Guest Author: Meg Lacey

Warning: “Million Dollar Mistake” contains a tabloid sweetheart who loves to be bad, a sexy hero with little patience for mind games, and a game of strip pool that will make you rethink your weekend plans.   

Hello everyone,

I’m delighted to be guest blogging on Melissa Schroeder’s blog and send a huge thank you to her for the opportunity to introduce myself to her many fans. 

My name is Meg Lacey, and I have a new series Million Dollar Men, with the first book, Million Dollar Mistake, coming October 23, 2012 from Samhain Publishing.  I’ve previously written for Harlequin/Silhouette and am really excited to join the Samhain Family. I also have a paranormal series coming out from Imajinn Books this fall—Tales of the Sparrow.  The first book is The Sparrow and The Hawk. Before I tell you about these stories I’d like to tell you a bit about myself, in case you have never heard of Meg Lacey. J

Like all of you, I’ve always loved to read. My idea of wealth is to buy whatever I want in a bookstore regardless of cost. I’ll bet many of you think the same. I wrote my first novel in the sixth grade but my writing career didn't last. Instead I went into theatre before ending up in televison as a writer-producer.

Over the years, I've been an actress, director, producer, copywriter, creative director, college instructor, creative dramatics teacher, author, mime, mom, and a school bus driver—wow, are there stories in that experience!  I’ve started two creative marketing companies and worked in all media from network cable programming to games and corporate initiatives; but always returned to writing.  I have three married daughters, now creating chaos in someone else’s life, and my true hero, my husband. He’s survived life with four women, numerous female cats and dogs, and still remembers how to tie his shoes. Now that’s a hero!

Today’s publishing has opened up so many new avenues for writers and readers. Everywhere you look you can find a new story to enjoy, a new author to experience, new worlds to visit, and new characters to care about. 

I’d like to introduce two of them, Raven Rutledge and Nicholas Demetrios, the stars of Million Dollar Mistake. I hope you will want to know them better.

If you had an opportunity to fall in love with a tall, dark and handsome millionaire, would you? I sure would. I guess the exception would be Raven Rutledge, but she comes from the super-wealthy Kristoff Family so maybe she isn’t a good judge of the kind of man most women would dream about.  And, Nicholas Demetrious, is definitely dream material. Their relationship is witty, flirtatious and—Hot! See for yourself:

In addition to overseeing the financial affairs of the wealthy Kristoff family, Nicholas Demetrious specializes in hauling its rambunctious members out of trouble. Especially his distant cousin, Raven Rutledge.

The tabloids love her bad-girl antics, sexy pout, and body made for sin. Nicholas would love to spank the bejesus out of her, but this time the situation is too serious to entertain such a fantasy. A lucrative business deal with the Exeters is in jeopardy, and Jackson Exeter Sr.’s ultimatum is clear: Remove this man-eater from my country house, or the deal is off.

Raven is in way over her head. She accepted the invitation to the Exeters’ Adirondack house party as a refreshing change from her jet-setting lifestyle—until she learns the guest list includes his entire family. His ex-girlfriend. And the junior Exeter’s intention to propose.

If ever she needed suave, sophisticated Nicholas’s persuasive powers, it’s now. Then he’s there with a plan to get her out of this tangle: sweep her off her feet. But their pretend passion turns all too real. And what started out as a weekend of fun threatens to shatter into betrayal and heartbreak.

I had a great time writing this book. There is a lot of humor in my writing since I think humor is the best way to get through life. Or maybe I just have an over-developed funny bone. Million Dollar Mistake is actually a continuation of a minor character introduced in my novel, Million Dollar Stud from Harlequin (available in ebook.) The stud in that title is not only Darcy Kristoff, but a thoroughbred horse. The action takes place in the Blue Grass Region of Kentucky. You might want to check it out to get some background on Nicholas. Meanwhile, I can’t wait to bring you more stories about Million Dollar Men and the women who love them.

Oh yeah, one more thing before I go.

I know you’re probably sick of my talking by now, but I do want to introduce  Tales of The Sparrow. As the book is still in production, I can’t share the cover with you yet, but I can tell you a little bit about the story that will also come out in Autumn, 2012.

Tales of the Sparrow is a humorous, paranormal romantic adventure series set one week into the future—a time when magic, myths and mystical creatures were all possible because the veil between this world and the next had been stripped away.

In the first book, The Sparrow and The Hawk, Jillie Harte, the Sparrow, is a documentary filmmaker who also works undercover for the “NAS (Normal, Abnormal & Strange) Agency”, a secret private agency sponsored by an eccentric billionaire and run by her uncle whose mission is to protect the world from evil in any form—from that done by ordinary humans to that done through mystical direction.  Under the guise of creating a TV documentary on “Fashion and Decoration throughout history,” Jillie is sent undercover to recover an ancient necklace with the power to unleash evil on the world if it falls into the wrong hands. A lot of people want the necklace, including her new cameraman, Griff Ryland. Griff, The Hawk, is actually from an alternative dimension and as a shapechanger is able to change to a cougar (a mountain lion) and a hawk when circumstances demand. Magic, witchcraft, alternative dimensions and dragging around a cameraman who looks like ‘sex-on-a-stick’ makes the team’s chase after the necklace dangerous, exciting and fun.  From San Francisco, to New Mexico to New Orleans, and finally to San Diego, CA.  Sparrow and Hawk must overcome each obstacle until they finally find the ‘manipulator’, the ultimate evil whom they must defeat to recover the necklace and eliminate the curse that surrounds it. That’s not all happening though—Jillie and Griff must also face their developing relationship and decide what to do about it. And they thought saving the world from evil and chaos was hard!!!!

