Thanksgiving Plans

I know our Aussie friends have summer this time of year, and our Canadian friends already celebrated Thanksgiving, but what does everyone else do for this holiday? 

For me, Thanksgiving was usually a travel holiday.  Before my mom passed away a few years ago, we’d try to go out to New Jersey and visit.  But life, money and some crazy family dynamics put that tradition to rest – permanently.  We now celebrate just the three of us and my mother-in-law.  We have the usual – turkey, ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes, some sort of veggie, stuffing, and usually pumpkin or apple pie.  Sometimes both pies.  We eat until we can’t move anymore, then roll into the living room and watch Miracle on 34th Street.  The 1947 black and white version with Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood.  After that my MIL heads into town to visit with her brother and family for another dinner.    I’m usually in a tryptophan induced coma by now. 

I take the week off from work every year – whether we travel or not.  If we’re not traveling, then I use the time off to clean/organize the house and start on Christmas shoppping.  And hopefully catch up on my reading.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is time to get the Christmas decorations out.  Much to my hubby’s dismay.  I change out the shower curtain/towels/rugs/etc…  in the guest bathroom for most every holiday, but I make hubby help with this one.  Just because I can.

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away… I’m looking forward to the time off from work.  Not reorganizing my kitchen cabinets (which is this year’s plan).  What’s everyone else up to?  Inquiring minds want to know…

The Dilemma of the Yabbies

Most of you may know by now of the Couper family yabbies. When Peanut (my eldest daughter) turned five last May, she asked for a cat. We gave her two yabbies (if you’re not sure what a yabbie is, check out this very informative site here). We named them Mornay and Bisque (yes, we really are that evil) and placed them in a lovely tank any yabby in its right mind would love to call home. There they happily co-existed for five months and all was right in our crustacean pet world.

The thing with yabbies is this – they moult to grow. When they can no longer fit in their nifty little shells they shuck it off and viola, there is their new shell – all soft and fragile. This leaves the newly moulted yabby quite vulnerable to attack. Mornay and Bisque had both gone through various moults since becoming members of the Couper family, so imagine our surprise when one morning, we found Bisque’s old shell discarded in the corner of the tank….and Mornay merrily munching away on what was once Bisque herself. Mornay ate Bisque and I had to give a lesson on the circle of life to my somewhat devastated five year old daughter.

Two weeks later, we took a trip to the pet shop and, after much discussion with the resident yabby expert, came home with The Missing Link – a bigger, meaner, tougher MALE blue-claw yabby. There was no way, Resident-Yabby-Excerpt assured us, that the smaller, weaker FEMALE Mornay would eat Link. In fact, he predicted we would soon be hearing the little splisher-splasher of tiny yabbies.

Two weeks of marital bliss past. We eagerly awaited our tiny new brood.

And then it happened. Mornay ate Link. (We have since decided Mornay is the devil incarnate) An hour later, when my husband dragged himself out of bed, I handed him the fish net and asked him to scoop Link’s body out of the tank.

And then we made a rather interesting discovery. Link was not dead. Mornay had eaten his two nippers, all the legs on his left side, all but two of the legs on his right side and both his main antennae, but she had not touched his body. Well, after much rejoicing (and eewing on my behalf) we called the Resident-Yabby-Expert and the words every couple dreads hearing… Trial separation.

But how does one enforce a period of separation in a fish tank full of rocks, driftwood and bubbling clams? You can’t just, draw a line down the middle of the tank…can you? Turns out, what you need to do is buy yourself a $12 sheet of clear perspex, drill some holes in it and wedge it in the middle of the tank. This I did. And then watched Mornay spend the next twelve hours trying to burrow her way under the perspex to get to Link. After a restless night’s sleep dreaming of cannibalistic lobsters, I awoke to find Mornay had, indeed succeeded in breaching the legally enforced divide and found Link cowering – legless and antennae-less – under an overturned piece of driftwood. After two days of this behaviour, I was at my wits end. Stressed enough to call my big brother who, in the sardonic, casual way of his, suggested I swap them around: put Mornay in Link’s side of the tank and Link in Mornay’s side. “Who knows, she may not be after Link at all. Maybe she laid her eggs over there.”

