Candy Kisses

I love to kiss, so there’s no better eye candy for me than a picture of two people engaged in this most powerful act. One of the first things I notice about a man is his smile, his lips in particular. How many of us have taken great pains to describe our hero’s lips, his smile…the way he kisses?

Kissing is so incredible, so diverse and unlimited. A kiss can convey a thousand meanings, from a simple greeting to comfort to wild passion. It can signal strength or vulnerability. A lover claiming his woman’s mouth can be as exciting as an alpha hero who softens at the slightest pressure of his lover’s lips. Who doesn’t love that? Sigh…

One of my favorite eye candy shots is this one, because this man has the most beautiful lips, and his expression is so gentle. This picture sort of inspired Graham Norton, the hero in Second Nature, at least in his human form. Handsome, but expressive, and that sexy look, like he’s thinking about smiling but isn’t quite sure if he should. Adorable!I think the way a person kisses tells much about them. The way a man pulls a woman to him or the way he holds her sends a message. Kissing is a way of communicating, and it can happen in all kinds of situations, with the unexpected ones being some of the most memorable.

I remember when my husband, before he became my husband, took the opportunity one Christmas to give me a hug and a holiday kiss. It was quick, but his full lips pressing against mine, even though we were just friends at the time, sent a nice shiver through me. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, or him. His kisses, and his smiles, to this day take my breath away. What’s your favorite kiss memory? Or maybe your favorite movie kiss?

Leigh Court wants us to meet The Disciplinarian

Hi, everyone, today I'm interviewing Red Sage author Leigh Court. I'm excited that Leigh and I will both have stories in Secrets Volume 27 anthology next year! I'm honored to be in such great company with her and two other authors. Leigh has another story in a Secrets anthology and we'll find out all about that hot story today.

Author Leigh Court lives in Southern California with her husband. She's been writing since age eleven, starting with wild adventure stories for her elementary school newsletter, growing up to be a television news journalist whose assignments took her on real life adventures. After traveling most of the world, she segued into the more normal job of public relations, but she's never stopped writing. Having seen what she has of life's struggles, Leigh now writes romantic fiction because she wants her readers to be able to escape into a story guaranteed to have a happy ending!

Nicole North: Welcome, Leigh! Please tell us about The Disciplinarian in Secrets Volume 15.

Leigh Court: Trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience in Victorian England, headstrong Clarissa Babcock is sent to the shadowy legend known as The Disciplinarian for instruction in proper wifely obedience. But one look at the dark and dangerously handsome Disciplinarian has her fantasizing about what it would be like to be at the mercy of his sexual tutelage. As The Disciplinarian, Jared Ashworth has never failed to transform a difficult wife into a dutiful spouse, but not exactly in the way their husbands expect. He uses the tools of seduction to show Clarissa how to control a demanding husband, but her beauty, spirit, and uninhibited passion make Jared hunger to keep her -- and their darkly erotic nights -- all for himself!

Nicole: Oohh! Sounds delicious. I have this book on my TBR stack and it just moved to the top. Do you have a review or two you could share with us? What about awards?

Leigh: THE DISCIPLINARIAN won the More Than Magic Contest in the erotica category, and has gotten wonderful reviews, including these:

"THE DISCIPLINARIAN is a historical journey that will leave readers breathless... Hot is not the word for the love scenes in this story, inferno is a better one...!" -- Romance Junkies

"...if this is discipline, I want what Clarissa Babcock is having!" -- Romance Reviews Today

"This was one of the most unique twists on a historical romance that I have ever read..." -- Fallen Angel

"Beautifully written...so sensual... This is truly one of my favorite erotic stories ever." -- Romance Divas

Nicole: Wow, very inpressive reviews! And congratulations on the award! Please tell us about your favorite character in this book and why is he/she your favorite?

Leigh: As the author, I love both my hero and heroine, but I adore Jared Ashworth because he's such an honorable man.

Nicole: I can't wait to get to know him better. ;-) Where do you find inspiration?

Leigh: Writers always find inspiration in the "what if" question, but sometimes an idea, a time period, or an exotic setting will inspire a story.

Nicole: What do you feel is the most important element of an erotic romance which makes it memorable?

Leigh: The emotional commitment between characters. I believe an erotic romance would still be a satisfying love story even if you took away the sex.

Nicole: I agree completely! Do you have any advice for those who are still unpublished?

Leigh: Keep writing! Even once you're published there are still rejections in the mailbox, so the only difference between a published author and an unpublished writer is one word from an editor: Yes.

Nicole: What's next for you?

Leigh: My sexy Victorian romance, called THE BET, will be in Secrets, Volume 27, coming out in July 2009! Here's a blurb:

I can make a woman come using just my words…
That outrageous claim by a very drunk Damian Hunt, Viscount Atherton, somehow escalates into a high stakes wager between two best friends. Damian bets his prized racehorse that he can do it… George Beringer gambles his London townhouse that Damian can’t.
And the surprising woman George chooses for the bet is not only a virgin, she’s also George’s very respectable sister, Claire. And to complicate matters even more, once Damian lays eyes on her, the stakes escalate in the most unpredictable way…

Nicole: Yum! I can't wait to read this one! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?

Leigh: If you could have any male celebrity star in your erotic romance, who would it be and why?

Nicole: Very intriguing question. I already know what one of my answers would be. :-) Thanks for being a guest here, Leigh! Everyone, please visit Leigh Court's website where you will find an excerpt.

Or click here to read more about the book and the other stories in it on Amazon.