Thanks again, Melissa, for inviting me to share news with all of your fans about my forthcoming books. If you want to know more, or read excerpts, please visit my new website that: www.meglacey.com or send an email to: meg@meglacey.com

Be sure to register for the contests that will accompany the release dates of Million Dollar Mistake and The Sparrow and the Hawk.

Take care and smile.

 Meg

Guest Author & Giveaway: Cathryn Cade

‘Aloha, I’m Cathryn Cade.

Mahalo to Melissa for hosting me today on her fun, hot blog. This is just the kind of place I love to play, how about you? Hot men flexing from the sidebars and rose petals scattered on the floor—oh, yeah!

The only way it could be better? If those were plumeria petals. Mmm, that wonderful scent. Sweet and seductive, wafting on the warm, damp, tropical air. The blossoms hanging from branches on the side of every path and lawn, in shades of delicate cream to deepest pink, tinged with yellow.

Ah, I feel as if I’m back in Hawaii. Sigh … but I’m not, I’m here in the Pac NW, where it’s a typical June—chilly and rainy. Shivering now, and huddling deeper in my polar fleece.

How do you keep your sanity while you’re waiting for your favorite season? I travel—in my imagination, that is. I sit down at my computer, log in to Pandora Internet Radio and turn on my Hawaiian station, loaded with meltingly beautiful songs by Iz, Kealii Reichel, the Cazimero Brothers and Hapa. Then I open up my current work-in-progress, and I’m off to the Big Island for another steamy, Hawaiian fantasy vacation.

I love Hawaii, and visit every spring with my husband. We cram as much snorkeling, sight-seeing, shopping and micro-brew tasting as we can into our visit, and then reluctantly drag ourselves home with hundreds of photos and a suitcase full of gifts and souvenirs.  Our visits are never long enough.

So how to prolong my visits? Why, write a series that will allow me to return again and again. Come with me, why don’t you? Meet the amazing men of Hawaiian Heroes.

If you’ve been to Hawaii, I hope you’ll ‘recognize’ some of your favorite places on the Big Island. If not, come along with Melia Carson on a tropical adventure laden with sun, sand and sex. Mix up a mai tai or an iced tea and join her!

If you like the excerpt, leave a comment here and let me know. I’ll enter you in a drawing for 1 of 5 FREE copies of Melia’s story, Hawaiian Heroes I; Walking in Fire and a $5.00 Samhain gift certificate.

Winners will be notified by June 21. If I list you as a winner, please shoot me an email at cathryncade@cathryncade.com for details on how to claim your prize.

Born to defend his people, he will sacrifice everything—for her.

Nawea Bay, a remote Hawaiian paradise, is just the haven Melia Carson needs to escape the chill of heartache. Instead, she finds herself swept up in a tropical heat wave, fueled by attraction to the handsome native she meets on a snorkel tour.

He’s big, powerful, hot enough to melt her defenses—and he’s not all he seems. How else could he survive an injury that should have killed him…and why does she dream of him garbed in ancient native dress and wreathed in flames?

David “Malu” Ho’omalu is on the Big Island to find and destroy a cache of dangerous designer drugs before they can be sold to his people. Fending off amorous female tourists is part of the job, but one look in Melia’s blue eyes, and his instincts scream that she is his.

 As Melia surrenders to the desire burning between them, she discovers more than a fiery heritage that defies modern logic. She discovers a man who would descend into the molten heart of the volcano to protect his island. And her…if she can find the strength to trust her heart to him.

---

Product Warnings

Hot, hot Hawaiian hero with volcanic passion on his mind. Better pack a heat-proof bikini for this island paradise.

Monday, May 9th

He awoke in a rough bed, a roof of green moving above him. Through the icy talons of pain gripping his head and shoulders, he focused one eye. The other was swollen shut.

The shadows shifting overhead were huge ferns hanging from a steep bank. He turned his gaze the other way as much as he was able. The ground sloped off abruptly past black lava boulders.

Somewhere above, the tropical sun burned fierce and bright, but only a little light filtered down through the layers of tropical rain forest. Warm, humid shadows enclosed him. The bed on which he lay was earth, fallen leaves and palm fronds. He was on Mauna Loa.

Shifting carefully, he discovered he could move both his hands and feet. Arms and legs worked too, although not without clawing from the pilikua nui, the monster that seemed to have him by the side of his head and neck. Slowly, he lifted a hand to touch his temple. It came away wet and sticky. Blood.

He remembered now—finding the woman, then hearing a noise behind him, and pain exploding in his head. He was a fool. He’d let his guard down. This was his punishment.