After blinking like a fool for a good thirty seconds, that is exactly what I did, and guess what? Mornay is now scurrying/paddling around her side of the tank with a tiny little clutch of yabbie eggs tucked under her tail. And Link watches her from the safety of his side, stubby little regrowing pincers and legs and antennae moving excitedly. Life is, as they say, odd.

Next time my daughter asks for a pet we’re buying her something easier – like a boa constrictor.

 

Oh, and by the way, I have a book coming out on Tuesday from Samhain Publishing – The Sun Sword, a dark and dangerous and very erotic sci-fi romance. But I’ll tell you more about that later. *grin*

Savage Transformation – A completely unedited snippet

I have been working on this story forever. Well, it feels that way.

Savage Transformation is the first sequel to Savage Retribution and has kicked my butt from beginning to end. I literally finished writing it five minutes ago (well, all except the epilogue, but seeing as it’s 12:58am in Australia, I think I’ll write that tomorrow *grin*)

Sydney Detective, Jackie Huddart’s gone home to visit her childhood friend in Tasmania, the smallest state in Australia. The trouble is, her childhood friend seems to be missing, and someone wants Jackie to find her. Someone who knows exactly what Jackie is.

As Jackie begins the hunt to find her friend, she is joined by the very mysterious and way-too-sexy Marshall Rourke, a man who seems to have just as many secrets as she. Which may explain why Jackie feels like she is the one being hunted. But by who?

This is a utterly, completely and totally raw unedited snippet. There’s bound to be mistakes aplenty, but I wanted to share it with you all. You have no idea how fantastic (and tired) I feel right at this very second. Enjoy…

Okay. This is getting ridiculous.

Jackie turned on the spot, studying the car park around her. A few cars sat in the odd parking bay, silent and still, the late afternoon sun bouncing from their windshields in glinting spears of white-orange light.

She frowned, turning back to the hotel they’d only just checked into. The Tasmanian Gardens’ entryway doors stayed shut, the glass panels revealing an empty check-in foyer. No sign of Delanie there either. “Where are you, Del?”

Grinding her teeth, she crossed the car park, heading for Delanie’s beloved Volkswagon Beetle. Bernie sat between a black convertible BMW and a silver Audi  A4, jarring and smug in his eye-stinging bright green paintwork, dented hubcaps and hot-pint windscreen wipers. Nothing looked out of place. All the doors were locked.

Jackie circled the car, fingers wriggling. She narrowed her eyes, studying the ground, car park, surrounding buildings and trees. After checking-in, Delanie had returned to Bernie to retrieve their over-night bags while Jackie found their room. Ten minutes later, the mini-bar, bathroom and balcony over-looking the pool thoroughly inspected, Jackie perched herself on the foot of the softest bed in the room and waited for Delanie to arrive.

Eleven minutes later and she’d begun to gnaw on her lip. Two minutes after that, she’d begun to clench her fists to keep her fingers still. Another minute and she was out of the room, doing everything she could to stop herself sprinting through the hotel’s hallway on her way to the car park.

The second she’d pushed through the foyer’s main doors the pre-dusk air assaulted her, as if waiting for her to step into its intoxicating sweetness. Her Thylacine growled, surging though her being with rapid ease. Snatching back control had been hard. She’d shoved the need to transform down into the pit of her existence and half-walked, half-ran down the hotel’s stairs into the car park, scanning the area for any sign of Delanie.

And now, here she was, walking around her best friend’s car, breathing shallow for fear of losing herself to her inner animal when she knew she should be breathing deeply to detect any hint of Delanie’s location.

Then stop being a chicken shit and do it.

Coming to a standstill, wishing – again – she had her gun, Jackie closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath.

There! Delanie.

Faint, almost dispersed to nothing, but there. To her right. Delanie’s scent tinged with…

She turned, lifting her head slightly and pulling in another breath.

Her heart clenched. Fear. Delanie’s scent was tinged with fear. The acrid kind of a sudden fright.

God, what was going on?

Following the scent, the Thylacine inside her itching for release, she moved through the car park. Clapped-out combi-vans sat beside shiny Audi s, dented station-wagons shared the asphalt with lovingly-looked after saloons, each waiting for their owners to return, the setting sun casting their paintwork in a fiery orange glow.

Jackie pulled in another breath, tasting the air. Del had been here.

