I've written several good girl heroines. Sarah Austin in The Ride of Her Life. Julie Brightman in Dark Angel. Annie Shane in Bad to the Bone.
Annie is the perfect example of the good girl heroine. She'd never done anything wrong, took care of her sick mother, put her head down and worked her job no matter what, got dumped by a guy who called her boring. She decided that being a good girl had gotten her nowhere and decides to make all her decisions based on the question, "What would a bad girl do?" Of course, she runs into a bad boy who tries to keep her out of trouble, all the while falling in love with her, and the fun starts there.
I have to admit that my love for the good girl rises from the fact that I was a good growing up. So I love giving good girls their own adventures. And sexy heroes who love them just the way they are.
How about you? Do you enjoy reading about good girls and bad boys??
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Anyway, the theme for the week has been favorite heroes. I can’t really say
I have a favorite “type.” My taste runs the gamut. They don’t all have to be super alpha. One of my favorite heroes’s is Julian Hampton in Madeline Hunter’s, The Romantic. Without this coming off as offensive, because I know how authors cringe at having their heroes described as the B word, but Julian is the closest thing to a beta hero I’ve ever read in a romance. Now before I get egged, this really is a compliment. Julian couldn’t have been written any other way. It just wouldn’t have worked, and I applaud Mrs. Hunter for her fantastic work on him. Julian’s love for Penelope is so pure and selfless that I completely fell in love with him. I think because of Julian’s more beta roots, the ending was so much more powerful. If he’d been alpha, the ending would have been lackluster. Because it was the opposite, I still get this book out and read the ending from time to time. (I actually have a signed copy I cherish:)For me, there has to be a vulnerability about a hero. One of my biggest turn offs is a privileged hero. A lot of this is because I like my heroes with a sense of humility about them. That they know money doesn’t always talk and they have to fight for things in life.
My first ever hero, Nickolas, (who by the way will never see the light of day) was a tortured
soul. Even though his story was a stepping stone for my writing career, I love this story, and I love him. He’d do anything to protect the heroine, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness.Then I have Dante, an extreme fighter who has literally fought his way up the ranks for a chance at the championship belt. He’s confident, knows what he wants and is always focused. Until he meets the heroine and she becomes his one weakness.
Raimond, from The Panther’s Lair, is my most alpha hero. He really is the take what he wants and damned the consequences type. Even when it comes to the heroine, especially when it comes to the heroine, lol.
Luke, who you’ll meet in July in Defying Convention under my other pen name Abby Niles, is another tortured soul. But his torture is much different from Nikolas. Nikolas’ came from an outside source, Luke’s comes from within. He has a secret so dark that if it ever got out he’d be ruined. The heroine becomes his hope for a future he didn’t believe he could have.
Then we come to Devlin, the hero in my current WIP. I’m not even sure how to categorize Devlin. He has all the makings for being an alpha male. But he deals with a force larger than himself when it comes to making decisions and implementing them. He has been a very interesting character to write. Probably the most unique of all my heroes.
I always look forward to getting to know my heroes. Taking their stories and bringing them to life on the pages. (I wouldn’t be a writer if I didn’t:)
So what are your actual turnoffs for a hero?
Esme
www.esmereldabishop.com
Sometimes it's time to just try something new, don't you agree?
I love writing, love making up stories, and now there's a new way to get some of those stories out to readers. Plus, every time my computer crashes, I've lost a few of my stories, argh.
Self Publishing. Although it's not for everyone, and I love being published in print, these are stories that were either already published or turned down by a publisher (The Siren's Lure) because it wasn't dark enough, and I have no place else to send them. Since the initial sales with the now defunct publishers were so small and were something to truly groan about, I thought I'd try the self-publishing route for a few of them.
Vampires, sea demons, goddesses...I'm eclectic and love to write about anything and everything. What do they have in common? They're short stories, all with paranormal angles, and are only 99 cents! The first 20% is even free so that readers can check them out before buying them.
It's a fun way to share some stories before my other books come out--Heart of the Highland Wolf, the first of the Highland wolf stories, will be coming out in June. :)
The Siren's Lure
Ebook By Terry Spear
Rating: Not yet rated.
