Nice Review for Mara's Men

Whipped Cream has just rated Mara's Men with four cherries. :-) Thanks to Xeranthemum for the great review!

"If a reader is looking for a truly unique and special spin on mer-people, with awe inspiring detail that makes a person feel like they’re underwater too, then grab a copy of Mara’s Men and submerse yourself in a very entertaining romance."

Mara's Men--Now Available

Mara's Men is now available at Changeling Press. After months away from Aaron and Chris, whom she left behind in Cancun, Mara decides to take the risk and return to the beaches to find them again.


In Cancun, Mara met Chris and Aaron, two mysterious men who spend most of their time under the ocean. They showed her a world she never could have imagined -- and she chose to return to her normal life.

Now, months later, Mara returns to the Mexican beaches hoping to find what she left behind. But even if she does reunite with the two men who changed her world, how can she stay with them in their mysterious world under the sea?

Read an Excerpt

Special Prices at Changeling!

For a limited time, you can get Mara By the Sea for only a penny at Changeling Press. This is a great opportunity to check out the first story before Mara's Men, the sequel, comes out in October.

Also, for just this weekend, use the code LaborDay2011 for 10% off your entire order.

Beautiful Music: Finding the Chords--Out Now!

Beautiful Music: Finding the Chords is now available at Changeling Press!

Finding the right balance is as important in life as it is in music. Kayla, Jason, and Erik have settled into Kayla's suburban Chicago home. But just moving in together hasn't solved all the problems of their complex threesome. While they work to iron out the wrinkles in their new status quo, Jason faces health issues that could sideline his career as a singer, while Kayla struggles to balance herself emotionally between her two very different lovers.

This story takes Jason, Kayla and Erik further along in their journey together. I hope you'll join them!

Excerpt: Beautiful Music: Finding the Chords--Kayla

Kayla hadn’t slept well. After hunting up cough drops for Jason in the middle of the night, she’d tried to grab some rest. She and Erik had come to a silent agreement, taking the second bed so Jason could sleep comfortably on his own. But she woke every time he moved, every time he went too long without moving. Her brain kept replaying everything -- the blood he’d coughed onto his shirt, the flushed, fevered look of his face… and of course the sleek, half-naked woman pressed against his chest.

Young. Pretty. With high, pert breasts and nary a gray hair on her head.

It was stupid. She knew this. But the relationship, as profound as it was, was still new. And Erik -- he’d been hurt. It had never crossed her mind that Jason could hurt Erik.

God, it was all so complicated. And yet, when it came down to it, so simple.

When he finally woke up, she made sure he had something to eat that wouldn’t hurt his throat, and she kissed his cheek before he left for the doctor. None of them said much. Erik was still bleary-eyed, and Jason was obviously uncomfortable both physically and in the way he wouldn’t quite meet her eyes. Kayla just didn’t know what to say.

And now all she could do was wait.

She and Erik had been waiting for a while. Randy had invaded their hotel room after spending the night with his parents. He, too, was worried. At the moment, he was sprawled across a hotel chair cradling a latte while Erik and Kayla engaged in a somewhat listless game of travel Scrabble.

“If he gives me his stupid strep, I’m gonna kick his stupid ass,” Randy muttered.

Erik gave him a sidelong look. “Why? You don’t sing.”

“‘Cause I don’t want his stupid strep?”

Erik shook his head a little. Kayla could tell he was more amused than annoyed. “Just be glad he never gave you his stupid syphilis.”

“I do not want to know anything about that,” Randy shot back. Erik just chuckled and laid tiles down on the board. He had spelled “gonad.”

“Nice,” said Kayla, deciding she didn’t want to hear about the stupid syphilis, either. She frowned at her tiles. That was Scrabble for you. Never a vowel when you needed one.

She was puzzling out what she might be able to spell with her plethora of consonants when Erik’s phone buzzed with a text message. She tensed immediately, but kept her attention focused carefully on the game while he fished the phone out of his pocket and read the message.

“He’s on his way back,” Erik said, thumb-typing a reply.

Coming soon from Changeling Press

Excerpt: Beautiful Music: Finding the Chords--Erik

Every time Erik made love to Kayla on his own -- and he was well aware he was about to enter double digits, which thrilled and amazed him, but made him ashamed he was counting -- he faced the same dilemma. He wanted to make it last, make it good for her and savor every moment in case it turned out to be the last time. But his body wanted everything he could get, as quickly as he could get it. Wanted to pound into her hard and fast, animal, mark her as his, take Jason’s smell off her skin.

He wasn’t proud of his body in those moments.

This time, though, he felt a little different. She’d actually said it -- told him she loved him. He’d been resigned to always being second choice for her. He knew she loved Jason, and had since probably the first time they’d locked eyes. He was just… extra.

But maybe he wasn’t. Maybe he was more to her than the guy she could have sex with when Jason wasn’t around, or Jason’s second dick when the three of them were together. Yeah, he’d thought about it that way before, more than once. Now he felt bad about it. Not that he hadn’t felt bad about it before, but he felt even worse now.

She loved him. He could swear he could almost taste the change on her skin as he let his tongue explore her nipples, the space between her breasts, the indentation at the center of her collarbone. She arched her body up toward his, bringing her belly against his, bringing her sex up to rub hot against the front curve of his pelvis. Her legs went around him, and he could feel the heat and the wet where she was so ready for him he could smell it.

“God,” he murmured, and she opened her eyes to look at him, one hand brushing his cheek.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He said it automatically, but it wasn’t what he wanted to say. “No, not nothing. You’re just…” He looked her in the eye. “I love you.”

Her smile melted him. She leaned up to kiss him gently, on the mouth, then on the forehead. It could have been patronizing, but it wasn’t. It was sweet, tender, and he closed his eyes at the flood of feeling that moved through him.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to say it.” Her voice was quiet.

