. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His voice sounded rusty from disuse, even to his own ears. “Agent…whatever your name is. Your Council’s problems aren’t my concern. So leave,” he ground out. “Now.”

“Tatum,” she said and smiled. “Agent Tatum Wilder, Captain.”

A simple curve of her lips and Sam’s knees nearly buckled. A warmth and sunny brilliance shone through. Never in his life had he witnessed anything so beautiful. He stiffened his spine and held his footing. She reached out and caressed his bearded cheek with tentative fingers.

“This isn’t exactly how this was supposed to play out. I had envisioned a night of hot, steamy sex, wrought with nothing but pleasure.” she said. Regret colored her words. “But since my powers of seduction aren’t working on you,” she dropped her hand and mumbled something under her breath that sounded like “damn atchoo” as she turned and planted herself on his couch and flipped her long fiery hair over her shoulder. “Will you at least listen carefully to what I have to say?”

She’d lost him at hot, steamy sex. Mental pictures planted themselves into his brain. Tatum with those long, lithe legs wrapped around his waist as he drove his cock into her wet, slick heat. Those strangely alluring eyes dilated with desire. The silken strands of her auburn hair enter woven with the spun gold strands splayed across his bed. He could almost hear her soft whimpers of pleasure and taste the honeyed juice between her thighs.

Blood rushed to his groin and his cock stood at attention, begging him to tear off his jeans and start what she’d suggested. He’d lived up in these deserted mountains of Alaska for far too long without any pussy. Sam shook his head to clear it. Maybe she lied about her powers not working? Because something affected him like nothing he’d ever experienced.

“You have ten minutes.” Careful to keep his distance from this alluring woman…creature he corrected, he walked over and sat on the edge of the coffee table.

“Pity,” she said. “Everything you just envisioned would have been more than satisfying…for both of us.”

He gasped. “How did—-”

“Oh, come now Sam,” she tsked. “The real question is how I could not? Your lust for me radiated off in high frequency, my friend.” She waved a hand in dismissal. “My time is ticking… in more ways than you can imagine and since you don’t want to play…” a small pout puckered her full, red lips.

“I’m not going to color the facts. You seem pretty well versed in the supernatural. What you may not know is that everything has an order. Peace and balance is kept by The Sun Council and has been since the beginning of time. Each being is represented on the council by one of its own, but ultimately, all decisions are made by Rà, God of the Sun. The Phoenix are Rà’s enforcers if you will.”

Sam sat still, trying to absorb what Tatum had said. An internal battled waged as he struggled to tamp down his physical desire for her. “Rà? As in Rà from Egyptian religion?”

“One and the same,” she said.

“I don’t understand,” Sam said, scratching his bearded chin. “What does your Rà want with me? Can’t he just snap his fingers and make everything all right?”

Tatum’s soft laughter glided across his skin, like a silken caress. He shivered, despite the heat from the hearth.

“Silly, human,” she admonished. “Rà is a she. And, no, things may work like that in your movies and books, but not in real life. There are limitations to power, even for a supreme being.” She cocked her head to the side and appeared to be listening intently to something.

“What is it?” he asked, tensing his shoulders.

Tatum shook her head, auburn tresses shimmering. “I…I’m not sure. I thought I heard…” She closed her eyes and massaged her temples with her fingers. “I’m sorry, Sam. I may have failed you and the Council…”

All of a sudden Tatum’s eyes snapped open and she dropped her hands. “Oh, sweet Goddess, no!”

An explosion imploded the front door just as Tatum’s arms enveloped him in a lightening quick embrace. Her supernatural speed a blur as she knocked him from harm’s way. The world stretched into a black void, sizzling with an undercurrent of crackling energy and heat. Together, they landed with a thud in the middle of a king sized bed. The springs of the mattress heaved with the force of their arrival.

He rolled off the bed and sprung to his feet, ready to ward off any further attack. Sunlight streamed through the window. He glanced around in confusion, noting the neat, generic furnishings of a simple hotel room. “What the fuck was that?” he asked, turning back to the bed.

Tatum lay sprawled where they’d landed. Her breathing labored and skin reddened and slick with sweat. Concern enveloped and squeezed his heart. Something was wrong with her. He knew it. He knew it like he knew the earth spun on its axis.

“Tatum?” he spoke her name as he reached her side, placing the back of his hand on her forehead. “Christ! You’re burning up.”

She gave him a wobbly smile. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“What?” he asked.

“Never mind,” she whispered. “Inside joke.”

That's it for today...stay tuned for the adventures of my Wild Phoenix and Captain Rockstar Murphy! They are in for a rough ride! Don't forget to stop by the Tuesday Tales Blog at:
http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/ for some more free reads today!

Happy Writing!
Kathleen

HAPPY NOVEMBER! NATIONAL WRITE A BOOK IN A MONTH STARTS NOW!

2011-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Morning! Today is November first! Happy November all! A lot of writers out there may be participating in Nanowrimo--National Write A Book In A Month! The goal, to reach a word count of 50,000 words which is considered a full length novel.

It is a challenge because life does like to get in the way of all creativity! But really, let's do the math...and I suck at math so bear with me a bit... In order to make that 50,000 word count goal, you need to write about 1667 words per day for 30 days. Some days a writer may be able to produce more than other days. As long as he/she continues to chip away at that ultimate goal, then he may reach goal.

Happy Writing All! See you in 30 days!

Kathleen

Weekend Dirty Dozen~2

2011-10-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh...Love my firemen! Even if my darn pics wouldn't upload or center when I tried because blogger is being a PITA! Welcome to another Weekend Dirty Dozen Blog Hop. The rules for participation can be found here:
http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/ I do have a drawing this week, too! Details at the end of the post!

This week is another 12 from my current release, Dating 911. My heroine's drunk just woke up in the ER and he's a bit amorous when my hero, Firefighter Jett Avery strolls in...

This was her savior? Lord help her!!

Diverted by the sight of Jett, Ralph licked a trail of slime from the side of her neck to her ear. She shuddered even as bile rose.

Roxanne swallowed—-hard.

Yuck!

This was all Jett’s fault. If he hadn’t distracted her in

the first place, her attention wouldn’t have strayed from her work.

“Listen,” she said through clenched teeth. “Isn’t it your job to serve and protect? Get over here and get me off him, or call someone who will.”

“That’d be the police, sweetheart.” He chuckled. “The motto of the PFD is ‘Survive, Prevent Harm and Be Nice’.

So? Does Jett come to her rescue?? You will have to buy the book to find out !

Here is the blurb:

Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumtic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?

Available at Evernight Publishing at this link: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

Thank you so much for stopping by. One lucky commenter will be drawn at random for a free digital copy of my book,
The Doctor's Deception!
Which received 4books at LASR. The link to read what Jasmine had to say is here:
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2008/07/doctors-deception.html

Stop by this link to see what the rest of the Weekend Dirty Dozen authors are up to this week! http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your weekend!!
Kathleen

THURSDAY FUNNY~HAPPY HALLOWEEN STYLE!