Published: Feb. 25, 2011
Category: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author
Words: 18592 (approximate)
Language: English
[add to library]
Ebook Short Description
A vampire wishes upon a falling star and ends up with more than he bargained for. When he attempts to rescue a woman in distress, he soon learns she's not quite human and not a huntress--or at least like any he's ever known. That's when the seduction begins--but who is seducing whom?
Extended Description
Tristina isn't a huntress in the normal sense. Before meeting the vampire who would rescue her from danger, she never thought anyone could love her for herself. Now, just maybe she's found the right man for her.
Sardis wants nothing more than a vacation from his ponderous role as prince of the New York vampire clans, but ends up having anything but a peaceful time while staying at a beach resort when he meets the most enticing siren. Trouble doesn’t even begin to describe the new world he finds himself in as he tries to seduce her, and he falls under her siren's spell instead.
Goddess in Training
Ebook By Terry Spear
Rating: Not yet rated.
Published: Feb. 19, 2011
Category: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author
Words: 9089 (approximate)
Language: English
[add to library]
Ebook Short Description
In a game of the gods, librarian Lisandra, who has never been loved, is chosen to be the goddess of fertility. The demi-god of pleasure, Assarian is ordered by Zeus to train her in the hallowed halls of Mount Olympus to prove to his wife, Hera, goddess of marriage, mortals and immortals alike only need be physically satisfied to find fulfillment, to which Hera disagrees—all creatures must have love to be whole.
Seducing the Huntress
Ebook By Terry SpearRating: Not yet rated.
Published: Feb. 12, 2011
Category:Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author
Words: 18,013 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook Short Description
When the vampire takes on a dare to seduce the huntress, little does he know he’s on her terminal list already!Set in an island paradise, neither the huntress nor her prey really knows who the real rogue is and who is being made to take the fall, but will she succumb to the ancient vampire’s will before it is too late?Extended Description
The vampire Sarzoven and his sister are bored with life so a death-defying game of seducing the huntress is an attempt at eliminating boredom. But Miranda isn’t about to be seduced by the vampire no matter how sexy he is, not when he’s on her terminal list. Sarzoven soon realizes she’s a dark huntress, who doesn’t eliminate a rogue vampire until she’s sure he or she is truly a renegade.So why is he on her list? Now he must convince her to remove him from her elimination schedule before she decides he really is a rogue. Miranda knows she can’t permit the vampire from swaying her from her mission, but soon she finds she’s on someone else’s list. But who’s behind this twisted game that’s bound to stir up vampire and hunter hatred alike? And can the huntress and vampire overcome their age old distrust of one another before it’s too late?
Siren's Lure
Seducing the Huntress
Goddess in Training
Hope you all are having a wonderful Saturday! I'll be at work....
So enjoy!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com
In (tentatively titled) Burned and Broken, we have our hero Marcus Dade. Marcus is a firefighter who, as most alpha males are prone to do, has made his share of mistakes in the past. He left his small hometown five years ago, but he's back now for two reasons: to set his past right and to win the heart of the woman he never stopped loving. Of course, trouble dogs him every step of the way... Poor guy. :)
I think the reason I love Marcus so much is because he knows the majority of his problems are due to the bad choices he made in his past. To set his life right, to make up for the hurt he's caused, he has to own up to those choices. Owning who you are and what you do is something I believe very strongly in. Nobody is perfect, but it's how to take ownership for your mistakes that makes all the difference in the world.
In (also tentatively titled) All Tyed Up, I switch gears a little. Yes, Tye Carter works in the public eye as County Sheriff, much like Marcus, but it's not Tye's past that haunts him. It's the woman who needs him now that has him reeling. County Attorney Laine Morgan has been attacked, and it's up to Tye to find the man who did it. Along the way, he ends up taking her on a journey that neither of them expected. Of course, there's a little kink and bondage thrown in for good measure :). Tye's a bit of a cowboy, too, which adds a rough, alpha-ness to his persona. He's one of the good guys, and he'll do anything (and I do mean anything) to help the woman he loves.
I'm working diligently on these two books and loving every inch of these men along the way. I've always loved the strong, alpha male type, and these two fit that bill -- and then some!
Have a great weekend!
