Showing posts with label Somebody's Angel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somebody's Angel. Show all posts

Friday, May 2, 2014

"The Artist's Way" Rescues Me Again

Just wanted to say how much I adore Julia Cameron for writing and sharing "The Artist's Way." I've never actually read and done the whole program (I always got stuck about Chapter Four), but twice she's saved my creative life. The first time was when I quit my job (three years ago April 15). In fact, this book helped me make the decision to leave my job. I had attended a weekend workshop on The Artist's Way and realized my job was a Crazymaker in my life and I was a Shadow Artist. (Go to Julia's web site to learn more about the terms in the book and this blog post. You can find The Artist's Way in any used bookstore.


Crazymaker and Shadow Artist are two of the buzz words used in the original "The Artist's Way," but it became clear to me in that workshop that my purpose in life wasn't to be a part-time editor on a technical publication (college catalog). The Universe, God, or Whomever keeps things going had been very clear when I was about to graduate from college back in 2001 that I was supposed "to give a voice to the voiceless." I was so far off my life's purpose that I had become stressed and depressed and hadn't written a word in two years. (Looking back, I've discovered that I always get depressed when I'm not going in the direction I should be. You'd think I'd figure this out more quickly, but usually not.)

The day after that weekend workshop ended, I turned in my resignation with three weeks' notice and then kept writing my Morning Pages faithfully every morning. You'll learn more in online sites (there are tons of them if you don't want to find the books!), but these are three stream-of-consciousness pages, handwritten in a notebook, journal, scraps of paper (I suggest something bound, tho, that you can flip back through later when looking for inspiration) where you just write the first thing that comes to mind. Don't type them. There is something about that connection of pen and paper that makes them even more powerful.

Most of my early entries were anything but creative. I hadn't written a creative thing for two years, too stressed out with my Crazymaker job. So it became a diary at first. What I did yesterday. What I planned to do today. A list of to-do items.

I left my job thinking I would find a new job, but in retrospect, I realize I was just applying for more jobs that turn into new Shadow Artist ones. I knew from hanging out with members of the Romance Writers of America that making a living as a novelist would take years, though, and I didn't have that much savings to hang out that long. But my husband agreed to give me a year off to regroup and figure out what I want to do in life. I went into super-homemaker mode a while (still no creativity) and tried to find ways to cut costs so we wouldn't deplete our savings.

And every morning, I wrote three pages of this random stuff in my journal.

About two weeks after the end of the day job, characters began showing up on the page. I'd written Nobody's Angel two years before (to the month) and Marc, Luke, and Angelina were among the characters who popped in. I'd learned at my Kentucky RWA chapter meeting that erotic romance was popular and authors in that genre actually were making a living at writing. So I had written another book, enjoyed the writing of erotic romance, and then wrote Angel. Then the job exploded and I didn't do anything with it, even though Samhain had asked me to send it to them. (I had submitted the first ER novella to them for an anthology it wasn't right for, but apparently they saw something they liked in my style.)

And then life exploded (three years ago this weekend). My sister's cancer metastasized and I was at the oncology visit with her when she got the devastating news. When I came home that night, I was drained and the thought of writing anything escaped me, but my friends in the Naughty Romance Writers secret group on Facebook told me I should write to express my emotion about it. So, sitting at my dining room table, with NCIS on the TV in the next room (it's almost always on in the next room <g>), I decided to write a scene that would put all the worst that could happen into it so that then I could get that fear out and would be more helpful to my sister as she fought the fight of her life.

Enter Adam. Sitting at a bus station in Chicago, devastated that his wife of 20 years had lost her battle with cancer. Not wanting to continue his own life. Not knowing how to go back to Camp Pendleton to be there for his Marines when he didn't know whether he wanted to dive into the bottle again or pull the trigger. With NCIS on, his voice and face were very much Leroy Jethro Gibbs's. <g> I can't tell you if Karla showed up that night or not. I doubt I really got that far. But this scene, with all it's back-story telling, becomes the opening scene of my free introduction, Masters at Arms. (See book list and reading order for the Rescue Me Saga here.)


The next morning, I pulled out my notebook again and wrote my mandatory three Morning Pages. I tried to figure out how to save this man from himself. Now enters Karla. Working with Phil Gigante as he interprets that scene for the audiobook version opened my eyes to some things that hadn't occurred to me. Adam's very voice changes in that scene as he is slowly pulled back to life by the young, vibrant Karla. He goes from a gruff, surly, near-dead man to the reluctant hero to someone who can laugh again for the first time in...well, forever.

I'm convinced that doing my Morning Pages for the five weeks preceding that event is what opened up my creativity again and made writing that scene possible. Now fast forward three years. I'm working on book five in the series (Nobody's Dream, due out later this year if I can finish it by then). But connecting with the characters this spring has become a daily chore. They just aren't speaking to me the way they did when I wrote the first 60,000 words of the book (mostly in the first half of the book).

In one of those moments of clarity, yesterday it occurred to me that these two are very private loners. They just aren't as open to sharing their story as say Adam and Karla or Damian and Savannah. Marc, on the other hand, is much like Luke and Cassie and I remembered that my Morning Pages had helped me connect with him and take him from the cardboard-character stud he was in the original draft of Nobody's Angel to the more fleshed-out character he was when that book finally was published in September 2011 after two MAJOR rewrites (including gutting all but 35,000 words at one point and adding 85,000 new ones).

