Friday, December 30, 2011

Social Media



I want to take a minute and talk about social media today. It can be a great tool for an author if used in the right ways. I'm talking about Facebook, Twitter, etc. Personally, I use both and love it. Below I'll list how they can be a help for an author, and also my pet peeves.


  • A good way to interact with your readers. They love when an author is willing to talk with them as a friend
  • Connecting with other writers. This is so important to an author to have that interaction because lets face it writing is a lonely thing at times, so being able to take a break and chat is great.
  • A good promotional tool if used in the right way. More on that in a few moments.
  • Author branding is so important because you have to know what you're going to write and stick with it. Social media can help you as you build your brand, get your name out there. You can find and interact with others in your genre, but don't stop there; branch out and talk with others not in your genre. If you stick with just your genre, then you're missing out on some great opportunities and possibly some readers.
  • Give back to other others who are still trying to get published. You can help answer questions for them, mentor and cheer them on.
Now onto my pet peeves.

  • Authors who don't have Facebook or Twitter. I'm sure some other readers might feel the same way. You read a good book, and want to find out more about the author. You go to look them up and they have no website, Twitter or Facebook. I don't know about you, but that gets on my last nerve.
  • Authors who only use social media to promote their work and don't help out their fellow authors. I mean, come on and show that you're a real person. You don't have to use your real name or say names of your kids and all. I sure don't. I've given my kids pen names that I call them by when talking about them online. My oldest is Pumpkin, my other daughter is Twinkle Toes and my twin boys are Firecracker and Tank or I say Twin one or two.
  • Authors who give out too much personal information. There's a fine line of sharing too much with readers. An example would be your sex life. Let's face it, we all have one and that's great. I write erotic, but I'm not going to put out there what goes on behind closed doors with my husband. Some might be comfortable talking about their's with readers, but there comes a point when you can share too many details and such.
  • Also, be careful not to over promote yourself.
Well, there are some of my thoughts on social media. What are some of your's along with some pet peeves that you hate to see authors do?


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Excerpt Tuesday: Revelation by London Saint James






This weeks Excerpt Tuesday comes from London Saint James.




Blurb:
Winter’s reclusive life as a romance writer begins to collide with Cayden’s larger-than-life world.  Cayden Cain, Hollywood’s hottest heartthrob, is someone who is unattainable in many ways.  The odds of a real relationship with him are astronomical. 


Besides the pesky paparazzi that are hell-bent on exposing pieces of her once private life, there is so much more conspiring against Winter and Cayden.  She cannot survive in his world, and he simply cannot walk in hers.   But everything will change when she discovers their worlds have always been connected, forever tied together by fate, by destiny, by unbreakable love.