Kristin
www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels
ro—is there any better topic!?! This has got to be one of my favorites. At first I was going to post about my favorite heroes in other authors’ work besides mine, but then I started thinking about my leading men and was pleasantly surprised. They each bring back such wonderful memories that I decided I had to give some of them blog time just for being so sexy and accommodating. Lol I love all my guys. I really, really do. This is manly, er, mainly because they are all, in some way, based on my hubby. I’ve doled out his wonderfulness amongst my heroes since I started writing, and now it’s a habit. A little cowboy here, a bit of intellectual there, a little soldier for spice and his general hunkiness thrown in for good measure. I’ve also, lest I be remiss in remaining unbiased, included some of his less endearing traits, although right now I can’t seem to remember what they are.
So, as research for my post, I went back through and revisited my heroes, enjoying every minute of our time together. It turned out to be a great exercise, and I think that it helped me streamline my current leading man. I’ll find out as soon as he turns back into human form. Until then, I’ll just sit here and wax poetic about my guys.
My all-time favorite hero to write, and my most challenging, has got to be Beaumont Pistlewaite, or Beau, in A Stranger’s Desire. He gives new meaning to the word “alpha male.” He knows what he wants and basically takes it every chance he gets. Luckily, his paramour, Lilly, likes to be taken every chance she gets, and in all kinds of ways. She craves domination and kink, and he’s just the guy to provide it for her. The element that made it so challenging to write him is that from the time they meet in the funeral parlor closet until the almost the very end of the book, Lilly never see
s Beau's face. I hadn’t intended to do it that way initially, but once I got into the story, I thought…why not? Of course, that’s what I asked myself about Beau throughout the entire novel. Beau is all about exploring boundaries and pushing past them, and that’s what he helped me do.Thanks, Beau!
Another favorite hero is Randy Stide, the well-read cowboy who nurses a crush on his emotionally insecure English professor in Ride 'Em, Girlfriend. His quiet strength heals both of them of their loneliness, and he woos her by quoting poetry. This guy is definitely based on my husband, although Hubby wrote his own poetry and didn’t borrow anyone’s to woo me, and he helped with the cowboy details, having been one himself. I learned quite a bit about my husband writing this one, to say the least
!
The hero who definitely holds a special place in my heart no other possibly could is Mayor Sam from Seducing Gracie. A demon who requires a human sacrifice every five years, Mayor Sam is really more of an anti-hero, but a darn sexy one. He, like Beau, forced me to push my boundaries to create him, and I guess it paid off. Seducing Gracie made the best-seller list on All Romance Ebooks at some point recently, and I hope it’s because readers like a leading monster, er, man, who knows how to make a woman’s dreams and desires come true, in more ways than one. Either that or they like the three-headed Chihuahua. :)
My favorite trio of heroes is Reiz, Nioral, and Mojogan, from the Dragon Song series. These guys are special because they’re dragon shifters, and each has his own brand of charm. Reiz is a king, Nioral is a healer, and Mojogan is a warrior, and they’re all strong, protective, and seductive. I always have fun writing my dragons and have missed them terribly, so much so that I’ve decided it’s time for Dragon Song 4 so I can add another piece to the puzzle that is the fate of the Dragon Kind. I've started initials on it and hope to have it finished for summer...summer sizzle from sexy shifters. Weeeee!
I've really enjoyed this post this week because revisiting my heroes has taught me quite a bit about where my stories are and where they need to be. This is just one reason I love to blog here. If I haven't mentioned it before, I truly appreciate getting to post here and hope that our readers and my blogmates know that I am thankful to have the opportunity. Thanks so much!
Cameo
There are all kinds of heroes in the romance world and any type can work in the right story.
Here's how I encountered my kind of hero in real life. One night last week my daughter started shrieking for us to call 911 and to look out the window. Much to our amazement, the dark night was lit up by a huge truck fire. The wall of flame bursting out the top of the truck was frightening, as we live on a narrow, tree-lined street in a residential neighborhood.
The furniture-filled truck was at my neighbor's house. The two deliverymen had smelled smoke, stopped the truck, and opened the back doors to see what was happening. The flames burst out. They started pulling the furniture out, even though it was on fire. Now, right there, that is going beyond the call of duty in my mind. But they did it. The neighbors began throwing snow onto the burning furniture to contain the flames.
Then the two guys looked at each other and said, "We've got to get this truck out of this neighborhood." They jumped back in the cab, with the fire, I swear, twice as high as the truck, burning behind them, and started driving off. It was surreal to see that burning truck move down the street.
Well, they made it to my house, where they probably saw that the road was a dead end and it was not possible to leave the area. They wisely abandoned the truck.