When it came time to further delve into Marc's psyche in the writing of Somebody's Angel (Rescue Me Saga #4), the MPs helped me free him.

Once again, I made the decision that I needed to do Morning Pages. But it was late in the afternoon--as I posted on my Facebook Author Page--and I am impulsive and impatient, so I took a nap. I didn't want to wait until morning to start! I woke up three hours later and wrote my first three pages in the remnants of a notebook from my college years 13 years ago with homework assignments and notes ripped out. Had to find something quick! No time to go buy a shiny new one at the store (but I can see I need to hit the school supply sales this summer to stock up because I need to keep doing these!).

In my entry last night, I spelled out to the Universe what I was struggling with in the story. I didn't find any answers, although I did make some notes about how to tweak some existing scenes. I just asked what I needed to do to help these two find their happiness together. I threw in a few to-do items, as well. When you write Morning Pages, the point is to declutter your mind from extraneous information and worries as much as it is to tap into your muse or creativity. So I got those out of the way and wrote in the margins "Do--Bus" (for to-do and business) and then kept writing.

After a two-hour phone call with a reader turned friend who made it clear that my writing these stories isn't about achieving fame and fortune, but meeting my purpose in life--to give a voice to the voiceless. I wrote a couple hundred more words last night (well, early this morning), and then went back to bed. Six hours later, I got up, picked up the notebook (even before my bagel, but with my Diet Coke with Lime at my side), and wrote my second batch of three pages.

Holy shit! Not only did I get answers to where Luke & Cassie needed to go in Nobody's Dream, but Adam & Karla and Marc & Angelina, as well! There are multiple scenes I can write, so I am now going to dive into writing again--and I'm going to kick some serious word-count ass today! Hopefully that means not a lot of Facebook time, but I wrote this blog to inform my readers of my whereabouts (just where they want me to be--butt planted in chair and writing)--and to help other writers who might benefit from the miracle of the Morning Pages!

To learn more, I just found this companion booklet at Amazon for only $2.99. (It's not an e-book.) Probably also available at Apple and Barnes & Noble Nook. It's called The Miracle of the Morning Pages--and the author answers frequently asked questions about the MPs. I firmly believe MPs do bring miracles to our writing! 


Saturday, April 26, 2014

Virtual Signing Ends Soon--and a Peek at One of the New Rescue Me Saga Covers

SOMEBODY'S ANGEL (the newest paperback in this saga) looks fabulous! It's 508 pages long and includes some noticeable changes from the original e-book, so it's time for a re-read! (See below for info on ordering updates--don't pay for updated ebooks of the books you have purchased.)

You still have a few more days to place your order for all four paperbacks with THESE covers (the originals) at Romance Novel Promotions's Virtual Signing Page before I switch over to the new covers in mid May! The ones with these kinky/sexy covers will be guaranteed available if you order by April 30 (and they may continue to be ordered until the cut-off in May, but I don't know what date that will be)! Each book will be signed and personalized as you indicate in your order form.


If you can't pay until May, just e-mail Charlotte@kallypsomasters.com and she'll invoice you. The main thing is that we need to be sure to order and hold your copies with these covers while we can.

Books with both the old and the new covers will have new bonus material that was added in April--a playlist for the first three couples in the saga, and a unique cast of characters and glossary of terms for each of the first four books. But the stories haven't changed substantially since they were first released in paperback (December 2012 through Nobody's Hero and January 2013 for Nobody's Perfect). Of course, I'm always tweaking here and there, but mostly minor word choice. Once a book comes out in paperback, there are no more substantial changes. 

Even if you don't want paperbacks, be sure to get your e-books updated. NEVER PAY FOR AN UPDATE! Work with customer service at Amazon, or ask Charlotte (e-mail above) how to get updates where you bought the book originally. If you ask here how to do it, I'm sure people will know. At Amazon, where most of you bought or receive them, just contact Customer Service. DO NOT WAIT for them to tell you there's an update. That can take months (if it ever happens). These books haven't been added to Amazon's update list, so don't wait, especially if you want your copy to have these covers. (And if you don't want to have them automatically update to the new covers when it happens, be sure to turn off automatic updates.)

And if you want to see what the new covers are going to look like, here's a peek at the first of the new ones. (We're still working on fine-tuning the others!) I've decided to go with this more romantic look in part to make the books appeal to a larger reading audience, because many readers do still judge a book by its cover. While I started out thinking I would be writing erotic romance, it seems that my characters have had other ideas in the last couple books (and the one I'm working on), so these covers are much more in keeping with the overall series. While there will always be hot sex scenes and the use of erotic terms, I just don't provide enough of those to label the books as erotic romance (not since Nobody's Hero, anyway). They always have been much more focused on the romance and life issues than the kink. So the new covers will appeal to readers of other Romance genres, and possibly even mainstream fiction. But the stories within will not change! 

Here's what the audiobook cover for book one (Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel) looks like. I absolutely LOVE the new covers (I've seen drafts of all but Somebody's Angel so far) and hope you will love them, too! 


And sometime this summer, I'll be revealing the latest--NOBODY'S DREAM, which will be only available in the new style (because it's much more a steamy/sweet Romance than a kinky one about halfway through the first draft).