She narrowed her eyes, approaching a low, red convertible. Heat rolled from it in unpleasant waves, the stench of burning motor oil almost choking her. Reaching out, she placed her right palm on the car’s hood. Hot. Hot enough to tell her the engine had only recently been running.

She took another breath, separating the car’s fumes from the delicate scent of her best friend. Delanie’s scent grew stronger here. More concentrated.

Jackie’s chest squeezed tight. It wasn’t just Del scent that was more potent here. Her fear tainted the air like a thick mist.

Damnit, Del. What’s going on?

“Jackie Huddart?”

The deep, low and gravely voice to her left made Jackie jump. She turned, reaching for her gun in its holster at the small of her back before she remembered she didn’t have it. Damnit!

“Jackie Huddart?”

A man stepped towards her from behind a big black van. A tall man with impossibly broad shoulders and narrow lean hips. The very man she’d caught looking at her inside the airport terminal yesterday. The same man who drove away from the airport car park in a black Audi an hour later.

The same man she’d seen standing under a snow gum at Pyengana’s cemetery.

Jackie watched him approach, her cop instincts on full alert, her inner-animal tensed. “You’ve been following me.”

A tiny dimple creased his left cheek beside lips curled into a small grin, giving Jackie the impression he knew a secret he found entirely humorous. Dark honey-blonde hair fell over his forehead in a tousled mess, brushing straight eyebrows a shade darker. “I have, I’m afraid.”

He studied her from behind impenetrable black sunglasses, the intensity of his unseen but wholly felt inspection making Jackie want to shiver. And for some reason her sex constricted, as if anticipating some action.

Oh, God, Jackie. Are you serious? Your best friend’s gone missing and you’re getting aroused by a complete stranger?

The man stopped but a step from her and she pulled in a quick, silent breath. He gave off no discernible scent, a fact Jackie found entirely too unnerving. Everything gave off a scent. Everything.

Except this unknown man who knew her name.

“I’ve seen you three times in the last twenty four hours. Who are you?”

She knew the question was blunt, but he – whoever he was – had the advantage over her. She didn’t like that. Not at all.

His lips curled into a broader grin. “Marshall Rourke, at your service.”

Jackie didn’t return his smile. “You’re American?”

Long, straight fingers came up to tip an imaginary hat. “Texan, actually, but it’s pretty much the same thang.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rourke.” Jackie frowned. Impatience, unease and – God help her – sexual interest gnawed at her. Making her angry. Damn, she wished she had her gun. “But why are following me?”

“I know where your friend is.”

Jackie’s throat slammed shut. “Del?”

Her best friend’s name slipped from her lips before she could stop it and she bit back a sharp curse. Damn it, cop law 101 – don’t give away information not already revealed. She clenched her fists, glaring at Marshall Rourke.

“I know you have no reason to trust me.” He removed his dark sunglasses, and Jackie’s chest squeezed. His eyes were stunning. Piercing light blue the color of Antartic ice. “But if you want to see Delanie McKenzie alive again, I recommend you come with me.”

So, what did you think?

As soon as it has a release date I’ll let you all know, but until then, maybe you might like to take a look at the first book in the Savage Australia trilogy? Maybe?

Patience is a virtue!

Sadly I never had any patience and I lost my virtue years ago. LOL  So where does that leave me when I choose to be in an industry that thrives on waiting? And waiting. And even more waiting! Ugh. A pink padded room with a nice white jacket comes to mind….

No really, normally (even with my lack of patience) I’m able to sit back and not think about what’s out there with an editor or the CP’s. It just slips my mind and off I go on my merry way. Not anymore! *sigh* I think I’m getting old or something because in the last few months I’m the most impatient cranky least virtuous person I know. Maybe it has something to do with having to move a family of 7 with 3 cats and a houseful of furniture thousands of kilometers again. That’s right we’re on the move. I will no longer be the International Heat member from Singapore. I will instead be based in Sydney. THE best bit about the move is getting to be near fellow IH members Jess Dee and Lexxie Couper. And before you ask or cringe, I’ve started the bail-out fund because we’re bound to get into trouble. *grin*

I’m ready to be gone. This time around I’m getting longer than 6 weeks to make the move from one country to the other but I’ve discovered it’s not such a good thing to do it slowly. When we moved to Singapore I packed up the house, visited Singapore for a week, enrolled the kids in school (Singapore), unenrolled the kids from school (Sydney), relocated one cat and one dog AND relocated the eldest child who got left behind with grandparents because he was in his final year of school. And I did all that in SIX WEEKS!!! OMG! How the hell did I survive? And to think I worked three days a week back then. Sheesh. Anyway, this time we’ve got about double that. It’s just over four weeks until we fly out of Singapore for the last time and I’m ready to leave. NOW! YESTERDAY!

