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!



Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Kally Contests to win a Kindle, Gift Cards, and More!

With my last blog on here being from before Thanksgiving, you'd think I hadn't done a blessed thing in the past three weeks in the blogosphere. But I've actually been busy guesting and giving away lots of things at OTHER people's blogs.

To help you find these (in case you missed the announcements on Facebook and Twitter), I thought I'd share some of the links here. I'm giving away some great prizes (including a new 7" Kindle Fire, two $25 bookseller gift cards, e-books, and swag. ) Some of the drawings are as early as TODAY, so ENTER SOON!!!

This photo reminded me of Master Marc on Christmas Day in Nobody's Perfect in his green elf's hat. Ho Hell Yeah!


Oh, the giveaways! Sorry, I am easily distracted. Here you go! Click on the links to get to either the main site of giveaways or my individual one. Most are having multiple day giveaways, though, so explore a bit while you're there!



This blog included part of the clothespin scene from Nobody's Perfect and answers some questions about Top Griz, the Marine I consult with on my books to get my Marine Corps facts and Marine jargon right.  Win a $25 Gift Card to an online bookseller, a free e-book in the Rescue Me series, and swag. For your chance to win, ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM. But I also love reading comments, so I'll give away another e-book to one of the commenters. Drawing is TODAY (Dec. 11), so hurry!


(now the Season of Celebration--all month long) 

There are a TON of giveaways and different dates for each of them--some list at their Pinterest board, (click on a book, then click again and you'll be taken to each author's giveaway). Also click on the link to their Facebook page, where even more giveaways can be found if you scroll down through the last couple weeks of messages.

For my giveaway, you'll need to go to this photo on my Facebook Author Page and post a comment that is a holiday message to the troops and their families. Then you'll be in the running to win a new-in-box 7" Kindle Fire and other items listed. Drawing will be on Dec. 13, so hurry! If the winner provides a mailing address by Dec. 14, the item will ship Priority Mail, probably in time for Christmas arrival. Open only to those with a US mailing address due to technical limitations of the Kindle. 



From Dec. 5-17, the Smutketeers are featuring several authors EACH DAY, with a great prize package from that day's authors going to one lucky winner. I'll be included on Day 8, which goes up Dec. 12 and am giving away a $25 Gift Card to an online bookseller, a free Rescue Me book, and swag. I'm not sure what other goodies are in that day's giveaways. Drawings will take place on/after Dec. 17.

If you post a comment on EACH of the Days, you are entered to win a $200 Gift Card from the Smutketeers.



Read an excerpt from Nobody's Perfect and comment for a chance to win a free e-book in my series, as well as some great swag. Drawing for mine will be on or after Dec. 12. And check out the other authors, once for each day!



This one goes up on or about Dec. 11 and includes an excerpt of a Christmas Day scene from Nobody's Perfect. The winner, chosen randomly by Mrs. Condit, will receive a $25 bookseller Gift Card (winner's choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, or other bookseller offering gift cards). In addition, the winner can choose one e-book in the Rescue Me series (either one that's already published, or a future book), as well as some Rescue Me series swag (pen, trading cards, hand fan, etc.). I'm not sure of the drawing date, but check it out soon.

Coming up from Kally!

If you'll be in New York City Dec. 20, send me a message for an invitation to a gathering of readers at a Manhattan hotel. I hope to have copies of my new print versions available, but if not, there will be swag, refreshments, door prizes (some of them kinky if I can find a toy store for adults in NYC--what are the changes of that happening? LOL), a Q&A session with me, and a good time for all!

Once I've approved the proofs of the first two print books (Masters at Arms and Nobody's Angel in a combined volume for $18.95, and Nobody's Hero for $16.95. The books will be available at Createspace.com (if you buy there, the author gets to keep a better percentage of royalties for each sale), Amazon US and Europe (buying here helps get me on bestseller lists, which is also nice), and other outlets as the books are distributed through the bookseller channels over time, including Barnes & Noble. You can also request that your local bookseller carry the series.

And I'm hoping to be back on this blog a little after Christmas to share some of the Christmas Day activities of the Masters you all know and love! Last year, Master Adam commandeered my keyboard with this heartwarming holiday message, but this year, I'm thinking we'll be hearing from Master Marc or maybe Baby Dom Luke himself! Be sure to check back!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Nobody's Angel only 99 cents Black Friday to Cyber Monday!