The fire looked exactly like it does in the picture, and those guys tried to drive the truck away. That kind of action and courage in the face of an emergency is what makes my heart beat faster. You can see the trees (mine) on the right side of the picture and they were rightly concerned that the fire could spread easily. (Luckily, it did not.)
Now when the firefighters showed up, they didn't do anything foolish. They were properly clad head to toe in fire-resistant gear. They did not approach the truck closely. (The heat was intense, even from where we stood, much farther away.) When they ultimately went into the truck, they used oxygen tanks. They behaved sensibly and professionally which, in real life, is a good thing.
Firefighters are trained not to take heroic measures, especially in a property fire, because lives can be lost when caution is not exercised. If you were going to be facing fires for all of your working life, I can imagine you'd lose your taste for drama in a hurry. So I'm not criticizing them. In my saner moments, I appreciate common sense.
But, I have to admit, it was the delivery guys who seeded a story.
Owner of moving company is filling in for a sick employee. Truck catches fire. Fearing the truck might explode (another real possibility), he drives it away from a neighborhood filled with kids' toys and swing sets. Lands at the heroine's house. When the fire can't be put out, he needs to spend the night nearby. (True fact: When they couldn't extinguish the fire, the chief decided to leave it burning overnight with a fire truck standing guard.)
The heroine has an extra bedroom…
Yup. It's the action guys for me. Quick thinkers who defy danger to do the right thing. It has to be a noble cause. I'm not interested in guys who take action just to be moving.
Bottom line, it was the quick thinking that impressed me. No standing around, wringing their hands. That's hero material to me. What about you?
PS: My daughter got her first photography credit when she beat out the newspaper's photographer and her picture landed on the front page. How cool is that?
"Another new genre for me that I simply adore! Nicole North’s Beast in a Kilt is the second novella in her series of Scottish paranormal erotic romances. Beast in a Kilt is one of four anthologies in Red Sage’s Secrets volume 29.
Now back to the story. North twists an enchanting novella set in the Scottish Highlands in 1621, the time of strong and powerful men wearing kilts and brandishing swords with lovely heroine’s vying for true love.
Catrolina has known for a decade that she loves with her whole being Torr, a Highlander with a body she can’t help but want in every manner. And he loves her, so what’s the problem? There are many.
A curse control’s Torr’s physical being as a shape shifter into a white stallion at night. Catrolina’s clan has promised her to wed a beastly chieftan. The curse and the promised marriage must both be broken for Torr and Catrolina to have a true and equal love.
Keeping the suspense in an erotic novel takes careful planning. Nicole North has mastered that concept as she twines the hero and heroine’s bodies and emotions in constant knots throughout the skirmishes and dangers they encounter while hunting down the antagonist and concocting a scheme to nullify the promise.
My only complaint is that I wish it were a novel length story because I adored the characters and the colorful language and wanted to spend more time in the Highlands. If you haven’t tried a Scottish paranormal, this is an excellent choice to start with." Dawn
The man who currently holds my heart a willing captive shared a blissful escape with me to Virginia Beach last summer. From the minute we pulled out of the driveway and set a course southward, we fully intended on making the most of our warm-weather getaway.
An early departure found us at our destination in time to behold a glorious sunrise. We embraced and kissed each other as the surf kissed the shoreline. What a perfect moment to take my breath away.
The sand tickled our toes as we headed toward the pier and early-morning fishermen. After engaging several of the line-casters in conversation, we returned to the SUV and gathered the beach-going gear. What better way to pass the time until our room was ready than stretching out on soft blankets or letting the waves carry us back to the shore?
Our bed and breakfast provided the ultimate in comfort and congeniality not to mention a fabulous spa tub. The garden welcomed us for some relaxing moments reading the local newspaper and visitor guides.
A stroll on the boardwalk found us greeted by Poseidon in all of his sculpted glory.
We sampled some of the finest seafood and Southern cuisine, but these fine dining experiences merely whetted our appetite for moonlit walks and giggling sessions spent in the Jacuzzi.
Time slipped away from us and the trip homeward loomed. We bid farewell to the place we'd chosen for our first vacation together and vowed to return. But I'll always remember that romantic retreat and remain thankful for the man I love more with each passing day.