You would not believe the number of things on hold because of the move. It’s frustrating beyond belief but there’s nothing I can do but rant and rave. And let me tell you I’m doing it A LOT! I thought I’d be real smart by getting a story done and sent off before the madness started so I could (fingers crossed) get something happening that would allow me to take a break from all the writing stuff or at least slow it right down during the move. We’ll have about 8 weeks where we’ll be living out of suitcases. That isn’t so much the problem as the finding time and space to work. I can see me locking myself in the bathroom to get stuff done. LOL

So here I am still waiting on word about that submission and for the first time EVA (yes I’m going all teenager on you) I’m chewing my nails over it. Why, oh why must I wait? (teenage drama there) Surely the editor has nothing better to do than read my story and love it. Surely she doesn’t have *gasp* a life! Well okay fine, she can have a life but she really should put that on hold and get to my shifters! *stomps foot* (dear Lord I’m just full of teenagerisms today) (Ooo, I think I’m making up words now. *grin*) Never mind that, what about Mr. Muse’s decision to start a new story for Nano?!?! Does he not know we need to get book 3 of the coyotes done? And if not that we’ve got the strippers to work on. (Oh, that sounded dirty didn’t it? *snicker*) Does he take ANY notice of the lovely list of wip’s I have on the desk? Nope, he goes right off into the wide blue yonder and starts a whole new tale. *sigh* MEN!

As you can see I have reason to be impatient and even more reason to be virtueless. (*rolls eyes* More new words? I’m on a roll today people.) I’m not sure I wanna play anymore. Could someone point me to a nice quiet corner to rest in? Oh, over there you say? What? That soft looking pink room? Ah, look at that, you even got me a nice new white jacket to wear……

Rhian

A Question of Love releases today!

A Question of Love: The Blurb

A past with three, a future for two…

Sequel to A Question of Trust.

Gabe Carter and his best friend Connor’s passion for threesomes brought Tina Jenkins into Gabe’s bed—and into his heart. As a matter of honor, he gave up the woman he loved. Time passes, times change and old promises fall away, but Gabe is still in love with Tina. Now he’s going after his heart’s desire.

Tina has her own opinion about Gabe’s sense of honor. His departure tore apart the most special of bonds and destroyed her relationship with Connor, leaving her brokenhearted. It took her a long time to pick up the pieces, a struggle she doesn’t wish to repeat. When Gabe shows up at her favorite coffee shop, she knows just where to tell him to stick his apology.

Gabe isn’t so easily put off—and Tina can’t help but respond to his seduction. Picking up where they left off is tempting, but Gabe wants her all to himself. And Tina wants the whole package, which includes Connor.

At the risk of crushing his hopes for the future, Gabe sets out to prove he’s more than enough man for her…

Warning: If piping hot sex, ménage scenes, adult toys, anal play, short blonde heroines and stacked, muscular heroes are not your cup of tea, then don’t read this book. You won’t enjoy it.

A Question of Love: An Excerpt

(This excerpt is very hot. Do not read it if you’re under 18. Ok?)