To encourage more readers to try my series, I'm making the second book in the series, Nobody's Angel, only 99 cents for four days only! And, of course, Masters at Arms remains free at most booksellers. (Amazon-UK keeps reverting to charging for that one, but I think they only charge the equivalent of 99 cents.)

There are lots of great books waiting for you at only 99 cents during this period at the two links below. Great time to give your friends and family the gift of books for just a little money! For a list or links, go to:


Lexi Blake (The Dom Who Loved Me), Cat Johnson (cowboys!), Eliza Gayle (Malcolm, a shapeshifter), Selena's Stranded with a Cajun Werewolf, Jade Lee's Rules for a Lady, Liliana Hart's Cade, and more!

Tons of books are listed here. (Ignore the "Featured Books" not all of them are in the sale--there is a glitch.) But click on the categories listed on the left and you'll find the covers of the books in the 99-cent sale. (For those listed as Featured, just wait and see if their price comes down, but they may not. That was from another sale.) 

In my Rescue Me series, don't miss getting Masters at Arms FREE at these booksellers (usually):

Masters at Arms is FREE at:



And, FOR FOUR DAYS ONLY (Nov. 23-26), book 2 in the series, Nobody's Angel, will be 99 cents at:

Amazon

I decided to put this book up because the first one's already free, but because many readers skip over Nobody's Angel, not realizing Adam and Karla's story actually CONTINUES in Nobody's Angel (in some very big and dramatic ways), in addition to beginning Marc and Angelina's romance. 

My stories aren't stand-alone novels, so their stories continue to overlap each other's. As one reader described it, Rescue Me is like one long book with very long installments. 


*Disclaimer: I can only control immediate pricing at Smashwords and All Romance eBooks. It's hard to determine how long it will take Amazon and Barnes & Noble to adjust the pricing to 99 cents or when it will return to the original $3.99 price. 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Legacy Collection by Ruth Cardello & Giveaway


I met Author Ruth Cardello on The Author's Corner (trianglevarietyradio.com) Blog Talk Radio chat recently. She's an indie (self-published) author like me and is kind of an idol to many of us because she turned down a 7-figure contract offer from one of the "big 6" New York publishers. (Close as I came to that milestone was having an editor from one of the recently merged NY Big 6--which I guess makes them the Big 5 now--asking if I'd be willing to discuss going traditional with them after Nobody's Perfect made the USA Today Bestseller list in September. Big established publishers are great for print editions, audiobooks, foreign translations, and international markets, but when I refused to even consider giving up my digital rights, discussion ended at the editor's desk. But that's okay--I'll figure out how to do those other things on my own, just like Ruth and others are doing. It will just take me longer.) 

Anyway, I just heard book 4 in her Legacy Collection series is out and wanted to share her with you--while you wait for me to finish something else, of course. LOL Ruth writes "fantasy" love with billionaires, which is pretty different from my books, but when I went to her Amazon Central author page and WHOA! Check out who she is posing next to--a Marine! (A Gunnery Sergeant, according to his uniform insignia, I think. Just like Master Gibbs on NCIS!) Ooh-rah!  

So, if you want to escape reality a bit, start with the FREE read: MAID FOR THE BILLIONAIRE (this is the Amazon link, but it's also available at Barnes & Noble and other booksellers)



Then keep reading to catch up. The newest is book 4 (link below). There's a twist that I like--SHE is the billionaire. Go Ruth! Ruth's books are described as Harlequin Presents with a plus or something special (the special plus being SEX that doesn't happen closed doors!) Be still my heart! 

You know from Nobody's Hero that I have a thing for "Sultan" Adam and his harem girl Karla. And I'm still dying to read Cherise Sinclair's My Liege of Dark Haven, which also has a sheikh fantasy scene. So I think I'm going to enjoy this bit of escapism when I get to it. Nothing wrong with fantasies! 



Here's the blurb for SAVING THE SHEIKH:
Rachid bin Amir al Hantan is fighting for the sovereignty of his small country. He needs to find some powerful allies - and fast. Attending the wedding of Dominic Corisi is as much about reconnecting with old friends as it is about celebrating nuptials. The last thing he needs right now is the distraction of a woman.

Zhang Yajun is a self-made billionaire who can’t believe she accepted her friend’s dare to kiss Sheikh Rachid before the end of the wedding. When impulsive words lead to even more impulsive actions, these two will discover that sometimes the last thing you were looking for is the one thing that can save you. 

