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12/04/2013

SHADOWBOXER cover reveal!

Long time no post! It's almost a new year though, and I'm going to try to be a better blogger. Starting with today's SHADOWBOXER cover reveal! The blurb and smexilicious cover is below. This dark, super sexy MMA novel, book 1 in the Tapped Out series, will be out 2/3/14!


Add it to your GOODREADS shelf here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19168982-shadowboxer

And here's the blurb:

She's in for the fight of her life...with the man who only wants to be her lover.
 

Fighter Mia Anderson has faced the dark side of life and survived. But just getting by is no longer enough. To fund her new life with her baby sister, she’s determined to beat the reigning king of the male fighters in New York’s underground MMA circuit, Tray “Fox” Knox.

Tray refuses to fight a woman, until he learns Mia’s tougher than anyone he has ever known. He soon realizes he wants more from her than blows and blood, and he’s willing to hit below the belt to get it. He’ll fight her, but if he wins, she spends the night in his bed. All night long, his rules. No tapping out.

Mia agrees, certain that he’ll lose. What she doesn’t realize is that Tray loves to fight dirty…and that this match may end up being the most important one of their lives.

Warning: please be advised this book contains content some may find triggering (past sexual trauma) and also contains graphic sex and language.

Shadowboxer, book 1, out 2/3/14
On The Ropes, novella, out 2/14
No Holds Barred, novella, out 4/14
Knockout, book 2, out summer 2014


What do you think??? And STAY TUNED - lots of ARC contests and other giveaways to celebrate SHADOWBOXER's release will be coming soon!

8/13/2013

Welcome to Nina Croft, author of Brazen LOSING CONTROL!

So excited today to be interviewing Nina Croft, author of the Entangled Brazen LOSING CONTROL! We shared a release day yesterday (NO ROMANCE REQUIRED's available now!) and I'm so thrilled to have her here today. Check out her fun answers to my questions and her SEXY new book! And whoa, look at that gorgeous cover!
 
And to read an excerpt and find out more, visit the LOSING CONTROL page on Entangled's website!

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/losing-control/

Hi Nina! So excited to be sharing a release day with you and Katee. Tell us a little about LOSING CONTROL (even the title intrigues me!)

Thanks for having me here, Cari!

Losing Control is one of my favorite romance types—a ‘friends to lovers’ story. For the last four years, Jake and Kim have been best friends. But in reality, Jake has been biding his time. He actually wants the whole deal, love, marriage, babies... Kim, on the other hand, is recovering from an abusive relationship. She’s determined never to put herself in anyone’s control again. No way will she ever remarry, but at the same time, she doesn’t want to lose Jake’s friendship. The book follows her increasingly frantic struggles to keep Jake firmly in his best friend role, while fighting an overwhelming and totally inconvenient sexual attraction.
I see that LOSING CONTROL is the first book in the Babysitting a Billionaire series. Love that name! How many books do you have planned?

There are three books in the series, based on three girlfriends who all work for Knight Security. Dani and Jess, the heroines from books 2 and 3, both make appearances in Losing Control. Hopefully, readers will be rooting for their happy-ever-afters as well.
Bodyguard books are SO hot. What made you want to write one?

I’m a big believer that you should write the sort of things you love to read and I love bodyguard books. But I also love books about strong heroines, so I decided to make the series about women who work (or as in the case with Losing Control—who  want to work) as bodyguards and keep their men safe. Not that the men involved are always appreciative of the effort. I love the fight an alpha male has to accept that his woman is strong enough to protect him.
For the readers we have that are curious about our process, do you outline your stories before you begin or fly by the seat of your pants?

I’ve tried both, but come to the realization that I’m a total plotter. I actually enjoy plotting. I outline right down to scene level. I think the main reason is that it gives me time to get to know my characters before I start the actual writing. I need to wait for that moment where they start chatting away in my head—then I’m ready.
But I also have a pretty low boredom threshold, so I tend to do it differently each time. Spreadsheets, cards, the hero’s journey…. Right now I’m learning how to use Scrivener and it’s fun.

Tell us something about Jake from LOSING CONTROL that will make us even more eager to read it! (though c’mon, from the smokin’ cover to that blurb, is that even possible?)

Jake’s ex-army, and he now runs a security company among other things. He’s definitely an alpha male—he’s tough and pretty much a control freak, but he also has a huge protective streak.
Of course, he’s gorgeous as well—

“With his thick, dark hair that always looked sexily ruffled like some woman had just run her fingers through it, his high cheekbones, strong, straight nose, and beautifully stern mouth. He was six feet three inches of lean, mean, drool-worthy man.”
Jake understands that Kim is scared of losing control over her life and it’s a real battle for him to try not to overwhelm her. He has to go to great lengths to prove he can relinquish control, including one incident with a four-poster bed, a few lengths of rope and…
What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any special rituals to help get you in the mood?