Strong arms lifted her from her resting place and carried her through her flat. The soft cotton of her bedspread cushioned her butt as Gabe laid her on the bed.
She pushed herself up into a sitting position, trying to make sense of the last few minutes, but Gabe was having none of it.
“I’m not done yet,” he told her, his voice deeper than usual and a little breathless. “I intend to make you come again. At least twice more. But this time I won’t use my fingers or my mouth. This time you’ll find your pleasure in a very different way.”
As he spoke, he unbuttoned her blouse and pushed it off her. Then he unclipped her bra and tossed that aside so she lay naked before him. He swallowed as he took in her naked body, his eyes sweeping over her.
“Gabe…” Her voice trailed off. She had no idea what to say to him. She should tell him to stop, but God help her, she didn’t want him to. What she wanted were those other orgasms he promised her.
“Christ, T. You’ve got me so aroused I’m ready to burst a nut here.” He undid the buttons of his jeans and twisted the waist. “Pants…too bloody…tight,” he gasped. “I want so badly to fuck you. I want to slide into your pussy and lose myself in your body. Like I used to. Want it so bad I can almost feel your wet heat around my dick.” Gabe closed his eyes for a second and grimaced.
Tina moaned. God, she wanted that too. Wanted Gabe to press his glorious cock inside her. Wanted him to fuck her like he used to, until she came, screaming his name—or Connor’s—in sheer ecstasy. She bent her knees and drew her thighs apart, her legs preparing for the sensual onslaught.
Gabe ran his finger over her engorged clit and swore. “Not gonna do it,” he said in a strained voice. “Not gonna hurt you again.”
Tina’s heart dropped even as sensation charged through her pussy. He’d promised her more orgasms!
He played with her clit, tracing tiny circles around it with his huge finger. “But I am gonna make you come. And I’m going to watch as every tremor wracks your body. I’m going to watch as your nipples harden into tight buds and your skin breaks out in goose bumps.”
Tina gulped. When it came to sex she had no doubt Gabe would follow through on every promise. But if he wasn’t going to fuck her then how—
“May I open the drawer beside your bed?” He dipped his finger between her pussy lips and drew it back up over her clit.
Ah! Waves of heat flooded through her as she nodded. The goose bumps he’d just mentioned began to creep up her back and over her arms.
“Close your eyes, T,” he instructed, his fingers still seducing her.
Her lids drifted shut.
Gabe pulled away from her, leaving behind a dull, empty ache where his hand had been. She heard the soft rumble of the drawer opening and then the sounds of plastic knocking against wood and glass pinging against glass.
And then there was silence.
“Perfect,” he whispered.

A Question of Love is available now from MBaM

Jess

Come Monday

Today marks the Ellora’s Cave release of the first book in my Wild Irish series, Come Monday. I don’t think there are words to express how excited I am about seeing this book hit the virtual bookshelf! I have been immersed in the lives of the seven Collins siblings since June and it’s been so darn hard not having someone to talk to about the characters and the stories!

The series revolves around the Collins Clan. The seven brothers and sisters all work at the family business, Pat’s Irish Pub located in Baltimore, Maryland. The stories are loosely based on the traditional nursery rhyme, Monday’s Child.

Monday’s child is fair of face (Come Monday–Keira)

Tuesday’s child is full of grace (Ruby Tuesday–Teagan)

Wednesday’s child is full of woe (Waiting for Wednesday–Tristan)

Thursday’s child has far to go (Sweet Thursday–Killian)

Friday’s child is loving and giving (Friday I’m in Love–Ewan)

Saturday’s child works hard for a living (Saturday Night Special–Riley)

But the child who is born on the sabbath day,

Is bonny and blithe and good and gay (Any Given Sunday–Sean)

Come Monday, Wild Irish, Book One

Monday’s child is fair of face…

After the death of her mother years prior, Keira Collins willingly put aside her dreams to become a surrogate parent to her six younger brothers and sisters. At twenty-seven, she’s finally pursuing a college degree. Between classes, working at the family pub and still tending to siblings, she’s no time for romance. So why is she spending all her rare free time fantasizing about hot Professor Wallace bending her over his desk?

Will Wallace recognizes Keira’s unfulfilled desires, her habit of hiding her beauty, her obsessive need for control in every aspect of her life. But Will has needs of his own—and they run far darker than Keira’s. As he initiates her into his lifestyle, offering sweet punishments and sweeter rewards, Will’s sexual authority slowly strips away some of her precious control. The one thing Keira’s not ready to relinquish…

Going All In – A Snippet

Even though A Question of Love is releasing at Samhain next week, I thought I’d bring you a little snippet from my December release, Going All In.

“Going All In” The Blurb

The higher the stakes, the harder they fall—in love.

Julia Savage’s weekly poker games are tearing her apart. She’s in love with two of her fellow card players, and much as she’d like to pick and confess her true feelings to one man, she won’t. Not if it means risking the love of the other.