Again, you can order signed, personalized copies directly from me athttp://romancenovelpromotions.blogspot.com/p/authors-virtual-signings.html and I will sign them to you or whomever you ask me to if you want to give gifts! Thanks!

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Somebody's Angel is LIVE on Amazon and Barnes & Noble NOOK! $500 GC Giveaway Contest Continues!

Christmas Came Early!!!

Somebody's Angel
is available NOW!!


Yes, I've already shed some tears after hearing that news tonight! 

It's like having a baby, I'm TELLIN' ya!


This is the same wording as the newsletter I sent earlier today, 

but didn't want to miss anyone who doesn't subscribe!

These stores have the book available now (UPDATE: Just added ARe on Christmas Eve):


Barnes & Noble NOOK:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somebodys-angel-kallypso-masters/1117790332?ean=2940148918967


All Romance eBooks:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-somebody039sangel-1375651-147.html

Here's the B&N and ARe cover:


Look for this cover at Amazon Stores 

(but the sexy one will be in the back of the book in a special section!)!

Please note that in order to avoid ANY issues with Amazon marking my book with an "adult" filter, I went with a "safe" version of the cover. Those who buy the book from Amazon, though, you can find ALL of my sexy covers in the back of your book in a special new gallery (including the original of Nobody's Perfect where Damian still has his whip)!



Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HGX5ASQ

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HGX5ASQ/


Amazon Canada:
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00HGX5ASQ

Amazon Australia:
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00HGX5ASQ

And at ALL other Amazon stores!


Coming the week of Dec. 29 to:
Kobo
Libiro (a new seller of indie books only)

Important Info for Apple Purchasers and iPads users!!!
There are some problems with the NOOK and Kindle apps on the iPad. The Kindle one removes all of the italics. Trust me, you do NOT want to try and read this or ANY Kallypso Masters book without italics to show flashbacks, foreign phrases, and more!!! And the NOOK app messes up the links within the document.

SO, for the best experience on an Apple device,
PLEASE USE THE iBOOKS APP TO READ!!!


For those wanting to PURCHASE from Apple iTunes, it might not be there until mid to late January at best. I can't predict when Apple will approve it for sale because they have a SLOWWWWW review process. If this is any indication, I uploaded the 99-cent version of Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel--the new "combo" version that eventually will replace Nobody's Angel as a single $3.99 book--on the US Thanksgiving Day Nov. 28 and it's STILL in review. AND Apple iTunes is closed for uploading until Dec. 28, so I can't even get the process started until then!)

So, I suggest that my Apple iTunes purchasers who can't wait a month or two use one of the other booksellers and e-mail/load it to your iBooks account. All Romance eBooks offers it in mobi, epub, and PDF. The new bookseller Libiro has epub and PDF. See above publication dates for those.


Will Somebody's Angel Be
My First New York Times Bestseller?

It's Up to YOU now!

As many of you know, it's a long-time dream of mine to make the NYT list. I had given up on it for this book when I was trying to get it out mid-week last week, but when things all conspired against me for meeting that deadline and it became clear Sunday was the earliest we could upload, the hope revived. ONLY sales at Amazon and at B&N NOOK will count toward my reaching the numbers needed to achieve this lofty goal. I fell short with Nobody's Perfect (although with that one, I made the USA Today list for the first time, so I was thrilled anyway)!

Thank you, readers, for all your support and patience! If you know you'll be downloading this book some day soon, I'd appreciate it if you'd purchase this week so I can totally shoot up that list--or at the very least MAKE the list!

I'll report back in January! (They will be counting sales from Dec. 22 to Dec. 28!)


$500 Gift Card Giveaway Dec. 31!
If you haven't checked out the Somebody's Angel Blog Tour yet (with 23 unique blog postings where Kally reveals secets about herself and her books) go to this site and follow the 23 links BY DEC. 30 to be safe. Postings were made from Dec. 11-23 and not only are we giving away $5 GCs at each blog stop, but your entries also put you in the drawing for the Grand Prize of a $500 GC! The more entries you have (look for the Rafflecopter for how to get entries), the better your chance to win!

Watch for an announcement about a New Year's Eve party (Events)
on Facebook where we will announce the winners of the prizes (and talk about Somebody's Angel)! 

Now Gramma Kally is off to get ready for Christmas and love on her grandson some more! Whatever holiday you celebrate, I hope it's a joyous season with family and friends! 

And I'll begin working on
Nobody's Dream (Luke and Cassie's story) 
before 2013 is over! Cassie insists I get
that man off her mountain NOW! 


Friday, November 29, 2013

Cover Reveal, Virtual Signing Starts Today, and NOOK Giveaway!

UPDATE FROM AMAZON (Dec. 1)! The new 99-cent Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel combo (books 1 and 2) and Nobody's Perfect (book 4) are back up with scaled down description. (Apparently words like rape, incest, and whipping are no-no's now. Nobody's Perfect's cover is STILL a problem because I've been slapped with the adult label. I'm going to remove the whip and see if that gets me past the censors. If not, then I'll add the skimpiest bra onto her back (or maybe a halter so as not to hide that beautiful back). But if that doesn't work, then I'm not going to move his hand off her butt. Sorry. That alone will sell books for anyone whose search engine can find them. 

See below for the "safe for Amazon and Kobo" cover that will be on the Kindle edition. Just added it below the cover that will go up everywhere else.