I live on an almond farm in the mountains of southern Spain, with my husband and a whole load of animals. So the start of the day is usually seeing to them (not the husband, he’s very self-sufficient.) I feed the pig, walk the dogs, ride the horse... After that, most of the day is mine, though the dogs do tell me when they need attention. I tend to spend the mornings, while my mind is fresh, writing new words. Then in the afternoons I do everything else, editing, promo stuff, critting… anything that’s on my to-do-list.
And this time of year, the work is interspersed with dips in the pool to cool off and wake me up.

What qualities make up your ideal hero? (In real life or fiction or both – your choice!)

I love total alpha heroes. At least in fiction. I love them lean and mean and with just a touch of arrogance. He has to feel strongly about things and be willing to fight for what he believes in. I also think all heroes should have a protective streak. He knows he’s big and strong, and he wants to use that strength to protect the people he cares about.
Oh, and I’m also a sucker for tall dark and handsome.

And just for fun: would you rather run away for an impetuous sexy island getaway with your significant other or curl up in front of a roaring fire during a snowstorm? And why?

It’s got to be the sexy island getaway. I love the summer and the sun. I was born in the north of England where the sun hardly ever shone and I seem to have spent my life since heading south. I also love the sea, so an island is my perfect holiday destination.
Though the one thing I love about winter is snow—so I don’t mind the occasional snowstorm (and we do get them on our mountain.).
Thanks so much for spending some time with me today, Nina! Best of luck with LOSING CONTROL – I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks Cari! And good luck with NO ROMANCE REQUIRED. I’ve loved the series so far!

7/31/2013

A TASTE OF DECADENCE bundle - 99 cents for one week ONLY!



Looking for a GREAT sale? The bundle A TASTE OF DECADENCE is only $0.99 this week, so get it at this special price while you can. Five books - one super low price!

Available Now:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/12bERjU

B&N: http://bit.ly/18KUzZA

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1dk3cKO

iTunes: http://bit.ly/150jozd



5 Bestselling Authors Bring You 5 Sexy Stories

Ever want a taste of genres? Together, we bring you five stories in contemporary, paranormal, and everything in between. We bring the heat, the heroes, and the stories that make you scream for more.

THE DOM WHO LOVED ME by Lexi Blake
Sean Taggart is hunting a terrorist. Grace Hawthorne holds the key to his success. When Grace reveals her submissive nature, seducing her becomes more than a mission. As passion engulfs them, Grace discovers his hidden agenda. Sean must choose between catching a monster and being Master of Grace’s dreams.

BODYWORK by Marie Harte
What do scalding coffee, a naked man, and terrible dating advice have in common? Two people hurt by love in the past are offered a second chance at happiness. That’s if they can overcome first impressions, a teenage Romeo, and the wacky suggestions of well-meaning family.

JINGLE BALL by Cari Quinn
This year, rocking the office holiday party has taken on a whole new meaning.
All receptionist Wendy Stanton wants for Christmas is a chance for a relationship with her sexy, dominant boss outside the boardroom. But his secrets—and hot encounters including her other boss—are complications she never expected.

DUST OF MY WINGS by Carrie Ann Ryan
Humans aren’t as human as they think and the world is filled with the supernatural. Warrior Angel Shade is sent to the human realm to protect his brethren, but when he finds the sweet human Lily, he’ll have to make the ultimate decision—fate or duty.

PICK YOUR PLEASURE by Jayne Rylon
Ever read a book and wish the heroine hadn’t done that, gone there, or slept with that guy? Now you’re in charge. Tailor your perfect short story or be adventurous. Read through all the different paths to see where life can take you…if you choose. Go ahead, pick your pleasure.

6/23/2013

MEGA SALE on INSATIABLE - 3 days ONLY!

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know that INSATIABLE, my friends to lovers erotic contemporary is on sale everywhere for more than 50% OFF for the next three days! This is the first and ONLY time it will ever be on sale, so if you were interested, now's your chance to grab it! :)

INSATIABLE AMAZON buy link

6/18/2013

It's Dirty Distractions release day AND a Car(r)i(e) party!

Not only is today Dirty Distractions release day, but it's also the day of the super fantabulous party I'm sharing with the awesomesauce Carrie Ann Ryan! Carrie spells her name wrong, but I love her just the same! Check out her release and all the stops below for YOUR chance to win! And give Dirty Distractions some love too, if you're so inclined! There's an excerpt below to whet your...appetite! :D

Go to EACH (including this one) of these fellow authors and bloggers, comment, and be entered to win EACH time for a chance to win a $25 Gift Card of your choice and some free books from our back lists. Yes, we love you guys that much!