Hunter Miles has wanted Julia for four months, and he’s about to deal a hand she couldn’t see coming. He’s determined to give her a New Year’s Eve celebration she never expected. He’s going to seduce her—in front of his friend and rival for her affections, Jay Baxter. But Jay’s not willing to lay down his cards. He’s going after Julia too, and he’s not above bluffing to get what he wants. Either way, one of them is going to win her over.

Unless they change the rules of the game. If they double up, there’s a chance they can split the pot…

Warning: This book contains two hunky heroes, a heroine worth betting on, sizzling hot three-way action (m/f/m andm/m/f), a whole lot of unexpected fireworks and a New Year’s Eve to remember.

“Going All In” An Excerpt

(Do not read this if you are under 18!)

God, he tasted good. Clean and musky, with an occasional salty drop for flavor.
Hunter lay on the bed with his legs hanging over the side. His upper body rested on his arms so he could watch Julia at work. The air was filled with his soft, encouraging murmurs.
Julia’s one hand held the base of his penis, the other caressed his balls. His cock was slightly thicker than Jay’s, but just as delectable.
Julia felt someone’s gaze on her back and turned to find Jay standing butt-naked by the bathroom door.
“Fuck,” he swore hoarsely and strode over to the bed where he dropped to his knees beside Julia.
She swirled her tongue around the tip of Hunter’s dick, watching Jay’s face the entire time.
“Jesus, Jules,” Jay gasped. “If I thought I fancied you before, I reckon I’m falling in love with you now.” He did not take his gaze off her mouth.
Her heart lurched beneath her breast, but she forced herself not to get too excited by his words, no matter how much she loved him. After all, they were being said in the heat of passion. Nevertheless, still holding Hunter’s cock in her hand, she lifted her face to Jay’s, inviting him to kiss her.
He did so, hungrily, and when he pulled away and motioned for her to return to Hunter, her lips were swollen and puffy.
Hunter let out a loud groan. “I reckon I’m falling pretty damn hard myself.”
He dropped backwards onto the bed as Julia sucked his cock into her mouth again, tickled pink by his confession. She loved Hunter too. She had for the last four months. Once again she warned herself not to get her hopes up. There was very little a man wouldn’t say when a woman knelt at his feet.
Hunter flung an arm over his eyes and thrust his hips upwards, filling her mouth. She had to relax every muscle in her throat to fit his dick in.
Jay breathed heavily beside her. “Watching you blow Hunter is giving me a hard-on from hell.”
Julia smiled around Hunter’s shaft and stilled his movements with her hand. She drew away from him then dipped her head back to lick off the precome that leaked from his cock head. Without swallowing, she turned back to Jay and offered him her mouth. She was mildly surprised by the greed with which Jay kissed her, licking the offering from her tongue. Mildly surprised and majorly aroused.
She squeezed another drop from Hunter and repeated the process. This time when Jay’s lips met hers, he groaned low in his throat.
Keeping her gaze on Jay’s face, she held Hunter’s dick in her hand and licked it from the base up to the tip and then back down again. Twice she did it, and then a third time, conscious of Jay staring, his eyes glazed with hunger.
Perhaps it took her a few seconds to see the truth because her glasses were off. But once she noticed it, she couldn’t deny the fact. It wasn’t just her mouth Jay ogled. It was Hunter’s penis as well. Hunter’s delectable penis.
She licked the head of his dick and then paused to watch Jay.
He licked his lips.
She did it again.
He licked his lips again.
Her pussy tightened.
Jay wanted Hunter’s dick.
Ever so slowly she raised her head. While still holding Hunter’s shaft, she tilted it, offering it to Jay.
Jay didn’t move an inch. Indecision flashed across his face, made obvious by his frown.
Julia pursed her lips and sucked Hunter into her mouth, sliding her lips up and down, making him mumble on the bed. She watched Jay while she feasted.
He watched Hunter’s dick.
When he bit his lower lip and his tongue flashed over it, soothing the reddened spot, Julia pulled away, and once again offered him Hunter’s penis.
This time he faltered for a second. Then he leaned over and swiped his tongue over the tip of the proffered cock.

Going All In releases at Samhain on the 29th of December.

Jess

Releases Galore!

The end of the year really rocks for me.

Oct. 31st I had a release with eXtasy. Unseen Path.  The timing for this release was PERFECT. I wrote it last Oct-Nov. It takes place around Halloween as well.