Wishing you all many loving and happy moments,
Shawna Moore
TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN -- Ellora's Cave
TORMENTED (Recommended Read) -- Ellora's Cave
ROUGHRIDER -- Ellora's Cave
HELLE IN HEELS -- Ellora's Cave
You've probably heard that Borders is closing a ton of stores. One was near Dallas where I had my first book signing at Valentine's some years ago. It's sad to see the stores go. The bad economy hasn't helped. They say it has to do with not keeping up with the ebook market.
I still can't read in ebook format. I look at a computer screen all the time while I'm trying to write, and for me, I love reading a paper bound book.
Here are the stores that are closing.
http://s.wsj. net/public/ resources/ documents/ st_borders0216_ 20110216. html
And here are some of the publishers that are owed money. I'm sure my own publishers are also. Which means we don't get paid either. And the staff for all the book stores will be let go too.
Penguin $41.1 million
Hachette Book Group $36.9 million
Simon & Schuster $33.75 million
Random House $33.5 million
HarperCollins $25.8 million
Macmillan $11.4 million
Wiley $11.2 million
Perseus $7.8 million
F+W Media $4.6 million
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt $4.4 million
Workman $4 million
McGraw-Hill $3.1 million
Pearson Education $2.8 million
NBN $2 million
Norton $2 million
Zondervan $1.9 million
Hay House $1.7 million
Elsevier Science $1.6 million
Publications Intl. $1.1 million
It affects people in so many ways that we can't even see. What will become of libraries?
*sigh*
Remember when many of the big publishers balked at having ebooks? Remember when many of the big writing organizations did too? Now we're even going to have a NY Times bestselling ebook list!
Speaking of ebooks--I've had fun uploading a short vampire story for .99. Twenty % of the story is down-loadable for free. More to come!
Seducing the Huntress
Ebook By Terry SpearRating: Not yet rated.
Published: Feb. 12, 2011
Category: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author
Words: 18013 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook Short Description
When the vampire takes on a dare to seduce the huntress, little does he know he’s on her terminal list already!Set in an island paradise, neither the huntress nor her prey really knows who the real rogue is and who is being made to take the fall, but will she succumb to the ancient vampire’s will before it is too late?Extended Description
The vampire Sarzoven and his sister are bored with life so a death-defying game of seducing the huntress is an attempt at eliminating boredom. But Miranda isn’t about to be seduced by the vampire no matter how sexy he is, not when he’s on her terminal list. Sarzoven soon realizes she’s a dark huntress, who doesn’t eliminate a rogue vampire until she’s sure he or she is truly a renegade.So why is he on her list? Now he must convince her to remove him from her elimination schedule before she decides he really is a rogue. Miranda knows she can’t permit the vampire from swaying her from her mission, but soon she finds she’s on someone else’s list. But who’s behind this twisted game that’s bound to stir up vampire and hunter hatred alike? And can the huntress and vampire overcome their age old distrust of one another before it’s too late?
Still, I want paper books. I like the feel of them, the look of them, and even though I know that Nook looks more like a book, it isn't. I want to turn a page and slip in a book mark when I'm done reading for the time being.
What about you? Are you giving up on paper books to join the ebook revolution?
I do think it's fantastic, though. The idea you can take hundreds of stories with you on an ereader. What a savings that would be when taking trips. And if I didn't write and read on a computer so much, I'd probably love it too....
Have a great Saturday!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com
No, Dante gave Caitlyn flowers on their first official date. Wildflowers. (The author can’t stand roses.) But, I think that is it. Interesting. I just learned something about myself. I’ve never been big on romantic gifts, and it would seem I put that in my writing. Flowers, jewelry, perfume and other things don’t really do anything for me. Yeah, it’s uber sweet and all, but I’d much prefer a cuddle on the couch and the gift of time.
Time. I never have enough of it. I think one of the best gifts my ex-hubby ever gave me was a full day to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. A full day. I locked myself in a room and he took care of the kids. I didn’t budge for 15 hours. Best gift ever!
What have your characters given as a romantic gift?
On a different note, I had to share this video a friend of mine posted on Facebook. I grinned the entire time. Too freaking cute!
Esme
www.esmereldabishop.com
In the past, I've blogged a bit about dancing, and I can't think of a more fitting subject for this week's theme because it's the most romantic gift my husband's ever given me. Because of him, my dream to be able to move to music and enjoy it is a reality and a lifelong passion fulfilled.We'd been dating for a month when the subject came up offhandedly. I was so excited to hear he'd been dancing for years and wanted to share it with me, and he was so excited to find I couldn't wait to learn some steps. He'd been fully prepared to give up his dancing life to be with me if he discovered I wasn't into it.