Marie Harte: http://marieharte.blogspot.com/

Lia Davis: http://www.authorliadavis.com/blog/

Jayne Rylon: http://jaynerylon.com/blog/

Ranae Rose: http://www.ranaerose.blogspot.com/

Rebecca Royce: http://rebeccaroyce.blogspot.com/?zx=187d9eed16e2e802

Books-n-Kisses: http://www.books-n-kisses.com/

MamaKitty Reviews: http://mamakittyreviews.com/

Wickedly Wanton Tales: http://kristabelreed.blogspot.com/

The Knight Stalker Blog: http://shelbieknight.blogspot.com/

Drea Becraft: http://dreabecraft.com/blog/

SkylarVerse: http://skylarkade.wordpress.com/

ABCs of Erotica: http://abcsoferotica.wordpress.com/



Attack of the Car(r)i(e)s!


From Carrie Ann: Thank you for stopping by to watch Cari Quinn and I go crazy. Well, maybe not crazy, but a little quirky never hurt anyone. When we realized we both had a release on the same day, it was only natural that we showed you guys what it meant to be a Car(r)i(e). I do hope you get a chance to check out our newest editions!


From Cari: Thanks so much for hosting me and the fabulous Carrie Ann Ryan. I love that girl and I’m so excited to read her Redwood Pack series! If only I could read as fast as she writes!





Shattered Emotions Blurb:

Maddox Jamenson is the Omega of the Redwood Pack, the one burdened by emotions stronger than his own. He's spent his entire life shrouded in the secrets of his "gift" and the price he has to pay to keep it, yet the cost just escalated. He's known a mate could be in the cards for him, but he can't have what he wants. Not when the battles he has yet to fight could destroy her.

Ellie Reyes was the Central's princess, the daughter of the most hated Alpha of all time, yet not prized. No, she's spent her life as the toy of her brother's sadistic torture and has endured a pain that no one else should have to even contemplate. Though when she's rescued, the one person who could help her, her mate, turns his back on her for reasons unknown to her. As each day passes, the strength that everyone sees in her dwindles to a point that there may be no coming back from.

When the Centrals find a new way to attack, leaving Ellie's only protection a mate that she doesn’t think wants her, they’ll both have to overcome their fears and fight for something stronger than their pain.  The war isn't over and new players are coming that will decide the outcome. Maddox and Ellie's connection will be tested even as their fragile bond is only newly forming.

Buy Links:





iTunes: Coming Soon


Author Bio

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is a bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Excerpt

Ellie Reyes gripped Maddox’s hand as tight as she could. Yes, it was the first time he’d voluntary touched her since he’d picked her up out of the back of the Jeep when they’d first met, but, honestly, that wasn’t important now.

She’d think about the calloused hands of a hard worker—one who helped his Pack and brothers, not necessarily in his job—and how they would feel against her skin. She’d think about what it all meant later.

Maybe later she could even relish his touch and imagine the scents of wolf and forest washing over her.

Later.

Right now, all she wanted to do was hide in a corner so the others would stop staring at her. Or, she could raise her chin at them all and show them they couldn’t hurt her. Her wolf whimpered at the thought, not knowing if that were possible. She didn’t know if she was broken or strong anymore.

She’d been hurt far more than they could ever imagine. They had no idea what she could endure. Oh, they’d all guessed and given her their pitying looks, but they didn’t know.
They couldn’t know.






Dirty Distractions Blurb:

She wants a fling, and he wants forever…

Zoologist Sara Carmichael’s active social life is the envy of all her friends, but she has a secret. She’s bored senseless. If she has to go to one more bird sanctuary fundraiser with some guy who thinks his little sports car makes him “hip”, she'll scream.
Enter Brad O’Halloran, her best friend Kim’s much younger brother. A guy who’s picking up the pieces after a quickie marriage and even quicker divorce. A guy so hot he makes her body scream with frustration.

Until Sara’s apartment is renovated, they’re all living at Kim’s place. Despite her determination not to salivate at glimpses of Brad’s finer-than-fine body in nothing but a low-slung towel, flirtation escalates to the brink of something more.

Now one of them has to back down…or ante up for some good, dirty fun with the unspoken understanding that when the time comes, they’ll make a clean break. Neither anticipated they’d make the most complicated connection of all—love.

Warning: This book contains a hero who knows how to make engines— and women—purr, seduction while on cold meds, and a heroine who might be a little older but still enjoys learning a few naughty new tricks.