Here's the link to the 99-cent book at Amazon. Readers still can find the 99-cent combo with the first two books (as well as my other books) in mobi (Kindle), epub, and PDF versions at Smashwords and All Romance eBooks. I also just uploaded the combo to Apple yesterday for those using the Kindle app on the Apple devices, but it might be a week or more before it's live. At this time, Kobo hasn't approved the book there (even though I uploaded it last week).

Back to Kally's Originally Planned Blog 
(with some adjustments)

I know we just celebrated Thanksgiving here in the States, but I think Christmas came early for some good boys and girls around the world. Okay, maybe the Big Guy figured you all had better get something nice now because you've all been too naughty this year to expect much later. (It's always more fun being naughty--how can we resist?) 

Keep reading because this blog has FOUR major announcements you won't want to miss.

1. Somebody's Angel 
Cover Reveal 
(Except for Amazon & Kobo*)

HERE IT IS! Don't you just love my latest cover? Linda Lynn, my cover artist (who doesn't do covers for anyone but Kally!) really went all out on this one. She even recreated Nonna's Italian iron bed! (You know, the one used in the honor bondage scene in Nobody's Angel where she has to hold onto the headboard--or suffer the consequences.) 

You may recognize this couple as the same one used on the new "combo" e-book (and updated paperback) of Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel. (See my Nov. 26 blog if you did miss it--more about that in a minute! Of course, see the news flash below, because I now have to change ALL of my Kindle covers on sale at Amazon.) But I will keep them on the versions sold everywhere but Amazon, because I love the way this couple gives continuity in covers for Marc and Angelina as they continue their  journey toward happily ever after (HEA). 


I really wanted to go with a plus-sized model, but stock photo places have so few of them and when I saw this pose from Jimmy Thomas's Romance Novel Covers site, I knew it set the tone I wanted for the book. But I had this problem before when I did Nobody's Angel, so in both books I talk more about her large breasts and big hips, which are hidden on both by sheets. (And this scene is in Angelina's little bungalow in Aspen Corners, but the cover on Nobody's Angel is in the playroom at Marc's house. Linda even changed the colors of the sheets on this one from white to red--and the sheer curtains on the other to red drapes! But seeing that bed come to life is the best!)

* This is the version going up on the Amazon and Kobo sites (to hopefully avoid adult filtering and censorship). But if you prefer the above one, you'll need to purchase the book in mobi formatt at All Romance eBooks or Smashwords, OR at Apple (for the Kindle app).




2. Upload Date 
for Somebody's Angel

Can you feel the upload date getting closer and closer? I CAN--provably because I still have a lot of changes to make to the story before I will let you see it! But my team and I are going to make every effort to get this book uploaded to Amazon's Kindle store and Barnes & Noble NOOK between Dec. 17 and Dec. 22. It may take a little while for them to finish their review and make it available given the holidays, but it will then go to the UK, AU, CA, and other stores as soon as Amazon sends it to them.

As most of you should know by now, I'm an indie author, so not only have I no control over release dates (meaning when the booksellers release it to you), but I also choose NOT to hold books up while I do marketing campaigns or send out ARCs to bloggers for early reviews. I rely on YOU ALL to spread the word about my books for me (and you always do!) and to post those early reviews, especially at Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads!  

Uploads to All Romance eBooks (ARe) and Smashwords are immediate and will be there by Christmas. I can't control how long it will take Apple and Kobo to approve them there, though. (Kobo still hasn't made live my new combo (uploaded a week ago). 

While Smashwords and All Romance eBooks will have the book available immediately and in all formats, most of you know it's my dream to make the New York Times list and under my own steam. Only sales at Amazon and B&N count toward that list so I'd like the books to be available there the first week. (After what happened at Amazon, though, I might change my mind.)   

Just don't expect any early surprises. This already is going to be a killer deadline to meet. But I still hold to the promise that Somebody's Angel will be available somewhere BY CHRISTMAS!

3. Virtual Signing of the 
My 3 Paperbacks Starts TODAY!

Because so many of you have asked for signed books for your own Christmas/holiday presents or to give to friends and family, I am doing a limited-time "virtual" signing. A virtual signing means you place your order for the book or books you want, tell us what name to sign each one to (and NAME ONLY, I will choose the inscriptions), and then I sign and Charlotte sends the book to you or to the place you want it to go. 

This one will be different than the one I did in February mainly because I'll have my personal assistant, Charlotte, handling all the orders and getting the books prepped (labeled with stickies as to whom to sign them to!) so that all I have to do is swoop in with my Ka-thunk pen in hand and SIGN. Leagh (who did a great job setting up the order form) was a huge help on handling orders last time, but the beauty of having Charlotte living nearby is that she'll also take care of mailing them! This means Kally won't lose writing time (because Cassie is already telling me I'd better be ready to write ASAP at least far enough into Nobody's Dream to get that man out of her cabin NOW).

I can't guarantee Christmas/holiday delivery (it ultimately will be up to the Post Office!), but those placing international and domestic orders by Dec. 1, I promise to do my best! If I have to order more books because demand was higher than anticipated, I will be signing in the order payment was received. (Please note that there are NO new paperback books with this signing since February--but they have new covers and will be in a matte finish from now on, which I think looks much more attractive. I do have some glossy first editions of Nobody's Perfect left, though, if you want one of those, just specify in the comments section of the order form. (While supplies last only!)