Book 1: Maid for the Billionaire (FREE in e-book format!) 
Book 2: For Love or Legacy
Book 3: Bedding the Billionaire
Book 4: Saving the Sheikh 


GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away a copy of one of Ruth's first four Legacy Collection e-books to a commenter (or her/his designee, if you want to give it as a gift to a friend). We'll draw next week. Reader can choose which of the AVAILABLE books she wants. 

Just comment and tell us what your favorite fantasy Romance would be. 

Happy Reading! Now back to work on getting my first four books into print!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Birthday Party Book Bash!


Happy 40th Birthday to author Paloma Beck! While she is celebrating the birthday, readers are getting the gifts in the way of a ton of books being given away by Paloma and some of her fellow authors, including me. To enter in the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway link below. Hope you discover some new authors and win some great books! And be sure to scroll down to the list of authors participating in this birthday book bash. Some will also have greetings on their blogs, but to win the books, you need to enter as many times as possible in the Rafflecopter below. (Check out that list of prizes!)

Paloma, I loved turning 40. There is something freeing about that age. You get to do and say what you want without caring so much what other people think. (If you already do that, then good for you, but it took me until then to figure that out.) 

I wish you continued success in your career and much happiness in your life!



Friday, November 9, 2012

Men and Women of the Military Giveaway Hop

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My thanks to all who have served their nations in themilitary. As my readers know, I have a fondness for US Marines—okay, andthere's that Navy Corpsman, oh yeah, and Grant's man is former Army—okay, thereis just something about military men and women PERIOD. Instant heroes andheroines. Many of my readers are military family members and I always try toremember to thank them for their sacrifices, too.

One mom who made the ultimate sacrifice is Sue Sattler,whose son took his life because of his battle with PTSD. I met Sue on Facebookafter my third book came out when she wrote to thank me for the series. I askedif she would mind if I dedicated my latest book to her son, Dane ChristopherSattler. She thought it would be a wonderful tribute to him.

In a Facebook discussion this week about whether it'srespectful to have a BDSM Romance novel dedicated to a fallen hero (or have thecharacters in the series compared to a fallen hero), Sue responded:

"Danewould have loved it. I can see him grinning ear to ear with his handsomedimples showing over having a dedication in a BDSMbook. My 75 year old father, who does not read BDSM (lol) was brought to tearsby your dedication and bought the book just so he could see it whenever hewanted to. I think he looks at it every night. You certainly have touched thisfamily with your love and generosity."

Telling stories about characters battling Post TraumaticStress Disorder (PTSD)—both combat related, as well as from other traumas—hasbecome something of a passion of mine. The military men and women in my RescueMe series bonded in combat in Iraq—in a firefight that changed each of themforever. In the ongoing story of these men, Nobody'sPerfect, the fourth book in the series, focuses on one of those men, DamiánOrlando. Damián was severely wounded in Iraq and has found thatsadomasochism has helped him regain control of his life and to help keep PTSDepisodes at bay. Of course, they never go away, as the scene below shows.



In this excerpt from Nobody'sPerfect (Rescue Me #4), Damián is talking with Adam, his former Marinemaster sergeant—the man who rescued him from suicide while he was recoveringfrom the grenade explosion in Iraq. (The story of the firefight is told in Masters at Arms, Rescue Me #1, the freeintroduction to the series.)

Dad leaned forward. “That kid needs a full-timedad.”

Tell me about it.“Yeah, well, tell her mama that.”

“Happy to, but she might go to ground again if Iissue a direct order like that.”

“She’s not going anywhere for a while.” Not ifDamián had anything to say about it. “I’ll work on her, but she’s got morebaggage than this latest incident. She just needs time.”

Dad waited. Normally Damián wouldn’t revealsomeone’s personal story without permission, but Dad needed to know there wouldbe some issues with triggers for Savi.

“When I met her over eight years ago, she was somekind of masochist-for-hire for some pretty sadistic bastards. They worked herover pretty good.”

“What the fuck’s a masochist-for-hire?”

“Hell, I don’t know. I never got the full story, butthe guy she was handled by seemed to be pimping her out to businessmen. He wassetting her up with the clients, then disappearing and letting total strangersrestrain and torture her.” Images of Savannah tied to the bed in the hotelflashed across his mind’s eye. “Money must have changed hands, although I don’tthink Savi saw any of it. She was more like a sex slave.”