Buy Links:

Samhain Publishing:
http://store.samhainpublishing.com/dirty-distractions-p-7424.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Distractions-ebook/dp/B00BMM5LG8/ref=la_B00410QGRQ_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369703362&sr=1-15

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dirty-distractions-cari-quinn/1114852553?ean=9781619214835

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dirty-distractions/id610295237?mt=11

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Dirty-Distractions/book-dFRN9hceokSeRvIg2OnLDg/page1.html?s=zvWHxcq1DUizBnd8vyeI-Q&r=5


Author Bio:
 

USA Today bestselling author Cari Quinn saves the world one Photoshop file at a time in her job as a graphic designer. At night, she writes sexy romance, drinks a lot of coffee, and plays her music way too loud. When she’s not scribbling furiously, she’s watching men’s college basketball, reading excellent books, and causing trouble. Sometimes simultaneously.
 

www.cariquinn.com

Smexy Excerpt:

Lips curving, Sara reached for her body wash and squirted a huge dollop into her palm. She set aside the bottle and rubbed the soap over her torso, her smile turning impish.

“Uh-oh. That smile scares me.”


She laughed and trailed bubbles over Brad’s chest, leaning forward to nip the corded muscles in his shoulders. He tensed, his pecs flexing under her meandering fingers.

“I want to watch you touch yourself.” She looked up at him under her lashes. “That’s not scary, is it?”

“No.” His throat rippled as he swallowed. “And I do aim to please.”

He didn’t hesitate to load up his hands with the body wash she even now worked into his ropey upper arms. This was a man for whom life itself was a workout. She would bet he didn’t even have a gym membership. He just worked and played hard.

And she had a feeling he had sex the same way. God, she couldn’t wait to find out.

They soaped each other for a couple minutes, the only sounds the rushing water and their increasingly heavy breathing. Without a word, he reached down and gripped his cock. When he began to move up and down in short strokes, her breath caught. So hot. She’d seen men do that in adult movies but never in reality. Never right in front of her.
His arm muscles flexed as the first fat drop of precome seeped down his shaft before being washed away. He sped up, working himself hard. Noting his firm hold, she bit her lip. Maybe she’d been too careful when touching prior lovers. Not that she’d gotten any complaints, but the harsh pumps of his hand gave her pause. They also provoked a low moan.

The sexiest part of this? His low-lidded, burning blue eyes were focused on her. Right now she was the fuel for his fantasies. Knowing that brought a fresh rush of moisture between her thighs.

Riveted, she cupped her own breasts, hardly aware of what she was doing. But then she sneezed again, and he choked out a laugh. “I’m going to get an erection every time I hear you sneeze from now on. You know that, right?”

Instead of responding in kind, she stared at his hand, now moving slower than before, and unwittingly pinched her nipples. The pinch twanged in her lower belly, swift and sharp.
“Damn, baby, that’s beautiful.” Reverence filled his tone.

She splashed a little water on them to wash off the last of the body wash. After she turned off the tap, she stepped closer and gazed deep into his eyes. What she saw there made her heart flutter and her core clench. “Tell me what you imagine when you’re doing this alone.”

“I usually pretend you’re riding me. Your hair loose, your breasts bouncing. I knew they’d be like this.” He molded her flesh, his tanned fingertips against her pale skin an incredible turn-on. “Not too big. Not too small. And your nipples…they’re the same cinnamon brown I always pictured. Almost as pretty as those light brown eyes of yours.”
That his attention returned to her face as he spoke inflamed every dormant nerve inside her body. He captured her lips, tormenting her with light, teasing kisses that made her want to grab his arms and drag him against her. But she reached for his cock instead, desperate to learn how he would feel in her hand.

In her mouth. Inside her. Everywhere.

She shuddered, and he palmed her cheek. “Let’s go in the bedroom.” Each subtle throb of his thick, velvety flesh told her how much his own monologue had affected him. “It’s too cold in here, and you’re all wet.”

“That won’t improve if we go in the bedroom.”

His rich, appreciative laughter wound around her while he nudged her out of the shower and bundled her into one of her thick, Egyptian cotton towels. He folded another around her hair and led her into her room, then tugged her onto the bed. When he started to pull her on top of him, she put up a fight, enjoying the fierce flare of arousal on his face as he finally pinned her beneath him.

“Like it rough, hmm?”

“Maybe.” She blew an escaped strand of damp hair out of her eyes. “But it was more that. I had an ulterior motive. I wanted you just like this.”
He arched a brow. “That so?”

“Oh yeah.” Watching his face, Sara stroked the delicious erection flush against her belly. Then she licked her palm and slickened his length, repeating the move until his cock glistened. “Because you’re not finished.”

5/20/2013

Wet and Wild Blog Hop! Contest!


A huge THANK YOU to the incredible Skye Warren for running these awesome hops. I'm a big fan of her work and really appreciate the effort she puts into running an erotic-themed hop (because, seriously, EROTIC BOOKS ROCK!)