Voices murmured in his head. The old ones. Somewhere, the Ho’omalu were chanting for him. That was good, for theirs were not the only voices he heard. His heart gave a great thump and began to race as a man called out just above him on the mountainside.

“Oh my God! Is she dead?” Footsteps pounded. Small lava rocks skittered down, bouncing past him. A gecko, startled by the motion, darted onto his chest, its tiny feet a familiar tickle. It ran down his belly, toward his hand. Something draped over his fingers.

Slowly, nearly groaning with the effort, he lifted his hand and squinted at the gecko’s gift. It was a small, knotted length of leather, broken in one place. His hand clenched around it. He’d last seen it only hours before—on someone’s wrist.

“She’s alive,” said another man’s voice. “Get over here, help me lift her. Careful!”

“Oh God. Who would do this to her?”

“What do you mean, who?” another man demanded. “Malu disappeared at the same time, didn’t he?”

At this new voice, the injured man tensed. His good eye narrowed to a slit as if his gaze could penetrate the ferns over his head. Rage roared through him, hot and fierce, a deep, primal rumble in his chest battling to erupt from his throat. Though he hadn’t seen who had clubbed him and beaten the woman into unconsciousness, he knew. The evidence lay in his fist.

He held himself still, sweating with the strain. He mustn’t move yet. The enemy was just above him, but so was the injured woman and her rescuers. He wouldn’t risk their safety. The only one who knew he was down here was his attacker, who no doubt thought him safely dead. Before that kepolo returned to check, he’d be gone.

“Malu did this?” one man asked. “But…he seemed so nice. Are you sure? Maybe he was attacked too.”

“I’ll worry about Malu. Right now, all of you help me get this girl out of here.”

The footsteps moved slowly away, down the trail. The voices of the rescuers faded.

The voices in his head continued, steady and rhythmic, soothing, encouraging. Spreading his hands flat on the warm earth, he drew on the power of his island. He let the chant take him, let healing flow into his battered body.

Deep beneath him, the island rumbled as Pele stirred, sighing in her sleep. She sent a stream of heat and healing up through her island to him.

He must rest, gather his strength. The blow that felled him would have killed a lesser man, but he belonged to Pele, patroness of these islands.

One of her warriors. One of her Ho’omalu—ancient protectors of Hawaii.

Saturday, May 7th

Melia Carson climbed onto the Hawaiian Dive boat. As the shining white catamaran bobbed slightly under her feet, she grabbed the high railing for balance.

She couldn’t believe she was finally here in Kona, Hawaii, with palm trees swaying overhead and the tropical sun warming her clear to her toes, an antidote to the chill of early spring in Oregon. Hopefully, it would warm the chill in her heart as well.

Hot, buttery sunlight poured down on the boats, the shore and the clustered palms. Two long canoes slid by, paddles flashing as the teams propelled their crafts toward the mouth of Kailua Bay.

 “Hey, Melia, you made it.” A small group of people stood in the prow of the boat. One of them waved at her. The afternoon breeze coming in off the ocean tousled his streaked blond hair. “Come and meet everyone.”

Dane was surrounded by the same people she’d seen him with in Kona—two men and two women, young, glossy and tanned. And someone new.

He lounged against the rail like an ad for sexy Hawaiian vacations. He was big, Polynesian heritage clear in his build. He wore a pair of long, red swim trunks over one of the most impressive physiques she’d seen, Hawaiian from his golden skin and short black hair to the dark tattoos on one side of his broad, smooth chest and one huge shoulder. His white teeth flashed as he smiled. Still smiling, he  turned and looked at Melia.

Melia took one look into his ebony eyes and felt a solid thunk in her middle, as if that dark, liquid gaze had reached clear inside her. A shiver of heat rocked her to her core, signaling the force of their collision. She’d never seen this man before, but in some visceral way, she felt as if she knew him.”

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt!

Aloha, Cathryn!

http://www.cathryncade.com

Guest Author & Giveaway: Anne Hope

 I’d like to thank Melissa for having me over today. I look forward to chatting with all of you about one of my favorite subjects…angels!

I’ve always been a huge fan of angels. As far back as I can remember these celestial beings have fascinated me, whether it was watching Michael Landon rescue one lost soul after another in Highway to Heaven or Nicolas Cage take that life-altering fall to be with the woman he loved in City of Angels. On Supernatural, Castiel is one of my favorite characters. Seeing him struggle with human weaknesses and emotions, while trying to stay true to his mission, has kept me glued to the screen. Even when he lost his way, he still had the power to captivate me.

Angels have figured prominently throughout history. Some stories depict them as benevolent and kind beings, whose sole purpose is to guide humanity. Others cast them in a much darker light—the avenging angels, as powerful as they are lethal, with secret agendas of their own. Both versions offer their unique brand of charm and appeal.

Why are these winged heroes and heroines so enthralling? What makes them so interesting to watch or read about? Maybe it has something to do with them being a symbol of hope and goodness. Maybe it’s all the heavenly powers they possess. Or maybe it’s the ever-present threat that they will be seduced by the dark side.

In Soul Bound, book one in my new paranormal series, I explore the secret world of fallen angels and their cursed offspring. It’s a classic tale of good vs. evil, where a man must fight his dark nature in order to save the one woman he’d sacrifice everything to protect.