2011-10-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

Morning all! In the spirit of the Halloween Holiday, Thought I'd post a few things I came across that made me laugh! Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the Weekend Dirty Dozen Blog Hop! Lots of fun and prizes for all from all the participating authors!!

The link is: http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/

See Ya all tomorrow!

Kathleen

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~KC KLEIN!!!

2011-10-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

I first met KC through The Desert Rose RWA. I picked her up as a critique partner shortly after my first book, The Doctor's Deception was released back in 2008. Thank you so much for being here today, KC! I'm so excited for your release, Dark Future, which I just finished reading on my iPad last week! What a metamorphosis this book took, since the first chapter you'd sent me so long ago! I loved every page!! I'm so proud of you and all you've accomplished!!

KC Klein is the author of Dark Future, a sexy futuristic time-travel. She became serious about writing three years ago and was as surprised as anyone when her stories took a turn toward dark and snarky. Today, she divides her time between taking care of her family and driving in circles around Arizona, too busy creating stories in her head to pay attention to mere road signs.

Thanks, Kathleen, for inviting me to come and guest blog. Kathleen has a special place in my writing heart. Over three years ago she took me, a new writer, under her wing and painfully showed me the basics of Writing 101. I needed to be taught everything from passive voice vs. active voice, to setting a scene, to dialogue tags. Thanks to Kathleen and the gals from WriteSpot, I got a crash course in writing novels.

So this is a shout out to Kathleen for her unwavering support and colorful Crayola critiques. I hope for many years of happy writing to both of us.

Book Blurb

Awakened in the middle of the night by a future version of herself, Kris Davenport is given a mission: go forward in time to save the world—and His life. Of course, her future self doesn't tell her who he is, just sends her into an abyss and straight into an alien invasion.

He turns out to be ConRad Smith, the callous, untrusting Commander of Earth’s army and the world’s last defense. There’s only one way to know for sure if this strange woman is an alien spy—slice her throat. Except, he didn’t anticipate the heat he would feel as he interrogates the hot-tempered, warm-blooded woman. For a man whose sole focus has been survival, she's more temptation than he can handle. But a world on the brink of destruction leaves no room for love…and time is running out.

Teaser

“Mmm, you taste human. Like salt or more like … warm sunshine?” He pinned me with his gaze. His eyes spoke a primal language. Desire warred with anger; need against punishment.

I looked away. Embarrassed. Violated. His body crushed mine, suffocating in its nearness. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe without crushing my breasts against him. I always considered myself strong and physically fit, but he subdued me with barely any effort. Heart racing, I panicked.

The feeling of no control would break me—complete powerlessness always did. I used whatever weapon was available; whatever maneuvers would give me a fighting chance. This was no different. I turned my head, opened my mouth against his neck, and … sunk my teeth in.

He cursed. Grabbed hold of my shirt, picked me up, and slammed me back against the wall.

A painful whoosh came from my lungs. My vision rocked—brain swished inside my skull.

“You bit me.” He sounded shocked.

My head hurt so bad I had to blink hard to keep my eyes in their sockets. “You licked me,” I shouted back.

He assessed me, aqua blue eyes hooded with thick, long eyelashes, for what seemed like an eternity. “I will ask you one more time. Who are you?”

“I’ve told you everything.” My voice sounded desperate, tired, even to me. “I went running and fell into the dark … I’m a doctor at a hospital. If you don’t believe me, just call them. I’ve worked there for years.”

He stood still, his body hard against mine, creating an insurmountable barrier. His face so close I could see his pupils enlarge, almost hiding the hard blue of his irises. The rage in him lived and breathed. One hand ran along my scalp in a mock caress, grabbed hold of my hair and pulled.

“Liar,” his voice barely a whisper, the knife was back … shaking at my very exposed, very vulnerable artery. “There hasn’t been a hospital anywhere on Earth since the year 2075.” And in one efficient movement, he drew the knife across my throat.

That's it for now! You can buy this book at: http://www.avonromance.com/book/dark-future-epb/kc-klein/

To find out more about KC Klein and her books, you can go to kckleinbooks.com.

Enjoy your Wednesday Everyone!

Kathleen

TUESDAY TALES~ #6 ~TRICK OR TREATS PROMPT

2011-10-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

Morning! Welcome to my sixth installment of Tuesday Tales where a group of authors get together and write to the same prompt. Thanks so much for stopping by. In keeping with the holiday spirit, this weeks's prompt is "Trick or Treats" and I was able to work it in to chapter three of my current wip, From Lust To Ashes, my paranormal erotic romance.

Kathleen Grieve (Medical Romance/Paranormal)
(Unedited~NC17~ Rated~No explicit sex, but there is some violence and adult language)

Femme Fatale Agent, Scarlet Reed watched as the balding overweight man scurried across the street. In his haste, he stumbled, not once, but twice. Sweat and fear emanated from him in waves.

Humans, a sad pathetic race. Easy prey for all the supernatural beings in the grand universe. Always ready to give up their greedy little secrets for sex or money placing them in need of the Sun Council’s constant protection and rescue. Little did they know how important the Phoenix were. The elite Femme Fatale Force kept the delicate balance that currently existed between species.

Some believed humans the weakest link in the chain and would take great pride and a perverse joy in driving them to extinction. If it weren’t for the Sun Council saving their asses by using agents such as her, humans would’ve been destroyed hundreds of years ago. As a mortal, she’d been sacrificed to the Sun God, Ra, excited and eager to be called to service and leave her miserable human existence behind. Now, it was her job to make sure humans weren’t preyed upon.

Scarlet glanced down from her five story perch of the roof of the abandoned building just as her target entered a titty bar decorated in the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday. The blatant display of “witches” with exaggerated cleavage and g-strings almost comical. She smiled.

Straightening, the night wrapped its velvety shroud around her. She cocked her head, listening to sounds of music and the randy shouts of lustful men with her keen hearing. At 204 years of age, she was one of the youngest Phoenix. Phoenix were reborn on the anniversary of their human death when the Akthuá began--a painful transition where their powers and heightened senses were weakened right before they were consumed by fire and turned to ash.

She grimaced, her most recent agonizing experience with the Akthuá still fresh in her memory. The process started relatively easy enough with the loss of balance. Her beautiful burnished red hair with its golden highlights had turned dull and fell out in tufts. She lost the ability to see using her night vision. Her core body temperature rose until the first flames licked her flesh and then she’d been devoured in blessed incineration, screaming for the mercy of Sekhmet, the Goddess of War begging to die and end a misery seemingly with no conclusion.

