The Twelve Days of Pre-Release

We’re getting into the crazy season, and suddenly I realized I had a new release coming up right at the start of it! Uh-oh…I know once December hits I’m out for the count, for a number of reasons. One is all the functions that pop up, some planned (the dreaded office parties), others impromptu (my son’s girlfriend coming for a visit from out-of-town), but there is also the fact I find I’m busier with editing at this time of the year than almost any other.

So, instead of trying to fit blogging and promo in amongst all the madness, I decided to have a Twelve Days of Pre-Release blog tour to introduce book four in my Unveiled Seductions series, Jaguar in the Sun. Pre-Release is a little like foreplay, right? Building the anticipation... because believe me, when a jaguar god and master of sex magic finally gets his hands on the woman he's been wanting since he first met her, you know the heat will be enough to break the thermometer!

Tomorrow I’ll be at the Cabal of Hotness blog to tell everyone a little more about the book, while talking about the perfect proposition. And over the next twelve days I’ll be sharing sneak peeks into some of the action and short excerpts exclusive to each blog. Join me please, on my whirlwind Twelve Days of Pre-Release blog tour!

Available December 4, 2013

Blurb:

Book four in the Unveiled Seductions series.

Cassandra Solinar has a bucket list and jaguar god Xbal Montegro is on it. About to undergo an essential rite she won’t survive, she wants to wring every ounce of pleasure out of the time left. Including discovering if Xbal’s sex magic technique is as good as rumored.

It’s no hardship for Xbal to accept Cassandra’s invitation for one erotic encounter, but far more difficult to let her go once he gets a taste of the explosive passion between them. Now he’s determined to hold on to her, no matter what.

Cassie can’t tell Xbal the truth about what she’s about to do. It’s illegal, but without her death the entire world will perish. It’s a job she’s been preparing for from birth, but the loss will be greater now. For in Xbal she finds a soul-deep connection she doesn’t want to lose, and the one thing she made a point of not putting on her bucket list—love.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Six Pack Stud-A-Thon!

How could I resist a blog hop dedicated to the glory of the male body? And, when coming up with a post subject, how could I resist talking about the Caveman I'm hoping to meet when I go to Romanticon next month?

When I got my cover for Fleeing Fate, I was over the moon to see the glorious Rodney on the cover. Here...

See what I mean? *drool*

My husband has given me strict instructions to have a picture taken with Rodney. Really, honey? *sigh* Okay, just for you... >:-)

There are so many gorgeous men out there, but when it comes to cover models, Rodney's my fav. So, in honor of my love of all things Rodney, I'm giving away a copy of Fleeing Fate to someone who comments on this post. And remember to enter to win the amazing Stud-A-Thon Grand Prize! Here's a sneak peek, and the Rafflecopter is right below. Also visit the rest of the participants for more chances to win other awesome prizes. The list of blogs is here, along with more info about the hop.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Being Busy is Good

I like when I'm feeling productive, even though I sometimes grumble about not having time to scratch my butt. I've been editing for some awesome clients since the beginning of the year and that took up most of my time. I'm in a little lull now (I try to schedule in a few weeks where I'm not editing, so I can catch up on other things) and have been able to write a novella and a half, a short story and hopefully will get the fourth book in the Unveiled Seductions series finished soon too! :) Makes me happy.

I also heard that Ellora's Cave will be putting the first two books in the Unveiled Seductions into a print anthology! No word yet about when it'll be released (I'll be going to Romanticon this year, so it may be then) but it's still exciting. I love e-books like cats love arrogance, but there's still something really thrilling about holding a book with my name on the cover in my hand!


The two novellas that will be in the anthology are Fleeing Fate and Stone-Hard Passion, with two of the most awesome heroes I've ever written--Jakuta, my West African storm god and Vidar, the shy and gorgeous troll. The heroines are no slouches either, Grainne the banshee, looking to find and hold on to emotion, and Jasmina, the strong, sexy jinn who doesn't think she's capable of love. When the couples come together, magical sparks fly, in more ways than one!

Monday already???