Jace Cutler awakens in a hospital room in Portland, Oregon, with no memory of his past and a big hole where his soul used to be. With the help of his doctor, Lia Benson, he embarks on a dangerous journey to unravel the mystery of who he was and what he’s become.

Unfortunately, nothing is what he expects it to be. Everyone is surrounded by a strange white glow, people are suddenly doing everything he tells them to do, and creatures with inhuman strength and twisted agendas relentlessly hunt him. Worst of all, he’s starting to think he may be one of them.

As for Lia, she’s always been ruled by reason, refusing to put stock in such nebulous things as destiny. Until Jace dies in her arms, then miraculously comes back to life. Suddenly she’s consumed by odd dreams she’s convinced are Jace’s lost memories, and everything points to the fact that he’s her soul mate. But is he also the one destined to destroy her?

Are you a fan of angels? If so, why do you think these heavenly beings hold such universal appeal? Comment for a chance to win a free digital copy of Soul Bound, the first book in my Dark Souls series and a Romantic Times Top Pick! Open International.

Excerpt:

“Not like that. Put your weight into it.” Jace had spent the better part of the morning sharing some of Regan’s hard-earned lessons with Lia, until the sun’s rays had grown fierce enough to shred the fog. Now the grass gleamed a brilliant green beneath a spattering of weeds and wildflowers. “When you strike, you gotta make sure you hit your mark or your target will retaliate, harder and with far more precision.”

“I’m a healer, not a warrior.” Puffs of air escaped her lips, reminding him that she didn’t share his newfound stamina.

“Can you really be one without the other?” he challenged.

Boldness flared in her gaze, right before she lunged, her fingers fastened around the hilt of the dagger Regan had left behind for precisely this purpose. The blade struck him dead center in the heart, and he smiled. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

“I still can’t wrap my brain around the fact that you can’t be stabbed. My bones are still reeling from the blow.” She ran her palm over his chest where the blade had glanced off him. “It’s like you’re made of stone.”

He wished that were true. Then he wouldn’t have to struggle not to sweep her into his arms and wrestle her to the ground, wouldn’t ache to claim her lips or feel her soft curves mold to the hard planes of his body.

“Your turn.” A silent dare resonated in her voice, and he froze.

“I’m not stabbing you.”

“I was referring to your other idea. The one about you wrestling me to the ground.”

Great. She’d read his mind again. He really had to get a handle on his thoughts or they’d end up in serious trouble.

“Lia—”

She edged in closer, and her breasts grazed his chest in a tantalizing caress. “You don’t need to fight it anymore. What happened yesterday proves I’m immune.”

“You heard Regan. Being immune doesn’t necessarily mean your soul can’t be taken.”

“By an Ancient. Last time I checked, you weren’t an Ancient.”

His glance drifted to her lush, inviting mouth. It would’ve been so easy to swoop down and swallow it, so easy to drink from the sweet well of delights it promised. But fear nagged at him. What if she was wrong? What if he was the one who could break her?

His head fell forward even as his body retreated. “I can’t.”

Her frustration and disappointment rippled through the air. For a brief second he almost gave in, reached out and grabbed her. It took all the willpower he possessed to keep his hands from closing around her shoulders, his arms from crushing her to him.

Inhaling a deep, tempering breath, he sat on an old tree stump and gazed at the horizon, where land met sea and trees conspired to block out the fickle sun.

Lia crouched beside him, clutched his hand and rested the side of her face on his knee. As if guided by a will of their own, his fingers twined in the silky threads of her hair. Warmth tangled his gut, slowly spread to inundate him. It made no sense that she could be so right for him when he was all wrong for her. That her touch could infuse him with strength, even heal him, while his kiss risked shattering her mind and ruthlessly draining her of life.

“You’re wrong.” She gazed up at him, her eyes more startling in their blueness than the sky. “You won’t hurt me. Don’t ask me how I know. I just do.”

“Stop sneaking into my thoughts.”

“I’m not. You’re broadcasting them again.”

“So change the channel.”

She hooked her hand behind his neck, determinedly drew his face to hers. “What if I don’t want to?” Her breath swept across his mouth, made his whole body stiffen and burn. The gaping hole in his chest pulsed. “What if I want to hear your thoughts when you kiss me?”

“I’m not going to—”

With a quickness he failed to anticipate, she bridged the reassuring distance between them and claimed his mouth.

 Anne Hope

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Military Week: Cat Johnson

CAT JOHNSON’S RED HOT & TRUE BLUE MILITARY HEROES

I get asked the same question a lot—why did I start writing military romance? The answer is easy. I loved reading military romance. Suzanne Brockmann and Alison Kent were fixtures on my keeper shelf, so when I got my first romance contract in 2006, I asked my then editor, if I tried my hand at a military romance would she be interested? Her answer was yes.