From the pile of the ash, a Phoenix is rejuvenated and blessed with a new power. Some can foretell the future. Others can read minds. There were even those Phoenix that manipulated time and space, but only the very old gain that ability. Their powers of persuasion through seduction and sex were beyond compare. And Vamps thought they cornered the market in sensuality. Scarlett snickered. As if…

Each Akthuá a Phoenix endured was more painful than the last. Shrieks of agony from those even much older than herself could be heard from the corners of the earth, to the heavens above, and straight down to the fiery depths of hell. Which was why during Akthuá a Phoenix would check into Sanctuary.

The healers of Sanctuary could do little to ease the extreme torment, but they provided protection in a Phoenix’s vulnerable state.

Protection against Him.

A frisson of fear twisted and snaked around her spine, coiling tight. She shivered. Scarlett dismissed her morbid thoughts before they became rooted in her brain. After this last Akthuá, her body was now restored and fresh. Her new power of levitating objects provided a new thrill, but an unfounded apathy had taken hold. Her very existence bored her when she wasn’t on assignment.

How the sweet fuck was she supposed to deal with that shit? When she returned to the house which she shared with the rest of the Phoenix, she’d ask Magna a few questions. At over a thousand years old, she was the oldest living Phoenix in existence and their leader. Scarlet slipped off her five inch stilettos and leapt from roof and landed on the sidewalk five stories below with ease. No sense in ruining her favorite Jimmy Choos by being careless. Replacing her heels, she adjusted the black leather mini skirt and golden sequined tank top she wore, then took the same path as her target across the deserted street.

Judging by the pheromones of the man of interest to a certain vampire faction, he’d be putty in her hands. Her lips curved as exhilaration rushed through her veins replacing her earlier apathy. Thank the Goddess. She lived for this shit.

Trick or treats little man, here I come…

Scarlet grasped the door handle of the entrance of the bar, the neon lights announcing Live Nude Dancers above her head flickered. An electric current charged the air, tugging and clawing at her scant clothing. One of the street lights outside the club imploded and shattered glasses littered the sidewalk at her feet. The music from the titty bar dimmed and sounded muffled to hear acute hearing.

Irritation rising over the delay to her own pending sexual release, she dropped her hand and turned to face the intruder head on. Scarlet wondered if the vampire faction interested in her balding target received wind of the Sun Council’s interest in him. No matter, she could handle a vamp easily enough with both hands tied behind her back and in her highest stilettos without chipping a nail.

The only light was the flashing reds and blues from the vulgar tits and tassel covered nipples above. Her sharpened gaze swept up and down the deserted street and she sent out an arc of power, using all her supernatural senses. Her skin glowed with the radiance of the Sun and her long golden red hair twitched and swayed around her and found…nothing.

Scarlet frowned. There had to be another supernatural being present and yet… Edgy, she flexed her fingers. She needed a good fuck. Between the Akthuá and her last assignment, it seemed like forever since she’d been laid. “Whoever is fucking with me better come forward,” she said to the empty blackness around her. “I don’t have time for this shit.”

“Ah, spoken like a true warrior,” a deeply cultured voice said. “Even if you are a bit young.”

A “man” stepped from the shadows to her left. Scarlett strained in the darkness, but even with her enhanced night vision, he remained shrouded within the confines of the night. He drew near with a casual stride and as he came closer toward the flashing neon lights mounted on the building, his figure still remained in gloom. The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled and an alien emotion kindled. An emotion Scarlet hadn’t felt in 204 years—fear.

“Who are you,” she whispered, even though she knew. Oh my fucking God, she knew. This was no vamp after her target. It was Him. Osiris, God of the dead and ruler of the Underworld.

If she’d been older and more powerful, she would've had a chance to escape. Helpless, her gaze tranfulsfixed on her assailant, she stood immobile, her limbs heavy and stiff. A fresh current of electricity cracked and popped around her and he drew nearer, his show of dominance clear. Osiris was in control of her body now. Panic rose up the back of her throat and she choked on her own bile.

“Now, that wasn’t very nice of me,” he said and with a flick of a wrist, the bile dissipated and her coughing spasms quieted.

Blanketed in complete darkness, his silhouette stopped directly in front of her, he reached out and caressed her cheek with a fingertip. An icy trail of pain sliced through her skin and blood oozed onto her favorite tank top. Tears sprang to her eyes and a small cry escaped her parched lips. Under his complete influence and control, she was trapped.

“So, beautiful,” he murmured. “Such a shame.” His voice held no regret. Instead his underlying excitement bubbled and hissed in the atmosphere around where they stood. The neon lights above them burst, shrouding them in complete obscurity.

Osiris trailed his fingertips over the smooth column of her throat down the deep vee of her sequined blouse and cupped her breast through the thin material. His touch light and erotic despite the iciness that bordered toward being frost bitten. Scarlet’s skin blackened and rotted in his hand's wake. He flicked his thumb over her nipple and the peak throbbed and swelled. She whimpered, all begging and pleading trapped within her throat. His shadowed face neared hers ever so slowly.

Time spun increasing the agony of his hold on her. The wound in her neck and chest gaped, oozing the rancid scent of sulfur and puss. All of this she could see in her mind’s eye as he projected his sight into her brain. Terror renewed itself. She reached deep within herself for her own power. The Sun’s luminosity shone brightly around her and snapped fresh tension into the atmosphere. And yet, she remained motionless. The harder she tried, her skin glowing with brilliance and heat, the more she trembled within the circle his unrelenting hold.

“That’s it, Scarlet, baby,” Osiris said in a husky whisper. “Give me what I need.”

His mouth caressed her mouth. Against her will, she opened and allowed him entrance. His tongue snaked inside, devouring her. He tasted of rotted flesh and death. Flames licked her skin as her internal thermometer shot toward super nova. Too late, she realized her feeble mistake of using her powers to protect herself as her life’s essence drained from her soul and into the Dark God, Osiris.

Her experience with the burning within the Akthuá never prepared her for such torment. Unable to scream. Unable to move. The unending torture stretched beyond her as the Sun’s light dimmed and in a swift move, combustion took hold and Scarlet turned to a pile of ash on the sidewalk never to be reborn again.

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak into From Lust To Ashes! Don't forget to check out some other free reads over at Tuesday Tales at this link: http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/

If you would like to participate, email Jean Joachim at sunnydaysbook@gmail.com

Happy Tuesday!!
Kathleen

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS....

2011-10-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

DO I have your attention yet? LOL. Thought that little bit of hotness might grab ya for a second. :) I'd like to announce the winners of the Weekend Dirty Dozen and for those who "LIKED" my Facebook Author page! Thank you so much for playing!

First, the winner of the Weekend Dirty Dozen and a $10 Evernight Publishing Gift Certificate is...

Eva Flowers!! Congratulations!! I just sent you an email to confirm your email addy!

And for the "Like" on FB the $25 Amazon Gift Card goes to....

Patricia Paterson!! Congratulations!! I just sent you a FB message to complete the transaction.