This will be a fairly quiet blogging week for me, outside of whatever happens here. The most exciting event scheduled at the blog is that Lynne Silver is stopping by for Foodie Friday! I’m looking forward to seeing what she cooks up, so to speak…

Things are jumping at EDJ#1. It’s the busiest time of the real estate year and although this has been a sort of strange year, with a lot of action earlier because of a nice, mild spring, we’re still hopping. EDJ#2 is just being its usual self, and I’m actually hoping they neglected to schedule me for more than one shift this week. My writing mojo has been low, and I’d love an extra day this week to try and get it back!

On Tuesday I’ll talk about a book I read last week and really enjoyed. I like the idea of boosting other authors, so if I read something and enjoy it, I’ll post something about why I did. No ratings or anything like that and, since I tend not to read a lot when I’m writing, this will be a fairly sporadic feature of the blog. I’ll save ‘em up when I go on my reading marathons and spread them out. Unless they’re trad pubbed, they’ll still be available if anyone wants to check them out, so no need to rush!

Saturday I’ll be over at the Silken Sheets and Seductions blog, where I’m talking about what makes a hero sexy. Hope you’ll stop by and say hi!

Have a great week everyone, and don't forget to check out Fleeing Fate and the other Pricked books that released last week, Nick at Night by Eileen Ann Brennan and Sinful Southern Ink by S.J. Drum. There are more coming out this week, so save your pennies...there's a lot of hot, tattooed action waiting for you at EC!

Six Sentence Sunday

I had planned last week to start posting excerpts from my up-coming release, Stone-Hard Passion, but decided instead to give one last snippet from Fleeing Fate, which was released on July 3rd. It's been a great week, as the Pricked series of books launched and I buzzed around other author's blogs promoing and enjoying talking with readers. But this week I'm looking ahead, and want to introduce you to Vidar Jarlsen and Jasmina Elalmadhoun, troll and jinn, respectively. In this snippet, their journey into each other's arms is just about to begin, but only one of them has any clue that's the direction they're heading!

Please make sure to stop by all the other amazing contributors to SSS this week by browsing the list here.

Startled, she automatically fell into step beside him, glancing up at him from the corner of her eye. He was looking straight ahead, as though there was nothing unusual about the fact they were holding hands. This from the man who couldn’t look her in the eye for longer than a couple of seconds when he first came to the Café to inquire about getting his tats.

She suppressed a giggle, amused at her surprise. They’d known each other for two years and she was shocked that he’d actually loosened up enough to hold hands with her…as a friend? Perhaps, if she were patient enough, in another ten she could get him into bed.

T Minus 24 Hours

Fleeing Fate is being released tomorrow! I'm so excited about this book, the Pricked series and my own continuing Unveiled Seductions series (I'm sure you're tired of hearing that, but it's TRUE!!). Today I'm just posting the beautiful cover and blurb of Fleeing Fate but you can read an excerpt here, and look for me at Sidney Bristol's blog tomorrow, where I'll be giving away a copy of Fleeing Fate!

Fleeing Fate

Anya Richards

Jakuta Dagbo knows bad weather’s approaching, even though the sky above the faie world is clear. And when Gràinne Bairdie walks into The Midnight Café wanting an arcane tattoo, he realizes the tempest raging into his life has nothing to do with wind and rain. Just one look at her brings his storm god libido, and the protective instincts he no longer trusts, to thundering life.

Gràinne’s a banshee on the run, desperate to claim the emotions she’s sure are rightfully hers and with no time to explore the sparks of need flying between herself and Jakuta. What she’s trying to do will bring the wrath of the Banshee Council down on her head, and she knows they’ll do anything to stop her.

Yet, as Gràinne and Jakuta peel back the layers of their lives, searching for the answers she needs, they can’t ignore the lightning-hot passion searing their blood. And when emotion reaches its apex, demanding complete surrender to the cyclone of desire, neither can resist. Even if it means Gràinne’s banshee wail of release will be her last.

Monday Morning...sort of

I know the calendar says it's Monday, but it doesn't really feel like it, and I'm not complaining! It's still Canada Day...well the official day off for it anyway, so I'm keeping on my PJs a little longer (at least until I take Sable for a walk) and relaxing before I get back to my WIP. The kids will be all here for a BBQ later, but that's the only thing planned. How lovely!