I'll accept orders through midnight (your time) Sunday, Dec. 15

And if you'd like any book or books to be gift wrapped in festive holiday paper with a simple to/from sticker label, please indicate so in the appropriate comment box on the form. (If you request gift wrapping, the To/From sticker will be "from" your first name and "to" the first name of the person the book was signed to, unless your comment box on the form indicates otherwise.)

Please use a separate order form/payment (all payments via PayPal) for EACH shipping destination. If you have questions, please contact Charlotte (charlotte@kallypsomasters.com). Thanks!

Each order shipped to a unique address will receive a FREE Kally Swag bag (two pens, a Masters Brat button/pin, bookmark, and trading cards).


4. NOOK Giveaway & 
Scavenger Hunt Questions

My thanks for Mayas Sanders for organizing an awesome 15-stop blog tour for me Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to announce the new 99-cent special combo e-book for Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel (with an awesome new cover--although it seems to have gotten the book pulled at Amazon for being too hot).

The "How it Began" blog tour included excerpts with Marc and Angelina on their journey to Somebody's Angel (a refresher for those who don't have time to do a complete series re-read)!


As promised at each of those 15 stops, you'll find the answer to one question posed in the Rafflecopter below. ONE lucky winner (open to international entries--with the hope the NOOK translates to your country if it ships outside the US!) will be receiving the new NOOK GlowLight (the model just released a few weeks ago) as the grand prize. The grand prize winner, as well as EVERYONE who gets all 15 answers correct will be receiving a swag bag (pens, Masters Brat button, bookmarks, trading cards, and other goodies) and a hand fan. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, everyone, and thanks for participating in the scavenger hunt! Be sure to follow the blogs you visit and support them for helping me spread the word about my series and many other books! If any still have their contests open, sign up to win a free e-book in the Rescue Me series and some cool swag, including the above items at each stop!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Marc & Angelina's Christmas Play (scene) from last year


I hope the holiday season is going well for everyone and that you have given and received many blessings. May the New Year bring many more!

As I promised my friends on Facebook and at my recent book signing in New York City, here's a bonus scene for you with Marc and Angelina that won't appear in any of the books in the Rescue Me series. Those who are up to date with the series know that Marc and Angelina came together in Nobody's Angel (Rescue Me #2) and ended with a Happy For Now after their first week together. Several months later, they're long-overdue for Happily Ever After, but those who have read Nobody's Perfect (Rescue Me #4) know Marc is going through a bit of a crisis. The heart of the problem will be revealed in Somebody's Angel (Rescue Me #5, due out in sometime in 2013), but the bonus vignette below takes place on Christmas Day of last year, before the disastrous New Year's weekend in Aspen. They're both very much in love and oh so compatible in the bedroom—and the playroom.


Of course, I can't continue their story in the next book on such a blissfully happy scene. Still, I wanted to share it with you as my gift for your ongoing patience. Writing this scene also has stoked the fire for me to start working in earnest on Somebody's Angel in the next week or so. (First I have to get Nobody's Perfect in paperback form, along with the first three books in the series which went into paperback versions earlier this month. And in my next blog, I hope to share some photos and stories from my paperback launch reception during my mini vacation with my daughter to New York City before Christmas. I'll post some buy links below for the paperbacks, which are only available online at CreateSpace and Amazon right now.)

But first, Marc and Angelina… (Please excuse typos and incorrect word choices—but I need to hit the road this afternoon to get home to hubby and I have lots of packing to do!). 

This scene takes place after they have visited Damián's apartment with a special delivery for Marisol, as depicted in Nobody's Perfect.

Marc's Christmas Scene for Angelina 

Angelina removed Marc's sexy elf hat and ran her fingers through his hair as his Porsche tore down the highway toward Aspen Corners. She hoped they wouldn't be too late, but knew Mama wouldn't start serving dinner until they arrived. She just didn't tell Marc that. Let him think he might miss out on some of Mama's fantastic cooking.

Her mind turned to what had made them late. "What do you think that was all about with Savi?" Seeing Damián's friend freaking out over the kitten two hours ago had her worried. She hoped they'd done the right thing in bringing the rescued kitten to Marisol for Christmas this morning. Damián said he liked the idea, anyway. His being allergic to little Boots made her doubly worried.

Marc squeezed her hand. "She appeared to have some kind of flashback, but Damián's had enough of them to know what to do. Don't worry, cara."

She nodded. It was ironic that Damián would find a lady with PTSD issues, too. "She seems really nice, and Marisol is adorable. I can see why Damián's so smitten with them both."

"I just hope Savi doesn't reinjure that rib. She scared me this morning when she jumped up and ran."

Angelina leaned over the console and pressed a kiss against Marc's cheek.

"What was that for?"

"For caring so much, even about a near stranger. You're a good man, Marc D'Alessio."

Marc kept his gaze on the road ahead. "I think you're biased, Amore."

"Maybe. I'm in love, too. But if you weren't so wonderful, then I wouldn't be biased or in love."

His smile told her she hadn't freaked him out telling him she loved him, not like it used to do anyway. The two rode on in companionable silence. As they came through the last pass, she glanced at the road leading to Cassie's cabin and wondered what the woman planned to do for Christmas. Maybe she should have invited her to join the Giardano gathering, but Cassie would almost certainly have declined, especially with all Angelina's brothers there in full force. She was such a sweet girl. Too bad she kept herself closed off from everyone the way she did. Everyone but Karla and, by association, now Angelina to a slight degree.