Stay tuned for more drawings coming up as I do a blog tour for my latest release, Dating 911 and the blog hop for Romance Reviews!

Happy Monday,

Kathleen

WEEKEND DIRTY DOZEN LAUNCHES! FREE PRIZES AVAILABLE!!

2011-10-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce the Weekend Dirty Dozen! A new blogging experience from a group of romance authors from a variety of genres. We will each post twelve sentences for your sampling enjoyment from a WIP or published work. It would be great if you followed the official FaceBook Fan page at this link for a list of contributing authors: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Weekend-Dirty-Dozen/251564698227203#!/pages/Weekend-Dirty-Dozen/251564698227203?sk= That is a sure way not to miss any of the great freebies many of the participating authors will be offering!! The event runs from Friday morning through Sunday night, which allows readers and fans more time to comment and post.

In honor of momentous occasion, I will be offering a $10.00 Gift Certificate from my Publisher, Evernight Publishing to one happy commenter!

For my first Dirty Dozen, I'm posting 12 from my current release, Dating 911. My heroine mistakes my firefighter hero for his twin brother in this scene...Enjoy!

Without warning, a nearby falsetto voice cut into the air and
sang the opening line in perfect harmony with Sting.
“Roxxxannne…”

Roxanne twisted on the seat, her gaze landing on the singer.

Doctor Cruz Avery, a six-foot tall, black haired, broad-shouldered man, held a beer bottle to his mouth like a microphone. Worn jeans hung low on his tapered hips, and he sported a black T-shirt that molded to his well-muscled pecs. She snickered at the phrase splashed across the front of the fabric in bold letters--
“I Can Handle Your 9-1-1”.

“Well, Cruz is looking for some action. Check him out,
Ambra. His entire persona is completely different--from the preppy clothing to his ‘I’m available’ attitude.” Roxanne stared. This wasn’t a side of him she was familiar with.

“Now, that’s what I’m talking about! Look how the
testosterone just oozes from his pores. He screams, ‘I’m sexy and you’re gonna get lucky.’ ”

That's all for now! Dating 911 is available at Evernight Publishing at this

link: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

Don't forget to check out these other great authors participating here: http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/2011/10/kick-off-for-weekend-dirty-dozen.html?showComment=1319232832956#c1297736006119982554

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
Kathleen

THE ROMANCE STUDIO RELEASE PARTY~DATING 911

2011-10-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Morning!! I'm over at The Romance Studio today participating in the Release Party! There is a free digital copy of my new release, Dating 911 added to the prize selection. So I hope you will join me at TRS - The party is bigger and better than ever before! Come for fun, fellowship and prizes and be able to chat with your favorite authors at the party site.
The link is: http://theromancestudio.com/party/

Hope to see you there!
Kathleen

I'M GUEST BLOGGING AT LASR TODAY! COME MEET FOSTER BROOKS!!

2011-10-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

Stop by and learn a little bit about me as I'm interviewed by one of my characters from the 3rd book of my Dating Series, Dating Trouble! LASR Guest Blog Spot http://lasrguest.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!
Kathleen

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY~35

2011-10-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another round of SSS! I raced for the cure last Sunday, participating in Susan G. Komen's 5K run in Phoenix with my sister who was visiting me from out of town. We ran in memory of our mother, who passed from breast cancer 3 years ago.

I'm sorry that I couldn't get to all your great posts last week and I appreciate you stopping by and checking out my latest release, Dating 911 available now from Evernight Publishing here:

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/ My Six are taken from this book. Jett's first view of Roxanne! Hope you enjoy!

Jett peeled the silver label off his beer bottle. A whiff of fresh baked cookies reached him. His mouth watered. What the hell was that kind of smell doing in a bar? He scanned the room, but couldn’t discern the source. Less than a foot away, a woman in a short red sundress stood with her back to him.

Don't forget to stop by http://www.sixsunday.com/ to check out some really awesome authors sharing their work today!! You won't be disappointed and you will find some great reads to add to your TBR pile!! Also, I will have a chapter from the second book of my Dating Series up on Tuesday Tales this week! You can check it out at this link to follow that blog:
http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/ You won't regret it!

Happy Sunday!

Kathleen

HOOKER SATURDAY~8

2011-10-15T00:59:00.000-07:00

Morning!!! Going to share a snippet of the sequel to Dating 911, called Dating Impossible. It is Dr. Cruz Avery's story and yes, he looks just like that pic!!! LOL.

“Sex. You. Me. Now. Just once,” she said voice low and seductive. “No caution. No rhyme or reason.” She framed his face with her palms. “Make me forget, Cruz.”

There was a hint of sadness in those words that tugged at some hidden recess deep inside him. He stared down into her face mesmerized by deep sea green of her eyes and the blatant lust. A need that mirrored his own.

Okay...that is it for now! I hope to have this scene completed to post for Tuesday Tales on 10/18. So you can look for it at http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your Saturday!

Kathleen

YUMMY FRIDAY~A VIDEO JUST FOR YOU!

2011-10-14T00:31:00.000-07:00

Okay...Ummm...I need my windows cleaned! LOL!!

TGIF Everyone!
Kathleen

MOMCAT'S NAUGHTY REVIEWS!!!

2011-10-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hey! I'm over at Momcat's Naughty Reviews talking about life changes! Stop by for a chance to win a free digital copy of my book, Dating 911! http://momcatsnaughtyreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/life-changes-post-by-kathleen-grieve.html?zx=5967f2518bcc0179

Happy Thursday!
Kathleen

RELEASE DAY!!! DATING 911 IS AVAILABLE NOW!!!

2011-10-12T00:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah!! Go to www.evernightpublishing.com to get your copy of my latest release, Dating 911!!

BLURB:
Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumtic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?

EXCERPT:
She held up her hands, palms facing toward him. “Stop. This is a hospital. Not some stupid television show where the medical staff is always making out in a closet. I work here. Don’t even think about it!”

Jett closed the distance between them until her hands pressed against his chest, searing their imprint through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. He grasped her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, licking the sensitive tips with his tongue one by one. Heat filled her eyes and she trembled.

“You feel the pull, too. Don’t you?” he asked, dropping her hand.
Jett slid his hands to her waist, and molded her against his erection. A perfect fit. Her sharp intake of breath as she shook her head told him all he needed to know. He smiled. Satisfaction filled him.

“Liar. Shake your head in denial all you want, but I can see the reflection mirrored in your eyes, and feel the powerful draw when I touch you,” he said in a husky tone. He rubbed his stiff cock against her stomach. The intensity of his desire eliminated all reason.

Jett buried his face in her neck and breathed in her sweetness. “Hmm. Today you smell like chocolate.” His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear as his hands stroked her bare arms. “But you taste like honey.”

