Sunday, September 25, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday!

I have a horrid cold and will spend most of today sleeping, I think. But here is another tidbit from my WIP, now tentatively called Arctic Destiny...Make sure to check out all the other SSS participants, the list is here.

In this scene, my H/h are savoring being back together...

He realized he had wrapped his arms around her, was squeezing far too tightly, and loosened his hold. “How could I not be, having you here like this?”

A soft chuckle greeted his response, as though she didn’t believe he meant what he said. “It does feel good, doesn’t it?”

Good wasn’t how he’d describe it. Words like amazing, beautiful, perfect came to mind, but he didn’t contradict her, just savored the sensations, breathed in her scent as he rubbed his lips along the soft slope of her shoulder.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday!

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday! This week I thought I’d give you a little taste of my short story, Rescue My Heart, which can be found in the Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance anthology, being released on October 11th. I was so very pleased that a reviewer at Publisher’s Weekly called my story “powerful.” While I don’t usually read reviews, I was glad I clicked through to that one!
I hope you enjoy this snippet and make sure to check out all the other great Sixes posted by the talented authors.
In this scene Beatrix, Duchess of Palisadoes, has been granted her dearest wish, under the very worst of circumstances.

I am lost, as though broken from the tether of my life and floating away—a casualty of a hurricane-force wind. Not even the now-vague memory of Hardwick’s presence can lessen my pleasure at being surrounded by the touch and scent of the two people I love best. Lust is the physical manifestation, the only one I dare express, but my heart sings to have received this one chance to experience their attentions.
Forcing myself to break away is the hardest action I have ever taken, but if I do not I will forget all in their arms, and my plan will go awry.
Pulling back, I look across at Hardwick. His gloating, lascivious stare causes a chill to trickle down my spine.

Friday, September 16, 2011

THE Daisy Harris is in the House!

I'm so pleased to welcome Daisy Harris, who has a new release today--Studenstein. Okay, I don't know about the rest of you but the title alone = #winning, and I can't wait to dive into this one. Daisy promised she'd tell us a little about the world of her "steins" and this is what she had to say about her Love-Bots and their world.



Hi Anya! Thanks so much for having me on the blog. I’ve decided to talk a little bit today about just how I came up with the wild and wacky world of my love-bots.

In the first installment of my Love-Bot series, Lust After Death, I created a new breed of humans—re-aminated corpses who don’t decomposed and can be programmed to behave in any manner the builder desires. My “steins” can be soldiers, industrial workers, lab rats, or sex-slaves. They’re the perfect sub-human creatures, built and used for the whims of man, but with the hope of free-will.

Part of the impetus of this world was the idea of technology interfacing with human consciousness. I live in Seattle, land of gadgets and megabites. My kids routinely tell each other to “pause” things like board games. A term once used for videotapes is now applied to real life—as if our existence were like a film on a screen. That we can either start or pause at our whim.

It wasn’t hard for me to imagine a mind run by computer chips. After all, so much of human communication now takes place with pixels and images. Many of my steins can interface remotely, sending text messages, or even full-on fantasies to another stein’s mind. These communications can be downloaded onto a server, or relayed for future use.

The other aspect of computers I used for my steins is the concept of “original programming.” My steins can be reprogrammed, but most are built with an initial operating system that they just can’t delete (at least without losing all their memories.) One of the biggest challenges facing my steins is whether to accept their original programming or attempt to change it.

Everyone knows how it feels to be “hardwired” with certain behavior. Some things from our youth we can’t seem to shrug off no matter how hard we try. For my steins, the issue of self-determinacy rises to the forefront. Can they be something other than what they were built for? Do they even want to change? And what will they have to give up if they break from their original programming?

Well, I started exploring those questions in Lust After Death, and approached them with a whole different pair of characters and problems in Studenstein. Check out the blurb below!

Thanks Anya! It’s been a blast. J

Blurb:

A man built for sex… A woman who wants more…

Freedom fighter Shani Brown is determined to drag the ungrateful Royce back to her team in Seattle. Despite his denial of mistreatment, she wants to give him a chance at a better life. Due to her horrific past as an unlicensed love-bot, Shani never plans to have sex again. But Royce’s makers punish him remotely with crippling pain. His only escape is to orgasm. Never one to turn her back on a job, Shani soon finds herself servicing him—and soon after, caring for him.

Love-bot Royce Harden wasn’t looking to be rescued, especially not from the San Francisco BDSM club where he was having a perfectly good time. But rescued he was—by a hellcat bent on delivering him to her people. As Royce starts to trust Shani, he begins to dream of freedom. But freedom comes with a price. Royce must face his vanity, his makers, and even the loss of his sexual upgrades if he’s going to be the man Shani deserves.









Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn’t sure if she writes erotica. Her paranormal romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris’s dismay, the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

If you like science-y subplots, fantastical creatures, and red-hot chemistry, you’ll love Daisy Harris. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and at www.thedaisyharris.com.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Blog tour, full steam ahead!

Tomorrow I'm all over the blogsphere, so come by and visit!

·         Amy Ruttan!
·         J. Rose Allard!
·         Cristal Ryder!
·         Michelle Miles!
·         Stephanie Julian!