Damián closed his eyes and rubbed his face, wishinghe could blot out those images. If only he’d known how much deeper her problemswere then, he’d never have left her. “I don’t know that she’s dealt with any ofthat trauma yet.”

“What do you plan to do about it?”

Love her.Yeah, as if he was what she needed—or wanted. “I don’t have any intention ofletting her know what I’ve become.”

Dad scrutinized him, and Damián sat back to put somespace between them.

“Just what is it you’ve become?”

Why Dad needed him to state the obvious was beyondhim. “A cripple. A sadist. A freak—and not the good kind, either.”

“First off, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear youcall yourself a cripple. That’s bullshit. If I ever hear you say it again,you’ll have one whip-wielding former master sergeant wearing out your ass witha singletail.” He paused. “You know that’s not an implement I’m particularlywell-trained on, either.”

Even so, Damián had no doubt the man would followthrough on that promise—with predictable results. Fine. He’d just keep thosethoughts to himself.

“As for being a sadist, you know you’ve never hurtanyone who didn’t want or need the pain you’ve dished out. I’ve never seen aDom with more self-control than you have.”

Yeah, for Damián, sadomasochism had always beenabout control—regaining what had been taken away from him in Fallujah.

“Now, you want to tell me what you mean by a bad freak?”

Damián stared down at his biker boots and let thesilence drag out between them. He’d never told anyone this before. He had nosecrets from Dad; it just hadn’t come up in the conversation before.

“What are you afraid of, son?”

Hurting her.He wasn’t sure how to bring it into this conversation either.

“Spill it.”

Damián raised his head and looked across the desk.“I haven’t slept with anyone since,” he looked down at his boot, “…beforedeployment.” The blood pounded in his ears, and he almost didn’t hear Dad’sresponse.

“That’s a fucking long time. Nothing wrong with alittle discernment.”

Okay, the man had missed the point, whetherintentionally or not, Damián didn’t know. Dad probably just wanted him to speakthe words out loud. Take away some of their power, as Damián had tried to getSavi to do. Might as well come right out and say it, because Dad wouldn’t takesilence for an answer.

“I didn’t say I haven’t had sex. I just haven’t leta woman I’ve been intimate with sleep with me. For two reasons.”

“Number one being?”

“My stump.”

Damián didn’t think he’d ever have caught AdamMontague off guard, but the look on his face clearly said he hadn’t expected tohear that.

“Wait. Let me get this straight. I know you onlyplay publicly with Patti to help Victor out, but I’ve seen you go upstairs withsome of the willing bottoms before.”

Damián had topped fellow veteran Victor’s slavePatti many times in the great room, giving her what she needed—a level of painVictor couldn’t deliver—but there’d never been anything sexual between them.

“I only had sex with bottoms when I knew and theyclearly understood there would never be anything more than a physical release.”

“Sounds familiar.” Damián looked up at Dad whoglanced away without elaborating.

“Anyway, there haven’t been that many interested ina superficial connection with me.”

Savi didn’t meet his criteria for no connections,because they were way beyond superficial already. They’d formed a bond yearsago that he’d never been able to break, even with no expectation of ever seeingher again. Now he’d discovered they shared a daughter. How did you keepsomething like that on the superficial level?

Dad found his voice after a few moments. “I thoughtyou said Savi’s been living in your apartment for the past couple weeks. Howthe hell hasn’t she seen you without the prosthesis?”

Now it was Damián’s turn to avoid eye contact. “Ihaven’t taken it off around her.”

Dad nearly came out of the chair again as he leanedforward. “What the fuck do you mean you haven’t taken itoff? It’s not like you live in Marc’s monstrosity of a house and can fumblearound without seeing each other for a fucking week. You have to be living ontop of each other in your place. Are you bucking to get the rest of your damnedleg amputated when it gets infected?”

Dad was right, as usual. Damián was asking fortrouble by not giving the stump a longer break every day than his half-hour orless of bathroom time. He continued to avoid Dad’s gaze, but he tried toreassure him. “I had my own room in Aspen and had a chance to rest the stump abit more there. And I check for signs of any problems a couple times a day.”

When Dad grew silent again, Damián ventured a glancehis way. The scowl on his face spoke volumes, but he added a few choice words,anyway. “Pride goes before the fall.”