To celebrate the WET AND WILD blog hop, I thought I'd share a never-before seen excerpt from DIRTY DISTRACTIONS, book 1 in the Afternoon Delight series, out June 18th from Samhain Publishing. Sara and Brad know all about getting wet...and wild. ;)

Here's the blurb:

She wants a fling, and he wants forever…

Afternoon Delight
, Book 1

Zoologist Sara Carmichael’s active social life is the envy of all her friends, but she has a secret. She’s bored senseless. If she has to go to one more bird sanctuary fundraiser with some guy who thinks his little sports car makes him “hip”, she'll scream.

Enter Brad O’Halloran, her best friend Kim’s much younger brother. A guy who’s picking up the pieces after a quickie marriage and even quicker divorce. A guy so hot he makes her body scream with frustration.

Until Sara’s apartment is renovated, they’re all living at Kim’s place. Despite her determination not to salivate at glimpses of Brad’s finer-than-fine body in nothing but a low-slung towel, flirtation escalates to the brink of something more.

Now one of them has to back down…or ante up for some good, dirty fun with the unspoken understanding that when the time comes, they’ll make a clean break. Neither anticipated they’d make the most complicated connection of all—love.

Product Warnings
This book contains a hero who knows how to make engines— and women—purr, seduction while on cold meds, and a heroine who might be a little older but still enjoys learning a few naughty new tricks.

And you can PREORDER it now, at a discount! http://store.samhainpublishing.com/dirty-distractions-p-7424.html

Here's the EXCLUSIVE X-Rated EXCERPT:

Before he’d had his fill, she shoved Brad back and straddled him, sinking down on his ready cock in a fluid move that stole his breath. Though he watched her envelop his straining shaft and felt every twitch of her aftershocks, he couldn’t fucking believe what he was seeing. What he was feeling.

Sara. Around him. Bare.

As much as he wanted to revel in the feeling of her taking him deep, he couldn’t stay silent. She mattered too much to him, and if she’d had a momentary lapse she would regret later—

"I know," she whispered, stilling his lips when he would’ve spoken. "We’re covered." She replaced her finger with her warm, tender mouth. "Now fuck me like you mean it, O’Halloran."

He wouldn’t make her ask twice.

He pressed her thighs wide apart, his gaze riveted on the show between her legs. Her swollen lower lips spread at his surge into the sweet spot that took him so readily. Her gently curved belly undulated at his strokes. The bubbles obscured way more of the action than he liked, but he drew her up over him, powering into her again and again.

Taking, and giving, and taking more.


Now it's time to talk prizes! (And check out the AMAZING Grand Prize - it includes an ARC of Dirty Distractions!)

What can you win from my blog? ONE US WINNER will win a swag pack and a signed book! (Your choice of No Flowers Required, Insatiable, Unwrapped, Love Letters - featuring Heart Signs or Virgin Territory.) ONE INTERNATIONAL WINNER will win their choice of my ebooks.

Just answer this question to be entered: How wild do YOU intend to get this summer? (I'd ask how wet, but this isn't that sort of blog...or maybe it is! *giggle*)

Also - PLEASE leave your email address so we can contact the winners! :)

AND - optional: Sign up for my newsletter, with lots of info about releases and contests. The first issue is coming out soon and the signup is on the sidebar here along with on www.cariquinn.com

5/14/2013

Sinful Sirens blog hop! Contest!


Thanks so much to Under The Covers and Guilty Pleasures for hosting this awesome hop!

I LOVE sinful books. Hey, I write erotic romance, what can I say? I think SINFUL SIRENS in particular are awesome, because who doesn't put themselves in the shoes of the heroine of the book they're reading? I do! I just finished reading THE EDUCATION OF CAROLINE by Jane Harvey-Berrick and I have to say, I was totally jealous of Caroline. This book touches on a "taboo" of a relationship with a younger man, but when Sebastian grew up, wow. I loved that this story wasn't what I expected and became so much more.

Now it's time to talk prizes!

What can you win from my blog? ONE US WINNER will win a swag pack and a signed book! (Your choice of No Flowers Required, Insatiable, Unwrapped, Love Letters - featuring Heart Signs or Virgin Territory.) ONE INTERNATIONAL WINNER will win their choice of my ebooks.

Just answer this question to be entered: You have one hour to do all the sinning you can. Where are you and who are you with? Feel free to get as personal/creative as you wish!

AND - optional: Sign up for my newsletter, with lots of info about releases and contests. First issue is out soon and the signup is on the sidebar here along with on www.cariquinn.com

4/01/2013

LGBT hop! CONTEST!


Hey everyone! HUGE THANKS to the awesome Scorching Book Reviews for holding this awesome LGBT hop! You can win GREAT prizes, here and elsewhere just by commenting!

What can you win from my blog? An ebook OR signed paperback copy of the LGBT book I'm featuring, UNWRAPPED, winner's choice!