Excerpt:
I’d seen him before, years before, leaning up against the wall of the restaurant where I worked. I shook my head at the memory and how much like Austin he really was. I focused in on the reflection while Cayden moved forward from the door. He looked like a cat burglar, only a very sexy cat burglar. I smiled at the reflection. It was actually kind of funny, then again it was actually terribly sexy him sneaking into my room.
“How did you get in here?” I asked. I turned around to see him standing a few feet behind me.
He held up the flat credit card-looking key, and waved it once before he placed it on the desk. “You are so damn sexy,” he said, his voice smooth and silky.
“You are pretty darn sexy yourself,” I admitted. He smiled, and it lit up the room like a thousand watt bulb. “Don’t move.”
His angelic face turned into a frown. “But I need to hold you,” he rebutted quite pathetically.
“Shh, stand still. I want to look at you.”
My gaze started at his black leather Harley biker boots, slid up his frayed jeans with the worn thighs, took in his leather coat, his obscured faced….
Holy crap, he’s sexy.
Another smile crossed over his face, his guilty smile. “You’re going to torture me, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I think I am,” I replied quite serious. “How long do we have?”
“This is our suite. We have all night.”
“So then Chandler is where?”
“At the Waldorf, you didn’t really believe I would let him stay here with you?”
I smiled, secretly pleased with this news. “No, but I was worried I wasn’t going to see you tonight. I am a little upset you kept me out of the loop with your complicated plans to actually see me so….” I pursed my lips. “For that I may need to torture you just a little bit.”
“It’s working,” he said, his voice seductive. “Not being able to touch you is killing me.”
I walked over to Cayden very slowly. “I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to.”
“Mmm…,” he mumbled. “I would agree.”
I unbuttoned the top two buttons of his blue dress shirt, which I was wearing. He started to walk toward me. I waved my index finger in disapproval. “Stand still,” I instructed.
Cayden stopped.
I circled around him once. He turned his head to follow. I reached out. My fingertip touched his arm, weaved up and over his strong shoulder. He lifted his hand, brushed it across mine. I moved my hand from his and continued my torture. I reached up, pulled the dark hood from his head, and freed his beautiful chestnut-colored hair. I ran my fingers through it before I traced his sideburns, his jaw, the line of his cheekbone. I stopped. Took him by the hand, and peeked over my right shoulder while I led him to the couch. Cayden was watching the sway of my hips.
“Sit,” I instructed.
He smiled. It was the kind of smile the devil himself would envy. Cayden conceded to my wish. He sat. Rubbed his thigh. “Winter,” he said.
I pressed my index finger to his lips. “No talking,” I whispered in his ear. He groaned. I took the lobe of his ear between my teeth, grazing it softly.
“Um…,” he muttered. His hand moved along my shoulder.
“No touching either.”
I stepped back from him. Cayden threw his head back against the backside of the couch in exasperation. He did this little thing where he slicked his tongue out briefly before he scuffed his teeth over his bottom lip while his hands rubbed anxiously against the couch cushions.
I heard him mumble under his breath…. “You are driving me crazy.”
I reached out toward him and removed his dark sunglasses. I placed them on the coffee table. “Much better,” I said.
I saw his dark gray eyes, smoldering with desire.
This is good as torture goes.
I moved my hips, swayed them from side to side. My hands made their way up the front of my shirt, skimmed over my breasts and kept beat with the music which was playing over the speakers. I teased a button. Released it.
“Take off the coat,” I instructed.
Cayden complied. With a wicked grin stretched across his face, he stripped the coat off and threw his leather coat across the room. As a reward, I released another button from my shirt.
I touched Cayden’s sweatshirt. “Take it off,” I commanded.
Cayden tore the sweatshirt from over his head and threw it to the floor. I placed my right leg over his left leg, straddled it, placed my hands to his chest, and unbuttoned the shirt he wore one button at a time. Once one button was undone, I revealed the small space of flesh that my tongue tasted. I unbuttoned and licked until his perfect muscular body shined from beneath the black material. Both of Cayden’s hands skipped up the back of my thighs, and came to a firm stop after finding the curve of my butt. I moved back and shook my head. He heaved a sigh.
“Are you going to be good?” I asked. “And follow the rules?”
He nodded.
I moved back toward him. With pleasure my hands mapped the surface of his chest, of his stomach, finding each ripple. I loved every muscle on him. I watched his muscles jump and flex as my fingers made their way caressing, outlining his perfection.
I pulled at the bottom corner of his shirt. “This, too, take it off.”
In one smooth movement, he shrugged out of the shirt.
“Your turn,” Cayden said, eagerly.
“Shh….” My lips brushed gently over his before I pulled my mouth back and stopped scant inches from contact. “No talking, remember?”
The tip of Cayden’s tongue traced the bottom swell of my lip before I moved. He growled in protest. I nibbled at his neck and kissed his throat. When he groaned, I kissed him once more, only whisper soft. The tip of my tongue drew an erotic line up his throat, over his chin and found his lips, but I did not kiss him. He licked his lips. I resisted from full on contact. I shifted back from him. This gave him a clear unobstructed view of me so I proceeded to deliberately unbutton all of the buttons on the shirt I was wearing. I permitted him to see my body in slight glimpses, not removing the garment then turned around.
I looked over my shoulder, gazing at him from beneath my lashes. His eyes devoured me whole. “Your sweatshirt is in my way,” I explained. I bent over to pick it up, straight-legged. “Oops.” I gave him a flirtatious giggle. My hand accidentally or maybe not so accidentally lifted some of the material of the shirt, giving Cayden a slight peek of my bare universe which belonged to him.
You can purchase Revelation, book 3 in the Heart Of Winter series from Evernight Publishing. London Saint James can be found around the net at her website, blog, Facebook and Twitter

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my readers I hope you, and your families have a great and happy Christmas.





Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Excerpt Tuesday


This week's Excerpt Tuesday comes from my friend and fellow publishing sister, Lorraine. Be sure to check out her debut book, the first in her Thunder Creek Ranch Series.


Two cops have been murdered, two convicts escape. Samantha Muldoon and Blake Northrup pair up to protect their friends. Will their attraction to each other hinder their effectiveness or distract them from their job? Can it grow into something lasting, or will previous hurt keep them apart?

Excerpt
    

    Sam and Blake are attending the season’s end barbeque hosted by Luke and Zakia Manning at Thunder Creek Ranch.