Her knees bent and he placed his leg between hers to support her. On the brink of total insanity, he continued his light exploration. His hand skimmed her torso, and skirted the side of her breast. With slow, deliberate care, he let his fingertips graze her collarbone on the way to grasp the back of her neck. Another tremor rippled through her.

God, she felt so damn good.

She tilted her chin and her head rested in his open palm. “Jett,” her sultry voice caused his penis to throb. “This is not a good idea. Anyone could come in here and….”

He pushed his thigh against her crotch. She inhaled sharply, desire deepening the blue of her eyes. “You were saying?”

Her brow furrowed. “And…”

“Intoxicating being a little naughty, isn’t it?” he rasped. He gently tugged her face closer to his. “Hmm. I believe you mentioned the other night that your most recent sexual exploits have been lacking. Let’s add something of interest for your science venture.”

I'M AT THE CRYPT!!!

2011-10-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

Morning! I've been interviewed and there is a giveaway over at The Crypt Of Morbius! The link is http://morbiussworld.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-from-crypt-kathleen-king.html

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY~34

2011-10-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

This is a very special Sunday...My release Dating 911 is this coming Wednesday, so I decided to post the opening Six lines from that story. If you're disappointed because you wanted to see what happened to Ann when she finally got to clinical. Don't be. I posted the entire first chapter yesterday here on my blog, so just scroll down to that post. As always, support my fellow Sixers and read their snippets at http://www.sixsunday.com/ You won't be disappointed. Thank you all for your support!! After my Six, a blurb and excerpt will follow! Happy Sunday!
Kathleen

Flames shot through the air as the heat intensified. The floor beneath his booted feet rumbled and shook. A burning ache seized his chest. The sound of his own rapid, ragged breath filled his ears. Disoriented, he couldn’t see through the haze of thick, black smoke.

Dating 911 will be available Wednesday, October 12, from Evernight Publishing http://www.evernightpublishing.com/

Blurb:
Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumtic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?

Excerpt:
She held up her hands, palms facing toward him. “Stop. This is a hospital. Not some stupid television show where the medical staff is always making out in a closet. I work here. Don’t even think about it!”

Jett closed the distance between them until her hands pressed against his chest, searing their imprint through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. He grasped her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, licking the sensitive tips with his tongue one by one. Heat filled her eyes and she trembled.

“You feel the pull, too. Don’t you?” he asked, dropping her hand.

Jett slid his hands to her waist, and molded her against his erection. A perfect fit. Her sharp intake of breath as she shook her head told him all he needed to know. He smiled. Satisfaction filled him.

“Liar. Shake your head in denial all you want, but I can see the reflection mirrored in your eyes, and feel the powerful draw when I touch you,” he said in a husky tone. He rubbed his stiff cock against her stomach. The intensity of his desire eliminated all reason.

Jett buried his face in her neck and breathed in her sweetness. “Hmm. Today you smell like chocolate.” His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear as his hands stroked her bare arms. “But you taste like honey.”

Her knees bent and he placed his leg between hers to support her. On the brink of total insanity, he continued his light exploration. His hand skimmed her torso, and skirted the side of her breast. With slow, deliberate care, he let his fingertips graze her collarbone on the way to grasp the back of her neck. Another tremor rippled through her.

God, she felt so damn good.

She tilted her chin and her head rested in his open palm. “Jett,” her sultry voice caused his penis to throb. “This is not a good idea. Anyone could come in here and….”

He pushed his thigh against her crotch. She inhaled sharply, desire deepening the blue of her eyes. “You were saying?”

Her brow furrowed. “And…”

“Intoxicating being a little naughty, isn’t it?” he rasped. He gently tugged her face closer to his. “Hmm. I believe you mentioned the other night that your most recent sexual exploits have been lacking. Let’s add something of interest for your science venture.”

HOOKER SATURDAY~7

2011-10-08T00:48:00.000-07:00

Morning! Don't ya just love George? Mmmmmm! Well, welcome and I think you might be pleased you dropped by because I made an executive decision. I'm posting what I'd planned for SSS tomorrow, but due to my release being moved up to next week, I changed my SSS plans. This is better anyway, cuz now I don't have to leave you hanging...LOL. Here is part of the chapter of Temperatures Rising. Unedited and if it does make it to publication some day I will have to get rid of some of the more indelicate parts as I was recently told that vivid smells, sputum, and well...other things in my daily job aren't very romantic!! LOL. Go figure! But for now, it is the way it is. I almost feel sorry for my heroine, Ann Raines...Almost! Enjoy!

TEMPERATURES RISING~Chapter One

“I need three Coors draft, a margarita, and a Bohemian Rhapsody,” a female voice shouted down the length of the bar. The wait staff knew how to make themselves heard over the buzz of music and conversation from the numerous patrons that usually frequented Jolly’s Taproom.

While the crowd laughed and drank with obvious pleasure, Katy Perry’s sultry voice blared from the speakers announcing to anyone listening how she kissed a girl—-and liked it.

“You got it,” Anne Raines replied. She marked her page from the pharmacology book she’d been using to confirm the medications for her first nursing clinical experience. Pivoting to the cooler, she retrieved the large frosted pilsner glasses for the beers. As she stood at the tap pouring the golden, foaming liquid into the ice cold mugs, she suppressed a yawn. Her legs hurt and her feet seemed like they were on fire within her sensible black shoes. She wished she knew of a Swedish masseur named Sven to fulfill her aching body’s every fantasy.

Anne chuckled and placed the beers on the tray for Liddy, and proceeded to fulfill the rest of the waitress’s order. Despite her fatigue, excitement bubbled from deep within her. Tomorrow morning she would take the next step toward her new career to become a nurse. Even the thought that she had three more hours before Jolly’s closed at two AM, followed by a long night of preparing for the day ahead, couldn’t squelch her high spirits.

The old rock tune, Wasted Time by the Eagles began a slow beat overhead. Anne reflected on how she’d drifted through her life so far. Flitting from job to job. Her inability to take anything or anyone seriously. How she’d never accomplished a damn thing. Always too busy having a good time, she’d thought she’d have plenty of time to make something of her life later. Much later. Her lips twisted. Definitely a lot of wasted time.

“Order up, Liddy,” she called as she placed the martini on the tray. Her gaze swept the drinks of the current peeps closest to her, checking for anyone in need of a refill. Most glasses were still half full. Satisfied, she moved back to her pharm book and the short list of medications of her first patient.

At least there weren’t a lot she’d have to memorize for her first day—only four types of pills. This helped tremendously since she had to be out of bed and over at the hospital by 6:30 AM. Her vision blurred on the page she’d been staring at and she blinked. A pang of regret for a lush morning spent snuggled deep beneath her goose down comforter sprang to the forefront of her mind. Anne shoved the notion aside. She could sleep when clinical ended at noon. She’d just have to suck it up.