This week marks the release of the Pricked series from Ellora's Cave, and I get to lead off the tattoo hotness with Fleeing Fate! Today I'm blogging at Long and Short Reviews, Wednesday I'll be at the awesome Sidney Bristol's blog and on Friday I welcome S.J. Drum, who'll be guest blogging for Foodie Friday.
I'm really excited about both the Pricked releases and my on-going Unveiled Seductions series. I *squeed* like a pre-pubescent girl last week when the Final-final version of Stone-Hard Passion came in from my editor.
On June 26th we already got a sneak preview of Cynthia Sax's Pricked release, Tattooed Tryst, and over the next few weeks there'll be other authors dropping by to tell us about their up-coming books. It'll be awesome, so make sure to check back!

Happy SSS (and Canada Day!)

By the time most of you are reading this, I will have officially become a Canadian citizen! I was tickled to be invited to take the Oath on Canada Day, and it doesn't hurt that this week Fleeing Fate will be released too. Despite the ups and downs, the sadness and pain, life is GOOD.

I'd planned to start teasing my visitors with some snippets from my second release for July Stone-Hard Passion, but in honor of Fleeing Fate's release, here's one more glimpse into the tumultuous relationship between storm god Jakuta and his banshee lover.

Heart breaking, body strained and taut with arousal, he kissed his way back up her body, lingering, committing each curve and swell to memory, pulling the sea-washed scent of her deep into his lungs. She had gone still, as though knowing what he was doing, what was about to happen, but her breath shuddered and rasped, her hands trembled.

When they were face-to-face he found her eyes open, trained on his, her lips quivering, tears trailing down her temples to dampen her hair. Her legs came around his waist and she released her grip on his head so as to twine her arms around his neck. The tip of his cock found her heat with flawless, heartbreaking precision.

There was no need for words, for anything but the connection crackling and streaming between them.


Please make sure to visit some of the other awesome authors participating in Six Sentence Sunday, and thank you for stopping by!

Looking back, and ahead

Last week wasn’t a very good one. I learned my brother is quite ill, and it threw me for a loop. I think there’s nothing like those moments to bring life into perspective. What do the people you care for truly mean to you? How important are those squabbles, disagreements and differences of opinion? Not very, right?

It also makes me really think about what I want to be doing with my life at this stage. Life is capricious. How important is what I want to do? How much am I willing to give up to be able to do it? Is my quality of life what I want it to be? These are some serious questions and can’t be properly considered when emotions are too high. Those are the times I go a little nuts and make decisions that turn out to be not in everyone’s best interests.

I'm also seriously missing my critique partner Amy Ruttan, who's gone across country to a wedding. I so hope she's having a great time with her DH and kidlets, but I can't wait to have her back!

With everything that’s happening, I still have to find time to promo and get ready for the release of Fleeing Fate, which is just a week and a half away! I love this book, and hope everyone else will too. Storm god! Banshee! Shenanigans (which is one of my favorite words—ever)! What else could anyone want? Oh, hot sex too? Got yah covered baybee!

I also got around to creating an author page on Facebook. I’d love for you to stop by and give me a little “Like” love. You can find it here. I’ve also been on Twitter for a while, but I’m getting a little more active, so if you’d like to keep up with what I’m up to, my handle is @AnyaRwrites.

On Tuesday I have special guest Cynthia Sax stopping by to give us all a sneak peek of her Pricked release, Tattooed Tryst. This woman writes some hot, delicious aliens…I can’t wait to get my grubby little hands on that book when it’s released on July 18^th!

On Thursday we’ll be getting a look at an anthology featuring the amazing Cassandra Carr, Cristal Ryder and Jamie Davenport! I can tell you, it’s hot, hot, hot…

Hope you’ll join us all, and have a great week.

Six Sentence Sunday Fleeing Fate

I can't believe this is already the last Sunday in June! Or that Fleeing Fate, book one in the Unveiled Seductions series and the first of the Pricked series books from Ellora's Cave, will be released in less that two weeks!! I'm so excited I can hardly wait.
This week, a glimpse of Jakuta's heartbreak...

“Your goddess watch over you, sweetness.”