    “Enjoying the party?” Blake asked.
    “Yes. There’s certainly a good turn-out.”
    The band struck up a waltz to slow things down and he rose to his feet, holding out a hand. Sam knew that being held in his arms was dangerous, but without a doubt, it would be delightful, too. She took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the makeshift dance floor.
    Dancing with Blake had every one of her hormones on full alert. His moves were sure and masterful, leading her around with no trouble to follow his steps. She felt as if she glided on air, her feet barely touching the floor.
    When the next song proved even slower, he held her so close she could feel every beat of his heart as it thundered in her ear. Blake was a good head taller than she was, her cheek coming to rest against his chest as they danced. All her life she’d hated being short, until she’d found the perfect fit in Blake’s arms. With him, she felt petite and cherished.
    She became aware of his hardened length pressed against her belly and her nipples beaded in response. It had been such a long, long time since she’d been intimate with a man. Fear of seeing the disgust, or worse, pity, in their eyes when they looked upon her naked body for the first time, had kept her celibate since her accident. In truth, until meeting Blake, her desire had lain dormant, like a closed door to her very soul.
    Now, she was all woman, with a woman’s wants and needs the like of which she’d never experienced. Her awakening due to the man holding her gently yet firmly against his heart, maybe it was time to start living again—to feel the flush of heated skin against skin as they succumbed to their attraction for each other. He was interested. She knew that. Had known since that first day on the ranch when they’d all arrived to help Luke protect his wife, Zakia, from a crazed stalker.
    “Sam?” His husky baritone sounded in her ear.
    “Yes?”
    “The… uh… dance is over.” He chuckled. “Intermission. As much as I enjoy holding you, maybe we could sit for a spell?”       
    “Oh! Okay.” She’d been so lost in thought, she hadn’t been aware of anything except Blake’s body against hers. “Want me to walk in front?” she teased.
    He grinned. “Please do. Being this close to you has an obvious effect on my libido.”
    “Yeah, I noticed,” she said, allowing her hand to trail down over the ridge in his jeans as she turned to start walking back to their table.
    “Tease!”

 You can purchase Covert Mission: Undercover Cop from Evernight Publishing. Lorraine can be found around the net at her website, blogFacebook and Twitter

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Excerpt Tuesday: Reluctant Revenge



Blurb

Nash was bound to her completely – by a blood connection and a deep desire. An Enforcer for the Supranormal community, he was obligated to protect the sexy assignment from those who coveted her future Angelic abilities, but can he forgive the woman whose family had devastated his world?

Sienna, upon the realization she'd been betrayed by her family for keeping her birthright a secret,seeks solace in the arms of her surly and reluctant protector; a demon hybrid with a secret of his own. Can she come to terms with her destiny after discovering that she could be as dangerous as those Nash was protecting her from?

Excerpt

"I feel different." The words tumbled from her lips towards him.

Sienna stared at the man who'd just sworn to protect her. His hair was the colour of chocolate and it draped sexily down almost covering one eye with a wavy strand. She'd noticed him before – how could she not have – but this was on a whole other level.

With a body that ached and throbbed with obvious desire, Sienna had the sudden urge to reach out to him, to trail her fingers down his skin. How could her body betray her so quickly? Her fear was pushed away as something more primal overtook her.

Nash stood watching her with hooded eyes.

She reached up and wiped blood off of his jaw. Sienna knew it was her own blood that lay on his skin but instead of retreating away from it, she embraced the slight heady, erotic feeling that bubbled up and nudged her. Why would she find blood erotic? Had she finally fizzled something crucial in her mind? The way she'd been acting, it wouldn't surprise her.

On tip-toe, face to face, lips to lips with the man who didn't touch her except to hold one of her hands very lightly, she watched him from centimetres away. Sienna could have touched him so easily from there. She could taste him already.

"Your blood saved me, didn't it?"

Registering surprise he nodded quickly and her heart jolted. How she'd known it, she couldn't have told anyone. "You healed me, didn't you?"

"Yes." His voice was low and moisture gathered in her knickers at the erotic sound. Sienna took in a deep breath and attempted to shake the trance like hold his body had on her own but it didn't work.

Sienna needed him so bad it was like he was the water for her fire. Nothing could quench this thirst she felt. Nothing but him.

Lips moulded and became one in Sienna's eyes when she couldn't resist touching him any longer. Her stomach clenched in delight at the lust she witnessed in his eyes which was surely reflected in her own. Sienna felt brazen and sexy and adored and she wanted everything that Nash's kiss was offering her – and that was more than she had ever imagined a kiss could do.

They were one and the same and everything was right and good. Her mind jumbled full of emotions and fears of lust and promises and –

"We're connected?" Sienna pulled away from his mouth far enough to speak but Nash stepped away fully and the distance felt like a chasm.

Reality finally cleared the lust from his eyes as his face hardened. "Not as far as I'm concerned we're not. And we never will be." Nash turned on his heel and walked back to his side of the car.

You can purchase Reluctant Revenge from Pink Petal Books. Xandra James can be found around the net at these places, website and Facebook

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