Working her way through college was her only option, even with the small amount of life insurance her mother had bequeathed to Anne after her death. There would be no getting around the crazy hours she’d have to work at Jolly’s to make her dream a success. This time, she’d be responsible. Even if she had to choke on her obligation. Besides, she owed herself a bright future and challenged herself not to screw up this time.

A roar from a crowd of men stationed behind her at the mahogany bar drew her attention. They enthusiastically slapped their hands in high fives as they greeted a newcomer to their group. He was extremely attractive in an Ewan Macgregor kind of way with wavy brown hair, prominent brows over eyes she could easily immerse herself in, a squared jaw with a hint of five o’clock shadow, and a fantastic pair of lips. A sigh of bliss escaped her.

All contemplation of the commitment she’d sworn to herself vanished from her brain as the cells sizzled. Heart thundering between her ears, she smiled and approached where he leaned against the bar. The buttoned down long sleeved shirt lay open at the throat and revealed smooth, tanned skin. Sleeves rolled back to his elbows provided a great view of strong, well muscled forearms. She swallowed, mouth suddenly dry.

As she placed a napkin on the gleaming wood in front of him, his green gaze swept the length of her. Anne could swear she heard the heat radiating off her skin with a crackle and hiss. Sort of like the breakfast cereal.

Boy, would she like to snap, crackle and pop with this guy!

She chuckled, coming down off the momentary high that often accompanied the sight of a gorgeous hunk of man in her vicinity. “Welcome to Jolly’s. What can I get you?”

A smile played about his lips. That killer grin combined with the steamy glitter in his eyes extremely suggestive of what he’d like to order. Sparks of heat licked a trail down her spine straight down to her toes.

After the stress and grief of the last year, Anne welcomed the distraction. Between classes and Jolly’s, she’d been working very hard and wishing for a teensy weensy break. What could a little play time hurt?

****

Be careful what you wish for. Hadn’t her mother repeated that old cliché about a zillion times during the course of Anne’s lifetime? Moments before, she’d awakened alone in a foreign bed without a stitch of clothing on.

How the hell did I get here?

Stomach queasy, she forced her eyelids back open. Focus, damn it!

Mouth dry with the old sour taste of liquor tattooed to the inner membranes, she sat up and peered into the dimness cast by the fog through the large window that encompassed an entire wall. The movement initiated a series of painful spikes along the base of her skull that vibrated in agonizing waves to her temples. A soft moan escaped her parched lips.

God, she needed to remember she wasn’t as young as she used to be. Besides, she’d put her party days behind her. The new and improved Anne Raines was a responsible person striving to earn her nursing degree. In fact, her first clinical was…today!

Shit! Clinical!

Anne sprang into action. Ignoring the building nausea and throbbing of her head, she jumped from the huge four poster oak bed and searched for her clothing. A quick glance at her wristwatch where 5:00 AM glared at her through the luminous background of the lighted crystal made her groan.

What if she didn’t make it to the hospital in time?

Her nausea intensified and she feared the reaction had nothing to do with her hangover. Choking back her apprehension, she spied her lucky pair of jeans slung haphazardly over the open armoire. Her leopard print thong and matching bra lay on the carpet in a tangled heap by the closed adjoining bathroom door. Where the hell was the T-shirt with Jolly's logo displayed across the front?

Conscious of the dwindling minutes, she snatched her pants from the towering chest and hopped one legged over to where her undergarments lay as she stuffed each leg into the wrinkled denim. In her haste, her fingers fumbled with the button-fly opening, accomplishing the miniscule task over a period of minutes instead of seconds.

Anne bent and retrieved her undergarments. A wave of dizziness slammed into her and perspiration beaded her upper lip. She flattened her palm on the bathroom door and steadied herself by turning around, leaning heavily against the solid wood. The frigidness of the exterior cooled her heated bare skin.

"Breathe, Anne," she told herself in a stern tone. "Inhale. Exhale. You can get through this."

She stood there while precious moments ticked by. The sound of her own ragged exhalations filled the room, seeming louder than normal. Soon, the lightheadedness passed. Once again grounded on her feet, she stuffed her bra and panties into the front pocket of her jeans.

An unexpected male baritone erupted into a cheesy song from beyond the barrier of the bathroom door. She froze even as her heart zipped into overdrive. The voice was vaguely familiar. Who was he? Eyes closed, she concentrated on her sluggish memory. Suddenly, the vision of the sexy Ewan Macgregor look-alike from Jolly's crashed into her thoughts.

Flashes of the heat they'd shared exploded behind her closed lids. Time wound backwards. She could actually feel his moist breath as his lips trailed hot, wet kisses from the hollow of her neck down to the valley between her breasts. Her nipples hardened and her sex clenched.

Anne shook her head, clearing the images from her mind and instantly regretted the action as a million nail spikes hammered against her skull. With a groan, she pushed off the door to search for her shirt and shoes. She planned to make her escape before Mr. Baritone finished with his shower.

****

Anne popped three ibuprofen, a couple of vitamin B tablets, and swigged the last of her Gator Aid. Her cure all for the tough hangover. With the dry bagel she’d choked down earlier, she’d be back to her normal self by the time clinical started. She turned her attention to her patient's medication administration record, stumbling over the unfamiliar names. Terms like hydrochlorathiazide, metoprolol, and clonidine leapt from the page as if written in a foreign language.

This was not what had been displayed in the chart yesterday when she'd pre-labbed. Rubbing her aching temples, she glanced at the surname on the chart and verified the date of birth and medical record number to what she'd written down previously. This was the correct patient and the right chart.

How could the meds have changed so quickly? Anne's heart pummeled against her rib cage. If her instructor thought she was unprepared, there would be hell to pay! Anne had heard rumors that the woman had reduced two of her fellow classmates to a pile of blubbering rubble during clinical last quarter.

"Finally getting my life together and I get stuck with a fire breathing dragon for a nursing instructor," she muttered under her breath.

At twenty-six, and one of the older students enrolled in the nursing program, she had something to prove. Her mother’s gravely ill face appeared in Anne’s mind. Towards the end of her battle with breast cancer, Elizabeth Raines had required a lot of hands on care before succumbing to the disease.

Fresh grief wrenched Anne's gut. Even though she couldn't vanquish her mother's pain, Anne had known her mom had been comforted by her presence. In a strange twist of fate, her mother's death had propelled her to help others. The experience had somehow grounded her, guiding her toward her new career. She sensed the direction her life was supposed to go and enrolled in nursing school.

"But not if old dragon breath flunks me!" she whispered fiercely.

Palms slick with sweat, Anne yanked the pocket Mosby's Drug Reference Guide out of her backpack, flipping straight to the index in the back. She inhaled a deep breath and searched for calm, scanning the MAR once more.

I can do this. I will not let myself or my Mother down.

The only familiar medication on the list bounced from the page--aspirin. Anne hunted Mosby's pages for the drug.

