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Monday, April 29, 2013
 

Ciara Lake is happy to present:

Curve My Appetite by Melissa Kendall
  Part of the Decadent Publishing 1Night Stand Series


Sally Austens’ sexual experience is limited and unsatisfactory at best. Now, as she turns thirty, it looks like the relationship train has missed her stop. When a friend tells her about 1Night Stand and suggests it might just change her life, she’s skeptical but shoots for the stars when asking for her perfect date. Go big or go home, right? 

Dean Martorino lives in the public eye. Surrounded on a daily basis by society’s idea of stunning beauty, he longs for a woman with curves he can get lost in. At the suggestion of his long-time friend and manager, Dean shares his secret with Madame Eve hoping she can find him a match to fill his arms and satisfy his desires.

Can Sally accept the beauty Dean sees in her long enough to curve his appetite or will they both go home hungry?

 Excerpt:

For the umpteenth time, Dean checked his phone. Still no text. He sighed in frustration. Thirty minutes after they’d agreed to meet, and no sign of his date.

His misgivings about the 1Night Stand concept weren’t eased by the fact she hadn’t arrived yet. He longed for something different, but one-night stands were not his usual idea of fun. He preferred long-term relationships. Jerry, his best friend had assured him Madame Eve’s services were more love matches than sex.

He’d laughed, at first, finding the whole idea ridiculous. He doubted even the mystical Madame Eve could find his perfect woman. Jerry had laughed, too, but then he got serious and asked, “What do you have to lose?”

 Dean’s regular fitness regime kept him in shape and looking good for thirty-five. The women he met were stick-thin, self-obsessed, and semi-plastic, typical of the industry he worked in. Most of them were pretty, and though he’d dated a few, they weren’t what he fantasized about. No, in his dreams, the ladies all had natural and much curvier figures.

Big, curvy women had always fascinated him. Because he lived his life in the public eye, he’d been reluctant to go after what he wanted. At his age, though, with his career on the downhill slide, he realized he didn’t care anymore. He’d had his time in the spotlight. He wanted to settle down and have a family. Hence, he’d decided to find someone who loved him, not his public persona. He’d spent too long denying his true identity.

A knock made his heart skip a beat. She’s here. After a quick check in the mirror, he steeled himself and opened the door.

His mouth went dry and all coherent thought fled. Even if he had the words to express how she blew him away, he didn’t think he could find his voice. He ogled the gorgeous, buxom brunette standing in the doorway. His admiration cut short, as her face paled.

“You’re—” She stopped talking mid-sentence, her eyes rolled back into her skull.
 
Reacting on instinct, he reached out and wrapped his hands around her waist, trying to catch her before she hit the ground. However, instead of stopping her from falling, he was pulled to the carpet, too, both of them crashing in a heap.

Women fainted around him all the time. It no longer freaked him out. It was, however, the first time he’d fallen to the floor with one. Her pulse thumped strongly under his fingers. Relief washed over him; she was okay. The ridiculousness of it all hit him and a deep belly laugh escaped his lips. 

Even with the less than successful start to his date, the feel of her in his arms had parts of him standing to attention. His curiosity dictated he find out more. Madame Eve had made an excellent choice. She might have found the perfect woman after all. 

Buy Links: Decadent Publishing      Amazon      Barnes & Noble    ARe

About The Author:
Melissa is a 37 year-old stay at home mum and part-time Software Support Consultant. She lives in Perth Western Australia the most isolated capital city in the world. 

She’s always loved to read and write and spent most of her teens scribbling poetry and short stories on any scrap of paper she could get her hands on. Over the years as daily life pressures got in the way she lost the passion for it. After her son was born, she discovered online books and her interest in writing was rekindled. It has been a large part of her life ever since.

Author Links:   Site    Twitter    Facebook

 

 
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Tea or Coffee to arouse your creative words?

I love to drink coffee or tea when  I write.  Recently, I got a great tumbler from Tevana encouraging tea drinking.  I love Earl Gray tea and Lady Gray tea.  I really like all black teas and many green teas.  I've also recently got started drinking white tea. 