Is there anything more romantic than THAT?
Who couldn't love dancing, whether watching it or doing it? Dancing is romantic and passionate, and they say that the way a couple dances says quite a bit about their relationship.
Partner dancing is about knowing yourself and your partner. It's about knowing when to lead and when to follow. It's about knowing when to give and when to take. It's about enjoying the pulse and rhythm of life and sharing that with your partner or the world if you're free-styling. In other words, it about...
Love. Love of life. Love of music. Love of that special someone. Love of humanity.
Those who dance suspend for a moment the inherent vulnerabilities of the human spirit and join in accepting themselves and those around them to come together in a celebration of possibilities. They rejoice in the primal beats that tie modern humankind to their ancestors, a connection transcending thousands of years and passing through thousands of generations.
What's more loving than sharing a dance with someone you care about? Perhaps you waltzed with your papa at your wedding, or perhaps you're first kiss happened at the prom during a slow dance. Dancing can be traditional, and it can unite. It's a way to get to know someone but also a way to share quality time with someone you've known for years.
In my novella, Ride 'Em, Girlfriend, hunky cowboy Randy Stide uses the rumba and tango to further seduce the woman his heart's ached for for months. In some of my other books, dancing or music somehow play a role in the couple's love affair. It's so much a part of who I am that it just sneaks in when I'm least expecting it.
Speaking of least
expecting something, why don't you, as a Valentine's Day challenge, ask someone you know to dance with you? It doesn't really matter where you are or even if there's music; if you dance, you'll hear it. I wouldn't just go up to any ole person on the street and ask them--well, I probably would, but I definitely don't recommend that you do it--but maybe hustle your sullen teen off the couch and do the Watusi. Grab Granny and try a little slooooowww foxtrot, or maybe just wrap yourself around your significant other and snuggle in for a close slow dance, the kind where you just hold on and rock back and forth. Wanting to express oneself through the joy of dance is a natural, wonderful desire, and I'm grateful every day that I'm able to do it, as some folks are not. I dance for those who can't and sometimes for those who won't, but mainly I dance because I have to, just like I have to write.
Right now I think I have to go express myself by encouraging my wonderful hubby to join me for a spin around the living room. Happy Valentine's Day!
"Cupid shot me."
Angel thought she heard the words as she roused out of sleep in her New York City penthouse. But it was the long groan of the big man lying next to her in bed that really woke her.
"Demon?" She raised herself on her elbow to peer down at the unexpected sight. "What are you doing here?"
"It's a holiday, isn't it?" Demon's black gaze moved from her face to her breasts. "Happy Valentine's Day."
She laughed. "This is not your kind of holiday."
He groaned again. "No kidding. But Cupid ambushed me."
He reached a hand toward her breast, then dropped it like she was on fire. "No," he said, "I have to be on my best behavior."
"Your best behavior is not very good." She smiled. "With one exception."
"Damn. Don't look at me like that."
"Why not?" From long experience, she knew he loved the tilted head, look-up-through-the-eyelashes-glance.
"Like I told you, Cupid ambushed me. She dropped me here with instructions to treat you right."
"Treat me right?"
"She said there's more to pleasing an angel than giving her great sex."
"Hmmm. Cupid did not ask for my opinion on this theory." Angel pushed back the sheet. Yup. He was naked. Gloriously naked. His broad shoulders tapered down to hips that performed with all the strength and stamina an angel could want. And she could plainly see that Demon was ready to perform.
Continued here
http://carlycarsonwriter.blogspot.com/?zx=4d7d954aba57846a
Today I wanted to share what I consider some of the most romantic views in Scotland. The one above is the first view of Eilean Donan Castle, as you approach from the east along Loch Duich.
Another view of Loch Duich, this one taken from behind Eilean Donan. I love the water, rocks and mountains in these scenic landscapes.
This is the lovely view from the B&B where we stayed on Loch Long. Although you can't see it in this picture, Eilean Donan is just over the hill. I could see it from my 3rd floor window.
This is a view from Duntulm Castle ruin looking out over the ocean and Tulm Island.