He just shook his head. He didn’t want to tell her it was okay, although it was, and he didn’t want to say anything that would make her feel bad. Instead he cupped her breast and pressed his hips between her legs, bringing her a little closer to him.

Excerpt: Beautiful Music: Finding the Chords--Jason

UNEDITED Excerpt from Beautiful Music: Finding the Chords, coming in June from Changeling Press


Art by me. :-)


Daze on End is performing a farewell concert in Indianapolis. Jason realizes he's coming down with a cold, but won't back out of the show. As the performance progresses, he starts to feel worse.

It wasn’t until he took that detour offstage that he realized he was dizzy and achey. Great, he thought. Fever. With his luck, this was more than just a cold—it was the fucking flu or something. He zipped up, splashed cold water on his face and headed back to the mic.

The crowd seemed not to notice anything amiss, which was gratifying, because the band was all working overtime to be sure nothing looked amiss. This was their last show in Indy for a long time, and the crowd was invested enough not to notice when Jason’s voice cracked a few times on the last couple of songs.

He came off stage to a chorus of fans offering thanks and congratulations. He shook hands, posed for pictures and passed out hugs and autographs, all the time hoping he wasn’t spreading some kind of Stephen King level apocalyptic flu to everybody within four feet of him.

Finally, with Erik and Randy running interference, he made his way backstage. He just wanted to collapse on that Godawful germ-ridden couch for a few minutes, get his breath back and settle his head, which had started pounding during the second encore. And maybe grab more tea. He wondered if it was possible to overdose on slippery elm.

He was mulling the embarrassing music blog headlines that would result if he died of a horrible Throat Coat accident as he half-stumbled through the door. As a result, it took him a moment to realize he was not alone in the room.

There was a girl on the couch. She looked vaguely familiar. She’d probably been to his shows before. Hell, he’d probably fucked her — he’d fucked a lot of girls backstage after the show.

That was definitely what she was after. She’d taken the initiative of removing her top, and her pert, smallish breasts jiggled as she tossed back her too-blonde hair. Her nipples were small and pink and, in his fever-dazed state, seemed to be staring at him.

He stared right back, his brain struggling to parse what was going on.

She wanted to get laid. That much was obvious. From the pressure he felt in his groin, all his parts were working and ready to go in spite of the chills crawling over his skin, the throbbing headache behind his eyes and the intermittent vertigo. Besides, he had to, didn’t he? Had to take what he could from the groupies after the show, before the show — whenever — so he could give what he got back to Erik, to keep him alive and well. They’d done that for years.

But now… there was a reason he shouldn’t. Wasn’t there? He could… but he shouldn’t. For a strange second he felt like he was floating above the floor. God, how high a fever did he have?

“Jason?” the woman said, stroking a hand over the curve of one breast. She stood slowly and stepped toward him. “You remember me, don’t you?”

“Not… not really.” It was always embarrassing to have to admit that. God, he was such an asshole. Had been. He wasn’t now. Was trying very hard not to be, anyway. He was —

The girl kissed him. Hard and full, her tongue pressing into his too-hot mouth, her naked breasts almost cool against his fevered skin. Flu, he thought hazily. Everybody’s gonna get the flu. It’s gonna be like The Stand. Dude, I hated that book. Too fucking creepy. And long…

She drew back, looking into his face with wide, adoring blue eyes.

“Kayla,” Jason said, remembering then what the heat in his fevered brain had forced back.

The girl’s face fell. Jason thought she might be about to cry.

“That’s not my name.”

“No,” said a voice behind them. “That would be me.”

And Jason knew at that moment that he was well and truly screwed.

Inspiration

If you've ever wondered how I picture Daze on End as far as sound and overall look, take a gander at this:



And by the way, this was filmed at the venue I used as the model for the Chicago venue in Daze on End.

Short Story at ARe

My short story Beautiful Music: Something Real, with a glimpse into Jason and Erik's life before Kayla, is available as a free read at All Romance eBooks. If you didn't catch this when it was published in the Cheeky Changeling, drop by and take a look!

Still Time to Vote!

Still a couple of days left to vote for me and Daze on End at Dawn Montgomery's blog.

Best paranormal/urban fantasy book.

Best paranormal author.

Thanks again to Love Romances Cafe for the nominations!

Awesome News!

Love Romances Cafe has just announced their nominees for the 2010 Readers' Choice Awards, and Yours Truly is on the list! Beautiful Music: Daze on End was nominated for best paranormal/urban fantasy book, and I was nominated for best paranormal author. I'm shocked and honored! Thanks so much to LRC for the nomination, and best of luck to all the nominees!

Great Review for Daze on End!

I just received a great, 4-heart review for Beautiful Music: Daze on End from Romance Junkies.

"What an enchanting thrill ride of a story this one is. The dynamics between the three main characters are intriguing and puzzling. Kayla, Jason and Erik are all extremely likeable, so much so that the idea of any one of them being ill, or not finding their place in the relationship, just devastated this reader. Their story was very emotionally gripping. There were other characters that left the notion in my mind that there may be more of this series coming. I really hope so."

Thanks so much to Romance Junkies and Susan W. for the fantastic review.

Also, Beautiful Music: Interlude in C is this week's one-cent sale at Changeling. It'll only be on sale until 1-20, so hurry by and grab a copy!

Starting the New Year

As 2011 begins, I've been spending time trying to decide what stories to tackle for the new year. I'd definitely like to spend more time with the boys from Daze on End and find out what happens to them now that they've moved in with Kayla full time. And what the hell is up with Randy? If i don't write it, I'll never find out...

Another idea I've been toying with is a follow-up to Mara by the Sea. It'd be nice to see Mara reunited with her two water men. How about it, readers? Any thoughts?