Snow clouds hovered over the mountain peaks to the right. She wondered how much accumulation there would be today and tonight, hoping it wouldn't be enough to impede travel. She and Marc wanted to get back to Denver tonight. He said he had a special Christmas scene planned for her up in their playroom. She couldn't wait.

But wait she would, because Marc loved to make her squirm with anticipation. She was getting better at not peppering him with a dozen questions, because she knew he wouldn't tell her anything. Still, she couldn't help but wonder.

"So, is my Christmas scene going to involve a certain jolly old elf?"

He reached over and pinched her.

"Ow!"

"Who are you calling old?"

She rubbed her thigh. "I meant Santa Claus, you big oaf."

He chuckled." After playing the elf today, I naturally assumed you meant me."

"Well, of course I expect it to include you. Hmmm, maybe a threesome."

Marc's face grew serious. "I don't share you with anyone. Not anymore."

There had been a time when he'd practically thrown her at Luke. She remembered the time with the three of them on her sofa, too, not that Marc had done anymore more than restrain her with his body for Luke's pleasure. Okay, her pleasure, too. But she knew Luke wasn't the right man for her. She was destined to love Marc for the rest of her life.

"Now I wonder what an elf might use on a naughty little sub?" She tapped her chin as she pretended to think about it, hoping he'd divulge something, but he remained silent. "I've heard some elves can get quite creative with candy canes."

"How did you…I mean, we'll see. You know I'm not going to tell you."

Oh, but that was a tell! So, he planned to use a candy cane. She read once that they made for an incredible sensation when inserted into a pussy. Is that what he had in mind? She remembered the time he'd put minty toothpaste on her clit. Would a minty candy stick burn as much? Would he use one of those great bit ones?

Angelina flushed at the thought. Mio Dio, she wanted to get back home as soon as they could.

Moments later Marc pulled into her Mama's driveway, putting all thoughts of their upcoming playtime on the back burner for a while. Her youngest brother Tony came outside the house wearing a red and blue ski sweater. He shook Marc's hand. The two tolerated each other, but until there was a ring on her finger, Tony was going to ride Marc's ass to make an honest woman of her and not expect him to be a forever kind of guy.

Tony gave Angelina a crushing hug. "Merry Christmas, baby."

"Stop calling me baby."

He released her and tweaked her nose. "Not a chance." Marc opened the trunk.

Tony let her go. "Need any help carrying things inside?"

Soon the three of them were loaded down with presents as well as the dishes Angelina had offered to bring for today's feast, including some of her favorite anise-flavored Italian cookies. She hoped Marc would enjoy them.

The next couple hours were filled with food and laughter around the table. When her brothers went to the family room to gather around the TV set to watch a bowl game, Marc surprised her by staying with her and Mama to help clear the table.

"Don't you want to watch football?"

"I love football—just not the American version."

Ah, so her Italian stud had brought with him a love of soccer from the old country. Angelina actually enjoyed watching the World Cup much more than a bowl game. One more thing they were compatible in. She'd never dreamed she'd meet someone so perfect for her. Especially not a Dom, after she'd sworn off BDSM altogether with the disastrous introduction she's had with Allen Martin.

Marc set the silverware in the sink and turned to her. "What was that thought?"

Angelina looked over at Marc. She hadn't even realized he'd been watching her. But he always seemed to be attentive and knew her every thought sometimes. Or at least knew the emotion behind it based on what he read on her expressive face.

"Nothing. Just thankful to have found you. That's all."

"Ah, but I found you first."

"Yeah, well, I was trying to block that out of my memory, so it took me a while to realize you had rescued me at the club. I found you at Rico's, though. It helped that I wasn't in subspace. I remember that more clearly."

He reached out to pinch her nipple and she turned quickly to make sure Mama hadn't seen, but she was walking back toward the dining room to gather more items. Angelina tried to brush his hand aside anyway, but he just squeezed harder.

"Ow. What was that for?"

"To remind you that, even though you have no cognizant memory of our first time together, your body retains the feeling memory of that time."

Her clit zinged as she remembered how he'd reached inside the subbie blanket and he'd brought her off with just a touch.

Marc smiled. "See? You do remember."

Her face grew flushed and he gave her nipple one more pinch before letting her go. "Here, Mrs. Giardano, let me take those." Angelina fanned herself as Marc went to retrieve whatever Mama held and carried a stack of scraped plates to the sink.

Tonight couldn't come fast enough. And neither could she.

* * *


Marc checked to make sure the red satin sash was securely fastened over Angelina's eyes before he opened the door to the playroom. He'd let her take a look at the way he'd decorated the room later, but she'd peppered him with so many questions on the way home, he thought it best she remain in suspense a while longer. When would she learn that a little anticipation was good for her—and him? He'd have her howling tonight—a number of times.

With an arm around her waist between her back and her cuffed hands, he led her toward the spanking horse. They hadn't played on this particular piece of equipment before. He'd continue to work with her on the St. Andrew's cross and was confident he'd replaced all the bad memories of that apparatus with much more pleasant ones.