And I'll be doing a giveaway of Beyond Prudence at Michelle's Ye Olde Inkwell! Hope to see you then!

A wonderful surprise!

There have already been a couple of reviews for Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance but I had to share this one in particular. I was so surprised and squeed like a pre-pubescent girl, but the absolute best feeling was seeing my husband's reaction. If there was ever a doubt in my mind (and there hasn't been) that he is my greatest fan, that would have cured it.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday!

Yeah! Time for Six Sentence Sunday once again and, since this week saw the release of Beyond Prudence, here’s another snippet to whet your appetite! Thanks once more to the ladies of SSS and make sure to drop by and check out the other participants.

“I dream,” he continued, his voice a low rasp of desire, “of you above me, taking me, your hair a curtain between us and the world.”
The air stilled in her throat, her entire body trembling at the thought of having him beneath her, at her mercy.
“Would…?” She paused, licked her suddenly dry lips, and tried once more to speak. “Would you truly like that?”
Will shuddered, nodded, eyes flashing in that special way she’d come to recognize and, in one of the greatest understatements of her entire life, Prudence whispered in return, “I think I would like that too.”

Yeah for release day hangovers!

Release day for Beyond Prudence was such fun...seeing the book come out, sneaking peeks at Twitter and blogs when the boss wasn't looking, wishing I could be home to do happy dances. Thanks again to Passionate Reads and Lynne Silver for hosting me, and all the Tweeting etc. that ensued.

Tuesday will be better, since I'll be home late morning to do the rounds of all the blogs I'll be visiting. Hope to see you all there! And next Friday I'll have my first blog guest, THE Daisy Harris whose next book, Studenstein, will be released. She'll be here to talk about the world of her steins and give us a sneak peek of the book.

See you all tomorrow for Six Sentence Sunday!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Tripping the blog fantastic

I’m blogged out, and it’s only Wednesday! On Friday September 9th, (only two days from now!) Beyond Prudence will be released from Ellora’s Cave! You can read an excerpt here and watch the trailer here. In honor of this wonderful event, I’ll be tripping the blog fantastic between release day and Tuesday, September 13th. Maybe even beyond! Who knows? Strange things can happen when you enter the blogosphere! I hope you’ll all come to visit at one of the stops, learn a little about me and Prudence, hear how it all came to pass and maybe even win a copy of the book!
On Friday, I return to where it all started, the Passionate Reads blog, with the story of how Beyond Prudence came to be. I’ll also be visiting with Lynne Silver, where I’ll reveal who I’d do if I could have my pick of Steampunk characters.
Next Tuesday, I’m here, there and, oh yeah, everywhere.
·         Amy Ruttan! with an exclusive excerpt
·         J. Rose Allister! with a recipe
·         Cristal Ryder! with another exclusive excerpt
·         Michelle Miles! where I answer that wily lady's questions 
·         Stephanie Julian! where you can find the philosophy according to Prudence et al
And, I’ll be doing a special post at the Uninhibited History blog, run by history geeks Amy Ruttan and me. That poor little blog has been quietly waiting for us to devote some more time to it, and that’s my intention as the summer of crazy comes to a close. The blog tour’s gonna be exhausting…no, not really, since the hard graft is mostly done. It should be fun instead. Hope to see you there! And, for the heck of it, I'll embed the video as well. I love it so!!

Blurb:
The mysterious device in Prudence Hastings’ basement could be the answer to her prayers, if she could just figure out what it is. Needing William Foreman’s help, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to gain it. Even putting aside her dislike of machines and volunteering to test the risqué apparatus he’s developing for the Acolytes of Concupiscence.
Will’s expecting a lightskirt for a test subject and is horrified when he realizes the tempting woman he just debauched is very much a lady. But despite his best intentions, something keeps drawing him back to her, and it isn’t just the thought of discovering the inner workings of her uncle’s last invention. Unlocking their passion is turning out to be a far more pleasurable, if dangerous, job.
Beset by desire, automatons, secrets, an unintelligible maid and the danger of utter ruin should their association become known, Will and Prudence haven’t a chance in hell of remaining unscathed.
Fire up the boiler, open the sluices and take cover. Something’s about to explode…



Saturday, September 3, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday!

Welcome to my corner of Six Sentence Sunday! I'm getting to the end of my WIP, tentatively called Arctic Curse (although I think I prefer Arctic Light, and either would work). It's paranormal, set in Manitoba, near the town of Churchill, which is known as the polar bear capital of the world. It's just after midnight here in London, Ontario, and I'm posting this before I go to bed, because later this morning I'm going to my first ever Powwow! I'm very excited, and hope to have some pictures to share.


In this six sentence snippet the heroine, Tasha, is re-learning what it means to have the hero, Finn, back in her life. I hope you enjoy it!

“Shh, sweetheart,” he whispered, his hands trailing slowly over her hips and thighs. “Let me take care of you.”
Shudders chased over her skin and she yearned to cry out again, demand satisfaction, but when he played the game this way it was even more thrilling, so she forced her body to stillness. Yet, even knowing what was happening, the wave of longing his words inspired was still a little shocking. Only with him was she content to let him do whatever he wanted to her body. Only he could demand she be quiescent and passive, tied down and helpless—his love slave—and make her crazy with need.