Who said anything about pride? He just didn’t wantto gross her out looking at a man who’d had his foot blown off. “Look, I don’tthink she’s looking to have any kind of serious relationship.”

“You share a kid together. Sounds fucking serious tome.”

“That was one day at the beach eight years ago fortwo lost, horny teenagers.”

“Bullshit, and you know it. That girl’s been on yourmind a lot, at least since rehab. I heard you scream out the name Savannah afew times during nightmares.”

Dad had been the one to wake him from dozens ofnight terrors and bad dreams during that first year he’d lived here, and offand on for a couple more years before Damián had moved to his own place. Theman had saved his life. Damián had been so fucking close to putting in place asuicide plan when Dad had come into that hospital room in San Diego the daybefore Damián had been discharged.

“Look, I plan to be a part of Marisol’s life now thatI know she’s mine, but that doesn’t mean her mama wants to have any kind ofrelationship—kink or vanilla.”

“Sounds like you two need to work on yourcommunication skills.” Dad, who never had trouble speaking his mind, looked alittle sheepish and glanced away again.

Damián sighed. “Look, I can barely touch her withoutsetting off a dozen triggers.”

“Give her time. Sounds like she’s been to hell andback. Now, what’s Number Two?”

He could never get anything by Dad. He took a deepbreath. “I’m afraid to sleep with her.”

“I thought that was Number One.”

“No, not sex—sleep. What if Ihave a bad episode? I could hurt her if she’s lying in the bed next to me.”

“Son, there are never any guarantees, but when I washome with Joni, recovering from that ambush in Afghanistan, I had plenty ofnightmares.”

The man sure had loved his first wife, but had losther to cancer after twenty years of marriage. Damián wondered what it was liketo be committed to one woman that many years.

“Even though I lashed out at night a couple timesand insisted on moving to the couch, she refused to sleep anywhere but besideme every fucking night. We’d slept together so seldom over the years, wedecided it was a risk worth taking. Thank God I didn’t miss those last few opportunities.We didn’t have that many left.”

Dad was lost in memories a moment, then looked athim again. “I have a feeling the two of you are going to be able to help eachother on the nights when the nightmares return. Just warn her not to touch youwhen you’re sleeping on the couch or something. Have her call out to you firstand make sure you’re awake before she gets too close. That’s not PTSD, justyour training as a warrior always having to be on guard. But if you go to bedwith each other, I think your mind will continue to function on some level mostnights. You’ll know she’s not the enemy.”

He paused to give Damián time to absorb theinformation. “Look, you’ll never know for sure unless you try. What’ve you gotto lose?”

Savi. Marisol. Everything.

Well, he had plenty of time to worry about gettinginto bed with Savi. “Speaking of being there, or not in this case, I’m going tohave to steer clear of the club a while. She doesn’t know about that either,and it’s nothing I’m going to talk about except on a need-to-know basis. Rightnow, she doesn’t need to know.”

Dad moved in on him again, leaning forward. “Fine.But if I hear any more bullshit talk about you not being good enough for herbecause of kink or your foot or whatever excuse you drum up, I’ll blister yourbutt good. She won’t find anyone more honorable and worthy as a husband or afather.”

“Yeah, well…” Damián looked away.

Dad stood up. “Get back out there and figure out howyou’re going to win her over.” Damián relaxed, glad this talk was over.


GIVEAWAY

One lucky commenter will be chosen at random to receive oneof the Romance e-books in the Rescue Me series (either a current book or anupcoming one in the series). The winner also will receive some Rescue Me seriesswag, including an "Ahh, Kallypso…the stories you tell" purple penand Romance Trading Cards for the first three books. The drawing will take place on or after 12 noon Eastern Thursday, Nov. 15.


CONTACTING KALLY

I love to engage with readers online, as well as in personat conventions and conferences. You can find me online at:


Ahh, Kallypso…thestories you tell blog: http://kallypsomasters.blogspot.com


Facebook Timeline and Profile Page (friend-request me!): https://www.facebook.com/kallypsomasters

Facebook The Rescue Me Open Discussion group(Warning—spoilers galore, so catch up on the series before you come to hang outwith us here to talk about the books and characters): https://www.facebook.com/groups/282370991862753/



(Sorry, but I rarely go on Goodreads or FetLife, although Ihave accounts there, so if you really want to reach me, the above links arebest.)