That was the birth of the Red, Hot, & Blue series, currently releasing with Samhain Publishing. It started out with a team of SpecOps, but as I began researching the details for those first stories and came in contact with actual deployed troops, my ideas and story began to focus more on the tankers, the infantry, the boots on the ground. And as the war changed, the hot spots moving from Ramadi, Iraq to the border provinces in the mountains separating Pakistan from Afghanistan, so did my settings change to reflect the reality.  Reading through my series from book 1 the reader will notice the shifts—from the elite BlackOps, to the soldiers dodging snipers in Ramadi, to the slight side turn the series takes when I focus on the hometown and the family members of some of the military heroes, to the eventual move to the new hotspots in Afghanistan.

I hope the readers enjoy the journey as much as I enjoyed getting to know those real life men who inspired the stories.

Cat Johnson

www.catjohnson.net

http://twitter.com/cat_johnson

http://facebook.com/catjohnsonauthor

A FEW GOOD MEN (Red, Hot, & Blue Novel) by CAT JOHNSON

eBook release June 19, 2012, PREORDER now from:

Samhain Publishing

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble Nook

Books on Board

Please enjoy the following excerpt from A FEW GOOD MEN…

He has met the enemy…but he’s never fought desire like this. 

Deployed in the deadliest place on earth, Army Staff Sergeant John Blake relies on caffeine, adrenaline, years of training and sheer force of will to get through his days. He has no problem with his tank crew passing around a sexy romance novel, but John’s a fighter, not a lover. He’ll pass. Winding up as the author’s accidental pen pal wasn’t in his plan, but there’s something about her sweet, caring emails that has him looking forward to checking his inbox.

Week after week, Maureen Mullen, aka erotic romance writer Summer Winters, has dated one loser after another in a quest to find the last decent man on earth. Now it seems she’s found him—halfway around the world. When it comes to falling for unavailable men, she’s batting a thousand.

Gradually, the emails between the war-hardened warrior and the writer of passionate prose heat up to the point of keeping them up warm and wanting at night. Soon they’re wondering if it’s possible to build something solid out of cyberspace, or if it’s just an emotional mirage that will dissolve in the heat of reality.

Warning: Contains some steamy phone calls from the war zone and one hell of a sexy first meeting between two strangers who are already in love.

Excerpt:

Jazzy had been alive when the medevac helicopter took him away, but now that John knew he would be fine, he was pretty sure he wanted to kill him.

John ran his hands over his face. “Why can’t you wait to email her when you get out of here?”

“Because the docs say I can’t leave this hospital bed for almost a week, and then I have to go straight to my bunk and not move for another week except to go to the head. So you have to do it. I can’t be wandering around the MWR. I might collapse and injure myself.” He held a hand to his ribcage and looked pitiful.

“Look. I have no problem calling your wife for you. Hell, I’ll even contact your grandmother and dear old aunt if you want, but I am not emailing your sex-writer pen pal, Summer Winters.” John was sticking to this resolution even though Jazzy was giving him the hurt puppy eyes.

He watched the man in the bed before him shrug and then wince in spite of the large number of painkillers John knew was coursing through his veins. The areas covered with white gauze bandages outnumbered those without, making the concussion and contusions seem worse. But John was well aware that with explosions it was the internal injuries that could kill you, no matter how good or bad the exterior looked.

“That’s okay, sir. It’s not like I got injured following an order you, my superior officer, gave me or anything—oh wait. It is exactly that.” Jazzy couldn’t suppress the grin that crossed his lips.

He was trying guilt now? Dammit, though, it was the truth. Jazzy had been out of that tank and in harm’s way following his order.

John growled, a low rumbling sound of frustration and defeat. “I really hate you right about now. You do know that, don’t you?”

Jazzy smiled wider. “Yes, sir. And might I add you’re not the first superior officer I’ve had say that. So her email address is summer at summer winters dot com. Do you want me to write that down?” Jazzy picked up the pad of paper and pen he kept on his bed so he could write his wife daily.

“No, thank you. I believe I can remember that very complicated address.” John scowled until his lips formed one tight line.

Don’t miss the rest of The Red, Hot, & Blue Series from Samhain Publishing

Available Now:

Trey (Book 1)

Jack (Book 2)

Jimmy (Book 3)

Red Blooded (a print compilation of the eBooks Trey, Jack and Jimmy)

Jared (Book 4)

Cole (Book 5)

Bobby (Book 6)

Coming Soon:

A Few Good Men (Book 7)

Model Soldier (Book 8)

A Prince Among Men (Book 9)

If you enjoy military romance, comment and tell us why!

Contest: Cat will be giving away to one lucky commenter their choice of the following Red, Hot & Blue series eBooks: Choose from Trey, Jack, Jimmy, Jared, Cole or Bobby. (International entries included)

Military Week: SE Jakes

SE Jakes Salutes the Military

When Mel asked me to join in this salute to military heroes, saying yes was so easy.  When she asked me to talk about why I write military romance, that was even easier.

First of all, military men (and women) are true heroes.  What better character base is there?   Honorable, loyal, protecting our country…just thinking about their sacrifices is enough to bring tears to my eyes.  I know many military men and women and I’m so thankful for their service.