UNWRAPPED, a M/M/F menage novel, came in second in last year's Scorching Hot Reviews sex scene contest, by the way...and I'm going to share a snippet of a smokin' scene below!


UNWRAPPED blurb: Caitlyn Sachs has a great life. A family she loves, check. An incredible design job working with her best friends, Tristan and Matt, check. An amazing home she shares with the guys, double check. But her upcoming twenty-fifth birthday and the desire to shed the burden of her virginity have spurred her to consider something shocking. All she wants is one uncomplicated night with one of her best friends, no strings attached. But how can she choose?

Except there’s another problem. Tristan and Matt are already involved sexually with each other, much to Cait’s shock. And both men have long harbored feelings for Cait that go way beyond friendship. When they whisk her away for her birthday to a cabin in the mountains, she discovers the extent of their lust—and her own. The gift they give her is one she'll never forget.

But when the weekend's over, will she retreat to the safety of the status quo, if they'll even let her, or will she finally embrace what she's secretly craved for so long?


Hot excerpt:
“I’m only asking because it’s you. Normally I’d say to hell with it and take my shot,” Matt said, his voice guttural. “I want in those pants of yours, and I’m going to get there. But only if you say yes first.”

To his surprise, Cait gave him a small smile and rubbed her palm over her wool-clad thigh. “I’m wearing a dress.”

“Is that a yes?”

She paused just long enough to make him want to drop to his knees and say a loud, fervent prayer. “No.” He still hadn’t recovered from her answer when her smile widened. “That’s a hell yes, please.”

He soon found himself on his knees anyway, close enough to her heat to breathe her in. He translated the confusion on her face as he rolled up her dress, revealing her pale legs. No stockings or garters. Just pure, untouched flesh.

Really untouched.

His mouth went dry, and he glanced up to seek her permission again. This wasn’t some random girl he’d hooked up with in a bar. It also wasn’t Tristan, who not only took what he dished out but served it right back up to him. This was the girl he’d loved so long, platonically and then otherwise, that he hardly remembered the years before she’d come into his life. It felt like she’d always been there. Always would be.

Trying to get himself back in line, he kissed the inside of her knee. She touched his hair, reaching down to loosen his ponytail like he’d done with hers. She brushed her fingers over the back of his neck, saying more with that one gesture than she could have with a thousand words.

I want you. I trust you. I love you.

Just answer this question through the Rafflecopter to be entered: How do you like your menages? Do you like a mix of male and female, male only, female only or some other permutation I haven't considered? Let me know!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep hopping!

3/19/2013

Rites of Spring Blog Hop! CONTEST!

Rites of Spring blog hop


Welcome to the RITES OF SPRING blog hop! Thank you to Jessica and Heather for hosting it!

Starting March 20, visit the participating authors and bloggers to learn more about current titles and upcoming releases, and for your chance to WIN print books, ebooks, gift certificates, book swag, or other goodies.

GRAND PRIZE DRAW!
1st Place: Kindle Fire
2nd Place: $50 Amazon gift certificate

When you think spring, what comes to mind? Flowers, birds chirping, grass poking up from the soil. And if you're a romance author like me, it might make you think about your first love or your first kiss.
 
I thought I'd share the first kiss scene from VIRGIN TERRITORY, my novel from Decadent Publishing.

VIRGIN TERRITORY BLURB:

Network analyst by day, erotic romance writer by night Vincent Buonfiglio is dealing with a work-in-progress that has gone colder than winter in his hometown of Ridgley, North Dakota. So what does a man who needs to write hot do to get cranking?

Search out a woman for a night of no-strings sex, of course.

But his choice of partner, Katherine "Kiki" Wyatt, manager of the Quikky Snak Gas & Lube, isn't biting. Flirting over his nightly chili dog is one thing. But a date? Sex? Not happening. Vincent reminds Kiki way too much of her cheating ex-fiancé, and she's learned her lesson—dangerously sexy geeks with lots to offer outside the bedroom are off-limits. Until they're held up at the gas station, and Vincent gets shot protecting her. Then all bets are off.

With a painful shoulder injury and four weeks to get his book written, he turns to Kiki. She agrees to help him with his novel, but she doesn't expect to end up naked in the reformed womanizer's arms—or that helping Vincent write the spiciest book of the year will allow her to pen her own happy ending.

VIRGIN TERRITORY BUY LINKS: http://www.cariquinn.com/virginterritory.php

VIRGIN TERRITORY FIRST KISS EXCERPT:

She didn’t notice he’d stepped toward her until his sneakers bumped her bare feet. Wet snow gushed between her toes as her gaze snapped up to his.

Whoa. What she saw simmering there—namely blatant, undisguised lust—had her fingers clenching around the knob.