These tumblers come in a variety of sharp colors.  Mine is a gorgeous red color, it looks like the finish on my new car.  So shiny.  :) 

I can fill my tumbler up and sip on my tea for a long time while I'm busy writing or doing my legal work.  My tea stays hot, almost too hot in my new tumbler.  It holds a lot of tea too.  You can use this tumbler for coffee too.  I'm in love with my Tevana tumbler, I had to blog about it. 

Drink tea, it is good for you too.  Plus, tea has a interesting history all over the world.  Tevana also offers wonderful teas for your palette.  You can spend way too much money in their stores.  I do, and when a certain someone sees my Visa card for last month.... oh my!

A few years ago, I had a tea party baby shower for my friend and it was a lot of fun.  I used beautiful tea pots I bought from Tevana and their delicious and good for you teas.  Shop at Tevana and drink a bit of history and culture.  Serve it up in a gorgeous tea pot and a convenient tumbler.  I do! 

Sometimes the aroma of tea makes me dream of exotic places for my books.  It's amazing what can make creative blood flow through our brain cells. 

Happy tea time should not only be for our English cousins, drink tea America! 


Special guest interview with Author Karen Harper on Crimson Frost Book's Blog:

Crimson Frost Books: Welcome, Special Guest Author Karen Harper:
  IN...
: Welcome, Special Guest Author Karen Harper:     INTERVIEW WITH KAREN HARPER, BEST SELLING AUTHOR:   1.   What inspired you t...
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
This is an update on our spring chickens.  They are growing and now in the new chicken house.  By July, the hen should be laying eggs. 
Saturday, April 13, 2013


Her Story


Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month

 

27 authors have come together to produce one awesome book to celebrate women!

 

In ancient times, women were regarded as sacred. They were thought to hold the mystical power of creation—responsible for the continuation of our species. With the rise of science and religion, these myths were dispelled and their plight began.

HerStory: Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month is a collection of flash fiction and short stories from today’s top authors featuring female characters that exemplify strength of mind, body, and character. Some of these tales are based on real people while others are purely fictional. However, all are standing up for themselves and what they believe in.

Grab yourself a glass of wine or favorite hot beverage and get comfortable as you read about the lives of women who will light the fire in your soul.

This anthology features stories by Alexandra Chauran, Angelique Mroczka, Dahlia DeWinters, Danielle Villano, Dianne Hartsock, Dorothy L. Abrams, Gina Tonnis, Mary Terrani, Jodie Baptie, Justine Dee, Laura DeLuca, Lisa A. Adams, Lisa Cerezo, Lisa J. Yarde, Lori Beth Johnson, Lorraine Nelson, Marie Antonia Parsons, Megan D. Martin, Michelle Cornwell-Jordan, Mirella Patzer, Morgan Summerfield, Becca Diane, Lacey Wolfe, Sarah Cass, Shelli Rosewarne, Tara Chevrestt, and Toni Rakestraw.

 

Excerpt: (Please choose just one)

Excerpt 1

Z’irah

By Alexandra Chauran

Before her parents’ capture, every new day was a chance to travel close to her beloved family, camp by beautiful streams, make new friends, and explore exotic new locations.In her family of origin, Z’irah had danced an eastern dance wildly every night. Her bare feet would beat a cloud from the dust on the ground and the firelight would be a strobe on her hair, her golden-olive skin, and her flashing white teeth. The dances she was taught were said to come from faraway lands, where her people performed in temples before powerful gods. Movements had been passed down through generations of women dancing together, sharing their secrets and friendship. Her body would writhe sinuously in the light and rock hauntingly in the shadows. When drums were present, they would play until dawn. When they didn’t have drums, they would beat sticks together, playing rhythms that would seem alien to the westerners.