As for military romance…for me, there’s nothing better.  It’s one of my favorite genres to read, so writing it is a natural bent.  There’s nothing better than a man in uniform – he’s alpha tough, strong as hell, save the world badass…and those are my favorite type of men when they fall in love.  All that and the added vulnerability makes them that much more compelling.  Because when warriors fall, they fall hard. When I decided to combine these men in uniform with m/m romance, I knew I’d found my niche. 

My next book in the Men In Uniform series is called BOUND BY DANGER – for those keeping track, it’s Tomcat’s story and he and Jace we definitely combustible.

The danger that drew them together could send them over the edge…

Playing the role of enforcer in the Killers motorcycle club, all CIA operative Clint “Tomcat” Sommers has to do is make sure he has a body to show for his work. Thanks to his ability to move stealthily and easily between the two worlds, the CIA is damned close to making one of its biggest MC gang busts.

Two years undercover have taken their toll, but there’s no backing out now. Tomcat’s only reprieve from the pressure is fantasizing about the newest member of the gang.

Worry for his cousin’s involvement in the Killers drove Navy SEAL Jace Reynolds to agree to infiltrate the gang to do some short-term surveillance for the FBI. The deal: do the job, and his cousin gets witness protection. When he meets Tomcat, though, his fantasies kick into overdrive. Meeting men while on active duty is tough. Acting on his desires within the club could have deadly consequences.

Despite the risks, Tomcat’s and Jace’s off hours flare hotter than a full-throttle burnout. But the smoke is bound to attract unwanted attention. And when Tomcat suddenly disappears, the secrets both warriors keep could send one of them to the grave.

Product Warnings:

Contains two hot men undercover—and under the covers. Both with secrets under wraps that could cause everything to unravel in the deadliest way imaginable. If you’re inspired to try something new on a motorcycle, go for it. Just don’t blame the author for any pulled muscles.

Here’s an excerpt from somewhere in Chapter One:

He dragged the boy behind him, his gun down at his side until they reached his car. Safely inside, neither man said a word until Tomcat pulled in to the garage that attached to the building where his loft was.

His loft—the entire building, actually—was CIA-owned and had been a part of his long-assed cover. His loft was steel-reinforced, soundproofed, had bulletproof glass with blackout tint, and no one was allowed up here, not even the agent who played his old lady—for her safety. Still, it was furnished so anyone who visited wouldn’t notice any of the high-tech gadgetry or the insulation.

He still checked for bugs daily and changed the alarm code every morning as well.

Now, Jace came in behind him, and Tomcat closed and locked the door, alarmed it and swept the room silently.

“Can’t be too careful,” he said, more to himself than to Jace when he was finished. Jace would think the paranoia normal for someone in the MC, especially a hired gun.

If he thought differently, it didn’t show. He just nodded, at least until Tomcat slammed him against the wall, his gun pulled.

“You set me up?” he demanded.

“No.” The kid barely blinked, even with Tomcat’s elbow at his throat, gun to his head. “In case you didn’t notice, I saved your ass.”

Then he leaned in and whispered, “UC. I’d say Fed, but I think you’d be offended.”

Tomcat pressed the gun harder to Jace’s temple, but still he continued, “Spook,” with a warm puff of air against Tomcat’s cheek. “I’m young, but I’m not dumb.”

No, indeed; to be a special forces soldier, he wouldn’t be. He could be as dangerous as Tomcat himself was, if not more so.

“I know you need to deny it, but dude, come on,” Jace said.

“Dude, you need to shut it.” But Tomcat wanted more from him. The man was so close—they were both hard—and no, he definitely hadn’t been wrong about Jace’s wants.

“We clean in here?” Jace asked. “I saw you sweep, but I still need to know.”

Tomcat ignored his question, said instead, “You fucked up my job.” When Jace didn’t answer, he admitted, “We’re clean here.”

“I was stopping you,” Jace told him.

“Why? Trying to save my soul? Don’t bother.”

“From shooting Jerry’s brother. It was a setup.” Jace stared at him with those goddamned deep blue eyes. What the hell—had Tomcat gotten sloppy, or was the club being deliberately sly because they’d stopped trusting him?

“How do you know this?” he demanded.

“I’m a little smarter than the average MC member.”

What he meant was better trained, would notice far more than the others. And Tomcat had no reason not to trust him. “You’re going to have to tell me everything you know.”

Jace nodded, and he did, told him about the rival gang’s—and its president, Jerry’s—issues. “It’s not about you—Cools trusts you. But he also knows that if you killed Jerry’s brother, Carl would be blamed, and it could start the internal war they want. Cools wants a leg up on Jerry and Carl’s territory.”

Damn. Tomcat slid a hand through his hair and turned away. He knew that the Killers fought with lesser gangs like Carl’s all the time, but he hadn’t seen this coming.

“You’re not telling them I ratted, are you?”

“Never.”

“I’d trust you more if you were an MC member.”

Tomcat wanted to be offended but couldn’t. There was too much truth in that statement. Finally, he put his gun away, pocketed it but kept his arm on Jace’s throat. Mainly because he was enjoying the proximity, never mind that his entire job could be blown to shit.

But this kid wouldn’t turn him in. The consequences to his career would be too great.

“We’ve got to lie low for the weekend, especially since we’re already well into Saturday.” Tomcat stared at him hard. “You’re sure no one saw you?”