But tonight, he wanted to see her ass red and her pussy weeping for him in readiness. Dio, he'd missed being able to touch her today. Judging by the way she'd stroked his thigh and eventually his cock on the drive back, she was ready, too. Good thing he'd pulled over to the emergency lane before he wrecked the Porsche. He'd ordered her to give him a blow job before he'd been able to continue the rest of the three-hour drive home. Merda, the woman's hands—and mouth—did something to him that made it hard to concentrate. Watching her deep throat him made him hard as a rock now.

But tonight was his gift to her—at first, anyway. When they reached the horse, he halted her. He released the clamp on the padded leather cuffs he'd restrained her with down in the bedroom.

"Use your hands to separate your tits for me." She did so. He wanted to see one tit on each side of the bar, her nipples easily accessible to him. Dio, he loved her big tits.

"There are kneelers just in front of your feet. Stand on them." The toe of her shoe bumped into the left one before she raised her mule-encased foot onto the velvet pad. She soon had her other foot on its pad. The shoes had a three-inch heel, which was about as much as he wanted to see her in. She was none too steady in anything higher anyway.

"Good girl." He placed one hand on her abdomen and the other between her shoulder blades and applied slight pressure to her back. "Now, bend over."

Her hesitation barely noticeable, she leaned forward, trusting him not to let her fall as he guided her into position on the center beam of the spanking horse. The joint of her hips was right at the edge, just where he wanted her. When he'd set up the equipment, he'd adjusted the arms of the horse to where he thought her arms would be. Perfect fit. He knew her body so well after the last few months. Not nearly as well as he wanted to learn it in the months and years to come.

"You can release your tits and stretch out your arms as if on a cross." She'd seen this piece of equipment before and stretched out onto the padded arm rests in perfect position. "Good girl." He saw a smile on her lips, then moved to the head of the apparatus and took her head between his hands, guiding her forehead onto the padded cushion and making sure her face was positioned properly inside the hole. He then strapped her waist to the center bar.

"Nod if you can breathe comfortably."

She nodded. He'd instructed her that she was not to make a sound unless given permission or to count the blows. Keeping her from being so vocal was an area of discipline in which they still had a lot of work to do, especially when she was ready to come. He loved hearing her express the pleasure of her orgasm, but he also wanted to enjoy her more in public and needed to work on quieting down her responses to being pleasured—a little, at least. Tonight, though, he wanted to hear her scream his name as she came with him buried deep inside her. Not yet, though.

After adjusting the kneepads to make her comfortable—for now—he went to his toy bag and pulled out what he'd be using tonight. He loved sensation play with Angelina. She was so fucking responsive.

* * *

Angelina waited. She'd never been on the spanking horse before. The name alone made her wet. She loved being spanked—and Marc was built like a horse. She hoped he'd fill her pussy with every inch tonight. With all the Christmas preparations, they hadn't really had time for play or even vanilla sex for the last five days. She was primed and ready.

Something soft and fuzzy brushed up her thighs and over the cheeks of her butt. She pictured the heart-shaped paddle he'd used on her several months ago in the great room at the club when he'd begun her training as a sub. But she was his sub now. Forever.

"You know the drill, pet. You're permitted to speak as you've been trained to do."

Whoomph!

The soft paddle came down on her left cheek. "One, Sir. Please may I have another?" Only harder this time. With something other than that wimpy paddle? But she'd behave for now, unless he continued to go easy on her, in which case she'd release the brat inside.

After several more love taps with the fuzzy paddle, Marc's fingers spread open her shaved lips, exposing her wet pussy and clit to the much cooler air.

Whoomph!

"Holy…" She hoped she'd caught herself in time, but the paddle had come down hard on her swollen clit, surprising her. "I mean, four, Sir. M-may I have another?"

"Of course, pet."

This time, she braced herself for the paddle to her clit again. Instead, she felt Marc's tongue stroking her clit hood and coaxing the little nubbin to engorge even more. Oh, yes. Keep doing that.

Whoomph!

Holy Mother of God! The pain radiated from her pussy to her thighs as the pain of the direct impact onto her exposed clit. What number were they on?

"Five, Sir. Please may I have another?"

No more blows were delivered. Marc rammed what felt like to fingers into her pussy hole and she tried to move toward him, but the belt around her waist and the arm restraints made that impossible. She moaned.

"Silence."

Oh, yeah. He didn't want to her hear expressing her pleasure this time. She needed to rein in her responses.

He removed his fingers and he nearly groaned with regret before catching herself. The sound of crinkling cellophane filled her ears. Ah, the candy cane. When he pressed the tip against her pussy, she immediately realized this was no tiny cane, but one of those inch-thick sticks it took forever to finish as a kid. He continued to press the stick inside her and she didn't feel anything at first. What a disappointment.

She heard more cellophane and Marc came up near her face. "Turn toward me." She did, and he pushed the sash onto her forehead. He was licking the straight end of a smaller candy cane and smiling. He wore his green elf hat from earlier, but looked anything but innocent. There was a wicked gleam in his eye.

"How does your pussy feel?"

She wasn't sure how much of the stick was inside her, but the image of the other end sticking out of her hole made her clench her vaginal muscles. "Full." Suddenly, the ring of muscles around her opening began to grow increasingly warm. "Hot now."

He grinned and stuck the candy cane into his mouth right up to the curve of the stick, coating it with his saliva. He took it out. "Face down." Just before she averted her eyes, she saw him practically deep- throat the cane again.