At least I know why people take aspirin. Duh!

But why was the med scheduled daily for 0900? Does the woman have a headache everyday at 9 O'clock? Or does she take the pill to ward off any potential headaches?

Anne scanned the reference manual to the correct summary on aspirin, and her mouth dropped open. Right next to dosing and administration were foreign words like carotid artery stenosis, transient ischemic attack, and systemic lupus ererythematosus bulging off the boldly printed paper. The only two words she recognized were migraines and fever.

Oh my God! I'm doomed!

"You there! Nurse! Get in here right this minute!"

The loud booming voice that held contempt and authority jolted Anne from her misery. She glanced from the cubby-type desk in the hall between the two patient rooms that were assigned to her. Her glance swept the corridor. Empty except for stray medical equipment and a linen cart pushed along one wall.

"Young lady are you deaf?" the male voice said carrying more than a hint of exasperation.

Anne turned toward the exclamation. The owner stood in the doorway of a patient room across the hall directly behind her. He was tall and lanky and wore green surgical scrubs. Grey hair protruded from under a blue paper surgical cap. Angry blue flashes of light through his narrowed eyes glared at her from beneath a pair of bushy eyebrows. His hands were adorned with synthetic gloves and clasped in front of him as if he were praying in a church pew.

"I said get in here! I can't do this crap by myself." He muttered expletives under his breath.

"Oh, no. There must be some mistake." Anne shook her head. "I'm not the nur--"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," he snapped. "Get in here, now!" He spun on his heel and reentered the patient's room.

Anne again inspected the hallway for reinforcements—anyone who would notify the doctor that she wasn't a nurse --yet-- and therefore couldn't help him with whatever task he was trying to accomplish. To her dismay, the passage remained void of all life, leaving her no alternative but to inform the man herself.

Anne stood, resignation dragging her feet. Her glance shot to the list of medications she still had to look up in her Mosby's. She sighed and approached the door. At least he could've asked nicely. She hoped all doctors didn't act like this jack ass.

At the entrance, she stopped short, her gaze drawn to an elderly gentleman lying in a traditional hospital bed. Cheeks hollow, his pale face lined with age. His brow was pinched together and his thin lips strained tight. Concern for his discomfort tugged at her heart.

As she approached, the scent of rotted flesh slammed into her nostrils. The dry, whole grain bagel she'd choked down earlier sloshed around in her stomach. The patient's belly looked like someone had sliced him from stem to stern, the flesh halved and gaped open. The tissue within oozed yellowish puss and bilious fluid.

Anne wretched and squeezed her eyes shut, covering her mouth with her hand. Don’t puke. Don’t puke. Don’t puke. Please God! I will be a good girl from now on, just help me out here, would ya?

Prayers unanswered, she pivoted as her breakfast rushed from her stomach. In her haste to escape, she bumped into a solid mass which loosened her grip from her mouth. She clasped her arms around her waist as she bent and spewed her breakfast right there in the room. A loud splat echoed off the tiled floor.

"Hey!" A familiar male baritone exclaimed.

With a steadying breath, Anne opened her eyes. A pair of what appeared to be brown loafers came into view, only now they were covered with the remnants of her morning meal. The sour smell of her own vomit jelled with the stench of the patient's wound and she gagged. Damn hangover!

"Whoa! Lady, if you're going to be sick again, let me get you a nurse or something. Jesus!" The owner of the ruined shoes said. He gingerly stepped back, slipping in the muck that covered the nondescript cream linoleum, his feet, and his brown slacks.

"She is the nurse, Ryder," the doctor who'd sucked her into this mess said with unveiled contempt behind her.

Heat flamed Anne's cheeks. She straightened and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. Her gaze latched onto the greenest pair of eyes of the owner of the shoes she'd just assaulted. Recognition deepened the emerald color.

Ryder! An onslaught of memories from last night rushed her. She now recalled the name of the man whose bed she’d awakened in this morning, along with vivid images of their love making.

Mortification engulfed her from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair as the heat in her face intensified. By now, she had to be the color of the proverbial beet.

"Umm, sorry. There’s been some mistake. I'm not the nurse," she said, retreating a few steps. At least her voice sounded even. "Let me get someone who can help in here."

Anne rushed from the scene, guilt and embarrassment clashed within her. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind.

Be careful what you wish for…

Have a great Saturday!
Kathleen

YUMMY FRIDAY~

2011-10-07T00:08:00.000-07:00

MMmmmm...who doesn't love a little Vin Diesel in the morning...or at luch lunch...or during dinner?? LOL!

TGIF everyone!!
Kathleen

WALKING FOR THE CURE~BREAST CANCER AWARENESS~

2011-10-06T04:38:00.000-07:00

October is breast cancer awareness month!! As many of you may know already, my beloved mother passed away from breast cancer in October, 2008. This Sunday, October 9th, my sister and I are going to participate in Susan G. Komen's Race For the Cure, a 5K run in downtown Phoenix. If you live in the Phoenix area, I encourage your participation. The unit where I work has formed it's own team!

I've done this run before, but it will be special because Rebecca will be with me. I hope to post pics from the race here on my blog after they come available.

In the meantime, I'm here to remind you, do those monthly self breast exams and get those yearly mammograms!!!! I can't express how important they are. Recently, there have been changes in my mammogram. I have some decisions I need to make in the near future, but for now, I have another diagnostic check geared for February and on the advice of my doctor, have a pending consult with a surgeon. I will probably let you know of upcoming decisions once I have more information to draw from.

Here is a wonderful picture of my mom with my dad ;) She was a beautiful woman!

Love you MOM! Miss you!

Enjoy your Thursday, Everyone!
Kathleen

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~SHYLA COLT!!!!

2011-10-05T00:16:00.000-07:00

Please welcome fellow Evernight Publishing Author, Shyla Colt!
The excerpt is EXPLICIT in nature and should only be read by those over the age of 18!

The Wanting is my first book in the Men of D’shar series. Forced from their planet Tagget when the sun begins to fail, the Shar people choose earth as their new home. In this new world where aliens exist, love between species is a wild ride, filled with unexpected surprises and adventure. Follow the Royal D’Shar family as the four brothers find their mate.

The Wanting : Men of D’Shar Book 1

Phelan D’shar has known agent Zasha Johnson is his mate from the moment she walked into his classroom several years ago. Her age, and his responsibility kept him from staking his claim. But now that the biological mating period has befallen the alien king all bets are off. They come together in a rush of passion that scares Zasha right out of his bed. Zasha has avoided romantic entanglement her entire life after she witnessed the death of her mother at the hands of heralien beau. But the desire between them will not be denied. . Their struggle to meet in the middle is an entertaining trip fraught with passion, romance, humor and unexpected twists.

Sneak Peak :

Excerpt

“I don’t know what kind of alien sleight of hand you worked on me, but it needs to end.”