“They know there’s nothing I can do without putting my military career on the line. No one fucks with me—no one follows me.”

Tomcat didn’t know how completely true that was, but if what Jace had told him about the setup proved true, there were way too many people watching Tomcat’s six. Hell, even one was too many. “You’re going to have to drop out and figure out a story as to why we met up.”

Jace shrugged. “Can’t we just be hanging out? I mean, your background’s military. They know that. Keeping the lie as simple as possible and as close to the truth usually works best.”

Tomcat finally pushed away from him because he needed space. Needed to think. He poured himself a soda and chewed on some crushed ice as he mulled Jace’s suggestion over. Could work, he supposed, but something nagged at him.

He didn’t want anything about this mission to come back and haunt him. And Jace…hell, they’d killed men for less. “Why the hell did you think hanging out with this group would be such a good idea?”

Jace’s jaw tightened—if he had an answer, he wasn’t about to spill it. Not tonight, but Tomcat was confident he could get it out of him, so for the moment, he changed tactics. “You hungry?”

“Maybe.”

Yeah, SEALs ate like teenage boys. He was pretty sure Jace was no exception. “Fridge is stocked. Make yourself comfortable. Oh, and give me your phone.”

He brushed past Tomcat. “Make me.”

Oh, this boy was going down. Would lie writhing and begging under him by the time all was said and done.

It was like Jace knew it, too, and was taking advantage as much as possible before that happened. And after the boy downed a sandwich or two and a soda, Tomcat asked, “So the only reason you found me was to warn me?”

“Yes.” Jace flicked his gaze coolly over him.

“I don’t think so.” Tomcat was done forcing himself to believe it was nothing more than a natural suspicion—he knew better. “No one knows I live here. No one knows you’re here. Do you understand how much trouble you could be in?”

Jace moved from the table over to where Tomcat was pacing. He slid his body in between Tomcat’s and the wall and breathed, “Yeah. Go ahead and punish me.”

There were inches separating them, and Tomcat liked to pretend he was made of steel—and most of the time it worked—but the proximity was too much. Jace might’ve been teasing, but Tomcat would up the ante, take it to the next level and see what the boy would do then.

The boy. An intimate term he’d never thought he’d use on anyone again. This night was turning out to be full of surprises.

***

You can purchase Bound by Danger in eFormat (print comes out Summer 2013) at:

Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

MEN IN UNIFORM SERIES:

Bound By Honor (Bk1)

Bound By Law (Bk 2)

Ties That Bind (Novella)

AMAZON LINK TO ENTIRE SERIES

To find out more about the series, you can visit me at

Blog | Twitter | Facebook   

So, now that you know a bit about my series, tell me, do you read m/m books or books with m/m storylines?  If not, are you willing to try?  I’m excited that authors like Suzanne Brockmann and JR Ward are making headway in this genre and I’m hoping that means we’ll see even more m/m (or f/f) storylines in mainstream romance.  

Leave a comment and one person will win all four (4) ebook in the Men In Uniform Series. Also two (2) runners-up will get their book of choice.

Guest Author & Giveaway: Chloe Cole

I love (LOVE) a good bedroom Dom. That’s not to say I don’t like to read about a sensitive, beta guy from time to time. OR that I don’t like to read BDSM with a seriously alpha male. On the contrary, I enjoy both. But when I wrote Just One Night, I tried to imagine my perfect fantasy hero and I realized he wouldn’t be alpha or beta. He’d be a weird conglomeration of both…and neither. My hero and heroine would be equals outside the bedroom, he would make her omelets for breakfast and open the door for her but he would also pull her hair in bed and spank her if she was naughty…or even if she wasn’t. From that idea, Tomas Santos was born.

I’ve written twenty books to date featuring twenty-three different heroes (*ahem* okay, so a couple were ménage), and Tomas is my favorite, hands down. He’s sweet, and protective. He’s sexy, and supportive. He’s funny himself, and likes smart, funny women. And he’s a show-stopping, heart-melting, belt-wielding sexpot in the bedroom. I’d love for you to meet him!

What qualities do you want to see in your romance heroes? I’ll be giving away a digital copy of Just One Night to two commenters, so leave your email OR Twitter handle if you’d like me to contact you (as well as post here in comments) if you win. Winners will be chosen tomorrow at 8:00 pm, EST.

Just One Night

Chloe Cole

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Buy link

Blurb: He’s got one shot. Better make it naughty…

Micah’s new living arrangement with her best friend is quickly becoming unbearable. Not because Tomas isn’t a good roommate. When they’re alone, he shows her his sweet, loyal side. It’s just that he shows the rest of his parts to half the women in town. If she can’t scrape together the money for her own place soon, witnessing the aftermath of his late-night carousing is going to break her heart.

Then again, if it’s going to break anyway, maybe she should just go ahead and make a move on the man she’s loved since high school. And risk his rejection a second time.

It hasn’t been easy for Tomas to share space with the one damsel he can’t bear to see in distress. To have her within easy reach has been torture. His foster mother’s words echo in his head: a classy girl like Micah deserves more than the likes of him. But lately Micah’s been rattling his cage. If she does it one more time, she’d better be ready for the animal she awakens.