View from Kilt Rock. The waterfall is behind me. The cliffs and ocean here are stunning and very inspiring. 
Lady Alana Forbes has never met her intended, but she hopes he is handsome-and a good lover, for Alana is no innocent virgin. On her way to Castle Claren, Alana and her escorts are intercepted, and she is kidnapped by a man with extraordinary abilities-and every attribute she longs for in a mate.
Duncan didn't expect the woman he thought of as a mere pawn would be so beautiful, and so arousing. Alana is drawn to him as well-but Duncan still needs the bow, and Alana is betrothed to another. How far will Alana go to save the life of the man she's come to love?
Website: http://www.nicolenorth.com/
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My hubby and I, though still in love after many years of marriage, don't usually do much to celebrate the big V day. Usually it's during the week, lots of stff going on, etc. etc. But our wedding anniversary, which comes next month, we always celebrate.
I was a mere child when I got married. Of course, I didn't think of myself that way at the time, but since my children are both older than I was when I got married, I realize how young I was back then. I hadn't been at my job for very long and had no vacation time saved up yet, so the best my new hubby and I could do was arrange a long weekend for our honeymoon. That also meant we couldn't travel too far. So we booked a room at the Inn at the Peak, at the Peek N Peak ski resort not too far from where we lived.
The Inn has an old-tme chalet look to it and at the time we were there, it was the only building on the grounds. We were able to get a fireplace suite, a two-story room with a fireplace downstairs and the bedroom in a loft above. It was such a romantic place to spend our first days of married life.
The next day we went down to the little restaurant for breakfast and found it deserted. When we ordered breakfast we found out we were in one of only two rooms booked that weekend. At the end of March that year, the snow was already gone, so no one was skiing. And the golf season hadn't started yet. It was kind of cool to have the whole place, including the indoor swimming pool and sauna, basically to ourselves.
Thirty five years later, the resort has grown like crazy, with more lodges and condos and suites. We've never stayed there again. Maybe one of these years we should pay another trip to the Inn.
Where did you spend your honeymoon? Or if you're not married, where would you like to go to celebrate your marriage to the love of your life?
Natasha
SEE ME-available now
FLAUNT IT - Coming Mar 22nd
www.natashamoore.com
What better time than February to find a folder of old Valentine’s cards and romantic mementos? I tugged open the ends of the scarlet ribbon and spilled the contents. Crooked red hearts shot through with squiggly arrows peeked up at me from one page—a page of white tablet paper on which my grade-school crush had covered with images and words revealing that he wanted to be my Valentine. The silver plastic Indian-head ring he had slipped on my index finger during one recess lay underneath other Valentine’s cards and letters from years past. I found a cute parking ticket one boyfriend had tucked underneath my wiper blade that told me how many kisses he wanted in payment. Payment for what, you might ask? Payment for speeding into his heart. Pink construction-paper hearts streamed across a golden-thread-wrapped cord. Those were the hearts I’d hung from my visor after the third date with a man I thought I’d marry some day. Didn’t happen, but we remained good friends for many years afterward. Nearby lay an empty miniature Whitman’s sampler inside of which I’d tucked the fortune from my cookie the night my at-the-time Valentine and I dined on cashew chicken and shrimp-fried-rice. The fortune read: “Someone special will come into your life when you least expect.”
Love and romantic commitment are often explored in the stories I’ve written and published. In real life, I’ve run the gamut from…
Puppy Love that made me tongue-tied, weak-kneed, and at a loss for the proper words…
To a more mature love built on faith, respect, sharing and caring…
Whether your Valentine’s Day begins with …
Love
Laughter
Chocolate
Or a Kiss
Whether you find a Frog Prince…
Or spend the day with your handsome hero…
Always remember true love isn’t simply for romance novel. A loving bond can and will withstand many trials and the test of time.
Wishing you all love and happiness,
Shawna Moore
TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN -- Ellora's Cave
TORMENTED (Recommended Read) -- Ellora's Cave
ROUGHRIDER -- Ellora's Cave
HELLE IN HEELS -- Ellora's Cave
Isn't he cute? He's a cheetah and two babies were born to different mothers but if they're nursing just one, they can't produce enough milk. So he joined the female cub. The only sad part is his mother will feel a terrible loss, I'm sure.
We're still in Frosty the Snowman's weather down here! Hope you all are staying warm!
Have a super Thursday!!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com