Now…November…I have a LOT to be thankful for in November. First, November 16th, the first book I wrote for submission will be released from Total e-Bound in an anthology that will be in print at the beginning of the year. (woot) and November 23rd my biggie releases. Semper Fi: Magnus from Liquid Silver.

See…releases galore. lol

Promo for having releases close together is crazy, but I’m loving every minute of it. 

Here are the blurbs for each…

Unseen Path:

On All Hallows’ Eve, Molli’s predictable world is turned upside down when she learns she needs magic to save her brother’s life.  Not only must she give up her innocence to feed the magic, she finds there is more to Decklin than meets the eye.  Just who is this handsome stranger and what is he to her?

Decklin must convince Molli that it is her destiny to help him save the world.  He has the means to help her brother, but will she survive her uncontrollable need to touch him, does she even want to?  Is Decklin using his powers to control her desires or could it be love?

Dreams:

Book one in the Seeds of Dawn Series

Anabella’s dreams bring her to David, but is he the salvation she’s looking for?

Anabella Pouge is plagued with powers she can’t control, making her life far from normal when all she wants is ordinary. Change is coming her way when she must flee with a man straight out of her dreams.

David Sanders is sent to find Anabella. Without her, the future of his wolf pack is in danger. Forced to travel to the middle of nowhere, David finds Anabella might mean more than just his pack’s survival.

Will the two make it back to the pack in time? Can Anabella and David accept each other and the coming changes to their lives?

Semper Fi: Magnus:

Colonel Joe “Magnus” River’s sole purpose in life is to protect the United States of America. It isn’t just a job; it’s his reason for being. Magnus’ life is turned upside down when he is informed a woman will be joining his team of elite marines. She made it through boot camp, but can she make it through Magnus?

Nothing in NCIS Special Agent Emily Patterson’s career could have prepared her for Colonel Rivers. Her orders: infiltrate the Colonel’s team and find out who has been kidnapping women and children from third world countries and selling them as sex slaves. A string of unexpected events changes everything, potentially exposing Emily before she finds the guilty party. Her mission becomes more difficult as she gets to know the man behind the uniform. Magnus can’t be involved, can he?

Meet Sami Lee

WELCOME SAMI LEE!

I’m very excited to welcome fellow Aussie author, Sami Lee to International Heat. Sami was my first friend at Samhain and I’ve become quite addicted to her books. She writes red hot, contemporary romance, and her stories are all wonderful, emotional reads. Sami might pretend to be an innocent, sweet Ozzie mum. But don’t be fooled. She has the ability to blow you away with the heat of her novels. Read one today. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I sent a list of questions through to Sami, and she had a couple of quirky answers. I think you’ll get a kick out of them.

JD) You’re stuck on a desert island and you have just three items with you. The only three you could save from the luxury boat you were cruising on before it sank. What are they?

SL) I love the idea that I was on a luxury boat. Are you sure it sank?

First and foremost I’d take the ship’s captain, who of course is gorgeous and built and in possession of all manner of survival skills (don’t all luxury cruise vessels come with one of those guys?). Pen and paper of course, to write about all my adventures with the hot, super-capable captain so I can sell the memoir for a million smackeroos when we are finally rescued. The third thing? My wicked imagination of course.

JD) Two other people are on the island with you. They were on the boat too. Although you’ve never met them before, you’re delighted to be there with them because you know who they are. So…who are they, and why are you happy they’re there?

SL) I should say my children but alas, under the circumstances (that would be the hot captain, my wicked imagination and no Dora DVDs to keep them occupied), I’d probably rather they were being well looked after elsewhere—by my husband, who let’s face it would only get in the way on the island. As that scraps my 3 favorite people, I’d have to say I’d really rather be alone with the captain. I’m becoming quite attached to him.

JD) What do you get if you mix an erotic romance writer with a math teacher?

SL) Ha! My hubby’s an ex-math teacher so I’d have to say two crazy kids and a cantankerous dog!

(Note from Jess: I swear I had no idea Mr Lee was a Math Teacher. I assumed Sami would give an answer like “An expert in 69″ or something.)

JD) Come on, confess. It was the single most embarrassing moment of your life. What happened?

SL) Probably when my older male cousin walked in on me naked in the bathroom when I was 13. He rushed right back out again, but I stayed in the bathroom so long my mother came to check I hadn’t drowned in the shower, which only piqued the interest of all my other cousins and aunts and uncles who were staying over. Horrible!