Unfortunately for him, Micah’s hot little hands are already wrapped around the bars… 

Product Warnings

Contains a Latin bad boy with twelve year’s worth of fantasies to get out of his system, and his goody-two-shoes best friend who learns that her inner bad girl likes handcuffs and spankings. Beware. This book could cause a riot since there’s only one Tomas to go around.

Chloe Cole: Website | Twitter

Guest Author & Giveaway: Beth Cornelison

The Internal Editor: My mother might read this!

When I first started writing, I wrote for me. I told the stories I wanted to tell, the way I wanted to tell them. I knew nothing about how to frame a story with three act structure, the hero's journey, or character arcs. I was free to pour out what was in my heart through my pen— yes, when I started, I wrote my books out longhand!— and I never gave my audience a second thought.  Because I was my audience. No way would I let anyone else read such personal stories, the words so near and dear to me.

But after a few books, I set my sights on getting published. With that decision, everything changed. Editors and agents would now read my words. I needed to be careful how I told my story. Was my work good enough to compete in the tough world of publishing? I took writing classes, joined a writers' organization, found a critique group. Soon the critiques, the suggestions for change, and —woe!— the rejections started coming in. I was given writing rules, formatting guidelines and technique instruction that overwhelmed me. I second-guessed myself, scrutinized every word choice and plot twist. I was a slave to the internal editor.

As I read more books in the market I was targeting, romantic suspense and contemporary romance, I realized that most of the books that were selling contained love scenes. I had no problem reading the love scenes. They were a natural progression of the romance, integral to upping the tension and progressing the plot. Likewise, I'd had no problem writing steamy love scenes in my earliest attempts at novel writing, but somehow, knowing strangers would read my love scenes, knowing my mother might read my love scenes, had me breaking into a cold sweat. 

My love scenes, usually just one or two per book, are not erotica, but I've been known to get pretty steamy. I've gone back to earlier books, revising them for submission, and been surprised how hot and detailed some of my pre-publication love scenes got. Too many times I found myself deleting whole pages of sexy material, embarrassed to have such explicit language seen by friends and family.  Warning bells and sirens screeched when I'd use sexually graphic language or I gave too much page space to a love scene. My internal editor was working overtime, and I soon realized my work was suffering because of it.

If I didn't squirm in my seat and fan myself when I wrote my love scenes, neither would my readers. Censoring myself was cramping my creativity in all aspects of my story. Writing wasn't fun anymore, the way it had been when I started...when I was free with my words. I had to turn the internal editor off and trust my gut instincts as I told my story. I had to give the characters free rein in the love scenes and quiet the little voice in my head that sounded a lot like my mother gasping in shock. Making this decision to write from the heart as I did in the beginning, incorporating all I've learned and which has become second nature to me now, I put myself back on track and my writing career took off.

Does this mean I don't get edgy when my mom, who helps me proofread most of my work before it is published, finds typos in my loves scenes and reads explicit lines aloud to me to point out the errors? No...those moments still give me the heebee geebees— high squicky factor there. Did my heart skip a nervous beat when my new associate minister told me he'd like to read one of my books?  It did. 

But will I go back to editing myself in order to avoid awkward moments like these. No chance. I've learned to be true to the characters, to my readers...and to myself. I love my job, and do my best work when I'm not second-guessing myself.

In my latest release, TRUST IN ME, a contemporary romance that I call my 'Cinderfella' book, I enjoyed teasing the hero with the promise of sex and making him wait. But I made it up to him, and the heroine even found a creative use for chocolate cream pie, to boot! 

You don't have to wait, because TRUST IN ME is free, yes free, on Kindle May 3- 7! Want another free book? Visit my website, then come back here to leave a comment here telling me which book from my backlist you'd like to win. On May 8th, I'll draw one comment at random and the winner will receive the book they chose! (Sorry U.S. winners only for paper books. International winners can choose one of my ebooks.)

Blurb:  Escaping the cheating fiancé and sheltered life her father has arranged for her, Claire Albritton wants nothing more than to take control of her life and learn to fight her own battles. Kevin Fuller believes he must rescue damsels in distress and Claire is decidedly out of her element in small town South Carolina. When trouble inevitably finds Claire, Kevin's white knight protection and heroics are exactly what Claire doesn't want. But his kisses...that's another matter.

Follow Beth Cornelison on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with all her news and new releases.

Bio:

Award winning author Beth Cornelison received her bachelor's degree in Public Relations from the University of Georgia. After working in public relations for about a year, she moved with her husband to Louisiana, where she decided to pursue her love of writing fiction.

Since that time, she has won numerous honors for her work including a nomination for the Romance Writers of America’s Rita Award. She made her first sale to Silhouette Intimate Moments in June 2004 and has gone on to sell many more books to Harlequin/ Silhouette. She has also published with Five Star Expressions, Samhain Publishing, and Sourcebooks.

Beth has presented workshops across the country to numerous chapter meetings, conferences, online classes and book clubs. Beth Cornelison lives in Louisiana with her husband, one son and a fluctuating number of cats who think they are people.