“D’Shar men mate for life. I told you this,” he said.

His demeanor softened by her shaken voice.

“I can’t eat or sleep, and when I do my dreams are filled with you,” Zasha said.

The darkness settled over them and wrapped them in its embrace like a blanket. The false intimacy it created along with their position between the trees concealed them from prying eyes. That knowledge made him bold.

“Tell me what you want me to do,” he said. His large hand slid up to free her hair from its constraint.

The heavy weight wrapped around his fingers. The contact between them served as a balm to the frayed nerves worn with each day that passed. Before they were civilized, his people’s behavior was deplorable. Public mating rituals were performed in front of the pack to prove their claim to all, and a fight to the death over the woman of their choice was considered normal. Much of the behavior had been bred out, and what was left was usually controllable. Her reluctance to admit their bond pushed him to the brink of his limitations. He’d never felt as alien as he did this past week.

“Relief, I need relief.” Zasha’s voice had gone husky with need. Her slim fingers wound in his hair as her body trembled.

“Okay,” he said.

Phelan bent to take her lips with his own. The sweet flavor of peaches danced along his tongue as her nails scrapped his scalp. Her full lips were pillow soft against the gentle nips she administered turned aggressive as they moved from his mouth to his neck and back again. Tiny white teeth marked their territory, and he loved every moment. Zasha’s urgency was a delicious torture that overrode rational thought as he lowered her body down to the soft blanket below. Under the concealment of night they were nothing more than two lovers ensnared by the romance found in the classical chords.

“God, Phelan, I’ve missed this. I’m so cold when you’re not around.”

“Then let me warm you,” he whispered into her ear.

His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear before he indulged in the column of her neck. Zasha’s content sighs and the feel of her nails on his back beneath his shirt spurred him on. His hips ground into hers, the hardness between them unmistakable.

“Phelan,” she moaned. Her long legs spread as wide as she could manage in the pencil skirt fit of her dress.

“Shh, you have to be quiet.”

The corners of his mouth twitched upward at her hushed protest when he rolled off her and propped himself up onto an elbow. His lips dipped to cover hers once more as he eased up her skirt. His hand skimmed beneath the crisp cotton of her dress, and ran along the damp cloth barrier. Her cream had soaked through her panties and rolled down her thighs.

“I love how wet you get for me, Zash.”

“Phe.” The sound of his name shortened on her lips made his cock twitch. The unconscious familiarization made him growl. A flick of his wrist popped the elastic band off the cloth that barred his entrance. Thick digits drove inside her flooded tunnel. Her slick walls tight around his fingers as she rocked her hips.

“That’s right, Zash, take me inside you.”

The fluttery response from her vagina made him smirk. She liked it when he told her what to do. When he took the control from her and pushed her boundaries. He added another finger and titled his thrust to hit the sweet spot inside her.

“Come all over my fingers, baby.”

He took her cries into his mouth as she convulsed, her pussy a vise grip around him as her cream overflowed. Phelan removed his hands and smoothed her skirt back down before he sucked his fingers into his mouth. The salty sweet flavor a tangy taste he relished as she slowly came back to Earth.

“Is that better, Zash?” he asked, voice strained as he adjusted his painful hard-on.

“Yes.”

Zasha voice had gone soft, and he could feel her mental retreat. He hooked an arm around her waist and eased her to set beside him as he tucked her beneath his shoulder. Damned if he’d let her run again so soon.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Giving you more relief.”

“Phelan—”

“No.”

“No?”

“Call me what you did before.”

“Phe?”

“Yes.” He breathed. “Why do you fight this, Zasha?”

“Because it’s too much too fast! I don’t know you, and I sure as hell don’t trust some alien biology I’ve never heard about before.”

“It’s not exactly a fact we bring up to people in polite conversation.”

“The point is you’ve had your whole life to wrap your mind around this. I’ve had seven days.”

“That should be long enough for you to realize this isn’t going to go away,” he said.

The silence that fell between them all the answer he needed.

“What do you want from me, Zasha? The Wanting will become painful if we continue to ignore it. You don’t want to come together in a blinded lust. It’s too dangerous for you.”

Want to read more? The Wanting to can be purchased at

www.evernightpublishing.com

Contact Shyla
www.shylacoltsstraightshot.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/ShylaColt

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Kathleen

TUESDAY TALES~5~WRITING PROMPT: PANTY

2011-10-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another rendition of Tuesday Tales, where a group of writers get together and all write to the same "prompt". This week's post is a little something I'm going to add to my wip, From Lust To Ashes...Hope you enjoy! Oh, the the picture has nothing to do with my story, I just couldn't resist sharing it as it was sent to me by a friend!

KATHLEEN GRIEVE ~Unedited~ (Contemporary Medical and Paranormal Romance)

ALERT!!! This Content contains material that may not be suitable for anyone under the age of 18~heat level-EROTIC!!

Unable to resist the allure, Sam grasped the scrap of red silk and pressed the panty to his nose, inhaling deeply. Tatum’s unique scent a mixture of something wild and untamed yanked his cock to attention. The wave of desire slammed into his gut and his knees buckled forcing him to sit on the edge of the cold, empty bed.

Sam lay back on the mattress, mindless of the tangled sheets. He let the panty hover over his face like a flag and drew in another deep breath. Tingly waves of lust raced along the sensitive nerve endings throughout his body. A fiery sensation unlike any he’d ever experienced before.

Vaguely he wondered if she’d cast some kind of spell upon him. He shook his head and her potent bouquet sent another rush of lust that curled his toes. A Phoenix didn’t use witchcraft. Did she?

What the fuck did that matter in the grand scheme of things?

His free hand strayed down to his boxer shorts and he freed his
painful erection from the cotton. A tortured moan escaped his dry lips. He grasped the length of his shaft and squeezed. Spasms ripped through his torso with each stroke. Every single nerve ending in his body was aware of the roughness of the palm of his hand as he pleasured himself.
Somewhere in the back of his mind Sam knew this was crazy. All his time spent up in the mountains in his self-imposed purgatory, he’d never had the urge to whack off. Not once. But here he was, after one night with the red haired supernatural beauty, and he was lost.

Almost with a will of its own, his hand pumped faster and faster. Slightly disoriented, fresh excitement surged with a flash of heat and intensity. His body wound tighter and tighter. With a husky cry, Tatum’s name detonated from his lips as he exploded into his palm.

He opened his eyes unaware that he’d squeezed them shut with the force of his release. His own ragged pants echoed off the walls around him, the only sound in the dark empty hotel room.

Fear crept silently and with devilish intent, winding its way around his heart and he knew he fought a losing battle.

There would be no denying her or her fucking Sun Council.

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak into From Lust To Ashes! Don't forget to check out some other free reads over at Tuesday Tales at this link: http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/

Happy Tuesday!!
Kathleen