Unless she was very mistaken, he hadn’t stopped by for a neighborly pinch of sugar. No, the sugar Vincent wanted was a different substance entirely.

He threaded his hand through her hair, tugging her closer. Her body strained toward him, her breasts all but bursting the buttons of her flannel pajamas. She swallowed the last of the candy cane as he lowered his mouth to hers.

He didn’t ravage, as she’d expected. His mouth was soft and warm on hers, and the scrape of his stubbled jaw added to the thrill. She moaned and clung to him, her mind emptying like sand tumbling from a bucket.

Resist? Absolutely not. She wanted this.

Him.

His tongue swept between her lips to tangle with hers, to explore her mouth so slowly and thoroughly that the snow melting between her toes had nothing on the melting happening between her legs.
Yes.

The word sang through her, an acquiescence she couldn’t voice. It was as if she’d been frozen after Nico, and here was the heat, the life, that would finally allow her to come back to herself.

Thinking about Nico was her mistake. She stiffened, but Vincent was already drawing back, the gold rims surrounding his pupils burning.

"I didn’t intend to do that."

She rubbed the back of her hand over her mouth. Her lips still sizzled. "I didn’t intend to let you."

"I guess neither of us has control of our intentions." He smiled slightly, his gaze wandering from her messy hair to her old pajamas. The desire warming his eyes never waned.

Kiss me again. Everywhere.


Did you enjoy it? If so, you can enter to win a signed PRINT copy (US winners only) or if you're an International winner, you can win the ebook from my backlist of your choice!
 
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3/13/2013

Welcome to erotic author Amber Lin! CONTEST!

Welcome back to the amazing Amber Lin! I loved her debut, GIVING IT UP, last year, and SELLING OUT's at the top of my TBR. Read on to find out how music inspired this book and also how you can win a gorgeous necklace related to the series!


Hi, Cari, thank you for having me on your blog!
 
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Amber Lin, author of Giving It Up, which RT Book Reviews gave 4.5 stars and called “at once, scary and sexy in all the best ways.” I’m here to share my new release, Selling Out, featuring a high class call girl and a by-the-book detective with the Chicago Police Department.
 
Let’s talk about music.

 I don’t seek songs to match a book, but they have a way of finding me. When I’m writing a book, or even thinking of writing that book, it’s on my mind constantly. To the annoyance of my family members, even when we’re in the car, listening to the radio, anything at all. While I’m musing, a particular song will reach out and grab me, already perfectly in tune with my thoughts. Then I do collect them, picking them like wildflowers along the path until I’m done writing.

Here are a few that I listened to while writing Selling Out, with the title, artist, a quite note about why I liked it and an excerpt from the lyrics.

I Feel Everything by Idina Menzel

When you're furious
When you start to freeze
When you can't be touched
I feel everything

This is such a dark and intense song, but that works so well for Shelly’s book. She is this way, a naturally sensitive and empathetic person, but she works as a call girl, where she’s exposed to the worst side of men.

Someone Like You by Linda Eder

I wander lost in yesterday.
Wanting to fly
but scared to try.
 
A gorgeous, heartfelt song about the uplifting effect love can have on a person. And coincidentally, the character who sings it in the musical Jekyll and Hyde the musical is a prostitute as well. Of course, that story didn’t end so well. Selling Out is definitely a romance, with an HEA J

Where I Stood by Missy Higgins

I don't know what I've done
Or if I like what I've begun
But something told me to run
And honey you know me it's all or none

I really just love this song. The gorgeous melody and quiet desperation. If I wield those aspects and spatter them like ink onto the page, then it would be Selling Out.


Wanted by Rachel Diggs

And your expectations

Are killing you slow

You're getting what you wanted

But pain is all you know

 
What I really love about this song is how soft and sad it is… but ultimately hopeful. A strange and lovely dichotomy.

 
Underneath Your Clothes by Shakira

Because of you
I forgot the smart ways to lie
Because of you
I'm running out of reasons to cry

Okay, this one might be cheating a little because I have loved this since forever. I just love Shakira, and this one is my absolute favorite. But I really think it applies to Shelly. Love and lust are forever connected, but someone who has worked as a prostitute… they are hopelessly entangled. His body is who he is, and he’s hers.

Skyfall by Adele

Skyfall is where we start
A thousand miles and poles apart
Where worlds collide and days are dark

Though this song wasn’t actually out while I was writing Selling Out, it is crazy applicable. I think Adele songs could apply to so many romantic books… at least, my books. But a call girl and a detective on the police force are really on opposite sides of the world, even when they stand in the same room. I think the above excerpt from the lyrics is both poignant and so applicable to the destruction they face together.