(Note from Jess: *Snort!* Uh, I mean, Oh dear. Poor Sami. That must have been excruciating.)

JD) Someone is holding a gun to your head, forcing you to make decisions. You have to sleep with one person from EACH of the following couples. Who do you choose?

SL) • Laurel or Hardy – Hardy (was he the shorter, rounder one? He seemed to have more intelligence)
• Brad Pitt or George Clooney. Oh George of course. Such a cheeky personality.
• Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie. Jennifer. She seems much nicer and I think she’s more attractive.
• Pete Sampras or Roger Federer. Federer. Sampras’s eyebrows are a bit… significant.
• Marge or Homer Simpson. Who chose these couples? Definitely not Homer so by default Marge, I suppose. Why wasn’t Ned Flanders here?
• Kevin Rudd (Australian Prime Minister) or Malcolm Turnbull (Head of Official Opposition). Eek. I’d let them shoot me.

JD) Now, take a look at the same list. Which of those couples would you choose to have a threesome with? (Oh, I forgot to mention, Brad and George are already taken…by me!)

SL) Trust you to take the picks of the bunch. Actually I think I’d rather the tennis players. All that competitiveness… surely with them always trying to one up each other I can’t lose

JD) Hmm, talking about threesomes, didn’t you have a bestselling ménage novella at Samhain? Can you tell us about it?

SL) Why yes I did Jess, funny you should ask. Today’s release is a follow up to an earlier novella I wrote called Chasing Sunset. It’s about what happens when a seemingly together couple decide to take their sexual relationship to a new level, only to find they get more than they bargained for. Their threesome with best friend Brody threatens to derail their future, and they have to work hard to pick up the pieces of their relationship. The emotions and the sexual shenanigans run pretty thick and fast in that story.

JD) And what about your release today – Sunset Knight? Can you tell us about this book?

SL) As I said, Sunset Knight is the follow up to Chasing Sunset. Brody Nash was really bugging me to write him a story of his own, and I have to admit his brusque exterior and sad secrets had me intrigued. I wondered what kind of woman it would take to tame a lone stallion like him and I found my answer in the most unlikely place. Lana Green has been admiring Brody from afar for three years but has been too shy to do anything about it. I thought she’d be too timid to handle Brody’s… proclivities ☺, but turns out she was stronger than I thought. Sunset Knight is the story of first love, self-discovery and a shy nerd girl who gets the guy of her dreams out of sheer persistence. Don’t we all want to believe that’s possible?

JD) Anything else you’d like to say or add?

SL) I’d like to thank you and the girls at International Heat for your hospitality. I’d also like to take this opportunity to say a big hi to anyone who’s bought one of my books before, and to let them know I appreciate the support. I hope I’ve made them smile a time or two, and that they’ll stick with me so I can introduce them to more of the wonderful magical mystery men who live in my head (come on, there’s nothing weird about that!).

For more info on any of my releases, including blurbs, excerpts and buy information, my website is the place to drop in, www.samilee.com, or my blog also does the trick http://sami-lee.blogspot.com. If you want to skip all that and go straight to reading Sunset Knight, it’s for sale now at My Bookstore and More from today.

JD) It’s been our pleasure Sami.

Thanx for dropping in to say hi. And congrats on the new release.

BTW – I’d like to take the opportunity to brag and say I’ve already read Sunset Knight.

It is outstandiing. Go and get your copy today!

Rejection. Does it mean that you suck?

No. The submission editor doesn’t know you or anything about you really. Does it mean that your story sucked? Sometimes. But if you’ve edited your manuscript within an inch of its life, received constructive feedback from critique partners, beta readers and the like, and adjusted as per their suggestions, probably not.

Do your research. There are so many ebook publishers today—some more popular than others—and it’s important to submit your manuscript to the ones that fit your story. Read the “About us” page on the publisher’s website. Read a few of their books. Scrutinize their FAQ’s page, submission guidelines and read about their percent acceptance of unsolicited manuscripts. What are your realistic chances of reaching publication if you submit to so and so?

In the end, you might have done everything right and still received that dreaded rejection. What do you do after you’ve cried, ranted and raved, whatever makes you feel better? That’s simple.

Keep writing.