He couldn’t manage any more than that and Gràinne didn’t seem to have anything to say in response. After a brief hesitation, she raised one hand in farewell and disappeared in a swirl of powerful magic.

He’d known, he reminded himself, that if she were once more whole, complete, with all emotions intact, what she felt for him would fade.

The knowledge didn’t ease the agony tearing at his heart. Blind, deafened by the enormity of his loss, Jakuta transported himself away from the Midnight Café, not sure he would ever be able to return.

Thank you for stopping by, and please check out all the other lovely authors participating in Six Sentence Sunday by browsing the list here.

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome! Please make sure to visit all the other wonderful authors participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week. Browse the list here and please do comment. We all love to know what our readers think!

This week, although passion's running high between Jakuta and Grainne, the past is about to catch up with them...

Kissing his way up her body, Jakuta sent sparks into her skin with each impression of lips on belly, sternum, each breast, creating sharp aftershocks of pleasure.

As though released by the force of her orgasm, memories began scrolling through her mind, slowly at first then with gathering speed, each bringing with it the attendant emotions she hadn’t felt when the events first occurred. Soon the images came so swiftly they left just an impression on her closed eyelids. But her reactions lingered, piling one atop the other, growing, expanding—overwhelming. Happiness, revulsion, sadness, surprise, disgust, amusement—bombarding her until she was going insane from the onslaught.

Pain racketed through her head and she clutched her hair, trying to make it stop.


And I hope you'll check out the excerpt for Fleeing Fate, available here, and the book is available for pre-order from Ellora's Cave here. Happy Sunday everyone!

Sunday Six...more Fleeing Fate

Welcome to my little corner of Six Sentence Sunday! Please make sure you visit all the other wonderful participants, the list of whom is here.

Again this week I'm featuring a snippet of Fleeing Fate, my fantasy novella being released by Ellora's Cave on July 4, 2012, and already available for pre-order. Jakuta, the storm god, already knows Grainne, the banshee, is going cause him no end of trouble. She's about to realize the trouble will be mutual. Hope you enjoy it!

His eyelids drifted down to reveal their thick, curling lashes, and the corners of his mouth tilted up in a slow, sexy smile. When he touched her cheek a jolt of electricity almost knocked Gràinne off her feet. “Or maybe something about the two of us, together.”

Rocked back onto her heels, she could only stare into his sparkling, dangerous eyes and absorb the sensation flowing into her skin. With a soft sweep of one caressing finger he traced the line of her jaw, lingered just below her ear. Lifting one hand she grasped his wrist and, as though a circuit had been completed, felt a surge of confusion and anticipation fill her with liquid fire, setting her ablaze from the inside out.

The Week Ahead

Ahhh…Monday morning. What does the week hold for me? I have no clue, except that it will no doubt involve trying to rescue my shoes from an inquisitive, teething puppy (who right now seems sure there is gold to be found behind my back, if she could just dig hard enough to find it) and hopefully getting more done on my WIP, tentatively titled Luck is No Lady. When I started it I didn’t think it would run as long as it is, but hopefully that’s a good thing, rather than the alternative.

It’s the third book aimed at being a part of my Unveiled Seductions series but, of course, whether it makes it into Ellora’s Cave will be in the hands of my editor, the inimitable Grace Bradley. These books are set on the faie side of the Veil separating humans from what we call the supernatural beings. Of course, as far as the elves, vamps, gods, banshees, jinn, trolls and others living in the faie realm are concerned, we’re just another specie, who just don’t have access to both areas of the world like they do.

The first two books, Fleeing Fate and Stone-Hard Passion (don't you LOVE the covers?), being also part of the Pricked series of tattoo themed books, are already up for pre-order on the EC site! During the month of June I’ll be posting snippets of Fleeing Fate during Six Sentence Sunday, prior to its release on July 4th. In July I’ll post snippets of Stone-Hard Passion, which is scheduled for release on July 27th (the day before my birthday...happy birthday indeed!). In August I’m thinking it’ll be Luck is No Lady, but it’s a book with a serious twist, and I’m not sure how much I can post without giving that away! We’ll see LOL!

So, here’s hoping for everyone out there a safe and productive week! Or a really nice vacation…