Ordinary World by Katharine McPhee

Close your eyes and feel me hold you
Can you lead me through this ordinary world

God, I love this one. In fact, if you look up just one of these songs, let it be this one. It’s heartrending and wonderful. Plus, this is exactly the dilemma Shelly faces. She lives in the most mundane, the very lowest common denominator of people as a prostitute. But she also doesn’t know what it feels like to be normal—to be ordinary.

 
And that’s it! Okay, I’m lying. There are just so many amazing songs, but I had to cut myself off here. Brevity: I have done it J
 

I hope you enjoyed pondering a soundtrack for Selling Out! If you do check out Shelly’s story, I’d love to hear what you think via my website or twitter.
 

Blurb

Shelly Laurent escapes her life as a high-class escort, but against her better judgment she takes the scared young Ella with her. In retaliation, her pimp and his dirty cops frame them both for murder. On the run, Shelly turns to the one man who could be her salvation: Detective Luke Cameron. She doesn't know if she can trust him or if he's just a mirage, but she needs his help to free them all.

With a heart forged in fire and irreverence born of necessity, Shelly fights Ella's demons--and faces her own. She throws light on the shadows of Chicago's underworld, challenging everything she knew and the man she's come to love. Together, a prostitute and a cop fight for truth stronger than secrets, hope deeper than deception, and a bond more enduring than betrayal.

“Amber Lin drew me in with Giving It Up and became an auto-buy author with Selling Out. There is a uniqueness to her writing and her characters that will always make her stand out for me.”
—Swept Away by Romance

“This story is emotional, dark, erotic, suspenseful, traumatic and raw. It will have your heart hurting yet you will laugh plenty too. I can highly recommend this series.”
—TotallyBookedBlog

“Emotional, angsty, and just enough suspense to keep you hooked to the very end.”
—SmexyBooks

Excerpt


“Shh,” I murmured, stroking his back.

“Shelly, goddammit.”

But his protests fell away as I pressed my breasts to his arm and my tongue to his ear. His harsh inhalation sounded broken, shattered, or maybe that was me.

I tasted salt and man, earth and spring. Slow licks alongside his lobe and upward, more suggestive than sensation, but for a man like this, anticipation would be everything. Or so I had imagined, all the times I had dreamed of it.

A small sound escaped him, somewhere between a grunt and groan. I took it as encouragement and smoothed my hands along the hard planes of his shoulders, his chest. Not anywhere near the bulge in his jeans, because this wasn’t about pleasure—it was about wanting.

Anything to get closer, I let my knees slide apart around his side, the faint heat of his body a shock to my core. His hands clenched and opened on his knees, and again, the muscles rippled beneath his darkly tanned skin. Was he restraining himself from touching me or pushing me off?

“Baby, no,” he groaned, letting his head fall back onto my shoulder.

No, I would never deserve to have him as more than a sex partner. And he had never fucked me, though I knew he wanted to. Every time he saw me, his eyes would darken and my stomach would bottom out, but we’d never touch. But maybe for one brief inconvenient moment, while the door was open and the young woman beyond it needed help, we could pretend. Maybe it could be enough.
I shut my eyes tightly and pressed a kiss to his temple. Pretend, just pretend. I would give him the sex he had craved, and in return, he’d give me memories. It would be a payment, just the same.

“You want this,” I whispered.

He shuddered in my arms; it was like hugging a wild animal, one who could just as easily maul me as cuddle.

“Can I touch you?” he whispered. “Please.”

It unraveled me, that plea. As if he understood that a little bit of my soul slipped away every time someone touched me. As if he would cherish the part I gave him.

I scrambled away from him as if burned, breathing hard. No.

No one understood, which was exactly the way I liked it. I ran a shaking hand over my face to smooth away the panic.

Sure, he knew the score better than most people. He had worked the beat as a patrol cop and then as a detective. Life as a high-priced escort wasn’t glamorous; it was sweat and blood sprinkled with glitter. But he didn’t know the full extent, and I prayed he never would. Henri didn’t sell bodies; he gutted them.

I panted against the headboard, unable to walk away but unwilling to beg. Luke remained carved in stone where I’d left him sitting on the edge of the bed. The air pulsed with doubt and longing—with sex.

“I want it to be real between us.” He spoke low and hoarse.

A quiet sound escaped me. Every caress, every pinch. Every slur ever spoken. “It’s always real. That’s the problem, Luke. It’s always too damn real.”

He hung his head, and I thought for a moment I heard him say I know, but the moment slipped away, the sweet intimacy sailed away like clouds on the horizon—never really mine.

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Giveaway


This series is called The Lost Girls because each one of the heroines has pain in her past that keeps her from finding happiness. She’s adrift until the hero comes along… Now you can win this exclusive Lost Girls necklace by leaving a comment below.
What do you like about dark and edgy romances? Do you have a favorite one?