 

Excerpt 2

Adella

By Morgan Summerfield

A week later, Bliss was born.” Adella patted the arm of the child in her lap. “Doctors told me she would likely be retarded, given my ge and the complications over the nine months associated with my clumsiness.” Sarcastically, Adella spewed, “After all, one must be very uncoordinated to fall down the stairs so many times.”

“How could people not see what was going on?”

“People don’t want to see. They don’t want to believe that a neighbor, a friend, or a fellow worker is capable of such things.”

“I don’t understand how a man can do that and not feel badly. Did he ever feel badly … apologize … show remorse?” Anger caused Tom to grip the steering wheel tighter and he forced himself to loosen his grip, for fear of alarming the woman.

“No. I tried everything I knew to make him love me. But, I eventually realized that change was in his hands, not mine.”

 

 

Excerpt 3

A Pit Story

By Shelli Rosewarne

Lord, it looks dark. She peered into the gaping hole in the earth. As though he read her thoughts, one of the men stepped forward and gently flicked on the light on top of her helmet. She smiled a little sheepishly at him and muttered her thanks. The small bulb gave a pale watery glow, only seeming to deepen the shadows. You volunteered for this. No backing out now. She shook herself and stepped into the blackness.

It was like stepping into another world. The darkness was so thick she could barely see a few steps in front of her. The lights from their helmets and the lantern one of the men carried reflected off the gray walls. As they moved away from the entrance, the passages became narrower, the roof lower. Maud could almost feel the dirt and stone pressing in on her. The light of the day didn’t penetrate here and she could feel the cold and damp seeping through the heavy overalls. She tried to take deep breaths, but that just seemed to fill her lungs with dust.

 

Watch the Trailer:


 

Embed code:

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Buy Links:


 

Saturday, April 6, 2013

SUBMITTED:  ENCHANTED WAVES, FORSAKEN BOOK 6

Yippy, I submitted Enchanted Waves today to Beachwalk Press and hopefully it will be the next in the Forsaken series I am creating with my good friend Elise Whyles.  Every time I finish a manuscript it's like giving birth to a beautiful child, just less painful.  :)  I have a new baby! 

Rough Blurb (This blurb may be edited before release of EW)

Tavia Locke, a successful lawyer, has put her career before everything, including her love life.  Exhausted from too many late nights, early mornings, and endless days spent in court, Tavia is at the end of her rope. When she starts having sensual dreams and voices haunt her sleep, she is driven to the edge her sanity.           
Jax Aquila, Mer prince and son of Poseidon is tasked with locating a Forsaken woman before a vengeful goddess does.  Old hatred and prejudice push him to undertake an agenda of his own - one that will have far reaching consequences.  
When he meets Tavia, Jax has no idea the one he's drawn to, is the one he's sent for. Instead, he ignores the visible signs of his unrest and pursues her.  Should he complete his task and lose everything he wants or find his place among the Immortals who defend against an ancient evil that stirs.

If you haven't checked out the story of a handsome Troll, Axel Venrick, in Forsaken Norse Wind, number four in the series, I'd suggest you pick up a copy and enjoy the fantasy world of Norse and Greek gods as well as other immortals.  My readers seem to have enjoyed the tale and all of the Forsaken series so far, so get on board and join the reading. 




ALERT A CONTEST:
If you purchase a copy of Forsaken Norse Wind or CURSE OF THE DRAGON'S CLAIM and write a review on Amazon.com and copy here too on my site, between April 9, 2013 and April 28, 2013  you will be entered.  Here is what you need to do: After you write the review, email your name and date you did the review to Ciaralakeromanceauthor@gmail.com .  I will ask my editor, Pam to pick a name from those I receive and who qualify.  If you do two reviews, I will enter your name twice into the random selection.  The name my editor selects will be the winner and I, will give the winner an e book of my next Forsaken book as soon as it is released.     

Now that I'm done with EW, I am working on edits for Angel for Avery, which is set to be published with Champagne Books.  Due to technical difficulties and my busy trial schedule its release was set back.  News on this will be posted as I know the new release date for sure. 

Thanks for your interest, I really appreciate all of my readers. 
Ciara Lake