His hand spread her clenched butt cheeks, which she'd contracted to keep the now-burning stick from falling out, not that it seemed to be going anywhere.

"Relax your sphincter."

"Wait!"

"Silence, pet, or you'll be punished for your lack of discipline."

The tip of the wet candy cane pressed against her asshole and she fought to relax, but the thought of the burning to come made that nearly impossible.

Smack!

The stinging in her butt cheek told her Marc's patience wasn't going to put up with any disobedience, so she relaxed as he'd instructed and felt the smaller peppermint coated candy stick insert into her anus. While not nearly as big as the butt plugs he'd trained her with, the heat of the peppermint oil, already wet from Marc's mouth, soon heated up her smaller hole.

Don't scream. Remain quiet for him. Please your Dom.

The litany went on and on. Marc stroked her but cheeks down to her thighs and up again. He pulled the larger cane out, then rammed it inside her very wet pussy again where it bumped against the smaller cane, causing pain to bloom in her ass. She clenched her sphincter tightly around the sugary torture device that had her burning for Marc's penis. But she knew she wouldn't receive that Christmas reward for a while, not after she'd gotten him off just a couple hours ago on the ride home. He was satiated for now. She'd learned the man's endurance was beyond anything imaginable during that first week they'd been together.

Marc pinched her left nipple, causing her to jerk as much as she could, then he clamped it with one of the alligator clips he was fond of using lately. The teeth bit into her flesh, but with the flow of blood cut off, it soon grew numb as he walked around the horse to do the same with the other nipple. She knew the real pain would come later, when he removed the damned things.

He stepped away again and she missed the heat of his body. "Now, where were we?"

Slap!

Ow! The sting of a leather tawse came down on her right upper thigh. Where indeed? "Um, six, Sir." She hoped. "May I have another?"

"Very good, pet. Your levels of concentration are improving."

His words warmed her heart, but not quite as warm as her ass and pussy holes and the residual stinging where he'd smacked her.

Slap!

"Seven, Sir. Please may I have another?"

He continued with a steadily increasing intensity of blows landing on her butt cheeks as she counted. Fifteen. Twenty. Twenty-five. She pictured the candy canes bobbing up and down as she flinched and tried to squirm away from the stinging leather. Her cheeks soon were hotter than her candy-filled holes, but the feeling of pain receded. She tried not to moan, but she wanted to come so badly.

Without warning, the larger of the canes was removed. "Turn your head and look at me."

She did so and looked up at him with love and hoped she'd pleased him. Without smiling he pressed the candy cane against her lips and pressed it inside. The taste of her own juices mixed with the peppermint was very sensual and she closed her eyes as he pressed it further into her mouth.

"I said look at me."

She complied immediately and he began fucking her face with the stick as she looked up at him. Deeper and deeper the stick went toward the back of her throat. Mio Dio, she couldn't deep throat a candy stick. It would tear up her throat making it hard for her to take him there for days to come. But she wasn't going to tell him to stop. During playtime, her body was his to use as he wished. He'd never abused—or disappointed—her yet.

Marc removed the stick before pressing any further. He smiled. "Good girl."

Relief flooded her. She'd pleased him.

He reached up to unsnap the crotch of his leathers and his cock sprang out. Without having to tell her, she opened her mouth and he soon filled her, going deeper than where he's stopped with the cane on his very first stroke. His hands held her head in place, as if she was going anywhere, and he pushed himself down her throat. She'd long ago lost the gag reflex, loving to give him head every chance he'd let her, and heard him moan as his cock slid into her tight throat. She wished her hands weren't restrained so she could play with the curly hairs on his balls, but would have to content herself with this for now. He pinched her nostrils closed and soon she tightened around his cock even more as she tried to gasp for breath. Pressure built in her chest, but he released her and withdrew. She was disappointed that she hadn't gotten him to come for her.

He walked back down to the juncture of her legs. The coarse hair of his legs stung as they brushed against her tawse-reddened thighs, but she soon forgot the pain as he rammed his cock into her. The smaller cane moved back and forth as he pumped into her, causing her sphincter to go into spasms. She wouldn't last much longer.

Marc's finger flicked the hood of her clit and she clenched her teeth. You do not have permission to scream.

Sweat broke out on her forehead, soaking her satin sash, as she fought for self-control. Marc removed the candy cane from her butt hole and reached up to stroke the sides of her breasts.

"Come for me, pet. Loudly."

He removed both of the tit clamps simultaneously. The pain rushed into her nipples as blood flow was restored.

"Holy shit, that hurts! Oh, Gesu, yes! It hurts so good!"

His finger rubbed her tender nipples as he continued to pumped his rod inside her. The explosion bubbled up. "So close. Come with me, Sir!"

And he did.

Kally here again. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah! Whew. I love writing sexy scenes for those two! But before I do that, in case you haven't heard, my first three e-books are now out in two paperback volumes, with Masters at Arms and Nobody's Angel in a combined first volume, followed by Nobody's Hero. These books are HUGE, as you may have noticed while reading them on your e-reader. 


Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel
Rescue Me Series Paperback Vol. I 


Nobody's Hero
Rescue Me Series Paperback Vol. II 

Nobody's Perfect coming in a couple weeks in paperback!

For buy links to the first four books in e-books, 

Thanks for your ongoing support of my writing efforts! 

Happy New Year to all!